E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 160 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2014 No. 120 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was I thank the 370 Members who voted in Sergeant Benjamin Prange, PFC Keith called to order by the Speaker pro tem- favor of this resolution. Williams, and PFC Donnell Hamilton. pore (Mr. FARENTHOLD). H. Con. Res. 105 states very simply: Why, you may ask, do I continue to f The President shall not deploy or maintain speak against the war in Afghanistan? United States Armed Forces in a sustained Because American servicemembers are DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO combat role in Iraq without specific statu- still dying. TEMPORE tory authorization for such use enacted after Mr. Speaker, I have a poster beside The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- the date of the adoption of this concurrent me on the floor today that probably resolution. fore the House the following commu- gives a better example of war than nication from the Speaker: Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that we even I do with my words. It is a little will have other debates on the Con- WASHINGTON, DC, girl holding the hand of her mom as July 29, 2014. stitution and the role of Congress in the United States Army is getting I hereby appoint the Honorable BLAKE deploying our military, including a de- ready to start the caisson. The little FARENTHOLD to act as Speaker pro tempore bate on repealing both the 2001 and 2002 girl is wondering why her father is in on this day. AUMF. the casket draped by an American flag. JOHN A. BOEHNER, There is no decision more important These are the costs of war. We must Speaker of the House of Representatives. than a vote to commit a young man or always carefully consider where we are f woman to war to potentially give their going to send our young men and life for our country. That is one reason MORNING-HOUR DEBATE women overseas to fight and give their that I am opposed to President life. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Obama’s decision to allow U.S. troops Mr. Speaker, with that, I will close ant to the order of the House of Janu- to remain in Afghanistan. While he by asking God to please bless our ary 7, 2014, the Chair will now recog- says that we are withdrawing our troops, God to please bless the families, nize Members from lists submitted by troops, the fact remains that 32,800 and for God to continue to bless Amer- the majority and minority leaders for members of the American military re- ica. morning-hour debate. main in harm’s way in Afghanistan at f The Chair will alternate recognition this very moment. between the parties, with each party We have all read and heard the re- SENATE TRANSPORTATION BILL limited to 1 hour and each Member ports from Special Inspector General The SPEAKER pro tempore. The other than the majority and minority for Afghanistan Reconstruction, John Chair recognizes the gentleman from leaders and the minority whip limited Sopko, which details rampant waste, Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) for 5 min- to 5 minutes, but in no event shall de- fraud, and abuse of American re- utes. bate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. sources. Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, as f We in Congress continue to propose early as this afternoon, the Senate de- cuts to domestic programs that assist bates transportation funding. It is not AFGHANISTAN our veterans, children, and senior citi- just about the money to stop the sum- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The zens, yet there are no cuts to the mer slowdown that is impacting Chair recognizes the gentleman from money that is being funneled overseas projects and jobs all across America be- North Carolina (Mr. JONES) for 5 min- to prop up a corrupt Afghan regime. cause we have not adequately funded utes. One would think that we would learn our transportation needs. It is an op- Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, this past from history. No amount of blood or portunity to focus our response to the Friday was a monumental day in the treasure will change Afghanistan. It is larger infrastructure crisis which is no House of Representatives as we finally what it is, like it or not. It is what it longer just looming but is upon us. had a debate on the merits of sending is. America is literally falling apart. U.S. troops back into the conflict in As I close, I want to mention three The American Society for Civil Engi- Iraq. members of the Army who died on July neers has famously rated our transpor- Again, I thank the House leadership 25 as a result of their service in Af- tation with a D-plus, with an overall and the Foreign Affairs Committee ghanistan. I also want to thank ABC dismal scorecard for other infrastruc- leadership for working with Represent- News for faithfully honoring our fallen ture categories. atives MCGOVERN, LEE, and myself to servicemembers. The names of the We can no longer afford to maintain bring H. Con. Res. 105 to the floor, and three fallen Army members are Staff our existing system in a state of good b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H6979 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:02 Jul 30, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A29JY7.000 H29JYPT1 tjames on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H6980 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 29, 2014 repair. Eleven percent of our bridges have to come back after the election We all remember that ObamaCare are obsolete or functionally deficient. and work into the holidays, we should was hastily passed after an election Ongoing operations, to say nothing of do so. Congress should not recess for which cost the Democrats their super- strategic new investments, are increas- vacation, for campaigning, or adjourn majority in the Senate. They couldn’t ingly difficult. for the year unless it has met its re- edit this law because the people of Mas- This is sad because the Federal Gov- sponsibilities for a long overdue, 6- sachusetts denied them that privilege. ernment used to play an essential role year, robust transportation bill pro- But that didn’t stop Democrats from for infrastructure throughout our his- vided with enough sustainable, dedi- ramming this poorly drafted law tory, from Benjamin Franklin’s postal cated funding to stop this chronic un- through using some very questionable roads to Abraham Lincoln’s trans- certainty. legislative tactics. Now they are ask- continental railroad to Dwight Eisen- The Senate will be debating limiting ing the courts to let them make edits hower’s interstate highway system. funding for this year or sliding into to the plain language of law without The ability to even imagine such ac- next. They will even debate Senator consulting Congress. complishments is increasingly a thing LEE’s proposal to slash the Federal As this case moves forward on ap- of the past. This means we are losing partnership and turn it back to the peal, judges should ask themselves this our competitive edge to be able to States as an unfunded mandate, elimi- question: Is it my role to shield the move goods efficiently. Our families nating the gas tax and, with it, any Democratic Party from the con- are losing mobility. thoughtful, overall Federal transpor- sequences of a republic form of govern- Our low level of investment is being tation system. ment? I don’t recall ever reading that dwarfed by competitors overseas: Eu- These are the choices that really particular clause in my copy of the rope, India, Japan, and especially need to be drug out into the light. Constitution. They need to be talked about in the China. f Shanghai has 14 subway lines, a high- open to find out what the public speed Maglev railway, two massive thinks, and then we make a decision, THE LEGISLATURE’S JOB IS TO modern airports, 20 expressways, and a let them know, and move on. America PASS LEGISLATION high-speed train leaving Shanghai deserves no less. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The every 3 minutes. China has spent 81⁄2 f Chair recognizes the gentleman from percent of its gross domestic product ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER Illinois (Mr. QUIGLEY) for 5 minutes. for 20 years, while American invest- PRO TEMPORE Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, as the ment has shrunk to 1.7 percent re- House uses what little legislative time The SPEAKER pro tempore. Mem- cently for a system that is variously is left in the year to sue the President, bers are reminded to refrain from traf- rated 12th or 27th, depending on what I am reminded of what Benjamin Dis- ficking the well while another Member you are looking at. raeli once said: ‘‘How much easier it is is under recognition. Is it any wonder that China’s econ- to be critical than to be correct.’’ That omy has expanded 700 percent in 20 f is the reason why the American public years while America struggles to grow OBAMACARE thinks that the lawsuit against the at 2 percent a year? The SPEAKER pro tempore. The President of the United States is a po- With such an overwhelming, well-es- Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from litical stunt, because it is a political tablished need, it is criminal that Con- North Carolina (Ms.