    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [January 23, 1995]
    [Pages 73-74]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Signing the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995
    January 23, 1995

        Good morning, everyone. I'm delighted to be joined this morning by
    Senator Nickles, Senator Ford, Senator Lieberman, Senator Grassley, and
    Senator Glenn and by Congressman Armey, Congressman Fazio, Congressman
    Shays, Congressman Gutknecht, and also by former Congressman Dick Swett
    and former Speaker Foley, who were instrumental in supporting this
    legislation in the previous session of the Congress where it passed the
    House but not the Senate.
        Let me say that I am extremely pleased, and I think the American
    people are extremely pleased, that we are beginning the new year with a
    reform that requires Congress to live under the laws it imposes on the
    American people. I'm encouraged that we've begun this year with the
    White House and Congress, with Republicans and Democrats working
    together on a reform that has long been needed.
        Most Americans are actually surprised when they learn that some of
    our most basic laws don't apply to Congress and their staffs. This
    legislation ensures that we'll change that. It guarantees that the
    cafeteria workers and the police who work in Congress and who help
    millions of tourists every year will have the same rights as all
    Americans do to a safe environment, to collective bargaining, to civil
    rights protection.
        It does something else that's very important. Over the years,
    Washington has too often isolated itself from the everyday experience of
    ordinary Americans. It's become remote from the consequences of the
    actions Congress takes. I want to end this. Congress clearly wants to
    end this. Now when Congress passes a law, it will immediately know the
    consequences of the law if it affects private employers as well.
        This will help us reconnect Government to the lives of ordinary
    Americans. That's why I supported this change when I ran for President
    and why I have supported it as President. It will help us to do what we
    must do to continue to fight to bring a reality check to Washington.
    That's why I worked to cut the White House staff, to eliminate the
    executive dining rooms, to cut back the widespread use of Government
    limousines, to reduce the deficit, to shrink the Federal bureaucracy to
    its smallest size in 30 years.
        I'll admit that last year when this reform didn't pass I was
    disappointed. But I am very happy today. I want to thank all the
    Senators who are here, Senators Lieberman, Glenn, and Grassley, Senator
    Nickles, for what they all did. I thank Congressman Shays and
    Congressman Hoyer, who is not here, and the other Members of the House
    for all the work that they did. And again I say, I thank those who
    worked on this last year when it passed the House.
        Already this year, Congress has enacted other important reforms,
    like reducing the staff and the number of committees. I want to
    congratulate the Members of Congress on these steps and, in particular,
    Majority Leader Dole and

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    Speaker Gingrich, the Senate Democratic leader, Tom Daschle, and the
    House Democratic leader, Dick Gephardt.
        These changes I hope are the beginning of something that will
    continue for the next several years. We must use this impetus to make
    much deeper changes in the culture of Washington that has too often
    disconnected it from ordinary Americans. The American people, for
    example, know that lobbyists frequently get access to Congress they can
    never hope to get. They know the voices of special interests still
    sometimes ring too loud. They know too much of what goes on here goes on
    behind closed doors. Congress should ban the practice of gifts and meals
    and travels and entertainment from lobbyists. It should pass the
    strongest possible version of the line-item veto, lobby disclosure
    reform, and real comprehensive campaign finance reform.
        I want to discuss these matters in detail tomorrow evening, but this
    is a job we must finish. This bill demonstrates the common resolve of
    people here that those in power should not lose touch with those who
    sent them here. Now we've got to go on. We must make this system more
    open, more fair, and less elitist. That's the goal we all share. I look
    forward to working with all of the Members here and all the Members of
    the Congress in both parties to achieve that goal.
        Now I want to get on with signing the bill.

    Note: The President spoke at 10 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. S. 2, approved January 23, was assigned Public Law No. 104-1.