Alcee Hastings

I am very pleased to yield 2\3/ 4\ minutes to the distinguished minority whip from Maryland, my good friend, Steny Hoyer.

my colleagues have made the case for the extension of the Voting Rights Act, and I echo their sentiments. When this matter comes to the floor, if it comes, and it should today be made in order as a rule, then I will have an opportunity to…

my good friend from Hawaii, and he is my good friend, knows that I love his volcanic State that has no Outer Continental Shelf. If we were drilling in Oahu or on the road to Hana, I would hear a different perspective. But I understand that…

I would like to see that exact date, and I am here to tell you that we didn't receive such a briefing. And if you can tell me that this resolution holds that every member was briefed, I am here to tell you that that is not true.

As I recall, my friend from Pleasantville and Happy Valley wanted drilling 3 miles out, he perceives it as such an emergency. I find it strange that people that live so far away from the potential problem have all of the correct answers…

as we consider this bill today that further opens up our precious coastal resources to the oil industry, should we not also be talking about how those oil companies treat Americans at the gas pump? Should they be allowed to drill the oil…

I serve on the Rules Committee with the distinguished gentlewoman, my good friend, Ms. Matsui from California, Sacramento and that area, who understands environmental consequences. I am pleased and privileged to yield 3 minutes to the…

I yield myself the remaining amount of our time. During the course of this debate and discussion, I have cited to the United States Constitution frequently. I remind my colleagues that article I of the United States Constitution created…

before we turn over our constitutionally granted power to the executive branch, let us vote on a measure that will actually reduce the deficit, rein in irresponsible spending and help to bring accountability back to the House's legislative…

Right. And every year since the President has been in office, we have been in this deficit spending environment; would you agree?

Reclaiming my time, you say that this will be a little bit more. Our good friend Paul Ryan, who is an author of this legislation, yesterday in my dialogue with him, he agreed that this legislation gives the President the power to do five…

And I might add my good friend and fellow Floridian, and he is my good friend. Let me ask you, Mr. Crenshaw, do you feel that this House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, or the Congress, is in a deficit spending environment at this…

because of the limited number of speakers that I have left, I will reserve my time and allow my colleague from Florida who has more time and maybe more speakers to proceed.

Then tell me what is down and what is up? Did we not raise the debt ceiling twice?

excuse me. Will my colleague remain for me to use some of my time to ask him a question before I yield to my good friend Mr. Miller?

I don't believe he said that. I want to continue along those lines. Evidently the previous speaker doesn't know what Governor Jeb Bush just did, but that is another story. I want to keep the Constitution before us. What it says in that…

I was trying to allow that we go a bit longer only for the reason that the next agenda matter is not present for us. I won't make an accusation that that allows that my friends in the majority are having difficulty in organizing their…

Before yielding to my distinguished friend, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record a March 20th report in The New York Times, byline reading ``North Slope Oil Spill Raises New Concerns Over Pipeline Maintenance;'' and equally…

I hear you, but what you ignore is the fact that when President Bush took office we had a surplus in this Nation and now we have deficits. I mean, we cannot keep swiping the Chinese, Japanese, Saudi Arabian card to pay for the war. You…

Reclaiming my time to ask a question. Are you saying that those tax cuts didn't help this country?

And are you saying that those tax increases that you voted against and I voted for did not cause this economy to boom? If we use that argument, my mom used to say something to me that was really interesting. She said, All you all do is go…

A joint effort speaking well for divided government, and the precursor to what is coming in November when doubtless we have divided government again.

I would respond to the chairman simply by saying that you ignore the fact that the deficits are sky high in this surge of revenue of which you speak, and the needs, I might add, of those that are most vulnerable in our society have not…

If the chairman will continue to yield, in the calculations under the AMT as he proposes they will get between $9 and $14. That person in the middle class, how in the world is that helping them?

And we have secured the deficit that you created, or maybe it was George Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.