Eric Cantor

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. The gentleman did, Mr. Speaker, mention one of the things that needs to be addressed, the debt limit, and I believe, if I heard correctly, the gentleman said that he felt we needed to do that prior to year's end. That has created a lot of concern. A lot of reports in the press have indicated that perhaps the administration is looking for ways that we could avoid doing that. Obviously given the size of the expected increase of the debt limit to nearly $2 trillion, a lot of Americans are wondering how in the world we keep spending money we don't have. So I would ask again, does the gentleman believe that that comes to the floor next week? And I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader, for the purposes of announcing next week's schedule.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. And Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the gentleman about the schedule for the rest of this year. Obviously many, many Members are asking the question as to when we will be able to return to our districts. Many have plans for the Christmas holiday. So I would ask the gentleman, does he expect the House to adjourn for the year by Friday next week, December 18? And I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman and I were both in attendance at a meeting at the White House this week where we Republicans presented a plan to the President to suggest that there are ways that we could work together, without costing the taxpayers, to try and get America back to work. It has been labeled a No Cost Jobs Plan. And as the gentleman knows, Mr. Speaker, I had suggested last week that perhaps we could work on some of those measures together. I know that the gentleman just told us, Mr. Speaker, that we may be able to expect certain things like COBRA, UI extension, and others that he believes, I imagine, would be part of a stimulus effort, and we wonder whether we could expect any of the items that we presented as Republicans to the majority, we could expect any of the items that we presented in that No Cost Jobs Plan, to also be a part of perhaps of what may come to the floor next week? I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman speaks a lot about the appropriations factor, and I assume that means when we would actually bring up the Defense appropriations bill, but specifically, Mr. Speaker, I would ask the gentleman whether it is his hope that we will be considering health care in this House, or whether we could expect that to fall off into next year. And I yield.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my Alma Mater, the Collegiate High School Football team on winning the 2009 Virginia Independent Schools Division I State championship. Led by Coach Mark Palyo, the Cougars compiled an impressive 10-1 record culminating in a 48-28 win over the Liberty Christian Academy Bulldogs in the Championship Game on November 21, 2009. The Collegiate Cougars were successful in defending their state title which they have been awarded five out of their last seven seasons. I join the Richmond community, family and friends in proud recognition of the Collegiate High School Football team's fantastic achievement and undoubtedly bright future. I commend the Cougars on their successful season and ask you to join me in celebrating their victory.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. I will. And I would like to ask one more point, and then I will yield. If we are talking about finally shifting to the mode, Mr. Speaker, of job creation, I'd like to ask the gentleman, has there been any discussion in his caucus about perhaps holding back on some of the measures that are being discussed, such as the financial regulatory reform bill coming to the floor next week, because there is a study recently released by the University of Chicago, University College London, and George Mason University economists, which said that this package of reform bills coming out of the Financial Services Committee will reduce consumer borrowing by at least 2.1 percent and reduce new jobs by 4.3 percent. And essentially, the study comes to the conclusion that interest rates will rise by 141 basis points, which will yield the loss of over a million jobs over the next 5 years. So if we are concerned about job creation, why are we moving forward with such a measure? And I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate that extension of an offer to allow us to, once again, proffer our ideas. As the gentleman may know, I did speak out yesterday with a list of what I call a no- cost jobs plan, and I am happy to forward that to the gentleman. I have made a similar type of request of the White House, and I think have gotten a response that they too may be willing to consider some of the Republican solutions to the current crisis that people are feeling across this country. Mr. Speaker, I would say that I am somewhat heartened to hear the gentleman talk about the ineffectiveness of the first stimulus bill. The gentleman did say that the term ``stimulus'' was a little broader than what they're looking at now. And in my opinion, I thought that the definition of a stimulus bill was to create jobs. So if the gentleman now is agreeing with me that the creation of jobs did not hit the mark the way that was promised on the first stimulus bill, that we do need to finally focus on job creation, that gives me a lot of confidence, Mr. Speaker, because at least we're now talking about the same thing. And along those lines, again, I am thankful that the gentleman asked for our solutions, and we're going to proffer those. But I do want to suggest that we can, and there are some commonsense things we can sit down and probably agree on that we could do right now that wouldn't cost the taxpayers anything, and we wouldn't have to be continuing to mortgage the future of our children. I think both of us can agree, Mr. Speaker, that both sides have done their share to dig the hole of incurring too much debt for this country. Enough is enough. And I do think that we have and will offer solutions that will begin to arrest that trend, and at the same time focus on job creation.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to turn to the question of whether this House will be dealing with what has been reported, a second stimulus bill. And I know that we have been reading much about the White House job summit today. There's been a lot of reports in the press about the majority's meeting on a second stimulus bill, and I'd like to ask the gentleman, Mr. Speaker, if he could clarify the timing, the content and the cost of a proposed second stimulus bill. And I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask a followup to that comment. Does the gentleman expect us to have an up- or-down vote on the increase of the debt limit, or, if not, if it is a part, as he suggested, of another piece of legislation, which legislation that would be? And I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would ask the gentleman does he expect to vote on increasing the Nation's debt limit this month? And I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman for that.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman on that. And as a followup to that, Mr. Speaker, I know there's been some discussion or reports that the Senate may be scheduled to be in session past the Christmas holiday, and I was wondering, Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman expected that to impact the House's schedule after Christmas. And I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. And I do realize that the House has considered its version, although we all know that when they come back from conference especially, many of the Members on both sides of the aisle have some concerns about earmarks and others, which would, I think, warrant the time to review these bills. In the same light, Mr. Speaker, it is the concern of many that we have an opportunity to look at any manager's amendment or self-executing amendments in the rules that are presented to the body and our having time to review that as well. And I would just make that note. Mr. Speaker, I would ask the gentleman, does he expect a final health care bill this month? And I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland, the majority leader, for the purpose of announcing next week's schedule.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I would ask the gentleman, I note that he did announce that we will be considering H.R. 4173, the financial regulation bill, and perhaps seven appropriations bills. I don't know which form that would be in, whether it would be separately or in an omnibus form; but, nonetheless, all of these are incredibly large measures costing billions of dollars of taxpayer money, stretching over thousands of pages. My question, Mr. Speaker, is, What is the gentleman's intention as to the period of time which Members and the public will have to review these bills prior to the Members voting on them? And does that mean that we will still be consistent with the gentleman's representations on other bills prior to this session that we would have 72 hours for consideration and review of those bills as well as any manager's amendment and self-executing amendments in a rule? And I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. And I know I'm joined by the gentlelady from Florida in thanking you very much for your work on the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act and bringing that to the floor.

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, since this is our first colloquy following Thanksgiving break, I would like to ask the gentleman if he could give the Members a sense of what legislation perhaps that we will be voting on for the remainder of this month. And I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. My purpose in bringing up this notion that we still have this Card Check bill out there is to demonstrate the fact that there really is a disconnect as far as doing what we say and follow what I do. Because if we're serious about relieving the pain on job creators, if we're serious about getting Americans back to work, we wouldn't be necessarily bringing the wrong bills to the floor for the right reason, which is my point, Mr. Speaker. No one is quibbling with intention here. I think that I would agree with the gentleman that there is a sense in America that there is not a level playing field at giving people a fair shot at their returns on Wall Street or a fair shot in terms of heavy regulations in hand coming from Washington. So we can all agree that we need to make the environment better for job creators and people who want to jump in and take risks. But the financial regulatory reform package that is being brought to the floor just as the Card Check bill that's still being spoken of around here, those are job killers. We ought to at least relieve the harm so that people we're relying on to create jobs can get back to work to do that. That was simply my point, Mr. Speaker. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would just note for the gentleman that 2.8 million Americans have lost their jobs since the passage of the majority's first stimulus bill; and the Nation's debt now stands at over $12 trillion. I thank the gentleman for his time, and I yield back.

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would like to come to my district and talk to the businesses there, I think I could gather up many individuals who have put their entire life's investment savings on the line and don't want to see Washington or this Congress continue to threaten the very existence of those businesses. I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. And the facts are the facts. The stimulus bill was brought to this floor with the promise that it would stop unemployment from exceeding 8 percent. We are now at over 10 percent national unemployment. The facts are the facts. Under this administration, the deficit has tripled since the last administration left. That is the facts. The gentleman points out, CBO says that we've created X number of jobs. I would say to the gentleman, while you have people across this country--10.2 percent of the workforce being out of work--there is no way that anyone in this country would believe CBO when it says the economy is better. That's the fact. And so if we're going to be about job creation, my simple point is this about bringing the package of financial regulatory reform bills to the floor. I don't doubt the gentleman's intention to try and do the right thing. But the reality is this is a case where we're doing the wrong thing for the right reason. This bill impacts negatively the job creators. We know this bill will increase interest rates 141 basis points, which means the loss of an additional million-plus jobs over the next 5 years. So in that vein, I would ask the gentleman again, if we are to see our way to work together, let's relieve the harm. This bill adds to the harm. In the same way, I would ask the gentleman, there is continued talk of the bill otherwise known as Card Check. If I've heard it once, I think all Members have, from small businesses and large, the job creators, Please, please don't pass that bill because that will create a huge drain on job creation. So I would ask the gentleman, is there any sense in his caucus that maybe now in times of high unemployment is not the time to bring up Card Check?

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. And I would say he would agree with me that since the beginning of the 111th, priority one for this Nation has been job creation.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 225th birthday anniversary of former President Zachary Taylor. President Taylor was born in Orange County, Virginia, on November 24, 1784, to a family with a background in military service. His father, Richard Taylor, fought in the Revolutionary War, and Zachary followed in his footsteps in 1808 as he started a military career of his own. Zachary Taylor was personally appointed by his cousin James Madison to serve as a first lieutenant in the War of 1812, and he led many successful battles thereafter. Because of Zachary Taylor's military accomplishments, he achieved national recognition, and won the Whig Party nomination for President in 1848. Subsequently, he became the twelfth President of the United States, joining the ranks of presidents born in Virginia. As President, Taylor implemented an effective foreign policy, especially in regards to forming a strong alliance with Great Britain. Sadly, on July 4, 1850, after having served as President for only sixteen months, Zachary Taylor died unexpectedly. He served his country well both in the military and political fields. In honor of President Taylor, the United States Mint will be placing a Zachary Taylor coin into public circulation. Please join me in remembering the many outstanding contributions of President Zachary Taylor.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a true champion of the conservative movement, Morton Blackwell, who just celebrated his 70th birthday. I have known Morton since the days when he attended meetings in my parents' living room, planning how we would advance the conservative cause in Virginia. We realized the fruits of those talks during the Reagan Revolution in the 1980s, when Virginia--and Morton Blackwell-- led the way. Morton's life thus far has been a testament to the kind of man he is. There is a list of rules that Morton has developed, entitled the Laws of the Public Policy Process, which I always keep close at hand. One of my favorites is number 10, which simply states: ``Sound doctrine is sound politics.'' Morton lives and teaches by this rule. He has dedicated his adult life to serving on the front lines of all the major battles in our nation to ensure that faith, family, and freedom always prevail. I would venture to say that much of Morton's success is due to the fact that he has had a key partner in these efforts in his wife Helen, the president of the Virginia chapter of the Eagle Forum. In addition to his birthday, Morton also celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the Leadership Institute. Morton founded LI in 1979 for the sole purpose of teaching conservatives to win. His approach wasn't to sit on the sidelines and analyze policy, as important as that may be. Instead, his strategy was to train people to actually influence that very policy by directly participating in it, through activism and leadership. The more than 76,000 students who have been mentored by Morton are now spread throughout the country, in arenas ranging from grassroots organizations to campaigns at every level to elected office. I don't believe there's a doubt in anyone's mind that Morton has trained more political activists than any other conservative. This outreach didn't start with the founding of LI, though. Decades before that, Morton worked with fellow Republicans as a leader of College Republicans, and then of local and state Republican party chapters. In a role that any conservative would envy, Morton's hard work and dedication earned him a job as Special Assistant to President Reagan. At nearly 70 years old, Morton still demonstrates the energy and activity of a young man, serving the boards of at least six major conservative organizations, and frequently writes widely published pieces on a variety of conservative issues. As in the times when I first met Morton, conservatives have recently had plenty of reasons to feel discouraged. Morton's rules, however, also tell us to ``remember it's a long ball game.'' Keeping in mind that the game is not yet over, we continue to fight. I was proud to stand next to Morton on the stage one month ago, as we celebrated Bob McDonnell's election as the next governor of the state we call home. As I said on that same stage, the conservative resurgence begins now, and it begins in Virginia. Americans everywhere can thank Morton Blackwell for that.