Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2017, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2012
Floor Speech
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Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I raise a point of order against H. Res. 287 because the resolution violates section 426(a) of the Congressional Budget Act. The resolution contains a waiver of all points of order against consideration of the bill, which includes a waiver of section 425 of the Congressional Budget Act, which causes a violation of section 426(a).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Minnesota makes a point of order that the resolution violates section 426(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
The gentleman has met the threshold burden under the rule, and the gentleman from Minnesota and a Member opposed each will control 10 minutes of debate on the question of consideration. Following debate, the Chair will put the question of consideration as the statutory means of disposing of the point of order.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I raise this point of order not necessarily out of concern for unfunded mandates, although there are likely some in the underlying bill, H.R. 2017, because the bill slashes funding for our State and local governments as they prepare against homeland security threats and respond to natural disasters.
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Mr. ELLISON. I yield myself the remaining time.
Mr. Speaker, we should be creating jobs, not destroying Medicare. We should be preserving what has made America great, which is the basic sense that we are all in this thing together.
Yes, it is absolutely true that people should go out into the private sector and try their luck in the free market--skill, ingenuity and all that--but America has always had a strong public sector, which has been essential to the survival and the success of that private sector: fair rules, good infrastructure, good jobs, times in America, like during the Depression, when Eisenhower led us to build and create that infrastructure. Then in 1968, when we created Medicare, this country has been at its best. Yes, a private sector but also a strong, vibrant public sector.
We are at a point in American history today when at least the Republican caucus believes we don't need a public sector. We just don't need one. We may need one, maybe, for military stuff, but beyond that, they just don't see a purpose for it. I believe Americans think that things like Medicare, infrastructure development, Social Security, and things like the GI Bill are important parts of what make America ``America'' because they are how we recognize as Americans that we are all in this thing together, that our senior citizens will not be abandoned, that our GIs coming back will not be left behind, that communities which need police, fire and EMT services will not just be left to the ravages of others.
We need an American commitment to Social Security and Medicare, and that's what we're going to be arguing for today. The American people can count on the Democratic Caucus to never abandon our seniors even as Republicans want to take Medicare apart as a program that has served so many people so well. You want to do something to change Medicare? Why don't we let Medicare negotiate drug prices. That could probably save us several billion dollars a year, as much as $53 billion a year. Republicans don't want to do that because they've got their interests to protect.
I yield back the balance of my time.
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