[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 168 (Friday, December 17, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H8763-H8765]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 105, FURTHER
CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS, FISCAL YEAR 2011
Mr. POLIS, from the Committee on Rules, submitted a privileged report
(Rept. No. 111-689) on the resolution (H. Res. 1776) providing for
consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 105) making further
continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2011, and for other purposes,
which was referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I
call up House Resolution 1776 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 1776
Resolved, That upon the adoption of this resolution it
shall be in order to consider in the House the joint
resolution (H.J. Res. 105) making further continuing
appropriations for fiscal year 2011, and for other purposes.
All points of order against consideration of the joint
resolution are waived except those arising under clause 10 of
rule XXI. The joint resolution shall be considered as read.
All points of order against provisions in the joint
resolution are waived. The previous question shall be
considered as ordered on the joint resolution to final
passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of
debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and
ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations;
and (2) one motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Colorado is recognized
for 1 hour.
{time} 1520
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the
customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions). All
time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only.
General Leave
Mr. POLIS. I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5
legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House
Resolution 1776.
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.
House Resolution 1776 provides a closed rule for the consideration of
H.J. Res. 105, making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year
2011, and for other purposes.
The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by
the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on
Appropriations. The rule waives all points of order against
consideration of the joint resolution except those arising under clause
10 of rule XXI. The rule provides that the joint resolution shall be
considered as read. The rule waives all points of order against
provisions of the joint resolution. Finally, the rule provides one
motion to recommit the joint resolution with or without instructions.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of approving a continuing
resolution to maintain a level and consistent funding stream for our
government.
This resolution is aptly numbered ``1776,'' a patriotic number for a
patriotic bill that will allow government to continue its normal
operations until midnight, on Tuesday, to give the Senate a chance to
complete its deliberations.
I could take this opportunity to share the frustration of our
colleagues at the inability of the Senate to complete its work in a
timely manner; but in the spirit of the season, Mr. Speaker, I will
simply say that we must pass this continuing resolution to allow the
Senate to continue its important work and deliberations to create
either a longer term continuing resolution or an omnibus appropriations
package that will allow the regular business of government to keep the
people of America safe to continue.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SESSIONS. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to thank my friend, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis)
not only for his friendship but also for being with us today as we
approach the floor on H. Res. 1776.
Mr. Speaker, just last week, I stood right here to do a rule and
pointed out that my Democrat colleagues continue to use an
unprecedented restrictive and closed process on the House floor, and I
am here today to tell the same story.
At least this is very consistent behavior. For 2 years, we have had
nothing but closed rules, and here we are today, in fact, in the same
place, except what we are doing here today, again, is discussing a
long-term continuing resolution, a resolution that went nowhere in the
Senate. Yet we are here again today, doing another continuing
resolution so that our government does not shut down on Saturday.
Last week, the Rules Committee, under Democrat leadership, reported
out an unprecedented long-term martial law rule. They gave themselves
11 days to bring up any bill under a rule that same day, and just
yesterday, they reported out an additional martial law rule through
Christmas Eve. This only continues the backroom, closed deals that have
been pursued throughout the 111th Congress.
What was promised to be the most ``open, honest, and ethical''
Congress by Speaker Nancy Pelosi when she took the gavel has turned
into the most closed, one-sided Congress in history. We tax too much.
We spend too much. We regulate too much. We listen too little.
Mr. Speaker, the American people asked for changes in 2008, and they
got something that was far worse. In 3 weeks, that will change; but
until then, I am here to discuss another closed rule for another
continuing resolution.
This day continues to bring about more overspending, which has been a
common theme of the last two Congresses--not just another CR but
another omnibus. The underlying legislation is a CR to keep the
government running until Tuesday. That is true. The Democrats provided
no budget this year, and the President has not signed one
appropriations bill into law this year. So this legislation and the
rule is just another tactic to keep the government running until the
majority can figure out its next priority. Well, I assure you it will
be all about spending.
Over the past 3 years, nondefense, non-Homeland Security and non-
Veterans Affairs discretionary spending has increased by a staggering
88 percent. In the meantime, the Nation's debt has risen to $13.5
trillion. There have been yearly record deficits since our friends, the
Democrats, took the majority and record unemployment. The unemployment
rate has now been
[[Page H8764]]
at or above 9.5 percent for 18 consecutive months.
Republicans want to take spending levels back to 2008, which would
save American taxpayers nearly $100 billion in the first year. I think
the American people are fed up with taxing, borrowing, spending, closed
rules, and more rules and regulations than we have seen in the past 4
years, which has brought us nothing but more unemployment, higher debt
and a monster deficit. Americans have called for an end to the reckless
spending and for a new era of fiscal discipline. Yet it continues to
fall on deaf ears even today.
This country needs leaders who are willing to make tough financial
decisions and fiscal decisions that will bring back our economy,
stability, job growth--not just more of the same taxing and spending.
Mr. Speaker, as if continuing the spending levels from 2010 weren't
enough, my colleagues on the Democrat side of the aisle are here,
acting only today to await a possible Senate omnibus bill that has a
total price tag of $1.1 trillion more to be spent in the next 10
months. That's not called ``running the government.'' Running the
government has already been taken care of. This is $1.1 trillion.
When will the majority recognize that this simply cannot and should
not continue? When will the Democrats understand that taxing and
spending and putting our children in an unfavorable position for their
futures will not be tolerated?
In true fashion, I know, the Democrats have an agenda, and they need
to continue it until the very end, and that is what they are doing.
They have shut out Republican ideas for the past 4 years. They continue
to shut out the American people. Continuing on the path of reckless
government spending will only put us, our children, and our future in
debt. Congress must do better.
So, on behalf of my party, the Republican Party, we are on the floor
today to recognize H. Res. 1776. We are going to oppose this rule. We
are going to oppose the additional spending, and we promise to do
better.
Just last week, I stood right here to do a rule and pointed out that
my democrat colleagues continue to use an unprecedented, restrictive,
and closed process on the House floor, and here I am again to tell the
same story. In fact, last week I was standing here before you Mr.
Speaker discussing a long term Continuing Resolution--a resolution that
went nowhere in the Senate. Yet, here we are again today, doing another
Continuing Resolution so our government does not shut down by this
Saturday. Week after week my friends on the other side of the aisle
continue to bulldoze their massive spending agenda through the floor of
the House with no Republican input, and no regular order. Last week the
Rules Committee, under Democrat leadership, reported out an
unprecedentedly long martial law rule. They gave themselves eleven days
to bring up any bill under a rule the same day, and just yesterday they
reported out an additional martial law rule through Christmas Eve. This
only continues the backroom, closed deals they have pursued throughout
the 111th Congress.
What was promised to be the most ``open, honest and ethical''
Congress by Speaker Pelosi when she took the gavel, has been the most
closed, and one-sided Congress in history. The American people asked
for change in 2008 and they got something far worse. They received a
Democrat Congress that doesn't listen to the American people, and a
Congress that acts on their own interest and not the interest of the
American taxpayer.
Mr. Speaker, in three weeks that will change. But until then, I am
here to discuss another closed rule for another Continuing Resolution.
The legislation before us continues to over-spend--a common theme over
the last two Congresses.
The underlying legislation is a CR to keep the government running
until Tuesday. The Democrats provided no budget for this year and the
President has not signed one appropriations bill into law--so this
legislation and rule is just another tactic to keep the government
running until the Majority can kick the responsibility to the
Republicans next Congress.
Over the past three years, non-defense, non-homeland security, and
non-veterans affairs discretionary spending has increased by a
staggering 88 percent. In the meantime, the nation's debt has risen to
$13.5 trillion, there have been yearly record deficits since the
Democrats took the Majority, and the unemployment rate has been at or
above 9.5% for 18 consecutive months.
This CR does almost nothing to reverse this trend and instead
continues the unsustainable, high rate of spending passed the Democrat
Majority last year. This includes more spending for many federal
agencies that received massive increases with the Democrat Stimulus
bill in 2009. My Republican colleagues and I have pledged to cut non-
security spending back to the fiscal year 2008 levels which would save
American taxpayers nearly $100 billion in the first year.
The American people are fed-up with the tax, borrow and spend
policies of the past 4 years, which has brought nothing but
unemployment, debt and deficit. Americans have called for an end to
reckless spending and a new era of fiscal discipline, yet it continues
to fall on deaf ears here today. This country needs leaders that are
willing to make the tough fiscal decisions that will provide economic
stability and job growth, not just more of the same.
In true fashion, my democrat colleagues continue to push their own
agenda on the American people. They have shut out Republicans over the
past 4 years, and they continue to shut out the American people.
Continuing on the path of reckless government spending, will only put
the U.S. further in debt burdening future generations. Congress must do
better for the American people. I oppose this rule.
Mr. Speaker, you have heard me say it over and over, but the American
people we promised an ``open, honest and ethical'' Congress, and that
is not what they have received. Congress only received the text of this
legislation a few hours ago. American's have called for transparency
and bipartisanship and have only seen a secretive dictatorship.
I ask my colleagues to vote no on the rule. Vote ``no'' to stop the
reckless fiscal policies that Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats have
pursued over the last 4 years. It is time to end the idea of Big
Government and Big Spending.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. POLIS. I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I could certainly discuss how the House has passed two
appropriations bills this year--the Transportation-HUD appropriations
bill and the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs appropriations
bill, while the Senate has not passed a single appropriations measure.
Last year, the House passed all of the appropriations measures.
I could certainly also discuss how, in the 12 years that the
Republicans controlled the House, there were a number of years when not
a single regular appropriations measure was enacted by October 1--in
1996, in 2002, and in 2003. In fact, in those 12 years, CRs were
enacted 84 times.
Again, Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of the season, in the spirit of
charity, and in the spirit of our colleagues' desire to complete their
work in this body, I will simply say that it is critical for the basic
functions of government to continue over the next 5 days, particularly
during this travel season.
Where would we be on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year
if we cut off funding for our air marshals, which the failure of this
bill would ensue?
Just yesterday, I was proud that this body passed and sent to the
President a bill to keep taxes low for all Americans. I supported this
bill, along with 139 of my Democratic colleagues and 138 of my
Republican colleagues. In voicing their support for the legislation,
many of our friends on both sides of the aisle cited the need for
certainty and stability.
Well, Mr. Speaker, this bill before us today provides certainty and
predictability for the basic functions of the Federal Government until
next Tuesday, at midnight, by which point we will undertake a longer
term continuing resolution or other measure to allow for the basic
functions of government to continue.
I call upon my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying
legislation, and I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on
the rule.
Mr. Speaker, 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. SESSIONS. 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.
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