Following the 1994 midterm elections, Republicans in Congress BELIEVED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANTED THEM TO MAKE CHANGES.
In the 1994 midterm elections, Republicans had campaigned on the promise of a "Contract with America." Newt Gingrich and Richard Armey wrote the document and spearheaded the campaign to take control of Congress back for the Republican Party. (Republicans had not had a majority in the House of Representatives for 40 years.) The Republicans picked up 54 seats in the House of Representatives in the 1994 midterm election, as well as gaining 9 seats in the Senate, to become the majority party in Congress. So they believed they should carry out their "Contract with America" to make changes.
