Speech transcript, March 30, 1983

U.S. SENATOR CHIC HECHT ADDRESS TO JOINT SESSION OF NEVADA LEGISLATURE MARCH 30, 1983 MR. PRESIDENT, MR. SPEAKER, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE, DISTINGUISHED JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT AND MY FELLOW NEVADANS. I WELCOME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO AGAIN VISIT CARSON CITY AND THE NEVADA LEGISLATURE WHERE I SERVED FOR 8 YEARS IN THE SENATE. THOSE YEARS RESULTED IN MANY FRIENDS AND MANY PLEASANT MEMORIES. THE EXPERIENCE I GAINED IN THE STATE SENATE, I CAN TELL YOU, IS HELPING ME VERY MUCH NOW IN WASHINGTON. AND FOR A TIME WHEN I WAS IN THE STATE SENATE, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS MINORITY LEADER. IN THAT CAPACITY I HAD OCCASION TO WORK CLOSELY WITH GOVERNOR PAUL LAXALT. WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER NOW IN WASHINGTON. YOU WON'T SEE MANY CANCELLED VOTES. SENATOR LAXALT IS A GOOD FRIEND AND HAS BEEN OF GREAT HELP TO ME IN GETTING SETTLED IN OFFICE AND IS A SOURCE OF COUNSEL AND GUIDANCE. AFTER THREE MONTHS ON THE JOB, I CAN TELL YOU THIS: IT'S EXCITING IT'S STIMULATING ... IT'S CHALLENGING. I INTEND TO WORK HARD TO DO A GOOD JOB FOR NEVADA. I PLAN TO KEEP IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH NEVADANS AND TO OFFER THEM THE FULL - 2 - FACILITIES OF MY WASHINGTON AND NEVADA OFFICES IN HELPING THEM SOLVE SOME OF THEIR PROBLEMS. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU LEGISLATORS SO THAT TOGETHER WE CAN BUILD A BETTER NEVADA. AS A STATE SENATOR, I REMEMBER ALL TOO WELL THE FRUSTRATIONS OF HOLDING A STATE OFFICE AND BEING UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. LET ME MAKE IT ABSOLUTELY CLEAR, I REPRESENT ALL NEVADANS -- REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS, AND THE CITIZENS OF OUR STATE THAT DID NOT VOTE. MY OFFICES IN CARSON CITY, RENO, AND LAS VEGAS ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL OF YOU AT ANY TIME. I HAD PLANNED TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY IN FULL INDIAN HEADDRESS, BUT AS OF NOW, BILL FARR IS STILL UNABLE TO FIND ONE. SERIOUSLY, THE HEADDRESS WAS TO SET OFF THE WESTERN DECOR OF MY NEW OFFICE IN THE HART BUILDING. THAT'S THE NEW MARBLE HOME FOR 50 U.S. SENATORS THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A $137 MILLION DOLLAR MONUMENT TO SENATORIAL EXTRAVAGANCE. WHILE SHOWING THIS BUILDING, A FRIEND REMARKED, NO WONDER THE GOVERNMENT IS BROKE. OF COURSE, I DIDN'T VOTE FOR IT, BUT SINCE I WAS ASSIGNED OFFICE SPACE THERE, I'LL WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MY NEW OFFICE A TOURIST SHOW PLACE FOR THE STATE. MANY OLD TIMERS AND SOME OF OUR OLDER HOTELS - 3 - ARE LOANING THE OFFICE MANY RELICS AND ITEMS OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. THESE ARE NOT FOR MY PERSONAL USE, BUT FOR THE STATE. WE WILL HAVE A WEEKLY BILLBOARD OF ALL NEVADA EVENTS, RURAL AND CITY. WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY PUBLICIZED AND UNUSUAL OFFICES WHICH WILL BECOME THE WASHINGTON BUREAU FOR THE NEVADA TOURISM INDUSTRY. YOU KNOW, IF WE PROMOTE OUR STATE WELL ENOUGH, OUR MESSAGE MAY BE CARRIED ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT! YOUR JUNIOR SENATOR HAS BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO LAND ASSIGNMENTS ON THE BANKING, HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND THE ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE. WITH THESE TWO MAJOR COMMITTEES, I'LL HAVE INPUT INTO LEGISLATION IMPACTING ALL NEVADANS WHETHER THEY LIVE IN THE CITY OR A COW COUNTY. WITH SO MUCH OF OUR LAND UNDER FEDERAL CONTROL, I'M ESPECIALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE ENERGY COMMITTEE WHICH IS THE OLD INTERIOR COMMITTEE. WITH CONGRESS WOMAN VUCANOVICH ON THE HOUSE INTERIOR COMMITTEE, THE BEST INTEREST OF NEVADA WILL BE WELL REPRESENTED ON BOTH SIDES OF CAPITOL HILL AND DOWN AT 1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE AS WELL. THE BANKING COMMITTEE NOT ONLY DEALS WITH INTEREST RATES AND OTHER FINANCIAL LEGISLATION, BUT ALSO WITH HOUSING ISSUES. MORTGAGE REVENUE BONDS HAVE PROVEN THEIR VALUE TO THE IMPORTANT HOUSING INDUSTRY AND TO THE HOME BUYER. IN NEVADA, NEARLY 5,000 MORTGAGES, TOTALING MORE THAN $221 MILLION DOLLARS, HAVE - 4 - ENABLED MANY FAMILIES TO ENTER THE SINGLE-FAMILY MARKET. I AM CURRENTLY CO-SPONSORING THE HOUSING FINANCE OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 1983 WHICH WILL ELIMINATE THE SUNSET PROVISIONS FOR THESE BONDS. WITHOUT THIS LEGISLATION THE AUTHORITY FOR STATES AND LOCALITIES TO ISSUE TAX-EXEMPT BONDS TO CREATE THE CAPITAL TO FINANCE THESE MORTGAGES WILL EXPIRE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. THIS BILL WILL SIMPLY ALLOW US TO CONTINUE THIS VALUABLE PROGRAM. SINCE 1968, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN COMPETING WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY BY PROVIDING CRIME, RIOT AND FLOOD INSURANCE. AS CHAIRMAN OF THE INSURANCE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE BANKING COMMITTEE, I WILL BE CONDUCTING HEARINGS APRIL 8TH TO DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE INSURANCE BUSINESS. THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION HAS REQUESTED THAT THE RIOT AND CRIME INSURANCE PROGRAMS NOT BE REAUTHORIZED THIS YEAR AND I TEND TO AGREE. THESE PROGRAMS BENEFIT ONLY A SELECT FEW STATES AND THERE IS NO REASON WHY UNCLE SAM SHOULD FOOT THE BILL FOR WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A STATE MATTER. RECENT HEAVY RAINS HAVE SERVED TO REMIND US THAT FLOODING CAN POSE A SEVERE PROBLEM IN PORTIONS OF NEVADA. WE WILL BE HEARING TESTIMONY FROM VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE CONCERNS ON THE OPERATION OF THE FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM. - 5 - I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE MX MISSILE AS A VITAL PART OF OUR TRIAD DEFENSE SYSTEM. MODERN TECHNOLOGY COULD WELL MAKE OUR SUBMARINES AND MANNED BOMBERS TOO VULNERABLE TO SOVIET MISSILES AND A FIXED BASED MISSILE SYSTEM IS ESSENTIAL TO DETER THE THREAT OF A NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST. I'VE MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE BIPARTISAN COMMISSION ON STRATEGIC FORCES AND AM IMPRESSED WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND DEDICATION. I'M CONFIDENT THEY WILL COME UP WITH SOME WORKABLE BASING RECOM-MENDATIONS. EL SALVADOR HAS BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL ISSUE, BUT IT CAN HAVE AN IMPACT CLOSE TO HOME. SAN SALVADOR, THE CAPITAL, IS ONLY 1,896 MILES FROM WASHINGTON. BY COMPARISON, SAN FRANCISCO IS 2,8 78 MILES AWAY. I SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO THE GOVERNMENT WHICH HAS BEEN ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE. IF WE ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN THE SPREAD OF COMMUNIST AGGRESSION FROM CUBA, OTHER CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES WILL FALL, INCLUDING MEXICO,AND MILLIONS OF REFUGEES WILL BEGIN POURING INTO OUR BORDER CAUSING CHAOS AND ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS FOR OUR STATE. AS YOU KNOW THE SENATE PASSED A JOBS BILL ON MARCH 17TH. PERSONALLY, I FEEL THAT THE KEY TO ANY JOBS BILL IS TRAINING. THE DAY OF THE SMOKESTACK INDUSTRY IS RAPIDLY BECOMING A THING OF THE PAST. WE NEED TO PREPARE OUR WORK FORCE FOR THE - 6 - TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION. IN THIS REGARD, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR STATE'S COMMUNITY COLLEGES INVOLVED. THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES SHOULD BE PARTNERSHIP AGENCIES TO DIVERSIFY AND EXPAND OUR WORK FORCE TO MAKE NEVADA MORE ATTRACTIVE TO NEW INDUSTRY. OUR UNIVERSITIES WILL BE A GREAT ASSET IN TRAINING IN OTHER FIELDS. REMEMBER, IN OUR STATE WE HAVE THE FREE WORLD'S LARGEST LABORATORY -- NEVADA TEST SITE. SENATOR LAXALT AND I HAVE ENCOURAGED THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO RESUME THE SUPPORT FOR GEOTHERMAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN NEVADA. ONE SINGLE PROJECT IN RENO, IF DEVELOPED, COULD SAVE A SINGLE HOTEL APPROXIMATELY $750,000 A YEAR IN ENERGY COSTS. TAX ADVANTAGES FOR GEOTHERMAL DEVELOPMENT WILL EXPIRE THE END OF 198 5. I WILL MOVE TO HAVE THIS DATE EXTENDED TO ALLOW MORE TIME FOR PROJECTS TO BEGIN AND TO BE COMPLETED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. SENATOR LAXALT AND I HAVE CO-SPONSORED LEGISLATION TO ENHANCE BOATING AND FISHING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE RUBY LAKES NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. THE BILL HAS BEEN REFERRED TO THE SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE. IN ADDITION, WE'VE URGED SECRETARY WATT TO RESOLVE A LAWSUIT THAT HAS CURTAILED RECREATIONAL USES OF THE POPULAR RUBY LAKE WILDLIFE REFUGE. - 7 - WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO RESOLVE A CONFLICT BETWEEN A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER IN LAS VEGAS AND PARTIES SEEKING TO PROTECT ENDANGERED SPECIES AT ASH MEADOWS. WE'VE BEEN PRESSING THE FAA TO PROVIDE SOME FUNDS TO RESURFACE A DETERIORATING RUNWAY AT THE BATTLE MOUNTAIN AIRPORT IN LANDER COUNTY. WE'VE CO-SPONSORED LEGISLATION TO TRANSFER A MUNITIONS FACILITY TO MINERAL COUNTY.. AND WE'VE GOTTEN NEVADA OFFICIALS OF THE COLORADO RIVER COMMISSION TOGETHER WITH SECRETARY WATT AND BUREAU OF RECLAMATION CHIEF BROADBENT TO SETTLE DIFFERENCES OVER A REPAYMENT CONTRACT. THESE ARE NOT EXACTLY BANNER HEADLINE STORIES... BUT GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF SOME OF THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES PROBLEMS SENATOR LAXALT AND I DEAL WITH EVERY DAY. ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENT QUESTIONS I'M ASKED IS WHAT HAS SURPRISED ME THE MOST ABOUT BEING A UNITED STATES SENATOR. IRONICALLY, THE MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE IS THE SAME AS I EXPERIENCED ENTERING THIS LEGISLATURE. AND THAT IS THE EXCELLENT CALIBER OF THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE OUR STATE GOVERNMENT. WHEN I CAME TO WASHINGTON, I WAS AGAIN VERY MUCH IMPRESSED WITH THE HIGH QUALITY OF MY COLLEAGUES AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS. 4 - 8 - NOT ONLY HAVE I BEEN IMPRESSED BY PEOPLE LIKE GEORGE SHULTZ, CASPAR WEINBERGER, DON REGAN AND OTHER CABINET MEMBERS, BUT UP AND DOWN THE LINE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS FILLED WITH BRIGHT, HARD-WORKING, DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. I'VE FREQUENTLY TOLD MY STAFF THAT, AS IMPRESSIVE AS THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS, THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON WHO WALKS INTO MY OFFICE IS A NEVADAN. ON THE DAY WE WERE SWORN-IN, I ESTABLISHED AN "OPEN DOOR" POLICY AND SET AS MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY: THE PEOPLE FROM THIS STATE. YOU KNOW THIS SENATE SEAT DOES NOT BELONG TO CHIC HECHT. IT DOES NOT BELONG TO ONE PERSON OR ONE POLITICAL PARTY. IT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE AND I WANT TO HEAR FROM AS MANY NEVADANS AS POSSIBLE. I INVITE YOUR VIEWS. I WANT PEOPLE TO CARE ABOUT THEIR GOVERNMENT. FOR TOO LONG, TOO MANY HAVE FELT CUT OFF FROM THEIR GOVERNMENT. THEY HAVE BECOME FRUSTRATED AND A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS DON'T EVEN BOTHER TO VOTE BECAUSE THEY DON'T BELIEVE IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THEY CAN... AND ARE ALREADY MAKING A DIFFERENCE. WHEN I WALK UP THE STEPS OF OUR NATION'S CAPITOL OR ENTER THE STATELY SENATE CHAMBER, I NEVER CEASE TO FEEL HONORED AND AS HUMBLE AS THE SON OF A RUSSIAN-JEWISH IMMIGRANT CAN FEEL. - 9 - I DON'T BELIEVE THAT PATRIOTISM EVER GOES OUT OF STYLE. RATHER, I AGREE WITH LORD ACTON WHO SAID: "PATRIOTISM IS IN POLITICAL LIFE WHAT FAITH IS IN RELIGION." IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY THEORY THAT THE BEST GOVERNMENT IS THAT WHICH IS CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT A BUNCH OF HIGHLY-PAID PAPER-PUSHERS KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR NEVADA. WE'VE HAD TOO MUCH OF THAT IN THE PAST. NEVADA'S DESTINY SHOULD BE IN YOUR HANDS. AND YOUR HANDS SHOULD NOT BE TIED BY AN INEFFICIENT AND INSENSITIVE FEDERAL .BUREAUCRACY. THAT'S WHAT THE PRESIDENT BELIEVES, THAT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET. THANKS TO THE NEW COURSE SET BY PRESIDENT REAGAN, ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES IS TO GET RID OF ALL THE NEEDLESS, WASTEFUL, INFLATIONARY REGULATIONS WE CAN. YOU KNOW THERE ARE 5 7 WORDS IN THE LORD'S PRAYER, 266 WORDS IN THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS, AND IN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REGULATIONS ON CABBAGE, THERE ARE 26,911 WORDS. WE'RE FINALLY GETTING UNCLE SAM OFF OUR BACK AND BACK ON TRACK! CRITICS HAVE ACCUSED ME OF BEING A SO-CALLED "RUBBER STAMP" FOR PRESIDENT REAGAN. WELL, BE ASSURED IF THE WHITE HOUSE IS PUSHING A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD HURT NEVADA, YOU CAN BET THAT PAUL LAXALT AND I WILL BE QUICK TO TELL THE PRESIDENT. BUT LET ME REMIND THOSE CRITICS THAT THE CRUX OF MY CAMPAIGN - 10 - WAS MY SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT REAGAN'S NEW DIRECTION. MY CAMPAIGN THEME WAS WHETHER NEVADANS WISHED TO CONTINUE THIS DIRECTION OR RETURN TO THE TAX AND SPEND POLITICS OF THE PAST. TWO YEARS AGO, INFLATION, THE CRUELEST OF ALL TAXES, WAS 13% PERCENT. TODAY IT'S 3% PERCENT. AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR GERMANY WAS FACED WITH SUCH HIGH INFLATION IT TOOK A WHEELBARROW FULL OF MONEY TO PAY FOR GROCERIES. THE WHEELBARROW WAS WORTH MORE THAN THE MONEY. BUT INFLATION IS NOT THE PRESIDENT'S ONLY ECONOMIC VICTORY. INTEREST RATES HAVE PLUNGED FROM 21% PERCENT, TWO YEARS AGO, TO 10% PERCENT, AND I PREDICT THAT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, THE PRIME RATE WILL FALL TO 9 PERCENT AND OUR ECONOMY WILL REALLY BEGIN TO TAKE OFF. THE STOCK MARKET, WHICH IS A GOOD BAROMETER OF THE FUTURE, HAS BEEN BOOMING AND AMERICA IS AGAIN RESPECTED BY FRIEND AND FOE BECAUSE WE'RE STRONGER TODAY THAN WHEN MR. REAGAN TOOK OFFICE. HARRY TRUMAN ONCE SAID, "OUR GOAL MUST BE... NOT PEACE IN OUR TIME, BUT PEACE FOR ALL TIME." IF BEING A RUBBER STAMP MEANS FIGHTING TO MAINTAIN A STRONG MILITARY TO INSURE THAT OUR TREASURED FREEDOMS ARE PRESERVED, OR IF BEING A RUBBER STAMP MEANS BRINGING MORE GOVERNMENT CONTROL TO STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS... THEN I'M PROUD TO HAVE KEPT MY CAMPAIGN PLEDGE. I'M PROUD TO BE WITH THE PRESIDENT! - 11 - I WILL GO ON TO PREDICT THAT PRESIDENT REAGAN WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE MAN WHO TURNED THIS COUNTRY AROUND, THAT HE WILL RUN AGAIN AND THAT HE WILL BE REELECTED. I PLAN TO KEEP IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH NEVADA. I WANT TO RELY ON THE COMMON SENSE OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS GREAT STATE AND TO USE MY OFFICE IN HELPING OUR STATE WHENEVER I CAN. TO THAT END, I'VE ESTABLISHED ADVISORY COMMITTEES IN COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THEY ARE DESIGNATED TO KEEP ME INFORMED ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON, WHAT PROBLEMS AND ISSUES HAVE CROPPED UP AND HOW I CAN BEST HELP. I INTEND TO USE THESE 'COMMITTEES TO THE FULLEST, REALIZING THAT YOU GET BEST VIEWS ON LOCAL ISSUES AND MANY TIMES ON NATIONAL ISSUES FROM THE PEOPLE BACK HOME. I PLAN TODAY, FOR EXAMPLE, TO MEET WITH MEMBERS OF THOSE ADVISORY COMMITTEES SO THAT TOGETHER WE CAN START OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT IN BUILDING A BETTER AND MORE PRODUCTIVE NEVADA. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE COURTESY SHOWN ME TODAY... IN GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MY VIEWS. I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR STATE AND NATION. I THINK THIS IS THE GREATEST COUNTRY ON EARTH, AND I INTEND TO DO MY PART TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. * 12 r. IN CLOSING I'D LIKE TO QUOTE THE WORDS OF A MAN I GREATLY ADMIRE... GENERAL VERNON WALTERS. THESE WORDS REFLECT MY THINKING TOTALLY: "I HAVE UNBOUNDED FAITH IN THE DESTINY OF OUR GREAT NATION. IT IS NOT AS THE CRITICS HAVE US BELIEVE, TWILIGHT. IT IS DAYBREAK. THE AMERICAN DREAM HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN." THANK YOU... AND GOD BLESS YOU'.'