Denny Hastert

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask that the gentleman's words be taken down.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, the American people have spoken. A strong majority of Americans do not believe that special interest groups who receive funding from the Federal Government should, in turn, be using these funds, either directly or indirectly, to lobby the government. During the week of September 26-30, the Luntz Research Companies conducted a national study of 1,000 adults on a variety of important national issues. Included among these questions were two questions relating to the issue of public funding of special interest groups who lobby the government. By a margin of 70 percent to 26 percent, Americans agree that tax dollars shouldn't be used to fund groups to lobby government. In addition, the data clearly demonstrates that opposition to special interest group funding for lobbying knows virtually no party, ideological, gender, age, or attitudinal boundaries. However, Mr. Speaker, I have saved the best for last. Over half of the people polled, 56 percent, would be less likely to support a Member of Congress for reelection if he or she opposed measures to stop such uses of taxpayers' funds. Mr. Speaker, the message of the American people is clear: End taxpayer subsidized lobbying. I urge my colleagues to support the McIntosh-Istook-Ehrlich reforms.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. The gentleman is correct. Section 2123 would prohibit the States from using any of the Federal funds provided by this act for any purpose other than providing benefits and administering the provisions of this act.

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Chairman, we have heard a lot of allegations today here. I have heard my socialist friend from Vermont talk about cuts for people on Medicare. The fact is in our reconciliation bill we raise, over the 7 years, people's Medicare from $4,800 to $6,700, a 40-percent increase. Mr. Chairman, if we want to talk about cuts, I would like to take a look at this placard that we have here. We want to talk about what a real cut is. In the Clinton 1993 health care bill, in section 9101 of the Clinton bill it said: The Secretary shall provide each year for payment to regional alliances for the amount equal to the Federal medical assistance a percentage of 95 percent. That is a cut. The 5- percent decrease is a real cut. My colleagues can see here on the math, we go down 5 percent. In the Republican majority 1995 Medicaid Program, there is an increase. The Medicaid growth increase for fiscal year 1996 is 7.2 percent and it grows from there. The conference agreement of the budget resolution grows Medicaid 7.2 percent. Mr. Chairman, a cut is below the line. A cut is what we had in the Clinton health care bill when we cut Medicaid and only gave it to people at 95 percent; a 5-percent cut. Increase is when the line goes above and we give the American taxpayers and people on Medicaid, the American poor that need it, a 7.2-percent increase.

Mr. HASTERT. I think the gentleman raises a very important point. The public has every right to expect that the Federal funds Congress provides for health care services for the poor will in fact be used for health care. This bill gives them that assurance.

Mr. HASTERT. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to agree with the gentleman that people that make $5 million a year should not be sheltered by the earnings test. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Foley] to close.

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Barr].

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Flanagan]. (Mr. FLANAGAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Coble]. (Mr. COBLE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Chabot].

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Emerson]. (Mr. EMERSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Shaw]. (Mr. SHAW asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 15 seconds. Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind the distinguished former chairman, the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Gibbons], that he knows that all revenue bills start in the House. We have passed the resolution for the earnings test to the Senate. They will pick that up next week. We passed this resolution today. They will pass it also today. It is on track. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Weller]. (Mr. WELLER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Goodlatte].

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox].

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida [Mrs. Fowler]. (Mrs. FOWLER asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Goss]. (Mr. GOSS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 15 seconds. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to remind the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Neal], that the President of the United States said that he would lift the earnings test in 1992, and we have not seen that happen. We are doing it today, and we will make sure that it is done. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Bunning] who has been a leader on this issue for the last 8 years. (Mr. BUNNING of Kentucky asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Archer], the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1\1/2\ minutes. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this resolution, which Senator Dole and Senator McCain will be introducing in the other body, is very straightforward. Because of the unique rules of the other body, it is not possible for us to lift the Social Security earnings limit in the reconciliation bill before this House today. But an overwhelming majority of this House and of the other body favor such a move. In fact, the President of the United States, in his 1992 campaign platform ``Putting People First'' also expressed his commitment to lifting the Social Security earnings limit. We all agree that it is simply wrong to penalize low and middle income seniors who must work, with a tax rate equal to that of millionaires. These seniors are some of our most productive and responsible workers. They are working to provide for themselves. They do not want to be a burden to their families or the taxpayers of this Nation. We should be rewarding such behavior, not penalizing it. Mr. Speaker, my resolution is intended to do two things. First, it restates the commitment of this House to lift the Social Security earnings limit this year. We have already passed a measure in this House to lift the earnings limit on Social Security and we expect our colleagues in the other body to take it up shortly. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTERT. Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 245, I call up the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 109) expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the need for raising the Social Security earnings limit, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the concurrent resolution just agreed to.