Okay. Well, he is not here. I'm a huge fan of Bob Michel's, but I'm also a huge fan of Ray LaHood's, and I know you're honoring Ray today, and I want to join with you in honoring him. Not only did he serve as a staffer in the House of…

``Address us'' overstates what I'm going to do, but I'm always so pleased to be with all of you. And I was kidding on saying that. I want to tell you frankly, on the Republican side, you guys look so much better than you did when we served…

I thank the gentleman for his comments; but I do want to observe that the President of the United States has offered a budget which eliminates the sequester and gets to a budget deficit reduction and fiscal sustainability in an alternative…

Well, I appreciate that and I look forward to the consideration of the appropriations bills on the floor. I want to say that for the most part you have followed open rules, which we did as well in 2007 until we just couldn't get the bills…

I thank the gentleman. Just let me observe that on our side we think it would be useful if the American public had the opportunity to, in effect, see the discussions in a conference. I've been here long enough to remember when we had…

I appreciate the fact that you're encouraged. Frankly, our side has not heard an encouraging word. In fact, we continue to hear discouraging words, as the song says. I'm very hopeful we can bridge the gap that exists, which is about $100…

I thank the gentleman for that information and, again, I want to thank him. I know that the majority leader could not be here and he's filling in, and I appreciate the fact that he is doing so. Mr. Brady, I notice that there is not on the…

I thank the gentleman. Of course, we did have a balanced budget, as you'll remember, for the last 4 years of the Clinton administration. Now, there was a Republican-controlled Congress; but in the next 4 years, there was a…

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I have already spoken about this amendment. I think this amendment is as sad as the bill. We continue to play games because we think that, in a way, we will compel people to vote for something they don't…

Former Bush chief economic adviser Keith Hennessey--this is an economic adviser, not a spokesperson--said this: If the U.S. Government legally commits to paying someone a benefit or agrees to pay a firm for a good or a service, the U.S…

I thank my friend, the ranking member. I rise partly in sadness, wholly in disappointment, that we are playing this game. How sad. I tell my other friend from Michigan, his amendment is sad, too, I want to say. It's a device to try to get…

Every Republican President with whom I've served, Madam Speaker, every Republican President has increased the debt as a percentage of GDP higher than either Bill Clinton or Barack Obama. Bill Clinton was the lowest, 37 percent. This…