[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14766]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        CORPORATE WELFARE DEMONSTRATES NEED FOR LOBBYING REFORM

  (Mr. EMANUEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, oil topped at $60 a barrel, and 
yet the House energy bill contains more than $8 billion in taxpayer 
funded giveaways to oil companies.
  American taxpayers are being asked to subsidize big oil to do one 
thing: execute their business plan. So we pay twice, once at the gas 
pump and once on April 15. That is just business as usual here in 
Washington.
  As USA Today points out today, corporate donors have given more than 
$120 million to Republicans during the last election, and now they are 
receiving their reward for loyalty.
  Tobacco companies gave more than $40 million to Republicans, and they 
got a sweetheart deal from the Justice Department.
  Pharmaceutical companies gave over $100 million to the Republican 
party and got a prescription drug bill resulting in $138 billion in 
additional profits.
  To those industries, it is just good business: Invest a little now 
for a bigger return from Congress.
  Special interests have attached themselves to Congress, and this is a 
parasitic relationship that is having a corrosive effect on the 
People's House. Congress has told corporate America to clean up their 
act. We have told professional sports to clean up their act, but when 
it comes to the People's House, things are squeaky clean.
  The gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan) and I have introduced 
lobbying reform legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, when the gavel comes down, it should mark the opening of 
the People's House, not the auction house.

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