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, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2013 No. 136 House of Representatives The House met at 10 o’clock and was ers violates the law while putting na- For those who wish to read it, google called to order by the Speaker pro tem- tional security at greater risk. the Pay Our Military Act to confirm pore (Mr. HOLDING). Let me explain. If any one of three that what I say is true. The Pay Our f circumstances exist, then America’s Military Act states, in part: Defense workers should not be fur- There are hereby appropriated for fiscal DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO loughed. year 2014 . such sums as are necessary to TEMPORE The first circumstance is if Congress provide pay and allowances to . civilian The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- passes a Defense appropriations bill, personnel of the Department of Defense . fore the House the following commu- whom . are providing support to members then the military is funded and the of the Armed Forces. nication from the Speaker: President has no legal basis for using Let me repeat that for emphasis. It ASHINGTON the shutdown as an excuse for fur- W , DC, states: October 4, 2013. loughing Defense workers. I hereby appoint the Honorable GEORGE Unfortunately, this first cir- There are hereby appropriated for fiscal HOLDING to act as Speaker pro tempore on year 2014 . such sums as are necessary to cumstance does not exist. While the provide pay and allowances to . civilian this day. House of Representatives, 4 months JOHN A. BOEHNER, personnel of the Department of Defense . Speaker of the House of Representatives. ago, passed the National Defense Au- whom . are providing support to members thorization Act on a 315–108 bipartisan of the Armed Forces. f vote that included 103 Democrats, and There is no requirement that civilian MORNING-HOUR DEBATE while the House, almost 3 months ago, Defense workers be essential. The only The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- passed the Defense appropriations bill requirement is that they provide sup- ant to the order of the House of Janu- on a 315–109 bipartisan vote that in- port to members of the Armed Forces. ary 3, 2013, the Chair will now recog- cluded 95 Democrats, President Obama, For emphasis, there is also no require- nize Members from lists submitted by Democrat Senate Majority Leader ment that the support be for Armed the majority and minority leaders for HARRY REID, and their allies refused to Forces who are in combat. morning-hour debate. allow the Senate to vote on either bill Mr. Speaker, every single civilian The Chair will alternate recognition that would both fully restore Defense Defense worker supports the Armed between the parties, with each party funding lost because of sequestration Forces. By definition, that is their en- limited to 1 hour and each Member and fully fund America’s national secu- tire job. Hence, as a matter of law, other than the majority and minority rity. there should be no furloughs of any ci- leaders and the minority whip limited The second circumstance exists if vilian Defense workers. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, on to 5 minutes each, but in no event shall President Obama declares workers ‘‘es- October 1, I joined 67 other Congress- debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. sential.’’ While I disagree and question men in a letter to Secretary of Defense f why any Commander in Chief, in his sole discretion, would slight 400,000 De- Chuck Hagel, the Office of Manage- STOP DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE fense workers by declaring them super- ment and Budget, and the Acting Sec- FURLOUGHS fluous to America’s national security, retary of Homeland Security reminding The SPEAKER pro tempore. The President Obama did just that. Hence, them of the Pay Our Military Act and Chair recognizes the gentleman from the second circumstance does not pre- emphasizing that we are: Disheartened that the administration Alabama (Mr. BROOKS) for 5 minutes. vent furloughs of civilian Defense chose to needlessly furlough workers against Mr. BROOKS of Alabama. Mr. Speak- workers during this shutdown. the intent of Congress and that since all er, according to the Department of De- This brings us to the third cir- DOD civilian employees serve to support the fense, ‘‘of the Department’s 800,000 ci- cumstance, the Pay Our Military Act. uniformed services, all of these civilians vilian workers, about half will be fur- This act not only forces the President should be returned to work without further loughed.’’ That means President to pay our men and women in uniform; delay. Obama, our Commander in Chief, in his it does more, much more. It also bars Mr. Speaker, the President, our Com- sole discretion, publicly declared that the President from furloughing civilian mander in Chief, is actively violating roughly 400,000 DOD civilian employees Defense workers even if there is a gov- the Pay Our Military Act. The Obama are not ‘‘essential’’ to America’s na- ernment shutdown, even if they are not administration must immediately re- tional security. declared ‘‘essential,’’ and even if Con- turn all 400,000 furloughed DOD work- Mr. Speaker, President Obama’s fur- gress has not passed its Defense appro- ers to work. Why, Mr. Speaker? Be- loughing 400,000 civilian Defense work- priations bill. cause it’s the law. 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. H6227 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:17 Oct 05, 2013 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04OC7.000 H04OCPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H6228 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 4, 2013 HONORING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF No Hill staffer knows more about the and President Clinton each, when given JANINE BENNER challenges, dangers, and opportunities the discretion in how they would han- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The dealing with natural disaster. She dove dle a shutdown, chose not to hold Chair recognizes the gentleman from in behind the scenes working in the de- Americans hostage in somehow gaining Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) for 5 min- tailed minutia that brought about the political favor by a shutdown that utes. Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004. No would hurt them on their tour to Wash- Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, Member or staff did more to make that ington, D.C. In fact, what I came to today is the last day on Capitol Hill for happen and with ongoing efforts. learn is that in the history of the Janine Benner, my deputy chief of She continues to nudge the Federal American Republic, the Lincoln Memo- staff. Janine and her husband, Greg Government to be more productive. rial has never been shut down. Dotson, a key member of the Com- She spent years to refine and mod- So, my simple question would be: merce Committee, are a true Capitol ernize procedures for the Corps of Engi- Why? Hill power couple—not the type that neers. I think it’s interesting that Dr. Mar- you see in the society pages of the Post Whether it’s in Copenhagen or Johan- tin Luther King came to its steps, and or holding forth on the Sunday morn- nesburg, flying over the Klamath Basin he talked about how the American ing talk shows. When you see them on or hiking around Mount Hood or being Dream for many pieces of America and television, they are sitting next to a in a Capitol Hill lockdown yesterday, many people in America was in chains. Member of Congress, helping them on a she brought experience, good humor, And yet this President, for some rea- bill or an amendment to look smarter and intellect not to just some bills en- son, chooses to chain the Lincoln Me- and do their job better. acted or amendments passed; she morial in a way that has never been Ms. Benner joined our offices as a helped improve Federal agencies like done in the history of our Republic. legislative assistant in 2001, shortly the Corps and FEMA that need more I don’t know why he would do so, but after the 9/11 attacks, and leaves hav- attention. She took time off and did what I can say is that it turns out he ing seen Congress at its best and amazing volunteer work in key Oregon has a history of holding people hostage worst—the near meltdown of the econ- campaigns with spectacular results. in a political equation that I think is omy, wars, and the shutdown. She has Besides being a good citizen, she is a very, very harmful, because in the se- seen landmark legislation and made proud mother to her darling daughter, quester, he chose to end public tours to important contributions to many. She Dahlia. She and Greg could live any- the White House. That means an eighth knows that we often make it harder where in America. They could make grader who may be making their one than it should be, but that didn’t stop more money and not have questions trip to Washington, D.C., over the her or discourage her. about whether they’re going to be paid course of their life is no longer afforded History will judge what Congress has or whether their employer was going to the chance to visit the White House as accomplished in her 12 years, but take away their health insurance, but school groups have done, literally, there’s no doubt that Ms.