Providing for Consideration of H.R. Further Extending Government Funding Act; and for Other Purposes
Floor Speech
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Mrs. TORRES of California. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 829 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: H. Res. 829
Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 6119) making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The bill shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and on any amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.
Sec. 2. Notwithstanding clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on a vote by the yeas and nays on the question of adoption of a motion that the House suspend the rules offered on the legislative day of November 30, 2021, or December 1, 2021, may be postponed through the legislative day of December 10, 2021.
Sec. 3. House Resolution 188, agreed to March 8, 2021 (as most recently amended by House Resolution 774, agreed to November 5, 2021), is amended by striking ``December 3, 2021'' each place it appears and inserting (in each instance) "January 21, 2022''.
Sec. 4. Notwithstanding section 3 of this resolution, on any legislative day of the second session of the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress before January 10, 2022-- (a) the Speaker may dispense with organizational and legislative business; and
(b) the Journal of the proceedings of the previous day shall be considered as approved if applicable.
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Mrs. TORRES of California. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave
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Mrs. TORRES of California. Mr. Speaker, today the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 829. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6119 under a closed rule.
The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations and one motion to recommit.
The rule also provides that requested roll call votes on suspension bills considered on November 30, December 1, or December 2 may be postponed through December 10.
Finally, the rule provides for recess instruction suspension authority and same-day authority through January 21, 2022, and allowing the House to convene the second session of the 117th Congress on January 10, 2022.
Mr. Speaker, we are here today to consider a continuing resolution to keep our government open and operating for the American people. A continuing resolution will allow the Appropriations Committee to complete its work on full-year appropriation bills and provide needed funding to many critical programs that help our small businesses, our veterans, our local governments, and so much more.
It is, frankly, a bit disturbing that we need a structured rule for this very basic function. I think it speaks volumes that the other side seems uninterested in engaging in our most essential responsibilities. I would say I was surprised but, sadly, this appears to be just another step in a long line of attempts to undermine needed accountability and investment this year.
In September, we passed a continuing resolution to keep the government open until December 3 and allow for the House and Senate to negotiate omnibus government funding legislation.
The other side has so far refused to negotiate for full-year funding bills. They have refused to be responsible with the programs that so many of our constituents depend upon.
As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I know firsthand the impact that a lack of full-year funding will have.
Without full-year funding, we will not be able to help the VA reduce its backlog to help our veterans and their families.
We will not be able to provide our military with the funding to promote readiness, and we won't be able to provide a badly needed pay raise for our troops.
We also won't be able to help our small businesses, who continue to struggle because of the pandemic.
Those problems may be acceptable to the other side, but not to Democrats. As the economy continues to recover from the pandemic, this bill will ensure that we can keep the government open and avoid the disastrous consequences of the Republican-led 2018-2019 shutdown.
In the meantime, we hope Republicans will start the process of offering constructive proposals to address the critical issues facing our country. Our constituents deserve that much at the very least. I look forward to that discussion when it does occur.
I once again state that the failure of not being able to pass a timely budget lies at the feet of the Republican Party. They have refused to come to the table with actual fair negotiations.
If my colleagues across the aisle want to have a debate on a woman's right to choose what to do with their bodies, then I would welcome that.
I would also welcome a debate on issues like gun violence. If we care about life and we say that we are pro-life, we should be pro-life for everyone, including our high school students that are suffering every single day at the hands of the failure of this Republican Party to come to the table.
I welcome a healthy debate on the future of our children while they are in school. A healthy debate will also include a responsible code of conduct, basic respect, and accountability issues.
It would also include accepting the fact that our children every single day are subject to gun violence, but yet, conspiracy theories in full display in Congress continue to deny our children and their parents the safety that they are demanding.
Continuing conspiracy theories, the big lie, drove thousands of Americans to come to the U.S. Capitol in a violent attempt to overthrow our government. In full display today, once again we have Republicans that are continuing with their conspiracy theories about what is and isn't happening on our school grounds.
Well, let me tell you what is happening in some of the schools in my district.
For the very first time, under the Biden administration, children have access to healthy food. They have food programs. They are learning how to grow their own food.
For the very first time, families that spend hours driving to and from work, hardworking parents, have the relief of knowing that childcare is available for their children.
This is what is at stake today, the real issues of what is happening and not happening in our schools and access to education. It doesn't just take a healthy family to raise a child. In the words of the former first lady, sometimes it takes a village.
Vote on this CR. Fund the government and continue to fund healthy programs that help our children thrive in their schools.
Mr. Speaker, by continuing to promote conspiracy theories and refusing to come to the table to talk about the real issues that we are funding here today, the Republicans in Congress continue to deny parents and children the education that they need by continuing to deny healthy food programs, once again.
So let's focus on what is healthy and not healthy for our children. Continuing to drink the Kool-Aid that led thousands of people to hurt our U.S. Capitol Police officers, to beat them with our own American flag, that is what they are selling here today.
We need to work on a budget for the people. This is the people's House. That is why they voted for us to come to Congress. Let's focus on the real issues and not play into the political theater that is being offered here today.
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