Eric Cantor

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation, and I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul).

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen).

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, it is now my honor to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).

Mr. CANTOR. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, this week, most Members of the House will gather briefly here in Washington, but our hearts and spirits will be in Arizona. The unspeakable tragedy in Tucson last Saturday came as a complete shock, casting a pall over the entire Nation. With this resolution, we join 300 million Americans and millions of others around the world in showing our solidarity with Congresswoman Giffords and the rest of the victims. Gabby serves Arizona's Eighth District with distinction and thoughtful leadership, and we are all praying for her speedy recovery. Saturday's cowardly crime was more than just an attack on dozens of innocent Americans at a grocery store. It was an attack on the very essence of democracy and representative government--an assault on the open exchange of ideas between legislators and the people to whom they are accountable. This resolution honors the memory of Christina Taylor Green, Dorothy Morris, Judge John Roll, Phyllis Schneck, Dorwan Stoddard, and Gabriel Zimmerman. The slain represent a broad cross-section of the American public--young and old; men, women and child; friends, brothers, sisters, and children. They will be missed but not forgotten. This inexplicable crime reminds us that there is evil in the world. Yet, as we look for light in a thicket of darkness, our Nation has drawn inspiration from the bravery and quick thinking displayed by the heroes on the scene. Were it not for their efforts, there likely would have been many more victims. The outpouring of support, prayer, and solidarity also reminds us that America is a country of compassion, community, and empathy. We will stand with the victims and their families, and pray and mourn with them as they cope with this horrific tragedy. Madam Speaker, I also want to offer my thoughts of comfort to Gabby Giffords' staff and want them to know that our hearts hang heavy, and our thoughts and prayers are with them as they try and persevere through this very difficult time. I would also like to add my thanks to the brave law enforcement that has helped our Nation over the last several days and every day--the law enforcement under the directorship of Director Mueller of the FBI, the local law enforcement in Arizona and, from our perspective, most especially, the Capitol Police, the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and the Sergeant at Arms, himself--for the tremendous job that they are undergoing each and every minute as we try and cope with this tragedy. Madam Speaker, this resolution affirms the point all of us want to make. Our hearts are heavy. We mourn with the victims, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Madam Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake), and I ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to control that time.

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the Speaker of the House, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it shall be in order at any time on the legislative day of January 12, 2011, to consider in the House without intervention of any point of order a resolution relating to recent events in Tucson, Arizona, if offered by the Speaker or his designee; such resolution shall be debatable for 6 hours equally divided and controlled by the majority leader and the minority leader or their respective designees; and the previous question shall be considered as ordered on such resolution and any preamble thereto to final adoption without intervening motion.

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, it is now my honor to yield 3 minutes to the chairman of the Republican Conference, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling).

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner).

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie).

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert).

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Lance).

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence). (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, it is now my honor to yield 2 minutes to the chief deputy whip on the Republican side of the aisle, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Roskam).

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, it is now my honor to yield 3 minutes to the majority whip, the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy).

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 32.

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline).

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, it's now my honor to yield 2 minutes to the chairman of the Rules Committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier).

Mr. CANTOR

Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for those kind remarks. I want to also reiterate my pleasure of being able to develop a positive working relationship with him, understanding full well there will be disagreements, but there is probably a lot more that we can agree on, and I look forward to exploring those avenues. I want to congratulate him on his election to the position of Democratic whip, and I look forward to working in this relationship. I know that these roles have been reversed now in these colloquies, so I look forward to that as well. Madam Speaker, on Monday, the House is not in session. On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12 p.m. for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business, with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m. On Wednesday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business. On Thursday and Friday, the House will not be in session to accommodate the Republican retreat. On Tuesday, we will consider at least one bill under suspension of the rules, which will be announced later today. We will also begin consideration of H.R. 2, the Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act. I expect the House to complete debate on H.R. 2 Wednesday afternoon. Also, on Wednesday, Madam Speaker, the House will consider H. Res. 9, instructing certain committees to report legislation replacing the job- killing health care law.

Mr. CANTOR. I would ask the gentleman to repeat the question.

Mr. CANTOR. I would say to the gentleman, Madam Speaker, that it is our intention to conclude by 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

Mr. CANTOR. As to the inquiry about openness and the ability for Members to have time to read the bills as well as for the public to realize its right to know, we on our side believe in making sure there is that adequate time, and we posted on Monday legislation coming to the floor for this week and next. So I would say to the gentleman from Maryland, Madam Speaker, that it is our intention to uphold our commitment to the 3-day rule to allow for the public's right to know, as well as Members themselves to understand, what it is we're voting for. As to the gentleman's comments regarding the up-or-down vote on ObamaCare repeal, if the gentleman has looked at the postings online, he will know that the repeal resolution is a page and a half. This is a repeal of a bill that was the subject of significant legislative time and other over the course of the last 2 years. It is clear that the public has litigated and, in essence, has decided its position on that bill, given the results of November's election. It comes down to whether you are for ObamaCare or you are against it. That is what the vote is. Again, a page and a half is what the bill is, so we have committed to continuing in the vein of an open process when it comes to trying to get it right as far as replacing the health care status quo. We have committed and the Speaker has committed to making sure that our committees will go through regular order. Members of the minority and majority will have ample time to engage and participate in the discussions around what type of health care Americans deserve and what type of health care they want, which is how we will proceed when it comes to the so-called ``replacement'' resolution and its implementation. I would also point out to the gentleman from Maryland that the Rules Committee has accepted the amendment proposed by the gentleman from Utah as far as a suggestion that he had regarding the SGR formula and the reimbursements for physicians under the Medicare program. Again, we are trying to work in a fashion that is as open and as inclusive as we can. As the Speaker said in his remarks--and he was correct--we had no open rules under the last Congress. We intend for that not to be the case here. I know that the gentleman joins me in the desire for us to be able to work together, and we believe that that will provide the best way forward for that. As to the gentleman's question about the remainder of January, Madam Speaker, we intend to focus on the theme of this Congress, which is ``cut and grow.'' We are going to be talking about ways to cut spending. We are going to live up to our commitment to bring a spending cut bill to the floor each and every week, Madam Speaker. We also intend to focus on what it is that is impeding job growth in the economy, and we will be asking our committees to begin focusing on regulations that are being promulgated and pursued throughout the administration and its agencies that are precluding job growth. It is our hope, though, Madam Speaker, that these committees--our committees--will be fully organized by the end of the month so we can begin a process of regular order.