On the recordJanuary 25, 1994
my constituents last week gave me a clear message to pass on to all of you. At three town meetings during the week temperatures plunged to 35 degrees below zero, over 250 people turned out to express their concerns. They want us to take off our Republican hats, take off our Democrat hats, roll up our sleeves, and work together in a pragmatic, bipartisan way to pass a crime bill and reform health care and welfare. The message they sent is clear. They want less rhetoric and more serious action from the Clinton administration and Congress. They want action now on a comprehensive anticrime bill. My suburban district in Minnesota has had 12 murders since last July. My constituents want more cops, tough measures against violent offenders, more prisons to ensure that violent offenders serve their full sentences, and better drug treatment and prevention programs. They want action now to reform our broken welfare system. They're tired of spending billions on a system that breeds dependency and hopelessness. They want action now to reduce health care costs without destroying the best health care system in the world. My constituents know that the Clinton plan is a bureaucratic monster that will restrict consumer choice, kill jobs, and add to our massive budget deficit. Mr. Speaker, let us listen to our constituents. Let us do it now--and do it right.
