[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 15083-15090]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      VETERANS BENEFITS CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS RESOLUTION, 2014

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will advise Members of the 
remaining time in debate. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson) has 
9 minutes remaining. The gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) has 10 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I want to first say that today we've had a reminder again of how much 
we owe our men and women in uniform. And I want to express the 
gratitude of the Members of the House, the people of America to our men 
and women in uniform who keep our streets safe every day, and say that 
our hearts and our prayers are with those injured officers today, and 
to express our immense gratitude to each and every one of them all over 
the country and to our men and women in uniform around the world who 
make it possible for us to be here today in the greatest deliberative 
democracy ever created in the history of humanity. We owe it all to our 
men and women in uniform.


              Moment of Silence for Officers Injured Today

  Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, I ask for a moment of silent prayer for 
those officers who have been injured today.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will all Members rise for a moment of silent 
prayer.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, we are here today to work arm-in-arm in 
support of our men and women in uniform. I'm pleased at this time to 
yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe).
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. I thank the chairman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, as a former mayor, I associate my remarks with the 
chairman.
  I rise in strong support of the legislation on the floor today. What 
we have before us today is an opportunity to keep the faith with 
America's veterans, of which I am one, and ensuring the funding for 
disability payments, for the GI bill, which I used, education training, 
and VA home loans.
  No matter what your thoughts on the current impasse, we owe our 
veterans this much. This should not be, must not become a partisan 
issue. There are real and serious debates to be had about how we're 
able to deal with ObamaCare and our Nation's debt crisis, but that's 
not what we're discussing now.
  Northeast Tennessee, which I'm honored to represent in this body, has 
a long history of military service and hosts Mountain Home VA Medical 
Center, one of the largest and finest such facilities in the country. 
When I visit them, I don't see Republicans or Democrats; I see patriots 
who answered the call, did their duty, and then came home to make a 
life.
  Let's make sure they all get the support they need. I urge my 
colleagues to vote ``yes.''
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, at this time I am delighted to 
yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price), the 
ranking member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I have the privilege of 
representing one of the most military-friendly and veteran-friendly 
areas of the country, North Carolina. So I'm glad our Republican 
colleagues are concerned with maintaining funding for our Nation's 
veterans.
  But it's too bad they didn't think a little more about the VA before 
forcing this government shutdown on us Monday night. And now it's too 
bad they're not showing equal concern for the more than half a million 
veterans who now serve their country as Federal employees, many of whom 
have been sent home on furlough and now have bills piling up, or the 
veteran small business owners whose SBA loans are on hold, or the 
veteran parents whose kids have been turned away from Head Start, or 
the veterans earning their graduate degrees whose research labs have 
been closed.
  Madam Speaker, of course we need to restore full funding for the VA 
so it can resume its full array of services to our Nation's veterans, 
to whom we owe a special debt of gratitude and support.
  But veterans want the same thing all Americans want: for us to reopen 
the entire government so they can get on with their lives as parents 
and workers and members of their communities.
  You don't have to take my word for it. In a letter sent this morning 
to the bipartisan congressional leadership, the heads of several major 
Veterans Service Organizations write, and I quote:

       Our organizations and the veterans we represent will no 
     longer tolerate Congress leveraging veterans' health and 
     well-being to achieve unrelated political ends.

  Or, in the succinct words of the spokesman for the Veterans of 
Foreign Wars, ``The VA needs to be fully funded, not piecemealed and 
not used as leverage.''
  So let's dispense with this political theater and this piecemeal 
approach that fails to end the shutdown. The Senate has approved a 
clean funding bill that will pass this House easily this very afternoon 
if the Speaker will simply let it be voted on.
  It's time to get on with this business that the American people 
elected us to do.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).
  Mr. LAMBORN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the emerging 
pattern of poor decisionmaking coming from the Obama administration on 
national security.
  Under sequestration, this White House mandated that civilian defense 
workers be furloughed, even when agencies had the money to pay these 
employees, many of whom are veterans. And today, under this partial 
government shutdown, the White House has again chosen to furlough the 
vast majority of these same workers, against the express will and 
intent of Congress.
  Earlier this week, all of us here in Congress passed a bipartisan 
bill, which the President signed, to expressly protect the pay of 
Active Duty military, civilian defense employees, and designated 
defense contractors. The Pentagon can put these workers back on the job 
today, but the White House is choosing to furlough our critical 
civilian defense workers.
  The Obama administration is also eroding our national security by 
choosing to furlough 70 percent of the civilian employees at our 
intelligence agencies. This is unnecessary.
  The law is now on the books to put civilians back to work to protect 
our national defense. Let's do it.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, at this time I also would like to 
extend our condolences, and would also like to express our appreciation 
to the Sergeant at Arms and to the Capitol Police for their hard work 
in making sure that the people that work in this Capitol, the Members 
and visitors, are safe. And we appreciate their vigilance during the 
recent incident.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Farr), who is the ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on 
Agriculture.
  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, give us back our committee. Give us back our 
chairman.
  Mr. Culberson worked, with all of us on both sides of the aisle, for 
about 6 months to do a veterans appropriations bill. This is not it.
  This is a disastrous bill, because this cuts $6.2 billion out of the 
bill that we passed. This doesn't help veterans. This is game-playing.
  Our Appropriations Committee is supposed to have 12 bills on this 
floor. We have none. We don't have a simple

[[Page 15084]]

one just to pass to keep government open.
  We've never done this before. Never. No preconditions ever in the 
history like this.
  We have a good committee. We have a good chairman. Give us back the 
process. Give us back an ability to keep this government open.
  Defeat this bill.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff), a member of the Appropriations 
Committee.
  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, as we approach the end of the first week of 
the GOP shutdown, I want to highlight the impact it's having on just 
one sector of our government, the intelligence community.
  As Director Clapper and Director Alexander made clear in testimony in 
the Senate yesterday, 70 percent of key analysts have been forced to 
leave their posts. This is irresponsible, tragic and, most painfully, 
completely avoidable.
  House Republicans now say they will put up a bill funding veterans, 
but not the intelligence agencies. Or tomorrow, the intelligence 
agencies, but not the FBI, or the FBI, but not the Department of 
Homeland Security, or DHS and NIH, but not the Department of Justice.
  This is ridiculous, senseless, and reckless.
  Let's be honest about what the House leadership is really saying. We 
will choose, hostage by hostage, which agency of the government we will 
release. We will do so only to buy time until the ransom we want we 
get, the repeal of an unrelated health care reform.
  As our intelligence analysts and other key personnel sit idle, our 
adversaries do not. Those who threaten the country have not been 
furloughed. Those devising new ways to attack our homeland, our allies, 
and innocent civilians around the world, are not on hiatus. They are 
working hard, and so must we.
  End the reckless shutdown now. Put the intelligence agencies back to 
work. Put all Americans back to work. End the endless series of 
manmade, avoidable and irresponsible crises that threaten our country 
and our economic recovery.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Collins of Georgia). The gentleman from 
Georgia has 5\1/2\ minutes remaining. The gentleman from Texas has 7 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I want to point out that, today, the only 
question before the House today is a ``yes'' or ``no'' vote whether or 
not you support funding our veterans.
  This is not complicated. The Veterans Administration has said they 
will run out of money unless we pass this legislation today to make 
certain that our veterans who have earned these important benefits 
receive them.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida 
(Mr. Southerland).
  Mr. SOUTHERLAND. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to represent 72,000 veterans 
in Florida's Second Congressional District.
  The bill that we will be voting on today is a bill that says, we 
support you, not just for what you need today, but we also support you 
for what you did in your past.
  What our veterans did in their past was join arms with fellow 
Americans and went to fight for a principle, a principle of no special 
treatment. They believed deeply in the Declaration of Independence that 
says we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created 
equal.
  Mr. Speaker, I'm proud today to join arm-in-arm with our veterans to 
say we agree with that principle. It is time that we re-establish the 
deeply held belief that there is one standard that should apply to all 
Americans, not two standards, not a ruling class and then the majority 
of the Americans that have to serve them. There is but one standard.
  I applaud our veterans. I thank them for their sacrifice, and I 
believe that this bill, Honoring Our Promise to America's Veterans Act, 
is the only thing that is right and principled in this Chamber today.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' in just a few moments on this 
bill honoring our veterans.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud), ranking member of the Veterans 
Affairs Committee.
  Mr. MICHAUD. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this bill, which is 
nothing more than a political ploy. My colleagues on the other side of 
the aisle say a vote against this bill is a vote to block veterans 
services.
  It's actually this government shutdown, which they have caused, that 
threatens VA's ability to provide the services for our veterans.
  If Republicans in this House were really serious about helping our 
veterans, they'd pass a clean CR and end this government shutdown that 
they have caused.
  If they really want to guarantee veterans services are adequate, they 
would bring forward in this House H.R. 813, as amended, to the floor. 
This bipartisan bill would fund all the VA through future advanced 
appropriations, and take this political football off the table forever.
  Passing that bill will help make sure that veterans will no longer be 
used like they are being used today, as the pawns of a political party 
scheme.
  This is outrageous. And I would encourage my Republican colleagues to 
bring up H.R. 813, as amended, to the full floor so we can stop playing 
political football with the men and women who served this great Nation 
of ours.
  It's unbelievable that you'd do such a thing. And if you think that 
you're convincing the VSOs that if we don't fund this then we're not 
supporting veterans, they know the difference.

                              {time}  1545

  They see through the political football. They are tired of it, and I 
would encourage you to encourage the Speaker to bring up once again 
H.R. 813, as amended, passed unanimously by the Veterans' Affairs 
Committee, for a full vote in this House.
  This is outrageous and nothing but a political gimmick today.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct all remarks 
to the Chair.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I will remind all Members that the Veterans Administration has said 
that funds for these benefits will expire at the end of this month. 
Anytime you have a disagreement, you try to find those areas where you 
can agree and that are especially important, and set those aside. 
That's what we're doing today.
  The House majority has brought this bill to the floor to ensure that 
our veterans and their survivors will receive their disability 
compensation. A ``yes'' vote will ensure that low-income veterans and 
their families get their pensions. A ``yes'' vote will ensure three-
quarters of a million students will receive their post-9/11 GI 
education benefits, that unemployed veterans will receive their 
benefits, and that 67,000 veterans with service-connected disabilities 
will get their vocational rehabilitation and employment subsistence 
benefits that they have earned by their service to the country.
  Again, I stress the VA has said these benefits will run out at the 
end of this month. So we've chosen what is our highest priority, 
looking at our men and women in uniform--an area we are in complete 
agreement on--and brought it to the floor in good faith. We hope our 
colleagues will join us in voting ``yes'' or ``no'' in support of our 
veterans.
  At this time I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California 
(Mr. LaMalfa).
  Mr. LaMALFA. I want to thank my colleague from Texas.
  Mr. Speaker, we are here to honor our veterans--all Americans--for 
their

[[Page 15085]]

job by the work we do here. It's been shameful the last few days to 
have our veterans come all the way to Washington, D.C.--our World War 
II veterans and some of the Korean veterans we've met as well--and find 
themselves blockaded unnecessarily out of what is theirs over the 
politics of a shutdown.
  Now the politics of this shutdown come into this room here. We don't 
always get to do the perfect bill around this place. I see my Democrat 
colleagues basically yelling at us over, We want the perfect bill, we 
want it all in one.
  When we can find the things we agree on, including this bill, 
including other measures put up in the last couple of days, we can all 
agree on this portion of any CR bill together. We can put this out and 
stop the hijinx, stop the politics, stop the games, and get this 
agreement done.
  We all agree on this piece of legislation, that it should be done and 
it's the right thing. It will get veterans served and get them out of 
this mess, out of this pool of muck that we are in, fighting over this 
CR, fighting over this shutdown.
  So let's agree today to get our veterans served and take the 
political football out, take the name-calling out--Republicans, 
Democrats, all that stuff--and get the job done. We're here to get the 
job done. On my farm, I don't want to get everything done in one day. 
You make progress a little bit at a time, one field at a time.
  This is one field at a time here. We can do this bill. Instead of 
holding each other hostage because the Democrats want the perfect all-
in-one-bill, we can do the pieces we agree on together.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. At this time I am happy to yield 1 minute to 
the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Brown), a strong and consistent 
advocate for veterans and a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee 
for over 20 years.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, let's be clear: God has blessed us 
with the best veterans in the world. You can fool some of the people 
some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the 
time. The veterans understand that if they vote for this bill, it is a 
$6 billion cut to veterans services.
  So what are you cutting? The National Cemetery Administration, the 
office in charge of construction of VA facilities, Office of Inspector 
General, grants to the States for veterans homes, grants to the State 
cemeteries.
  All four veterans organizations said that there is a problem in the 
House of Representatives' lack of leadership.
  Bring a clean CR to the floor. Let's vote it up. You are not fooling 
anybody. This is a Republican right-wing part that is bringing this 
terrible instance to this country. There's no reason.
  Bring up a clean CR. A clean CR.
  I am appalled that the House is considering this bill that only 
partially funds the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  To take one small portion of the budget to help those men and women 
who have sacrificed so much and use it as a club to hammer the American 
people over the head while you argue about the Republican Government 
Shutdown.
  This bill cuts $6B from the bill the House passed earlier this year 
for a full year funding of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  This is unconscionable.
  This is what this bill does not fund:
  the National Cemetery Administration,
  the office in charge of construction of VA facilities,
  Office of Inspector General,
  Grants to state veterans homes,
  Grants to state cemeteries.
  The Four Organizations that write the Independent Budget each year, 
AMVETS, DAV, PVA and VFW, sent a letter today to all the leaders of the 
Congress. They said that ``Both government shutdowns and continuing 
resolutions represent failures in leadership.'' They went on to say 
that anything less than passing a full appropriations bill ``is 
unacceptable to the men and women who have served this nation in 
uniform.''
  Pass a clean CR and let's get back to the business of governing this 
country.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I would simply point out very quickly there are no cuts in this bill. 
We're simply funding essential veterans services through December 15 at 
a level equal to the amount that we have already passed out of the 
House the first week of June. There are no cuts.
  We want to make sure these essential services continue for our 
veterans and they don't see any interruption in services.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I'd like to point out the fact that while the bill may do what my 
good friend has suggested, it doesn't fund all of the accounts. There 
are a number of accounts, as has been pointed out time and time again, 
that are not funded.
  May I inquire, Mr. Speaker, as to how much time is remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Georgia has 2\1/4\ 
minutes remaining, and the gentleman from Texas has 2\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 1 minute to 
the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).
  Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the Republican Party is a 
party with such a rich legacy. It's the party of Abraham Lincoln, who 
saved this country; it's the party of Dwight David Eisenhower, who put 
the expressway and the interstate system together; it's the party of 
Everett Dirksen, and without him we wouldn't have the Civil Rights Act; 
it's the party of Ronald Reagan, who sat down with Tip O'Neill and put 
the great tax cut in that helped the economy; and it's the party of 
George Bush, who gave us Medicare part D.
  I bring these things out because I believe if all of these gentlemen 
were here--each one of them--they would say to you, Please, let's cut 
this out. Let your leader, Mr. Boehner, bring a clear, clean CR for 
just 6 weeks. That's all we're asking.
  This is what that leadership would be. This is what Mr. Boehner 
wanted to do. John Boehner is a decent man. That's what he wanted to 
do.
  I urge you to do what is right. Honor the rich legacy of your party. 
If you want to honor the veterans who gave their lives to fight for us, 
they would say, Don't use us for a pawn here.
  Open it all up for all America.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I want to point out very quickly, we are funding the most essential 
parts of the Veterans Administration, where we have been told they will 
run out of money within the next 30 days. We want to ensure that our 
veterans don't have a thing to worry about. We don't want their 
families, their children, their survivors to worry for one moment 
whether or not their benefits are going to be there.
  We bring this bill to the floor today to ensure that they are taken 
care of, their peace of mind is secured. And also, this is clearly one 
of those areas--in support of our veterans--where we can agree.
  Again, I stress, common courtesy and common sense tell us when you 
have a disagreement, you find those areas where you can come together 
and agree and put that behind you. That's all this is. It's not 
complicated.
  Let's vote together today to make sure that our veterans programs are 
fully funded.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, at this time I am pleased to 
yield 30 seconds to my good friend, the gentleman from South Carolina 
(Mr. Clyburn), the assistant Democratic leader.
  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased my friend would yield me 30 
seconds.
  I want to take a little time to say I have been hearing from the 
veterans in my congressional district. I represent counties that have 
two VA centers. We have two of the most, I believe, effective veterans 
service organizations in the country; and they tell me they do not wish 
to be pitted against their siblings and their spouses. They do not wish 
to be pitted against their children and their grandchildren.
  Let's not pick winners and losers. Let's fund the full bill.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page 15086]]


  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, H.J. Res. 59, the Senate clean 
bill, includes all programs administered by the VA. Let me repeat: all 
programs. The Senate didn't cherry-pick which programs get funded. It 
continues operations of the entire Federal Government.
  On the other hand, the anemic H.J. Res. 72 that we're voting on here, 
the Medical Research account is not included; Construction; Office of 
the Secretary, Board of Veterans Appeals; Inspector General, not 
included; IT account, not included; grants to State veterans homes, 
State cemeteries, the National Cemetery Administration, not included.
  Enough of these games. Let's pass a CR. Let's do our work. Let's 
finish our work. Let's fund the government and put these workers back 
to work.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, could I inquire how much time is 
remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas has 2 minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  It's important to remember that as we have done in the House and the 
Senate has done by unanimous consent, we have paid our Active Duty 
military. Their salaries are paid. So they don't have to worry about it 
as they stand on the walls of Rome in defense of our freedom.
  Today, we bring this legislation to the floor to be sure that past 
generations of our military men and women who have served this country 
and defended our freedom and made it possible for us to be here today, 
that their benefits are fully funded.
  We've been told straight up by the VA that the items that are before 
the House today will run out of money before the end of this month. 
This is not complicated. It truly is common sense and common courtesy 
to find those areas of agreement, set those aside, do those in priority 
order.
  We've made sure the current generation of military men and women are 
paid. We're now, today, making sure that our veterans of previous 
generations are fully compensated for survivor benefits, for low-income 
veterans, for student 9/11 GI benefits, for unemployed veterans. We're 
going to make sure that veterans with service-connected disabilities 
are taken care of.
  What we attempted to do--and as my colleague from Georgia knows, 
we've always worked arm-in-arm in support of those veterans--is to find 
those areas where the help is needed most urgently and to set that 
aside and get 'er done now before these benefits run out.
  And the vote today is very simple: yes or no, will you vote to 
support America's veterans and honor them for their sacrifice and make 
sure they don't miss a minute, that there's no bubble in the pipeline 
of the benefits that they have earned by their sacrifices for this 
great Nation.
  This is a simple yes-or-no vote in support of our veterans.
  I urge passage of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, this irresponsible shutdown of the 
government has deprived Oregonians of many federal services that they 
rely on. For the time being the Veterans Administration has been able 
to use reserve funds to continue providing benefits and medical 
services to our nation's veterans. Today the Republicans put a 
disingenuous bill on the floor, H.J. Res. 72, that claimed to fund the 
VA while the rest of the government remains shut down. H.J. Res. 72 
would cut the VA budget by $6.2 billion. It provides no funding for 
prosthetic research, VA cemeteries, construction of VA facilities 
including the new CBOC in Eugene, Oregon, and many other critical 
services. This is unacceptable. I refuse to cut funding for our 
nation's veterans. For that reason I voted against H.J. Res. 72. The 
Republican House leadership needs to ignore the small faction of their 
party that insists holding our veterans and other Americans hostage. 
They need to bring the Senate passed funding bill to the floor for a 
vote so that we can reopen the government. Our veterans deserve no 
less.
  I strongly support H.R. 813, which would authorize advance 
appropriations for all VA discretionary accounts. I fought for years to 
get advance appropriations for the VA, which we finally secured for 
medical accounts. It is time to ensure that all of the VA receives 
advance appropriations so that veterans are never again used as a 
political football. I am also a cosponsor of H.R. 3181, which would 
make sure that every account at the VA is exempt from any future 
across-the-board sequestration.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.J. 
Res. 72, the partisan resolution that would cut over $6 billion from 
our nation's veterans from what this House passed in June.
  There are many issues that divide our two parties. One of the issues 
that has always received bipartisan support is supporting our nation's 
heroes and their families.
  Unfortunately, due to the extreme views of some in the Majority, this 
chamber is now considering a resolution which would cut $6.2 billion 
from the VA and excludes funding for several VA programs which are 
vital to the thousands of veterans in my district, including national 
veterans' cemeteries, medical and prosthetic research, and grants for 
state veterans homes and state cemeteries.
  Mr. Speaker, our nation's veterans deserve better and I call on this 
chamber to demand a vote to fully fund the VA for the entire year.
  Every day that goes by without providing full appropriations for the 
VA is another day that our brave veterans are being harmed and denied 
the support and services they paid for in blood, sweat, and sacrifice.
  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, here we are day three of the 
manufactured Republican government shutdown and Republicans still have 
no viable proposal to reopen the government.
  The Republican refusal to back off their extreme, ideological demands 
has taken our country down a dangerous path that is threatening to 
derail the Department of Veterans Affairs' progress on the claims 
backlog.
  How in the world can veterans claims be processed when their 
counterparts at the Department of Defense and the Social Security 
Administration are furloughed. These furloughed employees are essential 
to process veterans claims. This is another cynical ploy.
  Mr. Speaker, individual agencies do not operate in a vacuum, which is 
why we need to fund the entire government.
  Members of Congress are elected to make sure our government 
functions.
  Yet, some in this chamber are taking that fundamental responsibility 
and holding it hostage, hoping that by doing so they can be certain 
that people are denied health care.
  If my colleagues would really like to help veterans--rather than 
trying to score political points--they need to fund the entire federal 
government.
  As the daughter of a veteran, let us honor our veterans by reopening 
our government.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, I visited the 
Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command in San Diego. As I spoke 
with SPAWAR employees, I was proud, but not surprised, to learn that 
the majority of them were veterans.
  In fact, this happens almost every time I speak to a group of Federal 
workers.
  Veterans represent more than 25 percent of the entire Federal 
Government workforce--so many of whom sacrificed for our country in 
Iraq and Afghanistan.
  After making the difficult transition to civilian life, none of them 
expected to be told that they cannot come to work.
  Let our veterans and the rest of the Federal workforce do their jobs. 
The best way to serve veterans and honor our promise to them is to 
reopen the entire government without delay.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. 
Res. 72. I want to point out a few critical points of this resolution 
and how it will ease the stress on the Department of Veterans Affairs 
as well as our men and women as well as their family members who have 
served our nation honorably and faithfully.
  First, I would like to bring your attention to how important it is to 
continue to provide funding for disability claims processing--
``disability claims need to go out--surely we can all agree on that? I 
have seen first-hand what these men and women must go through to get 
back on their feet and we should be making sure that all of the 
resources they need aren't delayed a single day.'' We have worked 
together over the last few years to reduce the disability backlog and 
we could lose this momentum by not funding H.J. Res. 72. This 
resolution contains an anomaly--a $294M increase for the administrative 
costs of claims processing. Without sufficient funding, VA won't be 
able to continue its efforts to reduce the significant backlog that 
each Member office hears far too much about.
  Secondly I would like to emphasize the importance of making funds 
available for the post-9/11 GI bill benefits. Without the funding in 
H.J. Res. 72, more than 760,000 veterans

[[Page 15087]]

won't receive their post-9/11 benefits. This is an investment in the 
future of America which we must preserve.
  Thirdly, I have attended far too many funerals; the mandatory funding 
provided in the bill will provide 49,221 burial allowances and 25,538 
burial plot allowances, 26,091 service-connected death awards, 500,002 
burial flags, 344,826 headstones or markers, and 63,508 grave-liners or 
reimbursement for privately purchased outer burial receptacles at VA 
and private cemeteries. We as a nation owe the men and women who have 
defended America the entitlements which they earned. H.J. Res. 72 will 
provide funding to ensure we continue to care for our Veterans.
  My friends on the other side of the aisle have been emphasizing that 
this bill doesn't provide as much money to the VA as the bill the House 
passed back in June. That's because this bill is a more targeted 
approach. It provides all the mandatory funding and the money for 
claims processing administration in the near-term. But when you add the 
advance medical services funding that has already been provided to the 
money in this bill, it totals $141.4 billion--96 percent of the total 
the House approved last June. There are several smaller discretionary 
accounts that are not funded in this bill, but they tend to be accounts 
with a slower spend out rate, like construction and State homes, and 
these accounts will more than likely have carryover funds to cover the 
short-term. The Democrats are making too much of the $6.2B this bill 
doesn't provide for, when $141.4 billion will be available.
  Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, our service members and our veterans have 
done their duty, they have stood steadfast in defense of our nation.
  They deserve more than our thanks, more than our tribute, they 
deserve our support.
  They deserve the compensation, health care, educational 
opportunities, and employment assistance that they have earned.
  That's why I rise in support of funding for our service members and 
veterans by ending this government shutdown.
  On behalf of the over eighty thousand veterans in my district, I ask 
unanimous consent that the House bring up the Senate Amendment to the 
Continuing Appropriations Resolution, H.J. Res. 59.
  Let's end the shutdown and honor our commitment to our veterans and 
their sacrifices for this country.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on H.J. Res. 72, the 
``Honoring Our Promise to Veterans Act.'' I have unwavering support for 
our nation's veterans and Houston is home for tens of thousands of 
veterans.
  I hold our men and women of the armed services in the highest regard. 
I have fought for them to receive pay raises, affordable and safe 
housing, family support services, and the best possible medical care. 
My support of veterans has been consistent and strong over the time I 
have served in the House of Representatives. I know firsthand how 
painful it is for Veterans to seek assistance for medical care--
especially PTSD or Traumatic Brain injuries. So I have made it a 
central part of my public service to make sure they know how much they 
are loved and appreciated.
  In the 106th Congress I introduced House Joint Resolution 98, which 
was signed into law by President Clinton. This resolution honored the 
debt paid for our nation's freedom by minority veterans who fought 
during World War II. If this Congress truly wishes to recognize the 
sacrifice and bravery of our veterans it will end this shutdown and re-
open our government now. The current shutdown has slowed the rate at 
which the government can process veterans' disability claims and, as 
the VA has stated, it is negatively impacting other services to our 
nation's veterans.
  It is extremely personal and painful to me to see the majority in 
this body use Veterans as a political football to try to score 
political points. Veterans deserve our honor and respect and regard for 
the service they have given to this country--which was given not for 
pay, but out of patriotism and love of country.
  Today, I am ashamed of this body for treating Veterans as if they can 
be bribed to turn their backs on this nation and the pain of fellow 
Americans are suffering under the pressure of an unnecessary Federal 
government shutdown. The majority of the House of Representatives are 
showing such disrespect to Veterans by attempting to bribe them into 
leaving their fellow Americans behind by offering financial relief to 
them while other Americans remain in financial harm's way.
  When Veterans served in uniform they fought for this nation under one 
flag without regard for political party or region of the nation.
  As the member from the 18th Congressional District of Houston Texas I 
have fought hard to protect the honor and the rights of our great 
veterans. This Congress in years past have spoken highly of our 
nation's veterans because without their sacrifice we would not be in a 
free nation.
  In the 18th Congressional District of Texas there are more than 
50,000 veterans and they are almost ten percent of this district's 
civilian population over the age of 18.
  I cannot forget our nation's veterans. They are my friends' people I 
admire and feel privileged to serve in the House of Representatives. My 
service to them in part is motivated by the selflessness these men and 
women have shown and their courage when facing long and difficult 
recoveries from injuries incurred while serving.
  Our veterans are extraordinary citizens who have changed the course 
of our lives in ways that we may not even realize. I hope we will 
always keep this thought in mind. The most important lessons that our 
Veterans can teach us is not to be divided against each other because 
we will surely fall as a nation. When the House of Representatives 
openly pits one group of Americans against another they dishonor our 
veterans and their sacrifice.
  I would like to close my remarks with citing the words of two great 
American Veterans who served our nation on the field of battle and as 
members of the Congress: Congressman John Dingell and Senator Bob Dole. 
They said:

       As two proud World War II veterans blessed also to serve 
     this great nation in Congress, we consider our bipartisan 
     work together in helping to create a National World War II 
     Memorial to be among our greatest accomplishments and a true 
     honor to our brothers-in-arms. If this Congress truly wishes 
     to recognize the sacrifice and bravery of our World War II 
     veterans and all who've come after, it will end this shutdown 
     and re-open our government now. The current shutdown has 
     slowed the rate at which the government can process veterans' 
     disability claims and, as the VA has stated, it is negatively 
     impacting other services to our nation's veterans. Piecemeal 
     or partial spending plans do not adequately ensure that our 
     veterans--and indeed all Americans--have access to the system 
     of self-government established to serve and protect them.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 370, the previous question is ordered.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the joint 
resolution.
  The joint resolution was ordered to be engrossed and read a third 
time, and was read the third time.


                           Motion to Recommit

  Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentlewoman opposed to the joint 
resolution?
  Ms. DUCKWORTH. I am opposed to the joint resolution, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to 
recommit.
  The Clerk read as follows:

         Ms. Duckworth moves to recommit the joint resolution H.J. 
     Res. 72 to the Committee on Appropriations with instructions 
     to report the same back to the House forthwith with the 
     following amendment:
       Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the 
     following:
       That upon passage of this joint resolution by the House of 
     Representatives, the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 59) making 
     continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2014, and for other 
     purposes, as amended by the Senate on September 27, 2013, 
     shall be considered to have been taken from the Speaker's 
     table and the House shall be considered to have (1) receded 
     from its amendment; and (2) concurred in the Senate 
     amendment.

  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve a point of order on the 
gentlewoman's motion.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. A point of order is reserved.
  The gentlewoman from Illinois is recognized for 5 minutes in support 
of her motion.

                              {time}  1600

  Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. Speaker, it would appear that the chairman has 
resigned himself to keeping the government shut down for 30 days so 
that the VA will run out of money in that 30 days' time. The way to 
ensure that the VA doesn't run out of money in 30 days is to pass a 
clean CR to reopen all of government.
  Mr. Speaker, I have spent every moment since waking up in my hospital 
bed at Walter Reed defending our military and serving our veterans. I 
know when they're being exploited.

[[Page 15088]]

  Mr. Speaker, the bill we are debating isn't a serious or respectful 
attempt to support our Nation's heroes. It will not help veterans; in 
fact, it does just the opposite. It cuts more than $6 billion in funds 
for the Department of Veterans Affairs from the same bill that my 
colleagues and I passed, 421-4, just earlier this year.
  I can't support this bill because it pits one veteran against 
another. It would continue paying out pension benefits at the cost of 
cutting medical and prosthetic research for wounded veterans. It would 
give veterans in the VA their health care and needed mental health 
services, which I applaud, but it leaves 800,000 of their brothers and 
sisters--my brothers and sisters--caught in the backlog where they 
would have to wait even longer to get a decision on their benefits. It 
would allow our troops with posttraumatic stress to access the Veterans 
Crisis Line, but at the expense of not laying our heroes to rest in our 
national cemeteries on a timely basis. It would allow our veterans to 
be counseled for military sexual trauma, but not quickly review the 
appeals that they submit to get the compensation they so rightfully 
deserve for that trauma.
  This is unacceptable. It is shameful we are even considering 
responding to our veterans' service to our Nation with a funding cut at 
a time when the need for their services has never been greater. And we 
don't fund government by pitting one group against another. A piecemeal 
deal to fund some veterans could still allow TRICARE to run out of 
funds for prescription medication for our military and retirees.
  We're not a Nation that would ask veterans to accept funding at the 
expense of their children who are in Head Start. A piecemeal-approach 
bill tells our thousands of military and veterans' families who rely on 
food stamps that we will pay their salaries when they go to war, but we 
won't feed their children.
  And the idea that funding the VA will protect their benefits from the 
effects of this shutdown is simply not true. Our veterans are also 
small business owners in Elgin, Illinois; they are students in Addison; 
they are homeowners in Hanover Park; and many of them continue to serve 
their country as government employees. Funding just part of the VA will 
not help the veterans who are waiting on loans from the Small Business 
Administration.
  So let's put our politics aside and stop using our veterans as pawns. 
This approach will not meet the full range of desperately needed 
veteran services. It is no way to fund government.
  Our veterans didn't leave their comrades behind on the field of 
battle. Shame on the majority for leaving them and the Nation they 
defended without a government.
  Our Nation is better than this. We are better than this. I urge my 
colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this motion to recommit and please, 
please allow us to bring up the clean, Senate-passed continuing 
resolution that has the additional $6 billion of funding for our 
heroes, for our veterans.
  Let's reopen the government so we can get back to the work of serving 
our Nation.


                             Point of Order

  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I make a point of order that the 
instructions contained in the motion violate clause 7 of rule XVI, 
which requires that an amendment be germane to the bill under 
consideration.
  As the Chair recently ruled on October 2, 2013, the instructions 
contain a special order of business within the jurisdiction of the 
Committee on Rules. Therefore, the amendment is not germane to the 
underlying bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I insist on my point of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentlewoman from Illinois wish to 
be heard on the point of order?
  Ms. DUCKWORTH. Yes, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Illinois is recognized 
on the point of order.
  Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. Speaker, if you rule this motion out of order, 
does that mean we will not have a chance to keep the entire Federal 
Government open today?
  Can the Chair please explain why we can't open the entire Federal 
Government today?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair is prepared to issue a ruling.
  The gentleman from Texas makes a point of order that instructions 
proposed in the motion to recommit offered by the gentlewoman from 
Illinois are not germane.
  The joint resolution extends funding relating to certain veterans' 
benefits within a portion of fiscal year 2014. The instructions in the 
motion propose an order of business of the House relating to funding 
for all other agencies and Departments subject to the annual 
appropriations process for the remainder of the fiscal year.
  As the Chair ruled earlier today, as well as on October 2, 2013, a 
motion to recommit proposing an order of business of the House is not 
germane to a measure providing for the appropriation of funds, because 
such motion addresses a matter within the jurisdiction of a committee 
not represented in the underlying measure. Here, the instructions 
propose a non-germane amendment.
  The point of order is sustained.
  Ms. DUCKWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I appeal the ruling of the Chair.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is, Shall the decision of the 
Chair stand as the judgment of the house?
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to lay the appeal on the table.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to table.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Ms. DUCKWORTH. 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, this 15-
minute vote on the motion to table will be followed by a 5-minute vote 
on passage of the joint resolution, if arising without further 
proceedings in recommittal.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 225, 
nays 193, not voting 13, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 517]

                               YEAS--225

     Aderholt
     Amash
     Amodei
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Barletta
     Barr
     Barton
     Benishek
     Bentivolio
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Bridenstine
     Brooks (AL)
     Brooks (IN)
     Broun (GA)
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Burgess
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carter
     Cassidy
     Chabot
     Chaffetz
     Coble
     Coffman
     Cole
     Collins (GA)
     Collins (NY)
     Conaway
     Cook
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Culberson
     Daines
     Davis, Rodney
     Denham
     Dent
     DeSantis
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Duffy
     Duncan (SC)
     Duncan (TN)
     Ellmers
     Farenthold
     Fincher
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fleming
     Flores
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gardner
     Garrett
     Gerlach
     Gibbs
     Gibson
     Gingrey (GA)
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (MO)
     Griffin (AR)
     Griffith (VA)
     Grimm
     Guthrie
     Hall
     Hanna
     Harper
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Hastings (WA)
     Heck (NV)
     Hensarling
     Holding
     Hudson
     Huelskamp
     Huizenga (MI)
     Hultgren
     Hunter
     Hurt
     Issa
     Jenkins
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jordan
     Joyce
     Kelly (PA)
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kinzinger (IL)
     Kline
     Labrador
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Lance
     Lankford
     Latham
     Latta
     LoBiondo
     Long
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Marchant
     Marino
     Massie
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McHenry
     McKeon
     McKinley
     McMorris Rodgers
     Meadows
     Meehan
     Messer
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Mullin
     Mulvaney
     Murphy (PA)
     Neugebauer
     Noem
     Nugent
     Nunes
     Nunnelee
     Olson
     Palazzo
     Paulsen
     Pearce
     Perry
     Petri
     Pitts
     Poe (TX)
     Pompeo
     Posey
     Price (GA)
     Radel
     Reed
     Reichert
     Renacci
     Ribble
     Rice (SC)
     Rigell
     Roby
     Roe (TN)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Rokita
     Rooney
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothfus
     Royce
     Runyan
     Ryan (WI)
     Salmon
     Sanford
     Scalise
     Schock
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Southerland
     Stewart
     Stivers
     Stockman
     Stutzman
     Terry
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Tiberi
     Turner
     Upton
     Valadao
     Wagner

[[Page 15089]]


     Walberg
     Walden
     Walorski
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Williams
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Wolf
     Womack
     Woodall
     Yoder
     Yoho
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)
     Young (IN)

                               NAYS--193

     Andrews
     Barber
     Barrow (GA)
     Beatty
     Becerra
     Bera (CA)
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Blumenauer
     Bonamici
     Brady (PA)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown (FL)
     Brownley (CA)
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardenas
     Carney
     Cartwright
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chu
     Cicilline
     Clarke
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Courtney
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (CA)
     Davis, Danny
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delaney
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Deutch
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle
     Duckworth
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Engel
     Enyart
     Eshoo
     Esty
     Farr
     Fattah
     Foster
     Frankel (FL)
     Fudge
     Gabbard
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garcia
     Grayson
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hahn
     Hanabusa
     Hastings (FL)
     Heck (WA)
     Himes
     Hinojosa
     Holt
     Honda
     Horsford
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Israel
     Jackson Lee
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kind
     Kirkpatrick
     Kuster
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lee (CA)
     Levin
     Lewis
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lujan Grisham (NM)
     Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
     Lynch
     Maffei
     Maloney, Carolyn
     Maloney, Sean
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCollum
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McIntyre
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng
     Michaud
     Miller, George
     Moore
     Moran
     Murphy (FL)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Negrete McLeod
     Nolan
     O'Rourke
     Owens
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor (AZ)
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Peters (CA)
     Peters (MI)
     Peterson
     Pingree (ME)
     Pocan
     Polis
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Richmond
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan (OH)
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schrader
     Schwartz
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell (AL)
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Sinema
     Sires
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Speier
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Tierney
     Titus
     Tonko
     Tsongas
     Van Hollen
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz
     Wasserman Schultz
     Watt
     Waxman
     Welch
     Wilson (FL)
     Yarmuth

                             NOT VOTING--13

     Bass
     Carson (IN)
     Herrera Beutler
     Higgins
     Jones
     Lummis
     McCarthy (NY)
     Miller, Gary
     Pittenger
     Rush
     Tipton
     Vargas
     Waters

                              {time}  1634

  Mr. GRIJALVA changed his vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
  Ms. GRANGER and Mr. ROKITA changed their vote from ``nay'' to 
``yea.''
  So the motion to table was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  (By unanimous consent, Mr. Hoyer was allowed to speak out of order.)


                          Legislative Program

  Mr. HOYER. At the outset, I know that I join the majority leader in 
expressing our gratitude to the Capitol Police.
  Mr. Speaker, all too often we take for granted the folks who are 
prepared to put their own lives and safety at risk to save others from 
harm's way, not only those of us who work on Capitol Hill, but those 
who visit their Capitol. So I know that round of applause was heartfelt 
and deeply meant, and we thank them.
  I yield to the majority leader before I ask him a question on the 
schedule.
  Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding, 
and I concur with his thanks to the Capitol Police.
  As well, each and every day, all of us benefit from their dedication 
and commitment to our safety, the people who visit this Capitol and its 
surroundings to their safety, and I know all of us want to extend that 
thanks just to let them know we really appreciate them.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker--and I know, again, as did the majority 
leader--Mr. Sanford Bishop, himself, gave such a tribute to the Capitol 
Police at the beginning of the last bill; but also we want to thank the 
Sergeant at Arms, Paul Irving, and all of those who work with the 
Sergeant at Arms.
  Mr. Speaker, I know he may want to say a word on that as well, but I 
will yield to him now for the purposes of informing the Members of the 
majority leader's view of the schedule for the days to come.
  Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.
  As well, on behalf of my colleagues on the majority's side of the 
aisle, I want to express our thanks to Paul Irving, the Sergeant at 
Arms Office and the entire team that he heads up in this Capitol for 
their tireless dedication to our safety and well-being, to our 
families' safety and well-being. Each and every one of us has been 
affected and touched by some threat or some risk at some time. Again, I 
want to express that gratitude to him and his team.
  Mr. Speaker, as to the gentleman's request about information on the 
schedule, we did put out an email indicating that we are going to go 
into morning-hour tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock, and legislative 
business starts at noon. We will also be making an announcement as to 
the weekend schedule and what we can expect for votes over the weekend.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for that information.
  The gentleman, does he know how likely it is we will be in? 
Obviously, every Member has a schedule, and they are trying to deal 
with that and inform their staffs of that. I know it's very difficult 
for the leader. I've been there; I know how difficult it is to 
anticipate. I've heard some comments that Saturday is a probability but 
that, perhaps, Sunday is not.
  Can the gentleman give any clarification on that?
  Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, we will announce in the morning what to 
expect as far as votes for the weekend.
  Mr. HOYER. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, 5-minute voting will 
continue.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the joint 
resolution.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 259, 
noes 157, not voting 15, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 518]

                               AYES--259

     Aderholt
     Amash
     Amodei
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Barber
     Barletta
     Barr
     Barrow (GA)
     Barton
     Benishek
     Bentivolio
     Bera (CA)
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (NY)
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Braley (IA)
     Bridenstine
     Brooks (AL)
     Brooks (IN)
     Broun (GA)
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Burgess
     Bustos
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carter
     Cassidy
     Chabot
     Chaffetz
     Coble
     Coffman
     Cole
     Collins (GA)
     Conaway
     Cook
     Cooper
     Costa
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Culberson
     Daines
     Davis, Rodney
     DelBene
     Denham
     Dent
     DeSantis
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Duffy
     Duncan (SC)
     Duncan (TN)
     Ellmers
     Farenthold
     Fincher
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fleming
     Flores
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Foster
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garcia
     Gardner
     Garrett
     Gerlach
     Gibbs
     Gibson
     Gingrey (GA)
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (MO)
     Griffin (AR)
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     Johnson, Sam
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     Marchant
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     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McHenry
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McKinley
     McMorris Rodgers
     Meadows
     Meehan

[[Page 15090]]


     Messer
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Mullin
     Mulvaney
     Murphy (FL)
     Murphy (PA)
     Neugebauer
     Noem
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     Paulsen
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     Peters (CA)
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     Peterson
     Petri
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     Rahall
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     Rogers (KY)
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     Rohrabacher
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     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Wolf
     Womack
     Woodall
     Yoder
     Yoho
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)
     Young (IN)

                               NOES--157

     Andrews
     Beatty
     Becerra
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Bonamici
     Brady (PA)
     Brown (FL)
     Brownley (CA)
     Butterfield
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     Capuano
     Cardenas
     Carney
     Carson (IN)
     Cartwright
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chu
     Cicilline
     Clarke
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Conyers
     Courtney
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (CA)
     Davis, Danny
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delaney
     DeLauro
     Deutch
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle
     Duckworth
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Engel
     Enyart
     Eshoo
     Esty
     Farr
     Fattah
     Frankel (FL)
     Fudge
     Gabbard
     Grayson
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Hahn
     Hanabusa
     Hastings (FL)
     Himes
     Hinojosa
     Holt
     Honda
     Horsford
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Israel
     Jackson Lee
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Kaptur
     Kelly (IL)
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kind
     Kirkpatrick
     Kuster
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lee (CA)
     Levin
     Lewis
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lujan Grisham (NM)
     Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
     Maloney, Carolyn
     Matsui
     McCollum
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng
     Michaud
     Miller, George
     Moore
     Moran
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Negrete McLeod
     Nolan
     O'Rourke
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor (AZ)
     Payne
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     Perlmutter
     Pingree (ME)
     Pocan
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Rangel
     Richmond
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan (OH)
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schwartz
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Sewell (AL)
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Sires
     Slaughter
     Smith (WA)
     Speier
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Titus
     Tonko
     Tsongas
     Van Hollen
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz
     Wasserman Schultz
     Watt
     Waxman
     Welch
     Wilson (FL)
     Yarmuth

                             NOT VOTING--15

     Bass
     Collins (NY)
     Gutierrez
     Herrera Beutler
     Higgins
     Jones
     Lummis
     McCarthy (NY)
     Miller, Gary
     Pittenger
     Rush
     Serrano
     Tipton
     Vargas
     Waters

                              {time}  1648

  So the joint resolution was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________