House Journal: Page 9: Monday, January 10, 2000
having more Iowans, younger Iowans and better paid Iowans - then your committee
must again craft legislation to help Iowans acquire the skills they need to compete in
today’s changing workplace and find the capital to create new businesses.
Representative Gipp - you and your colleague signed up for the Transportation,
Infrastructure and Capitals Committee. It ought to be re-designated the Quality of
Life" committee. Iowans are counting on you to continue our commitment of protecting
our environment, repairing our parks, and helping local communities provide
recreational opportunities for Iowans. Your challenge is not to do just this. Your
challenge is to do this without neglecting the physical infrastructure of this state.
Bricks and mortar eventually crumble - and we need to make sure that our public
buildings are safe and in good repair for the protection of all Iowans.
A small challenge for all of us in this new year is to treat each other with respect
and the courtesy we each deserve. Voltaire said We cannot always oblige, but we can
always speak obligingly.
We have enough difference between all of us - partisan difference, geographic
differences, and of course the well publicized "rural/urban" difference. We do not need
to exacerbate these differences by mistreating each other on the floor.
McKinnney Hubbard, a humorist who lived a hundred years ago once stated that
"an optimist is a guy who has never had much experience." Well, perhaps that is why I
am so optimistic about this session. I believe that we can overcome each of these
challenges to make Iowa an even better state in which to live, work and raise a family.
Because I am new to this job I will do things a little differently than the last person
to sit at this desk. You can expect a few changes. I would advise my colleagues that I’m
going to try and move this session along at a quick pace - so please be ready to debate
your bill when it appears on the blue debate calendar. I will make an effort to give
both caucuses advanced notice of when legislation will be debated - but please, don’t
ask me about the dove bill this morning. Our caucus will spend more time in caucus
than we have in the past. Representative Schrader, I’ll try and give you advance notice
of those so that we can use our time wisely by having both parties caucus. One thing
that will not change is the open door policy that has always existed in this office. The
door is open to everyone, regardless of party, so come on back.
There is a new staff in the Majority Leader’s office. I’d like to introduce them to you
- most of you already know Jeff Mitchell but many of you have not yet met Jackie
Seymour. Last week we had the ceremonial "passing of the clipboard" from Susan
Severino to Jackie, so if you have a question about the calendar, Jackie is the one to
see. If your bill isn’t ready to debate yet, Jackie will be the one coming to see you.
All three of us are new to these positions, and that ensures mistakes will be made -
most likely on my part. So I ask for your understanding in advance.
Two hundred years ago, Pastor Lyman Beecher offered the following prayer, "Oh
Lord, grant that we may not despise our rulers; and grant, oh Lord, that they may not
act so we can’t help it." Ladies and Gentlemen, during the next one hundred days let’s
not give them any reason to do so.
© 2000 Cornell College and
League of Women Voters of Iowa
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