Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Liberian people on 164 years of independence.

Liberia, which translates to ``land of the free,'' shares a unique history with the United States. Founded by African Americans and emancipated slaves in the early 1820s, this small nation of close to 3.8 million people is striving to build a lasting democracy--an incredible feat in such a war-torn region.

Mr. Speaker, more than 25,000 Liberian Americans call Minnesota home, and I am proud to call them my neighbors, friends and colleagues. Liberian Americans in our communities are entrepreneurs, small business people, teachers, lawyers, and nurses. They contribute to the very fabric of our Nation and to who we are as a people.

So let us today recognize the Liberian people and the long road they have traveled as a nation, and let us always remember the bond between the United States and the Republic of Liberia.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 10 o'clock and 5 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, July 28, 2011, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 629 I was unable to attend today's vote on H.R. 2551--Legislative Branch Appropriations. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor of the House to honor and remember an American hero, Marine Lance Corporal Robert S. Greniger of Greenfield, Minnesota, who died last week after an IED attack in Afghanistan in Helmand province.

As we grieve the loss of one of our finest citizens who loved being a marine and share our grief with his widow, Ashley, and his family, we really marvel that such heroes have been able to live among us. He gave up everything to protect his neighbors and extend the blessings of freedom to millions who have never known it. He was proud of his country and of the marines that he served with.

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Lance Corporal Greniger, we need to regularly thank our servicemen and -women and pray for their safe return each and every day.

We honor the service and the memory of Lance Corporal Greniger and commit ourselves to follow his example of patriotic duty, honor, and sacrifice in our daily walk as Americans.

Semper Fi, Lance Corporal.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer this amendment really to help ensure that we maintain prudent regulation of the financial services industry. Under current law, there are five nonvoting members of the Financial Stability Oversight Council, including a State insurance regulator and a State bank regulator.

This amendment really seeks to ensure and clarify that these regulators on the Financial Stability Oversight Council, who do not have voting rights, still have the authority to challenge any regulations that are put forth by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. For example, while it's clear that the CFPB does not have the authority to regulate insurance, it could put forth a regulation that actually negatively impacts the industry and the economy. So it just makes sense that all the members on the council have the ability to consider the impact that these new rules may have.

Therefore, by clarifying that any member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council may question any regulation and bring that up for clarification and clarify the rights of the nonvoting members, I am seeking to improve the oversight on the CFPB.

I ask for adoption of the amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I know the gentleman was speaking earlier in opposition to the bill, and perhaps there is no opposition to the amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

My amendment would prevent any funds in the Legislative appropriations bill from being used to distribute printed copies of legislation unless a Member specifically asks or requests for such a copy.

Now, currently when a Member introduces legislation or becomes a cosponsor of a bill, three copies of that bill are sent to the Member's office, and oftentimes many of these copies end up being thrown away or recycled because legislative text is certainly available online and the paper copies just add to the unnecessary clutter.

This amendment would seek to stop that practice. The legislation is available online, and if Members are interested, they could still get a copy of the bill or they can print it obviously offline or request to pick up a printed copy from the printing office.

I understand that there are absolutely valid uses for the printed copies of these bills, and this amendment does not prevent them from being printed.

A similar legislation, Mr. Chairman, was already adopted at the beginning of this Congress that passed the House 399-0. I would ask Members to support this amendment. It's fiscally responsible. It's common sense. It's environmentally the right thing to do as well.

I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment is similar to the last amendment. It would prevent any funds in the Legislative appropriations bill from being used to distribute printed copies of the Congressional Record to all 435 Members' offices each day that Congress is in session.

Now, many times copies of the Congressional Record are thrown straight into the recycling bin. My amendment would prevent funds from being used to deliver these Congressional Record copies to Members' offices. The amendment does not prevent the printing of the Congressional Record, just the delivery of the printed copy.

Of course, there are absolutely--as I mentioned in the last amendment, there are legitimate uses for the Congressional Record and some offices may require a hard copy, and this amendment does not prevent that. It remains available for pickup from the Legislative Resource Center for all offices.

Again, this is an amendment that is fiscally responsible and environmentally responsible.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman and the ranking member, and I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, it is true that we could, as some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle suggest, continue to practice business as usual with no plan to control spending. But what will that lead to? Higher taxes, more spending, more debt, and fewer jobs. And with our country right now at a financial crossroads and unemployment at 9.2 percent, this is simply a future that we cannot afford. By cutting spending now, by capping growth of government, and by requiring a balanced budget, we can finally get our fiscal house in order and get people back to work.

American families have tightened their belts in these tough economic times; Washington should do exactly the same thing. We need to pass the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act so that we can address our spending-driven debt crisis, start paying down the national debt, and get our economy back on track. This is about protecting the future of our children and our grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, you can hardly turn on the television or the radio these days without hearing about our Nation's debt crisis. And the reason we find ourselves in this crisis is not because Washington taxes too little. Rather, it is because Washington spends too much. Raising taxes on America's job creators, as some here in Washington suggest, is not the answer. It won't open closed factories. It won't stimulate the economy. And it won't put our friends and neighbors back to work.

What we need, and what the American people are asking us to do, is to see that government lives within its means. Over the past few years, hardworking Americans across this country have tightened their belts and lived within their means and cut back on spending. And there's no reason that their government can't do the same thing. It's often been said that it's not in the Federal Government's nature to shrink. And I think here in Washington our colleagues should work to prove them wrong by ending wasteful Washington spending as a way to address our Nation's budget deficit.

One year ago last week, the White House proclaimed that the summer of 2010 would officially be known as ``The Summer of Recovery.'' Now, 52 weeks later, unemployment remains painfully high at 9.1 percent, the housing crisis has not improved, and nearly 14 million Americans are out of work.

As I travel my district in Minnesota, from Bloomington to Wayzata to Coon Rapids, I hear from Minnesotans and small business owners that are understandably concerned. My constituents were told that a trillion- dollar stimulus package would keep unemployment below 8 percent. They were clearly sold a bill of goods, as unemployment has now been above 8 percent for more than 2 years straight.

House Republicans do have a plan to jump-start our economy and actually create jobs. Our plan takes commonsense steps to reducing regulatory burdens that actually will help small businesses, that will help entrepreneurs. It actually takes commonsense steps to fix an out- of-date Tax Code so our employers are more competitive around the world. We also take steps to pass the three pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea that would create up to 250,000 new jobs through new sales to new customers. Also, we will maximize domestic energy production by reducing our dependence on foreign oil and also lowering gas prices.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, and most important, by paying down our unsustainable debt burden and starting to live within our means, we will make the steps necessary to enact commonsense pro-growth strategies that can create certainty in the business environment that will actually grow our economy and create jobs and put America back to work.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a true leader from my home State of Minnesota, William A. Hawkins. Bill has recently retired as Chairman and CEO of Medtronic, the world's leading medical technology company. He has been an insightful leader and his legacy includes the launch of important new technologies, major investments in quality and innovation, and the successful navigation through an increasingly challenging environment.

Bill's years at Medtronic have been filled with competition and innovation--serving with unwavering commitment to global growth, encouraging and acquiring technology, and growing the ability to meet patient needs in emerging markets. Under his guidance, Medtronic became a chronic disease management company and not just a medical technology company.

As Co-Chair of the Medical Technology Caucus, I am a major proponent of advancing life-saving technologies for patients. I have worked with Bill for a number of years in support of the medical technology industry on many issues such as trade, tax, payment, regulatory and research policies. Minnesota is one of the top med-tech epi-centers in the country. It remains one of few industries in the U.S. that exports more products than it imports--approximately $36 billion annually. Our work helps to ensure that the medical technology industry continues to play a major role in the positive economic growth of our State and Nation.

Bill has nearly 35 years of career experience in the medical device industry, serving in leadership positions at Novoste Corporation; American Home Products; Johnson & Johnson; Guidant Corporation; and Eli Lilly. He began his medical technology career with Carolina Medical Electronics in 1977.

He joined Medtronic in 2002 as Senior Vice President and President of the company's Vascular business before serving as Corporate President and Chief Operating Officer. Bill Hawkins was named Chief Executive Officer of Medtronic in 2007 and assumed the additional role of Chairman in 2008.

In March of 2010 Bill received the Biomedical Engineering Society's Distinguished Achievement Award. This award is given to recognize those that have made great contributions to the field of biomedical engineering/bioengineering.

Bill is also committed to giving back to our community by serving on the Board of Visitors for the Duke University School of Engineering and the Board of Directors for the Guthrie Theater and the University of Minnesota Foundation.

I am pleased to join Bill's friends, family, and colleagues in congratulating him on his many accomplishments, and wish him well as he starts the next chapter in his life. His passion for advancing innovations will keep him taking broad and bold steps to make the world a better place.

Congratulations Bill Hawkins!

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the students at Oak Point Intermediate School in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, for collecting an impressive $42,474.24 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Pennies for Patients program this year. That's more than any other school in the country.

Every year, Mr. Speaker, elementary and secondary school students bring their spare change to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Pennies for Patients program, and they donate

them as a part of that program to find a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood cancers. Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer in children and young adults under the age of 20. Thanks to this program, schools across the country have been collecting important resources to fund valuable research and provide patient care.

Programs like Pennies for Patients teach young students how they can impact the lives of their peers and the communities they live in.

I am incredibly proud of the students at Oak Point for all of their hard work and their service, and I congratulate them. I hope they have a great time at their much-deserved pizza party next week.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of Richard ``Pinky'' McNamara, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and former college athlete.

Pinky passed away last week at the age 78 after a battle with Alzheimer's disease. He attended the University of Minnesota on an athletic scholarship, eventually earning three varsity letters as halfback for the Golden Gophers.

Shortly after his graduation in 1956, Pinky embarked on a successful career in business, buying struggling companies and turning them around.

Over the years, Pinky McNamara would donate millions of dollars to his alma mater's liberal arts and athletic departments. Along with his brother, Bob, another former Golden Gopher, Pinky helped raise the funds to bring football back to the university's campus that he loved.

His philanthropic efforts will leave a lasting and permanent mark on campus, with the university's McNamara Alumni Center named in his honor. Pinky may be gone, but his legacy will always live on at the campus he loved.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Hopkins boys basketball coach Ken Novak, Jr., on being named ESPN RISE's National Coach of the Year after leading the Hopkins Royals to their third straight State championship title.

For Ken, Jr., coaching basketball at Hopkins is a family business of sorts. His father, Ken, Sr., coached the Hopkins Royals for 19 years, including his son.

In 1990, Ken, Jr., stepped into his father's shoes and began coaching at Hopkins. In 22 seasons as head coach for the Royals, Coach Novak would lead the team to a record of 542-74 and six State titles. Since returning to his alma matter, Coach Novak turned Hopkins into a basketball powerhouse that had won only two State titles before his arrival.

Congratulations, Coach Novak, on winning ESPN RISE's Coach of the Year title and for leading such outstanding student athletes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to our Nation's law enforcement officers, the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting our communities.

This week is National Police Week, and thousands of officers from across the country will gather here in Washington to pay tribute to those who have fallen in the line of duty. Sadly, in the past year, 162 officers have died in the line of duty, including two from Minnesota, Sergeant Joseph Bergeron of Maplewood and Mahnomen County Sheriff's Deputy Chris Dewey.

As we remember these officers, Mr. Speaker, I want to call attention to legislation that I have introduced that would help protect those who protect us. H.R. 1789, the State and Local Law Enforcement Discipline, Accountability, and Due Process Act, would guarantee law enforcement officers have basic rights during disciplinary actions.

I ask and urge my colleagues to sign on to this legislation so we can also help protect our law enforcement officers.

Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to recognize the month of May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Since 1983, various individuals and organizations have focused on May as a time to promote awareness of the value of physical activity and the pursuit of happier, healthier, and more productive lives. Chronic diseases, including preventible illnesses like heart disease and stroke,

cause 70 percent of U.S. deaths and are responsible for three-quarters of health care spending. The great majority of these conditions are linked to risky health behavior such as obesity and lack of exercise.

Congress should be drawing attention to the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and the good work being done by many employers to encourage healthy behaviors through workplace wellness programs.

Mr. Speaker, that's why I am partnering with my colleague, Ron Kind from Wisconsin, to create a Congressional Wellness Caucus that I encourage my colleagues to join.