I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank my friend, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) not only for his friendship but also for being with us today as we approach the floor on…
I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to thank my friend, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) not only for his friendship but also for being with us today as we approach the floor on H. Res. 1776.
Mr. Speaker, just last week, I stood right here to do a rule and pointed out that my Democrat colleagues continue to use an unprecedented restrictive and closed process on the House floor, and I am here today to tell the same story.
At least this is very consistent behavior. For 2 years, we have had nothing but closed rules, and here we are today, in fact, in the same place, except what we are doing here today, again, is discussing a long-term continuing resolution, a resolution that went nowhere in the Senate. Yet we are here again today, doing another continuing resolution so that our government does not shut down on Saturday.
Last week, the Rules Committee, under Democrat leadership, reported out an unprecedented long-term martial law rule. They gave themselves 11 days to bring up any bill under a rule that same day, and just yesterday, they reported out an additional martial law rule through Christmas Eve. This only continues the backroom, closed deals that have been pursued throughout the 111th Congress.
What was promised to be the most ``open, honest, and ethical'' Congress by Speaker Nancy Pelosi when she took the gavel has turned into the most closed, one-sided Congress in history. We tax too much. We spend too much. We regulate too much. We listen too little.
Mr. Speaker, the American people asked for changes in 2008, and they got something that was far worse. In 3 weeks, that will change; but until then, I am here to discuss another closed rule for another continuing resolution.
This day continues to bring about more overspending, which has been a common theme of the last two Congresses--not just another CR but another omnibus. The underlying legislation is a CR to keep the government running until Tuesday. That is true. The Democrats provided no budget this year, and the President has not signed one appropriations bill into law this year. So this legislation and the rule is just another tactic to keep the government running until the majority can figure out its next priority. Well, I assure you it will be all about spending.
Over the past 3 years, nondefense, non-Homeland Security and non- Veterans Affairs discretionary spending has increased by a staggering 88 percent. In the meantime, the Nation's debt has risen to $13.5 trillion. There have been yearly record deficits since our friends, the Democrats, took the majority and record unemployment. The unemployment rate has now been
at or above 9.5 percent for 18 consecutive months.
Republicans want to take spending levels back to 2008, which would save American taxpayers nearly $100 billion in the first year. I think the American people are fed up with taxing, borrowing, spending, closed rules, and more rules and regulations than we have seen in the past 4 years, which has brought us nothing but more unemployment, higher debt and a monster deficit. Americans have called for an end to the reckless spending and for a new era of fiscal discipline. Yet it continues to fall on deaf ears even today.
This country needs leaders who are willing to make tough financial decisions and fiscal decisions that will bring back our economy, stability, job growth--not just more of the same taxing and spending.
Mr. Speaker, as if continuing the spending levels from 2010 weren't enough, my colleagues on the Democrat side of the aisle are here, acting only today to await a possible Senate omnibus bill that has a total price tag of $1.1 trillion more to be spent in the next 10 months. That's not called ``running the government.'' Running the government has already been taken care of. This is $1.1 trillion.
When will the majority recognize that this simply cannot and should not continue? When will the Democrats understand that taxing and spending and putting our children in an unfavorable position for their futures will not be tolerated?
In true fashion, I know, the Democrats have an agenda, and they need to continue it until the very end, and that is what they are doing. They have shut out Republican ideas for the past 4 years. They continue to shut out the American people. Continuing on the path of reckless government spending will only put us, our children, and our future in debt. Congress must do better.
So, on behalf of my party, the Republican Party, we are on the floor today to recognize H. Res. 1776. We are going to oppose this rule. We are going to oppose the additional spending, and we promise to do better.
Just last week, I stood right here to do a rule and pointed out that my democrat colleagues continue to use an unprecedented, restrictive, and closed process on the House floor, and here I am again to tell the same story. In fact, last week I was standing here before you Mr. Speaker discussing a long term Continuing Resolution--a resolution that went nowhere in the Senate. Yet, here we are again today, doing another Continuing Resolution so our government does not shut down by this Saturday. Week after week my friends on the other side of the aisle continue to bulldoze their massive spending agenda through the floor of the House with no Republican input, and no regular order. Last week the Rules Committee, under Democrat leadership, reported out an unprecedentedly long martial law rule. They gave themselves eleven days to bring up any bill under a rule the same day, and just yesterday they reported out an additional martial law rule through Christmas Eve. This only continues the backroom, closed deals they have pursued throughout the 111th Congress.
What was promised to be the most ``open, honest and ethical'' Congress by Speaker Pelosi when she took the gavel, has been the most closed, and one-sided Congress in history. The American people asked for change in 2008 and they got something far worse. They received a Democrat Congress that doesn't listen to the American people, and a Congress that acts on their own interest and not the interest of the American taxpayer.
Mr. Speaker, in three weeks that will change. But until then, I am here to discuss another closed rule for another Continuing Resolution. The legislation before us continues to over-spend--a common theme over the last two Congresses.
The underlying legislation is a CR to keep the government running until Tuesday. The Democrats provided no budget for this year and the President has not signed one appropriations bill into law--so this legislation and rule is just another tactic to keep the government running until the Majority can kick the responsibility to the Republicans next Congress.
Over the past three years, non-defense, non-homeland security, and non-veterans affairs discretionary spending has increased by a staggering 88 percent. In the meantime, the nation's debt has risen to $13.5 trillion, there have been yearly record deficits since the Democrats took the Majority, and the unemployment rate has been at or above 9.5% for 18 consecutive months.
This CR does almost nothing to reverse this trend and instead continues the unsustainable, high rate of spending passed the Democrat Majority last year. This includes more spending for many federal agencies that received massive increases with the Democrat Stimulus bill in 2009. My Republican colleagues and I have pledged to cut non- security spending back to the fiscal year 2008 levels which would save American taxpayers nearly $100 billion in the first year.
The American people are fed-up with the tax, borrow and spend policies of the past 4 years, which has brought nothing but unemployment, debt and deficit. Americans have called for an end to reckless spending and a new era of fiscal discipline, yet it continues to fall on deaf ears here today. This country needs leaders that are willing to make the tough fiscal decisions that will provide economic stability and job growth, not just more of the same.
In true fashion, my democrat colleagues continue to push their own agenda on the American people. They have shut out Republicans over the past 4 years, and they continue to shut out the American people. Continuing on the path of reckless government spending, will only put the U.S. further in debt burdening future generations. Congress must do better for the American people. I oppose this rule.
Mr. Speaker, you have heard me say it over and over, but the American people we promised an ``open, honest and ethical'' Congress, and that is not what they have received. Congress only received the text of this legislation a few hours ago. American's have called for transparency and bipartisanship and have only seen a secretive dictatorship.
I ask my colleagues to vote no on the rule. Vote ``no'' to stop the reckless fiscal policies that Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats have pursued over the last 4 years. It is time to end the idea of Big Government and Big Spending.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
