Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the recipients of the Prince William Ministerial Association's Community Appreciation Awards.

The Prince William Ministerial Association brings together church communities across ethnic, social and sectarian boundaries to celebrate their common faith and promote fellowship and action in the Prince William community. In keeping with that mission, the Association is awarding the First Annual Community Appreciation Awards to individuals who have made significant contributions to the areas of education, public safety and community activism in Prince William County.

It is my honor to enter into the Congressional Record the names and accomplishments of the recipients of the Prince William Ministerial Association's Community Appreciation Awards.

Police Officer of the Year: Master Police Officer John Lavely (Ret.) served 24 years in the Prince William County Police Department, including 13 years as a School Resource Officer.

Edward Kelly Teacher of the Year: Paulette Jones has taught at Gar- Field High School for 20 years and has dedicated her time to creating and sustaining a program that helps students perform community-based service projects and engage in self esteem-building activities.

Sheriff's Deputy of the Year: Deputy Thomas C. ``T.C.'' Williams is being recognized for his service to the citizens of Prince William County and his ability to set a positive example for the community's troubled youth.

Firefighter of the Year: Deputy David Wood has served as a volunteer firefighter in Prince William County since April 26, 1976, and is an active member of the Coles District Volunteer Fire Department in his current capacity as Deputy Fire Chief.

Community Volunteer of the Year: Ernestine S. Jenkins is a dedicated community activist. She serves as the 1st Vice President of the Dale City Civic Association, Chairman of the Dale City 4th of July Parade Committee, Education Co-Chairman of the Bel Air Woman's Club; life member and Past President of VFW Post 1503 Ladies Auxiliary; charter member of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 48; Sun Shine Chairman of the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department; life member of American Legion Post 364 Ladies Auxiliary; Vice Chairman for Project Mend-A-House; and a member of the Finance Committee for Bethel United Methodist Church.

Vernon Williams, Jr. Young Person of the Year: Steven Blakely is a senior at Osbourn Park High School and captain of his school's swim team. Mr. Blakely created the ``Foster Care Children's Gift Fund'' to help the Department of Social Services purchase Christmas presents for foster children. During the past four years, the program has raised $55,000 to help children in our community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in commending the recipients of the Prince William Ministerial Association's Community Appreciation Awards. I extend my personal appreciation to the recipients for their contributions to effect positive change in our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life of a true American hero, Brigadier General (RETD) Alvin D. Ungerleider who recently passed away at the age of 89.

General Ungerleider honorably served our country in uniform for 36 years, beginning when he was drafted in November, 1942. He received his commission and was assigned to the 115th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division of the National Guard. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, at the age of 22, then Lieutenant Ungerleider led 50 men into battle on the beaches of Omaha.

The Invasion of Normandy changed the course of World War II and of history. During the intense fighting in the opening days of the Normandy invasion, Lt. Ungerleider was wounded twice. He reluctantly left the battlefield for only two weeks to recover from his wounds, and then returned to continue fighting throughout France and into Germany. He led his men through minefields and joined the battles to free the town of St. Laurent-sur-Mer and the city of Brest from Nazi occupation.

Nearly one year later, during the spring of 1945, Lt. Ungerleider received orders to capture part of an industrial complex and liberate Dora-Mittelbau, a slave labor concentration camp that was a subcamp of Nordhausen prison. In April, 1945, after taking heavy fire from the Nazi soldiers guarding the prison, Lt. Ungerleider and his men liberated the camp. Years later, General Ungerleider said that although he had become battle hardened, nothing had prepared him for what he encountered at Nordhausen. To quote General Ungerleider, ``We thought we had entered the gates of hell.''

At Nordhausen, he and his men freed approximately 300 prisoners, most of whom he described as ``living skeletons.'' He and his men shared the small amount of food that they had with the prisoners. Lt. Ungerleider then led them in reciting Kaddish, the Jewish prayer for the dead. Only then did the prisoners accept that the horror of the Nazi death camp had ended.

General Ungerleider continued serving our country in the United States Army for several more decades, in times of both war and peace. He commanded an armored tank unit during the Korean War and a Tactical Unit during the war in Vietnam, where he spent his free time working with a Vietnamese orphanage. Later in his military career, he commanded the Aberdeen Proving Grounds and eventually retired in 1978.

In recognition of his distinguished military service, General Ungerleider received three Legion of Merit awards, the Four Chaplains Award, 2 Bronze Stars for bravery and meritorious service, and a Purple Heart. While commanding at Aberdeen, he established Equal Opportunity programs, and he was recognized by the Secretary of the Army and the NAACP for these innovations. The Brigadier General also received decorations from the Korean and Vietnamese governments, and he is one of only 99 Americans to be awarded the French Legion of Honor for his role in D-Day and the eventual liberation of France.

On June 6, 1994, in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, General Ungerleider was selected to escort President Clinton at the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer in Normandy France. There he walked alongside the President and together they laid a wreath to honor all who fought and died to liberate Europe.

As committed as General Ungerleider was to serving our country, he was equally committed to his family, Jewish faith, and community. He was a loving and devoted husband to Ruth Golden Ungerleider for more than 66 years, a dedicated father to Neil, Ilene and Daniel, and a doting grandfather to his grandchildren. In 1955 while still on active duty stationed in Monterrey, CA, he started that city's very first Jewish Sunday School. He worked with the Jewish Welfare Board to find new homes in America and Palestine for displaced Jews. The National Holocaust Museum recognizes the 29th Infantry as Liberators due to the efforts of General Ungerleider and the men he led in Europe.

He was also active in his temple, Olam Tikvah, and served for 8 years as an administrator, helping to build the membership of the temple and increase its involvement in the community.

I would like to personally thank Mr. Bruce Waxman, an officer of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 227 and a member of Congregation Olam Tikvah, for bringing the extraordinary contributions of General Ungerleider to my attention.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the life of Brigadier General Alvin D. Ungerleider and in expressing our deepest condolences to his family and friends. Often we hear a person described as a hero, but rarely does that moniker fit as well as it does in this case. General Ungerleider dedicated his life to serving his country, his family, his faith, and his community. He rightfully earned the appreciation and respect of all Americans for his lifetime of honorable service to our nation, as well as the gratitude of many others around the globe who owe their lives and their quality of life to this true American hero.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Mr. Speaker, today we debate the rule on whether or not to fund National Public Radio. This is an ideologically driven attempt at defunding a revered American institution, and the reason is because you don't like its content. You can't stand balanced, objective news. So let's defund it.

Regardless of whether one supports NPR or not--and I do--we can all be clear this bill does not do one thing: It does not create jobs. We have been here for 11 weeks, Mr. Speaker, and the Republican majority has yet to bring a single jobs bill to the floor of the House. That's why I introduced the Build America Bonds Now to Create Jobs Act, legislation to extend the successful Build America Bonds program--a jobs bill. Creating jobs grows the economy, encourages American innovation and positions us to remain the global economic leader. During the last 2 years, $4.4 billion from the Recovery Act leveraged $181 billion to construct and repair schools, bridges and roads in more than 2,270 projects in every State in the Union.

According to Moody's Analytics chief economist and Senator McCain's 2008 Presidential adviser, infrastructure investments in the Recovery Act resulted in 8 million additional or preserved jobs between 2009 and 2010. By extending the Build America Bonds program, we can do even more.

I ask my colleagues, turn away from this ideologically driven debate on National Public Radio and let's get down to basics. Let's pass a jobs bill. Let's defeat this rule and give ourselves an opportunity to address the underlying issue of the American economy.

I thank my colleague from New York for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize October as Family History Month.

The study of family history gives individuals a sense of heritage and sense of responsibility in carrying out a legacy that their ancestors began. The involvement of national, state, and local officials in encouraging genealogy and providing family history records in archives and libraries is an important factor in the successful perception of nationwide participation and support. Our nation's libraries and archives hold treasured records that detail the history of our nation, states, communities, and citizens. Increasingly, individuals across our nation are embarking on genealogical journeys, discovering who their ancestors were and learning how various forces have shaped their pasts.

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is a high level of interest in genealogy and family history research throughout the state. Virginians contribute to our commonwealth's rich cultural diversity and history, and it is important to recognize the positive contributions to our society made by people throughout the history of our commonwealth. Through genealogical research, Virginians are finding renewed interests in history, languages, laws, and social science. Virginia's libraries and archives contain records of history that detail the background of the Commonwealth of Virginia, our communities and our citizens. There are over 250 genealogical and historical societies, archives and libraries throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia to assist with family history research.

Several genealogical research organizations and centers exist in Northern Virginia that include hundreds of members, giving significant research opportunities to the communities of Northern Virginia such as Fairfax County, which is an ethnically diverse jurisdiction in which nearly everyone has a family origin from another place. One such organization, the Mount Vernon Genealogical Society, has almost 300 paid members with 100 individuals meeting monthly and volunteers assisting the general public at its research center. The Fairfax Genealogical Society has approximately 400 members with over 100 individuals meeting monthly, and holds both a fall and spring conference. Within the Washington area, there are up to 40 lectures, seminars, and conferences in a month.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing October as Family History Month and celebrating the preservation of family and heritage within our communities, states, and nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and support Taiwan's bid for effective participation in the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Taiwan has experienced rapid economic growth and industrialization, and its technological advancement has played a significant role in the global economy. While Taiwan is a major world economy with 23 million residents, it is only recognized as a non-governmental organization (NGO) under the name of ``Industrial Technology Research Institute'' (ITRI) by the UNFCCC. This NGO status only allows Taiwan to partake in UNFCCC side events, which is neither effective nor appropriate.

This listing goes against the Convention's spirit and dampens the enthusiasm and expectations of the 23 million people of Taiwan. Taiwan's inability to participate in either the discussions over the post-Kyoto mechanism or the international carbon market has serious consequences affecting the welfare of the people and the development of Taiwan's industries.

As a co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Taiwan, I know the value of the bilateral relationship and hope to increase relations with Taiwan's cooperation and participation in the UNFCCC. I hope that the leadership of the UNFCCC will soon invite Taiwan to participate in an official capacity as the World Health Assembly has invited Taiwan to participate in its activities as an official observer in 2009 and 2010. Taiwan, since the inauguration of President Ma Ying-jeou in 2008, has been a responsible member of the global community and deserves to be invited to the activities of the UNFCCC and other international conventions and organizations.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting Taiwan's participation in the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change.

Mr. Speaker, the year-long continuing resolution the Republicans in this House passed last month on a straight party-line vote represents misguided values. House Republicans sought to cut an arbitrary amount of funding and did so with a meat ax, indiscriminately attacking worthwhile investments, giving no concern to the tremendously negative impact this irresponsible attack will have on our economy. In the race for ever-increasing and arbitrary cuts, they have demonstrated they know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

Moody's Analytics said that this approach would cost the Nation 700,000 jobs. The Economic Policy Institute said 800,000 jobs. Goldman Sachs said the long-term Republican plan would lower economic growth by 2 percent while increasing unemployment by 1 percent. Even the conservative Club for Growth called it a ``mistake,'' stating that ``cutting spending is important, but economic growth is even more important.''

The need for fiscal discipline, of course, is clear. We must return to a long-term path of fiscal responsibility to reduce deficits, but we must not sacrifice our values and our future all in the name of deficit reduction.

Where Americans value health protections, the Republican CR slashes funding for food safety inspection, community health centers, women's health programs, and the National Institutes of Health.

Where Americans value national security, the Republican plan eliminates funding for local police officers and firefighters protecting our communities and slashes funding for nuclear nonproliferation, air marshals, and Customs and Border Protection. Where Americans value the sacrifice our men and women in uniform make to protect us, the Republican plan slashes funding to assist homeless veterans.

Where Americans value a focus on job creation, the Republican plan slashes funds for job training and dramatically reduces educational support. Where Americans value transportation improvements, the Republican plan slashes funding for infrastructure improvements and eliminates the Federal commitment to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

Where Americans value clean air and water, the Republican plan destroys the Nation's long-fought environment protections. In fact, according to the organization Republicans for Environmental Protection, the Republican plan represents an unprecedented assault on America's environment.

The Republican plan defunds the landmark Chesapeake Bay restoration effort, a joint effort of localities, States, and the Federal Government to protect and preserve America's largest estuary. In fact, that plan goes further and repeals longstanding Clean Water Act health protections, such as the ability to enact standards for arsenic pollution, lead pollution, and acid mine drainage in water supplies.

The Republican plan also repeals much of the Clean Air Act, including the EPA's ability to protect us from

mercury pollution, soot, and greenhouse gases. In fact, the CR even repeals the ability to monitor and track greenhouse gases, presumably because if you are not allowed to verify a potential problem, it must not exist.

Where Americans value energy independence, the Republican plan endangers our security. Through the existing Clean Air Act, we are reducing our Nation's dependence on foreign oil through improved fuel efficiency standards. An agreement to improve fuel efficiency by 30 percent by 2016 will result in American car owners saving $3,000 per vehicle and will reduce the Nation's oil dependence by 77 billion gallons of gasoline for vehicles produced from 2012 through 2016. This efficiency improvement will keep $9.9 billion from being sent to OPEC countries like Libya and Iran unless the Republican plan succeeds in overturning those efforts.

Mr. Speaker, the continuing resolution passed 2 weeks ago is not responsible. It sacrifices our Nation's values, our health, our security, our economy, our transportation needs, our environmental plans, and hundreds of thousands of jobs.

But now we have a chance to work together in a bipartisan fashion-- Republicans and Democrats working with the Senate--to reduce the deficit and in a conscientious manner. Let's work together to reach a compromise on funding the Federal Government that addresses the Nation's debt while preserving American values.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to cosponsor the Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act of 2011.

Many decisions made over the past decade on both sides of the aisle contributed to the Nation's untenable debt. The Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act provides another deficit-reduction tool to eliminate unnecessary spending. It grants the President expedited rescission authority to create another opportunity to reduce spending and provides a strong incentive for Congress to work together to trim unnecessary spending and dedicates all spending cuts to deficit reduction.

Expedited rescission is a well-known concept with bipartisan support. The Budget Committee's current chairman, Mr. Ryan, introduced expedited rescission in the 110th Congress. Senator John McCain and Senator Thomas Carper have introduced similar legislation this year, with 32 bipartisan cosponsors.

Exercising fiscal responsibility requires strong discipline and a commitment to cutting unnecessary spending. Expedited recession provides another layer of spending cuts and another opportunity for deficit reduction.

I urge my colleagues to cosponsor the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

I am, in its current form.

Mr. Speaker, this final amendment, which I submit with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green), who led this battle in committee, protects our men and women in uniform who risk their lives to keep us safe in our homes by protecting theirs. It would continue providing emergency mortgage assistance to servicemembers, veterans, and Gold Star families, amending the underlying bill that would otherwise strip away such vital assistance to homeowners in distress through no fault of their own.

Whether it is the result of being laid off or a severe medical condition or emergency, Congress has not turned its back on our Nation's veterans when they are in need, and now is no time to start.

As my colleagues are well aware, the foreclosure crisis has affected millions of American families. Sadly, our military families have suffered some of the worst brunt of this impact. Last year, 20,000 active-duty Reservists and veterans lost their homes, the largest number in recent history. Did you

know the foreclosure rate around our Nation's military installations is four times higher than the national average? From 2007 to 2008, the rate of foreclosure in towns within 10 miles of a military facility swelled by 217 percent compared with 59 percent in the rest of the country.

Right here in our own backyard--in my district, in the community of Woodbridge, Virginia--the foreclosure rate spiked an astounding 414 percent around the Quantico Marine Corps Base. Why is that? Because the unemployment rate for our military heroes who served in Iraq and Afghanistan is 15 percent higher than the national average. We all know how difficult the transition back into civilian life can be, particularly for the disabled as they try to find work.

Congress has repeatedly singled out veterans for additional assistance, whether it is workforce training or small business assistance. In fact, the House, itself, initiated a Wounded Warrior Program to place veterans in our Member offices; but even with that assistance, the men and women who so bravely fought on behalf of our Nation find difficulty succeeding back home. That's why we had more than 75,600 homeless veterans in 2009.

I know a young man in my district who returned home with a severe disability from a tour of duty in Iraq. Thankfully, the modest financial support he currently receives has enabled him to remain in his home, but barely, and he is only one adverse event away from foreclosure. What if his situation worsens? What if he suffers the loss of unemployment or develops a catastrophic illness? How am I supposed to tell him or his family, not to mention the thousands of others like him in many of our communities, that we are turning our backs on them?

Rather than continuing to provide for the needs of our veterans when they need us the most, this legislation patronizes them by calling for yet another study to tell us what we already know: that our military families suffer disproportionately from foreclosures. We don't need a study to tell us the right thing to do.

In a sincere attempt to honor their memories, many of my colleagues post pictures outside their offices of local servicemembers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Those men and women fought and died protecting our homes. How can we now tell their families that we're not going to fight to protect theirs?

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this final amendment and to help preserve the American Dream for those who are out there protecting that dream for each of us.

With that, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green).

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Offered By: Mr. Connolly of Virginia

Amendment No. 6: Page 6, line 19, strike ``or''.

Page 6, line 25, strike the period and insert ``; or''.

Page 6, after line 25, insert the following:

(D) a teacher in an elementary or secondary school.

Mr. Speaker, the time to govern is now. The reckless continuing resolution that Republicans passed 2 weeks ago is an abject failure of leadership. In the race for ever-increasing and arbitrary cuts, they demonstrated on a party-line vote that they know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

Moody's Analytics said their approach would cost 700,000 jobs. The Economic Policy Institute said it would cost 800,000 jobs. Goldman Sachs said it would lower economic growth by 2 percent and increase unemployment by 1 percent. Even the conservative Club for Growth called it a mistake, stating, ``Cutting spending is important, but economic growth is even more important.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all of us, Republicans and Democrats, negotiate in good faith, in a bipartisan manner to pass a fiscally responsible CR that reduces deficits without sacrificing economic growth, that prioritizes investments in our economy that support American competitiveness without costing jobs. Let's pass a continuing resolution that strengthens the economy and creates jobs for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Kathy Ichter, the Director of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation for her long and dedicated service to the residents of Fairfax County, Virginia, and to wish her well in her retirement. Ms. Ichter started with the County in 1984, and spent 27 years working tirelessly to improve regional transportation. She began as a Transportation Planner, served for twelve years as the Division Chief of the Department's Transportation Planning and Operations Division, and was subsequently appointed as Director of the entire Department in 2005. I was a Member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at that time, and happily supported Ms. Ichter's appointment. Having worked closely with her on many transportation issues over the years, I developed a profound respect for her abilities and dedication.

Ms. Ichter was instrumental in improving all modes of transportation, including roadways, supporting pedestrian and transit opportunities and implementing innovative alternatives such as telework. While no one transportation project will completely eliminate challenges in urbanized areas, Ms. Ichter's wide-ranging focus provided residents with a number of options for their daily commutes. During her time as Director, she facilitated a partnership with the private sector to expand capacity on the Washington Beltway at no cost to taxpayers, oversaw the final planning and start of construction on extending Metrorail to Dulles Airport--one of our region's most significant transportation improvements, and planned redevelopment for the Tysons Corner area to transform the currently gridlocked urban core into a workable community. In addition, she worked diligently with me when I served as Chairman of the Board to enact two Four-Year Transportation Plans, the first such efforts in Fairfax to develop and implement a comprehensive, long-term transportation strategy.

Throughout her years of service, Ms. Ichter received a number of awards recognizing her efforts and leadership, including the Les Dorson Public Leadership Award in 2004 and the A. Heath Onthank Award, the highest honor awarded to Fairfax County government employees, in 2005.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in providing further recognition to Kathy Ichter and thanking her for her years of service to the citizens of Fairfax County and her dedication to improving the National Capital region's transportation challenges.

Mr. Chair, I rise to speak against language in the underlying bill that would prevent HUD from spending money on a Sustainable Communities Initiative. The language in the bill would end a very successful HUD program that has helped communities plan for growth and halt a successful partnership between HUD, DOT, and EPA that promotes redevelopment and new transportation infrastructure. Secretaries Donovan, LaHood, and Administrator Jackson and their agencies have spent the last year cutting red tape and coordinating investments to meet multiple economic, environmental, and community objectives. Northern Virginia is already benefitting from these investments, by winning a TIGER grant to expand bus service dramatically, including in the congested I-95 and Route 7 corridors. The Sustainable Communities Initiative actually represents a conservative principle, because it emulates longstanding efforts by developers and local governments around the country. In Northern Virginia, Fairfax and Arlington counties have led the way with Transit Oriented Development years before the Federal Government figured it out. In Northern Virginia, developers led the way with visionary replanning proposals for Tysons Corner Center Mall, Merrifield Town Center, and numerous other Transit-Oriented Development proposals. These grants go to communities all around the country, large and small, urban and rural. The interest in these has been extraordinary. In 2010, when HUD announced their challenge grants, to be awarded jointly with DOT, a total of 630 communities requested $1.2 billion in funding. HUD was able to award 61 grants worth $69 million. HUD's sustainable communities regional planning grants were as popular: 225 regions applied for $450 million, and HUD was able to award 45 regions a total of $98 million. It is high time the Federal Government emulated our local efforts in Northern Virginia, and I therefore strongly oppose Republican efforts to repeal this program and prevent federal support of our local programs.

Mr. Chair, I strongly support the Blumenauer, Lowey, Markey amendment to restore our commitment to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Public broadcasting provides an essential service, providing millions of Americans with educational and cultural programming. In my district, and throughout the entire Washington, DC metropolitan region, we have been admirably served by public broadcasting stations like WETA on television and WAMU on the radio for many years.

Support for public broadcasting was first provided in 1967, and has been maintained for more than 40 years--it is an American institution. Whose children have not grown up learning their A,B,Cs from Sesame Street? Who has not enjoyed one of the many rich musical performances or riveting documentaries, including Ken Burns' historic 1990 series on the American Civil War, and a recent series on America's national parks, shown exclusively on PBS?

In America, unlike many countries around the world, the media industry always has been a completely commercial enterprise. Public broadcasting was not designed to supplant private media--and given the explosion of private television channels it clearly has not. Instead it merely provides viewers with a broad selection of educational and cultural programs that are available for free in every household in every community. I myself did not subscribe to cable television until just a few years ago and routinely watched PBS using rabbit ears on my old television set. Millions of Americans choose PBS, and they support it with their own money by donating to local stations during pledge drives. This has been a successful partnership, leveraging public investment with private funds for decades. That's why the proposed Republican cut is all the more surprising, given their alleged reverence for respecting the popular will expressed on You Cut. The number of Americans who support public broadcasting with their private contributions exceeds all of the participation in You Cuts by tens of multiples.

I recognize the need to control federal spending and reduce the deficit, and I support responsible reductions to that end. However, eviscerating public broadcasting is not responsible budgeting and flaunts any pretense of respect for popular support.

While less than twenty percent of its funding comes from the federal government, any reduction in support would result in significant degradation of the educational and cultural programming it provides. Public broadcasting is an extraordinarily cost-effective investment in America's cultural and educational advancement. For more than 40 years, PBS has brought the world to our living rooms, regardless of our financial means or where we lived. A PBS is to broadcasting what the Internet is to the digital revolution, and like the Internet democratizes and makes universal access to information. We must not sever access to such a unifying public resource at the short-sighted altar of fiscal dogma. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Blumenauer, Lowey, Markey amendment. Support the American institution of Public Broadcasting.

I thank my friend from Massachusetts.

I was very interested to hear the comments from our friend from Iowa. I couldn't sympathize more with him, and I know I will have his support later in opposing a point of order to an amendment I have to restore Metro funding here in the National Capital region and to offset it with some cuts in certain agricultural subsidies.

Mr. Speaker, today we debate the rule on the full year continuing appropriations act for 2011. While I understand and support the need to establish long-term fiscal responsibility, to reduce spending, to reduce the deficit, and to grow the economy, H.R. 1 is not the way. It takes a meat ax to American competitiveness and actually destroys jobs.

That's why I introduced the Build America Bonds Now to Create Jobs Act, legislation to extend the successful Build America Bonds program, a jobs bill. Creating jobs grows the economy, encourages American innovation, and positions us to remain the global economic leader. During the past 2 years, $4.4 billion from the Recovery Act leveraged $181 billion worth of projects to construct and repair schools, bridges, roads, and transit systems in more than 2,270 projects in every State of the Union.

According to Moody's Analytics chief economist and John McCain's 2008 Presidential campaign adviser, infrastructure investments in the Recovery Act resulted in 8 million new or protected jobs that otherwise would have been lost in 2009 and 2010. By extending the Build America Bonds program, we can do more.

I ask my colleagues to oppose this closed rule and to support the amendment to bring the Build America Bonds Now to Create Jobs Act to the floor. Let's create jobs. Let's grow the economy. Let's unleash America competitiveness.

Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Madam Chair, I will not use 5 minutes.

The United States imports over 60 percent of all the oil we consume, most of which is used for vehicles. OPEC alone exports 2 billion barrels per year to the United States. At a cost of $90 per barrel, approximate current price, this represents a $180 billion tax that our oil dependence imposes on American consumers.

Some OPEC countries that profit from our oil dependence are listed by the State Department as sponsors of terrorism, Madam Chairman. Fortunately, we're using Clean Air Act amendments to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. In April, automakers joined auto workers and President Obama to announce a landmark fuel efficiency standard that will improve auto efficiency 30 percent by 2016. These standards will save Americans $3,000 per vehicle for each car purchased in 2016 or later and reduce our oil dependence by 77 billion gallons over the life of the vehicles produced between 2012 and 2016. This efficiency improvement will keep $9.9 billion from being sent to OPEC countries.

In section 1746 of this continuing resolution, the Republicans have proposed cutting off funding for implementation of the Clean Air Act, which is the law that has made these vehicle efficiency investments possible. Americans cannot afford, Madam Chairman, to send more money to Libya and Iran.

I urge my colleagues to reject this attack on the Clean Air Act.

I yield back.