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Week Ending July 15, 2005

THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE 109TH CONGRESS -- (House of Representatives - June 30, 2005)

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(Mr. HASTERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, this week marks a significant time in the history of the House of Representatives, and in the future of the American people.

Just 6 months into the 109th Congress, we have made some great strides. And this week we mark a milestone.

You see, by the end of today, for the first time in nearly 20 years, the House of Representatives will have completed all of its appropriations bills before the July 4th holiday. It is an unprecedented success, and I want to thank and congratulate the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), chairman; the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey); and the Committee on Appropriations for all their hard work and long hours.

I am especially proud of Members under the House Republican leadership for their input and support for our overall agenda.

Just like families must live within their budgets, the Federal Government must live within its means. We have passed appropriations bills that have been fiscally responsible while recognizing our national priorities.

We set out important goals in our budget: to provide overall increases only to defend America at home and abroad. We have kept that promise.

Earlier this spring, we passed a wartime supplemental that gives our troops the tools they need to fight the war on terror. That same legislation, which is now law, includes provisions to protect our borders from terrorists by establishing Federal driver's license guidelines and beefing up our deportation laws.

We passed a budget that continues to cut the deficit. It also requires us to slow the growth of entitlement programs for the first time since 1997. For the first time, we are going to reform these programs and we are going to save our taxpayers more money by eliminating waste and fraud and abuse.

By restraining spending and by cutting the deficit, Republican policies are helping to keep our economy strong.

Currently, our Nation's unemployment stands at 5.1 percent. That is the lowest it has been since before the September 11 attacks. More Americans, especially minorities, own homes now than ever before. Federal revenues are coming in well above estimates, which means the deficit will be lower than expected.

And just yesterday we learned that overall economic growth was 3.8 percent for the first quarter of 2005, higher than expected.

America's economy has now had 14 straight quarters of growth.

On the domestic front, we passed legislation that will maintain our status as the world leader. We have passed legislation which the President signed into law which would curb class action lawsuits. This is a problem that has been devastating to our small businesses across this country. Many of them spend on average $150,000 per year on litigation expenses. Our legislation will bring relief to those mom and pop small businesses.

We passed a bankruptcy bill that will help curb the number of abusive and frivolous bankruptcy filings. That bill is now law. While the bill allows relief to those who truly need it, it is going to rein in those fraudulent bankruptcies that drive up the cost of credit to hard-working Americans who pay their bills.

We have moved to ease America's energy crisis. I am sure you have all heard from constituents upset about raising gas prices. In the long term, the comprehensive energy bill passed in this House will ease our dependence on foreign oil and curb high gas prices. It would also create nearly half a million jobs. I am pleased that the Senate this week passed their version of the bill, and I urge the Senate to quickly appoint conferees so that House and Senate negotiators can develop a compromise and send it to the President for his signature.

We have passed and are now awaiting Senate action on legislation that permanently ends the death tax. Many of our small businesses are wrapped up in a loved one's estate. Figures show that

70 percent of family businesses do not survive a second generation. Ending the death tax penalty will do much to keep our economy moving.

House and Senate negotiators have been working on a compromise for a transportation bill that would make much-needed improvements to Federal highways. Tonight they came to an agreement, both on a bipartisan and bicameral agreement, to move that bill forward. Economists estimate that for every $1 billion spent to improve our highways, 40,000 jobs will be created.

On all of these accomplishments, I want to thank those Members on the other side of the aisle who chose to work together to get good things done for the American people.

Our work is far from done. Next month we should complete work on conference reports, on job creation bills like the highway bill and the energy bill, as well as legislation dealing with CAFTA. We also plan to take up the PATRIOT Act, reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act and the taking of people's private property by the government. And soon we will begin the steps of reforming Social Security for coming generations.

I am proud that this House under Republican leadership has stayed focused on a real agenda. We are doing what we can to improve conditions for America's families and to foster job creation, economic growth and innovation. We are getting the work done.

One of my heroes, Ronald Reagan, once said, ``Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle it.'' That has been the goal of our Republican Conference each time the American people have sent us back into leadership.

In the end, I really do believe that we will be judged by our work and our accomplishments for the American people. The partisan sniping that has become the mainstay of Washington does nothing for the farmer back home in the cornfields of Illinois, the housewife in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or the struggling family in Greenville, Mississippi. We help the American people most by showing leadership, by taking action, by keeping our promises.

This 109th Congress is off to an unprecedented start, and I thank our Members for their perseverance, their dedication and their commitment to the people of the United States of America. God bless you all.

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