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Congressional Record—House H4176 H4176 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 15, 2003 fight for their voice in shaping our gov- would break a quorum every time we ters for a living. Now he’s trying to ernment, comparing those brave Tex- disagreed with you on other important prove that he remembers how, by ex- ans to people such as Hussein’s Presi- issues of the day, such as our school fi- terminating any remnants of biparti- dential adviser, the King of Spades; nance, health care and homeowners in- sanship in the Texas House.’’ comparing them to the Republican surance. And continuing the quote, ‘‘Little Guard chief of staff, the Jack of Clubs; ‘‘We want to clarify this point so does DELAY, the U.S. House majority the Iraqi Intelligence Service, the Iraqi that your concern is addressed and no leader, care if he incites a blood feud in Armed Forces chief of staff, a jack of ambiguity remains. We are here be- Austin; he’d just as soon suck the Spades; the Secretary of the Repub- cause we strongly feel that congres- Democrats dry in his lust to make him- lican Guard and Special Republican sional redistricting should only be self master of the universe. In his insa- Guard, along with other Iraqi terror- taken up every 10 years, unless other- tiable ambition to obliterate the two- ists who have been responsible for the wise ordered to do so by the courts, and party system, DELAY apparently ex- death and murder and rape of hundreds that it should not be a priority above pected the Texas House Dems to roll of thousands of Iraqi citizens. Shame other issues facing our State. over on their backs like roaches on on Texas Republican legislators and ‘‘If you are willing to assure us that Raid and let his water boys roar undis- whoever developed that cute little gim- congressional redistricting will not be turbed through the Capitol with a new mick to compare our legislators in our taken up by the House during the re- congressional district map. country to Iraqi terrorists. mainder of this session and the special ‘‘When Texas Democratic House Mr. Speaker, a lot of folks in my dis- sessions to come, then we are willing members hightailed it north of the Red trict in central Texas are not yet to give you our word, through this let- River, it wasn’t to avoid thorny prob- aware of what would have happened ter, that we will not break a quorum on lems still facing the State. It was out had this Sunday night 52 Texas legisla- other issues during that same time, of exasperation that neither Mr. DELAY tors not gone to Ardmore, Oklahoma, even when we disagree.’’ nor Texas House Speaker Tom to break a quorum. This is the real And I am sure that there will be plen- Craddick would let earnest, hard-work- story: ty of things to disagree about. ing lawmakers of both parties focus on On Sunday, Mother’s Day, when most ‘‘We had no intention to break a the vital business that the legislature families in my district were with their quorum on issues following this one, ought to be spending its energy on as families honoring their mothers, Mr. and if you need this guarantee, then this session winds down.’’ DELAY and Mr. Craddick’s forces had a this letter provides it. In our system, Mr. Speaker, I served with Mr. different agenda that day. Their agen- negotiations and compromise are often DELAY as a State legislator. I served da was to put the final touches on a se- the only way to make progress and im- with a lot of Members on the Demo- cret, unknown redistricting map that prove our State. To that end and in cratic and Republican side, and I would the public had never been able to see. that spirit, we respectfully ask you to hope that we could get past this par- It was going to dramatically change accept our offer. We hope you will re- tisan issue and let those folks go back the 11th Congressional District in cen- spond as soon as possible today, so we and deal with the problems we have in tral Texas. I salute these heroes in can return right away.’’ the State of Texas. Hopefully, we will Oklahoma for standing up to that kind And, again, this letter was sent yes- learn something from them and de- of secret dealmaking that would have terday. velop a better bipartisan spirit up here. destroyed the 11th Congressional Dis- ‘‘There is a lot of work we can do, f trict as we have known it for over 100 and we would like to get that work PARTISAN POWER GRAB IN TEXAS years. done.’’ During my 20-plus years as a State The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a f legislator, 13 as a State House member previous order of the House, the gen- IN CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE and 7 as a State Senator in Texas, the tleman from Texas (Mr. SANDLIN) is TEXAS DEMOCRATIC LEGISLA- thing I treasured the most was the bi- recognized for 5 minutes. TORS partisanship that existed in both our Mr. SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, the im- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. chambers. The problems occurring in proper and purely partisan power grab CHOCOLA). Under a previous order of the Texas Legislature now are not by TOM DELAY and Washington, D.C., the House, the gentleman from Texas what is normal. I remember in my 20 Republicans to redistrict Texas and de- (Mr. GREEN) is recognized for 5 min- years there that we had redistricting stroy rural representation is an affront utes. bills, and we fought them based on to the citizens and the voters of the Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I Democrats and Republicans. We had great State of Texas. am glad to follow my Waco, Texas, col- election code bills, and we fought based This arrogant play is not about our league. I come to the floor today to pay on Democrat and Republicans. But to State, our communities, our constitu- tribute, like my colleagues from Texas, have redistricting overshadow the im- encies. This is political gluttony, self- to the very brave men and women of portant issues facing the State of ishness. Even the Republicans’ own the legislature, those Texas heroes who Texas, or any State for that matter, I witness in their 2000 redistricting bat- have put their political lives on the think is frustrating. tle has acknowledged that this plan is line to ensure that the voting rights of We see sometimes that Washington a partisan feeding frenzy. Listen to all Texans will remain intact. politics, the partisan nature of that, what the Republican witness said in a Again, I want to personally thank my has invaded our State legislatures. In trial in 2001. The Republican expert State representatives, and of course all honesty, my friends on the Repub- witness, Rice University Professor there are 53 of them totally, but Rick lican side that I have served with in John Alford, called the plan ‘‘a pro-Re- Noriega, Jessica Farrar, Joe Moreno, the Texas Legislature both say we publican partisan gerrymandering, on Senfronia Thompson, Kevin Bailey, should sit down and talk about prob- top of an already pro-Republican exist- Scott Hochberg, and the other dozens lems without it being such a partisan ing plan.’’ That is what their expert of Texas heroes. issue. Maybe we can learn something has said about the current map. Yesterday, these Killer Ds, as they from our legislators here that say, wait Mr. Speaker, in Texas, we say pigs are now called, sent a letter to Texas a minute, we will fight over redis- get fat, hogs get slaughtered. Over- Speaker Craddick, who I was honored tricting, we will fight over election reaching is apparently the word of the to serve 13 years with in the state- codes, but when we talk about school day. Mr. Speaker, this plan does not house. In this letter the members of finance, insurance reform, health care, just destroy Democratic representa- the legislature said, ‘‘During recent or the State budget, you will not see us tion, this map destroys rural represen- interviews, you indicated you were not try to break a quorum in Texas. tation. This map displaces rural north- willing to negotiate with us regarding Today, this Fort Worth Star-Tele- east Texas into a Dallas suburban dis- the issue of congressional redistricting. gram said, and I quote, ‘‘Once upon a trict. Southeast Texas becomes domi- You stated you were concerned if you time, TOM DELAY killed vermin and nated by Houston suburbs. Deep east negotiated with us on this issue, we varmints and other disreputable crit- Texas becomes a Tyler district just VerDate Jan 31 2003 00:54 May 16, 2003 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K15MY7.081 H15PT1.
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