[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 177 (Friday, November 18, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H7883-H7885]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              THANKSGIVING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 5, 2011, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert) is recognized 
for 30 minutes.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
  Even though this body is composed of a lot of people who have a lot 
of different political steadfast beliefs, it is still an honor and 
pleasure to serve with friends like Carolyn Maloney.
  So it is an honor to serve, and even though we disagree sometimes on 
the way we get to the end, I know that, for example, Mrs. Maloney's 
heart is always in the right place.
  It is a pleasure to serve with her.
  Mrs. MALONEY. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. GOHMERT. Certainly.
  Mrs. MALONEY. I would like to thank you for that very kind statement, 
and I look forward to finding common ground on things we can agree on 
and work to help the economy and growth of this great Nation, and I 
hope you can help and support the funding of NIH and basic research 
which has been so helpful to your great State and your great 
universities and scientists.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Thank you. I certainly appreciate my friend from New 
York.
  There are some areas of research that if the Federal Government 
doesn't do it, it's not going to get done, and I'm sure there are areas 
we can certainly agree on.


                       Balanced Budget Amendment

  Mr. GOHMERT. I wish I were coming to the floor just full of 
excitement because we had a vote today on the balanced budget 
amendment. I came to Congress nearly 7 years ago believing we needed a 
balanced budget amendment, knowing that Thomas Jefferson regretted not 
having one, that Ronald Reagan wished there had been one. But since I 
have been in this body, it has become abundantly clear that this body 
is more likely to have the will to raise taxes than it is to cut 
spending.
  I came here not believing that that was the case. But after we added 
over 80 fantastic freshmen coming up here with the right motivation, 
wanting to get our fiscal House in order, knowing that we went from 
2006, when we were last in the majority before this year, when we spent 
$160 billion or so over what we took in, and then, because we didn't 
have our fiscal house in order as the Republican majority, it's my 
belief that's the reason, the biggest reason, actually, that the public 
turned over the reins to our Democratic friends. We haven't done a good 
job of avoiding overspending.
  But also in 2006, November, when we lost the majority, I would never 
have believed that we would go from a time when we were spending $160 
billion more than we were bringing into the Treasury in just a few 
short years to spending a trillion dollars more than we were bringing 
into the Treasury. That was just unfathomable. And it appeared very 
clear that after a year ago, when the majority--we were in the minority 
at the time--made a pledge, we were going to return to pre-bailout, 
pre-stimulus spending, and in the first year, we pledged we would cut 
$100 billion.
  And here we are, we have just at the end of September finished the 
fiscal year of 2011, and we really didn't make any cuts. The jury's 
out. Initially we were told we may save $27 billion over the year 
before. It is just chicken feed when you're bringing in $2.2 trillion 
or $2.3 trillion and you're spending about $1.3 trillion more than 
that, $3.6 trillion, $3.7 trillion. And all we could find to cut was 
$27 billion?
  Then we have had more recent word that we may not even save that 
much. Some have told me that actually we may have spent just a hair 
more than we did.
  So it became abundantly clear to me, and I know that my friend, 
Chairman Paul Ryan, voted against the balanced budget amendment because 
he knew it ought to have more restraint on spending in there, a 
spending cap. And Mr. Amash, I haven't talked to him about his reasons 
for voting no, and Mr. Dreier, who doesn't believe we should have one 
at all.
  It's really not fun not voting with the people that you serve with, 
that you're in the same party with. You share so much in the way of 
common experiences. Because I am a strong advocate for a balanced 
budget amendment.
  But the bill on the floor today did not have a spending cap. This 
past year, we had just witnessed the largest wave election since the 
1930s. And all of the over 80 new freshmen came forward with one 
central charge: stop the wasteful government spending.
  Following a pledge to make massive cuts in spending, it really 
appears that Congress finds it easier to talk about ``new revenue'' 
which is just code for more taxes, than to cut spending.
  It doesn't live up to the pledge that we made.
  We made a pledge to the American people to restrain government and to 
get our fiscal house in order. And we should be doing it. Eleven months 
into this majority, we should have made more progress than we have.
  President Obama has ramped up spending with the help of former 
Speaker Pelosi, Leader Reid, both majorities in the Houses when they 
were Democrats, by over an additional trillion dollars. It's far more 
than the Democratic Congress increased the debt under President Bush in 
2007 and 2008.

                              {time}  1530

  It just is mind-boggling that we could not find enough Members to 
return even to the liberal Democratic spending of 2007 or 2008. It's 
clear that, if we had passed a balanced budget amendment without at 
least having a spending cap, then future Congresses would use the 
requirement of a balanced budget to increase taxes in order to balance 
the budget.
  We are already at a point at which almost 50 percent of the American 
public is not paying income tax. We are on the threshold of arriving at 
that point beyond which no representative societies have ever been able 
to come back to greatness. When one more than half who is voting is 
receiving more from the government than they're putting in, you're 
done. You're doomed. It's over. All that's left is the slow walking and 
the low talking, but you're virtually at the end.
  And we are getting close.
  On Wednesday, the national debt exceeded $15 trillion, which left the 
United States with one of the highest public debt-to-GDP ratios in the 
world. This $15 trillion mark further enhances the uncertainty that is 
thwarting our economy from moving ahead. It's apparent America is on a 
route headed for ruin, and if we continue to spend more money that we 
don't have, we will arrive at that destination.

[[Page H7884]]

  Washington, this government, needs to stop the runaway train of 
spending. This President's policies have added $4.4 trillion to the 
national debt, all in a fraction of the time that that debt accumulated 
under President George W. Bush. If we'd at least had a spending cap as 
part of the balanced budget amendment, which wasn't even demanding the 
two-thirds supermajority in order to raise taxes--just a spending cap, 
make it a relevant spending cap--then what we voted out of committee in 
the regular order--which we promised that we wouldn't bring bills to 
the floor unless they went through the regular order--produced a 
balanced budget amendment that had a two-thirds requirement in the way 
of a vote before taxes could be raised. It had an 18 percent spending 
cap, where 18 percent of the GDP was the most we could spend. That was 
produced through the regular order, but that's not what we voted on 
here today.
  I deeply regret having to vote ``no,'' but I've seen what we're 
capable of and what we're not; and we need it in the Constitution that 
the budget must be balanced and that a spending cap must be there.
  Some have said, Well, States don't really have a spending cap. They 
can't print their own money. They can't go out and borrow money the way 
we do in the Federal Government. It's different, and it needed to be 
addressed differently.
  We were told, Well, we had to vote for this as Republicans because 
it's the only one that had a chance to pass. Then, on further inquiry, 
we were told the people who were saying that didn't believe it was 
going to pass the Senate, that they knew it wouldn't pass in the 
Senate, and didn't think it had much chance of passing in the House. 
Then why weren't we pushing what came out of regular order?--which is 
what I think most of the Republicans believed was the best bill.
  I don't know.
  I also know, in going back through this country's history, that, even 
during some of its most difficult and darkest days, there was a day set 
aside, sometimes many days set aside, for thanksgiving.
  Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time remains?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 19 minutes remaining.
  Mr. GOHMERT. I want to share a Proclamation of Thanksgiving from the 
year 1798, signed by President George Washington.
  In 1798, it was toward the end of President Washington's time as 
President. It was a difficult time; we were not a strong Nation. We 
were struggling, and some thought we ought to run to the aid of France; 
but their convictions in France did not appear to be based on sound 
doctrine and a desire for liberty. There was too much envy and jealousy 
involved in that revolution, and we were not a strong Nation.
  Despite all the difficulties in the United States in those early 
days, George Washington proclaimed the following:

       Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the 
     providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful 
     for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and 
     favor; and whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their 
     joint committee, requested me to recommend to the people of 
     the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to 
     be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many 
     and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording 
     them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of 
     government for their safety and happiness.
       Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 
     26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of 
     these States to the service of that great and glorious Being 
     who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that 
     is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering 
     unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and 
     protection of the people of this country previous to their 
     becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and 
     the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the 
     course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree 
     of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since 
     enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we 
     have been enabled to establish constitutions of government 
     for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national 
     one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious 
     liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of 
     acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, 
     for all the great and various favors which He has been 
     pleased to confer upon us.
       And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our 
     prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of 
     Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other 
     transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or 
     private stations, to perform our several and relative duties 
     properly and punctually; to render our National Government a 
     blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government 
     of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and 
     faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all 
     sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown 
     kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, 
     peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of 
     true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among 
     them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a 
     degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

  Signed by George Washington in 1798.
  But in the darkest throes of this country, in 1863, during a war that 
saw the death of more Americans than in any war in our history--more 
than the Revolution, more than World War I, World War II, Vietnam, 
Korea, more than any of the wars--the Spanish-American War--there was 
this proclamation from President Abraham Lincoln simply entitled ``A 
Proclamation.''
  Lincoln said this:

       The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled 
     with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To 
     these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are 
     prone to forget the source from which they come, others have 
     been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they 
     cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is 
     habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of 
     Almighty God.
       In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and 
     severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to 
     invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been 
     preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the 
     laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has 
     prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military 
     conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by 
     the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful 
     diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of 
     peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested 
     the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the 
     borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron 
     and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more 
     abundantly than heretofore.
       Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the 
     waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the 
     battlefield; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness 
     of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect 
     continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human 
     counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out 
     these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most 
     High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, 
     hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
       It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be 
     solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one 
     heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do 
     therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the 
     United States, and also those who are at sea and those who 
     are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the 
     last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and 
     Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. 
     And I recommend to them that while offering up the 
     ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances 
     and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our 
     national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender 
     care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or 
     sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are 
     unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition 
     of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to 
     restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine 
     purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, 
     tranquillity and Union.
       In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and 
     caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
       Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, 
     in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-
     three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the 
     Eighty-eighth.

  By the President: Abraham Lincoln.

                              {time}  1540

  We all know--or hopefully most know that John Hancock presided over 
the Continental Congress from which we got the Declaration of 
Independence. In 1791, he was Governor of the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts and signed this proclamation, from John Hancock:

       In consideration of the many undeserved Blessings conferred 
     upon us by God, the Father of all Mercies; it becomes us not 
     only in our private and usual devotion, to express our 
     obligations to Him, as well as our dependence upon Him; but 
     also specially to set a part a day to be employed for this 
     great and important purpose: I have, therefore, thought fit 
     to appoint, and by the advice and consent of the council, do 
     hereby accordingly appoint, Thursday, the seventeenth of 
     November next, to be observed as a Day of Public Thanksgiving 
     and Praise, throughout this

[[Page H7885]]

     Commonwealth: Hereby calling upon ministers and people of 
     every denomination, to assemble on the said day--and in the 
     name of the Great Mediator, devoutly and sincerely offer to 
     Almighty God, the gratitude of our hearts, for all His 
     goodness towards us; more especially in that He has been 
     pleased to continue to us so a great a measure of health--to 
     cause the Earth plentifully to yield her increase, so that we 
     are supplied with the Necessaries, and the comforts of life--
     to prosper our merchandise and fishery--and above all, not 
     only to continue to us the enjoyment of our civil rights and 
     liberties; but the great and most important blessing, the 
     Gospel of Jesus Christ: And together with our cordial 
     acknowledgments, I do earnestly recommend, that we may join 
     the penitent confession of our Sins, and implore the further 
     continuance of the divine protection, and blessings of heaven 
     upon this people; especially that He would be graciously 
     pleased to direct, and prosper the administration of the 
     Federal Government, and of this, and the other States in the 
     Union--to afford Him further smiles on our agriculture and 
     fisheries, commerce and manufactures--to prosper our 
     university and all seminaries of learning--to bless the 
     virtuously struggling for the rights of men--so that 
     universal happiness may be allies of the United States, and 
     to afford His almighty aid to all people, who are established 
     in the world; that all may bow to the Scepter of our Lord 
     Jesus Christ, and the whole Earth be filled with His glory.
       And I do also earnestly recommend to the good people of 
     this Commonwealth, to abstain from all servile labor and 
     recreation, inconsistent with the solemnity of the said day. 
     Given at the Council-Chamber, in Boston, the fifth day of 
     October, in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Seven Hundred 
     and Ninety-One, and in the sixteenth year of the Independence 
     of the United States of America.

  This is from James Madison, the fourth President, 1815. Many credit 
James Madison as being the most productive person in the writing of our 
United States Constitution. The greatest building block for any Nation 
in the history of man.
  This is James Madison's proclamation:

       No people ought to feel greater obligations to celebrate 
     the goodness of the Great Disposer of Events of the Destiny 
     of Nations than the people of the United States. His kind 
     providence originally conducted them to one of the best 
     portions of the dwelling place allotted for the great family 
     of the human race. He protected and cherished them under all 
     the difficulties and trials to which they were exposed in 
     their early days. Under His fostering care their habits, 
     their sentiments, and their pursuits prepared them for a 
     transition in due time to a state of independence and self-
     government.

  Signed James Madison, fourth President, March 4, 1850, Thanksgiving 
Day proclamation.
  And then in conclusion:

       Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made 
     us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of 
     His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts 
     with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord 
     is good; His loving kindness is everlasting and His 
     faithfulness to all generations.

  Mr. Speaker, it is the wish here that you and all those in this body 
and around the country have a wonderful day of Thanksgiving in the week 
ahead.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________