Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise this evening to bid farewell to an individual that I have come to know over the last 4 years since I first started serving in this House. She is not only a friend, she is a neighbor. She is an individual that I look to as a colleague and counsel.

As has been mentioned before, Kathryn Lehman has been a critical asset to this institution over the length of her career here. She has worked for the majority leader when he was majority whip. That is where I came to know her, and it is then that I began to see the incredible addition she was to the leadership team of this House.

She has provided tremendous insight into not only the history of this institution, but also to the intricacies of the legislative process, and her ability to really grasp how to get things done in this town, and certainly in this building.

So it is with much sentiment, I think, that I say goodbye. I know it will not be a permanent goodbye. Kathryn is one who is a true believer, and I could tell that when I first met her, that she has the common sense and conservative values that are really what make this country great.

I guess we could claim her as an adopted Virginian. She lives in the legacy of those great public servants of the 18th century that founded this Nation and that left us such a legacy to contribute to our democracy, to stand up for the principles that we believe in.

So Kathryn, I want to thank you for all of your wise counsel. I will continue to seek that counsel. We will miss you here in the House, but we wish you all the best, and Godspeed.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, the House will convene on Tuesday at 2 p.m. for legislative business. We will consider several measures under suspension of the rules. A final list of those bills will be sent to Members' offices by the end of the week. Any votes called on those measures will be rolled until 6:30 p.m.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will convene at 10 a.m. for legislative business. We may consider additional legislation under suspension of the rules, as well as two bills under a rule, H.R. 1185, the Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act, and H.R. 366, the Vocational and Technical Education For the Future Act.

We plan to consider the vocational education bill on Wednesday, and the deposit insurance reform bill on Thursday.

Mr. Speaker, I would defer that decision to the Committee on Rules, but believe they will make a number of amendments in order on each bill.

Mr. Speaker, I tell the gentleman from Maryland, the minority whip, that the conference committee has met a number of times this week and I believe they are narrowing in on agreement. The gentleman from California (Chairman Lewis) has informed us that his goal is to reach an agreement with the Senate in time to file a conference report on Monday which would allow the House to consider it as early as Wednesday.

Mr. Speaker, I tell the gentleman from Maryland that the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary takes a position that everything was done correctly and in order and is looking forward to a debate on the floor on the resolution late Tuesday afternoon.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I think we can work that out, but I believe around 5 or 5:30 the debate will take place.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. I will tell the gentleman, again, that the chairman feels that all was in order and we will debate the question on the floor Tuesday afternoon.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and a little bit of sorrow that I rise this evening to recognize the fact that this may very well be one of the last nights for one of our very esteemed colleagues to serve on the floor of this great House.

I have gotten to know the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) over the last several years. I have had the privilege of serving with him on the Committee on Ways and Means and at the Republican leadership table. I do not believe that there is a finer or more dedicated public servant to serve in this House. There is no question that he has the respect of all of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle for his seriousness of purpose, for his understanding of the issues, and mastery of the legislative process. It will truly be a loss for us in the House, but we are also fortunate as Americans that the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) will go on to serve this great country and serve our President hopefully in the very near future.

So it is with a bittersweet good-bye that I do say and congratulate the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman).

I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley), another fellow member of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have the following names removed as a cosponsors of H.R. 1762: Mr. Feeney of Florida, Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut, and Mr. Jindal of Louisiana.

Mr. Speaker, April 24th marks the anniversary of one of the most horrible tragedies of the 20th century, the genocide that was committed against the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire. Over one million people were forced into exile and lost their lives during this horrible tragedy that befell the Armenian people in 1915.

The United States is proud of the strong ties we share with Armenia. Over the years many Armenian-Americans have helped to enrich and enhance our Nation's character; we have remained committed to peace in the region and will continue to help Armenia with its economic prosperity and strengthening of its democracy.

On this day of remembrance I send my solemn wishes to Armenians everywhere. I look forward to our nations working toward a future of peace, prosperity, and continued freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Matt Kiehl, a constituent who at the age of 17 has been awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. Matt has been involved in scouting since the age of seven when he started as a Tiger Cub. For the last 10 years, he has worked toward this goal which culminated in his Eagle Scout project to construct a prayer path at the Shalom House in Montpelier, Virginia. He, along with about 25 volunteers, completed the project this past December 18.

Matt is an exceptional student at the Maggie Walker Governor's School. Next year, he will join the ``We the People'' Team. This nationwide competition is based on students' knowledge and understanding of the Constitution. He also finished second in the National Catholic Forensic League state competition this year and will compete at the national competition.

Mr. Speaker, I join the Kiehl family--his father, Mark; mother, Leslie; and his sisters Jennifer and Stephanie--in honoring and recognizing the remarkable achievements of Matt. I am confident we will hear great things from him in the future.

Mr. Chairman, the comprehensive energy package that we pass today is a major step forward in our ability to provide certainty in the United States' energy sector. This legislation is the result of hundreds of hours of work developing a plan that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, improve our economy, and create jobs.

This legislation improves our nation's electricity transmission and reliability. It provides for safer, stable and more reliable energy sources within our own country, making us less reliant on oil from the Middle East.

Clean coal technology and incentives for renewable energies are a key part to the future of energy production and consumption in this country. Domestic oil and gas exploration will make us less susceptible to the rising prices of foreign energy sources.

And let us not forget that this bill does something for American families. As gas prices climb, it becomes more and more expensive to take our children to sports games, visit out-of-town family, and even drive. to work. We need relief from high gas prices and this legislation is a step in that direction.

Mr. Speaker, we have before us today a bill that provides a safety net for people who have lost a job, had health problems, or served in the military and cannot repay their debts. It gives them the opportunity for a fresh start while continuing to hold accountable those who are able to repay their debts.

Bankruptcy abuse represents a ``hidden tax'' on the American people. When businesses have to raise the cost of their products due to unpaid liabilities, that cost is passed unfairly to all of us.

When people file for bankruptcy and cancel out their debts, small businesses suffer major financial setbacks. Bankruptcy to a small business triggers a change in its bottom line. A smaller bottom line means less money to pay employees, which leads to job cuts--something nobody would like to talk about, and certainly nobody would like to encourage.

This legislation will modernize the system and make it more difficult to hide behind the protections of filing for bankruptcy. With this bill we will lessen the impact of the unpaid debt that is a hindrance to thousands of businesses and hurts our ability to create jobs.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the permanent repeal of the death tax. To put it simply, the death tax is just wrong. It is wrong to encourage people to work hard all their life, only to have the government reap the benefits when they die. It is wrong to levy hefty taxes against families of thriving small business owners just because their parents were successful. It is wrong to stifle economic growth by forcing small businesses to close because of an overbearing tax bill delivered by a greedy Uncle Sam.

Mr. Speaker, our Republican majority stands firmly against double taxation on working families. Taxes have already been paid on the assets subject to additional taxation under the death tax. I am confident that Americans are far better equipped than politicians to decide how to best spend their hard earned money. It is time for Congress to let important fiscal decisions to be made where they should be, at the kitchen table, not at the tax table.

Let's repeal this unjust tax and empower American working families who know best how to make the right decisions for themselves.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Pope John Paul II, who traveled the world for twenty-six years and touched billions of lives. In the countries he visited, he delivered a message of peace and reminded the world about the power of love for all humanity. As the leader of the Catholic Church, he worked toward the fall of communism and spread hope to millions of oppressed people. One of the most influential figures of the modern era, this son of Poland taught us to respect human life in all forms. His legacy will be felt for generations to come. His actions in life and his strength in death have inspired people of all faiths. I join with billions around the world who mourn the loss and celebrate the life of this great man.

Mr. Speaker, today we are facing a problem that if gone unchecked will have a detrimental effect on business's ability to create jobs and opportunity. In June, small and large companies will be subject to mandatory expensing of their stock options as required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. If businesses are forced to adhere to this untested and risky expensing method, it could hamper our growing economy at a time when it is crucial to sustain growth and create jobs, not stop it.

It is important that businesses continue to be able to use this valuable tool to attract employees to the market. Expensing of stock options will cause a blow to small business's investment and innovation. It will harm a market that uses stock options as a tool to recruit high quality employees to small firms. These innovators would be lost to larger, more established companies.

Stock options serve as a tool to drive innovation and creativity by linking company success to employee success. The Security and Exchange Commission has the duty to delay this plan until the valuation methods can be improved; I urge them to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Melinda and Merrill Gold on the birth of their twin daughters, Eliana Paige and Molly Gabrielle. Born February 12, 2005, Eliana and Molly are named in loving memory of their great grandmothers Ita Akerman and Mollie Freedman. Mr. Speaker, I hope you will join me in wishing the Gold family great happiness and joy in the coming years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the remarkable contributions of Brian K. Plum to the Page County Republican Committee during his service as chairman and for his service to the Town of Shenandoah in Virginia's Seventh District.

Brian's dedication to grassroots activism is evident by his many years of service to the Page Committee. At a young age, Brian was active in the party and organized the Young Republicans at Page County High School. During his three years as chairman, Brian continued to work tirelessly to organize and grow the committee. In that time, I had the pleasure of observing Brian's commitment and dedication to our party. His strong leadership and common sense have had tremendous effects on the committee, have ensured its success and growth, and quickly allowed him to gain the respect of many established and active members.

Brian's commitment to his community extends beyond his work as chairman. Brian serves as the treasurer for Citizens of Shenandoah and the Shenandoah Community Library. He is also a volunteer with and member of numerous community organizations including the Shenandoah Heritage Center, Lafayette Lodge #137 and the Shriners. Currently, Brian serves the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Office of the Attorney General as a Senior Budget Analyst. Brian's commitment to service and his desire to work for the good of his community are a remarkable example to all.

Mr. Speaker, I hope you will join me in recognizing Brian and offering our most sincere thanks to Brian and his wife, Jenny, for their years of service.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, on Friday, February 4, the American Dental Association marshaled thousands of dentists and other volunteers across the country to provide dental services to hundreds of thousands of children who otherwise would not receive them.

The year 2005 marks the third consecutive year for the ADA's Give Kids A Smile/National Children's Dental Access Day, a project the ADA and its 152,000 member dentists are committed to continuing until the nation's most vulnerable children have access to proper dental care.

In what former Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher called a ``silent epidemic,'' millions of American children suffer with painful, disfiguring and preventable dental disease. They cannot eat or sleep properly, cannot pay attention in school, cannot smile. They deserve better.

ADA, its corporate partners and the thousands of individuals who participate in Give Kids A Smile are determined to wake the nation up to the extent and severity of untreated dental disease among disadvantaged children. I urge every member of this House to join them in that effort. One important way we can do that is to show our support by attending one or more Give Kids A Smile events in our home districts. You may be dismayed by the conditions some of these children live with, but you'll also be inspired by the spirit, energy and generosity of your constituent volunteers.

Please contact your state or local dental association and show your support for Give Kids A Smile. Your doing so will lend momentum to the quest for long-term solutions and be a wonderful inspiration to the volunteers.

Mr. Chairman, I congratulate the chairman and the Committee on Government Reform for reporting out this bill that is so important that this Congress take action on and take action on now.

Of course we need to do this. Of course we need to pass the REAL ID Act. Because as the chairman just said, certainly all of us who board planes want to know that there is some integrity to our ID system in this country and that terrorists are not boarding planes by the use of a state-issued identification card. This is not conjecture. This is what happened on 9/11. This is what the 9/11 Commission suggested that we take action on, and this is what we are here doing today.

As the chairman suggested, I am proud to say that in 2003 Virginia, under the leadership of former Attorney General Jerry Kilgore, acted to close this dangerous loophole. The General Assembly passed and the Governor signed into law a provision which requires the minimum standard, which says that anyone applying for a license in Virginia must have legal status in this country; that they must have a visa; and that the license that would be issued would coterminate with the termination or expiration of that visa.

This is just common sense. Why do we want terrorists to have a license issued by a State to go and board our airplanes and commandeer those airplanes into a building? It is time for Congress to act, to provide and mandate a minimum standard for States when they issue State IDs, including driver's licenses, to require that individuals who have that privilege be here in this country legally.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) for his leadership on this, and I urge passage of the REAL ID Act.