House Proceeding 05-13-09 on May 13th, 2009 :: 0:09:40 to 0:14:55
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0:09:37 to 0:09:58( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: the same today and look forward to working with my colleagues to see it become law. and, mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from california. mr. mckeon: thank you, mr. chair. mr. chair, i rise in opposition to h.r. 2187 and yield myself such time as i may consume. the chair: the gentleman is

0:09:40 to 0:14:55( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Howard P. Buck McKeon

0:09:59 to 0:10:20( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: recognized. mr. mckeon: mr. chair, there's a trend here that troubles me. over the past few months the federal government has stepped in to take control of more and more industries in america. so far these have included the banking industry, the auto industry and the credi industry. and there's talk of the federal government becoming even more involved in other areas too.

0:10:21 to 0:10:41( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: these include the health care industry and possibly the student loan industry. today, we're considering h.r. 2187, the 21st century green high-performing public school facilities act. this is a bill that would get the federal government involved in yet one more industry, school construction. little by little the federal

0:10:42 to 0:11:03( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: government is becoming more involved in people's lives than and that's just the start of this bill's concerns. first, there's the cost. based on the congressional budget office estimate, it's predicted that this bill will cost taxpayers $40 billion. and that's just the start.

0:11:04 to 0:11:26( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: $40 billion may seem not like much in these days of multibillion dollar bailouts and trillion dollar federal budgets, but all of this new spending pushes our country further and further into debt. this week the obama

0:11:27 to 0:11:48( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: administration estimates that the united states has a deficit of $1.84 trillion this year alone. when i came to congress, the whole budget 16 years ago was $1.4 trillion. this year the ficit alope will exceed that -- alone that. the national debt isow about $11 trillion and growing. we could update it during the course of this debate because it's growing by the minute. and thanks to bills like this

0:11:49 to 0:12:10( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: one. we need to get the federal budget under control. if we don't, the children we're trying to help today will spend the rest of their lives paying off our debts and deficits instead of paying for their own dreams and destinies. but this bill has other costs that go far beyond sheet if passed.

0:12:11 to 0:12:32( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: this bill could divert important funding from the title 1 program for disadvantaged students and from those programs under the education act or idea. this is a serious blow. especially after the obama administration's budget failed to increase support for these programs. in fact, under the

0:12:33 to 0:12:53( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: administration's budget, idea is flat-funded, keeping the federal share of excess cost at just 17%. and we're still the title 1 basic grant -- and still the title 1 basic grant is cut. the administration is redirecting those funds elsewhere.

0:12:54 to 0:13:14( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: leaving 1,038 school districts, those that receive funds only under the basic grant, with less money next year than they have this year. republicans think we should meet our existing commitments to these two vital programs and maintain the federal focus on programs tt improve student achievement. states and local communities,

0:13:15 to 0:13:35( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: not federal bureaucrats, have the primary responsibility to set public policy over education. fede and here's another cost problem. like other federal construction projects, this new program carries the burden of davis-bacon wage mandates from

0:13:36 to 0:13:56( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: the depression era. davis-bacon has beenhown to drive up the cost of school construction projects between 22% and 26% when compared to similar projects completed under market conditions. that's money that could otherwise go toward putting additional teachers in the classrooms. the labor department's own

0:13:57 to 0:14:17( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: inspector -- inspector general has found these wage requirements to be flawed. they short change either taxpayers, workers or both. that's not all. these wage mandates create regulatory hurdles to make it hard for smaller contractors, many owned by minorities and women, to win federal

0:14:18 to 0:14:39( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: mr. chair, i cannot support this bill. i know that my friends and colleagues across the aisle are sincere in their efforts to improve the schools as i am. i know there's a need for school construction and renovation and i al continue to be dealt with at the state and local level. where more than 144 -- $144

0:14:40 to 0:14:57( Edit History Discussion )

Howard P. Buck McKeon: billion has been spent to build, repair and renovate schools just over the last seven years. this bill cret create -- creates more problems than it solves. it costs too much, it borrows too much and it controls too much. that troubles me and i hope other members of this chamber.