OFFICE OF THE MAJORITY LEADER

TRANSCRIPT

Statement of Rules Package on House Floor
January 6, 2009

... THE MEASURE ELIMINATES SIX-YEAR TERM LIMITS FOR COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN AND IT MAKES CHANGES TO THE BAY THE MINORITY CAN OFFER ALTERNATIVE LEGISLATION, AND CHANGES RULES ABOUT HOLDING OPEN VOTES. HERE IS THE ONE-HOUR DEBATE. E RESOLUTION BE CONSIDERED AS READ AND WRITTEN IN THE RECORD. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION THE GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE HOUR. MR. HOYER: I RECOGNIZE MR. BOEHNER OR HIS DESIGNEE. ALL TIME YIELDED IS FOR THE PURPOSES OF DEBATE ONLY. MR. SPEAKER, TWO YEARS AGO, DEMOCRATS WERE ELECTED TO THE MAJORITY WITH THE PLEDGE THAT UNDER OUR LEADERIP THE HOUSE WOULD DEDICATE ITSELF TO INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. WE BELIEVE WE KEPT THAT PROMISE. TODAY, GIFTS FROM LOBBYISTS ARE BANNED. THE USE OF CORPORATE JETS IS PROHIBITED. THE EARMARK PROCESS IS TRANSPARENT. ALL HOUSE EMPLOYEES ARE TRAINED IN ETHICS AND AN INDEPENDENT ALL OF THIS HOUSE TO BYSTANDERS STOP THE WORK OF ONE SESSION OR ONE OF RESOLUTION OR IN DEEP ONE CONGRESS. IT IS A PROJECT FOR ALL OF US TO BREATHE NEW, YEAR AFTER YEAR. -- FOR ALL OF US TO BE NEW. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK -- TALK ABOUT THE NEW STANDARDS. A NEW RULES PACKAGE THAT WILL INSURE THAT THE HOUSE DOES THE PEOPLE'S WORK ETHICALLY AND EFFICIENTLY. FIRST, WE UNDERSTAND THAT REVOLVING DOOR BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS CAN COMPROMISE THE INDEPENDENCE OF JUDGMENT THAT VOTERS WANT AND DESERVE. THAT IS BY THESE NEW RULES WILL PREVENT LAME-DUCK MEMBERS FROM NEGOTIATING THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS IN SECRET BEFORE THEIR TERMS EXPIRE. SECONDLY, THE BULLS WILL NO LONGER SET TERM LIMITS FOR COMMITTEE CHAIRS. HOW -- THE BULLS' LOCKER SET TERM LIMITS FOR COMMITTEE CHAIRS. -- THE SCHOOLS WILL NO LONGER SET TERM LIMITS. IT IS NOW CLEAR THAT THAT EFFORT FELL VICTIM TO WHAT CONSERVATIVES LIKE TO CALL THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF FOR GRABS FUNDRAISING ABILITY CAME ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR JOB QUALIFICATION AND LEGISLATIVE SKILL WAS SACRIFICED TO POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS. WE INVITE GOOD FAITH EFFORTS TO IMPROVE LEGISLATION AND IN THESE HARD TIMES WE NEED THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNERS AND POLICY MAKING. WE WELCOME IT. BUT WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHICH MOTIONS ARE NOT OFFERED IN GOOD FAITH. THOSE OF THE MOTIONS THAT TRY TO KILL BILLS THROUGH PARLIAMENT TERRY TRICKS AND WASTE CONSTITUENTS TIME. WE ARE CONTINUING OUR WORK TO REFORM EARMARKS, REMOVING LOOPHOLES THAT ALLOW MEMBERS TO MARKET SOME EARMARKS IN SECRET. FIFTH, THESE POLLS CONFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY -- THESE RULES CONFIRM OUR COMMITMENT. THAT RECKLESSNESS MUST AND, AND THESE RULES WILL HELP AND IT. MR. SPEAKER, THESE ROLES AND BODY OR A VISION FOR THE HOUSE AS AN INSTITUTION -- THESE RULES EMBODY OUR VISION. THAT IS OUR VISION FOR THIS HOUSE, AND I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO ADOPT THESE RULES. I NOW ASK YOU FOR CONSENT TO THE BALANCE OF THE TIME TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE CHAIRMAN -- CHAIRWOMAN OF THE RULES COMMITTEE. THE DISTINGUISHED LADY FROM NEW YORK. >> WITHOUT OBJECTION. THE GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED. >> THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I YIELD MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I WILL CONSUME, AND I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE GENTLEMAN FROM MARYLAND FOR A STATEMENT AND ELIN ME THE TIME TO PRESENT THE OPENING DAYS RULES PACKAGE FOR THE 111TH CONGRESS. MR. SPEAKER, RARELY HAS OUR NATION FACED SUCH GRAVE CHALLENGES. MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE WITHOUT JOBS AND WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE. OUR TROOPS ARE FIGHTING TWO WARS OVERSEAS. AS OUR ECONOMY SPIRALS DOWNWARD, AMERICANS FROM COAST TO COAST ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. BUT THERE IS REASON TO HE. IN FER THAN 14 DAYS A NEW PRESIDENT WILL BE SWORN IN, AND PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA AND HOUSE DEMOCRATS AND MANY OF MY REPUBLICAN FRIENDS ARE COMMITTED TO ROLLING UP OUR SLEEVES AND GETTING TO WORK IMMEDIATELY TO SOLVE THE CRITICAL CHALLENGES THAT FACE OUR NATION. ON THIS DAY, I AM HONORED TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE AT THE ...