Tom Graves

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall vote No. 61, the Bishop Amendment to H.R. 3408, I inadvertently voted ``aye,'' when in fact I intended to vote ``no.''

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Madam Speaker, we're hearing a lot about transportation this week in the form of the transportation reauthorization bill. That causes us to maybe reflect back. Why are we reauthorizing something, and where did it originate, and what is our plan forward? In fact, this comes from decades and decades and decades ago, and it's a chance when we can say to ourselves: Are we on the right path? Is this the right path for this Congress and the future of our Nation? I think back to the last election cycle when the American people said we want to see things done just a little bit different, and I want to talk about that just a little bit this morning because today, when it comes to transportation, all States pay 18.4 cents per gallon for every gallon of gas they purchase. They send that to the Federal Government, and the Federal Government is distributing that out across the country. Now, a lot of people would say that comes back to our States, doesn't it? Well, in fact, it does not. There are 28 States in this Nation that send money to the Federal Government and don't get it all back, Georgia being one of them, along with many others throughout the country. We're referred to as the donor States. So, in addition to these 28 States not getting back all of their money, there are all of these mandates that occur to each and every one of these States. So as we can imagine, these 28 States, they want to get back all of their money. In fact, Georgia sent a resolution to Congress, and I want to read a section of it here and then submit it for the Record, because the Georgia General Assembly said that this body, meaning the Georgia General Assembly, urges the Federal Government to cease the collection of motor fuel taxes in Georgia so that the State can collect and distribute the taxes without the delay caused by the Federal collection and disbursement. So Georgia and many other States are asking for changes. They're asking for the Federal Government to do something just a little different, but yet we're entering into this debate about reauthorization when maybe we just need to rethink the program altogether. In Georgia, $800 million was not received by the State of Georgia. It was submitted by the taxpayers of Georgia, the hardworking Georgians sending money to the Federal Government, and $800 million of it was sent somewhere else across the country in the last reauthorization. $15 billion from other States was sent to States outside of their boundaries to be spent on other projects. Now this program started in 1956. In 1956, when Congress was debating the interstate system, it was a great debate. As they debated it, they said, This will be a short-term tax that we're going to implement. It will be a tax that will be starting at 3 percent, will last for 15 years, build an interstate system, and had a great plan to do it. There was a debate about it. Well, what happens when we come to the end of that 15-year period? Well, here is part of an exchange that occurred in the Ways and Means Committee when they were debating this tax. It was in 1956, when Congressman Boggs of Louisiana and Congressman Fallon of Maryland, they were discussing what would happen during this expiration period. In that exchange, both Congressmen agreed that at the end of the 15-year authorization period, ``The interstate system is built and paid for, and there is no obligation beyond the period of construction.'' Yet here we are, 2012, so far removed from that debate, and not only are we at 3 cents per gallon, we are at 18.4 cents per gallon. At the end of that 15 years, it was actually supposed to go to 1.5 cents, but ever since it has always gone up. Yet here we debate about spending more and more and more money, and we've just learned from previous speakers that this isn't even going all to roads and bridges and highways; in fact, it's going to bike paths, planting flowers and bushes, walking trails, and other things. Shouldn't it be about moving people and freight? That's what it was always about. So, as we consider the reauthorization, I hope we'll consider maybe a reflection of a new program, a new path forward. So I'm offering an amendment that changes all this, that says, You know what? It's complete. The interstate system has reached that point of completion, maybe let's devolve this back to the States. Let's empower the States to collect their taxes, as Georgia is asking to do, spend it on their priorities, not deal with the red tape of Washington or the exchange fee that's occurring, but in fact empower the States to collect their taxes at the rates that they choose and spend it on the priorities that are most important to them. Keep it back in the home States where they know where the needs are. Instead, we're up here debating how they should spend their money and mandating all these hundreds of various program lines that they've got to spend it on. So we'll be offering an amendment that just changes the debate a little bit and causes us to reflect and refocus on where transportation should be as we are in the 21st century. So, Madam Speaker, as I close and as we move into this debate on reauthorization, I hope there'll be a time when this Congress remembers what the American people said in 2010: Let's eliminate some of this government and devolve it back to the States. Senate Resolution 750 By: Senators Pearson of the 51st, Mullis of the 53rd, Rogers of the 21st, Hill of the 32nd, Seay of the 34th and others As passed:

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I'll try not to follow up too much on the flip-flop comments, but I do prefer Crocs if anybody cares. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to President Obama's latest request to raise the debt limit. Mr. Obama's spending spree in just 3 short years accounts for almost one-third of our national debt, the most rapid increase in the debt of any U.S. President and more debt than the first 41 Presidents combined. And the Nation's debt level has recently reached a disturbing milestone. The U.S. debt is now as big as the entire U.S. economy. That's the value of all goods and services produced here in the United States. It's another stark warning that America cannot continue spending at the current pace. And alarm bells should be going off all throughout the Halls of Congress because this problem is not going away. Yet, here we are again poised to go down and continue down this Road to Ruin. The will to see the error of our ways and make significant spending cuts still doesn't exist here in Washington. Unless we start making the tough choices now, this Nation will reach a point where we have no choice at all.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to give thanks today to my House colleagues, who yesterday, in bipartisan fashion, moved to start construction on the Keystone XL pipeline, because this is truly a shovel-ready project that will provide good jobs and secure energy for Americans. The Keystone pipeline will create nearly 100,000 private sector jobs once completed--20,000 of those jobs generated just to construct the pipeline, with 50 companies in Georgia benefiting from this. And once it's finished, this pipeline will pump 700,000 gallons of crude oil a day from our friend and neighbor, Canada, a good, reliable, and secure supply of oil. The environmental impact statements have been completed and the path for the pipeline has been determined. The only thing standing in the way is politics. President Obama has postponed his decision on whether the private sector can build this pipeline until after the next election. If it's good enough after the election, surely it's good enough today. Good jobs. Secure energy. No cost to the taxpayers. It's a no- brainer.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Here we are. We are at the moment of choosing, and we just heard from the former leader of the former majority party that we need to oppose this. But to those in the gallery here today, to those watching on camera, just in a few hours you will get the opportunity to see behind me on this board every name of every Member of Congress and how they vote. They will make a choice. They will take their voting card, of which you've entrusted us with, and they will make a decision: this Nation should balance its budget or not. This isn't so much about cut, cap, balance. This is about prosperity or continued high unemployment. That would be green for prosperity, red for high unemployment. This is about accountability and constraints, green, or Washington run wild. Again, that would be the red button and the status quo. This is about sustainability of our future or continued uncertainty as we've seen thus far. Or, better yet, this is about standing on our own. The green button, independence of this great Nation. Or, continued and increasing bondage of foreign nations and our indebtedness. Again, the red button. Members of Congress, this is your time of choosing. We've heard so many names invoked here today. Former Presidents, Members of Congress, other Congresses. But, guess what? This is your time. This is your choice. This is your voting card. What will you choose: A prosperous future for this Nation or continue the status quo? I urge Members, let's choose a great, prosperous future for this Nation. America deserves it. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to let the American people know that the city of Ringgold, Georgia, is open for business. I know that we all remember the tornadoes that ravaged much of the country in April. Over 180 of these destructive storms were confirmed in just one day, and the Ninth Congressional District of Georgia was not spared. Some of the worst storm damage in north Georgia occurred in the small town of Ringgold. Over 100 businesses and 500 homes were damaged or destroyed on April 27. This was a devastating moment to the local community and the local economy, which relies heavily on travelers passing through on Interstate 75. However, Ringgold is on the mend and ready to share some of that southern hospitality it is known so well for. Nearly half of the damaged businesses have reopened, homes are being rebuilt, and the jobs are returning. While there is still much to be done, if you find yourself passing through Ringgold on I-75, I encourage you to take exit 348 for gas, a bite to eat, or an overnight stay in Ringgold, enjoy the shops and sights in the historic downtown, and know that you are playing a part in helping this great and resilient community rebuild.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. I thank the gentleman from Arizona and my friend from Indiana. This, to me, tomorrow, where we are today, is a monumental time in the history of this Nation. When we think about the decisions and the debate, the discussions, the rhetoric of tomorrow, it will be amazing to see who falls on which side. Because it's truly a choice. It is a decision. And we've heard that this is going to be a time of choosing. Tomorrow is the day. We've had reckless debt and deficit for years now. It's not a necessarily Democrat problem because Republicans have also been a part of the problem. We've seen both parties guilty in this time of fiscal nonsense, the recklessness of Washington spending. But it's come to an end. And we have an opportunity before us that I think is going to be incredible. So, tomorrow, as the debate begins, I hope the Nation is watching. I hope the Nation is listening. I hope the Nation is witnessing their Members of Congress, whom they voted for, sent to office to represent them, watching to see how they will cast their vote. Of course, the President has already shown his cards. We know how he's going to cast his vote. I'd love to see us as a House pass it to the Senate, and the Senate move it to the President, and him look the American people square in the eye and say he is not for balancing the budget. He is not for cutting spending. He is not for capping the Federal Government. How defiant would that be to the American people? His quote today was, We don't need a constitutional amendment to do our jobs. Mr. President, the Constitution is there to protect the American people from their government. What better opportunity to protect them from the reckless spending of Washington than a balanced budget amendment sent to the States? We do need the Constitution to tell us how to balance the budget because apparently this place can't do it on its own. Year after year after year it's been out of balance, debt limits increased, spending out of control. And yet we have a President who now, without a plan, but a framework, we hear--only through press conference, press releases, and spokespersons--a framework. Is that a plan? No, it's not a plan. We hear the Senate has a plan. It's plan B, though. Why? Because plan A comes before the House tomorrow. Plan A is to cut the Federal Government spending now. It is to cap the Federal Government's size in the future. And it is to balance the budget forevermore. That is what America is seeking right now. So, the time truly is for choosing. And the question before us tomorrow as we all will watch the board light up, everyone will put in their voting card--they're really casting a couple of different decisions tomorrow. It's not just cut, cap, and balance, but it is: What is our vision for America. What will it be? What will America be in the future? That is the other question. I believe that those who cast that ``aye'' button tomorrow, the green button, they are casting their decision for a prosperous future for this country--a future in which we do live within our means, a future that ensures prosperity for the next generation. But then there are those, they'll cast a ``no'' vote. They'll cast the red vote. They will say, No, the status quo is acceptable. Out-of-control spending, yeah, we'll get it through it. The time will come, we will get by. Compromise is necessary. That will be the ``no'' vote tomorrow. Tomorrow's vote is so big. It is big. And I thank the gentleman from Arizona for leading this hour tonight because it's a precursor to the debate tomorrow--a debate that will be grand. I believe out of all the votes I've cast in my short time just over a year here, tomorrow's might be one of the most important votes I cast. And I stand before this House tonight, Madam Speaker, before you to say you I'll be casting that green vote for that prosperous future of this great Nation we have, to restore it, reclaim that liberty that we all know is so great and grand. And I look forward to joining many of my colleagues such as the gentleman from Arizona. Thank you.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. I thank the gentlelady. I want to thank you for your amendment, because you bring forth such an incredible issue that we can't just stop with what was passed out of the Appropriations Committee. There are Members all across this body that had the opportunity to scour the legislation--and I'm on the committee--and to improve upon the legislation. That's exactly what she's doing here by offering additional cuts. Mr. Chairman, I want to bring out the fact that in the House over the last five appropriations bills, there have been 250 amendments offered. Only 11 cutting amendments have been passed, and eight of these were by voice vote. So here on the floor of the House, and I guess I'm speaking to my colleagues in the Republican Party, we are not cutting any more than what comes out of the committee. So far, out of these five appropriations bills, there's been $691 billion spent, and yet we've only cut $304 million in addition to that. Mr. Chairman, as I think about where we are, I brought the analogy and trying to put this in context of where we are as a Nation, that's 2 cents, just two pennies out of a gallon of gas. Just two pennies. I leave you that--my 2 cents' worth on this appropriations bill.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remind my colleagues why we are here. We are here to represent our constituents, and we are bound by an oath that we all took when we were sworn into office. As each of us stood in this Chamber, we solemnly swore that we would support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that we would bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that we would take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that we would well and faithfully discharge the duties of this office in which we serve, so help us God. Madam Speaker, there is a constituent of mine, Jack Smith. He is a defender of the Constitution and one of the strongest conservatives I know. Jack never fails to sound the alarm when Washington is off track when it comes to the Constitution--and I think we all know that comes quite often; it is very frequent. So whether it's a foreign or domestic enemy of the Constitution, I stand committed to defend this document whenever and wherever I can. And today, in honor of Jack and the Ninth Congressional District, Liberty Council, and all my constituents, I urge the Members of this House, the Senate, and the Office of the President to reflect on your oath, to reflect on what you swore as you took that oath of office and the clear guidelines that it and the Constitution have bound us by, because the future of this great and glorious cause we call America depends on it.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gainesville, Georgia, for earning a spot in the Top 100 ``Best Cities for Job Growth in 2011.'' This award is a testament to the small business owners and the entrepreneurs in Gainesville who work hard every day to innovate and to grow despite the pressures put on them from Washington and this challenging economic climate. To make the Top 100, the city of Gainesville was measured on recent growth as well as growth over the last 5 years. Driving the success were the entrepreneurs who created 34 new businesses or grew existing ones. They collectively brought in 1,140 new jobs to Gainesville and nearly $250 million in capital investment. I'm proud to represent Gainesville in Congress and proud of the hard work of my neighbors in Georgia. Today, the city of Gainesville stands a little bit taller because of the hard work of the entrepreneurs in north Georgia.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I would like to yield to the gentlelady from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), who is an expert on this topic and whom I rely on. And I want to thank the gentlelady for her comments today.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I just want to take the opportunity to address this because there is one issue facing this Nation right now that is far greater than what we're even discussing at this point and that is jobs and the lack of jobs in this Nation as a result of 2 failed years of an experiment that just didn't work. Now, we can talk about spending all we want. We're going to talk about that, I know, for the next day or two and over the next couple of weeks. The American people just expect us to deal with cutting spending here in the Federal Government. They just sent us here and they said, Just take care of your job. Get it done. Spend within your means. Don't spend more than you get. And take care of your job. At the same time, understand what's happening back home on Main Street. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, as I go home each and every week and I see the devastation that's occurring all across all the communities in my district, it is amazing to see the ``For Sale'' signs and ``For Rent'' signs that just pop up each and every week that are anew because of a failed experiment that has occurred here. So we heard the gentleman a minute ago say the Republicans have no plan. Let's talk about their plan and how effective it has been with, what, we've had 2 years now of at or above 9 percent unemployment, 15 million Americans looking for a job, deficit spending now going on $1 trillion for 3 consecutive years. And yet we are on the eve of the week here in which we're going to celebrate President Barack Obama's claim of the ``summer of recovery,'' the 1-year anniversary of that claim. I want to tell you, Mr. Speaker, there has been no recovery as a result of the policies passed by this administration. We must take a different direction. It starts here by cutting spending. It starts by reducing the size of government. And the reason is very simple. Because the less the government has in its pocket, the less it's spending, there is more left for the American people. And when the American people have more money in their pockets, they have the ability to expand their businesses, they have the ability to dream an idea, have a great idea, go out and invest in that idea. They have the ability to hire new employees. They have the ability to invest in new capital. But, instead, this Congress over the last couple of years has hoarded that wealth, kept it here in Washington, divvied it out to the winners that they choose just through their own pickings here. Who's going to get the money of the American people? They dole it out left and right. Yet today, when we're looking at giving it back to the American people, the other side stands against it once again. Mr. Speaker, it's time to get Americans back to work. We don't do that through the expansion of the public sector. We do it through the expansion of the private sector. Let's empower the American people and take some power away from the Federal Government.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Madam Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. I appreciate the gentleman from Utah bringing this forward. This is a time when we've got to be looking for every opportunity to be wise stewards of the taxpayers' dollars. And all we're asking here is $1.8 billion out of trillions of dollars of spending here in the Federal Government, $1.8 million more. I think the taxpayers understand that. They expect that. I don't know that anyone here has criticized the use of these funds, where it is going. It's not that. It's just the fact that the money is not there. How can you continue spending money you do not have? I think back on the average American families at home. They have to make difficult decisions. There are a lot of things that the average family would like to do each and every week; but if they don't have the resources to do it, they wait until they can save up and do it at another appropriate time. They enjoy it at a later date when they have the ability to do that. Madam Chair, right now we do not have that ability as a Federal Government. For far too long we've spent too much. It's not a partisan issue, necessarily. Both parties are responsible for the reckless spending that's gone on in Washington. But this is the day, this is the time that we can correct that course. We can correct the path. We don't have to continue down this same path that's been going on over and over and over again. The status quo is not acceptable. In fact, the American people, they deserve better. We have an opportunity right now to send a strong message to the American people that $1.8 billion is being sent back to the taxpayers. Just imagine that--taking money from the Federal Government that it's used to absorbing from the taxpayer and allowing the taxpayers to choose how they wish to spend it. What a great concept. How novel is that, to allow the taxpayers to choose how they invest their money, where they might spend it. Which leads to the number one issue facing this Nation--and it's jobs and the economy. If we want to see the economy improve, if we want to see revenues here in Washington improve, it's not through tax increases. It's through the economy improving. It's through the GDP, the engine of this Nation moving once again. And how do we do that? We release the dollars we hold as a Federal Government and the additional dollars that we're borrowing from foreign countries and we allow the private sector to hold that, allow the private sector to make those investments, allow them to be the dreamers. Those that have the ideas, those that have the ideas, entrepreneurs, allow them to be the risk-takers, the job creators we know they are and they want to be. Instead, we hear again opposition which says, no, we know better as the Federal Government. Let us keep that money. Let us take it from your wallet. Let us distribute it out as we know best. I think I heard a speaker earlier today say the Federal Government is better at making decisions than the American people. I mean we've heard that concept expressed here already, that we know better. Well, the fact is the American people know better how to spend their money. So the gentleman from Utah brings up a great amendment that says $1.8 billion in additional cuts, saving the taxpayers once again additional money. That only adds to the savings that the chairman of the subcommittee has already fought for, and I'm happy to serve with him on the committee. He's done a fabulous job of taking us back to 2006 spending levels, an amazing effort on behalf of the subcommittee, and this just takes it back just a little bit further. Surely we can do that for the American people tonight in this House. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I'm here today in opposition to this amendment, and I've heard a lot of the compelling arguments here today as to why this amendment should be adopted. Well, first, let me remind the Members that the Appropriations Committee passed the language that's in this bill right now that restricts funding from going to projects that require project labor agreements. That's all this does, and I think we should all be for it. We should all be for free markets. We should all be for capitalism, for the best contractor competing against the best contractor and putting up the best price for the project. Now, they said that there were reports cited in The Wall Street Journal, and I just happen to have what The Wall Street Journal cited, and they did cite the independent study that was commissioned by the Department of Veterans Affairs that says in the study, the Obama project labor agreement would likely raise the VA construction costs for hospitals by as much as 9 percent in three of the five markets. So it's clear that there is a study by an independent organization there that says costs will go up. Now, can we not accept that as evidence enough that we do not need project labor agreements as a mandate to receive the funding for projects throughout this Nation? I mean, we live in a day and a time in which the debt and deficit are out of control, and it seems to be what we spend our arguments about and our debates about is spending, and that's an important topic. But the number one issue facing this Nation right now is the economy and the job losses. Mr. Harris, he was so eloquent as he was talking about unemployment, 9.1 percent now. We all know that. We're here on the celebration of the 1 year since the beginning of the summer of recovery, and yet we don't see any recovery. These project labor agreement requirements by the executive order were placed in effect in 2009; and as Mr. Bishop referenced, you know, this was good for jobs, good for creating local jobs. Well, where are the jobs? They do not exist. In essence, we've had 2 years of a failed experiment, Mr. Chairman; and I think it's time to say, you know what, look, the experiment didn't work, let's put it up on the shelf, and let's try something new. Let's go back to what we know works and that's empowering the private sector, empowering the free markets, allow competition to thrive, allow costs to come down and the quality of goods to go up. I have to tell you, Mr. Chairman, when I go home, it pains me to see the new ``For Sale'' signs that are up, the new ``For Rent'' signs that go up each and every time, and I'm sure we see it in each and every one of our districts as we go home. And oftentimes previously, 4 or 5 years ago, you might see a vacancy in a shop because they had moved out, because they had expanded their operations and they were moving up. But now it's just the opposite. We know that businesses are not moving out and expanding as much as they once did. Instead, they're shutting down and closing the doors and that ``For Rent'' or ``For Sale'' sign goes up. It's time to reverse that back, and we know how to do that. It is so simple; it is so clear. Why it binds this Congress up, I have no idea, when our Nation was founded on such great principles as we have been founded on and yet over the years we feel like we can manipulate the marketplaces, just like the project labor agreement requirements are going to do as well. Mr. Chairman, I say we defeat this amendment, and we think about that 1-year anniversary here of that summer of recovery declaration from last year. And I know there was a lot of hope that that summer of recovery would occur; but the one thing that is true, Mr. Chairman, is you cannot change the facts, and the facts are clear. Americans are ready to be empowered with new jobs and employment. The only way we can do that, though, is to empower the private sector, and let's get government out of the way to do it. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I guess I'd start off by saying only in Washington can spending money lead to saving money. That's what we just heard. But that's not the case. I think about what the impact that ObamaCare is having on the State of Georgia. This year alone hundreds of millions of dollars it's cost the taxpayers of Georgia, projected to be over $1 billion here in subsequent years. While I support full repeal of the program, I've already demonstrated that through my votes, this is specifically getting rid of a slush fund that's in place eliminating funding for the construction of facilities in local communities. I'm sure this is a laudable program in many areas, and there's probably a lot of laudable programs that folks want to fund. But the fact is we just can't do it. We don't have the resources to do it anymore. Number one, we need to find out what is the true role and function of this Federal Government. I do not believe this is it. We should allow the States and empower the States who are best equipped to handle the needs of the local community. So I certainly support this measure and urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1214, and let's move on to repealing the full measure of ObamaCare.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. You know what's great about being here today and talking about the Ryan plan is it's a blueprint. And blueprints you can do a couple things to. You can add to, and you can take away from. And what we've heard from the progressives a minute ago is, plunder the people's plan rips the pages out of the future of this Nation for our children and our grandchildren. But the Republican Study Committee, it adds to it. It actually takes it a step further. It saves the taxpayers more money by providing savings starting with 2006 levels and going to 2008 levels. But what we have to recognize is the debt and the deficit problems we have here today are not because we are taxed too little; it's because we have spent too much. And it is a result of 2 failed years of more government, more taxes, and more spending that we've seen. It's time to put that in history. Let's put it in the drawer. Let's move on, and let's pass the Republican Study Committee plan because I can assure you this: It doesn't go where the President and the liberals of this House want to go, and that's into the wallets of the taxpayers of this Nation.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the chairman clarifying some things we just heard because I was at a loss thinking I was going to need much more than 3 minutes to rewrite some of what we just heard there and correct the historical account of the last several years. We've heard the lamenting and wailing today from the other side of the aisle. It is amazing to hear about why we are here? Why are we in this position today? We are hearing government shutdown from the Democrats. You're not hearing that from the Republicans. You're hearing no, we have to cut spending and reduce the size of government. But we hear we're at the brink, we're about to shut down government, and we have to wonder: Why are we here? Well, the chairman brought it up so eloquently just a minute ago. When they were in the leadership last year, and it wasn't that long ago, 1 year ago, they had the opportunity. They had the opportunity to pass their own budget. They didn't do it. So instead, they passed a CR. The CR went for 4 or 5 weeks. It wasn't enough. Let's do another one because again, they couldn't pass a budget. They passed another CR for 2 more weeks. Again, it wasn't quite enough. So let's go 3 days because we don't know now to pass a budget nor have an appropriations meeting. And then, yet again, let's pass another one for just over 2 months. That is why we are here today. That is why the Republicans are stepping up and leading. That is why the Republicans passed a CR a few weeks ago cutting a hundred billion dollars. But yet again the Democrats, they do not want to step up and lead at this time in our Nation. So here we are again, the chairman of appropriations and the Republicans have stepped up and said it is time to lead. So $2 billion a week in cuts, yes, that is what we are proposing. Should it be more? Sure it should be more. To those who have said we were cutting the wrong programs, I assure you, you'll have your chance to cut those programs because, again, we will be cutting more. So this measure, hopefully it will pass both Chambers, and we will avert the government shutdown. And the question is then: What happens next? The American people want to know that. Well, I want the American people to know this: that there are more spending cuts on the way. Now, some of my colleagues on the other side will say, we don't need to cut spending. In fact, we have heard that. We've heard that they want to freeze spending instead, which is akin to tying a brick to the accelerator of this vehicle that is going off the cliff when we need to take our foot off that accelerator. Again, it is the status quo that we hear from the other side. We heard a minute ago from the leader of the Democrats, the former Speaker, and her quote was: They took the lead in deficits. Oh, is she so right. In fact, they have led 3 straight years of deficit spending, consecutive years, trillion-dollar deficits, and now a $14 trillion debt. What leadership that is. The status quo is unacceptable. The American people deserve so much more. So today, let's stop that threat of a government shutdown, and let's save the taxpayers $4 billion. Let's come back and let's save them billions upon billions more. But let's get ready because deeper spending cuts are necessary. And as we saw from that Government Accountability report, duplicative programs exist. Madam Speaker, it is time to eliminate some of those programs, continue eliminating portions of this government, and get this fiscal house back on track.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I have to take a moment here to, I guess, comment back on the distinguished whip's comments a minute ago. It's great that he pointed out his knowledge of history and his years of experience here, and he's right about a few things. He talked about the years of Bill Clinton and the spending cuts and the deficit reduction and debt reduction, all those kinds of things. He's absolutely right. But he didn't tell you the rest of the story, and that is the Republicans took the majority in 1995 and were part of that process, in leading through the legislative process not through the executive process. And then he talked about George Bush and the 8 million job losses. And if you look back, if you look at the rest of the story on that again, that starts in about 2006 and 2007 and 2008. And if we think about who was in charge at the time, yes, it was the distinguished whip, who was the leader at the time, and the former Speaker. So they were right. They were right about history, but they weren't telling the whole story, and that is that the Republicans were leading during those difficult times and providing the spending cuts when necessary. To the gentleman a minute ago who said government is not the solution, you're absolutely right. And to finish that quote from Ronald Reagan, more so, it is the problem.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Sir, I would rather just finish my comments here. They have plenty of time on their side.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. And since today we're here to talk about saving the taxpayer dollars, let's remember the cost of ObamaCare.

Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. So we are here today to talk about the taxpayers' money. Let's remember the cost of ObamaCare: $2.6 trillion over the first 10 years once it's implemented, $560 billion in new taxes on American families and businesses, unconstitutional mandates, higher premiums, and, yes, lost coverage. The law is so damaging that the Obama administration themselves have granted at least 915 waivers for health plans and organizations. Now, think about that savings--2.5 million people from ObamaCare. Mr. Chairman, let's save the rest of America here today and let's support the Rehberg amendment and move on and zero out the payments to those ObamaCare bureaucrats. Parliamentary Inquiry