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Ladies and gentlemen of the House, we bring before the House today the 2013 appropriations bill for the Legislative Subcommittee. This is a bill that spends $3.3 billion, which is approximately 1 percent less than last year. That's a $33.4 million reduction from last year.

I think all of us know that we are living in difficult economic times in this country. Taxpayers want to know that when they send their money to Washington it's being spent wisely. We also know that government needs money to provide services, but right now government needs something more. The government needs a sense of discipline to rein in spending. The government needs a commitment to make sure that every task of government is accomplished and completed in a most efficient and most effective manner, more so than ever before.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 5882, the fiscal year 2013 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill.

This legislation on the floor today provides funding for the Legislative Branch, allowing us to keep the doors of the Capitol open, the offices of our Members functioning, and our staff and visitors safe.

This is the fifth appropriations bill we've brought to the floor so far this year, and considering that it's June eighth, that's a remarkable achievement. But what's even a greater achievement is how much we've been able to tighten our belts in the House. Over the last two years, we've cut funding for the House by 10.5%. As Members of Congress, we represent hundreds of thousands of Americans who've found themselves with less, and so, with our limited federal resources and astronomical deficits in mind, we too should spend less wherever possible