Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
GO TO "-- NATIONALJOURNAL.COM.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM SOUTH CAROLINA,
MR. WILSON, FOR ONE MINUTE.
MR. WILSON:K YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
THIS WEEK THE HOUSE WILL
CONSIDER HOUSE RESOLUTION 389
WHICH PROMOTES A REDUCTION OF
CURRENT SPENDING TO THE 2008
LEVELS OR LESS FOR THE REMAINDER
OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
THIS LEGISLATION SEEKS TO CURE
THE ILLNESS IN WASHINGTON KNOWN
AS RUNAWAY SPENDING.
FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS,
LIBERALS IN WASHINGTON HAVE BEEN
ON A SPENDING SPREE THAT HAS NOT
ONLY RESULTED IN A LOSS OF JOBS,
BUT ALSO HISTORIC DEFICITS.
THIS JOB DESTROYING AGENDA IS
NOT SOUND POLICY FOR AMERICANS
TODAY AND IT BURDENS FUTURE
GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS WITH
CRUSHING DEBT.
LAST WEEK, THE HOUSE TOOK STEPS
TO REPEAL AND REPLACE THE
JOB-KILLING GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER
OF HEALTH CARE, THE NFIB, THE
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF
INDEPENDENT BUSINESS, THE
LARGEST ORGANIZATION IN THE
UNITED STATES OF SMALL
BUSINESSES, REPORTS THAT THAT
WILL PUT 1.6 MILLION JOBS AT
RISK.
NOW WE MUST FOCUS OUR ATTENTION
ON LIMITING SPENDING LEVELS.
CURRENTLY OUR NATIONAL DEFICIT
STANDS AT $14 TRILLION.
SADLY, FUTURE GENERATIONS WITH
TODAY'S DEBT IS NOT THE
SOLUTION.
THE TIME HAS COME TO IMPLEMENT
SPENDING REFORMS TO ENSURE WE
CUT SPENDING.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN NOVEMBER
SPOKE CLEARLY FOR FISCAL
RESPONSIBILITY.
THE TEA PARTY HAS MADE A
DIFFERENCE.
THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THAT IS ENOUGH
ALREADY.
THE
CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLELADY
FROM CONNECTICUT, MS. DELAURO,
FOR FIVE MINUTES.
IT IS WITH HEAVY
HEART I RISE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO
FORMER CONGRESSMAN REALLY R.
RADFORD WHO LOST A COURAGEOUS
BATTLE WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE.
I SPOKE TO MANY COLLEAGUES OF
DESCRIPTIONS CAME UP.
HE WAS MODEST AND CHARMING AND
EXACTLY WHO HE APPEARED TO BE.
ONE LONG-TIME FRIEND CALLED HIM
THE MOST FUNDAMENTALLY DECENT,
UNPRETENTIOUS PERSON.
ANOTHER FORMER SENATOR CHRIS
DODD REMINDED ME OF BILL'S
DECENCY AND WARMTH.
HE WAS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT OTHER
PEOPLE'S SUCCESSES, CHRIS SAID,
WHICH IS SADLY ATYPICAL OF
PEOPLE IN OUR LINE OF BUSINESS.
BILL WAS A ROLE MODEL TO ME AND
THE REST OF OUR DELEGATION.
HE WAS A HUMBLE GIANT IN
CONNECTICUT POLITICS, WELL LIKED
AND RESPECTED BY ALL, AND HE
WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED BY ALL
THOSE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE
KNOWN HIM.
WHEN I CAME TO REPRESENT MUCH OF
THE PART NORTHERN PART OF
CONNECTICUT, BILL TOOK ME
PERSONAL TOWN BY TOWN.
THERE WAS A MUTUAL RESPECT AND
FONDNESS I'VE TRIED TO LIVE UP
TO EVER SINCE.
PEOPLE.
HE WAS FUNNY, KIND, AND DOWN TO
AS BE A HUMBLE SON OF A HAT
FACTORY WORKER AND A TEACHER HE
NEVER FORGOT WHERE HE CAME
FROMFUL HE UNDERSTAND HIS
CONSTITUENTS' NEEDS AND CONCERNS
BECAUSE THEIR CONCERNS WERE HIS.
HE WALKED IN THEIR SHOES.
TURNING 12 YEARS IN THE STATE
HOUSE, FOUR AS SPEAKER AND THREE
TERMS IN THE CONGRESS, BILL
FOCUSED ON THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN
AND SENIORS, ON IMPROVING BE
PUBLIC EDUCATION, HELPING
NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS GO TO
COLLEGE AND ENSURE ALL SENIORS
COULD ENJOY RETIREMENT WITH THE
HEALTH AND DIGNITY THEY DESERVE.
MORE THAN ANYTHING BILL TRIED TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN EVERYTHING
HE DID AND DOING SO, HE LEFT AN
INDELIBLE MARK ON OUR STATE AND
IN THIS INSTITUTION.
I EXTEND MY DEEPEST SYMPATHIES
TO WIFE BARBARA AND THEIR CLIFF
LEE THREE CHILDREN SEAN, SCOTT
AND BRIAN AND HIS GRANDCHILDREN.
HE WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY
INDIVIDUAL AND HE LEAVES A
LEGACY TO WHICH WE SHOULD ALL
ASPIRE.
I YIELD TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM
CONNECTICUT, MR. COURTNEY.
THANK YOU,
CONGRESSWOMAN DELAURO.
MR. SPEAKER, I WANT TO ASSOCIATE
MY REMARKS WITH CONGRESSWOMAN
DELAURO'S ELOQUENT.
BILL RATCHFORD WAS A GIANT,
SERVED AS SPEAKER IN THE STATE
LEGISLATURE, AS A FORMER STATE
LEGISLATOR MYSELF I SAW
FIRSTHAND THE LEGACY HE LEFT
BEHIND IN TERMS OF A CIVIL BUT
PROGRESSIVE AGENDA IN THE STATE
OF CONNECTICUT AS A MEMBER OF
CONGRESS FOR THREE TERMS HE
CONTINUED THAT WORK.
AGAIN PARTICULARLY FOCUSING ON
THE EMERGING ISSUES OF THE AGING
AND IN OUR COUNTRY WHICH AGAIN
AS A DEMOGRAPHIC IS GROWING AND
HE WAS REALLY JUST SOMEONE WITH
GREAT VISION IN TERMS OF THE
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A
SOCIETY THAT WAS PREPARED TO
DEAL WITH THOSE ISSUES.
MR. SPEAKER, AS WE GRAPPLE WITH
THE CHALLENGE OF CIVIL DISCOURSE
IN OUR DEMOCRACY, BILL IN MY
OPINION IS THE PERFECT ALMOST
ICONIC EXAMPLE OF WHAT A
LEGISLATOR AND A PUBLIC SERVANT
OUGHT TO BE.
HE CARED DEEPLY ABOUT THE ISSUES
THAT HE CAMPAIGNED AND ADVOCATED
FOR BUT HE ALSO WAS SOMEONE WHO
STUDIOUSLY RESPECTED HIS
OPPOSITION AND BELIEVED
PASSIONATELY IN CIVIL DISCOURSE
AND DEBATE.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT LEGACY
PROBABLY ABOVE ALL IS THE MOST
POWERFUL ONE HE LEAVES BEHIND US
AND IN FACT WE WOULD ALL DO WELL
TO FOLLOW HIS OUTSTANDING
EXAMPLE.
I YIELD BACK TO THE GENTLEWOMAN.
I THANK THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CONNECTICUT AND
YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF OUR
TIME.
THE
GENTLELADY YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM GEORGIA, MR.
GRAVES, FOR TWO MINUTES.
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
EARLY REPORTS INDICATE THAT
PRESIDENT OBAMA WILL CALL FOR A
NEW SPENDING PACKAGE DURING HIS
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
TONIGHT.
I'VE HEARD AS MANY OF YOU THAT
THIS MIGHT BE MASKED AS WE WOULD
SAY OR HE MIGHT SAY TONIGHT,
TARGETED INVESTMENT.
MORE STIMULUS.
DEMOCRATS SPEAK FOR STIMULUS BUT
IT WILL BE HIDDEN WITH CALLS FOR
SPENDING CUTS.
MR. SPEAKER, AMERICANS KNOW OUR
DEBT IS $14 TRILLION, THEY KNOW
THE PRESIDENT SPENT $1.3
TRILLION OVER THE LAST BUDGET
YEAR ONLY TO SEE UNEMPLOYMENT
STAY ABOVE 9%.
NOW IS THE TIME TO PIVOT THE
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
IT'S TIME TO SHRED THE
PRESIDENT'S MAXED OUT CREDIT
CARDS AND CUT HIS WEEKLY
ALLOWANCE.
IT'S TIME TO TELL OUR KIDS AND
GRANDKIDS THAT WE DON'T WANT
THEM TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF OUR
GENERATION'S FISCAL
IRRESPONSIBILITY.
MR. SPEAKER, I ALONG WITH MY
CONSTITUENTS IN NORTH GEORGIA
HOPE THAT THE EARLY REPORTS ARE
WRONG ABOUT ANOTHER STIMULUS
BEING PROPOSED TONIGHT.
RATHER THAN USE A FEW SPENDING
CUTS AS WINDOW DRESSING FOR MORE
SPENDING, TONIGHT THE
PRESIDENT'S OPPORTUNITY TO SEIZE
THE MOMENT AND BE A LEADER AND
GET SERIOUS ABOUT SPENDING
REFORM.
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CONNECTICUT, MR.
MURPHY, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
I RISE AS DID OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE CONNECTICUT DELEGATION TO
PAY TRIBUTE TO A GREAT MAN WHO
SERVED WITH THE STATE OF
CONNECTICUT AND HIS COMMUNITY OF
DANBURY IN A VARIETY OF WAYS,
BILL RATCHFORD.
HE PASSED AWAIT RECENTLY AND THE
ENTIRE STATE OF CONNECTICUT IS
MOURNING BUT IN PARTICULAR MY
DISTRICT IS MOURNING.
THOUGH CONNECTICUT DISTRICTS
HAVE BEEN RECONFIGURED OVER THE
YEARS WE BOTH SHARE A LOVE AND
AFFINITY FOR BILL'S HOMETOWN OF
DANYURRY HE REPRESENTED IN THE
UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND AND I
HAVE THE GREAT FORTUNE OF RENG.
BILL GREW UP IN DANBURY, WAS A
CHILD OF THE DEPRESSION, HIS
FATHER WORKED IN ONE OF THE HAT
FACTORIES IN DANYUR BII, HIS
MOTHER WAS A SCHOOLTEACHER AND
INSTILLED IN BILL THE VALUE OF A
GOOD EDUCATION, LOVE FOR FAMILY
AND COUNTRY.
SHORTLY AFTER I WAS SWORN INTO
OFFICE BILL CAME TO SEE ME.
TO SHARE WITH ME SOME OF HIS
THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT WAS
PLACE.
THOUGH HE CARED SO PASSIONATELY
ABOUT ISSUES AS REPRESENTATIVE
COURTNEY AND DELAURO MENTIONED
ESPECIALLY FOR ISSUES RELATED TO
AGING, THE FACT HE BECAME LATER
ON THE STATE'S FIRST
COMMISSIONER OF AGING, WHAT HE
CARED MAYBE MOST ABOUT WAS THE
DISCOURSE IN THIS PLACE.
BILL WAS A GENTLEMAN FIRST,
SECOND, AND THIRD.
HE REPRESENTED EVERYTHING THAT
PEOPLE WANTED GOVERNMENT TO BE.
THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN
HE CAME INTO MY OFFICE THAT DAY,
HOW HE KNEW THE FIGHT FOR WHAT
YOU CARED ABOUT IN THIS PLACE
BUT DO IT IN A RESPECTFUL WAY.
I JOIN WITH REPRESENTATIVE
COURTNEY IN REMINDING EVERYONE
HERE THERE ARE CERTAIN GIANTS OF
THIS PLACE WE CAN LOOK TO IN
TRYING TO REORDER THE WAY IN
WHICH WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS.
AND BILL CERTAINLY WAS AT THE
TOP OF THAT LIST.
HIS COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE
BUILT A LEGACY THAT IN DANYURRY
AND THROUGHOUT CONNECTICUT WE
WILL REMEMBER FOR A LONG TIME.
HE WILL BE TERRIBLY MISSED AND
IN MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AND
THOSE OF EVERYONE IN THE DANBURY
AREA ARE WITH BARBARA AND HIS
FAMILY AT THIS TIME.
AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO YIELD
TO REPRESENTATIVE HOYER FOR A
MOMENT.
I THANK CONGRESSMAN
MURPHY FOR YIELDING AND I WANT
TO JOIN HIM IN IN THE REMARKS HE
HAS MADE.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND
A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR MY FRIEND
BILL RANCHFORD.
BILL AND I FIRST MET IN THE
EARLY 1970'S.
HE HAD BEEN SPEAKER OF THE
CONNECTICUT HOUSE AND WAS
SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF THE
NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON STATE
I WAS ABOUT TO BE PRESIDENT OF
THE MARYLAND SENATE AND ANOTHER
FORMER MEMBER, MARTIN SLAFFO WAS
THE SPEAKER OF THE MINNESOTA
THE THREE OF US BECAME VERY GOOD
LATER IN THE WEEK THE NEXT WEEK,
WE LOST AN EXTRAORDINARY
AMERICAN, SARGENT SHRIVER AND I
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT
HIS WAKE LAST FRIDAY NIGHT.
THE REASON I MENTIONED SARGENT
SHRIVER, BILL RATCHFORD AND
SARGENT SHRIVER WERE
EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC SERVANTS
WHO BELIEVED THAT SERVICE TO
OTHERS WAS THEIR MOST IMPORTANT
ROLE IN LIFE.
IN TERMS OF THEIR PUBLIC
SERVICE.
PRIVATELY THEY WERE BOTH ALSO
REPRESENTATIVES OF EXTRAORDINARY
FAMILY LEADERS.
REVERED BY THEIR FAMILIES, AND
HIS SONS, BILL'S SONS AND
SARGE'S SONS BOTH SPOKE AT THEIR
MEMORIAL SERVICES.
SEAN, SCOTT AND BRIAN SPOKE
MOVINGLY OF A FATHER WHO WAS
FULLY ENGAGED AND ADORED BY HIS
SONS.
AND OF COURSE HIS WIFE BARBARA,
A VERY CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE FOR
40 YEARS AS WAS BILL, WAS
REVERED AS A MOTHER.
SO THAT THESE TWO FAMILIES, TWO
EXTRAORDINARY LEADERS THAT WE
HAVE LOST RECENTLY, REPRESENTED
THE BEST IN AMERICA.
BILL RATCHFORD WAS MY FRIEND.
HE BROUGHT HONOR ON THIS
INSTITUTION BY HIS SERVICE.
BILL AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SERVE ON THE APPROPRIATIONS
TEE COMMITTEE TOGETHER.
WHICH WAS ARGUABLY AT THAT POINT
IN TIME THE MOST BIPARTISAN
UNITED STATES.
I'M NOT SURE THAT'S STILL TRUE
BUT IT CERTAINLY WAS THEN.
AND BILL WAS RESPECTED ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE FOR HIS
DECENCY, HIS INTELLIGENT AND
COMMITMENT TO MAKING AMERICA A
SO I'M PLEASED TO JOIN MY FRIEND
CHRIS MURPHY, WHO HAS BEEN SUCH
A GIANT HIMSELF AT A YOUNG AGE,
BUT AT AGE WHEN BILL RATCHFORD
WAS BECOMING A MAJOR LEADER IN
SO I THANK HIM FOR YIELDING ME
THIS TIME.
I THANK BILL RATCHFORD AND HIS
FAMILY FOR WHAT THEY HAVE
CONTRIBUTED TO THIS COUNTRY.
WE LAMENT HIS LOSS, BUT WE
CELEBRATE HIS LIFE.
WHICH WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE
WELL LIVED.
AND A BLESSING TO ALL WHO KNEW
HIM AND TO HIS COUNTRY.
AND I YIELD BACK TO MY FRIEND.
I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLELADY FROM MINNESOTA, MRS.
BACHMANN, FOR TWO MINUTES.
SPEAKER.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK TODAY.
THIS EVENING WE WILL HEAR FROM
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES IN HIS STATE OF THE UNION
ADDRESS AND IT'S A PRIVILEGE FOR
THE PEOPLE OF OUR COUNTRY TO BE
ABLE TO HEAR FROM OUR PRESIDENT
WHAT HIS REMARKS ARE ABOUT THE
STATE OF OUR UNION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING, MR.
SPEAKER, WHAT THE PRESIDENT'S
WILL BE GOING FORWARD TO
LIFT OUR COUNTRY OUT OF THE HIGH
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES THAT WE'VE
BEEN DEALING WITH DURING THESE
LAST 20 MONTHS.
TO HAVE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN
EXCESS OF 9% AND IN SOME CASES
OVER 10% HAS BEEN UNACCEPTABLE
AND IT'S BEEN A HARDSHIP FOR SO
MANY PEOPLE IN THE NATION.
ALSO, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO
FINDING OUT WHAT THE PRESIDENT'S
PRO-JOB GROWTH AGENDA WILL BE
GOING FORWARD.
WE WANT TO GET UNEMPLOYMENT
RATES BACK TO MUCH LOWER LEVELS
SO THAT FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES
CAN THRIVE AGAIN.
ALSO, MR. SPEAKER, I'M LOOKING
TO FIND OUT WHAT WILL BE THE
SPECIFIC CUTS THAT THE PRESIDENT
WILL BE PROPOSING.
WE HAVEN'T HEARD SPECIFIC CUTS
IN FACT, WE'VE HEARD THAT THE
PRESIDENT MAY BE REFERRING TO
INVESTMENTS, MEANING MORE
SPENDING YET AGAIN, SPENDING
THAT THIS COUNTRY SIMPLY CANNOT
AFFORD.
BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, MR. SPEAKER,
WE ARE FALLING OFF THE CLIFF IN
TERMS OF DEBT INCREASES AND THAT
IS NOT GOOD FOR THE NEXT
GENERATION OF AMERICANS.
SECOND, I'M WONDERING WHAT
SPECIFIC PIECES OF LEGISLATION
THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS PROPOSED,
WOULD HE BE WILLING TO REPEAL,
WE KNOW FOR INSTANCE, THE CAP
KILLER.
WE KNOW THAT FOR THE HEALTH CARE
LAW AS WELL THAT IT IS IN FACT A
FINALLY, I'M WONDERING, MR.
PRESIDENT, WHAT AREAS OF
REGULATIONS THE PRESIDENT WOULD
BE WILLING TO DO AWAY WITH.
THE PRESIDENT MADE A STATEMENT
LAST WEEK THAT HE WANTS TO
DIRECT ALL OF THE AGENCIES TO
LOOK FOR REGULATIONS THAT WOULD
KILL JOBS.
WE KNOW THAT THE E.P.A.
REGULATIONS WILL IN FACT DO THAT
AND WE'RE WONDERING IF PERHAPS
THE PRESIDENT WOULD BE WILLING
TO PUT THOSE ON THE TABLE AND
DELAY IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CAP
AND TRADE SYSTEM THROUGH THE
EEP.
FINALLY, MR. SPEAKER, WE ALSO
KNOW WITH AMERICANS PAYING IN
EXCESS OF $3 A GALLON IN
GASOLINE IT MAY BE WISE TO LOOK
AT AMERICAN ENERGY PRODUCTION.
WHAT WOULD THOSE PROPOSALS BE
FROM THE PRESIDENT, WE LOOK
FORWARD TO HEARING THAT THIS
MR. SPEAKER, MR. SPEAKER.
I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLELADY YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR ROYCES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM KENTUCKY, MR. YARMUTH, FOR
FIVE MINUTES.
MR.
SPEAKER.
TONIGHT THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES WILL DELIVER THE
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS AS WE
ALL KNOW AND IF THE REPORTS ARE
ACCURATE, WHAT HE WILL TALK
ABOUT TODAY IS THE NEED TO MAKE
SERIOUS INVESTMENTS IN THIS
COUNTRY'S FUTURE.
NOW WE'VE JUST HEARD FROM A
COLLEAGUE FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE AISLE AND WE'VE HEARD FROM
MANY REPUBLICANS OVER THE LAST
FEW DAYS CONCERNING THE ISSUE OF
SPENDING AND WHETHER OR NOT WE
MONEY IN THIS TIME OF ADMITTEDLY
YOU KNOW, MOST FAMILIES WHEN
THEY BORROW MONEY THEY DO IT FOR
TWO REASONS.
EITHER FOR SURVIVAL, THEY NEED
TO EAT, THEY NEED TO FEED THEIR
CHILDREN, THEY NEED HELP FOR
THEIR FAMILY, THEY NEED TO
CLOTHE THEM, OR THEY BORROW
BECAUSE THEY SEE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO INVEST AND TO MAKE THEIR
LIVES BETTER DOWN THE ROAD.
NOW, I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE
DON'T THINK OF GOVERNMENT
SPENDING AS INVESTMENT.
BUT IF WE LOOK BACK NOT TOO
LONG, JUST OVER THE RECENT
HISTORY, THE LAST FEW DECADES,
WE'VE SEEN NUMEROUS INSTANCES IN
WHICH GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT HAS
NOT ONLY CREATED JOBS, IT HAS
SPAWNED ENTIRELY NEW INDUSTRIES.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, EVEN THOUGH
PEOPLE MADE FUN OF AL GORE MANY
YEARS AGO THE FACT IS THAT
GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT ACTUALLY
CREATED THE INTERNET.
GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT THROUGH
THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER
RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS HAVE
CREATED LITERALLY BILLIONS AND
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PRIVATE
SECTOR GROWTH.
AND CREATED THOUSANDS AND
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF NEW
WE FACE A VERY DIFFICULT CHOICE
RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN SIT BACK WHILE THE REST
OF THE WORLD ADVANCES OR WE CAN
MAKE THE TOUGH CHOICES RIGHT NOW
TO MAKE SERIOUS AND IMPORTANT
INVESTMENTS THAT WILL NOT JUST
CREATE NEW INDUSTRY BUT MAY IN
FACT SOLVE SOME OF OUR MOST
INTRACTABLE PROBLEMS.
AND I'M TALKING HERE ABOUT
MEDICAL RESEARCH, FOR ONE.
WE NOW INVEST $6 BILLION A YEAR
IN CANCER RESEARCH.
CANCER TREATMENT AND THE COST TO
SOCIETY BECAUSE OF CANCER
AMOUNTS TO LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR.
IT COSTS MEDICARE, IT COSTS
MEDICAID, IT COSTS THE PRIVATE
SYSTEM.
IF WE SPENT $20 BILLION A YEAR
ON MEDICAL RESEARCH FOR CANCER
AND OVER 10 YEARS FINALLY CURED
IT, MADE IT MANAGEABLE IN AN
INEXPENSEBLE WAY -- INEXPENSIVE
WAY, THE LONG-TERM PAYBACK FOR
THIS COUNTRY WOULD BE ENORMOUS.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH
ANALYZING OUR HEALTH CARE REFORM
PROPOSAL, NOW IN THE LAW, THE
AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE ACT, IS
THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FACTOR
IN THE LONG-TERM BENEFITS OF
PREVENTIVE CARE, RESEARCH, MORE
EFFICIENT OPERATIONS, BECAUSE
THEY'RE NOT QUANTITY FIBLE.
BUT WE KNOW THAT IF WE COULD
JUST DEAL WITH TWO MAJOR
DISEASES, DIABETES AND CANCER,
WE WOULD PROBABLY SOLVE OUR
LONG-TERM HEALTH CARE FINANCIAL
ISSUES.
SO, TONIGHT THE PRESIDENT WILL
LAY OUT CHOICES FOR US AND I
THINK THIS IS A VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT ASPECT OF OUR PUBLIC
DIALOGUE RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT
ONLY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BUT
ALSO EVERY MEMBER OF CONGRESS
REALLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT OUR
CHOICES ARE.
BECAUSE IT'S VERY EASY TO STAND
UP AND SAY, WE'RE GOING TO CUT
SPENDING BY $100 BILLION, THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHEN YOU'RE
NOT WILLING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
SPECIFICALLY YOU'RE WILLING TO
CUT.
AND MY COLLEAGUE FROM MINNESOTA
JUST SAID, THE PRESIDENT MAY NOT
BE SPECIFIC.
WELL, THE FACT IS, REPUBLICANS
HAVEN'T BEEN SPECIFIC EITHER.
WE NEED THIS LAID OUT FOR THE
OUT FOR US.
WE HAVE DIFFICULT CHOICES, WE
NEED TO MAKE THEM.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT'S ON THE
RIGHT TRACK.
WE CANNOT CUT BACK RIGHT NOW ON
MEDICAL RESEARCH.
WE CANNOT CUT BACK ON THE TYPE
OF RESEARCH THAT WILL CREATE NEW
INDUSTRIES, PARTICULARLY IN THE
WE CANNOT CUT BACK RIGHT NOW ON
EDUCATION WHEN THE REST OF THE
WORLD IS PASSING US BY IN TERMS
OF THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THEIR
STUDENTS AND WE CANNOT CUT BACK
RIGHT NOW ON INVESTMENTS IN OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE WHEN MUCH OF IT
IS CRUMBLING AROUND US.
SO, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DEBATE
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OVER THE
NEXT FEW MONTHS.
IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST SERIOUS
DEBATE WE'VE HAD IN THIS COUNTRY
IN DECADES.
BECAUSE WE ARE AT A CROSSROADS.
WE CAN ALLOW THIS COUNTRY TO
BECOME A SECONDARY INTERNATIONAL
POWER OR WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR
STATUS AS THE WORLD'S -- NOT
JUST THE WORLD'S LARGEST
ECONOMY, BUT THE WORLD'S MOST
INGENIOUS ECONOMY, THE WORLD'S
MOST INNOVATIVE COUNTRY AND A
SOCIETY WHICH CARES ABOUT MAKING
LIFE BETTER FOR EVERY AMERICAN
I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
INSLEE.
FOR FIVE MINUTES.
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
MR. SPEAKER, I CAME
TO THE FLOOR THIS MORNING TO
TALK ABOUT OUR EXCITEMENT
HEARING THE PRESIDENT TONIGHT
EXPRESS THAT FEELING OF OPTIMISM
AND CONFIDENCE AND CAN-DO SPIRIT
THAT HAS ALWAYS EPITOMIZED --
EPITOMIZED AMERICA AND THAT IS
IN THE FIELD OF OUR CLEAN ENERGY
JOB CREATION PROGRAM.
AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE
AS WE'RE COMING OUT OF THIS VERY
DEEP RECESSION, MANY OF US
BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE
BRIGHTEST SPOTS ON OUR ECONOMIC
HORIZON IS OUR ABILITY TO
DEVELOP HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
NEW JOBS IN THIS COUNTRY SO THAT
OF LEADING THE WORLD IN CLEAN
ENERGY DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE BELIEVE IT IS OUR DESTINY
TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE
ALWAYS DONE THAT THROUGHOUT
AMERICA'S HISTORY, LEADING THE
WORLD IN AERONAUTICS, LEADING
THE WORLD IN SOFTWARE, LEADING
THE WORLD IN AIR SPACE, AND NOW
WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO
LEAD THE WORLD IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF CLEAN ENERGY AND
WILL CREATE HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF NEW JOBS AND I LOOK
ON HOW TO DO THAT.
WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN OUR ABILITY
TO DO THAT.
I REMEMBER I CAME TO THE FLOOR
TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO AND
TALKED ABOUT THE PROSPECTS OF
CREATING JOBS IN AMERICA AND THE
CREATION OF AN ELECTIFIED
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND OUR
ABILITY TO ELECTRIFY OUR CARS.
AND WHEN I DID THAT I REMEMBER I
WAS CRITICIZED BY SOME IN THIS
CHAMBER THINKING, WELL, THAT WAS
SORT OF A PIPE DREAM, COULDN'T
HAPPEN, THAT WAS BUCK ROGERS
KIND OF STUFF, IT REALLY
WOULDN'T ALLOW US TO CREATE JOBS
IN THIS FIELD.
WELL I WANT TO BRING US BACK UP
TO WHERE WE ARE NOW THIS YEAR TO
I WANT TO MENTION THREE PIECES
OF PROGRESS WE'VE MADE THAT ARE
GOING TO, I THINK, BE EXAMPLES
A, B AND C OF WHY THE
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE OF CLEAN
ENERGY WILL BE RECEIVED WELL
TONIGHT.
NUMBER ONE, THIS YEAR THE
GENERAL MOTORS VOLT, A PLUG-IN
HYBRID ELECTRIC, THE CAR THAT
YOU CAN PLUG IN AND GO 40 MILES
ON ALL ELECTRICITY, AND THEN IF
YOU WANT TO GO MORE THAN 40
MILES IT'S GOT AN INTERNAL
COMBUSTION ENGINE THAT WILL
GENERATE ELECTRICITY THAT WILL
CHARGE THE BATTERY THAT WILL RUN
THE WHEELS OF THE GENERAL MOTORS
VOLT.
WHEN I ASKED GENERAL MOTORS TO
BRING THE VOLT TO CAPITOL HILL A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO PEOPLE
THOUGHT, AH, INTERESTING IDEA,
IT WILL NEVER WORK.
WELL, GUESS WHAT?
THE GENERAL MOTORS VOLT THIS
YEAR WAS NORTH AMERICAN CAR OF
THE YEAR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO,
STUNNED THE AUTO INDUSTRY AND IS
GOING TO BE ONE OF THE GREAT
LEADERS AS WE MOVE TO THE
WE HAVE THE DOMESTIC
MANUFACTURER, THE FORD FOCUS
WHICH THINK IS GOING TO -- WE
THINK IS GOING TO FOLLOW.
WE HOPE TO SEE TOYOTA AND NISSAN
PRODUCE ELECTRIC CARS HERE AS
WELL.
THESE ARE THE CARS NOT OF THE
FUTURE BUT OF TODAY.
AND WE CAN LEAD THE WORLD IN THE
MANUFACTURE IF WE DO SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL
TALK ABOUT TONIGHT, TO ELECTRIFY
OUR AUTO TRANSPORTATION FLEET.
SECOND, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE
OF THE MOST EXCITING EVENTS I'VE
EVER HAD IN THE U.S. CONGRESS
AND THAT IS LAST OCTOBER I WENT
TO THE WOODEN CROSS LUTHERAN
CHURCH IN WOODENVILLE,
WASHINGTON.
AND I GOT TO PARTICIPATE WITH
THAT CONGREGATION IN DEDICATING
THE VERY FIRST ELECTRIC CHARGING
STATION IN AMERICA IN A CHURCH
PARKING LOT.
THING FOR AMERICA, THAT WE ARE
ELECTRYIFYING OUR TRANSPORTATION
FLEET, ALLOWING AMERICANS A
PLACE TO PLUG IN THEIR ELECTRIC
CARS AND WE DEDICATED THIS
CHARGING STATION, IT'S ABOUT 3
1/2, FOUR FEET TALL, YOU PULL UP
TO IT, PLUG IN YOUR ELECTRIC CAR
IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT.
I JUST SORT OF SAID, THE GOOD
BOOK SAYS, LET THERE BE LIGHT.
WELL, NOW LET THERE BE POWER.
AND THERE IS POWER IN THIS
CHURCH PARKING LOT AND THERE'S
GOING TO BE MORE POWER IN
THOUSANDS OF PLACES IN AMERICA
BECAUSE OF OUR STIMULUS BILL
WHICH ALLOWED THE CREATION OF
THESE ELECTRICIC CHARGING
STATIONS.
THIRD, I WANT TO MENTION THE
PRODUCTION OF BATTERIES.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GROWN
SOMETHING LIKE, AND I WANT TO
MAKE SURE I GET THE NUMBER
RIGHT, 700,000 CLEAN ENERGY
JOBS, DOUBLING RENEWABLE ENERGY
MANUFACTURING AND GENERATING
JOBS IN AMERICA BY THE YEAR
2012.
AND THE CLEAN ENERGY SECTOR HAS
GROWN 2 1/2 TIMES FASTER,
THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS IS
BECAUSE WE ARE GROWING AN
ELECTRIC BATTERY MANUFACTURING
CAPACITY INDUSTRY HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES.
WE ONLY HAD 2% OF THAT CAPACITY
IN 2009.
WE BELIEVE WE CAN HAVE 40% OF
THE WORLD'S CAPACITY BY 2015 AND
IF YOU WANT TO THINK THIS IS NOT
A REALITY, GO TO HOLLAND,
MICHIGAN, WHERE BECAUSE OF THE
STIMULUS BILL WE PASSED LAST
YEAR, WE'RE PUTTING HUNDREDS OF
FORMERLY LAID OFF AUTO WORKERS
TO WORK IN HOLLAND, MICHIGAN,
MAKING LITHIUM EYE ON BATTERIES
TO RUN OUR -- EYE ONBATTERIES TO
RUN OUR ELECTRIC CARS AND THAT'S
HAPPENING BECAUSE OF WHAT WE
DID.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE
PRESIDENT'S SPEECH TONIGHT.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLELADY FROM TEXAS, MS.
JACKSON LEE, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MUCH, MR. SPEAKER.
AS I WAS WALKING THROUGH THE
HALLWAY I ENCOUNTERED AN
INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS ENORMOUSLY
EXCITED ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S
STATE OF THE UNION.
THEY HAPPENED TO BE A NEW
EMPLOYEE OF THIS HOUSE THIS WILL
BE THE VERY FIRST TIME THAT THEY
WOULD HAVE THIS PRIVILEGE AND
THIS HONOR.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US
TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS A
PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR.
IN ESSENCE IT IS A
RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS
ADMINISTRATION, OF THIS
PRESIDENT, TO FOLLOW IN THE
TRADITION AND THE LAW OF THE
LAND, THAT THE PRESIDENT
PRESENTS TO THE CONGRESS, TO THE
PEOPLE OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY,
THE STATE OF THE UNION.
FRANKLY I'M AN OPTIMIST.
I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT WE LIVE IN
A COUNTRY THAT HAS A
CONSTITUTION THAT HAS PREVAILED
FOR SO MANY YEARS, THAT WE HAVE
LANGUAGE IN OUR CONSTITUTION
THAT SAYS THAT WE HAVE ORGANIZED
TO CREATE A MORE PERFECT UNION,
THAT THE WORDS OF THE
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ARE
PRESSED UPON OUR HEARTS, WE HOLD
THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT.
THAT WE ALL ARE CREATED EQUAL
WITH CERTAIN INALIENABLE RIGHTS.
THAT'S WHAT I EXPECT TO HEAR
FROM OUR PRESIDENT TONIGHT.
A MAN OF PASSION AND COMMITMENT
AND DEDICATION, A MAN WHO FEELS
THE PAIN OF THIS NATION, A MAN
WHO HAS SACRIFICED HIS OWN
PERSONAL PRESTIGE AND POPULARITY
IN ORDER TO MAKE VERY DIFFICULT
DECISIONS.
THE AMERICAN RECOVERY ACT, FOR
EXAMPLE, THAT WENT INTO THE
NOOKS AND CRANNIES OF THIS
NATION AND BUILT UP SMALL
COMMUNITIES, PROVIDED EXTRA
POLICE OFFICERS, PROVIDED MORE
PATIENT ROOMS, GAVE MORE
RESOURCES TO LOCAL HOSPITALS AND
RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS TO MAKE
THIS COUNTRY GREAT.
CREATED JOBS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT A GRID THAT
SHOWS THE JOB CREATION OF THE
LAST ADMINISTRATION, YOU'LL SEE
THAT IT IS PREDOMINANTLY ALL
RED.
JOBS LOST.
BUT AS WE HAVE STRUGGLED TO
BUILD AND CLIMB, WE ARE GOING IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND SO I WOULD ASK THE PRESIDENT
TO STAND HIS GROUND ON
INVESTMENT IN AMERICA,
INFRASTRUCTURE IN AMERICA AND I
WOULD SAY TO THIS BODY THAT WE
MUST STAND COMMITTED AND
DEDICATED TO THE PROTECTION OF
THE VULNERABLE.
DOES THAT MEAN INCREASING THE
DEFICIT?
NO.
I HAPPEN TO HAVE HAD THE
PRIVILEGE OF WORKING ON A
BALANCED BUDGET.
IT'S EXCITING.
WE PASSED A BALANCED BUDGET AND
OUT OF THAT WE CREATED THE
CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE
PROGRAM AND 22 MILLION JOBS IN
THE LAST DEMOCRATIC
ADMINISTRATION.
WE CAN DO THAT NOW.
WE CAN CREATE JOBS AND I WOULD
ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHY?
LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON, NOW THE
THIRD LARGEST CITY IN THE UNITED
DATA THAT WILL BE FINALIZED
COMING IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY,
WE ARE IN LINE AT THE -- AFTER
MOBILITY SYSTEM.
WE'VE BEEN GRANTED
WE HAVE BEEN GRANTED MONEY, NOT
WASTING MONEY, TEXAS SENDS MORE
TO THE UNITED STATES TAX COFFERS
THAN WE GET BACK.
WE'LL BE CREATING 50,000 JOBS BY
INVESTING IN A LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM
TO MOVE PEOPLE FORWARD, TO
ELIMINATE THE EMISSIONS CRISIS
THAT WE HAVE, AND TO PUT PEOPLE
TO WORK.
THE CRISIS THAT WE'RE NOW IN
WITH NOT HAVING PASSED THE
APPROPRIATIONS OF THE 111TH
CONGRESS WHICH I SECURED SOME
$150 MILLION FOR TO US START,
STYMIED ALL OF THESE NEED TO
BUILD PROJECTS ON BRIDGES AND
FREEWAYS, ON DAMS THAT NEED TO
BE REPAIRED, ALL OF THAT CREATES
THE GENIUS OF AMERICA OR BOOSTS
THE GENIUS OF AMERICA AND LETS
US WORK.
SO MR. PRESIDENT, STAND YOUR
GROUND ON MAKING SURE THAT WE
MOVE FORWARD IN INFRASTRUCTURE
SO THAT WE CAN MAKE IT IN
AMERICA, MEANING THAT AMERICANS
CAN MAKE IT, THEY CAN SURVIVE,
THEY CAN IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY
OF LIFE AND WE CAN MAKE IT IN
AMERICA.
I WANT US TO BUILD THE LIGHT
RAIL CARS.
BRING IT ON HOME.
LET US BUILD TURBINES THAT ARE
PART OF WIND ENERGY.
LET US BUILD THE SOLAR PANELS
AND YES, LET US BUILD OUR BUSES
AND TRAINS.
STAND YOUR GROUND, MR.
PRESIDENT.
AND THEN FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE
OF AMERICA, LET'S PUT IT ON THE
LINE THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO
TOUCH SOCIAL SECURITY.
I KNOW THE PANIC THAT GOES
THROUGH SENIOR CITIZENS, THE
DISABLED, VETERANS WHO ARE
DEPENDENT NOT ONLY ON THE
VETERANS COMPENSATION BUT
DEPENDENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY.
LET'S DRAW THE LINE AND TO THE
YOUNG PEOPLE OF AMERICA, LET'S
BE VERY CLEAR.
YOU'RE NOT CARRYING THE SENIOR
CITIZENS, WE'RE NOT TAKING OUT
OF YOUR FUTURE.
REMEMBER THE WORDS OF PRESIDENT
KENNEDY WHO SAID ASK NOT WHAT
YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU, BUT
WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR
COUNTRY.
SOCIAL SECURITY IS AN INVESTMENT
IN THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED AND
THOSE WHO ARE DISABLED AND SO
MR. PRESIDENT, STAND YOUR GROUND
TONIGHT IN THIS MOST PRIVILEGED
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
BRING US TOGETHER AS WE WILL ALL
BE SITTING WITH EACH OTHER BUT
LET US STAND GROUND FOR THE
FUTURE OF AMERICA.
I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLELADY YIELDS BACK.
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 12-A OF RULE
1, THE CHAIR DECLARES THE HOUSE
IN RECESS UNTIL NOON TODAY.
WHEN THE HOUSE RETURNS THEY
WILL PICK UP CONSIDERATION ON
TWO BILLS AND THE RESOLUTION
THAT SETS NON-SECURITY SPENDING
FOR THE REMAINDER OF FISCAL YEAR