Pete Sessions

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito).

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Garrett).

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I would remind the gentleman who was speaking that we know what happened, and it's called pin-the-tail-on- the-donkey. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Hinsdale, Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), from the Financial Services Committee.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Fullerton, California (Mr. Royce), from the Financial Services Committee.

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

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Egan, Illinois (Mr. Manzullo), from the committee.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I find it very interesting that the same people who are down here who are arguing for us to give them the responsibility and authority and who are espousing how balanced their bill is are the same people who are bankrupting this country. They don't even apply their own logic and common sense to what they pass in this House. They talk about all of this balance and responsibility and about how they are worried about the middle class. Yet they are bankrupting this country. Yet they are causing the largest unemployment that we have had in the modern era. They are not even talking about what they have done to create that circumstance, and they are trying to point the finger at somebody else. I think that that is irresponsibility. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Clinton Township, New Jersey (Mr. Lance), a member of the committee.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Cherryville, North Carolina (Mr. McHenry).

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, it is important to provide consumer safety and security in the marketplace, but our constituents are also concerned about much, much more. They are concerned about jobs, they are concerned about the economy, and they are concerned about the tremendous debt this Nation has taken on. Week after week we come to the House floor to debate bills and to talk about the agenda that the Democratic majority wants to have on the floor, and it would be true to say that Republicans oppose that agenda, because it is about taxing, it is about spending, it is about more debt, it is about bigger government, and it is about the diminishment of free enterprise system jobs. It is about the things that the American people have said they do not have confidence in this body solving. Whether it is cap-and-trade, health care, or government takeover of the financial sector, my friends in the majority are ready every single week to stick it to the free enterprise system. My friends the Democrats seem more interested in accomplishing their political agenda than trying to help the American people. Once again, today, we have a job loss bill on the floor. That is really what we should call this--more big government, fewer private sector jobs, $18 billion in fees that will have to be paid by the banks that will be passed on to consumers, just on and on and on. Every Member of this body has a chance to say no to more spending, more big government, more rules and regulations, and somehow to show the American people that they can make tough choices and cut spending. I encourage a ``no'' vote on the rule and a ``no'' vote on the underlying legislation. And I appreciate the gentleman from Colorado and his engagement with me today. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Topeka, Kansas, Congresswoman Jenkins.

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

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for yielding me time, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the rule we are discussing today allows for martial law authority for any bill pertaining to the extenders package as well as what is called the Dodd-Frank bill, which is a 2,300-page government takeover of the financial sector. Mr. Speaker, this is as much about saving the financial industry as the health care bill was about health care, and it's as much about jobs as the jobs bill supposedly was. It was about the diminishment of jobs, and this is about the diminishment of the financial sector of this country. Additionally, this rule gives suspension authority through the end of the week for the fifth straight legislative week. Mr. Speaker, it seems like every time I come to the House floor that I point out that my Democratic colleagues are using an unprecedented restrictive and closed process. I think the American people want and need transparency, accountability, and solutions. I remember just a few short years ago when our Speaker said that she would run a House that was the most honest, open, and ethical Congress. I have yet to see evidence of that these last few years. As a matter of fact, week after week after week I see closed rules, unprecedented shenanigans related to bringing legislation to the floor, and a closed process. I know where it is. Democrats left it out on the campaign trail. It was an empty promise when they made it, and the emptiness of this promise has been fulfilled the past few years by an unprecedented amount of restrictive rules. Since this Congress has managed to rack up a record $1.4 trillion deficit since 2009, more than three times the size of the deficit in 2008, and are on target to once again hit a $1.3 trillion deficit again this year, my Republican colleagues and I are going to use this time to talk about excessive borrowing, excessive spending, and excessive taxation that seems to be the Democrat majority's agenda. Mr. Speaker, in an effort to address some of this wasteful government spending that's happening here in Washington, Republicans created something called YouCut. This is an online voting tool for Americans to vote on what wasteful government spending programs they would review, and they can make the decision on what to eliminate. Today, I have the opportunity to call for a vote on the previous question for this week's YouCut winner, which, of course, I am proud to cosponsor. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have voted this week alone. Mr. Speaker, I believe the American people are looking for people who can come to Washington, D.C., to make tough choices, and this Democrat majority is not even bringing a budget to the floor of the House of Representatives for the 2011 budget. Mr. Speaker, I've worked in business, small business, been around lots of people who, every single organization I've ever been a part of, started their year with a budget. I'm shocked and dismayed that this Democrat majority will not bring a budget to the floor, so Republicans will spend their time talking about how we believe we can better the circumstance we're in, talking about YouCut and the American people being engaged in helping to move this country forward. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to eliminate this wasteful spending by voting against the rule and previous question. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the Republican whip, the gentleman from Virginia, the favorite son (Mr. Cantor).

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

Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Marietta, Georgia, Dr. Phil Gingrey.

Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to one of the newest Members of this body, the gentleman from Hawaii, Charles Djou.

Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. SESSIONS

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

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I was inadvertently detained and missed rollcall No. 401, passage of H.R. 5623, the Homebuyers Assistance and Improvement Act of 2010. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to discuss H. Con. Res. 284, legislation to recognize the work and importance of special education teachers in America. In 1972, the United States Supreme Court ruled that children with disabilities have the right to the same quality public school education as their nondisabled peers. To fulfill this promise, in 1975 the United States Congress passed the Education of all Handicapped Children Act (EHA), which we now know as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA, guaranteeing students with disabilities the right to a quality and appropriate public education. It has been almost 40 years that children with special needs were granted the right and opportunity to obtain an education equal to every other child's in our country. IDEA provides these individuals the opportunity to improve their quality of life through education while translating that to job skills in the real world. Speaking as the parent of a child with special needs, I will always be grateful and indebted to the individuals we are honoring in today's resolution. They have dedicated their lives to improving the education of those students who begin with an intellectual or physical disadvantage than their peers. According to the Department of Education approximately 6,600,000 children receive special education services; this is about 13 percent of our Pre-K, Elementary & Secondary student population in the United States combined. In our school systems there are roughly 370,000 highly qualified special education teachers who wake up every day ready to educate children with special needs, while extending a hand to support the parents of these students during difficult times. Distinct from the rest of their colleagues in the teaching profession, special education teachers work with students who have a range of disabilities that can consist of specific learning disabilities, physical impairments, speech or language impairments, autism, and other health and mental impairments. While learning to engage and attend to every individual student's needs, special education teachers must also interact and coordinate with a child's parents or legal guardians, social workers, school psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, and school administrators, as well as other educators to provide the best quality education for their students. In addition, these educators must produce innovative methods to maximize the learning capacity of each student, to make learning as easy as possible. Recently I received a letter from a special education teacher in Texas, Her name is Sunni McAsey and it reads . . . ``I pick up my students from the bus stop 15 minutes before other teachers have students arrive in their classrooms. I am responsible for these students from the minute they arrive on campus until the minute they leave. Anything that happens with these kids is my sole responsibility. My students' abilities range from the intellectual capacity of a third grader to that of a 9 month old, all in one classroom, and each lesson that I create must be meaningful to every child in the room. My relationship with each child's parents is very close and I know more about each child than any teacher who teaches non-disabled students alone. I interact daily with parents who have accepted the cards dealt to them and are supportive of my work, but I have parents who are still grieving over their child's disability. My job includes so much more than most people are aware. I am a teacher, a nurse, a counselor, a parent, a disciplinarian, and everything else for these kids 8 hours a day. Why do I do it, you wonder? Because I truly love these kids. Even the slightest little gain is a big deal that we celebrate! Every gain is worth it in these kids' lives as well as their parents . . . Sincerely a teacher who wants to make a difference'' Mr. Speaker, teachers like Sunni McAsey deserve to be recognized for their hard work and dedication to educating our youth. This resolution is the first of its kind in Congress to recognize the dedication and hard work that these educators put into their jobs, day in and day out. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle recognize the importance of these teachers and their everyday work. We are approaching almost 40 years in which children with special needs were given the right to obtain the same quality education as their non-disabled peers, and it's time we honored those providing that education. I ask all of my colleagues to support this resolution that recognizes the work and importance of special education teachers in America.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, today Republicans are on the floor of the House of Representatives speaking out on behalf of the American people that we believe that the leadership of this House of Representatives should bring forth a budget, a budget that would give the American people more confidence in this body. We are at record low numbers of people who have confidence in the leadership of the House of Representatives, the ability to lead this country in a direction that will bring us closer to jobs and addressing the issues of this Nation. We just got the budget numbers that come in from May, and through May of this year, we have a $936 billion deficit. Mr. Speaker, the American people understand that we must have a road map, a road map to lead America back to where we become an employer Nation again. Taxing, spending, and unemployment will not lead us that way. I urge this House leadership, the Democrats, please bring forward a budget where the American people can be part of this debate.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Carolyn Garver for her hard work and dedication to advocating on behalf of children with autism. Dr. Garver's lifelong passion of working with children with autism began in 1979 when she joined the Autism Treatment Center, where she currently serves as Program Director. In addition to her years of experience, she is a licensed Child Care Administrator and holds a Ph.D. in Health Studies. Dr. Garver is a recognized expert in autism and has presented at numerous national and international forums, most notably at the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum in New Delhi, India in September 2006. She also presented at the 2008 Texas State Conference on Autism and the Texas State Head Start Association on Autism Spectrum Disorder. She also serves on the Advisory Task Force at Texas Tech University's Burkhart Center's Autism Program and is a Board Member of the Dallas Chapter of the Autism Society of America. Dr. Garver has devoted her life to this worthy cause, working closely with families, individuals, and agencies. She is a tireless advocate and a remarkable woman that possesses great compassion, patience, knowledge, and hope--hope for a brighter future for individuals with autism. Madam Speaker, I ask my esteemed colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Carolyn Garver for her dedicated efforts to empowering individuals with autism and helping them reach their full potential.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert).

Mr. SESSIONS. If I could answer the gentleman's question, Madam Speaker, of how many more speakers, I've got three or four more speakers.