[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14690-14696]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PAY OUR MILITARY ACT

  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 366, I call 
up the bill (H.R. 3210) making continuing appropriations for military 
pay in the event of a Government shutdown, and ask for its immediate 
consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Poe of Texas). Pursuant to House 
Resolution 366, the bill is considered read.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3210

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Pay Our Military Act''.

     SEC. 2. CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
                   FORCES.

       (a) In General.--There are hereby appropriated for fiscal 
     year 2014, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise 
     appropriated, for any period during which interim or full-
     year appropriations for fiscal year 2014 are not in effect--
       (1) such sums as are necessary to provide pay and 
     allowances to members of the Armed Forces (as defined in 
     section 101(a)(4) of title 10, United States Code), including 
     reserve components thereof, who perform active service during 
     such period;
       (2) such sums as are necessary to provide pay and 
     allowances to the civilian personnel of the Department of 
     Defense (and the Department of Homeland Security in the case 
     of the Coast Guard) whom the Secretary concerned determines 
     are providing support to members of the Armed Forces 
     described in paragraph (1); and
       (3) such sums as are necessary to provide pay and 
     allowances to contractors of the Department of Defense (and 
     the Department of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast 
     Guard) whom the Secretary concerned determines are providing 
     support to members of the Armed Forces described in paragraph 
     (1).
       (b) Secretary Concerned Defined.--In this section, the term 
     ``Secretary concerned'' means--
       (1) the Secretary of Defense with respect to matters 
     concerning the Department of Defense; and
       (2) the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to 
     matters concerning the Coast Guard.

     SEC. 3. TERMINATION.

       Appropriations and funds made available and authority 
     granted pursuant to this Act shall be available until 
     whichever of the following first occurs: (1) the enactment 
     into law of an appropriation (including a continuing 
     appropriation) for any purpose for which amounts are made 
     available in section 2; (2) the enactment into law of the 
     applicable regular or continuing appropriations resolution or 
     other Act without any appropriation for such purpose; or (3) 
     January 1, 2015.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) 
and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran) each will control 20 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to

[[Page 14691]]

revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the 
consideration of H.R. 3210.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 3210 is called the Pay Our Military Act, and it's been 
introduced by Representative Mike Coffman and Representative Louie 
Gohmert, along with a number of other Members of Congress. The purpose 
of it is to authorize the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to continue to provide pay and allowances without 
interruption to the 1.4 million members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, 
Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, the men and women who perform services 
during any potential funding gap. Without this action, their pay could 
be delayed.
  Our troops should not suffer for Washington's failure to act. As the 
representative of more than 35,000 troops who are in and out of war 
zones, I know that they and their families cannot afford to miss one 
paycheck. Regardless of what happens in politics, we as Democrats and 
Republicans should be able to come together and ensure that our 
sailors, soldiers, and airmen are all paid and paid on time.
  During the government shutdown in 1995, soldiers were paid because 
the Department of Defense had already been funded for the year. Their 
appropriation bill had already been passed by both Houses and signed 
into law by the President of the United States. That is not the case 
today; therefore, H.R. 3210 is essential. Not only would it pay our 
troops, but it would permit the payment of civilian personnel and 
contractors whom the Secretary determines are providing support to the 
Members of our armed services.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to 
address this bill in general.
  This bill is an act of political theater. It attempts to cover up the 
underlying problem of a government shutdown with what in essence is a 
rhetorical gimmick. The bill claims to support our troops, which the 
majority knows that the minority party wants to do at least as much as 
they do. There's no disagreement in terms of the desire to make sure 
that all of our noble men and women in uniform and the civilians who 
work for the Defense Department and the contractors that contribute to 
our national security are all paid. We all want to do that. So why do 
we have this bill?
  Well, this bill attempts to reassure the public, who might be 
confused, as to what the adverse impacts of a government shutdown might 
be.

                              {time}  2300

  Mr. Speaker, it's important that the public understand that even with 
this bill, what we will do tonight, what the majority will do tonight 
will, nevertheless, fail to provide the materials essential to support 
and maintain the readiness of our U.S. forces.
  I'll list any number of activities that will, notwithstanding this 
bill, go unfunded if the government is shut down. And because of the 
action that really the majority will take tonight, it looks 
increasingly likely that will happen at the beginning of next week.
  Mr. Speaker, when we finish tonight, we will set in motion a 
situation where military medical treatment facilities will have to 
scale back operations. They will try not to impact inpatient care or 
acute and emergency outpatient care; but routine medical and dental 
procedures, elective surgery is likely to be stopped. Most maintenance 
activities would stop. Military members would continue to receive 
private sector care under TRICARE, but medical provider bills are going 
to go unpaid until appropriations are enacted.
  New contracts, including contract renewals and extensions and the 
issuance of task orders, those are not likely to be executed. Any new 
contract will not be paid until appropriations are enacted. Death 
benefits to the family members of military personnel killed in the line 
of duty are not likely to be paid until appropriations are enacted; in 
other words, they won't be if the government is shut down.
  Almost all travel for temporary duty and some permanent change of 
station moves would be delayed, canceled, or cut short. Many 
professional training and educational activities would be stopped.
  The bill fails to fund the materiel support needed to conduct 
training and ensure the readiness of our forces at home. Regular 
training exercises, including large-scale training rotations that are 
absolutely essential, depend on equipment that is in proper working 
order, facilities that have been properly maintained, and the supplies 
needed to support soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines.
  The bill fails to fund the procurement and research accounts that 
maintain the technological advantage of U.S. forces. It fails to fund 
the ships, the aircraft, ground equipment, sensors, and ammunition that 
our troops rely upon in combat. My friend from Georgia knows that about 
40 percent of the DOD appropriations bill goes to acquire and enhance 
this equipment. Failure to fund these accounts hurts the readiness of 
U.S. forces and degrades our defense industrial base.
  Now let me mention some of the other activities that will not be 
exempted, notwithstanding the fact that this bill will be passed 
virtually overwhelmingly. The Department of Veterans Affairs personnel 
charged with claims processing for veterans, including those returning 
from the last 12 years of combat, will not be paid. This legislation 
will nullify the progress that has been made by the VA on reducing the 
unacceptably high claims backlog.
  A shutdown cuts foreign military financing to Israel, a vital partner 
and ally that depends upon $3.1 billion being provided at the beginning 
of the fiscal year; and, thus, it undermines our national security in 
an ever-changing and unstable region by degrading Israel's ability to 
maintain a qualitative military advantage.
  These cuts will also have a direct impact on the industrial base 
throughout the United States, costing countless jobs that are funded 
through Israel's purchase of goods and services. Additionally, a 
shutdown will have a direct impact on our counterterrorism efforts, 
will halt programs that combat transnational crime, terrorism, and 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This could severely 
impact activities supporting our homeland security. It will stop 
counterdrug, anticrime, and border security efforts in Mexico and 
Central America that secure our own borders, as well as programs that 
advance democracy, including civil society and the rule of law.
  When the government shuts down, overseas operations are heavily 
affected. It would put at risk the physical protection for diplomatic 
personnel and facilities overseas and severely limit the ability of the 
State Department to provide for and maintain missions in increasingly 
dangerous locations. With all the rhetoric about Benghazi--and we share 
the concern about what happened--this, again, puts people at risk 
overseas.
  It would stop commercial export sales. A shutdown would force the 
State Department to impose indiscriminate cuts to embassy security and 
protection of personnel, thereby eroding the security of the United 
States Government diplomatic facilities and making it all but 
impossible to meet the requirements to provide safe and secure 
embassies overseas.
  All national parks would be closed, memorials and museums. There are 
401 of these locations throughout the country. Cumberland Island 
National Seashore would be closed. The Martin Luther King National 
Historic Site would be closed. The Chattahoochee River National 
Recreational Area would be closed. Fort Frederica National Monument on 
St. Simmons Island would be closed. And that's just to mention a few 
Federal facilities that I suspect the gentleman who is managing this 
bill is fully familiar with.
  We'll let go of 4,000 weather forecasters. We could go on and on. The 
Smithsonian will be closed. The Lincoln Memorial will be shut down. The 
National Zoo, Yellowstone.

[[Page 14692]]

  What are we doing this for? This doesn't make sense. All the wildlife 
refuges will be closed for hunting. This is hunting season.
  You know, this may not seem like a big deal; but I think the American 
people, when this is done, are going to realize the same thing they did 
back in 1995: wait a minute, we want these Federal activities. We need 
these Federal facilities. We need these jobs. Open up our government. 
And any Congress that acts to close it down is disserving the American 
public.
  We are not fulfilling our responsibilities if we allow this 
government to shut down, but that's exactly what we are doing with the 
action that the majority will be taking tonight.
  I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I can't imagine why Harry Reid and the 
Senate would shut down all these things for a health care bill called 
ObamaCare which is raising the cost of medicine and decreasing access 
to it.
  I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
  Mr. WOLF. I thank the chair.
  Mr. Speaker, the government should stay open. I support the 
legislation, but it can be improved.
  All employees who work without pay should be paid on time, including, 
for example, the CIA. I went to the memorial service where the CIA 
employees were killed in Khost; and they're side by side with the 
American military. The FBI, who is on the scene in Kenya now, 
investigating al-Shabab and the attack; DEA, Customs and Border Patrol 
agents, prison guards, doctors and nurses at VA hospitals, air traffic 
controllers, and Federal firefighters, many who gave their lives 
fighting wildfires around the country. Otherwise, they would be working 
without pay if the government closes.
  I believe that all Federal employees should be paid. We should not 
forget that several Federal employees were killed at the Navy Yard. I 
went to the memorial service and saw the pain of their families. And 
the CNO, who spoke, said they were supporting the fleet.
  So in closing, I am going to support this amendment; but Federal 
employees and their families should not be punished because the 
administration and the Congress cannot agree.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to associate myself with the comments 
of my good friend from Virginia (Mr. Wolf). I completely agree with him 
that we want both DOD personnel and the personnel of our other Federal 
agencies to be able to continue to come to work. I appreciate his 
comments.
  Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the very distinguished minority whip of the 
Congress who not only has substantial military activity within his 
district but very ably represents tens of thousands of Federal 
employees.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Virginia (Mr. Moran) 
for yielding.
  For 33 years, the gentleman from Virginia who just spoke and I have 
sought equity and fairness for our Federal employees, whether they be 
in uniform or in civilian clothes.
  I refer to this bill as ``selective responsibility.'' They know that 
the shutdown of government is irresponsible; and they know that neither 
the President nor the Senate is to agree, as they have not over and 
over and over again, to the proposal they have made. They know that 
they don't want to be so irresponsible as to put the men and women who 
defend our country at risk.
  And I might say, I believe every one of us in this House is going to 
vote for this bill. But my friend from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), who is my 
good friend and with whom I have worked side by side in a bipartisan 
way effectively for many, many interests--he's right.
  Now let me say that on the 16th of September, 10 people were struck 
down working for the defense of this country. I understand you will 
say, Oh, your bill covers them. I have attended two funerals, one on 
Wednesday and one today. I have spoken at both. With Mr. Wolf, I went 
to the marine barracks this past Sunday. The Commander in Chief, 
President Obama, spoke. Secretary Hagel, the Secretary of the 
Department of Defense, spoke. Secretary Mabus, the Secretary of the 
Navy, spoke. CNO Admiral Greenert spoke. And NAVSEA commander, which is 
located, of course, at the Navy Yard, Vice Admiral Bill Hilarides, 
spoke. They spoke about one Navy--uniform, civilian--working as a team. 
But they spoke more broadly than that in that all Federal employees are 
one team, joined together to make our government work as effectively as 
it can.
  We are the board of directors of that government; and I can't believe 
there is one of us, Mr. Speaker, that would serve on a board of 
directors and treat a large portion of our employees with such 
disrespect, with such lack of consideration, with such contempt at 
times as we treat our civilian employees.
  This bill does not cover the FBI. It doesn't cover CIA. Now you will 
argue, Oh, well, they're in the defense, and they'll be critical 
employees. But only some. It doesn't cover the National Institutes of 
Health to try to make America a healthier Nation. You want to defund 
ObamaCare; you want to defund NIH. And you will say, Of course not, Mr. 
Hoyer. This isn't a shutdown of government. It's a continuing 
resolution.
  Well, we know it has some poison pills in it. We know the Senate 
won't buy it. We know that time is running out, but we're going to do 
it anyway.
  This bill won't help the Food and Drug Administration. It won't help 
the Centers for Disease Control. It won't help Homeland Security, 
except in certain narrow instances.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Poe of Texas). The time of the gentleman 
has expired.
  Mr. MORAN. I yield the gentleman an additional 2 minutes.
  Mr. HOYER. It won't affect the Border Patrol. It won't affect the 
FAA, except in certain limited instances.
  What do you think the morale of the people who work for us, the board 
of directors, is at this point in time? I will tell you: it's on the 
floor. That's not good for our country.
  This is selective responsibility. Responsibility would be, let's fund 
government, and then let's debate these issues. We have debated this 
issue; and by the way, we won the debate in the election--not on this 
floor, in the election. But you refuse to accept the results of the 
election.
  We are all going to vote for this bill; but I will tell my friends on 
both sides of the aisle, it is time for us to give respect to our 
nonuniformed Federal personnel because they are critical to the success 
of this country, to the success of our people. And we can argue about 
how large or how small our government is, but we should not argue about 
the quality of people that we want in the government. We should not 
argue about the fact that we want their morale to be high because they 
feel respected, because they feel wanted and worthwhile and that the 
missions they perform, whatever their role, are appreciated as 
important for the American people.
  Any corporate head that you talk of and talk to and talk about will 
tell you you want to make sure your people understand that you believe 
in their worth. Because if you do not, you will not get what you want. 
We will all support this bill, but it is selective responsibility and 
will not excuse your rampant irresponsibility.

                              {time}  2315

  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the chairman of the 
Army Caucus, Judge John Carter from Texas.
  Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, this rhetoric is wonderful and I'm enjoying 
it, but I represent Fort Hood, Texas. Fort Hood has put more human 
beings in the fight in the last 10 or 11 years than any place on Earth.
  Not only soldiers go to war, but wives or husbands or spouses and 
children stay home. And they have the same human problems that 
everybody, every one of us have. I would venture to bet that every 
Member of this Congress when they're away from their spouse at some 
time has a conversation with their spouse to find out that the water 
heater went out or the air conditioner

[[Page 14693]]

isn't working or the kids have a problem in school or some other thing. 
You know, it weighs on us even when we have this job in this beautiful 
Chamber. But think about the soldier on the line in Afghanistan, with 
every waking and sleeping minute he's there, someone is trying to take 
his life; and yet they talk now freely with their families back home, 
and that same weight on them is magnified a thousand times.
  This bill tonight is about human beings, the fighting warriors of the 
United States of America and their families. And this bill tries to 
make sure that, in the outside chance that we ``reasonable people'' in 
this Chamber and the other Chamber can come to a compromise to keep 
this government going, and in the outside chance that nobody wants, 
that this government shuts down for whatever period of time, that the 
fighting men and women of this Nation and their families at home will 
have a paycheck.
  I think that this is such a small token to put before people who risk 
their lives, it would be almost a shame to debate any other way. I move 
that we pass this bill, and I hope, as my colleague said, 100 percent 
of us vote for it.
  Mr. MORAN. Does my friend from Georgia have many other speakers?
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, how much time do we have remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia has 14\1/2\ 
minutes remaining, and the gentleman from Virginia has 4\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Wittman).
  Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from 
Georgia for yielding.
  I have come to the floor many times this year to remind my colleagues 
that our Nation has no greater asset than the folks serving our Nation, 
including those who make up our Department of Defense, both military 
and civilian alike. And today I am glad to support this bill, and I am 
pleased to see the House is moving to ensure that our servicemembers 
and civilian Department of Defense employees and contractors will be 
paid, but we must also not forget all of the other Federal employees 
who serve our Nation on a daily basis. They do a fantastic job also.
  I am proud to represent tens of thousands of Federal employees and 
retirees who live in the First District of Virginia. These hardworking 
patriots serve our Nation on a daily basis, whether it be keeping our 
skies safe for travelers with the FAA, or supporting our troops on the 
front lines of the war on terror through the FBI and CIA, or the nurses 
and doctors in our veterans' hospitals.
  I firmly believe that the government must continue to operate to 
ensure our servicemembers and all of our Federal employees continue to 
be paid and the government operations that folks count on each and 
every day are not interrupted. The American public and the Nation's 
public servants deserve our extraordinary efforts to make sure this 
happens. They deserve our best.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Scott), the Representative of the Warner Robins Air Force 
Base and a member of the Armed Services Committee.
  Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from 
Georgia for his leadership on this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, the House is at work and the Senate is at home. The 
President is absent again. But none of us would be debating the future 
of this country without the men and women in the United States 
military. That's what makes theirs special and different.
  Now, I listened as some argued against this bill and then said we 
would all support this bill. Good. Good. Then let's put 435 green 
lights on the board and let's show the country that we're united in 
this.
  Just today, 300 men and women from Moody Air Force Base, which my 
colleague represents as well as I do, many of the families down there 
in Georgia said good-bye to their families and friends and got on a 
plane. Why? Because we asked them to.
  Over 90 days ago, this House right here passed an appropriations bill 
that fulfilled our promise to pay our soldiers in a timely manner and 
did all of the things that you said needed to be done with research and 
equipment and the other things. This House did that, and the Senate 
chose not to take action. Because of the Senate's inaction on the bill, 
the House is again working to do the right thing while, again, the 
Senate is at home, and we are working to pay our men and women who are 
defending our freedom.
  Now, I know many of my colleagues--it sounds like maybe all of my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle--are going to support the 
legislation in this House. All we're asking is for the Senate, Harry 
Reid, and the President to have enough honor to make sure the families 
of our soldiers are not used as political leverage and guaranteed that 
they are paid on time. This amendment does just that.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi), who has real-life practical 
experience in knowing what it's like to administer an agency--in this 
case, the Interior Department--during a shutdown.
  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, 18 years and 3 days ago, I was Deputy 
Secretary at the United States Department of the Interior. It was a 
vibrant place. The attorneys were doing their work. The accountants 
were busy. The national parks were open, and the rangers were at the 
gates. They were explaining the great wonders of this land. The Fish & 
Wildlife Service was caring for those creatures that we care so much 
about. The researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey were doing their 
thing, and then Congress failed to pass an appropriation bill. The next 
day it was silent. The entire building was empty. The rangers shut the 
doors to the national parks. The research ceased.
  To this day, I don't believe there's a person in this room or in this 
Capitol that can remember what the fight was about, but America can 
remember the shutdown of the government. And here today, we're in it 
once again. And the question that the American people will ask is: What 
is this all about? And the end result of it is that the status of this 
House will diminish once more.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. MORAN. I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman.
  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, the one result of all this will be a 
further diminution in the status of the Congress.
  There's a way to resolve this, but it's not to resolve it by delaying 
for 1 year all of the good that is in the Affordable Care Act, all of 
the insurance reform--and I was the insurance commissioner and I can 
tell you how important it is that the insurance reform is there--and 
all of the Medicaid programs and the millions of Americans that have 
the opportunity, all of those children that are now being covered. For 
what? For the 42nd, 43rd time, another failed effort, instead of 
sitting down and working to solve the problem.
  It's a tragedy that we are about to go through this process. For 
what? So that some of the wealthiest, most profitable business in 
America can have a $30 billion tax reduction? I suppose that's 
important. So that you can say once again the Affordable Care Act, 
ObamaCare, is wrong?
  I remember the days when the Nation shut down its government. It was 
bad.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume 
just to clarify one thing.
  Under the current President, the national debt now is 100 percent of 
the GDP. For every $1 we spend, 42 cents is borrowed. That's bad 
enough, but now the President offers no reform to bend the spending 
curve whatsoever. Instead, he pushes forward a failed health care 
policy that has a price tag of $1.7 trillion. It does not decrease the 
cost of medicine, and it does not increase the access to medicine, 
which were the two primary objectives which we heard over and over 
again by the other party. That's why we're here tonight. This is one-
sixth of the economy. And yet we hear the same dogma over and over

[[Page 14694]]

again. That's why this debate is taking place.
  We have passed a continuing resolution to keep the government funded 
so that these civilian employees and all other government employees 
that we hear so much about can continue to receive their paychecks. But 
Harry Reid and the Senate does not want to keep the government open 
because they're insisting on supporting a $1.7 trillion addition to the 
national debt, a health care policy which increases the cost of 
medicine and decreases the access.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry), an Active Duty member of the United States 
Army who has the rank of colonel.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
  We're talking this evening about a continuing resolution, continuing 
to fund our government. I find it odd that the other side is 
complaining about our plan, yet their plan is pass it clean. That's the 
Senate and the President: Pass it clean. I'm not going to negotiate. 
Pass it clean.
  We're $17 trillion in debt, spending an average of $1 trillion more 
in the last 4\1/2\, 5 years than we take in. And so the answer is just 
continue. That's a plan.
  So we've offered a plan. And we get it; we get it that you don't like 
it. We don't like your plan, but we're here trying to compromise, and 
this amendment is part of that compromise. Yet you say work with us to 
make ObamaCare better, Mr. Speaker. Work with us. Yet on this, you want 
to complain. We're saying work with us to make the CR better. Make sure 
our troops and contracts, kinetic activity, are paid. Make sure that we 
take care of the one thing in the Constitution, the one thing that says 
``provide''--because words mean things, Mr. Speaker--``provide for the 
common defense.'' ``Provide.''
  The other phrase is ``promote.'' So we're here to make and set 
priorities. So we're saying as the House of Representatives, paying our 
military is a priority, as it should be.
  Mr. Speaker, I have embarked with those soldiers, men and women 
overseas, and watched them leave their families, watched them leave 
their babies behind. I have watched them. Theirs, as we say, is not to 
question why; theirs is to do and die.

                              {time}  1130

  Please work with us. Please do not argue. Please join us and pass 
this amendment.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time we have left?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia has 8 minutes 
remaining, and the gentleman from Virginia has 2\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Gohmert), a coauthor of this legislation for many years.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill, and I appreciate 
so much my friend who knows about serving in the military, Mike 
Coffman, getting this to floor.
  My friend and I, Jack Kingston, had pushed this over 2\1/2\ years 
ago, when it became clear that both parties were going to use our 
military to get people to vote for a CR they might not otherwise have 
voted for. We had, I think, over 200 cosponsors on our bill. But as far 
as the discharge petition that would have forced it to the bill, he 
wanted to sign on but they didn't want to go against our leadership.
  So I'm very grateful this bill is on the floor now. I'm very 
grateful. And I appreciate the Speaker for letting it come forward. 
Because there's one thing the military doesn't need, and that is to be 
in harm's way and have to worry about whether their loved ones are 
going to get the check that will allow them to pay their rent or for 
their car, or is it going to get repossessed.
  From my 4 years in the military at Fort Benning, I'm told it hasn't 
changed much from this standpoint: people live from month to month. 
They don't get paid all that much. So this is critical to get this 
done.
  I'm glad the bill is coming. I'm glad to hear our colleagues on the 
other side of the aisle are going to vote with us, it sounds like. And 
as far as the effort to have civilians that work for the Department of 
Defense paid, I would hope that my colleagues across the aisle saved a 
little bit of righteous indignation for the Democrats at the other end 
of the hall.
  They have had the Department of Defense appropriations bill for 
months. They've been sitting on it. It would get everybody paid. It 
would take care of all those things we've been hearing our military is 
not going to able to do because we're not passing the bill. So we need 
to get the Senate to pass the DOD bill and that'll take care of that--
civilians and everybody.
  We passed the Department of Defense bill, we passed the Energy and 
Water bill, we passed the Department of Homeland Security. They haven't 
taken up anything. We passed a veterans' bill. They haven't taken up 
any of those. They've been sitting around talking about how the 
Republicans are out of control at the end of the hall.
  And yet we have Democrats in this town that say we'll be flexible 
with Putin; we'll be flexible and sit down and talk with Iran, even 
though they want to destroy our way of life. But oh, no, the 
Republicans, won't talk with them. I know we share a love for America 
and wanting to do the right thing, but for heaven's sake, have as much 
flexibility with the Republicans as you do with the Russians and 
Iranians. That shouldn't be too much to ask.
  George Washington had a prayer. He prayed we would never forget those 
who serve in the field. And I'm glad this bill will remember them.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the very distinguished 
gentlelady from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the ranking member of the full 
Appropriations Committee.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, it is 48 hours, 30 minutes before the 
Republicans plan to shut down this government.
  Of course, there will be bipartisan support for this bill. However, 
this bill to continue funding the military is a farce. The bill claims 
to support the troops, but fails to provide the materiel essential to 
support forces and maintain the readiness of our deployed forces.
  In FY 2014, the administration requested funds for operation and 
maintenance and procurement accounts that provide supplies, 
maintenance, ammunition, and equipment needed for the troops. The bill 
by the majority to fund the troops would not provide this materiel to 
support the troops.
  So, again, I say to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, 
Aren't we embarrassed to be part of this dysfunctional Congress, with 
all the work that must be done in our districts back home?
  We should begin to work together, not just say that it's inevitable 
that we're going to close the government down. Let's do it. We can do 
it. And do it now.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Virginia has 1\1/2\ 
minutes remaining. The gentleman from Georgia has 5 minutes remaining.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1\1/2\ minutes.
  I just want to remind everybody we're here not because of the House 
Republican Appropriations Committee but because of the Senate Democrat 
Appropriations Committee which, to date, has not passed one single 
bill. We've passed the Defense bill. We've passed Homeland Security. We 
passed Military Construction.
  What have Harry Reid and the Democrats, the Members of your party 
done? Zero. Not one bill. What did they do last year? We passed seven 
appropriations bills. What did Harry Reid and the Democrats do in the 
Senate? They passed one. That's why we're here debating the continuing 
resolution. It is not our desire to be here on this. We would rather 
have regular order. Indeed, we have worked hard for regular order.
  But, Mr. Speaker, I have the honor of representing Moody Air Force 
Base; the Townsend Bombing Range; the 224th Signal Group in Brunswick, 
Georgia; the 165th Air Wing in Savannah,

[[Page 14695]]

Georgia; the Combat Readiness Training Center in Savannah, Georgia; 
Fort Stewart in Hinesville, Georgia; Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, 
Georgia; Kings Bay Naval Base in St. Mary's, Georgia; and members of 
the 48th Brigade all over my district. I have marines. I have three 
Coast Guard stations. On their behalf, we cannot let their pay be 
interrupted.
  The things that these fighting men and women in uniform are doing for 
the United States of America should be off the table. That's why we're 
here in support of this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, since I have only 1\1/2\ minutes, I think 
I'll let the gentleman from Georgia yield to further speakers, but I do 
want to ask if the gentleman would yield some time, though, if he has 
time available, to engage in a colloquy. But on his time.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, how much time do we have remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia has 3\1/2\ 
minutes remaining, and the gentleman from Virginia has 1\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I have our last speaker, who's going to 
close for us. Mr. Coffman is going to consume 3 minutes. So if the 
gentleman from Virginia wants to talk in 30 seconds, I will accommodate 
my friend.
  I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. MORAN. Let me ask my very good friend from Georgia if he knows 
why over in the Senate the minority has insisted upon the cloture rule; 
in other words, filibustering the appropriation rules, and why they 
have not appointed conferees to the budget conference?
  Mr. KINGSTON. Reclaiming my time, I would only say this. It's hard to 
figure out what the United States is doing at all under Harry Reid's 
leadership.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my good friend from North 
Carolina (Mr. Price), the ranking member of the Homeland Security 
Appropriations Subcommittee.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. Speaker, most of us will vote for this bill, but it's not going 
to fix the damage to our country of a shutdown, nor can it mask what's 
going on here tonight: another chapter of Republican hostage-taking, 
threatening to shut down the government, or to refuse to pay the 
country's bills, if they don't get their way politically.
  It's been pretty confusing tonight with all this talk about who's 
willing to negotiate. Republicans know very well that it is they who 
have refused to go to conference with the Senate on the budget. They 
also know that it's their leaders who cut off discussions of a 
comprehensive budget deal with the President back in December.
  What they're doing tonight is the opposite of negotiate--take-it-or-
leave-it politics, threatening government collapse and economic ruin in 
pursuit of a political agenda they could not advance by legitimate 
means.
  We need to get back to the basics: keep the government open, pay the 
country's bills, and negotiate a real and comprehensive budget plan.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MORAN. I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, the problem with this bill is that it assumes a 
government shutdown. If it didn't assume a government shutdown, then it 
wouldn't separate Department of Defense personnel from non-Department 
of Defense personnel. Why would you need it if we were assuming that 
we're going to be able to fund the government? That's the underlying 
problem with this bill.
  We're going to vote for it because we feel that Department of Defense 
personnel ought to be paid. Of course, we do. Of course, we're going to 
vote for this. But why are you doing it? You're only doing it because 
you assume that you're going to shut the government down. That's the 
problem with this bill. There's no other purpose for this bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, if the Harry Reid Democrat Senate would 
pass the Defense appropriations bill, we would not be here tonight 
having this debate.
  With that, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Coffman), the author of the bill, a retired marine--
although marines never retire.
  Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, as we near the final days of the fiscal 
year and come face-to-face with the possibility of a government 
shutdown, I have introduced this legislation in order to ensure that 
our military is not used as a political pawn in negotiations between 
the United States House and the Senate.
  My legislation, H.R. 3210, the Pay Our Military Act, ensures that 
until such time as the President signs a continuing resolution, our 
military and the Department of Defense civilians and contractors who 
support our men and women in uniform will continue to be paid, 
regardless of a shutdown.
  I've had five overseas deployments during my military career between 
the Army and the Marine Corps. I returned from my last assignment with 
the Marine Corps in Iraq in 2006. I fully understand the stresses that 
our men and women in uniform face on a day-to-day basis, particularly 
when we are still a Nation at war.
  Things are very different today than it was when I was a Marine Corps 
light armored infantry officer during the first Gulf war. We didn't 
have the Internet. All of our communications from home were delivered 
by regular mail that could take weeks to reach us. Back then, you 
literally checked out when you left your family and checked back in 
when you came back home.
  Today, most of our deployed military personnel, whether sailors 
aboard a ship in the Persian Gulf or soldiers and marines at forward 
operating bases in Afghanistan, have some level of access to instant 
communications with their families. Today, a marine rifleman can 
literally be out on a combat patrol, return to his base camp, and then 
be on the Internet communicating with his family in real-time.
  When things don't go well at home, the stress that our deployed men 
and women are already under is multiplied, particularly if their 
families go without an income and suffer financial hardships due to a 
government shutdown. In the event of a government shutdown, we must 
ensure that the men and women who defend our Nation in the armed 
services, and their families, will continue to be paid.
  Mr. Speaker, regardless of what happens in the days ahead, this is a 
bill that should receive unanimous support. I urge my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle to support this legislation, and hope that the 
Senate will act on it before it might be too late.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 
3210, the so-called ``Pay Our Troops Act,'' which is intended to ensure 
that our troops are paid in the event House Republicans succeed in 
shutting down the government.
  The men and women of the Armed Forces who risk their lives to protect 
our freedoms surely are deserving of the support and resources needed 
to perform their duties, and that includes being paid in full and on 
time so they can provide for their families and loved ones.
  Mr. Speaker, it would not be necessary to have to devote the 
considerable amount of time needed to debate and pass this legislation 
in the House and Senate and present it to the President if the House 
would simply pass the clean continuing resolution passed yesterday by 
the Senate.
  The CR approved by the Senate funds the government and avoids a 
shutdown. President Obama has stated that he will sign it into law.
  The clean CR passed by the Senate ensures that all the employees of 
the Federal Government are paid for the valuable and important service 
they provide to our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, instead of exempting certain groups and persons from the 
harm caused by a government shutdown, we should instead be focused on 
avoiding a shutdown, which helps no one and hurts our economy.
  Those of who were serving in this body 17 years ago remember the harm 
caused when the Republicans shut down the government on two different 
occasions, which directly cost taxpayers $1.4 billion. That is $2.1 
billion in today's dollars.

[[Page 14696]]

  The last time Republicans engineered a shutdown of the government: 
368 national park sites were closed; 200,000 applications for passports 
went unprocessed; $3.7 billion of $18 billion in local contracts went 
unpaid.
  My state of Texas would be hit very hard and suffer unnecessarily if 
a government shutdown is not prevented.
  Within days Texas would begin experiencing the impact of cutbacks in 
the $64.7 billion in Federal spending that it receives annually, 
including the loss of:
  $518 million in Federal highway funds, $411 million for interstate 
highway maintenance, $130 million in home energy assistance for the 
poor, $71 million in Homeland Security grants, $55 million in 
coordinated border infrastructure, and $97 million in Federal adoption 
assistance.
  As a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, I am 
particularly concerned over the impact of a government shutdown on 
operations and activities that protect and secure the homeland Impacts 
of shutdown in Texas on homeland security.
  For example, a shutdown would adversely affect the following:
  Law Enforcement and Other Training: Law enforcement training would 
cease, including those conducted through the Federal Law Enforcement 
Training Center and the Secret Service's J. Rowley Training Center. 
This would impact CBP, ICE, Secret Service, the Federal Air Marshal 
Service, and would delay their ability to bring new hires into 
operational service. TSA would also not be able to conduct training for 
screeners, Behavior Detection Officers or canine units.
  Frontline Personnel Hardships: The majority of the workforces in 
Custom and Border Protection's (CBP) Border Patrol, Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement, (ICE) enforcement efforts, Transportation Security 
Administration (TSA) aviation passenger screening, and the Coast Guard, 
who are heavily reliant upon receiving biweekly paychecks, would not be 
paid biweekly during a Federal funding hiatus.
  Grant Programs for State and Local Preparedness: All DHS and Federal 
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personnel working on grants programs 
would be furloughed, ceasing any further activity intended to help 
build state and local resiliency. Should a Federal funding hiatus be 
prolonged, state and local communities may have to eliminate jobs that 
are dependent upon grants funding. Further activity under the Securing 
the Cities program would be suspended.
  In addition, a government shutdown will hurt children, seniors, 
working families, and the economically vulnerable:
  Military Readiness: In Texas, approximately 52,000 civilian 
Department of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay 
by around $274.8 million in total.
  Law Enforcement and Public Safety Funds for Crime Prevention and 
Prosecution: Funding will be halted to Texas on an annualized portion 
of the $1,103,000 in Justice Assistance Grants that support law 
enforcement, prosecution and courts, crime prevention and education, 
corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, 
and crime victim and witness initiatives.
  Vaccines for Children: In Texas around 9,730 fewer children will not 
receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, 
whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B due to reduced funding for 
personnel who administer programs that provide funding for 
vaccinations.
  Nutrition Assistance for Seniors: Texas would lose approximately 
$3,557,000 in funds that make it possible to provide meals for seniors.
  For these reasons, we should be working to pass H.J. Res. 59 as 
amended by the Senate. That is the best way to keep faith with all 
persons who serve the American people as employees of the Federal 
Government, and those who depend upon the services they provide.

                              {time}  2345

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 366, the previous question is ordered on 
the bill.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

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