Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,939,232,547,985.08.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,300,806,801,691.28 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,868,218,296,426.05.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,229,792,550,132.25 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,868,218,296,426.05.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,229,792,550,132.25 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,863,312,407,851.35.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,224,886,661,557.55 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice and laid down his life for our freedom: United States Army Private First Class David A. Drake.

Private First Class Drake enlisted in the United States Army in January 2011. In the Army, he served as a combat engineer, leading from the front with his unit, the 515th Engineer Company, 5th Engineer Battalion, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, and deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On September 28, 2011, he gave his life in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, conducting operations against the enemy.

David is remembered not only for his heroics on the battlefield, but for the tremendous impact he had on his family, friends, and his community. His brother recalls David's absolute devotion to others in describing why he joined the Army. ``For him, it was pride in serving our country, serving the people, keeping our freedom.'' His character and patriotism are an example for us all.

Private First Class David Andrew Drake personifies the honor and selflessness of service in the United States Army. His bravery and dedication to duty will not be forgotten. As a Marine Corps combat veteran, my deepest sympathies go out to his family, his fellow soldiers, and to all who knew him.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,860,324,039,615.03.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,221,898,293,321.23 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the most important element of our democracy is the reverence our people and government have for the rule of law. I stand here today because I am dismayed at the State Department's inaction in response to a Federal court ruling stating the DoS was incorrect in placing the MEK on the terrorist watch list. This inaction damages the credibility of our executive branch as well its ability to faithfully execute the laws of this land.

More than 10 years ago, the State Department put Iran's most organized opposition on the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, FTO, in order to get the Iranian mullahs to cooperate with us. Not only has this policy failed to temper Iran's aggressive behavior, it has actually emboldened them. More importantly, the terror listing of the Iranian opposition has robbed people of Iran of the political space needed to effectively oppose the regime within Iran and in the global arena.

Our allies in the UK and EU have removed the MEK from their banned organizations list. The DC Circuit Federal Appeals Court has also ordered our government to reexamine its evidence on the MEK and undertake a fresh review of their case. The 10th Circuit stated that the State Department had not shown that the MEK had been engaged or had the intent to engage in terrorist activities which is a requirement to being designated as an FTO. Ninety-five Members of Congress and I have agreed with the court decision and co-sponsored H. Res. 60 to urge the Secretary of State to remove the MEK as an FTO and lift all restrictions.

As such, I would therefore like to ask the folks in State Department a simple question: Why has the department, after more than 500 days of deliberation failed to faithfully comply with the Federal court order?

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to end all U.S. economic aid to Pakistan and to suspend all U.S. military aid until the Obama administration can certify to Congress that the Government of Pakistan is effectively using the aid against the Taliban and other al Qaeda affiliates that are planning and executing attacks on U.S. targets.

My legislation will send a clear signal to the Government of Pakistan that they can't have it both ways. They can't be stridently anti- American and expect U.S. economic aid to continue and they can't be complicit in supporting some of the same radical Islamists groups that target Americans and expect to receive more U.S. military aid.

There is a growing pattern of incidents whereby elements within the Pakistani government are blocking cooperation between the U.S. and Pakistan and are providing covert support to some of the same organizations that are targeting U.S. troops and their coalition allies fighting in Afghanistan.

Recently, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, testified to Congress and accused Pakistan's intelligence agency of providing strategic support for the Haqqani network, which the U.S. blames for the recent attack on the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan. In his testimony, Admiral Mullen said, ``The support of terrorism is part of their national strategy. . . . And that's got to fundamentally shift.''

My legislation would immediately suspend all military aid to Pakistan until the Obama administration can certify that the Government of Pakistan is fully cooperating with the U.S. and is effectively using U.S. military aid in conducting operations against the Taliban, al Qaeda, and the other radical Islamic organizations engaged in terrorist operations.

I don't think that other legislation in this area goes far enough. I believe that the U.S. economic aid Pakistan receives is a complete waste of U.S. tax dollars because it hasn't done anything to improve the U.S./Pakistani relationship, as intended. Instead, the relationship has actually deteriorated despite the fact that the U.S. has increased assistance to the Government of Pakistan--which has received over $2 billion in economic aid over the last two years.

By cutting off all economic aid and suspending all military aid we will be sending a clear message to the Pakistani government that they are not to take our support for granted.

So long as we have troops fighting in Afghanistan, who need the supply lines that run through Pakistan, it would be irresponsible to immediately eliminate all military aid to Pakistan. I do believe that the Pakistani military is capable of effectively using the aid to help defeat some of the same radical Islamic forces that U.S. troops are fighting, who cross from Pakistan to the Afghan side of the border.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,856,859,498,405.73.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $ 4,218,433,752,111.93 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,837,099,271,196.71.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,198,673,524,902.91 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,790,340,328,557.15.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,151,914,582,263.35 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, as we today approve a continuing resolution at a non-emergency spending level equivalent to $1.043 trillion, and additional War Funding at an annualized rate of $119 billion, our national debt is $14,707,406,820,591.87 trillion.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10.63 trillion.

This means the national debt has increased by $4.07 trillion since then.

This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,726,790,407,953.74.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,088,364,661,659.94 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Mr. Speaker, today our national debt is $14,705,188,086,992.02.

On January 6, 2009, the start of the 111th Congress, the national debt was $10,638,425,746,293.80.

This means the national debt has increased by $4,066,762,340,698.22 since then. This debt and its interest payments we are passing to our children and all future Americans.

Madam Speaker, if our Nation's debt crisis has taught us anything, it's that we need a permanent fiscal solution to keep America the permanent land of the free for our children and grandchildren.

There is only one way to bind Congress to such a commitment, and that is a constitutional amendment requiring us to balance the budget. Ordinary spending cuts and pledges to slash the deficit are no longer sufficient.

Washington went on a record-breaking spending binge and left Americans in an economic hangover. New taxes, as some propose, would only punish the victim and reward the spenders with more money to waste. We need to stop spending money we don't have and begin living within our means. The future of our Nation depends on it.

A Washington promise is always temporary. A constitutional amendment is permanent. For the sake of tomorrow's generations, let's get it done today.