[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15001-15002]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE 109TH CONGRESS

  (Mr. HASTERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, this week marks a significant time in the 
history of the House of Representatives, and in the future of the 
American people.
  Just 6 months into the 109th Congress, we have made some great 
strides. And this week we mark a milestone.
  You see, by the end of today, for the first time in nearly 20 years, 
the House of Representatives will have completed all of its 
appropriations bills before the July 4th holiday. It is an 
unprecedented success, and I want to thank and congratulate the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), chairman; the gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Obey); and the Committee on Appropriations for all their 
hard work and long hours.
  I am especially proud of Members under the House Republican 
leadership for their input and support for our overall agenda.
  Just like families must live within their budgets, the Federal 
Government must live within its means. We have passed appropriations 
bills that have been fiscally responsible while recognizing our 
national priorities.
  We set out important goals in our budget: to provide overall 
increases only to defend America at home and abroad. We have kept that 
promise.
  Earlier this spring, we passed a wartime supplemental that gives our 
troops the tools they need to fight the war on terror. That same 
legislation, which is now law, includes provisions to protect our 
borders from terrorists by establishing Federal driver's license 
guidelines and beefing up our deportation laws.
  We passed a budget that continues to cut the deficit. It also 
requires us to slow the growth of entitlement programs for the first 
time since 1997. For the first time, we are going to reform these 
programs and we are going to save our taxpayers more money by 
eliminating waste and fraud and abuse.
  By restraining spending and by cutting the deficit, Republican 
policies are helping to keep our economy strong.
  Currently, our Nation's unemployment stands at 5.1 percent. That is 
the lowest it has been since before the September 11 attacks. More 
Americans, especially minorities, own homes now than ever before. 
Federal revenues are coming in well above estimates, which means the 
deficit will be lower than expected.
  And just yesterday we learned that overall economic growth was 3.8 
percent for the first quarter of 2005, higher than expected.

                              {time}  2350

  America's economy has now had 14 straight quarters of growth.
  On the domestic front, we passed legislation that will maintain our 
status as the world leader. We have passed legislation which the 
President signed into law which would curb class action lawsuits. This 
is a problem that has

[[Page 15002]]

been devastating to our small businesses across this country. Many of 
them spend on average $150,000 per year on litigation expenses. Our 
legislation will bring relief to those mom and pop small businesses.
  We passed a bankruptcy bill that will help curb the number of abusive 
and frivolous bankruptcy filings. That bill is now law. While the bill 
allows relief to those who truly need it, it is going to rein in those 
fraudulent bankruptcies that drive up the cost of credit to hard-
working Americans who pay their bills.
  We have moved to ease America's energy crisis. I am sure you have all 
heard from constituents upset about raising gas prices. In the long 
term, the comprehensive energy bill passed in this House will ease our 
dependence on foreign oil and curb high gas prices. It would also 
create nearly half a million jobs. I am pleased that the Senate this 
week passed their version of the bill, and I urge the Senate to quickly 
appoint conferees so that House and Senate negotiators can develop a 
compromise and send it to the President for his signature.
  We have passed and are now awaiting Senate action on legislation that 
permanently ends the death tax. Many of our small businesses are 
wrapped up in a loved one's estate. Figures show that 70 percent of 
family businesses do not survive a second generation. Ending the death 
tax penalty will do much to keep our economy moving.
  House and Senate negotiators have been working on a compromise for a 
transportation bill that would make much-needed improvements to Federal 
highways. Tonight they came to an agreement, both on a bipartisan and 
bicameral agreement, to move that bill forward. Economists estimate 
that for every $1 billion spent to improve our highways, 40,000 jobs 
will be created.
  On all of these accomplishments, I want to thank those Members on the 
other side of the aisle who chose to work together to get good things 
done for the American people.
  Our work is far from done. Next month we should complete work on 
conference reports, on job creation bills like the highway bill and the 
energy bill, as well as legislation dealing with CAFTA. We also plan to 
take up the PATRIOT Act, reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act and 
the taking of people's private property by the government. And soon we 
will begin the steps of reforming Social Security for coming 
generations.
  I am proud that this House under Republican leadership has stayed 
focused on a real agenda. We are doing what we can to improve 
conditions for America's families and to foster job creation, economic 
growth and innovation. We are getting the work done.
  One of my heroes, Ronald Reagan, once said, ``Government can and must 
provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle 
it.'' That has been the goal of our Republican Conference each time the 
American people have sent us back into leadership.
  In the end, I really do believe that we will be judged by our work 
and our accomplishments for the American people. The partisan sniping 
that has become the mainstay of Washington does nothing for the farmer 
back home in the cornfields of Illinois, the housewife in Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania or the struggling family in Greenville, Mississippi. We 
help the American people most by showing leadership, by taking action, 
by keeping our promises.
  This 109th Congress is off to an unprecedented start, and I thank our 
Members for their perseverance, their dedication and their commitment 
to the people of the United States of America. God bless you all.

                          ____________________