Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today not only as the Representative of the 8th District of Georgia, but also as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, to honor the exemplary service and accomplishments of Major General Polly A. Peyer on the occasion of her retirement from the United States Air Force.

Maj. Gen. Peyer distinguished herself through exceptionally meritorious service to the Air Force and to the Nation during more than thirty-four years of active military service in peace and war, culminating as the Commanding General, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.

Madam Speaker, throughout her career, Maj. Gen. Peyer has been in the forefront of Air Force logistics, serving in all command positions from squadron to wing level and has

held major command and headquarters-level positions. Among her many accomplishments, Maj. Gen. Peyer was directly responsible for ensuring the highest quality support to maintenance programs supporting the C- 130, F-15, C-17, and C-5 aircraft, among others. Her commitment to excellence directly led the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center to garner 61 national, Air Force, and command organizational awards, and resulted in the Air Force's ability to achieve goals set for the troop surge in Afghanistan, while simultaneously supporting ongoing operations in Iraq.

Dedicated to the well-being of Team Robins, Maj. Gen. Peyer oversaw the development of the ``You Matter'' program to raise awareness of suicide and develop understanding, recognition, and skills to proactively prevent it. Maj. Gen. Peyer was also a staunch advocate of workplace safety and implemented the Commander's Safe Site Challenge to implement tenets of OSHA Voluntary Protection Programs. Furthermore, Maj. Gen. Peyer and her husband, Colonel (Retired) Brian Grady, were untiring advocates for various organizations, causes, and issues including one of our Nation's most outstanding gems, the Museum of Aviation.

Madam Speaker, Major General Peyer leaves the United States Air Force, the Department of Defense, the Nation, and the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center stronger through her vision and leadership. Her dedication to excellence and devotion to duty, honor, and country have marked her distinguished service. Her record of achievement and manner of service throughout her long career in positions of enormous responsibility are commensurate with honoring her in the Congressional Record. I thank her for her service.

Madam Speaker, regarding rollcall vote 526 on the previous question, I mistakenly voted no. I meant to vote yes.

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to honor five of Macon, Georgia's great citizens: R. Kirby Godsey, Robert F. Hatcher, the late William S. Hutchings, the late Charles H. Jones, and Juanita T. Jordan. Each has earned the respect and admiration of Central Georgians by building coalitions to improve communities and institutions throughout the State of Georgia.

Individually, these citizens of Georgia have accomplished great deeds. They have risen to the highest levels of their chosen professions and are held in the highest esteem by their colleagues and professional organizations. Each has contributed visionary leadership, perseverance and untold hours to civic and charitable endeavors,

These five individuals have also shared a love of their hometown, Macon, Georgia and a passion for improving the quality of life and

economic prosperity of the Central Georgia region. All areas of community life in Macon--education, race relations, economic development, social services and recreation--have been improved through the tireless efforts of these individuals.

In addition to this group's selfless work as individuals, they also achieved great things by working together to help Macon. One of their most lasting and important contributions to Macon was their collective effort to found and fund NewTown Macon, a non-profit organization focused on the revitalization of downtown Macon.

Macon, Georgia is one of the great cities of the American South. With 5,500 individual structures and 11 districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Macon's downtown is a textbook of historic architecture. Like many other American cities, however, Macon's downtown struggled during the latter part of the twentieth century as families and businesses moved to the suburbs. By the mid-1990s, much of downtown Macon was shuttered and neglected, and many historic properties were in danger of being permanently lost. These five leaders recognized that a region cannot escape the fate and reputation of its central city, that decaying urban centers limit the growth and prosperity of entire regions. They acted decisively to form a public- private partnership that began changing the face of downtown Macon.

In the fourteen years since NewTown's founding, more than $350 million has been invested in downtown and the renaissance of Macon's urban center is well underway. Businesses and families are moving back downtown, historic properties are being restored to their earlier grandeur, and civic pride is growing. I am confident that these achievements would not have happened without Kirby Godsey, Bob Hatcher, Bill Hutchings, Charlie Jones, and Juanita Jordan's determination and leadership. Macon is a better city for their efforts.

Please join me in thanking these great and influential individuals for their contributions to Macon and the State of Georgia.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of Georgia's finest! On May 11, 2010 in Charkh Afghanistan, an American Hero named Seargent Kendra Coleman of The 173rd Special Troops Battalion Airborne, United States Army almost lost her life in an IED explosion. Clinging to life, and losing her leg she had a choice to make, give up or get up! She chose to get up and begin her run to recovery! In just a few short months she traveled so far and so fast in her recovery. The strides she has made, have taught us all so much, and will continue to bless us all. She is a shining example of the type of women and men who serve our Nation in The United States Armed Forces, and their families quiet courage who help them to recover. Kendra and her husband Brandon, are rebuilding their life at record pace, and they make us all proud to be Americans. I ask that this poem penned in honor of them by Albert Caswell be placed in the Record.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Mr. Bobby Pope, of Macon, Georgia, who is retiring after a long and illustrious tenure as Athletic Director of Mercer University. I rise to thank Bobby for his extraordinary commitment to Mercer Athletics,

his promotion of academic and athletic excellence within the Atlantic Sun Conference, and his overall contributions to the local community.

Madam Speaker, for over 20 years Bobby Pope, Dean of the Atlantic Sun Conference, has served as the Athletic Director for Mercer University. During his tenure, Mercer athletics have thrived, and its student- athletes have achieved impressive success both on and off the field. The program now includes 14 NCAA Division I teams plus the addition of the first-ever fulltime coaches for men's and women's golf, tennis, and cross country. Largely thanks to Bobby, Mercer University will field Georgia's first NCAA Division I men's and women's lacrosse teams in the upcoming year. Bobby Pope's commitment to building and strengthening Mercer athletics can further be seen in the recent renovations of existing fields and the construction of a state-of-the-art facility for student-athletes and coaches.

With Bobby Pope at the helm, Mercer University has twice won the Atlantic Sun Conference's All-Academic Trophy. Since its inception in 2007, the Atlantic Sun Conference post-graduate scholarship recognizing excellence and integrity has been awarded to a Mercer student-athlete. During Bobby's tenure, the cumulative grade point average for Mercer Bear student-athletes never fell below 3.0--a testament to his commitment to academic excellence.

Madam Speaker, Bobby Pope's passion and commitment to athletics and promoting sportsmanship extend beyond Mercer University. He has been very active in the Atlantic Sun Conference--twice serving as Conference President, as well as serving as a member on numerous Conference committees. Bobby has also made innumerable contributions to the local community as treasurer of the Macon Touchdown Club and through his service on the Mayor's Recreation Master Plan Committee, as well as the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Authority. Indeed, he was recognized for his lifelong contributions to Middle Georgia Athletics when he was inducted into the Macon Sports Hall of Fame on April 28, 2006. Also, for over 35 years, his broadcast of local sports news on the ``Saturday Scoreboard'' gave us the good, the bad, and the ugly about our Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and other middle Georgia sports teams.

Also, for over 35 years, his broadcast of local sports news on the Saturday Scoreboard gave us the good, the bad, and the ugly about our Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and other Middle Georgia sports teams.

Madam Speaker, it is fitting for the Congressional Record to include this brief acknowledgement of the accomplishments of Bobby Pope as Athletic Director of Mercer University. As he assumes his new role as the Executive Director for the Mercer Athletic Foundation, Bobby will undoubtedly continue to contribute to the success and accomplishments of Mercer Athletics. Few leave such enduringly positive legacies.

Madam Speaker, although my vote was not recorded by the electronic voting system, I intended to vote for H.R. 5072, the FHA Reform Act of 2010.

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

Mr. Chairman, this is a pretty simple amendment. We give fire retardant uniforms to all soldiers deploying to our combat zones. National Guard soldiers here in the United States do not have fire retardant uniforms, for the most part. And yet some National Guard soldiers, as an ordinary part of their duties, are exposed to fire hazards.

The amendment's pretty simple. It simply says we acknowledge that there's a cost issue associated with the issuing of fire retardant uniforms to all of our National Guard soldiers here in the United States. But at least we

should encourage the Guard to consider issuing those uniforms to those soldiers who, as a normal course of their duties, from time to time are exposed to fire hazards. And I hope that everybody would agree that that's a wise thing for us to do.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I agree with Mr. Coffman, who cochairs, along with me, the Balanced Budget Caucus. I agree with him on both counts: one, that I have got a good amendment here, and that we ought not to pass the Murphy amendment.

I think everybody understood the course that we were headed on with regard to Don't Ask, Don't Tell was for the military to do a study of the issue, give the study to us, we look at the study and then make a decision. We don't have the results of the military's analysis. What we do have is pretty well expressed concerns by the service Chiefs of each one of our branches that we ought not to move forward, that we are getting the cart before the horse here on this issue.

It seems to me we have been committed for some time to a course where we are going to look at the information and then make the decision. This reverses that course. I think it's a mistake.

As long as we are talking about different issues here, I would like to talk about the F-35 alternate engine as well. We cochair, Mr. Coffman, the Balanced Budget Caucus. We are both very concerned about unnecessary expenditures.

I talked to a retired commodore recently. He was an F-16 pilot. They had a squadron where pretty routinely only four to six of their jets would operate, and it was engine problems. At the time they were having those problems, it was sole sourced. When competition was injected, the effect of competition was that all of a sudden the engines that we were getting improved in quality dramatically. So competition is good for the soul.

We actually have a statute that requires competition. If we follow our own law, we will insist upon competition for the engines where the F-35 is concerned. But there is a specific example of competition working where jet engines are concerned, and it's the F-16 and the reliability of the F-16. GAO did a study of the cost savings associated with this and concluded it was 21 percent.

Bottom line, there is not a good argument, except for near-term dollar issues, there is not a single good argument why we wouldn't have competition where the F-35 engine is concerned.

I appreciate the ranking member and the chairman of this committee and both of the relevant subcommittees strongly supporting having competition where the F-35 engine is concerned. I appreciate the support that I have received for my amendment with regard to National Guard uniforms.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be authorized to file a supplemental report on the bill, H.R. 5136.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today not only as the Representative of the 8th District of Georgia, but also as the Chairman of the Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy at West Point, to honor the service and accomplishments of Brigadier General Patrick Finnegan.

General Finnegan distinguished himself through exceptionally meritorious service to the Nation during more than thirty-nine years of active military service in peace and war, culminating in six years as a professor at West Point, and serving the last five years as the Dean of the Academic Board. During General Finnegan's tenure, Forbes Magazine rated West Point as the best college in America.

As Dean, General Finnegan envisioned and fostered an Academic Program relevant to the needs of the Army that contributes to the intellectual and professional development of cadets. His visionary leadership led to the transition and expansion of the Academy's foreign language program, which places a greater emphasis on global and cultural awareness and includes a robust Study Abroad Program.

Madam Speaker, the Academic Program at the United States Military Academy has never been stronger, more connected to the Army, or more revered by our Nation. During his tenure, General Finnegan sponsored several successful accreditation visits from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, ABET, and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, MSCHE. West Point was also named the #1 Public College in the Nation by Forbes Magazine and best Public Liberal Arts College by the Princeton Review. Moreover, USMA cadets have won 84 international scholarships during this period, and West Point leads the nation in terms of Rotary International Scholarship winners.

Fondly referred to by cadets as the ``People's Dean,'' General Finnegan's focus on cadets and enrichment opportunities was never limited to the Academic Program. He was an avid and faithful supporter of cadet sports programs and the Dean's teams, and his personal participation in community and post-level events was unprecedented.

Madam Speaker, General Finnegan's record of achievement and manner of service in positions of enormous responsibility epitomize the type of soldier for whom an award such as the Distinguished Service Medal is intended. He has discharged his duty with immeasurable skill, diplomacy, and humility, while his dedication to excellence and devotion to duty, honor, and country is unparalleled.

On behalf of the Board of Visitors, I thank General Finnegan for his service to West Point.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today not only as the Representative of the 8th District of Georgia but also as the Chairman of the Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy at West Point, to honor the service and accomplishments of Lieutenant General Franklin L. ``Buster'' Hagenbeck, the 57th Superintendent.

LTG Hagenbeck distinguished himself through exceptionally meritorious service to the Nation during more than thirty-nine years of active military service in peace and war, culminating as the Commanding General and 57th Superintendent of the United States Military Academy, West Point.

Madam Speaker, during LTG Hagenbeck's tenure as Superintendent, West Point was recognized as the number one college in the Nation by Forbes Magazine (2009) and the number one liberal arts college by US News and World Report (2010). West Point also won twenty-four national championships in athletics and earned twenty-eight competitive scholarships (Rhodes, Truman, Fulbright, East-West, Gates, and Rotary).

LTG Hagenbeck instituted the first significant change to the cadet program since 1987 by establishing a measured leadership development experience during the summer of senior year. In only one year, he achieved a substantial improvement in the battlefield tested leadership qualities of West Point graduates based on feedback from battalion commanders. Through the establishment of Centers of Excellence at West Point, LTG

Hagenbeck also developed an integration between Army applied problem sets and West Point research and intellectual capital, drawing from across West Point to stand up the National Military Academy of Afghanistan and graduate the first class into the Afghan Army in 2009.

Madam Speaker, LTG Hagenbeck commanded West Point while our Nation was at war. And it is well known within military circles that field commanders competed to bring his graduating cadets into their units. This is testimony both to the quality of the graduates and to LTG Hagenbeck's exemplary leadership as the 57th Superintendent of West Point.

On behalf of the Board of Visitors to West Point, I thank General Hagenbeck for his service. And on a personal note, let me take this opportunity to formally congratulate Buster and West Point's 1970 speed football team for thoroughly stomping me and my fellow Princeton teammates. That memorable whipping cost me a dollar a point on a bet with my father, MG Robert C. Marshall, a 1942 West Point grad.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 747) congratulating the United States Military Academy at West Point on being named by Forbes magazine as America's Best College for 2009.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration.

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

I rise today to support House Resolution 747, which was introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hall), which honors the recent accomplishments of the United States Military Academy at West Point for being named by Forbes magazine as America's Best College for 2009. I would like to thank my friend and colleague from New York (Mr. Hall), who is a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, for authoring this resolution and bringing it to the House floor.

The tradition of the West Point Military Academy has always been one of great achievement, and I am happy to be here today to recognize their excellence. I am particularly pleased to be here because my father and grandfather are both West Point graduates, now deceased. I should add that both Mr. Hall and myself are members of the Board of Visitors at West Point. So as you might imagine, we were pleased by the news that West Point had been named America's Best College by Forbes.

West Point has a tremendous history. Since the establishment of the academy at the direction of President Thomas Jefferson in 1802, West Point has been educating some of our Nation's best and brightest, who have gone on to distinguished service as officers in our United States military. West Point's mission is, and I quote, ``To educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country, and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.'' This mission exceeds the scholastic aims of most academic institutions, and it reflects America's need for military leaders with integrity and a commitment to service.

West Point continues to provide exceptional education that prepares officers for their roles as future military leaders year after year. While many institutions have long traditions of academic success, few match the continued contributions West Point Military Academy graduates make year after year to their country. It is no wonder that two Presidents of the United States, 74 Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, 88 Rhodes Scholars, 33 Marshall Scholars, and 28 Truman Scholars have graduated from West Point.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would like to yield such time as he

may consume to Mr. Hall of New York, who is the author of this resolution. He is also a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and chairs the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. He is a great Member of Congress, and he is also a great member of the Board of Visitors at West Point.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the words of Mr. Shimkus. I appreciate his service. I hope everybody takes those words to heart.

I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu).

Madam Speaker, earlier this year, the President made an announcement concerning troop buildup, the proposed plan where Afghanistan is concerned and the plan to increase the presence of American soldiers there. He made the announcement in Eisenhower Hall at West Point. I was privileged, along with Mr. Hall and a few other Members of Congress, to attend that. I was really struck by the fact that the Commander in Chief, our President, was talking to thousands of young men and women, some of whom, for sure, will wind up being injured, protecting our country in Afghanistan.

I am wearing my infantry tie today. I have my CIB on. I had the privilege of having a couple years of service back during the Vietnam War. And I say it's a privilege, and I view it that way. People will often say to me, Thank you for your service. And sometimes I will respond, You don't really need to thank me. I got more out of this than I gave.

I encourage all young Americans to think about attending one of our academies. West Point has received its recognition as the best college in the United States, but all of the academies give wonderful educations, and they give you a wonderful opportunity to serve. It almost certainly will wind up being the most extraordinary thing that you do during your lifetime should you choose to go through one of the academies and then serve in our military. That's certainly the case where I am concerned, and I have done a lot of things in my life.

The most extraordinary time in my life was when I was in service, particularly when I was in combat. So I thank the country for having given me that opportunity. And if you're a kid and you are thinking about college, you ought to think about our service academies. You not only get a great education, but you have an opportunity to serve in a way that you will not be able to serve in any other capacity in this country, and you will really feel good about it if you do it well.

So I thank Mr. Jones. He is a great member of the Armed Services Committee, a great Member of this Congress, and a real supporter of the military.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to

the resolution (H. Res. 699) expressing the appreciation of Congress for the service and sacrifice of the members of the 139th Airlift Wing, Air National Guard, as amended.

I ask that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 699, recognizing the service and sacrifice of the members of the 139th Airlift Wing of the Air National Guard. I would like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves), for bringing this resolution before the House.

Units of the Air National Guard play a critical role in America's wars and major contingencies as well as provide valuable assistance to their States in times of crisis. I'm extraordinarily proud of Georgia's Air National Guard and the 116th blended wing that's housed at Robins Air Force Base. The 139th Airlift Wing has roots in one of the federally recognized Air National Guard units in the United States, and it continues to be an important part of defense efforts at home and abroad.

The unit deployed in support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and assisted in troop deployment during Operation Desert Storm. In the 1990s, the 139th supported humanitarian operations in Bosnia, Sarajevo, Africa, and Haiti. In addition to their efforts overseas, in 2005, they assisted with disaster relief efforts in response to Hurricane Katrina. Today, thousands of civilian and military personnel from northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas serve selflessly in the unit.

The 139th Airlift Wing provides essential support to maintenance and growth of the armed services. The unit is home to the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center that trains U.S. airlift crews and support personnel as well as NATO air forces in advanced tactics training.

House Resolution 699 recognizes the dedication and courage of not only the members of the 139th Airlift Wing and their families and service to the Nation, but also all of the members of the Armed Forces who have served or are currently serving in support of the United States military contingency operations. All our servicemembers and their families deserve our deepest gratitude and respect.

I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the exemplary service and sacrifices of the 139th Airlift Wing by supporting House Resolution 699.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I certainly hope that the House will support House Resolution 699.

I just want to take this opportunity, on behalf of all members of the Armed Services Committee and all Members of the Congress, to thank the men and women of our National Guard, whatever branch, for the service that you provide this country and particularly the service that you are providing this country in our contingency operations. It's a strain on you. It's a strain on your families, and we're grateful. The Nation owes you. We appreciate your service.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 812) recognizing the significant contributions of the Military Working Dog (MWD) Program to the United States Armed Forces, as amended.

I ask that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

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

I rise today in support of House Resolution 812, recognizing the significant contributions of the Military Working Dog Program to the United States Armed Forces. I would like to thank my colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Lance) for bringing this measure before the House.

Military working dogs contribute essential services to our Armed Forces through their capacity to detect explosives, illegal narcotics, and unwarranted persons beyond the capacity of any human patrol. They offer an invaluable ability for tracking missing people as well as fleeing suspects. Their support with sentry is crucial for the protection of our soldiers and civilians, and they are vital in so many different roles. Our military would not be as effective without them.

Military working dogs serve the four branches of the military, the Secret Service, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Transportation Security Administration. Their service has developed and expanded since their implementation in 1942 during World War II and has since played important roles overseas in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

The Military Working Dog Program has increased its role in safeguarding our homeland. Since September 11, 2001, our expanded homeland and defense efforts would not be as effective if it were not for the expanded effort of the Military Working Dog Program. Thousands of dogs serve every year both in the United States and around the world, and I am glad to be here today in honor of their service.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I simply observe that our very effective military dogs cannot function at all without their handlers, and so I would just like to recognize and thank those who work with these dogs and make them all they can be. The dogs are very important to security efforts by our Armed Forces, and without their handlers and the general support they receive from others, they would not be effective at all.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from North Carolina saying that since he is widely viewed in the House as being nothing but integrity.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to honor one of Georgia's greatest citizens, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to recognize the efforts of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Banquet Committee, the North Georgia Building and Construction Trades Council, and the Central Georgia Federation of Trades and Labor Council. It is on this 22nd Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Banquet and Awards Ceremony that we all pause to remember Dr. King's life and legacy and to reflect on what a profoundly positive impact he has had on each and every one of us. Dr. King's impact was not limited to the South or even to the United States. His nonviolent struggle for the equality of all people enriched our entire globe, a fact acknowledged by his receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

Dr. King's message throughout the struggle of the Civil Rights movement was clear and simple. All people should be equal before the law and all should have the opportunity to make the most out of their lives in a free and democratic society. Dr. King contributed enormously to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a landmark in the struggle for racial equality. Unfortunately, that struggle continues today, almost 42 years after Dr. King was murdered by an assassin. Our nation's annual celebration of Dr. King's birth reminds us that we have more to do to assure the equality of all people before the law.

Madam Speaker, the work of the North Georgia Building and Construction Trades Council and the Central Georgia Federation of Trades and Labor Council continues the work begun by Dr. King. Their efforts for Georgians in gaining meaningful and quality employment in the construction industry deserve our thanks. Their endeavors are in keeping with Dr. King's simple message that all deserve the chance to succeed and I again wish to congratulate them on all the outstanding work they do for all Georgians and for the important work they do to honor Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy.

I rise as the designee of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers).

Madam Chair, this is an amendment which is identical to a bill passed by the House earlier this year, in March. The bill permits what is referred to as ``cramdown'' in chapter 13 with regard to private home mortgages. It is intended to address this foreclosure crisis without taxpayers having to put money into the deal. It essentially forces the parties to deal with their problems without having vacancies and foreclosures in our neighborhoods.

In that sense, it helps all lenders with real estate portfolios. It helps the individuals whose homes might be foreclosed upon. It actually helps the creditors, who are forced into the chapter 13 process because, in almost every instance, their portfolios are improved by not having as many houses in foreclosure, and in almost every instance, they get better deals in the chapter 13 process than they would in the normal foreclosure process.

We should have done this long ago. It would have helped the housing crisis and, consequently, the economy of the country.

I compliment Mr. Miller from North Carolina. This was originally his bill. He has been pushing this for several years. I also compliment Ms. Zoe Lofgren from California, who couldn't be here today because of family matters, because she has been a real stalwart in moving this forward.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Chair, let me just make a couple of observations. If, in fact, you are jobless and don't have income, you are not eligible for chapter 13. Consequently, you won't be able to cram down. It is those who do have jobs and who do have income who could survive if they had the opportunity to restructure their debt. They would be eligible. It's only those folks.

As far as increasing the cost of credit is concerned, this bill provides that it is retroactive. It doesn't apply to future credit. Many, many experts have looked at this and have concluded that it will not increase the cost of future credit.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Chair, to other homeowners, we should say that your home values won't decline as rapidly, because there won't be as many vacancies. We are not asking you to put a dime into the deal. No taxpayer dollars go into the deal at all. To those who cannot afford chapter 13, obviously, some other remedy is called for than this; but for those who can afford a chapter 13, you are helping everybody by filing a chapter 13.

Having spent years in this business, creditors will not be harmed, and the cost of credit will not go up. That is particularly true because, in this bill, it only applies to existing mortgages. It doesn't apply to future mortgages, so it is widely conceded that the cost of credit will not go up. This is truly a win-win.

I was originally opposed. I've been in this business for a long time. I had a change of heart. The change of heart focuses on the crisis that we are in right now. You can go to my Web site. On the front page of the Web site, those who are interested will find a detailed explanation of why this is absolutely the right thing to do.

With that, it seems to me I've responded to everything that the gentleman from Virginia has said.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Chair, I will simply repeat:

Since this is only applicable to existing mortgages, it will have no effect on the cost of future mortgages. The beauty of it is we will have fewer foreclosures.

So, to the gentleman from California and to those in California who are in neighborhoods which are really struggling with this phenomenon of housing prices collapsing because of all of the vacancies, all of those folks will be helped by this without putting a single dime of taxpayer dollars in the deal. It seems to me that is a complete justification for doing this. We should have done it long ago.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, there is a thing called the ``tragedy of the commons.'' It is a theoretical concept that applies in this particular case. It refers to the opening of common areas for grazing. Then those who have sheep come in and overgraze that area, and the effect is not that everybody gets wealthier; it's that everybody gets poorer.

As an individual creditor, I am not interested in having somebody fool around with me in bankruptcy court or something like that. Yet, combined, creditors are advantaged by having fewer foreclosures on the market in a situation like this. Having represented an awful lot of banks, having spent an awful lot of my life as a bankruptcy lawyer, law professor, and commercial litigator, I am absolutely convinced that I was wrong to initially reject this concept. We should have done it a couple of years ago.

If we apply it now, we will catch what appears to be an ongoing wave of foreclosures. It will help the individuals who can rescue their homes. It will lessen the number of foreclosures, consequently helping all other homeowners. No taxpayer dollars are involved, and creditors are assisted by this with no threat whatsoever to an increase in mortgage prices.

We passed this before. We should pass it again. It is appropriate to this particular piece of legislation because the work we are doing right now is prompted as a result of the credit crisis that was caused initially by housing issues. So housing should be addressed as part of fixing the overall financial situation.