May 2, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE H 4487

that show all that is right with our

government. Members, their staffs, and

the general public will have an opportunity to see demonstrations and displays from virtually every agency.

Typically, this is a happy week, one

in which we celebrate the many things

that are right with our civil service

which, regretfully, so many are so

quick to criticize.

This year, however, there is a heavy

cloud over the celebration. As we wander through the exhibits our thoughts

will turn frequently to those we lost in

Oklahoma City:

Like Julie Welch, a 23-year-old graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee who was preparing to marry an

Air Force lieutenant. She helped Spanish-speaking clients at the Social Security Administration’s Office.

Or like Rick Tomlin, a special agent

with the Department of Transportation, who had celebrated his silver

wedding anniversary in February. He

and his wife, Tina, have two sons.

Or Kenneth McCullough, an Army

veteran who worked for the Drug Enforcement Agency. He won’t be with us

to see his son and daughter grow up.

Or Randolph Guzman, a 28-year-old

proud member of the U.S. Marines.

Mr. Speaker, these are just a few of

the fine people whose lives were senselessly wiped out by the act of a deranged, demented, evil person, or perhaps persons. These are not nameless,

faceless bureaucrats, and, Mr. Speaker,

let me be very blunt. I get angry, angry

at those who denigrate our civil servants. Every time we need budget savings, we go after the civil servants.

Every time we need a scapegoat for the

failure of this body to address important issues, we blame the civil service.

That is not fair.

Yes, there are nonperformers, just

like there are at corporations and factories across our country.

But, Mr. Speaker, the great majority

of these men and women are Americans

with a deep love for their Nation who

oftentimes have bypassed more lucrative careers to serve their fellow citizens.

So it is my hope that the politicians

and the reporters and the televisions

folks and all the other self-proclaimed

critics will revisit their attitude about

the civil service.

We will never forget this terrible

tragedy in Oklahoma. If any good can

come of this most disturbing situation,

I hope that it will be a new found respect for public servants.

We owe it to those who perished in

the explosion, to those incredible FBI

and ATF agents whose expertise has

led to early successes in the investigation, and to every Federal, State, and

local official who has worked tirelessly

on the scene to aid their fellow Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I think the Federal

Times said it well in their special issue

released this morning. In dedicating

the issue to those who gave their lives

in Oklahoma City, the editors note:

Many survivors of the blast became heroes

as we learned of their extraordinary efforts

to rescue others.

Many of the dead and missing are heroes,

too, though we may never learn their stories.

They are heroes of everyday life: good parents, co-workers you could count on, people

willing to go the extra mile.

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate Public

Service Recognition Week, let us all

remember that our Nation is blessed

with heroes in the Federal office building not only in Oklahoma City but in

Federal buildings across this great

land, and, yes, I would urge my friends

and colleagues: ‘‘Yes, you get angry at

the IRS; yes, you may get angry at law

enforcement offices, but do not allow

that anger to be directed at individuals. Let it be directed at policy. Let

us be a civil society.’’

Mr. MFUME. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank

Congressman HOYER for taking the time today

to call this special order to discuss Federal

employees. In light of the recent bombing in

Oklahoma City, I feel it is important that we

take the time to reassure the Federal employees in Oklahoma, as well as throughout this

Nation, that the vast majority of Americans

recognize their contribution to this Nation and

respect them for their efforts.

We are all shocked, as we should be, any

time innocent lives are taken. Yet the magnitude of the devastation in Oklahoma City, as

well as the massive number of innocent lives

that were lost, has left many of us shaken to

the core.

The fact that the target of the bombing appears to be Federal employees makes this act

even more reprehensive and repulsive to me.

As many of my colleagues know, I represent

roughly 35,000 Federal employees, many of

whom are not just my constituents, but also

my neighbors and my friends.

It is my experience that Federal employees

deserve our gratitude, they deserve our admiration, and they deserve our respect. They do

not deserve to be terrorized.

As most Americans know, Federal employees play an integral, albeit often invisible, role

in our daily lives. Federal employees make

sure that our senior citizens get their monthly

Social Security checks and that our veterans

get the care and treatment they need. Federal

employees are responsible for printing our

money and insuring it when we make deposits

at a bank. Federal employees protect our borders and make sure the food we eat is safe.

In short, Federal employees spend their days

and often their nights making sure that our

Government performs its duties.

Furthermore, the American civil servant is

perhaps the best Federal employee in the

world. All one needs to do is travel abroad to

see that American Federal employees are

second to none in terms of their devotion to

the job, their initiative, and their belief that

they are serving their communities as well as

their Nation.

In light of the Oklahoma City bombing, security at many Federal buildings across the

Nation has been tightened. While this may

prove to be a minor inconvenience to some

employees as well as other Americans who

may be visiting the buildings, it is worth it even

if it only provides peace of mind.

As I said earlier in my statement, Federal

employees often perform thankless tasks that

many of us take for granted. Despite their consistent performances, however, there are

some in Congress who have insisted on using

Federal employees as tools to try to balance

the budget.

In the past few years we have seen attacks

on Federal employees’ cost-of-living adjustments, their thrift savings plans, and their retirement age. Just recently the Republican

Members of the House led a successful attack

on the Federal employee pension system. As

I said at that time, and I will say it again, they

deserve better.

I am glad that we are taking the time today

to discuss this tragedy and to let the American

people know that the abhorrent behavior of a

few irrational people in Oklahoma City is repulsive to us as well as our constituents.

To any Federal employees who may be listening to this special order, I hope that you will

listen to what we have been saying: the majority of Americans appreciate what you do for

us, and we respect you.

The irony of the attack on Oklahoma City is

that according to the reports we have been receiving, the primary suspects refer to themselves as ‘‘American patriots.’’ This is offensive, not only to the American public, but especially to the people who, since the bombing,

have proven themselves to be the true American patriots.

I submit to you that the true American patriots are the men, women, and children who

gave their lives in Oklahoma City, as well as

their families whose loss we can only imagine;

they are those who ministered to the lucky few

who survived; and they are the people who

are still trying to dig through the rubble to find

any remaining victims.

It is a true American patriot who, in the last

2 weeks, has made it clear that this act of terrorism is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I ask

GENERAL LEAVE

funanimous consent that all Members

may have 5 legislative days within

which to join in my comments on the

subject of my special order this

evening.

The SPEAKER pro tempore [Mr. ENSIGN]. Is there objection to the request

of the gentleman from Maryland?

THE OKLAHOMA CITY DISASTER

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a

There was no objection.

fprevious order of the House, the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. WYNN] is

recognized for 5 minutes.

Mr. WYNN. Mr. Speaker, I come this

evening to condemn the senseless and

cowardly bombing of the Federal building in Oklahoma City. I join with my

colleagues and all of us here in America in expressing our condolences and

sympathies to the families of the victims.

On occasions such as this words are

certainly inadequate to express both

our concern and their pain, so we can

only say that we feel the pain, we try

to share the pain, but in the final analysis they must bear the pain. And that

is very regretful.
H 4488 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE May 2, 1995

But I also come to commend the rescue workers who worked tirelessly,

sometimes around the clock, in a rescue attempt to reduce the pain and suffering and to bring out of the rubble

the loved ones in Oklahoma City. I

want to take a moment to specifically

commend a group of rescue workers

from my own district in Montgomery

County who went down to Oklahoma,

as did many other rescue workers from

around the country, to lend a hand. In

the truest American spirit they did a

wonderful job, and I want to thank

them one and all.

I also want to join with what I believe is a rising chorus speaking on behalf of Federal workers.

Now I know this is a somewhat sensitive issue, and let me be clear that I

am not here to suggest that conservative speech, antigovernment speech,

disagreement with Government policy

or disagreement with Government bureaucracy was the cause of the bombing in Oklahoma City. That is not my

argument. But I rather hope that, if

there is any legacy to the people who

lost their lives in Oklahoma City, it

will be a legacy of respect for Federal

employees.

I say to my colleagues, ‘‘If you go

down the rollcall, you see the employees from all agencies, from Housing

and Urban Development, from the Department of Transportation, from Veterans Affairs, from Social Security,

from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco

and Firearms, from General Services

Administration which were all in that

building. These are some of the same

Federal employees who have been

showered with contempt, who have

been described as the worst, as Government vultures, as lazy bureaucrats, as

worthless Federal employees. These are

the same Federal employees whom we

have attempted to cut benefits for, the

same Federal employees whom we have

increased pensions costs on, at least attempted to increase pension costs on,

and it seems to me there is a general

attitude of hostility toward Federal

employees.’’

Legitimate criticism, of course, is intrinsic to this body; contempt for hardworking Federal employees is not. I

would certainly caution my colleagues

of both sides of the aisle who may have

occasion to be contemptuous of Federal

employees and their performance to

keep in mind that they do not make

the laws. We do. They only try to execute to the best of their ability the

laws that we make, and, yes, some do

not do as good a job as we would like,

and some merit criticism, but certainly

the kind of contempt and condemnation that I have heard on the floor of

this body is not deserving. These people, as we now know, have families, and

young children, and dreams and desires, many of which were snuffed out

in Oklahoma City. They are people just

like us. Now is not a time for finger

pointing. Now is the time for sympathy, for condolences, for words of encouragement.

But I hope there will be a legacy out

of all this, a legacy of tolerance for

Federal employees, support for Federal

employees, a legacy of restraint on the

part of Members of this House and on

the part of certain Members of the

media when addressing the issue of

Federal employees because, while these

words did not cause the bombing in

Oklahoma City, they certainly showed

a contempt for Federal employees

which they do not deserve. Let us leave

the victims of Oklahoma City with a

better legacy in the future.

previous order of the House, the genThe SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a

ftleman from Illinois [Mr. PORTER] is

recognized for 60 minutes.

[Mr. PORTER addressed the House.

His remarks will appear hereafter in

the Extensions of Remarks.]

NORTHEASTERN OHIO PLEASED

WITH THE CONTRACT WITH

fAMERICA

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a

previous order of the House, the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. HOKE] is recognized for 5 minutes.

Mr. HOKE. Mr. Speaker, we are here

after the first 100 days have been completed, and I think most of us have had

the experience of going back to our respective districts, and being involved

in a number of engagements, and town

hall meetings, and the kinds of things

that we do in order to try and find out

exactly what our constituents are saying about how they feel about what has

been done, and I want to report to the

Congress that I have had extraordinarily positive feedback from the

people of northeastern Ohio regarding

what we have called the Contract With

America and regarding the direction

that they believe that this contract or

that this Congress is now taking our

highest legislative body in the United

States, the direction we are going and

the direction we are trying to pursue

for the people of America.

And what I hear from my constituents is that they could not be happier,

they could not be more pleased, that

they finally feel that they have in the

Congress of the United States men and

women who are willing to actually

commit to what they said that they

would do, that this whole notion of

keeping a promise regardless of what

the promise happens to be, even the

fact of making a promise and keeping

it as a group of elected officials elevates that group of elected officials

from politicians who, as Winston

Churchill observed, are defined by

being concerned about the next election to a level of being statesmen; that

is, people who are concerned about the

next generation, and I cannot tell you

how much positive feedback I have gotten from the men and women of northeastern Ohio, the west side of Cleveland and western Cuyahoga County regarding the efforts we have made and

the efforts to make Government smaller, to make it more responsible, to reduce taxes, to reduce the burden of

Government on the people, and to try

and bring that burden of Government

to its closest and its most local area.

That is the local communities.

b 1730

If you think back to George Washington’s time, what was it that George

Washington believed in with respect to

the House of Representatives? He

thought of districts not in the sense

that we think of today, where we have

572,000 people in each district on average, at least in the State of Ohio. It

varies a little bit from State to State.

But he thought of districts as neighborhoods, that neighborhoods were in

fact the building block of the House of

Representatives.

Well, that is when we had a fraction

of the number of people living in this

country that we have today. But it was

a remarkable thing that he would observe that we should be as neighbors

and act that way.

Well, that is how we should act in the

House of Representatives, and we have

a tremendous challenge coming before

us in the next 3 or 4 months, and that

is the challenge of delivering a budget

to be voted upon by this House and

then to be signed into law by the President of the United States.

The fact is that that is going to be a

tough fight and a tough battle, because

in making a budget, what we do, just

as a family does, just as an institution

does, just as a company does, our country will be redefining, or defining and

redefining its values, because it is

through the budget process that we

truly do define what we believe in,

what our priorities are, what is most

important and what our values are as a

Nation.

That is exactly what we will be

doing. That is why the budget process

is so important, not just because it

spends money, not just because of the

way it describes the appropriations

bills, but in fact because what we do is

we tell the American people, we tell

ourselves, exactly what it is that we

value as a people and what direction we

are going to be going in.

I can tell you as a member of the

Committee on the Budget, the direction we are going to be going in is we

are going to, in fact, have a balanced

budget after a 7-year period. We have

committed to it; we have worked on it

all last week. We were here when the

rest of the House was still in recess; we

came back early; and we will, in fact,

deliver for the American people a balanced budget after a 7-year period.

It is tough sledding, it takes a tremendous amount of work, and it takes

a tremendous amount of decision making in terms of making the tough

choices and making the hard decisions.

But that is what we have been working

on, that is what we will continue to

work on. We are going to Leesburg,

VA, to a conference, and then we will