Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 108 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 108 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 150 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2004 No. 29 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. and was CURRENT STATE OF OUR unemployment also continues to be a called to order by the Speaker pro tem- ECONOMY very, very serious problem. The aver- pore (Mr. BURNS). Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I age out-of-work American is now un- employed for 5 months, the highest in f would like to talk about the current state of our economy here in the U.S. 20 years. A report recently released by the DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO Three years and three massive tax cuts Economic Policy Institute and the Na- TEMPORE later, President Bush keeps telling tional Employment Law Project found The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- American working families that our economy is turning the corner and that that college graduates, older workers, fore the House the following commu- and workers in the manufacturing in- nication from the Speaker: jobs are going to be coming soon. Well, Mr. President, where are the jobs? dustry disproportionately are likely to ASHINGTON experience long-term chronic unem- W , DC, Where are those promises you made? March 9, 2004. Last Friday brought more dis- ployment in our current economy. To I hereby appoint the Honorable MAX BURNS appointing news about our jobless re- make matters worse, President Bush to act as Speaker pro tempore on this day. wants to make it even more difficult J. DENNIS HASTERT, covery. In fact, only 21,000 new jobs were created last month. Many econo- for those to find work. Speaker of the House of Representatives. Under his budget proposals this year, mists had expected 125,000 new jobs, f worker training and assistance pro- and the President promised 300,000 new grams for millions of Americans would MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE jobs. The disastrous job creation levels be cut significantly. He wants to re- are further evidence that the Bush eco- duce access to worker training, child A message from the Senate by Mr. nomic policies are not working. How- Monahan, one of its clerks, announced care support, housing assistance and ever, the President continues to insist college tuition relief and public health that the Senate has passed a bill and a that his plan is the right approach. concurrent resolution of the following insurance at a time when most work- President Bush was in my home ing families need help the most. I think titles in which the concurrence of the State of California last Friday when House is requested: that is wrong. the dismal employment numbers were Those of us that live in my district S. 741. An act to amend the Federal Food, released. He was in Bakersfield, a town know how hard it has been. The reality Drug, and Cosmetic Act with regard to new with an unemployment rate of 12.8 per- animal drugs, and for other purposes. is that in my district we have very cent, painting an uplifting and positive high unemployment rates. In the cities S. Con. Res. 96. Concurrent resolution com- picture of our troubled economy. When memorating the 150th anniversary of the that I represent, particularly East Los first meeting of the Republican Party in he learned that a local business there Angeles where about 70 to 80 percent of Ripon, Wisconsin. would be creating two new jobs, the the population are Latino families, President called it really good news. they are experiencing up to 10 percent f We need far more than two and three and above unemployment rates. It has new jobs, Mr. President, to put our MORNING HOUR DEBATES been that way for the last 3 years. State back on track. Where is the relief for the districts The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- The Bush economic policies have that I represent, for the hardworking ant to the order of the House of Janu- been a disaster for our State. Rather Americans that contribute to our tax- ary 20, 2004, the Chair will now recog- than create jobs, we have lost 3 million ing system here and get nothing in re- nize Members from lists submitted by private sector jobs under this adminis- turn when they really need it? the majority and minority leaders for tration. If the rest of the year mirrors I would ask for us to take a strong morning hour debates. The Chair will last month’s numbers, it would take 9 look at the policies that this adminis- alternate recognition between the par- years, 9 years, to recover all the jobs tration is advocating and postpone the ties, with each party limited to not to lost under this President. tax cuts for the wealthy and restore in- exceed 30 minutes, and each Member, Much of the job loss has been in the tegrity in the health care services and except the majority leader, the minor- manufacturing sector, where job loss is in our education and in our environ- ity leader, or the minority whip, lim- at a 53-year high. Another 3,000 manu- ment. ited to not to exceed 5 minutes. facturing jobs disappeared last month Our environment is suffering. Latino The Chair recognizes the gentle- because of outsourcing, a policy that children in my district suffer higher woman from California (Ms. SOLIS) for the Bush administration says is rates of chronic illnesses, asthma, obe- 5 minutes. healthy for our economy. Long-term sity, and diabetes. If these issues are 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. H877 . VerDate jul 14 2003 23:41 Mar 09, 2004 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A09MR7.000 H09PT1 H878 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 9, 2004 not contained now, we are going to So after years of trying the American President,’’ in which the administra- have to be paying for those tomorrow. people’s patience, predatory trial law- tion predicted that 2.6 million jobs We need to invest in America. We yers and irresponsible broadcasters are would be created this year. Just one need to stop outsourcing. We need to going to be held accountable for their week after release of that report, make sure that our children and our actions. It is Responsibility Week here Treasury Secretary John W. Snow and families are taken care of. in the House, Mr. Speaker; and thank- Commerce Secretary Donald Evans re- I would ask for all Americans to take fully for the viewers at home watching fused to embrace President Bush’s own a second look at this recovery that the C–SPAN, there will not be a half-time economic projections. President is proposing. I would ask for show. One would think the Bush adminis- all of us to join together and make our f tration would be concerned about the resources felt here at home. job losses, but last month we learned JOB NUMBERS FOR LAST MONTH f that President Bush and his economic The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- RESPONSIBILITY WEEK advisers view the movement of Amer- ant to the order of the House of Janu- ican factory jobs and white collar work The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- ary 20, 2004, the gentleman from New to other countries as a positive trans- ant to the order of the House of Janu- Jersey (Mr. PALLONE) is recognized formation that will, in the end, enrich ary 20, 2004, the gentleman from Texas during morning hour debates for 5 min- our economy. (Mr. DELAY) is recognized during morn- utes. The President’s chief economist, ing hour debates. Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, last Fri- Gregory Mankiw, made national head- Mr. DELAY. Mr. Speaker, this week day, we got another reality check as to lines when he said, ‘‘Outsourcing is the House will take up two bills that, how, after 3 years in the White House, in addition to strengthening our econ- just a new way of doing international President Bush still has not figured out trade. More things are tradeable than omy and improving the quality of how to create jobs for Americans here American family life, will send a very were tradeable in the past, and that’s a in the United States. The February job good thing.’’ President Bush supported real message of accountability to two numbers illustrate how the economic industries not lately known for it. this view in his annual economic report policies of President Bush and the Re- Opponents of the Personal Responsi- in which he wrote: ‘‘When a good or publican Congress still are not creating bility in Food Consumption Act and service is produced more cheaply the Broadcast Decency Enforcement jobs. abroad, it makes more sense to import Last month, only 21,000 jobs were cre- Act may dismiss them as meaningless it than make or provide it domesti- ated by the American economy. That is symbols, but American families know cally.’’ 21,000 jobs. The Labor Department also better. Mr. Speaker, how can we have eco- The American families know that the revised its numbers for both December nomic success if we send jobs overseas, raw greed that fuels both abusive law- and January, stating that 23,000 less but do not create enough new jobs with suits and vulgar broadcast program- jobs were created during those 2 comparable wages here in the United ming has punctured the boundaries of months than when it was first re- States? reasonable tolerance.