Christopher Shays: “I want to kind of catch my breath and to say to you after the budget agreement was passed in this Chamber I went back to…”

“I want to kind of catch my breath and to say to you after the budget agreement was passed in this Chamber I went back to my office, and on the back of my chair was this statement. It was from any staff, and I would like to read it. It said: The last time there was a balanced federal budget only four members of your staff were alive. You and your wife Betsy were teaching in the Peace Corps in the Fiji Islands. Your press secretary still had training wheels. Your chief of staff was drinking out of a bottle. Your scheduler had just graduated from high school. Your assistant manager was still using a typewriter. Half a million people were enjoying Woodstock, and John Kasich was probably one them. Richard Nixon was President. Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. The Academy Award winner was Midnight Cowboy. The song of the year was Jesus Is Coming Soon. And Newt was getting his Ph.D. We have a lot to look forward to, and we will all benefit from the good work of this House. Mr. Speaker, this was a momentous day for so many people, and I just want to thank all the staffs throughout this Congress working here in this Chamber, the staffs that work for Members' personal offices, the staffs that work on all our committees for the tremendous work they have done year in and year out to help us get to this day.”