Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Republican Conference standards on earmarks, I submit the following information regarding a project included at my request in H.R. 3082, the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act:

Requesting Member: Congressman Jim Jordan (OH-04)

Bill: H.R. 3082

Account: Air National Guard

Requesting entity: Ohio Air National Guard/Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base

Project title: Ohio Air National Guard RED HORSE Beddown

Description: In 2008, a 200-person detachment of the 200th RED HORSE (Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers) Squadron was activated at Mansfield Lahm Airport (1947 Harrington Memorial Road, Mansfield, Ohio). The detachment currently operates out of facilities that are too small and not configured for its mission; as a result, important training missions are often postponed, resulting in a reduced level of readiness.

$11.4 million in funding for RED HORSE beddown facilities at the airport has already been programmed by the Pentagon for funding in fiscal year 2010. These facilities will provide the detachment with the space and facilities it needs for proper readiness training.

I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this bill. Simply put, this is bad policy for America, particularly the Midwest. In an independent study, my district is the fourth-most impacted district in the nation by this disastrous legislation. The parts of our nation that are powered by coal-burning plants and are heavy in manufacturing and agriculture--like the part of Ohio I get to represent--will be devastated.

Make no mistake, we are about to vote on the largest tax increase and transfer of wealth in American history. In a misguided attempt by the federal government to put a command and control bureaucracy in charge of our national energy economy, this Congress will raise the energy costs of every American who drives a car or turns on a light switch. And for what? Even supporters of this legislation admit that this bill will have a negligible impact on global temperatures.

By unilaterally disarming ourselves, we become less economically competitive for the 21st century. We are preparing, Madam Speaker, to cede our global leadership role to foreign competitors by capping our growth and innovation, and trading even more manufacturing jobs overseas.

Republicans have a better way forward. We have an all-of-the-above energy solution that increases domestic production and use of our own resources and creates incentives to move us toward clean, renewable, and reliable sources of energy like nuclear, wind, solar, and bio- fuels. And we do it the way America has always done it--through the ingenuity and innovation of the American entrepreneur and worker, not top down federal government mandates. I encourage my colleagues to vote down this National Energy Tax and to support real American energy solutions.

I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, let me first thank the ranking member from Idaho for his work on this legislation and the chairman. In fact, the chairman and I spoke earlier this evening about this amendment. We joked around. I told him he might be for it, but I doubt he would be, actually.

Earlier this week, in fact, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week, the Treasury auctioned off $104 billion of Treasury bills; $104 billion of debt we sold this week, the largest amount ever sold by this country. The reason we had to sell that much debt is because we are spending too much money. In fact, we are spending so much that over the next decade, think about this, over the next decade, we are going to take the national debt, which is now $11 trillion, we are going to take it to $23 trillion.

Think about what it takes to pay that off. Think about what our kids and grandkids are going to have to do to pay that off. First, you have to balance a budget; then you have to run a trillion-dollar surplus for 23 years in a row, and that doesn't even count the interest which is now approaching a billion dollars a day. Spending is certainly out of control.

So this amendment is real simple. This amendment says, you know what, let's do what all kinds of families are doing, what all kinds of taxpayers across this country are doing, what all kinds of small business owners across this country are doing: let's live on exactly what we were functioning on, what the Federal Government was functioning on just 1 year ago. In fact, it wasn't even 1 year ago. It was 9 months ago we were still going on a continuing resolution for 2008, living on the 2008 appropriated levels. Let's do that.

Instead of increasing spending in this bill by 21 percent over what we were functioning on just 9 months ago, let's do what all kinds of families and taxpayers, all kinds of small business owners across this country are doing. In fact, unemployment in my district runs anywhere from 10 to 16 percent in the 11 counties I have the privilege of representing. There are families, there are small business owners, there are taxpayers in the Fourth Congressional District of Ohio who are living on something less than what they were living on just 9 months ago. But somehow the Federal Government can never get by on less. It is only the families and taxpayers who have to do that.

Again, my amendment is pretty straightforward. It says, let's go back to where we were just 9 months ago. The government should be able to function on that amount of money, and it reduces the appropriation amount in this bill by $5.750 billion. Again, that amount is a 21 percent increase over what we were functioning on just 9 months ago.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, there they go again. I think the chairman's words were ``irresponsible meat-ax approach.'' This is not a cut. This is not a cut. This is saying let's hold the line. This is taking the first step--what I would say is a pretty modest first step-- towards trying to rein in spending so we don't saddle future generations of Americans with this enormous step.

If you don't take this first step and say, let's hold the line, let's freeze where we're at, you never have to prioritize, it's just the band plays on. We'll just keep increasing. We'll just keep spending. We're saying, well, we never have to decide which programs make sense, which ones should be eliminated, which ones are redundant. You never have to make the tough calls. You just keep spending, which is, frankly, the easiest thing in the world for politicians to do, spend and spend and spend, borrow and borrow and borrow, tax and tax and tax. Well, that's pretty easy for this place to do. The tough thing is usually the right thing.

I had a coach in high school. He talked about discipline every stinking day. I used to get sick and tired of hearing about it. And he said that discipline is doing what you don't want to do when you don't want to do it. Basically that meant doing it his way when you would rather do it your way. It meant doing it the right way, the tough way, the difficult way when you would rather do it the easy and convenient way. The easy and convenient way is to continue to spend and spend and spend. The tough thing to do is to say let's hold the line and then let's figure out which programs actually make sense, and I trust the gentlemen here on the committee to do that.

But if you never hold the line, you never get to the first step. This is a modest first step. We still know we've got trillions of dollars in debt we've got to deal with. We can't even take the first step. That's what is so frustrating--and, frankly, in my mind, so ridiculous--about this place is we can never even just say let's just stop. Let's do what Americans all over this country are having to do. We can never do that. And the Democrats just read off a bunch of lists, oh, this, this and this--that's baloney. We just want to hold the line, and everyone across this country understands that.

Let's hold the line. Let's pass this amendment and take that first step towards becoming fiscally responsible and exercising a little discipline in this Congress for a change.

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

Madam Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, last night the Democrat-controlled Congress decided to prohibit any amendment that would have reduced spending for today's legislation that funds Congress.

That's right. At a time when the American taxpayer, the American families, American small business owners are tightening their belts, the Democrat-controlled Congress would not allow any reduction in what it spends on itself.

This is an outrage. Families are tightening their belts; small business owners are tightening their belts; American taxpayers are tightening their belts. And this Congress wouldn't even allow an amendment to be made in order which would say, let's live on what we lived on last year. Let's not increase spending for the Congress of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, this is an outrage, and should not be tolerated.

I have an amendment at the desk, Mr. Chairman.

I thank the chairman, thank our ranking member and the chairman of the subcommittee.

The chairman of the subcommittee was just boasting about the fact that the committee reduced the amount of dollars appropriated in this bill from what the administration had requested.

I think it's important to point out that request came after we have had the stimulus, the omnibus, the second tranche of TARP. I mean, all the spending that's taken place in the first 6 months of this Congress. I don't know that there's anything to really brag about.

So this amendment actually goes back to what this Congress was allocated and what was being spent in the various agencies that fall under the bill, just 1 year ago. It would reduce the spending in this bill by $12.511 billion, again, exactly what we were spending prior to the stimulus, prior to the omnibus.

I think it's really all about preserving opportunity and the greatness of this country for our children and our grandchildren.

And, Mr. Chairman, I would say this: the American people get it. They're tightening their belts, as many speakers have already indicated here on the floor this evening. They're tired of this blank check, this bailout mentality that has got a hold of Washington. They're sick of the bailouts. They're sick of the deficits. They're sick of the debt that we keep piling up.

Think about the number of different bailouts: we had the financial industry. We had the auto industry bailout. We have a deficit that's approaching $2 trillion this fiscal year. We have a national debt over $11 trillion slated to move to $23 trillion over the next decade.

I always think it's important just to figure this out. At some point, I was an economics major. One of the first things you learn in economics is there's no free lunch; it has to be paid back. $23 trillion we're slated to get to over the next 10 years.

To pay that back, think about what has to happen. We first have to balance the budget. We first have to get to zero, actually balance a budget, not spend more than we take in. And then we have to run a surplus of $1 trillion for 23 straight years, and that doesn't even count the interest. That's what we're saddling our kids and our grandkids with.

One of the things that makes this country great, one of the reasons we're the greatest Nation in history, is because parents make sacrifices for their kids so that when they grow up they can have life a little better than we did. And then they, in turn, when they become parents, do the same thing for the next generation. And that cycles continues, and that's why we're the greatest Nation, economic power in human history.

When you begin to turn that around and go the other direction, that's where we're having problems. And, frankly, that's where we're at right now. And that's why it is so important we get a little discipline in how we budget and spend the taxpayer money.

I had a coach and teacher in high school. He taught chemistry. Toughest teacher in the school. Taught chemistry and physics. Toughest coach in the State, I felt like. And talked about discipline every stinking day. I got tired of hearing about it. He said, you've got to have discipline if you want to get anything done. You've got to have discipline if you want to succeed in athletics. And he had a great definition. He said, discipline's doing what you don't want to do when you don't want to do it. And basically that meant doing it his way when you'd rather do it your way. It meant doing things the right way. It meant doing things the tough way when you'd rather do it the easy way, the convenient way.

The easy thing to do is to spend taxpayer money. The disciplined thing, the tough thing to do is say, You know what? We're going to limit overall spending, and we're going to have some priorities and make some tough decisions because, if we don't, our kids and our grandkids are going to inherit a debt that they cannot repay. And that's where we are today in America. That's why it's important we adopt this amendment and begin to get a handle on the out-of-control spending.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, just let me say this: the gentleman makes it sound so dramatic. It takes us right back to what we were spending 1 year, less than a year ago, less than a year ago to what these Departments were operating, the programs were operating on.

I mean, think about this. A year ago Tiger Woods was getting ready to win the U.S. Open, just like he is this week.

Brett Favre was thinking about coming out of retirement, just like he is this week. One year ago.

One year ago Yankees fans and Red Sox fans didn't like each other, just like today. I mean, this is not a big deal. This is going back to where we were less than 1 year ago.

A lot of families out there, a lot of families across this country are having to do that. A lot of businesses are having to do that.

Why is it during tough economic times the only people who have to suck it up are the American people and small business owners?

Why can't government ever have to suck it up?

That's what this is about. This goes back to where we were less than 1 year ago.

I yield back the balance of my time and urge a ``yes'' vote on the amendment.

Would the gentleman yield?

I appreciate the gentleman yielding. That's kind of you.

A year ago, in my recollection, we were functioning under a continuing resolution, which would be the 2008 fiscal year spending level. That's why I'm saying 1 year ago we were functioning under exactly what this amendment would take us to, not the 2009, which was done in the omnibus just a few months ago. We were functioning on the 2008 continuing resolution.

Offered By Mr. Jordan of Ohio

Amendment No. 100: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following:

I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his work on this issue and many others in the Congress.

Madam Chair, on Monday, June 1, 2009, in Ontario, Ohio, in our district, 1,200 General Motors employees found out that they're losing their job. The Obama task force said in 12 months from now 1,200 families will face the consequences of unemployment. Yet, here we are today, ready to pass a new billion-dollar entitlement for Federal workers at a time when our economy is in turmoil and millions of Americans are struggling with joblessness.

It is unconscionable that this Congress heap even more spending onto the backs of American families and businesses. At a time when taxpayers already have to tighten their belts, we are now asking them for an additional $1 billion. And worse, the spending is unnecessary.

Federal employees are already entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period because of a birth, adoption, or the taking in of a foster child. In many cases, Federal workers can use accrued sick leave and annual vacation leave. In fact, if you have been a Federal employee for just 3 years, you already have 4 weeks of annual leave and 2\1/2\ weeks of sick leave each and every year.

With this new benefit for the Federal Government, we are also putting small businesses at a disadvantage. Think about this. Only 57 percent of the private sector offer any independently defined sick leave. Now they will have to compete for workers against this expanded benefit for government workers. This moves us exactly in the wrong direction.

We need to incentivize the growth and renewal of a vibrant private sector, yet instead we are subsidizing an ever expanding Federal Government that will crowd out the private sector and, I think, frankly, stifle innovation and entrepreneurialship.

The American people are watching us. In these difficult economic times, they expect their government to do exactly what they have done, cut the waste and tighten our belts. That is the message I have heard all across our district. It's what I've heard from families experiencing unemployment and small businesses that have had to shut their doors. Instead, this Congress continues to spend and spend and spend.

Rather than taking steps to improve the economy to create jobs for the 14 million unemployed Americans, we are giving a better deal to the 2.7 million people who are already employed in the Federal sector. This is the wrong message to send, and I encourage my colleagues to vote against this legislation.

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

The pretty long speech here that was put together by staff on Mr. McHugh's post office renaming, and some of it will be, I think, redundant from Mr. Lynch's comments, but I think it's important that we do give the proper respect to the Frederic Remington Post Office Building.

I rise in support of H.R. 2090, a bill designating the postal facility located at 431 State Street in Ogdensburg, New York, as the Frederic Remington Post Office Building in honor of the renowned 19th century sculptor, painter, author and illustrator.

Frederic Remington was born in Canton, New York, in 1861 and moved to Ogdensburg, New York, in 1873. He headed west to the Montana territory and is best known for his depictions of frontier life of the American West, including cowboys taming broncos, cavalry soldiers engaged in battle, and Native American warriors and scouts. He began his career as a magazine illustrator upon his return east, when he sold his first sketches to Harper's Weekly.

In the mid-1880s, Remington moved from illustration to water color and oil painting; and in 1895, he began sculpting in bronze. He ultimately produced nearly 3,000 drawings and paintings, 22 sculptures, and eight volumes of writings throughout his career. Frederic Remington died on December 26, 1909, thus making 2009 the 100th anniversary of his death. Unfortunately, he was only 48 years old and died at the height of his popularity.

In 1961, the U.S. Postal Service issued a postal stamp to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Frederic Remington's birth. The stamp featured an oil painting drawn by Remington in 1905 entitled ``Smoke Signal.'' Over 111 million Remington stamps were issued by the postal service.

Remington's works can be found throughout the Nation in some of America's highly regarded museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and many others. In fact, ``The Broncho Buster,'' the stirring Remington sculpture to this day remains in a prominent location within the Oval Office at the White House.

Today a comprehensive collection of original Remington paintings, sketches and sculptures are housed at the Frederic Remington Art Museum founded in 1923 and located in Ogdensburg, New York.

Frederic Remington was one of northern New York's most famous residents, and his home town of Ogdensburg is one of the most historic destinations. Located along the St. Lawrence River, Ogdensburg was the site of key battles during the French and Indian War as well as the War of 1812. In fact, the city was captured by British forces during the famed Battle of Ogdensburg in the War of 1812.

Ogdensburg was also the site of the appropriately titled Ogdensburg Agreement of 1940. This was a joint defense pact between the Canadian Prime Minister and President Franklin Roosevelt.

Ogdensburg's post office is also of historic significance and was listed in the National Historic Register in 1977. The building serves as the oldest active post office in New York and among the oldest in the United States. It was constructed between 1867 and 1870; and in August of 1872, President Grant visited the building for a public reception. It is also very likely Frederic Remington himself would have sent some of his correspondence from the very post office that will be dedicated in his name.

I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation to designate the Ogdensburg, New York, post office as the Frederic Remington Post Office Building.

I reserve the balance of my time

I would yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlelady from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).

Madam Speaker, before I yield back my time, I would just say that I think the gentlelady from North Carolina makes an outstanding point. This cap-and-trade/cap-and-tax concept, all you've got to do is look at the Heritage Foundation study, which rank-orders all 435 Congressional districts in this country who would be most negatively impacted, who would lose jobs because of this proposal. And it hits home because nine of the top 10 most affected districts are in Ohio and Indiana. I happen to represent one of those districts in Ohio. We'd be fourth hardest hit in the country. It doesn't take a genius to figure out if you are heavy into manufacturing, as we are, and frankly, rely on coal, from coal-fired plants on the Ohio River to provide your electricity needs, you're going to get hit hard. This is a terrible move for our country, but it will have disproportionately negative impacts on the Midwest. That's why we should defeat this proposal.

With that, I would yield back the balance of our time.

Well, thank you. I appreciate the gentleman for

yielding and for this Special Order on just a critical issue highlighting why you should never start down this road where government is making decisions in private enterprise.

But the gentleman related 2 weeks ago in Judiciary Committee we had auto dealers, we had experts, and two experts on the auto industry, unlike the auto task force, which has no manufacturing experience, no auto dealer business experience. We had real experts in there talking about the fact that these handful of people who are making decisions that impact so many communities and so many families across this country really have just that, no experience whatsoever in manufacturing, and particularly auto manufacturing.

I just appreciate my colleagues from the Buckeye State pointing out-- here's what is so frustrating. Government caused this problem, and now government is going to fix it? I mean, the CAFE standards artificially plucked out of the air, which are the reason, frankly, one of the reasons that the stamping facility in the Fourth Congressional District was closed down, announced foreclosure this Monday. The lack of what I call a coherent, commonsense energy policy.

Let's remember where we were last summer that really started to lead to this situation. It was $4 gasoline. And the fact that we don't use the natural resources we have in this country to help this situation and specifically to help this industry. Again, a failure of government to do the right thing, which helped bring us to this day.

Frankly, we're only going to make it worse, as my colleagues know, if we pass this crazy cap-and-trade concept, which will make it even tougher for manufacturing and auto manufacturing. So that's the frustrating part.

One last point before I yield back to my colleague. I was on a conference call Sunday night with some of the members of the auto task force briefing Members of Congress about what was going to happen with the restructuring at General Motors and, frankly, the announcements that were going to occur the next day, June 1, 2009, when 11 GM facilities, an announcement was made they were going to close. Again, one of which was in Ontario, Ohio, in Richland County in the Fourth Congressional District.

Mr. Sperling, a member of the auto task force, stated in his comments that the government, the auto task force, wasn't going to be involved in day-to-day decisions about General Motors. They would only get involved if it was a ``major event.''

And so when his comments were done and Members of Congress began to ask questions, I finally got around to my turn and I said, Mr. Sperling, you indicated in your opening comments that the auto task force, the government would only get involved if it was a major event. I said, It's going to be pretty major tomorrow when they shut down 11 facilities in 11 congressional districts. What is your definition of ``major''?

And here's the scary thing. He didn't have one. He said it could be a merger, it could be a major change in corporate philosophy. He didn't have a definition, which just tells you they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, and that's why it's so appropriate what Mr. LaTourette and Mr. Tiberi are doing here tonight on the floor of the House of Representatives, showing the chaos that they have caused in all kinds of congressional districts, in all kinds of families and communities around this country.

So I want to applaud, again, the Member from Ohio and his hard work in trying to get to the bottom of this and letting the American people know what is really going on out there in this important industry in our country.

With that, I would yield back.

If the gentleman would yield.

I think this is important to understand. If President Obama can fire the CEO of General Motors, then he can keep a facility open. Frankly, his task force and members of his Cabinet, who are traveling across the Midwest right now, who are in our State, in Ohio as we speak--they were there yesterday and today--they owe it to those communities like Twinsburg, like Ontario. They owe it the those workers, those families to go to those facilities, look those workers in the eye and explain to them why they chose to shut down their facility and keep another one open. They owe that to them.

This is coming from someone whose father worked 30 years at a General Motors facility in Dayton, Ohio. I know what it's like for those families. I remember when I was a kid and there was talk of a possible layoff, talk of a possible strike. The emotion that that causes in a family and the concern that caused within a family is real.

So we know what these families are going through in Twinsburg, Ohio, and Ontario, Ohio, and Michigan and other States. We know what they're going through. Frankly, the auto task force owes it to those families to come to those communities and explain to them why they're closing their facility.

I yield back.

Madam Speaker, I am honored to commend to the House the work of the Champaign County Bicentennial Historical Marker Committee and the West Central Ohio Port Authority to promote the history of the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad.

The Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad was chartered by the State of Ohio in 1832, making it both the first chartered railroad in Ohio and the first to be built west of the Allegheny Mountains. Groundbreaking ceremonies took place in 1835 in Sandusky, attended by General William Henry Harrison (the first of eight Presidents to hail from the Buckeye State) and Ohio Governor Joseph Vance.

By 1848, more than 130 miles of track were completed from Sandusky to Springfield at a cost of roughly $1.75 million. Urbana resident John H. James, who served as treasurer of the railroad, was instrumental in securing lines of credit to fund rail construction and early operations of the line.

The rail line was eventually expanded to tie in with the Little Miami Railroad, allowing for continuous rail service from Lake Erie to the Ohio River through western Ohio.

After numerous mergers, the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad ultimately became part of Conrail, which has since been divided between the Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Transportation. The West Central Ohio Port Authority acquired portions of the old Mad River track in 1994 to ensure continued freight rail service between Bellefontaine and Springfield.

On June 6, two historical markers celebrating the history of the line will be dedicated in Urbana. I am honored to join the Champaign County Bicentennial Historical Marker Committee, the West Central Ohio Port Authority, and Bellevue's Mad River and Lake Erie Museum in commemorating this event.

Madam Speaker, I was absent from the House floor during Tuesday's three rollcall votes.

Had I been present, I would have voted against tabling the Flake Privileged Resolution, in favor of H. Res. 413, and in favor of H. Res. 378, amended.

Madam Speaker, I am honored to commend to the House John Buck of New Bloomington, Ohio. John is among this year's recipients of the Environmental Stewardship Award, given by the Ohio Livestock Coalition in partnership with the Ohio Pork Producers Council.

The Environmental Stewardship Award program acknowledges superior conservation techniques among our Nation's livestock producers, who already take the lead in responsible land use practices. For nearly twenty years, winners have been recognized for their dedication to promoting air and water quality and protecting fish and wildlife habitats while operating successful and profitable livestock businesses. This commitment is especially important in Ohio, where one in every seven jobs is directly linked to our state's $100 billion agriculture industry.

John was recognized for his achievement at the 2009 Ohio Livestock Coalition's annual meeting on April 6. I am honored to add my congratulations to those of producers from throughout Ohio on this achievement. John's commitment to responsible stewardship is a fine example to landowners across the State and Nation.

Madam Speaker, seven high school students in my congressional district will be recognized on May 12 for their efforts to overcome physical, economic, and social adversities. I am pleased to join the Rotary Club of Mansfield in honoring the achievements of these McGowan Courage Award recipients:

Kelby Lunsford, Crestview High School--Kelby has worked through numerous autism-related difficulties stemming from his premature birth. His work ethic, determination, and passion for reading and historical studies are an inspiration to his parents, teachers, and fellow students.

Nathan Volz, Lexington High School--Faced at age 10 with the divorce of his parents, Nathan has long been tasked with helping to raise his younger brothers and assisting with

the family's finances. After attending a church youth retreat, he worked to overcome some of his own poor personal choices and become a model of integrity for others.

Josh Teetsel, Lucas High School--Placed in a foster home after the death of his mother, Josh struggled to make the right choices in the face of pressure from friends. He has since turned his life around, earning the respect of his teachers and volunteering at the local fire department. Josh will soon enroll at Ohio's Hocking College.

Joseph (Joey) Bennett, Madison Comprehensive High School--Coping with hearing and vision impairments and enduring several open-heart surgeries before age 2, Joey is an inspiration to everyone at his school, where he is an eager volunteer at sporting and other extracurricular activities. He recently completed Madison's auto tech training program.

Ian Kent, Mansfield Christian High School--Various sleep disorders and other medical problems have slowed Ian's academic work, but he continues to persevere in his home studies. He enjoys volunteering at his church and at Mansfield's Kingwood Center, and looks forward to attending North Central State College.

Leona Smith, Mansfield Senior High School--In just the last year, Leona has suffered from three collapsed lungs requiring surgery. Despite these setbacks, she has maintained a 3.6 grade point average in college prep courses and is on course to graduate a year early--all while working two jobs to support herself financially.

Brandon O'Brian, Ontario High School--Brandon's positive attitude in working to overcome a cognitive disability is a model for his fellow students. In addition to his studies at Pioneer Career and Technology Center, he is an active member of the Mansfield Police Department's Explorer Post and works part-time at Ontario's Skyway Restaurant.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the National Day of Prayer, which will be observed tomorrow, which has been celebrated every year in this country since 1952. On this day, we give thanks and prayer to the blessings that God has bestowed on America. We take comfort in knowing that throughout American history, our Creator has not been neutral in our struggles.

For centuries, since America's earliest settlement, prayer and a vigorous faith have marked our national journey. Our Founding Fathers sought His guidance during the early days of our young Republic. Other than Scripture, perhaps the greatest words ever written are from our Declaration of Independence: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.''

Founded on these trusts, our Nation's reliance on God and Judeo- Christian principles have allowed us to become the greatest force for good in history. Faith in God is the cornerstone of us being a good people and will continue to keep us a great Nation.

Tomorrow, millions of Americans will take time out of their day to celebrate the National Day of Prayer. As Americans, we have much to be thankful for. It is appropriate that we have set aside a day for public recognition that is not by our own hands, but by our Creator's, that our Nation has prospered and our people are free.

When we stray from our founding principles based on timeless Judeo- Christian truths and informed by centuries of Western thought, we become a Nation adrift, without purpose and without destination.

Tomorrow, we will affirm the importance of prayer in our national life. We will recognize that the institutions of family and marriage are foundational, and that God and prayer most certainly have a place in the public square.

It is a disappointment, then, that President Obama is choosing not to participate in the National Day of Prayer as his predecessors before him have done. This action sends the wrong message to the American people. Instead of publicly joining millions of Americans in praying for our Nation, President Obama has chosen to distance himself from this important event by merely issuing a proclamation from the White House. It is my hope that in the future, President Obama will take a more active role in the National Day of Prayer.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the many people who make this event possible each year. I invite all of my colleagues to use this day to reflect on the need of prayer in their own lives and, just as importantly, the continuing need for prayers for our Nation.

Ronald Reagan said it best when he remarked that when we stop being one Nation under God, we will be a Nation gone under.

I pray that God will always continue to bless America.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak in opposition to H.R. 1913, which unfortunately is being debated under a closed rule today.

This bill represents an unconstitutional, unprecedented departure from a deeply rooted American principle of equal justice under the law. Justice should be blind. It should be equal for all Americans. All violent crime is deplorable, and it should be punished to the fullest extent. Crimes that are not aimed at a certain class of people are just as reprehensible as those committed for other reasons; but this bill would treat senseless, random violence less harshly than ``hate'' crimes.

Justice will depend on whether a victim is a member of a category deemed worthy of protection under this bill--a list, for the record, that does not include the unborn, pregnant women, the elderly, and others who are among society's most vulnerable.

In fact, during committee markup, I offered an amendment to add the unborn to this list. The amendment was ruled nongermane on the outrageous grounds that the unborn are not ``persons.'' So much for defending our most defenseless.

In addition, this bill raises the very real possibility that religious teachers of every faith could be prosecuted on what they say in the pulpit, on what they preach, by permitting legal action against anyone who willfully causes an act to be done by another person. It is not hard to imagine charges being filed against a pastor if a prosecutor believes that the pastor's message caused someone to commit an act of violence. Subjecting pastors' sermons to prosecutorial scrutiny in this way would have a chilling effect on the rights of all individuals to freely practice their religion.

This so-called ``hate crimes bill'' not only discards the fundamental American legal principle of equal justice; it also lays the groundwork to criminalize individuals and groups that might not share certain values. Crimes committed against one citizen should not be punished any more or any less than crimes committed against another.

I would urge a ``no'' vote on this bill.