September 14, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6047 

lost on that argument, which is why we 

were in the deepest recession at the 

end of the last administration that this 

country has been in my lifetime, and 

I’m not one of the younger Members of 

this body. 

I am, with the majority leader, hopeful that we can work together and 

come to agreement on that on which 

we agree and move forward. The American people, I think, hope that as well, 

Mr. Speaker. 

With that, I yield back the balance of 

my time. 

f 

ADJOURNMENT TO TUESDAY, 

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 

Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I ask 

unanimous consent that when the 

House adjourns today, it adjourn to 

meet at noon on Tuesday, September 

18, 2012; and when the House adjourns 

on that day, it adjourn to meet at noon 

on Wednesday, September 19, 2012, for 

morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there 

objection to the request of the gentleman from Virginia? 

There was no objection. 

f 

IT IS TIME TO PUT GOVERNING 

OVER POLITICS 

(Mr. WITTMAN asked and was given 

permission to address the House for 1 

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) 

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise 

today with disappointment. I’m disappointed that this Nation’s leaders 

have once again kicked the can down 

the road instead of making tough and 

important decisions on our Nation’s 

spending. 

Yesterday, the House passed a continuing resolution without my vote to 

simply continue to fund government 

into the 2013 fiscal year at current levels as catastrophic cuts loom on the 

horizon set to hit in January of 2013. 

Sequestration, as these cuts are 

known, threaten our national security. 

An estimated 200,000 jobs in Virginia 

will be lost, jobs that support our 

warfighters and their mission around 

the world. 

Mr. Speaker, we have 16 days to the 

beginning of a new fiscal year, yet Congress has delayed tough decisions 

again. These delays are unconscionable. These delays are unacceptable. 

Congress should stay in Washington 

and stop ignoring the reality of these 

looming cuts. 

It is time to put governing over politics. 

f 

HONORING NEIL ARMSTRONG 

(Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas asked 

and was given permission to address 

the House for 1 minute and to revise 

and extend her remarks.) 

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. 

Speaker, it is a great privilege for me 

to rise on the floor of the House today 

to pay tribute to astronaut Neil Armstrong, an American hero. 

Yesterday, at the National Cathedral, we paid tribute to him as a national hero and recognize that his 

name will forever be a testament to 

our Nation’s will to prevail in the challenge for successful space exploration 

and push the boundaries, going where 

no man has gone before. 

As a 12-year member of the House 

Science Committee and a member of 

the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, I can tell you that I am 

deeply indebted, but also embedded 

with the idea of human space exploration. How can I not be, representing 

and coming from the community where 

NASA Johnson Space Center is. 

Today I rise in tribute to all of them 

and recognize the greater leadership 

that Neil Armstrong gave as a humble 

American. He, along with fellow astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collin, 

shared a most significant time in our 

history—one small step for man, but a 

great and gigantic step for humanity. 

Right now in Houston, we are celebrating 50 years of human space exploration at the Hyatt Regency, commemorating NASA Johnson. I want to 

thank Dr. Mae Jemison and all those 

who came after this great hero for continuing the dream. They can count on 

me as a Member of the United States 

Congress to fight again for human 

space exploration. 

Thank you, Neil Armstrong, an 

American hero. May you rest in peace. 

f 

WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO 

CREATE JOBS 

(Mr. DOLD asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) 

Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, this is not 

what economic recovery looks like. 

Last Friday’s painful jobs report 

showed for every one American job 

that was created, four people simply 

exited the labor force. In fact, the percentage of Americans participating in 

the labor force today is lower than it 

has been at any time since September 

1981. 

Mr. Speaker, this is a national crisis. 

Over 23 million Americans remain unemployed, underemployed, or have simply given up looking for work. Our Nation’s GDP growth was lower in this 

year’s second quarter than the first. 

The average monthly jobs created is 

less this year than last. 

Washington has tried a trillion dollar 

stimulus, 4 straight years of trillion 

dollar deficits, yet unemployment has 

remained above 8 percent for over 43 

consecutive months. The American 

people are honestly asking themselves: 

Am I better off today than I was $6 trillion ago? 

Mr. Speaker, we need to work together to empower businesses to create 

jobs and grow our economy, which is 

why I’ve introduced a bipartisan, bicameral jobs bill, the Global Investment in America Jobs Act. This isn’t 

about politics. It’s about the millions 

of Americans who are unemployed and 

seeking opportunities for a better future. 

f 

b 1320 

GRANT TRADE WITH RUSSIA 

(Mr. REICHERT asked and was given 

permission to address the House for 1 

minute.) 

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I am 

speaking in favor today of granting 

Russia permanent normal trade relations. I would like to emphasize this 

will hold only benefits for the United 

States. There is no downside for us unless we fail to act. 

While we wait to consider this legislation, our global competitors are racing ahead, taking advantage of their 

new access to Russian markets. U.S. 

exports to Russia could double in the 

next 5 years. Currently exports to Russia support over 1,400 jobs in my State. 

Passing this bill will increase America’s export goods and services substantially, and this growth and trade will 

serve as a no-cost job creator. 

If we fail to act, U.S. companies, 

farmers, and workers will not receive 

the benefits of Russia’s membership, 

nor will the U.S. Government have authority to hold Russia accountable 

under WTO rules. 

Mr. Speaker, it is my sincere hope 

that we can come together and pass 

this legislation. Grant Russia permanent normal trade relations. 

f 

112TH CONGRESS IN REVIEW 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under 

the Speaker’s announced policy of January 5, 2011, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. MORAN) is recognized for 60 

minutes as the designee of the minority leader. 

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, next week, 

following Senate action on a 6-month 

continuing resolution to keep the Federal government funded until March 27 

of 2013, Congress is likely to adjourn 

until after the fall elections. 

Really? Seriously. In other words, 

over the next 53 days before the election, this House will be in session 

about 13⁄4 days. It’s a sad state of affairs, and the best that this House can 

do is to punt all spending decisions on 

this year’s budget to the next Congress. 

But that’s what we just did this 

week. Before we adjourn, there will be 

no resolution on the budget, there will 

be no resolution on the sequester, $1.2 

trillion, that is causing disruption 

throughout the country and particularly among the entire Federal Government, especially the defense industry, 

which will have to absorb half of that 

sequester. It could affect directly about 

a million jobs, about 2 million jobs indirectly, but we’re not going to do anything about it. 


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