Cliff Stearns: “in this pivotal election, the American people will hear a lot of back and forth about who works harder for their…”

“in this pivotal election, the American people will hear a lot of back and forth about who works harder for their country. Shakespeare wrote, ``What's past is prologue.'' And I believe no other phrase can quite describe both the achievements of the Republican Congress and its vision for America's future. In 1995 when Republicans took over here in the House of Representatives, one of the first orders of business for the new Republican majority was to declare that it was going to comply and be bound by the same laws with which all Americans are forced to comply. We reformed the bloated, inefficient welfare system which held captive many Americans who only wanted a better life for their families. Providing a welfare-to-work incentive for both individuals and businesses, the Republican-led Congress succeeded in dropping the welfare rolls to the lowest level in history. Congress extended health insurance under the Medicaid program for millions of uninsured children, giving them the proper care and attention that they deserve. The Republicans passed health insurance portability to guarantee working Americans that if they switched jobs or lost their jobs, they could continue with their current health coverage. We reformed the Food and Drug Administration, giving people quicker access to lifesaving drugs and medical devices and providing for better food quality.”