Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise to outline a minor issue but an important issue.

Hurricane season began June 1, and in Florida, the seventh-largest State in terms of flood insurance claims and the third-highest in terms of foreclosure rates, we cannot afford any more uncertainty in our housing market.

When legislation recently failed to move on two separate occasions that would have provided for a temporary extension of flood insurance, I heard from my constituents that were beyond the point of frustration that they could not close on a home or renew an expiring policy, and they had every right to be frustrated.

Florida and Texas combined represent half of the properties covered by the National Flood Insurance Program, and a lapse in NFIP reauthorization prohibits the issuance of new flood insurance policies and renewal of expired ones. Our communities are located along the gulf coast. If a home is damaged by a storm or surge waters contaminated by the oil spill, only flood insurance would cover the cost of those repairs. For a program that has continually been placed on the GAO's high-risk list of government programs since 2006, this is unacceptable. It is time for Congress to reform and provide for a long-term extension of this important program.

Floods are the number one most common natural disaster in the United States, and since 2008 the National Flood Insurance Program has been temporarily extended six times. Whether you are a homeowner, business owner, or renter, the NFIP provides an opportunity to guard against the loss of property. We should encourage individuals and families to protect their property before the next storm hits, not just those communities located in high-risk flood zones.

Given the challenges facing the NFIP, the financial and management challenges, this amendment provides a step in the right direction in working towards the necessary reforms to assist in the long-term viability of the program.

Not expanding the scope of perils that the program currently covers, as well as eliminating subsidized rates over time for vacation homes and charging premiums that more accurately cover the risk associated with the property, are some of the reforms that will strengthen the NFIP. While the NFIP still has a long way to go to reach self- sufficiency, I applaud the bill's sponsors for taking the necessary steps and encourage the Senate to act on the long-term extension as well.

This amendment would require FEMA to submit to Congress though a report on the effectiveness of a portion of the bill that relates to new grants created and awarded to local government agencies for outreach to owners and renters. The report would include the activities conducted with those grants and an assessment of the results, the assessment of the effect that those activities have on the retention or purchase of additional flood insurance.

I caution against whether this is the most fiscally responsible approach to spend tax dollars and ensure that property owners and renters understand the apparent flood risks that exist, even though they are not subject to the mandatory purchase requirement.

The underlying legislation appropriates $250 million for new outreach grants over a 5-year period. At a time of record deficits and spending, and frustration over a lack of transparency and accountability in our Nation's government, it is imperative that this new spending be fully accounted for.

Clearly, there is a need to control FEMA's communication with property owners and communities concerning flood risk maps and threats of flooding, but this is a large sum of new money to appropriate to an agency that is currently $18.75 billion in debt to Treasury and consistently on the high-risk list. That is why it is essential to guarantee that the management and utilization of grant funding is completed in an effective and transparent way. I further encourage FEMA to go above and beyond and provide this information in an easily accessible form on their Web site so the taxpayers are aware of how their money is being spent.

We must ensure that these grants are used to increase participation in the program and educate owners and renters on flood preparedness and mitigation efforts which lower risk. This annual report will be an important first step in doing so.

I want to thank the sponsor of the legislation for her work on this issue for two consecutive Congresses and urge adoption of the amendment.

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

I appreciate the gentlewoman's kind comments.

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, July 13, 2010, I was not present for three recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted the following way:

Roll No. 434--``yea.''

Roll No. 435--``yea.''

Roll No. 436--``yea.''

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, June 29, 2010, I was not present for seven recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted the following way: roll No. 395--``nay'', roll No. 396--``yea'', roll No. 397--``nay'', roll No. 398--``nay'', roll No. 399--``yea'', roll No. 400--``yea'', and roll No. 401--``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the USS McCawley (APA 4) Survivors Association as they commemorate the 67th anniversary of the sinking of the ``Mighty Wacky Mac.'' Last weekend, these members of America's ``greatest generation'' gathered together for a reunion in Florida to commemorate a fateful day in their lives.

Named after the eighth Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, the USS McCawley was commissioned in September, 1940 and received five battle stars for its service in World War II.

In the summer of 1942, McCawley sailed from the Atlantic Ocean through the Panama Canal and joined the Amphibious Force, South Pacific where she became the flagship of the Force commander, Rear Admiral Richmond K.

Turner. On August 7, 1942, McCawley participated in the counterinvasion of Guadalcanal, the first Allied amphibious operation of the Pacific War. McCawley continued to unload needed cargo even as nearby U.S. and Allied ships were lost or damaged and managed to destroy three to four enemy aircraft. According to Naval records, ``over the following six months, McCawley made several transport voyages into the fiercely contested waters near Guadalcanal, taking in personnel and materiel that contributed to securing the island in February, 1943.''

Unfortunately, on the afternoon of June 30, 1943, at the start of a campaign to seize the island of New Georgia, McCawley was attacked by enemy aircraft. McCawley's gunfire brought down four planes; but an aerial torpedo struck McCawley's engineroom, killing 15 of her crew, and shut off all power.

Shortly after the crew was rescued by the USS Ralph Talbot (DD 390), McCawley was attacked by dive bombers, but little damage was done after the remaining salvage party manned the guns and successfully struck one of the three attacking planes. Later that afternoon, the salvage party boarded the USS McCalla (DD 488), and pulled away from the damaged ship with all remaining hands safely accounted for.

That night, the final blow came when McCawley was again torpedoed and sank 340 fathoms in a matter of seconds. According to the Department of the Navy, ``the following day it was learned that six U.S. motor torpedo boats had torpedoed an `enemy' transport in Blanche Channel, after having been informed there were no friendly forces in the area. USS McCawley's loss to `friendly fire' led to the urgent imposition of measures to reduce the risk of further such accidents.''

June 30th, 1943, was an unforgettable day in the lives of these sailors, and as the remaining survivors gather in Florida this weekend to remember that fateful day, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in honoring their service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Frank-Dodd bill that would not reform Wall Street but, instead, create a permanent taxpayer backstop and fail to provide consumer protection and doesn't prevent a future crisis.

The permanent bailout would ensure that the Federal Government, through the FDIC and the Treasury, maintains the ability to use taxpayer funds to bail out financial institutions deemed too big to fail. That may be what's important to the D.C. bureaucrats, but to the community banks and credit unions back home and the communities they serve, I can assure you it's not. They're treated as too small to save.

Our community banks, our credit unions, our small businesses don't receive the special treatment accorded to the big guys in this bill. Instead, they go through the bankruptcy process. Why the double standard? Why the double standard for our communities? They didn't cause Wall Street's collapse, and yet they're held to a different standard. This is harmful to Main Street's small businesses.

The legislation creates an Office of Financial Research to ``monitor, record, and report on any financial transaction, including consumer transactions,'' without the consent of the consumer. That's right. Monitor, record, and report any transaction without your approval.

This new ``Big Brother Bureaucracy'' will be funded through assessments on financial institutions that trickle down to consumers through higher fees. According to the CBO, ``The cost of the proposed fee would ultimately be borne to . . . customers, employees, and investors.''

The legislation welcomes a new ``Washington Knows Best'' bureau. Housed within the Federal Reserve, the credit czar will dictate which financial products can and cannot be made available to consumers and will have broad authority to set sales practices, limit products, and mandate compensation. The bureau misses its mark to actually protect consumers and will, instead, create more barriers to consumers' ability to obtain credit, to pursue their dreams, to buy a home, to refinance, or to expand or save their small business.

This conference report, totaling over 2,300 pages, is bad for small business, and I urge its defeat.

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, June 22, 2010, and Wednesday, June 23, 2010, I was not present for six recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted the following way: Roll No. 376--``yea''; roll No. 377--``yea''; roll No. 378--``yea''; roll No. 379--``yea''; roll No. 380--``yea''; roll No. 381--``yea.''

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, June 15, 2010, I was not present for two recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted the following way: Roll No. 363--``nay''; Roll No. 364--``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, today marks the 57th day of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It is estimated that up to 40,000 barrels of oil may be flowing into the Gulf of Mexico each and every day.

At this point, it is nearly impossible to even calculate the impact this spill will have on Florida's economy as well as on the other Gulf States. Oystermen, charter captains, restaurants, and hoteliers are already suffering, along with those who depend on them. The gulf fishing industry alone supports 200,000 jobs.

It is important to note that Florida remains open for business. Our beaches and restaurants continue to welcome guests from throughout the Nation and from around the world, but we must eliminate the bureaucracy that is causing delays in this recovery, from sideline volunteers to unused skimmers, to ensure that Florida's economy and vital tourism remain vibrant.

Tonight, the President will address the Nation. After 2 months of delayed promises, failures, and finger-pointing, it is time for leadership. It is time for action that addresses this crisis.

Madam Speaker, on Thursday, June 10, 2010, I was not present for eight recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted the following way:

Roll No. 347--yea; roll No. 348--yea; roll No. 349--nay; roll No. 350--yea; roll No. 351--yea; roll No. 352--yea; roll No. 353--yea; roll. No. 354--yea.

I thank the ranking member and the chairman from Missouri for their support of this and their inclusion of it in the en bloc amendment.

It is a small change in the big scheme of things, but one which I believe will have a tremendous impact, not only on our active duty personnel, but on our men and women who are returning.

It is rooted in an experience in watching the success of these wounded warrior projects, where we have special opportunity hunts for men and women who are returning back to the States and getting reacquainted with the sport that they love so much.

There are over 400 military installations across the country that allow for recreational hunting and fishing on their property. They are managed individually by the local commanders.

They allow the public to access these areas by providing a tremendous benefit to those neighboring communities by allowing them to share in the natural resources. By allowing the public to access these areas and enjoy these lands, the Department of Defense helps to establish positive relationships between the Department and the civilian population.

Last month, the President launched his great outdoors conservation initiative, where recreational hunters and fishermen are recognized for having led the charge in the area of conservation, and the benefit of these military installations should be considered in that initiative. The greater access we have to enjoy the outdoors and promote these activities will help to promote conservation for future generations and healthier lifestyles.

I want to point out that in addition to the access, you have the accessibility issues. Hydraulic lifts, wheelchair-accessible duck blinds, docks, hunting stands, are minor improvements that mean a great deal to those men and women who are coming home. Only 20 of those 400 sites though are currently accessible for our disabled, and I believe we cannot underestimate the value of making those improvements to give them the opportunity to share in those outdoor experiences.

Mr. Chairman, we should support the military installations which provide these opportunities for the public and for our veterans and encourage them to continue to do so, where appropriate, and urge the Department of Defense to make more of these facilities accessible for our veterans.

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, May 18, 2010, and Wednesday, May 19, 2010, I was not present for 11 recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted the following way: Roll No. 273--``nay''; roll No. 274--``yea''; roll No. 275--``yea''; roll No. 276--``yea''; roll No. 277--``nay''; roll No. 278--``yea''; roll No. 279--``yea''; roll No. 280--``yea''; roll No. 281--``yea''; roll No. 282--``yea''; roll No. 283--``yea.''

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, May 18, 2010, and Wednesday, May 19, 2010, I was not present for 11 recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted the following way: Roll No. 273--``nay''; roll No. 274--``yea''; roll No. 275--``yea''; roll No. 276--``yea''; roll No. 277--``nay''; roll No. 278--``yea''; roll No. 279--``yea''; roll No. 280--``yea''; roll No. 281--``yea''; roll No. 282--``yea''; roll No. 283--``yea.''

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 260, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize an exemplary federal employee from my district, Frank Calestino. Representing the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Mr. Calestino works as the Deputy Director of Intelligence for the Afghan Threat Finance Cell. This is a unique, interagency effort to disrupt the flow of funding from the Afghan opium trade and other terrorist resources. Afghanistan poses a unique threat to our national security and it will take more than military presence to stabilize the region.

The nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service declared Mr. Calestino to be one of 32 finalists for the prestigious Service to America Medals--or Sammies--in 2010. These awards are granted to outstanding federal employees who have made significant contributions to our nation.

Final selection of eight candidates will be made on September 15, and will also include the Partnership for Public Service's announcement of the Federal Employee of the Year. I am very proud to call Mr. Calestino one of my constituents and I wish him the best of luck in the final announcement and all of his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor my high school alma mater, Bartow High School, for winning the 5A state title in boys' basketball. The final game had the Bartow Yellow Jackets beating the Tampa Sickles in a 51-37 match hosted in the Lakeland Center. This will be Bartow High's fourth boys' basketball title, but its first since 1988. The boys were led by head coach Terrence McGriff and seniors Jeremiah Samarippas, Weedlens Beauvil, Adrian Brackins, Richard Murvin, Vincent Reed, and Reginald Polite.

The school's athletics program is also recognized for its girls' softball team, who appeared in the state championship game for 10 consecutive years from 1997-2006 and won 7 out of the 10 matches. Bartow High also has many football alumni who went on to compete

at the NCAA Division I and professional National Football League levels.

Not only does Bartow High have a state champion in its basketball program, but they compete on a national level with their academic programs. The school houses the International Baccalaureate School at Bartow High, which annually finishes in the top 5 composite SAT scores in the United States. Bartow High earned approval to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma in 1996. Until this year, this was the only such program in Polk County. In 2007, the U.S. News and World Report, the premier school rating entity, ranked the International Baccalaureate program as the third best school in the nation.

Bartow High was originally named the Summerlin Institute, which was founded in 1887 but moved to its current location in 1970. The school currently houses the prestigious military school of the same name, Summerlin Academy. On behalf of Florida's 12th Congressional District, especially Polk County, I wish to congratulate Bartow High's boys' basketball team for the state championship title and Bartow High for its continued well-rounded successes.