Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the request to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2397, the SBA Women's Business Programs Act of 2007. I would like to thank Chairwoman Velazquez for working in a cooperative and bipartisan manner to bring this bill, authored by Ms. Fallin, a freshman member of the committee, to the House floor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Ms. Fallin).

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield as much time as he may consume to my good friend, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2637, the Child Labor Protection Act of 2007, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. I appreciate the work of Chairman Miller and Chairwoman Woolsey, as well as the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson) in crafting this legislation.

There is no one more vulnerable in our workforce than its youngest members. While the employment of young workers is essential to instilling in them the work ethic and the value of a dollar, their collective safety must be the highest priority of our Nation's employers and, indeed, the Nation as a whole.

With this in mind, the measure before us would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act by increasing to $50,000 the civil penalty for any type of child labor violation that causes a death or serious injury of an employee under the age of 18. The current maximum civil penalty is $11,000, and it is low by any reasonable estimation. So this update is both prudent and necessary.

Moreover, the legislation would allow the $50,000 penalty to be doubled up to a maximum of $100,000 for the willful and repeat violations that cause the death or serious injury of any child employed in violation of the Federal child labor standards. Once again, such an increase is both prudent and necessary.

The measure before us is essential for the continuation of the Department of Labor's ongoing focus on workplace safety for youth, and I commend President Bush for his work in this issue.

Earlier this year, the Department submitted draft legislation similar to H.R. 2637, and before that, the Department proposed new labor standards rules to cover nonagricultural occupations for employment of 14- and 15-year-olds, as well as occupations that place the well-being of employees under 18 years of age at risk.

Mr. Speaker, we are making undeniable, bipartisan progress on updating our child labor laws. As the Bush administration continues its work, the Child Labor Protection Act would provide it with additional tools to address serious child labor violations, decrease repeat occurrences and strengthen the overall enforcement of critical child labor laws.

Again, I thank my colleagues for their work on this measure and urge passage of this bill in the House.

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

MR. HARE. Mr. Speaker at this time I am honored to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey), the sponsor of this very important piece of legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, as a proud father of two, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 474, recognizing the immeasurable contribution of fathers in the healthy development of

children, supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on Father's Day.

William Shakespeare wrote, ``It is a wise father that knows his own child.'' The truism of these words is exceedingly relevant today. The presence of two committed, involved parents contributes directly to better academic performance, reduced substance abuse, less crime and delinquency, fewer emotional and other behavioral problems, less risk of abuse and neglect and lower risk of teen suicide.

The research is clear: Fathers factor significantly in the lives of their children. There is simply no substitute for the love, involvement and commitment of a responsible father.

The fathers of yesteryear thought that merely being a good provider meant that they were good fathers. Fathers today have the responsibility to set aside quality time for their children in ways that may contribute to happy memories that last a lifetime. Fathers realize that their time with children is really an investment in them.

Being an involved father is good for children and good for fathers. And while each father is a unique person who parents in his own way and style, there are some characteristics that good fathers have in common. Good fathers are involved in the lives of their children. They attend their children's school events, games and activities. They also involve their children in their lives and the adult world by taking them to see the workplace, taking them along when the car needs to be repaired or involving them in decisions that affect the family.

Good fathers set limits and are firm. They let their children know their beliefs and expectations but rely on explanations and reasoning rather than force. Indeed, today's lifestyles are changing. More and more fathers are effectively balancing their personal, work, and family times. Both children and fathers are realizing the importance of the father's role, and there are ever-increasing amounts of research being conducted on the father's role in today's families. These findings document the importance of the father's role, the profound influence of fathers in children's growth and development, and the characteristics that good fathers have in common.

Fathers play a significant role in shaping the character of their children. By spending time with their sons and daughters, being stern yet fair disciplinarians, and listening to their experiences, fathers mold and shape their children into the men and women they will become. As advisers and role models, fathers help their children to understand the difference between right and wrong and to recognize how the decisions they make today can affect the rest of their lives. Fathers instill important values that prepare their children for the challenges and opportunities ahead by demonstrating true leadership. Their love and devotion inspire the future generation of Americans to achieve their dreams and demonstrate the true spirit of our country.

A father is one of the most important influences in a child's life. On Father's Day and every day, we honor our fathers and celebrate the special bond between a father and a child. I am honored to rise today in support of this resolution and in honoring all of our fathers for the roles that they play and for the love they give.

I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.

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

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield as much time as he may consume to my good friend and fellow Tennessean, Mr. Duncan.

Mr. Speaker, in honor of my own father, Lawrence Davis, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the gentlelady from North Carolina for offering this amendment. Any time we can save $1.2 million, I think we ought to do it.

We have Americans sitting across our great fruited plain tonight listening to this debate. They've just gotten up from their dinner tables, trying to make decisions on how they can balance their own budgets.

When we first came to Congress, I'm a new Member of Congress. I came out of the Tennessee Legislature. When we came here, we talked about open government and transparency, and we're going to be the most honest government in Congress ever; also talked about gas prices are going to be brought down rather than go up. Those are just some of the things that were promised.

Well, American families are sitting around their dinner tables tonight trying to decide how they're going to balance their own budget, and they're looking to us here in the Congress to make sure that we don't put an extra burden on them by raising their taxes and raising these appropriation requests.

I came to the Congress out of the Tennessee Legislature, as I said, and I was known for open government and transparency. That's one of the ways I was able to win my election. And that's exactly what people want in this Congress. They want a Congress that they can feel good about, that we're going to be honest with them and we're going to spend their tax dollars wisely.

Ronald Reagan once said, we don't have a $1 trillion debt because we don't tax enough. We have a $1 trillion debt because we spend too much. And anything we can do to help control those tax dollars and that spending is exactly what we need to do.

We need that transparency and that accountability as we move forward, and we don't need secret slush funds. We don't need to come in after we pass bills, later on, and then drop in pieces of legislation called earmarks. That was another promise that was made during the last elections, that those would be open and transparent. We don't need to drop those in later, where the American people don't have an understanding.

They understand they've got to make their house payments. They understand they've got to fill up their vehicles and their cars with this gas that was going to have lower gasoline prices. They understand that. But they certainly need to understand, as well, what we're voting on. We need to be open and accountable.

It's interesting to me, just looking back at some of the things that were said by the Democrat leadership. Back on September 14 of 2006, the Speaker of this House said, this is a place where we really need to throw up the shades and pull back the curtains. We have to have the fullest possible disclosure. It has to be on earmarks and appropriations and authorizations and on taxation, and it has to be across the board with no escape hatches.

Well, I stand in support of this amendment, so we can make sure that we throw up the shades and make sure that we're held accountable.

I'd like, again, to thank the gentlelady from North Carolina for her leadership on this amendment.

And with that, I'd like to yield my time to the gentlelady from North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues on the House Resources Committee for bringing this legislation that I've introduced, along with my fellow Tennessee Members, Jimmy Duncan and John Tanner, to the floor of the House today supporting the goals and ideals of American Eagle Day.

Almost 225 years ago, on June 20, 1782, the Second Continental Congress designated the bald eagle as the national symbol of the United States. Since that time, the bald eagle has become a fixture on the seals and marks of the Federal Government and on our stamps, currency and coinage.

And while the bald eagle has always been such a popular fixture in the hearts and minds of so many Americans, it is difficult to believe that we were very close to forever losing the symbol of our great country.

In 1963, the number of nesting pairs of eagles in the 48 contiguous States had dwindled to a figure of just over 400. As the habitat for the bald eagle solely exists in North America, these figures were extremely alarming and led to the bald eagle being listed as an endangered species for the first time in 1967.

Today, I'm pleased to note that, as a result of the Federal protection laws and through the diligent efforts of so many private conservationists, the bald eagle has made an incredible recovery.

In 1995, the bald eagle was removed from the endangered list to the threatened list, and it could very soon be moved permanently off of these lists as soon as Federal guidelines can be finalized that will forever protect the birds and their habitats.

I have been extremely interested in this issue, not only because of the importance of this as a matter of national concern but also because of my firsthand experience in dealing with a group located in the heart of the First Congressional District of Tennessee that has been working for the last 22 years to save the bald eagle.

The American Eagle Foundation is located in Pigeon Ford, Tennessee, at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This nonprofit group has worked to establish recovery programs to protect the eagle and actively cares for many nonreleasable birds to ensure they live healthy lives.

In addition, they operate the largest bald eagle breeding facility in the world, and they have released hundreds of eaglets into the wild with the support of local, State and Federal officials.

Through the efforts of the American Eagle Foundation and the grassroots efforts of children nationwide, I am pleased to offer this legislation for this consideration. Spaced conveniently between Flag Day on June 14 and Independence Day on July 4, July 20 will give Americans another day in which they can celebrate their patriotism by honoring the unique symbol of our heritage and folklore.

I again thank my colleagues for bringing this legislation to the floor of the House and encourage all of my colleagues on the House to join me in supporting this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory and service of PFC Harry Leon Wilson, who is the only known African-American to be a member of the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division during the Korean War, where he was taken as a prisoner of war on November 27, 1950 and died in February 8, 1951 while in prison.

Harry Leon Wilson is also the only known African-American POW from Carter County,

Tennessee to die in a Korean prisoner of war camp.

Private Wilson was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, The United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

Madam Speaker, I ask you and all of my colleagues to join me in honoring the memory, selfless service, and great sacrifice of PVT Harry Leon Wilson.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Rogers), and I ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control that time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Musgrave).

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

I rise today in support of House Resolution 290 honoring the contributions of the Rocky Mountain Senior Games on its 30th anniversary for significantly improving the health and well-being of older Americans.

We should recognize the hardworking volunteers and the event coordinators that make this week's events possible. Without their efforts, these games would not be possible. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.

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

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

I rise today in support of House Resolution 371 to recognize National Physical Education and Sports Week, which took place this year from May 1 to May 7, 2007.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: ``The first wealth is health.'' Today, these words could not hold more significance. In an increasingly technologically advanced society dominated by the Internet, cell phones, BlackBerrys, and, yes, electronic video game controls, the evidence is growing and is more convincing than ever. People of all ages who are generally inactive can improve their health and well-being by becoming active at a moderate intensity on a regular basis.

Regular physical activity substantially reduces the risk of a number of preventable diseases such as coronary heart disease, the Nation's leading cause of death; and decreases the risk of stroke, colon cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. It also helps to control weight, contributes to healthy bones, muscles and joints, reduces falls among elderly adults and is associated with fewer hospitalizations. Moreover, physical activity does not need to be strenuous to be beneficial. People of all ages benefit from participating in regular moderate- intensity physical activity, such as 30 minutes of brisk walking five or more times a week.

These are facts we should impress upon our children to ensure they lead health-conscious lives. Yet according to the Surgeon General's ``Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity,'' only half of adolescents participate in regular physical activity, and one- fourth report no physical activity at all.

In addition, we find that more than a third of young people in grades 9-12 do not regularly engage in physical activity. Additionally, daily participation in high school physical education classes dropped from 42 percent in 1991 to only 33 percent in 2005. Physical activity offers a broad range of benefits, including the prevention of obesity, improves self-confidence and the overall sense of well-being.

Physical education programs within school settings can set the stage for how children view physical fitness, activity levels, and future health. Physical education programs also include general health and safety information, as well as providing opportunities for students to learn how to cooperate with one another in a team setting. Equally important is the fact that physical education programs can teach students that physical activity can be fun.

With a broad range of games and activities, children are exposed to forms of exercise that incorporate teamwork, strategy, skill-building exercises, and other curricula such as math. Indeed, physical education plays an important role in the development of an individual, just as a classroom education does.

I join my colleague, Mr. Altmire, in calling for the communities to work with schools, along with key community stakeholders to craft and implement a local wellness plan as required in the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004.

I ask my colleagues to support 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, I rise today in support of House Resolution 376, which will recognize annually a National Classified School Employee of the Year and the valuable contributions of classified school employees.

I would like to thank my colleague from California (Ms. Woolsey) for her leadership on this issue and for introducing the resolution we are considering today.

Like many schools across the country and in my district, the education of our Nation's children is a team effort. Often, when education is discussed, we think of teachers and administrators. However, classified school employees, school bus drivers, food service workers, clerical and administrative staff, para-educators, and facilities and maintenance workers protect and nurture children as well.

Classified school employees are usually the first of the school staff workers the children see when they start their day and the last ones they see when they go home. They are the caretakers of our schools and community colleges. School bus drivers carry the most precious cargo, our children. Parents want the peace of mind that comes from entrusting the person behind the wheel in their children's school bus.

Getting kids to and from schools safely and on schedule makes bus drivers, mechanics, and other transportation personnel an integral part of our schools and of our communities. Classified employees in the office, clerical and administrative staff, maintain attendance records, answer the phones, and interact with parents and school officials. School nurses help children with scrapes and cuts, assist with medications, and help keep accurate records of immunizations and students' medical history. All of these school employees are vital to the success of our schools.

Without skilled facilities and maintenance workers, our children would not have safe and comfortable places to learn. A lot of work is required to maintain a school community and keep it running smoothly. Custodians keep the schools clean. Groundskeepers keep the grounds safe for sports and other recreational activities. And facilities workers foresee and troubleshoot problems in school buildings. These classified workers provide a valuable service to our schools.

Many times the meal students receive at school is the best or only meal they get each day. Food service workers play a significant role in the educational process by providing nutritious meals for children. Research shows that good nutrition enables a student to meet their educational and physical potential.

Para-educators, librarians and other instructional assistants, support and

enhance the work of teachers in all components of the educational process. The increased use of para-professional staff in education across the United States has been well documented, as has the change in their role from largely clerical to instructional duties. These professionals play a key role in ensuring student achievement.

Together, with certified school employees, teachers, and administrators, classified school employees work hard to provide productive, safe and stable environments for our children that are conducive to learning. Classified school employees strive for excellence in all areas relative to the educational community.

For that, I ask that we annually recognize a National Classified School Employee of the Year and honor the invaluable contributions of all classified school employees for their tireless commitment to the academic success, safety and well-being of America's children, and I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 376.

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

Madam Speaker, here we are again. Another week has gone by, and we are still discussing the Iraq emergency supplemental. The Democrats were successful in forwarding a strategy of cut and run, knowing the entire time their strategy would be vetoed by the President.

It is an ill-conceived idea to state you support the troops on the one hand while on the other hand you push forward with legislation that you know has no chance of gaining the President's support. I believe the Democrat leadership owes the American people an explanation of why they would do this.

Time is up and the Democrats need to come back to the realization that our troops don't deserve to be caught in the political mess between the radical left and the rest of the Democrat Party. It is time for a clean supplemental to come to the floor so that we can send the President a bill that supports our troops without handcuffing our generals and withdrawing our troops before this critical mission is complete.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support House Resolution 320, congratulating the University of Tennessee women's basketball team for winning the 2007 NCAA Division I women's basketball championship.

The Lady Vols are an institution statewide with an unmatched record of success. With their 59-46 victory over Rutgers on April 3, the Lady Vols won their unprecedented seventh NCAA national championship.

A quick review of the program's records in the past quarter of a century shows features unmatched in women's basketball history. They have seven national titles, 12 championship game appearances, 17 Final Four appearances, 25 sweet 16 appearances.

Tennessee is the only team that has appeared at all 26 NCAA women's basketball tournaments, and their Hall of Fame coach, Pat Summitt, has been a leader in this program for 33 years. And a record of 947 wins and 180 losses gives her more wins than any coach, men or women, in the history of college basketball. She has been a leader in advancing women's athletics to more of a prominent role, and her winning record is even more impressive when you become aware of the fact that every Lady Vol who has completed her eligibility at Tennessee has received her degree or is in the process of completing her degree.

Her players and staff have always displayed the highest levels of sportsmanship and have been tremendous ambassadors for our university. The national and statewide following enjoyed by the Lady Vols include numerous fans throughout the First Congressional District of Tennessee. Therefore, I am pleased to join my colleagues in supporting this worthy resolution honoring the coaches and players of the Lady Vols.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding.

Congressman Price, you do such a great job. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for your willingness to spread the truth.

I welcome the opportunity to speak to Americans on tax day. I know some of us, as we draw near to midnight here, a lot of people still working on those forms, trying to get them down to the post office. It reminds me of what Ronald Reagan said back in the early 1980s. Ronald Reagan said, ``We don't have a trillion dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough. We have a trillion dollar debt because we spend too much.'' That seems like commonsense to me, and I think the people that are listening to us tonight understand that. They understand they have to sit around the kitchen table and decide how much money is coming in and how much money goes out.

Small business owners have to do the same thing. They sit around sometimes at a little break room table and decide, am I going to hire that next person or am I going to have to lay somebody off? Am I going to be able to afford another machine to be more productive so I can grow the business and be good for the economy? We understand that as Americans.

Today, tax day, families across America are feeling the cost of the Federal Government. I know we feel it. I know the American people are feeling it. It is one of the reasons I decided to run for Congress. I did own a small business, and I have actually owned a couple. I grew up in a small community in a little county called Unicoi County in East Tennessee, up in the mountains near North Carolina. And I worked my way through college. I actually worked two jobs, went to school full time, and was fortunate enough from that to start some businesses. And I sold one of those businesses.

And one of the reasons I decided to run for Congress was because the government took too much of my money. And I really looked at it as being my money because I earned it. My wife and I started the business. We took the risk. We put our home up. If that business hadn't succeeded, the bank could have come and taken our home. And when I sold the business, I should have been able to keep the proceeds and take care of my two children. It shouldn't have gone to the government. And I decided that I needed to get involved.

According to the Congressional Research Service, President Bush's program of comprehensive tax relief was well timed to respond to a weak economy. Do you remember back in the early 2000s we had just been hit by terrorist extremists, and we had natural disasters. So those tax relief packages that he put in place have actually worked. Tax relief enacted in 2001 granted immediate tax rebates, reduced marginal tax rates, and lowered the marriage tax penalty. The tax relief of 2003 accelerated much of the 2001 growth which would ultimately strengthen our economy.

We are residing and living in a strong economy. The Republican tax cut relief has seen nearly 4 straight years, 21 straight quarters, of economic growth, while adding 7.5 million new jobs. Seven point five million new jobs, that excites me. And we were able to do that because people are allowed to keep their money at home.

You see, government really doesn't create jobs. Government takes money. But if you leave that money back in local communities, that money is put to work and it does good things.

The Congressional Budget Office confirmed that the tax cuts of 2003 have helped boost the Federal revenues by 68 percent. Commonsense again. If you allow people to keep their tax dollars at home, the economy grows. And this should be understood by both sides of the aisle. This actually works for Democrats and Republicans. It worked for President Kennedy, it worked for President Reagan, and it has worked for President Bush. This is bipartisan. We all ought to understand that keeping taxes low, keeping spending low, the economy will grow and the coffers of government will grow. I think that is a good thing.

We should all work to make the successful tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 permanent. If they are not made permanent, which I am convinced that this new ``hold on to your wallet Congress'' has in mind, we are going to have a problem in our economy. For example, 84 million women will see their taxes increased by $1,970. Now, we all say here for the low and middle income, but if you are a woman, with this new tax increase of $400 billion, your average tax is going to go up $1,970.

We are going to see 48 million married couples' taxes increased by $2,726. It seems inherently unfair to me. Forty-two million families will see their taxes go up by $2,084. And I thought we were here for the low and middle income. These are the people that are paying taxes.

Twenty-six million small business owners will see a devastating tax increase of $3,637. The small business owner that runs the little store down the street or creates five jobs on the corner, who probably employs some of your friends in your local community, they are going to see their taxes go up over $3,600. And where are they going to get that $3,600 to send up to Washington? They are going to get it from you, the American people. They are going to either increase the cost of goods and we are going to see inflation, or they are going to decide they can't hire that last employee or maybe they have to let that last employee go.

Five million low-income individuals and couples will no longer be exempt from Federal income taxes.

This is going to hurt the very people that we say we are trying to help.

Again, we should work in a bipartisan manner, Republicans and Democrats, to make sure that the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 are made permanent. I am very concerned if we don't do that, that we are going to see our economic growth go into a slide, and we are going to have a problem that we are going to have to deal with.

Just two weeks ago, Washington Democrats passed a fiscal blueprint that raises taxes on Americans in one fell swoop. As part of this ill- gotten budget, taxpayers in Tennessee, my home State, will not be allowed to deduct their sales tax from their Federal income tax, which is only fair because we don't have an income tax. It makes us equal with all the other States. Taxes on small businesses in east Tennessee will go up. The child tax credit will decrease from $1,000 to $500. The marriage penalty is coming back. Residents of the First District of Tennessee's average expense in taxes is going up over $2,000. The definition of a

small business will decrease from $400,000 to $200,000. Dividends will no longer be taxed at the personal gains rate, thereby increasing double taxation of dividends by as much as 62 percent. People all across America voted for change, but they are not getting the change they voted for.

We have a choice between bigger economy or bigger government, and the majority party has made it their choice to have a bigger government. And if anyone tells you that Americans aren't paying their fair share for a civilized society, they must remember that Americans pay more in their taxes than they do for housing, clothing and heating combined. And also remember that Americans this year will have to work until the last week of April in order to pay their taxes. That is over 114 days just to cover their tax bills. So on tax day, today, when we feel it the most, everyone needs to remember, we need to hold the line on spending, reduce earmarks, and pass line item veto, and crack down on worthless pork barrel spending and be good stewards of the taxpayers' money. And again I remind you, Ronald Reagan said, ``We don't have a trillion dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion dollar debt because we spend too much.''

And with that, I yield back.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 266. This resolution would recognize the important work of our Nation's social workers and support the goals and ideals of Professional Social Worker Month and World Social Worker Day.

Social work is a profession for those with a strong desire to help improve people's lives and play a valuable role in the Nation's health care system. Social workers help people function the best way they can in their environment, deal with their relationships, and solve personal and family problems.

Social workers often see clients who face life-threatening disease or social problems such as inadequate housing, unemployment, a serious illness, a disability, or substance abuse. Social workers also assist families that have serious domestic conflicts, sometimes involving a child or spousal abuse.

For example, child, family and school social workers provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the family well-being and academic functioning of children. They assist single parents, arrange adoption, or help find foster homes for neglected, abandoned or abused children.

In schools, they address problems such as teenage misbehavior and truancy and advise teachers on how they can cope with problem students. Social workers also specialize in services for senior citizens, running support groups for family caregivers or for the adult children of aging parents, advising elderly people or family members about choices in areas such as housing, transportation, and long-term care and coordination and monitoring of these services.

Through employee assistance programs, they may help workers cope with job-related pressures or with personal problems that affect the quality of their work.

Medical and public health social workers provide persons, families, and vulnerable populations with psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute and terminal illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer. They also assess and treat individuals with mental illness or substance abuse, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. They also may help plan for supportive services to ease patients' return into the community.

In my State of Tennessee, we have a long tradition of recognizing the vital role of social workers. In 2005, the Tennessee legislature, of which I was honored to serve as a member for many years, passed important legislation which required social workers to have received a B.S. or master's degree in social work from an accredited school, received a doctorate or Ph.D. in social work, or have a specialized certificate or license from the State.

As a society, we have come to trust that the people using a certain title have completed specific training to prepare them for their work in assisting the public. Thanks to this legislation, Tennessee now ensures that positions requiring the skills and training of professional social workers are filled with fully qualified professionals.

In addition, the East Tennessee State University Department of Social Work has a long and proud history of preparing the majority of social workers in the region that I represent. In addition to providing high- quality education to future social workers, the Department hosts a Social Work Career Day where students, community agencies and practitioners come together and share educational experience and information on a career in social work. Students and faculty are also involved in a number of community based interdisciplinary learning and service activities.

According to the United States Department of Labor, the need for additional social workers is expected to increase faster than the average of all other occupations through the year 2014 due to the rapidly growing elderly population which is expected to create greater demand for health and social careers. The growth in social work is expected to occur most rapidly in home health care services, assisted living and senior living communities and the school setting. In addition, there is expected to be a significant need for those social workers specializing in substance abuse.

Nearly 50 percent of the United States population, age 15 to 54, report having at least one psychiatric disorder. Both severe and persistent mental disorders, including addictions, have profound consequences for individuals, their families and society, affecting their ability to learn, to grow into healthy adults and to nurture children, to work and secure housing and to engage in other routines of living. Recognizing the prevalence of mental disorders and the cost they exact on our society, social workers provide more than 40 percent of all mental health services available to Americans, making them an integral part of our Nation's health care delivery system.

So we stand here to recognize the importance of our Nation's social workers and support the Professional Social Work Month and World Social Work Day. We also stand to encourage more young adults to seek out educational and professional opportunities as social workers where they can play a positive impact on changing people's lives.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in highlighting the contributions of social workers and to support House Resolution 266.

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

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