[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 11]
[HOU]
[Page 15305]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      DELIVERING ON VOTERS' DEMAND FOR BOTH PARTIES TO COMPROMISE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Connolly) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Those of you watching on C-SPAN just heard 
from my friend from Tennessee the unwillingness of the Republican side 
of the aisle to even recognize that elections have consequences, that, 
in fact, the President won reelection decisively. Democrats made gains 
in the Senate and gains here in the House.
  It's time to put aside the talking points. It's time to come together 
for this country.
  Mr. Speaker, Speaker Boehner actually said it well. He said the 
mandate from the election of last week is ``for us to find a way to 
work together on solutions to the challenges we face as a Nation.''
  I can't agree more. Elections have consequences, and our ability to 
avert the fiscal cliff, in which expiring tax cuts and across-the-board 
spending cuts are on a collision course to derail this economy, 
requires us to respect that directive from voters.
  Yet, once again, lines are being drawn--you just heard it--over what 
types of revenue will be considered or what cuts are considered too 
steep. I hope I was not the only one astounded by the comments of the 
CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, who recently said, ``the oil 
and gas industry will not be singled out for punitive treatment.''
  How fascinating. Perhaps I could introduce him to the Federal 
workforce, our Federal employees who are, so far, the only group to be 
singled out for punitive treatment, to the tune of $75 billion of 
deficit reduction. They understand the principle of shared sacrifice 
and have patiently been waiting for everybody else to actually share in 
it.
  Mr. Speaker, our chances for success in fending off the fiscal cliff 
become even slimmer if we start removing options from the table, as my 
friend from Tennessee just did, before we've even sat down at that 
table. America voted for and deserves a divided government that 
actually works.
  The last time I checked, divided government doesn't mean it's going 
to be my way or the highway, or your way or the highway, or Grover 
Norquist's way or the highway. Divided government can and has succeeded 
in the past when leaders have done that thing which we have not been 
able to achieve very often in these last 2 years: compromise.
  That is the singular message from our voters this year, compromise. 
Work together to move the economy, our families, and our Nation 
forward. I've repeatedly heard that mantra from across my community, 
whether it's from seniors, teachers, small businesses or my own 
neighbors.
  And now the Nation's business leaders are starting to echo that call. 
In fact, the head of the Business Roundtable, the former Republican 
Governor of Michigan, and other top CEOs are asking Congress to do just 
that, compromise.
  In addition, the Task Force of American Innovation, comprised of our 
Nation's top technology companies, is urging us to preserve Federal 
investments in education and R&D, which are the bedrock of future 
innovation and competitiveness. And this week even the U.S. Chamber of 
Commerce said it was open to a compromise that included revenue.
  These are the constructive voices I hope my colleagues listen to as 
we approach negotiations on the fiscal cliff. Politics is the art of 
compromise and, working together, we can reduce our Nation's deficit 
and preserve strategic investments in those programs that fuel economic 
growth and competitiveness.
  Even in the midst of the Civil War, President Lincoln and the 38th 
Congress authorized the Transcontinental Railroad, the Homestead Act, 
and the land grant college and university system. They understood we 
had to invest in the future, while also dealing with the crisis of the 
present.
  No doubt, we all have something to lose if we do not succeed. So 
perhaps, by each of us giving a little, we can revive this economic 
recovery, restore faith in our ability to govern responsibly, and 
deliver on that mandate we just got last week from the voters.


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to address their 
remarks to the Chair and not to a perceived viewing audience.

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