Michael Arcuri

Mr. ARCURI

Mr. ARCURI. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, contrary to what my friend says, Democrats are not trying to make any political points here. In fact, it is just the contrary. We are trying to get something done here. I certainly understand that Senator Reid has some considerations that he has to make in the Senate, but we have some considerations here in the House, and one of them is something that is very important to me, and that is paying for these provisions that we do, something important to the Blue Dog Coalition here and something important to Congress. We need to pay for it, and that is what this bill is doing. It is paying for it, and it is very important. I would now like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Inslee). (Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1501 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel).

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin, a member of the Ways and Means Committee, Mr. Kind.

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Giffords).

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I have no further speakers. I reserve my time. Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. ARCURI

Mr. ARCURI. I thank my friend from Texas. Mr. Speaker, when you listen to the people on the other side of the aisle, you would think that everything that's happened is the fault of the Democratic Party. They have had the White House for 8 years. We see oil prices as high as they have ever been. Two oilmen in the White House, yet we still see that. We see the economy as bad as the economy has ever been. We're talking about bailing out Wall Street with $700 billion that we're borrowing. This rule today for this bill is about tax extenders, and that is extenders that would create incentives for alternative energy to help us wean ourselves off of our addiction to foreign oil. And we're doing it in a prudent way, in a way that doesn't borrow and spend, doesn't dump this on the backs of our children and grandchildren, but rather as a paid-for. The bill that my colleague from Washington spoke about, it's a very good bill, but it hasn't been paid for. These tax extenders today that we're talking about have been paid for. They are extenders that are prudent and responsible. Supporting this rule and the tax relief legislation we consider later today is simply common sense. We can provide tax relief and incentives to middle class families, we can spur innovation, create tens of thousands of new jobs, reduce our dependence on oil from hostile nations, and reduce greenhouse gasses. And we can do all of it in a fiscally responsible way. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the previous question and on the rule.

Mr. ARCURI. I am prepared to close, so I would reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ARCURI. I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Vermont, my colleague from the Rules Committee, Mr. Welch.

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey).

Mr. ARCURI

Mr. ARCURI. Is the gentleman asking me a question?

Mr. ARCURI. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, House Resolution 1502 provides for consideration of H.R. 7060, the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Tax Act. The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this rule because American families and small businesses need tax relief now more than ever. This rule will allow us to bring legislation to the House floor later today or tomorrow that will not only strengthen our economy by directing tax relief to middle class families and in creating jobs with small businesses but also help to bring this country into a new alternative energy future. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this rule and the underlying legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ARCURI. I guess I would return and ask you the question. Why wasn't it passed when we brought it? Why didn't you get more people on your side of the aisle to support it? I mean, it's a legitimate question. I voted for it. I think it was a good idea.

Mr. ARCURI

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, as Congress and the Bush administration continue to discuss a proposal to help turn Wall Street around, it is important that the administration know that this Congress is not going to just hand over $700 billion without any accountability or oversight. The administration's proposal is a nonstarter, because it does not hold Wall Street executives accountable for their bad decisions. The crisis on Wall Street did not just happen. CEOs and other executives at the financial institutions made bad decisions, and we need to ensure their bad decisions are not rewarded. For years, CEOs have been walking away from faltering companies with millions of dollars in compensation. Last year, the CEO of Merrill Lynch resigned after the company lost $10 billion, and its stock lost 45 percent of its value. Despite these failures, the CEO walked away with $161 million retirement package. In any Wall Street recovery package, we need to ensure that the CEOs are not rewarded for their poor decisions with bonuses and other large compensation packages. They need to be held accountable. This is the taxpayers' money.

Mr. ARCURI

Mr. ARCURI. I'm here tonight, I rise to honor Mike McNulty. You know, I think I'm probably one of the only ones that remembers Mike way back. I was a college student at University of Albany when Mike was representing the Village of Green Island as mayor. And I can remember listening to the news and hearing not only about Mike, but about his entire family that served the Albany area for so many years with distinction. And I can't even tell you how great an honor it was when I finally was able to meet him, and then to serve with him here. But I want to talk about my experience with Mike McNulty in a little different way. I'm one of the new Members, one of the three new members of the New York delegation. And being a new Member, obviously, you look for people to get advice. And Mike, being the Dean of the Upstate delegation, I naturally turned to him. And so many times I would sit down next to him and ask him questions. And I can't tell you how many times he would turn to me and say, well, Mike, I think you might want to handle it this way, or think about it this way. And there was one time in particular when we were dealing with an issue that was difficult and I was a little bit concerned about it. And Mike sat down and said, Mike, really, you will see that it will work out, just think it through and handle it. And I don't think 2 days passed when exactly the advice that he gave me went exactly the way he said it would go, and the issue worked out. And it wasn't just the fact that Mike is always there to give freshman Members like myself advice, it's not only the quality of the advice that he gives, but the way that he gives the advice, in a patient way, in an understanding way, never forgetting what it's like to be new, never forgetting what it's like to not be completely familiar with the procedure, and just having the patience of a brother, of an older brother sitting down and explaining things. And that means a lot, Mike. It has meant a lot to me, and I know it has meant a lot to the other freshmen. What you have done for this institution, for the State of New York is incredible. And it's an honor to not only have been able to know you, but to have been able to have served with you. So congratulations and good luck to Mike McNulty, the consummate gentleman from New York.

Mr. ARCURI

Mr. ARCURI. Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, Democrats passed a comprehensive solution to the country's energy crisis, but for all of their talk about solving this problem, Republicans still oppose the effort. It's no surprise the Republicans are against this commonsense energy plan. The plan makes Big Oil pay royalties on land they've leased for years so Americans can start benefiting from oil companies drilling on our land. That's only fair. It is the American people's land. Shouldn't they get some of the benefits? Our legislation also repeals tax breaks and subsidies that Big Oil has been getting for years, thanks to the Washington Republicans. Every quarter, Big Oil is announcing larger profits. They don't need corporate welfare. This comprehensive energy legislation will help people--those middle class Americans suffering from high gas prices and dealing with the failed Bush-McCain economy at the same time. Madam Speaker, Tuesday's energy vote shows that Democrats are working to help the American people, not lining the pockets of Big Oil.

Mr. ARCURI

Mr. ARCURI. Madam Speaker, congressional Democrats have repeatedly urged President Bush to bring our troops home from Iraq honorably, responsibly, safely, and soon. After rejecting 18 months of attempts by the Democratic majority to adopt redeployment timetables, the President now proposes a vague general time horizon that falls far short of a commitment to ending involvement in Iraq. The Iraq Government was more direct. For the second time this month, Iraqi officials have indicated their support for the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces by the end of 2010. Maybe these statements served as a wake-up call to the Bush administration. It appears they are finally getting the message that the war in Iraq cannot go on indefinitely. Perhaps President Bush should pass the message along to Senator McCain, who continues to believe that our commitment in Iraq will last 50 to 100 years. Madam Speaker, we need a new direction in Iraq that allows our troops to come home and allows us to focus on the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and around the world.

Mr. ARCURI

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Sutton), a member of the Committee on Rules.

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz- Balart). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only. General Leave

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1344 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Salazar), a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Mr. ARCURI

Mr. ARCURI. Madam Speaker, Americans are paying the price for President Bush's lack of an energy policy. It's this lack of a policy that has produced record prices for consumers and record profits for Big Oil. This President has the authority to send oil into the American market by opening the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, an action that would put oil on the market in 13 days and would provide relief at the pump immediately. But instead of providing American drivers with relief from $4-a- gallon gas, the administration has decided instead to give their friends in Big Oil one last gift before they leave office. The President's action to lift the offshore drilling moratorium will do nothing to lower prices at the pump now. In fact, his own Energy Information Administration says opening up new areas for drilling won't lower gas prices for 20 years, and even then by only a couple of pennies. Madam Speaker, deploying some oil from the Reserve would increase the supply of oil and help bring down the cost of gasoline. With so many Americans struggling in today's economy, it's time President Bush stands up for consumers and taps into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.