[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 71 (Monday, May 20, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H2789-H2795]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NO LABELS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2013, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Ribble) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
General Leave
Mr. RIBBLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the subject of my special order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
Mr. RIBBLE. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud and honored to lead this
discussion on the House floor this evening. I organized this special
order to show the American people that there are Members of Congress
who can have a civilized conversation and who actually want to solve
problems.
Everyone here tonight is a member of the organization No Labels. As
you can
[[Page H2790]]
see, we're all wearing orange pins as a symbol of our solidarity. These
problem-solver pins represent a lot about who we are and who we want to
be as legislators. Instead of wasting time fighting, we're committed to
fixing what's broken here in Washington.
Being identified as either a Republican or Democrat says a lot about
each of our values and our ideologies, but it's not the sum total of
who we are. I am proud to be a Republican and have a conservative
voting record, and that supports my beliefs.
But just because there's an R or D after someone's name should not
automatically make them enemies. It's possible to find ways to work
together, and all of us are here tonight as proof of that.
I recently introduced a biennial budgeting bill that has both
Democrat and Republican cosponsors. This is just one of many examples
that show that both sides of the aisle can get behind legislation that
will help better our economy.
Unfortunately, Congress has come to a point where problems are not
getting solved because too many are yelling and not enough are
listening. I was taught that the best way to attack a problem is
putting all possible solutions on the table and having a conversation
about the pros and cons of each.
Nowadays in Washington, the meaning of solution has become a
euphemism for undercutting the other party. Sound bites have replaced
conversations, which has made attacking others easier and more
widespread.
It seems like every time you turn on the television or open a
newspaper, there's some headline about Republicans and Democrats
spewing vitriol at each other, or playing another round of the never-
ending blame game.
This type of behavior and unwillingness to work on solving problems
must end in order for our country to move forward, and that's why we're
all here tonight, to show that Washington doesn't have to function this
way.
All of us came to Congress because we wanted to do our part to make
our country better and to help our constituents back home. And coming
together on the House floor is a small way to reaffirm our dedication
to the American people and let them know that we'll work for their best
interest.
This evening you'll hear from both Democrats and Republicans who are
committed to problem-solving. I'm proud to say that these people are
not just my colleagues but they're my friends. And while we don't see
eye to eye on everything, we have all made it a point to put a stop to
the spiteful tone that has become the norm here in Washington, and to
actually have a real conversation with one another. And tonight the
American people watching get to be a part of that.
With that, I'd like to yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr.
Young).
Mr. YOUNG of Indiana. I thank my good friend from Wisconsin.
Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to stand here tonight as a member of this
Problem Solvers Coalition. The coalition offers a common ground for
lawmakers to make government work better and to negotiate solutions
without the blinders of partisan talking points.
Our country has a history, during difficult times, times more
difficult than these, times of great political strife, of coming
together, rank-and-file Americans and legislators alike.
During the early days of our Republic, Thomas Jefferson wrote a
letter to his friend, Edward Rutledge, and he said this:
You and I have seen warm debate and high political
passions. But gentlemen of different politics would then
speak to each other. It is not so now. Men who have been
intimate all their lives cross the street to avoid meeting,
and turn their heads the other way lest they should be
obliged to tip their hat.
Well, we, as Americans, made it through those difficult times, and
eventually this hall was populated by people who were prepared to tip
their hat.
During this time in our history, we too need to be hat tippers. We
need more hat tippers in the U.S. Congress. We need more statesmen,
more men and women who are prepared to root out waste, to improve the
performance of our largest programs of government, to modulate our
discourse.
We need to recognize that our public disagreements aren't always
about ends; sometimes they're merely about means.
So I invite my colleagues to join this coalition of problem solvers.
Let's work together, Republican and Democrat. Let's work together for
the common good for the future of this country.
{time} 1940
Mr. RIBBLE. I appreciate the gentleman's comments. Thank you for
being here tonight.
I now yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Murphy).
Mr. MURPHY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ran for Congress on a pledge of
bipartisanship. I ran on behalf of citizens who were disappointed in
their leaders in Washington who focus on partisan bickering rather than
problem solving.
In my first days in Congress, I was also disappointed in Washington.
I was disappointed that everything in D.C. was separated by party
affiliation. This is why one of my first actions as a freshman was to
join the No Labels Problem Solvers group, of which I am now proudly a
cochair.
Mr. Speaker, No Labels has offered a way for Members of both parties
to get to know each other. Simply put, it's easier to solve problems
when you know the person you're working with. However, No Labels does
more than break down barriers. It helps build trust between Members
that is necessary to solve problems.
Many of the fiscal problems we face today developed over many
decades. Fixing these problems will take steady, committed work. No, we
won't agree on everything, but I am optimistic. I'm optimistic because
more and more leaders are focusing on problem solving rather than
partisanship. I've already seen more bipartisanship and substantive
action in this Congress than many in recent memory. In fact, I've seen
an overwhelming amount of bills introduced by No Labels members, with
both Republicans and Democrats as lead sponsors.
We must urge and support our leaders to go big to solve the fiscal
issues we face. We must push for a grand bargain. We need long-term
solutions, not short-term political gimmicks.
Unfortunately, a number of scandals have contributed to one of the
biggest problems our country faces: a lack of trust in government. The
public sees their leaders focusing on beltway intrigue rather than
pragmatic solutions. Mr. Speaker, that is why I invite more of my
colleagues to join me in this group to work together to solve problems
and to restore the trust of the American people. There is no
ideological litmus test to join this group. What is required is a
willingness to respect one another and resolve to work together to
solve problems. No Labels is doing just that--fix, not fight.
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentleman for his comments.
I now yield to a very good friend of mine, the gentleman from Oregon,
Mr. Kurt Schrader.
Mr. SCHRADER. I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin.
We've collaborated on a number of endeavors, most recently in the Ag
Committee. There was great bipartisan debate in the Agriculture
Committee. I commend to those late-night insomniacs for their 11-hour
viewing enjoyment, come watch how a real committee should work in the
Congress of the United States, where there's give-and-take, people hold
strong positions, but at the end of the day the process moves forward.
I would like to echo my friend and colleague's comments here. The
Problem Solvers caucus, of which we're all members, is an outgrowth of
the No Labels movement that's been going on for several years. Late
last year, No Labels approached a number of us in Congress about
getting together and were we truly interested in solving problems.
I think the thing that got all of our attention is it wasn't giving
up who you were, it wasn't giving up your philosophy. We have extreme
right members, we have extreme left members, and we've got some of our
centrists, or as my colleagues like to call it, squishy people, in the
middle. And that's not a bad thing, necessarily.
But what we are all about is solving problems, not dealing with the
minutia, the differences that we have, dealing with all these one-off
issues that our constituents don't send us to Congress to deal with,
but we are trying to
[[Page H2791]]
deal with bigger issues. The GAO, or General Accounting Office, sends
us information every year about things that should be fixed in
Congress--nonpartisan, bipartisan issues that we should be addressing.
The No Labels group is starting to pick those things up.
As the gentleman from Florida talked about, there's a plethora of
issues upon which we can agree. The mark of a true statesman, I think,
is not focusing on what you disagree on with your colleagues but what
you can agree on. I think that, and some of the bigger issues that,
hopefully, we'll go forward on and the No Labels group will be
attacking, you'll see us also start to look at some of the reforms of
the process.
I alluded to the Ag Committee the other day. There are ways to make
this process work here and make America proud and, as we've heard so
far, restore faith in your government once again.
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentleman.
When I first came here it was interesting how few places there were
where both parties could get together and talk about issues. It just
didn't really exist. And those of us that have decided to get together
and talk, we've never asked anyone to lay down their own personal
beliefs or ideologies, but we did ask for them to stand up and defend
them and to speak about them and to encourage others and to, most
importantly, listen to each other and to try to learn why we believe
what we believe.
I'd like to now yield to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman).
Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues today to
affirm our collective effort to put aside partisanship wherever
possible and seek the solutions our country needs.
As I meet with constituents across Colorado's Sixth Congressional
District, I constantly hear the refrain, What is Congress doing to help
our country? The people of Aurora, Colorado, and the surrounding
communities in my district want to know what is being done to fix the
economy, to generate jobs, to care for our veterans, and to defend our
Nation. They don't ask about the current beltway infighting. They want
to know what is being done about our debt and to help with their
children's schools.
I'm glad to stand here today and repeat the message that Members of
Congress need to put aside partisan agendas and seek solutions
together.
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentleman.
I would now like to yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Maloney).
Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. I want to join my colleagues in
commending the terrific work of the No Labels group.
I, like others, came to Congress not to fight but to fix problems.
And I've always thought there's so much work to do, if we just start
working on the things we agree about, we'll all be tired at the end of
the day and we won't have time to fight. And it's in that spirit that
we've approached our work, many of us that are new to Congress, and I
think we're seeing results.
The last Congress was content to have an argument about a farm bill.
And as my colleague noted, we're working in a bipartisan way to bring
one to the floor and to get results for the American people. The last
Congress was content to give us the sequester, but a bunch of us
working across the aisle in this Congress are more interested in
implementing the nonpartisan recommendations of the GAO to help us cut
government waste that we can all agree shouldn't be there. We've agreed
on things like no budget, no pay. We've agreed on things in a
bipartisan way like the Violence Against Women Act. These are
delivering real results for real families.
I represent the Hudson Valley of New York, and I'm proud to say that
we've got one of the largest chapters of the No Labels group in
Westchester. I didn't come here to be part of the red team or the blue
team. I didn't come here to fight. I came here to find solutions and to
get results for my constituents and the people who pay the bills, the
taxpayers. And I'm encouraged and delighted that there are so many
friends across the aisle in the Republican Party who want to do the
same thing. I think if we can get more of our colleagues to join us, we
can create a real movement in this Congress and we can start a new day.
It may be too soon to say that we've turned the corner, but I believe
we've made an important start. I'm committed to continuing to work
across the aisle to get results.
Mr. RIBBLE. That's encouraging to all of us. I appreciate your
comments.
I now yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bentivolio).
Mr. BENTIVOLIO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to echo what my friend,
Congressman Reid Ribble, said a moment ago. The people of southeastern
Michigan sent me here to solve the problems affecting our great Nation.
The Problem Solvers coalition offers a chance to break the partisan
gridlock by bringing Democrats and Republicans together to focus on
good governance. Our coalition meets regularly to find commonsense
solutions because Washington's inability to work together has put the
future of our children and grandchildren in jeopardy.
More than two centuries, Members of the first Congress were summoned
to uphold and defend the Constitution. The proudest boast then in the
civilized world was, ``I am an American.'' Today, we must ensure that
being an American makes you the envy of the world.
{time} 1950
I recognize that we all have different viewpoints. I understand that
this is a contentious time in Congress--different viewpoints clash,
sometimes rightfully so. However, I do think that there is one goal
that everyone here has--to hand the next generation a country that is
in better condition than when we found it. We must strive valiantly,
and we must dare greatly to solve problems here in Washington by
working together to find common ground.
We all have been sent here to serve the people, and I urge my
colleagues to join the Problem Solvers Coalition and to start doing the
work of the people. Thank you, and God bless you.
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentleman for your comments.
I now yield to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Matheson).
Mr. MATHESON. I thank my colleague for yielding.
It's a pleasure to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to
discuss No Labels.
You know, I think one thing that hasn't been mentioned tonight is the
fact that it's about ``no labels.'' We're going to get away from
Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative. This is about bringing
people together to try to reach consensus and solve problems. Because
when you really think about it, our political dialogue in this country
has been reduced too often to this notion where there are only two
points of view, only two ways to look at an issue: all Democrats think
one way; all Republicans think the other. There's no other way to look
at an issue.
Well, as we all know, life generally is not that simple; and it's
important for us to constructively come together in a way where we act
as Representatives, because our system of government is not a
parliamentary system where just two points of view are to be discussed.
Our system of government is a representative system of government. We
have 435 people in the House of Representatives who all can bring a
point of view to the table to try to solve problems and make progress.
That's why I'm pleased to be associated and participating with the No
Labels group.
I'm pleased that across the country people are signing up to join ad
citizen activists for No Labels as well. It tells you where the country
wants us to go as an institution--no more bickering, no more playing
the blame game. Let's sit down and let's try to work together to get
things done.
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentleman.
I would like to yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Fitzpatrick).
Mr. FITZPATRICK. I thank my friend for yielding.
You know, the one thing that I hear more than anything else when I
travel back home to Pennsylvania is the frustration with Washington and
the massive divide that they see that prevents us from solving real
problems, from solving American problems. And as I've heard from my
colleagues here tonight, that feeling is not limited to my communities
of Bucks County and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
[[Page H2792]]
It doesn't take much to see that our Nation is facing some pretty
serious problems. It's long been clear to me that we need lawmakers to
come together and put aside politics and do what we were elected to do,
which is to solve problems.
When I served as a local official back home in Bucks County,
Pennsylvania, on a bipartisan board, it didn't take long to figure out
that there was no Republican way or Democratic way to fix a bridge or
to care for an abused or abandoned or neglected child. It was just the
right way to do it.
So now, as a member of the No Labels Problem Solvers, I'm proud to be
part of the solution and to enthusiastically subscribe to our motto,
which is ``Stop Fighting and Start Fixing.'' Once we cross the so-
called ``political divide'' and talk to each other, we readily find
common ground, balance, and ultimately solutions.
I was proud to be an early proponent of the No Labels initiative No
Budget No Pay, which passed the House recently and yielded real
results--the first budget resolution from the Senate in 4 years.
Recently, I wrote an editorial piece with my colleague,
Representative Cheri Bustos, that highlighted the importance of
bipartisan problem-solving to address wasteful government spending and
advance commonsense legislation that we can all agree upon.
We must restore faith in our elected leaders. The public's trust has
been shaken--and rightly so. As we've seen lately, partisan politics
tarnishes everything from national security to tax enforcement. We can
no longer afford partisan politics as usual, so we're here to be
problem-solvers, going forward to get something done for the good of
the people, and there's no time to waste.
Mr. RIBBLE. Indeed, there's no time to waste.
I yield to the gentlelady from Illinois (Mrs. Bustos).
Mrs. BUSTOS. I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin.
Far too often, people tend to focus on our differences instead of
what brings us together. Despite what we all may hear, common ground
does exist among lawmakers from opposing sides.
Although the group we call No Labels is made up of Democrats and
Republicans, what unites the 68 of us making up this group is the idea
that work can and should get done in Washington.
The people of each of our regions in the United States sent us to the
Nation's Capital not to position and posture, but to use common sense
and compromise to move our country forward. That is why I joined the
bipartisan No Labels group and have been identified as a
``congressional problem solver.''
No Labels is the only bipartisan, bicameral group in Congress and is
made up of liberals, moderates, conservatives. Yes, the left, the
right, and the middle coming together. While we surely don't agree on
every issue, there are plenty of areas that we can find to achieve
results for the people who we represent.
Let me just share a recent example. I'm a member of the House Ag
Committee, and last week we completed an exercise in bipartisanship by
working together to pass, by a large margin, a 5-year farm bill. The
Republican chairman, Frank Lucas, and the Democratic ranking member,
Collin Peterson, and the entire committee were civil, accommodating,
and worked well together. It was refreshing. In fact, nine of my fellow
congressional problem solvers on both Democratic and Republican sides
are on the Ag Committee with me.
Although we didn't agree on every aspect of the bill and I believe
there still is room for improvements, we all come from different
regions of the country where people expect their elected officials to
put politics aside and do their job. Period.
Last year, Congress wasn't able to get its act together and pass a 5-
year farm bill, so instead had to resort to a short-term extension that
expires in a matter of months. I am hopeful that this year will be
different.
The family farmers I talk with back home in Illinois want the
security and stability that come with a 5-year farm bill so they can
plan for future growth and investments and continue to provide the food
our Nation--and the world also--depends on.
If we approached more issues on a bipartisan basis like we did on the
Ag Committee and like we do in No Labels, Congress would be more
productive and the American people would be better off. I'm committed
to working with my No Labels colleagues to achieve this goal of
bipartisanship and urge all Members of Congress to join us in this
pursuit.
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentlelady.
I'd like to yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent).
Mr. DENT. I thank the gentleman, and I thank the Speaker for allowing
me to address the House tonight regarding the Problem Solvers group. I,
too, am a proud member of this group--a group of Republicans and
Democrats who I think have really one thing in common more than
anything else; it's a group of Members of Congress who believe we have
an affirmative obligation to govern. That is, we're trying to find a
way to get to ``yes'' on some of the big issues of the day because the
problems are huge.
Clearly, when the country sees a lot of the mindless bickering and
fighting that goes on here, it does not inspire confidence, and it
certainly does contribute to greater uncertainty. And while nobody here
is checking their ideologies or their philosophies at the door, people
understand that we must be practical and pragmatic at times to try to
find a solution to a common problem. That doesn't mean we'll always get
to a solution; sometimes we will and sometimes we won't. But you know
what, it's important that we try. I think that's what this group is
about, trying to find solutions to the big problems of the day--not
running away from them, not hiding, not each side running to their safe
camp and then ignoring the problem and hoping that somebody else at a
later date will deal with it.
What I'm most proud about with this group is that many of these
Members have demonstrated political courage on both sides of the aisle
and have stood up time and again to try to do the right thing for the
good of the country.
Like everybody else here, too, I hear from my constituents. My
constituents are very much alarmed by what they're seeing happening in
Washington. They think that we're in warring camps; no one likes each
other and no one gets along, but worst of all, no one is trying, no one
is trying to solve the great problems of the day.
I'm really pleased, as has been mentioned previously, that this
Problem Solvers group, the first issue out of the box for us was No
Budget No Pay--an idea that originated with this organization. And sure
enough, within fairly short order, it became law. It's a step. It's an
important step. I'm proud that this group was part of it. I know over
time, in the near future, this organization will be coming up with more
ideas that we can present to the American people in a way that I think
they will find very helpful and very useful.
So again, I just want to commend my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle, many of whom I call friends. We're all friends who are really
trying to do the right thing. So I just wanted to say thank you, and I
commend the efforts. We need more of this, not less of it.
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentleman.
It is now a privilege of mine to yield to my friend from Georgia (Mr.
Barrow).
{time} 2000
Mr. BARROW of Georgia. I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for the
time, but more importantly I thank him for the leadership he is showing
in this common endeavor.
I want to echo what my good friend, Congressman Dent, just said, but
I want to make an additional point. The folks in Georgia sent me to
Washington to help get things done, not get caught up in scoring
political points. They are fed up with the hyperpartisanship in
Congress, and that's why I've joined this group.
The scandals at the IRS and the Justice Department contribute to one
of the biggest problems in our country right now. Americans don't trust
their government to do the right thing. The goal of this group is to
strengthen the faith that folks have in government.
The Problem Solvers coalition offers a chance to break the gridlock
by getting Democrats and Republicans focused on actually getting things
done in Congress. Unlike some folks, we don't think ``compromise'' is a
dirty word.
[[Page H2793]]
Washington's refusal to respect and work with one another means we
are failing this generation and the next generation. No Labels offers a
common ground for lawmakers to make government work better and
negotiate solutions without the blinders of partisan talking points.
We have real problems that are crying out for compromise right now,
and we all just can't sit here arguing just to get us through the next
election. If we continue with that approach, we won't be doing this
country and the folks we represent any good down the road.
Mr. Speaker, my Bible says:
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and
loving favor more than silver or gold.
I believe that both parties have a great deal to contribute to this
country's past, have a great deal to be proud of in their path, and
they have a lot to contribute to our country's future. But the label,
the name, the good name that folks are looking for is ``problem
solver.'' That is the name that brings us together. That is the name
that describes our function. That is why I'm proud to support this
group and its work.
Mr. RIBBLE. Mr. Speaker, with that, I would like to yield to the
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).
Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin, my
friend, for yielding, and want to really echo the comments of my friend
from Georgia, Mr. Barrow.
I first came to Washington to serve in the House a little more than 2
years ago after spending 8 years as mayor of the city of Province. When
you're a mayor of a city or town, you are a problem solver. You have
lots of issues that come before you, lots of decisions to make, but
most importantly, you have to get things done. You don't have a
Republican pothole or a Democratic tree that needs to be cut. You just
have things that need to be done and action that needs to be taken.
The men and women and families of Rhode Island's First Congressional
District didn't send me to Congress to score political points or engage
in political games. They sent me here to get things done, to confront
the challenges facing our country and my State.
I'm very proud to be a founding member of the Problem Solvers of No
Labels, a coalition that's offering a venue for Republicans and
Democrats to come together, to work together, to find solutions to,
most importantly, govern our Nation.
And really importantly, as my friend from Wisconsin said, we have
people in No Labels who come from a whole range of different
ideologies, who feel very passionately about issues that are important
to them and to their constituents and make the case in very, very
spirited discussions. But we come to it with a willingness to listen to
each other, to consider each other's views, to engage in civil
discourse and, most importantly, come to it with a commitment to try to
solve problems, to work together to grow our economy, responsibly cut
the deficit, protect critical programs like Social Security and
Medicare.
There's no question that in the last few years Washington has stopped
working the way it should. Republicans and Democrats have grown more
concerned with 30-second ads than serving our constituents. Washington
has failed to do its job.
There are real problems facing our country. We need to start working
together again in the spirit of bipartisanship that has defined our
Nation over the years through global conflict, economic depression, and
even fierce internal political debates.
We have always come together to get things done and to act in the
best interest of our country. I know that's what No Labels is committed
to, that's what we're committed to on both sides of the aisle as part
of Problem Solvers, and I urge all my colleagues to join us in this
effort.
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentleman for his comments.
Mr. Speaker, with that, I would like to yield to the gentleman from
Maine (Mr. Michaud).
Mr. MICHAUD. Thank you very much for yielding.
I want to thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for his leadership in
the No Label Problem Solving group, and I really enjoy working with
you.
I came to Congress after serving in the Maine Legislature for 22
years--a place where Democrats, Independents, and Republicans did work
together to get things done.
The House Veterans' Affairs Committee also works on a bipartisan
basis, and I'm proud to serve on the committee. Chairman Miller and
myself work very well together, along with our committee members, to
try to find solutions to the problems that our veterans are facing
today. We are doing it in a nonpartisan way, and that's how things
should work.
However, I do remain concerned about Congress, and Washington as a
whole. There is too much division, gamesmanship, and too little
cooperation. But the group that you see here tonight on this floor that
I'm speaking of is a group that actually gives me hope, a group of
individuals, Republicans, Democrats, from all different facets of life,
from different parts of the country, that are willing to sit down and
work together to get things done.
I'm very proud to join my fellow Problem Solvers because it's long
past time to work together and get things done for the American people.
Mr. RIBBLE. I remember very clearly, Mr. Speaker, I had been in
Congress only a few days--the President of the United States came into
this Chamber for the State of the Union address--and my good friend
from Maine invited me to sit with him. We began a relationship there
and continued to work together throughout these last few years.
Thank you very much for coming to the floor tonight.
With that, I would like to yield to the gentleman from California
(Mr. Valadao).
Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Speaker, as I travel around my district, I've
witnessed firsthand many of the problems my constituents face on a
daily basis--water shortages, difficulty pursuing a higher education,
and high unemployment. While there are many ways to address each of
these issues--and we may not always agree on the best course of
action--one thing is clear: Americans are sick of the gridlock in
Washington.
Congress cannot continue to be sidetracked by political games and at
the same time expect real progress to be made. We must put aside our
political differences and, as leaders, come together to do what's best
for our constituents--the American people.
That's why I joined the Problem Solvers coalition. The group is made
up of both Republicans and Democrats, alike, who are committed to
focusing on policy, not politics. We meet on a regular basis to
discuss, debate, and find common ground on the most pressing issues of
our day. It is only through a mutual understanding and respect that we
will begin to address the serious issues our Nation faces and move
forward together.
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentleman for his comments.
Mr. Speaker, with that, I would like to yield to the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Owens).
Mr. OWENS. Thank you, Mr. Ribble, and thank you for conducting this
hour this evening.
As I travel around my district in upstate New York, which forms the
convergence of Vermont, Quebec, and New York, I hear a couple of
questions from my constituents. The first is about jobs, and the second
is why can't you fellows work together?
No Labels is a big part of that answer. We must work at the process
of discussing issues, of gathering facts--and I want to repeat that, of
gathering facts--then discussing those facts, and then reaching
compromise. That is what the American people sent us here to do. That
is why I came to Congress 3\1/2\ years ago.
We all recognize that no one--no party, no group--has a monopoly on
good ideas, nor on the facts. I urge all of my colleagues in Congress
to work with us so that we will develop the kind of relationships, the
kind of action, the kind of motivation that allows us to work for our
friends and neighbors at home, those whom we call constituents.
{time} 2010
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentleman for his comments.
With that, I'd like to yield to the gentleman from California (Mr.
Bera).
[[Page H2794]]
Mr. BERA of California. Thank you to my colleague from Wisconsin for
organizing this, and thank you to my colleague from New York.
I am honored to be here with colleagues from both sides of the aisle.
As you've heard us talking about the Problem Solvers, that's what we're
elected to do--to solve problems. One of the first organizations I
joined when I got here was the No Labels organization. One of the first
bills that I had the honor of cosponsoring was the No Budget, No Pay
legislation. What a novel idea--putting together a budget. That was a
bill that was an idea that came out of the Problem Solvers. We
sponsored that bill, we put it forth, and lo and behold, the House of
Representatives has a budget, the Senate has a budget, and the
President has a budget.
We've got to continue moving forward, and that is exactly what this
organization allows us to do. It brings Democrats and Republicans
together to have a conversation, to listen to one another and to solve
problems. We're not going to agree on everything. In fact, in divided
government, it isn't necessary that we agree on everything. You want to
have all the ideas, but we're not asking anyone to give up their
convictions. What we are asking, though, is for us to listen to one
another, to hear the ideas that are being put out there and then to
find common ground so we can start working together on that common
ground, moving forward and addressing the challenges that our Nation
faces.
We don't have to look too far back in our history to see how this
works. The great Speaker, Tip O'Neill, was able to work together with
President Ronald Reagan to not only address some of our debt and
deficit but to also strengthen Social Security. President Bill Clinton
was able to work with Speaker Newt Gingrich to not only balance our
budget but to create budget surpluses.
Now, the American people expect us to start working together. I grew
up in a country that always talked about what we could do, that focused
on the challenge of the day. It is time that we start coming together
as Democrats and Republicans, and it's time we start solving problems.
That's why I'm so glad to be here and to be a member of the Problem
Solvers and a cochair of the Problem Solvers.
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentleman.
I would now like to yield to the gentlelady from Hawaii (Ms.
Gabbard).
Ms. GABBARD. I would like to thank my colleague from Wisconsin for
leading this effort and for his leadership in bringing together Members
from all parts of the country that represent many diverse viewpoints.
I know, for me, one thing that I often hear every time I go home is a
sense of frustration from constituents, from people within my
community, who ask: Why can't Congress get anything done? What are you
doing to take action for the American people? Is there hope, is there
any way to fix this mess that we seem to be in?
I was talking with some of my Republican colleagues, new Members, and
I found that the answer that we were giving people when they expressed
their frustrations was the same. And that was, the hope that we see
every day as we do our work here lies in the fact that, collectively,
we recognize that we have a mandate from those in our communities to
work together, to do the people's work and to remember every single day
that the most important thing we share in common is that we serve at
the pleasure of our constituents as Representatives, as voices for the
people.
To me, that's really what this Problem Solvers Caucus is all about.
It's about Democrats and Republicans coming together, finding these
practical, real solutions that will allow us to make true progress in
the spirit of service. As my colleagues know, I often talk about how
this is what we in Hawaii call the spirit of aloha: when you can have a
conversation with someone with whom you may disagree on some issues but
whom you can respect, whom you can listen to sincerely and have a true
conversation with to come up with the best idea and the best solution
on how we can serve the people.
Earlier today, I had the opportunity to go with some of my
colleagues, a bipartisan group of us new Members, to the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier. We laid a wreath there at the tomb, as we head into
Memorial Day, and we had an opportunity to reflect on the great
sacrifices that have been made in the history of our country, and it
personally gave me the opportunity to remember some of the sacrifices
that my friends and battle buddies have made. It reminded me of what
our responsibility is, which is to honor them, and it reminded me that
there are no labels when you're in a foxhole, that there are no labels
when you're walking on a patrol, and that, when these great heroes are
out serving our country, there is no label identifying their party
affiliations, their religious practices, the communities that they come
from, because they understand it's about one team, one fight, serving
one awesome Nation.
That's our responsibility here--to serve in that same spirit and
recognize we have many problems that need to be solved now, not next
month or next year or after the next election cycle, but that we have
to stand up, honor them and work together to find our common ground and
pursue these commonsense solutions. If we do that, then we will truly
honor them, and we will embrace the trust that has been placed with us.
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentlelady, and I thank her for mentioning
our veterans.
My own father left the mainland in 1945, and the first place he went
was to Pearl Harbor on the Island of Oahu, in your home State, before
he went into the Pacific Theater. I can't help but think that he would
have wanted this very thing to have happened here in that we would
actually come here and spend our time honoring the sacrifices that
those men and women made and finding solutions for the American people,
making the American Nation a better place to live and work, to study
and grow up and excel, and to become the type of people we can become.
So thank you very much for your comments today.
Now I would like to yield to a good friend of mine from Illinois, a
Chicago Bears fan himself, Mr. Lipinski.
Mr. LIPINSKI. I want to thank Mr. Reid Ribble for yielding, and I
want to stand here on the Republican side of the well to just express
how important it is that we stand here together.
As Mr. Ribble just mentioned in talking about our veterans, yesterday
I was at an early Memorial Day commemoration. The people there weren't
talking about Democrats and Republicans. We were talking about those
men and women who had given their lives for our country--standing
together, fighting together to maintain our freedom.
Today, we see too much division here in Washington. Now, my
background is in engineering. Engineers are problem solvers, so I came
to Congress 8-plus years ago determined to solve problems. As our
Nation's problems have gotten bigger, Congress has gotten smaller, not
smaller in size and certainly not smaller in ego, but smaller in the
capacity to get things done. My constituents certainly see this. What
they want to see is Washington working together to help with job
creation, to work on reducing our debt and to work on solving the many
other problems that we face. Instead, they see fighting in Washington.
Now, where I come from on the southwest side of Chicago, in the
bungalow belt, we know that when we are sent to do a job there is a
bottom line--get the job done. Businesses, families, organizations
know, if they're going to survive, they must solve problems. It's time
for Washington to get this because we must come together to face these
big issues, and that's what Problem Solvers and No Labels are all
about--coming together. Not to lose the fact that we are Democrats and
Republicans, liberals or conservatives, but to work to solve problems.
We must do this. If we do not, we will be failing the American
people--failing our constituents, those who have sent us here. If we do
come together, we can work to solve some of these problems and make
sure that America's brightest and best days are still ahead of us. The
American people are counting on us.
So I am glad to stand here with my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle, and I thank Mr. Ribble for leading us here tonight to say we are
united to solve problems. We are no labels. We're not going to solve
the problems overnight, but this is where we need to start to let the
American people know
[[Page H2795]]
that there are Members of Congress, there are people in Washington who
want to work together and solve these problems. I pledge my support to
my colleagues here, and we are going to work together as America's
brightest days are yet to come.
{time} 2020
Mr. RIBBLE. I thank the gentleman for his comments. And I just have
to say if a Green Bay Packer fan like myself, Mr. Speaker, and a
Chicago Bear fan like Representative Lipinski can get together and talk
about things--if we can talk about that, we can talk about anything.
In fact, around Christmastime 2009, is when I became convinced about
possibly running for Congress for the first time. I'm in my second
term, Mr. Speaker. I came here to this Chamber not just to represent
the citizens of northeast Wisconsin, but I came here because I believe
that the fabric of trust between the American people and this
government has been torn. But fabric torn can be mended. It can be
mended by common thread that binds us together not as Republicans and
Democrats, men and women, but common thread that binds us together as
Americans.
Common thread can only be used if it's found; common thread can only
be found if you seek it.
One of the reasons that I feel we sometimes can't repair this torn
fabric is because it's so difficult to find the common ground. But
common ground, indeed, can be found when representatives are willing to
seek it out.
Mr. Speaker, our Founders established a representative Republic and
instructed us. They said that if we can find agreement, do those
things. But if we couldn't find agreement, they warned us as well. They
said, Where you can't find agreement, it might be best for you not to
do those things until you can, in fact, find agreement.
So we have to go out and we have to look for it, and I could talk to
my Republican colleagues every single day. In many respects, it's like
preaching to the choir, and I think that preaching to the choir is a
fine thing. I mean, you often preach to the choir because you want them
to sing. The fact of the matter is I have agreement with my Republican
colleagues on most things--not everything, but most things. So
therefore I must go and talk to my colleagues on the other side of the
aisle.
The fastest way to mend that torn fabric is by meeting people, by
building trust, by taking the time to understand them and then seeking
the areas of common ground, to find the common thread that binds us
together, and when we find that, we can begin to repair the torn fabric
between the American people and its government. It's really what we've
been sent here to do.
We've been sent here to find and solve problems, not to fight about
them. Disagreement will happen. In fact, you can look historically into
this Chamber, and there's been a lot of disagreement. It dates back to
the beginning of our Nation's founding. There's also been a lot of
agreement.
Think about the differences from 1787 to today. Think about the
America that exists today. Much of it exists because the men and women
who were sent by the citizens of their districts to lead came here, and
through statesman-like qualities, were willing to lead. They had the
courage to make tough decisions and then lead this country to the place
that it is today.
I am filled with hope about America. I'm filled with hope because of
the colleagues that I work with here. I'm filled with hope, Mr.
Speaker, because of men like you.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
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