starttime 1264604419.92336
THAT PARLIAMENT CHOSE A PRIME
MINISTER.
OF A TRADITION OF DEMOCRACY THERE.
HOST: AMBASSADOR RYAN CROCKER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS
MORNING.
GUEST: THANK YOU, IT IS A
PLEASURE TO BE HERE IN MY NEW
CAPACITY AFTER MANY YEARS OF
PUBLIC SERVICE.
I'M DELIGHTED TO BE WITH THIS
GREAT UNIVERSITY AND TO BE DEAN
OF THE SCHOOL PUBLIC SERVICE AS
WE DOWN HERE IN TEXAS WORK TO
PREPARE AMERICA'S NEWEST
GREATEST GENERATION FOR SERVICE TO THE COUNTRY.
HOST: COME BACK AGAIN, AMBASSADOR.
WE WILL HAVE COVERAGE OF THE
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
BEGINNING AT 8:00 P.M. EASTERN.
WE WILL TAKE A LOOK BACK AT
PAST STATE OF THE UNION
ADDRESSES.
AROUND A 30 5:00 P.M. EASTERN
THE STATE OF THE UNION
PROCEDURES WOULD GET UNDER WAY.
THE HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI
WILL CALL THE HOUSE TO ORDER.
-- AT AROUND 8:35 P.M.
THEN AROUND A FEW MINUTES
BEFORE 9:00 P.M. THE FIRST LADY
AND OTHERS ARE ESCORTED
INTO THE GALLERY.
THE GOP RESPONSE WILL BE WITH
THE NEWLY INAUGURATED BOB
MACDONALD.
LEARNING LESSONS FROM LAST
YEAR'S RESPONSE FROM THEN-
GOVERNOR, REPUBLICAN GOV. BOB
REGION WILL -- FROM THE FLOOR OF
THE VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES
RUN BY AN AUDIENCE OF ABOUT 350
THAT INCLUDES SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS, LEGISLATORS, AND MILITARY MEMBERS.
COVERAGE AS WELL OF GOP RESPONSE.
THANKS FOR WATCHING. .
[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING
INSTITUTE, INC., IN COOPERATION
WITH THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
ANY USE OF THE CLOSED-CAPTIONED
COVERAGE OF THE HOUSE PROCEEDINGS FOR POLITICAL OR
COMMERCIAL PURPOSES IS
EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED BY THE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.]
THE SPEAKER: THE HOUSE WILL
COME TO ORDER.
THE PRAYER WILL BE OFFERED BY
THE GUEST CHAPLAIN, RABBI
GALSTEIN.
THE CHAPLAIN: OUR GOD AND GOD
OF ALL OF ALL OF OUR ANCESTORS,
WE ASK THAT THE LIGHT OF YOUR
PRESENCE GUIDE THE HEARTS AND
LINDS OF THE LEADERS OF THIS
GREAT NATION GATHERED HERE
TODAY.
MAY THE WISDOM OF YOUR
TEACHINGS GUIDE THEM TO ACT FOR
JUSTICE AND TO LIFT UP THE
STRANGER, THE ORPHAN AND THE WIDOW.
OPEN THE HEARTS OF OUR LEADERS
WITH YOUR COMPASSION.
HELP THEM TO LEAD WITH
INTEGRITY ALWAYS REMEMBERING
THAT YOUR WISDOM RESIDES IN
EVERY HEART AS THE DEEPEST
TRUTH OF OUR HUMANITY.
MAY OUR LEADERS ALWAYS REMEMBER
THAT YOUR GUIDANCE IS NOT IN
THE HEAVENS ALONE NOR FAR
BEYOND THE SEAS BUT WITHIN EACH
OF US, IN OUR MOUTHS AND IN OUR
HEARTS TO CARRY IO ACTION IN
THE WORLD.
MAY OUR LEADERS, THEREFORE,
SERVE AS BEACONS OF JUSTICE AND
COMPASSION MAKING THIS COUNTRY
A LIGHT TO THE NATIONS.
AMEN.
THE SPEAKER: THE CHAIR HAS
EXAMINED THE JOURNAL OF THE
LAST DAY'S PROCEEDINGS AND
ANNOUNCES TO THE CHAMBER HER
APPROVAL THEREOF.
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 1 OF RULE 1
THE JOURNAL STANDS APPROVED.
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL
BE LED BY THE GENTLEMAN FROM
PENNSYLVANIA, MR. SHUSTER.
MR. SHUSTER: THANK YOU.
WILL YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN
PLEDGING ALLEGIANCTO OUR
NATION?
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FL
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER
GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY
AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THE SPEAKER: WITHOUT OBJECTION,
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA,
MR. WAXMAN, IS RECOGNIZED FOR
ONE MINUTE. MR. WAXMAN: MADAM SPEAKER, IT'S
MY HONOR TO WELCOME RABBI GIL
STEINLAUF AS OUR GUEST CHAPLAIN
TODAY.
WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED TO
CONGRESS, OUR FAMILY MOVED TO
WASHINGTON AND WE JOINED ADAS
ISRAEL CONGREGATION IN
WASHINGTON, D.C.
IT IS THE LARGEST CONSERVATIVE SYNAGOGUE IN OUR NATION'S
CAPITAL AND ONE OF THE OLDEST.
IT ALSO HAS THE REPUTATION FOR
OUTREACH TO YOUNG FAMILIES IN
WASHINGTON, D.C..
WE HAVE BEEN MEMBERS FOR MORE
THAN 30 YEARS.
RABBI STEINLAUF CAVE TO ADAS
ISRAEL IN 2008 TO SERVE AS THE
SENIOR RABBI.
HE MADE HIS MARK AS A
CHARISMATIC, DYNAMIC SPIRITUAL
LEADER.
IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE TO GET TO
KNOW HIM AND HIS FAMILY.
ORIGINALLY FROM JERICHO, NEW
YORK, RABBI STEINLAUF WAS
ORDAINED IN 1998 AT THE JEWISH
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN NEW
YORK.
HE GRADUATED FROM PRINCETON IN
1991 WITH HONORS AND ALSO
STUDIED IN JERUSALEM AND THE
UNIVERSITY OF JUDAISM NOW KNOWN
AS THE AMERICAN JEWISH
UNIVERSITY WHICH IS LOCATED IN
MY DISTRICT IN LOS ANGELES.
RABBI STEINLAUF IS JOINED BY
HIS WIFE AND HIS CHILDREN, HIS
PARENTS, SOME OF HIS EXTENDED
FAMILY AND A PROUD DELEGATION
OF ADAS ISRAEL.
ANK YOU, RABBI
YOUR INSPIRATIONAL WORDS.
THE SPEAKER: THE CHAIR WILL
ENTERTAIN UP TO 15 ADDITIONAL
ONE MINUTES ON EACH SIDE OF THE
AISLE.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA RISE?
>> MADAM SPEAKER, TO ADDRESS
THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
MR. BACA: MADAM SPEAKER, THE
HOUSE PASSED THE WALL STREET
CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT.
IT WILL OVERSEE WALL STREET.
IT WILL HELP ENSURE TAXPAYERS
ARE NEVER AGAIN ON THE HOOK FOR
WALL STREET'S RISKIEST DECISIONS.
IT WILL PROTECT RETIREMENT
SAVINGS, COLLEGE SAVINGS,
FINANCIAL FUTURES FROM
UNNECESSARY RISKS BY
SPECULATORS.
IT WILL PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM
PREDATORY LENDING AND INDUSTRY
GIMMICKS AND INJECT
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
INTO THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM.
IT ENDS PREDATORY LENDING
PRACTICE WITH TOUGHER
ENFORCEMENT.
WE ASK THE SENATE TO PASS THIS
LEGISLATION IN PROTECTING OUR
CONSUMERS.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM PENNSYLVANIA RISE?
MR. SHUSTER: I ASK PERMISSION
TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
THE SP WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. SHUSTER: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
ON SATURDAY I ATTENDED A
FUNERAL SERVICE OF A
CONSTITUENT, STAFF SERGEANT
MATTHEW INGHAM WHO WAS KILLED
IN ACTION ON JANUARY 11, 2010.
I RISE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE HIS
LI AND HIS EXTRAORDINARY
SERVICE AND SACRIFICE FOR OUR
COUNTRY.
MATT'S PARENTS OF ALTOONA,
PENNSYLVANIA, AND HIS WIFE,
MOURN THE LOSS OF A REMARKABLE
YOUNG MAN AND A GREAT MARINE.
THEY ARE IN MY THOUGHTS AND
PRAYERS AND I PASS ON MY
SINCERE CONDOLENCES.
SERGEANT INGHAM WAS AWARDED THE
BRONZE STAR WITH VALOR FOR THE
HEROIC ACTIONS THAT ULTIMATELY
LED TO HIS DEATH.
HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FORAVING
THE LIVES OF NINE MARINES BY
CRAWLING TO A RADIO TO CALL IN
AIR SUPPORT AFTER HIS UNIT WAS
AMBUSHED.
ALTHOUGH APPARENTLY WOUNDED,
THE SERGEANT EXPOSED HIMSELF TO
MORE ENEMY FIR AND PUT THE
LIVES OF HIS FELLOW MARINES
ABOVE HIS OWN.
HE WAS A 2002 ALTOONA HIGH
SCHOOL GRADUATE AND ENLISTED IN
THE MARINE CORPS IN JULY OF
2002 AND WAS PROMOTED TO STAFF
SERGEANT IN APRIL.
HE SERVED TWO TOURS IN IRAQ AND
WENT TO AFGHANISTAN IN THE FALL
AS PART OF A RECONNAISSANCE
OUTFIT ASSIGNED TO THE THIRD
MARINE DIVISION IN OKINAWA,
JAPAN.
THE NINTH DISTRICT OF
PENNSYLVANIA AND OUR NATION
OWES A DEBT OF GRATITUDE FOR
HIM AND ALL THOSE WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES IN THE
PURSUIT OF FREEDOM.
I YIELD BACK MY TIME. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME. FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NEW JERSEY RISE?
MR. SIRES: I ASK PERMISSION TO
ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. SIRES: MR. SPEAKER, SINCE
THE BEGINNING OF THIS CONGRESS,
THIS HOUSE HAS TAKEN
SIGNIFICANT STEPS TO GROW OUR
ECONOMY AND CREATE JOBS HERE AT
HOME.
ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO WE PASSED
THE RECOVERY ACT BY CREATING
AND SAVINGS MILLIONS OF JOBS
WHILE BEGINNING TO REBUILD OUR
NATION'S SFRASS.
WE PASSED THE JOBS FOR MAIN
STREET ACT TO CREATE AND SAVE
EVEN MORE JOBS AT HOME WITH
TARGETED INVESTMENT FOR
HIGHWAYS, TRANSIT, SCHOOL
RENOVATIONS, THE HIRING OF
TEACHERS, POLICE AND
FIREFIGHTERS, INCREASE LENDING
TO SMALL BUSINESS, JOB TRAINING
INITIATIVES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
FURTHERMORE, TO SPUR GROWTH
WITHIN SMALL BUSINESS, WE
PASSED THE SMALL BUSINESS
FINANCIAL AND INVESTMENT ACT TO
MAKE IT EASIER AND MORE AFFORDABLE FOR SMALL BUSINESS
TO GET LOANS AND ACCESS TO
CAPITAL WHICH IN TURN COULD
SAVE AND CREATE MILLIONS OF
JOBS IN THIS SECTOR ALONE.
MR. SPEAKER, WHILE I AM PROUD
OF THE STEPS THIS CHAMBER HAS
TAKEN TO LIFT OUR ECONOMY I
KNOW OUR WORK IS NOT DONE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT TO
CREATE JOBS UNT WE REPAIR THE
DAMAGE LEFT BY THE ECONOMY
DOWNTURN FROM THE LAST EIGHT YEARS. I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS RISE?
MR. POE: I ASK PERMISSION TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE.
MR. FALEOMAVAEGA: WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. POE: --
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. POE: THE VIEW OF THE
ECONOMY COULD BE SUMMED UP THIS
WAY, IF IT MOVES, TAX IT, IF IT
KEEPS MOVING, REGULATE IT AND
IF IT STOPS MOVING SUBSIDIZE IT.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE UNEASY
ABOUT THEIR FINANCIAL FUTURE.
TAXING AND BORROWING AND
SPENDING ARE OUT OF CONTROL.
GOVERNMENT'S THE PROBLEM.
THE PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATED.
WE IN WASHINGTON SHOULD LISTEN
TO THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA.
THEY TALK TO US AT TOWN HALL
MEETINGS. THEY GET LOUDER WITH THEIR
MARCHES ON WASHINGTON.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SAY STOP
THE SPENDING, CUT UP THE CREDIT CARDS.
WE SHOULD LISTEN TO AMERICA.
AMERICA'S A REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC.
THAT MEANS THAT THE PEOPLE
TALK, WE LISTEN.
WE IMPLEMENT THEIR IDEAS.
THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS.
LATELY, THE GOVERNMENT
DICTATES, THE PEOPLE COMPLY.
THAT'S BACKWARDS AND IT'S ARROGANT.
IN AMERICA THE PEOPLE ARE THE
SOVEREIGN, NOT THE GOVERNMENT.
WE IN CONGRESS SHOULD MAKE THE
GOVERNMENT WORK FOR THE PEOPLE,
WORK WITH THEM, NOT OVER THEM.
STAND BY THEIR SIDE, NOT RIDE
THEIR BACK.
THE PEOPLE ARE TALKING AND
THEIR VOICES CANNOT CONTINUE TO
FALL ON A DEAF GOVERNMENT
ASLEEP IN DENIAL AND THAT'S
JUST THE WAY IT IS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM KENTUCKY RISE?
MR. YARMUTH: I ASK PERMISSION
TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. YARMUTH: MR. SPEAKER, AMONG
ALL OF THE DISASTROUS
CONSEQUENCES OF LAST WEEK'S
SUPREME COURT DECISION ON
CAMPAIGN FINANCE, ONE OF THEM
IS A REAL CRUEL IRONY.
THOSE OF US WHO THINK WE NEED
PUBLIC FINANCING OF CAMPAIGNS
MAY NOW WATCH AS TAXPAYER
DOLLARS ACTUALLY ARE USED FOR
FEDERAL CAMPAIGNS.
A.I.G., WHICH THIS CONGRESS AND
THIS -- OUR TAXPAYERS BAILED
OUT TO THE TUNE OF $180 BILLION
MAY NOW BE ABLE TO
MONEY, YOUR MONEY TO ACTUALLY
INFLUENCE FEDERAL ELECTIONS.
NOT ONLY THAT, WE PASSED THE
WALL STREET REFORM AND CONSUMER
PROTECTION ACT TO REGULATE WALL STREET.
FINALLY AFTER THEY BROUGHT US TO THE BRINK OF DISASTER.
WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY DOING
THAT, TAXPAYE DOLLARS.
NOW, THOSE DOLLARS, THE
COMPANIES AT WERE SAVED BY
THOSE DOLLARS CAN NOW DIRECTLY
ADVOCATE FOR THE ELECTION OR
DEFEAT OF CANDIDATES FOR
FEDERAL OFFICE.
THIS IS A DISGRACE AND
UNFORTUNATELY I HOPE WE STILL
HAVEN'T ACT SUFFICIENTLY TO PUT
AN END TO THE RISKY WALL STREET
BEHAVIOR.
I HOPE WE CAN SIGN T
STREET CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
INTO LAW BEFORE THE SUPREME
COURT --
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TI HAS EXPIRED.
MR. YARMUTHI YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM SOUTH CAROLINA RISE?
MR. WILSON: I ASK PERMISSION TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE AND TO REVISE AND EXTEND
MY REMARKS. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. WILSON: MR. SPEAKER,
YESTERDAY, THE NONPARTISAN
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
ANNOUNCED THAT THE COST OF THE
PRESIDENT'S SPENDING PLAN HAS
JUMPED ANOTHER $75 BILLION.
STEVE DYNAN OF "THE WASHINGTON
TIMES" REPORTED THAT THE
COUNTRY FACES GIANT BUDGET
DEFICITS FOR THE FORESEEABLE
FUTURE AND HAS THE BIGGEST DEBT
PROBLEM THAT IT HAD SINCE AFTER
WORLD WA II.
ON THE HEELS OF THIS REPORT,
THE PRESIDENT WILL DELIVER THE
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS AND
WILL PRESENT HIS AGENDA
TONIGHT.
I HOPE THE PRESIDENT WILL BE
SUBSTANTIVE ABOUT TACKLING
OUT-OF-CONTROL WASHINGTON
SPENDING, TO PROMOTE BIPARTISAN CORPORATION.
I BELIEVE WE NEED TO FREEZE
SPENDING BASED ON 2008 LEVELS.
THE WASHINGTON LIBERAL MAJORITY
NEEDS TO EXPLAIN THE 85%
SPENDING SPIKE IN JUST TWO YEARS.
AMERICAN FAMILIES, WHO ARE
TRYING TO STAY FINANCIALLY
AFLOAT, DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR
ANY MORE STIMULUS STUMBLES.
WE NEED JOBS, NOT MORE
SPENDING.
IN CONCLUSION, GOD BLESS OUR
TROOPS AND WE WILL NEVER FORGET
SEPTEMBER 11 AND THE GLOBAL WAR
ON TERRORISM.
CONGRATULATIONS, COACH DARREN
HORN AND THE U.S.C. GAMECOCKS
OVER NUMBER ONE RANK KENTUCKY.
.7 C16 C13
MR. POLIS: IN THE LAST CONGRESS,
THE LAST ADMINISTRATION,
PRESIDENT BUSH CAME TO CONGRESS
DURING THE FINANCIAL MELTDOWN
ALONG WITH SECRETARY PAULSON AND
ASKED FOR HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS.
THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO USE
IT TO BUY BAD DEBT FROM THE BANKS.
DID THEY USE IT FOR THAT? NO.
THEY STARTED TO USE IT TO NATIONALIZE AMERICAN COMPANIES.
THEY BOUGHT AUTOMOBILE
COMPANIES. THEY BOUGHT BANKS.
THEY USED THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE
OVER THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION.
AND NOW IT FALLS TO US TO BREAK
THIS SOCIALIST STRANGLEHOLD IN
OUR COUNTRY.
THE WALL STREET REFORM AND
CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT WAS ONE
OF THE FIRST STEPS.
WE BANNED FUTURE TARP FAILOUTS.
WE REQUIRE COMPANIES TO PAY INTO A FUND.
NO LONGER WILL COMPANIES BE
BAILED OUT BY TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
I CALL ON THE UNITED STATES
SENATE TO PASS THE WALL STREET
REFORM AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
ACT AND TAKE ADDITIONAL STEPS TO
PRIVATIZE THESE COMPANIES THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OWNS.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME. FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM FLORIDA RISE?
>> PERMISSION TO ADDRESS THE
HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
>> MR. SPEAKER, YESTERDAY I
INTRODUCED THE JOB CREATIONCT
OF 2010.
THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN
AMERICA SHOULD BE JOBS AND
HELPING SMALL BUSINESSINGS.
MY FIVE-POINT PLAN WILL BE --
PROVIDE TAX RELIEF FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES.
INSTEAOF WRITING OFF EQUIPMENT
OVER FIVE YEARS, HAVE THEM WRITE
IT OFF OVER ONE YEAR AND SUNSET
IN A YEAR OR TWO.
ELIMINATE CABAL GAINS TAX ON
COMPANIES.
THERE'S PLENTY OF CAPITAL.
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE CONFIDENCE IN
THE ADMINISTRATION.
THEY DON'T HAVE CONFIDENCE IN
THIS CONGRESS.
BUT THERE IS CAPITAL TO INVEST.
THE SMALL BUSINESSES NEED THAT
CAPITAL TO CREATE JOBS.
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, WE ARE
TAXING THOSE BENEFITS AT 11%.
THAT NEEDS TO STOP.
WE NEED TO SUNSET THAT.
TARP FUNDS, $750 BILLION, WE
COMMITTED TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
THAT WOULD BE PAID BACK.
THEY ARE PAYING BACK MUCH OF THE
FUNDS, IT NEEDS TO GO TO PAY
DOWN THE $12 TRILLION DEBT.
ALSO, WE NEED TO CURB FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS.
IT'S DRIVING UP HEALTH CARE.
IT'S KILLING BUSINESSES.
IT'S KILLING JOBS.
I URGE MEMBERS FROM BOTH SIDES
OF THE AISLE TO SUPPORT THIS
BILL.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS RISE?
>> I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
>> MR. SPEAKER, I RISE WITH MY
GOOD FRIEND, REPRESENTATIVE LA
MART SMITH, TO HONOR THE SCOOTER
STAR, A HOMETOWN BUSINESS IN OUR
HOME STATE OF TEXAS.
THEY HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY
"FORTUNE" MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE
TOP 100 PLACES TO WORK IN AMERICA.
AS FORTUNE MAGAZINE HAS
RECOGNIZED THIS EXCELLT WORK
ENVIRONMENT FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES,
RANKING THE STORE AS THE 30TH
BEST PLACE TO WORK IN 2010.
THE SCOOTER STORE WAS FOUNDED IN
TEXAS BY DOUG AND SUSANNA
HARRISON ALMOST 19 YEARS AGO.
TODAY THEY SERVE MORE THAN
460,000 PEOPLE ACROSS 48 STATES INCLUDING PUERTO RICO.
WITH MORE THAN 70 FACILITIES AND
APPROXIMATELY 2,000 EMPLOYEES.
MR. SPEAKER, THIS IS NOT THE
FIRST TIME THEY HAVE BEEN
RECOGNIZED.
THEY WERE RECOGNIZED SIX YEARS AGO.
THEY ARE A COMPANY BUILT ON
TEAMWORK AND GOOD VALUES.
THIS IS WHY, MR. SPEAKER, I'M
HONORED TO HAVE THE TIME TO
RECOGNIZE THE SCOOTER STORE FOR
THEIR RANKING AS THE 30TH BES
PLACE TO WORK IN 2010 BY THE
FORTUNE MAGAZINE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLELADY FROM FLORIDA RISE?
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MS. ROS-LEHTINEN: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I RISE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE TWO
OUTSTANDING AMERICANS, MY GO
FRIEND, RONALD AND GLENDA
CRONGOLD, CONSTITUENTS OF MY
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
FOR DECADES THEY HAVE DEDICATED
THEMSELVES TO THE SAFETY AND
SECURITY OF OUR DEMOCRATIC
JEWISH STATE OF ISRAEL,
INCLUDING THROUGH THEIR
LEADERSHIP IN THE NATIONAL
ISRAEL BONDS CAMPAIGN.
RON SERVED AS VICE CHAIRMAN AND
CHAIRMAN OF NEW LEADERSHIP.
THEIR WORK ON ISRAEL BONDS HAS
CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO ISRAEL'S
THRIVING ECONOMY AND ITS BOOMING
SCIENTIFIC TECHNOLOGICAL AND
ENTREPRENEURIAL SECTORS.
RON'S EXPERTISE HAS ALSO
BENEFITED OUR HOME STATE OF
FLORIDA.
HE PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS OF THE TRADE
UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN OUR STATE
OF FLORIDA AND ISRAEL SIGNED BY
THEN SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR
FLORIDA, JEB BUSH.
RON AND GLENDA, FOR YOUR
DEDICATION, YOU HAVE THE
APPRECIATION OF THIS HOUSE AND
COUNTLESS AMERICANS IN ISRAELIS,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
KEEP IT UP. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK RISE?
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
>> THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I RISE TODAY TO URGE CONGRESS TO
OVERTURN THE SUPREME COURT'S
RULING LAST WEEK THAT ALLOWS
CORPORATIONS TO BUY FEDERAL ELECTIONS.
YESTERDAY I INTRODUCED THE
FREEDOM FROM FOREIGN-BASED
MANIPULATION IN AMERICAN
ELECTIONS ACT WHICH WILL PREVENT
FOREIGN INFLUENCED COMPANIES
FROM BUYING U.S. ELECTIONS.
SHOULD A CHINESE CORPORATION
DECIDE U.S. COPYRIGHT POLICY OR
CIVIL RIGHTS LAW?
SHOULD SAUDI ARABIA HAVE A SAY
ON AMERICAN ENERGY POLICY?
HOW ABOUT VENEZUELA?
SHOULD HUGO CHAVEZ HAVE A VOICE
IN AMERICAN ELECTIONS?
THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS WE MUST
ASK IF THE SUPREME COURT'S
DECISION IS ALLOWED TO STAND.
THE COURT'S DECISION FLIES IN
THE FACE OF A CENTURY OF
PRECEDENT, KEEPING CORPORATIONS
OUT OF ELECTIONS.
BY GIVING CORPORATIONS THE SAME
RIGHTS AS INDIVIDUALS, THE COURT
IS HANDING CORPORATIONS A BLANK
CHECK TO DECIDE ELECTIONS
INSTEAD OF LETTING THE VOTERS DO IT.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME
IN SAYING NO TO THIS DECISION
AND YES TO DEMOCRACY.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME. FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MINNESOTA RISE?
>> TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
>> MR. SPEAKER, I RISE TODAY TO
SAY WELCOME HOME TO A GROUP OF
MINNESOTA HEROES.
THE NATIONAL GUARD'S 34TH
INFANTRY DIVISION KNOWN AS THE
RED BULLS.
MANY OF THE RED BULLS HAVE BEGUN
ARRIVING HOME FROM THEIR MOST
RECENT TOUR OF DUTY IN IRAQ.
THESE BRAVE MINNESOTAANS HAVE
PLAYED A VERY CRUCIAL ROLE IN
TRANSITIONING SECURITY,
RESPONSIBILITIES FROM AMERICAN
TROOPS TO THE IRAQI FORCES AS
WELL AS LEADING MORE THAN 1,000
RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO HELP
THE IRAQI PEOPLE.
THE 1,200 SOLDIERS NOW
RETURNING, THEY COME HOME FROM
MORE THAN 275 COMMUNITIES IN
MINNESOTA AND REPRESENT THE
AMERICAN SPIRIT OF SELFLESSNESS,
SACRIFICE, AND SERVICE.
I HAD THE CHANCE TO PERSONALLY
MEET WITH SOME OF THE RED BULLS
WHEN I VISITED IRAQ NOT TOO LONG
AGO AND I WAS HUMBLED TO SEE
THEIR SELFLESS WORK THAT THEY
WORK ON AND ACCOMPLISH EVERY
SINGLE DAY.
TODAY I'M THRILLED TO SEE THEM
RETURNING HOME FROM IRAQ SAFELY,
TO THEIR FRIENDS, TO THEIR
FAMILIES, AND TO A STATE THAT'S
ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THEY DO.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK RISE?
>> UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ADDRESS
THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. ARCURI: WE HAVE ASKED THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE TO DO A LOT OVER
THE PAST YEAR TO WORK TOGETHER
TO REBUILD OUR ECONOMY.
TONIGHT WE AWAIT THE PRESIDENT'S
WORDS TO SEE HOW THE COUNTRY
WILL MOVE FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO
PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK AN MAKE
REFORMS NECESSARY TO JUMP-START OUR ECONOMY.
I APPLAUD THE PRESIDENT FOR
PUTTING A FREEZE ON ALL
NONSECURITY DISCRETIONARY
SPENDING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2011
BECAUSE AS THE AMERICAN FAMILY
TIGHTENS THEIR BELT, SO MUST
CONGRESS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE
PRESIDENT'S CONTINUE TO CALL FOR
INCREASED FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
IN CONGRESS AND I WILL DO MY
PART IN ENSURING THAT WE SPEND
RESPONSIBLY TO PROTECT THE
PEOPLE OF MY DISTRICT.
I JOIN SEVERAL OF MY BLOG --
BLUE DOG COLLEAGUES TO CALL FOR
A SPENDING FREEZE EARLIER THIS
MONTH AND LL CONTINUE TO LOOK
FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN HOLD
OURSELF FISCALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR
EVERY DOLLAR SPENT THROUGH
INITIATIVES LIKE PAY-GO AND
OTHER BUDGET CUTS.
MY PREDECESSOR IN CONGRESS USED
TO SAY WE HEAR IN CONGRESS CAN'T
CREATE JOBS BUT WE CAN CREATE AN
ECONOMIC CLIMATE FOR JOB GROWTH
AND DEVELOPMENT TO BOOST OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
THAT SHOULD BE OR PRIMARY GOAL
IN 2010.
THANK YOU.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM LOUISIANA RISE?
>> ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. FLEMING: MR. SPEAKER,
ACCORDING TO A POLL RELEASED
THIS WEEK BY CNN, NEARLY THREE
OUT OF FOUR AMERICANS THINK THAT
MUCH OF THE MONEY SPENT IN THE
SO-CALLED STIMULUS PLAN HAS BEEN
WASTED. I AGREE.
SHOULD WE BE SURPRISED THAT A
BILL CHOCK-FULL OF EARMARKS AND
PET PROJECTS DID NOT TO INSPIRE
CONFIDENCE AMONG AMERICANS?
AND WITH THE RECORD DROP IN REAL
ESTATE SALES, A LANGUISHING
STOCK MARKET, AND UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE REMAINING ABOVE 10%, SHOULD
WE BLAME THEM?
THE C.B.O. JUST OFFERED AFTER
ONLY ONE YEAR IN TOTAL CONTROL,
DEMOCRATS MORE THAN TRIPLE THE
ANNUAL DEFICIT FROM $408 BILLION
TO $1.4 TRILLION.
THESE ARE NOT THE CHANGES
AMERICANS VOTED FOR.
MR. SPEAKER, WHEN IT COMES TO
THE IDEA OF A SPENDING FREEZE,
THIS COUNTRY NEEDS MORE THAN
WINDOW DRESSING.
IT NEEDS TO RETURN TO BALANCED
BDGETS AND A REAL FOCUS OJOB CREATION.
-- -- I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM NEW YORK RISE?
>> TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
>> THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER,
TONIGHT WHEN OUR PRESIDENT GIVES
THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
I'M GOING TO LISTEN INTENTLY.
I KNOW HEL TALK ABOUT CREATING
JOBS, IMPROVING THE ECONOMY,
LOWERING UNEMPLOYMENT, AND ALSO
HEALTH CARE REFORM.
LET'S RALLY BEHIND OUR
PRESIDENT.
THE PEOPLE SENT US HERE TO WORK
TOGETHER IN A BIPARTISAN
FASHION.
LET'S NOT LOOK ABOUT WHAT'S BEST
POLITICALLY FOR THIS PARTY OR
THAT PARTY.
LET'S LOOK AT WHAT'S BEST FOR
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
I ASK MY REPUBLICAN FRIENDS,
STOP BEING THE PARTY OF NO, WORK
WITH US ON HEALTH CARE.
WE CAN DO IT IF WE ALL PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER.
LET ME REMIND MY FRIENDS THAT
THE TARP BAILOUT, THE BAILOUT OF
THE BANKS HAPPENED UNDER
PRESIDENT BUSH.
IT WAS PRESIDENT BUSH'S
RECOMMENDATION AND I AND THE DEMOCRATS SUPPORTED IT BECAUSE
IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
LET'S SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT WHEN
HE SAYS THE RIGHT THINGS THAT HE
WILL TONIGHT.
LET'S UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN
ONLY SUCCEED IF WE WORK TOGETHER.
WE WERE REST A MESS BY THE
PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
ONE YEAR TO CLEAN IT UP IS NOT
ENOUGH.
WE PREVENTED A DEPRESSION.
NOW WE HAVE TO MOVE ON.
I ASK THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
AISLE, PLEASE WORK WITH US.
PLEASE WORK WITH US TO HELP THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM PENNSYLVANIA RISE?
>> TO REVISE AND EXTEND.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED. MR. PITTS: MR. SPEAKER, WE KNOW
THAT THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT AN
ATTACK ON U.S. SOIL IS TO ENSURE
THAT TERRORISTS ARE STOPPED
BEFORE THEY REACH OUR SHORES.
UNFORTUNATELY WE FAILED TO DO SO
ON CHRISTMAS DAY AND AL QAEDA
CAME CLOSE TO A SIGNIFICANT VICTORY.
WHILE THE TERRORIST ABDUL WAS
KNOWN IN A TERRORIST INTITY
DATABASE, HE WAS NOT PLACED ON A
SEPARATE SCREENING DATABASE AND
HIS U.S. VISA WAS NOT REVOKED.
CLEARLY WE DID NOT CONNECT THE
DOTS TO NOTICE THAT A MAN ON A
U.S. WATCH LIST ALSO HELD A
CURRENT U.S. VISA.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME
TERRORISTS HAVE OBTAINED U.S.
VISAS.
SEVERAL OF THE 9/11 HIJACKERS
DID SO AS WELL.
WE NEED TO STRENGTHEN THE VISA
APPLICATION PROCESS.
WE NEED TO STREAMLINE THE
INTELLIGENCE GATHERING AND SHARING PROCESS.
WE NEED TO END THE VISA LOTTERY.
WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT
TERRORISTS ARE TURNED AROUND
BEFORE THEY GET TO THE AIRPORT,
BEFORE THEY EVEN ATTEMPT TO GO
THROUGH SECURITY.
WERE IT NOT FOR THE QUICK ACTION
OF PASSENGERS ON THAT FLIGHT,
288 INNOCENT LIVES WOULD HAVE
BEEN LOST.
PASSENGERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO
RELY ON LAST-MINUTE HEROICS IN
ORDER TO TRAVEL SAFELY.
THIS ADMINISTRATION MUST GET
SERIOUS ABOUT ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLELADY FROM MARYLAND RISE? MS. EDWARDS: TO ADDRESS THE
HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
REVISE AND EXTEND.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MS. EDWARDS: MR. SPEAKER,
JUSTICE BRANDEIS GOT IT RIGHT -- DEMOCRATS OR WEALTH CONCENTRATED
IN THE HANDS OF A FEW BUT NOT BOTH.
THAT'S TRUER TODAY AS THE UNITED
STATES SUPREME COURT JUST WIPED
AWAY DECADES OF LEGAL PRECEDENT
ALLOWING CORPORATIONS TO SPEND
UNLIMITED MONEY FROM THEIR
TREASURIES ON OUR ELECTIONS.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ALREADY
BELIEVE THAT CORPORATE SPECIAL
INTEREST AND THEIR LOBBYISTS RUN
THE SHOW AROUND HERE.
THE HALLS ARE CRAWLING WITH THEM.
BUT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
NOW THE COURT SAYS THE BIG
BANKS, DRUG COMPANIES, INSURANCE
COMPANIES, HEY, ALL BETS ARE
OFF, IT'S OPEN SEASON.
OUR ELECTIS ARE FOR SALE. THAT'S RIGHT.
IF THE CONGRESS DOESN'T LIKE
WHAT THIS CONGRESSWOMAN IS
DOING, THEY'LL JUST FORGET THE
VOTERS, BUY TV ADS, SEND ROBO
CALLS, A LOT OF MAIL AND BEAT
HER IN NOVEMBER.
A LAW WON'T FIX THIS.
WEAVE TO FIX IT IN THE CONSTITUTION.
TODAY I'LL INTRODUCE THE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT SO THAT
WE THE PEOPLE CAN TAKE BACK OUR
ELECTIONS AND OUR DEMOCRACY.
THIS IS NOT THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE
INCORPORATED.
WE ARE THE PEOPLE, IT'S OUR HOUSE.
IT'S OUR CONSTITUTION.
AND IT'S OUR ELECTIONS.
WE PLAN TO TAKE IT BACK FROM THE
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLELADY YIELDS BACK HER TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM PENNSYLVANIA RISE?
>> ASK PERMISSION TO ADDRESS THE
HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. MURPHY: MR. SPEAKER, SINCE
THE $862 BILLION STIMULUS BILL
WAS SIGNED INTO LAW LAST
FEBRUA, NEARLY THREE MILLION
MORE AMERICANS HAVE LOST JOBS.
THE PROJECTED DEFICIT FOR THIS
YEAR IS $1.3 TRILLION, SECOND
ONLY TO LAST YEAR'S $1.2
TRILLION.
IT'S TIME TO STOP WASHINGTON'S
WILD SPENDING AND START CREATING
HOMETOWN JOBS, FAMILIES WANT
PAYCHECKS NOT UNEMPLOYMENT
CHECKS.
THAT'S WHY WE INTRODUCED THE
BIPARTISAN AMERICAN CONSERVATION
AND CLEAN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
ACT, H.R. 2227, WHICH OPENS UP
THE U.S. COAST FOR
ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE OIL
AND GAS EXPLORATION.
THIS BILL PRODUCES $1.2 MILLION
NEW GOOD-PAYING JOBS AND $8
TRILLION ECONOMIC BOOST OVER 20 YEARS.
WE WILL CLEAN UP AMERICA'S
WATERWAYS.
WE'LL CLEAN OUR AIR BY REPLACING
OLD COAL PLANTS WITH NEW CLEAN
COAL, NUCLEAR, WIND, SOLAR, AND
GEOTHERMAL ENGY GENERATION.
WE WILL CONSERVE ENERGY BY
REBUILDING OUR OLD
INFRASTRUCTURE IN A SMART GRID.
AMERICANS WILL MODERNIZE
BUILDINGS TO CUT WASTE BY 25%.
WE STOP SPENDING HUNDREDS OF
BILLIONS OF DLARS ON OPEC OIL,
WE STOP BORROWING FROM CHINA AND
DO THIS WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.
JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING H.R. 2227.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM ALABAMA RISE?
>> TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
>> MR. SPEAKER, I'M PLEASED THAT
THE PRESIDENT ACCORDING TO THE
PRESS REPORTS THAT WE ARE
GETTING OVER THE LAST COUPLE
DAYS WILL BE PROPOSING A
THREE-YEAR FREEZE ON NONSECURITY
RELATED DISCRETIONARY SPENDING.
THIS IS A GOOD AND NECESSARY
FIRST STEP TO CONTROL GOVERNMENT
SPENDING AND REDUCE BUDGET
DEFICITS.
HOWEVER, OUR BALLOONING DEFICITS
MANDATE THAT WE GO EVEN FURTHER.
WASTEFUL AND UNNECESSARY
PROGRAMS NEED TO BE I.D.'D.
THEY NEED TO BE REDUCED, THEY
NEED TO BE ELIMINATED AND THEY
NEED TO BEELIMINATED IMMEDIATELY.
I HAVE AND WILL CONSISTENTLY
OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT I
BELIEVE UNNECESSARILY INCREASES
FEDERAL SPENDING OR FUNDING
PROGRAMS THAT DO NOT WARRANT
SUPPORT DURING A RECESSION EVEN
WHEN THEY ARE ONLY A FEW MILLION DOLLARS.
YOU KNOW, WE MUST HAVE THE
MINDSET THAT EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS.
IF WE ARE GOING TO BE SERIOUS
ABOUT CUTTING GOVERNMENT
WASTEFUL SPENDING.
I HOPE THE PRESIDENT GOES
FURTHER IN EXPLAINING SOME OF
HIS PROPOSALS IN THE STATE OF
THE UNION TONIGHT.
I WILL BE LISTENING VERY CLOSELY
WITH MANY OTHERS.
YESTERDAY THE BLUE DOGS, MY
COLLEAGUES, RELEASED A SET OF
PROPOSALS THAT OUTLINE THE STEPS
WE MUST TAKE FOR MANY BUDGET REDUCTIONS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
MR. BRIGHT: I APOLOGIZE. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLELADY FROM OHIO RISE?
>> UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MRS. SCHMIDT: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER, LAST FRIDAY ALMOST A
HALF MILLION FOLKS GATHERED AT
THE CAPITOL TO HE ARE MIND US
ONCE AGAIN THAT ALL LIFE IS
PRECIOUS AND THAT THE UNBORN ARE
GUARANTEED THE RIGHT TO LIFE.
.
WHILE ABORTION HAS BEEN ALLOWED
IN THIS COUNTRY FOR THE PAST 37
YEARS, AMERICANS MAKE IT
CRYSTAL CLEAR THEY DON'T WANT
EIR TAXPAYER DOLLARS BEING
USED.
THE HYDE AMENDMENT STOPPED
FEDERAL FUNDS FROM BEING USED
TO PAY FOR ABORTION.
THE CURRENT BILL PASSED BY THE
SENATE WILL ERODE THIS.
THIS BILL WILL CHANGE THAT
LONGSTANDING LAW AND ALLOW FOR
TAX DOLLARS TO BE USED FOR
ABORTION.
MR. SPEAKER, THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE DO NOT WANT THEIR MONEY
TO BE USED TO PAY FOR ABORTIONS.
AS WE CONTINUE TO DEBATE THE
HEALTH CARE BILL, WE MUST HONOR
THEIR WISH.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLELADY YIELDS BACK HER TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA
RISE?
MRS. CAPPS: TO ADDRESS THE
HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE AND TO
REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MRS. CAPPS: MR. SPEAKER, ONE
YEAR AGO OUR ECONOMY WAS ON THE
BRINK OF COLLAPSE.
WALL STREET WAS IN A DOWNWARD SPIRAL.
CREDIT MARKETS WERE COMPLETELY
FROZEN, AND MORE THAN 7,000
AMERICANS WERE LOSING THEIR
JOBS EVERY MONTH.
BUT PRESIDENT OBAMA AND THE
DEMOCRATIC-LED HOUSE --
CONGRESS RESPONDED QUICKLY AND
RESPONSIBLY WITH HISTORIC MEASURES.
THESE MEASURES MAY BE
UNPOPULAR, UNPLEASANT AND
EXPENSIVE BUT THEY HAVE WORKED.
I HAVE BEEN MEETING RECENTLY
WITH BUSINESS, LABOR AND
COMMUNITY LEADERS THROUGHOUT MY
DISTRICT TO GET A BETTER SENSE
OF HOW THE RECOVERY IS WORKING
FOR MAIN STREET.
MY CONSTITUENTS HAVE MADE IT
CLEAR TO ME THAT WE HAVE MADE
GREAT PROGRESS.
FINANCIAL AND HOUSING MARKETS
HAVE STABILIZED, MONTHLY JOB
LOSSES HAVE ABATED, AND BANKS
HAVE BEGUN TO LEND AGAIN.
HOWEVER, THEY ALSO MADE IT
CLEAR THAT THEY NEED MORE HELP,
AND THAT'S WHY THIS
DEMOCRATIC-LED CONGRESS HAS
PASSED THE JOBS FOR MAIN STREET
ACT IN THE HOUSE.
THIS PLAN BUILDS ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LONG TERM,
CREATES NEW JOBS THAT ARE
SUSTAINABLE FOR YEARS AHEAD,
REBUILDS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE,
CREATES NEW ENERGY SOURCES AND
DEVELOPS THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES
AND INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS THAT WE
IN THE WORLD WANT TO BUY.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO REBUILDING
AMERICA'S ECONOMY, PUTTING
AMERICANS BACK TO WORK AND
ENSURING OUR NATION'S ECONOMIC FUTURE.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLELADY YIELDS BACK HER TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WISCONSIN RISE?
>> TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED. MR. KAGEN: MR. SPEAKER, TONIGHT
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STAT WILL BE ADDRESSING THE
NATION ON WHERE WE ARE AT, HOW
WE GOT HERE AND WHAT WE MUST DO
NOW TO DIG OUT OF THIS ECONOMIC
MESS.
WELL, WHERE ARE WE?
WE'RE COMING OUT OF THE DEEPEST
WORLDWIDE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN OF OUR TIME.
AND HOW DID WE GET HERE?
NEVER FORGET.
NEVER FORGET THAT IT WAS GEORGE
BUSH'S REPUBLICAN POLICIES THAT
DROVE US INTO THE DITCH AND
WITHOUT PAYING A DIME FOR THEM.
REPUBLICANS GAVE AWAY HUGE TAX
CUTS TO THE RICH, GOT US INTO
TWO WARS AT THE SAME TIME,
CREATED THE BIGGEST TRILLION
DOLLAR PRESCRIPTION DRUG
ENTITLEMENT PLAN IN AMERICAN
HISTORY AND DEREGULATED THE
BANKS ON WALL STREET.
AND WORSE YET, THEY BORROWED
ALL THE MONEY FROM CHINA ASKING
OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN
TO PAY IT BACK.
THE FACT IS WE'RE CLEANING UP
AFTER THE BIGGEST ELEPHANT
PARADE IN AMERICAN HISTORY, AND
NEVER FORGET THESE FACTS.
WELL, FOLKS, IN THE MIDDLE
CLASS, RESCUED -- MIDDLE CLASS
RESCUED WALL STREE AND NOW
IT'S TIME BACK TO RETURN THE FAVOR.
WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK AND
THAT'S WHY WE'RE PROPOSING THE
TRANSFER FEE ON ALL WALL STREET
SPECULATORS. I YIELD BACK.
THSPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM INDIANA RISE?
MR. PENCE: MR. SPEAKER, I'D ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ADDRESS
THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE AND TO
REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. PENCE: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
TONIGHT, THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES WILLURN TO THIS
WELL OF CONGRESS AND DELIVER
HIS REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE
UNION AND HOUSE REPUBLICANS
WELCOME THE PRESIDENT BACK TO
THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE.
NOW, WE'VE HEARD THAT AFTER
YEAR OF RUNAWAY FEDERAL
SPENDING, TRILLION DOLLAR
DEFICITS, BORROWING, BAILOUTS
AND BIG GOVERNMENT SCHEMES IN
ENERGY AND HEALTH CARE, AFTER A YEAR WHERE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN
ON A SPENDING BIN G, THE
PRESIDENT IS GOING -- BINGE,
THE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO TELL
US THAT HE'S GOING TO GET HIS
PARTY ON THE WAGON HERE IN CONGRESS.
WELL, WE SAY WE WELCOME THAT.
WE WELCOME A THREE-YEAR
SPENDING FREEZE.
FRANKLY, I'VE NEVER MET A
SPENDING FREEZE I DIDN'T LIKE.
BUT LET ME SAY THIS EMPHATICALLY.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS WILL WELCOME
ANY EFFORT TO RESTORE FISCAL
DISCIPLINE TO WASHINON, D.C.,
AND WORK WITH THIS
ADMINISTRATION.
BUT, MR. PRESIDENT, THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT ACTION.
WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER LOFTY
SPEECH FROM THIS HISTORIC WELL
FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
MR. PRESIDENT, SET ASIDE YOUR
BIG GOVERNMENT PLANS TO TAKE
OVER HEALTH CARE, SEND US A
BUDGET THAT REDUCES SPENDING
AND REDUCES TAXES ON THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
MR. PRESIDENT, DEEDS, NOT WORDS
IS WHAT IS REQUIRED TO PUT OUR
FISCAL HOUSE IN ORDER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NEW JERSEY RISE?
>> TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
>> MR. SPEAKER, I RISE TODAY TO EXPRESS THE COMPASSIONATE
CONCERN OF CONGRESS TO THOSE
AFFECTED BY THE RECENT
EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI, INCLUDING
THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN FAMILIES
OF THOSE MISSING AND INJURED.
MY THOUGHTS ARE ESPECIALLY WITH
THE HOPE WELL FAMILY.
THEIR DAUGHTER, CHRISTINE, A
DAUGHTER OF LINDH UNIVERSITY,
WAS DOING SERVICE WORK IN HAITI
WHEN THE QUAKE STRUCK.
I ASSURED THE FAMILY THAT WE
WOULD NOT REST UNTIL THEIR
DAUGHTER WILL BE RETURNED.
I PAY TRIBU TO THE SEARCH AND
RESCUE TEAM WHO HAS BEEN THERE
FOR TWO WEEKS LOOKING FOR
CHRISTINE AND OTHER AMERICANS
IBBEDBELIEVED TO BE AT THE HOTEL.
ALSO, THANK MUST GO TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND MANY
OTHER PEOPLE AND THE 82ND
AIRBORNE, THE D.O.T., H.H.S.
AND OTHER GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL
WHO REFLECT AND CARRY OUT THE
COMPASSIONATE CONCERN OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO AGAIN
DEMONSTRATE THEIR CORE
GENEROSITY. I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME. FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO RISE?
MR. POLIS: -- DB
MR. PERLMUTTER: TO ADDRESS THE
HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. PERLMUTTER: HERE ARE MY
FRIENDS ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE
OF THE AISLE TALKING ABOUT THE
DEBT, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
JOBS, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
FISCAL RESTRAINT WHEN IN FACT
IT WAS THE REPUBLICAN
ADMINISTRATION UNDER GEORGE
BUSH AND THE REPUBLICAN
PROGRAMS UNDER THEIR CONGRESS
THAT DROVE US IN THE DITCH AND
CREATED THIS MESS THAT WE HAVE.
PRESIDENT OBAMA INHERITED A
$1.4 TRILLION DEFICIT, THE
BIGGEST DEBT EVER IN HISTORY.
NOW, THE REPUBLICANS WOULD LIKE
TO SAY, HEY, DEMOCRATS, WHY
HAVEN'T YOU GOTTEN RID OF THAT?
HEY, COUNTRY, WHY DON'T YOU
TAKE CARE OF THIS?
WELL, THIS IS A BIG MESS THAT
WAS CREATED UNDER THEIR WATCH.
WE HAVE TRIED TO CREATE JOBS.
WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS
LONG-TERM DEBT, BUT THE
REPUBLICAN PRESCRIPTION FOR
AMERICA, YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS,
MASS AMNESIA.
THEY WANT PEOPLE TO FORGET.
WELL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO FORGET
AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THE
PEOPLE FORGET THAT THE PROGRAMS
AND THE POLICIESOF THE LAST
ADMINISTRATION ALMOST TOOK THIS
COUNTRY IN THE TANK.
AND THAT'S GOT TO STOP.
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
MR. POLIS: BY THE DIRECTION OF
THE COMMITTEE ON RULES, I CALL
UP HOUSE RESOLUTION 1038. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
CLERK WILL REPORT THE
RESOLUTION.
THE CLERK: HOUSE CALENDAR
NUMBER 150, HOUSE RESOLUTION
1038.
RESOLVED, THAT UPON THE
ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION IT SHALL BE IN ORDER TO CONSIDER
IN THE HOUSE THE BILL H.R.
3726, TO ESTABLISH THE CASTLE
NUGENT NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
AT ST. CROIX, UNITED STATES
VIRGIN ISLANDS, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.
ALL POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST
CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL ARE
WAIVED EXCEPT THOSE ARISING UNDER CLAUSE 9 OR 10 OF RULE
21.
THE AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF
A SUBSTITUTE RECOMMENDED BY THE
COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
NOW PRINTED IN THE BILL SHALL
BE CONSIDERED AS ADOPTED.
THE BILL, AS AMENDED, SHALL BE
CONSIDERED AS READ.
ALL POINTS OF ORD AGAINST
PROVISIONS IN THE BILL, AS
AMENDED, ARE WAIVED.
THE PREVIOUS ESTION SHALL BE
CONSIDERED AS ORDERED ON THE BILL, AS AMENDED, TO FINAL
PASSAGE WITHOUT INTERVENING
MOTION EXCEPT, ONE, ONE HOUR OF
DEBATE EQUALLY DIVIDED AND
CONTROLLED BY THE CHR AND
RANKING MINORITY MEMBER OF THE
COMMITTEE ON NATURAL
RESOURCES. AND TWO, ONE MOTION TO RECOMMIT
WITH OR WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS.
SECTION 2, UPON ADOPTION OF
THIS RESOLUTION IT SHALL BE IN
ORDER
TO CONSIDER IN THE HOUSE THE BILL H.R. 4474, TO AUTHORIZE
THE CONTINUED USE OF CERTAIN
WATER DIVERSIONS LOCATED ON
NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LAND IN
THE FRANK CHURCH-RIVER OF NO
RETURN WILDERNESS AND THE
SELWAY-BITTERROOT WILDERNESS IN
THE STATE OF IDAHO , AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES.
ALL POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST
CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL ARE
WAIVED EXCEPT THOSE ARISING UNDER CLAUSE 9 OR 10 OF RULE
21.
THE BILL SHALL BE CONSIDERED AS
READ. ALL POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST
PROVISIONS IN THE BILL ARE
WAIVED.
THE PREVIOUS QUESTION SHALL BE
CONSIDERED AS ORDERED ON THE
BILL TO FINAL PASSAGE WITHOUT
INTERVENING MOTION EXCEPT, ONE,
ONE HOUR OF DEBATE EQUALLY
DIVIDED AND CONTROLLED BY THE
CHAIR AND RANKING MINORITY
MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE ON
NATURAL RESOURCES.
AND TWO, ONE MOTION TO
RECOMMIT.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO IS
RECOGNIZED.
MR. POLIS: MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD
THE CUSTOMARY 30 MINUTES TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS, MR.
SESSIONS.
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
ALL MEMBERS MAY HAVE FIVE
LEGISLATIVE DAYS TO REVISE AND
EXTEND THEIR REMARKS. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
THE GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. POLIS: MR. SPEAKER, HOUSE RESOLUTION 1038 IS SANGLE RULE
THAT PROVIDES FOR SEPARATE
CONSIDERATION OF TWO MEASURES.
THE RULE PROVIDES FOR
CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3726, THE
CASTLE NUGENT NATIONAL HISTORIC
SITE ESTABLISHMENT ACT.
AND THE IDAHO WILDERNESS WATER
FACILITIES ACT.
EACH RULE HAS ONE HOUR OF
GENERAL DEBATE AND HAS ONE
MOTION TO RECOMMIT FOR EACH OF
THE TWO BILLS.
MR. SPEAKER, H.R. 3726, THE
CASTLE NUGENT NATIONAL HISS
TORE SITE ESTABLISHMENT ACT OF
2009.
AND THE IDAHO WILDERNESS WATER
FACILITIES ACT ARE TWO PIECES
OF LEGISLATION THAT REPRESENTS
YEARS OF HARD WORK BY THEIR
SPONSORS AND THE LOCAL
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE AT THE
HEART OF BOTH BILLS.
H.R. 3726, THE CASTLE NUGENT
NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE ACT OF
2009, INTRODUCED BY
CONGRESSWOMAN DONNA
CHRISTENSEN, FROM THE EARLY
TIMES OF YOSETE TO
YELLOWSTONE TO THE NATIONAL
MONUMENTS HERE IN WASHINGTON,
D.C., OUR COUNTRY HAS HAD THE
FORESIGHT TO PRESERVE THE
TANGIBLE PLACES WHICH HOUSES
OUR NATION'S CHARACTER,
IDENTITY AND HISTORY.
TODAY, THE CASTLE NUGENT
NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE ACT OF
2009 DOES THE SAME FOR THE
HISTORY AND IDENTITY OF A
UNIQUE PLACE IN OUR COUNTRY,
THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS.
THIS AREA OF ST. CROIX HOLDS A
GREAT NUMBER OF HISTORICAL
REMNANTS, NOT ONLY FROM THE
COLONIAL AGE WHEN THE WEST
INDEPENDENTIES PLAYED A
PROMINENT WORLD IN SHAPING
WORLD HISTORY, BUT ALSO
PRE-COLOMBIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL
SITES, CONTINUING A LONG AND
PROUD TRADITION OF PRESERVING
THE REMNANTS AND ARTIFACTS OF
OUR FIRST NATIONS IN THIS
HEMISPHERE.
BEGAN BY MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK.
THE COLONIAL OF ST. CROIX IS
AMONG THE OLDEST IN THE WEST INDEPENDENTIES.
THIS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
PRESERVES MUCH MORE THAN HISTORY.
IT ALSO PRESERVES A GREAT DEAL
OF NATURAL HABITAT.
THE SITE INCLUDES SENSITIVE SEA
TURTLE NESTING AREAS AND
HABITAT, HEALTHY AND
INCREASINGLY SCARCING CORAL
REEFS AND A WEALTH OF WILDLIFE AND PLANT
FOR ANY PROPOSED NATIONAL PARK
SYSTEM ADDITION, THE FIRST SP
IS TO HAVE THE PARK SERVICE
COMPLETE A STUDY OF THE
PROPOSED ADDITION AND TO ENSURE
THAT THE PROPOSED ADDITION DOES
IN FACT DESERVE TO BE INCLUDED
AMONG THE TREASURES OF OUR
NATION THAT THE PARK SYSTEM INCLUDES.
THE NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE
CONCURRED AND FOUND THAT CASTLE
NUGENT AREA DOES IN FACT
DESERVE TO BE INCLUDED AS A
PART OF OUR NATION'S NATIONAL
PARKS.
THIS RULE PROVIDES FOR
CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 44, THE
IDAHO WILDERNESS WATER
FACILITIES ACT, A BILL THAT HAS
UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN -- HAD A GREAT
DEAL OF WORK.
THE WILDERNESS ACT OF 1964 PROVIDED OUR NATION WITH THE
TOOL TO PRESERVE ITS LAST
REMAING WILD PLACES
UNTRAVELED BY MAN.
LIKE MY HOME STATE OF COLORADO,
IDAHO'S SWEEPING BEAUTY, RUGGED
MOUNTAINS, WILDLIFE AND
WATERWAYS FORM THE FOUNDATION
OF OUR COUNTRY'S CULTURAL
IDENTITY AND OUR CIVIC PRIDE.
THE SELWAY-BITTERROOT
WILDERNESS AREA WAS CREATED IN
1964 AS ONE OF OUR COUNTRY'S
FIRST WILDERNESS AREAS AND HAS
A BREATHTAKING LANDSCAPE.
THE FRANK CHURCH-RIVER OF NO
RETURN WILDERNESS AREA THAT WAS
DESIGNATED IN 1980.
PREDATING THE EXISTENCE OF
THESE TWO WILDERNESS AREAS,
PRIVATE LANDOWNERS GOT MONEY TO
REPAIR THE WER PERMITS.
MANY OF THESE PERMITS HAVE
SINCE EXPIRED LEAVING THOSE
UNABLE TO IMPROVE THEIR WATER
FACILITIES.
H.R. 4474 WOULD GIVE THE
SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE THE
AUTHORITY TO ISSUE SPECIAL USE
AUTHORIZATION TO OWNERS OF
THESE WATER STORAGE, TRANSPORT
OR DIVERSION AUTHORITIES TO
ALLOW CONTINUED MAINTENANCE OF
THEIR WATER FACILITIES,
ENSURING CONTINUED ACCESS TO WATER.
.
THIS BILL PROVIDES MUCH HELP TO
THESE COMMUPETS AND RESIDENTS.
I URGE PASSAGE OF THE RULE AND I
RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN RESERVES THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS.
MR. SESSIONS: GOOM, MR. SPEAKER.
MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD MYSELF SUCH
TIME AS I MAY CONSUME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED. MR. SESSION: THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. SPEAKER, I RISE IN
OPPOSITION TO THIS CLOSED RULE.
YET ANOTHER CLOSED RULE BEFORE
THE CONGRESS.
AND I OBJECT TO THE PROCESS BY
WHICH THIS BILL WAS BROUGHT TO
THE FLOOR.
LAST WEEK BOTH OF THE BILLS WE
ARE DISCUSSING TODAY UNDER THIS
RULE FAILED TO GET THE 2/3 VOTE
IN THIS BODY.
INSTEAD OF WORKING TOGETHER TO
RESOLVE THE DIFFERENCES WITH THE
BILLS BETWEEN THE LEADERSHIP, MY
FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
AISLE, THE MAJORITY, SIMPLY
RESCHEDULED THEM TODAY FOR FLOOR
ACTION TODAY WITH NO REPUBLICAN
INPUT.
TODAY, MR. SPEAKER, WE ARE GOING
TO DEBATE THESE BILLS.
AND ONCE AGAIN THE DEMOCRAT
LEADERSHIP'S PRIORITIES IN THIS
CONGRESS, LET'S BE HONEST ABOUT
THAT, IT'S ABOUT SPENDING MONEY.
SPENDING MONEY, MR. SPEAKER, IS
WHAT THIS DEMOCRAT LEADERSHIP
PRIORITY IS ALL ABOUT.
HOWEVER, TONIGHT OUR BODY WILL
WELCOME THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
THE PRESIDENT WILL BE HERE FOR
THE STATE OF THE UNION.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO IT HEAR FROM
THE PRESIDENT ABOUT HIS
PRIORITIES AND ABOUT, I THINK WE
WILL HEAR ABOUT HOW HE WANTS US
TO WORK TOGETHER.
WORK TOGETHER.
IDEAS FROM BOTH SIDES.
HEY, I GET IT.
REPUBLICAN PARTY IS NOT IN THE
MAJORITY.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GET THAT.
WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF DEMOCRAT
MAJORITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IN
PLACE FOR THREE YEARS NOW.
AND I SUSPECT WE'LL HEAR FROM
THE PRESIDENT ABOUT HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS TO WORK TOGETHER
USING BIPARTISAN MEASURES TO
RECONCILE OUR DIFFERENCES FOR
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SO THAT THEY
CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE IN CONGRESS.
OUR ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER ON
BIG ISSUES AND SMALL ISSUES.
SET PRIORITIES THAT THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND.
YET DEMOCRAT LEADERSHIP JUST
LAST WEEK TOOK DOWN THE IDAHO
WILDERNESS BILL AND PLACED IT IT
ON THE CALENDAR FOR TODAY WITH
THE EXACT SAME LANGUAGE, YET
THEY REMOVED MY COLLEAGUE, A
REPUBLICAN, DR. MIKE SIMPSON, AS
SPONSOR OF THE BILL AND REPLACED
HIM WITH A MEMBER OF THE
PAYBACK TIME, I GUESS, IS ONCE
AGAIN IN ORDER HERE ON THE FLOOR
OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ON THE EXACT SAME DAY THAT WE
ARE GOING TO WELCOME THE
PRESIDENT AND WE ARE ALL GOING
TO PUT THAT BIG SMILEY FACE ON TONIGHT.
WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
BOY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG
WITH THE PROBLEMS OF THE
COUNTRY, BUT WE ARE GOING TO
WORK TOGETHER AND THEN BE
ADMONISHED ABOUT TELLING THE
TRUTH, WHICH IS THE PROBLEM.
MR. SPEAKER, THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY IS HERE TO DO THE PEOPLE'S
WORK.
WE ARE HERE TO WORK TOGETHER.
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE IDEAS THAT
ARE SHUT OUT IN THE ROOM JUST
ABOVE THIS FLOOR, JUST ABOVE
THIS BODY, UP THERE CALLED THE
RULES COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR YEARS TO
DO THAT.
I WONDER IF THE PRESIDENT WOULD
CONSIDER THAT WORKING TOGETHER
BY THE WAY WE ARE DOING THIS.
I HOPE HE DOES NOT.
I HOPE HE ADMONISHES US AND I
HOPE HE TAKES US TO TASK AND
SAYS IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT
FOOLISH POLITICAL GAMESMANSHIP
IS WASTING AMERICA'S MONEY AND
AMERICA'S TIME.
BECAUSE TIME IS IMPORTANT TO THE IT AMERICAN PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE
ARE A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE WITHOUT JOBS.
THEY ARE WITHOUT JOBS BECAUSE OF
THE LACK OF BIPARTISANSHIP AND
WORKING TOGETHER IN THIS BODY
ALL FOR SPENDING MONEY BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT THIS SPEAKER WANTS
TO DO.
I THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT
DEMOCRATS TO REIN IN THEIR
BORROWING AND TAXES AND SPENDING WAYS.
THAT'S WHAT I THINK.
I DON'T KNOW.
MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
OH, BY THE WAY, I THINK THEY
HAVE SPOKEN IN NEW JERSEY AND
VIRGINIA AND AGAIN LAST WEEK IN
MASSACHUSETTS.
I THINK THEY WANT CONGRESS TO
STOP TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY
WILL DO TO PROVIDE JOBS AND TALK
ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE
HAPPENING AND ACTUALLY GET TO
THE WORK OF GETTING IT IT DONE.
MR. SPEAKER, I HAVE A LOT TO SAY
TODAY.
BUT AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO
YIELD FIVE MINUTES TO THE
DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA WHO LAST NIGHT VERY
CLEARLY IN THE RULES COMMITTEE
AS RANKING MEMBER TALKED ABOUT
WHAT REPUBLICANS' HOPES AND
DREAMS WERE JUST ON THIS BILL
AND THE PROCESS.
I YIELD TO THE GENTLEMAN.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES. MR. DREIER: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBCTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. DREIER: I THANK BOTH MY RULES COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES FOR
BEING HERE AND I WILL SAY THAT
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY
IMPORTANT DAY.
WE ARE ANXIOUSLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO THE MESSAGE THAT THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
WILL BE DELIVERING RIGHT BEHIND
ME HERE AS HE PROVIDES HIS STATE
OF THE UNION ADDRESS.
AND THERE IS EARLY INDICATION OF
WHAT IT IS THAT HE MIGHT SAY.
ACCORDING TO REPORTS HE'S GOING
TO TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
THE NEED FOR US TO DO EVERYTHING
WE CAN TO BRING ABOUT A FREEZE
IN SPENDING.
AND WE ALL THINK THAT THAT'S A
GOOD FIRST STEP.
I WILL SAY THAT IF YOU LOOK AT
THE TWO OMNIBUS APPROPRIATIONS
BILLS COUPLED WITH THE STIMULUS
BILL, THE REPORT THAT WE JUST
GOT OF ADDITIONAL $75 BILLION ON
TOP OF THE $787 BILLION FOR THE
STIMULUS BILL, WE HAVE OVER THE
LAST TWO YEARS SEEN AN 86%
INCREASE IN SPENDING.
AN 86% INCREASE, AND I GUESS
FREEZING WITH AN 86% INCREASE
THAT IS PROPOSED IN SPENDING FOR
THNEXT TWO YEARS IS SOMETHING
THAT MAY NOT BE ALL THAT PAINFUL
FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO IT
MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF FEDERAL SPENDING.
AS WE LOOK AT THAT AND THEN
RECOGNIZE THAT THIS MEASURE THAT
IS BEFORE US THAT ALLOWS FOR UP
TO 50 MILLION, 50 MILLION, NOT
BILLION, NOT TRILLION, WHICH WAS
THE TERMS WE USE AROUND HERE,
BUT $50 MILLION TO BE AUTHORIZED
FOR THE PURCHASE OF BEACHFRONT
PROPERTY IN ST. CROIX JUST DON'T
UNDERSTAND HOW ON THE DAY THAT
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
STAND HERE TALKING ABOUT A
SPENDING FREEZE THAT WE COULD
POSSIBLY CONSIDER TAKING ACTION
SUCH AS THIS.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GET IT.
LAST NIGHT I HAD A TELEPHONE
TOWN HALL MEETING WIT MY
CONSTITUENTS IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA IN THE LOS ANGELES
AREA, AND THEY HAVE BEEN RAISING
GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SIZE
AND SCOPE AND REACH OF THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THEY HAVE MADE IT IT CLEAR THAT
THEY WANT US TO WORK NOT JUST TO
HAVE A FREEZE BUT BRING ABOUT
MAJOR SPENDING CUTS.
THE MESSAGE THAT THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SENDING TO US
THAT WE GOT AS MY FRIEND FROM
DALLAS SAID A WEEK AGO
YESTERDAY, IS THAT GETTING THE
ECONOMY BACK ON TRACK IS VERY,
VERY HIGH PRIORITY.
JOB CREATION IS A HIGH PRIORITY.
AND WE KNOW THAT.
IN MY STATE OF CALIFORNIA WE
HAVE A NATIONAL 10% UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE, IN THE AREA THAT I
REPRESENT, SUBURBAN LOS ANGELES,
WE HAVE AN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN
SOME AREAS IN EXCESS OF 14%.
PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR HOMES
AND BUSINESSES AND THEY WANT US
TO FOCUS ON CREATING GOOD,
LONG-TERM PRIVATE SECTOR NOT
TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT JOBS, NOT
JOBS THAT ARE ENGAGED IN
COLLECTING IN NUMBERS AND
INFORMATION THROUGH THE CENSUS
AND THAT SORT OF THING, THOSE
SORTS OF TEMPORARY JOBS, THEY
WANT LONG-TERM JOB CREATION.
AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, IN
FACT THE PRESIDENT HAS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO JUST THAT, MR. SPEAKER.
IF HE WERE TO SEND US THE THREE
PENDING TRADE AGREEMENTS, I KNOW
I TALKED TO MY FRIEND FROM
COLORADO ABOUT THE ISSUE OF
TRADE AND I KNOW HE JOINS ME IN
BEING A SUPPORTER OF FREE TRADE,
I HOPE IF THE PRESIDENT WERE TO
SEND THE THREE PENDING TRADE
AGREEMENTS -- IT PANAMA,
COLOMBIA, AND SOUTH KOREA HERE
TO THE CONGRESS, I AM CONVINCED
THAT AT LEAST THE PANAMA AND
COLOMBIA AGREEMENTS BASED ON
CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAVE HAD
WITH MEMBERS ON BOTH SIDES OF
THE AISLE, WE COULD HAVE A
BIPARTISAN WIN THAT IN PASSING,
IF WE PASS THREES THREE
AGREEMENTS WE COULD CREATE MORE
THAN A QUARTER MILLION GOOD
PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS. WHY?
IF YOU LOOK ON AVERAGE THE
TARIFF ON MANUFACTURED GOODS AND
OTHER PRODUCTS GOING INTO THE 40
MILLION-STRONG, CONSUMER STRONG
COLOMBIA IS 14%.
THAT MEANS UNION AND NONUNION
MEMBERS WHO ARE WORKING FOR
CATERPILLAR IN PEORIA, ILLINOIS
MANUFACTURERS WORKING FOR
WHIRLPOOL IN OHIO WOULD HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SELL THEIR
MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS, THEIR
TRACTORS, THEIR WASHING MACHINES
AND REFRIGERATORS, INTO THIS
MARKET.
NOW, MR. SPEAKER, WHAT THAT
WOULD DO IS CREATE, AGAIN, GOOD
LONG-TERM PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS.
IF WE WERE TO BE ABLE TO DO THE
KOREA DEAL, IT WOULD BE THE
SINGLE LARGEST TRADE REEMENT
IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.
KOREA HAS A $1 TRILLION ECONOMY, MR. SPEAKER.
A $1 TRILLION ECONOMY.
WE HAVE ABOUT $83 BILLION IN
TRADE WITH KOREA RIGHT NOW.
BY AND LARGE KOREAN PRODUCTS,
AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER THINGS,
GET TO THE U.S. CONSUMER TARIFF
FREE.
VIRTUALLY TARIFF FREE.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING.
I THINK IMPORTS BENEFIT THE
CONSUMER.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO
PRY OPEN THEIR MARKET, MR.
SPEAKER --
MR. SESSION: I YIELD AN
ADDITIONAL FIVE MINUTES.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR
ADDITION FIVE MINUTES. MR. DREIER: I WON'T KE THE
FIVE MINUTES.
I'M GOING TO WRAP UP HERE
BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO
DO IS WE NEED TO NOT JUST TALK,
WE NEED TO ENGAGE IN ACTION.
MR. SPEAK, I WAS JUST
MENTIONING KOREA.
THE FACT IS WE WOULD HAVE THE
SINGLE LARGEST AGREEMENT THAT
HAS EVER BEEN PUT TOGETHER.
THEY ARE OUR SEVENTH LARGEST
TRADING PARTNER RIGHT NOW IN
SOUTH KOREA AND IT WOULD MEAN
THAT WHILE WE HAVE TEIR
PRODUCTS COMING HERE VIRTUALLY
TARIFF FREE, THERE WOULD BE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE
ACCESS TO THE MILLIONS OF
CONSUMERS IN SOUTH KOREA WHICH
WE DON'T TODAY.
I ALSO HAVE TO SAY THAT OUR
INACTION, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE
HAD THESE AGREEMENTS SIGNED BY
OUR EXECUTIVE BRANCH, THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCHES OF THOSE
COUNTRIES THAT ARE AWAITING
PASSAGE HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES CONGRESS, OUR INACTION
HAS REALLY JEOPARDIZED OUR POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH.
WHY?
IF YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT
COLOMBIA HAS ALREADY EMBARKED ON
A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT A-- WITH
CANADA.
SOUTH KOREA IS WORKING WITH THE
EUROPEAN UNION RIGHT NOW.
THERE ARE OTHER COUNTRIES AND
BLOCS IN THE WORLD THAT ARE
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR INACTION
HERE.
AND REMEMBER AGAIN, MR. SPEAKER,
OUR ACTION IS GOING, IS GOING TO
CREATE PROBABLY IN EXCESS OF A
QUARTER MILLION GOOD PRIVATE
SECTOR JOBS.
SO AS THE PRESIDENT TALKS THIS
EVENING ABOUT JOB CREATION AND
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND FISCAL
RESPONSIBILITY, I HOPE THAT HE
WILL FOLLOW HIS WORDS BECAUSE
HE'S TOLD ME THAT HE BELIEVES IN
FREE-THROW AND WANTS TO DO THIS
COLOMBIA KEEL -- BELIEVES IN
FREE TRADE AND WANTS TO DO THIS
COLOMBIA DEAL.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HIM SENDING
IT UP SO U.S. WORKERS WILL HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE
SUCCESS WE HAVE SEEP IN THE PAST
AND I'M CONVINCED WE WILL SEE IN THE FUTURE.
I THANK MY FRIEND FOR YIELDING
AND LEADERSHIP.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. POLIS: I THANK THE SPEAKER.
I FIND LITTLE OBJECTIONABLE IN
WHAT MY COLLEAGUE FROM
CALIFORNIA SAID.
CERTAINLY THERE'S GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR TRADE WITH SOUTH
KOREA AND PANAMA AND COLOMBIA TO
CREATE JOBS, BUT NEITHER OF
THOSE -- NONE OF THOSE
AGREEMENTS ARE THE TOPIC OF THE
RULE BEFORE US TODAY.
AND I WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE
BACKGROUND ON THIS AND TALK
ABOUT HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
FIRST OF ALL WE COULD HAVE MOVED
FORWARD IN A BIPARTISAN WAY HAD
THEY PASSED ON SUSPENSION.
WHAT DOES SUSPENSION MEAN?
SUSPENSION RARES 2/3 VOTE OF THE
HOUSE.
THE BILLS ARE NONAMENDABLE.
BOTH BILLS PASSED WITH A
MAJORITY INSTEAD OF 2/3.
H.R. 3726 PASSED 241-173 AND
H.R. 3538 WHICH WAS THE VERSION
IDENTICAL TO 4474 PASSED BY A
225-191.
SO SINCE THEY BOTH PASS BY
MAJORITIES BUT NOT 2/3, THEY
CAME BEFORE US IN THE RULES COMMITTEE.
WE WOULD HAVE LOVED IDS.
MY COLLEAGUE, MR. SESSIONS,
TALKED ABOUT HOW CAN WE WORK
BETTER TOGETHER?
WELL, THERE WEREN'T ANY
AMENDMENTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED THIS.
WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TIME WHETHER
THE IDEAS CAME FROM REPUBLICANS
OR DEMOCRATS, AND OUR RULES
COMMITTEE HAS AN EXCELLENT
RECORD OF ALLOWING AMENDMENTS
FROM MEMBERS OF THE MINORITY
PARTY AS WELL AS THE MAJORITY
PARTY, I KNOW WE TAKE OUR ROLE
VERY CONSCIOUSLY-CONSCIOUSLY.
BOTH THESE BILLS DEAL WITH
IMPORTANT LOCAL ISSUES.
THEY HAVE IMPORTANT --
IMPORTANCE FOR THE STAKEHOLDERS.
I HAVE INTEREST IN THE
WILDERNESS DESIGNATION ACT.
WE ARE WORKING IN COLORADO ON
THAT DESIGNATION.
IT'S A REAL ISSUE WHEN YOU WERE
DEALING WITH LEGACY, WATER, HOW
CAN THEY BE MAINTAINED IF THEY
ARE WILDERNESS?
THIS AFFECTS REAL PEOPLE.
IT TOOK BOTH MR. SIMPSON AND MR.
MINNICK WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE
IN IDAHO COMING TOGETHER, COMING
BEFORE CONGRESS SAYING THIS IS
OUR LOCAL SOLUTION AND ASKING US
TO APPROVE IT.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF WE
COULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT DONE ON SUSPENSION.
IF THERE WEREN'T ANY OTHER IDEAS
TO IMPROVE IT, NOW IT'S A GOOD
CHANCE TO HAVE A BIPARTISAN VOTE
OF SUPPORT TO PASS THE BILL.
THE SAME WITH THE OTHER BILL,
CASTLE NUGENT NATIONAL HISTORIC
SITE ESTABLISHMENT ACT.
ONE KEY THING ABOUT THIS BILL IT
DOESN'T SPEND ANY MONEY, NOT ONE
DIME.
YOU HEARD THE FIGURE TOSSED
AROUND IT MIGHT BE WORTH $40
MILLION, $25 MILLION.
THIS IS MERELY AN AUTHORIZATION
BILL AS MY COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE ARE
FULLY AWARE.
THE BILL SIMPLY DESIGNATES THIS
AREA AS A NEW UNIT.
THE BILL CONTAINS NO DIRECT
SPENDING AND ANY LAND
ACQUISITION IF IT OCCURS WILL BE
SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATIONS OR TO
FUNDRAISING OR DONATIONS.
ENACTMENT OF THIS LEGISLATION IS
IMPORTANT PROCESS THAT WE HAVE
BEEN THROUGH WITH MANY OTHER
NATIONAL MONUMENTS TO PRESERVE A
UNIQUE AND STUNNING AREA FOR
INCLUSION IN OUR NATIONAL PARK
SERVICE.
I RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.
.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN RESERVES THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS.
MR. SESSIONS: I APPRECIATE WHAT
THE GENTLEMAN SAYS. I KNOW HE WAS BUSY.
I FIND TIMES WHEN I CANNOT
ATTEND THE RULES COMMITTEE
MEETING, AND I KNOW THE GENTLEMAN WAS NOT THERE
YESTERDAY.
I NEED TO HELP HIM WITH WHAT
ACTUALLY HAPPENED. AS A MATTER OF FACT,
REPUBLICANS DID ASK FOR AN OPEN
RULE, MR. SPEAKER.
WE WERE NOT WITHOUT IDEAS.
YOU HAVE TO OPEN THE RULE TO BE
ABLE TO GET AMENDMENTS IN, AND
WE WERE DENIED.
I ALSO WOULD POINT TO, YOU
KNOW, THE IDEAS THAT WE'RE AL
SITTING AROUND HERE, OH, GOLLY
GEE, WE'RE ALL BIPARTISAN WHEN
IN FACT THE GENTLEMAN VOTED
AGAINST THE BILL JUST THIS LAST
WEEK.
I ASSUME BECAUSE HE DISAGREED
WITH THE SUBSTANCE OF THE BILL.
BUT HE WAS JOINED BY LOTS OF
DEMOCRAT COLLEAGUES THAT
ACTUALLY TOOK DOWN THE BILL.
ONCE AGAIN, I ASSUME SUBSTANCE
NOT BECAUSE IT WAS A
REPUBLICAN'S NAME ON THERE.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE'S A
DEMOCRAT MEMBER'S NAME ON THERE
TO FIND OUT IF THE SAME POLICY
DIFFERENCES THAT EXISTED LAST
WEEK, EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE
EXACT SAME BILL, WHETHER THOSE
SAME POLICY PROBLEMS STILL
EXIST TODAY OR REALLY WHETHER
IT WAS JUST POLITICS.
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO KNOW THIS
AFTERNOON.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO KNOW BECAUSE
THE EXACT SAME BILL, AND THE
ARGUMENT THE GENTLEMAN'S
MAKING, OH, WE'RE JUST ALL
GETTING OUR JOB DONE AROUND
HERE.
MR. SPEAKER, WE DISAGREE WITH
THE BILL, AND WE SPOKE
YESTERDAY NOT JUST ABOUT DR.
SIMPSON'S BILL, WE ALSO SPOKE
ABOUT THE BILL WITH THE $50
MILLION IN ST. CROIX.
I'M GOING TO OUTLINE PART OF
THAT HERE, BUT IT'S BASED UPON SUBSTANCE.
AND THE SUBSTANCE THAT WE
BELIEVE IS IMPORTANT IS
DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE GIVING US
THEIR STUDY WHICH THEY SPENT
$500,000 DOING.
AND LAST NIGHT UPSTAIRS, WE
JUST BLEW IT OFF.
HEY, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT
RECOMMENDATION.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, THEY'RE
GOING TO SAY IT'S OK.
I'M SORRY.
IN TESTIMONY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT
THE SUBSTANCE WHAT THEY'RE
GOING TO SAY?
NO, BUT I HAVE A GOOD IDEA.
I SIT ON THE COMMITTEE.
I'M A RANKING MEMBER OR I'M THE
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN.
MR. SPEAKER, THAT'S THE WRONG
WAY TO RUN THIS HOUSE.
THAT'S THE WRONG WAY TO RUN THE RULES COMMITTEE.
THAT'S THE WRONG WAY TO DO
THINGS.
ASK SOMEBODY TO DO A STUDY,
SPEND HALF A MILLION DOLLARS
AND JUST GO AHEAD AND MOVE THE
LEGISLATION WITHOUT EVEN
HEARING FROM PEOPLE ABOUT T
SUBSTANCE OF THE ISSUE.
FORGET ABOUT IT BEING
BEACH-FRONT PROPERTY, $50
MILLION,9 BILLION BACKLOG OF
TAKING CARE OF NATIONAL PARKS
IN THIS COUNTRY AND YET IT'S
GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER $1
MILLION ANNUALLY TO JUST TAKE
CARE OF THIS BEACH-FRONT
PROPERTY THAT THE DEMOCRATIC
LEADERSHIP WANTS TO PUSH.
AMERICANS ACROSS THIS NATION
ARE STRUGGLING, MR. SPEAKER.
THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO PROVIDE
FOR THEIR OWN FAMILIES AND
THEIR LOVED ONES.
LASTEEK THE DEPARTMENT OF
LABOR RELEASED DATA SHOWING
THAT 12 MILLION AMERICANS ARE
COLLECTING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND OVER 15 MILLION
ARE CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED.
THAT IS DOUBLE -- THAT IS
DOUBLE IN ONE YEAR.
THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH BLAME THAT
GOES AROUND.
AT SOME POINT THE DEMOCRATIC
LEADERSHIP IS GOING TO HAVE TO
SAY AFTER THREE YEARS OF
RUNNING THIS ECONOMY IN THE
GROUND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
STAND UP AND BE BIG ABOUT IT.
IT'S THE POLICIES OF TAXING AND
SPENDING THAT THE DEMOCRATIC
LEADERSHIP AND THAT THE
DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS ARE LETTING
THEM GET AWAY WITH IN THIS
BO.
I THINK SOMEBODY'S GOING TO
HA TO EXPLAIN THE PRIORITIES
AT SOME POINT.
WHY THEY'RE PUTTING THESE TWO
BILLS BACK TO BACK.
WHY THEY'RE TRYING TO OPPOSE IT
ONE WEEK IN THE SAME POLICY,
THE NEXT WEEK PRESUMABLY WILL PASS IT.
I WILL WATCH WITH GREAT
INTEREST, MR. SPEAKER, TO SEE
EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS TODAY ON
THE VOTE.
I RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN RESERVES HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. POLIS: YEAH, THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
YOU KNOW, FIT OF AL I TAKE
SOME DEGREE OF OFFENSE COMING
FROM COLORADO IF PEOPLE WERE TO
CALL OUR WILDERNESS AREA A KIND
OF DENIGRATED AS MOUNTAIN-FRONT PROPERTY.
IT HAPPENS TO BE THAT OUR STATE
IS A MOUNTAINOUS STATE.
THIS PROPERTY IS A BEACH.
ST. CROIX IS AN ISLAND.
I'D LIKE TO YIELD THREE MINUTES
TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO,
MY COLLEAGUE ON THE RULES
COMMITTEE, MR. PERLMUTTER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.
MR. PERLMUTTER: I THANK MY
FRIEND, MR. POLIS.
AND, MR. SPEAKER, I HEARD MY
FRIEND FROM TEXAS TALK ABOUT
OUR RULES COMMITTEE MEETING LAST NIGHT.
AND WHAT HE FORGOT TO MENTION
TO YOU AND TO THIS BODY WAS
THAT THIS BILL THAT IS BEFORE
US CONCERNING THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS IS AN AUTHORIZATION BILL.
NOW, TO THE WORLD WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN?
IT MEANS IT ONLY GIVES THE
AUTHORITY FOR THE NATIONAL PARK
SYSTEM TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY
WANT TO ACCEPT A DONATION OF
THE PROPERTY, THEY WANT TO PAY
FOR THE PROPERTY OR MAKE AN
EXCHANGE FOR THE PROPERTY.
THERE IS NO APPROPRIATION.
THERE IS NO MONEY SPENT.
AN I APPRECIATE MY FRIEND'S
COMMENT ABOUT THE NEED FOR THE
STUDY.
WELL, THE STUDY WILL BE THERE
BEFORE ANY MONEY IS SPENT BY
THE UNITED STATES OF ARICA.
BUT ACCORDING TO THE TESTIMONY,
THIS IS PROPERTY THAT HAS
CULTURAL VALUE AS WELL AS
SCENIC VALUE, SOMETHING THAT IS
IMPORTANT TO THE PRESERVATION
OF THESE ISLANDS AND THAT IS
IMPORTANT TO THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA.
SO THIS BIL JUST AUTHORIZES
IT, DOESN'T PAY ANYTHING FOR
IT.
NOW, MY FRIEND FROM TEXAS
TALKED ABOUT JOBS.
WHAT HE FORGOT TO TELL YOU,
TELL ALL OF US WAS THAT WHEN
GEORGE BUSH LEFT OFFICE LAST
YEAR WE LOST 785,000 JOBS IN
THAT MONTH.
LAST MONTH IN DECEMBER WE LOST
85,000.
STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH, AND WE
ALL KNOW THAT.
STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH, BUT
785,000 AT THE END OF THE BUSH
ADMINISTRATION AND IN ONE YEAR
WE REDUCED THAT TO 85,000 A
MONTH.
NOW, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO
DO AND WE NEED TO DO IT IN A
BIPARTISAN WAY.
MY FRIEND IS RIGHT TT WE NEED
TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND I INTEND TO WORK WITH HIM
AND WITH OTHERS TO REVERSE THIS
SYSTEM AND GET PEOPLE BACK TO WORK.
WE GOT TO ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES.
WE GOT A BIG JOB AHEAD OF US TO
GET PEOPLE BACK TO WORK AND TO
CREATE JOBS IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND WITHHAT, MR. SPEAKER, I'D
YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS. MR. SESSIONS: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
YOU KNOW, MR. SPEAKER, IT'S ALL
ABOUT PRIORITIES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WELCOME THE
DEBATE HERE THAT WE'RE HAVING
TODAY.
WE ASKED NOT TO DO THIS AT THE
RULES COMTTEE.
WE ASKED NOT TO DO THIS BILL.
ISN'T IT BETTER THAT WE DON'T
GO SPEND $50 MILLION RIGHT NOW?
IT IS AN ISLAND.
BY THE WAY, EVERY PIECE OF LAND
ON THE ISLAND IS NOT BEACH-FRONT PROPERTY.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS IS THAT WE
ARE CHOOSING BECAUSE IT'S A
PRIORITY TO DO THIS.
IT'S A PRIORITY, AND THOSE
PRIORITIES THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
DISAGREES WITH.
THE SECOND BILL THAT COMES
UNDER THIS BILL THAT FAILED TO
GET 2/3 VOTE LAST WEEK IS THE
ONE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, H.R.
3726, THE CASTLE NUGENT
NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
ESTABLISHMENT ACT.
AND WHAT THIS BILL REALLY DOES
IS GO ABOUT, AS WE'VE HEARD
ABOUT IT, IS THAT IT AUTHORIZES
BUT NOT PROPETS $50 MILLION --
APPROPRIATES $50 MILLION.
IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THIS BODY
THAT BELIEVES THAT WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT DEBATE
ABOUT THE $50 MILLION WHEN IT
COMES INTO A HUGE PACKAGE OF
APPROPRIATIONS THEY ARE WRONG.
THIS PUTS IT IN LINE TO BE A
PART OF ANOTHER MSSIVE
SPENDING BILL.
MEANWHILE, AS WE GOING BUYING
FEDERAL LAND ON THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS, 10% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE,
THAT'S PROBLEMATIC TO ME.
AMERICANS, LOTS OF THEM, DON'T
EVEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TOO
VISIT THIS NEW $50 PURCHASE
BECAUSE ECONOMIC CLIMATES ARE
SO BAD.
YOU KNOW, EVEN IF WE WEREN'T
RUNNING $1.4 BILLION DEFICIT
AND RAISING THE DEBT LIMIT BY
ANOTHER $1.9 TRILLION IN THE
NEXT FEW WEEKS,HERE'S STILL
THIS BACKLOG THAT WE COULD
PRIORITIZE AND PUT THE $50
MILLION IN TO TAKE CARE OF THE
$9 BILLION MAINTENANCE BACKLOG
THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND BY THE WAY, THAT'S CULTURAL.
LOTS OF SITES IN THIS COUNTRY
ARE CULTURAL THAT ARE NATIONAL PARKS.
AND THE PRIORITIES SHOULD BE OF
EXISTING DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE
MADE.
LOOK, I JUST THINK IT'S A BAD
WAY TO GO, BUT I THINK IT
REPRESENTS EXACTLY THE MINDSET
OF THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP,
ANOTH GOOD WAY TO SPEND
MONEY, PUT A HAPPY SMILEY FACE
ON IT AND TALK ABOUT IT'S A
REALLY GOOD THING FOR
TAXPAYERS.
WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT MORE
WHEN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
FINALLY RELEASES THEIR STUDY.
WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT WHAT
THEY SAY.
THE REPUBLICANS UP IN THE ROOM
AT THE RULES COMMITTEE LAST
NIGHT SAID LET'S WAIT.
LET'S NOT SPEND THE MONEY.
LET'S WAIT TO FIND OUT WHAT WE
DO.
AND MOST OF ALL, LET'S MAKE
THIS AN OPEN RULE SO EVERY
MEMBER CAN BRING THEIR IDEAS DOWN HERE.
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
PARTY LINE VOTE.
SO WHAT TODAY'S LEGISLATION
SHOULD SHOW THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
IS ABOUT THIS CONGRESS'
PRIORITIES.
FIRST, THAT THE DEMOCRATS
REVIEWS, ONCE AGAIN, NOTHING
NEW, TO WORK WITH REPUBLICANS
ON -- REFUSE, ONCE AGAIN,
NOTHING NEW, TO WORK WITH
REPUBLICANS ON HEALTH CARE.
SECONDLY, THAT JOBS AND THE
ECONOMY COME SECOND TO THE $50
MILLION WORTH OF TAXPAYER FUNDS
FOR BEACH-FRONT PROPERTY THAT
MOST AMERICANS WILL NEVER,
NEVER, EVER SEE.
MR. SPEAKER, AMERICANS WANT JOBS.
THEY WANT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
BY THIS BODY.
THEY WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER
ON THE ISSUES AND THE PROBLEMS
FACING THIS COUNTRY.
AND I THINK THEY'RE SEEING ONCE
AGAIN TODAY AFTER WHAT WAS
CALLED THE WAKE-UP CALL LAST
WEEK THAT WE'RE NOT DOING ANY
OF THOSE. MR. SPEAKER, THE DEMOCRAT
MAJORITY CONTINUES TO PRESERVE
INITIATIVES AND POLICIES THAT
WILL LEAD TO MORE UNEMPLOYMENT,
MORE DEBT, NOR TAXATION.
THIS ADMINISTRATION AND
DEMOCRATIC -- MORE TAXATION.
THIS ADMINISTRATION AND
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS SAID THEY
WOULD HELP HEALTH CARE, CLEANER
ENERGY, BETTER EDUCATION.
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.
AND WHAT WE SEE AFTER THREE
YEARS NOW ENTERING THE FOURTH
OF DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP,
MAJORITY IN THIS BODY IS THAT
THEY ARE DRIVING OUR COUNTRY TO
RECORD DEFICITS, RECORD
UNEMPLOYMENT, RECORD SPENDING
AND RECORD INABILITY TO TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT THEY
HAVEONE ON THEIR WATCH BEING
THE POLICY ARM OF THIS GOVERNMENT.
THIS RULE DOES NOT REPRESENT
ANY COMMITMENT TO FISCAL
SUSTAINABILITY EITHER.
AND WITH THIS LEGISLATION
CONGRESS ONLY CONTINUES TO
INCREASE FEDERAL DEBT, SLOWS
DOWN OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY,
INCREASES THE FEDERAL BURDEN
AND THE FINANCIAL BURDEN PLACED
ON OUR CHILDREN AND
GRANDCHILDREN.
MR. SPEAKER, THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION PROMISED
AMERICANS IF CONGRESS PASSED
THE STIMULUS BILL THAT
UNEMPLOYMENT WOULD NOT GO
BEYOND 8%.
THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
THAT IT WOULD SAVE MILLIONS OF
JOBS.
HERE WE ARE A YEAR LATER RECORD
UNEMPLOYMENT, MORE THAN TWO
MILLION AMERICANS HAVE LOST
THEIR JOBS SINCE THE PACKAGE
THAT IS CALLED THE JOBS BILL,
$1.4 TRILLION STIMULUS PACKAGE,
AND TODAY IN THE PAPERS WE READ
NOT ONLY IS IT NOT RKING IT
IS DOING WHAT REPUBLICANS SAID
AT THE TIME IT'S GOING TO ADD
TO UNEMPLOYMENT AND DEBT THAT
WILL INCREASE AT AN EXPONENTIAL RATE.
IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR MY FRIENDS
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE
PASSED A CAP AND TRADE BILL
THAT WOULD ALSO RAISE PRICES ON
ENERGY, GOODS AND SERVICES FOR
HARDWORKING AMERICANS ACROSS
THIS COUNTRY.
IN MY HOME STATE OF TEXAS, THE
AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD WOULD EXPECT
TO PAY MORE THAN $1,100 EXTRA A YEAR.
NO WONDER, NO WONDER THERE'S AN OUTCRY.
ONCE AGAIN, PART OF A
LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE, AN
INITIATIVE THAT WOULD LOSE 1.38
MILLION MANUFACTURING JOBS. THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT
RIGHT NOW.
SOMEBODY'S GOING TO HAVE TO
STAND UP AND TAKE
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THIS BECAUSE
IT'S HAPPENING ON THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY'S WATCH.
AND TODAY DESPITE THESE FACTS
WE'RE SPENDING MORE MONEY AND
GOG TO PLACE AMERICA IN A
DEFICIT POSITION AGAIN.
.
IT'S TIME THAT THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY BEGIN WORKING WITH
REPUBLICANS IF YOU WANT TO BRING
JOBS BACK.
MR. SPEAKER, THE MAJORITY
PARTY'S OUT OF TOUCH.
OUT OF TOUCH WITH AMERICANS.
THEIR PRIORITIES ON BORROWING,
TAXING, AND SPENDING IS KILLING
OUR ECONOMY.
AND RUINING PROGRESS FOR JOB
GROWTH.
I KNOW ONCE AGAIN TODAY I,
REPUBLICANS, ARE THE MINORITY PARTY.
ALL WE CAN DO IS STAND ON THE
FLOOR AND TALK.
BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THE
PROCESSES UP IN THE RULES
COMMITTEE ARE IMPORTANT.
THAT'S WHY WE WERE THERE EVEN
LAST NIGHT TRYING TO SAY THIS IS
THE WRONG THING TO DO AND $50
MILLION MORDOES MATTER.
WE CANNOT REMEDY THE ECONOMIC
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE ARE IN BY
INCREASING SPENDING.
NOT ON NATIONAL PARKS IN THE
VIRGIN ISLANDS OR NOT ON A $1.3
TRILLION HEALTH CARE BILL THAT
WILL DESTROY 5.5 MILLION JOBS.
HUGE ENERGY AND HEALTH BILLS ARE
GOING TO RAISE TAXES AND KILL
JOBS.
CERTAINLY EXPENSES FOR STATES
AND PEOPLE.
OVER THE LAST YEAR WE HAVE HEARD
OUR CONSTITUENTS SAY THEY WANT
STABILITY.
THEY WANTS TO -- WANT US TO WORK
TOGETHER AND WANT US TO FOCUS ON
THE THINGS THAT WOULD BRING
ABOUT A BETTER TOMORROW.
I DISAGREE WHAT WE ARE DOING
AGAIN TODAY.
AND I RESPECTFULLY WOULD SAY TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND MY
COLLEAGUES WE SHOULD DEFEAT THIS
BILL.
IT'S THE WRONG DIRECTION.
IT'S A BAD IDEA.
AND THE TIMING OF THIS IS VERY
BAD.
MR. SPEAKER, WE ARE GOING TO
WELCOME THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES TONIGHT.
I HOPE WE LISTEN TO WHAT HE
SAYS.
I RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN RESERVES THE BALANCE
OF HIS TIME. THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. POLIS: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
ONCE AGAIN I WANT TO REITERATE
THAT THIS BILL DOES NOT COST $50
MILLION OR $40 MILLION OR 30D MILLION.
DOES NOT COST ONE PENNY.
IT IS SIMPLY AN AUTHORIZATION.
AS MY COLLEAGUE KNOWS IT'S PART
OF THE PROCESS.
IF THERE EVER IS AN
APPROPRIATION, THERE IS A NUMBER
OF AVENUES UNDER WHICH THERE
MIGHT NOT BE AN APPROPATION,
THERE COULD BE A DONATION OF THE PROPERTY, COULD BE OTHER
INVOLVEMENT FROM OTHER SOURCES.
IF THERE IS AN APPROPRIATION,
THAT'S WHEN THAT WOULD BE DEBATED.
THAT WOULD BE PART OF A BILL AND
SOMEBODY COULD OFFER AN
AMENDMENT THAT WOULD COME BEFORE
THE RULES COMMITTEE AND I WOULD
CERTAINLY SUPPORT RULING THAT IN
ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS
A TOPIC THIS BODY HAS THE TIME
TO DISCUSS.
BUT NOW IS NOT THE DETE WITH
REGARD TO THE EXPENDITURE OF ANY
FEDERAL DOLRS WITH REGARD TO
THIS MATTER.
THE PROCEDURE THAT HAS BEEN
USED, AGAIN, WHEN BILLS COME UP
ON SUSPENSION, AS THESE BILLS
DID, THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY
FOR THE MINORITY PARTY OR THE
MAJORITY PARTY TO AMEND THE
BILLS OR OFFER ALTERNATIVES.
WHEN THE BILL DID NOT GET THE
QUISITE 2/3 IT CAME BEFORE OUR
RULES COMMITTEE AND THERE WERE
NO OTHER AMENDMENTS OFFERED BY
MEMBERS OF THE MINORITY PARTY OR MAJORITY PARTY.
WE ARE VERY OPEN ALONG WITH MY
COLLEAGUES FROM THE RULES
COMMITT, I KNOW THE HOUSE AS A
WHOLE, TO IDEAS FROM BOTH SIDES
OF THE AISLE REGARDLESS WHERE
THEY COME FROM.
IF SOMEBODY HAD IMPROVEMENT OF
THE WATER RIGHTS IN IDAHO OR
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BORDERS OF
THE PROPOSED CASTLE IN ST.
CROIX, THE MINORITY PARTY HAS
UNDER BOTH THIS RULE THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR A MOTION TO
RECOMMIT WITH OR WITHOUT
INSTRUCTIONS WITH REGARD TO EACH
OF THE BILLS.
THERE IS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY AND
WE ARE HEARING A DEAFENING
SILCE FROM THE OTHER SIDE WITH
REGARD TO HOW TO IMPROVE THESE BILLS.
THE DOOR IS MORE THAN OPEN.
THE FIRST STEP AGAIN IN FINDING
THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REACH
THE 2/3 AUTHORITY WAS THAT THEY
WOULD BE OPEN FOR INPUT.
THERE WERE NO AMENDMENTS.
NOT ONE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO
THE RULES COMMITTEE FOR EITHER
OF THESE BILLS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING
WHAT THE MOTION TO RECOMMIT MAY
ENTAIL.
IF THEY ARE CONSTRUCTIVE AND
IMPROVE THESE BILLS IN ANY
SUBSTANTIAL WAY, I'M CONFIDENT
MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING THEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO INQUIRE OF THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS IF HE HAS
ANY REMAING SPEAKERS?
MR. SESSION: I APPRECIATE THE GENTLEMAN ASKING.
I WANT TO ASK HOW MUCH MORE TIME
WE HAVE IF I COULD, PLEASE, MR.
SPEAKER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS HAS SIX
MINUTES.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO HAS 17 1/2.
MR. SESSIONS: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
I WOULD ANTICIPATE I WILL BE THE
FINAL SPEAKER FOR US.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MR. POLIS: VERY WELL.
I'M THE LAST SPEAKER FOR MY SIDE
SO I'LL RESERVE MY TIME UNTIL
THE GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS HAS
CLOSED FOR HIS SIDE AND YIELDED
BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN RESERVES THE BALANCE
OF HIS TIME. THE GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS.
MR. SESSIONS: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
MR. SPEAKER, I DO APPRECIATE THE
GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO, MR.
POLIS, FOR REPRESENTING THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY TODAY.
I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT AS
WE APPROACH TODAY THAT THE HOPES
AND EXPECTATIONS OF A NATION WHO
TONIGHT WILL LISTEN TO OUR
PRESIDENT WILL BE IN OUR HEARTS
AND MINDS.
THIS COUNTRY HAS HAD SERIOUS
DAYS IN OUR PAST AND WE ARE IN
SERIOUS DAYS TODAY.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY
PROBLEM BIGGER THAN A SOLUTION
IN THIS COUNTRY.
I DO BELIEVE, HOWEVER, AND I
HAVE BELIEVED THIS, THAT WHEN IT
COMES TO THE ECONOMY AND
BUILDING JOBS AND WORKING TO
CREATE A BETTER ENVIRONMENT
WHERE AMERICA IS COMPETIVE IN
THE WORLD, THAT IT WILL REQUIRE
NOT JUST THE BASIC SENSE OF
UNDERSTANDING MARKETPLACES, BUT
REALLY, MR. SPEAKER, OF
DISCIPLINE.
OF SEEING THE PROBLEM FOR WHAT
IT IS.
IT IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN SELF-INDUCED.
IT IS SELF-INDUCED BY THIS BODY
WHO IN THE MIDST OF THE GREATEST
EXPANSION -- I REMEMBER JUST A
FEW YEARS AGO WITH MY FRIENDS
WHO ARE DEMOCRATS, OH, ALL THIS
MONEY THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS.
WE ARE NOT SPENDING IT THE RIGHT WAY.
THE PRIORITIES ARE MIXED.
WE SHOULD GOPEND MORE MONEY
AND HELP PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE
THE ADVANTAGES BECAUSE THIS
BOOMING ECONOMY HAS NOT GOTTEN
TO THEM YET.
MR. SPEAKER, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT.
I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME
WORKING WITH DISABLED PEOPLE IN
THIS COUNTRY.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT
PROCESS WAS WE FLIPPED SO FAR
OVER TO WHERE WE ARE NOW KILLING
THE GOOSE THAT LAYS THE GOLDEN
EGG AND THAT IS THE FREE
ENTERPRISE SYSTEM.
FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM AS A
RESULT OF THIS SPEAKER AND THE
POLICIES OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
ARE PUSHING AN AGENDA THAT WOULD
LOSE THIS COUNTRY 10 MILLION JOBS.
WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT.
THE ASSAULT ON EMPLOYERS IS PART
OF THE POLITICAL AGENDA.
I GET THAT.
I THINK THE FREE ENTERPRISE
SYSTEM GETS THAT.
BUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAV NOW
CAUGHT ON.
AND I THINK IT'S TIME IF WE
REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT HAVING
JOBS, JOBS THAT CAN BE
COMPETITIVE WITH THE WORLD, JOBS
THAT ARE NOT NICKEL AND DIME
JOBS OR HERE TODAY AND GONE
TOMORROW, THAT IT WILL REQUIRE A
DISCIPLINE AND A PHILOSOPHY OF
UNDERSTANDING HOW JOBS ARE
CREATED AND THE FREE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT PRIZE SYSTEM AND THE DECISIONMAKING.
THE DECISIONMAKING IS THAT THIS
CONGRESS NEEDS TO DO AT LEAST
THREE THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, THEY NEED TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE CUT CAPITAL GAINS
TAXES SO THAT PEOPLE WILL INVEST
IN THIS COUNTRY.
THEY'LL INVEST IN THIS COUNTRY
AND THE CREATION OF JOBS WILL
OCCUR.
SECONDLY, WE NEED TO MAKE SRE
THAT WE DO AWAY WITH OR GREATLY
DIMINISH DEPRECIATION.
DEPRECIATION IS THAT GOVERNMENT
COMPETING AGAINST THE FREE
ENTERPRISE SYSTEM FOR MONEY.
AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY OR
LASTLY, THE DEATH TAX.
THE DEATH TAX BECAUSE LITERALLY
AFTER THREE GENERATIONS ANYBODY
THAT OWNS A FAMILY-OWNED
BUSINESS HAS TO LOSE IT.
IT'S GONE.
IT'S GONE FROM TAXATION FROM A
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS
CONTROLLED BY THOSE THAT WANT TO
TAX AND SPEND AND DIMINISH THAT
FOR THE SPENDING OF THE
GOVERNMENT.
RATHER THAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE JOBS
.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO TAKE THE
RESPONSIBILITY TODAY.
I THINK JUST LIKE SOMEBODY GOING
TO A MEETING AND ADMITTING THEY
MADE A MISTAKE AND THEY WERE
WRONG AND THEY HAVE A PROBLEM
BEING HONEST ABOUT THE PROBLEM,
THE CREATION OF JOBS WON'T COME
THROUGH SOME TRICKERY.
IT WILL ONLY COME FROM DOING THE
THINGS THAT BUSINESS ITSELF WILL
TELL YOU IT NEEDS.
REDUCING CAPITAL GAINS ON A
PERMANENT BASIS.
REDUCING THE PROBLEM THAT WE
HAVE WITH DEPRECIATION.
AND LASTLY THE DEATH TAX.
WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT TO $1
BILLION OR HALF A BILLION DOLLARS.
WE COULD MOVE IT PROBABLYLE TO
$50 MILLION OR $60 MILLION AND
STOP THE BURDEN, THE BLEEDING
THAT IS HAPPENING WHERE PEOPLE
ARE LOSING THEIR LAND, THEIR
PROPERTY, THEIR BUSINESSES.
BUT IT TAKES SOMEONE WHO
UNDERSTANDS THAT.
I SPENT 16 YEARS IN THE FR
ENTERPRISE SYSTEM.
16 YEARS WHERE I NEVER MISSED A
DAY OF WORK.
I LOVED WHAT I DID, BUT I SAW
WASHINGTON AS THE PROBLEM.
THAT'S WHY I CAME TO CONGRESS.
I STILL SEE GOVERNMENT AS BEING
THE PROBLEM.
HERE TODAY WE GIVE A LOT OF LIP
SERVICE TO JOBS AND PEOE ACT
LIKE, WELL, I JUST DON'T KNOW
WHAT TO DO.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE
POLITICAL AGENDA OF LOSING 10
MILLION AMERICAN JOBS WHICH WE
ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF -- HEALTH
CARE, CAP AND TRADE, AND CARD
CHECK IS STRANGLING THIS
COUNTRY.
IF WE WANT TO BE HONEST ABOUT
THIS, JUST LIKE AN ALCOLIC
SHOWING UP AT AN A.A. MEETING
AND ADMITTING THERE IS A 10 OR
12-STEP PROCESS TO COMING BACK,
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
WE ARE TAXING TOO MUCH.
WE ARE SPENDING TOO MUCH.
WE ARE BORROWING TOO MUCH.
AND THE DEBT IS STRANGLING THIS
COUNTRY.
MR. SPEAKER, WHERE ARE THE JOBS?
I YIELD BACK MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO. MR. POLIS: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
THE GENTLEMAN MENTIONED, QUOTE
HEALTH CARE, CAP AND TRADE, AND
CARD CHECK ARE STRANGLING THE
COUNTRY, END QUOTE.
FORTUNATELY NONE OF THOSE ARE
INCLUDED IN THIS RULE AND I HOPE
MY COLLEAGUE WILL JOIN ME IN
SUPPORT OF THIS RULE.
WHICH SIMPLY BRINGS TO THE FLOOR
TWO VERY IMPORTANT BILLS, WATER
RIGHTS IN THE STATE OF IDAHO AND
THE CASTLE NUGENT NATIONAL
HISTORIC SITE.
COLORADO HAS PLACES PROTECTED
NOT ONLY IMPORTANT FOREIGN THE
ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF OUR STATE
OR BUT IMPORTANT FOR THE VERY
FOUNDATION OF OUR CIVIC PRIDE
AND IDENTITY.
IN MANY CASES THESE PROTECTIONS
ARE ALSO PART OF THE FUNDAMENTAL
BASES OF THE ECONOMY IN MANY OF
OUR TOURIST AREAS.
WE KNOW THE BENEFITS OF LOCAL
COMMUNITIES FROM THE NATIONAL
PARK SERVICE.
RECREATION AND TOUSM PROVIDE A
LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC
BASE.
GATEWAY COMMUNITIES THRIVE FROM
RECREATION FACING THEIR
ADVENTURES AN EXPERIENCES FROM
THESE NEARBY COMMUNITIES.
BOTH THE CASTLE NUGENT NATIONAL
HISTORIC SITE ACT OF 2009 AND
THE IDAHO WILDERNESS WATER
FACILITIES ACT SHARE THE STORY
THAT LAND PRESERVATION DONE
RIGHT IS A WINNING LOCAL POLICY
AND, YES, A JOB CREATOR AND
WINNING ECONOMIC POLICY.
THE CASTLE NUGENT AREA THIS BILL
REPRESENTS THE PRESERVATION OF
HISTORIC HAD BEEN TALT THAT WILL
LEAD TO FUTURE TOURISM AND FUTURE SMALL BUSINESSES AND
LOCAL AND SUSTAINABLE JOBS.
THE PARK PROPOSAL PRESERVED
NEARLY ,900 ACRES OF FORMER
THEREBY ZERO TAXPAYER MONEY BEING SPENT.
THERE WAS A LEGITIMATE
DISCUSSION WHEN AND IF THAT TIME
ARRIVES DO WE WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON THIS.
THAT IS THE TOTALLY SERATE
QUESTION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO DEBATE
REGARDING THAT MATTER.
BUT THE AUTHORIZATION IS THE
FIRST STEP.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN PRESERVE
THE HISTORIC LEGACY, ATTRACT
GOOD JOBS TO THE U.S. VIRGIN
ISLANDS AND I URGE A YES VOTE ON
THE PREVIOUS QUESTION ON THE
RULE AND I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
.
I MOVE THE PREVIOUS QUESTION ON
THE RESOLUTION.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE PREVIOUS
QUESTION IS ORDERED.
THE QUESTION IS ON ADOPTION OF
THE RESOLUTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
THE AYES HAVE IT. THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO.
MR. POLIS: MR. SPEAKER, I
DEMAND THE YEAS AND NAYS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
YEAS AND NAYS ARE REQUESTED.
THOSE FAVORING A VOTE BY THE
YEAS AND NAYS WILL RISE.
A SUFFICIENT NUMBER HAVING
ORDERED.
MEMBERS WILL RECORD THEIR VOTES
BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE.
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 8 OF RULE 20
, THIS 15-MINUTE VOTE ON THE
ADOPTION OF HOUSE RESOLUTION
1038 WILL BE
FIVE-MINUTE VOTE ON THE
RESOLUTION -- ON THE MOTION TO
SUSPEND THE RULES ON HOUSE
RESOLUTION 1024.
THIS IS A 15-MINUTE VOTE.
[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING
INSTITUTE, INC., IN COOPERATION
WITH THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESEN
ANY USE OF THE CLOSED-CAPTIONED
COVERAGE OF THE HOUSE PROCEEDINGS FOR POLITICAL OR
COMMERCIAL PURPOSES IS
EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED BY THE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.] OF THE
SPEECH?
GUEST: THED YOU CAN SEND US AN E-MAIL,
JOURNAL@C-SPAN.ORG.
LINDA FELDMAN WROTE THIS STORY
FROM THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR.
"CAN OBAMA GET HIS MOJO BACKED?"
WHAT WILL BE THE TENOR OF THE SPEECH?
GUEST: THE PERSON THE PRESENT
NEEDS TO DO IS TO REASSURE THE
PEOPLE THAT HE HEARS THEM, GOT
THE MESSAGE NOT ONLY FROM
MASSACHUSETTS SENATE ELECTION
BUT THE OVERALL DECLINE IN HIS
POPULARITY IN THE LAST YEAR.
AND THEN HE NEEDS TO PIVOT
TOWARD WHAT HE DOES PLAN TO DO.
HE DOES KNOW THE ECONOMY AND
JOBS ARE THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE.
BUT HE IS PREPARED TO DO WHAT
EVER IT TAKES TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION WITH JOBS.
HOST: WHAT HAPPENS AFTER
TONIGHT'S SPEECH WHEN HE
DELIVERS THIS MESSAGE ON JOBS
AND THE ECONOMY, WHERE IS AGO
NEXT AND HOW DOES IT KEEP UP THE MESSAGE?
GUEST: HE NEEDS TO JUST KEEP
POUNDING AWAY.
HE HAS HAD TWO TRIPS ON HIS MAIN
STREET TOUR, GOING OUT INTO THE COUNTRY.
WE EXPECT A LOT MORE DOMESTIC
TRAVEL THIS YEAR.
TAPPING A BIT IO THE POPULISM
HE STARTED TO ENGAGE HIM,
TELLING PEOPLE HE IS GOING TO
FIGHT FOR THEM, THAT HE IS
FOCUSED ON THE MIDDLE-CLASS,
THAT HE IS NOT GIVING UP ON HEALTH CARE.
I THINK THIS IS KEY.
CONGRESS MIGHT HAVE OTHER IDEAS
BUT HE DOES NOT WANT TO GIVE UP
ON HIS AGENDA.
HE HAS SAID AS MUCH.
HE BELIEVES THE PROBLEM IS
REALLY AND HOW THE POLICIES WERE
SOLD, AND HE TAKES
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.
HOST: ON HEALTHCARE THERE ARE
POLLS THAT SHOW AMERICANS DO
WANT THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS
TO STOP FOCUSING ON HEALTH CARE
AND PUT MORE FOCUS ON JOBS AND
THE ECONOMY.
HOW WILL THE SQUARE AND THAT --
HOW WILL HE SQUARE THAT?
GUEST: CONGRESS HAS BEEN MEETING
AND SAID ESSENTIALLY THEY WILL
SLOW IT WAY DOWN ON HEALTH CARE,
THEY CANNOT POLITICALLY AFFORD
TO KEEP PUSHING FULL STEAM
AHEAD AND TRYING TO PUSH IT OVER
THE FINISH LINE.
NOW IS SYNCH EARLIEST THEY WOULD
GET SOMETHING ABOUT IT IS LATE
FEBRUARY BUT THE CLOSER TO THE
ELECTION, THE HARDER IT WILL BE
TO GET ANYTHING PASSED AT ALL.
THPRESIDENT HAS HINTED THAT
PERHAPS HE WILL TRY TO DO A
SCALED-BACK VERSION, BUT HE KIND
OF BACKED AWAY AND SAID HE WAS
NOT GIVING UP ON A COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE.
BUT I THINK THE HANDWRITING IS
ON THE WALL.
HOST: THIS IS THE FIRST DAY OF
THE UNION ADDRESS FOR THE
PRESIDENT.
HE ADDRESSED CONGRESS AND JOIN
SECTIONS -- JOINT SESSION
SPRINGTIMES.
IS THIS A BIGGER SPEECH FOR HIM
TONIGHT, AND HAS HE BEEN PRACTICING?
WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE
SPCH WRITING OF THESE COMMENTS
TONIGHT?
GUEST: THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST
IMPORTANT SPEECH.
HE GAVE A SPEECH IN THE JOINT
SESSION OF CONGRESS IN FEBRUARY,
WAS NOT THE STATE OF THE UNION,
AND THEN THEOINT STAFF --
SPEECH ON HEALTH CARE.
THIS IS A CRITICAL TIME.
THE ELECTION IN MASSACHUSETTS
THIS LAST WEEK WAS JUST A REAL
WAKE-UP CALL FOR THIS
ADMINISTRATION, THAT THEY WERE
REALLY OFF COURSE AND THEY
REALLY HAD TAKEN SO LONG ON HEALTH CARE.
IT JUST A BIT THEM TERRIBLY.
THE SPEECH HE HAS BEEN WORKING
HARD ON, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING
ON IT FOR MONTHS.
YOU HAVE HIS SPEECH WRITING TEAM
AND HIS TOP AIDES WEIGHING IN.
THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF IS ACTIVE
IN WHAT HE WILL SAY.
ASS USUAL, THE REVISIONS WILL
BE TAKING PLACE UP UNTIL T
VERY LAST MINUTE.
HOST: DID THE WHITE HOUSE GIVEN
THE INDICATION OF WHO WILL BE
SITTING WITH THE FIRST LADY?
GUEST: I SPEESTERDAY WITH
THE FIRST LADY.
SHE WAS GIVING A SPEECH TO THE
WIVES CLUB OF THE JOINT CHIEFS
OFFICERS OUT OF BOWLING AIRFORCE
BASE.
THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF HER BIG
ISSUES, SUPPORT FOR MILITARY
FAMILIES.
ONE OF THE POINTS THAT CAME OUT
AND DISCUSSION WHAT SOME WHITE
HOUSE AIDES IS THAT SHE WILL
VE SIX MILITARY SITTING WITH
HER IN THE FIRST LADY'S BOX
TONIGHT, INCLUDING THE TWO
POLICE OFFICERS WHO STOPPED THE
SHOOTER AT FORT HOOD LAST YEAR.
HOST: DO WE KNOW FROM THE REST
OF THE ADMINISTRATION, WHO WILL
NOT BE THERE THIS EVENING?
GUEST: I'M AFRAID I DON'T KNOW
THAT, SORRY.
MOST OF WHAT ABOUT CONGRESS --
HOST: CAN YOU TELL US MORE
ABOUT THE POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE
BEFORE THE SPEECH?
GUEST: THE PRESIDENT IS REALLY
AT A VERY ROUGH PATCH IN HIS
PRESENCE IN BUT THE MEMBERS WILL
STILL BE LINING FOR THE
HEARTY HANDSHAKE AND KIND OF I-5
-- I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS
LITERALLY A HIGH FIVES.
BUT IT IS A BIG TELEVISED
EVENT, A LOT OF AMERICANS WILL
BE TUNING IN AND EVERYBODY WANTS
THAT MOMENT ON TV WITH THE
PRESIDEN THE UNITED STATES.
HOST: LINDA FELDMAN IS WHAT THE
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR.
AND TO YOUR PHONE CALLS, WHAT
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR THER.R.R.R.R.R.
HOST: DENNIS JOHNSON IS HERE TO
TALK OF UP TONIGHT'S STATE OF
THE UNION ADDRESS, BUT ALSO
LOOKING BACK AND OTHER STATE OF
THE UNION ADDRESSES.
CAN YOU THINK OF AN APPROPRIATE
COMPARISON FOR TONIGHT'S STATE
OF THE UNION?
AFTER THE PDENT'S FIRST
YEAR WITH AN ECONOMIC SITUATION
LIKE HE HAD, HEADLINES THAT
READ "LUNEASE," CAN YOU
COME UP WITH A COMPARISON?
GUEST: IT IS PRETTY TOUGH.
HE MIGHT HAVE TO GO BACK TO BILL
CLINTON.
AT THIS TIME, THE COMPANY WAS
COMING BACK STRONGLY.
OF COURSE,S BIG PROBLEM -- HIS
BIG PROBLEM WAS HIS AGENDA.
HE FAMOUSLY HAD TROUBLES WITH
THE MONITOR TALKING ABOUT HEALTH CARE.
BUT YOU ALSHAVE TO GO BACK TO
RONALD'S -- RONALD REAGAN PAUSED
FIRST TERM.
THERE WERE POSITIVE SIGNS THAT
HE WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING
BETTER.
THERE WAS A LOT OF ANTICIPATION
AT THAT TIME.
I THINK THOSE WOULD BE GOOD
PARALLELS FOR BARACK OBAMA.
HOST: HOW DID THEY USE THOSE
SPEECHES TO TAKE ON THE YEARS AS PRESIDENT?
GUEST: WHEN YOU LOOK AT
ALL THREE OF THEM, THEY ARE
PROBABLY THE BEST COMMUNICATORS THAT WE HAVE HAD.
FROM RONALDEAGAN, HE
ACKNOWLEDGED PEOPLE IN THE
AUDIENCE, AMERICAN HEROES.
THAT WAS UNPRECEDENTED.
IN 1992 WE HAD THIS TERRIBLE
SNOWSTORM.
PRESIDENT REAGAN IN AN ALLEGED
ONE OF THE HEROES -- RECNIZED
ONE OF THE HEROES DURING HIS SPEECH.
SINCE THEN EVERY PRESIDENT HAS
DONE SOMETHING SIMILAR.
BUT ONLY TO TALK ABOUT THEIR
POLICY BUT ALSO TO ACKNOWLEDGE
AVAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE
CONSIDERED AMERICAN HEROES.
CAPT.BURGER RECENTLY.
HOST: LET US GO BACK TO THE CLINTON ADDRESS FROM 1996.
>> WE MUST ANSWER HERE THREE
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS.
FIRST, HOW DO WE MAKE THE
AMERICAN DREAM OF OPPORTUNITY
FOR ALL, A REALITY THAT ALL
AMERICANS ARE WILLING TO WORK FOR?
SECOND, HOW DO WE PRESERVE OUR
OLD ENDURING VALUES AS WE MOVE
INTO THE FUTURE?
THIRD, HOW DO WE MEET THESE
CHALLENGES TOGETHER, AS ONE AMERICA?
WE KNOW BIG GOVERNMENT DOES NOT
HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, WE KNOW
THERE IS NOT A PROGRAM FOR EVERY PROBLEM.
WE HAVE OFFERED TO GIVE THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE A SLLER, LESS
BUREAUCRATIC GOVERNMENT IN
WASHINGTON, AND WE HAVE TO GIVE
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ONE THAT
LIVES WITHIN ITS MEANS.
THE ERA OF BIG GOVERNMENT IS OVER.
WE CANNOT GO BACK TO THE TIME
WHEN OUR CITIZENS WERE LEFT TO
FEND FOR THEMSELVES.
HOST: YOUR REACTION?
GUEST: THAT WAS AN INTERESTING SPEECH.
I THINK REPUBLICANS IN THE
AUDIENCE WERE PROBABLY SAYING,
MY GOD, HE IS STEALING POWER
LINES.
THAT IS WHAT WE WERE GOING TO SAY.
IT IS TRUE.
PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS TAKING THE
STANDARD POLICY SPEECHES AND
POLICIESUST BY REPUBLICANS,
SO I THINK THEY WERE PERPLEXED BY THAT.
WHAT YOU HAVE THIS SORT OF DAY EXERCISE.
HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU GET
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO STAND UP AND APPLAUSE?
THIS WAS A MIXED REACTION.
REPUBLICANS WANTED TO APPLAUD
THINGS THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS IN FACT SAYG.
HOST: DO YOU THINK PRESIDENT
OBAMA WILL STEAL SOME LINES FROM
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TONIGHT?
GUEST: HE PROBABLY WILL.
HE WILL TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC
DISCIPLINE, CERTAINLY ABOUT CUTTING TH BUDGET.
HE WILL TALK ABOUT GETTING JOBS BACK.
WHO KNOWS IF HE TALKS ABOUT
SMALLER GOVERNMENT OR NOT, AND
WHETHER THAT WILL HAVE A
RESONANCE WITH THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE OR NOT.
HOST: SOME FACTS ABOUT THE STATE
OF THE UNION.
WOODROW WILSON FIRST DELIVERED
THE STATE OF THE UNION IN PERSON IN 1913.
THE FIRST TELEVISED BROADCAST
WAS PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN IN
1947.
YOU CAN SEE HOW HAVE EVOLVED.
WHY IS THE STATE OF THE UNION
IMPORTANT, IT IS THE FIRST ONE FOR A PRESIDENT IMPORTANT?
GUEST: THE STATE OF THE UNION I
SOMETHING REQUIRED BY THE
CONSTITUTION.
IT SAYS FROM TIME TO TIME.
IT DOES NOT SAY EXACTLY WHAT HE
WILL SAY, BUT HE IS TO REPORT.
OF COURSE, OUR CONVENTION HAS
BEEN EVERY Y AT THIS TIME OF
YEAR.
FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER GIVEN
ONE, IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
FOR ONE, THINGS ARE NOT GOING SO
WELL FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
IT IS TIME TO RALLY THE TROOPS
AND FUNDAMENTALLY TELL THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND CONGRESS WHAT HE WANTS TO DO.
HOST: CAN THE PRESIDENT SPEAK TO SHORT OR LONG?
GUEST: YES, THE PRESIDENT CAN
SPEAK TOO LONG.
BILL CLINTON TALKED A LOT.
TYPICALLY, THESE SPEECHES ARE
ABOUT ONE HOUR LONG.
OF COURSE, THEY ARE PUNCTUATED
WITH APPLAUSE, AND THAT SORT OF
THING, BUT IF YOU GO PAST ONE
HOUR, YOU ARE LOSING PEOPLE.
45 MINUTES IS PROBABLY THE
MAXIMUM YOU WANT TO HAVE.
HOST: TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT'S
SPEECH AND PAST PRESIDENTS
SPEECHES. NEXT PHONE CALL.
CALLER: I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT
FOR A LOT OF THE PEOPLE CALLING IN.
I THINK IT IS OBVIOUS WE HAVE AN
EDUCATIONAL CRISIS, NOT ONLY
WITH YOUNG KIDS, BUT WITH ADULTS AS WELL.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FORMING
OPINIONS ON THINGS THEY PROBABLY
DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
FOR INSTANCE, YOU HAVE THE
SENATE AND HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, THE PRESIDENT
-- I AM SORRY, I AM NERVOUS.
THEY NEED TO BE MORE RESPECTFUL
TO THE PRESIDENTND THEY NEED
TO LISTEN TO HOW THINGS WORK,
AND UNDERSTAND, BEFORE THEY FORM
AN OPINION.
I THINK THE PRESIDEAS A LOT
OF GOOD IDEAS.
IF PEOPLE IN THE SENATE ARE
GOING TO TAKE SIDES AND BLOCK
EVERYTHING, THEN THEY NEED TO
GO.
I HAVE TO AN MBA, I AM
UNEMPLOYED, AND I AM ABOUT TO LOSE MY INSURANCE.
HOST: THANK YOU.
WHY IS THE STATE OF THE UNION IN
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
CHAMBER?
GUEST: SIMPLY, THERE ARE NOT
ENOUGH SEATS IN THE SENATE TO
ACCOMMODATE ALL THE MEMBERS.
YOU HAVE 100 MEMBERS OF THE
SENATE, 438 IN THE HOUSE,
MEMBERS OF THE CABINET, SUPREME
COURT, MEMBERS OF THE
AMBASSADORIAL CABINET THAT MAY
ALSO BE THERE.
PHYSICALLY, THE ONLY PLACE THAT
YOU COULD DO IT IS IN THE
CHAMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
HOST: HILLARY CLINTON WILL NOT
BE AT THE SPEECH TONIGHT BECAUSE
SHE WILL BE IN LONDON DOING HER JOB.
IS THAT UNPRECEDENTED?
GUEST: NO, NOT AT ALL.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PT
DECADE IS ONE MEMBER OF THE
CABINET IS DESIGNATED AS THE
CATASTROPHE CABINET MEMBER, IF
SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN, GOD
FORBID.
THERE HAS TO BE ONE MEMBER
PHYSICALLY NOT PRESENT SO THAT
GOVERNMENT CAN CARRY ON.
THAT IS THE ROLE SHE IS PLAYING
NOW.
HOST: SEATED IN THE CHAMBER WILL
BE MEMBERS AND FORMER MEMBERS OF
THE HOUSE AND SENATE.
THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME
COURT WILL ALSO BE THERE.
GUEST: IT IS A RELATIVELY
RECENT PRINCIPLE, BUT PROBABLY IMPORTANT.
HOST: NEXT PHONE CALL.
BETTY FROM CALIFORNIA.
DEMOCRAT LINE.
CALLER: I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW
THE REPUBLICANS -- IT IS NOT ONE
THING THAT THE PRESIDENT SAIOR
DID THATHEY STOOD WITH HIM.
DEMOCRATS RESPECTED BUSH WHEN HE WAS IN OFFICE.
I THINK OBAMA, HE SAID HE WAS
BIPARTISAN, BUT I THINK WHAT HE
WANTED WAS FOR THEM TO GIVE HIM
IDEAS AND THAT HE WOULD EVALUATE
THEM, NOT THEM TAKING OVER HIS PROGRAM.
IF HE DOES NOT DO EXACTLY WHAT
THEY SAY, AND THEY WOULD THROW
IT OUT.
I WONDER WHY THEY DO THAT.
THEY HAVE NOT BANDED TOGETHER TO
DO ANYTHING TO HELP THE COUNTRY.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE INTERESTED
IN.
WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN PARTISAN FIGHTS.
I WAS WONDERING, WHEN ARE THEY
GOING TO STOP FIGHTING, FOR THE
SAKE OF THE PEOPLE?
HOST: REPUBLICANS WILL BE GIVING
A RESPONSE TO THE STATE OF THE UNION TONIGHT.
THAT WILL BE DELIVERED BY BOB
MACDONALD OF VIRGINIA.
WILL BE TALKING, PRESUMABLY,
ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN AGENDA.
WHY IS IT THAT THE OPPOSING
PARTY GIVES A RESPONSE AFTER
THE PRESIDENT DELIVERS HIS STATE OF THE UNION?
GUEST: THAT IS A FAIRLY RECENT
PHENOMENON, TOO.
THE IDEA IS NOT EQUAL TIME IS NOT FAIR TIME.
IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE WATCH AND FOR
ONE HOUR, IT IS BASICALLY THE
POLITICAL JUNKIES, THE PEOPLE
WHO WATCH C-SPAN, WHO WILL BE
WATCHING THE RESPONSE FROM THE
OPPOSING PARTY.
HOST: THE MOST RECENT RESPONSE
COMING FROM AND LOUISIANA
GOVERNOR.
HE WAS CRITICIZED HEAVILY FOR
HIS RESPONSE TO IDENT
OBAMA, THE WAY HE CAME OUT, THE
WAY HE WAS SPEAKING.
TALK ABOUT THAT.
AS FAR AS MESSAGE, WHAT CAN THE
OTHER PARTIES DO IN ORDER TO COMPETE?
GUEST: YOU ARE REFERRING TO
BOBBY JINDAL.
A LOT OF REPUBLICANS WOULD SAY
THAT HE IS OUR NEXT HOPE FOR THE
ELECTION, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS
NOT THE WORDS THAT HE SAID.
IT WAS HIS STAGING.
HE CAME DOWN THE STAIRWELL.
THE SITUATION WAS ENTIRELY
WRONG FOR A RESPONSE TO THE
PRESIDENT.
IF YOU ARE SITTING IN A STUDIO,
THAT IS PROBABLY THE BEST THING
YOU CAN DO WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE
STANDING BEHIND YOU, YOU CAN
NEVER CONTROL WHAT IS HAPPENING
BEHIND YOU.
THE SETTING WAS WRONG, THE WAY
HE DELIVERED THE SPEECH WAS
WRONG.
IT LEFT REPUBLICANS FLATFOOTED
AND CRITICS WERE SAYING, THAT
WAS DONE VERY GOOD AT ALL.
HOST: JIM ON THE REPUBLICAN
LINE.
CALLER: THIS GUY IS A
KNUCKLEHEAD.
HE IS A PROFESSOR BUT HE IS A
PIECE OF JUNK.
HOST: NEXT PHONE CALL.
MY APOLOGIES FOR THE NAME CALLING.
CALLER: HELLO?
GOOD MORNING, GRE.
NOT HAVE BEEN IN THIS COUNTRY
FOR 20 YEARS.
I AM FROM JAMAICA.
HOST: WE ARE GOING TO PUT YOU ON HOLD.
AS A REMINDER, YOU HAVE TO TURN
YOUR TELEVISION DOWN.
PETER FROM NEW YORK.
DEMOCRAT LINE.
CALLER: THANK YOU.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT PERSON WHO
EXPRESSED WHAT HE FEELS ABOUT
YOU, I DO NOT THINK THAT IS RIGHT.
BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT THE
PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE WITH THIS
CONVERSATION.
I DID NOT REALLY CARE WHEN THE
HIGH DEFINITION BROADCASTS OF
THE STATE OF THE UNION WAS.
I WANT YOU TO DISCUSS THE STATE OF THE UNION.
OBAMA IS GOING INTO A CHAMBER
THAT IS SO SELF-RIDICULING, WHEN
YOU HAVE CHIEF JUSTICES WHO SAY
THAT IT IS OK FOR CHINESE OR
FILIPINOS TO SPEND AS MUCH AS
THE ONE ON THE ELECTION.
BARACK OBAMA, WHO WORKED HARD TO
GET ELECTED, WALKING IN AND
LKING ABOUT CONTROLLING COSTS
, WHEN ON THE FIRST DAY HE CAME
IN HE COHAVE GOTTEN THAT
MEDICARE BILL REPEALED.
THE FUNDAMENTAL STATE OF OUR
UNION NEEDS TO BE FLAWED WHEN NO
ONE WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
THE STATE OF OUR UNION, BUT
JUST TOLD THE IDEOLOGICAL OR
BUSINESS TIES AS THE MOTIVATION
FOR THEIR LIVES, AS OPPOSED TO
THE FOUNDING FATHERS.
GUEST: THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT.
IE EXPRESSING
SUPPORT FOR DESIGNATION OF
JANUARY AS POVERTY IN AMERICA
AWARENESS MONTH.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
QUESTION IS WILL THE HOUSE
SUSPEND THE RULES AND AGREE TO
THE RESOLUTION.
MEMBERS WILL RECORD THEIR VOTES
BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE.
THIS IS A FIVE-MINUTE VOTE.
[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING
INSTITUTE, INC., IN COATION WITH
REPRESENTATIVES.
ANY USE OF THE CLOSED-CAPTIONED COVERAGE OF THE HOUSE
PROCEEDINGS FOR POLITICAL OR
COMMERCIAL PURPOSES IS
EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED BY THE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.]HOST: REP CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, WHAT
DO YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM THE
PRESIDENT?
GUEST: AND LITTLE RECAP OF WHERE
WE HAVE BEEN THE LAST YEAR.
THE PRESIDENT WILL POINT OUT A
YEAR AGO THE ECONOMY WAS IN THE
FREE FALL AND WILL STABILIZE BUT
NOT YET TURNED THE CORNER.
ITAS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT
TO HEAR IS WHAT IS THE PLAN
GOING FORWARD.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT WILL TALK
ABOUT JOBS, ACCELERATING JOBS,
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE FISCAL
DISCIPLINE IN THE OUT YEARS,
THAT WE HOLD WALL STREET
ACCOUNTABLE, AND TALK ABOUT SOME
OF HIS PROPOSALS FOR
ACCOMPLISHING THOSE OBJECTIVES.
IN ADDITION TO THE COMPLETION OF
HEALTH CARE REFORM.
HOST: ON HEALTH CARE REFORM,
POLLS ARE SHOWING AMERICANS WANT
THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS,
DEMOCRATS, TO STOP FOCUSING ON
HEALTH CARE AND SWITCHING THEIR
FOCUS TO JOBS.
THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS,
ACCORDING TO PAPERS THIS MORNING
-- YOU ALL HAVE NOT GIVEN UP ON
HEALTH CARE AND YOU DON'T WANT
THE PRESIDENT TO GIVE UP ON IT.
HOW DO YOU SQUARE THE TWO
THINGS?
GUEST: WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON
JOBS SENT DAY ONE.
ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN WAS ABOUT
MAKING THE INVESTMENTS IN THE
ECONOMY NECESSARY TO STABILIZE
AND GET US OUT OF FREE FALL, AND
THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
WE ARE OUT A FREE FALL.
NOW WE NEED TO TURN THE CORNER
WHICH IS WHY THE HOUSE PASSED IN
DECEMBER A JOBS BILL AND THE
PRESIDENT I THINK WILL TALK
ABOUT IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF
THAT INVESTMENT IN
INFRASTRUCTURE, HE WILL TALK
ABOUT MIDDLE-CLASS TAX RELIEF
AND TAX CREDITS, JOB CREATION.
IT IN HEALTH CARE COSTS UNDER
CONTROL IS AN IMPORTANT PART,
MAKING SURE WE HAVE A STRONG
ECONOMIC FOUNDATION.
INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES,
BUSINESSES, PREMIUMS ARE GOING
THROUGH THE ROOF AND THE FEDERAL
DEFICIT WILL BE BAD IN THE
FUTURE IF WE DON'T GET HEALTH
CARE COSTS UNDER CONTROL.
THIS BILL, AS CBO HAS FOUND,
WILL REDUCE THE DEFICIT AND OVER
A PERIOD OF TIME.
IF WE ARE INTERESTED IN FISCAL
STABILITY IN THE OUT YEARS WE
NEED TO GET THE SKYROCKETING
HEALTH-CARE COSTS UNDER CONTROL.
HOST: IF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
DOES NOT BELIEVE - IS THERE A
MESSAGE PROBLEM?
HOST: OF THE DEBATE ON HEALTH
CARE HAS CLEARLY DOMINATED.
IT IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET IT RIGHT.
BUT THE FACT WE HAVE BEEN MOVING
FORWARD ON JOBS INITIATIVES
DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME I
THINK HAS BEEN PARTLY LOST BY
THE MEDIA COVERAGE OF HEALTH
CARE, THE TWISTS AND TURNS OF THAT DEBATE.
I THINK IT WILL BE VERY
IMPORTANT GOING FORWARD.
AS WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON JOBS
AND PASS ADDITIONAL JOBS
MEASURES, LET PEOPLE KNOW WE ARE
FOCUS LIKE A LASER BEAM ON THESE
ISSUES.
AGAIN, THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY
BILL HAS SUCCEEDED IN GETTING US
OUT OF A FREE-FALL.
THE ECONOMY WAS DECLINING AT A
RATE OF 6.5% THIS TIME LAST
YEAR.
NOW THE ECONOMY IS SHOWING
POSITIVE GROWTH.
IT JOBS WERE JUST GOING THROUGH
THE FLOOR.
NOW, WHAT WE HAVE NOT ONLY
RECOVERED AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN
POSITIVE JOBS GROWTH, AT LEAST
WE ARE NOT LOSING 700 AND DID IT
THOUSAND JOBS A MONTH LIKE THIS
TIME LAST YEAR.
AND THE STOCK MARKET HAS
OBOUSLY RECOVERED COMPARED TO
WHAT IT WAS.
THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN MAGICALLY
APPEARED IT IS THE RESULT OF
ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN.
WERE THEY SUFFICIENT?
NO, THAT IS WHY WE WILL CONTINUE
TO TAKE STEPS.
ALL NUMBERS --
HERE IS THE HEADLINE IN "THE
FINANCIAL TIMES" THIS MORNING.
"LIBERAL UNEASE AT OBAMA."
FRONTPAGE.
HERE IS SOMETHING IN THE STORY
THIS MORNING AND "THE WASHINGTON
POST," SOME QUOTES FROM THE
LIBERAL BLOGS.
IT IS OFFICIAL, OBAMA IS AN
IDIOT.
BROCK HERBERT HOOVER OBAMA.
AND OBAMA LIQUIDATES HIMSELF.
OBAMA'S SELF-INFLICTED LOBOTOMY
IT PROCEEDS APACE.
IT IS THE PRESIDENT RISKING
ALIENATING THE LIBERAL BASE
BEFORE THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS?
ANY CONCERNS, THE BASE YOU NEED
TO TURN OUT ON ELECTION DAY?
GUEST:: THE BASE, I THINK, WANTS
TO SEE THE ECONOMY RECOVER AS
FAST AS ANYBODY AND THAT IS WHY
THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN FOCUSED
ON JOB CREATION AND HAS MADE A
POINT AND SAYING THE MOST THE
POOR THING WE NEED TO DO TO
IMPROVE THE DEFICIT SITUATION IS
TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO WORK.
WE WANT TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO
WORK SO THAT THEY CAN PAY THE
BILLS AND MEET THE RENT
PAYMENTS, BUT ALSO IF PEOPLE ARE
NOT BACK TO WORK, OBVIOUSLY THE DEFICIT WILL CONTINUE TO GET
WORSE.
SO, THAT HAS TO BE JOB NUMBER
ONE.
BUT WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING
HERE IS WE ALSO NEED TO GET OUR
LONG-TERM FISCAL HOUSE IN ORDER,
AND WE HAVE TAKEN A NUMBER OF
STEPS.
AND THE USE WE ARE WORKING
VERY HARD TO PASS WHAT WE CALL
PAY AS YOU GO.
IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND,
TO LAUNCH A NEW PROGRAM WILL
HAVE TO FIND REDUCTIONS
ELSEWHERE OR SOME WAY TO PAY
FOR, LIKE A FAMILY HAS TO PAY FOR THINGS.
THE PRESIDENT WILL PROBABLY
ANNOUNCE THE CREATION OF A
COMMISSION TO DEVELOP
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEFICIT
REDUCTION.
I BELIEVE THIS IDEA OF A FREEZE
IN THE BUDGET GROWTH IS A GOOD
ONE.
THE PRESIDENT HAS POINTED OUT
THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU FREEZE
EVERY INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM.
HE WILL INCREASE EDUCATION.
BUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO INCREASE
ONE COMPONENT, YOU HAVE TO FIND
AND OFFSET THE ONE FORWARD.
HOST: JONES' BILL, SOUTH
CAROLINA.
WALTER ON THE LINE FOR DEMOCRATS
-- JONESVILLE CALLER: I KEEP
HEARING THE PRESIDENT NEEDS TO
STOP FOCUSING ON HEALTH CARE BUT
FOCUS ON BS.
WE LOST OUR JOBS TO COUNTRIES
THAT HAVE HEALTH CARE AND WE
WILL NOT GET OUR JOBS BACK UNTIL
WE FIX HEALTH CARE.
HEALTH CARE COMES FIRST, THEN THE BS.
I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT.
IT GUEST: YOU MAKE A VERY
2/3 AVING RESPONDED IN THE
AFFIRMATIVE, THE RULES ARE
SUSPENDED, THE RESOLUTION IS AGREED TO AND WITHOUT OBJECTION
THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER IS
LAID ON THE TABLE.
THE CHAIR WOULD ASK MEMBERS TO
PLEASE CLEAR THE WELL AND CLEAR
THE AISLES SO WE CAN BEGIN WITH
SUSPEND BILLS.
-- SUSPENSION BILLS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR REQUESTS THAT MEMBERS
PLEASE TAKE THEIR CONVERSATION
OFF THE FLOOR.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 8 OF RULE 20, THE CHAIR WILL POSTPONE
FURTHER PROCEEDINGS TODAY ON
THE MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES
ON WHICH A RECORDED VOTE ON THE
YEAS AND NAYS ARE ORDERED OR ON
WHICH THE VOTE INCURS OBJECTION
OF CLAUSE 6 OF RULE 20.
RECORDED VOTES ON POSTPONED
QUESTIS WILL BE TAKEN LATER.
THE CHAIR WOULD ASK T MEMBERS
TO THE RIGHT OF THE CHAIR TO
PLEASE TAKE THEIR CONVERSATION
OFF THE FLOOR.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK RISE?
MS.ELAZQUEZ: MADAM SPEAKER, I
NOW MOVE THAT THE HOUSE SUSPEND
THE RULES AND PASS H.R. 4508.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
CLERK WILL REPORT THE TITLE OF THE BILL.
THE CLERK: H.R. 4508, A BILL TO
PROVIDE FOR AN ADDITIONAL
TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF PROGRAMS UNDER THE SMALL BUSINESS ACT
AND THE SMALL BUSINESS
INVESTMENT ACT OF 1958.
D FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
PURSUANT TO THE RULE, THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK, MS.
VELAZQUEZ, AND THE GENTLEMAN
FROM MISSOURI, MR. GRAVES, WILL
EACH CONTROL 20 MINUTES.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
IF SHE'D SUSPEND FOR A MINUTE,
THE CHAIR RESPECTIVELY REQUESTS
THAT MEMBERS TO THE RIGHT OF
THE CHAIR PLEASE TAKE THEIR
CONVERSATIONS OFF THE FLOOR SO
THAT WE CAN PROCEED WITH
BUSINESS.
THANK YOU.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
MS. VELAZQUEZ: THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER.
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT
ALL MEMBERS MAY HAVE FIVE LEGISLATIVE DAYS TO REVISE AND
EXTEND THEIR REMARKS AND
INCLUDE EXTRANEOUS MATERIAL ON
THE BI UNDER CONSIDERATION.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
MS. VELAZQUEZ: MADAM SPEAKER, I
YIELD MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I MAY
CONSUME.
AS WE WORKED TO FOSTER JOB
GROWTH, SMALL BUSINESSES WILL
BE CENTRAL TO THE CREATION.
TIME AND AGAIN WHEN AMERICANS
FACE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY THEY
RESPOND WITH INNOVATIVE IDEAS
AND NEW VENTURES.
WHILE LARGER COMPANIES ARE
SLOWER TO REVERSE THE TREND AND
START HIRING AGAIN, SMALL FIRMS
ARE OFTEN MORE IN LIMBO AND CAN
LEAD US OUT OF DOWNTURN MORE QUICKLY.
MADAM SPEAKER, THE HOUSE IS NOT
IN ORDER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN IS CORRECT.
THE HOUSE IS NOT IN ORDER.
THE CHAIR HAS ASKED SEVEL
TIMES THAT THE HOUSE COME TO
ORDER.
WILL MEMBERS PLEASE TAKE THEIR
CONVERSATIONS, MEMBERS AND
STAFF ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
AISLE, TAKE YOUR CONVERSATIONS
OFF THE FLOOR SO THAT THE
GENTLEWOMAN AND THE GENTLEMAN
CAN BE HEARD ON THIS BILL.
THE GENTLEWOMAN WILL PROCEED.
MS. VELAZQUEZ: THANK YOU.
FOR MANY DISLOCATED WORKERS,
STARTING A NEW BUSINESS CAN
HELP PAY THE BILLS AND EVEN
LAUNCH A NEW CAREER.
HOWEVER, FOR ENTREPRENEURS TO
FULFILL THEIR TRADITIONAL ROLE
AS JOB CREATORS, THEY NEED THE
RIGHT TOOLS.
THE LEGISLATION BEFORE US TODAY
WILL EXTEND PROGRAMS AT THE
S.B.A. THAT HELP NEW BUSINESSES
FORM AND EXISTING FIRMS GROW.
THIS BILL EXTENDS SOME OF THE
AGENCY'S MOST VALUABLE EFFORTS,
RE-AUTHORIZING CERTAIN CAPITAL
ACCESS PROGRAMS WILL HELP SMALL
BUSINESSES SURVIVE THE CREDIT
CRUNCH.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE HOUSE
PASSED LEGISLATION TO
STRENGTHEN THOSE INITIATIVES.
WE HAVE ALSO APPROVED BILLS
RE-AUTHORIZING THE SMALL
BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH
INITIATIVE.
HOWEVER, BEFORE THESE MEASURES
ARE UPDATED, THEY WILL HAVE TO
BE EXTENDED.
H.R. 4508 ENSURES THESE
PROGRAMS CONTINUE OPERATING AS
WE KEEP WORKING WITH THE SENATE
TO FULLY UPDATE THEM.
THIS BILL IS NOT A
COMPREHENSIVE RE-AUTHORIZATION,
BUT IT DOES REPRESENT ANOTHER
STEP TOWARD A MORE PRUDENT
SOLUTION.
GIVEN THE VITAL ROLE THAT SMALL
BUSINESSES PLAY IN OUR ECONOMY,
WE CANNOT AFFORD ANY OF THE
S.B.A. SERVICES TO LAPSE.
I THEREFORE URGE MY COLLEAGUES
TO VOTE YES AND RESERVE THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN RESERVES THE
BALANCE OF HER TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM MISSOURI.
.
>> I RISE TO SUPPORT THE RULE.
THE BILL IS A STRAIGHTFORWARD
AND CLEAN EXTENSION THAT
PROLONGS THE AUTHORIZATION OF
ALL PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED BY THE
SMALL BUSINESS ACT.
SMALL BUSINESS INVESTMENT ACT,
AND ANY PROGRAM OPERATED BY THE
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
WHICH CONGRESS HAS ALREADY
APPROPRIATED THE FUNDS.
THIS EXTENSION WILL LAST UNTIL
APRIL 30, 2010.
THIS LEGISLATION IS ESSENTIAL
BECAUSE AUTHORIZATION FOR
VARIOUS PROGRAMS OPERATED BY THE
S.B.A. EXPIRES ON JANUARY 31 OF
THIS YEAR.
OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS OUR
COMMITTEE HAS WORKED IN A
BIPARTISAN FASHION REPORTED OUT
A NUMBER OF BILLS TO
RE-AUTHORIZE AND EXTEND PROGRAMS
AT THE S.B.A., THE EXTENSION
PASSED LATE LAST YEAR WILL
EXPIRE BEFORE THE LEMMING
PROCESS CAN RUN ITS COURSE.
WITHOUT ENACTMENT OF THIS
EXTENSION, A VITAL NUMBER OF
PROGRAMS THAT THE S.B.A.
OPERATES WOULD CEASE TO FINANCIAL.
GIVEN THE CONTINUED IMPORTANCE
OF THE SMALL BUSINESS --
BUSINESSES PLAY IN THE
REVITALIZATION OF THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY, WE SIMPLY CANNOT ALLOW
THE S.B.A. AUTHORIZATIONS TO RUN
OUT.
THE WORK NEEDED TO HELP
AMERICA'S ENTREPRENEURS
REVITALIZE THE ECONOMY SIMPLY
CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT
THE TIME FRAME -- WITHIN THE
TIME FRAME OUTLINED IN THE
CURRENT LEGISLATION.
WE NOT ONLY NEED TO RE-AUTHORIZE
THESE CRITICAL PROGRAMS, BUT
ALSO UPDATE THEM TO RESPOND TO
NEW ECONOMIC CONDITIONS.
THE EXTRA TIME CONTAINED IN THIS
LEGISLATION ALLOWS US TO FULLY
EXPLORE AND IMPLEMENT THE IDEAS
THAT WILL GIVE OUR NATION THE
ENTREPRENEURS THE TOOLS THEY
NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
PASSAGE OF THIS LEGISLATION WILL
ENABLE THE HOUSE AND SENATE TO
CONTINUE TO WORK IN A MANNER TO
ADDRESS NECESSARY CHANGES TO S.B.A. PROGRAMS.
I URGE ALL MY COLLEAGUES TO
SUSPEND THE RULES AND PASS H.R.
4508.
MADAM SPEAKER, I RESERVE THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO MPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN RESERVES THE BALANCE
OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
MS. VELAZQUEZ: MADAM SPEAKER, I
YIELD AS MUCH TI AS HE MAY
CONSUME, MR. DAVID WU FROM OREGON.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM OREGON IS
RECOGNIZED.
MR. WU: THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER.
I RISE IN SOMEWHAT RELUCTANT
SUPPO OF THIS LEGISLATION.
WHICH TEMPORARILY, AMONG OTHER
THINGS, EXTENDS THE SMALL
BUSINESS INNOVATIVE RESEARCH AND
SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFER PROGRAMS.
THE TRUTH IS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE
RE-AUTHORIZED THESE PROGRAMS
LONG AGO.
AND WE SHOULD NOT BE DRAGGING
THIS PROCESS OUT, BUT THAT IS
NOT A PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN
THIS CHAMBER.
IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THESE INNOVATION
PROGRAMS INVEST IN SMALL
BUSINESSES, THE ONES BEST
POSITIONED TO DRIVE ECONOMIC
GROWTH AND TO CREATE NEW JOBS.
INNOVATION IS THE KEY TO
RESUSCITATING OUR ALIEN ECONOMY
AND TO CREATING GOOD FAMILY-WAGE
JOBS FOR THE AMERICAN MIDDLE
CLASS.
BY INVESTING IN INNOVATION, SBIR
AND SPTR CREATE MORE THAN
GOOD-PAYING JOBS, THEY ENCOURAGE
THE DEVELOPMENT OF GROWTH
INDUSTRIES.
AND THAT, MADAM SPEAKER, IS WHAT
OUR NATION NEEDS MOST.
APPLE, MICROSOFT, RESEARCH IN
MOTION L STARTED OUT AS
CUTTING-EDGE SMALL BUSINESSES.
THESE CREATIVE HIGH-TECH
COMPANIES SPURRED NEW
INDUSTRIES, NEW JOBS, NEW
TECHNOLOGIES THAT NOW EMPLOY
HUNDRS OF THOUSANDS OF
AMERICANS.
BY FACILITATING CREATIVE
RENEWAL, SBIP AND SPTR ARE NO
ONLY HELPING GUIDE OUR ECONOMY
OUT OF RECESSION, THEY ARE
BUILDING OUR NATION'S CAPACITY
TO THRIVE IN A VERY COMPETITIVE
GLOBAL ECONOMY.
SBIR AND SPTR HAVE A PROVEN
TRACK RECORD OF OVER 25 YEARS
SUCCESS IN CREATING GOOD-PAYING
JOBS IN HIGH-GROWTH INDUSTRIES
AND WE MUST CONTINUE OUR
COMMITMENT TO THESE PROGRAMS AND
RE-AUTHORIZE THEM IMMEDIATELY.
BUT WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO FUEL
THE 21ST CENTURY ECONOMY WITH
20TH CENTURY PROGRAMS.
WE MUST MODERNIZE SBIR AND SPTR
SO THEY CAN MEET THEIR POTENTIAL
AS INNOVATION KATJA LISTS.
SOME OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE
SIMPLE LIKE MAKING AWARDS MORE
REFLECTIVE OF TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT COSTS.
OTHERS LIKE ENSURING THAT OUR
MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR PUBLIC INVESTMENTS
REGARDLESS OF THEIR CAPITAL
STRUCTURE REQUIRE A MORE NUANCED
APPROACH.
THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
COMMITTEE AND THE SMALL BUSINESS
COMMITTEE LED BY MY COLLEAGUE
CHAIRWOMAN VELAZQUEZ HAVE BEEN
WORKING HARD WITH OUR SENATE
COLLEAGUES TO STRIKE THE RIGHT
BALANCE FOR THESE IMPROVEMENTS.
WE ARE NOT THERE YET, BUT I AM
CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL GET THERE.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE MUST PASS
TODAY'S TEMPORARY EXTENSION.
MADAM SPEAKER, I URGE SUPPORT OF
THIS BILL AND ITS SWIFT PASSAGE.
THANK YOU.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME. THE GENTLEMAN FROM MISSOURI.
MR. GRAVES: THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER.
MADAM SPEAKER, I WOULD LIKE TO ASSOCIATE MYSELF WITH THE WORDS
OF THE GENTLEMAN FROM OREGON.
IT'S NOT THIS CHAMBER'S FAULT WE
HAVE TO PASS AN EXTENSION
RE-AUTHORIZATION SHOULD BE FUNNISHED BY NOW.
BUT I WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR
WOMAN FOR ALL HER WORK AND THE
COMMITTEE AND THE WORK THAT WE
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SO
FAR OUT OF COMMITTEE
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME. THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
MS. VELAZQUEZ: MADAM SPEAKER, I
YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
QUESTION WILL BE THE HOUSE
SUSPEND THE RULES AND PASS H.R.
4508, SO MANY AS ARE IN FAVOR
SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
IN THE OPINION OF THE CHAIR, 2/3
OF THOSE VOTING HAVING RESPONDED
IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, THE RULES
ARE SUSPENDED, THE BILL IS
PASSED, AND WITHOUT OBJECTION
THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER IS LAID
UPON THE TABLE.
MS. VELAZQUEZ: I ASK FOR A
RECORDED VOTE.
I ASK FOR THE YEAS AND NAYS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
YEAS AND NAYS ARE REQUESTED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF TAKING
THIS VOTE BY THE YEAS AND NAYS
WILL RISE AND REMAIN STANDING
UNTIL COUNTED.
A SUFFICIENT NUMBER HAVING
ARISEN, THE YEAS AND NAYS ARE
ORDERED.
PURSUANT TO CLAU 8 OF RULE 20,
THE CHAIR'S PRIOR ANNOUNCEMENT,
FURTHER PROCEEDINGS ON THIS
MOTION WILL BE POSTPONED.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DS THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS RISE?
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: MADAM SPEAKER,
I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND
PASS HOUSE RESOLUTION 10.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
CLERK WILL REPORT THE TITLE OF THE RESOLUTION.
THE CLERK: HOUSE RESOLUTION
1020, RESOLUTION HONORING THE
95TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING
OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL
PARK ACT.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
PURSUANT TO THE RULE, THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS, MRS. CHRISTENSEN, AND
THE GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON,
MR. HASTINGS, WILL EACH CONTROL
20 MINUTES.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: THANK YOU,
MADAM SPEAKER.
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT ALL
MEMBERS MAY HAVE FIVE
LEGISLATIVE DAYS TO REVISE AND
EXTEND THEIR REMARKS AND INCLUDE
EXTRANEOUS MATERIAL ON THE
RESOLUTION UNDER CONSIDERATION.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: THANK YOU.
I YIELD MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I
MAY CONSUME.
MADAM SPEAKER, THIS RESOLUTION
TO HONOR THE 95TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:ING OF
THE ACT THAT CREATED ROCKY
MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK WAS
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE
BETSY MARKEY AND THE ENTIRE
COLORADO DELEGATION.
PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON SIGNED
THE ACT ON JANUARY 26, 1915
CREATING A PARK THAT PRESERVES A
REMARKABLE BEAUTY OF SOME OF THE
HIGHEST PEAKS IN THE CONTINENTAL
UNITED STATES.
SOME THREE MILLION PEOPLE VISIT
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
EACH YEAR, MAKING IT ONE OF THE
TOP 10 MOST VISITED PARKS,
NATIONAL PARKS IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR,
CONGRESS PASSED AND PRESIDENT
OBAMA SIGNED LEGISLATION
DESIGNATING MUCH OF THE PARK'S
MAJESTIC TERRAIN AS WILDERNESS.
MARKING THE CULMINATION OF
DECADES OF WORK BY MANY
COMMITTED PARK SUPPORTERS.
THEREFORE, MADAM SPEAKER, IT'S
APPROPRIATE TO MARK THIS
IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARY FROM ROCKY
MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK AND I
COMMEND REPRESENTATIVE MARKEY
FOR INTRODUCING THIS RESOLUTION.
I ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT
THE PASSAGE OF THIS MEASURE AND
I RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLELADY RESERVES THE BALANCE OF HER TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON IS
RECOGNIZED.
MR. HASTINGS: MR. SPEAKER --
MADAM SPEAKER, I YIELD MYSELF 15 SECONDS.
HOUSE RESOLUTION 1020 HAS BEEN ADEQUATELY EXPLAINED BY THE
MAJORITY AND WE HAVE NO
OBJECTION TO THIS RESOLUTION.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS IS RECOGNIZED.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: MADAM SPEAKER,
THIS BILL AS WE SAID IS -- THIS
RESOLUTION IS AN IMPORTANT
RESOLUTION MARKING THE
ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROCKY
MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK.
I HAD HOPED I WOULD HAVE ANOTHER
SPEAKER.
AT THIS TIME, MADAM SPEAKER, NOT
SEEING ANY OTHER SPEAKERS ON MY
SIDE, I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE
OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. HASTINGS: I YIELD BACK MY
TIME ALSO, MADAM SPEAKER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: I YIELDED
BACK.
MR. HASTINGS: MADAM SPEAKER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO RECLAIM HIS TIME.
MR. HASTINGS: I ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO RECLAIM MY TIME AND UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE
GENTLELADY FROM THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS HAS HER TIME ALSO.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: ANY OBJECTION?
SEEING NONE.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: I HAVE NO
OBJECTION.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. HASTINGS: I'M PLEASED TO
YIELD TWO MINUTES TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM GEORGIA.
SUCH TIME HE MAY CONSUME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM GEORGIA IS
YIELDED AS MUCH TIME AS HE MAY CONSUME.
MR. KINGSTON: I THANK THE
SPEAKER AND THE GENTLEMAN FROM
WASHINGTON AND THE GENTLEWOMAN
FROM THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.
I HAD A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS
BILL BECAUSE I HAVE SPENT SO
MANY WONDERFUL HOURS AT THE
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK.
MY FAMILY HAS BEEN GOING THERE
OFF AND ON FOR NEARLY 25 YEARS,
ABOUT ONCE A YEAR.
I CAN TELL YOU THERE IS NOT A
GREATER PLAYGROUND IN THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA IF YOU LIKE
THE OUTDOORS, IF YOU LIKE ELK,
IF YOU LIKE MULE DEER, IF YOU
LIKE FAMILY.
IF YOU LIKE TO GET OUT AND
EXERCISE AND DO THE FRESH AIR.
I HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF
HIKING UP LONG PEAK THREE TIMES
AND THOSE OF YOU OUT WEST ARE
VERY FAMILIAR.
FOR SOMEBODY WHO COMES FROM ZERO
SEA LEVEL IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA,
TO GO 14,000 FEET IN ALTITUDE UP
IN THE TUN BRA, TUNDRA STARTS AT
11,000, IT IS SUCH A GREAT
THRILL TO GO THROUGH THE KEY
HOLE, TO GO THROUGH THE NARROWS,
TO GO THROUGH THE BOULDER FIELD
TO GET ON THE SUMMIT OF LONG
PEEK AND -- PEAK AND LOOK OUT
FOR MILES AND MILES.
I ALSO CLIMBED FLAT TOP
MOUNTAIN, OTIS, EPISLON MOUNTAIN
AND OTHERS. SO MANY TIMES DOING THAT I HAVE
DONE IT WITH MY FAMILY, MY
COUSINS, MY SMALL CHILDREN, NOW MY GROWN CHILDREN.
I HAD A COUPLE OF THEM UP ON
LONG WITH ME.
MY MOTHER WHO IS NOW IN HER 80'S
WAS THE ONE WHO FIRST GOT
ADDICTED TO ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK.
WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY MANY
YEARS AGO TO GO TO CABIN LAKE
TOGETHER.
I REMEMBER MY MOTHER WAS
PROBABLY IN HER 70'S AT THE
TIME.
BUT THAT IS A GREAT HIKE.
THEY ACTUALLY RATE HIKES IN
TERMS OF A, B, AND C.
A, THE MOST DIFFICULT.
C BEING MODERATELY TOUGH HIKE.
AND CABIN LAKE IS ONE OF THOSE.
MY MOTHER HAS BEEN ALL OVER THE
ROCKIES AS HAS MY SISTER, JEAN.
BOTH IN SNOWSHOES, BOTH IN
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIS AND TENNIS
SHOES AND HIKING BOOTS.
I HAVE GONE TROUT FISHING THERE
MANY TIMES WITH MY CHILDHOOD
FRIEND.
AND IT KIND OF DISCOURAGEDING
FOR ME TO RELEASE TROUT BUT I
UNDERSTAND THE BIG PICTURE.
IT HAS BEEN FUN.
I PHOTOGRAPHED ELK AND THE DEER
AND LOOK FOR MARMUTS ON THE PEAK
AND I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH
WHAT A GREAT VISION THAT MILLS
HAD, WHO IS THE FATHER OF THE
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK,
WHEN HE PROMOTED THIS TO BECOME
A NATIONAL PARK.
IT WAS HIS VISION, TISS BROTHER
JOE MILLS ALSO WAS -- HIS
BROTHER JOE MILLS WAS ALSO A
VERY PASSIONATE LOVER OF ROCKY
MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET
ENIS MILLS' DAUGHTER.
I AM SORRY TO RANT AND RAEF ON A
PERSONAL BAY -- RAVE ON A
PERSONAL BASIS ABOUT SOMETHING,
BUT I WANT TO RECOMMEND TO
ANYBODY IN CONGRESS AND ANYBODY
OUT THERE WHO IS LISTENING WHO
DOESN'T LIVE IN COLORADO, WHO
HASN'T BEEN THERE, IT IS A
WONDERFUL PLACE REGARDLESS OF
YOUR AGE, REGARDLIES OF YOUR
INTEREST.
THERE'S SOMETHING THERE FOR YOU.
AND, MADAM SPEAKER, IF YOU GUYS
ARE INTERESTED, AND I CAN TELL
YOU ARE, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE
YOU TO LET ME COME SHOW YOU MY SLIDES.
I WILL BE WILLING TO DO THAT.
WE CAN COME -- YOU-ALL CAN COME
TO MY OFFICE AND I'LL SHOW YOU
MY MANY PICTURE ALBUMS BECAUSE
IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S GREAT.
I'M GLAD WE ARE DOING THIS.
THERE'S SOME THINGS I THINK
CONGRESS DOES WELL.
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
CERTAINLY IS ONE OF THOSE GREAT
THINGS THAT CONGRESS HAS DONE ON
A BIPARTISAN BASIS AND HAVE A
LOT OF SUPPORT FOR.
I YIELD BACK AND THANK THE
GENTLEMAN FOR LETTING ME GO DOWN
THIS PERSONAL TRAIL TODAY.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMRE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK UNANIMOU
CONSENT TO RECLAIM MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: AT THIS TIME I
WOULD LIKE TO YIELD TO
CONGRESSWOMAN MARKEY SUCH TIME
AS SHE MIGHT CONSUME. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MS. MARKEY: I RISE TODAY TO URGE
MY COLLEAGUES TO VOTE FOR HOUSE
RESOLUTION 1020 TO HONOR THE
95TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRESIDENT
WOODROW WILSON SIGNING THE ROCKY
MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK.
I THANK MY COLLEAGUE FOR HIS
OFFER FOR SLIDES.
I WOULD ALSO -- I REPRESENT THIS
BEAUTIFUL DISTRICT AND I ALSO
WELCOME ANYONE TO COME AND VISIT
COLORADO AND SEE FOR YOURSELF
THIS CROWN JEWEL OF THE WEST.
THIS LEGISLATION SETASIDE
ROUGHLY 360 SQUARE MILES OF THE
SOUTHERN ROCKIES TO ESTABLISH
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK.
WHEN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
WAS ESTABLISHED, THE FOLLOWING
YEAR IN 1916, THE PARK WAS ONE
OF THE ORIGINAL 12 PARKS
TRANSFERRED TO THE AGENCY'S
CONTROL.
TODAY THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN
NATIONAL PARK REMAINS ONE OF
COLORADO'S MOST TREASURED
DESTINATIONS AND IS CONSISTENTLY
ONE OF THE TOP 10 VISITED
NATIONAL PARKS IN THE UNITED STATES.
.
IT EMBODIES THIS PRESERVATION
MOVEMENT AT THE TIME OF THE
CENTURY.
IT GES TO THE ALPINE TUNDRA
AND INCLUDES A DIVERSE TERRAIN
OF FLORA AND FAUNA.
IT REMAINS ONE OF THE LARGEST
EXAMPLE OF THE ALPINE COUNTRY
ECOSYSTEM IN THE NATIONAL PARK
SYSTEM IN THE LOWER 48 STATES
AND OFFERS INVALUABLE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR VISITORS TO
LEARN AND ENJOY THE GREAT
OUTDOORS.
ON MARCH 30, 2009, 408 SQUARE
MILES OF THE PARK WAS
DESIGNATED AS A WILDERNESS AREA
THEREBY CONFERRING THE HIGHEST
LEVEL OF CONSERVATION
PROTECTION FOR FEDERAL LANDS.
PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT
ONCE SAID, OF AL THE QUESTIONS
THAT CAN COME BEFORE THIS
NATION SHORT OF THE ACTUAL
PRESERVATION OF THIS EXISTED IN
A GREAT WAR THERE IS NONE WHICH
COMPARES IN IMPORTANCE WITH THE
GREAT CENTRAL TASK OF LEAVING
THIS LAND EVEN A BETTER LAND
FOR OUR DESCENDENTS THAT IT WAS
FOR US.
THIS WEEK WE CELEBRATE THE
FORESIGHT OF SO MANY
CALIFORNIANS TO PRESERVE THIS
MA JETIC LANDSCAPE FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS TO COME.
I URGE ALL MEMBERS TO SUPPORT
THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON IS
RECOGNIZED.
MR. HASTINGS: MADAM SPEAKER, I
REQUIRE IF THE GENTLELADY FROM
THE VIRGIN ISLANDS HAS ANY MORE SPEAKERS?
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: I HAVE NO
MORE SPEAKERS.
MR. HASTINGS: I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME. THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS IS RECOGNIZED.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: I YIELD BACK
THE BALANCE OF MY TIME. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: ALL
TIMETIME BEING YIELDED BACK,
THE QUESTION IS WILL THE HOUSE
SUSPEND THE RULES AND PASS
HOUSE RESOLUTION 1020.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
IN THE OPINION OF THE CHAIR 2/3
HAVING RESPONDED IN THE
AFFIRMATIVE, THE RULES ARE
SUSPENDED, THE RESOLUTION IS --
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: MADAM SPEAKER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: AGREED
TO AND WITHOUT OBJECTION THE
MOTION TO RECONSIDER IS LAID ON
THE TABLE. FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEWOMAN OM THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS RISE? MRS. CHRISTENSEN: MADAM
SPEAKER, TO REQUEST THE YEAS AND NAYS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
YEAS AND NAYS ARE REQUESTED.
A ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF
TAKING THIS VOTE BY THE YEAS
AND NAYS WILL RISE AND REMAIN
STANDING UNTIL COUNTED.
A SUFFICIENT NUMBER HAVING ARISEN, THYEAS AND NAYS ARE
ORDERED.
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 8 OF RULE 20 AND E CHAIR'S PRIOR
ANNOUNCEMENT, FURTHER
PROCEEDINGS ON THIS MOTION WILL
BE POSTPONED.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM WEST VIRGINIA RISE?
MR. RAHALL: MADAM SPEAKER,
PURSUANT TO HOUSE RESOLUTION
1038, I CALL UP THE BILL H.R.
4474 AND ASK FOR ITS IMMEDIATE
CONSIDERATION IN THE HOUSE. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
CLERK WILL REPORT THE TITLE OF
THE BILL.
THELERK: H.R. 4474, TO
AUTHORIZE THE CONTINUED USE OF
CERTAIN WATER DIVERSIONS
LOCATED ON NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LAND IN THE FRANK
CHURCH-RIVER OF NO RETURN
WILDERNESS AND THE SELWAY-BITTERROOT WILDERNESS IN
THE STATE OF IDAHO, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
PURSUANT TO HOUSE RESOLUTION
1038, THE BILL IS CONSIDERED AS
READ.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM WAVE, MR.
RAHALL, AND -- FROM WEST VIRGINIA, MR. RAHALL, AND THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON, MR.
HASTINGS, WILL EACH CONTROL 30
MINUTES.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WEST VIRGINIA.
MR. RAHALL: MADAM SPEAKER, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT ALL
MEMBERS MAY HAVE FIVE
LEGISLATIVE DAYS TO REVISE AND
EXTEND THEIR REMARKS AND INSERT
EXTRANEOUS MATEAL ON H.R.
4474. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN FROM WEST VIRGINIA.
MR. RAHALL: AND I YIELD MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I MAY CONSUME.
MADAM SPEAKER, I RISE IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF H.R. 4474 INTRODUCED
BY OUR COLLEAGUES, MR. WALT
MINNICK AND MIKE SIMPSON OF IDAHO.
THIS BILL WOULD AUTHORIZE THE
CONTINUED USE OF CERTAIN WATER
DIVERSIONS LOCATED IN
WILDERNESS AREAS ON NATIONAL
FOREST SYSTEM LND IN THE FRANK
CHURCH-RIVER OF NO RETURN
WILDERNESS AND THE
SELWAY-BITTERROOT WILDERNESS IN
THE STATE OF IDAHO.
THE WATER IS USED FOR A
COMBINATION OF PURPOSES
INCLUDING DRINKING WATER FOR
PRIVATE CABINS AND RANCHES.
MANY OF THE PERMITS HAVE SINCE
EXPIRED LEAVING THOSE WITHOUT
TO ME CANCALLY MAINTAIN THE
SYSTEMS -- MECHANICALLY
MAINTAIN THE SYSTEMS.
UNDER THE TERM OF THIS
LEGISLATION, THE SECRETARY OF
AGRICULTURE CAN ONLY ISSUE NEW
PERMITS IF THE OWNER
DEMONSTRATES THAT THE FACILITY
EXISTED PRIOR TO THE
DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS.
THE FACILITY HAD BEEN USED TO
DELIVER WATER TO THE OWNER OF
THE LAND.
SINCE THE DESIGNATION THE OWNER
HAD A VALID WATER RIGHT.
AND IT WOULD NOT BE PRACTICAL
TO MOVE THE FACILITY OUT OF THE
WILDERNESS AREA.
THIS IS LEGISLATION DESIGNED TO
PUT IN PLACE A REASONABLE
SOLUTION TO A CONFLICT.
MR. MINNICK AND MR. SIMPSON
OUGHT TO BE COMMENDED FOR
WORKING COOPERATIVELY AND IN A
BIPARTISAN FASHION TO CRAFT
THIS LEGISLATION.
I RESERVE THE BALAE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. HASTINGS: MADAM SPEAKER, I
YIELD MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I MAY CONSUME.
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON.
MR. HASTINGS: THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER.
MADAM SPEAKER, I WILL FIRST
SPEAK TO THE MERITS OF THIS
LEGISLATION BEFORE FOCUSING ON
THE PARTISAN REASONS WHY THE
HOUSE IS HAVING TO DEBATE THIS
BI AND THIS LEGISLATION FOR A
SECOND WEEK IN A ROW.
THIS BILL WAS ORIGINALLY
INTRODUCED BY MR. SIMPSON OF
IDAHO TO REQUIRE THE FOREST
SERVICE TO ISSUE SPECIAL USE
MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS TOWNERS
OF A SMALL NUMBER OF WATER
SYSTEMS IN TWO IDAHO WILDERNESS
AREAS.
ALTHOUGH THESE WATER DIVERSIONS
CONTINUE TO OPERATE, THEIR
OWNERS CURRENTLY LACK THE
AUTHORITY TO MAINTAIN AND
REPAIR THESE FACILITIES.
FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THESE
FACILITIES CAN HARM NOT ONLY TO
THOSE THAT DEPEND ON ACCESS TO
THE WAR THAT THESE STRUCTURES
PROVIDE BUT ALSO DAMAGE THE
ENVIRONMENT AND WATERSHED OF
THE FOREST SERVICE LAND.
H.R. 4474 WILL ALLOW THE OWNERS
OF THE EXISTING WATER SYSTEMS
TO DO THE NECESSARY
MAINTENANCE.
THE LEGISLATION IS NARROWLY
TAILORED TO APPLY TO A SMALL
NUMBER OF SITES THAT MEET
SPECIFIC CRITERIA.
QUALIFY, THE WATER DIVERSION
FACILITY MUST HAVE BEEN IN
EXISTENCE ON THE DATE THAT THE
AREA WAS DESIGNATED AS PART OF
THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS
PRESERVATION SYSTEM.
IT MUST HAVE BEEN IN
SUBSTANTIAL CONTINUOUS USE
SINCE THE DATE OF THAT
DESIGNATION AND THE ORDER OF
THE FACILITIES MUST HOLD A
VALID WATER RIGHT.
ADDITIONALLY, SITES CAN ONLY BE
COVERED BY THE BILL IF IT
CANNOT BE PRACTICAL OR FEASIBLE
TO PUT IT TO ANOER AREA AND
CONTINUE THE BENEFICIAL USE OF
WATER RECOGNIZED UNDER STATE
LAW.
THIS IS THE BILL AND POLICY
THAT I BELIEVE MERITS STRONG
SUPPORT IN THIS HOUSE.
CONGRESS NEEDS TO HAVE A
REASONABLE AND COMMONSENSE
APPROACH TO MANAGING OUR
FEDERAL LANDS.
WILDERNESS DESIGNATIONS
PRECLUDE SUCH COMMONSENSE
MANAGEMENT.
THE RESTRICTIONS ON ACTIVITY
ARE SO SEVERE AND INFLEXIBLE
THE DESIGNATION IS OFTEN
APPLIED TO UNSUITABLE LANDS,
THE PROBLEMS AND THE CONFLICTS
THAT ARISE OUT OF THAT DESIGNATION.
AND SO HERE WE ARE TODAY,
CONGRESS MUST GO BACK ONCE
AGAIN AND FIX THE PROBLEM
CREATED BY PREVIOUS WILDERNESS DESIGNATION LAW.
CONGRESS NEEDS TO EXECUTE FAR
MORE CAUTION AND CARE AND
FORETHOUGHT BEFORE DESIGNATING
WILDERNESS AREAS BEFORE YOU
LOCK UP THESE AREAS FOR HUMAN ACTIVITY.
WE OUGHT TO BE WISE ENOUGH TO
DEVISE SOUND CONSERVATION
PRACTICES ON OUR LAND WITHOUT
CREATING THE THREAT TO
NEIGHBORING FAMILIES AT POORLY
THOUGHT OUT WILDERNESS
DESIGNATION CAN BRING.
THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CANNOT
BOTH BE GOOD STEWARDS AND GOOD NEIGHBORS.
SO, MADAM SPEAKER, AS I SAID
THAT THIS IS A MATTER OF GOOD
PUBLIC POLICY AND I SUPPORT THE
CHANGES THAT THIS LEGISLATION
WILL MAKE IN THE LAW.
HOWEVER, AS A MATTER OF HOW THE
DEMOCRAT LOORDS LEADERS WHO
CONTROL THIS HOUSE ARE CHOOSING
TO OPERATE THIS HOUSE, I OBJECT
TO THE EXTREME PARTISAN
MANEUVERING SURROUNDING THIS BILL.
LAST WEEK THE HOUSE VOTED ON
THIS EXACT SAME BILL, BUT THERE
ARE ONLY TWO DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THAT BILL AND THIS
BILL.
FIRST, THIS IS A NEW BILL WITH
A NEW NUMBER.
AND SECOND, THE LEAD SPONSOR IS
NOW A DEMOCRAT INSTEAD OF A
REPUBLICAN.
LAST WEEK THIS BILL WAS H.R.
3538 SPONSORED BY REPUBLICAN
MIKE SIMPSON OF IDAHO.
TODAY, THE BILL IS NUMBERED
H.R. 4474 AND THE LEAD SPONSOR
IS DEMOCRAT WALT MINNICK OF
IDAHO.
SO LET ME REPEAT, THE BILL IS
WORD FOR WORD THE SAME THAT THE
HOUSE VOTED ON LAST WEEK EXCEPT
THE SPONSORSHIP HAS BEEN
SWITCHED SO THAT A DEMOCRAT IS
NOW THE PRIME SPONSOR.
NOW, I HAVE TO SAY, MADAM
SPEAKER, THIS IS TRULY A
REMARKABLE DISPLAY OF PARTISANSHIP.
FIRST, DEMOCRAT LEADERS
DIRECTED THEIR MEMBERS TO VOTE
AGAINST THIS LEGISLATION LAST
WEEK BECAUSE A TOTALLY SEPARATE
PIECE OF LEGISLATION FAILED TO
PASS ON THE SUSPENSION
CALENDAR.
AND NOW THESE DEMOCRAT LEADERS
ARE PLAYING A PARTISAN
SWITCH-A-ROO IN SPONSORSHIP OF
THIS BILL SO THAT A DEMOCRAT
WILL GET CREDIT FOR THIS BILL'S
PASSING.
I ASSUME THIS BILL WILL PASS.
I MIGHT ADD, BY THE WAY, THAT
THE AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT IS IN MR. SIMPSON'S
DISTRICT.
SO, MADAM SPEAKER, WITH
UNEMPLOYMENT IN DOUBLE DIGITS,
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WITHOUT
JOBS AND WITH RECORD DEFICITS
SET LAST YEAR BY A DEMOCRAT
PRESIDENT IN THIS CONGRESS, ONE
WOULD THINK THAT THIS HOUSE
WOULD HAVE MORE IMPORTANT
THINGS TO DO THAN TO ENGAGE IN
SUCH OVERT AND OBVIOUS PARTISAN TACTICS.
SO WITH THAT, MADAM SPEAKER, I
SUPPORT THE BILL AND I RESERVE
MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN RESERVES THE BALANCE
OF HIS TIME. THE GENTLEMAN FROM WEST
VIRGINIA IS RECOGNED.
MR. RAHALL: MADAM SPEAKER, I
YIELD MYSELF 30 SECONDS.
I DO APPRECIATE THE MANNER IN
WHICH THE GENTLEMAN FROM
WASHINGTON, THE RANKING MEMBER,
HAS STRESS THE BIPARTISANSHIP
NATURE OF THIS LEGISLATION.
AS HE KNOWS IN OUR COMMITTEE ON
NATURAL RESOURCES, IT'S ALWAYS
OUR EFFORT TO IMPROVE A PRODUCT
A SECOND TIME WE CONSIDER IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING
HERE TODAY WITH THIS
LEGISLATION.
MADAM SPEAKER, I YIELD SUCH
TIME AS HE MAY CONSUME TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM IDAHO, MR.
MINNK, WHO HAS BEEN SO
INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING THIS
LEGISLATION FORWARD AND WORKED
SO HARD IN CRAFTING IT.
AS MUCH TIME AS HE MAY CONSUME. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM IDAHO IS
RECOGNIZED.
MR. MINNICK: I THANK THE
CHAIRMAN AND I'D LIKE TO
INDICATE THAT THE PARTISANSHIP
WHICH LEADS TO THIS PARTICULAR
PROCEDURAL PROCESS FOR BRINGING
THIS BILL BACK TO THE FLOOR HAD
NOTHING -- HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE MERITS OF THE
LEGISLATION.
CONGRESSMAN SIMPSON HAS DONE A
GREAT DEAL OF WORK ON THESE
REMOTE WATER SYSTEMS THAT WERE
IGNORED WHEN TWO WILDERNESS
BILLS WERE PROTECTED AND EXIST
IN BOTH OF OUR DISTRICTS
CAREFULLY CRAFTING, AS THE
RANKING MINORITY ON THE
COMMITTEE HAS STATED, THE
CONGRESSMAN FROM WASHINGTON,
CAREFULLY CRAFTED A VERY NARROW
BILL WHICH CREATES SOME
EXCEPTIONS WHICH ALLOWS 22
LANDOWNERS WHO HAVE SINCE
BEFORE WILDERNESS -- THESE
AREAS WERE CREATED AS
WILDERNESS OPERATED VERY SIMPLE
GRAVITY FED WATER SYSTEMS WHOSE
POINTS INTAKE ARE NOW IN
WILDERNESS BECAUSE THEIR SMALL
UPSTREAMS OF CREEK IN MANY
INSTANCES AND WHO NEEDS TO
MAINTAIN THESE SYSTEMS FROM
TIME TO TIME OCCASIONALLY USING
MECHANICAL MEANS.
CONGRESSMAN SIMPSON LOOKED AND
CATALOGGED THESE 22 INHOLDINGS,
GRAPHED VERY CAREFULLY TO
CORRECT THE OVERSIGHT.
THE OVERSIGHT WAS NOT THE
WILDERNESS.
IT WAS THE CONTINUOUS USE OF
THESE PRIVATE INHOLDINGS.
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ALLOW
THEM TO CONTINUE OPERATING AS
THEY ARE IN PERPETUITY.
THIS IS GOOD LEGISLATION, IT'S
GOOD FOR IDAHO, IT'S GOOD FOR WILDERNESS.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE MY
COLLEAGUE ON HIS DILIGENCE AND
TO URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO
SUPPORT THIS REMEDIAL LEGISLATION.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON IS
RECOGNIZED. MR. HASTINGS: THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAR.
I YIELD MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I
MAY CONSUME. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON.
MR. HASTINGS: MADAM SPEAKER, I