Providing for Consideration of H.R. 5973, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013; and Providing for Consideration of HR. 5972, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013
Floor Speech
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Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding me this time.
I think most Americans would agree, irrespective of which party they are in, that it would be a good idea to put Americans back to work building our highways and our bridges and our transportation systems, and do it now.
I think most Americans would agree that doubling interest rates on student loans would be disastrous for people struggling to get a college education.
I think most Americans would agree that if the other body passed a transportation bill by three-quarters of the Members voting for it, Republican and Democrat, it would be a good idea to take that bill up here.
I think most Americans would agree that if the Republican and Democratic leadership in the other body reached an agreement on a way to keep the student loan rates low and not add to the deficit by paying for it, it would be a really good idea to bring the bill up here.
The unfortunate thing for the House and for the country is that the only people who don't seem to be a part of that consensus are the Republican Members of the House of Representatives. No matter if the Senate Republicans say it's okay, and the Senate Democrats say it's okay, and the President says it's okay, and the House Democrats say it's okay, and more importantly, if the American people say it's okay, it somehow isn't usually okay with them.
So what Mr. McGovern is saying is this: until we keep the student loan rates low, and until we pass a jobs bill to put people back to work on transportation, let's not take our 10th week of paid vacation this year. I think that's a pretty reasonable thing to do. So voting ``no'' on the previous question says let's get our work done before we go home and take our 10th week of vacation for the year. Vote ``no.''
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