Jim Saxton: “I have taken this time today to talk about an issue which I think is of extreme importance to the American people and, I…”

“I have taken this time today to talk about an issue which I think is of extreme importance to the American people and, I must say, one that does not get front-page newspaper attention very often. That issue involves a request by our administration for $18 billion to fund the International Monetary Fund. As I said, this is not always a front-burner issue, and so I take this time today to reflect on it inasmuch as Vice President Gore yesterday made some rather disparaging remarks about those of us who do not share his position that it would be timely at this time to vote for an appropriation of $18 billion to add to the International Monetary Fund. Mr. Speaker, yesterday Vice President Gore, I think, made some rather exaggerated and unfortunate political remarks on a variety of subjects including this one: According to press reports today the Vice President labeled opponents of the IMF appropriation, or at least those of us who would like to reform the IMF operation along with some kind of an appropriation, the Vice President labeled us as under the influence of a dangerous and growing isolationism. Mr. Speaker, this attempt to associate IMF reformers with isolationism is simply not credible.”