Statements For the Record

The legislation on the floor today, a bill to defund National Pubic Radio, is another example of a Republican-Tea Party agenda which kills jobs and imposes an extremist right-wing ideological agenda on the American people. This bill and debate is about titillating right wing passions and silencing public broadcasting – nothing more. It is time for listeners of public radio, viewers of public television, and all citizens who value non-commercial broadcasting to make their voices heard or some valuable radio stations and important programming will disappear.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today in solidarity with the working men and women of America.

There should be no doubt that there is a war going on right now against workers, unions, and middle class Americans who want more jobs.

In Wisconsin, Ohio, and here in Congress, workers rights are under attack by union busting politicians.

Mr. Speaker, over the past few weeks, hundreds of Minnesotans, as well as citizens from across the country, have contacted my office about the military's multi-million dollar taxpayer sponsorship of NASCAR race cars. Frankly, many of my constituents and citizens of all political persuasions - Democrats, Republicans, and Tea Party activists - are dumbfounded when race car drivers receive millions of dollars from the Department of Defense while the Speaker of the House of Representatives tells the American people our country is "broke."

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1 - legislation introduced by the House Republican majority that would cut over $60 billion in essential funding to America's communities without making a significant impact on this year's federal deficit.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment ends tens of millions of taxpayer dollars from being wasted on the sponsorships of NASCAR race cars by the Department of Defense.

With trillion dollar deficits this amendment is where the rubber meets the road for my Republican-Tea Party colleagues who want to cut wasteful spending.

Defense Department waste is nothing new. Many Americans remember in the 1980s when the Pentagon was spending $400 for a hammer and $600 for a toilet seat.

Now we have the Army spending $7 million for a decal on a racing car. Talk about taxpayer sticker shock!

First of all, to make clear, while the Congressman says his amendment eliminates the U.S. Forest Service's International Programs, it does not.

The amendment only calls for a reduction in the budget for the "Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, State and Private Forestry." Should this short-sighted amendment pass, the Agency would decide what within its budget to cut.

That being said, the gentleman from Kansas has unfairly maligned an important agency doing unsung work.

I rise today to let the American people—and all Minnesotans—know that this Continuing Resolution is an unprecedented assault on our public health and the environment.

We know the federal budget is in crisis.

We know we must make tough choices.

But those choices must be prudent, wise, and invest for our future. It should not put the basic health of Americans at risk.

The Republicans' plan before us proposes to cut $3 billion from the EPA's budget, the largest percentage cut to this critical agency in 30 years.

I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 519, a bill that would prevent vital upgrades to security around the United Nations building and break America's promise to pay legally-mandated U.N. dues. This legislation does not - as my Republican colleagues claim - reduce the deficit. In fact, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office determined that "implementing H.R. 519 would have no effect on the federal budget." Unfortunately, H.R. 519 would undercut America's global leadership at a time when international cooperation is urgently needed to safeguard America's interests.