E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 111 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 155 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009 No. 32 House of Representatives The House met at 10:30 a.m. the American people today and tonight But people do count in this adminis- f was really there, waiting on the desk tration—finally. The UI benefits will when he got to the Oval Office. He help those who have lost their jobs. MORNING-HOUR DEBATE didn’t bring it with him. He didn’t have There is a payroll deduction that goes The SPEAKER. Pursuant to the very much to do with creating it. He into the average person’s pocket, and order of the House of January 6, 2009, was only in the Senate a short time. It there is going to be, finally, some over- the Chair will now recognize Members was presented to him by the last ad- sight in governing on behalf of the from lists submitted by the majority ministration, and he has now, in just 1 American people, overall, returning and minority leaders for morning-hour month, given us a recovery plan that America to the American people. debate. helps the American people. Above all, I It took 96 months to destroy our f believe the President strikes a very economy. Remember where Mr. Bush delicate balance and walks a very fine, came in. There was a burgeoning sur- THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN— thin tightrope between economic re- plus. We argued in 2000 about whether PROGRESS FOR THE AVERAGE covery and economic disaster. we would pay down the national debt AMERICAN How do you deal with it as it’s going too fast. That’s where we were. He had The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes downhill? How do you arrest it? It’s a plan. He didn’t tell us what his plan the gentleman from Washington (Mr. like being in the mountains. In western was, but it was not only to not pay MCDERMOTT) for 5 minutes. Washington, we have mountains. Peo- down the debt but to build it up dra- Mr. MCDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, ple are up, climbing mountains, and matically in the period that followed. tonight, the President will address an one of the first things you have to This President who has now come into expectant country in a joint session of learn to do when climbing mountains office has said we’re going to stop that, Congress, and will give the American where there is snow is learn how to do and we’re going to change what’s going people a report on the progress that he an arrest. You’re sliding down a gla- on. has made and intends to make in the cier. What do you do to stop yourself A New York Times editorial today near future. The key word here is from falling? The first thing you’ve got reminds us that the other side of this ‘‘progress.’’ to learn to do is put that ice ax in and body remains intent on working In barely a month, President Obama hold. Now, the President is working on against American workers. The Gov- has shown us that he can walk the that sort of problem. We are sliding ernor of Mississippi and the Governor down—and have been since Sep- talk. The stimulus package the Presi- of Louisiana say, ‘‘We don’t want that tember—very abruptly, and he has got dent signed into law will take America unemployment money for our part- to bring this slide to a halt and then down a road that we did not see in the time workers.’’ There is clearly some start the climb and get us back up on last administration. It is one that gov- rethinking that has got to be done on our feet and start back on the climb. erns from the center, focused on the behalf of this body in terms of what is There are those who say we ought to going on in this country. Part-time average American—the average person throw the banking institutions over- workers are entitled to the unemploy- who gets up in the morning, gets to board because of their unrestrained ment insurance they paid in. work at 8 o’clock, works until 5 o’clock practices. Maybe we’re going to have to and goes home and takes care of his The American people want a solu- nationalize banks. One doesn’t know tion, and if the Republicans choose to family, maybe coaches baseball, maybe exactly what is going to be necessary, ignore that, the American people have is a single mother who goes home, but the President has begun to show made it clear already that they can re- picks her kids up at daycare and goes that he is willing to make the tough turn to the voting booth and enforce home and takes care of them for the decisions that have to be done. There their will. evening, but it is focused on the aver- are some who say the average Amer- age American. ican does not benefit. I’ve had calls. [From the New York Times, Feb. 24, 2009] Now, in the last 8 years, these people I’ve had people come up to me and say, WHAT PART OF ‘STIMULUS’ DON’T THEY GET? have either been left behind or have ‘‘I pay my bills. I do everything right. Imagine yourself jobless and struggling to been thrown overboard by the last ad- I didn’t go out and borrow a lot of feed your family while the governor of your ministration in its rush to open Amer- state threatens to reject tens of millions of money, and it looks to me like the only dollars in federal aid earmarked for the un- ica’s purse, wallet, whatever you people who are getting any benefit out employed. That is precisely what is hap- want—bank vaults—to their friends. of this are people who made wild, crazy pening in poverty-ridden states like Lou- The economic disaster that President decisions, like bankers. Why am I not isiana and Mississippi where Republican gov- Obama is facing and will talk about to getting something?’’ ernors are threatening to turn away federal 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. H2605 . VerDate Nov 24 2008 00:35 Feb 25, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A24FE7.000 H24FEPT1 rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with HOUSE H2606 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 24, 2009 aid rather than expand access to unemploy- ognizes the gentleman from Virginia have a renaissance in America, and we ment insurance programs in ways that many (Mr. WOLF) for 5 minutes. will see a brighter and a stronger other states did a long time ago. Mr. WOLF. Sometimes it takes a cri- America—stronger for us, stronger for What makes these bad decisions worse is that they are little more than political pos- sis to move Congress to action, and we our children and stronger for our turing by rising Republican stars, like Gov. are in a financial crisis today and have grandchildren. As Ronald Reagan said, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Gov. Mark reached the point where Americans ev- we will literally have a renaissance Sanford of South Carolina. This behavior re- erywhere understand that our country when we get control of this spending, inforces the disturbing conclusion that the is in serious trouble. We are sinking, But I ask you, and every Member Republican Party seems more interested in and it is on this Congress’ watch, and it who serves here has to ask themselves: ideological warfare than in working on poli- is this Congress’ obligation to fix it. How will history judge the 111th Con- cies that get the country back on track. Fortunately, as President Obama prepares Main Street USA is suffering. Busi- gress if it does not deal with this issue? for his first address to Congress on Tuesday nesses are closing. Wages and hours are Your children and your grand- evening, voters of both parties have noticed. being cut back. Restaurants that once children will come up and say, you About three-quarters of those polled in a re- bustled with customers are half empty, know, ‘‘Grandpop or Grandmom or Dad cent New York Times/CBS News survey—in- and the only waiting line starts at the or Mom, weren’t you there during the cluding more than 60 percent of Repub- unemployment office. 111th Congress when we had $11 trillion licans—said Mr. Obama has been trying to How did we get to these frightening of debt? When the Chinese had such in- work with Republicans. And 63 percent said Republicans in Congress opposed the stim- times? fluence on this country that this Sec- ulus package primarily for political reasons, Look at the numbers. For years retary no longer spoke out on human not because they thought it would be bad for we’ve been spending and spending be- rights and religious freedom when the economy. It should be sobering news for yond our means, mortgaging the future there were 30-some Catholic bishops in Republicans that about 8 in 10 said the party for our children and grandchildren— jail? When we saw all of this going on should be working in a bipartisan way.