Ed Perlmutter

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. I thank my friend from California and Ms. Sutton from Ohio. And as they've said, the best way to pay the debt that this Nation has incurred is for people to work. All of a sudden you've got revenue coming in, and you don't have to pay unemployment, you don't have to pay a lot of Medicaid, you don't have to pay COBRA and all these other things. You have revenue coming in and less expense going out. One of the things about this Nation is that it has always provided to those people who really are prepared to work, who are prepared to play by the rules, who take responsibility for their lives and the lives of their family members, a chance to get ahead. That's what America has meant to millions and millions and millions of people throughout our history. And one of the reasons this country was able to provide that kind of a setting for all of us is because 235 years ago or so, this Nation went through a war. And after that war, the States banded together and said, you know what, we as a country will pay the debts of our Revolutionary War. And this young Nation paid its debts and became a strong Nation overnight because it paid its bills. And so for 235 years now we've been paying our bills. You bet. And that's why we have had the strongest credit, the full faith and credit of the United States of America for two centuries. My friends on the Republican side of the aisle, for the last 3 months or more, have been putting that credit at risk. And I'd like to say there was a real reason for them to do that, but there is no reason. When you have incurred a bill, you pay that bill. You don't say, you know what, we're not going to pay the bill unless some things happen in the future. You pay the bill, and you deal with the future separately. But not in this Congress, not with this Republican leadership. They tie it all together and say if we don't get our way, we're not going to pay our bills. Well, baloney, that isn't how it works. And so what we've got to do is come together. The President has proposed a balanced approach to getting this country's fiscal house in order. Now, let's not forget how we got here. Ten years ago, we had a surplus; revenues exceeded expenses. So in these last 10 years we had two big tax cuts--that's a couple trillion dollars under George Bush. We had a couple big wars, which instead of everybody being patriotic and really assisting the country, we would borrow and do it on a credit card--that's a couple trillion dollars. And then we had a crash on Wall Street--another $2 trillion or $3 trillion. That's where the debt came from. Now, I can lay the blame at the feet of the Republican leadership and administration, but we are where we are and we've got to deal with it. And it's got to be done in a balanced way, both the revenue side of the ledger and the expense side of the ledger. If our goal is to pay down the debt, you need more revenue and you need less expense. And it's both sides. And you can't just say we're going to cut, cut, cut. We're going to take it out of Medicare, we're going to privatize Social Security. We're going to eliminate early childhood education. You've got to deal with the expenses, and we know that; but you've got to have revenue. In this instance, the Republicans say, you know what, we're not going to have additional taxes for millionaires and billionaires and some corporations with loopholes, no, that's off limits. But we are going to go after Medicare, we are going to go after Social Security, we are going to go after early childhood education. That's just not right, and this country knows it. Every American knows that, so we have to get busy, ladies and gentlemen, because we have work to do. If we are going to restore the American Dream, we have a lot of work to do. And that is what Democrats are going to do. We have a lot of work to do, and it is time to get busy.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I think we've got to go back 10 years and just talk about where we were at that time. Under Bill Clinton, this country had a surplus. Revenues exceeded expenses. Things were going along great. We were adding jobs by the millions. Then we have a Republican administration. Two tax cuts, couple trillion dollars, lower revenue. Two wars, couple trillion dollars, more expense. A crash on Wall Street, $3 trillion in expense to this country. That's where this expense comes from. That's why we have bills to pay. We had a tough 10 years, most of it under Republican administration. We've got to pay those bills. But the Republican leadership has brought us to the brink of default--something the United States has had full faith and credit for 235 years and they want to bring that right to the brink of default. Ladies and gentlemen, we are better than that. We have a responsibility. We can't live in turmoil. We need to rebuild the American Dream for people who want a shot at getting ahead in this life, not this brinksmanship. This is a bad bill and must be defeated.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I am from Colorado, and in Colorado, just like all across the country, Americans believe that if they work hard, if they play by the rules, if they're responsible in how they conduct their lives, they're going to get ahead. Well, it's been very tough here recently. We've had a downturn. We have all this uncertainty because of, I believe, Republican brinksmanship to either shut down the government or maybe shut down the economy. People want to get ahead. They want to know that this country will continue to innovate, educate, and rebuild itself so that we have good, long-lasting jobs that provide for our families. That's what Democrats stand for. We don't stand for all this brinksmanship every day. Are we going to have a government or are we not? Are we going to have an economy or are we not? That's got to change. We have got to get back to rebuilding the American Dream.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. I know time is short, but in Colorado, we are very fortunate to have the National Renewable Energy Lab which is the finest lab of its kind anywhere in the world to help us develop ways to better use our energy. A gallon saved is a gallon earned, you know that kind of thing, but focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy, solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, those are new jobs. And to be more efficient with traditional energy sources, to be smarter about how we use them and how we extract them. This is about restoring the American Dream for people, that they have good jobs, a good education, dignified and healthy lives of seniors. That's what we want to restore for America, not all of this gloom and doom and all that we're hearing and cuts. This is about restoring the American Dream, and we can do this.

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Thank you, Mr. Garamendi. I think you all have been focused on the real issue in front of us. We have some budget issues, but the best way to handle our debt is to put people back to work. The quickest way to reduce the debt or the deficit is to put people back to work. All of a sudden you have revenue coming in, and you don't have to pay unemployment and COBRA and you don't have to pay so much Medicaid. That's the first order of business. Plus, it really makes people feel valuable. Anybody knows that a job gives you dignity. That's what you're looking for, a good job to care for your families and provide for the future. That's what we have to do here. And Democrats, our formula is innovate, educate, rebuild our infrastructure, equals jobs, equals good jobs that are long lasting that people can rely on and they can work and feel good about their lives and the future for their family. Now, one of the things that we have said as Democrats is if we make it in America, we will make it in America. Instead of sending jobs overseas, let's have them here. We have the finest people in the world, some of the most talented and skilled people anywhere, and we need to be making things in this country. In Colorado, for instance, one of the places where we can see these jobs is in our energy sector, both in traditional energy, oil and gas development, but also in new energy--energy efficiency, renewable energy, solar, wind, biomass, new jobs, good jobs. And so all this budget talk, all of this balanced budget stuff that I think does real damage to the Constitution, that should be going to the side. We have to focus on putting people back to work with good jobs that last a long time.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Cori Morton for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Cori Morton is a 12th grader at Warren Tech North and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Cori Morton is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Cori Morton for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all her future accomplishments.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Daisy Esquivel for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Daisy Esquivel is a 12th grader at Jefferson Senior High and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Daisy Esquivel is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Daisy Esquivel for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all her future accomplishments.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Cicali Vannoy for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Cicali Vannoy is a 7th grader at Drake Middle School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Cicali Vannoy is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Cicali Vannoy for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all her future accomplishments.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Chloe Harrison for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Chloe Harrison is a 8th grader at Moore Middle School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Chloe Harrison is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Chloe Harrison for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all her future accomplishments.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Damien Salimbeni for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Damien Salimbeni is a 12th grader at Arvada High School and received this award because his determination and hard work have allowed him to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Damien Salimbeni is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Damien Salimbeni for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt he will exhibit the same dedication and character in all his future accomplishments.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Darya Redzko for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Darya Redzko is a 7th grader at Oberon Middle School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Darya Redzko is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Darya Redzko for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all her future accomplishments.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Courtney Jones for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Courtney Jones is a 12th grader at Warren Tech North and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Courtney Jones is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Courtney Jones for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all her future accomplishments.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Cassandra Garcia for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Cassandra Garcia is a 8th grader at Mandalay Middle School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Cassandra Garcia is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Cassandra Garcia for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all her future accomplishments.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Dante Bellamy for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Dante Bellamy is a 7th grader at Drake Middle School and received this award because his determination and hard work have allowed him to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Dante Bellamy is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Dante Bellamy for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt he will exhibit the same dedication and character in all his future accomplishments.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Cody Grubbs for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Cody Grubbs is a 8th grader at Oberon Middle School and received this award because his determination and hard work have allowed him to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Cody Grubbs is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Cody Grubbs for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt he will exhibit the same dedication and character in all his future accomplishments.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Madam Speaker, the best way to deal with this country's debt is to put people back to work. We've heard it from both sides of the aisle. At the end of Bill Clinton's administration, this country had a surplus. Revenues exceeded expenses. There was job growth: 23 million people. But then, with George Bush, we lost 8 million jobs. We went into a huge deficit. The best way to deal with that is to put people back to work. The President does have a plan, and we Democrats have a plan: innovate, educate and manufacture. Make it here in America. We will put people back to work. Folks need to be able to realize the American Dream again, and that's what we are going to fight for every single day. We want to put people back to work. That will help take care of the debt.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, listening to some of the Republicans that were speaking here earlier today, they want to blame Medicare, early childhood education, grants to firefighters for the debt that we have when everybody knows that at the end of the Clinton administration, this country was running a surplus. Then we had Bush tax cuts; that's about a trillion dollars. Then we have a couple wars; that's a trillion dollars. Then there is a collapse on Wall Street under the Bush administration. That's $2 trillion. That will turn anybody's budget upside down. But the Republicans want to take it out of Medicare. They want to dismantle Medicare. They have never liked Medicare to begin with because it really works for middle America, for our seniors. We can't let that happen. We cannot allow them to dismantle Medicare just because of these other things. They want to protect millionaires, billionaires and oil companies. We are not going to let them do that.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, first I want to echo the words of my colleague from Colorado, Mike Coffman, in expressing our sympathies to the families of Corporal Kirton from Centennial, Colorado, who died this past week in combat. That is a loss to Colorado, that is a loss to the Nation, and we just express our sympathies. I want to really turn to a big issue at hand, and that is over the last 10 years starting with Bill Clinton, we had a surplus, revenues exceeded expenses. But after the Bush tax cuts, which cost a trillion dollars or more, two wars which cost a trillion dollars or more and collapse of Wall Street a couple trillion dollars, that budget surplus was turned upside down. But instead of focusing on the tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires or tax cuts for the oil companies, the Republicans want to take money out of Medicare to try to get the budget right. Well, that's just going the wrong direction. Under the Republican budget even $100 a barrel, we are going to maintain those tax cuts for oil companies? Instead we're going to stop programs under Medicare? That's just wrong. Medicare is a program that has worked for this country for a long time, and I want to see it remain in place.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Madam Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Reclaiming my time, I would say to my friend from Georgia, do you know what? If those tax benefits are taken away at $100 a barrel, we can put them into Medicare. We can use them to balance the budget. But I heard my other friend from Georgia say, well, this is what's causing the bankruptcy. That is just not true. This country was running a surplus, for goodness sake, and Americans understand that. They know what got us into trouble financially, and it wasn't Medicare. So now to take it out of Medicare and just take it out of our senior citizens where a program is actually working, the goal of that program is so Americans could live longer, healthier lives in their senior years. It's working. But no, let's go blame that instead of the tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. Let's forget about those wars and the cost to the country, and let's forget about the fact that we had a crash on Wall Street. My friends on the Republican side of the aisle say: Hey, this is a perfect time to go after Medicare. We didn't like it before, we still don't like it; let's get it. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PERLMUTTER. I yield to the gentleman from Georgia.

Mr. PERLMUTTER. I just say to my friend from Georgia, who really is my friend, that this isn't about demagoguery, sir. And what I would say, Madam Chair, the issue before us is: What got our country into a financial pickle? The Republicans want to pick on Medicare, but Americans know. I had a Government in the Grocery this weekend, and an older gentleman came up to me. He said, Why is there such a focus on Medicare, something that has been working for 50 years? It's helping seniors have healthier, longer lives. What's the big deal? He said that 10 years ago this country was running a surplus, running a surplus, revenues exceeded expenses. Under Bill Clinton, revenues were exceeding expenses. But then there was a decision under the Bush administration to cut taxes. Okay. If revenues are exceeding expenses, then maybe that's okay. That cost us $1 trillion over the next 10 years. Then came the decision to prosecute two wars. He said to me that two wars cost us about $1 trillion, too, didn't it, Mr. Congressman? I said, Yeah. He said, Okay. Medicare 10 years ago was fine, revenues exceed expenses. Now we've got tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, $1 trillion dollars; two wars, $1 trillion; and then there was this big crash on Wall Street where we lost revenues and we had bigger expenses. That was a couple trillion dollars, wasn't it, sir? I said, Yeah, that's about right. And he said, So why--that turned our budget upside down. So now why are we focusing on Medicare? Why blame Medicare for $4 trillion of losses to the United States? It wasn't Medicare that is harming the financial success of this country. So why all the blame when this program really has been working for seniors for so long? So I would say to my friends on the Republican side of the aisle, this is a program that my friends haven't liked since its inception. This is a program that Republicans haven't liked from its inception. So to turn the target into Medicare and not say to have tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, that that should be part of the whole equation of balancing our budget, or taking away the incentives and all of the tax benefits for oil companies at $100 a barrel but say, no, we're going to focus on Medicare, in my opinion, that's just wrong.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Bailey Archer for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Bailey Archer is a 8th grader at Mandalay Middle School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Bailey Archer is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Bailey Archer for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all her future accomplishments.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Carmen Ortiz for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Carmen Ortiz is a 12th grader at Jefferson Senior High and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Carmen Ortiz is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Carmen Ortiz for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all her future accomplishments.

Mr. PERLMUTTER

Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Breanna Andrews for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. Breanna Andrews is an 8th grader at Mandalay Middle School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities. The dedication demonstrated by Breanna Andrews is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. I extend my deepest congratulations to Breanna Andrews for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all her future accomplishments.