Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 113 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
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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, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014 No. 41 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was Federal spending had tripled, Federal Amazing economic possibilities called to order by the Speaker pro tem- debt had shrunk to 30 percent of GDP. abound if the Federal Government will pore (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN). Since 1980, America’s per-capita Fed- simply allow Americans to seize them. f eral spending has exploded to five Unfortunately, too many paternal- times more than 1948 levels. The re- istic Washington politicians distrust DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO sult? America faces a skyrocketing $17 TEMPORE the American people to earn a better trillion debt burden. life for themselves or to take care of The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- America’s Comptroller General warns each other without government coer- fore the House the following commu- that America’s financial path is cion or intervention. nication from the Speaker: unsustainable. Instead of confronting Financially irresponsible Washington WASHINGTON, DC, our debt dependence, Washington kicks politicians insist on spending money March 12, 2014. the can down the road and immorally I hereby appoint the Honorable ILEANA sells our children into the equivalent of we do not have, risking a debilitating ROS-LEHTINEN to act as Speaker pro tempore indentured servitude and poverty, American insolvency and bankruptcy, on this day. while driving America’s Federal debt debasing our currency, punishing suc- JOHN A. BOEHNER, to dangerous levels. cess, rewarding destructive behavior, Speaker of the House of Representatives. and strangling job creation in bureau- To preserve the liberty and pros- f cratic red tape. perity our ancestors sacrificed to give MORNING-HOUR DEBATE us, we must free Americans to again The Federal Government, by at- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- earn their prosperity and significantly tempting to supply and command all ant to the order of the House of Janu- cut Federal non-defense spending to re- things, saps America’s spirit of energy ary 7, 2014, the Chair will now recog- store financial responsibility and pro- and devours the financial capital need- nize Members from lists submitted by vide the stable monetary environment ed for innovation, productivity growth, the majority and minority leaders for needed for economic growth. and jobs. morning-hour debate. If the Federal Government will be fi- America must stop kicking the can The Chair will alternate recognition nancially responsible and stop killing down the road to a day when the debt between the parties, with each party job creation, America’s economy will challenge is even more daunting. The limited to 1 hour and each Member soar because we have, within our grasp, time to act is now, while America has other than the majority and minority a massive new technology and energy sufficient economic strength to suc- leaders and the minority whip limited boom. ceed. We cannot wait until America is to 5 minutes, but in no event shall de- Mark Mills, adjunct fellow, Manhat- bankrupt and defenseless, our currency bate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. tan Institute states: is valueless, and we are overwhelmed f By 2020 or so, the United States is expected by closed businesses, lost jobs, and pov- to surpass Saudi Arabia in oil output and erty. FREE AMERICA TO PROSPER Russia in gas, according to the International Congress must use the debt limit, the Energy Association’s best estimate. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The budget, appropriation bills, and every Chair recognizes the gentleman from Dan Yergin, one of the world’s leading en- ergy experts, estimates that the United other means available to free America Alabama (Mr. BROOKS) for 5 minutes. from the growing burden of crushing Mr. BROOKS of Alabama. Madam States turnaround in energy has generated 1.7 million new jobs . and that number debt and a dictatorial Federal bureauc- Speaker, in 1945, at the end of World should almost double by 2020. racy. War II, America’s Federal debt to gross domestic product ratio was 120 percent. The RAND Corporation adds: America ended Democrat President Washington responded with leadership. The pace of technological change—whether Jimmy Carter’s economic malaise with In 1946, the Federal budget was slashed through advances in information technology, one election in 1980, giving us the wild- a massive 40 percent. biotechnology, or such emerging fields as ly successful economic policies of Re- In 1947, the Federal budget was nanotechnology—will most certainly accel- publican President Ronald Regan in 25 erate in the next 10 to 15 years, with years of unparalleled prosperity. slashed by another 38 percent. The re- synergies across technologies and disciplines sult? America rose to the challenge, generating advances in research and develop- America’s choice is between eco- and America prospered. By 1980, even ment, production processes, and the nature nomic depression brought about by so- though per-capita inflation adjusted of products and services. cialist, heavy-handed, bureaucratic Big 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. H2305 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:45 Mar 12, 2014 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A12MR7.000 H12MRPT1 tjames on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H2306 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 12, 2014 Brother economic policies and pros- cause of the Affordable Care Act. He is the opportunity to testify before Con- perity brought about by policies cen- homeless now; and because Congress gress about the impact the deduction tered on free enterprise, individual lib- failed to act, his unemployment insur- has had on their checkbooks and on erty, and faith in the American peo- ance has been cut. their classrooms. ple—the same economic policies and It is an emergency for Tamika, who I Mr. Speaker, I am a former Florida- freedoms that made America the great- brought as my guest to the State of the certified teacher, and I know how im- est Nation in world history. Union. She is an electrician, and she portant it is that students come to America, please choose wisely. Your knows what it means to work hard, but school prepared and ready to learn; but future and America’s depends on it. has fallen on hard times and can’t find without the basic supplies needed to f work. take part in lessons, students are put The Nevadans on unemployment in- at a disadvantage in the classroom, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE IN forced to rely on outdated materials NEVADA surance that I meet are scrambling to make ends meet, and no one wants to and without essential learning tools, The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. live on unemployment insurance; and and too often, teachers go into their LAMALFA). The Chair recognizes the no, Mr. Speaker, they are not lazy. own pockets to make up the difference. gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Despite repeated Democratic efforts, For many educators, teaching is HORSFORD) for 5 minutes. Republicans in Congress refuse to lis- more than a full-time job. They arrive Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, right ten and have callously rejected restor- at the school while many of us are still now, thousands of Nevadans have the ing this vital economic lifeline that getting ready for work. They stay late full-time job of looking for work. It has serves as a financial bridge for those into the evening. They prepare lesson gotten worse for many since December who are looking for work, so this dis- plans, grade papers, and deal with par- 28 of last year, when emergency unem- charge petition is an extraordinary ents and grandparents, like us, who can ployment insurance benefits for many step. admittedly be a handful when guaran- expired. But for my constituents, there is no teeing that their child is receiving the There are now over 2 million Ameri- time for politics, and there is no time best education possible. cans, Mr. Speaker, who have been cut for waiting. Action to create jobs and Teachers care deeply about their stu- off from unemployment insurance be- build an economy that works for every- dents and are often willing to sacrifice cause of Congress’ failure to act. That one must start with renewing unem- personal needs in order to provide them includes 26,023 Nevadans. These are not ployment insurance benefits for those with the best learning experience pos- numbers; these are real people. Americans who were laid off at no fault sible. According to the latest status of Every week that Congress fails to the American public school teacher re- act, it is projected that an additional of their own. It is time to extend unem- ployment insurance now. port by the National Education Asso- 842 Nevadans will lose their benefits ciation, educators are spending ap- each week during the first half of 2014. I encourage the Speaker, after this discharge petition is signed by Mem- proximately $477 per year on basic Nevada’s economy has lost over $54 school supplies for their students and million because Congress has stalled; bers, to bring up a vote so that we can provide this important lifeline to 2 mil- their classrooms. but I, along with many of my col- Mr. Speaker, we all want the best for lion Americans, 26,000 Nevadans, fami- leagues, have not forgotten about our our children. We work hard every day lies, and veterans who desperately need constituents.