[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 161 (Wednesday, December 8, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H8110-H8112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WAIVING REQUIREMENT OF CLAUSE 6(a) OF RULE XIII WITH RESPECT TO
CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF
MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I
call up House Resolution 1752 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 1752
Resolved, That 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 December 18, 2010.
Sec. 2. It shall be in order at any time through the
legislative day of December 18, 2010, for the Speaker to
entertain motions that the House suspend the rules. The
Speaker or her designee shall consult with the Minority
Leader or his designee on the designation of any matter for
consideration pursuant to this section.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Driehaus). The gentleman from Colorado
is recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the
customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).
All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only. I
yield myself such time as I may consume.
General Leave
Mr. POLIS. I also ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5
legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res.
1752.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Colorado?
There was no objection.
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1752 waives the requirement
of clause 6 of rule XIII requiring a two-thirds vote to consider a rule
on the same day it is reported from the Rules Committee. This would
allow for the same day consideration of any resolution reported through
the legislative day of December 18, 2010. Finally, the rule allows the
Speaker to entertain motions to suspend the rules through the
legislative day of December 18, 2010. The Speaker or her designee shall
consult with the minority leader or his designee on the designation of
any matter for consideration pursuant to this resolution.
Today, Mr. Speaker, as we near the end of the historic 111th
Congress, key legislation remains to be completed. This rule will
provide flexibility to allow bipartisan negotiations to continue and
put the finishing touches on important initiatives before our 111th
Congress. This rule will allow the House to act as fast as it can when
receiving legislation from the Senate which, as we all know, can arrive
on a very unpredictable time frame. The unpredictability of the Senate
thus far this Congress, the lengthy negotiations process, and the
partisanship affects the prospects and drastically reduces our ability
to take on so many important bills.
This rule today is critical so that we can move forward to consider
middle class tax cuts, the DREAM Act, food safety, defense
authorization, regardless of where Members of this body stand on
particular issues, and I think we owe it to our country to bring them
forward in a timely manner for full consideration by this body.
I am very proud to be a Member of the 111th Congress. This Congress
has been one of the most productive bodies in half a century and our
work is not complete. We've passed several historic bills that will
improve the lives of every American and help dig us out of an economic
disaster leading to our recovery. We've also passed legislation to make
college loans more affordable, to protect consumers from usurious
credit card interest rates, to make it easier for women to challenge
pay discrimination, to finally regulate tobacco products under the FDA,
to crack down on waste in the Pentagon; from giving business tax
incentives to hire unemployed workers and giving tax credits to first-
time homebuyers which realtors in my district have told me really
helped get the market going again.
But despite these historic accomplishments, there remains much work
to be done in our final weeks. I could stand here as many Members of
this body could for hours talking about the many bills we would like to
take up and the programs we need to reauthorize, bills that would
create jobs in America, strengthen our national security, fixing our
broken immigration system, feeding our children, and repairing our
highways. By extending same day and suspension authority until December
18, the day when government funding runs out, we're making a commitment
to the country that will uphold our constitutional responsibility and
stay on task and keep the government running. We're also keeping the
promises that we made to our communities and our nation.
If it comes down to the wire, Mr. Speaker, this rule would give us
the flexibility to act in a timely fashion. We know that to consider a
bill under a rule, there needs to be a one-day layover and that
suspensions are only considered Monday through Wednesday. Without this
rule, if the Senate sends us a government funding measure on Saturday,
December 18, we would have to literally let the government shut down.
This rule is a matter of efficiency. We're all aware of the time
constraints before us and the limited time remaining in this session as
well as the work that needs to be done. It will do the American people
no service if their elected representatives are here debating multiple
procedural rules, wasting our taxpayer dollars when government shuts
down. That's why we've extended the authority through the end of the
current CR. Let us save the remaining time of the 111th Congress to
debate the important initiatives that are still pending and pass this
rule today.
Mr. Speaker, these are not unusual procedures. I want to point out
that in the 109th Congress, the Republican majority reported at least
21 rules that allowed for same day consideration. In fact, five of
those rules waived this requirement against any rule reported from the
committee.
Mr. Speaker, this will also be the last rule that I have the honor of
co-managing with my good friend and colleague from Florida (Mr. Diaz-
Balart), and I just want to say a few words on his behalf. It has been
a great pleasure serving with the gentleman from Florida on the Rules
Committee, having managed a number of rules together on the floor. I
have always appreciated his thoughtful and incisive remarks on the
Rules Committee and on the floor. His championing of developing
American capital, developing the economy in Florida, in Miami; his
dedication to foreign relations and affairs,
[[Page H8111]]
to help restore democracy to a country from which he derives his
heritage. Lincoln Diaz-Balart is truly a great American. I look forward
to staying in touch with him in his future journeys, because I know
that his career in Congress is not the end of his professional career
or his life journey but it is merely a stage and a beginning and we
will hear many great things in the future from one of the most
respected, talented, insightful Members of this Chamber. It has truly
been an honor to have been his colleague on the Rules Committee.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1240
Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume. I thank my friend from Colorado (Mr. Polis) for
the time.
I also thank him for his gracious words. He, in the short period of
time that he has been here, has already left a mark with his
thoughtfulness and his hard work, and really his conscience and
compassion. He has left a mark on this Congress. And I know his
constituents must be, and will continue to be, very proud to have sent
him here because they have already seen the kind of Member of Congress
that Jared Polis is. So I thank him for those kind words.
And I share with him the view that we have been able to work on some
projects together, and my hope that we will be able to work in the
future. And really my almost certainty that we will be able to work
together in the future on important projects as well.
Mr. Speaker, as this, the 111th Congress, proceeds, it's in its final
days evidently. The rule before us provides for expedited same day
consideration for all legislation brought forward until December 18,
and extends suspension authority for that period. It's really martial
law rule because it closes down the process, does not allow Members of
Congress to review legislation, to really know what legislation that
will be considered is about. And in an historically unprecedented
manner, it sets 11 days for this expedited consideration of legislation
without necessarily showing legislation to colleagues before
consideration.
The congressional majority and the Speaker have not fulfilled their
2006 campaign pledge to have, and I quote, ``The most honest, the most
open, and the most ethical Congress in history.'' It was indeed needed
reform at that time. But as we now know, it failed to materialize.
This majority admits, Mr. Speaker, with the rule before us today, it
admits that it doesn't even pretend to care about fair process and
transparency and the rights of the minority any more. The congressional
majority feels no need to allow the public and all of our colleagues to
read legislation before the House votes. The language before us allows
bills to be considered the same day that they are ushered through the
Rules Committee. The majority cares little for the ability of Members
to have input in the form of amendments to vital, must-pass legislation
that we will consider in the next days and weeks.
I think it's important to note, though I think it's unfortunate, that
the House of Representatives has not considered even one open rule this
Congress. And that would have been certainly something that I would not
have expected. In my 18 years here, I have never seen this before, and
did not expect it. This House has not considered even one open rule
this Congress.
Now, we've come to expect that from the current majority. And so it's
to be expected that the majority will have more martial law rules like
the one before us in the days ahead. I think it's appropriate, I think
it's good news that the Republicans, that we have made a pledge that I
am confident will be kept. I am happy to report that very soon there
will be significant and impactful course correction in the House of
Representatives. The Members will be able to read legislation before
they cast votes. Open rules will make a triumphant return to the House
floor. All Representatives in this House will be able to contribute to
the legislative process, bringing forth a chorus of ideas that have
been suppressed during the last two Congresses. So that's good news.
And that is one of the good things about renewal in politics and the
democratic process.
Again I thank Mr. Polis for his courtesy, for his friendship, and all
of my colleagues. As I said a few weeks ago, these have been an
extraordinary 18 years, Mr. Speaker, the honor of my life. This is the
Congress of the greatest Nation in the world. And it's a miracle. The
United States of America is a miracle of freedom. And so as I leave
this House, again I thank all of my colleagues for the honor of being
able to have been able to serve with them, for the honor of having been
able to serve with them, both those who have helped me, who have agreed
with me and the causes that I have fought, and those who have opposed
me. It's been an honor to serve with all of them.
At this point we have no further speakers, and so, Mr. Speaker, I
urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule, and to let this House
return to openness a few weeks ahead of schedule.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, this is a simple and important vote. The
111th Congress has done a great deal, and it has been one of the most
accomplished Congresses in decades. However, there are critical needs
that must be met before this body adjourns and gives way to the next
United States Congress.
Mr. Speaker, it's been said that as a Member of the House one's true
opponent is not the opposing party, but rather the Senate. This has
never been more true, as the most deliberative body has unfortunately
pushed some very complicated and yet critical decisions to the last
minute, down to the wire, forcing the House and the American people in
the position we find ourselves in today.
Mr. Speaker, Congress is riddled with ways to obstruct and delay
progress on bills. Just a few weeks ago, the House barely scraped
together the votes to pass a child nutrition bill. In the Senate, a
minority of Members continue to stall the defense authorization act,
the DREAM Act, as well as their work, necessary work on making sure
that middle class Americans don't face an increase in taxes come
January.
Gridlock is typical of Congress. And of course discussion is an
important part of the political process. But never before have so many
within government set out to stop progress for political gain at a
great cost to our Nation. This rule will simply allow the necessary
work of this House to continue, both proactively and reactively with
regards to the United States Senate.
The American people want Congress to create jobs and grow the economy
by working together. It's not a small task. But it certainly can't be
accomplished if we yield to those who would stand in the way of
progress. That's why we must pass this rule today, Mr. Speaker, to
allow this body to pass critical provisions to allow government to
continue to operate essential services for our citizens, defending our
borders and our Nation from threats here and abroad, to make sure that
middle class Americans don't face the largest tax increase in history
come January. Not only do we need to make hard, well-informed decisions
about what to do with regard to our tax code, but we need to make tough
decisions about many other tax provisions that are scheduled to expire
at the end of this calendar year.
It is that calendar, that 10-year clock that necessitates the 111th
Congress getting this work done prior to the end of the year. I
strongly encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the previous
question and the rule.
I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question
on the resolution.
The previous question was ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. 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, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
[[Page H8112]]
____________________