Floor Statements

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of grownups, grownups who realize that the end of the year is coming, and taxes will be raised if we don't act now.

When I first came to Congress, I knew that partisanship had taken over. I knew the enormous extent of the philosophical divide, but I didn't fully realize that entire years would go by without the two sides working together to come up with an answer for the American people. Sadly, it seems it takes a genuine crisis and a sense of panic before we can work together. In any case, here we are.

The bill before us is not the bill that I would have written, that I would have participated in; it is not the bill that conservative radio talk show host or Tea Party constituents would have liked written; and it is not the bill that The New York Times editorial page or the President himself would have written. It is a compromise. This is what a compromise looks like. Some so-called constitutionalists want to ignore the fact that the Constitution itself actually was a compromise, with a capital ``C.''

And while we are still in this bipartisan moment of clarity, let me say a few other things. First, while I strongly disagreed with the policies put forth by my Democrat colleagues, I do not envy them for having to preside over the biggest economic collapse in a generation. And while I believe their economic premise is misguided, I cannot fault any legislator for sticking to his or her principles.

What I do believe is unforgivable, however, is the tremendous uncertainty that has been created over the past few years. Uncertainty is not good for families; it is not good for investors; it is not good for employers.

Regardless of the cause, all economic crises are ultimately a crisis of confidence. Frankly, the Democrat-controlled government has contributed to that. At a basic level, beyond all of the fancy models and theory, the economy is really not that complicated. Uncertainty leads to doubt, doubt leads to fear, and fear leads to paralysis; and that, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly where our country is today.

By refusing to work with this side of the aisle until this point, we have prolonged uncertainty and aggravated the fear. Even here today, in what feels like a great legislative compromise, the most we can deliver for the American people is a year of this and 2 years of that.

The uncertainty must end, Madam Chair, and I believe Mr. Camp when he says that we are going to work on that in January when the Republican majority takes over. At this point, I don't much care what the policy is. I just think it needs to be set in stone. My constituents want to see all the tax cuts extended permanently, and they want the estate tax eliminated permanently.

Now, let me make it clear: I probably have about five wealthy people living in my district, so some might say, What do they care about the estate tax? While they may not be wealthy, they certainly hope that sometime in their life they will be wealthy or their children will be, and they realize the impact of that. And based on the economic situation, it is kind of a mystery to me why they would even care so much about these rich people, but as I said, they probably would like to work hard and become them.

Madam Chair, we know better and our constituents know better. If they aren't rich, they have lived just long enough to know that in this world there are no free lunches. You have to

work for what you get and you have to fight to keep it. So even though many of them are poor and even though many of them are struggling, my constituents don't want handouts. My constituents just want to be able to earn an honest living and rest easy at night knowing that the government isn't going to come in and suddenly swoop in and take everything away from them. For them, Madam Chair, it is more than a matter of principle--it is simply a way of life.

My constituents are upset that the tax cuts aren't permanent, and many of them believe I should vote against this bill.

In short, the story cannot explain that despite the fact that only 2 percent of Americans are rich, more than half the country does not want them to be taxed more to expand government spending. You know, the truth of the matter is, Madam Chair, it is simple. They don't want government's help and they don't want our generosity with other people's money. My constituents simply don't buy it. They don't want a nanny state, and they don't want somebody else to have to pay for it-- not their kids, not the Chinese, not their grandchildren, and not rich people.

I thank the gentleman.

Their philosophy and mine is we want the government to reward hard work, savings, investment, and job creation. I simply don't think these things should be punished, and certainly not in the name of fixing everybody's problems everywhere, because at the end of the day, doing that will just create more problems, more uncertainty, and more panic.

Finally, Madam Chair, my constituents know that we will never climb out of this ditch as long as we keep moving that ladder. Keeping taxes low has to be our goal. That is the ladder to getting out of that ditch.

I urge adoption of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1648, which recognizes the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day and Month. As

you know, November 20 will mark this year's annual National Adoption Day celebration. All across our great country, communities will gather together to celebrate the adoptions that have been finalized this year and those that we hope will be finalized next year. In this spirit of community and family, this is what makes the National Adoption Day so very effective and also so very important in the lives of the Nation's more than 423,000 foster children--more than half of whom are under the age of 10.

The issue truly is an urgent one, Mr. Speaker. Each year as children grow older, it becomes harder and harder to place them with ``forever'' families. In fact, sadly, last year, 29,000 children ``aged out'' of the foster care system and are now on their own. As someone who adopted an older child, I know what this means to so many families and so many children--in particular, to older children. I call adopting an older child the toughest job I've ever had but also the one that was the most rewarding.

In so many cases, adoption is the key to breaking the cycle of abuse for children who otherwise would languish in dangerous homes. Perhaps it goes without saying how important it is for children to grow up in loving and supporting families. Yet with thousands upon thousands of children still being denied this most fundamental opportunity, Congress must continue to do what it can to support their efforts to find a home.

As such, the Federal Government has rightly stepped in to relieve the financial burden on adoptive families, and in doing so has made adoption more affordable to people of all income levels, but much still remains to be done. The resolution that we are considering today is an important reaffirmation of our commitment to improving the lives of foster children everywhere, and I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support and attention to this matter.

While we are on the subject of adoption, Mr. Speaker, I want to mention one more thing. It has been brought to my attention that the Democratic leadership has pulled another very important adoption bill from the schedule this week. Actually, I understand that they hope to use it as a vehicle to pass an unrelated measure called the DREAM Act. The adoption bill in question is called the Help HAITI Act. It was introduced by Congressman Fortenberry in response to the tragic earthquake in Haiti some months ago. His legislation has passed the House and the Senate, and it was designated to assist children orphaned by one of the greatest natural disasters in recent memory.

A family in my district has adopted one of those children. He is a 3- year-old boy named Samuel. After being abandoned, with no record of who his parents were, Samuel got a second chance at having a family. Sadly, his adoption is stuck in limbo now because of this action. Congressman Fortenberry's bill would change that. It has passed the House, and it has passed the Senate. All little Samuel needs is one clean vote and a stroke of the President's pen.

To hold these children hostage in an effort to disguise a vote on a controversial piece of legislation that has no hope of becoming law is completely unacceptable. Frankly, Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the kind of skullduggery that the American people have grown so sick of. If the DREAM Act or any other piece of legislation cannot stand on its own merits, then the sponsors of the bill need to go back to the drawing board and find something that can stand on its own merits.

The Help HAITI Act is one vote away from being sent to the President's desk. I strongly urge the Senate Democrat leaders to allow the House to vote to pass the Haiti adoption bill. If they choose not to, I hope that the current Speaker will at least have the decency to look Samuel and his parents in the eyes and explain the nefarious decision to them.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton).

Mr. Speaker, I have no more Members who wish to speak on this, but I'd just like to close by saying I think that this House Resolution 1648 is a very good one. I urge my colleagues to support it but also to keep up the pressure on the current Speaker to release the Haiti adoption bill.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman on the other side very aptly summarized what this bill does so I will not repeat that.

In my home State of Florida, according to State officials, more time for this appropriation is absolutely vital but we're not alone. The latest HHS data suggests another 15 States had unexpended funds. Just like in Florida, residents of those States affected by the 2008 natural disasters stand to benefit from the additional flexibility resulting from this legislation.

Significantly, the Congressional Budget Office says that the bill will not add to the deficit. It would simply change the timing for the spending already approved of these funds. It is also important to note that this same sort of flexibility had previously been granted for recovery funds in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. So it makes sense to provide similar treatment for funds provided in the wake of the 2008 natural disasters, and I'm very pleased to support this legislation that will accomplish that.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson) who was forward-thinking enough to introduce this legislation to begin with.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. And with that, I would ask for support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize Ms. Kia Shaw of Land O'Lakes, Florida. Kia recently received the distinguished title of National American Miss Florida and is the founder of Tampa Bay Teens on a Mission. TBTOAM is a community service organization which seeks volunteer opportunities for children. This organization currently has a total of 115 members. Ms. Shaw has proven to be a leader in youth involvement and has created a gateway for children to be actively involved in our community.

She has devoted her time and talents in the last ten months with more than 200 hours of community service; including service to such organizations as the Boys and Girls Club of America, YMCA, Metropolitan Ministries, Pinellas County African-American History Museum, Mount Calvary Deliverance Church, Lake Myrtle Baptist Church, ``Dress for Success'', Junior achievement, ``Soles4Soles'' and the St. Joseph's Children's Hospital where she donated $152.00 from her birthday money and over 100 stuffed animals, coloring books and crayons.

Kia Shaw is an incredible example that the leaders of tomorrow are already making a lasting impact in our community today. Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Kia Shaw for her accomplishments, thanking her for her dedication and wishing her all the very best in the very bright future that lies ahead.

I thank the gentleman.

Madam Speaker, Congress adjourned without doing anything useful over the last year and a half to get this economy turned around. America knows it. Sadly, this bill isn't going to change that fact.

My colleagues know that they've bankrupted the States with ObamaCare, and they know full well this won't be the last time the Federal Government borrows money to bail out the States.

As for the education jobs funding, the money provided in the stimulus, the $54 billion as a matter of fact, provided in the stimulus was supposed to do the trick, but like the stimulus as a whole it just didn't work, did it?

This $10 billion is a transparent handout to the teachers union, who not only continue to insist on greater pay but actually got their Democrat buddies to put it in the bill. If States take the money, their hands are actually tied on making any tough budget decision choices, including pay. As a result, the States will be back here again, and very soon, asking for more Federal bailouts, which the current majority will probably be very happy to give to them.

My Democrat colleagues are incredibly generous when it comes to spending OPM--that's other people's money. The only problem is that the other people, each and every taxpayer in our great country, already owe $130,000 apiece in Federal debt. That's why the American people are fed up.

Finally, any claim that the bill is ``paid for'' is utterly nonsense. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle know that. This bill before us represents another $14 billion in sham accounting gimmicks that the majority cannot resist using. Never mind that you've already used the money, the tax revenues, several times to pay for three different spending bills.

I thank the gentleman from Michigan.

We all know that the $14 billion in food stamp cuts will never actually really take place. So it is really a sham isn't it, folks? Just like the doc fix and everything else, you will kick the can down the road and far enough, so far, in fact, that it won't have to be counted in today's budget.

Madam Speaker, the bailouts must end. The borrowing must end. The gimmicks must end. If we are ever again to have a competitive country, the relentless tax increases on job creators also must end.

I urge a vote against this.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, this bill never went through committee, never was marked up in committee. And you know what, it's awfully good to hear the other side finally admit that they messed up in the health care bill, that it is going to have a tremendous impact on small businesses. You know, you can't raise taxes on small businesses in the health care bill, use that revenue to say ObamaCare will reduce the deficit, and then turn around and remove those same business tax increases and tell small businesses that you are doing them a favor. That's known as a shell game in a carnival. That's shameful. You know what, you are not doing them a favor.

Representative Lungren introduced the Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act to remove that huge burden on entrepreneurs that was found in the health care bill. That language was here yesterday, and it was not allowed to be voted on. Rather, the majority pulled the bill so that we could not have that very meaningful vote. This morning it was turned around and added to language that raises taxes elsewhere. And ironically, it's called the Small Business Tax Relief bill. And Members are going to be forced to vote on that. This is totally unacceptable.

The majority first needs to make up its mind whether or not it really wants to help small businesses. Then I think that the majority needs to be honest about that decision. There is a reason, Madam Speaker, why Members on the opposite side of the aisle are afraid to go home and face election, and it's exactly this kind of chicanery that causes that fear.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, thousands of young Americans flooded their local recruiting offices to enlist in the Armed Services. In total, over 16 million served in uniform to defend their families, their homes, and our freedoms.

Those serving on the front lines were not the only Americans making sacrifices during America's 4 years in World War II. From Victory Gardens to sugar and gasoline rations, World War II united all Americans. The cooperation and patriotism shown during those times illustrate the best of the American spirit. It is no wonder that these Americans are so often referred to as ``the Greatest Generation.''

Today, approximately 20,000 World War II veterans live in Florida's Fifth Congressional District. I regularly meet with these veterans. Almost always, what I hear from them is their concerns about where our Nation is going. They fear that we have abandoned the goals and ideals that they fought for, and that 405,000 members of the Armed Forced died for, during World War II.

I would like to thank my colleague from Missouri, Mr. Skelton, for introducing this resolution to recognize the service and sacrifices of all of the brave men and women who fought against some of the greatest evil the world has ever known. I hope that as we honor these veterans with this resolution, we will also honor them with our acts--returning to the beliefs in democracy, liberty, and freedom from tyranny that made our great Nation what it is today.

With that I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the 15 percent of my constituents who have lost their jobs, but I also rise in support of the 85 percent who are struggling to hold onto their jobs.

Deficits do matter. Debt matters. What we have seen in the threat of default in Greece and what that did to the world economy and our own economy is similar to what we may be entering into. Given our tremendous reliance on borrowing, a similar loss of confidence in the United States would be devastating.

The administration may have its cheerleaders and spinmasters out in front telling all the cameras how swell everybody is going to be despite the work ahead; but businesses, those very entities that actually do the hiring, the innovating and the investing, aren't buying. They don't have a political motivation behind their analysis. It's simply reality as they see it. Small businesses are not confident about where this country is headed and neither are their customers.

Presidents can actually have a huge influence on consumer confidence; but every time this President gives a speech threatening American entrepreneurs, he makes things worse. As for debt, I understand the very childish playground temptation to point fingers and names and say, well, you borrowed too; but I also understand that businesses and consumers don't care about that because it doesn't fix the problem.

All we ask is that the unemployment, something we all agree on, be paid for using funds already obligated for the economic recovery. We and the American people point out--and not so subtly at times--that the way you are using the stimulus money is simply a waste of time, effort, and certainly money.

Borrowing more when it pushes us ever closer to the edge, just to continue spending money on self-serving stimulus road signs, is certainly unacceptable to them and is unacceptable to me.

I am sorry that the other side refuses to compromise, but that's where we are today. Americans want us to pay for this bill and not borrow another $34 billion.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to point out the obvious: You cannot feed road signs to your kids. They are made of aluminum, degreasing agents, and reflective film. They don't taste good. In fact, you can't even pay the rent with road signs because landlords prefer checks.

That's why Americans are so confused about the Obama administration and why they are spending tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer money on road signs, touting the success of the stimulus. I should have said the so-called ``success'' of the stimulus.

President Obama assured the American people that he would not waste the stimulus money. In fact, he even said that he would not waste one single nickel and that he would make famous anyone who wasted the money. Well, I guess I'm making the President famous then because these signs are the most obscenely wasteful and gratuitous things that we have seen out of him yet.

There is a reason why the majority has lost all credibility with the American people, and there is a reason you haven't created any jobs. That reason is posted on the sides of our roads.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today actually in support of H.R. 5114, the Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act. And since the word ``priorities'' is mentioned in the title, I wanted to share a few of my constituents' priorities.

On balance, they would say this is a good bill, particularly given the fact that over the last few weeks I received numerous calls from Realtors and

would-be home buyers who could not close on houses because of the lapse in the National Flood Insurance Program.

While the situation has been taken care of temporarily and while the home buyer tax credit closing deadline was pushed back, I think my colleagues can understand the frustration back home in Florida that this simply is not how we should be handling issues in Washington, D.C.

As for the bill we have on the floor today, I want to draw my colleagues' attention to one provision in particular that gives me pause. Section 5 of the legislation effectively raises homeowners' insurance costs for struggling homeowners. There are a lot of things that keep Floridians up late at night: unemployment, hurricane season, the solvency of Social Security and Medicare, and among others, homeowners insurance premiums.

We have to remember that the NFIP was self-sufficient until Hurricane Katrina and, frankly, it should continue to be. But raising rates during this recession in Gulf States already devastated by hurricanes, oil spills, and failed stimulus plans is a horrifically bad idea.

I offered an amendment at the Rules Committee that would have prevented these increases, but unfortunately my Democrat and Republican colleagues in flood-prone areas around the country will not have an opportunity to vote on that amendment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor COL Robert Cushing Greene, USA (Ret.) of Citrus County, Florida. On July 24th Colonel Greene will do something that all of us strive to do, but that very few of us will ever accomplish, celebrate his 100th birthday.

Bob was born July 24, 1910 in Keene, NH, he is the fifth of six children, born to his mother, Lillian Francis Greene and his father, Corydon Burton Greene, a furniture salesman. in April of 1931, while still attending the University of New Hampshire, he married his first wife and eventual mother to his three children, ``Betty''. That summer he was commissioned into the United States Army Reserve. One year later, he graduated college in the thick of the Great Depression. He took a job working for Betty's father's lumber company until 1939 when, he began working as a traveling cement salesman.

In April of 1941, war clouds were gathering and Bob was called up to active duty. He reported to Ft. Benning, GA to receive his infantry training. In August of 1943 he received his orders to head overseas to serve in the Northern Combat Area Command in China-Burma-India during World War II where he served as an intelligence officer. While in Burma, he was promoted from captain to major.

In 1945, at the wars end, many soldiers were trying to get out of the Army, but Major Greene and Betty decided that they liked the Army life and decided to stay in. From 1947 to 1949 Major Greene, Betty and their children lived in Panama, followed by Virginia where he transferred into the Quarter Master's Corps. He served in the Korean War, followed by two additional posts in Massachusetts and France. In 1961, after serving in two wars, crossing 69 countries and earning two Bronze Stars with oak leaf cluster, he retired from military service as a full colonel.

He served as a civil servant until 1975 when, he and Betty were once again bit by the travel bug. They embarked on what Betty called ``the world's longest bridge game''. For nearly three years they traveled the country in a motorcoach. In 1979, they finally parked in Inverness, FL to be close to many friends whom they had met along their journey together. Betty passed away five years later. Their children, Bob, Sherry and Michael say their parents were, ``the very best''.

In 1995, Colonel Greene married his current wife, Lori. His son, Bob, remarked that they credit Lori for their dad's enduring spirit. She encouraged him to become a mentor at the Inverness Primary School; He is also a former president of what is now the Citrus County MOAA Chapter. He enjoys spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, many of whom will join him on the 24th for his centenial celebration.

Madam Speaker, please join me in thanking Colonel Greene for his service and congratulating him on one hundred years of life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the amendment offered by my colleague, the Gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Obey.

As we all know, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has resulted in the worst man-made environmental disaster in history.

As a result, tens of thousands of Gulf residents are sidelined. From rig workers to commercial fishermen and shrimpers, these folks are forced to watch their waters, their beaches, and their livelihoods succumb to the oil spill.

My colleagues on the left will tell you that this amendment assists those in the Gulf, providing $142 million for Oil Spill Unemployment Assistance. But this is merely a token. The underlying bill provides $2.93 billion in relief to Haiti, but this amendment only provides Americans whose livelihoods hang in the balance only $142 million. Gulf Coast Americans should be enraged. Almost $3 billion for Haiti and a measly $142 million to Gulf Coast victims.

The Democrat leadership has filled this amendment with questionable provisions diverting education spending, cutting federal charter school programs, and paying back their union pals. And then they add desperately needed Gulf assistance and say ``you either vote with us or you vote for big oil.'' This is a false choice and it is playing politics with all my Gulf residents who are out of work as a result of this tragedy.

I oppose this amendment.

I thank the gentleman from Kentucky.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the bill before us, the Homebuyers Assistance and Improvement Act of 2010.

For reasons known only to them, our Democrat colleagues in the Senate have been unable or unwilling to reach a compromise addressing the bipartisan concerns about the bundle of extensions still pending across the Capitol. Due to this failure of basic leadership, the National Flood Insurance Program was allowed to expire, as well as a number of other programs.

I mention the Flood Insurance Program specifically because realtors in my district are calling my office morning, noon and night on behalf of clients who cannot close on their new homes without an extension in the Flood Insurance Program. Remember, it is Florida. You need flood insurance. Subsequently, quite a few of these individuals are going to be missing the homebuyer tax credit that they were told they would qualify for.

Say what you will about the tax credit, but in my view, if the government says it is going to do something, like anybody else, it had better follow through. Frankly, at this point, I'm not sure that the Democrat majority is even capable of doing that. If you can't muster up enough votes to ram your agenda through, despite opposition from your own Members, or you are faced with the prospect of actually having to pay for something--isn't that unique?--this government comes to a screeching halt.

On most issues, my constituents and I think this liberal legislative meltdown is a blessing; but on matters where families and small businesses have made financial decisions based on the expectation that the government would keep its word, we do demand and deserve action.

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have control of the White House, and they have the majorities in both houses of Congress. They need to stop blaming everybody else and get their act together for the sake of the American people.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act that we have before us.

For too long my Democrat colleagues have been playing games with the physician reimbursement fix. Playing chicken with the deadline time and time and time again and putting Medicare beneficiaries at risk while hurting small businesses across the country.

I've the highest number of constituents on Medicare of any Member of Congress. Believe me, I have heard from them loud and clear that they are disgusted with how long it took because their doctors are indeed refusing to take patients.

Whether it's the handling of the oil spill or their inability to put together a budget, it seems that even the basic responsibilities of running the government have become far too difficult for them. I'm glad to see this bill finally come before the House today, but I would remind all of our constituents that this could have been prevented. Months ago, my Republican colleagues and I offered and voted for a longer fix that would have been fully paid for.

Americans are tired of the credit card mentality of Washington. This is a voting card, ladies and gentlemen. It is not a credit card.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of keeping promises to the American people. To speak plainly about it, I do not support the federal government's growing role in the private sector.

But for reasons known to all of my colleagues, the federal government has, for some time, been the primary provider of flood insurance to America's homeowners. Because of Congress' inaction, that insurance is no longer available.

Simply put, as a matter of principle and responsible public policy, when the government makes commitments to the American people, and families and businesses come to rely on the fulfillment of those commitments, it is flat out wrong to fail to live up to them. That is where we are right now.

Mr. Speaker, the Democrats have control over every lever of government and your majorities in both chambers are significant. So to allow the National Flood Insurance Program, the ``SGR'', the state sales tax deduction, and others to expire demonstrates a complete lack of responsibility and an inability to govern.

This is hurting my constituents. My district, like many in Florida, has been pummeled by the housing crisis. And while the President may believe that press conferences touting his foreclosure initiatives are sufficient to addressing the problem, my constituents know that the only thing that will turn their situation around is a recovery in demand.

I am sure that Members on both sides of the aisle can understand my frustration when I get calls from realtors in my district explaining that three of their clients can't close on houses because the Flood Insurance program has lapsed.

There is nothing they can do about it and they want answers. They want to know when the government is going to get the situation fixed. And frankly, I don't know what to tell them. To me, the idea that a single-party government can't pass must-pass legislation is incomprehensible.

So I would like to thank the gentlelady from California, Ms. Waters, for stepping up to the plate and bringing this legislation to the floor. And while I support the bill and will be the first of my colleagues to vote for it, my constituents also want assurances from the Speaker and Majority Leader that this isn't just ``pat ourselves on the back'' legislation--that it isn't just ``pass it to say we did'' legislation. My constituents want real results and that means actually getting the Flood Insurance program, the tax cuts, and other commitments that this government have made extended quickly. It is simply the right thing to do.