[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19201]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER ON AN ENERGY BILL

  (Mr. McCARTHY of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, like most every Member 
inside this House, the first day that you are sworn in is a highlight, 
one of the highlights in your life. As I look across this floor, I see 
Members from both sides of the aisle that experienced that for the very 
first time with me this January.
  I sat on the floor, and I brought my young son and daughter with me. 
I listened intently as Madam Speaker held the gavel to the words that 
she said that we're going to define this Congress, define this Nation. 
And the words that she spoke that rang to me that I applauded, I stood 
up and said ``yes,'' was this was going to be a Congress of 
partnership, not partisanship.
  It's sad to say that today this is not a Congress of partnership. We 
may be from different sides of the aisle, we may be Republican, we may 
be Democrat; but first and foremost, we are American. We are Americans 
with a desire to have an American energy independent policy, and it's 
sad to say that this bill does not. This bill, created in the middle of 
the night.
  And when you think about where you sit and what part you're a part 
of, that the Chamber, that this dome that we're under today was built 
during the Civil War confronting the challenges that face America. We 
can meet that challenge, but we can only meet it with partnership, and 
we need to come together and vote against this bill today.

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