Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I regret missing floor votes on Wednesday, May 25, 2011. Had I registered my vote, I would have voted:

``Nay'' on rollcall 338, On Agreeing to the Amendment--Foxx of North Carolina Amendment No. 7.

``Yea'' on rollcall 339, On Motion to Recommit with Instructions--To amend the Public Health Service Act to convert funding for graduate medical education in qualified teaching health centers from direct appropriations to an authorization of appropriations.

``Nay'' on rollcall 340, Final Passage of H.R. 1216--To amend the Public Health Service Act to convert funding for graduate medical education in qualified teaching health centers from direct appropriations to an authorization of appropriations.

``Nay'' on rollcall 341, On Ordering the Previous Question--Providing for further consideration of H.R. 1540, The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012.

``Nay'' on rollcall 342, On Agreeing to the Resolution--Providing for further consideration of H.R. 1540, The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012.

``Yea'' on rollcall 343, On Agreeing to the Amendment--Woolsey of California Amendment No. 2.

Mr. Speaker, I regret missing floor votes on Tuesday, May 24, 2011. Had I registered my vote, I would have voted:

1. ``Nay'' on rollcall 333, On Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule--Consideration of H.R. 1216 to amend the Public Health Service Act to convert funding for graduate medical education in teaching health centers from direct appropriations to an authorization of appropriations; consideration of H.R. 1540, the National Defense Authorization Act, FY 2012; and waiving clause 6(a) of rule XIII.

2. ``Nay'' on rollcall 334, On Agreeing to the Resolution (H. Res. 269)--Consideration of H.R. 1216 to amend the Public Health Service Act to convert funding for graduate medical education in teaching health centers from direct appropriations to an authorization of appropriations; consideration of H.R. 1540, the National Defense Authorization Act, FY 2012; and waiving clause 6(a) of rule XIII.

3. ``Nay'' on rollcall 335, On Motion that the Committee Rise--To amend the Public Health Service Act to convert funding for graduate medical education in qualified teaching health centers from direct appropriations to an authorization of appropriations.

4. ``Yea'' on rollcall 336, On Agreeing to the Amendment--Tonko of New York Amendment No. 2.

5. ``Yea'' on rollcall 337, On Agreeing to the Amendment--Cardoza of California Amendment No. 9.

Mr. Speaker, I regret missing floor votes on Monday, May 23, 2011. Had I registered my vote, I would have voted:

1. ``Yea'' on rollcall 330, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as amended, H.R. 1627--To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for certain requirements for the placement of monuments in Arlington National Cemetery.

2. ``Yea'' on rollcall 331, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as amended, H.R. 1383--Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011.

3. ``Yea'' on rollcall 332, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 1657--To amend title 38, United States Code, to revise the enforcement penalties for misrepresentation of a business concern as a small business concern owned and controlled by veterans or as a small business concern owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans.

Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 302, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Matthew Wicks for being a first prize winner of C-SPAN's Student Cam competition. Matthew created a fantastic video entitled ``After the Storm'' which details the tragedy of one of the worst tornadoes in Iowa history. On May 25, 2008, the community of Parkersburg, Iowa was hit by an EF-5 tornado with winds of over 200 mph. This tornado destroyed the Parkersburg community.

Matthew's video highlights the successes and challenges faced by the Aplington Parkersburg community as they worked with the federal government to obtain disaster relief funding. Matthew did an excellent job of detailing the struggles of the Parkersburg community while seeking disaster funding. While the community did receive disaster relief funding, there are many challenges they still face today as they continue to work with FEMA.

Matthew's video illustrates the struggles that so many communities face when dealing with the aftermath of a natural disaster. I'm proud to have Matthew as one of my constituents and I congratulate him on his success. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Sara Gabrielle, Jarek Bakken, and Daniel Yehieli, second prize winners of C- SPAN's Student Cam competition. Sara, Jarek and Daniel created a fantastic video entitled ``The Price Tag of the American Dream'' which details the challenges of paying for college.

Sara, Jarek and Daniel do an excellent job of highlighting the struggles that so many college students face today. Rising costs have limited access to an affordable higher education for many potential college students. I was pleased to see that this video explains many of the new benefits available to students as a result of the recent student loan law. Pell grants, college tax credits and the income-based repayment plan will be valuable tools that will make college more affordable for millions of Americans.

Sara, Jarek and Daniel's video illustrates both the challenges that many college students face today as well as the tools that are available to make college more affordable. I'm proud to represent Sara, Jarek and Daniel in Congress and wish them the best in their future endeavors.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

If you remember only one thing about this bill, remember this: It is a solution in search of a problem. The simple truth is that there are no taxpayer dollars being used to pay for abortions. None. Zero. Nada.

Don't be fooled by this bill. It isn't about funding. It is about preventing women from being able to access comprehensive health care. That is what this bill is about. The debate is about whether politicians sitting in Congress should dictate the personal, private medical decisions of the American people. It aims to impose intrusive government rules on personal medical decisions.

The bill's supporters don't want abortion, any abortion, to be legal in the United States, and so they are adding as many bureaucratic rules as they can come up with. This bill would not allow an exception for rape and incest for women in the military and military dependents.

Think about that. Military studies in news reports suggest that the sexual assault in the military is unconscionably high. CBS News reported that one in three military women experience sexual assault during their career in the service. One in three. This is outrageous. And yet under this bill, those brave women who took an oath to defend and support the Constitution of this country and put their lives on the line every day, if they are sexually assaulted by a peer and become pregnant, would not have an opportunity to get an abortion under this rule.

That's what we're talking about today. And that is the contrast between these two philosophies of the role of government and the personal-private medical decisions of women. And that is why I ask my colleagues to reject this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I submit this statement on behalf of Albert Caswell, in honor of Father Dan Coughlin.

A Man of Grace

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of Dubuque business owners Gina L. Blean and Kelly A. Heysinger for winning the Small Business Administration's (SBA's) Iowa ``Small Business Person of the Year'' award. Gina and Kelly are co-owners of Unified Therapy Services, Inc. in Dubuque, Iowa.

Small businesses are the driving force behind our economy and I couldn't be prouder of this one. This prestigious award is only bestowed upon the nation's top entrepreneurs--and I'm glad to see the entrepreneurial spirit flourishing in eastern Iowa. We must continue to promote our small businesses and make sure that they can thrive and create new jobs.

In May, the SBA will honor Gina, Kelly, and other winners from across the country in Washington, DC, during National Small Business Week. The SBA will also select the ``National Small Business Person of the Year'' from the state ``Small Business Persons of the Year.'' I will be rooting for them to win this prestigious national award.

Mr. Speaker, I offer this on behalf of my colleague, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and her constituents in Arizona's 8th congressional district. This year, more than 10 billion laboratory tests are being performed--tests that are important to the health and, often, the very lives of our family members, our friends, and ourselves.

Thirteen percent of the U.S. population is already over the age of 65 and every seven seconds one of us turns 50. Combine these facts with the steadily lengthening life expectancy of the average American, and today's emphasis on preventive medicine and early detection of disease conditions. The result is an exponentially growing, almost overwhelming demand for medical laboratory services across the nation.

The American Society for Clinical Pathology advises that among the highly trained and dedicated professionals who work in medical laboratories are histotechnologists, histologic technicians, pathologists, medical technologists, cytotechnologists, medical laboratory technicians, and phlebotomists who engage in life-saving work every day.

Given the critical nature of their work, laboratory professionals require state-of-the-art technological support. Take, for example, the preparation of microscope slides for biopsies. Three hundred million tissue slides--most of them key to detecting cancer--are processed in U.S. histology labs each year. Actively working to eliminate patient identification errors and cross-contamination, the nation's top lab professionals have replaced outdated labeling and slide preparation processes with smart solutions--fully automated, integrated individual slide staining systems and workflow management platforms that offer confidence in their ability to deliver the right patient results.

I am proud to note that the leading global provider of such patient- focused, tissue-based cancer diagnostics is Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., headquartered in southern Arizona's eighth congressional district. Their mantra underscores the mission of every medical laboratory: deliver the right patient results in a timely manner.

With the approach of National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (April 24-30), I join Ventana's 1,300 employees in saluting our nation's medical laboratorians. Their dedication, professionalism and hard work, combined with state-of-the-art technology, are essential to prolonging the healthy lives of millions.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the Managers Amendment, because this amendment is an unprecedented attack on states. The amendment gives complete federal government control over air travel safety, by radically reducing a state's ability to protect its own citizens. Passengers, crew, ground workers, and others have no recourse under state law, under this amendment. For those concerned about an expansion of the federal government over ordinary activities of American citizens--this is it.

In fact, the amendment gives broad immunity to an entire industry, severely limiting every Americans' freedoms under the 7th amendment. The 7th amendment is intended as a check on potential abuse of power by the government. This amendment injects the government into courthouses and into juries. Blanket immunity to an entire industry is simply unprecedented.

Here's what this means: If you or your family gets injured or even killed in an airline accident, and it's even clear that airline safety professionals were completely negligent in their safety preparations, you have no recourse. In that situation, following events even as tragic as plane crashes, the United States Government simply leaves you and your family behind, contrary to your 7th Amendment rights under the Constitution. This type of immunity is completely inappropriate for crashes caused by the negligence of those charged with maintaining safety.

I believe that we should be working to improve air safety, not weaken it. We should fight to do whatever we can for families who face the terrible tragedy of plane crashes, not abandoning them. I oppose this amendment, because I stand with American travelers and American families, and I urge my colleagues to vote against this attack on the 7th Amendment to the Constitution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1076, a bill to prohibit federal funding of National Public Radio and the use of federal funds to acquire radio content. Our constituents sent us to Congress to address the economy and jobs, and to date we've only considered legislation to cut jobs and cut investment in our local communities. CBO projects this bill will have $0 impact on the deficit, and this bill represents nothing more than an attack on news and programming that is valuable to 34 million Americans, and a further attack on American jobs.

National Public Radio programming provides a breath of ``Fresh Air'' in a toxic media environment, and this bill would threaten the ability of Iowa Public Radio in my home state to continue to provide access to that content. By prohibiting funding use on national programming, Iowa Public Radio expects to see a reduction in corporate underwriting and other fundraising, fundamentally impacting their ability to operate.

I'm proud to be a long time listener of Iowa Public Radio. This Iowa treasure provides access to valuable national content like Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Prairie Home Companion and Car Talk, and local programming like The Exchange covering current events and news from across the political spectrum, and programs that highlight the arts in Iowa communities like Orchestra Iowa in Cedar Falls. This bill would jeopardize this valuable source of non-partisan news and entertainment to fulfill a political vendetta.

``All Things considered,'' Mr. Speaker, we need to address the deficit, but this bill does nothing to solve our problems. The CBO projects this bill will save the taxpayers nothing, and threatens 9000 jobs across the country. I know National Public Radio is a constant companion in my home, just as it is across the nation, and I have heard loud and clear from my constituents, do not cut funding for NPR.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

I am in its current form.

Mr. Speaker, this picture tells the story of why this amendment is so important. This isn't Wall Street. You don't see any hedge fund managers or investment bankers here. They are doing pretty well these days. This isn't the headquarters of BP.

Most small towns are lucky to have a single convenience store, and they are even luckier if that convenience store sells gasoline. This is a Main Street in my State of Iowa, and there are far too many of these in communities in my State and in my district. And I guarantee you, there are far too many of these in rural communities in your States. Because while Wall Street and big corporations are doing fine, our rural communities and small towns are facing a real crisis, and the Neighborhood Stabilization Program is making a real difference in rural America.

I want to tell you about a woman from Oelwein, a small town in my district. She is 23 years old. She only makes $22,000 a year working at a day care. She grew up in Oelwein and she wants to raise her children in Oelwein, and the national Neighborhood Stabilization Program is helping her become a first-time homeowner.

Now, our amendment would simply take the money that has already been allocated for this program and prioritize it for our rural communities so we can change the way that streets like this look, and so we can make sure that more moms can raise their kids in the towns where they grew up. This amendment doesn't cost any money. It allows a mom to raise a child in her home community. And our amendment will not kill this bill. It would simply give our rural communities the ability to weather the worst crisis they have faced in a generation.

Now, maybe our small towns or this young mom should incorporate as a bank. Maybe then they would get the same kind of attention that we have given to Wall Street. Because, folks, Wall Street is getting through this crisis; Main Streets are not. And it is time we answer this question: Are we going to stand with Wall Street and Big Oil and corporate CEOs, or are we going to stand up for small towns all across America that need our help now more than ever?

At this time, I yield to my good friend from the State of Iowa, Congressman Boswell.

Mr. Speaker, to many people, rural America is a policy or a program. To Congressman Boswell and me, it is where we came from. That is why I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this motion to recommit.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the work and generosity of the late Harold Brock of Waterloo, Iowa.

In January, Harold passed away at the age of 96. For decades he was a leader and innovator in the Cedar Valley and State of Iowa. Harold began his career as an engineering apprentice at Ford Motor Company working alongside Henry Ford. He headed tractor engineering at Ford for 20 years, before moving to Iowa to work for John Deere in 1959. Harold became the company's first worldwide director of tractor engineering. Throughout his career he supported multiple community programs including Junior Achievement, Cedar Valley Hospice, and the Grout Museum.

One of his greatest contributions was helping establish the Hawkeye Institute of Technology, which we now know as Hawkeye Community College. Harold's vision, energy, and intelligence enabled Hawkeye to become the premier institution it is today. Thousands of students, families, and businesses are stronger now because of Harold's leadership.

A few months before his death, Harold was featured in the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier for his work and generosity. In that story he stated he was grateful for the opportunity ``to build a better world for people.'' He wanted to be remembered for contributing to the success of people and the community.

Mr. Speaker, Harold Brock will be remembered for a long and productive life where he truly helped build a better world for people. I rise today to honor his memory and the legacy he's left.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Des Moines Social Club, a not-for-profit venture formed in Iowa around the idea that art can be accessible to everyone.

Since its founding in 2008, the Des Moines Social Club has become a source for art and art education through the Instinct Art Gallery, showcasing local, national and international artists, many educational classes, and weekly programs. They have provided the staff and resources to host public events educating Iowans of all ages about music, dance, theater, and the visual arts.

The folks of the Des Moines Social Club have been strong supporters of projects that benefit the entire community. In the past year, they have expanded to provide just under 300 hours of classes for over 500 students. The fact that nearly 100 volunteers have put in close to 5,000 hours of service, is a true testament to the leadership of the organization and their dedication to fulfill their mission of using the arts as a catalyst for community engagement.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud of what the Des Moines Social Club has done to further the arts. This group of leaders is making the State of Iowa a more vibrant and diverse community.