Recognizing the plumbing industry and supporting the goals and ideals of "National Plumbing Industry Week".

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the resolution (H. Res. 1082) recognizing the plumbing industry and supporting the goals and ideals of ``National Plumbing Industry Week''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as Chair of the House Small Business Committee, I rise to support this resolution recognizing the contributions of the U.S. plumbing industry during National Plumbing Industry Week. I am pleased to be joined by my ranking member, Representative Steve Chabot, in offering this legislation.

I stand before you today to honor a sector of the U.S. small businesses that provide vital contributions to the lives of millions of Americans. The plumbing industry is one of the oldest trades in the country. It employs thousands and serves every American. In fact, over 90 percent of the firms in this sector are led by entrepreneurs. And their companies create jobs in every city and town across the Nation.

In the coming weeks, one of the leading trade associations representing these plumbers will be celebrating its 125th anniversary. The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors National Association was founded in my home city of New York in 1883.

This resolution highlights the contributions of many of its members, as well as those of other American plumbing professionals. During National Plumbing Industry Week, many of them will visit Capitol Hill, as they have done in previous years, to advocate issues of critical importance to their trade.

The industry will also use the observance to promote greater energy efficiency, water conservation and worker training. On this last point, it is worth noting that because the plumbing industry has placed such emphasis on professional skills, it has one of the best and most extensive training programs in this country. That program has been vital in meeting the demands of the new green economy. Consumers in every community are benefiting from its careful design and unparalleled success. To accommodate the growing needs of our greener economy, the plumbing trade also has a newly developed apprentice and education program. It will create new opportunities and further showcase the positive impacts of green jobs.

Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that this resolution will focus the country's attention on the important role that plumbing contractors play in our daily lives. Their industry is vital to our economy for its work and for the job opportunities it provides thousands of our fellow Americans.

Mr. Speaker, without this industry, it would be difficult to be assured that the water our family uses to drink and bathe in is safe and nontoxic. We are proud this House will take a moment to thank such an important part of our Nation's infrastructure and economic base, our plumbers.

I urge my colleagues to join me and Mr. Chabot in passing this resolution, and I urge support of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as Members of this Chamber know, our Nation's small businesses come in all types and a broad range of sizes. Each one makes an important contribution to our society and is an essential part of the great economic engine. In fact, there is no other nation on Earth where a person's dreams of service and innovation can be translated so effectively into the brand of success that yields both wealth and concrete benefits to communities. Entrepreneurs are the reason for this. They are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy.

Moving forward, we should remember that these hard-working business people, including those who are part of the plumbing trade, are the reason our Nation has thrived. So in recognizing the men and women of the plumbing industry today, we extend our salute to every small business person across America.

We thank plumbers for their invaluable effort and encourage the American spirit of service, progress and business excellence. That is the hallmark of our Nation's small firms, and it is one we should all be proud of.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from New York, the distinguished chairwoman of the Small Business Committee, Ms. Velazquez, for bringing this bipartisan measure to the floor recognizing the plumbing industry and supporting the goals and ideals of National Plumbing Industry Week.

Like many of our small businesses today, plumbing contractors face difficult times and many difficult issues; a burdensome regulatory system, confiscatory taxation policy at virtually every level of government, rising energy prices, and often the unavailability of affordable health care for their employees and families. Congress can and must help these entrepreneurs, and we will continue to work with the chairwoman and my colleagues on the Small Business Committee to address these obstacles to the success of our Nation's small business plumbing contractors.

As Chairwoman Velazquez has pointed out, the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors National Association is the oldest trade association in the American construction industry. I congratulate the association for its contributions over the years and encourage the industry to continue its good work, especially in training and mentoring our future industry leaders in that field.

I have no doubt that our friends and neighbors in the plumbing industry

will continue to make strides in the design and installation of energy efficient equipment that will carry us through the 21st century.

I again want to thank my colleague, Chairwoman Velazquez, for working in a bipartisan manner on this issue, as we do virtually on every issue in the Small Business Committee. I thank her for bringing this resolution to the floor today. I am happy to join her in supporting it.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and yield back the balance of my time.