Earl Pomeroy

Essentially, we didn't have the funding in place to support a paid-for disaster bill. Later, negotiations between House and Senate negotiators, and I have been right in the middle of it, found ways to fund the bill, and at that point in…

We fixed the Katrina issue. That's another provision, not a disaster provision. That's a provision that relates to what's called beneficial interest, and we make adjustments reforms along the lines sought by the White House on that one.

Well, I can only speak for the comments the gentleman quoted from my own debate. And what I was so happy about the 2002 bill is we were restoring a safety net for farmers when prices collapsed. During the earlier farm bill, known as…

Reclaiming my time, I welcome that, because when the Pension Protection Act passed in the last Congress when the minority was the majority, I did not find that willingness to work with me. The legislation, I believe, needed correcting…

Reclaiming my time, I am not putting this responsibility on the minority. What the gentleman has alleged, I am not currently informed of. I don't dispute it, but I don't know it, but I do know that others that were needed to address this…

The cost cited assumes that not a nickel is spent on IRS capacity. Indeed, if we spend it on IRS capacity, the unrefuted evidence is that it would be a 5-to-1 return relative to private collectors.

We had hearing testimony on the survey that was referenced by my friend from Florida. Basically, the GAO testified that the survey was fundamentally flawed. Of 300,000 conversations that have taken place, 1,000 were the subject of the…

The unrefuted data is that IRS collection with IRS staff is five times more efficient in terms of dollars received than contracting out. If we are worrying about IRS efficiency, do it on the staff model. And I might say that their cost…

This is a dispute about facts. I flat out absolutely reject the fact that this is costing jobs; in fact, American sugar producers, 146,000 jobs in 19 States, struggling without an increase in their market price for 22 years. Now, this…

While the bill accurately clarifies that State causes of action are not preempted, will you continue to work with us to take the steps necessary to ensure that courts construe this amendment only as a clarification of Congress' original…

I want to tell you how completely disgusted I am that there are still companies and agents that would prey upon the young men and women that are serving our country, in many instances young soldiers preparing for deployment to Iraq…

I commend the preceding speaker, our colleague, for the personal commitment she has made in this area she indicated, and I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

We know what extortion is. You know those old movies? ``Give me all the money or the kid gets it.'' Well, this is legislative extortion. You want a minimum-wage increase? Give the multimillionaire families a tax break. No tax break for…

If gentleman would further yield. This would conclude my question. I will make a point on debate. In my understanding of how Congress works, there is no conference report until the report has been signed by the conferees representing…

I heard the gentleman say now, as well during the debate on the martial law rule, that the rule brings forward the conference report on the pension bill. Now, I was unaware that the pension bill had been reported out of the conference…

We have had these pay-as-we-go requirements, known as PAYGO, throughout the entire 1990s, and I will tell Members what brought it about. What brought it about was divided government. President Bush won, and the Democratic controlled…

The longer we postpone the solution to this flooding crisis, the more danger North Dakota, Canada, and surrounding areas will face. The Devils Lake outlet project needs to be in full operation as soon as possible.

In light of the imbalance of time, I would be happy to have my friend from Missouri burn up a little more of his time, unless he has no further speakers.

I am pleased to begin the presentation of the amendment in the nature of a substitute by yielding such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the minority whip.

I have no malice at my friends on the other side, but this is no laughing matter. They do not have a budget under the Budget Act without the House and the Senate passing versions, coming to agreement in conference committee and passing the…

We are now looking at an annual deficit in excess of $500 billion. I know the people I represent in North Dakota are really struggling with this request of the President to send $87 billion to Iraq because they know that when we are $500…

What I want to know is what the relationship of the price tag is relative to the deficit. Now, as I understand it, this $173 billion will deepen the deficit. Is that not the gentleman's understanding?

It has been 868 days since President Bush and the Republican Party embarked upon their economic plan for our country. During this time, the national debt has increased by $1,163,468,782,425.75. According to the Web site for the Bureau of…

Then I will proceed to answer. If the gentleman will check the transcript of my remarks before the Committee on Rules, I asked that the proposal I offered be considered that paid for the provision for the very meaningful estate tax relief…

You took out the pay-for provisions of what we submitted to the committee. You make us impact the deficit, although it is only a fraction to which the majority proposal impacts the deficit. We know you do not care about the deficits. In…