Harold Volkmer

Over whatever period. So that is basically a closed rule. It is; gentleman, it is a closed rule, gentleman. And you are telling people that even if you have an amendment in the Record by that time, if we would take 3 hours on a substitute…

So 35 people out of this whole country would make the decision on spending priorities under the Republican version?

Do we want to build more prison out there so that we can put these crooks away and keep them there where they should be, or do we want to make the States put an 85 percent truth-in-sentencing law? Which one?

I have supported it. I am a cosponsor of the amendment of the gentleman from Colorado and the gentleman from Texas. Some of us have struggled and fought. We came close, 9 votes one year, 12 votes, if I remember right, last year. We may see…

I would like to reiterate, and I think the gentleman from Pennsylvania, one of the cosponsors of the amendment, has really pointed out that this way of doing legislation is a very poor way of doing legislation. We should not do legislation…

At this time I still say that I guess the proof will be in the pudding when we see the budget as proposed by the majority in the future. I understand, and perhaps the gentleman from New York can correct me; is it going to be two budgets…

You are talking about Reaganomics now. Reagan's first budget and the second budget, way back in 1981-82, zeroed out, zeroed it out. Oh, yes, yes, go look at it, go look at it. I well remember it because I know what it would have done. What…

Well, I doubt very much if you are only going to cut Medicare expenses for people over $100,000, even though I might agree with that----

Your taxes will go up. That is the same thing I want to talk about very briefly: When you all talk about in the rules that you are going to make a change, make it three-fifths before you can raise taxes. That is what I kept hearing over…

Now that we have the ethics committee and a formal complaint can be filed, I hope it will be done. And wait a minute though, we have got another little problem, because those of us who see how the ethics committee is structured with the…

I also would like to inquire of the gentleman, there have been published reports, and I can't remember whether it was last night or this morning on one of the television stations, the honorable gentleman from Iowa who is chairman of the…

So what we are saying is that the Federal Government should pay for what other people, whether it is private industry, whether it is communities, should pay to do what they should have done anyway, what they should have done on their own…

But as far as those people who are working with it day in and day out and have done so for years, there has been no input whatsoever?

What I understand from all this debate and the Towns amendment and also the one that preceded it by the gentleman from Mississippi especially is that it appears to me that this legislation, although well-intended, and having a good goal…

There have been none whatsoever. And, therefore, we do not have any idea of the possible impact except for those who are proponents of the legislation, what it may actually do.

I want to take the time very briefly to commend the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Moran] for his input into this type of legislation for these good many past years. The gentleman is recognized as a former mayor of Alexandria, who did an…

I have never come here with the idea that Harold Volkmer would ever become rich because he is a Member of Congress. And I think it is improper for any Member to get outside income, to become rich because of his position in this House. We…

I am disappointed that the gentleman that just spoke has left, because I for one am a strong supporter of a constitutional amendment for a balanced budget and have always done that. I have voted on it repeatedly. I have signed discharge…

Quite a few, but they are going to vote for the Stenholm provision, the Stenholm balanced budget amendment, and that is the one that we support.

Yes. This leads me to the question of exactly who does the Speaker work for? Is it the American people or his New York publishing house?

I will admit that when it goes into the conference, the Democrats who are on the conference committee, those few, may have an opportunity to make some changes in the bill, but, remember, it is only the bill that passed this House and the…

Well, I would much rather have 70 percent open rules than 70 percent closed rules. I have always said that. I agree with the gentleman that Members, all Members, have been sent here to be able to participate in the debate on the…

This amendment would merely add two more Federal offenses to the ``three strikes and you're out'' provision, bank robberies and robberies and burglaries involving controlled substances. Mr. Chairman, also in the second part, under the…