Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Katie Sepich Enhanced DNA Collection Act, or Katie's Law. First of all, I want to thank my colleagues, Representative Schiff and Representative Reichert, for all their hard work on this important piece of legislation. Most of all, I want to thank Jayann and Dave Sepich, constituents of mine from Carlsbad, New Mexico, for bringing this important issue to my attention and for crusading tirelessly to help pass arrestee DNA laws nationwide.

This bill is named for their daughter, Katie Sepich, who was brutally raped and murdered in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in 2003, at the age of 22. Jayann and Dave have bravely taken this devastating and horrific experience that most people, including myself, could never imagine, and have turned it into something that will save lives and help families across the country. If this law had been on the books in New Mexico at the time of Katie's murder, her case would have been solved 3 months after her death when her killer was arrested for breaking into the home of two women after watching them through a window. Instead, Katie's killer was not identified until over 3 years after her murder and was left to roam the streets for much of that time.

Since Katie's murder in 2003, New Mexico has passed a State law allowing law enforcement to collect DNA from those arrested for certain felonies. Twenty-two other States as well as the Federal Government have passed similar laws. I have introduced my version of Katie's Law at the Federal level to make sure that this life-saving law that is in effect in my home State of New Mexico and 22 others is the standard for every State.

The Katie's Law I have introduced will incentivize States to, at the very least, match certain arrestees to the national DNA bank, the Combined DNA Information System, or CODIS, by providing the States that comply with a 5-percent increase in their Byrne/JAG funds. There is no requirement for retention of the DNA record after it is checked against CODIS. Katie's Law will also further incentivize those States which not only match arrestees but also contribute to the CODIS with a 10-percent increase in Byrne/JAG funds. Not only do these incentives encourage States to implement arrestee DNA laws, but they provide much needed support to local law enforcement as they work to keep our streets safe.

DNA has rightly been called the fingerprint of the 21st century. By simply swabbing a person's cheek and then coding junk DNA with only 13 indicators, law enforcement can accurately identify perpetrators of a crime without regard to race or criminal history. This practice protects the privacy of arrestees, since any identifying information, such as genetic predisposition to disease, is not coded for use by law enforcement. In addition, my bill contains an expungement clause to make sure there is a way for DNA to be removed from CODIS should a person not be convicted of the crime for which they were arrested.

The full potential of DNA as a crime-solving tool cannot be realized if we're not collecting DNA from those arrestees for certain violent crimes. Statistics show that 70 percent of America's crimes are committed by 6 percent of America's criminals. This means many of those who have committed some of the most heinous crimes in our society are repeat offenders.

One study conducted in Chicago tracked the known criminal activity of eight individuals and determined that 60 violent crimes, including 53 murders, would have been prevented if the eight individuals' DNA had been taken on their first felony arrest. Similarly, a serial killer and rapist from California named Chester Turner raped and murdered at least 12 women between 1987 and 1998, during which time he was also arrested a total of 18 times. Had Turner been swabbed for DNA when he was arrested on January 26, 1987, he would have been linked to his first victim, and 11 women would still be alive today. These women are not just names in a police report. They are real people with aspirations, with families, with husbands, with people who love them, and they didn't have to die. Worse still, an innocent man named David Jones was wrongfully convicted of three of the Turner murders and served 11 years in prison before he was finally absolved.

Considering the potential for false identification and the number of repeat offenders in our criminal justice system, it's only common sense that if someone is arrested for a crime like rape, murder, or kidnapping, we make sure we identify them fully before we release them back onto the streets. We use fingerprints for this very purpose, and we should use the modern equivalent, junk DNA.

Katie's Law simply allows law enforcement to treat DNA evidence left at the scene of a crime as they do fingerprints. The fact is that the science has advanced, and we should allow law enforcement to use all of the technology available to them, including the fingerprints of the 21st century, to reduce expensive and unjust false convictions, bring closure to victims by solving cold cases, better identify criminals, and keep those who commit violent crime from walking the streets.

Jayann and Dave have experienced something that no parent should ever have to, the loss of a child. We have the power through advanced DNA collection to make one less parent grieve for a child, one less husband grieve for a wife, or one less child lose a parent.

I ask that you support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, as a small business man in the oil and gas industry for over 30 years, I know that, when times are tough, we have to tighten our belts. That is why the very first bill that I sponsored in Congress was a bill to stop the automatic pay raise for Members of Congress.

Last year, we were able to get enough signers to stop this pay raise for this year, and I was proud to work to get that done. I am proud that our work has again paid off and that I am standing here today in support of a bill that will again stop the automatic pay raise that Members have taken advantage of for too long.

While many working New Mexicans are struggling to make ends meet, it is insulting that anyone would accept an automatic pay raise, which is something most of the constituents in my district will have to do without--if they are earning salaries at all. Our constituents expect honest and responsible leadership from their Congress. That's why I encourage my colleagues to just say ``no'' to the dough.

Mr. Speaker, we need to take this a step further. I call on my fellow Members of Congress to cosponsor legislation I have sponsored with my colleague from Arizona, Representative Kirkpatrick. Our bill would cut pay for all Senators and Representatives by 5 percent beginning January 1, 2011. This would be the first congressional pay reduction since 1933.

I think it's about time that Congress has their pay cut just like the rest of the country, so I ask you to join me in this fight today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1963, which includes H.R. 2738, my bill to reimburse caregivers of disabled veterans for travel expenses to medical appointments. For those Members of Congress that represent vast rural districts with large veteran populations like mine, we know that this assistance has been needed for far too long.

Mr. Speaker, veterans throughout my district often volunteer their time to drive fellow veterans to medical appointments even though the drive can last over 3 or 4 hours. That means that veterans in Silver City must leave their homes at three in the morning to make a trip to the only VA hospital in our State. It means that many of my constituents must dedicate entire days to travel from their homes in Jal or Deming or Santa Rosa to a medical visit that may only take a few minutes.

This also means that the family of Airman Michael Malarsie, an airman from Bosque Farms who was blinded by an IED, would have to take time off work to travel to a VA medical center; and as the law currently stands, they must pay for that trip out of pocket whether they can afford it or not.

Mr. Speaker, that is just plain wrong. But we can right that wrong today by passing this bill and providing our wounded warriors and families with the help that they have earned and need. It is the very least that we can do to repay the debt that we as a Nation owe to our veterans and their courageous families.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 4592, the Energy Jobs for Veterans Act. I would like to thank Chairman Filner for bringing this legislation to the floor and Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin and Ranking Member Boozman for their assistance in crafting this legislation. Finally, I would like to thank the Democratic and Republican professional staff of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, namely, Juan Lara, Javier Martinez, and Mike Brink, for their work and expertise.

Madam Speaker, our dependence on foreign oil threatens our national security and the lives and safety of our men and women in uniform serving their country overseas. When the fierce global competition for petroleum drives up the price of crude, millions upon millions of dollars flow into the coffers of nations that don't like us too much. In too many cases, that money has financed weapons and operations that have resulted in the deaths of American soldiers.

What can we do about it? It's simple. Produce our energy in America, instead of importing it from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and Venezuela.

How do we do it? Also straightforward. We invest in the production of energy right here in America. We produce American oil. We produce clean-burning American natural gas. We extract liquid fuels from algae. We construct wind and solar farms. We make our homes more efficient, and we invest in nuclear power.

What's the result? We keep our money at home. We create energy jobs all over America, and we bolster our national security.

My bill means that those who fought for their country abroad would be able to continue their work for the security of our country when they return home by getting a job and a career producing our energy right here in America.

My bill says, if you risked your life for your country fighting enemies funded by foreign oil purchased with American dollars, then you can come home and continue your work for our national security, this time with a career in the energy industry.

The Energy Jobs for Veterans Act will incentivize employers to hire veterans for jobs being created by American energy. The bill instructs the Department of Labor to award competitive grants to three States to establish programs to reimburse employers and other organizations for providing on-the-job training and apprenticeship programs for veterans that are employed by energy companies. The bill will allow States to reimburse employers for training and apprenticeship provided to veteran employees.

Unlike other employment programs for veterans that fund training but don't guarantee employment, the Energy Jobs for Veterans Act incentivizes companies to hire veterans in the first place, and ensures that veterans are learning on the job and collecting valuable work experience from the beginning.

Eligible energy employers are those involved in the energy efficient building, construction, and retrofits industry, the renewable electric power industry, the biofuels industry, the energy efficiency assessment industry, the oil and gas industry, and the nuclear industry.

This is a pilot program and it's 100 percent competitive. The Secretary of Labor must make the awards to the most competitive applications for funds. If this works, we can expand to more States and different industries.

Madam Speaker, now let's get down to why it is really important.

On March 12th, the Labor Department announced that the unemployment rate last year for young Iraq and Afghanistan veterans hit 21.1 percent. The number was well above the 16.6 percent jobless rate for nonveterans of that same age group, 18-24. As of last year, 1.9 million had deployed for the wars since 9/11. Many have struggled with mental health problems, addiction, and homelessness as they return home. Difficulty in finding work can make the adjustments much harder.

Our veterans were on the front lines defending our freedom. We can't leave them behind now. I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this bill.

I will enter into the Record these seven letters of support for my bill from my congressional district.

Marine Corps League of New Mexico,

March 22, 2010.

Representative Harry Teague.

Sir: I have just received a copy of Bill H.R. 4592.

I am Marine Corps League Department Commandant for the

state of New Mexico. You have the support of the League as

well as my personal vote of approval of H.R. 4592. The

returning service personnel need all the assistance we as

Americans can give them.

Sincerely,

Vernon Mollan,

Commandant of Marine Corps League,

State of New Mexico.

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate Bluewater Elementary School in Bluewater, New Mexico, for receiving the Blue Ribbon School Award awarded by the U.S. Department of Education for demonstrating academic excellence and dramatic gains in student achievement levels.

The Blue Ribbon Schools award was created in 1982 to recognize schools where students attain and maintain high academic standards and are pushed to improve themselves and further their dedication to scholastic achievement. This award shows that Bluewater Elementary School is serving its students well and helping them make strides forward in their academic careers.

Schools like Bluewater Elementary achieve such great distinctions because of the hard work and dedication of the teachers, staff, and administration. Their students also deserve to be commended for fully taking advantage of all of the opportunities provided to them by their exceptional staff. Bluewater Elementary School is a model for the progress other schools throughout the nation should strive to achieve.

I am honored to have Blue Ribbon Schools like Bluewater Elementary School in my district. I commend their achievement and wish them luck in the continuing their academic achievement.

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate Valley View Elementary School in Las Cruces, New Mexico, for receiving the Blue Ribbon School Award awarded by the U.S. Department of Education for demonstrating academic excellence and dramatic gains in student achievement levels.

The Blue Ribbon Schools award was created in 1982 to recognize schools where students attain and maintain high academic standards and are pushed to improve themselves and further their dedication to scholastic achievement. This award shows that Valley View Elementary School is working with its students to improving its academic standing and educational excellence.

Schools like Valley View Elementary earn the Blue Ribbon Schools Award because of the hard work and the tireless work of its educators and families. The students also worked hard to improve themselves and make sure that their hard work paid off. Valley View Elementary School exemplifies what it means for a school to help its students strive towards academic excellence.

I am honored to have Blue Ribbon Schools like Valley View Elementary School in my district. I commend their achievement and wish them luck in continuing their academic achievement.

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate Harrison Schmitt Elementary School in Silver City, New Mexico, for receiving the Blue Ribbon School Award awarded by the U.S. Department of Education for demonstrating academic excellence and dramatic gains in student achievement levels.

The Blue Ribbon Schools award was created in 1982 to recognize schools where the students attain and maintain high academic standards and are pushed to improve themselves and further their dedication to scholastic achievement. This award shows that Harrison Schmitt Elementary School is striving to close the achievement gap.

Schools like Harrison Schmitt Elementary achieve such great distinctions because of the hard work and its dedicated educators and families. The students also deserve to be recognized for making the most of the opportunities afforded to them by the excellent staff. Harrison Schmitt Elementary School is a prime example for the academic progress other schools throughout the nation should strive to achieve.

I am honored to have Blue Ribbon Schools like Harrison Schmitt Elementary School in my district. I commend their achievement and wish them luck in the continuing their academic achievement.

Madam Speaker, Congressional Quarterly recently reported that more American military personnel have taken their own lives in 2009 than have been killed in either the Afghanistan or Iraq wars this year, with 334 members of the military service committing suicide. This staggering number means one thing. We're not doing enough.

We're not doing enough to provide adequate mental health care for our returning servicemembers. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2009 was

recently signed into law with a provision that I championed that requires mental health screening for all servicemembers returning from combat. This is the single most effective thing we can do to identify cases of mental illness, reduce the stigma of mental illness, and ensure our brave men and women in uniform receive the treatment they need and deserve for mental illness. However, we don't have enough mental health professionals to carry out these screenings.

I ask my colleagues to join me in increasing mental health funding and making sure the Defense Department and VA hire the mental health professionals they need to keep our servicemembers well.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague Ben Ray Lujan from the great State of New Mexico. I also want to thank the gentleman from New Mexico's First Congressional District, Martin Heinrich, for helping to arrange this tribute to one of New Mexico's greatest citizens. Bruce King is, without a doubt, a New Mexico legend. If you never got a chance to meet him, then all I can tell you is that you missed an opportunity to meet someone who really was a dedicated public servant and a good man.

Many of us that are public servants in New Mexico today have learned from his example. One thing I learned from Bruce King was how important it is to stay in touch with the people that you represent. In fact, I first met Governor King in the steer barn at the Lea County Fair. And over the years, it seemed that you would run across the Governor shaking hands at nearly every fair in New Mexico. Bruce King was New Mexico. A lot of people describe him as ``the cowboy Governor,'' and that could mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. But for Bruce King, it meant that his heart was as big as our skies. It meant that his handshake was as good as his word. It meant the only way he knew how to work was hard. It meant his family and the people he represented always came first, and that he was willing to look out for their needs. It meant that when he had to make tough choices, he stuck by them, even when that meant that he had to make sacrifices.

It also meant that he led by example. During one of his terms as Governor, Bruce King had to contend with an energy crisis like the rest of the country. He didn't just tell New Mexicans that they had to save energy. He showed them by trading in his motorcade for a horse. For a while, Bruce would actually ride his horse from the Governor's mansion in Santa Fe to the State capitol as a way of showing folks that he was willing to do his part.

When I ran for Congress, I kept telling voters that I was running to put New Mexico's families first in everything that I did. Governor King did that when he created the Children, Youth and Families Department in New Mexico that looks after the well-being of our children and our loved ones. He put New Mexico families first because, in a lot of ways, the people of New Mexico were his family. He put the education of our kids first when he changed the way we fund our schools back home.

In too many States, wealthy neighborhoods have the best schools while poor rural areas or inner city schools have to scramble for funds every year because their families are poor. Governor King changed that. He made sure that every single child in New Mexico got a shot at an education when he made sure that all money for education was doled out equally for every school district. He knew that one child's education was not more important than another's, and countless New Mexicans have benefited from that change.

In a recent interview, Bruce told a story about how he started making a few people angry on the Santa Fe County Commission when he, as a first-term commissioner, kept pushing the county employees to get roads paved faster. He remembered that one person took him aside and said, ``Bruce, you're new here, and you don't know how things are done.'' He just smiled and told him, ``I understand the way things are done. The people pay their taxes on time, and they expect us to do our work on time. That's how it's done.''

Governor King's service to our Nation and our State should never be forgotten. As a county commissioner, speaker of the House and as Governor, he was one of those unique public officials who never had forgotten where he came from. He listened sincerely to the needs and concerns of his constituents, and then he got to work addressing those issues because he cared deeply about the State of New Mexico. He showed the rest of the country what it meant to be a New Mexican. He brought out the best in all of us.

That's probably why so many of his political rivals became friends of his afterwards. For so many years, Bruce King was ours. Now the cowboy Governor's ridden off into the sunset one last time, and he will be missed.

Madam Speaker, on Monday, November 2, 2009, I was traveling in my district on official business and was not present for the vote on H.R. 1168, the Veterans Retraining Act of 2009. Had I been present, however, I would have voted ``yes'' on the bill and for creating greater opportunities for our veterans to establish economic independence and security.

H.R. 1168 is a common-sense bill that ensures that our veterans are making a smooth transition from their career in the Armed Services to a life in the civilian world. A provision in this bill also creates the flexibility that allows for our veterans to train for positions that are currently in demand, which lets us develop our workforce in a way that meets the present economic needs. This type of program will help us adapt to the ever-changing economy and keep our nation's competitive edge.

I would like to thank and commend the gentleman for introducing this bill. I thank my colleagues for supporting it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of H.R. 1016, the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009. I would like to thank the distinguished gentleman from California, Bob Filner, for introducing this bill. I'm happy to be a cosponsor of the legislation, but it is through his leadership as chairman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs that we will finally be able to make advance appropriations of the VA's health budget a reality.

It's not right that we lapse in our care for our veterans when they never lapsed in the defense of our country, and it's not right that out of the last 22 budgets that were passed for the VA, 19 have been late. Our veterans served their country and provided us the security we often take for granted, and we owe them quality health care.

Without a predictable and on-time funding source, it is difficult, or impossible, for the VA to provide our veterans with the high level of health care and services they deserve. That is why I led 50 Members of Congress to demand a provision allowing for advance appropriations in the fiscal year 2010 budget, and we were fortunate enough to convince the Budget Conference Committee to support it.

As a result of allowing for advance appropriations in the budget, the Appropriations Committee decided that

the Military Construction and VA spending bill should contain $48.2 billion in advance appropriations for the VA for fiscal year 2011. This represents a 15 percent increase over fiscal year 2009 levels and a step in the right direction for veterans' health care.

Many people have compared advance appropriations to a family budget. A family needs to know how much their income is before they know what they can spend. I think that about sums up why we need this bill. I think that it's about common sense and being responsible.

As a businessman, I never tried to make a purchase without knowing what my budget was going to be. I had to plan ahead and have a roadmap for all of the company's finances. Because the VA is a direct provider of services, they need to have the same ability to plan ahead. It's about delivering a quality service for our veterans.

I urge my colleagues to take this giant step in improving the VA's ability to deliver quality health care services to our Nation's veterans.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Carlsbad Mental Health Center for their innovative use of health information technology, which was recognized in two nationally syndicated publications highlighting the findings of a report prepared by Dr. Edward Kako for the federal Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

As recently as 2007, the Carlsbad Mental Health Center was witnessing rising costs, budgetary shortages and high wait times for patient appointments and in-takes. The facility responded to these challenges by adopting an innovative new program to harness health information technology to improve efficiency and cut costs. Within a year the facility's new practices brought a number of successful developments.

First, the new practices improved the quality of care for patients, while cutting wait times for patient appointments. The new system provided the staff access to more detailed information, allowing them to better diagnose and treat patients. In addition, further research into the facilities high no-show and cancellation rates produced new policy changes, which reduced the wait time for an appointment from up to 6 weeks to an average of 11 days.

Second, these new practices resulted in dramatic cost reductions. The innovative use of health information technology by the Carlsbad Mental Health Center illustrates how adopting cutting edge technologies and practices can cut health care costs and provide better service to patients. Adopting the best practices for mental health care will not only help the general public, but will also help our veterans who are experiencing high rates of mental health disorders and substance addictions. This is of particular importance to me as I believe providing veterans with the best possible care available is among our highest obligations.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing and in honoring the Carlsbad Mental Health Center's impressive accomplishments and innovations in the field of mental health treatment.

Madam Speaker, I am very disappointed that the leadership of this House has put us in the unfortunate position of voting on legislation that combines the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill and the Continuing Resolution.

First, I am against this Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. I am against Congress increasing its own budget while small businesses around the country tighten their belts. Companies in my district are cutting hours and cutting costs. Workers are losing their jobs. But Congress is paying its staff $74 million more than last year. We have our priorities backward. I voted against the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill when it came up in the House, and I have no interest in supporting the conference report.

Second, I oppose this corruption of the legislative process. My colleagues and I should

have the opportunity to say ``no'' to more money for our own offices without opposing needed increases for our veterans. This isn't the way to do business.

Third, I regret that the first appropriations priority of this Congress is the legislative branch. While spending bills to support veterans, border security, and our men and women in uniform languish, we are sending a bill to increase our allowances to the President. Our veterans should be first in line, not us.

Because of this failure, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will, for the tenth time in 11 years, get its budget late. Late funding threatens the quality of care at the VA and hinders the VA's ability to recruit well-trained medical professionals, maintain facilities, and acquire new equipment.

During testimony before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee on July 27, 2007, former VA medical center directors stated that most VA budget cycles began via a continuing resolution. As a result, decisions were made on the basis of cost rather than on the basis of the highest quality. The expression, ``a day late, a dollar short,'' comes to mind.

By passing advanced appropriations for veterans in this year's budget, we will make sure the VA isn't playing a waiting game with its budget next year. But that doesn't mean we can fall down on the job of supporting our nation's veterans this year. We should be passing legislation to support our veterans, not this.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in honor of the World War II veterans from my district who are traveling to Washington, D.C. today on the Second Honor Flight of Southern New Mexico.

The Honor Flight of Southern New Mexico was established by business and community leaders in my district who are devoted to honoring our veterans. The aim of the program is to provide as many World War II veterans as possible with the opportunity to see the World War II Memorial here in Washington, D.C. at no cost to them. Last October, Southern New Mexico had its First Honor Flight, which was a great success. Southern New Mexico's Second Honor Flight departed from El Paso International Airport this morning carrying World War II veterans from my district who have never had an opportunity to see the World War II Memorial that was built in their honor. These veterans, who risked their lives to defend the freedoms we enjoy today, will land at Reagan National Airport where they will be greeted with a grand salute. From there, they will have an opportunity to visit the World War II Memorial for the very first time. At the memorial, there will be a wreath laying ceremony in honor of veterans who have passed away, a memory session for the veterans to share their World War II stories, and a group photo so that they can remember this day for the rest of their lives. They will return home this evening.

These veterans fought nobly for our freedoms and we cannot even begin to repay them for their sacrifices. The least we can do is try to show them the depth of our gratitude by providing them with this once in a lifetime opportunity to visit their memorial. I am proud that every dollar that is paying for this honor flight came from private citizens who recognize the immense sacrifice these veterans made to ensure their liberty. This flight would not be possible without the dedication of Judge Robert Brack and Judge Leslie Smith of Las Cruces, who initially spearheaded the idea of bringing the Honor Flight program to Southern New Mexico. In addition, the Honor Flight Board of Directors comprised of Chairman Bill Mattiace, Vice-Chairman Darrell Wall, Treasurer Gary Lenzo, and Secretary Patsy A. Duran contributed much time and energy to advocating for this cause, and to recruiting board members. Board Members Steven Alexander, Walt Baker, Pat Carr, Jag Cheema, Denton Holmes, Dolores Connor, J.R. Turner, Susie Cordero, Carrie Contreras, Debbie Hanssen, and Dolores Archuleta have also made invaluable contributions through their tireless efforts to expand the Honor Flight program and seek out donors. The generosity these private citizens have shown is an example of the bigheartedness that is a true part of the American spirit, and I am touched by their willingness to provide such a rare and meaningful opportunity to their friends, neighbors, and even perfect strangers.

From the Western Front to the Eastern Front, from the Pacific and Asian Theatre to the African Theatre, Americans from our ``greatest generation'' risked life and limb to halt the rise of fascism. We owe them more thanks than we can ever express. I welcome these brave veterans to Washington and to their memorial.

Madam Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chairwoman, I rise today to offer the first of two amendments I have to H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009. I would like to thank Chairwoman Slaughter and Chairman Miller for allowing the House to debate my proposals.

Madam Chairman, this amendment makes three commonsense changes to the American Graduation Initiative and the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act. The American Graduation Initiative makes a historic investment in our community colleges.

In my home State of New Mexico, community colleges enroll over 51,000 students. These institutions of higher education provide critical pathways for many nontraditional students to receive an education, and they provide training for workers looking to get hired on in a local industry.

My amendments will help the community colleges in my district access resources to serve the many veterans across New Mexico and help my constituents get training for energy jobs, which represent most of the good-paying jobs available in southern New Mexico.

My first amendment makes sure that the programs geared toward helping our veterans be successful in school are given priority in receiving grants. I consider one of my most important responsibilities in Congress to be looking out for the interests of our veterans. That's why I work for and earned a seat on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and that's why I introduced this amendment and other legislation on their behalf.

By adopting this amendment, we will make sure that our veterans are at the front of the line in receiving the benefits of the bill. And after the service they have so selflessly given to our country, they deserve to be at the front of the line.

I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment and show our veterans that they are a priority by giving them priority under the American Graduation Initiative.

The next change makes sure that schools can use grant funds to establish, enhance, or expand programs that are geared towards training personnel who can serve our veterans. This change will allow schools to use money from this bill to train workers to serve our veterans in VA hospitals, clinics, and centers across America. And it could mean that we will be training the mental health professionals we need to address the growing problem of post-traumatic stress disorder.

The return of the soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq is putting a tremendous strain on our already understaffed Veterans' Administration. We must start training workers to fill in these positions. This cannot happen overnight, and we must start making investments in solving this problem today.

The last part of my amendment will help schools in my district train students for energy jobs. In the northeast part of my district, they are looking for wind turbine technicians, and in the southeast we need skilled hands in the oilfield. No matter which part of the energy industry somebody wants to work in, they should be able to get the training they need at the community college in their town.

So my amendment aims to make it easier for schools to use grant funds to establish, enhance, or expand programs that train workers for careers in energy-related fields. A trained energy workforce will help us produce more energy in America, and producing more energy in America is the only way we can end our dependence on foreign oil and make our Nation secure.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairwoman, I am happy to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his comments, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill.

Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chairwoman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chairwoman, I rise today to offer and speak in support of my deficit reduction amendment to H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009.

First of all, I would like to thank Chairwoman Slaughter and Chairman Miller for allowing the amendment to come to the floor today.

My amendment is simple; and like a lot of simple, commonsense legislation, it's not long either. Here's what it says:

All savings and Federal expenditures not otherwise expended as a result of enactment of this act shall be made available for the reduction of the Federal deficit. In other words, where we don't spend a dollar, we save a dollar.

Madam Chairwoman, America is drowning in debt. On the day that I was sworn in, the national debt was about $10.6 billion. And this year alone, the Congressional Budget Office expects that we will add another $1.4 trillion in deficit. This is clearly an unsustainable course. Our government must start practicing some fiscal responsibility. Businessmen like me have to balance their books; government needs to try and do the same.

This bill will put $10 billion toward reducing the deficit. But if we're going to completely close our annual deficits, we need a sustained solution. That is why I am also a strong supporter of statutory pay-as-you-go legislation, which says that Congress can't spend a dollar without saving a dollar.

Today, with the passage of this legislation, we save $10 billion of taxpayer money. With the passage of my amendment, we take that $10 billion and we lock it away for the purpose of deficit reduction. We lock it away to make sure our children and grandchildren don't have to pay a dollar.

So let's save this $10 billion, but let's also find a sustainable solution to reducing our deficit. That means tightening our belts when we need to, and of course passing statutory PAYGO into law.

Madam Chairwoman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairwoman, I am happy to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

Mr. Chairman, the CBO says that this bill will generate savings, and my amendment says that these savings will go to paying off the deficit.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.