May 2, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE H 4445

The Coast Guard has intercepted several boatloads this month with more

than 240 Haitians on board and bound

for Florida. Reports from Turks Caicos

indicate that they have enlisted the

help of the United States Coast Guard

to stem the increased flow of Haitians

to their shores. These are Haitians who

have been mislead and told that they

were being taken to either the Bahamas or the United States or that the

they could get into the United States

via centers in Turks Caicos. With the

Artistide government’s recent announcement of their adamant opposition to negotiating another repatriation agreement with the United

States, there are clearly some important issues to be dealt with in the coming months. Congress returns now to

begin the budget cycle. As we are looking for ways to maximize the benefit of

every tax dollar we spend, I believe

that the President owes this Congress

and Americans across the Nation some

answers about where we stand in Haiti,

where we are going and how much it is

all going to cost before this episode is

over and done. Most Americans agree

our present Haitian policy is another

waste of United States taxpayer’s dollars.

THE OKLAHOMA CITY TRAGEDY

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under

fthe Speaker’s announced policy of January 4, 1995, the gentlewoman from

North Carolina [Mrs. CLAYTON] is recognized during morning business for 5

minutes.

Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, I think

that, before we begin our legislative

business, we must pause, remember,

and offer our prayers to those who

faced the senseless and brutal bombing

in Oklahoma. I believe we can agree

that a safe, secure, and open nation is

important to all of us.

As Americans, we must recognize

how interdependent we are—young and

old—black, white, yellow, and brown—

rich and poor—we all mourn with our

fellow citizens in Oklahoma.

And, we pray for those who were injured or died because of this tragedy,

as well as for those—friends, families,

and loved ones—who must live with

it—and, for us, as a nation.

Tragedies such as this remind us of

how vulnerable we are—how fleeting

and precious life can be.

We are also reminded of the need,

many of our citizens have, for direction—for strong, moral leadership.

If the Oklahoma bombing does nothing else, it should compel us to assume

those roles for which we were elected—

to legislate in the best interests of

America—to lead in the best tradition

of the Congress of the United States.

Now, more than ever, we need forceful

leadership—leadership that can put

aside party and politics and put the

people in front—leadership that can

overlook minor differences and concentrate on major results.

It is easy to stand in the way. Many

can do that. It is difficult to make a

way. Few can do that.

But, I offer this challenge to my

Democrat and Republican colleagues

alike—each a leader in his or her own

right—let the bickering end—let breakthroughs begin.

There are so many perils in this

world—injury, disease, famine, nature’s

occasional vengeance, the unknowns

and uncertainties of life, and the assurance of death.

One wonders why, given these natural hazards, any person would create

further hazards of the kind that caused

the harm, the death, the destruction

and the pain of the Oklahoma bombing.

Consider this, however—to those who

watch us on C–SPAN, when we are in

session—we display attitudes that far

too often fuel division and fight consensus.

To those who watch us on C–SPAN,

our philosophy, our point of view, more

often than not, seems to become paramount to concordance or compromise.

And, while no Member has the intent

of promoting malice—to those who

watch us on C–SPAN, at the very least,

we seem to wink and nod at the very

worst in relationships. We live in a

time of much hope—and a time of great

despair.

Hope—engendered by what we can be.

Despair—engendered by what we are.

Let us lead by example.

When Nelson Mandela was freed from

the jail that confined him by the jailer

that kept him, he did not use the power

he later secured to hurt him, instead

he used the conditions that caused his

incarceration as an example of what

humankind could be.

Nelson Mandela invited his jailer to

his inauguration—as a special guest.

As we begin our legislative business—

let us lower the volume—let us eliminate the venom—let us stand for consensus—let us not forget those principles that made this a great nation,

all are created equal, with certain inalienable rights and that among those

rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit

of happiness—let us not forget Oklahoma.

A DARK CHAPTER IN AMERICAN

fHISTORY

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under

the Speaker’s announced policy of January 4, 1995, the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. HAYWORTH] is recognized during morning business for 5 minutes.

Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I am

grateful for the time this morning, and

I in many ways endorse what the preceding speaker, the gentlewoman from

North Carolina [Mrs. CLAYTON] had to

say. I was listening with great interest

this morning to my fellow newcomer,

the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms.

JACKSON-LEE], and indeed at the outset

of her remarks I would endorse fully

that no one, no one in this Chamber,

would ever endorse the acts of violence,

the unspeakable acts against those in

Oklahoma City.

History points a way for us, it compels us, it offers lessons, and at this

juncture in human history, at this

juncture in the history of this proud

Republic, I believe it is important for

all of us to remember the admonition

of that great and good man, Dwight

David Eisenhower, who led the most

powerful army ever assembled in the

free world against the most onerous

and evil regime in human history. Eisenhower, when he stepped onto the

beach at Normandy following the

waves of invasion, noted that it was

impossible to walk a step without stepping on dead or decaying human flesh,

such was the magnitude of destruction

there, and yet following the war’s completion and the restoration of peace,

when Dwight Eisenhower answered a

clarion call to serve this Republic as

its Chief Executive, he made some very

valid points regarding political battles.

To paraphrase Ike, he said, ‘‘Always

believe the best of your political adversaries. Always assume that they, too,

want what is best for the American

people and yet move in a different direction under a different philosophy to

bring about their desired results.’’

I think those words are incredibly

important for us to remember as we

again come into this Chamber, the site

of so much of our history. Let us note

once again that good people may agree

to disagree. Let us not impugn the motives of those duly elected by their respective districts to offer a point of

view as we move to achieve a consensus. But by the same token, and perhaps it is somewhat ironic because,

after all, the political process is the vehicle which brings us here. Let us

never confuse dissent with hatred. Let

us never politicize such a tragic event

as the one that occurred in Oklahoma

City in hopes of increasing our number

for either side of the aisle. Let us truly

join together in debate that is, yes, oft

times contentious, but always with the

knowledge of the inherent wisdom of

what Dwight Eisenhower said, that

good people may disagree.

And I noted with some concern this

morning the seeming implication that

there was silence from this side, that

there was an endorsement of violence,

and, if I mistook the remarks, then I

would stand corrected. But let us all

avoid the temptation to politicize this

dark chapter in American history, and

let those who are working amidst the

rubble in Oklahoma City to rebuild

lives, to revitalize their community,

let them stand as an example to the

overwhelming goodness that is ours in

this constitutional republic.

To the people of Oklahoma City and

to the people of the United States of

America, Mr. Speaker, I say, Let us rejoice in this process of representative

democracy that allows us to peacefully

state our differences.