hazylavender/hi huggingface dataset:
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. SCOTT : I rise today to oppose the reckless default on our debt act. Unfortunately, those on the other side of the aisle have taken the full faith and credit of the United States hostage and have offered a terrible deal for the American people. Either they will inflict cruel cuts on vital programs for working families or they will destroy the economy. Earlier this week, as has been pointed out, this plan was evaluated by Moody's Analytics, and they confirmed that almost 800,000 jobs will be lost. When they say the cuts aren't that bad, tell that to 200,000 children who will lose access to Head Start, 100,000 parents who will lose access to childcare, the 26 million students who are in title I schools who will get cuts in funding, or 6.6 million students who will lose money in Pell grants, or the tens of millions who will lose the funding for the student debt relief that has been promised. These spending cuts are necessary, frankly, to pay for the Republican tax cuts that weren't paid for at the time. Eighty percent of the Trump tax cuts were scheduled to go to the top 1 percent and corporations, and now we are going to pay for them with cuts to education, healthcare, veterans' programs, and others. I get tired of being lectured by the Republicans when it comes to fiscal responsibility because we know that every Republican Presidential administration since Nixon has left office with a worse deficit situation than they inherited, and every Democratic administration since Kennedy has left office with a better deficit situation than they inherited. Democrats are ready to act to prevent a devastating economic default, just as we did three times under the Trump administration with little fanfare. President Biden and Democrats have already significantly cut the deficit, and we are willing to do more, but we want to do it in a way that is responsible and helps families. This bill hurts families, and we need to oppose the bill.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. ARRINGTON: the Republican tax cuts gave us unprecedented growth and prosperity. It lifted 6 million people out of poverty and created the lowest poverty rate in the history of our great Nation. President Biden's budget recently has the highest levels of sustained spending, borrowing, and taxes in the history of the country. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), my dear friend and a champion of fiscal responsibility.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Ms. FOXX: I thank my colleague from Texas for yielding and for his wonderful work on this package. Mr. Speaker, America's position as the most trusted line of credit in the world is at stake. In other words, our reputation is at stake. Republicans' commonsense proposal, the Limit, Save, Grow Act, recognizes the twin interests of avoiding defaulting on our debt while reining in future inflationary spending. Yet, the President has signaled that he will stall, he will risk, and he will forbid paying our debt obligations if he doesn't get his way. He refuses to compromise.  {time}  1445  One such compromise, which falls within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, includes blocking the President from spending half a trillion dollars to provide backdoor free college. The Limit, Save, Grow Act would nullify the President's plan to transfer up to $20,000 per borrower onto the backs of blue-collar Americans, as well as his radical income-driven repayment plan, which would turn student loans into untargeted grants and cost more than any other regulation in our Nation's history. If the President's student loan scheme is enacted, taxpayers could end up spending almost $1 trillion since the beginning of the pandemic. Our solution preserves the fiscal integrity of our Nation for Americans today and the generation tomorrow. It offers a promise to the American public that we will not pursue trillion-dollar policies that risk our financial future. Mr. Speaker, we ask the President to come to the negotiating table and quit pursuing brinkmanship over partisanship.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. BOYLE : I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee. Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, preventing default is an obligation that Congress has. My Republican colleagues are holding our economy hostage, linking it to the annual process of funding the critical programs that serve American families and veterans. The price of averting a catastrophic default is drastic cuts to these programs now and severe caps for the next 10 years. Republicans claim that veterans' healthcare would be protected. That is not the case. For 6 hours during the Rules Committee meeting last night, I told House Republicans that veterans had no protections whatsoever in their debt default bill. Given the look on their faces, I believe I was the one to inform them of the immediate $2 billion rescission that robs veterans of timely access to healthcare services. I do not think they know what it is in their own bill. You know what they did after 6 hours of debate? Nothing for veterans. You know what they did after hearing from dozens of veteran and military service organizations about the lack of protections in the bill? Nothing for veterans. In the middle of the night, they made last-minute changes to win over Republican holdouts. You know what they did after going back to the drawing board? Nothing for veterans. Nothing to fix the $2 billion rescission. Nothing to protect veterans from a 22 percent cut.  Nothing to maintain our commitment to veterans who have been exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. This is shameful. This default and cuts bill should not even come to this floor for a vote. Our veterans sacrificed for us. We owe them the benefits that they have already earned. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill and vote ``yes'' for veterans. By voting ``no,'' you say ``yes'' to veterans.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. ARRINGTON: my colleagues act like there are no alternatives for funding cuts and savings, like there is no waste, woke, and bloat in the Federal Government. The President himself has issued 800 executive orders totaling $1.5 trillion. One of those items is the student loan bailout that benefits two out of three highest income earners in our country. It is costing taxpayers $700 billion. Mr. Speaker, I yield 90 seconds to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good), my dear friend and colleague on the Budget Committee.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. GOOD : I rise in support of reducing Federal spending, at long last. Democrats would never willingly agree to cut spending as evidenced by--what did the President just propose--a record $7 trillion budget with a record $2 trillion deficit, if that plan were ever to see the light of day. We are going to utilize this opportunity, this debt ceiling limit being reached, to negotiate or to force, finally, some fiscal responsibility and some cuts to our spending. President Biden and my friends across the aisle want to continue to exceed America's credit card limit without any consideration of how or why we got here. If an individual spent the way this Federal Government spends, they would be in jail. Think about it. Spending money that is not yours. Writing checks when you know the funds aren't there. What would you call that? The Limit, Save, Grow Act is the solution to shrink Washington and grow America. Immediate up-front cuts and spending reforms saving over $500 billion in 2 years and nearly $5 trillion over 10 years; rescinding the unspent COVID funds; eliminating the student loan transfer scheme; eliminating the $80 billion for the weaponized IRS; eliminating climate reckless environmental funding, and capping growth at 1 percent each year. I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this proposal to put us on a path to fiscal stability.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. BOYLE : I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva), the ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. GRIJALVA: I thank the gentleman for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, the default on America act is foolish. It is harmful. It is a harmful piece of legislation offered to appease the Republican Party's most extreme fringe. The Republicans' plan to handle the debt limit is not a plan at all. It is a ransom note that threatens aggressively to take our country backward, and everybody loses. Either Republicans force default, which results in skyrocketing student loans, veterans losing out on hard-earned benefits, and countless other incomprehensible effects that will hit the most vulnerable the hardest but will hit working-class folks and middle- class folks hard, as well.  Republicans can enact their tone-deaf economic agenda, giving a huge windfall to billionaires and oil barons, while cutting food assistance to poor families, children, and older people. If Republicans had their way, they would strip our communities of the right to fight back against polluting industries while padding Big Oil's pockets. They cut funding for climate science while reversing the progress the Democrats have made on clean energy. They do absolutely nothing to address emissions. In fact, they give companies free passes to pollute while cutting funding to fight wildfires and provide drought relief. They say they will help American families, but it slashes already underfunded Tribal education programs and Indian child welfare programs. Their budget would make it harder to tackle wildfires and drought in the West. This bill is not what the American people want. Our communities want clean air and clean water. They want to be able to put food on the table. They want good, stable jobs, and they want the Federal Government to face climate change head on. I urge my colleagues to stand up against the default on America act. Vote ``no.''
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. ARRINGTON: you are going to hear about a number of vulnerable people, communities that get Federal funding, but you will not hear, I bet, anything about the most vulnerable group of people in this country, and that is the next generation of Americans who will inherit $31 trillion in debt, the highest levels of indebtedness in our Nation's history. Where are they in this debate? That is the big question. Who is speaking up for them? That is a big question. I know my colleague will. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice).
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. BOYLE : just to be clear, to correct the Record, three times under former President Trump, the debt ceiling was increased. Many of us on this side of the aisle voted for it, even though it was a President not of our own party. In those three debt ceiling increases, zero of them, zero included cuts to any government spending. In fact, two of them included increases to government spending. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. HIGGINS : I rise today in opposition to H.R. 2811. Under President Biden, we have created 12 million jobs, including 800,000 manufacturing jobs, and unemployment is at a 54-year low. The previous administration lost 3 million jobs in 4 years, including nearly 300,000 manufacturing jobs. This irresponsible proposal on the floor today would tank our economic recovery and hurt hardworking families, and it would not be good for my western New York district. Throughout the pandemic, this Congress worked together to keep families strong amidst unprecedented uncertainty. It is shocking how anti-family this bill is. This bill will lead to less healthcare for parents and children. More kids will go to bed hungry because their parentscan't afford food. It would cut healthcare for veterans, hurting not only them but their families and caregivers, as well. Congress raised the debt limit nearly 80 times since 1960--the majority of those taking place under Republican Presidents. It is time for the GOP to stop playing games with the livelihood of American families. I ask my colleagues to join me in rejecting this proposal and instead pass a clean bill that prevents the first default in our Nation's history.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. ARRINGTON: you will hear many of the tired, old, false choices like hungry children, struggling families. I would remind you and the people of our great country who are experiencing sustained levels of 40-year inflation, who are struggling to put food on the table, that that has come as a result of reckless spending here in Washington. There are a lot of programs: Global Equity Fund, electric buses and ferries, $80 billion for IRS agents, $27 billion for climate slush fund--I could go on and on. You will not hear any of that from my friends on the other side of the aisle. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards), my colleague on the Budget Committee.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. EDWARDS: I rise today in strong support of the Limit, Save, Grow Act. This legislation takes monumental steps in reining in Federal spending by not cutting but just returning to spending levels of just a year ago and spurring economic growth and restoring the fiscal sanity that our Nation desperately needs. As our national debt is at nearly $31.5 trillion or $95,000 per person, our current fiscal trajectory is simply unsustainable. It is immoral, and it is unfair to future generations who will be the ones responsible for paying off this insurmountable debt. This legislation will help restore the American economy, unleash American energy, and reverse decades of runaway spending. I applaud the work of Chairman Arrington, his leadership, and his tireless efforts to help bring us to this critical moment in our Nation's history. I am proud to support this legislation.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. BOYLE : I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Ms. JACKSON LEE: I include in the Record a report from Moody's Analytics titled: ``The Debt Limit Drama Heats Up.''  Speaker McCarthy's proposed legislation would increase the debt limit by $1.5 trillion or until March 31, 2024, whichever comes first. In exchange, it would cut government spending by $4.5 trillion over the next decade and implement a number of consequential changes to fiscal policy (see Table 1 and Chart 3). The most significant spending cuts would come by setting fiscal 2024 discretionary spending equal to fiscal 2022 spending levels.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. ARRINGTON: again, with all due respect to my colleague from Texas, Democrats will act as if these are the choices, but they are false choices because they could choose to defund the moneys that came from Democrat earmarks to companies that create dirt bike culture or maybe--with all due respect to the First Lady--the Michelle Obama Trail in Georgia. There is a list of things. You will not hear them today in this debate or any concern, in my opinion, for our children's future as it relates to the debt. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman), my colleague on the Budget Committee.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. GROTHMAN: I think it is important that everybody in this Chamber, as well as everybody around America understands the precarious situation we are in with regard to the debt of this country. At the end of World War II, the debt was equal to about 100 percent of GDP, but in World War II we knew we were going to stop making tanks, stop making planes, stop making ships, and we were going to lay off a lot of the military folks. Then the debt dropped from 100 percent GDP down to 20 percent, went up to 40 percent, and since the Great Recession, it shot up to near 100 percent again, near the all-time record. The Biden administration has shown no ability to say ``no'' to anybody. You look at the budget they have proposed. The Department of the Interior, 9 percent increase; the Department of Commerce, 11 percent increase; the Department of Education, almost a 14 percent increase. Wherever you look, they still have their foot on the gas. America has got to realize for our children and grandchildren we have got to now finally say ``no'' just a little bit.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. BOYLE : I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. ESPAILLAT: I stand here in opposition to the default on America act. House Republicans' debt default bill before us here today holds the economy hostage in exchange for slashing investment in American families to the tune of $4.5 trillion in cuts. The debt ceiling extension has happened 78 times, Mr. Speaker; 49 times under Republican administrations. This is not new. This is an artificial crisis, which can create catastrophic economic conditions across the world. Not just the United States economy, but the world economy can be affected. Police officers on the street will be cut through the Department of Justice. Veteran benefits will be cut. Working moms will no longer have daycare. That is what this accomplishes, this default on America act. I stand in opposition, Mr. Speaker, and I ask my colleagues to do the same.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. ARRINGTON: more ``Apocalypse Now'' from my colleagues who give electric vehicle tax breaks to people who make $150,000. That is not a priority when you are $31 trillion in debt. Government subsidized healthcare for people making over $300,000 is not a priority when you have a 10-year tripling of our interest, doubling of our annual deficits, and a bleak outlook for our children. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Spartz), my good friend and somebody that is very concerned about this issue.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mrs. SPARTZ: I rise to urge my Democrat colleagues to unite with Republicans and put pressure on the Senate to have an adult conversation about our debt and spending. We collected $4 trillion last year. Our mandatory spending is $4 trillion, automatic spending? And of the $2 trillion of discretionary spending, 80 percent is unauthorized. That means that 90 percent of spending is not even considered by this institution. We have programs like Medicare that are going bankrupt. We have bipartisan issues supported by Trump and Obama that could save billions of dollars for the seniors to save Medicare, like site-neutral payments and overbilling by Medicare. It is fraudulent overbilling, dishonest billing that is supported by broad groups of think tanks. We have to save these programs for the people that were promised them. We need to have the backbone in Washington, D.C., to stand up for we the people and challenge special interest groups. I urge my colleagues to be with us on this issue.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1979-H2039] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. BOYLE : I keep hearing this doom and gloom from the other side of the aisle that we are on the brink of catastrophe. Here is the headline in the world's leading economic magazine, a magazine that is considered right of center. This is their headline 2 weeks ago: ``The lessons from America's astonishing economic record. The world's biggest economy is leaving its peers even further in the dust.'' That is the accurate record of where this country and its economy stand right now. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes).