[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 88 (Wednesday, May 24, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H2578]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM

  (Mr. SCALISE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, as we all know, the House has already 
voted to address the debt ceiling.
  Madam Speaker, on April 26, this House passed the Limit, Save, Grow 
Act. I should say some of this House, but a majority of this House 
passed a bill to address not only the debt ceiling but also the 
spending problem in Washington that has brought us to this point.
  Now, I will also say, Madam Speaker, that for more than 4 weeks, the 
Senate has not even taken up action on that bill. In fact, the Senate 
is not even in session today or this week.
  Madam Speaker, following tomorrow's votes, if some new agreement is 
reached between President Biden and Speaker McCarthy, Members will 
receive 24 hours' notice in the event we need to return to Washington 
for any additional votes either over the weekend or next week.
  Additionally, we will allow all Members to have 72 hours to review 
any such legislative text that may come before us relating to the debt 
ceiling before final passage of that bill.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. 
Clark).
  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I don't know how my 
colleagues across the aisle who voted for the default on America act 
are going to look our veterans in the eye this Memorial Day.
  You have presented our country with an impossible choice: devastating 
cuts or devastating default, hungry families or homeless seniors, kids 
without classrooms or parents without jobs, empty VA clinics or empty 
savings accounts.
  Now you are sending us home with no resolution. That is the plan: to 
default, to run out the clock.
  Well, I have some good news for you. Madam Speaker, 213 Members of 
the Democratic Caucus have signed the discharge petition.
  So before you go home, it only takes five patriots to join us in the 
fight for the American people. Join us. Sign the petition. Stay here 
and fight for American families. Fight for their American security.
  Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, reclaiming my time.
  Maybe my colleagues on the other side are having buyer's remorse, or 
should I say voter's remorse, that every single one of them voted 
against addressing the debt ceiling over a month ago when we brought 
that bill to the floor.
  Now, Madam Speaker, there is a remedy. If anyone in this Chamber, 
including my friends on the other side, would like to see this problem 
addressed, they should go over to the Senate side.
  Frankly, there is no one there. They should get on the phone and call 
the Democrat Senators who run the Senate and chose to be out this whole 
week because they took this so seriously or call the White House and 
ask the President why he took 97 days off after the first meeting with 
Speaker McCarthy when the Speaker was ready to negotiate.
  We are still here. We have done our job. We have acted. We are, in 
fact, the only body in this town who has actually taken steps to 
address the debt ceiling and the spending problem in Washington.
  I encourage the Senate to take up the bill. I encourage the President 
to get engaged and address this problem, but we already have the votes 
on the board.
  I ask that the House be in order and there be some decorum on the 
other side.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to abide by decorum of 
the House.
  Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, while some in this town might be 
interested in theatrics, House Republicans took action.
  We passed a bill to address the problem. It is time for my friends on 
the other side to start doing their job.
  Call the Senate back in to take up the bill. If they don't like it, 
they can amend it. That is part of the legislative process. Let's get 
our jobs done. We have done ours. They need to do theirs.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________