[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 132 (Monday, September 30, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H6031-H6040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS RESOLUTION, 2014
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution
367, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 59) making continuing
appropriations for fiscal year 2014, and for other purposes, with the
House amendment to the Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its
immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the Senate
amendment.
The text of the Senate amendment is as follows:
Senate amendment:
Strike all after the first word and insert the following:
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), except section 735.
(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) November 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 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
[[Page H6032]]
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 amounts made available by section 101 for
``Social Security Administration, Limitation on
Administrative Expenses'' for the cost associated with
continuing disability reviews under titles II and XVI of the
Social Security Act and for the cost associated with
conducting redeterminations of eligibility under title XVI of
the Social Security Act, $273,000,000 is provided to meet the
terms of section 251(b)(2)(B)(ii)(III) of the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended, and
$469,639,000 is additional new budget authority specified for
purposes of section 251(b)(2)(B) of such Act.
(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 sections 1205 and 1206
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2012 (Public Law 112-81) shall continue in effect,
notwithstanding subsection (h) of section 1206, 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. The authority provided by subsection (m)(3) of
section 8162 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act,
2000 (40 U.S.C. 8903 note; Public Law 106-79), as amended,
shall continue in effect through the date specified in
section 106(3) of this joint resolution.
Sec. 130. Activities authorized under part A of title IV
and section 1108(b) of the Social Security Act (except for
activities authorized in section 403(b)) 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. 131. 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. 132. 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. 133. 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. 134. During the period covered by this joint
resolution, amounts provided under section 101 for
``Department of Health and Human Services--Office of the
Secretary--Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund''
may be obligated at a rate necessary to assure timely
execution of planned advanced research and development
contracts pursuant to section 319L of the Public Health
Service Act, to remain available until expended, for expenses
necessary to support advanced research and development
pursuant to section 319L of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 247d-7e) and other administrative expenses of the
Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
Sec. 135. 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. 136. 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.
[[Page H6033]]
Sec. 137. 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.
This joint resolution may be cited as the ``Continuing
Appropriations Resolution, 2014''.
Motion Offered by Mr. Rogers of Kentucky
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the motion.
The text of the motion is as follows:
Mr. Rogers of Kentucky moves that the House recede from its
amendments to the amendment of the Senate, and concur therein with the
amendment printed in House Report 113-239.
The text of the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the text
is as follows:
In the matter proposed to be added by the Senate amendment,
insert at the end (before the short title) the following:
Sec. 138. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
joint resolution, the date referred to in section 106(3)
shall be December 15, 2013.
Sec. 139. For the period covered by this joint resolution,
the authority provided by the provisos under the heading
``Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission--Capital
Construction'' in division E of Public Law 112-74 shall not
be in effect.
Sec. 140. Section 1244(c)(3) of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (8 U.S.C. 1157 note)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(C) Fiscal year 2014.--
``(i) In general.--Except as provided in clauses (ii) and
(iii), the total number of principal aliens who may be
provided special immigrant status under this section in
fiscal year 2014 during the period ending on December 15,
2013 shall be the sum of--
``(I) the number of aliens described in subsection (b)
whose application for special immigrant status under this
section is pending on September 30, 2013; and
``(II) 2,000.
``(ii) Employment period.--The 1-year period during which
the principal alien is required to have been employed by or
on behalf of the United States Government in Iraq under
subsection (b)(1)(B) shall begin on or after March 20, 2003,
and end on or before September 30, 2013.
``(iii) Application deadline.--The principal alien seeking
special immigrant status under this subparagraph shall apply
to the Chief of Mission in accordance with subsection (b)(4)
not later than December 15, 2013.''.
Sec. 141. (a) Delay in Application of Individual Health
Insurance Mandate.--Section 5000A(a) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``2013'' and inserting
``2014''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--(1) Section 5000A(c)(2)(B) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
(A) by striking ``2014'' in clause (i) and inserting
``2015'', and
(B) by striking ``2015'' in clauses (ii) and (iii) and
inserting ``2016''.
(2) Section 5000A(c)(3)(B) of such Code is amended--
(A) by striking ``2014'' and inserting ``2015'', and
(B) by striking ``2015'' (prior to amendment by
subparagraph (A)) and inserting ``2016''.
(3) Section 5000A(c)(3)(D) of such Code is amended--
(A) by striking ``2016'' and inserting ``2017'', and
(B) by striking ``2015'' and inserting ``2016''.
(4) Section 5000A(e)(1)(D) of such Code is amended--
(A) by striking ``2014'' and inserting ``2015'', and
(B) by striking ``2013'' and inserting ``2014''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect as if included in section 1501 of the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Sec. 142. Section 1312(d)(3)(D) of the Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18032(d)(3)(D)) is
amended--
(1) by striking the subparagraph heading and inserting the
following:
``(D) Members of congress, congressional staff, the
president, vice president, and political appointees.--'';
(2) in clause (i), in the matter preceding subclause (I)--
(A) by striking ``and congressional staff'' and inserting
``, congressional staff, the President, the Vice President,
and political appointees''; and
(B) by striking ``or congressional staff'' and inserting
``, congressional staff, the President, the Vice President,
or a political appointee'';
(3) in clause (ii)--
(A) in subclause (I), by inserting before the period at the
end the following: ``, and includes a Delegate or Resident
Commissioner to the Congress'';
(B) in subclause (II), by inserting after ``Congress,'' the
following: ``of a standing, select, or joint committee of
Congress (or a subcommittee thereof), of an office of the
House of Representatives for which the appropriation for
salaries and expenses of the office for the year involved is
provided under the heading `House Leadership Offices' in the
act making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the
fiscal year involved, or a leadership office of the Senate
(consisting of the offices of the President pro Tempore,
Majority and Minority Leaders, Majority and Minority Whips,
Conferences of the Majority and of the Minority, and Majority
and Minority Policy Committees of the Senate),''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(III) Political appointee.--The term `political
appointee' means an individual who--
``(aa) is employed in a position described under sections
5312 through 5316 of title 5, United States Code (relating to
the Executive Schedule);
``(bb) is a limited term appointee, limited emergency
appointee, or noncareer appointee in the Senior Executive
Service, as defined under paragraphs (5), (6), and (7),
respectively, of section 3132(a) of title 5, United States
Code;
``(cc) is employed in a position in the executive branch of
the Government of a confidential or policy-determining
character under schedule C of subpart D of part 213 of title
5 of the Code of Federal Regulations; or
``(dd) is employed in or under the Executive Office of the
President in a position that is excluded from the competitive
service by reason of its confidential, policy-determining,
policy-making, or policy-advocating character.''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) Government contribution.--No Government
contribution under section 8906 of title 5, United States
Code, shall be provided on behalf of an individual who is a
Member of Congress, congressional staff, the President, the
Vice President, or a political appointee for coverage under
this subparagraph.
``(iv) Limitation on amount of tax credit or cost-
sharing.--An individual enrolling in health insurance
coverage pursuant to this paragraph shall not be eligible to
receive a tax credit under section 36B of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 or reduced cost sharing under section
1402 of this Act in an amount that exceeds the total amount
which a similarly situated individual (who is not so
enrolled) would be entitled to receive under such sections.
``(v) Limitation on discretion for designation of staff.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a Member of
Congress shall not have discretion in determinations with
respect to which employees employed by the office of such
Member are eligible to enroll for coverage through an
Exchange.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 367, the motion
shall be debatable for 40 minutes, equally divided and controlled by
the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on
Appropriations.
The gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) and the gentlewoman from New
York (Mrs. Lowey) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
General Leave
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on the further consideration of
H.J. Res. 59.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to move forward once again with H.J. Res. 59, the
short-term continuing resolution that will keep the government open
after the end of the 2013 fiscal year at midnight tonight.
We simply can't wait a second longer. At this late hour, we must move
ahead at an accelerated pace to keep the doors of our government open.
For the sake of our Nation, we must pass this continuing resolution.
Mr. Speaker, the operative word here is ``continuing.''
The bills we've had on the floor, including this most recent version,
do not shut down the government, as many colleagues on the other side
of the aisle have falsely said. This bill, and the ones before it,
continues the important functions of the Federal Government. That means
our citizens will continue to benefit from these programs and services,
and passing this bill will allow this Congress to continue to make
progress on our important legislative work, including finding
meaningful, responsible, bipartisan solutions to our fiscal problems,
like the debt ceiling, sequestration, and the most immediate issue at
hand, funding the government for the 2014 fiscal year.
We did not bring a resolution to shut down the government, Mr.
Speaker. We brought a continuing resolution to continue the government.
A shutdown will help no one. It will only harm our Nation's security
and
[[Page H6034]]
our economy. It will hurt our people, who rely on the Federal
Government's programs and services in some way or another and who put
faith in their government to act in their best interests.
Mr. Speaker, the House is not the body that is refusing to act. We
aren't the ones who are not willing to budge. This is the third or
fourth compromise we've offered to the Senate. They simply ignore us,
throw it in the trash can.
House Republicans have now offered multiple bills, including one with
just a repeal of the widely unpopular medical device tax. We've even
incorporated changes that the Senate had proposed, but the Senate still
refuses to engage, as does the White House. Today we offer yet another
piece of legislation designed to keep the government open.
As with the previous CRs that the House has considered, this
continuing resolution will fund the government through December 15 at
the current post-sequestration funding rate.
{time} 1930
It will incorporate most of the Senate's changes to our first CR, and
include the few additional changes that I proposed as an amendment and
that were added in the House on Saturday night. It will also delay for
1 year ObamaCare's individual mandate, and eliminates the employer
subsidy for the health insurance plans of Members of Congress and our
staffs and for political appointees at the White House.
No one, Mr. Speaker, is going to like everything in this bill. I
don't like everything in this bill. But the continuing resolution
before us today is the most immediate path to avoiding a shutdown. I
expect that the House will do the right thing and approve this CR
today.
I remain hopeful that the Senate will work with the House and pass
this legislation. The people of this great Nation deserve more. They
deserve a government that works for, not against, them. At the very
least, that is a government that keeps its doors open.
So I urge all Members, every single Member, to vote ``yes'' on this
continuing resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Here we go again. Republicans insist on including riders that do not
belong in an appropriations bill. Both the Senate and the President
already made clear they will not accept these provisions. Still, the
majority insists on taking the country toward a shutdown in a few short
hours.
As the clock ticks toward midnight, when appropriations will lapse
and the government will shut down, Republicans have put forward the
third version of a bill that is designed to shut down government unless
we delay, defund, and deny affordable health care to American families.
Mr. Speaker, Republicans claim Democrats refuse to negotiate. Let's
review the history and Democrats' support for a compromise to keep
government running:
Republicans pushed us to the brink of default in the summer of 2011,
resulting in a credit downgrade;
Republicans walked out of negotiations with the President last
December aimed at reaching a budget deal for this year;
Republicans have refused to work with the Senate on the budget all
year long;
Republican leadership caved to the Tea Party and withdrew a plan
that, in all likelihood, would have ended this standoff by separating
health care legislation from a bill to keep the government running;
And now Republicans refuse to say ``yes'' to the great concession
made by Democrats in the Senate and the White House on the Republican
spending level.
The shutdown isn't only tarnished by Republican fingerprints, it is
entirely of their making. We could avoid a shutdown by allowing a vote
on the Senate's clean bill, but Republicans just won't allow it.
This is no way to run the House of Representatives. This is no way to
serve the hardworking people of the United States of America whom we
represent. I urge my colleagues to vote against the Republican
government shutdown.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Ross).
Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, you know, I never supported ObamaCare because
it's not sound policy. But if my fellow Americans have to endure this
law, then why should not the Congress, the President, and the Vice
President endure it as well?
You see, today's vote is about fairness. It's why I introduced my
amendment to the continuing resolution, to make sure that we would
eliminate the ObamaCare fix that was given to us by the Office of
Personnel Management.
The American public understands what's going on. They understand that
Congress always carves out their own little special interest, their
little special treatment. The amendment today, this CR, would eliminate
that. It would do one thing that this Congress so desperately needs,
and that's to gain the sense of credibility that the American people
are looking for.
It's not about gamesmanship. They're tired of that. This is about
leading by example.
And while I laud my colleagues for allowing us to have this vote here
today, I stood on this floor on Saturday explaining why this was so
important to the American people, why it is so important to Congress.
And therefore, I will say to you, even though it's politically
difficult and sometimes politically hard to do the right thing, doing
the right thing is always the right thing to do.
I would urge support of this CR.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Gene Green) for a unanimous consent request.
(Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I oppose this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, here we are, within hours of shutting down most of the
programs that this Congress has approved or funded.
Do my Republican friends know how silly it sounds to threaten
shutting down the government just to ensure that Members of Congress,
our staff and White House staff don't receive the same health care
benefits as other federal employees do?
To gamble with valuable federal programs should be embarrassing.
Here are just a few examples of programs that will be affected if the
GOP pursues this strategy that I doubt they'd want to see happen.
The GOP shutdown would mean that the Centers for Disease Control
would be unable to support annual seasonal influenza program.
Also, in the event of H7N9 influenza or Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome related incident, preparation and response could be delayed.
The GOP shutdown means we rely more on foreign energy as the issuance
of permits for energy production on federal lands stop. I certainly
know that my Republican colleagues wouldn't want to see that happen.
Head Start centers around the country will close. During FY12, an
estimated 1,600 Head Start agencies served over 950,000 children,
including 71,963 children in Texas. Apparently, our children are okay
to target in this political debate.
Under the GOP shutdown, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives will be affected and gun permits will not be processed.
And very importantly, veterans' educational, compensation, and
pension benefits processing would likely be delayed, as happened in the
1995-96, shutdowns. Texas has the second highest number of veterans in
the country at nearly 1.7 million.
To make this even more unreasonable, the Affordable Care Act, which
you hate, will continue to go forward even if you shut down the United
States Government since it's mandatory spending.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to be reasonable and pass a
clean CR.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the distinguished ranking member of the
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee.
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this
amendment. We are hours away from a shutdown of the Federal Government
that will damage our economy and make life harder for millions of
families, especially families living on the edge.
If the majority continues down this path, hundreds of thousands of
workers will be sent home; many others will
[[Page H6035]]
continue to work without pay; antihunger and nutrition support for
women, infants, and children will dry up; home and small business
lending will freeze; lifesaving research will be put on hold; parks and
museums will close.
The one thing this will not stop is the Affordable Care Act going
into effect. That act is the law of the land, passed by the Congress,
signed by the President, upheld by the Supreme Court, and endorsed by
the American people last November. Tomorrow, regardless of what the
majority tries to do here tonight, enrollment begins so that affordable
health insurance coverage is available.
Instead of working with Democrats to move a budget forward, the
majority's leadership is allowing the fringe ideologues in their party
to turn the budget process into a hostage crisis. Kill the Affordable
Care Act, they argue, or America gets it. This is not responsible
leadership.
Nonpartisan studies have shown that the delay in this amendment will
cause higher health insurance premiums, higher costs for the
government, and worse health care coverage for everyone.
The majority knows exactly what they are doing. Two days ago they
introduced amendments that were poison pills. Now we see an equally
poisonous amendment to the budget today. They are rooting for a
shutdown. One Republican Member even said, and I quote, ``We're very
excited. It's exactly what we wanted, and we got it.''
Another said, and I quote, ``It's wonderful.''
It is not wonderful. It is terrible for our economy and for our
families.
This is extortion and this is hostage-taking. I urge my colleagues to
oppose it.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
distinguished gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).
Ms. KAPTUR. I thank Ranking Member Lowey for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, our Nation is stronger when we come together as we, the
people, to solve the serious challenges facing our country, yet we find
ourselves on the precipice of a GOP-driven government shutdown.
The standoff between the Tea Party and other Republicans is now
leading to a GOP shutdown of our entire Federal Government. Extreme
partisanship threatens our economic recovery and job creation across
our country. Thousands of workers at Ohio's largest employer, Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, are about to be furloughed. Most
NASA employees, including the NASA Glenn Research Center at Brook Park,
near Cleveland, will be sent home.
Here in Washington, World War II veterans on their way here with
Honor Flights across this country to visit the World War II Memorial on
The Mall will find the Visitor Center closed.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot continue to govern by staggering from
manufactured crisis to manufactured crisis. The madness must stop.
America needs leadership, not extreme partisanship. We need
statesmanship, not brinksmanship. America has work to do putting our
people back to work, educating the next generation, curbing crime, and
improving health care.
So the Republicans want to shut down the government? This will deeply
hurt our country. It will hurt Ohio. There's no reason for it beyond
shameful, partisan politics. It's time for the Republicans in Congress
to come to their senses.
Vote against the GOP shutdown.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Lexington, Kentucky (Mr. Barr), my neighbor.
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, tonight the House is voting once again to fund
the government and to prevent a shutdown. The House is also continuing
the effort to listen to the American people and give a voice to those
who want to limit the harmful impact of ObamaCare.
The President said that the House is shutting down the government,
but the House has acted multiple times to prevent a government
shutdown. It is the President and the Senate majority leader who are
refusing to negotiate, refusing to compromise, refusing to seek a
bipartisan solution or a middle ground.
The President will negotiate with Vladimir Putin, the President will
negotiate with the leaders of Iran, but he won't negotiate with the
duly elected Representatives of the people in Congress.
In divided government, the only way forward is to negotiate. The
American people witnessed one-party rule in 2010 when Congress rammed
through ObamaCare on a party-line vote, and they didn't like it. The
only thing that was bipartisan about ObamaCare in 2010 when it was
enacted was the bipartisan opposition to it, and so they elected a
different Congress and they divided power. So when you have divided
power in government, the only way forward, when there is a difference
of opinion, is to negotiate and compromise.
I come from the district, Mr. Speaker, of Henry Clay, a great Speaker
of the House. Henry Clay is a model for this President and this
Congress. We need to come together and negotiate and abandon the
stubborn refusal to lead, which will guarantee a government shutdown.
The President needs to work with House Republicans to find a middle
ground, and this bill is the middle ground, Mr. Speaker.
When I found out that Members of Congress, the President, members of
his Cabinet, and the political elite in Washington got a special
exemption from ObamaCare, I introduced a simple, two-page piece of
legislation, and it's called the Live by the Laws You Write Act, and
it's a simple concept:
Why should we allow the administration to delay ObamaCare for large
employers and exempt Members of Congress, himself, and the elite, but
not also provide relief for individuals and families?
I believe that the President and Members of Congress should live by
the same health care law that they have imposed on the American people.
And so I call on my colleagues in the House, both on this side and that
side of the aisle, to support fairness for the American people. If
ObamaCare is what the President insists on, then it should apply to
everyone, and that includes the politicians in Washington.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky).
Mr. VISCLOSKY. I appreciate the gentlewoman yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I have heard a lot of discussion about the budget. I
have heard a lot of discussion about a continuing resolution, and I
have heard a lot about the Affordable Care Act; but I see the chairman
of the Appropriations Committee here on the floor, and I see the
ranking member of the Appropriations Committee on the floor, and I
don't hear a lot of discussion about what I would call the operative
word tonight, and that is ``appropriations.''
In article I, section 8 of the United States Constitution, the
Congress is charged with constituting tribunals, courts, inferior to
the Supreme Court. In the very next section, we are told we need to
appropriate those monies to do so. We are told in article I, section 8
of the United States Constitution that Congress must provide and
maintain a Navy. In section 9, we are told, absent an appropriation
from the Congress, that will not happen.
The fiscal year begins tomorrow, and my great fear is that when a
resolution of this continuing resolution occurs, if the date is
December 15, we are going to make every agency and every department of
United States Government operate just as they did last year--and, of
course, last year we made them operate the way they did the year
before--and have them wait for another 2\1/2\ months before we tell
them what we are going to do.
{time} 1945
I would suggest the operative word tonight is ``appropriations.'' We
should do the Defense appropriations bill. We should do the Energy and
Water appropriations bill. We should do the Homeland Security
appropriations bill. We should do the Military Construction/VA
appropriations bill.
We should do the other appropriations bills that are necessary to
fund the operation of the greatest country on the planet Earth, and we
should stop what we're doing here.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber).
[[Page H6036]]
Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, fact one: ObamaCare passed the House
with 219 Democrats. Thirty-four Democrats joined the Republicans in
opposition. Let us see how many of those will join us in this upcoming
vote.
Fact two: Republicans have been and are poised to fund everything in
government at the current levels--and are eager to do so.
Fact three: polls show that Americans are overwhelmingly in favor of
defunding ObamaCare.
Fact four: the House, like it or not, our colleagues on the other
side of the aisle, is the keeper of the purse under the Constitution,
and we are well within our authority to defund an ill-conceived and
unpopular program in the law.
They say that the Republicans are going to shut down the government,
but I will submit this, Mr. Speaker: the Democrats began to shut down
the government in 2010, when they passed ObamaCare without bipartisan
support. They not only began to shut down the government but the
recovery of the American economy. And for them to come now and say that
this is a Republican shutdown is unbelievable. We stand ready, willing,
and able to fund the Government.
There's only really one question that remains, Mr. Speaker. Four
facts, one simple question. Will those same Democrats that voted in
opposition to ObamaCare and the Senate listen to the American public,
will they listen to their constituents, and will they vote with us this
time so that our government can be funded, no shutdown will be
necessary, and the American economy can continue to thrive?
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran), the ranking member
of the Interior Subcommittee.
Mr. MORAN. I thank my good friend.
Mr. Speaker, apparently we're here, largely, because a bunch of folks
on the Republican side--Tea Party folks--fancy themselves strict
constructionists. But I would remind them that the Founders set up the
Senate to ensure that the House would act rationally and responsibly on
a consistent basis.
George Washington warned us against factualism. They expected us to
fund the government, to pay our debts, and they underscored the fact
that when you have a disagreement, it ought to be resolved
democratically.
So here we have a bill that passed the House and the Senate. The
conference report passed the House and Senate. It was signed by the
President. We had two national referenda, called Presidential
elections. President Obama wins by 5 million votes.
We don't have the right to repeal ObamaCare. Call it what you want,
it's the law of the land.
But now I understand that we are being told that unless you gut this
legislation for an entire year, the Republican majority will not even
fund the government for 45 days. Really? What kind of a deal is that?
That's not reasonable.
The idea that you would send 800,000 people home tomorrow, not
knowing when they can come back to work, not even allowing them back to
their offices, and take billions of dollars out of this economy, erode
the confidence that people in the United States and around the world
ought to be able to have in the United States, and you are going to do
all this because you want to repeal a bill that is the law of the land,
just because you have the leverage that you can hold up the government
from being able to operate for 45 days? That's nuts.
Our Founders would be ashamed of what this Congress has become. We're
dysfunctional. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves. This ought to be
defeated.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price), the ranking member of the
Homeland Security Committee.
Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker we're now just hours away
from the Tea Party-inspired government shutdown. Here our Republican
colleagues go again, holding the economy hostage to their ideological
demands and their take-it-or-leave-it politics. This isn't the behavior
of responsible legislators or of a serious political party willing to
do what it takes to govern.
The only party that has actually compromised on the bill before us is
Democrats, who have agreed to a short-term funding level below the
Senate budget resolution, despite our belief that we should be
replacing sequestration instead of locking it in.
By contrast, Republican leaders have steadfastly refused to go to
conference to work out a budget with Senate Democrats. They walked away
from negotiations with the President on a comprehensive budget deal in
December. And now it is Republicans, as the President said, who are
demanding a ransom merely for doing their job of keeping the government
open. That ransom, incredibly, is health insurance for millions of our
fellow citizens.
The Affordable Care Act has been upheld as the law of the land by a
majority of Congress, a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court, and a
majority of Americans at the ballot box. If the junior senator from
Texas and his acolytes think they can overturn those decisions
unilaterally, I suggest they consult the Constitution. I'd be happy to
loan them a copy.
Mr. Speaker, we've got to reject this latest Republican ploy, and
this body, this country, has got to get back to the basics: keep the
government running, pay the country's bills, and negotiate a
comprehensive budget plan that ensures our fiscal future.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the
balance of my time.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Farr).
Mr. FARR. Thank you very much, Congresswoman Lowey, for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, for those that may not understand what we're trying to
do, all we have to do is pass one simple bill that was here in the
House--the Senate gave it to us--and let's keep the government up for a
number of days and continue to argue the other issues. But no, that's
not what we're doing. We're taking that bill and just loading it up
with a bunch of stuff that's been rejected time and time again. The
consequence of that is you're not going to have a bill to the President
tonight and the government will have to shut down.
It's a huge mistake. And it's not something we do. We've never done
it. In fact, in the time I've been here, we've had big partisan
disputes. Our party fought vehemently against President Bush's decision
to go to war in Iraq. We thought it was without evidence and certainly
was going to cost the government a lot of money and probably not have a
great outcome. We didn't shut down the government after we lost that
debate. Instead, we tried to make it work.
We fought against welfare reform. We thought that that reform of
making everybody go to work even though they didn't know how to read
and write--and mothers should be taking care of their children--we
fought vehemently against it. And we lost. We didn't shut down
government. We made it work.
We fought again when Wall Street came in and said, Tomorrow, we fail.
We thought, Well, it's the Republican watch. They're responsible for
this. Wall Street is their business. They like that. But when we were
told that this was going to bring down the economy of the Nation and
the world, we helped get it passed. In fact, there were more Democratic
votes than Republican votes. We didn't shut down government. We made it
work.
Tonight, we're on the verge of shutting down government. It's going
to hurt a lot of people. It's going to hurt farmers who want to export
food. It's going to hurt 8.7 million mothers in this country who want
to feed their children on the WIC program. It's going to hurt 13
million children who go to school and will lose access to a school
breakfast. It's going to hurt 31 million children who will lose their
school meals. It will hurt 47 million low-income people who will not
have food stamps.
It's a mean, reckless, ill-conceived idea to shut down the
government.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the
balance of my time.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).
[[Page H6037]]
Ms. LEE of California. I want to thank the gentlelady for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, first, let me just say: here we go again, Mr. Speaker.
It's really no secret that the Tea Party Republicans came here not
really as public servants but to destroy and to decimate our
government. We are only hours away from Tea Party extremists achieving
their goal of shutting down the government. This is their dream goal.
They want to shut down the government and declare victory.
Frankly, Mr. Speaker, this is shameful, and it is downright wrong.
Their dream of shutdown will create a nightmare for millions. What
about the government workforce, who have families to feed and mortgages
or rent to pay? What about small businesses that stand to pay the costs
of these Tea Party antics? And yes, what about women and children who
will lose nutrition assistance? This is downright mean.
Make no mistake, the unnecessary GOP shutdown will have serious
consequences for millions. And it's entirely unnecessary. It's not
enough that the Republicans already voted 45 times to repeal all or
parts of the Affordable Care Act. It's not enough that the Affordable
Care Act is the law of the land and was upheld by the Supreme Court.
Tea Party extremists now want to violate this law in a very sinister
way.
It's not enough that their shutdown will hurt families and our
economy. This Tea Party obsession--and it's an obsession--to kill the
government and to deny health care to millions of Americans must end.
They need to do their job and keep the government open.
As President Obama said this afternoon:
You don't get to extract a ransom for doing your job.
This hostage-taking must end. We must vote ``no.'' We must keep the
government open. I urge all of us to think about those people who will
wake up tomorrow morning with their lives in such disarray and the
uncertainty that's going to exist. We should not do this. The American
people don't deserve this. We need to keep the government open. We're
pleading with the Tea Party extremists, Do not shut the government
down.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), chairman of the Appropriations
Subcommittee for Labor, Health and Human Services.
Mr. KINGSTON. I thank the gentleman from Kentucky.
Mr. Speaker, I want to say that we are here tonight to keep the
government open. I keep hearing that we want to shut the government
down. And yet this is actually our third attempt to send something to
the U.S. Senate to give them an opportunity to negotiate with us.
And why are we here talking about a continuing resolution to begin
with? We're here because this year, the House Appropriations Committee,
with my colleagues on the other side, has passed five separate
appropriations bills. There are 12 in total. Unfortunately, during the
time period that we've passed five, the Senate has passed zero. Last
year, the House passed seven and the Senate passed one.
After a while, you see there's a pattern. The Senate doesn't want to
work on regular order. The Senate really does prefer continuing
resolutions because then they can pull stunts like the one Harry Reid
is doing now.
You know, Mr. Speaker, where were they yesterday? Where were they
this weekend? The Senate adjourned. Where was the President? He was
playing golf. He was so concerned about the government being shut down.
Now, what is the issue with ObamaCare? The Speaker at the time, Ms.
Pelosi, said we need to pass the bill so we can find out what's in it.
{time} 2000
Now, that bill has grown to 7.5 feet in height, and we are reading
what's in it. But two things we know that it does not accomplish is it
does not decrease the cost of health care, and it does not increase the
accessibility. Those were the two major objectives. Those were the
selling points.
Health care is one-sixth of the economy. Therefore, I think it's the
right thing to fight over.
This is something that affects every American. We know already that
premiums have skyrocketed under ObamaCare and that they will only grow
worse. We also know that many major companies and smaller companies are
stopping providing insurance to their employees. Accessibility is going
down as well.
So ObamaCare has been a failure. Why is it that the Democrat Party
believes in it so bad? Even when it fails, they can't let go. I don't
think it's a bad thing to say, hey, you know what, we were wrong. We
tried to decrease the cost of health care, we tried to increase the
accessibility, but we did not achieve that. Therefore, maybe Harry Reid
should sit down with Speaker Boehner. Maybe the President of the United
States can interrupt his negotiations with the Iranians and come and
talk to the Americans, i.e., Republican Americans. I think it would be
a good thing. Again, Mr. Speaker, this will be our third attempt to
work with the Harry Reid Democrats to keep the government open.
But I want to say this also to my friends on the other side of the
aisle who have said they want to shut down the government. Let me
mention, we had 17 shutdowns since 1976. And often one might say, well,
that's when you had split government.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. The gentleman is recognized for an additional
1 minute.
Mr. KINGSTON. In 1977, the government shut down three separate
times--once for 8 days, a second time for 8 days, and another time for
12 days. The Democrats controlled the House, the Democrats controlled
the Senate, and there was a Democrat in the White House. Indeed, over
the history of the last 25 years, there have been a number of
government shutdowns until the Senate, the House, and the White House
sat down and negotiated. That's all we're saying tonight is, you know
what, we understand we don't control government, but we are willing to
negotiate.
It is time for cooler heads to prevail in the U.S. Senate. It's time
for the U.S. Senate to have some adult leadership and sit down with
House leadership and hammer out the differences. That's why we're here
right now, while the Senate, I believe, has already gone home. I guess
the President is no longer playing golf. But we are ready to negotiate.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is
remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from New York has 4 minutes
remaining, and the gentleman from Kentucky has 5\1/2\ minutes
remaining.
Mrs. LOWEY. I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).
Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, as 800,000 Federal employees think about
what their fate is going to be in a very few hours from now, we are on
the House floor as our Republican colleagues say, well, we'll pay for
the government if you accede to these three or four demands. It seems
like every day they come up with some new demands, but they don't ever
arrive at funding the government.
The American people know, Mr. Speaker, that there is a Senate bill, a
CR, a continuing resolution, which is ready that we can put on the
floor now and fund the government and avert the shutdown. My question
is, Will our Republican colleagues, will our Speaker do that?
There are moments when leadership is at issue, and this is one of
them. We need the leadership that will stand here and put the Senate's
clean continuing resolution on the floor so that we can avert a
government shutdown and make sure that Federal employees can pay their
mortgage, can buy groceries, and can have a future.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), the very distinguished Speaker of
the House of Representatives.
Mr. BOEHNER. Let me thank my colleague for yielding.
The American people don't want a shutdown, and neither do I. I didn't
come here to shut down the government. I came here to fight for a
smaller, less costly, and more accountable Federal Government. But here
we find
[[Page H6038]]
ourselves in this moment dealing with a law that's causing unknown
consequences and unknown damage to the American people and to our
economy, and that issue is ObamaCare.
For those of you who don't recall, it was passed in the middle of the
night, 2,300 pages that no one had ever read, and it's having all types
of consequences for the American people, our constituents; having all
kinds of consequences for employers. As a result, over the last couple
of years, the President has given his friends in the labor unions some
1,100 waivers to this law.
This summer, the President decided, well, we're not going to enforce
the employer mandate. Big employers around the country are all upset
about having to make sure they provided health care for their
employees, causing big problems. The result of all this is you've got
employers all over the country who can't hire people and who are
cutting the hours of their workers. It's having a devastating impact.
Something has to be done. So my Republican colleagues and I thought we
should defund the law for a year. We thought we should delay it for a
year. Our friends over in the Senate don't seem to want to go down that
path.
But I'm going to tell you what, this is an issue of fairness. How can
we give waivers and breaks to all of the big union guys out there, how
can we give a break to all of the big businesses out there, and yet
stick our constituents with a bill that they don't want and a bill they
can't afford? That's what this fight is all about.
I talked to the President earlier tonight: I'm not going to
negotiate. I'm not going to negotiate. We're not going to do this.
Well, I would say to the President, this is not about me and it's not
about Republicans here in Congress. It's about fairness for the
American people.
Why don't we make sure that every American is treated just like we
are? But, no, under the law and some decision, there's this idea that
we're going to get some exemption. No, we're not going to get an
exemption.
So the bill before us is very simple. It funds the government, and it
says let's treat our constituents fairly. No more mandate for the next
year that you have to buy insurance that you can't afford. No more
mandate that Members of Congress get some so-called ``exemption.''
Those are the only two issues here. All the Senate has to do is say
``yes'' and the government is funded tomorrow. Let's listen to our
constituents, and let's treat them the way we would want to be treated.
Mrs. LOWEY. I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, tonight is about the continuing destructive
obsession that our Republican friends have and their refusal to
recognize that there was an election just some months ago. You made the
argument to the American people, and they rejected that argument and
reelected President Obama. You have not gotten over that to this
minute; and as a result, you are about to shut down the government. You
can get up here and say over and over and over and over again, We don't
want to shut down the government; but, Mr. Speaker, their actions belie
their words.
Mr. Speaker, Democrats--as will surprise no one--are against shutting
down this government. It's bad for our people, it's bad for our
security, it's bad for our economy, it's bad for jobs. And you all know
that.
And you don't have the votes because the people elected Democrats as
the majority in the Senate and the President of the United States, and
they don't agree with you. Newt Gingrich said when that was the case,
you had to compromise.
What compromise are we talking about? We're taking your number--your
number--and you will not take ``yes'' for an answer. How sad. What a
shameful day this is in the history of the House of Representatives.
A shutdown would be harmful to our economy, our national security,
and the creation of jobs, as I just said. That's why we have
compromised and said we'll take your number to keep government open
while we negotiate over the next 6 weeks.
Nobody in your party rationally believed that you were going to
succeed in your objective--nobody. It's a political ploy. It's a
message, Mr. Speaker, to their most radical contingent. We are willing
to take the next 6 weeks to discuss how we get from where we are to
where we need to be.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mrs. LOWEY. I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.
Mr. HOYER. We could do that, Mr. Speaker, if only Republicans would
take ``yes'' for an answer.
Their Tea Party faction has made clear where it stands. They don't
like the Affordable Care Act--I don't think anybody doubts that--but
the Affordable Care Act has been upheld by the Supreme Court and
remains the law of our land.
Mr. Speaker, the Senate has now voted twice to send us a clean CR.
Now it's time for the Speaker and the majority leader to put the
Senate's clean compromise CR on this floor and, in their words, let the
House work its will. Have the courage, Mr. Speaker, to have the
majority party put on this floor a bill which will keep the government
open and which the Senate will pass.
Mr. Speaker, have the Republican Party have the courage of its
rhetoric and let the House work its will. I dare you to do that.
Let democracy work. Don't be dictating to America that they're going
to shut down the government. Let's vote on it. Put a clean CR on this
floor.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how many speakers
the gentlelady has remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman from New York
has expired.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time,
1 minute, to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor), the very
distinguished majority leader of the House.
Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for his leadership in
bringing this bill to the floor.
It's interesting, my colleague who just spoke, the Democratic whip,
talked about democracy and insisting that we bring democracy to the
House. Well, I would respond to my friend and tell him that democracy
is founded upon the principle that there is equal treatment under the
law.
So tonight's debate is not about trying to stifle democracy.
Tonight's debate is trying to insist that the minority party and its
policies, it's trying to stop the administration from carving out
special treatment for its special interests. It's about telling this
administration and this President that there should be no special
treatment for Members of Congress, there should be no special treatment
for big business. We all live under the same laws.
Mr. Speaker, hardworking Americans around this country want a
government that puts people first. Since ObamaCare was passed--in a
highly partisan manner--the President himself and other Members of his
party have offered unilateral exemptions and delays for special
interest groups and for Members of this Congress. So you've got to ask,
Why are Members of Congress exempt from the pains of ObamaCare? Why are
these special interests exempt from the pains of ObamaCare? Shouldn't
we also exempt the hardworking families of this country from the pains
of ObamaCare?
There should be no special treatment for anyone under the law. That
is a founding principle of this country. No special treatment for
anyone. Equal application, equal treatment under the law.
Delaying the individual mandate for American families and withdrawing
the exemption for Members of Congress is what this bill is about, and
it is the right thing to do.
Now is the time for our President to lead. Now is the time for the
Senate to act. Their stubborn refusal to work across the aisle is the
reason why Americans today are so frustrated by what they see in
Washington.
House Republicans have now offered three possible solutions to fund
our government and to protect working middle class families from losing
a job, from losing their health care, or losing part of their paycheck
due to ObamaCare.
{time} 2015
Senate Democrats have offered nothing. Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, they
didn't even show up for work.
No one should shut down the government in order to protect special
treatment from Members of this House or
[[Page H6039]]
the other body. No one should shut down this government in order to
protect special treatment for big business and special interests. It is
time for all of us to think about America's hardworking middle class
families.
Now is the time to pass this resolution to keep the government
working on behalf of the people who sent us here, and I urge my
colleagues in the House to support this continuing resolution.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on the Continuing
Resolution to fund the Federal. The Senate sent over a Continuing
Resolution that would fund the government and included an agreement
that the men and women of the armed services should receive their pay.
Unfortunately, the House Rules Committee, which must review and
establish a rule for all bills brought before the House has once again
changed the Senate bill to require a 1 year delay in the personal
mandate for the Affordable Care Act, but added another change that
would remove a subsidy for members of Congress and their staff.
What they fail to say is that Congress and Congressional staff are
the only group in the nation that is required by the law to only get
its healthcare through the Affordable Care Act Health Exchange
Marketplace.
Ecclesiastics says that ``To everything there is a season, and a time
to every purpose under the heaven: There is a purpose or reason for
everything that happens, be it called good or be it called bad, by
whomever perceives it as such. No matter, there is a time and place for
everything.''
The men and women of this Congress know that the time and season for
making decisions regarding the budget of our Nation ends at midnight
tonight--Monday, September 30, 2013.
The season for making decisions about funding the government began in
January of this year, stretched on through the Spring, and was with us
during the Summer now the end is upon us.
The majority of this body has not been able to organize themselves to
do--or consider anything during the season for budget drafting and
appropriations' legislation except to attempt to end the Affordable
Care Act.
The members of the United States House of Representatives know the
rules for the legislative budgetary process very well, but for the
benefit of the millions of people who are watching this debate or
listening to it--you might find it helpful to understand why there is
so much dissention.
I would like to give you a brief outline of the work we are supposed
to do on your behalf regarding funding the government: The Congress is
to:
Pass a budget that is agreed to by both the House and the Senate;
Pass 12 appropriations bills that do not exceed the agreed upon
budget to fund the entire Federal Government for the next fiscal year;
Complete the appropriations bills with both the House and the Senate
agreeing to the language of each before and agreed to by both the House
and the Senate and sent to the President's desk for signature; and
rarely use Continuing Resolutions when Congress fails to complete all
12 bills before the fiscal year ends to ensure that the business of the
Federal Government continues uninterrupted.
For most Americans this may mean very little because it is a
Congressional administrative function that often used to help fund a
few appropriations measures that may not be completed before the end of
calendar year, which is midnight, Monday, September 30, 2013.
This year the use of the Continuing Resolution is different because
we have not completed work on a budget bill nor have we completed work
on any appropriations bill--not even the Defense Department's
Appropriations legislation.
The House and the Senate have found agreement that a Continuing
Resolution for the next Fiscal Year that will begin at 12:01 Tuesday,
October 1, 2013 should provide that the Armed Forces who risk their
lives to protect our freedoms deserve the support and resources needed
to perform their duties, and that includes being paid in full and on
time so they can provide for their families and loved ones.
Mr. Speaker, it would not be necessary to have to devote the
considerable amount of time needed to debate and pass this legislation
in the House and Senate and present it to the President if the House
would simply pass the clean continuing resolution passed yesterday by
the Senate.
The CR approved by the Senate funds the government and avoids a
shutdown. President Obama has stated that he will sign it into law.
The clean CR passed by the Senate ensures that all the employees of
the federal government are paid for the valuable and important service
they provide to our nation.
Mr. Speaker, instead of exempting certain groups and persons from the
harm caused by a government shutdown, we should instead be focused on
avoiding a shutdown, which helps no one and hurts our economy.
Those of who were serving in this body 17 years ago remember the harm
caused when the Republicans shut down the government on two different
occasions, which directly cost taxpayers $1.4 billion. That is $2.1
billion in today's dollars.
The last time Republicans engineered a shut down of the government:
368 national park sites were closed.
200,000 applications for passports went unprocessed.
$3.7 billion of $18 billion in local contracts went unpaid.
My state of Texas would be hit very hard and suffer unnecessarily if
a government shut down is not prevented.
Within days Texas would begin experiencing the impact of cutbacks in
the $64.7 billion in federal spending that it receives annually,
including the loss of:
$518 million in federal highway funds,
$411 million for interstate highway maintenance,
$130 million in home energy assistance for the poor,
$71 million in Homeland Security grants,
$55 million in coordinated border infrastructure and
$97 million in federal adoption assistance.
As a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, I am
particularly concerned over the impact of a government shutdown on
operations and activities that protect and secure the homeland Impacts
of shutdown in Texas on homeland security.
For example, a shutdown would adversely affect the following:
Law Enforcement and Other Training: Law enforcement training would
cease, including those conducted through the Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center and the Secret Service's J. Rowley Training Center.
This would impact CBP, ICE, Secret Service, the Federal Air Marshal
Service, and would delay their ability to bring new hires into
operational service. TSA would also not be able to conduct training for
screeners, Behavior Detection Officers or canine units.
Frontline Personnel Hardships: The majority of the workforces in
Custom and Border Protection's (CBP) Border Patrol, Immigration and
Customs Enforcement, (ICE) enforcement efforts, Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) aviation passenger screening, and the Coast Guard,
who are heavily reliant upon receiving biweekly paychecks, would not be
paid biweekly during a federal funding hiatus
Grant Programs for State and Local Preparedness: All DHS and Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personnel working on grants programs
would be furloughed, ceasing any further activity intended to help
build state and local resiliency. Should a federal funding hiatus be
prolonged, state and local communities may have to eliminate jobs that
are dependent upon grants funding. Further activity under the Securing
the Cities program would be suspended.
In addition, a government shutdown will hurt children, seniors,
working families, and the economically vulnerable:
Military Readiness: In Texas, approximately 52,000 civilian
Department of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay
by around $274.8 million in total.
Law Enforcement and Public Safety Funds for Crime Prevention and
Prosecution: Funding will be halted to Texas on an annualized portion
of the $1,103,000 in Justice Assistance Grants that support law
enforcement, prosecution and courts, crime prevention and education,
corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement,
and crime victim and witness initiatives.
Vaccines for Children: In Texas around 9,730 fewer children will not
receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus,
whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B due to reduced funding for
personnel who administer programs that provide funding for
vaccinations.
Nutrition Assistance for Seniors: Texas would lose approximately
$3,557,000 in funds that make it possible to provide meals for seniors.
For these reasons, we should be working to pass H.J. Res. 59 as
amended by the Senate. That is the best way to keep faith with all
persons who serve the American people as employees of the Federal
Government, and those who depend upon the services they provide.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Continuing
Resolution to delay the individual mandate for a year and undue the
ObamaCare exemption for Members of Congress. This is about fairness to
the American people, who are sick and tired of the hypocrisy of the
political class.
We are a nation of laws and when the ruling elite are given a free
pass while millions of our constituents are forced into a new health
care
[[Page H6040]]
regime that drives up premiums, erodes the quality of care and puts the
government between them and their doctors, we lose the trust of the
American people.
As Teddy Roosevelt once said, ``No man is above the law and no man
is below it.'' Yet, through administrative ruling the Obama
Administration has exempted Members of Congress and their staff from
the very health care law that bears the President's name. Meanwhile,
the President, Vice President and their political employees are not
even required to be part of the new health exchanges. If this law is so
great, Mr. President, then why won't you and your political appointees
be subject to it?
The answer is simple: ObamaCare is not working and the doctor
doesn't want a taste of his own medicine.
Karen, from Cypress, Texas in my district wrote to me this week that
``as a benefits department employee of an independent oil and gas
exploration and production company, I have major issues with ObamaCare.
I abhor the waste of my department's time and expense in documenting
our policies just to show Congress that we already comply with the
mandates, despite the lack of guidance we get. Seems to me Congress is
punishing employers who offer good coverage. How is this going to help
anyone? And don't even get me started on the administration exempting
themselves all from it. That rankles more than almost anything else.''
Another one of my constituents, an insurance agent who also happens
to be the Mayor of Tomball, Texas, called my office this week and told
me that her clients--which include businesses in and around my
district--have no idea what is required of them under the law. The
Obama Administration has given thousands of waivers to businesses,
delayed implementation of dozens of provisions of the law and no one
know what to expect next.
What we do know if that ObamaCare is not ready for prime time. We
must give our constituents the certainty of a full year delay of the
individual mandate. Anything short will only result in more chaos and
confusion, not to mention skyrocketing premiums, billions in new taxes
and the erosion of the doctor-patient relationship.
Most importantly, elected officials must be treated the same as the
people they represent. No exemption for Members of Congress!
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 367, the previous question is ordered.
The question is on the motion.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Recorded Vote
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, this 15-
minute vote on adoption of the motion will be followed by a 5-minute
vote on approval of the Journal, if ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 228,
noes 201, not voting 3, as follows:
[Roll No. 504]
AYES--228
Aderholt
Amash
Amodei
Bachus
Barber
Barletta
Barr
Barrow (GA)
Benishek
Bentivolio
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Black
Blackburn
Boehner
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Bridenstine
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
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
DeSantis
DesJarlais
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Ellmers
Farenthold
Fincher
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gardner
Garrett
Gerlach
Gibbs
Gibson
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Graves (GA)
Graves (MO)
Griffin (AR)
Griffith (VA)
Grimm
Guthrie
Hall
Hanna
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Hastings (WA)
Heck (NV)
Hensarling
Herrera Beutler
Holding
Horsford
Hudson
Huelskamp
Huizenga (MI)
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurt
Issa
Jenkins
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, Sam
Jones
Jordan
Joyce
Kelly (PA)
Kingston
Kinzinger (IL)
Kline
Labrador
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Lance
Lankford
Latham
Latta
LoBiondo
Long
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lummis
Maffei
Maloney, Sean
Marchant
Marino
Matheson
McCarthy (CA)
McCaul
McClintock
McHenry
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
Meadows
Meehan
Messer
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, Gary
Mullin
Mulvaney
Murphy (PA)
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 (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Rooney
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothfus
Royce
Ruiz
Runyan
Ryan (WI)
Salmon
Sanford
Scalise
Schock
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Sinema
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Southerland
Stewart
Stivers
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--201
Andrews
Bachmann
Barton
Bass
Beatty
Becerra
Bera (CA)
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blumenauer
Bonamici
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Broun (GA)
Brown (FL)
Brownley (CA)
Bustos
Butterfield
Capps
Capuano
Cardenas
Carney
Carson (IN)
Cartwright
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chu
Cicilline
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Courtney
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
Dent
Deutch
Diaz-Balart
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle
Duckworth
Edwards
Ellison
Engel
Enyart
Eshoo
Esty
Farr
Fattah
Foster
Frankel (FL)
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Garcia
Gingrey (GA)
Gohmert
Granger
Grayson
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hahn
Hanabusa
Hastings (FL)
Heck (WA)
Higgins
Himes
Hinojosa
Holt
Honda
Hoyer
Huffman
Israel
Jackson Lee
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilmer
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kirkpatrick
Kuster
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lee (CA)
Levin
Lewis
Lipinski
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lujan Grisham (NM)
Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
Lynch
Maloney, Carolyn
Massie
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
Polis
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rahall
Rangel
Richmond
Rogers (AL)
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schneider
Schrader
Schwartz
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Serrano
Sewell (AL)
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Speier
Swalwell (CA)
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Titus
Tonko
Tsongas
Van Hollen
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watt
Waxman
Welch
Wilson (FL)
Yarmuth
NOT VOTING--3
McCarthy (NY)
Rush
Stockman
{time} 2040
Mr. CRAWFORD changed his vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the motion was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________