Floor Statements

Would the gentlewoman yield?

And with my 30 seconds, I invite Ms. Jackson Lee to refer to page 14 of this bill. She may not be aware that this legislation gives control over Texas' education funding to the Federal Government and, in fact, will force tax increases and spending increases in Texas, and that this has never been done before for any State in the Union. And I want to make sure that she is aware of this provision that says that Texas cannot spend any less money on education than we are spending in the fiscal year 2011, which is going to include some stimulus money and result in tax increases for Texas, giving the Federal Government control over Texas' education spending. Was she aware of that?

Is my colleague from Texas aware that this provision strips the Texas Legislature and the people of Texas of the power to make decisions at the State level?

Mr. Speaker, one of the bedrock principles upon which this government was created was to provide for the common defense. Yet this Democrat majority was asked 5 months ago by the President to provide funding for the war.

It's been 35 days since the United States Senate passed a straightforward, simple funding bill for the war, which all of us on the Republican side would have voted for without objection to support our men and women in the field. Yet today we've only got 90 minutes of debate for it.

The United States, the public, the American people have only seen this bill since 11 this morning.

I serve on the Appropriations Committee, none of the Republican members of this committee, none of the Republican staff members were included in the drafting of this bill. The United States of America, particularly our troops in the field, deserve far better than this.

Is it any wonder that the public does not trust the government? Is it any wonder a tsunami is building that will sweep out this liberal majority in November and elect a constitutional conservative majority committed to fiscal responsibility, committed to preservation of our Constitution, committed to preservation of the States' rights to control something as fundamental as education spending?

On Page 14 of this bill, which no one saw until 11 today, the State of Texas is stripped of its sovereign authority to control education spending. It's given--for the first time in this Nation's history, control over education spending in a sovereign State of the Union is given to the Federal Government by an amendment no one saw until 11 today, that the liberal majority is prepared to vote for, which will result in the destruction of the 10th Amendment sovereign power of the people of Texas, in big tax increases and spending increases, because this language says we can't spend any less than was spent in 2011, an artificially high number that will include ``spendulus'' money, leading to property tax increases, statewide tax increases in Texas.

Why aren't we simply funding our troops in the field?

This is why you'll lose the majority in November.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dottie McLaughlin of United Space Alliance. On June 1, 2010, United Space Alliance will host a Retirement Dinner in Houston, Texas, honoring Dottie's exemplary career supporting America's Space Program.

Dottie began her career supporting human space flight on May 1, 1984 at the NASA Johnson Space Center as a secretary, in the Mission Operations Training Division. She rapidly progressed in the Rockwell Space Operations Company to the position of executive assistant to the president and general manager. In April 1996, all Space Shuttle contracts were transferred to United Space Alliance. Dottie was instrumental in supporting a smooth transition to the new company and the merger of a 10,000-person workforce from 30 different contracts over the next 14 years. Dottie has served as executive assistant to all seven of United Space Alliance's chief executive officers, from Kent Black to Virginia A. Barnes, and has earned the respect of all she has encountered in this journey. Dottie represents the heart and soul of United Space Alliance. With her passion for human space flight, she has poured her energy into the successes that the Space Shuttle program has enjoyed. Through the success of the Space Station construction missions, the two Returns to Flight shuttle missions and early phases of Constellation, Dottie's strength of character fortifies those around her. To many, she represents the very best of the human space flight workforce, and she exemplifies the dedication and commitment to excellence of all those who support our Nation's space program.

Dottie McLaughlin is committed to her country, her family and the welfare of the workers at United Space Alliance. Her passion for human space flight has earned her the deep respect of her colleagues in industry, NASA and the Congress. To quote Dottie, ``the most rewarding part of this job has always been the people. Helping the people, be they astronauts, technicians, politicians or fellow administrators, has fulfilled me in ways I could have never imagined. I am grateful for the role I have played in the Nation's space shuttle program over the years.''

I join Dottie McLaughlin's colleagues and friends in honoring her contribution and service to the Nation's space program.

Mr. Speaker and Members, born in Kentucky, Dr. William H. Smith has pastored Memorial Baptist Church in Arlington, Virginia, for the past 19 years. He preached his first sermon there on Father's Day, 1991, which was appropriate as he and his wife, Judy Bracewell Smith, who hails from my hometown of Houston, Texas, are the proud parents of Justin, a physician; Luke, a pastor; and Jason, a surgeon. His family also includes Justin's wife, Mairin, and their precious daughter, Adelaide, Bill and Judy's first grandchild. Bill's parents, Anna and Henry Smith, were powerful models of a Christian home for Bill and his brother, Andre. The students at the Leland Center for Theological Studies where he teaches biblical studies call him Professor. His granddaughter, Adelaide, calls him Pal. And I am proud to call him my teacher and friend.

May God bless you always, Bill and Judy.

Madam Speaker, I share Thomas Jefferson's belief that majority rule is ``the vital principle of republics,'' therefore I am opposed to passage of H.R. 2499, and respectfully request that my name be withdrawn as a co-sponsor. I was mistaken in co-sponsoring this bill because it is not apparent from the language of the bill that it allows Puerto Rico to decide its future by less than a majority vote. I have also learned that current law enables Puerto Rico to hold an election to determine their future at any time, so this law is redundant--and we already have far too many redundant unnecessary laws on the books. For these reasons I would ask that my name be withdrawn as a co-sponsor of this bill.

Mr. Chair, I share Thomas Jefferson's belief that majority rule is ``the vita principle of republics,'' therefore I am opposed to passage of H.R. 2499: and respectfully request that my name be withdrawn as a co-sponsor. I was mistaken in co-sponsoring this bill because it is not apparent from the language of the bill that it allows Puerto Rico to decide its future by less than a majority vote. I have also learned that current law enables Puerto Rico to hold an election to determine their future at any time, so this law is redundant--and we already have far too many redundant unnecessary laws on the books. For these reasons I would ask that my name be withdrawn as a cosponsor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, the Democrat Congress and this President have presided over the biggest spending increases in American history, created more debt than any Congress in the history of the United States, and passed unprecedented tax increases, so it's not credible to claim they're cutting taxes.

And there's near unanimous opposition in this Congress to the President's proposal to cancel America's manned space program. What the President's proposing would be like privatizing the United States Navy.

Imagine if America had to call up a private contractor and ask if we could rent the aircraft carrier Harry Truman to go to the Red Sea for a week. That's what the President's proposing on the manned space program. That's why there's unanimous opposition.

And, Mr. Speaker, 27 astronauts and NASA leaders have joined together in a magnificent letter they published in the Orlando Sentinel on Sunday, that strongly urges the Congress to drop this misguided proposal that forces NASA out of human space operations for the foreseeable future. They said, Canceling NASA's human space operations, after 50 years of unparalleled achievement, makes America mediocre and will eliminate our leadership in space.

[From the Orlando Sentinel, Apr. 11, 2010]

Dear President Obama: America is faced with the near-

simultaneous ending of the Shuttle program and your recent

budget proposal to cancel the Constellation program. This is

wrong for our country for many reasons. We are very concerned

about America ceding its hard earned global leadership in

space technology to other nations. We are stunned that, in a

time of economic crisis, this move will force as many as

30,000 irreplaceable engineers and managers out of the space

industry. We see our human exploration program, one of the

most inspirational tools to promote science, technology,

engineering and math to our young people, being reduced to

mediocrity. NASA's human space program has inspired awe and

wonder in all ages by pursuing the American tradition of

exploring the unknown.

We strongly urge you to drop this misguided proposal that

forces NASA out of human space operations for the foreseeable

future.

For those of us who have accepted the risk and dedicated a

portion of our lives to the exploration of outer space, this

is a terrible decision. Our experiences were made possible by

the efforts of thousands who were similarly dedicated to the

exploration of the last frontier. Success in this great

national adventure was predicated on well defined programs,

an unwavering national commitment, and an ambitious

challenge. We understand there are risks involved in human

space flight, but they are calculated risks for worthy goals,

whose benefits greatly exceed those risks.

America's greatness lies in her people: she will always

have men and women willing to ride rockets into the heavens.

America's challenge is to match their bravery and acceptance

of risk with specific plans and goals worthy of their

commitment. NASA must continue at the frontiers of human

space exploration in order to develop the technology and set

the standards of excellence that will enable commercial space

ventures to eventually succeed. Canceling NASA's human space

operations, after 50 years of unparalleled achievement, makes

that objective impossible.

One of the greatest fears of any generation is not leaving

things better for the young people of the next. In the area

of human space flight, we are about to realize that fear;

your NASA budget proposal raises more questions about our

future in space than it answers.

Too many men and women have worked too hard and sacrificed

too much to achieve America's preeminence in space, only to

see that effort needlessly thrown away. We urge you to

demonstrate the vision and determination necessary to keep

our nation at the forefront of human space exploration with

ambitious goals and the proper resources to see them through.

This is not the time to abandon the promise of the space

frontier for a lack of will or an unwillingness to pay the

price.

Sincerely, in hopes of continued American leadership in

human space exploration.

Walter Cunningham, Apollo 7; Chris Kraft, Past Director

JSC; Jack Lousma, Skylab 3, STS3; Vance Brand, Apollo-

Soyuz, STS-5, STS-41B, STS-35; Bob Crippen, STS-1,

STS-7, STS-41C, STS-41G, Past Director KSC; Michael D.

Griffin, Past NASA Administrator; Ed Gibson, Skylab 4;

Jim Kennedy, Past Director KSC; Alan Bean, Apollo 12,

Skylab 3; Alfred M. Worden, Apollo 15; Scott Carpenter,

Mercury Astronaut; Glynn Lunney, Gemini-Apollo Flight

Director; Jim McDivitt, Gemini 4, Apollo 9, Apollo

Spacecraft Program Manager; Gene Kranz, Gemini-Apollo

Flight Director, Past Director NASA Mission Ops.; Joe

Kerwin, Skylab 2; Fred Haise, Apollo 13, Shuttle

Landing Tests; Gerald Carr, Skylab 4; Jim Lovell,

Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, Apollo 13; Jake Garn,

STS-51D, U.S. Senator; Charlie Duke, Apollo 16; Bruce

McCandless, STS-41B, STS-31; Frank Borman, Gemini 7,

Apollo 8; Paul Weitz, Skylab 2, STS-6; George Mueller,

Past Associate Administrator For Manned Space Flight;

Harrison Schmitt, Apollo 17, U.S. Senator; Gene Cernan,

Gemini 9, Apollo 10, Apollo 17; Dick Gordon, Gemini 11,

Apollo 12.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this flawed 4,700-page health care bill.

Announcement by the Speaker pro tempore.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleague and fellow Houstonian, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, in expressing our strong support for the fine men and women at NASA.

Our manned space program has preserved America's leadership in space, which has led to America's leadership in technology and in scientific advancement. The great men and women of NASA and of our manned space program have created in so many ways so many technological spin-offs that we must preserve America's leadership in space. We must preserve America's ability to protect the high ground. Unavoidably, the outer space today is the high ground militarily just as surely as Cemetery Hill and Little Round Top were at Gettysburg.

There is strong bipartisan support in this Congress to preserve America's manned space program and to oppose the recommendation--and that's what it is--of the Obama administration to close down America's space program. That is unacceptable. America will never surrender her leadership in the world, and we certainly will not surrender our leadership in outer space.

We are very proud of the men and women at NASA and in our manned space program, and we will be working together in a bipartisan way to preserve, protect and defend America's manned space program.

I would like to, if I could, ask Ms. Matsui, how long has the public had to read this bill? It is my understanding that this bill was posted on the Internet about 2\1/2\ hours ago. There was no committee hearing, and this contains approximately $15 billion in tax increases. I am committed to transparency. The Speaker says she is committed to transparency. Yet isn't it true that this bill has only been on the Internet, available for the public to read, for about 2\1/ 2\ hours, and there was no committee hearing on this legislation; is that correct?

I understand, and that is typically the rhetoric that we hear from the leadership is that this concept has been discussed, this idea has been discussed. But my question is: Has this specific piece of legislation had a full committee hearing, number one? And how long has this specific piece of legislation, this $15 billion tax increase, how long has this $15 billion tax increase been available for the public to read on the Internet? Isn't it true it has only been posted for about 2\1/2\ hours? It was posted at 9:30; is that correct, Ms. Matsui?

I yield to the gentlewoman from California.

Just confirming for the record, Madam Speaker, that once again this liberal leadership of the Congress is shutting out the American public, utterly untransparent, denying the American taxpayers the ability to read and see the legislation before the Congress. This $15 billion tax increase, Madam Speaker, has only been available for the American people to read for about 2\1/2\ hours. No committee hearing, no transparency, consistent with the cap-and-tax legislation, a 300-page amendment in the lobby, consistent with every major piece of legislation, the ``spendulus'' package, all of the other massive tax and spending increases that this liberal leadership and this new liberal President have pushed through Congress. You have shut out the American people. You have shut out the ability of we who represent them to debate the legislation, to offer amendments.

It is an affront to this great institution, the greatest democracy in the history of the world. You are denying the public a chance to participate. That's why you see the Tea Party rallies all over America. This is why there will be a tsunami this November to sweep out this liberal leadership, this tax-and-spend majority in Congress,

which is using up the good will that this President had when he came in as a new President. And I am just very disappointed, frankly, that this Congress, this Speaker, has not allowed the public to read important legislation.

Announcement By the Speaker Pro Tempore

Would the gentleman yield?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

My concern, if I could focus on the transparency of the process, these wonderful new technology tools, Mr. Chairman, and I know you are committed to transparency. You have run your committee that way. The concern we all have on behalf of the American taxpayers is that the bill has only been available for about 2\1/2\ hours.

I have called for legislation, and I think you are a coauthor of requiring bills to be laid out for 72 hours. And I understand the urgency of some of the provisions in here, but this is a $15 billion tax increase, Mr. Chairman, and my concern is that it was not posted on the Internet for the public to read but 2\1/2\ hours ago.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3326, the FY2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act:

Requesting Member: Congressman John Culberson

Bill Number: H.R. 3326

Account: Department of Defense, Air Force Research and Development, Test and Evaluation account.

Legal Name and Address of Requesting Entity: Rice University; 6100 Main Street, MS 603; Houston, TX 77005

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $3,200,000 to the Consortium for Nanomaterials for Aerospace Commerce and Technology, CONTACT, project to support nanotechnology research focused on four areas critical to the next generation of military power systems-- Adaptive and Responsive Materials, Nano Energetics, Sensors, and Power Generation and Storage.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Larry Kellner, chairman and chief executive officer of Continental Airlines Inc, the world's 5th largest airline. In May 2001, Larry Kellner was elected president of the airline and to the Board of Directors, and in March 2003, he was named president and chief operating officer. In December 2004, Mr. Kellner became chairman and chief executive officer, where he has promoted international growth at Continental Airlines and has fostered the company's unique culture, putting emphasis on strong internal communication and giving employees the tools to provide outstanding customer service.

Throughout Mr. Kellner's 14-year career at Continental, the company has won more awards for customer satisfaction than any other airline. In 2009, FORTUNE magazine ranked Continental the No. 1 airline on their annual airline industry list of ``Most Admired Global Companies'' for the 6th consecutive year. Continental Airlines also employs 41,000 system-wide and nearly 12,000 in Houston, Texas.

Prior to joining Continental, Mr. Kellner was executive vice president and chief financial officer of American Savings Bank, owned by The Robert M. Bass Group. Prior to that, he was executive vice president and chief financial officer of The Koll Company, a private real estate investment and construction firm.

Kellner graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of science in business administration from the University of South Carolina, where he served as Student Body President. In addition, the University of South Carolina presented him with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1998.

Mr. Kellner is active in numerous community and civic organizations. He currently serves on the board of directors for Marriott International and the Air Transport Association. On the civic front, he is a member of the board of directors for the Methodist Hospital, YMCA of Greater Houston, the Greater Houston Partnership, the Spring Branch Education Foundation, and Central Houston, Inc., and is a member of the Boy Scouts of America National Executive Board. Mr. Kellner also serves on the advisory boards of the March of Dimes and Teach for America, and is on the development board of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He resides in Houston with his wife, Susan, and their four children.

After more than 14 years at Continental Airlines and 5 years as its CEO, Mr. Kellner will leave the company at the end of 2009 and will head Emerald Creek Group, LLC, a new private investment firm based in Houston.

Congratulations to Larry Kellner for his many achievements throughout his career at Continental Airlines and the best of luck in his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I want us to slow down for just a minute and think about what is happening here today. The House is scheduled to vote today on a package of four massive bills, spending over $1.1 trillion hard-earned tax dollars that will be paid for by additional debt that our children must repay.

Worst of all, these bills were only posted on the Internet last night for the American people to see at about 11 o'clock, so literally 13 hours for the public, for the taxpayers, for the Members of Congress to read these bills spending over $1.1 trillion. And I've scouted around, Madam Speaker, and the only copy of the bill before us, the Defense bill, that anybody can find is the one up there on the Clerk's desk.

These bills were put up on the Internet 13 hours ago. They're not even outside in the House lobby. And it's always tradition that at an absolute minimum that Members of Congress would be able to physically read the bill outside in the lobby. But this is all I found: this empty box outside in the lobby is all we have before us today. And $1.1 trillion spent in a little over 12 hours. Why the rush? Why are we rushing to do this? So Speaker Pelosi can catch a plane to Copenhagen.

We're spending $1.1 trillion on top of the $6.7 trillion that this liberal majority has already spent this year. That means in the course of 12 months, this liberal majority in Congress has already spent in this House nearly $8 trillion in 12 months. It's unprecedented. It is unsupportable. It will bankrupt this Nation and crush our children under a burden of debt that they cannot possibly repay without crushing tax burdens and massive sacrifices. We may be the first generation in American history that leaves our children worse off than the world we inherited from our parents. It's just unacceptable and outrageous.

My colleague Representative Brian Baird and I, Madam Speaker, introduced legislation earlier this year to require the House to lay these bills out, every bill, for at least 72 hours before they can be voted on on the floor.

And I just would ask the Speaker a simple question: what's more important, giving the American people time to read these bills, to give the Members of Congress time to read these bills, or to catch an airplane to a global warming conference? That's really what's going on here today.

I would ask Speaker Pelosi in all sincerity, Madam Speaker, please cancel your flight. Give the American people time to read these spending bills.

It's time to stop forcing Congress to vote blind.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. Speaker, this debate today from every angle reminds me, once again, reinforces how proud I am to be a Texan and how proud I am to be a conservative Republican. Because the contrast is just astonishing, to think that today the Democratic President at the White House is holding a jobs summit and breakout sessions trying to figure out how to create jobs while his Democrat friends in Congress are creating a permanent death tax.

Raising taxes, once again, is the standard reaction of this majority that has controlled Congress since 2007. In my first year in 2001, I was here, proud to vote for the permanent repeal of the death tax, taking it to zero forever. The Democrats in the Senate prevented us from making that permanent by blocking it with 60 votes. And that is often a source of confusion. People need to remember, they often ask me, Why isn't the death tax repeal permanent? It is because Democrats in the Senate prevented us from getting 60 votes which was required to make it permanent. So we were stuck with this 10-year window.

And the reaction of the Democrat majority in Congress today is to create a permanent death tax and try to pitch it as a ``tax reduction.'' It's absurd. It's sad. It illustrates clearly how blind the Democrat majority is to the fundamental truths of job creation. We in Texas understand that to create jobs you cut taxes. You pass tort reform to prevent frivolous lawsuits. We brought doctors into Texas by giving doctors medical malpractice caps and limits on lawsuits against doctors. People from all over the country have moved to Texas because of the number of jobs that we create with a low-tax environment and with litigation reform.

Mr. Speaker, these are self-evident truths. You create jobs by cutting taxes, by protecting businesses from excessive litigation and regulation. This is why I'm again reminded why I'm so proud to be a conservative Republican. I try not to use that word often. But today it illustrates why we are going to have a revolution next year. In 2010, there is going to be a revolution at the ballot box, and we will have a conservative majority in this House because of votes like this to raise taxes.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, for the first time in American history, foreign soldiers captured on foreign battlefields are being given U.S. constitutional rights. The bigger issue for me and my constituents and the people of Texas, what outrages us most about these terrorists being tried in New York, is that now for the first time, this administration and this liberal Congress are giving U.S. constitutional rights to foreign soldiers captured on foreign battlefields.

They are going to lawyer up at taxpayer expense. They are going to all ask for every constitutional right that a regular U.S. criminal defendant gets, and they are going to get off on technicalities. Now think about that for a minute. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and these terrorists are going to be freed on technicalities.

No U.S. soldier should be held to the same standard as a police officer on the streets of New York. It's wrong. It violates our core principles as a Nation, and it endangers our military. We cannot give U.S. constitutional rights to enemy soldiers captured on foreign battlefields, especially these murderers, these terrorists held at Guantanamo.