Well on into the interview, but highlighted by the History Channel’s editors, was a statement by Prof. Gingrich that “no person should be allowed citizenship unless they know who George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were.” Later, he said they should know that Lincoln “launched this nation into civil war to end slavery.”
REPUBLICAN CONTRACT WITH AMERICA
As Republican Members of the House of Representatives and as
citizens seeking to join that body we propose not just to
change its policies, but even more important, to restore the
bonds of trust between the people and their elected
representatives.
That is why, in this era of official evasion and posturing,
we offer instead a detailed agenda for national renewal, a
written commitment with no fine print.
This year’s election offers the chance, after four decades
of one-party control, to bring to the House a new majority
that will transform the way Congress works. That historic
change would be the end of government that is too big, too
intrusive, and too easy with the public’s money. It can be
the beginning of a Congress that respects the values and
shares the faith of the American family.
Like Lincoln, our first Republican president, we intend to
act “with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the
right.” To restore accountability to Congress. To end its
cycle of scandal and disgrace. To make us all proud again of
the way free people govern themselves.
On the first day of the 104th Congress, the new Republican
majority will immediately pass the following major reforms,
aimed at restoring the faith and trust of the American
people in their government:
- FIRST, require all laws that apply to the rest of the
country also apply equally to the Congress;
- SECOND, select a major, independent auditing firm to
conduct a comprehensive audit of Congress for waste,
fraud or abuse;
- THIRD, cut the number of House committees, and cut
committee staff by one-third;
- FOURTH, limit the terms of all committee chairs;
- FIFTH, ban the casting of proxy votes in committee;
- SIXTH, require committee meetings to be open to the
public;
- SEVENTH, require a three-fifths majority vote to pass a
tax increase;
- EIGHTH, guarantee an honest accounting of our Federal
Budget by implementing zero base-line budgeting.
Thereafter, within the first 100 days of the 104th Congress,
we shall bring to the House Floor the following bills, each
to be given full and open debate, each to be given a clear
and fair vote and each to be immediately available this day
for public inspection and scrutiny.
1. THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT:
A balanced budget/tax limitation amendment and a legislative
line-item veto to restore fiscal responsibility to an out-
of-control Congress, requiring them to live under the same
budget constraints as families and businesses.
(Bill Text) (Description)
2. THE TAKING BACK OUR STREETS ACT:
An anti-crime package including stronger truth-in-
sentencing, “good faith” exclusionary rule exemptions,
effective death penalty provisions, and cuts in social
spending from this summer’s “crime” bill to fund prison
construction and additional law enforcement to keep people
secure in their neighborhoods and kids safe in their
schools.
(Bill Text) (Description)
3. THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT:
Discourage illegitimacy and teen pregnancy by prohibiting
welfare to minor mothers and denying increased AFDC for
additional children while on welfare, cut spending for
welfare programs, and enact a tough two-years-and-out
provision with work requirements to promote individual
responsibility.
(Bill Text) (Description)
4. THE FAMILY REINFORCEMENT ACT:
Child support enforcement, tax incentives for adoption,
strengthening rights of parents in their children’s
education, stronger child pornography laws, and an elderly
dependent care tax credit to reinforce the central role of
families in American society.
(Bill Text) (Description)
5. THE AMERICAN DREAM RESTORATION ACT:
A S500 per child tax credit, begin repeal of the marriage
tax penalty, and creation of American Dream Savings Accounts
to provide middle class tax relief.
(Bill Text) (Description)
6. THE NATIONAL SECURITY RESTORATION ACT:
No U.S. troops under U.N. command and restoration of the
essential parts of our national security funding to
strengthen our national defense and maintain our credibility
around the world.
(Bill Text) (Description)
2. THE TAKING BACK OUR STREETS ACT:
An anti-crime package including stronger truth-in-
sentencing, “good faith” exclusionary rule exemptions,
effective death penalty provisions, and cuts in social
spending from this summer’s “crime” bill to fund prison
construction and additional law enforcement to keep people
secure in their neighborhoods and kids safe in their
schools.
(Bill Text) (Description)
3. THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT:
Discourage illegitimacy and teen pregnancy by prohibiting
welfare to minor mothers and denying increased AFDC for
additional children while on welfare, cut spending for
welfare programs, and enact a tough two-years-and-out
provision with work requirements to promote individual
responsibility.
(Bill Text) (Description)
4. THE FAMILY REINFORCEMENT ACT:
Child support enforcement, tax incentives for adoption,
strengthening rights of parents in their children’s
education, stronger child pornography laws, and an elderly
dependent care tax credit to reinforce the central role of
families in American society.
(Bill Text) (Description)
5. THE AMERICAN DREAM RESTORATION ACT:
A S500 per child tax credit, begin repeal of the marriage
tax penalty, and creation of American Dream Savings Accounts
to provide middle class tax relief.
(Bill Text) (Description)
6. THE NATIONAL SECURITY RESTORATION ACT:
No U.S. troops under U.N. command and restoration of the
essential parts of our national security funding to
strengthen our national defense and maintain our credibility
around the world.
(Bill Text) (Description)
7. THE SENIOR CITIZENS FAIRNESS ACT:
Raise the Social Security earnings limit which currently
forces seniors out of the work force, repeal the 1993 tax
hikes on Social Security benefits and provide tax incentives
for private long-term care insurance to let Older Americans
keep more of what they have earned over the years.
(Bill Text) (Description)
8. THE JOB CREATION AND WAGE ENHANCEMENT ACT:
Small business incentives, capital gains cut and indexation,
neutral cost recovery, risk assessment/cost-benefit
analysis, strengthening the Regulatory Flexibility Act and
unfunded mandate reform to create jobs and raise worker
wages.
(Bill Text) (Description)
9. THE COMMON SENSE LEGAL REFORM ACT:
“Loser pays” laws, reasonable limits on punitive damages and
reform of product liability laws to stem the endless tide of
litigation.
(Bill Text) (Description)
10. THE CITIZEN LEGISLATURE ACT:
A first-ever vote on term limits to replace career
politicians with citizen legislators.
(Description)
Further, we will instruct the House Budget Committee to
report to the floor and we will work to enact additional
budget savings, beyond the budget cuts specifically included
in the legislation described above, to ensure that the
Federal budget deficit will be less than it would have been
without the enactment of these bills.
Respecting the judgment of our fellow citizens as we seek
their mandate for reform, we hereby pledge our names to this
Contract with America.
