John Culberson

Mr. CULBERSON

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, as the designee of Mr. Lewis, I am pleased to offer this amendment today to give the House an opportunity to keep funding for multilateral assistance at last year's level. In fact, this is actually a 1 percent increase, trying to keep it as close to inflation as we can. I would prefer, as a fiscal conservative, to cut far more at this time of record debt, record deficit, of increasing unemployment; but we want to give the liberal majority some opportunity to cut somewhere. And if we will not cut foreign multilateral assistance simply by keeping the level of funding at last year's level, plus a little 1 percent bump, where will we cut? In our personal lives, if we have a financial downturn, someone in the family loses a job, if there has been a financial hardship of some type in your personal life, if as a business you have suffered a dramatic downturn in sales, if you lose money or your income is reduced, then all of us in our private lives in the private sector understand that you start to cut expenses. The first thing to go, for example, in the private sector certainly is discretionary dollars in advertising. Or in a personal life, as much as I might like to have a swimming pool or expand the house, you just don't do it when your income is reduced; and the United States of America is in a similar situation. The Nation is hurting. Unemployment is climbing. We have lost a record number of jobs. Under the new liberal leadership of this Congress, our new liberal administration in the White House, this Congress, this President has spent more money in less time than any Congress in the history of the United States. In the first 6 months of this year under the budget adopted by this new liberal majority, the amount of debt created in the first 6 months of this year exceeds the amount of debt created from the time of George Washington to President George W. Bush. The national debt now exceeds $11 trillion. The deficit exceeds a trillion dollars. We as a Nation are on a path to become Argentina if we don't stop spending money. So those of us in the fiscally conservative minority have offered in the Appropriations Committee multiple amendments. We have offered amendments on the floor to the limited extent we can under these very restrictive guidelines. We, in the conservative minority, have offered amendments to cut 5 percent; 1 percent; 10 percent. On every bill on every occasion, we have searched for some way, somehow that the liberal majority might try to save some of our kids' money. It hasn't happened yet. I haven't seen a cut yet that the liberal majority will agree to. This amendment today is simply to title V, multilateral assistance, asking that we keep funding at 2009 levels. In fact, the 2009 spending level is a 16 percent increase over 2008. And the programs, the international organizations that are included under title V, include Global Environmental Facility, a clean technology fund. There is even a new and completely unauthorized climate technology fund and strategic climate fund that costs a total of $300 million. These have not been approved by Congress, and they are just stuck into this bill. I know there are a lot of noble, good things accomplished by our foreign aid bill. One that is near and dear to my heart is my support for the State of Israel. I personally support Mr. Weiner's amendment. I think Saudi Arabia can certainly afford to pull their own weight. But our good friends in Israel, I think one of the reasons God blesses the United States of America is America is the sword and shield of Israel. We have an obligation as a Nation to stand behind our friends around the world and help them. But at a time of economic downturn, at a time when so many Americans are losing their jobs, and at a time as we as guardians of the U.S. Treasury have an obligation to try to save money everywhere we can and follow Dave Ramsey's advice, don't spend money you don't have; don't borrow money to pay off borrowed money, the amendment is offered today in all sincerity to try to hold the line. And if we won't cut here, Mr. Chairman, where will we cut? If we won't cut spending for multilateral assistance to foreign aid, which all of our constituents get, if we won't cut at the edges in money that we don't need to spend at this level for foreign assistance, where will we cut? Are we not going to save any money anywhere, folks? This is a $500 million savings to keep us at 2009 levels.

Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. CULBERSON. Thank you very much for yielding. I did vote against $2.6 trillion of spending under President Bush, and I voted against the farm bills. And I voted against----

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CULBERSON

Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Chair, could we ask the Clerk to please read the text of the amendment so we can be sure which amendment is before the House.

Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Chair, parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. CULBERSON. Mother Nature targets all districts equally, Mr. Flake. But when it comes to floods and hurricanes, they target the gulf coast. When it comes to floods from the big rivers, they target the Mississippi River Valley.

Mr. CULBERSON. Would the gentleman yield?

Mr. CULBERSON. Did you do an analysis by geography? For example, those of us on the Texas gulf coast that get hammered by hurricanes need help with flood mitigation. Did you analyze it geographically and see what percentage goes to the coastal areas of the United States or the floodplains of the Mississippi River?

Mr. CULBERSON. Would the gentleman yield?

Mr. CULBERSON. I will happily take the challenge. I'm ready.

Mr. CULBERSON. We have to be fiscally conservative, Mr. Flake, on every bill, not just appropriations.

Mr. CULBERSON. Due south. I'm an amateur astronomer, a passionate fan of Kitt Peak Observatory. Let's say Congress passes a piece of legislation to designate funding for Kitt Peak Observatory. Every bill Congress passes designates funding. All of us have an obligation----

Mr. CULBERSON. Thank you. Madam Chairman, Kitt Peak--I'm not sure what part Arizona Mr. Flake has, but every piece of legislation passed by Congress directs the Congress--Jeff, which part of Arizona do you have? Excuse me.

Mr. CULBERSON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would also say that each one of us, as Members of Congress, how I for myself have said from the moment I was appointed to the Appropriations Committee, I have published every request that I submit for designated spending on my Web site. I was the first Member of Congress to send a Twitter message from the Oval Office, the first one to send a Twitter message from the floor of Congress. I love technology. My hero, Thomas Jefferson, always said to try all abuses at the bar of public opinion. And I believe very strongly in transparency and openness. I published every appropriations request I have ever made on my Web site since 2003. I was the first Member of Congress to do so. I published every appropriation, designated funding request, that I received on my Web site since 2003. I believe I was the first Member of Congress to do so, because I don't ask for much. I will not make a funding request for a private individual or a private company. I limit them to national security, border security, local units of government, State Government, or the Texas Medical Center, God bless them, the great work they are doing at M.D. Anderson Hospital, medical or scientific research, the Nation's space program or flood control. The Houston ship channel will silt up in 6 months unless we on the Appropriations Committee direct the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge it. They would not have built a railroad bridge connecting Galveston Island to the Texas mainland unless the Homeland Security Committee, and I want to thank Mr. Rogers and Chairman Price again, for connecting the Galveston Island to the mainland. That is not even in my district, nor is the Houston ship channel. These are fiscally conservative, prudent requests, Mr. Flake. You in Arizona, I have to tell you, are just not familiar with Harris County. I don't think you will find any Member of Congress with higher fiscally conservative standards than I have. And I think the request is entirely appropriate. It is absolutely necessary for an area that got hammered by the hurricane. And I urge defeat of the Member's amendment because it won't even save money.

Mr. CULBERSON. In a fiscally conservative way I may add. And I'm proud to yield to my chairman, Mr. Price, from North Carolina. Thank you, Mr. Rogers.

Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Chairman, the gentleman from Arizona's amendment purports to be fiscally conservative. I have, as a Member of Congress over the years, established one of the best fiscal conservative ratings in Congress. I voted against $2.6 trillion of spending under President Bush, $1.3 trillion so far under this President. I've consistently been ranked as one of the most fiscally conservative Members of Congress. And we, each of us, are elected by our districts to use our good judgment, to use discretion and, in my case, fiscally conservative standards in those spending requests that we push forward, those that we set aside. I've worked aggressively with my ranking member and members of this committee to try to save money in this bill and others. But the city of Houston, Harris County, has suffered in just the most recent hurricane, Hurricane Ike, which just hit the gulf coast. It hit Houston the hardest, $2.1 billion worth of damage to southeast Texas that the Federal Government has reimbursed. The city of Houston alone, Harris County, home damage: $8.5 billion worth of damage to homes in Harris County. Now, I asked for very little as a Member of Congress to try to help the people of Houston. One area where we need help is in flood control. One area where we clearly need help is in mitigation to prevent additional damage. In fact, because of the work I've done as a member of the Appropriations Committee and in the very few areas I asked for help on are national security, border security, medical and scientific research, and in flood control. And in flood control, the homes along Braes Bayou, for example, didn't flood. The Texas Medical Center, Mr. Flake, did not flood as a result of this hurricane because of work that I was able to do with the help of my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee, the Harris County delegation working together. Mr. Flake's amendment would strike all Federal funding for all of Harris County flood control. His amendment not only would save no money. To all my fellow fiscal conservatives out there watching, that would be one thing. Your amendment saves no money, and you would eliminate all Federal flood control money for all Harris County, which just got hammered by the biggest hurricane to hit southeast Texas in my lifetime. Now let me yield briefly to my ranking member, Mr. Rogers, and I would be proud to yield to my chairman, Mr. Price.

Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Chairman, I rise to claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. CULBERSON

Mr. CULBERSON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank Mr. Price of North Carolina. Our Subcommittee on Homeland Security is, I think, a terrific example of how the Congress ought to operate. I am one of the most dedicated fiscal conservatives in the House. Our subcommittee is made up of people of very strong beliefs on both sides of the aisle, but we don't work in that committee with regard to party. We don't even mention party labels. I have done my best to really erase that term from my language and focus on what's fiscally conservative and fiscally liberal. But this committee really has to work on what is good for the Nation. We have to work together in a way, I think, that has--I hope the leadership of the Congress would use the work of this subcommittee, the work of all the subcommittees on Appropriations, as a model. It's important, I think, for this Congress in this time of record debt and deficit to do what's right for the country, do what's right for the kids and our grandchildren, and focus on ways to be fiscally responsible. At a time of record debt and deficit, at a time when the national debt is now approaching $11 trillion, at a time when the deficit is at record levels, at a time when the new President has laid out a budget and foresees record debt and deficit as far as the eye can see, we in the Congress have a special responsibility to be guardians of the Treasury, do everything in our power to control spending and avoid unnecessary increases in spending. And the Homeland Security bill in front of the Congress today is one that was again put together by our subcommittee, Mr. Rogers, working with Chairman Price. Everybody in the subcommittee participated. I am very grateful to you, Chairman Price, for working so closely with all of us and putting this bill together. Without the increase for bioshield, the funding level for Homeland Security is about what--actually, below the level of inflation. At a time when we are under attack from foreign terrorists who are going to use any means at their disposal to sneak into the United States to kill Americans, it's important that we do everything in our power to protect this Nation. Homeland security is one of those areas where there are no parties' labels, where we have an obligation to work together, and we've done so on this subcommittee. We have profound concerns and differences on the overall spending levels of the appropriations bills as a whole, of the omnibus spending bill that we passed earlier this year, of the spendulus bill that was passed earlier year, of the tremendous unprecedented increases in spending we have seen in this Congress, but on this subcommittee we've all worked together. I'm particularly pleased to follow my friend from Texas, Mr. Cuellar. All of us in the Texas delegation have worked together so well in securing our southern border. Henry Cuellar and I were elected together, and Ciro Rodriguez, who serves on the subcommittee with me, who represents the Del Rio area. Henry and Ciro and I were elected to the Texas legislature in 1986. That friendship that we formed from 1986 has served us well today. And we've worked together in establishing a program called Operation Streamline, a zero-tolerance program where we are enforcing in Texas existing law, with largely existing resources, to arrest and prosecute essentially everybody that crosses the border illegally between Del Rio and Zapata County, with a result that the crime rate has plummeted. In Laredo, they have seen about a 60 percent drop in the crime rate; in Del Rio, over 70 percent drop in the crime rate; and the lowest level of illegal crossings since they began to keep statistics. This is a piece of good news the Nation needs to hear, that our border is far more secure in Texas because we're enforcing existing law, applying common sense, and working together in a partnership between State and local authorities and the Federal authorities. We have, in Texas, I think, demonstrated that Texas, we always keep Texas first in our minds regardless of party. And I want to thank the chairman and our ranking member for putting together a bill that focuses on national security and includes the interests of all Members from all parts of the country.

Mr. CULBERSON

Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2892, the FY2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill: Requesting Member: Congressman John Culberson. Bill Number: H.R. 2892 Account: Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Predisaster Mitigation account. Legal Name and Address of Requesting Entity: Harris County Flood Control District, 99000 Northwest Freeway, Suite 220, Houston, Texas 77092. Description of Request: Provide $1,000,000 to the Harris County Flood Control District for the voluntary acquisition and demolition of approximately 38 homes located deep in the floodway and floodplain of the White Oak Watershed of Harris County, Texas. The Harris County Flood Control District is charged with devising the flood damage reduction plans for the county, implementing the plans, and maintaining the infrastructure covering a 1,756 square mile area.

Mr. CULBERSON

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CULBERSON

Mr. CULBERSON. The issue which my colleagues from California have brought up is extraordinarily important, and I would like at this time, if I could, to yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Nunes).

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

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I think we have engaged in a very healthy and productive debate tonight that illustrates the very profound and important philosophical differences of the fiscal conservatives in the House and those in the majority who are, with good intentions, doing everything they can to take care of the Nation's needs, but at a far higher price tag. I as a fiscal conservative and member of this committee appreciate very much the work that Chairman Mollohan has done to include both Members of the minority and the majority in putting together this final bill, but I as a conservative have profound concerns about the level of spending in this bill and other bills. I, for example, looking at the amendments before us tonight that we have discussed, I see Mr. Price of Georgia's amendment. Representative Price was asking that we cut this bill by 1 percent, one penny out of every dollar, and allow the individual agencies to decide where to reduce that penny out of every dollar. To me, that is an absolutely sensible and in fact frankly a modest approach to dealing with the size of the Federal deficit and the debt. We, today, Mr. Chairman, in this Congress and every one of us as guardians of the Treasury, as stewards of the trust given us by our constituents, have a responsibility first and foremost to think about the next generation; to think about the amount of money that we are spending and the fact that the money we spend today is, as Mr. Campbell said, being borrowed from the Chinese; that that debt will have to be paid; that we as a Congress have to remember on every vote on every issue and every opportunity that we get that we should find ways to save money. It is entirely appropriate and reasonable for this Congress to trim expenses wherever we can at a time when the national debt is at record levels, when the deficit is at a record level, when we have already, as we stand here tonight as a nation, accumulated over sixty-thousand- billion dollars worth of unfunded liabilities that must be paid by future generations. Medicare runs out of money in 96 months. We have saddled our children and grandchildren with a level of debt never before seen in our Nation's history since World War II. And for what end? We in this new fiscally liberal majority in Congress passed this massive bill, what they call a stimulus bill, that all by itself spent more money in one stroke than the entire annual budget of the United States. The bailout bills, which I also voted against, I voted against $2.6 trillion of spending under President Bush. I have already had to vote against about $1.3 trillion of spending under President Obama. Those of us in the minority, the fiscal conservatives in the minority, are doing everything we know how to do to bring to the attention of the American people the urgency and immediacy of the problem, that we as Congress have got to stop spending money. No new debt, no new taxes, no new spending has got to be the watchword for this Congress. My colleagues on the conservative side of the aisle here have done our best to lay out a series of amendments to give the Congress choices between cuts, as in Mr. Price's amendment, which would give the agencies the discretion to go in and find how to save that penny out of every dollar, versus Congresswoman Blackburn's amendment, which is an across-the-board cut of 5 percent from each program. We have had other amendments tonight, such as Mr. Jordan's amendment to cut $12 .5 billion out of the bill. We are facing a national debt of over $11.6 trillion today that is accumulating at the rate of, as Mr. Campbell pointed out quite correctly, over $2 trillion a year. These TEA parties that we saw spring up all across the country spontaneously represent a deep-seated and well-founded fear among the American people that this Congress is completely out of control with the new leadership and the new President spending money at a rate never before seen in American history. It is true, as Mr. Hensarling said, that never before have so few spent so much in so little time. We in the minority, the fiscal conservatives in the minority today, have laid out tonight, Mr. Chairman, a number of thoughtful alternatives. My friend Mr. Campbell, I would like to yield my remaining time to him so he can talk about some of the ideas he laid out and some other members of the Republican Study Committee.