Date: 1995-11-14
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I would like to discuss. and I am glad my colleague from Georgia talked about the concern of the Anierican people because they hear a lot of different things from the different mikes on the floor. Oftentimes the frustration they have and some of us even in Congress do not know what to believe. But let me just go over some of the poll results because I have never. as a Member of Congress or even in earlier life. serving many years in the legislature. responded to polls because I think we need to represent people and not just polls. But the polls in the last few weeks are the best things we know. and the last month. of how Congress has been doing. Two polls were released last week suggesting that the American people are increasingly unhappy with Congress and particularly the majority Republican Congress. One of them was conducted by the Wall Street Journal and NBC and one by the Los Angeles Times reveals that voters are rejecting the Republican agenda and their leaders in Congress and suggest that the battleground issues like Medicare will play a significant role in next years elections. First of all. the Wall Street Journal and the NBC poll said that 59 percent of American voters disapprove of the job Congress is doing. And this is an alltime high for the GOP Congress and places it close to our congressional disapproval last year before the 1994 elections. The other poll talks about 1 year out from the 1996 elections. the Los Angeles Times poll released this Sunday shows Democrats ahead of Republicans for the first time since the 1994 elections. 44 percent to 42 percent. Again. not a landslide. but a year ago Democrats were down by 5 percent. Among seniors. a key voting block in 1996. Democrats are ahead of Republicans by 18 percentage points. 52 percent to 34 percent. And a year ago. Republicans held the edge among seniors 45 to 40 percent. I am glad my colleague from Georgia talked about the need maybe for some type of truth meter on our mikes because I know the frustration of our constituents all over the country. But I think their frustration is being reflected in the polls I just mentioned. Plain and simple. our Republican majority has mismanaged our financial affairs and our Government. They passed only 5 of the 13 appropriations bills which fund the Government. And the fiscal year started October 1. so we are over 45 days late. well. almost 45 days late. The media has been talking about a crisis within our Government. There is no real crisis if we had just been able to do our work on time by October 1 and passed those bills or to pass a continuing resolution so we can get on about our business of passing those bills. Now the effort to blame the President for his alleged mismanagement. In fact. Republicans controlled both Houses after the 1994 elecions. and they have the majority votes to be able to pass all 13 bills. obviously. prior to October 1 and send them on to the President. The President has only vetoed one bill. the legislative appropriations bill that I know is ready for him again to be sent back up. but of the two bills he signed. the Agriculture Department and one other one. those agencies are up and running. Employees are notbeing furloughed. However. it seems like our majority cannot come to an agreement among themselves on these funding bills. and that is why we are so late. In fact. we saw today in a report that I read just this afternoon that our Republican majority was planning this shutdown -in July of this year. So it just did not happen on the 15th of November. It has been planned on because of this showdown and laying off Federal workers or furloughing them whether they are paid or not paid. If they are not paid. we are hurting a lot of hopefully employees that are dedicated to do their jobs. but if we are paying them. then the American people are wondering why are we furloughing people and then paying them when we finally bring them back. It is like an irresponsible student whose assignment. homework is late. My wife is a teacher. an algebra teacher. She has told me this oftentimes that a student bomes in and their homework is late. They are going to blame someone else. The dog ate it. I forgot it and left it at home. all sorts of reasons. Well. the Republicans are blaming the President for. not getting their work done. The President does not have a vote in this body. To cover up .that irresponsibility. they are trying to strongarm the President into getting their way. including to force him to raise Medicare premiums. I did say raise Medicare premiums. because right now Medicare premiums are $46.10 a month. and they would go up under the continuing resolution that the President. thank goodness. vetoed to $53.50 a month. and either that or shut down government. Now we have the shutdown. and it is estimated it may take 2 weeks. And presenting the President with a choice like that is irresponsible and invites this crisis. Again today. we heard it was reported that as of * * * even in July * * * I would hope we would have a bipartisan continuing resolution. one that does aim us for a balanced budget but does not do damage to Medicare and education.