ms. pelosi: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to speak out of order. the speaker: without objection, so ordered. ms. pelosi: all of us come to floor today, colleagues of congresswoman gabby giffords, to salute her as the brightest star among us, the brightest star congress has ever seen. when she came to congress and in her service and leadership here, gabby giffords brought to washington and the capitol the views of a new generation of national leader, from this floor she has spoken out courageously and led boldly, at times that demanded both. since the tragic events of one year ago, congresswoman giffords has become an inspiring symbol of determination and courage to millions of americans. she has brought the word dignity to new heights by her courage. congresswoman giffords' message of bipartisanship and civility is one that all in washington and in the nation should honor and emulate. as gabby said in her video, which moved us all so much this weekend, we can do so much more by working togethe

ms. pelosi: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to speak out of order. the speaker: without objection, so ordered. ms. pelosi: all of us come to floor today, colleagues of congresswoman gabby giffords, to salute h her as the brightes star among us, the brightest star congress has ever seen. when she came to congress and in her service and leadership here, gby giffords brought to washington and the capitol the views of a new generationf national leader, from this floor she has spoken out courageously and led boldly, at times that demanded both. since the tragic events of one year ago, congresswoman giffords has become an inspiring symbol of determination and courage to millions of americans. she has brought the word dignity to new heights by her courage. congresswoman giffords' message of bipartisanship and civility is one that all in washington and in the nation should honor and emulate. as gabby said in her video, which moved us all so much this weekend, we cano so much more by working together. in

ms. pelosi, and what changed? you said it is one of your biggest mistakes, so what changed because of that? >> there are two parts of it. i was just looking at the commercial, which fox is playing once again without explaining it. the question i was trying to reach was, and conservatives be in the middle of an environmental debate and represent a conservative solution to the environment? i taught environmental studies. i think the environment does matter, and i think the conservatives should be pro- environment because we all want clean air and clean water. we want to have national parks and diversity of species. i do not think we should walk off and allow liberals to claim to be the only people who care about the environment. that is the reason i did the commercial. it was stupid to do it because nancy pelosi became so radioactive that the act of being on a couch with her was automatically -- i rest my case. i have been very energetic my whole career, and every once in a while i do something dumb, and i will conc

ms. pelosi. >> thank you so much, assistant leader clyburn. thank you for going to the floor to call for the conferees to meet to give a payroll tax cut to 150 million americans, to ensure and reassure millions of americans out of work through no fault of their own that they would have unemployment benefits, and to tens of millions of seniors that they will be able to see their doctor under medicare. this certainty gives people confidence. these measures will inject demand into the economy. because those who receive the tax cut, those who received the unemployment benefit, need the money, will spend the money, inject demand and create jobs. it is good for the economy, it is good for american families. we were told yesterday that congress was in session. that is why we went to the floor today to call upon the conferees to get to work. the american people are crying out for jobs, they want us to work together. we can do that. i don't know what the republicans are afraid of. where are they? they are telling us that they were late in december so t

ms. pelosi the gentlewoman investigate for five minutes. ms. pelosi: thank you very much, mr. speaker. i rise today to pay tribute to the life, leadership, and legacy of our former colleague and friend of many in this house, congressman eddie jenkins. my colleague, john lewis, brought many of us together on this floor or in our other public statements to say what an honor it was to serve with eddie engjins. how much we all learned from him. the humor as well as the intellect that he brought to his work was definitely, definitely an asset to congress. eddie generalsins -- jenkins is a proud son of georgia. if you heard him say it, you would agree, a self-described country lawyer. from jasper, a public servant dedicated to his constituents, to advancing the interests, hopes, and aspirations of his neighbors down there in georgia. and to secure future prosperity for all and opportunity for all americans. it must be a true honor for congressman jenkins and his family that this tribute's been organized and led by the conscience of the congress, a man of extraordinary leadership and characte

ms. pelosi. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 8, rule 20, unfinished is business is agreeing to the speaker's approval of the journal which the chair will put de novo. the question is on agreeing to the approval of the journal. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it and the journal stands approved. for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia rise. mr. cantor: i send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate resolution. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 513, resolved that the clerk of the house inform the senate that a quorum of the house is senate and the house is ready to proceed with business. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the resolution is agreed to. without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia rise? mr. cantor: i send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its

ms. pelosi. the gentleman from maryland, mr. hoyer. the gentleman from connecticut, mr. larson. the gentleman from south carolina, mr. clyburn. the gentleman from new york, mr. israel. the gentlewoman from ohio, ms. sutton. the vice president: the president of the senate at the direction of that body appoints the following senators as ems of the committee on the part of the senate to escort the president of the united states. the senator from nevada, mr. reid, senator from illinois, mr. durbin. senator from new york, mr. schumer. senator from new york, mrs. murray. the senator from alaska, mr. bag itch. senator from kentucky, mr. mcconnell. senator from tennessee, mr. alexander, senator from wyoming, mr. thune. senator from texas, mr. cornyn and senator from missouri, mr. blunt. the speaker: members of the escort committee will exit the chamber through the lobby doors. the messenger: mr. speaker, the dean of the diplomatic corps. the messenger: mr. speaker, the chief justice and associate justices of the supreme court. the messenger: mr. speaker, the president's cabinet. . . the

ms. pelosi. >> thank you so much, assistant leader clyburn.hank you for going to the floor to call for the conferees to meet to give a payroll tax cut to 150 million americans, to ensure and reinsure -- reassure millions of americans out of work through no fault of their own that they would have unemployment benefits, and to tens of millions of seniors that they will be able to see their doctor under medicare. this certainty gives people confidence. these measures will inject demand into the economy. because those who receive the tax cut, those who received the unemployment benefit, need the money, will spend the money, inject demand and create jobs. it is good for the economy, it is good for american families. we were told yesterday that congress was in session. that is why we went to the floor today to call upon the conferees to get to work. the american people are crying out for jobs, they want us to work together. we can do that. i don't know what the republicans are afraid of. where are they? they are telling us that they were late in dec

if harry reid and nancy pelosi and obama stood on one side of of lake and gave three buckets into the lake and walked all the way around to the front of the mscould announce that they were stimulating the lake to create debt. you may wonder whether this would work but the plan was to do it eight hundred billion times after which it would be a very deep lake. it is nonsense on the face of it but that was the argument that they used. what they really wanted was access to the cash from people who earned it so they could pay off their friends who did precinct work but they really needed a slightly better articulation of the plan than that. so they came up with keynesian economics and the idea that the government takes your dollars and spend that we are all richer. that is their argument. was nonsense. it didn't work. million more people not working in america today than when they wasted a hundred billion dollars of your money. they will keep coming back to do that because they are not trying to govern. they're not trying to create jobs. they're trying to feed all the hungry mouth around the left's table. on the right the properly organized conse