Mike Pence: “like many Americans, I learned last week of the President's intention to create for the first time since the 1970s a…”

“like many Americans, I learned last week of the President's intention to create for the first time since the 1970s a Cabinet-level Department of the executive branch; and like most Americans, I support the idea of a Department of Homeland Security, bringing together various and diverse elements of our investigative branches, of our counterterrorism branches and, more importantly, border security, to create a leaner, more efficient means of protecting our citizens than we have under current and, in many ways, antiquated structures in the executive branch. While I support the reorganization of government, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak against big government and the growth in government, Mr. Speaker, that has been the natural antecedent to emergencies and crises throughout American history. The Bible tells us that there is nothing new under the sun; what has been before will be again, in the book of ``Ecclesiastes.'' And as I see these events unfold and I see our President beginning to call for the largest potential expansion in the executive branch in my lifetime, I cannot help but feel that what has been before is about to come again if we, who believe in limited government and personal responsibility, do not exercise the franchise of our vote and our conviction in this institution.”