House Journal: Page 3: Monday, January 12, 1998

Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, good morning and welcome to
the 1998 legislative session.  It is exciting and difficult to
be back in this chamber.  It is exciting because we are going to
have an excellent session, and we will pass legislation which
will continue to move our state ahead.  But, it is also
difficult because we all come here and leave family, friends,
and jobs behind.  It will be particularly difficult for me to
leave my son, Evan, who turns three next month, because he is at
such an enjoyable age.
However, I am certain that when this legislative session is
completed in April, the sacrifices we are all making to be here
will be worth it because of the good we will have accomplished.
You know, in the song "Two Lane Highway" by Pure Prairie League,
there's a line that says "You turn around and I'm back again". 
I know for me it seems like we just adjourned a couple of weeks
ago.  However, over the years I've served in the Iowa House, I
have noticed a change in the public's attitude about us being
back in session.  I distinctly remember the cynics back in the
80's and early 90's who would shout in chorus, "Look out for
your wallet, they're back in session."  
But that has changed.  During the 80's and 90's, the legislature
coming into session meant tax increases; now it means tax cuts. 
It meant across-the-board cuts for education - three times from
1984-1992.  Now, it means fully funding what we say we are going
to fund, such as $30 million for school technology.  It meant
low-paying jobs for our citizens.  Now it means economic
development programs that have resulted in increasing wages for
our workers.  The 80's and early 90's meant many many people in
this state thought we were on the wrong track.  A recent Iowa
Poll showed over 60% of the people in our great state thought we
were on the right track.
Things are good in Iowa.  The economy continues to roll steadily
along, unemployment is at record low levels, and Iowa is clearly
prepared for the future.  Yet, as has been the case the previous
three years since we have balanced our state's budget, there are
nay-sayers out there who tell us we need to be cautious, to go
slow and not take risks.  From my position as Majority Leader of
the Iowa House, I have heard those concerns the past several
years and while we were prudent, we did move ahead by being
aggressive, creating a better Iowa. 
The results of our actions of the past several years have
resulted in an Iowa on the move, enjoying great prosperity.  So,
to those nay-sayers who urge us to be cautious and go slow, I
say it is time to continue to look to the future and to
aggressively pursue where we would like our state to be in the
21st Century.
For too long, governments have governed from crisis to crisis. 
For too long we have taken care of this problem and then that
problem and not really taken a long-term look at the future.  It
is the intent of the majority party this year to pass
legislation which will enable us to begin planning for what we
want Iowa to look like in the 21st Century.
Each new year, many of us make resolutions for the year - we
want to make positive changes in our lives; and the beginning of
a new year seems like an appropriate place to start.  That is
why I think that it is great that the new session of the
legislature begins in January - a month where we are focusing on
positive change.  The focus of House Republicans this year will
be to build on the successes we have achieved during the last
five years.
There are four critical areas that the House will address this
year which will 

Iowa General Assembly

Index: House Journal (77th General Assembly: Session 2)

© 1998 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa

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