Bob Dole: “I wanted to quickly review the historic 1st session of the 104th Congress, the first Republican Congress in 40 years. On…”

“I wanted to quickly review the historic 1st session of the 104th Congress, the first Republican Congress in 40 years. On January 3, 1995, I spoke from this podium and outlined the agenda the Republican Senate would be advancing. Exactly 1 year has now passed since that day, and as we begin the second session of this Congress, I would now like to offer a progress report to the American people--detailing the promises we kept in 1995, and the work we hope to complete in 1996. As I said on the first day of this session, the primary goal of this Congress would not be to pass unnecessary new laws--but instead to remember a timeless one--the 10th amendment to our Constitution. That, of course, is the amendment that sets out the principle of federalism, stating that 'The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States, respectively, or to the people.' Shifting power out of Washington, and returning it to our States, our cities, our neighborhoods, and to the American people. That's what the 10th amendment is all about. And that is exactly what the 104th Congress has been about since day one--and since Senate bill 1--which put an end to unfunded Federal mandates. That is what we were about when we passed landmark welfare reform legislation that will give our States the flexibility to design programs that best meet the needs of their citizens.”