On the recordFebruary 6, 2014
Sometimes I have to wonder when I hear these motions to recommit what exactly my friends on the other side of the aisle are thinking. The first part of this motion to recommit talks about payment in lieu of taxes, or PILT. Those of us in the western part of the United States especially understand that. Mr. Speaker, last week, we funded PILT in the farm bill. Where was everybody? I voted for it. Where was everybody? That was funded. The second point, PILT is permanently authorized--permanently authorized. All we have to do now is to get the appropriators to fund it, and they will go through the deliberations. There is no reason for this motion to recommit, as it relates to PILT. Also, with regards to fighting fires, if I remember correctly, last year, we passed the healthy forests bill, but a majority of the people on the other side of the aisle voted ``no.'' Now we come down here with crocodile tears, saying we have to pass funding to fight forest fires. If they had voted for healthy forests in the first place, they would have solved the problem. This MTR is not worthy of passage. Vote ``no'' on the MTR and ``yes'' on final passage. I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is ordered. There was no objection. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit. The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the noes appeared to have it.
