&prepublican congressman steve latourette of ohio says it's a go."ink it's a done deal, subject to the t's being crossed and thh i's being dotted."it's the art of a deal. i mean, it's a compromise. so you havv peeple that didn't get a 100% of what they wanted."the agreement would extend the payroll tax cut through the end of the year.it was set to eepire this month -- following a short- term deal reached in december. the break is worth about 83 dollars a month for someone earning 50-thousand a year.the deal would also include an extension of unemployment benefits and prevent cuts in payments to doctors who treat something nown as the &p"doc-fix."white house spokesman jay carney says all three components are iiportant. and he says it's vital that congress does not mess up thh economic recovery.one way to muck it up would be to somehow fail o exxend the payroll tax cut or somehow ail to extend unemployment insurance benefits or the "doc-fix." earlier, president obama saad the stakes are high."thii is a make-or-break moment for the piddle class in meric

latourette's not too happy with the bill either, as the gentleman knows, who is a senior member on your side, one of your leaders on your side of the aisle, so i will tell my friend that unfortunately we have a situation where you're going to bring a bill up next week, which clearly is a partisan bill, which does not enjoy bipartisan support, contrary to every transportation bill that i think we've passed in this house in the 30 years i've been here. i yield to my friend. . mr. can'ter: i don't understand what -- mr. cantor: i don't understand what the gentleman is seeing here. "the washington post" has done an extensive coverage and story on the transportation bill and the 5,000-plus earmarks that were involved in the bill that he's bragging about. we are in a new day here which we are shining the light of day, we are saying no more earmarks. we are not doing things the way we used to do them. that's exactly what the people want. they want a reformed congress that belongs to them, that works for them and not the other way around. so, mr. speaker, i would say to the gentleman, i look fo

latourette: the gentleman is an honorable member and i'll go with that. i want the concern to be mentioned. the speaker pro tempore: the time has expired. the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. mcgovern: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. mcgovern: madam speaker, you know, this gets more and more interesting. i share the gentleman from ohio's concern, especially in light of the fact that the rules committee canceled their meeting today at 2:00 that was scheduled to go over all these amendments. we have no idea what's going on. my guess is that the leadership on this side has no idea what's going on. this process is so convoluted and it lacks of transparency and, you know, i quite frankly think my colleagues should be ashamed of bringing this kind of bill under this kind of process on the floor. at this time i yield three minutes to the gentleman from massachusetts, the ranking member of the committee on natural resources, mr. markey. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts

reeublican congressmaa steve latourette of ohio says it's a go."one deal, subject to the t's being crossed and the i's being dotted."it's the art of a deal. i mean, it's a coopromise. so you have people that didn't get a 100% of what they wanted."the agreeeent would extend the payyoll tax cut through the end of the year.it was set to expire this month -- following a short- term deal reached in december. the break is worth about 83 dollars a month for someone earning 55-thousand a year.the deal woulddalso incllde an extensionnof unemployment payments toodoctors who treat patients with medicare, something known as the "doc-fix."white house spokesman jayycarney says all three components are important. and he says it's vital that congress does not mess up the ecooomic recovery.one way to muck it up would be to somehow fail to extend the payroll tax cut or somehow fail to xtend unemployment insurance benefits or the "doc-fix." earlier, president obamaasaid make-or-break moment for the middle class in americaa and for folks who want to be in the middle c

latourette: i thank the speaker and i thank my colleagues for their attention. madam speaker, sadly, in a set of occurrences that have become all too frequent in our country, on 7:45 a.m. in ohio, about 25 miles east of cleveland, allegedly a student brought a gun into the cafeteria of the high school, opened fire and shot five of the students. as you stand here today, three of those students have succumbed to the injuries received and have passed away. two continue to be under medical care. i would indicate that in these tragedies there are also items of heroism, and an assistant coach, frank hall, chased the gunman out of the high school at great risk to himself but perhaps saving further tragedy. madam speaker, on behalf of all of our colleagues, i would ask the house to observe a moment of silence in honor of the fallen, the staff at the school, their families and the city of chardon. the chair: the house will observe a moment of silence. mr. latourette: i thank the chair. the chair: without objection, two-minute voting will continue. the unfinished business

latourette's not too happy with the bill either, as the gentleman knows, who is a senior member on your side, one of your leaders on your side of the aisle, so i will tell my friend that unfortunately we have a situation where you're going to bring a bill up next week, which clearly is a partisan bill, which does not enjoy bipartisan support, contrary to every transportation bill that i think we've passed in this house in the 30 years i've been here. i yield to my friend. . mr. can'ter: i don't understand what -- mr. cantor: i don't understand what the gentleman is seeing here. "the washington post" has done an extensive coverage and story on the transportation bill and the 5,000-plus earmarks that were involved in the bill that he's bragging about. we are in a new day here which we are shining the light of day, we are saying no more earmarks. we are not doing things the way we used to do them. that's exactly what the people want. they want a reformed congress that belongs to them, that works for them and not the other way around. so, mr. speaker, i would say to the gentleman, i look fo

washington, d.c.,, february 3, 2012, i hereby apoint honorable steve latourette to act as speaker pro tempore on this day, signed john a. boehner, speaker of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: the prayer will be offered by father conroy. chaplain conroy: loving and gracious god, we give you thanks for giving us another day. help us this day to draw closer to you so that with your spirit and aware of your presence among us, we may all face the task of this day with grace and confidence. bless the members of the peoples' house as they spend their final day in their home districts. may these decisive days through which we are living, make them genuine enough to maintain their integrity, good enough to keep their faith always guarding public office as a sacred trust. give them the wisdom and the courage to fail not their fellow citizens, nor you. may all that is done this day be for your greater honor and glory. amen. the speaker pro tempore: the chair has examined the journal the previous day proceeding announces its approval thereof. the chair will lead the house in

i want to congratulate steve latourette of ohio to bring all the pledges from left to right from those a run in party primaries. they are the greatest impediment to bringing the bipartisan solutions we all know will be required if we are to get our debt and deficit on the down rigid -- to director reported i want to encourage -- on down this trajectory. i want to incur as the candidates to get serious over the next six-eight months. everyone talks about the tremor -- train wreck that could occur in a lame-duck session of congress when a number of policies will be required to be dealt with including the tax cuts that would terminate. there is a lot of leverage on both sides, a good deal of policies to be engaged. we were talking earlier about the possibility of just taking the can down the road in the lame duck session. it will not be long before the next president and congress have to grapple with these issues. the more specificity, the more willingness to be honest about what needs to be done that can occur in the silence of this election will make it that much easier for policymakers

latourette, mr. simpson, mrs. capito, mr. grich of arkansas, and -- grinch of arkansas, and mr. -- griffin of arkansas, and mr. sarbanes. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition. >> mr. speaker, i send to the desk a resolution and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration in the house. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 558 resolution directing the clerk of the house of representatives to provide a copy of the on the record portions of the audio backup file of the deposition of william r. clemons that was conducted by the committee on oversight and government reform on february 5, 2008 to the prosecuting attorneys in the case of united states of america vs. clemons, number 110-c.r.-00223-rbwddc. the speaker pro tempore: is there objection to the consideration of the resolution? without objection, the resolution is agreed and the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. mr. dreier: mr. spea