[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 17 (Tuesday, February 5, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H346]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR OBAMA ADMINISTRATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Coble) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, January is the traditional month in which New 
Year's resolutions are developed. I'm suggesting that President Obama 
and Mrs. Obama adopt a resolution in the event they failed to do so in 
January. President Obama and Mrs. Obama, it appears to me, Mr. Speaker, 
regard Air Force One very casually; and I believe that on some 
occasions two planes, at least two planes, have been dispatched to the 
same destination.
  Air Force One, Mr. Speaker, belongs to the President and Mrs. Obama, 
but Air Force One also belongs to the American taxpayer, and I would 
welcome a New Year's resolution that would provide a generous lease of 
all future Air Force One dispatches with prudence, discipline and, last 
but certainly not least, fiscal austerity. America's taxpayers will be 
appreciative.
  Incidentally, Mr. Speaker, Air Force One, designated by the Air Force 
as VC-25, incurred an operational cost per hour of $179,750. And on 
some occasions, additional aircraft accompanied Air Force One, 
naturally adding to the cost.
  I'm going to now, Mr. Speaker, insert my oars into waters that 
involve the former Secretary of State, Mrs. Clinton, during a recent 
Senate hearing. A Senator who was examining Secretary Clinton suggested 
or implied that the administration may have misstated the nature of the 
Benghazi attack, to which Mrs. Clinton responded: ``What difference at 
this point does it make?''
  I submit, Mr. Speaker, that the survivors of the four Americans who 
were murdered in that attack would welcome any and all information 
surrounding that infamous invasion. The survivors are grieving, and any 
information that could illuminate in any way this tragedy that occurred 
in Benghazi would welcome any and all information, it seems to me.
  Yes, Secretary Clinton, at this point it may well make a difference.

                          ____________________