David Dreier

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I first yield myself 30 seconds. I was engaging in a colloquy with my good friend from Rochester, the distinguished ranking minority member, and I would be happy to yield to her in just a moment, Mr. Speaker. But back to this issue of this joint select committee that is going to be charged with coming up with $1.5 trillion in proposed cuts, and their recommendations will be sent to both Houses of Congress for an up or down vote. Mr. Speaker, this is unprecedented, because unlike the commissions that have been put together, the Bowles-Simpson Commission, unlike this little caucus of Senators that my friend just mentioned, this Gang of Six, there is no legislative authority or power.

Mr. DREIER. Will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. DREIER. I yield myself an additional 15 seconds. There is no legislative authority or power. This time this demonstrates that Members of the House and Senate will, in fact, come together and work in a bipartisan way to ensure that we bring about meaningful spending cuts to the tune of $1.5 trillion. That's the difference that exists with this proposal that is before us. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 2 minutes to my very good friend from Moore, Oklahoma (Mr. Cole).

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds to say that it is very interesting that as we have come together in a bipartisan way to address the crisis of increasing our debt ceiling, tackling the challenge of reducing the $14.3 trillion national debt that we have, we had this disruption in the gallery. Now I turned around, Mr. Speaker, and looked up there, and I will tell you--I don't know if you saw the placard that they were carrying-- it had in great big letters across it, Create Jobs. Create Jobs is the message that they had. And, Mr. Speaker, that's exactly what we are doing, again working very diligently in a bipartisan way to ensure that we do just that. With that, I would like to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to a hardworking member of the Committee on Rules, my good friend from Grandfather Community, North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).

Mr. DREIER. I yield myself an additional 15 seconds. I would say that we are trying to work this out with a spirit of bipartisanship. My friend began his statement by saying that this was a crisis developed by Republican policies. Since we are working in a bipartisan way, I think the notion that recognizing that an 82 percent increase in non-defense discretionary spending over the past 4 years clearly played a role in getting us exactly where we are. I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to another one of our hardworking new Members of Congress, the gentleman from Little Rock, Arkansas (Mr. Griffin).

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, 224 years ago this summer, the framers of our Constitution were in Philadelphia at Constitution Hall, and they were working very hard to put together what ended up being this inspired document authored by James Madison. On July 16, 1787, they actually completed a compromise. It was known as the Connecticut Compromise. The Connecticut Compromise is what established a bicameral legislature--two Houses of Congress. That Connecticut Compromise was also called the Great Compromise. I know that the word ``compromise'' is seen as a pejorative in the eyes of many, but what we have before us is a compromise. It hasn't been easy getting here. When James Madison was asked often about the first branch of government, putting together the process of lawmaking, he said that the process of lawmaking is an ugly, messy, difficult process. Over the last several months, we've seen, as we have been pursuing this day, we've seen an ugly, messy, difficult process. I am reminded that a couple of summers ago, I was talking with this amazing woman, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. She is the first woman to ever be President of any country on the continent of Africa. She is the President of Liberia. And we were talking about the development of the parliament in Liberia through this great commission called the House Democracy Partnership that Mr. Price and I are privileged to lead. When we talked about the ugly, messy, difficult process of lawmaking, the President looked to me and she said: Ah, David, you've forgotten one thing. Yes, it is an ugly, messy, difficult process, but it works. So while we have so much time and energy and effort expended on partisan bickering, at the end of the day, this for me is a much, much more enjoyable time, when we are able to come together, tackling the serious problems that we as a Nation face and for the first time ever taking this issue of increasing the debt ceiling and actually dealing with the root cause of it. I like to say that we don't have a debt ceiling problem; we have a debt problem. We have a $14.3 trillion national debt. We all know that, fingers pointed from both sides of the aisle at the other on a regular basis. Yet today, today is a time for us to recognize that we have come together to deal with it. And, for the first time in that 75 times since 1962 that the debt ceiling has increased, we're actually going to, with the establishment of this joint select committee, see our colleagues, in a bipartisan way, from the House and Senate come together and recommend $1.5 trillion in proposed cuts. And there are mechanisms put into place, sequestration, which will actually force across-the-board cuts if they don't come up with recommendations. So we are looking at a very, very good proposal that will help us do that. We are increasing the debt ceiling to pay our past obligations. I don't like the fact that we went through an 82 percent increase in non- defense discretionary spending over the past 4 years. Even though I voted against almost all of it, I have to say, those bills have to be paid. And that's why it is we're increasing our debt ceiling. I want to join in extending congratulations to all those who have been involved in this process in a bipartisan way. So I will say again, it has, over the past several months, been an ugly, messy, difficult process. But with the vote that we are about to have on this rule--and I look forward to working on the underlying legislation itself, and I'm convinced we will have a strong bipartisan vote for it--we will prove, as President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf reminded me, even though it is an ugly, messy, difficult process, it works. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 10 seconds to say to my fellow Angeleno that, while I've associated myself with the remarks of most of my other colleagues, I'm hard-pressed to associate myself with her remarks. With that, I am happy to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to another hardworking member of the Committee on Rules, the gentleman from Lawrenceville, Georgia (Mr. Woodall).

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 384 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DREIER. I thank my friend for his very thoughtful remarks. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I will say to my friend, and I would like to have a discussion with him, if I might. I would yield an additional 30 seconds and ask him to yield to me, especially if he wants to continue.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Collinsville, Illinois (Mr. Shimkus). (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. I thank my friend for yielding. I would just like to compliment him on pointing to compromise. I don't know if he heard, but I closed the rule debate in my closing remarks by talking about the Connecticut compromise, which established a bicameral legislature on July 16, 1787. It was called the Great Compromise. My friend is absolutely right. We're at that point today in dealing with an issue, not of that magnitude, but clearly of a very important one.

Mr. DREIER. I yield myself the balance of my time. I feel very honored to follow my good friend and classmate, the distinguished Democratic whip, as we talk about this compromise and where we are. Now, Mr. Speaker, saving Social Security and Medicare is a priority that I believe both political parties share. Contrary to much of what has been put out there, this is something that is addressed in this measure. We are going to be able to save Social Security and Medicare-- again, working together in a bipartisan way. Creating jobs, Democrats and Republicans alike talk about that. How is it that we're going to be able to do that? Getting our fiscal house in order is a very, very important step in our quest to ensure that the people who are hurting and looking for jobs will have an opportunity to get them. We are sending a positive signal to the global market that we are the world's economic, military and geopolitical leader. By increasing the debt ceiling, we are sending a positive signal that we are going to continue meeting our obligations and our responsibility but, at the same time, dramatically reducing spending. The problem that has gotten us to this point is what we're doing for the first time ever. After 75 times of increasing the debt ceiling, we are finally getting to the root cause. The problem, as has been said over and over again, is our debt, and we're going to turn the corner on that in a thoughtful and balanced way. I want to compliment the President of the United States. I want to compliment the two leaders of the United States Senate, Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell. I want to congratulate Speaker John Boehner, who has done an absolutely phenomenal job in ensuring that we wouldn't continue business as usual. I also want to congratulate Minority Leader Pelosi for her effort that she has put in to getting us to the point where we are today. So, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Will the gentlelady yield?

Mr. DREIER. I yield myself the balance of the time. Madam Speaker, I believe in civil discourse, and I want to say that on several occasions in the past 45 minutes, members of my staff have urged me to have the words taken down that have been offered by Members on the other side of the aisle, and I chose not to. In the name of civility, I chose not to because we have a very serious issue that needs to be addressed, and it's before us, and we need to make sure that in the next several hours, we effectively address it. Since 1962, on 75 different occasions, we have seen the United States Congress increase the debt ceiling. We keep hearing about the urgency that exists today. Well, I'll tell you what's urgent: If we don't change the course that we've been on the last 4 years, with an 82 percent increase in non-defense discretionary spending, we are not going to have resources for any of the things that my colleagues have talked about. What we need to do and the message that has been sent is that for the first time ever, we are going to change business as usual. Now I'm going to say something that I probably shouldn't at the very end here. There are some good things in Senator Reid's proposal. I believe that the idea of establishing a joint select committee of our colleagues who will come together and make recommendations and force an up-or-down vote in both Houses of Congress is a positive thing. But I will say this: I don't believe that continuing down the road towards increasing the debt ceiling without the kinds of checks that are necessary is the right thing for us to do. Last night's agreement that we voted on here was, in fact. It stemmed from the bipartisan talks that took place right down this hall.

Mr. DREIER. Vote ``no'' on the Reid proposal.

Mr. DREIER. Then I will reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DREIER. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on this measure.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DREIER. I think this is the first time that I have offered a Reid proposal in the House of Representatives. One might ask why it is we are here doing this. It's very apparent to me why it is that we are here doing this, and that is we want to ensure that next Tuesday we see an increase in the debt ceiling so the Social Security checks go out, we bring about spending reductions, and we maintain the credit rating of the United States of America and do all the other things that I believe both Democrats and Republicans, alike, want to have take place. As you know, Mr. Speaker, we have passed from this House two measures within the last 2 weeks, the Cut, Cap, and Balance measure, and just last night, the Boehner proposal, which, as we all know, stemmed from a bipartisan meeting that he had exactly 1 week ago this afternoon in his meeting with Senator Reid right down along the hall. Unfortunately, Mr. Reid no longer supports the proposal that we passed last night, and Senator Reid has said on several occasions that his plan is the only plan that can pass both Houses of Congress. Now, 5 minutes ago, Senator McConnell once again asked Senator Reid to bring up this plan that Senator Reid said was the only one that could pass both Houses of Congress, and Senator Reid said no. Thursday night, I introduced this measure of Senator Reid's and was asked, in the Rules Committee yesterday, by Mr. McGovern, whether or not we would bring it up and I said we didn't plan to. But the fact is Senator McConnell, having made the request now at least twice in the other body to have it brought up, asked us to raise this measure here, and that's exactly what we are doing. Now, if we look at where it is that we are headed, we all want to have a bipartisan compromise that will ensure that on Tuesday we see that increase in the debt ceiling take place and do these other things. That's what the Speaker of the House and the Democratic leader of the United States Senate, along with Leader McConnell and Leader Pelosi, discussed a week ago today. And as Speaker Boehner said from the well last night, this was an agreement which was supported by Senator Reid, but things have changed. Things have changed; we know that. But there is one thing that has not changed, and that is we have to act as quickly as possible. We need to come up with a compromise. And you know what? Since Senator Reid happens to believe that his measure is the only one that can pass both Houses of Congress, we are going to let him know, when we defeat it here in the House of Representatives, that it is not the plan that can gain broad support in the House and the Senate. And so for that reason, Mr. Speaker, we are bringing this up. We, I believe, should have an opportunity for every Member of this House to go on record on this issue, and I am going to urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this proposal so that we can come together with an important, bipartisan compromise to achieve the goal that we all say that we share. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I am happy to yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Newburgh, Indiana (Mr. Bucshon).

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2693) to cut spending, maintain existing commitments, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. DREIER. I yield myself 5 seconds to say that I thank the gentleman for, once again, pointing out the fact that there is nothing in the Boehner proposal that does anything to cut Social Security or Medicare. Madam Speaker, with that, I am happy to yield 15 seconds to a new Member from Zeeland, Michigan (Mr. Huizenga).

Mr. DREIER. In reclaiming my time, my point has been made very eloquently by the gentleman, and I very much appreciate it. I thank my friend for his contribution. Madam Speaker, at this point, I am happy to yield 1 minute to my good friend from Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania (Mr. Meehan).

Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, I am happy to yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Tupelo, Mississippi (Mr. Nunnelee).