[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5687]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   GOP MUST APPOINT BUDGET CONFEREES

  (Mr. POCAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. POCAN. Congress is now more than 1 week past our legal deadline 
to produce a final budget for the American people, but this is not due 
to a lack of activity by either Chamber. In fact, the House has passed 
a budget, and the Senate has passed a budget; yet there is no movement 
toward creating a final national budget.
  Why? Because Republicans in both the House and the Senate refuse to 
appoint budget conferees.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of Wisconsin and the Nation deserve a Federal 
budget that reflects our values and that lays out our priorities just 
like we do in Wisconsin and other States. Without a budget, we cannot 
respond to emerging needs or cut wasteful programs, and we cannot 
replace the irresponsible sequester cuts that are hitting our families 
and communities.
  This is unacceptable and it is unnecessary. I am a member of the 
Budget Committee, and I do not agree with most of what was included in 
the budget that our committee passed, but I do believe we need to sit 
down with the Senate and, in an open, transparent process, come to a 
budget solution.
  There is no excuse for inaction. Republicans should immediately 
appoint budget conferees so we can produce a budget that promotes 
economic growth and supports our middle class families.

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