Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today pay tribute former Kansas State Representative Eugene ``Gene'' Amos, who died on July 24th.

Gene Amos, the owner of the Amos Funeral Home, served in the Kansas House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993, representing a district that was centered on the city of Shawnee. Earlier this year, he received the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce's Lifetime Achievement Award for advancing the interests of Shawnee, which bears the imprint of his ``good deeds, kind words and solid values'', the Chamber stated. Born in Liberal, Kansas, he moved to Shawnee with his family in 1945, attended Shawnee Mission Rural High School and graduated from Kansas City Missouri Junior College and the Kansas City College of Mortuary Science. After serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, he married Margaret Zoll in 1953 and joined his father's funeral business.

In addition to serving as president of the Kansas Funeral Directors Association and president of the State Board of Embalmers, Gene was an active member of the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce, the Shawnee Historical Society, the Shawnee Optimist Club, and Optimist International, where he served as president and district governor. He was a member of Merriam Christian Church, serving as a deacon, elder and chairman of the board. Additionally, he served as president and member of the Delaware Crossing Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. He often spoke to groups on the history of Shawnee, politics, the funeral business and family research, and he taught genealogy at Johnson County Community College. In 2007, he was named Shawnee Citizen of the Year by the Knights of Columbus Council 2332. He also was a charter member of the Ancient Form Masonic Lodge, and was a member of Scottish Rite Bodies, Abdallah Shrine, Beatrice Chamber, and Order of the Eastern Star.

As a member of the Kansas House of Representatives, Gene served on the education, public health and agriculture committees. According to the Kansas City Star, when the Kansas Legislature approved a resolution earlier this year recognizing Amos, lawmakers recalled his humor: ``One legislator told how Amos would pass out business cards to fellow committee members who he said appeared lifeless. He once took the pulse of a sleeping legislator and said he was looking for a new client. Then the mood in the legislative chamber that day turned more somber, according to a transcript of the proceedings. Frank Weimer, who served with Amos as a state representative, spoke of Amos' honor, generosity and integrity. `There isn't a man on this earth I respect more than Gene Amos,' Weimer said.''

Madam Speaker, Gene Amos is survived by: his wife, Margaret; son, Gregg Amos; daughters, Joni Pflumm and Amy Ruo (John); sister, Paula Ramona Upton; six grandchildren and one great grandson. I have known Gene for many years and considered him a good friend. I join his many friends, neighbors and professional colleagues in celebrating his life and mourning our loss.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3330) to amend the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the Federal Credit Union Act to provide more effective reviews of losses in the Deposit Insurance Fund and the Share Insurance Fund by the Inspectors General of the several Federal banking agencies and the National Credit Union Administration Board, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the chief sponsor to this bipartisan legislation, a strong proponent in this Congress for tougher oversight, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Driehaus).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 4 minutes.

As a former district attorney for 12 years and chairman of the House Financial Services Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee, one of my priorities is to make sure that our Inspectors General have all of the tools and the resources they need to continue and improve their important oversight work.

In January, the IGs for the Treasury, Fed, and FDIC wrote to request that Congress raise the material loss review, or MLR, threshold so they could focus on other high-priority areas of potential waste, fraud, and abuse.

The National Credit Union Administration IG later made a similar request, Mr. Chairman. In addition to a higher threshold, the IGs suggested adding a requirement that for failed banks falling below the new threshold, an initial assessment still be taken to ``ensure that unusual or potentially significant situations are not missed.''

During an O&I hearing we held on this issue in May, I was disturbed to learn that without a modernized MLR system, the current system would limit the IGs' ``ability to effectively oversee many of the new and significant programs and initiatives that the Federal banking agencies are undertaking to address current economic conditions.'' We must address this problem.

I commend Congressman Driehaus from Ohio, a member of our Oversight Subcommittee, for drafting a bipartisan bill that will do just that. I also thank our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Congressman Lee of New York and our O&I Subcommittee ranking member, Congresswoman Biggert of Illinois, for their hard work in drafting this bill. The improved oversight by the Financial Inspectors General Act will put in place a $200 million MLR threshold for bank IGs and $25 million for the credit union IGs with new, stronger protections that will ensure proper oversight is conducted of any failed institution that costs even a dollar.

In a letter dated July 17, Jon Rymer, the FDIC's Inspector General, commented on the bill, writing: ``I believe this legislation is a reasonable and prudent compromise that will our workload but preserve meaningful, independent oversight by my office, as well as other Inspectors General tasked with similar reviews.''

And I couldn't agree more, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3330 to improve oversight of our financial agencies.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record letters from the Inspectors General on these issues.

January 9, 2009.

Hon. Barney Frank,

Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Frank: We are writing to request that the

Congress consider increasing the threshold for conducting

material loss reviews (MLR) on failed financial institutions.

The current $25 million threshold has been in effect for

about 25 years and, in light of the current economic

environment, is no longer serving as a reasonable measure of

materiality or a meaningful trigger point for an Office of

Inspector General (OIG) review of the failed financial

institution. If this current threshold remains in effect, we

anticipate that the projected volume of MLR work--and the

time and resources that this work demands--will limit the

OIGs' ability to effectively oversee many of the new and

significant programs and initiatives that the Federal banking

agencies are undertaking to address current economic

conditions.

Section 38(k) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act mandates

OIG reviews of certain material losses to the Deposit

Insurance Fund (the Fund) when federally supervised banks

fail. In general terms, the purpose of the MLR is to

determine the causes for the institution's failure and

resulting loss to the Fund, and assess the banking agency's

supervision of the failed institution. A loss is considered

material if the loss is estimated to exceed $25 million or 2

percent of the institution's total assets at the time the

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was appointed

receiver. The Act further requires that the OIG report be

completed within 6 months after it becomes apparent that a

material loss has been incurred.

As of today, the OIGs from the FDIC, Department of the

Treasury, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve

System are performing a total of 18 MLRs, with projected

losses ranging from $36 million to $8.9 billion. At the

current threshold and as economic conditions continue to

worsen, we anticipate the number of reviews to increase. As

we are actively conducting these reviews, we are discovering

that MLRs at the lower end of the threshold appear to provide

little, if any, new perspectives or insights regarding the

cause of the failure beyond what we initially discerned at

the closure. We are, nevertheless, bound by professional

standards to invest time and resources to conduct a thorough

review of each individual failure. Expending our scarce

resources on these reviews limits our ability to oversee the

new initiatives that the banking agencies are undertaking to

deal with the current economic crisis affecting open

financial institutions.

We believe that increasing the MLR threshold would better

serve the Congress by providing the OIGs with increased

flexibility to refocus scarce resources to the wide-ranging

programs and initiatives that the agencies are now managing,

while continuing to ensure that significant failures receive

an appropriate, in-depth review. As such, we recommend

modifying the threshold for a material loss to an amount

between $300 and $500 million. The $500 million figure is the

materiality threshold used by the Government Accountability

Office (GAO) when conducting the Fund's financial statement

audit, and has proven appropriate for that purpose over the

years. Looking at the current inventory of 18 MLRs, only six

would have been required with a $300-$500 million threshold.

To ensure that unusual or potentially significant situations

are not missed, we also recommend language that would allow

the OIG to initiate an MLR of an institution with a projected

loss below the increased threshold, should circumstances

(i.e., indications of fraud) warrant.

Last year, we participated in a discussion initiated by one

of your professional staff members on the merits of

increasing this threshold, and were encouraged to raise this

issue if circumstances warranted. We believe such

circumstances have arrived. We are sending a similar letter

to the Committee's Ranking Member and the Chairman and

Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing

and Urban Affairs to share our concerns.

Thank you for considering our request to amend Section

38(k) to increase the MLR threshold. We would welcome the

opportunity to discuss our concerns and possible solutions

with you in more detail.

Sincerely,

Jon T. Rymer,

Inspector General, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Eric M. Thorson,

Inspector General, Department of the Treasury.

Elizabeth A. Coleman,

Inspector General, Board of Governors of the Federal

Reserve System.

Thank you for making that clear. Thank you for the colloquy.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Driehaus) to close.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2034) to permit refinancing of certain loans under the Rural Housing Service program for guaranteed loans for rural housing, and for other purposes.

I yield 3 minutes to the chief sponsor of this important legislation, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay).

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2529) to amend the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to authorize depository institutions and depository institution holding companies to lease foreclosed property held by such institutions and companies for up to 5 years, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Donnelly), a chief sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, so I will let the other side close.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Donnelly) to close.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of a constituent and resident of Olathe, Kansas, who recently achieved international acclaim. On May 27, 2009, during her fourth appearance in the national finals, 13-year-old Kavya Shivashankar won the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

In her first year of competition, Kavya finished an amazing 10th place in the 2006 national competition. While most of us would have been thrilled that we reached the finals of a prestigious national contest, let alone placed so high among such an elite group, that was not true for Kavya. A typical 9-year-old might have gladly reclaimed the hundreds of hours of practice and preparation time and used it instead for their own enjoyment. Instead, Kavya returned to her spelling studies, competed again in 2007 and this time finished in 8th place.

Still not satisfied, Kavya returned again in 2008 and was considered one of the favorites to win the championship. Kavya was one of the ``Final Four,'' finishing in 4th place. Again, most of us would have been thrilled to be a national finalist three times--that would look pretty good on a college application in a few years! Instead, Kavya continued studying with her father and devoted much of her free time to preparation. And, this was in addition to her regular homework, music lessons and time with her family.

This year, Kavya was in her last year of eligibility. Many of Kavya's fans, including many of my own staff members who look forward to cheering her on every year, worried that her heart would be broken in her last attempt. Instead, Kavya taught all of us a lesson in persistence and hard work. Poised and confident throughout the competition, she calmly wrote out a word in her hand that I do not even know how to pronounce--Laodicean--before spelling it correctly into the microphone and sealing her victory.

I am perhaps even prouder of how she has handled her success. Immediately following her victory, Kavya did a round of media interviews all around the country that would make a presidential candidate's head spin. Always

smiling, confident and polite, she repeatedly showed the world why she is a true champion. She was a wonderful representative of her family, her school (California Junior High School), her hometown (Olathe, Kansas), her sponsor (The Olathe Daily News), the state of Kansas and, indeed, our entire country.

In addition to the pride and confidence she has from achieving her goal, she also won scholarship money and prizes totaling $40,000, which will come in handy, as Kavya aspires to become a neurosurgeon. Her interest in medicine was sparked when she prepared for--what else?--a spelling bee of medical terminology.

We also learned a good spelling lesson from her family's identical t- shirts, worn the day after the tournament, which said, ``How do you spell `champion?' S-H-I-V-A-S-H-A-N-K-A-R.''

Finally, I would like to read into the Record an open letter written by Kavya, which was published in The Kansas City Star on June 21, 2009, and clearly shows the qualities that allowed her to reach this remarkable goal and that make Kavya such an inspiration to us all!

What an incredible ride it has been for me in my quest for

the spelling bee championship! I have been participating in

the Scripps National Spelling Bee since 2006. I went from

10th to 8th to 4th place, and then I was finally able to take

the much coveted trophy in 2009.

I loved going to Washington, D.C., each year during the

Memorial Day week! Bee Week has always been so much fun for

me because I got to meet the contestants and socialize.

Many of them are returning spellers whom I looked forward

to meeting each year, and some whom I keep in touch with by

e-mail. All the regional champions believe in camaraderie and

understand that the dictionary, not the other spellers, is

their biggest foe.

The sportsmanship everyone has is inspiring. I feel sad

that I am not able to participate in any more spelling bees

because if you pass eighth grade or if you win the

championship, you are not eligible to participate again.

Preparing for spelling bees takes a lot of desire,

dedication, effort and time. My technique is to study root

words and etymological patterns instead of memorizing.

This kind of preparation has greatly developed my

vocabulary and has allowed me to learn so many new words and

roots. But I have also learned so much more.

This journey has taught me how to set a goal and achieve it

through discipline and hard work. I have also learned how to

stay composed under pressure and developed my confidence. It

also has really developed my public speaking skills.

After my victory, I was rushed into a whirlwind of media.

My family and I traveled to New York so I could appear on

``Live! With Regis and Kelly.'' We then went to Los Angeles

for ``Jimmy Kimmel Live.'' Those were both great shows, and I

really enjoyed being on them.

When we returned home, a few local TV stations came to

greet me at the airport along with some friends. Many more

friends and neighbors were lined up on my street to

congratulate me, holding up large posters. It was great to

know that so many people supported me!

I received many calls, and I was especially thrilled when I

received an invitation from the governor of Kansas, and calls

and cards from senators and congressmen. It was exciting to

know that I had their support and that they were able to take

the time to congratulate me. My family and I are expecting an

invitation from the White House in the coming months.

I also received a letter from Children's Mercy Hospital

inviting me to come to one of its hospitals to visit the

neurology department and talk to the patients. This is a

great opportunity, and I will be looking forward to more

exciting opportunities like that, which will allow me to help

the community in any way I can.

I have had a great experience and have learned many

valuable lessons to carry on in life. Most importantly,

preparing for spelling bees has brought me closer to my

family. They have been a great source of support and

encouragement throughout the whole journey.

The bonds that have been forged and strengthened through

this process mean more to me than any other aspect of my

spelling experience.

I am thankful to everyone who has helped and supported me

throughout this whole experience, especially everyone in the

Kansas City area. My advice to my peers is to follow your

dream, and be able to put in the hard work and effort to

achieve it.

I thank Mr. Spratt.

When I came to Congress in January 1999, our national debt stood at $5.6 trillion. Our country faced a very different fiscal situation than the one we have today. At that time fiscal restraint and the use of budget enforcement tools had helped turn around a dire financial situation and produce budget surpluses during the last 2 years of the Clinton administration.

Unfortunately, the PAYGO requirements that had been so effective in bringing about responsible budgeting through the 1990s were allowed to expire in 2002 by the previous majority, and the results speak for themselves. Our national debt increased and almost doubled in the past 8 years. The $5.6 trillion debt we had when I first came to office in 1999 now stands at $11.4 trillion.

Today, with H.R. 2920 we have a chance to help restore fiscal discipline in Washington and put our country back on a sustainable fiscal path. Our country should live as do most American families, within a budget. I have nine grandchildren; and it's absolutely wrong, it's immoral to mortgage their future and the future of other children and grandchildren in our country.

We should vote and pass H.R. 2920 for future generations in our country.

Madam Speaker, I commend Chairmen Waxman and Markey for crafting this historic energy legislation that will help our country make the transition to a new clean-energy economy.

I urge Members to vote in support of the underlying bill. Americans are demanding bold policies that will push our country in a new direction on energy and ensure a clean, secure energy future for America.

This legislation is a positive step forward, but I urge Chairman Waxman's leadership to go even further to strengthen the renewable electricity standard during the conference committee.

A strong standard would mean more jobs in the United States and a larger share of domestic and clean energy. Our children and grandchildren are watching. If we don't take this step for them today to leave them with a world that is healthy and more secure, when will we? As a proud grandfather of nine, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I commend Chairman Waxman and Chairman Markey for crafting this truly historic energy legislation that will help our country make the transition to a new, clean energy economy.

I want to also thank Chairman Waxman for including a bill I drafted, H.R. 2246, in the manager's amendment. This bipartisan legislation, which I introduced with my friend from Illinois, Congresswoman Judy Biggert, will establish the Community Building Code Administration Grant, or CBCAG, Program.

This competitive grant program will help with local building code enforcement by authorizing $100 million over 5 years, capping awards at $1 million per recipient, and requiring recipients to match a portion of funds received.

Much attention has been focused on the huge energy savings that can be achieved by increased energy efficiency in buildings, which consume nearly 40 percent of all energy and 70 percent of the electricity produced in the U.S.

But building codes don't make a difference unless they are enforced by local code officials who are properly trained and have sufficient resources to inspect buildings for compliance. It will save taxpayer dollars as well--according to a study conducted by the National Institute of Building Sciences, for every $1 spent on mitigation saves $4 in future disaster assistance.

H.R. 2246 is supported by the International Code Council, the Alliance to Save Energy and many other organizations. Again, I'm pleased my legislation has been incorporated into the manager's amendment to the American Clean Energy and Security Act.

I support the underlying bill and urge members to vote in favor of passage. But, I also strongly urge Chairman Waxman and Leadership to strengthen the Renewable Electricity Standard (R.E.S.) during the Conference Committee.

I commend Chairman Waxman and Chairman Markey for crafting this truly historic energy legislation that will help our country make the transition to a new clean energy economy.

The strong R.E.S. that we started with has unfortunately been watered down so significantly that it will not even provide an incentive to maintain current levels of renewable deployment.

Kansas utilities, like those of so many other states, are on track to cost-effectively meet a state R.E.S. of 10 percent by 2011. A federal goal of 6 percent by 2012 would provide no incentive for new investments in wind development or manufacturing.

That means that more jobs will be left on the table and that the U.S. will continue to lag behind the 37 countries around the world that have a binding, long-term commitment to renewable energy development.

The global marketplace is watching us. Companies both here and abroad are waiting to see if we enact an R.E.S. that will provide a true commitment to transitioning our economy to cleaner forms of energy.

They are making critical decisions on whether and where to build new manufacturing facilities or retool their companies to create new, high- quality jobs.

We can decide right now if we are going to build more of the new energy components right here in the United States or continue to import them from overseas.

Kansas is thrilled that Siemens chose to build nacelles for wind turbines in Hutchinson, creating 400 jobs in one small town and supply chain opportunities for hundreds of companies in the region. Several recent reports project job growth in the tens of thousands in our industrial heartland if we make a real commitment to renewable energy.

A stronger national R.E.S. is the most important policy tool we have to make sure new energy projects utilize American-made components manufactured by American workers.

Harnessing renewable energy also builds our rural communities--this ``new crop'' sustains farmers and ranchers and keeps the schools, clinics, roads and services strong in America's small towns.

A stronger national R.E.S. would also benefit consumers by holding down energy prices and protecting them against the price spikes of fossil fuels by promoting fuel diversity.

In fact, numerous independent studies have shown that the R.E.S. saves consumers money on their energy bills in all regions of the country.

In addition, a strong national R.E.S. will ensure that currently available clean technology is deployed quickly to help achieve greater emission reductions in the future at a lower cost.

And perhaps most importantly, Americans are demanding bold policies that will push our country in a new direction on energy and ensure a clean, secure energy future for America.

In April a national poll found that 75 percent of Third District residents support a R.E.S. of 25 percent by 2025. This support is strong across all counties of my state and throughout all regions of the country.

That is why I urge Chairman Waxman and House Leadership to strengthen the R.E.S. as this legislation moves forward.

Madam Speaker, on March 11, 2009, I inadvertently failed to cast a recorded vote on rollcall vote 121, concerning H. Res. 226, recognizing the plight of the Tibetan people on the 50th anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama being forced into exile and calling for a sustained multilateral effort to bring about a durable and peaceful solution to the Tibet issue. Had I cast my vote, I would have voted ``aye.''

On March 31, I inadvertently failed to cast a recorded vote on rollcall vote 166, concerning H. Res. 296, providing for the consideration of the Senate Amendments to H.R. 1388. Had I cast my vote, I would have voted ``aye.''

On May 7, I inadvertently failed to cast a recorded vote on rollcall vote 238, concerning H.R. 1728, the Mortgage Reform and Anti-predatory Lending Act. Had I cast my vote, I would have voted ``aye.''

On May 12, I inadvertently failed to cast a recorded vote on rollcall vote 244, concerning H. Res. 413, supporting the goals and ideals of ``IEEE Engineering the Future'' Day on May 13, 2009, and for other purposes. Had I cast my vote, I would have voted ``aye.''

On May 14, I inadvertently failed to cast a recorded vote on rollcall vote 260, concerning H.R. 2187, the amendment to the title of the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act. Had I cast my vote, I would have voted ``no.''

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to pay Karen Browning, who recently stepped down after 41 years of service with the Johnson County, Kansas, Election Office, including 27 years as Assistant Election Commissioner.

Dedicated, experienced public servants like Karen Browning are the glue that holds government together at all levels, but they often do not receive the respect and consideration that they deserve. Karen Browning's retirement took from her office 41 years of deep devotion to her community and an intricate knowledge of the rules and history of Johnson County elections--a background that the citizens of Johnson County will find to be irreplaceable. I am pleased to have this opportunity to share with the other members of the House of Representatives a brief profile of Karen Browning which recently was published in the Johnson County Sun. I know that all Johnson Countians join with me in wishing Karen Browning all the best as she embarks upon her much deserved retirement, and we also thank her for her years of dedicated service and work to ensure that Johnson County elections have been conducted in a manner above reproach.

Election Official Retires After Serving 40 Years

(By Chuck Kurtz)

It was a one-issue, one-candidate ``election'' and

assistant election commissioner Karen Browning cast the only

vote: ``Yes to Proposition Retirement.''

After nearly 41 years with the Johnson County Election

Office in Olathe, Browning officially retired May 22; a

reception in her honor is planned for 3 to 6 p.m. June 17 at

the Election Office, 2101 E. Kansas City Road, Southeast of

Bass Pro, where Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh will

pay tribute to her service.

Also speaking will be County Chairwoman Annabeth Surbaugh

and Johnson County Election Commissioner Brian Newby.

Browning said she always will look back on her career with

great fondness.

``My time at the Election Office was an incredible

experience, full of hard work, passion for elections and

democracy,'' she said. ``It has been a great career that I

have always enjoyed, but it's time for a new chapter in my

life and to take it easy.'' In the past 40 years Browning

has: Worked in more than 200 Johnson County elections,

including 11 presidential elections; Served under six of

Johnson County's eight election commissioners and 32 county

commissioners; and, Watched the county's voter registration

increase almost fourfold.

She said she welcomed the end to hand-counting thousands of

paper ballots when the county switched to touch-screen voting

machines. Counting paper ballots is time consuming, she said,

and computers bring quicker results and less stress.

Browning's passion for the importance of voting was

instilled in her as a child.

``My folks always talked about voting and how important it

was,'' she said. ``I started when I was young. Voting was

already an important part of my life.''

That led to her passion for doing her best as an employee

at the election office. Newby said Browning was a walking

encyclopedia and office historian. She has complete records

on every election since she has been with the county.

``If anyone has a question about a past election, Karen is

the person to ask,'' he said.

``She has given so much to our county and to our voters;

she provided the best return on tax dollars that could ever

be imagined,'' Newby said. ``She leaves with the distinction

of being the most effective election office employee ever in

Johnson County.''

In Browning's first presidential election Nov. 5, 1968, a

total of 88,314 of Johnson County's 100,610 registered voters

cast their ballots. In her last presidential election, Nov.

5, 2008, a total of 285,001 of the 364,441 registered voters

cast ballots.

Her first job at the election office was as a key punch

operator since all voter registration cards and reports were

typed by hand.

``When we processed registrations, we typed them into the

books that went to the polling places,'' she said. ``We typed

men on one page and women on another, which I found very

interesting.''

Newby said Browning has been instrumental in the evolution

of the voter registration process, which she has overseen for

many years.

In 1978, Browning was named election clerk supervisor

followed by election manager in 1979 with primary

responsibilities for voter registration and list maintenance.

She has served as assistant election commissioner the past

27 years.

Browning also has overseen Census and mapping operations,

and knows Johnson County geography like the back of her hand,

since any ``visible ground feature'' might someday be needed

as a precinct boundary.

Although the election process has experienced significant

changes over the years, Browning said one thing has not

changed. The integrity of the ballot, even from a touch-

screen voting machine, is still held sacred, and that

requires rigorous adherence to the office's confirmation

procedures, she said.

Browning has mixed feelings about leaving Johnson County

public service, but admits she will most miss the people.

``Elections begin and end with people,'' she said.

In retirement, Browning plans to spend more time with her

family, and continue to volunteer in her many civic and

church activities.

Her family includes three sons, three grandchildren, and

two great-grandchildren.

``We will miss her and wish her well,'' Newby said, ``but

we are gratified to know that she will always be a phone call

away to advise us if we have a thorny issue. We even

offered--threatened, I guess--to continue equipping her with

a Blackberry so she could still be in the e-mail loop and

give us guidance.''

So far, no response from Browning.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of an issue which affects the educational well-being of each of us, and in particular, our children -- funding for federal library programs, particularly the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program and the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

As you may know, research has shown that students in schools with well-stocked libraries and highly qualified, state-certified school librarians have higher levels of academic achievement than students who do not have the same benefits. Furthermore, many school libraries have become sophisticated 21st century learning environments, offering a full range of print and electronic resources, but today only 60 percent of school libraries have full-time, state-certified school library media specialists on staff. Unfortunately, due to the constraints that school administrators must confront when faced with limited resources, library resource budgets are often utilized to make up for shortfalls in other areas.

To remedy this situation, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) authorized funding for libraries through the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program. While the purpose of the program was primarily to encourage reading and improve literacy, it also allocated funding for acquiring up-to-date school library media resources, acquiring and using advanced technology, facilitating Internet links and other resource sharing networks among schools and libraries, providing professional development for school library media specialists, and providing students with access to school libraries during nonschool hours. In recognizing the tremendous benefits of library and research technology, the inclusion of this important provision in NCLB represented a significant step towards the creation of a truly 21st century education system. Unfortunately, like many provisions of NCLB, this initiative has been underfunded.

As you may also be aware, state libraries rely greatly on the funds provided through LSTA, which is the only federal program devoted exclusively to libraries, to support statewide initiatives and provide funds to public, school, academic, research, and special libraries through subgrants. The requirement of a state match also helps stimulate additional investment in the program, as approximately three to four state and local dollars are invested for every one federal dollar.

I have long been a strong supporter of funding for library programs, particularly the LSTA state program and the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program, because of the educational opportunities that these programs help provide and the important role that they play in expanding access to information resources and services for learning in all types of libraries for individuals of all ages. I would respectfully encourage my colleagues in the House to work together in a bipartisan manner to see that, as the Fiscal Year 2010 appropriations process moves forward, federal library programs receive the support they need to continue helping state and local library programs maintain a high level of quality and service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H.R. 885, the Improved Financial and Commodity Markets Oversight and Accountability Act. The bill is sponsored by my friend and colleague from Connecticut, Congressman Larson, and I commend his leadership on strengthening oversight and accountability to our government.

As I have told him personally, I appreciate the hard work Congressman Larson put into crafting H.R. 885, a bill to reform several Offices of Inspector General in an effort to bring a greater level of independence and transparency to the agencies they oversee. And as the sponsor of the bill knows, I initially raised a few concerns with the bill to make sure we maximize the efforts of these Inspectors General to provide strong and tough oversight.

As a former District Attorney, the focus of any investigation should always be quality over quantity. Inspectors General should not focus on meeting some meaningless quota of closed cases. Instead, we want our Inspectors General to uncover waste, fraud and abuse wherever they find it so the agency they supervise and Congress can promptly address those abuses.

The House Financial Services Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Barney Frank and of which I chair the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, will soon be considering a comprehensive regulatory reform package to overhaul our financial regulatory system.

In that effort, I will be working with Members on both sides of the aisle to identify any additional oversight protections we need to implement to ensure our financial system is transparent and protects consumers, investors and taxpayers. For example, I personally would like to see better coordination between Inspectors General on a regular basis to identify waste, fraud and abuse by creating a ``Financial Inspectors General Council'' where oversight concerns that may have a broader reach can be identified and corrected quickly.

I appreciate Congressman Larson listening to me and discussing my concerns. We both agree that we need to move quickly on all fronts to strengthen oversight of our financial system, and it is in that spirit that I support this bill that the House is considering now.

I look forward to working closely with Congressman Larson, Republicans and Democrats to take the necessary, additional steps to make certain we have an improved oversight structure in place so we don't have a repeat of a financial crisis of this magnitude.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the amendment I offered with my good friend from Alabama, Representative Spencer Bachus.

Like many of my colleagues, I travel home to my district almost every

weekend, and am forced to spend a considerable amount of time in airports. I frequently see members of our armed forces at the airport traveling to fulfill assignments, in full military uniform and often loaded down with gear and equipment.

The amendments Representative Bachus and I introduced would help ease the burden on these service men and women traveling on official orders.

The Bachus/Moore amendment would direct the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to establish a dedicated screening process at airport security checkpoints for military personnel travelling in uniform on official orders. The amendment would also enable family members to accompany the service man or woman through the expedited screening process.

While some airports and airlines have expedited screening policies in place for certain types of passengers, there is no group that deserves greater consideration than our brave men and women in uniform. Our servicemen and women, as well as their families, sacrifice so much as a part of their military service.

This amendment represents a small, simple gesture of kindness in order to make travel more convenient and efficient for our heroes.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the upcoming 150th anniversary of Wyandotte County, Kansas, which is one of three counties composing the Third Congressional District of Kansas. On June 6th and 7th, the Wyandotte County Historical Museum will commemorate Wyandotte County's 150th anniversary, including activities featuring re-enactors, speakers, dancers and music.

In the territorial period of Kansas, previous to 1859, the area that is embraced in Wyandotte County was a part of Leavenworth and Johnson counties. Thus, with the domination of the ``Leavenworth crowd,'' or of the Missourians who came over into Kansas territory, the citizens at the mouth of the Kansas River had little influence over the affairs of government or of politics. The first election in the county, aside from the elections held by the Indians themselves before the organization of the territory, was in June 1857 to select a delegate to the Lecompton constitutional convention. The polls were guarded by soldiers and the votes were deposited in a candle box, which was afterward found buried in a woodpile at Lecompton and became historically infamous. In October of the same year the county came into notice again, politically, due to the stuffing of a ballot box and other frauds, perpetrated at the Delaware crossing, eight miles west of Wyandotte. It is said that many of the names found on the poll list could also be found in a New York City directory, which some enterprising pro-slavery advocate happened to have in his possession at that time.

The political history of Wyandotte County, however, began with its organization under an act passed by the legislature of January 1859, the same legislature that authorized the Wyandotte constitutional convention. The act, signed by Governor Medeary on January 29, 1859, cut off one hundred and fifty-three square miles from the southeast corner of Leavenworth County and the north side of Johnson County. The Wyandotte Constitutional Convention was a key event in Kansas history. From this convention, Wyandotte County was created, Kansas became a state that was free from slavery, and women were given some rights in voting and holding property. The county is named after the Wyandot (a.k.a. Wyandott or Wyandotte) Indians. They were called the Huron by the French in Canada, but they called themselves Wendat. They were distantly related to the Iroquis, with whom they sometimes fought. They had hoped to hold off movement by white Americans into their territory and had hoped to make the Ohio River the border between the United States and Canada. One branch of the Wyandot moved to the area that is now the state of Ohio. They generally took the course of assimilation into Anglo-American society. Many of them embraced Christianity under the influence of missionaries. They were transported to the current area of Wyandotte County in 1843, where they set up a community and worked in cooperation with Anglo settlers. The Christian Munsee also influenced early settlement of this area.

Wyandotte County, with roughly 160,000 residents, today boasts one of the most vibrant economies in the state of Kansas and an amazing story of resurgence. Comprised of the cities of Bonner Springs, Edwardsville and Kansas City, Kansas, the entire county has embraced a unified vision for the future. This vision has produced a monumental transformation over the last several years with the creation of the Kansas City metro area's premier tourist and retail destination including the Kansas Speedway, Nebraska Furniture Mart, Cabela's, the Legends at Village West, and Schlitterbahn Vacation Village. The explosion of development in the western portion of the City of Kansas City, Kansas, is also paving the way for redevelopment opportunities in the eastern portion of the city.

Madam Speaker, I know that all members of this House join with me in celebrating the 150th anniversary of Wyandotte County, Kansas. I am proud to represent it in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my longtime, good friend, Walter Hiersteiner. He was an outstanding community leader in the Kansas City metropolitan area. A resident of Prairie Village, Kansas, Walt died on May 2nd at the age of 90, having lived a rich, full life that made a positive difference in the lives of his many friends and neighbors.

Walt was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and attended the University of Iowa and Harvard Law School, where he was a member of the law review. After serving in the Navy in World War II, he moved to Kansas City to practice law and later joined Tension Envelope, where he became vice chairman of the board of directors. Walt's first love was his family, especially his wife, Jean, and his grandchildren, to whom he was unconditionally devoted.

Walt was also devoted to his community. He was elected to the City Council of Fairway, Kansas. He served over 40 years on the Menorah Medical Center Board of Directors and was a member of the Executive Committee of the Truman Medical Center and the Truman Medical Center Foundation. He was active in the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the Board of Directors of Move-Up, which was formerly the Kansas City Ad Hoc Group Against Crime. He was a founding member of the Main Street Coalition. His passions, after family and golf, were enhancing public school education for the children of Shawnee Mission and the State of Kansas. He was elected to the Shawnee Mission School District Board of Education. He was appointed by Governor Robert Docking to serve on the Kansas Board of Regents and became chairman of that board. In addition he was co-chairman of the Committee for Excellence of the Shawnee Mission Schools and served on the Board of Governors of Kansas University Law School and the Kansas Higher Education Loan Program. These activities earned him the Kansas City Spirit Award and the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation Patron Award for service and support of Johnson County Schools. He was named Johnson Countian of the Year. Walt and Jean established the Walter and Jean Hiersteiner Early Childhood Development Center at the Johnson County Community College.

Walt is survived by Jean, his wife of 65 years; four children, Dick and Erica Hiersteiner of Boston, Massachusetts, Mary and David Ruedig of Concord, New Hampshire, Joe and Cathy Hiersteiner of Kansas City, and Dottie and Peter Oatman of Boulder, Colorado; nine grandchildren and his brother, Stanley of Des Moines, Iowa; his sister Shirley Feldman of Sleepy Hollow, New York, and several nieces and nephews.

Madam Speaker, Walt Hiersteiner was a vitally important community leader and activist in the Third Congressional District of Kansas, as well as my personal friend for many years. I include with this tribute two press articles that detail some of his many accomplishments for our community; a 2002 column in the Kansas City Business Journal by former Kansas City Board of Trade President/CEO Michael Braude, and an article that the Kansas City Star carried upon Walt's death. Both detail the impact that Walt Hiersteiner had upon the Kansas City community, and explain why he will be sorely missed by all of us.

[From the Kansas City Business Journal, Sept. 27, 2002]

Local Executive Leaves His Mark on Health Care, Education

(By Michael Braude)

I am not bad at hyperbole--but hyperbole is impossible when

it comes to the subject of today's column.

``Role model,'' ``pillar of our community,'' ``business

leader with a true social conscience'' all fail to do justice

to Walter Hiersteiner. His considerable accomplishments in

the business world as a top executive at Tension Envelope

Corp. are eclipsed only by his pivotal role in making our

community a better place. His imprint on health and education

in the heartland is indelible.

John W. Bluford, CEO at Truman Medical Centers, said:

``Walter Hiersteiner has been a tremendous asset to Truman

Medical Centers for a number of years and in a number of

ways. In addition to his financial support, which has

provided, among other gifts, scholarships for nurses, he has

given moral support and advice to TMC through his formal

roles as member of the TMC board of directors and TMC

Charitable Foundation. But most of all, Walt has acted as

conscience, sage, statesman and mentor. He is our 'go to'

man, and when we go to him, he always delivers.''

At all levels of education, Walter has left his positive

imprint. Marjorie Kaplan, superintendent of the Shawnee

Mission School District, told me recently:

``Walt is a truly fine person with many talents. He has a

passion for learning and is an articulate spokesperson for

providing a quality education for all children. He

understands the connection between public schooling and

quality of life. Ever interested and ever active, Walt has

never lost his enthusiasm for supporting just causes and

improving our community.

``A longtime supporter of our school district, Walt has

served on the Shawnee Mission Board of Education and as

chairperson and member of numerous committees. With his sharp

mind, his ability to analyze situations and solve problems,

Walt has been an asset to Shawnee Mission for over 3o

years.''

It was on school issues that I first met Walter, and I now

have been privileged to call him friend for more than 3o

years. Before unification, when I ran for the old Westwood

View School Board, it was his sage counsel that enabled me to

win the election. Now, more than three decades later, when I

want to know what is really going on at any level of

education in our area, I call Walt. Walt also calls me. Since

I've been writing for The Business Journal, he never

hesitates to call when he either agrees or disagrees with

my point of view. Frankly, when the latter is the case, I

always pause and ask myself: ``Was I wrong?'' This is

simply because I have so much respect for his judgment and

opinions. Walt's position on issues or candidates is never

based on ideology or party affiliation but rather on what

he believes is best for the people of Kansas City. That is

precisely how it should be.

Walter's longtime friend Paul Uhlmann Jr. captured the

essence of the man when he said:

``Walter has had a major effect on life in greater Kansas

City. His high offices held, in many diverse organizations,

are proof of his ability and of his stature. However, his

real

work is, in my opinion, his ability to give moral leadership

to the not-for-profit marketplace world and intellectual

force to problem-solving.

``All the above with a soft voice, a mild and pleasant

manner, a bow tie, a firm jaw and an unshakeable faith in our

country and its ability to solve its, and maybe the world's,

problems.''

A lengthy editorial in a recent edition of the Sunday New

York Times decried the fact that the national mood of

``wanting to make the world a better place'' that was so

pervasive after Sept. 11, 2001, has largely evaporated.

Walter personified and daily lived that credo long before

9/11, and he will continue to do so for the rest of his life.

It did not take a monumental national tragedy to light the

spark of true community service in this extraordinary human

being.

As John Bluford, Marjorie Kaplan, Paul Uhlmann and I look

objectively at Walter Hiersteiner, almost any adjective we

use is not hyperbole; it is understatement. We are so

fortunate to have him in our community.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

I rise today with my colleagues from Maryland and Ohio, Congressman Frank Kratovil and Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy, in offering this income verification amendment to H.R. 1728.

It is well known that the misrepresentation and the unverified nature of a borrower's income was a contributing factor to the mortgage crisis. Some borrowers purposely misstated or altered their incomes on documents in order to qualify for loans they couldn't afford, and some lenders either ignored or encouraged that practice.

Columnist Gretchen Morgenson wrote last year: ``While borrowers may have misrepresented their incomes, either on their own or at the urging of their mortgage brokers, lenders had the tools to identify these fibs before making the loans. All they had to do was ask the IRS.''

Our amendment would require lenders to do this by simply verifying the borrower's income documentation with the IRS. They already have a program to do this, the Income Verification Express Service. This program utilizes IRS tax transcripts to verify a borrower's income within 2 business days, often the same day, for less than $5. This simple step will help catch fraudulent behavior before a lender closes on a loan that a borrower may not be able to afford.

In his recent report to Congress, the special investigator inspector general for TARP recommended third-party verification of income like this IRS tax transcript program to prevent fraud. Income verification will strengthen the integrity of our mortgage system by ensuring borrowers receive a loan they can repay, lenders underwrite loans that are less likely to default, investors regain their confidence in the securitization process, and in the case of government-supported loans, taxpayers are protected.

I urge my colleagues to support our income verification amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to Congressman Frank Kratovil of Maryland.

I yield the gentleman 30 additional seconds.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy from Ohio.