[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 172 (Tuesday, December 21, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H8817-H8819]
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. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules,
I call up House Resolution 1771 and ask for its immediate
consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 1771
Waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with
respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from
the Committee on Rules, and providing for consideration of
motions to suspend the rules.
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 24, 2010.
Sec. 2. It shall be in order at any time through the
legislative day of December 24, 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. The gentleman from Massachusetts is
recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. McGOVERN. For the purpose 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. I yield myself
such time as I may consume.
General Leave
Mr. McGOVERN. I also ask unanimous consent that all Members be given
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House
Resolution 1771.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, House Resolution 1771 waives the
requirement of clause 6(a) 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 24, 2010.
The resolution allows the Speaker to entertain motions to suspend the
rules through the legislative day of December 24, 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 section 2
of the rule.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SESSIONS. Good morning, Madam Speaker. Welcome to this week of
Christmas.
I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to thank the gentleman from Massachusetts, my friend Mr.
McGovern, the vice chairman of the Rules Committee, for bringing this
martial law rule to the floor of the House of Representatives today.
{time} 1220
Madam Speaker, the 111th Congress is in its final days, or so the
body hopes. The rule before us today provides for an expedited same-day
consideration of all legislation brought forward until Christmas Eve
and extends suspension authority for that same period. This martial law
rule consists of the ability of the Democrats to bring 4 more days of
expedited consideration on top of the 11 days my colleagues gave
themselves on the 8th of December.
This Congress has seen a record number of restrictive rules over the
past 2 years. In fact, we have not debated one open rule in this
Congress. I don't believe that closing debate, limiting amendments, and
shutting down Democrats and Republicans out of their thoughtful
solutions on the House floor is what we were promised by Speaker
Pelosi. Speaker Pelosi openly told the American people that she would
run the most open, honest, and ethical Congress. Madam Speaker, I would
say to you that as we started, so are we ending, in chaos.
It seems like every time I come to the House floor I point out that
my Democrat colleagues are using an unprecedented, restrictive, and
closed process. This is not what the American people wanted, and I
believe the American people truly do want their Member of Congress to
be able to come to Washington, DC, to fully participate in the process.
And unfortunately, we find ourselves here again today with Members
simply sitting back in their offices, wondering and waiting what is
next, what are we even debating, what are we doing, rather than being
actively involved in this democratic process. Madam Speaker, that's why
people came to Congress.
This Congress has managed to rack up a record $1.4 trillion deficit
in 2009, more than three times the size of the deficit in 2008, and it
hit a $1.3 trillion deficit this year. Additionally, we have seen
unemployment at or above 9.5 percent across this country for over 18
consecutive months and a national debt that has now ballooned to $13.4
trillion, and yet we see no end to the spending, which is evident by
the rule that we are here discussing today. No discipline; no feedback
from Members,
[[Page H8818]]
Members of this body coming faithfully to do their job, not even
knowing what is happening and what is next, purely speculation. No
sharing of information; no plan that can be executed based upon the
Members of this body understanding what we're doing, where we're going,
and what is next.
Madam Speaker, if there ever was a time when the American people need
to know what the plan is and Members of Congress need to know what the
plan is it would be now. It would be now for us to determine not only
how to have fiscal restraint, but also, a majority who offered
leadership, leadership on a budget process, leadership on a
transparency process, leadership on the ability for Members of Congress
to come and effectively represent their district and, perhaps more
importantly, not just a budget that was never produced, how about an
appropriations bill that was properly done.
Every single business that I know of--State and local government,
families, schools--everybody has a budget. Even nonprofits who try and
work in the best interest of a smaller group of people recognize you've
got to have a plan. That's an exception for this Federal Government.
It's an exception by this Congress, and that is not leadership.
As the chairman of the Budget Committee once said, If you can't
budget, you cannot govern. I think he's right. That's exactly the truth
of what Chairman John Spratt said. And if the shoe fits, we're wearing
it right now. Unfortunately, we've come to expect this behavior from
this majority, but, once again, there is always tomorrow. Republicans
have made a pledge to America, and we intend to keep it.
I am happy to report that very soon, on or about January 5, 2011,
there will be a significant course correction in this House of
Representatives. Members will be expected to, and allowed to, read
legislation before they cast their votes, take part in the activities
of not only their committees, but also come to the Rules Committee with
their ideas to take part in the process that they want to do.
I think open rules will make a triumphant return to the House floor,
and elected Representatives, Members of Congress, will have a chance to
fully contribute in this legislative process. It does not make me happy
when I recognize that there is no Member, freshman Member of this body,
who has not, for the last 2 years, seen this body work the way it was
designed--a legislative process that would be open, a legislative
process that would be ethical, and a legislative process that would be
transparent for people.
So here we are, once again, the week before Christmas. I can handle
that. I'm here ready to work but, like the rest of my colleagues,
waiting for a small cadre of people to let us in on the plan.
I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule. We've got to return
to a process which is prepared for the future and prepared for Members
to fully participate.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I regret that the gentleman from Texas
will not support this rule so that we can move our legislative business
forward, but I'm not surprised because, quite frankly, his party, the
Republican Party, has had one goal since President Obama became
President of the United States, and that is to obstruct and delay
everything, and that's what they've tried to do.
The gentleman talks about democracy. Well, I think the American
people are scratching their head as they see what's happening over in
the Senate where a minority, not a majority, but a minority determines
the agenda. A minority can hold legislation from coming to the floor.
That's not the democracy that most people believe our government is
about.
I'd also say to the gentleman that we look forward to the next
legislative year, and we look forward to the gentleman and his party
becoming the leaders of this House. And as someone who has been on the
Rules Committee, both in the majority and minority, I don't recall a
single instance when the gentleman, when his party was in power, ever
voted against a closed rule proposed by the Republican then-majority,
but we will see what happens.
And I will also say, Madam Speaker, that one of the things I think
that the American people are now beginning to realize is that the
Republicans are not at all serious about fiscal discipline. You know, I
remind everybody that when Bill Clinton was President, we had record
job creation and we had historical fiscal restraint. We actually
eliminated the deficit and started paying down the debt.
When George Bush and the Republicans then took over, what ended up
happening is they took this record surplus and turned it into historic
debt. And how did they do it? Well, they did it through a number of
things. Unpaid-for wars is one of them. The other is a Medicare
prescription drug bill that, by the way, nobody here had a chance to
read, that was voted on in the middle of the night. They kept the vote
open 3 hours so that people's arms could be twisted, but it cost twice
as much as anybody thought it was going to cost, not paid for.
But the thing that really broke the bank was their unprecedented tax
cuts and giveaways to the wealthiest individuals in this country, not
paid for, not paid for. And sadly, Madam Speaker, the Republicans in
the Senate held unemployment compensation, benefits to the millions of
people in this country who are unemployed through no fault of their
own, held that hostage so they could get their tax cuts for the rich.
And those tax cuts for the rich, by the way, Madam Speaker, are not
paid for, not a single offset to pay for those tax cuts for the rich.
{time} 1230
Donald Trump gets another tax cut, unpaid for; and guess what, that
debt gets piled on the backs of my kids and the kids of every American
in this country. It is just not right.
I think the American people are beginning to realize that their real
goal is to go after domestic spending in an unprecedented way--Social
Security, Medicare, programs that benefit the most vulnerable in our
country. They will launch an unprecedented war against the poor in this
country. We are going to see early on what their real agenda is. And I
bet, Madam Speaker, as polls will reveal, it is not what the American
people had in mind. So, again, I regret that the Republicans continue
to want to do the same old, same old which is to delay and obstruct and
put off and put off. But I think we need to pass this rule.
I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on 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. SESSIONS. 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, this 15-
minute vote on House Resolution 1771 will be followed by a 5-minute
vote on suspending the rules with regard to H.R. 6540.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 199,
nays 151, not voting 83, as follows:
[Roll No. 657]
YEAS--199
Ackerman
Altmire
Andrews
Baldwin
Barrow
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Boccieri
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boyd
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Brown, Corrine
Butterfield
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carney
Carson (IN)
Castor (FL)
Chandler
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Cohen
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Courtney
Critz
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Dahlkemper
Davis (CA)
Davis (TN)
DeFazio
DeGette
DeLauro
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly (IN)
Driehaus
Edwards (MD)
Edwards (TX)
Engel
Eshoo
Etheridge
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Foster
Frank (MA)
Fudge
Garamendi
Giffords
Gonzalez
Gordon (TN)
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Halvorson
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Heinrich
Higgins
Hill
Himes
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Holden
Holt
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson Lee (TX)
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kildee
Kilroy
Kind
Kirkpatrick (AZ)
Kissell
Klein (FL)
Kosmas
Kucinich
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Levin
Lewis (GA)
[[Page H8819]]
Loebsack
Lowey
Lujan
Lynch
Maffei
Maloney
Markey (CO)
Markey (MA)
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McIntyre
McNerney
Meeks (NY)
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Nadler (NY)
Napolitano
Nye
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Owens
Pallone
Pascrell
Payne
Perlmutter
Peters
Peterson
Pingree (ME)
Polis (CO)
Pomeroy
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rahall
Rangel
Richardson
Rodriguez
Ross
Rothman (NJ)
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schauer
Schiff
Schrader
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sestak
Sherman
Skelton
Slaughter
Snyder
Space
Speier
Spratt
Stupak
Sutton
Teague
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Titus
Tonko
Towns
Tsongas
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Wilson (OH)
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
NAYS--151
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Austria
Bachus
Bartlett
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boehner
Bonner
Bono Mack
Boozman
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Broun (GA)
Brown (SC)
Buchanan
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Cantor
Capito
Carter
Cassidy
Castle
Chaffetz
Childers
Coffman (CO)
Cole
Conaway
Davis (KY)
Dent
Diaz-Balart, M.
Djou
Dreier
Duncan
Ehlers
Emerson
Flake
Fleming
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gingrey (GA)
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Graves (GA)
Graves (MO)
Guthrie
Hall (TX)
Harper
Hastings (WA)
Hensarling
Herger
Hoekstra
Hunter
Issa
Jenkins
Johnson (IL)
Jordan (OH)
King (IA)
Kingston
Kline (MN)
Kratovil
Lamborn
Lance
Latham
LaTourette
Latta
Lee (NY)
Lewis (CA)
LoBiondo
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lummis
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Manzullo
McCaul
McClintock
McCotter
McHenry
McKeon
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Moran (KS)
Murphy, Tim
Myrick
Neugebauer
Olson
Paul
Pence
Perriello
Petri
Pitts
Platts
Poe (TX)
Posey
Price (GA)
Putnam
Reed
Rehberg
Reichert
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Rooney
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Royce
Ryan (WI)
Scalise
Schmidt
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shimkus
Shuler
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Stutzman
Sullivan
Taylor
Terry
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Turner
Upton
Walden
Wamp
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Wolf
NOT VOTING--83
Adler (NJ)
Arcuri
Baca
Bachmann
Baird
Barrett (SC)
Barton (TX)
Berry
Blumenauer
Bright
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Campbell
Cao
Chu
Clyburn
Coble
Connolly (VA)
Costello
Crenshaw
Culberson
Davis (AL)
Davis (IL)
Delahunt
Deutch
Diaz-Balart, L.
Doyle
Ellison
Ellsworth
Fallin
Granger
Grayson
Griffith
Heller
Herseth Sandlin
Hodes
Honda
Inglis
Johnson, Sam
Jones
Kennedy
Kilpatrick (MI)
King (NY)
Lee (CA)
Linder
Lipinski
Lofgren, Zoe
Marchant
McCarthy (CA)
McCarthy (NY)
McMahon
McMorris Rodgers
Meek (FL)
Melancon
Miller, Gary
Minnick
Mitchell
Murphy (NY)
Neal (MA)
Nunes
Ortiz
Pastor (AZ)
Paulsen
Radanovich
Reyes
Rush
Salazar
Sanchez, Loretta
Schock
Shea-Porter
Sires
Smith (WA)
Stark
Stearns
Tanner
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Weiner
Welch
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
{time} 1300
Messrs. DENT, TERRY, DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, KING of Iowa,
and McCAUL changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
Mrs. MALONEY changed her vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the resolution was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________