Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate Mr. Stanley Gorski on his 50 years of teaching in the state of New Hampshire.

For the past fifty years, Mr. Gorski has inspired hundreds of high school students to pursue their talents and goals, and excel in their studies. As an English teacher, he has helped to spark an interest in reading and writing, and broadened the minds of many students in his classes, doing so with a great sense of humor and kindness appreciated by all. He is to be commended for his many years of service and dedication to his profession and students, and recognized for the impact he has had on their lives.

Throughout his fifty years of teaching, both at Bishop Brady High School and Trinity High School, Mr. Gorski has not only become a trusted and valued employee, but a mentor and friend to his fellow teachers. He generously shares his knowledge and experience with those around him and we are all thankful for his many contributions to teaching.

I congratulate Stanley on reaching this great milestone and for his outstanding commitment to education and his students. Tonight's celebration is well deserved for the many years of service he has given and I wish him all the best for continued success in the future.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to speak on this substitute amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I find what's going on in this country with the level of spending in America outrageous. People in this country have sent us here to do a job, to be leaders, and to solve problems. We have a current deficit of roughly $1.3 trillion, something that is so high that so many people can't even comprehend that number. We have a long- term debt approaching $16 trillion.

This substitute today continues that path of spending money that we simply don't have. I do thank the gentleman for at least offering a proposal--something that has not been done in the Senate--so we can debate in, I think, a reasonable way what the path is that his budget would propose versus the Path to Prosperity.

This proposal, the substitute proposal, does three things. Number one, it spends $3.7 trillion of roughly $1 trillion-ongoing deficits. Secondly, over the 10-year window, it spends $44.7 trillion, continuing the long-term debt that we have found ourselves in currently. Finally, it doesn't solve the significant drivers of our debt, and it doesn't allow for an opportunity to preserve and protect Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

The country wants us to be honest, the country wants leadership, and we continue to provide that in the House Budget Committee with the Path to Prosperity. I remind people that budget proposes stability and predictability by cutting $5.3 trillion in spending, by reducing the tax on both individual and corporate to give us a fair, level playing field and predictability for the long term. And it reduces our short- term deficit about $700 billion next year and continues to ensure we get on a path to balance. A balanced budget is the

dream of every American, and we offer that opportunity in the Path to Prosperity.

With that, I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to add my voice to those calling for the passage of the Path to Prosperity.

Mr. Chairman, we are in a debt crisis in this Nation. We have a spending crisis in this Nation. This Congress was sent here just a year ago to fix and solve these problems; and we have, for the second year in a row, offered solutions. We have offered ideas, and we will continue to work with the other side of the aisle to try to find what we all believe is a more prosperous Nation.

For too long, job creators in my home State of New Hampshire have paced on the sidelines. They tell me over and over that we want to expand our payrolls, we want to see stability and predictability from Washington first. But that hasn't happened.

Mr. Chairman, it's not asking too much for our Nation to see what good, sound fiscal policy looks like, and we ought to provide that opportunity. We ought to pass this piece of legislation.

The Path to Prosperity gives job creators the confidence to resume doing what they do best: innovate, operate, and expand their businesses and their job opportunities for the rest of us.

It does so by reducing spending $5.3 trillion over the next decade. We slowly bring the deficit below 3 percent of GDP as quickly as 2015, and we have a path to balance this Nation's budget.

We also do this by reforming our Tax Code. Consolidating six tax brackets down to two, 25 and 10 percent, and on the corporate side reducing the rate from 35 to 25, going to a territorial system, allowing the opportunity for our economy to once again be thriving.

The best way to sustain a lasting economic recovery is to remove the hurdles and the barriers that are holding back job creators; and this budget, Mr. Chairman, does just that.

I urge my colleagues to pass the Path to Prosperity, and I call on the Senate to approve it as well.

Mr. Speaker, last month, one of New Hampshire's greatest citizens and political figures announced his retirement after nearly twenty-two years of continuous public service to the State of New Hampshire and his home city of Manchester. It is my honor and privilege to thank and pay tribute to my personal friend and predecessor, former Manchester Mayor and current New Hampshire Executive Councilor Raymond J. Wieczorek.

Councilor Wieczorek is among the finest examples of the selfless public servant who has served his country, state, and city in various capacities for many years. Raised in rural Connecticut in a tight knit Polish family, Ray Wieczorek learned from an early age the importance of honesty, generosity and hard work. Ray applied these lessons throughout his life beginning with his service in the U.S. Armed Services during the Korean Conflict and later opening the Wieczorek Insurance Agency in his adopted home of Manchester, New Hampshire. Throughout his professional career, Ray gave back to his community by volunteering for over twenty community clubs and non-profit organizations like the United Way and the Boys and Girls Club of Manchester. However, his professional career is most noted by his leadership and service as Mayor of Manchester for five consecutive terms and six subsequent terms as an elected Member of the New Hampshire Executive Council.

Over the years, Ray has been recognized by numerous groups for his citizenship and leadership by such organizations as the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, the Granite State Taxpayers, the United States Small Business Administration and the New Hampshire State Republican Committee, just to name a few. However, far surpassing these recognitions is Ray's great love for both family and friends. He dutifully served as loving husband to his late wife Susan and continues to be a loving father to his children, stepchildren and grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate the Girl Scouts of America on reaching your 100th Anniversary. This is truly a great organization that is dedicated to enriching the lives of girls across the globe. For over a century, the Girl Scouts have promoted strong and successful girls and helped them along the way to becoming proud and prominent women.

New Hampshire is proud to have the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains teach our young ladies new and varied skills from archery and camping, to engineering and banking. With the well rounded merit badge system and great role models, many of these girls discover and explore techniques they would otherwise miss. Our communities have been immeasurably impacted by the good deeds the scouts do while earning badges and working toward the highest achievement of the Gold Award, and I commend them for their great success and the influence they have had on the public.

I congratulate the Girl Scouts of America for their continued dedication and leadership to the girls of our nation and the Granite State. I wish you all the best for continued success in the future.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate Lissa Silk for all the work she is doing to bring awareness to the issue of distracted driving. As Miss Manchester 2012, Lissa has committed herself to raising awareness for Drive Against Distraction and educating others on the serious consequences distracted driving can have on everyone. Whether it be talking or texting on your cell phone while driving, or responding to another person in your vehicle, the consequences of these actions and lives being impacted is very real and in some instances deadly.

Lissa's interest with this cause came from many personal experiences with distracted driving. Her mother Barbara was seriously injured by a driver who was talking on their cell phone, and Lissa and her sister were also involved in an accident where the other driver ran a stop sign because they were not paying attention.

Working with the Rochester and Dover Police Departments, as well as many High Schools and Driver Education Classes, Lissa has committed herself to educating others on distracted driving by sharing her personal stories. She has also reached out to the nation's Governors about enacting no texting while driving legislation. Our own Governor, John Lynch, will be recognizing April as New Hampshire's official Drive Against Distraction Awareness Month thanks to Lissa's efforts.

Lissa's commitment to educating others and preventing the unnecessary consequences of distracted driving are commendable. I congratulate Lissa for all of her accomplishments and for her outstanding commitment and leadership to this cause. I wish her all the best for continued success in the future.

I thank the gentleman from Texas, and I thank you for your hard work in trying to protect small job creators, not just in your State but all across the country, in your proposal and amendments and legislation to try to address what I think is an unjust, overregulated approach to negatively affecting not just the auto industry but also the consumer.

Earlier last year, the EPA and California regulators, of course under the guidance and direction of President Obama and his White House, proposed the most expansive regulations ever on the auto industry. Estimates suggest that the cost will be $157 billion. This is at a time, I remind you, when we have a debt and deficit of about $16 trillion and $1.3 trillion to $1.5 trillion, respectively. This is not a time when this administration should impose greater oversight, greater regulatory challenges to job creators in America.

I want to remind those who are listening, as I take a look at an article written in The Wall Street Journal back in September of last year, September 14, it talks specifically about this piece of legislation and how new cars and light trucks would have to increase their fuel economy to 54.5 miles a gallon. And the White House officials actually commented in that article. They commented that the proposed fuel efficiency target could raise average vehicle prices by about $3,000. This administration acknowledges that their overregulation will increase the cost of an average vehicle by $3,000.

Now, if you think about that, when an individual goes to purchase or lease a vehicle, they sometimes use a 3-year window, maybe a few more months, 39 months, and I find it interesting that we are about to extend the payroll tax for the balance of the year, which would give the average American $1,000 back in their pocket. And the Obama administration would like to take that $1,000 from the consumer pocket and put it back into the coffers of the Treasury.

I find that bad public policy, to say the least, not in the direction of trying to reduce our debt and deficit and have a pro-growth economy, and I think it stifles the auto industry. And most importantly, it stifles small business owners across the country.

I just want to share with you, briefly, statistical information about this industry in my State of New Hampshire. We have about 800 different businesses within this industry; 25,000 employees in New Hampshire, alone, that would be affected by this regulation.

I'm concerned about the job loss around the country. I'm concerned about small business owners having access to capital, being able to continue to survive through this down economy. And I'm concerned about those employees who work for those job creators, our friends and our neighbors. They're not Democrats or Republicans or Independents. They're Americans, and they're demanding that this Congress stop the regulatory oversight from President Obama and his administration and the EPA. We are trying to do that on behalf of the American public. I think it is a smart way for us to give back to not just the consumer but the job creators who we so desperately rely on for a pro-growth economy.

The final point that I would like to make is that, in addition to the $3,200 estimated increase in the cost of the vehicle acknowledged by the President and his White House, this regulation would also essentially take the $15,000 vehicle out of existence. We would not be able to, as consumers, access an affordable vehicle for ourselves or for anybody who's purchasing a vehicle, for that matter. The very middle class that our friends on the other side of

the aisle talk about preserving and protecting are being targeted by this regulation.

It's time that the country hears more about how this administration chooses to take money from one entity and give it to another. They're taking money from hardworking Americans and putting it in the coffers of the Treasury so they can expand the size and scope of government.

The people of New Hampshire have had enough. They've sent me here to fight for those middle class families, those hardworking job creators who in New Hampshire provide 25,000 jobs in this industry. And I will continue to work with you and anybody else in this body who shares the opinion of enough with regulation. Let the free market work. Let the consumer win for a change.

I thank you for yielding to me and, again, I look forward to working with you on future legislation that you seek to address on the floor of this House.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate Shannon Moody as she is recognized with the STAR Award by the Learn To Read Program for reading her 700th book to her daughter. The Student Achievement in Reading Award is given to one student per year who has shown exceptional dedication, commitment and persistence in reaching their literacy goal. Shannon worked towards this goal with the help of her volunteer tutor and utilized the vast resources available at the Manchester Public Library.

Shannon recognizes and appreciates the quality time she and her daughter share when they read together. As a parent, I know the importance of spending time with your children and she has set a fine example to her daughter on working hard towards a goal that is important to you. I'm sure Shannon's efforts have instilled a great love of reading into her daughter and she can be very proud of her achievements in the Learn To Read Program.

I congratulate Shannon and wish her all the best for continued success in the future.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate Philip Provencher of Dunbarton, New Hampshire, on receiving the French Legion of Honor. It is truly a prestigious distinction to be appointed a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor by the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy. Throughout history, France has been a strong ally to the United States and it is greatly appreciated that they continue to recognize the heroic acts of the brave men and women of our Armed Forces, and for the sacrifices and service performed to assist the French people during World War II.

As a member of the U.S. Army's First Infantry Division, Philip joined with allied forces on D-Day to help liberate France from the Germans by carrying a 50 lb. mortar on his back through the turbulent tides of the English Channel, to help support ground forces on Omaha Beach. As a translator for his unit, ``Frenchy'' then marched with his fellow soldiers through France, Belgium, and Germany. His valiant efforts during this campaign also earned him a Bronze Star for rescuing a wounded friend while under enemy fire.

These are but a few examples of the heroic and courageous acts Mr. Provencher performed in service to his country during WWII and I join with President Sarkozy and Governor Lynch in congratulating Philip on this esteemed recognition. On behalf of a grateful nation, I thank him for his dedicated service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, Michael Mello is commended for his years of dedication in the pursuit of excellence, critical information and security that has enhanced our national defense. Michael Mello's combination of intelligence and dedication exemplifies the finest qualities of professionalism and leadership enabling him to make significant contributions over the many years to Insight Technology and the brave service men and women of the United States Military who have fought and served in the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Michael has been instrumental in keeping our soldiers out of harm's way by providing significant technical and security infrastructure, as well as important information vital for the development and production of mission-critical night vision and electro-optical systems. This work has enabled operational success while saving countless American lives.

America is grateful for Michael Mello's dedication and many years of outstanding service to his country.

I thank the gentleman for yielding the time.

Mr. Speaker, you know all too well that Granite Staters are still hurting in this economy, as are many other Americans. One thing we can do as a body in a bipartisan way is to continue to bring jobs bills to this floor and vote them out in a bipartisan way, as the country has asked. And we are doing that today. The leadership that Mr. McCarthy and Ms. Waters have both demonstrated is an opportunity for this country to get greater access to capital, to get innovators and job creators the ability to hire quicker, for those like our own Dean Kamen to continue to find the next revolutionary way to change our State and our Nation.

This is a great opportunity for us to reform an old piece of legislation, going back to 1933, update it to make sure it meets the required standards of 2011 for the new job creators of tomorrow. And I am thrilled to support it, and I look forward to more job creation bills to come to this floor for us to vote on and get our country moving back in the right direction.

I thank the chairman for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to add my voice to those calling for a cost-of- living adjustment for our military veterans. As Americans prepare to observe Veterans Day next week, it's appropriate that this body is preparing to vote on the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act.

Mr. Speaker, this bill would provide a much-needed 3.6 percent increase in benefits to our veterans, their children, and surviving spouses. The men and women of America's Armed Forces answered our call when the country had asked, and now we must do the same for them.

My State, New Hampshire, has the country's sixth-largest percentage of

veterans by population. Nearly 128,000 former service men and women call the Granite State home. And many of them are hurting. The national unemployment rate among veterans is 13 percent, more than 4 percent higher than the general population.

That's why on Thursday, November 10, I'm hosting a special Veterans Job Fair in my home State of New Hampshire at Manchester Community College from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help them find work. And we've got more than 40 willing employers who are attending, looking to find jobs for our men and women returning to New Hampshire.

I urge my colleagues to join with me in passing this important cost- of-living increase for the men and women who have given so much to all of us.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and take pause to thank the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence for all that you do on behalf of victims of domestic and sexual abuse here in New Hampshire. The line of work you all have chosen is by no means an easy one and without your organization, the victims you work with would have nowhere to turn.

Since the Coalition was founded in 1977, it has worked to provide services to those suffering from abuse, to spread awareness about violence, while also working to prevent it. During the month of October, I wanted to take the time to recognize all those who work to end violence, as well as those who suffer from it. I commend you for all your hard work and dedication. Far too many people have suffered needlessly at the hands of another, and the Coalition's work to stop and prevent this type of violence is admirable.

I appreciate all you do on behalf of the women and families that are coping with the hardships of abuse. I wish you all the best for continued success in the future.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate Gina Bartlow on being named ANCOR's 2011 Direct Support Professional of the Year. It is truly a prestigious honor to be considered as the best in your field and this recognition demonstrates Gina's compassion and commitment, as well as all the hard work she does for those with disabilities.

Throughout her twenty five years of working on behalf of those with disabilities, Gina has not only become a trusted and valued employee by her supervisors, but a mentor to her coworkers and a friend to the people she serves. While her path started at home with her son Steven, it quickly extended to others in the community who were lacking the help and support they needed to thrive in their everyday lives. The spirit and generosity she brings to her work is admirable and sets a fine example to others who dedicate their lives to advancing that same spirit of kindness.

I congratulate Gina for receiving this award and for her outstanding commitment and leadership on behalf of those with disabilities. I wish you all the best for continued success in the future.

Mr. Speaker, on September 21, 2011 I had the privilege of nominating Robert Lawton of Weirs Beach, New Hampshire to be a recipient of the prestigious Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications First Amendment Award. After a lifetime of giving to his community as an entrepreneur, New Hampshire historian and Representative to the General Court, Bob re-launched the 19th Century newspaper The Weirs Times and Tourists' Gazette in 1992. Now in its 20th year, the newspaper started with an initial run of only 2,000 copies distributed in the Laconia area each week. Bob and his son David have since grown circulation to almost 30,000 copies across the state.

At age 80, retirement is not an issue for Bob. Opening his businesses at eight o'clock in the morning he demonstrates the true spirit of the Greatest Generation--its exemplary work ethic. Bob often says, ``I like to be busy, I like to be working, I like to keep moving, I like to be thinking of new things all the time.''

His thoughtful respect for New Hampshire history, and interest in the community, has successfully resurrected a Lakes Region icon--The Weirs Times. By spreading his opinion and stories about current events and bringing to light our state's historical backdrop, all Granite Staters are in debt to him for continuing to ``think of new things all the time.''

I commend the work of Mr. Lawton and for his outstanding support of the community. I wish him the very best and many more years of success ahead.