Grateful for Being Here and the Leadership in the House

GRATEFUL FOR BEING HERE AND THE LEADERSHIP IN THE HOUSE -- (House of Representatives - April 05, 2005)

(Mr. BURGESS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, just like the gentlewoman from Texas, I returned from my district late last night.

On the plane ride up here, I could not help but reflect on how grateful I am to my constituents for allowing me the opportunity to serve here in Congress; and, Mr. Speaker, I also reflected on the fact that I was grateful for the leadership we have in this House. I am grateful for the leadership we have in the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), our majority leader.

The majority leader has his critics. None of us are without fault, but recently it seems we cannot pick up a paper without some half-truth or conjecture being put out there as fact. I guess the game plan is to heck with facts, just keep repeating it and eventually it will receive believability.

Mr. Speaker, our majority leader is a target because he is so effective. They cannot beat him in the arena of public debate. Their policies do not sell in the marketplace of ideas.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to look back at 10 years of electoral defeats on the other side to prove the point. Well, if they cannot outwork him and outthink him, if people are not buying what they are selling, then the game plan apparently is to tarnish our majority leader, and maybe then they can change the equation.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for our majority leader, and I am grateful to be working with him. This rank-and-file Member will stand with him. I would rather be working with our leader than running with the pack.

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