[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5797]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      BUDGET CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

  (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, repeatedly, Republicans have reprimanded 
Senate Democrats, claiming budget negotiations have stalled because the 
Senate has failed to pass a budget. Now, Senate Democrats have done 
their part. Republican leaders in the House must do the same by 
convening a conference committee to resolve our budget differences 
openly and honestly. That is a procedure that the Congress has always 
followed. That is regular order.
  The best interests of the American people shouldn't have to sit on 
the back burner any longer. Unemployment remains too high, wages are 
stagnant, and sequestration is taking its toll. We need to address our 
country's challenges and create jobs, reduce the deficit, and 
strengthen our middle class while creating ladders of opportunity for 
those to climb into the middle class.
  These are our top priorities. Sometimes these priorities get lost in 
the shuffle of partisan bickering. I urge Republican leadership to 
follow regular order and create a conference committee now.

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