Eric Cantor

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Chairman, I will be brief. First of all, I want to thank Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Dicks and their incredible staff for the leadership and amazing endurance that they have displayed through this process. Madam Chairman, they, along with the staff of the Parliamentarian's Office, the Clerk's office, the Congressional Budget Office, the Sergeant at Arms Office, many of the leadership offices, Members' offices, and of course the Capitol Police, have been working around the clock, literally, in order for us to facilitate this debate. So I thank all of the staff. Madam Chairman, we've had an extraordinary debate, and I want to thank the Members for their patience, their enthusiasm, and their participation in this remarkable development of events in this debate. {time} I would say to Members that all of us want to finish and complete this bill today. Madam Chairman, I would say, as Members know, we are operating under a unanimous consent agreement; and under that agreement, we still have 18 hours of debate and 103 amendments to go. Now, while none of us want to restrict anyone's ability to speak their piece and voice their opinions, certainly a lot has been said throughout the last 80-some hours of discussion on this bill, so I would ask Members to be mindful of the prudence of being concise and expeditious in their remarks. If we proceed in that vein, Madam Chairman, perhaps we could finish at a reasonable hour this evening.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Chairman, I would say to the Members we have got one more amendment in this series of votes, after which we are looking at a debate time of about 1 hour. So I would advise the Members that it would probably be best to stay close to the Chamber, because we would expect the final series of votes on this bill and for the day to be within 1 hour. Amendment No. 164 Offered by Mr. Mulvaney

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. CANTOR. Just for the record, Mr. Chairman, I think the gentleman from Massachusetts may have somewhat of a short memory given that, in December, we had a vote on a CR for 1 hour under a closed rule. So, with that, just a little reminder.

Mr. CANTOR. If the gentleman would yield.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Chairman, Planned Parenthood receives a third of its $1.1 billion budget from taxpayer dollars. The opposition to this amendment continues to say that this is not about Federal funding of abortion, which the Hyde amendment prohibits. We all know, however, that money is fungible. Taxpayer dollars are going to keep the lights on and the doors open and to pay for things which frees up money for abortions. Recently, Planned Parenthood has been caught red-handed in several different clinics, including one in my hometown of Richmond, aiding and abetting sex trafficking and prostitution of minors. Now the other side continues to say that Planned Parenthood has a right to operate. They don't have a right to do that. You cannot argue that an organization that engages in patterns of conduct such as those revealed in the videos seen in clinics such as that in my hometown, you cannot argue that an organization like that cares about the rights of women and girls it purports to serve. So, Mr. Chairman, I ask you: Why on Earth are we giving $363 million in taxpayer funds every year to Planned Parenthood? It is time to say no more. The time has come to respect the wishes of a vast majority of Americans who adamantly oppose giving taxpayer dollars for abortion. That is why I support this amendment, Mr. Chairman, and that is why I urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman very much.

Mr. CANTOR. The gentleman is correct.

Mr. CANTOR. I would say to the gentleman, 302(a) always was intended to be spending brought down to 2008 levels or less. And that is the intention of the bill that will come to the floor next week, H.R. 1, that we will abide by our commitment to reduce discretionary nonsecurity spending by $100 billion for the remainder of the fiscal year.

Mr. CANTOR. I will say to the gentleman from Maryland that he is correct. We expect to abide by the calendar and the provisions set for it therein, intending to depart here by 3 p.m. on Thursday of next week.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman from Maryland, the Democratic whip, for yielding. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the House will meet at noon for morning hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business, with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning hour and noon for legislative business. On Thursday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business. No votes are expected in the House on Friday. The House will consider two bills next week. On Monday, the House will consider H.R. 514, a bill to extend for the short term three expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005. As the gentleman knows, we passed a rule for its consideration yesterday. The balance of the week will be spent on H.R. 1, a bill to fund the government through the remainder of the fiscal year. And I yield back.

Mr. CANTOR. I would say to the gentleman, it is very straightforward. The next action of the committee will be to file the bill. The bill will be put online this evening for the public to see, for Members to review, so that we abide by the rules of this House which require for a 3-day layover prior to taking up a bill for debate on the floor of the House.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished life and achievements of the Honorable Leroy R. Hassell, Sr., former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, who passed away this week at the very young age of 55. While he left us in the prime of his life, his compassion and commitment to justice will leave a lasting impression on the judicial system and the world beyond the bench. A Norfolk native, he grew up in Broad Creek and attended Norview High School. He graduated from the University of Virginia and earned his law degree from Harvard Law School. He then returned to Richmond where he quickly rose through the ranks to become partner at McGuire Woods, one of Virginia's largest law firms. After graduating from William and Mary Law School and passing the Virginia bar, I remember when Governor Gerald Baliles nominated him to the Virginia Supreme Court in 1989. At the age of 34, Justice Hassell became the second African American justice on the court after John Charles Thomas. In 2002, his colleagues elected him to serve as Chief Justice, making him Virginia's first African American Chief Justice. Remarkably, he was the first leader of the high court chosen by his peers rather than through seniority. At the time, he was also the youngest serving member of the court. Chief Justice Hassell always had a great love of law. He was a man of faith and deep personal convictions. He cared deeply about the people of the Commonwealth and was passionate about helping others. He was a tireless advocate for the poor and the mentally ill and fought hard to make the courts more accessible and more equitable. Mr. Speaker, please join me in remembering Justice Hassell, a lifelong public servant and powerful voice for all Virginians.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Chairman, over the past 2 years, the legislative schedule of this House was dominated by spending money, not cutting spending. But after the people voiced their displeasure in November, the discussion in this town is now focused on rolling back the unchecked growth of government and Federal expenditures. Our majority is dedicated to cut and grow: cutting spending and job- destroying regulations; growing private sector jobs and the economy. Yesterday, we directed the Budget Committee chairman to set spending levels so we return non-defense discretionary spending to 2008 levels or below. Today, the American public, through the YouCut program, has put on the chopping block an example of unnecessary government waste. Specifically, this bill would eliminate the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, an outdated mechanism that provides Federal tax dollars to candidates in Presidential primaries in the form of matching funds and general elections and subsidies for the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. Eliminating this program would save taxpayers $617 million over 10 years and would require candidates and political parties to rely on private contributions rather than tax dollars. In times when government has no choice but to do more with less, voting to end the Presidential Election Campaign Fund should be a no- brainer. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this measure.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I move that the message of the President be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered printed.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman from California, the chairman of the Rules Committee. Madam Speaker, November 2 marked the culmination of a long, arduous and ultimately clarifying debate over the kind of role government should play in the economy. By overwhelming margins, voters rejected an approach that spends money we don't have and concentrates too much control and power in Washington. Instead, they voted for a better way. Republicans are determined to deliver results by instilling a culture of opportunity, responsibility, and success. Our majority is dedicated to cut and grow: cut spending and job-destroying regulations, grow private sector jobs and the economy. Today, we have the opportunity to take a significant step towards repairing America's deteriorating fiscal condition. This resolution directs the Budget Committee chairman to set spending levels so we return non-defense discretionary spending to 2008 levels or below. If you think the government didn't spend enough money in 2008, then oppose this resolution; go on record for more spending, more borrowing, and more debt. But, Madam Speaker, if you believe we are spending too much money, then I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. It represents a clean break with the past and an end to the unchecked growth of Federal spending and government, and it is worthy of our support.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, Washington has a dangerous spending problem that poses grave risk to future American prosperity. The only way we can start producing results for the people again is to transform the culture of spending in this town into a culture of savings. Over at least the past two years, the House did not cut spending on one single occasion. Those days are over. Under our majority, government will learn to do more with less. We may not eliminate the entire deficit overnight, but this House will fight to make tangible progress by cutting unnecessary spending and needless regulation, and growing jobs and the economy. We call it cut and grow. It is in this light that we will bring spending back down to 2008 levels, and bring to the floor a spending cut each and every week. Two weeks ago, we sent a clear signal of fiscal discipline by trimming our own congressional budgets by 5 percent. This week, we have brought to the floor a spending cut picked by the public through our YouCut program begun last year. This reduction would eliminate mandatory printing of bills and resolutions by the Government Printing Office for the use of Members of the House of Representatives and Senate. In the digital age, there's no reason we can't save taxpayer dollars by forcing congressional offices to receive bills and resolutions through the Internet. This legislation is a small but still important and largely symbolic step towards getting spending under control. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. I would say to the gentleman this: We have been charged with an obligation by the people of this country to get our fiscal house in order. We intend to be very deliberate and focused on cutting spending while making sure we are doing all we can to grow the economy and the private-sector jobs. It is our intent to prove that this House and this Congress--hopefully Leader Reid will follow suit--will deliver on that commitment. The public, as the gentleman knows all too well, is tired of business as usual. They don't want to see this country continue to incur debt as it has in the past without some indication that things are changing, without some indication that serious spending cuts have been implemented and reforms effected, and that will be our intent.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman from Maryland, the Democratic whip, for yielding. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the House will meet at noon for morning hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m. On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate and noon for legislative business. The House will recess no later than 5 p.m. to allow a security sweep of the House Chamber prior to the President's State of the Union address. The House will meet again at approximately 8:35 p.m. in a joint session with the Senate for the purpose of receiving an address from the President of the United States. On Wednesday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for legislative business. During the week, the House will consider at least one bill under suspension of the rules, which will be announced by close of business tomorrow. In addition, we will consider H. Res. 38, a resolution reducing non-security spending to fiscal year 2008 levels or Less, and a bill of the public's choosing--via the YouCut program--to reduce Federal spending and the deficit by terminating taxpayer financing of Presidential election campaigns and party conventions; saving taxpayers $520 million in mandatory spending according to CBO's estimate last year.

Mr. CANTOR. First of all, I thank the gentleman for his kind statements regarding the expressions of grief and support that I think all Members of this body have expressed to Gabby Giffords, her family, and her staff. Our thoughts and prayers remain with all of them, and certainly to the victims and their families. And certainly they all know that we are thinking of them. Mr. Speaker, as far as the schedule is concerned, if you will recall, the commitment on our schedule was the finishing time would be 3 p.m. on the last day we are here. We specifically had indicated that January is going to be a little different and an exception due to the organizing processes, State of the Union, et cetera. The expectation is to begin that in February, as was originally expressed; although, we do intend to try to be as expeditious as possible on Wednesday. The exact timing of our departure and finishing up depends on the actual rule coming from the Rules Committee, including the amendment debate and the structure for the Presidential election fund bill. We expect an announcement by the Rules Committee chairman later today on that.

Mr. CANTOR. To be clear, once the House adopts the resolution next week, the resolution will then instruct Chairman Ryan to cap non- security discretionary spending for the remainder of fiscal year 2011 at fiscal year 2008 levels. That is the purpose of our adopting the resolution, acting as the House as a whole, instructing Chairman Ryan to cap non-security discretionary spending at 2008 levels for the remainder of this fiscal year. Again, Mr. Speaker, I'd say to the gentleman, I know he shares with me the realization that people across this country--families, businesses--are having to face some tough choices. We started this Congress, I think, together, committed to demonstrating that we are willing to make those tough choices--thus, the resolution for next week.

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentleman, first of all, as far as the $520 million--not $52 million--is concerned, as he knows that is mandatory spending, that is not discretionary spending, and would be different and apart from the commitment that we just spoke about at '08 levels. I would also say to the gentleman that we will be glad to have hearings once committees are organized. As the gentleman knows, it's been a little bit slow in upstart just given the transition of leadership, et cetera. We are waiting for your side in some instances. But we hear from committee chairmen things are working well, so we hope that committees will be up and organized to have hearings. But in order for us to deliver on our commitment that we are going to bring up a spending cut bill every week, this body will be considering a bill providing for cutting the Presidential election fund that has been in existence for some time. As the gentleman well knows, this tends to be of some controversy in some quarters. There are those who believe that this is an attempt to drive this country towards a public finance system for campaigns. Obviously there are those in this country who believe that's what should happen. But knowing full well the controversy, I'm sure we will have a robust debate. And I am looking forward, Mr. Speaker, to as many cuts to this fund as the gentleman's side may offer and look forward to a robust debate on the issue.