Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 113 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 159 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2013 No. 127—Part II Senate MAKING CONTINUING APPROPRIA- Mr. KAINE. So the Senator will not other State and another race between TIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2014— vote to continue government oper- two candidates, where one candidate MOTION TO PROCEED—Continued ations unless ObamaCare is defunded? took the strong position that Mr. CRUZ. The Senator from Vir- ObamaCare should be repealed and the In the Senator’s view, is it acceptable ginia is correct, and I have stated that other candidate took the strong posi- for the discussion of a government I will not vote for a continuing resolu- tion that ObamaCare should not be re- shutdown to threaten the nonmilitary tion that funds ObamaCare. I believe pealed. In that State, the candidate priorities that are important to the this body should not vote for a con- that won by a sizable margin was the American public? tinuing resolution that funds candidate who said ObamaCare should Mr. CRUZ. I appreciate the question ObamaCare. Why? Because the facts not be repealed, having been plain from the Senator from Virginia. I show it is not working. about it with the voters, and the voters would note, I do not think we should That is why the unions that used to having heard the choices and made a shut anything down except ObamaCare. support it are, one after the other, choice. Does the Senator think it is I think we should fund it all. Indeed, I coming out against it. also the case that a Senator in that hy- have indicated a willingness—the Sen- Mr. KAINE. I want to switch and ask pothetical State should come to the ator from Virginia knows well that I the Senator a question about body and do what he said he was going think we have a deep spending problem ‘‘MakeWashingtonListen.’’ That is the to do for his voters? in this country and Congress has abdi- second piece. If the Senator will let me Mr. CRUZ. I appreciate the question cated its responsibility and built a get back into a little bit of cam- from the Senator from Virginia. He record debt. paigning activity, he and I were can- raises a very good and a fair point. I It has gone from $10 trillion when the didates at the same time in 2012, and I think that point is particularly valid President was elected to now nearly $17 gather that he told his constituents for those Senators—I would note that trillion—over a 60-percent increase. So that he was opposed to ObamaCare and all three of the Senators in the Cham- if you ask me, do I like a continuing that he would vote to repeal or defund ber right now were elected in 2012. I it if he were elected to office. Is that resolution that funds everything the think the point that he raises is par- correct? Federal Government is doing without ticularly valid for those of us who were Mr. CRUZ. That is most assuredly significant spending cuts, no. I would ruining in 2012, when this was an issue much rather have real spending cuts, correct. Mr. KAINE. I believe I am correct before the voters. roll up our sleeves and address the out- Now, in the hypothetical given, of-control spending and debt. that the Senator won his election not by a small margin but by a large mar- which I am not sure is entirely hypo- But I am perfectly willing to vote for gin. Is that correct? thetical, what I do not know is the a continuing resolution that maintains Mr. CRUZ. Thanks to the work of a exact representation that candidate the status quo on everything, except whole lot of Texas men and women made to the voters in his or her State, for ObamaCare, because I view the across the State who really worked the exact statements that candidate gravity of ObamaCare, the threat of their hearts out. Yes, we were privi- made. I absolutely agree that he should ObamaCare to hard-working American leged to win the primary by 14 points honor the commitments made to the men and women so grave. As you know, and to win the general election by 15 people. I would also note that all of us in politics and in life you have got to points. have an obligation to take note of pick your battles. We have to pick our Mr. KAINE. Would it be fair to say changed circumstances, to take note of battles one at a time. that part of the Senator’s mission here new facts that come to light, and even So over time, I would prefer for us to is he told his voters what he would do. honoring your commitments does not work to have real spending cuts. But I They knew what the Senator would do mean that you ignore changed cir- do not think the avenue to doing that and chose him to do the job. One of the cumstances. is that we should shut down the gov- things the Senator is doing today on To give an example, prior to World ernment. In my view, we should not the floor with this effort is to basically War II, there were quite a few Members shut down the government. The only live up to the promise that he made to of this body and in the House of Rep- way a government shutdown will hap- them, and the mandate that they gave resentatives who campaigned and said pen—it may happen—is if majority to him? they would keep America out of the leader HARRY REID and President Mr. CRUZ. I would agree with all of war. Following Pearl Harbor, it was a Obama decide they want to shut down that. different circumstance. It was a the government in order to force Mr. KAINE. Let me offer a hypo- changed circumstance. I think, quite ObamaCare on the American people. thetical situation. Contemplate an- reasonably, people change their views. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S6763 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:16 Nov 11, 2014 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD13\RECFILES\SEP2013\S24SE3.PT2 S24SE3 bjneal on DSK2TWX8P1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE S6764 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 24, 2013 Constituents change their views and ticularly close. I think it was a 53 to 47 President, would fight to maintain the representatives change their views percent election among the large size Affordable Care Act, and another based on changed circumstances. So I of a national electorate, rejecting the pledged to repeal it. would submit—listen, the argument repeal of the Affordable Care Act posi- How much they did it in ads and on the Senator makes is a serious one. I tion. TV I cannot count. I actually saw a lot would not encourage any Member of Is that something that this body of ads about the very subject in the this body to disregard the commit- should at least consider or take into battleground State of Virginia. But I ments they made to their constituents. account as we wrestle with this ques- think the voters knew exactly the posi- But I would, at the same time, en- tion? tion of the two candidates on this courage every Member not just to keep Mr. CRUZ. I appreciate the question issue. While it was not the only issue in mind the promises made on the cam- from the Senator from Virginia as well. in the campaign, it was an important paign trail but the ongoing views of Look, there is no doubt President one. They had that before them as they their constituents, because as cir- Obama was reelected. I wish he had not made the decision. cumstances change all of us respond to been. I obviously did not support his The last question I will ask is a little changed circumstances including our election, but the majority of the Amer- bit of a rhetorical one but it is a sin- constituents. So one must certainly re- ican people voted for him to be re- cere one. I very much hope that regard- spect the promises made, but at the elected. That is to his credit. less of the outcome of this debate over same time in the 9 months we have I would point out that I do not agree the next few days—and I strongly want been here, in the year since the 3 of us with one of the premises of the ques- the outcome of this debate to be that were active candidates, the situation tion proposed by the Senator from Vir- government continues and that we con- on ObamaCare has changed. ginia, which is namely that the na- tinue to provide the services that we Look, I very much was opposed to tional election was fought over need to provide, and that we save the ObamaCare a year ago, 2 years ago, and ObamaCare. I think the national elec- debate about health care reform for an- 3 years ago. At the time it passed, I tion—No. 1, President Obama is a spec- other day. But I very much hope that thought it was a bad idea. But a year tacularly talented candidate, a far the Senator introduces legislation ago, the unions did not oppose it.