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FOR ANYTHING WE PROPOSE WILL NOT
SERVE OUR COUNTRY OR OUR PEOPLE.
UNLESS THE GENTLEMAN WANTS TO
SAY SOMETHING FURTHER, I'M GOING
TO YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
GENTLEMAN FROM VIRGINIA RISE?
MR. SPEAKER, I ASK
UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT WHEN THE
HOUSE ADJOURNS TODAY IT ADJOURN
TO MEET ON MONDAY NEXT WHEN IT
SHALL CONVENE AT NOON FOR
MORNING HOUR DEBATE AND 2:00
P.M. FOR LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN
REQUESTS FOR ONE-MINUTE
SPEECHES.
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE GENTLELADY IS RECOGNIZED FOR
ONE MINUTE.
I RISE TODAY
TO RECOGNIZE A GREAT INDIVIDUAL
OF MY SOUTH FLORIDA COMMUNITY,
DR. MICHAEL ALEXANDRI FOR HIS
WORK WITH CHILDREN AND YOUNG
ADULTS WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED
WITH AUTISM.
A PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY AT MY
ALMA MATER, THE UNIVERSITY OF
MIAMI, WILL BE HONORED BY THE
KESHER ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP
JOURNAL DINNER TO CELEBRATE HIS
COMMITMENT TO THIS AMAZING
ORGANIZATION.
KESHER, AN ORGANIZATION THAT
PROVIDES AN ACADEMIC AND JEWISH
EDUCATION TO CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS, WAS FORMED IN
1995 WITH TWO CLASSROOMS AND 20
STUDENTS.
TODAY WITH THE HELP OF THE
DOCTOR, THE ORGANIZATION IS
SHAPING THE LIVES OF OVER 80
CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH
AUTISM THROUGH THEIR
PERSONALIZED STUDENT CURRICULUM.
HIS DEDICATION TO HELPING
CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH
AUTISM OBTAIN AN EDUCATION HAS
BEEN FUNDAMENTAL TO THE SUCCESS
OF KESHER.
ONCE AGAIN I WOULD LIKE TO
CONGRATULATE HIM AND ALL OF THE
STAFF, FACULTY, AND PARENTS, AND
THE STUDENTS AND HELP OTHERS
FOLLOW HIS LEAD IN MAKING OUR
COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE IN
WHICH TO LIVE.
I THANK THE SPEAKER FOR THE
TIME.
THE
GENTLELADY YIELDS BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS RISE?
WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE GENTLEMAN
IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE MINUTE.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
UNEMPLOYMENT IS STILL AT NEARLY
9%.
$4 GASOLINE IS ON THE WAY AND
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION STILL
DOESN'T GET IT.
THEY HAVE LOCKED UP OUR DOMESTIC
ENERGY RESOURCES THROUGH THE
RECENTLY ISSUED WILDLANDS ORDER
WHICH HAD NO CONGRESSIONAL
AUTHORITY.
AND THEY CONTINUE TO PURSUE
REGULATORY DRILLING MORATORIA.
EVERY DEVELOPED COUNTRY IN THE
WORLD LOOKS TO THEIR OWN
RESOURCES TO FUEL THEIR
ECONOMIES.
WE HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCE THAT
IS DWARF THE STRATEGIC PRESERVE.
THE UNITED STATES HAS VAST
ENERGY RESOURCES ON OUR PUBLIC
LANDS AND OFF OUR COAST THAT
BELONG TO THE TAXPAYER.
THIS IS -- MR.
FLORES: THIS IS WHY I HAVE
INTRODUCED A BILL TO EXTEND
OFFSHORE LEASES IMPACTED BY THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S GROWING
MONTHS.
MORATORIUM FOR AN ADDITIONAL 12
THIS LEGISLATION WOULD RETURN
TIME LOST DURING THE DRILLING
MORATORIA ADDING CERTAINTY SO
THE DOMESTIC PRODUCERS CAN
CONTINUE EXPLORATION WITHOUT A
LOOMING LEASE EXPIRATION.
WE NEED THE STABILITY THAT COMES
FROM ALL OF THE ABOVE ENERGY
APPROACH.
WE NEED A COMMONSENSE ENERGY
POLICY THAT BRINGS STABILITY TO
THE MARKETPLACE, CREATES
GOOD-PLAYING AMERICAN JOBS,
GROWS OUR ECONOMY, REDUCES OUR
DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL, AND
RAISES TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO
HELP PAY OFF OUR GROWING $14
TRILLION NATIONAL DEBT.
WE OWE THIS TO OUR CHILDREN AND
TO OUR GRANDCHILDREN.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM PENNSYLVANIA
RISE?
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
MR. SPEAKER, THIS PAST WEEK I
HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ADDRESSING
ABOUT 700 RESIDENTS BACK HOME IN
MY DISTRICT, RESIDENTS OF THE
JEWISH RETIREMENT COMMUNITY IN
BUCKS COUNTY AND TO THANK THOSE
RESIDENTS AND SENIOR CITIZENS
FOR COLLECTIVELY PUTTING
TOGETHER OVER 55,000 HOURS OF
COMMUNITY SERVICE, REALLY
OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE
BACK HOME IN BUCKS COUNTY.
SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT
ACCOUNTED FOR A TREMENDOUS K-OF
HOURS -- AMOUNT OF HOURS
INCLUDED READING TO ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL CHILDREN, PROVIDING
WHEELCHAIR ESCORTS, SORTING AND
PACKAGING CLOTHING, CREATING
BLANKETS FOR OLD CHILDREN AND
NEED.
PROVIDING COMFORT TO THOSE IN
MR. SPEAKER, COMMUNITIES ARE
BUILT ON SERVICE TO OTHERS.
THROUGH THIS SERVICE, THE
COMMUNITY IS IN FACT STRONG AND
VIBRANT.
THE COUNTLESS LIVES THEY HAVE
TOUCHED HAVE MADE BUCKS COUNTY A
STRONGER AND BETTER PLACE TO
LIVE AND FOR THAT I SALUTE THEM.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED
POLICY OF JANUARY 5, 2011, THE
GENTLEMAN FROM OREGON, MR.
SCHRADER, IS RECOGNIZED FOR 60
MINUTES AS THE DESIGNEE OF THE
MINORITY LEADER.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
I WOULD LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON
RECENTLY WE HEARD A COLLOQUY A
MOMENT AGO WITH THE MINORITY
LEADER AND THE MAJORITY LEADER
TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN
H.R. 1 AND SOME OF THE
CATASTROPHIC CUTS THAT ARE BEING
PROPOSED BY OUR REPUBLICAN
COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE AISLE.
I SPOKE EARLIER DURING THE
DEBATE ON H.R. 1 AND FOUND THAT
FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS BACK IN
MY DISTRICT IN OREGON THAT
PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY TAKING IT
SERIOUSLY.
THE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY WORRIED
WE WERE GOING TO DO THE
DEVASTATING $60 BILLION WORTH OF
CUTS WITHIN A SHORT ONE-YEAR
TIME FRAME THAT HAS BEEN
UNIVERSALLY PANNED, ACTUALLY, BY
EXPERTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
MY COLLEAGUES AND I ON THE
DEMOCRATIC SIDE HAVE OFFERED
OTHER ALTERNATIVES.
I THINK THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE
REASONABLE.
WE ALL REALIZE JUST LIKE THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MARYLAND A MOMENT
AGO TALKED ABOUT, WE HAVE TO
MAKE SOME REDUCTIONS BUT WE
SHOULD MAKE THEM IN A SERIOUS
WAY, SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO
ACCOMPLISH OUR ENDS.
I THINK SCARING AMERICANS
NEEDLESSLY IS INAPPROPRIATE.
THE CUTS THAT THEY ARE TALKING
ABOUT ARE NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
THE FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION, WE JUST PASSED A
FOOD SAFETY BILL IN THE LAST
CONGRESS, AND THEY WANT TO CUT
OUT $240 MILLION BELOW THE 2010
LEVEL, MUCH LESS IMPLEMENT THE
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
SAFETY WORK WE HAVE ASKED THEM
TO DO.
USDA WOULD BE FURLOUGHING
INSPECTORS.
OUR MEAT SAFETY PROGRAMS WOULD
NOT BE SAFE.
WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE A
PROCESSING PLANTS INSPECTED ON A
REGULAR BASIS GOING FORWARD.
THE ABILITY FOR SOME OF OUR
SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES TO HAVE
SAFE DRINKING WATER HINGES ON
THE WASTEWATER AND DRINKING
PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
THE REVOLVING LOAN FUNDS WE HAVE
HERE IN CONGRESS.
REDUCING THE PROGRAMS AS MUCH AS
REPUBLICANS WANT WOULD CAUSE, I
THINK, SERIOUS PROBLEMS.
IT WOULD ALSO ELIMINATE AND ADD
54,000 ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION
AND OTHER SUPPORT JOBS CUT AS A
RESULT OF THIS.
WE NEED TO BE ADDING JOBS NOT
SUBTRACTING JOBS AT THIS POINT
IN TIME.
GRANTS.
WE ALSO HAVE STATE AND LOCAL
STATES BACK HOME AND OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITIES ARE STARVING RIGHT
NOW, A LOT OF THE BUDGETS ARE
OUT OF WHACK.
THE WORST THING WE CAN DO IS BE
CUTTING OUR STATE GRANT PROGRAMS
THAT HOPEFULLY FUND THE
EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND
HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITIES.
WE SHOULD ACTUALLY BE EMPOWERING
THEM AND HELPING THEM THROUGH
THESE TOUGH BUDGET TIMES.
ONLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS
THAT ABILITY.
THE FIREFIGHTER GRANTS ARE BEING
CUT, COPS GRANTS ARE BEING CUT,
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY IS IN SERIOUS
RISK HERE.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS
ACTUALLY BEING PROPOSED IN ANY
SERIOUS MAN IRWHATSOEVER.
I HAVE TO ASSUME IT'S ALL PART
OF THE POLITICAL THEATER, PART
OF THE CAMPAIGN STILL.
IT'S TIME TO GET OFF THE
CAMPAIGN TRAIL, QUIT THE
POLITICAL CIRCUS, AND GET BACK
TO ACTUALLY WORRYING ABOUT
SERIOUS REDUCTIONS WE GOT TO
MAKE TO PUT OUR COUNTRY BACK IN
BALANCE.
AND THAT MEANS GOING TO OTHER
PROGRAMS.
THEY ARE ALSO WANTING TO CUT
TITLING 1 GRANTS TO SCHOOL
DISTRICTS.
THIS IS THE ONE AREA THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT COMES TO THE AID OF
SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH IDEA MONEYS
THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN
DELIVER THOSE HIGH-S COST
SPECIAL NEEDS PROGRAMS TO
STUDENTS.
YEAR ACTUALLY CUTTING THEM.
$700 MILLION FROM ONE -- THE
FORMULA PROGRAMS WE HAVE HERE.
IT'S A 4% CUT TO TITLE 1
PROGRAMMING WHEN OUR LOCAL
DISTRICTS NEED IT THE MOST.
HEAD STARTS START, A PROVEN
PERFORMANCE BASED PROGRAM TO GET
OUR KIDS OFF TO A GREAT START
AND GREAT EDUCATION SO THEY
DON'T NEED THE REMEDIATION THAT
WE HAVE TO DO LATER ON IN
COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY ARE CUTTING HEAD START 20%.
200,000 CHILDREN, 200,000
CHILDREN WOULD BE KICKED OUT OF
THE HEAD START PROGRAM.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE WAY YOU
BECOME A WORLD LEADER.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO
HELP OUR STEM PROGRAMS, DO THE
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION WE NEED.
PELL GRANTS, PELL GRANTS, A
COMMITMENT WE HAVE MADE TO
AMERICAN STUDENTS I THINK IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT BACK HOME IN
OREGON I WORK VERY, VERY ***
A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM THAT
ACTUALLY WITH OUR FEDERAL AID,
OUR STATE AID, SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAMS, PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT,
AND SUPERINTENDENT WORKING AT A
MINIMUM WAGE JOB DURING THE
SUMMER, FULL-TIME, DURING THE
SCHOOL YEAR ONLY PART-TIME,
COULD ACTUALLY GRADUATE FROM
COLLEGE, UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE,
NO MORE THAN 14,000 OR $14,000
.
IN DEBT.
BY CUTTING THE PELL GRANT
PROGRAM FROM OUR PROMISED LEVEL
OF $5,700 TO $5,-- $4,500, THAT
COULD MEAN COMPETING WITH THE
BEST AND BRIGHTEST AROUND THE
WORLD.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT IN H.R. 1
THE REPUBLICANS ARE CUTTING JOB
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, MORE THAN
$4 BILLION, $4 BILLION IN CUTS
TO JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS.
THIS IS UNCONSCIONABLE, FOLKS.
THIS IS EXACTLY THE TIME WHEN
WE NEED TO GET THESE DISLOCATED
WORKERS BACK INTO THE WORK
FORCE.
THE TRADE ADJUSTMENT ACT CUTS
OR UNCONSCIONABLE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE FOLKS TO
RETRAIN, GET BACK IN THE WORK
FORCE.
HELP GET THE ECONOMY BACK ON
TRACK.
CUTTING THESE PROGRAMS JUST
DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
THEY'RE EVEN CUTTING SOCIAL
SECURITY HERE, FOLKS.
THEY'RE EVEN CUTTING SOCIAL
SECURITY.
PRETTY AMAZING.
THEY CUT THE FUNDING
OPERATIONAL BUDGET FROM $125
MILLION BELOW THE 2010 LEVELS.
$125 MILLION OUT OF SOCIAL
SECURITY AND $1 BILLION BELOW
THE PRESIDENT'S REQUEST LEVEL
FOR 2011.
THEY APPARENTLY DON'T THINK WE
NEED TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE OUR
SOCIAL SECURITY'S ABILITY TO
WORK WITH SENIORS, TO MAKE SURE
THEY NEED, TO CUT DOWN
THEY'RE GETTING THE SERVICES
MISTAKES, CUT DOWN ON THAT
FRAUD AND ABUSE IN THE BENEFITS
PROGRAM FOR OUR DESERVING
SOCIAL SECURITY RECIPIENTS.
THEY DON'T CARE.
THEY REALLY DON'T CARE.
IT'S PRETTY AMAZING THE RANGE
AND SCOPE OF THESE -- OF THESE
CUTS.
WE'VE LISTENED TO BEN BERNANKE
IN THE BUDGET COMMITTEE SAY
THAT THE REPUBLICAN PLAN WILL
RESULT IN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF JOBS LOST IN THIS COUNTRY.
MARK ZANDI, MCCAIN'S ECONOMIST,
YOU KNOW, HE PUTS A NUMBER ON
IT, 700,000 JOBS LOST.
GOLDMAN SACHS, NOT EXACTLY A --
SOMETHING OF LIBERAL VIRTUE,
MAY HIT G.D.P. BY 32%.
WE NEED JOBS, WE NEED JOBS, WE
NEED JOBS.
WE NEED TO BE SMART HOW WE GO
ABOUT THIS.
RIGHT NOW WE NEED SURGICAL
CUTS, NOT THE MEAT AX APPROACH
THAT'S BEING PROPOSED BY OUR
COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE AISLE.
I OFFERED UP A PROPOSAL DURING
DEBATE THAT WOULD CUT OUR
COSTS, CUT OUR BUDGET BY ABOUT
$22 BILLION.
KIND OF A NICE INTERMEDIATE
APPROACH FROM WHERE OUR SENATE
FRIENDS IS FROM WHERE THE
REPUBLICANS STARTED.
IT ALSO LOOKS AT THE DEFENSE
BUDGET.
I'M A HUGE SUPPORT OF OUR
WARRIORS OVERSEAS AND IN THIS
COUNTRY THEY DO GREAT THINGS,
WHETHER IT'S A LOCAL DISASTER
OR CATASTROPHE OR A SERIOUS
PROBLEM ABROAD.
BUT WE GOT TO LOOK AT THE
CONTRACTING.
WE GOT TO LOOK AT THE WEAPONS
PROCUREMENT PROGRAMS.
I MEAN, SECRETARY GATES HIMSELF
HAS BEEN VERY, VERY CLEAR THAT
THERE IS LOTS OF ROOM, LOTS AND
LOTS OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
THERE.
I THINK WE NEED TO WORK ON A
BIPARTISAN APPROACH, ENOUGH OF
THE POLITICAL THEATER, FRANKLY
ON BOTH SIDES.
IT'S TIME TO SIT DOWN, LOOK AT
THE INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES THAT ARE MOST IN NEED
FOR THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.
AND UNTIL WE'RE WILLING TO SIT
DOWN AND DO THAT, WE ARE GOING
TO CONTINUE TO DO THESE TWO,
THREE-WEEK CONTINUING
RESOLUTIONS THAT'S MAKING A
MOCKERY FUNDING THE GOVERNMENT,
FUNDING THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA TWO WEEKS AT A TIME.
I DON'T THINK IT -- I THINK IT
MAKES US FOOLISH IN OUR
CONSTITUENTS' EYES.
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF BASHING
AGAINST OUR PUBLIC SECTOR
EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE NATION.
PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS IS
APPARENTLY A BAD THING.
I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT IN
OREGON THE PUBLIC SECTOR
EMPLOYER IS OFTENTIMES THE
BIGGEST EMPLOYER.
AND SOMETIMES THE ONLY EMPLOYER
OF ANY REAL SIZE IN SOME OF
THESE COMMUNITIES.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE
SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN RURAL
OREGON ARE OFTENTIMES THE BIG
EMPLOYER.
THESE ARE GOOD JOBS.
THESE ARE PEOPLE, TEACHERS THAT
ARE GIVING OF THEIR TIME AND
FRANKLY MY WIFE'S A TEACHER WHO
IS WORKING OVERTIME, AFTER
HOURS, PUTTING THEIR OWN
DOLLARS SOMETIMES INTO THE KIDS
TO MAKE SURE OUR KIDS GET A
GREAT EDUCATION.
THE DEMAGOGUERY THAT GOES ON OF
THE PUBLIC SECTOR IS I THINK
UNFORTUNATE AND OUT OF PLACE
HERE.
THE HOSPITALS IN RURAL PARTS OF
OUR COUNTRY ARE OFTENTIMES THE
BIGGEST EMPLOYER.
OFTEN THEY ARE PUBLIC
HOSPITALS, NOT PRIVATE
OPERATIONS, NOT FOR PROFIT
HOSPITALS.
THERE ARE A BUNCH OF THEM IN
OREGON.
THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF EMPLOYEES.
AGAIN, THE DEMAGOGUERY I JUST
DON'T THINK HAS ANY PLACE.
RIGHT NOW I POINT TO A PROJECT
THAT'S GOING ON IN THE CENTRAL
COAST OF THE GREAT STATE OF
OREGON, AND THAT'S MOVING THE
NOAA FLEET, THE PACIFIC NOAA
FLEET DOWN INTO A SMALL
COMMUNITY THAT'S BEEN
DEVASTATED, DEVASTATED FOR
YEARS.
NOT JUST THIS RECENT RECESSION
BUT OVER 20 YEARS OF STRIFE.
FISHING'S BEEN CUT BACK,
FISHING GRANTS HAVE BEEN CUT
BACK.
TIMBER HAS BEEN CUT BACK.
YOU CAN'T ANY MORE TREES IN OUR
STATE.
THEY HAVE BEEN HURTING FOR A
LONG TIME.
THEY TRIED TO GO INTO THE
BEEN HIT, OBVIOUSLY, WITH
TOURISM BUSINESS AND THAT'S
WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS
RECESSION.
AS A RESULT OF THAT WE ACTUALLY
HAVE A VERY EXCITING
OPPORTUNITY FOR PACIFIC NOAA
FLEET TO COME DOWN AND TRY TO
REGENERATE THAT ECONOMY.
THOUSANDS OF NEW JOBS.
HUNDREDS IMMEDIATELY RELATED TO
THE NOAA PROJECT ITSELF BUT FOR
ALL THE PARTS, ALL OF THE
REMEDIATION, ALL OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER IN THE
COMMUNITY, THERE SHOULD BE SOME
GREAT OPPORTUNITIES, I THINK,
FOR THE CENTRAL OREGON COAST.
AND THIS WILL ALL BE PUT IN
JEOPARDY BECAUSE THE COMMERCE
BUDGET AND THE NOAA BUDGET ARE
CUT.
WILL THE GENTLEMAN YIELD AT
THAT POINT?
YES, I'D BE GLAD
TO.
HE MADE A GOOD
LITANY OF SOME ILL-INTENTIONED
CUTS MADE BY THE REPUBLICANS.
YOU JUST MENTIONED NOA.
I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT AS
WE'RE SPEAKING WE'RE WAITING
FOR THE THIRD TIDAL WAVE TO HIT
THE OREGON COAST.
THEY'RE ABOUT AN HOUR APART.
WE SHOULD BE HIT AGAIN IN ABOUT
10 MINUTES.
NOW, THE REASON WE KNOW WHERE
THESE WAVES ARE, WHAT THEIR
ABLE TO EVACUATE THOSE
AMLITUDE IS, THE REASON WE ARE
COMMUNITIES LAST NIGHT, THE
REASON THAT WE'RE ONLINE RIGHT
NOW WITH OUR STATE EMERGENCY
SERVICES PEOPLE IS BECAUSE OF
THE WARNING BUOYS WE HAVE AND
THE GREAT WORK OF THE NATIONAL
OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC
ADMINISTRATION AND THE WEATHER
AND THE REPUBLICANS HAVE
SERVICE.
PROPOSED TO DECIMATE THOSE
PROGRAMS IN H.R. 11.
SO IN THE REPUBLICAN WORLD,
EVERYBODY AT NOAA THAT IS
FURLOUGHED FOR 21 DAYS, IF YOU
LIVE IN JAPAN OR YOU LIVE ON
THE PACIFIC COAST OR THERE ARE
SOME TORNADOES IN THE MIDWEST,
TOUGH LUCK.
WE HAD TO FURLOUGH THOSE
EMPLOYEES WHO WOULD HAVE WARNED
YOU TO EVACUATE THE LOW-LYING
AREAS IN THE OREGON-CALIFORNIA
COAST AND IN HAWAII BUT, NO,
THEY HAVE TARGETED MASSIVE CUTS
AT THE NOAA BUDGET.
$450 MILLION.
IT'S ESTIMATED THAT NOAA WOULD
HAVE, BECAUSE OF THE TIME OF
YEAR, 21 DAYS OF FURLOUGHS FOR
ALL ITS EMPLOYEES.
$110 MILLION IN CUTS TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
A BIG CUT TO STATE DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS PLANS.
SO RIGHT NOW OUR EMERGENCY
OPERATION CENTERS IN OREGON, IN
CALIFORNIA, IN HAWAII ARE IN
FULL SWING, AND THE REASON THAT
THEY ARE ABLE TO BE IN TOUCH
WITH PEOPLE IN SCATTERED
COASTAL COMMUNITIES, IN
RELATIVELY DIFFICULT AREAS IS
BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL
ASSISTANCE THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO
THEM TO SET UP THESE CENTERS.
AND UNDER THE REPUBLICANS'
BUDGET, WE WOULD CUT $206
MILLION FROM STATE EMERGENCY
OPERATION CENTERS.
NOW, WHERE ARE THE STATES GOING
TO GET THE MONEY IN THIS BAD
CLIMATE?
I GUESS THOSE PLACES WON'T BE
TENDED TO EITHER.
WE WON'T KNOW THE TIDAL WAVES
ARE COMING BECAUSE THEY LAID
OFF THE PEOPLE AT NOAA.
WE DON'T KNOW THE TORNADOES ARE
HAPPENING, AND EVEN IF WE DID
HAPPEN TO STUMBLE OVER THAT
FACT DESPITE THESE CUTS, WE
WON'T HAVE THE EMERGENCY
OPERATION CENTERS TO
COORDINATE, TO EVACUATE PEOPLE
AND TO RESCUE AND COORDINATE
MEDICAL SERVICES.
SO I THANK THE GENTLEMAN FOR
YIELDING.
WILL THE GENTLEMAN YIELD ON
THAT SAME POINT?
ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
INDIAN TRIBES THAT ARE RIGHT
DOWN ON THE COASTAL WATERS
WHICH -- AND SEVERAL OF THEM
ARE TRYING TO MOVE BACK BECAUSE
OF A TSUNAMI.
AND THIS IS A GREAT WAKE-UP
CALL.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'M WORRIED
ABOUT ARE THE SPLITES.
WE HAVE NEW SATELLITES THAT
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PROCUING.
THIS PROGRAM IS IN SOME
TROUBLE, AND I'M WORRIED THAT
THESE CUTS ARE GOING TO AFFECT
THE ABILITY OF NOAA TO GET
THESE SATELLITES IN A PROPER
TIME.
AND THEY GIVE US THE WARNING,
YOU KNOW, ON MAJOR WEATHER
FRONTS.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT
ASPECT OF THIS.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS -- AND
FEMA IS ANOTHER PROBLEM.
I JUST WANT TO RISE TO
CONGRATULATE THE TWO GENTLEMEN
FROM OREGON FOR BRINGING THIS
TO THE FLOOR AS WE WATCH TO SEE
HOW THESE TSUNAMIS HIT THE WEST
COAST OF THE UNITED STATES.
I MEAN, SOME OF THE WEATHER
FORECASTERS HAVE SAID THIS
COULD BE A VERY SERIOUS
PROBLEM, AND WE HOPE IT IS, BUT
I JUST WANTED TO ASSOCIATE
MYSELF WITH THE REMARKS THAT
HAVE BEEN MADE HERE AND STRESS
HOW IMPORTANT BOTH NOAA -- THE
NOAA BUDGET IS AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THESE
SATELLITES REPLACED IN A TIMELY
WAY.
THANK YOU FOR YIELDING.
IF THE GENTLEMAN
WOULD JUST YIELD AGAIN.
INDEED.
THIS ALL STARTED
WITH OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE,
BOBBY JINDAL, NOW GOVERNOR OF
LOUISIANA, A YEAR BEFORE LAST
HE MADE FUN OF THE MONEY THAT
WAS BEING APPROPRIATED FOR
VOLCANO MONITORING.
ACTUALLY, I LIVE IN A REGION
THAT HAS A NUMBER OF DORMANT
VOLCANOS.
NOT EXTINCT.
DORMANT.
TIME.
WE'RE WATCHING THAT ALL THE
THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR ONE
THAT COULD WIPE OUT SOME
COMMUNITIES AND PEOPLE
DOWNSTREAM.
CERTAINLY UP IN THE SEATTLE
AREA, THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT
MOUNT RAINIER.
WE HAVE MOUNT HOOD AND OTHERS.
SO ALL OF THIS ATTACK ON
EMERGENCY SERVICES SEEM TO COME
WITH ALL OF THE JUICE THAT
BOBBY JINDAL GOT OUT OF
CRITICIZING VOLCANO MONITORING.
WELL, I THINK IT'S PRETTY DARN
IMPORTANT TO MONITOR VOLCANOS.
WE HAD A VOLCANO
THAT ERUPTED, MOUNT ST. HELEN'S
ERUPTED.
WHEN I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE
INTERIOR, THEY HAD A COMPLEX
SYSTEM OF DETECTION.
THE REST OF THE COUNTRY
DOESN'T.
WASHINGTON AND OREGON DO NOT
HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF EARLY
WARNING EQUIPMENT.
SO I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER
THING THAT WE GOT TO WORK ON.
AND, AGAIN, THESE CUTS ARE
GOING TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT
TORE US TO -- FOR US TO GET THE
EQUIPMENT WE NEED TO PREDICT
WHEN THESE THINGS ARE GOING.
I AM WORRIED ABOUT MOUNT
RAINIER.
THEY COULD HAVE THE LAHAR, AND
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY USGS THAT
NINE.
WASHINGTON STATE COULD HAVE A
THIS WAS 8.9.
LOOK AT THE ENORMOUS DAMAGE
DONE THERE.
WE COULD HAVE ANOTHER MAJOR
EVENT IN THE FUTURE.
I HOPE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, BUT
IT DOES HAPPEN EVERY 300 OR 400
YEARS.
I YIELD BACK.
IT MAY HAPPEN
SOONER THAN THAT.
YOU CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THE
DEVASTATE WROUGHT IN NEW
ZEALAND AND NOW JAPAN.
THIS IS THE VOLATILE PACIFIC
RIM.
THERE ARE A GREAT DEAL OF
PROBLEMS WE OUGHT TO BE
CAREFUL.
THE CONGRESSWOMAN OF HAWAII IS
WILL THE GENTLEMAN
FEELING THE BRUNT OF IT.
YIELD?
I THANK THE TWO GENTLEMEN FROM
OREGON FOR BRINGING THIS MATTER
TO OUR ATTENTION.
I THINK WE MAKE A VERY SERIOUS
MISTAKE THAT IN A FERVOR TO CUT
BUDGETS AND DO IT IN A MEAT AX
WAY THAT WE'RE CUTTING VERY,
VERY -- THE VERY PROGRAMS THAT
WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO RELY
UPON IN TIMES LIKE THIS AND
TIMES LIKE THIS MEANING THE
KIND OF DEVASTATION THAT HAS
HIT JAPAN.
OF COURSE, HAWAII IS THE FIRST
U.S. STATE TO BE HIT WITH THE
-- WITH THE TIDAL WAVE THAT
FOLLOWS -- FOLLOWED THAT
DISASTER, AND IT'S STILL
PLAYING OUT.
WE STILL HAVEN'T DONE THE
ALL-CLEAR SIGN IN HAWAII, BY
THE WAY.
THE KINDS OF CUTS THAT WE'RE
CONTEMPLATING IN H.R. 12, FEMA
WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY BEFORE I GO
FURTHER THAT OUR HEARTS GO OUT
TO THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN AND WE
STAND READY TO ASSIST THEM IN
ANY WAY.
I THINK THAT IT SO IMPORTANT
DURING A TIME LIKE THIS THAT WE
HAVE THE RESOURCES TO EMPLOY
THE BEST TECHNOLOGY, CUTTING
EDGE EQUIPMENT, WELL-TRAINED
PERSONNEL TO RESPOND WHEN THESE
AND WHEN THIS TRAGEDY OCCURRED
EMERGENCIES OCCUR.
IN JAPAN, IN FACT, THE
DEDICATED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AT
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT
THE WARNING CENTER WERE THERE
TO PROVIDE WARNING TO THE
PEOPLE OF OUR ISLANDS.
IT ALLOWED THE COAST GUARD,
HAWAII CIVIL DEFENSE AND OTHER
STATE AND COUNTY OFFICIALS TO
PUT INTO MOTION THE STATE'S
EMERGENCY WARNING RESPONSE
PLAN.
AND THIS WHOLE THING BEGAN TO
UNFOLD IN HAWAII IN THE VERY
EARLY MORNING HOURS.
I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT ALL OF
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS HAD
EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED IN ORDER
TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE
APPROPRIATE ACTIONS.
SO THEY HAD TO DECIDE WHETHER
OR NOT SCHOOLS WOULD BE OPEN,
PUBLIC BUILDINGS WERE GOING TO
REMAIN OPEN AND IN FACT THEY
DID EVACUATE PEOPLE IN THE
LOW-LYING AREAS JUST TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE SAFETY OF OUR
PEOPLE AND OUR VISITORS WOULD
BE PROTECTED.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW THE REPORTS
ARE ENCOURAGING IN HAWAII.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME FLOODINGS
ON SOME ISLANDS.
THE DAMAGE IS THANKFULLY NOT
SEVERE AND NO REPORTS OF
INJURIES OR FATALITIES.
AS I MENTIONED, THE ALL-CLEAR
SIGN IS NOT THERE YET.
SO THE KIND OF CUTS TO FEMA, AS
WE MENTIONED ALREADY, THE
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND
ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
WOULD HAVE SEEN ITS BUDGET CUT
BY $454.3 MILLION, INCLUDING
$126 MILLION CUTS TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
SO THERE GOES ADVANCED WARNING.
THE CUTS WOULD NOT HAVE SPARED
THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY, FEMA,
EITHER.
AND ACCORDING TO THE
TRANSPORTATION AND
INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE'S
ANALYSIS, CUTS TO FEMA AND THE
COAST GUARD WOULD HAVE TOTALED
$441 MILLION.
.
THIS INCLUDES A CUT TO THE COAST
GUARD ACQUISITION CONSTRUCTION
AND IMPROVEMENT ACCOUNTS.
MONEY FOR SHIPS AND EQUIPMENT TO
DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES.
A $50 MILLION CUT TO FEMA'S
INTEROPERABLE EMERGENCY
COMMUNICATIONS GRANTS PROGRAM.
MONEY THAT HELPS OUR FIRST
REPORTERS EQUIPMENT TO
COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER.
THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WHEN 9/11
OCCURRED WHERE OUR FIRST
RESPONDERS COULD NOT KEEP TRACK
OF WHAT WAS GOING ON, COULDN'T
TALK TO EACH OTHER.
$35 MILLION CUTS TO FEMA'S
PREDISASTER MITIGATION GRANTS,
HURTING OUR COMMUNITY'S ABILITY
TO IMPLEMENT NECESSARY
PREVENTION MEASURES AGAINST
THREATS.
WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT WE SHOULD DO
MORE WITH LESS.
IN OUR TRANSPORTATION AND
INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE HEARING
WHERE WE HAD THE PEOPLE FROM THE
COAST GUARD COME TO TESTIFY,
THESE KINDS OF CUTS MEANS THAT
THEY REALLY ARE FACING DOING
LESS WITH LESS.
AND WE ALSO HEAR ABOUT FAMILIES
NEED TO -- THEY UNDERSTAND THE
NEED TO CUT.
WELL, WHEN FAMILIES CUT, THEY DO
LESS WITH LESS.
SO THESE KINDS OF SLOGANS AND
THE KIND OF MEAT AXE APPROACH TO
THE KIND OF CUTS THAT WE ARE
LOOKING AT IN H.R. 1 ARE
DEVASTATING.
AND ESPECIALLY NOW WHEN WE ARE
ONCE AGAIN CONFRONTED WITH A
HUGE, HUGE NATURAL DISASTER IN
JAPAN THAT CAN HAVE
RAMIFICATIONS ON PARTICULARLY ON
HAWAII AND THE WEST COAST GUARD
-- -- WEST COAST AGAINST SHOWS
THE FOOLISHNESS OF THESE KINDS
OF MASSIVE CUTS THAT REALLY
DISABLE OUR ABILITY TO DEAL WITH
THESE DISASTERS.
I YIELD BACK.
BREAKING NEWS IN
OREGON.
I JUST GOT AN EMAIL
AND GOT TO TAKE A PHONE CALL IN
THE CLOORM.
THEY JUST ANNOUNCED SOME HEAVY
WAVES HAVE COME INTO THE HARBOR,
THIS WOULD BE THE THIRD PERIOD
OF WAVES.
THE FOURTH OR FIFTH MIGHT BE THE
WORST.
THE PORT TELLS ME THE DOCKS ARE
BREAKING APART.
LUCKILY SINCE WE HAD AMPLE
WARNING BECAUSE WE STILL DO HAVE
NOAA AND WE STILL DO HAVE BUOYS
BEFORE THESE REPUBLICAN CUTS GO
INTO EFFECT, THERE WERE NO
PEOPLE ON THE DOCKS.
AT THIS POINT WE ARE NOT AWARE
ANYONE HAS BEEN INJURED.
BUT THIS IS A SERIOUS AND
DEVELOPING SITUATION.
I WOULD EXPECT THE GENTLEMAN'S
DISTRICT JUST NOVERT MINE --
NORTH OF MINE IS PROBABLY HAVING
A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE.
WE ARE ON THE
PHONE RIGHT NOW TRYING TO MAKE
SURE THE FOLKS ARE SAFE.
I DO KNOW THAT THE SCHOOLS HAVE
BEEN EVACUATED.
AND THE LOWER ELEVATIONS THAT
ARE VERY FLOOD PRONE, THEY HAVE
TAKEN PRECAUTIONS.
THANK GOODNESS, THANKS TO THE
COMMENTS I HAVE HEARD FROM THE
GENTLELADY FROM HAWAII AND THE
CONGRESSMAN FROM WASHINGTON AS
WELL AS MY COLLEAGUE FROM
OREGON, WE HAVE SOME OF THESE
PROGRAMS IN PLACE THAT CAN
ACTUALLY SAVE LIVES AND MAKE
SURE THAT THE ECONOMIC
INFRASTRUCTURE HOPELY IN THE --
AT RISK.
HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE IS NOT
JUST THIS MORNING I HAD A VISIT
FROM THE OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
TALKING ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT'S
IN DANGER BECAUSE OF THESE CUTS,
BECAUSE OF THE CUTS TO NATIONAL
SCIENCE FOUNDATION PROGRAMS,
ALONG WITH N.I.H. AND ANYTHING
ELSE THAT'S GOT RESEARCH THAT
THE REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO
CUT AWAY, THAT THEY'VE GOT A
GREAT PROSPECT.
THEY HAVE HIRED 25 PEOPLE
ALREADY.
THEY ARE PUTTING BUOYS ON THE
FLOOR OF THE OCEAN AND SENSING
DEVICES TO ACTUALLY HAVE
CONDITIONS.
REAL-TIME MONITORING OF OCEAN
SO WE CAN ACTUALLY ANTICIPATE
WHAT'S GOING OBJECT HAPPENING
COAST.
LONG BEFORE IT ACTUALLY HITS OUR
WE CAN ALSO PLAN, PLAN OUR
FISHERIES, PLAN WHAT WE NEED TO
DO WITH OCEAN ACIDFICATION
THAT'S DEVASTATING OYSTERS UP
AND DOWN THE COAST ON THE
PACIFIC COAST.
AND ACTUALLY IN OTHER PARTS OF
THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
THE LEADING RESEARCH IS BEING
DONE IN MY DISTRICT, IN MY
DISTRICT ON OYSTER LARVA AND
TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OCEAN
ACIDFICATION DOES NOT CAUSE A
PROBLEM.
THAT STUFF IS IN DANGER RIGHT
NOW.
I DON'T THINK SOME OF MY
COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE AISLE UNDERSTAND HOW
IMPORTANT THIS STUFF IS.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE
WATCHING VERY CAREFULLY I THINK
GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THERE
ARE NOT THESE BLUDGEONING DEEP
CUTS THAT ARE NOT REALLY SMART.
WHERE'S THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE
DUPLICATIVE PROGRAMS?
WE JUST HAD A GREAT G.A.O.
I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF POSTURING
REPORT.
ON THE OTHER SIDE.
IT'S NOT INCLUDED IN H.R. 1.
THERE'S PROGRAMS -- LOOK AT
THIS.
IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ, WE'VE
GOT USAID PROGRAMS AND
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE REBUILDING
THE COUNTRY.
THERE'S NOT EVEN A CENTRALIZED
DATA SYSTEM THAT TRACKS U.S.
GOVERNMENT -- U.S. FUNDS USED.
THAT'S CRAZY.
WHY AREN'T WE LOOKING AT THAT?
WHY ISN'T THAT PART OF WHAT WE
ARE WORKING ON?
OUR DOMESTIC FOOD ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS.
THERE'S 18 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS.
I WANT TO SEE SOMETHING IN A
BUDGET RESOLUTION OR A PROPOSAL
GOING FORWARD THAT TALKS ABOUT
STREAMLINING SOME OF THIS STUFF.
THE DATA COLLECTION, THE
ADMINISTRATION OF THESE
PROGRAMS, YOU COULD SAVE
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND
PERHAPS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
AND HERE'S A QUOTE.
LITTLE IS KNOWN OF THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF SOME OF THESE
PROGRAMS.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN WELL
STUDIED.
THE JOB TRAINING, I TALK ABOUT
JOB TRAINING, THEY ARE TAKING A
MEAT AXE TO IT.
THERE'S 47 PROGRAMS IN JOB
TRAINING.
LET'S GET THOSE ORGANIZED SO WE
CAN LEVERAGE THE LIMITED DOLLARS
WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PUT
FORWARD IN THESE TOUGH ECONOMIC
TIMES.
SAME THING FOR TRANSPORTATION
FOR THE DISADVANTAGED.
80 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS.
LAUDABLE BUT LET'S GET TOGETHER
ON THIS.
AGAIN, THERE DOESN'T NEED TO BE
80 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS.
WHERE ARE MY COLLEAGUES'
CONCRETE PROPOSALS -- THEY ARE
IN CHARGE, WHERE ARE THEIR
PROPOSALS TO IMPROVE THIS FOR
GOODNESS SAKES?
MILITARY HEALTH, VETERAN
SERVICES.
WE GOT TO DO RIGHT BY OUR MEN
AND WOMEN THAT HAVE SERVED THIS
COUNTRY THROUGH TIMES GOOD AND
TIMES BAD.
A RESPONSIBILITY ARE DISTRIBUTED
SO FAR WIDELY WE CAN'T EVEN GET
CRITICAL PROCUREMENT CENTRALIZED
COMMUNITIES THAT WOULD SAVE
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS.
WE ALSO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE NOW IF
THEY NEED MONEY, RATHER THAN GO
THROUGH APPROPRIATE CHANNELS,
THEY HAVE THEIR URGENT NEEDS
PROCESSES FOR DEVELOPING,
MODIFYING, AND FIELDING NEW
MILITARY CAPABILITIES.
THAT'S BEING ACCUSED, FOLKS.
THEY FOUND EIGHT ENTITIES THAT
RESPOND TO THEM.
FIVE FOR COUNTERI.E.D.
TECHNOLOGIES.
SYSTEM FOR THIS PROGRAM.
THEY HAVE NO WAY OF TRACKING THE
NO WAY OF TRACKING METRICS FOR
THIS PROGRAM.
MUST BE NICE.
TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THE
TAXPAYERS' MONEY WITH NO
ACCOUNTABILITY.
I WAS AT DINNER THE OTHER NIGHT
WORKING ON SOME BUDGET ISSUES,
AND IT CAME OUT THAT WHEN ASKED
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WAS
ASKED ABOUT CONTRACTING.
HOW MANY CIVILIAN FOLKS DO YOU
HAVE UNDER CONTRACT?
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE YOU
CONTRACTING WITH?
THEIR ANSWER WAS, SOMEWHERE
BETWEEN ONE MILLION AND 10
MILLION.
THAT'S A BIG RANGE, FOLKS.
THAT'S A BIG RANGE.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAS NO
CLUE AS TO HOW AND WHAT THEY ARE
DOING.
WHERE'S THAT MONEY BEING SPENT?
WE CANNOT AFFORD RAMPANT
UNDISCIPLINED, UNAUDITIBLE
THAT'S BEEN USED, SPENDING IN
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO REPORT AND
COME IN WITH A COHERENT BUDGET.
IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED IT IS
UNAUDITABLE, FOLKS.
WE TALK ABOUT THE DOMESTIC SIDE
AND, YES, THERE ARE CERTAIN
THINGS WE CAN DO AS I'M TALKING
ABOUT HERE TO IMPROVE THE
PROGRAMS, BUT IT'S ALSO ON THE
DEFENSE SIDE THAT WE HAVE GOT TO
GET OUR ACT TOGETHER.
LET'S TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
GETTING THE BIGGEST *** FOR THE
BUCK HERE.
WE HAVE 80 DIFFERENT ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.
SPREAD THROUGH COMMERCE, H.U.D.,
USDA, SMALL BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION.
IT'S ALL GOOD THAT WE ARE DOING
THAT, BUT LET'S HAVE SOME
CENTRALIZED OPPORTUNITIES.
LET'S LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES.
IN MY HOME STATE OF OREGON WHEN
I WAS BUDGET CHAIR, WE WOULD SEE
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MONEY
COME IN, IT WAS DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS TIED WITH THESE LITTLE
STRINGS, MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR
MY LOCAL AGENCIES AND LOCAL
COMMUNITIES TO USE THE MONEY,
VERY, VERY INFLEXIBLE.
AND THAT'S GOT TO END.
WE GOT TO BREAK DOWN THESE SIGH
LOWS, ALLOW PEOPLE TO WORK
ACROSS THE SPECTRUM SO THAT WE
CAN GET THE BIGGEST *** FOR THE
BUCK.
I'D ALSO POINT OUT THAT IN OUR
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS,
WE WORK REALLY HARD TRYING TO
KEEP AMERICA COMPETITIVE.
IN THE H.R. 1, THERE ARE HUGE
CUTS TO THE TRANSPORTATION
BUDGET.
IF WE ARE GOING TO BE
COMPETITIVE GOING FORWARD, LIKE
WE WERE AFTER WORLD WAR II AND
EISENHOWER, REPUBLICAN
PRESIDENT, AND CONGRESS PUT
TOGETHER A SECURE HIGHWAY FUND,
REALIZING THAT OUR SECURITY
DEPENDED ON HAVING INTERSTATE
HIGHWAY THAT IS WERE CONNECTED,
YOU COULD TRAVEL AT A REASONABLE
RATE, WE NEED TO BE THINKING
ALONG THOSE SAME LINES NOW.
IF THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE
COST OF THAT PROGRAM AND NOT THE
SECURITY OF THIS COUNTRY OR
ECONOMIC BENEFITS, IT WOULD HAVE
NEVER GOTTEN OFF THE GROUND.
THIS IS A CAPITAL PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS
THE AISLE DON'T SEEM TO
UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN AN OPERATIONAL BUDGET
AND THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
WE NEED TO BE MAKING
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS RIGHT
NOW.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
AMERICA, PROBABLY A NARROW
WINDOW, THE NEXT 10 YEARS, FOR
US TO BE COMPETITIVE GOING
FORWARD WITH THE REST OF THE
WORLD.
RIGHT NOW THE DEVELOPING NATIONS
THAT ARE PRETTY DEVELOPED LIKE
CHINA, INDIA, THEY ARE
DEVELOPING A 21ST CENTURY
INFRASTRUCTURE, WE ARE STILL
DEALING WITH A 20TH CENTURY
INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THAT'S NOT
GOING TO CUT IT, COLLEAGUES.
THAT'S NOT JUST NOT GOING TO GET
THE JOB DONE.
WE'VE GOT TO BE THINKING ABOUT
MAKING THE STRATEGY INVESTMENTS.
THERE ARE BUSINESSES -- SO OUR
BUSINESSES CAN BE COMPETITIVE
WORLDWIDE AROUND THE GLOBE.
RIGHT NOW THERE'S A NEW
ENTERPRISE IN MY HOME STATE OF
OREGON, ON THE COAST, THAT'S
CURRENTLY UNDERSIEGE THROUGH THE
NATURAL DISASTERS, WHERE THEY
ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO EXPORT
CRAB, THE BEST CRAB IN THE
WORLD, NO DISRESPECT TO MY
COLLEAGUES FROM MARYLAND, THE
BEST CRAB IN THE WORLD COMES
FROM THE PACIFIC COAST, NORTH
COAST IF YOU WILL, THEY ARE ABLE
TO EXPORT LIVE CRAB TO CHINA.
BUT THE HURDLES TO GO THROUGH TO
GET THERE ARE ALMOST
INSURMOUNTABLE.
THAT WAS STARTED BACK IN 2003.
GOING.
THEY TRIED TO GET A PROGRAM
BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTIES IN
TRANSPORTING AND SOME OF THE
BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE TO GO
THROUGH THAT, IT DIDN'T WORK.
THEY HAVE NOW COME UP WITH A
MUCH MORE VIABLE PROGRAM FOR A
WHOLE NEW INDUSTRY TO REALLY
EXPORT TO CHINA.
INSTEAD OF CHINA EXPORTING HERE
AND HURTING OUR JOBS, WE ARE
CREATING JOBS IN THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST AND EXPORTING HIGH
QUALITY PRODUCTS TO CHINA.
WE NEED MORE OF THAT SORT OF
INNOVATION GOING FORWARD.
AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S THE TYPE OF INVESTMENT
WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SHIP IT TO
THERE.
VANCOUVER B.C. TO GET IT OVER
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A
DIRECT FLIGHT FROM PORTLAND,
OREGON, TO MAKE THAT ACTUALLY
HAPPEN.
SO I THINK WE ARE MISSING THE
BOAT HERE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE
ARE TRYING TO EFFECT AND THE
ISSUES I THINK THAT WE ARE
DEALING WITH IN THIS H.R. 1.
WE ARE TRYING TO HIT ONLY
DOMESTIC PROGRAMS, PROGRAMS THAT
OUR KIDS DEPEND ON, PENALIZING
THE KIDS' FUTURE.
OFTENTIMES I HEAR MY COLLEAGUES
ACROSS THE AISLE TALK ABOUT GOT
TO WORRY ABOUT OUR KIDS AND
GRANDKIDS.
FLOOR.
I SEE THE PHOTOS BROUGHT TO THE
LET'S WORRY ABOUT THEM AND
SUPPORT THE EDUCATION PROGRAMS I
TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
LET'S SUPPORT THE EARLY HEALTH
CARE PREVENTION PROGRAMS THAT
WERE IN THE HEALTH CARE BILL
LAST CONGRESS.
MAKE SURE OUR KIDS DON'T SUFFER
FROM THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT ARE
DEBILITATING OBESE AMERICANS
RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN WE KNOW THAT PREVENTION
IS IMPORTANT.
WE MUST BE FUNDING PREVENTION.
WE NEED THE INNOVATION TO COME
UP WITH THE PROGRAMS TO MAKE
SURE THAT OUR CHRONIC DISEASES
ARE UNDER CONTROL.
THE HEALTH CARE CUTS IN H.R. 1
ARE UNBELIEVABLE.
I KNOW IT'S POLITICALLY THE BIG
MANTRA TO ROLL BACK OR REPEAL
HEALTH CARE REFORM, BUT, FOLKS,
THAT IS THE WRONG WAY TO GO
RIGHT NOW.
OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM'S BROKEN,
DESPERATELY NEEDS HELP.
MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE NORTH
COAST OF OREGON.
I THANK MY -- THE
GENTLEMAN, MY FRIEND, MY FRIEND
IN THE ADJOINING REPRESENTATIVE
ON MY SOUTHERN BORDER, AND MY
COLLEAGUE FROM THE STATE OF
OREGON.
WE RISE TOGETHER AND I RISE
TODAY TO RECOGNIZE THE
TREMENDOUS TRAGEDY THAT HAS
STRUCK JAPAN EARLY THIS MORNING.
THIS TRAGEDY FOLLOWS ON OTHER
TRAGEDIES SIMILAR IN NATURE THAT
AFFECTED CHILE EARLY THIS YEAR
AND HAITI IN THE VERY RECENT
PAST.
WE HAVE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
FEEL A SPECIAL CONNECTION TO
THESE EVENTS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE
CASCADEA FAULT OFF OF COAST OF
WASHINGTON, OREGON, AND NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA.
AND ABOUT A 250-MILE STRETCH OF
THE CASCADEA FAULT IS LOCKED
TIGHT.
WITH GREAT REGULARITY SINCE THE
LAST ICE AGE, 12,000 YEARS AGO,
THE FURTHEST BACK THAT WE CAN
REACH IN OUR STUDIES, THIS FAULT
LOCKED UP, HAS SNAPPED, AND
CREATED EARTHQUAKES OF 9.0
VERY SIMILAR TO THE
8.9 RICHTER SCALE MAGNITUDE
EARTHQUAKE THAT STRUCK JAPAN
EARLY THIS MORNING.
OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO THE
JAPANESE PEOPLE, AND TO THEIR
FRIENDS AND RELATIVES WHO ARE
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION AND WE
HAVE AN ABILITY TO MITIGATE
THESE PROBLEMS TO PLAN FOR THEM,
AND TO REDUCE THE RISK TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND TO
OREGONIANS.
LEGISLATION PAST IN THE CONGRESS
ADDRESSES THESE RISKS IN A
COMPREHENSIVE WAY.
BY UNITING THE RISKS OF FIRE,
WIND, FLOOD, AND EARTHQUAKES WE
CAN BETTER ALLOCATE SCARCE
RESOURCES IN THIS ERA OF SCARCE
RESOURCES SO THAT WE CAN BETTER
GET -- GET A BETTER BUY ON THE
FEDERAL DOLLAR.
DIFFERENT AGENCIES ARE INVOLVED
IN REDUCING THE RISK OF
EARTHQUAKE, WE KNOW ABOUT FEMA
AND HOW IT CAN DO A GREAT JOB
AND HOW IT CAN DO A POOR JOB.
FEMA IS PRIMARILY ENGAGED IN THE
BUSINESS OF RECOVERING FROM
NATURAL DISASTERS, AND IT IS
PART OF THE ALL HAZARDS
.
LEGISLATION THAT I PASSED LAST
SESSION.
NIST, ONE OF THE AGENCIES UNDER
SUBCOMMITTEE WHICH I CHAIRED
THE JURISDICTION OF THE
LAST CONGRESS, NIST IS IN THE
BUSINESS OF PREVENTION, OF
RESEARCHING WHAT CAUSES
BUILDING FAILURE, OF DOING
MODEL CODES, OF PROMULGATING
MODEL CODES SO THAT THE LOCAL
AND STATE BUILDING CODES CAN
ENCOURAGE AND INDEED REQUIRE
MORE EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT
BUILDINGS AND INDEED ALSO OTHER
INFRASTRUCTURES, SUCH AS
RAILLINES, BRIDGES AND
AIRPORTS.
THESE ARE ALL IMPORTANT
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IN CHILE
SURVIVED TO A DECENT EXTENT
WITH THE SEVERE EARTHQUAKE OF
JAPAN, EVEN WITH JAPAN'S HIGH
STANDARDS, A REMARKABLE NUMBER
OF STRUCTURES ARE CURRENTLY
INCAPACITATED AND WE CAN DO
BETTER AND WE WILL DO BETTER BY
ADEQUATELY SUPPORTING THESE
VERY IMPORTANT RESEARCH AND
STANDARD SETTING AGENCIES.
FURTHERMORE, AN AGENCY THAT MR.
SCHRADER TALKED ABOUT, NOAA,
THAT IS GOING TO BRING JOBS TO
OREGON AND AN IMPORTANT PART OF
MR. SCHRADER'S CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT, BUT IMPORTANT TO THE
WHOLE NORTHWEST AND OUR ENTIRE
REGION, NOAA DOES A CRUCIAL
SERVICE BY HELPING TO SUPPORT
EDUCATION.
EDUCATING NOT JUST OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE BUT ALL CITIZENS ABOUT
EARTHQUAKES AND ESPECIALLY
TSUNAMI.
IT IS THE YOUNG PEOPLE JUST OUT
OF COLLEGE WHO ARE FUNDED WITH
FELLOWSHIPS, AND THEY CALL
TOGETHER SESSIONS, AND I'VE
SEEN THESE SESSIONS CONVENED IN
OUR STATE OF OREGON, AND THEY
EDUCATE THE RESIDENTS ABOUT HOW
TO REDUCE THE RISK, HOW TO
BEHAVE DURING AN EARTHQUAKE,
HOW TO EVACUATE AND THE BEST
ROUTES TO TAKE TO ESCAPE.
THESE ARE CRUCIAL ACTIVITIES,
THESE ARE CRUCIAL ACTIVITIES TO
SURVIVING AN EARTHQUAKE AND THE
EARTHQUAKE'S NATURAL
CONSEQUENCE OFF OUR COAST, A
TSUNAMI.
AND THE NOT JUST THE RESIDENTS
OF THE COAST BECAUSE THE
POPULATION OF THE COAST IS
SWELLED SEVERAL TIMES BY INLAND
RESIDENTS WHO COME TO OREGON'S
BEAUTIFUL SHORELINE, AND THOSE
STUDENTS AND THOSE ADULTS ALSO
NEED THIS EDUCATION SO THAT
INSTEAD OF GOING OUT TO THE
SHORE TO LOOK AT A RECEDING
WATERLINE WHICH MANY PEOPLE IN
INDONESIA DID, YOU KNOW, IT'S A
NATURAL CURIOUSITY AND YOU
DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT A
TSUNAMI IS ABOUT TO FOLLOW.
THIS KIND OF EDUCATION SO YOU
KNOW, HEAD FOR HIGH GROUND
RIGHT NOW.
DON'T DELAY.
AS SOON AS THE GROUND STOPS
MOVING, HEAD FOR HIGH GROUND.
THIS INEXPENSIVE EDUCATION WILL
SAVE LIVES.
IT'S WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN SOME
PARTS OF THE WORLD AND HAS
SAVED LIVES.
IT HASN'T BEEN DONE IN OTHER
PARTS OF THE WORLD AND OUR
CASUALTY FIGURES REFLECT IT.
THE ALL OTHER HAZARDOUS
LEGISLATION KNITS THESE
DIFFERENT COMPONENTS TOGETHER.
NOAA, FOR EDUCATION PURPOSES,
NIST TO SET STANDARDS, TO DO
RESEARCH, TO PREVENT BUILDING
COLLAPSES AND BRIDGE COLLAPSES
AND OTHER COLLAPSES WHICH COST
US MONEY AND BUSINESS DOWNTIME,
FEMA, TO RECOVER FROM THAT
DAMAGE WHICH OCCURS.
THESE ARE CRUCIAL THINGS TO DO
AND WE KNOW WHAT THE PRICE OF
INACTION IS.
THIS GOVERNMENT HAS RESPONDED
HEROICALLY AND WELL WHEN
MINIMAL APPROPRIATE INVESTMENTS
ARE MADE.
AND WHEN THOSE INVESTMENTS
AREN'T MADE, WHEN THE PREPARING
AGENCIES AREN'T PREPARED
THEMSELVES, THEN WE HAVE
SOMETHING LIKE KATRINA WHERE
AMERICAN CITIZENS WERE FOUND
FLOATING FACE DOWN IN THE DARK
WATERS IN NEW ORLEANS.
WE SHOULD NEVER EVER FAIL
AMERICANS IN THAT MANNER AGAIN.
AND MR. SCHRADER AND MR.
DEFAZIO AND I, WE'LL BE DARNED
IF WE ARE GOING TO LET
OREGONIANS SUFFER THE WAY SOME
AMERICANS HAD TO, MAKING THESE
SMALL DOLLAR INVESTMENTS TODAY
WILL SAVE LIVES TOMORROW.
IT'S THE SMART THINKING TO DO.
IT'S A WISE THING TO DO.
IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
PINCH PENNIES AND POUND FOOLISH
WILL COST LIVES.
I THANK THE GENTLEMAN FOR
BACK.
YIELDING ME TIME AND I YIELD
I THANK THE
GENTLEMAN FROM THE NORTH COAST
OF MY STATE FOR HIS COMMENTS.
THEY ARE RIGHT ON THE MONEY AND
TIME.
VERY, VERY APPRECIATED AT THIS
I'D LIKE TO YIELD SOME TIME TO
NEW MEMBER.
THE GENTLELADY FROM HAWAII, OUR
WELCOME.
THANK YOU.
I'D LIKE TO FIRST BEGIN BY
EXTENDING HEART FELT
CONDOLENCES TO THE PEOPLE OF
JAPAN AND THEY SHOULD ALL KNOW
THAT WE WILL STAND BY THEM AS
THEY WORK TO RECOVER FROM THIS
TRAGIC DISASTER.
BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THANK
YOU.
THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES ON
BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WHO
HAVE COME UP TO ME TODAY AND
THEY'VE ASKED A SINGLE QUESTION
-- IS EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT AT
HOME?
IS YOUR FAMILY ALL RIGHT?
DO YOU HAVE FAMILY IN JAPAN?
AND IT DIDN'T MATTER WHETHER
ONE WAS AN R OR ONE WAS A D,
THOSE CONCERNS WERE GENUINE.
AS I WALKED OVER HERE, A GUARD
ASKED ME, MS. HANABUSA, IS
EVERYTHING OK AT HOME?
IT STRUCK ME, WE ARE A PEOPLE
AND WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE
THERE TO HELP OTHERS.
WE MUST ALSO LOOK IS WHY HAWAII
HAS REALLY BEEN PREPARED FOR
THESE KINDS OF DISASTERS.
YOU KNOW, AND I DO CONGRATULATE
BOTH THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI
WARNING CENTER AS WELL AS OUR
OFFICIALS BACK HOME WHO DID AN
EXCELLENT JOB PREPARING.
BUT I'D ALSO LIKE PEOPLE TO
CONSIDER WHAT IT COST AND HOW
WE'RE ABLE TO COME HERE.
REMEMBER WHEN THE GOOD SENATOR
FROM HAWAII, SENATOR INOUE, DID
THAT THING, THE TSUNAMI WARNING
CENTER AND, YES, IT WAS AN
EARMARK, HE HAD THE FORESIGHT
AS ONLY, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE MY
GOOD COLLEAGUES FROM OREGON AND
PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT THEIR
DISTRICTS KNOW WHAT THAT
DISTRICT NEEDS AND STARTED WAY
BACK WHEN WITH THE PACIFIC
TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER.
AND THAT HAS GROWN.
IF YOU WATCH THE -- IF YOU
WATCHED THE NEWS THIS MORNING
YOU CAN HEAR OUR PROJECTIONS
ARE THIS, WE'RE LOOKING AT
WHAT'S GOING ON AND WE THINK IT
WOULD BE ABOUT TWO FEET.
WE GOT THOSE PROJECTIONS BEFORE
IT HIT HAWAII.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY WERE
RIGHT.
AND WHAT DO WE HAVE TO
ATTRIBUTE TO THAT?
THE FACT THAT THERE WAS WISDOM
AND THERE WAS FUNDING AND THERE
WAS THE RECOGNITION THAT A
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER
WAS ESSENTIAL.
AND IT'S NOT ONLY FOR HAWAII.
IT'S FOR THE WHOLE PACIFIC.
WHEN THEY WANTED INFORMATION,
WHAT IT MEANT FOR GUAM, WHAT IT
MEANT FOR JAPAN, WHAT IT MEANT
FOR THE WEST COAST, WHO WAS THE
EXPERT?
THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING
CENTER.
IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT IN H.R.
1 IT STANDS MASSIVE CUTS.
IT IS ALSO UNFORTUNATE THAT
PEOPLE LOOK UPON IT LIKE IT'S
THAT EARMARK AND, THEREFORE,
SHOULD BE CUT.
I ASK MY SAME COLLEAGUES ON
BOTH SIDES WHO SAID, IS
EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT AT HOME,
TO REALIZE THAT AND TO
RECOGNIZE THAT THE ONE WAY YOU
CAN HELP PROTECT NOT ONLY THE
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII
BUT THE WEST COAST AS WELL AS
ANYWHERE IN THE PACIFIC RIM IS
TO SET ASIDE LABELS AND TO
RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS FUNDING
LIKE THAT THAT GOES TO SAVE
LIVES AND THAT IS WHAT WE CAN
RELY UPON.
SO WHEN WE REMEMBER THIS
UNFORTUNATE AND TRAGIC DAY, LET
US ALSO REMEMBER HOW FORTUNATE
WE WERE BECAUSE WE HAD
INFORMATION AND WE WERE
PREPARED AND HOW INEXPENSIVE
BEING PREPARED IS WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THE INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE
BEEN MADE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I
YIELD BACK TO THE GENTLEMAN
FROM OREGON.
THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE
VERY KIND REMARKS AND, INDEED,
OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO THE PEOPLE
OF JAPAN MUCH LIKE THEY DID IN
NEW ZEALAND.
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH
AND WELFARE AND I'M SURE THIS
COUNTRY WILL COME TO THEIR AID
LIKE IT DOES IN ANY DISASTER
AND LIKE A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS
DID WHEN WE SUFFERED SIMILAR
CONSEQUENCES, WHETHER IT'S
KATRINA OR THE HORRIBLE ATTACKS
ON 9/11.
WE HAD OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS
AROUND THE WORLD COME TO OUR
AID, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
I GUESS I'D LIKE TO ASK HOW
MUCH TIME WE HAVE LEFT IN THE
HOUR, IF I MAY.
THE
GENTLEMAN HAS 15 MINUTES.
OK.
AND TO FOLLOW ON THE
GENTLELADY'S REMARKS, I THINK
THERE ARE AREAS WHERE WE CAN
GET TOGETHER.
THE ILLUSION CUTTING THE
DOMESTIC BUDGET FOR THIS
COUNTRY, THE DISCRETIONARY
BUDGET IS GOING TO SOLVE OUR
WOES AND PUT US BACK IN
FINANCIAL BALANCE AND AVOID THE
ARMAGEDDON THAT'S SOMEWHAT
BEFORE US IS LITTLE BIT --
WELL, IT'S A HORRIBLE ILLUSION.
I DON'T THINK MY COLLEAGUES --
I REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S GOING
TO BE SOLVING ANY OF OUR
PROBLEMS.
EVEN THE DEFENSE REDUCTIONS
THAT I TALKED ABOUT THAT ARE
TARGETED TO INCREASE THE
EFFICIENCY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE AND MAKE SURE OR
WARRIORS GET WHAT THEY REALLY
NEED, INCLUDING THE DEFENSE
BUDGET, IT'S NOT GOING TO GET
TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF OUR DEBT
AND DEFICIT PROBLEMS.
AS WE ALL KNOW THAT, THOSE TWO
DOMESTIC AND DEFENSE
DISCRETIONARY EXPENSES ONLY
ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 30%, 30% OF
THE BUDGET FOR THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
THE BULK OF IT IS TIED UP IN
OTHER AREAS.
OUR TAX CODE IS SHOWN TO BE
EXTREMELY INADEQUATE.
WE'RE COLLECTING REVENUES NOW
AT AN ALL-TIME LOW.
YEAH, SOME IS THE RESCISSION.
SOME IS THE RECESSION.
BUT IT'S BECAUSE WE GIVE AWAY
ON TAX BREAKS THAN THE
DISCRETIONARY BUDGET.
YEAH, $1.2 BILLION GIVEN AWAY
IN TAX EXPENDITURES.
WE SPEND MONEY ON THESE TAX
BREAKS.
IT'S SPENDING MONEY BY GIVING
AWAY ALL THESE BREAKS.
WE NEED TO BROADEN OUR TAX
BREAKS.
IF WE NEED TO BE REAL IN
SOLVING OUR BUDGET PROBLEMS WE
NEED TO START TO EMBRACE SOME
OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IF NOT
THE PACKAGE THAT THE FISCAL
COMMISSION THE PRESIDENT SET UP
LAST YEAR, WE NEED TO EMBRACE
THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS IN SOME
FORM.
THIS IS THE REAL MEAT OF THE
ISSUE, COLLEAGUES.
THIS IS WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS
THE ROAD.
IF WE DO NOT ACTUALLY HAVE THE
GUTS, THE POLITICAL COURAGE TO
STEP UP AND DEAL WITH SOME OF
THESE PROBLEMS WE ARE
MORTGAGING OUR CHILDREN AND
GRANDCHILDREN'S FUTURE.
IN THE LAST CONGRESS, MUCH WAS
SAID ABOUT THE HEALTH CARE
REFORM AND NO MATTER HOW YOU
FEEL ABOUT THAT BILL, AND I
SAID THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN AT
TOWN HALLS BACK HOME, NO MATTER
HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE BILL YOU
SHOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THE $500
MILLION IN SAVINGS IN THE
MEDICARE BUDGET.
A LOT OF THESE THINGS WEREN'T
NEW.
THEY WERE PROPOSED ONE CONGRESS
AFTER ANOTHER BUT NO POLITICAL
WILL, NO POLITICAL COURAGE TO
STEP UP AND TRY AND TAKE THEM
ON.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR
AMERICANS TO UNDERSTAND AND
RESPECT THEIR LEADERS, THAT THE
PEOPLE IN THIS BODY, IN THIS
CHAMBER AND IN OUR SISTER
CHAMBER ACROSS THE CAPITOL
ROTUNDA THAT WE'RE WILLING TO
STEP UP AND MAKE THESE TOUGH
DECISIONS.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE WANTS TO
PAY HOSPITALS FOR PREVENTABLE
READMISSIONS.
I THINK EVERYONE WANTS TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE REPAYMENT SYSTEM
FOR OUR HOSPITALS AND OUR
DOCTORS IS AS EFFICIENT AS
POSSIBLE.
I THINK EVERYONE WANTS TO MAKE
SURE THAT FRAUDULENT COMPANIES
ARE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
SENIORS IN THE MEDICARE OR
SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM.
I THINK PEOPLE WANT TO SEE OUR
MEDICARE AND SUPPORT SYSTEM OR
SAFETY NET SYSTEM, IF YOU WILL,
PROTECTED.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE
HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THAT
WE MAKE THESE TOUGH DECISIONS.
IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK AT
TAX REFORM, WE ARE NOT GOING TO
LOOK AT SOCIAL SECURITY, WE ARE
NOT GOING TO LOOK AT MEDICARE,
MEDICAID, OTHER MANDATORY
SAVINGS IN THE BUDGET, WE WILL
HAVE MISSED THE VOTE.
GET IT.
I THINK THE PEOPLE BACK HOME
I THINK THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT
DON'T GET IT ARE THE PEOPLE IN
CONGRESS.
IT'S TIME THAT WE STEP UP AND
MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS AND
BACKBONE.
SHOW THESE PEOPLE WE HAVE SOME
THERE IS THIS LITTLE WAITING
GAME GOING ON IN CONGRESS RIGHT
NOW.
I'LL SHOW A LITTLE OF MY HAND
IF YOU SHOW A LITTLE OF YOUR
HAND.
THAT'S UNDERSTAND.
I KNOW THAT THEY WANT -- I
THINK IT TAKES LEADERSHIP FOR
US TO EMBRACE SOME OF THE
SOLUTIONS THAT ARE ALREADY ON
THE TABLE.
I THINK THERE'S WAYS YOU CAN DO
IT WITHOUT CAUSING PROBLEMS.
INDEED, I THINK YOU CAN
ACTUALLY SOLVE PROBLEMS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED
SPENDING CAPS.
WE DID PAY-GO IN THE LAST
CONGRESS.
WE ONLY DID HALF OF PAY-GO.
WE ONLY DEALT WITH MANDATORY
SPENDING.
WE NEED TO HAVE THE SPENDING
CAPS IN PLACE WHEN A DEMOCRATIC
PRESIDENT AND REPUBLICAN
CONGRESS INSTITUTED PAY-GO IN
THE MID 1990'S.
WE PUT THAT IN PLACE, THEN WE
HAVE REAL, REAL CONTROL ON OUR
DOMESTIC AND DEFENSE SPENDING.
I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO DO
REDUCTIONS WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE
BOTH, EQUAL CUTS IN DEFENSE AND
DOMESTIC SPENDING AT LEAST FOR
THE FIRST FEW YEARS HERE.
WE CAN AT LEAST MAKE SURE
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH
SIDES, IF YOU WILL, BOTH SIDES
OF THE AISLE HAVE DIFFERENT
PRIORITIES.
I RESPECT THAT.
BUT LET'S TREAT THEM EQUALLY.
I THINK THAT THE DRACONIAN CUTS
OF $60 BILLION OR $100 BILLION
IN THE PRESIDENT'S RECOMMENDED
BUDGET IS TOO DRACONIAN.
I AM WORRIED.
SMARTER PEOPLE THAN I, AS I
ALLUDED TO EARLIER, TALKED
ABOUT HOW DEVASTATING THAT
WOULD BE.
WE CAN GET TO THE SAME RESULT,
ROLLING BACK TO THE 2008
LEVELS, IF THAT'S WHERE WE WANT
TO GO, BY APPROACHING IT IN A
THOUGHTFUL WAY.
PEOPLE TALK ABOUT GRADUALLY
REDUCING IT BY THOSE LEVELS BY
2013 AND THEN ALLOWING
INFLATIONARY INCREASES.
AGAIN, THE SPENDING CAPS WOULD
HELP US.
AND THE TAX REFORM ARENA, I
DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY
THAT DOESN'T WANT TO HAVE THEIR
TAXES REDUCED.
I'D A LOT OF TO SEE MY TAX
RATES GO DOWN.
RIGHT NOW THE EFFECTIVE RATE
FOR A LOT OF FOLKS IS NEARLY
50%.
.
IN MY CORNER OF THE WORLD.
IF WE WERE TABLE TO GET RID OF
THE TAX BREAKS, THE GIVE AWAYS
WE HAVE OUT THERE, WE COULD
ACTUALLY REDUCE THE TAX RATES
ALMOST IN HALF.
WE COULD REDUCE OUR CORPORATE
TAX RATE DOWN TO AT LEAST 29%.
THEN WE WOULD BE A LITTLE
COMPETITIVE WITH THE REST OF THE
WORLD.
THERE WOULDN'T BE MAYBE QUITE SO
MUCH OVERSEAS OFFSHORING OF
AMERICAN JOBS.
IT WOULD BE MORE PALATABLE, MORE
APPEALING TO KEEP THESE JOBS AND
BUSINESSES AND THESE PLANTS HERE
IN AMERICA.
SO WE HAVE MADE IN AMERICA
PRODUCTS GOING OVERSEAS INSTEAD
OF IMPORTING EVER FROM CHINA OR
INDIA -- EVERYTHING FROM CHINA
OR INDIA.
IF WE HAVE THE TAX CODES ALONG
THE LINES I'M TALKING ABOUT, AND
I SEE IN SOME OF THE REPORTS,
THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY USE SOME
OF THAT SAVINGS TO REDUCE OUR
DEFICIT.
SERIOUSLY GOING FORWARD REDUCING
THE DEFICIT ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
I'M NOT PROPOSING NECESSARILY WE
REDUCE OR GET RID OF ALL TAX
EXPENDITURES OVER THE LONG HAUL.
WE SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
ADD BACK FOR SET PERIODS OF TIME
WITH SPECIFIC SUNSETS TARGETED
TAX EXPENDITURES THAT HELP OUR
ECONOMY OR HELP THOSE MOST IN
NEED OF OUR HELP.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE MORE
THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION WE NEED TO
HAVE GOING FORWARD THAT'S
MISSING SO FAR.
SOCIAL SECURITY, SOCIAL
SECURITY'S GOING TO BE GONE, CUT
BENEFITS 25% IN ABOUT 25 YEARS
IF WE DO NOTHING.
SO IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT
ANYTHING.
SOCIAL SECURITY, DON'T DO
DON'T DO ANYTHING.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT
NOW.
WE ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING.
IF YOU CARE ABOUT SOCIAL
SECURITY, I MEAN I HAVE FRIENDS
THAT ARE 30, 40 YEARS OLD, THEY
DON'T EXPECT SOCIAL SECURITY TO
BE THERE WHEN THEY GET OF AGE.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE ALREADY
KNOW SOCIAL SECURITY'S AGE, FOR
FULL BENEFIT, IS 67.
IT'S NOT 65.
THAT WAS CHANGED BACK DURING THE
REAGAN YEARS.
WE COULD DO SOME PRETTY SMART
FIXES HERE.
THE COMMISSION TALKS ABOUT
RAISING THE RETIREMENT AGE TO
69.
OVER 65 YEARS, GRADUALLY.
I KNOW IT'S GOING -- WE ARE NOT
GOING A ECT IF THE SENIORS RIGHT
NOW.
THE SENIORS RIGHT NOW, FULL
BENEFITS, EVEN THOSE THAT ARE
ABOUT TO BECOME SENIORS, FULL
BENEFITS JUST RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU RAISE THAT AGE TO 69 OVER
25 YEARS, I THINK -- OVER 65
YEARS, I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY
GOOD DEAL.
THAT HELPS KEEP SOCIAL SECURITY
SOLVENT.
THE PAYROLL TAX ORIGINALLY WAS
SET UP TO BE ROUGHLY 90% OF
PAYROLL.
IT'S DOWN TO ABOUT 85 AND
SCHEDULED TO GO DOWN TO 82%.
THAT'S NOT THE WAY THE SYSTEM
WAS DESIGNED.
THE SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED TO WORK
AT A HIGHER LEVEL.
IF WE GO BACK TO THAT SAME
PAYROLL LEVEL THAT'S SUBJECT TO
THE PAYROLL TAX TO FUND SOCIAL
SECURITY, IT HELPS KEEP IT IN
BALANCE.
THERE'S MEANS TESTING.
AS A NEW MEMBER OF CONGRESS,
HARDWORKING SMALL BUSINESS GUY,
I WAS NOT FOCUSED ON SOCIAL
SECURITY, BUT IN CONGRESS IT'S A
BIG, BIG THING.
I'M GETTING CLOSE ENOUGH WHERE
IT BECOMES A PERSONAL ISSUE.
I DID NOT KNOW SOCIAL SECURITY
IS ALREADY MEANS TESTED.
THE COMMISSION SUGGESTS A LITTLE
TWEAKING OF THAT TO MAKE SURE
THE POOREST OF THE POOR STILL
GET GOOD BENEFITS AND MAXIMUM
NEEDS TAKEN CARE OF.
THEY ADD ANOTHER BRACKET, IF YOU
WILL, IN SOCIAL SECURITY AND
WITH THOSE THREE SIMPLE LITTLE
THINGS WITH SOME HARDSHIP
EXCLUSIONS FOR PEOPLE IN TOUGH
LABOR INTENSE JOBS, WE CAN MAKE
SURE THAT SOCIAL SECURITY'S
PROTECTED FOR THE NEXT 75 YEARS.
AS OPPOSED TO GOING AWAY OR
SEEING A 25% REDUCTION IN JUST
25 YEARS.
SO THERE'S SMART THINGS WE CAN
DO, FOLKS.
WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED DOWN THE
PROGRAMS.
ROAD BEING SMART IN OUR MEDICARE
MEDICAID.
THERE'S DISCUSSION ABOUT
I DON'T THINK VOUCHER PROGRAMS
ARE PRIVATIZING, HAVE ANY PLACE
IN THIS DISCUSSION.
BUT THERE'S SMARTER WAYS THAT WE
CAN COME TOGETHER ON,
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS,
WORKING TOGETHER, TO REALLY GET
AT TAKING CARE OF OUR COUNTRY'S
DEFICIT NEEDS.
WE CAN REDUCE OUR DEBT, THE
DEFICIT DRAMATICALLY IN THE NEAR
TERM IF WE JUST PAY ATTENTION TO
WHAT I TALKED ABOUT HERE.
LET'S GET OFF THE H.R. 1
BANDWAGON, THE POLITICAL
THEATER, THE CIRCUS THAT'S
CONSUMING A LOT OF TAXPAYER
DOLLARS AND NOT MOVING THIS
COUNTRY FORWARD AND LET'S BEGIN
THE DIALOGUE RIGHT HERE, RIGHT
NOW ABOUT THE -- ABOUT TAKING
CARE OF THE BIG COST DRIVERS
THAT ARE AFFECTING OUR FUTURE
AND GRANDCHILDREN AND
GRANDCHILDREN'S FUTURE.
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM MICHIGAN RISE?
UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO SPEAK
OUT OF TURN FOR ONE MINUTE.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. SPEAKER, I WAS
DUMBFOUNDED RECENTLY WHEN I
HEARD THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER
SLAMMING THE LONG-TERM
CONTINUING RESOLUTION PASSED BY
THIS HOUSE WHICH CUT GOVERNMENT
SPENDING BY MORE THAN $100
BILLION BELOW THE PRESIDENT'S
F.Y. 2011 BUDGET REQUEST.
AND HE PARTICULARLY LAMENTED THE
ELIMINATION OF FUNDING FOR AN
ANNUAL COWBOY POETRY FESTIVAL IN
NEVADA.
MR. SPEAKER, I CAN ASSURE THE
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER THAT THE
RUGGED INDIVIDUALISM OF THE
AMERICAN COWBOY WILL NOT BE
SNUFFED OUT DUE TO THE LACK OF A
FEDERAL SUBSIDY.
IN FACT, I BELIEVE THAT THE
AMERICAN COWBOY SUPPORTS OUR
EFFORTS WILL CONTROL FEDERAL
SPENDING UNDER CONTROL.
LET ME QUOTE, MR. SPEAKER, FROM
A POEM WRITTEN WHO HAS BEEN
FEATURED AT THE POETRY
GATHERINGS AND THE TITLE OF HER
POEM IS "HOW TO CUT TAXES."
AND I QUOTE, SO I THINK IF I WAS
THE PRESIDENT OF THIS HOME OF
THE FREE AND THE BRAVE, I'D
CLOSE UP ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS
AND THINK OF THE MONEY I'LL
SAVE.
MR. SPEAKER, THIS IS THE POET
THAT I WOULD GIVE A PERSONAL
SUBSIDY TO.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT OUR
COLLEAGUES IN THE OTHER BODY
WOULD TAKE THAT GOOD OLD
AMERICAN COWBOY COMMON SENSE AND
HELP US START SAVING THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE'S MONEY.
I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN YIELDS BACK.
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED