Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am here today to offer this House a plan on how Republicans and Democrats can come together, avoid a government default, and do it in a way that really helps the American people. Let's cut the true debt that's crushing Americans today--and it's not the Federal debt.

Americans are underwater on their mortgages, burdened by student loans, maxed out on credit cards. If we help Americans cut their own personal debt, this will free up money where people can responsibly buy things. Businesses will have to hire more people. That's how you create more jobs--by helping Americans become debt-free.

Mr. Speaker, as we're on the verge of facing government default, there are several proposals on the table for us, as Members of Congress, to consider. And in my opinion, none of these proposals go far enough. Yes, they cut money in hopes of reducing our deficit and reducing our debt.

But here's what they don't do. They don't cut, they don't cap, and they don't forgive student loan debt.

Look, people. We want to create jobs. We want our families to have financial security. We need to help them get out of personal debt. And the most powerful way to get this economy moving again and to get our people the education they need is to help forgive certain student loan debt.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, this amendment would move $10 million from the Bureau of Land Management to the Environmental Protection Agency's geographic programs under the Environmental Programs and Management account.

Here's the bottom line, what this $10 million is all about. It's helping to save jobs connected to the $7 billion Great Lakes fishing industry. This industry, and the jobs connected to it, are at stake, are at risk because of the Asian carp. So it's my intention that the Environmental Protection Agency designate this additional $10 million to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to stop the Asian carp from migrating into the Great Lakes.

Unfortunately, just last week, and this is the urgency of this situation, why I'm offering this amendment. Just last week, the Army Corps of Engineers found Asian carp DNA in Lake Michigan. This is deeply disturbing. We have to do everything in our power to stop the Asian carp from migrating to the Great Lakes basin because of the $7 billion industry that's at stake.

These carp, they come and they eat all the food up in the ecosystem, and that leaves very little for the native fish. And the native fish is what people fish for in the Great Lakes.

So, again, I urge this body, for the sake of preserving the Great Lakes fishing industry, to allow this amendment. And again, it's my intention that the additional $10 million would go toward the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which right now is underfunded by $100 million. So it'll be some measurable improvement, and to have that money focus on preserving our Great Lakes fishing jobs by stopping the Asian carp.

I yield the balance of my time.

Will the gentleman yield?

Thank you, sir. I appreciate it.

I do have a newspaper article that does state that the oil and gas industry does hold around 7,200 drilling permits that haven't been used yet, but I do take the gentleman's point into consideration, if there is a way that we could work out something, because I'm not trying to undercut the drilling program at all here.

I did notice in fiscal year 2012 that there was a surplus in terms of what we funded, which was around $45 million; in terms of the collections that were received, there was around $27 million. So there was around an $18 million overfunding there. That's why I did ask for this offset, because I felt it would be responsible and would not undercut the drilling permit program here.

I offer this amendment for what's at stake. The Great Lakes fishing industry is a $7 billion industry, and right now metro Detroit and the State of Michigan are in very hard-hit economic times by our industrial base being eviscerated. The one saving grace in our State and in that region is the fishing industry. That's the reason why I'm asking for this right now. It's emergency action. We found Asian carp DNA in Lake Michigan last week. I've got to do everything in my power as a Representative of not only Michigan but of that entire region to stop that carp from getting into the Great Lakes system, which would destroy our fishing industry. I urge your help.

I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, today I'm asking this House and this Congress to cut the debt that's truly crushing the American people right now, the debt that Americans and American families have to pay month after month, year after year, without any help from anyone else. It's a direct burden on our people.

And I'm not talking about the Federal debt. I'm talking about the debt that Americans must pay on their mortgages and on their student loans. So today I'm offering a resolution to strongly urge this body, that as we work to prevent the government from defaulting on its obligations, that we do the same thing to help the American people, that with equal intensity and drive and commitment, we work to help Americans free themselves of debt.

Now, if we help the American people reduce their debt burden, that's going to help our families to be more financially secure. Now, yes, jobs are important. I represent metro Detroit, a region that has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. But you know what? I know folks that are working, they have jobs, but they don't have any money because all of their income is going to pay off creditors. That's outrageous.

A couple of days ago, I made a big issue to the American people about not borrowing and handling their money responsibly. The reason why I said that is because many of us think that being in debt is the American way. It's not. This country was founded on the principles based on the Declaration of Independence, that we all have a God-given right to life, to liberty, to the pursuit of happiness. But who can be free when drowning in debt?

So I'm urging this Congress, cut the mortgages, forgive the student loans. That will help American families be secure. But also this: by reducing that debt burden that Americans have to directly pay, that will create more jobs because that will free up money that Americans are earning for themselves.

So instead of spending it on creditors, they can save that money, they can invest it, they can spend it responsibly on businesses, who in turn will hire more people. That's how you create jobs in a sustainable way. It's by helping Americans get out of debt.

Yes, Americans have a responsibility to manage their own finances, but likewise Congress has the duty to help Americans get out of the debt that this body, over the years, helped put people into debt by changing the laws, by allowing lenders to loan money under imprudent terms and target certain people with the sole objective to put the American public into debt, into a debt that they can't repay or would take them a lifetime to free themselves of. We have that responsibility and that obligation.

I'm going to close because the underlying point I'm trying to make is this: yes, the Federal Government is important; how the Federal Government manages its money is important. This debt, it's critical that we manage it properly. We have to avoid default because if this government goes into default, everyone's interest rates on their loans are going to go up. That could force people into bankruptcy, force folks into foreclosure, and ruin property values for everyone else. Just so you know, property values have been ruined because of foreclosure. So if we help homeowners stay in their homes by modifying their loans, that's going to save the property values of other homeowners who never missed a payment, because you are the same homeowners right now that can't sell your home to pay off your mortgage.

You can't retire. You are depending on selling your home to pay off your mortgage, but you can't do it because your other neighbors are so under water they had to walk away from their homes or had to be evicted because of foreclosure. So by helping families reduce their debt, that helps all of us in America and it helps our American economy.

You see, this country is a great country. Our economy has been a strong one, not necessarily because of government, but because of the American people. So you know what, folks? If we want this economy to rebound, let's make sure that Americans are financially secure. And one of the most effective ways to do that is to free Americans from mortgage and student loan debt.

Mr. Speaker, to the American people, I want to address the debt that is killing jobs in this country and robbing Americans of their financial security. And I also will propose how we get out of that debt, to really create jobs and restore financial security to all Americans.

Now, the Federal debt is important. We have to do everything we can this week and next week to avoid a government default, because if the government defaults on its obligations, at the very least that is going to cause interest rates to rise on the borrowing that the American people hold as debt and that could drive people further into financial distress and into foreclosure and bankruptcy.

But the debt that is crushing the American people is the mortgages, the student loans, the credit cards, that people have to bear. Now I am from Detroit, and jobs are important. In fact, I represent one of the regions of the country that has the highest unemployment rate. But as important as jobs are to the economy, we have got to get Americans out of debt. I know folks who are working right now, they have jobs, they are earning income, but they have no money because their income is going to pay off bills. It's going to creditors. They can't provide for themselves. They can't provide for their families. They can't provide security for the future because they are in debt. And this American personal debt is also costing this U.S. economy jobs because when people don't have money to save, money to invest, they can't really spend it on businesses that could hire more people and create more jobs.

My point is this, and I am speaking to a few of the Members of Congress who are here right now, but more importantly, I am speaking to you, the American people, because maybe you can help me drive this Congress to address the real debt that is threatening this democracy and our economy.

This country's economy will not rebound strongly, and we will not easily get out of this recession as long as Americans are underwater on their mortgages, defaulting on student loans, and maxing out on their credit cards. If we want to create jobs, jobs that will truly be sustainable and help provide families with real financial security, this Congress must realize that when the American people are in debt, so is this country.

So here's what I'm urging today. I am going to have a resolution I'm going to put forth, that as we work to prevent a government default on its obligations, that we also have to work to make sure that Americans don't further default on their debt. So I am asking, in as strong as possible a way as I can, for this Congress, on certain loan obligations, to immediately work to cut mortgages down to the value of your home, to forgive student loans, because the most powerful way that we can restore our economic, strength, to create jobs that are sustainable, is to help Americans get out of debt.

Now Congress has an obligation to do so because we changed the rules over the past decade or so to put Americans in all this debt. But just as Congress has an obligation to act, I've got to talk to you, the American people. You've got to act, too. You've got to take responsibility. You want this government to get out of debt, then you get out of debt personally. Stop the spending. Stop the borrowing. Stop overconsumption, buying things that you don't need with money that you don't have. That's robbing you and your family of a future. It's robbing this country out of jobs.

So I am going to ask every American right now, get out your credit cards, cut them up, free yourselves. Free yourselves. Don't count on this Congress to help you. This Congress already voted to end Medicare. They're flirting with disaster on this debt right now.

I'm asking Americans, take control of your financial future, get out of debt, and let's demand that this Congress help you get out of debt.

Mr. Speaker, I'm asking this Congress to cut the true tax that is really crushing Americans, that is preventing real job growth and robbing our people of financial security. I am asking this Congress on certain loans to cut mortgages down to home values. For certain student loan borrowers, let's forgive those student loans.

This Congress is responsible for the American people in large part being in the debt that they are in. We deregulated many financial institutions that recklessly put the American people in debt. The one powerful way to restore our economy and create jobs is to make sure Americans personally are debt free.

Mr. Speaker, I ask this Congress to cut and cap the true debt that is crushing Americans right now, robbing them of any financial security and killing off jobs. I'm asking this Congress to take certain mortgage loans, cut those mortgage principals and cap them to current home value. Let's do that. That will help people who are underwater right now on their mortgages.

Let's cut, cap, and forgive certain student loans so Americans won't have to spend a lifetime repaying back on their education. You see, when you give Americans more money by eliminating their personal debt, they'll be able to save more and invest more and responsibly spend more. That's how you create jobs, the most powerful way. To get this economy engaged again is to help Americans become free of personal debt.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I am urging this House to spend the high-speed rail money on what it's designated for, high-speed rail projects.

Much of this money, or a good portion of it, was turned down by Governors of other States. So I'm here as a representative of Michigan's 13th District, and I want to go on the record right now of claiming that money because Michigan and metro Detroit, the district that I represent, we need jobs, jobs that will be created by the high- speed rail project, jobs that will be created when that high-speed rail that links Detroit to Chicago is tied into a regional transit system around metro Detroit. That's going to attract businesses all around that system. Companies and employers are more likely to stay in Detroit, move to Detroit when they realize they can have close access to Chicago and other midwestern areas. But jobs not only as an indirect result of this transit system and high-speed rail system, but by manufacturing the rails and the passenger cars that are going to be used. By creating jobs, that is the most effective way to create a long-term, resilient, enduring economy. And that's the best way to pay down our debt.

I understand the point that we should allocate a funding source to provide funding for the flood victims. Well, I would like to propose one.

Over the last 10 years, this Congress has authorized the spending of over $50 billion--that's with a ``b''--in economic aid to Afghanistan. Each fiscal year, including this current one, we're spending at least $4 billion on economic aid in Afghanistan. I'm proposing let's just take a share of the money we're sending overseas to help serve and protect people in another country, let's redirect American tax dollars back to serve Americans.

And my fundamental point is this: We need to be more conservative with our tax dollars. Yes, there are needs all around the world, but our people need help right here. This budget choice that we're faced with right now underscores that. This is a choice that we should not have to make. We shouldn't have to choose between serving flood victims and providing for long-term jobs that we need in Michigan and metro Detroit through high-speed rail.

You know, there is another fairness issue. Folks where I live, the auto capital of the world, they can't afford an automobile because of the high cost of automobile insurance. They need high-speed rail and the synergy it will create with mass transit.

So again, I urge you, let's use this money for its intended purpose-- to ultimately create jobs. That's the best way that we can pay down the Federal debt, and also it's the principle of it. In these tough economic times, let's redirect American tax dollars to serve Americans. High-speed rail in America will create jobs and make a difference for our people, a positive difference.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Announcement by the Acting Chair

Mr. Speaker, I have a proposal that will help us save tax dollars, pay down our debt, and better protect the American people.

Instead of spending billions and billions of dollars to secure Afghanistan at the rate that we are--and we've spent over a half a trillion of our precious tax dollars in Afghanistan over the last 10 years--I propose to redirect a small share of our tax dollars back to the U.S. and to use our money to hire and equip more police officers, more firefighters, more emergency medical providers, because one of the most effective ways to help protect the American people from a terrorist attack is to make Americans safer right here at home.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

This amendment would shift $236 million from the Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund and would return that money back to the taxpayers of the United States--the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Infrastructure Investments program.

Look, I understand that we're trying to fight terrorism by spending all this money in Afghanistan, but the best way to protect the American people from terrorist attacks is to repair our roads and bridges, secure our ports, help fund secure rapid transit systems so we don't have to spend as much money buying foreign oil--and you know that some of that money that goes to these foreign countries when we buy oil ends up in the hands of terrorists. Let's redirect a share of the money that is going to rebuild roads in Afghanistan to build and invest in transit in America. Not only is this good for Americans, we're going to pave over all these potholes that are damaging our cars. And with rapid transit programs, we're going to help provide people who can't afford a car--or in my area, in metro Detroit, people can't afford auto insurance even though they have good driving records because they're red-lined. At least if we transfer some of that money to transit, they will have a way to go to work and to other events for leisure.

But the bottom line is this: If we invest this money in the United States as opposed to spending it all in Afghanistan, we're going to create jobs here in the United States. That is the best way

to secure our country--to make sure we put as many people as possible here back to work.

I urge your support on this amendment.

This amendment would shift $236 million from the Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund, AIF, to the Department of Transportation's National Infrastructure Investments Program.

The Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund provides funding for infrastructure projects such as water, power and transportation and related maintenance and sustainment cost.

My amendment would cut the amount dedicated to this fund in half. While we can agree that this funding is helpful to the Afghan people, I believe that we need to invest in nation-building at home at least as much as we invest abroad.

My amendment would restore about half of the funding historically given to the National Infrastructure Investments Program, which is zeroed out in this bill.

The National Infrastructure Investments Program awards grants to state, local, and transit agencies on a competitive basis for highway, bridge, port and rail projects that stand to make a significant national or regional impact.

The Department of Transportation estimates that, for every $1 billion invested in Federal highways, more than $6.2 billion in economic activity is generated. Spending tax dollars in Afghanistan fails to create the same economic multiplier.

The U.S. has invested approximately $51 billion in reconstruction and development for Afghanistan since 2002.

Our nation faces an ``infrastructure deficit'' as well as a fiscal deficit: federal investment in infrastructure has declined as a share of GDP over the past fifty years while the cost of building new infrastructure has risen.

A report from the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that the nation needs $2.2 trillion dollars of infrastructure expenditure over the next 5 years, but less than half that amount has been budgeted.

This is an important issue, and we need to make sure we are taking care of our country's infrastructure needs. I hope that we can work together to make sure that we have adequate funding for the highway, bridge, and port projects that create jobs and further commerce here at home. I think that as we reassess our mission in Afghanistan we should be able to fund these kinds of important programs and still devote significant savings to the deficit.

However, I understand that the House rules do not allow transfers such as are proposed in this amendment, so I will withdraw the amendment in the hopes we can work on this issue in the future.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Point of Order

I understand the honorable Representative's point of order here.

You know, if there is anything that is not in order, it's the nature of these rules. There are people out here in this country who are taxpayers, they don't want to see their money spent or borrowed in Afghanistan rebuilding their roads when we have all these potholes right here. We should be able to, in this Congress----

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

This amendment redirects $2 billion from Afghanistan Security Forces to the State Homeland Security Grants Program (SHSP).

My amendment makes sure that the Afghanistan Security Forces aren't funded at the expense of our country's Homeland Security efforts.

The State Homeland Security Grants Program ensures that states have strategies in place to protect, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and other catastrophic events.

State Homeland Security Grants Program was cut dramatically in the FY '12 Homeland Security Appropriations bill and was underfunded in the FY '11 bill. This amendment would restore grant funding to the FY '10 level to make sure our first responders have the resources they need to keep our communities safe.

My amendment does not jeopardize the training and equipping of the Afghanistan Security Forces. Even with my amendment, the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund is funded above the FY '10 level of $9.1 billion.

This is an important issue, and we need to make sure we are taking care of our country's homeland security needs. I hope that we can work together to make sure that we have adequate funding for protecting ourselves from terrorism and catastrophic events. I think that as we reassess our mission in Afghanistan we should be able to fund these kinds of important programs and still devote significant savings to the deficit.

However, I understand that the House rules do not allow transfers such as are proposed in this amendment, so I will withdraw the amendment in the hopes we can work on this issue in the future.

Point of Order

Mr. Chair, I would like to speak on the amendment.

I would like to speak on the point of order.

This bill, this amendment which transfers money from the Afghanistan Security Forces to Homeland Security, it better supports existing law, better supports this defense budget because it better protects the American people, less money by funding police and fire as opposed to blowing all that money in Afghanistan.

Mr. Chair, just to clarify.

In order to explain my position on the point of

order, I had to explain the merits of this amendment. This Defense budget is about protecting the American people. I'm saying redirect the money to Homeland Security.

I move to strike the last word.

As a new Member in this body, I have the utmost respect for this institution and to the chair. And to the extent that I appeared to be out of bounds, I do apologize.

It's the fact that this country is in crisis. We have a huge debt. We have so many people that need jobs. And since the budget resolution was passed, April 15, Osama bin Laden was captured and killed, and that provided us with an opportunity to reassess our mission in Afghanistan.

I want us to take a little share of our money that we're spending in Afghanistan and return it here to protect the American people, and also take the remainder of the savings to pay down our debt.

And I do understand what the rules provide. It is just, Mr. Chair, in closing, I believe these rules are old and out of date. We need to, in this House, respond more quickly and nimbly and more effectively on behalf of the American people.

And my closing point is this. We've spent over $50 billion in economic aid to Afghanistan. Let's take a share of that money, redirect it back home, create jobs here by repairing our roads and bridges. I understand that we don't want to have safe havens for terrorists around the world like Afghanistan. The best way to protect the American people is invest in homeland security, help fund our police and firefighters. They don't have the equipment that they need. The communication and radios with which they can talk to each other, they can share information.

And also, too, I believe it's the duty of this Congress to find a way to provide more equipment in funding for police and fire because this Congress in the past had failed to effectively address the foreclosure crisis which really dropped property values so our local units of government don't have the revenue to hire more police and fire.

So saying that, I want to say to the chairman that I respect your position; I respect this institution. I'm here trying to fight for my people I represent in metro Detroit and return American tax dollars back to Americans to create jobs here and to protect Americans here at home.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Offered By: Mr. Clarke of Michigan

Amendment No. 37: Page 136, line 23, insert before the

period at the end the following: ``: Provided further, That

of the funds made available under this heading, the Secretary

of Defense shall transfer $2,000,000,000 to the Secretary of

Homeland Security to increase funds available for the State

Homeland Security Grant Program under section 2004 of the

Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 605)''.

Offered By: Mr. Clarke of Michigan

Amendment No. 38: Page 156, line 6, insert after the period

at the end the following: ``Of the funds referred to in the

preceding sentence, the Secretary of Defense shall transfer

$50,000,000 to the Administrator of the Small Business

Administration for Small Business Development Centers.''.

Offered By: Mr. Clarke of Michigan

Amendment No. 39: Page 135, line 11, insert before the

period at the end the following: ``: Provided further, That

of the funds made available under this heading, the Secretary

of Defense shall transfer $236,000,000 to the Secretary of

Transportation for the National Infrastructure Investments

program''.

Offered By: Mr. Clarke of Michigan

Amendment No. 40: Page 150, line 13, insert before the

colon the following: ``: Provided further, That of the funds

made available under this heading, the Secretary of Defense

shall transfer $227,000,000 to the Secretary of the Treasury

for the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund''.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for us, this Congress, to begin withdrawing both our troops and our tax dollars from Afghanistan. For now, it is important to still train the Afghan National Army, but we don't have to spend $100 billion a year and keep over 100,000 troops in Afghanistan to help keep stability in that country.

We need to cut back our borrowing and our spending in Afghanistan in order to cut our debt and our deficit right here. But equally important, let's take that money that was slated for Afghanistan, and it is our tax dollars in the first place, and let's redirect it to the United States to protect Americans here at home with stronger homeland security. And all of the money we have spent in Afghanistan repairing bridges and roads and building schools and businesses, let's redirect this economic aid to the United States, because we need jobs here. Redirect our tax dollars from Afghanistan to help Americans and put them back to work.