Floor Statements

As Congress contemplates an economic stimulus package to aid our slowing economy, we also must commit ourselves to reduce Federal spending.

As American families tighten their budgets to weather this impending economic storm, Congress should match their sacrifice. While reducing taxes is important, another aspect is to control the Federal deficits, the Federal spending. A decrease in wasteful spending would directly increase the value of the dollar and ultimately lower deficits.

The American people and businesses are better at deciding what to do with their money than the Federal Government. With more money in their hands, an increase in investment in our economy and in increase in personal savings would take hold and ultimately lead to a stronger and growing economy.

As we in Congress consider this one-time stimulus package over the next few weeks, I contend that a long-term solution to this problem is to lower spending, which will in turn lead to lower taxes and a permanent economic bounce and revitalization.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill that corrects a desperately ill-advised regulation hurting our Nation's heroic men and women in uniform. This Defense Department policy has resulted in several veterans being denied their full bonuses or being asked to repay funds they are entitled to, simply because their injuries prevented them from serving out their full term of service.

Unfortunately, this is not a new problem. Back in October of 2004, Brian Ross of ABC News reported that Army Specialist Tyson Johnson, who was injured by an exploding mortar round in Iraq, later received a letter demanding repayment of his enlistment bonus while he was still recuperating in the hospital.

Two months ago, National Public Radio highlighted the story of Army Specialist Ronald Hinkle, who suffered a traumatic brain injury after an IED explosion cut short his military career. Not only was Specialist Hinkle owed $2,500 in back salary, but two months after NPR's story aired, he was notified that a $3,000 enlistment bonus would not be paid because he ``failed to fulfill his contract.''

In yet another case, Tommy Guinn, who is a respected 14-year Army veteran, ended his term of service early when a helicopter accident in Pakistan left him paralyzed. Thank God he made it home safely to his family, but the military kept $1,000 out of his re-enlistment bonus.

This is not the treatment our returning warriors deserve. I am proud to support this bill that finally changes this flawed policy. The Veterans Guaranteed Bonus Act makes the bonus payments automatic and requires the Secretary to pay any remaining portion of bonus payments within 90 days of medical discharge. During this season of Peace on Earth and goodwill towards men, let us show goodwill to those on the frontlines protecting our peace. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill. As Chairman Barton has pointed out, it has been bipartisan, with 51 people voting for it and no one voting against it. We had a conscientious markup, particularly on several amendments. These amendments were defeated so that we had a little compromise involved.

A lot of Americans should realize that the Consumer Product Safety Commission came into existence in 1973 as the agency to ensure consumer products, including toys, not to pose risks of injuries to our families, illness or death to consumers. Lots of times products are not used properly, and that causes a problem.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission cannot guarantee safety if the consumers don't use their products properly.

They have 15,000 different products that they have to promulgate with standards. Fortunately, the Commission rarely has had to promulgate mandatory standards for all these products and can rely on voluntary standards that are simply developed by the industry itself.

This bill, as Mr. Barton pointed out, is going to be signed in very short order after we pass this under suspension.

Many of the Members on both sides talked about the growing compliance shortfalls with toys that are manufactured outside the United States, particularly in China. Specifically, our attention was focused on the spate of recalls which increased dramatically for toys with lead-based paints exceeding the United States limit. This was a problem we have rarely seen in 30 years since we passed the Federal ban on lead-based paint. I am pleased to report that manufacturers and retailers have stepped up to the plate in testing in response to these problems, and that's good.

Nevertheless, my colleagues, toys have not been the only problem this year, as imports of every type of product increasingly account for our supply of goods, particularly from China. As our imports have risen over the years, so have the number of problems that have been associated with these products that come in. But the Consumer Product Safety Commission has met this daunting challenge and, as you can imagine, with 15,000 different kinds of products, they have issued more recalls over the last 2 years than any other time in our history. Despite this, we recognized the need to provide the Commission with additional resources, which we are doing today. We authorize significant increases in their budget so that the Commission may fulfill their mission to keep defective products that can cause injury, or worse, out of the stream of commerce.

So, I'm pleased to report that the omnibus bill we passed this week includes increased appropriations for the Commission, so they're getting new resources.

This bill is good public policy that not only provides the Commission with new resources, but, as was pointed out, much, much more. It provides for new standards regarding lead paint and implements the most stringent standard ever for lead content in children's products. The bill requires testing and certification of children's products before they are ever shipped to store shelves, and provides increased penalties for companies that violate the law.

New laboring requirements will help facilitate effective recalls, and the bill provides greater authority for the Commission to recall harmful products and notify the public of these dangers. Very important; they have this extra recall authority.

We have worked with the consumer groups, industry, and the Commission to make this a bipartisan, sound bill that works effectively. So I commend Chairman Rush, I commend, obviously, Mr. Dingell, and I commend our ranking member, Chairman Barton, on their willingness to make this an open process. We talked about it, and the result is what we see today, a bipartisan bill that has the support of the House.

So, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I look forward to its implementation into law.

I thank the distinguished ranking member.

Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, when you look at this bill, the question you should ask: Has this been tried before and has it been successful?

Corn ethanol is not an efficient fuel, as mentioned by the previous speaker. Even if the Nation's entire corn crop was used for ethanol, it would replace only 12 percent of current gasoline use. Worse, taxpayers will pay twice for ethanol: at the pump; but, more importantly, billions of dollars for these dollars through subsidies.

When you go into the European Union, you ask, How is it working over there? Well, there is a report. October 2007 Report ``Leaping Before They Looked. Lessons From Europe's Experience With the 2003 Biofuel Directive,'' by the Clean Air Task Force states that a 2003 European Union mandate to increase and promote the use of biofuel has exacerbated some of the very problems it was designed to solve, driving up food prices.

So my colleagues, this makes the problem worse, driving up food prices, leading to increased deforestation in tropical countries, worsening global warming and increasing imports of bio-oils.

So this is a report from the European Union which is trying to do the same thing you are trying to suggest in this bill. It did not work there and probably won't work here in the bill.

Lastly, I would conclude that the cellulosic biofuel credits is really based on something that is totally not science driven.

So I ask my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.

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

I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for his support on this important bill.

I rise in support of H.R. 2601, the Do-Not-Call Registry Fee Extension Act of 2007. As the sponsor of the legislation and as ranking member on the committee with jurisdiction over the Federal Trade Commission and over consumer protection, I can assure the Members of the body that this is a necessary piece of legislation. It will have an immediate and meaningful impact on our constituents. I can remember when we marked this up when I was chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection and we started this whole process rolling.

The national do-not-call registry was enacted by Congress to provide citizens the ability to place their home phone numbers on a list that prohibits unsolicited phone solicitations. My colleagues, unfortunately, the authority of the Federal Trade Commission to collect fees to maintain the registry has expired. This legislation simply restores the commission's authority to collect the necessary fees to maintain and update the registry and provides businesses with certainty on the fees that they pay to access the registry.

The bill also includes input from both the Federal Trade Commission and industry. We asked for their support. Substantively, the amended legislation provides permanency for the program through a consistent fee structure. This will help both business with predictability of fees and help the Federal Trade Commission excel by providing certainty of funding for this popular program, and this obviously makes budgeting far easier from year to year.

The legislation also provides for certain biannual reports by the Federal Trade Commission on the effectiveness of this registry that will provide Congress with the necessary information to provide adequate oversight, and that's important too, Mr. Speaker.

As the gentleman from North Carolina has mentioned, the popularity of this program has been very high and success of the do-not-call registry was confirmed by almost every member of our committee and their district. Many of our constituents still express their gratitude for enacting a simple law like this, the original law in providing a means to stop unwanted commercial solicitation over their home phone.

For those who avail themselves of this option, and remember now, if people out there want to use it, they have to call the toll-free number to get it, but the people who avail themselves of this have expressed satisfaction. They have experienced a noticeable decrease in phone calls interrupting their dinner and their family life.

So I am proud to be a sponsor of the reauthorization legislation. It's important that the act and the list continue in effect. This is one example where our actions received near unanimous bipartisan support here in Congress. Here we are with the omnibus budget bill and all the controversy, but here is a good example of bipartisan support. It brings in both the public, industry, and the Federal Trade Commission. So I am confident that the reauthorization of the Do-not- call Act is supported by millions of Americans who have placed their number on the list. So I urge all Members to support and vote for this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, H.R. 3541, the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act, and I thank my colleagues from Pennsylvania and Mississippi for their initiative here of making a good bill even better. This legislation simply removes the requirement from the Federal Trade Commission to automatically remove consumers' phone numbers from the registry.

My colleagues, the original act would have required consumers to re- register their phone number every 5 years and was intended, in part, to keep the list accurate and up to date. This will result in tens of millions of Americans being dropped off the list each year contrary to their intention. Millions of Americans would have to re-up, so to speak, to stay on the list. Most of them, in their day-to-day life, would be unaware that their number is about to expire.

So, this bill does a great service. This bill corrects this and would make numbers on the registry permanent, but at the same time require the Federal Trade Commission to keep the list accurate by simply removing invalid and disconnected phone numbers. As further assurance of this, the Federal Trade Commission must study and report to Congress on the accuracy of these numbers. I think that's important. And we mentioned that earlier in the bill, that we're going to have the Federal Trade Commission come back with a report to us. And this is a good area for the Federal Trade Commission to come back and talk about the accuracy of these millions and millions of numbers. So, I applaud my two colleagues for doing that.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished Member from Mississippi (Mr. Pickering).

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I just want to add to Mr. Pickering's comment about the frugality of the Senate. I think certainly if Mr. Pickering was in the Senate, we wouldn't have that frugality.

I would be glad to yield.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and accomplishments of a terrific Member, former Congressman Henry Hyde. He's often recognized for his wisdom and his eloquence of speaking. But, frankly, there were some other sides of him that were very precious. He was a man of quick wit and a keen sense of humor, to which I was always a willing audience.

Above all, he was passionately committed to protecting and improving the lives of Americans, all Americans, both born and the unborn. He was an effective pro-life advocate, through prohibiting Federal funding of abortions with the Hyde amendment and his advocacy for the ban on partial-birth abortions. Conservative estimates indicate that there are about 2 million Americans alive today as a direct result of his work.

Henry Hyde leaves behind a legacy that inspires and challenges those of us who remain behind today.

My deepest condolences and sympathy to his family, and may God bless Henry Hyde.

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall vote No. 1059 on Wednesday, November 7, 2007.

However, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 801, providing for consideration of the bill, H.R. 3688, to implement the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement.

Mr. Speaker, I think we've talked about this bill, and it's a very good bill. I thought I might take from my colleagues and just read the summary of it just to remind ourselves that H.R. 513 is to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to enhance the protection of credit ratings of active duty military personnel who are activated for military service.

And the question usually comes up on some of these bills, what do they cost. Mr. Brady, the gentleman from Pennsylvania, talked about that. So we have a Congressional Budget Office cost estimate that I would share with my colleagues, and it says, ``The requirements imposed on credit reporting agencies would be private sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, the UMRA. CBO suspects the cost of the mandates would be minimal and unlikely to exceed the threshold for private sector mandates established in the UMRA.''

So, I think we have a bill that we can all support. So, obviously on this side, we do support it.

The bill, as amended, will improve the protections of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act by providing the opportunity for certain servicemembers experiencing financial difficulties, while deployed, to simply request that their credit record be annotated to reflect simply that deployment. It also requires the credit industry to take such deployment into consideration.

This new protection, my colleagues, would cover credit accounts opened before the servicemember was deployed. While these protections are important, it is also critical that Members understand that such an annotation may have adverse effects on their credit rating, despite all the existing laws prohibiting such actions. Therefore, my colleagues, the bill also requires the National Credit Bureau to inform applicants of that potential in writing.

So, Mr. Speaker, I think that, in terms of its strong support for veterans, and in their case, when they're deployed, I urge support for the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

General Leave

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

I thought again I would just say that H. Res. 770, summarized, it says ``it encourages public participation in a nationwide project that collects and preserves the stories of the men and women who served our Nation in times of war and conflict.''

This is very appropriate, and we're coming to Veterans Day. And I commend Jon Porter from Nevada for sponsoring this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

In 2000, Congress unanimously voted to create the Veterans History Project as part of the American Folk Life Center at the Library of Congress. Since its creation, the Veterans History Project has collected thousands of veterans' accounts of their military experiences. My staff has actually gone down to my district with a tape recorder and was participating, recording these histories with our veterans. Each of these accounts is easily accessible on the history project's Web site and will be an invaluable source for future generations.

While there are several ways to record a veteran's history, the most common form of record in this project is through oral interviews. That is what my staff did. They would stand at the town square, and we notified through the newspapers that these individuals could come in. They would come in, and through a tape recorded oral interview, we were able to do that. These oral interviews are conducted all across the country by volunteer interviewers. These narrations provide a firsthand account of the courageous and patriotic sacrifices of our Nation's veterans. That is why, Mr. Speaker, I am happy that this resolution calls on all Americans to take time to interview at least one veteran in their family or their community; just a simple request. With over 17 million wartime veterans living in the United States, we have our work cut out for us. And my colleagues, I think it's imperative that we increase participation in the program while members of these great generations are still among us. And we don't have long to do so.

So, I want to thank Chairman Filner and the ranking member, Mr. Buyer, for bringing this important resolution to the floor. I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I recognize the author of the bill, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter), for 3 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, just a few words, and then I think we will yield back the balance of our time.

The ranking member, Mr. Buyer, of the Veterans Committee also has recorded his experience when he was the United States captain in the Gulf War in this project. So I think it is appropriate to bring that to our colleagues' attention.

I conclude about the bill, in addition to encouraging veterans, it encourages the local government, the State and national organizations, along with the Federal, State, city and county government institutions, to encourage, to participate in support of this effort to document, preserve, and honor the service of American wartime veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time.

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

This is a simple resolution, just basically expressing support for the goals of Veterans Educate Today's Students Day, and for other purposes. I believe that in this case it will be November 10, the day before Veterans Day, when this will be celebrated. So obviously we need to support this resolution. It expresses the sense of the support of Congress for the goals of this VETS Day.

It is noticeable that we recognize the importance of educating the children of today about this sacrificial history of veterans and their families so close to the national day of honor for those same veterans, which is on November 11, Veterans Day.

My colleagues, the number of veterans today is not as large as it used to be. The children in schools are less likely to have a parent, uncle or aunt who served in the military who could tell them about their experiences. My father served in Iwo Jima. He could tell me about his experience during that Pacific war. He has since been deceased. But I remember him talking about it and how much education it was for me. So those from the Greatest Generation who have passed from this world leave behind a legacy of courage, loyalty, and honor. This legacy was picked up and continued by the next generation of veterans from the Korean War, the Vietnam War, military engagements in Haiti and Kosovo, Gulf War I, and today in the current conflicts in Afghanistan and in Iraq.

So, Mr. Speaker, to set aside a specific day to educate our children about the sacrifice, the gallantry of our Nation's heroes demonstrates the importance of that service. It is because of them that we still have the freedom in this Chamber and the freedom we cherish today.

Now, some school districts are already taking steps in this direction by inviting veterans to speak in their classrooms on Veterans Day and share their stories with the students and all the teachers. We should encourage this worthwhile educational activity in more schools across the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of H. Con. Res. 60.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I will conclude by saying that obviously encouraging the people of the United States to participate in local and national activities, recognizing Veterans Educate Today's Students Day, or VETS Day, is something that we should remind all Americans about

how important it is and realize that it not only fosters education of our youth, but it also provides the veterans an opportunity to explain things perhaps that no one has ever asked them or taken the time to say, what was it like? So in a way, it is an opportunity for them, as well as the students.

I urge adoption of this resolution.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, this is an important resolution, H. Res. 744, obviously, recognizing the contributions of Native American veterans is important, and asking the President to issue a proclamation urging the people of the United States to also observe a day of honor for Native American veterans. My colleague from California has talked about this. It's interesting; we recognize the contributions of Native American veterans to our society and, of course, by so doing, we are recognizing their achievements, their singular achievements, if I might add. I compliment the resolution that was introduced by my good friend, the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Mrs. Wilson), and the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth Sandlin) for their support and also their prescience for bringing this bill forward.

We have Veterans Day less than a week away, my colleagues. I think it's important this body recognize one often overlooked group of veterans. These veterans have made numerous contributions to the United States military, not just recently in World War II, but as far back as the War of 1812. Currently, there are 195,000 Native American veterans who live in the United States. According to the U.S. Army Center of Military History Web site, there have been 24 Native American Medal of Honor recipients since the Civil War. Let me just repeat that. There have been, according to the U.S. Army Center of Military History Web site, there have been 24 Native American Medal of Honor recipients.

During World War II, we know about the Navajo Code Talkers, whose ranks

in the Pacific Theater exceeded 400 during World War II, and in all six Marine divisions from 1942 to 1945. They were credited with saving thousands of lives and actually hastening the end of the war itself. At the time of the war, World War II, fewer than 30 non-Native speakers understood the Navajo's unwritten language. The size and simple complexity of the language made the code extremely difficult to comprehend, much less decipher. In fact, it was not until 1968 that the United States Government declassified the code. The Japanese never were able to decode this code. So that is a compliment to their accomplishments with the Navajo Code Talkers. In fact, there has been a movie made on it.

In Congress, we have begun to recognize the extraordinary achievement from veterans such as these. This past June, the House passed H.R. 366. This was introduced by Congressman John Sullivan of Oklahoma, naming the Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the Ernest Childers Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic. This man was a Native American from the Creek nation, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions during World War II.

In addition, the House passed H.R. 2546, which names the Asheville VA Medical Center after another brave Native American, PFC Charles George. He also was honored with the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions in the Korean War. H.R. 2546 was passed last week by the Senate and now is awaiting the President's signature.

So, Mr. Speaker, it is because of the gallant actions of our Native American veterans like those of Lieutenant Colonel Childers and PFC George, as well as the bravery and fortitude of the Navajo Code Talkers who served with the Marines, that I and other Members are proud to sponsor this resolution. We urge its passage. It actually recognizes the many contributions throughout the history of our Nation of our Native American veterans in protecting the freedoms that we enjoy in this country today. So I encourage all Americans, take time to recognize the sacrifice and achievement of these veterans.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, an analysis of the accomplishments under Democrat control here in Congress for the 110th Congress has shown that not much has been accomplished. Let's take a look at it. There have been a thousand votes taken this year. When you look at those thousand votes, only 106 bills have been signed by the President. What are those bills? Well, 46 were naming of post offices, public buildings and bridges. Not much accomplishment there. And 44 bills were noncontroversial. Some were actually Republican bills. They had strong bipartisan support.

Fourteen of these bills were reauthorization of existing law that the Republicans developed and were just continuing. And two substantial, serious bills that passed this House, the FISA bill and the Iraq supplemental, passed without one member of the Democrat leadership supporting it.

That is all that has been accomplished, and I think the American people need to know. Lastly, not one appropriation bill has been sent to the President and the fiscal year is already over.

Madam Speaker, today we will again vote on a Government- run health insurance program for children: one that only a handful of people in the Democrat leadership have crafted, and one which only a handful of

people received before it was introduced under the cover of night. The Democrat leadership, in the 110th Congress, has continually attempted to ram through legislation that has completely ignored the legislative process, and time after time nothing has been accomplished. This behavior is why this Democrat-led Congress has an abysmal 11 percent approval rate.

The facts provided by the Congressional Budget Office, CBO, state that the bill before us today will provide free Government-run health care to a family, including adults, earning more than $60,000 a year. This bill will also increase taxes on tobacco, the revenue of which will not be set aside for this program, but rather will be put into the Treasury for general use. In addition, this bill allows over 10 percent of the funds allotted to provide health care for low-income children to be used by adults, therefore limiting the amount of money available for needy children. Finally, this legislation fails to ensure that illegal aliens, both children and adults, will not take money away from low- income American children. CBO estimates that under current documentation requirements, 3.7 billion taxpayer dollars will be spent on providing health care to people who have broken our laws and come to our country illegally.

The flaws in this legislation are evident and, in my opinion, correctable. Yet, the Democrat leadership refuses to allow this bill to go through the legislative process, a process that has worked in this Chamber for centuries. It is my hope that the Democrat leadership will release their grip on power and allow the legislative process to create a true bipartisan bill so that our Nation's low-income children may receive quality, efficient, and responsible health care.

Good morning, Mr. Speaker.

My colleagues, the House passed the largest increase in veterans funding in the 77-year history of the Veterans Affairs Department. The bill provides more than $37 billion for veterans programs. This is a $4.4 billion increase over last year. As pointed out earlier, it has been over 130 days since the House passed the VA/Military Construction funding. Yet they have refused to appoint conferees like the Senate, their counterparts, have already done. So at this point the bill can't move forward and be signed by the President.

By the Democrats' failure to move forward on this bill, veterans are losing out on $600 million for posttraumatic stress disorder care, traumatic brain injury research and care; $4.1 billion to improve VA facilities, hospitals and clinics; and, lastly, $480 million for prosthetic research to help our wounded veterans retain a positive quality of life.

Mr. Speaker, we urge our Democrat colleagues to move forward on this bill and have it to the President so he can sign it on Veterans Day.