Student Aid And Fiscal Responsibility Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, this motion to recommit is critical at this time. As many people in this body realize, the scandals surrounding the criminal activities of ACORN have called into question their role in all aspects of government, including aspects covered in this bill. The funding they've received under Health and Human Services, title IV, which is covered in this bill, and other areas make it extremely important that we consider it at this time.

ACORN, as our committee had previously reported, is an organization with a long history of criminal indictments and activities, so much so that in fact the Census Bureau has, on its own, removed its funding. The Senate has voted 83-7 to remove funding; we must do the same thing.

This motion to recommit deliberately is here because in fact this is a funding-related activity. This is one in which we understand that the very fundamental of taxpayer dollars being properly used and supported is at stake.

There is no question as to where ACORN stands, where the administration and multiple Governors, including my own Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, have called for this investigation; 130 Members of this body have called on the President in fact to defund.

So the motion to recommit, narrow in scope, simply makes the defunding of ACORN a portion of this bill, makes it clear that the Members of this House do not support ACORN's activities, including child trafficking, prostitution, and in fact a great many other criminal activities, including voter fraud. This is timely, it is targeted, and it is time that this House act.

I move the motion, and ask for it to be voted positively.

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Mr. Speaker, this motion to recommit is simple. It's about protecting students and taxpayers.

Earlier this week, more than 130 House Republicans wrote to President Obama requesting that he take immediate action to cut off all federal funding of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN.

ACORN has been linked to multiple instances of voter registration fraud and other illicit activity. In recent days, media accounts have detailed ACORN employees' alleged complicity in illegal schemes too unseemly to discuss in this chamber. To continue funding this organization would not just be indefensible--it would be an outrage.

An analysis of federal data shows that ACORN has received more than $53 million in direct funding from the Federal Government since 1994, and has likely received substantially more indirectly through States and localities that receive Federal block grants.

The Census Bureau recently decided to sever all ties with ACORN to ensure the integrity of their operations. This was the right decision. Unfortunately, ACORN's links to the Federal Government do not stop with the Census Bureau. This organization has infiltrated a host of federal programs, consuming taxpayer dollars even as it has repeatedly been found to engage in criminal activity.

To fully protect taxpayers, we must enact a comprehensive ban on Federal funding for this corrupt and criminal organization. This motion to recommit will do exactly that.

Republicans have introduced legislation--the Defund ACORN Act--to put an immediate stop to Federal funding for this crooked bunch.

U.S. International Agreements: The iron and steel section states: ``This section shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements.'' This applies government-wide.

Any and all Federal agencies: Section 505(a) is open to other entities the Secretary deems appropriate--an open-ended inclusion that could apply to any Federal agency.

The tentacles of this legislation reach into the economy, our education system, our workforce system, and a host of other areas. It is truly a comprehensive bill--and a comprehensive ban on funding for ACORN, such as that included in this motion, is what is needed.

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Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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