Jim McGovern

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, there are over 900 million people on this planet who are hungry. Over 300 million of them are children. Of those children, about half do not go to school. What we have learned over the years is if we introduce a meal in a school setting, more kids will go to school and more girls will go to school. We have learned that in some of the most volatile parts of the world, parents send their kids to schools that preach religious intolerance not because they want to have their kids learn that, but because they want their kids to eat, and those schools offer a meal. Today, Madam Speaker, I and a number of others are sending a letter to Secretary Vilsack asking this administration to fully fund the George McGovern-Robert Dole International School Feeding Program. It is our moral obligation, Madam Speaker, to help feed the world's hungry. It is also in our national security interest. I hope all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join with me in supporting the McGovern-Dole School Feeding Program.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend and dedicated public servant who has made an extraordinary contribution to the quality of life in his beloved hometown of Clinton, Massachusetts. Tomorrow marks the last day Donald A. Lowe will serve as Director of Community and Economic Development for the Town of Clinton. I look forward to attending a celebration in Don's honor tomorrow night at the Old Timer Restaurant so that I can personally thank and congratulate him for his remarkable service. However, I did not want to miss the opportunity to also publicly recognize this rare and special individual on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. I readily acknowledge that the tribute paid to him by this esteemed body pales in comparison to the honor he will receive just two short weeks from now as a recipient of the prestigious shillelagh award from Clinton's Leprechaun Society. Nonetheless, I am pleased to offer these remarks just the same. Affectionately known by many of his friends, colleagues and fellow Clintonians simply as `Donnie', this man has earned the respect and admiration of an entire community. Don's tireless devotion to improving the educational system, social services and economic vitality of this unique and wonderful town is a powerful testament to the difference one man can make. As a former member and chairman of the Clinton School Committee, Don was a forceful advocate for children insisting on nothing less than the finest facilities, best educational programs and highest academic standards. His tenure on the school committee is widely remembered for the thoughtful manner with which he approached the many challenges facing the school system at that time and the professionalism with which he discharged his duties. Years later as Director of Community and Economic Development, Don was largely responsible for advancing Clinton's downtown revitalization through his relentless pursuit of competitive grant funding. The growth and expansion of NYPRO, Clinton's largest employer, benefited enormously from his skillful leadership. In fact, all business enterprises--large and small--found an eager and enthusiastic champion in Don Lowe these past seven years. His previous experience in the hi- tech sector brought an invaluable dimension to the role of local government in spurring economic development and job creation. Similarly, low and moderate income homeowners seeking help from the town received compassionate and capable assistance from Don. His volunteer service as a member of the board of directors for the Wachusett Health Education Action Team (WHEAT) and his long involvement with the Clinton Exchange Club and Polish American Veterans are just a few examples of the breadth of his extraordinary civic engagement. Madam Speaker, all of us in public life routinely rely on the advice of loyal friends and trusted advisors. I will forever be grateful to Don Lowe for his unfailing friendship and good counsel as a colleague in government throughout my career in congress. However, I am just as grateful that while he is leaving his position with the Town of Clinton, Don will remain in public service as the newly appointed Administrator for the Town of Bolton. Now more than ever, we as a nation and as a commonwealth need professionals like him in municipal government to help steer us through these uncertain economic times. Bolton will soon be in the steady hands of one of the most talented and devoted public servants I have ever known. On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives, I want to extend to Don and his wife, Liz, our very best wishes for continued good health, happiness and success with heartfelt appreciation for all you have accomplished for the good people of Clinton, Massachusetts. You are a credit to your family and your community and make us all very proud.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I will say to the gentleman, as far as I know, there are no unfunded mandates in this bill.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Once again, Mr. Speaker, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are using this procedural maneuver to try to prevent consideration of an important piece of legislation. Technically, the point of order is about whether or not to consider this rule and ultimately the underlying bill. But we all know that it's really about trying to block this bill without any opportunity for debate and without any opportunity for an up-or-down vote on the merits of the legislation itself. I oppose any effort to shut down debate in consideration of this bill, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' so we can consider this important piece of legislation on its merits and not kill it on a procedural motion. The underlying bill we are talking about represents the compilation of nine appropriations bills from last year. There is important funding in here for health care, for education, for transportation, to help move our economy forward. Those who oppose the bill can vote against it on final passage, but we must consider this rule, and we must pass this legislation today. Mr. Speaker, I have the right to close, but, in the end, I will urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to consider the rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 184 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, let me just say I am grateful to the gentleman for supporting the rule. I'm glad he agrees with us that in this tough economic time we should not go forward with a pay raise for Members of Congress. But I would simply point out that passing the rule in and of itself doesn't deny Members a pay raise. You need to pass the rule and pass the bill; otherwise, it doesn't happen. So I would urge him maybe to rethink his position. At this point, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 184 provides for the consideration of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009. The rule provides 1 hour of debate controlled by the Committee on Appropriations, and one motion to recommit with or without instructions. The rule also self- executes an amendment that blocks the automatic cost-of-living adjustment due to be provided to Members of Congress in 2010. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. This bill, Mr. Speaker, represents the completion of last year's work. We are in this position today for one principal reason, George W. Bush failed to provide budgets that reflected the real needs of the American people. And his philosophy was essentially ``my way or the highway.'' If he had gotten his way last year, he would have cut energy efficiency, renewable energy and weatherization programs. He would have cut education by eliminating vocational education programs, slashing higher education programs, and cutting programs to help teachers and improve technology. He would have cut healthcare access programs, even as the number of uninsured Americans grew. He would have frozen biomedical research funding and cut the Centers for Disease Control. And he would have cut State and local law enforcement grants and job training, employment services and worker protections curing this economic crisis. So today, our job is to fix things, to clean up the mess of the last administration, and to help the American people. Last night, President Obama gave an incredible speech, and he promised to do things differently. He promised an honest accounting of our Nation's needs. That may not seem revolutionary, but it's a big and positive change from the past 8 years. For the first time, the costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will actually be included in the budget. The costs won't be covered up or hidden. No more gimmicks. The American people will know the real costs of these wars. We will anticipate and budget for Federal dollars in response to national disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and earthquakes. And President Obama, last night, pledged to cut the deficit in half by the year 2012, a promise to bring back fiscal responsibility. In short, there will be more truth-telling. Mr. Speaker, we need to move forward, and I believe that we will. But first we need to dispense with last year's business. Some of my friends on the other side complain that we shouldn't pass this omnibus bill today because it's too expensive. They complain that it will add to the deficit. It's interesting to hear my friends on the other side of the aisle worry out loud about the deficit. Where have they been for the last 8 years? Facts are a stubborn thing, Mr. Speaker, and the facts speak for themselves. We are facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and we have the biggest debt in the history of the United States of America. This is something we inherited from my friends on the other side of the aisle. So it is somewhat ironic that the very people who drove this economy into a ditch are now complaining about the size of the tow truck. I believe, Mr. Speaker, that we need to do whatever possible to get this economy back on track and to help the American people. The policies of the past, the same old same old, they failed. I believe this President has the political will to do the right thing. I believe he will get the economy back on track and he will get our fiscal house in order. And I believe that this Congress will support him. What is before us, to put it simply, is help for States, cities and towns and for average people. There's an increase over current levels of appropriations. This, combined with the Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provides a lot of help to a lot of people. This is not the bill, Mr. Speaker, that I would have written if it were solely up to me, and I don't believe it is the bill that Chairman Obey would have written if it was solely up to him. This bill reflects bipartisan negotiations and bipartisan compromises. I want to see more money in this bill, Mr. Speaker, for roads and bridges, more money for international food aid and anti-hunger programs like the McGovern-Dole Program and Food for Peace, and more money to combat climate change. I want to see Pell Grants fully funded, and I want to make sure that all eligible children receive a meal during the summer months if they receive a meal during the school year. But I'm glad that we have reversed the Bush cuts on domestic priorities. I'm proud of the increased funding for WIC in this bill, funding that will help low-income pregnant mothers and newborns receive the healthy food that they need. And I'm pleased that this bill provides a 19 percent increase for the Food and Drug Administration, funding that will be used for critical oversight of our Nation's food supply so we don't have any more contamination scares like the recent peanut contamination cases that we've recently seen. This bill also increases funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act by providing $558 million above 2008 for a total of $11.5 billion. And this bill provides $550 million for the COPS program, a program critical to the safety of our cities and towns. Mr. Speaker, we need to get this bill completed. We need to finish the job left over from the last Congress and turn the page, once and for all, on the last 8 years. I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Let me begin by thanking Chairman Obey and the members of the Appropriations Committee on both sides of the aisle and their staff for their tireless efforts in trying to put together a bill that will help the American people. I urge my colleagues to support the underlying bill. This is, as I said earlier, a completion of last year's work. Unfortunately, the White House refused to negotiate with the Congress. They showed an incredible amount of disrespect and indifference to what congressional leaders of both parties had to say, and it was their way or the highway, and so here we are. We're trying to wrap up last year's work in a way that will help the American people. My colleague from Texas talks about that we should have a freeze on all spending. Well, given this economy, that kind of a policy would leave a lot of people in the cold. It will take some government investment to get us out of this ditch that we're in. And no matter how you want to look at it, the graphs and the charts are all the same, that these last 8 years this administration's policies, with the help of a lot of my friends on the other side of the aisle when they were in charge of Congress, have driven this economy into a ditch, and we need to get out of this ditch. Mr. Speaker, I should also tell my colleagues that this rule also prevents Members of Congress from receiving a pay raise, and every Member of this House has the opportunity to vote up or down on this rule. And a vote against this rule and I would say a vote against the bill is a vote for the congressional pay raise. So if you have said publicly that you oppose the congressional pay raise, that you would vote against an increase in your salary if you could, well, here's your chance. If you vote ``no'' on the rule and you vote ``no'' on the underlying bill, then you are voting to increase your pay. I think during these difficult economic times, that's the least this Congress can do, and I would urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

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

Mr. McGOVERN. I yield to the gentleman an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks). (Mr. DICKS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. McGOVERN. I also ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 184.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only. I yield myself such time as I may consume. General Leave

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I am going to urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this motion so we can consider the underlying bill, which is a compilation of nine appropriations bills, which really represents kind of a completion of last year's work. There is money in here for important transportation projects, for health care projects, for education projects, all very important to get our economy moving again. I would also say that the earmark process has been much improved since the Democrats took control of the Congress. There is more transparency, as the gentleman conceded, and I think there is more scrutiny given to individual earmarks. But let me just say one other thing. I believe in the integrity, in the character of every single person that serves in this Congress, and I believe the people, Republicans and Democrats, do the best they can for their constituents. And I really take exception when the character of individuals in this Congress is brought into question and somehow a vague allegation is out there that there is something sinister going on. The bottom line is that the vast majority of these earmarks go to things like emergency rooms at hospitals, go to bridges to help rebuild infrastructure, go to help schools and to help kids get an education. I would say to the gentleman if he is uncomfortable with this process, that he should know that 40 percent of the earmarks that are in these underlying bills are Republican earmarks. And so that old saying, ``Physician, heal thyself,'' I would suggest that he bring this up to members of his own conference. But I believe that these bills represent the hard work of Republicans and Democrats. There are good things in these bills. We need to move forward on this. We can't delay. If we delay, I think it will have a negative impact on our economy. So I want to urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this motion to consider so we can debate and pass this important piece of legislation today. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have left?

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

Mr. McGOVERN. I yield the gentleman 30 seconds.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 5 seconds. I just remind the gentleman that the Republicans controlled Congress for 6 of the last 8 years. I reserve my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. No. At this point I will not. They want investments in transportation, in education, and in the future of this country. But this is what they created. This is undeniable. This is what happened during the Bush years: a doubling of the debt. And that is a legacy that our kids and our grandkids are going to have to pay for. I give President Obama a great deal of credit in this tough economic crisis to not only understand that we need to invest in our people to help create jobs and to help get this economy back on the right track, but he also said last night very clearly that we are going to be fiscally responsible and we are going to cut the deficit in half in 4 years. That is a benchmark that he will be measured by, and I will tell you that I think that what he said last night was what the American people wanted to hear. It's why he won the election in November. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. This is the debt that has been accumulated during the Bush administration. The debt has doubled during this past administration. This is the legacy of their policy. The election was about change. People have had it. People want investments, not in tax cuts for the wealthy, but they want investments in education----

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to remind the previous speaker and some of my friends on the other side that they have been in charge for 8 years in the White House; 6 of those 8 years they've been in charge of the Congress. They can't blame this on Bill Clinton who, by the way, left the White House with a surplus.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Wisconsin an additional 30 seconds.