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, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2013 No. 23 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was He then said, in referring to the se- irrational policy, referred to as irra- called to order by the Speaker pro tem- quester: tional by its own leader, Mr. CANTOR, pore (Mr. COLLINS of Georgia). I think the American people . will have who said it was not the way we ought tremendous respect for what its House of f to do business. He’s right, but he’s Representatives led and what its Federal brought nothing to the floor to avoid DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO Government was able to accomplish. it. TEMPORE A profound disagreement. I think the The sequester, though, was meant to The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- gentleman from Kansas is profoundly be so undesirable an outcome that it fore the House the following commu- wrong. The sequester will have an ex- would force us to agree on a better ap- nication from the Speaker: traordinarily negative effect on this proach. It married the worst con- country, on its people, on its economy, sequences for both parties when it WASHINGTON, DC, and on its national security, and I February 13, 2013. came to spending cuts: indiscriminate might say on the confidence that the I hereby appoint the Honorable DOUG COL- cuts to the defense budget alongside LINS to act as Speaker pro tempore on this world at large has in the United States’ cuts to critical domestic programs. day. ability to pursue rational policy. In politics, often the key to com- JOHN A. BOEHNER, In the State of the Union address last promise is crafting a package that con- Speaker of the House of Representatives. night, Mr. Speaker, with regard to defi- tains something, some provision that f cits, the President said this: everyone can love, although everyone None of us will get 100 percent of what we will not love every provision. Here, MORNING-HOUR DEBATE want. But the alternative will cost us jobs, Congress took the opposite approach The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- hurt our economy, and visit hardship on mil- lions of hardworking Americans. and included something everyone could ant to the order of the House of Janu- despise. He went on to say: ary 3, 2013, the Chair will now recog- A faction of the majority, which is nize Members from lists submitted by The greatest Nation on Earth cannot keep not a majority of this House by itself, conducting its business by drifting from one the majority and minority leaders for manufactured crisis to the next. has become so zealous in its drive to morning-hour debate. Every 30 days, every 60 days, every 90 pursue a spending-only approach that The Chair will alternate recognition days, a manufactured crisis, evidence it has embraced the sequester’s Draco- between the parties, with each party of a dysfunctional and willful Congress. nian cuts. Mr. POMPEO’s quote this limited to 1 hour and each Member He went on to say: morning affirms that assertion. other than the majority and minority They’ve used their clout within the Let’s agree right here, right now, to keep leaders and the minority whip limited the people’s Government open, pay our bills majority to hold Congress hostage to 5 minutes each, but in no event shall on time, and always uphold the full faith and from one manufactured crisis to the debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. credit of the United States of America. next, and they nearly brought us to the f That seems to be reasonable policy. edge of default for a second time last We now have two and a half weeks year. There have been several reports SEQUESTRATION before the sequester takes effect, with in a number of news outlets that The SPEAKER pro tempore. The devastating consequences for our econ- Speaker BOEHNER promised their fac- Chair recognizes the gentleman from omy and national security, yet the tion that the topline for appropriations Maryland (Mr. HOYER) for 5 minutes. gentleman from Kansas welcomes that would not exceed the level it would be Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, the Presi- policy. In fact, the Republican leader- after sequestration cuts, already adopt- dent spoke to us last night and he ship of this House has not put a single ing the premise that sequestration has talked to us about avoiding the seques- bill on the floor in this Congress that gone into effect. ter. I was at a political event being would have any impact on avoiding the It was further reported that while interviewed and a gentleman, Mr. sequester. the sequester levels would be kept, the POMPEO from Kansas, was with us as We now find ourselves facing yet an- cuts would be rearranged in order to well, and he spoke before I did. He other manufactured crisis. Instead of protect defense spending at the further talked about the sequester and he said: preventing it, as I’ve said, Republicans detriment to domestic parties, like It’s going to be a home run. We’re doing appear to be willing and enthusiasti- NIH, cancer research, heart research, what the American people ask the United cally welcoming the sequester. prostate cancer research, diabetes re- States House of Representatives to do in 2010 Mr. Speaker, every American ought search, all the other maladies that— when I came here. to take note of that enthusiasm for an Dr. BERA is sitting here shaking his 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. H457 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:09 Feb 14, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A13FE7.000 H13FEPT1 tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H458 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 13, 2013 head—afflict us in this country and NATIONAL CAREER AND Ms. JACKSON LEE. We had a his- around the world. TECHNICAL EDUCATION MONTH toric occasion last evening, but I rise By injecting additional partisanship The SPEAKER pro tempore. The to comment on a number of issues. I in this way, Republicans would be tak- Chair recognizes the gentleman from first want to acknowledge and pay trib- ing a further step away from com- Pennsylvania (Mr. THOMPSON) for 5 ute to a Texan who was buried yester- promise. We need compromise. Each of minutes. day in a tragic incident, Chris Kyle, a us in this body understands we rep- Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Navy SEAL who had served this coun- resent a certain segment of society, Mr. Speaker, I rise today as cochair of try, loved this country, and came back but not everybody agrees with every- the bipartisan House Career and Tech- to his family and children and took as thing we believe. Therefore, if we are nical Education Caucus in order to rec- his cause to help serve troubled vet- to act on behalf of the country in a re- ognize February as National Career erans. As he was doing so, along with sponsible, effective fashion, it’s nec- and Technical Education Month. Ca- his friend, Chad, one of those troubled essary to compromise. reer and technical education programs veterans shot both him and his friend. Mr. Speaker, the sequester is real continue to evolve in order to ensure What a tragedy. I think it is impor- and is rapidly approaching. It is not a that workers are prepared to hold jobs tant to note the thousands who rational approach to deficit reduction. in high-wage, high-skill, and high-de- mourned him and the procession that Even Republican Leader CANTOR, as I mand career fields like engineering, in- took him to his burial ground yester- said, admitted on ‘‘Meet the Press’’ on formation technology, health care, and day and to say thank you for not only Sunday about the sequester, and I advanced manufacturing for the 21st serving this Nation, but coming home quote the Republican leader: century. to care about those suffering from I don’t want to live with the sequester. During this time of record-high un- post-traumatic stress disorder. Let me repeat that. employment, career and technical edu- That leads me to bring up this whole I do not want to live with the sequester. I cation programs provide a lifeline for question of sequester. In my own city want reductions in spending that make the underemployed who look to begin of Houston, I was able to, some 4 years sense. new careers alongside young adults ago, establish the first post-traumatic These indiscriminate reductions just starting out of high school in the stress disorder center in a hospital that don’t make sense. That’s what Mr. rapidly evolving job market. was not a veterans hospital. The River- POMPEO was welcoming: indiscriminate Career and technical education, side General Hospital for a period of cuts that do not make sense. We need while historically undervalued, helps years continued serving our post-trau- serious action in Congress to deal with tackle critical workforce shortages and matic stress disorder veterans in a the sequester, and that action cannot provides an opportunity for America to small, attentive setting where they wait. But there’s been nothing on the remain globally competitive while also could sit with others who were trou- floor in this Congress to deal with that engaging students in practical, real- bled as well.