avoid default. we will continue to fight for programs that help working families. during recent weeks the caucus stood with millions of people across this country to protect social security, medicare, medicaid from being cut in the deal been voted on today. preventing the worst from happening is not enough. americans will not stand by while their livelihood comes under attack. we can structure our economy in a way that benefits everybody, not just special interests and not just the extremely wealthy. we can articulate a vision for our country not based on what americans cannot achieve, but on what they can. that is the type of leadership america needs now. i would like to invite the other members. >> fe if you very much -- they you very much. i think the statement reflects the consensus of the caucus, disappointment in the deal,

frustration with the deal, frustration at the items that we wanted to put on the agenda that needed to be heard in terms of revenue generation, turns the we have had an expressed for extended periods of time dealing with the commission, its powers, and the trigger mechanisms that are part of the steel, and the negotiations from the inception seemed to put vital domestic press on the plot in areas where we indicated needed to be looked at for tax breaks for corporations and individuals were left off the table. that frustration is not just one that is built out of the idea that we did not get our way. it is built of the concept that we offer these over and over repeatedly, urged our leadership to take that at heart, and present a fair package. shared sacrifice, we believe in

the concept, we believe in the accounts of the compromise, but we do not believe in the concept that is not a compromise, that is all the of, all take and no give, and forth. we feel this is not a compromise and as such we will stand in opposition to it and we feel that there is a better way. the president has to unilaterally use his authority under the constitution, he should, and we can proceed in a call, rational way to look at spending and revenue generation. after that, we are trapped in the tea party agenda. they won, they should be able to deliver the votes they need to pass their package. at me introduce ms. marley, who has been a leader of the progressive caucus, former chair of the black caucus, and one of the voices that we defend -- depend on in this congress to raise the issue for average

americans. ms. lee? >> thank you, and thank you for your leadership for bringing together the progressive caucus to once again come forward and be the voice of the american people. none of us want to see our nation default, but after having reviewed this deal in detail, for a number of reasons i am unable to support it. i associate myself with all the remarks that had been made already. it totally fails to address the urgent and most pressing crises in our country, a lack of jobs and economic growth. at a time when investments are needed to jump-start our economy and put people back to work, i believe this deal and its cuts- only approach is the wrong approach. it is an outrage that if we stand here today at a clean debt

a reasonable annid approach is what has long bankrupts required. the bill falls short of achieving the balance necessary. the hard reality is the cost of this size will likely result in massive cuts to vital human needs and safety net programs had will cripple our ability to help our most vulnerable communities, including seniors, the poor, and low-income people who are struggling each and every day to get by. it includes no revenues and no guarantee of revenues going forward. with over 45 million people living in poverty and wealth tax at astronomical levels in communities of color, we must demand of the super rich and the oil and big corporations that enjoy a tax giveaways at the polls also contribute to this deficit reduction.

it is highly unacceptable for me that this deal would open the door to cut interest as a dirty, medicare, and medicaid. enough is enough. we cannot allow the extreme to party republicans advance their agenda to dismantle our government while up rewarding their tactics with bad deal. i support the president using the 14th amendment if necessary to raise the debt ceiling, and i will>> i'm from california. we voted for a queen debt ceiling increase this spring. we voted over the weekend for the read compromise. at that time, we said, that was on saturday, that we would not thee for anything worse than a reid compromise. this is worse.

we're not going to hold our nose and vote -- a vote for a bill that is wrong. i will not vote for this bill. this is not a balanced approach. it does not ask for shared sacrifice. it puts the entire burden on working families and the middle class while asking nothing, and i mean nothing, from billionaires, millionaires, and huge corporations and corporations that sending jobs overseas. this still does nothing to address the greatest challenge we face today -- creating jobs. ordinary americans are just getting by and struggling to pay bills. they go to bed worried, this bill has nothing to offer them. i cannot believe something as routine as a debt ceiling is being used to extort $2.5

trillion in cuts from investments that the american people need. we can reduce spending without taking an ad of the -- it out of the pockets of ordinary people. we can meet our fiscal challenges in a way that is fair, within our constitutional rights, and with all americans doing our part. i will vote against the bill today or tomorrow, whenever it comes up on the floor. >> my colleagues have articulated the feelings of the progressive community has. i would like to thank the leadership in this cause. and also been wolsey for the work they have done in leading the progressive caucus. this deal is very disappointing.

it is disappointing for a number of reasons. i cannot understand how we could walk out of a deal to raise the limit, not having gotten any revenues in the deal. all we have our cuts. i am reminded that this is a fragile economy. it is fragile and so many ways. first of all, the unemployment rates are astronomical. we have a 9.2 in this country. in minority communities, 17%. in some of these communities, 35%-40%. when you add a loss of wealth, by latinos and with african- americans, 50% loss.

we need to be talking about stimulating the economy. just think about this. instead of stimulating the economy, we are about to take federal money at of the economy. there will be a loss of jobs. that is no way to deal with this predicament we are in the. i am also disappointed that we allowed the county party to drive this deal. it seems that what we have is a small number of people who have held hostage their own caucus and the democratic party and the american people hostage with their threats of not allowing us to lift to the ceiling, the debt ceiling, and using this as a way to dismantle this budget. i am disappointed that our

negotiators were not tough enough. they did not do work to bring them to the point where everybody could agree that we do not want to default. here we are with some of the worst public policy ever been made in the history of this institution. a lot of people are going to be hurt. the economy is going to be even more fragile. and where our citizens are going to not only feel the loss of jobs and opportunity, but this will be four years to come -- for years to come. >> this is not the first time the progressive caucus has taken a leadership role. i lived through a and managed to see a segregated america.

people lived separate -- segregated. i want to give this brief statement -- it is not about the members who were standing here representing constituents, advocacy groups to speak for constituents, it is about whether america wants their country to continue in this path or they want change. never in my life and i think i was going to see the tyranny of the minorities. that is the voices that have been popularized by the media that have been seen as the darlings of change. they are not the darlings of change. they are not. they are individuals who want to say my way or the highway. there will be votes coming up on this issue into the fall. the question is whether america's going to rise and rush to this capital and rushed to this city and announced that

enough is enough and that although the voices of the minority should be heard, that they have a right, that they will not control this nation in the most distasteful way they have done, to undermine those who cannot speak for themselves. that is what we are facing today. >> we are about 1 03 before we go to vote. we could get a couple of questions and then we can catch up later. >> are unified in rejecting the deal? >> by all indications, we have -- most of them are dissatisfied. many will vote no. we do not have a count debt. >> are you prepared to except partial responsibility? >> the answer to that is a

definitive know. all of us voted for a clean debt ceiling. we voted for reid. reagan asked 18 times for a raise. it is the normal course to raise the debt ceiling when these questions are before the congress. we have done it and are prepared to do it now. what drove us to this point? it is beyond dispute that the coupling of a deficit and debt goddess to this point. we have been the ones -- maybe we have one more than we have to go. >> deerfield the president three wonder the boss? >> president obama has been given a hand to fight from. he was the president at the time the people made these

unreasonable the pri -- unresolved demands. look, if we have any disputes, it is tactical. in principle, we know that these are core democratic values. core american values to stand up for. basic programs that help americans be better off. let me just say, we do support the president in using his executive authority to protect the full faith and credit of the united states. he has our full support on that. with fact, we have to go vote. thank you very much.

>> and the house raised the debt limit with a vote to 69-161. represent -- representative gabrielle giffords made a surprise return six months after being injured in a shooting in tucson, arizona. here is a reaction. [applause]

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the speaker pro tempore: on this vote the yeas are 2 --

the speaker: on this vote the yeas are 269, the nays are 161. the bill is passed and without objection a motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from utah rise? >> permission to speak out of order. the speaker: without objection, so ordered. mr. bishop: kids who are at the back that you can't see because you're standing in front of them, this is the first time we've ever had pages here had not in two small groups but in one summer group. these pages are going home this week and they have had a chance of being here to see history in the making on several different fronts. i wish you'd give them -- before you do that, page board consists of representative foxx from new york, myself, representative

kildee, i yield to the gentlelady from colorado. >> i thank the gentlelady for yielding and i want to thank all of the wonderful pages who had are in the back of the room. ms. degette: you've seen history in the last six weeks here in congress and we're so honored and proud to have all of you here with us and i'm sure this may not be my place but we all want to welcome back our wonderful colleague, congresswoman giffords here. with that i yield back.

mr. bishop: mr. chairman, i also yield to the gentleman from michigan, mr. kildee. killed kill mr. speaker, i'd like to take this -- mr. kildee: mr. speaker, i'd like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all the pages for what they have done here in the 112th congress. to become a page, mr. speaker, these young people have proven themselves to be academically qualified. as we all know, the job of a congressional page is not an easy one. along with being away from home, the pages must possess the maturity to balance competing demands with their time and energy. you pages have witnessed the house debate, issues of war and peace, hunger and poverty, justice and civil rights. you have lived through history. and before yielding, mr. speaker, i would like to thank the members of the house page board who provided such fantastic service to this institution. the chairman, congressman rob

bishop, the vice chairman, congresswoman diana degette, congresswoman virginia foxx, clerk of the house karen haas, sergeant at arms bill livinggood, and mrs. lynn silversmith kline. i want to thank them for their service on the house page board and i thank the departing pages and you've seen a wonderful bit of history take place today. mr. bishop: reclaiming the time, mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to include the page summer class in the official record and ask this body to recognize the pages for the services they have rendered us this year. mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker: without objection, the gentlelady from california, ms. pelosi, is recognized. ms. pelosi: thank you very much, mr. speaker. i too want to join our colleagues in recognizing the

contribution of the pages to the conduct of the house of representatives. i thank them. and they have, as mr. kildee said, and others have mentioned, borne witness to many important historical occasions here. but i can't think of any that is more special and means so much to our country than to witness the return of our colleague who was the personification of courage, of sincerity, of admiration throughout the country. congresswoman gabrielle giffords brings us --

ms. pelosi: her presence today, to make sure that we honor the obligations of our country great country is important and symbolic. her presence here in the chamber as well as her service throughout her entire service in congress brings honor to this chamber. we are all privileged to call her colleagues, of us very privileged to call her friend. throughout america there isn't a name that stirs more love, more admiration, more respect, more wishing for our daughters to be like her than the name of congresswoman gabby giffords. thank you, gabby, for joining us today.

>> next, and house debates. this is an hour and 25 minutes. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. dreier: mr. speaker, pursuant to house resolution 384, i call up s. 365 and ask for its immediate consideration. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: senate 365, an act to make a technical amendment to the education, sciences reform act of 2002. the speaker pro tempore: the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in house report 112-190 is adopted and

the bill as amended is considered read. the bill shall be debatable for one hour with 30 minutes equally divide and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on rules, 15 minutes equal request divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on ways and means and 15 minutes quelly divide and controlled by the chair -- equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member by the committee on budget. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. dreier. house will be in order. members, please take combingses from the floor. -- conversations from the floor. members in the rear of the chamber, please take your conversations from the floor.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. dreier: thank you very much, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the measure before us. the speaker pro tempore:ithout objection. mr. dreier: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i might consume and ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. dreier: mr. speaker, at this moment we are beginning debate on a measure which i believe will finally send a signal to job creators in this country and in the global marketplace that we are finally, finally getting serious about getting our fiscal house in order. we know that we're dealing with a very sad 9.2% unemployment rate in this country, we know

that there are people hurting. we all have constituents who hve lost their homes, people who have lost their jobs, people ho have lost their businesses, people are hurting. it is absolutely imperative that we do everything that we can to get our economy back on track. we've just gotten the report of this downward report of the g.d.p. growth rate down to 1.3%. we need to get back to robust dynamic d robust, dynamic, strong gwth. we need get to 4%, 5%, 6% g.d.p. growth. and, mr. speaker, one of the main reasons that we have not done that is that we have seen this dramatic increase in spending over the past half century on 75 different occasions, 75 different occasions we've seen ourebt ceiling increased without any effort whatsoever to get at the