Congressional Record—House H1558
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H1558 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 3, 2015 GDP. There is no set of circumstances Dogs are trying to change that. They Mr. Speaker, Members, I came down where revenue will ever match spend- are focused on ending political polar- to the floor this afternoon to join my ing, Mr. Speaker. The President didn’t ization, reforming Congress, stopping Blue Dog colleagues in calling for all of provide that leadership; my friend from reckless government spending, and cre- us in Congress to come together and do Indiana is. That is why I am so proud ating economic opportunity for Ameri- the work that we have been asked to to be on the floor with you today. cans who have been left behind by this do, the work that we have been sent to Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I yield recession. Washington, sent to Congress to do on back the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I come to work every behalf of the people that we represent. f single day to get things done for Ari- I came to Congress to get things done, zona. I have a proven record of reach- to get things done for the people that I THE BLUE DOG COALITION ing out to members of both political represent, and to get things done for The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. parties to find common ground on the great country that we are all so CURBELO of Florida). Under the Speak- issues ranging from jobs and the econ- privileged to live in and to participate er’s announced policy of January 6, omy to reducing spending and govern- in. 2015, the gentleman from California ment waste. As a cofounder of the As Mr. COSTA mentioned, he and I (Mr. COSTA) is recognized for 60 min- United Solutions Caucus and a No La- served together in the State legislature utes as the designee of the minority bels Problem Solver, I have worked in California, and I am very proud of leader. with members of both parties to get the work that we did there. We were Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, my name is things done. At home, Congressman able to get a lot of things done. In the Congressman JIM COSTA from Fresno, MATT SALMON and I work together to time that I was there, the majority of California. Since I was first elected help Arizona veterans get the care they the time, I chaired the Senate Budget over 10 years ago, I have been a mem- deserve, and I have worked with Con- Committee. That was one of the rea- ber of the Blue Dog caucus. This after- gressman MICHAEL MCCAUL to intro- sons why I was so proud to be a Blue noon, members of the Blue Dog caucus duce legislation that puts an end to Dog, although the common thread that that stretch the width and the breadth automatic pay raises for Members of holds all Blue Dogs together is the of this great country of ours are going Congress. issue of fiscal responsibility. to speak about what brings us to- Neither party is always right. In fact, In my time in Sacramento chairing gether, about the passions that they both parties are often wrong. It is time the Budget Committee, we always had have and the people that they advocate for us to listen to each other and work a balanced budget. Fiscal responsi- for and why they believe that their ef- together to grow our economy, help bility was important, and it is equally forts at being a constructive and a very our country’s families, and honor our as important here in Congress. Nobody positive member of the Blue Dog cau- veterans. Recently, we came together likes the fact that we have huge defi- cus adds value to their ability to rep- to pass bipartisan legislation to pre- cits or huge debts. We understand that some things are unavoidable, but there resent their constituencies and to the vent veteran suicide and improve ac- has to be an understanding of and an vision that I think we, as Americans, cess to mental health care and health intentional effort on the part of all us all share together, which is to make services for veterans. Just this week, to make sure that we are fiscally re- our Congress, to make our representa- we agreed on legislation to expand col- sponsible and that we manage that tive democracy, a more functioning lege savings plans and make higher debt, we manage that deficit, and we system. Because clearly today, the education a reality for students and bring it down to a level that won’t bur- American public, in poll after poll after their families. We need more of these den our children and our grandchildren poll, demonstrate their frustration kinds of accomplishments in Congress. In Arizona, the voters established an in the years to come. with the inability of the United States independent redistricting commission So I was stunned when I came to Congress to come together and to work that allows for an open and transparent Congress and found out that it was on common solutions for our country, process and creates competitive dis- very, very difficult to get anything solutions that share our common val- tricts where neither party has a mo- done, to get people to work together. ues but also involve the art, the art of nopoly. We Blue Dogs have proposed As JIM pointed out, I am one of the the political compromise, too often I similar reforms to create impartial, longer serving Members, so I was believe an art that has become lost fairly drawn districts across the coun- stunned a long time ago in what you here in our Nation’s Capital in Wash- try to cut back on the polarization can probably refer to today as ‘‘the ington, D.C. that cripples our system. good old days,’’ when we were actually So among the first of the members of Mr. Speaker, the American people de- able to work together and get things our caucus that will speak is the gen- serve leaders who do whatever it takes done, but we didn’t have a high level of tlewoman from Arizona’s Ninth Dis- to come up with practical, common- that cooperation even back then. trict, KYRSTEN SINEMA, a colleague of sense solutions that help us move for- Last week, I was with the Aspen In- mine who always is advocating for her ward. It is time for us to focus on areas stitute on a trade conference. Anybody constituency in the most positive of common ground and come up with who is familiar with them knows that ways. real answers to our country’s most they are able to bring together a bipar- Ms. SINEMA. Thank you, Mr. COSTA, pressing problems. So let’s put aside tisan and bicameral representation of and thank you today for organizing the finger pointing and the fighting. Congress, Members from the Senate this Special Order. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get back and Members from the House, Demo- Mr. Speaker, this is an important op- to work. crats and Republicans. They also bring portunity for us to come together and Mr. COSTA. I thank the gentle- together some of the most famous show how bipartisanship can fix our woman from Arizona. scholars to talk about whatever the broken system. Mr. Speaker, our next Blue Dog col- issue of the conference is. I was struck, At home in Arizona, I hear from ev- league who will speak is a gentleman at this trade conference, when one of eryone that Washington is broken. whom I have served with both in the the new Members that we serve with, There is too much time spent playing California State Legislature as well as now starting his sophomore term, after political games and too little time here in Congress. He and I are good the scholars spoke and he was recog- spent working together to get things friends. We both represent wonderful nized, said: I came to Congress to in- done. Most people are sick and tired of parts of California, and he is one of the volve myself in this type of problem Congress’ failing to do its job because longer serving members in the Blue solving, when people came together, of partisan politics. That is why I Dog caucus, the gentleman from north- talked about issues, talked about prob- joined the Blue Dog Coalition, because ern California, Congressman MIKE lems, and talked about solutions. He they prioritize the people they rep- THOMPSON from California’s Fifth Dis- said: And this is the first time since I resent more than their party leader- trict. have been here that we have been able ship. Mr. THOMPSON of California. I to engage in that type of dialogue. Everybody knows that Congress is thank the gentleman, and my friend, That is not right, Members, and we not working effectively, and the Blue for yielding. all know that. We are here to work on VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:17 Mar 04, 2015 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K03MR7.039 H03MRPT1 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with HOUSE March 3, 2015 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H1559 the problems that face our great coun- b 1630 We just had Mr. THOMPSON talking try, and we need to get down and do There is not a person that any one of about a transportation bill. Everyone that work. us represents who doesn’t know that talks about the need to fix our trans- Mr.