starttime 1260465544.00576
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.]
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
THIS VOTE THE YEAS ARE
THE NAYS ARE 200.
THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.
WITHOUT OBJECTION THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER IS LAID UPON THE
TABLE.
THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS IS THE
QUESTION ON SUSPEND THE RULES
AND AGREEING TO H.RES. 35 WHICH
THE CLERK WILL REPORT BY TITLE.
THE ERK: RESOLUTION
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THAT
CONGRESS SHOULD PROVIDE
INCREASED FEDERAL FUNDING
CONTINUED TYPE 1 DIABETES RESEARCH.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
QUESTION IS, WILL THE HOUSE
SUSPEND THE RULES AND AGREE TO
THE RESOLUTION. SO MANY AS ARE IN FAVOR SAY
AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
IN THE OPINION OF THE CHAIR,
2/3 OF THOSE VOTING HAVING
RESPONDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, THE RULES ARE SUSPENDED, THE
RESOLUTION IS AGREED TO, WITHOUT OBJECTION THE MOTION TO
RECONSID
TABLE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FR
WILL MEMBERS PLEASE CLEAR THE
WELL.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENT
MR. ARCURI: MR. SPEAKE I SEND
TO THE DESK A PRIVILEGED REPORT
FROM THE COMMITTEE ON RULES FOR
FILING UNDER THE RULE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CLERK WILL REPORT THE
RESOLUTION.
THE CLERK: REPORT TO ACCOMPANY HOUSE RESOLUTION 964,
RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR
FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF THE
BILL H.R. 4173,
FINANCIAL
PROTECT CONSUMERS AND
INVESTORS, TO ENHANCE FEDERAL
UNDERSTANDING OF INSURANCE
ISSUES,
OVER-THE-DON'T YOUER DERIVATIVE
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
REFERRED TO THE HOUSE CALENDAR
AND ORDERED PRINTED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS, FOR WHAT PURPOSE
DOES DO YOU RISE?
>> MR. SPEAKER, PURSUANT TO
HOUSE RESOLUTION 961, I CALL UP
THE CONFERENCE REPORT ON THE
BILL H.R. 3288 AND ASK
IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION.
CLERK WILL REPORT THE TITLE OF
THE BILL. THE CLERK: AN ACT MAKING
APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE
DEPARTMENTS OF TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED
AGENCIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
FOR OTHER PURPOSES. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
PURSUANT TO HOUSE RESOLUTION
961, THE CONFERENCE REPORT IS
CONSIDERED AS READ. THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS, MR. OLVER, AND
THE GENTLEMAN FROM IOWA, MR.
LATHAM, WILL EACH CTROL 30
MINUTES. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS.
MR. OLVER: MR. SPEAKER, I ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT ALL MEMBERS MAY HAVE FIVE
LEGISLATIVE DAYS TREVISE AND
EXTEND THEIR REMARKS AND
INCLUDE TABULAR AND EXTRANEOUS
MATERIAL ON THE CONFERENCE
REPORT TO ACCOMPANY H.R. 3288.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
MR.
MYSELF THREE MINUTES.
THE SPEAKER GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR
THREE MINUTES.
MR. OLVER: IT IS MY PRIVILEGE
AND PLEASURE TO PRESENT THE
CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010 TO THE
HOUSE.
THIS CONFERENCE REPORT IS THE
PRODUCT OF MANY HOURS OF
HEARINGS AND BRI
SIX SUBCOMMITTEES, ALWAYS WITH
BIPARTISAN INPUT, AND EXCELLENT
MEMBER PARTICIPATION.
AND CULMINATED BY EXTENSIONIVE
NEGOTIATION WITH OUR SENATE
COLLEAGUES.
I ESPECIALLY WOULD LIKE TO
RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT
CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR RANKING
MEMBER, TOM LATHAM OF IOWA, IN
PU
TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING
PORTIONS OF THIS BILL.
WHILE WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE,
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE HIS
PARTNERSHIP AND INPUT HAS MADE
THE BILL BETTER.
I AM PARTICULARLY PROUD OF THE
TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING
PORTION OF THE REPORT BECAUSE
IT DEMONSTRATES OUR MUTUAL
COMMITMENT TO INVESTING IN OUR
NATION'S HOUSING AND
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE,
OUR MUTUAL COMMITMENT
MR. OBEY: MR. SPEAKER, TH
HOUSE IS NOT IN ORDER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN WILL SUSPEND.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS.
MR. VER:
MUTUAL COMMITMENT TO
MAINTAINING CRITICAL SERVICES
IN URBAN AND RURAL COMMITTEES
-- COMMUNITIES, OUR MUTUAL
COMMITMENT TO VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS SUCH AS ELDERLY AND
DISABLED.
OUR MUTUAL COMMITMENT TO
BUILDING SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITIES FO THE NATION'S
FAMILIES, AND OUR
COMMITMENT TO MAINTAINING A
SAFE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT
CONTRIBUTES TO AMERICA'S PLACE
I
NOTABLY THE CONFERENCE
AG
IMPROVE AND REPAIR ROUGHLY ONE
MILLION MILES OF
HIGHWAYS, TO SUPPORT AND EXPAND
THE PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT
CARRIED MORE THAN 10 BILLION
RIDERS LAST YEAR, TO MEET
DEMAND FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
INNER CITY PASSENGER RAIL
SYSTEM DEMONSTRATED BY AMTRAK'S
11% GROWTH IN ANNUAL RIDERSHIP,
AND TO MODERNIZE AN AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROL SYSTEM THAT IS OUTDATED
AND MANAGES OVER 10.5 MILLION
FLIGHTS ANNUALLY.
WITHIN THE HOU
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, THE
CONFERENCE AGREEMENT FULLY
FUNDS THE SECTIO 8 RENTAL
HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
THEREBY ENSURING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING FOR 3.5 MILLION
FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS.
THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES 10,000
NEW VOUCHERS FOR -- TO HOMELESS VETERANS.
THE AGREEMENT KEEPS A ROOF OVER
THE HEADS OF 1.2 MILLION
HOUSEHOLDS LIVING IN PUBLIC
HOUSING, AND THE AGREEMENT
HELPS COMMUNITIES IMPROV
ECONOMIES AND CREATE JOBS
THROUGH THE COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT
PROGRAM.
IN CONCLUSION, WE WORKED HARD
TO BALANCE MANY COMPETING
DEMANDS TO PRODUCE A BILL THAT
REFLECTS THE BIPARTISAN NEEDS
FOR TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING
AND STRENGTHEN THE FOUNDATION
UPON WHICH OUR ECONOMIC TURN
AROUND IS BEING BUILT.
THIS IS A GOOD PRODUCT AND I
URGE MEMBERS TO I RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN RESERVES THE BALANCE
OF HIS TIME. THE GENTLEMAN FROM IOWA, FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES DO YOU RISE?
MR. LATHAM: I THANK SPEAKER.
TO CLAIM THE TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. LATHAM: I YIELD MYSELF FIVE
MINUTES. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR
FIVE MINUTES. MR. LATHAM: MR. SPEAKER, I
FIRST WANT TO THANK CHAIRMAN
OLVER FOR HIS KIND WORDS AND
HIS LEADERSHIP THIS YEAR.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM
GENTLEMAN.
AND I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THE
WORK THAT HE'S DONE.
HE'S VERY ARTFULLY NEGOTIATED
GOOD CONFERENCE REPORT FOR THE
HOUSE.
THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW JOHN
OLVER KNOW HE PUTS A GREAT DEAL
OF EFFORT AND THOUGHT INTO THIS
BILL AND TO THE ISSUES AND
TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING WORLDS.
IN FACT, SOMETIMES YOU FEEL
LIKE HE'S GONE A LITTLE BIT TOO
FAR INTO THE WEEDS, BUT HIS
DEDICATION IS TO BE ADMIRED.
IT IS ALL THE MORE FORTUNATE
ARE HERE TODAY UNDER THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
INSTEAD OF PRESENTING A
TRANSPORTATION-H.U.D.
CONFERENCE REPORT, CHAIRMAN
OLVER IS FORCED TO CARRY FIVE
OTHER BILLS WITH HIM.
BILLS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
ON THEIR OWN AS CONFERENCE
REPORTS.
THE TRANSPORTATION-H.U.D. BILL
LIKE ALL APPROPRIATIONS BILLS
WAS CONSIDERED UNDER A CLOSED
RULE IN THE NAME OF EXPEDIENCY.
THE TRANSPORTATION-H.U.D. BILL
PASSED THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE
IN JULY.
THE SENATE EVEN PASSED THE BILL
THAT WAS ON SEPTEMBER 17.
THE SENATE APPARENTLY THE BODY
THAT CAN'T GET THEIR WORK ON
TIME MANAGED TO DO IT
TIME UNDER AN OPEN AMENDMENT
PROCESS.
THEY EVEN ACTUALLY GOT TO OFFER
AMENDMENTS ON THE BILL WHICH IS
SOMETHING WE DIDN'T GET TO DO
HERE IN THE HOUSE.
REALISTICALLY WE COULD HAVE AND
SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
THE TRANSPORTATION-H.U.D.
CONFERENCE REPORT TO THE FLOOR
BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
INSTEAD, HERE WE ARE TODAY
THREE MONTHS INTO THE FISCAL
SENATE PASSED ITS BILL, AND AN
OMNIBUS TODAY.
THE TRANSPORTATION-H.U.D. IS
NOT ALONE IN THIS SITTION,
THE MIL-CON VETERANS BILL WAS
CONSIDERED PASSED BY BOTH
BO
IT SHOULD BE A STAND-ALONE
CONFERENCE REPORT.
COMMERCE-JUSTICE-STATE ACTUALLY
HAD A CONFERENCE COMMITTEING
NOTICED UP BUT THAT GOT YANKED.
THE C.J.S. SHOULD BE A
STAND-ALONE BILL, INSTEAD THEY
ALSO GOT STUCK IN THIS
THREE OTHER BILLS, THE FOREIGN
OPERATIONS BILL, THE FINANCIAL
SERVICES BILL, AND EVEN THE
LABOR-H.H.S. BILL, MR. OBEY'S
OWN BILL, WEREN'T CONSIDERED IN
THE SENATE AND ARE BURIED IN
THIS PACKAGE.
.
THE HOUSE VOTED TO ADOPT A
MOTION TO INSTRUCT THAT SAID NO
EXTRANEOUS MATTERS SHOULD BE
ADDED TO THE
TRANSPORTATION-
CONFERENCE REPORT.
AND INSTEAD, AGAINST THE WISHES
OF THE HOUSE, WE ADD FIVE BILLS
TO THIS CONFERENCE REPORT.
I REGRET VERY MUCH THAT I AM
UNABLE TO SUPPORT THIS BILL.
IT'S MY FIRST YEAR ON THIS
BILL, AND I'VE ENJOYED
OBVIOUSLY WORKING WITH THE
CHAIRMAN.
THE ISSUES ARE INTERESTING, AND
OUR SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE
REALLY ENGAGED AND BRING A
VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES TO THE
TABLE.
HOWEVER, THE PRICE TAG ON THIS
BILL IS SIMPLY TOO HIGH.
MR. LEWIS OFFERED AN AMENDMENT
TO HAVE THE SPENDING LEVELS
PROPOSED BY CONGRESS AT THE
2010 LEVEL NONDEFENSE, VETERANS
SPENDING AT -- EVERYTHING BUT
DEFENSE AND VETERANS AT 2% OVER
LAST YEAR.
WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY LAST
YEAR.
SO A 2% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR
WOULD REALLY BE QUITE GENEROUS.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE FINISHED THE
2010 BILLS, THE DEMOCRATS WILL
HAVE INCREASED GOVERNMENT
SPENDING BY 85%.
85% OVER THE LAST TWO
YOU TELL ME ONE AMERICAN FAMILY
THAT HAS 85% MORE IN 2009.
I CAN TELL YOU NONE OF MY
CONSTITUENTS HAVE AN ADDITIONAL
85% TO SPEND THIS YEAR.
AND THEY SURE DON'T HAVE THE
FUNDS TO PAY FOR THE TAXES,
INCREASES THAT WILL BE NEED
TO PAY FOR THIS OR THE DEBT
THAT THE OTHER PARTY IS DUMPING
ON OUR TAXPAYERS.
ANOTHER ISSUE I THINK THE
MEMBERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF IN
THIS PACKAGE DESPITE OUR
EARLIER EFFORTS, THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED AN
OPINION THAT THE GOVERNMENT
WILL STILL GIVE FUNDS TO ACORN.
LET ME STATE THAT AGAIN.
WE WILL STILL BE FUNDING ACORN
UNDER THIS BILL AND THEIR
EXISTING CONTRACTS.
FEDERAL FUNDS WILL STILL FLOW. I HAD AN AMENDMENT IN
LANGUAGE TO GET AT THIS ISSUE
AS ALL OF US WERE UNDER THE
IMPRESSION THAT ACORN WAS CUT
OFF FOR GOOD.
THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TOLD.
HOWEVER, THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
HAS ANOTHER VIEW IN THE
AGENCIES, AT LEAST IN THE
H.U.D. AREA, WILL STILL CUT CHECKS TO ACORN.
AGAIN, I TOLD THE RULES
COMMITTEE YESTERDAY THIS IS A
BITTERSWEET TIME. I YIELD MYSELF ANOTHER 30
SECONDS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. LATHAM: I TOLD THE RULES
COMMITTEE YESTERDAY THIS IS A
BITTERSWEET TIME.
THE FED CONFERENCE IS COMPLETED
AND THAT IN ITSELF IS AN
ACCOMPLISHMENT.
THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD POLICY
IN THE TRANSPORTATION-H.U.D.
CONFERENCE BILL.
BUT THIS PACKAGE, WITH ALL OF
THSIX BILLS PILED TOGETHER,
IS ABOUT $39
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
AND I RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED. THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS, FOR WHAT PURPOSE
DO YOU RISE?
MR. OLVER: MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD
THREE MINUTES TO THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK, NITA
LOWEY.
NITA LOWEY IS THE CHAIRWOMAN OF
THE STAT
OPERATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE OF
APPROPRIATIONS, ONE OF THE
BILLS WHICH IS INCLUDED.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK IS
RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.
MRS. LOWEY: AND I THANK THE
CHAIRMAN FOR YOUR IMPORTANT
WORK ON THIS BILL.
I AM VERY PLEASED TO PRESENT
DIVISION F OF THE F.Y. 2010
OMNIBUS WHICH INCLUDES $47.764
BILLION IN APPROPRIATIONS TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
FOREIGN OPERATIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS.
AT $1.235 BILLION, OR 2% BELOW
FISCAL YEAR 2009 ENACTED
LEVELS, INCLUDING SUPPLEMENTAL
APPROPRIATIONS, AND $3.28
BILLION BELOW THE PRESIDENT'S
FISCAL YEAR 2010 REQUEST, THESE
FUNDS SUPPORT THE U.S.
DIPLOMATIC AND DEVELOPMENT
PRIORITIES, A CORNERSTONE OF
U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY.
TO ADDRESS SECURITY IMPAIR
TIFFS, IT INCLUDES $4.5 BILLION
TO HELP STABILIZE, STRENGTHEN
AND REBUILD AFGHANISTAN,
PAKISTAN AND IRAQ IN
CONJUNCTION WITH FUNDING IN T
2009 SUPPLEMENTAL, FULL FUNDING
FOR OUR COMMITMENTS TO OUR
ALLIES AND PARTNERS IN THE
MIDDLE EAST, INCLUDING A $2.775
BILLION IN.M.F. FOR ISRAEL.
$1.3 BILLION FOR EGYPT.
$00 MILLION FOR JORDAN.
A PROVISION TO EXCLUDE THE
EXPORT IMPORT BANK FROM
ENTERING DEALS INTO COMPANIES
THAT CONTRIBUTE TO IRAN'S
REFINE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY.
GIVES THE SECRETARY OF STATE
AUTHORITY TO EXEMPT COUNTRIES
COOPERATING CLOSELY WITH THE
UNITED STATES TO STOP IRAN FROM
ACQUIRING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
$8.37 BILLION FOR
COUNTERNARCOTICS AND OTHER
SIMILAR PROGRAMS IN LATIN
AMERICA.
THIS BILL CONTINUES THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITMENT TO
INCREASE DLOMATIC AND
DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY WITH
RESOURCES TO HIRE, TRAIN,
SUPPORT AND PROTECT 700 NEW
DEPARTMENT OF STATE PERSONNEL
AND 300 NEW U.S.A. PERSONNEL.
THE BILL INCREASES FUNDING FOR
KEY LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT
PRIORITIES, INCLUDING $7.7
BILLION FOR GLOBAL HEALTH
ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING $5.7
BILLION FOR GBAL HIV-AIDS,
$1.2 BILLION TO IMPROVE ACCESS
TO QUALITY, BASIC AND HIGHER
EDUCATION, $1.1 BILLION FOR
FOOD SECURITY AND AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT.
OVER $1.25 BILLION IN BILATERAL
AND MULTILATERAL ASSISTANCE FOR
CLEAN ENERGY, BIODIVERSITY AND
CLIMATE CHANGE INITIATIVES.
AND $315 MILLION TO EXPAND
ACCESS TO SAFE WATER AND
SANITATION.
AND $2.57 BILLION FOR REFUGEE
AND DISASTER ASSISTANCE.
FINALLY, TO IMPROVE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT,
THE BILL PROVIDES $149 MILLION
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND
U.S. AID AND THE SPECIAL
INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR IRAQ,
AFGHANISTAN RECONSTRUCTION.
MADAM -- SIR
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
TIME OF THE GENTLELADY HAS
EXPIRED.
MR. OLVER: I YIELD TWO MINUTES.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLELADY IS RECOGNIZED FOR
TWO MINUTES.
MRS. LOWEY: I'M ALSO PLEASED
THIS APPROPRIATIONS PACKAGE
INVESTS IN WORTHY INITIATIVES
IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT WILL
IMPROVE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LAW
ENFORCEMENT, ENVIRONMENT AND
INFRASTRUCTURE IN NEW YORK AND AROUND THE NATION.
SO I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO GIVE
THIS BILL OUR BIPARTISAN
SUPPORT.
AND I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF
MY TIME.
THANK YOU.
T
GENTLELADY YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HER TIME.
WHO SEEKS RECOGNITION AT THIS
TIME?
THE GENTLEMAN FROM IO
MR. LATHAM: IT'S MY PLEASURE TO
YIELD FIVE MINUTES TO THE
DISTINGUISHED RANKING MEM
THE FULL COMMITTEE, MR. LEWIS
FROM CALIFORNIA.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA IS
RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MR. LEWIS: MR. SPEAKER, I
APPRECIATE VERY MUCH MY
COLLEAGUE YIELDING AS I OPEN
REMARKS, I KNOW I WANT TO JOIN
MY CHAIRMAN TO EXPRESS OUR
APPRECIATION FOR THE FINE WORK
OF OUR STAFF.
THEY WORK LONG HOURS.
SHOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED
BY ALL OF US.
AND SO AS WE BREAK FOR THE
CHRISTMAS RECESS, I HOPE YOU
ALL WILL ENJOY YOURSELF.
YOU ALL DESERVE IT.
ONCE AGAIN, INTERESTINGLY
ENOUGH, MR. SPEAKER, WE ARE
FINDING OURSELVES APPROACHING
THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH OUR
APPROPRIATIONS WORK LARGELY
UNFINISHED.
HERE WE ARE TWO WEEKS BEFORE
CHRISTMAS AND 10 WEEKS AFTER
THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR
DEMONSTRATING TO THE WORLD THAT
CONGRESS REMAINS INCAPABLE OF
GETTING ITS WORK DONE.
IT'S IRONIC THAT SOME OF THE
HOUSE ARE QUICK AUTO TO FIND
FAULT IN THE LACK OF EFFICIENCY
OF GOVERNMENTS SUCH AS IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN.
PERHAPS IF WE DID A BETTER JOB
OF MEETING OUR OWN MILESTONES,
LIKE FINISHING OUR SPDING
BILLS BY OCTOBER 1 EACH YEAR,
WE WOULD BE A BETTER POSITION
TO GUESS MILESTONES OF OTHERS.
IT'S LAUGHABLE TO THIS MEMBER
THAT SOME IN THE DEMOCRATIC
MAJORITY ARE POINTING FINGERS
AT THE REPUBLICAN MINORITY FOR
THIS FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP.
AFTER ALL, IT'S THE DEMOCRAT
MAJORITY THAT CONTROLS BOTH THE
HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND THE
WHITE HOUSE.
AS MUCH AS IT MAY PAIN MY
FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE AISLE, THEY CAN NO LONGER
BLAME GEORGE BUSH OR THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY FOR THEIR OWN
FAILURE TO LEAD.
STILL LEFT UNFINISHED IS THE
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL
WHICH MANY BELIEVE WILL BE USED
BY THE MAJORITY LEADERSHIP TO
PASS UNPOPULAR LEGISLATION THAT
H
ITS OWN.
ON THIS POINT LET
CLEAR THE HOUSE REPUBLICANS
WIL NOT SUPPORT PASSAGE OF A
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS MEASURE
IF IT IS USED AS A VEHICLE TO
RAISE THE DEBT LIMIT AND IF IT
CONTAINS OTHER CONTROVERSIAL
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS.
THE RECKLESS RECORD OF SPENDING
BY THE CONGRESS HAS
NATIONAL DEBT TO MORE THAN
TRIPLE OVER THE LAST YEAR.
IN THIS $450 BILLION PACKAGE
THAT'S BEFORE US TODAY,
SPENDING ON DOMESTIC PROGRAMS
HAS INCREASED BY AN ASTONISHING
14% WHILE MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
AND VETERANS FUNDING, FOR
EXAMPLE, IS HELD TO ONLY 5%.
SADLY, THE MISPLACED PRIORITIES
OF THIS CONGRESS HAVE RESULTED
IN TOO MUCH SPENDING, FEWER
JOBS AND BIGGER GOVERNMENT THAT
THE PUBLIC DOESN'T WANT AND
CERTAINLY CANNOT AFFORD.
SOME IN WASHINGTON REFER TO
THIS UNRESTRAINED SPENDING IS A CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN.
MOST PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY CALL
IT BUSINESS AS USUAL.
THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THE
ERA OF BIG GOVERNMENT HAS
RETURNED TO WASHINGTON.
ONE NEED ONLY LOOK AT THE
SO-CALLED RECOVERY ACT, OR
DOUBLE-DIGIT UNEMPLOYMENT, A
JOB-KILLING CAP AND TRADE BILL
AND A GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF
HEALTH CARE AS EVIDENCE.
IT'S NO LONGER THAT THE PUBLIC
CONFIDENCE IN THE CONGRESS IS
AT AN ALL-TIME LOW.
MR. SPEAKER, I CANNOT AND WILL
NOT SUPPORT THIS PACKAGE OF
SPENDING BILLS BECAUSE IT
SIMPLY SPENDS TOO MUCH MONEY
AND MAKES A M
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
MR. SPEAKER, I RESERVE THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN RESERVES.
WHO SEEKS RECOGNITION? THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS.
MR. OLVER: MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD
THE GENTLEMAN FROM WISCONSIN,
MR. OBEY, FIVE MINUTES.
MR. OBEY IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
FULL APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
BUT ALSO SERVES AS THE CHAIRMAN
OF THE LABOR, HEALTH AND
EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WISCONSIN IS
RECOGNED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MR. OBEY: MR. SPEAKER, I HAVE A
QUESTION.
IS THE GENTLEMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA, MR. LEWIS, THE SAME
MR. LEWIS WHO CHAIRED THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE THE
LAST YEAR THAT THE REPUBLICANS
WERE IN CONTROL?
IT'S MY IMPRESSION THAT HE IS.
AS I RECALL IN THAT YEAR, THE
REPUBLICANS PASSED EXACTLY TWO
APPROPRIATION BILLS THROUGH THE
CONGRESS AND HAD THEM SIGNED
INTO LAW.
THE OTHER NINE APPROPRIATION
BILLS WERE NOT PASSED IN
OCTOBER. THEY WERE NOT PASSED IN
NOVEMBER.
THEY
DECEMBER.
THEY WERE NEVER PASSED.
AND SO THE INCOMING CONGRESS
UNDER OUR CONTROL WAS FORCED TO
PASS THEIR BILLS AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE NEXT SESSION
BEFORE WE COULD EVER GET TO OUR
OWN.
AND YET THE GENTLEMAN WITH THAT
RECORD IS NOW COMPLAING
BECAUSE WITH PASSAGE OF THIS
BILL WE WILL ONLY HAVE SENT TO
THE PRESIDENT 11 OF THE 12
APPROPRIATION BILLS NEED FOR
THE YEAR.
AND I WOULD POINT OUT THAT BY
NEXT WEEK WE INTEND TO SEND THE
LAST BILL TO HIM.
IF THAT HAPPENS,
ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR
FRIENDS ON THAT SIDE OF THE
AISLE AND US IS THAT WE WILL
HAVE GOTTEN OURORK DONE.
DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE HAD TO
DEAL WITH THE GREATEST ECONOMIC
COLLAPSE IN 75 YEARS, WE WILL
HAVE FINISHED EVERY
APPROPRIATION BILL.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE WHO
IN THE LAST YEAR THEY
CONTROLLED THIS PLACE WERE NOT
ABLE TO COMPLETE ACTION ON A
SINGLE DOMESTIC APPROPRIATION
BILL.
UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, FOR
THE GENTLEMAN ON THAT SIDE OF
THE AISLE TO SQUAWK ABOUT THE
FACT THAT WE ARE A FEW DAYS
LATE IS TRULY A CASE OF THE
KETTLE -- OR THE POT CALLING
THE KETTLE BLACK.
IT IS VERY INTERESTING LOGIC.
WITH RESPECT TO THE SPENDING
AMOUNT IN THIS BILL, I WOULD
SIMPLY POINT OUT THAT THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHU
DID EARLIER THAT WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF DEALING WITH
OF NEGLECT AND WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF TRYING TO DEAL WITH
AN ECONOMIC ENERGY AND
CATASTROPHE.
THE GENTLEMAN COMPLAINS THAT
THIS B
YEAR FOR COMPARABLE BILLS.
THE FACT IS, LET'S LOOK AT WHAT
THOSE DIFFERENCES ARE.
.
WE ADDED $3 BILLION MORE THAN
LAST YEAR SO WE COULD
THE DISABILITY BACKLOG FOR
VETERANS CLAIMS.
ANYBODY ON T
AISLE WANT TO TAKE THAT MONEY
OUT?
WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $4.2
BILLION FOR THE
WE ARE
CONDUCT THAT KREIN SUSS SO WE
CAN RE-- CENSUS SO WE CAN
REDIRECT HUGE AMOUNTS OF
FEDERAL MONEY T
LOCALITIES IN THIS COUNTRY IN
AN ACCURATE FASHION.
ANYBODY THINK WE OUGHT TO
FOREGO THATTER FOR THE
FORGO TH FOR THE NEXT 10
YEARS?
WE HAVE ALSO PUT $14.8 BILLION
ABOVE THE PREVIOUS YEAR IN
BILL TO
WE PUT IT IN THE
SO WE WOULD SHOW UP RATHER THAN
HIDING IT IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL
AS PREVIOUS CONGRESSES DID.
WOULD YOU REALLY RATHER GO BACK
TO THE OLD PRACTICE OF HIDING
THAT
INFRASTRUCTURE
HAVE HAD A 38% DECLINE IN
CONSTRUCTION
THAT WRONG.
WE HAVE A 38% UNPLOYMENT RATE
IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN 14
STATES IN THIS COUNTRY.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO RESPOND TO
THAT BY PUTTING AN EXTRA $11
BILLION
CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS.
ANYBODY THINK WE OUGHT TO TAKE
THAT MONEY OUT?
HEALTH CARE, WE ARE ABOUT TO
PASS THE MOST
CARE REFORM BILL IN THE HISTORY
OF THE COUNTRY.
THAT'S GOING TO PUT 31 MILLION
MORE PEOPLE UNDER OUR HEALTH
CARE SYSTEM.
THIS
IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE CAPACITY
OF OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM TO
DEAL WITH THOSE PEOPLE.
ANYBODY THINK WE SHOULDN'T
THAT?
GUILTY.
WE HAVE $5.6 BILLION MORE THAN LAST YEAR.
SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE LOSING
THEIR JOBS AND NEED RETRAING
OR NEED SOME -- SOME ADDITIONAL
EDUCATION IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES
CAN GET IT.
MR. OLVER: I YIELD TWO
ADDITIONAL MINUTES.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WISCONSIN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR TWO ADDITIONAL MINUTES.
SHOULD ABANDON THOSE STUDENTS AND WORKERS?
WE DON'T THINK WE SHOULD.
I WOULD SIMPLY SAY TH COUNTRY
IS STRUGGLING TO OVERCOME THE
LONGEST AND DEEPEST ECONOMIC
DOWNTURN SINCE THE GREAT
DEPRESSION.
THIS BILL BEFORE US
KEY MEASURE TO HELP ADDRESS THE
PROBLEMS AND
MILLIONS OF HARDWORKING
AMERICANS CAUGH
STRUGGLE FOR ECONOMIC SURVIVAL.
AND FOR THE MAJORITY TO
COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FACT
ARE 90 DAYS, OR 70 DAYS LATE IN
GETTING THE JOB DONE, WHEN THEY
NEVER GOT THE JOB DONE, WHEN
THEY WERE IN CONTROL OF TH
PLACE, IS TO ME
LAUGHABLE.
WITH THAT I THK THE GENTLE FOR THE TIME AND RESERVE THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM IOWA. MR. LATHAM: I THANK THE
SPEAKER.
I'D LIKE TO YIELD THREE MINUTES
TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA,
MR. WOLF. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA IS
RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES. MR. WOLF: I THANK YOU.
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE:
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
MR. WOLF: I WANT TO THANK MR.
MOLLOHAN
FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
I WOULD NOT BE SUPPORTING THEIR
BILL FOR THE REASONS THAT ARE
IN HERE.
I WANT TO RAISE A
THAT SOMEBODY OU
IN THIS CONGRESS.
THIS BILL WILL ALLOW THEM TO
SEND PEOPLE, CLUEING SIKH
MUHAMMAD, FROM GUANTANAMO BAY
TO NEW YORK CITY.
I BELIEVE PERSONALLY WILL
ENDANGER THE CITIZENS OF NEW
YORK CITY.
THEY ARE NOW GOING TO COME IN
AN
OR $100 MILLION TO DO THAT.
THAT'S MONEY YOU COULD PUT IN
THINGS IN EDUCATION.
SECONDLY, THIS BILL WE HAVE
ASKED IT TO BE NONCLASSIFIED SO
PEOPLE CAN KNOW WHERE THESE
PEOPLE FROM GUANTANAMBAY ARE GOING.
26
AND CAN'T TO TALK MORE BEING
SENT TO YEMEN. YEMEN.
THAT'S
THE IMPACT
KILLED 13 PEOPLE AT FORT HOOD,
THAT'S WHERE HE OPERATES.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEND PEOPLE
FROM GUANTANAMO BAY WHO SERVE
WITH CLAHEEK SHAKE MUHAMMAD,
WHO WAS THE AUTHOR OF
KILLED -- KHALID SHAKE
MUHAMMAD, WHO WAS THE AUTHOR OF
THE 9/11, WHO KILLED 3,000
PEOPLE.
HE BEHEADED DANIEL PEARL.
THINK OF
THEY ARE GOING TO SEND THEM TO
YEMEN AND THEN THEY ARE GOING
TO SEND TWO OTHERS
THAT NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE THAT
THEY ARE REALLY GOING TO SEND TH.
THIS BILL BY NOT ADOPTING THE
AMENDMENTS THAT WE OFFERED, ONE
I BELIEVE WILL ENDANGER PEOPLE
IN NEW YORK CITY, TWO, WOULD
PUT PRESSURE ON NEW YORK CITY.
YOU WILL SEE STORIES IN THE
PAPER AS YOU VOTE FOR THIS
BILL, YOU WILL SEE STORIES IN
THE PAPER OF SNIPERS ON THE
ROOFTOPS, TANKS, KHALID SHAKE
MUHAMMAD WILL BE IN NEW YORK
CITY FOR -- KHALID SIKH
MUHAMMAD WILL BE IN NEW YORK
CITY FOR FOUR YEARS.
FOUR YEARS OR MORE.
MOUSSAOUI WAS IN NORTHERN
VIRGINIA FOR OVER FOUR YEARS.
HE WILL BE -- HE WILL SAY
THINGS AND DO THINGS THAT WILL
BE UNCONSIDERABLEABLE.
AS YOU VOTE FOR THIS BILL, YOU
ARE IN ESSENCE ALLOWING THAT TO
TAKE PLACE. IT'S CRAZY.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRAZY TO THINK
YOU CAN TRY KHALID SIKH
MUHAMMAD.
THEN THEY ARE GOING TO BRING
OTHERS IN.
SO MUHAMMAD GETS CIVILIAN TRIAL
WHEN A YOUNG 19-YEAR-OLD PERSON
IN THE ARMY, MAN OR WOMAN, WHO
DOES SOMETHING WRONG, HAS TO GO
THROUGH A MILITARY
COUR
FOR THAT REASON THE BILL SPENDS
TOO MUCH, BUT FOR THOSE
REASONS, AND I BELIEVE THAT BY
BRINGING KHALID SHAKE MUHAMMAD
AND THE OTHERS HERE, WE MAY
VERY WELL ENDANGER PEOPLE AND
BRING ABOUT ANOTHER ATTACK.
SECONDLY, TO SPEND ALL THAT
MONEY TO PROTECT KHALID SIKH
MUHAMMAD WHEN HE COULD HAVE
BEEN TRIED DOWN AT GUANTANAMO
BAY JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY
SENSE.
NO ONE BELIEVES THAT THAT MAKES
SENSE.
LASTLY, TO SEND PEOPLE TO YEMEN
AND THIS OTHER PLACE.
I THINK WILL ENDANGER THE
COUNTRY.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED. THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASS
MR. OLVER: MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD
AT THIS TIME THREE MINUTES TO
THE GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS, MR. EDWARDS.
MR. EDWARDS IS THE
THE--
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS IS
RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.
MR. EDWARDS: THIS BILL SUPPORTS
AMERICA'S VETERANS, OUR TROOPS,
AND THEIR FAMILIES IN A
MEANINGFUL WAY BY IMPROVING
THEIR HEALTH CARE, THEIR
BENEFITS, AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
THOSE WHO DEFEND OUR NATION
HAVE EARNED AND DESERVE THIS
SUPPORT.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER
PROVIDE TWO-YEAR FUNDING FOR
V.A. MEDICAL PROGRAMS.
THIS IS A HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT
AND S BEEN ONE OF THE HIGHEST
PRIORITIES OF OUR NATION'S MOST
RESPECTED VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS.
THE ADVANCED FUNDING IS A WIN
FOR VETERANS AND FOR
IT WILL ALLOW THE V.A. TO PLAN
ITS SPENDING MORE EFFICIENTLY
WHICH WILL IMPROVE HEALTH CARE
FOR VETERANS AND SAVE
TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS.
THIS BILL FUNDS PRESIDENT
OBAMA'S V.A. REQUEST.
A $5.4 BILLION INCREASE, THE
LARGEST PRESIDENTIAL REQUEST
FOR INCREASED VETERANS FUNDING
IN OVER 30 YEARS.
OTHER MAJOR INITIATIVES IN THIS
BILL INCLUDE NEW TRAINING
BARRACKS FOR MILITARY RECRUITS,
HOMEOWNERS ASSISTANCE FOR
TROOPS BEING RESTATIONED.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE
MODERNIZATION OF NATIONAL GUARD
AND RESERVE FACILITIES.
AND A ROBUST ENERGY
CONSERVATION PROGRAM FOR
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
FACILITIES.
WHEN THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA, MS. PELOSI, BECAME
SPEAKER IN 2007, SHE PROMISED
THAT SUPPORTING VETERANS WOULD
BE ONE OF CONGRESS' HIGHEST
PRIORITIES.
SPEAKER PELOSI, THE STRONG
LEADERSHIP OF CHAIRMAN SPRATT
AND OBEY AND FILNER, HAS KEPT
THAT PROMISE.
HERE'S SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANT
RESULTS IN JUST THREE YEARS.
A 60% INCREASE IN
145 NEW V.A. COMMUNITY
CLINICS.
3,384 V. DOCTORS.
14,426 NEW V.A. NURSES.
8,300 NEW V.A. CLAIMS PROCESSORS.
AN EXPANSION OF MIDDLE INCOME
VETERANS ELIGIBILITY FOR V.A. HEALTH CARE.
MORE THAN A DOUBLING OF MENTAL
HEALTH CARE FUNDING FOR VETS.
AND A HISTORIC NEW G.I. COLLEGE
EDUCATION BILL.
ULTIMATELY THIS IS ABOUT MORE
BETTER HEALTH CARE AND BENEFITS
FOR OUR TROOPS AND VETS.
IT IS ABOUT RESPECT.
RESPECT FOR THE SERVICE AND
SACRIFICE OF THOSE WHO DEFEND
OUR NATION AND THEIR FAMILIES.
I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK OUR
RANKING MEMBER ON OUR
SUBCOMMITTEE, MR. WAMP OF
TENNESSEE, WHO IS A CRITICAL
PARTNER IN OUR WORK ON OUR
PORTION OF THIS BILL AND WHO
ONCE AGAIN DEMONSTRATED HIS
DEEP COMMITMENT TO OUR TROOPS
AND VETERANS.
AND FINALLY, BUT CERTAINLY NOT
LEAST, I WANT TO THANK AND
SALUTE OUR SUBCOMMITTEE STAFF
WHOSE PROFESSIONALISM AND
TIRELESS WORK IS MADE POSSIBLE
OUR UNPRECEDENTED ACHIEVEMENTS
FOR OUR VETANCE AND TROOPS.
CAROL MURPHY, THE COMMITTEE
CLERK, MARY ARNOLD, TIM
PETERSON, WALTER HERN, DONNA
CHAVEZ, KELLY SHEA, AND LIZ DAWSON.
IN MY BOOK THEY PERSONIFY THE
BEST IDEALS OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
WITH THIS BILL DIP DIP THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
MR. OLVER: I YIELD ONE
ADDITIONAL MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR.
THIS BILL W
TO THOSE MAGNIFICENT AMERICANS
WHO HAVE KEPT THEIR PROMISE TO
SERVE OUR NATION AND THE
AMERICAN FAMILY.
I RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
THE GENTLEMAN FROM IOWA, FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES DO YOU RISE?
MR. LATHAM: MR. SPEAKER, AT
THIS POINT I -- NUMBER ONE, HOW
MUCH TIME
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN HAS 18 MINUTES
REMAING.
THE GENTL MASSACHUSETTS HAS 17 1/2
MINUTES REMAINING.
MR. LATHAM: AT THIS POINT I'LL
BE PROUD TO GIVE THREE
TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM KANSAS,
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM KANSAS IS
RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.
MR. TIAHRT: I THANK THE GENTLEMAN FROM IOWA.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK CHAIRMAN
OBEY WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF MY
SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND
HUMAN
BUT, MR. SPEAKER, THIS BILL IS
A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF A
DYSFUNCTIONAL APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS.
MY PRINCIPLE OPPOSITION TO THIS
BILL IS THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF SPENDING.
WE ARE SPENDING MORE AND MORE
MONEY AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE
WE ARE GOING TO GET IT.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DON'T HAVE IT.
IN FACT, THIS FISCAL -- PAST
FISCAL YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 2009,
WE OVERSPENT BY $1.4 TRILLION.
THAT'S $5,000 PER PERSON, APPROXIMATELY.
AND FOR TH
TAXES THAT'S ABOUT $14,000 PER
TAXPAYERS OVERSPENT LAST YEAR.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE ALREADY
OVERSPENT $259 BILLION AND WE
ARE ON COURSE TO OVERSPEND BY $1.6 TRILLION.
THAT WILL BE AN INCREASE TO
ABOUT $16,000 PER TAXPAYER.
MONEY WE DON'T HAVE THAT WE HAVE TO BORROW.
WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING TO
COME FROM?
WE ARE GOING TO BORROW IT FROM THE CHINESE.
MAYBE THEY DON'T WANT TO LOAN
IT TO US.
MAYBE WE'LL HAVE TO PRINT IT.
IF WE PRINT IT THAT DRIVES INFLATION.
WE ARE HEADED FOR A ROUND OF
INFLATION BASED ON THE CURRENT PROJECTIONS
THE EXCUSE WE GET FOR BORROWING
ALL THIS MONEY IS WE HAVE TO
SPEND IT TO GET THE ECONOMY TO
RECOVER.
BORROWING MONEY TO FUND BIG
GOVERNMENT DOESN'T GROW OUR ECONOMY.
IT ONLY GROWS BIG GOVERNMENT.
SO WE HIRE ALL THESE PEOPLE IN
BIG GOVERNMENT THEY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
SO THEY WRITE REGULATIONS.
REGULATIONS SLOW D
ECONOMY. IF YOU WANT TO SPEED UP THE
ECONOMY FREES THE REGULATIONS
BUTT THEM ON A BENEFIT COST
ANALYSIS.
FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE GUYS
WORKING IN THE GOVERNMENT IT
TAKES FIVE PRIVATE SECTOR
EMPLOYEES TO PAY FOR THAT ONE
BE JOB.
WE HAVE TO HAVE AN IDEA HOW WE
ARE GOING TO CREATE PRIVATE
SECTOR JOBS INSTEAD OF GROWING
THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT.
THIS BUSH ADMINISTRATION SPENDS
SO MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE TROUBLE
FINDING OUT WHERE THEY COULD
SPEND MORE MONEY.
THEY DECIDED THEY WERE GOING TO
FUND FREE NEEDLES TO DOPE ADDICTS.
I'M JUST GLAD WE ARE NOT BUYING
KEGS FOR ALCOHOLICS ANONYMO MEETINGS.
THEY CAN'T PROVE IT'S NOT
FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS BY THEIR
FEDERAL FUNDS PROVISION BECAUSE
IT GETS CO-MINGLED.
THEN WE ARE
$350 MILLION FROM THE CHINESE
TO GIVE TO THE WORLD BANK SO WE
CAN GIVE IT TO SOME WORLD
COUNTRY TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING.
WE HAVE A QUESTIONABLE SOURCE
OF FUNDS
COUNTRIES TO FIGHT A PROGRAM
BASED ON QUESTIONABLE SCIENCE.
MR. SPEAKER, THIS BILL IS OUT
OF THE QUESTION.
I WOULD ASK ALL MY COLLEAGUES
TO VOTE NO.
I RESERVE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
WHO SEEKS RECOGNITION? THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS, FOR WHAT PURPOSE
DOES DO YOU RISE?
MR. OLVER: I YIELD TWO MINUTES
TO THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM
MICHIGAN, MS. KILPATRI THE SPEAKER PROEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM MICHIGAN.
MR. OLVER: A MEMBER OF THE
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND
URBAN DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM MICHIGAN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES.
MS. KILPATRICK: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I THANK THE CHAIRMAN FOR
YIELDING.
AS A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE AND
HONORED TO SERVE AS A MEMBER OF
THE CONFEREE COMMITTEE, THIS IS
A GOOD BILL.
AS YOU KNOW IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES WE PASSED ALL
12 OF OUR APPROPRIATIONS BILLS.
THE SENATE PASSED NINE OF THEIR
12 BILLS. UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE NOT
ABLE TO DO THEM ALL, BUT WE MET
MANY HOURS AT NIGHT AND PASSED
WHAT IS CONSIDERED, I BELIEVE,
A GOOD BILL FOR ALL THE REASONS
YOU EVER MENTIONED-ER-HEALTH
CARE, VETERANS, EDUCATION,
TRANSPORTATION.
HELPING OUR MILITARY MEN AND
WOMEN WHO ARE ON ACTIVE DUTY
AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT.
THIS IS A BILL THAT WRAPS UP
OUR 2009 APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS
LESS ONE BILL AND WE'LL TAKE
THAT UP NEXT YEAR.
EXCUSE ME, NEXT WEEK.
.
I COMMENT THE CHAIRPEOPLE WHO
HAVE BROUGHT THE BILLS TOGETHER
WHO HAVE WORKED MANY LONG HOURS
TO SEE THAT WE GET THE WORK OF
THE PEOPLE DONE.
OU
HANDLED OVER $1 TRILLION FROM
VARIOUS PROGRAMS OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
WE TAKE OUR WORK VERY STRONG,
WORK LONG HOURS, SPEND MANY
HOURS ON IT.
ALL THE BILLS BEFORE US TODAY
HAVE BEEN REVIEWED.
ALL 12 HAVE PASSED THE HOUSE,
ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME BILLS
THAT WE HAD IN CONFERENCE THE OTHER EVENING.
I'M PROUD OF OUR WORK.
AS AN APPROPRIATOR WORKING WITH
OUR COLLEAGUES ON BOTH SIDES OF
THE AISLE BUT SPECIFICALLY THE
DEMOCRATS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP
OF CHAIRMAN OBEY, I WANT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE TO REST ASSURED
YOU HAVE A GOOD PRODUCT BEFORE
YOU.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT'S
NECESSARY TO FUND OUR CHILDREN'S
PROGRAMS, OUR HEALTH PROGRAMS,
TRANSPORTATION, VETERANS, YOU
NAME IT, THIS COMPLETES, BY ONE
BIL, THE 2009 APPROPRIATIONS
PROCESS.
I'M HON AND LOOK FORWARD AS WE GO
FORWARD INTO THE NEW YEAR.
THANK YOU.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEWOMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN
WHAT PURPOSE DO YOU ARISE?
>> I'M PLEASED TO YIELD THREE
MINUTES TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM
TENNESSEE, MR. WAMP.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TENNESSEE IS
RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.
MR. WAMP: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER
AND I THANK -- MR. SPEAKER, AND
I THANK THE GENTLEMAN FOR
YIELDING.
I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS FOR
THEIR WORK THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT
IS IMPORTANT WORK.
IT'S THE ONLY MUST-DO WORK THAT
THE CONGRESS HAS EVERY YEAR AND
THAT'S PART OF THE POWER OF THE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE AND I
DO THINK THAT JUST BLAMING EACH
OTHER FOR OUR SHORTCOMINGS IS
NOT PARTICULARLY HELPFUL.
BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE
OF THINGS.
CHAIRMAN EDWARDS IS OUR CHAIRMAN
OF THE MILITARY CONSTRUCTION,
VETERANS' AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS
SUBCOMMITTEE AND I'M A RANGING
MEMBER AND IT'S AN INCREDIBLE
PRIVILEGE FOR BOTH OF US TO
CHAIRMAN EDWARDS IS A TRUE
PATRIOT, DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB.
WE'VE GOT A GREAT STAFF.
OUR BILL IS CERTAINLY NOT THE
CONTROVERSIAL PART OF THIS
OMNIBUS BILL AT ALL.
AS A MATTER OF FACT OUR BILL
PASSED THE HOUSE 415 TO THREE
AND PASSED THE SENATE
UNANIMOUSLY.
SO THERE'S HUGE CONSENSUS HERE
AND WE DESERVE BIPARTISAN PRAISE
FOR DOING RIGHT BY OUR NATION'S
VETERANS AND THE MEN AND WOMEN
AND THEIR FAMILIES THAT ARE IN
UNIFORM TODAY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO
DO.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS, WE HAD
HEARINGS EVERY WEEK THROUGH THE
SPRING AND WE ALWAYS ASK, WHAT'S
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN
DO FOR YOU AND WE HEARD
VIRTUALLY EVERY WEEK, THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO FOR
US IS GET OUR BILL PASSED AND
ENACTED INTO LAW ON TIME.
BY OCTOBER 1.
AS A MATTER OF FACT THAT WAS THE
BATTLE CRY FOR WHY WE NEEDED
FUNDING IS THEY HAVE TO RELY ON
THE FUNDING FLOW AND THE
VETERANS' AFFAIRS AND THEIR
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND HERE
WE ARE MORE THAN 10 WEEKS LATER
JUST NOW PASSING OUR BILL.
NOW LAST YEAR WE GOT OUR BILL
DONE ON TIME AND THAT'S NOT MR.
EDWARDS AND IT'S NOT ME.
IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE ON THE
SCHEDULING
COME UP BECAUSE THIS BILL HAD
SUCH CONSENSUS IT COULD HAVE
JUST FLOWN THROUGH IN LATE
SEPTEMBER AND EVERYONE UNDER THE
$78 BILLION FUNDING PROFILE
WOULD HAVE HAD THEIR MONEY ON
TIME.
AND THAT IS A PROBLEM AND I DON'T CARE WHETHER YOU'RE
REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, THAT'S A
PROBLEM.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU COME AND
SAY, LET'S START FUNDING THEM IN
THE FUTURE, TWO YEARS OUT, SO
THAT THEY HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE
THAT THE MONEY'S GOING TO BE
THERE YET YOU DON'T GET THE BILL
ON TIME AND YOU'RE 10 WEEKS LATE
OR MORE.
THAT MAKES NO SEN
IT'S NOT ONLY EYE RON ING, --
IRONIC, IT'S UNFORTUNATE.
MAYBE THEY'RE HOLDING THIS BILL
IN CASE THEY NEEDED A VEHICLE
FOR ALL THE OTHER BILLS THEY
COULDN'T PASS.
I HOPE NO
I HOPE YOU'RE NOT DOING THAT TO
OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM.
AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND OUR VETERANS.
WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT, I
KNOW.
I WAS A CONFEREE, I WAS THERE
MONDAY NIGHT AS WE NEGOTIATED
THIS BILL.
I TRIED TO TAKE THE TARP MONEY
LEFT AND PUT IT BACK
DEBT AND PUT IT IN THE TREASURY
BECAUSE NOW THERE'S A PLAN TO GO
SPEND THAT MONEY ON THINGS THAT
MAY OR MAY NOT WORK.
WHY NOT PAY OUR DEBT DOWN?
THE CHINESE ARE WORRIED ABOUT
WHETHER WE'LL EVER PAY OUR DEBT.
WE ARE SINKING AS A NATION UNDER
A MOUNTAIN OF GOVERNMENT DEBT
AND WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
IT AND NEITHER PARTY'S GOT A LOT
TO BRAG ABOUT BUT YA'LL ARE IN
CH
WE CAN DO BETTER.
I YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS, FOR WHAT PURPOSE DO YOU RISE?
>> I YIELD MYSELF TWO MINUTES,
MR. SPEAKER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZEDOR TWO
MINUTES.
>> I FULLY RECOGNIZE THE
ARGUMENT THAT'S BEING MADE BY
THE OTHER SIDE ON THIS ISSUE, OF
THE LEVEL OF SPENDING.
THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN
THE DISCRETIONARY EX PENDSTURE
THAT WARE PROVIDING --
EXPENDITURE THAT WE ARE
PROVIDING FOR THE NEEDS OF THIS
COUNTRY.
BUT THE FACT IS THAT THROUGH THE
EIGHT PREVIOUS YEARS BEFORE WE
-- THE SIX PREVIOUS YEARS BEFORE
WE CAME INTO THE MAJORITY,
EXCUSE ME, IS IN THE
DISCRETIONARY EXPENDITURE FOR
PROGRAMS THAT DO THINGS FOR
PEOPLE IN COUNTRY, THAT PROVIDE
MONEY FOR OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM,
OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, OUR
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE IN GENERAL, NOT
JUST THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT WATER
RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR
HOUSING, JUST TO NAME A FEW, AND
EVEN OUR VETERANS' AFFAIRS, EVEN
OUR VETERANS' PROGRAMS TO
PROVIDE SERVICES, WHILE WE HAD
TWO DIFFERENT WARS GOING ON
AROUND THE WORLD, ALL OF THEM
OVER IN ASIA, THAT ARE
DISCRETIONARY EXPENDITURE WAS
UNDER VERY SEVERE CONSTRAINT AND
THE LEVEL OF DISCRETIONARY
EXPENDITURE UND
PERIOD BEFORE
THAT EX PENDSTURE WAS --
EXPENDITURE WAS UNDER A
CONSTRAINT FORM.
AND SO THE BUDGETS THAT WE HAVE
PASSED IN THE LAST THREE
SESSIONS WHEN WE'VE BEEN IN THE
MAJORITY HAVE HAD AN INCREASE IN
DISCRETIONARY EXPENDITURE TO
PROVIDE A CATCHUP EXPENDITURE
FOR THINGS GOING ON IN THIS
COUNTRY.
WE HEAR AMONG OUR CONSTITUENTS
ALL THE TIME, WHY ARE WE
SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY IN OTHER
PLACES AROUND THE WORLD WHEN WE
SHOULD BE -- I YIELD ONE MORE
MINUTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE
ADDITIONAL MINUTE.
MR. OLVER: WHY ARE WE SPENDING
SO MUCH MONEY THERE IF WE CAN'T
FIND A WAY OF EXTEND --
EXPENDING MORE OF THOSE THINGS I
MENTIONED, THE HOUSING, THE
TRANSPORTATION, THE HEALTH
SERVICES AND EDUCATION?
WHY CAN'T WE SPEND SOME OF THAT
HERE?
SO, YES, OUR EX PENDSTURE HAS
BEEN UP -- OUR EX PENDSTURE HAS
BEEN UP BUT -- EXPENDITURE HAS
BEEN UP BUT WE MAKE NO APOLOGY
FOR THAT KIND OF EXPENDITURE
GIVEN FOR THE REASON WHY IT HAS OCCURRED.
AND SO I THINK -- I LEAVE IT AT
THAT.
WE MAKE NO APOLOGY FOR
INCREASING DISCRETIONARY
EXPENDITURE ON OUR OWN PEOPLE
AND THE NEEDS OF OUR OWN PEOPLE
AND THAT SHOULD CONTINUE, IN
FACT.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN RESERVES THE BALANCE
THE GENTLEMAN FROM IOWA, FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DO YOU RISE?
MR. LATHAM: MR. SPEAKER, FIRST
OF ALL I WANT TO THANK E
GENTLEMAN FOR RECOGNIZING THE
FACT THAT WE WERE FISCALLY
RESPONSIBLE BEFORE AND THAT --
TO CATCH UP IN TWO YEARS
SPENDING 85% MORE, INCREASING
SPENDING BY 85%, IS TRULY MORE
THAN CATCHING UP, I WOULD SAY.
I WOULD NOW YIELD THREE MINUTES
TO THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM MISSOURI.
>> THANK YOU, I'D LIKE TO
ADDRESS THE FINANCIAL SERVICES
OF THE OMNIBUS AND FIRST WANT TO
COMMEND CHAIRM
EFFORTS IN CRAFTING THE BILL.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK
WITH HIM AND WHILE WE DON'T
ALWAYS AGREE, HE HAS AT
OPEN TO LISTENING TO THE
MINORITY'S IDEA.
WHILE I APPRECIATE CHAIRMAN
SERRANO'S EFFORTS, I'VE GOT A
LOT OF CONCERN WITH THE
FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION AND
SO -- IN SO FAR AS IT'S A 7%
INCREASE OVER FISCAL YEAR 2009
OR $24
THIS IS VERY, VERY GENERAL
ROWLS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE RESOURCE
REQUIREMENTS OF THE AGENCIES
FUNDED IN THIS BILL CAN BE MET
WITH A SMALLER ALLOCATION,
PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE
GOVERNMENT'S FINANCIAL
SITUATION.
HOWEVER, WITH THE ALLOCATION
PROVIDED TO MR. SERRANO, HE'S
DONE A GOOD JO
THE FUNDING IN THE BILL AND I'M
GRATEFUL FOR EFFORTS TO PROVIDE
INCREASES TO CRITICAL PROGRAMS
SUCHS E FINANCIAL CRIMES
ENFORCEMENT NETWORK,
TREASURY TERRORISM AND FINANCIAL
INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM, DRUG FREE
COMMUNITIES AND HIGH INTENSITY
DRUG TRAFFICKING AREAS.
I'M ALSO PLEASED THAT THE BILL
PROVIDES $75 MILLION FOR D.C.
EDUCATION PROGRAMS INCLUDING $42
MILLION TO D.C. P
AND I'M HAPPY TO SOME EXTENT
THAT THE BILL DOESN'T TOTALLY
ELIMINATE THE OPPORTUNITY
SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM BUT I MUST
SAY I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT
THE PROGRAM IS LIMITED TO
STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN
THE PROGRAM.
MY OWN DAUGHTER TEACHES IN THE
D.C. PUBLIC SCHOOLS SO I KNOW
FIRSTHAND HOW THESE SCHOOLS ARE
FAILING THE CITY'S CHILDREN.
AND I ASK HOW WE CAN POSSIBLY
LIMIT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
FOR LOW INCOME STUDENTS WHEN WE
KNOW THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS
UNDERPERFORMING.
ANOTHER AREA OF THE BILL THAT
DEPARTMENT DEEPLY CONCERNS ME IS
CONTROVERSIAL CHANGES TO
LONG-STANDING GENERAL PROVISIONS
REGARDING ABORTION AND MEDICAL
MARIJUANA IN THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA.
WE HEARD MR. TIAHRT ADDRESS THAT
A LITTLE WHILE AGO.
AND LET ME THEN LASTLY DISCUSS
AN ISSUE THAT IS NOT DIRECTLY
RELATED TO THIS BILL BUT IT I
RELATED TO THE DEPAMENT OF THE
TREASURY WHICH IS PART OF OUR
BILL AND IT IS THE ADMINISTRATION OF TARP.
THE TARP HAS EATLY EXPANDED
THE FEDERAL GOVERNNT'S REACH
INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR NOT BY
PURCHASING TROUBLED ASSETS AS
WAS ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE BUT BY
PURCHASING COMMON SHARES OF
BANKS, OWNING LARGE AUTO
COMPANIES AND SUBSIDIZING HOME
MORTGAGES.
TODAY MANY DEMOCRATS, INCLUDING
THE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY OF
THE TREASURY, ARE DISCUSSING
USING TARP FUNDS TO PAY FOR YET
ANOTER STIMULUS BILL WHEN THE
FIRST STIMULUS BILL HAS ALREADY
BEEN A FAILURE.
UNEMPLOYMENT IS AT 10%, ONLY 12%
O
THE STIMULUS BILL HAS BEEN
SPENT, YET OUR FRIENDS ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE PLAN TO
SHOVE THROUGH YET MORE
GOVERNMENT SPENDING UNDER THE
GUISE OF JOB CREATION THAT'S
GOING TO DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD
AND WE'RE GOING TO OFFSET IT
WITH SURPLUS TARP FUNDING.
WELL, THE TARP FUNDING WAS NEVER
SUPPOSED TO BE USED AGAIN AND
AGAIN AND AGAIN.
OUR NATIO
TRILLION AND THE FISCAL YEAR
2010 DEFICIT IS PROJECTED TO BE
MEMBERS ARE GOING TO BE ASKED TO
INCREASE DEBT LIMITS, WE CANNOT
SUSTAIN THIS LEVEL OF SPENDI
TARP SAVINGS MUST BE USED FOR
DEBT REDUCTION AND I YIELD BACK
THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
G
THE GENTLEMAN
MASSACHUSETTS.
MR. OLVER: HOW MUCH TIME REMAINS
ON EACH SIDE?
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM HAS 13 MINUTES
REMAINING.
MINUTES REMAINING.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM IOWA HAS NINE MINUTES REMAINING.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS
IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. OLVER: I YIELD THREE MINUTES
TO THE GENTLEMAN FR NORTH
CAROLINA, MR. PRICE, WHO'S ALSO
A MEMBER OF THE TRANSPORTATION,
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
SUBCOMMITTEE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NORTH CAROLINA IS
RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.
MR. PRICE: MR. SPEAKER, OUR
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES THIS
AFTERNOON HAVE RAISED THE ISSUE
OF GUANTANAMO BAY, SO I'D LIKE
TO TAKE JUST A MOMENT TO CLARIFY
THE TREATMENT OF GUANTANAMO BAY
DETAINEES IN THIS BILL AND IN PREVIOUS BILLS.
AS OUR COLLEAGUES ASURELY -- AS
OUR COLLEAGUES SURELY KNOW, THIS
IS AN ISSUE THAT WAS DEBATED ON
THE HOMELAND SECURITY BILL.
THE BILL PRODUCED BY THE
SUBCOMMITTEE WHICH I CHAIR.
THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN SIGNED INTO LAW.
LANGUAGE IN OUR BILL RESTRICTS
THE MOVEMENT OF DETAINEES AND
REQUIRES GREATER TRANSPARENCY ON
THE PART OF THE ADMINISTRATN
AS IT DISPOSES OF EACH DETAINEE'S CASE.
IT ALLOWS THE TRANSFER OF
DETAINEES TO U.S. FOR
PROSECUTION ONLY WITH
REQUIREMENTS OF THED A -- THAT
THE ADMINISTRATION PROVIDE A
RISK MITIGATION PLAN FOR EACH
TRANSFER AND ADVANCED NOTICE TO
CONGRESS AND TO THE DESTINATION
STATE.
NOW, THAT SAME EXACT LANGUAGE
WAS CARRIED IN THE INTERIOR
APPROPRIATIONS BILL WHICH WAS
ALSO SIGNED INTO LAW AND THE
CONFERENCE REPORT BEFORE US
RESTATES THIS LANGUAGE YET
AGAIN.
EXACTLY THE SAME LANGUAGE THERE.
SHOULDN'T BE ANY CONFUSION AT
ALL AS TO WHERE CONGRESS STANDS
ON THIS ISSUE.
NOW, OUR REPUBLICAN FRIENDS IN
CONFERENCE ATTEMPTED ONCE AGAIN
TO PLAY GOTCHA WITH THIS GITMO
ISSUE.
THEY ATTEMPTED TO OVERTURN THESE
PROVISIONS INCLUDED IN PREVIOUS
BILLS AND TO BAR THE
ADMINISTRATIOFROM PROSECUTING
U.S. -- FROM PROSECUTING
DETAINEES IN U.S. CRIMINAL
COURTS.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO STRONGLY
OPPOSE ANY SUCH EFFORT TO STAND
IN THE WAY OF BRINGING
TERRORISTS TO JUSTICE.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS ALL
ABOUT.
WE MUST NOT TIE THE HANDS OF THE
DEPARTMENTS OF JUSTICE AND
DEFENSE AS THEY SEEK TO
PROSECUTE TERRORISM SUSPECTS
HOUSED AT GUANTANAMO BAY AS THEY
SEEK TO DO THAT WHERE
APPROPRIATE IN U.S. CRTS.
NOW, OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES
WOULD RATHER KEEP GUANTANAMO
OPEN, APPARENTLY, AND TO
EXCLUSIVELY USE MILITARY
TRIBUNALS FOR PROSECUTIONS.
THEY SEEM TO THINK THAT THREE
CONVICTIONS BY MILITARY
TRIBUNALS IN THE ENTIRE PERIOD
OF THEIR EXISTENCE IS AN
IMPRESSIVE RECORD.
ONE OF THOSE WAS BY A GUILTY
PLEA.
THIS ISN'T AN IMPRESSIVE RECORD,
IT'S A DISMAL RECORD.
BY CONTRAST, A RECENT ANALYSIS
OF THE 119 TERRORISM CASES
INVOLVING 289 DEFENDANTS TRIED
OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS IN U.S.
COURTS SHOWS THAT 91% CONVICTION
RATE FOR THE CASES THAT HAD BEEN
RESOLVED AS OF JUNE 2.
NOW I CAN'T TELL YOU WHETHER ONE
OPTION OR THE OTHER IS BETTER
FOR ANY GIVEN CASE, BUT THAT'S
NOT THE CALL WE HAVE TO MAKE IN
OUR APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
WE CAN, WITH CURRENT LAW, LEAVE
THAT DECISION TO THE EXPERTS IN
THE ADMINISTRATION WHO CAN BEST
DECIDE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS
WHO SHOULD BE PROSECUTED IN THE
U.S. AND WHAT MITIGATION PLANS
ARE NECESSARY TO ADDRESS ANY
RISK THAT MAY RESULT FROM THESE
TRIALS.
. ABSURD.
IT'S CRIMINAL PROSECUTION -- IS
CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AN OPTION
WE WANT TO CLOSE OFF?
OF COURSE THE ANSWER IS NO. WE SHOULD BE USING THE
SELECTED PROSECUTIONS TO SEND A
MESSAGE TO THE WORLD THAT WE
WILL NOT ALLOW TERRORISM TO
UNDERMINE THE RULE OF LAW IN OUR
COUNTRY AND WITH THAT I YIELD
BACK.
.
>> I RISE TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT
OPERATIONS OF THIS OMNIBUS
PACKAGE.
AS THE RUNNING BACKING MEMBER OF
THE SUBCOMMITTEE I'M PLEASED
THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE IT TO WORK
CLOSELY WITH CHAIRMAN LOWEY THIS
YEAR.
SHE AND HER STAFF HAVE WORKED TO
ADDRESS CONCERNS RAISED BY
COMMITTEE RMPS -- REPUBLICANS
AND BY ME AND I THANK HER FOR
HER COMMITMENT TO
BIPARTISANSHIP.
I ALSO THANK OUR SENATE
COLLEAGUES, THEIR STAFF, FOR
WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE
COMMON GROUND IN THE CONFERENCE
AGREEMENT. IN THE END, MANY SHARED
PRIORITIES WERE PRESERVED.
FUNDING NEW COMPACTS FOR THE
MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE
CORPORATN, FIGHTING DRUG
TRAFFICKING IN MEXICO, CENTRAL
AMERICA AND COLOMBIA, AND
CONTINUING SECURITY ASSISTANCE
TO KEY ALLIES LIKE ISRAEL, EGYPT
AND JORDA
FUNDS PROVIDED IN THIS BILL WILL
ALLOW STATE AND USAID TO HIRE
MORE THAN 1,000 NEW STAFF WHICH
WILL HELP BALANCE THE THREE D'S
OF SMART POWER, THE NATIONAL TO
-- THE APPROACH TO NATIONAL SECURITY.
IT WILL IN TURN SUPPORT OUR
NATION'S DEFENSE AND ALLOW OUR
MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN TO
REFOCUS ON THEIR CORE MISSION.
AS THE CONGRESS PROVIDES
ADDITIONAL STAFF AND INCREASES
FOREIGN ASSISTANCE FUNDING THE
LEVEL OF COMMITMENT TO REFORM
MUST BE EQUAL TO FUNDING
COMMITMENT MADE.
OVERSIGHT MUST BE A PRIORITY.
FOR THAT REASON THE BILL
PROVIDES $149 MILLION FOR
INSPECTORS GENERAL AND THE
OVERSIGHT PROVISIONS AND
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ARE ALSO
INCLUDED.
THE CONFERENCE AGREEMENT RETAINS
THE LANGUAGE, IT PREVENTS U.S.
TAX DOLLARS FROM GOING TO
ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT OR
PARTICIPATE IN INVOLUNTARY OR
COERCIVE METHODS OF FAMILY
PLANNING.
THERE ARE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS
ABOUT FAMILY PLANNING FUNDING
THAT GOES ABROAD AND LEGISLATIVE
SAFEGUARDS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE
THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
I REGRET THAT THIS PACKAGE LUMPS
SIX BILLS TOGETHER IN A PACKAGE
OF CLOSE TO HALF A TRILLION
DOLLARS AND DOES NOT ALLOW THIS
BODY TO ADDRESS APPROPRIATIONS
BILLS INDIVIDUALLY AND FULLY VET
THEM SO I COULD SUPPORT THEM.
.
I SUPPORT THE MANY BILLS IN THIS
PROGRAM HOWEVER WE MUST BE AWARE
OF THE TRENDOUS DEBT HELD BY
THIS COUNTRY.
AND WORK COMPETENTLY, BEING
AWARE OF THIS ISSUE.
AGAIN, I THANK CHAIRMAN LOWEY,
OUR EXCELLENT COMMITTEE STAFF
A OUR SENATE COLLEAGUES FOR
WORKING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS
SHARED PRIORITIES.
I RESERVE MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WHO
SEEKS RECOGNITION AT THIS TIME?
THE GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS.
MR. OLVER: I YIELD THREE
MINUTES TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM
WISCONSIN, MR. OBE THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WISCONSIN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.
MR. OBEY: MR. SPEAKER, I WOULD
LIKE TO COMMENT VERY BRIEFLY ON
THE COMMENTS OF THE GENTLEMAN
FROM TENNESSEE.
CRITICIZED US BECAUSE WE WERE
SOME 70 DAYS LATE IN PASSING
THE MILITARY CONSTRUCTION V.A.
APPROPRIATION BILL.
LET ME SIMPLY POINT OUT THAT WE
MAY BE 70 DAYS LATE.
BUT WE ARE GETTING THE JOB
DONE.
BASIC BILL, WE ARE FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN HISTORY PROVIDING
ADVANCED FUNDING FOR V.A. ACTIVITIES.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE
VETERANS COMMUNITY HAS WANTED
FOR YEARS AND YEARS, AND IT HAS
BEEN THIS CONGRESS THAT
DELIVERED.
THAT STANDS IN CONTRAST TO THE
PERFORMANCE OF THE MINORITY
PARTY WHEN THEY CHAIRED THIS
INSTITUTION WITH RESPECT TO
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION-V.A. BILL.
THEY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE FACT
WE WERE SEVEN DAYS LATE.
THEY NEVER PASSED THAT BILL AT
ALL.
THEY DEW POINT PASS IT IN OCTOBER.
THEY DIDN'T PASS I IN NOVEMBER
WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN 30 DAYS LATE.
THEY DIDN'T PASS IT IN DECEMBER
WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN 60 DAYS LATE.
THEY NEVER PASSED IT.
AND SO WHEN A NEW CONGRESS TOOK
OVER, WE HAD TO P
THOSE DOMESTIC APPROPRIATION
BILLS AND THE MILITARY
CONSTRUCTION BILL.
SO I THINK IT IS QUAINT INDEED
WHEN THEY ATTACK US ON
QUESTION OF PERFORMANCE ON, OF
ALL BILLS, THE MILITARY
CONSTRUCTIOBILL.
I THINK THEY NEED TO GO BACK
AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE
WHEN THEY SHARED THIS PLACE.
WITH RESPECT TO THE FUNDING
LEVELS IN THIS OVERALBILL,
LET ME SIMPLY REPEAT WHAT I
SAID EARLIER.
WHEN YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE
NECESS
VETERANS DISABILITY, FOR THE
CENSUS, FOR THE WAR COSTS WHICH
ARE NOT BEING HIDDEN IN THE
SUPPLEMENTAL AS THEY WERE UNDER
THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE FRIENDS
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE,
WHEN YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE
INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGE AND
FUND
THAT WE NEED TO PREPARE THE
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM FOR THE
LEGISLATION WHICH IS ABOUT TO
PASS, THE REST OF THE INCREASES
IN THE BILL BEFORE US AMOUNT TO
1%.
I HARDLY THINK THAT THAT'S
EXCESSIVE GIVEN THE
CRISIS THAT WE FACE.
I THANK THE G
TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM IOWA, FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES DO YOUISE?
MR. LATHAM: MR. SPEAKER, I JUST
HAVE ONE COMMENT.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. LATHAM: I THAT I -- THINK
IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THE
GENTLEMAN TALKED ABOUT WE ARE
FINALLY GETTING MILITARY
FUNDING.
TH
FUNDING ARE DEFENSE, WHICH WILL
BE 80 DAYS OUT FROM THE START
OF THE NEW
THE MILITARY
BILL.
BUT IF YOU REMBER BACK WITH
THE SCHEDULE THE VERY FIRST
BILL THAT WAS PASSED AND SIGNED
INTO LAW WAS TO FUND CONGRESS ITSELF.
SO WE TOOK CARE OF
HERE FIRST.
AND THE MILITARY WAS THE VERY,
VERY LAST.
I THINK THAT'S VERY
UNFORTUNATE.
I'M NOW PL
MINUTES TO TH
OHIO, MR. LATOURETTE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN FROM OHIO IS
RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES.
MR. LATOURETTE: I THANK THE
SPEAKER AND I THANK THE GENTLEMAN FOR YIELDING.
I'M GOING TO BREAK THE MOLD
HERE AND SAYOMETHING NICE
ABOUT FIVE PAGES OF THE BILL.
THIS BILL IN FRONT OF ME, I
THINK IT WAS FIVE PAGES RIGHT
HERE, AND SAY SOMETHING NICE
ABOUT MR. OBEY AS WELL AND MR.
SERRANO.
BY WAY OF HISTORY, PEOPLE KNOW
THAT THE AUTO INDUSTRY IN THIS
COUNTRY GOT IN TROUBLE.
AND THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION
MADE A DECISION TO USE LEFTOVER
TARP FUNDS TO BAIL OUT CHRYSLER
AND GENERAL MOTORS.
BOTH CAR COMPANIES SUBMITTED
REORGANIZATION PLANS IN
FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR AND BOTH
WERE REJECTED BY THE TASK
FORCE.
THE AUTO TASK FORCE WAS A
STRANGE COLLECTION OF PEOPLE
THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE
IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY AT ALL.
MOST DIDN'T OWN CARS.
THOSE THAT DID OWNED FOREIGN CARS.
THEY DETERMINED THAT THE CAR
COMPANIES HAD TO BE MORE
AGGRESSIVE WHEN IT CAME TO DEALERSHIPS.
AS A RESULT, ABOUT 800 CHRYSLER
DEALERS WERE CLOSED.
AND ABOUT 2,000 G.M. DEALERS.
THE PROBLEM BE WITH THAT IS
WITH RAMPANT UNEMPLOYMENT,
ABOUT 60 PEOPLE WORK AT EACH
CAR DEALERSHIP ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
CAR DEALERSHIPS DON'T COST THE
CAR COMPANIES Y MONEY AND IT
WAS A STRANGE WAY TO DO
BUSINESS.
POTENTILY TAKE 200,000 PEOPLE
AND PUT THEM ON THE STREET.
A COUPLE OF YOUNG FRESH FACED
DEMOCRATS, MR. MAFFEI OF NEW
YORK AND CATOVILLE OF MARYLAND
LAUNCH -- KRATIL OF MARYLAND,
LAUNCHED A LEGISLATIVE EFFORT.
BUT ONE OF THE PIECES OF
LEGISLATION TO LEAVE TOWN WERE
THE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS.
WE DRAFTED SOME LANGUAGE AND
PUT IT IN MR. SERRANO'S BILL
AND MR. OBEY TOOK IT.
MR. SERRANO AND MR. OBEY TOOK T
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO.
THEY PROBABLY GOT IN TROUBLE
FOR TAKING IT.
THAT BECAME THE 800-POUND
GORILLA THAT HAD TO BE DEALT
WITH AS GENERAL MOTORS AND
CHRYSLER MOVED FORWARD ON HOW
TO DEAL WITH THIS DEALER SITUATION.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY SOMETHING
NICE ABOUT THE MAJORITY LEADER, MR. HOYER.
HE TOOK UP THE MANTEL AND SAID
WE ARE GOING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
AS A RESULT THE FIVE PAGES THAT
ARE HERE IN THE BILL INDICATE
THAT THOSE AGGRIEVED DEALERS
NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BINDING ARBITRATION AND THE
FACTS NEED TO BE BROUGHT
FORWARD AND HOPEFULLY FAIRNESS
WILL BE -- PREVAIL, BUT THAT WO
SOMETHING GOOD AND BIPARTISAN
HAPPENING IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
I YIELD BACK.
E SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
WHO SEEKS RECOGNITION AT THIS TIME?
THE GENTLEMAN FROM IOWA.
MR. LATHAM: MR. SPEAKER, IT IS
MY HONOR TO YIELD ONE MINUTE TO
THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE
HOUSE, THE GENTLEMAN FROM OHIO,
MR. BOEHNER.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
FOR ONE MINUTE.
MR.
WE'RE BROKE.
AMERICA'S BROKE.
ALL YEAR LONG OUR FRIENDS
ACROSS THE AISLE HAVE BEEN ON
THIS MASSIVE SPENDING SPREE
THAT OUR NATION CAN'T AFFORD.
WE HAVE A TRILLION STIMULUS
BILL THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO
CREATE JOBS IMMEDIATELY AND YET
UNEMPLOYMENT IS NOW 10% OF
AMERICA.
THREE MILLION PEOPLE HAVE LOST
THEIR JOBS SINCE THE BILL WAS
SIGNED INTO LAW.
WE PASSED A BUDGET THAT'S GOING
TO DOUBLE THE NATIONAL DEBT IN
FIVE YEARS, TRIPLE IT IN 10
YEARS.
WE HAVE A $12 TRILLION NATIONAL DEBT.
WE BROUGHT A NATIONAL ENERGY
TAX BILL TO THE FLOOR THAT'S
GOING TO COST $1 TRILLION.
PASSED OF IT.
THE HEALTH CARE BILL HERE
SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, ANOTHER
TRILLION DOLLARS, PASSED IT.
WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO SAY
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH?
HERE WE ARE TODAY, WRAPPING SIX
APPROPRIATION BILLS TOGETHER.
WE ARE GOING TO SPEND HALF A
TRILLION DOLLARS, AND IT'S GOT
OVER 5,000 EARMARKS IN THE
BILL.
THINGS LIKE $292,000 FOR THE
ELIMINATION OF SLUM AND BLIGHT
IN SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.
$300,000 FOR A MUSIC AND
EDUCATION PROGRAM AT NEW YORK
CITY'S CARNEGIE HALL WHERE THEY
PAY THE EMPLOYEE WHO RUNS THIS
PROGRAM $530,000 A YEAR IN
SALARY AND BENEFITS.
AND THERE'S PLENTY IN HERE FOR
WASHINGTON AS WELL.
$1350,000 FOR THE NATIONAL
BUILDLING MUSEUM.
$250,000 FOR WOLF TRAP CENTER
FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IN OUR
CONCERT VENUE.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WORTHY ANY
OF THESE PROJECTS ARE, I DO
HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION, ARE
THEY MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR
KIDS AND GRANDKIDS WHO HAVE TO
PAY THE DEBT?
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY
TO SPEND ON THIS.
IT'S OUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS
THAT ARE GOING TO PAY FOR IT.
AND YET WE CAN'T FIND WAYS TO
CUT SPENDING.
BEFORE THE PRESIDENT TOOK
OFFICE, HE SAID, HE WANTS TO GO
THROUGH THE BUDGET AND THESE
BILLS LINE BY LINE AND PAGE BY
PAGE.
BILLION OMNIBUS SPENDING BILL
EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH 9,000
EARMARKS, THE PRESIDENT SIGNED
IT AND HE SAID, WELL, THAT WAS
LAST YEAR'S BUSINESS.
NOW THE PRESIDENT SS REDUNG
THE DEFICIT IS NEXT YEAR'S
BUSINESS.
AND THAT WE NEED TO SPEND OUR
WAY OUT OF THIS ECONOMIC
RESCISSION WE AREN.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT OHT TO
GO THROUGH THIS BILL LINE BY
LINE AND PAGE BY PAGE.
ALL 2,500 PAGES OF IT.
AND THEN MAYBE THEY'LL FIGURE
OUT WE DON'T NEED TO BE
SPENDING THIS MONEY WE DON'T
HAVE AND PROBABLY MORE AND --
PILING MORE AND MORE DEBT ON
THE BACKS OF OUR KIDS AND
GRANDKIDS.
INSTEAD OUR BOND RATING, OUR
TRIPLE-A BOND RATING IS IN
JEOPARDY, AND OUR DEMOCRAT
FRIENDS WANT TO RAISE THE DEBT
LIMIT NEXT WEEK BY $1.8
TRILLION.
LET'S STOP THE MADNESS AND VOTE
NO.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
WHO SEEK REX NATION? THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS.
MR. OLVER: HOW MUCH TIME DOES
EACH SIDE NOW HAVE.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN HAS SEVEN MINUTES REMAINING.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM IOWA HAS
THREE MINUTES REMAING.
MR. OLVER:
THREE MINUTES TO THE GENTLEMAN
FROM WISCONSIN, MR. OBEY.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN FROM WISCONSIN IS
RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.
MR. OBEY: MR. SPEAKER, I REGRET
THAT THIS HAS BECOME ANOTHER
TYPICAL WHO SHOT JOHN DEBATE,
BUT SINCE IT HAS, LET ME
RESPOND TO THE DISTINGUISHED
MINORITY LEADER.
LET'S COMPARE WHAT PRESIDENT
OBAMA INHERITED WITH WHAT
PRESIDENT BUSH INHERITED.
WHEN PRESIDENT BUSH WALKED INTO
THE WHITE HOUSE HE INHERITED $6
TRILLION IN PROJECTED
SURPLUSES.
HE INHERITED THREE YE
ROW OF BUDGET SURPLUSES UNDER PRESIDENT CLINTON.
AND HE INHERITED AN ECONOMY IN
WHICH ALL
ALL INCOME GROUPS SAW THEIR
INCOME RISE BY ROUGHLY THE SAME
PERCENTAGE.
IN CONTRAST WHEN MR. OBAMA
WALKED INTO THE WHITE HOUSE HE
INHERITED $1 TRI
HE INHERITED T
PAID FOR ON THE CUFF BUT WITH
BORROWED MONEY.
HE INHERITED $6 TRILLION IN
PROJECTED DEFICITS.
AND HE INHERITED AN ECONOMY IN
WHICH FOR SIX STRAIGHT YEARS
THE INME GROWTH IN THIS
COUNTRY, 94% OF THAT INCOME
GROWTH WENT TO THE WEALTHIEST
10% OF PEOPLE AND EVERYBOD
ELSE GOT TABLE SCRAPS.
IN ADDITION, HE INHERITED AN
ECONOMY THAT WAS PROJECTED TO
HAVE A
BECAUSE OF THE BIGGEST COLLAPSE
OF THE ECONOMY IN 75 YEARS.
AND SO INDEED MR. OBAMA AND THE
MAJORITY PARTY IN THIS CONGRESS
SPENT MONEY TO TRY TO PRIME THE
PUMP TO KEEP THE ECONOMY GOING
BECAUSE WE WERE LOSING 700,000
JOBS A MONTH.
THE LAST THREE MONTHS OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION.
.
WE HAVE NOT GOT THAT DONE LAST
MONTH.
IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH BUT IT'S
CERTAINLY A LOT BETTER THAN THE
SITUATION WAS WHEN WE INHERITED
IT.
THE GENTL
DEBT CEILING.
THE DEBT HAS ALREADY BEEN
UP AND NOW THE QUESTION IS, WHEN
THE BILL COMES IN THE MAIL, IS
IT GOING TO BE PAID OR NOT?
THE FACT IS, OTHER THAN $1.8
TRILLION DEBT INCREASE, $1.4
TRILLION OF THAT IS DIRECTLY
TRACEBLE TO POLICY ACTIONS THAT
WERE TAKEN BY THE PREVIOUS
ADMINISTRATION IN THE PREVIOUS
REPUBLICAN CONGRESS AND $400
TRACEBLE TO THE ACTIONS WE'VE
HAD TO TAKE TO TRY TO BAIL THE
ECONOMY OUT OF THE MESS THAT YOU
FOLKS GOT US INTO.
SO IF YOU WANT TO START
COMPARING RECORDS, I'D BE HAPPY
TO.
I'D MUCH PREFER TO TALK ABOUT
INDIVIDUAL -- AND THE INDIVIDUAL
PROGRAMS IN THIS BILL BUT SINCE
SOME OF THE GENTLEM ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE PREFER
TO POLITICIZE EVERYTNG, I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE TH
DEBATE AT THAT LEVEL.
EXPECT VERY LITTLE BUT THAT FROM
THE OTHER SIDE, I REGRET TO SAY.
DO I WANT TO THANK THE GENTLEMAN
FROM OHIO FOR TRYING TO INSERT A
DEB
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
WHO SEEKS RENGNIGS AT THIS TIME?
THE GENTLEMAN FROM IOWA.
MR. LATHAM: MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD
MYSELF AS MUCH TIME AS I MAY
CONSUME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. LATHAM: I'M FIRST OF ALL
GOING TO CLOSE, I DON'T KNOW IF
THE GENTLEMAN HAS MORE SPEAKERS,
BUT I'M PLANNING ON CLOSING.
I JUST WANT TO THANK THE STAFF
ON BOTH SIDES, BUT IN OUR
SUBCOMMITTEE AND TREASURY AND
H.U.D., DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB,
WORK TOGETHER AND JUST VERY,
VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT
THEY'VE DONE AND THE KIND OF
COMMITMENT THEY'VE SHOWN AND
JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR
HAVE EXHIBITED THROUGHOUT THIS
WHOLE PROCESS.
MR. SPEAKER, I'M GOING TO OPPOSE
THIS FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
NUMBER ONE, THE
$450 BILLION BILL IS A 14%
INCREASE IN SPENDING OVER LAST
HURTING, WE CANNOT AFFORD THIS
KINDF ADDITIONAL DEBT THAT'S
BEING PUT ON TAXPAYERS ON THE
FAMILIES AT HOME.
REALIZING THAT IN THE LAST TWO
YEARS DISCRETIONARY SPENDING IN
THIS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HAS INCREASED NOW
MONEY ON DISCRETIONARY MONEY
BEING SPENT TODAY THAN JUST TWO YEARS AGO.
DOES ANYBODY AT HOME HAVE 85%
MORE MONEY TODAY THAN WHAT THEY
HAD TWO YEARS AGO?
IS IT RESPONSIBLE IN ANY WAY,
SHAPE OR FORM TO HAVE THAT KIND
OF AN INCREASE?
THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS, I APPRECIATE HIS
PROFESSIONALISM, MADE THE CASE,
BASICALL
WE HELD DOWN SPENDING
PREVIOUS
AND THIS EXPLOSION THAT WE'VE
SEEN JUST THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET
IS SIMPLY WRONG.
WE CANNOT SUSTAIN
ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATIONS.
THEY'RE GOING TO PAY THIS BILL
AND THE
PAY THIS BILL AND IT SIMPLY IS
NOT FAIR, IT'S GENERATIONAL
THEFT, AND WE'VE GOT TO FINALLY
HOLD T
IN THIS CONGRESS AND FIND SOME
KIND OF SANITY AROUND HER
THAT EVERYONE WOULD VOTE NO.
WE COULD GET SOME
COULD SEPARATE THESE BILLS, HAVE
THEM DONE CORRECTLY AND IN A
RESPONSIBLE WAY AND JUST ONE
OTHER THING IN CLOSING, I WANT
TO AGAIN THANK CHAIRMAN OLVER
FOR BEING A VERY
HIS PROFESSIONALISM AND SOMEONE
THINK A REALLY ADMIRE.
SO WITH THAT, MR. SPEAKER, I
YIELD BACK.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MASSACHUSETTS, FOR WHATURPOSE DO YOU RISE?
MR. OLVER:
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR FOUR
MINUTES.
MR. OLVER: MR. SPEAKER, MY
COUNTERPART, THE RANKING MEMBER
FROM IOWA, HAS GRACIOUSLY
THANKED THE PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES
WHO HAVE DONE ALL THE WORK, THAT
OUR SUBCOMMITTEE DEALT WITH.
ACTUALLY SINCE THERE'S SIX
DIFFERENT BILLS HERE I WOULD
LIKE TO EXTEND THAT THANKS TO
THE PEOPLE ON THE STAFFS
OF THE SIX SUBCOMMITTEES ON EACH
SIDE OF THE AISLE WHO PUT
COUNTLESS HOURS INTO THE WORK
THAT HAS BROUGHT THIS BILL TO
THE FLOOR AT T
BUT PARTICULARLY LET ME JUST
PERSONALIZE IT ONE MORE STEP.
ON OUR SIDE MY
CATE CALLAHAN, AND ON THE
REPUBLICAN SIDE, THEIR CLERK,
DEAN VERAN, AND THE PEOPLE WHO
WORK UNDER THEM, FOR THEM AND
WITH THEM AND FOR US AND FOR THE
PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY, THEY HAVE
DONE AN EXEMPLARY JOB IN THE
H.U.D. COMMITTEE AS I THINK EACH
OF THE OTHER GROUPS HAVE DONE
FOR THEIR OWN PTICULAR
SUBCOMMITTEES.
I PREFER YOU SHOULD ALL BE VERY
GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL
AND I'M GOING TO URGE PASSAGE AS
I CLOSE, WITH THE PASSAGE OF
THIS BILL WE WILL, ON OUR SIDE,
HAVE COMPLETED THE WORK ON 11 OF
THE 12 BILLS AND THEREBY WE WILL
BE A VERY LARGE STEP CLOSER TO
THE FINISH OF THE BUDGETARY
PROCESS NECESSARY TO COMPLETE
THE YEAR -- TO PROVIDE FOR THE
YEAR 2010.
AND SO I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC
TO
RISES FROM THE SHOULDERS OF ALL
THE CHAIRS AND RANKING MEMBERS
OF THE SUBCOMMITTEES.
AND WITH THAT LET ME JUST URGE A
YES VOTE ON THE -- ON THIS
BUDGET BILL IN ORDER TO BE ABLE
TO REACH THAT POINT VERY CLOSE
AND I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF
MY TIME.
THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
ALL TIME FOR DEBATE HAS EXPIRED.
UNDER THE RULE THE THE PREVIOUS
QUESTION IS ORDERED.
THE QUESTION IS ON ADOPTION OF
THE CONFERENCE REPORT.
THE YEAS AND NAYS ARE ORDERED.
MEMBERS WILL RECORD THEIR VOTES
BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE.
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 8 OF RULE 20,
THIS 15-MINUTE VOTE ON ADOPTION
OF THE CONFERENCE REPORT WILL BE
FOLLOWED BY A FIVE-MINUTE VOTE
ON SUSPENDING THE RULES AND
PASSI
MEMBERS WILL LORD THEIR --
RECORD THEIR VOTES BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE.
THIS SHALL BE A 15-MINUTE VOTE.
[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY THE
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INC., IN COOPERATION WITH THE
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
ANY USE OF THE CLOSED-CAPTIONED
COVERAGE OF THE HOUSE
PROCEEDINGS FOR POLITICAL OR
COMMERCIAL PURPOSES IS EXPRESSLY
PROHITED BY THE U.S. HOUSE OF