Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding and also for Representative Davis today.

I would also like to thank Chairman Henry Waxman and Ranking Member Tom Davis of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee for facilitating such swift consideration of this bill that recognizes such an honorable man.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1335, a bill that honors the life and sacrifices of Staff Sergeant Lewis Watkins who gave his life for his country in the Korean War. Lewis Watkins was born on June 6, 1925, in Seneca, South Carolina. He graduated from Greenville High School in South Carolina in 1949.

He was a member of the Greenville Police Department where he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on September 12, 1950. After training at Parris Island, South Carolina, he served at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and Camp Pendleton, California, before being deployed to Korea.

On October 7, 1952, Sergeant Watkins' platoon was assigned to retake an outpost from the enemy. Even though Sergeant Watkins had been wounded during the fight, he continued to lead his men and return gunfire on the enemy machine gun position holding up the assault. At one point, an enemy grenade landed among his men. Selflessly and without thinking, he pushed his men out of harm's way and picked up the grenade. While attempting to throw the grenade back toward the enemy, it exploded in his hand, fatally wounding him.

Sergeant Watkins heroically sacrificed his life to save the lives of his fellow marines under his command, and in doing so, helped contribute to the overall success of his unit's mission during the Korean War.

I thank Sergeant Watkins and his family for his service. Every American owes a debt of gratitude for his service and his sacrifice.

In addition, every member of the South Carolina delegation cosponsored this legislation as a way to say thank you and honor a man who gave his life for his country.

Mr. Speaker, Staff Sergeant Lewis Watkins is the only known native Oconee County resident to receive a Medal of Honor. To designate the post office facility located at 508 East Main Street in Seneca, South Carolina, as the S/Sgt Lewis G. Watkins Post Office Building is one way we can pay tribute to his life. It will allow all who enter the post office and view the dedication plaque a unique opportunity to be

mindful of the sacrifices our military have made and continue to make today.

In addition to the Medal of Honor, Watkins' decorations include the Purple Heart Medal; Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars; and the United Nations Service Medal.

Lewis Watkins made the ultimate sacrifice for his country, and I am honored that this country is about to bestow upon his memory and his family yet another recognition.

There is a verse that says, ``No greater love hath he,'' and Lewis Watkins proved that.

Mr. Speaker, I urge swift passage of H.R. 1335.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday a petition signed by nearly 3,000 men and women currently serving in Iraq was accepted by the House of Representatives by Leader Boehner. The appeal simply states, ``As an American currently serving my nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to fully support our mission in Iraq and halt any calls for retreat. The war in Iraq is a necessary and just effort to bring freedom to the Middle East and protect America from further attacks.''

This petition was organized by two U.S. servicemen serving in Iraq, Lieutenant Jason Nichols and Staff Sergeant David Thul. In a statement released yesterday, they said, ``We are respectfully asking for full support in finishing the mission you assigned us here in Iraq. Patience and resolve will result in a stable democratic country in the Middle East. Early withdrawal will result in a stronger enemy, a weaker America and a demoralized united armed forces. We need your support to finish the job.''

Mr. Speaker, these are the thoughts of men and women fighting this war. We owe it to them to listen. They've earned it.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Republican motion to instruct conferees on the fiscal year 2008 budget. This budget motion rests on one simple premise: to reject the largest tax increase in American history contained in the Democrats' House-passed budget.

By not addressing the Bush tax cuts, the Democratic budget resolution calls for a $393 billion tax hike, Mr. Speaker. In my home State of South Carolina, approximately 1.5 million people will see an average $2,400 increase in their tax bills. In my district alone, about 2,448 people will be forced to pay higher taxes, and estimates indicate a $182 million loss to the local economy, which translates in about 2,200 jobs being lost.

Mr. Speaker, the government spends too much money as it is. I can't imagine what it would be like with an additional $400 billion of spending. We have serious challenges facing this Nation and more money is not the solution. Instead of increasing the burden on American citizens, we have an obligation to find real workable solutions.

The Republican motion to instruct calls for a simple up-or-down vote on whether Congress should increase taxes on working Americans by $393 billion, as the House Democrat budget does. It directs conferees to commit to two things: Number one, reject the massive tax increase in the House budget that increases marginal tax rates, reimposes the marriage penalty, reimposes the death tax, cuts the child credit in half, and raises a range of other taxes as well.

And, number two, stop the raid on Social Security cash surpluses. Conferees should produce a budget with a surplus sufficient to halt the raid on cash surpluses in the Social Security trust funds by fiscal year 2012.

Mr. Speaker, these challenges aren't going to go away, and delaying addressing them just makes them worse and burdens future generations. The Republican alternative offers solutions, and for this reason I urge my colleagues to support the Republican motion to instruct.

Madam Speaker, 79 days and counting since President Bush committed his request for critical funding needed for our troops fighting on the front lines.

The Democratic leadership should bring the emergency supplemental to the floor without a timetable of defeat. It's not a decision of this House to arbitrarily pick a date this war should end. It's our job to ensure our military personnel have the resources they need to win and come home in victory. I wonder what men and women risking their lives every day for our safety, our security, our freedom, think about the Members of Congress sitting in their comfortable offices, playing politics with their money.

I came to the House floor this morning to speak to them and let them know there are Members of Congress who believe our military can succeed, and we are doing everything within our power to ensure victory. As long as I am United States Congressman, I will never turn my back on you. I will not stand in Washington, D.C., and tell your generals how to fight this war, and will never put politics above your safety or that of our Nation.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I tell you, I had a wonderful speech prepared tonight, Mr. Speaker. It had a lot of facts and figures and a lot of things that a lot of people may not know, but I just want to comment and share tonight.

I will tell you, I was talking to Jeb Hensarling earlier, who spoke a little bit earlier, Mr. Speaker, a dear friend of mine, and we were talking about what a smile we had on our faces today.

A celebration of life. Something that we have been waiting for, for a long time, and I am just ecstatic. I look to my left over here and see the colleagues that are going to be speaking, and every one of them has got a smile on their face, and it is just exciting. It is a tremendous day; it is a tremendous moment for our country.

And I come here tonight for three reasons, three simple reasons: The first one is Madison Finley Barrett, my oldest daughter. The second one is James Edward Barrett; we call him Jeb, Cowboy, my middle son. And the third is Charles Ross Barrett, my baby. I think about them every day. I think about watching my wife give birth. I think

about how precious they are. I know it was a tremendous moment for me both physically and spiritually, and I don't think any person can witness something like that and not know that there is a God in heaven.

But I think about, Mr. Speaker, my children and my family, and I celebrate for them today. I celebrate for all the families across this Nation and the lives that we will save. I think about their first steps. I think about their first falls. I think about the first time they drove a car. I think about the excitement and the joy I feel and the satisfaction that I have because they are so precious. And out there tonight, Mr. Speaker, there are Madisons and Cowboys and Pally Pals that are being born. Each one of them special, each one of them a gift from God, each one of them with the ability to change the world.

It is a first step. It is a great step. I am just proud to be here to celebrate, to celebrate life, to celebrate freedom, to celebrate this wonderful thing. What a great country. What a great life. What a tremendous success.

Madam Speaker, this week, the Democrats will bring to the floor their budget, fiscal year 2008, that they passed out of committee. This budget promises to do two things: Raise taxes and increase spending.

My Republican colleagues and I will put forth a substitute that uses common sense to balance the budget in 5 years. It lowers spending, reforms unsustainable entitlement programs, and encourages economic growth without raising taxes.

Madam Speaker, as a result of the Republican supported tax policies passed in 2001 through 2005, every taxpayer who paid income taxes this year will get tax relief. My Republican colleagues and I believe government should limit taxing and spending and ease the burden on the economy. Let the country grow. The difference between the two budgets are plain and simple: The Democrats trust government, the Republicans trust people.

I urge my colleagues to support the fiscally responsible Republican substitute when it is brought to the floor later this week.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, our friends on the other side have complained that I guess we Republicans don't know what fiscal mismanagement is. What does it mean? I guess our Democrats, by their actions this year, especially looking at this budget, I think that fiscal mismanagement means that we are not spending enough. Apparently, if the Republicans had spent more money on everything, including everything in this budget, everything would be perfect, but we certainly know that is not the case. The Democrats seem to think that the IRS tax collectors just need to bring in more money.

But let me tell you exactly what has happened. Collections over the past year are up $2.5 trillion. That figure keeps going up every year. We are collecting more tax revenue, as a share of the economy, more than the average over the past 40 years.

So I guess they are telling me it is not enough. According to the Democrats, there is still too much uncollected tax revenue out there. So their budget, like the budget in the Senate that was produced last week, calls for the IRS to make up the difference trying to close this magical tax gap. I am sure somebody will tell me exactly what this magical tax gap is some time tonight.

In short, this Democrat budget has found that the Federal Government budget is almost perfect. I guess all we need to do is spend more money. Clearly, my colleagues and I have a different approach. Number 1, we think prosperity and economic growth mainly comes from economic investors and workers, not the Federal Government. We think creative ideas, the ones that lead to progress and higher standards of living come from thinking outside the box, not inside the box, because that is government.

I guess last of all, we believe, as President Reagan said in his first inaugural address, we are a Nation that has a government, not the other way around. We believe these things, because we believe the government should limit its taxing and spending, ease the burden on the economy, and let it grow.

Judging by this budget, the Democrats, they don't see that. They think government should call the shots and keep widening its control.

For that reason, this budget trusts the government more than the people that are paying the tax bills. We believe this budget is fundamentally a failure.

If you want to bring it home, in South Carolina terms, so I can let the folks in South Carolina know, this is about a $2,500 tax increase for my average South Carolinan home, $2,500. We believe in freedom. With freedom comes less government, and that is a good thing.

My friend was exactly right. We are talking about the largest tax increase in our history, $292 billion. My friend from California was exactly right. When you talk about facts and figures, it's one thing. But when you try to bring it home and let people understand exactly what it means to them personally, it's another thing.

Let me just give you some examples. Nationwide, if the Democrat budget were to happen to pass, we are talking about some nationwide impacts. Here we go, a family of four earning $40,000 will face a tax increase of $2,052. That is a family of four nationwide and 113 million taxpayers will see their taxes go up by an average $2,200. Actually, $2,216, but what the heck, it's government work, let's round it off a little bit. Over 5 million individuals and families who would have seen their income tax liabilities completely eliminated will now have to pay taxes.

So not only people that haven't paid taxes in the past now, another 5 million individuals are going to have to hit the tax rolls; 45 million families with children will face an average tax increase of $2,864; 15 million elderly individuals, elderly. Now, most of these are on fixed incomes, will pay an average tax increase of $2,934. And 27 million small business owners will pay an average tax increase, listen to this one now, listen to this one, $4,712. Let me read that one again, 27 million small business owners will pay an average tax increase of $4,712. Unbelievable.

Let's bring it home. I am from South Carolina, born and raised there. Let's put it in South Carolina terms. In South Carolina the impact of repealing the Republican tax relief would be felt. Here is how. It's higher than I thought: 1,300,000 taxpayers statewide who are benefiting from the new lower 10 percent bracket would see their taxes go up.

In South Carolina alone, 1.3 million people added to the 10 percent bracket; 447,000 married couples in the State of South Carolina would see higher taxes because of the increase in the marriage penalty. We are penalizing people to be married; 427,000 families with children would pay more taxes because the child tax credit would expire; and 212,000 investors, including seniors, would pay more because of an increase on tax rates on the capital gains and dividends.

The gentleman from California was there last Wednesday into Thursday morning when we passed it, we voted against it, but the Democrats passed their budget. It's full of empty promises, with the exception of two, more spending and higher taxes. That is a done deal; it's going to happen. The Democrat budget says it's the largest tax increase in American history. The Republican budget will say no tax increases.

The Democrat budget will say, immense new spending. The Republican will say, we will hold the line and we were going to increase accountability.

Entitlements, on the Democratic side, it is a complete failure, $77 million worth of entitlement savings, $77 million when we are talking about literally hundreds of billions of dollars in entitlement spending that they are going to do. The Republican budget says reforms, improvements in reforms, trying to make entitlement more sustainable and adding to the longevity of it. So it is plain and simple.

Again, the figure that the gentleman from California, Madam Speaker, quoted a little bit earlier, when you bring it home in South Carolina terms where everybody can understand it, where it hits their pocketbook, we are talking per year average for 5 years if the Democratic budget passes, $2,482.66 that my people in South Carolina will have to pay more.

And I ask the gentleman from California, I don't think that is a pretty good deal, do you?

I thank the gentleman for yielding; and, no, I don't. Again, broken promises.

One of the ways that the Democrats want to fund all this new spending is reserve funds. And you talk about a

shell game. We are talking about setting up reserve funds so we can spend more money, but there is actually no money in the reserve funds because we are going to put the money in there later on.

Exactly. And as the gentleman from California knows, we had an empty jar, a big empty jar in our committee to illustrate that view.

One of the ways that the Democrats in their budget spend more money is they set up this empty reserve fund to be funded later, that the committees and the agencies and organizations can draw money out to spend more money, but yet there is no money in the reserve fund to spend. So you talk about a shell game. It is a shell game at its finest.

One of the things that I was proud of several weeks ago, I guess maybe it was 2 weeks ago, I was proud to be part of an RSC, the Republican Study Committee, a press conference that we had to talk about a Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

And, Madam Speaker, what we are talking about here is giving the taxpayers across the country more accountability for their government. Four simple things, things that we have talked about and things that we would like to see come to fruition. Let me tell you what they are.

Taxpayers should have the right to a Federal government that does not grow beyond their ability to pay for it. I don't think we see that in this budget, Madam Speaker.

Taxpayers should have the right to receive back every dollar they entrust to the government for their retirement. It is incredible what we have done and what we are continuing to do, Madam Speaker, in this Democratic budget.

Number three, taxpayers have a right to expect the government to balance the budget without having their taxes raised. As the gentleman from California well knows, the Republican budget that we will present later this week will do that in 5 years. We will balance the budget, save the Social Security fund, and do it all without raising taxes. The Democratic budget does not. It does not. Now they may say one thing, but the figures show something else.

And, last, taxpayers have a right to a simple and fair Tax Code that they understand. Boy, that is a tough one there. But it is a game of trying to be responsible to the taxpayers, as my friend from California knows. It is a game of making sure that our people keep their money. They know how to spend it more than we do in Washington, D.C., and I trust my people more.

Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, as my friend from California knows, this budget trusts the government more than it trusts the American taxpayer.

With that, I yield back.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I think it is very simple. Number one, we will balance the budget without raising taxes; and, number two, we will reform entitlements. Because, as you well know, over the next 5 years, Madam Speaker, entitlement spending will grow 19 percent. Now that is without me, without my friend from California, without anybody in this House lifting a single finger. Entitlement spending will grow 19 percent.

So the budget we bring to the floor this week will be very simple. We will slow the growth, not cut. We will slow the growth, because entitlement spending will still continue to grow. We will slow the growth of entitlement spending, and we will balance the budget without raising taxes.

And I yield back.

Mr. Speaker, this week, the Budget Committee marked up the budget for fiscal year 2008. Unfortunately, instead of a commonsense balanced budget that lowers spending, reforms unsustainable entitlement programs and encourages economic growth without raising taxes, it is full of a lot of empty promises, with the exception of two, higher taxes and more spending.

My Republican colleagues and I believe that government should limit its taxing and spending, ease the burden on the economy and let the country grow. This Democratic budget trusts government more than it trusts the people. Those are the guys paying the bills.

As a result of Republican support of tax policies passed in 2001 through 2005, every taxpayer who paid income taxes will get tax relief this year. If these tax policies are eliminated, as the Democratic budget calls for, these taxpayers will see a tax hike.

Mr. Speaker, for these and many other reasons, the budget put forth this week is just plain wrong for our Nation.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I don't know what to say. I will say this, H.R. 1591, when it comes up in 1 hour or 45 minutes, I'm going to vote against it. But I want to say two things to two groups out there. Number one, to the American people, I want to say, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I can't stop runaway fiscal spending. I can't stop a House that is out of control. I'm sorry for that. But more importantly, I want to say I'm sorry to my soldiers, because I cannot do enough to protect you.

Men and women halfway across this world laying their life on the line for me and my family and my children and my country and everything I believe in, I can't do enough to help you, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I will fight today, I will fight tomorrow, I will fight every day I am a United States Congressman for my soldiers and my people and my country. I will not give up. All I ask is don't give up on them; don't give up on me; and don't give up on us.

Madam Speaker, this week the Budget Committee will mark up the budget for fiscal year 2008. The American people want a balanced budget that lowers spending, reforms unsustainable entitlement programs, and encourages economic growth without raising taxes.

My constituents are tired of the out-of-control spending that they see at the Federal level. That is why I stood with my colleagues in the fiscally responsible Republican Study Committee last week and announced the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. We believe that the taxpayers have a right to a Federal Government that does not grow beyond their ability to pay for it. They have the right to receive back each dollar that they entrust to the government for their retirement; a right to a simple, fair Tax Code they can understand; and they have a right to expect that the government balance its budget without having to raise taxes.

Madam Speaker, I look forward to working in a bipartisan way with my colleagues on the Budget Committee to ensure that the rights of the taxpayer are not ignored.

Madam Speaker, while Democrats are talking about fiscal discipline, their actions say otherwise. Time and time again, the Democrat ``plan'' is to chase increased spending with increased taxes.

In less than 3 months, Democrats have called for immense new spending. Their agenda for the 110th Congress calls for throwing billions more at entitlements that are already growing at unsustainable rates. At the same time, they have not proposed a dollar of savings or a single reform--just more spending, financed by higher taxes.

The American people want reductions in spending, they want reforms to our overburdened and unsustained programs, and they want their elected leaders to be held accountable for the plans they put forth and the funding they approve.

Republicans have a responsible plan that balances the budget by encouraging economic growth and reforming entitlement programs--without raising taxes. Increasing the tax burden on the American people has never led to economic prosperity.

Madam Speaker, my constituents don't want to see a return of tax-and- spend politics.

Mr. Speaker, simply chasing higher spending with higher taxes, as the Democrats want, will fail to address the unsustainable growth of government spending. We must balance the budget without tax increases.

Part of the Republican plan is to make permanent the tax relief that continues to support our Nation's economic prosperity. Our pro-growth policies have worked to support our economy's solid sustained growth and have created more than 7.4 million new jobs. This growth has also fueled double-digit growth in Federal revenues and put us on a path to balancing the budget.

The Democrat plan would simply reverse this progress with job-killing automatic tax increases.

The Republican plan also includes reforms to unsustainable entitlement programs so they can meet the mounting challenges and obligations of the future.

Mr. Speaker, the American people elected us to find solutions, not create more problems. I urge my colleagues to work with the Republicans to implement these real and workable solutions for a more fiscally responsible tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, next week we will mark up the budget for fiscal year 2008. That budget will set the tone for the year and will affect the fiscal direction of our country.

Simply chasing higher spending with higher taxes, as the Democrats want, fails to address the unsustainable growth of government spending. Also, entitlement spending currently consumes more than half the budget and is projected to grow by nearly 6 percent per year, faster than the entire government costs now. We must take immediate and substantive steps to ensure we can meet commitments in the future.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans will put forth a budget that balances the budget by 2012, without raising taxes, by keeping our economy strong, creating jobs and by reforming and strengthening entitlement programs.

Let's work together to balance the budget, but let's make sure we do it the right way. The question will be answered this month, which is, will Democrats work with us toward these goals or go back to the days of tax and spend?

Madam Speaker, the community calls him an advocate for children. However, this reverend from Pickens, South Carolina, said he just never wanted to be an elder who sat around and criticized youth; therefore he got out and helped the children at risk in his community.

A community service leader who has touched lives and strengthened faith, Rev. Julius Scipio is a lifelong minister and a pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Anderson, South Carolina.

Rev. Scipio has also been a strong advocate for the African American communities in the upstate of South Carolina, specifically in Anderson, Oconee and Pickens Counties. He is said to have blessed the members of his congregation through his service.

In 1994, Rev. Scipio was awarded the national Jefferson Award for his dedication to young African American males by creating the Elephant Men of Pickens County. He created this faith-based organization to represent elephants in the wild that form a circle to surround and protect the young in trouble.

During Black History Month, I thank Rev. Scipio for dedicating himself as a public and faith-based servant to protect our at-risk youth.