[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 125 (Friday, September 20, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H5773-H5788]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS RESOLUTION, 2014

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 
352, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 59) making continuing 
appropriations for fiscal year 2014, and for other purposes, and ask 
for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 352, the 
amendment printed in House Report 113-216 is adopted and the joint 
resolution, as amended, is considered read.
  The text of the joint resolution, as amended, is as follows:

                              H.J. Res. 59

       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any money in 
     the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and out of 
     applicable corporate or other revenues, receipts, and funds, 
     for the several departments, agencies, corporations, and 
     other organizational units of Government for fiscal year 
     2014, and for other purposes, namely:
       Sec. 101. (a) Such amounts as may be necessary, at a rate 
     for operations as provided in the applicable appropriations 
     Acts for fiscal year 2013 and under the authority and 
     conditions provided in such Acts, for continuing projects or 
     activities (including the costs of direct loans and loan 
     guarantees) that are not otherwise specifically provided for 
     in this joint resolution, that were conducted in fiscal year 
     2013, and for which appropriations, funds, or other authority 
     were made available in the following appropriations Acts:
       (1) The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug 
     Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013 
     (division A of Public Law 113-6).
       (2) The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies 
     Appropriations Act, 2013 (division B of Public Law 113-6).
       (3) The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2013 
     (division C of Public Law 113-6).
       (4) The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 
     2013 (division D of Public Law 113-6).
       (5) The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and 
     Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013 (division E of 
     Public Law 113-6).
       (6) The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 
     (division F of Public Law 113-6).
       (b) The rate for operations provided by subsection (a) for 
     each account shall be calculated to reflect the full amount 
     of any reduction required in fiscal year 2013 pursuant to--
       (1) any provision of division G of the Consolidated and 
     Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (Public Law 113-
     6), including section 3004; and
       (2) the Presidential sequestration order dated March 1, 
     2013, except as attributable to budget authority made 
     available by--
       (A) sections 140(b) or 141(b) of the Continuing 
     Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (Public Law 112-175); or
       (B) the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 (Public 
     Law 113-2).
       Sec. 102. (a) No appropriation or funds made available or 
     authority granted pursuant to section 101 for the Department 
     of Defense shall be used for (1) the new production of items 
     not funded for production in fiscal year 2013 or prior years; 
     (2) the increase in production rates above those sustained 
     with fiscal year 2013 funds; or (3) the initiation, 
     resumption, or continuation of any project, activity, 
     operation, or organization (defined as any project, 
     subproject, activity, budget activity, program element, and 
     subprogram within a program element, and for any investment 
     items defined as a P-1 line item in a budget activity within 
     an appropriation account and an R-1 line item that includes a 
     program element and subprogram element within an 
     appropriation account) for which appropriations, funds, or 
     other authority were not available during fiscal year 2013.
       (b) No appropriation or funds made available or authority 
     granted pursuant to section 101 for the Department of Defense 
     shall be used to initiate multi-year procurements utilizing 
     advance procurement funding for economic order quantity 
     procurement unless specifically appropriated later.
       Sec. 103.  Appropriations made by section 101 shall be 
     available to the extent and in the manner that would be 
     provided by the pertinent appropriations Act.
       Sec. 104.  Except as otherwise provided in section 102, no 
     appropriation or funds made available or authority granted 
     pursuant to section 101 shall be used to initiate or resume 
     any project or activity for which appropriations, funds, or 
     other authority were not available during fiscal year 2013.
       Sec. 105.  Appropriations made and authority granted 
     pursuant to this joint resolution shall cover all obligations 
     or expenditures incurred for any project or activity during 
     the period for which funds or authority for such project or 
     activity are available under this joint resolution.
       Sec. 106.  Unless otherwise provided for in this joint 
     resolution or in the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal 
     year 2014, appropriations and funds made available and 
     authority granted pursuant to this joint resolution shall be 
     available until whichever of the following first occurs: (1) 
     the enactment into law of an appropriation for any project or 
     activity provided for in this joint resolution; (2) the 
     enactment into law of the applicable appropriations Act for 
     fiscal year 2014 without any provision for such project or 
     activity; or (3) December 15, 2013.
       Sec. 107.  Expenditures made pursuant to this joint 
     resolution shall be charged to the applicable appropriation, 
     fund, or authorization whenever a bill in which such 
     applicable appropriation, fund, or authorization is contained 
     is enacted into law.
       Sec. 108.  Appropriations made and funds made available by 
     or authority granted pursuant to this joint resolution may be 
     used without regard to the time limitations for submission 
     and approval of apportionments set forth in section 1513 of 
     title 31, United States Code, but nothing in this joint 
     resolution may be construed to waive any other provision of 
     law governing the apportionment of funds.
       Sec. 109.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     joint resolution, except section 106, for those programs that 
     would otherwise have high initial rates of operation or 
     complete distribution of appropriations at the beginning of 
     fiscal year 2014 because of distributions of funding to 
     States, foreign countries, grantees, or others, such high 
     initial rates of operation or complete distribution shall not 
     be made, and no grants shall be awarded for such programs 
     funded by this joint resolution that would impinge on final 
     funding prerogatives.
       Sec. 110.  This joint resolution shall be implemented so 
     that only the most limited funding action of that permitted 
     in the joint resolution shall be taken in order to provide 
     for continuation of projects and activities.
       Sec. 111. (a) For entitlements and other mandatory payments 
     whose budget authority was provided in appropriations Acts 
     for

[[Page H5774]]

     fiscal year 2013, and for activities under the Food and 
     Nutrition Act of 2008, activities shall be continued at the 
     rate to maintain program levels under current law, under the 
     authority and conditions provided in the applicable 
     appropriations Act for fiscal year 2013, to be continued 
     through the date specified in section 106(3).
       (b) Notwithstanding section 106, obligations for mandatory 
     payments due on or about the first day of any month that 
     begins after October 2013 but not later than 30 days after 
     the date specified in section 106(3) may continue to be made, 
     and funds shall be available for such payments.
       Sec. 112.  Amounts made available under section 101 for 
     civilian personnel compensation and benefits in each 
     department and agency may be apportioned up to the rate for 
     operations necessary to avoid furloughs within such 
     department or agency, consistent with the applicable 
     appropriations Act for fiscal year 2013, except that such 
     authority provided under this section shall not be used until 
     after the department or agency has taken all necessary 
     actions to reduce or defer non-personnel-related 
     administrative expenses.
       Sec. 113.  Funds appropriated by this joint resolution may 
     be obligated and expended notwithstanding section 10 of 
     Public Law 91-672 (22 U.S.C. 2412), section 15 of the State 
     Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2680), 
     section 313 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, 
     Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (22 U.S.C. 6212), and section 
     504(a)(1) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 
     3094(a)(1)).
       Sec. 114. (a) Each amount incorporated by reference in this 
     joint resolution that was previously designated by the 
     Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on 
     Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced 
     Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 or as being 
     for disaster relief pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D) of such 
     Act is designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A) of such Act or as being for disaster relief 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D) of such Act, respectively.
       (b) Of the amount made available by section 101 for 
     ``Social Security Administration--Limitation on 
     Administrative Expenses'', $470,638,000 is additional new 
     budget authority specified for purposes of subsection 
     251(b)(2)(B) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.
       (c) Section 5 of Public Law 113-6 shall apply to amounts 
     designated in subsection (a) for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism.
       Sec. 115.  Section 3003 of division G of Public Law 113-6 
     shall be applied to funds appropriated by this joint 
     resolution by substituting ``fiscal year 2014'' for ``fiscal 
     year 2013'' each place it appears.
       Sec. 116.  Section 408 of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 
     1736b) shall be applied by substituting the date specified in 
     section 106(3) of this joint resolution for ``December 31, 
     2012''.
       Sec. 117.  Amounts made available under section 101 for 
     ``Department of Commerce--National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration--Procurement, Acquisition and Construction'' 
     may be apportioned up to the rate for operations necessary to 
     maintain the planned launch schedules for the Joint Polar 
     Satellite System and the Geostationary Operational 
     Environmental Satellite system.
       Sec. 118.  The authority provided by section 1206 of the 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 
     (Public Law 112-81) shall continue in effect, notwithstanding 
     subsection (h) of such section, through the earlier of the 
     date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution or 
     the date of the enactment of an Act authorizing 
     appropriations for fiscal year 2014 for military activities 
     of the Department of Defense.
       Sec. 119.  Section 14704 of title 40, United States Code, 
     shall be applied to amounts made available by this joint 
     resolution by substituting the date specified in section 
     106(3) of this joint resolution for ``October 1, 2012''.
       Sec. 120.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     joint resolution, except section 106, the District of 
     Columbia may expend local funds under the heading ``District 
     of Columbia Funds'' for such programs and activities under 
     title IV of H.R. 2786 (113th Congress), as reported by the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, 
     at the rate set forth under ``District of Columbia Funds--
     Summary of Expenses'' as included in the Fiscal Year 2014 
     Budget Request Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-127), as modified as 
     of the date of the enactment of this joint resolution.
       Sec. 121.  Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are 
     provided for ``The Judiciary--Courts of Appeals, District 
     Courts, and Other Judicial Services--Defender Services'' at a 
     rate for operations of $1,012,000,000.
       Sec. 122.  For the period covered by this joint resolution, 
     section 550(b) of Public Law 109-295 (6 U.S.C. 121 note) 
     shall be applied by substituting the date specified in 
     section 106(3) of this joint resolution for ``October 4, 
     2013''.
       Sec. 123.  The authority provided by section 532 of Public 
     Law 109-295 shall continue in effect through the date 
     specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution.
       Sec. 124.  The authority provided by section 831 of the 
     Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 391) shall continue 
     in effect through the date specified in section 106(3) of 
     this joint resolution.
       Sec. 125. (a) Any amounts made available pursuant to 
     section 101 for ``Department of Homeland Security--U.S. 
     Customs and Border Protection--Salaries and Expenses'', 
     ``Department of Homeland Security--U.S. Customs and Border 
     Protection--Border Security Fencing, Infrastructure, and 
     Technology'', and ``Department of Homeland Security--U.S. 
     Immigration and Customs Enforcement--Salaries and Expenses'' 
     shall be obligated at a rate for operations as necessary to 
     respectively--
       (1) sustain the staffing levels of U.S. Customs and Border 
     Protection Officers, equivalent to the staffing levels 
     achieved on September 30, 2013, and comply with the last 
     proviso under the heading ``Department of Homeland Security--
     U.S. Customs and Border Protection--Salaries and Expenses'' 
     in division D of Public Law 113-6;
       (2) sustain border security operations, including 
     sustaining the operation of Tethered Aerostat Radar Systems; 
     and
       (3) sustain the staffing levels of U.S. Immigration and 
     Customs Enforcement agents, equivalent to the staffing levels 
     achieved on September 30, 2013, and comply with the sixth 
     proviso under the heading ``Department of Homeland Security--
     U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement--Salaries and 
     Expenses'' in division D of Public Law 113-6.
       (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the 
     Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
     and the Senate on each use of the authority provided in this 
     section.
       Sec. 126.  In addition to the amount otherwise provided by 
     section 101 for ``Department of the Interior--Department-wide 
     Programs--Wildland Fire Management'', there is appropriated 
     $36,000,000 for an additional amount for fiscal year 2014, to 
     remain available until expended, for urgent wildland fire 
     suppression activities: Provided, That of the funds provided, 
     $15,000,000 is for burned area rehabilitation: Provided 
     further, That such funds shall only become available if funds 
     previously provided for wildland fire suppression will be 
     exhausted imminently and the Secretary of the Interior 
     notifies the Committees on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate in writing of the need for 
     these additional funds: Provided further, That such funds are 
     also available for transfer to other appropriations accounts 
     to repay amounts previously transferred for wildfire 
     suppression.
       Sec. 127.  In addition to the amount otherwise provided by 
     section 101 for ``Department of Agriculture--Forest Service--
     Wildland Fire Management'', there is appropriated 
     $600,000,000 for an additional amount for fiscal year 2014, 
     to remain available until expended, for urgent wildland fire 
     suppression activities: Provided, That such funds shall only 
     become available if funds previously provided for wildland 
     fire suppression will be exhausted imminently and the 
     Secretary of Agriculture notifies the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
     in writing of the need for these additional funds: Provided 
     further, That such funds are also available for transfer to 
     other appropriations accounts to repay amounts previously 
     transferred for wildfire suppression.
       Sec. 128.  The authority provided by section 347 of the 
     Department of the Interior and Related Agencies 
     Appropriations Act, 1999 (as contained in section 101(e) of 
     division A of Public Law 105-277; 16 U.S.C. 2104 note) shall 
     continue in effect through the date specified in section 
     106(3) of this joint resolution.
       Sec. 129.  Activities authorized under part A of title IV 
     and section 1108(b) of the Social Security Act (except for 
     activities authorized in sections 403(b) and 413(h)) shall 
     continue through the date specified in section 106(3) of this 
     joint resolution in the manner authorized for fiscal year 
     2013, and out of any money in the Treasury of the United 
     States not otherwise appropriated, there are hereby 
     appropriated such sums as may be necessary for such purpose.
       Sec. 130.  Notwithstanding section 101, the matter under 
     the heading ``Department of Labor--Mine Safety and Health 
     Administration--Salaries and Expenses'' in division F of 
     Public Law 112-74 shall be applied to funds appropriated by 
     this joint resolution by substituting ``is authorized to 
     collect and retain up to $2,499,000'' for ``may retain up to 
     $1,499,000''.
       Sec. 131.  The first proviso under the heading ``Department 
     of Health and Human Services--Administration for Children and 
     Families--Low Income Home Energy Assistance'' in division F 
     of Public Law 112-74 shall be applied to amounts made 
     available by this joint resolution by substituting ``2014'' 
     for ``2012''.
       Sec. 132.  Amounts provided by section 101 for ``Department 
     of Health and Human Services--Administration for Children and 
     Families--Refugee and Entrant Assistance'' may be obligated 
     up to a rate for operations necessary to maintain program 
     operations at the level provided in fiscal year 2013, as 
     necessary to accommodate increased demand.
       Sec. 133. (a) During the period covered by this joint 
     resolution, any unobligated amounts available in the 
     ``Nonrecurring expenses fund'' established in section 223 of 
     division G of Public Law 110-161 (42 U.S.C. 3514a) may be 
     transferred to ``Department of Health and Human Services--
     Office of the Secretary--Public Health and Social Services 
     Emergency Fund'' for an additional amount for fiscal year 
     2014, to remain available until expended, for expenses 
     necessary--
       (1) to support advanced research and development pursuant 
     to section 319L of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     247d-7e),

[[Page H5775]]

     and other administrative expenses of the Biomedical Advanced 
     Research and Development Agency;
       (2) for procuring security countermeasures (as defined in 
     section 319F-2(c)(1)(B) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
     U.S.C. 247d-6b(c)(1)(B))); or
       (3) to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic and 
     other emerging infectious diseases, including activities such 
     as the development and purchase of vaccine, antivirals, 
     necessary medical supplies, diagnostics, and other 
     surveillance tools.
       (b) Products purchased with amounts made available by this 
     joint resolution for ``Department of Health and Human 
     Services--Office of the Secretary--Public Health and Social 
     Services Emergency Fund'' may, at the discretion of the 
     Secretary, be deposited in the Strategic National Stockpile 
     pursuant to section 319F-2 of the Public Health Service Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 247d-6b).
       Sec. 134.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     joint resolution, there is appropriated for payment to Bonnie 
     Englebardt Lautenberg, widow of Frank R. Lautenberg, late a 
     Senator from New Jersey, $174,000.
       Sec. 135.  Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are 
     provided for ``Department of Veterans Affairs--Departmental 
     Administration--General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits 
     Administration'' at a rate for operations of $2,455,490,000.
       Sec. 136.  The authority provided by the penultimate 
     proviso under the heading ``Department of Housing and Urban 
     Development--Rental Assistance Demonstration'' in division C 
     of Public Law 112-55 shall continue in effect through the 
     date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution.
       Sec. 137. (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, no Federal funds shall be made available to 
     carry out any provisions of the Patient Protection and 
     Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148) or title I and 
     subtitle B of title II of the Health Care and Education 
     Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-152), or of the 
     amendments made by either such Act.
       (b) Limitation.--No entitlement to benefits under any 
     provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 
     (Public Law 111-148) or title I and subtitle B of title II of 
     the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 
     (Public Law 111-152), or the amendments made by either such 
     Act, shall remain in effect on and after the date of the 
     enactment of this joint resolution, nor shall any payment be 
     awarded, owed, or made to any State, District, or territory 
     under any such provision.
       (c) Unobligated Balances.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, all unobligated balances available under 
     the provisions of law referred to in subsection (a) are 
     hereby rescinded.
       Sec. 138. (a) In General.--Until December 15, 2014, in the 
     event that the debt of the United States Government, as 
     defined in section 3101 of title 31, United States Code, 
     reaches the statutory limit, the Secretary of the Treasury 
     shall, in addition to any other authority provided by law, 
     issue obligations under chapter 31 of title 31, United States 
     Code, to pay with legal tender, and solely for the purpose of 
     paying, the principal and interest on obligations of the 
     United States described in subsection (b) after the date of 
     the enactment of this joint resolution.
       (b) Obligations Described.--For purposes of this 
     subsection, obligations described in this subsection are 
     obligations which are--
       (1) held by the public, or
       (2) held by the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund 
     and Disability Insurance Trust Fund.
       (c) Prohibition on Compensation for Members of Congress.--
     None of the obligations issued under subsection (a) may be 
     used to pay compensation for Members of Congress.
       (d) Obligations Exempt From Public Debt Limit.--Obligations 
     issued under subsection (a) shall not be taken into account 
     in applying the limitation in section 3101(b) of title 31, 
     United States Code, to the extent that such obligation would 
     otherwise cause the limitation in section 3101(b) of title 
     31, United States Code, to be exceeded.
       (e) Report on Certain Actions.--
       (1) In general.--If, after the date of the enactment of 
     this joint resolution, the Secretary of the Treasury 
     exercises his authority under subsection (a), the Secretary 
     shall thereafter submit a report each week the authority is 
     in use providing an accounting relating to--
       (A) the principal on mature obligations and interest that 
     is due or accrued of the United States, and
       (B) any obligations issued pursuant to subsection (a).
       (2) Submission.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
     be submitted to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House 
     of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the 
     Senate.
        This joint resolution may be cited as the ``Continuing 
     Appropriations Resolution, 2014''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) and 
the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey) each will control 30 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam 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 consideration of 
H.J. Res. 59, and that I may include tabular material on the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Kentucky?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 5 minutes.
  Madam Speaker, the continuing resolution that we bring up today will 
keep the government operating into the next fiscal year. The base CR is 
straightforward, it's clean, it's short-term, it continues reductions 
in Federal discretionary spending. But most importantly, Madam Speaker, 
it will prevent a government shutdown.
  The legislation also includes an amendment to the base bill, which 
adds the text of H.R. 2682, the Defund ObamaCare Act of 2013, and the 
text of H.R. 807, the Full Faith and Credit Act.
  H.J. Res. 59 will fund the government for the first 76 days of fiscal 
year 2014, until December 15, 2013. It provides $986.3 billion in 
funding, approximately the same rate as the current post-sequestration 
level, with some minor adjustments.
  The base bill is extremely clean. Additional provisions were only 
added in a very limited number of cases where adjustments were needed 
to prevent catastrophic shortfalls or unintended disruptions to 
critical programs or services. It simply keeps the lights on in our 
government to provide for the safety, security, and well-being of all 
Americans.
  I'd like to remind my colleagues, Madam Speaker, both in the House 
and the other body, that a government shutdown is a political game in 
which everyone loses. It shirks one of our most basic duties as Members 
of Congress, and it puts our national security at stake.
  To be clear, if this legislation is not enacted and we embark on a 
government shutdown, the consequences are severe. Our brave men and 
women in uniform don't get paid; our recovering economy will take a 
huge hit; and our most vulnerable citizens, including the elderly and 
the veterans who rely on critical government programs and services, 
could be left high and dry.
  A government shutdown, even the illusion of the threat of a shutdown, 
says to the American people that this Congress does not have their best 
interests at heart.
  This continuing resolution keeps this Congress moving in the right 
direction. It gives us time to solve the urgent fiscal issues facing 
our Nation, finding a balanced and attainable plan that eliminates 
sequestration, implements careful reforms for both discretionary and 
mandatory spending, and keeps our economy growing.
  It is my hope that the House will pass this bill today, and that the 
Senate will act in short order so that this matter will be wrapped up 
well before the deadline on the 30th.
  So I urge my colleagues to do their jobs as Members of the House, and 
to do what's best for this country, and vote ``yes'' on this bill 
today.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I will oppose this continuing resolution. On September 10, Chairman 
Rogers introduced the CR, and his statement noted, ``This bill is free 
of controversial riders and does not seek to change existing Federal 
policy.'' How things have changed.
  Unfortunately, this new package will attach not one, but two 
politically motivated, ill-conceived, doomed provisions. One directs 
the President to pay certain debts but not others in case House 
Republicans are determined to default on America's obligations. The 
other would defund the Affordable Care Act.
  Defunding the Affordable Care Act has far-reaching consequences for 
all Americans. If the House CR is enacted, no funds could be used to 
administer payments calculated on the basis of ACA provisions.
  Patients, doctors, hospitals, medical suppliers, and other health 
providers would all experience significant disruptions. Many of the 
improvements to Medicare made by the ACA would also have to be 
suspended, such as better coverage for preventive services, lower

[[Page H5776]]

costs for drug benefits, and stronger tools to combat health care 
fraud.
  Most importantly, undermining the implementation of the ACA only 
gives our medical choices back to the insurance companies and keeps 
health insurance costs much too high for too many families.
  The House Republican default plan is flawed as well. The majority 
proposes that if they force default on Federal debt, the U.S. should 
prioritize payments to Treasury bondholders, of which 47 percent are 
foreign owned.
  So while we pay back China, the following Americans would be pushed 
to the back of the line: 1.4 million Active Duty troops; 780,000 troops 
in reserves; 3.4 million disabled veterans who served their country 
with honor; 1.1 million doctors and others who provide health care to 
seniors with Medicare; 32 million children in schools that need 
payments to continue serving nutritious lunches; 44,000 National 
Institutes of Health grantees conducting lifesaving medical research 
and providing an estimated 500,000 jobs.
  We, my colleagues, should be focused on jobs, putting people to work. 
Instead, the Republicans want to play games of brinksmanship on the 
budget and the debt limit, even though the foreseeable consequence will 
be plummeting stock markets and businesses freezing their hiring.
  The Republican budget plan itself shortchanges American jobs and 
infrastructure, results in education and defense layoffs, closes Head 
Start and after-school programs, and divests in health research; and 
the sequester, CBO tells us, will cost the United States economy up to 
1.6 million jobs over the next year.
  I hope, at some point, we are able to agree on a bipartisan CR that 
can be enacted. The one before us, unfortunately, is not it. 
Unfortunately, we'll be back here again next week facing the same 
crisis.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen), the chairman of the 
Energy and Water Subcommittee on Appropriations.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I rise in support of the continuing resolution. I do so with no small 
amount of frustration, since Ranking Member Kaptur and I worked hard on 
our Energy and Water bill, putting months of work into it. It passed 
the House and now is held up.
  Ours was a tough, but a balanced, bill. We made some difficult 
choices to get under the $960 billion cap set by this House, while 
still funding our Nation's critical priorities, strong national 
defense, the work of the Army Corps of Engineers, and, yes, the work of 
the Department of Energy. And all that work will be thrown away unless 
we deal with sequestration and get back to what we call regular order.
  Coming up with an approach to manage, or perhaps best, eliminate 
sequestration, is going to take some time. As those decisions are being 
made, our Nation must be kept open for business, and the government 
must provide critical services.
  If the government shuts down, many of those services will not be 
funded. Military personnel will not be paid, and their families will 
suffer.

                              {time}  0930

  This would be an unpardonable breach of trust to our men and women in 
uniform.
  Under the jurisdiction of our committee, the Energy and Water bill, 
many Army Corps of Engineers activities would quickly grind to a halt. 
That includes the dredging of waterways critical to American jobs and 
businesses and work on flood control structures such as levees.
  At our national laboratories, critical and time-sensitive work to 
maintain the reliability of our nuclear weapons would also slow down. 
That would be unconscionable. Our work overseas to ensure that nuclear 
weapons materials are kept out of the hands of those who would do our 
country harm would also be curtailed.
  The continuing resolution before us is a limited, temporary measure 
which includes no objectionable provisions and ensures the government 
keeps its obligations to the American people. It deserves passage so 
the Senate can quickly begin its consideration of the measure.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Levin), ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee.
  (Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, this bill defunds still more than the 
Affordable Care Act. It undermines Medicare. It would end improvements 
in new prescription drug benefits, increases costs for those with 
Medicare Advantage, and hurts children covered by CHIP as well as the 
disabled. But this measure has still more peril for our country.
  We in the House are like two ships passing in the night. House 
Republicans will pass this bill. It will sail off to the Senate, surely 
to return after the Senate has stripped off the effort to defund the 
Affordable Care Act. So then it will be squarely up to the Speaker of 
this House. Will he act as the captain of the entire House of 
Representatives or remain a captive of his right-wing Republican mates? 
Will he, as he acts, worry mainly about the risk to his Speakership or 
the risk to our entire Nation?
  House Republicans, taking the ship over the cliff, will take the 
Nation's economic well-being with it. This is the inevitable danger of 
the course being chosen today by House Republicans. Only those blinded 
by rigid ideology can fail to see it.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter), chairman of the Homeland Security 
Subcommittee on Appropriations.
  Mr. CARTER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, for years, I have pushed for the return to regular 
order. This short-term CR will allow us to do just that by giving us 
time to finalize a broader budget deal, complete the fiscal year 2014 
appropriations bills, and get our Nation's fiscal house in order by 
getting the budget process back to regular order.
  Our appropriations process matters. It matters for the oversight of 
the sprawling Federal bureaucracy. It matters to control our 
government's spending, and it is a basic duty of the Congress that is 
explicitly spelled out in the United States Constitution.
  This is necessary. A base CR prevents a disastrous government 
shutdown that no one wants and that would especially harm our men and 
women in uniform. I urge the Senate to pass this and the President to 
sign it into law as soon as possible to avoid a devastating and 
avoidable government shutdown.
  Furthermore, this bill responds to the clear will of the American 
people by defunding ObamaCare, a tremendously flawed law that is 
casting havoc upon businesses and citizens alike and that must be 
repealed.
  Mr. Chairman, I thank you for the leadership you are giving us on 
this bill, and I thank you for your commitment to regular order and to 
ensuring that, in the next few weeks, we wrap up the FY14 process the 
right way--by accomplishing all 12 of the appropriations bills.
  I urge the Members to support this CR, and I look forward to its 
quick passage by the Senate and signature by the President to keep the 
government running and to avoid a needless shutdown.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson), chairman of the Military 
Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Appropriations.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I thank the chairman.
  Madam Speaker, today, the constitutional conservatives in the House 
are keeping their word to our constituents and our Nation to stand true 
to our principles to protect them from the most unpopular law ever 
passed in the history of the country, ObamaCare, that intrudes on their 
privacy. Our most sacred right as Americans is to be left alone.
  We have also kept our word today in this continuing resolution to 
ensure that our government continues to operate while we negotiate in 
good faith with the President and with the Senate to find a way 
forward.

[[Page H5777]]

  Our short-term continuing resolution fully funds every aspect of the 
government. In fact, it's important for people to remember that the 
Senate has had the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill for 
over 3 months, so they could have passed it a long time ago.
  The Senate has had the Defense appropriations bill since late July. 
So they could have passed that bill a long time ago, put it on the 
President's desk, and we could have been sure that our military would 
have been paid.
  The Senate has had the Department of Homeland Security bill since 
early June, and they've done nothing.
  The Senate has had the Energy and Water bill since July 10 and have 
done nothing.
  So we have done our job. We in the House, the constitutional 
conservative majority, have kept our word to our constituents and to 
our Nation to do our job to fund the essential aspects of the 
government and to ensure that we've done everything in our power to 
protect our constituents from the most unpopular piece of legislation 
ever passed in the history of the Congress, ObamaCare, by permanently 
and totally defunding it while protecting the core functions of the 
government.
  It's essential that we pass this continuing resolution today from the 
perspective of our veterans so we ensure we have the funding available 
to handle the disability claims backlog, to ensure that we have the 
resources necessary for the military to continue to build the 
facilities they need around the world, and to ensure that our men and 
women have everything they need to protect this great Nation and our 
freedom in every corner of the planet.
  I urge Members to join me in supporting this continuing resolution 
and to keep our word to defund ObamaCare.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 5 minutes to 
the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the outstanding ranking 
member of the Defense Subcommittee on Appropriations.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I appreciate the gentlewoman yielding.
  Madam Speaker, at the beginning of my remarks, I want to acknowledge 
that I have made a mistake and that I have been wrong for the nearly 
three decades I have served in the United States Congress. I regret to 
have to admit that. But this morning, in anticipation of today's 
debate, I took a look at article I of the Constitution and realized in 
article I, section 9, paragraph 7, I have been misreading it all of 
these years as a member of the Appropriations Committee. The paragraph 
reads: No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in consequence of 
a continuing resolution.
  The Constitution says nothing about appropriations, apparently. 
Because since fiscal year 2007, this Chamber and the United States 
Senate, the Congress collectively, should have enacted--made discrete 
decisions, thought about legislation--84 appropriations bills. We have 
individually enacted nine.
  I am appalled that in late July, early August, the last couple of 
weeks, every Member I have talked to in this Chamber on both sides of 
the aisle, senior and new, have said, if we can only do a continuing 
resolution, we can prevent the shutdown of the United States 
Government.
  Today, in the United States Congress, we consider it a success if all 
we do is pass a continuing resolution to do what we did in fiscal year 
2013, if we did what we did in fiscal year 2012, if we did what we did 
in fiscal years 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007.
  We are governing this country by looking backwards. We have a 
responsibility to make decisions.
  I want to remind my colleagues, just on the defense portion of this 
bill, of some of the initiatives that will now not take place because 
of the continuing resolution.
  Under the leadership of Chairman Young and the members of that 
subcommittee, one of our initiatives is to cut $153.5 million for 
unjustified cost growth of the Joint Strike Fighter. One of the 
initiatives we would like to enact into law but cannot under the 
continuing resolution is for the EA-18G. We want to cut $131.4 million 
for carryovers and cost growth.
  What we would like to do, if we could legislate in this body, is to 
trim $104 million for the F-18. Imagine cutting the defense budget by 
$104 million in cost growth and for funding that is not needed in the 
coming fiscal year.
  We would like to reduce $99.9 million for the Next Generation Jammer. 
Why? Because of poor program execution and contract delays.
  Within the last couple of months, we had a failed ballistics missile 
defense test. We would like to reduce that account and take the 
initiative to cut it by $110 million.
  But let's do a continuing resolution. Let's not make a decision about 
how we fund the National Park Service.
  What about the U.S. Copyright Office? For God's sake, what is there 
to fight over in funding the U.S. Copyright Office?
  What about the Bureau of Engraving and Printing? There must be some 
catastrophic fight we're having because they're going to be under a 
continuing resolution. Food safety administration, the National 
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
  I am concerned and I want to make it clear that I profoundly 
appreciate the leadership of Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Lowey 
for trying to be responsible and get the job done. But if this 
continuing resolution is passed as is, until December 15, I have a 
profound fear that our colleagues will be so exhausted from lurching to 
another crisis next month that we will do a CR for the rest of the 
fiscal year and we will never go back to doing governance of this 
country.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw), chairman of the Financial 
Services Appropriations Subcommittee.
  Mr. CRENSHAW. Thank you for yielding the time, Chairman Rogers, and 
thank you for your leadership in this very difficult appropriations 
process.
  Madam Speaker, I think everybody agrees that the appropriations 
process is one of the most important functions of this Congress, if not 
the most important. While we would all like to be here having finished 
all the appropriations bills, there just wasn't quite enough time.

                              {time}  0945

  So all we're asking today is for the Members to adopt this continuing 
resolution. It will continue funding the government for the next 3 
months at the same level it was funded last year. That will give us the 
time, as a body, to finish all the appropriations bills--some have 
passed the subcommittee and the full committee; some have passed this 
House.
  I know that the subcommittee that I chair, Financial Services, we had 
a number of hearings. Members worked hard to try to set priorities. It 
passed the subcommittee, it passed the full committee, and is ready to 
go before the House.
  There are some very important things in that bill. I think we've all 
heard the stories about the IRS and how they singled out individuals 
and groups based on their political philosophy and then subjected them 
to intimidation and bullying. We were all outraged. So in our bill, we 
make a provision to say: We're going to hold you accountable, and we're 
going to use the power of the purse and ask you to come clean. No more 
of this. We actually condition some of the funding to the IRS as to 
whether or not they will put in place the safeguards that have been 
recommended to make sure they don't continue this kind of outrageous 
behavior, and also make sure it doesn't happen again.
  So I think that we should pass this continuing resolution, fund the 
government for this short period of time, and put in place the spending 
bills that set priorities and that make the tough choices that we have 
to make in these difficult times.
  So I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this continuing 
resolution.
  Mrs. LOWEY. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), the chairman of the Interior 
Subcommittee on Appropriations.
  Mr. SIMPSON. I thank the chairman. I appreciate him yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I have to tell you that I agree with the statement of 
my good friend from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky). In fact, most people 
sitting on the Floor are on the Appropriations Committee and agree with 
him that we

[[Page H5778]]

need to get back to regular order. I can tell you that our chairman and 
the ranking member have been trying to get us back to regular order 
where we pass individual appropriations bills and get them done. So far 
we haven't been able to do that, so it's necessary to do a short-term 
CR.
  I can tell you that we've heard over the last couple of days a lot of 
talk about Republicans trying to shut down the government. That's the 
last thing we want to do. If we wanted to do that, we wouldn't be doing 
a short-term CR. The reason we're doing a short-term CR instead of a 
long-term CR is because we need to allow the Appropriations Committee 
to do their work--to finish their bills, to work with the Senate and 
get conference reports done, and do our individual bills. And that's 
what we're working on.
  We can't fall into the abyss of a long-term CR. I will give you an 
example. As many of you know, the West has been on fire this summer--in 
fact, our chairman was out in Idaho reducing the number of fish in our 
streams out there this summer. He saw the effects of the fires and what 
it's having in Idaho and throughout the West. We were able to get into 
this short-term CR 636 million additional dollars to fund the Forest 
Service and the BLM in forest firefighting costs. If we do a long-term 
CR, we lose that $636 million. If we do individual bills, we will be 
able to keep it.
  But we need to get to where we do individual appropriations bills so 
that we can have our priorities met. Some people think doing a long-
term CR actually reduces spending. I will tell you that if you look at 
where we were last year--with our bills that we almost got done and 
then ended up with a long-term CR--the EPA is spending about $75 
million more dollars this year than it would have under the bills that 
we would have passed. So if you think that's the way to save money, 
it's not. We need to do our job.
  While I was talking about forest firefighting service, I have to tell 
you, since I've got the floor for a minute, how proud I am of the work 
that the Forest Service did, the contractors with the Forest Service, 
with hotshot crews from across the country. I met with some of them 
from Tennessee--I knew they were from Tennessee because they spoke 
funny. But they did an amazing, amazing job. We ought to be proud of 
the work they do, and we ought to make sure they have the resources to 
fight these wildfires.
  Let's pass this short-term CR, keep the government operating, and let 
Appropriations finish their job.
  Mrs. LOWEY. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).
  Mr. POE of Texas. I thank the gentleman.
  Madam Speaker, a single mother in Houston, Texas, wrote me this 
letter:

       The Affordable Care Act is affecting my family. I am a 
     single mother. I have raised five boys on my own. I currently 
     work two jobs to keep up with my monthly mortgage and utility 
     bills. This is because my primary employer would not hire me 
     to work more than 29 hours per week thanks to ObamaCare. Now 
     I have to work 7 days a week at two jobs to make ends meet.
       While I am thankful I have these jobs, I am unable to 
     provide supervision and guidance I feel my son needs and 
     deserves to be successful. I had to make a tough decision 
     that I did not want to make. My son is now living with 
     relatives in another city. I am depressed that ObamaCare has 
     begun to tear my family apart and also has put an unhealthy 
     burden on me.

  Madam Speaker, real person, real tragedy. It's time to free Americans 
from the shackles of ObamaCare. Defund ObamaCare and tell the Senate to 
do the same.
  And that's just the way it is.
  Mrs. LOWEY. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Granger), the chairman of the State, Foreign 
Ops Subcommittee on Appropriations.
  Ms. GRANGER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for allowing me to speak. Thank 
you for the hard work you've put into the bills in our committee.
  I rise in support of the continuing resolution to keep the Federal 
Government operating through December 15. We hope this resolution will 
give the Congress and the White House time to come together on a 
comprehensive budget agreement.
  I chair the State, Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, 
and funding the bill directly supports U.S. national security. The 
world has never been a more dangerous place, and to cut back our 
diplomatic activities at this time would be irresponsible.
  Failure to get a CR enacted would impact key posts, including Israel, 
Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. This would mean 
dramatically reduced influence in key regions like the Middle East and 
Asia. Military assistance to our allies, such as Israel, could be 
affected if payments are not made as planned, potentially jeopardizing 
the readiness of our partners. This could also impact the U.S. jobs of 
the men and women producing American-made equipment.
  One year ago, terrorists attacked and killed Americans in Benghazi. 
Failure to pass this CR could delay implementation of the Benghazi 
Accountability Review Board recommendations and jeopardize the safety 
of our diplomats who continue to serve abroad.
  It's important that we pass this CR today and that the Senate 
consider it as quickly as possible. It is a basic function and the 
responsibility of Congress to keep the government open and working for 
the people who elected us. This bill simply does that.
  I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes.''
  Mrs. LOWEY. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), the chairman of the Commerce, 
Justice, Science Subcommittee on Appropriations.
  Mr. WOLF. I want to thank Chairman Rogers for moving this bill. It is 
very important.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 59, 
providing continuing appropriations for the initial weeks of fiscal 
year 2014 through December 15. This bill is needed to keep vital 
government services and programs operating past the end of the current 
fiscal year on September 30.
  As the gentleman from Kentucky has stated, the Committee on 
Appropriations has made significant progress in moving annual 
appropriations bills. However, additional time is needed to allow for 
the prompt completion of our fiscal year 2014 appropriations work.
  This resolution continues funding for discretionary programs at the 
current, post-sequestration level, including critical programs under 
the jurisdiction of the CJS Subcommittee, such as the operation of the 
Federal prison system. You can't shut down the Federal prison system. 
The FBI counterterrorism activities, the FBI team that's working with 
regard to Benghazi, as the former spokesman said, is also working on 
counterterrorism.
  The weather forecasts. We have seen major storms hit this Nation all 
the way in the past year. To shut that down and the warnings and the 
satellite programs that they depend on. And also for the continued 
development of NASA space exploration programs.
  Our Nation is in serious financial trouble, and it is well past the 
time that we put everything--every, every thing on the table, including 
entitlements, and agree on a long-term budget solution which includes 
an end to sequestration.
  Hopefully, the 76 days provided in the resolution by the chairman 
will be enough time for an overall agreement to be reached, and also to 
allow us to pass regular appropriations bills for FY14.
  I urge my colleagues and all Members of the Congress to support this 
CR, avoid a devastating government shutdown, and create a window of 
time for the Congress to fulfill a basic Constitutional duty: the 
appropriation of funds for government programs and services.
  Mrs. LOWEY. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), the chairman of the Agriculture 
Subcommittee on Appropriations.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Thank you, Chairman Rogers, for giving me the 
opportunity to speak in support of H.J. Res. 59, which is the FY14 
continuing resolution.
  Of course I think it's very obvious by the comments that the 
Republicans

[[Page H5779]]

have made on our side this morning that we do need to keep the 
government open at its current sequestered funding level and continue 
to provide the vital services that our constituents have grown to 
expect from government, and certainly make sure that we don't have a 
government shutdown.
  As Chairman Rogers had mentioned, I chair the Appropriations 
Subcommittee on Agriculture. Some may ask, why is it so important that 
we keep the government open? Can't we just go with another year-long 
CR?
  I'd like to provide some reasons why the FY14 Ag Approps bill that 
passed the committee provides great benefits to the taxpayer and why we 
don't need to go to a year-long CR, and certainly why we don't need to 
do a government shutdown.
  In the Ag Appropriations bill, we direct the States to be in full 
compliance with WIC and SNAP eligibility standards, and we increase 
oversight of vendors to rein in the costs. We require the USDA to 
report on strategies that are being implemented to help weed out fraud, 
waste, and abuse in the SNAP program.
  One thing that I hear a lot about is the new school meal regulation. 
We want to provide more flexibility for local school districts as they 
implement these new school regulations for meals for the students.
  We require the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to develop cost-
benefit analysis of several Dodd-Frank provisions that are deemed to be 
duplicative and also very costly.
  We encourage the USDA to finalize an inspection rule that has proven 
to decrease illness-causing pathogens in poultry operations at a 
reduced Federal cost. I can tell you, representing a district that 
grows a lot of poultry and produces a lot of poultry, that is very 
important.
  So, in closing, Madam Speaker, let me just say I fully support H. 
Res. 59 and ask for my colleagues to do the same.
  Mrs. LOWEY. I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from 
California (Mr. Swalwell).
  Mr. SWALWELL of California. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong 
opposition to this radical, right-wing effort to walk our economy off 
of a cliff and cause a government shutdown.
  I invite my colleagues on the other side to wake up from this 
radical, ideological wet dream and come back to reality.
  It's time for us to come to the negotiating table. It's time for us 
to talk about what we can do to avoid a government shutdown.
  It takes health care coverage away from millions of people by 
blocking funding for ObamaCare.

                              {time}  1000

  This is the 42nd attempt to do so, and there is absolutely, as we all 
know, zero chance of it happening. It makes sure that we pay China 
first before we pay people in this country should the right wing 
continue to demand defunding ObamaCare at all costs and force a first-
ever U.S. failure to pay its own bills.
  We all know how this should end. There is a way to fund the 
government which would pass this Chamber with votes from both sides of 
the aisle. I can only hope that the Republican leadership will 
eventually listen to the pleas from Americans in my district and in the 
whole country and pursue this bipartisan effort.
  Until then, I urge all Members to oppose this bill.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise).
  Mr. SCALISE. I thank the chairman, the gentleman from Kentucky, for 
yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill to continue to fund 
government while also defunding the President's health care law in 
ensuring that this country does not default on its debts.
  While some might criticize this effort, this is not a Republican 
idea. Talk to union leaders. James Hoffa says that the President's 
health care law is destroying the middle class family and the 40-hour 
workweek. In fact, the President himself has acknowledged that the 
Senate author of the bill calls this law a train wreck, and then the 
President said that he wants to delay components of the law, but only 
for the privileged class, only for those people that can get access to 
the White House.
  We are fighting to give that same relief to all American families. 
This law is unworkable. It's killing jobs in America. It's causing 
people to lose good health care that they have today.
  In Louisiana alone, our families are facing over 50 percent increases 
in their health care premiums because of this law that's devastating 
our economy. It is not ready for prime time. The President has even 
acknowledged it. He's signed seven bills to defund or repeal components 
of the law himself.
  It is time this House takes action and then the Senate does their job 
and takes action as well.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer.)
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentlewoman's 
courtesy, as I appreciate, actually, the hard work of the 
Appropriations Committee that has been placed in an impossible 
situation.
  We still have pending the T-HUD bill. If people were serious about 
cutting government spending and enforcing the Republican budget, we 
would be having appropriations bills on the floor, and we would be 
dealing with them. We are not because the Appropriations Committee was 
given an impossible challenge. They were given funding levels that the 
House--the House--the House--will never approve, that Republicans in 
the House will never approve.
  We are sitting here with ObamaCare as sort of a side show. It is 
going forward. Everybody in this Chamber knows that the President 
wouldn't sign a repeal bill, which would not go through the Senate 
anyway. That train has left the station.
  I heard my friend from Indiana talk about real things. The 
Appropriations Committee, if they were given real spending limits and 
time on the floor and regular order--these are accomplished 
distinguished people who care about the integrity of government--they 
could work it out.
  The quickest way to do it is if the Republican leadership would allow 
a conference committee on the budget. This is what has handcuffed the 
Appropriations Committee, they are operating under this unrealistic, 
ideological document that won't pass the House. If the Republican 
leadership would appoint conferees, we could work with the Senate that 
has passed its budget and get down and work out something that is 
agreeable. Then we won't have this fool's errand, we won't have the 
hard work of the Appropriations Committee and their staff off into the 
netherworld, and we could get down to cases.
  It doesn't have to be this hard. Let regular order work; stop the 
side show.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Gardner).
  Mr. GARDNER. Madam Speaker, I rise to engage the chairman of the 
Appropriations Committee in a colloquy.
  I would like to thank Chairman Rogers for his dedication and 
willingness to work with all Members of the House of Representatives 
when their States are impacted by natural disasters. You have been very 
receptive, and I appreciate your efforts.
  Right now, in Colorado, we are currently experiencing a major flood. 
It has impacted 15 counties, crossing over approximately 2,000 square 
miles. Certain areas received over 20 inches of rain, 19,000 homes have 
been damaged or destroyed and the destroy count is now above 2,000 
homes. Many areas are still in crisis; and because of the vast 
devastation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be unable to 
provide an accurate damage assessment for at least 30 days.
  Additionally, the Colorado Department of Transportation estimates 
that costs could exceed the $100 million cap which would exceed the 
State event cap on the highway funds in the Disaster Relief Act.
  The tragedy and devastation caused by this severe flood necessitates 
a response from the Federal Government. I ask the chairman to consider 
working with me and other members of the Colorado delegation to help 
our State recover and rebuild from this tragedy.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. GARDNER. I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky.

[[Page H5780]]

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. First, I want to thank the gentleman from 
Colorado for all of his efforts to help Colorado through all of this 
turmoil, a terrible disaster, and to recover from the flooding, 
especially.
  I am aware of the dire need to help Colorado and provide access to 
emergency resources, including access to emergency transportation 
dollars. I look forward to working with the gentleman to address this 
important funding matter as quickly and expeditiously as possible.
  I know I speak for all of the House when we say to the people of 
Colorado that our hearts are with you and our prayers are with you, and 
thank you for your great service.
  Mr. GARDNER. I thank the chairman for your support.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), a distinguished member of the Appropriations 
Committee.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this 
cynical and misconceived funding bill, designed to push us into a 
government shutdown.
  Yesterday, we saw this majority on a party-line vote rob food from 
the mouths of over 4 million low-income Americans, including children, 
seniors, and veterans. This resolution before us would only further 
punish American families and accelerate the majority's race to the 
bottom.
  In fact, the majority's leadership has been quite explicit about 
their intentions. They want to lock in the cuts that we have seen to 
education programs and health programs. They want to make those cuts 
permanent. That's their opening position.
  They have also been quite up front that the only way they would 
mitigate against these cuts is in exchange for cuts to Social Security, 
to Medicare, and to Medicaid. Even though these deep cuts are producing 
harmful results all over the country, the majority wants to use them as 
leverage for further negotiations. It is about ideology, and it is just 
a game to them. People's lives don't seem to matter.
  Let me remind this body what's happening all over America because of 
the across-the-board cuts. More than 57,000 children are losing access 
to early learning through Head Start. Over 1 million of our most 
disadvantaged children at thousands of schools across America would 
lose access to the support they need to provide the instruction that 
they need.
  Already overburdened State and local education agencies are being 
forced to pick up a higher share of the cost for educating more than 6 
million students with special needs. Over 30,000 kids are losing access 
to childcare, putting their parents' jobs and their families' economic 
security even more at risk.
  Hundreds of thousands of unemployed adults, veterans, seniors, and 
dislocated workers are losing access to job-training programs.
  The biomedical research that saves lives in cancer, diabetes, autism, 
that research is being curtailed. I'm a cancer survivor. Biomedical 
research and the grace of God have allowed me to stand here today, but 
they would cut off biomedical research. It is either going to be 
delayed or lost. And the list goes on--food safety, law enforcement, 
public health. We compromise our economy, the health and the well-being 
of American families, and our very future as a Nation.
  Instead of working to pass a compromised bill that addresses the 
budget in a serious and in a responsible manner, they have used this 
process to try, yet again, to derail the Affordable Care Act and deny 
Americans affordable care for the 42nd time. These Members have health 
insurance. Most Americans do not that they can afford.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the 
gentlewoman.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Members of Congress have health insurance. People in 
this Nation can't afford health insurance, but they would cut it off. 
They would make it impossible for people to get preventive care to keep 
their kids up to age 26 on their own health insurance coverage and say 
to the insurance companies, Go for it again. You can't deny people 
health care coverage and talk about preexisting conditions.
  Families all over America are struggling. This budget resolution is 
designed to make it worse for them. This is not a game. We are talking 
about people's lives. We have a moral responsibility. We are here to 
represent the American people, not our own personal agenda, not our own 
political agenda and our own ideology. We have to do better. We must 
vote against this bill.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. May I ask how much time remains.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from New York has 11 minutes 
remaining. The gentleman from Kentucky has 6 minutes remaining.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Georgia, Mr. John Lewis.
  Mr. LEWIS. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my friend and colleague for 
yielding.
  This is unbelievable. I cannot believe we are here again. With so 
much to be done, so much good that we could do, this Republican 
Congress wants to stop the country, to deny the people a chance to see 
a doctor. How many times are we going to do this? What is next? 
Medicare? Medicaid? Social Security? This is not right; it is not fair; 
it is not just.
  Madam Speaker, the voters have spoken; the Supreme Court has ruled. 
The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land. It is constitutional, 
it is compassionate, it is what is right, it is what is necessary.
  So much progress has been made. Young people can stay insured under 
their parents, more people will have coverage, coverage to help them 
see a doctor when they need to, coverage that covers.
  The American people are counting on us. We must fulfill our 
constitutional responsibility to fund the Federal Government. We must 
keep the promise of health care to the American people. We will not go 
backwards. We have come too far and we cannot turn back.
  Madam Speaker, health care is a right. It is not a privilege for the 
wealthy. Every citizen of the United States should be able to see a 
doctor when they need to. Every single one. This is a resolution that 
would stop that. It is not the American way. It is not the America that 
we believe in.
  We should care for each other. We should look out for one another. We 
are one family, one house--the American House--and we should not pull 
the roof down on our heads to win political points.
  Vote ``no'' on this backward deal. Vote for what is right, what is 
fair and just.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi), the distinguished leader.

                              {time}  1015

  Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor in many ways: as a 
mother, as a mother concerned about the children of America, as a 
grandmother concerned about all of America's children, but as a mother 
who steps into this Chamber to say, ``This place is a mess.''
  Let's get our House in order. We are legislators. We have come here 
to do a job for the American people, and that job means we have to make 
the government run for the good of the people. We are not here to 
expand government, but we're not here to eliminate government. If the 
idea is to limit government, let's work together to do that; but what 
is brought to the floor today is, without a doubt, a measure designed 
to shut down government. It could have no other intent. Its purpose is 
clear. If our colleagues on the Republican side deny that, then they 
have no idea of the gravity of the situation or--to quote ``The Music 
Man''--of the trouble that is contained in this resolution today.
  It is a wolf in wolf's clothing. The underlying bill to shut down 
government--the CR--is reason enough to object to it because that bill 
will cost at least a million jobs in the course of the next year. It 
will cost a million jobs. It will not only do that; it will cut our 
investments in the future in education and in biomedical research.
  The National Institutes of Health has the Biblical power to cure. 
Where there

[[Page H5781]]

is scientific opportunity, we have a moral obligation to meet that 
scientific opportunity with resources and to respect the talent, the 
intellect--the God-given intellect--of the science to cure. And what do 
we do in this bill? We say, ``No''--we cut that--doing serious damage 
to science, to health and, not only that, to our competitiveness as a 
Nation. It's a vote that guts those investments.
  Not only that, if the underlying bill were not bad enough--if there 
were not reason enough to say, ``No. Are you kidding? No''--then they 
cloak it in wolf's clothing, and say, in their view, that they're going 
to defund the Affordable Care Act. Do you know what that's about? 
That's simply about putting their friends, the insurance companies, 
back in charge of medical decisions for your families--but it goes 
farther than that.
  If that were not bad enough, it slashes the strongly bipartisan 
Children's Health Insurance Program by 70 percent, effectively 
eliminating an initiative that provides much-needed health care to 
millions of low-income children. I will remind my colleagues that that 
bill passed the United States Senate in a bipartisan way with a veto-
proof majority, but that's not good enough for you. You've got to slash 
it by 70 percent to harm those children, once again, this week.
  It wreaks havoc on the health care for our seniors by disrupting 
provider payments for Medicare and Medicaid. Either you don't know what 
you are doing or this is one of the most intentional acts of brutality 
that you have cooked up--with stiff competition for that honor. It cuts 
billions of dollars, again I say, from the National Institutes of 
Health, delaying important research and denying medical breakthroughs 
for future generations.
  Democrats have a responsible proposal that balances, that reduces the 
deficit under the leadership of Chris Van Hollen, our ranking member on 
the Budget Committee. It reduces the deficit in a responsible way; it 
ends the devastating across-the-board cuts of the sequester; and it 
makes investments in the future and keeps government open, as opposed 
to this bill--intended to shut government down. This keeps government 
open and working for the American people.
  I know my colleague Mr. Hoyer has been very vocal on this subject, 
and he will quote some Republicans in what they have said about this, 
so don't take it from us. Take it from you, Mr. Chairman, that this 
bill does not enable us to do the work of government.
  I urge a ``no'' vote on this continuing resolution. It is a terrible 
proposition for our families and our communities and our country. It's 
always, always time for us to work together to help ensure, not 
endanger, the economic security and prosperity of the American people. 
I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
distinguished majority leader of the House, the gentleman from Virginia 
(Mr. Cantor).
  Mr. CANTOR. I want to thank the gentleman from Kentucky, the chairman 
of the Appropriations Committee in the House, for his leadership in 
bringing this bill forward.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this measure of 
providing for the continuing resolution.
  Today, millions of Americans across this country are struggling. They 
are struggling to find good-paying jobs, and they are struggling to pay 
their bills, and their frustration with government continues to grow. 
These Americans--these hardworking, middle class Americans--are 
counting on their elected Representatives to show leadership during 
these hard times.
  This continuing resolution will keep the government funded at its 
current level without increasing spending on the discretionary level 
while Congress finishes working on a real budget. Americans are tired 
of seeing their government continue to spend more and more of their 
hard-earned tax dollars, and for the first time since the Korean War, 
it will be possible to have two consecutive years of discretionary 
spending cuts.
  This resolution will also protect the working middle class from the 
devastating effects of ObamaCare. Each week, we hear stories about how 
both major employers and small businesses are cutting back benefits and 
cutting back hours. The President's health care law is turning our 
full-time economy into a part-time economy. Even the heads of major 
unions who were once so supportive of ObamaCare want to see this law 
drastically changed to avoid further ``nightmare scenarios.''
  Let's defund this law now and protect the American people from the 
economic calamity that we know ObamaCare will create.
  Americans back home are fighting for their families, and we in 
Congress were sent to Washington by our constituents to fight for them. 
They have put faith in their leaders to do what's right. For this 
entire Congress, the House has led on restoring faith in our economy 
and trust in our government. We should pass this continuing resolution 
so the Senate can finally begin to do the same.
  Again, I would like to thank the gentleman from Kentucky, the 
chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Hal Rogers, for his work on 
this measure, along with the help of the gentleman from Louisiana, the 
Republican Study Committee chairman, Steve Scalise, for his hard work 
on the issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
whip, the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Steny Hoyer.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentlelady for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, today we are considering a measure to fund government 
only if the Democratic Senate and Democratic President will agree to 
dismantle the health care reform law that will help millions of 
Americans access quality, affordable care.
  That isn't going to happen, and it is a blatant act of hostage-
taking.
  This Republican CR also lays the groundwork for a default on our 
debt--an unthinkable act--by instituting a ``pay China first'' 
provision, and it fully embraces the dangerous and irrational policy of 
sequester. This bill enshrines and confirms the descent into an 
economy-destroying, national security-undermining, and ineffective 
rendering of the government that our country and our people need.
  The majority party, with its destructive obsession with the repeal of 
the Affordable Care Act and its unrestrained hostility towards 
government, has offered this bill notwithstanding Republicans' hollow 
claims of the irrationality of the sequester policy their party adopts. 
The majority does so notwithstanding their chairman's accurate 
description of their policy of sequester as ``unrealistic and ill-
conceived''--his words, not mine--a policy which Chairman Rogers, 
himself, says ``must be brought to an end.'' His words, not mine.
  Chairman Rogers' vote today and the votes of his colleagues will, I 
expect, do just the opposite. They will vote to continue a policy that 
will inevitably lead to an American decline and retreat.
  I will not be party to the disinvestment in America's greatness.
  Today's bill undermines the education of our children, the security 
of our seniors, the present and future health of our people, the 
strength, training, and readiness of our Armed Forces, the growth of 
our economy and the creation of jobs, the quality and viability of our 
infrastructure, the health of our environment, the proper compensation 
and respect for those who labor in the public sector, and most 
certainly, the honoring of America's debts and obligations.
  Today's bill undermines all of those priorities and more. I will not 
support it, and I urge my colleagues to oppose it. It continues us on 
the path so aptly described by Chairman Rogers--again, his words, not 
mine--as ``this lurching path from fiscal crisis to fiscal crisis.''
  I urge my colleagues, with wisdom and courage on your side of the 
aisle, to oppose this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mrs. LOWEY. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.
  Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I am for a comprehensive, balanced, and 
responsible policy that will put this Nation on a fiscally sustainable, 
stable path. I have been and continue to be willing to work with all of 
my colleagues to adopt such a bill. I take nothing off the table. I 
believe it will take both reason and political courage to achieve such 
an objective. Americans are hoping and, yes, praying that

[[Page H5782]]

we will have such wisdom and such courage.
  I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill and to commit themselves to 
adopting a bipartisan and effective alternative to this destructive and 
irrational path.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock).
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, the minority whip is dead wrong. This measure protects 
the full faith and credit of the United States by assuring that our 
sovereign debt will be paid in full and on time.
  It is imperative that our creditors know that whatever battles rage 
in Congress their loans to this government are absolutely secure. Our 
ability to pay all of our bills depends on our credit, and this 
resolution guarantees it. It also addresses two crucial fiscal 
concerns.
  I am getting frantic and heartbreaking calls from folks who have just 
received staggering increases in their health premiums, who have been 
notified their health plans are being dropped, or who are having their 
work hours cut back as a result of ObamaCare. This stops that train 
wreck.
  Second, it's for limited duration. CRs abandon our fundamental 
responsibility to superintend the Nation's finances. They should only 
be used as stopgap measures, and this bill does that. This resolution 
keeps the government open while meeting these vital tests.
  Mrs. LOWEY. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Moran).
  Mr. MORAN. Madam Speaker, this vote is about more than these two 
throwaway provisions, which we know are not going to be taken 
seriously--and should not--by the Senate or by the country, but I am 
going to oppose it for another reason: because I used to be very proud 
of this institution.
  I used to be able to go through my community--and many of those who 
have served as long as I have know what it was like--and be proud to be 
a Member of Congress, to know that we had improved the lives of our 
constituents, that we had helped them build bridges and buildings and 
roads, that we could walk through the NIH campus being proud of what we 
had done for biomedical research, knowing we were improving lives in 
curing illnesses.
  We know what the government can do. This bill doesn't allow the 
government to do what it can to improve the lives of our people. We 
need to believe in this government again. We need to do what this 
Congress was meant to do. We need to fund the government adequately to 
be a first-class society with a first-class economy that can compete 
and beat anyone. We can't do that on the cheap, and that's why we ought 
to vote against this.

                              {time}  1030

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Nunnelee), a hardworking member of our 
Appropriations Committee.
  Mr. NUNNELEE. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the chairman for 
yielding, but more importantly for his leadership.
  The people sent me to Congress to help preserve liberty for future 
generations by limiting government and growing the economy. There's not 
a single law worse for individual liberty, for limited government, or 
job creation than ObamaCare. We must get rid of ObamaCare and replace 
it with a system that provides choice, lower costs, and puts patients 
in charge of their health care decisions.
  Today, we're standing up for our principles, our constituents, and 
for Americans. We will pass this bill today out of the House, and I 
encourage my conservative colleagues in the U.S. Senate to take up this 
fight and stand with us to make sure we defund ObamaCare.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
  Ms. NORTON. I thank my friend for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, all of us are trying to keep the government open, yet 
the Federal Government at the moment is engaged in contingency plans in 
case of a shutdown, and so is the District of Columbia.
  Because its budget is here, this local budget, this balanced $8 
billion in local funds is right here because the Congress requires it 
to come and hasn't freed the D.C. budget. It cost us 3,000 hours and 
$131,000 in 2011 to prepare for a shutdown.
  When speaker Newt Gingrich was the Speaker of the House, he worked 
with me to keep the District of Columbia open even as the Federal 
Government closed down, because one thing is clear: the only thing 
worse than closing down the United States Government is closing down an 
innocent bystander with not a dime in this fight, the capital city of 
the United States.
  Free the budget of the District of Columbia. Don't close down the 
Nation's Capital.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, might I inquire as to the time 
remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Kentucky has 3 minutes 
remaining, and the gentlewoman from New York has 2\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry).
  Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, the evidence is very clear that ObamaCare 
is actually hurting people.
  In the last week, I've heard from several constituents like Mike, 
Jim, and Kathleen who told me that they recently received their notice 
that they no longer have their insurance policy and must go into the 
exchange. Upon exploring that, they found out their policy in the 
exchange will cost anywhere from 50 percent to 100 percent more and 
have higher deductibles and copays. They're not sure of what plan they 
can go on. They're not sure of what the totality of the benefits and 
costs will be. Kathleen is on a fixed income and is older. She may have 
to have a policy with coverages that she doesn't want or need. I hear 
heartbreaking stories like this from my constituents in the 
metropolitan Omaha area. These are just three real-life examples of how 
ObamaCare is truly hurting people and squeezing them.
  I want the Senate to join us in acting on defunding ObamaCare. Let's 
start over in a real bipartisan way and really help folks get the 
health care they need.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  The people are counting on us to do our jobs, to work together, to 
create jobs, to keep the government open and to keep the economy 
running. This is not the time or the bill for relitigating health 
reform or for holding up the administration's ability to protect the 
full faith and credit of the United States of America.
  With the great suffering in the wake of another natural disaster in 
Colorado--my heart goes out to all those families who've lost lives, 
who've lost loved ones, who've lost property--this is not the time, my 
friend, to limit the ability of the United States of America to give 
relief to those losing loved ones, homes, and livelihood.
  Republicans refuse to work together with the Senate and the White 
House to bring a constructive piece of legislation to this floor today. 
Instead, we consider a bill we know is destined for failure in the 
Senate and would be vetoed by the White House.
  For months, the majority has failed to lead. They have refused to 
appoint Members to work with the Senate on a top-line spending number. 
They can't even pass their own spending bills in this Chamber. We 
remember how the very important Transportation and HUD bill had to be 
pulled off the bill because they couldn't find the votes. Today, they 
risk halting government services, functions vital to the American 
people and our economy, even when their own appropriations chairman, my 
friend, Mr. Rogers, had said we should end the sequester, find a 
balanced plan forward. Just days before the end of the fiscal year, 
they're still playing political games.
  I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill, support the responsible 
replacement of the sequester with a balanced plan to create jobs and 
keep our economy moving. I know we can do it, and I would be pleased to 
be part of that partnership with the chair, Mr. Rogers.
  I yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page H5783]]

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of 
my time.
  We are doing a CR, even though the Appropriations Committee on the 
House side passed 11 of the 12 bills through the committee, four of 
them across the floor of the House and the remaining ones waiting for 
floor time as we've run out of time. Consequently, this continuing 
resolution will continue the government past the September 30 end of 
the fiscal year.
  We were unable to pass the appropriations bill singly on the floor 
because of lack of floor time, but also because the House and Senate 
never agreed to an overall number to which we could mark. Consequently, 
we were not able to bring those bills out because of that limitation.
  With this CR until December 15, if we are given a number common with 
the Senate to which we need to mark the individual 12 bills, we will do 
so. This is a hardworking committee. We are pragmatists. We know that 
we have to pass bills to fund the government, thus this bill.
  If we were intending to close down the government and shut it down, 
we wouldn't be here with this bill. We would just sit there. But this 
is an effort by the majority party in the House to continue the 
government and avoid a shutdown while we work out the differences on 
these funding bills for fiscal year 2014.
  Madam Speaker, this continuing resolution is straightforward, it's 
clean, it's short term, it continues reductions in Federal 
discretionary spending. I would point out we've actually cut 
discretionary spending the last 2 years by $120 billion, the first time 
that's occurred since World War II. We're trying to be responsible. 
This bill is responsible, and I urge a ``yes'' vote.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Madam Speaker, I plan to vote no on final passage of 
H.J. Res. 59, the Continuing Appropriations Resolution.
  Congress has a responsibility to the American people to pass a budget 
that funds the government and reflects the priorities of the American 
people. Instead of working with Democrats to end sequestration and pass 
a budget that will create jobs, strengthen the middle class, and make 
investments in housing, education and maintaining our critical 
infrastructure, the Majority is willing to force a disastrous 
government shutdown in order to try to defund the Affordable Care Act 
for the 42nd time in the House of Representatives.
  Instead of lurching from manufactured crisis to manufactured crisis, 
I stand ready to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
pass a clean Continuing Resolution, work on a balanced budget that 
makes smart investments and responsible cuts, and pass comprehensive 
immigration reform. That is what my constituents in the 4th 
Congressional District of Illinois expect from us in Congress.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this 
continuing resolution, but I would much rather be rising today in 
support of the Fiscal Year 2014 Defense Appropriations Bill. 
Unfortunately, the Senate failed to do their job, and we're left again 
with no option but to pass a CR.
  However, as much as a CR is a painful and inefficient way to govern, 
the threat of shutting down the government is far worse. Let me give 
you some examples of impacts of a government shutdown on the Department 
of Defense: all military personnel will continue to serve and accrue 
pay, but will not actually be paid until appropriations are available; 
most civilians, having recently been furloughed for six days, will be 
furloughed again until appropriations are available; military medical 
treatment facilities will scale back operations, impacting routine 
medical and dental procedures; death benefits to families of military 
members killed in the line of duty would be delayed; almost all weapon 
and facility maintenance activities would stop; any new contracts, 
including renewals, extensions, or exercising of options, may not be 
executed; almost all travel or permanent change of station (PCS) moves 
would be delayed or canceled; and almost all professional training and 
educational activities would stop.
  Those are just a few examples, but I think they point to how the 
readiness and morale of our Armed Forces would suffer if we do not pass 
this CR. The impact of a shutdown on the Department and the military 
and civilian families--many of whom live paycheck to paycheck--is 
simply catastrophic. Therefore, it is imperative we pass this bill, and 
that the Senate act quickly to ensure appropriations are available on 
October 1st.
  But that is just the first step. This must be followed--and followed 
quickly--by a comprehensive budget deal so we can conference and enact 
true fiscal year 2014 appropriations bills. The Department, and more 
specifically, the men and women serving this Nation, need and deserve 
some fiscal certainty which will only come with a 2014 Defense 
Appropriations Bill and a long-term comprehensive budget deal.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong 
opposition to this poorly conceived, politically charged, and 
economically disastrous Continuing Resolution before us.
  With a few hours left for legislative work before the end of the 
fiscal year, not one of the twelve funding bills required to keep the 
government open has been enacted into law. In fact, a number of bills 
have never even been brought before the Appropriations Committee for 
debate. Even the initial short-term continuing resolution had to be 
pulled from the floor because of Republican infighting.
  My colleagues, the appropriations process--that hallmark of 
Congress's constitutional authority and wellspring of our power to 
conduct oversight and set national priorities--is on life support and 
in danger of total collapse.
  Unfortunately, this bill is yet another example of the complete 
abdication of our Committee's constitutional responsibility, as we have 
allowed fringe members of this body to craft a bill that stands no 
chance of becoming law.
  Let me repeat that in case there is any confusion--the bill before us 
now has absolutely no chance of being enacted--zero.
  Therefore, the only reasonable conclusion to draw is that the 
Republican majority is intent on once again taking us to the brink of 
shutdown--this time because of the zealot-like opposition in their 
ranks to improving health care access for millions of Americans.
  A government shutdown--which this bill invites--will hamper our 
economic recovery, deny benefits to millions of Americans, and once 
again compromise this institution and its core functions.
  I urge my colleagues to reject this ideologically-driven CR.
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Madam Speaker, I have come to the floor too often this 
Congress to fight against legislation that harms the most vulnerable 
members of our society and hinders access to health care for Americans 
across the country. Rhode Islanders, the American people, and I have 
seen enough. It is time for Republicans to stop perpetuating and 
exploiting these self-imposed crises for political gain and join with 
Democrats to find consensus on the budget, put people to work, grow our 
economy and strengthen the middle class.
  But instead of House and Senate Leaders working together to achieve a 
balanced compromise, we will vote this afternoon on an untenable bill, 
wasting yet another opportunity to address sequestration that even the 
Republican Chairman of the Appropriations Committee has called 
``unrealistic and ill-conceived.''
  With this continuing resolution, Republicans are making a 42nd 
attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would not only prevent 
millions of families from becoming insured, but would also gut the 
well-established Children's Health Insurance Program that provides 
coverage to over eight million moderate to low-income children.
  In Rhode Island, we have finally started to recover from the Great 
Recession. In April, we saw our unemployment rate drop below 9 percent 
for the first time since 2009, yet only yesterday we learned it had 
crept back up to 9.1 percent. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget 
Office estimates that the economic drag from the sequester will cost us 
up to 1.6 million jobs by this time next year. Hardworking Rhode 
Islanders are scrimping to get by as it is. We simply cannot afford 
another hit to the economy. We have a responsibility as their 
representatives to ensure that this downward trend in employment is not 
only stopped in its tracks, but reversed.
  Democrats have offered a responsible, balanced alternative to fund 
the government and end the devastating, across-the-board cuts of the 
sequester with a mix of spending cuts and revenue measures to reduce 
the deficit in a responsible way. Regrettably, House Republicans have 
refused seven Democratic requests to allow a vote on this proposal.
  Every day, I hear stories from Rhode Islanders about the harmful 
effects of sequestration on their lives and livelihoods. We seek public 
office to represent the interests of our constituents, and to give a 
voice to those who can't always speak for themselves. We must work 
together to help grow the economy and provide for investments in 
education, military readiness, research, public safety, infrastructure, 
and the health of our country.
  I urge my Republican colleagues to reject this highly damaging 
funding bill and join Democrats in passing a budget that addresses 
sequestration so we can alleviate the persistent a drag on our economic 
recovery. We owe it to the hardworking families and business owners who 
are looking to us for stability, certainty and opportunity.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I oppose defunding the 
Affordable

[[Page H5784]]

Care Act. This is just another attempt by the majority to thwart a law, 
one that was upheld by the Supreme Court, that they just don't like. 
They didn't vote for it. There are a lot of laws I didn't vote for, but 
I move on and help my constituents navigate the new system.
  But, two weeks from the roll out of the health insurance 
marketplaces, Republicans are focused on how to dismantle the law 
instead of how to help their constituents access the help this law 
provides.
  Defunding the law doesn't make it go away, it just means the 
government becomes less efficient.
  People will be required to buy health insurance, but the marketplaces 
won't be available to offer them the low-cost high quality options they 
need.
  Madam Speaker, we need to work together to improve this bill. But 
holding the country and the federal government hostage in a half-baked 
attempt to do something that hasn't worked for 41 consecutive attempts 
is misguided.
  Let's work to improve the bill and let's all go home and help our 
constituents understand the complexities of the health insurance 
marketplaces and assist them in purchasing the health insurance that 
will improve their lives and increase their economic security.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.J. 
Res. 59, which makes continuing appropriations for Fiscal Year 2014, 
because it continues the devastating cuts to education set in motion by 
the sequester and permanently defunds the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 
legislation that will help save the lives of millions of Americans.
  H.J. Res. 59 locks in the damaging sequester cuts through December 15 
and even sets funding slightly below the current, post-
sequestration level.
  It is long past time for Congress to reverse course from the 
austerity approach that included slashing education across-the-board by 
5 percent this year--the equivalent of cutting nearly all education 
programs and Head Start by roughly $3 billion.
  We need to end the sequester now by passing H.R. 900, the ``End 
Sequestration Now Act,'' of which I am an original co-sponsor.
  Madam Speaker, the level of cuts imposed by sequestration have 
already taken federal funding back to pre-2004 levels while our 
nation's schools are serving nearly 6 million more students since that 
time.
  Madam Speaker, to ensure equity for all students, Congress must 
reverse this course.
  To date, a disproportionate share of sequester cuts have impacted 
higher-poverty communities and therefore, students most in need--57,00 
children have already lost critical seats in Head Start classes, 
schools served by Impact Aid have already seen drastic reductions in 
funding, and additional harmful impacts are beginning to be felt in 
classrooms as the school year begins.
  Many of these school districts and their students rely heavily on 
federal resources for education funding; some even up to 5 percent of 
their total revenue.
  Madam Speaker, Americans have suffered long enough from the adverse 
impact of sequestration that House Republicans seek to continue with 
resolution. The damage has been great and continues to get worse with 
each passing day the Republicans refuse to work across the aisle to 
reach agreement on a budget plan that is balanced and sensible.
  Consider the damage inflicted or to be inflicted on the American 
people by sequestration:


                               Education

  Teachers and staff for the 23 million students in high-poverty 
schools would be reduced by up to 47,000.
  Education services for 6 million students with disabilities would be 
curtailed.


                      National and Local Security

  Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program would be 
eliminated, resulting in 1,400 fewer police officers on the street.
  Our national security is being weakened as Army training rotations 
are being canceled; earlier this year nearly one-third of Air Force 
squadrons were grounded; and maintenance on equipment and facilities is 
being deferred.
  More than 600,000 civilian Defense employees (85 percent) were 
furloughed this summer for more than one week, meaning a pay cut of 
more than $1 billion.
  $37 billion in cuts to defense this fiscal year is harming economic 
growth and our military readiness.


                                 Health

  Cutting $1.5 billion from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 
means less research into preventing, treating, and curing diseases that 
affect millions of Americans, like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
  A $285 million cut for the Centers for Disease Control is limiting 
their ability to detect and combat disease outbreaks like pandemic 
influenza; plan for public health emergencies; and facilitate 
immunizations that keep you and your family healthy.
  Cutting NIH by $6.7 billion will hold back life-saving research.


                                Seniors

  More than 5 million fewer meals are available for low-income seniors 
through Meals on Wheels and related programs.


              Infrastructure and Job-Creating Investments

  Community Development Block Grants to ensure decent affordable 
housing, provide services to the most vulnerable, and create jobs by 
expanding and retaining businesses cut to lowest level in its history.
  Clean energy and efficiency research are cut by nearly one-half and 
breakthrough cutting edge advanced energy research cut 81 percent from 
2013 enacted level.
  Major job-creating investments in highways, transit, railways, 
bridges and ports through the TIGER program would be eliminated, while 
putting modernization of the air traffic control system at risk.
  EPA cut by more than \1/3\ and grants to local communities for clean 
water and drinking water slashed.
  It is time for Congress to reject a continuation of these draconian 
cuts and replace the sequester with a balanced package that demands 
additional revenue, including closing corporate tax loopholes.
  Instead of continuing sequestration levels of funding, and trying for 
the 42nd time to defund, delay, or impede the implementation of the 
Affordable Care Act, we need to work together to develop a balanced and 
responsible plan that makes the necessary investments that will 
generate economic growth and create jobs that will enable Americans to 
live a middle class life.
  We should reject this resolution and adopt the substitute resolution 
offered by my colleague, Congressman Van Hollen, the Ranking Member of 
the Budget Committee.
  The Van Hollen alternative is vastly superior to the resolution 
before us because it eliminates the sequester's immediate, excessive, 
and irresponsible cuts to vital investments and replaces these with a 
roughly 50/50 combination of targeted spending cuts and limits on tax 
breaks to reduce the deficit in a balanced way.
  Moreover, the proposal achieves over $75 billion more in deficit 
reduction than the sequester would have achieved by doing the 
following:
  Targeted spending cuts--refocuses farm subsidies and makes targeted 
reductions to out-year defense spending consistent with both the 
President's budget request and the House Democratic budget.
  Additional deficit reduction--reduces deficits by over $75 billion 
more than the sequester amount.
  I urge all members of the House to join me in voting to reject this 
irresponsible resolution that will not create jobs, places our economic 
recovery at risk, threatens the health security of millions of 
Americans, and jeopardizes the creditworthiness of our nation.

              [From the Houston Chronicle, Feb. 25, 2013]

 Sequestration Budget Cuts Would Be Across-the-Board in Houston, County

                            (By Mike Tolson)

       Like a hurricane churning across the Gulf of Mexico, the 
     looming federal sequestration threatens everything in its 
     path. If the deep and automatic federal budget cuts actually 
     take place starting Friday, there will be damage somewhere, 
     perhaps a lot of somewheres.
       In Houston and elsewhere, airport lines could grow and 
     flights canceled. Passport lines may stretch even longer out 
     the door. Criminal investigations could move at a slower 
     pace. And federal housing vouchers might not be issued, 
     leaving low-income residents and their landlords in a 
     frightening limbo.
       The broad cuts designed under the umbrella of sequestration 
     were intended by Congress and President Barack Obama to 
     create such a severe alternative to bipartisan compromise 
     that it would force lawmakers to come up with a better budget 
     solution. So far, no such luck.
       ``We all agree that we need to cut unnecessary waste in the 
     federal budget and streamline operations, but sequestration 
     isn't the way to manage government spending,'' said Houston 
     Congressman Gene Green, a Democrat. ``It's like taking a 
     hatchet to surgery instead of a scalpel. I'm hoping 
     leadership resolves their differences before the eleventh 
     hour.''
       Ted Cruz, the freshman GOP senator from Texas, said in 
     Houston last week that he saw little hope that a deal would 
     be reached.
       ``There is a very substantial likelihood that the sequester 
     will go into effect,'' said Cruz, who blamed Obama's 
     unwillingness to embrace other cuts. ``I am hopeful that if 
     it does . . . it will result in some compromises.''
       A statement from the White House Sunday said: ``The 
     President is willing to compromise, but on behalf of the 
     middle class he cannot accept a deal that undercuts their 
     economic security.''
       Obama has a plan to reduce the deficit by more than $4 
     trillion.
       Because the cuts are across-the-board, there is little 
     order or sense to what will be affected. Most agencies and 
     programs would see cuts in the range of 8 to 10 percent,

[[Page H5785]]

     though some things are exempted, such as food stamps, college 
     loan grants and the school lunch program.


                           `Devastating blow'

       Experts say the effect will be gradual in many cases. A 
     quick political resolution would see minimal disruption. 
     Should the impasse continue, the cuts will be seen and felt 
     in scores of different places, from neighborhood Head Start 
     programs to the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, where 
     $652 million of federal National Institutes of Health grant 
     money comes in every year for medical research.
       ``We don't know how it's going to play out, but it could be 
     a devastating blow,'' said Dr. Robert Robbins, president and 
     CEO of the Texas Medical Center Corporation. ``We are talking 
     hundreds of grants a year. We are very concerned about this, 
     needless to say.''
       Johnson Space Center already has suffered cutbacks from the 
     end of the space shuttle program and a hiatus in human 
     spaceflight. Now it could see an estimated 5,600 jobs 
     affected, with other space centers across the nation facing a 
     similar scenario.
       ``These damaging cuts would slash roughly 5 percent from 
     the agency's current annual budget during the remaining seven 
     months of the 2013 fiscal year, a loss of about $726 million 
     from the president's budget request,'' NASA said in a 
     statement.
       In some instances, the effect of sequestration cuts could 
     be noticed right away. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray 
     LaHood warned that air travelers will encounter longer lines, 
     canceled flights and shuttered airports in some cases, if 
     Congress fails to act before the deadline. In preparing to 
     reduce its expenditures by $600 million, LaHood said he will 
     begin to furlough 47,000 employees for approximately one day 
     per pay period through September.
       A report prepared by the Texas House in January found:
       --Texas would be one of the most severely affected by job 
     losses, standing to lose almost 99,000 defense jobs and 
     60,500 non-defense jobs, putting the state third behind 
     California and Virginia with the top job losses per state.
       --The Texas Education Agency's estimated reduction of 
     $517.6 million is the most significant agency cut. The 
     Houston Independent School District has estimated a possible 
     loss of $12 million, much of it aimed at low-income students.
       --The University of Texas system predicts that cuts to 
     research could total from $114 million to $123 million 
     annually across all institutions.
       --Texas Department of Transportation stands to lose up to 
     $50 million of the $3 billion it normally receives, based on 
     estimates. Road building and transit projects eventually will 
     face money woes, but sequestration's effects won't be 
     immediate, and the agency is awaiting clarity from federal 
     officials before making any changes to upcoming projects. 
     Major transit projects, meanwhile, are unlikely to suffer at 
     all.
       Defense cuts were ``especially concerning'' to the House 
     committee that looked at the impact. Texas is home to 15 
     active-duty military installations. Sequestration cuts would 
     affect not just active duty military but also civilian 
     employees and thousands of contractors and suppliers in the 
     state as well as the Texas National Guard.


                            Eviction threat

       Texas cities, likewise, face daunting cutbacks in numerous 
     areas. More than 900 families in the Houston Housing 
     Authority's rental voucher program, for example, could be at 
     risk of eviction if the cuts come down, said CEO Tory 
     Gunsolley, who noted that the city covers 70 percent or more 
     of their rent. Also slashed would be funding for homeless 
     families, emergency shelters and housing for those with AIDS.
       ``At this point you're cutting into bone,'' Gunsolley said.
       Counties, too, will face tough decisions. Nonprofit and 
     community groups rely on Harris County's Community Services 
     Department for program funding, which is awarded in October. 
     Each funding letter reminds the recipient that if HUD funding 
     is cut, their funding will drop, too, said director David 
     Turkel.


                      Some possible cuts in Texas

       According to White House estimates released Sunday, the 
     sequestration could include these cuts this year in Texas:
       $274.8 million: in military pay to 52,000 civilian 
     Department of Defense employees who would be furloughed
       $51 million: for about 620 teachers, aides and staff who 
     help children with disabilities
       $8.5 million: for clean water and air quality efforts, as 
     well as pollution prevention from pesticides and hazardous 
     waste
       $6.8 million: to help prevent and treat substance abuse, 
     resulting in around 2,800 fewer admissions to substance abuse 
     programs
       $3.6 million: for meals for senior citizens
       $2.3 million: for job search assistance, referral and 
     placement for 83,750 unemployed residents
       $2.2 million: in grants for fish and wildlife protection
       $1.1 million: in grants that support law enforcement, 
     prosecution and courts, crime prevention, corrections, drug 
     treatment and enforcement, and crime victim and witness 
     initiatives

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, on September 20, 2013, I was hosting 
President Obama and Ford Motor Company President Allan Mulally in 
Missouri's 5th Congressional District, which I have the honor of 
representing in Congress. We were at the world-class Ford Claycomo 
Plant where the proud members of UAW #249 produce the top-selling F-150 
Ford pick-up truck.
  Had I been present and voting on H.J. Res. 59, Continuing 
Appropriations Resolution, 2014, I would have voted no because this 
bill will cause irreparable harm to hard-working Americans and our 
national economy. We in Congress owe our constituents better and I 
remain committed to working across the aisle to forge a bipartisan 
consensus.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this 
continuing resolution, which is part of a reckless plan from our 
Republican colleagues to shut down the United States government unless 
we shut down the Affordable Care Act, a law that is already providing 
protections to children in this country with pre-existing conditions 
and seniors on Medicare with high drug costs.
  Moreover, as the Republican majority plans to potentially shut down 
the government, they refuse to take action on the sequester, which is 
causing real harm to our economy. The independent, nonpartisan 
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says that at this time next year we 
could have up to 1.6 million fewer jobs in this country as a result of 
the sequester. We could see economic growth cut in half.
  The Democrats have a proposal to replace the sequester with targeted 
cuts over a period of time to big tax breaks like oil and gas 
subsidies. This is a plan that would achieve even more deficit 
reduction without the job-killing, meat-ax cuts to the programs that 
grow our economy.
  Our country needs practical solutions, not self-inflicted economic 
wounds. I urge my colleagues to oppose this damaging continuing 
resolution and bring up my legislation to replace the sequester and 
avoid a government shutdown.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 352, the previous question is ordered on 
the joint resolution, as amended.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the joint 
resolution.
  The joint resolution was ordered to be engrossed and read a third 
time, and was read the third time.


                           Motion to Recommit

  Mr. ENYART. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the joint 
resolution?
  Mr. ENYART. Madam Speaker, I am opposed.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to 
recommit.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Mr. Enyart moves to recommit the joint resolution H.J. Res. 
     59 to the Committee on Appropriations with instructions to 
     report the same back to the House forthwith with the 
     following amendment:
       At the end of the joint resolution (before the short 
     title), insert the following:


 full-year funding for accounts to process social security, medicare, 
                         and veterans benefits

       Sec. 137. Notwithstanding section 106, appropriations and 
     funds made available and authority granted pursuant to this 
     joint resolution for the following accounts shall remain 
     available until September 30, 2014:
       (1) ``Social Security Administration--Limitation on 
     Administrative Expenses''.
       (2) ``Department of Health and Human Services--Centers for 
     Medicare and Medicaid Services--Program Management''.
       (3) ``Department of Veterans Affairs--Departmental 
     Administration--General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits 
     Administration''.


  prohibition on cuts or modifications to social security and medicare

       Sec. 138. None of the funds made available by this joint 
     resolution may be used to develop or implement a system 
     that--
       (1) reduces old-age, survivors, or disability insurance 
     benefits under title II of the Social Security Act, or 
     privatizes the Social Security program that provides such 
     benefits; or
       (2) reduces benefits under the Medicare program under title 
     XVIII of the Social Security Act, eliminates guaranteed 
     health insurance benefits available to seniors or individuals 
     with disabilities under such program, or establishes a 
     Medicare voucher plan that provides limited payments to 
     Medicare beneficiaries in order to purchase health care in 
     the private sector.


           full-year funding for military personnel accounts

       Sec. 139. Notwithstanding section 106, appropriations and 
     funds made available and authority granted pursuant to this 
     joint resolution for the following accounts of the Department 
     of Defense shall remain available until September 30, 2014:
       (1) ``Military Personnel, Army''.
       (2) ``Military Personnel, Navy''.

[[Page H5786]]

       (3) ``Military Personnel, Marine Corps''.
       (4) ``Military Personnel, Air Force''.
       (5) ``Reserve Personnel, Army''.
       (6) ``Reserve Personnel, Navy''.
       (7) ``Reserve Personnel, Marine Corps''.
       (8) ``Reserve Personnel, Air Force''.
       (9) ``National Guard Personnel, Army''.
       (10) ``National Guard Personnel, Air Force''.


    increased funding for essential air service program with offset

       Sec. 140. The rate for operations otherwise provided by 
     section 101 for ``Department of Transportation--Office of the 
     Secretary--Payments to Air Carriers'' is hereby increased, 
     and the rate otherwise provided by such section for 
     ``Department of Transportation--Office of the Secretary--
     Transportation Planning, Research, and Development'' is 
     hereby reduced, by $2,700,000.

  Mr. ENYART (during the reading). Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that we dispense with the reading.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I reserve a point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. A point of order is reserved.
  Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Illinois is recognized for 5 
minutes in support of his motion.
  Mr. ENYART. Madam Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill, 
which will not kill the bill nor send it back to committee if adopted. 
If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage as 
amended.
  Madam Speaker, we are 9 short days from the end of the fiscal year 
and 3 weeks from when we, as a Nation, can no longer pay our bills.
  In 2011, congressional leaders changed the rules for the first time 
ever by debating whether the United States should voluntarily refuse to 
pay its bills. Congress ultimately raised the debt limit, but this 
partisan brinksmanship led to business uncertainty, a drop in consumer 
confidence, and the first ever downgrade of our Nation's AAA credit 
rating. Most importantly, it cost job growth.
  I cannot believe that the full faith and credit of the United States 
would be threatened by this House. I cannot fathom how we can choose 
not to pay the bills we've already incurred.
  As we stand here today, we're hurdling toward a government shutdown 
and once again facing default. I'm offering this amendment because the 
last thing we should be doing is threatening seniors with losing their 
Social Security and Medicare. Our troops, protecting us both 
domestically and overseas, shouldn't have to worry about whether 
they'll be paid. With this amendment, Social Security checks will be 
processed and mailed on time; Medicare and veterans benefits will not 
be cut nor delayed; our service men and women, serving around the 
world, will receive the pay they have earned. This amendment prohibits 
Social Security from being privatized and Medicare from being turned 
into a voucher program.
  Madam Speaker, I represent 136,263 Social Security recipients and a 
thousand more veterans in southern Illinois. These are real people, not 
statistics. They're not only the retired; they are the disabled, 
widows, spouses, and children who look to us for leadership and depend 
upon us to do the right thing.
  Madam Speaker, our Nation is at a crossroads. This body was sent here 
by our constituents to govern. Instead, a determined few have turned 
the House of Representatives away from solving problems and are 
creating problems. We need to turn to the most important work of our 
great Nation today: creating jobs for those who want to work but can't 
find employment.

                              {time}  1045

  I hope my colleagues across the aisle will signal to the American 
people that they are ready to get about the serious business of 
governing. Join me to protect our seniors, our veterans, and our brave 
servicemen and -women. We cannot do less.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I withdraw my reservation on 
the point of order, and I rise in opposition to the motion.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The reservation is withdrawn.
  The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. This continuing resolution we spent the last 
hour debating is absolutely necessary to keep the lights on in our 
government. A shutdown is not what our businesses need, not what our 
troops need, not what our people need, and not what our country needs.
  The CR is straightforward. It's short term. It gives us the time we 
need to sort out our fiscal differences with the other body. By funding 
the government until December 15, Congress and the President will have 
time to construct a budgetary path forward that deals with the most 
pressing fiscal issues we face, raising the debt ceiling and 
constructing one common discretionary number while we find true 
savings, especially through entitlement reform.
  Now this motion to recommit picks out a few programs and would fund 
them for the entire next year, not the next 90 days, not until December 
15. This motion would pick out a few programs to continue funding for 
the rest of the year. Well, that's not the issue. It misses the point. 
The issue is whether we can get agreement on an overall discretionary 
number and replace sequester for all programs, not just a few. To get 
the additional time to negotiate, we've got to pass this CR now.
  The motion also addresses the importance of Social Security and 
Medicare. There's nothing in this CR that does anything but preserve 
these programs and protect the benefit payments for each and every 
recipient.
  For better or worse, Madam Speaker, we have spending levels in place 
that are enforced by sequestration. Should my Democrat colleagues wish 
to do away with those limits, I would respectfully invite them to vote 
against this motion to recommit so we can keep the government open and 
negotiate a full debt package between the House, the Senate, and the 
President.
  This bill is about keeping the government open, preventing a 
shutdown, and providing the important services that only the Federal 
Government can deliver for our people. The gentleman's motion is 
tantamount to shutting down the government because it will never allow 
for passage of the one thing critical to the functioning of government, 
which is the continuing resolution before us. So I urge my colleagues 
to vote against the motion and for final passage of the CR.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered on the motion to recommit.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the noes appeared to have it.
  Mr. ENYART. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, the Chair 
will reduce to 5 minutes the minimum time for any electronic vote on 
the question of passage of the joint resolution.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 190, 
nays 228, not voting 14, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 477]

                               YEAS--190

     Andrews
     Barber
     Barrow (GA)
     Beatty
     Becerra
     Bera (CA)
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Blumenauer
     Bonamici
     Brady (PA)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown (FL)
     Brownley (CA)
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardenas
     Carney
     Carson (IN)
     Cartwright
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chu
     Cicilline
     Clarke
     Clay
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Courtney
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (CA)
     Davis, Danny
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delaney
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deutch
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle
     Duckworth
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Engel
     Enyart
     Eshoo
     Esty
     Foster
     Frankel (FL)
     Fudge
     Gabbard
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garcia
     Grayson
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Hahn
     Hanabusa
     Hastings (FL)
     Heck (WA)
     Higgins
     Himes
     Hinojosa
     Holt
     Honda
     Horsford
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Israel
     Jackson Lee
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kind
     Kirkpatrick
     Kuster
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lee (CA)
     Levin
     Lewis
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lujan Grisham (NM)
     Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
     Lynch
     Maffei
     Maloney, Carolyn
     Maloney, Sean
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCollum
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McIntyre
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng

[[Page H5787]]


     Michaud
     Miller, George
     Moore
     Moran
     Murphy (FL)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Negrete McLeod
     Nolan
     O'Rourke
     Owens
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor (AZ)
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Peters (CA)
     Peters (MI)
     Peterson
     Pingree (ME)
     Pocan
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Richmond
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan (OH)
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schrader
     Schwartz
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Sinema
     Sires
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Speier
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Tierney
     Titus
     Tonko
     Tsongas
     Van Hollen
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watt
     Waxman
     Welch
     Yarmuth

                               NAYS--228

     Aderholt
     Alexander
     Amash
     Amodei
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Barletta
     Barr
     Barton
     Benishek
     Bentivolio
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Bridenstine
     Brooks (AL)
     Brooks (IN)
     Broun (GA)
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Burgess
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carter
     Cassidy
     Chabot
     Chaffetz
     Coble
     Coffman
     Cole
     Collins (GA)
     Collins (NY)
     Conaway
     Cook
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Culberson
     Daines
     Davis, Rodney
     Denham
     Dent
     DeSantis
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Duffy
     Duncan (SC)
     Duncan (TN)
     Ellmers
     Farenthold
     Fincher
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fleming
     Flores
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gardner
     Garrett
     Gerlach
     Gibbs
     Gibson
     Gingrey (GA)
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (MO)
     Griffin (AR)
     Griffith (VA)
     Grimm
     Guthrie
     Hall
     Harper
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Hastings (WA)
     Heck (NV)
     Hensarling
     Holding
     Hudson
     Huelskamp
     Huizenga (MI)
     Hultgren
     Hunter
     Hurt
     Issa
     Jenkins
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jordan
     Joyce
     Kelly (PA)
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kinzinger (IL)
     Kline
     Labrador
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Lance
     Lankford
     Latham
     Latta
     LoBiondo
     Long
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Lummis
     Marchant
     Marino
     Massie
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McHenry
     McKeon
     McKinley
     McMorris Rodgers
     Meadows
     Meehan
     Messer
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller, Gary
     Mullin
     Mulvaney
     Neugebauer
     Noem
     Nugent
     Nunes
     Nunnelee
     Olson
     Palazzo
     Paulsen
     Pearce
     Perry
     Petri
     Pittenger
     Pitts
     Poe (TX)
     Pompeo
     Posey
     Price (GA)
     Radel
     Reed
     Reichert
     Renacci
     Ribble
     Rice (SC)
     Rigell
     Roby
     Roe (TN)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Rokita
     Rooney
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothfus
     Royce
     Runyan
     Ryan (WI)
     Salmon
     Sanford
     Scalise
     Schock
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Southerland
     Stewart
     Stivers
     Stockman
     Stutzman
     Terry
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Tiberi
     Tipton
     Turner
     Upton
     Valadao
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walorski
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Williams
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Wolf
     Womack
     Woodall
     Yoder
     Yoho
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)
     Young (IN)

                             NOT VOTING--14

     Bass
     Cleaver
     Farr
     Fattah
     Gutierrez
     Hanna
     Herrera Beutler
     McCarthy (NY)
     Murphy (PA)
     Polis
     Rush
     Sewell (AL)
     Thompson (MS)
     Wilson (FL)

                              {time}  1112

  Messrs. TURNER and LABRADOR changed their vote from ``yea'' to 
``nay.''
  Ms. CLARKE and Messrs. NEAL, VELA, TIERNEY, CLYBURN, HOLT, and 
HUFFMAN changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  Mr. HALL changed his vote from ``present'' to ``no.''
  So the motion to recommit was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the joint resolution.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 230, 
noes 189, not voting 13, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 478]

                               AYES--230

     Aderholt
     Alexander
     Amash
     Amodei
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Barletta
     Barr
     Barton
     Benishek
     Bentivolio
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Bridenstine
     Brooks (AL)
     Brooks (IN)
     Broun (GA)
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Burgess
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carter
     Cassidy
     Chabot
     Chaffetz
     Coble
     Coffman
     Cole
     Collins (GA)
     Collins (NY)
     Conaway
     Cook
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Culberson
     Daines
     Davis, Rodney
     Denham
     Dent
     DeSantis
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Duffy
     Duncan (SC)
     Duncan (TN)
     Ellmers
     Farenthold
     Fincher
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fleming
     Flores
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gardner
     Garrett
     Gerlach
     Gibbs
     Gibson
     Gingrey (GA)
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (MO)
     Griffin (AR)
     Griffith (VA)
     Grimm
     Guthrie
     Hall
     Harper
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Hastings (WA)
     Heck (NV)
     Hensarling
     Holding
     Hudson
     Huelskamp
     Huizenga (MI)
     Hultgren
     Hunter
     Hurt
     Issa
     Jenkins
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones
     Jordan
     Joyce
     Kelly (PA)
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kinzinger (IL)
     Kline
     Labrador
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Lance
     Lankford
     Latham
     Latta
     LoBiondo
     Long
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Lummis
     Marchant
     Marino
     Massie
     Matheson
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McHenry
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McKinley
     McMorris Rodgers
     Meadows
     Meehan
     Messer
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller, Gary
     Mullin
     Mulvaney
     Neugebauer
     Noem
     Nugent
     Nunes
     Nunnelee
     Olson
     Palazzo
     Paulsen
     Pearce
     Perry
     Petri
     Pittenger
     Pitts
     Poe (TX)
     Pompeo
     Posey
     Price (GA)
     Radel
     Reed
     Reichert
     Renacci
     Ribble
     Rice (SC)
     Roby
     Roe (TN)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Rokita
     Rooney
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothfus
     Royce
     Runyan
     Ryan (WI)
     Salmon
     Sanford
     Scalise
     Schock
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Southerland
     Stewart
     Stivers
     Stockman
     Stutzman
     Terry
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Tiberi
     Tipton
     Turner
     Upton
     Valadao
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walorski
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Williams
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Wolf
     Womack
     Woodall
     Yoder
     Yoho
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)
     Young (IN)

                               NOES--189

     Andrews
     Barber
     Barrow (GA)
     Bass
     Beatty
     Becerra
     Bera (CA)
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Blumenauer
     Bonamici
     Brady (PA)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown (FL)
     Brownley (CA)
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardenas
     Carney
     Cartwright
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chu
     Cicilline
     Clarke
     Clay
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Courtney
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (CA)
     Davis, Danny
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deutch
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle
     Duckworth
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Engel
     Enyart
     Eshoo
     Esty
     Foster
     Frankel (FL)
     Fudge
     Gabbard
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garcia
     Grayson
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Hahn
     Hanabusa
     Hastings (FL)
     Heck (WA)
     Higgins
     Himes
     Hinojosa
     Holt
     Honda
     Horsford
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Israel
     Jackson Lee
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kind
     Kirkpatrick
     Kuster
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lee (CA)
     Levin
     Lewis
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lujan Grisham (NM)
     Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
     Lynch
     Maffei
     Maloney, Carolyn
     Maloney, Sean
     Matsui
     McCollum
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng
     Michaud
     Miller, George
     Moore
     Moran
     Murphy (FL)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Negrete McLeod
     Nolan
     O'Rourke
     Owens
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor (AZ)
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Peters (CA)
     Peters (MI)
     Peterson
     Pingree (ME)
     Pocan
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Richmond
     Rigell
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan (OH)
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schrader
     Schwartz
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell (AL)
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Sinema
     Sires
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Speier
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Tierney
     Titus
     Tonko
     Tsongas
     Van Hollen
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watt
     Waxman
     Welch
     Wilson (FL)
     Yarmuth

[[Page H5788]]



                             NOT VOTING--13

     Carson (IN)
     Cleaver
     Delaney
     Farr
     Fattah
     Gutierrez
     Hanna
     Herrera Beutler
     McCarthy (NY)
     Murphy (PA)
     Polis
     Rush
     Thompson (MS)

                              {time}  1119

  So the joint resolution was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  Stated against:
  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 478, I was 
detained with constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted 
``no'' against funding the Affordable Care Act.

                          ____________________