Kendrick Meek

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. I was just looking for this, and I am so glad that I found it because I think it is important to be able to share the facts where they are. Third-party validators, Mr. Speaker, once again, there is just a line of them as it relates to the things we bring up. This is a message from my Democratic Caucus Chair, who is James D. Clyburn, that is talking about priorities of the Democratic Caucus. It is not talking about something we just came up with a couple days ago, but the priorities of the Democratic Caucus and the American people. Five dollars and fifteen cents is the minimum wage. Fifty years, the last time the minimum wage has been this low as it relates to the inflation that you just spoke about. It should be $9 and some change. 1997 was the last time that the Congress raised the minimum wage. That is almost 10 years ago. It is about to be 10 years ago. Six point six million people, the number of people who would benefit from an increase in the minimum wage. Six point six million individuals, roughly three- quarters of minimum-wage workers, adults over the age of 20, many of whom are responsible for half of their families' income. One day it takes to be able to make money to buy one tank of gas working on the minimum wage. Again, Mrs. Tubbs Jones, a zero jobs loss. Studies have shown that there is no evidence of jobs lost after passing a minimum wage increase. Here is another one. Eighty-six percent of the American people support an increase in the minimum wage, and I must say 22 States have already headed in that direction through constitutional measures or legislative measures to increase the minimum wage to help their State's economy, because they know these individuals are consumers and these individuals that are on minimum wage will help their State's economy. So I just wanted to share that information, because it is important that we share that. But again, the Republican majority is saying no. We are saying if we become the majority, if they become the minority come this November, it is not ``if we can, we may get around to it.'' It will be one of the first things that the Democratic Caucus does. A done deal. We don't even have to talk about it, that the American people will see an increase in the minimum wage.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Let me just say this. You can go ahead and give the website out, sir, and I will close out.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. I want to thank Ms. Tubbs Jones and also you, Mr. Ryan, and Mr. Tanner and Mr. Taylor, who was here at the beginning finishing off his 5-minute speech for joining us tonight. As Mrs. Tubbs Jones mentioned, as Democrats, we want to take this House in a New Direction for America. I think it is important, and we will let it be known that we will implement on day one, or days within being in the majority, if the American people see fit, a real security plan that will implement the full 9/11 Committee report, work on affordable health care, to fix not only the prescription drug law, but a series of seniors' issues as it relates to health care and also health care for the American people, from GM down to the small mom and pop business. Also make sure we have good paying jobs and stop sending jobs overseas and raising the minimum wage. Reversing all the things that the Republicans have done to Americans as it relates to higher interest rates for students and making college affordable. Also with tax deductions, and also energizing America by making sure we have investment in the Midwest versus the Middle East. And ensuring dignity as it relates to no privatization of Social Security. With that, Mr. Speaker, it was an honor addressing the House. We would like to thank the Democratic leadership for the time.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. A lot in the Ways and Means Committee. They will have about tax law, about accountability or what have you, trying to find the ways and the means of bills that come through that committee, and the Democratic Members are not even called. A conference report comes to the floor, and they have not even seen it. Not that they weren't willing to sit down with the Republican majority, saying, We want to work with you and see how we can work in a bipartisan way. They don't even get the notice for the meeting. So the meeting takes place, it comes to the floor, and the rules that are in the House rules, it smacks the theme of the rules and also the spirit of the rules and the rules, period, about the minority party's being informed about these meetings. So one thing that our leader has said: When we take control, there will be a bipartisan spirit in this House, and we will work together with the Republican minority, if the American people see to it.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Ryan, I think, and also Mrs. Tubbs Jones, I think it is important that we look at this issue of the irresponsibility of the Republican majority. They are being very irresponsible. And to say that that is fine, we will give you what you want, of course, Mr. Speaker, I think we are going to see more of that kind of action by the Republican majority to say that, oh, we are with you, even if we are running the country into the ground. We know better. We know that we have foreign countries that we are borrowing from because we can't even borrow from ourselves anymore because we have done such a bad job. We know we have raised the debt ceiling time after time after time again. Meanwhile, we come to the floor and say our policies are working. We know that there are things we should not be doing because you are working every day or you are running your business every day. You may not be paying attention to everything that is going on. Not only are we elected but we are paid to watch out for your best interest and also for future generations' best interests. And they are doing it. And I think that the paradigm shift as it relates to the American people paying attention to what they are doing in a way, from a fiscal way, I think, will take place between now and November. And so what is so unfortunate about this whole situation, Mr. Speaker, is that we are supposed to be responsible policymakers on a bipartisan basis. And that is not happening right now. That is just not happening. The American taxpayers are getting mugged, knocked down and kicked by this Republican majority and the rubber stamp, or the rubber- stamp Congress, Republican majority that is here. Now, one other thing I want to mention here, which I think is very, very important, just today, Mr. Ryan, Mrs. Tubbs Jones, we don't have to go back, Mr. Speaker, to weeks or months or 2 years ago or 3 years ago. We had a pay-as-you-go provision here. Individuals decided not to take it up. We had an opportunity to raise the minimum wage on behalf of the American taxpayers. The Republican majority rejected an opportunity to raise the minimum wage for everyday working Americans. As a matter of fact, Mr. Ryan, one of the Republican leaders said, I haven't voted in 25 years, Mr. Speaker, to raise the minimum wage. And if he would have had his way, the minimum wage would still be $3.35 versus $5.15. I am so glad that my State joined 21 other States in raising the minimum wage. Meanwhile, we are still here with chisel and hammer in hand as Neanderthals on the Republican side of the ball and saying, oh, we don't have to raise the minimum wage. We are so indebted to the special interests that we don't even want to bother them of having an American public that is able to pay the rent or pay for their house mortgage or to be able to put gas in their tank. We are so invested in the K Street Project, we are so invested in so many other things that we are willing to allow these individuals to suffer. But guess what? Those are the same individuals that are making America America. And there are millions of Americans that are there. And so what is very, very unfortunate here, Mr. Speaker, is the fact that the Republican majority is still boasting about, you know, we are in charge. We are going to continue to keep our foot on the necks of everyday Americans that are going in, punching in and punching out every day, 5 days a week, sometimes 6, because they have to work overtime; those Americans that know what it means to take a 15-minute break in the morning and a 15-minute break in the afternoon, and a solid 30 minutes of lunch, if they get that, and they better not be a minute late. Those kind of individuals, I think, are going to go to the polls this November and say, no more. They are going to go to the polls and say, we are willing to fight for the kind of accountability that we need from this government. I am so proud, Mr. Speaker, of the 30-something Working Group and the Members that come down here and the Democratic Members that file legislation on behalf of the American people, not on behalf of the Democratic Party, not even on behalf of the Democratic Caucus, not on behalf of our leadership, but on behalf of the individuals that they represent who woke up early one Tuesday morning and voted for representation in this U.S. House of Representatives, and I must add, Mr. Speaker, the only Chamber that you have to be elected to, that you can't be appointed to. All due respect to the Senate, but Senators can be appointed by Governors. If a Senator was to say, hey, you know, I have had enough. I want to go home, I want to take care of my grandkids, a Governor can appoint a Senator. But in democracy, in this Chamber, in the U.S. House, if one Member were to say, hey, I want to take care of my grandkids, I want to spend more time with my kids, they have to run for office. They have to run for office, and they have to be replaced by the people. So we have a greater responsibility. We have a greater responsibility than the White House, than the Senate or the Supreme Court, when you look at the three branches government, to the American people. The oversight, House Resolution 841, and Mr. Cardoza's legislation that calls for the calling in those administrators that are not accountable to taxpayers' dollars, these are the kind of bills that we must pass. One thing I can say, Mr. Ryan, which is so very important on our side of the ball of saying we want to take this country in a new direction, is the fact that we said we will increase the minimum wage. We will make our country more energy-independent within 10 years. We will implement the 9/11 recommendations to be able to make sure that we can fight terrorism here and make sure that local communities have what they need. These are not ``if'' or ``if we get around to it'' statements. These are statements that we said wholeheartedly that we would carry out. The last point, anybody who wants to get this information as it relates to an innovation agenda: housedemocrats.gov. Right here, this is what it looks like. You can download this information. Again, safeguarding, making sure that we have the real security here in America, our Democratic plan: housedemocrats.gov. And, again, here as it relates to the working group that we have dealing with investing in the Midwest versus the Middle East: housedemocrats.gov. Mr. Ryan said all of the charts that you see here tonight you can get on housedemocrats.gov/30something. Mr. Speaker, I do not even waste my time anymore, as a Member of this House, talking about working in a bipartisan way because the only way we can work in a bipartisan way, Mrs. Tubbs Jones, and you know because you are the most senior Member on the floor right now, is that the majority allows it to happen. The majority calls the conference committee, and this happens a lot in the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. I am talking to you, sir, Mr. Ryan.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Thank you, Mr. Tanner. We definitely appreciate your contributions. And I like this whole generational mugging piece. You are going to hear that again. That is a great one. And it is so good, Mr. Ryan, to have Members of the Ways and Means Committee here, because they hear this constantly, and the policies are passed through that committee as it relates to how we tax Americans, corporations, what have you. And to see the waste on the other side of the ball, on the government, which we are supposed to oversee, and make sure that those dollars that are being collected from the American taxpayer or the American corporation or whatever it may be, that it is spent in an appropriate way and that we are accountable for it.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. I am glad you are here to share that information, and you are 110 percent right. The U.K., $223.2 billion. The Caribbean, $115.3 billion. Taiwan and counting, $71.3 billion of our debt. Again, this is not the American taxpayer, this is what a charitable Congress has done with the President's policies. And you let some individuals tell it on the other side of the aisle, they will say we are doing great. For the first time in the history of the country, these countries have had their hands in the pockets of the American taxpayer, and having us pay with interest. Like Mrs. Jones mentioned, it is like borrowing on a credit card. OPEC nations, you are talking about Iran, Saudi Arabia, a number of the countries that many Americans have questions about, oil-producing countries, they are in on the game. Not only are we paying through the nose for petroleum, they own $67.8 billion. Germany, $65.7 billion; Korea, $66.5 billion; and Canada, just north of us, $53.8 billion. They are in on this feeding frenzy. And the reason why we have this silhouetted Continental United States and the American flag, we want to get back to this. Mr. Speaker, we are the only party here in this Chamber, including, we would add, the one Independent that actually votes with the Democrats on this side. If we want to get back to a debt-free America, then we have to go on pay-as-you-go policies, which just today, just today, just today, Mr. Tanner, just today, Mrs. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, there was a vote on this floor to move in a pay-as-you-go policy, and the Republicans voted against it. United voting against paying as you go. That means if you are going to spend the money, you have got to show where you pay for it. And still that policy is not in place. And, Mr. Tanner, I know that you have worked day in and day out. I have watched you here on this floor. I watch Mrs. Tubbs Jones in Ways and Means talking about, if we are going to do it, what are the means? How are we going to do it? And it is continuing to be placed on a credit card. We usually use old charts, but today I think it is important for us to say that just today, on this floor, Republicans continue to move in the direction, I would say the leadership, continues to move in the direction of allowing these countries to have their hands in the pockets of the American taxpayers. And it goes simultaneously with the two pieces of legislation that you have shared with the Members and the American people today, House Resolution 841, that you have offered and also Mr. Cardoza's legislation as it relates to House Resolution 5315, that talks about this kind of accountability, forcing the Congress to carry out section 1, article I of the U.S. Constitution, which is boiler plate.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Sure I would yield.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Thank you, Mr. Ryan.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Reclaiming my time, it is very interesting. And, Mr. Ryan and Mrs. Tubbs Jones, I think you hit the nail right on the head in talking about the reality of serving in this Republican majority right now, what is not only happening to the Members of this body on the minority side and the one Independent that is a part of this House, but also what is happening to the American taxpayer. And accountability is on our side. We balanced the budget. The bottom line is there wasn't a deficit. There were surpluses as far as the eye can see when the Republican majority took over. And now we find ourselves in a fiscal crisis. And I want to share this information and make sure, Mr. Speaker, that all the Members, hopefully, go back to their districts and, before they see an increase in the interest rates of student loans, to share with their constituents, and we are sharing it with our constituents, to consolidate their loans before July 1, because afterwards they are going to be paying, I believe, a 2 percent increase in interest rates and climbing, not because the companies said they want to go up on the interest rate, but because the Congress allowed these companies to go up on the interest rate, meanwhile providing more tax breaks for the superwealthy Americans that are here. So as we continue to speak, we are not here speaking into the Congressional Record, Members, just to say we want to be on the record about what is happening to America. We are saying that we are ready, set, go. We have our chinstrap buckled and our mouthpiece in. Since football season is coming up in August, let it be known that we are ready to hit the field. We are ready to hit the field on behalf of the American people; not willing hit the field on behalf of Democrats, not willing to hit the field on behalf of just children, but on behalf of all the American people. That is Republicans, Independents, Green Party. If you are not even voting, and you are so mad, and you are tired of this mess here in Washington, DC, we are doing this for you. We want to make sure that this democracy that some talk about that we are fighting in foreign lands to guarantee a democracy over there, we want to make sure that we can celebrate a democracy right here, making sure that individuals do not have to find a way out of no way, and making sure that we come up with ways that we can become energy-independent and not just running around here saying, well, we need to go to war in foreign lands to be able to attract oil when we have resources right here.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Tanner, I am pulling this information from the Heritage Foundation, which is one of the most conservative foundations in Washington, D.C., if not the leading. In fiscal year 2003, $25 billion of taxpayer money went unaccounted for according to the Department of Treasury, again a third-party validator. Basically they are saying that $25 billion can fund a full year at the Justice Department, according to the Heritage Foundation. So this is real money that is missing. Taxpayers dollars can go into funding an entire Justice Department, which has a number of employees and is charged with carrying out a great deal of responsibility on behalf of the American people.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. I know this is along the line of accountability, and I think this chart is a testimonial to the lack of accountability and the spending that has been going on in this House by the Republican majority. I think it is important when you say a charitable House of Representatives as it relates to the policies coming out of the White House, this is what happens. $1.05 trillion has been borrowed in the last 4 years, which is record-breaking in many ways, and historical in the wrong ways as it relates to what the President and the Republican majority has done. And the $0.1 trillion over 224 years borrowed from 42 Presidents, that is all they were able to muster up. World War I, World War II, a number of other conflicts, the Great Depression, still record-breaking and borrowing money in an irresponsible way. Mr. Ryan also mentioned who is buying all of this debt. I am not blaming the American taxpayers. They don't have a voting card. They have representatives up here, but they don't have a voting card. Japan has borrowed $682.8 billion of our debt and counting. They own a piece of the American apple pie, and it pains me to see these countries over the silhouette of the continental United States, but this is exactly what's happening, and this is the way we need to break it down. China, $249.8 billion of the American apple pie, not because of the American people, but because of the Republican policies.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Ms. Wasserman Schultz, we spend so much time talking about the budget, and those are great numbers that you have shared here. And I see Ranking Member Spratt here on the floor, John Spratt, who has done such an outstanding job on the budget. And as you know, I always hold this chart up about the foreign-owned debt and where we are going and what is being spent. Mr. Ryan spoke to how we are paying more on the debt than we are paying on education, veteran affairs and a couple of other areas, too, homeland security. And I saw Mr. Spratt, and I just couldn't resist, sir. I know that you were here to put in a Record statement, but can you just share, just kind of bring into focus what has happened here and what will continue to happen, if the Republican Congress continue to have their way?

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Let me say, Mr. Ryan, you were talking about leadership and Ms. Wasserman Schultz was talking about leadership. I think it is important when we look at leadership, that is not just in the White House. That is here in the U.S. House of Representatives, and it is very, very important that we have a body of Members here that have the will and the desire to lead. As you all were talking, I was pulling out a couple of examples to show you a lack of leadership. Remember the Wizard of Oz when they said let it be green and let it be red and let it be blue, and that is fine for a movie; but that is not fine for the United States of America as it relates to policy in any area. Let's start off at the top of the week when the White House said let's talk about the great things that are happening in Iraq or not happening in Iraq. It seems to be just the opposite at the end of the week of what is not happening in Iraq and what is happening in Iraq. But the bigger question is what is happening here in this House. We spent all kind of time running back and forth into last week, Members coming down to the floor making speeches, getting all puffy in the chest and talking and carrying on about who loves the troops and who doesn't love the troops. No, I love them more than you do. I have a tattoo, you know, that said I love the troops. It is not all about how you say it. It's what you do. And the bottom line is, Mr. Speaker, nothing came out of the resolution that was passed. I mean, it is not like the resolution was passed and all of a sudden some great policy measure, some sort of major dollars going into veteran affairs or some direction to the Iraqi Government of how we really, where we really stand as it relates to it and relates to the war in Iraq. And I think it is important that, some of the things that I wrote down, Mr. Speaker is, following the Bush administration, and its rubber-stamp Congress has allowed the Bush administration to continue to carry out poor planning as it relates to the war in Iraq. Also, no plan for success. It is okay not to have a plan. Because we are in the majority, we are going to write a resolution that we are not going to even allow a Democrat to even put a period or a comma in, and because we are in the majority, we are going to endorse it, no oversight whatsoever from the U.S. House of Representatives. No oversight, Mr. Speaker. No accountability, no investigations of what is going on with the taxpayers' money that has been stolen in record numbers, no-bid contracts, $17 billion for Halliburton alone. The Democrats, what do we want? We want accountability. We want to make sure that 2006 is a significant year as it relates to transition and plan for Iraq. We want to make sure that the Iraqi people know that they are going to have to take responsibility for their government more sooner than later. And as long as we start saying we are going to stay as long as we are going to stay, they are going to keep saying it is going to take us as long as it is going to take us. It is in the U.S. taxpayers' pocket, and the American troops that are there will continue to pay the price with life, limb and blood and time away from their families as long as the Republican rubber-stamp Congress continues to rubber-stamp whatever the White House has said. Another point I wanted to make here. Some troops are on their fourth deployment. What does that mean if you are a soldier? That means you are going back for the fourth time. And it may be 12, 15 months. If you are a marine, many of the marines are definitely on their fourth deployment. A little shorter time, tougher duty, and it goes on and on and on. Recruiting standards have been loosened. The National Guard units have just 34 percent of the required equipment that they need once they go back into the theater. And that is something that we have to pay very close attention to. And the last point here as it relates to the no plan and the continue to throw the rock and hide your hand philosophy that this Republican Congress has is the fact that veterans' copayments are going up as it relates to prescription drug care. No plan for veterans when they come back with all of the issues that they are going to come back with to their families. We deserve to give them the attention that they need, and there is no plan for that. So to come and do the John Wayne, if I could use his name as a tough guy, and to say that, oh, we are going to do this, and using slogans about how we need to, people, anyone that talks about anything about Iraq outside of I am with the President, they are not really with the American people. Well, let me tell you something. I want a news flash to the members of the Republican side of the aisle. The American people are not feeling your rhetoric. And I think we will know in November about where we are because the American people are looking, Mr. Ryan and Ms. Wasserman Schultz, for some leadership. I think on the Republican side of the aisle, some folks need to go see the wizard, get some courage and some leadership, and to be able to say we are willing to work in a bipartisan way. I say this with great confidence because a lot of my Republican colleagues know it, and a lot of them tell me. You know, they say, Kendrick, you know, you 30- somethings, you come kind of hard sometimes, but you know something, I can't get upset with you because it is true. Third-party validators know that it is true. I am sick and tired of seeing these parents get on the Today Show in the morning, Mr. Speaker, and trying to bring some sort of understanding in their own mind of why we are there without a plan, and why are we sacrificing our troops on the front line when it is now taking, going on 3, 4 years to train Iraqi troops, when we have had individuals that were in sophomores in high school that have been trained and sent into theater and now on their second deployment. It is just kind of hard to explain that for Mr. Ryan and I that are on the Armed Services Committee. It is just hard to understand that, Ms. Wasserman Schultz. So this game of saying that we are going to stay as long as we have to stay, don't ask any questions, I think those days are over. I think the American discourse is going to take over what this House has not done, and I know that they are going to speak in a very positive way towards the party that has the plan. Now, we have plans and ideas on the table here in the House and in the Senate. But guess what? We are at least talking about a plan, Ms. Wasserman Schultz. We are just not saying, oh, excuse me. What did they say at the White House? Oh, they want to continue a war without a plan? Okay. That is fine. We will just rubber-stamp that. And what else can we do for the President? So shall it be written, so shall it be done, at the price of the American taxpayer and the price of some families as it relates to never seeing their father or mother again. So I think it is something that is very serious. I am making fun of the fact that there is a rubber-stamp Congress here, but I have to say, ladies and gentlemen, that it is a reality. It is a reality. No questions asked. Rubber stamp. And I hope that the American people pay very close attention to it. So I am glad that the Democratic Caucus has put their foot down and have said that enough is enough. You won't hear me talk about why can't we work in a bipartisan way, because we have been saying it since I have been here going on now 4 years, Mr. Speaker. So the will and the desire is not on the Republican side to even work with the Democrats. So now you have to move in the campaign that we have now and moving this country in a new direction, and that new direction is going to be inclusion. We are going to include Republicans in a bipartisan way, and moving this country and all the things that we talked about, Ms. Wasserman Schultz talked about, Mr. Ryan is talking about, and when folks can go on housedemocrats.gov and find our plan in moving this country in a new direction. We have the will and the desire, and we will definitely do it. With that I would like to yield to Mr. Ryan.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Spratt, I am so glad that you are here because here I hold a letter that former Secretary Snow wrote you about the emergency situation we are in of raising the debt ceiling. Again, Mr. Speaker, third-party validators. U.S. Secretary Snow, who is like the accountant, or used to be the accountant, of the United States of America, literally begging you, wrote you a letter and said, We have to raise this thing or I am going to have to shut down normal government operations.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Ms. Wasserman Schultz wore the colors. I am not wearing the beads that I was wearing. We were down 0-2. I put the beads on and the Heat just went four games all the way.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. That letter was in February. And then there is another one, Mr. Speaker, on March 6 that he wrote, again saying that we have to raise the debt ceiling. So we have the Bush administration appointees. I use these rubber stamps here, Mr. Spratt, as the rubber stamp Congress that we put here. So this wasn't a part of the letter, but we highlight here the begging, saying that they will not be able to pay into the G fund and other investments that they have to pay into to be able to assist. It is saying they are going to have to suspend investing in the Federal employees retirement fund. So, Mr. Spratt, I just wanted to bring that out, a third-party validator's saying that they have to raise the debt ceiling. But we spend a lot of time here, sir, as you know, in the 30-Something Working Group because we are working with the fact that young Americans and the future generations, what this is going to mean and what it is meaning right now to American families. And we also highlight the two amendments. This is almost like having the man that has made it happen here on our side of the aisle trying to move into a pay-as-you-go to stop exactly what you are pointing out there, sir.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Thank you, Mr. Spratt. I yield now to Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am trying to be as calm as possible.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Well, I am pleased because the Miami Heat has taken care of business in four games straight. There is going to be a great parade in Miami celebrating the Miami Heat's achievement of achieving the NBA championship, and that team consists of a lot of young guys and older guys that have really worked hard. I would just like to say this is the first time I have given the Dallas Mavericks any charitable words since I have been here on the floor and in this building, that they played hard. It was a great series and I appreciate the folks that are in Dallas, Texas, for their sportsmanship and the fans. But in Miami, we are very, very excited about it.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Let me just say this, I am saying that this whole thing is about sportsmanship and be able to enjoy and have a good time. It is a great lesson for young people about mental mistakes that people can make. Life is like basketball, things happen and you have to adjust to those things. Folks were thinking I was going to talk for 30 minutes about the Miami Heat, but I don't want to waste the House time dealing with that, and they will be recognized later on. So we will move on.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Fifty years.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to come before the House once again and the 30-Something Working Group, as you know and the Members know, we come to the floor day after day to share with the Members what we are doing right and what we are doing wrong. So many times we focus on this side of the aisle on the plans that we have here on the Democratic side of the aisle in helping Americans to continue to prosper, need it be they are in small business or they wake up and go to work every day, educating our children, making sure that we have a healthy and prosperous and safe America. Before I get started, I know Mr. Ryan will be joining me momentarily, Mr. Speaker. I just want to share with the Members a few plans that we have on this side of the aisle that we would like to implement. The only thing that is stopping us from bringing these plans to the floor and implementing action, well, we are moving in the right direction with great force, is the fact that we are not the majority here, Mr. Speaker, to be able to bring these issues to the floor. As you know, in the past, I have talked about energy. I encourage Members to go to housedemocrats.gov to pick up a copy of our energy agenda, talking about alternative fuel, talking about bringing about flex vehicles in the industry to be able to allow more Americans to purchase vehicles that are flex vehicles that they can use E-85 and gasoline. Real security plan, it is there dealing with homeland security. We have already said on this side of the aisle if we are in the majority that we would implement all of the 9/11 recommendations to make America safer. This is a bipartisan commission, as the Members know, that was appointed, and this House was part of it, and they did outstanding work. Those recommendations have still not been fully implemented to protect America. We have our initiative that we have been trying to promote for the last 3 to 4 months in a very forceful way, which is allowing working Americans to be able to earn more money. It has been 9 years, Mr. Speaker, since the American people have received an increase as it relates to the minimum wage. It is very, very unfortunate that we have Americans that are working for $5.15 an hour. The minimum wage has been the same since 1997, which is now approaching 10 years. As you know, many Americans have suffered under the low minimum wage that we have now, that is throughout for individuals that are working every day, and I have a few facts here. Of the last 50-years, I mean, this is the lowest it has been in the last 50 years. Also, 6.6 million Americans will benefit from an increase in the minimum wage, and something that I must add, the Republican leadership has said that they vow not to raise the minimum wage again this year or next year. So I think that is something that the American people need to pay very close attention to. Three-quarters of the minimum wage workers are adults that are over the age of 20, many of whom are responsible for over half of the family's income. One day of work, it takes an entire day's wage for an earner to buy a tank of gas. Also, studies have shown, Mr. Speaker, that zero jobs have been lost when the minimum wage has been increased. Eighty-six percent of Americans do support an increase in the minimum wage. Twenty-one States have moved in the direction of increasing the minimum wage. I do not know what is going on here with the Republican majority in not moving in that direction to allow more American people to have money in their pocket to be able to provide for their families. We have talked many times on this floor in the 30-Something Working Group about the new weight that has been placed on the heads of the American people as they start to send their young people to college. Just yesterday we had a town hall meeting downstairs in this building, in HC5 here in the Capitol Building, with some young people who are third-party validators with the student loans they have out now, Mr. Speaker. And this is very serious, because now people are starting to prepare their young people to go off to college in the month of August and late July, many of whom are now having to take out these student loans at a very high interest rate. They are going to end up paying almost $100 more a month in interest to pay for their college, and I think that is something we need to pay very close attention to. It is very unfortunate that on the majority side, Mr. Speaker, on the Republican side, all due respect to all the innovation that one tries to come up with on the other side of the aisle, it is costing the American people more, and it is putting our young people in debt in this country even before they can grab their college degree and earn a living. They are already, on average, somewhere around $25,000 or $30,000 in debt when they step across the stage. That is very, very unfortunate. We cut student aid here. We increase student loan rates here. The States in turn have to cut, and the cost of college is increased. It increases on these individuals. It is an increase on these individuals. I think it is also important, Mr. Speaker, for us to talk about the fact that we have the will and the desire on this side of the aisle to move America in the right direction. I talked about this last week, Mr. Speaker, and I think it is very, very important to bring this up here again today; that we are willing to move this country in the right direction, in a new direction, making sure that Americans have more opportunities. I think it is important for us to point out the fact that on this side of the aisle we have committed again to raising the minimum wage. We have committed to helping this country become energy independent, investing in the Midwest versus the Middle East within 10 years. We have also committed on this side of the aisle, I mentioned it earlier, to implementing all of the 9/11 recommendations. But one of our major commitments on this side, Mr. Speaker, and also to the American people, is that we have said that we are willing to bring this budget back into balance within a reasonable time; not that we are going to cut the deficit in half, or we are going to balance the budget, but we are going to be able to bring us out of this deficit spending that the Republican majority has led us into with record deficits as far as the eye can see. We have the resume. On our resume we have the accomplishment of being able to do that. We have accomplished that before in the past, Mr. Speaker, and I think it is something that one needs to pay very close attention to. When we say a commitment to making sure our fiscal house is in order, it is not a slogan. It is not something that someone says, well, the polls say you need to say you are going to bring spending under control. We have actually attempted to do that. You have seen this chart before. We can't talk about it enough, because the facts are in. Regardless of the floor speeches that may go on on the Republican side of the aisle, I think it is important for us to outline the fact that we have put our legislation where our mouths are. We have said that we want to see this House say that if you are going to spend, then spend in a way that almost every American family has to spend. If you are going to buy something, you have to know how you are going to pay for it. You can't put everything on a credit card. And what is unfortunate is that we have allowed other countries to be a part of our country financially not because the American people have made a bad decision, but it is because the majority and the White House have made some bad decisions. Here I have, Mr. Speaker, a PAYGO rule that on this side we have adopted; that we are willing to pay as we go. If you are going to buy it, you have to show how you are going to pay for it. It is not that you spend or you buy and then you borrow. John Spratt, who is the ranking member on the Budget Committee, on the 2006 budget resolution, and this is the Congressional Record, this is not something the 30-something Working Group put together, this is rollcall vote 87, March 17 of 2005. Republicans voted 228 against this pay-as-you-go amendment that we put forward. Again, Mr. Spratt and the ranking member's substitute amendment to House Concurrent Resolution 393, this is also rollcall vote number 91, March 25, 2004, 224 Republicans voting against pay-as-you-go on a rule we tried to put in place. When I say try, Mr. Speaker, that is all we can do at this particular point because until Democrats are in the majority, we are not going to be able to put this country into the fiscal position it should be in. Once again, Mr. Speaker, and I do say once again, I pull my chart out. This is almost my exhibit A here. Third-party validator. And the source that has given us this information happens to be the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Here we show that 42 Presidents over 224 years were only able to borrow from foreign nations, and this is money that the United States has borrowed from foreign nations in 224 years and 42 Presidents, $1.01 trillion. Through World War I, World War II, the Great Depression, a number of other conflicts, slowdowns in the economy, and other issues that have faced this country, 42 Presidents have only borrowed $1.01 trillion. In 4 years, 4 years with President Bush, $1.05 trillion with the Republican Congress. Just in 4 years, Mr. Speaker. If someone came to me and said, Kendrick, you have to throw all the charts out but one, if you just wanted one chart, this would be the one that I would pick, Mr. Speaker, because I think it reveals what has happened here in this House, how it has been so easy for the Republican majority to put runaway spending on a credit card and allowed foreign countries to be able to own a part of the American apple pie. What is so very, very unfortunate here, as all of this borrowing has taken place, you would think that student loans would have a lower interest rate, you would think that alternative fuels would have an opportunity to be a part of the marketplace, and that we would be moving towards more cleaner-burning fuel. You would think that we would have a world-class health care system, and that companies as big as General Motors and as small as a mom-and-pop store that has five or six employees in it would be able to provide health care for their employees, and you would also think, Mr. Speaker, that a number of States would not be suing the Federal Government because of the underfunding of the Leave No Child Behind with all of the money that has been borrowed from foreign nations. But what has happened is that the superwealthy in this country have gotten the biggest tax cut in the history of the Republic. What has also happened is that Republicans have been allowed to spend in record- breaking, I mean, just off the charts. For Republicans to come down here and blame Democrats for spending--I mean, really, I know it is kind of hard for them to keep eye contact with someone like me and those of us in the 30-something Group who knows better, who know what the facts show, that $1.05 trillion has been borrowed from foreign countries. They are weakening our country as they start to move and allow these other countries to be able to own so much of the American apple pie. And I will close with this before I yield to Ms. Wasserman Schultz, who came in before Mr. Ryan. I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, for us to look at it from this standpoint; that if you borrow money from someone, the relationship has changed. I heard someone from the White House say this morning on the Today Show we are the last standing superpower. Okay, well, you must be talking about militarily, because financially we are getting weaker every day under this administration's policy and the rubber-stamping of this Republican Congress. I think it is important that everyone understands that we have borrowed money from countries that we have never borrowed money from before in a record-breaking way. The Republican majority has done so without our help, but because they are in the majority, that has happened, and now they are looking at us under a different light. We still have budgets that are being passed here on this floor that is going to even make the American people more indebted to foreign nations, some that we have questions of their links to possible terrorism and other questionable measures. With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield to Ms. Wasserman Schultz.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the memory and extraordinary life of Lt. Col. Albert McCoy of North Miami, Florida, who passed away on February 5, 2006. By any standard, Lieutenant Colonel McCoy was a man of diverse interests and noteworthy achievements. In a sense, he was destined to serve his country in the armed services. A native New Englander and graduate of Springfield College, family lore places his ancestors at the Battle of Bennington, fighting for American independence during the Revolutionary War. He continued the family tradition and served his country in the Army during World War II and the Korean war--rising in rank as his abilities were recognized in an active and reserve military career that spanned 43 years. Even after he left the military, his fellow veterans continued to be an important part of his life. He served for three decades in the United States Guard of Honor, rendering military honors at the funerals of fellow military men and women. But despite his distinguished and lengthy military service, Lieutenant Colonel McCoy cannot be remembered solely as a military officer. In 1957, he and a partner opened a real estate business so successful that it eventually grew to include a staff of almost 50 people. He became a university professor, teaching at the University of Florida; at the University of Miami, where he had earlier pursued his graduate studies; at what is now Miami-Dade College; and at Broward Community College. A literate man of letters who enjoyed reading and writing, several of his articles were published, and he even began writing an extensive book on another of his great interests, travel. Lt. Col. Albert McCoy was interred at Arlington National Cemetery, a fitting resting place of honor for one who performed his duty so well and devoted so much of his life to our nation and to our community. His passing is a tremendous loss, and my heart goes out to his wife Nancy, his two daughters, Lorena and Nanette, and all of his many family and friends.