[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 136 (Wednesday, September 14, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SURFACE AND AIR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS EXTENSION ACT OF 2011

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. MICK MULVANEY

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 13, 2011

  Mr. MULVANEY. Mr. Speaker, I have serious concerns about the policies 
of H.R. 2887, Transportation Extension, and the procedures the House 
used to pass it.
  First, I applaud the House Leadership's numerous statements and 
actions on working towards fiscally responsible policies that begin to 
close our deficit and balance our budget. Achieving those two goals 
will certainly help create an environment for the private sector to 
create jobs. H. Con. Res. 34, the House Budget for Fiscal Year 2012, 
laid a solid blueprint for leaders in this Congress to follow towards 
that end.
  Unfortunately, the actions taken yesterday fail to follow the 
spending plan that 235 members of the House agreed upon earlier this 
year. The House Budget calls for a transportation policy that puts the 
bankrupt Highway Trust Fund and the insolvent Airport Improvement 
Program back operating within their means. Unfortunately, the bill we 
passed today sacrifices fiscal sanity for continued chaos.
  Unlike the House Budget, the policies of this Transportation 
Extension would continue current spending levels that, without the aid 
of previous bailouts, would leave the Highway Trust Fund and the 
Airport Improvement Program completely bankrupt. In fact, the 
Congressional Budget Office estimates the current policy embraced by 
this ``clean'' Transportation Extension would require future billion 
dollar bailouts in 2013 and every year thereafter over the next decade. 
Unlike the FY2012 plan called for in the House Budget, the action we 
took yesterday simply avoids the necessary dirty work associated with 
making sound fiscal decisions.
  Second, I was appalled by the procedure the House used in passing 
this bill. While I recognize the need to quickly move this bill by the 
start of Fiscal Year 2012, October 1, 2011, I do not believe that 
justifies suspending the House rules to move a bill that will cost tens 
of billions of dollars over six months without any opportunity to offer 
amendments either in the Rules committee or on the House floor. While 
such action does not technically violate our House or Conference rules, 
it certainly flies in the face of the higher standards those rules and 
protocols promote. Most notably, this multi-billion dollar 
Transportation Extension was only available for no more than a 24-hour 
review period, as opposed to the three-day review standard. Also, the 
bill failed to include a Congressional Budget Office cost estimate. 
Finally, it was unexpectedly voice voted without the opportunity for 
Representatives to record the collective voice of their constituents. 
As a result, we are left to less desirable means to record their vote.
  Ultimately, yesterday's action is a missed opportunity to ``advance 
policies that promote greater liberty, wider opportunity, . . , and 
national economic prosperity,'' as well as, ``to make government more 
transparent in its actions, careful in its stewardship, and honest in 
its dealings.'' Had I the chance yesterday to vote, I would have voted 
against this Transportation Extension.

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