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EUROPE, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND VERY
CLEARLY THAT WHAT I'VE SAID HAS
MERIT AND WE NEED TO DO IT.
WITH THAT, MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD
BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED
POLICY OF JANUARY 5, 2011, THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK, MR.
TONKO, IS RECOGNIZED FOR 60
MINUTES AS THE DESIGNEE OF THE
MINORITY LEADER.
THANK YOU.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC THESE
DAYS WHEN WE REFER TO JOBS.
JOBS IN AMERICA, JOBS THAT WE
RETAIN, JOBS THAT WE CREATE.
THE OVERWHELMING ISSUE RIGHT
NOW IN THE MINDS AND HEARTS OF
CONSTITUENTS ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY I FIRMLY BELIEVE IS
ABOUT THE DIGNITY OF WORK.
JOBS THAT NEED TO BE
STRENGTHENED OUT THERE IN
NUMBER SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO DREAM
THE AMERICAN DREAM.
THE AMERICAN DREAM OF
HOMEOWNERSHIP, OF EDUCATION FOR
THEIR CHILDREN, HIGHER
EDUCATION SO AS TO UNLEASH THE
SKILLS AND TALENTS AND PASSIONS
OF NEXT GENERATIONS OF WORKERS,
TRAINING, RETRAINING PROGRAMS
TO ENABLE THE HUMAN
INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED AS AN
INVESTMENT IN THE WORKER ZONE
OF AMERICA IS AN IMPORTANT
ASPECT OF THE INVESTMENT THAT
WE NEED TO MAKE THROUGH POLICY
REFORMS AND POLICY
STRENGTHENING AND RESOURCE
ADVOCACY THAT WE CAN DO HERE IN
THE HALLS OF CONGRESS, ON THE
FLOOR OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES TO ENABLE US TO
FILL THOSE COFFERS WITH THE
QUALITY INVESTMENTS THAT NEED
TO BE MADE FROM A HUMAN
INFRASTRUCTURE PERSPECTIVE TO A
CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND
CERTAINLY TO A PHYSICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE.
AS WE GO FORWARD, IT ALLOWS
THIS COUNTRY TO UTILIZE ITS
THE BRAINPOWER OF THESE UNITED
STATES TO ENABLE US TO COMPETE
AND COMPETE EFFECTIVELY IN A
WAY THAT IT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT
THE JOB MARKET, THE JOBS
CREATED, THE JOBS RETAINED
THROUGH ADVOCACY HERE IN
WASHINGTON CAN SPEAK TO THE
ULTIMATE HIGHEST PRIORITY THAT
PEOPLE HAVE ESTABLISHED FOR ALL
OF US WHO ARE SERVING
REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL
PERSUASION OR PHILOSOPHICAL
MINDSET AS WE SERVE THIS
NATION, WE CAN BEST PROVIDE FOR
AN OUTCOME OF JOBS THAT ARE
CREATED IN THIS SOCIETY.
THERE IS NO STRONGER NEED.
THERE SHOULD BE NO STRONGER
COMMITMENT.
THE PRESIDENT SHOWCASED THAT
WHEN HE WAS HOSTED HERE IN THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITH
THE JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS,
AND THE ROOM WAS FILLED, THE
GALLERY WAS PACKED AS PEOPLE
WITNESSED THE VERY PASSIONATE
SPEECH FROM THE LEADER OF THE
FREE WORLD.
AS PRESIDENT OBAMA LAID FORTH
HIS VISION, HIS PLAN, HIS
INITIATIVE, HIS GOALS FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES AND MEMBERS OF
THE UNITED STATES SENATE GOT TO
HEAR FIRSTHAND WHAT THAT EFFORT
IS ALL ABOUT.
AND SO PEOPLE LISTENED WITH
INTENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
THAT BLUEPRINT FOR OUR FUTURE,
A BLUEPRINT THAT WOULD
STRENGTHEN OUR ECONOMY AND HAVE
AN IMPACT ACROSS THE WORLD.
WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY NOW TO
WORK IN A MULTIPARTISAN WAY, IN
A BICAMERAL RESPONSE TO WHAT
THE PRESIDENT HAS HIGHLIGHTED
TO BE HIS PLAN FOR JOBS HERE IN
AMERICA.
AND I WAS HAPPY TO NOTE THAT
AMONGST HIS ARGUMENTS, AMONGST
HIS PRIORITIES HAPPENS TO BE
THE CREATION OF AN INNOVATION
ECONOMY, A RESPONSE PERHAPS TO
AN INNOVATION ECONOMY THAT
FINDS US AS AN IDEA SOCIETY
INVESTING IN THOSE IDEAS,
INVESTING IN THOSE IDEAS THAT
GETS MOVED ALONG PERHAPS TO A
PROTOTYPE THAT MOVES ALONG TO A
MANUFACTURING SECTOR.
I BEFORE ENTERING THE HALLS OF
CONGRESS, BEFORE ELECTED --
BEING ELECTED TO THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES SERVED AS
PRESIDENT AND C.E.O. AT
NYSERTA, THE NEW YORK STATE
ENERGY AND RESEARCH AUTHORITY.
IT'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR
ITS CUTTING EDGE WORK BEING
DONE IN THE SCIENCE AND TECH
ASPECTS OF HIGH TECH.
WE, BY THE WAY, IN THE DISTRICT
THAT I RESPECTED, THE 21ST
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IN NEW
YORK STATE, MUCH ABOUT THE
CAPITAL REGION AND MOW HACK
VALLEY AND SCOHERRY VALLEY OF
UPSTATE NEW YORK HAVE BEEN
DUBBED RECENTLY BY BROOKINGS
INSTITUTE TO BE THE HOTTEST
TERRITORY, THE STRONGEST HUB,
THE MOST ACTIVE REGION IN THE
COUNTRY FOR GREEN-COLLARED JOBS
GROWTH.
THAT'S A FEATHER IN OUR CAP.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO SEE
INVESTMENT HAPPENINGS IT'S
THERE IN THE CAPITAL REGION OF
IT TOOK A PARTNERSHIP WITH
ACADEMIA AND STATE GOVERNMENT
AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, YES,
BUT IT ALSO WAS A PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHERE
GREAT INVESTMENTS WERE MADE BY
THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THIS
HIGH-TECH AGENDA, IN THIS
SCIENCE AND TECH AGENDA.
NANOSCIENCE, SEMICONDUCTOR, AND
NOW THAT IS SOMEWHAT CLUSTERING
IN ITS CONCEPT TO DRAW MORE AND
MORE STARTUPS AND
ENTREPRENEURIAL EFFORTS AND
WORKERS WHO ARE CLUSTERING IN
THIS WAY, ACADEMIA GETTING
INVESTED IN THE RESEARCH
ASPECTS.
I MENTION THAT BECAUSE THE
INNOVATION ECONOMY IS SOMETHING
THAT RECEIVES HIGH FOCUS AND AN
ORDINARY AMOUNT OF ATTENTION
MADE IN THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH.
I AGREE WITH HIS ASSESSMENT
THAT WHOEVER WINS THIS GLOBAL
RACE ON INNOVATION WILL EMERGE
THE EXPORTER, THE KINGPIN, IF
YOU WILL, OF THE GLOBAL
ECONOMY, INTELLECT AND
INNOVATION AND IDEAS THAT WILL
ENABLE US TO IN A WAY MIMIC THE
SUCCESS STORIES OF THE SPACE
RACE, A GLOBAL RACE THAT FINDS
FEWER PARTNERS BUT FOUND THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BEING
VICTORIOUS.
AND THAT ALL BEGAN, I BELIEVE,
WITH A SETBACK.
SOMETIMES FAILURE IS A
MISUNDERSTOOD GIFT.
IN THIS CASE THROUGH THE
SPUTNIK MOMENT AMERICA IN ITS
DEFEAT HAD TO STAND UP AND DUST
OFF ITS BACK SIDE AND COMMIT
WITH PASSION, WITH PASSION, AS
THE WORDS OF JOHN F. KENNEDY,
WE HAVE TO INVEST IN THE SPACE
RACE, NOT BECAUSE IT'S EASY BUT
BECAUSE IT'S HARD AND THAT
ATTITUDE, THAT TONE, THAT
PASSION, THAT COMMITMENT, THAT
RESOLVE PRODUCED A WINNING
MOMENT, A WINNING MOMENT WHEN
WE WERE THE FIRST TO ACHIEVE
THE DAUNTING TASK OF LANDING A
PERSON FIRST ON THE MOON.
AS A NATION WE TOOK GREAT PRIDE
IN THAT EVENT THAT HAPPENED
SOME 40-PLUS YEARS AGO.
AND IT WAS MORE THAN THE MAGIC
MOMENTS OF LANDING A PERSON ON
THE MOON AND THE INFAMOUS QUOTE
THAT TALKED ABOUT MAN'S SMALL
STEP AND HUMAN -- THE GIANT
LEAP FOR MANKIND.
IT WAS THE UNLEASHING OF
TECHNOLOGY AND UNTOLD ASPECTS
OF OUR WORLD, OF OUR SOCIETY
WHERE TECHNOLOGY REACHED
COMMUNICATIONS AND ENERGY
GENERATION AND EDUCATION AND
HEALTH CARE, TO NAME A FEW
SEGMENTS OF ACTIVITY OUT THERE.
THAT WAS A PROFOUND STATEMENT
MADE BY AMERICA AND HER
BRAINPOWER, AMERICA AND HER
WILL, HER WILL TO INVEST IN HER
PEOPLE AND IN A MISSION THAT
BROUGHT US TOGETHER AS A NATION
WHERE EVERYONE JOINED IN THE
EFFORTS TO FINE TUNE THE BEST
WAY BY WHICH TO PURSUE THAT
MISSION.
WHAT HAPPENED REALLY RAISED
AMERICA, HER LEADERSHIP
POTENTIAL, HER LEADERSHIP
RECOGNITION IN THE GLOBAL
COMMUNITY BECAME PROFOUNDLY
ENHANCED.
IT WASN'T TECHNOLOGY ENTERING
THESE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF OUR
SOCIETY BUT BOLESERING ALL
THESE ASPECTS, -- BOLSTERING
ALL THESE ASPECTS, IMPACTING,
NOT JUST AMERICANS BUT PEOPLE
WORLDWIDE, THE QUALITY OF LIFE
THAT WE ENJOY, THE OPPORTUNITY
TO STRENGTHEN SERVICE, TO BE
ABLE TO BRING US TOGETHER IN
ALMOST A VILLAGE CAPACITY AS A
WORLD SIMPLY BECAUSE OF
TECHNOLOGY.
WELL, TODAY I WOULD REMIND MY
COLLEAGUES IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES AND OUR
PARTNERS DOWN THE HALL IN THE
UNITED STATES SENATE THAT WE
HAD THAT SAME MOMENT, THAT SAME
CHALLENGE, THAT SAME NEED TO
RESOLVE WITH PASSION AGAIN TO
GO FORWARD, TO GO FORWARD WITH
A MISSION THAT ALLOWS US TO
INVEST IN A CLEAN ENERGY
SOCIETY AND A CLEAN ENERGY
ECONOMY INTO AN INNOVATION
AGENDA.
THINK OF IT.
WE HAVE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES
HERE.
WE HAVE COMMITTED SO MANY TIMES
OVER TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
ASPECTS OF RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT, OF INVESTMENT OF
RESEARCH THAT LEADS TO IDEAS OR
IDEAS THAT ARE BUILT BY THAT
RESEARCH TO A GREATER CAPACITY
AND THEN SHARED IN A WAY THAT
BUILDS AND DEVELOPS THE PROOWE
TYPES THAT THEN CREATES --
PROTOTYPES THAT THEN CREATES
THE MANUFACTURING.
WE'VE SEEN IT IN THE CHIPS
MANUFACTURING IN MY DISTRICT,
PERHAPS THE LARGEST SUCH
CONSTRUCTION OF A CHIPS
MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN ALL
OF AMERICA IS TAKING HOLD IN
THE REGION, IN THE AREA THAT I
CALL HOME.
THAT IS ENABLING US TO THINK
BEYOND USUAL TERMS.
WE'RE THINKING OF CHIPS THAT
APPLY TO AGRICULTURE, CHIPS
THAT APPLY TO HEALTH CARE,
CHIPS THAT APPLY TO THE
EDUCATION WORLD.
THAT IS A MARVEL IN AND OF
ITSELF AND IT'S ENABLING THE
BEST MINDS TO CLUSTER IN AN
AREA LIKE THAT WHICH I
REPRESENT IN THE 21ST
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IN
UPSTATE NEW YORK IN THE CAPITAL
THAT'S THE INVESTMENT THAT I
BELIEVE AMERICA NOT ONLY
REQUIRES BUT THAT AMERICANS ARE
DEMANDING OF THEIR LEADERS,
LEADERS THAT OCCUPY THESE FEAT
HERE IN WASHINGTON AND THE
HALLS OF CONGRESS.
THAT'S WHAT THERE ARE' ASKING
FOR, THAT SORT OF INVESTMENT --
THEY'RE ASKING FOR, THAT SORT
OF INVESTMENT, THAT SORT OF
MAGICAL QUALITY THAT WE HAVE
SEEN THROUGHOUT HER HISTORY.
IT'S REPLETE WITH SAGAS OF
SUCCESS THAT BEGAN OFTENTIMES
WITH HYPHENATED AMERICANS IN
THEIR FIRST GENERATION OF
CONNECTION TO THESE SOILS
INVESTING IN THE BRIGHTNESS OF
IDEAS COMING FROM BLUE-COLLAR
WORKERS WHO ENABLED US TO TAKE
A REGION LIKE THAT WHICH I
REPRESENT AND ALLOW IT TO
INSPIRE OUR WESTWARD MOVEMENT
AND OUR INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
BECAUSE IN THE HEART LAND OF
THE 21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
WE WERE THE HOST TO AN ERIE
CANAL, BARGE CANAL HISTORY, AND
WHAT THAT PATHWAY, THAT
WATERWAY ANNOUNCED, PRONOUNCED
WITH ITS OWN PRESENCE IS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THE PORTS
OF NEW YORK THAT THEN GAVE
BIRTH OF COMMUNITIES DOUBLED
MILL TOWN THAT BECAME THE
EPICENTER OF INVENTION AND
INNOVATION.
IT WAS THE FIRST HIGH-TECH
REVOLUTION TAKING PLACE IN THE
2 ISST DISTRICT OF -- 21ST
DISTRICT OF NEW YORK.
IT WAS ALL THESE PRODUCT LINES
CONCEIVED AND THEN REALIZED IN
THE MARKETPLACE AROUND THE
WORLD.
INSPIRED CONTINUED PROGRESS.
THAT'S THE SORT OF ILK THAT IS
AMERICAN AND UNIQUELY AMERICAN.
THAT IS THE SORT OF INVESTMENT
THAT ENABLED US TO PRODUCE
THESE TREMENDOUSLY POWERFUL
CHAPTERS IN OUR NATION'S
HISTORY.
AND IT SHOULD BE THE
INSPIRATION.
THESE MOMENTS SHOULD BE THE
INSPIRATION FOR US TO DO THE
CORRECT THING TODAY.
FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO
NOT CUT OUR WAY TO PROSPERITY.
WE DO NOT CUT OUR WAY TO
OPPORTUNITY.
BUT CERTAINLY WE CAN INVEST OUR
WAY TO OPPORTUNITY AND INVEST
OUR WAY TO A NEW ECONOMY, A
STRONGER OUTCOME, AN INVESTMENT
IN OUR WORKING FAMILIES, AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO TRULY
DREAM THE AMERICAN DREAM.
THAT'S HOW WE WILL SURVIVE.
THAT'S HOW WE WILL MEET THE
TEXT IN THE PRESENT MOMENT.
THE PRESIDENT HAS CHALLENGED
CONGRESS, AND RIGHTFULLY SO.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR
POLITICAL GAMESMANSHIP.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR SIMPLE
NEGATIVE RESPONSE OR REJECTION
OF A POLITICAL KIND.
THIS IS ABOUT WORKING AS A
TEAM, EXECUTIVE BRANCH WITH
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, REPUBLICANS
WITH DEMOCRATS, SENATORS WITH
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MEMBERSHIP.
THAT'S WHAT WE CAN
ACCOMPLISHMENT HERE IF WE SET
OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS AND
OUR SOULS TO AN AGENDA THAT IS
IN KEEPING WITH THE TRADITION,
THE DEEPLY ROOTED AND POWERFUL
TRADITION OF JOB CREATION IN
OUR SOCIETY.
THINK OF IT, THROUGHOUT OUR
YEARS, WHETHER IT WAS PRESIDENT
LINCOLN AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF
RAIL OR GOVERNOR DEWITT CLINTON
IN NEW YORK WITH THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE ERIE CANAL OR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERSTATE
SYSTEM OR PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
AND THE CORPS THAT WENT
THROUGHOUT THE GREAT CRIFF OURS,
STATE BY STATE, AND BUILT THE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT REALLY WAS A
NEED FOR THIS COUNTRY AT A TIME
WHEN WE WERE HURTING FROM A
GROSSLY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT
STATISTIC.
THAT'S AMERICA AT HER BEST.
AT HER BRIGHTEST.
IT'S HER SHINING MOMENT.
AND THE PRESIDENT IS IMPLORING
ALL OF US, AS MEMBERS, AS
LEADERSHIP IN THE HOUSE, TO
ALLOW FOR AMERICA TO HAVE HER
NEXT SHINING MOMENT.
CHALLENGES IN DIFFICULT TIMES
CAN PRODUCE THE MOST DEEP AND
PROFOUND AND UNINHIBITED,
UNRESTRICTED BEHAVIOR.
AND WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY HERE TO
RESPOND WITH THIS INNOVATION
ECONOMY.
IT TAKES INVESTMENT.
AS I INDICATED WHEN I SERVED AS
PRESIDENT AND C.E.O. OF NICERTA
AND BEFORE THAT WITH THE NEW
YORK LEGISLATURE, IT TOOK
APPROPRIATE POLICY AND THEN AN
INVESTMENT THAT WOULD ENABLE US
TO RESPOND IN A TRADITIONAL
TERMS.
TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE KINDS
OF INTELLECTUAL RESPONSE TO
DEEPLY ROOTED CONCERNS.
THINK OF IT.
WE DISMANTLED A MONOPOLY
SITUATION FOR UTILITY PURPOSES,
ELECTRIC UTILITY PURPOSES, AND
CHOSE, THROUGH ANED A MIVEN --
THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER
TO GO FORWARD WITH A COMPETITIVE
QUALITY IN OUR UTILITY
OUTREACHES IN NEW YORK STATE.
A SYSTEM DESIGN FOR MONOPOLY
SETTINGS THAT HAD TO BE ADJUSTED
TO ELECTRONIC -- ELECTRONS FROM
REGION TO REGION AND STATE TO
STATE AND THEN FROM COUNTRY TO
NEW YORK STATE.
SO THAT TOOK IMPROVEMENT THAT
NEEDED TO BE MADE IN POLICY AND
IN RESOURCE ADVOCACY.
I SAW FROM MY POSITIONING IN
NYSERDA THE BENEFITS THAT CAME
WHEN WE INVESTED IN RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT.
NOW, GRANTED ALL THE STORIES,
ALL THE SITUATIONS, ALL THE
SCENARIOS WITHIN THE RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
ARE NOT NECESSARILY SUCCESS
STORIES.
BUT WITHOUT THE DIVE INTO THAT
OPPORTUNITY WE'LL NEVER FEEL THE
SPLASH OF SUCCESS.
AND SO MANY OF THOSE SITUATIONS
BECOME A WINNING OUTCOME.
AND WHEN WE HAVE SUCH AN OUTCOME
WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND
ALLOW FOR US TO EVEN DREAM OF
THE NOTION OF ENHANCING OUR
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE.
WE CANNOT REMAIN SO GLUTINOUSLY
DEPENDENT UPON FOSSIL-BASED
FUELS TO BE OUR SOLUTION FOR OUR
ENERGY CRISIS.
WE SIMPLY CANNOT.
WE CANNOT.
WE NEED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE
COMINCE INNOVATION CYCLES THAT
ENABLES US TO DREAM OUTSIDE THE
ORDINARY, TO THINK BEYOND THE
BARREL, THINK OUTSIDE THE
BARREL, IN THE CASE OF ENERGY
REFORM.
AND THOSE FORMATS, THOSE
TRANSFORMATIONS NEED TO AGAIN
ENCOURAGE THE INVESTMENT IN
HIGHER EDUCATION, IN EDUCATION,
BECAUSE WE NEED HAD, AS EARLY AS
THE PRECASE SETTING, TO
ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR
STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE
SHORT FALL OF ENGINEERS THAT
WE'RE PRODUCING IN OUR SOCIETY
AND SCIENTISTS, YOU KNOW,
EDUCATION IN ITSELF HAS A NEED
FOR MANY REFORMS, BUT ONE OF THE
TARGETED AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
NEEDS TO BE THE INCREASED
NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS,
ESPECIALLY IN ATYPICAL FORMATS
WITH YOUNG WOMEN AND STUDENTS OF
COLOR WHO NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED
TO PURSUE ALONG THE PATHWAYS OF
ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE.
THEN WE GO FORWARD WITH THAT
CULTIVATION OF IDEAS, THAT
BEGINS WITH THE INVESTMENT IN
THE INTELLECT OF AMERICA AND
WHAT I WITNESSED WERE WONDERFUL
OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAD WITNESSED ALL SORTS OF
IMPROVEMENTS TO RENEWABLES, THAT
WAS PART OF THE NYSERDA AGENDA.
WE SAW ALL SORTS OF
OPPORTUNITIES LIKE KINETIC
HYDROPOWER WHERE WE WOULD
ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO DO
TURBINE-TYPE SETTINGS, NOT AN
ORDINARY WIND TURBINE
ACTIVITIES, BUT BENEATH THE
SURFACE OF WATER.
TO OOSE USE THE TURBULENCE OF
WATER TO CRANK OUT ENERGY
SUPPLIES THAT WE REQUIRE.
VAST POTENTIAL.
IT HOLDS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL.
AND THE R&D COMMITMENT WAS
THERE.
THE REFINEMENTS CAME THROUGH THE
DEMOCRATIC OF ENERGY LAB WHERE
THEY REVIEWED THE PRODUCT, SAW
WHERE SOME OF THE WEAKNESSES
MIGHT BE, ENGINEERED THE
ASSEMBLY, THE DESIGN OF THE
TURBINE ITSELF AND THE ASSEMBLY
OF THAT TURBINE, DESIGNED IT,
REDESIGNED IT, AND NOW WE GROW
MORE AND MORE COMMITTED TO THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THIS USE
OFTURE LANCE -- TURBULENCE OF
WATER TO RESPOND TO OUR ENERGY
NEEDS.
THAT'S JUST ONE SMALL SAMPLING
IN ONE AGENCY AND ONE STATE OF
HOW WE CAN GROW THE
OPPORTUNITIES.
MANUFACTURING THAT ENABLES US TO
RESPOND TO THAT LYNCH PIN THAT
IS OUR CONNECTER TO INVESTMENT
TO AGAIN DRAW THIS ENERGY
INDEPENDENCE AGENDA TOGETHER IN
A WAY THAT NOT ONLY GROWS OUR
ECONOMY AND PROTECTS OUR
CONSUMERS AND STRENGTHENS
AMERICAN JOB OPPORTUNITIES BUT
REALLY CREATES A CUTTING-EDGE
SORT OF JOB OPPORTUNITY WHERE
FOR THE FIRST TIME THESE JOBS
APPEAR ON THE RADAR SO THAT WE
CAN BEGIN TO PROVIDE HOPE TO
INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE THAT
GENIUS WITHIN THEM AND WHO WILL
PURSUE THAT AS A CAREER PATH.
BUT IT BEGINS WITH INDIVIDUAL
VOICES IN THE HOUSE, SPEAKING TO
THOSE ISSUES OF JOBS AND
CREATION OF JOBS AND INVESTING
IN INNOVATION ECONOMY, INVESTING
IN WORKERS.
AND CERTAINLY NO ONE HAS BEEN
STRONGER IN THAT ATTEMPT THAN MY
COLLEAGUE, MY FRIEND FROM
CONNECTICUT'S THIRD DISTRICT,
REPRESENTATIVE -- KENTUCKY'S
THIRD DISTRICT, REPRESENTATIVE
JOHN YARMUTH HAS BEEN A CHAMPION
ON THE FLOOR, HE'S BEEN A
CHAMPION AT HOME SPEAKING ON THE
NEED OF JOBS IN AMERICA, MAKING
IT IN AMERICA WHICH IS A MANTRA
HE AND I AND OUR COLLEAGUE
NOTICE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS HAVE
ADOPTED AND, REPRESENTATIVE
YARMUTH, IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU
JOIN US FOR THIS HOUR.
WELCOME AND I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN
SUCH A STRONG VOICE FOR JOBS,
NOT ONLY FOR KENTUCKY BUT FOR
AMERICANS FROM COAST-TO-COAST.
FROM NEW YORK.
IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE TO TALK
ABOUT THE SUBJECT THAT'S ON
EVERY AMERICAN'S MIND AND THAT
IS, HOW DO WE REBUILD AMERICA,
HOW DO WE PUT AMERICANS BACK TO
WORK AND HOW DO WE RECREATE THE
KIND OF AMERICA THAT WE ALL ONCE
ADMIRED AND WILL ADMIRE AGAIN?
AND YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT A VERY
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF
THE JOB CREATION AGENDA AND THAT
IS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S CLEAR THAT THE JOBS THAT WE
LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE NEXT
GENERATION AND THE GENERATION
AFTER THAT ARE JOBS THAT
PROBABLY DON'T EXIST TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO FIND AND WE'RE
GOING TO DISCOVER THEM AND IF WE
DON'T DO IT, THEY WILL BE
INVENTED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND THAT'S WHY THE INITIATIVES
THAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
IN THE ENERGY FIELD ARE SO
CRITICAL.
I'D LIKE TO TALK TODAY ABOUT A
JOB OPPORTUNITY THAT EXISTS
RIGHT NOW.
AND THE PRESIDENT REFERENCED
THIS IN HIS SPEECH LAST THURSDAY
NIGHT AND I THOUGHT HE WAS
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL AND
ARTICULATE IN DOING THAT.
BECAUSE WHAT HE DID WAS CONNECT
THE DOTS AND WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT
INFRASTRUCTURE AND JOBS, THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT MOST AMERICANS
CAN UNDERSTAND.
WHEN WE BUILD THE INTERSTATE
HIGHWAY SYSTEM THAT CREATED AN
AWFUL LOT OF JOBS.
AND IT ALSO ESTABLISHED AN
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS ENHANCED
OUR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY
THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY FOR MORE
THAN A HALF A CENTURY.
AND NOW TODAY WE HAVE A GAP IN
THAT INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM
AND IT HAPPENS TO BE IN MY
COMMUNITY.
JUST LAST FRIDAY THE BRIDGE
CALLED THE SHERMAN-MINUTETON
BRIDGE WHICH SPANS THE OHIO
RIVER BETWEEN LOUISVILLE,
KENTUCKY, AND NEW ALBANY,
INDIANA, WAS SHUT DOWN BECAUSE
OF STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES.
SO WHEN THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS OF
INFRASTRUCTURE DETERIORATION
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND THE
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF
BRIDGES THAT NEED TO BE
REPAIRED, HE DIDN'T KNOW AT THAT
TIME, THE NEXT DAY ONE WOULD
BECOME MORE THAN AN ABSTRACT
THEORY, IT WOULD BECOME REALITY.
WE SAW THIS UNFORTUNATELY IN
MINNESOTA.
WE HOPEFULLY HAVE AVERTED A
SIMILAR DISASTER IN MY COMMUNITY
BUT IN THE MEANTIME THIS BRIDGE
WHICH WAS BUILT 15 YEARS AGO,
WHICH WAS EXAMINED JUST TWO
YEARS AGO AND JUDGED TO BE
STRUCTURALLY FINE, BUT BECAUSE
OF ADVANCES IN ANALYSIS OF
CERTAIN STEEL PRODUCTS THEY DID
A DIFFERENT KIND OF ANALYSIS
THIS YEAR, FOUND CRACKS IN THE
SUPPORT SYSTEM AND HAD TO SHUT
THE BRIDGE DOWN.
NOW WHAT HAS THIS DONE?
I-64 WHICH BEGINS IN VIRGINIA
AND RUNS THROUGH LEXINGTON,
KENTUCKY, AND LOUISVILLE, AND
ONTO ST. LOUIS, IT'S A MAJOR,
MAJOR EAST-WEST ARTERY OF THIS
COUNTRY, AND THIS COUNTRY, BOTH
CIVILIAN AND COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC,
ABOUT 90,000 VEHICLES ERR DAY GO
ACROSS THIS BRIDGE -- VEHICLES
PER DAY GO ACROSS THIS BRIDGE.
MOST OF THEM IN MORNING GO INTO
LOUISVILLE, MOST OF THEM IN THE
AFTERNOON GO OUT OF LOUISVILLE
IN INDIANA.
ALL THAT HAVE TRAFFIC IS BEING
DIVERTED ONTO I-65 WE HAVE A
GREAT CENTRALLY LOCATED
COMMUNITY IN LIEUVILLE, THREE
INTERSTATES CONVERGE THERE.
I-71, I-61 AND I-64 AND THEY ALL
CON VERGE IN A PRETTY SIMILAR
SPOT EXCEPT NOW ALL THAT TRAFFIC
THAT CAN NO LONGER GO ON I-64
ACROSS THE SHERMAN-MINTON HAS TO
GO ACROSS THE I-65 BRIDGE.
THAT BRIDGE IS ALREADY TAXED TO
ITS EXTREME, IT'S OPERATING AT
25% MORE THAN IT WAS ENVISIONED
TO HOLD.
NOW, 90,000 MORE VEHICLES ARE
GOING TO BE COMING ACROSS THAT
BRIDGE EVERY DAY.
SO WE DON'T KNOW YET WHAT'S
GOING TO TRANSPIRE WITH THAT
SHERMAN-MINTON BRIDGE, WHETHER
IT CAN BE REPAIRED, WHETHER IT'S
GOING TO BE TO HAVE TO BE
CONDEMNED AND REBUILD.
BUT WE DO KNOW THAT IF WE HAD
BEEN MAKING THE KINDS OF
INVESTMENTS IN KEEPING OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE CURRENT AND
MODERN AND IN MAKING THOSE
INVESTMENTS OVER TIME, WE WOULD
HAVE HAD MANY, MANY THOUSANDS
MORE PEOPLE AT WORK AND WE
PROBABLY WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS
SITUATION.
SO NOW THIS IS BOTH A VERY
SERIOUS COMMERCIAL AND PERSONAL
INCONVENIENCE AND I DON'T WANT
TO GO QUITE SO FAR AS SAYING
IT'S A DISASTER BUT IT'S A VERY
SERIOUS PROBLEM IN MY COMMUNITY.
BUT IT ALSO WILL BE SOMETHING
THAT WE CAN PUT LOTS OF
AMERICANS BACK TO WORK AS WE
EITHER FIX IT OR REPLACE IT.
AND, AGAIN, WE ARE AT A TIME NOW
WHERE WE HAVE EXAMPLE AFTER
EXAMPLE, THOUSANDS OF THESE
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE ARE AT A JUNCTURE WHERE WE
CAN BORROW MONEY TO DO THIS AT
HISTORICALLY LOW LEVELS AND WE
CAN PUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
AMERICANS BACK TO WORK.
SO I ASK -- THE THEORY AS AS
ESPOUSED IN THE PRESIDENT'S
SPEECH THURSDAY NIGHT HAS BECOME
THE REALITY IN MY COMMUNITY.
IT CAN BECOME A REALITY OF
US.
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK.
LET ME ASK YOU YOUR
REALITY WITH MY REALITY.
ONE SCENARIO BEING A COUPLE OF
DECADES OLD NOW.
IN 1987 A BRIDGE COLLAPSE AID
LONG THE NEW YORK STATE FREEWAY
SYSTEM BECAUSE OF FLOODING.
THIS CAME ALONG THE CREEKS, THAT
YOU COULD WALK ACROSS, PERHAPS
IN SOME YEARS DURING THE MONTH
OF AUGUST.
IT HAD THE C.F.S., THE FLOW
EQUAL TO NIAGARA FALLS WITH THIS
FLOODING.
AND IT WIPED OUT A BRIDGE AND I
BELIEVE JUST ABOUT ALL OF THE
TRAGEDIES, ALL OF THE LOSS OF
LIFE WHICH WAS SOME 10 OR 11
PEOPLE, WERE NOT FROM THE AREA.
SO WE'RE ALL AT RISK WITH THESE
DEFICIENCIES TO WHICH YOU
ALLUDED.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR TO US KEEP
UP THE INVESTMENTS.
BUT AS WE SPEAK THIS YEAR, WE
SAW SOME 500-YEAR RECORDS BROKEN
WITH HURRICANES FROM RAVAGES OF
THE WATERS OF IRENE AND THE
FLOODS FROM THE TROPICAL STORM
LEE.
WIPED OUT INFRASTRUCTURE GALORE
AND SO NOW THERE IS A NEED, A
DEMAND TO HAVE THESE TYPES OF
INFRASTRUCTURE RESTORED AND
REBUILT.
OTHERWISE THE ECONOMY SUFFERS.
I SAW WHAT RAIL MEANT TO JOBS IN
OF TIME.
I SAW WHAT THE CANAL MEANT, NOT
ONLY FOR JOBS IN MY DISTRICT BUT
IN THE WESTWARD MOVEMENT, THE
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.
SO, INFRASTRUCTURE IS IMPORTANT.
I DWELLS ON INNOVATION ECONOMY,
BUT YOU'RE SO RIGHT TO BRING UP
THE NEED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND
THOSE IMPROVEMENTS AND I THANK
YOU, REPRESENTATIVE YARMUTH, FOR
YOUR THOUGHTS AND HANG WITH US
BECAUSE THIS IS AN ORDER WHERE
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT JOB
CREATION.
WE'RE JOINED BY YET ANOTHER
OUTSPOKEN VOICE FROM MARYLAND'S
THIRD DISTRICT, REPRESENTATIVE
JOHN SARBANES IS AN OUTSPOKEN
ADVOCATE FOR JOB CREATION IN OUR
SOCIETY.
HE KNOWS THAT FROM THE MARYLAND
EXPERIENCE WE NEED JOBS.
FROM THE NEW YORK EXPERIENCE BY
WHICH I MEASURE IT ALL WE NEED
JOBS.
REPRESENTATIVE SARBANES, THANK
YOU FOR BEING A LEADER IN THE
HOUSE AND ADVOCATING FOR NOT
ONLY MAKE IT AMERICA BUT JOB
CREATION OF ALL TIMES -- TYPES
HERE FROM THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
SASH SASH I WANT TO THANK --
I WANT TO THANK
THE GENTLEMAN FOR ASSEMBLING US
HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS
CRITICAL ISSUE OF JOBS.
IF YOU TALK TO THE AVERAGE
AMERICAN, THE ISSUE THEY PUT AT
THE TOP OF THE LIST, AND FRANKLY
IT'S THE ISSUE THEY'VE HAD AT
THE TOP OF THEIR LIST FOR MONTHS
NOW, IS THE ISSUE OF JOBS AND
MOVING AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST TALKING
ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE.
AND IT WOULD BE ONE THING IF OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE WAS IN TERRIFIC
SHAPE, RIGHT?
IF WE WERE SORT OF 100% REPAIR
RIGHT NOW AND EVERYTHING WAS NEW
AND SHINY AND THEN WE HAD THIS
ECONOMIC CRISIS AND WE WERE
LOOKING AROUND FOR WAYS TO
CREATE GOOD JOBS, TO GET
OURSELVES BACK ON OUR FEET.
AND THERE WASN'T THESE
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS OUT
THERE TO PROVIDE THOSE JOBS.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
CONGRESSMAN YARMUTH JUST
POINTED OUT, YOU CAN LOOK OUT
YOUR WINDOW AND YOU CAN SEE
EVIDENCE OF THE CRUMBLING
INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
SO DO WE CALL THAT FORTUITOUS?
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU VIEW IT.
BUT AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE TRYING
TO CREATE JOBS IN THIS COUNTRY,
THE FACT THAT OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE
REBUILT IS A TREMENDOUS
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNTRY.
BECAUSE IN HIS ADDRESS THE
OTHER NIGHT HE PUT REBUILDING
THE INFRASTRUCTURE FRONT AND
CENTER.
NOT AGAIN JUST BECAUSE IT'S A
JOB CREATION EFFORT, ALTHOUGH
THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE PREMIUM
THAT I THINK PEOPLE ARE FOCUSED
ON, BUT BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE
THE AMOUNT OF PRODUCTIVITY THIS
COUNTRY IS LOSING, BECAUSE OF
THE WASTE AND INEFFICIENCY OF
HAVING THIS CRUMBLING
INFRASTRUCTURE IS
MIND-BOGGLING, SO AT THE SAME
TIME YOU'RE REBUILDING THE
COUNTRY AND CREATING JOBS THAT
WAY YOU'RE ALSO STRENGTHENING
THE COUNTRY SO THAT GOING
FORWARD WE CAN BE MORE
EFFICIENT, WE CAN BE MORE
PRODUCTIVE.
I WANT TO EXTEND THIS NOTION OF
REBUILDING THIS COUNTRY BEYOND
INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE I THINK
IT ALSO APPLIES TO THE IDEA OF
STRENGTHENING OUR COUNTRY IN
TERMS OF BUILDING CAPITAL.
WE KNOW WE HAVE TO INVEST IN
I THINK SOME OF US ARE
EMBARRASSED WHEN WE LOOK AT
THESE COMPARISONS WITH OTHER
COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD IN
TERMS OF HOW OUR STUDENTS DO
WHEN IT COMES TO MATH OR
SCIENCE OR OTHER IMPORTANT
SUBJECT AREAS WHERE THE UNITED
STATES REALLY SHOULD BE AT THE
FOREFRONT, WE SHOULD BE ON THE
CUTTING EDGE SO WE CAN BE
COMPETITIVE BUT WE'RE NOT
THERE.
SO WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THAT?
WELL, YOU REBUILD THE COUNTRY
IN TERMS OF INVESTING IN HUMAN
INFRASTRUCTURE, IN HUMAN
CAPITAL AND MAKING THE NEXT
GENERATION AS COMPETITIVE AND
YESTERDAY I WAS IN BALTIMORE.
WE WERE CELEBRATING ADULT
EDUCATION AND LITERACY WEEK.
THERE ARE 90 MILLION PEOPLE,
ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH,
THERE ARE 90 MILLION AMERICANS
WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM LITERACY
AND IN PARTICULAR ADULT
EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.
WHEN YOU'RE IN AN ECONOMY WHERE
THINGS ARE MOVING FAST, WHERE
SOME OPPORTUNITIES DISAPPEAR
AND OTHER ONES APPEAR, YOU NEED
TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK THROUGH
OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
AND OTHER RESOURCES TO GET OUR
SKILLS READY TO MEET THE NEW
CHALLENGE.
WE OUGHT TO BE INVESTING IN
THAT, AND I COMMEND THE
PRESIDENT BECAUSE WHEN HE CAME
HERE THE OTHER NIGHT NOT ONLY
DID HE TALK ABOUT STRENGTHENING
THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF
THE COUNTRY BUT HE TALKED ABOUT
THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING IN
THE HUMAN CAPITAL OF THIS
NATION.
AND I THINK EVERY SINGLE
AMERICAN OUT THERE UNDERSTANDS
THE IMPERATIVE OF REBUILDING
AMERICA.
THAT CAN BE OUR MANTRA.
AND WHEN YOU REBUILD AMERICA,
WHAT DO YOU DO?
YOU RESTORE THE AMERICAN DREAM.
THE GREATEST FRUSTRATION THAT
PEOPLE ARE FEELING THESE DAYS
IS THEY SAY, I WORKED HARD, I
PLAYED BY THE RULES BUT I'M NOT
MOVE AHEAD.
AND WHEN YOU REBUILD THIS
COUNTRY YOU RESTORE THAT
AMERICAN DREAM, YOU GET US BACK
TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE AS A
NATION, AND THAT'S WHAT THE
AMERICAN JOBS ACT IS INTENDED
TO DO.
AGENDA THAT THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY HERE IN CONGRESS IS
PUTTING FORWARD WITH THE
PRESIDENT.
I'M GLAD TO SUPPORT THAT, SO I
THANK YOU FOR PULLING US
TOGETHER TODAY TO FOCUS ON THIS
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE OF
JOB CREATION.
WELL, REPRESENTATIVE
YOU MORE.
I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE
RETRAIN, RETRAINING,
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, IN
PRE-K THROUGH 12, IN RESEARCH
CENTERS, I WITNESSED THE
INSPIRATION THAT A CLEAN ROOM
SCIENCE COURSE PROVIDED FOR A
YOUNG MAN, 30, 35 YEARS OLD,
UNEMPLOYED, READY TO LEAVE OUR
AREA WHEN HE SAW THIS CLEAN
ROOM SCIENCE AT THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHICH WAS AN
INVESTMENT FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, HE DID A U-TURN IN
HIS STATED PLAN.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS
EXCITING.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT SPOKE
TO HIS HEART AND SOUL.
THIS WAS SOMETHING HE WANTED TO
ENGAGE IN, AND THAT'S THE
PEOPLE HERE.
THE STORYLINE OF AMERICA IS
BASIC.
AMERICAN DREAM.
LET ME UNLEASH MY SKILLS, MY
TALENTS.
LET ME RAISE A FAMILY, BUILD A
HOME AND DREAM THAT AMERICAN
DREAM, AND WE OWE IT TO AMERICA
AND PEOPLE HAVE PLACED THEIR
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY
TIMES, AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED,
WE'VE HEARD IT FROM OUR
COLLEAGUES PEOPLE BELIEVE IT IN
THE MAKE IT IN AMERICA
OPPORTUNITY.
THEY BELIEVE IN TETHERING THAT
DREAM, THAT AMERICAN DREAM SO
THAT HOUSEHOLDS, MIDDLE CLASS
-- LET'S TAKE THOSE VALUES OF
THE MIDDLE CLASS AND MAKE IT
WE'RE HAPPY YOU JOINED US AND
HERE IS ANOTHER PARTNER OF
OURS, A COLLEAGUE WHO HAS LED
US OFTENTIMES DURING SPECIAL
ON JOBS, NONE OTHER THAN
CALIFORNIA'S 10TH DISTRICT
REPRESENTATIVE, JOHN GARAMENDI,
REPRESENTATIVE GARAMENDI, WE
OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE EAST
COAST-WEST COAST.
THE MESSAGE IS UNIQUE.
IT'S COMMONPLACE, ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THE FLOOR ON JOB
CREATION.
MR. TONKO AND
MR. SARBANES, THANK YOU FOR
YOU TODAY TALKING ABOUT
INFRASTRUCTURE.
EARLIER TODAY JUST A COUPLE
OURS AGO MY OFFICE, WE HAD
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CITY
OF DAVIS NEAR SACRAMENTO AND
ANOTHER COMMUNITY, WOODLAND,
BOTH OF THEM IN YOLO COUNTY.
THEY TALKED ABOUT A WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT.
THE WATER SYSTEMS IN THOSE
COMMUNITIES FOR 150 YEARS HAVE
DEPENDED ON GROUNDWATER.
THE GROUNDWATER IS GOING BAD.
THEY NEED TO DEVELOP A NEW
WATER SYSTEM, ABOUT $300
MILLION, $400 MILLION.
AND THEY CANNOT CONTINUE WITH
THEY NEED HELP.
BUT THEY ALSO IN DOING THAT ARE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO EMPLOY A
VAST NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND PUT
IN PLACE THE INFRASTRUCTURE
THOSE COMMUNITIES NEED.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-DAVIS
CAMPUS WITH ABOUT 180 STUDENTS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT OVER TWO
MILLION CONSTRUCTION WORKERS,
MEN AND WOMEN THAT COULD BUILD
THAT WATER SYSTEM FOR THOSE
WORK.
TWO MILLION ARE OUT OF WORK,
AND THE PRESIDENT CAME HERE ON
-- LAST WEEK AND SAID AMERICANS
WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK.
THEY WANT A JOB AND PUT FORWARD
TO THIS BODY, TO THE SENATE,
THE HOUSE A PROPOSAL, THE
AMERICAN JOBS ACT, THE AMERICAN
JOBS ACT, PUTTING AMERICANS
BACK TO WORK.
YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH THE
DEFICIT?
TAKE TAX TAKERS, PEOPLE THAT
ARE UNEMPLOYED, AND MAKE THEM
TAXPAYERS.
PUT THEM TO WORK, AND WE CAN DO
THIS AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SOLVE
THE LONG-TERM DEFICIT PROBLEM
OF THIS NATION BY GROWING THE
AMERICAN ECONOMY ONCE AGAIN
WITH, AS YOU WERE SAYING, MR.
SARBANES SO WELL,
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT EAST
COAST-WEST COAST, MR. TONKO.
2,700 MILES OF AMERICAN JOBS
ALMOST UNFIT FOR TRAVEL.
THIS IS THE KIND OF PROJECT
THAT THE PRESIDENT WANTS.
$50 BILLION TO REBUILD THE
AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
SO THAT WE CAN TRAVEL.
YES, MR. TONKO.
THE RAVAGES, THE
FLOODS IN PORTIONS OF OUR
COUNTRY OR THE TRAGEDIES IN
TEXAS WITH THE MANY FIRES.
YOU KNOW, AS THE PRESIDENT
PROPOSES THIS INFRASTRUCTURE
IMPROVEMENT, THERE ARE THOSE
WHO ARE HURTING RIGHT NOW, WHO
HAVE BEEN SEVERELY IMPACTED BY
THE WATERS OF HURRICANE IRENE
THAT WENT SO FAR NORTHEAST AND
INLAND THAT THEY BROKE
CENTURIES WORTH OF RECORD
KEEPING.
WELL, MR. TONKO,
YOU AND I WERE RIGHT HERE IN
THE BACK OF THIS HOUSE CHAMBER
EARLIER TODAY AND YOU WERE
SHARING WITH ME THE STORIES,
THE REALITY IN YOUR DISTRICT.
THESE ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS WHO
HAVE BEEN HARMED AND WE HAVE
OUR COLLEAGUE, PETER WELCH FROM
VERMONT, WHO IS ALSO TALKING
ABOUT THE EXTRAORDINARY DAMAGE
DONE TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN
VERMONT.
AS WE REBUILD THOSE COMMUNITIES
AS PART OF THIS AMERICAN JOBS
ACT, PEOPLE GO TO WORK IN AND
THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE ABLE TO
SHARE WITH US SOME OF THE
THINGS YOU HAVE SEEN FROM YOUR
OWN DISTRICT AND THE NEEDS FOR
INFRASTRUCTURE
REPROLIFERATIONMENT IN YOUR
COMMUNITY.
WELL, IT'S AMAZING
BECAUSE THERE ARE SITUATIONS --
I'LL FIRST GO TO PETER'S
DISTRICT, REPRESENTATIVE RESM'S
DISTRICT IN VERMONT WHERE ROUTE
4 HAS BEEN WIPED OUT.
IT'S JUST ABOUT REMOVED FROM
THE MAP, AND WHAT WAS JUST A
COUPLE MILES WORTH OF ACTIVITY
FOR SOME PEOPLE TO TRAVEL TO
WORK NOW BECOMES THIS
TREMENDOUS SECURITIEST ROUTE
THAT MAY EVEN TAKE YOU DOWN
INTO MASSACHUSETTS AND BACK
INTO EASTERN VERMONT TO GET TO
THE LOCATION.
IT HAS MADE LIFE NEARLY
IMPOSSIBLE.
I HAVE SEEN THE NUMBERS OF
BRIDGES WIPED OUT IN UPSTATE
NEW YORK, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF BRIDGES, BLOCKS THAT HAVE
BEEN COMPROMISED IN THE AREA
THAT I REPRESENT.
I TALK ABOUT THE ERIE CANAL
ACTIVITY.
THE SECOND PHASE OF THAT CANAL
DEVELOPMENT ARE NOW
TREMENDOUSLY DEVASTATED BY THE
POWERFUL FORCE OF WATER.
OUT BUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE,
LANDSLIDES AND ROADS THAT ARE
DISAPPEARING AND DIFFERENT
OPPORTUNITIES NOW THAT ARE
REALLY DEMANDING.
DEMANDING OF AN INVESTMENT LIKE
THIS IN ORDER FOR US TO GO
FORWARD.
AND AS REPRESENTATIVE SARBANES
MADE MENTION, THIS IS A PART OF
THE EQUATION FOR SUCCESS OF
JOBS.
NOT ONLY TO IMPROVE AND REPAIR
AND INSTRUCT SOME OF THIS --
CONSTRUCT SOME OF THIS
INFRASTRUCTURE BUT JOBS IN
GENERAL.
IT'S PART OF THE EQUATION OF
SUCCESS.
YOU HAVE TO MOVE THAT PRODUCT
LINE.
YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE
IT'S INCUMBENT ON US TO
RESPOND.
IF POLITICS GETS IN THE WAY
HERE IT'S GROSSLY REGRETTABLE.
IT'S UNACCEPTABLE TO HOLD BACK
THIS NATION SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU
CHOOSE TO DO A KNEE JERK
POLITICAL RESPONSE TO A PLAN
OUTLINED BY A PRESIDENT WHO HAS
SHOWN A VISION HERE THAT IS
LASER SHARP ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO
BE DONE.
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THE PRESIDENT'S AMERICAN JOBS
ACT, WHICH I'M EMBRACING AND I
BELIEVE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
HAS EMBRACED, IS ONE THAT IS
FOCUSED LIKE A LASER ON THE
IMMEDIATE CHALLENGE THAT
AMERICA HAS.
AND THAT IS EMPLOY AMERICANS.
PUT AMERICANS BACK TO WORK.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S IN THE
BILL, AND LET ME JUST PULL THIS
ONE UP, THIS IS ABOUT SCHOOLS.
44% OF THE PRINCIPALS ACROSS
THIS NATION AND ALL THE SCHOOLS
ACROSS THE NATION HAVE REPORTED
THAT THEIR SCHOOL IN ONE WAY OR
ANOTHER IS NOT SATISFACTORY FOR
THE STUDENTS.
BATHROOMS ARE NOT WORKING, THE
PLAYGROUNDS ARE FALLING APART,
THE ROOFS ARE LEAKING.
WE NEED TO MAKE AMERICA'S
SCHOOLS PHYSICALLY STRONG AND
PLEASANT FOR THE STUDENTS TO BE
IN.
SO THIS IS A MAJOR PIECE OF IT.
THIS ALSO IS IMPROVING THE
SCIENCE LABORATORIES.
AND THE PRESIDENT HAS LINED OUT
ABOUT -- I'M TRYING TO GET THE
-- I FORGOT THE NUMBER.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT $30 BILLION
TO REBUILD THE AMERICAN
SCHOOLS.
IT'S NOT JUST THE SCHOOLS THAT
ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THAT
AND THE CHILDREN THAT ARE IN
THOSE CLASSROOMS AND ON THE
PLAYGROUNDS, BUT IT'S THE
AMERICANS THAT NEED JOBS AND
THEY'LL GET THOSE JOBS
REHABBING AND REBUILDING THOSE
SCHOOLS.
REPRESENTATIVE SARBANES TALKED,
REPRESENTATIVE GARAMENDI, ABOUT
IT BEGINS WITH SOUND SCHOOLS
THAT ARE NOT CRUMBLING OVER THE
STUDENTS' HEADS BUT ALSO THE
INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION.
JUST RECENTLY DURING OUR AUGUST
DISTRICT WORK PERIOD I DID A
TOUR, NUMBERS OF TOURS -- A
NUMBER OF TOURS IN MY DISTRICT
WITH MANUFACTURING, BUT ONE
STORY POPS INTO MIND WHERE A
MANUFACTURER IN SKOHERI, A VERY
RURAL COUNTY IN MY DISTRICT, A
CAT CENTER, CENTER FOR ADVANCED
TECHNOLOGY, TO COME UP WITH AN
IDEA TO COME UP WITH AUTOMATION
SO HE CAN REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN
THE GLOBAL SWEEPSTAKES BUT HE
NEEDS PEOPLE WHO HAVE
SPECIFICALLY TRAINED AND
EDUCATED TO RUN THIS AUTOMATION
ASPECT WITHIN HIS ASSEMBLY
PROCESS.
AND SO IT BECOMES VERY
IMPORTANT THAT THIS HUMAN
INFRASTRUCTURE IS CRITICAL.
YOU KNOW, I'M REMINDING -- I'M
REMINDED ALL THE TIME ABOUT A
CENTURY OLD SAGA, STORIES OF
MANUFACTURING AND DECADES' OLD
STORIES OF WHAT WE USED TO
MANUFACTURE IN AMERICA.
WELL, AFTER DOING IT SOMEPLACE
ELSE, THE DAUNTING CHALLENGE TO
AMERICA, TO A SOPHISTICATED
SOCIETY IS BUILD THE PRODUCTS
NOT ON THE RADAR SCREEN.
THAT TAKES INTELLECT, THAT
TAKES GENIUS THAT IS CULTIVATED
IN OUR SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES
AND RESEARCH CENTERS AND THEN
WE CREATE THAT PRODUCT LINE
THAT IS BRAND NEW.
BUT THEN THE SOPHISTICATED
SOCIETY RESPONDING TO A
MANUFACTURING CHALLENGE, AND IT
BEGINS WITH THE HUMAN
INTELLECT, IT BEGINS WITH HUMAN
INFRASTRUCTURE.
REPRESENTATIVE SARBANES, YOU
INVESTMENT ON CAPITAL
INFRASTRUCTURE, PHYSICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE AND INDEED HUMAN
INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT.
IF THE GENTLEMAN
WILL YIELD.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO THIS IDEA
OF INVESTING IN MANUFACTURING
IN THIS COUNTRY.
THE ECONOMISTS WILL TELL YOU
THAT A MANUFACTURING JOB HAS A
GREATER MULTIPLIER EFFECT ON
THE ECONOMY THAN ANY OTHER KIND
OF JOB THAT YOU CAN PRODUCE.
SO WHEN YOU'RE INVESTING IN
MANUFACTURER MFING, WHEN WHEN
YOU'RE CREATING MFING JOBS, WHEN
YOU'RE MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR
AMERICANS TO MAKE THINGS IN
AMERICA, YOU'RE HAVING THE
MAXIMUM IMPACT POSSIBLE ON THE
BROADER ECONOMY.
SO IT MAKES SENSE TO DO THIS.
CONGRESSMAN GARAMENDI REFERRED
TO THE REPAIR AND INVESTMENT IN
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY THAT THE PRESIDENT WANTS
TO DO.
35,000 PUBLIC SCHOOLS WOULD
BENEFIT TO HAVE PROJECTS WAITING
TO MOVE FORWARD.
IN OTHER WORDS, THINK ABOUT
THIS, THIS IS NOT A SITUATION
WHERE YOU DECIDE FIRST THAT
YOU'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND BUILD
INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEN YOU GOT
TO GO FIRST DO THE DESIGN AND
THE PLANS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I WORKED IN MARYLAND FOR EIGHT
YEARS WITH THE BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WHICH AT THAT TIME NEEDED ABOUT
$1.5 BILLION WORTH OF REPAIRS
JUST TO GET BACK TO SORT OF WHAT
WOULD BE AN ACCEPTABLE STANDARD
IN TERMS OF THE PHYSICAL PLAN OF
THE BALTIMORE CITY SCHOOL
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
THOSE PLANS ARE COMPLETE, ALL
THE DESIGN SPECKS ARE DONE, ALL
THEY NEED IS THE RESOURCES TO
MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THEY CAN START ON THOSE PROJECTS
TOMORROW.
ARE THERE WORKERS OUT THERE TO
DO IT?
YOU BET.
THERE'S MILLIONS OF UNEMPLOYED
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS OUT THERE
AND OTHERS WHO ARE READY TO STEP
UP AND FILL THAT VOID.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO
RIGHT AWAY.
THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT.
THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF WHAT'S BEEN
PRESENTED TO US.
FOR A MOMENT?
YES.
THEY COULD START
TOMORROW IF CONGRESS ACTS TODAY
TO PASS THE AMERICAN JOBS ACT.
BECAUSE THE RESOURCES, THAT IS
THE MONEY, WOULD BE THERE
TOMORROW.
THE DAY THE PRESIDENT SIGNS THIS
BILL THOSE MEN AND WOMEN CAN GO
TO WORK REBUILDING THOSE
SCHOOLS.
AND THERE'S ONE OTHER THING
THAT'S IN THE PRESIDENT'S BILL
THAT I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
THIS FOREVER AND A DAY AROUND
HERE AND THAT IS MAKE IT IN
AMERICA.
THERE IS A BUY AMERICA PROVISION
IN THIS LEGISLATION SO WHEN THEY
GO OUT AND BUY THE PAINT, REDO
THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, THE
HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING
SYSTEM, THOSE ARE GOING TO BE
AMERICAN-MADE PAINT,
AMERICAN-MADE AIR CONDITIONERS
AND HEATERS.
THAT'S THE KIND OF THING WE CAN
DO, WE CAN USE THE AMERICAN
TAXPAYER MONEY TO REBUILD THE
AMERICAN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY,
WE CAN DO IT.
IT'S BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
AMERICAN MONEY IN
TRANSPORTATION, BRIDGES, ROADS,
BUSES, TRAINS, USED FOR
AMERICAN-MADE EQUIPMENT.
MAKING IT ONCE AGAIN IN AMERICA.
THIS IS EXCITING, THIS IS REALLY
REBUILDING THE MANUFACTURING
BASE.
TO REPRESENTATIVE
SARBANES' POINT, EVERY YEAR
THAT'S WASTED, THAT'S ALLOWED TO
PASS BY, YOUNGSTERS IN THE
THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH GRADE,
WHATEVER, WILL NEVER HAVE THE
EXPERIENCE THEY OUGHT TO.
SO WE'RE LETTING DOWN THE
WORKERS OF TOMORROW BY THIS
DELAY, BY THIS RESISTANCE, THIS
RECALS TRANCE OF A POLITICAL
ORDER THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
JUST MAKE THE POINT THAT THE
OWNER OF THE FACILITY THAT I
TOURED IN THE COUNTY, HE REACHES
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES ROUTINELY
BECAUSE HE NEEDS THAT UPGRADED
SKILL SET.
THERE ARE MANUFACTURING JOBS
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY FOR WHICH
THEY NEED SKILLED LABOR AND IF
WE WE WALK AWAY FROM THAT
INVESTMENT IN HUMAN
INFRASTRUCTURE, WE DENIED
PROGRESS FOR THIS COUNTRY.
WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY AN
OUTSPOKEN ADVOCATE FOR JOBS, AND
I MEAN A VERY LOUD VOICE BECAUSE
WE'VE HEARD THE VOLUME CRANKED
UP, THE CHAIR OF OUR DEMOCRATIC
CAUCUS AND THE REPRESENTATIVE OF
CONNECTICUT'S FIRST
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, AND THAT
IS NONE OTHER THAN
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN LARSON,
REPRESENTATIVE LARSON, THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US IN THIS SPECIAL
ORDER.
I'M HONORED TO JOIN
THE GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK, THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA, THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MARYLAND.
MARTIN LUTHER KING ONCE
DESCRIBED THE NEED TO ACT AS THE
FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW.
NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, NOTHING IS MORE
IMPORTANT TO ANYONE LISTENING TO
THIS BROADCAST THAN SEEING THIS
COUNTRY GO BACK TO WORK.
REPRESENTATIVE GARAMENDI TALKED
VERY ELOQUENTLY ABOUT MAKE IT IN
AMERICA.
PEOPLE WANT TO SEE JOBS CREATED
IN THIS COUNTRY AND WANT TO SEE
AMERICANS BACK TO WORK BECAUSE
WE ALL KNOW THAT WHEN WE PUT
AMERICA BACK TO WORK, BY MAKING
THINGS HERE IN AMERICA, THAT IT
PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
EVERY AMERICAN TO SUCCEED.
THE PRESIDENT HAS CALLED UPON
CONGRESS TO ACT.
HE DID SO IN A SPEECH LAST WEEK.
WE NEED TO RESPOND NOW.
HE DID SO IN BIPARTISAN FASHION,
CITING BILLS THAT HAVE COME FROM
BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
CONGRESS AS AN INSTITUTION
SHOULD BE ABOUT THE VITALITY OF
IDEAS THAT YOU HEARD EXPRESSED
HERE THIS EVENING, BUT THEN
TURNED INTO A PLAN OF ACTION
THAT SEES US LOWERING OUR
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.
IT IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE THAT
CONGRESS WOULD DAWDLE WHILE 14
MILLION AMERICANS ARE UNEMPLOYED
AND A SUM TOTAL OF 25 MILLION
AMERICANS ARE UNDEREMPLOYED.
THE TIME SCHEDULE THAT CONGRESS
HAS HERE SHOULD BE EXPANDED SO
THAT WE'RE WORKING EVERY DAY TO
SEE THAT AMERICANS ARE PUT BACK
TO WORK.
14 MILLION AMERICANS ARE CRYING
OUT FOR THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL
TO BE ENACTED, TO SEE THIS BODY
TAKE ACTION.
THEY ARE TIRED OF THE ENDLESS
BICKERING BETWEEN BOTH SIDES AND
WANT TO SEE ACTION TAKING PLACE
IN THIS BODY.
MY COLLEAGUES HAVE OUTLINED VERY
SPECIFIC PROPOSALS THAT WILL
ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.
WE'VE JUST WITNESSED ONE OF OUR
COLLEAGUES WHO SPOKE SO
ELOQUENTLY AND I'M REFERRING TO
MR. TONKO FROM NEW YORK STATE
ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIS
COMMUNITY, HIS DISTRICT, THE
VERY CHARACTER OF WHICH WAS
CHANGED BECAUSE OF A CALAMITY,
MORE THAN A 500-YEAR LEVEL STORM
THAT RAVAGED THE STATES OF
CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK AND
VERMONT AND LEFT PEOPLE NOT ONLY
DESTITUTE IN TERMS OF THEIR VERY
HOMES AND THEIR LIVELIHOODS BUT
AGAIN SEEKING WHAT IS
FUNDAMENTAL TO THIS COUNTRY, A
CERTAIN SENSE OF FAIRNESS IN
SHARED SACRIFICE, IN COMMITMENT
TO HELPING OUT FELLOW AMERICANS.
WHAT BETTER WAY THAN REBUILDING
OUR COUNTRY AND STARTING,
STARTING WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES
THAT HAVE BEEN RAVAGED.
THE YOUTH THAT COULD BE EMPLOYED
IMMEDIATELY IN OUR URBAN AND
RURAL AREAS, THE REBUILDING, AS
MR. GARAMENDI HAS SAID, OF ROADS
AND BRIDGES AND SEWAGE SYSTEMS
AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND PUBLIC
SCHOOLS WITH BROADBAND, TO LIGHT
UP THE DESKTOPS OF OUR CHILDREN
AND THE BLACKBOARDS OR
WHITEBOARDS, IF WILL YOU, OF OUR
TEACHERS SO WE CAN ONCE AGAIN
ASSUME OUR RIGHTFUL POSITION AS
THE PREEMINENT ECONOMIC LEADER
IN THIS GLOBAL ECONOMY.
WE HAVE PROFESSOR AND DR. JOSEPH
STIG LET SPEAK BEFORE THE CAUCUS
TODAY.
AND HE SAID IT VERY CLEARLY.
THAT JOB CREATION EQUALS DEFICIT
REDUCTION.
WE ARE NOT TALKING ACROSS THE
AISLE HERE, WE NEED TO COME
TOGETHER AS AMERICANS.
WE WITNESSED THIS PAST WEEKEND
WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN AMERICA
DECIDES TO BE UNIFIED IN COMMON
CAUSE AS WE DID AND AS WE
RESPONDED AFTER THE EVENTS OF
SEPTEMBER 11.
WE NEED TO RESPOND TO THE CRISIS
AT HAND WHICH IS 14 MILLION
AMERICANS THAT ARE UNEMPLOYED.
THE DEVASTATION THAT IT HAS
WREAKED ON OUR ECONOMY, WHAT
IT'S MEANT TO OUR HOUSING, WHAT
IT'S MEANT TO OUR EDUCATION
SYSTEM, WHAT IT'S MEANT TO OUR
MANUFACTURING BASE THAT MR.
GARAMENDI HAS TALKED ABOUT TIME
AND AGAIN ON THIS FLOOR.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, IS
REINVEST IN AMERICANS AND IN
DOING SO, AS DR. STIGLET, THE
PREEMINENT ECONOMIST IN THIS
COUNTRY, HAS KEALTED, WE CAN
BOTH -- INDICATED, WE CAN BOTH
REDUCE OUR DEFICIT BY MORE THAN
25% AND PUT AMERICA BACK TO
WORK.
WHAT WE NEED IS ACTION FROM THIS
FROM THIS HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
BRING THE PRESIDENT'S BILL TO
THE FLOOR.
IF YOU WON'T BRING THE
PRESIDENT'S BILL TO THE FLOOR,
THEN ENGAGE THE SELECT COMMITTEE
THAT HAS A VERY SPECIFIC TIME
FRAME WITH DEADLINES AND DATES
AND NO CLOTURE VOTES IN THE
SENATE, NO POISONED AMENDMENTS
IN THE HOUSE, AN UP OR DOWN VOTE
ON JOBS, THAT'S WHAT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE DEMANDING.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GENTLEMEN HAVE
SO ELOQUENTLY PUT FORWARD HERE.
CHAIRMAN LARSON, WE
HAVE PRECIOUS FEW MOMENTS LEFT.
I'LL MAKE A FEW COMMENTS THEN
YIELD TO MY GENTLEMEN COLLEAGUES
AS WE CLOSE THIS SPECIAL ORDER
HOUR.
TO ME, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE
IDENTIFIED IT WELL.
THIS COUNTRY HAS HAD THROUGHOUT
ITS HISTORY ITS SHINING MOMENTS.
THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO
MOMENT.
IT WILL TAKE COMMITMENT BY THE
LEGISLATORS HERE ON THE HILL IN
WASHINGTON AND ENCOURAGING AND
INSPIRING AND IN BUILDING A TONE
THAT BRINGS US TOGETHER TO THINK
AS ONE AS A NATION, GENERATION
TO GENERATION TO GENERATION,
REGION OF THE COUNTRY TO REGION
OF THE COUNTRY, POLITICAL
PERSUASION TO OPPOSITE POLITICAL
PERSUASION, PHILOSOPHY OF
DIFFERENCE TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF
ANOTHER KIND, MOVING TOGETHER,
COMING TOGETHER, UNDERSTANDING
THIS IS OUR DEFINING MOMENT,
IT'S OUR MOMENT TO CREATE, OUR
NEXT SHINING EXAMPLE OF AMERICA
AT HER BEST.
YOU FOR JOINING US.
THANK YOU AGAIN,
CONGRESSMAN TONKO, FOR PULLING
US TOGETHER THIS AFTERNOON.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF
POINTS.
ECHOING WHAT CONGRESSMAN LARSON
SAID, IF YOU LOOK AT JUST WHAT
HAPPENED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF
WEEKS IN TERMS OF THE DISASTER
THAT HIT THE EASTERN SEABOARD
AND YOU CAN LOOK OVER THE LAST
FEW MONTHS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY
AND SEE THOSE SORT OF DISASTER
EFFECTS HAPPENING TO PEOPLE,
NOBODY WOULD QUESTION THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS AN
IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN COMING
TO THE ASSISTANCE OF PEOPLE THAT
ARE IN THAT DIRE SITUATION.
WHATEVER YOUR LARGER PHILOSOPHY
IS ABOUT WHETHER GOVERNMENT
SHOULD BE LARGE OR SMALL AND SO
FORTH, EVERYONE AGREES THAT
GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE ON THE SIDE
OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FACING SUCH A
DESPERATE SITUATION AND SHOULD
ACT QUICKLY.
SO IF WE ACCEPT THAT PROPOSITION
WE ALSO OUGHT TO THINK ABOUT THE
14 MILLION PEOPLE, JOHN, THAT
YOU REFERRED TO WHO BASICALLY
ARE FACING AN ECONOMIC HURRICANE
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND IT IS THE ROLE, THE
APPROPRIATE ROLE, THE NECESSARY
ROLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
TAKING THOSE TAXPAYER DOLLARS
AND SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO TURN
AND HELP OUR FELLOW CITIZENS IN
NEED AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT
QUICKLY AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT
IN WAY THAT NOT ONLY HELPS THEM
BUT IS ALSO GOOD FOR THE BROADER
ECONOMY AND WE'LL PUT PEOPLE
BACK TO WORK.
LET ME JUST FINISH WITH THIS
LAST THOUGHT.
I HOPE PEOPLE WATCHING THIS
DISCUSSION, AND I HOPE PEOPLE
KEEP TRACK OF WHO'S GOING TO BE
SUPPORTIVE OF THE AMERICAN JOBS
ACT AND WHO'S NOT.
BECAUSE THERE ARE GOING TO BE
PEOPLE IN THIS CHAMBER WHO VOTE
AGAINST IT.
AND DRAG THEIR FEET.
AND THE REASON I WANT PEOPLE TO
PAY ATTENTION IS BECAUSE PEOPLE
ARE GETTING CYNICAL OUT THERE.
AND HOPE THAT IT WILL CURE SOME
OTHER CYNICISMS SO SEE THAT
THERE ARE FOLKS YET HERE IN
WASHINGTON WHO ARE ABSOLUTELY
DETERMINED TO TRY TO COME TO THE
ASSISTANCE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
LOOKING FOR GOOD JOB OPPORTUNITY
OUT THERE.
SO PAY ATTENTION BECAUSE THERE
ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO WANT TO DO
THE RIGHT THING AND HOPEFULLY
THAT WILL STOP YOU FROM BECOMING
SO CYNICAL.
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
TO CHAIRMAN LARSON AND THEN
REPRESENTATIVE GARAMENDI TO
CLOSE.
CHAIRMAN LARSON.
THANK YOU AGAIN,
PAUL, FOR ORGANIZING THIS
SPECIAL ORDER.
AND I THINK JOHN SARBANES SAID
IT WELL.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM MARYLAND
SPOKE ELOQUENTLY ABOUT THE NEED
FOR US TO ACT AND THE NEED FOR
US TO ACT NOW.
STORM, IT HAS BEEN
A HURRICANE FOR THE 14 MILLION
PEOPLE THAT ARE UNEMPLOYED AND
FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND ALL
AMERICANS ARE ASKING IS THE
SIMPLE DIGNITY THAT COMES FROM
BEING ABLE TO LOOK ACROSS THE
TABLE AT YOUR SPOUSE AND YOUR
FAMILY AND LET THEM KNOW THAT
THEY ARE SAFE AND SECURE BECAUSE
YOU HAVE A JOB AND YOU ARE
PROVIDING FOR THEM.
THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
REPRESENTATIVE GARAMENDI TO
CLOSE.
MR. TONKO, THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER.
YESTERDAY THE PRESIDENT
DELIVERED TO THIS CHAMBER A
COMPREHENSIVE AMERICAN JOBS ACT.
EMPLOYMENT FOR PERHAPS TWO,
MAYBE MORE THAN TWO MILLION
AMERICANS, IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE
AS SOON AS THIS CONGRESS ACTS.
AND IT IS FULLY PAID FOR, WILL
NOT ADD TO THE DEFICIT, IT IS
FULLY PATE FOR THROUGH A SERIES
OF -- PAID FOR THROUGH A SERIES
OF TAX INCREASES ON THE SUPER
WEALTHY AND THE OIL COMPANIES
FINALLY HAVING TO GIVE UP OUR
TAX MONEY THAT THEY'VE ENJOYED
FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.
WE CAN DO THIS.
WE MUST DO THIS.
WE MUST PUT AMERICA BACK TO
WORK.
AND IN DOING SO WE WILL BE ABLE
TO DEAL WITH THE DEFICIT BECAUSE
AMERICANS HAVE COME ONCE AGAIN,
TAXPAYERS, AND WE HAVE CREATED
THE CRITICAL INVESTMENTS IN
INDIVIDUALS, IN EDUCATION, IN
INFRASTRUCTURE AND IN SMALL
BUSINESSES ALL OF WHOM WILL
BENEFIT FROM THE AMERICAN JOBS
ACT.
IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY, IT IS
OUR OPPORTUNITY, IT IS AMERICA'S
OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK TO WORK.
MR. TONKO, THANK YOU FOR
I YIELD BACK.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE
AND HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU
GENTLEMEN.
I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED
POLICY OF JANUARY 5, 2011, THE
SPEAKER RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS; MR.
GOHMERT, FOR 30 MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
THIS IS A TOUGH TIME IN OUR
AMERICAN HISTORY.
I WAS A HISTORY MAJOR AT TEXAS
A&M, I HAD A SCHOLARSHIP.
I HAD BEEN INSPIRED BY AMERICAN
HISTORY IN HIGH SCHOOL BY SAM
PARKER, MY TEACHER, MY SCOUT
MASTER.
SO I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
OUR HISTORY.
I KNOW A LOT ABOUT WORLD
HISTORY AS WELL.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE
THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE,
ESPECIALLY SPEECHES HERE IN
WASHINGTON, AND TAKE THEM FROM
THE PERSPECTIVE OF HOW IT ALL
FITS TOGETHER.
NOW, WE HAVE BEEN IN THIS
CHAMBER, SITTING RIGHT BACK
THERE ON THE AISLE, AND WE HAD
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES STANDING RIGHT THERE, I
WAS ON A DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT,
EYE-TO-EYE WITH THE PRESIDENT,
EXCEPT HIS EYES CUT RIGHT INTO
THE TELEPROMPTER EACH TIME HE
LOOKED MY WAY SO I DON'T THINK
WE EVER MADE EYE CONTACT.
BUT HE KEPT TELLING US, OVER
AND OVER, 16, 17 TIMES, I
DIDN'T COUNT THEM, I'VE BEEN
TOLD, BUT HE SAID, WE'VE GOT TO
PASS THIS BILL RIGHT NOW, RIGHT
NOW.
THIS BILL, RIGHT NOW.
UNFORTUNATELY, LAST THURSDAY,
WHEN THE PRESIDENT WAS SAYING
WE'VE GOT TO PASS THIS BILL,
RIGHT NOW, THERE WAS NO BILL.
THERE WAS NO PLAN.
HE TALKED ABOUT HIS PLAN, HE
TALKED ABOUT HIS BILL.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT QUITE READY
YESTERDAY UNTIL LATER AND WE
KEPT HARASSING THE WHITE HOUSE
SAYING, WE WANT A COPY OF THE
BILL.
WE NEED A COPY OF THE BILL YOU
SAID PASS THE BILL NOW.
DO WE NOT GET TO EVEN HAVE A
COPY OF THE BILL BEFORE WE HAVE
TO PASS IT?
OR WOULD IT BE OK IF WE COULD,
YOU KNOW, SEE IT BEFORE WE PASS
IT.
IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO FILE
IT AT SOME POINT IF WE'RE GOING
TO PASS A BILL.
JUST MY THINKING.
SO THE WHITE HOUSE WAS KIND
ENOUGH LATE YESTERDAY TO EMAIL
A COPY OF THE BILL, WE GOT IT
UP ON OUR WEBSITE AT
WHO ARE INTRIGUED BY THE
PROMISES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE
AND WHAT IT ACTUALLY DOES.
LET'S SEE, IT'S CALLED SAVING
OBAMA'S JOB -- NO, I'M SORRY,
AMERICAN JOBS BILL.
THAT'S THE NAME OF IT.
IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR
SOMEBODY TALK ABOUT THEIR BILL,
AND THEN GET IT AND DIG
THROUGH.
I THINK I FINISHED ABOUT 5:00
THIS MORNING GOING THROUGH ALL
155 PAGES OF THE BILL AND IT'S
MOST INTERESTING, SOME OF THESE
THINGS I'M GOING TO HAVE TO
TALK TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE MORE
EXPERTISE IN PARTICULAR AREAS,
SOME THINGS IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS
WHAT THEY SAY.
YOU KNOW, PAGE SIX, HE GETS
RIGHT INTO PAYROLL TAX RELIEF
AND AGAIN AS THE PERSON WHO
CAME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR A TAX
HOLIDAY AS A WAY TO STIMULATE
THE ECONOMY BACK NEARLY THREE
YEARS AGO, AND AS A PERSON WHO
IN JANUARY OF 2009 TOLD THE
PRESIDENT PERSONALLY ABOUT MY
IDEA FOR A TAX HOLIDAY, MOODY'S
RATED A TAX HOLIDAY AS
INCREASING THE G.D.P., LOOKED
LIKE MORE THAN OTHER STIMULUS
PROPOSALS, THAT WAS BACK IN
2009, BEFORE THIS PRESIDENT
SQUANDERED $4.5 TRILLION ABOVE
AND BEYOND THE AMOUNT, AROUND
$2.2 TRILLION A YEAR, THAT WAS
COMING IN.
SHOCKING THAT WE CAN GO THROUGH
THAT MUCH MONEY.
OF COURSE, WE HAD TWO YEARS,
THE FIRST TWO YEARS, WITH THE
SAME PARTY IN POWER IN THE
HOUSE AND SENATE AS WAS IN THE
WHITE HOUSE, AS IS IN THE WHITE
HOUSE, AND AS I FOUND MY FIRST
TERM IN 2005 AND 2006,
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE THE
SAME PARTY IN THE WHITE HOUSE
AND IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE, IF
THE PEOPLE IN CONGRESS ARE NOT
ADEQUATELY RESTRAINED AND
CANNOT ADEQUATELY RESTRAIN
THEMSELVES, IT ENDS UP BEING A
BIG SPENDING FRENZY AND IN
2006, AGAIN, MY SEC YEAR IN
CONGRESS, WE SPENT OVER $160
BILLION MORE THAN WE TOOK IN.
DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE AISLE,
RIGHTFULLY,ER TO AFTER
REPUBLICANS, HOW COULD YOU --
TORE AFTER REPUBLICANS, HOW
COULD YOU SPEND MORE THAN $160
BILLION MORE THAN WE HAD COMING
INTO THE TREASURY?
THEY WERE RIGHT TO DO SO.
WE SHOULD NOT HAVE SPENT $160
BILLION MORE THAN WE HAD COMING
IN.
IRONICALLY, THE PRESIDENT,
PRESIDENT BUSH, IN 2008, HAD A
BILL PASSED BY THE DEMOCRAT
CONTROLLED HOUSE AND SENATE, A
STIMULUS BILL THAT OPENED THE
DOOR A BIT TO THESE STIMULUS
FRENZIES AND $40 BILLION OF
THAT, $160 BILLION, AS I
RECALL, WAS GOING TO BE GOING
TO PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T PAY ANY
TAXES, INCOME TAXES, AS A
REBATE, WHICH CAUSED ME TO ASK
THE PRESIDENT, HOW DO YOU GIVE
A REBATE TO PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T
PUT ANY BATE IN?
THEN AFTER THAT, WE HAD TARP.
AND PRESIDENT BUSH -- PRESIDENT
GEORGE W. BUSH IS A GOOD MAN.
HE'S SMARTER THAN MOST PEOPLE
IN THIS TOWN WANTED TO GIVE HIM
CREDIT, ONE OF THE WITTIEST
PEOPLE YOU'LL EVER BE AROUND
BUT HE MADE THE MISTAKE OF
LISTENING TO, UNTIL NOW, THE
WORST TREASURY SECRETARY IN THE
HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY, HANK
PAULSON, AND PAULSON SAID, GIVE
ME $750 BILLION AND I CAN FIX
THINGS.
WELL, THAT WAS A MISTAKE.
ANYBODY THAT READ THAT BILL
WOULD UNDERSTAND, THAT WAS NOT
A BILL THAT SHOULD HAVE EVER
PASSED.
IF MORE PEOPLE ON THE HOUSE
FLOOR HAD READ THE BILL, I AM
CONFIDENT, I KNOW THEY COULDN'T
HAVE BROUGHT THEMSELVES TO VOTE
FOR IT BUT THEY DIDN'T READ IT.
MANY DIDN'T.
WELL, THAT'S WHY I SPENT MOST
OF LAST NIGHT GOING THROUGH THE
PRESIDENT'S JOBS BILL.
HE DOES HAVE SOME PAYROLL TAX
RELIEF.
BUT COMPARED TO THE PAYROLL TAX
RELIEF I WAS PROPOSING, WE WERE
TOLD IT WOULD BE CLOSE TO, IF
YOU JUST GAVE PEOPLE ALL OF
THEIR TAX MONEY IN THEIR CHECK,
IT DIDN'T NEED TO COME BACK
FROM WASHINGTON, IT WOULD BE IN
THE CHECK, IF WE PASSED IT AND
THE PRESIDENT HAD SIGNED IT ON
A THURSDAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
IN THEIR FRIDAY CHECK.
ALL OF THE MONEY, ALL THE TAXES
THEY PAID.
AND THAT WOULD HAVE STIMULATED
THE ECONOMY MORE THAN -- AND WE
WOULDN'T HAVE NEEDED THE
GOVERNMENT TO SAY, HEY, LET'S
BAIL OUT G.M. AND LET'S BAIL
OUT CHRYSLER, BECAUSE IF PEOPLE
HAD HAD THEIR OWN MONEY, THEY
COULD HAVE GONE DOWN AND BOUGHT
A CAR FROM THE CAR MANUFACTURER
AND DEALER THAT THEY WANTED TO
BUY FROM.
INSTEAD OF JUST THROWING MONEY
AT THE CAR INDUSTRY.
AND I APPRECIATED THE G.M.
COMMERCIAL SAYING, WE PAID OUR
MONEY BACK, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT
WAS NOT TRUE, IT WAS A
MISREPRESENTATION.
STILL MONEY OWED.
BUT ANYWAY, I GUESS HE WOULD DO
WELL IN WASHINGTON WITH THAT
BUT THE PAYROLL TAX PROVIDED,
THE RELIEF PROVIDED HERE, IS
JUST A FRACTION OF WHAT I WAS
SUGGESTING IN LATE 2008, 2009,
AND THE PRESIDENT IN FACT WHEN
I TOLD HIM THE IDEA IN JANUARY
OF 2009, SAID, THAT'S A GREAT
IDEA.
HAVE YOU TALKED TO LARRY?
TALKING ABOUT LARRY SOMERS, WHO
WAS RIGHT BEHIND HIM AT THE
TIME.
I SAID I'D LOVE TO TALK TO
LARRY SOMERS ABOUT IT.
SOMERS GAVE ME A CARD, IT SAYS
GIVE ME A CALL HE NEVER TOOK MY
CALLS.
I WAITED A WEEK AND THEN HE
DIDN'T CALL ME, I FELT HURT,
YOU KNOW, LIKE HIGH SCHOOL DAYS
WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO ASK
SOMEBODY ON A DATE AND THEY
SAY, LET ME GET BACK TO YOU.
WELL, I WAS SNUBBED.
HE DIDN'T GET BACK TO ME.
OK, WELL, NOT THE FIRST TIME.
I RELENTLESSLY CALLED AND KEPT
GETTING, I WAS GIVEN,
EVENTUALLY, TO SOME YOUNG MAN
WHO SOUNDED LIKE HIS VOICE WAS
STILL CHANGING BUT ANYWAY,
TELLING ME TO LEAVE A MESSAGE
AND I DIDN'T LEAVE MESSAGES AND
LARRY, AS THE PRESIDENT
REFERRED TO HIM, NEVER GOT BACK
TO ME AND I UNDERSTAND HE'S NOT
OVER THERE NOW.
BUT THEY DIDN'T -- THEY CALLED
A TAX HOLIDAY BACK IN THOSE
DAYS THAT GOT JUST A FEW BUCKS
IN PEOPLE'S POCKETS.
NOTHING LIKE THE STIMULUS WOULD
HAVE BEEN IF PEOPLE HAD BEEN
ABLE TO KEEP THEIR OWN MONEY,
ALL OF IT, FOR A COUPLE OF
MONTHS.
NOW, THIS WASN'T MY MOTIVE.
MY MOTIVE WAS TO STIMULATE, BUT
THERE WAS A SECONDARY
OCCURRENCE THAT WOULD HAVE
HAPPENED, HAD WE HAD A REAL TAX
HOLIDAY, EVEN FOR TWO OR THREE
MONTHS.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THAT WORKERS
ACROSS AMERICA, INCLUDING UNION
WORKERS, WOULD NOTICE, MANY OF
THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT
WOULD REALLY COME HOME, HOW
MUCH MONEY THEY'RE SENDING TO
WASHINGTON EVERY MONTH, AND HOW
MUCH BETTER THEIR LIVES WOULD
BE IF THEY DIDN'T SEND THAT
MUCH MONEY TO WASHINGTON EVERY
MONTH, IF THEY HAD THEIR OWN
MONEY TO GIVE TO THEIR OWN
CHARITABLE CAUSES, THEY HAD
THEIR OWN MONEY TO BAIL
THEMSELVES OUT, THEIR OWN MONEY
TO STIMULATE THEIR OWN
HOUSEHOLD.
EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN
BETTER OFF.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE TACK THE
PRESIDENT CHOSE.
HE GOT WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY
TOUTED TO BE AN $800 BILLION
STIMULUS AND HE ALSO HAD ABOUT
$450 BILLION OF THE ORIGINAL
TARP THAT HE AND SECRETARY
GEITHNER WERE ABLE TO FIND WAYS
TO SQUANDER AND ANYWAY, WE WERE
TOLD IF WE DID NOT PASS THE
PRESIDENT'S STIMULUS PACKAGE
BACK IN EARLY 2009, HE SAID THE
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, MR. SPEAKER,
MIGHT GO AS HIGH AS 8.5%.
THAT 8.5% SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD.
PEOPLE REMEMBER HIM SAYING,
WELL, GEE, YOU PASS THIS, THE
UNEMPLOYMENT WILL BE AROUND 8%
AT THE WORST, WRONG.
BUT IF YOU DON'T PASS IT, IT
COULD GO AS HIGH AS 8.5%.
I'D TAKE THAT 8.5% RIGHT NOW
AND HAVE EVERYBODY THAT GOT
THAT MONEY GIVE IT BACK.
IT WAS FOR THE MOST PART
WASTED.
PEOPLE BACK THEN WERE TOLD BY
THE PRESIDENT, IT'S A STIMULUS
BILL.
IT'S ALL ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS MONEY
GOING TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
WELL, THERE WAS ONLY A TINY
PITTANCE OF WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN
MORE LIKE $1 TRILLION THAT WENT
TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
ANYWAY, THAT GOES THROUGH PAGE
16 WITH THAT PART.
AND WE GET INTO THE FIRST
RESPONDERS STABILIZATION AND
THERE IS $5 BILLION FOR ONE
PROGRAM, $4 BILLION FOR ANOTHER
PROGRAM, $1 BILLION FOR THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL FIRST
RESPONDER STABILIZATION FUND.
I GUESS $4 BILLION IS FOR THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL TO CARRY OUT A
COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM.
IT KEEPS BEING LOST ON PEOPLE
HERE THAT AMERICA'S BETTER OFF
IF YOU DON'T FORCE PEOPLE AT
THE POINT OF IMPRISONMENT AND
I.R.S. PERSECUTION TO GIVE ALL
THIS MONEY TO WASHINGTON AND
THEN WE'LL DOLE IT OUT AS WE
SEE FIT.
THE ECONOMY DOES BETTER WHEN
YOU LET PEOPLE KEEP THEIR OWN
MONEY AND ONLY BRING JUST AS
MUCH AS NECESSARY.
DON'T TRY TO RUN EVERYBODY'S
LIVES.
BUT AT PAGE 17, WE'RE GOING TO
GIVE ALL THIS MONEY TO THE
LET THEM DOLE IT OUT AS THEY
SEE FIT AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IT
USUALLY GOES, IF YOU'RE A
FRIEND OF THE ADMINISTRATION,
YOU'RE GOING TO DO WELL.
IF YOU'RE NOT, THEY'RE GOING TO
SICK ON YOU ALL THE POWER OF
THE BUREAUCRATIC, WHETHER IT'S
E.P.A., ALL THESE
ADMINISTRATIONS --
ADMINISTRATION'S TOOLS AND
YOU'LL PAY A PRICE.
WE'RE FINDING THAT OUT IN
TEXAS.
NOW YOU GO TO THE NEXT, PAGE
18, YOU'VE GOT ELEMENTARY AND
SECONDARY SCHOOLS, THEY'RE
SUPPOSED TO GET MONEY.
BUT OF COURSE, IT'S GOING TO
COME THROUGH WASHINGTON BECAUSE
WE KNOW BEST.
AND WE'RE GOING TO DOLE SOME
MONEY TO THE STATES, WE'RE
GOING TO DOLE SOME TO STATE AND
LOCAL APPLICATIONS AS INDICATED
ON PAGE 19, BUT YOU CAN'T MISS
THIS.
IT'S THROUGHOUT THE BILL, PAGE
20, HERE WE GO AGAIN.
WE SAW IT WITH THE FIASCO IN
CALIFORNIA THIS ADMINISTRATION
GIVING AWAY $500 MILLION THAT
CAN'T BE ACCOUNTED FOR NOW,
JUST SQUANDERED, WELL WE'RE
GOING TO DO THAT SOME MORE.
MAYBE IF WE KEEP THROWING MONEY
AT A BAD IDEA, IT'LL SOMEHOW,
SOMEDAY, SOME WAY GET A LITTLE
BETTER SO PAGE 20 HAS US
PRIORITIZING GREEN PRACTICES,
KIND OF LIKE A BANKRUPT SPAIN
HAS DONE.
NOW, THERE'S MONEY IN HERE, PAGE
21, AND THIS IS NICE BECAUSE
MONEY, EVEN FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS,
BUT ONLY IF THEY HAVE A CHILD
POVERTY RATE OF AT LEAST 40%.
SO THEN WE GO, YOU GOT COMMUNITY
COLLEGE MODERNIZATION AND MORE
GREEN JOBS WITHIN THE COLLEGES,
PAGE 23, AND YOU GO ON AND ON,
AS I -- I MEAN, I WENT THROUGH
THIS, IT DOES GO ON AND ON.
BUT THEN WE'RE TOLD, YOU KNOW,
WE ARE GOING TO INVEST THIS TIME
WE REALLY, REALLY MEAN IT.
WE SAY WE REALLY MEANT IT BACK
IN JANUARY OF 2009, THAT WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE AND
THAT'S GOING TO BRING US OUT.
WE SAID IT, WE DIDN'T SPEND IT
ON INFRASTRUCTURE, WE SQUANDERED
IT, ACORN, ALL THESE DIFFERENT
GROUPS, BUT THIS TIME WE REALLY,
REALLY, REALLY MEAN IT AND SO,
LET'S SEE, THAT LOOKS LIKE --
THAT'S, OK, $2 BILLION FOR THAT
PROGRAM.
AND IT'S INTERESTING, WE GOT ALL
THIS MONEY WE'RE GOING TO PUT
TOWARD HIGHWAYS AND WHAT NOT.
NOW, ANYONE, MR. SPEAKER, THAT
BELIEVES THIS WAS ALL GOING TO
GO STRAIGHT TO INFRASTRUCTURE
MISSED THE POINT.
BECAUSE THEN WE GET OVER TO PAGE
40 AND YOU GET TO THE REAL JOBS.
NOW, THIS IS WHERE THE JOBS ARE
REALLY CREATED.
STARTED ON PAGE 40.
IT'S CALLED THE AMERICAN
INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING
AUTHORITY.
IF YOU LOVE FANNIE AND FREDDIE,
YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE THE
AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE
FINANCING AUTHORITY.
LET'S SEE, PAGE 41, YOU FIND OUT
, SEVEN VOTING MEMBERS APPOINTED
BY THE PRESIDENT, WELL, HE'S
GOING TO CREATE -- HE'S GOOD AT
CREATING JOBS, LOOK AT ALL THE
GOVERNMENT JOBS HE'S ADDED SO,
THAT'S WHO I WANT HAVING
APPOINTED, HE'S APPOINTED ALL
THESE PEOPLE FROM UNIVERSITIES
WHO HAVE NEVER CREATED JOBS IN
THEIR LIVES SO THEY'RE PERPLEXED
WHY THEIR PROGRAMS AREN'T
WORKING.
HE DOES HAVE THE HEAD OF GE
THAT'S HELPING HIM WITH THAT --
G.E. THAT'S HELPING HIM WITH
THAT JOBS PROGRAM AND CHINA IS
GRATEFUL.
CHINA IS VERY GRATEFUL TO THE
HEAD OF G.E. BECAUSE HE'S
CREATED LOTS OF JOBS, THEY'RE
JUST IN CHINA AND NOT HERE.
MAYBE HE'LL GET TO BE ON THIS
BOARD AS WELL.
BUT IT'S ANOTHER GOVERNMENT
PROGRAM AND LET'S SEE, I WANT TO
MAKE SURE I GET THIS RIGHT.
LET ME SEE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS
WILL BE DEEMED INCORPORATER OF
AIFA, THAT'S AMERICAN
INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING
AUTHORITY.
BUT THAT WILL MAKE FOR SOME GOOD
READING.
I WOULDN'T READ IT RIGHT BEFORE
GOING TO BED BECAUSE YOU MIGHT
NOT BE ABLE TO GO TO SLEEP.
THEN WE GET OVER TO PAGE 56 AND
THIS TALKS ABOUT THE FUNDING OF
THE AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE
FINANCING AUTHORITY.
AND THED A MINUTEIVE FEES,
THAT'S -- AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE
FEES, THAT'S SECTION 257.
THEN WE GET INTO, HEREBY
APROINTED AIFA TO CARRY OUT THIS
ACT FOR LOAN GUARANTEES, AND FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, $10
BILLION THAT WILL REMAIN
AVAILABLE UNTIL EXPENDED.
THEN YOU HAVE SOME OTHER MONEYS
THERE.
THAT'S GOOD NEWS BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, YOU CAN SPEND THAT FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND
FORTUNATELY IN WASHINGTON WE
DON'T RUN UP MUCH IN THE WAY OF
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
NOW, ONE THING THAT SOME PEOPLE
HAVE TALKED ABOUT TO RAISE A
LITTLE BIT OF REVENUE IS TO SELL
SOME OF OUR BROADBAND SPECTRUM
AND THEN WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE
ARE THOSE IN WASHINGTON WHO ARE
NOT HAPPY THAT THE F.C.C. HAS
NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A FAIRNESS
DOCTRINE SO THEY CAN DICTATE
WHAT GOES ON THE AIR.
WELL, NOT TO WORRY.
BECAUSE PEOPLE IT SEEMS ARE
GROWING MORE AND MORE TO
BROADBAND THAN THE RADIO WAVES
AND TELEVISION WAVES, WE'RE
GETTING MORE AND MORE BROADBAND
STUFF, SO WE HAVE THE ANSWER TO
THE LACK OF A FAIRNESS DOCTRINE
THAT THE F.C.C. HAS WANTED TO
UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION BUT
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO AVOID IT THIS
FAR.
THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT A FAIRNESS
DOCTRINE IN HERE BUT FORTUNATELY
YOU, GET TO PAGE 75 YOU FIND OUT
WE'RE GOING TO ESTABLISH, I LOVE
THIS NAME, PUBLIC SAFETY
BROADBAND CORPORATION, NEXT
PAGE, 76, YOU FIND OUT, IT'S
ESTABLISHED A PRIVATE NONPROFIT
CORPORATION AND YOU'RE GOING TO
HAVE SOME MEMBERS WHO KNOW HOW
TO RUN A GOVERNMENT OPERATION
AND CREATE GOVERNMENT JOBS, OF
COURSE IT KILLS JOBS IN THE
PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT CREATING
GOVERNMENT JOBS AND THAT'S DOWN
HERE, YOU'VE GOT THE SECRETARY
OF COMMERCE, SECRETARY OF
HOMELAND SECURITY, ATTORNEY
GENERAL, WE'RE TALKING REAL JOB
CREATORS HERE, AND OTHERS WHO
WILL BE ON THAT BOARD, SO PEOPLE
CAN FEEL BETTER ABOUT THAT, IF
YOU DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH
GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF THINGS,
WELL, THIS BILL, YOU'RE GOING TO
LOVE IT, MORE GOVERNMENT CONTROL
, MORE GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS,
BECAUSE THE THING THAT MANY
MISSED AND IT JUMPED OUT AT ME
AS I SAT BACK THERE AND THE
PRESIDENT SPOKE, WHEN HE SAYS,
WE WANT TO WORK SIDE BY SIDE
WITH BUSINESS.
FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE EARS AND
HEAR, THAT MEANS THIS PRESIDENT
WANTS TO BE YOUR BUSINESS
PARTNER.
WELL, THAT SCARES SOME FOLKS.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK YOU SAW
THE MARKET GO DOWN THE NEXT DAY.
PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND HOW REAL
JOBS IN THE REAL WORLD ARE
CREATED KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT
BEING PARTNERS WITH PEOPLE
TRYING TO GENERATE JOBS IS A JOB
KILLER.
WE DON'T NEED A GOVERNMENT TO BE
PARTNERS, SIDE BY SIDE, WORKING
WITH BUSINESS.
THE GOVERNMENT AS DESIGNED BY
THE FOUNDERS AND AS WE'RE
SUPPOSED TO BE CARRYING OUT IS
SUPPOSED TO BE A REFEREE, TO
MAKE SURE PEOPLE PLAY FAIR AND
IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD MADE SURE
PEOPLE WERE PLAYING FAIR INSTEAD
OF DICTATING EVERY DETAIL OF
THEIR EXISTENCE, THEN THEY WOULD
HAVE NOTICED THAT BERNIE MADOFF
WAS CHEATING PEOPLE.
BUT THE GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW,
OUR BUREAUCRACY WAS TOO
CONCERNED WITH DICTATING HOW
PEOPLE LIVE, WHAT THEY -- THEY
FORGOT ABOUT THEIR JOB AS
REFEREE AND I'VE HIGHLIGHTED SO
MUCH STUFF AS I WENT THROUGH THE
NIGHT AND I WON'T BORE YOU WITH
ALL OF THIS, MR. SPEAKER.
LET'S SEE, PUBLIC SAFETY ROAMING
PRIORITY ACCESS, F.C.C.'S GOING
TO GET TO REPORT ON EFFICIENT
USE OF PUBLIC SAFETY SPECTRUM.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF -- OH,
EXTENSION OF EXTENDED BENEFIT
PROVISIONS.
GOOD STUFF THERE.
NOW, I'VE BEEN A FAN OF
RETRAINING PEOPLE WHEN THERE ARE
JOBS IN ONE SECTOR AND PEOPLE
HAVE LOST JOBS IN ANOTHER AND
THERE ARE NO JOBS WITH THAT --
THE TRAINING THEY HAVE.
THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
IT'S BETTER MONEY THAN JUST
THROWING OUT UNEMPLOYMENT
REIMBURSEMENT, IF YOU CAN TRAIN
PEOPLE TO HAVE A REAL JOB.
THIS BILL SPENDS BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS, WE'VE GOT THE
REEMPLOYMENT NOW PROGRAM, THAT'S
A NEW FEDERAL -- RE-EMPLOYMENT
NOW PROGRAM, THAT'S A NEW
FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY, A NEW
FEDERAL PROGRAM.
WE GOT THE STATE PLAN, PAGE 98,
WE GOT THE BRIDGE TO WORK
PROGRAM AT 99.
WE'RE GOING TO RETRAIN PEOPLE
FOR JOBS, WE DON'T HAVE JOBS
THAT THEY CAN FILL BUT WE'RE
GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME
TRAINING THEM FOR JOBS THAT
DON'T EXIST.
WHEN WE'D BE BETTER OFF
ENCOURAGING THE REAL JOB
CREATORS, THE SMALL BUSINESS
FOLKS, INTO CREATING JOBS AND
THEN TRAIN THEM FOR THAT, BUT,
NO, WE'RE GOING TO SUCK MORE
CAPITAL OUT OF THE FINANCIAL
COMMUNITY, INTO THE GOVERNMENT,
SO WE CAN TRAIN PEOPLE, RETRAIN
PEOPLE FOR JOBS THAT DON'T
EXIST.
NOW, THEN WE HAVE THE PAGE 106,
THE SHORT TIME COMPENSATION
PROGRAM AND ITS PURPOSES --
SHORT-TERM COMPENSATION PROGRAM
MEANS A PROGRAM IN WHICH
PARTICIPATION OF EMPLOYERS
REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HOURS
WORKED BY EMPLOYEES IN LIEU OF
LAYOFFS.
SUCH EMPLOYEES WHOSE WORKWEEKS
HAVE BEEN REDUCED BY AT LEAST
10% ARE THEN ELIGIBLE FOR
UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION.
YOU LOSE 10% OF YOUR WORK TIME,
GUESS WHAT?
WE'RE NOW OPENING UP A NEW
AVENUE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
COMPENSATION.
10%'S ALL IT TAKES OF THE
REDUCED.
EMPLOYERS, I'VE TALKED TO SO
MANY SAYING, I'M ASKING MY
EMPLOYEES, I DON'T WANT TO FIRE
ANYBODY, I'M ASKING THEM TO HANG
ON, WE'RE ALL REDUCING WHAT
WE'RE TAKING IN, AND WE'RE GOING
TO TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS
WITHOUT FIRING ANYBODY, BUT, YOU
KNOW, EVERYBODY'S HAD TO TAKE A
CUT.
WELL, THIS WILL MAKE THEM
ELIGIBLE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
COMPENSATION WHICH RAISES THEIR
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE RATES
THEY HAVE TO PAY WHICH MEANS
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LAY OFF
SOMEBODY IN ORDER TO PAY THE
ADDITIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE RATES.
OF COURSE THEN YOU'VE GOT
TEMPORARY FINANCING OF
SHORT-TERM EXENSCAGSESATION
AGREEMENT, PAGE 109 --
COMPENSATION AGREEMENTS, PAGE
109, WE HAVE GRANTS, SUBSIDIZING
UNEMPLOYMENT FOR LOW INCOME
ADULTS.
INSTEAD OF SUCKING ALL THIS
CAPITAL OUT OF THE PRIVATE
WOULD WANT TO HELP CREATE MORE
JOBS.
WELL, IF YOU'RE NOT SATISFIED
WITH ALL THE JOBS THAT ARE
CREATED BY THE NEW GOVERNMENT
PROGRAMS, NEW GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES, IT'S WONDERFUL THAT
WE'VE GOT SOMETHING BETTER THAN
FANNIE AND FREDDIE FOR
INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING, THAT'S
GREAT.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT LAWSUIT
FILING IS DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
OUR CONSTITUTION TELLS YOU, AND
WE KNOW IN OUR HEARTS THAT IT'S
WRONG TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST
PEOPLE BASED ON RACE, CREED,
COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER,
THOSE THINGS MAKE SENSE.
WE SHOULDN'T DISCRIMINATE.
AND THOSE ARE PROTECTED CLASSES.
WE'VE ALSO ADDED NO MATTER WHAT
YOUR *** PREFERENCE, YOUR
*** ORIENTATION, NO MATTER
WHAT YOUR ORIENTED TOWARD
SEXUALLY, BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATIC
MAJORITY WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO
DEFINE *** ORIENTATION TO
EXCLUDE ILLEGAL ACTIVITY.
WHICH KNOW *** ORIENTATION IS
A PROTECTED CLASS NOW.
WE ARE ADDING IN THIS BILL A NEW
PROTECTED CLASS CALLED
UNEMPLOYED.
TITLE ON PAGE 129, PROHIBITION
OF DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT
OF THE BASIS OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S
STATUS AS UNEMPLOYED.
AND IT SAYS RIGHT HERE IN THE
FINDINGS THAT WE FIND THAT
DENIAL OF EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES TO INDIVIDUALS
BECAUSE OF THEIR STATUS AS
UNEMPLOYED IS DISCRIMINATORY AND
BURDENS.
IT GOES ON AND EXPLAINS THIS IN
PRECEDING PAGES.
SOED GOOD NEWS IS, IF YOU'RE
UNEMPLOYED AND YOU GOES TO APPLY
FOR A JOB AND YOU'RE NOT HIRED
FOR THAT JOB, SEE A LAW LAWYER,
YOU MAY BE ABLE TO -- SEE A
LAWYER, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO FILE
A CLAIM BECAUSE YOU GOT
DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE
YOU WERE UNEMPLOYED.
NOW, SOME WOULD POINT OUT
LEGITIMATELY THAT WILL
DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM DOING
INTERVIEWS OF PEOPLE UNEMPLOYED
BECAUSE IF THEY DO THEY'VE GOT A
CLAIM, MAY HAVE A CLAIM TO MAKE
AGAINST THE EMPLOYER FOR
DISCRIMINATION BASED ON THE FACT
THAT THEY WERE UNEMPLOYED.
SO I THINK THIS WILL HELP TRIAL
LAWYERS WHO ARE NOT HAVING
ENOUGH WORK BECAUSE IT CAN OPEN
THE DOOR, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD
FROM FRIENDS ACROSS THE AISLE IN
THE PRECEDING HOUR, 14 MILLION
PEOPLE OUT OF WORK.
THAT'S 14 MILLION POTENTIAL NEW
CLIENTS THAT COULD GO HIRE A
LAWYER AND FILE A CLAIM BECAUSE
THEY DIDN'T GET HIRED EVEN
THOUGH THEY WERE UNEMPLOYED.
AND WE'VE HEARD THE PRESIDENT
DEMONIZE BILLIONAIRES AND
MILLIONAIRES AND WHY ARE THE
REPUBLICANS SO STRONG ON TRYING
TO BAIL OUT THE RICH FRIENDS?
WELL, WHAT WE'VE LEARNED HERE IN
THIS TOWN IN RECENT YEARS IS
THAT IF THE VERY WEALTHY DON'T
MIND BEING CALLED NAMES THEY
WILL BE ENRICHED AND EVEN
ENGORGED.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE KNOW THAT WALL
STREET EXECUTIVES HAVE BEEN
CALLED FAT CATS BY THIS
ADMINISTRATION AND DEMONIZED YET
THE LITTLE SECRET BEHIND THE
SCENE'S JOKE IS, DON'T MIND
BEING CALLED NAMES, THIS
ADMINISTRATION HAS BROUGHT MORE
TO WALL STREET THAN
GOLDMAN SACHS HAS EVER SEEN IN
THEIR HISTORY.
AND WALL STREET EXECUTIVES,
THEIR FAMILIES GAVE TO PRESIDENT
OBAMA 4-1 OVER JOHN MCCAIN SO OF
COURSE THEY GOT A GOOD LITTLE
DEAL GOING THERE AND ALSO
DEMONIZE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, YOU LOVE
BRITISH PETROLEUM BECAUSE THEY
WERE GOING TO ENDORSE THE CAP
AND TRADE BILL.
AND YOU DEMONIZE THEM AND THEN
YOU STICK PROVISIONS IN THIS
BILL THAT HAVE NO AFFECT ON THE
BIG MAJOR OIL COMPANIES, THEY
WILL ONLY AFFECT, THESE
PROVISIONS AT THE BACK OF PAGE
151, THEY WILL NOT AFFECT THE
BIG MAJORS LIKE BRITISH
PETROLEUM EXCEPT THAT BECAUSE
THEY WILL DESTROY THE ABILITY OF
INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS THAT
PRODUCE MUCH OR MAYBE MOST OF
THE OIL AND GAS IN THE
CONTINENTAL U.S., IT WOULD DRIVE
THEM OUT OF BUSINESS, IT WILL
DRY UP INVESTMENT, THERE'S A
RESTRICTION ON -- THIS IS REPEAL
OF THE OIL AND GAS WORKING
INTEREST EXCEPTION, SO THERE'S
THINGS IN HERE THAT'S GOING TO
DRY UP THE INDEPENDENT OIL
COMPANIES' ABILITY TO FUNCTION
AND THE PAY-FOR WE WERE TOLD
OVER AND OVER, THIS IS ALL PAID
FOR, IS ON PAGE 155.
HERE IT IS.
GET READY.
THE BUDGET CONTROL ACT OF 2011
IS AMENDED BY STRIKING $1.5
TRILLION THAT THE SUPERCOMMITTEE
IS GOING TO HAVE TO FIND IN CUTS
AND INSERTING $1.95 TRILLION.
SO THIS PAY-FOR, IT'S ALL PAID
FOR, IT'S ALL PAID FOR, AND
WHAT'S ALL PAID FOR IS THE NEW
SUPERCOMMITTEE IS NOW ORDERED
UNDER THE PRESIDENT'S BUILT TO
FIND ANOTHER $450 BILLION TO PAY
FOR HIS BILL, SO IT'S ALL PAID
FOR, AMEN.
THERE ARE SO MANY MORE PROBLEMS
I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO GET
TO AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS I
PROBABLY MISSED EVEN AS I WENT
THROUGH THIS, BUT THERE IS SUCH
BAD NEWS FOR AMERICA IN HERE,
UNION WORKERS, WATCH OUT, THIS
MAY BE THE END OF YOUR JOBS.
BUT IT'S OK BECAUSE THE UNIONS
ARE GROWING BY GETTING MORE
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, NOT THE
HARDWORKING FOLKS IN THE
REGULAR UNIONS, THESE ARE THE
GOVERNMENT UNIONS.
IT SHOULD SAY, INSTEAD OF
AMERICA'S JOB BILL, SAVING THE
PRESIDENT'S JOB BILL, BUT THIS
IS A DISASTER FOR EVERY OTHER
THINKING PERSON IN AMERICA AND
WITH THAT, MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD
THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS YIELDS
BACK HIS TIME.
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED
POLICY OF JANUARY 5, 2011, THE