Congressional Record—House H9685
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
November 4, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H9685 growing. There are more people moving I think it is very, very important to okay, because they do not think it is into that middle class in Mexico, and also be mindful of the fact: If the job is okay. that is in large part because of the so good here in Congress, if we are Thirty-five percent of Americans feel trade relationship between the United doing everything that we are supposed that we are doing an okay job. What States and Mexico and the elimination to do as it relates to the American peo- does that mean? That means a number of tariff and non-tariff barriers that are ple and they feel so good about the of Americans feel that we are not doing taking place within the region with economy, they feel so good about secu- the job that we are supposed to be things like passage of the Central rity, they feel so good about health doing, whatever that may be. American Free Trade Agreement. care, they feel so good about the envi- I just want to go back again, Mr. Mr. Speaker, as you look at the chal- ronment, then why do American peo- Speaker, in case a Member was walking lenges that we have here at home, it ple, poll after poll polls this Congress around, had a phone call or something, really sickens me that people at a 35 percent approval rating? Thirty- did not quite understand. Forty-two mischaracterize the positive things five percent. Presidents, you name it, they are here, that have taken place. I do not dimin- I mean, if I was to call down to my 1776 to 2000, 224 years, 224 years. In the ish the problems that we have in any district and they were to take a poll on 224 years, they did not borrow from for- way. I do not diminish them at all. But how they felt about me and it was 35 eign governments as much as one I will say that we do have a lot that percent, that means that I need to President and the majority Repub- needs to be done, but we also have a lot start doing something right for me to licans here in this House have done. of great things that have been done. It be reelected to this Congress. The President did not do it on his is imperative that, as we deal with So when we start, our friends on the own. 224 years, Mr. Speaker, World War these challenges that are out there, opposite side of the side come in and I, World War II, Vietnam, Korea, other that we do not in fact eliminate the say, well, we are doing a great job and crises in the country, depressions, you very positive steps that have been I do not know what the problem, and name it. Things that my grandmother taken to see us have the success that folks are saying that we are not, and I and my father told me about took we are enjoying in the global war on hope our friends on the other side place in the time of these 42 Presi- terror, see us enjoy the kind of pros- starts to join us. I can tell you right dents. perity that is enjoyed across the now, I do not want to join anything Under this one President, one major- United States of America. where the American people feel that ity, they helped us get to this number. With that, Mr. Speaker, let me say you are doing a great job by 35 percent. So you know, the facts may hurt. The that I look forward anxiously to our That is not a team I want to be on. facts hurt. The facts hurt. The facts passage of the Deficit Reduction Act If I am going to go join a team or be hurt when you sit down at the dining next week, and I hope the Democrats a part of something, I am going to be a room table trying to figure out how will join with us in that goal. part of a winning team. I am going to you are going to get past this month f be a part of a team that is going to dealing with the money that you are make sure that we stand up on behalf making. 30–SOMETHING WORKING GROUP of everyday Americans, that makes Now, how are you going to get past The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. sure that we do not have States out this month? Those are hard facts. Well, DENT). Under the Speaker’s announced there with over $85 billion in deficits, the hard facts are, like it or not, it is policy of January 4, 2005, the gen- deficits that they have to clear up, not, you know, not the 30-something tleman from Florida (Mr. MEEK) is rec- they have to balance, unlike this Con- Working Group; it is not, you know, ognized for 60 minutes. gress. the Democrats. It is prepared and Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the served by the majority here in this we want to thank the democratic lead- Members, last night I brought this House, and the majority in the Senate ership for allowing us to be here and chart out and I just want to remind and the White House; and that is a fact, for this hour, and we want to continue once again, because I want to make Jack. talking about the issues that we were sure that Members understand, Amer- I do not care. You can go and use big talking about in the hour before the ican people understand, Mr. Speaker, words, you can go around, read reports last one, the issues that are facing this is not the doing of the Democrats. that someone gave you that kind of Americans. As you know, within our This is the doing of the Republican ma- paint the pot black with the fact that working group we talk about what we jority. Forty-two Presidents. Forty- a lot of people out there use a lot of are doing and what the other side is two. And this is from the U.S. Depart- numbers, charts and graphs; but the doing or not doing and how we want to ment of Treasury. This is not the bottom line is we are borrowing our put this country and build a partner- Kendrick Meek Report. U.S. Depart- country away to foreign nations. ship, put it on a new direction. The ment of Treasury of the United States Then we want to call a budget up on only way we will be able to do that is of America, in case anyone gets con- the backs of the very people that we making sure that we are able to get fused. Forty-two Presidents, all the say that we are trying to help some of the ideas on this side of the way from the Whig Party before we had Mr. RYAN of Ohio. And the money aisle to the forefront, make sure that Republicans and Democrats. Since 1776 we are borrowing, this is the ultimate we work in a bipartisan way. to the year 2000, Democrats and Repub- irony of the whole deal, and this is why Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I licans, Whig Party and other parties we say that I did not hear our friend, must say that that is not happening alike, 42 Presidents only borrowed $1.01 the gentleman from California (Mr. right now on a lot of the major issues, trillion from foreign nations, from for- DREIER), when he was down here take issues that are facing everyday Ameri- eign countries. One, one President with responsibility for that. It was conspicu- cans, issues as it relates to the budget the majority here in this House, Re- ously absent from the argument. that is coming to this floor next week. publican majority and in the Senate, The most ironic piece of this whole I can tell you that this so-called budget has trumped 42 Presidents, 42 Presi- ordeal is that that money that we are was put together on the backs of every- dents, $1.05 trillion and counting. borrowing from China and Saudi Ara- day working Americans. Some may say bia and Japan is going to fund $16 bil- that it was in light of making sure that b 1315 lion in subsidies to the oil companies. we can respond to Hurricane Katrina So we bring to the floor the issues at That money that we are borrowing and the gulf coast, but cutting the very hand. These issues are real, and it is from China is going to subsidize the assistance that these individuals need the reality of America right now. And pharmaceutical industry to the tune of is almost like saying I am going to so when our friends on the other side $100 billion. take $5 out of this pocket and then I start saying, I do not know what is So the MO of the Republican major- am going to try to put it, the same $5 going on, I have a job, I think every- ity is to go borrow money from the I took out of your pocket, and put it in body else does, I think everything is Chinese and take that money and give your left pocket and we are done.