Political Quotes

“the concept of applying the laws of the land to Congress has been one which I have been fighting for since I first came to Congress. This is why I am pleased to see a bill on the floor of the House which attempts to achieve this goal. The bill before us today, H.R. 1, the Congressional Accountability Act, is a good step in the direction of true congressional coverage, and it is very similar to the bill of the same name which was passed by the House last August. Both measures have been a long time in coming. The hypocrisy of Congress in exempting itself from the very laws it imposes on others is so obvious, that one wonders how the practice so long managed to escape wide criticism. In the last few years, however, we have seen a change in the long-standing attitude that Congress is so unique and so different that it simply must be afforded special exemptions, even from employment laws, or it could not function; and those of us who once felt alone in the wilderness in urging Congressional coverage now have welcome company. The reality is that the public is fed up, and Congress has been reacting. I am very pleased that the Republican Leadership is bringing H.R. 1 to the floor today, as the first bill to be passed as part of the Contract With America.”