[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12465]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           TIME TO COMPROMISE

  (Ms. EDWARDS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, nearly 8 months ago we stood on the floor 
of this House led by the Republican majority, swore the oath of office 
to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and even read the 
Constitution here on the floor of the House.
  We read in the 14th amendment, Section 4: ``The validity of the 
public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts 
incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in 
suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned.''
  We read that, and here we are on the brink of default because the 
Republican majority has failed to compromise. The Republican majority 
said we won't do what we've done for every other President, which is 
give him a clean debt ceiling vote on this floor so that he can pay the 
debts and obligations of the United States.
  So seniors are waiting on Wednesday next week to know whether they're 
going to get their Social Security benefits. Military servicemembers 
are waiting for their checks. Retirees are waiting for their checks. 
And we stand here on the brink of default.
  I would ask the President of the United States to exercise whatever 
authority is necessary to pay our seniors their Social Security 
benefits and to meet the obligations of the United States.
  It's time for us to do our job. It's time for this majority to 
compromise. It's time for us to lead.

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