John Joseph Moakley: “Mr. Speaker, I want to make something perfectly clear, we are voting on this recess rule because, once again, the…”

“Mr. Speaker, I want to make something perfectly clear, we are voting on this recess rule because, once again, the Republicans have not done their job. This rule will waive provisions of law that require the Congress to get its work done before it recesses for July 4. So, Mr. Speaker, my Republican colleagues barely managed to fulfill their responsibility last year and it looks like they might not get it done this year either. Congress' primary responsibility is to pass 13 appropriations bills so that the Federal Government can function. Section 309 of the Budget Act says the House cannot leave for July 4 until all 13 appropriations bills are passed. But, since my Republican colleagues have spent their time cutting Medicare and education to pay for tax breaks for the very rich, they haven't finished all of the appropriations bills. Mr. Speaker, after last year's budget fiasco I hoped my Republican colleagues would have learned their lesson. After Speaker Gingrich closed the Government not once, but twice. After Speaker Gingrich had to pass an unprecedented 13 continuing resolutions last year in order to buy time, I had hoped my Republican colleagues would decide to join us in putting families first this year. But it looks like we're not there yet. Last year the Contract on America was holding things up.”