[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
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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.
____________________