David Thomas

I think I will just tell the gentleman that it was far more fundamental than that, and it was that common physical labor is not a high achievement and that we never, even to this day, recognize the fact that without it we would not have…

I wanted to take a minute today to react to the news that has been all over, of course, in the last few days about the selection of a Wyoming person to be on the ticket with Governor Bush. We are very excited, of course, and very proud of…

I want to share with the leader my sorrow and sadness in not having Paul Coverdell here with us. I extend our condolences to his family.

I rise to talk on this issue. It is an important issue to this country; it is an important issue to my State. I suspect much of what I state may have perhaps already been said. Nevertheless, I think it is important that we take a…

First of all, the fact that we are on the floor today with a bipartisan proposal to reform the pension and the individual retirement accounts is quite an accomplishment, and I want to compliment the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) and…

I hate to see it be left that way because it really has nothing to do with that. It has to do with what happens until the BLM can get to that piece of land to make the study to decide what to do with the lease. It is pretty simple. Here is…

this is an interesting debate. It has gone on now for a substantial amount of time. We talked about all of the details. Of course, that is a proper thing to do. There are all kinds of ideas in the Senate, which is the way it is supposed to…

I take a few minutes to comment on the bill and some of the areas of particular concern. First, I recognize and thank the chairman and Senator Byrd for their good work. It is a tough job on any appropriations bill to hold down spending and…

I tell my friend the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) this amendment is not very clever at all. It is very straightforward. The gentleman from New York was very concerned about the precise language used over here, and maybe he did not…

I do believe that the sense of this resolution is to make sure that medical decisions are made by the medical professionals, but I do have some concern about the wording because it says that it is the sense of Congress that decisions…

let us listen to what people say who have to enforce the law. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Robert Pitofsky again says, the stated goal of this bill is to promote quality of patient care. The labor exemption, however, was not created…

today actually started in 1998, when, under the 1997 Balanced Budget Act, we created the Bipartisan Commission on Medicare. We knew that Medicare had to change, that prescription drugs had to be integrated into Medicare, that it was…

I want all Members to understand the significance of this vote on the motion to recommit. Although it may not seem important, the motion to recommit of the gentleman from California (Mr. Stark) is not forthwith. If the motion were…

this bill guarantees that at least two plans will be available in each area. In fact, the Medicare Benefits Administrator would administer the program in a manner such that all eligible individuals would be assured of the availability of…

Mr. Speaker, this really is an opportunity for the House of Representatives to address a problem that, frankly, needed to be addressed for some time. The two plans have a lot in common, but I do think people need to understand that the…

Yes, I can describe them. First, we federalize the dual eligibles. We give the governors more than $22.8 billion in additional funds to spend in their States. Second, the bill allows maximum flexibility to take current State programs and…

Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record a letter from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. I initially said they supported H.R. 4680, which had been contradicted by the other side. And I believe the Record should show that the letter…

Mr. Speaker, as was indicated, this is a resolution to use the rotunda of the Capitol for the ceremony of awarding a Congressional Gold Medal to Father Theodore Hesburgh. Dr. Hesburgh's history is truly an impressive one, especially when…

we are focusing today on energy and energy costs, which is something of which each of us is certainly aware. I suspect there is more exposure to gasoline prices than any other particular price. As we drive down Main Street in our…

I wish to talk about a conversation I heard yesterday on the Sunday talk shows. It is too bad that on the Sunday talk shows the issues are not more clearly defined. This talk show was on Social Security and options, which are clearly…

I thank particularly the Senator from Arizona for his very thorough and accurate description of where we are and where we have been in terms of our nuclear security, in terms specifically of the Los Alamos matter, and more importantly, of…

I certainly could not agree more that when we have--as we do and will--a surplus, we need to decide where our priorities are in terms of spending those dollars. I can tell you, if they are just left here, they will be spent. If our…

I do want to compliment everyone involved in this process. When the democratically-elected representative legislative system functions, it is a wonder to behold, and we are in the process of doing that today. I do hear these concerns. I am…

this morning I listened to my friend, the Senator from North Dakota, talk about what we ought to be doing in the Senate. I must tell you I couldn't agree more that we need to be moving forward. I also must tell you I have a totally…

I do not often find myself facing a tragic situation, but what I see occurring tonight here on the floor is a tragic situation. Everyone in this House wants to honor military retirees and veterans. And those are two different groups. We…