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A SUFFICIENT NUMBER HAVING THAT TIME.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION, THE GENTLEMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE
HOUR.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
I YIELD THE
CUSTOMARY 30 MINUTES TO THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM ROCHESTER, NEW
YORK, MS. SLAUGHTER, AND PENDING
THAT I YIELD ONE MINUTE TO THE
DISTINGUISHED MAJORITY LEADER.
THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE
MINUTE.
I THANK THE
GENTLEMAN, MADAM SPEAKER.
IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO CALL UP
THE RULES PACKAGE FOR THE 112TH
CONGRESS.
TWO MONTHS AGO VOTERS SENT A
CLEAR MESSAGE OF REPUDIATION
AGAINST A GOVERNMENT THAT FAILED
TO DELIVER RESULTS.
GOVERNMENT FOR TOO LONG HAS
OPERATED UNDER THE FLAWED
ASSUMPTION THAT GROWING BIGGER
AND CONTROLLING MORE IS
NECESSARILY BETTER.
CONSEQUENTLY WASHINGTON HAS
GROWN INEFFICIENT, UNFOCUSED AND
WASTEFUL.
SPENDING HAS GONE PROGRESSIVELY
HIGHER WHILE RESULTS FOR ALL
AMERICANS HAVE NOT BEEN
REALIZED.
OUR NEW MAJORITY STANDS FOR A
DIFFERENT AND BETTER WAY.
WE BELIEVE IN A GOVERNMENT THAT
CONTROLS LESS AND SPENDS LESS
BUT ACCOMPLISHES MORE.
WE BELIEVE IN A SMARTER
GOVERNMENT, A MORE EFFICIENT
GOVERNMENT, A MORE FOCUSED
GOVERNMENT.
THE NEW HOUSE MAJORITY WILL BE
ABOUT CUT AND GROW.
WE'RE GOING TO CUT SPENDING AND
JOB-KILLING GOVERNMENT
REGULATIONS AND GROW THE ECONOMY
AND PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS.
MADAM SPEAKER, EACH DAY WE WILL
HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE BY
ASKING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
ARE OUR EFFORTS ADDRESSING JOB
CREATION AND THE ECONOMY?
ARE THEY CUTTING SPENDING?
AND ARE THEY SHRINKING THE SIZE
OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHILE
PROTECTING AND EXPANDING
INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY?
IF NOT, WHY ARE WE DOING IT?
THIS RULES PACKAGE REFLECTS
THESE PRIORITIES.
WE ESTABLISH A
CONSTITUTION-FOCUSED HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES WHICH STARTS BY
READING THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
UNITED STATES ON THE HOUSE FLOOR
BILL BE
ACCOMPANIED BY A STATEMENT OF
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY.
WE MAKE IN ORDER OUR FIRST
SPENDING CUT, A REDUCTION OF AT
LEAST 5% TO CONGRESS' OWN
BUDGET, INCLUDING MEMBERS,
LEADERSHIP AND COMMITTEES.
WE REPLACE PAY-GO WITH
CUT-AS-YOU-GO TO ENSURE THAT ALL
SPENDING INCREASES ARE OFFSET BY
SPENDING CUTS ELSEWHERE IN THE
BUDGET.
AND ON ALL APPROPRIATIONS BILLS
MEMBERS CAN NOW OFFER SPENDING
REDUCTION AMENDMENTS WHICH WILL
HELP ENSURE THAT SAVINGS
ACTUALLY GO TOWARDS CUTTING THE
DEFICIT RATHER THAN BEING SPENT
ELSEWHERE.
IN THIS SPIRIT OVER THE COMING
WEEKS WE WILL PASS A REPEAL OF
LAST YEAR'S HEALTH CARE BILL TO
REMOVE THE STRAIN ON JOB
CREATORS.
WE WILL CUT SPENDING IN THE
CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BACK DOWN TO
2008 PREBAILOUT LEVELS AND WE
WILL IDENTIFY AND ELIMINATE
JOB-KILLING REGULATIONS THAT ARE
IMPEDING CAPITAL FORMATION IN
AMERICA.
MADAM SPEAKER, THESE ACTIONS
WILL SEND A CREDIBLE SIGNAL TO
FAMILIES, BUSINESSES AND
FINANCIAL MARKETS THAT WE ARE
DEAD SERIOUS ABOUT GETTING
SPENDING UNDER CONTROL AND
REGAINING OUR COMPETITIVE
FOOTING IN AMERICA.
OUR MAJORITY WILL RETURN
AMERICA TO PROSPERITY BY
RETURNING A CULTURE OF SUCCESS.
OUR MISSION IS NOT TO
REDISTRIBUTE WEALTH OR TELL
PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE THEIR LIVES,
BUT INSTEAD TO LIFT PEOPLE UP
BY GIVING THEM OPPORTUNITY AND
ENCOURAGING THEM TO TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY.
BY PASSING THIS RULES PACKAGE
WE WILL TAKE A SIGNIFICANT STEP
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IT WILL PUT US ON THE ROAD
TOWARD WEANING AMERICA OFF
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AS AN
ECONOMIC LIFELINE AND HELP US
BUILD A NEW, MORE HOPEFUL
FUTURE, ROOTED IN LIMITED
GOVERNMENT, LONG-TERM
INVESTMENT, INNOVATION AND
ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
AND I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER.
AND I AM PLEASED TO SAY THIS
MORNING I AM DELIGHTED TO BE
HERE.
I WANT TO GIVE MY
CONGRATULATIONS TO MR. DREIER
ON RECLAIMING THE RULES SEAT,
AND WE ARE VERY KEEN ON OUR
SIDE TO MAKE OUR CASE BEFORE
YOU TODAY.
ACTUALLY, MY HEAD IS SOMEWHAT
SPINNING BECAUSE NOT 20 MINUTES
AGO THE NEW SPEAKER OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STOOD
WHERE YOU ARE AND SAID HE'S
GOING TO BE LISTENING TO PEOPLE
BUT THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS
BEFORE THE HOUSE CAME FROM THE
DELEGATES WHO THIS RULE
DISENFRANCHISES, NOT ONLY THE
DELEGATE OF THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA BUT ALL THE TEVERERS
TO -- TERRITORIES, THEY DIDN'T
GET TO SAY A WORD.
MY HEAD IS SPINNING AT THAT
POINT.
AND WE HOPE THEY CAN GET
UNANIMOUS CONSENT SO THEY CAN
GET SOME MESSAGE INTO THE
RECORD.
BUT IT'S, AGAIN, PART OF THE
RHETORIC OF THE LAST CAMPAIGN
THAT KEEPS SPINNING IN OUR
HEADS.
ALL WE WANT TO DO, THEY SAID,
WAS TO BRING DOWN THE DEFICIT.
WE'RE GOING OVER THE CLIFF, WE
HAVE TO BRING DOWN THE DEFICIT.
AS WE STAND HERE TODAY ON THE
BRINK OF A NEW SESSION OF
CONGRESS, THE CONCERN OF THAT
DEFICIT HAS SINCE DISAPPEARED
FROM EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE
PRESS RELEASES.
THE OTHER SIDE WOULD GUT PAY-GO
AND THE PAY-AS-YOU-GO RULES
ADAPTED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE
IN 2007 UNDER WHICH CASH CUTS
OR INCREASE IN ENTITLEMENT
SPENDING MUST BE OFFSET BY
INCREASES OF ENTITLEMENT CUTS
AND IT GAVE US THE BIGGEST
SURPLUS WE HAVE EVER HAD UNDER
PRESIDENT CLINTON.
IT WAS A HALLMARK OF THE
DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP AND WE
WERE PROUD OF IT.
WE ADHERED TO RESPONSIBLE
SPENDING LEVELS WITH AFFORDABLE
TAX CUTS AND TOOK SENSIBLE
STEPS TOWARD CONTROLLING THE
DEFICITS BUT NOT TODAY.
THE TALK ABOUT DEFICIT
REDUCTION IS SIMPLY THROWN OUT
THE WINDOW SO THEY CAN FREE
THEMSELVES AND HAND OUT MORE
TAX CREDITS FOR THEIR FRIENDS
AND CORPORATIONS.
UNDER THESE PROPOSED RULES,
NOTES "THE WASHINGTON POST,"
TAX CUTS OF THE WEALTHIEST ARE
HELPFUL BUT THOSE AT THE OTHER
END OF THE INCOME SPECTRUM,
FORGET ABOUT IT.
I WILL BE RECITING "THE NEW
YORK TIMES" AND "THE WASHINGTON
POST" AND OTHERS THAT HAVE
CROWD FOUL.
THEY HAVE SLAMMED THIS
HYPOCRISY AT THIS ATTEMPT OF
FISCAL AS YOU TARET.
I'D LIKE TO ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO ENTER THOSE COLUMNS
INTO THE RECORD.
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
WHAT IS CRYSTAL
CLEAR TO ME SINCE THEY HAVE
DOUBLE DOWNED.
*** CHENEY RESPONDED TO THE
2002 MID TERM ELECTIONS BY
ADVOCATING MORE THAN $2
TRILLION IN TAX CUTS.
QUOTE, DEFICITS DON'T MATTER.
WE WON THE MID TERM ELECTIONS.
THIS IS OUR DUE.
END QUOTE, SAID THE VICE
PRESIDENT.
THE OTHER SIDE NOW WANTS TO
ADOPT THE POSTURE OF BUDGET
CUTTERS.
THEY WANT TO MAKE SWEETHEART
DEALS WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR
THEM.
NOR IS THIS SLITHE OF HAND AN
ISOLATED EVENT.
LESS THAN A MONTH AGO,
REPUBLICANS SUCCESSFULLY HELD
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR
AMERICANS HOSTAGE UNTIL THEY
GOT THEIR WISH.
MORE BUSH ERA TAX CUTS FOR THE
PEOPLE MAKING MORE THAN $1
MILLION A YEAR.
THAT PACKAGE ADDED ANOTHER $140
BILLION TO THE DEFICIT, DIDN'T
SEEM TO BOTHER THEM, ALTHOUGH
THEY OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE TOLD
THE WORLD IT'S THEIR NUMBER ONE
PRIORITY.
AND JUST THIS WEEK, REPUBLICAN
NEW MEMBERS USHERED IN THE NEW
CONGRESS WITH A $2,500 FUND
RAIDSER AT THE W HOTEL IN
DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON.
AND LOBBYISTS AND POLITICAL
ACTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND
OTHERS WERE TREATED TO A NIGHT
OF DRINKS BY -- AND SINGING BY
COUNTRY SINGER LEEAN RHIMES.
LAST MONTH, THE INCOMING
CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE FINANCIAL
SERVICES COMMITTEE OFFERED HIS
OWN ASSESSMENT OF REPUBLICAN
OVERSIGHT.
HE TOLD BIRMINGHAM NEWS IN
ALABAMA, IN WASHINGTON, THE
VIEW IS IS THAT THE BANKS ARE
TO BE REGULATED.
MY VIEW IS THAT WASHINGTON AND
THE REGULATORS ARE THERE TO
SERVE THE BANKS, END QUOTE.
AND ACCORDING TO "POLITICO,"
THE INCOMING HOUSE GOVERNMENT
OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM
COMMITTEE, BIG OIL, BIG FARMER
AND BIG HEALTH WILL BE HELPED.
INSTEAD OF ALL THIS BUSINESS AS
USUAL AND WE ARE HEADED RIGHT
BACK INTO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE
2006, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS
AN HONEST ATTEMPT TO CREATE A
SET OF RULES THAT PROVIDE FOR
OPENNESS, TRANSPARENCY AND GOOD
GOVERNMENT.
THIS SET OF RULES IS NOT THAT
DOCUMENT.
AND I HOPE THE OTHER SIDE,
ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE HAVE GOOD
INTENTIONS, WILL JOIN US IN
SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT.
I RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN RESERVES THE
BALANCE OF HER TIME.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MADAM SPEAKER,
CONGRATULATIONS, IT'S VERY NICE
LET ME ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT
TO SEE YOU IN THE CHAIR.
THAT A SECTION OF SECTION
ANALYSIS OF THE RESOLUTION
APPEAR AT THIS POINT IN THE
RECORD.
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
MADAM SPEAKER, I
YIELD MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I
MIGHT CONSUME AND ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY
REMARKS.
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
AS WE'VE SEEN HERE
TODAY, MADAM SPEAKER, WE ARE
MARKING AN IMPORTANT TURNING
POINT IN THE HISTORY OF THE
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
WE HAVE BEFORE US A PACKAGE OF
REFORMS THAT WILL BRING GREATER
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
TO THIS HOUSE AND IT WILL ONCE
AGAIN GIVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
THE OPPORTUNITY, THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN
THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
THEY MADE CLEAR TO US THAT WHAT
THEIR PRIORITIES ARE, JOB
CREATION, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND A
SMALLER, MORE ACCOUNTABLE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, MUST BE
DONE.
THE REFORMS INCLUDED IN THIS
ENSURE THAT THOSE PRIORITIES
RULES PACKAGE ARE DESIGNED TO
ARE MET AND THAT WE ARE HELD
RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR ACTIONS TO
DO THE PEOPLE'S WORK.
NOW, MADAM SPEAKER, I WANT TO
THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF MY
COLLEAGUES WHO WORKED
TIRELESSLY ON THIS RULES
PACKAGE.
NEVER BEFORE, NEVER BEFORE IN
HISTORY HAS THERE BEEN THE KIND
OF MEMBER INVOLVEMENT,
BIPARTISAN MEMBER INVOLVEMENT
IN AN OPENING DAY RULES
PACKAGE.
I PARTICULARLY WANT TO THANK MY
GOOD FRIENDS, GREG WALDEN, WHO
LED OUR TRANSITION TEAM, AND
ROB BISHOP, WHO LED THE RULES
REFORM EFFORT, AS WELL AS THE
OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR TRANSITION
WORKING GROUP.
WE HAD FOUR NEW MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS WHO RIGHT AFTER THE
ELECTION GOT INVOLVED IN
WORKING ON THIS VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT TRANSITION.
AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY
APPRECIATION.
AS I SAID, MADAM SPEAKER, THIS
HAS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER
BEEN BIPARTISAN.
NOW, I DON'T WANT TO CLAIM THAT
MY DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES ARE
SUPPORTIVE OF THIS RULES
PACKAGE, BUT I WILL SAY THAT
WHEN WE BEGAN THE PROCESS, I'M
HAPPY THAT FORMER SPEAKER
PELOSI DESIGNATED AS LIAISONS
TO WORK WITH US THROUGH THE
TRANSITION PROCESS THE
DISTINGUISHED FORMER CHAIR OF
THE ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE,
MR. BRADY, AND THE GENTLEMAN
FROM NEW JERSEY, MR. ANDREWS.
AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY
APPRECIATION TO THEM AGAIN FOR
THEIR HARD WORK.
AS WE LOOKED FOR WAYS TO CHART
A NEW COURSE AND REDUCE
CONGRESSIONAL WASTE, WE KNEW
THAT WE HAD TO CONSIDER GOOD
IDEAS FROM BOTH POLITICAL
PARTIES.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M HAPPY TO SAY
WE HAD INPUT FROM BOTH
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN
FASHIONING THIS OPENING DAY
RULES PACKAGE.
OUR DEMOCRATIC LIAISONS WERE
TREMENDOUS PARTNERS AND, AGAIN,
I EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO MY
DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES FOR
JOINING WITH US IN THIS EFFORT.
NOW, HAVING COMPLETED OUR
TRANSITION WORK, WE ARE NOW
BEGINNING A NEW CONGRESS.
EACH OF US FACES THE NEW
BEGINNING WITH THE KNOWLEDGE
THAT CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL
RATINGS ARE ABYSMALLY LOW.
IT'S RARE THAT THE CONGRESS IS
HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM BY THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
WE ALL KNOW THAT.
BUT IT IS EVEN RARER, IT IS
EVEN RARER TO HAVE AN APPROVAL
RATING THAT IS AS LOW AS IT IS
RIGHT NOW.
NOW, WHY IS IT THAT THIS BODY
HAS BECOME SO UNPOPULAR?
THE REASON IS THAT THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE FELT THEY WERE NOT BEING
LISTENED TO.
THEY HAVE SENT US HERE TO
CONDUCT THE 112TH CONGRESS
DIFFERENTLY THAN ANY OTHER
CONGRESS OF THE PAST.
I'M NOT JUST GOING TO TALK
ABOUT THE LAST TWO CONGRESSES,
MADAM SPEAKER.
I'M GOING TO SAY THAT THEY SENT
US HERE THIS YEAR TO PERFORM
DIFFERENTLY THAN ANY CONGRESS
OF THE PAST.
WHAT'S MORE, THEY'VE GIVEN US,
AS SPEAKER BOEHNER LIKES TO
SAY, SOME PRETTY SIMPLE AND
CLEAR AND DIRECT MARCHING
ORDERS WHEN IT COMES TO OUR
WORK.
FULFILL OUR CONSTITUTIONAL
DUTIES IN AN OPEN AND
TRANSPARENT WAY.
NOW, MADAM SPEAKER, THIS RULES
PACKAGE THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US
PROVIDES US THE TOOLS TO DO
JUST WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
HAVE ASKED, TO PERFORM OUR
CONSTITUTIONAL DUTIES IN A
TRANSPARENT AND OPEN WAY.
BECAUSE OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES
ARE JOB CREATION AND ECONOMIC
GROWTH, WE MUST REIN IN THE
GOVERNMENT SPENDING THAT HAS
SPIRALED OUT OF CONTROL OVER
THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
WE'RE TAKING SEVERAL STEPS TO
MEET THAT GOAL.
FOR STARTERS, WE'RE REQUIRING
THAT ANY NEW SPENDING BE OFFSET
FOR FIVE 10-YEAR BUDGET
WINDOWS.
IF A BILL INCREASES THE DEFICIT
BY MORE THAN $5 BILLION IN ANY
OF THESE 10-YEAR WINDOWS, IT
WILL BE SUBJECTED TO A POINT OF
IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE CHANGING
ORDER.
THE RULES OF THE HOUSE TO
ENSURE THAT WE LOOK AT SHORT,
MEDIUM AS WELL AS LONG-TERM
CONSEQUENCES TO FEDERAL
SPENDING.
WE SHOULD NOT AND CANNOT
CONSIDER LEGISLATION THAT
PUSHES THE FEDERAL BUDGET
DEFICIT AND THE PROBLEMS DOWN
THE ROAD.
WE WILL ALSO BE REFORMING THE
SPENDING PROCESS BY REPLACING
PAY-GO WITH CUT-GO.
RATHER THAN PARRING WITH TAX
INCREASES, -- PARING WITH TAX
INCREASES, WE WILL PARE IT WITH
SPENDING CUTS.
IT'S OFTEN BEEN SAID WE DON'T
HAVE RIEFF KNEW PROBLEM.
WE HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM.
-- WE HAVE A REVENUE PROBLEM.
WE HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM.
THESE NEW RULES WILL REDUCE
IT.
SPENDING RATHER THAN INCREASE
IN FACT, THE IDEA BEHIND THIS
PACKAGE IS TO FOCUS ON WAYS IN
WHICH WE CAN INCREASE THE
OPPORTUNITY, REDUCE SPENDING
RATHER THAN INCREASE IT.
NOW, MADAM SPEAKER, WE'RE ALSO
TAKING IMPORTANT STEPS TO MAKE
US MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE
WHOM WE'RE SO HONORED TO
REPRESENT.
UNLESS THEY'VE BEEN AVAILABLE
WE WON'T BE VOTING ON BILLS
FOR AT LEAST THREE CALENDAR
DAYS.
WE WILL BE RETURNING MUCH OF
THE LEGISLATIVE WORK BACK TO
THE COMMITTEES WHERE GREATER
TRANSPARENCY WILL BE REQUIRED.
THE WORK PRODUCT, THE RECORDED
VOTES AND THE VIDEO ARCHIVES OF
ALL COMMITTEES ARE REQUIRED BY
.
THESE RULES TO BE POSTED ONLINE
NO LONGER WILL MASSIVE
LEGISLATION BE WRITTEN BEHIND
CLOSED DOORS REGARDLESS OF
POLITICAL PARTY AND RAM THROUGH
THE HOUSE BEFORE ANYONE HAS THE
CHANCE TO REVIEW OR AMEND THE
TEXT.
OUR WORK WILL BE DONE IN AN
OPEN WAY THAT AFFORDS ALL
MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PARTICIPATE AND SCRUTINIZE.
ANOTHER KEY REFORM BY THIS
RULES PACKAGE IS THE CREATION
OF AN ELECTRONIC FORMAT FOR
LEGISLATION.
THIS REPRESENTS A DRAMATIC
CHANGE IN HOW LEGISLATION IS
MADE AVAILABLE.
NOT JUST TO MEMBERS BUT TO THE
PUBLIC AND THE PRESS AS WELL.
NOW, MADAM SPEAKER, TO THE LAST
TWO CENTURIES, LEGISLATION WAS
CONSIDERED AVAILABLE WHEN A
PAPER COPY WAS DROPPED OFF IN
STREET.
THE DOCUMENT ROOM ACROSS THE
NOW, IT WILL BE CONSIDERED
AVAILABLE WHEN ANYONE WITH
ACCESS TO THE INTERNET CAN LOOK
IT UP.
NOW, THIS NEW FORMAT WILL
EVOLVE OVER TIME AND THERE'S
WORK AHEAD, STILL HAS TO BE
DONE AS WE IMPLEMENT THESE
RULES CHANGES.
BUT NO MEMBER SHOULD CONSIDER
THIS VOTE AS THE END OF THE
REFORM EFFORTS OF THIS
CONGRESS.
AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE
TODAY IS SIMPLY THE FIRST STEP
IN WHAT IS GOING TO BE AN
ONYEAR TWO-YEAR PROCESS OF
REFORM.
WAY WE DO THINGS.
WE WILL NOT BE WEBBED TO THE
RATHER, WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR
NEW AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO
OUR JOBS AND TO DO THEM IN THE
MOST TRANSPARENT AND
ACCOUNTABLE WAY.
AND LET ME SAY AGAIN, MADAM
SPEAKER, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
FOR US TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE
THE INPUT OF MY FRIEND FROM
ROCHESTER, MS. SLAUGHTER, AND
OTHER DEMOCRATS AS WELL AS
OTHER REPUBLICANS IN THIS
PROCESS.
MADAM SPEAKER, THIS RULES
PACKAGE IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT
FIRST STEP.
WE'VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT
BAD PROCESS ENEVIDENTABLY
RESULTS IN BAD OUTCOMES.
WE NEED TO LOOK NO FURTHER THAN
OUR AILING ECONOMY AND
SPIRALING DEFICIT, NOT TO
MENTION CONGRESS' ABYSMAL
APPROVAL RATING TO SEE THAT
THAT'S TRUE.
BY REFORMING THE RULES OF THE
HOUSE WE SET THE STAGE FOR
REFORMING THE ENTIRE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
ULTIMATELY WE ENSURE FIDELITY TO
THE ORIGINAL RULES DOCUMENT,
THAT BEING THE CONSTITUTION.
AND I'M SO PLEASED THAT TOMORROW
ON THE HOUSE FLOOR LED BY OUR
FRIEND FROM VIRGINIA, MR.
GOODLATTE, WE WILL BE HAVING A
BIPARTISAN READING OF THE
CONSTITUTION.
AND, MADAM SPEAKER, OUR FOUNDERS
UNDERSTOOD BETTER THAN ANYONE
THE IMPORTANCE OF RESTRAINING
FEDERAL POWER.
I THINK THAT THOMAS JEFFERSON
PUT IT BEST WHEN HE SAID IN
QUESTIONS OF POWER LET NO MORE
BE HEARD OF CONFIDENCE IN MAN
BUT BIND HIM DOWN FROM MISCHIEF
BY THE CHAINS OF THE
CONSTITUTION.
MADAM SPEAKER, IN THE COMING
CONGRESS, THIS CONGRESS, WE WILL
FOCUS.
WE WILL REFOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON
FULFILLING OUR CONSTITUTIONAL
DUTIES IN A TRANSPARENT AND
RESPONSIBLE WAY.
WE WILL BE REFORM-MINDED AND
ACCOUNTABILITY-ORIENTED.
AND WE WILL BE DRIVEN BY THE
NUMBER-ONE CONCERN OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, GETTING OUR
ECONOMY BACK ON TRACK.
MADAM SPEAKER, FORM DICTATES
FUNCTION.
AND THESE NEW RULES WILL SET US
ON THE PATH TOWARD GREATER
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND CONFIDENCE
FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AND WITH THAT I URGE SUPPORT OF
THIS VERY IMPORTANT RESOLUTION
AND RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN RESERVES THE BALANCE
OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
MADAM SPEAKER, I
WANT TO YIELD ONE MINUTE TO THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA, WHO AS I SAID IS
DISENFRANCHISED BY THIS RULE,
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WILL BE
UNDER-REPRESENTED, MS. NORTON,
ONE MINUTE.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA IS RECOGNIZED.
I THANK THE
GENTLELADY FROM NEW YORK FOR
YIELDING.
MADAM SPEAKER, FOR MYSELF AND
FOR THE DELEGATES OF THE
AMERICAN SAMOA, GUAM, ***
ISLANDS AND NORTHERN MARIANA
ISLANDS I OFFER THE MOTION
EARLIER THAT THE HOUSE CONDUCT A
FULL AND COMPLETE STUDY OF THE
CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE VOTE OF
THE COMMITTEE IN THE WHOLE OF
DELEGATES WHICH ARE ELIMINATED
BY THIS RULE.
THIS IS THE SAME MOTION THAT THE
REPUBLICANS OFFERED WHEN WE
FIRST WERE GRANTED THE RIGHT TO
VOTE ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.
IT WAS CHALLENGED BY THE COURT
AND FOUND CONSTITUTIONAL.
MADAM SPEAKER THIS VOTE IS A
MERE RECOGNITION OF OUR AMERICAN
CITIZENSHIP.
DELEGATES ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM
OTHERS IN THIS HOUSE.
IT IS ONE THING NOT TO HAVE THE
VOTE, IT IS QUITE ANOTHER TO BE
STRIPPED OF YOUR VOTE.
THE VOTE IS SAID TO BE SYMBOLIC
BY SOME.
WELL TO US IT IS SYMBOLIC.
IT IS SYMBOLIC OF THE AMERICAN
CITIZENSHIP OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
IT MEANT EVERYTHING TO US.
THERE ARE DIFFERENCES AMONG US,
OF COURSE.
WE ASK YOU TO THINK AGAIN ABOUT
THIS VOTE AND TO RESTORE THE
VOTE OF THE DELEGATES ON THE
FLOOR.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MADAM SPEAKER, AT
THIS TIME I'M VERY PLEASED TO
YIELD TWO MINUTES TO OUR
DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUE, A
MEMBER OF THE WAYS AND MEANS
COMMITTEE, THE GENTLEMAN FROM
AUBURN, WASHINGTON.
THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WASHINGTON IS
RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES.
I THANK THE
GENTLEMAN FOR YIELDING.
MADAM SPEAKER, I'M EXCITED TO BE
HERE TODAY AND I THANK MY
CONSTITUENTS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO ONCE MORE SERVE THEM AGAIN AS
THEIR REPRESENTATIVE HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES CAPITOL.
IN THE DAYS AHEAD CONGRESS WILL
DEBATE AND PASS PROPOSALS THAT
WILL AFFECT THE HEALTH AND THE
LIVELIHOOD AND THE WELL-BEING OF
EVERY AMERICAN CITIZEN.
TODAY AS MR. DREIER SAID WE ARE
SETTING THE TONE NOW FOR HOW
WELL WE WILL SERVE THEM THIS
CONGRESS.
OUR SERVICE SHOULD FIRST AND
FOREMOST BE TRANSPARENT AND BE
RESPECTFUL, BE INCLUSIVE, WORK
TOGETHER.
SO I'M PROUD THAT LEGISLATION
THAT I AUTHORED A COUPLE OF
THIS RULES PACKAGE THAT WE'RE
YEARS AGO IS NOW INCLUDED IN
ABOUT TO VOTE ON TODAY.
MY BILL REQUIRES EACH OF THE 21
STANDING COMMITTEES IN THIS
HOUSE TO POST RECORDED VOTES ON
THEIR WEBSITES WITHIN 48 HOURS
BECAUSE AMERICANS DESERVE TO
KNOW HOW BILLS TAKE SHAPE AT
EVERY STEP ALONG THE WAY.
THEY DESERVE EASY ACCESS TO
VOTES TAKEN NOT JUST ON THE
FLOOR BUT ALSO IN THE COMMITTEE.
GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY IS
ESSENTIAL TO A HEALTHY
DEMOCRACY.
BY USING EXISTING COMMITTEE
WEBSITES WE CAN OFFER THIS
INFORMATION IN A FISCALLY
RESPONSIBLE AND EASILY
ACCESSIBLE WAY AND I'M PLEASED
THAT MY WORK WAS INCLUDED IN
THIS BILL AND I THANK THE
GENTLEMAN AGAIN FOR YIELDING AND
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
MR. SPEAKER, FOR
THE PURPOSE OF UNANIMOUS
CONSENT, I YIELD TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM PUERTO RICO, MR.
PER LUCY.
THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. SPEAKER, I
RISE IN OPPOSITION TO THE
RESOLUTION AND ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY
REMARKS.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
I YIELD TO THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM GUAM.
THE
DELEGATE IS RECOGNIZED.
MADAM SPEAKER, I
RISE IN OPPOSITION TO THE
RESOLUTION AND ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY
REMARKS.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
I YIELD TO THE
DELEGATE FROM THE ***
ISLANDS, DR. CHRISTENSEN.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU.
I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT, MR.
SPEAKER, TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY
REMARKS IN OPPOSITION TO THIS
RULE.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
I YIELD TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM AMERICAN SAMOA,
MR. FALEOMAVAEGA.
THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. SPEAKER, I
ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT MY
STATEMENT BE SUBMITTED AND MADE
PART OF THE RECORD AND ON BEHALF
OF THE TENS AND THOUSANDS OF OUR
MEN AND WOMEN IN MILITARY
UNIFORM FROM THE U.S.
TERRITORIES, JUST ASK MY GOOD
FRIEND, THE HONORABLE SPEAKER,
RESTORE OUR SYMBOLIC VOTE.
I YIELD BACK.
THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR.
I YIELD FOR THE
PURPOSE OF UNANIMOUS CONSENT
REQUEST MR. SABLAN OF NORTHERN
MARIANA ISLANDS.
MR. SPEAKER, I RISE
IN OPPOSITION TO THE RESOLUTION
AND ASK TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY
REMARKS.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
AND I YIELD TWO
MINUTES TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM
MARYLAND, THE MINORITY WHIP, MR.
HOYER.
THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR TWO
MINUTES.
THE GENTLEMAN WHO
LAMENTS HIS LOSS OF HIS MAGIC
MINUTE.
I RISE IN OPPOSITION TO THIS
RULE, NOT FOR SMALL REASONS OF
THIS RULE OR THAT RULE BUT
BECAUSE IT AUTHORIZES TRILLIONS
OF DOLLARS OF NEW DEBT WITHOUT
PAYING FOR IT.
THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO CREATE
DEBT, YOU CAN BUY THINGS AND NOT
PAY FOR IT OR YOU CAN SIMPLY CUT
REVENUES AND MAKE YOURSELF
UNABLE TO PAY FOR THINGS.
STATUTORY PAY-GO WAS DESIGNED TO
ACCOMPLISH THE OBJECTIVE OF
HAVING US DO WHAT IS DIFFICULT
TO DO, PAY FOR WHAT WE BUY.
IF WE'RE HONEST WITH ONE ANOTHER
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU
WANT TO SPEND OR SIMPLY CUT
REVENUES.
IF YOU DON'T DO BOTH, CUT
SPENDING AND EITHER MAINTAIN OR
CUT REVENUES CONSISTENT WITH
YOUR CUTTING OF SPENDING, THEN
YOU WILL INEVITABLY CREATE NEW
DEBT.
ALL OF YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT MY
THREE CHILDREN, MY THREE
JANDCHILDREN AND MY ONE
GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER.
THEY FRANKLY WON'T CARE HOW THE
DEBT WAS CREATED.
IT WAS CREATED BECAUSE WE CUT
REVENUES BUT DIDN'T CUT SPENDING
WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENED OF COURSE
IN THE 2000'S, WHAT HAPPENED IN
THE 1980'S, WHERE WE INCURRED
TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
ADDITIONAL DEBT.
DURING THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION WE DIDN'T DO
THAT.
AND WE RESTRAINED SPENDING, OUR
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES WERE VERY
HELPFUL IN DOING THAT,
OBVIOUSLY.
AND WE CONTINUED TO PAY FOR WHAT
WE BOUGHT.
WE CREATED FOUR YEARS OF
SURPLUS.
SO I OPPOSE THIS RULE BECAUSE OF
THE TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT IT
WILL AUTHORIZE BE INCURRED IN
NEW DEBT.
SECONDLY I OPPOSE THIS RULE AS
MY FRIENDS FROM THE VARIOUS
TERRITORIES FROM PUERTO RICO AND
FROM THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
AND THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.
WE TALKED ABOUT DURING THE
COURSE OF THE CAMPAIGN LISTENING
TO PEOPLE.
WE HAVE ALMOST FIVE MILLION
PEOPLE WHO ARE AMERICAN
CITIZENS.
HOW DO WE LISTEN TO THEM?
WE LISTEN TO THEM WHEN THEIR
REPRESENTATIVES PUT THEIR GREEN
I WILL BE INTRODUCING A
OR RED ON THE BOARD.
RESOLUTION TOMORROW WHICH WILL
BE REFERRED TO THE RULES
COMMITTEE.
THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
MAY I YIELD THE
GENTLEMAN ANOTHER MINUTE?
THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE
ADDITIONAL MINUTE.
I TELL MY FRIEND, THE
CHAIRMAN OF THE RULES COMMITTEE,
CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM FOR HIS
ATTAINING THE CHAIRMANSHIP.
A THOUGHTFUL AND HARDWORKING
MEMBER OF THIS HOUSE WILL CHAIR
THE RULES COMMITTEE.
I'M GOING TO BE INTRODUCING AN
AMENDMENT TO THE RULES THAT MY
PRESUMPTION IS WE WILL ADOPT
TODAY WHICH WILL RETURN THIS
SYMBOL OF RESPECT, THIS SYMBOL
OF INCLUSION, THIS SYMBOL OF
COLLEAGUESHIP, IF YOU WILL, TO
OUR SIX REPRESENTATIVES OF
AMERICAN CITIZENS.
I HOPE MY FRIEND WILL HOLD
HEARINGS ON THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY ON THAT
ISSUE.
AND I SAY TO MY FRIENDS THAT I
HOPE WE REJECT THESE RULES SO
THAT WE CAN CORRECT BOTH THE
TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF EXPOSURE
THAT IT CREATES AND TO ENSURE
THE INCLUSION IN A REAL AND
MEANINGFUL WAY BUT NOT
CONSTITUTIONALLY OBJECTIONABLE
WAY OUR FRIENDS WHO REPRESENT
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND OUR
TERRITORIES AND I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
RECOGNIZED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA IS
MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD
MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I MIGHT
CONSUME.
I'D LIKE TO RESPOND TO SOME OF
THE COMMENTS MADE BY MY VERY
GOOD FRIEND, THE MINORITY WHIP.
ON THE ISSUE OF CUT-GO VERSUS
PAY-GO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT IN THE BIPARTISAN
AGREEMENT THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER
JUST LAST MONTH, SUPPORTED BY
PRESIDENT OBAMA, THERE WAS AN
ACTUAL EMBRACE OF THE JOHN F.
KENNEDY VISION OF RECOGNIZING
THAT ECONOMIC GROWTH AND AN
ENHANCED REVENUE OF LEVELS TO
THE FEDERAL TREASURY COME ABOUT
BY KEEPING MARGINAL RATES LOW.
MR. SPEAKER, THAT WAS A
BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE SAID IS THAT
AS WE LOOK AT GROWING THE
ECONOMY WE ARE VERY ENTHUSED AT
THE FACT THAT JOB CREATORS ARE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
REVENUES FOCUSED ON JOB
CREATING, THEREFORE ENHANCING
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE
REVENUES COMING TO THE FEDERAL
TREASURY.
SECOND, I THINK IT'S ALSO VERY
IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALIZE THAT
THE FOCUS DISEASE NEED TO BE ON
SPENDING -- DOES NEED TO BE ON
SPENDING.
WE BELIEVE THAT IN THE LAST FOUR
YEARS, SINCE WE'VE SEEN A 92%
INCREASE, A 92% INCREASE, MR.
SPEAKER, IN NONDEFENSE
DISCRETIONARY SPENDING, THAT WE
NEED TO HAVE A LASER-LIKE FOCUS
ON THAT.
NOW DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS,
MR. SPEAKER, HAVE COME TOGETHER
TO DECRY BOTH THE LACK OF JOBS
THAT EXIST IN OUR ECONOMY AS
WELL AS DEFICIT SPENDING.
AGREEMENT ON.
THERE'S CLEAR BIPARTISAN
THAT WE ALL WANT TO CREATE MORE
PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS AND WE ALL
WANT TO SEE THE DEFICIT REDUCED.
NOW HOW IS IT, MR. SPEAKER, THAT
WE DEAL WITH THOSE TWO ISSUES?
THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING
THAT WE CAN DO TO ENSURE THAT WE
ADDRESS THAT IS TO ENSURE
ECONOMIC GROWTH.
AND SO THE NOTION BEHIND PAY-GO
WHICH WOULD IN FACT BRING ABOUT
UNFORTUNATELY AN INCREASE IN
TAXES THAT DRAMATICALLY WOULD
STALL THIS RECOVERY AND EVEN
KEYNESIAN ECONOMISTS, THOSE
THROUGH THE 1930'S, 1940'S,
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE
FOLLOWED HIS ECONOMIC MODEL,
THAT BEING STIMULATING THROUGH
GREATER FEDERAL SPENDING,
KEYNESIAN ECONOMISTS, MR.
SPEAKER, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
INCREASING TAXES WHEN YOU'RE
DEALING WITH A DIFFICULT ECONOMY
IN FACT UNDERMINES THE POTENTIAL
FLOW LET ME TAKE THE SECOND
FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH.
ISSUE THAT MY FRIEND MENTIONED,
MR. SPEAKER, AND THAT ISSUE HAS
TO DO WITH THE QUESTION OF OUR
DELEGATES.
THEY'RE ALL FRIENDS OF MINE.
AND I RESPECT, I VISITED MOST OF
THE TERRITORIES, IF NOT ALL, AND
I WILL SAY THAT THESE ARE VERY
DILIGENT, HARDWORKING MEMBERS,
BUT WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE BOTTOM
LINE COMES TO HERE.
THE BOTTOM LINE COMES DOWN TO IS
THAT THE VOTE HERE IN THE
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE COUNTS
UNTIL IT DOESN'T COUNT AND IT
DOESN'T COUNT IF IT COUNTS.
AND THAT'S WHY I UNDERSTAND AND
MY FRIEND MR. FALEOMAVAEGA SAID
CORRECTLY, THIS IS A SYMBOL.
IT IS A SYMBOL AND I THINK THAT
THEIR MEMBERSHIP AND
PARTICIPATION ON COMMITTEES IS
IMPORTANT AND THERE IS A GREAT
DEAL OF CAMARADERIE THAT DOES GO
ON WITH OUR FRIENDS, BUT THE
FACT IS WHEN YOU HAVE A
STRUCTURE WHERE THE VOTE COUNTS
UNTIL IT DOESN'T COUNT AND
DOESN'T COUNT IF IT COUNTS, IT
SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT IS NOT THE
PROPER ROOT FOR US TO -- ROUTE
FOR US TO TAKE.
THAT'S THE REASON THIS ACTION
HAS BEEN TAKEN AND WITH THAT --
IF MY FRIEND WOULD LIKE TO YIELD
FOR A MOMENT, I'D LIKE TO YIELD
TO THE MINORITY WHIP.
I THANK THE CHAIRMAN
FOR YIELDING.
I TELL MY FRIEND, YOU AND I HAVE
BEEN HERE SOME PERIOD OF TIME,
AND --
I'VE BEEN HERE A FEW
FRIEND HAS.
MONTHS LOST LONGER THAN MY
THAT'S TRUE SO I'LL
BE VERY RESPECTFUL.
I'VE HEARD THAT ARGUMENT THAT
YOU JUST MADE, MADE IN 1981, IN
1989 AND AGAIN IN 2001.
I TELL MY FRIEND, MY EXPERIENCE
HAS BEEN THAT IT HASN'T WORKED
AND WE HAVE INKURD SUBSTANTIAL
TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DEBT --
INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL TRILLIONS
OF DOLLARS OF DEBT PURSUING THE
RULES COMMITTEE PHILOSOPHY THAT
IS REPRESENTED IN YOUR RULE.
ON THE OTHER HAND A BILL THAT
YOU OPPOSED AND EVERY MEMBER OF
YOUR PARTY OPPOSED IN 1993 WHICH
YOU SAY WAS PURSUING A
JOB-KILLING POLICY IN FACT
CREATED MORE JOBS THAN ANY OTHER
ADMINISTRATION SINCE YOU AND I
HAVE SERVED HERE, SOME 22
MILLION JOBS, AND ADDITIONALLY
BALANCED THE BUDGET.
RECLAIMING MY TIME.
IF I COULD RECLAIM MY TIME.
WE DID IN FACT
BALANCE THE BUDGET.
I THANK MY FRIENDS
ON HIS THOUGHTFUL REMARKS.
IF I COULD RECLAIM MY TIME I
WOULD SAY I BEGAN BY TALKING
ABOUT A GREAT DEMOCRATIC
PRESIDENT, JOHN F. KENNEDY, WHO
USED THIS MODEL AND LOOKING AT
1981, 1989 AND 2001 IS NOT THE
SIMPLE BASIS FOR THE ARGUMENT
THAT I'M PROPOUNDING.
I'M BEGINNING, IF YOU LOOK AT
MODERN HISTORY, WITH JOHN F.
KENNEDY AS PRESIDENT OF THE --
AND I WILL ALSO SAY IN LOOKING
AT THE 1993 BILL, I AM
CONVINCED AS I STAND HERE TODAY
THAT IF WE HADDED SIMPLY THAT
TAX INCREASE -- IF WE HAD HAD
SIMPLY THAT TAX INCREASE AND IN
4-, 5-, 6-THAT FOCUSED ON -- IN
1994, 199 5,1996 THAT FOCUSED
ON JOB CREATION WE WOULDN'T
ENJOY THE TREMENDOUS PERIOD OF
TIME OF GROWTH THROUGH THE
DECADE OF THE 1990'S WHICH AS
WE ALL KNOW WAS THE TIME THAT
THE REPUBLICANS WERE IN FACT IN
CONTROL HERE.
LET ME ASK, MS. SLAUDER OR MR.
RANGEL OR SOMEBODY ELSE, IF I
COULD RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME, I'D LOVE TO HEAR MY
FRIEND, IF MS. SLAUGHTER WOULD
YIELD TO HIM.
I JUST WANTED THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA --
THE
GENTLEMAN IS NOT RECOGNIZED.
THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
MR. SPEAKER, AS
THE END OF THIS DEBATE, IF WE
DEFEAT THE PREVIOUS QUESTION,
MR. VAN HOLLEN OF MARYLAND WILL
INSERT AN AMENDMENT TO RESTORE
DISCIPLINE IN THE HOUSE.
I WANT TO YIELD TO MR. VAN
HOLLEN, FOUR MINUTES.
THE
FOUR MINUTES.
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR
MR. SPEAKER, ON
CONGRESS, I HOPE WE WORK
THIS OPENING DAY OF THIS NEW
TOGETHER TO TACKLE THE BASIC
PROBLEMS THAT HURTS OUR
COUNTRY.
WE HEARD THAT BY THE OUTGOING
SPEAKER, NANCY PELOSI, AND BY
THE INCOMING SPEAKER, JOHN
BOEHNER.
THAT'S WHY THE RULES PACKAGE
PUT FORWARD BY THE REPUBLICAN
MAJORITY NOT LESS THAN TWO
HOURS AFTER THOSE COMMENTS WERE
MADE IS SO DISAPPOINTING.
BECAUSE AFTER MONTHS ON THE
CAMPAIGN TRAIL, TELLING THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT THEY WANT
TO REDUCE DEFICITS AND THE
DEBT, THIS RULE OPENS THE DOOR
TO LARGER DEFICITS AND A BIGGER
NATIONAL DEBT.
IT IS A FISCALLY RECKLESS
BLUEPRINT AND THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE DESERVE BETTER.
WHY DO I SAY THAT?
BECAUSE THIS PLAN GUTS THE
EXISTING PAY-AS-YOU-GO RULE
THAT LIMITS MANDATORY SPENDING
AND TAX BREAKS THAT ADD TO OUR
DEFICITS.
IT ALSO CREATES A MECHANISM TO
DO AN AND RUN TO THE
PAY-AS-YOU-GO LAW RECENTLY
SIGNED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA THAT
WILL LIMIT INCREASES IN OUR
NATIONAL DEBT.
HOW DOES THIS PROPOSE DO THAT?
THE RULE AND THE LAWS WE'VE
BEEN OPERATING ON SAY YOU CAN'T
ADD TO THE DEFICIT BY ADDING
NEW SPENDING ENTITLEMENTS.
THIS RULE PROPERLY KEEPS THAT
RESTRAINT AS IT SHOULD, BUT THE
RULE BEING PROPOSED, THE PLAN
BEING PROPOSED ALSO SAYS YOU
CAN'T ADD TO THE DEFICIT BY --
ELIMINATES THE PROCESSION, YOU
CAN'T ADD TO THE DEFICIT BY
BREAKS.
CREATING SPECIAL INTEREST TAX
THE PROPOSAL BEFORE US
ELIMINATES THAT LIMITATION.
IT SAYS THAT THE CONGRESS WILL
IGNORE THE DEFICIT IMPACT OF
TAX BREAKS, WHETHER THEY'RE FOR
HEDGE FUNDS OR OTHER SPECIAL
INTERESTS.
NOW, MR. SPEAKER, EVERY SMALL
BUSINESS KNOWS THAT THERE ARE
TWO SIDES TO BALANCING THE
BOOKS.
THE COST INCURRED BY THE
BUSINESS AND THE REVENUE THE
BUSINESS BRINGS IN.
THIS ONE-SIDED RULE IGNORES
HALF OF THAT EQUATION.
NO SMALL BUSINESS COULD OPERATE
AND SURVIVE THAT WAY IN THE
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UNITED STATES, AND NEITHER CAN
SO, MR. SPEAKER, IF WE DEFEAT
THE PREVIOUS QUESTION I PLAN TO
OFFER AN AMENDMENT TO THE
REPUBLICAN PLAN THAT IS VERY
SIMPLE.
IT SAYS THAT A MEASURE MAY ONLY
QUALIFY FOR AN EXEMPTION UNDER
THIS SUBSECTION IF IT DOES NOT
INCREASE THE DEFICIT OVER THE
PERIOD OF FISCAL YEARS 2011
THROUGH 2021 BEYOND THE
EXEMPTIONS PERMITTED UNDER THE
CURRENT LAW OF THE LAND UNDER
STATUTORY PAY-GO.
AND AT THE APPROPRIATE MOMENT,
WE WILL OFFER THAT.
WILL THE GENTLEMAN
YIELD?
I'LL BE HAPPY
THEY PROMISED ACCOUNTABILITY
TO YIELD TO THE GENTLEMAN.
BUT THEY'RE DELIVERING HI
POCKRASSY.
THEY SAID THAT THEIR NUMBER ONE
GOAL WILL BE JOB CREATION.
THERE'S NOT A BILL, NOT A WORD,
NOT AN IDEA ABOUT JOB CREATION
IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE
CONGRESS.
THEY SAID THEY
WERE GOING TO REDUCE THE DEBT
AND THE DEFICIT.
WELL, MR. VAN HOLLEN VERY
ACCURATELY POINTS OUT, THIS
BILL SAYS WE'LL REDUCE THE
DEFICIT EXCEPT WHEN WE DEAL
WITH HEALTH CARE OR TAX CUTS
FOR THE WEALTHY IN WHICH CASE
WE'LL PRETEND IT DOESN'T EXIST.
WE'LL PRETEND THERE'S NO
DEFICIT WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTH
CARE, THE LARGEST EXPENDITURE,
AND THEN FOR THE WEALTHIEST.
AND THEN HOURS AGO THE MAJORITY
SAID WE'RE GOING TO CUT $100
BILLION FROM THIS YEAR'S
BUDGET.
AND THEN THEY SAID, WE REALLY
DIDN'T MEAN $100 BILLION.
WE ARE GOING TO CUT SOMETHING
BUT WE'LL TELL YOU LATER WHAT
AMERICANS WHO ARE CONCERNED
IT IS.
ABOUT THE DEBT AND THE DEFICIT
SHOULD BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY
THEY'RE SEEING HERE TODAY.
A RULE THAT BLOWS OPEN THE
DEFICIT, A PROCEDURE THAT
IGNORES JOB CREATION AND $100
BILLION PROMISE THAT JUST
VANISHED LIKE THE CHAMPAGNE
BUBBLES AT THE SPECIAL --
THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA
IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. SPEAKER, AT
THIS TIME I'M HAPPY TO YIELD TO
THE VERY DISTINGUISHED NEW
REPUBLICAN WHIP, MY GOOD FRIEND
AND FELLOW COLLEAGUE, THE
GENTLEMAN FROM BAKERSFIELD, MR.
MCCARTHY.
THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER, FOR YIELDING.
WE ARE DEBATING A RULES
PACKAGE.
WHY DO WE NEED TO HAVE A RULES
BECAUSE STRUCTURE DICTATES
PACKAGE?
BEHAVIOR.
FOR AMERICA, WE KNOW FAR TOO
LONG THAT THE STRUCTURE OF THIS
HOUSE WAS DICTATING A BEHAVIOR
THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC DID
NOT CARE FOR NOR DID THEY WANT.
THEY WATCHED FOR TOO LONG BILLS
WRITTEN BY A FEW, COME TO THE
FLOOR WHERE MEMBERS HAD NOT
EVEN READ IT, THE PUBLIC HAD
NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE IT AND A
DEBATE AND A VOTE HAD BEEN
PASSED.
WE'VE WATCHED WHERE WE DIDN'T
EVEN HAVE A OPEN RULE, NOT ONE
FRESHMAN IN THIS BUILDING WHO
BECAME A SOPHOMORE EVER SAW A
RULE.
TODAY IS A NEW DAY.
TODAY IS A NEW OPPORTUNITY.
NOW, WHAT WENT INTO THE RULES
ABOUT CRAFTING IT AND CREATING
PACKAGE AND HOW DID YOU COME
IT?
WELL, IT WASN'T CRAFTED TODAY
AND IT WASN'T CRAFTED WITH ONE
SIDE OF THE AISLE.
WE REACHED OUT TO BOTH SIDES
BUT WE REACHED BEYOND THIS
HOUSE.
WE REACHED WHERE THIS HOUSE WAS
LAST FALL OUR NEW SPEAKER
SUPPOSED TO GO, TO THE PEOPLE.
BOEHNER ASKED US TO OPEN UP TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND ASK
THEM WHAT THEY NEEDED FROM
HERE.
WE CREATED AMERICA SPEAKING
OUT.
ANYBODY COULD COME IN AND GIVE
YOU AN IDEA AND NOT ONCE DID WE
ASK THEM WHAT PARTY THEY WERE
REGISTERED OR AFFILIATED WITH.
JUST THE POWER OF THE IDEA
SHOULD WIN AT THE END OF THE
DAY.
YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAID, THEY
SAID A BILL SHOULDN'T COME TO
THE FLOOR BUT IT SHOULD HAVE
THREE DAYS SO NOT ONLY MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS SHOULD READ IT BUT
THE PUBLIC.
YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S IN THE
RULES.
THEY SAID, YOU HAVE A $1.3
TRILLION DEFICIT, AND FOR THE
FIRST TIME SINCE THE BUDGET ACT
OF 1974 PASSED, YOU DON'T EVEN
HAVE A BUDGET SO YOU SHOULD
MAKE IT HARDER TO SPEND AND
EASIER TO CUT.
PACKAGE DOES.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT THIS RULES
THIS RULES PACKAGE GIVES US AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO EXACTLY WHAT
PRESIDENT LINCOLN WANTED, A
HOUSE OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE
PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE.
AND THE STRUCTURE AT THE END OF
THE DAY WILL MAKE IT MORE OPEN,
MORE TRANSPARENT AND MORE
ACCOUNTABLE.
THAT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE ASKED
FOR AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE
I YIELD BACK.
SENT HERE TO DO.
THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
I YIELD TWO MINUTES TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS, A
MEMBER OF THE RULES COMMITTEE,
MR. MCGOVERN.
THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR TWO
MINUTES.
THANK YOU.
WELL, MR. SPEAKER, THAT DIDN'T
OUR REPUBLICAN FRIENDS HAVE
TAKE LONG.
ABOUT AN HOUR AND THEY ARE
BEEN IN CHARGE OF THE HOUSE FOR
ALREADY UP TO THEIR OLD
DISCREDITED TRICKS.
THEY PROMISED THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE THEY WERE SERIOUS ABOUT
DEFICIT REDUCTION.
APPARENTLY THAT PROMISE WAS FOR
CAMPAIGN PURPOSES ONLY, BECAUSE
THE REPUBLICANS' RULES PACKAGE
BEFORE US TODAY PAVES THE WAY
FOR A HUGE EXPLOSION ON OUR
NATIONAL DEBT TO THE TUNE OF $5
TRILLION.
THAT'S TRILLION WITH A T.
THE NEW REPUBLICAN MAJORITY
WILL DRAG THIS COUNTRY BACK TO
THEIR FANTASY LAND WHERE
DEFICITS EITHER DON'T MATTER OR
COULD BE ADDRESSED BY GIVING
HUGE TAX BREAKS TO THE VERY,
VERY WEALTHY.
BACK HERE IN THE REAL WORLD,
THEIR PROPOSALS WILL DO REAL
HARM TO REAL MIDDLE-CLASS
FAMILIES.
EDUCATION, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE,
THEY WANT TO SLASH FUNDING FOR
FOR INVESTMENTS AND NEW
TECHNOLOGY, FOR MEDICAL
RESEARCH, FOR JOB TRAINING, YOU
NAME IT.
IF THE PROGRAM BENEFITS WORKING
FAMILIES, IT'S ON THE CHOPPING
BLOCK.
BUT IF YOU'RE A WEALTHY HEDGE
FUND MANAGER OR HUGE DEFENSE
CONTRACTOR OR A PLAYBOY SON OF
A DEAD MULTIMILLIONAIRE, YOU'RE
SAFE.
AS "THE WASHINGTON POST" SAID
IN A RECENT EDITORIAL WHEN IT
COMES TO ALL TAX CUTS, IT'S ALL
GO, NO PAY.
I WILL SAY TO MY REPUBLICAN
FRIENDS, IF YOU CARE ABOUT
DEFICIT REDUCTION, IF YOU MEANT
WHAT YOU SAID ON THE CAMPAIGN
TRAIL, THEN VOTE AGAINST THIS
MISGUIDED RULES PACKAGE.
IF YOU WANT TRANSPARENCY, THEN
DO AWAY WITH THE SMOKE AND
IF YOU WANT ACCOUNTABILITY,
MIRRORS.
THEN STOP THE HYPOCRISY.
THIS RULES PACKAGE IS SHAMEFUL.
THIS NEW REPUBLICAN MAJORITY
APPEARS TO DETERMINE WHAT
THEY'VE DONE IN THE PAST AND
THAT IS DIG THIS COUNTRY DEEPER
AND DEEPER INTO DEBT.
IT IS THE WRONG THING TO DO.
VOTE NO.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MADAM SPEAKER, AT
THIS TIME I'M HAPPY TO YIELD
TWO MINUTES TO THE GENTLEMAN
WHO LED OUR EFFORT TO BRING
ABOUT REFORM OF THE RULES AND
HELP PUT THIS PACKAGE TOGETHER,
MY VERY GOOD FRIEND, MR.
BISHOP, THE GENTLEMAN FROM
UTAH.
THE
GENTLEMAN FROM UTAH IS
RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER.
I APPRECIATE THE GENTLEMAN FROM
CALIFORNIA RECOGNIZING ME.
EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT RULES
I REALIZE FOR THE MAJORITY OF
OVER.
PEOPLE THEIR EYES KIND OF GLAZE
BUT EVERY KID WHO SPENT TIME IN
AN ELEMENTARY YARD REALIZES
THAT THE RULES ARE IMPORTANT TO
THE GAME.
WE'RE HERE, THOUGH, ON THIS
FLOOR DOING THE PEOPLE'S
BUSINESS AND IT IS NOT A GAME.
AND THE RULES BECOME
SIGNIFICANT.
AND THE RULES ARE SIGNIFICANT
BECAUSE THEY ARE RESPONSIVE TO
WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE SAID.
PEOPLE TOLD US VERY CLEARLY
THEY'RE INTERESTED IN JOBS,
THEY'RE INTERESTED IN SPENDING.
THE RULES PACKAGE BEFORE US
RIGHT NOW FACILITATES THE
GROWTH OF THE FORMER AND HELPS
END THE LIMITATION OF THE
LATTER.
IN THIS RULE.
TRUE, PAY-GO WILL BE REPLACED
PAY-GO WAS HONORED IN ITS
BREACH AND SUSPENSION AS OFTEN
AS ITS APPLICATION AND REPLACED
WITH CUT-GO, IT ZEROS IN ON THE
REAL PROBLEM, WHICH IS
SPENDING, AND IF INDEED WE
SUSPEND CUT-GO AS FREQUENTLY AS
PAY-GO WAS SUSPENDED THEN IT
WILL BE JUSTIFIED TO CRITICIZE
US AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.
THIS RULE SAYS COMMITTEES ARE
IMPORTANT.
IT'S NOT JUST A BOX YOU CHECK
TO SAY YOU HAVE DONE REGULAR
ORDER.
WE HAVE NOW PROVIDED FOR TIME
FOR COMMITTEES TO DO THEIR JOB.
WE HAVE PROVIDED FOR PREMEETING
REQUIREMENTS AND POSTMEETING
REQUIREMENTS IN ACCOUNTABILITY
AND RESPECT FOR THE PRODUCT OF
THE COMMITTEES WILL BE HERE ON
THE FLOOR.
ONCE AGAIN, IN THIS RULE, THE
CONSTITUTION IS NOW ENVOGUE
AGAIN.
AND THE BILLS WILL BECOME
READABLE SO YOU WILL NEVER SEE
AGAIN A MULTIHUNDRED-PAGE
AMENDMENT COMING BEFORE THIS
FLOOR IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE
MORNING.
MANY OF US THAT WORKED ON THESE
RULES HAD LEGISLATIVE
EXPERIENCE IN OUR HOME STATES.
WE BROUGHT DIFFERENT IDEAS,
REALIZING THAT A BETTER PROCESS
EQUALS A BETTER POLL SIFMENT WE
CHANGED THE SCHEDULE SO THAT
TIME MANAGEMENT WILL BE
SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED.
WE HAVE ADDED TO TRANSPARENCY
FOR WHAT TAKES PLACE ON THE
COMMITTEE AS WELL AS ON THE
FLOOR.
WE, TO USE CLICHES, THOUGHT
OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, BUT IN SO
DOING WE INCLUDED MORE MEMBERS
THAN EVER BEFORE, REPUBLICANS
AND DEMOCRATS, WHO WERE INVITED
TO GIVE SPECIFIC INPUT INTO
WHAT WE INDEED ARE DOING.
WE ARGUED -- CAN I ASK FOR 30
SECONDS?
I'M HAPPY TO GIVE
MY FRIEND ADDITIONAL 30
SECONDS.
THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
WE FOUND THAT
MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS
AREN'T NECESSARILY A DIFFICULT
PROCESS.
ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS THROW
STRIKES.
SATCHEL PAIGE SIMPLY LOOKED AT
ONE AND SAID, JUST THROW
STRIKES.
HOME PLATE, DON'T MOVE.
THIS RULE ARE STRIKES BECAUSE
HOME PLATE DON'T MOVE.
WILL IT CHANGE WASHINGTON AND
THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS?
YES, AND APPROPRIATELY SO.
I YIELD BACK, MADAM SPEAKER.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER.
AND I'M PLEASED TO YIELD ONE
MINUTE TO THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM
FLORIDA, FORMER MEMBER AND
MISSED MEMBER OF THE RULES
COMMITTEE, MS. CASTOR.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM FLORIDA IS
RECOGNIZED FOR ONE MINUTE.
THANK YOU, MADAM
I THANK THE GENTLEWOMAN
SPEAKER.
YIELDING TIME.
AS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE RULES
COMMITTEE, I FELT COMPELLED TO
COME TO THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE
NOW BECAUSE THE REPUBLICAN
RULES PACKAGE IS ASKING US TO
VOTE ON A HUGE DECEPTION OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
OVER THE LAST YEAR WE'VE HAD A
ROBUST DEBATE ABOUT DEFICITS
AND DEBT IN THIS COUNTRY, AND
YET THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT VOTE
THE REPUBLICANS ARE ASKING US
TO VOTE ON WILL ADD TO
BURGEONING DEFICITS AND DEBT,
AND HERE'S A GOOD EXAMPLE.
NO MATTER HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT
THE HEALTH REFORM LAW, THE
NONPARTISAN C.B.O. SAYS THAT
THAT HEALTH REFORM LAW WILL CUT
THE DEFICIT BY $143 BILLION
OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
WELL, WHAT THE REPUBLICAN RULES
PACKAGE SAYS WHEN THEY BRING UP
REPEAL OF HEALTH REFORM NEXT
WEEK THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COUNT
THAT MONEY.
THEY'RE GOING TO ADD THAT AGAIN
TO THE DEBT SYSTEM OF THE FIRST
SIGNIFICANT VOTE THEY'LL HAVE ON
THE FLOOR IS GOING TO ET US ON A
COURSE TO ADD $143 BILLION TO
THE DEFICIT AND DEBT.
I URGE EVERYONE TO OPPOSE THE
RULES PACKAGE.
THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
I'M HAPPY TO YIELD
45 SECONDS TO THE DISTINGUISHED
NEW CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON
TRANSPORTATION AND
INFRASTRUCTURE, MR. MICA.
THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED.
I'D LIKE TO ENGAGE MR.
DREIER IN THE HIGHWAY FUNDING
POINT OF ORDER INCLUDED IN THIS
PACKAGE AS CLAUSE 3 OF RULE 21.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS
POINT OF ORDER MAKES NO CHANGE
IN THE MAN FOR THE WHICH
HIGHWAY, HIGHWAY SAFETY, MOTOR
CARRIER SAFETY AND TRANSIT
PROGRAMS ARE CURRENTLY FUNDED,
WHICH IS THROUGH CONTRACT
AUTHORITY DERIVED FROM THE
HIGHWAY TRUST FUND AND PROVIDED
IN AUTHORIZATION ACTS.
RATHER THE NEW POINT OF ORDER
PROVIDES THAT MEMBERS WILL HAVE
THE ABILITY UNDER HOUSE RULES TO
OFFER AMENDMENT TO REDUCE
FUNDING FOR SUCH PROGRAMS IF
THEY CHOOSE TO DO SO IN THE
INTEREST OF CLARITY AND MUTUAL
UNDERSTANDING I WANT TO BE
ASSURED THAT MY UNDERSTANDING OF
THIS PROPOSED CHANGE TO CLAUSE
3, RULE 21, IS CORRECT.
IF THE GENTLEMAN
WILL YIELD, I WOULD SAY, MADAM
FLORIDA IS CORRECT.
SPEAKER, THAT THE GENTLEMAN FROM
CLAUSE 3, RULE 21 DOES NOT
CHANGE THE WAY UNDERLYING
PROGRAMS IS FUNNED THROUGH
CONTRACT AUTHORITY PROVIDED BY
AUTHORIZATION ACTS.
I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF OUR TIME.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
I'M PLEASED TO
YIELD TWO MINUTES TO THE RANKING
MEMBER ON THE TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE, MR. RAHALL.
THE
GENTLEMAN FROM WEST VIRGINIA IS
RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES.
I THANK THE
DISTINGUISHED GENTLELADY FOR
YIELDING THE TIME.
WHILE I REGRET I DID NOT HEAR
ALL THE PREVIOUS COLLOQUY, I DO
WANT TO EXPRESS MY STRONG
RESERVATION AND OPPOSITION TO
THESE RULE CHANGES BECAUSE OF
THE EFFECTS IT WOULD HAVE ON
TRANSPORTATION-RELATED ISSUES.
THE REPUBLICAN RULES PACKAGE
ELIMINATES THE CURRENT RULE'S
DIRECT TIE TO REVENUES OF THE
HIGHWAY TRUST FUNDS PAID BY
USERS THROUGH GAS TAXES AT THE
PUMP AND LEVEL INVESTMENT FOR
THE PROGRAMS.
CURRENTLY THEY PROVIDE THAT MUST
FIND AT LEVELS SET FORTH IN
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORIZATIONS
THIS PROVISION WAS CHAMPIONED BY
REPUBLICAN BUDD SHUSTER AND WAS
USED TO REDUCE FUNDS BUILDING UP
IN THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND TO
MASK THE TRUE SIZE OF THE
FEDERAL DEFICIT.
IT WAS INTENDED TO STOP THE SAME
OLD SMOKE AND MIRRORS GAME OF
FEDERAL FENDING.
-- FEDERAL SPENDING.
AS THE FIRST ACT OF THEIR
MAJORITY, I FIND IT INCREDIBLE
THAT REPUBLICANS WOULD PURSUE A
JOB KILLING PROPOSAL LIKE THIS,
ONE THAT NOT ONLY THREATENS JOBS
BUT COULD LEAD TO CUTS IN
SPENDING FOR WORTHY JOBS
THROUGHOUT THE NATION.
AMERICANS UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT
PAYING MOTOR FUEL TAXES AT THE
PUMP AS LONG AS THEY ARE
GUARANTEED THOSE WILL BE SPENT
ON TRANSPORTATION.
THE REPUBLICAN PACKAGE SMEARS
THAT DWARNE TEE AND WILL HAVE A
DEVASTATING EFFECT ON VITAL
HIGHWAY AND TRANSIT PROGRAMS.
AFTER MEASURE A DECADE OF EFFORT
BY THE COMMITTEE ON C&I, THE
HOUSE ADOPTED THE CURRENT RULE
IN 1998.
THE RULE IS SIMPLE, THE FUNDS
COLLECTED FOR TRANSPORTATION
MUST BE USED FOR THAT PERSON.
IT HAS SERVED OUR HOUSE AND
NATION WELL FOR THE PAST 12
YEARS.
THAT'D HOUSE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY
BREAKS THAT TRUST AND ARE
RETURNING TO THE WAYS OF OLD, NO
HEARINGS OR DEBATE OR ANY
DISCUSSION ON THE EFFECTS OF THE
PROPOSELE RULE ON TRANSPORTATION
AND INVESTMENT.
THESE ARE STEEPED IN ARCANE
BUDGET RULES AND MANY MEMBERS
ARE NOT AWARE OF WHAT THEY'RE
VOTING ON AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO OPPOSE
THIS RULES CHANGE AS DO SO MANY
CONTRACTORS.
THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
MADAM SPEAKER, AT
THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO YIELD TWO
MINUTES TO THE VERY
DISTINGUISHED CHAIRMAN OF OUR
TRANSITION COMMITTEE, MY FRIEND
FROM HOOD RIVER, OREGON, WHERE
WALDEN.
THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR TWO
MINUTES.
I WANTED TO TALK
BRIEFLY ABOUT THE TRANSITION
ITSELF AND ABOUT THE -- THANK
THE MEMBERS OF BOTH PARTIES WHO
PARTICIPATED IN MEANINGFUL WAYS
IN OUR TRANSITION.
FOUR MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM WERE
INCOMING FRESHMEN, WE OFFERED
DEPPS THE OPPORTUNITY
PARTICIPATE BOTH FORMALLY AND
INFORMLY, AN ACT OF
BIPARTISANSHIP THAT'S BEEN
MISSING, FRANKLY FROM PRIOR
ORGANIZATIONS GOING BACK OVER
BOTH PARTIES TENURE IN
LEADERSHIPISM ASKED SPEAKER
PELOSI TO DESIGNATE TWO
DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPANTS, WE
DISTRIBUTED SURVEYS TO EVERY
MEMBER ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
AISLE TO GET AS MANY IDEAS AS
POSSIBLE TO REFORM THE PEOPLE'S
HOUSE.
LET US ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS IS
THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, IT IS THEIR
BUSINESS AND THE TAXPAYERS'
MONEY AND THE PUBLIC HAS THE
RIGHT TO OBSERVE AND PARTICIPATE
IN THIS PROCESS.
THE OUTCOME IS THE RULES PACKAGE
BEFORE US TODAY.
THE TRANSITION TEAM RECEIVED
MORE THAN 2,000 SUGGESTIONS FROM
THE GENERAL PUBLIC SUBMITTED
THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AND WHAT DID
WE ACCOMPLISH?
BILLS WILL BE POST-ED ONLINE IN
A SEARCHABLE FORMAT AT LEAST
THREE DAYS BEFORE RECEIVING A
VOTE ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.
NO LONGER WILL BILLS BE DROPPED
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND
VOTED ON THE NEXT DAY.
WE REQUIRE THAT ALL BILLS
INCLUDE A CITATION OF
CONGRESS RESPECTS THE LIMITS
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY SO
IMPOSED ON IT BY THE FOUNDING
DOCUMENTS.
TO BEGIN TO CONTROL THE
EXPLOSION IN SPENDING, WE'RE
CLAMPING DOWN ON BUDGETARY
SLIGHTS OF HAND THAT HIDE
SPENDING BEHIND THE FIRST
10-YEAR WINDOW OF A BILL.
ANY LEGISLATION PROJECTED TO
INCREASE THE DEFICIT BY $5
BILLION IN ANY SINGLE TENURE
WINDOW OUT 10 YEARS WILL BE
SUBJECT TO A POINT OF ORDER.
A NEW CUT-GO RULE THAT INCREASES
AUTHORIZATIONS OR CREATES NOW
PROGRAMS TO MAKE EQUAL OR
GREATER CUTS ELSE WHERE A
LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR TO MAKE
SURE MEMBERS ARE BACK HOME
LISTENING TO PEOPLE WHO SENT US
HERE AT LEAST A WEEK EVERY
MONTH.
ENDING THE PRACTICE OF PASSING
OMNIBUS BILL IN AN EFFORT TO TO
THE AVOID PUBLIC SCRUTINY AND
WILL REQUIRE EVERY COMMITTEE TO
WEBCAST THEIR HEARINGS AND
MARKUPS AND MAKE THEM AVAILABLE
ONLINE.
TRANSPARENT, OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE,S
THE RULES PACKAGE TO CHANGE THE
HOUSE.
THE
GENTLELADY FROM NEW YORK.
I'M PLEASED TO
YIELD ONE MINUTE TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM VERMONT, MR.
WELCH.
THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE
MINUTE.
I THANK THE
GENTLELADY FROM NEW YORK.
LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE TWO THINGS,
ONE, THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY WON
THE ELECTION AND HAS THE RIGHT
TO BRING THE RULES PACKAGE TO
THE FLOOR.
NUMBER TWO THERE ARE SOME GOOD
PROVISIONS IN THIS, MR. WALDEN
DESCRIBED SEVERAL.
BUT THREE THERE IS A MAJOR TIME
BOMB IN THIS.
THE MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE
IN CONGRESS IS TO DEBATE TAXES
AND SPENDING.
TAXES AND SPENDING.
AND THE PROVISION THAT BASICALLY
WILL PROTECT PRIVILEGED TAX
BREAKS SO WE CANNOT HAVE A
DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT A
HEDGE FUND BILLIONAIRE SHOULD
PAY AT LEAST THE SAME RATE OF
INCOME TAX AS HIS OR HER
CHAUFFEUR OR COOK, THE FACT THAT
WE CANNOT HAVE A DEBATE AS TO
WHETHER MATURE AND PROFITABLE
INDUSTRIES SHOULD CONTINUE TO
GET TAXPAYER SUBSIDIES LIKE THE
DIVERT THEM TO EMERGING
OIL TRI-INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO
TECHNOLOGIES, THE FACT THAT
THESE ARE OFF THE TABLE SO THAT
THE ONLY OUTCOME WILL BE CUTS IN
SPENDING THAT AFFECT EVERY
SINGLE PERSON WITHOUT ANY
DEBATE, THAT'S THE PROBLEM AND
WHEN MR. MCCARTHY SAYS THAT THE
RULES DICTATE BEHAVIOR, HE LEFT
OUT THAT THE RULES DICTATE
I YIELD BACK.
OUTCOME AS WELL.
THANK YOU.
THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MADAM SPEAKER.
MAY I INQUIRE HOW MUCH TIME
REMAINS ON EACH SIDE?
THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA HAS 4
1/4 MINUTES REMAIN, THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK HAS 11
1/2 MINUTES REMAINING.
I RESERVE THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
I YIELD ONE
MINUTE TO THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM
TEXAS, MS. JACKSON LEE.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM TEXAS IS
RECOGNIZED FOR ONE MINUTE.
MADAM SPEAKER,
I ASK TO REVISE AND EXTEND.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MADAM SPEAKER,
TODAY WAS A GLORIOUS DAY BUT AS
WE BEGIN TO DISCUSS THE RUMES
THAT ARE NOW TAKING PLACE -- THE
RULES THAT ARE NOW TAKING PLACE,
I RAISE QUESTIONS.
I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IF WE'RE
GOING TO GO FORWARD IN A
FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY, AND
I'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT THE TEA
PARTY AND I WELCOME CERTAINLY
THE EXPRESSIONS OF THOSE WHO
HAVE BEEN ELECTED AS REPUBLICANS
OF THOSE VIEWS, BUT WE STAND IN
THIS HOUSE, REPUBLICAN AND
DEMOCRAT AND SOME INDEPENDENTS
TO WORK ON ISSUES FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
HOW DO YOU IN FACT THEN
ELIMINATE IN SOME SENSE THE PAY
AS YOU GO RULE WHICH WE'VE ALL
BEEN COMMITTED TO WHICH ALLOWS
US TO PAY FOR WHAT WE WANT TO
ENCOURAGE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO
HAVE.
BUT NOW WE HAVE A RULE THAT SAYS
YOU CANNOT RAISE REVENUE SO IF
YOUR SOLDIERS ON THE BATTLEFIELD
NEES NEED MORE RESOURCES, YOU
CAN ONLY GET IT BY CUTTING
SPENDING OF SOME OTHER
VULNERABLE POPULATION.
WHAT SENSE DOES THAT MAKE?
WHEN WE SPEAK OF OPEN RULES,
WHAT SENSE DOES IT MAKE TO HAVE
A RULE TOMORROW THAT INDICATES
THAT WE'RE REPEALING THE HEALTH
CARE BILL UNDER A CLOSED RULE?
WE'LL BE SAVING ONLY $143
BILLION OTHER 10 YEAR BUS THAT
RULE WOULD NOT ALLOW THAT.
THIS IS A RULES PACKAGE THAT
NEEDS FIXING, AND I HOPE WE CAN
GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
I YIELD BACK.
I YIELD TWO MINUTES
TO THE DISTINGUISHED CHAIR OF
THE COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET, THE
GENTLEMAN FROM JAMESVILLE,
WISCONSIN, MR. RYAN.
THE
GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR TWO
MINUTES.
I THANK THE GENTLEMAN
FOR YIELDING.
FROM LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA,
MADAM SPEAKER, IT'S A GOOD DAY
BECAUSE WE'RE BRINGING SOME
FISCAL SANITY BACK TO THIS
INSTITUTION.
WHAT GOVERNEDED THIS PLACE WITH
THE RULES IN THE LAST TWO
CONGRESSES WAS A RULE CALLED
PAY-GOFMENTE LET ME WALK YOU
THROUGH WHAT PAY-GO
ACCOMPLISHED.
BEFORE WE HAD THE DEMOCRAT'S
PAY-GO RULE, THE DEFICIT WAS
$161 BILLION.
NOW IT'S $1.4 TRILLION.
ITS REPORT CARD WASN'T SO GOOD.
OVER THE LAST TWO CONGRESSES,
PAY-GO WAS WAIVED 32 TIMES FOR A
NET TOTAL OF $932 BILLION IN
EXTRA DEFICIT SPENDING.
BUT WHEN PAY-GO WAS USED, WHEN
IT WAS INVOKED, IT WAS MORE
OFTEN USED TO RAISE TAXES.
MADAM SPEAKER, WE DO NOT HAVE A
REVENUE PROBLEM, WE HAVE A
SPENDING PROBLEM.
THAT IS WHY THIS BRINGS CUT-GO.
CUT-AS-YOU-GO.
IF YOU WANT NEW SPENDING, CUT
FOR IT.
SPENDING SOMEWHERE ELSE TO PAY
THIS DOES A COUPLE OF OTHER
THINGS, IT GETS RID OF A GIMMICK
USED ARTFULLY IN THE LAST
CONGRESS TO USE RECONCILIATION
PROCEDURES TO GROW MORE
GOVERNMENT AND CROW ATE --
CREATE NEW SPENDING PROGRAMS.
IT ALSO ADDS A NEW RULE THAT
SAYS, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE
FISCAL CONSEQUENCES IN THE
FUTURE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, NOT
JUST IN FIVE YEARS OR 10 YEAR
BUS IN THE OUT YEARS BECAUSE THE
DEBT CRISIS IS COMING, MARK MY
WORDS.
IT ALSO GETS RID OF THE
AUTOMATIC DEBT INCREASE.
WE USED TO CALL THIS THE
GEPHARDT RULE.
CONGRESS HAS TO VOTE CLEAR UP OR
DOWN AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO
EXTEND THE DEBT LIMIT.
WHAT ALSO HAPPED LAST SESSION
FOR THE FIRSTCY TIME SINCE THE
1974 BUDGET ACT PASSED, THE
HOUSE DIDN'T PROPOSE, LET ALONE
PASS, A BUDGET.
THIS GIVES US AN INTERIM
AUTHORITY TO PUT A BUDGET IN
PLACE SO WE CAN HAVE A MECHANISM
TO POLICE THE BUDGET.
WE HAVE NO BUDGET.
WE HAVE NO LIMITS.
NO RESTRAINTS.
NO PRIORITIES WHATSOEVER.
BECAUSE OF THE FAIL DWHROIFER
LEADERSHIP IN THE LAST CONGRESS
AND THAT IS WHY THIS INTERIM
AUTHORITY OCCURS SO THAT WE CAN
PUT SOME NUMBERS IN FROM THE
C.B.O. TO POLICE AND ACTUALLY
HAVE BUDGET ENFORCEMENT UNTIL
THE NEW BUDGET ARRIVES.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEW YORK.
MADAM SPEAKER,
I'M PLEASED TO YIELD ONE MINUTE
TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK,
MR. RANGEL.
THE