Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American hero, somebody born in Channahon, Illinois, in my district, and passed away very recently.

His name is Joe Cook, Sr. Joe was a community leader, a great father, a great family member, but I would like to point out today a great veteran of the United States. He was a proud American, a decorated Korean war veteran, a member of the U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division. He was listed as missing in action for over 121 days behind enemy lines. By the grace of God, he was one of the very few to return home from Task Force Crombez, a recipient of the Silver Star, five Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts.

These are the kinds of Americans that we need to honor and cherish today. And I tip my hat off to Mr. Cook, and I say thank you, sir, for your service to your country.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your hard work in bringing this forward. I just want to thank all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for supporting this bill.

Unemployment rates continue to be far too high among our veterans who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. These returning men and women deserve a smooth transition from the military into the civilian workforce. As a Nation, we must recognize the experience and education that our military-trained EMTs receive. It's inefficient to force these well-trained veterans to start over with basic training in the civilian workforce after aiding wounded men and women who were severely injured in combat. We must recognize military-trained EMT skills and education and streamline the process so these honorable men and women can quickly return to work here at home.

I'm a pilot in the Air National Guard. One of the things that really brought this to my mind is, as a pilot, I went through my pilot training and was able to take an equivalency test in which I was granted, basically, the civilian equivalent of what I learned in the military. And you realize those are very obviously transferable skills. And to be able to bring that into the civilian workforce has done great for airlines and commercial piloting and everything, frankly, related to aviation in the civilian world.

This bill is a commonsense way to help our veterans as they transition back to civilian life. By supporting States to make the process more efficient, veterans with military EMT training will more quickly become certified civilian EMTs. In doing so, returning veterans will not have to start over at square one in their training and can enter the civilian workforce much sooner.

One other point to make in this is that in rural areas--and I represent a lot of rural areas in Illinois--there is a shortage of emergency medical technicians in small towns. But there's not a shortage of folks coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan--veterans in these small communities. To be able to do this small step in ensuring that the rural areas, the rural municipalities and our veterans are matched with jobs where there is need is, I think, a very positive step in the right direction.

I would urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this great piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I want to first off thank the chairman for bringing this bill forward. I want to thank Chairman Upton, the ranking member of both the full and subcommittee, and I especially want to thank Congresswoman Capps for helping me on this. This is an outstanding bill, and I thank you for your leadership.

Unemployment rates continue to be far too high among our men and women who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Returning veterans deserve a smooth transition from the military into the civilian workforce. As a Nation, we must recognize the experience and education that our military-trained EMTs receive. It's inefficient to force these well-trained veterans to start over with basic training in the civilian workforce after aiding wounded military men and women who are severely injured in combat.

We must recognize military-trained EMT skills and education and streamline the process so these honorable men and women can return quickly to work here at home.

We also need to recognize that training and education of these EMTs and the education that they receive in the military is important, and we must streamline the civilian certification process so these honorable men and women can return to work even faster.

I'm a pilot in the military, and I still continue as an Air National Guard pilot. One of the things that really stood out to me was how I went through training with the military and came out and very quickly was able to receive all of the civilian equivalent certifications from what I got in the military.

Now, that really stands out to me as how we, both in the Federal Government and in the State, ought to consider doing business and recognize the skill that these military folks are trained with.

This bill is a commonsense way to help our veterans as they transition back to civilian life. By supporting States to make the process more efficient, veterans with military EMT training will more quickly become certified civilian EMTs. In doing so, they will not have to start over at square one in their training, and they can be ready to go.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill.

Mr. Speaker, throughout his career as a public servant, Congressman Jerry Costello has displayed a commitment to his fellow citizens, starting with his career in law enforcement and transitioning to become a very successful court administrator. In 1980, he was elected chairman of the St. Clare County Board and acted as its chief executive for 8 years until being elected to Congress from Illinois' 12th district. Congressman Costello's wife, Georgia, has also displayed a dedication to the people and communities of southern Illinois, working as a teacher, school principal, administrator, and most recently, the President of Southwestern Illinois College.

Throughout his 24 years in Congress, Congressman Costello has been a tireless advocate for the 12th district, working to improve the region's economy and enhance its transportation infrastructure. As a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Congressman Costello helped write two highway bills that included funds for many local projects, including the construction of the New Mississippi River Bridge. He led the push to construct the MetroLink Light Rail, a rail system connecting St. Clare County to the St. Louis region. In addition, Congressman Costello was instrumental in developing southern Illinois' clean-coal industry, working to secure research and funding grants for various local universities.

Congressman Costello served four years as the Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee, helping to shepherd numerous airline safety and Federal Aviation Administration reform bills into law. One of his most significant legislative accomplishments is helping to write the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009, a bill that increased the required number of commercial pilot training hours and set new rules to limit pilot fatigue.

For his work protecting and enhancing the Scott Air Force Base, Congressman Costello has been recognized as the base's ``Patron Saint.'' He championed the base through numerous rounds of the Base Realignment and Closure process from 1995-2005, establishing Scott as one of America's leading Air Force bases. His efforts not only preserved the base, but brought the Army's Surface Deployment and Distribution Command and added 800 jobs the region.

In my two years working with Congressman Costello, I have had the privilege to get to know and learn from him. The Illinois delegation will surely miss his expertise and leadership. He leaves behind a legacy of being able to work with any Member, regardless of party, to get the job done and do what's best for the Nation. I am grateful for the time during which I was able to call Congressman Costello my colleague and friend, and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, due to transportation issues beyond my control, I was unable to cast my votes on Monday, September 10, 2012. If able to cast those votes I would have voted Aye on H.R. 6122, to Revise the Authority of the Librarian of Congress to accept gifts on behalf of the Library; H.R. 2139, the Lions Club Commemorative Coin Act; and H.R. 6186, to Require a study of community-based flood insurance options.

I would like to thank Chairman Bono Mack for the time and her work in getting this bill to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act. It's an honor to stand here with my colleague from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) in support of this forward-thinking, bipartisan legislation, especially at a time when Americans feel like Republicans and Democrats are unable to work together.

Mr. Speaker, the world is becoming more competitive, as evidenced by the recent report from the World Economic Forum announcing that the U.S. has fallen from first to seventh in global competitiveness. And I tell you what actually really gets to me is the fact that I feel like many Americans are starting to accept the fact that we are just going to lose our competitive edge and we're going to lose our manufacturing power base to a country like China. And I don't think that's something that we have to accept.

We've heard from the manufacturing base in this country. They need a simpler Tax Code. They need an education system that prepares students in math and science, trade policies that are open and fair, and regulations that protect the health and welfare of our citizens with the lowest cost on business. The purpose of this legislation is to build on the consensus and ensure government policies promote a competitive environment for manufacturers in the decades to come.

Mr. Speaker, we are the biggest economy in the world because of our manufacturing resources. We produce 21 percent of global manufactured goods, with an estimated 18.6 million jobs. Manufacturing jobs are some of the highest paying in our economy, with the average job making upwards of $77,000 annually. With the right policies in place, we can usher in a manufacturing renaissance in this legislation, and this legislation will help ensure our global competitiveness for decades to come.

Mr. Speaker, in Illinois alone, over 600,000 people are employed in manufacturing. This is an industry that's vital to the health of our economy and our national security. This Nation is blessed to have some of the hardest working and most innovative people in the world. When I go home to Illinois and I speak directly to a small or large manufacturer, they're ready to compete on the global stage, and they're ready to compete with China. They only need government to ensure that they are playing on a level playing field. That means fair trade, a simple tax policy, educated students, and the least burdensome regulations possible.

This legislation will bring together private sector and government leaders to create a manufacturing strategy that both Congress and the President can implement. It's time to get politics out of supporting the middle class. The American people are tired of stalemates. They're ready for action. They're ready for both parties to focus their energy on the people who elected them. Now is the time to act before this window of opportunity for a manufacturing renaissance passes us by. I'm proud of this legislation. I think it's a strong first step in finding solutions to help our Nation's economy. And I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Supreme Court made one thing very clear, or the other day they made one thing very clear: the individual mandate is nothing more than a tax.

The overall tax burden that this puts on our economy is staggering. The overall tax burden this puts on the middle class is staggering. And along with those unprecedented personal taxes that this implements, let me point out two other major ones:

A $20 billion device tax. Okay. You can pay for that, according to this bill;

A $102 billion small business health insurance tax.

This bill clearly places a huge tax burden on the American people, as said by the Supreme Court.

And by the way, yesterday, the administration asked for a tax increase on the majority of small businesses. But don't worry, because that's only for a year, because in a year taxes will increase on all levels of income if the tax cuts are allowed to expire.

In 2010, the American people sent a message to Washington when they sent one of the largest, boldest freshman classes that they have ever sent to Washington, D.C. We were here with a mandate: Stop the tax hike; repeal this health care law. And we'll do that.

Mr. Chairman, leadership isn't easy. These are lessons that we learned all through history. We learned it from Abraham Lincoln when he had to face a union that was dissolving. I learned it in officer training as a pilot in the military. And I learned it in my experience overseas.

Think of the sacrifice that our troops have made in Afghanistan. Now, we understand it's been too long, but think of the sacrifice they've made. Now we're getting ready--very quickly, with the passage of an amendment, if this passes--to say we're just getting out; we're not going to leave the commanders on the ground with the authority to say how we do it or what we do.

What are we going to say to our troops if this passes, and what are we going to say to Bibi? Bibi is a young woman in Afghanistan who at the age of 12 was sold into slavery because somebody committed a crime in her family and the Taliban required her to be sold into slavery. She escaped and had her nose and ears cut off. Her uncle and her family turned their back on her as she tried to crawl to safety. She went to an American forward operating base, where she was granted safety and freedom. What are we going to say to Bibi when we pick up and say, you know what, we've had enough, we're just going to pick up and leave today?

This is a big deal. I would urge my colleagues to oppose this ill- thought-out amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today for the purpose of a colloquy with the chairman to discuss the importance of assessing our global competitiveness in manufacturing through an online tool that will calculate the costs of manufacturing in the United States versus overseas. I would like to recognize and thank the chairman for including the online manufacturing tool in last year's Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Act.

On the Energy and Commerce Committee, we've been working to find ways to highlight the shift in U.S. manufacturing competitiveness. According to a recent analysis by the Boston Consulting Group, China's overwhelming manufacturing cost advantage is shrinking, and by 2015, the cost gap between the United States and China will virtually close.

Companies need to reassess their manufacturing strategy with a rigorous analysis of the costs for manufacturing overseas compared to the cost in the United States. I'm excited by the online tool that will be developed by the Department of Commerce to assist U.S. companies in determining the costs of manufacturing overseas, and I commend the chairman for his work in promoting U.S. competitiveness.

I yield to the gentleman.

Reclaiming my time, I thank you and I look forward to it, and I appreciate your leadership on this issue.

I thank the ranking member and the chairman for your hard work on the issue and the members on the committee.

This is very important. It goes beyond partisanship. This is about national security.

The idea of cyberattacks, it's not something that is just out there in space that we really don't have to worry about. This is an issue that's here today, and it's here right now. In

fact, just today, the New York Stock Exchange was the target of a DDoS attack on some of its external computer systems. That's not something that we just magically happen to have today. This is happening every day, thousands and thousands of times a day.

I'm a military guy and I'm a military pilot. I think a lot about the threats from outside. You think a lot about threats of terrorism and threats of invasion or anything along that line. But I'll tell you one of the biggest threats that really keep us up at night is this idea of a cyberattack. I think it's something that we have to take head-on. This voluntary information-sharing between classified portions of our government and certified private actors will serve to enhance our defenses greatly.

It is important to note the amount of classified information currently shared between our government and private industry is muddled at best. The few private companies who are lucky enough to receive an invitation into the current classified annex of cybersecurity-sharing face significant challenges when it comes to even understanding what that information is. Many times they simply get a badly scanned printout of a current threat situation from which they try to prevent a future attack, and it is woefully inadequate.

We talk a lot about the Russians and about the Chinese and their use of cyberwarfare against us. That's a significant threat. That's something very serious. But I want to speak just momentarily about the threat from Iran.

We all know that Iran is a very serious country that is very seriously focused on bringing down, in many cases, the West. They've said it themselves. The Iranian regime from the highest level down has publicly stated their plans to fight enemies with abundant power in cyberspace and Internet warfare. It's also publicly stated that Iran blames the West for the Stuxnet virus which disrupted their nuclear program, and they have vowed retaliation. The combination of the low cost and effectiveness of cyberwarfare has led the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to actively and effectively recruit radical Islamist hackers for nefarious purposes. We can't stand idly by while we see nations like Iran threaten the future of this country.

So I support this bill, and I commend the folks who have worked on it.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to rise today to recognize David

Hinderliter for his outstanding service as the President and CEO of the Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce. During his impressive 20 years as the head of the Association, Dave oversaw the creation of many successful programs and organizations, leading to recognition and four star accreditation of the Association by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Dave began his service at the Association as the Ambassador to the Chamber and served multiple terms as the Chairman of the Government Affairs Committee of the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. In this position, he led the effort to create a very successful Illinois Chamber Executive education program.

While Dave's accomplishments as Executive have been many, his service to the Association represents only a portion of his service to the profession and the community. Often deflecting credit for success to those with whom he serves, Dave represents the epitome of leadership, enabling others around him to excel and succeed. In addition to his commitment to the Kankakee business community, Dave also finds time to coach his children's soccer teams and lead his son's Scout troop. He is a devoted husband to Diane Hinderliter, and father to Andrew, Amanda, and Cameron Hinderliter.

Once again, I am humbled to honor Dave for his distinguished service to the Association, the Chamber community, and the people and business owners of the Kankakee Region and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

You all know the saying, ``money is power,'' right? I think we all can agree in this Chamber that the one thing that we want to do is empower small business. How do you empower small business? You let them keep more of the money they earn so they can go out and they

can invest in new products so they can hire people. I'd love to get people back to work. I'd love to empower small business. That's why we want to let them keep more of what they earn.

I did an initiative in my district called the One More Jobs Initiative, where it asks small business owners, What do you need from the Federal Government to create just one more job? A pretty noble concept: instead of pontificating here, let's actually ask those who create jobs. The number one answer I got, Mr. Speaker, was: let us keep more of the money we earn and let us hire people. Give us tax certainty.

That's why I rise in support today of this tax cut package, because this is exactly what small business needs to continue to be successful, to pull this country out of this recession we're in, and continue to reclaim our mantle as the most powerful country in the world.

Mr. Speaker, I want to just say before I actually get started, we just saw the space shuttle fly over on the back of a 747, and I salute the end of an amazing era in space exploration, and I look forward to the next day of NASA being able to talk about space exploration and how we're going to get out there so we won't have to rely on Russians to get to space to continue to do what I think is a very important role of the Federal Government.

I was in Houston--I actually went through the NASA center there about 3 or 4 days ago--but I was in Houston for military duty. I am a pilot in the Air National Guard. I fly an airplane called a RC 26, which is a reconnaissance plane. I did 9 days of duty. And what we did is we were in Texas flying missions on the border of Mexico in order to help the Border Patrol secure that border, to ensure that those people that want to come in here come in here legally and, just as importantly, if not more importantly, to ensure that the drug trade is not being brought into our country, to reduce the amount of drugs being brought in from Mexico, as well as to ensure that terrorists are not making their way through the border by sneaking in through that border of Mexico.

Now, before I went, I expected to see a border that was basically secure because that's what I've been hearing from the administration, that the border is basically secure. Yeah, there are examples of people coming across outside of that but, for the most part, it's pretty good to go. Well, what I saw was something completely different.

I'm going to tell you just a quick story about somebody who's on the border every day trying to protect this country against drugs and against terrorism coming through that border. This guy is a Border Patrol agent affectionately known as Uzi. Uzi is a former marine. He was a marine for about 5 years, started a small business when he got out of the Marine Corps, and made the decision that, you know what, he wants to go continue to serve and protect his country.

Now, I flew missions with Uzi. He was on board my aircraft as we went down and we assisted Border Patrol. And the one thing Uzi said to me is, Congressman, look, we're out here every day in the heat and the sweltering sun trying to continue to protect this country. Make sure you give us what we need here.

And when you hear the stories about how hamstrung they are from actually enforcing the border, and how there are many tools available to them that they're not allowed to use, it's actually pretty sad.

Now, look. We want to be a Nation of immigration. We want to be a Nation of legal immigration. But one thing we don't want to be is a Nation that wakes up one day and finds out that there was another terrorist attack in a major United States city and that, potentially, that weapon of mass destruction or those terrorists actually came in through an unsecure border with Mexico.

I went down there really believing that there was a fence along the line, and I saw nothing of the kind in southern Texas.

Let's tell the American people the truth. The truth is, we want to be a Nation that respects immigration because most of us here actually are immigrants removed ourselves, but we want to be a Nation that has a legal process to do it. When we have an open border, we're encouraging people to go around that legal process, and we're opening ourselves up to attack.

Let's stand together. Let's say to respect the immigration and the immigrant history of this country, but let's do it in a legal way. My eyes were opened, as I did military duty on the border, to the fact that we have a long way to go. This can be a bipartisan issue--it doesn't need to be Republican versus Democrat--but it needs to be something that we actually finally do, and we stand together and we say we'll be a Nation that is safe once and for all.

Mr. Speaker, last week, the North Korean regime sent a clear message of defiance to the world community. Rather than work toward a peaceful agreement, North Korea would prefer its people starve in order to pursue its nuclear ambitions. The failure of the long-range missile test undermines the credibility of the North's new leadership and requires the United States to stand firm in support of stronger penalties.

North Korea has one ally in the region that has the power to force them to negotiate in good faith. It's time China stepped up and realized that its economic success is dependent on peace in the region and around the world. With China's rise comes responsibility. I encourage China to use this opportunity to force the North Korean regime to abandon its nuclear missile program and support the welfare of its people; and I encourage the United States to continue a strong posture, peace through strength, in the hopes that someday strength makes war obsolete.

Our Nation is currently standing at a critical crossroads. Should Washington weigh deeper into the red or should we continue cutting spending and get our Nation on the track towards fiscal solvency under the House Republican budget, which cuts more than $5 trillion while preventing the President's tax increases?

In addition to paving the way for our Nation to get back on track towards economic security and prosperity, the Republican budget also puts forward bipartisan solutions to save and strengthen Medicare for current seniors and for our children and grandchildren.

Under our current trajectory, Medicare will be bankrupt in just a decade. This plan preserves current Medicare plans for those in and nearing retirement while offering guaranteed coverage options for future seniors, including those with preexisting conditions or tough health histories. It is financed by a premium support payment which would provide more assistance to low-income and less healthy seniors. The Medicare plans will compete against one another, which ultimately will create lower costs and a better quality of care.

The budget refuels our economy to create an environment for businesses to grow jobs with fundamental tax reform, protects the security of health and retirement plans, and begins to reduce our deficit now to leave our children with a country free from debt.