Eric Cantor

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, all I asked was whether the Members should be prepared to be here over the weekend.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, I think it has been well reported that the majority plans to try to use the reconciliation process to ram a health care bill through this House and the one across the Capitol, and we also know from the reports that it is imperative that this House and the House majority and members of the majority must first pass the Senate's health care bill before any other action on a reconciliation measure is taken. The gentleman has announced, Madam Speaker, that all this will take place next week. I wonder if the gentleman could give us a little bit more clarity as to the schedule and perhaps the need for Members to keep their schedules flexible through the weekend.

Mr. CANTOR. I will yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman for his clarification of his intent. I would just say again the Catholic bishops, as well as the right-to-life organizations, stand very much in opposition to this language. I stand with them. I would say to the gentleman, Madam Speaker, that the Parliamentarian in the Senate has ruled that the Senate cannot take up the reconciliation package until the Senate-passed health care bill is signed into law. That is the bill, Madam Speaker, that contains provisions such as the Cornhusker kickback. And I would ask the gentleman if it is his position that that would be the case that this House must pass the Senate bill first, it must be signed into law before the Senate can even take up the reconciliation package. I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. In closing, Madam Speaker, I look forward to working with the gentleman in trying to refocus the issue of this House on getting Americans back to work. And the gentleman did indicate that there will be further action in what he is calling a ``jobs agenda.'' Certainly that didn't happen today, as we are here already having finished the legislative business of the day and only having considered a bill dealing with algae. I only mention this because 52 percent of Americans do think that jobs and the economy are the Nation's top issue; and, by contrast, only 13 percent of Americans think that health care is our Nation's top priority. This was according to a CBS-New York Times poll. So I do thank the gentleman for his willingness, hopefully, to get back to the question of how we get America back to work.

Mr. CANTOR. I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman for his view of history. I also would like to say to the gentleman, Madam Speaker, I share his commitment to the preservation of the Chesapeake Bay. I do, however, think that the American people are most interested in seeing us get back to the business of focusing on the economy. That is why I raised the issue of our being here today, not doing anything today to promote job creation. And as far as any quarrel we may have with history as to why we got or how we got to where we are today, I would just like to quote to the gentleman in closing Winston Churchill's speech to the House of Commons June 18, 1940. And he said, ``Of this I'm quite sure, that if we open a quarrel between the past and the present, we shall find that we have lost the future.'' And with that, Madam Speaker, I yield back.

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I would indicate that in that letter there is no specific language that directly relates to an abortion provision or any other. And the gentleman I know agrees that this country has had a longstanding tradition of denying government funding for abortion services. That is the very important issue behind the Stupak-Pitts language. In fact, 45 Senators voted in favor of that language, just as a majority of this House voted for that language. That is why it is so important, I think, that the Members, as well their constituents, understand that you will not be including the Stupak-Pitts language with the protection that will guarantee no government funding goes toward abortion services, which is why I bring the point up, Madam Speaker.

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

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. I would say to the gentleman that I'm sure he has seen a letter that has been signed by 41 Senate Republicans in which they indicated they would oppose any effort to waive the so-called Byrd rule during the Senate's consideration of the reconciliation bill, which means to me, Madam Speaker, it is far from certain that the Senate will actually pass the bill when the House sends it to the Senate. And, in fact, I would just call that to the gentleman's attention that we stand ready to continue to work in another direction, but it seems to me very much in doubt with this bill.

Mr. CANTOR. So, Madam Speaker, I would take that to mean the Stupak- Pitts language will not be in the reconciliation package.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. I would just like to, Madam Speaker, read a recently reported statement by the gentleman in which he said, it is clear that the matter of abortion cannot be dealt with per se in the reconciliation bill; so we are pretty much going to have to deal with it as is at this point in time. I ask the gentleman if that is a correct translation of his remarks today. I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman, Madam Speaker. And, again, it seems as if we are not going to get an up-or-down vote on the Senate bill in the House, but we will be voting on a reconciliation measure. And the instructions that were included in the budget bill are not legislative text. That is my point, Madam Speaker. But since we are not going to, since we cannot be guaranteed a 72- hour period for review, Madam Speaker, nor can the American people realize their right to know during the 72-hour period, I would ask the gentleman whether the reconciliation package will contain the House language referred to as the Stupak-Pitts language. I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I tell the gentleman again, we are expecting, as he said, to see a new bill, a reconciliation bill on the floor next week. That bill, no one on our side of the aisle has had an opportunity to see. Perhaps the Congressional Budget Office has had 72 hours to see it, but we haven't. No one, I believe, has had 72 hours in this body to see the reconciliation bill. That is the bill that I am speaking to.

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I say to the gentleman, if that is his interpretation and belief that this language in the Senate bill protects that longstanding tradition, that may be. However, the U.S. Catholic Bishops as well as Right to Life have strongly, strongly opposed the language in the Senate bill as not having the adequate safeguards to deny government funding of abortion services. I yield.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. I guess the gentleman may begin to understand why it is some on our side of the aisle, including yours truly, depict this as ramming the bill through. I mean, if we can't even get a commitment from the gentleman, as well as the Speaker had indicated prior, that we would have 72 hours to review any piece of legislation that comes to the floor, I think that that is consistent with the depiction that perhaps there is a ramming through going on.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. Again, I am a little bit taken aback that now the 72-hour rule has been completely cast aside, since no one in this House has had an opportunity to see what is in the reconciliation bill, at least I speak for the Members on our side of the aisle that have not had an opportunity to see what is in the reconciliation bill, and I imagine would have some of the provisions that the President in his plan, not the legislation, put up online prior to the Blair House meeting. Again, it is rather disturbing, Madam Speaker, that the 72-hour rule has now been completely cast aside.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. I take that to mean that there is a likelihood that we will not see an up-or-down vote on the Senate bill itself and that perhaps these reports of a concept called the Slaughter solution in which the majority will deem it passed, the Senate bill, in some type of procedural move, that maybe the public can expect that to happen. I know that the gentleman does not think that that represents the kind of vote that the American people expect, but I take that to mean that that certainly is a possibility. Madam Speaker, I would ask the gentleman whether he expects the House to have 72 hours to review whatever legislation comes to the floor next week.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, I know the gentleman would like to speak to the Senate. We are trying to focus on the House here and what the vote will look like. Since the gentleman has indicated that the President and he and all of America would like to see a vote up or down in this House as well, I would ask the gentleman whether we can expect an up-or-down vote on the health care bill itself or not.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman for that. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the gentleman, in view of the short period of time until Easter break, is it his expectation that the House will take up health care legislation within that time period? And I yield.

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

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, and I want to ask the gentleman if he can give us some better indication of what he means by the jobs agenda.

Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman. The gentleman refers to some areas that I hope he and the majority would work with the minority on in trying to do exactly as he stated, which is to create an environment for small businesses to create jobs. As the gentleman just saw in the vote taking place on the floor today, there were 35 members of his caucus who voted against the so-called jobs bill that was on the floor today, perhaps indicating that the gentleman may want to work with us as we have been continuing to propose tax cuts for small businesses, not necessarily connected with what kind of hires that the businesses should do, and not necessarily connected with some type of targeted credit that may or may not fit with the business model of any particular small business, but in general, I think the gentleman would agree, making it easier for small businesses to keep the lights on right now so they can return to a mode in which they could increase payroll. Mr. Speaker, I would ask the gentleman if he could speak to his mention of the resolution dealing with the Afghanistan war powers. As the gentleman knows, the Republicans view a withdrawal from Afghanistan within 30 days as incredibly irresponsible.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in order to congratulate Thomas Thayer, the owner of International Truck Sales of Richmond, for his receiving of the International Circle of Excellence Award. Tom's business, International Truck Sales of Richmond, is headquartered in Ashland, Virginia, where it was founded in 1998. Under his leadership, it has grown into one of the preeminent truck dealerships in the Southeast and the entire nation, with 109 employees and three dealer locations serving Richmond and its surrounding counties. In 2005, it was named the International Dealer of the Year, an honor awarded to the one International dealer who exhibits the highest commitment to best-in-class customer service. With this most recent award, International Truck Sales of Richmond has now received the Circle of Excellence Award under Tom's leadership a total of 13 times. The Circle of Excellence, which is awarded by the international dealer organization, Navistar, Inc., honors International truck dealerships that achieve the highest level of dealer performance with respect to operating and financial standards, market representation, and most importantly, customer satisfaction. Tom has achieved this level of accomplishment and recognition through many years of hard work and service to his industry and community. He has also built a successful truck leasing business, Idealease of Richmond, is the current chairman of the Truck Renting and Leasing Association, and is the past chairman of the Make a Wish Foundation. He is also involved with the Rotary Club, the United Way and the American Cancer Society. Despite all these activities, he still finds time to work the concession stand at James River High School on Friday nights, and serves as a band booster for his son, Robert, and his daughter, Leah. Through his commitment to hard work and outstanding customer service, he has built an economically vital business of which he can be justly proud. Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join with me in congratulating Thomas Thayer for his record of accomplishment and for his many contributions to his community, state and Nation.