[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 138 (Monday, October 7, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H6323-H6324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              WHY WE FIGHT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Brooks) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BROOKS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, the ``Band of Brothers'' episode, 
``Why We Fight,'' reminds me of an experience my father, Jack Brooks, 
shared with me. At age 23, dad was a combat engineer in General 
Patton's army. Near war's end, dad was ordered to help at a German 
concentration camp. Dad and his fellow soldiers saw human bodies 
decomposing and stacked like cordwood, 5- and 6-feet high, with lime 
sprinkled on them to retard the spread of disease. Those concentration 
camps helped my dad, and America, understand why we fought in Europe.
  Today, Washington is in an epic political battle that will affect 
America's future for decades and centuries to come. Some see a fight 
between Republicans and Democrats. I see a fight between those who are 
financially responsible and those who are not, between those who have 
the understanding and backbone needed to prevent an American bankruptcy 
and those who do not.
  Why do I fight? I fight for America's children and grandchildren. I 
fight for America's future.
  President Obama's five deficits have averaged $1 trillion per year, 
the worst in history. America soon will blow through the $17 trillion 
debt mark, the worst in history.
  Mr. Speaker, it is challenging to grasp trillion-dollar deficits and 
a $17 trillion debt. Let me simplify. In each of the last 5 years, the 
Federal Government borrowed 20 to 30 percent of its operational costs. 
How many American families or businesses could avoid bankruptcy if, 
year after year, 20 to 30 percent of what they spent was borrowed 
money? Not many, and not for long.
  Economic principles don't care if you are a family, a business, or a 
country. If you borrow more than you can pay back, you go bankrupt. 
America has been warned of the consequences of financial 
irresponsibility. Greece is further down the debt path than America. 
Greece's unemployment rate is 27 percent, worse than any year in 
America's Great Depression.
  Earlier this year, Cyprus confiscated as much as 60 percent of their 
citizens' savings and checking accounts. The Detroit and Stockton 
municipal bankruptcies risk retirees losing their pensions.
  President Obama's former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 
Admiral Michael Mullen, warned Congress that America's greatest 
national security threat is not Iran, not al Qaeda, not China, not 
Russia; it is our debt. Admiral Mullen is prophetic. In recent history, 
no enemy has done as much damage to America's military and national 
security as have debt and sequestration.
  President Obama's Comptroller General, Gene Dodaro, warned Congress 
and the White House earlier this year that America's deficits and debt 
are unsustainable, which brings us to today's fight involving a 
government shutdown, debt ceilings, and socialized medicine. No 
question, a government shutdown hampers the economy. Between 1976 and 
1995, there were 17 government shutdowns. Yet, America's economy boomed 
in the 1980s and 1990s. Shutdowns can be overcome.
  No question, not raising the debt ceiling poses economic risk. No one 
knows for sure how much risk, because America has never crossed this 
threshold before. Whatever it is, it can be overcome.
  Knowing these risks, why do I fight over funding bills, the debt 
ceiling, and socialized medicine? Because too many Washington 
politicians pander to the next election's voters without caring one 
whit about America's future--because appropriations bills, continuing 
resolutions, the debt ceiling, and the like are the only leverage I 
have to cajole financially irresponsible Washington politicians into 
doing what must be done to prevent an American bankruptcy.
  It is because, as bad as government shutdown and debt ceiling risks 
may be, they are relatively inconsequential compared to the economic 
devastation resulting from an American bankruptcy. Think about the 
chaos and hardship that will ensue if America has no national defense, 
no FBI, CIA, or DEA, no Social Security, Medicaid, or Medicare, no 
NASA, no justice system

[[Page H6324]]

because an American bankruptcy has deprived us of the money needed to 
pay for them.
  Why do I fight? I fight to minimize the risk of America suffering a 
debilitating bankruptcy that can destroy the America it took our 
ancestors centuries to build.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my duty to use any tools I can to win that fight, 
because this is one fight America cannot afford to lose. That is why I 
fight.

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