[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3906]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     FUNDING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Connolly) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, the year-long continuing 
resolution the Republicans in this House passed last month on a 
straight party-line vote represents misguided values. House Republicans 
sought to cut an arbitrary amount of funding and did so with a meat ax, 
indiscriminately attacking worthwhile investments, giving no concern to 
the tremendously negative impact this irresponsible attack will have on 
our economy. In the race for ever-increasing and arbitrary cuts, they 
have demonstrated they know the cost of everything and the value of 
nothing.
  Moody's Analytics said that this approach would cost the Nation 
700,000 jobs. The Economic Policy Institute said 800,000 jobs. Goldman 
Sachs said the long-term Republican plan would lower economic growth by 
2 percent while increasing unemployment by 1 percent. Even the 
conservative Club for Growth called it a ``mistake,'' stating that 
``cutting spending is important, but economic growth is even more 
important.''
  The need for fiscal discipline, of course, is clear. We must return 
to a long-term path of fiscal responsibility to reduce deficits, but we 
must not sacrifice our values and our future all in the name of deficit 
reduction.
  Where Americans value health protections, the Republican CR slashes 
funding for food safety inspection, community health centers, women's 
health programs, and the National Institutes of Health.
  Where Americans value national security, the Republican plan 
eliminates funding for local police officers and firefighters 
protecting our communities and slashes funding for nuclear 
nonproliferation, air marshals, and Customs and Border Protection. 
Where Americans value the sacrifice our men and women in uniform make 
to protect us, the Republican plan slashes funding to assist homeless 
veterans.
  Where Americans value a focus on job creation, the Republican plan 
slashes funds for job training and dramatically reduces educational 
support. Where Americans value transportation improvements, the 
Republican plan slashes funding for infrastructure improvements and 
eliminates the Federal commitment to the Washington Metropolitan Area 
Transit Authority.
  Where Americans value clean air and water, the Republican plan 
destroys the Nation's long-fought environment protections. In fact, 
according to the organization Republicans for Environmental Protection, 
the Republican plan represents an unprecedented assault on America's 
environment.
  The Republican plan defunds the landmark Chesapeake Bay restoration 
effort, a joint effort of localities, States, and the Federal 
Government to protect and preserve America's largest estuary. In fact, 
that plan goes further and repeals longstanding Clean Water Act health 
protections, such as the ability to enact standards for arsenic 
pollution, lead pollution, and acid mine drainage in water supplies.
  The Republican plan also repeals much of the Clean Air Act, including 
the EPA's ability to protect us from mercury pollution, soot, and 
greenhouse gases. In fact, the CR even repeals the ability to monitor 
and track greenhouse gases, presumably because if you are not allowed 
to verify a potential problem, it must not exist.
  Where Americans value energy independence, the Republican plan 
endangers our security. Through the existing Clean Air Act, we are 
reducing our Nation's dependence on foreign oil through improved fuel 
efficiency standards. An agreement to improve fuel efficiency by 30 
percent by 2016 will result in American car owners saving $3,000 per 
vehicle and will reduce the Nation's oil dependence by 77 billion 
gallons of gasoline for vehicles produced from 2012 through 2016. This 
efficiency improvement will keep $9.9 billion from being sent to OPEC 
countries like Libya and Iran unless the Republican plan succeeds in 
overturning those efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, the continuing resolution passed 2 weeks ago is not 
responsible. It sacrifices our Nation's values, our health, our 
security, our economy, our transportation needs, our environmental 
plans, and hundreds of thousands of jobs.
  But now we have a chance to work together in a bipartisan fashion--
Republicans and Democrats working with the Senate--to reduce the 
deficit and in a conscientious manner. Let's work together to reach a 
compromise on funding the Federal Government that addresses the 
Nation's debt while preserving American values.

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