[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 7 (Thursday, January 21, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              LISTEN TO US

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bright) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday night the people in Massachusetts 
reiterated a message too often forgotten in Washington, that message 
being ``listen to us.'' I have heard this message for quite some time 
now as I go and travel throughout and across my district.
  People are fed up and angry, and they think that Congress and the 
White House are not listening to them. They think that Washington is 
moving in the wrong direction and is ignoring them altogether. As we 
say in Alabama, the Massachusetts election was a bell ringer, and 
leadership needs to listen to that bell ringing.
  The current state of health care reform epitomizes their disgust. We 
can all agree that health care is a concern and needs to be reformed. 
But what good is health care reform if people don't have jobs, if they 
can't feed their children, they can't pay their mortgage, they can't 
pay their bills? I have heard this message from my constituents, and I 
know our primary focus must be on the economy and jobs.
  I am not alone in my opinions. Elected officials from across the 
country and across the political spectrum are hearing the same 
comments: Congress needs to focus on the economy; the health care bill 
is too massive; I don't like the process, are common refrains as I 
travel across my district.
  Closely rivaling Americans' concerns about the economy is their 
wariness of Federal spending. Too often in the past, Congress was not 
held accountable by the people, but trillion-dollar deficits as far as 
the eye can see have awoken them, and rightfully so. For our children's 
and grandchildren's sake, we must get our fiscal house in order.
  To be sure, these challenges are not easy to solve. Improving the 
economy in the middle of a budget crisis is a tall task, but we were 
sent here to Washington by the people to be their voice and tackle 
these immense challenges.
  There is plenty of blame to go around for our current condition. 
Democrats need to recognize that ambitious plans to address 
longstanding priorities such as health care, energy, and other spending 
initiatives must be postponed if the will of the people disagrees with 
this agenda. And Republicans must remember that they were in charge 
when hundreds of billions of dollars in deficits were common even when 
our economy experienced brighter days. History can't simply be swept 
under the rug.
  Without further blame on the part of either side, there are some 
simple solutions that will help solve some of these problems.
  First, we must reinstate statutory PAYGO. Statutory PAYGO budgeting 
rules were in place when we experienced record budget surpluses in the 
late 1990s. PAYGO rules are the only proven way for Congress to keep 
spending in check.
  Second, we should pass a fiscal budget commission, and pass it 
cleanly. This commission will force Congress to act on legislation to 
reduce excessive long-term government spending and support for some 
kind of a fiscal spread across party lines. But, too often, leadership 
of both parties ignore these commonsense solutions. Let's come 
together, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans, to do the 
work of the people.
  In the coming months, leadership needs to heed the call of their own 
constituents and people around the country. They need to listen to the 
good ideas of people in both parties, and especially from the moderates 
who are willing to listen to and to work with the other side.
  Let's put our heads together and fix the economy while not breaking 
the bank. Let's find smart and innovative solutions, such as the 
America Works Act and the Small Business Start-Up Savings Account Act, 
that will help get our economy back on track. Let's help small 
businesses and focus on improving Main Street and not just Wall Street. 
Let's extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts to give families continued 
assurance that the Federal Government won't be asking any more from 
them in these troubled times.
  And while we are addressing these problems, let's get rid of some of 
the things that have divided us in the past. Let's stop using harsh 
partisan language and rhetoric that serves little purpose other than to 
undermine the faith that the American people have in both parties.
  Let's sit down and thoroughly debate issues and not rush to pass a 
bill simply for the sake of doing something. Let's open the doors to 
the public so the public can see the legislative process.
  And, finally, let's stay focused on the issues for which we have a 
real mandate: improving the economy and creating jobs.
  These are lessons we should all take away from what the people, our 
constituents, are saying. I hope the leadership and the White House are 
listening today. It is not too late to change course, but we can't 
continue down our current path. The people are saying, Listen to us. 
And I certainly hope our leadership will heed that call before it is 
too late.

                          ____________________