Paul Broun

Mr. BROUN of Georgia

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. I appreciate Mr. Farr, and I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield to my good friend, the gentlewoman from North Carolina, Virginia Foxx.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Sir, I have the time. I do resent the fact that you accuse me of wanting to do harm. Mr. Chairman, I'm not sure if this comes to a point of order of taking down the gentleman's words, but I bring forth a point of order.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer my amendment which would cut $175 million in FY 2012 by eliminating the Foreign Agricultural Service. This is a corporate welfare program that essentially gives handouts to private businesses that don't need taxpayer dollars in order to grow their profits. It is essential that we make significant cuts to our budget this year and focus on reducing our deficit and tackle our debt. This is an unnecessary program and a waste of money that we could use to reduce this fiscal burden. I understand the position that my dear friend from Georgia is in. It is true that the Ryan budget is the only budget to pass either House. I supported the Ryan budget, and I supported the Republican Study Committee budget, which would have reduced even more money from this bill. Regardless of how one voted on a particular budget, we all have an obligation to move the debate in a direction that calls for more serious spending cuts. It is critical for the economic future of our Nation. It is critical for our children and our grandchildren. It is critical in creating new jobs and having a stronger economy here in America. So I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would eliminate one of the 20 different conservation programs USDA currently operates, the water rehabilitation program. The chairman of the subcommittee, my good friend from Georgia, has stated during debate on funding for agriculture programs that he hopes to see a reduction in the number of Federal programs included in this bill. I understand that some of my colleagues have a vested interest in this program, but when we have a program that is funding projects in only a handful of States, we must take a long, hard look at our priorities. Mr. Chairman, even the President did not request funding for this program. It cannot be understated that we are facing unprecedented fiscal challenges in our Nation. We just simply have to stop spending money that we don't have, and we have to start creating jobs out in the private sector. My amendment, by cutting this program, will help to stop the bleeding economically that we're having. The consequences of failing to reduce spending and the deficit jeopardize the current and future stability of our Nation. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. No, sir, I do not.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, this Nation has almost a $14.5 trillion debt. Forty cents of every dollar the Federal Government spends, we're borrowing. We've just got to stop the outrageous spending that's going on here in Washington. And both parties have been guilty over the years. This amendment would simply cut 10 percent out of a program--10 percent. Some people say, well, it's just a small amount of money. But as I was doing a town hall meeting back, during last week, in Georgia, in Hoschton, Georgia, one lady got up and said, $1 million makes a lot of difference. It is a lot of money. This does cut a great deal of money out of this program. But, Mr. Chairman, we just have to stop spending money that we don't have. It's just absolutely critical. The economy depends upon it. Creating jobs in the private sector depends upon it. The future of our Nation depends upon it. We're in an economic emergency, Mr. Chairman, and if we don't stop spending money that we don't have, we're going to have an economic collapse of this Nation. I'm a physician. I've worked in emergency rooms. I've seen a doctor open up a man's chest and do open-heart massage in the emergency room trying to keep a patient alive. It's time for open-heart massage of our economy. We've got to stop spending money that we don't have. We've got to put this country back on the right financial course and start creating jobs out in the private sector. And my amendment will be just one small step towards that. So, Mr. Chairman, I hope that my colleagues will support this amendment so that we can put this country back on the right course, so that we can create jobs in the private sector and can have a strong economy again. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. I rise to offer my amendment, which would reduce the budget for the Rural Housing Assistance Grants Program by over $20 million. My amendment would drop the allocation for this program from $32 million to just around $12 million. This is a modest request, particularly considering the President initially asked for a funding level of just $12 million, and we would simply be dropping the levels back down to what the administration, itself, requested. It is absolutely critical that this Congress cut spending wherever possible; and if the President could do without that extra $20 million, so can we. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for yielding. In answer to your question, I want to do both. I think every dollar that the Federal Government spends needs to be looked at, and we're spending money that we don't have, even in DOD. I think we would cut a lot of funding there, particularly with the wasteful spending that the Department of Defense does that we all recognize. So I want to do it all. The thing is, if we continue down this road that we're on economically, everybody's going to be poor. Nobody's going to have money for any groceries. Nobody's going to be able to get any health care. We're just going to be in a financial quagmire as a nation. And so it's absolutely critical, in my opinion, that we do emergent procedures to try to get this country back on the right course economically. So, to answer to your question that you asked me very graciously, I answer, yes, we need to do all of the above, and I am eager to do both.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Well, maybe they could ride share. That would be a good way to save taxpayer dollars also.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. I do, indeed.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. By 230 vehicles, yes, sir.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I would like to bring a point of order about the gentleman's accusations that I want to do harm. I believe this meets the criteria of taking down his words, and I would like a ruling from the Chair regarding that.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I withdraw my point of order.