Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Steve L. Butts, a veteran from Hernando, Florida who has recently been recognized with the Saint Martin Award, a tribute given under the authority of the U.S. Army Quartermaster General.

At the age of 17, Mr. Butts enlisted in the Army, and was sent to Quartermaster School in Ft. Lee, Virginia, eventually rising to the rank of sergeant. Assigned to the 1st LOG Command in Vietnam during 1969, Sgt Butts then served with the 2nd LOG Command in Okinawa in 1970. Prior to his retirement in 1989, Butts was appointed to warrant officer and was commissioned at West Point Academy. In addition to his service in Panama, Germany, Italy, France, England, Ireland, Turkey, Afghanistan, Korea, Japan, Spain, Netherlands and Greenland, Mr. Butts was sent to Lockerbie, Scotland as part of the team investigating the wreckage of Pan Am Flight 103, for which he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal 5th OLC.

For his two decades of service to the Army Quartermasters, Mr. Butts was recently honored with the Saint Martin Award for distinguished service to the military. Martin was a Roman soldier who served during the time of Emperor Constantine and who during a campaign in Gaul kindly gave half of his warm cloak to a beggar who had been ignored by the rest of his troops. That evening Martin was visited by the Lord, who praised him for his kindness toward the poor beggar. Today, Saint Martin serves as the patron saint of the Quartermaster Regiment and lends his name to the award recently bestowed upon Steve Butts for his lifetime of service to the Army Quartermasters. The award recognized not just his years of military service, but also his continued commitment to the men and women who serve today in the Army Quartermaster units throughout the world.

Madam Speaker, it is veterans like Steve Butts who have served our Nation with honor and distinction and who deserve our praise and recognition. Completing his service and retiring from the Army, Mr. Butts continued to work with the Quartermaster regiments around the world, serving as an example for all men and women seeking to serve our great Nation. I congratulate Steve on his well deserved recognition and hope that he continues his service to the Quartermasters for many years to come.

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the en bloc package. It does include an amendment that I have to the national defense authorization bill.

In keeping with the spirit of the Warrior Ethos, in 2005 the Department of Army authorized the creation of the Combat Action Badge. The Combat Action Badge provides special recognition to soldiers who personally engage the enemy or the enemy is engaged with during combat operations. Current Army policy limits eligibility, however, for the Combat Action Badge to those soldiers who serve after September 18, 2001.

While this is a noble effort, the award overlooks the thousands of veterans who have made similar sacrifices in previous wars. My amendment corrects this error by expanding the eligibility to include these soldiers who served since December 7, 1941. Not only does this award recognize all veterans who engaged the enemy in combat, it does so at no cost to the Army.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment will properly recognize our veterans for their sacrifices and service to this great Nation. I urge my colleagues to support this en bloc package.

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in favor of this bill, H.R. 3819, the Veterans Emergency Care Fairness Act. This bill, introduced by my colleague, Representative Space, closes a loophole that saddles America's hospitals with unnecessary costs.

Mr. Speaker, America's veterans answered the call of duty and fought gallantly for our freedoms. And everyone is thankful for that. However, it is up to the government of the United States to care for our vets, not private hospitals. This bill ensures that the private hospitals providing a bed for a vet while they await care at a VA hospital are reimbursed for that care.

Like Mr. Space, I've been contacted. Previously, he was contacted by a constituent. I've been contacted by constituents and actually intervened in getting the VA to pay for the hospital care. Once this becomes law, neither I nor other Members will have to be in the bill collection business because the VA clearly should be paying for this without having to have a Congressperson call, asking them to look into it.

As a cosponsor of this important bill, I'm looking forward to voting in favor of it, and I urge my colleagues to do the very same.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an American soldier who gave his life in service to our Nation.

Army Sergeant Marcus Mathes of Pasco County, Florida, was killed Monday, April 28th outside Baghdad, Iraq, when the equipment truck he was working on was struck by enemy rocket fire. Sergeant Mathes is survived by his mother and step-father, Sue and Mike Sawyer of Sebring, his father, Ralph Mathes of Tampa, and two brothers, Kyle Mathes of Illinois, and Zach Sawyer of Sebring.

A graduate of Zephyrhills High School, Sergeant Mathes grew up in Highlands County before moving to live with his father in Pasco County. While in high school, Sergeant Mathes joined the JROTC, and had dreams of being a professional military member. Inspired by the events of September 11, he enlisted in the Army and left for boot camp on his 23rd birthday. Serving in Afghanistan from October 2006 until march 2007, Sergeant Mathes was sent to Iraq in November of 2007.

A devoted family man, Sergeant. Mathes married his high school sweetheart Julia two weeks after her graduation. The two were planning to celebrate their six-year wedding anniversary this June and had wanted to start a family together. During a visit to his base in Louisiana, Sergeant Mathes introduced his sister-in-law, Julia's sister Heather, to one of his fellow soldiers. Two months later, Bryan Harvey and Heather were married. One of his best friends who served in his same unit, Bryan was nearby when Sergeant Mathes was killed, even picking up his torn Bible where it was thrown from the truck.

Madam Speaker, it is soldiers like Sergeant Marcus Mathes who have volunteered to protect the freedoms that all Americans hold dear. While brave men and women like Marcus have perished in the name of freedom and liberty, his family, friends and loved ones should know that this Congress will never forget his sacrifice and commitment.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule. I am the lead Republican on the post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act. Congress needs to increase benefits for those fighting in our military to cover the true cost of a college education, and that is what that bill does.

Despite my obvious support for this provision in the supplemental, I am

saddened because I cannot vote for its passage as part of amendment 3 today. I cannot because the Democrats have chosen to include an egregious tax on small businesses in amendment 3. While claiming this tax is for American's veterans, in reality the majority of it is paying for their penchant to send foreign aid money to governments, many of whom do not support the United States of America.

However, when the fortunes of this Nation's veterans are at stake, the majority always seems to play games. There is no need for this tax, and certainly it is not welcomed at a time when our economy is struggling. But unfortunately, the tax-and-spend folks are here at it again, and this is part of the largest tax increase in history.

I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for clarifying the true potential cost of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, today we have to face the fact that many Americans are in a very tough financial position. If I have learned anything over the past year, it is how intricate our financial and economic markets are woven.

As members of the Financial Services Committee, we have been presented and have debated dozens of proposals and ideas to combat this housing crisis before us. Many of them were sound, good ideas worth pursuing.

In the months leading up to today, going around my district I came to several conclusions, but one is that Congress cannot accept the status quo. I have been patient. I believe in the market working itself out, but that just doesn't seem to be happening. At a time when our dollar is devalued, not only is the price of petroleum products, the gas everyone fills up with over $1.70 more than it was a year ago, we also have very high food prices. People are finding it hard to make those payments.

And the beauty of this, it has to be a homeowner who is being helped out, not a speculator, not a flipper.

While Chairman Frank's proposal isn't perfect, I do think it is one that Members should take a very close look at and compare it to what is happening in their districts. It is a voluntary, participatory program. No one is forced to play.

This is not the silver bullet, by any means. Homeowners, lenders and investors will make sacrifices under this.

But I'm also concerned about hearing from constituents who try to work with their lenders, but their lenders won't call them back. I'm tired of driving through the Fifth Congressional District and seeing many houses vacant because of foreclosure. No one wins when a house in the neighborhood is foreclosed, absolutely no one, because it brings down the value of those properties.

No, Mr. Chairman, we cannot stick with the status quo. That's sticking our policy-making heads in the sand. By providing lenders an incentive to write down mortgages, modernizing FHA, improving GSE oversight and including tax incentives, I believe we can help Americans get back into the market and help the housing market to survive.

The bill isn't perfect, and certainly, neither was the process that this bill comes to the floor. And I'm sure that Chairman Frank agrees that the process is murky, at best. But I do believe that what we have before us will provide relief to Americans, and I urge Members to support it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an American soldier who was wounded in service to our Nation during the conflict in Vietnam. Mr. Thomas S. Conely, Sr., is a Marine who served with honor and distinction on the battlefield. It is truly an honor to present this brave patriot with his long overdue Purple Heart medal.

Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Mr. Conely's family moved to Pittsburgh when he was in ninth grade. Enlisting in the Marine Corps at the age of eighteen, Mr. Conely was one of about 78 enlistees dubbed the ``Pittsburgh Pirate Platoon'' when, all gathered around home plate for the ceremony, they were sworn into the Marines in the 7th inning of a baseball game at Forbes Field.

After completing his basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina, Mr. Conely went on to attend radio operator school in California and then served as the 2531 Field Radio Operator

with the 9th Marines in Vietnam. Near the end of his tour of duty, his unit was near the Rock Pile in the Northern Eye Core of Vietnam when a mortar round landed between Mr. Conely and another soldier. The other man was thrown 23 feet and killed, while Mr. Conely ended up with shrapnel throughout his body.

A third generation soldier whose grandfather served in World War I and his father in World War II, Mr. Conely's wounds sadly forced him to leave the military. He had planned to make a career in the Marines, but after the blast injured him in Vietnam he returned to Bethesda Naval Hospital where he remained for 13 months prior to being discharged. Continuing the tradition of military service, Mr. Conely's three sons have all served in the Marine Corps, and one has had four tours of duty in Iraq.

Madam Speaker, it is soldiers like Thomas S. Conely, Sr., who joined the military to protect the freedoms that all Americans hold dear. While brave men like Mr. Conely were wounded fighting for freedom and liberty, his family, friends and loved ones know that this Congress will always remember his bravery and commitment in battle.

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule.

H.R. 5818, quite frankly, is a bailout bill, and it is not even a bailout bill to homeowners, it's a bailout bill to lending institutions.

While I appreciate the merits of the bill and what the sponsor was trying to accomplish, it is what it is. If we're going to provide a bailout, Congress should ensure that at least we are bailing out lending institutions that lent to Americans, not illegal aliens.

Yesterday I offered an amendment in rules to do that, an amendment that actually had some teeth. Instead, the Rules Committee decided to allow a similar amendment but one that lacked the teeth that mine had. My amendment prohibited States from using any of the funds to purchase homes that were owned by illegal aliens. If States used the funds under this bill to provide affordable housing to its residents, my amendment prohibited them from providing that housing to illegal aliens. However, my amendment required documentation, which only included a Social Security card with a photo ID or a REAL ID identification. That would be the proof of the pudding.

If Congress wants to use taxpayers' dollars to bail out lenders, let's make sure it's only benefiting the people who pay taxes and live here legally. I am saddened that once again the majority wants to pass legislation that will accomplish nothing but provide political cover.

I just checked with my office to see if we have heard from one municipality. While I respect the gentleman from Massachusetts, we have not heard from one mayor, not one city council member, not one county commissioner and, as of the last time I checked, we still had not heard from one State official.

For this reason I am going to vote against the rule and encourage other Members to do so.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an American soldier who was wounded in service to our Nation during the conflict in Vietnam. Mr. Thomas S. Conley, Sr. is a Marine who served with honor and distinction on the battlefield. It is truly an honor to present this brave patriot with his long overdue Purple Heart Medal.

Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Mr. Conley's family moved to Pittsburgh when he was in ninth grade. Enlisting in the Marine Corps at the age of eighteen, Mr. Conley was one of about seventy-eight enlistees dubbed the ``Pittsburgh Pirate Platoon'' when, all gathered around home plate for the ceremony, they were sworn into the Marines in the 7th inning of a baseball game at Forbes Field.

After completing his basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina, Mr. Conley went on to attend radio operator school in California and then served as the 2531 Field Radio Operator with the 9th Marines in Vietnam. Near the end of his tour of duty, his unit was near the Rock Pile in the Northern Eye Core of Vietnam when a mortar round landed between Mr. Conley and another soldier. The other man was thrown twenty-three feet and killed, while Mr. Conley ended up with shrapnel throughout his body.

A third generation soldier whose grandfather served in World War I and his father in World War II, Mr. Conley's wounds sadly forced him to leave the military. He had planned to make a career in the Marines, but after the blast injured him in Vietnam he returned to Bethesda Naval Hospital where he remained for thirteen months prior to being discharged. Continuing the tradition of military service, Mr. Conley's three sons have all served in the Marine Corps, and one has had four tours of duty in Iraq.

Madam Speaker, it is soldiers like Thomas S. Conley, Sr. who joined the military to protect the freedoms that all Americans hold dear. While brave men like Mr. Conley were wounded fighting for freedom and liberty, his family, friends and loved ones know that this Congress will always remember his bravery and commitment in battle.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor two of my constituents who were married Saturday, March 8, 2008. Jennifer Lewis Fowlkes and James Sean Griffin celebrated their commitment to each other at a wedding ceremony held at the Griffin home in Land O'Lakes, Florida. A couple firmly dedicated to the Pasco County region, Jennifer works for Verizon and James is an entrepreneur.

As George Eliot once said, ``What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined together to strengthen each other in all labour, to minister to each other in all sorrow, to share with each other in all gladness, to be one with each other in the silent unspoken memories?'' Having known the Griffin family for many years, Jennifer and James will have a lifetime of wedded joy ahead of them. I can only hope that their marriage is as long-lasting and full of love as that of James' parents, Danielle and Jeff Griffin.

Madam Speaker, we should all be jealous of newlyweds like Jennifer and James. Their lifelong journey began with the first step of a marriage ceremony, and they have yet to see the ups and downs and joys and sorrows that come with every union of man and woman. Their commitment to each other is one to be celebrated and commended and one in which I offer my congratulations and wish them well as they begin their new life together.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor two of my constituents who were married Saturday, March 8, 2008. Jennifer Lewis Fowlkes and James Sean Griffin celebrated their commitment to each other at a wedding ceremony held at the Griffin home in Land O'Lakes, Florida. A couple firmly dedicated to the Pasco County region, Jennifer works for Verizon, and Jeff is an entrepreneur.

As George Eliot once said, ``What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined together to strengthen each other in all labour, to minister to each other in all sorrow, to share with each other in all gladness, to be one with each other in the silent unspoken memories?'' Having known the Griffin family for many years, I know Jennifer and James' will have a lifetime of wedded joy ahead of them. I can only hope that their marriage is as long lasting and full of love as that of James' parents, Danielle and Jeff Griffin.

Madam Speaker, we should all be jealous of newlyweds like Jennifer and Jeff. Their lifelong journey began with the first step of a marriage ceremony, and they have yet to see the ups and downs and joys and sorrows that come with every union of man and woman. Their commitment to each other is one to be celebrated and commended and one in which I offer my congratulations and wish them well as they begin their new life together.

Mr. Chairman, for over 20 years, creditor nations have been passing bilateral agreements to forgive debt in poor and developing countries.

Since 1991, the United States has waived roughly $23.9 billion in debt.

Now the House of Representatives is considering further debt relief for 23, possibly 24, nations under H.R. 2634. After two decades of making loans with taxpayer dollars to countries that clearly are unable to pay it back, we're asking Americans to do it again.

The U.S. national deficit is $9.4 trillion, and we're asking hardworking, taxpaying Americans, our children and grandchildren, to waive an additional $6.1 billion in loan assistance we've provided to developing countries.

This is simply illogical, which is why I offered my amendment to this bill in Rules on Monday. The amendment would prohibit the waiving of any debt owed to the United States if the United States carries a federal deficit.

Of course, the majority decided to shortchange the debate and to make my amendment not in order.

I feel for these poor, developing countries, and their people. But we have some real crises here in the United States with 223,000 homes in foreclosure in February, the unemployment rate at 4.8 percent, and more than 46.6 million Americans without health care insurance.

I know my constituents can think of a million things to do with $6.1 billion in debt cancellation for foreign nations. With this type of logic, it's no wonder Americans consider to question the mental stability of their Members of Congress.

Until the United States is in the black and no longer has a federal deficit, I urge Members to protect American taxpayer dollars. I urge Members to vote against this restrictive rule and oppose this ill- conceived bill.

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this closed rule. I am opposed because the majority continues to punish States without an income tax, States like Florida. Under the Republican leadership, Congress allowed States to once again allow their residents to deduct the State sales tax from their Federal income tax, just as other States are able to deduct their State income tax. My colleagues and I have repeatedly asked the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee to extend the deduction. But we have repeatedly been ignored.

As we all know, providing tax relief is a very important and effective way to stimulate our economy. Yet, the majority is choosing to pass a tax increase on to Floridians and residents of other States that only have a State sales tax.

Florida has the second highest foreclosure rate in America. And this, ladies and gentlemen, would increase taxes on people already stressing to pay their mortgage payments, and today being April 15, obviously, to rush down to the post office to pay their Federal income tax.

The Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act will not assist the average taxpayer nor simplify their tax burden. Even though the bill is being considered today, I haven't had a single constituent contact me in support of this measure. I have, however, had some pretty upset constituents come in about the fact that this is going to be the last year that they can deduct the sales tax on their Federal income tax.

Instead of heading off their requests, the majority is passing this bill under a closed rule, disallowing Members to help our cash-strapped constituents. The majority should really be ashamed of what they are doing today.

I urge all Members to vote against this rule and also the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express to the House the fear and uncertainty felt by the American people. For over a month, America has been vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Not only has the majority refused to call a vote on bipartisan legislation that would reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, they will not even let us debate this very crucial matter.

I have heard from hundreds of constituents regarding this matter, and they want the Senate bill. They are fearful and angry that Congress cannot accomplish one of its principal tasks, and that is protecting the security of this great Nation.

Just recently, there were reports that the majority said we were too busy to add FISA to the schedule of bills. Is Congress too busy to protect the citizens of this country? We are too busy to monitor the activity of terrorists who have launched attacks on innocent civilians, and are likely to do it again? There are few things more important than protecting our Nation from terrorist activity.

I thank the gentleman for recognizing me.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 5168, which will rename the post office on Cortez Boulevard in Brooksville, Florida, after Private First Class Cody Grater. Cody was a resident from my district who lived in Spring Hill. He gave the ultimate sacrifice, his life, for his country while serving in Iraq.

Cody Grater joined the Army in 2006 when he was only 19 years old. Actually, my grandson went to high school with him, so this tragedy certainly did hit home with our family. Cody was proud to be serving his country and hoped to make a career out of his service in the Army. By the time of his death in July 2007, Cody had received the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, the Combat Action Badge and many other honors.

While serving on guard duty in Baghdad, the rooftop where Cody stood guard was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. Just two weeks earlier, Cody been on leave in Florida with his family, where he was telling people about his previous experiences in Iraq, sharing it with his friends, family and former high school mates. Even though he was just at the halfway point of his tour of duty, Cody expressed plans to reenlist after his initial service in the Army was completed.

I hope that this act of renaming the post office will memorialize Cody's brave and selfless life. Cody Grater epitomizes the courage and patriotism of our volunteer military, and we must never forget his great sacrifice to our Nation.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, which rightfully honors Cody Grater.