Providing for Consideration of H.R. 5175, Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act
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Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, every citizen in this country, in fact, every school child above the fifth grade ought to know what the First Amendment of the Constitution says. But we know that our education is lacking these days, so I am going to read the amendment. And I am hoping that as our speakers speak, we keep it on the floor so people can read it, because I think folks need to be reminded of what it says. ``Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.'' It's very simple, but it's very important.
I now yield 5 minutes to my distinguished colleague from California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren).
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Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
We have to constantly remind our colleagues across the aisle that Republicans were in charge of the Congress when President Clinton was in office his last 6 years and that Democrats were in charge of Congress the last 2 years of Mr. Bush's administration. We know that Democrats created the economic crisis. And we are not apologizing to BP. We know that BP should pay for all of the problems that have been caused in the gulf. However, we'd like to see this administration do something to respond to the disaster down there and stop blaming others as they do on everything.
In a little over a week, on July 4th, we will be celebrating our Nation's independence. John Adams wrote in a letter to his wife, Abigail, that it ``ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance.''
Today, we're not liberating the American people, as our Founding Fathers did. Instead, our colleagues are attempting just the opposite. They're attempting to erode our right to free speech when there's so many other pressing issues that our Nation faces today.
For one, we could be addressing the 21 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement payments to doctors that went into effect on June 18. The Senate, after some debate, was able to pass, by unanimous consent, a 6-month extension on the 21 percent cuts last Friday. This legislation would provide a 6-month extension, fully paid for. However, the Speaker has said she sees ``no reason to pass this inadequate bill until we see jobs legislation coming out of the Senate.'' But the Democrats in charge have seen these disastrous pay cuts to physicians coming for some time but have only offered bills full of budget gimmicks or 1-month extensions. I've heard from physicians in my district who are fearful of these cuts and the negative impact they have on their patients when they will no longer be able to afford to see Medicare patients. This is a real crisis we should be dealing with instead of a bill riddled with assaults on our constitutional rights.
Even some Democrat Members have some concerns with this bill. To quote one Democrat Member who spoke during the Rules Committee yesterday, with this bill ``we are auctioning off parts of the First Amendment. Don't make this bill unconstitutional on purpose.'' H.R. 5175 contracts our freedoms when we should be expanding them.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the amendment and extraneous material be placed in the Record prior to the vote on the previous question.
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Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I am going to urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question so that I can amend the rule to allow all Members of Congress the opportunity to vote to cut spending. Republican Whip Eric Cantor recently launched the YouCut initiative which gives people an opportunity to vote for Federal spending they would like to see Congress cut. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have cast their votes, and this week they've directed their Representatives in Congress to consider H.R. 5570.
According to the Republican whip's YouCut Web site, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that ``over the next 10 years, the IRS will require between $5 billion and $10 billion in funding to implement the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as the new health care law. These funds will be used to hire thousands of additional IRS agents and employees. Reforming our health care system shouldn't require expanding the IRS. By prohibiting funding for the expansion of the IRS for this purpose, we can protect taxpayers while we work to repeal and replace the law.''
H.R. 5570 would prohibit taxpayer funds from being appropriated to the Internal Revenue Service for the purpose of hiring new agents to enforce the Democrats' health care law. Under the new law, additional agents would be specifically hired to enforce the Democrats' unconstitutional individual health care mandate. By preventing their hire, this week's YouCut vote could save the taxpayers between $5 billion and $10 billion. In order to provide for consideration of this commonsense legislation, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question and ``no'' on the rule.
I yield back the balance of my time.
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