Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the centennial celebration of the town of Bailey, NC, in my Congressional District. Bailey was settled in the 18th century and became a charter town in Nash County in 1908. Bailey was named for the first settler in the township, Drewey Bailey.

Bailey is predominately a farming community. A feed mill and lumber mill are located in the town to meet the needs of the agrarian surroundings. There are several established merchants orientated to supplying the farm community with all needed supplies for the agricultural industry. It is estimated that about 80 percent of the town's income can be accounted to farmers in the area. One of the first merchants in Bailey was Malachi Bissette. His store was one of the largest in the area. It was quite typical of the general store carrying ``everything needed from birth to death, farm supplies, groceries, clothes, and coffins.'' Several of the first buildings of the town are still occupied.

Bailey has two garment factories--the Bailey Garment Plant and Quality Textiles--which employ 150 persons combined. The leading non- agricultural industry of the area in Neverson Quarry of the Superior Stone Company. The Quarry came into existence in 1913 by an act of Congress. In that year Congress authorized a harbor of refuge for ships in case of storms at Cape Lookout on the North Carolina coast. This necessitated the erection of two long sea walls behind which ships could seek protection. Furnishing stone for this breakwater lead to the opening of the Quarry.

In 1948, the company changed its name to Bryan Rock and Sand Company. Under this and the Superior Stone Company leadership, the quarry has become one of the largest and most modem granite crushing plant, in the South. There is an average of two train loads of stone shipped from the quarry daily. This large shipment makes Bailey the fourth largest freight origination point on the Norfolk and Southern Railroad. Economically, the Bailey community benefits from this increased stone output. Approximately 100 workers are regularly employed, with local labor being used when possible.

Civic life has always been an important part of the community. For many years there has been a masonic lodge in the town. In the early fifties, the masons constructed a building for their own use and for the recreational use of the town. Other established civic organizations include the American Legion and Ladies Auxiliary, the Lions Club, the Order of Eastern Star and Chamber of Commerce.

Bailey has been host to several leaders on both the national and international level. President Harry S. Truman made a visit to the city when he was in office. In 1954, Bailey was host to President and Madame Bayar, President of the Republic of Turkey, and the staff of approximately 35 aides and press representatives. After Bayar's visit, officials of the high school and the staff of the school paper were entertained at the Turkish Embassy in exchange for the hospitality offered the president when he visited the town.

Madam Speaker, Bailey has a rich history that makes it one of shining stars of Nash County and the State of North Carolina and I am proud to have the honor of representing this great town. It is fitting that we take a moment today to honor the centennial celebration of the town of Bailey.

Madam Speaker, due to an unpreventable transportation problem while on official Congressional business, I was unable to vote on one measure on the House floor on September 24, 2007.

Had I been present, I would have voted yes on House Concurrent Resolution 193--Recognizing all hunters across the United States for their continued commitment to safety.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my son Brian and his wife Meredith on the birth of their second child, Cameron Elizabeth Etheridge. Cameron was born on my birthday Tuesday, August 7, 2007 and weighed 8 pounds and 8 ounces and was 21 inches long. My wife Faye and I are excited about the birth of our third grandchild, and she joins me in wishing Brian and Meredith and their daughter, Virginia, great happiness upon this new addition to our family.

Faye and I are truly blessed by the arrival of Cameron Elizabeth Etheridge. The birth of a new child is a joyous occasion that reminds us of the promise of a new life. And I know that Virginia is excited to have a sister with whom she can play. Children remind us of the incredible miracle of life, and they keep us young-at-heart. Every day they show us a new way to view the world.

God has truly blessed my family with this new addition. My family and I are looking forward to spending a lot of time with our new bundle of joy and introducing her to all of our friends and neighbors in North Carolina's Second Congressional District.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the legacy of a North Carolina institution. Louisburg College, the oldest two-year church affiliated, co-educational college in the nation, has filled a niche in North Carolina's system of higher education. As the only residential junior college in the state, the institution provides an excellent introduction to the collegiate life for college freshmen and sophomores. Louisburg College offers a premier beginning to successful academic and professional achievement. For 220 years the college has impacted lives and fulfilled its mission: Louisburg College is committed to offering a supportive community that nurtures young men and women intellectually, culturally, socially, physically, and spiritually.

Louisburg College had its beginning in the period that witnessed the emergence of America as an independent nation, the birth of the Methodist Church in America, and the establishment of Franklin County, North Carolina, and the town of Louisburg. Having evolved from three earlier institutions, Franklin Male Academy, Louisburg Female Academy, and Louisburg Female College. The roots of Louis burg College trace back to the early years of the town of Louisburg, the county seat of Franklin County. Founded in 1779, during the American Revolution, the county was named in honor of Benjamin Franklin and the town in honor of King Louis XVI of France.

Franklin Male Academy opened on January 1, 1805, under the direction of Yale graduate Matthew Dickinson. Franklin Male Academy prospered in its early years and soon had an enrollment of ninety students. The second stage in the evolution of Louisburg College began on December 27, 1814, when the state legislature ratified an act chartering the Louisburg Female Academy. By August 1815, Louisburg Female Academy was operating under the guidance of Harriet Partridge. The third stage of the evolution of Louisburg College began in January 1855, when the state

legislature authorized the transfer of property by the trustees of Louisburg Female Academy to the directors of Louisburg Female College Company.

By August 1857, Louisburg College opened under the management of Professor James P. Nelson. The female college continued to operate during the Civil War under presidents C.C. Andrews (1860-1861) and James Southgate, Jr. (1862-1865) After the war, about 500 Union soldiers camped in the college and male academy groves during May and June of 1865. After the college opened and closed several times the 1870s and 1880s, S.D. Bagley became president in 1889. Matthew S. Davis, who had previously served twenty-five years as principal of the Male Academy, became president of the Female College in 1896 and held the office until his death in 1906. He was succeeded by his daughter, Mary Davis Allen, who was President until 1917.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, a number of significant changes took place. The institution became known as Louisburg College, and the college became officially linked to the Methodist Church. Washington Duke had acquired ownership of the college property in the 1890s. After his death, his son Benjamin N. Duke presented the property to the North Carolina Conference of the Methodist Church. The Reverend Armour David Wilcox, former minister of the Louisburg Methodist Church, served as president of the college from 1931 to 1937. Louisburg College became co-educational in 1931, and student enrollment immediately increased. By the end of World War II, institutional debts had been paid and in 1952, Louisburg College was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

During the 1986-87 school year, Louisburg college held a Bicentennial Celebration in recognition of its unique two-hundred-year heritage. The first college flag was designed and displayed during the celebration, and the first published history of the college, Louisburg College Echoes, was issued in 1988. Dr. C. Edward Brown, Jr. served as interim president in 1992, and Dr. Ronald I. May was president of Louisburg College from January 1993 through May 1998. Dr. Brown again assumed the interim presidency in June 1998. Dr. Rosemary Gillett-Karam become the twenty-fourth president of Louisburg College in December of 1998. Dr. Reginald Ponder assumed the presidency in 2002.

Louisburg College has contributed significantly to the growth and development of NC and the enrichment of countless of its citizens. I urge the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in commending this outstanding institution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America.

Though it has been six years since that fateful day, time cannot diminish the memories of those lost. Six years ago tomorrow, America was struck by an unspeakable tragedy that shook the foundations of our society and changed our Nation forever. On September 11, 2001, we saw the very face of evil. And on that day and every day since, we have felt the heartbeat of America.

The people of this country responded as never before, and our government also responded. We have been reminded of the service and sacrifice of Americans who are ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. Americans from all comers of our country and in North Carolina have given of themselves to help the victims' families. Our neighbors and friends have been deployed to Afghanistan and elsewhere to fight for our freedom. Our police officers, firefighters, EMS and other first responders have shown selfless devotion every day on our streets and in our communities.

I applaud all of those who are serving or who have served in defense of America and our interests. They have responded with professionalism, precision and when needed, force, to root out the cowardly perpetrators and protect Americans and our interests both here and abroad. Let us continue to pray for the safe return of those who are still in harm's way and honor and thank those who have given their lives.

We also must honor those thousands of innocent people who lost their lives that day and remember the bravery and sacrifice of the fire fighters, law enforcement officers and rescue worked who worked feverishly to save them, some of whom still suffer ill effects from that effort. Though somewhat eased by the passage of time, the grief of a nation still smolders.

I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this important legislation to reduce the costs of college for low-income and middle class families. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting to pass it.

As the first member of my family to graduate from college, I know firsthand that affordable access to higher education is the key to the American Dream for working families. My life's work has been to improve educational opportunities for all because education is the key to the future. Education levels the playing field and empowers every individual willing to work hard the ability to make the most of his or her God-given talents. This legislation will make a real difference to make college more affordable without raising taxes while maintaining budget discipline.

Specifically, this bill will cut in half the interest rate on federally subsidized Stafford Loans over the next five years, from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent. Under this conference report, the average North Carolina student starting school in 2007 will save $2,200 throughout the life of the loan, and the average N.C. student starting school in 2001 will save $4,270. This legislation also will raise the maximum value of the Pell Grant scholarship by $1,090 by 2012.

The bill will help ensure a highly qualified teacher in every classroom by providing upfront tuition assistance to qualified undergraduate students who commit to teaching in public schools in high-poverty communities or high-need subject areas. It will encourage public service by providing public servants loan forgiveness after ten years of public service for military servicemembers, first responders, nurses, educators, and others. Finally, this legislation will make historic new investments in minority-serving institutions and encourage state and philanthropic participation in college retention and financing to increase the number of first generation and low-income college students.

I want to congratulate Chairman Miller for this accomplishment and thank him and his great staff, including Gabriella Gomez, Denise Forte and Mark Zuckerman, for working with me to ensure that the bill does not unintentionally harm North Carolina's nonprofit lending agency. I am pleased the President has committed to signing this bill into law, and I encourage all my colleagues to vote for it.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1908, Patent Reform Act of 2007.

While I recognize the need for some reform of the United States' patent process, I believe we must proceed carefully and with the goal of improvement for the many stakeholders affected by the patent system. We should continue to work towards an efficient system that issues high-quality patents and places reasonable limits on patent challenges. Although there are some provisions in H.R. 1908 that could prove beneficial, this far-reaching bill could do serious harm to many of the important employers in my district.

North Carolina benefits greatly from its strong university system. Institutions including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University in my district serve as engines for research and innovation that help to drive the state's economy. In addition, the 2nd Congressional District of North Carolina contains a number of pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies that provide thousands of jobs and are helping to transform our economy. Along with many of the traditional manufacturing companies in North Carolina, the lifeblood of these institutions is the value of the patents they hold. These entities have expressed opposition to any measure that would weaken their patent portfolios. H.R. 1908 in its current form would endanger the value of their patents and harm their ability to continue fueling our economy.

Our patent system has long been a wonderful tool that has helped to foster innovation and reward American ingenuity. Patents, and their value and validity, serve as the backbone for thousands of companies and help form the basis of our economy. Congress should continue to work to reform the system in a way that benefits all of the varied interests that keep our economy strong. I hope the conference committee on H.R. 1908 can correct its shortcomings so I can support and Congress can enact comprehensive reform of our patent process.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Matt and Jennifer Allen on the birth of their child, Dyan Wade Allen. Dyan was born on Tuesday, August 7, 2007, and weighed 6 pounds and 12 ounces. My wife Faye joins me in wishing Matt and Jennifer great happiness upon this new addition to their family.

As the father of three, I know the joy and pride that Matt and Jennifer feel at this special time. Children remind us of the incredible miracle of life, and they keep us young-at-heart. Every day, they show us a new way to view the world. I know the Allens look forward to the changes and challenges that their new son will bring to their lives while taking pleasure in the many rewards they are sure to receive as they watch him grow.

I welcome young Dyan into the world and wish Matt and Jennifer all the best as they raise him.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the 250th birthday of Marquis de Lafayette. Fayetteville, NC, was named for Lafayette in 1783. It was the first town in America to be named for him and the only one visited by him on his tour of the United States in 1825.

Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette, was born in Auvergne, France, on September 6, 1757. Although an aristocrat, Gilbert Lafayette became enamored of the American fight for independence. In 1777, at the age of 19, flaunting convention and royal edicts, he used his own funds to purchase and outfit a ship and sailed to America. He joined the American forces and became a lifelong friend of General George Washington. His enthusiasm for the cause of liberty and his courage in battle won him the admiration and friendship of soldiers, officers, and statesmen.

The youngest major general in the American army, Lafayette made a significant contribution to the defeat of the British forces under General Lord Charles Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown, VA, in 1781. Lafayette also accomplished much as a diplomat, persuading the Governors of independent colonies to provide food and supplies to a poorly clothed and starving Continental Army. He lobbied vigorously with the French court for more troops and ships for the American cause. The commitments he secured from France ultimately forced England to sue for peace.

Lafayette returned to France and continued his campaign for liberty. His involvement in the French Revolution caused his persecution by radicals on both sides. Imprisoned for 5 years in Prussia and Austria, his fame brought worldwide pressure for his release. As Lafayette's popularity grew, his views on liberty, religious tolerance, and the abolition of slavery became widespread.

Lafayette's popularity in America culminated with President Monroe issuing an invitation in 1824 for the general to visit the young country and witness the development of this experiment in democracy. His status as one of the last surviving members of the revolutionary leadership gave communities a reason to host elaborate receptions, dances, and ceremonies in his honor.

Madam Speaker, in 1825, the citizens of Fayetteville, NC, were honored by a 2-day visit from the famous French proponent of liberty, Marquis de Lafayette. In a speech of welcome, Judge John D. Toomer proclaimed, ``Never, never can we forget the youthful stranger who, in the darkest hour of adversity, so generously flew to our succour, and so gallantly fought the battle of freedom.'' Marquis de Lafayette was a man who fought for our great Nation and left his mark on North Carolina, America, and the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1927, a temporary bill to renew the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, FISA, to provide procedures for authorizing certain acquisitions of foreign intelligence information.

As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I know that the recent National Intelligence Estimate contains a stark warning about our vulnerability to terrorist attacks. S. 1927 intends to fill an intelligence gap that exists in the original FISA law and due in part to a recent court ruling regarding the surveillance of foreign suspects. S. 1927 seeks to make clear the procedures for obtaining warrants for the surveillance of domestic and foreign terrorist suspects. Reform in the intelligence-gathering arena is particularly necessary as the worlds of technology and communications rapidly change. Clearer laws and boundaries enable our intelligence agencies to respond swiftly against terror suspects.

Although I believe in providing our intelligence agencies with the necessary tools to protect our Nation from terrorism, I am also concerned that we do so without limiting Americans' liberties and rights to privacy. Because of the seriousness of the threats we face, we cannot delay in giving needed direction to our intelligence agencies. However, I share many of my colleagues' concerns with this bill. While S. 1927 includes a provision to sunset in 6 months, I support Speaker Pelosi's call to the House Committee on the Judiciary and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to revisit this issue as soon as possible when Congress reconvenes. Congress should continue to work to find a balance between protecting our Nation, and protecting the freedoms that have made our Nation great.

Madam Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3221, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act; and H.R. 2776, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007.

As forward thinking as this legislation is Madam Chairman, it is by no means a perfect bill. This legislation contains a Renewable Portfolio Standard for investor-owned electric companies that I voted against, and remain opposed to as I believe it places an unfair burden on my state of North Carolina and the other Southeastern states. It is my hope that this RPS can be corrected in conference so that certain states are not placed with the burden of funding initiatives in other states.

These two pieces of legislation truly represent a new direction in our nation's energy policy. This legislation will move the United States toward greater energy independence and security by developing innovative new technologies, reducing carbon emissions, creating green jobs, protecting consumers, increasing clean renewable energy production, and modernizing our energy infrastructure.

H.R. 3221 provides incentives that will increase research and development in clean energy technologies, raise efficiency standards for appliances and lighting, and direct the Federal Government to become a leader in reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. H.R. 2771 will expand tax incentives and bonds for renewable energy, energy efficiency and renewable fuels as well as incentives for consumers to purchase plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and energy efficient appliances.

This legislation will put our nation on a path towards energy independence, it will strengthen national security, grow our economy, and create new jobs. It does so by investing in the future, in new energy technologies and innovation.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of Dr. Norman Adrian Wiggins, who died August 1, 2007. In his passing I lost a good friend, Campbell University lost her Chancellor, North Carolina lost one of its most outstanding citizens and a man who was instrumental in his community, county, and State.

A native of Burlington, North Carolina, Dr. Wiggins was a veteran of World War II, where he served in the United States Marine Corps. After returning from his service to our Nation, he began his educational pilgrimage and earned the Associate of Arts degree from Campbell Junior College, the Bachelor of Arts degree from Wake Forest College, the Bachelor of Laws degree from the Wake Forest College School of Law and the Master of Law and Doctor of the Science of Law from Columbia University School of Law.

On June 6, 1967, Dr. Wiggins became the 3rd president of Campbell College and immediately began piloting a new course for the institution. It would lead to the establishment of one of the most outstanding trust management programs in the Nation, an award-winning and nationally recognized Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), and the establishment of five professional schools--the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Pharmacy and the Divinity School. He also led in the College's move to university status in 1979. Under Dr. Wiggins' leadership, Campbell's educational programs were extended beyond the Buies Creek campus as the University was among the first private schools to offer extended education opportunities to military installations, including Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, New River Air Base and Camp Lejeune. Dr. Wiggins' most notable international venture was the creation of the partnership between Campbell University and Tunku Abdul Rahman College in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a partnership that has lasted more than twenty-five years.

Dr. Wiggins was a devoted Christian; he served North Carolina Baptists at the State and national levels. He was one of only two Baptist college presidents to serve as president of the North Carolina Baptist State Convention. He also served as president of the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board and the National Fellowship of Men. In May 2003, following a thirty-six year tenure as president of Campbell University, Dr. Wiggins retired. In recognition of his exemplary service, the Board of Trustees named Dr. Wiggins Chancellor of the University. Dr. Wiggins is survived by his wife Millie Wiggins.

Madam Speaker, Dr. Wiggins had a commitment to excellence in everything he did, and he had a way of bringing out excellence in everyone around him. That commitment is evident in all aspects of Campbell University. Under Dr. Wiggins' leadership Campbell experienced unprecedented growth in facilities, dollars and quality. The number of students' lives he changed in a positive way is immeasurable. Campbell University, Harnett County and the entire State of North Carolina are better in countless ways because of the efforts of Dr. Wiggins.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report for the America COMPETES Act. I am pleased that the new Democratic majority in Congress is providing this new direction for our country.

As an active member of the New Democratic Coalition, I support this bill that will help ensure our Nation's global economic competitiveness through investment in math, science, engineering, and technological education and a renewed commitment to basic research.

As a former member of the House Committee on Science, I have worked for years working with the committee to get here. I want to thank them for this piece of legislation. I want to congratulate Chairman Bart Gordon and Ranking Member Ralph Hall and the staff of the Science Committee for their hard work in producing this outstanding product.

As a former State school chief now serving in Congress, I am pleased that this bill will invest in 25,000 new teachers through professional development, Summer Institute training, graduate education assistance, and NSF scholarships. The bill also broadens the participation of minorities and women in science and engineering fields at all levels from kindergarten to advanced researchers. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report on H.R. 2272, the America COMPETES Act.

I am pleased that the new Democratic Majority in Congress is providing a new direction for our country. As an active Member of the New Democrats' Coalition, I support this bill that will help ensure our nation's global economic competitiveness through investment in math, science, engineering, and technology education and a renewed commitment to basic research.

As a former Member of the House Committee on Science, I have worked for many years to pass legislation to encourage innovators and develop the most valuable workforce in the world. I want to congratulate Chairman Bart Gordon and Ranking Member Ralph Hall and the staff of the Science Committee for their hard work in producing this outstanding product.

As the only former state schools chief serving in Congress, I am pleased that this bill will invest in 25,000 new teachers through professional development, summer training institutes, graduate education assistance, and NSF scholarships. The bill also broadens the participation of minorities and women in science and engineering fields at all levels from kindergarten students to advanced researchers.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the authors of this legislation for their success on this fine product, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting to pass it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report on H.R. 2272, the Americn Competes Act. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for it.

I am pleased that the new Democratic Majority in Congress is providing a new direction for our country through common sense legislation. As an active Member of the New Democrats' Coalition, I support this bill that will help ensure our nation's global economic competitiveness through investment in math, science, engineering, and technology education and a renewed commitment to basic research.

The conference report on H.R. 2272 is a bipartisan measure to implement an Innovation Agenda boldly responds to the global economic challenges identified in the 2005 National Academy of Science report, ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm.'' As a former member of the House Committee on Science, I have worked for many years to pass legislation to encourage innovators and develop the most valuable workforce in the world. I want to congratulate Chairman Bart Gordon and Ranking Member Ralph Hall and the staff of the Science Committee for their hard work in producing this outstanding product.

As the only former state schools chief serving in Congress, I am pleased that this bill will invest in 25,000 new teachers through professional development, summer training institutes, graduate education assistance, and National Science Foundation scholarships. It ensures more highly qualified teachers in the classroom, in the fields of mathematics, science, engineering, technology and critical foreign languages.

H.R. 2272 establishes a public-private partnership with the business community and institutions of higher education to develop efforts to educate and train mathematicians, scientists and engineers to meet the workforce demands of the business community. The bill expands access to Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes and increases the number of qualified AP/IB teachers. The conference report enhances the ability of states to build more competitive workforces to meet the challenges of recruiting and retaining students in innovative fields.

The bill also broadens the participation of minorities and women in science and engineering fields at all levels from kindergarten students to advanced researchers. The bill focuses on small business innovation by doubling funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and creates a new Technology Innovation Program for small and medium-sized companies. Finally, this legislation creates a ground-breaking initiative, the Advanced Research Projects for Energy (ARPA-E), modeled after DARPA that has brought us such innovations as the Internet, to provide talent and resources for high-risk, high-reward energy and research and technology development, and to help attract investment for the next generation of revolutionary technologies.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the authors of this legislation for their success on this fine product, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting to pass it.

I thank my friend for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, my friend from Arizona has already made a statement why this earmark ought to stay in here. It really is making a difference for the industry, and it's employing people. I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.

The funding for this wood utilization grant helps fund the Wood Machining and Tooling Research Program, as you have just heard. Part of it is really on the campus of NC State University, a land grant university. It has been matched more than dollar for dollar, every Federal dollar by private dollar.

This is not a giveaway program but, rather, one that has been designed to work to make the Southeastern furniture industry more competitive, as you have heard, in the global economy. This research program investigates and solves problems related to manufacturing tools used in the wood machining and manufacturing operations.

Other than Wood Machining and Tooling Research Program, there is no other Federal research program to support U.S. wood manufacturing and tooling companies who are competing with low-wage jobs on the other side of the world with other countries. It is only right to invest in the industries we have remaining in our rural parts of this country when outsourcing these industries overseas has hurt States all across America.

I strongly urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise reluctantly in opposition to the Children's Health and Medicare Preservation Act. I fully support the goals of this legislation--to provide healthcare to millions of uninsured children, to improve Medicare benefits for our seniors, and to help rural areas provide healthcare. Unfortunately, however, I cannot support legislation that unfairly impacts the second district and all of North Carolina with the burdens of this cost.

I have been a long-time supporter of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, and I am proud that the Budget Committee on which I serve authorized the increase reflected in this bill. I support reauthorizing and strengthening SCHIP, without which nearly six million children will lose access to healthcare. In North Carolina, NC Health Choice provides cost-effective and high-quality health services to 250,000 at-risk children. An additional 180,000 uninsured children in North Carolina are eligible for coverage, and the $50 billion in the budget I helped write would enable more of these children to be covered.

It is also vital that we enable physicians to provide health services, in SCHIP, Medicaid, .and in Medicare. This legislation implements a 2-year fix that enables doctors to continue their participation in the program without going bankrupt. Without this fix, North Carolina physicians will lose $460 million for the care of elderly and disabled patients over the next 2 years, and face a 1.6 percent geographic cut above the baseline reductions in other parts of the country. I appreciate Medicare physicians who have made many sacrifices to continue to cover the Medicare population, and without a fix this year doctors may start dropping out and refuse to see Medicare patients. We must maintain our commitment to universal coverage for our Nation's seniors and people with disabilities. This legislation takes a positive step in that direction.

There are many other positive provisions in this legislation: fixes that strengthen the Medicare Trust Fund, provide more access to preventative care, and provide lower premiums for many seniors; extensions for important rural health care initiatives that ensure access to care for people across the country, especially in the second district of North Carolina; support for the Special Diabetes Programs, which provide essential funding for research and innovative diabetes prevention activities for thousands of children in communities throughout the country; provides parity for

mental health coverage under Medicare; the list goes on and on. I understand what these improvements mean to the people of North Carolina, and I wholeheartedly support them.

These provisions have a cost, however, and as important as these priorities are we also must value the principle of fairness. I do not support smoking, and I have never smoked, but this bill is not fair to those who grow or use tobacco. The cigarette tax is regressive; falling hardest on those who can least afford it. Although it is a national tax, it also unevenly impacts the country, with North Carolina and a few other states footing the bill for the benefits the CHAMP Act seeks to deliver. North Carolina's citizens pay over four percent of the costs of this legislation while receiving about two percent of the benefit.

Researchers at North Carolina State University estimate that North Carolina's economy would lose at least $540 million a year through the tax's indirect impact as well. North Carolina's tobacco farmers grow a legal crop. These hard working farm families have suffered greatly from transformations in the global economy. Because my district is the second largest tobacco producing district in the country, H.R. 3162 disproportionately affects my constituents who work hard to be able to pay their bills and provide a better life for their children. This just doesn't pass the fairness test.

Mr. Speaker, I wish I could support this bill for all of its laudable goals. I join with my colleagues in my desire to provide healthcare for children, strengthen Medicare and protect it from privatization, and improve health services for rural communities, diabetes patients, and others. When we are able to do so without placing undue burden on North Carolina's farmers and low-income families, I will gladly vote in favor of doing so. With the current funding mechanism, however, I cannot support this bill.