Eleanor Holmes Norton

Anytime, Mr. Chairman.

Metro bus and rail service plays an indispensable role in the day-to-day operations of the Federal Government.

I appreciate this hearing, Mr. Chairman, as we approach another election.

the nature of the penalty is such, I take it, that is so disproportionate, as it were, to the crime, that perhaps many violations do, in fact, not get referred, and therefore the violations, perhaps, are encouraged to continue.

Governor Haley, you certainly have my congratulations. So far as I know, you are the first woman elected in her own right as Governor of a Southern State.

I may be a Member of Congress, but I am still a member in good standing of the bar and an officer of the court.

I hope that following this hearing, this committee may once again embrace the long tradition of Republican and Democratic chairmen alike to avoid the possibility of appearing to taint a legal proceeding by engaging in a hearing while the…

But, Mr. Chairman, today's hearing makes unfortunate history with an unprecedented appearance of an abuse of the rule of law and constitutional due process.

I welcome both of these officers of the State. While your own testimony might be predictable, protecting your State, your testimony is certainly understandable.

I believe, for sure, I speak for the residents of the District of Columbia when I say that a great Senator has had time to work not only for his State, but to do wonderful work for the District of Columbia.

I offer an amendment. The CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment. The Clerk read as follows: Page 3, line 19, after the period insert ``In addition, for necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Management to plan…

This amendment would restore $500,673,000 to the Department of Homeland Security that has been cut entirely from this appropriation. This is the most important construction, private or public, ongoing in our country today, because it…

I appreciate the opportunity to speak, and I withdraw my amendment. The CHAIR. Without objection, the amendment is withdrawn. There was no objection. {time} 1740 Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Poe

Do you believe in majority rule? The majority wants to be represented.

Well, some of us value the seafood from the Gulf region. I think it is the very best, so I am particularly interested in the effect of the Gulf's oil spill on that part of the economy, which I understand is almost half of the economy, a…

But then I had one bill that said in the event of a shutdown, in any year, the District may spend its local funds so that we would not have to go through what we went through this time.

If we had closed down.

the Congress of the United States had not denied the District of Columbia the right to spend its own local money to save the lives of District of Columbia residents.

I think it would be a major implement of our ability to manage budget if we have the budget autonomy.

It is a tough budget with admirable balance. It spreads the pain.

I want to commend you on the budget that the mayor--first, you, Mayor Gray, have submitted.

Back on the school issue, I believe every State has a June-July fiscal year.

Chairman Issa's proposal is something I want to very much--it is the first I've heard of it, but it is one I certainly very much would like to work with him on and to build on.

I am convinced that the District of Columbia could teach the Congress some things.

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her strong work on this bill. Madam Speaker, this bill is unprecedented in a number of ways. It is unprecedented in that it uniquely affects my district, and yet I was not allowed to testify at…