Tom Reed

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to remind my colleagues from the other side of the aisle that the budget that they so referenced went through an open process. It was subject to debate. It was amended in this Chamber and passed by this body. And if they are so disinclined to approve that budget or stand with that budget, I would ask them to reach out to their colleagues in the opposing Chamber over in the Senate who have not passed a budget for the last 762 days and take the matter up with them. At this point in time, Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan), chairman of the Budget Committee.

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, before I yield to the gentleman from New York, I would just like to make it clear that in our House-passed budget, on page 58, lines 8 and 9, it is clearly articulated there that current Medicare benefits are preserved for those in and near retirement without changes. I would also note for the record, to clarify and make sure the record is very clear, that the budget that we are talking about is not going to be presented to the President and enacted into law. What we are talking about here is nothing about ending Medicare as we know it. At this point in time, I yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the chairman, Mr. King from New York.

Mr. REED. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REED. House Resolution 287 provides for an open rule for consideration of H.R. 2017. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 287, to provide the rule for H.R. 2017, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2012. I am proud to be managing this rule, the first truly open rule since July 31, 2007, an Agriculture appropriations bill in the 110th Congress. The 112th Congress has made it clear that it supports an open process, and this rule exemplifies this initiative. For 119 Members of the 112th Congress, this is their first experience with an open rule, including six members of the Rules Committee. I am proud to be part of this body and this conference that is engaged in this transparency in government and this open process. Throughout the entire 111th Congress, only 810 amendments were considered. Only 6 months into this, the 112th Congress, 437 amendments have been considered. The leadership of this Congress is directly listening to the American people and their call for an open and transparent process. In addition, this bill also follows the promise that we have made to the American people in that it does not include any earmarks either in the underlying bill or in the conference report. This commitment is what Americans desire and deserve, and this will continue the process in this Congress that we have committed ourselves to the American people to do. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, for the purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he my consume to the chairman of the Rules Committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier). (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I will note that each of the comments that have been offered from the other side are not relevant to the point of order. Yet, in response to the comments that have been tendered by my colleagues from the other side of the aisle, I would say that Republicans are not here to destroy Medicare. They are here to save Medicare. We have put forth a responsible plan that has been openly and continuously debated in the public forum and in this Chamber about how we're going to move forward with the problem that we have in Medicare. It is a problem we cannot deny. Both sides of the aisle know that Medicare is on a path to bankruptcy. We have put forth a plan. We have put forth a plan that guarantees that we can deal with the problem in such a way that those who are on Medicare are not impacted and that those within a generation of retiring into Medicare are not impacted. Yet we're villainized by the other side for allegedly throwing grandma off the cliff--for taking away Medicare. That is not being honest with the American public. We will be honest with the American public. We recognize the problem in Medicare. We put forth a plan. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have not put forth a plan to deal with the problem. They want to engage in electioneering, politicking, and looking at the reelection efforts for 2012. Well, we are here as members of this caucus and as Members of this body to deal with the problems of America in an honest and open fashion, and that is what we will do. The House-passed budget guarantees that seniors will have coverage that is affordable. The House-passed budget guarantees seniors will be able to find a plan. It does not end Medicare as we know it. It does not throw our seniors off the cliff. It is a responsible plan that leads us to a situation that deals with the problem of Medicare that is a known problem. If we want to continue to live in denial and not be honest with the American public, then I tell the American people: follow the Democratic proposal of engaging in name-calling rather than sitting down and engaging in problem-solving. That's what we're about. At this point in time, I urge my colleagues to continue the consideration of the underlying rule and reject this point of order. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. REED. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, the question before the House is: Should the House now consider House Resolution 287? While the resolution waives all points of order against consideration of the bill, the committee is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. Specifically, the Committee on Rules is not aware of any violation of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act nor has the Congressional Budget Office notified the Rules Committee of any violation of the act. Additionally, the open rule before the House today allows any Member of Congress to amend or strike any provision of the bill, which is the ultimate failsafe. In order to allow the House to continue its scheduled business for the day, I urge Members to vote ``yes'' on the question of consideration of the resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 287 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. REED. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REED. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Woodall).

Mr. REED. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I feel it is necessary to again correct the record that what we have done in the proposal that has just been referenced by my colleague from California is not to destroy Medicare; it is to save Medicare. In an open and honest way, it's to deal with the problem that we all know Medicare faces. It clearly states in the document, in the resolution that was passed, that any senior who is in Medicare, on Medicare or within a generation of retiring into Medicare will not be impacted by anything that we do in that budget. I would also remind my colleague from California that we stand here today under a proposed open rule, where this body, this Chamber, will be able to express its will in an open and traditional process of open amendments. Let me make clear to the American people what that means. That means that any elected Member of this Congress can come down and speak the voice of his or her constituents and offer amendments that can be debated on the floor of this House in an open and transparent manner-- on TV, in their living rooms--so that the American people know what we are doing in this Chamber. I applaud you, Mr. Speaker, for honoring that commitment that you set forth when you assumed that chair. At this point in time, Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my good friend, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Southerland). (Mr. SOUTHERLAND asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. REED. I would like to submit section 501 of House Concurrent Resolution 34 for the Record as we seem to be commenting about it to a great extent this afternoon. I just want the record to be clear.

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. I thank the gentlelady from Alabama. I was struck by something my colleague from Arkansas said about a plan. Let's be clear about the proposed plans that have been allegedly floated by our President up to this date and what we voted on today. You know, we get knocked a lot for not engaging in a bipartisan practice, but let's be clear what the record showed and in this Chamber today and in the Senate last week. President Obama put forth and requested a clean debt ceiling, an unconditional debt ceiling, just raise it $2 trillion. Bipartisan support tonight rejected that proposal. That's the status quo proposal that we can no longer afford. Last week, President Obama's budget, 97-0 in the Senate, was soundly rejected. I believe President Obama's quote from 2006 is completely accurate. His words predicted exactly where he is at. America has a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.

Mr. REED. I appreciate that. I appreciate the gentlelady yielding. And I appreciate joining my colleagues, fellow freshman members of the Republican class who have come here to Washington, D.C., with the same philosophy that I believe I bring to the table. And that is exactly the point that we have been articulating here tonight. We need to get our fiscal house in order. So many people ask me why is that so critical to our future? And when I go to my town hall meetings, and I go and talk to my constituents back in New York, I tell them there are two reasons. One, we all know that if you run a business at the debt levels that we run this government at, it will go bankrupt. And we are talking about the bankruptcy of America. That is not acceptable to me. It's not acceptable to my colleagues here tonight. And we're going to work day in and day out to prevent that. But second, and more in the short term, we need to get our fiscal house in order so that we send a message to all of the world markets that the American market is alive and well. And you can invest your capital, you can invest your millions of dollars back here in America and put people back to work. It's not about creating jobs that are government jobs. It's about creating wealth. It is about creating a private sector that is strong, that is putting people to work day in and day out, putting food on their tables, feeding their families, providing for their education, and giving that way of life that we here have enjoyed to their children, to our grandchildren, and to generations that have not even seen the face of the Earth. So for those two reasons, it is time that we honor Senator Barack Obama's quote that we need to stop shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I call on the President to put forth a plan to deal with this problem once and for all.

Mr. REED. I appreciate the gentleman yielding, but I believe the gentlelady from Alabama controls the time.

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 338, had I been present, I would have voted, ``aye.'' Stated against:

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues this morning to deliver a simple message, and that message can be summed up by reading a quote from our President when he was a former Senator dealing with the issue that we will face in the upcoming months when it comes to raising our debt ceiling. As then-Senator Barack Obama stated on the floor of the Senate: ``Leadership means that the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.'' Mr. Speaker, I stand firmly here today to tell you that I do believe over the next 90 days that this will be the critical moment of this Congress, that this will be the critical moment in our Nation's history when we either succeed or we fail. And I will heed Senator Obama's words because the buck will stop here in this Chamber. Mr. Speaker, the question we face with raising the debt ceiling is a very serious question. We cannot kick the can down the road any longer. We do not have any more road to kick it to. So what I ask of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle is let us set aside politics. Let us not worry about a reelection campaign. Let us not worry about our own personal interests. Let us come together as one Nation and deal with this problem because it is a serious threat and a clear and present danger to our very existence as a country. Let me also be very clear that what we need to do with handling this debt is to send a message that we have answered the call and send a message to the world and to all the markets that America is strong; America is the place that you can invest in again. And by that investment, we will put people back to work. We will provide for families for generations, not only now but for generations we do not even see. This is about putting people back to work and being the voice that leads this Nation to greatness once again. I have no doubt we will succeed in this effort, but it will take true leadership. There is no doubt in my mind that I join my colleagues on this side of the aisle and say no more of the petty political bickering. It is time to stand and lead, and we shall.

Mr. REED

Mr. REED. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, my colleague from Michigan (Mr. Rogers).

Mr. REED. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. REED. Mr. Chairman, I want to again, in closing, offer my support for this amendment. But I want to make sure the record is extremely clear. When Mr. Nadler, in his comments, commenting on his support of this amendment, indicated that the Rules Committee was going to rule his proposed amendment out of order for being non-germane, as a member of the Rules Committee, I know that the chairman of the Rules Committee had indicated that he was more than willing to accept Mr. Nadler's amendment, germane amendment, but that amendment was withdrawn by Mr. Nadler. So I want the record to be very clear that we on this side of the aisle were ready and very eager to support the amendment offered by Mr. Nadler. And Mr. Grimm and I sought to make sure that this amendment was brought to the floor of this House, because it is right to stand here on this floor to recognize the intelligence community that had such a great success in the taking and bringing to justice of Osama bin Laden. So we ask that the record be clear on the issue and that all of our colleagues rise today, and across the Nation, and take a moment to recognize and applaud the efforts of our intelligence community; that the men and women who work day in and day out in silence, with little recognition, are recognized for at least one moment here on the floor of the House and in the official records of this great body for the great work that they do, and we applaud and we will always remember and honor that work on a regular basis in our thoughts and in our prayers. So I urge my colleagues to join us and support this amendment.

Mr. REED. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.