Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of Ohio, I want to recognize the accomplishments of Dr. Carl Kohrt, as he retires as president and chief executive officer of Battelle Memorial Institute.

Carl assumed the leadership of Battelle in 2001 after a long career at Kodak. He immediately put his experience from the private sector into practice at the world's largest non-profit independent research and development organization. Over the past eight years, Battelle has grown substantially in business volume and impact. Battelle has won competitions to manage and operate research and development laboratories for the Department of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, and international organizations.

Battelle has also been selected for many projects in support of various national and homeland security programs. In fact, within a few weeks of Carl's arrival at Battelle in the summer of 2001, he was able to marshal Battelle's suite of capabilities to help the United States respond to the impact of the 9/11 attacks. Battelle was later asked by the White House to provide staff to help with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security.

Carl Kohrt has also enhanced Battelle's corporate role in the City of Columbus and the State of Ohio. He developed a strategic partnership with The Ohio State University. Battelle has supported many civic enterprises on behalf of the State of Ohio, the City of Columbus, Franklin County, and other organizations, such as COSI.

The son of schoolteachers, Dr. Kohrt, has left a major imprint on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in Ohio through the Metro School, which is a partnership with The Ohio State University and the school districts of Franklin County. Battelle has also joined with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as other educational entities in the State of Ohio, to develop additional schools with a focus on STEM education throughout Ohio. Carl's indelible imprint on Ohio will be a signature effort on behalf of STEM education.

The way to judge one's impact on an organization or community is to measure one's personal and corporate accomplishments. Through this lens, it is easy to conclude that Carl has been an outstanding leader for Battelle as an organization and an outstanding leader in the Columbus metropolitan area. Carl has made a significant difference, and we extend to him and his family best wishes and good health in his retirement.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I (Congresswoman Deborah Pryce) am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2638, The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009:

(1) $800,000 DHP for the Neuroscience Clinical Gene Therapy Center requested by The Ohio State University Research Foundation, 1960 Kenny Rd, Columbus, OH 43210. The Neuroscience Clinical Gene Therapy Center will facilitate the progression and translation of gene therapy research from the laboratory bench into clinical trials for the treatment of human disease.

(2) $2,400,000 RDTE,AF for Development of Intelligent Manufacturing requested by The Ohio State University, 1971 Neil Ave Columbus, OH 43210. This program establishes a research and educational program for enhancing U.S. competitiveness in Intelligent Manufacturing. Intelligent Manufacturing creates a highly adaptable work force capable of producing highly specialized components and devices with a quick turn around time between projects.

(3) $1,600,000 DHP for the Comprehensive Clinical Phenotyping and Genetic Mapping for the Discovery of Autism Susceptibility Genes requested by Nationwide Children's Hospital Research Institute, 700 Children's Drive Columbus, Ohio 43205. This project is a second year of funding to continue and expand a comprehensive, multidisciplinary autism research program for military families stationed at Wright- Patterson Air Force Base and other central Ohio families.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. And Steve, I don't know that--I just can't believe that I said at a fundraiser that you were a little different and you were a little bit weird. But it's true. And I thank you for yielding me this time.

You know, there has been no greater honor than anyone could ever enjoy than to serve in the company and then leave with the members of the Ohio delegation. Both Republicans and Democrats alike, it has been an honor and a joy.

Ralph Regula and Dave Hobson were mentors, they were colleagues, and they were the best friends a gal could ever have. They really have been wonderful to me.

When I first arrived here straight off the Municipal Court bench, I was a very green Member of Congress; and I was all new to this boys' world, and it's a lonely place for a woman. But my delegation was very kind and very welcoming to me and made it a place that I felt comfortable and at home and in which I thrived.

And these two gentlemen, which we honor tonight, were a very huge part of that.

Let me say first about Ralph--and you can't say ``Ralph'' without saying ``Mary.'' They are the true congressional couple. And the Ohio delegation never--well, they didn't always get along like we do today. And because of the leadership of our dean, Ralph Regula, our delegation came together for the entire time that I have served here to be effective, to be efficient, to be very good for Ohio, but also to be very friendly to one another.

And Ralph led that. He nurtured us. He did everything that he could possibly do from the initial days when I got here and he was on committees and gave me a committee I didn't necessarily want and didn't necessarily understand. But it was, first of all, good for Ohio, and second of all, good for Deborah Pryce.

So I will always thank you, Ralph, for your consideration and in placing all of us where we needed to be for the good of Ohio.

And Mary in the balcony. Mary, you are an original feminist, and I love you for that. An original feminist with the First Ladies Library. You advanced the cause of women with no strings attached, and that is no small thing, Mary Regula. Thank you.

You know, Ralph, I didn't stay long enough to get the view that you have, but I will always remember you and Mary for your kindness, for your nurturing, and for the good will that you taught me that makes this job a joy.

And then to Uncle Dave and his wonderful wife Carolyn.

You know what patience that woman has. But Carolyn is a joy to us because she gives us David.

David taught me so many things, and you know, I will always see Dave Hobson with a cell phone on his ear. I can't picture Dave without a cell phone on his ear. But not only--he's always in communication with someone. He's always making the deal, he's always making things happen, and he's making things happen for all of us in Ohio.

But one important thing that Dave Hobson taught me, and he continues to try to teach the world, and that is that ``earmark'' is not a dirty word. And the good things that these two cardinals, Dave Hobson and Ralph Regula, did through the earmark process for the State of Ohio will continue to make our State strong and important in the general scheme of things throughout history.

Earmark is not a dirty word as long as they are good earmarks. And these two gentlemen always made sure that they were.

And one more thing about Dave. He always had my back. And he still does. Thank you.

Gentlemen, thank you both for so many things. This is a hard job for me to leave because of the joys, of the companions that I made here, the relationships, and the true camaraderie that could make this a great place, and it should make this a great place if we just rely on that more.

So thank you, Mr. Hobson. Thank you, Mr. Regula.

You know, Monday afternoons and Tuesday mornings I might just have to head to the airport to get my fix of all of the politics because I'm really going to miss those moments we spend together, the private publicness that we've lived in all of these years together.

Thank you, Mr. LaTourette.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Please let me begin by thanking my chairman for those very, very kind, overly kind remarks. I will miss working with him and on this committee. It has been a wonderful experience for me, and working in a bipartisan, nonpartisan way with Chairman Kanjorski and others on the committee has been an experience that I will always value. So, thank you, sir.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6513, the Securities Act of 2008. This legislation before us today is a commonsense, bipartisan bill developed by Chairman Kanjorski, Chairman Frank, Ranking Member Bachus, and myself.

The bill enhances investor protection, capital market competitiveness, makes the SEC a more effective agency, and the legislation makes our regulation and standards setter, the SEC, more accountable to the capital markets.

H.R. 6513 would enact components of the Securities and Exchange Commission's legislative requests submitted to Congress in both 2007 and 2008. The bill also amends the Securities Investor Protection Act, or SIPA, to allow investors to hold all equity-related positions in a single portfolio margin account. The SIPA amendment creates a clear pathway for regulators to follow in order to realize the state-of-the- art portfolio-based margining system for customers of broker-dealers.

The SIPA amendment would enhance the competitiveness of U.S. markets and eliminate inefficiencies in our current regulatory regime that put U.S. firms and customers at a competitive disadvantage internationally.

Mr. Speaker, this bill also includes bills passed by the House last year under suspension, including H.R. 755, introduced by Representative Geoff Davis, benefiting investors by increasing the usability of financial reports and ensuring that financial regulators are committed to meaningful and clear disclosures; H.R. 2868, by Representatives Meeks and Fossella, allowing U.S. exchanges to create listing tiers for smaller companies. This is a welcome tool to promote our capital markets as well as attract and retain investment capital in the United States. And H.R. 3505, by Representative Peter Roskam, which makes technical corrections to the Federal securities laws, making sure our securities laws are unambiguous, grammatically correct, and current.

The SEC endorsed this legislation, as did the North American Securities Administrators Association and a large coalition of U.S. exchanges. In this time of tumult in our marketplaces in this country and elsewhere, it is appropriate legislation.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Kevin Edgar, Todd Harper, and Jason Pitcock from the Capital Market Subcommittee staff; Peter Roberson, Deborah Silberman, and Lawranne Stewart from Chairman Frank's staff for all their hard work on this legislation, as well as Peter Freeman from my staff.

I urge my colleagues to support the Securities Act of 2008. I thank the chairman once again for his kind words.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and thank the Members of the delegation for having this very important time to remember our colleague.

Stephanie was a force in our delegation, and she was also an inspiration to everybody here and everybody who knew her. Perhaps we'll never understand or totally accept the reasons that people are taken from us in such tragic and untimely ways; yet there is always some comfort found when we can look at a life and see the great purpose that dwelled therein. And Stephanie Tubbs Jones lived with such great purpose and made such a difference, and that will help those of us that she left behind.

The last time I talked to Stephanie was not unlike most of us right here, but it was not in this Chamber. It was in her outer office. It was the office right outside the door that is her car. And Stephanie was working in her outer office, and she was right by the door. And I passed there, and we were waiting for votes. I knocked on her window, and she said, ``Come on in, Deb,'' and I crawled in her office. I was glad to see it looked sort of like my car. There were papers everywhere. There were books. It was just like an office.

And we started not doing business but just chatting, like so often we would do when we would find a minute together. We talked of such great things in life as my daughter's hair. Now, for those of you who don't know, I have an adopted daughter who's African American, who was born in Stephanie's district. And Stephanie took an inordinate amount of interest in the lack of quality hair care that I provided to my daughter, and Stephanie was great about always giving me good advice for Mia, and she wanted to become a greater part of Mia's life.

We had plans to make that happen the next visit to Washington, and I'm sad especially for Mia that that won't happen because Stephanie is a wonderful mentor for so many people, women especially. I'm sorry that that relationship never took hold, but I will never forget the impact that she had on me.

What a wonderful, strong personality. What a contagious smile, and her laughter and her buoyancy held me up many times when I needed just that extra shoulder.

She had such purpose in her life, and that is her lasting legacy. We will all miss her, especially her family. There are so many that became part of her family. There are so many that she loved and touched in such an important, meaningful way. She will sorely be missed, Mr. Speaker.

I offer my deepest condolences to her family, to her son who will miss her most of all. She was loved by so many, as she so rightly should have been.

I thank the gentleman for yielding very much.

Madam Speaker, I believe today we stand on the cusp of something very significant, and that is the chance to spare families forevermore from having to hear the words ``your child has cancer.'' Today, after many hard years of work by staff here on Capitol Hill, by people in the administration, by grassroots groups across the country, by concerned citizens everywhere, we will consider a bill that will make a historic difference in the lives of more than 12,000 children a year who are diagnosed with cancer.

I would like to thank my colleagues, especially Chairman Dingell and Chairman Pallone, Ranking Members Barton and Deal, my cosponsor Chris Van Hollen who just spoke, a great supporter on my side of the aisle, Mike McCaul, and for a new friend that I have found here in Congress, Joe Sestak, who also knows the issue far too well and who also has heard the words ``your child has cancer.''

Madam Speaker, some of us that I have just named are rivals of the highest degree and the strongest of adversaries when it comes to politics and even some issues. But as for the issue of cancer, we have a unique way of transcending the political and tapping into what is uniquely human among us.

I would also like to thank my friend Darlene Hooley and my very dear friend Lois Capps, also on the committee, and also Mrs. Capps has been one of those sad Members of the club who has heard the words, ``Your daughter has cancer.'' I want to thank them for their thoughtfulness, that they suggested that this bill be renamed in honor of my daughter, Caroline, who as it was mentioned lost her courageous battle with cancer 9 years ago.

In the years that I've been working on this legislation, my friends have been with me every step of the way, as has Caroline, making sure that her little promise to help those other kids that she played with in their fights and so all the kids who come after her won't have to go through what she did. Madam Speaker, Caroline would have graduated from high school last Friday. This is our graduation gift to her.

So, yes, this bill is very personal to me, and it should be very personal to everyone because there is not a single American who hasn't been touched by this dreadful disease called cancer. Unfortunately, there are far, far too many, and we must know that a Nation with our resources or a Nation with our scientists, our committed doctors and oncologists and our fighting spirit, we can and we will do more to defeat this disease that attacks our children and put an end to their suffering.

You know, cancer is no longer the mystery that it once was. The scientific and medical communities continue to crash through barriers every day to unlock cancer's deadly secrets. We will continue to cut this opponent down to size, but we continue to lose one in every five children diagnosed. Each and every school day, 46 children, more than two classrooms, will be diagnosed with cancer; 2,300 of them will die from it. We can and we will do better.

The bill before us today provides the lifeblood necessary to continue our advancements in pediatric cancer research, $30 million annually over 5 years. It is a very small price to pay for the life years that will be saved.

This bill creates a national database on childhood cancers to help researchers detect trends in these diseases, variables like genetics, geography and environmental influences that may be sources that are possibly causing these diseases which we can't figure out.

The bill provides for education and information services to patients and families to ensure that they are aware of and have access to appropriate clinical treatment, as well as the array of needed support services. Madam Speaker, nothing equates to the fear and uncertainty felt when a parent hears a cancer diagnosis for their child. This will give them somewhere to turn.

What this bill will help us learn about pediatric cancer will likely yield breakthroughs in our understanding of other diseases and treatments. And pediatric cancer research is leading the way in clinical advancements.

You see, last year, roughly 1.4 million people were diagnosed with cancer; yet, a measly 3 percent of those patients were enrolled in clinical trials. Now, by contrast, clinical trials are now part of the standard of care for pediatric cancer, and the vast majority of children diagnosed are enrolled in these trials.

And we're learning so much because of these enrollments. We're learning more about the trials than we thought possible. We're learning how to successfully handle survivorship issues. We're helping these kids live longer, and more importantly, we're inching closer to a cure.

For the past few weeks, hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets of our Nation's cities in the National Race for the Cure. It is an emotional, humbling and awe-inspiring experience to bear witness to this sea of pink humanity, women, men, and children from all walks of life, united by the common goal of defeating breast cancer.

Today, with this bill, we have a chance to capture that same spirit and resolve, to reclaim the many hundreds of life years lost, to save countless families the grief and despair of this sickness and death of a little one, and to one day look back upon this moment as a true catalyst that led to the end of childhood cancer.

I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation, and I urge them to urge our Senate colleagues to support this legislation, as we look forward to seeing the end of this plague upon our children.

I thank the gentleman for the time. I rise today in support of this bill.

My home State of Ohio has, unfortunately, become the poster child for the mortgage crisis nationally. During the third quarter of 2007, each of Ohio's six largest cities were among the top 30 nationally for foreclosure rates. In Cleveland alone, one of 57 households filed for foreclosure during this quarter.

So while our economy may be recovering from the impact of both the housing slump and the resulting credit crisis, and some places faster than others, it is imperative that we don't impede this recovery; that in our efforts to help the countless consumers and homeowners who have been hit hardest, we don't place the prospects of homeownership and refinancing out of the reach of families financially capable of managing it.

This bill balances that difficult task, and it has happened in an open, bipartisan process of negotiation. Along with the bill offered by Mr. Kanjorski, this bill adds regulation to the unregulated and restricts predatory products from the marketplace: adjustable rate mortgages with high prepayment penalties, no-doc or low-doc loans, teaser rates that reset only months after initialization, loans without escrows for the most likely to need them.

This bill not only helps do away with these predatory products, but it empowers consumers with the most important tool of all, information. It is stunning to think that more than three in 10 homeowners don't even know what kind of mortgage they have. This bill improves disclosure at the point of sale, and the manager's amendment requires disclosure on periodic billing statements. It is important that people understand what they are getting into and are reminded of it on a regular basis.

On the floor today, we will hear countless stories of heartache and heartbreak of families devastated by the rising foreclosure rates, of Americans losing their claim to the American Dream. This bill can correct that.

Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

For more than two centuries, this country has advertised itself as a land of opportunity, of capitalism and free markets, of rugged individualism, where economic success awaited anybody who was willing to play by the rules and work hard. We pride ourselves as a Nation that doesn't necessarily guarantee equality and economic success, but promises equality and opportunity for all Americans. Yet today, these doors of opportunity aren't open for all Americans.

Gay Americans currently hold the dubious distinction of being the only segment of our workforce that can be overtly denied an opportunity to contribute to our economy and to earn a living.

Madam Chair, corporate America has never been widely identified as a vanguard for social change, but in the case of ensuring opportunity for gay Americans, the private sector is way ahead of the Federal law by leaps and bounds.

At present, 90 percent of American Fortune 500 companies have policies in place similar to what would be required under ENDA. They do it out of a sense of fairness, but also because it makes financial sense. Their bottom line is enhanced when they can attract talented and productive workers, men or women, gay or straight, that can contribute to the company's success without fear of recrimination or workplace reprisal. The ability to apply oneself, work hard and succeed has been the American Dream. This quintessential American right to pursue that dream should not be abridged. It should not be abrogated. Rather, it should be protected by the very government that has flourished for more than two centuries because of that dream.

Madam Chairman, the concept of ENDA, the fundamental American right to earn a living, should be a principle around which everyone in this Chamber, regardless of party or ideology, should be eager to embrace.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to honor the life and courage of the pilot of the Enola Gay, Brigadier General Paul W. Tibbets, Jr., for his heroism and service to our great nation. General Tibbets passed away today at the age of 92 in Columbus, Ohio, a city he called home for more than thirty years.

General Tibbets will forever be known for his role in piloting the Enola Gay's historic flight of August 6, 1945. No one can presume to understand the pressures Brig. Gen. Tibbets must have felt when confronted with the enormity of this mission. Having thoroughly distinguished himself by leading the first American Flying Fortress raids over occupied Europe, as well as the first bombardment missions over North Africa, it was his successful completion of the flight of the Enola Gay that would inextricably alter the course of human history.

To fully appreciate General Tibbets' accomplishments, one must understand that Paul Tibbets was not simply the pilot of the Enola Gay, but that he played a pivotal role in every facet of this critical mission, from inception to completion. He organized, selected and trained his entire crew. He significantly altered the design of the aircraft to allow the plane to fly beyond the range of anti-aircraft fire. And, perhaps most importantly, he was one of a select few entrusted with the full understanding of the implications and magnitude of our mission on August 6th, 1945.

In the sixty years that have followed, General Tibbets' legacy has been unfortunately clouded by political and philosophical debates over the consequences of dropping the bomb on Hiroshima, and of the nuclear arms race that ensued. As a pilot and patriot, General Tibbets dutifully performed his mission without passion or prejudice, and irrespective of the destructive cargo his plane stored. While academics can debate the numbers, clearly hundreds of thousands of lives--both American and Japanese--were spared by the attack on Hiroshima, and a devastating world war was ended. General Tibbets' place in history is secure, and his mission must never be obfuscated through revisionist history--he is, without qualification, an American hero.

In a rare speech on the subject in 1994, General Tibbets stated, ``I am an airman, a pilot. In 1945, I was wearing the uniform of the US Army [Air Forces] following the orders of our Commander in Chief. I was, to the best of my ability, doing what I could to bring the war to a victorious conclusion--just as millions of people were doing here at home and around the world. We had a mission. Quite simply, bring about the end of World War II. I feel I was fortunate to have been chosen to command that organization and to lead them into combat. To my knowledge, no other officer has since been accorded the scope of responsibilities placed on my shoulders at that time.''

General Tibbets served out his life as an exemplary American . . . a patriot, a veteran, a loving husband of more than 50 years, and a national hero whose indelible imprint on history should be forever honored and revered.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank Mr. Terry for the time and for those very kind words, and Mr. Pallone for his support in this cause, and the entire committee for allowing this to come forward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a voice for the thousands of families across America who have been touched by pediatric cancer, and most importantly, the 12,000 children who will be diagnosed with the disease during this year alone.

This resolution is about a promise to these families that medical advancement and understanding, coupled with a new resolve among researchers, advocates and public officials, will one day eradicate the heartache of pediatric cancer, and promise to the children of our Nation that we will do better to help them in their fight.

The fight of a child with cancer involves many things. It involves being in the hospital and away from your siblings and your best friends, away from your toys and away from the comfort and love of your own home.

It involves confusion and pain after you may have lost your best new friend from the hospital playroom and the heartache that a parent feels having to explain to their child why that happened, all the while knowing that their own child may share the same fate.

And then, there's that different look in the eyes of your parents. Is that fear? But why? I'm going to get better, aren't I?

Mr. Speaker, when a child is diagnosed with cancer, they're forced to say goodbye to their life as they knew it. As they say hello to IV poles and transfusions, catheters, chemotherapy, nausea, surgeries, isolation, they say goodbye to many other things. Because of compromised immune systems, they say goodbye to school and the ordinary routine of growing up. They say goodbye to their friends and their teachers. They say goodbye to their appetite, to their energy, to their hair, and possibly, to some of their limbs. They lose so much. But they never lose hope; and they never lose their dignity.

Mr. Speaker, these are the bravest children I've ever, ever seen.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This is the month that these brave kids and their families raise awareness of this awful disease. As these fearless children share their stories in Washington and elsewhere around the country, we learn about strength and courage and will. As their loving families share their stories about how cancer has touched their lives, we learn about resolve and the ultimate a parent can give.

As we hear these stories, we will not lose sight of the incredible hope that these families are providing to tens of thousands of children and other families whose worlds have been turned upside down by cancer, kids whose dreams and aspirations are now in question, who must focus solely on beating this disease today before they can even think about tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, if you've ever looked into the eyes of one of these children who's so valiantly, courageously waging war against this devastating disease, you certainly could understand why we must continue our efforts to raise awareness, and why I stand here today to stress the perpetual importance of continued education and research.

One child who suffers is one too many. We will continue to fight this terrible disease that's wrought so much suffering and pain on so many.

This resolution honors all of the heroic children and thanks them for their courage and the eternal hope that they provide families everywhere.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, we all rise in shock and great sadness to mourn the death of our friend and colleague, Paul Gillmor. There is really so much to honor about his life. He was actually a legislator's legislator. Before he came to Capitol Hill, he spent 22 years in the Ohio statehouse where he became the senate president for three terms. He was there during those formative years of his professional life so long, and to the extent of which he became a real pro at it, that he had an innate sense of the legislative process. He got to know the people, because half of this work is getting to know the people.

He seemed to come by it naturally. We would sit at whip meetings when he came to Congress. He would ask all the right questions and get to the bottom line in half the time as anyone else. Paul Gillmor really knew what he was doing, and he always made it look so effortless.

He cared about other people. He cared about his staff. He cared about his colleagues. He cared about his friends. I didn't know a single soul that didn't like Paul Gillmor. And that is saying a lot in this business. Paul was a people person. He was a person that others gravitated to because he cared about them.

But he cared about no one more in life than his family. As a Member who on occasion myself has missed a vote on the naming of a post office or two, I really respect the priorities that Paul Gillmor had about putting his family first. That's the right thing to do and that's the way Paul did it.

He has a lot for which Karen, his dear wife, and his family can be proud to look back upon as they examine the legacy that he left to Ohio, to them, and to our country.

Once again, we have much to honor in Paul Gillmor's life. Our prayers are with his family.

Mr. Speaker, just 2 days ago, the House was on track to pass this year's farm bill with a bipartisan vote. Then, in the eleventh hour, the Democratic leaders blindsided America with the news of how they were going to pay for this bill: by putting 5.1 million American jobs at risk.

This bill imposes massive tax increases on businesses, violates trade treaties, discourages investment in America and weakens U.S. competitiveness internationally. It costs good manufacturing jobs.

For instance, in my district in Ohio, Honda employs more than 16,000 Ohioans and has invested more than $6 billion into my State. Its suppliers employ an additional 40,000 Ohioans. Tax receipts from Honda provide revenue for 53 Ohio cities and 43 school districts. Honda is by no means alone in its contributions. U.S. subsidiaries in Ohio employ more than 200,000 Ohioans.

Mr. Speaker, the Democrats have shown their true colors again. We need not sacrifice American manufacturing jobs for a strong American agricultural economy. They can and should coexist.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Markey/Pryce amendment to H.R. 1851.

This amendment includes important language, which I authored, to permit the transfer of project-based Section 8 rent assistance from concentrated, blight-ridden areas in Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio to less precarious, rehabilitated living conditions. The affected neighborhoods all have high poverty rates, a high number of assisted housing units, high crime rates, and dilapidated buildings.

This transfer would have no additional cost to the Federal Government. The language preserves the exact same number of assisted units and the same dollar amount of Federal assistance.

The benefits to the community and to the tenants are immeasurable. Though struggling, each of these neighborhoods has seen an increasing amount of public and private scrutiny and investment. Low income and other residents alike would share in the benefits of a safer, more stable, and more thriving neighborhood. This proposal would allow the community to find more productive and beneficial uses for the properties.

This proposal has widespread support from both communities. Tenants, community advocates, government officials, and private developers alike--all support the neighborhoods' improvement.

Madam Speaker, I would not be here today if for the past 6 years in Columbus the community had not explored other possible solutions with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, tenants, advocates, the City of Columbus, the Ohio State University officials, contractors, and other key stakeholders, but statutory restrictions constantly impeded progress.

We find ourselves here, not as a first resort, but as a last.

I would like to thank Chairman Frank and Ranking Member Bachus for their support, and my colleague from Massachusetts for working with me to enact this important fix into law.

I thank my colleagues for consideration of this amendment and urge your support.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from New York for the time and also for her leadership on this issue. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 556, and I want to thank Chairman Frank for building on our work in the last Congress, bringing this bill up when I was a proud sponsor, original sponsor, with Mrs. Maloney and Mr. Blunt and Mr. Crowley of similar legislation that we passed in this House last Congress, and I am proud to be an original sponsor of this legislation. This has been a bipartisan effort and model for the way Congress should operate all of time.

Mr. Speaker, as we now know and very few knew 18 months ago, CFIUS is charged with assessing the safety and security ramifications of direct foreign investment in the United States of America. The bill before us reforms CFIUS to strike the right balance between ensuring national security and open investment. 9/11 taught us that the number one priority of this government is to do all they can do to assure our citizens' security in their homeland.

Now, Dubai Ports World has left the front page and most people's minds, but it's not forgotten. Congress heard and responded to the immediate concerns voiced by Americans that we could not sell security at our ports at any price. Today, we pass a bill that returns accountability to a broken process, while ensuring job growth and investment in our economy are not collateral damage.

Importantly, the bill we are considering maintains that of the House bill that we introduced last March: increasing administration accountability for the scrutiny of foreign investment transaction; increasing congressional opportunities for oversight of that process; increasing predictability for businesses negotiating the CFIUS process; formalizing the Department of Homeland Security's role in CFIUS; and creating a formal role for the Director of National Intelligence in analyzing each proposed transaction.

Specifically, Mr. Speaker, the bill before us requires that the Treasury Department and each agency directly involved in scrutinizing a transaction sign a certification that goes directly to the Congress. There's strong emphasis on analysis of every transaction by the Director of National Intelligence, and time is given for all members of the CFIUS committee to digest the analysis before making a decision on a transaction. National security is put first in this process. Nothing stands before it.

It should be noted that the administration has radically overhauled the CFIUS process in the last 18 months

since the fiasco. This legislation is needed so there is no backsliding and no further letting down of our guard.

And finally, Mr. Speaker, let me say we cannot wait any longer to enact this legislation. We must send a clear signal to our trading partners. There were concerns that some of the press reports on the reform process gave other Nations the impression that we were going to enact protectionist legislation instead of a bill that continued to welcome foreign investment, which also means domestic job growth.

Trade does not take place in a vacuum. What we do here in the United States affects the environment available to U.S. companies expanding their global reach and the expansion of jobs here at home. Honda Motor Corporation alone has made a $6.3 billion investment in my home State of Ohio, employing over 8,500 people.

I mention this simply to say that we can't get to a point where foreign direct investment is a dirty phrase. The United States remains the world's largest recipient of direct foreign investment but by a decreasing margin. China, which was just a blip on the screen 20 years ago, is now a major competitor for foreign investment dollars. In June, the Commerce Department reported that foreign direct investment into U.S. businesses rose 77 percent in 2006, compared with a year earlier, but remained less than half their peak level in 2000.

If the United States is going to attract the ideas, the people, the capital and companies that will drive economic growth in the 21st century, we need a CFIUS process that protects national security but also keeps America an attractive and accessible place to do business and invest.

I want to thank the many members, the chairman and ranking member especially, who invested so much time and effort to get this process right.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to my colleague and good friend from the State of California, the ranking member on the Armed Services Committee, Mr. Hunter.

Mr. Speaker, we have no other requests for time. Let me close by addressing the concerns of my colleague that were just raised. The reforms in many areas of this bill far outweigh the compromise of the committee machinations that were made over in the Senate.

Believe me, it is no small point, and it is one not lost on me. Our product, I believe, is far superior. The Senate's, as the gentleman points out, is weaker than ours.

But I believe that the colloquy between Chairman Frank and Chairman Skelton will help us resolve that. Chairman Frank says it is the intent of this Congress that there is a consensus on the CFIUS, and he agreed to work with Chairman Skelton and the Defense Authorization Act to correct this.

But taken as a whole, this bill is far superior than current law. It must be enacted, and the sooner the better. Let me reiterate, the rest of the world is watching us here today.

We are passing a balanced bill that does not forget the importance of FDI to our economy, but it protects our ports and our homeland to the extent that this Congress is able to do it.

I believe that we must act quickly. We have been stymied for a year now. We can't afford to send the wrong message. It means that American jobs will be lost, and we will be no safer for prolonging this process. This bill protects our economy, but also the ultimate protection is to our homeland. I urge passage of this bipartisan bill.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment and in support of the provision in question.

Let me first say that I admire the gentleman from Arizona's dedication to ensure that waste, fraud and abuse is rooted out of the Federal Government.

Additionally, Mr. Chairman, I believe that all earmarks in appropriations bills should be able to be publicly defended. That is why I welcome this opportunity to explain this project and assure this body that it is absolutely appropriate.

To begin with, let me talk about the Save America's Treasures account in which this earmark has been designated for funding. Save America's Treasures is a public-private partnership between the National Park Service and the National Trust For Historic Preservation. The program has preserved for future generations such important historical treasures as Montpelier, the home of President James Madison; Fort Ticonderoga; and the USS Constitution Museum.

So for anyone who has been to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, or the Old North Church in Boston, or Monticello, or anywhere of historical significance to this country, we should be able to understand the importance of experiencing history firsthand at the sites that history was indeed made. We can also imagine the tragic loss we would feel if these sites were not preserved.

Therefore, I can say that it is, without a doubt, that the Federal Government should take an interest in preserving sites, artifacts and monuments that carry special historic significance in American history. In order to be considered for funding under this account, Mr. Chairman, a building must be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is not a simple designation to acquire. It is very difficult. After extensive State scrutiny and nomination, there also is a stringent criteria applied by the National Parks Service.

Specifically, this project will preserve the Toledo and Ohio Central Railway Depot in my hometown of Columbus and specifically in the community of Franklinton. Constructed in 1896, the T&OC depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It is a very unique, pagoda-style building, designed by noted architect Frank Packard. Its location is in the very historic Franklinton neighborhood of Columbus. That is also significant, as this was the site of the first settlement of all in Central Ohio. In recent years, this building became abandoned and risked being demolished. To protect this important structure, the City sought proposals to renovate and preserve it.

Mr. Chairman, the Columbus Firefighters came to the rescue. They proposed renovation of the historic structure in order to preserve it and to include a public exhibit honoring the history and contribution of firefighting in our country.

While the total cost of this entire project is $2.7 million, the small $100,000 Federal investment through this earmark will only be used to renovate the historic sections of this building to its original glory and preserve for future generations. I can think of no better use of such a significant historic building than by those who maintain the time-honored American tradition of service and sacrifice to one's neighbors and one's community.

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, this amendment deserves to be opposed by all Members of the House who value the history of our country, the preservation of historic sites and the contribution of firefighters to our communities.

Save America's Treasures is a valuable program and it is a worthwhile project that should be preserved. The combination of preserving the tradition of our Nation's rail history and honoring our Nation's brave firefighters is worthy of this body's support.

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

The union provided the contract to do the renovation. The money proposed in this earmark is only for the historical renovation. The firefighters are the ones who took on the task of coming to the rescue of this very historic site and had the best bid.

Not that I know of.

If the gentleman will yield, this is a $2.7 million project. The Federal Government's contribution is $100,000. It is truly a public-private partnership in which the firefighters and the local government and the State government are participating fully.

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