Martin Hoke: “I would like to particularly point out that the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Parker] is a very conservative Democrat…”

“I would like to particularly point out that the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Parker] is a very conservative Democrat, and I would like to further point out that the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Parker] and many other Democrats have voted in favor of every single bill that has been passed by this Congress so far as part of the Contract With America. I think it is important, Mr. Chairman, that we remind ourselves that this is a very bipartisan effort that is going forward. Democrats voted on every part of the rules package. They voted in favor of the balanced budget amendment. Without them we never would have passed it. They voted in favor yesterday of unfunded mandates, nearly half the Democrat Caucus, and on and on, and I think, no, I am sorry, more than half, substantially more than half of the Democrat Caucus, and I think it is important, Mr. Chairman, for the American people to remember that we are not in the business of doing the Republican Party's agenda or the Democrat Party's agenda, but that we are working for America here, and we are working in a bipartisan spirit and a bipartisan manner that many in the press would like the public not to be aware of.”