Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Chairman Kline, Ranking Member Miller, Chairman Walberg, and Ranking Member Woolsey for their collaboration on this important legislation to update federal workers' compensation policy. The Federal Workers' Compensation Modernization and Improvement Act is a result of bipartisan collaboration on the Education and Workforce Committee, and it is the kind of legislation Congress should produce more often. It will save $22 million for the federal government by reducing fraudulent payments, including $16 million for the Postal Service.

The Federal Workers' Compensation Modernization and Improvement Act provides a long overdue update of the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA). The Federal Employees Compensation Act is important because it provides workers who are injured on the job with replacement income to substitute for wages that they would have earned but for an on-the- job injury. Consider how outdated the statute is today: Workers whose face or head is severely disfigured by an on-the-job injury only can receive $3,500 in compensation today, based on an antiquated formula established in 1949. Clearly, $3,500 cannot compensate for lost earnings potential as a result of severe head and face injuries, so this bill updates it to $50,000. This legislation also updates the definition of war-related injuries to include terrorist attacks, a commonsense reform to reflect new realities. It also contains new reforms to prevent disability fraud by facilitating income checks by the Department of Labor and Social Security Administration. These improvements will help ensure that federal disability payments only go to injured workers, not perpetrators of fraud.

The leadership of the Education and Workforce Committee deserves credit for drafting this legislation in a thoughtful, collaborative process. The Congressional Budget Office notes that this legislation will reduce total disability payments, but it will do so in a fair and humane manner. That is why a wide range of federal employee groups including postal unions, NTEU and NARFE have endorsed this bill. The legislation before us demonstrates that we can save money in collaboration with public employees rather than using them as a scapegoat for budgetary challenges.

This bill's timing is propitious, because the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, of which I am a member, has reported a divisive, partisan bill which also would change workers' compensation policy. Unfortunately, that legislation (H.R. 2309) was written in a secretive, partisan manner and enjoys none of the bipartisan support that the Federal Workers' Compensation Modernization and Improvement Act does. When we marked up H.R. 2309 in subcommittee and full committee, some members noted that it intruded on the jurisdiction of the Education and Workforce Committee. Incredibly, the Committee Chairman ignored the ruling of the Parliamentarian and included a non- germane provision on FECA changes in the Subcommittee mark. Not surprisingly, federal employee organizations condemned the harsh proposals in H.R. 2309.

Their criticisms were appropriate, as H.R. 2309 contains provisions of appalling cruelty. It would terminate workers compensation payments in a mere two years and shift those workers to retirement benefits. Remember, these are previously healthy workers who were crippled on the job. The only reason that they cannot support themselves is an on-the- job injury, yet H.R. 2309 would terminate those worker compensation payments and make them try to survive on small annuity payments. These annuity payments would often be insufficient to survive because the affected worker would have been injured on the job before he had time to finish his career and accrue an adequate retirement savings.

Fortunately, the Education and Workforce Committee chose a thoughtful, collaborative process which saves money and protects workers rights rather than producing the secretive, partisan, and cruel workers compensation provisions in H.R. 2309. I applaud their leadership on this important legislation and urge my colleagues to support the Federal Workers' Compensation Modernization and Improvement Act.

Mr. Speaker, today this House will vote on the momentous issue of amending the Constitution of the United States. All of us should understand that this is no symbolic vote. This is not a routine legislative act. We are asked to consider amending the most sacred document of a free people with a provision not contemplated by the Founders.

The argument is propounded that the times demand it, there is no other choice, and that public opinion favors it. But as legislators, we must hold ourselves to a higher threshold to amend the Constitution. Is the proposal essential? Did the Founders fail to consider the issue that now must be addressed in and only in a constitutional framework? Is there no legislative remedy? What are the negative and foreseeable consequences of such a constitutional mandate? And importantly, we must remember that, but for one, all constitutional amendments are written in indelible ink.

Desirous of a balanced budget, like everybody else, I must regrettably oppose the proposed amendment before us. It does not pass the higher constitutional threshold we must insist upon. We balanced the budget just a decade ago for 4 consecutive years without such an amendment. It was a matter of political will, fiscal discipline, and successful economic growth.

There is no evidence that says potential cannot be resurrected. There is ample evidence, however, that this institution lacks the will and courage to undertake the policy changes necessary.

Political failure can and must be addressed here and, failing that, at the ballot box. The corrective is forging a political consensus, not amending the Constitution. In fact, to leap to the latter as an expedient is to admit the collapse of our democratic institutions and to abandon all faith in our collective ability to respond. I refuse to recant my faith in our ability to make the difficult choices necessary to achieve the desired goals of debt reduction and balanced fiscal performance.

The proposed amendment also fails another test: do no harm.

Had this amendment been in place during the income contraction we just experienced, we would have abandoned the economic field to the Darwinian forces at work and guaranteed that the Great Recession became the second Great Depression, condemning our citizens to their own fate, one which would have been characterized for a generation with want, double-digit unemployment, and endemic poverty.

Why would any Member of this body consciously choose such a course, especially when there are alternatives, although painful ones? Perhaps it's easier to pander to the clamor of the moment or to seek out the seductively easy answers. Perhaps we seek to mask an ideological agenda to starve the government investments cloaked in the more respectable argument of a constitutional amendment made necessary to balance the budget.

For me, the Founders' silence on this matter in the Constitution was intentional. They understood and expected that Congress would meet its duties and do its job.

Mr. Chair, after a decade in which 10 to 12 thousand Americans were murdered with guns every single year, the House is considering legislation to protect criminals' ability to carry concealed weapons. This reckless legislation almost certainly would add to our gun homicide rate, which is already 19.5 times higher than other developed countries. This bill will likely add to the gun violence death toll, which totals over 1 million Americans since 1968.

H.R. 822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act, could open the door for criminals or terrorists to use fraudulent concealed weapon permits from other states. As the Virginia State Police wrote in a letter that I will submit for the record, state police in one state frequently are unable to verify a concealed carry permit from another state. For those states where verification is possible, in many cases states have already established reciprocity. It would be reckless, however, to establish a uniform reciprocity standard under which our police cannot verify many concealed carry permits. Can we risk the possibility that a violent criminal or a terrorist could be pulled over yet be allowed to continue on their way because the police officer is unable to check the validity of a concealed carry permit? Regardless of our respective positions on concealed carry laws, I would hope that we can at least legislate in a manner that preserves the ability of police to protect our communities from violent criminals.

Finally, it is ironic that the self-appointed defenders of states' rights would negate public safety laws across America through Congressional fiat. This bill effectively negates any concealed carry laws in states for out of state residents in a gross abuse of Congressional power which endangers our communities and first responders.

This destructive legislation only will add to the death toll that has already caused so much grief in communities like Northern Virginia. I urge my colleagues to vote against it.

Mr. Speaker, this past Friday was Veterans Day, the day we set aside to honor and remember the service of our Nation's veterans. I know that most of my colleagues attended veterans events throughout their districts. I was proud to be at the American Freedom Festival, honoring our veterans, at a jobs fair and a mega- concert at George Mason University.

Although Veterans Day originally honored those who fought in World War I, in 1954 it was expanded to include the remembrance of all veterans. And, indeed, every veteran deserves such honor. They all chose to risk their lives to protect us. They bravely answered the call of their Nation. But, sadly, too many died in defense of our freedom. Of course, such noble service would not be possible without the unwavering support of their families.

America is safer because of our veterans, from those who served overseas to those stationed here at home. We properly award medals for individual heroic actions, but it is their daily dedication, courage, and valor that makes each and every one of them an American hero.

There are more than 21 million veterans in the United States--73,000 in my district, the 11th District of Virginia, alone. We celebrate their commitment and their sacrifice, from the Revolutionary War to the Iraq war.

But our remembrance must not end simply by honoring their past service. Upon leaving the military, many veterans face significant challenges here at home. Although more must be done, the issue of providing care to our wounded veterans has been well documented. I was pleased to join many of my colleagues to support the largest single increase of funding for the Veterans Administration in history.

However, there is a growing crisis among our veterans. And I want to call attention to the troubling unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans, which, at 12.4 percent, is one-third higher than the national average. And as the troops currently stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan begin coming home, it will only get worse.

These are America's heroes, men and women who risk their lives to protect our families. Congress repeatedly comes together in a bipartisan fashion to support our troops overseas. Ensuring that our troops have the equipment and personnel they need to accomplish their mission has been a priority, but it can't be the only priority. It is long past time that we show the same commitment to our veterans when they come home.

More than one in nine veterans who left the service in the past decade is currently unemployed. Jobs have to be our top priority. We've got to move beyond lip service. If we really want to help our veterans, hire them.

The President's American Jobs Act recognizes the overarching need to create jobs. Our economy cannot fully recover while so many Americans are unable to find work. The American Jobs Act provides incentives for companies, large and small, to hire additional workers, and it cuts taxes on every working American in order to further spur economic demand.

Most importantly, the American Jobs Act provides additional incentives to companies when they hire veterans. The Returning Heroes Tax Credit cuts taxes for businesses that hire unemployed veterans. The Wounded Warriors Tax Credit offers even greater tax cuts to businesses who hire unemployed veterans with service-connected disabilities. These dedicated men and women aren't looking for a handout; they're looking for an opportunity. And the Senate has already acted on a number of these proposals by the President.

I call on my colleagues to remember that recognizing and honoring the sacrifices of our veterans doesn't stop when they leave the service. They need jobs, and they need them now.

Madam Speaker, failure is not an option. Let none of us forget that we work for the American people, and they expect us to do our job. World markets are watching, balance is demanded; $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction is the minimal target we must meet.

Current Federal spending is 25 percent of the GDP. It's too high. But revenue is only 14 to 15 percent of the GDP. It's too low. It is the height of irresponsibility to ignore either one of those two data points.

It might be easy, but it's not rocket science. It requires both parties to do what a clear majority of Americans want us to do: break out of our respective straitjacket orthodoxies.

I was proud to join a hundred bipartisan Members of this body urging the supercommittee to go big--find $4 trillion in deficit reduction. Such efforts would reduce the debt to a more manageable percentage of GDP, reassure markets, preserve our Nation's triple A bond rating and provide the stability to get America's economy growing again.

I urge my colleagues on the supercommittee to join us and go big for America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the SkillsUSA World Skills Team for their success in the 2011 WorldSkills competition in London, winning four medals, and their overall dedication to improving their vocational training.

SkillsUSA began in 1965 as the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, an organization founded by teachers and students to promote increased leadership training in their various vocational fields. The participants in SkillsUSA are high school graduates who have taken the initiative to improve their capabilities in their chosen field. The technical expertise and leadership qualities they learn not only better prepare them to succeed individually; they also enable the participants to impart that knowledge and skill-set to their classmates and coworkers.

Seventeen participants represented America in the 2011 WorldSkills competition in a variety of skills: Cameron McCreery competed in Autobody Repair. Daniel Lehmkuhl competed in Automobile Technology and received a Medallion for Excellence. Raychel Bland competed in Beauty Therapy. Bradley Wright competed in Bricklaying. Brett Ottinger competed in Cabinetmaking. Joseph King competed in Computer Numerical Control Milling. Maxwell Hershey competed in Computer Numerical Control Turning. Rachel Koppelman competed in Cooking and received a Medallion for Excellence. Victoria Brown competed in Graphic Design. Laina Call competed in Hairdressing and received a Medallion for Excellence. Matthew Vicari competed in IT/PC Networking. Ryan Spinden competed in Plumbing. Ben Phillips competed in Printing. John Huhn competed in Refrigeration. Melissa Rubincan competed in Restaurant Service. Brett Patterson competed in Web Design. Bradley Clink competed in Welding and received the Silver medal.

Mr. Speaker, the participants in SkillsUSA embody the American worker at his and her best--proactively seeking innovation and improvement. I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating the SkillsUSA WorldTeam 2011 in their accomplishments both during this year's competition, and throughout their vocational careers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Charles L. Perkins, Sr. for his selfless dedication and commitment to our community. Charlie was recently honored by Youth for Tomorrow for his humanitarian activities, specifically his actions in providing food, clothing, and financial support to assist those in need in Northern Virginia.

I have had the privilege of personally knowing Charlie and his wife, Marian, for many years. Throughout this time, I have been struck by Charlie's persistent efforts to improve the lives of those in our community. Charlie, both personally and through his charitable trust foundation, has supported numerous organizations including Youth for Tomorrow, Homestretch, Legal Services of Northern Virginia, Special Olympics, as well as religious organizations that provide a path to escape gang violence and feed the hungry.

In addition to the many contributions to community non-profits, Charlie and his foundation provide assistance to individuals who have experienced financial hardships due to illness, unemployment or monetary shortages. Always looking ahead to build a better life for the next generation, the foundation also provides college tuition assistance. Charlie's mission is brilliant in its simplicity--to help those in need and enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals, families, and communities by seeking out those in need. Charlie has more than accomplished this mission, and he has previously received the Lions of Virginia Distinguished Humanitarian Award and was named the Jobs for Virginia Graduates ``Man of the Decade''.

Through his own hard work and perseverance, Charlie rose from humble beginnings to become a highly successful business owner; however, he never rested on his many accomplishments and he always sought to give back to the community with great fervor, but little fanfare. In fact, Charlie eschews personal recognition, and it is only through the insistence of others that his many noble efforts receive the accolades they so richly deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues rise to join me in recognizing Charles L. Perkins, Sr. and in thanking him for his steadfast support of those in need within our community. I personally feel blessed to call Charlie a friend, and extend to him my deepest appreciation and respect.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an original sponsor of this important bipartisan legislation, which will remove a sizable impediment to job creation in the private sector.

Repealing this burdensome 3-percent withholding regulation will offer predictability and free up capital that employers have been holding in abeyance. Those dollars now can be used to create jobs, increase wages, or fund business investments that will benefit our local economies. That is why a diverse coalition of industry and government--including retailers, telecom, and local and state government associations-- strongly support this repeal.

The federal government has a historic partnership with the private sector supporting research and innovation, which has led to job creation and economic growth. Allowing this ill-conceived regulation to go into effect would damage that partnership at the very time we need to be collaborating more with the private sector.

This is one repeal that enjoys bipartisan support from the House and Senate, the President and the business community. I urge my colleagues to support it and to keep this private capital where it belongs--in the hands of our job creators.

Mr. Speaker, there are 14 million Americans out of work. They need jobs. This economy needs jobs. Unfortunately, jobs have not been a focus for the House Republican leadership thus far. While private sector job growth has dwindled, House Republicans have repeatedly placed partisanship above policy. It's long past time we vote on a jobs bill.

The President's American Jobs Act contains a number of important jobs initiatives which have traditionally enjoyed bipartisan support: tax cuts for businesses, tax cuts for workers, tax cuts to employ veterans, and investments in critically needed infrastructure in this country. Unfortunately, the Senate Republicans voted to kill this job creator and the House Republican leadership hasn't even brought it up for debate.

Today, however, we have a small opportunity to help small businesses and provide them with greater predictability by repealing the burdensome 3 percent withholding requirement on government contractors, vendors, farmers, and Medicare providers. The President has called for its repeal, and this is a bipartisan bill supported by many of us on both sides of the aisle.

The 3 percent withholding regulation became law under President Bush in 2005 in a Republican Congress. The original intent may have been to ensure tax compliance among a very small number of bad actors, yet the sledgehammer approach that was adopted is creating far more challenges than the problems we're trying to solve. Since then, a number of bipartisan efforts have delayed its implementation, but temporary measures, at best, leave businesses uncertain and wary about future investment.

My district here in the National Capital region is probably home to more Federal contractors than any other in Congress, and I routinely hear from them about this issue everywhere I go. They report that the 3 percent withholding will unduly restrict their cash flows, increase project bond costs, and imperil their ability to expand and create jobs.

In addition, this burdensome regulation won't just harm the private sector. It actually hurts State and local governments that contract with private companies subject to the withholding requirement. I know from my experience as chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors that this regulation would create an accounting nightmare for our local and State partners. An estimated 20 percent of counties throughout the country have more than $100 million in annual expenditures that would be subject to this withholding. As county chairman of such a jurisdiction, I worked diligently with an open RFP process to ensure the lowest cost and value for our taxpayers.

This will be an administrative nightmare for State and local governments, which would be forced to undergo the collection and forwarding of the unnecessary withholding to the IRS. The cost to the Department of Defense to be compliant with this regulation is they would have to withhold more than $17 billion from private companies every year.

Furthermore, many businesses subject to the requirement would either have to increase their business or stop bidding on projects with local governments. Either way, whether competition is limited or prices are increased, counties would be forced to pay higher costs to vendors, further burdening local taxpayers at a time they can't afford it. We need to partner with the private sector to spur economic growth and recovery from this recession. This regulation would serve only as a roadblock to that effort.

The Government Withholding Relief Coalition represents more than 140 trade associations, State and local governments, and stated that the total cost of the 3 percent regulation would be $75 billion over the next 5 years. Repealing it today will provide businesses with greater predictability and remove undue government intrusion into their operations. With greater predictability, America's businesses will be better able to invest in job creation. We can provide that predictability today.

I urge my colleagues to vote to support small businesses and vote for

Mr. Speaker, 54 years ago this month, Sputnik knocked the United States into second place in the space race. America responded with a tremendous investment in the sciences, which produced the Apollo program, the personal computer, the Internet, GPS, and numerous other technologies; but, sadly, that may be ending.

Last December, in an OECD ranking, the United States rated only ``average'' in education. Other nations are outinvesting and outeducating us. And the Republican slash-and-burn agenda is making it worse. America is now losing education jobs every month and disinvesting in R&D and critical infrastructure.

The President laid out a plan to invest in our educators, innovators, and job creators--priorities that used to have bipartisan support. We cannot continue to let American performance slide. We are jeopardizing our future.

Mr. Speaker, last century America fell behind, and the Soviet Sputnik was the result. It took a decade to catch up. How long will we fall behind today before we realize those investments are critical and support the President's job program?

I thank my friend.

Madam Chairman, the House majority has bought yet another anti-EPA bill to the House floor. Last week, the House passed legislation to increase mercury and particulate pollution from cement factories, poisoning fetuses and increasing the incidence of diseases such as lung cancer and emphysema. This week, the House passed legislation to increase mercury and particulate pollution from industrial boilers. These follow some 125 other virulently anti-environmental bills, riders, and amendments that the majority has already tried to pass this year.

H.R. 2273, the legislation on the floor today, is but the latest assault on the environment and public health. This bill would block the EPA from issuing science-based standards to manage the disposal of coal ash. Unfortunately, the majority rejected language, which had the support of a number of utilities, which would have protected EPA's authority to issue health-based standards under the Clean Water Act. If the majority had protected rather than curtailed this authority to issue regulations based on science, not politics, then I could support the legislation before us today.

Mr. Waxman is offering an amendment which would protect the EPA's Clean Water Act authority. If that amendment passes, then perhaps most of us could vote for final passage of the bill.

Such standards clearly are necessary, or impoundments such as the one in Kingston, Tennessee, would not be failing. When that impoundment failed in Tennessee, it released a billion gallons of toxic sludge into the Clinch River. Fortunately, that impoundment was located downstream of most of the biodiverse portions of the Clinch, which contained unparalleled populations of freshwater mussels and other aquatic species. In fact, the Clinch has more species of freshwater mussels than the entire continent of Europe.

According to the Nature Conservancy, ``The Clinch, Powell, and Holston Rivers run nearly parallel courses to the remote mountains and valleys of southwestern Virginia and northeastern Tennessee. These last free-flowing tributaries of the Tennessee River harbor the Nation's highest concentrations of globally rare and imperiled fish and freshwater mussels.'' These watersheds are the most biodiverse regions east of the Mississippi River, and among the top biodiverse places in all of the United States. H.R. 2273 would increase the risk of coal ash spills in the upper Clinch, Holston, and Powell Rivers, potentially causing many species to go extinct.

Human health is also at risk as a result of poorly regulated coal mining in Appalachia. Scientists from West Virginia University have conducted extensive research on the human health impacts of coal mining and local populations. They found that residents of coal mining regions have significantly higher rates of chronic heart, respiratory, and kidney illnesses. Coal mining regions of Appalachia have higher rates of cancer and premature mortality.

Imagine if Teddy Roosevelt had allowed a few gold miners in the Grand Canyon to block protection of that great American landmark. Imagine if loggers and sheepherders had blocked designation of Yosemite as a National Park. Today, we confront a similar challenge--to protect one of America's great places, Appalachia, in the face of special interest assault.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 2273.

Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, ratification of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement--or KORUS--is economically important, for the nation and for my home state of Virginia. According to the U.S. International Trade Commission, U.S. exports to South Korea would increase by more than $10 billion. Increased U.S. exports mean more U.S. manufacturing jobs.

Korea is the 14th largest export market for Virginia goods, and the trade agreement would strengthen that relationship. Upon implementation of KORUS, Virginia exporters would have a $4 million cost advantage over similar global competitors without a Korean agreement. Eight out of Virginia's ten top exports would enter Korea duty free immediately.

The U.S. tech industry, which has a significant presence in Northern Virginia, also stands to gain from KORUS. According to industry groups, exports from the U.S. to South Korea could increase by up to 49 percent. Korean businesses have a strong presence in Virginia and we must ensure that businesses in Virginia and throughout the nation have equal access. I urge my colleagues to support the Korean Free Trade Agreement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Ekoji Buddhist Temple on the occasion of its 30th anniversary and to recognize the commemoration of the 750th Memorial for Shinran Shonin, the founder of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.

Ekoji Temple, which was founded in 1981 by Rev. Kenryu T. Tsuji and Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata, shares the Pure Land Buddhist teachings of Shinran Shonin, which is based on the Nembutsu Teaching of Amida Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Life and Light. The Nembutsu Path is to become aware of the ignorant self and to transcend the petty selfishness of the individual. The aim of the Ekoji Temple fellowship is to live the life of gratitude and share the rejoicing with others.

The name Ekoji, selected by Rev. Numata, means ``The Temple of the Gift of Light.'' Ekoji Buddhist Temple shares this gift with all who wish to enter. Ekoji is a place where the differences of race, color and creed disappear and all who seek the truth are welcomed.

The 11th Congressional District of Virginia is blessed by its diversity. This district is more than 40% minority and is home to people of many ethnic heritages, cultures, and religions. Ekoji Temple adds to this rich tapestry and benefits our entire community by its presence.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues rise and join me in congratulating the Sangha of the Ekoji Buddhist Temple in the celebration of its 30th anniversary, and also in thanking the Rev. Kazuaki Nakata and Rev. Shojo Honda, Emeritus for their leadership and inspiration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize ITMC Solutions, LLC, of Bristow, Virginia, for its acceptance into the National Center for the Veteran Institute for Procurement, VIP.

ITMC Solutions is a woman-owned, veteran-owned, minority-owned, small business supplier of management consulting and technology solutions to the federal government, specializing in identity solutions, program management, portfolio management and application development, deployment, modernization and maintenance.

VIP, a program of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, is the country's first-ever program to train veteran small business owners to succeed in the federal contracting market. VIP has helped more than 200 veteran-owned businesses win government contracts and continues to actively serve veterans by connecting top executives of veteran owned small businesses with leaders in government and industry.

Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor to be accepted into this program and I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing ITMC Solutions, LLC for its accomplishment.