[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2331]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        SEQUESTRATION HAS BEGUN

  (Ms. HAHN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, Congress' failure to avert the sequestration 
with a balanced and responsible plan before the March 1 deadline is not 
just sad, it's inexcusable. The ramifications of failure are anything 
but artificial. They are real and they are severe. While the 
sequestration process has begun, it is not too late to work together to 
put us back on the right path.
  Funny enough, Democrats and Republicans actually agree on one thing: 
that we can and must adjust the way we spend money. But we have 
dramatically different ideas about the best approach.
  Democrats in Congress have a balanced approach, which includes 
spending cuts and revenue through closing tax loopholes to reduce our 
debt. This sequestration plan is not the answer to dealing with our 
deficits, and neither is another eleventh-hour temporary solution.
  We owe it to the American people to move the needle forward and come 
to a compromise on a real plan that will increase revenue from sources 
other than just slashing critical programs.
  I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 699, a balanced bill to 
replace this sequester with spending cuts and revenues.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the guidelines consistently issued by 
successive Speakers, as recorded on page 752 of the House Rules and 
Manual, the Chair is constrained not to entertain the gentlewoman's 
request unless it has been cleared by the bipartisan floor and 
committee leaderships.

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