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WE'RE WAITING FOR MEMBERS TO
COME IN.
THE
FOLLOWING COMMUNICATION.
THE HONORABLE, THE SPEAKER,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SIR,
I WRITE TO INFORM YOU THAT I
HAVE NOTIFIED CALIFORNIA
GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN OF MY
RESIGNATION OF THE HOUSE
EFFECTIVE TODAY TO ASSUME THE
RESPONSIBILITIES OF PRESIDENT,
DIRECTOR, AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER OF THE BULSON WOODROW
SCHOLARS.
THE PRIVILEGE OF REPRESENTING
THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA'S 36TH
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT FOR 17
YEARS HAS BEEN AN HONOR WITHOUT
EQUAL.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU TO ENSURE AN ORDERLY
TRANSITION FOR MY SUCCESSOR.
SIGNED SINCERELY, JANE HARMAN,
MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
UNDER
CLAUSE 5-D OF RULE 20, THE
CHAIR ANNOUNCES TO THE HOUSE IN
LIGHT OF THE RESIGNATION OF THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM CALIFORNIA,
MS. HARMAN, THE WHOLE NUMBER OF
THE HOUSE IS 433.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM GEORGIA RISE?
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
MR. SPEAKER, I ASK FOR UNANIMOUS
CONSENT THAT IT MAY BE IN ORDER
AT ANY TIME ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH
9, 2011, FOR THE SPEAKER TO
DECLARE A RECESS SUBJECT TO THE
CALL OF THE CHAIR FOR THE
PURPOSE OF RECEIVING IN JOINT
MEETING THE HONORABLE JULIA GA
LARD, PRIME MINISTER OF
AUSTRALIA -- GALLARD, PRIME
MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
THE HOUSE WILL BE IN ORDER.
MEMBERS, PLEASE TAKE THEIR
CONVERSATIONS FROM THE FLOOR.
THE
CHAIR LAYS BEFORE THE HOUSE THE
FOLLOWING PERSONAL REQUESTS.
LEAVES OF ABSENCE
REQUESTED FOR MR. HANNA OF NEW
YORK FOR TODAY AND THE BALANCE
OF THE WEEK, MR. JONES OF NORTH
CAROLINA FOR TODAY AND MR. YOUNG
OF FLORIDA FOR TODAY AND MARCH 1
WITHOUT
OBJECTION, THE REQUESTS ARE
GRANTED.
SPOIT -- SPOIPT CHAIR WILL
ENTERTAIN REQUESTS FOR ONE --
THE
CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN REQUESTS
FOR ONE-MINUTE SPEECHES.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM PENNSYLVANIA
RISE?
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
MR. SPEAKER, I
RISE TO RECOGNIZE A MAN WHO HAS
SERVED THE YOUTH OF AMERICA IN
THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE OF THE
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA.
RONALD BROWN CURRENTLY SERVES AT
THE AREA SIX DIRECTOR OF THE
NORTHEAST REGION BOY SCOUTS OF
AMERICA.
RON RETIRES ON APRIL 1 AFTER AN
ASTOUNDING 48 YEARS OF SERVICE.
RON'S B.S.A. CAREER STARTED IN
1963 AS A DISTRICT EXECUTIVE IN
HE HAS SERVED AS A FIELD
DIRECTOR, CAMPING DRECKEDER,
DIRECTOR OF SUPPORT SERVICES,
DRECKEDER OF FIELD SERVICES,
SCOUT EXECUTIVE AND AREA
DIRECTOR.
HIS SERVICE HAS LED HIM FROM
ALABAMA TO POSTS IN TEXAS,
ILLINOIS, NEW JERSEY,
PENNSYLVANIA AND EVEN GERMANY.
RON RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR OF
ARTS DEGREE IN MATHEMATICS IN
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.
HE HAS BEEN A FREQUENT STAFF
MEMBER OF CAMP SCHOOLS AND
NUMEROUS OTHER B.S.A. TRAINING
EVENTS.
RON BROWN HAS SERVED THE YOUTH
OF THIS NATION THROUGH THE BOY
SCOUTS OF AMERICA WITH GREAT
DISTINCTION.
I WISH RON AND HIS WIFE ALL THE
WELL DONE, SCOUTER.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLELADY FROM FLORIDA RISE?
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE GENTLELADY IS RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER, AND MEMBERS OF THE
HOUSE.
I RISE TODAY VERY DISAPPOINTED
WITH THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE
OF FLORIDA, RICK SCOTT.
LAST WEEK THE GOVERNOR TOLD THE
TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY LAHOOD
THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA COULD
DO WITHOUT THE $2.5 BILLION IN
FEDERAL HIGHWAY FUNDS FOR RAIL.
THIS MONEY POSED NO RISK TO THE
PEOPLE OF FLORIDA AND WOULD
CREATE OVER 60,000 JOBS FOR
FLORIDIANS.
UNFORTUNATELY GOVERNOR SEEMED TO
BE MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN
POLITICS THAN CREATING JOBS OR
IMPROVING THE TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM FOR THE GREAT PEOPLE OF
FLORIDA.
TURNING DOWN HIGH SPEED RAIL
FUNDS WOULD DO NOTHING TO BRING
FLORIDA'S 12% UNEMPLOYMENT
AND IN SOME AREAS 15%.
INDEED, THE HIGH SPEED RAIL PLAN
FOR FLORIDA SERVES AS A TRUE
EXAMPLE OF A SUCCESSFUL
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AND
THE D.O.T. STATISTICS SHOW THAT
FOR EVERY $1 BILLION SPENT IN
RAIL, IT GENERATES $42,000 --
42,000 PERMANENT JOBS.
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM MINNESOTA RISE?
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE, REVISE AND EXTEND.
WITHOUT
RECOGNIZED.
MR. SPEAKER, I RISE TO
CONGRATULATE MINNESOTA'S 2011
2-A GIRLS STATE CHAMPIONS IN
THEIR FIRST EVER TOURNAMENT
APPEARANCE, THE SKIPPERS SKATED
TO VICTORY WITH AN IMPRESSIVE
3-2 VICTORY WIN OVER THE
HORNETS.
AFTER NEARLY THREE PERIODS OF
NAIL-BITING ACTION, AMY PETERSON
SCORED HER SECOND GOAL OF THE
GAME, SOLIDIFYING THEIR PLACE IN
MINNESOTA HOCKEY HISTORY.
UNDER THE DIRECTION
OF HEAD COACH ERIC JOHNSON, THE
SKIPPERS ENDED THEIR SEASON WITH
A REMARKABLE 29 WINS, ONE LOSS
AND ONE TIE.
THE MESSAGE ON THE TEAM'S
T-SHIRTS SAYS IT BEST.
ALL OUT, ALL GAME, ALL SEASON,
ALL IT TAKES, ALL YOU'VE GOT.
THE GIRL'S HOCKEY TEAM GAVE IT
THEIR ALL ALL SEASON.
THEIR TALENT, DEDICATION AND
PASSION MAKES THE TEAM
CHAMPIONS.
CONGRATULATIONS, SKIPPERS.
I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TENNESSEE RISE?
TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE.
WITHOUT
RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF BLACK
HISTORY MONTH.
A MONTH WHEN WE REFLECT BACK ON
AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO HAVE
CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH TO OUR
COUNTRY AND OUR WORLD.
ONE MAN WHOSE LIFE ENCAPSULATES
THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN STRUGGLE
WAS THURGOOD MARSHALL.
AND GEORGE STEVENS PRODUCED A
PLAY CALLED "THURGOOD" AT THE
KENNEDY CENTER.
THE PLAY HAS BEEN PUT TO FILM ON
HBO.
I THINK IT'S STILL AVAILABLE ON
HBO, AT LEAST ON DEMAND.
IT'S A STORY OF A MAN WHO WAS
COMMITTED TO JUSTICE, THROUGH
THE NAACP HE ARGUED BROWN VS.
BOARD OF EDUCATION.
MOST SIGNIFICANT CIVIL RIGHTS,
MAYBE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
SUPREME COURT CASE OF ALL TIME.
AFRICAN-AMERICAN SUPREME COURT
THAT COURT.
HE WAS A MAN WHO NEVER FORGOT
WHERE HE CAME FROM AND HIS
RESPONSIBILITY AND DUTY TO SEE
HE CARRIED ON JUSTICE AND THE
FIGHT HE CARRIED WITH HIM AS AN
ATTORNEY ON THE COURT.
AND TO SEE THE SOCIAL JUSTICE
IN AMERICA BECAME THE COUNTRY
THAT IT WAS PROMISED AND THE
CONSTITUTION AND THE
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE BUT
HAS NOT BECOME EXCEPT THROUGH
SUPREME COURT RULING.
THANK GOD FOR THURGOOD MARSHALL
AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO
WATCH THE PRODUCTION ON HBO AND
LIFE.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER AND I
YIELD BACK MY TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS SEEK
RECOGNITION?
I REQUEST PERMISSION TO
ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
WE HAVE COME TO THE END OF A
LONG CHAPTER IN AMERICAN
HISTORY.
THE LONE U.S. SURVIVOR OF WORLD
WAR I FRANK BUCKLES DIED AT THE
INCREDIBLE AGE OF 110.
AT 16, FRANK BUCKLES LIED ABOUT
HIS AGE SO HE COULD JOIN THE
ARMY IN 1917 AND GO OVER THERE
TO FIGHT FOR THE CAUSE OF
AMERICA.
HE DROVE AN AMBULANCE IN WORLD
WAR I IN EUROPE AND DURING
WORLD WAR II BUCKLES WAS
CAPTURED BY THE JAPANESE AND
PHILIPPINES AND HELD AS A
PRISON OF WAR FOR THREE YEARS.
UNTIL RECENTLY BUCKLES
CONTINUED TO DRIVE HIS TRACTOR
ON HIS FARM IN WEST VIRGINIA.
IT WAS BUCKLES' PASSION TO HAVE
A NOIRL BUILT ON THE CAPITAL
MALL TO HONOR ALL THE
HE WE HAVE MEMORIALS FOR ALL
THE OTHER WARS OF THE LAST
CENTURY BUT NOT ONE FOR WORLD
WAR II.
I MET CORPORAL BUCKLES WHEN WE
INTRODUCED THIS LEGISLATION
NAMED IN HIS HONOR.
IT'S TIME WE BUILD SUCH A
MEMORIAL AND TIME WE ALSO ALLOW
FRANK BUCKLES TO LIE IN STATE
IN THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA.
HISTORY MUST REMEMBER THIS LAST
PATRIOT OF WORLD WAR I AND THE
FOUR MILLION OTHER AMERICANS
WAY IT IS.
I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
GENTLELADY FROM TEXAS SEEK
RECOGNITION?
TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE
GENTLELADY IS RECOGNIZED FOR
ONE MINUTE.
JUST LAST WEEK IN
HOUSTON, TEXAS, IN A PRIVATE
HOME CALLED JACKIE'S DAYCARE,
SEVEN BABIES UNDER 3 YEARS OLD
WERE SUBJECTED TO A HORRIFIC
INFERNO, A FIRE.
AS THE CARETAKER OR THE OWNER
OF THIS CHILDCARE FACILITY, AS
THE FACTS UNFOLD WE BELIEVE
FEDERAL FUNDING WAS INVOLVED,
FIRST THERE WAS A
REPRESENTATION THAT SHE WAS IN
THE HOME AND HAD FAINTED, BUT
OVER THE LAST 72 HOURS IT WAS
DETERMINED SHE HAD GONE TO THE
GROCERY STORE.
FOUR BABIES ARE DEAD, TWO ARE
IN A BURN UNIT AND ONE IS
FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE IN
ANOTHER FACILITY.
I AM STANDING HERE TODAY, MY
VOICE CAN BE HEARD TO SAY HOW
MANY PEOPLE NEED DAYCARE AND
HAVE TO SUBJECT THEMSELVES TO
THESE KINDS OF HOMES?
SHE WAS 22, MAYBE SHE CARED FOR
THE CHILDREN BUT RIGHT NOW SHE
HAS FLED THE COUNTRY.
I AM ASKING
HER TO RETURN.
I AM ASKING HER FAMILY MEMBERS
TO RETURN SO THAT SHE CAN
RECEIVE JUSTICE SO THESE
FAMILIES CAN HEAL.
THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO ADDRESS
RESPONSIBILITY.
FOUR FAMILIES ARE BURYING
BABIES WHO WOULD HAVE HAD
WONDERFUL FUTURES WHO SIMPLY
ATTEMPTED TO WORK AND HAVE A
PLACE SAFE AND SECURE FOR THEM
TO BE.
NOW THEY ARE DEAD.
MS. PATAH, YOU'RE 22 YEARS OLD.
COME BACK IN THIS COUNTRY AND
GET IN LINE FOR THE JUSTICE YOU
DESERVE.
WE ARE COMING AFTER YOU.
I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLELADY YIELDS BACK.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM MINNESOTA,
WHY DOES HE SEEK RECOGNITION?
TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE.
WELL.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE
MINUTE.
WE'RE GOING IN
CONGRESS HAVING BEEN IN SESSION
MANY DAYS NOW.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SEVEN WEEKS
WHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN IN
WASHINGTON WORKING IN ANOTHER
SEVERAL WEEKS WHERE WE'VE BEEN
AT HOME IN OUR DISTRICTS
WORKING AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN ONE
SINGLE SOLITARY REPUBLICAN JOBS
BILL YET.
MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN
ARE THEY GOING TO GET TO THE
BUSINESS OF THE PEOPLE ELECTED
THEM FOR?
THE REPUBLICANS RAN ON A WHERE
ARE THE JOBS AGENDA?
I REMEMBER IT RINGING IN MY
EARS SO MANY WEEKS AGO AND HERE
WE ARE 10 WEEKS IN AND THEY
HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.
MS. SPEAKER, I WAS IN MY
DISTRICT LAST WEEK TALKING TO
PEOPLE ABOUT JOBS, TALKING
ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT.
I WAS IN THE WORK FORCE CENTER,
I WAS AT JOB SITES TALKING TO
PEOPLE AND I'M TELLING YOU,
PEOPLE WITH JOBS ARE NERVOUS
AND AFRAID THEY MIGHT LOSE THEM
LOSING HOPE.
THEY'RE LOSING HOUSES.
THEY'RE LOSING THEIR LIVES,
AND I JUST IMPLORE THE MAJORITY
CAUCUS, MR. SPEAKER, TO GET ON
THE QUESTION OF JOBS AND STOP
THIS REPUBLICAN NO JOB AGENDA.
IT'S TIME TO BRING SOME JOB
BILLS TO THE FLOOR TO HEED THE
JOBS NOW.
I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLELADY FROM FLORIDA RISE?
TO ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE AND REVISE AND EXTEND MY
REMARKS.
THE
GENTLELADY IS RECOGNIZED FOR
ONE MINUTE.
I RISE
TO RECOGNIZE THE GENTLELADY'S
STRONG LEADERSHIP.
SINCE 1999 MS. ARMSTRONG SERVED
AS MAYOR OF PLANTATIONS,
PROMOTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND
REVITALIZING PARKS AND
NEIGHBORHOODS AND ENRICHING THE
LOCAL COMMUNITY.
AS THE FIRST FEMALE COUNCIL
MEMBER IN PLANTATION, A
POSITION SHE HELD 16 YEARS, RAY
CAROL ARMSTRONG WAS KNOWN FOR
SUPPORTING RECREATION GROUPS.
HER SPECIAL ABILITY TO WORK
WITH A BROAD ARRAY OF INTERESTS
ALLOWED MAYOR ARMSTRONG TO
SHEPHERD THE CITY IN THE NEW
MILLENNIUM WHILE MAINTAINING
THE CLOSE-KNIT APPEAL.
BENEFITED NOT ONLY THE
RESIDENTS OF PLANTATION BUT THE
ENTIRE SOUTH FLORIDA COMMUNITY.
IN THAT SPIRIT, ALL OF SOUTH
FLORIDA THANKS HER FOR HER MANY
YEARS OF SERVICE AND WE WISH
HER GREAT SUCCESS IN HER FUTURE
ENDEAVOR, THANK YOU, RAE CAROL.
AND THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER, I
YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE
GENTLELADY YIELDS BACK.
FOR ONE-MINUTE SPEECHES?
FURTHER REQUESTS?
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED
POLICY OF JANUARY 7, 2003 --
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED
POLICY OF JANUARY 5, 2011, THE
GENTLELADY FROM THE ***
ISLANDS, MS. CHRISTENSEN, IS
RECOGNIZED AS THE DESIGNEE OF
THE MINORITY LEADER.
IT'S AN HONOR
TO RECOGNIZE BLACK HISTORY
MONTH AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE
WHO HAVE WRITTEN THAT HISTORY
THROUGH THEIR LIFE'S
CONTRIBUTIONS.
BUT ALSO TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE
CUTS THE REPUBLICANS ARE
PROPOSING TO EVERYTHING EXCEPT
TAXES FOR THE WEALTHY THREATENS
TO TAKE US BACK DECADES, IF NOT
CENTURIES TO A PLACE WHERE
AMERICA WAS NOT IN HER FINEST
HOUR, A TIME WHEN THE POOR, THE
RURAL, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR WERE
DENIED EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO
EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, JOBS
WITH DECENT WAGES AND
PROTECTIONS AND THE POSSIBILITY
OF HOMEOWNERSHIP.
WE CANNOT AND MUST NOT GO BACK
THERE.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE TO START
THIS HOUR WITH US, A LEADER IN
HIS DISTRICT IN SOUTH CAROLINA,
A LEADER OF HAD HIS STATE OF
THIS CONGRESS AND OF THIS
COUNTRY, THE ASSISTANT MINORITY
LEADER, CONGRESSMAN JAMES
CLYBURN.
I THANK THE
GENTLELADY FOR YIELDING ME THIS
TIME AND I WANT TO THANK HER
FOR ORGANIZING THIS SPECIAL
ORDER IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY
MONTH.
I WANT TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO
TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE.
LAST DECEMBER WHEN FACED WITH
THE PROSPECT THAT TAX RATES FOR
THE RICHEST 2% OF AMERICANS
WOULD RISE TO WHERE THEY WERE
IN THE 1990'S, WHEN WE BALANCED
THE BUDGET AND ENJOYED
UNPRECEDENTED PROSPERITY,
REPUBLICANS DECIDED THAT
EXTENDING THESE UNNECESSARY AND
UNAFFORDABLE TAX CUTS WAS THEIR
NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
AS YOU ALL REMEMBER, THEY GAVE
MUCH--- HELD MUCH NEEDED RELIEF
TO THE MIDDLE CLASS HOSTAGE.
THAT RELIEF TO THE MIDDLE CLASS
WAS HELD HOSTAGE.
AND THEY GOT THEIR TAX CUT FOR
MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES.
ACCORDING TO THE JOINT
COMMITTEE ON TAXATION, THIS TAX
IS ADDING $39 BILLION TO THE
DEFICIT THIS YEAR AND WILL ADD
EVEN MORE NEXT YEAR.
SPEAKER BOEHNER SAID OUR
NATIONAL DEBT IS A MORAL ISSUE,
AND I AGREE WITH HIM.
WE NEED TO ACT TO CURB OUR
EXPLODING DEFICIT AND DEBT.
BUT REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
HAVE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO
THE PROBLEM.
THE REPUBLICANS' APPROACH IS
THE IRRESPONSIBLE CONTINUING
RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED BY
THIS HOUSE 10 DAYS AGO.
REPUBLICANS WOULD CUT $600
MILLION FROM THE COPS PROGRAM
AND $256 MILLION FROM THE STATE
AND LOCAL ENFORCEMENT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WHICH WILL
MAKE OUR STREETS LESS SAFE.
REPUBLICANS WOULD CUT $75
MILLION FROM THE LEGAL SERVICES
CORPORATION WHICH WOULD DENY
LEGAL SERVICES TO THE VICTIMS
OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
REPUBLICANS WOULD CUT $53
MILLION FROM THE FOOD SAFETY
AND INSPECTION SERVICE WHICH IS
THREATENED PUBLIC HEALTH.
REPUBLICANS WOULD COMPLETELY
ELIMINATE FAMILY PLANNING WHICH
WOULD RESULT IN MORE UNPLANNED
PREGNANCIES AND MORE
ABORTIONS.
ADDING INSULT TO INJURY,
REPUBLICANS WOULD CUT $758
MILLION FROM WOMEN, INFANTS,
AND CHILDREN, WHICH WOULD DENY
THESE MOTHERS AND CHILDREN THE
NUTRITION THEY NEED TO BEGIN
LIFE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
REPUBLICANS WOULD CUT PELL
GRANTS BY 15%, WHICH WOULD DENY
YOUNG PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
GET A COLLEGE EDUCATION.
I COULD GO ON.
BUT I THINK YOU GET MY POINT.
THE CUTS IN THE REPUBLICAN'S
CONTINUING RESOLUTION ARE
SHORTSIGHTED,
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE, AND THE
WRONG WAY TO CUT THE DEFICIT.
AND THE ONE COMMUNITY, OR THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WILL SUFFER
THE MOST, ARE THE MINORITY
COMMUNITIES IN THIS COUNTRY AND
THAT INCLUDES THE BLACK
COMMUNITIES AND BLACK STUDENTS
, BLACK MOTHERS, BLACK INFANTS
AS WELL.
M, UD ZANDY, THE FORMER
ECONOMIC ADVISOR TO THE MCCAIN
CAMPAIGN SAID THAT THESE CUDS
CUTS WILL DESTROY 700,000 JOBS
AND STALL OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY
WHICH WOULD LESSON FUTURE
REVENUES AND FURTHER EXACERBATE
THE DEBT PROBLEM.
AND A GOLDMAN SACHS ECONOMIST
WARNED THE REPUBLICAN PLAN
COULD REDUCE OUR NATION'S
ECONOMIC GROWTH BY 1.5% TO 2%
IN THE SECOND AND THIRD
QUARTERS OF THIS YEAR.
MAYBE I SHOULD AMEND MY
PREVIOUS STATEMENT, THE CUTS IN
THE REPUBLICANS' C.R. ARE
SHORTSIGHTED,
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE, AND MAY EVEN
NOT CUT THE DEFICIT.
WE NEED A SMARTER APPROACH.
WE NEED AN APPROACH OF SHARED
SACRIFICE, NOT SACRIFICE BY THE
MOST VULNERABLE.
WE DO NEED TO CUT THE DEFICIT.
BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO
CUT THE DEFICIT.
AND I BELIEVE THE REPUBLICANS
HAVE CHOSEN THE WRONG WAY.
DEMOCRATS OFFER A BETTER
APPROACH.
WE CUT THE DEFICIT BY AT LEAST
$61 BILLION IN SUCH A MANNER
THAT HELPS, DOESN'T HURT,
STRUGGLING AMERICANS.
OUR ECONOMY OR OUR SHARED
FUTURE.
FIRST, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE,
WE NEED TO GET RID OF ONCE AND
FOR ALL THE TAX CUTS FOR THE
RICHEST 2% OF AMERICANS.
IT IS TOO LATE TO SAVE THE $39
BILLION WE WASTED THIS YEAR,
BUT WE COULD SAVE MORE NEXT
YEAR.
NEXT, I THINK WE NEED TO GET
RID OF SPECIAL TAX PREFERENCES
FOR OIL AND GAS COMPANIES.
MANY OF WHICH WERE INSTITUTED
BY REPUBLICANS THE LAST TIME
THEY WERE IN THE MAJORITY.
THIS WOULD SAVE $44 BILLION
OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
THERE IS GOOD REASON TO KEEP --
THERE IS NO GOOD REASON TO KEEP
THESE SUBSIDIES IN PLACE.
THE OIL COMPANIES HAVE SAID
THEMSELVES THAT THEY DON'T NEED
THEM.
THE FORMER C.E.O. OF SHELL OIL
SAID ON FEBRUARY 11, IN THE
MIDST OF SUSTAINED HIGH OIL
PRICES, IT WAS NOT AN ISSUE FOR
LARGE COMPANIES OF NEEDING THE
SUBSIDIES TO ENTICE US TO
LOOKING INTO AND PRODUCING MORE
OIL.
NEXT, SECRETARY GATES HAS CALLED
FOR $78 BILLION IN DEFENSE
COULDN'TS OVER THE NEXT FIVE
YEARS -- CUTS OVER THE NEXT FIVE
YEARS SAYING THAT THESE FUNDS
CAN BE CUT WITHOUT PUTTING
NATIONAL SECURITY AT RISK.
WE SHOULD LISTEN TO HIM.
AND I WANT TO THANK MY FRIEND
FROM THE *** ISLANDS FOR
ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK HERE THIS
EVENING.
I DO BELIEVE THAT IF WE FOCUS ON
THESE CONTINUING RESOLUTIONS
THAT WE HAVE BEEN DEBATING, WE
CAN HAVE A MUCH BETTER FUTURE
THAN THE HISTORY HAS BEEN FOR
AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THIS
COUNTRY AND I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THANK YOU, MR. CLYBURN, AND
THANK YOU FOR RAISING WHAT WAS
SAID TODAY.
I JUST WANT TO QUOTE SOMETHING
THAT HE SAID.