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News and Views |
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House
Appropriations Ranking Republican Jerry Lewis Floor Statement on the Military
Construction – Veterans Affairs Appropriations Legislation “Mr.
Speaker, I want to congratulate both Chairman Edwards and Mr. Wamp for producing
a truly bipartisan fiscal year 2009 Military Construction-VA Appropriations bill
in the longstanding tradition of this committee. Their work is a
demonstration to the House that Democrats and Republicans can work together to
create legislation the majority of our Members can support. “As
we all know, the Appropriations Committee has steered off course this year
because of one single issue which is critical to the American public and which
has significant bipartisan support in the House and Senate. “I
do not fault my friend, Chairman Obey, for the breakdown of the Appropriations
process this year. While we have had our share of disagreements over the years
on overall funding levels and policy issues, he and I have historically worked
well together to move our spending bills through the House in a timely fashion.
“However,
this year, the largely bipartisan work of the Appropriations Committee has
ground to a virtual standstill because of the energy issue. For reasons I
do not fully understand given present pressures on our economy and the increased
worldwide demand for oil, the majority leadership has decided to put on the
shelf most of the annual spending bills as well as any and all meaningful
bipartisan efforts to lower the price of oil and gas. “I
don’t understand this decision, nor do I agree with it. We have an
opportunity — and we have an obligation — to work on a bipartisan basis to
develop and pass long-term energy solutions that involve a combination of
conservation, alternative and renewable energy sources, and the development of
proven resources both onshore and off-shore here in the “This
effort to bolster our energy resources would create thousands of well-paying
union and non-union jobs across the “Just
yesterday, a dedicated group of Members led by our colleagues John Peterson and
Neil Abercrombie introduced sweeping, bipartisan energy legislation in an
attempt to break the current energy gridlock in the House. I applaud their
efforts. We ought to debate their bill openly in the appropriate
committees and on the House floor before we leave town for the August recess. “The
mere message that Congress was actually debating energy policy — in
meaningful, bipartisan debate — would send a signal to the markets and to
foreign suppliers of oil that the “Let
me respectfully remind my colleagues that it was Nancy Pelosi in 2006 who
outlined the new Democrat majority’s governing philosophy. She said, and
I quote, “Bills should come to the floor
under a procedure that allows open, full, and fair debate. Bills should be
developed following full hearings and open subcommittee markups.” “As
the body knows, we have not had an open, full, and fair debate on energy policy
in Committee nor have we had any
open amendment process on the House floor. In fact, the House
Appropriations Committee has not moved any
bills through full committee since June 25th because of a pending
energy production amendment supported by a bipartisan majority of
Committee members but opposed by the majority leadership. “I
would remind our colleagues that most of the challenges facing us today have
little or nothing to do with partisan politics. At a time when our country
is facing daunting challenges at home and abroad, my constituents and your
constituents are looking for real leadership. Rather than providing the
leadership our constituents deserve, this body is now in a state of paralysis.
“Again,
I remind my colleagues that it was then-Minority Leader “I
encourage each of my colleagues to remind the Speaker of these words so we can
return to regular order in our committee work, and restore civility and open
debate to the legislative process in the House. It is time to set aside
partisan politics and get to work. We can do better. We must
do better. “Let’s
support our veterans funding bill today and then move quickly to support our
constituents by openly debating potential energy solutions. Again, the
House should not leave town for the August recess until it
votes to lower gas prices, increase the supply of American-made energy, and
promote energy independence.” Click Here to Return to News & Views
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