David Obey: “I would simply like to urge support for this proposition. As I said earlier, this is a result of a great deal of…”

“I would simply like to urge support for this proposition. As I said earlier, this is a result of a great deal of bipartisan work with many people involved, and no one who I know agrees with every single recommendation in the bill. I do not. I know the gentleman from Louisiana does not. But I think by passing this bill we will all meet our higher obligation to keep the Government functioning again for at least the next 45 days, and in the case of at least one bill before us, the foreign operations bill, it will dispose of that bill for the entire year. I am happy to report to the House, despite deep divisions which normally accompany the issue, we have with the assistance of many people on both sides of the aisle reached agreement on the family planning/abortion cluster of issues, which so often accompany that bill. And we have managed to reach common ground even though we have many differing views about how those issues ought to be handled. I think we have found a solution which is acceptable to everyone. I would point out there are some concerns about programs such as LIHEAP, which will undoubtedly be raised by the gentleman from Vermont, but I simply want to say that I would urge support. We have had a lot of acrimony over the past several months in this House. This bill should not be an occasion for that acrimony today because it is a reasonable compromise.”