John Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, 40 years ago today, December 5, 1955, the Montgomery bus boycott began after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus. It marked the beginning of a long and difficult struggle toward equal rights and civil rights in this Nation. Forty years later, those signs that I saw growing up in the rural south, those signs that said colored men, white men, colored women, white women, colored waiting, white waiting, are gone. We have witnessed what I like to call a nonviolent revolution in America. It is a time and a period that we will never go back to, but we must never forget. On the occasion of this important anniversary, I want to pay tribute to the leaders of that struggle, to Rosa Parks and to my late great mentor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We have come a long way toward achieving what Dr. King called the ``beloved community'', but we still have a long way to go. Let us, on this anniversary, rededicate ourselves to building a truly inter-racial democracy in America. For in truth, we are one nation, one people, one house, the American House.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Georgia for [[Page H 13946]] the work he has done on this bill. As he has said, it is a simple, noncontroversial bill to help the 1996 Olympic games. I am proud to represent the city of Atlanta, which will host the 1996 games. I know many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have supported this effort. I would like to thank all my colleagues for their hard work and their support. I believe that the 1996 Olympics, when we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the games, will be the best Olympics ever. This bill governs the production of commemorative coins for the 1996 games. These coins will commemorate an Olympics that will highlight the best of Atlanta, GA and the United States. We will witness the largest coming together in history of people of different nations, religions, and heritage. The Olympics not only celebrate athletic accomplishment, they celebrate diversity, peace, and our ability to overcome our differences and unite as a people. We all can learn something from the Olympic message. I urge my colleagues' support for H.R. 2336.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, let me say to my friend and colleague from California that we received a schedule that indicated votes every weekday until December 15. We have not kept to that schedule exactly. In order to help Members plan better, could the gentleman tell us what he expects in terms of votes next Friday?

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that from my friend, but also, in light of the coming holiday season, does he have a sense yet for the schedule after December 15?

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. I thank the gentleman, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California [Mr. Dreier] for the purpose of discussing the schedule for next week.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the cat is out of the bag. According to articles in papers across the country, Speaker Gingrich's personal political slush fund--GOPAC--was illegally providing funds and resources to Federal candidates in 1990. And lo and behold, who appears to have been the primary recipient of such funds, Speaker Gingrich himself. All of this has come to light in a lawsuit brought against GOPAC by the Federal Election Commission. Among the documents filed yesterday were internal memos and minutes from GOPAC planning meetings. According to one, an unidentified GOPAC source said ``we're supplying, my guess would be a quarter of a million dollars in Newt support per year.'' A quarter of a million dollars in an election he won by just 974 votes. Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Committee has now been stonewalling the appointment of an independent counsel for more than 14 months. The committee must act, they must act. We need an outside counsel to investigate Newt Gingrich. Stop the stonewalling.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, we should, should help families who work hard and play by the rules for this reason. For this reason, I oppose the Republican proposal. This Republican plan raises taxes on 32 million hard-working American families and gives a tax break to the richest people in America. It is Robin Hood in reverse. The Republicans cut school lunches, student loans, and environment. About this, there can be no doubt. Republicans attack Medicare. The elderly may have to choose between paying their doctors and paying their rent. Why do the Republicans steal from our children, the elderly, and the poor? They say they want to help families, and then they raise taxes on 32 million working American families and give a tax break to their wealthy friends. This is extreme, this is radical; this is mean, just plain mean. Where is the decency? Where is the sense of right and wrong? Where is the morality? This proposal is mean-spirited. It is just plain wrong. Vote no on this mean, extreme proposal.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, the day you have longed for is here. You have brought the U.S. Government to a halt and the verge of default. I hope you are happy. And why has it come to this. Why are our national parks closed, why can't senior citizens or veterans apply for Social Security or veteran benefits, why can not people get their passports? Because you have not done your work. You have been so busy pursuing your extremist ideological agenda that you have ignored the business of the people. And now you want to blame the President. Well, the President is right and the American people agree. The President will not give in to your drastic proposals: Your extremist plans to cut Medicare, destroy our environment, defund education and give tax breaks to the rich while raising taxes on working families. Stop playing the blame game, Madam Speaker. Stop blackmailing the President. Show some leadership. Send the President a clean bill and he will sign it, and let us get on with the business of governing. The American people are watching and waiting.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is time to put your House in order, because, quite frankly, your House is a mess. You need to clean it up. Republicans control the House. They control the Senate. Republicans make the rules. But what Republicans cannot seem to make--is policy. They cannot govern. They cannot lead. We do not have a problem because Republicans cannot agree with Democrats. We do not have a problem because Congress cannot agree with the President. We have a problem because Republicans cannot agree among themselves. We have a problem because Republican leaders cannot lead. So now we have this resolution--to do nothing. It is a do-nothing proposal. Mr. Speaker, this is not even leadership by default. It is a default of leadership. The President has set his priorities. The message is clear. Send him a clean bill, and he will sign it. But he will not be blackmailed. The President will not give in to your extreme proposals. We Democrats have set our priorities. All Democrats agree--do not cut education. Do not attack Medicare. Do not destroy the environment. Do not cut taxes for the rich--and raise taxes on millions of working families. Because the Republicans cannot lead, this President will. Thank you, Mr. President, for leading. Thank you for saying no to the Republicans' mean-spirited, extreme proposal. Thank you for standing up for our working families, our parents, our children, and our grandchildren. Thank you for doing what the Republicans will not do. Thank you for leading. Thank you for doing what is right, what is fair, and what is just.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, they are at it again. Last night, the Republicans increased premiums for Medicare. They sneaked it in at the final hour. They sneaked it in on the same day they gave one more tax break to their rich corporate friends. Mr. Speaker, this proposal raises premiums for seniors by 20 percent--by 20 percent. That is not fair. That is not right--not when 11 million women on Medicare have incomes less than $8,000. For these women--every dollar counts, and now they must pay more. Why was this done? Seniors have a right to know why. There was only one reason--my Republican colleagues must give tax breaks to the rich. This premium increase will not help the Medicare trust fund. But it will help the Republican's rich friends. And it will hurt our Nation's seniors. That is not right. Shame on the Republicans, shame.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the votes have been tallied, the results are in and the message is clear: Voters across the country have rejected the extremist right-wing Republican agenda. In Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Virginia, and New Jersey, Democrats were victorious. The voters said no to the Republican cuts in Medicare. They said no to Republican tax breaks for the rich. They said no to Republican assaults on our environment. And they said no to Republican cuts in student loans and education. Mr. Speaker, heed the message of the 1995 elections. America is watching and waiting, waiting for 1996. Waiting to stop Republican attacks on the elderly, the poor, students, and working-class Americans; 1995 is a prelude.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a fallen soldier, a warrior, a warrior for peace * * * Yitzhak Rabin. Today our condolences and our hearts go out to the people and friends of Israel, the Rabin family, and lovers of peace. Prime Minister Rabin was a great man, a great statesman and a great peacemaker. He lived his life protecting the people of Israel and gave his life trying to bring an end to the cycle of violence that has plagued his nation. He was a warrior for peace and that will be his legacy. No assassin's bullet can extinguish the flame, the dream, that Yitzhak Rabin ignited in the hearts and minds of his people. Yitzhak Rabin may no longer be with us, but his dream for a safe, secure Israel, an Israel at peace with itself and its neighbors, lives on. We have all lost a great leader, a great man * * * a man of peace. Bless him.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I have just returned from Israel, where I attended the funeral of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Today our condolences and our hearts go out to the people and friends of Israel, the Rabin family, and lovers of peace everywhere. Prime Minister Rabin was a great man, a great statesman, and a great peacemaker. He lived his life protecting the people of Israel and gave his life trying to bring an end to the cycle of violence that has plagued his nation. He was a warrior for peace and that will be his legacy. No assassin's bullet can extinguish the flame, the dream, that Yitzhak Rabin ignited in the hearts and minds of his people. Yitzhak Rabin may no longer be with us, but his dream for a safe, secure Israel, an Israel at peace with itself and its neighbors, lives on. We have all lost a great leader, a great man, a man of peace. Bless him.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, on Saturday night in Atlanta, Justice was served--served a high fastball he parked in the right field seats. That was all the help Tom Glavine would need. With one of the greatest pitching performances of all time, the Atlanta Braves won the World Series--they are world champions. Since day one, the Braves were on a mission--a quest. They dug deep within themselves to find the courage, the raw courage, to win the NL East--to beat the Rockies, the Reds, and, finally, the Cleveland Indians--the second best team in baseball. The old saying--great pitching beats great hitting--held true. The Braves' pitchers were too much for the Indians. But another old saying did not hold true. Nice guys do not always finish last. Congratulations to the World Champion Atlanta Braves. Go Braves, go Braves, go Braves.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, this bill is really not a reconciliation bill, it is a wrecker ball bill on middle class families. Mr. Chairman, an ugly spirit has risen in our Nation's Capital. A mean spirit. A cruel spirit. A spirit that gave rise to this Republican bill. Republicans raise taxes on the working poor--and cut taxes for the idle rich. Republicans raise taxes on 30 million working families. Republicans spend more on defense, but cut Head Start, school lunches, and student loans. They choose bombers over babies, defense contractors over children, star wars over schools. Do you really want a welfare bill that would put children in orphanages? Do you want to return to the days when families put the disabled in back rooms. Do you want to send senior citizens to dilapidated hospitals and second rate medical care? I cannot believe, I truly cannot believe what this bill does to our country. There are Americans who need our help. Children do not choose to go hungry. The elderly do not choose to become sick. The handicapped do not choose to be disabled. Mr. colleagues--there, but for the grace of God, go I. Each and every Member of this body is blessed. We have a responsibility--a moral obligation--to do right by our children, our seniors, and our working families. This bill fails that test. Two hundred and forty-five billion dollars can help a lot of families earn a livable wage. It can feed a lot of children. It can help a lot of students get through school. It can provide medical care for hundreds of thousands of seniors. With $245 billion, you can do a lot of good for a lot of people. Or you can squander it on a privileged few. You can pay for a tax cut for rich, political friends. That is the choice you make today. I urge you to look within your heart--to do what is right. Vote ``no'' on this proposal. It is cruel, it is mean, it is downright lowdown.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Ted Turner has done it again. Turn on your TV. Turn on almost any channel. You can't miss it. The Atlanta Braves are back--back in the World Series--to claim what is theirs. Not since the Yankees of old has a baseball team stood so tall for so long. Bobby Cox has built a team for the ages--a team for destiny. Maddux. Glavine. Smoltz. Avery. Wohlers. The Murderer's Row of the 1990's--the pitchers no team wants to face. The defense of Belliard, Lemke, and Grissom--the power of Justice, Klesko, Jones, and McGriff--they inspired Atlanta to forget the strike, to believe. So I say to my friends from Ohio--get ready to rock and roll. It's two and ``Oh'' and two to go. The Braves will not be denied. They cannot go back, they must not go back, they will not go back. Go Braves, Go Braves, Go Braves.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to the Republican Medicare plan. I rise to tell you there is another way, a better way. We Democrats have a plan. We save the Medicare trust fund, and we do it without hurting the poor, the sick, and the elderly. How can we do it? We can do it because we do not pay for tax breaks for the rich. There is only so much money--you can either use it to help the sick and the elderly or you can give it to the rich. My Republican colleagues may say whatever they wish, but the truth is that these very large--these huge Medicare cuts are needed to pay for their tax breaks for the rich. The Republicans say they want to help Medicare. But what they do is different. Thirty years ago, the Democrats created Medicare and the Republicans voted against it. Two years ago, Democrats passed a bill that helped the Medicare trust fund. Every Republican voted no. Earlier this year. the Republicans took $87 billion from the Medicare trust fund. Today, they want to cut an additional $270 billion. They voted against Medicare 30 years ago, and they are voting against it again today. My colleagues, actions speak louder than words, and the Republican actions are loud and clear. The Republicans did not want Medicare 30 years ago and they want to dismantle it now. I do not believe that we must destroy Medicare to save it. Democrats do not raise premiums for seniors. Democrats ensure that Medicare is there for our families, for our children, for our grandchildren, and their children. Under their plan, the Republicans eliminate nursing home standards. Poor seniors lose help for copayments and deductibles. Under the Republican plan, the rich get tax cuts, and our Nation's elderly and hard-working families get higher Medicare bills. It's a scam, a sham, and a shame. I know it. You know it. Now the American people know it. Mr. Chairman, on this day, October 19, let the word go forth from this place into every State, every city, every town, every village, every hamlet that it was the Republicans who voted to cut Medicare-- they voted to cut Medicare by $270 billion in order to give a $245 billion tax break to the wealthy. The Republican plan is too much, too radical, too extreme. We have more than a legislative responsibility to oppose this Republican plan. We have a mandate, a mission, and a moral obligation to protect Medicare. This vote--this debate is about something much bigger than one vote. It is bigger than one bill. It is about two contracts, the Republican contact with the rich, and the Democratic contract with the American people--Medicare. Medicare is a contract--a sacred trust with our Nation's seniors and our Nation's hard-working families. My fellow Americans, remember--it was the Democrats who found the courage and the strength to provide health care to our seniors, and it is the Democrats who will preserve it for unborn generations. We must not and will not break the contract with America's seniors and families. I urge my colleagues to support the Democratic alternative and oppose the Republican plan to cut Medicare.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to support this motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, I said to my Republican colleagues, they should not raise premiums for our seniors, not when they can find money to give tax breaks to the rich. That is not right. That is not fair. That is not just. How long? How long until they realize what they are doing to our seniors? Not long. Not long until our seniors know what they have done. Mr. Speaker, on this day, let the word go forth from this place into every State, every city, every town, every village, every hamlet, that it was the Republicans who voted to cut Medicare in order to give a huge tax break to the rich. The Republican plan is too radical, too extreme, it is too much. It is more than wrong. It is a shame and a disgrace. Do the right thing. Support the motion to recommit.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend, the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Conyers], for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, let me tell this to my colleague from Georgia. I live in my district. I live in the city of Atlanta. I know the people of Atlanta. I have visited and stayed overnight on more than one occasion in the projects. I served on the city council in that city for almost 6 years, served on the public safety committee. I know the police department of that city. This amendment is about fairness, equality and justice. It is about treating our poor and minorities the same way we treat others in our society. Chemically, crack and powder cocaine are the same drug. They are the same in every way but one. Poor people use crack. People of color use crack. People who use crack go to jail. On the other hand, more affluent people use powdered cocaine; and when they are caught and arrested and prosecuted, they often go free or get lighter sentences than those who use crack cocaine. This is not only wrong, it is unjust, and it should not be. These are the facts. The way the law is designed, it sends poor people to jail. It sends people of color to jail. This is not justice. This law is not right. It is not fair. My colleagues, cocaine is cocaine. Breaking the law is breaking the law. It is time to stop discriminating against the poor and people of color. It is time to treat poor people the same way we treat the rich. It is time to treat each and every person who uses cocaine the same. The Conyers amendment will go a long way to restoring fairness to our justice system. It will restore faith and confidence. As recent events have shown, many of our citizens see two different judicial systems. They see different laws for different people. They see statutes that discriminate and a system that does not treat all people equally under the law. That is not the American way. That is wrong. It is dead wrong, and it must be changed. We have an opportunity tonight to change it. I urge my colleagues to support justice, equality, fairness and integrity. Support the Conyers amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, both Common Cause and I insist that ``in order to carry out the responsibilities of an outside counsel effectively, it is necessary for the counsel's authority and independence to be clearly and publicly established.'' The special counsel must have the ``authority and independence necessary to conduct the inquiry in an effective and credible manner.'' The House of Representatives, as well as the American public, deserve an investigation which will uncover the truth. At this moment, I am afraid that the apparent restrictions placed on this special counsel will not allow the truth to be uncovered. ``The rules normally applied by the Ethics Committee to an investigation of a typical Member are insufficient in an investigation of the Speaker of the House. Clearly, this investigation has to meet a higher standard of public accountability and integrity.'' Prophetic words, indeed, Mr. Speaker. These are the words of the current Speaker of the House in 1988 referring to the investigation of a former Speaker of this House. This House cannot and must not tolerate a double standard. The Ethics Committee must follow the standard set by Speaker Gingrich. We need an outside counsel to investigate Speaker Gingrich and we must not restrict the scope of that counsel's investigation.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, we are still waiting to see the details of how the Republicans will cut $270 billion from Medicare. The Ways and Means Committee held one--only one--hearing. Even after that hearing, we do not know how they will cut Medicare. We do not have a bill. It is a shame and disgrace that we are shut out of the process, and the details are carefully guarded from us. This is an affront--not just to Democrats, not just to Members of Congress, but to our senior citizens and the American people. Mr. Speaker, it was Robert Frost who said, ``When you build a wall, who are you trying to fence out?'' So I ask, Why is there only one hearing on this very important plan? What do my colleagues have to hide? Do not hide the plan. Hold hearings. Let the American people be a part of this process.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the words, every single word except for ``prophetic words, indeed,'' Mr. Speaker, that I spoke were the words that the current Speaker spoke in 1988. This is not a reference to the current investigation or the current Speaker.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I wish to be heard on the point of order.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, ``I am concerned that the scope, authority and independence of the special counsel will be limited by the guidelines the Ethics Committee has established. The House of Representatives, as well as the American public, deserve an investigation which will uncover the truth. At this moment, I am afraid that the apparent restrictions placed on this special counsel will not allow the truth to be uncovered. The rules normally applied by the Ethics Committee to an investigation of a typical member are insufficient in an investigation of the Speaker of the House. Clearly, this investigation has to meet a higher standard of public accountability and integrity.'' Prophetic words, indeed, Mr. Speaker. These are the words of the current Speaker of the House in 1988 referring to the investigation of a former Speaker of this House. point of order