On the recordJanuary 25, 1994
Today marks the beginning of the 2d session of the 103d Congress. The agenda before us is ambitious. But the workload that needs attention is large. We should be prepared to act promptly on disaster relief aid for southern California. The enormous damage inflicted by the earthquake has disrupted the life of one of the Nation's great cities and threatens economic revival in the region. Our economy has also been dealt a short but sharp blow by the recordbreaking freeze that immobilized much of the Midwest and East this month. Conditions abroad require our attention and action. Reform in Russia, the removal of nuclear weapons from Ukraine and ratification of START II are all important to the ultimate security of the Nation, and we cannot allow ourselves to be distracted from them. President Clinton's successful trip to Europe and Russia laid a basis on which we must be prepared to act. The world has changed, and even though our principal work is here at home, we cannot afford to ignore those changes and what they mean for us. I spent a good deal of the recess traveling in my State, talking to Maine's citizens about their hopes and fears for the new year. Their concerns--job security, economic growth, health care, crime, education, the environment--all are reflected in this year's legislative agenda. The hopes and dreams my constituents shared with me are not unreachable or unreasonable. They want to earn a decent living and enjoy a measure of job security.
