Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I believe the gentleman has his own time.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, I just want to point out that the amendment offered by Mr. Flake does not say anything about reducing the number of copies printed of the Congressional Record. It simply cuts $3.2 million out of the Congressional Printing and Binding account. It provides no direction. It simply cuts that funding. There is no assumption that any of what the gentleman is suggesting would occur. It would simply further add to the deficit. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment for a number of reasons. While I support the gentleman, who is from the same generation that I am, in his endeavor to make sure that we can communicate and receive information in an electronic format, the approach that the gentleman is taking is absolutely inappropriate and won't accomplish his goal. We have crafted a tight and fiscally responsible bill. As I outlined in general debate, we have held the bill to a 4.1 percent increase. We actually held it to $276 million below the total request. In their traditional views, the minority agreed. They said that, on balance, the funding provided in this bill to operate the legislative branch agencies is fiscally responsible. This amendment would add to existing shortfalls. It would add to what is already a growing funding shortfall in this account. To be fiscally responsible, we have had to make some tough choices, including funding levels for GPO. The bill already, our colleagues should know, holds congressional printing and binding $62,000 below what was provided in fiscal year 2007. GPO is expecting an $8 million shortfall in this account in fiscal year 2007 in addition to a $3 million shortfall in fiscal year 2006. These shortfalls are due to the flat funding provided to this account since fiscal year 2007, in spite of increasing costs and workloads. These shortfalls will continue in fiscal year 2008. Eventually they are going to have to be paid. This amendment would make that situation even worse. Most of the appropriation for congressional printing and binding goes towards Congress' printing requirements. I want to point out that the gentleman is incorrect when he states that there is a statute. While there is a statutory number in the Code that the GPO is told to print, they only print the number that is requisitioned. In other words, they only print, on a daily basis, the number that they are asked for. We have a deficit in the account that allows them to print the number that is asked for. GPO has no control over those requirements. It's required by law to produce the information. If the gentleman is concerned about the number of printed materials being produced, he should take it up with the authorizing committee, the Joint Committee on Printing, and seek reductions in the amount of material that GPO is required to print in the Code. Simply gratuitously cutting out and leaving people with the impression that we are doing something, when we are not, and all we are doing here is cutting $3.2 million when GPO will still be required to print the Code, is the wrong approach. The suggestion that this amendment was accepted previously but then cut out in conference also leads people to believe that we have done something when we have not. I refuse to be disingenuous when it comes to being forthright with the American people. We do need to make sure that in the future the Congressional Record is produced electronically. This is not the right way to do it. It is irresponsible. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues and Mr. Wamp as we move through the conference process and commend them, as well as Speaker Pelosi, for including the shifting from the light bulbs we use now to energy-efficient and environmentally friendly light bulbs as part of the initiative of the greening of the Capitol. I yield back my time.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I yield to the gentlewoman from California.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Reclaiming my time, I would be happy to yield to the gentleman from South Carolina.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I am happy to yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I would be happy to yield to the gentlewoman from California.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, very briefly, I fully support this amendment and appreciate the bipartisan cooperation that was endeavored in moving it forward. I do want to express some concern about how the light bulbs will be adapted to the historical lighting that we have in this facility, in the Capitol complex. I look forward to working with the sponsors of the amendment as we move this legislation through conference to ensure that that occurs.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition even though I am supportive of the amendment.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, I think it's unfortunate that the gentleman from Georgia, the distinguished former chairman of this committee, has chosen this opportunity as a message opportunity, as opposed to working together in a bipartisan way, like the ranking member and I have done, to make sure that we can provide for the safety and security of the facilities of this institution. He knows full well that the Capitol Visitors Center and the employees of the subcontractors that have been engaged to build that facility, while moving entirely too slowly, and we certainly have decried the cost overruns, are required to hire people who legally may work in this country and are required to ensure that a background check and a security check has been done on them. So his remarks are unfortunate, but everybody makes their own choices. In conclusion, Madam Chair, I am really proud of the work that the subcommittee and I have engaged in. We offer this legislation to the House and ask for their support. We have endeavored to make sure that this bill is fiscally responsible, provides for the life, safety and security of the needs of the people who work here as well as the people who visit us here, and make sure that we can engage in Congress's oversight role and provide for accountability for the American people. I look forward to continuing to work with Mr. Wamp from Tennessee on making sure that we can consistently provide those initiatives for the American people.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chairman, I yield myself 30 seconds. I want to thank the gentlewoman from California for her leadership on environmental issues and look forward to working with her on continuing the Speaker's leadership on the Green the Capitol Initiative, both in terms of planting of the trees and the greening of roofs, and I look forward and appreciate her input. At this time, Madam Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chairman, at this time I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Linda T. Sanchez).

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chairman, at this time I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chairman, at this time I would like to yield 1 minute to the distinguished chair of the House Administration Committee, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady).

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2771, and that I may include tabular material on the same.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I appreciate the hard work of the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers). I appreciated as a freshman his assistance during the orientation process and want to assure the gentleman, as I have in conversations with Chairman Brady, that the language in our report, specifically as it relates to the culinary language, is simply a request for the GAO to take a look at that issue so that we can incorporate culinary students in an instructional way in the preparation and delivery of food in the Members dining room. In addition, the disability language, while it is a directive, it was intended to make sure that we could keep the safety and security focus of our legislation. I do look forward to working very closely with the chairman and the ranking member of the House Administration Committee so that we can make sure that we cover those needs that we have in the House of Representatives and the legislative branch agencies. And I appreciate the gentleman's kind words.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, at this time I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Thank you for yielding, Chairman Davis. Like you, I am very concerned about the Comptroller General's actions and have personally spoken to him to express my concerns. I am committed to doing all we can to ensure that the Comptroller General does not put up obstacles to workers' rights to organize. In particular, I am dismayed the GAO, as a legislative branch agency, has retained outside counsel, rather than use its own attorneys to represent it before the Personnel Appeals Board. This action is unnecessarily costly and will likely delay the process of determining the outcome of the petition. The committee has reiterated these points in report language in this bill. We will be closely monitoring the progress of the Comptroller's review of eligibility, and we are requiring weekly reports on progress in these areas.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, at this time I yield 4\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Thank you, Mr. Welch. I look forward to working together on this important issue. Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. It is the intent of the subcommittee to eventually encompass all House operations, including travel and district operations. I would welcome this report from Mr. Beard and encourage his recommendations on how we will offset the remaining carbon footprint of the House.