Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, Southern Indiana lost another of its brave sons. Marine Corporal John Bishop was killed in Helmand Province, Afghanistan after sustaining wounds from enemy small arms fire. He was 25 years old, and born in Batesville, IN.

Cpl. Bishop wanted to be a Marine from a very young age. After graduating from Southwestern Shelby High School in 2003, he immediately enlisted in the Corps. After joining he and his brother, Tyson, also a Marine, would often taunt each other as to who was the ``tougher'' Marine.

It was in the Marines that John met his wife, Cristle. The two were recently married and expecting their first child together, a daughter, next month. After his tour in Afghanistan--his third combat tour already having served twice in Iraq--Bishop planned to separate from the Marines, go to college to become a conservation officer, and start a life with his new wife and daughter, and his son K-Sean. Bishop's mother described her son as being ecstatic about starting a new chapter in his life. Sadly, that dream was cut short.

Cpl. John Bishop is the epitome of a true American hero. He and his family's sacrifice deserve our most sincere and heartfelt gratitude. Though I did not have the pleasure of meeting Cpl. Bishop, I mourn his death. His loved ones are in my prayers.

Madam Speaker, on Thursday, August 19, 2010, our nation lost another brave hero. Army Ranger Specialist Christopher Shane Wright was killed in Pech, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained from enemy small arms fire. He was 23 years old. A Kentucky resident, Specialist Wright's mother currently lives in Jeffersonville, IN.

Specialist Wright was known as a man of courage beyond his years. He was deeply loyal and good-hearted. He had an intense love of his family and of his fellow soldiers. When told that his grandparents would pray for him, he asked that they also pray for the soldiers in his unit as well.

Wright joined the Army in 2005. Prior to his 18th birthday, Wright expressed a desire to enlist, and within days of turning 18, he did so. Wright was a veteran of two prior deployments--once to Iraq, and once to Afghanistan.

The loss of Specialist Wright is tragic. His deserves our most heartfelt gratitude and respect. Though I did not know him, I mourn his death and the loss to his family. He and his loved ones are in my prayers.

I have an amendment at the desk.

I want to thank Chairman Edwards for crafting this critically important bill for our Nation's veterans.

My amendment simply removes funding from the VA General Operating Expense Account and replaces it back in the very same account. My intent in doing this is to highlight an issue for my colleagues and for the VA.

I believe that the VA needs to examine its practice in how it accounts for returned post-9/11 GI benefit payments and that the VA should submit a report to Congress no later than January 1 of 2011 on changes they intend to make to ensure accurate, timely, and efficient accounting of any returned post-9/11 GI benefit payments.

I, along with many of my colleagues, enthusiastically supported the Post- 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008. This law provides qualified veterans with a full 4-year college scholarship, restoring a commitment our country made to our World War II-era veterans.

I believe that the Post-9/11 GI bill can spark another period of economic growth and prosperity for the current generation of veterans, much like the Montgomery GI bill did for the previous generation of veterans. That is why I believe it is so critical that this bill be implemented accurately.

I understand that the VA legitimately requires some payments to veterans and universities to be returned. There can be instances of a student taking fewer classes than what was originally thought, accidentally duplicating payments. This is reasonable to an extent. I believe that these funds need to be accounted for accurately; however, this is a two-way street. It has come to my attention that there has been some difficulty with the VA to properly and accurately account for returned payments from universities and veterans alike. In some instances, this has resulted in the VA withholding further Post-9/11 educational benefit payments to the student in question as they are credited with an outstanding debt despite having already paid back the necessary accounts. This is even after the returned checks have been cashed by the VA. This issue needs to be addressed in a timely manner.

I do not believe that the VA is acting with any malice in this measure, far from it. I applaud the work that the VA is doing to improve the lives of veterans. They deserve this benefit, but they deserve for it to work for them.

Madam Chair, I yield to the chairman, Mr. Edwards, for the purpose of a colloquy.

I thank the chairman for his support.

This issue was brought to my attention by Indiana University, which is a university that I represent back home in Indiana. I have also been working with a community college, Ivy Tech in Indiana, with the same problem.

I thank the chairman for his support for this amendment, and I encourage my colleagues to support it as well.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

First, let me thank Chairman Oberstar and Subcommittee Chairwoman Norton for working with me on this particular piece of legislation and for the continuous work on bills aimed at improving our country's emergency response and preparedness.

Let me also take the opportunity to thank Congressman Costello for managing this bill today.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to present information about this bill being considered here today, House Resolution 5825, the Multi-State Disaster Relief Act. Southern Indiana has been devastated by seven major natural disasters over the last few years. Yet the one that stands out and the one that brought the most pain and frustration to the residents of southern Indiana was the incident that occurred almost exactly 1 year ago today.

In early August of 2009, a series of severe storms rocked Indiana and Kentucky and damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes. The State of Kentucky received a major disaster declaration but Indiana did not from the same storm. As a result, hundreds of Hoosiers living just a few miles from their friends and neighbors across the border in neighboring Kentucky were not eligible to receive Federal grants to repair their homes even though they were devastated by the same natural disaster.

We can try to be prepared for natural disasters, but these events are largely beyond our control. However, we do have full control over how our Federal Government responds and aids individuals following a disaster. And, in this instance, I believe our government missed the mark.

This incident exposed a major flaw with the current FEMA disaster assistance process--the inability to fairly and accurately provide assistance for natural disasters that strike more than one State. Currently, FEMA provides disaster assistance on a State-by-State basis. So when a disaster strikes, if a Governor believes a disaster is beyond the capability of the State, he or she will make a request to the President to receive a major disaster declaration, and FEMA will make a recommendation to the President about whether a State should receive a declaration and whether individuals in certain counties should be eligible for individual assistance to repair their homes.

When a disaster hits in the middle of a State and the damage is concentrated, the process is straightforward and the victims in the States most significantly affected will usually receive the necessary assistance. Yet, when a disaster crosses over State lines, FEMA treats the instance as two separate cases and requires each State to meet a specific Statewide damage threshold to receive a major disaster declaration. If that threshold is not met and a State is denied a disaster declaration, individuals who were as severely affected as those just across the State line have limited options for recourse and rebuilding.

FEMA considers certain factors when determining whether to recommend that the President declare a major disaster for a State and provide individual assistance. House Resolution 5825 would update and improve the factors FEMA uses to determine whether a State should receive a major disaster declaration.

Specifically, House Resolution 5825 would require FEMA to take into account whether contiguous counties in a neighboring State were designated in a major disaster from the same incident. This means that FEMA would have to look at the damage from a neighboring State and factor this into their decision about whether to provide aid to individuals and issue a major disaster declaration; whereas, now they are not required to take this into account.

The bill would also require FEMA to review, update, and revise the regulation used to measure the severity and impact of a disaster when determining that the individuals should receive assistance within 1 year of the enactment.

Lastly, this bill would require FEMA to issue a report to Congress within 3 months of enactment on their current policies concerning major disaster declarations for individual assistance and their policy on providing aid to individuals in counties contiguous to a State that has received a major disaster declaration.

While this bill, unfortunately, is not retroactive, I believe if this law were in place last year, the result for my constituents in Indiana would have been very much different. This bill is the first step to right a wrong that befell Hoosiers last year when trying to pick up the pieces after a natural disaster while left wondering why their Federal Government was picking favorites.

Storms and natural disasters do not care about State lines when they destroy someone's home or business, and under this bill, when disaster strikes more than one State, FEMA officials would have to look at the impact of the overall storm and not just the impact on that individual State when deciding whether to provide disaster assistance to individuals. I believe this bill will help all Americans receive fair treatment the next time disaster strikes no matter which State they come from.

To the people of southern Indiana, I want to say that the lessons have been learned from last year's tragedy, and we're not going to let those same mistakes be repeated.

Let me also give my thanks to my Republican friends for their bipartisan support of this bill.

Madam Speaker, on July 12, 2010, the Mayor of Rockport, Indiana, Nedra A. Groves passed away at the age of 72. In a telling sign of her passion for public service, Groves decided to run for mayor of her small town during her retirement in 2007. She worked passionately for the people of Rockport.

Nedra A. Groves was born in Cannelton, Indiana, on June 14, 1938 to Archie and Melvina Gaynor. Groves served as the Spencer County Clerk and was the former Republican County Chairman. Groves' time as mayor came after four years of retired life with her husband Scot. She had previously worked as a city clerk, at the town's license branch, and for nearly 20 years was part of the local zoning office. She was always very active in local politics and government and was also a member of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church.

In offering his condolence, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels said of Mayor Groves, ``No mayor loved her city and its people more than she did. We continue to work very hard on new job opportunities for the Rockport area, and I'm just so sorry she won't be here to see them happen.'' The people of Rockport will miss Groves' passion and love she had for the city and its residents. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Groves family and all those affected by Nedra's passing.

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

Mr. Chairman, Indiana has been hit with a number of severe storms over the last few years. Residents in my district of southern Indiana have been hit especially hard, and many of our local communities continue to be devastated by flooding.

While natural disasters cannot be avoided, the government's efforts in responding, preparing, and dealing with these situations can certainly improve. The amendment I offer here today would call for a very small change, but one that I believe will help provide lasting benefits for American cities and towns in the overall flood insurance program.

The underlying bill establishes an Office of Flood Insurance Advocate within FEMA. This office is tasked with helping people in the program resolve problems with FEMA flood insurance and identifying potential changes to help fix these problems. My amendment would add another function to this office, and call on it to identify ways to assist communities in their efforts to fund the accreditation of flood protection systems.

I have heard from several of my local communities that are having problems obtaining funding to meet requirements to get their flood protection systems accredited. If a levee shows adequate protection, then FEMA will place it in a moderate risk zone, and property owners are not required to carry flood insurance, referred to as an accredited levee. Decertified, or uncertified levees, however, will not be accredited. Therefore, the areas behind these levees will be placed in high-risk areas, and flood insurance will be required for property owners.

While FEMA does not design, construct, fund, or approve levee systems or floodwall systems, in 2007 FEMA issued new guidelines that communities must meet. Unfortunately, private companies charge upwards of $500,000 to certify levees for communities, and the Corps of Engineers will only perform them for those who obtain a Federal match. This clearly leaves out many smaller communities who are in the most cash-strapped areas. If these communities do not meet FEMA guidelines and due dates, then they will be deemed a high-risk area, and this will dramatically increase the cost of their flood insurance.

My amendment would ensure this office looks into this issue and helps find ways to assist communities in their efforts to comply with these new guidelines. I have two cities, Tell City and Cannelton, that face the possibility of being placed in a high-risk flood zone because they are having trouble obtaining certifications. If we help these communities complete their certifications, then we are helping them provide the checks and inspections that are needed to ensure our levees are safe. And if we have safer levees and flood protections in place, then not only will more Americans be protected from devastating natural disasters, but

this will prevent the flood insurance program and the Federal Government from taking on the high cost that would result if the levee or flood protection measure failed to do the job.

While I support updating this important program, I believe any new office should be focused on finding ways to reduce the cost burden for communities that are struggling during this difficult economy. My amendment would ensure that this new office focuses on communities who bear both the burden of natural disasters and the costs in preventing them.

I urge my colleagues to pass this commonsense amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I would like to thank the gentlelady and the chairwoman for the opportunity to offer this amendment. It's not a big change, but it's a change I think will help local communities in my district.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, July 6, 2010, America tragically lost another of its brave heroes. Army Private First Class Michael ``Mikey'' Pridham, Jr. was killed in Qalat, Afghanistan, when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. He was 19 years old. A Louisville, KY, native, Mikey's father currently lives in New Albany, IN.

Mikey, who was known to have a great sense of humor and cared greatly for people, joined the Army as he saw the military as a better path to the one he was on prior to enlisting. According to his father, ``Mikey was more of a man at 19 years old because of the Army than most men I know.'' His mother said he was more mature after returning home from basic training and that he had an eye on building a life.

Days before deploying to Afghanistan, Pridham married his wife, Deidre, who is expecting the birth of their first child. At the time of his death, Pridham was just six weeks away from redeployment--he would have been back just in time for the birth of his baby girl. While in Afghanistan, Mikey and Deidre spoke on the phone twice a day, every day. He would tell his wife how excited he was to come home and be with her and their daughter. Justly, Deidre plans on telling their daughter that her father died a hero.

Pfc. Michael Pridham is a true hero. His sacrifice for our nation deserves our most heartfelt gratitude and reverence. Though I did not have the pleasure of knowing Pfc. Pridham, I will mourn his death. His friends and family are in my prayers.

Madam Speaker, on the morning of Monday, June 14, 2010, Frances Cory Hoehn passed away at her home in Jeffersonville. She was 100 years old. An avid musician, teacher, and active member of her community, Frances' influence and contributions can be felt and seen throughout Jeffersonville and Southern Indiana as a whole.

Frances Cory was born on November 12, 1909, in Kingman, Indiana, and her love for music and natural talent were apparent at a very young age. She and her parents moved to Jeffersonville in 1925 and she graduated from Jeffersonville High School in 1927. From there, Frances continued on to the Louisville Conservatory of Music and later DePauw University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Public School Music degree in 1931.

Following her graduation, Frances continued pursuing her passion for music and accepted a teaching position for six Jeffersonville elementary schools. During the Depression, she also helped her father in his automobile business and worked as a social worker in Evansville. Soon after the flood of 1937, she accepted the choral teaching position at Jeffersonville High School, where she met her husband, Elmer Hoehn.

Throughout the next twenty years, Frances was actively involved in the lives of her children as well as other activities. From Girl Scout leader to piano accompanist, there was no role Frances wasn't up to fulfilling. As her children got older, Frances went back to teaching music, this time at Jeffersonville Junior High in 1959, and retired from Parkview Elementary in 1967. Following retirement, Frances and her husband moved to Washington, DC, where Elmer accepted a position in the Johnson administration, and eventually returned to Jeffersonville in 1990.

From brushing shoulders with John F. Kennedy to giving tours of the Capitol to visiting Hoosiers, participating in bridge clubs to being actively involved in St. Augustine's Church, Frances Cory Hoehn's life was full of unique experiences and giving back to the community. The impact she has had on the countless lives she has touched is undeniable and her contributions will not be forgotten. Her legacy will continue not only through her life's achievements but through her family as well. We honor the life of Frances Cory Hoehn to recognize her outstanding citizenship and lasting presence in Southern Indiana, and our condolences go out to her family.

Madam Speaker, on June 13, 2010, the CEO of Koch Development Corporation, Will Koch, sadly passed away at the age of forty eight. As co-owner of Holiday World and Splashin' Safari Water Park, Koch initiated programs that led to the expansion and growth of the park, and worked diligently to provide families with the most enjoyable experience during his twenty-year tenure. Koch's dedication and passion for the park inspired everyone around him on a daily basis.

Born and raised in Santa Claus, Indiana, Will Koch graduated as valedictorian from Heritage Hills High School in 1979. From there, he went on to the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated in 1984 with honors and received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. He also received a Master's of Science in Computer Science degree from the University of Southern California in 1986.

Under Koch, Holiday World and Splashin' Safari received many international awards and had attendance figures topping one million per year. In 2004, Will Koch received the international Applause Award from the amusement industry for his ``foresight and originality, as well as sound business development and profitability''.

Koch was also an active member of his community, serving as the president of the Lincoln Boyhood Drama Association, which successfully reopened the Lincoln Amphitheatre in 2009. He also served on the Administrative Council of the Santa Claus United Methodist Church, where he and his family were active members.

Holiday World and Splashin' Safari is the cornerstone of the Spencer County community, and its success is in large part due to Will Koch's dedication and hard work. Survived by his wife, Lori, and three children, Will's legacy will continue to live on. We are grateful for his contributions to southern Indiana and our condolences go out to the Koch family.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, February 18, 2010, Indiana lost one of its brave sons. Marine Sergeant Jeremy McQueary was killed in the Helmand Province, Afghanistan, by an IED while on foot patrol supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Sergeant McQueary, a Columbus, Indiana, native, had survived two prior IED attacks while in Afghanistan.

Jeremy, a model Hoosier, enjoyed fishing, four wheeling and giving back to his community by mentoring troubled high school students. He married his high school sweetheart, Rae, and together they had a baby boy, Hadley. He was only a month old when Jeremy shipped out for his third tour, this time to Afghanistan, having already served two previous tours in Iraq.

Eager to join the Marine Corps, Jeremy graduated from high school early and enlisted in 2002. Jeremy's passion for the Corps was so strong that he completed basic training on a broken foot, informing his superiors of his injury only after he had finished basic training. This level of commitment shown by Jeremy to the Corps and our country is an example to us all.

Jeremy McQueary was a devoted father and family man who paid the ultimate sacrifice serving his country. I mourn the loss of Jeremy. I want to thank Jeremy and his family for his service to our country. He and his loved ones are in my prayers.

I thank my friend for yielding the time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation. This is legislation that we Blue Dogs have been fighting for for many, many years. And it's very satisfying that it is coming to fruition today.

I'm not here to play the blame game. There's a lot of blame to go around about our Nation's budget deficit. What we need is an instrument that gets us back on a pathway of fiscal responsibility. And we know that PAYGO works. It worked in the 1990s. And I should also say that it was a Republican President who proposed it. President Bush, Senior, was the one that thought this was a good idea. President Clinton thought it was a good idea. And it resulted in budget surpluses.

Now we've got problems with our Nation's budget deficit. There's no question about that. This is the instrument that gets us back on track to fiscal responsibility. And so I join my colleagues on this side of the aisle, and I would hope a few others on that side of the aisle, to get us back on that path.

This is the right thing to do, and after many years, it's finally a reality.

Madam Speaker, throughout his twenty-six year military career, Mack Martin Boynton was a leader among his fellow service men. Serving in the diving, salvage, and rescue operation, Mack developed many ways to streamline the repair of naval vessels. These techniques were able to save the country precious resources in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Thanks to his intellect and ingenuity, Mack became one of the youngest Warrant Officers in the Navy.

Mack continued his career as a member of the Underwater Demolition Team (UDT), a then newly-formed arm of the United States Navy. His commitment to service and dedication inspired others and led him to become one of the best recruiters for the UDT program. Mack continued his committed service through the Korean War, where he received the Bronze Star Medal and a commendation from Vice Admiral Joy for heroic action against the enemy. During his career he was involved in the early studies and implementation of the first Navy SEALs team.

With his sterling service record and considerable honors, Mack serves as an example of the caliber of individuals who we have the privilege of calling our servicemen. I am honored that Mack and his fellow Fifties Frogs have selected Clarksville, Indiana, to hold their annual reunion. When these heroic Americans convene their meeting here in Southern Indiana, we should pause, even if only for a moment, and give thanks to them for their contribution toward our freedom.

Madam Speaker, on October 12, 2009, Indiana University Professor Elinor Ostrom became the first woman in the forty-one year history of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences to receive the award. Prof. Ostrom's ground breaking research on the management of common pool goods has shown her commitment to original and progressive thinking in the field of economic sciences. I am particularly proud of Prof. Ostrom's achievements as Indiana University is located in the Southern Indiana congressional district that I am so proud to represent.

Prof. Ostrom, a member of Indiana University's faculty since 1965, has a history of leading her field in scientific research. She co- founded the workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis and is also the first woman to chair Indiana University's Department of Political Science. She currently serves as the Arthur F. Bentley professor of Political Science in the College of Arts and Sciences as well as a Professor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.

Having been the first woman to win the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science, as well as the William H. Riker Prize in Political Science, it is no surprise that she has now received the prestigious Nobel Memorial Prize in economic sciences. Her dedication and innovative thinking can serve as a model for all those who seek to achieve original solutions in their respective fields.

I thank the gentleman from South Carolina for yielding me this time on PAYGO.

Mr. Speaker, this is a proud day, especially for people like me, who is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition and who has this issue of PAYGO as a signature issue. After literally years of working towards compromise, we finally have this day before us. We are actually going to be voting on statutory PAYGO.

There are a lot of people to thank. One person I would particularly like to thank is former Congressman Charlie Stenholm. I hope he is listening today. Charlie was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition when he was a Member of this body, and he worked tirelessly day in and day out to make sure that this day would finally arrive.

Charlie, if you're listening out there, I'm sure that you have a big smile on your face right now.

I want to thank the Speaker, the majority leader and the entire leadership in the Democratic Party for embracing the concept of PAYGO as well, and I would like to thank the President of the United States, who has also embraced the concept of PAYGO.

Now, PAYGO, as has already been mentioned, is not a panacea. It is not a complete solution, but it worked one time. What we're voting on today was in place during the 1990s, and we will recall that it was those PAYGO rules that were in place that finally got us to a point where we actually had surpluses for the first time in over 40 years. So it works. It has a history of working.

To the detractors who say that this is not the solution, it was a solution back in the 1990s, and it has a history of working. If it worked then, it can work now. When we had it back in the 1990s, we also had discretionary spending caps, so PAYGO is just a start. We must finish the job.

I have a granddaughter who is a little over 30 days old, and I don't want to be passing on this debt that we've accumulated here recently and in the last 10 years to her.

When this decade began, we had a sour economy, and we've had to do some unusual things in order to try to revive this economy. It has caused spending to go up, but I, along with the President and Members of Congress, now feel like this is the first step toward getting us back on track and making sure that we get this spending under control.

I have heard from the other side. They have a different idea of what PAYGO should look like, but as I said before, this PAYGO that we have now was in place in the 1990s, and it worked. It provided surpluses for us, and it will work in this century as well.

So I applaud the authors of the bill. I applaud the people who have introduced this today. It is a happy day. Let's pass PAYGO, and let's get on with the task of making sure that we get spending under control.

I want to award an ``A'' to the Republicans over here for cleverness because this is a very clever thing to do, but it's not the right thing to do based upon what Mr. Spratt has already talked about. These are old January numbers. This bill is now outdated. The practical thing to do is to do what we were just about to do with Mr. Spratt in that bill. Now look, we finally are to a point where we can have PAYGO. There has been a very delicate balance to get to where we are right now, including some negotiations with people over in the Senate.

So I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on an outdated motion to recommit and vote ``yes'' for Mr. Spratt.

Madam Speaker, on April 15th, CBS's Early Show announced Budget Travel Magazine's Top 10 ``America's Coolest Small Towns'', ranking Vevay, Indiana, Number 4. I would like to give my heartfelt congratulations to the Vevay community and all of Switzerland County.

Vevay was selected based on the ``quality of life, arts and restaurant scenes and proximity to nature'' of the town. The Swiss Wine Festival, events such as First Fridays and Second Saturdays, art galleries, and local restaurants all contributed to receiving this honor. Close to 8,000 people voted for Vevay.

As Vevay's representative in Congress, I can certainly attest to its merit in winning this award. I always enjoy visiting Vevay, and while biased, think it should have been ranked Number 1!

Again, congratulations to the residents of Vevay. This distinction is much deserved, and I am proud to represent you in the Ninth District.