Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, like all Americans I still mourn the innocent lives that were lost on September 11, 2001. Though I was not in Washington, DC or New York City on that day, I am often reminded of the attacks when I pass the Pentagon on my way to the Capitol. And when I think of the thousands of family members that lost a loved one on that day, I admit that it makes me want to visit with my own children a little more often, play with my grandchildren a little longer and hold my wife a little closer.

On September 11th, 2001, America was exposed to a darker side of the human condition--one that is so fueled by hate and fear that it would drive individuals to come to a foreign land and dedicate themselves to studying the most efficient way to murder innocent civilians.

The 9/11 attacks were cowardly actions by desperate, evil men, but, like we've seen on other tragic days in our Nation's history, the attacks also shined a light on American bravery and heroism.

Our firefighters and other first-responders ran into buildings that were about to collapse, sometimes sacrificing their own lives to save others. The passengers of United Flight 93 became true citizen-soldiers when they chose to take on the hijackers and sacrifice themselves to save others, demonstrating to the world what makes us strong and good as a country.

These brave people showed that even in one of the darkest hours in our history, Americans were resolute, resilient and committed to see the light of our liberty burn steady and bright.

Let us remember that while these horrendous acts may have toppled over buildings and taken the lives of innocent Americans, they neither destroyed our Republic nor the principles upon which our country was built.

Eight years after that dark day, it is appropriate for us to take time to remember those that lost their lives in these attacks and those who gave their lives so that others would live. And it is equally important for us to acknowledge that despite these tragic events America has remained free, strong and committed to liberty.

Madam Speaker, today I would like to honor a very special New Mexican, Andrew Tingwall of the New Mexico State Police. Sergeant Tingwall served our country and my home state with distinction and honor for almost two decades, beginning with his tenure in the United States Marine Corps, where he was a Jump Qualified Reconnaissance Marine. Sergeant Tingwall then went on to join the New Mexico State Police, where he became the youngest pilot on the force. During his time with the State police he was named the 2008 Officer of the year by the New Mexico Sheriffs and Police Association for his lifesaving efforts of a man that had fallen into an arroyo in Albuquerque.

On several occasions, Sergeant Tingwall risked his own life to save others. He did so without any thought of personal gain. The only driving force for him was his mission to serve and protect and sadly that discipline cost him his life when Sergeant Tingwall flew his last mission earlier this year in an attempt to find lost hikers in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Andrew did all he could, but in the end, this mission was his last.

Throughout his career in public service he exemplified the attributes that make both the New Mexico State Police and the United States Marine Corps premier organizations that defend liberty and security of Americans and New Mexicans.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that this bill represents something that we can always use more of in government, a little common sense. In this case, that common sense is a simple fix that will ensure that disabled veterans will be able to receive the housing assistance that they have earned. I am the sponsor of legislation that will make that fix.

My bill, H.R. 2180, will waive VA home loan fees for certain veterans with service-connected disabilities that have been recalled to active service. I am proud to say that this provision has been included in

Mr. Speaker, during the upcoming August recess, many of my colleagues and I will travel home to visit with constituents and speak with them about their problems and find ways in which we can help them. As is often the case, my constituents continue to inspire me with their willingness to take on hard challenges themselves and help their neighbors in need. Many 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. It is a hardship that too many face and should be made easier.

That was why I introduced H.R. 2738, a bill that would direct the Secretary of the VA to reimburse family caregivers of disabled veterans for travel expenses, including lodging and food, in connection with authorized VA treatment. Rural veteran face too many obstacles when seeking medical treatment, and I believe this legislation will make their lives a little easier while they seek the care that they were promised. I am very happy to note that the language contained in H.R. 2738 was included in H.R. 3155. H.R. 3155 includes many provisions that are necessary to assist not only veterans, but those that are caring for our wounded warriors. We made a lot of promises to our veterans, and it's about time we began to honor them. I hope that my colleagues will support this very important piece of legislation, and I urge its passage.

I thank Chairman Obey.

And, Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my energy jobs amendment to the Labor-H Appropriations Act. The amendment takes $5 million from the green jobs fund and puts that money into the Career Pathways Fund for the purpose of job training in all energy fields.

Now, let me be clear. I do not oppose green jobs and I don't oppose green energy. Quite the opposite. We need all the jobs we can get, and we need all the energy that we can produce. But as we work in Congress to make up for the inaction on energy issues of this decade, the inaction that led to a dependence on foreign oil and high energy costs, we cannot pretend that green energy will solve all of our problems. We cannot pretend that the American economy does not depend on oil and gas. We cannot forget that nuclear energy is a safe, dependable and carbon-neutral source of power.

Mr. Chairman, I am an oilman, always have been, always will be. When I arrived in Congress, the oil and gas industry was in the trough. It still is. Around my hometown of Hobbs, if you're not looking for a job yourself, you surely know a handful of folks who are. Times are tough; work is scarce. We're hoping that that will change soon, however; and when the oil and gas industry comes out of the trough, we're going to need to find a lot of trained and skilled oil field workers in a hurry.

I want to help make New Mexico the all-energy capital of the world. We want to double up on energy jobs, grow the number of oil and gas jobs we have, and add new energy jobs. But let me be clear. In order to double up on energy jobs, we must increase the oil and gas jobs we have, and we can't do that if job training programs ignore the needs of the oil and gas industry.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an exceptional constituent from my district, Mr. Billy Jack Miller of Elephant Butte, New Mexico, who was awarded the 2009 American Red Cross Real Hero Award.

This summer, Billy Jack was presented the Good Samaritan Award for rescuing an individual from drowning in Elephant Butte Lake, where he has operated a local fishing guide service for many years. The man he saved fell into the lake and became trapped between the dock and a boat.

The Good Samaritan Award honors outstanding individuals who exemplify the spirit of heroism and humanitarianism at a distinguished level and a commitment to improving the lives of others. Billy Jack embodies this achievement.

Over the years, working on the water, he has developed a knack for spotting fellow boaters in distress and is always there to lend a helping hand.

I'm proud on the occasion of this preeminent award to have the opportunity to commend the work of Billy Jack Miller, a great citizen of Elephant Butte, New Mexico. It is my privilege to honor Mr. Miller for his work and dedication.

Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the distinguished chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee for yielding to me and for working with me to invest in important projects in my congressional district.

I rise today in opposition to the amendment that has been offered by my colleague from Arizona. The amendment would strike an appropriation of funds from the Economic Development Initiative at HUD that I worked with my friend, the chairman of the subcommittee, to secure for the community of Jal, New Mexico.

Although I'm opposed to the amendment, I am pleased that the gentleman from Arizona has decided to offer it. The fact that he can and does offer amendments like this, brings the focus of the House and the Nation on certain projects, is exactly why this process has integrity. And it's why I feel comfortable participating in it for the benefit of my constituents in places like Jal, New Mexico.

I am happy to defend and debate the merits of this project, and I look forward to convincing a majority of my colleagues that this amendment should be defeated.

Mr. Chairman, Jal, New Mexico, is tucked into the southeast corner of my State and my congressional district. In fact, if it weren't for 5 miles and the grace of God, Jal would be sitting in Texas. It's a long way from pretty much everything, a long way from the Finance Committee of the State legislature in Santa Fe, and it's even farther from the faceless bureaucrats who staff the Federal agencies in Washington, D.C.

If not for Jal's elected representation in Congress, no one in this town would likely ever know the name of the place, or that it existed at all. Mr. Chairman, that's my job, to put Jal on the map, to know the priorities and the needs of communities like Jal and to work to address them. If there is a problem in my district, it is my job to get to work solving it.

So here is Jal's problem: the city of Jal owns the Burke Junior High School building, which is a 40,000-square-foot building that was utilized from 1968 to 1986 as the Jal Middle School. The building has now been vacant for a number of years, and for the facility to be put to use again, the city would need to replace the building's roof, doors, windows and a complete upgrade of plumbing and electrical systems.

This is what the EDI appropriation will fund. With the renovation of the building, the city of Jal hopes to attract private industry to town. Having a tenant in the building will create jobs in Jal and increase the town's tax base. Projects like this are exactly why the Economic Development Initiative was legislated in the first place, and I'm proud to have sponsored this appropriation for Jal.

Mr. Chairman, I'm not going to stand by and hope that some faceless bureaucrat looks kindly upon a place like Jal. I know the community's needs. I know the problems. I was elected to stand up for places like Jal, New Mexico, not hope that someone else does. Again, I thank the gentleman from the Arizona for his principled and important participation in this process. I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman for his concerns. LES is a uranium enrichment facility that currently employs about 2,000 people in the Eunice-Hobbs-Jal area. It's a major employer and one of the biggest employers in the area. The building and operation of the LES plant is now about a $4 billion project, so its operations and its impact extend across a few different communities in the area.

It's my understanding that Jal would like to attract LES to town, possibly making use of the renovated Burke school. However, the renovated school would be open for use by any number of companies. This appropriation is a fine example of the community using the EDI program to attract private investment.

I reserve my time.

Once again, I appreciate the concerns of my colleague from Arizona, and I would just ask my colleagues to vote in support of Jal and all small communities in New Mexico and vote against this amendment.

I yield back my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Roswell, New Mexico. This year the church will be celebrating 47 years of service to the Roswell community. The Friendship Missionary Baptist Church has been dedicated to the faith and well-being of the people of Roswell for nearly a half a century.

I would like to especially honor the current serving pastor, Rev. Michael K. Shelton, and the church's former pastor, the Rev. O.C. King, and his wife for 28 years of faithful leadership to the church and the Roswell community.

Churches like Friendship Baptist achieve such great distinction because of the hard work, dedication, and compassion of their congregation. The leaders of the church and their staff are also to be commended for their guidance.

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church has been and will remain a place for fellowship and a source of hope for the people of southern New Mexico. I am honored to have churches like Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in my district, and I commend them on their years of service.

Mr. Speaker, during the 4th of July recess, I traveled home to visit with constituents and speak with them about their problems and find ways in which we could help them.

As is often the case, my constituents continue to inspire me with their willingness to take on hard challenges and help their family and neighbors in need. Many throughout my district volunteer their time to drive veterans to medical appointments, even though the drive can last over 3 or 4 hours. It is tough, but oftentimes it is what needs to be done for a veteran needing medical services.

That is why I have introduced H.R. 2738, a bill that would direct the Secretary of the VA to reimburse family caregivers of disabled veterans for travel expenses, including lodging and food, when they take vets for appointments and treatments. Rural veterans face too many obstacles when seeking medical treatment, and I believe this legislation will make their lives a little easier and help get them the care that they need. We made a lot of promises to our veterans, and it's about time we begin to honor them.

I hope that my colleagues will support this very important piece of legislation, and I urge its passage.

Mr. Chair, I rise today to express serious concerns with H.R. 2965, the Enhancing Small Business Research and Innovation Act of 2009. H.R. 2965 is a reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. SBIR provides $26 million in research and development funding for companies in my home state of New Mexico every year. Over the past six years, that amounts to over $160 million in funding, creating jobs and wealth across the state.

Rather than extending a successful program and changing it to fit the shifting needs of American small businesses, however, I worry that the reauthorization proposed in this bill will open the program to businesses that aren't actually so small or actually in need of capital. I hesitate to change a law that is meant to provide an opportunity for small businesses to grow and prosper in such a way that would allow big venture capital firms access to our precious tax dollars. Small businesses are the foundation of our economy, and we should not jeopardize their access to this valuable program.

When this bill was being considered by the Rules Committee, an amendment was offered that would have ensured that the focus of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program remained on assisting small businesses. The amendment struck a sensible balance between the need to modernize eligibility guidelines for the program and protecting the participation of small businesses. The amendment, however, was not made in order.

Without setting these limits on the participation of venture capital in the SBIR program, small businesses without significant or any venture capital participation could potentially be crowded out of the program. We need to keep the ``small business'' in SBIR.

Madam Speaker, as most of my colleague know by this point, I'm an oil man.

Always have been.

Always will be.

When I was 17 years old, my father became sick, so I went to work in the oil fields, making $1.50 an hour on a pulling unit, to help support the family.

I kept at it until I had my own company, employing and providing quality health care for 250 people.

Over the years, I've done just about everything there is to do in oil and gas around New Mexico. People know that Harry Teague is an oil man, and I am proud of that.

In 2007, when I announced that I would be running for Congress, people were surprised to find an oil man like myself campaigning on a platform that emphasized energy independence through a focus on the development of full and diverse slate of energy sources. Not only was I advocating increased production of our valuable petroleum resources. I told people in Hobbs, Roswell, Carlsbad and across Southern New Mexico that technologies like wind, solar, and biofuels were not only good for the environment, but would also create jobs in our communities and bolster our national security.

I did not wait long after being sworn in as a Member of the 111th Congress to turn my campaign platform into a legislative record. The very first bill I introduced, H.R. 451, provides a multiyear extension of the Renewable Energy Tax Credit. I worked hard to have that legislation included in the House version stimulus package, and when you signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law on February 17, 2009, the production credit was included.

I am proud to say that H.R. 451 not only gave one of the largest boosts we have ever given to renewable energy production in this country, but it also saved the oil and gas industry $13.1 billion dollars in prospective tax increases.

As the 111th Congress continued, I likewise continued my work promoting energy production in America. I passed several amendments to various legislation promoting renewable energy, and I worked tirelessly to ensure the Budget Resolution passed by Congress did not include tax hikes on oil and natural gas.

Then came the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which is the bill we're here debating today.

When the legislation was introduced and then reported out of committee, I must say, I was deeply skeptical. I had one central concern:

I worried that this bill would hurt the rural communities and small towns and cities that I represent in Congress.

So, I had a choice. I could stand by and issue my reservations and my opposition from the sidelines. Or I could get involved, and stand up for the good people in New Mexico I represent, and advocate for changes that would help people and businesses in my district.

Madam Speaker, anyone who knows me from the oil fields of Hobbs, New Mexico knows one thing: If there's one thing I know, it's hard work. And if there's a job to be done, I'm going to get it done.

The very first thing I saw to in the bill is that there would be no taxes, no additional costs, and no added red tape at the wellhead. I knew we needed to keep this bill away from production because we need more energy in this country, and putting taxes on the folks who produce it makes then produce less energy, not more.

Once I saw that oil and gas producers would not be covered by the legislation, I noted other improvements that had to be made.

The first thing was that portions of the bill threaten to put small refiners out of business. Smaller refiners process below about 200,000 barrels a day, while larger refiners typically process closer to 1.5 million barrels. The difference is drastic. Despite their small size, small refiners still supply about 11 percent of the United States market, serving mainly rural areas and military installations.

The legislation as reported from committee contained only two percent of available allocations for the entire refining sectors stationary emissions, even though refiners emit 3.8 percent of carbon across our economy. Small refiners operate at extraordinarily thin margins and would be fighting for that limited allocation with super-majors like ExxonPhillips, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips. Smaller companies would likely not survive.

If refiners close in rural areas, gas prices there would have to skyrocket in order to attract supplies from the coasts and other refining centers. Thousands of job losses from refinery closings would also result.

To prevent this terrible situation from coming to pass in rural America, I proposed that small refiners receive an allocation for all of their stationary source emissions and further mechanisms that would limit their exposure to the volatility that may exist in the market for allowances for fuels.

I am very pleased that this provision has been included in the bill.

Additionally, I was deeply concerned with the economic livelihood of 180,000 Southern New Mexicans in my Congressional district who get their power from rural electric coops. While the bill's sponsors claim that electric utilities were ``held whole'' with allowance allocations when the bill was reported out of committee, in reality there were regional disparities that unfairly punished rural electric coops. For example, in regions that possess abundant sources of carbon-neutral electricity like hydro and nuclear, consumers would receive far above their needed allocations. But in New Mexico and other states that rely in large part on coal and other carbon sources for electricity, consumers would only receive a portion of the allowances they need to cover their carbon emissions.

To remedy this problem, I proposed that emission allocations be distributed on the basis of carbon intensity rather than the number of people who receive the electricity and that no utilities should receive more than 100 percent of allocations. Allocations over 100 percent would then be redistributed to consumers in places like New Mexico.

I also proposed the same carbon molecule shouldn't be given allowances twice in its life cycle in one part of the country, while a carbon molecule being used in New Mexico receives zero allocations.

Now, we didn't get everything we asked for. But working with Chairman Collin Peterson of the Agriculture Committee and the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, we were able to get language in the bill that will protect rural electric coops from costly rate hikes.

Madam Speaker, this bill is not perfect. In fact, it is far from perfect.

We need to do more for rural coops. We need to improve this bill so that it promotes the use of clean burning natural gas.

I do thank my friends on the Energy and Commerce Committee for working with me to address my concerns regarding small business refiners and rural electric coops.

Mr. Chair, I'm very happy to rise in support of this amendment and thank my colleagues for their work on this very important issue, especially the distinguished Gentlelady from Connecticut, Congresswoman DeLauro. I also thank Chairman Skelton and Chairwoman Slaughter for the opportunity to consider this amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act.

As you all may know, I recently I introduced H.R. 2931, the Kyle Barthel Veterans and Service Members Mental Health Screening Act. The bill calls for mandatory confidential mental health screenings for members of the Armed Forces. By requiring the in person screenings, we can reduce the stigma associated with the unseen injuries sustained by our men and women in uniform and ensure that these brave soldiers and veterans receive the treatment they need and deserve. Ultimately, by mandating in person mental health screenings, we will reduce the incidence of suicides and substance abuse among active duty personnel and veterans.

When I introduced this bill, I named it after a young man whose life was cut too short because we as a nation failed to give him the mental health treatment he needed and deserved. It is my belief that mandating screenings by a qualified mental health professional for every member of the military is the only way to begin indentifying and treating the invisible wounds of war.

While I would have liked an across the board mental health screening mandate to be a part of this bill, I also realize that we need to walk before we run. I believe that this amendment is the first step on the road to effective mental health illness prevention and treatment for service members and veterans.

Mr. Chair, I don't want to lose another Kyle. I don't want to lose another fine American service member or veteran to an invisible but very real illness. I don't want to ever have to go to another mother, father, wife, or husband or brother or sister and say ``I'm sorry we didn't do enough''.

Let's stand together and protect the health of our service members and veterans. Support this amendment, and work with me to mandate mental health screenings for service members in the future.

I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment.

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate Tularosa High School in Tularosa, New Mexico, for receiving a bronze medal in U.S. News and World Report's annual report of the best high schools in America.

This award shows that Tularosa High School is serving all of its students well regardless of their backgrounds. Also, this means that the school is performing well on a broad range of indicators, not just one or two, and that the students learning there are getting the training that they need to do well in college. Tularosa High School not only performed well against its peers in New Mexico, but competed admirably with schools across the United States.

Schools like Tularosa High School 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 at Tularosa High School. It takes a team of hardworking folks to make this type of progress.

I am honored to have schools like Tularosa High School in my district. I commend their achievement and wish them luck in replicating it again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today 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 this legislation. It is through his leadership, as chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, that we will finally be able to make advanced appropriations of the VA's health budget a reality.

I simply do not believe that it is right that we have lapsed in our care for our veterans when they have never lapsed in the defense of our country. I do not think that it's right that out of the last 22 budgets that we have passed for the VA, 19 of them have been late. Our veterans served their country and provided us with the security that 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 that they deserve. That is why I led 50 Members of Congress to demand a provision allowing for advanced 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 advanced appropriation in the budget, tomorrow the Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing on the Military Construction and VA spending bill that contains $48.2 billion in advanced 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 advanced 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 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 road map 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 product.

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.

Mr. Speaker, during the Memorial Day weekend, there was a solemn moment for one family of New Mexico. Enrique Valdez, who served as a gunnery sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, was the 400th New Mexican to have his name added to the Vietnam Memorial here in Washington. Valdez was injured during his second tour of duty in South Vietnam.

Today, I would like to say that I am thankful for the service that Sergeant Valdez gave to his country. New Mexico has always had a proud military history from the Civil War to the Operations of Enduring and Iraqi Freedom.

New Mexico's sons and daughters have always answered their Nation's call. For those who served during the Vietnam war, we as a Nation have been lax in our gratitude and appreciation. As we remember Sergeant Enrique Valdez, let us not only honor his memory and sacrifice but also honor the price that was paid by all who served in Vietnam.