House Proceeding 06-24-09 on Jun 24th, 2009 :: 0:38:25 to 0:41:45
Total video length: 4 hours 55 minutes Stream Tools: Stream Overview | Edit Time

Note: MetaVid video transcripts may contain inaccuracies, help us build a more perfect archive

Views:23 Duration: 0:03:20 Discussion

Previous speech:

Next speech:

0:38:06 to 0:38:28( Edit History Discussion )

John Abney Culberson: remaining. mr. rogers: i yield four minutes to one of the hardest working members of our committee and our subcommittee, the gentleman from texas, mr. culberson. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. culberson: thank you, mr. chairman, thank you, mr. rogers. our subcommittee on homeland security is a, i think, a terrific example on how the congress ought to operate.

0:38:25 to 0:41:45( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John Abney Culberson

0:38:29 to 0:38:50( Edit History Discussion )

John Abney Culberson: i am one of the most dedicated fiss -- fiscal conservatives in the house. our subcommittee is made up of people with very strong beliefs from both sides of the aisle. but we don't work in that committee with regard to party. we don't even mention party labels. i have done my best to really erase that term from my language and focus on what's fiscally conservative and fiscally

0:38:51 to 0:39:12( Edit History Discussion )

John Abney Culberson: liberal. but this committee really has focused on what's good for the nation. we have worked together in a way that is, i think, has -- i hope the leadership of the congress would use the work of this bcommittee, the work of all the subcommittees on appropriations as a model. it's an important -- it's important, i think, for this congress in this time of record debt and deficit do what's right

0:39:13 to 0:39:34( Edit History Discussion )

John Abney Culberson: for the country, do what's right for our kids and our grandchildren and focus on ways to be fiscally responsible. at a time of record debt and deficit, at a time when the national debt is now approaching $11 trillion, at a time when the deficit is at record levels, at a time when the new president has laid out a budget that

0:39:35 to 0:39:55( Edit History Discussion )

John Abney Culberson: foresees record debt and deficit as far as the eye can see, we in the congress have a special responsibility to be guardians of the treasury, do everything in our power to control spending and avoid unnecessary increases in spending. and the homeland security bill in front of the congress today is one that was again put

0:39:56 to 0:40:17( Edit History Discussion )

John Abney Culberson: together by our subcommittee, mr. rogers working with chairman price, everyone in the subcommittee participated. i'm very grateful to you, chairman price,or working so closely with all of us and making -- puttinghis bill together. without the increase for bioshield, the funding level for homeland security is about -- actually, plo the level of

0:40:18 to 0:40:39( Edit History Discussion )

John Abney Culberson: inflation and -- below the level of inflation and at a time when we're undeattack from foreign terrorists who are going to use any means at their disposal to sneak into the united states, to kill americans, it's important we do everything in our power to protect this nation. homeland security is one area where there are no party labels, where we have an obligation to work together and we've done so on this subcommittee.

0:40:40 to 0:41:01( Edit History Discussion )

John Abney Culberson: we have profound concerns and differences on the overall spending levels of the appropriations bills as a whole. of the omnibus spending bill that we passed earlier this year, of the spendulous bill that was passed earlier this year, of the tremendous unprecedented increases in spending we've seen in this congress. but on this subcommittee we've all worked together and i'm

0:41:02 to 0:41:22( Edit History Discussion )

John Abney Culberson: particularly pleased to follow my friend from texas, mr. cuellar, who has worked so well with a of us in the texas delegation, worked so well in securing our southern border. henry cuellar and i were elected together, mr. rodriguez, henry and i were elected together to

0:41:23 to 0:41:43( Edit History Discussion )

John Abney Culberson: the texas ledge pour that 1986. that friendship we formed has served us well today and we've worked together in establishing a program called operation steamline, a zero tolerance program where we are enforcing in texas existing law with largely existing resources to arrest and prosecute essentially everybody that crosses the

0:41:44 to 0:41:47( Edit History Discussion )

John Abney Culberson: border illegally between dell