H10580 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE September 18, 1996 the moderate macarena for the next 6 the EPA, to the Department of the In- House, keep in mind that it is that weeks. They are sending out memos terior, to protect our national re- time of year. You are intelligent peo- about adopting a tree, or go visit a zoo sources and protect our health, and to ple. You can make your own mind up. and show that you are politically sen- protect our environment, that by al- Base it on character, base it on his- sitive to the environmental concerns of lowing those levels of cuts to be pro- tory, base it upon the future, base it on your constituents, but it is the agenda posed and in some cases actually im- whatever you want. But keep in mind of the Contract With America. plemented, what we are seeing is the that these are like television ads. They I do not think the American people inability, if you will, of the Federal are just a few minutes dedicated to the understood that in 1994, but as it has Government and also State govern- Members of the House to come here been outlined in detail, as each week ments that depend on Federal dollars and express their views, and to try to and month has gone by in the last 11¤2 to actually do the investigation and convince you that the future lies in years, the American people have be- the enforcement that is necessary to someone else's hands, or the future lies come quite aware that it is an environ- carry out our environmental laws and in the hands of those that have it mentally radical program that has to make sure that there is adequate today. been put on the books that calls into protection of individual's health and Spin is interesting here in Washing- question every environmental advance safety and environmental concerns. ton, because, you know, I heard the we have made over the last quarter of If the Dole economic plan were to be Secretary of Defense went over to Ku- a century. I do not think the American put into effect, we know that there wait. I think all of us in the House people want to go backwards. I think would be essentially a 40-percent cut in knew, and certainly everybody in tele- they want even cleaner water, even environmental programs. So the types vision land knew, and certainly, Mr. cleaner air, even safer areas around of cuts that were proposed in this last Speaker, you knew, that the Kuwaitis hazardous waste sites. Congress for the last 2 years would decided they did not want us there, Mr. PALLONE. I think the gen- even be deeper, and the effect would be even though we sent 500,000 men over tleman is correct. that the environmental protection and there to save their country. When we Mr. MARKEY. In each and every one the 25 years, if you will, of efforts on a tried to send 3,500 men there, they of these areas I think they have a big bipartisan basis to protect the environ- balked. But in any event, the Secretary decision to make in 1996, and thanks to ment and improve the level of protec- went over there and he explained it. Fi- the gentleman, I think millions are tion by the Federal Government would nally, they let us come in. having it explained to them here today. simply be reversed, because of the in- But the spin that came out of it, and Mr. PALLONE. I want to thank the ability of Federal agencies to carry out I quote the Washington Post, Mr. gentleman for coming on the floor, Mr. the law. Speaker, it said that the Kuwaitis are Speaker, and talking about this issue. I That is what we do not want to see. inviting us over there to protect their think there is no question that if you That is what we do not think that the interests. That is spin. ask the average person, and certainly average American wants to see. But for the next hour, we are not all the polling data that both Repub- f going to be partisan. We are not going licans and Democrats have done shows TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE SAM to be Republicans, we are not going to that people feel that there needs to be GIBBONS AND THE HONORABLE be Democrats. We are going to be tell- more environmental protection and GLEN BROWDER ing you some of the things that have more health and safety protection. taken place during the last several ses- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. When we had our Families First sions of the Congress, and about two or hearing today and we talked, and we MCINNIS). Under the Speaker's an- nounced policy of May 12, 1995, the gen- three individuals that have been an in- had witnesses that talked about some tegral part of that. They are two tleman from Alabama [Mr. CALLAHAN] of the problems they face, we had an- is recognized for 60 minutes as the des- Democrats, and I am a Republican, but other gentleman who was infected with ignee of the majority leader. there are two Democratic Members of Cryptosporidium from tap water, and the House who are retiring from Con- almost died. We had another woman WATCH FOR ELECTION-YEAR SPIN IN HOUSE FLOOR SPEECHES gress this year. who helped organize a community ef- Mr. CALLAHAN. Mr. Speaker, it I have requested 1 hour of this time fort to reduce toxic waste in her neigh- must be confusing to the people who to come in a nonpartisan sense to talk borhood. She talked about how we need are watching this, both in the gallery about these two individuals, these two more right-to-know measures. and on C±SPAN, about what we are Members of Congress that have made a So the types of things that the Presi- talking about today. During this time tremendous contribution to this coun- dent has proposed, accelerating the of our political careers in history, it is try during the time that they have cleanup of Superfund sites, providing an election year. It is like selling Coca- served. more right to know for citizens and cit- Cola and Pepsi-Cola. You have one side We have not always agreed. We izen groups, trying to basically provide that says Pepsi-Cola is better, and one agreed generally only on those things better enforcement and more money side that says Coca-Cola is better. that were very beneficial to Alabama, for enforcement, this is what my con- What we do is create spin efforts. We because in the Alabama delegation, un- stituents are telling me, and I believe try to convince the American people like some of the other delegations in when I talk to other members of Con- that one side is going to do all of these this Congress, we work together, gress and other colleagues, what their evil things, and the sky is going to fall whether we are Democrats or Repub- constituents are telling them, that if indeed a certain individual is elected licans. If we have a problem, if we have there should be more protection and President. a need in the State of Alabama, the more funding where necessary for in- You hear things about cutting Medi- delegation meets on a monthly basis vestigation and enforcement. care. There is not a provision anywhere and we discuss with each other the I just want to conclude the special in Washington where anybody has in- needs, and why we need it. order today just giving an idea of what, troduced or even suggested that we cut I had a home port in Mobile that I again, the Dole economic plan would Medicare. All of this is partisan poli- was trying to get and got it, because I mean in terms of environmental pro- tics, trying to convince you, trying to brought it to our delegation. I said, I tection. The concern many of us have manipulate you, the audience, into be- need the help of all seven of you. We is that not only many of the environ- lieving their side or our side of any have things in Huntsville, we had an mental programs, whether it be the particular issue. Army base in Anniston that one of our Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, They just talked about the environ- Members had some problems with. We Superfund, that the Republican leader- ment. We are not going to destroy the always work together. ship in this Congress tried to gut that environment. Not one individual in Some States do not work together on legislation, but even more so, that by this entire body wants to do anything anything. Some Democrats never work deprioritizing funding for environ- to do harm to the environment. with Republicans, and some Repub- mental protection, by slashing the So as you go through these little pe- licans never work with Democrats. But amount of money that was available to riods of speeches on the floor of the in Alabama we have been blessed, September 18, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE H10581 blessed to have seven members of our trying to convince you through their claim home. But the thing in Alabama, delegation who do work together; who statements to vote for either Bob Dole and I have visited his district many, do not always agree on the national is- or for Bill Clinton or to tell you that many times, both Democrats and Re- sues, who do not always agree on indi- there ought to be a Republican major- publicans voted for TOM BEVILL be- vidual bills, but who do have a guid- ity versus a Democratic majority in cause they knew they had a person ance and a direction that moves toward the House, keep in mind that all of that was fair, and just as the gen- a better America and a better Ala- that is partisan spin politics.