[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 15, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H152-H155]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            THE DEBT CEILING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2013, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messer) is recognized 
for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert 
extraneous materials on the topic in this Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Indiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, it's an honor and privilege to stand here 
today in what I hope to have as the first of many Special Orders that 
the Republican freshman class does together.
  Today, we want to highlight the importance of the upcoming debt 
ceiling debate and the need to get serious about addressing the out-of-
control spending and borrowing that is jeopardizing the American Dream 
for our children and grandchildren.
  I'm honored to represent Indiana's Sixth Congressional District, a 
19-county area of east central and southeastern Indiana that was 
formerly represented by now-Governor Mike Pence. My constituents work 
hard, play by the rules and deserve what they've earned. They should be 
able to keep a little more of their paychecks for things like college 
tuition, family vacations or to retire just a little earlier. But 
Washington is standing in their way.
  The fundamental question that this Congress needs to answer is 
whether Washington should take more than it already does from these 
hardworking, taxpaying Americans. The answer, of course, is no. 
Washington doesn't tax too little; it spends too much.
  One would hope that since the last Congress raised taxes to avoid 
falling off the fiscal cliff, everyone's attention now would turn to 
our biggest fiscal problem, the out-of-control spending--now 24 percent 
of our gross domestic product--and the explosive growth of entitlements 
and interest on the debt that are adding to our more-than-$16-trillion 
national debt and pushing us up against the debt ceiling. But, 
remarkably, President Obama is now calling for even more taxes, more 
spending and more borrowing in return for any future spending controls. 
He said yesterday that we can't finish the job of deficit reduction 
through spending cuts alone.
  Simply put, the President got his tax increases in the last Congress, 
and it's time for this Congress to tackle Washington's spending binge.
  I'd like to recognize the gentlelady from Indiana.
  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, my message today is simple: On 
too many big items, Congress has been kicking the can down the road for 
years. It's time to supply real leadership on the most pressing 
challenges we face. This is the only way we can restore trust in 
Congress.
  We are fast approaching a dead end. The Social Security Trust Fund 
will be bankrupt in 20 years. Medicare and Medicaid are not on a 
sustainable path. It is wrong for us to make promises to the American 
people we know we cannot keep. We must address the drivers of our 
debt--Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security--not because these 
programs don't have merits, and certainly not because the seniors 
currently benefiting from them don't deserve what they've been 
promised, but because real leadership isn't about making the easy 
choice, it's about making the right choice.
  Social Security and Medicare alone account for 36 percent of our 
Federal

[[Page H153]]

spending, and both are going to keep growing because of our aging 
population. My friends on the other side of the aisle will talk about 
cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. And while I agree we must do that, we 
can't tell the American people that cutting and eliminating waste, 
fraud, and abuse alone is enough to tackle the $16 trillion debt. 
That's not leadership.
  History shows us that unless we make the hard decision to implement 
changes that equal real savings now, it will not happen. We cannot 
afford to make changes in 7, 8 or 9 years. We don't have the luxury of 
more time.
  We're in a position to clearly see three obvious opportunities to 
make real, sustainable changes. First, we know we are approaching the 
debt ceiling. Second, sequestration will go into effect in 2 months, 
and third, funding for the government will expire March 27. These are 
opportunities to make real changes in spending.
  I'm excited to be representing Indiana's Fifth District, and I'm 
ready to get to work. There is no reason we need to wait until the 
eleventh hour to start talking about the tough decisions we must make 
for the future of our country. It is time we commit to saving these 
important programs for those who need them and getting our economic 
house in order for the future generations of my children and my 
grandchildren and our country's children and grandchildren. Let's be 
the Congress in this 113th Congress that chose to tackle real problems 
rather than handing them down to our children. Let's embrace right-
minded solutions that can set us on a path toward a better and much 
more sustainable future.

                              {time}  1940

  Mr. MESSER. My thanks to the distinguished gentlelady from Carmel.
  I now recognize the distinguished gentlelady from South Bend. My 
condolences on the national championship game, but we welcome you here 
today.
  Mrs. WALORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I will remind my distinguished colleague 
from Indiana that Notre Dame was undefeated this year. It was a very 
successful season, and we'll just put that on the record.
  Mr. Speaker, I am deeply humbled to represent the people of Indiana's 
Second Congressional District in the United States House of 
Representatives. Today I speak for the first time before this Chamber 
and on their behalf.
  To the hardworking Hoosier families in north central Indiana, thank 
you for sending me to Washington. I'm eager to work with my colleagues 
here to make raising a family and sending a child to college just a 
little bit easier.
  To the small business owners in South Bend to Plymouth, please know 
that each day I will work tirelessly to strengthen the economy so you 
can employ those who want to work within our community.
  To the senior citizens between La Porte and Peru, you can count on my 
support to restore the American Dream and ensure that America's best 
days are not behind her in the past, who absolutely want to put our 
future and our future generations on a solid concrete path.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to let the people of Indiana know that in the 
coming weeks they'll hear many assertions in the debate over whether 
Congress should increase the debt ceiling. The people of Indiana 
deserve to hear the truth. The entire Nation deserves to hear the 
truth:
  The truth is that, even as I speak, our national debt is spiraling 
out of control toward $16.5 trillion;
  The truth is that the United States has not run one, not two, not 
three, but four consecutive trillion dollar budget deficits;
  The truth is that this Federal Government is borrowing an unthinkable 
46 cents for every dollar it spends, while throwing our children under 
the weight of the bill;
  The truth is that the share of the national debt for every family in 
Indiana is a staggering $143,190. For every Hoosier, it's $52,737;
  The truth, Mr. Speaker, is that it's time for us to stop spending 
money we simply do not have.
  Admiral Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 
has warned us. He said, ``the single biggest threat to our national 
security is our debt.''
  In order to get our debt under control, we first must completely take 
care of our spending. As families in Indiana's Second District and all 
across the Nation, we have to prioritize spending, we have to create 
budgets and live within our means; so should this Congress of the 
United States.
  Each day that we delay getting our fiscal house in order, we threaten 
the safety and well-being of those we love and care about the most. We 
threaten the opportunity and promise of future generations by limiting 
the resources we have to invest in infrastructure and education. Mr. 
Speaker, as I said earlier, the truth is that it's time for us to stop 
spending money we simply do not have.
  As big as our national debt may be, Americans have always been able 
to come together and solve big problems. I thank the good people of 
Indiana for electing me to listen to their needs and bring good Hoosier 
common sense to Washington. I look forward to working together in this 
Congress on their behalf and to tackling our most serious issues.
  Ladies and gentlemen, the clock is ticking. Let's get to work.
  Mr. MESSER. I say with great pride to my honorable colleague that we 
do it better in Indiana.
  I worked with then-State Representative Walorski and Governor Daniels 
as a member of Indiana's General Assembly to help pass Indiana's 
balanced budget. We turned a $600 million deficit into a $300 million 
surplus in 1 year without a tax increase. There was no silver bullet. 
Our State's leader simply followed a principle most families already 
understand, that one shouldn't spend money they don't have.
  It wasn't always easy, but 8 years later, we have fewer State 
government employees than any time since the early 1970s, yet our State 
is providing better services in leaner ways throughout government. As 
Governor Daniels has often famously said:

       Most will be surprised by how much government they don't 
     miss.

  I now yield to the distinguished gentleman from North Carolina for 
your comments today.
  Mr. PITTENGER. I thank my good friend from Indiana.
  Mr. Speaker, in previous generations, serving as a Member of Congress 
was considered an honorable profession. Congressmen were held in high 
esteem and examples of true leadership. They were honored in books like 
``Profiles in Courage.'' Sadly, we seem to have lost our way. Last 
week, Public Policy Polling found that only 9 percent of Americans 
approve of the job that Congress is doing. In my opinion, the reason no 
one approves of the job we're doing is that we're not doing our job.
  Our Nation is in peril. We are threatened, not by a foreign tyrant, 
but by our own reckless spending. Just today, the Fitch Ratings agency 
warned that our AAA credit rating is at risk. We are on the verge of 
squandering everything that we have received from previous generations. 
Sadly, we are more likely to leave the next generation with crushing 
debt than we are to pass along the America we love.
  My fellow Representatives, may I make a suggestion? Starting with the 
113th Congress, the buck stops here. For too many years, Congress and 
the President have received an A in addition, but they seem to have 
always flunked subtraction. We must commit to bringing spending in line 
with revenue, to setting priorities and learning to say ``no.'' If we 
are to be the Congress which takes to say ``no.'' If we are to be the 
Congress which takes substantive action on deficit reduction, we must 
start with entitlements. It's the topic everyone is afraid to address, 
but weren't we elected to show true leadership?

  Today the Fitch Ratings agency warned that our Nation's AAA credit 
rating is at risk if an increase in the debt ceiling doesn't also 
include a credible plan for deficit reduction. The Government 
Accountability Office has reported that government spending is on an 
unsustainable long-term fiscal path, with entitlements the primary 
culprit. The Congressional Budget Office reports that, left unchecked, 
the Federal entitlement programs will soon swamp the entire budget. 
Will entitlement reform be messy? Yes. Is it necessary? Yes. In fact, 
it's the only way to bring a lasting solution to our Nation's fiscal 
problems.

[[Page H154]]

  Any plan to reform entitlements must protect the benefits promised to 
the current generation. But as we look to the future, we need serious 
reforms that will reduce spending while preserving these important 
safety nets for future generations.
  In 2006, then-Senator Obama said:

       The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's 
     debt limit is a sign of leadership failure.

  Yet, under President Obama, we've seen record-setting deficit 
spending and trillions added to our national debt. The leadership 
failure lies with the President and others in Congress who have been 
unable to say ``no.''
  Our objective is not arbitrary. Tax revenues are expected to remain 
right at the historical average of around 18 percent of the GDP. We 
know how much money we'll make. Now we need to sit down at the kitchen 
table with a calculator and figure out how to live within our means.
  Mr. MESSER. I thank the honorable gentleman. I thank you for your 
comments.
  I would like to recognize next my good friend, the gentleman from 
Georgia.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. I thank my friend from Indiana.
  It's good to be here, and it's good to get started on what we've been 
sent here to do. I think that's the great thing about us coming 
together tonight and sharing, from a freshman perspective, our first 
few days in which we've been thrown into a Congress that really, I 
don't believe, any have experienced before. There have been tough 
challenges, but I think this is going to be an interesting time for us 
all. I appreciate us getting together tonight as we go forward.
  Mr. Speaker, I come from the great Georgia Ninth. The northeast 
Georgia district is full of mountain values and common sense. When we 
look at the district, as I traveled around for almost 18 months, what I 
kept hearing from people all along is that they wanted their life to 
look ahead to something of a brighter future. I think right now, from 
an economic perspective, when we look at what's going on, that is what 
they are most concerned about. They're looking at what they have at the 
national level and they're looking at our debt, they're looking at our 
economic and our budget issues and they're saying, How is this 
effective? How is this going to be better for my kids and my grandkids?
  I thought to myself as I was traveling around and I began--when I 
ran, I told my constituents, I run for three reasons, and they were 
Jordan, Copelan, and Cameron. They're my three children. I told them 
that they represent not only my three kids and their future, but they 
represented the kids and the grandkids of the district and the nieces 
and nephews of those that everybody in my district lived with and cared 
for, because it is their future that we're dealing with here. It's 
their future.

                              {time}  1950

  When we talk about the economics and when we talk about the problem 
we're in, this is the area in which we have got to work as a Congress. 
We cannot shirk the duty. We cannot pass it along. They expect us to 
act, and they expect us to act in a way in which, as we look forward, 
actually makes a difference in their lives.
  President Obama recently told our Speaker that he doesn't believe we 
have a debt problem. We're $16 trillion in the hole, and our out-of-
touch Commander in Chief doesn't think we have a serious problem on our 
hands. As my friend from North Carolina just stated--I want to go with 
the entire quote, and this is what was said:

       The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's 
     debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. ``Leadership'' 
     means the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting 
     the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our 
     children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a 
     failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I, 
     therefore, intend to oppose the effort to increase America's 
     debt limit.

  As we look at this issue, it really amazes me because I want to focus 
not on this debt issue but on basically what it says here. It says:

       America has a debt problem, and it's a failure of 
     leadership.

  If it were a failure of leadership back in 2006, it must be a 
catastrophic nightmare at this point because all we've done is increase 
it. We've got to do better. We're borrowing almost half of every dollar 
we spend. If we don't provide serious measures to take care of it, we 
will leave our country in an absolute debacle for our kids and 
grandchildren, and that's simply not a price I'm willing to pay.
  Our President just recently talked about not only a debt problem but 
that he doesn't believe we have a spending problem. I thought to myself 
that we don't have a spending problem; yet one of our colleagues, 
Representative Lankford, stated just the other day that in 2012 we'll 
have the third highest revenue year ever in the Federal Government, and 
yet we're still discussing the fact that we don't have a spending 
problem.
  I'm sorry, Mr. President, this is not leadership. This is failure. We 
cannot continue to give the President and those on the other side of 
the aisle a blank check. Any discussion of raising the debt ceiling 
must also include an examination of serious reforms that need to be 
made to entitlement and discretionary spending.
  On January 2, 2013, President Obama stated that we cannot continue to 
cut our way to prosperity.
  Mr. President, on the contrary, we cannot tax and spend our way to 
prosperity either.
  I think tonight we're starting what, I hope, will become a regular 
occurrence for this freshman class, my friend from Indiana. As we look 
at it, it's what I believe we have to do, and I believe it's about 
telling our story and about telling why conservative principles matter 
and how conservative principles, when we explain how we can get debt 
off their backs and spending under control, mean freedom for their kids 
to have a better future so that they can go to college and so that they 
can start that new business and employ other people. I believe 
America's greatest gift was found in the free enterprise system, and 
that's what we can encourage by getting our own fiscal house in order 
here tonight.
  This is the time for us to come together, and I'm so pleased to stand 
with you and with the other freshmen here tonight. We're here to work, 
and we're here to make some hard choices and to realize this is all in 
America's best interests. I appreciate your letting me be a part of 
this tonight.


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to address their 
remarks to the Chair.
  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to next recognize the 
distinguished gentleman from Utah (Mr. Stewart).
  Mr. STEWART. It is an honor to be here tonight.
  Ladies and gentlemen, I rise in defense of the American people. I 
believe that we are at a tipping point in our history. I really believe 
that we are at one of those inflection points at which we will decide 
our future, at which we will decide who we are as a people, at which we 
will decide the America that we leave to our children in a way that 
hasn't been decided before. This is a generational moment. This time is 
that important. At its heart, I think the debate comes down to this:
  Will we reclaim the moral and fiscal discipline that created the 
American Dream? Will we reclaim the moral and the fiscal discipline 
that created the world's first and the world's greatest middle class? 
Will we reclaim the moral and fiscal discipline that made us, as 
Abraham Lincoln described us, the last best hope on Earth?
  That is the essence of our challenge. That is the great and defining 
argument of our day.
  In this debate, I'd like to remind all of us of a few critical facts. 
One of them is that this Nation, a Nation that is bankrupt, cannot 
provide for the security of its people. A Nation that is bankrupt 
cannot provide for the needy or for the poor among us. A Nation that is 
bankrupt cannot provide for the future of their children.
  Yes, during these challenging times, it will require a commitment to 
fairness, and it will require a commitment to compassion. It always 
has. There has always been compassion in this Nation. That defines much 
of who we are--allowing the safety net to continue for those who truly 
need it. But where is the compassion in allowing a program, like my 
parents depended on in the final years of their lives, to continue down 
a pathway towards bankruptcy? Where is the compassion in

[[Page H155]]

creating so much uncertainty that our own children no longer have faith 
in their futures or in the social and safety net that has been there 
for previous generations? If you believe in compassion and fairness, 
then help us fix these problems. Help us to save them. Help us to 
provide so that we can pass them on to future generations.
  Since the last election, this administration has talked about one 
thing and one thing only, and that is taxes. We have had that fight, 
and he has won. He got his tax increase, and that will raise between 
$60 billion and $70 billion, but the last deficit was $1.1 trillion.
  Mr. President, what about the other trillion dollars now? What do we 
do now? We have a 6 percent solution. It's a great start if you like 
raising taxes, but it doesn't address the problems at all.
  My father was an Air Force pilot. He was a pilot during World War II, 
and I had the great honor of serving for 14 years as an Air Force pilot 
as well. If there was one thing I learned from my father and those 
brave men and women with whom I served, it was courage, always to have 
courage. That is what we need now. That is the only thing that can save 
us.
  Mr. President and Members of this body, let us have the courage to do 
the right thing even if that thing proves to be hard. Our debt is 
unsustainable. We talk about saving our Nation for our children. We 
don't have that long. Let us take the steps to restore financial sanity 
in this Congress in this day.
  Mr. MESSER. I thank the distinguished gentleman from Utah. I 
appreciate his remarks.


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to address their 
remarks to the Chair.
  Mr. MESSER. I next would like to recognize the distinguished 
gentleman and my good friend from Texas (Mr. Williams).
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate your leadership and what 
you're doing.
  My name is Roger Williams. I have been a small business owner for 41 
years. I represent Congressional District 25 in Texas, a great 
district. I have been meeting payrolls and creating jobs for 41 years 
and have been fighting government regulations for that period of time. 
I must tell you that, at a time when our national debt is over $16 
trillion--more than $52,000 for each American--we must restore fiscal 
sanity in Washington. We do this by cutting spending, shrinking the 
deficit, and balancing the budget. As a businessman, when you're not 
selling your product, you don't raise taxes and you don't raise prices. 
You cut spending. That's where the money is. That's where the cash flow 
is, and that's what we've got to get to.
  Our Nation's economic future is at stake. The Federal Government 
currently borrows more than 40 cents of every dollar it spends. I think 
we all agree it's time to get our fiscal house in order. Across this 
great Nation, the families have stretched their hard-earned dollars in 
order to make it through this struggling economy. The Federal 
Government must do the same and must do it now. We are facing a crisis 
because Washington just simply spends too much and wastes too much.
  As I said, families all across this country are not looking to spend 
more money. They're looking to cut expenses and to meet the problems we 
all face today. The American people, I believe, do not support raising 
the debt. I ran on lower taxes, less government, to cut the spending. 
That's what my district wants. We don't need to raise the debt ceiling 
without cutting spending at the same time. That's what it's about. We 
need to create a net worth in America. I'm looking forward to the 
debate. We need to bring business principles back to Washington, D.C. 
May God bless America.

                              {time}  2000

  Mr. MESSER. I thank the distinguished gentleman.
  Mr. Speaker, I would next like to recognize my good friend, the 
distinguished gentleman from Michigan.
  Mr. BENTIVOLIO. Mr. Speaker, thank you for granting me the floor 
today. It is truly an honor and privilege to be a Member of the House 
of Representatives, the people's House. We have all been sent here to 
serve the people, and I look forward to representing the freedom-
loving, hardworking people of Michigan.
  More than two centuries ago, Members of the first Congress were 
summoned to uphold and defend the Constitution. Because of the 
Constitution, America became a shining symbol of freedom and prosperity 
to the world. Today, we must ensure that America retains that luster.
  Everyone arrives here from different walks of life. Some are lawyers, 
some are business leaders, and yes, well, at least one of us is a 
reindeer rancher.
  I recognize we all have different viewpoints, and I understand that I 
have joined Congress during a contentious time. I do think, however, 
there is one thing on which we should all agree: The job of a Member of 
Congress is to protect the rights of the people, not take them away.
  The national debt is approaching $17 trillion. The decisions we make 
in this Chamber not only affect us today, they resonate throughout 
future generations. The massive national debt we are accruing will 
leave to our children a weaker Nation than the one we inherited from 
our parents. Those yet to be born do not have a voice today, they don't 
have representation, but we must remember what we do here resonates for 
generations to come.
  Our moment to preserve our great Nation has arrived. Our country is 
at a crossroads. We must stand together and get over our disagreements. 
We must strive valiantly and dare greatly, applying the principles that 
made our country so exceptional to solve the problems that the people 
of this great Nation sent us here to fix.
  Mr. MESSER. I thank the distinguished gentleman from Michigan.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you for your time and help tonight as 
another distinguished Member of the freshman class. I hope we will have 
opportunities on other nights for you to be able to participate in 
these Special Orders.
  As several have alluded to, our idea is just to be a part of the 
public debate. Everyone in this room tonight, everybody watching, has 
grown up in an America where you've known one very simple fact: that no 
matter what your current station in life, no matter where you came 
from, if you worked hard and stayed focused in this great country, you 
would have an opportunity to build a life for yourself; you would have 
an opportunity to live the American Dream.
  And for the first time in my life, as I traveled through the Sixth 
District of Indiana and talked to people all across this country, 
people are doubting whether that will be true for the next generation, 
whether the next generation of young people and Americans will have the 
same kinds of opportunities that we all had growing up.
  I think it is not an exaggeration to say that the upcoming debate in 
the next 2 months is really about the question of what are we willing 
to do to save our country, and this underlying question: Does 
Washington have enough? How much more must they take from the 
hardworking, taxpaying Americans who are trying to put their life 
together every day? I and my colleagues who spoke earlier today believe 
Washington has enough. We don't need to give her more.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________