[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 42 (Saturday, March 20, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H1767-H1771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING AGRI-BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAMS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD FOR
THEIR EFFORTS IN WAR-TORN COUNTRIES
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 1075) commending the members of the Agri-
business Development Teams of the National Guard for their efforts,
together with personnel of the Department of Agriculture and the United
States Agency for International Development, to modernize agriculture
practices and increase food production in war-torn countries, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1075
Whereas the Agri-business Development Teams of the National
Guard began as a pilot program started in Missouri, and the
Missouri National Guard worked with the Missouri Farm Bureau
and the University of Missouri to draw a blueprint that could
be followed by other Army National Guard units;
Whereas the Agri-business Development Teams consist of
National Guard members who have a civilian background in
farming or a related agricultural business;
Whereas the Agri-business Development Teams now consist of
units from 11 States;
Whereas before deploying overseas, members of an Agri-
business Development Team collaborate with land-grant
universities, which spend weeks teaching and preparing
strategies for the farms to which the Agri-business
Development Team will deploy;
Whereas in Afghanistan, the goals of the Agri-business
Development Teams include improving irrigation systems and
providing sustainable methods for fertilizing, planting,
harvesting, marketing, and storing agricultural crops,
modernizing slaughter facilities, setting up markets to trade
crops and livestock, developing a juicing and canning
facility, and improving livestock health through mobile vet
clinics, all of which can help divert cropland from poppy
production;
[[Page H1768]]
Whereas the Agri-business Development Teams also are
partnering with the Department of Agriculture to have a
directory of 50-60 experts in a variety of agricultural areas
in Afghanistan; and
Whereas the Agri-business Development Teams have been quick
to use alternative energy sources, such as wind, solar, and
small water dams, which in the absence of a national energy
grid in Afghanistan are more reliable and easier to protect
from enemy attack: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives commends the
members of the Agri-business Development Teams of the
National Guard and the National Guard Bureau for their
efforts, together with personnel of the Department of
Agriculture and the United States Agency for International
Development, to modernize agriculture practices and increase
food production in war-torn countries.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Skelton) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1075, a resolution commending
the Agri-business Development Teams of the National Guard; and I thank
the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer) for introducing this
resolution.
The Agri-business Development Teams, often called ADTs, are one of
the unsung successes of the mission in Afghanistan. Agriculture makes
up about 45 percent of Afghanistan's gross domestic product and employs
over 70 percent of its population. Although Afghanistan once supplied
food for the region, 30 years of war has degraded the agriculture
economy of Afghanistan so much that substantial assistance is required
to rebuild it and ensure that Afghanistan has food security.
{time} 1400
The first Agri-business Development Team was from the great State of
Missouri, and I have particular pride in the great work that they do.
These teams are made up of National Guard members who have expertise in
agriculture from their civilian lives. These volunteers spend 1 month
training for deployment in Indiana and then they are sent to
Afghanistan for 11 months. Each team has about 58 personnel, with 12
agriculture experts, although all members of the team have some level
of agriculture expertise. Right now there are teams from nine States
deployed, including one from Missouri.
Mr. Speaker, I might mention that the Thanksgiving before last I
spent with the Missouri Agriculture National Guard team in Afghanistan.
And I must tell you that they did a fantastic job. I am very proud of
them. I was proud to have visited with them, break bread with them on
Thanksgiving Day, and tell them that we in Missouri are downright proud
of them.
From the start, the Missouri National Guard has been a leader in the
program, and the fourth Missouri team is now preparing to go. I have a
list of the Missouri Guard members who have gone to Afghanistan and
returned, and I would ask that their names be included in the Record.
Missouri Agri-Business Team One
Allen, Jon Matthew, E3.
Allen, William Noel, Jr., E4.
Allison, James Gregory, O5.
Brandt, Curtis Herbert, E6.
Briscoe, Aaron David, E4.
Bruce, William Eugene, E5.
Bunch, Billy Wayne, E4.
Choate, Richard Austin, E4.
Dignan, Kyle Patrick, E5.
Douglass, Earl Brian, E4.
Dunlap, Douglas Kevin, O3.
Elkin, William Anthony, O2.
Garner, Nathan Lee, E4.
Gideon, Chad Ryan, E4.
Godsey, Larry David, E8.
Gustin, Brian Eugene, E7.
Hall, Shannon DeWayne, E5.
Harper, Stephen Timothy, O1.
Hoaglin, Robert Lee, Jr., E5.
Holderieath, Jason Jacob, E4.
Huitt, Mark Douglas, E6.
Kellison, Aaron Curtis, E3.
Kidd, Jimmy Wade, E4.
Lyons, Jeffry Joseph, E7.
Murray, Rickie Dean, E5.
Neher, Jeremy Lee, E4.
Norman, Michael Timothy, E4.
Oyer, Chad Edward, E4.
Pennington, Nicholas Ryan, E3.
Peterson, Erik Sven, E4.
Pettibon, Matthew Travis, E4.
Pierce, Russell Wayne, E7.
Richards, Clayton Shawn, E6.
Roth, Robert Edward, O3.
Rufener, Damon Carl, E6.
Salmon, Joshua Nathan, E6.
Saunders, Berry James Allen, E5.
Seek, Michael Lee, O3.
Simmons, Randall Scott, E8.
Stegmann, Matthew Herman, E7.
Sutton, Darrell Craig, E4.
Thornborrow, William Jose II, E5.
Vesco, David James, E4.
Vogel, William Joseph, Jr., E9.
Wagner, Ted Curtis, E4.
Williams, David Roy, E6.
Winston, Bryan Joseph, E4.
Wymore, John Darren, E6.
Missouri Agri-Business Team Two
Ashton, Daniel James, O2.
Banuelos, Scott Alexander, E5.
Bennett, Alan Lee, O3.
Boyle, David Lee, O5.
Brainard, Jonathan Gregory, E5.
Branson, Timothy, E3.
Brody, John Anthony, E4.
Brown, James Edward, E4.
Coplin, Richard Keith, W1.
Cunningham, Heather May, E4.
Dam, Russell Jens, E6.
Davenport, Zachary Dale, E4.
Davidson, Sean Michael, E4.
Dipley, Jennifer Lindsay, E5.
Flaxbeard, Zachary Thomas, E3.
Frink, Richard Allen, E8.
Funken, Jennifer Ann, E6.
Green, John Allen, E5.
Green, Ronald, E7.
Hafner, Gerald Wesley, E5.
Hartman, Timothy Ray, O5.
Hill, Scott Douglas, E6.
Hill, Timothy Michael, E4.
Jones, Anton Claxton, E6.
Keilholz, Nicholas Allen, E1.
Lane, Andrew Christian, E4.
Larsen, John Kenneth, E4.
Latour, Andrew Dennis, E4.
Ledbetter, Jason Robert, E5.
Lee, Daniel, E1.
Litherland, Sean Nicholas, W2.
Love, Richard Anthony, E4.
Matlock, Kyle, E4.
Mullins, Matthew Dean, E9.
Olson, Julie Ann, E4.
Patty, Ryan Heith, E4.
Percy, Jacob, E4.
Powell, Nathaniel Elliot, E3.
Reppert, Michael Leslie, E3.
Sears, James Grant III, E1.
Smith, Stephen Ryan, E4.
Steinbrook, Michael Lee, E6.
Stewart, David Liekweg, O2.
Thomas, Michael, E3.
Trigg, Timothy William, E6.
Udovich, Anthony Steven, E5.
Walters, James Wilson, Jr., E9.
Wilkinson, Denise, O4.
Wilmoth, Scott Allen, E4.
Wilson, Tony Lynn, Jr., E4.
Withrich, Jason Allen, E7.
Wunderlich, Janet, O3.
Beaver, Jonathan A., SSG.
Brandau, Scott W. SRA.
Herring, Adam S., SRA.
Jacobs, Matthew E., SRA.
Mackey, Seth E., SSG.
Moe, Eric J., SRA.
Pearce, Douglas D., SRA.
Polley, Terry P., TSG.
Robison, Richard C., SSG.
Salcedo, Daniel A., SSG.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to include an exchange of letters in
regard to House Resolution 1075.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, March 16, 2010.
Hon. Ike Skelton,
Chairman, Committee on Armed Services,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to you concerning House
Resolution 1075, ``Commending the members of the Agribusiness
Development Teams of the National Guard for their efforts,
together with personnel of the Department of Agriculture and
the United States Agency for International Development, to
modernize agriculture practices and increase food production
in war-torn countries.'' As you know, this measure was
referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
This resolution contains provisions within the Rule X
jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. In the
interest of permitting your Committee to proceed
expeditiously to floor consideration of this important
resolution, I am willing to waive this Committee's right to
mark up this resolution. I do so with the understanding that
by waiving consideration of the resolution, the Committee on
Foreign Affairs does not waive any future jurisdictional
claim over the subject matters contained in the resolution
which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction.
Please include a copy of this letter and your response in
the Congressional Record
[[Page H1769]]
during consideration of the measure on the House floor.
Sincerely,
Howard L. Berman,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
House Committee on Armed Services,
Washington, DC, March 16, 2010.
Hon. Howard L. Berman,
Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rayburn House
Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding
House Resolution 1075, ``Commending the members of the Agri-
business Development Teams of the National Guard for their
efforts, together with personnel of the Department of
Agriculture and the United States Agency for International
Development, to modernize agriculture practices and increase
food production in war-torn countries.'' This measure was
referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
I agree that the Committee on Foreign Affairs has certain
valid jurisdictional claims to this resolution, and I
appreciate your decision to waive further consideration of H.
Res. 1075 in the interest of expediting consideration of this
important measure. I agree that by agreeing to waive further
consideration, the Committee on Foreign Affairs is not
waiving its jurisdictional claims over similar measures in
the future.
During consideration of this measure on the House floor, I
will ask that this exchange of letters be included in the
Congressional Record.
Very truly yours,
Ike Skelton,
Chairman.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might
consume.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of House Resolution 1075. I am
pleased to join my colleagues, Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer and
the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Representative Ike
Skelton, both from Missouri, as well as the many cosponsors of this
resolution, in expressing the gratitude and pride of the United States
House of Representatives for the work of the U.S. National Guard's
Agri-business Development Teams. The efforts of these brave men and
women, along with their colleagues from the Department of Agriculture
and the United States Agency for International Development, are
critical to creating economic opportunities for nations such as
Afghanistan.
We know all too well that Afghanistan has been devastated by nearly
three decades of war. And such efforts, in addition to what our combat
forces are doing, are instrumental in bringing security and stability
to the country.
I would like to take a moment to recognize all those who serve, our
military and civilians. I am proud to stand here today and say ``thank
you.'' Thank you for making the choice to serve. Thank you for sharing
your skills and expertise with the Afghan people. Thank you for
protecting America's interests and representing the best she has to
offer. And I thank your families as well for their sacrifices.
I want to thank the gentleman from Missouri for introducing this
bill. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my friend and my
colleague from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).
Mr. KIND. I thank my friend from Missouri for yielding the time. And
I also want to commend my colleague who introduced the resolution. I
was a proud cosponsor of this resolution.
On a previous trip to Afghanistan, I too had a chance to spend some
time with the National Guard Agri-business Development Teams. And we
can't thank our troops for the mission that they are carrying out in
Afghanistan enough. And it is especially true for the citizen-soldiers
that we send over there, our Guard and Reserve units. But the Agri-
business Development Teams are performing a very vital and important
function in the development and assistance that is taking place in
Afghanistan, a country which, after all, is an agrarian nation.
I am especially proud that one of the leaders in the National Guard
is a gentleman by the name of Colonel Marty Leppert, who as a kid grew
up on a dairy farm outside of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, in the heart of my
congressional district. And I commend USDA and USAID, but especially
our military leadership for recognizing the value of identifying our
soldiers with agriculture backgrounds, and utilizing that expertise in
the development of these ag development teams working with Afghan
farmers. That is going to be the key to a successful resolution and the
economic development that has to occur in that country.
I commend my colleague for offering the resolution.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer).
Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in support of House
Resolution 1075, commending the Agri-business Development Teams, or
ADTs, on their work. I want to thank Chairman Skelton along with
Ranking Member McKeon, as well as the rest of the Missouri delegation
for their support and efforts in helping the Missouri ADTs. In
addition, I would like to thank the senior Senator from Missouri, Kit
Bond, for his support of the ADT program from the very beginning.
There are many people who made the efforts of the ADT a great
success. First, I want to commend Colonel Marty Leppert, Chief Tony
Romano, and the entire team of men and women dedicated to using their
skills and knowledge to improve the situation in Afghanistan. They have
met a massive challenge with determination to see their goals achieved.
The National Guard's Agri-business Development Teams started as a
pilot program in Missouri. The Missouri team partnered with the
Missouri Farm Bureau, the University of Missouri, and Lincoln
University to draw a blueprint that is being followed by other Army
National Guard units from around the United States. In addition, ADTs
get resources and guidance from the National Guard Bureau, the United
States Department of Agriculture, and the United States Agency for
International Development.
The National Guard ADTs have a big mission. They help to modernize
agricultural practices and increase food production in a war-torn
country. ADTs are made up of Guard members who have a civilian
background in farming or a related agricultural business, and they are
using those skills to teach Afghan farmers sustainable farming
practices. This task is not easy, but the units from 11 different
States have been working long hours with farmers and community
officials.
The farming practices used today by the Afghans are very primitive,
almost medieval-level farming. The teams that have been deployed work
with Afghan farmers to provide basic agricultural requirements. Their
goals include: improving irrigation systems, providing effective
methods for fertilizing, planting, harvesting, marketing, and storage
of agricultural crops. In addition, they have established modern
slaughter facilities to help contain spreading diseases, set up markets
to trade crops and livestock, developed a juicing and canning facility,
and improved livestock health through mobile vet clinics.
They have been quick to use alternative energy resources such as
wind, solar, and small water dams as well. Maintaining a reliable water
source still remains one of the biggest problems. The Guard units are
using sustainable methods for pumping water and working on watershed
management to capture snow melt and rainwater runoff for irrigation.
Since a national energy grid and 24/7 energy is not available, these
alternative energy sources actually provide a better solution.
There is no easy fix for the situation in Afghanistan. There are
problems with local customs, tribal leadership, and issues of property
rights that must be solved on a routine basis. If a team wants to
construct a building or dig a well, it has to find out which village
elder has authority to grant permission to use the land. In many
villages, property usage and ownership is decided in meetings with
family elders. However, our young men and women labor vigorously and
diligently in search of solutions to these many challenges.
The work in Afghanistan is important, where agriculture makes up 45
percent of the gross domestic product and employs more than 70 percent
of the population, but where farming practices are inefficient and
outdated. Many Afghan fields are used to grow opium poppy plants, which
provide the
[[Page H1770]]
raw material used to make heroin. It is my hope that establishing a
viable agricultural industry will provide farmers throughout
Afghanistan with alternatives. And quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, in my
judgment this is the way that we are going to be successful in
Afghanistan, by turning the Afghan people and their economy around and
earning their trust to be able to work with us in running the Taliban
out of the country.
The bill we consider today recognizes the good work that these men
and women are carrying out every day. I encourage other States to look
at ways they can contribute to the mission of the National Guard ADTs.
I urge my colleague to join me in passing this legislation.
Mr. SKELTON. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Once again, I commend the National Guard for their service to this
country and to the cause of freedom. The freedom they work and fight
for is embodied in the constitutional system that we enjoy in this
country. Few votes we have taken in this body will affect our
constitutional system of freedom more than the vote we take tomorrow on
health care.
Now, the American people have spoken loud and clear on this issue of
health care. They do not want a government takeover of health care. And
the latest health care plan that we will be voting on as early as
tomorrow afternoon is still a government takeover of health care
despite what others have said, because, number one, it includes
billions of dollars in new taxes and over a trillion dollars of new
government spending. It will cause millions of employers to cancel the
health care they offer their employees and force these individuals into
a government-run health care plan.
It creates a health care czar to impose health care price controls
that will lead to a shortage of care and even more individuals falling
into government-run insurance. It will mandate private citizens that
they purchase health care whether they need it or want it.
Democrats are planning to abuse the legislative process to pass
purely partisan legislation with no bipartisan support that will change
one-sixth of the American economy. Democrat leaders are even
considering a process that will allow their health care bill to become
law without an up or down vote. That would be the so-called ``Slaughter
solution,'' named for the chairman of the Rules Committee,
Representative Louise Slaughter of New York.
This would declare that the House deems the Senate version of
ObamaCare to have been passed by the House. House Members would still
have to vote on whether to accept the rule, but then they would be able
to say they only voted for the rule and not for the underlying Senate
bill. But remember, a vote on the rule is a vote on the bill.
Legislative tricks and unconstitutional procedures should not be used
to jam through Congress a partisan bill that will impact the life of
every American and affect one-sixth of our Nation's economy.
The American people have been trying to get the message across that
they want Congress to start over on health care through an open and
honest dialogue and process. It is time to work step by step on health
care reform that will lower costs for families without increasing the
size of the Federal Government.
I would like to point out, Mr. Speaker, that when you add the 4,872
pages of legislative text to the 1,347 pages of committee reports, you
have a total of 6,219 pages of bill text. Now, we got the final version
of this 72 hours from the potential vote tomorrow afternoon. And if a
Member was to take all 72 hours, allowing for 8 hours of sleep each
day, because otherwise they may just get burned out, that leaves 48
hours of solid reading of this 6,200 pages. That works out to 129 pages
an hour, or 2 pages a minute.
I haven't seen a lot of Members, frankly, spending their time reading
2 pages a minute for this 6,000 pages, and yet that is what we are
being asked to vote on as early as tomorrow afternoon. I don't think
that's really what the American people deserve for how this body should
do its business.
At this point, Mr. Speaker, I would reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1415
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Carnahan).
Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, it's an honor to be here and to speak on
behalf of this resolution that honors the members of the Agri-business
Development Teams that have been operating. These are joint missions
that combine some of the best of our military capabilities, the best of
our civilian capabilities, and they are operating in some of the most
important areas we need to succeed.
We've seen the success of these teams on the ground in Afghanistan.
We have heard from our military leaders how essential they are to our
success. We are very pleased that our Missouri National Guard has been
one of the leading groups that has done this. They have worked with our
universities, with our rural electric co-ops, and many of our civilian
capabilities have been brought to bear from our farming communities in
Missouri to help bring more advanced agricultural methods to
Afghanistan and to be sure that we succeed in the fight against
terrorism.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, at this point, I would like to yield 2
minutes to my colleague from the State of Texas (Mr. Poe).
Mr. POE of Texas. I appreciate the gentleman yielding.
I totally support H. Res. 1075 and the support of the National Guard
and the Agri-business Development Teams.
The National Guard is doing a phenomenal job in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The chairman could give me the exact number, but I don't know the
percentage of the National Guard troops that are in Afghanistan, but
it's extremely high. We count on the citizen soldiers to help us in
times of war, and they are there not just from the State of Missouri
but from the State of Texas as well.
And I had a chance to be with some National Guard troops in
Afghanistan during the Christmas season. They're doing a phenomenal
business in helping those Afghans change from growing poppies that is
turned into cocaine and heroin that is sold primarily in Europe and
teaching them to farm wheat and soybeans. In fact, Texas A&M University
has developed some type of soybean that yields ninefold what a typical
soybean yields, and they are being planted in Afghanistan so that
farmers can sell legitimate crops on the open market.
This bill is an important bill because it recognizes our National
Guard, but also this bill is a bipartisan bill. It is supported by both
sides. And legislation in this House, to be successful, should be
supported by both sides, unlike the health care bill that we're going
to vote on tomorrow afternoon. It's only supported by a portion of one
side with no input from the others. And I think that we should have a
bipartisan vote in support of the health care bill as well, which,
unfortunately, we are not.
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, in answer to the gentleman from Texas, my
understanding is that right now as we speak--though the number is
increasing--there are some 80,000 American troops in Afghanistan today.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LAMBORN. I would like to inquire how much time our side has
remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 9 minutes remaining.
Mr. LAMBORN. Thank you.
I will yield myself such time as I may consume.
Let me just continue where I left off a few moments ago talking about
this huge bill tomorrow that affects our Nation's freedom so much on
health care, and let me just point out that our side of the aisle, the
Republicans, have introduced 70 bills that offer free market solutions
to health care reform that do not take over America's system of health
care.
For instance, one solution, H.R. 3400, is the Empowering Patients
First Act. This particular bill would do three things, Mr. Speaker:
Number one, it gives access to coverage for all Americans. It makes
the purchase of health care financially feasible for all by extending
the income tax deduction on health care premiums to those who purchase
coverage in the
[[Page H1771]]
nongroup or individual market. Right now, you only have this tax break
if you're an employee of a corporation. That is not fair to all
Americans. Everyone should have that same tax break.
The beauty of that is that you would have a tax advantaged purchase
price on your health care premiums and you would own that premium. It
wouldn't have to come to you through your job, and then it would be
portable. If you go to another job, if you transfer, if you lose your
job, you don't lose your coverage. It goes with you when you buy it
yourself. That is why that point is so important.
Number two, coverage is truly owned by the patients. Like I said,
this gives greater choice and portability and it expands the individual
market. We can also, to accomplish this goal, create pooling mechanisms
such as association health plans. I have friends who are Realtors in
the real estate industry. They would love to form a national
association of real estate agents and brokers and employees all over
this country. That association would have tremendous buying power and
economies of scale, but right now, that is prohibited by law. That is a
commonsense solution that Republicans have offered and, I dare say,
would have bipartisan support by this body.
And thirdly, we need to rein in out-of-control costs, and 3400 does
that as well. It reforms the medical liability system. It establishes
administrative health care tribunals--you could call them health
courts--in each State and adds affirmative defense through provider-
established best practice measures. That would be a defense if you're
charged with some kind of malpractice as a provider. This would
encourage, also, the speedy resolution of claims and would cap
noneconomic damages.
So, Mr. Speaker, let me just conclude by saying that there are
reforms that the Republicans have offered that would be not a massive
overhaul of one-sixth of our Nation's economy and that would
incorporate free market mechanisms and procedures that the American
people would be much more comfortable in. If you look at the polling,
Americans do not want a massive takeover of health care.
At this point, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1075, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________