Steny Hoyer

But I must tell the gentleman that the best way to take care of people that are unemployed is to find them a job, and, to do that, pass the job and economic growth package, the energy package, a transportation package and a pension…

We may differ on the nature of a crisis, but my belief is that every family that faces its unemployment extension benefits ending on May 31 for themselves believes that is a crisis.

If the gentleman and Members of this body are actually interested in a broad expansion of the unemployment insurance program, I would hope that those Members would work with the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means and move it…

I am always pleased to hear that they are considering the options, but considering the options and approving the options appear to be two different things.

In closing, let me say honestly that I think this issue is of such magnitude that we really ought to work together. We have missed an opportunity to do that. I hope in the future we will be able to do so. I think the gentleman's…

What, if you know, perhaps the chairman of the Committee on Rules knows, do you contemplate an open rule such as the rule we had on the floor today? ... we would hope that a rule would be fashioned to give every Member of the House the…

I would just note for the gentleman that this is a relatively small authorization for a fund that would serve a very targeted community, and usually the House considers legislation of this nature under suspensions of the rules. I would…

I respectfully inform the majority leader, we were very concerned about the fact that we were shut down today in terms of offering amendments or substitutes. I will respectfully advise the majority that if that continues to occur, there…

We want to follow precedent as to how we want to approach the debate on the budget, and certainly I do not want to make decisions for the Committee on Rules. They are more than capable of making their own decisions about how to bring the…

I would hope that we would reverse, frankly, the practice that has gone from 1995 to date where increasingly we have reduced the opportunity of the minority party to offer alternatives, either in the nature of substitutes or in amendments…

I want this bill as much as anybody. It is very, very important, as the gentleman has already stated. It is important to give our military families the tax relief that they deserve, and we want to do this. I remind the gentleman that this…

Everybody wants this bill to pass, and the shame of it not passing today is... that we politicized an otherwise bipartisan, nonpartisan objective that we wanted to achieve.

I am of two minds on the fact that we have removed from floor consideration the Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act. ... I am sorry that it is delayed, but I am sure that it will come back, hopefully soon, and that we can pass it in the form…

This hard-hearted welfare reform bill literally mocks the increasing number of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, and it forces cash-strapped States to swallow a huge unfunded mandate. This bill barks, Get a job, but it turns…

First of all, there was $400 million in there for the emergency first responders. That is a critical figure. All of us are for that. I do not think anybody is opposed to that. As a matter of fact, all of us were for all the dollars that…

On behalf of this side of the aisle, I want to say again, as this will be I suppose the last time in the gentleman's role as majority leader that the gentleman addresses the House, we want to congratulate the gentleman on his service. We…

One of the interesting aspects of this homeland security bill of which we speak is that if we ask the American people, what are the two agencies most responsible for homeland security, one looking overseas at terrorists and one looking at…

Terry, your service has been recalled and set before us. All of us appreciate your service, that is clear. I think you are emblematic of the fine service that is given by those of you who do not get to speak on this floor, those of you…

Again, Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, I agree that would have been easier; and, furthermore, I believe, had there been agreement and a majority for the House-passed budget numbers, we could have passed our bills. It…

I agree with the gentleman, because there are very substantial differences. The gentleman mentioned a number of differences in our priorities. But what that would have done, Mr. Speaker, is to make it clear what those differences are for…

I want to say this. I want to say it to all the Members of this House, Mr. Speaker. We took a historic step last year in December and passed overwhelmingly election reform. Over 350 Members of this body voted for that.

If the gentleman is so proud of that which he has done in his budget and his bill, why does he not bring the appropriations bill to the floor? Why does it languish for the last 8 months in committee? Why do they say to me we do not have…

I saw the courage and conviction in their eyes. It reflected the courage and conviction of Joe and Thomas. It reflected the courage and conviction of their fellow Americans, their fellow citizens. They were not prepared, nor are they now…

As I told my colleagues, I have an 11-page attachment here from the Office of Personnel Management where Presidents under existing authority, that is not adversely affected, have that ability. No one in this House wants to adversely affect…

Mr. Speaker, today on this serious and most sensitive issue, the Republican leadership has turned the people's House into nothing more than a poser's House, posing for holy pictures... Today's debate will not be open. It will not be fair…