Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 104 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 104 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 142 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 1996 No. 116ÐPart II House of Representatives AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT LAW With the enactment of the health nativist, isolationist initiative that the ENFORCEMENT TO HAVE TOOLS care bill, this commonsense Congress is Congress should reject summarily. IT NEEDS TO FIGHT TERRORISM giving Americans genuine health care f (Mr. CARDIN asked and was given reform without a government take- CONGRESS ACTS TO MAKE ENG- permission to address the House for 1 over. The bill establishes medical sav- LISH OUR OFFICIAL LANGUAGE minute and to revise and extend his re- ings accounts, fights fraud and abuse, marks.) provides a long-term care insurance de- (Mr. ROTH asked and was given per- Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, the Amer- duction, allows the self-employed to mission to address the House for 1 ican people are shocked and outraged deduct 80 percent of health care costs, minute and to revise and extend his re- over the tragedies of TWA Flight 800 and allows people the freedom to marks.) and at the Olympic Park. change jobs without losing their health Mr. ROTH. Mr. Speaker, today is a The American people want us to care coverage. great day for America. We are finally show determination and common sense Mr. Speaker, I'm glad President Clin- going to address an issue that the in giving our Nation's law enforcement ton has finally come around. True American people have been asking us community the tools it needs to fight health care reform is what the Amer- to address for a long time, like the terrorism. ican people want. 45,000 people, 97 percent of the people One proposal is to put chemical f who called in to USA Today in one markers, or taggants, in gun powder to PUTTING AMERICA AGAINST ITS weekend who said let us make English help the FBI identify the vicious cow- OWN IMMIGRANT ROOTS our official language. Winston Churchill said a common ards responsible for bombings. (Mr. RICHARDSON asked and was What sensible person would side with language is one of the Nation's most given permission to address the House priceless inheritances, and as an Amer- the bombers and against the FBI? We for 1 minute and to revise and extend have a chance, before we leave this ican I am delighted to say today that his remarks.) we are going to address this issue. Eng- week, to do what the American people Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, an- would do if they could vote themselves. lish is a legacy for you and for me. No other Democratic initiative, health matter what our background or ethnic The President has asked us to pass care and insurance reform, will soon this antiterrorism proposal. Unfortu- group, we all want to pass on this leg- become law, affecting millions of acy for posterity so we can remain one nately, the long arm of the National Americans. The Kennedy-Kassebaum Rifle Association has reached into this Nation, one people, one language. bill, which reforms insurance port- We Americans are from every corner House and prevented us from even tak- ability and preexisting conditions in ing the issue up. of the globe. We represent every ethnic insurance, will permit us to go home group, every religious group, every na- It is time for this House to stand and say, rightfully, that this is not a with the American people, and stand tion. But we are one nation, one peo- do-nothing Congress. ple. Why? Because up to now we have up to the NRA. Let's pass meaningful But along with same-sex marriage, had a wonderful commonality and antiterrorism legislation. abortion, and illegal immigration, Re- today we are going to make English f publicans are looking for another our official language so that we can re- wedge issue to divide the country and PRESIDENT CLINTON FINALLY spect all cultures, but also reaffirm our get some votes. They have found it in COMES AROUND TO TRUE common bond and unifying force, the ``English Only,'' an initiative that puts HEALTH CARE REFORM English language. America against its own immigrant (Mr. BALLENGER asked and was roots and the sweeping tides of history. f given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend b 1015 MEXICAN DRUG TRAFFICKING TO his remarks.) It tells the billions that are watching AMERICA MUST BE STOPPED Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, good the Olympics in Atlanta that America (Mr. TRAFICANT asked and was news for all Americans today. Not only is saying that any language besides given permission to address the House has President Clinton agreed to sign English is not important. ``English for 1 minute and to revise and extend the bipartisan welfare reform bill, he Only'' is bad for business, since most of his remarks.) has said he will also sign the bipartisan our commerce is done in other lan- Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, a health care reform bill. guages. It is bad for tourism. It is a bad former Mexican drug agent says the b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H9707 H9708 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE August 1, 1996 Mexican Government is so corrupt that And to think that this day almost Unfortunately, the rigid, extreme op- Mexican drug agents regularly escort never was. In spite of the vote of 100 to position of the House majority, most of massive drug shipments to America's 0 in the Senate, it took Democrats, the Members and their leadership, have borders. He further said Mexican drug constantly pressuring the Republicans, made it impossible to act before this agents are nothing more than body- to get to where we are today. point. In fact, the House majority lead- guards for drug traffickers to America. The Republicans were prepared to let ership has said that they ought to Mr. Speaker, are you surprised? I am this bill languish in the Senate, but we eliminate the minimum wage, not raise not. Everybody knows Mexico's war on applied the pressure here, and more im- it. drugs is a joke and America's war on portant the American people applied Well, a few Republicans working with drugs is a comedy of errors. the pressure all across this country, us in the House minority are going to Think about it. When an 8-year-old and the Republicans were forced to act. create a bipartisan majority to raise can find brown Mexican heroin, Mexi- Imagine, forced to enact legislation the minimum wage. I admire those can cocaine, and Mexican marijuana on that would help working families be House Republicans that took on their any street corner of America, some- able to maintain their insurance, to leadership on this one. They have made thing is not only wrong, somebody in prevent insurance companies from dis- it possible to do something very impor- high places, both in Mexico and in criminating based on preexisting con- tant for working Americans. Washington, is getting awfully rich. ditions. f Mr. Speaker, I say it is time to de- Mr. Speaker, we are sent here to do ploy troops to the border and cut off the people's business and to work on ELECTION YEAR POLITICS aid to Mexico until they stop flooding behalf of families in this country. The (Mr. KINGSTON asked and was given our shores with dope. Think about it, bottom line is that although some may permission to address the House for 1 Congress. have gotten here kicking and scream- minute and to revise and extend his re- ing, they are here. We will pass health f marks.) care legislation today. Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, aren't THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, FOR f election year politics fun? Here yester- SUPPORTING WELFARE REFORM PASSAGE OF WELFARE REFORM day President Clinton, following Bob (Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland asked MARKS HISTORIC DAY FOR CON- Dole's lead, agreed to sign the Repub- and was given permission to address GRESS lican welfare bill. And then following the House for 1 minute and to revise Clinton, who was following Dole, 68 (Mr. LEWIS of California asked and and extend his remarks.) Democrats changed their vote from was given permission to address the Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. less than a month ago to pass this House for 1 minute and to revise and Speaker, it's been a 2-year struggle, bill on an overwhelming bipartisan extend his remarks.) but I welcome President Clinton's sup- Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr. Speak- basis. port for the bipartisan effort by the er, yesterday was a historic day for the Then, in the paper today Clinton is 104th Congress to save generations of U.S. Congress. The passage of the Ging- going to support the Hastert-Kasse- Americans from the poverty trap of the rich-Dole Welfare Reform Act provides baum Republican health care bill. failed welfare system. a dramatic shifting of the direction of Right under that, President Clinton is These commonsense welfare reforms the ship-of-state, a shift away from going to support the Republican clean will end welfare as a way of life. welfare, from a growing Federal bu- drinking water bill. Add these to the These commonsense welfare reforms reaucracy and ever expanding Federal fact that this party and this Congress will ensure that able-bodied citizens welfare spending.