[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 125 (Thursday, September 16, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6776-H6777]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   NOTICE OF INTENTION TO OFFER RESOLUTION RAISING A QUESTION OF THE 
                        PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE

  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of 
rule IX, I hereby notify the House of my intention to offer a 
resolution as a question of the privileges of the House.
  The form of my resolution is as follows:

       Whereas a reconvening of Congress between the regularly 
     scheduled Federal election in November and the start of the 
     next session of Congress is known as a lame-duck session of 
     Congress;
       Whereas Democrats have recently insinuated that significant 
     legislative matters would deliberately not be addressed 
     during the 111th Congress until after the midterm 2010 
     elections;
       Whereas this Congress began its mortgage of the Nation's 
     future with a ``stimulus'' package costing $1.1 trillion that 
     failed to lower unemployment, spur economic growth, or 
     actually address the needs of struggling American businesses 
     and families;
       Whereas this Congress continued its freewheeling spending 
     with an increase of $72.4 billion in nonemergency 
     discretionary spending in fiscal year 2009 to reach a total 
     spending level of $1.01 trillion for the first time in United 
     States history;
       Whereas this Congress approved a budget resolution in 2009 
     that proposed the 6 largest nominal deficits in American 
     history and included tax increases of $423 billion during a 
     period of sustained high unemployment;
       Whereas the House of Representatives disregarded the 
     interests and opinions of everyday Americans by passing a 
     national energy tax bill that would increase costs on nearly 
     every aspect of American lives by up to $3,000 per person per 
     year, eliminate millions of jobs, reduce workers' income, and 
     devastate economic growth;
       Whereas this Congress disregarded the interests and 
     opinions of everyday Americans by passing a massive 
     government takeover of health care that will force millions 
     of Americans from their health insurance plans, increase 
     premiums and costs for individuals and employers, raise taxes 
     by $569.2 billion, and fund abortions--all at a cost of $2.64 
     trillion over the first 10 years of full implementation;
       Whereas this Congress nationalized the student loan 
     industry with a potential cost of 30,000 private sector jobs 
     and $50.1 billion over 10 years;
       Whereas the House of Representatives passed the DISCLOSE 
     Act, which would violate the First Amendment and hinder the 
     free speech of citizens associations and corporations while 
     leaving all unions exempt from many of the new requirements, 
     in order to try to influence the outcome of the midterm 2010 
     elections;
       Whereas in spite of the House Budget Committee Chairman's 
     2006 statement that ``if you can't budget, you can't 
     govern'', the Democrat leadership has failed to introduce a 
     budget resolution in 2010 as mandated by law, but instead 
     self-executed a ``deeming resolution'' that increases 
     nonemergency discretionary spending in fiscal year 2011 by 
     $30 billion to $1.121 trillion, setting another new record 
     for the highest level in United States history;
       Whereas this Congress has failed Main Street through 
     passage of a financial system takeover that fails to end the 
     moral hazard of too-big-to-fail, does not address Fannie Mae 
     and Freddie Mac, and creates numerous new boards, councils, 
     and positions with unconstitutionally broad authorities that 
     will interfere with the creation of wealth and jobs;
       Whereas this Congress has wasted taxpayer funds on an 
     unnecessary and unconstitutional auto industry bailout, a 
     ``cash for clunkers'' program, a home remodification program 
     (``cash for caulkers''), and countless other special interest 
     projects while allowing the public debt to reach its highest 
     level in United States history;
       Whereas the New York Times reported on June 19, 2010, that 
     ``[f]or all the focus on the historic federal rescue of the 
     banking industry, it is the government's decision to seize 
     Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in September 2008 that is likely 
     to cost taxpayers the most money. . . . Republicans want to 
     sever ties with Fannie and Freddie once the crisis abates. 
     The Obama administration and Congressional Democrats have 
     insisted on postponing the argument until after the midterm 
     elections'';
       Whereas the Washington Times reported on June 22, 2010, 
     that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer stated, ``a budget, 
     which sets out binding one-year targets and a multiyear plan, 
     is useless this year because Congress has shunted key 
     questions about deficits to the independent debt commission 
     created by President Obama, which is due to report back at 
     the end of this year'';
       Whereas the Hill reported on June 24, 2010, that Senator 
     Tom Harkin, a Democrat from Iowa, suggested that ``Democrats 
     might attempt to move `card-check' legislation this year, 
     perhaps during a lame-duck session. . . . `A lot of things 
     can happen in a lame-duck session, too,' he said'';
       Whereas the New York Times published an article on June 28, 
     2010, titled ``Lame-Duck Session Emerges as Possibility for 
     Climate Bill Conference'' that declares, ``many expect the 
     final energy or climate bill to be worked out during the 
     lame-duck session between the November election and the start 
     of the new Congress in January'';
       Whereas the Hill reported on July 1, 2010, that 
     ``Democratic leaders are likely to punt the task of renewing 
     Bush-era tax cuts until after the election. Voters in 
     November's midterms will thus be left without a clear idea of 
     their future tax rates when they go to the polls'';
       Whereas the Wall Street Journal reported on July 13, 2010, 
     that ``there have been signs in recent weeks that party 
     leaders are planning an ambitious, lame-duck session to 
     muscle through bills in December they don't want to defend 
     before November. Retiring or defeated members of Congress 
     would then be able to vote for sweeping legislation without 
     any fear of voter retaliation'';
       Whereas the Hill reported on July 27, 2010, that Senate 
     Majority Leader Harry Reid said, at the recent Netroots 
     Nation conference of liberal bloggers, in reference to 
     Democrats' unfinished priorities, ``We're going to have to 
     have a lame duck session, so we're not giving up'';
       Whereas the Hill reported in the same piece on July 27, 
     2010, that the lame-duck session will include priorities such 
     as ``comprehensive immigration reform, climate change 
     legislation and a whole host of other issues'';
       Whereas during NBC's Meet the Press on August 8, 2010, 
     White House advisor Carol Browner stated that Congress would 
     ``potentially'' deal with a national energy tax bill in a 
     lame-duck session;
       Whereas the Hill reported on August 20, 2010, that Rep. 
     Mike Quigley (D-IL) said, ``I'm more hopeful about the lame 
     duck session. I have faith that we're going to repeal Don't 
     Ask Don't Tell'';
       Whereas the members of the House Republican Conference, as 
     an alternative to passing a massive omnibus spending bill for 
     next year during a lame-duck session, have called on members 
     of both parties, as a starting point, to work together this 
     month to enact legislation that cuts nonsecurity 
     discretionary spending to 2008 levels (the last year before 
     the wave of bailouts, stimulus spending sprees, and takeovers 
     that have dismayed the American people) for the next year and 
     provides much-needed certainty to American small businesses 
     by freezing tax rates at their current levels for the next 2 
     years;
       Whereas recent public polling shows that the American 
     people clearly oppose the idea of dealing with major new 
     legislation in a lame-duck session;
       Whereas the Declaration of Independence notes that 
     governments ``[derive] their just powers from the consent of 
     the governed'';

[[Page H6777]]

       Whereas the American people have expressed their loss of 
     confidence through self-organized and self-funded taxpayer 
     marches on Washington, at countless ``tea party'' events, at 
     townhalls and speeches, and with numerous letters, emails, 
     and phone calls to their elected representatives;
       Whereas the Democrat majority has all but announced plans 
     to use any lame-duck Congress to advance currently 
     unattainable, partisan policies that are widely unpopular 
     with the American people or that further increase the 
     national debt against the will of most Americans;
       Whereas reconvening the House of Representatives in a lame-
     duck session to address major new legislation subverts the 
     will of the American people, lessens accountability, and does 
     lasting damage to the dignity and integrity of this body's 
     proceedings; and
       Whereas under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi and the 
     Democrat majority, and largely due to the current trends of 
     expanding governmental power and limiting individual liberty, 
     the American people have lost confidence in their elected 
     officials, and that faith must be restored: Now, therefore, 
     be it--
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives pledges not to 
     assemble on or between November 2, 2010, and January 3, 2011, 
     except in the case of an unforeseen, sudden emergency 
     requiring immediate action from Congress, and that the 
     consideration of any of the following matters does not 
     constitute an unforeseen, sudden emergency:
       (1) Card check, including H.R. 1409 (111th).
       (2) A national energy tax, including H.R. 2454 (111th).
       (3) Any legislation that would provide more authority to 
     Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
       (4) Any legislation pertaining to the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act.
       (5) Any legislation making regular appropriations for 
     fiscal year 2011 that would be an increase over previous 
     funding levels.
       (6) Any legislation increasing any tax on any American.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Richardson). Under rule IX, a resolution 
offered from the floor by a Member other than the majority leader or 
the minority leader as a question of the privileges of the House has 
immediate precedence only at a time designated by the Chair within 2 
legislative days after the resolution is properly noticed.
  Pending that designation, the form of the resolution noticed by the 
gentleman from Georgia will appear in the Record at this point.
  The Chair will not at this point determine whether the resolution 
constitutes a question of privilege. That determination will be made at 
the time designated for consideration of the resolution.

                          ____________________