Porter Goss

everyone knows that our national debt is spiraling out of control, passing the $5 trillion mark earlier this year. To put this incredible number in some kind of perspective, the Washington Times last week gave a particularly timely…

this is a fair and generous rule which allows for a broad debate on a massive subject. I congratulate Mr. Smith for persevering in bringing H.R. 2202 to the floor--and I am proud to be a cosponsor. This is about the failure of the Federal…

Mr. Speaker, the battle over the fiscal year 1996 budget is coming to an end. It is time. After two partial Government shutdowns, three continuing resolutions, and a lot of stonewalling by the White House, we are prepared to close the…

they say three times can be the charm. Well, today the House will, for the third time this Congress, approve an important budget tool to make sure that spending cuts we agree to actually translate into savings for the American people. We…

I have stood here many times to argue that the Everglades is a national treasure that needs and deserves our help and we have taken steps in the past to address the degradation of the Everglades and Florida Bay, for which I am grateful but…

Fidel Castro has done it again. He's caused tragedy and pain and suffering in pursuit of brutal repression. Castro's actions this weekend coupled with Clinton administration foreign policy ineptness present the world with another…

I come to the floor to catalog the extraordinary, bipartisan, bicameral efforts now underway to provide urgent relief for Florida's winter fruit and vegetable industry, particularly the tomato growers. We in Florida have been acutely aware…

I rise today to salute the new municipality in my district in Florida, to commend the citizens on both sides of the incorporation debate for their sincere interest in bettering their community and to wish the newly elected town council…

January first marked the 2-year anniversary of NAFTA. As we begin the third year of tariff reductions and opening markets under this accord, it is appropriate to take a moment to assess our progress--so far reports show NAFTA has been a…

the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] has asked for 21 responsible Members of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives to come forward. There will be 236 responsible Members of the Republican Party coming forward today, and…

I know that Americans are very frustrated with the twists and turns the balanced budget debate has taken in these past weeks, and I know that there have been very real sacrifices out there made by some Federal employees, their families…

Mr. Speaker, it is hard to negotiate when one of the parties will not put on the table an opening offer. Therefore, this House tonight will pass a resolution which will implicitly ask the question that the press and the media in this…

I reluctantly rise to register my disappointment with the Agriculture appropriations conference report, and on a related note, the real lack of progress Congress is making on bringing real reform to agricultural price support and subsidy…

this is a very simple, very fair rule for the consideration of the conference report for H.R. 2126, the Department of Defense appropriation bill. We provide for an hour of debate, and all points of order against the report are waived. It…

Mr. Chairman, we have not seen this amendment in this form until just a few minutes ago. I think the gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon] has characterized the concern we have over here about it. As one reads it, it seems harmless enough…

I want to thank Members for the bipartisan spirit in this. This is a complicated issue, as we have said. We are trying to do the right thing. I hope this is the right way to proceed. With the assurances we have from the gentleman that we…

I will briefly explain this amendment, which is somewhat technical. It is primarily a managers' amendment. I know there is some concern about time on the other side to get on with some of the amendments which we need to do. Mr. Chairman…

Mr. Speaker, this is an open rule, providing for the consideration of H.R. 1162, the Deficit Reduction Lockbox Act of 1995, an important budget tool to hold us accountable for making sure that spending cuts translate into savings for the…

Mr. Chairman, as the gentlewoman from California knows, I admire her persistence and her wisdom and her leadership in trying to make the best possible piece of legislation we can out of the lockbox, and she certainly deserves a great deal…

I rise obviously in very strong support of the House-passed version of the line-item veto. I would point out that taking this up today as we start out the fall session is a promise kept. We said we would do it, we are doing it. I certainly…

Mr. Speaker, this is the first of the appropriations bills to make it through the conference process, and I wish to commend the bill's managers, the gentleman from California [Mr. Packard], as well as the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr…

I think efforts are underway to tighten the disclosure requirements to bring sunshine and accountability into our process. Certainly as Members know, these principles sound easy, but they are not as easy when you start applying them…

Deliberate speed means different things of course on different sides of the aisle, but I think at this point we have a promise to go by early next year on this, and we are going to start the hearings tomorrow.

I rise today to report back to my colleagues some refreshing news. Even while areas of my district remain under water due to excess flooding, the enthusiasm for the momentum for change in Washington has not subsided in Florida. Americans…

I must commend him for his patience, persuasion, and persistence in seeking a reasonable compromise on the host of highly contentious issues that pervade the Labor-HHS and Education appropriations bill. Some might call this bill the…