starttime 1245108041.08045
TO H. RES. 430 AS AMENDED ON
THE CHAIR LAYS BEFORE THE HOUSE
AN ENROLLE
THE CLERK: H.R. 125656, AN ACT
TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH BY
PROVIDING THE FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION WITH CERTAIN
AUTHORITY TO REGULATE TOBACCO
PRODUCTS, TO AMEND TITLE 5
UNITED STATES CODE TO MAKE
CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS IN THE
THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN, THE CIVIL
SERVICE RETIREMENT SYSTEM, AND
THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT
SYSTEM, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
HOUSE WILL BE IN ORDER.
THE HOUSE WILL BE IN ORDER.
WILL MEMBERS TAKE THEIR
CONVERSATIONS OFF THE FLOOR.
WILL MEMBERS TAKE THEIR
CONVERSATIONS OFF THE FLOOR.
THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN
REQUESTS FOR ONE-MINUTE
SPEECHES.
WILL MEMBERS CLEAR THE WELL
WILL MEMBERS TAKE CONVERSATIONS
OFF THE FLOOR. FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM TEXAS RISE?
HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE. MADAM SPEAKER, THE HOUSE IS NOT
IN ORDER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
WILL THE HOUSE BE IN ORDER.
MS. JACKSON LEE: THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, MADAM SPEAKER.
WHAT DID HAPPEN IN IRAN JUST A
FEW DAYS AGO?
I THINK THIS PICTURE EVIDENCES
THAT THERE WERE VOTERS WHO FELT
THAT WHAT HAPPENE
CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF
SACRIFICE AND WENT TO VOTE.
YOUNG PEOPLE, WOMEN, URBAN
IDENTIES WENT IN MASSIVE
NUMBERS TO VOTE.
THIS ARTICLE SUGGESTS THERE WERE
POLLING PLACES EVEN IN THE
UNITED STATES WHERE IRANIAN
AMERICANS WENT TO VOTE TO IN
ESSENCE DECLARE THEY WANTED FREEDOM.
THEY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN
DEMOCRACY, TO BUILD THEIR
EC
I WOULD ASK THE SO-CALLED
ELECTED PERSON TO DO THE RIGHT
THING OR THERE IS SHAME ON THIS PROCESS.
I ASK FOR THE N.G.O.'S OF THE
WORLD TO STAND UP AND QUESTION
THE IRREGULARITIES OF THIS
ELECTION, STAND FOR PEOPLE WHO
WANT PEACE AND A DEMOCRATIC ELECTION.
LET US RAISE OUR VOICE AS THE
UNITED NATIONS SHOULD RAISE ITS VOICE.
NO WE ARE NOT TRYING TO SELECT
E NEXT PRESIDENT OF IRAN, WE
ARE ONLY ASKING THAT THE PEOPLE
SELECT THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF
IRAN.
SHAME ON IRAN'S ELECTION
PROCESS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN FROM PENNSYLVANIA RISE?
MR. THOMPSON: MADAM SPEAKER,
REQUEST UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
REVISE AND EXTEND. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. THOMPSON: THANK YOU.
MADAM SPEAKER, I COME TO THE
FLOOR TODAY TO DISCUSS ISSUE OF
HEALTH CARE.
FOR 28 YEARS MY LIFE -- I WAS COMMITTED TO DELIVERING QUALITY
HEALTH CARE SERVICES AS A HEALTH
CARE PROFESSIONAL.
I CAME TO CONGRESS WITH A
COMMITMENT OF STRAIGHTENING THE
QUALITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND
AFFORDABILITY OF OUR HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM WHICH IS ALREADY ONE OF
THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
MADAM SPEAKER, THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY'S INTENT ON RUSHING A
HEALTH CARE PLAN THROUGH
CONGRESS THAT EXPANDS GOVERNMENT
CONTROL WILL ULTIMATELY DECREASE
ACCESS IN QUALITY.
WHILE WE CONSUME THE ATTENTION
OF CONGRESS ON THIS BIG
GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL, WE HAVE
IGNORED CRITICAL WORK FORCE
HEALTH CARE ISSUES.
AS A BABY GOOD MORNINGER
GENERATION RETIRES, IT WILL BE
INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO FIND
QUALITY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO
DELIVER SERVICES NEEDED.
THE DEBATE ON HEALTH CARE REFORM
MUST FOCUS ON PRIORITY ISSUES
THAT TRULY IMPACT SERVICE
A LARGER GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE
BUREAUCRACY IS A CAUSE NOT A
CURE TO THE PROBLEMS OF ACCESS,
QUALITY, AND AFFORDABILITY.
REAL HEALTH CARE LIKE HEALTH
CARE WORK FORCE IS WHERE OUR
EFFORTS
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS RISE?
>> MADAM SPEAKER, I ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ADDRESS THE
HOUSE FO REVISE AND EXTEN
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
MR. SMITH: MADAM SPEAKER, THE
NONPARTISAN CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET
OFFICE HAS DETERMINED THAT CAP
AND TRADE LEGISLATION WILL COST
AMERICAN FAMILIES AT LEAST
$1,600 A YEAR.
OTHER STUDIES HAVE FOUND THAT
THE COST OF ENERGY COULD BE UP
TO $3,600 PER FAMILY.
IT WOULD BE MORE ACCURATE TO
CALL CAP AND TRADE CAP AND TAX.
BUT YOU ARE UNLIKELY TO HEAR
ABOUT CAP AND TAX AND ITS COST
BY WATCHING THE NEWS.
THE THREE NETWORK EVENING NEWS
PROGRAMS MENTION CAP AND T AND
ONLY FOUR STORIES FROM JANUARY
TO MAY ACCORDING TO THE MEDIA
RESEARCH CENTER.
NONE OF THE FOUR STORI
EXPLAINED CAP AND TAX AND ITS
HIGH COST TO CONSUMERS.
THE PRICE OF GAS AND ELECTRICITY
WILL GO UP AS WILL THE PRICE OF
FOOD.
THE MEDIA NEED TO REPORT THE
FACTS ABOUT CAP AND TAX AND TELL
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHAT IT WILL
COST THEM.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS RISE?
MR. POE: REQUEST PERMISSION TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECT
MR. POE: MADAM SPEAKER,
SOMEWHERE IN THE DANK DUNGONS OF
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THE
TAX-A-CRATS ARE LOOSE AND NOW
THEY ARE WORKING ON A NEWS TAX.
DEATH BY A THOUSAND TAXES.
THIS TIME THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT
TAXING HEALTH CARE BENEFITS THAT
FOLKS GET FROM THEIR EMPLOYERS.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU TAKE CARE
OF YOUR FAMILY BY HAVING HEALTH
BENEFITS, YOU ARE GOING TO BE
PUNISHED FOR DOING SO.
I THOUGHT THE GOAL WAS TO MAKE
SURE EVERYONE HAD AFFORDABLE
HETH CARE.
THAT'S WHAT THE TAX-A-CRATS DO
TELL US.
IF THAT'S THE GOAL IT DOESN'T
MAKE SENSE TO MAKE HEALTH CARE
SOMEONE WILL HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO
ME HOW RAISING TAXES ON WORKING
PEOPLE WILL MAKE THINGS BETTER
FOR ALL OF US.
THEY ARE TRYING TO CONVINCE
PEOPLE THAT TAXING HEALTH
INSURANCE WON'T AFFECT VERY MANY
PEOPLE F THAT'S TRUE EXPERTS SAY
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH
MONEY TO PAY FOR THE
GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE
SOCIALIZED SYSTEM WE ARE GOING TO.
BUT THEY ALSO WANT TO MANDATE
COVERAGE.
THAT MEANS THEY'LL TAX ANYONE
WHO DOESN'T BUY INSURANCE.
TAXED IF YOU DO, TAXED IF YOU DON'T.
IT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE A PERSON
SICK.
THAT'S NOT A VERY HEALTHY HEALTH
CARE P
THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM MINNESOTA RISE?
THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. PAULSEN: I RISE TO PAY
TRIBUTE TO TWO RECENT STATE
CHAMONSHIP TEAMS FROM
MINNESOTA'S THIRD CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT.
MY HOMETOWN WON THE MINNESOTA
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS LACROSSE
CHAMPIONSHIP LAST WEEK.
UNDER COACHES JUDY BAXTER AND
BETH PATTERSON, THEY CLAIMED A
COME-FROM-BEHIND VICTORY OVER
BLAKE TO WIN THEIR FIFTH STATE
TITLE IN THAT SPORT.
THE MINNETONKA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS
LACROSSE TEAM DEFEATED EAST VIEW
TO WIN THEIR VERY FIRST STATE
CHAMPIONSHIP.
CAPPINOFF A MAN IT'SIC YEAR IN
WHICH THEY WERE RANKED NUMBER
ONE FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON.
THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF
THESE SCHOLAR ATHLETES HELPED
THEM ACHIEVE SOMETHING THEY WILL
REMEMBER FOREVER.
I COMMEND EACH OF THEM ALONG
WITH THEIR COACHES, TRAINERS,
EDUCATORS, AND PARENTS WHO HELP
KE THESE CHAMPIONSHIPS
POSSIBLE.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: A
THERE FURTHER ONE-MINUTE
REQUESTS?
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS RISE?
>> ASK TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
MR. GOHMERT: THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER.
THERE'S BLOOD IN THE STREETS IN
IRAN TONIGHT.
IT'S MORNING OVER THERE.
BUT BLOOD IS RUNNING IN THE
STREETS.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN OUTRAGED AT
WHAT THEY SAY WAS THE STEALING
OF AN ELECTION.
SO DOES IT HELP TO HAVE A
PRESIDENT WHO HAS CONTINUED TO
MAKE CLEAR HE WOULD MEET WITH
THE RUTHLESS DENIER THE OF THE
HOLOCAUST, THIS TOTALITARIAN
MEAN-SPIRITED, UNJUST, UNFAIRLY
ELECTED LEADER?
IT DOESN'T.
MESSAGES GO AROUND THE WORLD
WHEN YOU SAY YOU'LL MEET WITH A
TYRANT WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS.
MAY GOD BE WITH THOSE WHO ARE
TRYING TO SEE THAT JUSTICE IS DONE.
AND MAY OUR LEADERS BE LED TO
KEEP THEIR MOUTH SHUT WHEN IT
HURTS OTHERS. I YIELD BACK.
.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: ARE THERE FURTHER ONE-MINUTE
REQUESTS?
THE CHAIR LAYS BEFORE THE HOUSE
THE FOLLOWING PERSONAL REQUEST.
THE CLERK: LEAVES OF ABSENCE
REQUESTED FOR MR. BONNER OF
ALABAMA FOR TODAY, MR. DONNELLY
OF INDIANA FOR TODAY, MRS. EDDIE
BERNICE JOHNSON OF TEXAS FOR
TODAY
TODAY AND MS. WATERS OF
CALIFORNIA FOR TODAY.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE REQUESTS ARE
GRANTED.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM INDIANA RISE?
MR. BURTON: MADAM SPEAKER, I ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT TODAY
FOLLOWING LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS
AND ANY SPECIAL ORDERS
HERETOFORE ENTERED INTO, THE
FOLLOWING MEMBERS MAY BE
PERMITTED TO ADDRESS THE HO
REVICE AND EXTEND THEIR REMARKS
AND INCLUDE THEREIN EXTRANEOUS
MATERIAL.
MR. INGLIS TODAY FOR FIVE
M
TO FIVE MINUTES AND MR. AKIN,
JUNE 18, TODAY, FOR FIVE
MINUTES.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM PENNSYLVANIA
RISE?
>> MADAM SPEAKER, I ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT TODAY
FOLLOWING LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS
AND ANY SPECIAL ORDERS
HERETOFORE ENTERED INTO, THE
FOLLOWING MEMBERS MAY BE
PERMITTED TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE
FOR FIVE MINUTES, TO REVISE AND
EXTEND THEIR REMARKS AND INCLUDE
THEREIN MATERIAL.
MR. SPRATT OF NORTH CAROLINA FOR
FIVE MINUTES, MR. ALTMIRE OF
PENNSYLVANI
MS. WOOLSEY OF CALIFORNIA FOR
FIVE MINUTES AND MS. KAPTUR OF
OHIO FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED
POLICY OF JANUARY 6, 2009, AND
UNDER A PREVIOUS ORDER OF THE
HOUSE, THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS ARE
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES
EACH.
MR. SPRATT OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
MR. POE OF TEXAS.
MR. POE: MADAM SPEAKER, I ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ASSUME THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
I RISE THIS EVENING TO ANNOUNCE
THE SAD PASSING OF DR. BOB
FREDERIC.
A DISTINGUISHED KANSAN AND AN EXCEPTIONAL HUMAN BEING.
DR. FREDERIC SERVED AS ATHLETIC
DIRECTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
KANSAS FOR 14 YEARS, THE SECOND
LONGEST TENURE IN THE SCHOOL'S
HISTORY AND A PERIOD DURING
WHICH THE JAYHAWKS EXPERIENCED TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.
UNDER BOB'S LEADERSHIP, JAYHAWK
ATHLETICS RECEIVED 32 CONFERENCE
CHAMPIONSHIPS AND GENERATED 31
ALL-AMERICAN -- ACADEMIC ALL
AMERICANS.
THE LATTER OF WHICH I'M SURE
MEANT THE MOST TO DR. FREDERIC,
AS THAT WAS THE KIND OF PERSON
HE WAS.
DR. FREDERIC FELT MOST CONCERNED
ABOUT THE WELL-BEING OF STUDENT
ATHLETES.
FIRST AS A COACH AND LATER AS AN
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, DR. FREDERIC SHOWED THAT CONCERN AS HE
PERSONALLY TOOK AN INTEREST IN
THE STUDENTS AT KANSAS
UNIVERSITY THAT WERE ALSO
ENGAGED IN AN INTENSE DEDICATION
THAT IT TAKES TO BE A COLLEGE
ATHLETE TODAY.
WHILE VERY COMPETIVE BY
NATURE, HE WAS AS GRACIOUS IN
DEFEAT AND AS MUCH A CLASS ACT
AS ANY ATHLETIC DIRECTOR EVER
WAS.
FOR DR. FREDERIC, THE BOTTOM
LINE WAS NOT ABOUT WINNING BUT
RATHER ABOUT IMPROVING AND
ADVANCING THE LIVES OF YOUNG MEN
AND WOMEN.
DR. FREDERIC LOVED KANSAS.
AS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY FOR 30
YEARS BEGINNING WITH HIS
BACHELOR AND MASTER'S DEGREES
AND WALKING ONTO THE BASKETBALL
TEAM, TO HIS YEARS OF SERVING AS
ASSISTANT BASKETBALL COACH,
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND FINALLY AS
AN ADMINISTRATOR AND ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR, IT WAS CLEAR DR.
FREDERIC AND KANSANS WERE MEANT
FOR EACH OTHER.
DR. FREDERIC IS PERHAPS BEST
KNOWN FOR HIS BOLD HIRE OF THEN
UNKNOWN ASSISTANT BASKETBALL
COACH ROADWAY WILLIAMS -- ROY
WILLIAMS IN 1989.
WILLIAMS, WHO WOULD ACHIEVE THE
WINNINGEST DECADE OF ANY
FIRST-TIME HEAD COACH IN NCAA
HISTORY, SAID OF DR. FREDERIC,
HE IS THE FINEST GENTLEMAN I'VE
EVER KNOWN IN MY LIFE.
A BASKETBALL COACH HIMSELF AT
RUSSELL AND LAURENCE HIGH SCHOOLS AS WELL AS COFFEYVILLE
COMMUNI COLLEGE IN KAAS, DR.
FREDERIC WAS CHERISHED ON ALL SIDES OF OUR STATE.
I WISH TO OFFER THIS TRIBUTE TO
AN OUTSTANDING GENTLEMAN, DR.
FREDERIC, AND EXPRESS MY SINCERE
CONDOLE ENS TO HIS WIFE AND
THEIR FOUR SONS.
MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS WITH
THEIR THEIR FAMILY.
I -- WITH ARE WITH THEIR FAMILY.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: MR.
ALTMIRE OF PENNSYLVANIA.
MR. ALTMIRE: MADAM SPEAKER, TO
BORE A CATCH PHRASE FROM HALL OF
FAME HOCKEE ANNOUNCER MIKE LANG,
YOU CAN BUY SAM A DRINK AND GET
HIS DOG ONE, TOO, LORD STANLEY'S
CUP IS MAKING A RETURN VISIT TO
THE CITY OF CHAMPIONS.
IN PITTSBURGH NOW BECOMES THE
FIRST CITY TO EVER BE HOME TO
BOTH THE DEFENDING SUPER BOWL
AND STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS AT THE
SAME TIME.
THIS PAST FRIDAY T
PENGUINS WON THE THIRD STANLEY
CUP AND THEY DID IT THE HARD
WAY, BY COMING FROM BEHIND ON
THE ROAD IN GAME SEVEN OF THE
FINALS AGAINST LAST YEARS '--
YEAR'S CHAMPION, DETROIT RED
WINGS.
REGULAR SEASON SCORING CHAMPION
WON M.V.P. HONORS BY LEADING ALL
PLAYOFF SCORES AND THE GOALIE
ONCE AGAIN PROVES HE BELONGS
AMONG THE GAME'S ELITE WITH HIS
DOMINATING PERFORMANCE IN THAT.
HEAD COACH DAN TOOK OVER IN
MIDSEASON WHEN THE TEAM WAS OUT
OF PLAYOFF CONTENTION AND LED
THEM NOT ONLY TO THE PLAYOFFS,
BUT TO A CHAMPIONSHIP.
AND IN WINNING THE TITLE, SYDNEY
CROSBY BECAME THE YOUNGEST
CAPTAIN TO HOIST THE
IN THE 115-YEAR HISTORY OF THE
TROPHY.
AND AS IN ALL SUCCESSFUL
ORGANIZATIONS, THE LEADERSHIP OF
THE PENGUINS STARTS AT THE TOP.
THE INCOMPARABLE MARIO WILL NOW
HAVE HIS NAME ENGRAVED ON THE
STANLEY CUP FOR THE THIRD TIME,
THIS TIME AS TEAM OWNER.
JUST AS HE DID WHEN HE CAME INTO
THE LEAGUE AS A PLAYER, MARIO
TOOK CONTROL OF A FRANCHISE
THREATENED BY BANKRUPTCY AND
RELOCATION.
BY FROM THAT HE BUILT A
CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM THAT LEADS THE
LEAGUE IN TELEVISION RATINGS,
MERCHANDISE SALES AND SELLOUTS.
YES, MADAM SPEAKER, THESE
PENGUINS CAN FLY.
CONGRATULATIONS GO OUT TO THE
ENTIRE ORGANIZATION FOR
COMPLETING THE HAT TRICK OF
CHAMPIONS, WINNING THEIR THIRD
STRAIGHT -- THIRD STANLEY CUB.
THE 2009 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
HAVE EARNED THEIR WELL-DESERVED
PLACE ALONGSIDE THE GREATEST
SPORTS LEGEN
CHAMPION SHS -- CHAMPIONS.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: MS.
WOOLSEY OF CALIFORNIA.
MR. JONES OF NORTH CAROLINA.
MR. JONES: THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER.
MADAM SPEAKER, I'M PLEASED TO
ANNOUNCE THAT 290 OF MY
COLLEAGUES IN THE HOUSE, FROM
BOTH PARTIES, HAVE JOINED ME AS
CO-SPONSORS OF H.R. 24,
LEGISLATION TO REDESIGNATE THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY AS THE
DEPARTMENT OF NAVY AND MARINE
CORPS.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE WIDESPREAD
SUPPORT FOR THIS CHANGE AMONG MY
HOUSE COLLEAGUES AND I ALSO
THANK CHAIRMAN IKE SKELTON WHO
WILL INCLUDE THE LANGUAGE OF
H.R. 24 IN THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
AUTHORIZATION ACT MARKUP
TOMORROW.
FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, THE
LANGUAGE OF THIS BILL HAS BEEN
PART OF THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
ACT.
EACH YEAR THE FULL HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES HAS SUPPORTED
THIS CHANGE.
THIS YEAR I'M ALSO GRATEFUL TO
HAVE THE SUPPORT OF SENATOR PAT
ROBERTS, A FORMER MARINE, WHO
INTRODUCED THE SAME BILL IN THE
SENATE, S. 504.
WITH HIS HELP, I'M HOPEFUL THAT
THIS WILL BE THE YEAR THE SENATE
SUPPORTS THE HOUSE POSITION AND
JOINS IN BRINGING PROPER RESPECT
TO THE FIGHTING TEAM OF THE NAVY
AND MARINE CORPS.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE MARINE
CORPS HISTORY, INCLUDING THEIR
PRESENT DAY SERVICE IN
AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ, THOSE
THREE WORDS, AND MARINE CORPS,
HAVE BEEN EARNED THROUGH BLOOD
AND SACRIFICE.
THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS HAVE
OPERATED AS ONE ENTITY FOR MORE
THAN TWO CENTURIES AND H.R. 24
WOULD ALLOW THE NAME OF THIS
DEPARTMENT TO ILLURATE THAT
FACT.
THIS LEGISLATION IS NOT ABOUT
CHANGING THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF
THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT,
REALLOCATING RESOURCES AND
ADMISSIONS.
THIS CHANGE IS ALL ABOUT RESPECT
AND GRATITUDE TO THE MARINE
CORPS.
AS SYMBOLIC AS THIS CHANGE MIGHT
BE, THE MARINE CORPS HAS EARNED
THE RIGHT TO BE RECOGNIZED IN
THE DEPARTMENT'S NAME.
OVER THE PAST SEVEL YEARS,
THIS CHANGE HAS RECEIVED SUPPORT
FROM THREE FORMER NAVY
SECRETARIES, THE MARINCORPS
LEAGUE, VETERANS OF FOREIGN
WARS, THE FLEET RESERVE
ASSOCIATION AND MANY OTHER
INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS.
IN 2004 AT A HEARING BEFORE THE
HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
NAVY ADMIRAL STANFIELD TURNER
DESCRIBED HIS SUPPORT FOR THIS
CHANGE.
HE SAID, AND I QUOTE, I THINK
THIS CHANGE TITLE ENHANCES THE
PRESTIGE AND PRIDE OF THE PEOPLE
IN THE MARINE CORPS AND IT DOES
NOT NECESSARILY TAKE ANYTHING
AWAY FROM THE NAVY IN THAT
PROCESS.
I'M PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED TODAY
BY THE DEGREE OF COOPERATION
BETWEEN THE ARMED SERVICES OF
OUR COUNTRY.
ADMIRAL TURNER FURTHER STATED
AND I QUOTE, EMPHASIZING THAT
THIS IS A NAVY-MARINE CORPS TEAM
IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF
KEEPING THAT KIND OF SIGHT ON
THE OBJECT OF TEAMWORK AND
COMBAT.
MADAM SPEAKER, THE MARINES WHO
ARE FIGHTING TODAY DESERVE THIS
RECOGNITION.
IN CLOSING I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW
THE CHANGE.
MADAM SPEAKER, ON THIS F
POSTER IS ACTUALLY A LETTER THAT
WAS SENT BY THE SEC
NAVY TO A MARINE WIFE WHOSE
HUSBAND WAS KILLED.
I CERTAINLY HAVE TAKEN OUT THE
NAME OF THE MARINE CORPS WIFE'S
NAME AND I WANT TO READ THIS
PART TO YOU AND TO THOSE ON THE
FLOOR.
ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
THE NAVY, ACCEPT THE CONDOLENCES
IN THE LOSS OF YOUR HUSBAND,
CAPTAIN SO AND SO MARINE.
MADAM SPEAKER, THE IMPORTANT
PART OF READING THIS ITHIS, IF
THIS BILL BECOMES LAW, THIS
FIGHTING TEAM WILL RECOGNIZE
THIS MARINE FAMILYN THIS WAY,
THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY AND
MARINE CORPS, DEAR MARINE CORPS
FAMILY, ON BEHALF OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF NAVY AND MARINE
CORPS.
MADAM SPEAKER, THAT'S ALL THAT
IT DOES, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
THAT THE MARINE CORPS RECEIVE THIS RECOGNI
AND BEFORE CLOSING, MADAM
SPEAKER, AS I DO FREQUENTLY, I
ASK GOD TO PLEASE BLESS OUR MEN
AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM, I ASK GOD
TO BLESS THE FAMILIES OF OUR MEN
AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM AND I ASK
GOD IN HIS LOVING ARMS TO HOLD
THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE GIVEN A
CHILD DYING FOR FREEDOM IN
AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ, AND, MADAM
SPEAKER, I ASK THREE TIMES, GOD,
PLEASE, GOD, PLEASE, GOD, PLEASE
CONTINUE TO BLESS AMERICA AND
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: MS.
KAPTUR OF OHIO.
MR. BURTON OF INDIANA.
MR. BURTON: I ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO A?DRESS THE HOUSE FOR
FIVE MINUTES, REVISE AND EXTEND
MY REMARKS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. BURTON: MADAM SPEAKER, THIS
LAST WEEKEND I MET WITH SEVERAL
AUTO DEALERS IN MY DISTRICT AND
IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO FIND
OUT REALLY WHAT ALL OF THEM ARE
GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
THE CHRYSLER AND GENERAL MOTORS
COMPANIES ARE CLOSING HUNDREDS
AND HUNDREDS OF AUTOMOBILE
DEALERSHIPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND AFTER TALKING TO THESE
DEALERS, I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY.
IT ISN'T COSTING THE AUTOMOBILE
COMPANIES ANYTHING.
THEY SELL THE CARS TO THE DEALER
AND THE DEALER SELLS THOSE TO
THE CONSUMER.
AND THE DEALERS PAY FOR THOSE
CARS.
IN ADDITION, THE DEALERS PAY FOR
THE ADVERTISING, THE DEALERS PAY
FOR THE PLANT AND EQUIPMENT,
THEIR DEALERSHIPS, THE
BUILDINGS, THEY PAY THE
MECHANICS, THEY PAY THE SALESPEOPLE AND SO THE CAR
COMPANY, ALL THEY DO IS MAKE THE
CAR AND SELL IT TO THE DEALER.
AND SO WHY ARE THEY CLOSING ALL
THESE DEALERSHIPS?
IT SEEMS TO ME AS YOU REDUCE
YOUR SALES FORCE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY YOU'RE GOING TO REDUCE
THE AMOUNT OF CARS THAT ARE SOLD
TO THE CONSUMER.
IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE
TO ME.
BUT LET ME JUST TELL YOU SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT THESE DEALERS
ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
ONE DEALER TOLD ME THAT -- THE A
CHRYSLER DEALER -- HE HAD A
DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THE
CHRYSLER ASKED HIM A COUPLE OF
YEARS AGO TO
DEALERSHIP THAT WASN'T DOING AS
WELL AND THEY ASKED HIM TO NOT
ONLY BUY THE PROPERTY, BUT TO
UPGRADE THE EQUIPMENT AND
UPGRADE THE PROPERTY AND UPGRADE THE SHOWROOM.
AND SO HE PUT $3 MILLION INTO
BUYINGHE PROPERTY AND
UPGRADING THE SHOWROOM AND THE
MECHANICS AREA, THE GARAGE AREA,
AND AFTER HE DID IT, JUST
RECENTLY, RIGHT AFTER HE GOT IT
DONE, HAD INVESTED $3 MILLION,
THEY CLOSED HIM DOWN.
HE LOST $3 MILLION AFTER THEY
ASKED HIM, THE COMPANY ASKED
HIM, TO INVEST THAT MONEY IN
PURCHASING AND UPGRADING THIS
OTHER STORE.
NOW THAT'S TERRIBLE.
HE PUT $3 MILLION IN
COMPANY REQUESTED, AND THEN THEY
CUT THE LEGS OUT FROM UNDER HIM
AND HE LOSES $3 MILLION.
I TALKED TO A CHEVROLET DEALER
WHO WAS NEGOTIATING WITH A
G.M.C. DEALER ACROSS THE STREET.
THE G.M.C. DEALER AND THE
CHEVROLET DEALER WERE RIT
ACROSS THE STREET FROM ONE
AN
WHY DON'T YOU TWO COMBINE?
SO THE TWO COMPANIES WERE
NEGOTIATING WITH ONE ANOTHER ON WHO WOULD BUY THE OTHER OUT.
AND IT WAS A $3 MILLION TO $5
MILLION PURCHASE.
WELL, THEY COULDN'T REACH
AGREEMENT BEFORE THE DEAL WITH
GENERAL MOTORS TOOK PLACE AND
THEY WERE GOING TO CLOSE A WHOLE
BUNCH OF DEALERSHIPS AND SO WHAT
THEY DID IS THEY DECIDED TO
CLOSE THE DEALERSHIP OF THE
CHEVROLET DEALER DOWN EVEN
THOUGH HE WAS VERY PROFITABLE.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS SIMPLY IS
THAT THE G.M.C. DEALER ACROSS
CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP THAT WOULD
HAVE SOLD FOR $3 MILLION TO $5
MILLION TO HIM FOR NOTHING.
AND SO THIS DEALER IS GOING OUT
OF BUSINESS, IT'S GOING TO COST
HIM $3 MILLION TO $5 MILLION
BECAUSE THEY C
DEALERSHIP AND HE SOLD AS MANY
CARS AS THEY ASKED HIM TO SELL,
HE WAS UP TO SNUFF ON HIS
PAYMENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE
THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE
COMPANY AND THEY KNOCKED THE
LEGS OUT FROM UNDER HIM AS WELL
AND IT COST HIM $3
MILLION.
THERE WAS A G.M. DEAL THAT ARE
CAME TO ME AT THIS MEETINGHE
OTHER DAY AND HE HAD EIGHT
DEALERSHIPS AND THEY CLOSED ONE
OF THEM DOWN.
IT'S GOING TO COST HIM SEVERAL
MILLION DOLLARS BUT HE CAN'T
COMPLAIN PUBLICLY BECAUSE G.M.
IS GOI TO BE CLOSING OTHER
DEALERSHIPS DOWN IN THE FUTURE
AND HE'S AFRAID IF HE SAYS
ANYTHING, HE'S AFRAID IF HE SAYS
ANYTHING THEY'LL CLOSE SOME OF
HIS OTHER DEALERSHIPS DOWN AND
COST HIM MORE MONEY.
.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND, WE HAVE THE
GOVERNMENT, CAR CZAR, IF YOU
WILL, TAKING CONTROL OF THE AUTO
INDUSTRY.
THEY ARE FORCING THE EXECUTIVES
OF THE COMPANIES OUT OF OFFICE
AND REPLACING THEM WITH
HANDPICKED PEOPLE BY OUR
GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE CAR CZAR
AND THE AUTO TASK FORCE.
SO THE GOVERNMENT IS TAKING OVER
THE AUTO INDUSTRY AND CLOSING
THESE DEALERSHIPS, PUTTING
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
OUT OF WORK, CLOSING THOUSANDS
OF DEALERSHIPS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, AND ACTUALLY HURTING
THE AMERICAN AUTO INDUSTRY'S
ABILITY TO SELL CARS WHEN THEY
ARE IN COMPETITION CAR COMPANIES
AROUND THE WORLD.
IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE
TO ME.
SO ONCE AGAIN HERE WE HAVE THE
GOVERNMENT TAKING OVER AN
INDUSTRY, SOCIALIZING THE AUTO
INDUSTRY, AND REALLY KILLING AN
AWFUL LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO WORK
IN IT.
NOT TO MENTION THE RESTAURANTS
AND STORES THAT SURROUND THESE
CAR DEALERSHIPS WHO HAVE BEEN IN
BUSINESS FOR YEARS AS WELL.
IT'S GOING TO COST THEM JOBS.
GOVERNMENT INVOLVED IN THE
PRIVATE SECTOR, GOVERNMENT
CONTROL OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR
JUST DESTROYS THE PRIVATE
SECTOR.
AND THEY WANT TO NOW TAKE OVER
OUR HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY, THEY
ARE TAKING OVER THE BANKS, THEY
WANT TO TAKE OVER THE ENERGY
INDUSTRY WITH CAP AND TRADE
WHICH IS GOING TO COST EVERY
FAMILY IN THIS COUNTRY, $3,000
TO $4,000 MORE PER YEAR FOR
ENERGY.
WE DON'T NEED SOCIAL NISM THIS
COUNTRY.
WE CERTAINLY DON'T NEED IT --
HERE'S AN EXAMPLE.
THE CAR INDUSTRY, WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN GOVERNMENT TAKES OVER. I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
MR. INGLIS OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR
FIVE MINUTES.
MR. INGLIS: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
TODAY I HAD AN INTERESTING
DISCUSSION I GREENVILLE AND
SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA.
THEY WERE ENTITLED WHAT'S WRONG
WITH CAP AND TRADE, WHAT'S RIGHT
WITH USING FREE ENTERPRISE TO
SOLVE THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE.
SO WHAT'S WRONG WITH CAP AND
TRADE, WE CAME TO PRETTY SOLID
AGREEMENT ON THAT, MADAM
SPEAKER.
IT'S A MASSIVE TAX INCREASE IN
THE MIDST OF A RECESSION.
IT'S A WALL STREET TRADING
SCHEME THAT REALLY
ANY TRADER ON WALL STREET THAT
LED US INTO THIS RECENT DEBACLE
BLUSH, AND IT'S REALLY A
PROPOSAL THAT'S GOING TO END UP
DECIMATING AMERICAN
MANUFACTURING BECAUSE THE TAX ON
ENERGY WOULD BE APPLIED JUST
DOMESTICALLY, WOULDN'T BE
APPLIED TO IMPORTED GOODS.
THE RESULT IS WE WOULD EXPORT PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY FROM THE
UNITED STATES TO OTHER COUNTRIES
THAT DON'T HAVE PRICE ON CARBON.
IT'S A REAL PROBLEM.
IT'S SOMETHING WVE GOT TO STOP
IN ORDER TO GET TO THE BETTER.
THE B
A PROPOSAL THAT ACTUALLY A
BIPARTISAN PROPOSAL AT THIS
POINT, THAT JEFF FLAKE AND DAN
LIPINSKI AND I ARE SUPPORTING
WHICH IS A PLAN TO BASICALLY DO
A
AND CAUSING FREE E
FIX THE PROBLEM THAT SOME ARE
TRYING TO FIX WITH CAP AND TRADE.
BUT AS I JUST PNTED OUT THERE
ARE REAL PROBLEMS WITH CAP AND TRADE.
THE WAY THISOULD WORK, THE
REVENUE NEUTRAL TAX SWAP WOULD
WORK, WE WOULD REDUCE TAXES ON
SOMETHING WE WANT MORE OF OF,
WHICH IS PAYROLL,
THE PAYROLL TAX.
THAT'S 6.2% FROM THE EMPLOYER,
6.2% FROM THE EMPLOYEE ON THE
FIRST $106,800 WORTH OF INCOME.
WE WOULD REDUCE THAT AND THEN AN
EQUAL AMOUNT SWAP THE TAX, IF
YOU WILL, IN THE EQUAL AMOUNT
PUT A TAX ON CARBON DIOXIDE EMSIONS.
TH RESULT WOULD BE NO
ADDITIONAL TAKE TO THE
GOVERNMENT.
IT'S REVENUE NEUTRAL.
IT JUST FREE UP FROM TAXATION
SOMETHING YOU WANT MORE OF WHICH
IS INCOME AND LABOR AND
INDUSTRY, AND IMPOSE A TAX ON
SOMETHING YOU WANT LESS OF WHICH
IS CARBON DIOXIDE.
THE POINT I WAS TAKING TODAY IS
EVEN IF YOU THINK CLIMATE CHANGE
IS A BUNCH OF HOOEY AND THERE IS
NO NEED TO REDUCE CARBON
DIOXIDE, I THINK CONSERVATIVES
CAN JUMPP AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO
REDUCE TAXES
THE -- JUMP AT THE OPPORTUNITY
TO REDUCE TAXES ON INCOME.
YOU FREE UP EMPLOYERS TO EMPLOY
MO PEOPLE AND FREE UP THE
EMPLOYEE TO HAVE MORE OF THEIR
OWN MONEY.
THIS IS SOMETHING CONSERVATIVES
SHOULD BE VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
EVEN IF WE WERE SWITCHING TO A
TAX ON SWEET GUM BALLS OR
SYCAMORE BALLS OR ACORNS, IT
WOULD BE BETTER THAN TAXING PAYROLL.
THE PROBLEM WITH TAXING PAYROLL
IS YOU'RE PUNISHING WORK.
SO WHAT WE DO IS FREE UP FROM
TAXATION PAYROLL AND IMPOSE A
TAX ON CARBON DIOXIDE AND WATCH
THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM WITH
THAT PRICE SIGNAL CHANGE WHERE
WE ARE.
SUCH THAT WE WOULD FIX A
NATIONAL SECURITY PROBLEM WE
HAVE WHICH IS GREAT EXPOSURE TO
OPEC AND ITS CONTROL OF OUR OIL
MARKETS.
WE WOULD ALSO CREATE JOBS BY
CREATING NEW INDUSTRIES IN NEW
KINDS OF TECHNOLOGIES.
AND WE'D CLEAN UP THE AIR.
THE POINT THAT I WAS MAKING IN
THESE MEETINGS IN GREENVILLE AND
SPARTANBURG, EVEN IF YOU THINK
CLIMATE CHANGE IS
THE SMALL PARAGRAPH PARTICULAR
CUE LATS IN COAL WOULD CAUSE YOU
TO WANT TO TAKE ACTION.
THE CLEANER ALTERNATIVE OF
NUCLEAR POWER WILL COME TO THE
MARKET WHEN THE MARKET SAYS, OH,
COAL IS NOW PAYING THE FULL
FREIGHT OF ITS COST.
IF IT IS, NUCLEAR BECOMES
POSSIBLE AND WE START BUILDING
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS.
MADAM SPEAKER, THE KEY TO TS
IS GETTING THE ECONOMICS RIGHT.
IF WE DO THAT, WE CAN FIX THIS PROBLEM.
BUT IT STARTS WITH STOPPING THIS
CAB AND TRADE BECAUSE CAP AND
TRADE ISN'T THE WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.
THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM IS
THE WAY TO FIX IT AND WIN THE
TRIPLE PLAY THIS AMERICAN
CENTURY, WE CAN IMPROVE THE NATIONAL SECURITY OF THE UNITED
STATES, WE CAN CREATE JOBS, AND
WE CAN CLEAN UP
MADAM SPEAKER, I SAY WE COME
TOGETHER AND GET THAT DONE AFTER
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
AKIN OF MISSOURI.
MR. AKIN: THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR.
I RISE TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR
FIVE MINUTES. REVISE AND EXTEND.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. AKIN: THANK YOU.
MADAM SPEAKER, I RISE TODAY TO
CONGRATULATE THE WINNER THE OF
THE 2009 KEYSTONE CENTER
LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP
IN INDUSTRY, MR. HUGH GRANT,
CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT, AND C.E.O.
OF MONSANTO CORPORATION.
KEYSTONE AWARDEES HAVE
CONTRIBUTED TO SOCIETY IN WAYS
THAT RESPECT THE -- REFLECT THE
SPIRIT AND MISSION OF THE
KEYSTONE CENTER AND DEMONSTRATED
A HISTORYF ACHIEVEMENT WITH A
STRONG SENSE OF VISION, OF
PROVEN ABILITY TO MOTIVATE
OTHERS, DEDICATION TO TEAMWORK
AND CONSENSUS IN THE DRIVE AND
ABILITY TO INITIATE FUNDAMENTAL
AND LONG-TERM POSITIVE CHANGE.
I COMMEND MR.
LEADERSHIP AND THE 20,000 STRONG
MONSANTO TEAM FOR THEIR
EXTRAOINARY AWARD EFFORTS AND
POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON AMERICAN
AGRICULTURE.
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, AND
GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO
INTERNATIONAL HEALTH,
DEVELOPMENT, AND THEIR CONTINUED
COMMITMENT TO COMBATI
MONSANTO UNDER GRANT'S
LEADERSHIP PROVES THAT FREE
ENTERPRISE IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE
WAY TO SOLVE SEEMINGLY
INTRACTABLE PROBLEMS LIKE HUNGER
IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA.
NOT ONLY HAS MONSANTO PROVIDED A
SUSTAINABLE FOOD SOURCE FOR
HUNDREDS OF MILLIO OF PEOPLE,
BUT THEY HAVE GIVEN HOPE TO
PEOP WHO HAVE BEEN DENIED A
FUTURE FOR FAR TOO LONG.
I ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME
IN
SAY THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE
MONSANTO TEAM.
YOU PUT THE POWER EVER
INNOVATION AND ENTERPRISE TO
WORK FOR THE WORLD'S POOREST
PEOPLES AND DEMONSTRA
AMERICAN COMPASSION.
THANK YOU, MADAM
YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: UNDER
THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED POLICY
OF JANUARY 6, 2009, THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM THE VIRGIN
LANDS, MRS. CHRISTENSEN, IS
RECOGNIZED FOR 60 MINUTES AS THE
DESIGNEE OF THE MAJORITY LEADER.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
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 SUBJECT
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS' SPECIAL ORDER THIS EVENING.
THE SP
OBCTION. MRS. CHRISTENSEN: THANK YOU.
MADAM SPEAKER, I'M HONORED TO
RISE TODAY ALONG WITH MY OTHER
COLLEAGUES IN HONOR OF CARIBBEAN
AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.
THIS MONTH MARKS THE FOURTH
ANNIVERSARY OF OFFICIALLY
RECOGNIZING CARIBBEAN AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH AND I WANT TO
THANK AND APPLAUD YOU, MADAM SPEAKER, THE CHAIR OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK
INTRODUCING THE LEGISLATION AND
GETTING IT PASSED IN FEBRUARY OF
2006. PRESIDENT BUSH OFFICIALLY
PROCLAIMED IT FOR THE VERY FIRST
TIME IN JUNE OF THAT YEAR.
THE EFFORTS TO GET US TO THAT
POINT BEGAN LONG BEFORE, THOUGH,
AT THE INSTITUTE FOR CARIBBEAN
STUDIES WHICH STARTED OBSERVING
JUNE AS CARIBBEAN AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH IN 1
SO I WANT TO ALSO TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO APPLAUD THE WORK
AND LEADERSHIP OF I
DR. CLAIRE NELSON OF JAMAICAN HERITAGE.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE
CARIBBEAN NEWS FOUNDATION FOR
ITS WORK OVER THE YEARS TO BRING
CARIBBEAN AND UNITED STATES LEADERS TOGETHER TO DISCUSS
ISSUES OF COMMON INTEREST OVER
THE PAST 14 YEARS.
THEY FILLED AN IMPORTANT
RECENT ATTEMPTS OFFICIALLY
BRIDGE THIS GAP BEGAN IN 1997
WHEN PRESIDENT CLINTON TRAVELED
TO BARBADOS WITH A BRIDGETOWN
DECLARATION WAS CRAFTED.
THIS IMPORTANT DECLARATION
AFFIRMED OUR COMMON RESOLVE TO
FIGHT CRIME, VIOLENCE,
CORRUPTION, DRUG AND ILLEGAL
DRUG TRAFFICKING WHILE AS
PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID, I QUOTE,
PROMOTING OPEN AND FAIR TRADE,
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT,
STRENGENING EDUCATION,
STRAIGHT AHEADING
TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AND HELPING
CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES DIVERSIFY
THEIR ECONOMIES AND BECOME MORE
COMPETITIVE AS WELL.
UPON HIS RETURN, HE SUBMITTED
THE CARIBBEAN TRADE ENHANCEMENT
ACT WHICH CONGRESS PASSED.
THE COOPERATION WAS FURTHER
AFFIRMED WITH THE HISTORIC
MEETINGS HELD IN JUNE OF 2007
BETWEEN THE HEADS OF CARIBBEAN
GOVERNMENTS AND THE BUSH-CHENEY
ADMINISTRATION AND THIS CONGRESS.
THIS COMMITMENT WAS RENEWED AND
REINVIGORATED AT THE SUMMIT OF
THE AMERICAS HELD IN THE NATION
OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO IN APRIL
OF THIS YEAR WITH THE ACTIVE
PARTICIPATION AND LEADERSHIP OF
OUR PRESIDENT, BARACK OBAMA, WHO
SET A NEW TONE FOR OUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE REGION.
BUT IT'S EVEN PREDATED THE BIRTH OF THIS NATION.
IN 1751 OUR VERY FIRST
PRESIDT, GEORGE WASHINGTON,
REPORTED TO HAVE HAD FAMILY
CONNECTIONS IN BARBADOS TRAVEL
THERE WITH HIS BROTHER FOR A
HEALTH RELATED MATTER IN
NOVEMBER OF 1751.
THEY STAYED TWO MONTHS AND HE IS
SAID TO HAVE BEEN ENCHANTED BY
THE ISLAND AND THE CARIBBEAN.
OVER THE YEARS MANY
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS
MEMBERS HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY
TO RAISE AWARENESS AND KEEP US
FOCUSED AND INVESTED ON ONGOING
AFFAIRS IN THE CARIBBEAN.
WE HAVE DONE THIS THROUGH
CHAIRMAN RANGEL'S EFFORTS WITH
THE CARIBBEAN BASIN LEGISLATION
AND OTHER INITIATIVES.
CONGRESSWOMAN WATERS WHO WORKED
SO HARD TO SAVE THE BANA
INDUSTRY AND THEN CHAIR OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS.
SHE AND I TRAVELED TO BARBADOS
IN 1997 FOR THAT MEETING.
I ALSO WANT
SPECIAL WORK DONE BY CONGRESSMAN
DONALD PAYNE WHO WAS THE
FOUNDING CHAIR OF THE FRIENDS OF
THE CARIBBEAN CAUCUS AND
CONGRESSMAN KENDRICK MEEK,
CONGRESSMAN GREGORY MEEKS, AND
OF COURSE CONGRESSWOMANY VET CLARKE.
TRULY ALL THE MEMBERS ARE
CHAMPIONS OF THE CAUSES OF THE
CARIBBEAN.
LAST YEAR ONE OF OURREAT
ACHIEVEMENTS LED BY CONGRESSMAN
DONALD PAYNE AND YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER, CONGRESSWOMAN LEE, IN
ONE OF THOSE GREAT EFFORTS
PEPFAR WAS EXTENDED TO ALL OF
THE CARIBBEAN FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
TWO MONTHS AGO HEALTH MINISTERS
AND CARICOM LEADERS MET TO DRAFT
A FIVE-YEAR PLAN WHICH WOULD
BUILD ON THE PAN CAP, THE PAN
CARIBBEAN PARTNERSHIP TO AH.I.V.
AND AIDS IN THIS REGION.
THE SHIRLEY CHISHOLM EXCHANGE
ACT OF 2009 INTRODUCED AGAIN BY
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS
CHAIRWOMAN AND MADAM SPEAKER
LEE, IS NOW WORKING ITS WAY THROUGH CONGRESS.
IT WILL HELP TO BUILD A STRONGER
CARIBBEAN WORK FORCE AND PROMOTE
GREATER COLLABORATION BETWEEN
THE UNITED STATES AND THE
CARIBBEAN, AS WELL AS A SHARING
OF VALUES AND CULTURE.
MADAM SPEAKER, I DO HAVE A FEW
COLLEAGUES HERE WITH ME THIS
EVENING AND I'D LIKE TO YIELD
SOME TIME TO THEMP SO THAT THEY
MAY BRING SOME REMARKS ABOUT THE
SPECIAL MONTH THAT WE ARE
CELEBRATING IN WHICH WE ARE
RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
PEOPLE FROM THE CARIBBEAN TO THE UNITED STATES.
SO AT THIS TIME I WILL YIELD
SUCH TIME AS SHE MIGHT
TO CONGRESSWOMAN YVETTE CLARKE.
MS. CLARKE: I'D LIKE TO THA
I'D LIKE TO ASSOCIATE MYSELF
WITH YOUR COMMENTS, REMARKS, AND
HISTORICAL CONTEXT FOR THIS
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUS'
C.B.C. HOUR COMMEMORATING
CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH.
I WANT TO THANK YOU, MY
COLLEAGUE, DONNA CHRISTENSEN,
FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND
ADVOCACY BEING PART OF THE U.S.
CARIBBEAN, U.S. VIRGIN
MADAM SPEAKER, I RISE TODAY TO
HONOR THE CARIBBEAN AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH.
GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA, MS.
BARBARA LEE, FOR HER VERY HARD
WORK AND HER ENDURING COMMITMENT
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CARICOM
REGION AND FOR ENSURING THAT
EVERY JUNE WE I BRING
RECOGNITION TO THE MANY
CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY CARIBBEAN
AMERICANS AND CARIBBEAN PEOPLE
-- PEOPLE OF CIBBEAN DESCENT
AND THE ISSUES FACING THE
NATIONS OF CARICOM AND THE
CARIBBEAN AMERICAN DIASPORA.
.
I HAVE THE HONOR OF REPRESENTING
NEW YORK'S 11TH CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT.
PREVIOUSLY REPRESENTED IN PART
BY CHERYLY CHISHOLM, THE FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEMBER OF
NGRESS AND THE CHILD OF
CARIBBEAN AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS
FROM BAR BADEOWS AND GUYANA.
OF THE PROMINENT CARIBBEAN
AMERICANS THAT WE MAY BE AWARE
OF OR HAVE KNOWN THROUGHOUT OUR
HISTORY INCLUDE SUCH LUMENARIES
AS JEAN BAP TEASE, THE FOUNDER
OF CHICAGO.
FOUNDING FATHER ALEXANDER
HAMILTON, WHO WAS BORN IN NIVES,
ACTOR AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST, HARRY
BELAFONTE, REVOLUTIONARY MARCUS
GARVEY, NOTED JOURNALIST, AGAIN
EIFFEL, HAZEL SCOTT, THE FIRST
WOMAN OF COLOR TO HAVE HER OWN
TELEVISION SHOW, MALCOLM X,
REVOLUTIONARY.
OUR OWN ATTORNEY GENERAL, ERIC
HOLDER, FORMER SECRETARY OF
STATE COLIN POWELL, SUPER MODEL
TYSON BECKFORD, ATHLETE AND
COACH, PATRICK EWE WING, BOXER
AND ATHLETE, LENNOX LEWIS AND
WYCLEF JEAN, PERFORMER.
AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
AS A CHILD OF JAMAICAN
IMMIGRANTS, I HAVE BEEN AN
OUTSPOKEN ADVOCATE FOR CARIBBEAN
AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN ISSUES
AND CONCERNS MY ENTIRE PUBLIC
LIFE.
AND PROBABLY CARRY FORTH MY
DISTRICT'S RICH CARIBBEAN
HERITAGE.
THE SUCCESS OF THE CARIBBEAN
IMMIGRANT AND THEIR CARIBBEAN
AMERICAN DESCENDENCE HAS BEEN EVIDENT IN EVERY FIELD OF
ENDEAVOR.
WHILE CARIBBEAN AMERICANS HAVE
MADE GREAT STRIDES AND VERY
HISTORIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
PROSPERITY AND STRENGTHENI OF
OUR NATION, THERE'S STILL
LINGERING ISSUES THAT ADVERSELY
AFFECT CARIBBEAN AMERICANS IN
THE UNITED STATES.
CARIBBEAN IMMIGRANTS OFTEN HAVE
VERY LITTLE MONEY OR ACCESS TO
RESOURCES WHEN MAKING THEIR
TRANSITION TO THE UNITED STATES,
MAKING THEM VULNERABLE TARGETS
OF IMMIGRATION FRAUD.
I HAVE INTRODUCED H.R. 1992, THE
IMMIGRATION FRAUD AND PREVENTION
ACT OF 2009, MAKING IT A FEDERAL
CRIME TO WILLFULLY MISREPRESENT
THE IMMIGRATION PROCESS THROUGH
FRAUD AND FALSE REPRESENTATION.
I HAVE ALSO INTRODUCED H.R. 2071
WHICH DIRECTS THE SECRETARY OF
COMMERCE TO INCLUDE CARIBBEAN
DESCENDENTS AS AN OPTION ON
CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRES.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL BRING
RECOGNITION TO THE BROAD
DIVERSITY OF CARIBBEAN NATIVES
AND DESCENDENTS THAT OUR COUNTRY
HOME AND ENSURE AN ACCURATE --
THAT CALL OUR COUNTRY HOME AND
ENSURE AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT AND
PROPER PRESENTATION AND
RESOURCE.
I WAS ALSO PLEASED THIS YEAR TO
BE PRESENT AT THE SUMMIT OF THE
AMERICAS ALONG WITH OUR OWN
PRESIDENT, BOEHM, EARLIER THIS
YEAR -- BARACK OBAMA, EARLIER
THIS YEAR.
THAT SUMMIT WAS THE BEGINNING OF
WHAT I KNOW WILL BE AN ENDURING
COMMITMENT TO A MUTUALLY
BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR
THIRD BORDER.
OUR NATION'S THIRD BORDER SHARED
WITH THE CARICOM COMMUNITY LINKS
NOT ONLY FAMILIES, NOT ONLY
TRAVEL AND INDUSTRY, BUT I
BELIEVE THE SECURITY OF OUR OWN
UNITED STATES AND THE NATION --
AND OUR ISLAND NATION NEIGHBORS.
IN 2007, A JOINT REPORT BY THE
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF DRUG
AND CRIME AND THE WORLD BANK
LINKED SOME OF THE RISG CRIME
RATES IN CARIBBEAN NATIONS
INCREASE IN DRUG SHIPMENT.
IN THE PREVIOUS CONGRESS I
INTRODUCED H.RES. 1504
CALLS FOR INCREASED COOPERATION
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND
CARIBBEAN OFFICIALS TO COMBAT THIS PROBLEM.
ST WEEK I STOOD PROUDLY ON
THIS FLOOR TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT
FOR PROVISIONS WHICH WERE IN
H.R. 2410, THE FOREIGN RELATIONS
AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2009, WHICH
ADDED THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY OR
CARICOM TO THE MA RIDIA
INITIATIVE.
I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND THE
HONORABLE BARBARA LEE FOR HER
WORK IN ESTABLISHING THE CHERYLY
CHISHOLM EDUCATION ALEX CHANGE
PROGRAM AUTHORIZED WITHIN THE
BILL -- EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE
PROGRAM AUTHORIZED WITHIN THE
BILL.
MADAM SPEAKER, IT IS WITH GREAT
PRE THINK A STAND HERE A
DESCENDENT OF CARIBBEAN
IMMIGRANTS, ABLE TO STAND IN THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SECOND
GENERATION REPRESENTING A
CONSTITUENCY THAT IS THE DISPORA
OF THE CARIBBEAN REGION AND I'M
PROUD HERE THAT WE HERE IN THE
U.S. CAPITOL TAKE THIS TIME TO
COMMEMORATE THE VERY
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THE BINDING OF
OUR NATIONS AND OUR PEOPLE IN
MAKING SURE THAT WE STRENGTHEN
AND BUILD PROSPERITY HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES AND SHARE THAT
GOOD WEALTH AND DEMOCRACY TO THE
REGION FROM WHICH SO MANY HAVE
COME.
HAVING SAID THAT, I YIELD BACK
TO THE GENTLELADY FROM THE
VIRGIN ISLANDS.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: THANK YOU,
CONGRESSWOMAN CLARKE, FOR YOUR
MARKS THIS EVENING AND THANK
YOU MOST OF ALL, THOUGH, FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP ON BEHALF OF THE
CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES
WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU
DO, BOTH ON YOUR COMMITTEE, YOUR
SUBCOMMITTEE, THE SUBCOMMITTEE
THAT YOU CHAIR OHOMELAND SECURITY, AND IN ALL OF THE WORK
THAT ADDRESSES ISSUES IN THE CARIBBEAN.
THANK YOU FOR JOING US THIS EVENING.
I WOULD LIKE NOW TO YIELD SUCH
TIME AS SHE MIGHT CONSUME TO THE
GENTLELADY FROM TEXAS,
CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON
LEE.
MS. JACKSON LEE: LET ME THANK
THE GENTLELADY FOR YIELDING TO
ME AND ALLOW ME TO ACKNOWLEDGE
AS WELL THE CONGRESSNAL BLACK
CAUCUS FOR THE COLLECTED EFFORT
THAT THEY HAVE MADE AND THANK
OUR PRESIDENT CHAIRWOMAN FOR THE
2004 RESOLUTION, HOUSE
RESOLUTION 517, THAT ULTIMATELY
WAS PROCLAIMED BY THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
THIS IS AN ENRICHING DAY AND AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EMPHASIZE
THE VASTNESS OF DIVERSITY THAT
IS IS IN THIS COUNTRY AND I
STAND HERE AS A CARIBBEAN
AMERICAN PROUDLY EXERCISING AND
RELISHING IN THE HISTORY OF MY
ANCESTRY.
LET ME ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK
THAT WE HAVE COLLECTIVELY DONE.
AS A RANKING MEMBER ON THE
IMMIGRATION SUBCOMMITTEE, WE
HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF WORKING
FOR THISSUES OF PARODY AS IT
RELATES TO THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
HAITIANANS TO BECOME STATUSED
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AS WE
HAVE SEEN THE CUBANS ALSO HAVE
THIS OPPORTUNITY THROUGH WHAT WE
CALL THE WET FOOD, DRY FOOT
PROVISION -- WET FOOT, DRY FOOT
PROVISION.
WE HAVE WORKED UNENDING TO MAKE
SURE THAT COMES ABOUT AND AS WE
LOOK FORWARD INTO THE
COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM
DEBATE I HOPE THAT LANGUAGE FROM
THE SAVE AMERICA COMPREHENSIVE
IMMIGRATION LEGISLATION THAT I
AUTHORED WILL BE PART OF THE
DEBATE SO THAT OUR REFORM WILL
INCLUDE ALL ASPECTS OF THOSE WHO
ARE SEEKING TO BE STATUSED AND
PARTICULAR PARTICULARLY THOSE FROM THE CARIBBEAN.
WE HAVE WORKED ON ISSUES THAT
ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS OF MANY
CARIBBEAN LEADERS, WHEN THERE
WERE MASSIVE DEPORTATIONS OF
INDIVIDUAL
STATES WHO HAD NEVER BEEN TO THE
CARIBBEAN, HAD NEVER BEEN TO THE
COUNTRIES OF WHICH THEIR BIRTH
AND THEREFORE THEY WERE COMING
AND PROVIDING THE NEED FOR EXTRA
RESOURCES BY CARIBBEAN LEADERS.
THIS IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THE
ISSUES OF THE CARIBBEAN AND
RECOGNIZING THAT THEY ARE A
VITAL ALLY TO US AND THAT WAS
RECOGNIZED BY THE RECENT
AUTHORIZATION OF THE MEETING IN
THE CARIBBEAN IN TRINIDAD WHERE
MANY CARIBBEAN NATIONS CAME AND
I BELIEVE THE NEW RELATIONSHIP
WAS CEMENTED BETWEEN THIS NEW
PRESIDENT, THIS CONGRESS AND THE
CARIBBEAN LEADERS.
SO AS WE SPEAK ABOUT THE
GREATNESS OF CARIBBEAN
AMERICANS, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE
THAT WE SHOULD ALSO BE ENGAGED
WITH THE CARIBBEAN AS OUR
ALLIES, AS THOSE WHO CAN
PARTICIPATE WITH US IN HOMELAND
SECURITY AND SECURING THE
BORDERS.
AS WE LOOK TO CARIBBEAN
AMERICANS WHO HAVE MADE GREAT
STRIDES HERE IN THIS COUNTRY,
CARIBBEAN AMERICANS ARE
EDUCATED, SOLDIERS, POLITICIANS,
ATHLETE IT'S, ECONOMISTS,
HISTORIANS, ACTIVISTS, DOCTORS,
LAWYERS AND EVERYDAY MEN AND
WOMEN.
THERE ARE THOSE OF US WHO ENJOY
THE MUSIC OF THE CARIBBEAN AND
ONE OF OUR MOST FAMOUS POETS AND
MUSICIANS WAS BOB MARLEE, WHOSE
REGGAE MUSIC CONTINUES TO
PERMEATE THE MUSIC CHANNELS AND
THE EARS OF AMERICANS.
WE ARE PROUD OF THE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF CARIBBEAN
AMERICANS.
OF THOSE LIKE KAREEM
ABDUL-JABBAR, THOSE LIKE TIMOTHY
DUNCAN, THOSE LIKE SYDNEY PORT
YEA, THOSE LIKE -- SYDNEY
PORTIER AND OF COURSE COLIN
POWELL, THE FORMER SECRETARY OF
STATE, A CARIBBEAN AMERICAN.
CERTAINLY THE HONORABLE CHERYLY
CHISS AM WHO RAN AS AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN FOR
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
BOLD, UNASHAMED OF THEIR
AND HISTORY, READYO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE, THAT IS THE
CHARACTER OF CARIBBEAN AMERICANS
AND THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE
CARIBBEAN.
LET ME ALSO
WHO I WORKED WITH AS WE VISITED
HAITI AND WENT TO SEE MANY OF
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED
BECAUSE OF THE, IF YOU WILL, THE
INCONSISTENCY OF LEADERSHIP IN
HAITI.
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO SEE THE
PRESIDENT LEADING OUT BUT WE
VISITED MANY WHO WERE POLITICAL
PRISONERS AND WORKED WITH THE
THEN BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO TRY
TO SECURE THEIR FREEDOM.
I WENT TO -- I WANT TO CONTINUE
TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO
CHAIRMAN CONYERS FOR THE WORK
THAT HE HAS CONTINUOUSLY DONE
WORKINGN HAITI WHEN WE
TRAVELED THERE TOGETHER.
SO TRE ARE MANY ASPECTS OF THE
CARIBBEAN THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE.
I'M HERE TO CELEBRATE THE GREAT
CONNECTION THAT I'VE HAD THE
PRIVILEGE OF HAVING AND I'M
DELIGHTED TO BE JOINED ON THE
FLOOR OF THE HOUSE BY CONGRESSWOMAN CHRISTENSEN AS
WELL AS CONGRESSWOMAN CLARKE AND
CONGRESSWOMAN -- CONGRESSMAN
PAYNE AND THE CHAIRWOMAN WHO IS
NOW SERVING AS SPEAKER PRO
TEMPORE.
WE DO THIS BECAUSE WE WANT TO
ENSURE THAT PEOPLE REALIZE HOW
GREAT AMERICA IS AND IT IS HOME
GREAT CAUSE IT RELIES UPON THE
STRENGTH OF THOSE WHO COME FROM
DIFFERENT CULTURES AND BRING
THAT WONDER THE TO OUR WONDERFUL
NATION -- WONDERMENT TO OUR
WONDERFUL NATION.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
CREATION OF THE INSTITUTE OF
CARIBBEAN STUDIES IN 1994, I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THED A HOCK
CARIBBEAN COUNCIL IN WASHITON,
D.C., THAT DISBANDED AND
CELEBRATING JUNE AS THE
CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE
MONTH IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
THIS IS JUST PART OF THE BILL
THAT WAS TO MAKE IN THE MONTH
THAT WE CELEBRATE CARIBBEAN
HERITAGE MONTH.
FINALLY, MIGHT I SAY PROUDLY
THAT I WANT TO SPEAK OF MY
GRANDPARENTS, MR. AND MRS.
JACKSON.
MY GRANDMOTHER AND GRANDFATHER
WERE TRUE SONS AND DAUGHTERS AT
THAT TIME OF THE KING AND QUEEN
BECAUSE JAMAICA WAS THEN A
COLONY OF GREAT BRITAIN.
HOWEVER, THEIR DIGNITY ALLOWED
THEM TO KNOW THAT JAMAICA COULD
BE A FREE AND DEMOCRATIC NATION
AND THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF
THAT IT COULD BE A FREE NATION,
THEY SECURED THEIR FREEDOM AND
WHAT A CELBRATORY TIME THAT
WAS.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SO MANY
PRIME MINISTERS BUT FORMER PRIME
MINISTER MANLY, FORMER PRIME
MINISTER PATTERSON, ALL GREAT
LEADERS THAT BROUGHT GREATNESS
TO THE CARIBBEAN AND TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESIDENT PRIME
MINIER AS HE CONTINUES TO
WORK, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FIRST
WOMAN PRIME MINISTER AS WELL
THAT WAS IN JAMAICA FOR AT LEAST
A TIME IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
WE KNOW THAT SHE'S BEEN CALLED
WITH GREAT LOVE AND AFFECTION
BUT WE RESPECT THE SERVICE SHE
HAS GIVEN.
MY GRANDPARENTS LEFT JAMAICA AND
PT TO WORK IN PANAMA, IN THE
PANAMA CANAL, AND I HAD THE
PRIVILEGE OF GOING TO THE PANAMA CANAL FOR A HOMELAND SECURITY
MISSION AND SEEING MY
GRANDFATHER'S NAME LISTED AS ONE
OF THOSE WHO WORKED ON THE PANAMA CANAL.
AS HE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES
AND THEN SETTLED BETWEEN SOUTH
CAROLINA AND BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,
TO KNOW THAT HE W
WONDERFUL TRADITION OF HISTORY
AND HERITAGE, THE WONDERFUL
CUISINE OF RICE AND PEAS AND
MANY OTHER GOOD THINGS THAT WE
CONTINUE TO ENJOY CULTURALLY IN
MY FAMILY, THAT I RAISED MY
CHILDREN ON, THAT I WAS RAISED
ON, SO THAT THIS NEXUS OF
KNOWING YOUR ROOTS IS SO VERY
KEY.
SO WHAT I SAY TO ALL WHO ARE
LISTENING, THIS NATION IS
VALUABLE BECAUSE IT RESPECTS THE
CULTURE OF ALL OF US AND TODAY
WE SALUTE CARIBBEAN AMERICANS
AND I'VE BEEN PRIVILEGED AND
PROUD TO SERVE IN THE UNITED
STATES CONGRESS WITH THAT
HISTORY BUT ALSO TO WORK ON A
NUMBER OF ISSUES HELPING TO MAKE
THEIR LAND, THEIR NATIONS BETTER
AND CREATING A BETTER
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED
STATES AND THE CARIBBEAN.
WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO YIELD
BACK TO THE DISTINGUISHED
GENTLELADY.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: THANK YOU,
CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON LEE, AND
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND SERVICE AND SUORT FOR ALL
ISSUES RELATING TO THE
CARIBBEAN.
I KNOW YOU'RE VERY PROUD OF YOUR
JAMAICAN HERITAGE BECAUSE YOU
SPEAK OF IT VERY OFTEN.
THANK YOU.
AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO YIELD
SUCH TIME AS HE MIGHT CONSUME
TO THE FOUNDING CHAIR OF THE
FRIENDS OF THE CARIBBEAN
CAUCUS, THE GENTLEMAN FROM NEW
JERSEY, CONGRESSMAN DONALD
PAYNE.
MR. CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY
REMARKS. THANK YOU.
LET ME COMMEND THE
BLACK CAUCUS AND ITS CHAIRPERSON
THIS EVENING, BARBARA LEE, FROM
CALIFORNIA FOR THE OUTSTANDING
JOB THAT SHE I DOING AS CHAIR
OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK
CAUCUS AND AS THE CAUCUS MOVES
FORWARD BEING THE CONSCIENCE OF
THE CONGRESS, LET ME ALSO
COMMEND REPRESENTATIVE FUDGE WHO
IS FROM THE GREAT STATE OF OHIO
WHO CONTINUES TO LEAD THIS
SPECIAL ORDER ON OUR EVENINGS.
OF COURSE TO OUR CARIBBEAN QUEEN
, DELEGATE DONNA
CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSEN WHO AS YOU
KNOW IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM
THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS.
NOT ONLY IS SHE AN EXPERT ON THE
CARIBBEAN, BUT AS WE ALL KNOW
SHE IS AN INTERNIST, PHYSICIAN
AND HAS BEEN VERY, VERY
AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN A VERY
DIFFICULT HEALTH CARE REFORM.
AND HER INPUT
I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND HER FOR
THE RECENT INVOLVEMENT IN A
DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE
RELATIONSHIP B
AND PUERTO RICO THAT WENT
THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE SUGAR
CANE INDUSTRY BACK AT THE TURN
OF THE CENTURY IN THE 19 -- LATE
1800'S, EARLY 1900'S AND THE
NUMBER OF PUERTO RICANS WHO CAME
TO ST. CROIX TO WORK THERE.
THIS WAS SHOWN LAST WEEKEND,
WILL BE SHOWN IN NEW
HAS RECEIVED MANY PRAISES FOR
THE INTERESTING HISTORY THAT IT
BRINGS ABOUT.
LET ME JUST SAY THAT IT'S A
PLEASURE TO BE HERE
OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICAN
GLOBAL HEALTH, BUT CHAIR OF THE
CARIBBEAN CAUCUS, A BIPARTISAN
CAUCUSTHAT WE HAVE HERE TO
KIND OF EXPAND OUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE CARIBBEAN THAT THIS
AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IS WELL
DESERVED.
IT'S RECOGNIZING THE DIVERSITY
AND SUCCESS OF PEOPLE FROM THE
CARIBBEAN.
YOU HAVE HEARD OTHER SPEAKERS
TALK ABOUT THE MANY PEOPLE FROM
THE CARIBBEAN WHO HAVE BEEN SO OUTSTANDING.
THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND IMPACTS
MADE FROM CARIBBEAN PEOPLE HAVE
CONTINUALLY MADE A POSITIVE
CONTRIBUTION TO THE WELL-BEING
OF AMERICAN SOCIETY.
WE COULD GO BACK TO OUR
BEGINNING.
ALEXANDER HAMILTON CAME FROM THE
CARIBBEAN, OUR FIRST SECRETARY
OF THE TREASURY.
WE HAVE OF COURSE COLIN PELL
FROM ALEXANDER HAMILTON WAS FROM
ST
SECRETARY COLIN POWELL IS FROM
THE CARIBBEAN, SICILY TYSON, WE
HAVE HEARD W.E.B. DU BOIS, JAMES
WELDON JOHNSON, MALCOLM X.
HARRY BELL FONTY -- BELEFONTE
AND SIDNEY POITIER.
IN MY OWN DISTRICT TWO PEOPLE I
MIGHT TALK ABOUT HERE,
ANTOINETTE KAY ELLISS WILLIAM
AND DR. CLAIRE NELSON.
THE FOUNDER AND PRE
INSTITUTE OF CARIBBEAN STUDIES
IS KNOWN FOR HER MAKING CARIBBEAN AMERICANS
HEARD.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT I HAVE
WORKED WITH HER ON A REGULAR
BASIS AS MANY OF US DO AND WE
ADMIRE HER AND THE GREAT WORK
THAT SHE DOES.
WE JUST HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BE WITH HER LAST WEEK AND WE ARE
OUTSTANDING WORK THAT THE
INSTITUTE IS DOING.
THE SECOND PERSON I MENTIONED,
DR. ANTOINETTE K. ELLIS WILLIAMS
IS A LEADER IN MY CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT, CURRENTLY SERVES AS
PRESIDENT FOR THE HE SECTION
VALLEY HEALTH CARE AND SERVES ON
AND SERVES ON THE BOARD OF EAST
GENERAL HOSPITAL.
SHE'S PART OF A NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION OF DOCTORS, NURSES,
AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS WHO GIVE
BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH
THEIR SERVICES.
SHE IS A FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF
THE STATEWIDE FEMALE LEADERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE AND
RESEARCH CENTER AT THE NEW
JERSEY CITY INSTITUTE.
THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY'S
PRESENCE ALSO PLAYS A WIDE ROLE
IN OUR ELECTIONS, ESPECIALLY IN
MY DISTRICT, WHERE THE GREATER
SETTLEMENT OF MANY PEOPLE FROM
THE CARIBBEAN IN EAST ORANGE AND
IRVINGTON AND NEWARK MAKE THEIR
VOICES HEARD.
PAST ELECTIONS WE HAVE SEEN MANY
PEOPLE FROM THE CARIBBEAN
COMMUNITIES EDUCATE CARIBBEANS
ON THE AWARENESS OF
PARTICIPATION IN RECOGNIZING
JUNE AS CARIBBEAN MONTH.
MY WORK WITH THE CAUCUS THIS
CONGRESS HAS CONTINUALLY FOCUSED
ON ENHANCING RELATIONSHIPS
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND
THE CARIBBEAN STATES BY
REVIEWING PROPOSALS AND PENDING
LEGISLATION THAT HAS DIRECT
IMPACT ON THE CARIBBEAN.
I BELIEVE THAT BY FACILITATING
AN ONGOING DIALOGUE WE CAN
CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THE
CARIBBEAN AS AMERICA'S THIRD
BORDER FOR TRADE, FOR POLITICAL
STABILITY, FOR FIGHTS AGAINST
DRUG TRAFFICKING, AND FOR
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE NEED TO REMBER THAT THE
CARIBBEAN IS NOT JUST A PLACE
FOR VACATIONING BUT IT'S A PLACE
IN NEED OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
WITH THE CURRENT OPEN TRADE
REGIME, THE CHALLENGE FOR
CARIBBEAN IS TO QUICKLY DEVELOP
HIGH PRODUCTIVE SECTORS THAT
COULD DRIVE THE REGION'S
DEVELOPMENT.
WE KNOW THAT THE SAME PROBLEMS
THAT HAVE STRICKEN US IN THE
U.S. HAVE STRICKEN THE
CARIBBEAN, H.I.V. AND AIDS HAS
BECOME A PROBLEM, BUT WE ARE
VERY PLEASED THA
PROGRAM NOW HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO
14 CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES.
THE EPIDEMIC HAS CLAIMED CLOSE
TO 300,000 LIVES -- OR 300,000
PEOPLE LIVING IN THE CARIBBEAN
WITH THE VIRUS.
AND IT'S THE LEADING CAUSE OF
DEATH FROM PEOPLE FROM 15 TO 44.
WE KNOW THAT OUR HAITI, THE LIFE
EXPECTANCY HAS ALSO BEEN
IMPACTED TREMENDOUSLY BY H.I.V.
AND AIDS.
HOWEVER LIKE I SAID WE HAVE A
TREMENDOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR
FRIENDS IN THEARIBBEAN.
THERE ARE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WE
NEED TO HELP THEM ON.
DEPORTATION AS Y KNOW IN 1996
THE U.S. LAW CHANGED ANYONE
CONVICTED OF AN OFFENSE HAD TO
FACE DEPORTATION FROM THE UNITED
STATES.
AS A RESULT MANY OF THESE SMALL
NATION COUNTRIES HAVE HAD TO
ABSORB PERSONS WHO MAY HAVE COME
TO THE UNITED STATES AS INFANTS
BUT HAVE ENGAGED IN CRIME AND
NOW ARE SENT BACK 20, 30, 40
YEARS LATER AS HARDENED
CRIMINALS.
MANY OF THE COUNTRIES IN THE
CARIBBEAN IS HAVING A DIFFICULT
TIME DEALING WITH THESE DEPORTEES.
ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT WE SEE IS
WITH THE DRUG TRAFFICKING IN MEXICO.
WE ARE FINDING THAT THEY ARE
PUSHING DRUG TRAFFICKING INTO
THE CARIBBEAN AND WE NEED TO
ASSIST THE CARIBBEAN IN FIGHTING
THIS -- AND GIVE THEM ASSISTANCE
IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TRAING
AND COAST GUARD ASSISTANCE.
BUT WIRE VERY PROUD OF MANY OF
THE -- WE ARE VERY PROUD OF MANY
OF THE HAITIANS AS I MENTIONED.
TRACK AND FIELD IS SOMETHING
THAT THEY HAVE EXCELLED IN.
I RECALL WHEN I WAS RUNNING BACK
IN THE EARLY 1950'S, GEORGE
RHEN WAS A QUARTER MILER WHO
WON THE HELSINKI GOLD MEDAL IN
THE OLYMPICS.
BUT GEORGE RHODEN AND MANY OTHER
JAMAICANS CAME UP AND WENT TO
MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
THE RELAYS THESE JAMAICANS IN
THE LATE 1940'S, EARLY 1950'S
STARTED TO GET RECOGNITION.
WE KNOW IN THE BEIJING OLYMPICS,
BOLT, AT 21 YEARS OLD WON THE
100 METERS AND THE 200 METERS.
HE WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST
PERSONS EVER TO WIN THOSE EVENTS
AND THE FIRST PERSON SINCE MR.
LEWIS FROM NEW JERSEY TO WIN
BOTH SPRINTS IN THE OLYMPICS.
WE HAVE HAD MANY OUTSTANDING
PEOPLE THAT STARTED POLITICS IN
NEW YORK.
JACK WAY BACK, FELLOW FROM ST.
LUCIA, HE WAS BORN IN 1905,
MOVED UP TO NEW YORK, HIGH
SCHOOL DROPOUT, WENT TO WORK FOR
A COMPANY AND WORKED HIS WAY UP
FROM A JANITOR TO BECOME A VICE
PRESIDENT OF THE FIRM.
BECAME ACTIVE IN POLITICS AND HE
BECAME NEW YORK CITY DEMOCRATIC
POLITICAL LEADER, LOYAL TO THE
TAMM MANNY HALL -- TAMANY HALL FEEASO.
JACK WON SEVEN STRAIGHT
ELECTIONS TO THE NEW YORK STATE
ASIMMABLYEPRESENTING HIS
HARLEM DISTRICT.
IN 1953 HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT
OF MANHATTAN BECOMING THE FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO LD THE
POST. ELECTED MORE THAN A DECADE
BEFORE THE RISE OF BIG CITY
BLACK MAYORS IN THE 1960'S, HE
WAS THE HIGHEST RANKING
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUNICIPAL
OFFICER IN THE NATION WITH AN
ANNUAL SALARY AT THAT TIME OF
25D,000.
HE WAS THE HIGHEST PAID BLACK
OFFICE HOLDER IN THE COUNTRY.
HE SERVED AS MANHATTAN BURROUGH
PRESIDENT FOR SEVERAL
AND BECAUSE OF HIS EMERGING
STRENGTH, THE POWS THAT BE
INTERRUPTED HIS CAREER AND HE LEFT.
BUT JACK SHOWED
WAS SOMETHING THAT MANY OF OUR
CARIBBEAN FKS BROUGHT TO THE
LEADERSHIP OF POLITICS IN OUR
COUNTRY.
AND I'LL JUST FALLY END BY A
PERSON THAT WE ALL ADMIRED SO
MUCH AND HAS BEEN MENTIONED
EARLIER, MR. MICHAEL MANLY, SON
OF NORMAN MANLY WHO SERVED AS
THE PRIME MINISTER, 1959 TO 1962
BUT MICHAEL MANLY CAME IN AND
BECAME THREE-TERM PRIME MINISTER
FROM 1972 TO 1980 AND 1989 TO
1992.
HE STEPPED DOWN BECAUSE OF BAD
HEALTH.
BUT JUST LOOK AT WHAT MICHAEL
MANLY DID IN JAMAICA.
A MINIMUM WAGE FOR ALL WORKERS.
FREE EDUCATION AT SECONDARY AND
UNIVERSITY LEVEL TO
THAT SPACE W AVAILABLE.
INSTITUTE OF LITERACY CAMPAIGN.
SUBDIVISION OF WHAT HE CALLED
IDLE LAND TO POOR BLACKS.
FORMATION OF AGRARIAN
COOPERATIVES WHERE THEY WORKED
TOGETHER.
PRICE CONTROL ON NUMEROUS
STAPLES TO BENEFIT THE POOR.
REDUCTION OF THE VOTING AGE TO
18 THUS INCREASING THE BLACK
VOTE THAT THEN WAS ABLE TO
CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
LISTEN TO THIS,
INSTITUTIONALIZING PAID
MATERNITY LEAVE AND FREE MILK TO MOTHERS.
THIS WAS WAY BACK THEN, IN
STILL FIGHTING TO GET FAMILY
LEAVE INSTITUTED IN SOME OUR
STATES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
30 YEARS LATER.
AND SO A PERSON LIKE MR. MANLY,
MICHAEL MANLY, DID SUCH AN
OUTSTANDING JOB AND SO WE ARE
JUST PLEASED TO CELEATE THIS
HERITAGE MONTH.
ONCE AGAIN I CERTAINLY COMMEND
THE GENTLELADY FROM THE U.S.
VIRGIN ISLANDS FOR HER
LEADERSHIP AND I KNOW THAT WE
WILL HAVE A WONDERFUL MONTH AS
WE CELEBRATE THE GREAT
ATTRIBUTES THAT THE PEOPLE FROM
THE CARIBBEAN HAD MADE NOT ONLY
TO THE UNITED STATES, EUROPE,
AND OF COURSE THE CARIBBEAN.
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: THANK YOU, CONGRESSMAN PAYNE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
BOTH
AND GLOBAL HEALTH, AS WELL AS
FOR ALL OF THE WORK YOU HAVE
CAUCUS.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS
EVENING.
MADAM SPEAKER, I'D LIKE TO ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO E
STATEMENT INTO THE RECORD THIS EVENING.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WIT OBJECTION.
MRS. CHRISTENSEN: THANK YOU.
THERE ARE SO MANY MEN AND WOMEN
OF CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE
WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY IN
SO MANY EVENTS THAT HAVE GRATED
TIES THAT FOREVER BIND US
TOGETHER.
PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS
PROCLAMATION OF THIS YEAR
RECOGNIZING CARIBBEAN AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH WROTE, AND I
QUOTE, GENERATIONS OF IMMIGRANTS
HAVE PLEA SERVED THE TRADITIONS
OF THEIR HOME LANDS AND THEY
DEFINE OUR NATION'S IDENTITY.
THIS MULTILINGUAL AND
MULTIETHNIC TRADITION HAS
STRENGTHENED OUR SOCIAL FABRIC
AND ENRICHED THE DIVERSITY OF
OUR NATION.
HE CONTINUES, WE ARE NEIGHBORS,
PARTNERS, AND FRIENDS.
WE SHARE THE SAME ASPIRATIONS
FOR OUR CHILDREN AND RESTRIVE
FOR THE VERY SAME FREEDOMS.
TOGETHER WE CAN MEET THE COMMON
CHALLENGES WE FACE, END OF QUOTE.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SEVERAL OF
THOSE TIES THAT BIND.
THE BIRTH OF OUR NATION WAS
SUPPORTED BY MANY CARIBBEAN ISLANDS.
MANY DO NOT KNOW THAT THE GUNS
THAT WERE MANNED BY THE COLONIES
DURINGHE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
WERE GUN POWDERED BY SHIPMEN
FROM THE CARIBBEAN.
WHILE I BELIEVE MOST OF IT
ORIGINATED IN ST. KITTS IT WAS
IN THE ST. CROIX HARBOR WHERE
THAT GUNPOWDER WAS LOADED FOR
THE SHIPMEN TO THE EARLY COLONIES.
THERE WAS ALSO IN THAT ST. CROIX
HARBOR ACCORDING TO ROBERT
JOHNSON IN HIS BOOK, "ST. CROIX
1770 TO 1776 THAT THE FIRST
SALUTE TO THE STARS AND STRIPES
OCCURRED IN JUNE OF 1776.
AND OF COURSE THEN THERE'S THAT
-- DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
HAITI AND NEW ORLEANS, THE
LATTER OF WHICH IN THE BEGINNING
OF THE 19TH CENTURY WAS
CONSIDERED A MINOR ADJUNCT TO
CONSIDERED FRANCE'S MOST
VALUABLE POSSESSION.
.
IT WAS ONLY AFTER NAPOLEON HAD
FAILED TO CONQUER THE COLONIES,
THE LOUISIANA TERRITORY.
MANY FROM THE ISLAND WHO HAD
FLED THAT ISLAND BECAME EARLY
INHABITANTS OF NEW ORLEANS,
CONTRIBUTING TO THE CULTURE THAT
IS SO RECOGNIZED AND RENOWNED
TODAY.
THERE ARE ALSO MANY U.S. VIRGIN
ISLANDERS TODAY AND IN THE PAST
AND FROM THE THEN DANISH WEST
INDIES WHO HAVE AND CONTINUE TO
CONTRIBUTE MUCH TO OUR NATION
AND HAVE SPOKEN OF MANY OF THEM
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
PEOPLE LIKE CASPER HOLSTEIN,
CONGRESSMAN PAYNE MENTIONED
RAYMOND JONES, EMIL GRIFFIN, TIM
DUNCAN, MANY, MANY OTHERS.
ONE, DENMARK VECSEY, WAS BORN IN
ST. THOMAS AND SETTLED IN
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, ONE
OF MY FAVORITE CITIES.
SETTLED INTEREST IN 1783.
17 YEARS LATER HE BROUGHT HIS
FREEDOM AND INSPIRED, I'M SURE
BY THE 1733 AFRICAN REBELLION OF
ST. JOHN AND THE 1791 SUCCESSFUL
AFRICAN REBELLION IN NOW HAITI,
HE ALSO PLANNED A WELL-KNOWN
SLAVE UPRISING THAT WAS TO HAVE
TAKEN PLACE IN 1822, BUT WAS
THWARTED.
I WOULD BE TRULY REMISS IF I
DIDN'T SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT ALEX
ANDER HAMILTON WHO WAS BORN IN
WHAT IS NOW THE INDEPENDENT
NATURE OF ST. KITTS AND WHO
SPENT HIS FORMATIVE YEARS IN ST.
CROIX BEFORE COMING TO NEW YORK
AND EVENTUALLY BECOMING, QUOTE,
ARGUABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT
FIGURE IN AMERICAN HISTORY WH
NEVER ATTAINED THE PRESIDENCY
BUT HAD A FAR MORE LASTING
IMPACT THAN MANY WHO DID.
ALEXANDER HAMILTON IS CREDITED
WITH HAVING BEEN WASHINGTON'S
AIDE TO CAMP, A REVOLUTIONARY
WAR HERO, A MEMBER OF THE
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, THE
LEADING AUTHOR OF THE FEDERALIST
PAPERS AND HEAD OF THE
FEDERALIST PARTY AS WELL AS THE
FIRST SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
WHO FORGED OUR TAX AND BUDGET
SYSTEMS.
I BET HE WOULD HAVE LED US
BUDGET FOR PREVENTION AS WE'RE
TRYING TO DO IN REFORM.
HE STARTED THE COAST GUARD AND
THE CENTRAL BANK.
WE ARE PROUD THAT HE WAS A
VIRGIN ISLANDER, AND WE'RE
SEEKING TO MAKE HIS FAMILY HOME,
THE SITE WHERE HIS MOTHER WAS
BURIED, A PART OF THE NATIONAL
PARK SERVICE.
IT CARRIES THE SAME NAME AS HIS
HOME IN NEW YORK CITY, GRANGE.
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CARIBBEAN
MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED IN
CONGRESS AND IN OUR NATION'S
ADMINISTRATIONS.
AS A WOMAN OF CARIBBEAN DESCENT
AND A FOUNDING MOTHER OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS,
CHERYLY CHISHOLM WHO HAS ALSO
BEEN MENTIONED THIS EVENING, LED
THE WAY FOR CONGRESSWOMAN CLARKE
AND I.
AS A PIONEERING MINORITY WOMAN,
HER LEGACY HOLDS THE DOOR OPEN
FOR MANY MORE AFRICAN-AMERICANS
AND WOMEN.
THEN THERE WAS MERVIN, MELVIN
EVANS, VICTOR FRAZIER AND ALL
WHO HAVE SERVED AS RESIDENT
COMMISSIONERS FROM PUERTO RICO
AS WELL AS THEIR HERITAGE WHO
ARE ALSO CARIBBEAN AMERICANS AND
WHO SERVE
IN THE PAST IN THIS BODY.
MANY MORE OF OUR NATION'S
CARIBBEAN SUCH AS OUR FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, COLIN
POWELL, ATTORNEY GENERAL, ERIC
HOLDER, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
THE EXTERIOR DESIGNEE AND
SUPREME COURT NOMINEE, SONIA SOTOMAYOR.
BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS.
WE MAY LOOK BACK AS FAR AS THE
PERIOD TO THE 1900'S', TO THE
1920'S, WHICH MARKED THE
INITIATION OF MASS LABOR
MIGRATION FROM THE CARIBBEAN TO
THE UNITED STATES AND THE
FORMATION OF THE FIRST LARGE
CARIBBEAN COMMUNITIES HERE IN
THIS COUNTRY.
WE SHOULD NOT FORGET WORLD WAR
I, WHEN THE RECRUITMENT OF LABOR
FROM THE CARIBBEAN BECAME
EMPIRTIVE, MORE THAN 100,000
CARIBBEAN LABORERS WERE
RECRUITED FOR AGRICULTURAL AND
TEDIOUS JOBS AS PAR AS -- PART
OF WAR LABORERS.
WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THE
CARIBBEAN MEN AND WOMEN WHO
SERVED OUR COUNTRY AND THOSEHO
CONTINUE TO SERVE THIS COUNTRY
OVERSEAS IN ITS CONFLICTS TODAY.
SO I FEEL IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND
A PRIVILEGE AS A CARIBBEAN
AMERICAN WHOSE ROOTS FLY CUBA,
AN TIGA, ST. KITTS AND THE
DANISH WEST INDIES, NOW THE
VIRNLEN ISLANDS, TO HOST THIS
HOUR WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL
BLACK CAUCUS IS RECOGNIZE AND
PAID TRIBUTE TO CARIBBEAN
AMERICAN HERITAGE.
WITH THAT, MADAM SPEAKER, I
YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER
GENTLELADY YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HER TIME.
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED
POLICY OF JANUARY 6, 2009, THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS, MR.
MINUTES AS THE DESIGNEE OF THE
MINORITY LEADER.
MR. CARTER: I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR RECOGNIZING ME TODAY.
I GO SOME STUFF I THINK'S
KIBEDS OF INTERESTING TO TALK --
KIND OF INTERESTING TO TALK
ABOUT.
LET'S SEE, LET'S START WITH --
RECENTLY WHILE LISTENING TO THE
RADIO I HEARD AN ANNOUNCEMENT
THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS
APPOINTING A GENTLEMAN TO BE
NAMED THE
THAT KIND OF THREW ME, I BEING
AN OLD CRIMINAL LAW TRIAL JUDGE.
I REMEMBER THE DRUG
PAST.
I REMEMBER I THINK A COUPLE OF
HOMELAND SECURITY CZARS, BUT I
NEVER HAD HEARD OF A
COMPENSATION C
SO I STARTED LOOKING INTO IT.
AND I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT IT
WAS KIND OF PECULIAR FOR A
DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY TO EVEN USE
THE TERM CZAR.
BUT OTHERS HAVE ADOPTED IT AHEAD
OF TIME SO I DON'T HAVE ANY
PROBLEM WITH USING THE WORD CZAR
ALTHOUGH IF YOU LOOK IT UP IN
THE DICTIONARY YOU'LL FIND OUT,
THE MOST PAP LAR VERSION IS A
FORM OF THE -- POPULAR VERSION
IS THE FORM OF THE RUSSIAN,
TOTALLY AUTO CONTRACTIC
EMPERORERS OF THE OLD IMPERIAL
RUSSIA -- EMPERORS OF THE OLD
IMPERIAL RUSSIA.
I THINK IT SOUND AS LITTLE FUNNY
FOR US TO BE COMPARING OURSELVES
WITH THAT FAILED SYSTEM, BUT,
YOU KNOW, I CAN'T -- I CAN'T
CRITICE IT TOO MUCH BECAUSE
WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE FOLKS THAT
HAVE HAD THESE CZARS.
AND EXACTLY WHAT ARE T
THAT WE CREATE IN THIS COUNTRY?
WELL, THE BEST I'VE BEEN ABLE TO
DETERMINE, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO
ARE HIRED MEMBERS OF THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE
GOVERNMENT.
BUT THEY'RE NOT
OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE
OR SECRETARY OF LABOR.
BUT THEY'RE GIVEN SORT OF
ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY IN THEIR
FIELD TO GIVE DIRECTION TO THE
GOVERNMENT AND TO ADVISE THE
PRESIDENT AS HIS
OF OTHER CABINET, IF WILL YOU.
NOW THE FIRST THING THAT COMES
TO MIND WHEN YOU WONDER ABOUT
THAT IS, WITH WELL, YOU SAY,
WELL, WAIT A MINUTE, ALL THESE
SECRETARIES THAT BECOME MEMBERS
OF THE CABINET, THEY HAVE TO BE
CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE,
CONSTITUTIONALLY IT'S REQUIRED
THAT THEY BE CONFIRMED BY THE
SENATE AND WE HAVE THESE
CONFIRMATION BATTLES IN EVERY
ADMINISTRATION AND ACTUALLY SOME
ISSUES HAVE COME UP THIS TIME
WHICH CAUSED PEOPLE TO WITHDRAW
THEIR NAMES BEFORE THE ISSUE OF
WHETHER OR NOT THEY'D BE
CONFIRMED FOR REASONS LIKE THEY
DIDN'T PAY THEIR TAXES OR SOME
DIDN'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT
KIND OF AN ONEROUS PROCESS OF
GETTING TO BE THE SECRETARY OF
HOMELAND SECURITY OR THE
SECRETARY OF STATE, SECRETARY OF
COMMERCE OR WHATEVER SECRETARY
IT MAY BE, WHICH HAVE LONG TIME
BEEN THE HISTORICAL HEADS OF
DEPARTMENTS OF THE EXECUTIVE
BRANCH OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERN
BUT NOW WE'VE GOT THESE NEW GUYS
THAT ARE GOING TO BE CZARS.
NOW IT WASN'T SO HARD TO FIGURE
OUT WHEN YOU SAID, WELL, YOU'VE
GOT AN ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO IS
ONE OF THE CABINET MEMBERS, HE'S
CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE JUST
LIKE THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES,
AND TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO TOTALLY
FOCUSES ON THE DRUG FIGHT THAT
SUCH A BAD IDEA.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT -- THAT'S
KIND OF THE FIRST CONCEPT OF
CZAR THAT I CAN RECALL AND I
THINK PROBABLY IT AT SOME TIME
RONALD REAGAN MAY HAVE USED THAT
-- AT SOME TIME RONALD REAGAN
MAY HAVE USED THAT TERM.
SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT WHEN YOU HEAR CZAR YOU THINK
RUSSIAN.
WHEN YOU THINK OF RUSSIAN CZAR
YOU THINK OF THE DYNASTY.
WHICH IS THE DYNASTY THAT WAS
ULTIMATELY OVERTHROWN BY THE COMMUNIST REVOLUTION.
FROM ITS INCEPTION AND FOR 300
YEARS, THE ROMANOVS' RULE HAD 18
CZARS AND TWO OR THREE OF THEM
DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG.
AND IN 146 DAYS, THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION HAS 22 CZARS.
NOW, THESE FOLKS HAVE LOTS OF
TITLES, THESE 22 CZARS.
BUT IF CZAR MEANS WHAT CZAR HAS
SORT OF HISTORICALLY MEANT, IT'S
DESIGNED TO GIVE THEM SORT OF AN
ABSOLUTE, IN CHARGE POSITION ON
A CERTAIN SUBJECT MATTER.
AND REMEMBER, THESE FOLKS ARE
NOT ONES WHO WOULD HAVE TO BE
CONFIRMED THE WAY I UNDERSTAND
IT IN ORDER THOLD A POSITION.
THESE ARE JUST HIRED FOLKS THAT
THE PRESIDENT, THROUGH HIS
PRESUMED AUTHORITY, GIVES THEM
THIS POWER TO DO THIS.
SO, THE RUSSIANS TOOK 300 YEARS
AND WE TOOK 146 DAYS TO CREATE
THIS CZARDOM IF YOU WILL.
NOW, LET'S SEE WHO THESE FOLKS
ARE.
THE BEST I CAN TELL, THIS IS A
PRETTY ACCURATE LIST OF OUR
CZARS.
THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED BY THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.
WE START OFF WITH THE BORDER
CZAR, CAROL BROWNER.
I BELIEVE SHE WAS PART OF THE
E.P.A. LAST TIME, MAYBE UNDER
CARTER OR CLINTON, I'M NOT SURE. PROBABLY CLINTON.
I DON'T KNOW ALL ABOUT ALL THESE
PEOPLE.
URBAN CZAR, INFOTECH CZAR,
FAITH-BASED CZAR, THE BEEN
REPORTED THAT HE'S AN ATHEIST.
BUT THAT IS HIS FAITH, I
SUPPOSE.
HEALTH REFORM CZAR, NANCY-ANN,
TARP CZAR, NOW WE HAVE ALL HEARD
ABOUT
THE -- HERB ALISON IS THE TARP
CZAR.
STIMULUS ACCOUNTABILITY CZAR,
THE NONPROLIFERATION CZAR
-- AND I MAY BE MISPRONOUNCING
THESE FOLKS' NAMES AND LET ME
SAY RIGHT OFF, IF I'VE
MISPRONOUNCED ANYBODY'S NAME,
IT'S BECAUSE I'M FROM TEXAS AN
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
THE TERRORIST CZAR IS JOHN
BRENNAN, THE REGATORY CZAR,
THERE'S AN INTERESTING ONE,
CASS, THE DRUG CZAR IS GIL
KERILOWSKI.
THE GUANTANAMO CLOSURE CZAR, THE
AF/PAK CZAR, THE MIDEAST PEACE
CZAR, THE PERSIAN GULF/SOUTHWEST
ASIA CZAR, DENNIS ROSS, THE
SUDAN CZAR, J. SCOTT, CLIMATE
CZAR, TODD STERN, CAR CZAR,
STEVE RAD IN HER -- RAT IN HER.
HE'S BEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE --
RATNER, HE'S BEEN ALL OVER THE
PLACE.
ECONOMIC CZAR, THE EXECUTIVE PAY
CZAR, THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITES
RIGHT THERE.
THE EXECUTIVE PAY CZAR
KENNETH FEINBURG AND THEN THE
CYBER SECURITY CZAR, POSITION TO
BE ANNOUNCED, BUT THEY'RE GOING
TO HAVE ONE.
NOW, RIGHT OFF I WONDERED ABOUT
THE CYBER SECURITY CZAR BECAUSE
WE'VE GOT AN INFOTECH CZAR UP
HERE WHICH IS SORT OF BOTH IN
THE SAME -- BOTH FIRST COUSINS,
ANYWAY.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'LL
BE WORKING TOGETHER OR WHAT.
BUT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE
ABSOLUTE POWER IN THEIR FIELD,
WHATEVER THAT MEANS.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE
OUGHT TO BE CURIOUS ABOUT.
THAT'S SO MANY CZARS, YOU KNOW
WHAT'S INTERESTING, THE RUSSIANS
GAVE NICKNAMES TO SOME OF THEIR
CZARS BASED ON THEIR BEHAVE --
BEHAVIOR.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD WANT
TO BE CALLED, LIKE, ALLEN THE TERRIBLE, YOU KNOW?
WE HAD AN IVAN THE TERRIBLE IN
THE RUSSIAN ROMANOV DYNASTY.
WE HAD -- I'M SURE THEY'D ALL
LIKE TO BE PETER THE GREAT OR
KATHRYN THE GREAT, HAVE THE
GREAT AFTER THEIR NAME, BUT I
GUESS WE CAN MAKE UP NAMES FOR
THEM. THE QUESTION IS WHY.
I THINK IT'S A QUESTION
ADMINISTRATION OUGHT TO ANSWER.
I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS.
THE STATEMENT FROM SENATOR BE
ROBERT BYRD SAID THE RAPID AND
EASY ACCUMULATION OF POWER BY
WHITE HOUSE STAFF CAN THREATEN
THE CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM OF
CHECKS AND BALANCES.
AT THE, WHITE HOUSE STAFF HAS
TAKEN DIRECTION AND CONTROL OF
PROBLEMATIC AREAS THAT ARE THE
STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITY OF
SENATE CONFIRMED OFFICIALS.
HE'S RAISING THE SAME ISSUE I
WAS RAISING A FEW
THAT IS THESE PEOPLE DON'T GO
THROUGH THE CONFIRMATION
PROCESS.
THERE'S NO SENATORS LOOKING AND
SEEING WHAT KIND OF REPUTATION
THESE PEOPLE HAVE, WHAT THEY ARE
DOING-WITH A -- DOING -- WHAT
THEY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
WHERE THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE IS.
WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS THE MOST QUALIFIED PERSON.
WHETHER IT'S A PERSON WHO WOULD
MEET THE CONSTITUTIONAL
REQUIREMENTS OF SERVING OUR
NATION.
I KNOW THESE ARE HIRED BY THE
PRESIDENT.
WE DON'T --
THIS ALTERNATE UNIVERSE WE ARE CREATING.
I GUESS YOU LEAVE THE CABINET
AND YOU GO OVER TO THE CZARDOMS
AND MEET WITH THEM.
MAYBE THEY ALL GET IN
AND BATTLE IT OUT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS.
WE'LL SEE.
BUT THIS IS SIZABLY MORE CZARS
THAN WE HAVE EVER HAD.
IN FACT, TAKING A LOOK AT
ESIDENT RONALD REAGAN
CZAR, PRESIDENT GEORGE HERBERT
WALKER BUSH HAD ONE CZAR,
PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON HAD THREE
CZARS, PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH
HAD FOUR CZARS.
WE'VE GONE ONE, ONE, THREE, FOUR
.
22.
IF THESE CZARS ARE SET UP TO
TARGET HISTORICALLY NEEDED HELP
FOR PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, I
THINK IT'S DONE WITH A GOOD
HEART.
BUT I REALLY THINK WE SHOULD BE
-- WE AS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
SHOULD START ASKING WHY.
WHY SHOULD YOU HIRE SOMEBODY
PRINCIPLE TO BE THE BORDER CZAR?
ALAN MAY BE A NICE GUY AND HE
MAY BE SMART AS A WHIP.
WE ALSO HAVE MRS. NAPOLITANO WHO
IS THE HEAD OF HOMELAND SECURITY
AND IT IS HER STATUTORY
RESPONSIBILITY TO BE IN CHARGE
OF DEFENDING THE BORDERS OF THIS COUNTRY.
IN FACT, IT'S THE CONSTITUTIONAL
RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY MEMBER
OF THIS HOUSE TO DEFEND OUR
BORDERS.
BUT IT'S CERTAINLY HER STATUTORY
RESPONSIBILITY TO DEFEND OUR
NATION.
WE HAVE AN ENERGY DEPARTMENT AND
THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY, I
THINK, THE BEST I CAN FIGURE
OUT, IS SUPPOSED TO BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENERGY
DEPARTMENT.
NOW, I WONDER WHY WE HAVE TO
HAVE THIS ENERGY CZAR.
URBAN CZAR.
WELL, WE'VE GOT A DEPARTMENT OF
URBAN DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HOUSING
AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, H.U.D.,
THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR AN AWFUL
LONG TIME.
THAT IS A CABINET POST.
SOHY ALL OF A SUDDEN DO WE
NEED AN URBAN CZAR?
WE NEVER HAD ONE BEFORE.
INFO TECH CZAR.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT WOULD
FALL IN THE PURVIEW OF THE
ESTABLISHED
CONSTITUTION, BY STATUTE, BUT
SOMEWHERE.
FAITH-BASED CZAR, WE HAVE DEALT
WITH THE HEAD OF A FAITH-BASED
INITIATIVE IN THE BUSH WHITE
HOUSE.
IT CAME UNDER A LOTF CRITICISM
OM THE NOW MAJORITY, BUT THEY
CREATED ONE.
AT LEAST IT IS REPORTED, PUT AN
ATHEIST IN CHARGE OF THAT WHICH
TO ME SEEMS STRANGE.
THE HEALTH REFORM CZAR SHOULD BE
ACTIVE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE AS I
UNDERSTAND IT THE PRESIDENT
SPENT HIS DAY TODAY TRYG
CONVINCE PEOPLE IN VARIOUS
PLACES THAT WE NEEDED THIS
MASSIVE HEALTH REFORM THAT HE'S
SEEKING TO PUT.
AND HE WANTS TO ACTUALLY CREATE
-- PUT THE GOVERNMENT IN
COMPETITION WITH PRIVATE
INDUSTRY ON HEALTH CARE.
I WOULD SAY LEADING TO THE KIND
OF HEALTH CARE ULTIMATELY MAYBE
THROUGH THE BACKDOOR BUT
ULTIMATELY I THINK THERE IS NO
DOUBT AND MOST EXPERTS WOULD SAY
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HE'S --
THAT THEY ARE MAKING, THEY ARE
PUSHING FORWARD BETWEEN NOW
PROBABLY AND THE FOURTH OF JULY
ARE TO SET IN MOTION THE
POSSIBILITY OF A SINGLE PAYER
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN THE UNITED
STATES RUN BY THE GOVERNMENT.
THE QUALITY OF OUR HEALTH CARE
PLUMMET AND WE WILL SEE PEOPLE
LIKE ME, PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON,
MAKING DECISIONS AS TO WHAT
CERTAIN PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO
DO FOR HEALTH CARE.
AND RATIONING THAT HEALTH CARE.
NOW, IF YOU ASK OUR GOOD FRIENDS
AND NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH IN
CANADA, YOU SAY, WE HEAR YOU GOT
THE GREATEST HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN THE WORLD.
THEY SAID, IT IS GOOD.
IT'S REAL GOOD.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE WELL.
IF YOU GET SICK, YOU GOT TO GET
ON A WAITING LIST TO GET
TREATED.
IN FACT, WE HAVE A GREATER CURE
RATE FOR BREAST CANSER IN THIS
COUNTRY BY ABOUT 30 POINTS,
PERCENTAGE POINTS THAN THEY DO
IN CANADA BECAUSE THEY WAIT TOO
LONG TO TAKE ACTION ON THE
BREAST CANCER ISSUE.
SAME THING GOES FOR PROSTATE CANCER FOR MEN.
THESE ARE THINGS WE OUGHT TO BE
THINKING ABOUT.
WE HAVE SOMEWHERE IN THE 90
PERCENTILE EXPRESS RATE IF WE
CATCH BREAST CANCER EARLY AND
AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE IT.
THEY ARE IN THE EARLY 60 EA,
LIKE 61%, 63%.
THIS IS SOMET
CONCERNED ABOUT.
IF YOU GET AN ORTHOPEDIC PROBLEM
IN CANADA, SAY BAD KNEE YOU NEED
TO GET FIXED, CAN YOU WAIT FIVE
YEARS BEFORE YOU GET IN TO SEE
THE ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON.
WHERE IN THE UNITED STATES YOU
COULD PROBABLY SEE HIM THE DAY
AFTER TOMORROW AND YOU COULD
PROBABLY GET SURGERY DONE NEXT
MONDAY.
SO WE HAVE
THINGS.
BUT WE GOT A HEALTH REFORM CZAR
AND I AM ASURE SHE'S GOING TO
TELL US HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK.
TARP CZAR, THAT'S PECULIAR TO
WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW,
THAT'S THE TARP STUFF, AND THERE
MAY BE SOME UNDERSTANDING AS TO
WHERE THAT IS.
WE WERE TOLD BY TWO SECRETARIES
OF TREASURY THAT THEY WERE GOING
TO OVERSEE THIS AND THEY WERE
GOING TO MAKE SURE NOTHING BAD HAPPENED.
THAT'S WHAT THEY TOLD US.
WE HEARD ONE UNDER GEORGE BUSH
AND WE OBAMA.
BOTH THESE GUYS HAVE TOLD US
THEY ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING OUT
FOR OUR MONEY OVER HERE.
BUT WE GOT MR. TARP CZAR IS
DOING THAT.
A STIMULUS EXHIBIT -- ACCOUNTABILITY CZAR.
ACCOUNTABLE TO WHO?
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
BUT I'LL TELL YOU, THERE'S NO
DOUBT ABOUT IT NOW, THIS IS TRUE.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE SURE
WORRIED ABOUT HOW THIS MONEY'S
BEING SPENT AND WHERE IT'S
GOING.
AND IS THERE ANY WASTE, FRAUD,
AND ABUSE INVOLVED IN IT AS IT
COMES OUT?
BECAUSE WHEN YOU START THROWING
AROUND BILLIONS AND BILLIONS AND
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS UNTIL YOU
REACH TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS, IT
DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST
BACK HOME TO FIGURE OUT THAT
MUCH MONEY IS JUST A TARGET FOR
SOMEBODY TO ABUSE THE SYSTEM.
SO MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD THING.
NONPROLIFERATION CZAR.
I ASSUME THAT'S NUCLEAR
PROLIFERATION.
THAT'S WHAT YOU ALWAYS HEAR
CONNECTED TO THE PROLIFERATION
WORD.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, --
TERRORISM CZAR.
YOU KNOW, WHEN 9/11 HAPPENED AND
THE -- THIS IS BEFORE I CAME TO
CONGRESS, WHEN 9/11 HAPPENED THE
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HERE IN
THEIR COMBINED WISDOM IN A VERY
BIPARTISAN EFFORT, WHICH
EVERYBODY'S WONDERING ABOUT
BIPARTISAN, VERY BIPARTISAN
EFFORT CREATED THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY.
IT WASN'T JUST FOR BORDERS, IT
WAS FOR ALL ISSUES TO PROTECT
THE HOMELAND OF AMERICA.
ENTITY WHERE WE GATHERED EXPERTS
ON TERRORISM.
OF COURSE ALL OF OUR
SERVICES AND INTELLIGENCE
DIVISIONS HAVE ALWAYS HAD
INFORMATION ABOUT TERRORISM
BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THEIR
JOB.
THEY KNOW WHO HAS TO CLEAN UP
THE MESS AFTER THE MESS IS
CREATED.
AND SO OUR MILITARY CERTAINLY
HAS THAT INFORMATION, TOO.
BUT WE CREATED -- I WOULD ARGUE
ONE OF THE LARGEST OUTSIDE OF
THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT,
DEPARTMENTS IN THE ENTIRE UNITED
STATES AND IT WAS CREATED
BECAUSE OF TERRORISM, BUT NOW WE
GOT A TERRORISM CZAR.
THE DRUG CZAR WE HAVE HAD, I'M
PRETTY SURE, IN EVERY
ADMINISTRATION FOR THE LAST FOUR ADMINISTRATIONS.
AND I KNOW HOW THAT WORKS.
AND I UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS.
NOW, WHETHER OR NOT DRUG CZARS
WORD CZAR SEEMS TO INDICATE, I
DON'T KNOW.
WHETHER THESE FOLKS ARE GOING TO
HAVE THAT KIND OF ABSOLUTE
AUTHORITY IS ANYBODY'S GUESS.
GUANTANAMO CLOSURE CZAR.
AT LEAST WE
GOING TO BE OUT OF WORK BY THE
END OF NEXT YEAR.
THAT IS THE ADMINISTRATION KEEPS
THEIR PLEDGE.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD ABSOLUTELY
THAT BY THIS TIME NEXT
GUANTANAMO WILL BE CLOSED.
AND SO THIS GUY'S GOT -- HE'S ON
A SHORT LEASH.
THE ALPAK CZAR, DON'T KNOW WHAT
THAT DOES.
MIDDLE EAST PEACE CZAR.
WELL, YOU COULD ALSO CALL HIM AN
AMBASSADOR FOR CREDENTIALED
AMBASSADOR OR WHATEVER THEY CALL
THE PEOPLE THAT GO OUT AND
NEGOTIATE PEACE.
AND GEORGE MITCHELL HAS
MORE THAN HIS SHARE IN HIS
LIFETIME.
HE'S VERY COMPETENT.
I'M NOT GOING TO THE COMPETENCE
OF ANY OF THESE PEOPLE.
AS FAR AS I KNOW ALL THESE CZARS
COULD BE ULTIMATELY ALAN THE
GREAT, CAROLYN THE
THE GREAT, JAY SCOTT THE GREAT.
JUST LIKE PETER THE GREAT.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW GREAT THESE
GUYS ARE GOING TO BE.
BUT THEY COULD BE ONE OF THOSE,
AND LET'S HOPE NONE OF THEM
HAPPEN TO BE IVAN THE TERRIBLE
BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE TERRIBLE.
PERSIAN GULF CZAR, SUDAN CZAR.
NOW, WE HAVE AN AMBASSADOR TO
SUDAN, I THINK.
WE HAVE DIPLOMATS THAT WORK WIT
SUDAN.
WE HAVE A SECRETARY OF OF STATE
WHO HAS AN OFFICE THAT SUDAN
FALLS UNDER.
I'M SURE SHE HAS GOT SOME OF THE
BEST EXPERTS ON SUDAN ANYWHERE IN THE CONTRY.
JUST LIKE SHE DOES ON THE
PERSIAN GULF.
JUST LIKE SHE DOES ON THE MIDDLE
EAST.
THE SECRETARY OF O
THE BEST PEOPLE WE CAN HIRE.
SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
WORKING IN THIS FIELD FOREVER.
NOW WE GOT A SUDAN CZAR.
THIS MEANS THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE
MONARCH OF SUDAN EXPERTS?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
OR IS IT JUST
THE ADMINISTRATION THAT NEEDS A
BE JOB?
I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT DOES.
CLIMATE CZAR.
IT'S NOT CLAY MAT CHANGE CZAR.
IT'S NOT GLOBAL WARMING CZAR.
BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THOSE TERMS.
WE STARTED WITH CLIMATE --
STARTED WITH GLOBAL WARMING AND
STARTED GETTING COLDER THAT'S
KIND OF DROPPED.
NOW WE ARE CLIMATE CHANGE CZAR.
HE'S GOT TO BE THE
WE ALWAYS BLAME THE WEATHERMAN
FOR THE WEATHER.
BUT, HEY, WE GOT A CZAR WE CAN BLAME NOW.
THIS GUY COULD VERY QUICKLY
BECOME THAT COULD BE STEVE THE
TERRIBLE VERY QUICKLY.
HOW WOU YOU LIKE TO BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CLIMATE OF
THE UNITED STATES? THAT'S TOUGH.
THAT'S A TOUGH JOB.
CAR CZAR.
WELL, IF THIS GUY DOESN'T DO HIS
JOB HE'LL HAVE A WHOLE LOT LESS
TO BE CZAR OVER BECAUSE THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOW RUNS THE
CAR BUSINESS AND AT LEAST TWO OF
THE LARGEST THREE FIRMS IN OUR
COUNTRY, SO HE SORT OF COULD BE
THE GOVERNMENT AUTO CZAR BECAUSE
THE GOVERNMENT'S NOW IN THE
AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY, HEAVENELP US.
THE ECONOMIC CZAR, I KNOW WE'VE
GOT A HALF DOZEN PEOPLE THAT
SERVE IN CABINET OR SUBBE
CABINET POSITIONS THAT WE --
SUBCABINET POSITION THAT IS WE
REFER TO AS SPECIALISTS.
WE HAVE THE FEDERAL RESERVE THAT
GIVES US ADVICE ON ECONOMICS AND
THE SECRETARY OF TREASURY THAT
GIVES US ADVICE ON ECONOMICS.
WE HAVE A BOARD THAT GIVES US
ADVICE ON ECONOMICS.
THERE'S THE ECONOMIST BEHIND
EVERY BUSH.
ONLY THING MORE IN WASHINGTON WE
GOT THAN ECONOMIST IS LAWYERS.
HEAVEN HELP US.
BUT WE GOT AN ENOMIC CZAR.
AND HE'S ONE WE HAVE HEARD OF,
PAUL VOLCKER.
I GUESS PAUL WILL TELL US HOW IT WORKS.
THIS ONE IS THE ONE THAT GOT ME
WONDERING ABOUT THIS CZARSHIPS.
EXECUTIVE PAY CZAR.
THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE
ASKING, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
WE KNOW AT A MINIMUM WHAT IT
MEANS IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO
DECIDE WHAT SOME OF THE BIG
FIRMS THAT TOOK BAILOUT MONEY,
WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY THEIR
TOP EXECUTIVES.
IT'S BEEN ALL OVER THE PAPERS
AND ALL THE TV SHOWS ABOUT THE
VARIOUS HUGE GIGANTIC AMOUNTS OF
MONEY THAT SOME C.E.O.'S AND
C.F.O.'S AND OTHERS GET PAID IN
SOME OF THESE LARGE
CORPORATIONS.
WITH BONUSES AND IT'S REALLY
BEYOND MOST OF OUR ABILITY TO
CONCEIVE HOW MUCH MONEY THESE
FOLKS GET.
SO THIS GUY'S GOING TO LIMIT
THAT.
BUT THEN THE QUESTION BECOMES,
IF HE'S GOING TO BE THE CZAR,
THE ABSOLUTE MONARCH, OVER
EXECUTIVE PAY AND THAT EXECUTIVE
PAY IS GOING TO BE FROM ANYBODY
THAT TOOK GOVERNMENT MONEY, THEN
DOES THAT MEAN ANYBODY THAT GOT
A TAX BREAK FROM
COULD BE KIND OF GRANDFATHERED
INTO THIS DEAL?
OR ANYBODY THAT GOT A GRANT FROM
THE GOVERNMENT COULD BE -- NOT
THE BAILOUT MONEY, NOT THE TARP
MONEY OR THE OTHER ONE, STIMULUS
MONEY, BUT JUST GOT A GRANT, BUT A BIG ONE?
NOW, DOES THAT MEAN THAT HE'S
GOING TO GET TO TELL THEM WHAT
THEIR PAY IS GOING TO BE?
IN FACT, MAYBE THE COMPANY YOU
WORK FOR HAS GOTTEN SOME OF THIS
MONEY.
IS HE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TELL
YOUR COMPANY WHAT YOU'RE GOING
TO GET PAID?
AND WHERE DOES IT STOP?
SO IS THIS REALLY A WAGE FIXES
CZAR?
IS THAT A BETTER TE
THAN EXECUTIVE PAY CZAR?
I DON'T KNOW.
AND FINALLY, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN
THE PERSON'S NAME YET, BUT THE
CYBER SECURITY CZAR AND THEN
WE'VE RUN OUT OF SPACE ON THE
PAGES.
AND I GUESS THE NEXT THING WE'LL
FIND OUT, INSTEAD OF 22 CZARS WE
MAY HAVE 42 CZARS.
I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT HAD WHAT
THESE FOLKS GET PAID BUT I
HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE IT
OUT YET.
STAY TUNED, I'LL TRY TO COME
BACK TO YOU AND TALK TO YOU
ABOUT WHAT ALL THESE CZARS ARE GOING TO GET PAI
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE
FOLLOWING IN THE RUSSIAN PATTERN
THE GOING TO BE PRETTY GOOD.
BECAUSE THOSE CZARS LIVED IN
SOME PRETTY NICE HOUSES AND THEY
DID PRETTY WELL.
SO, THE ROMANOVS IN 300 YEARS
HAD 18 CZARS, THE AMERICANS IN
146 DAYS HAVE IT 2 -- 22 CZARS.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT I'M
NOT BY MYSELF TODAY.
I HAVE A GOOD FRIEND, MY GOOD
FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, CLASSMATE
STEVE KING FROM IOWA IS HERE,
STEEVEB'S ALWAYS READY TO HAVE
SOME FUN -- STEVE'S ALWAYS READY
TO HAVE SOME FUN.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THIS?
I YIELD YOU SUCH TIME AS YOU MAY
WISH TO CONSUME.
MR. KING: I SO MUCH APPRECIATE
YOU BRINNG THIS ISSUE TO THE
FLOOR OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES AND I APPRECIATE
THE CHANCE TO ADDRESS MADAM
SPEAKER IN THIS SUBJECT MATTER.
I HAVE NOT SEEN THIS LIST OF
CZARS, I WAS ACTUALLY, I THINK I
WENT HOME FOR THE WEEKEND WITH
19 CZARS AND ARRIVED BACK IN
WASHINGTON WITH 22 CZARS.
THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THREE
MATERIALIZED OVER THE WEEKEND
AND I LOOK DOWN THROUGH THIS
LIST AND THE FIRST THING THAT
HITS ME IS, WELL, LET'S SEE,
BORDER CZAR, I'M A RANKING MEMBER OF THE IMMIGRATION
SUBCOMMITTEE, NEVER HEARD OF
HIM.
GO RIGHT DOWN THE LIST.
A FEW I'VE HEARD OF BUT NOT VERY
MANY.
I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE A VERY
HIGH PROFILE BUT CZAR, CZAR,
CZAR, 22 TIMES.
18 CZARS IN ALL THE HISTORY OF
THE ROMANOVS, DID I GET THAT RIGHT?
MR. CARTER: THAT'S CORRECT.
MR. KING: UNDERSTAND A IT OCCURS
TO ME THAT CZAR, IF YOU -- AND
IT OCCURS TO ME, IF YOU THINK
ABOUT THE FLOW AND CONTINUATION
OF HISTORY, ALL THE CZARS WE
PRECURSORS TO THE MARXIST ERA OF
RUSSIA.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ANY
KIND OF THING WE OUGHT TO BE
THINKING ABOUT, BUT THE
IMPLICATIONS THAT COME WITH THIS
ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPOSED
TO BE MANAGING THESE JOBS THAT
WE ALREADY HAD PEOPL
CAUSES ME TO THINK, IS THIS A
PRECURSOR FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN A NATION THAT'S SEEN OUR
MAJOR INDUSTRIES NATIONALIZED?
LARGE INSTMENT BANKS
NATIONALIZED, THE LARGEST
INSURANCE COMPANY NATIONALED.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY CZAR RE OF
DENATIONALIZATION FOR ONE THING.
I'M LOOKING FOR THAT AND I'D
LIKE TO POINT THAT CZAR OF
DENATIONALIZATION AND I CAN FIND
ABOUT ANYBODY ON THE REPUBLICAN
SIDE OF THE AISLE THAT WOULD
MAKE A GOOD DENATIONALIZATION
CZAR BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I
PRESENT THIS LIST THAT'S IN MY
HEAD, NOT VERY WELL REFINE AND
MAE WE'LL GET IT BETTER --
REFINED AND MAYBE WE'LL GET IT
BETTER BUT OCCURS TO ME THAT
THERE ARE, OH, SIX, SEVEN,
EIGHT, NINE OR 10 DIFFERENT
THINGS THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS
ENGAGED IN WITHOUT AN EXIT
STRATEGY.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE
NATIONALIZATION OF A LIST OF OUR
MAJOR INVESTMENT BANKS, HOW MANY
THAT IS, FOUR OR FIVE PERHAPS,
AND THE NATIONALIZATION OF THE
LARGEST INSURANCE COMPANY,
A.I.G., NATIONALIZATION OF
FANNIE MAE AND FREDDIE MAC, SO
I'M MAYBE UP TABOUT EIGHT, WE
OUGHT TO RESEARCH THIS LIST A
LITTLE BIT BEFORE WE PUBLISH IT
AS THE FINAL TOTALECAUSE I CAN
SURELY FORGET SOME BU YOU CAN
ADD THAT, NOW I'M AT EIGHT, NINE
AND 10, LET'S PUT DOWN CHRYSLER
MOTORS AND GENERAL MOTORS WHILE WE'RE IT.
AND WHEN YOU END UP WITH 60%
SHARE IN GENERAL MOTORS THAT THE
TAXPAYERS ARE HOLDING, THAT'S
THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER, ANOTHER
12.5% HELD BY THE CANADIAN
TAXPAYERS.
THAT WOULD BE 72.5% OF GENERAL
MOTORS OWNED BY GOVERNMENT.
17.5% OWNED BY THE UNIONS AND I
THINK AROUND 12.5% OWNED BY THE
BOND HOLDERS, THE PART THEY WERE
ABLE TO HOLD TOGETHER OF THEIR
SECURED INTEREST.
YES, WE NEED A CZAR TO FIGURE
OUT HOW TO -- AN EXIT STRATEGY
FOR ALL THESE THINGS THAT
PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS ENGAGED IN
WITHOUT AN STRIT STRATEGY AND IT
OCCURS TO ME THAT HE WAS -- EXIT
STRATEGY AND IT OCCURS TO ME HE
WAS ECTED IN PART BECAUSE OF
HIS RELENTLESS CRITICISM OF
PRESIDENT BUSH FOR GOING INTO
IRAQ WITHOUT AN EXIT STRATEGY.
NOW I'VE JUST NAMED 10 THINGS
EXIT STRATEGY AND ALL OF THEM HE
SAID, I DON'T WANT THE
GOVERNMENT TO OWN THEM AND I
DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO MANAGE
THEM AND THE NOT MY BUSINESS TO
DO SO, TURN AROUND THE NEXT WEEK
AND NATIONALIZE SOMETHING ELSE,
DO A PHOTO OP WITH HUGO CHAVEZ
AND THAT GREAT NATIONALIZER IN
VENEZUELA,PPEARS TO ME TO BE A
PIKECOMPARED TO THE ONE WE
HAVE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
BUT THESE 22 CZARS THAT WE HAVE,
THE ONCE THAT STAND OUT AND GET
MY ATTENTION, FOR EXAMPLE,
EXECUTIVE PAY CZAR, THE PAYROLL
CZAR, THE GUY WHO SITS THERE AND
FIGURES OUT, JOE'S MAKING TOO
MUCH MONEY AND SHANNON'S NOT
MAKING ENOUGH AND WE NEED TO
HAVE SOME MORE PEOPLE OUT HERE
THAT ARE SACRIFICING FOR THE
GOOD OF THE WHOLE AND I LOOK AT
THAT, WHEN -- AND THEN AS I UNDERSTOOD THIS, TOO, IT WENT
BEYOND THOSE THAT HAD TAKEN
FEDERAL MONEY, BUT THEY WERE
GOING TO AT LEAST LOOK AT
EXECUTIVE PAY IN ALL OF THE
LARGE CORPORATIONS AND THE
C.E.O.'S AND MAKE SURE THAT
WASN'T OUT OF PROPORTION.
REMEMBER THAT NUMBER, ABOUT
$500,000, PLENTY ENOUGH FOR
ANYBODY TO MAKE IN A YEAR OR SO.
THEY WOULD PUT A CAP ON ALL OF THAT.
AND IT'S HARDER TO DO SO IF
THERE ISN'T FEDERAL MONEY
INLVED.
BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO DO SO, IF
YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE
IMPOSSIBLE THINGS THAT HAVE
ALREADY BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY
THIS ADMINISTRATION.
MR. CARTER: IF I COULD RECLAIM
MY TIME FOR JUST A MOMENT.
BUT IF THE ISSUE WOULD BE A
FEDERAL NEXUS, IT WOULD BE HARD
TO FIND AN INDUSTRY REALLY THAT
WOULDN'T HAVE SOME CONNECTION
WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
IF THEY'VE GOTTEN A GRANT, IF
THEY'VE GOTTEN A FELLOWSHIP, IF
THEY'VE GOTTEN -- IF THEY'VE
GOTTEN A GUARANTEED LOAN, IF
THEY'VE GOTTEN A TAX BREAK
DESIGNATED FOR THEIR INDUSTRY,
THAT OTHER INDUSTRIES DIDN'T
GET, ALL OF THESE CATEGORIES
COULD BE QUICKLY EXPANDED TO ADD
TO THAT STIMULUS CZAR, IF YOU
WILL.
SO I YIELD BACK.
MR. KING: AND I THANK THE JUDGE
FROM TEXAS FOR POINTING THAT OUT
BECAUSE THERE IS A FEDERAL NEXUS
INTO ALMOST ALL BUSINESS IN
AMERICA D THEY CAN FIND A WAY
TO CONTROL IT, AN EXCUSE, MY
FATHER ALWAYS TOLD ME THERE'S A
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REASONS AND EXCUSES AND HE KNEW THE
DIFFERENCE.
I DIDN'T ALWAYS KNOW THE
DIFFERENCE.
TODAY I THINK I DO.
THIS IS EXCUSES.
BUT THINK OF THIS, EXECUTIVE PAY
CZAR, THE PAYROLL CZAR, LOOKING
IN AT C.E.O.'S, FIRING THE
C.E.O. OF GENERAL MOTORS, HIRES
HIS GUY, APPOINTS ALL BUT TWO
MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL MOTORS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS, SAID, I
DON'T WANT TO RUN THIS COMPANY
BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
BUILD A CAR THAT LOOKS AND RUNS
LIKE THIS AND STOP BUILDING
THESE
MAKE THIS ALL ENVIRONMENTALLY
FRIENDLY IN THIS FASHION AND
WE'RE GOING TO DECIDE WHO GETS
PAID HOW MUCH, WHO GETS PAID,
BECAUSE HE FIRED THE C.E.O., AND
HOW MUCH.
AND BY THE WAY, WE HAD A C.E.O.
OF A.I.G. THAT WAS WORKING FOR A
DOLLAR, THAT CAME TO THIS
CONGRESS, THAT I THINK WAS
TREATED DISRESPECTFULLY BY THE
MEMBERS ON THE PANEL, AND HE
SHOULD HAVE AND DID THROWN THE
THING UP.
HE WAS TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT
THING FOR AMERICA.
FOR $1 A YEAR, AND THAT WASN'T
ENOUGH TO SAT SATISFY HIM.
AND SO I'M THI
SATISFY HIM.
SO I'M THINKING, WHAT COMPANY
WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THE
SCRUTINY OF THE EXECUTIVE
PAYROLL CZAR? I CAN'T THINK OF ONE.
BECAUSE THEY VIEW THESE
RPORATIONS AS BEING EVIL
CAPITALIST CORPORATIONS BUT THEY
STILL HAVEN'T LOOKED OVER INTO
HOLLYWOOD, FOR EXAMPLE, AND
DECIDED THAT SOME OF T
AND DIRECTORS AND PRODUCERS AR
PROBABLY MAKING TOO MUCH MONEY
BY THEIR OWN STANDARDS HERE,
THEY WROTE OUT CHECKS TO THESE
PEOPLE IN THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY,
YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ETHAT
SCRUTINY THAT WOULD COME.
BUT -- SEEN THAT SCRUTINY THAT
WOULD COME.
THEN I SUPPOSE WE GET INTO THE
PROFESSIONAL SPOS ATHLETES
THAT DO MAKE A LOT OF MONEY AND
MAYBE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PLAYING
SO THAT MUST BE FUN, PROBABLY
DOESN'T DEMAND MOR
$500,000 A YEAR, NO MATTER HOW
GOOD YOU ARE AND SOON WE'RE A
REGULATED GOVERNMENT ENTITY THAT
DECIDES WHO GETS PAID AND HOW
MUCH.
THE PAYROLL CZAR, OUTRAGEOUS.
AND THE CLIMATE CZAR.
I REMEMBER WE DID A DEDICATION
TO A PARK WE BUILT IN MY
HOMETOWN, WE DID IT IN THE LAST
FRIDAY OF OCTOBER WHICH WAS A
VERY RISKY THING TO DO IN IOWA
AND I GAVE THE OPENING SPEECH
BEFORE WE CUT THE RIBBON AND
THEN PASTOR JOHNSON STEPPED UP
AND MY OPENING SPEECH, IT WAS A
BEAUTIFUL DAY, 75 DEGREES, LAST
FRIDAY IN OCTOBER, YOU JUST
DON'T SEE THAT IN IOWA AND I
SAID, WELL, I TAKE CREDIT FOR
THE WEATHER, I PLANNED THIS.
AND AFTER I TOOK CREDIT FOR T
WEATHER, PASTOR JOHNSON STEPPED
UP TO GIVE THE OPENING PRAYER
AND HE SAID, NOW I'M GOING TO
GIVE CREDIT FOR THE WHERE IT'S
DUE.
I DESERVED IT, HE DID IT WITH
THE RIGHT TONE.
I APPRECIATE TT EXACT
CORRECTION.
THE CLIMATE CZAR, I'D LIKE TO
TALK TO THE CLIMATE CZAR ABOUT
THE SCIENCE INVOLVED IN THIS.
I'M NOT FINDING PEOPLE THAT
UNDERSTAND AND CAN EXPLAIN AND
DENEND THE SCIENCE IN THIS
ALLEGED GLOBAL WARMING AND BY
THE WAY THIS ISN'T EVEN THE
CLIMATE CHANGE CZAR.
HE COULD HAVE BEEN THE GLOBAL
WARMING ZA -- GLOBAL WARMING
CZAR A YEAR AND A HALF AGO BUT
SIX MONTHS AGO HE SHOULD HAVE
BEEN THE CLIMATE CHANGE CZAR BUT
NOW SINLS THE CLIMATE'S CHANGING
IN THE WRONG DIRECTION -- BUT
NOW SINCE THE CLIMATE'S CHANGING
IN THE WRONG DIRECTION HE'S JUST
THE CLIMATE CZAR.
AS THIS EARTH SEEMS TO BE
FLAPTING OUT OR COOLING --
FLATTENING OUT OR COOLING, THEY
HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR ARGUMENT
AND PASS THIS CAP AND TAX
REGULATION.
I'LL SAY THIS INTO THE RECORD,
THESE FOLKS THAT ARE PUSHING,
WAXMAN, MARKEY, ARE WRONG ON THE
SCIENCE.
THEY CAN'T DEFEND THE SCIENCE,
THEY CAN'T ARGUE IT AGAINST PEOPLE THAT ARE OF EQUAL
SCIENTIFIC TRAINING, THEY CAN'T
EVEN ARGUE IT AGAINST ME.
AND I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT, BY THE
WAY.
I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THAT DEBATE
WITH AL GORE AND THE REST OF THEM THAT COME ALONG.
EVEN IF THEY'RE RIGHT ON THE
SCIENCE, AND THEY'RE NOT,
THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY WRONG ON THE ECONOMICS.
THIS IS ALMOST -- THIS HAS
ALMOST BECOME A RELIGION.
IT'S GOT POLITICAL INERTIA.
AND WE SAW AND HEARD FROM A
PH.D. FROM SPAIN WHO HAS BEEN IN
THE MIDDLE OF -- SPAIN EMBRACED
THE GREEN COUNTRY, THEY WANT TO
BE THE LEADER IN GREEN ENERGY
FOR THE WORLD, THE
INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD.
SO THEY SET ABOUT DOING THAT A
THEY BUILT A BUNCH OF WIND
CHARGERS AND THEY RAISED THE
COST OF THEIR ELECTRICITY.
THEY BECAME THE LEADERS IN
RENEWABLE ENERGY AND THE
INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD.
THEY ALSO BECAME THE LEADERS IN
UNEMPLOYMENT AT 17.5%THE
LEADERS IN THE INCREASE IN
UTILITY BILLS, 20% TO RESIDENTS,
BUT 100% INCREASE FOR INDUSTRY,
FOR ELECTRICAL BILLS, AND EVEN
THEN, THIS IS OVER A THREE-YEAR
PERIOD OF TIMEX EVEN THEN THEY
COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH THE --
PERIOD OF TIME, EVEN THEY THEY
COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH THE COST
OF ELECTRICITY SO
BOND THEM OUT ON THE FINCIAL
MARKET, DIDN HAVE THE MONEY TO
PAY THE BILLS, SO THEY PLEDGED
THE FULL FAITH IN CREDIT TO
LATER ON PAY OFF THESE BONDS TO
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHICH
MEANS THE COST OF GREEN ENERGY
IN SPAIN WAS BEING PASSED DOWN
TO THE GRANDCHILDREN.
THEY COULDN'T EVEN PAY THEIR
ELECTRICAL BILLS IN THIS TIME.
SO THEY LEAD THE WORLD IN
UNEMPLOYMENT, 17.5%, THEY
CREATED A LOT OF GREEN JOBS AT
THE COST OF $770,000 A JOB AND
AT THE COST OF 2.2 PRIVATE
SECTOR JOBS THAT THEY LOST.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE CLIMATE
CZAR, MR. TODD STERN, WILL TAKE
A LOOK AT SPAIN AND I WOULD
REFRESH THE MEMORY OF THE
SPEAKER AND YOURSELF, JUDGE,
THAT -- TAKE A LOOK AT SPAIN
BECAUSE PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID, WE
SHOULD LEARN FROM SPAIN, WE
SHOULD EMULATE SPAIN, THEY HAVE
LED INTO THIS GREEN REVOLUTION
AND I'M CONVINCED THAT THE
CLIMATE CZAR HAD TO HAVE TAKEN
THE OATH TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF
SUCH AN IDEA OR HE WOULDN'T BE THE CLIMATE CZAR.
AND AS HE I -- AND AS I LISTEN
TO THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
TESTIF
THE LOGICAL QUESTIONS WE ASKED
FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, IT
LOOKED TO ME LIKE HE HAD TO TAKE
THE OATH TO SUPPORT THE
PRESIDENT'S AGENDA ON THIS MARKY
CAP AND TAX LEGISLATION, NO
MATTER HOW B IT IS FOR OUR
ECONOMY.
I WONDER IF ALL THESE PEOPLE
BELIEVE YOU CAN GROW THE ECONOMY
BY INCREASING THE EXPENSES OF
BUSINESS IN AMERICA BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT CAP AND TAX DOES.
SO PUT THE CLIMATE CZAR TOGETHER
WITH THE ECONOMIC CZAR TOGETHER
WITH THE EXECUTIVE PAY CZAR.
I WOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT CYBER
SECURITY.
I'D LIKE TO PENETRATE THAT, KNOW
WHAT THEY ALL HAVE TO SAY AND
HOW THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS
APPROACH BUT THE PAYROLL CZAR IS
THE ONE THAT GETS ME THE MOST.
THE ONE WHO CAN DECIDE WHAT
EVERYBODY OUGHT TO BE PAID AND
I'M WONDERING, I'M WONDERING
BEFORE I YIELD BACK, ARE THEY
GOING TO CONTROL THE PAY OF A
NEUROSURGEON, WHAT WOULD A
NEUROSURGEON BE WORTH IF HE WAS
CAPPED AT
OR COULD WE JUST GET A CHEAP
LOBOTOMY FOR THOSE WHO THOUGHT UP THIS?
AND I YIELD BACK TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS.
.
MR. CARTER: THE POOR WEATHERMAN
IS GOING TO GET A BREAK,
EVERYBODY SAYS WHEN THE WEATHER
MAN ON SUNDAY SAYS IT'S GOING
BE BEAUTIFUL ALL DAY LONG, AND
IT RAINS, WHO DO THEYLAME?
THE POOR WEATHER MAN.
NOW THEY CAN BLAME THE CLIMATE
CZAR.
THESE FOLKS UP HERE ON THE
MAJORITY SIDE, THEY WOULD LIKE
ALL THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE
TO BE WASHINGTON, D.C., AND
THERE YOU GO.
EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTRY WILL BE
BLAMING THE CLIMATE CZAR FOR BAD
WEATHER.
AT LEAST WE'VE GOT CENTRALIZED
BLAME.
YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THERE ARE
SOME PEOPLE SITTING AT HOME
SAYING AND IN THIS BODY SAYING,
WHY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THIS?
I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY
CRITICAL THAT WE ALL NEED TO
INTERJECT IN THIS AND I SAID IT
BRIEFLY, BUT IT TAKES US OUT OF
THE REALM -- INTO THE REALM OF
SERIOUSNESS.
THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THIS
COUNTRY ASSIGNED THE GOVERNMENT
WITH CHECKS AND BALANCES.
AND THIS SIR COUPLE VENTS THAT
SYSTEM.
THIS PUTS ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY IN
THESE PEOPLES' HANDS AT THIS
CATEGORY AND THEY HAVE NOT GONE
THROUGH ANSENATE CONFIRMATION,
WHICH THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH --
THOSE PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
-- SECRETARIES AND
UNDERSECRETARIES HAVE TO BE
CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE.
WE'VE GOT A GOOD FRIEND IN THIS
BODY THAT HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR
SECRETARY OF ARMY.
AND I CERTAINLY HOPE HE GETS
CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE, AND I'M SURE HE WILL.
BUT HE HAS TO GO THROUGH THAT.
THESE PEOPLE DON'T GO THROUGH
THAT.
THERE'S NOBODY OVERSEEING THIS
BUT THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
BUT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
SO THERE'S NO CONGRESSIONAL
OVERSIGHT.
THERE'S NO JUDICIAL OVERSHT,
BOTH OF WHICH WERE CREATED BY
OUR FOUNDING FATHERS.
NO.
THE ONLY REAL PERSON THEY ANSWER
TO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
AND THEY WORK FOR THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
HE HIRED THEM, HE CHOSE THEM AND
PUT THEM IN THIS POSITION.
HE IS PAYING THEM GOOD MONEY.
AND -- BUT THEY DON'T DO WHAT
OUR FOUNDING FATHERS ENVISIONED
OUR COUNTRY TO BE DOING.
SO WHAT DOES IT CREATE?
IT CREATES AN EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENT THAT IS GARNERING
POWER IN EVERY AREA.
I'M JOINED BY MY GOOD FRIEND
FROM TEXAS, REPRESENTATIVE
GOHMERT.
I'LL GIVE YOU AS MUCH TIME AS
YOU WISH TO CONSUME.
MR. GOHMERT: I THANK MY FRIEND FOR YIELDING.
AND YOUR LAST COMMENTS ARE
EXACTLY WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO
DISCUSS AS WELL, AND THAT IS
THESE PEOPLE ARE UNELECTED.
WE WERE PROMISED BEFORE THE
NOVEMBER ELECTIONS THAT WE WLD
HAVE UNPARALLELED TRANSPARENCY,
THAT YOU WOULD KNOW EVERYTHING
ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT, EVERYTHING
THAT WAS GOING ON, WE WERE GOING
TO BE TRANSPARENT, WE WERE TOLD,
IF ONLY YOU WOULD ELECT THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION -- ELECT
HIM PRESIDENT, AND THAT WOULD
HAPPEN.
AND WE'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY IN
THIS BODY THAT THERE WAS A
MANDATE. WE GOT A MANDATE.
NO, YOU DIDN'T.
YOU BARELY GOT A MAJORITY THAT
ELECTED YOU TO HAVE
TRANSPARENCY.
WE WERE PROMISED THERE WOULD BE
CHANGE BASS THIS ADMINISTRATION
WOULD STOP THE INSANE DEFICIT
SPENDING.
AND SOME OF US, INCLUDING THOSE
OF US HERE WERE NOT HAPPY WITH
OUR OWN PRESIDENT BUSH AND HIS
ADMINISTRATION SPENDING TOO MUCH
MONEY.
AND THEY GOT ENOUGH OF OUR
COLLEAGUES TO HELP THEM SPEND
TOO MUCH MONEY, ON OUR SIDE OF
THE AISLE, SOME FROM THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE AISLE, BUT IT WAS
TOO MUCH MONEY.
AND THE PEOPLE VOTED HIM IN TO
STOP THE INSANITY.
AND SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE
GETTG.
AND A CZAR, I WOULD SUBMIT, IS
PROBABLY THE PROPER TERM,
BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ACCOUNTABLE.
THE SENATE TRIED TO GET RATNER
TO COME OVER AND TESTIFY.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THEY'RE
MAKING.
THEY HAVE THESE CLOSED-DOOR
MEETINGS AND THEY'RE MAKING
THESE INCREDIBLE DECISIONS ABOUT
THE FUTURE OF THE AUTOMOBILES.
NOW, SOME PEOPLE DON'T
UNDERSTAND, BUT IF YOU STUDY
ENOUGH HISTORY, YOU KNOW THAT
WHEN YOU CAN NO LONGER PRODUCE
THE ESSENTIAL THINGS YOU NEED TO
CONDUCT WARFARE TO CONDUCT
YOURSELVES WHEN YOU'RE ATTACKED
THEN YOU ARE GOING TO STOP BEING
A COUNTRY, WHEN YOU CAN NO
LONGER STOMACH TO DO WHAT IT
TAKES TO PROTECT YOUR COUNTRY
FROM NUTCASES FROM AROUND THE
WORLD, THEN YOU LOSE THE
COUNTRY.
HERE, WE HAVE THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE IGNORING THE LAW.
AND YOU LOOK AT THIS CZAR, WHAT
HE DID WITH CARS AND SAID, WE
DIDN'T TELL THEM WHICH DEALERSHIPS TO CLOSE.
BUT THIS CLOSED-DOOR SECRET
SOCIETY APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT
OBAMA MEETS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS,
EXERTS PRESSURE.
AND WE HAVE SEEN THE KIND OF
PRESSURE THIS ADMINISTRATION
BRINGS TO BEAR.
YOU DO THIS OR ELSE WE'RE GOING
TO BLACKEN YOUR NAME AMONG THE
MEDIA AND WE'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN.
WE'VE SEEN THE BEATING THAT
SECURED CREDITORS TOOK WHEN THEY
SAID, YOU REALLY OUGHT TO FOLLOW
THE LAW HERE.
WELL, THEY WERE BEING
UN-AMERICAN.
THOSE PEOPLE WERE NOT BEING UN-AMERICAN.
THEY WERE TRYING TO FOLLOW
CHAPTER 11 LAW.
THE LAW IS CLEAR.
IT HAS BEEN FOR YEARS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A CHAPTER 11
-- THERE'S GOING TO BE A PLAN.
THERE HAS TO BE DISCLOSURES
ABOUT THE PLAN.
THERE HAVE TO BE HEARINGS.
YOU HAVE OECTIONS, RELIEF FROM
MOTIONS, STAYS.
YOU CAN HAVE ALL THESE HEARINGS.
THEY JUST BYPASSED THAT LAW AND
SAID WE'RE GOING TO TURN THE LAW
UPSIDE DOWN BECAUSE WE ARE
SECRET-MEETING ZARS WHO AREN'T
GOING TO LET PEOPLE HAVE THEIR
RIGHTS, BUT OBLITERATE THE LAW,
WHICH THEY DID.
AND THEY FAILED A BANKRUPTCY
JUDGE, WHO THEY BELIEVE WOULD
PROBABLY SIGN OFF ON THIS PLAN,
BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT, IF YOU
ARE A BANKRUPTCY JUDGE, OF
COURSE THEY COME UP FOR
RE-APPOINTMENT EVERY 14 YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS JUDGE
COMES UP AGAIN, BUT APPARENTLY
HE WANTS TO BE A JUDGE A WHILE LONGER.
ANYWAY, THEY FOUND A JUDGE WHO
WAS INTERESTED IN NOT HAVING ALL
THE HEARINGS THE LAW REQUIRES TO
GIVE THE DEALERSHIPS A FAIR
HEARING, TO GIVE THE SECURED
CREDITORS A FAIR HEARING, TO
GIVE THE UNSECURED CREDITORS A
FAIR HEARING, THE CRACK TALL
RELATIONSHIPS THAT WERE BEING
ADDRESSED BY THE SECRET CZAR
MEETINGS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS,
THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN
TRANSPARENCY.
THAT'S WHAT THE VOTERS VOTED
FOR.
AND THEY DIDN'T GET Y OF THAT.
JUST TURNED THE LAW UPSIDE DOWN.
I HOPE MY FRIENDS WILL BE
PLEASED TO HEAR THAT SINCE WE'RE
TAKING UP THE COMMERCE, JUSTICE
BILL THIS WEEK, I HAVE AN
AMENDMENT IN THERE, IT'S VERY
SIMPLE.
IT SAYS NO MONEY APPROPRIATED
CAN BE SPENT TO PAY
TASK FORCE, INCLUDING THE CAR
CZAR.
IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TELL US
WHAT THEY'RE DOING BEHIND CLOSED
DOORS TO TURN THE LAWS UPSIDE
DOWN AND TO IGNORE THE
CONSTITUTIONAL TAKINGS WHICH IS
OCCURRING AND TO IGNORE ALL THE
CONTRACT LAW, THE BANKRUPTCY
LAW, AS THEY IGNORE ALL THOSE
THINGS, ARE THEY GOING TO IGNORE
THE LAW, THEN WE ARE GOING TO
IGNORE PAYING THEM.
I FEEL LIKE WE WILL HAVE
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT ON THAT,
BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE WANT TO KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON.
W
AND BY GOLLY, WE OUGHT TO HAVE
IT.
I APPRECIATE THE GENTLEMAN
YIELDING, ESPECIALLY ON THIS
TOPIC OF CZARS, BUT WE KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED TO THE CZARS.
PEOPLE GOT SICK OF IT, AND THEY
THREW THEM OUT.
NOW I WOULD NEVER ADVOCATE WHAT
HAPPENED TO THE LAST CZAR AND
HIS FAMILY.
TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE, BUT HERE
IN AMERICA, WE HAVE ANOTHER WAY
OF THROWING OUT CZARS.
WE HAVE ELECTIONS.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE A
CHOICE.
THEY WERE PROMISED TRANSPARENCY
AND THIS KIND OF BALONEY IS NOT
IT.
AND I HOPE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE RESPOND APPROPRIATELY.
MR. CARTER: RECLAIMING MY TIME
AND I APPRECIATE MY FRIEND
EXPRESSING HIS PASSION.
I WAS TALKING ABOUT EXACTLY THE SAME THING.
WE LIKE TO TOUT THE RULE OF LAW.
WE LIKE TO SAY -- AND IN FACT,
IT'S TRUE.
THAT WHAT REALLY MAKES AMERICA
WORK IS HAVING THE RULE OF LAW.
THAT MEANS WHEN YOU MAKE A
CONTRACT, WE HONOR THAT
CONTRACT.
WHEN WE HAVE LAWS ON THE BOOKS,
WE FOLLOW THOSE.
AND WE CAN DEPEND AS AN INVESTOR
OR A PURCHASER OR AN EMPLOYEE,
WE CAN DEPENUPON THOSE LAWS
WHICH HAVE BEEN WRITTEN IN THE
BANKRUPTCY ARENA, FOR INSTANCE.
AND I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH
MY COLLEAGUE THAT THE WAY THIS
HAS BEEN HANDLED, WE HAVE THROWN
THE RULE OF LAW AND BANKRUPTCY
LAW RIGHT OUT THE WINDOW.
I YIELD BACK.
MR. GOHMERT: ONE FURTHER COMMENT
ABOUT THAT.
BY GETTING A BANKRUPTCY JUDGE TO
SIGN OFF ON IT, NOW THIS
UNELECTED, UNACCOUNTABLE,
NONTRANSPARENT BODY HAS GOTTEN
UNDER THE GUISE OF ONE LAZY
BANKRUPT JUDGE'S SIGNATURE.
THEY NOW HAVE COVER OR COLOR OF
THE LAW.
NOW, I THOUGHT WHEN JUSTICE
GINSBURG STAYED THSALE TO
FIAT, WE MIGHT GET SOME RULE OF
LAW.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE SO FAR THE
BANKRUPTCCOURT UP TO THE
SUPRE COURT SAID, YOU KNOW
WHAT?
WE'RE SCARED OF THESE PEOPLE.
LET'S JUST LET THE CZAR PEOPLE
RUN THINGS.
AND JUDICIARY, WE AREN'T GOING
TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
IF THIS BODY, THIS CONGRESS,
DOES NOT HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE,
THEN WE HAVE BECOME A COUNTRY
RUN BY CZARS, BECAUSE THE
CONGRESS HAS NOT MADE THEM
ACCOUNTABLE, JUDICIARY HAS NOT
MADE THEM ACCOUNTABLE, SO
THEY'RE JUST RUNNING THINGS AND
EVERYBODY HAS ALLOWED THEM TO
USURP WHAT THE FOUNDERS FOUGHT
AND PLEDGED AND DIED AND THEIR
FORTUNES ANDACRED HONOR.
WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.
I YIELD BACK.
MR. CARTER: I THINK MR. KING
WOULD LIKE SOME TIME.
I YIELD FIVE MINUTES TO MR.
KING.
MR. KING: I THANK THE JUDGE FROM
TEXAS FOR YIELDING.
AS I LOOK AT THIS LIST, A COUPLE
OF THINGS DO COME TO MIND AND
COME BACK AND REFRESH.
THE TARP CZAR HERB ALLISON AND
EARL DEVANEY, THOSE TWO PLACES
THERE, ADD THAT UP, WE ARE AT
ABOUT, LET'S SEE $1.5 TRILLION
IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, VERY CLOSE TO THAT.
AND IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO ASK
THEM, WHERE'S THE MONEY AND
WHERE DID IT GO?
NOW WE HAVE A CENTRALIZED PLACE
TO AT LEAST ASK TH
THE LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT ACCOUNTABLE
TO THE SENATE FOR CONFIRMATION
OR TO THE PUBLIC FOR ELECTIONS.
AND THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE ONLY TO
THE PRESIDENT AS FAR AS WE KNOW,
BUT THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS PUT
SOME PRESSURE ON THEM AND ASK
FOR A FULL ACCOUNTING, WHERE'S
THE TARP MONEY?
AND ARE WE GOING TO LET THE
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PAY IT BACK,
PAY IT BACK.??
IS THE MONEY GOING TO THE
TREASURY OR ROLL IT OVER TO SOME
VENTURE CAPITAL GOVERNMENT KIND
OF ENDEAVOR.
AND MR. EARL DEVANEY, I WOULD BE
INTERESTED, IF WE COULD GET AN
ANSWER FROM THE STIMULUS
ACCOUNTABILITY CZAR ON WHERE IS
ALL THAT MONEY, HOW MUCH OF IT
HAS BEEN SPENT AND WHERE, HOW
MUCH OF IT WENT INTO
INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW MUCH
CONVERTED INTO JOBS, HOW MUCH OF
THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS GOING TO
STIMULATE THE ECONOMY.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE LIST.
I UNDERSTAND THE NUMBER OF THOSE
DOLLARS THAT HAVE GONE INTO
INFRASTRUCTURE IS 3% TO 4% OF
THE $787 BILLION THAT WERE
APPROPRIATED IN THE STIMULUS
PLAN, WHICH WAS SAME AS THE TARP
FUNDING, HURRY UP AND PUT THE
MONEY OUT NOW BECAUSE WE ARE IN
AN ECONOMIC TAILSPIN.
WE HAD A CHICKEN LITTLE DRILL
GOING ON HERE IN THIS CAPITOL
AND IT YIELDED ABOUT $1.5
TRILLION FROM THE TAXPAYERS THAT
MY GRANDKIDS ARE GOING TO HAVE
ON TO PAY AND WEON'T KNOW
WHERE THE MONEY WENT
DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS THAT ALL
THIS MONEY THAT IS APPROPRIATED
DIDN'T GET IMPLEMENTED.
NOW WE HAVE THIS LONG-TERM DEBT
FOR AMERICA, THAT ONCE YOU TAKE
ON THAT KIND OF DEBT, EVEN
WHATEVER YOUR ECONOMIC CRISIS IS
THAT YOUR'S IN, TAKING ON DEBT,
DELAYS IT, DELAYS THE RECOVERY.
THAT IS THE EQUATION THAT TAKES PLACE.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO
HAVE REAL-TIME ACCOUNTING D
SHOULD BE A WEBS
HERE'S YOUR $700ILLION IN TARP
MONEY AND HERE WHERE IT WENT.
SCENE, REAL-TIME.
I THINK THERE OUGHT TO BE A
WEBSITE FOR THE STIMULUS
ACCOUNTABILITY CZAR SO HE COULD
HAVE THAT WEBSITE UP.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE PRESSING
FOR ANSWERS.
AMERICA COULD GO TO THE WEB SITE
AND CONTACT US AND LET US KNOW
HOW THEY THINK THE MONEY IS
BEING SPENT OR NOT BEING SPENT.
ONE THING WE KNOW IS, IT'S NOT
BEEN AND DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S
GOING TO BE SPENT ACCORDING TO
PLAN.
AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S BEEN
ACCORDING TO PLAN, THE RESULTS
DON'T LOOK LIK
FUNDING OR STIMULUS.
AND I'M PROUD OF MY COLLEAGUES
VOTING NO ON THAT PLAN.
IT WAS ONE LEG OF A M
STOOL THAT WE HAD TO CONSTRUCT
TO GET US OUT OF THAT ECONOMIC
CRIS.
LOOKS LIKE A MULTILEGGED STOOL
HAS GOT TO BE A FOUR OR MORE
LEGGED STOOL.
I NEVER SEEN A TWO-LEGGED STOOL
AND I NEVER TALKED TO ANYBODY
THAT HAS SEEN A TWO-LEGGED
STOOL.
THIS STIMULUS PLAN DEFIES LOGIC.
THIS IS AT THE COST OF $2
TRILLION A LEG, MADAM SPEAKER.
WHAT DO WE GET BACK FOR THAT?
AND THESE MARGINS THAT WERE TO
COME, WE WEREN'T GOING TO SEE
UNEMPLOYMENT GO PAST 8%, BUT NOW
IT'S 9.4%.
THE STOCK MARKET IS DOWN 204 POINTS.
THE LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT IS
THERE, IT SEEMS IT'S LESS
VOLATILE AND MORE STABLE THAN IT
WAS, BUT WE HAVE A LOT MORE DEBT
THAN WE HAD.
AND THE CHINESE WERE HAPPY TO BUY OUR DEBT.
I WAS NEVER HAPPY TO SELL IT TO
THEM. TODAY THEY'RE NOT HAPPY TO BUY
IT AND I'M NOT HAPPY TO SELL IT
TO THEM.
WE HAVE TO TIGHTEN THIS BELT
DOWN AND SLOW DOWN THE SPENDING
AND GOT TO GET BACK TO BALANCING
OUR BUDGET.
AND I BELIEVE THAT EVERY ONE OF
US HERE ON THIS FLOOR VOTED FOR
A BALANCED BUDGET THIS YEAR IN
THFACE OF ALL THIS ECONOMIC
CRISIS.
THOSE OF US ON THE REPUBLICAN
SIDE OF THE AISLE, MANY OF US
SUPPORTED A BALANCED BUDGET.
IT'S HARD TO PUT ONE TOGETHER IN
THIS TAILSPIN THAT WE'RE IN.
WE VOTED FOR IT.
AND THAT SENDS THE RIGHT MESSAGE
AND EVERY YEAR, WE HAVE TO PUT A
BALANCED BUDGET OUT THERE.
I YIELD BACK AND I THANK THE
GENTLEMAN FROMEXAS.
.
MR. CARTER: AS WE SUM THIS UP
HERE, MR. KING MENTIONED
SOMETHING I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
HE MENTIONED WE NEED A
DENATIONALIZATION CZAR OR AN
EXIT STRATEGY CZAR OR MAYBE BOTH
IN THIS WORLD OF PROLIFERATION
OF CZARS, MAYBE WE NEED BOTH.
BUT THE REALITY IS, IN
SERIOUSNESS WHEN THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES CAME INTO
OFFICE HE TOLD US, THERE'S A
DROPDEAD DEADLINE, WE'RE GOING
TO GET OUT OF IRAQ, THIS IS IT.
THERE'S A DROPDEAD DEADLINE, WOULD ERR GOING TO CLOSE
GUANTANAMO BAY, THIS IS IT.
SO THIS TIME NEXT YEAR WE WON'T
EVEN NEED THE GUANTANAMO CLOSURE
CZAR BECAUSE IT WILL BE CLOSED.
AND VERYLEARLY WE'RE GOING TO
DRAW DOWN OUR SOLDIERS IN THE
WAR IN IRAQ.
THE PRESIDENT'S SHOWN
LEADERSHIP, WHETHER YOU AGREE OR
DISAGREE WITH HIM IS FOR OTHER
TIMES, BUT HE'S CERTAINLY BECOME
ONE WHO SAYS THERE SHOULD BE A
DROPDEAD DATE, AN EXIT STRATEGY.
YOU I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
THIS CONGRESS -- I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT THIS CONGRESS,
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS MASSIVE
INCREASE IN THE EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENT AND WE SAY TO
OURSELVES, THEY ARE NOT
ANSWERABLE TO US EXCEPT THROUGH
THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS, WE
CAN CUT OFF THE MONEY, BUT OTHER
THAN THAT, THEY'RE ANSWERABLE TO
THE PRESIDENT.
WE HAD NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT WHO
GOT HIRED, WE GOT NOTHING TO SAY
ABOUT WHAT THE DUTIES WERE.
THIS WAS THE CREATION OF THE
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT AND THAT
WOULD BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES AND HIS STAFF.
THEY OWE THIS NATION IN SOME OF
THESE AREAS A TIME TO GET OUT.
THEY SAY THEY DON'T WANT TO US
RUN THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY.
WELL, WE NEED TO BE PLANNING ON
GETTING OUT OF THE AUTOMOBILE
INSTRY.
WE CAN'T STAY IN THERE.
THE COUNTRY DOESN'T WANT A
GOVERNMENT-MADE CAR. JUST ASK THEM.
THEY DON'T WANT ONE.
SO, WE COULD GET RID OF THE CAR
CZAR, THE EXECUTIVE PAY CZAR, A
LOT OF THESE OTHER CZARS, IF WE
WOULD JUST SAY, THIS IS THEIR
MISSION, HERE'S WHEN WE EXPECT
THAT MISSION TO BE ACCOMPLISHED,
AS WE DID TO OUR SOLDIERS, AND
THIS IS WHEN WE EXPECT IT TO BE
ACCOMPLISHED AND BY TH DATE
YOU EITHER ACCOMPLISH IT OR
YOU'RE GETTING OUT.
YOU KNOW, I PERSONALLY THINK THE
WAY WE LOOK AT THIS MASSIVE $1.5
TRILLION WORTH OF AUTHORIZED
SPENDING, AUTHORIZED BY THIS
HOUSE, MAINLY THAT SIDE OF THE
AISLE, THE WAY WE LOOK AT THAT
RIGHT NOW IS, WE SHOULD BE
SAYING, STIMULUS MEANS RAPID
INFUSION INTO THE ECONOMY.
EVERYTHING THAT HASN'T BEEN
RAPIDLY INFUSED THIS YEAR WE
SHOULD HALT.
SO IF THEY HAVEN'T SPENT THE
$787 BILLION OR WHATEVER THAT
NUMBER IS, LIKE RIGHT NOW, AT
LEAST SOME PAPERS REPORT ONLY
$25 BILLION OF THAT MONEY, OTHER
YOUS SAY $40 BILLION OF TH
MONEY HAS BEEN USED SO FAR --
OTHERS SAY $40 BILLION OF THAT
MONEY HAS BEEN USED SO FAR.
IF YOU STUDY THOSE PROJECTS,
MANY OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE
GIVING MONEY TO PEOPLE FOR
THINGS THAT WILL NOT HAVE AN
AFFECT ON OUR ECONOMY FOR YEARS,
THREE, FIVE, SEVEN YEARS DOWN
THE ROAD.
THAT'S NOT STIMULUS.
IF THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE THING
DONE THIS YEAR THAT -- WE OUGHT
TO SAY, DEAUTHORIZE IT AT THAT
POINT IN TIME.
IT HASN'T WORKED.
TRY SOMETHING THAT WORKS.
THAT'S WHERE WE OUGHT TO BE.
THAT'S THE WAY THIS CONGRESS
NEEDS TO START THINKING.
BECAUSE WE ARE CREATING A POWER
STRUCTURE THAT IS OUTSIDE THE
NORMAL POWER STRUCTURE OF THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE
GOVERNMENT.
THESE ARE THINGS FOR TO US THINK
ABOUT.
MADAM SPEAKER, I T
YOUR COURTESY TONIGHT AND I
YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: UNDER
THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED POLICY
OF JANUARY 6, 2009, THE CHAIR
RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN FROM
IOWA, MR. KING, FOR 60 MINUTES.
MR. KING: THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER.
I APPRECIATE THE HONOR TO BE
RECOGNIZED HERE ON THE FLOOR OF
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND
I APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION
OF MY COLLEAGUES FROM TEXAS, THE
TWO JUDGES FROM TEXAS, TO
ADDRESS THIS SUBJECT MATTER OF
THE CZARS IN THE LAST HOUR.
A LOT'S BEEN SAID ABOUT THE
CZARS.
MAYBE JUST TO TRANSITION FROM
THAT INTO ANOTHER SUBJECT
MATTER, MADAM SPEAKER, BUT, YOU
KNOW, THE IDEA THAT WE'RE GOING
TO SEE THE END OF THE GITMO
CLOSING CZAR IS PRETTY
INTERESTING TO ME.
WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY GENERAL THAT
SEEMED TO HAVE GOTTEN THAT
ASSIGNMENT.
I REMEMBER THE LOOK IN HIS EYES
AS HE WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT TO DO WITH THAT JANUARY 22,
2010, MANDATED CLOSING DATE THAT
WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE PRESIDENT
AND HIS EXECUTIVE ORDER -- IN
HIS EXECUTIVE ORDER.
I HAVE ALSO BEEN DOWN TO GITMO
AND SEEN DOWN THERE IN THE AREA
WHERE THE GITMO INMATES, THE
DETAINEES, THE ENEMY COMBATANTS,
THE TERRORISTS, THE WORST OF THE
WORST, WHERE THEY GET IN THEIR
COMMUNAL AREA JUST OFF OF WITH
WHERE THEIR LITTLE SOCCER FIELD
IS, AN AREA WHERE THEY SIT IN
THE SHADE AND JUST OFF OF WHERE
THEIR BIG SCREEN TV IS WHERE
THEY GET THEIR REFRESHMENTS AND
THEIR EDUCATION IN ENGLISH
LANGUAGE AND THE CULTURAL
EDUCATION THAT TAKES PLACE, JUST
OFF OF THERE, MADAM SPEAKER, NOT
TO SET THE SCENE TO DISTINCTLY,
THERE IS A BULLETIN BOARD THAT'S
PUT UP.
IT'S A PLY BOARD.
AND ON THAT PLY BOARD IS THE
EXECUTIVE ORDER.
THE PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER,
DATED JANUARY 22,
SEVEN PAGES LONG, IN THE ENGLISH
VERSION OF IT, AND THAT'S SET ON
THIS PLY BOARD AND THEN THE
ARABIC VERSION IS ABOUT THE SAME
NUMBER OF PAGES AND THERE'S
PLEXY GLASS OVER THE TOP OF IT
SO THESE INMATES, THESE WORST OF
THE WORST, HOWEVER MANY
LEFT DOWN THERE, THEY CAN
INTERRUPT THEIR SOCCER GAME OR
STOP OR IF THEY'RE WAITING THEIR
TURN TO PLAY OR WHATEVER IT
MIGHT BE, GO OVER THERAND READ
AND THEN REREAD THE EXECUTIVE
ORDER WHICH SAYS, IT'S A PROMISE
TO THE WORST OF THE WORST, THE
GITMO DETAINEES, THAT THEY ARE
NOT GOING TO BE DOWN THERE IN
GITMO ONE DAY PAST JANUARY 22,
2010.
THAT'S THE PLEDGE TO THEM.
WHEN I LOOKED AT THAT I HAD BEEN
INVOLVED IN A WILL THE LOW OF
THIS DISCUSSION THAT HAD TO DO
WITH THE GITMO DETAINEES AND THE
UTTER LOGIC THAT SAYS KEEP THEM
THERE, DON'T CLOSE GUANTANAMO
BAY, YOU COULDN'T HAVE A BETTER
-- NO NATION HAS TREATED THE
PEOPLE THEY PICKED UP IN WARFARE
AS WELL AS WE HAVE TREATED THE
GITMO DETAINEES.
AND SO THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE
DOWN THERE AND THEY LI IN AIR
CONDITIONING AND THEY SAY THEIR
CULTUR TEMPERATURE IS BETWEEN
75 AND 80 DEGREES SO THEY
ESSENTIALLY ARE THE ONES WHO SET
THE THERMOSTAT IN THEIR
RESIDENCES, WHICH CELLS, PRIVATE
CELLS, THEY DON'T SHARE A ROOM,
THEY HAVE PRIVATE CELLS WITH A
NICE LITTLE ARROW ON THE FLOOR
WHICH SHOWS THEM WHERE MECCA IS,
AND OUR OPERATIONS DOWN THERE
STOP FIVE TIMES A DAY FOR 20
MINUTES EACH TIME, THAT'S 100
MINUTES A DAY, WHILE OUR GUARDS
STAND RESPECTFULLY IN WAIT WHILE
THE FIVE PRAYERS A DAY GO ON.
THIS 100 MINUTES ISN'T
INTERRUPTED BY THEIR OPPORTUNITY
TO FILL OUT THE MENU, THEY DO
THAT AT A DIFFERENT TIME.
THEY GET TO CHOOSE FROM NINE
DIFFERENT ITEMS, FIVE TIMES A
DAY PRAYER, 100 MINUTES DAY,
NINE DIFFERENT ITEMS ON THE MENU
EVERY DAY THEY CAN CHOOSE FROM,
CHECK THE BOX AND DECIDE WHICH
ONES OF THESE
ISLAMICALLY-APPROVED MALES --
ISLAMICALLY APPROVED MEALS DO
THEY WANT TO EAT, ALL IN THE AIR
CONDITIONING THAT THEY LIVE IN,
IF THE NOT THEIR DESIRE TO GO
OUTSIDE IN THE FRESH CARIBBN
AIR AND PLAY A LITTLE SOCCER.
SO THERE'S A PLEDGE ON THAT
BULLETIN BOARD AND THAT PLEDGE
IS THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, WITH THE
PLEXIGLAS OVER THE TOP OF IT,
IT'S PRESIDENT OBAMA'S EXECUTIVE
ORDER THAT, THE COMMITMENT FROM
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, THAT GITMO WILL BE
CLOSED.
NOW, WHEN I SAW THAT I CAME TO
THE CONCLUSION THAT NO MATTER
HOW MUCH LOGIC THERE IS THAT
SUPPORTS SUSTAINING GUANTANAMO
BAY, NO MATTER THAT IT IS THE
BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD FOR
THESE GITMO DETAINEES, NO MATTER
THAT IT'S AIR CONDITI
NINE ISLAMIC MEALS TO CHOOSE
FROM AND OUTSIDE EXERCISE AND
INDOOR CLIMATE CONTROL AND
ARROWS FOR PRAYERS AND THE
FANSIER PRAYER RUGS, I DON'T
KNOW HE ANYBODY THAT HAS RUSSIAN
THIS FANCY IN THEIR HOUSE --
RUGS THIS FANNIE -- FANCY IN
THEIR HOUSE.
NO BIBLES BY THE WAY.
ONE OF THEM REQUESTED A BIBLE.
BUT IT CAUSED TOO MUCH UNREST
AMONG THE REST OF THEM.
SO BIBLES ARE NOT ALLOWED.
NEITHER ARE AMERICAN GUARDS
ALLOWED TO TOUCH A KORAN, IT
COMES IN A SPECIAL LITTLE BAG
CARRIED IN AND EVERYBODY GETS
THIS KORAN.
WELL, OF ALL OF THESE THINGS
GOING ON DOWN THERE AT GITMO,
THEY HAVE A PROMISE, NO MATTER
HOW LOGICAL IT IS TO KEEP IT
OPEN, NO MATTER HOW LOGICAL IT
IS TO PROCESS THESE ENEMY
COMBATANTS THROUGH THE
PROCEDURES THAT THIS CONGRESS
HAS LAWFULLY SET UP, GITMO WILL
BE CLOSED, DESPITE ALL LOGIC,
AND IT CONVINCED ME OF THAT WHEN
I SAW THE BULLETIN BOARD WITH
THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ON IT.
THE PRESIDENT'S NOT GOING TO
RESCIND ANY EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT
THEY HAVE POSTED IN FRONT OF THE
GITMO DETAINEES, THE ENEMY
COMBATANTS, THE FORMER
THAT'S THE STRONGEST MESSAGE
THINK A PICKED UP WHILE I WAS THERE.
I'D BE HAPPY
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS.
MR. CARTER: I THANK THE
GENTLEMAN FOR YIELDING.
AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT
GUANTANAMO BAY, IT DAWNED ON ME
THAT WE TALK ABOUT THE -- THE
WORLD TALKS ABOUT AMERICAN
TREATMENT OF POLITICAL PRISONERS
THEY'RE CALLING THEM, WE CALL
THEM ENEMY COMBATANTS, WHICH I
THINK, SINCE WE PICKED THEM UP
ON THE BATTLEFIELD, WE HAVE A
PRESENT DECENT AR
DON'T HEAR ANYBODY TALKING ABOUT
OUR ENEMIES' TREATMENT OF OUR
COMBATANTS WHEN CAPTURED ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
THERE'S A REASON, I THINK.
FIFRLT OFF -- FIRST OFF, WE DO
EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE DON'T LOSE ANY OF
OUR SOLDIERS, SAILORS, AIRMEN
AND MARINES TO THE ENEMY.
WE DON'T EVEN LET THEM -- WE
EVEN TAKE OUR -- REMOVE OUR
DEAD, WITH HE LEAVE NO SOLDIERS
ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
IT'S THE PRIDE OF OUR MILITARY.
BUT THERE'S ALSO AN UNDERLYING
PRINCIPLE THEIR BECAUSE IF YOU
WILL RECALL, LESS THAN THREE OR
FOUR YEARS AGO THEY GOT THEIR
HANDS ON SOME PEOPLE AND THEY
DRAGGED THEM BEHIND CARS AND
HUNG THEM FROM THE BRIDGE IN
BAGHDAD.
GUY AND ON TELEVISION WITH
EVERYBODY WATCHING THEY CUT HIS
HEAD OFF IN FRONT OF ANYBODY WHO
WANTED TO WATCH IT.
SO LET'S COMPARE NINE SELECTED
MENU ITEMS,
TEMPERATURE-RELATED --
TEMPERATURE REGULATED TO SUIT
YOUR LIFESTYLE AND YOUR RELIGION
MATERIAL OF CHOICE TREATED WITH
GREAT RESPECT, WHICH IS OUR WAY
OF DEALING WITH PRISONERS VERSUS
DECAPITATION, DRAGGING, SETTING
ON FIRE AND HANGING FROM A
BRIDGE.
AND LET'S DECIDE, WHERE IS THE
OUTCRY?
WELL, THERE CERTAINLY CAN'T BE
ANY COMPARISON OF TREATMENT
CAUSE WE'RE DOING OUR DAMAGEST
NOT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT OUR
COMBATANTS, OUR GUYS, ARE DOING
A GREAT JOB THAT.
THEY'RE PROTECTING AMERICANS ON
THE BATTLEFIELD.
IT'S BECAUSE THE ENEMY HAS NO
QUAL S WITH WHAT THEY'RE GOING
TO DO -- QUAL AMS WITH WHAT
THEY'RE GOING -- QUALMWITH
WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.
DO YOU REALLY THINK THE ENEMY IS
PROVIDING BIBLES TO WHO THEY CAP
SAN ANTONIO SPUR DO YOU THINK
ONE OF THE CHOICES WOULD BE
MEXICAN FOOD?
GIVE ME A BREAK.
EVERYBODY THAT'S GOT ANY LOGIC
AT ALL KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT WOULD
HAPPEN TO PRISONERS THAT WERE
CAPTURED, AMERIC PRISONERS,
THAT WERE CAPTURED.
AND THAT'S WHY WE FIGHT SO HARD
TO KEEP THEM SAFE.
I YIELD BACK.
MR. KING: RECLAIMING AND
THANKING THE GENTLEMAN FROM
TEXAS, I THINK IT'S AN
VERY ILLUSTRATIVE. WHEN HE ASKED THE QUESTION, DO
YOU THINK THE ENEMY WILL PROVIDE
BIBLES TO ANY OF OUR SOLDIERS
THAT THEY MIGHT ONE DAY CAPTUR
AS PRISONERS OF WARS, IT SOUNDS
EVEN RIDICULOUS WHEN YOU SAY IT
BECAUSE IT'S SO FAR OUT OF THE
REALM.
AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
RENEWING, ONE OF THE PIECES THAT
HAVE TO DO WITH IMMIGRATION,
TALKING ABOUT RENEWING THE
RELIGIOUS WORKERS VISA AND WE'LL
HAVE ABOUT 5,000 RELIGIOUS
WORKERS COME INTO THE UNITED
STATES EACH YEAR AND THEY SHOULD
BE AND GENERALLY ARE REQUIRED TO
AND OFTEN IT DOESN'T WORK OUT
THAT WAY, BE AFFILIATED WITH
EXISTING RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS.
NOW THEY MIGHT WELCOME FROM
COUNTRY LIKE SAUDI ARABIA OR
OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE
EAST, FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE
COUNTRIES THAT AREN'T VERY
TOLERANT OF OUR MISSIONARIES
GOING IN THERE.
AND SO IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT IF
WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE A
RELIGIOUS WORKERS VISAS HERE IN
THE UNITED STATES, WE SHOULD
TURN AROUND AND REQUIRE
RECIPROCITY, JUST SIMPLY SAY TO
THEM, FINE, SEND YOUR MAN
MA'AMS HERE TO THE UNITED STATES
-- YOUR IMAMS HERE TO THE UNITED
WE'RE GOING TO SEND YOU SOME
BAPTIST MINISTERS AND CATHOLIC
PRIESTS.
I YIELD TO THE GENTLEMAN.
.
MR. CARTER: I AGREE WITH YOU.
THAT WOULD BE THE KIND OF WORLD
WE WOULD CREATE.
THAT'S WHAT AMERICANS GIVE TO
OTHERS.
IT'S NOT THE WORLD OF THOSE WE
FIGHT AGAINST.
THE WAR WE FIGHT AGAINST IS AN
AUTOCRATIC WORLD WHICH IS THEIR
WAY OR THE HIGHWAY.
I GET TIRED OF HEARING PEOPLE
SAY, WE GOT TO CLOSE GITMO
BECAUSE IT IS THE TARGET FOR
CREATING MORE TERRORISTS.
SO, LET'S SEE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE
THE TARGET IF WE TAKE EVERYBODY
OUT OF GITMO AND PUT THEM IN
LEVENWORTH.
THE NEXT YEAR, GUESS WHAT, IT'S
GOING TO BE LEVENWORTH.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE
AND THEY COULD CAUSE THEM TO GO
TO THE TERRORIST SIDE AND SEND
THEM TO EL PASO.
AND THEN IN A YEAR, THAT WILL BE
THE EVIL GITMO.
AND THEN THEY WILL END UP IN A
COUNTY JAIL.
TIL THEY ARE BACK HOME ON THE
TERRORIST BATTLEFIELD, THEY WILL
RECRUIT BASED UPON THAT HOLDING
FACILITY.
IT'S A RIDICULOUS ARGUMENT
SAYING YOU HAVE TO CLOSE
GUANTANAMO BECAUSE IT BECOMES A
RECRUITING TOOL FOR LEFFION
WORTH.
MR. KING: THE REPUTATION OF
GITMO IS SOMETHING CREATED BY
THE LIBERAL NEWS MEDIA AND
MOVEON.ORG PEOPLE.
CHANCESR THAT CRITICISM IS
UNTRUE.
PEOPLE WERE WATERBOARDED AT
GITMO, NOT TRUE.
BUT THE PUBLIC BELIEVES IT DID.
IF THERE IS A RUMOR OUT THERE,
IF YOU WANT TO CALL THIS AN
URBAN LEGEND THAT EXISTS ABOUT
SOMETHING, DO WE GO AND
ERADICATE IT BECAUSE THERE IS A
RUMOR?
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
CRITICISM WAS OF GITMO WAS.
THEY HAD TO GO SOMEWHERE.
IT'S A HUMANE THING TO DO.
NO, WATERBOARDING DIDN'T TAKE
PLACE AT GUANTANAMO BAY, BUT
EVIL PEOPLE RESIDE DOWN THERE.
AND THEY AREN'T INNOCENT PEOPLE
THAT RANDOMLY WERE PICKED UP.
THESE ARE NOT GOAT HEARDERS, BUT
EVIL PEOPLE WHOSE PATH IS TO
KILL US, EVEN ORDER AN ATTEMPT
AT SUICIDE THAT TOOK PLACE A
SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
BEFORE THEY SUCCEEDED, NOW WE
HAVE THEM ALL ON S
NO ONE GOES WITHOUT THREE
MINUTES WITHOUT EYES ON.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ABUSIVE
TREATMENT OF PRISONERS, I SEE
NOTHING BUT A CULTURE OF -- IT
BENDS OVER WHACK BACKWARDS.
THERE IS TOO MUCH RESPECT FOR
THESE EVIL DOE.
ON AN AVERAGE OF 20 TIMES A DAY,
THESE INMATES ATTACK OUR GUARDS.
THEY ARE THROWING FECES IN THEIR
FACE AND OTHER HALF OF THE TIME,
THEY ARE PHYSICALLY ATTACKING
OUR GUARDS AND THE WORST THING
WE CAN DO TO PUNISH THEM IS
REDUCE THEIR OUTDOOR EXERCISE
TIME TO TWO HOURS A DAY.
WE OUGHT TO CLOSE GITMO BECAUSE
MOVEON.ORG IS CRITICAL AND
LIBERAL SOCIALIST EURO
CRITICAL AND PEOPLE ON THE OTHER
DIVIDE ARE CRITICAL.
MANY OF THEM HAVE DESIGNS
WORKING AGAINST THE UNITED
STATES AND I DON'T INCLUDE
WESTERN EUROPE.
BUT I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION
WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE
GERMANS AND AS THEY SAID, WELL,
WE THINK YOU OUGHT TO CLOSE
GITMO.
THEY HAVE BEEN PUSHING HARD FOR
THAT AND WE SHOULD DISBURSE
THESE 241 DETAINEES AROUND TO
OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.
BUT THE GERMANS AREN'T GOING TO
TAKE ANY OF THEM AS LONG AS THEY
MIGHT POSE A THREAT TO GERMANY.
AND HOW DO THEY MEASURE THIS?
WELL, IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO
BRING THEM TO THE UNITED STATES,
THEN THEY MUST BE DANGEROUS FOR
US TO ING HERE, SO WHY WOULD
THEY TAKE THEM THERE?
SAYING THEY WON'T BE ACCEPTING
ANY, BUT JUST PRESSURING US TO
CLOSE GUANTANAMO BAY.
MY ANSWER IS, IF YOU WON'T TAKE
ANY OF THESE INMATES, IT LOOKS
LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO
SAY ABOUT GUANTANAMO BAY,
INCLUDING YOUR OPINION, ALONG
WITH MOST OF THE CRITICISM THAT
FLOWS OUT FROM THE BEHAVIOR.
NATIONS HAVE GOT TO BE ABLE TO
WITHSTAND CRITICISM.
WE SHOULDN'T APOLOGIZE TO EVERY
CONTINENT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE PEOPLE LIKE US ANY BETTER.
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN BEING
LIKED, BUT BEING RESPECTED.
AND THAT'S THE THING THAT WILL
BRING ABOUT THE RIGHT KIND OF
RESULTS FROM THE ENEMY THAT WE
HAVE.
WHEN THEY SEE US KNUCKLE UNDER
AND GO WOBBLY BECAUSE OF A
LITTLE CRITICISM AND CLOSE
GUANTANAMO BAY AND THINKING THAT
THE CRITICISM IS GOING TO MOVE
ALONG, WHO SAYS AND WHY?
AND IF THAT'S THE RECRUITING
TOOL, THERE ARE MANY THINGS THEY
COULD GET ON THE INTERNET TO
STIMULATE PEOPLE.
WHAT DO THEY SAY?
REMEMBER GUANTANAMO BAY.
IS THAT LIKE REMEMBER THE ALAMO?
IS THAT A RECRUITING TOOL?
IT DOESN'T HOLD WATER IN MY
ANALYSIS.
AND I JUST BELIEVE THIS BACK
PEDDLING FROM INTERNATIONAL
CRITICISM DOESN'T GET YOU
ANYTHING OTHER THAN MORE SIT
SISM.
MR. CARTER: I THANK THE JUDGE.
DON'T COMPARE IT TO THE ALAMO.
TODAY I WAS WATCHING THE NEWS
AND I SAW THESE FOUR GUYS
FOUR DETAINEES, WHO ARE NOW
LIVING IN PROBABLY THE MOST
LUXURIOUS SETTING I HAVE
SEEN IN BERMUDA.
IT'S
OVEROKING THE OCEAN WITH A
SWIMMING POOL.
IT'S LIKE A THREE-PART SWIMMING
POOL.
A LOUNGING AREA, A KIDEE POOL.
AND THESE GUYS, THEY ARE SITTING
THERE -- LIKE THE GUYS SAID THE
OTHER NIGHT, THEY WERE TALKING
ABOUT PUTTING PEOPLE OUT ON AN
ISLAND.
IF THAT IS SPENDING $200 MILLION
IN PALAO, WHY DON WE BUY OUT
THE WALL DOFFER
IT WOULD BE CHEAPER.
I THINK THE WORLD IS GOING TO
LOOK AND SAY, LOOK AT HOW THE
ADMINISTRATION IS REACTING TO
THIS CRITICISM OF GUANTANAMO.
PULLING THEM OUT OF A STATE OF
THE ART PRISON WHICH HAS STATE
OF THE ART RULES AND STATE OF
THE ART TREATMENT AND THEY'RE
MOVING THEM TO THE TUNE OF $200
MILLION TO AN ISLAND OUT IN THE
MIDDLE NOWHERE, WHICH, BY THE
WAY, THESE GUYS AREN'T ON THE
TO FUT THEM ON THE NO-FLY LIST
AND THE MAJORITY KILLED IT IN A
BIG WAY.
NOW WHAT'S TO PREVENT THEM -- WE
PAID $200 MILLION TO PALAO AND
THEY GET THEIR FEET ON THE
GROUND AND ON THE GREAT WHITE
JET WHEREVER THEY WANT TO GO.
AND THEY'RE NOT UNDER DETENTION.
IN THE BAHAMAS, THEY HAVE THE
ISLA.
WHAT'S
BAHAMAS, YOU CAN GO ON A BOAT
THAN
BUT SERIOUSLY, THIS IS
RIDICULOUS AND I'M SURE THE REST
OF THE WORLD HAS GOT TO BE
SAYING, THESE GUYS ARE CRAZY IN
THE UNITED STATES SETTING UP
THESE GUYS IN A SEASIDE RESORT
IN JAMAICA.
I YIELD BACK.
INSANITY RULES.
MR. KING: I THANK THE GENTLEMAN
FROM TEXAS.
AND WE WERE HAVING DISCUSSIONS
ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE NOT
HERETOFORE UNIMAGINED A FEW
MONTHS AGO OR EVEN A FEW YEARS
AGO.
AND AS WE TRANSITION INTO THIS
DISCUSSION ABOUT GUANTANAMO BAY.
THE DISCUSSION WILL GO ON.
IF THERE ARE A FEW OF THEM THAT
COULD POTENTIALLY BE FACING THE
DEATH SENTENCE.
A FEW.
I GUESS I SHOULD PASS MY REQUEST
OVER TO THE GITMO CLOSING CZAR
AND ASK HIM HOW MANY ARE FACING
A DEATH SENTENCE.
LET'S LOOK AT IT ITHIS FASHION
AND THAT IS, LOOKS LIKE -- THEY
ARE GOING TO CLOSE GUANTANAMO
BAY.
THEY WILL DISBURSE THESE PEOPLE.
SOME OF THEM A LIKELY TO BE
RELEASED IN THE FREEORLD.
SOME INTO THE UNITED STATES OF
THESE ARE THE WORST OF THE
WORST.
WE HAVE ABOUT A ONE OUT OF SEVEN
RESIDISM RATE.
THE LEAST DANGEROUS IS THE MOST
ACCURATE WAY TO DESCRIBE THEM.
OUT OF THOSE 558, WE SEE A RATE
WHERE THEY TURNED AROUND D
ATTACKED AMERICAN PEOPLE, ONE
OUT OF SEVEN WE KNOW.
DON'T KNOW.
IF ONE OUT OF SEVEN WILL COME
BACK AND ATTACK AMERICANS WHEN
YOU PICK THE BEST OF THE WORST,
WHAT WILL BE THE ATTACK RATE ON
FREE PEOPLE WHEN YOU RELEASE THE
WORST OF THE WORST?
IT WILL BE GREATER THAN ONE OUT
OF SEVEN.
AND THIS NUMBER IS 241.
DIVIDE YOUR SEVEN AND DIVIDE
THAT FACTOR BY A TWO OR THREE
AND YOU'LL COME UP WITH A
NUMBER.
YOU WILL SEE 50 OR MORE OF THEM
THAT WILL ATTACK AMERICANS OR OTHER FREE PEOPLE.
THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE EXECUTIVE
ORDER IS THAT MOST OR ALL WILL
EVENTUALLY BE RELEASED AND THEY
WILL ATTACK FREE PEOPLE AND
INNOCENT PEOPLE WILL DIE AND
AMONG THOSE INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE
LIKELY TOE AMERICANS AND THAT
WILL BE THE NEWS STORY THAT WILL
COME BACK AND WE'LL REPLAY IT
AND UNRAVEL IT BACKWARDSGAIN
AND SAY ONLY COST 20, 30, 40
LIVES SO WE COULD AVOID THIS
CRITICISM AND SHUT DOWN AN
EXRATION THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO
ACCOMMODATE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
THERE NOW AND THE UIGHURS WHO
ARE WASTING AWAY IN UIGHURVILLE.
I CAN'T EVEN SAY IT.
MR. CARTER: I LIKE THAT.
MR. KING: I WANTED TO ALSO AND
IF THE SUBJECT MATTER HAS BEEN
UTILIZED ADEQUATELY, I WANT TO
TAKE THIS DISCUSSION OVER AND
TALK A LITTLE BIT WHERE WE ARE
ON CAP AND TRADE, CAP AND TAX.
LOOKS LIKE THIS ADMINISTRATION
IS -- AND THE MAJORITY IN THIS
CONGRESS IS DETERMINED TO PUSH
THROUGH A WAXMAN-MARKEY BILL OR
SOME VERSION OF IT, PROBABLY THE
VERSION THAT CAME OUT OF
COMMITTEE HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND HAVE TAKEN THIS POSITION AND
I HOLD IT THAT THEY'RE WRONG ON
THE SCIENCE AND ECONOMICS.
I WANT TO ADDRESS THE SCIENCE IN
A FAIRLY SHORT DEGREE HERE.
AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE THIS.
REMEMBER OUR HISTORY.
THIS ISSUE WAS BROUGHT BEFORE
THIS CONGRESS, I THINK THE YEAR
WAS 1988, ALTHOUGH I HAVEN'T
REFERENCED THAT.
THAT'S STRICTLFROM MEMORY.
WHEN THERE WAS A HEARING ON
GLOBAL WARMING.
AND THE LEAD WITNESS ON THAT WAS
DR. JAMES HANSON.
HE AND I WENT TO THE SAME HIGH
SCHOOL TOGETHER.
HE WAS AHEAD OF ME AND I DON'T
RECALL HIM.
BUT THE TESTIMONY WAS
MID-SUMMER.
THE ROOM WAS NOT AIR
CONDITIONED.
THE HUMIDITY MATCHED THE
TEMPERATURE. AND AS MEMBERS SWEATED, THEY
WERE BEING TOLD THIS WORLD WAS
GOING TO GET WARM AND ALL KINDS
OF THINGS WERE GOING TO TAKE
PLACE.
1988, THAT WAS A FEW YEARAFTER
ALL WE HAD THE INTERE IN THE
ICE AGE.
THERE WAS A COMING ICE AGE THAT
WA
MAJOR PUBLICATIONS AND IT WAS
INEST TABBLE THAT THE EARTH WAS
GOING TO COOL AND PEOPLE WERE
GOING TO HAVE TO MIGRATE TO
ANIT'S A FACT THAT AT LEAST
ONE, AND PROBABLY MORE THAN ONE,
ALTHOUGH SCIENTISTS WERE CERTAIN
WE WERE GOING TO UNDERGO TH
ICE AGE, ARE NOW ON THE SIDE OF
THE ARGUMENT THAT THE EARTH IS
GOING TO GET WARMER AND GET
WARMER FAST AND THEN ANYTHING
THAT'S A WEATHER ANOMALY IS
GOING TO BE THE RESULT OF GLOBAL
WARMING.
IF YOU REMBER, WE HAD A FEW
HURRICANES AS A RESULT OF GLOBAL
WARMING.
LAST YEAR, HURRICANES WERE WAY
OFF.
EVERYTHING IS AS A RESULT OF
CLIMAT
MORE RAIN OR LESS RAIN OR
WHETHER IT'S WARMER TEMPERATURES
OR COOLER TEMPERATURES.
NICE UTILITY TO BLAME IT ON,
CHAMENTE CHANGE BLAMES
EVERYTHING ON AN ANOMALY.
AND YOU AREN'T GOING TO HAVE TO
BE AROUND WHEN SCIENCE ACTUALLY
PRESENT DIFFICULTIES.
IF ANYONE GOING TO LIVE BEHIND
100 YEARS.
NOBODY IS GOING TO POINT AT DR.
JIM HANSON AND SAY YOU'RE WRONG
OR AL GORE AND SAY YOU'RE WRONG,
BECAUSE THEY WILL BE IN THE SAME
PLACE I WILL BE AT THAT POINT.
SO IT'S A HANDLY EXCUSE TO SHIFT
IT OFF ON TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND
ASK FOR A GREAT GROWTH IN
GOVERNMENT.
NOW, WE HAD A METEOROLOGYIST
SPEAK LAST WEDNESDAY MORNING.
HE IS A NASA SCIENTIST AND
MANAGES THE COLLECTION DATA THAT
COLLECTS THE DATA FROM EARTH
SATELLITES AND HAS 25 YEARS OF
DATA.
AND AS HE TALKED ABOUT THIS, AND
THIS WAS FAIRLY QUICK WON
THROUGH, BUT AS HE TALKED ABOUT
THIS DATA, HE EXPLAINED TO US
THAT THE CLIMATE CHANGE MODELS
THAT THEY'RE USING TO PREDICT
GLOBAL WARMING ARE THEY HAVE TO
HAVE ASSUMPTIONS.
AND I ASKED THE QUESTION, WHY IS
IT THAT PHYSICIAN SIFTS BUY INTO
THE ARGUMENT MORE SO THAN
METEOROLOGIST.
HE SAYS THEY ARE TRYING TO
PREDICT THE WEATHER FOR
TOMORROW.
THE CLIMATE CZ.
HE CAN'T PREDICT THE WEATHER FOR
TOMORROW, BUT THEY ARE
PREDICTING THE TEMPERATURE 100
YEARS FR NOW.
I HAVE A SON WHO IS GOING TO
HAVE AN OUTDOOR WEDDING IN
AUGUST AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
THE WEATHER.
THE CLIMATE CZAR ISN'T GOING TO
TELL ME.
100 YEARS FROM NOW, HE WILL MAKE
A PREDICTION, BUT WON'T TELL YOU
WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE NEXT
WEEK.
BUT THE PRESUMPTIONS THAT ARE
THERE, METEOROLOGISTS UNDERSTAND
PREDICTING THE WEA
TOMORROW LET ALONE 100 YEARS
FROM NOW.
PHYSICIAN SIFTS HAVE STUDIED THE
EXACT SCIENCE.
WHEN THEY PUT TOGETHER A
COMPUT
IN A LOT OF FACTORS, THERE
ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ASSUMPTIONS.
THE ASSUMPTIONS ARE PLUGGED IN
BY THE METEOROLOGISTS AND THE
NUMBERS ARE CALCULATED BY THE
OTHER EXACT SCIENCE PEOPLE AND
THEY HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE IN
THEIR NUMBERS AND THEY
UNDERSTAND THE INTER
RELATIONSHIPS OF THE FACTORS
THEY PUT ON THEIR CALCULATIONS,
BUT STILL BASED ON ASSUMPTIONS.
.
THE ASSUMPTIONS ARE THIS, THEY
ASSUME THE GREENHOUSE GASES
EMITTED FROM MANUFACTURING IN
THE WORLD BRING ABOUT MORE
CLOUDS IN OUR ATMOSPHERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT IS, BUT
THEY BELIEVE THAT IS.
IF THERE'S MORE CLOUDS IN THE
ATMOSPHERE, ONE ASSUMPTION.
SECOND ASSUMPTION, MORE CLOUDS
MAKE THE EARTH WARMER.
SEEMS LIKE AN ODD ASSUMPTION TO
ME, AND TY'VE BEEN TELLING ME
THIS FOR YEARS.
DR. SPENCER SAYS MORE CLOUDS
BRING ABOUT A COOLER EARTH AND
THEY'VE GOT 25 YEARS OF
SATELLITE DATA THAT SHOWS THAT
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES SENSE TO
ME IF A CRUD BLOCKS OUT THE
SUN, THE EARTH WENT BE AS WARM.
IF THE CRUD GO AWAY, THE
SUNSHINES ON THE EARTH AND THE
EARTH GETS WARMER.
THAT'S THE SIMPLE PART OF THIS.
IF THEIR ASSUMPTIONS ARE, CO
26RBINGS GAS PRIMARILY IN THE
ATMOSPHERE INCREASES CLOUDS AND
INCREASES CLOUDS, YOU GET ONE
RESULT.
IF YOU TURN IT AROUND AND USE
THE DATA AND BACK FEED DR.
SPENCER'S DATA INTO THE MODEL,
IT TURN THIS IS ARGUMENT AROUND
ON THE HEAD.
EVEN THEN, DR. SPENCER IS VERY
CONSERVATIVE AND CAREFUL HE
SAID IT'S NOT A FOUR DEGREE
CENTIGRADE INCREASE, BUT A HALF
DEGREE CENTIGRADE AND THE
ARGUMENT COULD BE MADE THE
EARTH WILL GET COOLER.
AND WE COULD ARGUE THAT THE
EARTH HAS GOTTEN COOLER OR THE
TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN FLAT SINCE
2002.
ANOTHER 10 YEARS OF THIS KIND
OF DATA, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD
FOR THE ALARMISTS TO MAKE THE
ARGUMENT THAT WE'RE FACED WITH
GLOBAL WARMING THAT'S ONLY
REVOCABLE IF WE FOLLOW THEIR
MODEL.
I LOOK AT THAT SCIENCE AND I
UNDERSTAND DR. SPENCER'S
PRESENTATION.
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND DR.
HANSON'S OR AL GORE'S
PRESENTATION.
IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME
WITH THE SCIENCE I HAVE IN MY
BACKGROUND.
SO I SIMPLY, MADAM SPEAKER, ASK
A QUESTION, THE FOUNDATIONAL
QUESTION, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO
DO HERE AND WITH WHAT?
THAT WOULD BE THE LOGICAL THINK
TO SKSM FIRST THING IS, HOW BIG
IS OUR ATMOSPHERE?
OUR ATMOSPHERE HAPPENS TO BE,
THEY MEASURE THERE IN RHETT
METH RICK TONS, 1.50 QUA
DRILLON TONS OF METIC
ATMOSPHERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF AIR IN THE
ATMOSPHERE.
WHAT IS THE CUMULATIVE TOTAL OF
ALL THE CO-2 THAT'S GONE INTO
THE ATMOSPHERE EMITTED BY THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SINCE
THE DAWN OF THE INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION.
45% OF IT GOES AWAY, THEY DON'T
KNOW WHERE, 55% HANGS OUT IN
THE AIR.
THAT SOUNDS BIG, BUT NOT
COMPARED TO THE OVERALL
ATMOSPHERE.
IT WORKS LIKE THIS.
MADAM SPEAKER IF YOU DRAW A
CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WILL
REPRESENTED THE SIZE OF THE
ATMOSPHERE OF THE EARTH AND
HAVE THAT BE AN EIGHT-FOOT
CIRCLE SO ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF
THE WALL INOUR HOUSE, TWO
FOUR BY EIGHT SHEETS OF
DRYWALL, THAT BIG IN IAM TER
THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE
EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.
DRAW A CIRCLE IN THE MIDDLE OF
THAT TO DEMONSTRATE THE SIZE,
THE VERY DWHRISME CO-2 THAT'S
ACCUMULATED IN THE EARTH'S
ATMOSPHERE SINCE THE DAWN OF
THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
EMITTED BY THE UNITED STATES.
YOUR EIGHT FOOT CIRCLE IS THE
ATMOSPHERE, IN THE CENTER OF
THAT, YOU'D DRAW A CIRCLE .56
IN DIAMETER, A LITTLE OVER HALF
AN INCH IN DIAMETER.
THAT WOULD BE THE KEY
CUMULATIVE TOTAL OF THE CO-2
THE U.S. HAS EMITTED THAT'S IN
THE AT MISS FEAR TODAY.
WE'RE TALKING, OR THE
WAXMAN-MARKEY, THAT'S 205 YRS
OF ACCUMULATION.
WE WANT TO TAKE 1/205 OF THAT
AND REDUCE IT BY 20% A YEAR,
THEN BY 40% THEN 60% AND 83%.
WITH THAT LITTLE TINY BIT IN
THAT EIGHT-FOOT CIRCLE WE ARE
GOING TO SET THE EARTH'S
THERMOSTAT AND CONTROL THE
EARTH'S TEMPERATURE?
WHAT UTTER VANITY TO THINK THAT
IN THAT TINY LITTLE BIT WE CAN
ADJU THAT TINY LITTLE HALF INCH
BIT IN A CIRCLE, ONLY BY A
LITTLE BITTING AND WE'RE GOING
CHANGE THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE
EARTH IN
CLIMATE
HAD OVER TIME.
WE HAVE ICE AGES A WARMING
PERIODS AND SUN SPOTS AND MORE
SOLAR ACTIVITY ON THE SUN AND
SOMETIMES WE SEE THE EARTH COOL
BECAUSE A VOLCANO WILL ERUPT
AND CLOUD THE EARTH AND WHY
WOULD WE THINK THAT MORE CLOUDS
IN THE ATMOSPHERE WOULD WARM
THE EARTH WHEN MORE CLOUDS IN
THE ATMOSPHERE FROM AN VO CANO
COOL THE EARTH.
EACH OF THESE QUESTIONS ARE
LOGICAL QUESTIONS FOR THIRD,
FOURTH, FIFTH, SIXTH, SEVENTH
GRADERS TO ASK.
EVEN AT THAT LEVEL, WE'RE NOT
GETTING ANSWERS FROM THE PEOPLE
ADVOCATING THIS.
IT'S AS IF THEY HAD TO CREATE A
CONVOLUTED SCIENCE TO JUSTIFY
THEIR IDEA THAT THEY WANT TO DO
THIS CAP AND TAX MODEL.
THE CAP AND TAX MODEL IS A
LARGE TAXATION SCHEME THAT FOR
EVERY $5 COLLECTED
THE TREASURY AND WASTES THE
OTHER FOUR.
I YIELD TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM
TEXAS.
MR. CARTER: I THANK THE
OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
AS HE WAS SAYING IT CAME TO
MIND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
JUST IN MY LIFETIME I CAN
REMEMBER.
IF YOU STUDY HISTORY YOU LEARN
THAT WHEN WE PUT IN THE PANAMA
CANAL WE HAD A
HORRIBLE SITUATION WHEN WE
BUILT THE PANAMA CANAL BECAUSE
OF MALARIA AND YELLOW FEVER
THAT WERE INSECT BEARING
DISEASES AND WE INVENTED D.T.
AND WE USED D.D.T. TO HOLD DOWN
THOSE BUG POPULATIONS.
BY THAT, WE WERE TABLE BUILD
THE PANAMA CANAL.
AS A CHILD, GROWING UP IN
HOUSTON, TEXAS, WITHOUT
AIR-CONDITIONING, THE D.T.
TRUCK WENT BY EVERY FRIDAY
NIGHT.
SPRAYED THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND YET A LADY WRET A BOOK
CALLED "A SILE SPRING" IN
WHICH SHE SAID THAT ALL THE
RESEARCH SHOWED, I HATE IT WHEN
PEOPLE SAY ALL THE RESEARCH
SHOWS, ALL THE RESEARCH SHOWS
THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO USE
D.T., WE WILL HAVE NO INSECT
LIFE ON EARTH AND THE BIRDS
WILL DIE AND WE WILL HAVE A
WHEN SPRING COMES, THE BIRDS
WON'T BE SINGING, THE CRICKETS
WON'T BE CRICKETTING, AND
THEY'LL GO AWAY.
AND BEING
BELIEVERS WE LAUNCHED A
CAMPAIGN TO GET RID OF D.D.T.
WE GOT RID OF IT.
IT'S BEEN GONE.
BUT WE NOW HAVE ONE OF THE --
WE ACTUALLY GIVE MILLIONS,
MAYBE EVEN BILLIONS NOW OF
DOLLARS FROM THIS CONGRESS TO
FIGHT MALARIA.
SOMETHING THAT WAS ALMOST
ERADICATED WHEN I WAS A KID IS
NOW A MAJOR WORLDWIDE PROBLEM
BECAUSE WE DID AWAY WITH D.D.T.
AND GUESS WHAT?
NOW THE RESEARCH, THE REAL
PRESENT-DAY RESEARCH, 21ST
CENTURY RESEARCH SAYS
EVERYTHING THEY SAID ABOUT
D.T. IS NOT TRUE.
IT WAS MADE UP.
THE LADY KNEW SHE MADE IT UP.
BUT SHE DIDN'T LIKE D.T.
NOW YOU TALKED ABOUT GLOBAL
COOLING.
I REMEMBER GLOBAL COOLING. I REMEMBER PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT
WHY IT WAS GOING TO COOL DOWN.
WE WERE GOING TO BE IN THE ICE
AGE, WE WERE GOING TO BLAME THE
RUSSIANS.
IT WAS GOING TO BE THE
RUSSIANS' FAULT.
ALL THIS STUFF. WE HAD TO BUILD BIG INDUSTRIES
AROUND GLOBAL COOLING.
YOU KNOW, WE TOLD OUR PEOPLE,
YOU BETTER QUIT PROPAGATING,
BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO RUN OUT
OF SPACE ON THIS EARTH BY THE
21ST CENTURY, IT'LL BE STANDING
ROOM ONLY ON THE EARTH UNLESS
YOU LIMIT THE NUMBER OF
CHILDREN YOU HAVE AND BEING
GOOD COLLEGE-EDUCATED
PROGRESSIVES, WE LAUNCHED OUT
TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF
CHILDREN WE HAD.
AND WE DID IT WITH BIRTH
CONTROL, AND LATER WE DID IT
WITH THAT HORRID INVENTION
ABORTION.
BUT WE LIMITED OUR BIRTH
CONTROL AND OUR WESTERN
EUROPEAN FRIENDS LIMITED THEIR BIRTH CONTROL.
WE STILL REPLACE OURSELVES.
I THINK 2.1 CHILDREN TO THE
FAMILY.
BUT I BELIEVE THE EUROPEANS
NOW, SOME OF THE CUBTRIES OVER
THERE ARE LIKE 1.2 AND I THINK
SOME OF THE BEST COUNTRIES OVER
THERE, 1.8.
THEY'RE NOT EVEN REPLACING
THEIR FAMILIES WITH THE NUMBER
OF CHILDREN THEY'RE HAVING.
THEN WE WONDER WHY
PEOPLE CROSS THE TEXAS AND
CANADIAN BOARDER TO COME INTO
THE UNITED STATES TO FILL JOBS
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
PEOPLE TO FILL THE JOBS.
AND WE WONDER WHY THAT IS.
EUROPEANS GOT THE SAME
PROBABLE.
THEY'VE HAD THAT PROBLEM, I CAN
RECALL THEY HAD THE PROBLEM IN
1956.
THEY WERE -- THE GERMAN WERE
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH
POPULATION.
NOW WHEN YOU BUY INTO A PROGRAM
AS YOU POINT OUT, DOWN THE ROAD
IF THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU THE
TRUTH, IT HAS MAJOR
CONSEQUENCES.
WHEN YOU MADE THAT 10-YEAR
COMMENT, AT THE PRESENT RATE
THIS CONGRESS IS GOING, 10
YEARS FROM NOW WE MAY FIND
OURSELVES SITTING AROUND TRYING
TO WATCH TELEVISION BY
CANDLELIGHT.
BECAUSE WE'RE USING BATTERIES
FOR OUR TELEVISION SETS.
BECAUSE FRANKLY, WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF TRYING TO TAX OUR
ENERGY INDUSTRY OUT OF
BUSINESS.
EVERY FORM OR FASHION THAT HAS
ANY KIND OF CARBON CONNECTION.
10 YEARS FROM NOW, WE COULD BE
A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY.
AND WONDER WHY.
THAT'S WHY THIS SCIENCE IS SO
VERY IMPORTANT.
THAT'S WHY KNEE JERK REACTION,
OVERREACTING TO THINGS, WHICH
THE GOVERNMENT IS FAMOUS FOR,
AND I DON'T CARE IF IT'S KNEE
JERK CONSERVATIVES OR KNEE JERK
LIBERALS, ANY TIME YOU GET IN A
HURRY, BAD THINGS HAPPEN.
AND IF YOU STUDY THE HISTORY OF
LEGISLATION IN THIS COUN
IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE AND NOBODY
WILL DISPUTE IT.
YOU CAN LOOK AT SLAVERY, LOOK
AT THE LABOR LAWS, THE
ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS, YOU CAN
LOOK AT ANYTHING AND SEE WHERE
KNEE JERK REACTION -- THAT'S
WHY WE HAVE A SENATE TO SLOW
THINGS DOWN, BECAUSE OUR
FOUNDING FATHERS KNEW THE KNEE
JERK REACTION CREATED BAD
LEGISLATION.
WE'RE ABOUT TO KNEE JE
OURSELVES INTO THE POOR HOUSE
IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL.
I YIELD BACK.
MR. KING: RECLAIMING, AND I
THANK THE GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS.
WATCHING THIS CLIMAT
ARGUMENT UNFOLD, AND I THINK
ABOUT THIS COUNTRY THAT WE ARE,
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL NATION IN
THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD,
STRONGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD
BY FAR, STRONGEST MILITARILY,
OUR CULTURE PENETRATES THE REST
OF THE WORLD.
WE'RE KIND OF AMERICAN-CENT
RICK BECAUSE WE'RE SELF---
AMERICAN-SENTRIC, BECAUSE WE'RE
SELF-SUSTAING.
WE DON'T AS OFTEN LK AT THE
UNITED STATES FROM OUTSIDE.
BUT I WONDER WHAT IT MUST LOOK
LIKE FOR, LET'S JUST SAY,
SOCRATES, LOOKING OUT ACROSS
THIS COUNTRY TODAY, 3,000 YEARS
AGO, THEY SAT AROUND AND IN
PLACES LIKE ATHENS, SOCRATES,
PLAY TOW, ARISTOTLE, CARRIED --
PLATO, ARISTOTLE, THEY CARRIED
ON CONVERSATIONS AND SHAPED THE
AGE OF REASON.
IT WAS THE FOUNDATION OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
THEY BUILT IT INTO THEIR
CULTURE TO BE PROUD OF BEING
ABLE TO RATIONALIZE BOTH
DEDUCTIVE REASONING AND
INDUCTIVE REASONING, AND THAT
RATIONALE, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY
DIDN'T GET THEIR ELEMENTS
RIGHT, WHAT DID THEY HAVE
EARTH, WIND, FIRE, MAYBE SOME
OTHER ELEMENTS LIKE THAT THAT
THEY USED TO ARGUE WITH, THEY
DIDN'T HAVE THE TABLES TO BE
ABLE TO PUT THE ATOMS TOGETHER
AND FIGURE OUT THE MOLECULE,
BUT THEY HAD A GOOD RATIONALE.
THE AGE OF REASON IN GREECE IS
THE FOUNDATION OF WESTERN
CIVILIZATION. THEY TOOK GREAT PRIDE IN BEING
ABLE TO THINK RATIONALLY.
IF THEY WOULD TRANSPOSE
THEMSELVES, FAST FORWARD
THROUGH HISTORY 3,000 YEARS,
RACE THROUGH THE AGE OF
ENLIGHTENMENT IN WESTERN EUROPE
AND PRIMARILY IN FRANCE AND THE
DAWN OF THE
REVOLUTION HERE AND HOW
TECHNOLOGY HAS FLOURISHEDND
WE'VE GONE FROM AN INDUSTRIAL
ECONOMY TO AN INFORMATION
ECONOMY, AND SEE ALL THE THINGS
WE'VE DEVELOPED FROM A
TECHNOLOGICAL STANDPOINT, BUT
YET IF THEY COULD LOOK IN THIS
-- INSIDE THIS CHAMBER AND SEE
WHERE DECISIONS ARE MADE IN A
CIVILIZED COUNTRY TODAY AND SEE
HOW THEY'RE MADE, I THINK
THEY'D BE ASTONISHED THAT WE
HAVE SUSPENDED THE REASON THAT
THEY SO CAREFULLY DELOPED
3,000 YEARS AGO AND NOW WE
LEGISLATE BY ANECDOTE.
WE LEGISLATE BY SOMEBODY'S
EMOTIONS RATHER BY EMPIRICAL DATA.
.
JUDGE CARTER MENTIONED A FEW OF
THOSE.
PULL D.D.T. OFF THE MARKETPLACE.
MY MOTHER -- MY LAWN HAD NOT
MUCH BLUE GRASS.
WE COULDN'T SPRAY THAT ANYMORE.
MOM KNEW AND WE HAD A LOT OF
BIRDS AROUND.
WE HAD THEM ANYWAY WITHOUT THE
WEEDS.
AND THE SCARE COMES TO MIND, THE
APPLE ISSUE THAT TOOK APPLE
BUSINESSES AWAY BECAUSE THE
ALLEGE THAT THE SPRAY THEY USED
ON THEM WAS SOMEHOW DANGEROUS.
THESE ARE SCIENTIFIC CALAMENTY.
THEY THREATEN PEOPLE.
THEY TELL US THAT THE PLANET CAN
ONLY SUSTAIN SO MANY PEOPLE.
AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT
HAVE DETERMINED THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO SHUT DOWN, AS JUDGE
CARTER SAID, OUR ENERGY
PRODUCTION IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND WE SPENT LAST AUGUST
POUNDING AWAY EVERY DAY CALLING
FOR AN ENERGY PLAN THAT OPENED
UP ALL OF THE ABOVE, ALL OF THE
ENERGY THAT WE HAVE.
WE ARE AN ENERGY-RICH NATION,
NOT AN ENERGY-POOR NATION.
AND TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW
EASY IT SHOULD BE TO TAKE THIS
NATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF OUR
ECONOMIC DETERMINISM, IF WE JUST
LOOK OVER TO COUNTRIES LIKE JAPAN AND KOREA.
BOTH OF THOSE NATIONS, MAJOR
CITIES WERE DESTROYED IN WAR.
THEY REBUILT THEIR CITIES,
INFRASTRUCTURE T
THEY FUNCTION.
AND YET IN THAT 60 OR SO YEARS,
EACH OF THOSE COUNTRIES HAVE
IMPORTED ALMOST 100% OF THEIR
ENERGY AND 60% OF THEIR FOOD AND
THEY STILL BUILD MODERN
TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETIES.
AND WE ARE HERE IN THENITED
STATES OF AMERICA WITH A SURPLUS
OF FOOD AND THE ENERGY THAT WE
NEED IF WE JUST MANAGE IT AND WE
CAN'T DISCIPLINE OURSELVES TO
UTILIZE OUR OWN RESOURCES.
AND WE HAVE A SPEAKER OF THE
HOUSE TO IS TRYING TO SAVE THE
PLANET, PLEASE PUT THAT IN
QUOTES, TRYING TO SHUT DOWN
ENERGY IN AMERICA.
ONE IS WIND.
THE OTHER IS SOLAR AND THE NEXT
ONE MAY BE GEOTHERMAL IF YOU
DIDN'T HAVE TO USE A DRILL RIG
TO GET IT.
WIND IS OK AS LONG AS YOU DON'T
HAVE TO GET IT OFF OF NANTUCKET.
TEDDY KENNEDY IS OFFENDED AT
LOOKING AT WINDMILLS.
I COULD SEE 39 OF THEM FROM MY
YARD.
BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
WE NEED ALL OF THE ABOVE AND
THERE IS NO WAY TO MEET THAT
MODEL UNDER A WAXMAN-MARKEY
BILL.
THIS IS ALREADY THE INTIMIDATION
EFFECT AND THE EXISTING
REGULATIONS HAVE SHUT DOWN ANY
NEW COAL-FIRED GENERATION PLANTS
IN AMERICA.
WE DO HAVE A NUCLEAR JON RATING
PLANT THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION
IN NORTH CAROLINA AND SCHEDU
TO COME ON-LINE THE YEAR
2017.
THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT TWO
OR MORE YEARS BY NOW.
AND 2017, IT WILL COME ON-LINE.
AND THIS IS THE BETA MODEL, A
MODEL OF NUCLEAR GENERATING
PLANTS.
IT'S HOW DO YOU JUMP THROUGH THE
REGULATORY HOOPS TO GET THERE.
IF THEY CAN GET THAT DONE, IT
WILL BE THE COOKIE CUTTER SO WE
CAN BUILD MORE.
BUT NOT UNDER THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION.
HE SAYS TO AHMADINEJAD, I
HAVEN'T HEARD HIM SAY
CONGRATULATIONS ON HIS VICTORY.
BUT HE SAYS, WE CAN'T TELL A
SOVEREIGN NATION THEY CAN'T
DEVELOP NUCLEAR POWER.
HE SAID TO THE IRANIANS, YOU
HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEVELOP
NUCLEAR CAPABILITY EVEN THOUGH
YOU WANT TO GET RID OF ISRAEL.
SO, ACCORDING TO PRESIDENT
OBAMA, IRAN HAS THE RIGHT TO
NUCLEAR, BUT AMERICANS DON'T.
WE CAN'T BUILD A NUCLEAR POWER
PLANT HERE TO MAKE UP THE GAP
THAT IS RECRATED BY THE NUCLEAR
RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE COMING.
THOSE OF US WHO PRODUCE ENERGY
FR COAL, WILL PUNISH STATES,
THOSE STATES THAT DO NOT, THOSE
THAT ARE RECIPIENTS, IF THEY PUT
THIS ON CAP AND TAX, YOU WILL
SEE A MASSIVE CORRUPTION BILL
WITHIN THE UNITED STATES AS THEY
TRADE THE CARBON CREDITS.
AND TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT
GOES ON AS SPEAKER PELOSI
RECEIVED THE GAVEL HERE IN 2007,
SHE DECIDED THAT THE CAPITOL
COMPLEX WHICH WE STAND IN THE
MIDDLE OF RIGHT NOW, SHOULD BE A
CARBON NEUTRAL, GREENHOUSE GAS
EMITTING, NEUTRAL FACILITY.
SO SHE ORDERED THAT THE POWER
PLANT THAT FEEDS THIS CAPITOL
COMPLEX, FIRED BY COAL AND
NATURAL GAS AND OIL BE CONVERTED
FROM COAL TO NATURAL GAS.
DOUBLED THE COST OF OUR POWER TO
COME INTO THIS CAPITOL, BUT
FOUND OUT THAT HER CARBON
FOOTPRINT -- I SAY HERS -- HER
CARBON FOOTPRINT GAIT.
SO SPEAKER PELOSI WENT ON THE
BOARD IN CHICAGO AND BOUGHT SOME
CARBON CREDITS.
$89,000 OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS
PAID BY CARBON CREDITS THAT WERE
GOING TO OFFSET THE CARBON
EMISSIONS HERE AT THIS CAPITOL
COMPLEX. AND THAT'S DESIGNED TO DO
SOMETHING MORE TO SEQUESTER THIS
CARBON THAT'S GOING INTO THE
ATMOSPHERE THAT'S FEEDING THE
CAPITOL.
$89,000, FIGURE OUT WHERE IT
WENT.
DAKOTA.
PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN KNOWN TO
FARMERS.
PEOPLE WHOSE BEHAVIOR DIDN'T
CHANGE.
I DON'T THINK THEY SEE
QUESTIONSERED ANY MORE CARBON.
THEY GOT A REWARD FROM THE
SPEAKER'S CHECKBOOK, OUR
CHECKBOOK, FOR WHAT THEY WERE
DOING.
YOU CAN'T SEQUE
IF YOU TURN AROUND AND TILL,
THAT IS RELEASED IN THE
ATMOSPHERE AND THE NET GAIN IS
ZERO.
IF YOU PRACTICE NO-TILL, THAT'S
YOUR MEASURE FOR GOOD
ATMOSPHERE.
AND SOME OIT WENT TO THE
COAL-FIRED GENERATING PLANT IN IOWA.
SO I WENT THERE AND TOOK A LOOK
AT THIS COAL-FIRED GENERATING
PLANT.
AND WHAT I SAW WAS A GOOD, WELL
RUN PLANT.
THE EMISSIONS WERE I THINK
PRETTY GOOD AND FAIRLY MODERN,
BUT THEY HAD RECEIVED A
GOVERNMENT GRANT TO SET UP AN
SEPARATION TO BE ABLE TO BURN
SWITCH GRASS AND BLEND THE
SWITCH GRASS IN WITH THE COAL, I
THINK IT WAS A 10% RATE, TO
SUPPLEMENT THE COAL THEY WERE
BURNING, BECAUSE SWITCH GRASS IS
CARBON-NEUTRAL.
AND OF COURSE, COAL IS NOT.
WELL, I WENT IN THERE AND THEY
HAD TWO BIG SHEDS AND HAD A LOT
OF BIG ROUND BALES OF SWITCH
GRASS AND THEY WERE STACKED AND
A CONVEYOR AND BLOWER SYSTEM TO
INJECT THAT ALL IN WITH THE COAL
AND THE PLACE WASN'T RUNNING AND
AND I COULD TELL BY LOOKING AT
THE HAY, IT WAS OLD.
I SAID HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN?
ABOUT TWO YEARS.
WE RAN OUR EXPERIMENT AND SHUT
THE EXPERIMENT DOWN.
AND SO, FIRST IS, THEY DON'T
HAVE DATA FROM WHAT THEY MIGHT
HAVE LEARNED, SO THE EXPERIMENT
DIDN'T YIELD A RESULT, UNLESS
MAYBE THEY KNOW AND DIDN'T TELL
US.
AND THE SECOND THING IS THIS
MONEY THAT WENT TO THEM FORESEE
QUESTIONSERING THE CARBON TO
GIVE INCENTIVE TO BURN SWITCH
GRASS DIDN'T SWITCH ANYBODY'S
BEHAVIOR.
THEY SHUT DOWN THE SWITCH GRASS
BURNING TWO DOWNS EARLIER AND
THIS IS A CHECK.
WE DIDN'T LEARN ANYTHING FROM IT
YET.
IF THAT'S THE ING THAT'S GOING
TO GO ON, THAT CAP AND TAX, CAP
AND TRADE, WAXMAN-MARKEY, IF THE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE CAN'T GET
THE TRANSACTION TO WORK WHEN YOU
GO OUT AND BUY CARBON CREDITS,
HOW IN THE WORLD ARE WE GOING TO
DO HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN CARBON CREDITS AND
HAVE ANY ACCOUNTABILITY TO SEE
WHETHER IT BRINGS ABOUT ANYTHING
THAT MIGHT SEE QUESTIONSER AND
CAUSE SOMEONE TO ACT IN A
DIFFERENT WAY.
IT IS A BUREAUCRATIC IMPOSSIBLE
BUILT.
THE SPAN YARDS DID THIS
EXPERIMENT.
THE MAFIA WERE THE BEST.
AND THEY WERE BROKERING THE
PERMITS AND THEY WERE DECIDING
WHO WERE GOING TO BE THE
CONTRACTORS AND DECIDING WHO
WOULD BE THE SUPPLIERS OF THE
MATERIALS THAT WENT INTO THE
WIND CHARGERS.
THEY GOT WRAPPED UP IN THE CYST
SILLIAN MAFIA.
PERMITS WILL BE CONTROLLED BY
POLITICIANS.
POLITICIANS WERE INFLUENCEBY
POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS THAT
CAME FROM THE PROFITS THAT WERE
BEING EXTRACTED OUT OF THE
CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS OF
THESE ND CHARGES BY THE MAFIA.
AND IT MADE A HUGE MESS OUT OF IT ALL.
HOUR, FOR EVERY GREEN JOB THEY
CREATED, IT COST 2.2 PRIVATE
JOBS BECAUSE IT SUCKED THAT MUCH
OUT OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR
ECONOMY.
THE COST PER GENE JOB IS
$770,000.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN SPAIN
IS 17.5% UNEMPLOYED.
THE LARGEST INDUSTRIES IN SPAIN
HAVE LEFT.
THE ONES THAT ARE LEFT ARE
LOOKING AT LEAVING.
THE ELECTRICAL BILLS FOR THE
RESIDENTS HAVE GONE UP 20%.
AND THE ELECTRICAL BILLS FOR
INDUSTRY HAS GONE UP 100% IN
THRESHOLD WHERE THEY COULDN'T
DEMAND ANY MORE AND RAISED THE
COST OF THE ELECTRICITY THAT
MUCH. AND SO THEY WENT OUT ON THE
MARKET TO BOND THAT AND PLEDGED
THE FULL FAITH AND CREDIT OF
THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, THE SPANISH
GOVERNMENT, WE'LL PAY THE BILLS
LATER, BUT WE CAN'T PAY THE
ELECTRIC BILLS TODAY BECAUSE
THIS IS TOO HIGH HIGH.
AND PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS SAID, WE
SHOULD LEARN FROM THE SPANISH.
I AGREE, WE SHOULD LEARN FROM
THE SPANISH THAT THE LESSON I
GET FROM THEM IS THAT IT'S A
HUGE BOONDOGGLE THAT IS FULL OF
CORRUPTION AND I ASK THEM WHY
DON'T YOU REPEAL IT, THEY SAY,
WE CAN'T.
BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE
POWERFUL ARE MAKING PROFIT FROM
IT AND TIED UP IN IT.
AND WE WOULD HAVE TO DEMAND THAT
OUR POLITICIANS WOULD CONFESS
THAT THEY MADE A HUGE MISTAKE
EIGHT OR NINE OR 10 YEARS AGO.
A LOT OF THEM ARE STILL THER
AND THEY CAN'T MAKE THAT
CONFESSION BECAUSE THEY'LL LOSE
THEIR JOBS.
AND SO ONCE YOU GET STARTED INTO
THIS, IF WE PASS CAP AND TAX,
WAXMAN-MARKEY, I BELIEVE THAT
DECISIONS MADE BY THIS
ADMINISTRATION IN THIS TERM, I
BELIEVE ARE REVERSE I BELIEVE
AND REVOKEABLE BY A CONGRESS AND
A PRESIDENT THAT HAVE COOLER HEADS.
BUT IF WE PASS WAXMAN-MARKEY CAP
AND TAX, THAT BECOMES AN
IRREVERSIBLE POLICY, BECAUSE
THEN YOU HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE
BENEFITING FROM THE TRADING OF
THESE THINGS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY
VALUE IN A REAL ECONOMY AND SO
MANY POLITICAL DOLLARS GET
INFUSED IN THIS PROCESS THAT YOU
SIMPLY CAN'T REPEAL IT.
THAT'S MY CONCERN.
THAT'S MY FEAR.
I BELIEVE THAT WAXMAN-MARKEY IS
IRREVERSIBLE POLICY.
AND SO I'M HERE SPEAKING AGAINST
IT FOR TWO BIG REASONS.
ONE IS, THEY'RE WRONG ON THE
SCIENCE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO DEBATE THEM.
AND THE OTHER REASON IS THEY'RE
REALLY, REALLY WRONG ON THE
ECONOMICS.
WHEN YOU HAVE SECRETARY OF
AGRICULTURE THAT TESTIFIES
BEFORE THE AG COMMITTEE THAT
SOMEHOW HE BELIEVES THAT
INCREASING THE COST TO
AGRICULTURE WILL RESULT IN MORE
PROFITS FOR AGRICULTURE BECAUSE
THE INNOVATIVE NATURE OF
AMERICAN AGRICULTURE WILL
OVERCOME THE HANDICAPS THAT
GOVERNMENT IS PUTTING ON THEM,
THAT IS AN IRRATIONAL DEGREE OF
OPTIMISM TO BE STATED BY A
SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, WHO
FINDS HIMSELF AT ODDS WITH
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANON THE
AG COMMITTEE.
THERE IS NO ECONOMIC MODEL THAT
I KNOW OF THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY
OF THE FREE MARKET SYSTEM THAT
WOULD DICTATE THAT WOULD ENSURE
A RESULT THAT IF YOU INCREASE
THE COST TO ANY BUSINESS OR A
SECTOR OF THE BUSINESS WORLD,
THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE PROFITS
GO UP.
THEY WILL GO DOWN.
AND THIS WAXMAN-MARKEY
LEGISLATION INCREASES THE COST
TO, ESPECIALLY OUR ENERGY USERS,
THOSE WHO ARE THE MOST ENERGY
INTENSIVE, THE HIGHEST ENERGY
USERS IN AMERICA WILL GET THE
HIGHEST INCREASES IN THEIR
COSTS.
LET'S JUST SAY YOU'RE IN THE
BUSINESS OF CONVERTING IRON ORE
TO IRON AND STEEL.
LET'S JUST SAY YOU ARE IN THE
BUSINESS OF CONVERTING NATURAL
GAS TO PLASTICS OR ANY OTHER
HIGH-ENERGY INTENSIVE OPERATION
OR LET'S SAY YOU AR FARMER AND
USE A LOT OF DIESEL FUEL AND
LOOKING AT 88 CENTS A GALLON
ADDED ON TO BY WAXMAN-MARKEY.
ALL OF THESE INDUSTRIES WILL SEE
THEIR COSTS GO UP.
IF YOU ARE GENERATING
ELECTRICITY FROM BURNING COAL,
NATURAL GAS, FUEL OIL, FOR
EXAMPLE, YOU WILL SEE THE COST
OF THAT ELECTRICITY GO UP.
AN M.I.T. PROFESSOR DID A STUDY
AND CALCULATED THE OVERALL
DOLLARS BY WAXMAN-MARKEY AND
DIVIDED THE NUMBER OF HOUSE
HOLDS INTO IT AND THE BOTTOM
LINE, INCREASED AVERAGE ANNUAL
HOUSEHOLD COSTS FOR ENERGY,
$3,128 FROM WAXMAN-MARKEY'S CAP
AND TAX BILL.
FOR EVERY $5 COLLECTED FOR THIS
CAP AND TAX BILL, ONLY $1 GOES
INTO THE TREASURY AND THE
BALANCE IS CONSUMED BY THE
INEFFICIENCIES CREATED.
.
THIS IS AN INSIDIOUS TAX, IT
WILL TAX EVERY GLAN OF GAS,
EVERY GALLON OF DIESEL FUEL,
EVERY CUP OF COFFEE, EVERY PAIR
OF SHOES, EVERY PIECE OF PER,
EVERY FLOWER ON MOTHER'S DAY,
AND EVERY TWO BY FOUR THAT GOES
INTO YOUR HOUSE.
AND IT TRANSFERS, MADAM
SPEAKER, AMERICA'S INDUSTRY,
AMERICA'S ENERGY INTENSIVE
INDUSTRY OFF TO OTHER COUNTRIES
IN THE WORLD LE INDIA AND
CHINA, WHO HAVE PLEDGED NOT TO
PARTICIPATE IN A CAP AND TAX
PLAN BECAUSE THEY SAY THIS IS
THEIR CENTURY TO BECOME INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS.
LAST CENTURY OR TWO WERE OUR
CENTURIES TO BE INDUSTRIALIZED.
THEY SAY THIS IS THEIRS.
THEY'RE BUILDING BETWEEN INDIA
AND CHINA ONE NEW COAL-FIRED
GENERATING PLANT A WEEK,
BELCHING SMOKE INTO THE
ATMOSPHERE, AND THESE PLTS DO
NOT MEET THE EMISSION STANDARDS
OF AMERICAN COAL-FIRED
GENERATING PLANTS SO EACH TIME
WE PUSH INDUSTRY OUT OF THE
UNITED STATES, WE'RE PUSHING UP
COAL-FIRED GENERATING PLANTS IN
INDIA AND CHINA AND IF YOU'RE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE ATMOSPHERE,
THIS IS CREATING PROBLEMS FOR THE ATMOSPHERE.
BUT I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE COST
TO AMERICANS, THINKING SOMEHOW
WE CAN OVERCOME THE BURDEN ON
OUR ECONOMY AND PROSPER.
IT IS WRONG THINKING, IT IS
WRONG-HEADED, THEY'RE WRONG ON
THE SCIENCE, MADAM SPEAKER AND
THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY WRONG ON
THE ECONOMICS.
AS THIS DEBATE UNFOLDS HERE ON
THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE AND
THROUGHOUT THE COMMITTEES AND
SUBCOMMITTEES AND THROUGH THE
MEDIA AND IN THE LIVING ROOMS
OF AMERICANS, AMERICAN PEOPLE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND
REMEMBER, MADAM SPEAKER, THAT
IF THEY CAN'T MAKE THE CASE ON
THE SCIENCE, THERE'S NO SENSE
IN TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMICS
BECAUSE IT FALLS ON ITS FACE
NOT HAVING THE SCIENCE TO
UNDERPIN THE ARGUMENT.
EVEN IF THEY COULD MAKE THE
CASE ON THE SCIENCE, AND THEY
HAVEN'T AND CAN'T AND 31,000
SCIENTISTS HAVE SIGNED A
PETION THAT SAID THEY CAN'T
SUPPORT THE CONCLUSIONS OF
THESE CLIMATE CHANGE MODELS,
WE'RE GET MANAGEAND MORE THAT
WILL STEP FORWARD AND SAY, I
CAN'T TAKE YOU THERE, I CAN'T
BE WITH YOU, THESE ARE
TOP-NOTCH PROFESSIONALS,
METEOROLOGISTS, PHYSICISTS,
MORE OF THEM ARE PEELING OFF
AND WALKING AWAY, SAYING AL
GORE IS WRONG.
BUT EVEN IF HE WERE RIGHT IF
ONE STIPULATED THAT, AND I
DON'T FOR A MINUTE, BUT IF ONE
STIPULATED THE GLOBAL WARMING
MODELS WERE RIGHT THE ECONOMIC
CALAMITY THAT COMES FROM ADDING
TO THE COSTS OF ALL OF
AMERICA'S BUSINESS IS
INTOLERABLE AND THE BURDEN THAT
IT SHIFTS ONTO FUTURE
GENERATIONS AND WHAT IT DOES TO
OUR ECONOMY, OUR CULTURE AND
CIVILIZATION ARE INTOLERABLE,
MADAM SPEAKER.
AND SO LET THEM MAKE THE CASE
ONCE AS MUHAMMAD ALI SAID AFTER
HE FOUGHT JOE FRAZIER TO A TIE
IN 15 ROUNDS, WAS THIS, YOU
TIED HOW COME YOU'RE STILL THE
WORLD CHAMP, YOU'VE GOT TO
WHOOP THE CHAMP.
THE CHAMP IS FREE ENTERPRISE,
THE CHAMP IS SOUND SCIENCE, THE
CHAMP IS EMPIRICAL DATA.
THE CHAMP IS THE HISTORY OF THE
UNITED STATES SUCCEEDING BY
BELIEVING WE CAN ACHIEVE AND BY
MAKING LOGICAL CONCLUSIONS WITH
THE SCIENCE WE HAVE AND THE
ECONOMICS WE HAVE.
BY T WAY, IT'S FREE
ENTERPRISE NOT NATIONALIZATION
AND LET'S ADD AN EXTRA CZAR OR
TWO TO THIS LIST OF 22, LET'S
DO THE DENATIONALIZATION CZAR,
THE EXIT STRATEGY CZAR, PUT
THOSE TWO PEOPLE TOGETHER AND
MAYBE THEY CAN GET TO WORK TO
ELIMINATE THE OTHER CZARS AND
GET US BACK TO COMMON SENSE.
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
DOES THE GENTLEMAN HAVE A
MOTION.
?
MR. KING: I MOVE THE HOUSE DO
NOW ADJOURN.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
QUESTION SON THE MOTION TO
ADJOURN.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
THE AYES HAVE IT.
THE MOTION IS AGREED TO.