Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud cosponsor of the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, and I commend the distinguished Chair Emeritus, John Dingell, for his dedication to formulating and passing this bill, which is so sorely needed to protect the safety of our food supply.

This year alone, we have experienced a series of outbreaks of food- borne illnesses. These outbreaks have taken a disproportionate toll on our State of Ohio. The peanut-related salmonella outbreak affected 92 individuals in Ohio, and, sadly, resulted in three tragic deaths. Nellie Napier, a constituent of mine, died from salmonella poisoning that she contracted in a nursing facility.

This bill is an essential step toward lowering these tragic numbers and restoring consumer confidence in our food supply. It will increase inspections of food facilities, improve traceability, and provide needed funding to the FDA for food safety activities. And with the increased globalization of our food supply--close to 13 percent of the food we eat comes from abroad--and this bill will help protect consumers from unsafe imported foods.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the underlying legislation, H.R. 2965, the Enhancing Small Business Research and Innovation Act.

This bill will ensure that small businesses have access to federal research and development money so they can continue to be the engines of economic growth and innovation that our economy so desperately needs.

This bill also contains a number of important developments--including a focus on the commercialization of products developed with SBIR funding.

A focus on commercialization is also a focus on jobs as technologies and innovations created by this funding enter the marketplace.

I am also pleased that a number of provisions that I championed have been included in the manager's amendment and the underlying bill.

One of these provisions requires agencies that administer SBIR programs to give special consideration to vital transportation and infrastructure research activities when reviewing grant applications.

Investing in our nation's transportation and infrastructure through small business is essential to our long term success and growth.

I also worked to include a preference for veterans who have so honorably served this country.

This is the least we can do for the 26 million brave men and women who sacrificed years of their lives to protect our country--many who are small business owners.

This bill will also increase outreach to service-disabled veterans and other underrepresented groups.

As I have said before and I will say again, it is not enough to simply pay tribute to our veterans with our words; we must show our appreciation through our actions.

I also strongly support the provision of this bill that I worked on with Representative Boswell to require that priority be given to grant applicants from areas of the country that have lost a major source of employment.

Communities across this country, from Ohio to Iowa, are suffering as employers shut their doors. In Ohio, 83 of the 88 counties have experienced a mass layoff or plant closing since 2001.

Focusing funds in areas that have suffered the most and have endured major job losses will ensure that this money is helping people in the communities that need it most.

I urge a yes vote on the rule and the underlying bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, and I want to thank the chairman for his leadership and for working with me and other Members of this House to address our concerns about manufacturing and jobs in this bill.

This bill isn't perfect. I have yet to see a bill that is. But the status quo is not the right choice. We must unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of this country and provide the economic opportunities that our constituents need. This bill is part of that mission. It is not the entire answer to all that ails us. But let there be no mistake. This is a jobs bill. This bill has support from groups that represent workers; the United Steel Workers, the UAW, the SEIU, CWA, Building and Construction Trades and the AFL-CIO are all urging a ``yes'' vote on this legislation.

Madam Speaker, the people I represent are facing difficult times. They are looking for jobs, and sometimes they can't find them the way they used to. The inaction of the past has cost them dearly.

There are those who complain that this bill is not perfect. They say it won't do this or it won't do that. But we have got to get started and keep acting until we get it right and provide them with the chance that they need for a change in direction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1687 . . . to commemorate the career and service of our friend and colleague, Congressman Ralph Regula, by designating the Federal Building and U.S. courthouse in Canton, Ohio, as the ``Ralph Regula Federal Building and United States Courthouse.''

For 38 years, Congressman Ralph Regula was a dedicated public servant and champion for Ohio.

While I served only one term with Congressman Regula, I worked with him long enough to recognize his strong and dedicated service to our country, as well as his great love for Ohio.

Congressman Regula is the consummate public servant. His career of service began long before the 38 years that he dedicated to this House.

After graduating from high school, he served in the Navy during World War II.

Congressman Regula continued his public service as a member of the Ohio State Board of Education. He went on to serve in the Ohio House and the Ohio Senate. When he arrived

in Congress in 1973, Congressman Regula's greatest years of serving our country were still ahead of him.

His leadership was apparent immediately. As a freshman member, alongside Congressman John Seiberling, he fought hard to have President Ford establish the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area.

Congressman Regula continued his fight to help build and protect the Cuyahoga Valley over the next 34 years of his career.

In 1974, Congressman Regula said ``. . . we could be the architects in preserving this heritage for future generations; it goes far beyond today in terms of the potential.''

Today, that potential has been fully recognized.

The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is one of the most heavily visited national parks in the country.

It is one of the great treasures Congressman Regula has left us. And, I am privileged to be able to carry on his efforts to continue to preserve and expand the Park.

I want to thank Senator Brown and Congressman Boccieri for leading the effort on this bill.

No one is more deserving of this great honor than Congressman Regula. He left a great legacy for all of us to live up to.

It is clear that the citizens of Canton and the 16th congressional district are eternally grateful for his endless contributions.

I thank him for his service, and I am glad to be a part of this effort to recognize his importance by helping to pass this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stress the importance of reforming our health care system this year. Every day Americans with health concerns worry, not just about getting well, but whether they can afford to get well.

Statistics show that the average American family already pays an extra $1,100 in premiums every year for a broken system that leaves 46 million uninsured Americans, and millions more who are insured without the care they need when they need it.

Americans spend more than any other population on health care; yet we are no healthier for the investment. President Obama and this Congress want to change this dynamic.

We must make quality health care more affordable and accessible to every American: man, woman and child. We must enact a health care system, promote a health care system, ensure a health care system that will work for our constituents and be worthy of this great Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for his leadership on the Rules Committee and for the time.

I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying bill. But as we prepare to send the war supplemental to President Obama, I would be remiss not to express the deep concerns I have about the bill not including an exit strategy for military operations in Afghanistan.

And while I support the supplemental, I am also strongly supporting Representative McGovern's bill to require an exit strategy from Afghanistan. Fairness requires it. Our brave soldiers need to know that we have a plan and that we're looking out for them. And out of fairness to the 185,000 soldiers who have been subject to the stop-loss policy since September 11, 2001, the supplemental that we're about to pass today will provide $500 per month in monthly payments.

And the use of stop-loss has prevented mothers and fathers from returning home to their children, from families and friends from gathering for the momentous occasions that mark their lives. They have gone above and beyond the expectations of their country. So I'm proud to have worked with my colleagues to create the Stop Loss Compensation program and to ensure its funding in this bill.

And I am pleased that we are also funding the bipartisan CARS Act program which Representative Levin spoke of a moment ago. That bill was passed overwhelmingly by this House just last week. And while it's called the CARS Act, it's about far more than just cars. It's about the environment and it's about people. It's about consumers, and it's about the millions of families in this great Nation who depend on the strength of our auto and related industries for their livelihood, to put food on the table, to get health care for their children. It's about our friends and our neighbors, and it's about our communities that depend on auto jobs for their tax base, to support schools and police, firefighters and other city services.

And I'm also proud to say that we have worked on language in the bill to allow that SAFER grants that are used to hire firefighters can be used now to rehire and retain much-needed firefighters.

This bill provides stop-loss payments for those who protect us bravely overseas. It funds the consumer-environmental beneficial CARS Act to help shore up the 3 to 5 million jobs in our auto industry that Americans depend upon for a living, and it provides for more adequate staffing for firefighters who bravely protect us at home.

Mr. Speaker, this is a bill that deserves support. And with that, I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, my good friend from New York, for the time and for his leadership.

I also want to thank Chairman Obey for all of the hard work he has put into developing this bill that will fund some of our Nation's most critical needs, including the funding for prisons, for law enforcement and for initiatives related to the southwest border, along with promoting important scientific research and development.

This bill provides $30.6 billion for investments in science, technology and innovation, including $6.9 billion for the National Science Foundation, whose grants in the past have allowed researchers in our colleges and universities to discover fundamental particles of matter, to develop carbon-14 dating of ancient artifacts and to decode the genetics of viruses, to name just a few.

It provides $1 billion to science, technology and math education for our students, from graduate students all the way down through kindergarten. So we're going to educate our students for the future and will continue to be leaders in innovation in this global world.

It also invests $781 million in the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which is very important for the area that I represent. It provides for scientific and technical research services. Along with $125 million for the manufacturing extension partnerships, we will be investing $125 million to help small- and mid-sized manufacturers compete globally by providing them with technical advice and access to technology. As well, we will be leveraging private funds to save and create jobs. This program has been vital to the 13th District of Ohio, resulting in jobs that can be directly linked to it. We are also investing $70 million to fund high-risk, high-reward research into areas of critical national need done by U.S. businesses, colleges and universities, and labs. That is through the Technology Innovation Program.

In addition, this bill provides much-needed funding for the Bureau of Prisons to protect American citizens. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in a 15-State study, over two-thirds of the released prisoners were re-arrested within 3 years. Now, with this in mind, the Bureau of Prisons is provided with $6.2 billion to address long-standing critical shortages in corrections staffing, education and drug treatment, as well as an investment for Second Chance Act offender reentry programs.

The bill also provides the much-needed $298 million for the COPS hiring program, which, when combined with the $1 billion provided in the Recovery Act for the program, will put 7,000 new police officers on the streets of American communities, improving the safety for our constituents.

The ongoing drug violence on our southwest border is also addressed in this bill by providing funds for the DEA to combat the flow of illegal drugs across the border, for the ATF to reduce violent crime and to enforce Federal firearm and explosive laws, and for the department-wide Southwest Border Initiative to secure our border against violence and drug trafficking.

With all of that in mind, I rise in support of the rule and of the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2751) to accelerate motor fuel savings nationwide and provide incentives to registered owners of high polluting automobiles to replace such automobiles with new fuel efficient and less polluting automobiles.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of over 2,000 men and women who work in the Ohio assembly plant in my district and approximately 50,000 Ohioans whose jobs are associated with that plant. I rise for the 159,000 Ohioans with auto-related jobs and the 3 to 5 million Americans who rely on the auto industry to provide for their families.

I rise today on behalf of the environment, as we turn the corner to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve fuel economy, and to help reduce our reliance on foreign oil.

I rise today on behalf of the consumers throughout our great country who continue to struggle during this global recession. And I rise today as the proud sponsor of the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act, also known as the CARS Act.

And I want to thank President Obama for his support of this legislation. And I want to thank Speaker Pelosi for supporting this effort and thank Majority Leader Hoyer for all of the help that he has provided as we worked to deliver the benefits of this bill to the American people.

And I want to thank Chairman Waxman, Chairman Markey, Chairman Emeritus Dingell, and Representatives Israel, Inslee, Stupak and Upton for their collaboration and support on this bill. And thank you to my colleagues, Representative Candice Miller and Representative Bruce Braley, who started this process with me back in March.

Mr. Speaker, the bipartisan CARS Act will shore up millions of jobs and stimulate local economies. It will improve our environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It will provide much-needed financial assistance to consumers to trade in less fuel-efficient vehicles for vehicles which achieve a measured increased fuel- efficient.

What the CARS Act will not do is allow someone to trade in a vehicle and receive a voucher to purchase a vehicle that is less fuel efficient.

We have ensured environmental integrity in this bill, and this bill demonstrates that we do not have to bind ourselves to the arguments of the past. We no longer have to give in to the temptation of either/or thinking. The CARS Act demonstrates that we can free ourselves from the false argument of either you are for the environment or you are for jobs. We can do both. We must do both, and that's exactly what the CARS Act does.

2009 auto sales are down nearly 42 percent below the 2005 peak. We have not seen such a decline since 1955, and this decline jeopardizes our country's largest manufacturing industry.

These are not ordinary times. These times call for bold action. Three to 5 million jobs are at risk. Auto-related jobs number in the thousands in every State in our Nation, and though it's called the CARS Act, this bill is far more than about just cars. It's about people. It's about the millions of families in this great Nation who depend on the strength of our auto and related industries for their livelihood. It's about our friends and our neighbors, and it's about our communities that depend on auto-related jobs for their tax base to support their schools, their police, fire and other city services.

By passing the CARS Act, we can shore up these jobs, get customers back into the showrooms, help our dealers move cars, and improve the environment.

Nations across the world have instituted incentive programs. In May, while our auto sales in this country fell 34 percent, sales in Germany increased 40 percent after they instituted a program.

On May 19, the Committee on Energy and Commerce passed an amendment of the CARS Act to the American Clean Energy and Security Act by a bipartisan vote of 50-4.

Under the CARS Act, consumers will trade in less fuel-efficient vehicles and receive an electronic voucher for $3,500 to $4,500 at the point of sale toward the lease or purchase of a vehicle with increased fuel efficiency. Light-duty trucks, both small and large, also qualify under the program, and work trucks, often used by small businesses, will be eligible for replacement as well.

And though our fleet modernization program is open to vehicles, regardless of where they are made, I encourage everyone who participates in this program to think about the families who depend upon cars made in the United States and ask you to purchase a fuel- efficient vehicle assembled right here at home to help shore up jobs and help our environment.

Some refer to this bill as the ``Cash for Clunkers'' bill. Others use a gentler term, ``fleet modernization.'' But by any name, by any title, the CARS Act offers significant multiple benefits.

This bill has earned broad-based support. It has the support of Ford and GM and Chrysler, the United Auto Workers, the Business Round Table, the Automotive Trade Policy Council, the Ohio Automobile Dealers Association, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, PPG Industries, National Paint and Coatings Association, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association, Specialty Equipment Market Association, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, the American Iron and Steel Institute, Automotive Recyclers Association, the United Steel Workers, the National Automobile Dealers Association, the American International Automobile Dealers, the National Association of Manufacturers, the AFL- CIO, and the United States Chamber of Commerce. These groups have provided letters of support for this bill, and Mr. Speaker, I would like to include them in the Record.

Washington, DC,

June 9, 2009.

Hon. Betty Sutton,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative Sutton: Ford Motor Company strongly

supports the adoption of the Consumer Assistance to Recycle

and Save Act of 2009 (CARS Act) introduced by Rep. Betty

Sutton. This ``cash-for-clunkers'' proposal would provide an

incentive to consumers to trade-in an older, less-efficient

vehicle for a new, higher fuel-economy one.

During the recession, foreign and domestic automakers have

experienced a steep decline in auto sales not seen in over

fifty years. Last week, in fact, automakers reported that

U.S. auto sales for May 2009 were down 33 percent from the

same month a year ago. Action by Congress is urgently needed

to jumpstart vehicle sales and the automotive sector of the

U.S. economy.

The CARS Act would help consumers, support jobs and also

improve the environment. Consumers will benefit from a robust

incentive to purchase a new, more efficient vehicle and the

cost savings from buying less fuel.

While the vouchers provide direct help to consumers, it

also helps support jobs across the industry. Automakers,

autoworkers, suppliers and dealers all benefit from increased

sales and that's why the proposal has been endorsed by both

labor and business, including the UAW and the U.S. Chamber of

Commerce.

For the environment, the plan would help reduce fuel

consumption and decrease emissions by taking old vehicles off

the road and replacing them with new, cleaner ones. Plus, the

program would have the added benefit of

generating as much as S2 billion in needed sales tax revenue

for the states. Thirteen governors have written Congressional

leaders in support of rapid action on a cash-for-clunkers

program.

The CARS Act is timely, temporary, and targeted and is

urgently needed. We request that Members of Congress work to

quickly enact this important legislation by voting ``'yes''

on the CARS Act. Thank you for consideration of our views.

Sincerely,

Peter Lawson,

Vice President, Government Relations.

At this time, it's my honor to yield 1 minute to the gentleman, my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Boccieri).

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time we have.

It's my honor, Madam Speaker, to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Chairman Waxman.

Madam Speaker, at this time it's my honor to yield to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) 2 minutes.

Madam Speaker, at this time it is my honor to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished chairman emeritus and a leader in this effort as well, the gentleman from Michigan, Congressman John Dingell.

(Mr. DINGELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to now yield 1 minute to the distinguished Speaker of the House to speak on this bill, Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to yield 1 minute to the distinguished chairman from Massachusetts, Chairman Markey.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time the gentleman from Michigan controls.

Madam Speaker, at this time, it is my honor to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan, Chairman Bart Stupak.

I would just inquire of the gentleman, we have an abundance of speakers and not quite enough time, would you like to yield some time?

I thank the gentleman very much.

At this time, Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 30 seconds to my colleague from Ohio, Congressman Tim Ryan.

Madam Speaker, at this time, it is my privilege to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan, Representative Peters.

Madam Speaker, at this time it is my privilege to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin).

(Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, at this point, it is my privilege to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Washington, Representative Jay Inslee.

(Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, we have heard overwhelming support for the CARS Act on the floor today and from across the country throughout this process. I want to thank, first of all, the gentleman from Michigan for what a fantastic job he has done in moving this bill on the floor this afternoon and for all of the work that he put into making it a success. I also want to thank all of those, many of whom we have heard from today here on the floor, for all of their help and their support in getting this innovative measure to the floor and on the way to the beneficial effects for the American people. I also want to thank all of the staff who worked on this bill and bringing it together: my staff, Nicole Francis Reynolds and Christine Corcoran, as well as the staff on the Committee on Energy and Commerce and others, Representative Dingell's staff. It has been a truly collaborative process, and we have a good result.

We have heard about how this bill will improve our environment, serve as an economic stimulus, and shore up the 3 to 5 million jobs in the auto and related industries. Close to home in my district, the Akron Area Auto Dealers Association put it this way: ``Providing an incentive to stimulate sales is a critical step in the recovery of the automobile industry, and congressional passage of the CARS Act represents an opportunity to benefit both the economy and the environment.''

Local 2000 of the United Auto Workers, which assembles the Ford E- Series line of vehicles in my district in Avon Lake, has stated: ``Passage of this important legislation will not only help the consumer and public by putting cars on the road that run cleaner and maintain better fuel efficiency, but it will provide assistance by boosting car sales to the struggling auto industry in America.''

And the United Steelworkers, who represent hundreds of thousands of workers in jobs supplying the auto industry, summed it up like this: ``From the glass, to the tires, to the plastic, to the hundreds of pounds of metal that comprise every vehicle, steelworkers manufacture these products in locations all across the country. Even the paper, the catalogues, and brochures that the automakers use to market their vehicles are often the product of the work of steelworkers. But countless other citizens, union and nonunion, such as auto dealers, accountants, restaurant and shop owners, have their jobs tied to the auto industry.''

Governors from 12 States, including Governor Strickland from Ohio, the Governors of Michigan, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin all support this effort today.

It's time to act, Madam Speaker. It's time to pass the CARS Act, and I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bill.

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

I thank the gentleman from New York for his great leadership on this issue and for all of the work that he does in Education and Labor on many issues that are so important to the people of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the proud sponsor of H.R. 1380, the Josh Miller Helping Everyone Access Responsiveness Treatment in Schools Act, also known as the Josh Miller HEARTS Act. Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States and is the leading cause of death on school property and for student athletes. This bill establishes a grant program to help elementary and secondary schools across the country purchase automated external defibrillators, or AEDs.

I introduced the Josh Miller HEARTS Act in memory of a young man from my hometown of Barberton, Ohio. To know Josh Miller was to know a kindhearted and generous young man with limitless potential. Josh was a Barberton High School sophomore with a 4.0 grade point average, the son of proud parents Ken and Geri Miller. He was a linebacker who dreamed of playing football for Ohio State someday. He was the kind of kid who could walk into a room and light it up. But one day, without warning, his dreams were cut short. Josh never showed any signs of heart trouble; but while playing football for his school in 2000, he collapsed after leaving the field. And by the time his heart was shocked with an automated external defibrillator, it was too late to save him. Josh suffered a sudden cardiac arrest which, according to the American Heart Association, claims the lives of nearly 300,000 Americans every year. Josh's death was devastating not only to his family but to our entire community.

Like Josh, the vast majority of these individuals who suffer sudden cardiac arrest do not display any prior signs of

heart trouble. Yet there is an easy-to-use, relatively inexpensive piece of medical equipment that more than doubles the odds of survival for someone experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest. An AED is the single most effective treatment for starting the heart after a sudden cardiac arrest; and because the chances of survival decrease by up to 10 percent for every minute that passes, every second is critical.

In March, I reintroduced the Josh Miller HEARTS Act to increase the availability of AEDs in our communities. Because schools are central gathering places in our communities, placing AEDs in our schools will save the lives of students enrolled there; but they will also be available for teachers and staff, parents and volunteers, and the many other members of the community who pass through their halls every single day.

This legislation is modeled on a similar program for the State of Ohio. Dr. Terry Gordon, a cardiologist at Akron General Medical Center, has dedicated his life to this lifesaving mission. His tireless efforts in Ohio led to the adoption of a statewide initiative to put an AED into every school in our State. I hope that we in Congress can build on Dr. Gordon's good work and carry out this program at the national level.

This bill is endorsed by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the Heart Rhythm Society, the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association, the International Association of Firefighters, the American College of Cardiology, the National Education Association, the Parent Heart Watch, the American Federation of Teachers and the National Safety Council. I want to thank these organizations for their support on this issue, and I look forward to working with them to continue to raise awareness on AEDs.

Losing a young life like Josh's can bring a sense of helplessness. In just the last year in the short time from August 2008 to December 2008, 63 children lost their lives to sudden cardiac arrest. But today we have an opportunity to act. This bill passed the House in the last Congress, but it did not emerge from the Senate. This time I am pleased to report that Ohio Senator George Voinovich will be leading the charge in the Senate and that Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown will be working alongside him to make sure that it gets done.

It is appropriate that this bill comes to the floor this week. This week is National CPR and AED Awareness Week, and this week serves to raise awareness of the importance of CPR training and AED accessibility. In fact, the American Heart Association has embarked on a campaign to train 1 million people in CPR and the use of AEDs this week. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this effort to bring AEDs into every single school across this country. I thank the gentleman from across the aisle for his support of this measure. AEDs in schools will save lives. I want to thank the Miller family and the Acompora family and others who have turned their personal tragedies into a lifesaving mission.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time and for his leadership. Today we consider the last war supplemental providing funding for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, I am deeply

concerned that this bill does not have an exit strategy for military operations in Afghanistan. Out of fairness to our brave soldiers, we cannot have an open-ended strategy. And I support the bill introduced by Representative Jim McGovern to require one.

This bill does have some provisions in it that I support. Since October of 2001, approximately 160,000 soldiers have been subject to stop-loss orders, serving on involuntary extended tours of duty.

Last June, I introduced the Stop-Loss Compensation Act to ensure that all our soldiers affected by the policy would be properly compensated. And last fall we took the first step toward fulfilling our duty to these brave soldiers by including stop-loss compensation for fiscal year 2009 in the continuing resolution. But today I am proud that we will extend the $500-a-month payments to all 160,000 soldiers that have been affected by stop-loss since 2001.

And, Mr. Speaker, on the home front, our firefighters who answer the call of duty in communities throughout this country are often the first on the scene and the last to leave. Because of the current recession, a lot of communities, including the community of Elyria in my district, are being forced to lay off firefighters, resulting in staffing levels that are too low.

I am proud to say that we have worked on language to include in this bill that will allow SAFER grants to be used to rehire and retain much- needed firefighters. The Elyria Fire Department has already informed me that with this change, they plan to apply for a SAFER grant to reinstate the 10 firefighters who were laid off last month.

This bill will help us ensure that stop-loss payments for those who protect us overseas will be properly given and to ensure the adequate staffing for those who protect us at home.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the time and for the clarification about the nature of this rule.

I rise today in support of the underlying legislation, H.R. 2187, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act, a bill that was considered, discussed, and passed already once by this House in the last Congress.

This bill will improve the foundations of our education system and modernize our buildings to reflect the environmental realities before us. We know all too well that our treasured school districts are struggling to make essential improvements during these challenging economic times.

It is critical that we improve our schools to ensure that students have a healthy and safe environment in which to learn and develop the skills necessary to compete in today's workforce. By facilitating development of sustainable schools, our students will have a healthy learning environment that will naturally promote environmental literacy. It is also essential that our schools are structurally sound and updated with the needed safety measures that will protect our youth from today's threats.

And, Mr. Speaker, I am particularly supportive of a measure that was included in this Congress when this bill passed the House. That measure included an initiative which I championed that will allow schools to use funding from this bill to improve their building infrastructure with the necessary security measures and security doors.

I am pleased that my provision remains in the current bill. And let me tell you why it is important. Brunswick High School, in my district, is the largest single-level high school building in Ohio, stretching one-quarter of a mile from end to end with 60 entrances. As you can imagine, this presents a difficult security challenge for teachers and administrators. But with this provision, the district can use the funding to update the high school's entrances to meet today's security needs.

I am also proud that this legislation includes a ``Buy American'' provision. This provision will require that steel, iron and other manufactured goods used for the construction of these improvement projects are produced right here in the United States. The economic downturn has taken a toll on U.S. manufacturing, including the steel plants in my congressional district, and we need to put Americans back to work doing the work that America needs to have done.

This bill also contains Davis-Bacon protections requiring that contractors who build these projects pay their workers the local prevailing wage which is so important to ensuring that workers are able to provide for their families. This is about families.

Mr. Speaker, in these challenging economic times, important, innovative legislation such as this will go a long way to creating new opportunities for America's students and workforce.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the underlying bill.

Well, I thank my friend. And I too want to just extend our appreciation for your vision in organizing, not only this evening and all that we're here to do by way of introducing the Populist Caucus, but for forming the caucus in the first instance, because it is so critical that the people across this country know that their voices matter. And we are going to be a part of expressing those voices within the halls of this Congress, putting a face on the statistics that we so often rely on here. And sometimes it kind of gets away from some that those statistics actually refer to people and to families and what is happening to them.

So I am very, very proud to be a member of the Populist Caucus and to be a part of bringing Members together who believe in investing in the middle class as well as in those who aspire to being middle class, because we know that that is what is vital for the strength of America.

As a caucus, we are committed to restoring, as my friend from New York has said and as you have said, Mr. Chairman, the core middle class values that made this country great, and we are committed to ensuring that our government's policies are in line with those values. A vibrant, growing middle class has been the hallmark of the strength of this country. It was the middle class that built this great Nation. A strong America depends on a strong middle class. Without a strong middle class, our country does not achieve as much as we all know it is worthy of. The middle class is the heart of this Nation. It is the engine that drives productivity.

Reflecting back on my youth, I grew up in a blue-collar community in Ohio, a community by the name of Barberton. I was the youngest of six kids--the proud daughter of a man who worked in a boilermaker factory. My mom worked at the city library. Because of their hard work, our family of eight had a good chance; we had food on the table, and we had the promise of the middle class before us and of all the opportunity that it delivered, and we took advantage of it, but that was a time when people could depend upon a good job. Oftentimes, those good jobs were manufacturing jobs, and you could rely upon them and sometimes work, as my dad did, in the same place for many years.

Now it is much more difficult. With health care costs rising, with insurance not available to all, with pensions a little shaky out there, to say the least,

and with many things that we, as young people, had the benefit of that are now at risk in this country, the promise of the middle class is slipping away from far too many. After 8 years of failed Bush policies, the middle class, frankly, and the country have been sorely hit.

They pushed through economic policies that benefited the wealthy and the well-connected. It is not just that. They did so at the expense of the rest of us. They allowed the banks and Wall Street to have seats at the table, often leaving working families left outside. They watched as millions lost their jobs, lost their health care, lost their homes, and sadly, lost their dreams.

The national unemployment rate has risen to a staggering 8.1 percent. In Ohio, it is at 9.4 percent. These are statistics that I'm talking about, but attached to those statistics are families, families who are going without even though all they want is a chance to make a living. They don't want things handed to them. They just want to have the opportunity in this great country to have a job where they can go to work, and they want to provide the things that we all had the great benefit of having as young people. The economic recession continues to challenge the resolve of the middle class as they strive to pay for life's basic necessities.

Now, here with this caucus and with our colleagues in this Congress, we are called on to chart a new path, one that is in line with the needs of the middle class, one that is in line with the hopes and the dreams of those who aspire to get there. That is the reason I was proud to join this caucus--to help find the road back to middle class values and to ensure that that dream becomes a reality again.

The needs of the middle class have been ignored for far too long, and it just has to end. We, the members of the Populist Caucus, will focus on the policies, as you have laid out here, that strengthen and improve the lives of American families, not policies that leave them behind. We must make the promise of the middle class in the 21st century what it once was--the moral and economic backbone of our Nation.

I think that the comments that you and Representative Arcuri have made, Representative Braley, are so on point, because, when we talk about the moral and economic backbone of our Nation, frankly, nothing reflects that any more than the budget. So your points about the budget, about what is contained in the budget and about the honesty of the budget are all critical to our government operating in a way that is worthy of the people whom we represent.

With that, I will yield back.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the story of a boy from my hometown of Barberton, Ohio. To know Josh Miller was to know a kind-hearted and generous young man with limitless potential. Josh was a Barberton High School sophomore with a 4.0 grade point average. He was a linebacker who dreamed of playing football for Ohio State. He was the kind of a kid who could walk into a room and light it up.

But one day, without warning, his dreams were cut short. Josh never showed any signs of heart trouble. But right after the final game of the 2000 football season, he collapsed after leaving the field. By the time his heart was shocked with an automated external defibrillator, it was too late to save him. Josh suffered a sudden cardiac arrest which, according to the American Heart Association, claims the lives of 330,000 Americans every year.

Like Josh, the vast majority of these individuals do not display any prior signs of heart trouble. Yet there is an easy-to-use, relatively inexpensive piece of medical equipment that more than doubles the odds of survival for someone experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest. An automated external defibrillator, or AED, is the single most effective treatment for starting the heart after a sudden cardiac arrest. And because the chances of survival decrease by up to 10 percent for every minute that passes, every second is critical.

Last week, I reintroduced the Josh Miller HEARTS Act to increase the availability of AEDs in our communities. This bill, H.R. 1380, will establish a grant program to help schools across the country purchase these lifesaving devices.

Schools are central gathering places in our communities. Placing AEDs in our schools will not only save the lives of the students enrolled there, but they will be available for teachers and staff, parents and volunteers and the many other members of the community who pass through their halls every single day.

This legislation is modeled on a similar program for the State of Ohio. Dr. Terry Gordon, a cardiologist at Akron General Hospital, has dedicated his life to this campaign. His tireless efforts in Ohio led to the adoption of a statewide initiative to put an AED into every school in our State.

I hope we in Congress can build on Dr. Gordon's good work and carry out this program at the national level. Last year, this bill had 100 cosponsors and passed the House unanimously. To all of my colleagues who cosponsored and supported this legislation, thank you, and I urge you to cosponsor H.R. 1380. And to all of my colleagues who

did not cosponsor the bill, I ask for your support in this Congress.

This bill is endorsed by the Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the Heart Rhythm Society, the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association, the International Association of Firefighters, the American College of Cardiology, the National Education Association, Parent Heart Watch, American Federation of Teachers and the National Safety Council. I thank these organizations for their support on this issue, and I look forward to working with them on AED awareness.

Losing a young life like Josh's can bring about a sense of helplessness. But today we have an opportunity to act. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this effort to bring AEDs into every single school across this country because AEDs in schools will save lives.

I thank the gentlewoman from California for the time and for her leadership on this bill. I also want to thank my good friend from across the aisle, Mr. Diaz-Balart, for his thoughtful words about this bill and about the amazing character of the American people to serve and reach out to others in their communities through volunteerism.

This bill, Mr. Speaker, will unite Americans during these challenging economic times through service and volunteerism in our communities. And I am pleased that this Congress is moving swiftly to reauthorize and expand national service programs managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

I am particularly supportive of two initiatives that are included in this bill that I sponsored in the last Congress.

The first proposal requires the Corporation to conduct a study to identify specific areas of need for displaced workers, and to identify how existing programs and activities carried out under our national service laws can better serve displaced workers and the communities affected by plant closings and job losses.

Communities in Ohio and across our Nation are being devastated by the economic downturn, and it's essential that we support new opportunities for Americans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own.

Our workers who have toiled for so long in manufacturing plants have unique skill sets and leadership capabilities that can be of great value when utilized through service projects.

In Ohio, we face an unemployment rate of 8.8 percent. I eagerly look forward to seeing how new service programs like this will help us help our displaced workforce.

The second proposal requires the Corporation to consider whether an area has a mortgage foreclosure rate greater than the national average when considering grant applications from States and other eligible entities.

Ohio has been particularly devastated by the mortgage crisis and ranks 10th in the Nation in home foreclosures. According to recent statistics, my congressional district is projected to have over 5,000 foreclosures in the coming year.

In a time when so many of our communities are struggling, we need to pursue every avenue available to make sure that the cities and towns with the greatest needs have access to the assistance that we can provide.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation will go a long way to energize and create new opportunities for Americans to build confidence and assist in our country's recovery.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the underlying bill.

I thank the gentleman from New York for his leadership on this issue and for the time that he has yielded to me.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying legislation, H.R. 1262, the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009. This bill provides

a total investment of $18.7 billion over 5 years for much-needed water and environmental infrastructure. Not only will this bill help provide communities with improved water quality, but it must be remembered that it will create over 480 million jobs.

H.R. 1262 provides $13.8 billion in Federal grants to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund over the next 5 years. This fund provides low- interest loans to our communities so that they can repair wastewater infrastructure, and that is desperately needed. Like much of the Nation's infrastructure, the wastewater systems in my district are aging, and they are in dire need of repair, or, in some cases, replacement.

Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased that this legislation includes a ``buy American'' provision. This provision will require that steel, iron, and other manufactured goods used for the construction of these water projects are produced here in the United States.

The economic downturn has taken a toll on U.S. manufacturing, including the steel plants in my district in Ohio. And with this legislation, and with this ``buy American'' provision, we will be putting Americans back to work doing work that America needs to have done.

The bill also contains Davis-Bacon protections requiring that the workers who will do this work will be paid a local prevailing wage, a wage that will ensure that they are able to provide for their families, which is all that they really are looking to do.

Now, last year, Congress passed the Great Lakes Legacy Act to clean up contaminated toxic sediments that are endangering families and communities throughout the Great Lakes Basin, which is an area that is home to approximately 40 million people in eight States, including Ohio. As you may recall, Mr. Speaker, the House-passed version of that bill provided $150 million each year through fiscal year 2013 for cleaning up the Great Lakes. However, our colleagues on the other side of the Capitol in the Senate operate under different floor rules, and one Senator was able to block action on the bill until funding levels for this program were cut by two-thirds.

This bill also restores the funding level for the Great Lakes Legacy Act projects to the level initially--and overwhelmingly--passed by the House last September. The residents of the Great Lakes Basin have been waiting far too long for these toxic sites to be cleaned up. The funding in this bill will allow for the cleanup of all contaminated sediment in the Great Lakes region by 2020. For these reasons, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bill.