[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 4933]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     CONCERNED ABOUT AMERICA'S DEBT

  (Mr. MEEK of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor this morning 
to not only share with the American people, but also with the majority 
side that constantly talks about the fact that they are responsible 
with the people's money. I just want to, again, come to the floor and 
say that this Republican majority, along with this President, has 
increased the debt owned by foreign nations by $1.05 trillion, 
something that 42 Presidents before him were not able to accomplish.
  I further want to bring to the attention of the House here, Madam 
Speaker, the fact that Newt Gingrich, who was a former Speaker of this 
House and delivered this Republican majority to the majority, is now 
saying that they are seen by the country as being in charge of a 
government that cannot function.
  Now, I can tell you, Madam Speaker, as a Democrat, I would be 
concerned if a former Speaker was referring to the Democratic Caucus as 
``they.'' That means that the American people are very concerned about 
what is going on here. I am concerned as an American. And as we go to 
vote on this budget, we have to think about the people that have sent 
us up here.
  So I want to say here on the Democratic side, we are willing to pay 
as we go. But the bottom line is, third-party validator, former Speaker 
Newt Gingrich, is calling the Republican majority ``they.''

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