Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, in a few minutes we're going to have a series of votes. One of those votes is going to be on the adjournment resolution that will allow the House to adjourn sometime over the next few days until November 15. The American people are asking the question, Where are the jobs? And this Congress has an obligation to help get our economy moving again and get the American people back to work. We've had time all year to move a lot of job- killing policies; yet we've had no time to do a budget, no time to move any appropriation bills, which means no opportunity to cut spending.

Earlier this year 100 economists, 100 economists, sent a letter to the President saying, Mr. President, if you cut spending now, it will help our economy. But I do believe that we have an obligation to help end the uncertainty that is affecting American families and small businesses all across the country. We ought to be cutting spending, and, yes, we ought to end the uncertainty about what the tax rates are going to be at the beginning of the year.

The idea that we're going to leave here and not extend all of the current tax rates to end the uncertainty is an irresponsibility on the part of this Congress. And how any Member can vote to adjourn and pump this into a lame-duck session, I think, is putting your election above the needs of your constituents. The American people sent us here to do their work. We're not here to do our work to get reelected.

I am going to ask all of my colleagues, vote ``no'' on this adjournment resolution. Give the House an opportunity in a fair and open debate to extend all of the current tax rates.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and recognize a fellow Ohioan and diligent public servant. Craig Zimpher, a friend and native of Piqua, Ohio, is retiring from Nationwide Insurance, after a dignified career in which he served both his country and the State of Ohio.

Craig began to distinguish himself as a young man while pursuing his education at the Ohio State University. While earning a B.A. and M.A in history, Craig served as a resident advisor in the dean of student's office, where he helped design the honors undergraduate residential program. To this day, he remains active in the Ohio State University alumni community. Upon his graduation, he served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army; and, in 1973, he continued his commitment to public service by going to work as the policy director for the minority leader in the Ohio House of Representatives. In this role, Craig advised legislative leaders on a broad range of public policy issues facing Ohio families and businesses. Subsequently, Craig served as the deputy assistant to former Ohio Governor James Rhodes, where he coordinated policy research, drafted legislative proposals for Ohio, and advised the Governor on state regulatory matters. In 1980, he became a member of the Governor's cabinet, serving as the chairman of the Ohio Industrial Commission, where he administered the State's insurance program.

At the end of this year, Craig, a Vice President of Nationwide Insurance, will retire after nearly 30 years with the company. Craig is well liked and respected by his colleagues. He is happily married to Park Zimpher, and they are the proud parents of three sons, Fletch, Peter and Nate. Craig is an avid student of history and enjoys fishing and golf, pastimes he will hopefully have more time for in the months and years to come. I want to thank Craig Zimpher for his service to his country and Ohio, and I wish him good health and Godspeed in his retirement.

Madam Speaker, the events of recent weeks have reminded us how central the September 11th attacks remain to our national consciousness. The shock and grief we felt that Tuesday still echo in our hearts, still reverberate in our minds.

America stands tall as a beacon of freedom and tolerance because her people have risen to the occasion each time these values have been tested. It is with that in mind that we turn our thoughts today to the police, firefighters, and first responders who ran into burning buildings so others could get out. We renew our awe for the passengers who dug in rather than give up and charged the cockpit of Flight 93. We remember how Americans from all walks donated blood, gathered at candlelight vigils, and organized care packages for relief workers. The resilience that propels us forward as a people is drawn from the courage of our heroes and the compassion of our citizens.

Each year on this day, we have the opportunity and the solemn responsibility to honor the heroes and victims, and to keep faith with their loved ones. Though these thoughts and prayers, we can heal, and we can steel ourselves to repeat the words `never again'.

Over the last year, we have seen in the most immediate way how terrorists still have innocent Americans in their sights, starting with a plot to blow up the New York City subway system, and continuing with the attacks at Fort Hood, Times Square, and on board Northwest Flight 253. Each of these attacks represented new strands of terrorism, new signs of an enemy ready and willing to adapt. Now more than ever, as citizens and patriots, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to confront and defeat the terrorist threat. That is why we should also take a moment today to salute the endurance, discipline, and valor of our troops, who have volunteered to take the fight to the enemy and keep the light of freedom burning bright.

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

Mr. Chairman, I would say to my colleagues that it is no surprise to anyone in this Chamber or to the American people that spending in Washington is out of control. Last year we had a budget deficit of some $1.5 trillion. This year we have a budget deficit estimated to be at $1.4 trillion.

The American people are screaming at the top of their lungs ``stop.'' Yet here we are moving the appropriation bills that I don't think have been thoroughly scrubbed.

I have made it pretty clear to my colleagues that one of the things that we have to do, if we are going to get spending under control, is go through every line item in the Federal budget and ask this question: Is this spending so important that we're willing to ask our kids and grandkids to pay for it? Because this year 43 cents of every dollar the Federal Government spends we have to borrow, and it is going to be our kids and grandkids that are going to get to pay the bill.

Mr. Chairman, under this amendment it addresses a program that doles out approximately $300,000 to fund 12 doctoral dissertations on housing policy. Now, this isn't funding their tuition; it's funding the dissertation itself.

I don't know why our kids and grandkids should be asked to pay some $300,000 to help fund research on housing policy when the Department has 10,000 employees who are charged with developing housing policies.

This may be well intended, some may have a great purpose for it. But as I go through this bill----

I'm happy to yield to the gentleman.

I would be happy to accept.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I won't go through the spending problems that we have and the debt problems we have, but in going through this bill and asking the question--every line item in the budget--is this spending so important that we are willing to ask our kids and grandkids to pay for it?

I bring my colleagues' attention to a program called the Transformation Initiative that is designed to train communities that receive HUD funds on how to use the money.

Now, let me get this straight. We're going to spend $40 million, money that we don't have, to train communities on how they can spend our money.

I would think that if we are going to send money to a community that we would know what the money is for, that the community would know what it's for, and that spending $40 million to train them on how to spend our money is a giant waste of time.

I urge my colleagues to support the elimination of the Transformation Initiative and save our kids and grandkids $40 million.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield myself the balance of my time.

I think the gentleman from Massachusetts makes my point for me. Why would we be sending money to communities that don't have a plan to use it, that may not use it effectively?

I would think before the decision is made to grant the funds to the community that they would have demonstrated a need, they would have demonstrated a capacity to use it effectively before the grant was made. To provide $40 million for metrics, research, demonstrations, innovation, technical assistance, and capacity building, why wouldn't all of these things be in place before the grant was made?

In consideration for the future of my kids and maybe someday my grandkids, I think this is spending that can be eliminated from this bill.

I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote, and pending that, I make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Chairman, we all know that we have a spending problem. We all know that it has to start somewhere. Some may suggest that these amendments I am bringing up are not going to solve the problem.

But I will suggest that we have got to start this process somewhere. We have got to find ways to eliminate wasteful spending that we all know exists.

This amendment addresses the creation of 11 bureaucratic positions and six full-time equivalents for a budget office at the Department of Transportation. Now I want to make sure I understand this; $1.6 million to hire a bunch of bureaucrats to monitor the spending of agencies that already have their own budget offices. This is the kind of redundant spending that we just don't need to have.

I would be happy to yield.

I gratefully accept.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the Speaker and the Majority Leader in recognizing the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

First, I want to applaud you, Mr. Speaker, for making history today as the first American with disabilities to preside over this distinguished body. It is a truly inspiring sight and a reminder that the disabled are, of course, among the most active and functional members of our society. It is also a testament to the historic measure we are celebrating today.

I also want to commend my friend from Maryland, the Majority Leader, who I know played a leading role in making this legislation a reality, and in ensuring that we come together across the aisle when necessary to make certain it continues to fulfill its original mission.

Before the Americans with Disabilities Act, nowhere in the world was there a comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities.

In the medical community, people with disabilities are called ``HANDY-CAPABLE'' because they strive and succeed in the face of great personal obstacles.

There was a time, however, when that courage alone could not get them into their hometown theatres to see a movie, or their office buildings to apply for a job and provide for their families.

Those wrongs were corrected on July 26, 1990 when President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law on the South Lawn of the White House.

On that day, President Bush noted that it was roughly a year after the Berlin Wall came down and said that this legislation ``takes a sledgehammer to another wall, one which has for too many generations separated Americans with disabilities from the freedom they could glimpse, but not grasp.''

For too long, our Nation kept Americans with disabilities dependent when all they yearned for was independence. The Americans with Disabilities Act has given them the tools to do just that--to quench their thirst for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It has changed the lives of millions, and it will continue to do so for generations to come.

Madam Speaker, while I'm concerned about why this critical troop funding bill was delayed, I am pleased the House is finally focused on meeting the most pressing needs of our troops and our Nation. I told the president three months ago that Republicans would work with him to pass a clean troop funding bill through Congress.

Unfortunately, this funding was delayed for months while Democrats sought to add billions in unnecessary, unrelated spending to the bill. This is unacceptable, especially when we're borrowing 41 cents of every dollar we spend from our kids and grandkids.

As we vote today, we should take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices our troops and their families have made, and continue to make, in Iraq and Afghanistan. For nine years, we have asked our troops to leave their families and risk their lives to advance freedom abroad and protect our security at home. They have met every challenge presented to them, and continue pushing themselves every day to carry out a long, difficult, and dangerous mission.

As our troops continue their fight, it is imperative that Congress provide the resources they need, and remain committed to supporting them in the mission we have sent them on.

Denying terrorists a safe haven in Afghanistan is critical to the safety and security of our country. Going forward, I hope we will focus our attention on supporting our troops in a timely manner and promoting our long-term national security at home and abroad.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the Speaker and the majority leader in recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

First I want to applaud you, Mr. Speaker, for making history today as the first American with disabilities to preside over this distinguished body. It's truly an inspiring sight and a reminder that the disabled are, of course, among the most active and functional members of our society. And it's a testament to the historic measure that we're celebrating today.

I also want to congratulate my colleague, Mr. Hoyer, the majority leader, who I know played a key role in making this legislation a reality, along with other colleagues from the other body and retired, along with Mr. Sensenbrenner.

But really I want to thank all of you for ensuring that we come together, across the aisle when necessary, to make certain that this act fulfills its original mission.

Before the Americans with Disabilities Act, nowhere in the world was there a comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities.

In the medical community, people with disabilities are called ``handi-capable'' because they strive and succeed in the face of great personal obstacles.

There was a time, however, when courage alone was not enough to get them into their hometown theaters to see a movie or into office buildings to apply for a job, much less to provide for their families. Those wrongs were corrected on July 26, 1990, when President George Herbert Walker Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law on the South Lawn of the White House.

On that day President Bush noted that it was roughly a year after the Berlin Wall came down and said that this legislation ``takes a sledge hammer to another wall, one which has for too many generations separated Americans with disabilities from the freedom they could glimpse, but not grasp.''

For too long our Nation has kept Americans with disabilities dependent, when they all yearned for independence. And the Americans with Disabilities Act has given them the tools to do just that, to quench their thirst for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It has changed the lives of millions, and will do so for many, many generations to come.

I thank the Speaker for yielding.

On this day 20 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act became law. And to the majority leader, who played a big role in making that happen, and Mr. Sensenbrenner and other Members, I want to say congratulations to all of you.

And congratulations to those who, through no fault of their own, have had their capacities limited.

And to our colleague from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), it's on behalf of the millions of Americans who have been helped by the Americans with Disabilities Act, we too want to congratulate you for the great honor that you have the ability today to be the first person with disabilities to sit in the Speaker's chair. Congratulations.

Mr. Speaker, the American people are asking, ``Where are the jobs?''

And just this morning we found out that housing starts fell in the month of June to the lowest level in 8 months. Consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level in the last 11 months.

We need to get Americans back to work, and we need to get American businesses back open again. But we're not going to get there if the President continues to take money and freedom away from American employers, whether it's through the stimulus bill, ObamaCare, the national energy tax, or this financial regulatory bill.

With 3 million jobs lost, unemployment at 9\1/2\ percent, and with trillion-dollar deficits, it's clear to everyone except the President that his big government agenda is not working.

We need to cut spending now in order to help create jobs in America. But we have no budget to clean up the mess. We have no plan to move free trade agreements that could create millions of American jobs. And we have no plan to stop the largest tax increase in history for American families and small businesses.

Republicans are listening, through America Speaking Out, and offering better solutions that will limit the size of this government and empower small businesses across our country.

I want to thank my colleague for yielding and say to my colleagues that the President, on February 1, sent up a supplemental spending request to fund our activities for our troops and the State Department in Afghanistan. For 5 months, this Chamber has wallowed around trying to find a way to bring this bill to the floor. And look how we've done it.

We have a rule that provides for the consideration of the supplemental that self-executes a lot of wasteful spending here in Washington right into the rule itself. But if that isn't bad enough, there are four amendments made in order. If any of those amendments were to fail, it's as if the House has not even considered the bill. It's as though this debate that we're having right now had never even happened.

How could such a rule providing for the consideration of an important supplemental spending bill have in there this escape clause that if we don't get our way on all of these amendments, then this really didn't happen? This is supposed to be the greatest legislative body in the history of the world and we're treating it like a bunch of kids in a sandbox. I, frankly, think it's disgraceful.

Beyond what the rule does in terms of the consideration of the bill, it also deems the appropriation process to begin. And it outlines a number. We've tried for several months to pass a budget here in the House. But the budget resolution never reached the floor. There was never a debate and never an effort to actually come to grips with a fiscal crisis that's facing our country. And yet what are we going to do? We're going to authorize over a trillion dollars worth of new spending. No debate how to save money, no debate about the crisis that we're facing. We're just going to keep the spending spree alive.

This scheme-and-deem process that's included in this rule should be another reason that Members ought to think twice before they vote for this budget and vote for this rule. But I've got to tell you the worst thing that's going on here is that the Secretary of Defense has asked for this money prior to July 4th because our troops in Afghanistan need the resources in order to succeed in their mission. Not only are we trying to pile all of this new spending on the backs of our troops, the fact is that if this rule were to pass, it guarantees that this bill will not get to the President before July 4th. If this rule passes, which self-executes all of this extra spending into it, it will automatically have to go to the United States Senate, where how long it will be there, who knows. But all I can say is that the troops that are out there fighting for the defense of our country, trying to preserve the security for our country for today and tomorrow, are going to be left wanting because of the political chicanery that's going on here in this House. I think this is disgraceful. I really do.

I promised the President 2 months ago that if they brought a clean supplemental spending bill to the floor of the House, I and my Republican colleagues would be there to help the President pass it. He heard me loud and clear. He looked at the Senate Republican leader and said, Well, what do you think about this? He said, I'm with Boehner.

We promised the President we would help pass this bill. But, no, there was never any reaching out, never any working together to try to make sure that our troops had what they needed in a timely fashion. No, the only way we can bring this bill up was to load it up with tens of billions of dollars of new spending--just more stimulus spending that hasn't worked over the last year and a half, and this additional spending is just going to be thrown on the backs of our kids and grandkids.

Mr. Speaker, I think our colleagues tonight should do the right thing. I think they should stand up and say ``no'' to this rule. Let's say ``yes'' to a fairer process and to a process that will get our troops the funds that they need in a timely fashion, which is now. If we defeat this rule, you can bet that the supplemental spending bill, without all these other add-ons, will be on the floor of this house. And I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that I and my Republican colleagues will gladly vote for a clean supplemental to support our troops.

Mr. Speaker, the legislation before us fails the American people.

Americans have suffered through a financial meltdown. A serious financial meltdown that destroyed millions of jobs and wiped out the savings of millions of American families. A devastating meltdown that slowed our economy, and raised new doubts about whether it's even possible any longer to pursue the American Dream.

The legislation before us will do nothing to prevent it from happening to the American people again.

The fact of the matter is, the financial meltdown was triggered by government mortgage companies, giving too many high-risk loans to people who couldn't afford them. And it was the policies of the leadership of this Congress that allowed it to happen.

This legislation will do nothing--nothing--to fix those mistakes.

The bill is more than 2,000 pages long.

That in and of itself is an outrage. Haven't we learned our lesson yet? Any bill produced by this Congress that is 2,000 pages long can't possibly be good for jobs, or freedom, or our economy.

In those 2,000 pages, there is not a single reform made to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, the government mortgage companies at the heart of the meltdown.

Mr. Speaker, this is not reform. It's more of the same.

This is not change. It's the status quo.

It's a sham.

Things could have been different. We could be here today passing a bipartisan bill to reform government-sponsored enterprises like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mae. Republicans, led by Spencer Bachus, offered such a proposal.

Instead of reforming Fannie and Freddie, we're doing this 2,000 page monstrosity that will destroy jobs.

Mr. Speaker, what are we thinking? What are we doing?

Today the president of the United States was in Wisconsin. He gave remarks there chastising Republicans for our objections to this bill. He suggested those who oppose the legislation before us are ``out of touch.''

The American people are tired of the rhetoric. They want solutions.

What's ``out of touch'' are politicians who care more about elections and campaign ads than they do about solutions.

What's ``out of touch'' are politicians who pass 2,000 page bills that will destroy jobs, at a time when 1 in every 10 Americans from our workforce is out of work.

What's ``out of touch'' are politicians who believe it's OK to force responsible Americans to use their tax dollars to subsidize irresponsible behavior.

Under this bill, Americans will have no choice but to keep on subsidizing the irresponsible behavior that got America into this mess.

There is no reform to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. There's just 2,000 new pages of bigger government, private sector mandates, and unintended consequences.

The American people are sick and tired of it.

Mr. Speaker, when are we going to stop forcing responsible American citizens to subsidize irresponsible behavior?

When are we going to stop passing massive bills that destroy jobs?

When are we going to start working on real solutions to the challenges facing this country?

Apparently, not today.

I urge my colleagues--vote ``no'' on this job-killing bill, and let's get to work on a real reform bill that will fix the problems that led to the financial meltdown.

I want to thank my colleague for yielding.

``Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech.''

We all know that that is part of our First Amendment to the Constitution. It is first for a reason, because freedom of speech is the basis for our democracy, but today, the majority wants to pass a bill restricting speech, violating that very First Amendment to the Constitution. Oh, no, they don't want to restrict it for everyone. They want to use their majority here in the House to silence their political opponents, pure and simple, for just one election.

Is there any other explanation for this bill? Is there any other reason why, under this bill, small businesses will get muffled, but big businesses are going to be fine? Labor unions, they're not going to have to comply with this. They are exempted from this. They are going to get their rights protected.

Why is the National Rifle Association protected but not the National Right to Life organization? Obviously, no one wants to answer.

The National Rifle Association is carved out of this bill, and they get a special deal. Now, the NRA is a big defender of the Second Amendment of the Constitution--the right to bear arms. Yet they think it's all right to throw everybody else under the table, so they can get a special deal, while requiring everyone else to comply with all of the rules outlined in this bill. Frankly, I think it is disappointing.

Why does the Humane Society of America get to speak freely but not the national Farm Bureau? Why does AARP get protected under this bill, but if you belong to 60 Plus, no, you've got to comply with all of this?

Since the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the First Amendment, Democrats here have maintained their bill would apply equally across the board to corporations, to labor unions, and to advocacy organizations alike. Instead, they have produced a bill that is full of loopholes, designed to help their friends while silencing their political opponents.

We in this House take an oath to preserve, to protect, and to defend our Constitution. Anyone who votes for this bill today, I'll tell you, is violating the oath that they took when they became Members of this organization.

Madam Speaker, Thomas ``Lud'' Ashley was a tireless public servant who ably served Ohio and our nation for more than a quarter century.

A World War II veteran, Lud was raised in Toledo in a family with deep Ohio roots and a strong sense of patriotism. Lud's brother William was killed in an army training accident in 1944. His great grandfather, James Ashley, represented Toledo and Ohio's 9th Congressional District as a Republican during the Civil War era, co-authoring the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery.

As a member of Congress, Lud added to his great-grandfather's legacy, helping pass the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, along with fellow Ohio Republican Congressman Bill McCulloch. Lud was also a strong advocate for the Toledo area. To this day he is remembered for his role in securing federal support to build the Port of Toledo into one of the nation's key hubs for trade and industry.

Though an unabashed Democrat, Lud was well-liked and respected on both sides of the aisle. That George H.W. Bush would count him among his best life-long friends certainly speaks to Lud's character. Lud will be missed, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

Mr. Speaker, this is the first time in my 20 years here that I have seen the Speaker lobbying from the podium.

Let me welcome all of my colleagues here to the Capitol today. There are a good number of you. I would hope that some of you would work to get more of your colleagues to come back for what really is a very special day, and we, on a bipartisan basis, really do welcome you and glad to see many of you. Some of you, this is the only day of the year I get to see; others I get to see a little more often, like these two over here.

To Bill Gray, congratulations. Bill Gray has spent a lifetime of service to his country, whether it was the years that he spent here, the years that he spent with a number of organizations where he has provided exemplary service, and I am very pleased that Bill is being honored today by all of you. He and I had a chance to serve together. I was a young pup, he was one of the senior leaders in the other party, but we still always had an opportunity to talk to one another.

As all of you know, we continue, as Steny said, to face big challenges, and what is really of interest to me and I'm sure to Steny is the political rebellion that is going on in America today. I have never seen anything like this. When you look at what is happening, we've got people who have been driven off the couch, off their easy chair, away from their TV, and into the streets protesting what their government is doing. The result of this, we will see what happens in November, but it really is--there's nothing short of a political rebellion going on in the country, something like I have never seen in my lifetime. It is creating more challenges for the Members that are here and clearly will create challenges for candidates on both sides of the aisle as we get into November.

Let me just once again say thank you for being here. Anytime that we can be of service to all of you, we would certainly like to do that.

Mr. Speaker, the House is 2 months late in passing a budget. In that time, unemployment has remained nearly 10 percent, and the national debt has now exceeded $13 trillion. Last week, I gave the President a letter signed by more than 100 top economists from around the country that urges both parties to cut spending now in order to create jobs and boost our economy. Less spending, more jobs, it really is just that simple.

But the President responded Saturday night with a letter asking for another $50 billion in stimulus bailout money. Without specifying where this money would come from, the President asked us to be patient with his administration for its continuing job-killing spending spree.

This money comes from our kids and grandkids who this year are going to get stuck with 43 cents out of every dollar the Federal Government spends. The debt is going to be laid on them.

The American people are shouting at the top of their lungs: Stop, and stop now. They are making their voices heard through YouCut, where more than 830,000 votes have already been cast to cut spending.

And today, on America Speaking Out, Paul Ryan has posted a plan to cut spending now and to reduce the budget deficit. You can visit AmericaSpeakingOut.com right now and check out these ideas and vote on them in order to cut spending quickly.