Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay honor and tribute to the late Commander Donald Gaither, a founder of the elite Navy SEALs, for his 27 years of service in the U.S. Navy.

Commander Gaither was a native Hoosier and one we are all proud of. Commander Gaither was born in Daviess County, Indiana and graduated from Washington High School in 1937. While serving on his first submarine, the USS Swordfish, the submarine engine room was damaged during battle. In performance of his duties as chief motor machinist, he was awarded the Silver Star medal for distinguished submarine service.

Commander Gaither's U.S. Navy career continued to be characterized by strong leadership and consistent work. As he rose through the ranks from apprentice seaman to commander, he was highly regarded by those who worked under him. During his time in the Navy, Commander Gaither served as an executive officer in Underwater Demolitions, a precursor to the Navy SEALs. After the Korean War, Congress considered eliminating the Underwater Demolitions Program. Commander Gaither came to Congress and persuaded Congress to keep the program. The Underwater Demolitions Program was later expanded into the Navy SEALs, making Commander Gaither one of the founding fathers of the Navy SEALs.

Commander Gaither's success in the Navy is a tribute to what hard work and determination can accomplish. Commander Gaither spent countless hours studying and preparing for each Navy promotion he received. His work ethic was only matched by his strong leadership skills. Although Commander Gaither died of natural causes post- retirement, his 27 years of service through three wars represent a lifetime commitment to serving our country.

Today, I ask all members of Congress to join me as we honor the life of Commander Donald Gaither of the U.S. Navy, an accomplished war veteran who courageously served to better the lives of all American citizens.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank my friend Sheriff Reichert, and it's appropriate today to call him by the original title at this time, for yielding me that time. I would echo his comments. Everyone in this room interacts with the Capitol Police every day. I know I made a friend in one. He gave me a t-shirt that on the back says, ``You Elect Them, We Protect Them.'' And I wear that shirt proudly at home.

But on this serious day during National Police Week, it's important to know in this House we talk a lot about our brave men and women in uniform that protect our country, and we normally talk about the members of the armed services, and that's absolutely appropriate. But during this week I think we need to also think about the men and women in uniform who are out patrolling our streets, not just the Capitol Police, but at home in all of our districts that are working right now directing traffic, taking drug dealers off the streets, protecting our wives, protecting our families, protecting our husbands, protecting our citizens, the people we represent. We should never forget them for their constant service, 24-7 service to us and all of our constituents.

So today if we could honor them with a moment of silence, for those who did pay the ultimate price, that did give their lives in the line of duty, I would ask for that moment of silence from the House of Representatives.

Madam Chair, I rise today in objection to ineffective and wasteful government spending, and to thank my Colleagues for accepting my common-sense proposal to the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010.

As I traveled throughout Indiana's 8th Congressional District over the last few months, I came across many community leaders who expressed concern to me about the wasteful government spending they were witnessing firsthand. In particular, they were alarmed by the numerous boxes full of so called ``promotional items'' they received from the Census Bureau. Although the local leaders and I both acknowledged the critical importance of the Census count, we could hardly see how government spending on embroidered shirts, coffee mugs, CD cases, and lunch bags was an effective use of taxpayer dollars--all items that were received in large quantities by the communities throughout Indiana's 8th Congressional District.

As a result of this experience, I demanded detailed information on the promotional budgets of several federal departments, including the Census Bureau, in order to raise awareness of this kind of government spending. The results I found were startling on many fronts. For example, I was outraged when I learned the Chicago Region of the Census Bureau alone spent $3,841,317 on ``promotional items.''

And I made it a priority to ensure this type of wasteful and ineffective spending never again gets through this Congress.

So today, I had the opportunity to fulfill my commitment through the Home Star bill. I support the overall bill. It will help thousands of my constituents significantly reduce their home energy bills, and it will create many jobs in the home construction and manufacturing sector. However, I was deeply concerned when I found a section of the bill that provided funding for an ``Educational Campaign.'' To me, this section of the bill left open the very real possibility of more wasteful government spending on things like embroidered t-shirts and coffee mugs.

That's why I offered language to ensure this bill will not allow for spending on promotional items, and I want to thank Chairman Henry Waxman and the Energy and Commerce Committee staff for working with me on this important taxpayer protection.

Madam Chair, as we seek to address the many challenges facing our nation, we must be vigilant about putting a stop to ineffective and wasteful spending. Finding new ways--large and small--to trim government spending will play a large part in moving our government in the right direction. I pledge to continue to do my part here in Washington, and I will continue to depend on my constituents to inform me of the wasteful government spending they experience in everyday life. We must all work together to restore fiscal sanity to our budget and get our country back on track.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the brave and heroic veterans of the Hoosier Honor Flight for their outstanding leadership and service to our country.

Hoosier Honor Flight is an organization created solely to honor the men and women who have bravely sacrificed in their service to our country by flying our heroes to Washington, DC to visit and reflect at the memorials they so rightly earned.

The Hoosier Honor Flight is an admirable undertaking. It is of the utmost importance to me that all American veterans are honored. Thanks to their courageous service, all Americans live free in this great country.

Thanks to the dedication of Monroe County veterans' organizations, businesses and Hoosiers from across southern Indiana who joined forces to provide the first Hoosier Honor Flight on 12 November 2008, 39 World War II veterans and one Korean War veteran were able to enjoy visiting the national WWII Memorial, Lincoln and FDR memorials, Vietnam and Korean War memorials, as well as the Marine Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and laying a Hoosier Honor Flight wreath at the Tomb.

Today, over one hundred Hoosier veterans will arrive in Washington, DC to visit the memorials dedicated in their honor. I will have the privilege of meeting these fine men and women to thank them for their service to our country.

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the gentleman for yielding the time.

I rise today in strong support of this critically important defense acquisition reform legislation. Last year, Mr. Chair, Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate came together to pass bipartisan major weapons system acquisition reform legislation. Last year's reform effort aimed to reel in the cost overruns of approximately $300 billion in major weapons systems. The bill we are considering today, the IMPROVE Acquisition Act, serves as a worthy companion to the acquisition reform overhaul by focusing on how the Department of Defense procures approximately $200 billion a year in services.

The ideas included in this bill were realized through a year's worth of hearings held by the Defense Acquisition Reform Panel. I was honored to participate in the seven-member panel which was tasked by Chairman Ike Skelton to conduct a comprehensive review of the defense acquisition system. Thanks to the focused leadership of Chairman Rob Andrews and Ranking Member Mike Conaway, the panel put forward final recommendations that have guided us to this point. Today we will be voting on a reform package that will strengthen the defense acquisition workforce.

I would also like to thank Chairman Andrews for working with me to include a commonsense contractor tax compliance provision in this bill. This is an issue I've been working on for approximately 3 years, and I will continue to do so until it's fully enacted. The provision is quite simple. It requires companies seeking a defense contract to prove they are in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service. To do this, a company must certify they carry no serious delinquent tax debt. The Department of Defense will not merely rely on their word. The company must allow the Treasury Department to verify the certification. False certification will be reported to a contractor's integrity database. This is a practical and cost-effective way to ensure all companies compete on an equal playing field and our tax dollars are being used wisely.

Every year in April, Mr. Chair, Hoosiers play by the rules and pay their taxes. They expect companies who do business with the Federal Government to do the same. It's pretty simple: Bad actors don't just cheat us, they cheat the government of tax revenue, and they also gain an unfair advantage over businesses that are doing the right thing.

With that, I urge my colleagues to support this provision. Vote for the IMPROVE Acquisition Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Niel Ellerbrook on his outstanding leadership and service to his community in Southwest Indiana.

In 2000, Mr. Ellerbrook was integral in the merging of Indiana Energy and SIGCORP into Vectren Energy Corporation--a company that would bring many new jobs to the Evansville area. Since that time, he has served as the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the company. Vectren is currently one of Indiana's largest publicly traded corporations with over 3,700 employees.

During his tenure as CEO, Mr. Ellerbrook has been recognized for his leadership in promoting diversity in the workplace. Additionally,

his community-minded business approach has inspired other businesses throughout Indiana and Ohio to engage their local communities with hopes of improving their quality of life. He was recently inducted into Evansville's Business Hall of Fame, and in 2007, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce named him as Business Leader of the Year.

Mr. Ellerbrook's dedication to community is well known. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Signature School Learning Center, University of Evansville, Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute, Old National Bancorp and the American and Indiana Gas Associations. He was influential in the opening of the Koch Family Children's Museum of Evansville, as well as the Ivy Tech University campus. He is also a longtime supporter of the United Way and is involved with many other community outreach efforts.

Niel Ellerbrook has served as an outstanding business leader and a steadfast advocate for his community. As an Evansville resident, I appreciate his dedication and leadership within our local community, as well as throughout the Hoosier state. I commend Mr. Ellerbrook on an impressive career, and I wish him only the best in his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate White River Valley High School in Switz City, Indiana for being recognized as one of the top high schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

White River Valley High School has developed a well-deserved reputation of academic excellence in Greene County and beyond. Students have maintained a 90.7 percent average on state tests and nearly 96 percent of them graduate. With success like this, it is no surprise that White River Valley High School is one of only 30 high schools in Indiana to be recognized this year.

The students sitting in classrooms today will be the scientists, engineers, teachers and leaders of tomorrow. The quality of education they receive has a direct impact on the strength of our economy, our communities, and our country in the future. If their success so far is any indication, I think that future looks bright.

White River Valley High School is preparing students in Greene County to go out and make a difference in our world. I am proud of their accomplishments and grateful for their continued contributions to the Switz City community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of CJ's Home Protection Act, H.R. 320. The House's consideration of this public safety legislation today--legislation which would require a NOAA weather radio be installed in all manufactured homes built and sold in this country--is a continuation of an effort we started 2 years ago. Back in 2007, the House passed this bill by voice vote, and I hope it will receive broad support again today.

At 2 a.m. on the morning of November 6, 2005, an F3 tornado touched down in my district in southwest Indiana. The tornado hit a manufactured housing community after most people had gone to sleep, and it tragically took 25 lives, Hoosier lives in Vanderburgh and Warrick County. These lives might have been saved if the victims knew of the dangerous storm that was approaching.

CJ, a loving and playful 2-year-old boy, was one of the victims that night. CJ and 24 other victims, including his grandmother and great grandmother, are the reason why I'm here today. His picture is a reminder of the heartbreaking loss that severe weather can bring to families and communities throughout this country. All too frequently this loss comes with little or no warning.

Madam Speaker, I was the sheriff of the county back in 2005, and my department oversaw the recovery effort in the aftermath of this horrendous storm. The horror and devastation the storm left behind is something I will remember the rest of my life. That is why this bill is so important to me and many others.

While CJ is the inspiration for this important public safety legislation, Kathryn Martin, CJ's mother, is the leader in the effort. In the months after the storm, Kathryn channeled her pain and suffering toward an effort to pass similar legislation in the State of Indiana. Kathryn would not be denied. She was successful in getting the bill passed, and because of the awareness she raised about weather radios, the people in my hometown of Evansville, Indiana, have the most weather radios in households per capita in the United States.

When I first met Kathryn, I promised her that if I ever came to Congress I would introduce Federal legislation to do the same thing that she was trying to push in our State. The bill before us today is a fulfillment of that promise. CJ's Home Protection Act amends the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standard to require that each manufactured home delivered for sale shall be supplied with a weather radio inside the manufactured home.

One might question that when not every area of the country endures the same dangerous tornado season, why should this be a national standard? While it's true that some regions encounter more tornadoes than others, extreme weather exists everywhere. A tornado took CJ's life. But for another child living in California, it could be a wildfire or a mudslide. For a child living in Texas, it could be a flash flood. Also, it should be added that NOAA weather radios are used to put out AMBER alerts. The radio must be capable of broadcasting emergency information related to local weather conditions, equipped with a tone alarm and specific alert message encoding, and comply with Consumer Electronics Association standards for public receivers.

Like a smoke detector, these inexpensive devices can provide families with the warning they need to take action and protect themselves when severe weather strikes. This bill is about improving public safety, plain and simple. It's not about demonizing the manufactured housing industry. Kathryn and John Martin and the other residents of this community love their homes, and the manufactured houses provide affordable, high-quality homes for thousands of American families. I'm a strong supporter of manufactured housing. I see this legislation as adding one more feature to enhance the safety features of these structures.

Before I conclude my remarks, Madam Speaker, I'd like to thank Chairman Barney Frank and his staff at the Financial Services Committee for their efforts to move this legislation forward. This bill would not be where it is today without the strong support of Ranking Member Spencer Bachus. He has been a vocal advocate for this cause from the very beginning. Thank you very much. I would also like to thank Congressman Dennis Moore and Congresswoman Kay Granger for their support as original cosponsors. Finally, I'd like to thank my good friend from Indiana, Congressman Joe Donnelly, who was helpful throughout the entire process.

I urge my colleagues to support this important public safety legislation. The cost of a NOAA weather radio is a mere $30 to $80, and for that price we can improve the safety of so many people from the sudden threat of extreme weather.

Thank you, Mr. Stupak.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the passage of this vital amendment.

Since this debate started, my goal has been to ensure Federal taxpayer dollars are not used to pay for abortions and to provide Americans with pro-life options on this exchange. I have been proud to work with Mr. Stupak and all my colleagues and the Catholic Bishops to make the goal a reality.

Getting to this point has not been very easy, but today we're on the brink of passing health care reform that honors and respects life at every stage, including the unborn. If this amendment passes today, I will support this bill.

It is time to fix what's broken in our health care system and begin to fulfill the promises we've made to Americans that we represent. That's why I urge Members on both sides of the aisle to vote for this amendment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service of Old National Bank as a community leader and trusted financial institution. For 175 years, Old National Bank has been providing outstanding service and banking options to communities throughout the Ohio River Valley.

The bank was founded in 1834 in Evansville, Indiana. And since that time, Old National has grown to become one of the most trusted financial institutions in the country. By committing itself to a sound, conservative approach to banking, Old National has survived and thrived when others faltered.

Old National is more than just a bank; it is actively working to improve our communities, too. Through its foundation, the bank is giving back and supporting community initiatives through generous grants. And employees have added manpower to those initiatives, volunteering thousands of hours to the communities and causes they care about.

Without a doubt, Old National Bank has made Evansville and the other communities it serves a better place for our citizens.

Congratulations, Old National; here's to another 175 years of success and prosperity.

Madam Speaker, on Thursday, November 5, 2009, I missed rollcall vote No. 857. Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 857, on agreeing to H. Res. 885, I would have voted ``aye.''

I thank the chairman and thank all of my colleagues on the committee for their hard work on this bill, especially Chairwoman Velazquez and Ranking Member Graves for their leadership and the bipartisan spirit with which we wrote this bill.

Mr. Chairman, tough economic times like these we are in right now have time and time again spurred the innovations to put us back on the right track. The entrepreneurs who take on the risk of starting a new business in these times, they are the ones who will transform our economy and jump-start growth in our communities.

Unfortunately, entrepreneurs in my district and across the country are

being turned away by lenders nervous about the risk of starting a new business. That's why it's so important that we pass this bill today. The Small Business Financing and Investment Act will provide much- needed assistance to entrepreneurs who are just asking for a chance to succeed.

The Small Business Administration's microloan program helps entrepreneurs like these secure start-up capital to get their new ventures off the ground. Unfortunately, the SBA's microloan program remains underused.

Too many of these funds Congress has provided to help these small businesses are being left on the table, despite the credit crunch in the private marketplace. Clearly we need to bridge the gap so that more aspiring business owners find the credit they need to get started.

The legislation before us includes a bill that I authored to improve how the SBA's microloan program functions. The Small Business Microlending Expansion Act makes a number of changes to improve this program and expand its reach to more small businesses.

These changes will put unused loan funds toward making existing microloans more affordable. It will get more lenders involved in the program while expanding the amount existing lenders can provide to their communities. It improves the ability of lenders to provide the technical assistance entrepreneurs need to succeed.

Simply put, this bill will increase the capital flowing to entrepreneurs, who can use those loans to build a business, employ their neighbors, and improve their community. That is our goal today, and it should be the goal every day.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1713) to name the South Central Agricultural Research Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture in Lane, Oklahoma, and the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 310 North Perry Street in Bennington, Oklahoma, in honor of former Congressman Wesley ``Wes'' Watkins.

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

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

Madam Speaker, H.R. 1713 would name the U.S. Department of Agriculture's South Central Agricultural Research Laboratory in Lane, Oklahoma, as the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 310 North Perry Street in Bennington, Oklahoma, in honor of former Congressman Wesley Watkins.

After graduating with two degrees from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Congressman Watkins worked for the Agriculture Department and as an administrator at his alma mater before entering political life, first as a State senator and then as a Member of Congress. Mr. Watkins represented Oklahoma's Third Congressional District for a total of 20 years, both as a Democrat and as a Republican.

I am pleased the name of Congressman Watkins will be part of his former district's role in the important mission of scientific research in agricultural issues that affect all Americans every day, from the fields to our dinner tables.

This bill has the support of the Oklahoma delegation, and I encourage the rest of my House colleagues to support it here today.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Boren).

Madam Speaker, we have no further speakers, but I will reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, if there is no objection, I yield 1 additional minute to Mr. Boren from Oklahoma.

Madam Speaker, I did not know Congressman Watkins, but after this moving testimony, I would encourage all of our colleagues to pass H.R. 1713.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 81, which recognizes the importance and sustainability of the United States hardwoods industry. I introduced this resolution along with Congressman Geoff Davis of Kentucky and a group of our colleagues from across the country. This bipartisan support demonstrates the national importance of our domestic hardwood lumber industry, and I am pleased this Congress is recognizing the contributions the hardwood industry makes to both our economy and our environment.

Hardwood forest owners are stewards of a valuable national resource, and their efforts to conserve hardwood forests have been a remarkable success. Over the last 50 years, hardwood lumber stocks have more than doubled and hardwoods continue to grow almost twice as fast as they are harvested. The U.S. Forest Service analysis supports the evidence of this strong conservation record: the Forest Service's forest

inventory and analysis program has documented hardwood trees to be an ``abundant, sustainable, and legal resource.''

Our hardwood forests are managed by thousands of small landowners and families who take care of this resource. Constituents of mine in southwest Indiana play a role in maintaining our hardwood stocks, and the same is true both throughout Indiana and across this country. Americans should be proud of this strong environmental record, and as Members of Congress, we ought to keep this fact in mind as we look for opportunities to support best practices in stewardship and environmental management.

For example, environmentally preferable construction programs are increasingly important to the building and trade industry; and should Congress direct support for these programs, we should remember domestic hardwoods and their potential to contribute to an environmentally friendly future. I was proud the House passed an amendment I offered to H.R. 2187 earlier this year to preserve sustainable hardwood lumber as a green construction resource for local school districts.

I thank my colleagues for their support of this resolution and of the domestic hardwood lumber industry.

Mr. Speaker, I was sitting in my office, and I heard a lot of folks asking where the jobs were.

I downloaded an article from the Evansville Courier Press, which happens to be in Indiana. It says: ``Stimulus has Hoosiers working.''

I'll make a few quotes out of this article: ``More than 2,400 people are now at work on Federal stimulus-funded roadway projects in Indiana, according to a state report being released today.''

`` `Things were slowing down, and the stimulus filled in the gap,' said Tim Mahoney, an economics professor at the University of Southern Indiana. `It's kept the people employed that would be laid off,' '' says that same article.

``What's clear is that the stimulus projects have boosted an industry otherwise floundering in Indiana.''

`` `In general, it definitely puts our people to work,' said Pete Bjorkman, the chief estimator for Evansville-based J.H. Rudolph'' construction company.

``Our crews are going to be working more hours and more days because of this . . . ,' he said. `It is creating more crews, more hours for our people that wouldn't have been there before.' ''

Mr. Speaker, I listened in the office to the stuff being said back and forth. To the folks in the audience and the people that are walking out there, Mr. Speaker, they're tired of this crap that's going on back and forth. We need to work together to put people back to work.