Hal Rogers

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the chairman of the MilCon and VA Subcommittee on Appropriations, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson).

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the gentleman's motion to recommit.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. If I understand the gentleman's motion correctly, it would, for a 2-week period, attempt to change the Tax Code to single out resource companies and increase their costs of doing business. This misguided policy can only lead to higher energy prices, continued reliance on foreign oil, and economic hardship that hampers job creation. At a time when gasoline is currently approaching $4 a gallon around the country and when our resources are being threatened by the instability in the Middle East, we should be encouraging domestic energy production--not cutting it down. We're talking about a 2-week continuing resolution to keep the government running past Friday, reduce spending, and avoid a government shutdown. This is neither the time nor the place to inject an unrelated job-crushing, controversial rider to the CR that will absolutely hinder its chance of passing in the Senate before this Friday when the current CR expires. I urge defeat of this ill-advised motion. I now yield to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), chairman of the Interior Subcommittee Appropriations.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chair, pursuant to section 8119 of Division A of H.R. 1 as passed the House on February 18, 2011 Chairman Rogers submits the following explanatory statement: reprogramming guidance For fiscal year 2011, the Department of Defense is directed to adhere to the definition of Program, Project and Activity, and to follow the guidance for Congressional Special Interest Items, Reprogrammings, Reprogramming Reporting Requirements, and Funding Increases, as specified in the Explanatory Statement, Division A, Department of Defense Appropriations Act Fiscal Year 2010, Public Law 111-118. classified annex A classified annex accompanying this Act will be forwarded under separate cover. (Rescissions) Language is included that rescinds $1,113,536,000 from the following programs: 2009 Appropriations: Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army: Future Combat Systems...................................$86,300,000 Other Procurement, Army: Armored Security Vehicles................................55,000,000 Force XXII Battle Command Brigade and Below..............30,600,000 Semi-trailers, Flatbed...................................62,000,000 Aircraft Procurement, Navy:

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I withdraw my reservation.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, it is time to vote.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I reserve a point of order on the gentleman's motion.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I thank the gentleman for his comment. Mr. Chairman, let us work. Give us the jobs. Give us the jobs. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I want to congratulate the gentleman. This amendment is well-deserved, and it's exactly the right thing to do. I appreciate the gentleman taking up the fight to save the jobs in Appalachia--in Virginia and Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, and the other States where coal is mined. This administration declared war on coal when they took office and they're trying to carry it out. I appreciate the gentleman carrying the fight.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Chair, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that during further consideration of H.R. 1 in the Committee of the Whole pursuant to House Resolution 92 and the order of the House of February 17, 2011, it shall be in order for the chair or ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations to offer amendments en bloc consisting of amendments specified in the order of the House of February 17 not earlier disposed of, and that amendments so offered shall be debatable for 10 minutes equally divided and controlled by said chair and ranking minority member, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. The gentleman is correct.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I object.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the amendments.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I want to thank the gentleman for bringing this amendment forward. I think it's very worthwhile and I support him, and I appreciate him bringing the amendment forward.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Is this an across-the-board cut of the other agencies?

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I yield to the gentleman from Utah.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. But it's across the board?

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I'm in strong opposition to across-the-board cuts. We were elected to make choices. And on this bill we've made our choices, and we think we've done a fairly decent job of spreading the pain across the board. But to have an across-the-board cut would mean putting our decisionmaking on automatic pilot, refusing to make decisions. And that's what we were elected to do. So I oppose the gentleman's amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, we in this bill made it a point of being very careful about the cuts to the DOD and Homeland Security. We think it's the reasonable approach that's in the base bill. We do not need this type of a heavy, deep cut in the defense of the country here and abroad. So I oppose the amendment.