Floor Statements

This is a legislative arena, not a coliseum to attack one another. It is a legislative arena to try to come together and do what the American public expect us to do.

My friend has been recently quoted; I’m sure, accurately, perhaps, correct me if I’m wrong, in saying that during the first eight months we focused on ‘cut’ of [Republicans’] ‘cut and grow’ [plan], and now we need to focus on ‘grow.’ I would tell my friend, assuming that quote is accurate, that in fact here we are again focused on ‘cut,’ not on ‘grow.’

I rise, Mr. Speaker, to urge my colleagues to vote down this resolution of disapproval, which is transparently political and which will do nothing to secure our nation's fiscal future. In fact, this resolution is premised on the assumption that the American people are ignorant – I don't believe it – ignorant about America’s fiscal challenges. As often as some in this House attempt to falsely persuade the American people that raising the debt ceiling means taking on more debt, we are here to repeat the truth: this is about paying the bills we have already incurred. The American people understand that fact, as evidenced by their disgust with the partisan brinksmanship that almost brought America to the brink of default.

 The Congressional Black Caucus did two things. It said, we hear and we say ‘ouch.’ We understand the pain you're experiencing. We feel your pain. But if all we do is empathize and feel pain, that's not enough. Our President addressed us this last week. He said we can shrug our shoulders and say, there's 14 months until the next election but the people in pain can't wait 14 months. That's what the Congressional Black Caucus did. Tens of thousands of people showed up throughout this nation because somebody offered hope and not just hope but real deliverables. Jobs were gotten. Interviews were set up. Training sessions for how you apply, how you dress, how you talk to prospective employers - those kinds of seminars were given. A difference was made by the Congressional Black Caucus traveling throughout this country.

We have missed, in my opinion, a wonderful opportunity. An opportunity to make a ‘grand bargain,’ as the Speaker wanted to do, as Leader Pelosi wanted to do, as Leader Reid wanted to do, as the president wanted to do, and as the vice president wanted to do.

We find ourselves at an unprecedented place today. America stands on the brink of default. It stands there, my friends, because the leadership of this House has failed to act in a timely and responsible way. This is an unprecedented status for America, an intolerable place. And Americans are understandably outraged at the politically-caused impasse that confronts us, the consequences of which have been correctly characterized as catastrophic.  

In this very important debate, do we need to bring down spending? We do; but one of the interesting facets of every report that's been issued in a bipartisan way—the so-called Gang of Six, the Simpson-Bowles Commission, the Domenici-Rivlin Commission—is the premise that we must not take action that undermines the most vulnerable among us. I know my friends on the Republican side of the aisle, who pride themselves on being the party of Lincoln, understand Lincoln's message of healing, of bringing us together, of making sure that we lifted up our fellow citizens and cared for the sick and for the homeless, for the young, and yes, for the old. So I thank Chairwoman Lee, such an extraordinarily courageous and powerful voice on behalf of those who sometimes have no voice. I am pleased to join my voice to hers and hopefully to all 435 of us who have been given the privilege of serving in this body—to raise our voices on this day on behalf of a nation that has been perceived around the world as being a nation of hope, of opportunity, of heart, and of soul. Let us reflect that in whatever way we go forward in ensuring the fiscal health of our nation, the health of our people—physically, mentally, financially—is equally important.

Now the gentleman makes the point that spending is out of control. The fact is, as the gentleman clearly knows, that when you were in charge of the House and the Presidency and the Senate you increased spending by more than was increased during the Clinton administration by a percentage on an annual basis. So that I’m glad to hear that your side now, without fail, talks about spending being out of control. As a matter of fact, I have a feeling if your side was spending five cents that would you think that we would need to cut an additional five cents in revenues so that we could not pay the bills. That's why we ran up $6 trillion in deficits. You did not pay for what you bought. I’m with those who strongly believe we ought to pay for what we buy, but I also believe that we ought not to put this country on the brink of financial chaos and bring us down in the eyes of the world because we don't extend our debt.

I believe that there is only one lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: a future of two states for two peoples, living in security and peace with one another. Such a solution is in the best interests of regional peace, and in the best interests of both parties to the conflict. That is why I strongly believe that ensuring the long term viability of the Jewish, democratic state of Israel also requires supporting a homeland for the Palestinian people.

I rise in support of this legislation. I am a strong supporter, as many of you know, of what we call it our Make It In America agenda. Make It In America simply means we are going to provide jobs, we are going to provide opportunities, and we are going to build the manufacturing sector of our economy. In order to do that we also need to enhance the inventive, innovative, and development phases of our economy. This bill, I think, will facilitate this.  

 We will not balance the budget on the backs of children. We will not balance this budget on the backs of women who need nutrition and health care. That's not how we're going to balance the budget, and the gentleman from Maryland made that point, I think, very effectively. If we cut out all defense and discretionary spending, we wouldn't balance our budget. That's the magnitude of the problem that faces us. But a great country, America, should not ask our children who need nutritional programs, who need health programs, to pay the price of our irresponsibility, because we have failed to pay for what we buy.

I support this amendment. In 2001, in response to the attacks of 9/11, the United States began a war in Afghanistan that targeted Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda, and the Taliban, which provided bin Laden with sanctuary and aid. I supported this effort at the time. We have been pursuing this conflict for nearly a decade. The death of Osama bin Laden was a landmark moment in our ongoing struggle to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat the terrorist networks that intend to do Americans harm, and that struggle has not ended with bin Laden’s death.