[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 120 (Tuesday, August 10, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6589-H6597]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF SENATE AMENDMENT TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO 
 SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 1586, EDUCATION JOBS AND MEDICAID ASSISTANCE 
                                  ACT

  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I

[[Page H6590]]

call up House Resolution 1606 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 1606

       Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution, it shall 
     be in order to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 
     1586) to modernize the air traffic control system, improve 
     the safety, reliability, and availability of transportation 
     by air in the United States, provide for modernization of the 
     air traffic control system, reauthorize the Federal Aviation 
     Administration, and for other purposes, with the Senate 
     amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment 
     thereto, and to consider in the House, without intervention 
     of any point of order, a motion offered by the chair of the 
     Committee on Appropriations or his designee that the House 
     concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the 
     Senate amendment. The Senate amendment and the motion shall 
     be considered as read. The motion shall be debatable for one 
     hour equally divided among and controlled by the chair and 
     ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations, 
     the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
     Ways and Means, and the chair and ranking minority member of 
     the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The previous question 
     shall be considered as ordered on the motion to final 
     adoption without intervening motion.
       Sec. 2.  The requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII for a 
     two-thirds vote to consider a report from the Committee on 
     Rules on the same day it is presented to the House is waived 
     with respect to any resolution reported through the 
     legislative day of August 11, 2010.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Colorado is recognized 
for 1 hour.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, for the purposes of debate only, I yield 
the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier). 
All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only.


                             General Leave

  Mr. POLIS. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 
legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and 
insert extraneous materials into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. POLIS. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, this rule provides for consideration of the Senate 
amendment to H.R. 1586 and makes in order a motion by the chair of the 
Appropriations Committee to concur in the Senate amendment. The rule 
waives all points of order against the motion. The rule provides that 
the motion shall be debatable for 1 hour, equally divided and 
controlled by chairs and ranking minority members of the Committee on 
Appropriations, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Committee 
on Ways and Means. Finally, the resolution waives a requirement of 
clause 6(a) of rule XIII, which requires a two-thirds vote to consider 
a resolution from the Rules Committee on the same day that it is 
reported. The waiver applies to any measure reported through the 
legislative day of Wednesday, August 11, 2010.
  Most of my colleagues here today, Madam Speaker, have interrupted 
their important activities back home in their districts to be here for 
this unusual, but not unprecedented, August session. As we stand here 
today, Madam Speaker, debating assistance for States and school 
districts across the country, I can't think of a better reason for 
Members to rush back to the Capitol than to invest in our children and 
in our future.
  We are here today to extend a lifeline to teachers in classrooms 
across the country to ensure that students and our future are not 
mortgaged by a weak economy that has forced States into drastic 
cutbacks. Despite the failure of the Senate to move this bill during 
many months of debate until it finally passed last week, the urgency is 
real. And the appeal and need is real as well.
  This legislation saves or creates 310,000 American jobs, specifically 
for teachers, police officers, firefighters, and nurses. In Colorado, 
this bill will save the jobs of 2,600 teachers. Yes, Madam Speaker, 
absent the passage of this bill, class sizes will be larger for 
students across the State, and we will be mortgaging our future because 
of the current recession.
  These funds will go immediately to States and prevent layoffs and in 
some cases rehire teachers that have already been given notice, as 
summer comes to an end, just in time as students go back to school. 
Students here in Washington, D.C. will be in school the week after 
next. Many districts in Colorado start in 2 or 3 weeks as well.
  This legislation, Madam Speaker, is completely paid for, primarily by 
closing tax loopholes that encourage corporations to ship American jobs 
overseas. Not only is this bill paid for, Madam Speaker, but this bill 
cuts the deficit by $1.4 billion.
  It never fails to surprise me when some of my colleagues talk about 
the spending of Congress--this, that, or the other. Well, here today 
before us, Madam Speaker, is a chance to cut the deficit. What an 
important and justifiable reason for us to return here to Washington in 
August: to cut the deficit.

                              {time}  1100

  These funds will assist States so they can keep qualified teachers in 
classrooms, pay firefighters and police officers to keep our 
neighborhoods safe. We need to do everything in our power to ensure 
that the American people are protected during this recession and that 
our children are educated. Widespread layoffs in these public security 
and education sectors wouldn't only hurt the schools and children but 
would further depress the economy. These men and women who work in 
these professions, Madam Speaker, are the backbone of our Nation and 
our economy.
  Now that the measure is before us with bipartisan support from the 
Senate, I hope all of our colleagues will join me in supporting this 
legislation and quickly moving to a final vote so that we can 
expeditiously get the money out to those who need it. I encourage my 
colleagues to support the rule and the bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. DREIER. I want to begin by expressing my appreciation to my very 
good friend on the Rules Committee for yielding me the customary 30 
minutes.
  I would like to say, Madam Speaker, that this special emergency 
session called unexpectedly just after a week of the district work 
period to pass another $26.1 billion in spending is, in fact, 
Washington, D.C. at its absolute worst. Everything that Americans have 
come to hate about their government, about the way their government 
works--the waste, the ineptitude, the cynicism, the lack of 
accountability, the utter disregard for the concerns of taxpayers--is 
all very vividly on display right here today.
  Now, one must ask the question, how is it that we got here? How is it 
that we got here? Well, under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi, we've 
made history. For the first time we have failed to budget, we have 
failed to pass a budget for the first time in the modern era. In the 
absence of a budget roadmap, the leadership on the other side of the 
aisle has legislated recklessly and haphazardly, managing to consider a 
mere one-sixth, one-sixth, of the normal appropriations bills. And I am 
happy to see the chair of the Appropriations Committee here. They have 
passed a mere one-sixth of the appropriations bills while irresponsibly 
approving new emergency spending outside of regular order. Politico, 
the newspaper that we read every morning around here, described it as 
follows: They described this as a ``fiscal-policy meltdown'' and an 
``unprecedented failure.''
  Now, how is it possible, Madam Speaker, how is it possible that this 
Democratic majority could fail so miserably at its constitutional duty? 
Was it pure ineptitude or was it something more willful than that?
  Ineptitude certainly goes a long way toward explaining the failings 
that have taken place under Speaker Pelosi. Their work has been so 
shoddy and riddled with oversights, mistakes, and loopholes that 
countless corrections over the last 3\1/2\ years have been necessary. 
Today's underlying bill doesn't even have a title. Madam Speaker, the 
bill doesn't even have a title, thanks to their haphazard way of doing 
business. In its mad rush, the Senate passed the blank act of blank. 
This bill has no title. They literally neglected to fill in the blanks. 
God only knows what other mistakes have been made here, Madam Speaker.

[[Page H6591]]

  But ineptitude alone only goes so far in explaining the Democratic 
majority's shortcomings. As the Washington Post editorialized last 
week, ``To govern is to choose, and nothing lays bare a government's 
true priorities like the choices it makes about spending taxpayers' 
money.'' Now, Madam Speaker, this gets to the heart of why the annual 
budget is so critically important. It lays out for the American people 
what the priorities of the majority of this institution are. Whatever 
gimmicks they may employ to shield themselves from accountability, the 
budget lays out in black and white the agenda that the majority has.

  It also forces the majority to make choices, tough choices. Faced 
with a host of needs, a budget forces the majority to choose which are 
the most important items. And if times are tough, a budget forces the 
majority to cut wasteful and unnecessary spending. This presents quite 
a predicament for a majority that loves nothing more than to tax and to 
spend. Today's emergency bill is just another in a long line of 
unaccountable spending bills that have supplanted the regular budget 
and appropriations process simply because this majority, quite 
obviously, is not up to governing.
  Some of the funding contained in this bill is, no doubt, very worthy. 
Our teachers, nurses, and cops deserve our full support, and I concur 
with my colleague's remarks on those priorities. Let me say our 
teachers, nurses, and cops deserve our full support. No one disputes 
that. These are precisely the kinds of top priorities that should be 
funded in the regular budget process.
  Now, Madam Speaker, teachers, nurses, and cops should not be used as 
pawns in a cynical political game, held hostage by the Democratic 
majority's failure to govern responsibly. Contrary to the quote that I 
read in Politico at the end of last week from Speaker Pelosi, 
Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike all want to see teachers 
in the classroom, nurses in the emergency room, and cops on the beat, 
not in the unemployment line, as the Speaker claimed Republicans wanted 
to see.
  So let me repeat. Speaker Pelosi offered this quote: Republicans, 
Democrats, and independents want to make sure that teachers are in the 
classroom, that nurses are in the emergency room, and that cops are on 
the beat. If the Democratic majority, Madam Speaker, had done their job 
in an appropriate and timely way, our teachers, nurses, and cops would 
not be on the chopping block. Today's emergency vote is a function of 
the failures of this Democratic leadership.
  But this bill is about more than teachers, nurses, and cops. Some of 
the spending in this bill is unjustifiable under any procedure. We're 
told by the Democratic majority that the Federal taxpayers must bail 
out struggling States. But let's take a look at why States are looking 
for a bailout in the first place.
  One needs look no further than my State of California, the largest 
State in the union. I'm very sorry to say that it provides the perfect 
example of the fiscal disasters that are inevitable in the absence of 
transparency and accountability.
  The people of southern California over the past few weeks have become 
outraged over astronomical salaries for certain officials. The most 
egregious example has been the city manager of Bell, California. Now, 
Bell, California, Madam Speaker, is a town of 36,000, just east of 
downtown Los Angeles. The city manager, Robert Rizzo, was receiving an 
annual compensation package of $1.5 million. The city manager of a 
tiny, frankly, not very wealthy town just east of downtown Los Angeles, 
Robert Rizzo, was receiving a compensation package of $1.5 million a 
year. He resigned in the wake of the scandal within the past week, and 
now he'll only collect an annual pension of almost $1 million a year. 
And it's not just the taxpayers of this tiny town of 36,000, Bell, 
California, who are on the hook. Because of the way the pension 
structure was put into place in California, my constituents and the 
constituents of our other California colleagues will be forced to pay a 
significant portion of Robert Rizzo's lavish nearly $1 million pension.
  The problems in California go well beyond one wildly overpaid city 
manager and a broken pension system. The State legislature's failure to 
enact a budget is costing the State $1.5 billion in deficit spending 
with every single month that goes by. They have created a fiscal 
nightmare, they've taxed the people of California to the brink, and now 
they have turned to the beleaguered Federal coffers once again.
  Thanks to the Democratic majority's policy of never-ending bailouts, 
there's not a taxpayer in this country who isn't on the hook for 
astonishingly reckless spending priorities just like these.
  We have got to put a stop to these dangerous policies once and for 
all. We need to put an end to the never-ending cycle of bailouts, 
emergency spending, deficits, and debt. Instead, we need to return to 
regular order to pass a budget and fund our top priorities through the 
regular accountable process while doing everything that we can to 
ferret out and cut waste, fraud, and abuse.

                              {time}  1110

  Finally, Madam Speaker, we need to put an end to the practice of 
haphazard, unaccountable legislating.
  Madam Speaker, arrogance and ineptitude are a lethal combo. We will 
be paying the consequences for generations to come if we don't change 
the course right now.
  I urge a ``no'' vote on this rule.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, most teachers, firefighters, nurses don't 
earn $1.4 million a year. I wish they did in our society. I wish we 
valued the teaching profession. There was a study recently that showed 
that a good kindergarten teacher is worth $365,000 a year. 
Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, I don't think there are any kindergarten 
teachers in our country that earn it.
  I'm grateful that of course, as the gentleman from California pointed 
out, that this gentleman's abuse of the public trust was exposed and 
corrected, and the residents of that town will hopefully compensate 
their new city manager more in line with the standards.
  Finally, he talked about Republican, Independents and Democrats doing 
something and caring about teachers, caring about nurses. I have no 
doubt that in this Chamber and in our country Americans of all stripes 
ideologically and all parties care deeply about our nurses and teachers 
and keeping our streets safe, and Members of both parties here in the 
House today will have a chance to express that in a very tangible way, 
by keeping teachers in classrooms, nurses in hospitals, and officers on 
the beat by voting ``yes'' on the rule and the motion here today.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 4 minutes to the 
gentleman from Massachusetts, my esteemed colleague on the Rules 
Committee, Mr. McGovern.
  Mr. McGOVERN. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise in 
support of the rule and the underlying bill.
  Madam Speaker, our communities are struggling. Forty-seven States are 
facing budget shortfalls, and at least 34 States will cut both jobs and 
services in this fiscal year unless there's an additional 6-month 
extension of the FMAP program.
  All of us are hearing from our Governors. In June, a bipartisan group 
of Governors wrote to Congress pleading for an extension of FMAP money 
because they believe it is the most efficient way to avoid further 
layoffs and health care cuts that will slow the recovery. At a time 
when States like Massachusetts are starting to see unemployment rates 
decrease, now is not the time to pull the rug from under them.
  If we were to fail our States and not enact this extension, 2,900 
teaching, police, and firefighter jobs in Massachusetts would be at 
risk. What would that mean for classroom size, cops on the streets, and 
firefighter response? To put it mildly, it wouldn't be good.
  This is exactly the type of Nation-building we should be focusing on 
here at home, and I wish that my friends on the other side of the aisle 
and the other Chamber could realize that.

  It is important to note that this bill is not only essential; it is 
paid for. In fact, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office finds 
that this bill will cut the deficit by $1.4 billion over the next 
decade. If only the Bush tax cuts for the rich, the Medicare 
prescription drug benefit, or the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were 
paid for we would not be facing the deficit issues we are

[[Page H6592]]

today. So we don't need any lectures by Republicans about deficits. 
They created this mess that we're in, and Democrats once again have the 
responsibility of cleaning it up. They should be ashamed of what they 
did to this economy.
  Madam Speaker, I would be remiss if I didn't express my deep concern 
with one of the offsets in this bill. Specifically, I think it is just 
plain awful that the Senate has sent us a bill that cuts future funding 
for the SNAP program, formerly known as food stamps.
  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act rightfully included 
significant funding for SNAP. Economists from the right and the left 
argue that SNAP is the most effective stimulus available today, and we 
rightfully included funding for increased SNAP benefits in the Recovery 
Act; yet, the Senate has included a cut in these SNAP benefits that 
will result in $59 less per month for a family of four starting in 
2014.
  The choice then is to provide critical aid to the States and protect 
jobs for teachers, firefighters, and police officers today or protect 
future benefits for those hungry Americans who struggle to put food on 
their tables. It is not a choice that we should be forced to make.
  It frustrates me to no end, and quite frankly, I'm outraged, that 
this is one of the offsets. I would ask my friends in the Senate: Why 
do the most vulnerable in our country always have to pay more than 
their fair share? This practice of robbing Peter to pay Paul must come 
to an end. Yet here we are.
  Madam Speaker, I will support this bill because it will help the 
people of Massachusetts and the people of this country. This bill will 
do good things, and it will do them immediately, but I'm casting this 
vote because we have time to fix the SNAP issue in the future. I 
continue to believe that we can properly fund the SNAP program, as well 
as other domestic anti-hunger programs and ensure that no person in 
America goes hungry. And by not dealing with the issue of hunger more 
aggressively, we are not saving money, Madam Speaker. We are costing 
the country much more in terms of everything from increased health care 
costs to lost productivity. I believe that in the richest, most 
powerful Nation in the world people shouldn't go hungry. Millions of 
our fellow citizens sadly don't have enough to eat, and that, quite 
frankly, is a national disgrace.
  Let's approve this bill. Let's help keep teachers in the classrooms, 
cops on the streets, and more firefighters in our cities and towns, and 
then when we come back after recess, let's do what's right and restore 
the SNAP cuts. Let's find another offset that doesn't make a bad 
situation worse. For America's hungry and food insecure, let's for once 
make them a priority.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 15 seconds to say that I 
appreciate the fact that my friend from Colorado pointed out that, 
contrary to what Speaker Pelosi said when she argued that Republicans 
would rather see in the unemployment line teachers, nurses, and cops 
rather than in the classroom, in the emergency room and on the line, on 
the beat, that, in fact, we do, Republicans and Democrats, alike care.
  At this point, I am happy to yield, Madam Speaker, 2 minutes to a 
very hardworking member of the Financial Services Committee, my friend 
from Dallas, Mr. Hensarling.
  Mr. HENSARLING. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, we are here today because the Speaker of the House has 
declared us in emergency session. There's a national emergency. 
Apparently, Congress has not spent enough money, notwithstanding the 
fact that we passed the $1.2 trillion stimulus bill, the $410 billion 
'09 omnibus bill, the House-passed $871 billion cap-and-trade bill, the 
$2.6 trillion government takeover of health care bill, and the 2010 
omnibus bill rang in at $445 billion. But there's a national emergency. 
We're not spending enough money. Let's spend $26.1 billion more.
  Madam Speaker, the American people are asking: What part of broke 
doesn't this Congress understand? We are already looking at our second 
year of trillion-dollar deficits, the largest debt in the history of 
our Nation as a percentage of our economy, largest since World War II. 
What part of broke doesn't Congress understand?
  Now, many of us have lost track here, Madam Speaker. I don't know if 
this is stimulus bill part three or bailout bill part four. There's 
been so many of them, it's simply hard to keep track of.
  What have all the stimulus bills brought us? Well, an additional loss 
of 3 million jobs, private sector jobs lost, since we passed this 
stimulus bill. Yet, my friends on the other side of the aisle call it a 
success. Madam Speaker, let's hope that this stimulus bill is not near 
as successful as the previous one.
  And here we have yet another bailout bill. We've bailed out Chrysler, 
GM, Fannie, Freddie, the major banks, people who bought too much home 
and couldn't afford it, and now we're going to bail out the States. So, 
if California and New York can't live within their means, taxpayers in 
Kansas, Minnesota and Kentucky have to bail them out.
  It's time to reject the rule and reject the bill.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my colleague on the 
Rules Committee, the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms. Pingree).
  Ms. PINGREE of Maine. I thank my colleague for yielding. I rise today 
in support of the underlying rule and to the bill itself.
  Madam Speaker, the vote we will take today is a vote for preserving 
jobs in America and a vote against sending them overseas. It will be a 
vote for keeping jobs in our country by saving the jobs of over 140,000 
teachers, 700 them in my home State of Maine.

                              {time}  1120

  Allowing for further cuts in teachers' jobs would be devastating, not 
only to our children but also to our local economies in Maine and 
across the country. The loss of 700 jobs in my State means 700 fewer 
paychecks being spent at a local grocery or hardware store on the goods 
and services that support our local economy.
  Local property taxpayers are already carrying too much of the burden, 
and local school districts have already made too many drastic cuts. 
Taxpayers need some relief, and schools need a helping hand.
  Madam Speaker, this bill is also fully paid for, in part by cracking 
down on corporations that have been claiming a tax credit for sending 
good-paying American jobs overseas. Large multinational corporations 
have been getting away with paying billions less than they owe in 
taxes. This bill will close the loopholes that have allowed this abuse 
to go on and allow American jobs to be shipped offshore.
  It is outrageous that these companies have been getting a tax credit 
while companies doing business in America are struggling to hire and 
retain workers. It is time to put an end to this practice immediately.
  I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bill.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 15 seconds to simply say 
that we keep hearing that this is fully paid for. It's paid for, Madam 
Speaker, by taxing companies that in difficult times are creating jobs 
and by hitting food stamps and renewable energy. Obviously, that ain't 
a way to pay for this, and we know that it's not fully paid for.
  Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to a tireless member of the House 
Rules Committee, my friend from Dallas, Mr. Sessions.
  Mr. SESSIONS. I appreciate the gentleman, Mr. Dreier, for yielding me 
this time.
  Madam Speaker, last night at the Rules Committee, we had a very 
vigorous and spirited debate. It is continuing, although with less 
fervency, on the floor today about the insistence of the Democratic 
Party to blame corporations for the ills, blame George Bush for all the 
problems, when, in fact, it's been 15 straight months of unemployment, 
over 9.5 percent that the Democratic Party is personally responsible 
for.
  The substance of this bill is not just about teachers. We already 
know it's about a lot of other issues. One of them is about the 
competitiveness of America as we do business overseas.
  The U.S. Chamber says about this bill, it ``would impose draconian 
tax increases on American worldwide companies that would hinder job 
creation, decrease the competitiveness of American businesses, and 
deter economic growth.''

[[Page H6593]]

  Madam Speaker, the Democratic Party is hung up on this issue, and yet 
they will blame George Bush for the bad legislation that they passed.
  The facts of the case are simple. Americans invest in the stock 
market, American companies need to seek markets all around the world, 
and this bill will make it far, far more difficult for American 
companies to invest in their operations that make money. Making money 
is what keeps the stock market, 401(k)s, and lots of other retirement 
plans up to where they are able to receive the funds as a benefit of a 
worldwide economic opportunity.

  Madam Speaker, the Democratic party is once again going to go and 
harm not just the stock market but employment and our ability to make a 
comeback.
  The National Association of Manufacturers says, ``Imposing $9.6 
billion in tax increases on these companies will jeopardize the jobs of 
American manufacturing employees.'' It is Americans who work here who 
produce goods and services that are sold overseas, and what we want to 
do is to take away the ability that companies have to sell overseas.
  That is the legacy of this Democratic Party, higher taxes, more rules 
and regulations, debt, and record unemployment.
  This is not how you give opportunities to people to build jobs. It is 
job destruction, and that's what the Democratic party is known for. 
This comes in line with the three largest political items of this 
Democrat majority that net lose America 10 million American jobs.
  Don't blame somebody else, Madam Speaker. Please stand up and admit. 
You have been in office now, not just Ms. Pelosi, for 4 almost years 
now, but the President now for a year and a half.
  Pin the tail on the donkey.


                Announcement By the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members will please heed the gavel.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Cummings).
  Mr. CUMMINGS. As I listen today, Madam Speaker, I ask the simple 
question, what about our children?
  This legislation, which I fully support, and the rule, will ensure 
that the millions of children who are returning to school this fall 
have the same opportunity to learn and to thrive as their peers did 
before them. It will also keep first responders on duty and fund vital 
Medicaid services.
  Economists have concluded that failure to pass this legislation will 
put a significant weight on our fragile economy. Nonetheless, my 
Republican friends continue to paint this legislation as an election 
season gimmick.
  This legislation will save more than 130,000 teacher jobs and reduce 
the deficit by $1.4 billion over the next 10 years. That's not a 
gimmick. Ensuring the education of our children and the safety of our 
communities is not a gimmick.
  The greatest threat to our national and economic security is the 
failure to properly educate every single one of our children.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to my very 
good friend, who is the ranking member of the Education and Labor 
Committee, the gentleman from Lakeville, Minnesota (Mr. Kline).
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I 
rise in opposition to this rule and to the underlying measure.
  Madam Speaker, 18 months ago, we gathered in this Chamber to debate 
economic stimulus. Republicans wanted to help job creators, but the 
majority said, ``No, let's borrow and spend.'' And borrow and spend 
they did, to the tune of $862 billion.
  Back then, the Democrats sent nearly $100 billion to States and 
districts to prop up school budgets. It would save 300,000 jobs, we 
were told, and improve public education. It was a one-time investment, 
we were told. They would not be back for more.
  Yet here we stand. They are back for more.
  I know my schools, I know there are challenges, and I understand the 
difficult budget decisions our governors, superintendents, and school 
boards are being forced to make. And I know a Federal bailout is not 
the answer.
  Spending another $10 billion we do not have will not improve public 
education or protect the very best teachers. Earlier this year, 
Education Secretary Arne Duncan told us, ``Today, the status quo 
clearly isn't good enough.'' Yet the status quo is exactly what this 
$10 billion will perpetuate.
  Schools will continue to operate on last-hired, first-fired policies 
that ignore student achievement when deciding which teachers to keep in 
the classroom. These dollars are not targeted based on jobs at risk or 
student needs. This is nothing more than an across-the-board inflation 
of State spending.
  Spending another $10 billion we do not have will not balance State 
budgets or bolster our economy. Because of major increases in the 
number of school personnel in recent years, States are operating 
education budgets they cannot afford.
  At best, inflating State education spending for another year will 
kick the can down the road, merely postponing the tough decisions and 
allowing States to overextend themselves for another year.
  At worst, another bailout will make States more dependent on the 
Federal Government and more susceptible to Washington's political 
whims.
  Finally, spending another $10 billion we do not have is not good for 
our children and grandchildren. This bill is not ``paid for.'' We are 
looking at a Washington shell game of tax hikes and deficit spending 
gamesmanship. It dips into stimulus spending we could not afford 18 
months ago to pay for even more stimulus spending we cannot afford 
today.
  I oppose this legislation. I encourage my colleagues to vote against 
this rule and against the underlying legislation.
  I give this whole effort an ``F.''
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, as has been noted, this legislation will 
reduce the Federal deficit by over a billion dollars.
  With that, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut, a 
member of the Appropriations Committee, Ms. DeLauro.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, let me be clear. I strongly support the 
$16 billion of critical funding that this legislation provides for 
Medicaid assistance and the $10 billion in education funding for 
teachers.
  I will support it today, as I have several times in the past when 
this package has come for a vote to the floor of this House.

                              {time}  1130

  Yet I rise in support of this bill with a heavy heart, not because of 
what it provides, but because of what it takes away. I know, as many of 
my colleagues do, regardless of party, that without these resources 
many States, including my State of Connecticut, will have to make 
Draconian cuts to essential services that they cannot afford to make 
without tearing apart the basic fabric of their communities. That is 
why this bill is so critical. Nothing could be more important than the 
education of our children and the access to health care services that 
families depend on, especially in this tough economy. And, finally, 
this bill ends tax breaks for exporting American jobs.
  However, I cannot in good conscience condone the way we have paid for 
this package, what we have taken away in the process. At a time when we 
have seen the demand for food assistance skyrocket from 31 million 
people receiving food stamps in November 2008 to almost 41 million 
people now, we have chosen to pilfer $12 billion from the food stamp 
program in the name of fiscal responsibility. In this instance, we have 
chosen to be fiscally responsible on the backs of those needy families 
who need our help to feed themselves and their children.
  When so many families are struggling with unemployment, lower wages, 
lost benefits or homes, high prices, less income, cutting food 
assistance is unconscionable. The fact is education, health care, and 
food, these are things that bind us as a society, play formative roles 
in determining the course of this country. Yet the bill before us today 
shamefully pits these priorities against each other.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, at this time I am happy to yield 2 minutes 
to a Member who would like to see us go through the regular 
appropriations process, a member of the Appropriations Committee, my 
friend from Savannah, Georgia (Mr. Kingston).
  Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, who knew? Who knew that the States were 
running out of money? Who knew

[[Page H6594]]

when we were bailing out General Motors, the big banks, Fannie Mae and 
Freddie Mac? Apparently, the Speaker of the House had no idea there 
were some problems in the hinterlands. So here we are back in 
Washington, millions of dollars spent to bring everybody back.
  This is governing by reaction, pandering to the political base. Blue 
State, big-city politics at its worst, taking care of the excesses of 
governing bodies who are unable or unwilling to make the tough 
decisions that smaller States, small businesses, and American families 
have to make every day.
  And we hear over and over again this is paid for. I got news for you. 
If you have a huge debt on your American Express card and you transfer 
it to your Visa card, you haven't paid for anything. Forty-one cents on 
the dollar that we spend is borrowed money. The food stamps program, 
which the Democrats are cutting, the renewable energy program, which 
the Democrats are cutting, and you could even argue the job-killing tax 
increase that they are about to pass, that's all on borrowed money. 
Forty-one cents on the dollar is borrowed in our country today under 
the Democrat leadership.
  Now, we could be up here looking at Medicare and Social Security. The 
trustees report just came back and said that they are both going broke. 
And I would think that's what would be worth coming back to Washington 
for anytime. We should fight to fix Social Security and Medicare. But 
instead, it's another bailout and another promise of governmental 
utopia. If we just bail out this one last group, jobs will return, the 
deficit will be balanced, and there will be peace from sea to shining 
sea. It's just not going to work.
  This is a bailout Congress. It's government by bailout, it's 
government by borrowed money, and our children's children will be 
paying for this.
  Mr. POLIS. I yield myself 30 seconds.
  Madam Speaker, when we are talking about cops and firefighters and 
teachers we have and we need, and we value cops and firefighters and 
teachers in the reddest of red States and the bluest of blue States 
across this great country, that's why, Madam Speaker, 16 Republican 
Governors have written to us, encouraging us to pass the money for 
Medicaid assistance here today, including, I might add, the Governor of 
the State of Georgia, as well as the Governor of the State of Alabama, 
calling on us to act because all of us know that we are in this 
together as a country. Regardless of where we live, we all need these 
basic services.
  Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Doggett).
  Mr. DOGGETT. Listening to the concerns of parents, the hopes of 
students, and the needs of our local Texas school leaders, today we are 
responding with essential Federal aid to education, fully paid for by 
closing international corporate tax loopholes that should never have 
been there in the first place.
  Because we believe in local control of education, we require that the 
State of Texas specifically forward the new Federal aid to our local 
school districts, not divert it or spend it on something else. The 
Texas Association of School Boards, Texas teachers, principals, and 
school administrators support this legislative approach. Now, those, 
who have never wanted Texas or any other place in this country to 
receive a dime of additional Federal aid to education, they complain 
because we are holding Texas Governor Rick Perry accountable for proper 
use of these taxpayer dollars. There is absolutely no constitutional 
limitation on doing right by our Texas schoolchildren. Instead of 
concocting phony legalistic arguments, Governor Perry and his cohorts 
here in Congress ought to be joining us in supporting quality public 
education.
  You can be sure that Texas is singled out by this legislation. It was 
singled out by a Governor who grabbed $3.2 billion of Federal aid to 
education to bail out a mismanaged State government. That's the only 
bailout that occurred. It occurred last year in the State of Texas. We 
didn't send that Federal aid for education to Texas to plug a 
mismanaged State budget. We sent it to help our schoolchildren.
  And so today, in order to avoid history repeating itself, we demand 
accountability, we demand support for quality public education and 
local control of education and not more mismanagement and interference 
from the State of Texas.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Inslee).
  (Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. INSLEE. Madam Speaker, the students now are at the beach and at 
the swimming holes, and they're not thinking about their education. But 
we are. And we're seeing good things. I was at the Everett School 
District, where they're getting 90 percent graduation rates because 
they're doing some good things. But we're going to have almost 3,000 
teachers laid off if we don't pass this bill, in the State of 
Washington. That is just flat wrong.
  Now, what is the debate here? The debate is that one side of the 
aisle believes it is more important to preserve billions of dollars of 
tax loopholes so that corporations can hide their money in the Bahamas 
and other places. They think those billions of dollars for those 
corporate loopholes is simply more important than almost 3,000 teachers 
in classrooms in the State of Washington. We disagree. The kids aren't 
thinking about it, but we are.
  And let's be clear what the decision is today. One side of the 
aisle's going to be giving billions of dollars for corporate loopholes, 
and one side of the aisle's going to be taking care of kids. They don't 
want to give a dime to kids, but billions for corporate loopholes. Pass 
this bill.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my colleague, the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly).
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, as somebody who spent 14 
years in local government before coming here to the United States 
Congress, I know how essential it is that our State and local 
governments get some relief. The cumulative deficit they are going to 
experience over the next 2 years is $350 billion, which will have a 
profoundly contractionary effect on our economy.
  This bill, which is fully paid for and actually reduces the deficit 
by $1.4 billion over the next 10 years, is essential to making sure 
State and local workers stay serving the public they serve. And I think 
that the time has come to provide that assistance, and I look forward 
to supporting H.R. 1586 as a proud former local government official.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.
  Madam Speaker, I am particularly pleased that this legislation does 
not include $800 million in cuts to critical education reform programs, 
including Race to the Top, which has encouraged education reform 
initiatives and accountability across our country; including the 
Charter School Innovation Fund, which provides start-up money for new 
and innovative charter schools to help meet the educational needs of 
our most at-risk youth; and the Teacher Incentive Fund, finding new and 
better ways to compensate teachers for their hard work.

                              {time}  1140

  This bill before us today, Madam Speaker, recognizes that we need 
both funding and reform, investment and accountability. One without the 
other will not close the achievement gap. Together, Madam Speaker, 
teachers in the classroom and the education reform initiatives that 
President Obama is pursuing in a bipartisan way promise to help end the 
vicious cycle of poverty and ignorance in this country and replace it 
with the virtuous cycle of opportunity and hope.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).
  Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the 
time.
  It is amazing that we are even spending one second debating this 
bill. The American people all across this country, from the width and 
breadth of it, are hurting. And the number one reason they are hurting 
is because of a

[[Page H6595]]

lack of jobs. And here we have a bill that means 319,000 jobs for the 
American people.
  We ought not waste one additional minute debating this bill, but to 
go ahead and to pass this bill. 319,000 jobs. And jobs in the critical 
areas of teachers, of firefighters, of police officers, the very jobs 
that are at the core of educating our young people.
  Without this bill passing, 161,000 teachers will no longer exist. 
Without this bill passing, 90,000-some first responders will no longer 
exist.
  Pass this bill, for the sake of the American people.
  Mr. DREIER. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to 
the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  (Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. I know that as my colleagues listen to the 
debate on the floor of the House, they don't have the full picture of 
Members returning from work recess, where we have been meeting with 
constituents, to come here today to take this important step. We are 
the People's House, and it certainly gives us no trouble to fly in to 
be able to make this important decision.
  But this is out of the ordinary. And it is out of the ordinary 
because you are looking at people who really care about what is 
happening, the strangulation of our States and the losses and the pink 
slips that teachers are getting so that our children cannot learn and 
be part of the competitive edge in the world. I know it factually, 
having more than seven school districts in my community.
  Today we are doing something that Chairman Obey deserves credit for, 
for his vision and his tenacity, someone who knows what it is to be 
without. Today we are talking about helping people. And I am sorry that 
the other body took so long, and I am sorry they took it out of EITC, 
and I am sorry they did not handle this in the right way, but we have a 
crisis going on.
  So these thousands of dollars that will help per teacher to save 
these teachers and firefighters and police officers, so that maybe the 
three little girls that were killed by a drunk driver in my district 
would not have faced such, with more law enforcement to tell people you 
can't drive while you are drunk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. POLIS. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. So I rise today to support this and ask 
anybody with good judgment, why would you vote against it? As I said, I 
don't like the pay-fors, but it is paid for. We will fix that.
  But let me tell you what is happening in Texas. Texas is taking money 
out of the mouths of children and putting it somewhere else. So I am 
supporting it because we have language that says to the Governor of the 
State of Texas, don't fool with money for children and education. And 
we have 40 school districts saying we support the legislative language 
that members of the Texas legislation have proposed.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has again 
expired.
  Mr. POLIS. I yield the gentlewoman 15 additional seconds.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. That would guarantee these emergency 
Federal education funds are actually spent on education in Texas. As 
drafted, this Texas fix has no impact on anything else. I am standing 
here because it is about education and public safety. I believe we are 
doing the right thing, and I ask my colleagues to vote on the 
underlying bill and the rule.
  I rise in strong support of the rule for H.R. 1586, the Education 
Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act. I support this legislation because it 
will save and create 319,000 American jobs--many of them in the 
education and health sectors.
  In less than a month, millions of American students will return to 
school eager to begin a new year of academic and personal growth. 
However, the quality of the schools they return to is a matter to be 
determined. Throughout the country, thousands of teachers have lost, or 
risk losing, their jobs. This is something our children and our 
educators can ill afford. As we work to regain economic ground, this 
legislation provides a total of $10 billion in funding for education 
jobs to sustain thousands of schools educating millions of children. 
Moreover, this includes $830.2 billion dollars for primary and 
secondary schools in the state of Texas.
  I am pleased that this legislation includes a provision that requires 
Governor Perry to certify that these emergency appropriations for 
public education will be used solely to add new funds for public 
education and not misused for other purposes. We all recall what 
happened last year when Governor Perry misused the Economic Recovery 
Act State Stabilization funds. In that instance, Governor Perry used 
$3.2 billion in similar aid last year as a substitute for, not an 
addition to, state aid to school districts. That was outrageous.
  It ignored the intent of our legislation, and it denied our children 
the education that they deserved.
  I want to stress that the provision will not create a compliance 
burden on the state of Texas. Rather, it says only that the state 
cannot take the federal aid and then use it as an excuse to make 
disproportionate cuts in state education aid to school districts, 
relative to other parts of the state budget that might also have to 
take a hit in the next budget cycle. This required assurance is no more 
onerous than assurances Governor Perry has given previously to receive 
billions of dollars in other federal funds. Texas cannot afford to be 
left out again, and I join the Texas Democratic Delegation and groups 
of teachers, principals and administrators from across the state of 
Texas who strongly support this provision.
  Madam Speaker, I applaud you for reconvening this week to pass this 
crucial legislation. We have a bold vision for creating and sustaining 
an education system that prepares our children to excel. As President 
Obama said yesterday in Texas, ``education is the economic issue of our 
time.'' I could not agree more. Today we have the opportunity to pass 
legislation that will impact education jobs today and our children's 
job prospects tomorrow. With schools forced to make difficult personnel 
decisions before the start of the school year, this legislation is the 
necessary action at the necessary time. According to updated estimates 
from the Department of Education, the $10 billion education funding 
will save 161,000 teacher jobs.
  In addition to education jobs funding, this legislation will also 
save and create jobs in the health sector. According to an analysis by 
the Economic Policy Institute, a non-partisan think tank, the Medicaid 
funds will save and create 158,000 jobs, including preventing the 
layoff of police officers and firefighters. More than half these jobs 
will be in the private sector, including workers who contract for or 
supply services to state and local governments.
  Under the Recovery Act, enacted in February 2009, the federal 
Medicaid matching rate was increased by 6.2 percentage points for all 
states and by additional percentage points for states with high 
unemployment. These temporary provisions were enacted in response to 
the state fiscal crisis--with the increased Medicaid caseloads and 
decreasing state revenues resulting from the deep recession. However, 
these provisions are scheduled to expire on December 31, 2010, with 
dire consequences for our economy.
  As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found: ``If Congress 
does not extend the enhanced Medicaid matching funds in last year's 
Recovery Act, most states will cut public services or raise taxes . . . 
without more federal aid, state budget-closing actions could cost the 
national economy 900,000 public- and private-sector jobs.''
  Due to the deep and enduring recession, states have lost tax revenue 
for the last two years and revenues are projected to remain at 
severely-reduced levels throughout fiscal year 2011. As a result, 
states have been forced to scale back spending and implement large 
service cuts to balance their budgets. While fiscal austerity is 
important, budget cuts impact more than a bottom line--the local health 
and emergency personnel need their jobs to make ends meet for 
themselves and their families. By extending the Medicare matching 
funds, we will help state and local governments save money and allow 
them to stay afloat while the economy improves. At least 34 states will 
cut jobs and services if this assistance is not enacted. This 
legislation will have a direct impact on Texas by providing an 
estimated $858,000,000 for Medicaid fiscal relief which will, in turn, 
save and create thousands of jobs.
  Madam Speaker, I thank you again for calling us back to session to 
save America's jobs.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Madam Speaker, a week ago last Friday when we adjourned for the 
August district work period, I thought to myself, well, we are going to 
get a six-week reprieve from this pattern of constant increases in 
spending and more bailouts. And yet here we are one week into this 
August district work period,

[[Page H6596]]

and we are back here with a $26.1 billion spending measure.
  Now, Madam Speaker, I was horrified when I read at the end of last 
week a quote that was put out of Speaker Pelosi's office. She said that 
Republican Members would rather see teachers, nurses, and cops on the 
unemployment line rather than having teachers in the classrooms, nurses 
in the emergency rooms, and cops on the beat.
  And as I said in the opening, I am grateful that my friend from 
Colorado recognizes that Democrats, Republicans, Independents alike all 
want to make sure that teachers are in the classroom, all want to make 
sure that nurses are in the emergency room, and all want to make sure 
that cops are on the beat. So let's disabuse ourselves of this notion 
that somehow if you are not supportive of this $26.1 billion measure, 
that you somehow are opposed to teachers, nurses, and cops.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  August 10, 2010 on Page H6596 the following appeared: grateful 
that my friend from California . . . since the 1974 Budget and 
Empowerment Act
  
  The online version should be corrected to read: grateful that my 
friend from Colorado . . . since the 1974 Budget and Impoundment 
Act


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  Why is it that we are here just one week into this break? We are here 
because of abject failure.
  Madam Speaker, for the first time since the 1974 Budget and 
Impoundment Act was put into place, we have not had the House of 
Representatives pass a budget. Never before has it been done like this. 
Never before.
  We have the chairman of the Appropriations Committee here. We are 
only one-sixth of our way through the appropriations process, and we 
have done it limiting the opportunity for Democrats and Republicans to 
represent their constituents with amendments here on the House floor.
  So, what is it that has happened? No budget. Well, why is it so 
important to have a budget? The reason to have a budget is so that we 
can ensure that teachers are in the classrooms, that nurses are in the 
emergency rooms, and that cops are on the beat.
  We have to establish priorities, and under Speaker Pelosi's 
leadership, that has not happened. So we have rushed back here to 
Washington for one day to debate and pass, I presume they are going to 
have the votes to pass it, a $26.1 billion measure.
  They continue to say that this is paid for. It is paid for. My friend 
from Houston said just a few moments ago she didn't like the way it was 
paid for, and we will fix it later.
  Well, how is it they pay for this? They pay for it on the backs of 
those businesses that are out there today working very hard in 
difficult economic times to create jobs. They pay for it on the backs 
of the poor, with the food stamp program. And while we are all focused 
on improving our environment, they pay for it on the backs of those of 
us who want to continue to focus on improving our environment. Meaning 
that it is nothing more than smoke and mirrors to claim that this is 
somehow paid for.
  The American people are hurting. My friend from Atlanta just pointed 
out that fact, and he is absolutely right.
  Madam Speaker, it is critical that we focus on job creation and 
economic growth. And we know how that can be done. Over the last 18 
months, we have seen an 84 percent increase in nondefense discretionary 
spending--an 84 percent increase in the last 18 months.

                              {time}  1150

  We have an unemployment rate that is 9.5 percent, fully 1.5 
percentage points beyond what President Obama promised it would be if 
we passed his $800 billion stimulus bill. So I think that across the 
board we can recognize that the economic policies of tax and spend have 
not worked in turning the economy around since we still have a 9.5 
percent unemployment rate.
  My State of California has a 12.3 percent unemployment rate. And what 
is it we're doing? We're continuing down with this program of massive, 
massive multibillion-dollar spending.
  So what is it we should be doing? I believe we should be taking, yes, 
a bipartisan approach.
  I like to regularly hold up the John F. Kennedy model for job 
creation and economic growth. We all know that in the early 1960s John 
F. Kennedy stepped up to the plate and put into place marginal, across-
the-board rate reduction. And what did that bring, Madam Speaker? It 
brought, during the decade of the 1960s, a 60 percent increase in the 
flow of revenues to the Federal Treasury, meaning that priorities could 
be established and that there was actually enhanced economic growth 
generating more revenues to the Federal Treasury.
  Similarly, during the 1980s, Ronald Reagan inherited a slow-moving 
economy. And what did he do? President Reagan put into place a marginal 
across-the-board rate reduction, and it brought a 90 percent increase, 
nearly doubling the flow of revenues to the Federal Treasury.
  So that is why this notion of dramatically increasing spending and at 
the same time increasing the tax burden on job creators is a 
prescription for failure. And that is exactly what we have found so 
far.
  We want to put into place positive, pro-growth economic policies. And 
we believe that while we are in the midst of this August district work 
period we should now, because the American people want us very much to 
get the economy moving, we should be working here in the House passing 
those.
  And so, Madam Speaker, I am going to urge my colleagues to vote 
``no'' on the previous question. In voting ``no'' on the previous 
question, if we are successful at defeating it, I will offer an 
amendment that will prevent the House from leaving immediately, and I 
know everybody wants to do that, but if we can put into place pro-
growth policies, I think it would certainly be well worth our staying.
  If we defeat the previous question, my amendment will allow for the 
consideration of five measures:
  First, H.R. 4746, to prevent pending tax increases; second, H.R. 
3765, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act; H.R. 
5141, the Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act; H.R. 4110, 
the TARP Sunset Act of 2009; and H.R. 2842, rescinding all stimulus 
funds that remain unobligated.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the amendment appear in the 
Record immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, if we defeat the previous question and 
allow those five measures to be debated here on the House floor, I 
believe that that goal would go a long way towards getting our economy 
back on track; and, yes, that kind of economic growth would ensure that 
we would have the resources to make sure that teachers remain in the 
classrooms and that nurses remain in the emergency rooms and that cops 
remain on the beat.
  So Madam Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the previous question. And 
if by chance we are not successful, I urge a ``no'' vote on the rule. 
Because I believe that we can do better.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of the time.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the rule and the 
Senate amendment to H.R. 1586.
  The new school year is just around the corner. Families across our 
Nation are preparing to send their kids back to school; and the 
experience that their children have this school year directly depends, 
Madam Speaker, on our actions here today in this Chamber.
  The package before us today recognizes that we can't afford to stand 
idle while our schools are being hammered by budget crises across the 
country. In Colorado, districts are facing the deepest budget cuts in 
memory. Colorado school districts have cut more than $288 million out 
of their budgets for next school year, so the $160 million that 
Colorado will receive under this program provides much-needed funds.
  Now I want to describe that that is typical of the experience of many 
States. In no way, shape, or form are we avoiding making the tough 
decisions or tough cuts during this recession. The States have made 
those. Districts have made those. We have the opportunity today to make 
sure that those cuts don't affect the kids going back to school.
  What have districts done to balance their budget? They have reduced 
their staff size and salaries, they have increased furlough days, they 
have created larger class sizes, they have reduced instructional hours, 
cut after-school programs, established 4-day school weeks. We are 
undercutting the future of American competitiveness by getting in the 
way of the ability to educate kids today because we happen

[[Page H6597]]

to be in a severe budget crisis. We each here today in this Chamber, 
Madam Speaker, have the opportunity to get these much-needed funds to 
States and school districts across the country.
  In addition, the budget of Colorado and more than half the States in 
the country assume that the FMAP increases will occur. If they don't, 
if this Chamber doesn't act here today, Colorado would have to come up 
with $245 million more in cuts; and, in most States, including my home 
State, those cuts would generally hit education, law enforcement, and 
higher education. So the extension is critically important not only for 
the low-income families that rely on Medicaid for health services but 
also for all public services that are so essential for our communities.
  Undermining public education during a recession is no way to build a 
world-class educational system, no way to create the economic engine of 
growth for our Nation for the next century when more than ever jobs 
will depend on what people know and their ability to think rather than 
what they can do with their hands.
  By passing this here today, Madam Speaker, we can help ensure 
America's competitiveness in a global, knowledge-based economy. 
Inaction today in the face of today's crisis would simply mean further 
erosion of our Nation's human capital, our greatest asset.
  Madam Speaker, this is not spending we are considering today. This is 
an investment. It's an investment in our most valuable asset, our 
children and our future.
  I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and the rule.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Madam Speaker, many of my colleagues here today 
interrupted important activities back in their home districts in order 
to be here today for this unusual August session.
  Some canceled important community events, put off important meetings 
with constituents or postponed time with their children to be here.
  For me, today was the day that I was scheduled to present 11 military 
medals to Thomas Hetherington, a wonderful Niagara Falls man and 
decorated Naval officer.
  Hetherington fought in both the Korean and Vietnam wars but struggled 
for years to convince the Pentagon to give him replacement medals; his 
originals were buried some years ago in the casket of his brother, who 
himself was a decorated Marine and Vietnam veteran.
  This year, my staff was able to assist Mr. Hetherington with getting 
replacement medals to compensate for the ones he bequeathed to his 
brother. It was very important to his family and I was glad I could 
play some small role in navigating the bureaucracy for this 
constituent.
  But last week we called Mr. Hetherington and said we had to postpone 
the service. Why? Because like my colleagues, I was summoned to 
Washington to vote on an absolutely critical package of legislation 
that the Senate approved late last week.
  We're here today debating emergency assistance for states and school 
districts across the country, I can't think of a better reason for 
members to rush back to the Capitol.
  We're here today to extend a lifeline to teachers and classrooms to 
ensure that students across this country are not hurt by a weak economy 
that has forced some states into drastic cutbacks.
  Despite the failure of the Senate to move this bill during many 
months of debate until it finally passed this week, the urgency is 
real. And the appeal is broad.
  This legislation saves or creates 310,000 American jobs, specifically 
for teachers, police officers, firefighters and nurses.
  The funds will go immediately to states to prevent layoffs and in 
some cases to rehire teachers as summer comes to an end and students to 
go back to school.
  Students here in Washington DC will be at school the week after next.
  In my home state of New York, this package is worth roughly $2 
billion in Medicaid savings.
  Since New York faced a budget shortfall, this bill directs more than 
$600 million to the state to retain and create teacher jobs over the 
coming school year. The U.S. Department of Education says the bill will 
fund 8,200 positions.
  This legislation is completely paid for, primarily by closing tax 
loopholes that encourage corporations to ship American jobs overseas. 
In fact, this bill will help us cut the deficit by $1.4 billion over 
the next 10 years.
  Amazingly, some on the other side have argued that this legislation 
is nothing more than a deal for ``special interests,'' as they say.
  These funds will assist states so that they can keep qualified 
teachers in classrooms and pay firefighters and police officers to keep 
our neighborhoods safe. Shouldn't we do everything in our power to 
protect those jobs?
  Widespread layoffs in those sectors would hurt not only schools and 
children but would further depress the economy. Knocking Americans into 
the unemployment line does nothing for families--they deserve better. 
These people form the backbone of our economy.
  Sadly, one of the reasons it took until the early part of August to 
pass this legislation is that Senate Republicans filibustered efforts 
to bring it forward for a vote.
  Now that this measure is before us, I hope all of my colleagues will 
join me in supporting this legislation and quickly moving to a final 
vote this afternoon.
  If protecting public safety and education means that I am helping 
``special interests,'' then count me in.
  The material previously referred to by Mr. Dreier is as follows:

     Amendment to H. Res. 1606 Offered by Mr. Dreier of California

       At the end of the resolution, add the following:
       Sec. 3. It shall not be in order for the Speaker to 
     entertain a motion to adjourn pursuant to H. Con. Res. 308 
     until the House has considered the measures specified in 
     section 4.
       Sec. 4. The measures referred to in section 3 are as 
     follows:
       (1) H.R. 4746, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986 to prevent pending tax increases, and for other 
     purposes;
       (2) H.R. 3765, a bill to amend chapter 8 of title 5, United 
     States Code, to provide that major rules of the executive 
     branch shall have no force or effect unless a joint 
     resolution of approval is enacted into law;
       (3) H.R. 5141, a bill to repeal the expansion of 
     information reporting requirements for payments of $600 or 
     more to corporations, and for other purposes;
       (4) H.R. 4110, a bill to repeal the authority of the 
     Secretary of the Treasury to extend the Troubled Asset Relief 
     Program; and,
       (5) H.R. 2842, a bill to rescind all stimulus funds that 
     remain unobligated.

  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I 
move the previous question on the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on ordering the previous 
question.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam 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, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

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