[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 19517-19518]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




PROVIDING FOR A CONDITIONAL ADJOURNMENT OR RECESS OF THE SENATE AND AN 
              ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following 
privileged concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 30) providing for a 
conditional adjournment or recess of the Senate and an adjournment of 
the House of Representatives.
  The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 30

       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That when the Senate recesses or adjourns on any 
     day from Friday, December 20, 2013, through Tuesday, December 
     31, 2013, on a motion offered pursuant to this concurrent 
     resolution by its Majority Leader or his designee, it stand 
     adjourned until 11:45 a.m. on Friday, January 3, 2014, or 
     until the time of any reassembly pursuant to section 2 of 
     this concurrent resolution, whichever occurs first; and that 
     when the House adjourns on any legislative day from Monday, 
     December 23, 2013, through Tuesday, December 31, 2013, on a 
     motion offered pursuant to this concurrent resolution by its 
     Majority Leader or his designee, it stand adjourned until 
     11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 3, 2014, or until the time of 
     any reassembly pursuant to section 3 of this concurrent 
     resolution, whichever occurs first.
       Sec. 2.  (a) The Majority Leader of the Senate or his 
     designee, after consultation with the Minority Leader of the 
     Senate, shall notify the Members of the Senate to reassemble 
     at such place and time he may designate if, in his opinion, 
     the public interest shall warrant it.
        (b) After reassembling pursuant to subsection (a), when 
     the Senate adjourns on a motion offered pursuant to this 
     subsection by the Majority Leader or his designee, the Senate 
     shall again stand adjourned pursuant to the first section of 
     this concurrent resolution.
       Sec. 3.  (a) The Speaker or his designee, after 
     consultation with the Minority Leader of the House, shall 
     notify the Members of the House to reassemble at such place 
     and time he may designate if, in his opinion, the public 
     interest shall warrant it.
        (b) After reassembling pursuant to subsection (a), when 
     the House adjourns on a motion offered pursuant to this 
     subsection by the Speaker or his designee, the House shall 
     again stand adjourned pursuant to the first section of this 
     concurrent resolution.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the concurrent resolution 
is concurred in.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, arguably, Mr. 
Speaker, this Congress is the least productive one in which I have 
served over the last 33 years. Both from a humanitarian standpoint and 
an economic one, this Congress has earned the disdain of the American 
people irrespective of their party affiliation.
  I rise, Mr. Speaker, specifically to express my and the Democratic 
minority's strong objection to adjourning this first session of the 
113th Congress without extending unemployment insurance eligibility for 
the 1.3 million Americans, including 20,000 military veterans, who will 
lose that support in just 48 hours. This number will increase by 73,000 
people, on average, every week that we continue to block an extension.
  That is both a moral outrage and another congressionally inflicted 
blow to our economy, and it is unprecedented. Whenever unemployment 
levels have been as they are today, the Congress has extended benefits.
  It is, sadly, consistent with our failure to pass meaningful jobs 
legislation proposed by the President.
  It is, sadly, consistent with our failure to pass comprehensive 
immigration reform, which is broadly supported by business, labor, 
farmers, farm workers, and an overwhelming number of religious leaders 
and members of the faith community.
  It is, sadly, consistent with our failure to pass a farm bill, which 
could give confidence to those in dire need of help putting food on 
their families' tables that this Congress will not abandon them; and 
ironically, Mr. Speaker, we do so at the very time that our Nation 
celebrates a message of giving and hope.
  All this we leave undone after passing a so-called budget 
``compromise,'' whose only virtue was that it was slightly better than 
the draconian and the irrational sequester--condemned on both sides of 
the aisle as unworkable, unrealistic, and ill-conceived. So, it is a 
so-called ``compromise'' that will be tested in just a few short weeks 
and which failed to assure that America will pay its bills in the 
months ahead.
  Mr. Speaker, if I thought objecting to this motion to adjourn by 
unanimous consent would lead to an extension of unemployment for the 
1.3 million Americans who have been unable to find work or to a House 
leadership bringing to the floor issues that I have listed, I would 
object to this House adjourning with so much of the people's work 
undone, but sadly, Mr. Speaker, such an objection would have no such

[[Page 19518]]

effect. I and my party deeply regret that reality.
  Mr. Speaker, we will return in January of 2014, urging our Republican 
colleagues to address the needs of so many millions of Americans who 
want us to do the work they sent us here to do.
  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, sadly, I withdraw my reservation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the concurrent resolution 
is concurred in.
  There was no objection.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________