mr. dreier: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 2693, to cut spending, maintain existing commitnts and for other purposes, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 2693, a bill to cut spending, maintain existing commitments and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from massachusts rise? >> parliamentary inquiry, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman will suspend. the gentleman will suspend. the house will be in order. the house will be in order. the gentleman has the right to be heard. the gentleman from massachusetts will state his inquiry. mr. mcgovern: mr. spear, is it true that a bill considered under suspension of the rules denies the minority party the right to offer any amendments or even a motion to recommit? the speaker pro tempore: a motion to suspend is not liable to amendment on the floor. mr. mcgovern: further parliamentary inquiry, meerks. the sp

mr. dreier: will the gentleman yield? mr. levin: yes. mr. dreier: i say the action we are about to do here today is see the process that senator mcconnell and senator reid work together. why? mr. levin: i take back my time. mr. dreier, that is pernicious nonsense. the speaker pro tempore: members are reminded to address their comments to the chair, not otherwise. the gentleman from california. mr. dreier: i didn't hear you, madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: i said members are reminded to address their comments to the chair and not to others. mr. dreier: i will not only address you, madam chair, i won't point my finger at you as i address you. the speaker pro tempore: thank you. mr. dreier: let me say, madam speaker, that senator mcconnell has just minutes ago asked senator reid to bring the reid proposal to the floor of the united states senate and a decision has been made by senator reid not to bring the measure up. on at least three occasions senator mcconnell has asked since senator reid has said that his proposal is the only one tha

mr. dreier: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. to say to my very good friend from massachusetts that as i listen to those remarks, i am really struck with the fact that our view is that we are in this together. i will say for the record we care about absolutely everything that my friend said we don't care about. we as a nation have a challenge that needs to be addressed in a bipartisan way. the measure that is before us today is one that was, and i underscore the word, was agreed to by the senate majority leader, harry reid, and the speaker of the house, john boehner. now, i know that senator reid is not at this juncture supportive of this measure, but it's important to note that we need to bring about greater spending cuts, and i know i speak for most all of my republican colleagues when i say that this is really the beginning of a process towards reducing the size and scope and reach of government. we feel passionately about the need to expand individual initiative and opportun

mr. dreier: mr. speaker, about a minute and a half after 3:00 p.m. on july 28, 2011. at this moment we begin the debate on one of the most crucial items that we have had or will have before us. since 1962 on 75 different occasions the united states congress has chosen to increase the debt ceiling to ensure that we paid our past obligations. it's been done 75 times whout ever having any strings atatched whatsoever. -- attached whatsoever. last november there was a very strong message sent by the american people to this institution. mr. speaker, could i ask that the house be in order? the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. members, please remove their conversations from the floor. members in the back of the chamber, please teether -- either take seats or remove your conversations from the floor. the gentleman from california. mr. dreier: thank you very much, mr. speaker. last november we all know that there was an overwhelming message that was september by the american people to washingto

mr. dreier: mr. speaker, i say to my good friend that i believe that the majority is serious and i believe that the democrats are serious in their quest to ensure we don't default. this is their opportunity to step up to the plate and make sure that it doesn't happen. with that, mr. speaker, i'm happy to yield two minutes to my good friend from gold river, the hardworking member of the committee, mr. lungren. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. mr. lungren: what is incredible, what is unprecedented is the amount of debt we are incurring on a daily basis and we have been for a long time. those being hostage is the children and the grandchildren and their future. and the question we have is whether or not we are going to reach a balanced approach. what did i say a balanced approach would be? a balanced approach would be when we are once again creating jobs in this economy. what those on the other side have led us to believe is that the answer to our problems is to foll

mr. dreier: mr. speaker, about a minute and a half after 3:00 p.m. on july 28, 2011. at this moment we begin the debate on one of the most crucial items that we have had or will have before us. since 1962 on 75 different occasions the united states congress has chosen to increase the debt ceiling to ensure that we paid our past obligations. it's been done 75 times without ever having any strings atatched whatsoever. -- attached whatsoever. last november there was a very strong message sent by the american people to this institution. mr. speaker, could i ask that the house be in order? the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. members, please remove their conversations from the floor. members in the back of the chamber, please teether -- either take seats or remove your conversations from the floor. the gentleman from california. mr. dreier: thank you very much, mr. speaker. last november we all know that there was an overwhelming message that was september by the american people to washing

mr. dreier: thank you. the purpose for debate only, i yield the customary 30 minutes to my very good friend, the gentlewoman from rochester, ms. slaughter, pending such time i yield myself such time as i may consume and ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks and all time yielded will be for debate only. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. dreier: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the measure before us. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. dreier: madam speaker, it's now, as i began yesterday, when we launched the debate, it was exactly 3:00. it's one minute after 4:00 on friday, july 29, and as we stand, as i am, or sit here as any of our colleagues are, we're exactly four days away, four days away from that august 2 date at which time the department of treasury has calculated that the federal government will run out of money. at that point we as a country will face impossible choice

mr. dreier: would the gentleman yield? mr. mcgovern: at this time i'd like to yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. fattah. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized for 30 seconds. mr.attah: i assume that something that the american people are gullible, but this is not a coincidence or happenchance. we got a republican majority that took us from trillions in surplus to trillions in deficit. added a $7 trillion prescription drug plan. unfunded wars. and then refused any additional revenue. and choking off our country's ability to pay its debt. now they want to walk us towards default. there is a special place in the shadows of the history books for a group of people who in order to gain power were willing to sacrifice americans' leadership in this war. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from california. mr. dreier: madam speaker, i'd like to yield any of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who will tell me where in the boehner bill i

mr. dreier: thank you very much, madam speaker. at this time i'm happy to yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from newberg, indiana, mr. bucshon. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from indiana is recognized for 30 second. mr. bucshon: madam speaker, here we are on the verge of a financial meltdown and my friends on the other side of the aisle are worried about politics. they're here today worried about protecting the president from having to do his job, lead. the republicans in the house are leading. we passed two bills that would end this crisis, and the senate hasn't -- they haven't put them down. th haven't voted on them. they've tabled them. we're here to lead. we need leadership. and we're providing it. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from massachusetts. mr. mcgovern: madam speaker, our side is prepared to close so i will ask -- we'll resve our time. mr. dreier: madam speaker, we have several more speakers on our side. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is reco

mr. dreier: thank you very much, madam speaker. at this time i'm happy to yield 30 second to the gentleman from mississippi mr. pa. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. palazzo: the american people expect us to lead during times of crisis. house republicans have led. house republicans have provided plans and solutions to america's debt crisis. house republicans have used their voice as representatives of their district to end the deficit crisis and to balance a budget. we've done our job. it's time a the senate does theirs. leader reid and president obama is what stands in the way of helping this debt crisis. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. palazzo: vote no on the reid plan. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: does the gentleman reserve? mr. mcgovern: i ask unanimous consent to insert in the record an article that appeared in "the wall street journal" today entitled "the debt limit hobbits." the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentleman from california. mr. dreier: mada

mr. dreier: mr. speaker, for the purposes of debate only i yield the customary 30 minutes to the distinguished ranking minority member of the rules committee, pending i yield myself such time as i may consume and i revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. dreier: and all time that i'll be yielding, that anyone will be yielding during this debate will be for debate purposes only. and i'd ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the consideration of this rule. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. dreier: mr. speaker, this rule provides for consideration of the budget control act of 2012. it provides for -- 2011. it provides for two hours of debate, as the read clerk said, one hour is controlled by the chairman and the ranking minority member of the committee on rules. that will be yours truly and ms. slaughter. and the 30 minutes will be equally divided and controlled by the ch

mr. dreier: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 2693, to cut spending, maintain existing commitments and for other purposes, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 2693, a bill to cut spending, maintain existing commitments and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from massachusetts rise? >> parliamentary inquiry, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman will suspend. the gentleman will suspend. the house will be in order. the house will be in order. the gentleman has the right to be heard. the gentleman from massachusetts will state his inquiry. mr. mcgovern: mr. speaker, is it true that a bill considered under suspension of the rules denies the minority party the right to offer any amendments or even a motion to recommit? the speaker pro tempore: a motion to suspend is not liable to amendment on the floor. mr. mcgovern: further parliamentary inquiry, meerks.

mr. dreier: i would like to withdraw and claim time in opposition to the motion to recommit. mr.oesn't prioritize social security, it doesn't prioritize medicare, it doesn't prioritize veterans, doesn't propose one item that would cut spening. all it does is engage in class warfare and increase taxes. vote against the motion to recommit. >> the bill was approved by a vote of 218-210. the senate however has voted to block the bill. they will be working on their own version this weekend, which was offered by senate majority leader harry reid. both house and senate are expected in sessions throughout the weekend, working on a compromise bill. the obama administration says that the deadline is tuesday, august 2nd. live coverage on the house on c- span and the senate on c-span2. >> senator murray asked to be excused for a family situation. all good, her husband is here. tonight bipartisan majority in the senate rejected boehner's short-term plan. we're seeing something we have seen a lot but this time the country's attention is focused on it -- a filibuster. a filibuster to prevent us

mr. dreier: mr. speaker, in excuse me? village. [ automated voice speaks foreign language ] [ male announcer ] in here, everyone speaks the same language. ♪ in here, forklifts drive themselves. no, he doesn't have it. yeah, we'll look on that. [ male announcer ] in here, friends leave you messages written in the air. that's it right there. [ male announcer ] it's the at&t network. and what's possible in here is almost impossible to say. , to finance funding washington, >>> next, you will never guess what country owns pieces of the u.s. debt. stay with us next. ♪ the sky keeps on turning >>> i'm veronica de la cruz in the msnbc newsroom with breaking news. ongoing news with the soldier who has been plotting to attack fort hood personnel. we are looking agent live pictures here. police say that he was nabbed in a hotel room full of explosives after going awol in june. first class jason abdo admitted to planting an installation at the same place where the deadliest shoot on a u.s. military base has taken place. he had asked f

mr. dreier: mr. sp >>> got a live look on the house floor.ected to overwhelmingly shoot this down in a symbolic vote. the senate also debating the reid bill. we'll have the latest developments and all of that in three. union handle more than 165 billion letters and packages a year. that's about 34 million pounds of mail every day. ever wonder what this costs you as a taxpayer? millions? tens of millions? hundreds of millions? not a single cent. the united states postal service doesn't run on your tax dollars. it's funded solely by stamps and postage. brought to you by the men and women of the american postal workers union. ♪

mr. dreier: thank you very much, mr. speaker. last november we all know that there was an overwhelming message that was september by the american people to washington, d.c. and that message was, number one, create jobs. get our economy back on track and in so doing rein in the dramatic increase in the size and scope and reach of government that we witnessed in the past several years. we all know in the last four years we've had an 82% increase in nondefense discretionary spending, an 82% increase. so the message that was sent was, that has to come to an end. so speaker boehner, when asked by the president of the united states to move an increase in the debt ceiling, said that he was willing to do that. he recognized, as i believe an overwhelming majority of both democrats and republicans in this institution recognize, it is absolutely essential that we increase the debt ceiling. we've got to do everything that we can to ensure that social security checks get to those retirees. we have to make sure that the many other obligations

mr. dreier has adopted. the vote on the balanced budget amendment is section 201 and 202 and there is a balanced budget amendment on the rules committee website. >> what's going to be debated in september and october, is that the section two that you're reading there? >> will the gentleman yield to me? >> i will yield to the gentleman from massachusetts. >> my understanding is the rule will allow for a balanced budget amendment to be brought up this week, right? >> if -- >> whoever has control of the time would yield to me. i don't know who's controlling the time. whoever has the time -- >> the rules committee webpage does what mr. polis is saying. if you give him an assurance that -- not supposed to believe that may or may not be the one on the floor. >> i'll give an explanation if someone yields. >> and if you will agree in principle to what mr. p pofment lis has -- mr. polis has said, that would satisfy everybody right now. >> i yield to the chair. >> i thank my friend for yielding. and we're not here dis

mr. dreier, is recognized for one minute. mr. dreier: i am going to ask my colleague california, mr. stark, to yield to me. would the gentleman yield to me? mr. stark: i'd be happy to yield. mr. dreier: i'd join with my republican colleagues across california and across the country in extending harty congratulations to our colleague, filling the great shoes -- they are not huge shoes, of course, but succeeding our good friend, jane harman, and i have to say, mr. speaker, that janice hahn comes from a family that has had a great, great, long tenure in public service. her father, kenneth hahn, served as a supervisor in the county of los angeles. a huge job. they represent about three times as many people as we, mr. speaker. her brother, of course, judge judd, has served as the mayor of the city of los angeles. i have to say that our new colleague has come here at certainly an extraordinary crucial time in our nation's history and will face many challenges ahead. i have to say that our thoughts and prayers go to a new colleague. not everyone knows that literally on the eve of the electi

mr. dreier: i would like to withdraw and claim time in opposition to the motion to recommit. mr.rioritize social security, it doesn't prioritize medicare, it doesn't prioritize veterans, doesn't propose one item that would cut spending. all it does is engage in class warfare and increase taxes. vote against the motion to recommit. >> they are working on a compromise bill. the deadline is tuesday, august 2. [unintelligible] live coverage begins on c-span. now this is about 15 minutes. the senator had to be excused to do to a family situation. her husband is here. tonight, a bipartisan vote in the senate -- we are seeing something that we have seen a lot. the country is dealing with a filibuster. we are putting forth a compromise the republican leader said he would not negotiate with me. [cell phone ringing] i wonder who that is. [laughter] >> your pizza is ready. [laughter] it really is the worst possible time to be conducting a filibuster. today is still friday. they are waiting to have this vote. our economy hangs on the balance. for the first time in history, unless there is a

mr. dreier, provided a structured amendment process with 25 additional amendments to be considered on the house floor. said another way, mr. speaker, the rules committee, under the leadership of david dreier, is willing to have in ourup stairs committee room members of congress come and testify with the understanding that their confidence in the process of this house of representatives, that they can bring forth their amendments, be heard by rules committee that can equally give republican and democrat sides the ideas that those members wish to bring before this body and that is what is happening with 25 amendments being made in order by the gentleman from california with the rules committee. today, i will discuss the background of the current national flood insurance program or nfip. and why a long-term re-authorization is important. what the underlying legislation does to the nfip and why reforms are necessary. the nfip was created in 1968 to address the nation's flood exposure and the need to alleviate taxpayers' responsibility for flood losses paid out in the form of post-disaster rel

mr. dreier: i haven't spen yet and i appreciate the applause of my colleagues on the other side. the speaker pro tempore: does the gentleman withdraw his reservation? mr. dreier: i would like to withdraw and claim time in opposition to the motion to recommit. mr. speaker, this doesn't prioritize social security, it doesn't prioritize medicare, it doesn't prioritize veterans, doesn't propose one item that would cut spending. all it does is engage in class warfare and increase taxes. vote against the motion to recommit. quorum call be lifted. the presiding officer: without objection. mrs. hutchison: mr. president, i rise today to speak about the looming august 2 deadline for raising the debt ceiling and making reforms or budget cuts at least that would allow us to show that we are not going to have business as usual in washington but that we are going to raise the debt ceiling with the reforms that are necessary. despite the differences in this body, we are all here to share three concerns. first, we do know at this point, because of the time that it has taken us to cobble together

mr. dreier: i spend to the desk a privileged report from the committee of rules for filing under the rule. the clerk: report to accompany house resolution 375, resolution providing for consideration of the bill senate 627 to establish the commission on freedom of information act, process and delays and information other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: referred to the house and ordered printed. the chair declares the house in the committee of the whole house for further consideration of h.r. 2584. will the gentleman from minnesota, mr. paulsen, kindly resume the chair. the chair: the house is in the committee of the whole house of the state of the union for the further consideration of h.r. 2584. the clerk: a bill making appropriations for the department of the interior, environment and related agencies for the fiscal year ending september 30, 2012 and for other purposes. the chair: when the committee of the whole rose earlier today, an amendment offered by the gentleman from michigan, mr. walberg is pending. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from new york rise? ms. slaughter: mr. s

mr. dreier, for continuing the record of fairness and openness in the formulation of this rule which is in the contrast to some rules that we have had in past years. madam speaker, -- mr. speaker, h.r. 2584 provides $27.5 billion overall for programs within the department of interior and the forest service, environmental protection agency, the indian health service, and other agencies. but it is a bill that strikes a fiscally responsible balance between providing funds for ongoing federal programs while also saving the taxpayers 7% over last year's enacted levels. puts us back roughly to the 2009 levels. there are some who claim there are certain programs that have been hurt heavily. it is true. for example, that the environmental protection agency has an 18% reduction in funding in this bill. please remember, though, that this was made possible simply because of unprecedentedly high record appropriations for e.p.o. in 2009 of which $3 billion still remains unobligated. in an era when 42 or 44 cents of every dollar we spend goings for interest, it makes no -- goes for interest, it makes no

mr. speaker, under the leadership of chairman dreier on the rules committee and under the leadership here of the speaker of the house that process has begun to change. now it's not perfect but it's begun to change and i rise in support of a rule today where the rules committee ask all 435 members of this house when it comes to the clean water cooperative federalism act, ask all members of this house, what would you like to see changed about this bill, how would you like to see this bill improved, what would you like done differently in this piece of legislation? as you know, mr. speaker, yesterday we had that exact same process on the flood insurance program and not only did we allow lots and lots and lots of amendments to the flood insurance program, we even allowed an amendment to eliminate the flood insurance program altogether. that's the kind of openness that has been incorporated in this 112th congress. well this rule today is no exception. that's why i rise in strong support of it. we ask all 435 members of the house, how would you improve the clean water cooperative federalism act