[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6864]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. TIMOTHY V. JOHNSON

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 10, 2009

  Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Madam Speaker, unfortunately on Friday March 
6, 2009, I was unable to cast my votes on Approving the Journal, the 
Motion to Recommit on H.J. Res. 38, and H.J. Res. 38 and wish the 
record to reflect my intentions had I been able to vote.
  Had I been present for rollcall No. 107, on Approving the Journal, I 
would have voted ``aye''.
  Had I been present for rollcall No. 108, on the Motion to Recommit on 
H.J. Res. 38, the Continuing Resolution, extending it through the end 
of Fiscal Year 2009, I would have voted ``aye''.
  Had I been present for rollcall No. 109, on passing H.J. Res. 38, the 
Continuing Resolution through March 11, 2009, I would have voted 
``nay''. It is high time we buckled down and got our work done in a 
timely fashion and in an open and transparent process. This Omnibus 
Appropriations bill is long overdue, but at the same time we should not 
be throwing a bill on the House floor that has been cobbled together by 
a select few Democrats behind closed doors. The result is what we 
witnessed in the Senate where it could not pass by the time the current 
CR expired and the need arose to pass another short term CR through 
March 11, 2009. This process needs reform and it is my hope that the 
FY2010 Appropriations process will move under regular order and by the 
start of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2009.

                          ____________________