Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, Americans will find out what we've been anxiously awaiting for the past 2 years: whether or not the government health care takeover bill is constitutional. Tomorrow, at 10 a.m., people across the Nation will be closely watching and listening as the Supreme Court delivers its opinion.

In efforts to rally her party for ObamaCare, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi outraged Americans at a press conference by stating, ``We have to pass the bill so we can find out what's in it.'' The American people now know this bill, and they overwhelmingly disapprove of this bill, which the National Federation of Independent Business reveals will destroy 1.6 million jobs.

It is my hope that the Supreme Court will side with the best interests of the American people and overturn the job-destroying, out- of-control spending, and overreaching government health care takeover bill, which will hurt senior citizens with waiting lists, rationing, and denial of service.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.

Congratulations, Tom Rice of Myrtle Beach.

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday at the Patriotic Sunday service of Grace Baptist Church in West Columbia, South Carolina, Dr. Bill Egerdahl, the Church's Pastor quoted an extraordinary pamphlet which has real meaning today:

``In 1916, a minister and outspoken advocate for liberty, William J. H. Boetcker, published a pamphlet entitled ``The Ten Cannots'':

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.

You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.

You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.

You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.

You cannot establish security on borrowed money.

You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.

Simply put, the central government cannot give to anybody what it does not first take from somebody else.''

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Supreme Court upheld section 2(b), or the ``Check Your Papers'' provision, of the Arizona immigration law. This requires the police to check the immigration status of persons whom they detain before releasing. Upholding this provision represents a victory for States that are protecting their citizens to retain jobs.

Columbia business leader Chip Prezioso is correct: A country without borders is no longer a country.

The Obama administration has actively prevented States like Arizona and South Carolina from promoting their citizens to keep jobs from competing illegal aliens. The Federal Government has good immigration laws, but Attorney General Eric Holder has refused to enforce them.

As a former immigration attorney, I know we welcome legal immigration. Arizona and South Carolina took proactive steps to ensure that State law enforcement officials are empowered to keep jobs for Americans, instead of illegal aliens.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.

Madam Speaker, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced yesterday that the number of job openings is at its lowest point in 5 months. The number of available jobs dropped from 3.7 million in March to 3.4 million in April. This fact shows that the President's failed policies are destroying jobs across our Nation and undermining families.

Unemployment has been above 8 percent for 40 months, not including the millions who are underemployed or who have lost hope and are no longer looking for a job. And yet the President still believes our private sector is doing fine. In fact, sadly, now the President is offering work permits to illegal aliens to take jobs from hardworking Americans.

It is past the time for the President and his liberal colleagues in the other Chamber to pass the dozens of bipartisan job-creation bills which are stalled in the Senate graveyard.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, last Friday, the President revealed a new policy that promotes illegal aliens who are in our country from deportation. This shifts jobs from lawful Americans to illegal aliens. As a former immigration attorney myself, we welcome legal immigrants. In 2009 and 2010, Congress refused to pass legislation giving amnesty to the same individuals included under the President's new policy. Not only is this decision a Presidential abuse of power, it also shows this administration is out of touch with American families who are suffering from lack of jobs.

Instead of encouraging policies aimed to help our law-abiding citizens find jobs, the President believes that he should reward those who have broken laws by granting them work permits. At a time of record unemployment, I urge the President and the liberal-controlled Senate to take up the dozens of bipartisan bills that have passed the House to help American families find jobs.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be withdrawn as a cosponsor of H.R. 1380, the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act of 2011.

Mr. Speaker, on July 3, 2012, Mr. and Mrs. Murdic and Beulah Bowen will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary. Murdic and Beulah were married on July 3, 1942, in Columbia, South Carolina, and are longtime residents of the Elgin community in Richland County, South Carolina.

Together, the Bowens have contributed a great deal to their community, the State of

South Carolina, and our Nation. On December 3, 1942, Murdic reported to the United States Army and served in the 94th Division during World War II throughout the European Theatre. After his tour of duty, he returned to Elgin where he began working in textiles and became the owner of a mercantile business and a used car business. Beulah worked with the Citizens and Southern National Bank in Elgin, South Carolina, and retired from the bank after 40 years of dedicated service.

Murdic and Beulah have remained active and devoted members of the Highway Pentecostal Holiness Church in Elgin, South Carolina, and continue to remain a steadfast example of devotion, patience, and understanding to their three daughters, six grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. I would like to congratulate Murdic and Beulah Bowen on this momentous occasion and offer my best wishes to them and their family in the future.

Mr. Speaker, in Wednesday's Washington Examiner, columnist John Stossel quoted Economist John B. Taylor of the Hoover Institution who stated:

Unpredictable economic policy--massive fiscal stimulus and

ballooning debt, the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing

with multiyear near-zero interest rates, and regulatory

uncertainty due to ObamaCare and the Dodd-Frank financial

reforms--is the main cause of persistent high unemployment

and our feeble recovery.

Over the last 3 years, our economy has not improved, our unemployment rate has remained above 8 percent, our small business owners have been forced to pay higher taxes, and the government spending continues to spiral out of control. The President and his liberal allies in the Senate continue to support legislation that creates more barriers resulting in job loss. The President and the Senate should work with House Republicans and pass over 30 House bills that are aimed to create jobs through private sector growth.

In conclusion, God bless our troops; and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery for Earl Brown of Columbia.

Mr. Chair, I oppose the amendment shifting funds from the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MOX).

On September 1, 2000, the United States and Russia signed the US- Russia Plutonium Disposition Agreement, with each nation agreeing to dispose of 34 metric tons of surplus weapons-grade plutonium. Since that time, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has made the decision to disposition the weapons-grade plutonium by means of a Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MOX) which is currently under construction at DOE's Savannah River Site (SRS), near Aiken, South Carolina.

In addition to providing a means to enable the United States to honor its international obligation to Russia, MOX will generate nearly $50 billion worth of nuclear fuel rods over its lifespan which will be sold by the federal government.

The facility, which is more than halfway completed, currently employs 2,600 individuals at the site and is responsible for over 2,000 additional jobs across 42 states which are directly related to the project.

Finally, the MOX facility plays a great role in the energy future of the United States. The nuclear fuel rods MOX will produce will provide power to the homes of millions of Americans.

The MOX facility is a vital asset to our country and I stand committed to taking every measure necessary to ensure that this worthwhile program is fully funded.

Mr. Speaker, in Wednesday's Washington Examiner, columnist John Stossel quoted economist John B. Taylor of the Hoover Institution who stated ``Unpredictable economic policy--massive fiscal `stimulus' and ballooning debt, the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing with multiyear near-zero interest rates, and regulatory uncertainty due to Obamacare and the Dodd-Frank financial reforms--is the main cause of persistent high unemployment and our feeble recovery.''

Over the past three and a half years, our economy has not improved: our unemployment rate has remained above eight percent, our small business owners have been forced to pay higher taxes, and our government spending continues to spiral out of control, destroying jobs.

The President and his liberal allies in the Senate continue to support legislation that creates more barriers resulting in economic uncertainty. This sense plays a tremendous role in our economy's inability to recover quickly. It is past time for the President and the Senate to work with House Republicans and pass legislation aimed to create jobs through private sector growth.

In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget September 11th in the Global War on Terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, the Pentagon confirmed House and Senate Republicans' concerns by finally acknowledging that the Overseas Contingency Operations, a fund used to support troops in combat, will be subject to the sequestration cuts.

The Office of Management and Budget's senior adviser and associate director for Communications and Strategic Planning, Kenneth Baer, understands that if the sequester ``were to take effect, it would be disastrous for our national security.''

House Republicans have always been aware of the impacts sequestration will have on our brave men and women serving in uniform and the impacts it will have on their families. Last month, House Republicans passed the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation package, which is legislation that reduces the spending for unnecessary programs used to promote the President's liberal agenda, in order to use those funds to provide for a strong national defense. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to take action immediately and pass this bill.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, on May 30 The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg, SC, published a thoughtful tribute to military families. As chairman of the Military Personnel subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee, but more importantly as the grateful dad of four sons currently serving in our military I appreciate the message.

Needs of Military Families Must Not Be Overlooked

With Monday's Memorial Day gathering at the Vietnam

Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, the United States

officially begins its observance of the 50th anniversary of

the Vietnam War, paying tribute to the 3 million men and

women who served during one of the most challenging missions

this country has ever faced.

As we remember the military personnel who fell in Vietnam

and those who lived to return home, we should also remember

the families of our servicemen and women, the challenges they

face and the courage they display.

Stressors confronting military families were identified in

the 2012 Blue Star Families Military Family Lifestyle Survey

released earlier this month.

``The families of America's men and women in uniform are

the backbone of the United States military,'' U.S. Senator

Richard Burr, R N.C., said at a joint session of the Senate

and House Military Family caucuses when the Survey results

were presented.

``They provide the support that our servicemen and women

rely upon as they serve in the finest armed forces in the

world, and the more information we have about their unique

situations, the better equipped we will be to accurately

target assistance and support for them. This survey will help

us identify and provide the kind of support they need and

deserve.''

The survey, which details the challenges faced by military

families after more than a decade of continuous war, and the

way families and service members are coping, found that among

the key concerns are: pay/benefits, with specific emphasis on

changes to retirement benefits; the effects of deployment on

children; military spouse employment; and issues surrounding

post-traumatic stress, combat stress and traumatic brain

injury.

The survey found that 62 percent of respondents who felt

their service member had exhibited signs of post-traumatic

stress, regardless of any official diagnosis, said the person

did not seek treatment, demonstrating there is still much to

be done to help service members and their families ``cope

with the invisible wounds of war.''

Frequent separation, the subsequent predeployment and

reintegration processes and the issues surrounding frequent

relocation place added pressures on military families--those

of National Guard and Reserve service members as well as

active duty--who also have to deal with the same issues as

other families, including balancing work and family,

parenting, education and maintaining healthy relationships

According to the survey, since September 11, 2001, more

than 2 million service members have been deployed, with a

large percentage of those serving multiple deployments--some

as many as five tours of duty.

That is a huge period of time for families to have to be

apart, representing many missed birthdays, holidays,

graduations and other major milestones in the lives of

families.

The survey also noted that although service members

themselves are surviving head trauma and other catastrophic

injuries their predecessors did not because of the vast

improvements in medical technology, ``those injuries, both

physical and non-physical, have an impact on the family unit

and are additional and substantial stressors upon a small

segment of the population as well as the agencies and

community organizations designed to support them.''

We must never forget the sacrifices our military families

make--the worries, the fears, the loneliness they endure--

while their loved ones serve and protect this nation across

the globe.

``Often, when discussing our nation's armed forces, we tend

to focus primarily on our brave service members who put

themselves in harm's way to protect the freedoms we

cherish,'' U.S. Representative Sanford Bishop, D GA, said

when the Blue Star Families survey results were presented.

``However, we cannot forget that the families they leave

behind sacrifice just as much as our heroes who deploy on

missions for our country. These families are impacted in

countless ways--seen and unseen--and we have an obligation to

do right by them. The Blue Star Families survey will serve as

an informative guide on what we can do as a nation to ensure

that our troops, veterans and their families have the support

they need.''

The full survey report is available at http:// bluestarfam.org/2012survey.

Mr. Speaker, the President's policies are failing our families and destroying jobs. Since the President was sworn into office in January 2009, our citizens have lost a net of 740,000 jobs, as was discovered on Friday.

For the past 40 months, the unemployment rate has remained above 8 percent. Sadly, during the month of May, this rate increased from 8.1 percent in April to 8.2 percent. The biased liberal media can no longer conceal the truth of the President's failed policies.

And to make matters worse, if the number of Americans who want to work but have stopped looking for a job and those who are forced to work part-time were factored into the equation, the real unemployment rate would rise to 14.8 percent.

House Republicans have passed over 30 bipartisan bills which would promote job creation. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to take immediate action on these pieces of legislation and help put American families back to work.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, on June 6, 2012, F.A. ``Andy'' Lowrey will retire from his position as chief executive officer of AgFirst Farm Credit Bank in Columbia, South Carolina, a wholesale bank and operations center serving nineteen retail lenders in the AgFirst territory. AgFirst Bank holds assets of $29.5 billion dollars, making it the most well-capitalized bank headquartered in the Columbia area. Due to his outstanding leadership, I would like to recognize Andy for his hard work and dedication over the past fourteen years.

In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation, Andy remains very active within the Columbia and Midlands communities. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the Business Partnership Foundation and resides as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Education Foundation at the University of South Carolina. Additionally, he is a member of the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia. Andy is also a recipient of the Honorary American FFA Degree and serves as chairman of the Finance Committee for the National 4 H Council.

Andy Lowrey graduated in 1974 from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Business in Accounting and received a Master of Business Administration from the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina in 1990. He and his wife Jan Cromer have three daughters. I wish Andy and the rest of his family best wishes in the future.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks the official first day of hurricane season. Each year, South Carolinians remain alert from June through the summer, hoping another Hurricane Gracie, Hugo or Andrew does not reach our beaches, bringing massive destruction.

During times of emergency, radio and television stations have proven themselves as the most reliable source by being the first to promote important life-saving and time-sensitive information. When disaster strikes, these broadcast networks are still available.

I am grateful for each of these services and look forward to working with our National Guard led by Adjutant General Bob Livingston and Emergency Management Director George McKinney, II.

In addition, I would like to welcome the group of foster young adults who are visiting today, including Jasmine Thompson of Washington. I appreciate each of you sharing your challenges with us, and we look forward to hearing of your success in the future.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.