Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. letter to C. F., February 11, 1997

Congress of tfje ®ntteb States JbouSe of fetprcecntafftiee ©Haslnngton, DC 20515-2002 BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES February 11, 1997 Dear Thank you for communicating to me your views regarding Congressman J. C. Watts’ response to President Clinton’s State of the Union address. I was very impressed by Congressman Watts’ eloquent, thoughtful, and stirring remarks. Moreover, I thought the speech compared favorably with that of President Clinton. While the President is a talented orator, I was concerned by the pro-Washington, pro-big government message he espoused. It appears that President Clinton is moving towards the same kind of liberal policy making that typified the first two years of his administration. All in all, it was a very expensive speech. Moreover, I share your concerns about Speaker Gingrich’s ethical problems. I believe that Gingrich’s admitted ethics violations were serious. The penalties imposed by the House — a reprimand and a $300,000 fine — were severe and appropriate. Now that the House has dealt with the Gingrich matter, I hope my colleagues and I can turn our attention to serious legislative issues, such as a balanced budget; a financially-solvent Medicare system; and regulatory relief for small business. Once again, thanks for contacting me. Please contact me again if I may be of further assistance. Sincerely. Member of Congress