Sylvester Turner

it is indeed an occasion when we all would join together in remembrance of those who lost their lives on September 11, as well as those who have lost their lives in other incidences to the acts of terrorism, and I want to thank the…

I rise today on this September 11, the 1-year anniversary of the greatest tragedy on American soil in our history with a heavy heart, as I know is shared by all Americans, because it was on this day 1 year ago when almost 3,000 Americans…

we are debating tonight this bill because our fiscal house is in total disarray. After 8 years of shrinking deficits, and finally reaching one true surplus in fiscal year 2000, we have seen over the last months a deteriorating fiscal…

we have had a lot said on this floor tonight, but what really is going to count is what is said when we get out there talking to those seniors that we are trying to help here tonight. I traveled all over my district and collected pill…

When the gentleman says that, it makes me realize how difficult it is to break through when the Republican friends are so beholden to the pharmaceutical industry for their campaign contributions. It is definitely a factor that weighs…

On behalf of all of our constituents who continue to tell us they need help with the high cost of prescription drugs, they need a meaningful, a real prescription drug plan that is a part of Medicare, that they can afford, we will continue…

I am amazed as I try to deal with this issue and talk to my seniors when they struggle to know why can the two parties not sit down and figure this out for seniors. They thought it was going to be done after the last Presidential election…

during this special order hour, the Members of the Democratic side of the aisle are going to talk about an issue that we feel very strongly about, and that is the problem that senior citizens are having today affording their prescription…

I think the reality of our current fiscal condition is certainly as he stated, and I think every Blue Dog Democrat believes we need to give the American people as much tax relief as we can afford to give them. But he is exactly right that…

Mr. Speaker, it is time for this Congress to start being honest with the American people. Last June I was among a majority of this House that voted for the largest tax cut in the history of this country. The official estimate at that time…

the Democratic substitute offered by the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) today gives more tax relief to more families immediately than the Republican bill. The contrast between the Republican bill and the Democratic substitute is…

tonight the House began the debate on the supplemental appropriations bill, a bill that funds the war on terrorism and makes sure that our troops in the field have the necessary equipment and tools they need to win this war. Every Member…

I know that all of us feel very strongly that this issue of the statutory debt ceiling deserves a full and open debate of this House. And with the national debt rising, with deficit spending back upon us, somebody has to put on the brakes…

I am particularly pleased my colleague mentioned the constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget. That amendment was introduced by one of our fellow Blue Dogs, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Berry). I had the opportunity to…

it is good to be here tonight to address a very important issue, the issue of fiscal responsibility, and I am joined tonight by some of my colleagues who are members of the Blue Dog Democrat coalition. That group of 33 Democrats in the…

Mr. Chairman, this bill today is one of the most important pieces of legislation that this Congress will consider, and I want to recognize the leadership of the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Stump), for his leadership, as well as the…

This amendment sets in place for the first time a set of objectives that would be pursued between our Nation and Russia to try to enhance cooperation and furthering the efforts to end proliferation of nuclear weapons. Specific provisions…

I think it is clear that everybody in this House would like to see tax cuts continued past 2010. The issue is not whether we are for tax cuts; the issue is whether or not we are willing to use the Social Security trust fund money to pay…

Mr. Chairman, first I commend the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) for his work on this Digital Tech Corps Act. The Committee on Government Reform has been quite diligent in trying to improve the information technology of the…

Mr. Chairman, I would again like to express my support for the legislation. Of course, as the Chair has heard, there are amendments that will be offered to hopefully strengthen the legislation. But, again, the concept of trying to improve…

with today's vote on the Federal budget we have a clear choice. We can go back to deficit spending, raiding Social Security and increasing this Nation's debt or we can choose to travel down the path of fiscal responsibility, balancing the…

I think all of us tonight have a great deal of concern about the suggestion that we increase our statutory debt ceiling, because we all know that the statutory debt ceiling is the last remaining line of defense to protect us from total…

this House today has a historic opportunity to end the influence of big money on public policy making. Today we are going to have the opportunity to vote on a bill, the Shays-Meehan bill, H.R. 2356, that has been worked on for many months…

this evening during this hour the Blue Dog Democrat coalition in the House is going to talk about the issue of fiscal responsibility, an issue that we think is very important to address tonight in light of the President's recent budget…

time after time, the Members of this House have pledged by votes cast on this floor to protect Social Security. We know that until just a few months ago we were projecting surpluses as far the eye could see. And we pledged, when we passed…