Melvin Watt

Later this week, the United States Senate is scheduled to consider the President's nomination of Richard Cordray as the person to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. And while our rules don't allow us to meddle much in the…

I'm pleased to welcome Reverend Dr. Cathy C. Jones as the guest chaplain today for the United States House of Representatives. Since July, 2009, Dr. Jones has served as pastor of Parkwood Institutional CME Church, which is located in my…

We didn't have a balanced budget amendment then. We acted responsibly, and not with a single vote from the people who are here lecturing us today and saying they need a balanced budget to stand behind. That's like standing behind my…

I thank the gentleman for yielding time. I haven't heard this said since I've been sitting on the floor listening to the debate, but if anybody has said it, I want to express my agreement with them. We cannot continue to spend more year…

This bill will kill the Internet, or, it is an attempt to build the great firewall of America.

The obstinate opposition we have seen in the days since introduction of the Stop Online Piracy Act is really about the bottom line.

I thank the Chair. {time} 1710 Let me say this: This is kind of an awkward conversation because we did have this discussion in committee. We were advised in committee that the preemption language would be corrected between the committee…

I was rising to claim time in opposition because I am opposed. But if the gentleman is going to yield me time. Mr. McHENRY. I'd be happy to let my colleague-- The Acting CHAIR. As a true opponent on his feet, the gentleman from North…

Will the gentleman yield? Mr. McHENRY. I'd be happy to yield to my colleague from North Carolina.

the more we learn about what the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is doing, the more the American people understand why it was created

Last Friday, the President signed the patent reform bill; but before the ink is dry on the patent reform bill, the agreement that led to the passage of it that all of the fees that are collected by the Patent and Trademark Office will be…

I don't think we ought to be loaning money to people who can't pay it back.

I think this may be the absolute worst resolution I have seen before this House in the 19 years I've been here. It brings to continuing debate a bill that has already been debated yesterday with an amendment, but there is only 1 minute…

I demand a recorded vote. The CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from North Carolina will be postponed. Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Broun of Georgia The CHAIR. It is…

Let me say at the outset that I was a strong supporter in our committee for the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and remained a strong supporter of the bureau and its mission. The reason I did that was because all of…

I yield myself 2 minutes. Mr. Chairman, my amendment to the Legislative Branch bill would decrease funding for the Office of Congressional Ethics, the OCE, by $619,200 and transfer these funds to the spending reduction account. I have…

I have an amendment at the desk that has been made in order under the rule. The CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 2, line 9, after the dollar amount insert ``(reduced by…

I have just been advised that we were mistaken in the desire of Ms. Waters to offer the amendment. She didn't want me to offer it in her stead, and that's why she didn't show up. I would just ask unanimous consent to withdraw the…

Solely to say that this is a straightforward amendment that provides that if one part of the bill is determined to be unconstitutional, it can be severable from the rest of the bill and it doesn't bring the rest of the provisions down…

We were expecting Congresswoman Waters. I would ask unanimous consent that this amendment be delayed until we can determine whether she is still planning to offer it. The Acting CHAIR. The Committee of the Whole is unable to reorder the…

In that case, I offer the amendment as the designee of the gentlewoman from California. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 139, insert the following after line 12 and…

I yield myself the balance of my time. Let me first say I agree with Mr. Sensenbrenner. The Rules Committee says that this is a technical amendment, that it would make technical edits and a few necessary changes to more substantive issues…

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time. As the gentlewoman has indicated, I am the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property of Judiciary, and I too supported reporting the bill favorably to the House floor. The…

In the interest of time, some people have said that I called somebody a liar and, obviously, that would be in violation of the rules. I am aware of that. So if I did, I ask unanimous consent that those words be removed from the Record. The…

I don't come to the floor very often anymore to debate. I have kind of changed my pattern. Eighteen years ago, 19 years ago, when I saw egregious things, I would be right here in the heart of the debate, ranting and raving, some people…