TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - July 24, 2007)
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Chairman, I take this opportunity tonight to point out one more time one of the quirks of the rules that we operate under.
We have heard over the last 2 days many of my colleagues come to these microphones and propose reductions in spending in this particular area of the Federal budget, very eloquent, very passioned, to try to reduce this spending.
But the harsh reality is, should any of those amendments have passed or should any of the ones that we're about to vote on pass, the reality is that that spending does not, in fact, get cut out of this budget. This spending would simply be spent in conference and would not reduce the deficit or, should we ever get to that point, increase the surplus.
So my amendment would simply state the sense that instead of continuing the practice, the age-old practice of spending whatever is in 302(b) allocation, whether it's warranted or not, we would actually take an opportunity to reduce spending which I think folks on both sides of the aisle, many people on both sides of the aisle would say is arguably one of the things that we ought to be doing and studying.
This is not a revolutionary position to take, but it's one in which I think it makes sense. Most folks in Texas in District 11 would clearly understand the intent of what I'm trying to do. In fact, it would come as a shock to them to know that if we found 218 votes to adopt the 1 percent cut or the half a percent cut or the 25-basis point cut, that all of that hard work would be for naught and that that money would still get spent.
So I understand there's a point of order that lies against this. I will not push for a ruling from the Chair. I just wanted to simply take the opportunity tonight to point out to my colleagues that we need to change the rules. We need to change the way we operate in this House, and this would be one of those that we ought to seriously consider doing so that the will of the House could operate to actually change spending if that were, in fact, the case.
So, Mr. Chairman, I appreciate this opportunity to say this tonight, and I will not push the point of order.
Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Chairman, I take this opportunity tonight to point out one more time one of the quirks of the rules that we operate under.
We have heard over the last 2 days many of my colleagues come to these microphones and propose reductions in spending in this particular area of the Federal budget, very eloquent, very passioned, to try to reduce this spending.
But the harsh reality is, should any of those amendments have passed or should any of the ones that we're about to vote on pass, the reality is that that spending does not, in fact, get cut out of this budget. This spending would simply be spent in conference and would not reduce the deficit or, should we ever get to that point, increase the surplus.
So my amendment would simply state the sense that instead of continuing the practice, the age-old practice of spending whatever is in 302(b) allocation, whether it's warranted or not, we would actually take an opportunity to reduce spending which I think folks on both sides of the aisle, many people on both sides of the aisle would say is arguably one of the things that we ought to be doing and studying.
This is not a revolutionary position to take, but it's one in which I think it makes sense. Most folks in Texas in District 11 would clearly understand the intent of what I'm trying to do. In fact, it would come as a shock to them to know that if we found 218 votes to adopt the 1 percent cut or the half a percent cut or the 25-basis point cut, that all of that hard work would be for naught and that that money would still get spent.
So I understand there's a point of order that lies against this. I will not push for a ruling from the Chair. I just wanted to simply take the opportunity tonight to point out to my colleagues that we need to change the rules. We need to change the way we operate in this House, and this would be one of those that we ought to seriously consider doing so that the will of the House could operate to actually change spending if that were, in fact, the case.
So, Mr. Chairman, I appreciate this opportunity to say this tonight, and I will not push the point of order.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT