Date: 1998-10-14
Speaker: BOB SCHAFFER (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Colorado

Madam Speaker. the impasse between the Congress and the President has now held this great body in session 5 days beyond our planned adjournment date. The principle disagreement is a typical one of whether this Nation will redistribute greater portions of the taxpayers wealth or devote it to debt relief and the people themselves. Our failure to resolve these matters has delayed us from returning to our home States. to our constituents. and most of all to our families. A few days ago. I came to this floor and addressed the House on my thoughts about the public morals and of the Nations character. I directed that address at my three daughters. and tonight I intend to express to the House my thoughts about my son. Justin. who is 9 years old and wondering. I am sure. why his dad has been gone so lor.g. He knows. I think. the importance of the Nations business in Congress. and he knows I would not remain away for trivial reasons. I Madam Speaker. it is sighificant that a major or portion of todays debate involves the issue of public education. I believe. the Republican agenda is the proper one. to send more education authority to the States. to local schools and to every family. Our opponents have the opposite idea. Theirs is to expand the scope of the Federal Government in this important area. to federalize various aspects of a traditionally decentralized system. Now their plan is to grow the size of the Federal Government at the expense of State and local autonomy and liberty. and I raise this issue. Madam Speaker. because the debate coincides with one of the most historic decisions this Congress must resolve. and that is the matter of impeachment of the same chief executive who would be charged with commanding the education authority in question. Education is about values. Public education is about public values. And the education of Americas children is about the future of human civilization and life on the entire planet. As a father of four children. three of whom attend public schools. I will tell you this: The last thing we should do is give the bureaucracy in this city more power to manipulate the Nations local schools. The values of Washington. D.C.. are poison to the sensibilities of the Nation. There is no one. no one at the White House whom I would trust to shape the academic structure of our schools. much less convey the moral precepts of our Declaration or shape the character of our children. In fact. our purpose here in this Congress should be just the opposite. The values of America are strong. Our moral purpose has been defined by 222 years of glorious history as a mighty Nation based on simple precepts. that we are governed by basic truths. selfevident ones at that. Our purpose. Madam Speaker. should be to apply the values of America to this. city. not the other way around. The voices of decent Americans should be heard over and above the petty partisanship and unruly lawbreakers of this capital. For the truly patriotic Members of Congress. I know that this is why you are here at this very moment in time. Your courage is an inspiration because through you the decency of the American people speaks. and I want my son. Justin. to know that the innocence of a little boy is the hope for America. and he is the reason I am here. So. as we debate whether to export the values of Washington. D.C.. to Colorado and every other State. I want to make a -case for the young boys and girls all over America. that they may be raised up in spite of this terrible folly that has transpired over the past several months just at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. Madam Speaker. my -message to my son is as follows: Justin. how confusing it must be to grow up at atime when public behavior differs so much from what you know to be good. honorable and right. There are things I want you to know and remember forever. America is the greatest Nation on earth because it is a Nation under God. and we have come so far as a people because throughout our history great men and great women have looked to the Almighty for direction in making all the decisions that have affected you and me to this very day. And I believe with.all my heart that he has blessed America. America is not great because of Congress. It is not great because of the Supreme Court. or the Constitution. or the Declaration of Independence. or because of the presidency. not because of our military might. our natural resources or our prospering economy. No. America is great because common people with big dreams and caring hearts have maintained the faith that there is something bigger and more noble to pursue. America is great because of you and your sisters. little boys and girls just like you. You are the messengers that we will send into another time. And what message will you carry. what -message will you carry with you when you one day.lead as all American citi-. zens lead? As your father. I do not want you to lose -hope because of the disgrace of certain leaders. I do not want you to be confused about what is good and wholesome or why America is great or what it will take to keep this shining Nation glowing bright. America needs great men and women now more than ever. and America will need them always. Now I have had the privilege to meet so many. many great men and women and know them well. and our history is replete with many more. My hope for you has always -been that you might one day -be called by your peers a great man. One of my favorite presidents. Theodore Roosevelt. he once said and I quote. the best boys I know. the best men I know. are good at their studies or their business. fearless and stalwart. hated and feared by all that is wicked and depraved. incapable of submitting to wrongdoing and equally incapable of being not odd. -but tenderto the weak and the -helpless. These are the words I was taught as a boy. The rules which govern the behavior of truly great men are the same in the office as in the home. In the heart and in every action there is no separation. Now some will say that it is perfectly okay to be .immoral in ones private life or so long as ones .public life is respectable. They say a decent man need only be good in the eyes of others. not good in his heart or good when no one is looking. They. say it is okay to tell some lies. as long as one tells some truths. An honest man need not be. totally honest. in their estimation. One need not be faithful or loyal. just likeable. One can be selfish to strangers. so long as one is generous to friends. can be *cruel to adversaries. if he is kind to supporters. They believe that there can be victimless crimes. They believe the end justifies the means. They say they are sorry. but do not stop doing what they are doing. Inall these things they are wrong. I submit that what matters most is what is in a persons heart. Good people do what is right. even when it would be easier to do- wrong. They do what is right when no one is looking. People who are worthy of our respect hold themselves to high moral standards in every area of their lives. When the camera is not rolling and they are behind closed doors. good people are faithful. Good people are kind to everyone. not just their friends. They know that wrong actions always hurt someone. They know that wrong deeds diminish the doer as well. There is no honor in a victory if * someone cheats. How one accomplishes something is as important as what is accomplished. When good people make a mistake. they tell the truth. They recognize that people have been hurt by their -actions and they apologize. They do not continue doing wrong. They are willing to submit themselves to authority. In the words of Teddy Roosevelt. these are the best men. Some question the need for honor and integrity and truth and leadership. They seem to think that the ability to wield power is sufficient. Character does not count. they claim. results are the only measure. they say. Justin. just imagine if this were true for sports. People who are caught cheating would still get trophies and medals. When cheating is allowed. victory is meaningless. How one plays the game is as important as winning. I think Teddy Roosevelt would have agreed that great men must first be good men. There cannot be effective leadership without honor and integrity. In fact. a man of integrity and honor provides leadership wherever he goes. In his home. in his office. in school. in his church. in his circle of friends. he is an example to others. President Roosevelt was considered by many to be a great man. and. for the most part. our Nation has been led by great men. Justin. the news of recent months have revealed stories about the behavior of a man who is very different. The television. the newspapers Hollywood. these institutions might even persuade a young boy that -this kind of behavior is somewhat normal. understandable. maybe even excusable. Young boys today are led to believe that everyone does these kinds of things. Justin. no. they do not. No. they do not. The kinds of things you have heard about and about which little boys giggle during recess are not normal. The example of the White House is not the way we live at our House. and. if I accomplish nothing else in Congress. I hope to successfully impress upon you this point. In that I would be most pleased. You are my highest responsibility. I thank God every day for you. that he has allowed me to raise you in America. Just a few hours ago somebody out in the hallways behind the Congress gave me some advice and asked me to pass it along to you. and it is good advice. It is good advice for all young boys in America. I might say for any of my colleagues who are interested in acquiring this document.. just please call my office. and I will be happy to pass it along or refer you directly to the source. Number one. when people say marriage vows do not matter. you must honor marriage. Americans have always believed that marriage vows matter. Number two. treat -women and girls with dignity and respect. Number three. character does matter. One of the most damaging .aspects of the scandal is the idea that character in our leaders does not matter. so long as we are prosperous and at peace. That cannot be true. When .you think throughout the history of America.. all of the great moments in our existence. we do not remember the great heroes in our history because of some economic plan that they devised. because of some road they built or bridge they constructed or some war that they won or some budget that they crafted. Take a walk around Washington. D.C. Those individuals who axe enshrined in brass and marble are enshrined because they were men of character and women of integrity. That is what we remember. That is what makes America great. Character does matter. Number four. honesty is the best policy. Lying is unacceptable. Number five. the truth. the whole truth and nothing but the truth. is the code of justice. Number six. take responsibility for your actions. Do not blame others if you are caught doing something wrong. Today we see numerous examples of people in public life who blame others for their wrongdoing. Do not do it. Number seven. take responsibility. and that means accepting consequences. The higher your position. the greater your obligation to observe the law. Number nine. because we are all imperfect. we must submit to the rule of law. Number ten. put principle first. Those are important words to live by. I hope you will never forget them. Your mother and I have done everything we possibly can to give you thesq words of wisdom and occasions for guidance. so that you will not be distracted or discouraged when you see the kinds of examples that have been exhibited in the highest offices in the land. Here is what other officeholders and famous Americans have said about character and how it does count. Samuel Adams said. "It is not possible that any state should long remain free where virtue is not supremely honored." Our first president. George Washington asked. "Can it be that providence has not connected the permanent felicity of a Nation with its virtue? John Adams said. "Public virtue cannot exist in a Nation without private. and public virtue is the only foundation of a republic." Abigail Adams said. "Above all things. support a virtuous character." Thomas Jefferson said. "Never suppose that in any possible situation or under any circumstances that it is best for you to do a dishonorable thing. however slightly so it may appear to you." James Madison said. "But I go on this great republic in principle. that the people will have virtue and intelligence to select men of virtue and wisdom." Frederick Douglas said. "The life of the Nation is secure only while the Nation is honest. truthful and virtuous." And the Bible. Proverbs. says. "When the righteous are in authority. the people rejoice. and when the wicked rule. the people mourn." Honor and integrity does matter. Honor and integrity matters always. The rest of the world looks to the United States of America for leader-