John Linder

Mr. LINDER

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter); pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 529 is a modified closed rule that provides for the consideration of H.R. 1997, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004. This rule provides for 2 hours of debate in the House equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary. H. Res. 529 provides that the bill shall be considered as read for amendment. The rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill, modified by the amendment printed in part A of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying the resolution, shall be considered as adopted. The rule further provides for the consideration of the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in part B of the report of the Committee on Rules, if offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) or her designee, which shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. H. Res. 529 waives all points of order against the amendment printed in part B of the report of the Committee on Rules and provides for one motion to recommit with or without instructions. This is a fair rule, Mr. Speaker; and I urge all my colleagues in the House to join me in supporting its passage so that we can move on to considering the underlying legislation. With respect to the underlying legislation, H.R. 1997, I want to commend the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart) for introducing this legislation and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, for bringing it to the floor this week. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer). (Mr. NEUGEBAUER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence). (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis).

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart). (Ms. HART asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder). (Mr. SOUDER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I will just take enough time to say I urge my colleagues to support this rule so we can get on with the real debate on both the underlying bill and the substitute to it. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. LINDER

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Smith).

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 520 ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 520 provides for the consideration of a motion offered by the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means or his designee to concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 743. The rule provides for 1 hour of debate in the House on the motion, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Res. 520 provides that the Senate amendment and the motion shall be considered as read. It waives all points of order against consideration of the motion to concur in the Senate amendment, and it provides that the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the motion to final adoption without intervening motion. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of H. Res. 520 is to expedite the final consideration of H.R. 743, the Social Security Protection Act of 2003. Adopting this rule will allow the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means to offer a motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House- passed version of H.R. 743, which, if approved by the House today, will clear this bill for the President's signature. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this rule. Last April, the full House of Representatives approved H.R. 743 with a 396 to 28 vote. The overwhelmingly bipartisan vote on House passage was preceded by the House rejecting the Green amendment. The Green amendment sought to maintain the so-called ``last day rule,'' which is a loophole that a small number of workers in certain States have exploited in the past. To its credit, the underlying legislation before us closes down that loophole. Last December, the U.S. Senate approved its amendment to H.R. 743 by unanimous consent. Let us be clear: H.R. 743 is noncontroversial legislation that has wide bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, and promptly adopting the Senate amendment to H.R. 743 will enable the President to sign this legislation into law this month. The Committee on Rules approved this rule by voice vote yesterday, and I urge my colleagues to support it so we may proceed with debate and consideration of the underlying, bipartisan bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw) for more illumination on this exciting subject which will be covered at great length in the next hour.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule and to vote against the previous question. This is a more complex bill than we have heard in the last 40 minutes. This bill protects beneficiaries from representative payees who misuse benefits. It denies Social Security benefits to fugitive felons and probation parole violators. It deters program waste, fraud, and abuse on a much broader scale than that dealing just with the Texas schoolteachers. It helps individuals with disabilities gain access to representation and encourages disabled beneficiaries to return to work. It improves and simplifies the SSI program, especially for members of the military and their families. It has bipartisan support and the support of key stakeholders and actually saves money; and, yes, it does close the loophole that enables some teachers in Georgia and Texas to contribute just a few dollars to Social Security to receive nearly $100,000 in additional lifetime spousal benefits.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. LINDER

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, on Friday we celebrate the 93d birthday of Ronald Reagan and I rise again to recognize his efforts to renew the American spirit and to spread freedom around the world. Ronald Reagan once stated that, ``The leadership of the free world was thrust upon us two centuries ago in that little hall of Philadelphia. In the days following World War II, when the economic strength and power of America was all that stood between the world and the return to the dark ages, Pope Pius XII said, `The American people have a great genius for splendid and unselfish actions. Into the hands of America God has placed the destinies of an afflicted mankind.' '' Reagan further stated that, ``We are indeed, and we are today, the last best hope of man on earth.'' As we face many challenges today, the words of our 40th President still ring true. As we mark his birthday, we should remember his dream of creating a better, safer world and reaffirm that this Nation must continue to show the courage and persistence to turn that dream into a reality and provide hope for all those who do not have freedom.

Mr. LINDER

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 465 and ask for its immediate consideration.