February 8, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H213 buy some time. By the way, the cheap- Speaker’s announced policy of January tually running surplus into the later est oil is the oil you do not use. We 4, 2005, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. years of his Presidency, but President have bought some time so we can make RYAN) is recognized for 60 minutes as Clinton early on, because of the defi- investments now in more efficiency, the designee of the minority leader. cits that were run up through the first of all, and then in these alter- Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I ap- Reagan administration, through the natives which we will increasingly turn preciate the opportunity to be here, first George Bush administration, and to. and let me first say to the gentleman then into the Clinton administration, The ultimate goal is to achieve sus- regarding his presentation here tonight President Clinton had to come to Con- tainable growth. By the way, Mr. regarding alternative energy sources, gress and ask to raise the debt ceiling. Speaker, there is no such thing as sus- not only was it impressive and thor- Just to give you some perspective, tainable growth, whether short term ough, but I think he hit the nail right Mr. Speaker, in 8 years, President Clin- you may make it appear to be so; but on the head. I think this is an issue ton asked the Congress to raise the ultimately there is no such thing as that the next generation is going to debt ceiling twice, two times, in order continued forever sustainable growth. have to deal with, and I know that our to fix this problem. Then we had eco- We are going to have to learn to be 30-something Working Group is very nomic growth, we had balanced budg- happy with being satisfied with what interested in working with the gen- ets, we had surplus money, and we had we have got. tleman for alternative energy sources arguments in this Chamber about I think, Mr. Speaker, we have some and figuring out what we are going to where the money was going to be really, really great times ahead of us. I do. spent. Two times in 8 years President can imagine nothing more than all Our topic tonight, Mr. Speaker, is Clinton early on asked to raise the Americans feeling really good about what is going on here at home regard- debt ceiling. contributing to a solution to this prob- ing the budget and regarding the budg- President Bush, current President lem. et deficit that the Republican Congress Bush, has asked this Congress to raise What we really need is leadership has run on an annual basis, but also the debt ceiling five times already, five that the American people understand the national debt. times, because there is runaway spend- that they really can contribute. We The President will be coming back to ing from this Congress. I am joined by have enormous creativity and entrepre- the Congress to ask the Republican my friend, the gentlewoman from Flor- neurship. We need to harness that. The Congress to raise the debt ceiling, the ida (Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ). Five next big burst in economic efficiency debt limit. This is deja vu all over times, because of the runaway spend- and growth can be in developing these again. This Republican Congress con- ing, the corporate welfare, time and alternatives and more efficient ways of tinues to borrow and borrow and bor- time and time again to the pharma- doing things. row and spend and spend and spend, ceutical industry, to the HMOs, to the The ultimate goal, and we will get to really, like drunken sailors, like there energy companies the gentleman from that goal, we will transition. When the is no end in sight; and our country can- age of oil is finished and there is no Maryland (Mr. BARTLETT) was talking not continue to go down this irrespon- more oil that can be gotten without about earlier. We continue to give this sible path. We would like to talk a lit- paying more for the oil than you get corporate welfare, and with a blatant tle bit about it tonight. out of it, we will have been and reckless disregard for the fiscal re- In order to borrow money, the Con- transitioned to the renewables. What sponsibilities that we have here. gress needs to pass legislation and the We all know now that we are bor- will life be like then? What will life be President needs to sign legislation that like in that transition? rowing the money from the Chinese This is really a good-news story. The will allow the U.S. Treasury to borrow Government and Japanese Govern- sooner we start to address this prob- money; and the more deficits we run on ment, the Saudi Arabian family, the lem, the less traumatic will be the an annual basis, the more we have to house of Saud. So we are not going to transition. I like to think, Mr. Speak- borrow. So the debt ceiling gets lifted. the Second National or Sky Bank or er, that if we harness the creativity The Republicans went out, borrowed Bank of America to get the money. and the energy of the American people, more and more money till they hit This Congress and this President are there is nothing that will make sleep that ceiling and had to pass legislation going to the Chinese Government to so refreshing other than just knowing to raise that ceiling again to allow the get it. you really contributed something that Treasury to borrow even more money. I would be happy to yield to the gen- day. That is what is happening right now. tlewoman from Florida (Ms. Mr. Speaker, I think that we have a To give you some perspective here, WASSERMAN SCHULTZ), my friend. bright future ahead of us. Unless we Mr. Speaker, when President Clinton Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. recognize, we probably are approaching came into office in January of 1993, we Speaker, I thank so much my good peak oil. I would encourage, Mr. Speak- were running tremendous budget defi- friend from Ohio. I am particularly er, that you go do a Google search for cits. In 1993, a Democratic Congress struck by your comments and your peak oil, pull up the articles on peak and President Clinton passed a budget laying out of the real significance of oil or do Hubbert’s peak, you will find without one Republican vote and the problem we are facing here. essentially the same articles there. passed the budget that led to the great- I have only been here a year now. I There is a lot of information out there. est economic expansion in the history am a new Member, and I came from 12 The average person is so consumed of the United States of America, cre- previous years in the Florida legisla- with the necessities of life, the tyranny ated over 20 million new jobs. The ture. The whole concept, I mean, I cer- of the urgent that pushes the impor- stock market went crazy. There were tainly understand what the debt limit tant off the table: you really need to benefits for everyone in our society be- is and the debt ceiling, and I have change the diapers; you really do need cause of the tough decisions; and quite watched the President’s brother, Gov- to be responsible; you also need to be frankly, Mr. Speaker, several Members ernor Bush, do the exact same thing in thinking about tomorrow. We think in the Democratic Caucus lost their Florida and asked repeatedly for our about our next election. The board of seats over that tough vote. They made debt limit to be extended. So there is directors thinks about the next quar- very difficult decisions in the early clearly a pattern running through this terly report. Who is looking 5 years stages of President Clinton’s Presi- family. from now, 10 years from now? dency in order to balance the budget But what is so foreign to me as a Mr. Speaker, I think we have a great and do the right thing; but even though State legislator, and I know we have future ahead of us. The American peo- they made this difficult decision, we many former State legislators in this ple will respond if properly challenged. were still running tremendous budget Chamber, is the whole concept of debt f deficits early in the 1990s, mid-1990s. and operating in the red to begin with. So President Clinton came to this Most States cannot deficit spend. Most 30-SOMETHING WORKING GROUP Congress in his 8 years, and as we can States have to adopt a budget that bal- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. see here as President Clinton came in, ances. You do not borrow against next CAMPBELL of California). Under the running budget deficits and then even- year. You spend what you have, just

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:41 Feb 09, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K08FE7.119 H08FEPT1 ycherry on PROD1PC64 with HOUSE H214 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 8, 2006 like the concept of PAYGO that the same thing that people have to do at ets lined via people ‘s tax dollars, then Democrats in the Congress have sup- home. You get the checkbook out, you that is the manifestation of the culture ported for years and continue to sup- take in so much, you can only spend so of corruption and how it impacts peo- port, and then for some reason we can- much, or you have to end up borrowing ple in terms of the policymaking that not get the Republican leadership here money or putting it on your credit goes on here. to go back to that concept. card, and we know that is definitely a And we talking about third-party It is mindboggling. How does a party downward spiral. validators. It would be easy for us to and a group of people who supposedly But exactly what you were saying, I just say what we think standing on pride themselves on their fiscal respon- think the President signed it into law this floor. But, you know, it would be sibility not support the concept of pay- today, the Deficit Reduction Act, very easy for us to lay out, you know, ing as you go? I do not understand. I which is hysterical, because it actually progressive liberal Democratic organi- mean, those two concepts are oppo- increases the deficit. Now, our Repub- zations to validate what we are saying sites. Fiscal responsibility, yet five in- lican friends are saying, well, it cuts here. creases in the debt limit in the debt $39 billion, the deficit by $39 billion, or I am going to read you a few third- ceiling. It is really tough for me to un- there is $39 billion in cuts, but at the party validators who laid out their derstand. same time, they gave $70 billion, or opinion of the President’s budget in the We are borrowing away our children’s close to it, in tax cuts that went pri- last several days. Goldman Sachs, for future, and it is a concept that I have marily to people who make more than example. They said that the deficit not been able to get my mind around. 4- or 5- or $600,000 a year. So it is very forecasts that were laid out in the We want to make sure that we reduce simple math to realize that, well, you President’s budget this week were un- the deficit, but the President talks may cut tell by 39, but if you are reduc- realistic. about it in his State of the Union ad- ing your revenues by $70 billion, that Bush’s budget proposal assumes that dress. You constantly hear Republican there is still a deficit increase. And the Federal deficit would jump from Members of Congress profess that they that is basically what happened. $318 billion last year to $423 billion in have an interest in cutting the deficit Now, you can check the rolls here as 2006, then slide back down to $183 bil- in half or eliminating the deficit. Yet, far as what Democrats have voted for. lion in 2010. Those factors led Goldman the budget that the President sub- Time and time again, the Democrats Sachs economists to tell clients yester- mitted does no such thing. In fact, over have supported middle-class tax cuts. day that the deficit forecasts are unre- the next 10 years it ensures that the We have supported tax cuts for small alistic. Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Goldman Sachs is deficit continues to stay significantly businesses. We supported tax cuts and high, does not even come close to cut- not a liberal organization? credits for college tuition. But I am Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. No. ting it in half; and, actually, he pre- not ashamed to say that we are going sented us a budget on Monday that in- And also not a liberal organization is to ask Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to the Heritage Foundation, who says cludes no assumption that we would pay their fair share in taxes, because spend no money on the war in Iraq that the budget does not deal with re- right now they are getting a free ride. tirees. Brian Riedl, budget analyst for after next year. And I am not afraid to say, and the 30- I mean, to me, I analogize the reality the conservative Heritage Foundation, something Working Group is not afraid of the budget the President gave us on said that Bush’s budget is clearly not to say, that we do not want to give Monday to one that my first graders enough to feasibly solve the most im- public tax dollars to the tune of $16 bil- might sit down and write because they portant economic challenge of our era, lion to the energy companies. You got have about the same similarity in how to deal with 77 million baby-boom- to be kidding me. terms of likelihood of success here in er retirees. I mean, you know, Mr. Speaker, peo- this Chamber, the same similarity that The Concord Coalition, also not a lib- ple who may be watching this in the my first graders would write to the eral bastion, said the White House was Chamber or Members in their offices ability to actually meet the needs of working off very unrealistic assump- should be startled that we are going to the people in the country. tions. Robert Bixby, executive director go out and collect tax dollars from the of the Concord Coalition, said of the b 2215 public. Average people making min- Bush budget, when you look at the bot- You know what it really boils down imum wage, or 10 bucks or 15 bucks an tom line that they are putting out, it to? It boils down to hypocrisy, because hour, send money down here to us, and is important then to look at the as- the same people who accuse Democrats the Republican majority is taking that sumptions. And I think there are some of being tax and spend liberals, you money and giving it to the energy com- very unrealistic assumptions there know, and I am loathe to repeat that panies when, you know, Exxon-Mobil is that would probably keep the deficit misnomer because it is so insulting, making $39 billion in a quarter, and all much higher than the administration but if we are tax and spend liberals, of the other oil companies are doing ex- is showing. they are borrow and spend. They are tremely well. When I say that my first-graders borrow and spend. Or we are going to take that money, could sit down and write a similar Because if we say that we do not Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, we are going budget that bears the same resem- think tax and spend is a good idea, to take the public money, and we are blance to reality, I am really not kid- which I think universally Republicans going to give it to the HMOs, or we are ding. and Democrats would say taxing and going to make sure that we are wasting You know, I am not just being tongue spending as a way to solve our prob- it and giving it to the pharmaceutical in cheek here. The President owes the lems is not a set of solutions for the fu- companies, without any kind of price American people the responsibility ture of this country, how is borrowing controls. that he has taken when he took his and spending any different? Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Essen- oath to uphold the Constitution, a I mean, you are mortgaging our chil- tially what that is is a manifestation budget with realistic projections that dren’s future, and that, you know, I of the culture of corruption. I mean, does not just paint the rosiest picture think if we had some semblance of bi- that is how you translate the culture of possible so that he can coast through partisan here that some people profess corruption which shows itself in indi- the rest of his term. to be supportive of, I would love to sit vidual Members in some cases, and peo- Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Right. This is not down around a table. Maybe Mr. ple who are under suspicion and inves- a game. This is not a game that needs BOEHNER, the new majority leader, will tigation, although not charged. And to be played. We switch the numbers be different, I am certainly hopeful. that is how you take it, or that is how here, and we switch them here. This is But I would love to sit down around a they take it a step further and trans- important, because as of February 8, table with a bipartisan group of Mem- late it into policy. which I believe is today, bers and find a way to pay as we go. I mean, when we are providing sig- $8,200,380,327,202 is the national debt. I will yield. nificant tax dollars for energy compa- And we will have a chart next week Mr. RYAN of Ohio. I think the pay as nies, when we are essentially ensuring that is updating this. And the Presi- you go is basic common sense. It is the that special interests have their pock- dent is going to come and ask to rise

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:35 Feb 09, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K08FE7.120 H08FEPT1 ycherry on PROD1PC64 with HOUSE February 8, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H215 the debt ceiling so that we can go out sible. We are the party of fiscal respon- debt is what we have to borrow in order and borrow more money. But your sibility. We want to cut taxes and re- to stay afloat. share of the national debt, Ms. duce government burden. Reduce gov- Over the last 5 years, it is clear that WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, is $27,518. That is ernment burden? My goodness gra- President Bush has lost control of what you owe, the debt you owe to the cious. Borrowing money from the Chi- both. Under this President we have United States Treasury. nese Government is somehow being fis- gone from a projected 10-year surplus Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Now, cally responsible to the tune of $1 tril- of $5.6 trillion to a projected deficit Mr. RYAN, is that just adults? lion? over the same period of $3.3 trillion, Mr. RYAN of Ohio. No. That is yours, So this all adds up to a real cost of which is an $8.9 trillion reversal. your kids’; each one of your kids, every the kind of corruption that we have Under President Bush’s budget, when citizen in the United States owes down here, because you give tax cuts to omitted costs are included, we have $27,000 for the national debt. And the your rich friends, you give subsidies to deficits for as far as the eye can see. President is going to ask Congress for the energy companies, you give sub- You have a projected rise in the deficit the ability to go out and borrow even sidies to the pharmaceutical compa- to $556 billion by 2016. And when we more so that each citizen can owe even nies, but you are borrowing the money talk about omitted costs, people might more. on the backs of your kids. say, what do you mean by omitted Now, what we are trying to say here Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. To costs? Like the fact that this budget in the 30-something Group is that we take that a step further, and, Mr. does not include any spending on the have got to be responsible, we have got RYAN, before I do that, we have used war in Iraq and Afghanistan after next to balance the budget. We have got to this chart repeatedly because it is so il- year. make sure that we stop borrowing lustrative of the stark ineptitude, for Now, I wish, oh, were that to be true, money from the Chinese Government, lack of a better term, of this adminis- that we would now be in a position because ultimately it is going to lead tration, you know, compared to all of where Iraq would be, and the Iraqi peo- to each citizen having to pay more of the other previous administrations ple would be, able to sustain them- their paycheck in taxes to fund the combined. selves without our assistance. Unfortu- debt, and we do not want that to hap- I am wondering, sometimes people nately, we have created a situation in pen. catch this Special Order hour, and which that continues to be impossible, So our friends on the other side can sometimes they do not. I know we have and it is a virtual certainty that we are talk about tax cuts all they want, but a Website, and we have recently re- going to need to spend money after as they continue to go out and borrow vamped it, and my understanding is next year in Iraq and Afghanistan, de- money with the full faith and credit of that the charts that we use are going spite the President’s claims. the United States Government behind to be available on our Website in the When omitted costs are included, the it, it means our taxpayers are good for event that people want to go and look President’s budget does not cut the def- it. So if you are home, you are good for at them more closely. Is that right? icit in half by 2009 as he continues to it. We can count on you to raise your Mr. RYAN of Ohio. That is correct. claim that it will. taxes so that you can give the Repub- Www.housedemocrats.gov/30-some- b 2230 lican majority more money so that thing. And this will be the Web page they can pay the bills. that pops up, 30-something Working What continues to be mind-boggling Now, would not it be nice, you know, Group. Then you go to the bottom and is that we could fix this if you go back if you are at home and you get your it says, our posters. So you will be able to the pay as you go rules of the 1990s, credit card statement, your credit card to get to our posters here. which is what turned the deficits into only allows you to borrow $10,000. Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. They surpluses, tough votes that people Whew. Boy, I am at $10,000. I am at can peruse them at the their leisure. took. Like you said, there were Mem- $9,990. Would it not be nice if I could Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Yeah. And they bers that lost their seats, but at the just call up the credit card company are really good, because we have taken end of the day, it has to be more impor- and say, you know, I realize I am not all of the information that Tom tant to do the right thing than to con- making any more money, I am prob- Manatos here, who is our go-to guy tinue to be here for each one of us, and ably making less, I realize that health with the 30-something Working Group, that is something that we have to in- care costs have doubled, tuition and ev- kind of boiled it down, and you will be ternalize. This is a good job. This is a erything else, can you give me another able to see our third-party validators. job that we all really enjoy. I have not $10,000 so I can borrow more? Now, for example, this poster here, met a Member of Congress who does And really the worst thing that can now we have added the pictures, obvi- not like the job a lot, and that is why happen is the credit card companies ously, to help make our points to see many of us, most of us, fight hard to says, yes, go ahead. Then you owe them that this is President Bush, he is re- keep it every election cycle. But at the more. And you owe more interest. It is sponsible for the last 4 years, and all of end of the day, you have to be willing this downward spiral that we are in those pictures of all of the other Presi- to look yourself in the mirror and say right now. It is ultimately robbing the dents, Andrew Jackson, President Ken- you did the right thing and be willing future of our country. nedy, there is Taft, Lincoln, they are to walk out of this Chamber and know I want to kick it to you, but I just all here. But at the bottom it says, that you may not come back after you want to share one more statistic here source, where we cite our source, is did the right thing. that we have been using that I think is U.S. Treasury. We are not making Unfortunately, we do not have astonishing, astonishing. In the first those numbers up. So go to the Website enough people who serve in this body 224 years of this country, from 1776 to and you will be able to see this poster that are willing to do that. And unfor- 2000, we borrowed as a country $1 tril- that our crack staff has put together. tunately, it appears to be a little lop- lion from foreign interests. Okay. They Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. We sided when it comes to the partisan were foreign holdings of U.S. debt, $1 have sort of interchangeably been talk- breakdown of that willingness. trillion dollars in 224 years. ing about two different things. There is This is literally the worst reversal, President Bush and the Republican the debt, and then there is the deficit. the worst fiscal reversal, in American House and the Republican Senate in Both things are startling when it history. We have never had the kind of the last 4 years have borrowed $1.05 comes to this administration’s record. turnaround from a record surplus to a trillion. They borrowed more money Under this President the deficit and record deficit like the one we have had. from the Chinese, the Japanese, the the national debt are out of control. And the national debt, as you said, Saudi Arabians in 4 years than this Mr. RYAN of Ohio. The deficit is the continues to skyrocket. They have had country has borrowed in 224 years. annual. to raise the debt limit five times, but That is unbelievable to think that Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Right. total combined it was $2.2 trillion that our friends on the other side, who The deficit is the annual ongoing dif- the debt had to be raised since Presi- many of them are friends, can say with ference between the revenue we take in dent Bush took office. I mean, it really a straight face, we are fiscally respon- and the money we spend. And then the is astonishing.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:35 Feb 09, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K08FE7.121 H08FEPT1 ycherry on PROD1PC64 with HOUSE H216 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 8, 2006 Mr. RYAN of Ohio. What is inter- respectfully, and I expect on behalf of limit increase. Last time they tried to esting about the $2.2 trillion is that is my constituents to hear accurate get the debt increased, we wanted to more money than this country bor- statements, to hear a true reflection of say that if you are going to increase rowed from the inception of the coun- the state of our Nation. And instead the debt, you better put the PAYGO re- try to the beginning of Ronald Rea- what I felt like we got was a lot of par- quirements in. That was in 2004, and gan’s Presidency. So just in the Bush tisan rhetoric, a lot of rhetoric that that was vote number 534. Three times administration alone we have had to was not matched up with action as I Democrats have tried to institute fis- raise it $2.2 trillion, which is more than would have liked to have seen it re- cal discipline in this Chamber, and it whatever the math would be from flected in the budget. has been rejected every time from the Reagan back to George Washington. He turned in a budget that actually Republican majority. This Republican Congress is setting gives us $36 billion in Medicare cuts. I So, Mr. Speaker, if you hear a Repub- records here on this issue. mean, in a State like mine, I represent lican come up here, although there is a Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. There the State of Florida, as you know, that handful that have been supportive, but is something else I want to bring up, if is going to significantly disproportion- the leadership on the Republican side you do not mind. I think it is impor- ately impact a vulnerable senior cit- has time and time again rejected our tant to compare words and deeds. And izen population when they are already amendments, Democratic amendments, we both sat in this Chamber during the reeling in the midst of this disastrous to try to put in place fiscal restraint State of the Union and listened to the Medicare Part D prescription drug ben- on this runaway spending that is going President lay out his vision for Amer- efit that was handed to them by this on, mortgaging our children’s future by ica. I want to read out from one of the Republican leadership. borrowing the money from the Chinese paragraphs from the State of the Union So it is just kind of one insult after Government in order to fund their huge and compare it to a couple of weeks another. When is it going to stop? and their runaway spending, and we are later when he introduced his budget. When are we going to actually have trying to fix this. He said in the State of the Union some true commitment to back up the We are just asking for an opportunity that ‘‘our economy is healthy and vig- words? to implement some of these restraints orous and growing faster than other Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Absolutely. that, as you stated earlier, were imple- major industrialized nations. In the Just to continue to reinforce your mented in the ’90s. I think George Her- bert Walker Bush implemented them; last 21⁄2 years America has created 4.6 point on the PAYGO, on the fiscal re- million new jobs, more than Japan and sponsibility. We call it PAYGO. It Clinton; the Democratic Congress; the the European Union combined. Even in means pay as you go, which means you Republican Congress earlier that actu- ally believed in fiscal discipline. This is the face of high energy prices and nat- have to have the money to pay for it. If a different outfit that we are dealing ural disasters, the American people you have a program, you either have to with now. have turned in an economic perform- raise taxes or cut the money from somewhere else to pay for it. Cut the Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. And it ance that is the envy of the world.’’ is not like there are not Members on Now, during my time in the legisla- energy subsidy if you need $14 billion both sides of the aisle who have not ture, and I spent a little bit of time in or whatever to pay for Medicaid; find a lived under this before. I am not sure if leadership in the statehouse in Florida, way to control spending with the pre- it is the majority, but there is a sig- one of the things that the party leader- scription drug program that is $700 bil- nificant plurality of Members in this ship generally engages in is choosing lion and not doing anything to control Chamber who served in their State leg- the costs by allowing reimportation or words carefully. You choose the words islatures. And you talk to any Gov- allowing the Secretary of Health and as carefully as you can so that what ernor, talk to anyone currently serving Human Services to negotiate down the comes out actually reflects the reality in the State legislature, that is what drug prices for the Medicare program on the ground. Now, I can see why the they live every day. President would have chosen to say and take that money and pay for what Really, it is like you get to Congress, that our economy is growing faster you want to pay, whether it is some of and you become a drunken sailor. You than other major industrialized na- the Medicaid cuts that came up, or are suddenly freed from the restraints tions, because he probably could come whether it was some of the college of fiscal conservatism. You do not have as close to the accuracy as possible PELL grants or students loan cuts that to think about operating in the black when it comes to the economy. were made in this recent budget. anymore. You can spend to your But just take this AP story, again, a But just to reinforce the PAYGO, the heart’s content and not think about third-party validator that we like to Democrats have supported PAYGO, pe- fiscal restraint and not think about use, just from January 27, which talked riod, and we have tried to get it rein- how you are going to pay for it. It is es- about the economy grows at slowest stated time and time again. We will sentially like, oh, I get to Congress, pace in 3 years. The economy grows by talk to our staff to make sure this gets and I get this humongous Visa or just a 1.1 percent pace in fourth quar- up on our new Website. March 30, 2004, Mastercard, and I get to do whatever I ter, slowest in 3 years. The annual rate Representative MIKE THOMPSON, a want with it. Well, that is not how it in the fourth quarter of last year was Democrat from California, tried to in- works for the American people on an 1.1 percent amid belt-tightening by struct the budget conferees to include everyday basis. If it does, they end up consumers facing spiraling energy pay as you go requirements in the 2006 ultimately declaring bankruptcy. costs. The 1.1 percent growth rate in budget resolution. The Republicans Do we want to continue to travel the fourth quarter marked a consider- voted, almost in lockstep to a number, down that path in the United States of able loss of momentum from the third 209 to 209, which I think every Demo- America and be in a position where we quarter’s brisk 4.1 percent pace. The crat voted for it, to block it and to re- cannot pay our debt one day? I mean, I fourth quarter’s performance was even ject the pay as you go requirements to am raising little kids. That is literally weaker than many analysts were fore- be included to instruct the budget con- the future that we are planning for casting. Before the release of the re- ferees, it is a lot of mumbo jumbo. But right now for the next generation. port, they were predicting the GDP to Democrats were for pay as you go; the Again, I want to draw some compari- clock in at a 2.8 percent pace. The Republicans blocked it. That was sons to words and deeds here, if you do weakness in the final quarter of last March 30, 2004. not mind. The President again, as I year reflected consumers pulling back, On May 5, 2004, Republicans voted by said, talked about how our economy cuts in government spending, and busi- a vote of 208 to 215 to reject a motion was healthy and vigorous. I do not nesses being more restrained in their by Representative Dennis Moore, a know how you have a debt like this, capital spending. Democrat from Kansas. Again, we tried bigger than any combined in the last This is not a columnist that wrote to get PAYGO established in the budg- 224 years, just in the last 4 years, and this. This is an actual story that is re- et. Vote number 145. Then on Novem- say that the economy is healthy and porting facts on the ground. ber 18 of 2004, Republicans voted to vigorous, but I guess we all use a dif- I just feel resentful when I sit in this block consideration of Mr. Stenholm’s ferent dictionary from time to time of Chamber and I listen to the President amendment from Texas to the debt health and vigor.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:25 Feb 09, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K08FE7.123 H08FEPT1 ycherry on PROD1PC64 with HOUSE February 8, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H217 The President said that in the State And as you stated with the budget And since this is the 30-something of the Union, and let us just detail and the deficits, let’s just look at what Working Group and we often try to some facts related to the economy. this President has done. We saw the highlight the difficulty our generation President Bush, despite what he says numbers here, that he has borrowed is having or what our generation lives about the 4.6 million new jobs that more than the previous 200 years. He through, let us just go through some were created, still has the worst record has run up the four largest deficits in facts and figures comparatively for our on jobs since President Herbert Hoover. the history of the United States of generation through the years. He added 108,000 jobs in December. He America, an annual deficit of $378 bil- Since 1992–93, the average college has lost a total of 2.8 million manufac- lion in 2003, a deficit of $413 billion in grad student loan debt has grown from turing jobs, 2.8 million manufacturing 2004, a deficit of $318 billion in 2005, and $12,100 to $19,300 in 2003, just 10 years. jobs. At this point in the last recovery, a projected deficit this year of $423 bil- Over 25 percent of college graduates in the economy had created about 5 mil- lion. 2003 had a student loan debt higher lion more jobs than we have seen in We are going to be spending more than $25,000, which is a 7 percent in- this supposed recovery, and millions of than we are taking in, and we are bor- crease from 10 years ago. In 2002, 14 Americans who want to work still do rowing the money from the Chinese percent of young adults reported that not have jobs. Government. Now, we are putting our- student loans caused them to delay Now, last week I was sitting at home. selves in a very difficult position, not marriage, which is up from 7 percent in I was on my couch watching CNN, and only because we are borrowing money 1991. One in five said their debt had I saw the head of the Ford Motor Com- and we have to pay interest on it, caused them to delay having children, pany announce plans to cut up to 30,000 which is reckless as could be, but stra- up from 12 percent in 1991. Forty per- jobs and close 14 plants. I was dumb- tegically trying to deal with the Chi- cent reported they delayed buying a founded. I had just heard from the nese Government, how can you be firm home because of their loans, compared President not 10 days before that the in your foreign policy when the Chi- with 25 percent in 1991. And 17 percent state of our economy is healthy and nese Government is your bank? You significantly changed careers because vigorous, and he created 4.6 million can’t go to your banker and negotiate of their debt, about the same as 1991. jobs, and now Ford Motor Company is from a position of weakness. If you The policy decisions that are made cutting 30,000. General Motors just an- have a lot of money and then you want here, Mr. RYAN, the culture of corrup- nounced plans to eliminate their set of to borrow some, you are in a good posi- tion that translates into special inter- 30,000 jobs. Adelphia, now in bank- tion. But if you go and you owe and ests and the wealthiest few being at ruptcy, is asking workers to accept a 55 you owe and you owe the bank, eventu- the top of the heap here as opposed to percent pay cut. Verizon is phasing out ally the bank has the knife at your the average working family or the av- its defined benefits and pension plans throat and you have got to deal on erage hardworking recent college grad- for about 50,000 management employ- their terms, not on your terms. If you uate being put first or being considered ees. We are not talking about manage- really need the money, well, then, the at least on the same level has caused ment employees who are on the high rate is going to go up because, hey, real strife, real difficulty. end of the pay scale; management em- you’re a little risky here. It is a risky Imagine being in love, finding the ployees like middle management, reg- loan to make. person you want to spend the rest of ular people, people who are living close My point is that although we may your life with, knowing you want to to if not paycheck to paycheck every have good credit, the more we borrow have children, knowing that you could single day. And IBM recently an- from the Chinese Government, then the potentially buy that house that you nounced it would freeze pension bene- weaker our positioning is when we need would love to live in and have the fits for its 117,000 U.S. workers. to deal with the nuclear situation in dream of homeownership, essentially In 2005, U.S. employers announced North Korea or we need help in Iraq or the American Dream, and you have so more than a million job cuts, which we need to deal with the Russians or much debt that you are saddled with marks the first time since 2001 that an- we need to work on the human rights because your government, your Con- nual job cuts increased. Now, like I violations that are going on in China, gress did not at least provide the abil- said, I understand that leaders often as they are totally suppressing freedom ity for you to get a higher education use the words that paint the rosiest of speech and they are arresting jour- because it was more important to pro- picture or paint the picture that they nalists, with Google and a lot of our vide tax cuts to the wealthiest few; would like to see or that they would American companies helping them. more important to provide tax breaks like people to perceive. I think it is There is religious persecution in China. for Big Oil and for pharmaceutical pretty clear that the jobs record, the companies and ensure that they are health of our economy, the vigor of our No human rights, no labor rights, no first in line. That is real life. Those are economy, the debt we are saddling our environmental protections in China. the real-life decisions that real people, children with, the deficit that con- They are just dumping things in the our people, have to make. It is just so tinues to balloon compared to the sur- river, like we did 30 or 40 or 50 years ago. wrong. plus that we had just 31⁄2 short years So all of this borrowing is putting us I used to think about this in the leg- ago, there is no resemblance to the re- in a real weak position to negotiate on islature, too. You come up to Tallahas- ality that President Bush has painted a lot of other fronts. see in Florida, which is our capital, and and the reality that our constituents So we are weakening ourselves at Washington here, and we make policy are living every single day. None. It is home and weakening our position in this body thousands of miles from wrong. Mr. RYAN of Ohio. And I just found abroad. And if we want to be helpful in our constituents, most of us, except out, too, today Wal-Mart is going to the world, we have to be strong at those who live right around here. open another 1,500 stores. Now, Wal- home. A stronger America starts right Sometimes I think that is really a sig- Mart one way or the other. Now, that here in the United States. nificant cause of the insensitivity that Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I am is not economic development. That is clearly goes on in Washington. Because just looking at some of the facts and not economic growth, Wal-Mart jobs. we are so disconnected from our con- figures that our staff has put together Now, they may have a place in our so- stituents when we make policy. ciety. You can argue it one way or an- for us, and sometimes I have difficulty It is not like a city council people, other. That is not what we are talking thinking about the size and scope of who has to deal with the in-your-face about. what it means to have the largest def- aspect of that type of governing. You icit in American history and a debt know, if there is a dead dog on some- b 2245 that combined with the previous 224 one’s driveway, that city council per- We are talking about this President years is greater than the debt from son knows about it and they will have saying that we are having real eco- those years. It is easier to deal with to deal with that person in the super- nomic growth; and Wal-Mart is opening that information in nuggets, so let us market or you are right up in their up 1,500 stores is not, to average Amer- talk about debt and its impact on indi- face in the dais. We cannot talk to the icans, actual economic growth. viduals for a moment. people that come here and are sitting

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:35 Feb 09, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00057 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K08FE7.124 H08FEPT1 ycherry on PROD1PC64 with HOUSE H218 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 8, 2006 in the gallery, and so we are insulated create incentives for our students to ical sciences over the next 10 years and from making those decisions. And per- get involved in engineering and chem- a number of other really lofty goals. haps that is wrong. As a result, we istry and computer programming and Let us match the rhetoric with the make decisions where the people who the new high-tech jobs that are going reality. Republicans have consistently, can get access to us, the people who to drive the economy and create wealth consistently failed to even come close have the money to pay to get in front and lead to addressing some of the to matching the rhetoric that the of us, they get to be first in line; and I issues that Mr. BARTLETT was talking President laid out in the State of the think that really ruins lives for people. about with alternative energy sources, Union in their deeds and actions in Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Absolutely. And we are not going to be able to compete. terms of making those words reality. when you talk about investment and You can’t have a tier-one military if Last year, Republicans provided less the result of the ripple effect of invest- you don’t have a tier-one economy. So than one-third of the promised invest- ment in education, the shortsighted- these investments that we want to ment in the Math and Science Partner- ness in making these cuts that Repub- make in education lead to economic ships program, which is designed to in- licans have made, increasing student growth, which expands the economy, crease student academic achievement loans, or a 50 percent increase in inter- which means we are going to be able to in grades K through 12 in math and est rates in college loans, where rates keep our military a tier-one military science. They have shortchanged the will increase from 4.1 percent to 6.8 and a leader in the world. And it puts Tech Talent Act, which strengthens percent in dealing with the college us in a position of strength, because as postsecondary education to increase loans, if you look at what countries we grow the economy, we can stop bor- the number of degrees in math, science, like Ireland have done as part of a re- rowing money from the Chinese Gov- and engineering, by nearly 33 percent. form package which included some tax ernment in order to fund our deficits; This comes at a time when only 36 cuts, which we are for, but we have to and then we will be in a stronger fiscal percent of fourth graders and 30 per- do them in a targeted responsible way. position here at home and then better cent of eighth graders tested proficient But one of the things they did in Ire- able to deal with the problems that we in math, but our twelfth graders scored land was they made college education have abroad. at or near the bottom of math and free. Everybody goes. There are no bar- We need to begin to do the kinds of science compared to other countries. things we are talking about, investing riers. b 2300 I think, why is it so complicated to in education and at the same time not figure out what the student loan proc- just throwing money at the problem We could listen to the President say ess is like? Why can’t we just have a but making sure that parents and it until he is blue in the face, but until form for student loans and it says how teachers and principals and super- the Republican leadership here and the much you make, how much you get, intendents and local communities are Members of Congress match what the and sign on the dotted line? This held accountable. This isn’t going to be President is saying with their votes, should be readily available. Because we we are just going to throw money at until he proposes a budget that actu- know now that investing in a kid’s edu- the problem like our Republican ally reflects what his words said in the cation is the best investment we could friends are doing. They want to curry State of the Union, why should people possibly make in the return that we favor with the senior citizens, they believe them? They should not. They get. Because with a high school di- throw money at a $700 billion prescrip- should not believe them because this is ploma you make $20,000 a year, $25,000 tion drug program and they do not do another example of how a pervasive a year. With a college diploma, you anything to contain the costs. They do culture of corruption and cronyism make $40,000. With a master’s degree not allow reimportation from Canada permeates itself all the way through you make $60,000. You are paying back to drop the price down, and they do not the process and results in the reality more in taxes. So let us make the ini- allow the Secretary of Health and on the ground in a budget that does the tial investment and make sure these Human Services to negotiate down the exact opposite in terms of producing students get through college, make drug prices. You can’t just throw the competitive talent that the Presi- sure there are no barriers, and long money at the problem like our Repub- dent talked about in the State of the term we will get money back. lican friends want to do without having Union, because that cannot happen if I have used this statistic before: the any accountability. you are slashing and burning the pro- University of Akron did a study a few So the Democrats are looking for op- grams that accomplish that. years back that said in Ohio for every portunities and have ideas to make The American people are not stupid. dollar the State of Ohio invested in sure we fund these programs. We do it They understand the difference be- higher education, they got $2 back in in a responsible way, knowing that in tween saying it and doing it. When I tax money, for the very reason that the end the long-term growth is going have traveled across the country, I people with college degrees make more to lead to budget surpluses like it did hear from people that want to believe money and, therefore, pay more in in the 1990s. the things that their politicians tell taxes back to the State. So it is a great Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I want them. They want to believe in us, and investment to make. to jump off from what you are saying their confidence in this body, in Con- Right now, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, in terms of America lagging behind gress, in the government is so badly we are really being very shortsighted global education standards with more shaken by everything that has gone on in what we are doing. Here is a chart emblematic examples of the difference through the culture of corruption that that you can find on our Web page. The between their rhetoric and their deeds. has gone on here. It has shaken the number, by the thousands of students The President, again in the State of confidence that people have in this in- that will graduate with engineering de- the Union, talked about our one com- stitution to its foundation. We have to grees this year. In an economy where mitment being necessary above all in do something about it. We have an op- we want to create jobs, you need engi- that we must continue to lead the portunity to do something about it neers in order to create the kind of world in human talent and creativity. later this year. I hope that in my sec- wealth that we need. In China, they Our greatest advantage in the world, ond term that I hope to serve in this will graduate 600,000 engineers. In he says, has always been our educated, Congress that things will change. India, they are going to graduate hardworking, ambitious people and we Mr. RYAN of Ohio. If you look at 350,000 engineers. In the United States, are going to keep that edge. That what the Democrats are offering, they 70,000 engineers. evening he announced what he calls the say the Democrats do not have any Now, I recognize that there are some American Competitiveness Initiative ideas. That may sound good, but we are population differences here, but the to encourage innovation throughout the party of ideas. We are beginning to United States needs to compete with our economy and to give our Nation’s communicate them, I think, in a way these folks in these other countries. children a firm grounding in math and that is effective. If you look at Ms. And if we don’t focus on making sure science. He proposed doubling the Fed- PELOSI’s innovation agenda that we we reduce the barriers to college edu- eral commitment to the most critical came up with in our caucus by meeting cation so that everyone gets involved, basic research programs and the phys- with high-tech companies and asking

VerDate Aug 31 2005 03:35 Feb 09, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00058 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K08FE7.126 H08FEPT1 ycherry on PROD1PC64 with HOUSE February 8, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H219 them what they want, if you look at develop a universal broadband access sire from the smallest children and the our competitiveness agenda that we even though building a robust, nation- youngest ages and across the cultural have, investments in research and de- wide network would expand employ- and ethnic spectrum to ensure that velopment, R&D funding has stayed ment by 1.2 million new permanent people of all colors, of all economic flat under the President’s watch, and it jobs in our country. walks of life choose to pursue math and is way below what it was 20 years ago. This is the House Democrats’ innova- science and engineering. If we are going to be competitive, we tion agenda, which is available on I read something earlier this morning have to make some investments in re- HouseDemocrats.gov. We have a plan that talked about China graduating search and development. We are blow- laid out how, which includes how we 600,000 engineers. I think the number is ing money by giving subsidies to the would get to universal broadband ac- right, that we graduated 50,000. I be- energy companies when we should in- cess within 5 years, and that we would lieve that it is that drastic a difference vest it in basic research. make sure that we grow the math and in terms of the proportion. I was in Israel in November. They are science and engineers that we need in We have always been known as the doing some fantastic things with ven- this country and make sure that we innovators in the world. Every major ture capital and business incubators can match our rhetoric with action. accomplishment scientifically, at least and research and development, and the f in my lifetime, in our lifetime, has Israeli companies have just surpassed been achieved by Americans. But we DEMOCRATIC AGENDA Canada on the NASDAQ, and I asked are slowly but surely not going to be one of the top dogs over there, what do The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. the leaders in those areas of science we need to do in America to try to imi- CAMPBELL of California). Under the and math unless we go back to our tra- tate what you are doing here? Speaker’s announced policy of January ditional financial commitment to en- He said the biggest mistake you are 4, 2005, the gentlewoman from Florida suring that kids can get access to edu- making in the United States is not (Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ) is recog- cation. making investment in research and de- nized for the remainder of the time b 2310 velopment, because of the tremendous until midnight. impact that has leading to new innova- Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Will the gentle- tions. So cutting this funding, flat-lin- Speaker, we again want to thank Lead- woman yield? ing the research and development fund- er NANCY PELOSI for the opportunity to Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Abso- ing is the wrong thing to do, where the talk about the things that are impor- lutely. Democrats are saying we need to make tant to the American people. Again, we Mr. RYAN of Ohio. One of the inter- targeted investments into research and have laid out our vision for America’s esting things when I was over in China development, targeted investments in competitiveness into the future and in August, they were talking about the education, targeted investments into how we can keep America number one engineers. And they have this tremen- broadband penetration. Everybody in and actually match rhetoric with what dous advantage on us as far as numbers the country should have access to the President laid out in his State of go. And so we were asking what is the broadband in the next 5 years. the Union with action and deeds. You advantage that the U.S. engineers The President wants to do alter- can get a copy of this, you can peruse have. And they were saying, well, U.S. native energy, and he says we are going a copy of our innovation agenda, which engineers they are just the best in the to become energy competitive, and this was developed not in Washington, not world, they are the most creative in is typical of the kind of leadership we sitting around a conference table in a the world, and they work in teams bet- are getting from this President. We are hearing room in the Nation’s Capital, ter than any other engineer, any other going to make this country energy- but out in the country, in the high-tech country. And it is funny, because this independent by 75 percent in the next centers around this country, with bi- week, and we have talked about this 20 years. partisan input, with the leaders and before, but this week we had the school It is like, come on, Mr. President, let CEOs of some of the major techno- board associations down here. And us go. We want to get things rolling in logically advanced corporations across wouldn’t you know, the programs that the country. We want to get things this country that can be viewed at are getting cut because of lack of fund- moving. We need your help, we need HouseDemocrats.gov. That is our Web ing, No Child Left Behind, the burden your leadership, and the country is site where you can get a copy of this. that is being pushed, the bonds that dying for an alternative energy pro- Again, in addition to broadband ac- need to be noted and the funding that gram; not to say we are going to be 75 cess, we are the ones that laid out our needs to be gathered at a local level in percent in 2025. That is not the kind of commitment to growing a new genera- order to fund the local public schools leadership we need. tion of innovators. We committed in across the country, the programs that Democrats have a plan to do it in 10 this document to educate 100,000 new are being cut are those programs that years. This is the broadband penetra- scientists, engineers and mathemati- teach our kids how to be more creative tion I was talking about that is going cians in the next 4 years by proposing and how to work in teams better. on. These are broadband subscribers a new initiative by working with You hear a lot about the art pro- per 100 inhabitants as of January 1 of States, businesses, and universities to grams getting cut, the music programs last year. This is Korea, almost 25 per- provide scholarships to qualified stu- getting cut, the visual arts getting cut, cent; Hong Kong-China, almost 21 per- dents who commit to working in the the performing arts getting cut, lan- cent; Iceland, 15.5 percent; U.S., only 11 fields of innovation. guage arts getting cut in a lot of these percent. But the Republicans could not say schools because they do not have the If we want every child to have an ac- that they were going to do that be- resources they need, or the school dis- cess to education, we need to make cause in every successive budget, they tricts or the school systems are not or- sure that they are not getting left be- have cut student financial aid. You ganized the way they need to be orga- hind technologically, which is what cannot make sure that you expand ac- nized. happens in many of these neighbor- cess to higher education in the math And then you also see a lot of pay-to- hoods and many of these rural areas. and sciences and in areas that are sig- play: $350. Well, a lot of families do not Kids and families who do not have ac- nificantly underrepresented now unless have an extra $350 to get their kids in cess to these kinds of things. you provide the aid that these students activities. And if you have two or three Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Again, are going to need. kids, you are talking about a thousand I want to highlight where words did not It is not that we do not have the stu- bucks. That is a lot of money, I hate to match deeds. The candidate President dents in these programs because there break it to a lot of our friends on the George W. Bush said before the election is a bumper crop of wealthy kids that other side who do not seem to under- that we would have ‘‘universal, afford- are just not going into the math and stand this. So the very advantage that able access to broadband technology by sciences; it is to make sure that we go we have, we are cutting off our nose to the year 2007.’’ Well, the Bush adminis- into the communities across this coun- spite our face. And those are the kinds tration has had no national policy to try and encourage and nurture the de- of investments that we need to make,

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