mr. boehner. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. boehner: my colleagues, there's been a lot of lecturing on the house floor from my democratic colleagues about fiscal responsibility. i don't know about fiscal responsibility in 2005 and 2006 when the then minority wanted to take majority. i think it's time for those in the room needs to take their fair share of the blame of fiscal irresponsibility that's been gone on for so long. we've spent more than what we've taken in. there's not a household in america that can get by with this. there's not a company in america that can get by it. and certainly, this government can't get by with it. and so for the last three years, the democratic majority or so, after running on this mantra of fiscal responsibility has done nothing more than spend, spend and spend. now, we did our best. in 2007 and 2008 to put the brakes on all that spending and succeeded somewhat. but after this year for you to criticize us about fiscal responsibility and to lecture us about fiscal responsibility after spending $

mr. boehner from ohio. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. boehner: madam speaker, my colleagues, it's been quite a year. this house has been on a spending spree and a regulatory spree and a bailout spree that i could never have imagined in any of my prior 18 years here in congress. it was a $1 trillion spending plan was supposed to be about creating jobs and turned into nothing more than big government spending. a budget that had trillion-dollar deficits on average for as far as the eye can see. a $1 trillion national energy tax that's going to create this giant bureaucracy and tax americans over their gasoline, their electricity and everything else that moves in america. then we have the nearly $1 trillion government takeover of our health care system. and people wonder why employers are frozen, why they're not hiring more employees when all of this is coming down the pike. if all that wasn't bad enough, we have no idea what's going to happen to tax rates. there have been suggestions that increased taxes in many of the bills that have passed

mr. boehner. the speaker pro tempore: the minority leader is recognized for one minute. mr. boehner: we're broke. we're broke. america's broke. all year long our friends across the aisle have been on this massive spending spree that our nation can't afford. we have a trillion stimulus bill that was supposed to create jobs immediately and yet unemployment is now 10% of america. three million people have lost their jobs since the bill was signed into law. we passed a budget that's going to double the national debt in five years, triple it in 10 years. we have a $12 trillion national debt. we brought a national energy tax bill to the floor that's going to cost $1 trillion. passed of it. the health care bill here several weeks ago, another trillion dollars, passed it. when are they going to say enough is enough? here we are today, wrapping six appropriation bills together. we are going to spend half a trillion dollars, and it's got over 5,000 earmarks in the bill. things like $292,000 for the elimination of slum and blight in scranton, pennsylvania. $300,000 for a music and educa

mr. boehner, there has been a lot of talk about liberals in this administration.something the republicans can or will exploit? >> they do seem to be having a field day with each other, tearing each other apart. i have read all of these headlines. all i know is republicans will continue to stand on principle. we are going to continue to offer what we think are better solutions to the problems americans care about. and if the democrats want to tear themselves apart, so be it. >> speaker pelosi said yesterday -- the president made a case for sending more troops to afghanistan. [unintelligible] does that mean he will have to depend on new? >> i think the president made a responsible decision with regard to our plan to succeed in afghanistan. and i will work to make sure that our troops did everything they need in order to succeed. the nine the taliban and al- qaeda a safe haven in afghanistan from which to train, plant, and executed tax on americans here and abroad -- train, plan, and execute attacks on americans here and abroad cannot be allowed to happen. i will do

mr. boehner said on this court that the recession is over. i think what he meant was, the economists say we have bottomed out and we are coming up. i suggest we have bottomed out because we have not only passed a bill that you and i voted for, but we passed a bill you did not vote for, and that is the recovery and reinvestment act. since that time, we have created 1.4 million jobs. the gdp for the first time since the third quarter of 2008 has grown, actually 2007, has grown. where it was in the last quarter of the last administration, a 6.4% decrease. it is a little over 89 point turnaround. that is good news for the economy. . ood news for the economy but there are a lot of people still struggling. and so, yes, we believe that we need to have a jobs bill and we think it's appropriate to address the funds that we've already authorized, not new funds, that we've already authorized to try to bring this economy back, to not just look at it globally but to look at individuals who are hurting, who individuals who are hurting, who want to apply t

mr. boehner, said on this floor, it's over. the session's over. i think what he meant was, correctly, that the economists say essentially we have bottomed out and we're coming up. i suggest to you we bottom the outside -- bottomed out because we not only passed bills you and i voted for but we passed a bill that you didn't vote for and that's the recovery and reinvestment act. since that time we've created 6 00,000 to 1.4 million jobs according to the c.b.o. the g.d.p. for the first time since the third quarter of 2008 has grown, actually 2007, has grown. where it was in the last quarter of the last administration, 6.4 decrease, it grew 2.8%, that's almost a nine-point turnaround. that's good news for the economy but there are a lot of people still struggling. and so, yes, we believe that we need to have a jobs bill and we think it's appropriate to address the funds that we've already authorized, not new funds, that we've already authorized to try to bring this economy back, to not just look at it globally but to look at individuals who are hurtin

mr. boehner were you invited to the white house, were any republicans? >> i know i was not invited. [unintelligible] >> the tarp money was intended to solve an economic emergency in the financial sector and now that that money is being paid back, it should be used to lower the federal budget deficit and the national debt. and this idea that we're going to take this -- this money, that is being paid back to the government and then turn around and spend it on useless government programs is a -- is a very big mistake. >> i have a question. >> thank you. >> senators are continuing their debate of the health care bill through the weekend. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2009] [captions performed by the national captioning institute] >> mr. president, i believe ben bernanke should not reappointed. i place a held on his nomination. and mr. president, everybody in this country understands we're at the midst of the worst economic crisis since the great depression. we're looking at 17% of our people being either unemployed or underemployed. and we are looking at -- at avera

mr. john boehner, a patriot, he is the one we follow and listen to. you for all of your calls. in the house of representatives will begin its legislative business.

john boehner. >> mrs.guests, and my colleagues, let me first say a big thank you to the california delegation for all their efforts in making this day possible. on october 27, 1964, ronald reagan gave a nationally televised address supporting barry goldwater, the republican nominee for president. while goldwater was later defeated by lyndon johnson, many americans watching that they immediately sensed that reagan would one day become president. the title of reagan's speech was "a time for choosing." he crystallized the voices for voters. when people look for self- government, or would they submit themselves to being ruled by elites in a far distant capital? his polka at social engineers was accompanied by a vigorous defense of america's greatest abroad. he reminded americans that they did have a rendezvous with destiny. as california governor in the 1960's and 1970's, ronald reagan proved over and over that he had the mind of a committed conservative, and the temperament of an extraordinary leader. as pres

john boehner. >> mrs.olleagues, let me first say a big thank you to the california delegation for all their efforts in making this day possible. on october 27, 1964, ronald reagan gave a nationally televised address supporting barry goldwater, the republican nominee for president. while goldwater was later defeated by lyndon johnson, many americans watching that they immediately sensed that reagan would one day become president. the title of reagan's speech was "a time for choosing." he crystallized the voices for voters. when people look for self- government, or would they submit themselves to being ruled by elites in a far distant capital? his polka at social engineers was accompanied by a vigorous defense of america's greatest abroad. he reminded americans that they did have a rendezvous with destiny. as california governor in the 1960's and 1970's, ronald reagan proved over and over that he had the mind of a committed conservative, and the temperament of an extraordinary leader. as president, reagan di

mr. waters has expressed interest in serving in this capacity and i am pleased to fulfill his request. signed, sincerely, john a. boehner republican leader. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from colorado rise? mr. mr. perlmutter: by direction of the committee on rules, i call up house resolution 956 and ask for its immediate consideration. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the resolution. the clerk: house calendar number 138. house resolution 956. resolved, that at any time after the adoption of this resolution, the speaker may, pursuant to clause 2-b of rule 18, declare the house resolved into the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for consideration of the bill h.r. 4173, to provide for financial regulatory reform, to protect consumers and investors, to enhance federal understanding of insurance issues, to regulate the over-the-counter derivatives markets, and for other purposes. the first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. all points of order against consideration of the bill are waived except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule 21. the amen

mr. blain of ohio to the commission, effective january 1, 2010. both have expressed interest in serving in this capacity and i'm pleased to fill their request. signed sincerely, john boehner, republican leader. the chair: the chair lays before the house, the following personal requests. the clerk: leaves of absence requested for ms. baldwin of wisconsin for today, mr. mica of florida for today until 6:00 p.m., and ms. slaughter of new york for today after 7:00 p.m. and the balance of the week. the clerk: without objection. requests are granted. for what purpose does the gentleman from california rise? >> i ask unanimous consent that today following legislative business and any special orders theertoffer entered into, the following members may be permitted to address the house, revise and extend their remarks and include therein extraneous material. mr. poe, december 17, for five minutes, mr. jones, december 17 for five minutes, mr. burton, december 14, 15, 16, and 17, five minutes each. and mr. paul, december 15, 16, and 17 for five minutes each. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. for what purpose does the gentleman from the northern marianas islands rise? mr. sa