Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I now yield such time as he may consume to my distinguished colleague from California, the former attorney general of California, Mr. Daniel E. Lungren.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished ranking member of the Rules Committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier). (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The debate that we've been having on this rule has brought up issues that we have been bringing up this entire session. Two major questions: No. 1, where are the jobs?--we keep asking that question--and, No. 2, what is the other side afraid of? As Mr. Lungren pointed out, the bill that passed the committee passed with a bipartisan vote. People were very happy with it. They were very happy with his amendment. And yet somewhere between that committee and here, the bill was changed substantially. We assume it was changed in the Speaker's office. But we don't understand what our colleagues are afraid of. Why are they afraid of debating this amendment? They can't even allow debate on something that they don't want in a bill. And yet that's what the American people want from us. They are sick and tired of things being done behind closed doors. They want to see us debating things. They know we're going to have disagreements occasionally on philosophy, and that's fine. That's what this country's about. But people should be able to see the debate, instead of one or two people in this House making all the decisions for the 435 Members of the House. Let me say a word also about, again, the underlying bill that this rule is dealing with. The bill is not going to accomplish what our colleagues across the aisle are saying. They're saying it's going to bring down the cost of health insurance and add more competition to the marketplace. In fact, the bill will probably do just the opposite. Let me say what the Congressional Budget Office said when they reviewed H.R. 3596. They said, the bill could ``affect the costs of and premiums charged by private health insurance companies; whether premiums would increase or decrease as a result is difficult to determine, but in either case the magnitude of the effects is likely to be quite small. That effect is likely to be small because State laws already bar the activities that would be prohibited under Federal law if this bill was enacted.'' However, with the new language in the underlying bill and no CBO score, there's no telling what the effect will be. And the reason we don't have a CBO score is because the bill was introduced, as I said, 2 days ago and brought directly to the floor under a closed rule. This is a pattern of the ruling party here. And ``ruling party'' is really the appropriate term, because that's how they act; that's how the party acts, as a ruling party. We see this same thing happening with the new health care proposal from President Obama. Here we have from him what's basically a 10-page proposal which melds elements of the House and Senate-passed health care bills, along with a few new provisions. But both of those bills were written behind closed doors, no committee involvement, or very little committee involvement; none in the Senate, some in the House; but basically the bills written in the Speaker's office and in the Majority Leader's office. However, the White House hasn't revealed any legislative text, and no CBO score is available. We can't pass a proposal in here. We must have exact legislative language. Let me mention again the CBO and its reaction to the proposal put forth by President Obama. An article in the Washington Times entitled CBO: Obama Health Bill Too Sketchy published yesterday states: ``The administration did not post the bill's text on the White House Web site, but outlined what the legislation would do. It said the measure would cost $950 billion over 10 years.'' That's fine for the White House to say that, but we don't know that's what it's going to cost. ``The information wasn't enough for the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the official keeper of budget costs, to even venture an estimate of the bill's price tag. `` `Although the proposal reflects many elements that were included in the health care bills passed by the House and Senate last year, it modifies many of those elements and also includes new ones,' CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf said in a blog post.'' The CBO goes on, ``Preparing a cost estimate requires very detailed specifications of numerous provisions. The materials that were released this morning do not provide sufficient detail on all of the provisions.'' So we don't have the information that we need in the Obama health care proposal either. This is the way this administration and this Democrat-controlled Congress is doing things. I now would like to yield 3 minutes to my colleague from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte). (Mr. GOODLATTE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve my time.

Ms. FOXX. I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California.

Ms. FOXX. The gentlewoman from Maine did not yield time to me so that I could explain that I did not urge opposition to the underlying bill but only the rule.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the White House has a new health care bill, but this new bill is essentially the same as the old one. It is still a hugely expensive package full of harmful tax increases for working Americans that will destroy even more jobs than Democratic policies have already destroyed. During his campaign, the President said, ``Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase; not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains tax, not any of your taxes.'' That's interesting because this new health care bill includes about $136 billion in new taxes on the very group that wasn't supposed to see ``any form of tax increase.'' Mr. Speaker, the American people don't want a government takeover of health care with billions of new taxes on hardworking Americans who are struggling to make ends meet.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, today on the floor, we had a rare occasion when we were able to congratulate one of our colleagues, Mr. Kildee from Michigan, for casting his 20,000th vote. It was a great opportunity for us to show our appreciation and affection for a Member who is extraordinarily well respected and, I would say, even loved by his colleagues. It is unfortunate that so much emphasis in the media is placed on the partisanship that occurs here in the House. We do have strong philosophical differences, but on a personal level, we respect each other, and have genuine affection for each other. That extends even to our staff. A few weeks ago, we had a similar situation when we had the unfortunate passing of Congressman Boehner's chief of staff. She was eulogized here on the floor by both Democrats and Republicans, and I am so pleased that we have been able to show, again, that we do care for each other personally in this House, because that is not the image that people have of us. I want to go back to speaking some more about Dale Kildee. There is nobody in this House, or very few people in this House, who feel any stronger about my philosophy than I do. I have the greatest respect and admiration for Mr. Kildee. As Mr. John Boehner said today on the floor, that is what he calls him, and that is what I have always called him. I have had the great pleasure to serve with him on the Education Committee as well as on the Page Board. I want to say that I have learned a great deal from serving with Mr. Kildee. He is a fabulous role model for us all. As was said today, he is always a gentleman. He is always very calm. He always gives the impression--and I believe it is a true impression--that he cares a great deal about the people he is dealing with and about the people he is serving. He loves the House, and he does his job with great thoughtfulness and diligence. I want to say that he is, I think, a great role model for all of us. It has been my pleasure to be able to serve with him, again, on the Education Committee, on the Page Board and here in the House. I think the comments that were made about Mr. Kildee today were comments that we all agreed with. There was great applause after each one of the sets of comments that were made, and I think that it was, again, a terrific example of how we may differ philosophically on issues but of how we care for each other on a personal level and of how we respect each other despite our philosophical differences. I want to pay my tribute to Mr. Kildee for the wonderful service that he has given to the people of his district and to his steadfastness in coming to this floor day, after day, after day and for voting and for missing only 27 votes in 33 years and for being in a very elite group of people who has served in the House of Representatives and has cast 20,000 votes. Mr. Kildee, we love you and respect you, and we hope you are going to be around to cast many more thousands of votes.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution urging the support of American Heart Month and National Wear Red Day. American Heart Month was initiated in 1963 by Congress in an effort to bring about awareness and urge Americans to join the battle against today's number one killer, heart disease. Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States. It is a tragic disease that affects men, women, and children of every age and race throughout the country. Approximately one in three adult Americans have one or more types of heart disease, including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, and congenital heart disease, as well as those at risk for heart disease as a result of smoking. An astounding 66 percent of adult Americans are overweight, 46 million people are at risk for heart disease because they smoke, and 37 million people have high cholesterol levels that could become a major risk factor. The American Heart Association projects that this year almost a half million people will die as a result of a heart attack. These are staggering numbers, and all of these lifestyles, among many others, have a direct impact on heart disease. Therefore, it's imperative we sound the alarm and remain vigilant and supportive of heart disease awareness programs. By exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco, limiting consumption of alcohol, following a nutritious diet, and monitoring high cholesterol and high blood pressure, we all can work to increase the chances of healthy lifestyle changes. National Wear Red Day, a day when people throughout the country are encouraged to wear a red article of clothing as an outward sign that heart disease ``doesn't care what you wear,'' is one way to visually express our concern and show support for women's heart disease awareness. Although one-half of all heart disease deaths are in women, studies have shown that women's symptoms are less recognized. There are currently a number of initiatives that are underway to raise awareness of the dangers of cardiovascular disease in women; however, the challenging work of promoting awareness continues as cardiovascular disease increases in the country. I am proud to do my part through support of this resolution while encouraging all citizens to take advantage of regular screenings and consult their doctors about reducing their risk for heart disease. It's also important that we support the organizations that celebrate National Wear Red Day and American Heart Month in February in an effort to educate the public, promote awareness, and fund research of this serious disease. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H. Res. 1039, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support H. Res. 526, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 526, recognizing the historical and cultural significance of the Langston Golf Course and its contributions to racial equality. Opening its doors in 1939, the Langston Golf Course has been both a meeting ground and a playground for thousands of African American golfers. During a time when African American golfers were prohibited from playing at most Washington, D.C., golf courses, unless it was caddie day, women from the Wake Robin Golf Club pressed for the desegregation of the District of Columbia's public courses by drafting and introducing a petition on their behalf to the Secretary of the Interior under Franklin D. Roosevelt. Named after the noted professor and first African American Congressman from Virginia, John Mercer Langston, the once nine-hole course was the first and only course built by the United States Government as a segregated ``African Americans only'' facility. Home to the Royal Golf Club and Wake Robin Golf Club, Langston was expanded into an 18-hole course in 1955, and is listed in the National Register of Historical Places. This year, the golf course celebrates its 70th anniversary. Over the years, the venue has attracted many famous African American golfers, including Lee Elder, who once had a contract to manage the facility; Ted Rhodes, considered one of the greatest African American players in the 1940s and 1950s; and Calvin Peete. The course, which today counts about 25,000 rounds played a year, has recently drawn a diverse group of devoted players of all ages, genders, and races to its challenging 6,500-yard, par-72 layout. Thousands of these players are children from all races and economic backgrounds from surrounding neighborhoods who have found a safe haven for pursuing education and for learning life lessons from the game of golf. For more than 15 years, three junior golf programs have made Langston their home--Masons Army, Langston Junior Boys and Girls, and the First Tee, D.C. The Langston Golf Course is also known as the home of the internationally renowned Capital City Open Pro-Am Tournament and as the Jimmy Garvin Legacy Scholarship Tournament. Owned by the National Park Service, the Langston Golf Course has a long history of accessibility to all, and today, we recognize this historical facility which for 70 years has been patronized year-round by the famous as well as by young people, by regional residents, and by tourists alike. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, American taxpayers are wondering how another year of trillion-dollar government deficits is going to help get our economy humming again. We've seen a costly stimulus package that didn't create the jobs that were promised. Then it was a trillion-dollar health care bill that was more about Washington control than giving patients the control they want. And recently Congress increased the national debt limit by $1.9 trillion to pay for its record-breaking spending spree over the past 12 months. So it comes as no surprise that today the White House unveiled a new trillion-dollar health care bill that is even more expensive than the Senate bill it was supposed to improve upon. When will Washington get it? Americans are making do with less. Shouldn't the Federal Government they pay for at least do the same?

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 4425 which designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2-116th Street in North Troy, New York, as the Martin G. ``Marty'' Mahar Post Office. Martin G. ``Marty'' Mahar was born and resided in Troy, New York, prior to World War II. After war was declared, he enlisted in the Marine Corps, where he served as a paratrooper in the Asiatic-Pacific theater. During his military service, he earned four Battle Stars, a Presidential Unit Citation, and a Purple Heart in recognition of the severe injuries that he sustained while fighting in Iwo Jima. After returning home to Troy from the war, Mr. Mahar worked for the United States Postal Service as a letter carrier for nearly 30 years and always stayed active within veterans organizations. His leadership and dedication led him to become a national service officer and a life member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, where he served as the organization's State legislative director. For his commitment to serving his country, he was also inducted into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame in its inaugural class. Apart from his time spent with veterans organizations, he had a desire to give back to his community of Troy. He was a driving force behind starting the Troy Patriots Pop Warner Football League, the Uncle Sam Parade Committee and the Troy Flag Day Parade. He was president of the New York State Association of City Councils. He served on the Troy City Council for 10 years and was then elected the mayor of Troy. Madam Speaker, Mr. Mahar's dedication to his country and the Troy community has been an inspiration. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution so that his community may remember his work for years to come. With that, Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 4425 and yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4238, which designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 930 39th Avenue in Greeley, Colorado as the W.D. Farr Post Office Building. William Davin ``W.D.'' Farr was once described by the president of Colorado State University as ``one of the true giants in Colorado history and in the history of the modern American West.'' Mr. Farr was born in Greeley, Colorado, in 1910 and was proudly a third-generation Coloradan, pioneer rancher, statesman, and banker. When he was 15 years old, he began working on a cattle ranch in western Colorado. This job was the first of many during his lifetime of work in agriculture. As he became more involved in ranching, he looked at many ways to improve and develop the business of cattle feeding. He was famous for his Greeley T-Bone Club, where he and several other ranchers in Greeley would have a steak dinner and discuss ways they could improve cattle ranching. One of his first inventions helped aid cattle ranchers by making the cattle feeding process significantly more efficient and less wasteful. During his work in the cattle industry, he became very involved in bringing water to dry regions of Colorado. He did extensive work on behalf of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, which delivered water from the Colorado River to various regions of Colorado that needed water. His work on water development projects greatly helped the economy of Colorado and the entire region. Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Farr received many honors. He was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame in 1991. The National Western Stock Show in Denver honored him as Citizen of the West in 1999, and he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners in 2007. W.D. Farr was a leader and an innovator in agriculture, and his work was essential to the development of Colorado and the Western United States in the 20th century. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution so that his life may be remembered for generations in the future in his hometown of Greeley. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 4238. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I am honored today to speak in support of H. Res. 1046, recognizing the significance of Black History Month. Just a few weeks ago we celebrated the life and accomplishments of one great man, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., and today we pay tribute to the contributions all African Americans have made to this great country. Each February we express our appreciation for the perseverance and determination of the African American community, while keeping in mind the adversity they endured. Nothing serves as a better example of this than the civil rights movement. Dr. King often said it was not the sole efforts of one man, but the collective work of many that brought about change. Today our Nation would not have the strong diversity of which it is so proud. In order to better understand the experiences that have shaped this Nation, we must continue to learn about the historical struggles and recognize the contributions of African Americans that have enriched our culture and heritage. Our way of life has been bettered by the great African American activists, politicians, artists, writers, poets, scientists, economists, athletes, and entertainers who have contributed to the tapestry of our American culture. The achievements of all these people have encouraged today's youth to strive for a more equal and free country. Noted leaders such as Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, Frederick Douglass, and of course Martin Luther King, Jr., inspired a nation through their valiant efforts and showed the way to begin the quest to end racial inequality. In 1926, Harvard scholar Dr. Carter G. Woodson proposed a week-long celebration of black history. Over time, the entire month of February has been designated to commemorate African Americans in America. And today, I speak in support of H. Res. 1046. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, last week President Obama unveiled his new budget for fiscal year 2011. I am afraid this budget will result in more of the same runaway spending that led to a record $1.4 trillion deficit last year. Just like the budget the President introduced a year ago, this budget spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much. It includes $3.8 trillion in Federal spending for 2011, a record high. It projects a $1.6 trillion deficit, a record high. It assumes $2 trillion in tax hikes over the next 10 years, a record high. And it estimates $14 trillion in government debt that will be inherited by our children and grandchildren. In fact, the President's budget will more than double the Federal Government's public debt. One of the most touted parts of this budget is its call for a spending freeze, which is a good idea. Just like the millions of Americans who have adjusted their budgets, the Federal Government should respond to record deficits by halting its spending expansion. But unfortunately, this budget freeze is merely papering over our record Federal deficits. Instead of a meaningful freeze, the proposed freeze in the budget covers only one-eighth of the Federal budget. That means that more than 80 percent of the Federal Government will continue to grow under this so-called freeze. A freeze that allows the vast majority of programs to stay on the path of unsustainable growth will not solve our budget problems. And so this budget predicts another year of record deficits. More than one in three dollars spent by the Federal Government next year will be borrowed. With such astonishing deficits and debt, we need much more than a freeze on one-eighth of government spending. We should be taking a hard look for underperforming areas where we can reduce spending. Congress could also start tackling our debt problem by immediately passing strict budget caps that will limit Federal spending each year. Unfortunately, this looks unlikely to happen also. Instead, Democrats in Congress, along with President Obama, appear to be dead set on pushing a trillion-dollar government takeover of health care and another multibillion-dollar stimulus plan. Just last week, Democrats in Congress showed their true colors by passing a $1.9 trillion increase in the national debt limit, making way for more deficit spending. After all, reckless spending requires reckless borrowing. Federal spending on so-called discretionary programs increased 84 percent over the past 2 years. These increases have been financed entirely by new debt. The time has come to stop these out-of-touch spending increases so we don't have to keep jacking up the national debt. The President's budget lacks the sort of spending accountability Americans want from Washington. It contains more spending, more debt, and more taxes, which will not restore our economy or help the unemployed in North Carolina and around the country find work. Government growth and exploding debt are just more of the same big government policies that Americans are weary of watching in Washington. While President Obama's budget does get some things right, it unfortunately gets most things wrong. As North Carolina taxpayers continue to tighten their belts, we can do better than $1.6 trillion in new debt for more wasteful Washington spending. Republicans are ready to go line by line through the Federal budget to cut wasteful spending. The debts Congress is racking up are not going to go away if we don't get a handle on spending. And during a time of double digit unemployment, the American people want solutions that will encourage economic growth and help create jobs, not just more debt for our children and grandchildren to pay off. Madam Speaker, we cannot borrow, spend, and tax our way back to a growing economy.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I certainly agree with my colleague from New York that the bill itself is not a partisan bill. I am not talking about the bill. I am talking about the rule. This is a very partisan rule. It didn't need to be a partisan rule. All the majority had to do was allow for amendments on the floor and it wouldn't have been a partisan rule. So I need to remind him that that is where the partisanship comes in. We are here debating the rule. Mr. Speaker, while debt limit increases have been passed under both Republican and Democratic Presidents and Congresses, the acceleration in the accumulation of the debt that brought us to this point merits examination. In January of 2007, when Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the House, the statutory debt limit stood at $8.965 trillion. In less than 3 years, the debt limit has increased by more than 33 percent, representing an additional $1 trillion of debt per year. By comparison, the statutory debt limit, which stood at $40 billion in 1940, did not cross the $1 trillion mark until 1981. And it has been only 7 weeks since the Democrats voted to increase the debt limit by $290 billion on December 16, 2009. In that time, House Democrats have passed seven resolutions congratulating sports figures or teams; passed 23 resolutions honoring individuals, entities, or causes; passed five bills naming post offices; authorized $50 million to construct a new national park in the Virgin Islands, but passed zero bills to reduce spending or lower the deficit. Clearly, they are not serious about this serious issue facing this country. Since taking office just 1 year ago, the President has increased the public debt by $1.47 trillion, or 23 percent, from $6.3 trillion to $7.78 trillion. Under the administration's budget, the public debt will triple, jumping to $17.5 trillion by 2019. Before President Obama's budget and stimulus were enacted, the CBO estimated that the public debt in 2019 would be $9.34 trillion, or $8 trillion less than it is now projected to be under President Obama. While the President touts his commitment to fiscal responsibility, he is encouraging Congress to pass a $1.9 trillion increase in the national debt limit, allowing the government to keep borrowing in order to keep on spending. The Senate has done it last week, and it is probably going to be brought to us tomorrow, where the Democrats will pass this. And I mention the Democrats being in charge and the Democrats doing this because it is important for the American people to know that the Democrats are doing this alone. While the decline in Federal revenue as a result of the economic slowdown has contributed to the increase in the debt, the significant increases in Federal spending have also contributed to reaching the debt limit faster than anticipated. Record government spending in the form of both the first stimulus bill and increases in appropriations bills has been a recurring theme of the majority, and it is their responsibility alone because they have done it alone. The record amounts of debt are a direct responsibility of a spending binge in the Democrat-controlled Congress and White House. In 1 year of controlling Washington, Democrats increased the annual deficit by 308 percent, from $458 billion to $1.4 trillion. A quick review of Democrats' spending increases in 2009 shows why the deficit exploded. In that year alone, House Democrats passed $787 billion in, quote, ``stimulus'' spending, in addition to paying $347 billion in interest on borrowing money we don't have, two omnibus spending bills totaling more than $855 billion, and increased non- defense spending by 12 percent. Again, totally alone. Faced with declining revenues, Democrats have pushed forward with the most irresponsible option by increasing spending and deficits rather than by lowering Federal expenditures. According to the House Appropriations Committee Republican staff, when all appropriations spending increases are combined, the Democrat majority has pumped over half a trillion dollars in additional spending into non-defense discretionary programs in three short years. This is over $512 billion, or 127 percent more money for non-defense discretionary programs than they received in the last year of GOP control of the Congress. In fact, the fiscal year deficit for just 2009 of $1.417 trillion is the largest ever, and three times the size of the previous record- setting deficit, last year's figure of $458 billion. It is no wonder that we hear Democrats such as the House majority whip, who recently proclaimed, ``We have got to spend our way out of this recession.'' Statements like this make clear that the Democrats in charge have absolutely no concept of the value of money or how to meet a budget. It really is stunning that despite the economic turmoil caused by government spending too much, the ruling Democrats can't comprehend the consequences of spending money we don't have. Although some rigid partisans may choose to ignore the election of Massachusetts Senator-elect Scott Brown and try blaming the current spending largesse on George Bush, it is true that since President Obama's inauguration, the U.S. has had an average monthly deficit of $122.6 billion. By comparison, from the year 2000 until 2008, the average annual deficit was $196 billion, and we were fighting a war. So the Democrats' solution for a terrible problem is to make it much worse and just blame it on the other guy. To that sentiment, Charles Krauthammer responds, ``Let's just get this straight: The antipathy to George Bush is so enduring and powerful that it just elected a Republican Senator in Massachusetts. Why, the man is omnipotent. And the Democrats are delusional: Scott Brown won by running against Obama, not Bush. He won by brilliantly nationalizing the race, running hard against the Obama agenda.'' Unfortunately, the trend of increased Federal deficits will not come to an end under the President's new fiscal year 2011 budget. According to the President's own estimates, his budget and spending plan will cause deficits to average $905 billion for each of the next 10 years. Budget shortfalls incurred by the government fuel the rise in the Nation's debt because the government is forced to borrow money to meet the shortfall. In 2009, the budget deficit was $1.4 trillion, the first time in history the deficit exceeded $1 trillion, and the first time the deficit exceeded 10 percent of gross domestic product since World War II. The consequences of this kind of reckless spending are worth highlighting. Today the cost of the national debt is $39,870 for every man, woman, and child in the United States. According to the December 2009 Monthly Treasury Report, the Federal Government is projected to spend $465.444 billion paying interest alone on the national debt in this fiscal year 2010. That amounts to $1.275 billion per day, or $1,530.75 for every one of the 304 million people living in the United States today. Just like paying interest on a credit card, these amounts are recurring and do nothing to actually reduce the debt principal. Ironically, in March of 2006, then-Senator Obama warned his colleagues of the danger of raising the debt limit without addressing the underlying cause, explaining that, quote, ``The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can't pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our government's reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. America deserves better.'' President Obama was against raising the debt limit before he was for it. We agree with then-Senator Obama, but we disagree with President Obama. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New York for yielding time. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this structured rule that restricts my colleagues from offering amendments to the bill. We certainly are concerned about cybersecurity, but nothing is going to matter if we don't get our fiscal house in order. The Democrats are basically wasting the American people's time by bringing this bill, which they know has widespread support, to the floor today, as it could, instead, have been on the suspension calendar for this week, leaving us more time to debate legislation that would address the major problems facing the American people and my constituents in North Carolina, such as the status of our economy and what are we going to do about dealing with the national security issues that are facing us in this country. Instead of using the suspension calendar productively, Democrats have consistently used the majority of our time debating legislation that is not relevant to the challenges that American families are facing on a daily basis. Democrats have spent the majority of our time debating suspensions such as H. Res. 784, which honors the 2560th anniversary of the birth of Confucius. In doing so, the Democrats have set a higher priority on the 2560th anniversary of the birth of Confucius over solving the problems of the American people. I have nothing against Confucius, Mr. Speaker, but this resolution is not helping American families get back to work or put food on their kitchen tables. In fact, Mr. Speaker, so far this year the Democrats have spent the majority of our time debating resolutions such as H. Res. 1020, which honors the 95th anniversary of the signing of the Rocky Mountain National Park Act, and H. Res. 981, supporting development in Ukraine. Mr. Speaker, again, I have nothing in particular against these resolutions, but I would be remiss if I did not address the fact that Democrats are making these resolutions higher priorities of these topics than bringing forth commonsense solutions that will help Americans who are suffering across the Nation. While the bill before us today authorizes several important programs, it also authorizes ``such sums as may be necessary for activities to improve cybersecurity.'' When American families are facing tough economic challenges, Congress should be tightening its own belt and setting funding limits rather than authorizing blank checks on the backs of the American taxpayers. We can do better than this, and we owe it to the American people to do better than this. This bill also provides for annual increases in authorization levels. At a time of record budget deficits, it is crucial that we hold the line on spending. The Obama administration likes to talk about fiscal restraint, but we have yet to see those words put into action. In fact, talk of fiscal restraint is nothing but talk. This bill is a classic example of legislation that could be trimmed back by keeping the authorization levels static rather than increasing them each year. But the Democrats refuse to allow such restraint and instead continue to govern as though they are not aware of the fact that our Federal deficit is growing each day. Perhaps they are not aware. So many have been in Washington for so long that they are out of touch with average citizens and the common sense that our citizens represent. My colleague, Mr. Sessions, offered an amendment that would maintain fiscal year 2011 authorization levels in the bill for 3 years instead of increasing them annually, but the Democrats on the Rules Committee rejected the amendment and did not allow for debate on it on the floor today. This bill is also being brought forth today under a structured rule, adding to the record number of structured and closed rules the Democrats have arbitrarily used since they have been in the majority. Even though an open rule was requested for this bill, Democrats have chosen to stifle and control the debate today, and so we have another structured rule before us, eliminating both Republicans' and Democrats' ability to offer important amendments affecting their constituents. With this structured rule, the Democrats in charge have blocked at least 13 amendments that were submitted to the Rules Committee last night. If we had an open rule today, I am certain we would be debating many more. After promising to have the most open and honest Congress in history, why has the Speaker consistently gone back on her word? Why are the Democrats, who are in charge and have a large majority, shutting off debate and silencing their colleagues from both sides of the aisle? Are they afraid of debate? Are they protecting their members from tough votes? Regardless of their motives, one thing is clear: The Democrats in charge are doing the American people an injustice by refusing to allow their representatives to offer amendments on the floor of the people's House. The American people want to hear debate and are tired of the backroom dealmaking of the Democrats. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. FOXX. I yield back the balance of my time.