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THE MOTION IS NOT AGREED TO.
THE
CHAIR LAYS IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE
AN ENROLLED BILL.
SENATE
--
SENATE JOINT
RESOLUTION 8, JOINT RESOLUTION
FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A CITIZEN
REGION OF THE SMITHSONIAN
INSTITUTION.
THE
CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN REQUESTS
FOR ONE-MINUTE SPEECHES.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MISSOURI SEEK
RECOGNITION?
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I RISE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
NATIONAL GOLF DAY.
EARLIER TODAY I ATTENDED AN
EVENT AND HEARD THE STORY OF ONE
OF OUR WOUNDED WARRIORS AND HOW
THE SPORT OF GOLF HAS HELPED HIM
TO OVERCOME HIS TRAUMATIC BRAIN
INJURY AND LEARN THE SPORT OF
GOLF EVEN WITH PROSTHESIS AND
HOW MUCH THAT'S HELPED HIM.
THE FIRST SMALL
BUSINESS I OWNED HAPPENED TO BE
A MINIATURE GOLF COURSE.
I ALSO WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH
PAYNE STEWART AND NONE OF HIS
GOLF ABILITIES RUBBED OFF ON ME,
UNFORTUNATELY.
GOLF IS A $76 BILLION INDUSTRY
WHICH PROVIDES TWO MILLION JOBS
IN THE UNITED STATES.
GOLF COURSES ARE GENERALLY SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS OWN GOLF COURSES
AND I KNOW THE CHALLENGES THAT
SMALL BUSINESSES FACE TODAY.
THE ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT OF
THE GOVERNMENT INDUSTRY IS OVER
$200 BILLION.
GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ARE
EXCELLENT ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS
OF THE LAND AND AMONG THE BEST
IN THE WORLD AS KNOWING HOW TO
CARE FOR THE EARTH.
BEING OUTDOORS ALWAYS IMPROVES
ONE'S QUALITY OF LIFE, WALKING
JUST A NINE-HOLE COURSE CAN GIVE
YOU A 2.5-MILE WORKOUT OR IN MY
CASE SEVEN MILES.
IT IS A SPORT THAT CAN BE PLAYED
BY ALL AGES AND WE SHOULD TAKE
GOLF DAY.
TIME TODAY TO RECOGNIZE NATIONAL
I YIELD BACK.
FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM ILLINOIS RISE?
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO
MINUTE.
REVISE AND EXTEND FOR ONE
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE
MINUTE.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
WHAT STARTED OUT AS A SMALL
PIRATED RADIO SHOW OF TWO MEN
RUNNING AWAY FROM A LAW
UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE, THE
ROMAN ROPER SHOW HAS
ENTERTAINED PEOPLE FOR A LONG
TIME AND TODAY IT'S REACHED ITS
WHOLE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
WHILE MANY INCREASE
LISTENERSHIP, THE MOST
ILLINOISANS TUNE IN TO ROMAN
AND ROPER FROM 2:00 TO 6:00
EVERY DAY.
BOTH COME WITH A
VERY UNIQUE AND ADMIRABLE TRADE
THAT MAKE THE SHOW A SUCCESS.
ONE HAS A STRONG LOVE OF HIS
COMMUNITY AND WAS HONORED AS
THE 2010 CHICAGO AREA AS THE
F.B.I. DIRECTOR COMMUNITY
LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR UNWAVERING
SUPPORT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN
GENERAL.
RICHARD IS A FELLOW ALUMNI OF
ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY AND
IS A COLUMNIST, CO-HOST WITH
TOPICS RANGING FROM POLITICS TO
ENTERTAINMENT.
I'M HONORED TO TAKE THIS TIME
TO RECOGNIZE TWO SUCCESSFUL
INDIVIDUALS WHO PROVIDE AN
OUTSTANDING SHOW ON A DAILY
BASIS BUT ALSO TWO MEN I'M
PROUD TO CALL FRIENDS.
CONGRATS, GENTLEMEN.
HERE'S TO ANOTHER YEAR, AND I
YIELD BACK.
FOR
WHAT REASON DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM TENNESSEE RISE?
TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE
FOR ONE MINUTE AND TO REVISE
AND EXTEND MY REMARKS.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE
MINUTE.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
GREAT LEADER, MINISTER AND
I RISE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THE
EDUCATOR, DR. DONALD JEANS, WHO
IS RETIRING THIS YEAR FROM
MILLIGAN UNIVERSITY.
HE'S A 1968 MAGNA *** LAUDE
GRADUATE FROM JOHNSON CITY.
FIRST AS A MINISTER AND THEN AS
A PROFESSOR.
HE WAS ANNOUNCED 14TH PRESIDENT
OF MILLIGAN COLLEGE.
IT HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN NAMED
ONE OF AMERICA'S BEST COLLEGES
AND HAS EXPERIENCED PHENOMENAL
GROWTH BOTH IN TERMS OF THE
FISCAL CAMPUS AS WELL AS --
COURSES OFFERED.
PHYSICAL CAMPUS AS WELL AS THE
I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK DR.
JEANS FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO
FAITH, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT, AND I WISH HE AND
HIS WIFE THE VERY BEST AS HE
PREPARES FOR HIS RETIREMENT
FROM THE PRESIDENCY OF MILLIGAN
COLLEGE.
I'D LIKE TO SAY TO MY FRIEND, A
JOB WELL DONE, AND I YIELD BACK
THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.
FOR
WHAT REASON DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM FLORIDA RISE?
TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
MINUTE.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE
MINUTE.
MR. SPEAKER, IT'S BEEN 25
DAYS SINCE THE PRESIDENT BEGAN
MILITARY ACTION IN LIBYA
WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL
AUTHORIZATION.
HE MADE THIS DECISION DESPITE
THE FACT THAT THE CONFLICT IN
LIBYA DID NOT REPRESENT AN
IMMINENT THREAT TO THE UNITED
STATES.
INSTEAD, THE PRESIDENT SOUGHT
THE APPROVAL OF THE UNITED
NATIONS AND THE ARAB LEAGUE
BEFORE TAKING MILITARY ACTION
AND NOT CONGRESS.
THIS SETS A TERRIBLE PRECEDENT
BY SEEKING THE U.N. APPROVAL,
THE PRESIDENT IS TRANSFERRING
AUTHORITY THAT SHOULD -- THAT
PEOPLE.
SHOULD REST WITH THE AMERICAN
THROUGH THEIR CONGRESS, NOT TO
AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
THE U.N. RESOLUTION IS NICE,
BUT IT IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR
CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION.
UNDER THE WAR POWERS
RESOLUTION, THE PRESIDENT NEEDS
TO SEEK CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL
WITHIN 60 DAYS.
I'VE INTRODUCED A RESOLUTION
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF
CONGRESS THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA
MUST ADHERE TO THE WAR POWERS
RESOLUTION.
WHETHER YOU CALL IT KINETIC
MILITARY ACTION OR WAR, THIS
CONGRESS MUST AUTHORIZES IT.
IF NOT WE'LL BE SETTING THE
PRECEDENT THAT WE ARE
IRRELEVANT AND THE PRESIDENT
NEED ONLY SEEK APPROVAL FROM
INTERNATIONAL BODIES OUTSIDE OF
THE JURISDICTION OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK.
FOR
WHAT REASON DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM ILLINOIS RISE?
MINUTE.
TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE
MINUTE.
MR. SPEAKER, TODAY I RISE
BECAUSE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO ATTEND THE K.G.C. THIS LAST
WEEKEND.
AN EVENT RAISING RESOURCES TO
BATTLE DEPRESSION.
DEPRESSION AFFECTS OVER 20
MILLION ADULTS IN OUR NATION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL
NEED TO BE PAYING MORE
ATTENTION.
I WANT TO THANK CHAIRMAN
BENNETT FOR HIS LEADERSHIP.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK KEVIN HAG
ART, ANDREW BOYLE, TOM JOYCE
FOR THEIR GENEROUS
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EVENT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND MY
HEART FELT THANKS TO ANDREW
BOYLE FOR HIS LEADERSHIP FOR
NEXT YEAR'S EVENT.
WITH THAT, MR.
SPEAKER, I YIELD BACK.
ARE
THERE FURTHER REQUESTS FOR
ONE-MINUTE SPEECHES?
THEN THE CHAIR LAYS BEFORE THE
HOUSE THE FOLLOWING PERSONAL
REQUESTS.
LEAVES OF BE A
REQUESTED FOR MR. CULBERSON OF
TEXAS TODAY AFTER 4:00 P.M.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE REQUEST
IS GRANTED.
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED
POLICY OF JANUARY 5, 2011, THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA, MR.
GARAMENDI, IS RECOGNIZED FOR 60
MINUTES AS THE DESIGNEE OF THE
MINORITY LEADER.
MR. SPEAKER,
THANK YOU.
TODAY, WE'VE SEEN A REMARKABLE
EVENT HERE ON THE FLOOR OF THE
HOUSE.
DURING THIS DISCUSSION THAT SO
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS
NATION ABOUT THE DEFICIT AND
HOW WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH
OUR BUDGET, THIS HOUSE PASSED A
BILL THAT WILL ACTUALLY
INCREASE THE DEFICIT.
A BILL PASSED TODAY WITH THE
SUPPORT OF THE REPUBLICANS TO
REPEAL A PROVISION IN THE
AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE ACT THAT
WILL KEEP AMERICANS HEALTHY.
HEALTHY AMERICANS DON'T NEED
MEDICAL CARE, AND I SUPPOSE THE
IDEA OF THE REPUBLICANS HERE IS
THAT THEY OUGHT TO GET SICK.
YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE WELLNESS
ISSUE.
PART OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE
ACT, IT PROVIDED FOR NUMEROUS
ACTIVITIES SPECIFICALLY
DESIGNED TO KEEP AMERICANS
HEALTHY.
BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING FOR
ADULTS, PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN
TO AVOID OBOESITY, PUBLIC
HEALTH PROGRAMS FOR
VACCINATIONS SO THAT OUR
CHILDREN AND INDEED OUR ADULTS
DON'T GET SICK, ALL OF THESE
PROGRAMS IN THE WELLNESS
PORTION OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE
ACT WOULD BE REPEALED BY THE
ACTION THAT THE REPUBLICANS
JUST VOTED ON NOT MORE THAN A
HALF-HOUR AGO.
WHAT IN THE WORLD'S GOING ON
HERE?
WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?
IS IT SOME SORT OF IDEOLOGICAL
SPIRITUAL THING TO DO WHAT IS
NOT VERY SMART?
THE AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE ACT,
WHICH THEY LIKE TO CALL
OBAMACARE, HAS MANY, MANY
PROVISIONS IN IT SPECIFICALLY
DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE COST OF
MEDICAL CARE IN AMERICA.
AND IF YOU ARE GOING TO DEAL
WITH THE DEFICIT, AND WE ALL
TALK ABOUT IT HERE, YOU HAVE TO
DEAL WITH THE COST OF MEDICARE.
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE COST
OF MEDICARE?
WELL, YOU DEAL WITH IT BY
REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD THAT
SENIORS WILL GET SICK.
YOU DEAL WITH IT BY REDUCING
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN SENIORS
SO THEY DON'T GET STROKES.
ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE
THINGS THAT SENIOR POPULATION
WILL ENDURE IS A STROKE.
IT'S NOT JUST THE IMMEDIATE
MEDICAL CARE.
IT'S THE LONG-TERM EFFECT OF A
STROKE.
AND SO WHEN WE GO OUT AND WE
TRY TO HAVE SENIORS AND THOSE
SOON TO BE SENIORS HAVE BLOOD
PRESSURE CHECKS, WE REDUCE THE
COST OF MEDICAL CARE IN
AMERICA.
BUT I GUESS THE REPUBLICANS
DON'T SEE IT THAT WAY.
THEY ALSO SEE IT IN ANOTHER
WAY, AND THAT IS SOMEHOW THEY
BELIEVE THAT WE CAN REDUCE THE
COST OF MEDICAL CARE IN THE
FEDERAL BUDGET BY TERMINATING
MEDICARE.
UNBELIEVABLE THAT THE
REPUBLICAN BUDGET WOULD
TERMINATE MEDICAL CARE FOR
SENIORS BY TERMINATING
MEDICARE, A PROGRAM THAT WAS
STARTED IN 1964 TO DEAL WITH
THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM THAT
SENIORS HAD AT THAT PERIOD AND
THAT WAS THE INABILITY TO
AFFORD MEDICAL SERVICES.
THEY WOULD LITERALLY BE INTO
BANKRUPTCY AND POVERTY BECAUSE
THEY COULDN'T PAY FOR THEIR
MEDICAL CARE.
SO IN 1964 LYNDON BAINES
JOHNSON AND THE DEMOCRATS IN
THIS HOUSE AND THE SENATE
PASSED MEDICARE.
ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONS OF
SUPPORT FOR THE SENIOR
POPULATION IN THIS NATION.
AND YET IN THE REPUBLICAN
BUDGET THAT WILL BE ON THIS
FLOOR LATER THIS WEEK IS THE
REPEAL OF MEDICARE, THE
TERMINATION OF IT, AND SO I
SUPPOSE THIS IS THE NEW WAY WE
OUGHT TO LOOK AT THIS ISSUE.
IT'S A TOME STONE.
WHAT HAD SAID, MEDICARE,
1964-2011 CREATED BY L.B.J.,
DESTROYED BY THE G.O.P.
UNBELIEVABLE.
FORTUNATELY TODAY WHEN
PRESIDENT OBAMA SPOKE TO THE
NATION HE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE
AND I'LL PARAPHRASE WHAT HE
SAID.
HE SAYS -- I GUESS SAY IT AS A
STREET FIGHTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
NO WAY, NO HOW IN HIS
PRESIDENCY MEDICARE BE
TERMINATED.
ARE YOU LISTENING, MY FRIENDS
ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE?
THE PRESIDENT SAID NO, WE'RE
NOT GOING DOWN THE PATH OF
TERMINATING MEDICARE.
AND I KNOW THAT MY CAUCUS, THE
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS, WILL STAND
THERE WITH THE PRESIDENT, WE
WILL FIND ANY ATTEMPT ANYTIME,
ANYPLACE, ANYWHERE THAT YOU OR
ANYBODY ELSE WILL PUT BEFORE
THIS HOUSE A PROPOSAL TO
TERMINATE MEDICARE.
WE WILL NOT ALLOW IT.
AND THANKFULLY THE PRESIDENT
HAS THE VETO PEN.
HE OUGHT TO GO BACK AND PULL
OUT THE PEN THAT L.B.J. USED TO
SIGN THE MEDICARE LAW IN 1965
AND PUT IT TO PAPER SHOULD
SOMEHOW THE REPUBLICAN BUDGET
ARRIVE ON HIS DESK WITH THE
TERMINATE OF MEDICARE IN IT.
IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN, IT CANNOT
HAPPEN.
WE CANNOT SUBJECT OUR SENIORS
TO THE KIND OF POVERTY THAT
EXISTED PRIOR TO THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF MEDICARE IN
THE 1960'S.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL
STAND AND FIGHT ON.
THE PRESIDENT ALSO SAID TODAY
AS HE LAID OUT HIS SOLUTION FOR
A $4 TRILLION REDUCTION IN THE
DEFICIT THAT DO NOT TERMINATE
MEDICARE AND DON'T PRIVATIZE
SOCIAL SECURITY, LAYING IT
DOWN.
NOT A LINE IN THE SAND BUT
CLEARLY A MARK ON THE CONCRETE.
SOCIAL SECURITY WILL NOT BE
PRIVATIZED DURING HIS WATCH.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
AND YOU KNOW THIS, THAT THE
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS IN THIS HOUSE
WILL STAND FIRMLY WITH YOU, AND
WE WILL FIND EVERY BILL, EVERY
PROPOSAL TO PRIVATIZE SOCIAL
SECURITY.
NOW, WE KNOW THERE'S A BUDGET
PROBLEM.
WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A DEFICIT
PROBLEM HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES, AND WE KNOW THAT IT HAS
TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE PRESIDENT HAS LAID OUT TWO
CHAPTERS IN THE DEMOCRATIC
PROPOSAL TO DEAL WITH THE
DEFICIT.
IN HIS STATE OF THE UNION
SPEECH HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES NEEDED TO
BE FROZEN OVER THE NEXT FIVE
YEARS, AND TODAY HE TOOK
ANOTHER STEP RECOMMENDING
SPECIFIC REDUCTIONS IN VARIOUS
FEDERAL PROGRAMS.
ALL TO THE GOOD.
AND WE WILL STAND THERE WITH
HIM AND WE WILL WORK ON
REDUCING THOSE FEDERAL
EXPENDITURES.
FOR ME I'VE GOT ONE IN MIND,
ABOUT $120 BILLION A YEAR THAT
WE COULD SAVE.
$120 BILLION A YEAR.
NOW, THAT'S FOUR TIMES 3 1/2
TIMES WHAT IS IN THE REPUBLICAN
CONTINUING RESOLUTION THAT WILL
BE ON THE FLOOR THIS WEEK.
HOW DO YOU FIND $120 BILLION A
YEAR?
END THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN.
END THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN,
BRING THE TROOPS HOME, BRING
THE MONEY HOME, BALANCE OUR
BUDGET, USE THAT TO SOLVE THE
DEFICIT OR SPEND THAT MONEY ON
BUILDING THOSE ROADS, THOSE
FACILITIES HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE
DEFICIT FOR A MOMENT.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT
THE DEFICIT, YOU OUGHT TO
UNDERSTAND WHERE THE DEFICIT
CAME FROM.
IT DIDN'T JUST COME OUT OF THE
BLUE THIS YEAR.
DIDN'T JUST APPEAR IN THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION.
THE DEFICIT IS SOMETHING THAT
HAS BUILT UP OVER A LONG PERIOD
OF TIME HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
WHEN THEY SAY THE DEFICIT IS $4
TRILLION AND IS GOING TO
INCREASE, IT'S NOT IF THE
PRESIDENT AND THE DEMOCRATS GET
THEIR WAY.
IT WILL BE REDUCED BY $14
TRILLION.
HOWEVER THE CURRENT DEFICIT,
WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
WHERE DID IT MAGICALLY APPEAR?
LET'S TAKE A LOOK.
THIS RIGHT HERE -- HERE'S THE
FACTS.
WHO LEFT US WITH HUGE DEFICITS
THIS FELLOW OVER HERE YOU MAY
RECOGNIZE HIM, RONALD REAGAN.
AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR, THE
CON FWREGSAL BUDGET OFFICE
MAKES AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT 0
YEARS.
AT THE ENOF THE RONALD REAGAN
PERIOD, HIS LAST YEAR IN
OFFICE, THE CONGRESSIONAL
BUDGET OFFICE, NONPARTISAN
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE,
MADE AN ESTIMATE, WHERE'S THE
DEFICIT?
THEY ESTIMATED THAT IN THE NEXT
10 YEARS, RONALD REAGAN'S
BUDGET AND THE PROGRAMS THAT
WERE PUT INTO EFFECT IN HIS
PERIOD, WOULD CREATE A $.4
TRILLION DEFICIT.
NOW THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE
FAMILIAR WITH THE HISTORY OF
THE UNITED STATES WOULD KNOW
THAT GEORGE W.H. BUSH, THE
SENIOR, FOLLOWED RONALD REAGAN.
AT THE END OF HIS FOUR YEARS IN
OFFICE, THE CONGRESSIONAL
BUDGET OFFICE MADE AN ESTIMATE
AND THEY ESTIMATED THAT SHOULD
THE BUSH-REAGAN POLICY GOES
FORWARD, THE DEFICIT WOULD BE
$3.3 TRILLION.
IN THE OUT YEARS.
THEN ALONG CAME BILL CLINTON.
BILL CLINTON PUT IN PLACE IN
THE FIRST FOUR YEARS OF HIS
ADMINISTRATION POLICIES THAT
WOULD, IF EXTENDED FORWARD,
DEAL WITH THE RECEIVE IT --
DEFICIT, SUCH THINGS AS PAY-GO
A WORD THAT'S COMMON IN
WASHINGTON BUT I'M SURE OUT
THERE IN THE GREAT AMERICAN
PUBLIC, PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT PAY-GO IS.
PAY-GO IS -- WAS THE LAW DURING
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION AND
IT REQUIRED THAT ANY BILL
PASSED BY CONGRESS HAD TO BE
PAID FOR.
WITH EITHER HIGHER TAXES OR
CUTS IN SOME OTHER PROGRAM.
CREATE A DEFICIT.
IN OTHER WORDS, COULD NOT
COULD NOT ADD TO THE DEFICIT.
THERE WERE OTHER PROGRAMS PUT
IN PLACE, PART OF WHICH I WAS
RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING,
REINVENTING GOVERNMENT.
I WAS HELPING THE -- I WAS THE
DEPUTY SECRETARY AND WE WERE
TOLD, YOU WILL REDUCE THE
EXPENDITURES OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF SUPERIOR AND YOU'LL CONTINUE
TO DO THE SAME THINGS ONLY DO
THEM BETTER.
EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT
GOVERNMENT.
WE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF
EMPLOYEES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
INTERIOR DURING THOSE FIRST
FOUR AND A HALF OR FIVE YEARS
BY SOME 15,000 PEOPLE.
FROM 90,000 TO 75,000 PEOPLE.
AND WE PERFORMED ALL THE
PREVIOUS SERVICES AS WELL AS
AND IN MANY CASES BETTER.
SO IT'S POSSIBLE TO BE
EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE IN THIS
PROCESS.
ANYWAY, BILL CLINTON IS NOW
PRESIDENT, PUTS ALL THESE
POLICIES IN PLACE, AND AT THE
END OF HIS PRESIDENCY,
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE DID
WHAT IT ALWAYS DOES, AN
ESTIMATE OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
IN THE NEXT 0 YEARS IF THE SAME
POLICIES WERE TO CONTINUE.
GUESS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN?
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS A $5.
TRILLION SURPLUS.
$5.6 TRILLION SURPLUS.
ENOUGH TO WIPE OUT ALL OF THE
AMERICAN DEBT.
NO DEBT, NO INTEREST PAYMENTS,
EVERYTHING PAID OFF.
HOWEVER, BILL CLINTON WAS
FOLLOWED BY GEORGE W. BUSH AND
IMMEDIATELY IN THE VERY FIRST
*** OF THE BUSH
ADMINISTRATION, THE CLINTON
PERIOD POLICIES, SOME OF WHICH
WERE VOTED ON BY REPUBLICANS AS
WELL AS DEMOCRATS WERE
TERMINATED.
MASSIVE TAX CUTS PUT IN PLACE.
NOT ONLY IN YEAR ONE BUT IN
YEAR TWO.
TWO WARS STARTED, THE
AFGHANISTAN WAR AND THE IRAQ
WAR, NEITHER OF WHICH WERE PAID
FOR, FIRST TIME IN AMERICAN
HISTORY THAT WARS WERE NOT PAID
FOR BUT RATHER BORROWED.
WHO DID WE BORROW THE MONEY
FROM?
CHINA.
OTHER FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
SO NOW YOU HAD TWO MASSIVE TAX
CUTS, TWO WARS, AND THEN THE
MEDICARE DRUG PROGRAM, AGAIN,
ABOUT $700 BILLION A YEAR, NOT
PAID FOR BUT RATHER BORROWED.
NOT ONE YEAR BUT EVERY YEAR ON
INTO THE FUTURE.
THIRDLY, A WHOLE SET OF
POLICIES WHERE THE GOVERNMENT
STEPPED BACK AND LET WALL
STREET DO WHATEVER IT WANTED TO
DO.
WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO WAS
RECKLESS PROFITEERING.
RESULTING IN 2008-IGGET --
2007-2008 WITH THE CRASH OF THE
AMERICAN ECONOMY, THE WALL
STREET CRASH OF 2008.
BRINGING DOWN THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY TO ITS KNEES.
TO THE GREATEST RECESSION SINCE
THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
NOW, THOSE POLICIES ADDED UP TO
THIS RATHER MASSIVE RED ZONE
HERE.
$11357B9 TRILLION.
$11 TRILLION -- $11.5 TRILLION.
ESTIMATED BY THE CONGRESSIONAL
BUDGET OFFICE, NONPARTISAN
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
THAT WOULD, THAT PROJECTED IN
THE NEXT 10 YEAR, THE SAME
POLICIES CONTINUED, AN $11.5
TRILLION DEFICIT.
PRESIDENT OBAMA CAME TO OFFICE
IN JANUARY OF 2009.
THE DAY HE ARRIVED IN OFFICE,
THE BUDGET HE HAD TO PUT IN HAD
AP $1,300 BILLION HOLE IN IT.
HE DIDN'T CREATE IT.
BUT HE HAD TO DEAL WITH IT.
$1,300 BILLION.
DEFICIT.
HANDED TO HIM BY GEORGE W. BUSH
AND HIS POLICIES.
THAT'S THE HISTORY.
NOW WE'RE TRYING TO DIG
OURSELVES OUT OF THAT HOLE.
NOW, PROPERLY SAID, WHEN YOU'RE
IN A HOLE, STOP DIGGING.
WISE POLICY.
THE PRESIDENT COULDN'T DO THAT
AND THIS CONGRESS COULDN'T DO
THAT IN THE FACE OF THE MOST
SERIOUS FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC
CRISIS THIS STATE -- THIS
NATION HAD FACED SINCE THE
GREAT DEPRESSION.
SO THE STIMULUS BILL WAS
ENACTED.
SOME $750 BILLION.
AND IT WORKED.
DESPITE ALL THE RHETORIC,
ECONOMISTS LOOKING AT THAT
TODAY IN THE COOL MEMORY OF THE
STIMULUS BILL SAID IT WORKED,
IT SAVED THIS ECONOMY, IT SAVED
THIS NATION AND EVERY OTHER
INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRY IN THE
WORLD DID THE EXACT SAME THING.
THEY STIMULATED THEIR ECONOMY
AND TOGETHER THE AMERICAN AND
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY WAS
STABILIZED.
AND WE BEGAN SLOWLY TO GROW OUT
OF THAT GREAT RECESSION.
WE'RE NOT OUT OF IT YET AND
WE'VE GOT TO PUT IN PLACE
POLICIES THAT END THE DEFICIT.
THAT'S PRECISELY WHAT THE
PRESIDENT TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
NOW THE REPUBLICANS HAVE PUT A
PROPOSAL BEFORE US AND WE'LL
VOTE ON IT THIS WEEK BUT IT IS
NOT A PROPOSAL THAT WILL HELP
AMERICA RETAIN ITS IMMINENCE AS
THE MOST DYNAMIC, MOST
CREATIVE, MOST SUCCESSFUL
ECONOMY IN THE WORLD BECAUSE OF
THE POLICIES THAT ARE IN IT.
IT WILL TERMINATE MEDICARE AND
IT WILL TERMINATE -- IT WILL
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THOSE
PROGRAMS THAT CREATE FUTURE
ECONOMIC GROWTH.
I'D LIKE TO JUST TAKE A DEEP
BREATH NOW AND TURN OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUE FROM THE GREAT
NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE UNITED
STATES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN
US AND CARRY ON THIS
DISCUSSION?
THANK YOU.
THERE'S TWO THINGS I WANT TO
ADDRESS, ONE, WHAT ARE THE
POLICIES THAT WERE PART OF
GETTING US TO THAT $11.5
TRILLION DEFICIT?
AND NUMBER TWO, WHAT DO WE NEED
TO DO NOW TO GET TO FISCAL
BALANCE?
THE TWO POLICIES WERE, ONE, A
WAR OF CHOICE WHERE THE
PENTAGON IN ITS ACTIVITIES WAS
NOT SUBJECT TO THE SAME
SCRUTINY OF ACTUALLY HAVING TO
PAY AS YOU GO.
SO THAT COST OF THE WAR IN IRAQ
WAS $1 TRILLION.
THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN, AS YOU
MENTIONED, STARTED OUT AS A
MISSION TO DISLODGE O--
DISLODGE OSAMA BIN LADEN, IT
WAS TRANSFORMED INTO NATION
BUILDING, AND NO MATTER HOW
NECESSARY OR DEBATABLE EITHER
OF THOSE WARS WERE, YOU DO HAVE
TO PAY FOR IT.
IT'S NOT AS THOUGH BECAUSE IT'S
IN THE NAME OF NATIONAL
SECURITY IT CAN BE EXEMPT FROM
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
IN FACT, WHAT'S UNUSUAL IS THAT
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THE
HISTORY OF OUR COULDN'TY --
COUNTRY WHERE WE HAVE BEEN AT
WAR WHERE WE HAVEN'T ASKED FOR
SHARED SACRIFICE BY THE
TAXPAYERS BUT MADE THE ENTIRE
BURDEN BE BORNE BY OUR
MILITARY.
SO WE'VE GOT TO PAY AND WE
DIDN'T DO IT.
AS YOU POINTED OUT.
THE SECOND IS A THEORY BEING
ADVANCED BY MANY THAT IF YOU
CUT TAXES IT WILL CREATE WEALTH
AND CREATE JOBS.
IN SOME PLACES, IN SOME TIMES,
IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT
WILL WORK.
IN FACT, MANY STANDARD
ECONOMISTS SAY THAT IN A
RECESSION IT'S THE TIME TO CUT
TAXES, NOT RAISE THEM.
BUT THE MORE THAT'S FOCUSED ON
THE MIDDLE CLASS WHO ARE
STRUGGLING, ESPECIALLY IN A
DOWN ECONOMIC TIME, TO PAY
THEIR BILLS IF THEY GET A TAX
CUT, THEY HAVE DISCRETIONARY
INCOME, OR THEY HAVE INCOME
LIBERATED, THAT MONEY IS GOING
TO GO RIGHT BACK INTO THE
ECONOMY.
BUT EVERY TAX CUT DOES NOT
GENERATE JOBS AND MANY TAX CUTS
, WHAT THEY END UP DOING IS
ADDING SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE
DEFICIT.
THE PRESIDENT BUSH TAX CUT IN
2001, THE PRESIDENT BUSH TAX
CUT IN 2003, ADDED $PPT 3
BILLION TO THE DEFICIT.
YOU HAVE A PENTAGON THAT IS NOT
SUBJECT TO PAY AS YOU GO, YOU
HAVE TAX CUTS THAT DON'T PAY
FOR THEMSELVES, AND THOSE ARE
TWO MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
TO THAT $11.5 TRILLION DEFICIT
ON THE HEELS OF A $5. TRILLION
SURPLUS.
THE DEBATE WE'RE HAVING NOW IN
THIS HOUSE IS ENORMOUSLY
CONSEQUENTIAL TO THE FUTURE.
THE REPUBLICANS WON THIS LAST
ELECTION AND A MAJOR ARGUMENT
THEY MADE IS THAT WE'VE GOT TO
GET SPENDING UNDER CONTROL.
THEY'RE RIGHT.
I AGREE WITH THAT.
WE HAVE TO GET TO FISCAL
BALANCE.
THE CHALLENGE IS, IF WE'RE
GOING TO GET THERE, DO WE NEED
A PLAN THAT REPEATS THOSE TWO
POLICIES OF THE BUSH
ADMINISTRATION, NAMELY KEEPING
THE PENTAGON OFF THE TABLE, AND
INCREASING TAX CUTS,
PARTICULARLY TO THE HIGH END,
BUT KEEPING OFF THE TABLE
PENTAGON SAVINGS, KEEPING OFF
THE TABLE ELIMINATING TAX
LOOPHOLES, KEEPING OFF THE
TABLE THE QUESTION OF REVENUES.
DEMOCRATS IN MY VIEW HAVE TO BE
WILLING TO COME FORWARD AND
SAY, LOOK, PROGRAMS THAT WE
HAVE BEEN STRONG SUPPORTERS OF
HAVE TO BE RE-EXAMINED.
WE HAVE TO REFORM THEM.
WE HAVE TO MAKE THEM MORE
EFFICIENT.
IF THEY'RE NOT WORKING, WE HAVE
ON.
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND MOVE
WE HAVE TO DO OUR SHARE.
AND THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL
THAT WOULD FREEZE DOMESTIC
SPENDING FOR FIVE YEARS IS
PRETTY DRAMATIC BUT MANY
DEMOCRATS WOULD BE WILLING TO
SUPPORT TOUGH MEDICINE, AS LONG
AS THE PLAN HAD ON THE TABLE
OTHER THINGS THAT ARE MAJOR
CONTRIBUTORS TO THE FISCAL
SITUATION WE'RE IN.
THAT'S, OF COURSE, REVENUES,
THAT'S, OF COURSE, THE
PENTAGON.
AND THAT'S, OF COURSE, TAX
LOOPHOLES IN THE TAX SYSTEM.
WE CAN GET FROM WHERE WE ARE TO
WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
WE SAW THAT IN RECENT YEARS
WHEN IT HAPPENED UNDER
PRESIDENT CLINTON.
AGAIN, AS YOU POINTED OUT, IN
THOSE YEARS, TAX CODES MATTER.
BUT YOU KNOW, IN THE CLINTON
YEARS, WHEN WE HAD HIGHER TAX
RATE WE CREATED 20 MILLION
JOBS.
IN THE BUSH YEAR, WHEN WE HAD
LOWER TAX RATE, WE CREATED
600,000 JOBS AND INCOMES WERE
INCREASING.
THIS HAS TO BE REVIEWED BY THIS
BODY, IN MY VIEW, AS A
PRACTICAL PROBLEM FOR US TO
SOLVE, NOT AN IDEOLOGICAL
ARGUMENT THAT EVERY TAX CUT IS
-- IS GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL,
ANY MORE THAN EVERY SPENDING
PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE
BENEFICIAL.
YOU HAVE TO APPLY JUDGMENT TO
THE SITUATION AT HAND.
THE BIG CHALLENGE FOR US IS
I YIELD BACK.
RESTORING FISCAL BALANCE.
I THANK THE GENTLEMAN.
LET ME THANK MY
COLLEAGUE FROM VERMONT, PETER
WELCH, FOR THIS PRESENTATION ON
THE TAX POLICY.
I THINK WE WANT TO STAY WITH
THAT A FEW MOMENTS.
I KNOW MY COLLEAGUE FROM NEW
YORK, MR. TONKO, IS HERE,
PERHAPS YOU'D LIKE TO OPINE AND
SHARE WITH US YOUR THOUGHTS ON
THESE ISSUES OF THE BUDGET AND
HOW TO DEAL WITH THE DEFICIT.
SURE, MR. GARAMENDI.
I COMPLIMENT MR. WELCH FOR A
BALANCED APPROACH HOW TO
APPROACH THE DEBT SITUATION,
THE DEFICIT SITUATION AND HOW
TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A SOUND
BUDGET TO INVEST IN AMERICA AT
A TIME WHEN OTHER COUNTRIES ARE
INVESTING IN CLEAN ENERGY
TECHNOLOGY.
WE DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO LOOK ONLY AT BUDGET CARVING
THAT LOOKS AT IMPACTS THROUGH
CUTS ON OUR MIDDLE CLASS
FAMILIES, WORKING FAMILIES, AND
THE POOR.
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN ARE TRILLIONS
WORTH OF CUTS TO PROGRAMS,
IMPACTING THE ABILITY TO PAY
UTILITY BILLS, IMPACTING THE
ABILITY TO SEND YOUR CHILD,
YOUR ADULT CHILD OFF TO
COLLEGE.
TO OWN A HOME.
TO HAVE AN AFFORDABLE HOME
BUDGET.
ALL THESE THINGS ARE AT RISK
HERE.
WE'RE PUTTING PEOPLE, MOST
VULNERABLE, AT RISK.
WE HAVE SEEN ALMOST A FLAT
CURVE FOR THE GROWTH IN
HOUSEHOLD INCOME ACROSS
AMERICA, JUST A SLIGHT PUMP
UPWARDS, WITH AN EXPONENTIAL
RISE IN CORPORATE EXECUTIVE
SALARIES.
BEEN.
THAT'S WHERE THE GROWTH HAS
THE RECOVERY HAS SEEN THAT
HAPPENING WITH A DOWNWARD
SPIRAL, A DOWNWARD MOBILE
QUALITY TO THE COMEBACK OF OUR
EFFORTS HERE IN THIS COUNTRY.
. IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE
CERTAIN THERE IS A BALANCE AND
CALLING ON ALL TOOLS IN THE TOOL
KIT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND THIS CHART TELLS THE STORY.
OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS,
MIDDLE-CLASS WAGES HAVE
STAGNATED AND THIS TELLS THE
STORY.
WHEN PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT
NOT WANTING TO VISIT A FAIRNESS
IN TAX POLICY HERE, WHEN WE HAVE
SEEN THE ANGER IN AMERICA
EXPRESSED IN THE MANY
HOUSEHOLDS, THE GREAT MAJORITY
OF PEOPLE ARE PORTRAYED IN THE
MIDDLE CLASS, THEY ARE THE
POPULATION THAT HAVE EXPRESS
ANGER AND RIGHTFULLY SO AND THAT
ANGER HAS TO BE ADDRESSED
THROUGH FAIRNESS IN TAX POLICY,
THROUGH AN ACROSS-THE-BOARD
IMPACT OF SOLUTION HERE THAT
WILL ENABLE US TO DO WHAT IS
FAIR AND CORRECT.
I WATCH THE SAVINGS THAT THEY
TALK ABOUT HERE WITH THE
REPUBLICAN PLAN.
THE REPUBLICANS WILL TALK ABOUT
THE HUGE SAVINGS THAT THEY
PRODUCE ALL ON CUTS ON DOMESTIC
PROGRAMS, AFFECTING THE POOR AND
THE MIDDLE CLASS.
THOSE AREN'T SAVINGS, BECAUSE TO
BE SAVINGS, THEY WOULD BE IN A
LOCKED BOX OR ASSUME TO GO AFTER
RELEAVING THE DEFICIT.
BUT THEY TAKE THESE TRILLIONS IN
LIKE AMOUNT AND PROVIDE TAX CUTS
FOR MILLIONAIRES, BILLIONAIRES,
CORPORATIONS, STILL CONTINUE TO
HAND OUT MINDLESSLY THE
SUBSIDIES TO BIG OIL CONDITIONS.
THAT IS WHAT IS MOST EGREGIOUS
INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT REVENUES,
THE DOMESTIC PROGRAMS THAT
REQUIRE INVESTMENT.
NO THEY'RE GOING PALL-MALL ON A
ATTACK ON THE MIDDLE CLASS.
INSTEAD OF INVESTMENTS TO
MIDDLE-CLASS AMERICA AND SLIDE
IT OVER TO THE MILLIONAIRE,
BILLIONAIRE, BIG OIL COMPANY
CLOUD, THAT COMMUNITY, WHAT
HAPPENS IN THE INTERIM?
WE GROW WITH THIS REPUBLICAN
PLAN FOR A BUDGET.
WE GROW DEBT BY $8 TRILLION.
SO WHERE HAVE WE GAINED HERE?
THIS SOUNDS LIKE A REPEAT OF THE
PRE-RECESSION YEARS WHERE WE
WERE NOT ACKNOWLEDGING FAIRNESS
IN REVENUES, ALLOWING FOR A
FALLING APART OF THE SYSTEM, AT
THE SAME TIME WE TOOK THE
WATCHDOG ON THE EQUATION ON THE
FINANCIAL SECTOR ON WALL STREET
AND ALLOWED WORKING FAMILIES
PORTFOLIO WHERE WE LOST $8.3
TRILLION ON 4011K'S.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED AND WE ARE
GOING TO REPEAT HISTORY.
LET'S PICK UP ON HISTORY OF THE
BEST KIND AND INVEST IN JOBS AS
WE DID IN THE F.D.R. YEARS WHERE
WE CAME OUT OF TOUGH ECONOMIC
TIMES AND SAW PROJECTS BUILT
ACROSS AMERICA NOT THE
TRICKLE-DOWN THEORY THAT DIDN'T
WORK DURING THE REAGAN
ADMINISTRATION AND THE SECOND
PUSH PRESIDENCY.
AND MY QUESTION IS AND I CAN'T
HELP BUT ASK, WHY WOULD WE
REVISIT THAT SCENARIO AGAIN
KNOWING WE ARE CRAWLING OUT OF
THE RECESSION AND GROWING
PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS TO THE TUNE
OF TWO MILLION IN JUST OVER A
YEAR?
PROGRESS?
WHY WOULD WE DISRUPT THAT
I ASK, WHY WOULD WE DISRUPT
THAT?
I THINK IT'S GREAT WE ARE
BRINGING THIS INFORMATION TO THE
FOREFRONT AND ALLOWING IT TO BE
EXCHANGED WITH THE PEOPLE WE
REPRESENT WHO HAVE EXPRESSED
ANGER ABOUT THE BURDEN, THE
UNNECESSARY PAIN THAT HAS BEEN
PLACED UPON THEIR HOUSEHOLDS ON
MODEST INCOME MEANS.
THE CHART THAT WE
SHARED A MOMENT AGO IS NEXT TO
ME AND IT SHOWS THAT WHICH ARE
SEEING A MIDDLE CLASS IN AMERICA
THAT HAS SEEN VERY, VERY LITTLE
PROGRESS IN THE LAST TWO DECADES
AND INSTEAD, AN ENORMOUS SHIFT
OF WEALTH AND INCOME TO THE TOP
1% OR 2% OF THE NATION, 256%
INCREASE IN INCOME TO THE VERY
WEALTHY.
IT TRUMPS ALL OF THE INCOME
GAINS BY THE REST OF THE
ECONOMY.
INCREASE.
THOSE AT THE BOTTOM SAW 10%, 11%
THE REST, VERY, VERY LITTLE.
I LOOK UP AND I SEE MY COLLEAGUE
FROM THE GREAT STATE OF OREGON,
MR. BLUMENAUER, THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US.
WE TALKED EARLIER TODAY ABOUT
THE UPCOMING DEBT LIMIT, BUT
PLEASE JOIN US AND SHARE WITH US
YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT WE ARE
DOING HERE AND WHAT WE SHOULDN'T
BE DOING OR SHOULD BE DOING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
I APPRECIATE
YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR
FOCUSING ON THE ISSUES THAT FACE
US.
HAVING SPENT HOURS IN THE BUDGET
COMMITTEE SO FAR THIS CONGRESS,
I MUST ADMIT THAT I WAS SHOCKED
AND SURPRISED THAT WITH THE
PROFOUNDLY NEGATIVE APPROACH
THAT IS BEING TAKEN BY MY GOOD
FRIEND, PAUL RYAN, THE CHAIR OF
THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, AND MY
REPUBLICAN FRIENDS.
FIRST OF ALL, THERE IS, IN
ESSENCE, A REFUSAL TO ZERO IN ON
THE THREE AREAS OF GREATEST
INCREASE IN THE BUDGET.
WE SEE REPEATED CHARTS THAT TALK
ABOUT MEDICARE GOING THROUGH THE
ROOF OVER THE NEXT 50 YEARS, AND
IT'S TRUE.
WE NEED TO GET MEDICARE SPENDING
UNDER CONTROL, BECAUSE THE PAST
PATH IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
BUT IRONICICALLY, WHAT IS
IGNORED IS THAT THE APPROACH
THAT IS BEING OFFERED BY THE
REPUBLICANS IN THEIR BUDGET
ACTUALLY IGNORES THE MAJOR
PROVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED
IN STATUTE NOW THAT WOULD
ACTUALLY REDUCE THE RATE OF
MEDICARE SPENDING IN THE FUTURE.
WE HAVE TAKEN EVERY SIGNIFICANT
INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED PROMISING
INITIATIVE TO BEND THAT COST
CURVE, AND THEY HAVE BEEN
STRIPPED AWAY.
WE WATCHED REPUBLICANS ATTACK
DEMOCRATS BECAUSE THERE WERE
PROVISIONS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE WITH MEDICARE
SPENDING, CLAIMING IT WOULD
SOMEHOW SLASH MEDICARE FOR
SENIOR CITIZENS BY HALF A
TRILLION DOLLARS.
WELL, CONGRESSMAN GARAMENDI, YOU
AND I COME FROM AREAS OF THE
COUNTRY THAT ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO REDUCE HEALTH CARE
COSTS.
AVERAGE.
THEY'RE BELOW THE NATIONAL
AND IN BOTH AREAS, WE ACTUALLY
HAVE HIGHER PERFORMANCE.
BETTER HEALTH CARE, LESS COSTS.
IF THE REST OF AMERICA PRACTICED
MEDICINE THE WAY IT IS PRACTICED
IN OUR TWO COMMUNITIES, THERE
WOULD NOT BE A MEDICARE CRISIS.
WELL, WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH THE
REFORM ACT WAS EMBED THOSE
NOTIONS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
INCENTIVES TO REWARD VALUE OVER
VOLUME, NOT JUST PAY FOR
PROCEDURES, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATIONS,
BUNDLING OF SERVICES, TO
ACTUALLY HAVE SOME FINANCIAL
DISINCENTIVES FOR UNNECESSARY
HOSPITAL RE-ADMISSIONS.
ALL OF THESE, THE EXPERTS TELL
US, COULD SAVE OVER $1.2
TRILLION OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
AND, IN FACT, IF WE HAD THE
COURAGE TO ACTUALLY IMPROVE AND
ACCELERATE AND ENHANCE, THERE
ARE GREATER SAVINGS, BECAUSE THE
DOCTORS, THE NURSES, THE
HOSPITALS IN OUR TWO COMMUNITIES
HAVE PROVEN IT'S POSSIBLE.
BUT OUR REPUBLICAN FRIENDS HAVE
SIMPLY DECIDED TO TURN THEIR
BACK ON THAT.
THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE
MEDICARE SAVINGS AND SPEND IT
FOR TAX CUTS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED
IT THE LEAST.
AND I CAN'T HELP BUT TURN BACK
TO YOU, BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN
INTERESTING CHART THERE ON THE
FLOOR THAT MAY SAY IT ALL.
WELL, I THANK
YOU.
AND JUST DO A COLLOQUY HERE BACK
AND FORTH.
YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT WAYS IN
WHICH WE CAN BEND THE COST CURVE
FOR HEALTH CARE FOR ALL
AMERICANS, NOT ONLY THOSE ON
MEDICARE.
IT WAS IN THE AFFORDABLE HEALTH
CARE ACT, THE HEALTH CARE
REFORM.
OUR REPUBLICANS LIKE TO CALL IT
OBAMACARE AND I'M HAPPY WITH
THAT, BECAUSE IT WOULD ACTUALLY
REDUCE THE COST OF MEDICAL
SERVICES FOR EVERYBODY, WHETHER
YOU ARE IN MEDICARE OR KAISER.
AND YOU MENTIONED FOUR VERY
IMPORTANT WAYS THAT DOES IT.
HOSPITAL RE-ADMISSIONS,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS HOSPITAL
INFECTIONS.
OUR COLLEAGUE, A WEEK AGO DIED
-- LIKELY DIED OF A HOSPITAL
INFECTION.
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT PLACES A
HEAVY BURDEN ON HOSPITALS THAT
HAVE A HIGH INFECTION RATE FOR
RE-ADMISSIONS.
DEADLY, DEADLY SITUATION.
IT'S JUST BUT ONE OF SEVERAL
WAYS IN WHICH THE AFFORDABLE
CARE ACT REDUCES THE COSTS.
YOU VOTED NO AND I VOTED NO THAT
THE REPUBLICANS FORCED ON THIS
HOUSE THAT ELIMINATES WELLNESS.
ABOUT?
WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT ALL
WHY WOULD YOU ELIMINATE
WELLNESS, OBESITY, BLOOD
PRESSURE, PROPER EATING,
NUTRITION, PUBLIC HEALTH,
VACCINATIONS, ALL OF THESE
THINGS TO KEEP PEOPLE HEALTHY.
HEALTHY PEOPLE DON'T COST MONEY.
THEY DON'T RUN UP THE COST OF
MEDICAL SERVICES.
THAT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL.
YOU ARE ACTUALLY INCREASING THE
DEFICIT BY DOING THAT.
AND THEN THEY TAKE IT TO THE
ULTIMATE STEP OF TERMINATING
MEDICARE.
THIS HAS BECOME MY FAVORITE.
IT'S THE TEAMSTONE FOR MEDICARE.
IN THE REPUBLICAN BUDGET IS A
PROPOSAL THAT WOULD TERMINATE
MEDICARE FOR ALL AMERICANS WHO
ARE LESS THAN 55 YEARS OF AGE
TODAY.
IF YOU ARE 65, MAYBE IT WOULD
CONTINUE ON, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT
THE TOTALITY OF THEIR PROPOSAL,
IT IS THE TERMINATION OF
MEDICARE, AND THIS IS WHAT WE
HAVE.
MEDICARE.
1965 TO 2011, CREATED BY L.B.J.,
DESTROYED BY THE G.O.P..
UNBELIEVABLE.
AND ALONG WITH IT, A SIGNIFICANT
REDUCTION IN MEDICAID, WHICH IN
CALIFORNIA WE CALL MEDICAL.
YOUR EXPERTISE, MR. BLUMENAUER,
ON THE HEALTH CARE ISSUE AND THE
EXPERIENCE IN OREGON ON HOW WE
CAN REDUCE THE COST OF MEDICAL
CARE NEEDS TO BE HEARD BY EVERY
MEMBER IN THIS HOUSE.
IF YOU WOULD CONTINUE ON AND
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS THIS ISSUE
OF MEDICAL SERVICES AND HOW WE
CAN DEAL WITH REDUCING THE
COSTS, SAVING MEDICARE AND AT
THE SAME TIME ADDRESSING THE
DEFICIT.
WELL, YOUR POINT
IS WELL TAKEN IN TERMS OF WHAT
THEY WOULD DO TERMINATING
MEDICARE AS WE KNOW IT FOR
EVERYBODY UNDER 55 YEARS OF AGE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER 230
MILLION AMERICANS.
AND AS A RESULT OF THIS, IT IS
-- IT'S CLEAR, YOU CAN LOOK AT
THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE,
OTHER INDEPENDENT EXPERTS, IT'S
NOT GOING TO REDUCE THE COST OF
HEALTH CARE.
IN FACT, IT'S GOING TO INCREASE
THE COST OF HEALTH CARE IN
AMERICA, BUT WHAT IT DOES IS
IT'S GOING TO PUT AN EVER
AMERICANS.
INCREASING BURDEN ON ELDERLY
IT'S GOING TO HAVE A GAP FOR
THOSE, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THEY
AREN'T GOING TO ENABLE PEOPLE TO
HAVE MEDICARE UNTIL THEY'RE 67.
THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A SMALL
VOUCHER THAT IS GIVEN TO THE
INSURANCE COMPANY.
BEAR IN MIND THE REASON THAT
L.B.J. IN 1965 AND THE
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS ENACTED
MEDICARE WAS BECAUSE AMERICA'S
ELDERLY COULD NOT GET GOOD
INSURANCE COVERAGE THAT WAS
COMPREHENSIVE AND AFFORDABLE.
SENIOR CITIZENS, LIKE IT OR NOT,
ARE OLDER, THEY ARE FRAILER,
THEY ARE LESS HEALTHY THAN
AMERICANS AND THEY'RE NOT
WORKING AS MUCH.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE INCOME.
THEY NEED HELP.
NOW, OUR REPUBLICAN FRIENDS
WOULD LEAD US TO BELIEVE THAT
ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WILL BE A
PRIVATE INSURANCE MARKET, WHICH,
BY THE WAY, SOUNDS SUSPICIOUSLY
LIKE THE EXCHANGES THAT THEY
SAID WERE BAD IN THE HEALTH
REFORM ACT AND THEY WOULD FORCE
PEOPLE IN THAT, BUT THEY WOULD
DECREASING PREMIUM SUPPORT.
I THINK IT'S ALSO APPROPRIATE TO
JUST REFLECT FOR A MOMENT ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE 78 MILLION
BABY BOOMERS WHO ARE 55 OR OLDER
WHO WILL BE UNDER MEDICARE.
THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE FOR
YEARS.
IT'S GOING TO BE INCREASINGLY
INEFFICIENT.
IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THERE IS
SOME EXTRA COSTS THAT ARE
EMBEDDED FOR EXISTING AND
SOON-TO-BE FUTURE MEDICARE
RECIPIENTS THAT ARE GOING TO
START, DRIVE UP COSTS AND OF
COURSE, NATIONALLY, WE ARE ALL
GOING TO PAY MORE FOR THE
PRIVILEGE.
I WOULD SUGGEST THIS TOMBSTONE
IS SOMETHING PEOPLE SHOULD
CONSIDER CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT'S
GOING TO MEAN AND I SINCERELY
BELIEVE NOT JUST THE DEATH OF
MEDICARE, BUT GOING TO PROVIDE
PROFOUND SHIFTS IN DISLOCATIONS
WITHIN OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM,
HURT THE PROVIDERS AND PROVIDE
LESS EFFECTIVE HEALTH CARE FOR
.
OUR ELDERLY CITIZENS.
LET ME ADD TO
THAT.
THE REPUBLICAN BUDGET WE'LL BE
VOTING ON IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS
HAS PROVISIONS THAT ARE HARMFUL
TO SENIORS AND WANNABE SENIORS,
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE TO BE
SENIORS, AND THAT'S MEDICARE
REDUCTIONS.
IN THE PROPOSAL THEY'RE
BRINGING TO THE FLOOR, THE ROAD
TO RUIN PROPOSAL IS A BLOCK
GRANT TO THE STATES FOR
MEDICAID SERVICES.
IN KALE WE CALL IT MEDI-CAL.
THESE ARE FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T
GET SERVICES BECAUSE THEY'RE
DISABLED, MENTALLY DISABLED OR
SENIORS WHO CANNOT AFFORD CARE
IN NURSING HOMES.
THE BLOCK GRANT IS LESS THAN
WHAT IS NOW AVAILABLE TO EVERY
STATE AND IT IS SCHEDULED TO BE
REDUCED IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
THE PURPOSE OF WHICH IS
PRESUMABLY TO DEAL WITH THE
DEFICIT BUT WHAT IT DOES IS IT
TAKES THAT WHOLE POPULATION OF
SENIORS, CURRENT SENIORS AND
OTHERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY SERVED
BY THE MEDICAID PROGRAM AND
PUTS THEM AT RISK.
THE EFFECT WILL BE TO THROW
SENIORS OUT OF NURSING HOMES,
SENIORS THAT ARE ON MEDICAID
AND MEDI-CAL IN CALIFORNIA.
IT IS THE MOST ONEROUS AND
HARD-HEARTED PROPOSAL I HAVE
YET SEEN.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN
DESPERATE NEED FOR SERVICES,
SERVICES FOR MENTALLY ILL, FOR
DISABLED, FOR SENIORS IN
NURSING HOMES AND CANNOT AFFORD
THE COST OF NURSING HOMES.
THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF THIS
PROVISION IN THE BUDGET.
WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS A
SHIFT A SHIFT OF COSTS FROM THE
OVERALL AMERICAN ECONOMY IN THE
FEDERAL BUDGET TO THE
INDIVIDUALS.
NOT TO THE WEALTHY, NOT TO
THOSE WHO HAVE INCOME, BUT
RATHER TO THOSE WHO HAVE SO
LITTLE.
AND IT'S NOT THE ONLY SHIFT
THAT'S OCCURRING.
I'D LIKE TO, IF IT'S OK WITH
YOU, MR. BLUMENAUER, WHERE DOES
THE MONEY COME FROM?
LET'S FOLLOW UP
ON THIS FOR A MOMENT, IF WE
COULD, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT OUGHT TO CONCERN
EACH AND EVERY CITIZEN.
MEDICAID, IN YOUR STATE
MEDI-CALL, WE'VE HAD THE OREGON
HEALTH PLAN, THERE ARE OTHER
STATES WITH VARIATIONS ON THAT,
IT PROVIDES HEALTH CARE, AS YOU
SAY, FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS.
THE ELDERLY, DISABLED,
EXTREMELY POOR PEOPLE.
AND THE YOUNG.
IT IS VERY COST EFFECTIVE.
THERE ARE COMPLAINTS THAT THE
BENEFITS UNDER MEDICAID ARE
ACTUALLY VERY LOW AND IT'S HARD
FOR PHYSICIANS AND HOSPITALS,
MEDICAL PROVIDERS TO DEAL WITH
THIS.
BUT BY MOVING TO A BLOCK GRANT
THAT, AS YOU SAY, IS DESIGNED
TO GO DOWN OVER TIME, AND
UNLIKE THE CURRENT SYSTEM,
WHICH IS SORT OF
COUNTERCYCLICAL, WHERE THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN
MORE MONEY IN TIMES OF
DISTRESS, WHICH IT'S DONE TO
YOUR STATE AND MY STATE IN THE
LAST TWO YEARS, IF WE HADN'T
GOT THE EXTRA PAYMENTS FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HELP WITH
MEDICAID, I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT
SHAPE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN
IN SACRAMENTO AND SALEM,
OREGON, THE LEGISLATURE WOULD
HAVE JUST MELTED DOWN.
WELL, WHAT THIS PROPOSAL IS, IS
TO CONTINUE THIS RATCHETING
DOWN, NO BENEFITS WHEN TIMES
ARE TOUGH, STATES THAT ARE
UNABLE OR IN SOME CASES
UNWILLING TO REACT, IT'S GOING
TO HAVE A CASCADING EFFECT.
YOU MENTIONED THE PROBLEM
THAT'S LIKELY TO EMERGE WITH
PEOPLE BEING LITERALLY TOSSED
OUT OF NURSING HOMES.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
AMERICANS NEED TO STEP BACK AND
LOOK AT WHAT IS BEING DESIGNED
AS PART OF THIS VERY
PESSIMISTIC ROAD MAP THAT IS
GOING TO HAVE VERY SERIOUS
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES.
THANK YOU FOR
THAT I'M GOING TO SHIFT TO
ANOTHER VERY, VERY IMPORTANT
PART OF THE REPUBLICAN BUDGET
PROPOSAL, THAT IS THEIR TOTAL
UNWILLINGNESS TO DEAL WITH THE
REALITIES OF THE REVENUES THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS IN
ORDER TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE
ALL THE MULTITUDE OF SERVICES
THAT ARE PART OF MODERN
SOCIETY, EVERYTHING FROM
DEFENSE TO HOMELAND SECURITY,
AS WELL AS THE MEDICAL AND
SOCIAL SERVICES THAT WE'VE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT.
I'M GOING TO PUT THIS UP, IT'S
A LITTLE CUTE, BUT I THINK IT
PRETTY MUCH ILLUSTRATES ONE OF
THE PROFOUND PROBLEMS IN THE
REPUBLICAN BUDGET.
WHAT DOES IT SAY?
IT SAYS, WHAT DO THEY ALL HAVE
IN COMMON?
WE'VE GOT THE UNICORN OVER
THERE, WE'VE GOT BUGS BUNNY,
THEN WE HAVE THIS THING THAT
SAYS THE CORPORATE TAX RATE 35%
FOR LARGE CORPORATIONS LIKE
EXXON.
THAT'S A FALLACY.
LARGE CORPORATIONS AND SMALL
CORPORATIONS IN AMERICA DON'T
PAY 35% INCOME -- CORPORATE
INCOME TAX.
IN FACT, IF ONE WERE TO TAKE A
LOOK AT EXXON IN 2008 THEY HAD
THE LARGEST PROFIT OF ANY
COMPANY IN THE WORLD.
IN 2009, THEY HAD A PROFIT OF
ABOUT $19 BILLION AND THEIR
EFFECTIVE TAX RATE, THAT'S HOW
MUCH THEY ACTUALLY PAID IN
TAXES, WAS ZERO.
NOT 35%.
NOT 40%, NOT 25%, NOT 20%, NOT
15%, NOT 10%, BUT ZERO.
IT HAPPENS THAT THEY'RE NOT THE
ONLY CORPORATION.
THE REPUBLICAN PROPOSAL
ACTUALLY WOULD MAKE THIS
SITUATION WORSE.
IT WOULD TAKE THIS 35% AND
REDUCE IT TO 25%.
WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?
WHY WOULD WE WANT TO DO THAT?
APARENTLY THEY WANT TO DO THAT
BECAUSE THEY WANT TO TAKE THEIR
SAVINGS, MEDICARE, BY
TERMINATING MEDICARE, MEDICAID
BY REDUCING MEDICAID, AND ALL
OF THE OTHER SAVINGS, THE
SAVINGS THEY PRESUME THEY'RE
GOING TO GET FROM APOLISHING
THE WELLNESS PROGRAMS, HIGH
BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS AND
SO FORTH, AND ON AND ON AND ON
AND GIVE IT TO THE
CORPORATIONS.
LET'S UNDERSTAND.
THAT THE AMERICAN CORPORATIONS
CURRENTLY GET A TAX BREAK FOR
SENDING AMERICAN JOBS OVERSEAS.
AMERICAN CORPORATIONS CURRENTLY
GET A TAX BREAK FOR OIL
DRILLING.
THE OIL INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED
STATES IS THE MOST PROFITABLE
INDUSTRY IN THE WORLD.
WE JUST TALKED ABOUT
EXXONMOBIL.
ALL THE OTHER OIL COMPANIES IN
THE LAST 10 YEARS HAVE HAD A
PROFIT OF $947 BILLION.
JUST UNDER $1 TRILLION.
YET, THEY CONTINUE TO RECEIVE
TAX BREAKS IN THE ORDER OF $12
BILLION TO $15 BILLION A YEAR.
[INAUDIBLE] AND WE PAY $4 A
GALLON FOR GASOLINE.
WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT?
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ABILITY OF
THE OIL INDUSTRY TO MAINTAIN A
SUBSIDY, A TAX BREAK OUT OF THE
AMERICAN TAXPAYERS' POCKET,
HAND IT OTHER TO THE OIL
COMPANY, THEY'VE HAD THAT
SUBSIDY FOR NEARLY A CENTURY.
I'M SAYING ENOUGH OF THAT.
BRING THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE
TREASURY.
USE IT FOR GREEN ENERGY, SOLAR,
WIND, RENEWBLE ENERGY,
RESEARCH, USE IT FOR THE THINGS
WE NEED TO DO, INCLUDE REGULAR
DEUCING THE DEFICIT.
BUT OH, NO.
THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES WANT
TO CONTINUE TO GIVE TO THE OIL
INDUSTRY THE KIND OF TAX BREAKS
THAT THEY HAVE AND IF THAT'S
NOT ENOUGH, OUR REPUBLICAN
COLLEAGUES WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THIS FELLOW, DONALD TRUMP,
HE WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT,
PROBABLY TO MAINTAIN THE
EXTRAORDINARY TAX BREAK HE
PRESENTLY HAS.
THE REPUBLICANS WANT TO REDUCE
THE TAXES FOR DONALD TRUMP AND
FOR OTHER BILLIONAIRES,
MILLIONAIRES FROM 35% TO 25%.
YOU GO, WHY SHOULD WE DO THAT
AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE TAKING
MONEY AWAY FROM SENIOR, AT A
TIME WHEN WE'RE FORCING THE
MIDDLE CLASS TO PAY MORE, AT A
TIME WHEN YOU'RE SHIFTING THE
COST OF ALL THESE SERVICES TO
THE MIDDLE CLASS, AT A TIME
WHEN YOU'RE GOING AFTER THE
UNIONS AND TRYING TO DESTROY
THE UNION MOVEMENT IN AMERICA,
WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU GIVE
DONALD TRUMP, WHY WOULD YOU
GIVE BILLIONAIRES, WHY WOULD
YOU GIVE THOSE PEOPLE AT THE
VERY TIPTOP OF THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY, THOSE PEOPLE THAT NOW
CONTROL OVER 25% OF ALL OF THE
WEALTH IN AMERICA, THE TOP 1%
OF WAGE EARNERS IN AMERICA, WHY
WOULD YOU GIVE THEM A 10% --
NOT A 10%, IT'S ABOUT A 17%
REDUCTION IN THEIR TAXES?
MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL.
WE TALK ABOUT SHARED SACRIFICE.
THE REPUBLICAN BUDGET PROPOSAL
THAT'LL BE ON THIS FLOOR LATER
THIS WEEK WILL NOT BE SHARED
SACRIFICE.
IT IS IN FACT GIVING TO THE TOP
OF THE AMERICAN HEAP OF ALL
TAXPAYERS OF ALL WEALTH EVEN
MORE.
I SUPPOSE IT MUST BE THE
TRICKLE DOWN THEORY THAT IF
THESE FOLKS IF DONALD TRUMP AND
THE OTHER BILLION MARES AND
MILLIONAIRES HAVE MORE MONEY,
SOMEHOW JOBS WILL BE CREATED.
THE FACT IS, IT DOESN'T WORK.
DON'T BELIEVE ME.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY, 2001 TO 2009.
THE GEORGE W. BUSH PERIOD.
GEORGE W. BUSH STARTED THE VERY
FIRST YEAR OF HIS PRESIDENCY
WITH MASSIVE TAX CUTS THAT
CREATED A $2 TRILLION DEFICIT,
PLUS, AND VERY FEW JOBS.
DURING THE CLINTON PERIOD,
ENDED WITH A $5.3 TRILLION
SURPLUS AND THE CREATION OF
OVER 22 MILLION JOBS AND THE
TAX RATE FOR MR. TRUMP AND
OTHER MILLIONAIRES AND
BILLIONAIRES WAS 39%.
IT IS IN FACT THE HISTORY OF
AMERICA'S ECONOMY THAT PROVES
THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CREATE
MORE JOBS BY REDUCING THE TAXES
FOR MR. TRUMP AND THE LIKE.
SO WHAT DO THESE THINGS HAVE IN
COMMON, A UNICORN, BUGS BUNNY
AND THE CORPORATE TAX RATE OF
35%?
THEY'RE ALL FICTIONAL.
EVERY ONE OF THEM.
I WANT TO NOW MOVE TO ANOTHER
SUBJECT AND I'LL MAKE THIS MY
LAST AND I'LL MAKE IT KIND OF
QUICK.
IF WE'RE GOING TO GROW THE
AMERICAN ECONOMY, WE HAVE TO
MAKE THE CRITICAL INVESTMENTS
THAT ARE THE FOUNDATION OF
ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ANY AND
EVERY COUNTRY, WHETHER YOU ARE
SINGAPORE, WHETHER YOU ARE
CHINA OR ANY OF THE EUROPEAN
COUNTRIES, FRANCE OR BRITAIN,
THE UNITED KINGDOM OR THE
UNITED STATES, THERE ARE
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENTS THAT
THE SOCIETY HAS TO MAKE AND
MANY OF THESE INVESTMENTS ARE
MADE THROUGH THE GENERAL
PUBLIC'S GOVERNMENT AND LET ME
JUST TURN TO THOSE INVESTMENTS.
THIS IS PART OF OUR MAKE IT IN
AMERICA AGENDA.
THE DEMOCRATIC AGENDA OF
REBUILDING THE GREAT AMERICAN
MANUFACTURING BASE.
IF AMERICA IS GOING TO MAKE IT,
WE MUST MAKE IT IN AMERICA.
WE HAVE TO REBUILD THE
MANUFACTURING BASE OF AMERICA.
WE CAN DO IT.
WE CAN DO IT.
BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE CRITICAL
INVESTMENTS.
I WANT TO JUST POINT THEM OUT
HERE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS AND
THEN COMPARE THESE TO THE
REPUBLICAN PROPOSAL, THE BUDGET
PROPOSAL WE'RE GOING TO BE
THE FIRST ONE IS TRADE.
VOTING ON.
NOW, THE REPUBLICAN PROPOSAL
DOESN'T DEAL WITH TRADE AND
GOODS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING
TO DO ANY MORE HARM TO IT.
BUT THIS IS FAIR TRADE POLICY.
THIS IS A POLICY OF TRADE WHERE
WE DO NOT GIVE AWAY OUR
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY TO
PLACES LIKE CHINA.
I AM SICK AND TIRED OF GOING
INTO TARGET OR ANY OTHER STORE
IN AMERICA AND FINDING MADE IN
CHINA, MADE IN EUROPE, MADE
EVERYWHERE BUT IN AMERICA.
ENOUGH OF THAT.
WE NEED TO SEE MADE IN AMERICA
ONCE AGAIN ON THE STORE SHELVES
OF AMERICA AND WHEN IN
CALIFORNIA, THE CALIFORNIA
GOVERNMENT, NOT MY
RESPONSIBILITY, I WASN'T
RESPONSIBLE FOR IT AT THE TIME,
WHEN THEY GO OUT AND THEY BUILD
A NEW BRIDGE, A MULTIBILLION
DOLLAR BRIDGE THEY BUY STEEL
FROM CHINA BECAUSE IT'S 10%
CHEAPER AND I'M GOING, STOP IT.
STOP IT.
SO TODAY, IN THE RESOURCES
COMMITTEE, I INTRODUCED AN
AMENDMENT.
IT'S DRILL, BABY, DRILL, IT'S
OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES WHO
WANT TO DRILL EVERYWHERE AND
ANYWHERE AND ALL THE TIME.
DO.
I THINK IT'S THE WRONG THING TO
WE NEED TO MOVE TO RENEWABLES
BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO DRILL
THEN WHY DON'T WE DRILL WITH
AMERICAN-MADE EQUIPMENT?
WHY DON'T WE REQUIRE THAT THOSE
DRILLING RIGS, THOSE PIPES,
THOSE TECHNOLOGIES, THE DRILL
BITS, THE BLOWOUT PREVENTERS BE
MADE IN AMERICA?
I INTRODUCED THAT AMENDMENT,
THE REPUBLICANS BRUSHED IT
ASIDE SAYING THEY DIDN'T WANT
TO GO THAT WAY.
OK, FINE, BUT WE NEED ON TRADE
POLICY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
TRADE POLICY DOES NOT
DISADVANTAGE AMERICAN
MANUFACTURERS.
TAXES, I JUST TALKED ABOUT
TAXES, WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD
REPUBLICANS VOTE AGAINST A TAX
POLICY THAT ACTUALLY IS NOW
LAW, WE PASSED THIS LAST
DECEMBER, WHY WOULD THEY VOTE
AGAINST A TAX POLICY THAT WOULD
REDUCE NEARLY -- REDUCE, FOR
THE NEARLY ELIMINATE, THE TAX
BREAKS THAT AMERICAN
CORPORATIONS GET WHEN THEY SEND
JOBS OFFSHORE?
. WHY WOULD YOU VOTE AGAINST
THAT TAX BREAK THAT AMERICAN
CORPORATIONS HAVE?
I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
IT'S OVER, AT LEAST PARTIALLY
OVER.
AND MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE AND MY
DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES AND I AND
ASKING OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES
TO ELIMINATE THOSE TAX BREAKS
THAT CORPORATIONS GET WHEN THEY
SEND JOBS OVERSEAS.
LAST DECEMBER, THE DEMOCRATS
PUSHED THROUGH AND OBAMA SIGNED
A BILL THAT ALLOWED AMERICAN
CORPORATIONS AND BUSINESSES TO
WRITE OFF 100%, YEAR ONE, THIS
YEAR, 100% OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT
SO WE ENCOURAGE AMERICAN
MANUFACTURERS TO INVEST IN
AMERICA SO THEY CAN BE MORE
PRODUCTIVE.
ENERGY POLICY, EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT.
WE CANNOT ANY LONGER PUT OUR
ECONOMY AND OUR NATIONAL
SECURITY AT RISK TO FOREIGN OIL
PRODUCERS.
SO, I GUESS PART OF THE DRILL,
BABY, DRILL IS PART OF THAT.
BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE
THE PROBLEM.
WE NEED ADDITIONAL AND NEW
ENERGY SOURCES AND THAT'S WHERE
THE GREEN ENERGY AND FUTURE
ENERGY COMES IN.
DON'T TAKE IT FROM ME.
TALK TO OUR AMERICAN MILITARY,
TALK TO THE NAVY, AIR FORCE,
ARMY, THEY KNOW AND THEY THINK
WAY AHEAD, AND THEY KNOW THAT
THEY CANNOT DEPEND UPON OIL.
THEY NEED TO MOVE TO OTHER
SOURCES OF ENERGY.
THEY DID IT YEARS AGO.
THEY HAD WIND ON THEIR SHIPS.
THEN THEY WENT TO COAL.
THEN THEY WENT TO OIL AND THEY
ARE NOW USING NUCLEAR POWER.
THEY ALSO KNOW MANY OF THEIR
PIECES OF THEIR EQUIPMENT, A JET
AIRPLANE ISN'T GOING TO HAVE A
NUCLEAR REACTOR, SO THEY WANT TO
FREE THEMSELVES FROM THE PETRO
GRIP OF THE DICTATORS OF THE
WORLD AND HAVE ENERGY MADE HERE
IN AMERICA AND THIS IS ADVANCED
BIOFUELS OF ALL KINDS.
WE OUGHT TO FOLLOW THE LEAD OF
OUR MILITARY HERE AND WE MUST
CREATE ENERGY PROJECTS THAT
PROVIDE US WITH CLEAN RENEWABLE
ENERGY, WHETHER IT'S NUCLEAR OR
GREEN ENERGY, SOLAR, WIND,
BIOFUELS AND ALL THE REST.
LABOR, IT TURNS OUT IF ONE WERE
TO LOOK AT AMERICAN ECONOMIC
HISTORY, YOU COULD TRACK THE
RISE OF LABOR IN THE 1930'S,
1940'S, 1950'S, 1960'S, TRACKING
WITH THE RISE OF AMERICA.
WE SAW THE AMERICAN MIDDLE CLASS
GROW RIGHT ALONG WITH THE LABOR
MOVEMENT.
IN THE 1970'S, WE SAW THE
DECLINE OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT
AND IF YOU TRACK THE DECLINE OF
THE LABOR MOVEMENT, YOU WILL
FIND THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN
MIDDLE CLASS TRACKING PERFECTLY
WITH THE DECLINE OF THE LABOR
MOVEMENT.
AND NOW WE FIND ALL ACROSS THE
MIDWEST IN WISCONSIN AND OHIO
AND -- WISCONSIN AND OHIO, A
MAJOR MOVEMENT TO YET TAKE
ANOTHER SHOT AT LABOR, TO WEAKEN
LABOR OR DESTROY LABOR.
IN THE PROCESS, YOU WILL FIND
THE FURTHER DECLINE OF THE
MIDDLE CLASS OF AMERICA SHOULD
THEY SUCCEED AT THAT.
BUT THIS IS JUST MORE THAN THE
LABOR MOVEMENT.
THIS IS PREPARING THE AMERICAN
WORKER TO BE COMPETITIVE IN A
MODERN ECONOMY.
THIS IS EDUCATION.
THIS IS JOB TRAINING, THESE ARE
PROGRAMS TO RETRAIN AND TO BRING
INTO THE WORKPLACE WORKERS WHO
ARE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THE
MODERN MACHINERY AND MODERN
EQUIPMENT THAT A WELL PLACED AND
WELL EXECUTED ECONOMY MUST HAVE.
I WANT TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE,
WHICH IS, IN FACT, EDUCATION.
EARLIER TODAY, I MET WITH THE
PRESIDENT OF CALIFORNIA STATE
UNIVERSITY EAST BAY, PART OF MY
DISTRICT IN CALIFORNIA.
AND THE PRESIDENT, WHO HAPPENS
TO BE AN AFGHAN, WAS TALKING
ABOUT PROGRAMS THAT THEY WERE
PUTTING IN PLACE IN THE EAST BAY
OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
BAY, TO ENCOURAGE THE EDUCATION
OF CHILDREN, MODERN TECHNOLOGY,
USING I-PHONES, USING TECHNIQUES
IN COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY, SO THE
KIDS WHO ARE INTO THESE THINGS
IN A BIG WAY WILL BE ABLE TO
LEARN, NOT GOING OUT AND BUYING
TEXTBOOKS THAT ARE OUT-OF-DATE
NEXT YEAR BUT ONLINE
PUBLICATIONS AND BRING TO THE
STUDENT ALL OF THE WORLD.
I WAS GOING HOME LAST WEEKEND
AND I GOT A CALL FROM MY WIFE,
SHE SAID, CAN YOU FIND A LIGHT
BULB FOR THE PROJECTOR, IT'S
OUT.
WE NEED A LIGHT BULB FOR THE
PROJECTOR.
AND I SAID I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M
GOING TO DO.
I PUNCHED UP AND LOOKED FOR
LIGHT BULBS AND IN A MATTER OF
MOMENTS, I FOUND NOT TOO FAR
FROM THE AIRPORT A PHOTO SHOP
THAT HAD THE LIGHT BULB.
THE WHOLE WORLD IS HERE.
THE WHOLE WORLD IS AVAILABLE FOR
A STUDENT.
YOU CAN'T HELP BUT BE CURIOUS.
GET ONLINE AND FIND OUT
EVERYTHING ABOUT THE WORLD
AROUND US, EVERYTHING IN
SCIENCE.
AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS
LITTLE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT,
ACCORDING TO PRESIDENT KWAME,
IT'S ALSO A TOOL FOR THE
TEACHER.
A TEST CAN BE TAKEN ON THIS.
AND THE TEACHER IMMEDIATELY
KNOW.
KNOWS WHAT THE STUDENT DOES NOT
THE NEXT DAY IN CLASS, THAT CAN
BE DEALT WITH.
I THINK I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME
HERE.
AND I WILL FINISH QUICKLY WITH
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
THIS IS THE TRANSITION OF ALL
THE RESEARCH INTO THE
MANUFACTURING SECTOR.
MAKE IT IN AMERICA, WE HAVE TO
DO THIS AND CAN DO THIS IF WE
HAVE THE RIGHT POLICIES IN
PLACE.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'M OUT OF
TIME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I YIELD BACK.
UNDER
THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED POLICY
OF JANUARY 5, 2011, THE