Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of World War II rescue pilot, 1st Lieutenant Royal A. Stratton, who died on May 29, 1945, after being mortally wounded while saving 9 crewmembers from a downed B-29. Royal hailed from Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. His love of flying led to his enlistment in the Army Air Corps where he excelled to become one of only a few pilots to wear both Army and Navy wings.

Royal joined the 4th Emergency Rescue Squadron and with his crew of six, would fly off of Iwo Jima and police flight paths searching for B- 29 bombers in jeopardy. On the 29th of May, 1945, Royal spotted the crew from a downed B-29 from the 444th Bomb Group, 676th Squadron stationed at Tinian. After landing and taking on the survivors, tragedy struck during take off when a swell broke over Royal's PBY Catalina and tore one propeller off, killing him. The entire contingent of servicemen on Royal's plane that day survived the incident and were picked up by the Lifeguard Submarine, USS Tigrone. On May 30, 1945, Royal A. Stratton was commissioned to the sea. By the end of the war, the 4th Emergency Rescue Squadron had amassed over 650 rescues and Royal Stratton was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Royal A. Stratton for his selflessness and valor, for putting others before himself in his service of saving the lives of his fellow servicemen.

I thank the gentlelady.

I just want to comment on my friend from Georgia's scholarly, even erudite, mention of the quote from Shakespeare and ``The Tempest'' because I too was thinking of ``The Tempest'' perhaps in a different line, not necessarily related to these proceedings; but you just sparked this memory of the line from ``The Tempest'' that says, ``Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.''

Now H.J. Res. 37 undercuts the authority and the mandate of the FCC during an era of increasing consolidation in the telecommunications industry. The FCC order gives the wired and wireless broadband industry too much leeway to exercise ``reasonable'' management of the Internet. The FCC order should explicitly forbid such practices as ``paid prioritization,'' a technique where ISPs funnel users to one type of content over another simply because that site or service moves faster instead of a mere pledge to monitor broadband developments.

The FCC ought to be sending the strongest possible message to Internet service providers that the physical infrastructure and foundation of the Internet from which they reap immense profit was created by the American taxpayer.

Instead of telling the FCC that there should be no net neutrality rules, we should be sending the FCC back to the drawing board with a message that the FCC should be more vigilant in protecting net neutrality, not less. Keep the Internet open and keep government open; otherwise, we may have succeeded in communicating that the opposite of progress is Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I submit my opening statement given at the hearing.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this important hearing.

Today, we are here to discuss the impact of greenhouse gas

regulations on small businesses. America's small businesses

are the lifeblood of this country's economy. Competition,

innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit have driven

America's prosperity, and it is our job in Congress to ensure

that we facilitate and promote an environment of economic

opportunity. It is also our job to protect the well being of

America's citizens, with the bottom line of providing the

highest quality of life possible for each and every person.

Based on actual results, and future projections, it is

clear that the Clean Air Act strikes a balance between

economic growth and keeping each and every one of us healthy.

By 2020, for every taxpayer dollar invested in the Clean Air

Act, there will be an estimated 30 dollar return in benefits.

In the year 2010 alone, the Clean Air Act prevented over

160,000 deaths, over three million lost school days and 13

million days of lost work. These numbers are illustrative of

the benefits to both businesses and public health facilitated

by the Clean Air Act.

The regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act

is imperative to protecting public health and welfare. The

threat posed by climate change is based on peer-reviewed,

accurate, and concrete science--the threat is real, and

preventative steps are necessary. The EPA's regulation of

greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act is a measured,

commonsense approach to mitigating climate change that

protects not only public health and welfare, but business as

well.

Opponents of greenhouse gas regulation claim that small

entities will be overly burdened by costly and unattainable

emissions standards. However, the EPA's implementation of the

``Tailoring Rule'' is a small business-conscious method of

protecting public health, and this country's employers and

employees. The tailoring rule, by setting a high greenhouse

gas emission threshold, exempts 95 percent of all stationary

sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Essentially, the

tailoring rule lifts a regulatory burden off of small

businesses.

In written testimony provided for today's hearing, the

Small Business Majority, a representative of US small

businesses, states that:

``Some will claim that a variety of small businesses--

everything from bookstores to diners and plumbers--would be

impacted by the greenhouse gas standards. This simply isn't

the case.''

Further, as described in the Small Business Majority's

testimony, a significant number of small business owners

welcome measures to reduce environmental pollution; this

sentiment cannot simply be ignored.

As I have said at this subcommittee's past two meetings, we

cannot have a productive discussion about the impacts of

regulations without considering both costs and benefits. For

example, when we talk about the new tailpipe emissions

standards we cannot simply discuss a potential increase in

the sticker price of a vehicle.

The proposed standards for heavy and medium duty trucks--

despite a marginal increase in sticker price--are projected

to save over $74,000 over the life of the truck, and save

over 500 million barrels of oil. Multiply that times all the

trucks on the road, and the reduced fuel consumption and

reduced greenhouse gas pollutant emissions can help us

achieve energy independence while improving our public

health.

I look forward to having a well rounded discussion about

greenhouse gas emission standards, their costs and their

benefits, with today's witnesses.

Here is a formula for the collapse of both our economy and our democracy: increase spending for the Pentagon by $7 billion and ensure its budget for the rest of the fiscal year. Everything else gets cut $13 billion and gets a budget for just 1 week.

Money for war in Iraq, war in Afghanistan, war over Pakistan, war in Libya--so many wars going on at the same time you could rename our town ``Warshington.'' Money for bombs; no money for books. Money for missiles; no money for new moms. Money for jet fighters; no money for crime fighters. Money for an empire that is as broad as our fears; no money for an America that is as large as our hopes. Just money for unnecessary wars.

We don't want apocalypse now; we want peace now. We want jobs now. We want prosperity now. And we want the leadership to provide it now.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 910, the Dirty Air Act. That this bill is taken seriously enough to receive a vote in the United States House of Representatives is embarrassing. This bill not only requires Members of Congress to ignore thousands of the world's best scientists and over four decades of peer reviewed research, but it requires Congress to assert that it is more qualified to judge the entire body of science. It is an assault on science, on reason, and on common sense. Americans expect better from their elected leaders.

No amount of fossil fuel company spin, lobbying and campaign contributions can change the fact that global warming is happening. But they can make important changes to global warming; The longer we wait to substantively and aggressively act, the faster global warming will happen, the more fiercely it will happen, and the less control we will be able to exert over it.

We are also throwing away badly needed opportunities. Failing to control global warming pollution means we fail to provide needed impetus to make the transition to clean energy. We are voting to turn our back on the opportunity to reclaim the mantle of global leader on clean energy from China and now, Germany. We are voting to turn our back on the opportunity to revitalize our manufacturing sector which has been ailing in cities like Cleveland for decades. We are voting to turn our back on the opportunity to create millions of new jobs and boost our economy. We are voting to turn our back on the opportunity to reduce air pollution that kills tens of thousands of people very year, who are disproportionately from communities of color and are of low income. We are voting to turn our back on the opportunity to strengthen our national security, which, according to the Pentagon, is threatened by global warming. We are voting to turn our back on the opportunity to inspire and lead with alternatives that would build a stronger America.

It is time for us to cast a vote in favor of future generations instead of merely invoking them to try to justify inhumane budget cuts. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Thomas H. Greer, a loving

husband and friend, and the Vice President of the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper.

Mr. Greer became editor of the Plain Dealer in 1990, becoming only one of three African-American journalists to hold such a position at a major daily newspaper at that time.

Known to colleagues as Thom, he served as a role model for young and aspiring journalists. His work ethic was, as he told the newspaper in 1992, to ``keep your mouth shut, hold your head up high and work like hell to make yourself and those around you as good as they can be.''

Mr. Greer was born in Nashville, Tennessee, but moved to New Jersey during his childhood. He majored in history at Dillard University in New Orleans, and later attended Rider College and Rutgers University.

In 1964, Greer was hired by the Evening Times in Trenton, NJ as a sports journalist. He moved to the Plain Dealer in 1974, where he served on the suburban news unit. His stories investigating shakedowns of late-night liquor stores and thefts of confiscated liquor by Cuyahoga County Sherriff officer, led to their arrests.

Mr. Greer left the Plain Dealer for larger papers in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York, but returned in 1983 as editor of the sports department. He expanded their news coverage from exclusively local sports to national and international stories.

Mr. Greer worked as Managing Editor, Executive Editor and eventually Editor, as he oversaw the expansion of the paper, the creation of new bureaus in other counties, and expanded coverage of upcoming issues. In 1992, he became Vice President and oversaw community outreach, volunteerism, affirmative action employment and the Plain Dealer Charities, as well as the Plain Dealer High School Newspaper Workshop.

In addition to his many roles with the Plain Dealer, he served as a trustee of the Greater Cleveland Roundtable, WVIZ-TV, the City Club, and the National Junior Tennis Association. He was honored by Kaleidoscope Magazine and inducted into the Region VI Hall of Fame of the National Association of Black Journalists.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in remembering Thomas H. Greer, whose legacy of professionalism, positive work ethic, and commitment to justice will forever serve as an example. I extend my sincere condolences Mr. Greer's wife Maxine and to his family, friends and colleagues that knew him best.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Mary Elizabeth Flahive, whose life was marked by her strong ties to the Cleveland community.

Mary was born in Northampton, Massachusetts. She obtained both an undergraduate and graduate degree in Geology. She then spent ten years working at the Springfield, Massachusetts Museum of Natural History.

She moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where she began her 42 year career with the Cleveland Natural History Museum. Her career began with an expedition to Colorado, where she assisted in a dinosaur excavation.

Her tenure at the Natural History Museum was marked by achievement after achievement. She set up the Camp Bigfoot program at the museum, a program which is still active to this very day. She also set up other programs such as the Western Heritage Expeditions.

Her mark on the community expands further than just her work at the Natural History Museum. Friends of hers, the Anderson Family,

remember fondly the time she replanted their son's garden after rain had washed it away. In fact, a friend of Mary's recalled that she ``believed firmly in all children and in the beauty of the earth.''

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me today in honoring the life of Mary Elizabeth Flahive. She is a wonderful example to us all in her devotion to the earth and to her community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of a legend of the silver screen, a relentless leader in the fight against AIDS, and an extraordinary woman, Ms. Elizabeth Taylor.

Elizabeth Taylor was born in London in 1932 to American parents. She moved with her family to Beverly Hills on the eve of the Second World War. Elizabeth's love for cinema manifested at an early age. Her first well-known performance came at the age of 12, when she played the title role in ``National Velvet.'' From that point, Ms. Taylor lived her life in the public eye, and her name became synonymous with talent, beauty, and glamour. She went on to play such memorable roles as Angela Vickers in ``A Place in the Sun,'' Helen Ellsworth in ``The Last Time I Saw Paris,'' Martha in ``Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' and the title role in ``Cleopatra,'' among many others. Throughout her more than 60- year-long career, Ms. Taylor was nominated for countless awards including two Academy Awards and the Screen Actors Guild's (SAG) Life Achievement Award in 1997.

Ms. Taylor was more than just a Hollywood icon. She was also known for her efforts in the fight against AIDS. She was an advocate for AIDS prevention and research at a time when the disease was still a taboo subject for many. She famously stated ``I will not be silenced and I will not give up and I will not be ignored.'' She was the founding international chairman of the American Foundation for Aids Research (amFAR), and was known for her compassion for those living with the disease. As a result of her service, Ms. Taylor received numerous accolades. In 1992 she was the recipient off the Jean Herscholt Humanitarian Academy Award. On May 16, 2000, Queen Elizabeth II named her a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 2001, Ms. Taylor received a Presidential Citizens

Medal due to her work. On December 5, 2007, she was inducted into the California Hall of Fame.

Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of a woman whose cinematic brilliance, grace, and devotion to fighting AIDS will not soon be forgotten. I extend my sincerest sympathies to her sons, Michael and Christopher, her daughters Liza and Maria, and to her friends and family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Archie Catavolos, an outstanding individual who devoted himself completely to his country and community.

Archie was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. In the early years of his life, he developed a passion for sports. He played football, baseball and he wrestled for John Hay High School. After high school, the Second World War began and Archie decided it was his duty to serve his beloved country. He originally joined the U.S. Navy, and was eventually shipped out as a corpsman with the 7th Marines, Second Platoon, Fox Company. For his service and devotion to his country he became a decorated serviceman. He received a U.S. Silver Star and two Purple Hearts for the valiant courage he displayed during the battles of Pelelieu and Okinawa.

After the war, he decided to serve his community by becoming a Cleveland Policeman. Throughout his 30 years on the force, he worked as a patrol man, a detective hunting down organized crime, and an upholder of morals on the City Smut squad. He was chosen to protect President John F. Kennedy when he came to Cleveland in the 1960s. Upon his retirement from the Cleveland Police Department, Archie was appointed to lead security for the Cleveland School System's desegregation superintendent. He served with the city's school system for 15 years.

Furthermore, Archie was a proud Mason. His local lodge was the John W. Barkley Lodge 621 of F.&.A.M. It was a proud honor that he shared with his four brothers, Michael, Peter, Louis and Pete.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in remembering the life and times of a truly remarkable individual. Archie will always be remembered for his devotion to both country and community.

It is said our government runs on a system of checks and balances. But when it comes to war, the administration writes all the checks and Congress doesn't know what the balance is. The administration can wage war and ignore Congress, says the Secretary of State. Shut up and keep giving them the money.

Expanding war expands the Pentagon, costing more than $700 billion this year. That's 50 percent of discretionary spending. The United States funds 25 percent of NATO's military expenses.

All of these wars cost trillions. As of today, we will have spent $805 billion to bring democracy to Iraq, $443 billion to bring democracy to Afghanistan, perhaps over a billion dollars already to bring democracy to Libya.

I have an idea. Let's bring democracy to America. Instead of cutting programs for the poor, for children, for pregnant women, or shutting down the government, let's shut the wars down. Build bridges at home-- don't blow them up abroad. Bring democracy to America. Jobs for all, health care for all, education for all, retirement security for all. End the wars.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Mary Elizabeth Flahive, whose life was marked by her strong ties to the Cleveland community.

Mary was born in Northampton, Massachusetts. She obtained both an undergraduate and graduate degree in Geology. She then spent ten years working at the Springfield, Massachusetts, Museum of Natural History.

She moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where she began her 42 year career with the Cleveland

Natural History Museum. Her career began with an expedition to Colorado, where she assisted in a dinosaur excavation.

Her tenure at the Natural History Museum was marked by achievement after achievement. She set up the Camp Bigfoot program at the museum, a program which is still active to this very day. She also set up other programs such as the Western Heritage Expeditions.

Her mark on the community expands further than just her work at the Natural History Museum. Friends of hers, the Anderson Family, remember fondly the time she replanted their son's garden after rain had washed it away. In fact, a friend of Mary's recalled that she ``believed firmly in all children and in the beauty of the earth.''

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me today in honoring the life of Mary Elizabeth Flahive. She is a wonderful example to us all in her devotion to the earth and to her community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Thomas H. Greer, a loving husband and friend, and the vice president of the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper.

Mr. Greer became editor of the Plain Dealer in 1990, becoming only one of three African-American journalists to hold such a position at a major daily newspaper at that time.

Known to colleagues as Thom, he served as a role model for young and aspiring journalists. His work ethic was, as he told the newspaper in 1992, to ``keep your mouth shut, hold your head up high and work like hell to make yourself and those around you as good as they can be.''

Mr. Greer was born in Nashville, Tennessee, but moved to New Jersey during his childhood. He majored in history at Dillard University in New Orleans, and later attended Rider College and Rutgers University.

In 1964, Mr. Greer was hired by the Evening Times in Trenton, NJ, as a sports journalist. He moved to the Plain Dealer in 1974, where he served on the suburban news unit. His stories investigating shakedowns of late-night liquor stores and thefts of confiscated liquor by Cuyahoga County Sherriff officers, led to their arrests.

Mr. Greer left the Plain Dealer for larger papers in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York, but returned in 1983 as editor of the sports department. He expanded their news coverage from exclusively local sports to national and international stories.

Mr. Greer worked as managing editor, executive editor and eventually editor, as he oversaw the expansion of the paper, the creation of new bureaus in other counties, and expanded coverage of upcoming issues. In 1992, he became vice president and oversaw community outreach, volunteerism, affirmative action employment and the Plain Dealer Charities, as well as the Plain Dealer High School Newspaper Workshop.

In addition to his many roles with the Plain Dealer, he served as a trustee of the Greater Cleveland Roundtable, WVIZ-TV, the City Club, and the National Junior Tennis Association. He was honored by Kaleidoscope Magazine and inducted into the Region VI Hall of Fame of the National Association of Black Journalists.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in remembering Thomas H. Greer, whose legacy of professionalism, positive work ethic, and commitment to justice will forever serve as an example. I extend my sincere condolences to Mr. Greer's wife Maxine and to his family, friends and colleagues that knew him best.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of a legend of the silver screen, a relentless leader in the fight against AIDS, and an extraordinary woman, Ms. Elizabeth Taylor.

Elizabeth Taylor was born in London in 1932 to American parents. She moved with her family to Beverly Hills on the eve of the Second World War. Elizabeth's love for cinema manifested at an early age. Her first well-known performance came at the age of 12, when she played the title role in ``National Velvet.'' From that point, Ms. Taylor lived her life in the public eye, and her name became synonymous with talent, beauty, and glamour. She went on to play such memorable roles as Angela Vickers in ``A Place in the Sun,'' Helen Ellsworth in ``The Last Time I Saw Paris,'' Martha in ``Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' and the title role in ``Cleopatra,'' among many others. Throughout her more than 60 year-long career, Ms. Taylor was nominated for countless awards including two Academy Awards and the Screen Actors Guild's, SAG, Life Achievement Award in 1997.

Ms. Taylor was more than just a Hollywood icon. She was also known for her efforts in the fight against AIDS. She was an advocate for AIDS prevention and research at a time when the disease was still a taboo subject for many. She famously stated ``I will not be silenced and I will not give up and I will not be ignored.'' She was the founding international chairman of the American Foundation for Aids Research, amFAR, and was known for her compassion for those living with the disease. As a result of her service, Ms. Taylor received numerous accolades. In 1992 she was the recipient of the Jean Herscholt Humanitarian Academy Award. On May 16, 2000, Queen Elizabeth II named her a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 2001, Ms. Taylor received a Presidential Citizens Medal due to her work. On December 5, 2007, she was inducted into the California Hall of Fame.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of a woman whose cinematic brilliance, grace, and devotion to fighting AIDS will not soon be forgotten. I extend my sincerest sympathies to her sons, Michael and Christopher, her daughters Liza and Maria, and to her friends and family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember the judges and attorneys who served the people of Northeast Ohio who died in 2010. These men and women will be remembered on Monday April 4, 2011, by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association at the Annual Greater Cleveland Bench-Bar Memorial Program at the Howard Metzenbaum U.S. Courthouse in Cleveland.

Ours is a ``government of laws, not of men.'' This is a quote from John Adams and a concept that goes back to ancient Greece and is the root of our democratic principles. But the laws are not mere words on paper or the brick and mortar of which our courthouses are built. The law is made alive by the men and women who practice it every day in our municipal, state and federal courts. Through their professionalism, knowledge, and passion for the institutions of our democracy, they ensure that the people are given the full opportunity for the just resolution of their cases and controversies. We remember those professionals who, until their passing in 2010, gave life to the democratic principles or our great legal institutions.

We remember the Honorable Ann Aldrich, Frank D. Aquila, the Honorable Sam H. Bell, the Honorable Frank D. Celebrezze, James P. Conway, John R. Crombie, James H. Dempsey, Jr., Charles M. Driggs, Donald W. Farley, Stanley M. Fisher, Martin F. Franey, David R. Fullmer, Judd H. Gross, Irwin S. Haiman, J. Richard Hamilton, J. Bruce Hunsicker, Denise A. Jackson, Aaron Jacobson, Richard Leukart, James T. Lynn, Stanley B. Kent, Kenneth W. Kleinman, William I. Kohn, the Honorable Alvin I. Krenzler, George W. Lutjen, Howard A. Marken, the Honorable Thomas J. Moyer, the Honorable August Pryatel, Richard C. Renkert, Mark J. Savage, John E. Schoonover, Kenneth F. Seminatore, John E. Smeltz, Terry Ronald Smith, Marvin Sorin, Phillip P. Taylor, Stanley Tolliver, Michael R. Tucker, Nicholas Valentino, John R. Vintilla, Edmond A. Wigley, Allan J. Zambie, Robert I. Zashin, and the Honorable Joseph A. Zingales.

Mr. Speaker and honored colleagues, let us remember the great men and women of the law who left our physical world last year but also left their legacy of principle and passion for the law alive in our hands. Let us hope that today's attorneys and judges follow in their footsteps so that all of the people continue to share in the great institution of the law which makes our democracy great.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Vera Hall on the occasion of her 90th birthday. Vera is an exceptional individual and a longtime citizen-activist.

Vera was born and raised on a farm in Austinburg, Ohio. From an early age, she was interested not only in organic gardening, but also in politics and the arts; she especially enjoys attending performances of the Cleveland Orchestra. She graduated from Austinburg High School in 1939 and went on to attend The Ohio State University for two years, before U.S. involvement in World War I granted her the opportunity to go to radio school. She worked as a radio operator for 18 years. She also worked as a teletype operator in the airline industry, and eventually became a supervisor. She was actively involved in the Communication Workers of America, and served as its treasurer.

Vera has also actively fought for social justice issues for many years. During the Vietnam War, she joined Women Speak Out for Peace and Justice, and served as their treasurer for 25 years. Her peace activism continues to this day; every weekend, she goes to the West Side Market to demonstrate against war. She is also active in the Single-Payer Action Network, the Western Reserve Alliance, Women for Racial and Economic Equality, United Farm Workers, and the Cleveland Indoor Garden Society. Vera is a proud single mother, a lover of music and the arts, and an avid traveler.

Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor of Vera Hall on her 90th Birthday. I extend my warm wishes to her on this special day.