Floor Statements

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, we are here today, taking a step forward towards a simple goal--to save innocent lives from abortion and to make sure no woman ever has to make that decision to end the life of her child. We all know that this is more than just some debate or social disagreement. These are human beings we are talking about.

This is about pregnant mothers facing hardship and tough choices. It is about a culture of telling people that human life is expendable. But most importantly, this is about human beings--more than 56 million children since Roe v. Wade--who have been denied a chance to live. We are here today for them, to make sure every person has the most fundamental right of all: the right to life.

Today, on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade and during the March for Life, the House will vote on a bill to stop all Federal funding from being used to pay for abortion. At the very least, the American people should never be forced to pay for abortions or abortion coverage with their tax dollars.

I urge my colleagues to stand with the hundreds of thousands of people out on The Mall right now by voting for this bill. Stand up and commit to creating an America that values every life, especially the lives of innocents who cannot stand up for themselves.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the House will meet at noon for morning hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m. On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning hour and noon for legislative business. On Wednesday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes for the week are expected around noon. On Thursday and Friday, no votes are expected.

The House will consider a number of bipartisan suspensions next week to combat human trafficking. A complete list will be announced at close of business today.

In addition, the House will consider H.R. 351, authored by Representative Bill Johnson. This bipartisan bill will expedite liquefied natural gas exports to our allies. In order to boost our economy here at home and encourage global energy security, we must help clear the backlog of export applications currently pending at the Department of Energy, and I thank the gentleman from Ohio for sponsoring this important bill.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, the House will consider H.R. 399, the Secure Our Borders First Act, authored by Chairman McCaul, which requires the Department of Homeland Security to achieve operational control of our border. The bill also ensures that we are using the latest technologies to assist with border enforcement and takes the commonsense step of allowing greater access to the border region--specifically, Federal lands--to Customs and Border Patrol officers.

I thank the gentleman.

Yes, that is accurate.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I listened very closely to you, but I think we have two different experiences. I watched on the day of swearing in we had Hire More Heroes. Every single Member on both sides of the aisle voted for it. That was bipartisan.

I watched, Mr. Speaker, bringing up a bill from Mr. Fitzpatrick, where we had a bipartisan vote just a few months before, and the reason we brought it back--committees were not organized yet, we were just in--so we grabbed a bipartisan bill, but many Members on the other side of the aisle--and we had it on suspension--changed their vote just in a month before, but we were able to pass that, again, bipartisan.

Earlier, in asking me what would come to the floor next week, you heard me say 12 bipartisan bills on suspension that deal with human trafficking.

You bring up the border bill. It has been noticed for a week-- remember, we have been here for 2 weeks--it has been marked up in committee where both sides late into the night got to debate, where Members on both sides of the aisle got to express their opinions and their amendments the way the system should work.

We have noticed that today, more than 72 hours of why it will go up on Wednesday and not Friday, both sides have their retreats. We already had ours. We left that Wednesday, yours going through there. So there has been more notice. There has been clear debate. There has been bipartisan bills here.

I have no problem or qualm with a difference of philosophical opinion. The problem I have is when we misstate what history has shown.

You asked me about the rule. Bringing up the bill, I will leave the type of the rule that will accompany the bill up to the Rules Committee and Chairman Sessions. I do expect, though, a robust debate and look forward to consideration participation on both sides of the aisle.

If the gentleman will yield?

I expect the type of rule--and I leave that up to the Rules Committee and Chairman Sessions--but I do expect to have debate from both sides of the aisle.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

As the gentleman knows, committees have jurisdiction. The Rules Committee is where you decide what rules comes forward. Chairman Sessions and those in the Rules Committee will take that up. As soon as a decision is made, we will notify every Member of the House.

If the gentleman will yield, I didn't even hear you bring it up when you say we weren't bipartisan.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

We have made no decisions on February and notification yet, but as soon as we do, we will give ample time for all to know.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

First, I want to thank the gentleman. If you quoted my book, I hope you bought it, so I thank you for that. Proceeds went to help the veterans.

I listened to what the gentleman said. As the gentleman knows, any new Congress, when you start, the committees are just beginning to organize. That is why, when we look to legislation, we look to those that the American public wanted.

You had brought up Keystone. Twenty-eight Members on your side of the aisle voted for it. I would consider that bipartisan. You have a large majority of Americans who want it and waited 5 years.

I know you bring up that we had a debate on the border, but we just now organized, and we were just now sworn in, but they have been debating this issue for quite some time.

It is our intention to run this House in a very open manner. I have been here when it has not been, and just as we said in our book, I think the American public wins when we go through regular order and we have greater transparency. I look forward to working with the gentleman as we progress throughout the term.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet on Monday, January 26, 2015, when it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the message of the President be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered printed.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 10 o'clock and 21 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, January 21, 2015, at 10 a.m., for morning-hour debate.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, when the President was asked about his deportation policy early in 2013, President Obama said:

I am the President of the United States of America. I am

not the emperor of the United States. My job is to execute

laws that are passed.

Mr. Chairman, a few days earlier he said:

I am not a king. I am the head of the executive branch of

government. I am required to follow the law.

Twenty-two times, Mr. Chairman, the President said he couldn't ignore immigration law and create new laws by himself. But now, Mr. Chairman, President Obama has done exactly what he said he could not do. What changed between then and now? Nothing. Our Constitution is exactly the

same, and Congress still retains the sole power to legislate.

Mr. Chairman, Presidents do not have the right to rewrite any law in any instance. This fact is explicitly clear in regards to immigration. Actually, when it comes to immigration, the Supreme Court stated:

Over no conceivable subject is the legislative power of

Congress more complete.

This is not a battle between Democrats and Republicans or a battle between pro-immigration and anti-immigration. It doesn't matter whether, Mr. Chairman, you like the results of what the President did or not. This is about resisting the assault on democratic government and protecting the constitutional separation of powers.

Let me be clear. This bill funds the entire Department of Homeland Security, so that is not an issue here. So when we vote today, there is only one question to ask: Do we weaken our Constitution by allowing the Executive to legislate, or do we defend the most fundamental laws of our democracy? There is no middle ground.

Section 2:

``The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second year by the people of the several States, and the electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislature.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, as we stand on the floor debating a bill to approve the Keystone pipeline, we all need to admit that we shouldn't be doing this. We should not have to be here today.

It is 2,303 days after the application for Keystone was first submitted to the State Department. We shouldn't be debating it; we should be building it.

For years, approval has been stuck in the Senate. Well, now the Senate is open. The Senate is changed. It moved through committee.

Mr. Speaker, for the longest time, the President hid behind the lengthy and delayed review process saying he wanted to wait to make a decision. He said he was waiting because of environmental and legal considerations. But Keystone won't harm the environment; it will help protect it. The people know that. Mr. Speaker, the President knows that.

Mr. Speaker, the President, before we even started the debate today, has submitted a threat of a veto. I take these seriously as a majority leader, so I wanted to read it. Mr. Speaker, one of the rationales why the President wants to veto it is because this bill also authorizes the project, despite uncertainty due to ongoing litigation in Nebraska. Well, hallelujah. We have good news for the President, Mr. Speaker. The Nebraska Supreme Court solved that problem for him today.

So we should move forward just as we have done before on a bipartisan basis.

Why? Because of 42,000 jobs. Those are American jobs created here, an economy continuing to move forward.

And rest assured, the oil in Canada will be produced. The question before us today: Will that oil move down through America, refined in American refineries, built by American women and men, or will it go to a whole other continent?

We take up many issues here on this floor, but we have to look to the future and we have to build for a strong future. I want North America to be energy independent. We all know the strength of that. I want an environmentally sound way to do it. Today does it.

I listened to the President's concerns, Mr. Speaker. We have had 2,303 days. We have studied it. Our departments have studied it. They have come back and said, environmentally, we are safe. There was a legal concern. Well, the Supreme Court dealt with that.

So today we can join together, just as we have done before, in a bipartisan manner and pass this bill. There is a change in the Senate with an open process. They can pass it there, and it can go to the desk and be signed so 42,000 Americans can get back to work.

I thank my friend for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the House will meet at noon for morning-hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m. On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning-hour and noon for legislative business. On Wednesday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes of the week are expected around noon. On Thursday and Friday, no votes are expected.

Mr. Speaker, the House will consider a number of suspensions next week, a complete list of which will be announced by close of business today.

In addition, the House will consider H.R. 186, the Regulatory Accountability Act, authored by Chairman Goodlatte. This bipartisan bill will modernize the regulatory process, ensure transparency, and reduce overly burdensome costs that are hurting job creators across the country.

The House will also consider H.R. 37, the Promoting Job Creation and Reducing Small Business Burdens Act, authored by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Representative Fitzpatrick, which includes bipartisan reforms to reduce red tape and ensure that small businesses have access to the capital they need to grow.

Finally, the House is expected to consider legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security and respond to the President's unconstitutional executive action.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

The base bill will reflect the Appropriations Committee's bipartisan, bicameral negotiations on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the text of which will be available later today. And to answer the question, yes, the funding level will be at that.

We also will consider a series of amendments which respond to the President's executive action, and I expect the text of those will be available a little later today.

That is correct.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I anticipate the Rules Committee meeting on Monday.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

As the gentleman knows, currently, the Department of Homeland Security is funded up until February 27. But as was noted, next week is the second week back in. And we are taking this up in the second week because I believe on both sides of the aisle, we care about the homeland, we care about our security, and this is something that has been worked on together. And inside this body, we have a constitutional responsibility to deal with those items that are germane, and we will deal with all the items that are germane.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

The gentleman is correct. We have 3-day weeks for retreats for the House on both sides of the aisle. And this year, the Republicans will be retreating with the Republicans in the Senate as well, leaving next Wednesday.

The House will be very active throughout January, focusing on bipartisan solutions that have been needlessly stuck in the Senate. As the gentleman knows, 382 bills did pass this House but got stuck in the Senate, and more than half of those actually were even passed by voice vote.

This will include a bill to expedite the Federal review process for natural gas pipeline permit applications and a bill to cut through red tape and ensure exports of liquefied natural gas to our allies.

As we get closer to consideration for each week, I assure the gentleman that a full list of bills coming before the House will be available for Members.

Well, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

In speaking to Chairman McCaul, he does want to move a bill, maybe towards later this month. I know he has a trip to the border with a number of Members. I know he would like to move the bill after that trip. So I anticipate a bill shortly. And as soon as we have a date, I will let the gentleman know.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet on Monday, January 12, 2015, when it shall convene at noon for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, we all know that the employer mandate has resulted in lost wages and jobs in America. That point is just not debatable anymore. Numerous studies have said so and the Congressional Budget Office. Businesses are now reacting to ObamaCare's perverse incentive and scaling down.

But the impact of this mandate isn't on paper; it is in the people across this country in each and every district who feel the pain of ObamaCare. In my district, Kern County, firefighters, Department of Mental Health, probation facilities have been forced to reduce hours of extra-help employees, and that is just in county government.

But you know who the employer mandate hurts most of all? Women,

small business owners, low-income and unskilled workers. But we have an opportunity today to do something about it, passing Representative Todd Young's Save the American Workers Act.

This bill is common sense. It is bipartisan. But the President has already threatened to veto it. The American people don't want that. They want to see solutions, not obstruction.

So, Mr. President, you say you care about those who have fallen on hard times. Show it; sign this bill.

You say you care about the youth of this country struggling with the debt and unable to find jobs. Show it; sign this bill.

You care about the low-income workers, about working women and small businesses. Show it, and sign this bill. Actions speak louder than words.

The employer mandate and ObamaCare as a whole are hurting the job market and are hurting America. Only a full repeal of this law will solve the problem. But this bill helps, and the President should sign it.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that during the 114th Congress, the Speaker, majority leader, and minority leader be authorized to accept resignations and to make appointments authorized by law or by the House.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that during the 114th Congress all Members be permitted to extend their remarks and to include extraneous material within the permitted limit in that section of the Record entitled ``Extensions of Remarks.''

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that during the first session of the 114th Congress:

(1) On legislative days of Monday or Tuesday when the House convenes pursuant to House Resolution 9, the House

shall convene 2 hours earlier than the time otherwise established by the resolution for the purpose of conducting morning-hour debate;

(2) on legislative days of Wednesday or Thursday when the House convenes pursuant to House Resolution 9, the House shall convene 2 hours earlier than the time otherwise established by the resolution for the purpose of conducting morning-hour debate;

(3) when the House convenes pursuant to an order other than House Resolution 9, the House shall convene for the purpose of conducting morning-hour debate only as prescribed by such order;

(4) the time for morning-hour debate shall be allocated equally between the parties and may not continue beyond 10 minutes before the hour appointed for the resumption of the session of the House; and

(5) the form of proceeding for morning-hour debate shall be as follows:

(a) the prayer by the Chaplain, the approval of the Journal and the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag shall be postponed until resumption of the session of the House;

(b) initial and subsequent recognitions for debate shall alternate between the parties;

(c) recognition shall be conferred by the Speaker only pursuant to lists submitted by the majority leader and by the minority leader;

(d) no Member may address the House for longer than 5 minutes, except the majority leader, the minority leader, or the minority whip;

(e) no legislative business shall be in order except the filing of privileged reports; and

(f) following morning-hour debate, the Chair shall declare a recess pursuant to clause 12(a) of rule I until the time appointed for the resumption of the session of the House; and

(6) the Speaker may dispense with morning-hour debate upon receipt of a notification described in clause 12(c) of rule I, or upon a change in reconvening pursuant to clause 12(e) of rule I, and notify Members accordingly.

Madam Speaker, your committee appointed on the part of the House to join a like committee on the part of the Senate to notify the President of the United States that a quorum of each House has been assembled and is ready to receive any communication that he may be pleased to make has performed that duty.