[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15633]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     GAMING INDUSTRY FUELS ECONOMY

  (Ms. BERKLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I came down to the floor to speak about 
Social Security and the President's plan to privatize, but after 
hearing the comments of the gentleman from Virginia regarding the 
gaming industry, I felt it is my responsibility as the Congresswoman 
from Las Vegas to speak on behalf of the gaming industry.
  I grew up in Las Vegas. I know the people well. I know the community 
well. And I know the industry well. My father has a ninth-grade 
education. He was a waiter when I was growing up. On a waiter's salary 
in a Las Vegas casino, he made enough money to put a roof over our 
heads, food on the table, clothes on our backs and two daughters 
through college and law school. That is not so bad on a waiter's 
salary. The reason he was able to do that was because of a strong 
economy fueled by the gaming industry.
  For anybody that thinks that the social ills of this country are 
caused by gaming, I invite them to come to my beautiful city of Las 
Vegas and see for themselves firsthand the strong economy based on the 
gaming industry that is run by some of the most reputable people that I 
have ever met. Come to Las Vegas and see for yourself the wonders of 
that amazing community.

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