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House Journal: Page 2168: Wednesday, May 1, 1996

Jeff and J.D. in Ron's office - thanks for your viewpoints. They
are always helpful.

Mr. Speaker, some people seem to have a silly idea that you and
I are interested in the same job a couple of years down the
road, and that we won't get along.  Nothing could be further
from the truth. We have stood side by side, with my belly
obstructing the side view and your excessive forehead blinding
the front view, and we have worked to make this chamber move
forward and make Iowa a better place. It is an honor to consider
you my colleague and, more importantly, my friend.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have much to be proud of. Working
together, we have made a difference. It hasn't always been easy,
but we got it done. As that famous Calypso poet, Jimmy Buffett,
writes in one of his songs:

"For we have plowed the seas, and smoothed the troubled waters.
Come along let's have some fun, seems our work is done."

Thank you and have a great interim.
REMARKS BY SPEAKER CORBETT
Speaker Corbett offered the following remarks:

Later this summer the Olympics will be held in Atlanta. One of
the track and field events in which America expects to do well
is the high jump. As you know, athletes have to leap over a bar.
The better the athletes do, the higher the bar is raised.  I
think that is what the House of Representatives has done. Every
year we have raised the bar, raised the level of expectations
and raised the level of accomplishments.

In 1993, we gave Iowa its first balanced budget in ten years.

In 1994, we eliminated lowa's $408 million deficit.

In 1995 and 1996, we reduced the tax burden on the people of
Iowa. And for the first time in our history, the Legislature cut
taxes two consecutive years.

The energy and leadership in the Legislature comes from this
chamber whether Republican or Democrat. The ideas and optimism
in the Legislature come from this chamber. The House has set the
agenda, driven the agenda and accomplished its agenda. We have
reason to be proud of our accomplishments.

150 years ago, Iowa's first leaders fought for statehood. They
were opposed by pessimists who were afraid of the future. They
issued dire warnings of doom gloom. They screamed the sky would
fall if Iowa became a state and gave up its status and
privileges as a territory. Well they were wrong, the sky did not
fall.

In January, I stood here and said Iowa had a unique opportunity
to move forward in 1996.  We had a substantial budget surplus,
low unemployment, record prices for a bushel of corn and an
increasing population. Iowans should be optimistic about the
future. But the pessimists, with their foolish fear of moving
forward,

Iowa General Assembly

Index: House Journal (76th General Assembly: Session 2)

© 1996 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa

Comments? hjourn@legis.iowa.gov.

Last update: Tue Jun 25 15:30:03 CDT 1996
URL: /DOCS/GA/76GA/Session.2/HJournal/02100/02168.html
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