Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, on the 16th, the House pages played two games with the Senate pages. The Senate pages lucked up and won a Frisbee match--but with probably some cheating--but the House pages, standing strong, following all the rules, doing the right thing, defeated the Senate pages badly, 10-4, in kickball. And as the Senate pages, with their heads dropped and their spirits torn, left the field, they reported to the Senate only one part of that day, which was the game they lucked up and won.

So, Madam Speaker, I want to commend the athletic pages of the House of Representatives and hope that we can continue to get superior pages, as we have this year, in the future.

Congratulations to the pages.

Mr. Speaker, a little over 2 years ago, our Nation walked to the precipice. Many Americans are perhaps unaware of the fact that we were very, very close not to a major recession but a depression. And for this body to pass financial reform was, I think, one of the better things we have done.

For financial reform to remain on the table over in the Senate is just abominable. Many people were out trying to survive during this crisis and still losing money, still losing homes.

We saw Wall Street playing around with derivatives that many of them didn't even understand. They hired physicists to actually describe what would happen with the derivatives. So if we don't do financial reform, we're going to leave the American public vulnerable.

We have got to do it. We have got to establish a Financial Consumer Protection Agency and we need to do it now.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4178) to amend the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to provide for deposit restricted qualified tuition programs, and for other purposes, as amended.

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 myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, today we are taking up H.R. 4178, the Deposit Restricted Qualified Tuition Programs Act of 2009. This

bill establishes an avenue for those wanting to save for the college education of a child, grandchild, or other related individual, to do so in a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, FDIC-insured, deposit.

At the present time, savers can only access the 529 College Savings Program through a securities-based plan, and my bill would not change this avenue. However, following the recent crash of the stock market, many savers saw their accounts drop in value by 50 percent or more, and as such, are reluctant to place any more money in a securities-based plan. Furthermore, many small savers can find investing in securities- based products both complex and intimidating. An FDIC-insured deposit option would provide guaranteed principal return and a guaranteed return on the deposit, all from a commercial bank with which the saver likely has a relationship.

This proposed legislation will help families across the United States save in a safe, sound, and simple manner for their children and grandchildren's college education. This bill does not make any changes to the current 529 College Savings Program nor the current delivery system of the program through a securities-based plan, nor the tax treatment of the 529 plans. It simply adds another 529 College Savings Program delivery option through an FDIC-insured deposit.

This is a bipartisan bill. It has both the chairman and the ranking Republican member of the House Financial Services Committee as cosponsors, among other Republicans and Democrats. At a time when our Nation is concerned about congressional quarreling based on political party affiliation, it is refreshing that both parties can support this bill.

Currently, section 529 programs are established and maintained by the States, who in turn generally contract out with securities firms and others to administer the programs. Investors may go through a State agency to invest in a 529 or, in many cases, through a securities dealer. Many States typically offer a number of investment options or portfolios, including ones that minimize the potential loss of invested principal. The bill is intended to encourage States to offer, among the options they provide investors, deposit-restricted qualified tuition programs.

The bill will not be independent of, nor compete with, the current State programs. In order to qualify as a 529 program under section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, the program must be established and maintained by a State. Therefore, this program would be a State program, and the laws of the various States would have to be adapted to establish such a program.

In my home State of Missouri, the law which has already been adopted establishes a deposit-only program as separate from the securities- based program. The State would still generally hire a third party to administer the program. The third party could be the same one that manages the securities program or it could be a different third party. I do have a letter of support from our State Treasurer asking that this bill be approved.

H.R. 4178 does not create a State program. The bill is intended to provide States another option to offer investors this deposit- restricted qualified tuition program.

Total 529 savings plans assets were $117 billion at the end of the fourth quarter of 2009, reflecting a 6 percent increase from third quarter 2009 assets of $110.5 billion.

My office asked the FDIC for statistical information on 529 plans and deposit insurance programs. The FDIC provided the following information: ``Currently seven States offer 529 plans that include an option to invest in an insured deposit either as part of a broader investment strategy or as a sole investment. All of these plans are open to nonresidents, although the Ohio plan requires nonresidents to go through a broker to access the plan. Two of the States have offered the insured deposit option since 1998. Three of the States recently added the insured deposit option to their plans. States offering an insured deposit investment option are Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Information gathered from five of these States indicates that at the end of 2009, there was approximately $670 million invested in FDIC-insured deposit options of their plans. For these States approximately $207 million was added to the FDIC-insured option in 2009. Three of the responding States were able to identify whether the funds invested in their FDIC-insured option represented new money or a transfer of funds from another option in an already established 529 plan. For these States approximately 47 percent of the funds placed in the FDIC-insured option in 2009 were transferred from other 529 options, representing approximately $82 million of the approximately $173 million added to the FDIC-insured option in these States.''

Additionally, the FDIC has already said they will insure 529 deposited accounts at the regular insured rate of $250,000, which we raised. The Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation have completed the review of the budgetary impact of H.R. 4178, the Deposit Restricted Qualified Tuition Programs Act of 2009. They determined that by enacting this legislation, it would affect revenues but estimate that the reduction in revenues would not be significant over the 2010-2020 period. Similarly, implementing the bill could affect direct spending, but the net impact of such spending would be negligible over the next 10 years.

Mr. Speaker, in particular I would like to congratulate the Missouri Bankers Association president, Max Cook, for bringing this needed bill to my attention. The Missouri Bankers Association moved a bill in the Missouri legislature several years ago to allow the FDIC-insured 529 deposit accounts because they thought it would be helpful to Missouri college students and parents who were saving for them.

For the Record, I would like to submit records of support from the Missouri Bankers Association, the Missouri Independent Bankers Association, the Office of the Missouri State Treasurer, the Independent Community Bankers Association, and the American Bankers Association. Although the support letters are written in support of H.R. 3599, H.R. 4178 is identical to H.R. 3599 except for some small technical changes and more cosponsors.

I am pleased this Congress will address H.R. 4178 and move the legislation forward. This is a bill all Members can support. I strongly urge all Members to vote for H.R. 4178.

Missouri Bankers Association,

Jefferson City, MO, Nov. 3, 2009.

Hon. Emanuel Cleaver II,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative Cleaver: I am writing today on behalf

of the three hundred twenty-five Missouri Bankers Association

member banks and savings and loans to express our exuberant

support for H.R. 3599, The Deposit Restricted Qualified

Tuition Programs Act of 2009.

As you know, this legislation establishes a means for

thousands and thousands of Americans wanting to save for the

college education of a child, grandchild or other related

person and to do so in a Federal Deposit Insurance

Corporation (FDIC) insured deposit. At the present time,

savers can only access the 529 college savings program

through a securities based plan. This legislation leaves that

in place and adds the FDIC insured deposit option.

After the recent crash of the stock market, many savers saw

their 529 accounts drop in value by as much as fifty percent

or more and as such are reluctant to place any more monies in

a securities based plan. Furthermore, many small savers can

find investing in securities based products both complex and

intimidating. A FDIC insured deposit option would provide

guaranteed principal return and a guaranteed return on the

deposit, all from a commercial bank that the saver likely has

a relationship with. This proposed legislation will help

families across the United States save in a safe, sound and

simple manner for their children and grandchildren's college

education.

We sincerely thank you for your sponsorship of this

legislation and look forward to its swift passage in the

House.

Sincerely,

Max Cook,

President and CEO.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3553) to exclude from consideration as income under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 amounts received by a family from the Department of Veterans Affairs for service-related disabilities of a member of the family.

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 myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, according to the most recent U.S. census data from 2003, there are 561 federally recognized tribes, which include Native American Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages. More than three- quarters of a million Native Americans live on reservations or in other tribal areas, and another 1.68 million live outside tribal areas. Furthermore, a total of 34 percent of the Native population resides in rural areas, where many reservations are located.

It has become clear that much of the housing in tribal areas lack adequate housing compared to the general U.S. population. According to the 2000 Census Bureau report, 14.7 percent of homes in tribal areas are overcrowded, compared to 5.7 percent of homes of the general U.S. population. On Native American lands, 11.7 percent of residents lack complete plumbing facilities, compared to 1.2 percent of the general U.S. population. Furthermore, according to a 2005 Government Accounting Office report, 11 percent of residents lack kitchen facilities, compared to merely 1 percent of the general U.S. population.

This situation is even more dire for those in need of housing on tribal lands. In total, approximately 90,000 Native American families are homeless or underhoused and an estimated 200,000 housing units are needed immediately in Indian Country, according to a 2003 report from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

However, Native Americans have the highest rate of serving in the military, making them more likely to serve of any ethnic group. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 22 percent, 22 percent, of Native Americans are currently serving in the military. It is appalling that although Native Americans are the most likely to serve of any ethnic group, little has been provided to ensure adequate and sufficient housing for the brave veterans who have served our Nation. Furthermore, with the total number of disabled veterans in the United States currently at 24 million and 3.1 million veterans receiving service-connected disability benefits, it is also evident that many Native American veterans are also struggling with disabilities.

The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996, or NAHASDA, was established through the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide housing services to Native Americans based on a needs-based formula. Unfortunately, under the current calculation, Native American veterans and their families and survivors are often disqualified from this program.

By calculating disability payments and survivor benefits into the family's income, the family will often exceed the 80 percent area median income threshold required under this program's regulations, thereby disqualifying the family from the program.

Mrs. Kirkpatrick's bill, H.R. 3553, will correct this provision by amending the definition of ``income'' in NAHASDA to exclude payments for disability and service-related injuries. By doing so, disabled Native American veterans, their families, and their survivors will be able to qualify for this program. This bill will do much to help ensure that all citizens are adequately served in government housing programs, especially those who have served our Nation bravely.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Kirkpatrick), the sponsor of this legislation.

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

Madam Speaker, I proudly rise today in recognizing the outstanding achievements and cultural legacy of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, in Missouri's Fifth District which I am privileged to represent. The Nelson-Atkins, founded in 1933, is home to more than 33,500 works of art and is an institution ``committed through its collections and programs to being a vital partner in the educational and cultural life of Kansas City and a preeminent institution both nationally and internationally.''

The Museum has developed into the recognizable and renowned institution that it is today with Director and CEO Marc F. Wilson at the helm. Marc graduated from the prestigious Yale University in 1963 with a B.A. in European History and in 1967 with a M.A. in Chinese Studies and Asian Art History. He cultivated his professional skills through the Ford Foundation grants and enriching travels through East Asia. Marc returned to Kansas City in 1971 as Associate Curator of Chinese Art and helped organize an exhibition called Archaeological Finds of the People's Republic of China. The 1975 exhibition is remembered for lines of visitors that stretched to the street and became the Museum's largest blockbuster. In 1982, Marc Wilson became the museum's fourth director.

Under his leadership, the Nelson-Atkins has developed the reputation as an iconic cultural center that is considered to be one of the primary destinations for Asian art and also boasts extensive collections in European, American, American Indian, Photography, Decorative Arts, and Modern and Contemporary works of art. During Marc's tenure, the Nelson-Atkins received international acclaim with the Bloch Building expansion. Designed by Steven Holl and acclaimed by Time Magazine as the No. 1 Architectural Marvel of 2007, the Bloch Building is an architectural masterpiece. It fluidly incorporates the landscape, neighboring classical building, and the Kansas City Sculpture Park. The Bloch Building is also a sustainable venture. The surrounding gardens help insulate the building and catch excess rain waters. The multiple screens in the glass cavities also control lighting and heating of galleries.

This year, the Museum celebrated 75 years of excellence. In honor of this historical commemoration many local philanthropists, including honorary trustee Henry Bloch, have given or promised masterpieces to the Nelson-Atkins--enhancing the experience of art through personal treasures that are now shared with all who visit the museum.

After 39 years with the museum, Marc has chosen to retire. His legacy will continue to grow through the educational opportunities fostered through his outreach and classes that develop the skills and interest of artist. Because of his work, people of all nationalities and ages explore exhibits that have found their way to the Heart of America through his reputation and professional guidance. Michael Braude from the Kansas City Business Journal called Marc ``totally approachable.''

Those who work with Marc know of his great passion for speed and finely tuned machines, including his motorcycles and his sportscars, which he races in the Sports Car Club of America regional events. They also know that he is a part-time farmer on his historic tobacco farm near Weston, Mo. They may not know that as a younger man, he was respected for his fencing abilities and his marksmanship as a shooter.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Marc Wilson on his retirement. As he retires, he leaves with the respect of his peers, his staff, and the community that has benefited so greatly from Marc's leadership. He will be missed, but his accomplishments will continue to make the museum one of the gems of our community.

Madam Speaker, Chairman Frank and I would like to extend our congratulations to UMB Bank, its officers, directors, shareholders and employees on being designated by Forbes magazine as the second-best bank in America in 2009. UMB Financial Corporation headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is a $10.2 billion bank founded in 1913 with first day deposits of $1,100.00. Six generations of the Kemper family have owned and/or operated UMB. Currently Mariner Kemper is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Peter deSilva, is the President and Chief Operating Officer, Peter Genovese is the Vice Chairman and Michael Hagedorn is the Chief Financial Officer. UMB operates in seven states--Missouri, Illinois, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Arizona and is the second largest bank holding company headquartered in Missouri.

The Bank's shared corporate vision is ``To be recognized for THE unparalleled customer experience.'' One of the corporation's shared values is ``Customers First--We do the unparalleled to create an environment that consistently exceeds the expectations of our customers.''

UMB Bank embodies strong community involvement in all the communities it serves. From financing for small businesses, to providing working capital loans to companies that support job creation and retention, to employee volunteerism and corporate donations UMB stands tall with their communities. In fact UMB just received an ``Outstanding'' rating from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in their most recent public evaluation of UMB's community lending and participation.

When the largest banks in America were trying to repay billions of dollars in TARP funds and to improve their balance sheets and to deal with the impact of severe economic problems in the states where they do business, UMB was keeping to their business strategy, conservative with slow, steady growth. Their non-performing loans as a percent to total loans was 0.7 percent, the fourth best in this category in the country; reserves as a percentage of nonperforming loans was 210 percent; and their Tier 1 capital ratio was 13.5 percent. Their stock trades at 1.5 times its book value. In a September 2009 TheStreet.com article ``UMB's Kemper Proves Boring Is Better: Best In Class'', Mariner Kemper said ``The Street, the investor population, believed that we . . . could leverage [our] earnings streams more, if we had taken the same risks as the rest of the industry. I'm thrilled to be able to stand up and say: Those strategies worked for us! We didn't erase 20 years of earnings by taking three years of risks.''

To be rated the second-best bank in America in 2009 by Forbes out of the 100 largest banks and thrifts in America is ``A great source of pride for everyone at UMB'', Mariner Kemper said in a January press release. He went on to say, ``This ranking also shows that the regional banking model works. UMB sticks to our time-tested prudent business practices, such as making loans within our territory, building relationships with our customers and understanding that strong underwriting practices produce quality results. Our standards have remained unchanged in all economic conditions. This principle, as well as a focus on a diversified income stream from fee-based businesses, affords us steady growth.''

Madam Speaker, again we offer UMB Bank and all its employees, officers, directors and shareholders our heartiest congratulations on a job well done.

Madam Speaker, Chairman Frank and I would like to extend our congratulations to Commerce Bank, its officers, directors, shareholders and employees on being designated by Forbes magazine as the third-best bank in America in 2009. Commerce Financial Corporation head-quartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is an $18 billion bank founded in 1865. It is the largest bank ranked in the top 10 by Forbes. Five generations of the Kemper family have owned and/or operated Commerce Bank. Currently David Kemper is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Commerce Bancshares, Inc., Jonathan Kemper is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Commerce Bank, N.A. and Vice Chairman of Commerce Bancshares, Inc. Commerce Bank operates in five states-- Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Oklahoma and Colorado. The Bank's corporate mission is ``To raise the voice of the customer and, in doing so, create a differentiating experience which encourages our customers to develop a relationship with Commerce and then become long-tenured, loyal customers.'' The company's customer promise is ``ask listen solve. That means the company promises to ask the right questions, listen carefully to what our customer is telling us, then solve for the appropriate solution to meet our customers' specific needs.''

Commerce Bank embodies strong community involvement in all the communities it serves. Commerce Bancshares Foundation invested more than $1.4 million in community and charitable programs throughout their service areas in 2008 with a total of 780 grants awarded to 635 organizations. Through their employee volunteerism and corporate donations Commerce stands tall with their communities. In fact Commerce Bank just received an ``Outstanding'' rating from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in their recent public evaluation of Commerce's community lending and participation.

Also in 2009, Commerce Bancshares, Inc. received J.D. Power and Associates Award ``Highest Customer Satisfaction with Retail Banking in the Midwest Region Two Years in a Row, Tied in 2009.''

Commerce is committed to environmental sustainability to reduce their environmental footprint. They encourage recycling, try to consume less paper, encourage employee carpooling and public transportation and monitor and manage energy usage. In 2008, Commerce opened Missouri's first LEED-certified bank branch in O'Fallon, Missouri. They are working hard to reduce their energy use, minimize water use, and use outdoor lighting and general building comfort in new branch designs as well as remodeled facilities.

When the largest banks in America were trying to repay billions of dollars in TARP funds and to improve their balance sheets and to deal with the impact of severe economic problems in the states where they do business, Commerce was keeping to their business strategy, conservative with slow, steady growth. Their non-performing loans as a percent to total loans was 1.6 percent, which ranked them 20th in this category in the country; reserves as a percentage of non-performing loans was 114 percent; and their Tier 1 capital ratio was 12.1 percent. Their stock trades at 1.8 times its book value. To be rated the third-best bank in America in 2009 by Forbes out of the 100 largest banks and thrifts in America is a great honor for everyone at Commerce Bank. Madam Speaker, again we offer Commerce Bank and all its employees, officers, directors and shareholders our heartiest congratulations on a job well done.

Thank you, Ms. Fudge. Thank you for getting this hour tonight for us to talk about one of the most significant issues facing the American public. And I would also like to thank Oakland's Barbara Lee for her leadership. She has been myopic in making sure that not only the Black Caucus, but none of the caucuses nor the Democratic Caucus stray too far from the main theme that we have been pushing, which is that we need jobs, and we need them now.

Mr. Speaker, there's little question that the economists believe that the U.S. economy is in fact in a recovery mode. There are signs all around that we are coming out of the recession, but the recession continues to take its toll on the American public. We know that jobs always lag in the recovery. In fact, if you look at some of the Wall Street banks, you will find that many of them actually are showing huge profits, some of the top 10 banks--actually, the top 25 banks, some of whom received money from the taxpayers to help bail them out.

And so the question today, when we still have an anemic economy, is: Who's going to bail out the American public? Well, what we do know is that the jobless rate is now still hovering at about 10 percent. And if you break it down, as did our Chair, Barbara Lee, you will find out that many African Americans are the ones who are suffering. Why is that? Well, it's kind of simple. The weak labor markets in our country are in areas where we generally have high black populations. South Carolina is one. Michigan is the other. African Americans migrated to Michigan to work in the automobile industry. African Americans have been in South Carolina almost since 1619, when we came to this land. And so it is somewhat misleading to believe that we can address this issue of unemployment without some special emphasis on what's happening to African Americans who are also unemployed.

When you just look at the statistics, the economists say that we need to create 100,000 jobs a month just to absorb the new people coming into the job market. We are not creating jobs. In fact, we have not created the kinds of jobs that we need for the last three decades. We have not been able to generate a hundred thousand jobs a month.

I think the President was wise when he submitted to Congress the stimulus package. I think Congress was wise, or at least we were wise, to vote for it. Because inside this stimulus package is at least the opportunity for jobs for all people, but it provides minorities with a unique opportunity to connect with what I believe and what many others believe to be the next job creator, and that is in the field of energy.

We have significant dollars placed in the Department of Energy, where men and women who are citizens of our country can in fact seek new opportunities in that field. For example, I am convinced that in the days to come, men and women will call people to come out to do weatherization in their homes like they call a plumber today. People will call a weatherization specialist, who comes out, he surveys the place, he finds where there's a leak, where there's an energy leak, and they will seal it up. That's an entirely new arena--a whole new job area that we have not had before.

But it's also important to keep in mind that technology is eliminating jobs even as we try and produce them. I used to tell my staff members how frustrated I was when I go to the airport, as we all do twice a week, and look at the kiosk which all of the airlines now have, and the clerks behind the counter will direct you to the kiosk. I told my staff, I said, Do you realize what's happening? The people

who are directing us to use the kiosk to get our ticket are also eliminating their jobs.

It's just a matter of time, Mr. Speaker, before we're going to go to airports that are not going to be ``peopled'' by the ticket clerks, as we see today. And everybody will simply go use a credit card or some special card and they will be able to get their tickets. For most of the Members of Congress, most of us go to the airport with our tickets in hand anyway, because you can now get your ticket printed on the computer. So I think we're eliminating jobs and there's a need for us to do something, and do something significant.

Now there are those who are saying, Look, the job market will take care of itself. The markets will always engage in self-correction. That is what has gotten us into the economic collapse that we have experienced over the last year and a half, is waiting for the markets to do the right thing and waiting for some of the institutions that were able to function without strong regulations to do the right thing. They did not. And they hurt us. And we were hurt perhaps more than any other group.

So what I think we are going to have to do is do a jobs bill, a serious jobs bill. And by the way, I was delighted that in our meeting with the President last week that he said to us that he strongly supports a summer youth jobs program. I thought that was the most significant thing that came out of the meeting. Why? Because in about 8 weeks, schools will turn out all over the United States. Everywhere in this country kids will be going home, and these kids this summer will be going home unemployed to unemployed parents.

Now, it does not take a physicist or a nuclear scientist to look at that situation and see that it is going to be chaotic at the very least, and so we need a summer youth jobs bill, and we need it now. We need it quickly so that the bureaucrats can have things in place by the time school is out, so that there won't be a long period of time during which kids are just aimlessly walking up and down the streets. Because we all have been kids, and we all know that we were not at our highest level of thoughtfulness and can do dumb things at that age. So I'm thinking that it might be helpful if we move that summer youth jobs program to the forefront.

And I am not, Mr. Speaker, convinced that we don't need something else. I don't think we need another $876 billion stimulus, but I do believe that we've got to do something that would create jobs directly. And Paul Krugman, the economist who also is a columnist in The New York Times, has suggested--and I agree--that perhaps we need to think about the fact that the United States Government can create jobs that people can actually use. I'm not suggesting that we need to approve money at the level that we did for the WPA during the Great Depression, from 1929 through the thirties, but I am saying that there can be some kind of direct jobs program put in place that will enable folks to get jobs quickly. If we don't, we're going to find that this job market is going to continue to hemorrhage.

When you think about the fact, as Congresswoman Lee mentioned earlier, that the States are laying off employees, cities are laying off employees, by the time we find employment for those government workers on the local level who lost their jobs to get some kind of job, we still have not done much, because we haven't dealt with the people who have been on the unemployment rolls.

In my committee last week, Ms. Fudge, we had a person who testified before the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming who said that he was opposed to giving employment insurance. He also went on further to say that if you give unemployment insurance, it will make people lazy. Now, somebody like me who spent time growing up in public housing and heard people saying that welfare people love to have babies so they could get another $100 a month is almost laughable, but it is also believed by many. So we need to keep in mind that there will always be push-back against what we are trying to do.

But the American public needs to go to work, right now start going to work. And most economists believe that unemployment will continue at at least 8 percent or higher into 2012. We can't afford to have that size of our population without employment. It is dehumanizing when you can't take care of yourself, and we're going to find more and more people doing what I have seen in Kansas City at the church my son pastors, where middle class people, people who were in the U.S. middle class, are now unemployed. We have had Ph.D.'s coming to my office, trying to get an internship just so they can get in and hopefully get a job. So when people say, Well, there are jobs out there for everybody; they just need to go and get them, that's absolutely ludicrous. It is ridiculous, and it plays the American public as fools, because there are real human beings with real families who are losing their homes.

What people don't realize is, when you lose your job, you can't make your mortgage payment. If you can't make your mortgage payment, you lose your home. If you lose your home, your credit is ruined. You can't buy a car. You can't hardly buy anything. Even today, with an 800 credit score, you are barely going to be able to buy a new car. So I think we are having a recovery, but the recovery is not strong enough, and it's not moving quickly enough.

So, Congresswoman Fudge, I appreciate the fact that this issue-- through you getting this before the American public tonight--is going to resonate with a lot of people who are unemployed, but it will also resonate, I hope, with men and women of goodwill who believe that the American public must always take care of the American public.

Mr. Speaker, back during the time when I played football in high school and college, I ended up on the corner. And it was at that time that most teams ran what was called ``student body right'' and ``student body left,'' which meant that there would be a sweep around the end and you would have a pulling guard, a pulling tackle, a wide receiver who was in motion, a fullback all leading a running back. The only people who could play that position were those who were willing to run into this interference. Now, the person who ran into the interference would rarely ever make a tackle, and only people who understood football would understand the job that this cornerback played. So playing that position, I never led my team in tackles, but my team elected me as its captain. They understood football.

And so, on the 25th anniversary of the Presidential run of the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Mr. Speaker, I nominate him as our captain. He is our captain because he was willing to go in and knock down the interference so that somebody else would make the tackle and get the recognition.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the anniversary of two U.S. allies. Twenty years ago, during the month of November 1989, the country then known as Czechoslovakia freed itself of communist control, instituted democratic elections and set out to adapt its command economy to the free market. From what many refer to as the ``Velvet Revolution of 1989'' or the ``Gentle Revolution,'' Czechoslovakia peacefully became two democratic countries by mutual consent: the Czech Republic and Slovakia on January 1, 1993. The Velvet Revolution or the Gentle Revolution, if you wish, opened the way for democracy and prosperity for the people of the former Czechoslovakia.

During their brief history as independent nations, both the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic garnered worldwide respect with their admittance into the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Nations. They have further solidified their commitment with their military units participating in NATO missions throughout the globe.

The Czech Republic has a local tie to its NATO admission with Missouri's Fifth District. The documents of admission were signed at the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri. We are honored to have H.E. Peter Burian, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the U.S. and Daniel Kostoval, Deputy Chief of Mission from the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Missouri's Fifth District from November 5-7, 2009 to celebrate the birth and growth of two allied nations. Amongst their many activities with our local Czech-American and Slovak-American communities, the visiting dignitaries will lay a wreath at President Truman's grave on Friday, November 6th to commemorate their NATO affiliations.

Madam Speaker, please join me in expressing our heartfelt congratulations to the Czech Republic and Slovakia for their relentless efforts in extending goodwill and democratic principles, not only within their borders, but to the global community including the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri. I urge my colleagues to please join me in expressing our appreciation to two nations who continue to evolve in the democratic tradition.

Mr. Speaker, the First World War ended with an armistice on November 11, 1918. The people of Missouri's largest city began to think about what they could do to memorialize the men and women who had sacrificed in World War I. And so in November of 1918, community leaders came together and raised $2.5 million in 10 days. Now if you recalculate the $2.5 million to inflation, it totals $30 million in 10 days.

The memorial was opened on November 1, 1921, to a tumultuous crowd of 200,000 people, including General John J. Pershing, and this photo shows a portion of the 200,000 people who came and listened to the five Allied leaders who were together only once in history at the dedication of the Liberty Memorial in 1921.

Harry Truman played a pivotal role in this because there was a rededication in 1961 with 40,000 people showing up to join Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower as they rededicated the memorial.

This was 1921. Let me show you a picture of the memorial today.

When I was elected mayor of Kansas City in 1991, the Liberty Memorial was in disrepair and so I came to Washington, met with the head of the National Park Service and asked if they could help. He said what National Park Service directors should say, We don't have any money to try to rebuild the Liberty Memorial and since we don't have a World War I memorial and there is no space on the mall, we hope something else can transpire.

So as mayor, I went out for a vote with a half cent sales tax which the voters approved, and we then repaired the World War I monument, and this is it with part of the downtown skyline in the background. Not only did we rebuild the World War I monument, but also the museum at the bottom. This is an actual photograph.

Now the sales tax was a point of great pride because we were trying to show the National Park Service that the people of Kansas City would, in fact, take care of this. This is the newspaper clipping, the front page on the day after the tax, ``Voters Endorse Higher Sales Tax to Fix Landmark,'' and it shows the map which is every part of the city approved this tax in order to maintain the Liberty Memorial.

The Liberty Memorial is a special place in Kansas City, Missouri, and people come there from all over the Nation. In fact, 3 years ago at the annual Veterans Day ceremony, the oldest living veteran from World War I, Mr. Buckles, at 106 years of age, actually came to the memorial, sat beside me in a wheelchair and wept.

Here is a photograph of the Liberty Memorial just 15 months ago that shows me standing in front of 75,000 people, and then President Barack Obama, taking advantage of the crowd I drew, standing also in the background to speak to 75,000 just 15 months ago.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is supported by over 101 Members of Congress. It is bipartisan. All nine Members of the Missouri delegation support

it. A part of Kansas City is in the district of Congressman Sam Graves who has been an ardent supporter of this.

I yield first to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) whose father was there at the beginning of this landmark.

Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the Deposit Restricted Qualified Tuition Programs Act of 2009. My bill establishes an avenue for those wanting to save for the college education of a child, grandchild or other related individual, to do so in a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured deposit. At the present time, savers can only access the 529 college savings program through a securities based plan and my bill would not change this avenue.

However, following the recent crash of the stock market, many savers saw their accounts drop in value by fifty percent or more and as such are reluctant to place any more monies in a securities based plan. Furthermore, many small savers can find investing in securities based products both complex and intimidating. A FDIC insured deposit option would provide guaranteed principal return and a guaranteed return on the deposit, all from a commercial bank that the saver likely has a relationship with. This proposed legislation will help families across the United States save in a safe, sound and simple manner for their children and grandchildren's college education.

Again Madam Speaker, this bill does not make any changes to the current 529 college savings program nor the current delivery system of the program through a securities based plan. It simply adds another 529 college savings program delivery option through an FDIC insured deposit.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 317, a bill to recognize the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor.

In 1871, the first stockyard was opened in Kansas City and soon grew into one of the nation's premier livestock facilities. Kansas City's tradition of being a national leader in the agriculture sector continues today with the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor, an area stretching from Manhattan, Kansas through Missouri's Fifth District to Columbia, Missouri.

This region is home to more than 120 companies, including many of the nation's leading and largest animal health businesses. Sales of animal health products from companies located in the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor account for nearly a third of the global $16.8 billion dollar animal health and nutrition industry.

Activities in the Animal Health Corridor are not limited to the commercial aspects of animal health. Four of our nation's top veterinarian schools are located within 350 miles of the Animal Health Corridor. In addition to these premier veterinarian programs, other schools in the Corridor offer programs focused on animal health training and specialized degrees such as a Masters in Business Administration in Animal Health. Animal health research is greatly advanced in the Corridor by the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute which offers grants of up to $50,000 for researchers to study diseases that have the ability to infect both humans and animals.

The businesses, schools, and organizations in and around the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor are the national, if not global, leaders in the animal health research and production sectors and I am proud to have these institutions in my district and to support the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor. Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the area of Manhattan, Kansas to Columbia, Missouri as the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor.