[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 134 (Wednesday, October 2, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H6107]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CR VS. APPROPRIATIONS BILL VS. DOD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Brooks) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BROOKS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government is shut 
down, thereby damaging America's economy generally, and the Tennessee 
Valley's economy in particular, where thousands of defense and NASA and 
other Federal Government employees have been furloughed because the 
President, in his discretion, designated them non-essential.
  I hope my remarks add clarity about the shutdown, its cause, and the 
efforts to fund the government.
  City, county and State governments across America pass one bill, 
called a budget, that funds services for their fiscal years.
  In contrast, Washington uses a three-step spending process. First, 
Washington should pass a bill that is called a budget, yet, does not, 
in fact, spend a dime. Rather, in Washington, the word budget is more 
like a game plan. It is much like a football coach's playbook. It lists 
the team's plays but does not, in and of itself, gain a single yard.
  Second, Washington should pass authorization bills that describe the 
programs the Federal Government is to operate. For example, the NASA 
authorization bill authorizes NASA to work on the Space Launch System 
so that America can have a human space flight program. Like budgets, 
authorization bills spend no money.
  Third, Washington must pass appropriation bills to actually spend 
money on the programs authorized. If Congress fails to pass 
appropriation bills, then Congress uses continuing resolutions as 
crutches for our failure.
  There are 12 appropriation bills that, collectively, fund the Federal 
Government. So far this year, the House, months ago, passed 
appropriation bills for national defense, energy and water, homeland 
security, military construction, and veterans affairs.
  If the Senate passes these appropriation bills, then each of these 
Federal programs are fully funded and exempt from the Federal 
Government shutdown. That's correct: exempt from the shutdown.
  Unfortunately, the Senate inexplicably refuses to vote on any of the 
12 appropriation bills. Senate intransigence is why we are here today 
debating a continuing resolution to temporarily fund the Federal 
Government.
  For emphasis, continuing resolutions are the worst way to fund the 
Federal Government. By definition, continuing resolutions are for a 
short period. Speaker Boehner's CR is for 2\1/2\ months. Senate 
Majority Leader Harry Reid's CR is for even less, 1\1/2\ months.
  Each CR kicks the can down the road and forces America to quickly 
face yet another shutdown risk. Each CR means Federal agencies cannot 
plan long-term, and contracting officers are restricted in their 
ability to let contracts for services and goods provided by the private 
sector to the Federal Government and American citizens.
  Generally speaking, continuing resolutions fund at prior-year 
spending levels, which means spending does not change to reflect 
changing priorities, circumstances and challenges.
  In sum, continuing resolutions are inherently inefficient, waste tax 
dollars, and retard proper Federal government operation.
  Hence, I have historically voted against less-than-year-end 
continuing resolutions in hopes of forcing Congress to do the 
compromising necessary to pass authorization and appropriations bills. 
This work will not be done so long as the continuing resolution crutch 
protects Congress from failure.
  Which brings us to today. The Senate, White House and Congress agree 
on roughly 99 percent of the appropriation bills. Let me emphasize 
that. The Senate, White House and Congress agree on roughly 99 percent 
of the appropriation bills.
  The solution, therefore, to our impasse is simple. Congress and the 
White House should fully fund the 99 percent we agree on, end the 
government shutdown, and work out our differences on the remaining 1 
percent.
  Instead, the Senate and White House use a Federal Government shutdown 
to coerce the House of Representatives into spending money America does 
not have on a socialized medicine program that does not work and that a 
majority of Americans do not want.
  Yesterday, I spoke with House leadership, and I urged them to pass 
bills that, one at a time, fund the 99 percent of the Federal 
Government that we agree on. I thank the House leadership for doing 
exactly that yesterday and today. Each bill we pass exempts yet another 
part of the Federal government from the shutdown.
  I urge my friends across the aisle to stop using the 99 percent as a 
hostage, to stop punishing citizens across America in their effort to 
coerce the House of Representatives into funding the 1 percent we have 
a legitimate disagreement on.
  I urge my friends across the aisle to join us, to join America, to 
compromise, yes, to compromise, and pass as many funding bills as we 
can to minimize and eliminate the harmful effects of a Federal 
Government shutdown.

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