Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, Members of Congress are working to remedy the current economic imbalance, immense unemployment, job creation and both domestic and international energy based issues. As we look to the future; we must confront the many dimensions of these complex challenges to create solutions that will have a lasting positive benefit for America. I believe investing in renewable energy sources, including ethanol, is an efficient and effective economic stimulus. Ethanol serves as an aid to meet energy policy goals by promoting domestic production of renewable energy, reducing green house gas emissions and providing financial support for the agriculture sector.

Nationwide, ethanol has increased tax revenues for both State and local governments by over $5 billion. Ethanol production and use today reduces green house gas emissions compared to gasoline by 59 percent. According to the Congressional Budget Office report as of this July, Argonne National Lab concluded corn based ethanol produced 20 percent less green house gas emissions in its life cycle compared to gasoline and petroleum diesel. Ethanol production contributed $53.3 billion to the Nation's gross domestic product and created over 200,000 jobs in all sectors of the economy. The state of Illinois produces over 1.5 billion gallons of ethanol annually and is ranked third in ethanol production with 14 facilities. Just as ethanol has been a valuable tool for the state of Illinois, I strongly believe support for this renewable energy source can be a great benefit to the Nation.

Our current energy economy is not sustainable. It is imperative we restructure our energy infrastructure in a sustainable manner while simultaneously reducing our green house gas emissions. Investing in ethanol and other renewable energy sources are an important piece of our Nation's economic and energy future.

Mr. Speaker, Social Security benefits make a significant contribution to the well-being of many Americans. Today, 83,545 persons in the Seventh District of Illinois rely upon these payments to sustain their monthly living expenses. Fifty-nine percent of them are elderly, and 11 percent are children. These persons receive an average monthly benefit of $996 a month, with the cost of living for rent and utilities in Illinois being $957 per month, equating to 96 percent of their Social Security income.

While we celebrate Social Security for the last 75 years for the American aged, disabled, and survivor populations and their children, I encourage my colleagues to make sure that these funds are sustained without further impact on the economic well-being of our most challenged populations. Thank you, Social Security.

Madam Speaker, Members of Congress are working to remedy the current economic imbalance, immense unemployment, job creation and both domestic and international energy-based issues. As we look to the future; we must confront the many dimensions of these complex needs responsibly, to create solutions that will have a lasting positive benefit for America. I believe investing in renewable energy sources, including ethanol is an efficient and effective stimulus. Ethanol serves as an aid to meet energy policy goals by promoting domestic production of renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing financial support for the agriculture sector.

Nationwide, ethanol has increased tax revenues for both State and local governments by over $5 billion. Ethanol production and use today reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to gasoline by 59 percent. According to the Congressional Budget Office report as of this July, the Argonne National Lab concluded corn-based ethanol produced 20 percent less greenhouse gas emissions in its life cycle compared to gasoline and petroleum diesel. Ethanol production contributed $53.3 billion to the nation's Gross Domestic Product and created over 200,000 jobs in all sectors of the economy. The State of Illinois produces over 1.5 billion gallons of ethanol annually and is ranked third in ethanol production with 14 facilities. Just as ethanol has been a valuable tool for the State of Illinois, I strongly believe support for this renewable energy source can be a great benefit for the Nation.

Our current state of our economy is not sustainable. It is imperative we structure our energy infrastructure in a sustainable manner while simultaneously reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Investing in ethanol and other renewable energy sources are an important piece of our Nation's economic and energy future.

Mr. Speaker, today I celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Year of Africa--that pivotal year of 1960 when seventeen African nations gained independence from European colonial rule. On this day, in this year, and in the many years to come, we mark this milestone given that, as Americans, we know first-hand how precious freedom truly is, and the heavy price it often takes to attain it.

At the center of our connection to Africa is a simple concept: to be free. What does it mean to be free? For centuries, philosophers, revolutionaries, and politicians alike have debated this very question. While I do not claim to be an expert, I humbly believe that being free means having the freedom to reach one's full potential. Whether that means having the resources to pursue a passion in academia or the support and finances to raise a healthy family, this freedom can mean many things to many people, and for a lot of us, we were gifted with this freedom from birth.

For many, however, freedom is not a gift, but a goal. In the United States alone, more than thirty-seven million citizens live in poverty and look so far ahead as to the next meal, much less dreams for the distant future. For Africa, the numbers and the situations are even more daunting. In the Republic of Madagascar, one of the first African nations to gain independence in 1960, more than two-thirds of the population lives below the international poverty threshold of $1.25 a day. Throughout Africa, instability and poverty persist. Between the unprecedented rates for various deadly diseases, the bloody ethnic clashes, languishing economies, and notoriously corrupt government bodies, it is hard to celebrate this ``freedom'' that they have attained without realizing the long-lasting consequences of Colonial rule and injustice. For these people, in the same countries that celebrated freedom from European powers just decades and years ago, true freedom is still, but a goal.

As policymakers, we work toward fulfilling the promises of our founding fathers and the generations of leaders that have come after them. Their message is simple: to achieve freedom. We must remember today, tomorrow, and for every day of the foreseeable future that while we have come far from our colonial days, there are still many people who have not yet achieved that freedom. We must remember, too, that our Nation was once in the same situation as the many African nations are in today, and that we must support their progress and efforts toward helping their citizens fulfill their potential. While we celebrate this year as a cornerstone of their struggle toward attaining freedom, we must also remember that more change is needed to attain our shared promise.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Tommy Durham, a gentleman in my community who passed away a few days ago. Tommy was known as the mayor of West Madison Street, where he ran a used appliance business and fixed air conditioners, stoves, heaters. Anything that needed fixing, Tommy could do it.

He was passionately involved in politics and ran for office more than 40 years ago. He did not win the election, but he did win a place in the hearts and minds of the people, and I pay tribute to him and his life today.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1508) to amend the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (31 U.S.C. 3321 note) in order to prevent the loss of billions in taxpayer dollars.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the Office of Management and Budget recently reported that the Federal Government made $98 billion in improper and overpayments last year. This is a staggering amount and completely unacceptable. No family or business in America would tolerate being charged twice or overbilled for anything, and neither should our government.

We need to do everything we can to ensure that the government spends every tax dollar in the most responsible way possible. In fact, we have an obligation to the taxpayers to fight waste, fraud and abuse and to ensure that if the government overpays for something, it has the means to recover those precious tax dollars.

The bill we're now considering, S. 1508, the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010, will provide the government with the means to fulfill this obligation to the taxpayers.

Senate 1508 amends the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 to require the head of each Federal agency to review agency programs and activities every 3 fiscal years and identify those programs that may be susceptible to significant improper payments. If agency heads determine that significant overpayments have occurred, they must then recover them by following the procedures in the act.

The bill also requires the agencies which make significant improper payments to implement internal controls and other procedures to help eliminate any future improper payments.

The House passed a companion bill, H.R. 3393, the Improper Payments Elimination Act of 2009, introduced by Representative Patrick Murphy on April 28, 2010, by a voice vote. S. 1508 has small but important changes from the base text in H.R. 3393. S. 1508 strengthens the bill by requiring recovery audit contractors to report the fraud they find and to conduct appropriate training on the means and methods to do so. S. 1508 also requires the agencies to report to Congress and OMB their actions and plans to address the recommendations they receive from the audit recovery contractors.

S. 1508 provides the Federal Government with the tools needed to prevent mistakes and overpayments in the first place, and recover funds that are paid in error. It makes Federal agencies more accountable for properly managing taxpayer funds. The bill requires agencies to develop and report corrective action plans based on measured error rates, and creates incentives for meeting their goals and penalties for failure. Importantly, the bill also gives the agency the means to go after the funds they have overpaid, which will make the taxpayer, agencies, programs, and activities which relied on those appropriations whole.

We are living in a time when our government is living under extreme fiscal demands, and we need to do everything possible to ensure that every tax dollar goes to where it is needed. To ensure this takes place, we need to provide our Federal agencies with the tools to properly manage their spending. We also need to give the agencies the ability to follow through with their oversight and provide them with the ability to recover erroneous payments. However, we cannot stop there. We must do everything we can to ensure that Federal agencies that make improper payments fix the problems that allowed the improper payments in the first place.

I would like to thank Representatives Murphy, Bilbray, Towns, and Issa for working together in a truly bipartisan manner to get this important piece of legislation enacted into law. S. 1508 is a commonsense, good government bill, and I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

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

Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as he may consume to one of the persons who worked extremely hard to bring this legislation to the floor and to craft a very excellent piece of legislation, Representative Murphy.

Mr. Speaker, my father always taught us that a penny saved was a penny earned. And, of course, if it's good enough for our families, it certainly is good enough for our national government.

I compliment the gentleman on the development of an excellent piece of legislation. I urge its passage.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5390) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 13301 Smith Road in Cleveland, Ohio, as the ``David John Donafee Post Office Building''.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to

the author of this legislation, the gentleman from Cleveland, Ohio, Representative Kucinich.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Ohio, Representative Betty Sutton.

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

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I rise in support of H.R. 5390, a bill designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 13301 Smith Road in Cleveland, Ohio, as the David John Donafee Post Office Building.

H.R. 5390 was introduced by my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio, Representative Dennis Kucinich, on May 25, 2010. It was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which ordered it reported favorably by unanimous consent on June 7, 2010. The measure has the bipartisan support of 17 Members of the Ohio delegation.

Mr. David John Donafee was a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service for 14 years. An active member of his community, Mr. Donafee volunteered with the youth hockey league in his town of Parma, Ohio. Tragically, he passed way on February 14, 2008, at the age of 42, after being struck by the driver of a car while delivering mail on his regular route. He is survived by his wife, Sandi, and two sons, Derek and Liam.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Donafee's untimely death during the course of his duties as a letter carrier is deeply saddening. Let us now pay tribute to this man's life through the passage of H.R. 5390. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 4840) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1979 Cleveland Avenue in Columbus, Ohio, as the ``Clarence D. Lumpkin Post Office''.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I rise in support of H.R. 4840, a bill designating the United States postal facility located at 1981 Cleveland Avenue in Columbus, Ohio, as the Clarence D. Lumpkin Post Office.

H.R. 4840 was introduced by my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio, Representative Patrick Tiberi, on March 12, 2010. It was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which reported it by unanimous consent on March 18, 2010.

The measure passed the Senate with an amendment correcting the address by unanimous consent on May 25, 2010. It has bipartisan support from 17 members of the Ohio delegation.

Mr. Clarence Lumpkin was born in 1925 and spent years as a community activist in Columbus, Ohio. He is also affectionately referred to as the ``Mayor of Linden,'' a neighborhood in the northeastern part of the city.

Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Lumpkin has helped the Community Development Block Grant Task Force, persuaded the city to separate storm and sanitation sewers to stop basement flooding, led antidrug marches throughout Columbus, made Linden the first inner-city community with lights on every residential street, and improved the Linden area by including the Point of Pride concept that was first shared by city leaders in a speech given in 1974.

Before moving to Linden, Mr. Lumpkin served in the United States Army and is a veteran of World War II.

Mr. Speaker, Clarence Lumpkin has spent his life serving his community and his country doing everything he could to improve the lives of his fellow citizens. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this great American by supporting this resolution.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5450) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3894 Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, as the ``Tom Bradley Post Office Building''.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Los Angeles, California (Ms. Watson), the author of this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to present H.R. 5450 for consideration. This measure would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3894 Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles California as the ``Tom Bradley Post Office Building.''

H.R. 5450 was introduced by my colleague, the gentlewoman from California, Representative Diane Watson, on May 27, 2010. It was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which ordered it reported favorably by unanimous consent on June 17, 2010. The measure enjoys the bipartisan support of 52 members of the California delegation.

Mr. Speaker, Tom Bradley was born on December 29, 1917, in Calvert, Texas. The son of a sharecropper and the grandson of former slaves, Mr. Bradley achieved many firsts over the course of his career in Los Angeles, where he moved with his family as a child. He

was the first African American lieutenant in the Los Angeles Police Department, where he served for 22 years. He took night classes at the Southwestern University School of Law during this time and received a law degree in 1956. In 1963, he was elected to the Los Angeles City Council and was its first African American member. He was also the city's first African American mayor as well as the longest-serving mayor in the city's history, serving from 1974 to 1994.

Mr. Bradley was a physically imposing figure, standing well over 6 feet tall, but his manner was soft, low-key, and calming. He helped lead Los Angeles through difficult times, including the first energy crisis of 1973 to 1974, and helped to boost economic development and investment in the city. Following the riots associated with the Rodney King incident in 1992, Mr. Bradley, along with then-Governor Pete Wilson, formed the Rebuild Los Angeles Task Force, an extensive effort to revitalize the city. Mr. Bradley also formed the Christopher Commission in July of 1991, charging it with conducting ``a full and fair examination of the structure and operation of the Los Angeles Police Department, including its recruitment and training practices, internal disciplinary system, and citizen complaint system.''

And so, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Bradley's leadership, vision for his community, and skill as a conscientious administrator are inspirations to us all. Let us now pay tribute to this great American through the passage of H.R. 5450. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

Again, I commend Representative Diane Watson for introducing this legislation. It deserves all of our votes, and I would urge its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1722, the Telework Improvements Act. This legislation is similar to a bill I introduced last Congress that passed the House with bipartisan support by voice vote. Unfortunately, the Senate never acted on that bill so I am pleased that we once again have the opportunity to move telework legislation forward with the leadership of Representative Sarbanes.

We currently know that telework continues to be underutilized by Federal agencies and improvements are needed to allow more Federal employees to participate in telework programs.

Telework provides numerous benefits including increased flexibilities for both employers and employees, continuity of operations during emergency events--as noted by the massive snow storms that shut down the government during February, yet saved the government an estimated $30 million each day and decreased energy use and air pollution by minimizing the amount of congestion on the roads.

Study after study has shown these benefits to be paramount to making the Federal Government more efficient, productive, and prepared. However, a top information security officer at the State Department recently stated: ``the real national security issue is if we had something that disrupted the ability of the Federal workforce to get to the office, could we continue to provide the services of government? I think you'd find that many departments and agencies would have problems.'' This speaks to the need and importance of the passage of this bill.

In addition, according to a survey of Patent and Trademark Office employees, 80 percent of employees who telework report that the flexibility of working at home has allowed them to decrease the amount of sick leave used by at least 8 hours per year.

Since the 109th Congress, my office has aggressively participated in the Telework program and created a more worker friendly environment for our working families.

The attributes of teleworking alone allows greater flexibility for these parents while increasing a better work attitude and work product. I encourage all Members of Congress to get more involved in the Telework program in the future as we move to make a more efficient and productive government.

I am pleased to join Representative Sarbanes in supporting H.R. 1722.

Plus, we've heard the tremendous cost savings that exist, as well as the anti-pollution measures that take place, but I feel very fortunate in my office to have had individuals who have effectively used telework, I guess to the nth degree; and it has proven to be not only cost savings, but it also has provided them the opportunity to spend time with young children, with their families to the extent they needed to do. This gives us an opportunity to recruit the best and the brightest and have them be productive. It is a great measure. I am pleased to support it.

I thank the chairman for yielding.

You know, I've been told that if you don't want to do something, any excuse is good enough. And every time I hear my colleagues talk about paying for this and paying for that, I'm reminded of Frederick Douglass, who used to say that he knew one thing, if he didn't know anything else. That is that in this world, you may not get everything that you pay for, but you certainly will pay for everything that you get; and, if you don't pay one way, then you're going to pay another way.

Well, I can tell you that the people who are unemployed have already paid because they've already worked. They've already paid into the system. And I can wonder how we're going to feel when we go to our parades on the Fourth of July, when we're singing patriotic songs--``My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty''--and when we talk about all of the freedoms that we have, we've got 1.7 million people who are free to be broke, who are free to be unemployed, free to be hungry, free to be living in misery, wondering where their next meal is going to come from. How do they pay the rent? How do they keep their kids in school?

Well, I can tell you, I can't believe that we would actually do this. And so any excuse is good enough if you don't want to do it, but let's do the real and the right thing. Let's vote to extend unemployment benefits to those who deserve it.

Madam Speaker, I would like to communicate my support for designating the week of May 2, 2010 as ``National Physical Education and Sport Week.'' America faces an obesity crisis, and this problem is particularly harmful to our children. The childhood obesity rate has more than tripled since 1980, and today the CDC places the rate at approximately 17%. This crisis, however, does not affect all children equally. It disproportionately affects children from racial/ ethnic minority groups and from low-income families. Although only 16% of Caucasians aged 12-19 are obese, 24% of African Americans and 21% of Hispanics are obese. Obesity in childhood is particularly troubling given that obese children often develop many diseases in their youth that typically occur in adults, such as Type II diabetes. Frequently, these children also develop risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Furthermore, obesity in childhood increases the likelihood of obesity and its associated health problems in adulthood, including coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer. In addition to the negative health effects of childhood obesity, the crisis also proves costly to the health care system. It is estimated that childhood obesity costs the U.S. approximately $3 billion a year, and this number will only grow worse if we fail to correct this problem.

Although many factors contribute to the increased obesity of our children, including the lack of nutrition in many children's diets, a key variable is that the American life style has changed to be more sedentary both in school and at home. Physical activity during the school day is restricted much more now than in the past. Only 15% of middle schools and 3% of high schools offer all their students physical education three or more days a week. Many schools offer PE only once a week, with recess seen as an extra rather than a key part of child development. In the past, children played outside for hours after school, but active outdoor time is now much rarer. A 2009 study found that children ages 8-18 watch an average of three hours of television a day. Although these factors affect all children, they are intensified for minority and low income children. Schools in low income areas often cut physical education to one day a week to focus on reading and math. Minimum wage jobs rarely offer the flexibility needed to get kids to sports practices and events; doing so is even harder when public transportation is necessary. Some communities lack safe places to play outdoors, so children engage in more sedentary activities inside. Frequently, low income communities lack grocery stores and options for fresh produce. We must work to reemphasize the importance of physical activity, so that each child has an equal chance at living a healthy life.

We cannot allow this unwholesome future to become the destiny of America's children. Let us instead face this problem, and help these children. We can begin to fight this epidemic by recognizing the importance of physical education and sport in children's lives. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 1373.

Madam Speaker, today I would like to recognize the participants and sponsors of the National Junior Disability Championships. This annual competition, founded by Wheelchair Sports USA, has helped teach the value of sports to young athletes since 1984. It began as a small competition for wheelchair athletes ages 7 to 21. Since that time, it has continued to grow both in nature and number. The competition expanded in scope to include athletes with many different types of disabilities, not just those in wheelchairs. Athletes with spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, blindness, and many other disabilities now participate in the competition. Reflecting this expansion in mission, the sponsoring organization changed its name to Wheelchair & Ambulatory Sports USA. The diversity of sports offered also increased. Although only three sports were initially offered, athletes now participate in seven areas of competition. Over 300 athletes from around the country participate each year.

For some of these young athletes, the National Junior Disability Championships competition provides a pathway to qualify for the U.S. Paralympics team. More importantly, however, it provides these young people the opportunity to develop the values of teamwork, sportsmanship, hard work, and perseverance offered by sports. Participants also benefit in other ways. For example, research shows the importance of physical activity in both the physical and mental development of children. This event removes the barriers that so often prevent these young people with disabilities from participating in sports, allowing them to reap the benefits of athletic competition.

In closing, I would also like to congratulate the athletes participating in the National Junior Disability Championships. It takes great perseverance, commitment, and strength of spirit to participate in this type of competition. I wish you the best of luck as you prepare for your respective athletic events.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to one of the most admired, most loved and most influential members of my community, and of my congressional district. She was not a minister, she was not a physician, she was not an athlete, she was not a gangster and she was not a public educator or well known philanthropist. She was a queen, the queen of soul, the queen of soul food. She was the owner of Edna's Soul Food Restaurant where she fed kings and queens but never lost the common touch.

Edna and her father, the late Mr. Sam Mitchell Sr. opened Edna's in the 1960's and operated a number of businesses in the Garfield Park Community. Their good food, personality and community spirit propelled Edna's into becoming a community institution.

During his stay in Chicago, it was one of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s, favorite eating places and of course they fed him and his staff often times for free. Over the years Edna's became the place to be, it was a meeting place for ministers, politicians, business persons and others. I have held regular meetings there for both my political and government activities.

Mayors, governors, Presidents, entertainers, athletes and other well known personalities were there on a regular basis. Edna and her family were not just proprietors; they were a community institution, her parents, her sisters, including Judge Judy Mitchell Davis, her brother Sam, Sister Alice, all contributed greatly to the community. One former governor always called it Edna's Kitchen and would inquire about meeting there. Governor Pat Quinn earlier this year proclaimed Edna's Day while feasting on black-eyed peas and cornbread.

Edna would hire young people and help them go to college. I cannot count the times she asked me about scholarships and financial aid for students.

Edna did more than just manage a restaurant. She was a guidance counselor, a community resource, she hired people fresh out of prison, she fed the hungry, she clothed those who were naked, and she gave hope to the hopeless and provided help for the helpless. She was active in her church, participated in politics and played a substantial role in community affairs.

Although Edna is gone, her spirit lives on in her recipes and in her legacy of generosity. Goodbye to our Queen of Soul . . . that is soul food.

Mr. Speaker, we are gathered today with the opportunity to implement Wall Street reform, and help make our financial markets safer for everyday American citizens, investors, and small businesses. At the center of our efforts today is the concept of power, and what it means to those who have it, and those who don't. Baltasar Gracian, a renowned Spanish Jesuit writer, once said that ``The sole advantage of power is that you can do more good.''

I think many people would agree with me that the corporations and executives on Wall Street have considerable power. The question remains, however, whether they are using that

power to do good things. People will point out, and I agree, that they are making many people very wealthy, but at what cost? For too long corporate interests have been allowed to dominate decision making in America's financial capital, and many times, this has meant unfair and predatory practices. As lawmakers, we should set out to make our financial markets a more evenhanded place for our citizens, and the consumers that put their trust and money on the line.

One of the key things that H.R. 4173 will do is to create a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, tasked with the responsibility of making sure consumer lending practices are fair. Also, under the Volcker rule, large financial institutions would no longer be allowed to engage in risky trading using federal dollars, supported by taxpayers. Throughout the many various initiatives and stipulations in the bill, one theme is clear: protecting American citizens, and maintaining a fair market that allows both informed consumers and powerful financial markets to thrive in tandem.

H.R. 4173 does not set out to take power away from those on Wall Street, but to make sure they use their many strengths and abilities for the benefit of the average American investor and small business owner. I rise in support of H.R. 4173, the Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010, knowing that the benefits and wealth for the few should not come at the cost of the many.