H. Res. 15, Providing for Consideration of the Joint Resolution, H.J. Res. 1, Making Further Continuing Appropriations For the Fiscal Year 2003

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern
House Floor Statement
January 8, 2003

I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding the customary 30 minutes, I yield myself such time as I may consume and I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks.

Mr. Speaker, the Majority party has failed this country. First and foremost, the Majority has the responsibility to pass the 13 appropriations bills that keep this government running. The scorecard from the 107th Congress shows that the Majority could only pass 2 of these 13 bills.

The Majority, Mr. Speaker, can't do its job.

Now we're here today to consider a 6th Continuing Resolution to keep the government open and running. Appropriations bills, according to the U.S. Constitution, must first be considered in the House of Representatives.

In the 107th Congress, the other body had approved every appropriation bill at the Committee level. But, because the Majority in this body did not do their job, 11 of the 13 appropriations bills remain unfinished.

Because of their ineptitude, the Majority has not provided new funds for important needs such as homeland security, education and health care.

The Majority, it seems, is good at shirking its responsibility. Instead of doing the right thing at the end of the 107th Congress and provide an extension of unemployment compensation, the Majority turned tail and adjourned the 107th Congress.

And when the Majority was required to pass the non-defense appropriations bills, what did they do? They abdicated their responsibility and adjourned the 107th Congress.

We're here today in the 108th Congress trying to clean up the mess the majority left behind from the 107th Congress. The Majority found time to pass tax cuts for the rich, but can't find time to fund the new education programs created by this Congress. And so we're here today to finish what the Majority consciously decided not to work on last year.