On the recordJuly 13, 2011
Madam Speaker, before I begin, I would like to join with my colleague from Illinois, Congressman Adam Kinzinger, in congratulating the people of Wisconsin on passing a concealed weapons bill. I think they'll find, as we have found in South Carolina, that having a concealed carry permit--we call it Law Abiding Citizen's Self-Defense Act--that the consequence of this a number of years ago now has been a reduction in crime. In fact, many of the people who--as I was a floor leader in the State Senate to propose the concealed carry law, so many of the people who opposed it, and they opposed it thinking that they were doing correctly, have subsequently told me that they really are thrilled that now it has passed, that it, indeed, has promoted a reduction in crime in our State. And I know the same will be true in Wisconsin and possibly one day in Illinois. Madam Speaker, time is running out for the American people. With just weeks to go before our country defaults on its debts, liberals in Congress continue to roadblock any progress on real spending cuts. The American people want to see spending reforms. The administration can cut other Federal spending before it allows a default on the U.S. debt. Americans understand that the Federal Government is burdening future generations with debt by borrowing over 40 cents of every dollar it spends. Senior citizens are at risk with the value of the dollar in question. Americans want to see meaningful spending reform.…





