John Culberson

I strongly believe that a veteran's family should have the freedom to choose the language of the funeral ritual.

I don't believe it is right to arbitrarily limit the care of those who have made our freedom possible.

My colleagues from Pennsylvania raise a really important issue that absolutely the subcommittee will look into. It's a constant source of concern for us to see Federal agencies waste our constituents' precious tax dollars for, it appears…

Our subcommittee, Sanford Bishop, your colleague from Georgia, our entire subcommittee has worked arm in arm since early this year, held numerous hearings, sought testimony from every organization, from the Veterans Administration--from…

This is not an amendment to the bill. This is a procedural stunt, a motion to recommit that the public and the Members should not be confused about. This is a last-minute, a very sad, I think, and shallow and disappointing political stunt…

I urge the adoption of the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Flores). The amendment was agreed to. Amendment Offered by Mr. Webster

I insist on my point of order. I make a point of order against the amendment because it proposes to change existing statutory law and constitutes legislation in an appropriations bill and therefore violates clause 2 of rule XXI. The rule…

I'm the first one to be a strong advocate of the 10th Amendment. As a Jeffersonian, I really believe very strongly in the whole idea of individual liberty and letting local governments make local decisions and State governments make…

The gentleman's amendment seeks to increase by $10 million the Department of Defense's investment in planning and design funds for the Energy Conservation Investment Program, which is certainly a worthwhile program. I accept the amendment…

We have no objection to the amendment and will be happy to accept it.

At this time I'd like to yield such time as he might consume to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire) for the purpose of a colloquy.

I want to assure my colleague from California and all the Members, and all the members of the military tonight listening, if you have retired recently, our subcommittee is going to really bore in on this and make sure that the claims…

I know that my colleagues feel the same way I do that one of the most gratifying, most rewarding parts of this extraordinary job that we're entrusted with in addition to being guardians of the Treasury, to being good stewards of the…

I reserve a point of order on the gentlewoman's amendment. The Acting CHAIR. The point of order is reserved. The gentlewoman from California is recognized for 5 minutes.

As we wrap up the opening part of this bill, I think it's important to point out to the Members of the House, to the country, that this is the third appropriations bill that has been brought to the House floor under the leadership of…

At this time I'd like to engage in a colloquy with the distinguished chairman of the House Transportation Committee, Mr. Mica of Florida. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman for that purpose.

At this time I would like to yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Nunnelee).

I want to say again, as I mentioned earlier--and I think much of this has been said, so I won't belabor it--the State of Texas is a right-to-work State. There are very few, if any, labor unions in the State of Texas. We have them in a few…

We accepted this amendment, and it passed the House last year. I am happy to yield to my friend from Texas for any further comments he would like to make.

I agree to the amendment and accept it. I think it's important. Had the cemetery director in Houston been a veteran, this problem never would have arisen. I also thank the gentleman for bringing both of these amendments to the floor…

We're pleased to accept the gentleman's amendment. We accepted it last year, and we're proud to accept it this year to help encourage the VA to look to better-known businesses.

No, but we could fix this, though. Let's fix this. Mr. LaTOURETTE. There is going to be a rolled vote, and I will be happy to work with the gentleman; but we're going to stand on the Grimm amendment in case we can't come to some…

We've got other work. Mr. LaTOURETTE. There is going to be a rolled vote, I assume. You're not going to take extra real time.

Will you offer an amendment, because you're a very capable legislator, and may we postpone the consideration of this amendment briefly so that you could amend his language to let Texans run Texas and Arizona run Arizona and Ohio run Ohio…

I want Ohio to run Ohio. Mr. LaTOURETTE. We've got enough stuff going on in Ohio.