[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16064]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       DEMOCRATS' BROKEN PROMISES

  (Mr. BOEHNER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker and my colleagues, 3 years ago the 
Democrat leadership, in their document ``A New Direction,'' made these 
promises: ``Every person in America has a right to have his or her 
voice heard. No Member of Congress should be silenced on the House 
floor.''
  Secondly: ``Respectful of both the wishes of the Founders and the 
expectations of the American people, we offer the following principles 
to restore democracy in the people's House, guaranteeing that the 
voices of all people are heard.''
  And, thirdly, one of those principles was this: ``Bills should 
generally come to the floor under a procedure that allows for an open, 
full, and fair debate, consisting of a full amendment process that 
grants the minority its right to offer alternatives, including a 
substitute.''
  Madam Speaker, today, and over the last few months, the majority is 
breaking its promise. Why? Because Democrats here in Congress just 
can't spend taxpayer money fast enough. It is bad for taxpayers who are 
already paying too much, and it's even worse for future generations who 
will inherit the Democrats' mountain of unsustainable debt.
  Americans want Democrats to stop the spending and start keeping their 
promises, like helping to create more jobs in America. Where are the 
jobs that the administration and Democrats in Congress promised? After 
we passed the stimulus bill, where are the jobs? We haven't seen them 
yet. The American people deserve better, and Republicans will continue 
to demand it.
  Madam Speaker, in my hand is the most dangerous credit card in the 
history of the world, it is also the most expensive: it is a voting 
card for Members of Congress. This voting card this year has been used 
to rack up trillions of dollars worth of additional debt, additional 
debt that our kids and our grandkids will be burdened under and will be 
imprisoned by.
  Listen, we've got important work to do here on the floor, such as the 
Defense Authorization bill that we are about to take up. Republicans 
have been working with Democrats on this bill to get it done in a 
bipartisan way. And I think we also have a responsibility to protect 
taxpayers from Washington's out-of-control spending. We take that 
seriously as well, and we will never yield in our effort to protect 
taxpayers and future generations.

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