Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, September 17 is Constitution Day. On that day in 1787, the Constitutional Convention met for the first time in Philadelphia to sign the document. It was then sent to 13 States to ratify.

In a speech to the Senate in 1850, Henry Clay said, ``The Constitution of the United States was made not merely for the generation that then existed, but for posterity--unlimited, undefined, endless, perpetual posterity.'' He has been proven correct. The Constitution is an enduring document--the world's longest surviving written charter of government.

More than two centuries have passed and the Constitution perseveres with few changes despite the many challenges. The document bequeathed to us is the most precious gift to the United States of America--our status as free citizens.

Many countries would have stopped a minister in Florida from making threats to burn a Koran, but even he has the rights of the Constitution, no matter how much we disagree with what he threatened to do.

I have signed onto a measure honoring and supporting September 17, 2010, as Constitution Day, and I would challenge all citizens to read their Constitution on that date each year. It will help your understanding and strengthen your values.

Mr. Speaker, there are more than a dozen countries in this world that restrict freedom of religion, including Iran and China. Imagine being told your religion was unacceptable and being carted off to jail for offering a Bible to someone. This is not an unusual occurrence in some countries with state-sponsored religions.

In this country, we have a few sacrosanct words known as ``First Amendment to the Constitution'' that guarantee no one will be punished for the religion that they choose to follow: ``Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.''

When a person decides to burn the Koran, the Bible, or any other sacred document in this country, he has the freedom to do so even if the overwhelming majority of us vehemently disagree with his decision. It is difficult for the citizens of some other countries to understand or to tolerate this kind of freedom. Yet it is the bedrock of our democracy.

We have the right to disagree, to ignore, to protest against or to take the matter to court for a ruling, but we do not have the right to determine what another person is to believe. Unfortunately, that kind of freedom challenges other governments and cultures.

The freedoms we hold dear seem uncontrollable to those who would dictate what people wear, worship, and support. For example, some governments think that if their citizens are educated the next thing that will happen is that they will begin to think and ask questions, and that can't be tolerated by those in power. Or they believe that only one religion is true and, therefore, no others can be taught or people might stray from the religion and the religion might falter. In the United States, we have no such fear because our Constitution gives us the confidence and the courage to tolerate diversity.

September 17 is Constitution Day and a time that we should all take to be grateful for the strength and breadth of our system of government. We should reflect on our freedoms and know that they are protected.

That date was chosen because on September 17, 1787, the Constitutional Convention met for the last time in Philadelphia to sign the document before it was sent to the 13 States to be ratified. The Founding Fathers drew upon the wisdom of the ages to give us a gift that has endured for more than two centuries, the United States Constitution.

The blueprint for our government is not a long document. You can keep a copy in your shirt pocket. I happen to have one here, Mr. Speaker. The basic document is under 5,000 words, but it covers the building blocks for our three equal branches of government: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial arms of government.

The first 10 amendments lay out the rights of every citizen. How many times have you heard the phrase, ``I know my rights.'' Well, we know them because they have been delineated for us in the Bill of Rights.

Winston Churchill famously said in a speech in the House of Commons in 1947: ``Many forms of government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.''

Today I issue a challenge to the citizens to read their Constitution on September 17 each year. It will help your understanding of what and who you are in this country, and it will strengthen your values.

In a speech to the Senate in 1850, Henry Clay said: ``The Constitution of the United States was made not merely for the generation that then existed, but for posterity, unlimited, undefined, endless, perpetual posterity.''

He has been proven correct, Mr. Speaker, and let us all work to protect it and keep it that way.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the members of the Penn State women's volleyball and the men's and women's fencing national championship teams were honored by the White House. They were two of the more than 30 National Collegiate Athletic Association national championship teams invited to the White House celebration by the President.

Last season, the Penn State women's volleyball team won their unprecedented third straight NCAA National Championship. They have won a record 109 matches in a row. The Nittany Lions were a perfect 38-0 for the second consecutive season, and this was their seventh Big Ten title in a row. The Penn State fencers won their fifth national title in the last decade on March 28 and their second consecutive NCAA championship.

These teams carried the mantle of Penn State from the court and the strip to the White House, and I could not be prouder of my alma mater and its sensational teams.

I commend the President for his efforts to recognize the various championship teams and individual student athletes for their contributions to their communities and to their schools.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5414. This simple legislation allows the Forest Service to sell a 3-acre parcel of land in the Francis Marion National Forest to the Bonneau Baptist Church in Bonneau, South Carolina. The church needs this land to expand their cemetery, which is within

the boundary of the National Forest, and cannot expand without this sale.

The church has agreed to pay for the costs of the transaction. The Forest Service is going to use the funds generated by the sale of this tract to purchase other land for the forest in the future. The gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown) has worked with the Forest Service, the church, and the community to ensure that this transaction is acceptable to everyone concerned. And most importantly, Mr. Speaker, this bill will not result in any expense to the taxpayers.

I hope and urge that my colleagues will join me in support of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2476, the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act. This bipartisan bill provides the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to allow additional activities on National Forest land governed by a ski permit. A vendor who holds a ski area permit will be able to offer snow sports other than alpine and Nordic skiing in these permitted areas.

The legislation also clarifies the Secretary's authority to expand the number of activities allowed in these skiing areas during summer months when they are not being utilized for their primary purpose.

Mr. Speaker, these are great ways to encourage Americans to explore our National Forest systems and to appreciate the beauty of our National Forests, all while being physically active. The bill ensures that these activities are regulated in such a manner that does not alter the character of the forest.

Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. John Coleman from Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, on his Pennsylvania State Senate confirmation as Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

Coleman recently resigned as the president and CEO of the Chamber of

Business and Industry of Centre County after 11 years of dedicated service. Under John's leadership, the chamber experienced significant organizational growth, becoming the largest business membership organization in central Pennsylvania. He oversaw such projects as the construction of the 217-acre Benner Commerce Park, adding to his reputation.

Through his work in State College, Mr. Coleman has proven himself to be an effective leader, and as he prepares to pick up and move to Harrisburg, I am certain he'll be a valuable addition to the commission. In Harrisburg, he will join the five-member commission, which provides oversight to more than 8,600 utility and transportation companies and provides work for approximately 500 employees.

His experience as president of the chamber, as well as his overall expertise, will certainly prove useful during his service in Harrisburg. I wish Mr. Coleman the best of luck in his upcoming endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to mark a number of very important anniversaries and celebrations within my congressional district.

First, today I rise to honor the compassionate work that goes on in the nearly 100-year-old Children's Aid Society house in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. On this coming August 6, the society will be celebrating its 120th anniversary, marking over a century of dedication and service.

Originally founded as a child welfare agency, which served to place orphan children into suitable homes, the Society eventually grew into a successful children's home. Several auxiliaries were established, from DuBois to Winburne, and they proved instrumental in fundraising, investigating homes, maintaining contact with the children placed in homes.

As the years passed, the Society also expanded within Clearfield and became involved in many programs, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Health and Human Services Council.

This organization has received consistent praise and monetary support from the public and has battled through many financial and procedural issues. Their endurance through time and their far-reaching services attest to the authenticity of their work.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Children's Aid Society on their success and wish them the best in the future. Here's to another 120 years of successful service.

Mr. Speaker, this also, this August, marks the 200th anniversary of the Johnsonburg borough in Elk County, and we will be celebrating this milestone in August.

Founded in 1810, its major industry was paper, with a mill still operating in the area. Originally owned by Curtis Publishing Company, which published the Saturday Evening Post, it was thought to be the largest coated paper mill in the world.

Once called Quay, Johnsonburg is the oldest settlement in Elk County. Considered a booming town along the Clarion River, former President Ulysses S. Grant used to come there to fish and visit the other retired Civil War generals.

As befits a 200th anniversary, the community will hold a grand celebration, including a parade and ceremonies at the Johnsonburg Fire Department, which is celebrating its own 100th anniversary.

There will be a social, fireworks display, a pancake breakfast, and a Fire Department Anniversary Dance. From carnival games to an Elvis impersonation, the 3 days of activities August 27 through 29 promises to hold something for everyone.

I am proud of this community in my district and wish it continued success and prosperity for the next 200 years.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, the tiny community of Tioga celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. It's located in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, near the border of New York State.

When it was founded, the community was a dense and overpowering wilderness of towering pines and hemlocks with deep undergrowth and teeming wildlife. The early inhabitants were tribes of Seneca Indians, who viewed it as prime hunting and fishing grounds.

It took a brave family, Jesse Losey and his wife, to travel from New Jersey and become the first settlers in the area. Later, Benajah Ives acquired the Losey land and built a house and inn at the southern part of Tioga Borough, now located beneath the Tioga Dam. There is even a story that Thomas Berry won Ives' Inn in a poker game, and it was at Berry's Inn that the first local elections were held in Tioga County in 1804.

It was 1860 when Tioga Borough was separated from Tioga Township and recognized as a separate political division. It is that date that is celebrated this year. The residents are proud of their town and their history, and I wish them sincere congratulations on this historic occasion.

I thank my good friend for coordinating this hour tonight, very important hour. This is about real solutions, not the types of policies we've seen over these past 19 months which has grown the size of government--bloated the size of government, actually. We have increased the deficit to the point that what we have is a legacy of debt. There is not a generation, I don't think, that ever wants to have it so that--we always want to leave this country better than what we found it, to pass it on to our children and our grandchildren. Yet with the trend that we have been on from the leadership, or the lack of leadership, from my colleagues across the aisle in terms of the taxing, the spending, the borrowing, what we have today for the generations to follow us is just a tremendous legacy of debt.

I think the data that just recently came out showed the deficit pushing $14 trillion, $14 trillion. But you know what? There are better ways. We've been working on these. These are not new ideas. We've had bills that we have introduced. Unfortunately, the Speaker has control over what bills get to the floor. We have many solutions. What I call is, as opposed to Big Government solutions which we've been seeing, we've been working on smart government solutions, those that truly stimulate the economy--or would stimulate the economy if we were able to get moving on those.

Many of those have to do with who the true economic engine is in this country, and frankly that economic engine is small business. There are over 20 million small businesses in this country. These are the folks who take risk. They're the ones that work 6, 7 days a week; they're putting in those 16- and 17-hour days. Many times they do that without taking a dollar back for themselves. They keep reinvesting in their companies. They're growing jobs. They've got that American Dream, and they are trying to live that dream. Unfortunately, what we've seen in the past 19 months is this government, the Obama administration and Speaker Pelosi, just crushing those dreams.

On back home, I describe it as, if the economy is a football game, there are yellow flags flying everywhere for piling on the backs of small businesses. Actually, a former colleague here, Dick Armey, I understand once described it--it was a great description, I repeat it often--that if the economy is a horse race, and of course the economy is the horse and government is the jockey, at whatever point the jockey becomes larger than the horse, you know you've got problems. And that's what we have today.

We've been working on things and looking at trying to reduce the costs for small businesses, and it has been very challenging to do in the 111th Congress with the folks that we have here.

To start out with, I'll share one bill that I have that I've been working on, which I introduced some time ago. It was to allow individuals--entrepreneurs--who have this vision, who have this American dream, to be able to take some money and to be able to put that money into a tax-deferred savings account. It allows them to do that on a regular basis and to build that amount of money up. You know, they've got the dream. They've got the idea. They know what they want to do. When they've accumulated enough of the tax-deferred savings, they can use that money to purchase maybe physical property, maybe the resources, equipment or capital they need to start that business and to be able to stimulate a new business that grows jobs.

That is just one of, obviously, I think, thousands of ideas that we've been working on as Republicans. You know, we are often accused of being the party of ``no,'' N-O. Well, that's a partial truth, actually. There are a lot of half-truths around Capitol Hill. The fact is we are the party of ``know,'' K-N-O-W. More importantly than that, we are listening to the American people.

I thank my colleague for really emphasizing tonight America Speaking Out and the fact that we are here as public servants.

We are here to work for the American people. That means we want to have a dialogue. That means we want to be communicating with the people we work for. So America Speaking Out is just a great program that has allowed Americans from coast to coast to be able to do that. That, to me, is so important. I look forward to it.

Well, I thank my good friend. And I want to come back to one word I think that really describes what is suppressing jobs, what is killing jobs, what is keeping jobs from being created. And that is uncertainty. Uncertainty is the direct result of all the policies we've seen piled upon the American economy in the past 19 months. And you know, as I travel around in my district, just like you do, you talk with the job creators, you talk with the people who take the risks, that every year take their profits--and no, that's not a bad word, that's a good word. That's how we've grown and built this wonderful Nation, on the backs of entrepreneurs and small business men and women.

And they take their profits and they reinvest them back in their company. And they add a product line or they build a new site. They hire people. Well, they're not doing that right now. They're sitting on the sidelines. And that's a direct result of just all the terrible policies that have been crushing our small businesses.

When I think over this past 19 months, and I'm in my first term here, you know how many times taxes have been raised? Now, we're looking at the largest tax increase ever that's looming. And we should talk more about that. But we should not lose sight of the fact that taxes have already been raised tremendously on these job creators, these small businesses.

Now, my colleagues across the other side will say, well, we only taxed the wealthy, those folks who made somewhere around $200,000 or more a year. And you know, where I come from, yeah, that's a lot of money. Absolutely. But when you really drill down and you look at who those people are, 60 percent of those folks are small business owners whose small businesses are organized as a limited liability corporation or an S corporation. They pay their taxes as individuals. And out of that maybe $200,000, if they are lucky, that they generate, they're paying a payroll, they're employing people, they're providing family- sustaining jobs. And, you know, I've lost count of how many times they've raised taxes on those folks since January 2009. It's crushing.

And you talked about the largest tax increase ever. And this has been my fear all along, that 2009 was a really tough year. 2010's a tough year. But it's been--you know, there's almost like an anesthesia that, Doc, that's been applied. You know, all this government money's been thrown at people so it makes folks feel a little bit better because unemployment went down. But as my good friend from Texas noted, a lot of those were temporary government sector jobs that drove down unemployment nationally for a short time. Never went down much less than 10 percent, but it took the edge off.

Well, my greatest fear is in January 2011 we're going right off the cliff. Because that's when these new taxes,

these new regulations--we've tripled the size of the Environmental Protection Agency, although around home I refer to them as the Excessive Punishment Agency. You know, all that takes effect beginning January of 2011. And then you put on top of that the things that you've talked about, the largest tax increase ever, $3.8 trillion. What will that be? Well, we are going to see the marriage penalty is going to return. The child tax credit's going to be halved. The death tax, which I think is just double taxation at the least. We put a tax on somebody's death.

That's everybody.

It's everyone.

Thank you so much for looking at this. What a nightmare this is. I spent 28 years managing a rural hospital, and what I see there, when I look at that chart is not the periodic table. I see bankruptcy for hospitals, physicians, health care providers.

I mean, my health care career goes back to the beginning of the 1980s, and I am a proud survivor of the first prospective payment system, diagnostic related groups that were rolled into hospitals all across the Nation. I was there in the 1980s. I was there in the 1990s for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HIPAA.

HIPAA would just be one of those circles on that chart, but let me tell you the experience of health care, and it's health care everywhere, but it really hits hard in rural health care and underserved urban areas.

The bureaucracy that was required to implement HIPAA in the 1990s was tremendous. It took dollars from actually providing what I thought was compassionate and cost-effective care, and you had to hire clerical staff, you had to hire compliance individuals, you had to hire people that never saw a patient, never did anything to directly touch that life of somebody that was facing life-changing disease and disability in the health care work that I was privileged to participate in for 30 years.

You take that experience of HIPAA in the 1990s and now multiply that by the complexity of that chart. You know we have worked hard, I know Dr. Gingrey has, all health care professionals work very hard to make sure that health care is patient-centered. It's about the patient. And this is not about the patient. This obviously is government. This is not patient-centered health care. This is government-centered health care, and there's many different proposals out there.

Let me just touch on two of those because I think it's very important that as we show the negative impacts of this, that we show the alternatives, the things we are working on that are better solutions, what I like to call smart government solutions.

Going back to July of 2009 when we introduced the Putting Patients First Act. That's an act that addresses people with preexisting conditions and makes sure they're able to purchase affordable health care insurance. It's about providing greater access to care. It was about bringing down the cost of health care for all Americans. It was about preserving and even increasing the innovation quality of health care that comes out of this country and certainly about preserving that important decisionmaking relationship between the patient and physician, not allowing the government or bureaucrat to do that.

Putting Patients First Act, I encourage people to check that act out. You know what, it doesn't raise taxes a dollar. No cuts to Medicare, and yet it achieves all the things it needs to achieve.

You know that's the kind of thing, when we repeal this, that's what we need to replace it with. And I would tell you there are things we need to surgically repair right now, because I don't expect that President Obama--I would expect a veto on any general repeal any time soon, so we need to surgically repair, certainly working with an eye to repeal.

And I am sure all my colleagues on the floor here are also cosponsors of H.R. 5141. It goes right back and it deals with the health care bill, but the impact's directly on small businesses.

Under the ObamaCare plan, every small business, for every exchange of business, a vendor, a contractor, just buying resources, anything more than $600, they are required to file a 1099 form today under the ObamaCare plan. For some businesses, that's thousands of 1099 forms. We are talking more clerical staff. We are talking more overhead cost. We are talking about complying with bureaucracy that is just raising the cost on small businesses.

I am proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 5141. It puts an end to what I call death by a thousand paper cuts. And that is where health care buries small businesses, in paperwork.

That's another example of a Republican, smart government solution that we have put forward and it has been introduced. It's out there and, frankly, it would be good for America.

It's going to be a whole lot of surgery, though.

Well, I appreciate being yielded to by a fellow Eagle Scout.

It truly is an honor and a privilege to be here this evening to recognize an organization that has for 100 years, for an entire century, served this Nation through serving the youth. It is just a remarkable organization.

This is actually my 40th year in scouting, and so I've had tremendous opportunity to be able to see how scouting touches the lives of boys and girls. We think scouting today is the Boy Scouts of America, but frankly the Venture Scouts is a coed organization, and the Boy Scouts make a tremendous difference in the lives of boys and girls.

I have with me today actually the 12th printing of the Boy Scout Handbook, which is a handbook that is just a fascinating read. For 100 years, 12 editions, this has been printed, and the basics are still the same. Like my good friend from Texas talked about, he named those 12 parts of the scout law. The principles of citizenship are here, of character, of the scout motto, ``Be prepared,'' the scout slogan, ``Do a good turn daily,'' and the principles that are found within the scout oath.

This 12th edition, since 1910 there have been 39,470,000 handbooks printed. What a legacy in terms of service. And I want to take from it just a couple of quotes. First of all, the vision statement for the Boy Scouts of America. And this is a vision that is just as solid today in terms of serving youth--and I think our Nation--as it was in 1910 when a Chicago businessman, William D. Boyce, was traveling to London, England and was out on a foggy evening.

He was looking for a business address, and he was absolutely lost in the fog, as the story goes. And as he was bewildered and wandering aimlessly, he was approached by a young youth from England who volunteered his services, not just to point this American businessman in the right direction, but to actually physically take him to that location. This boy went out of his way to serve him--to provide a good turn, so to speak. At the end of that, the businessman wanted to reward the lad.

I suppose he reached into his pocket to offer him a coin and the young boy said, sir, I can't take that, I'm a scout, and we provide that kind of service. This was a good turn. That so impressed Mr. Boyce that he came back to this country, got together with some other leaders within this Nation, and soon gave birth to the Boy Scouts of America 100 years ago, all from the selfless service and good acts of one young person. And today, scouting continues to make differences one good turn at a time.

I would like to share with you the vision which really stands as true today as it has been. This is the vision statement: ``The Boy Scouts of America will prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating citizen and leader who is guided by the scout oath and the scout law.'' I mean, what a great vision, a vision that continues to guide an organization that serves our youth.

I want to share and also quote because my good friend from Texas reflected on our President and past President related to scouting. This is another President who also was an Eagle Scout. This was former President Gerald Ford, who was an Eagle Scout and the 38th President of the United States of America. And President Ford was quoted: ``I can say without hesitation that because of scouting principles I know I was a better athlete, I was a better naval officer, I was a better Congressman, and I was a better prepared President.'' And so obviously President Ford recognized the value of scouting in his life.

Oh, there are a couple that come to mind. I'd probably start with a bowline, though.

That's right.

Well, I thank my good friend.

You know, I think the statistic is one out of every three persons has had some experience with Scouting, with Boy Scouting. They've been Boy Scouts or they've been parents of a Scout or they've had a sibling who's a Scout. There is a connection there. I know, for those who have been in Scouting for just a few years, what a difference it makes.

One of the hardest things I had to do 19 months ago when I was sworn into Congress was, 3 days before that, I had to retire as Scoutmaster. I wasn't going to be home for the meetings. Certainly, when I am home on weekends, I wish I could go on camp-outs. It doesn't happen in this job, just the demands of it. I served as a Scoutmaster for 30 years and saw literally dozens of boys earn their Eagle Scout Awards. You know, that's what they do. In the 100 years of Scouting in this country, there has never been one Eagle Award given away. They've all been earned--each one.

And to have three sons that are Eagle Scouts and who frankly, went on to--I've seen how that has made a difference in their lives.

And it has just been, you know, my home troop of Howard, Pennsylvania, Troop 353 is a great troop, and it's a family experience, too, in scouting. It makes families stronger. There's just a role. It's not just for the youth. It's families. Moms and dads get involved and extended families get involved.

And I think back very fondly to my years, from age 11 to 18, as a youth in scouting, Walker Township Troop 52, where--and my scoutmaster. Actually, I just talked with my scoutmaster. He'll always be my scoutmaster, even though I'm 51 now.

I talked with him just a few days ago, Harold Yearick, and Ray Lahr, who was assistant scoutmaster and also scoutmaster during that time. Those were men that just, you know, the values that I learned from them they demonstrated in their actions of duty to God and duty to country and duty to others and duty to self.

And so, to this day, those are principles I use when I make decisions in Congress. I ask myself those four questions. Is the decision I'm making, what about my duty to God. Is it righteous according to God's word?

Thank you.

Duty to country. The decision I'm going to make, is it according to the Constitution?

Duty to others. Is the decision I'm going to make as a Member of Congress today in this job, you know, how does is it impact the people that I work for? What are the intended consequences? What are the unintended consequences?

And, frankly, duty to self. Am I prepared to do my best?

Those are values that--I learned those starting when I was age 11.

One of the most important things that probably happened in my life was that I had a foster brother come live with my family at age 11. And when Mom and Dad brought Bob into our home, they had made a promise to him that he could continue in the scouting program--he was a couple years older than I--that he had been attending in a neighboring valley. And, frankly, as a younger brother, I got to tag along. And I'd have to say that was probably one of the most important things that ever happened to me. I'm so thankful for that opportunity, and it has just made just a tremendous difference in my life.

I want to share just from 2009, in terms of the service to the Nation of scouting. What has scouting been?

And just most recently, we're celebrating 100 years. But just this past year, there has been 1,634,715 boys, ages 7 to 10, in Cub Scouts in this Nation. What a number. Amazing.

Of boys 11 to 17, so that would be Boy Scout age or what we call Varsity Scouts, a parallel program, 897,868 boys involved in that program.

And then you go ages 14 to 20. This is the coed program that we have in scouting today. This is young men and young women, ages 14 to 20. They're Adventurers or Sea Scouts; 257,361 of those young folks.

We have over 800,000, almost 850,000 boys and girls in elementary through high school in what's called Learning for Life Character Education programs in this country.

And then finally, over 120,000 young men and women ages 14 to 20 in exploring career-based programs. I think that's an important part of scouting. I've seen that. I still call them boys, but they are adults today that I remember vividly when they were 11 years old, came into my scout room. But today they're grown, they're married, they have children of their own who are actually in scouting, many of them.

And, you know, I saw their career paths take shape through the scouting program, whether it was involved in a high adventure program that we might have done, a camping program, or more than likely through one of the merit badge programs where they learned a specific skill. And as a result of that exposure and that experience in the scouting program, they picked a career path, and it's a passion that they pursued. And, frankly, scouting opened that door for them and so just creates all kinds of great opportunities.

I thank you for yielding.

I want to take a moment to talk about an important key member of the Scouting team, and that is sponsoring organizations, from all over. Every Scouting unit has a community partner called a sponsoring organization. And they are churches, fire departments, Lions clubs, Rotary, Salvation Army. I mean, there are just an endless list of organizations who step forward. In becoming a partner, they sponsor these Scouting units.

And it seems fitting, as we pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of Scouting, to say ``thank you'' to those community partners. They play such an important role in making sure that the units, the Scouting units have qualified leadership, that they usually provide a place for them to meet, they provide them the support they need to have within the community. So ``thank you'' to certainly our sponsoring organizations within Scouting.

And, finally, just touch on the things that Scouting provides in a real tangible way to our communities, because they are a central part of our community, our Scouting units. It's called the National Good Turn Project. It started in February of 2004, and it began to track all the things that we knew Scouting has done for a hundred years of the amount of hours of community service. I remember washing a lot of fire trucks when I was 11 years old. Only later did I find out my Scoutmaster was fire chief. But that was good training for community service.

And we went on to do litter pickups and do all kinds of community service. Well, we never tracked that prior to 2004. But February 2004 we began to start to keep track. You know, since February 2004 Scouting has provided 8.5 million hours of community service in this country. That's what's documented. I am sure there's stuff that didn't get documented.

And, finally, the Eagle Scout projects this past year totaled just in service what calculates to be $47 million of community service, of providing and reaching out to the community. So I am just real proud to be here this evening to join my good friend and fellow Eagle Scout to pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of Scouting and also to wish a safe and enjoyable and fun Scouting experience at Fort A.P. Hill for the tens of thousands of Scouts that are gathered from all over this Nation just about an hour south of our Capitol. And thank you for being with me tonight.

I would be honored. I think that's a fitting tribute and way to do that.

All right. Here we go.

I thank my colleague for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, while I support the overall intent of H.R. 5730, it appears that this bill also moves a political agenda, and, therefore, I rise in opposition.

Section 3 of the bill includes a repeal of Corridor 0-1 on the Appalachian Highway system located in Pennsylvania's Fifth Congressional District--my district. While H.R. 5730 aims to rescind unspent funds, there are simply no authorized funds associated with the 0-1 Corridor.

I have come to this floor on several occasions to speak in favor of deficit reduction. Section 3 of this bill does nothing to lessen the deficit.

Last month we lost a champion of the Appalachian Regional Commission, Senator Byrd. Senator Byrd was instrumental in capping the available miles in the Appalachian system. Section 3 is a feeble attempt to skirt that cap in hopes of moving this project to another district in the future.

Federal law provides metropolitan planning organizations with a role in the coordination of transportation improvements. I've received letters of opposition from planning organizations, and I quote: ``The ARC has indicated that completion of the system is a top priority.''

Investment in the 0-1 Corridor has already occurred. In 2004, preliminary engineering was done. In 2006 and 2010, the project was added to the long-range plan. The planning organization actions indicate that it will advance the project when sufficient funds are available, and the current legislation enhances that possibility.

This scramble is nothing more than a political payout and a key sign of what is wrong in Washington. Repealing the Corridor 0-1 designation would impede critical safety improvements and puts the future of infrastructure development of Centre and Clearfield Counties in jeopardy.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in opposition of this flawed measure.

North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and

Development Commission,

Ridgway, PA, July 15, 2010.

Senator Robert Casey,

U.S. Senate, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.

Dear Senator Casey: On July 1, 2010, the House passed H.R.

4899, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2010, which

included Obey Amendment #2, a repeal of the Appalachian

Development Highway Systems (ADHS) designation of Corridor O-

1 (Section 4172). The O-1 Corridor was designated in TEA-21

(Section 1117(d)) and has been in place for the past 12

years. The mileage of the ADHS is legislatively capped and

the inclusion of Section 4172 is an inappropriate attempt at

removing mileage from one congressional district in hopes

that the Appalachian Regional Commission will then vote to

move the miles to another project.

In 1965 Congress authorized the construction of the ADHS

and by the end of FY 2009, 2,694.6 miles of the 3090 mile

system were completed or under construction. The ARC has

indicated that completion of the ADHS remains a top priority.

Given numerous safety issues identified along the O-1

corridor, we believe it is imperative that you ensure the

commitments made in TEA-21 are preserved and Section 4172 of

H.R. 4899, as passed by the House, is not included in the

final supplemental appropriations package.

It is widely known that ADHS projects would take years to

complete and given the economic climate and strains on the

Commonwealth's transportation budget, the residents along the

O-1 Corridor should not be put at a disadvantage for the gain

of another region. This is an important and vital link in our

overall transportation system in North Central Pennsylvania

and we ask for your continued support. We appreciate your

attention to this matter and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Eric M. Bridges,

Executive Director.

Madam Speaker, this week 20 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. To many of us, the ADA involved simple, tangible things like curb cuts, automatic doors, Braille signs, and those unimaginable buses that kneel to the ground.

To the millions of Americans with disabilities, the law marked a new sense of freedom, freedom to move about, to work, to contribute, to live one's life.

President Bush said it best as he signed this landmark law: ``Today, America welcomes into the mainstream of life all of our fellow citizens with disabilities. We embrace you for your abilities and for your disabilities, for our similarities and indeed for our differences, for your past courage and your future dreams. Last year, we celebrated a victory of international freedom. Even the strongest person couldn't scale the Berlin Wall to gain the elusive promise of independence that lay just beyond. And so, together, we rejoiced when that barrier fell.

``And now, I sign legislation which takes a sledgehammer to another wall, one which has for too many generations separated Americans with disabilities from the freedom they could glimpse, but not grasp.''

Congratulations on the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Madam Speaker, I am here today to speak about an incredible opportunity which is in the northeastern part of the United States, and that is the Marcellus shale natural gas. The Marcellus shale describes a natural gas play in Pennsylvania that has created jobs and economic growth, even in the most difficult of economic times. It is one of the largest deposits of natural gas in the world, and much of it is located in my district. However, the play is deep down and requires a process called fracking, in which water, sand, and approved chemicals are pressured into the play to fracture the shale to release the gas. Now it is this process that has come under criticism and has been the subject of a great deal of inaccurate information both in the media and a so-called documentary called ``Gasland.''

Fracking has been used for 100 years, hydro-fracking for 60 years. The safety is documented with zero confirmed cases of groundwater contamination in 1 million applications over that 60 years. The director of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Oil and Gas Management said that he has never seen an impact to fresh groundwater directly from fracking.

Another piece of incorrect information is that no one knows what goes into fracking fluid. Well, first of all, more than 99.5 percent of the fluid is sand and water. For the remainder, Pennsylvania law requires companies to disclose all chemicals used in the fracking process, just not the specific formula. A complete list of those chemicals is available on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Web site. They include materials that help deliver the water down the well bore and position the sand in the tiny fractures created in the formation.

One of the more prominent substances is guar gum, most commonly used as an emulsifier in ice cream.

You know, there are contentions that fracking is not well regulated. To the contrary, eight Federal and 11 Pennsylvania acts or laws regulate the impacts of drilling. The film ``Gasland'' goes so far as to assert that ``the 2005 energy bill pushed through Congress by Dick Cheney exempts the oil and natural gas industries from the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Super Fund law, and about a dozen other environmental and Democratic regulations.''

Well, that is patently false. It must comply with all of these laws with the caveat that the hydraulic fracturing process was never regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act in its 60-year history, and that particular energy bill was supported by 74 ``yes'' votes in the Senate, including those at the time of Senators Obama and Salazar.

Most alarmingly, ``Gasland'' has a stunning scene of a man who is turning on a tap, sticking a lighter under it and watching it ignite. ``Gasland'' blames natural gas development for the flaming faucet, but the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission wrote: ``Dissolved methane in well water appears to be biogenic.'' Madam Speaker, that means naturally occurring in origin. ``There are no indications of oil- and gas-related impacts to well water.''

Though perhaps the most telling repudiation of this film comes from John Hanger, Secretary John Hanger of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, who for 10 years was president and CEO of the environmental organization called Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future. He appears briefly in the film. John Hanger said the film was ``fundamentally dishonest'' and ``a deliberately false presentation for dramatic effect.'' He called the producer a ``propagandist.''

Now, I am 100 percent behind producing natural gas in a safe and environmentally sound way. If there are violations of the rules or laws, either State or Federal, we rely on the good offices of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to do whatever is necessary to bring enforcement to the situation. They have proven to be capable and aggressive.

Gas drilling creates jobs and economic growth and contributes to our energy security in this country. It needs to be done right with environmental protection. It doesn't deserve a propaganda film which doesn't educate but which serves to simply demonize an industry for personal gain and political reasons.

Mr. Speaker, the first week in August there will be a celebration of 200 years of history in the small community of McAlisterville in Fayette Township, Pennsylvania.

Author Tim Varner offers hope that the bicentennial will rekindle a spirit of community and give people an opportunity to relive a time of less haste and stress. According to the Fayette Sentinel, the celebration will include re-enactors and a blacksmith shop that will recall a simpler time

Hugh McAlister purchased a 160-acre plot of land and in 1810 asked his son William to lay out a plot for the township. Soon shops, a blacksmith, and a tannery filled out the plot.

In 1855, the town built the Lost Creek Valley Academy to train teachers. Professor George McFarland purchased it in 1858, but by 1862, Lincoln had issued

a call for more troops in the Civil War, and McFarland responded along with a number of academy teachers. McFarland served at Chancellorsville and was injured at Gettysburg.

The academy became a home for the orphans of deceased soldiers and sailors and continued until 1899. The site remains a historic place for the town.

This celebration honors a community, and I congratulate the townsfolk for commemorating their history and building their future.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 448 on Monday, July 19th, 2010, I was unintentionally late upon return to the House Chamber. As a result of travel delays due to inclement weather, I consequently missed the vote on H. Res. 1472. I share the overwhelming sense of the House and supporting the designation of the week of September 13th as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today as a lifelong resident of Howard, Pennsylvania, to honor its bicentennial.

Howard, albeit a small community of almost 700, has an extensive history dating back to its settlers in the late 1700s. It was officially formed by the Centre County Court in 1810 and named after English philanthropist John Howard. Howard features several historical structures, such as its post office built in 1828, a Methodist church dating back to 1843, and houses from 1810.

In the 1820s, Howard experienced growth due to industrial interests, as companies such as the Howard Iron Works attracted settlers. The first store in Howard opened in 1829, and the town was also known for its Woolrich factory during the last century.

I recently participated in the celebratory parade, which was followed by evening fireworks. The sense of community is great in Howard. Seeing residents come out and celebrating our history truly is wonderful. Our small size fosters a rare connection among the residents, store owners, and all government levels, and we are proud of this friendship.

I hope to see Howard continue to prosper through another 200 years. It's a great town and a welcoming place to live.

Congratulations to Howard and its citizens on its 200th anniversary.