Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 112 CONGRESS, FIRST 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 112 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 157 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011 No. 116 House of Representatives The House met at 9 a.m. and was THE JOURNAL House Republicans, with the positive called to order by the Speaker pro tem- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The leadership of Speaker JOHN BOEHNER, pore (Mr. NEUGEBAUER). Chair has examined the Journal of the last week passed the best solution to last day’s proceedings and announces the debt ceiling: the Cut, Cap, and Bal- f to the House his approval thereof. ance Act of 2011. The liberals’ cowardly Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- response in the Senate was to table it DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER nal stands approved. and hide their Members from an open PRO TEMPORE vote. It is not too late for liberals to f The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- vote and join conservatives for a solu- fore the House the following commu- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE tion which creates jobs and stops the nication from the Speaker: The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the President, who is stuck on his failed WASHINGTON, DC, gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. policies of tax increases, destroying July 29, 2011. CICILLINE) come forward and lead the jobs. I hereby appoint the Honorable RANDY House in the Pledge of Allegiance. In conclusion, God bless our troops, NEUGEBAUER to act as Speaker pro tempore Mr. CICILLINE led the Pledge of Al- and we will never forget September the on this day. legiance as follows: 11th in the global war on terrorism. JOHN BOEHNER, I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the f Speaker of the House of Representatives. United States of America, and to the Repub- ON THE BRINK OF DEFAULT, TAKE lic for which it stands, one nation under God, f indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. THE ARGUMENT TO THE AMER- ICAN PEOPLE f PRAYER (Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given The Chaplain, the Reverend Patrick ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER permission to address the House for 1 J. Conroy, offered the following prayer: PRO TEMPORE minute.) Thank You, Lord, for giving us an- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Mr. KUCINICH. Here is how we can other day. At the end of a hard week Chair will entertain up to five requests take a couple steps back from the and after a long night, we ask again for 1-minute speeches on each side of brink of a default. Your blessing on the Members of this the aisle. First, raise the debt ceiling until De- people’s House. f cember 31, 2012, without its being con- There is very hard work to do as the tingent on cuts to Social Security, weekend nears. Give each Member CUT, CAP, AND BALANCE IS THE Medicare or Medicaid, or increases in strength and wisdom that they might BEST FOR THE NATION taxes, or cuts in taxes, or cuts in fulfill the awesome responsibility they (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina spending. The attempt to resolve all of have to work a solution to our Nation’s asked and was given permission to ad- these issues at once as the moment of challenges. dress the House for 1 minute and to re- reckoning arrives was never a good We earnestly pray as well for the vise and extend his remarks.) idea. It guarantees that the people we families of these men and women dur- Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. were sent here to represent will lose ei- ing a distressful time. Give them peace Speaker, when the President is correct, ther in the details of a rushed grand and calm as their loved ones labor we should thank him, such as keeping bargain or through the consequences of here. May they know and experience open the Guantanamo Bay detention default. the presence of Your Spirit and know facility despite his promise to close it. Take the debate to the American with confidence that the entire Nation And in the recent past, as Senator in people in the next election. Ask the is grateful for their generosity. It is 2006, the President was correct: American people if they want cuts in their love and support that strengthens ‘‘The fact that we are here today to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Members of the House. debate raising America’s debt limit is a increases in taxes, what kind of cuts in Bless all families, O God, that their sign of leadership failure. It is a sign spending, what kind of jobs, programs. love for each other will be a witness to that the U.S. Government can’t pay its For those who say, ‘‘well, that’s what Your love for each one of us. own bills. It is a sign that we now de- we were sent here to do,’’ claim your May all that is done this day be for pend on ongoing financial assistance victory. You’ve come here and you’ve Your greater honor and glory. from foreign countries to finance our changed the terms of the debate. You Amen. government’s reckless fiscal policies.’’ lose the debate if America defaults. 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. H5737 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:50 Jul 30, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A29JY7.000 H29JYPT1 jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with HOUSE H5738 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 29, 2011 You win if you bring this debate into with a reliable market and school- Mr. Speaker, it seems like you’re every district in America in the 2012 children with 200,000 pounds of fresh, dreaming while the rest of us are living election. locally grown fruits and vegetables for one of the worst nightmares we can When you go home, people will thank healthy meals. possibly imagine. you for being able to focus America’s I commend and congratulate Kids Mr. Speaker, wake up. Please, wake attention on these fiscal issues, but First for promoting community sus- up. you may be surprised to learn that the tainability through environmental con- f American people did not want us to servation and for growing Rhode Is- PREVENT A DEFAULT burn down the house in an argument land’s local economy. (Mr. POLIS asked and was given per- over the height of the ceiling. f f mission to address the House for 1 OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE IS IN minute and to revise and extend his re- DEBT CONTRIBUTION ACT PERIL marks.) (Mr. STIVERS asked and was given (Mr. MCKEON asked and was given Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, the Speaker permission to address the House for 1 permission to address the House for 1 of this Chamber has a choice to make minute and to revise and extend his re- minute and to revise and extend his re- with 31⁄2 days remaining until we risk marks.) marks.) default on our debt. And what does Mr. STIVERS. It has been said, ‘‘A Mr. MCKEON. As Congress continues that mean to American families? It journey of a thousand miles begins to debate proposals to raise the debt means higher interest rates on your with a small step.’’ limit and rein in Federal spending, I variable home mortgage. It means Today, with a looming national debt wish to remind my colleagues of the higher interest rates on your credit of over $14.2 trillion, we need to take perils of Senator REID’s proposal, spe- card debt. For our own Federal Govern- dramatic steps to decrease spending, cifically as it relates to national de- ment, as well as local and State gov- but we can make a difference by taking fense. The Reid plan would cut defense, ernments, it means more of our tax- small steps as well. Throughout our including funds to maintain the reli- payer money will have to go to interest Nation’s economic crisis, I’ve heard ability of our nuclear weapons and to service these existing debts. from constituents who have said they triad of strategic delivery vehicles that At this point, the Speaker of this want to do more to pay off the national represent our deterrent for both our- body has a choice. To be sure, he has a debt. selves and our allies. negotiation ahead of him. He has com- I voluntarily give back $700 from Because the Obama administration promise ahead of him. He can choose to every paycheck to help pay down the has reduced our strategic forces to the negotiate and compromise with only national debt, and I wanted to make it lowest level in decades, the health of those in his own party further to the easier for like-minded citizens to do our deterrent must be a top national right than he is within this very body, the same. That’s why I’ve sponsored security priority. Prior to the ratifica- or to compromise and come to a deal the Debt Contribution Act, which cre- tion of the New START Treaty, the with those who matter and can actu- ates a checkoff box on the tax return President committed to fund a host of ally pass something into law that pre- for individuals who want to donate nuclear modernization efforts that vents a default.