Floor Statements

I thank the chairman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, the American economy has the capacity and the resilience to overcome almost any obstacle. We've seen it time and time again. In the face of foreign crises, natural disaster, or fiscal adversity, American entrepreneurs and job creators never stop innovating. But to harness that power and the jobs that come with it, we need to clear a path for the start-ups and fledgling businesses that bring new goods and ideas into the marketplace. That's the purpose of H.R. 3606, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups, or JOBS, Act.

This legislation package includes six bipartisan proposals, many of which I cosponsored, to streamline or eliminate the regulatory and legal barriers that prevent emerging businesses from reaching out to investors, accessing capital, and selling shares on the public market. This legislation will make it possible for promising new businesses to go public and access financial opportunities that currently are limited to large corporations, and it eliminates needless costs and delays imposed by the SEC and other regulators.

Madam Speaker, for tens of millions of Americans, including families from my suburban Chicago district, there is no priority more important or urgent than job creation. Over the last few months, unemployment has slowly receded to 8.3 percent nationally and 9.1 percent in Illinois, but Washington must pick up the pace. And that means unleashing the drive and ingenuity of hardworking Americans.

I urge my colleagues to support the JOBS Act and empower American businesses to do what they do best.

Madam Speaker, the proposals contained in the JOBS Act are not political or partisan, as has been mentioned. It comes from the small business community in districts like mine where I meet regularly with local employers who tell me that accessing capital is the hardest part of enduring the current recession.

Many of these changes in this bill have bipartisan backing and have been endorsed by members of the President's Council on Jobs and Economic Competitiveness.

Today's legislation will enable America's start-up companies--the job engines of our economy--to access the equity markets, not just the debt market. This is a bill that will give investors and emerging growing companies--perhaps a future Google, Apple, or Home Depot--the opportunity to reach investors, cut through the red tape, and overcome the financial barriers to success.

I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the phenomenal efforts of the Illinois Patriot Guard and Gold Star families who joined together to launch a traveling tribute to honor our State's fallen heroes. I had the opportunity to view the Illinois Patriot Guard Fallen Heroes Traveling Memorial Wall during its stop at the Kendall VFW Post Number 3873 in Naperville, Illinois, this past week.

It was moving beyond words to see the photos of the 272 brave men and women from Illinois who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. To date, this memorial wall has traveled more than 30,000 miles through at least 60 communities throughout the State of Illinois. It paints a powerful portrait of the sacrifices made by our troops.

As our 30th President, Calvin Coolidge, said, ``A nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten.'' Our fallen soldiers will be remembered forever. And thanks to the families and veterans who put this traveling memorial together, communities across our State have a very special opportunity to gather together in tribute to these heroes.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, it's not every day we get to speak on the House floor about friends and colleagues that are not constituents or other Members of Congress, and tonight we have the distinct privilege to recognize a friend and fixture of Congress behind the scenes, Mr. John Sullivan.

Most of you will probably remember that John was appointed Parliamentarian by our former colleague, Speaker Dennis Hastert, in 2004 and did serve for 25 years. Those that have worked with him will tell you he's an excellent Parliamentarian, an institutionalist, and a man of integrity that truly cares about the House of Representatives. He would never bend the rules to pursue a certain outcome. And how you play the game is more important to him than whether you win or lose.

I just wanted to tell a couple of things.

When I first came to Congress, at that time, freshmen always had a week to chair the floor at night. And so I guess because I had a ``B'' for a last name, Biggert, that I got to do it first. Now, the only problem with that was that it was the training was the next week. So I went to the floor and I stood up there and I had this microphone sitting there, and I looked out and I said, What am I doing here? And I think I was kind of frozen, and John said, This is what you do. And so I proceeded on.

Another time, I was in the chair and suddenly there was a lapse of decorum by two of our Members, one on each side of the aisle. I won't name the names. But suddenly they started moving towards each other, and I said, What do I do? And he said, Bang the gavel hard and multiple times. So suddenly they stopped in their tracks and they did retreat back to the desk to continue after we got things under control.

So I really appreciate that we have had this opportunity. It is really an honor to stand and chair this floor, and I think that the Parliamentarian, John Sullivan, made it easy.

I have a few other things that you may not know about John: that he went to the Air Force Academy, and as a graduate of Indiana University's law school, he is a huge Hoosier fan. And I can only imagine how proud he was of the Indiana Elite Eight basketball performance against Kentucky last Friday. The only thing wrong was that Kentucky beat Indiana by 1 point, 73 72, so that kind of ended Indiana in the March Madness.

Another part of the behind-the-scenes function of the House that John's strategic wisdom and advice was critical to the continuity of the House function was in the days and weeks following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and he performed there admirably.

John has led the Parliamentarian's Office in a collegial and a very professional manner to the benefit of the Office, the Members and the House. We are fortunate for his service and wish him well in retirement. We will miss him.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3298) to establish the position of Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on this bill.

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

Today I rise in support of H.R. 3298, the Homes for Heroes Act of 2011.

Sadly, approximately one-fifth of our country's homeless population consists of veterans. In part, that's because readapting to civilian life is not always easy even for some of our country's true heroes. But research shows that with a stable living situation, our veterans are far more likely to overcome other challenges. These are men and women who braved bullets and basic training to protect our country and our freedom. They have the will and the strength to overcome any obstacle, but it is our job to give them the tools.

That is why it's essential that HUD and the VA work hand in hand to help our veterans get the housing assistance they have earned.

The Homes for Heroes Act of 2011, of which I'm a cosponsor and which was introduced by my colleague from Texas (Mr. Al Green) and my colleague from New York (Mr. Grimm), establishes the position of Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs within HUD to effectively coordinate services among veterans and to serve as HUD's liaison to the Department of Veterans Affairs' U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, State and local officials, and nonprofit service organizations.

The bill also requires HUD to submit a comprehensive annual report to Congress on the housing needs of homeless veterans and the steps undertaken by HUD to meet those needs, and H.R. 3298 takes these steps within existing budgetary constraints at no additional cost to taxpayers.

Similar to H.R. 403 and H.R. 3329, which are the Homes for Heroes Acts of 2008 and 2009, both of which passed this House, H.R. 3298 has strong bipartisan support. Once enacted, this legislation will help us better understand the needs of homeless veterans while fostering a better working relationship between HUD and the VA. The result will be better services for our heroes; and while we can never repay our veterans for the selfless sacrifices they've made, we can work to ensure that they have a place to call home when they come home.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

We have no further speakers on this side of the aisle if the gentleman would like to close.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green) for all of his hard work on this issue.

It is really nice to have these bills that are bipartisan in nature, and certainly homelessness is something that we all hear about and would like to find a way to end. There are different categories in that, and I think the veterans certainly are very important.

With that, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4014) to amend the Federal Deposit Insurance Act with respect to information provided to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga), the sponsor of this bill.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 4014, a bill to ensure that confidential, private information collected by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, remains confidential.

Introduced by my colleague from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga), this legislation addresses a crucial oversight within the Dodd-Frank Act. Under current law, many supervised institutions have expressed concern that supplying privileged information to the CFPB at the government's request could void attorney-client and work product privileges against third parties. Even the new CFPB director, Richard Cordray, as was talked about, has acknowledged constitutional concerns and indicated that he would be supportive of a legislative solution. H.R. 4014 is that solution.

Mr. Huizenga's bill makes it explicitly clear that providing privileged material to the CFPB does not waive attorney-client or work product privileges with respect to third parties. It also guarantees that any privileged matter that the CFPB shares with other Federal agencies will remain privileged.

This bill has earned nearly universal support from Republicans, Democrats, regulated institutions, the regulator, Senators, and Members of the House. On February 16, our House Financial Services Committee passed this bill by voice vote.

Mr. Speaker, this bill should be on the President's desk in a matter of weeks and not months. Chairman Johnson and Ranking Member Shelby of the Senate Banking Committee have introduced an identical measure, S. 2099, which also awaits consideration. Passing this legislation today marks an important milestone. It is the first time that both House and Senate Members on both sides of the aisle are acknowledging and correcting a serious flaw in the Dodd-Frank Act.

With that, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4014, and I commend Mr. Huizenga for his hard work on this issue. I have no further requests for time, if the gentleman would like to close.

Mr. Speaker, with that, I would, again, commend the sponsor of this bill, Mr. Huizenga. And I thank Mr. Green for managing this bill.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 5, the legislation to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB. As we've heard, this unelected board of 15 was created under the administration's health overhaul to take critical decisions on Medicare spending and hide them under a bureaucratic veil. As a result, it has the power to step between seniors and their doctors with no accountability.

Even Medicare's Chief Actuary indicated that the payment reductions required of IPAB are unrealistic and could drive doctors out of Medicare and limit seniors' access to care. That's hardly an answer to rising costs.

Today's legislation repeals IPAB and reduces costs through bipartisan medical liability reform. This commonsense reform curbs junk lawsuits and stops forcing doctors to practice costly, defensive medicine. This important bill eliminates IPAB and protects health care for America's seniors. I'm really glad that it has passed this House, and I hope that the Senate will take it up.

I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time.

Madam Chair, when it comes to promoting economic growth, no government program is as effective as the old-fashioned drive and ingenuity of the hardworking American people. But to harness that power and the jobs that come with it, we need to clear a path for the start- ups and fledgling businesses that bring new goods and ideas into the marketplace. That's the purpose of the JOBS Act.

This jobs package includes several bills that I've had the opportunity to work on closely with my colleagues on the House Financial Services Committee. All together, it includes six bipartisan proposals that the committee has reviewed to streamline or eliminate the regulatory and legal barriers that prevent emerging businesses from reaching out to investors, accessing capital, and selling shares to the public market.

This legislation will make it possible for promising businesses to go public and access financial opportunities that currently are limited to large corporations, and it eliminates needless costs and delays imposed by the SEC and other regulators.

These ideas are not political. These ideas are not partisan. They come from the small business community in districts like mine, where I meet regularly with local employees who tell me that accessing capital is the hardest part of enduring the recession. Many of these changes have bipartisan backing and have been endorsed by members of the President's Council on Jobs and Economic Competitiveness.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this important jobs package and unite behind good ideas that will free American businesses to do what they do best.

Madam Speaker, hundreds of advocates from across the country traveled to Capitol Hill last week to raise awareness on behalf of the National Down Syndrome Society. Today I rise to congratulate one of those individuals, Bridget Brown, who is being honored with the 2012 Self-Advocate of the Year Champion of Change Award.

A resident of Darien, Illinois, Bridget has helped to empower and inspire thousands of others with Down Syndrome to lead full and successful lives. A role model, mentor, and national speaker, she graduated from high school in 2005 after becoming the first person with Down Syndrome to be included in her school district. She helped to promote among Illinois educators the concept of inclusion, and launched her own advocacy organization called Butterflies for Change.

I applaud Bridget for her amazing work at the local and national level to help others achieve their full potential. She has made her State and her community proud, and I wish Bridget continued success in her efforts on behalf of the more than 400,000 Americans with Down Syndrome.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, on rollcall No. 64, I inadvertently voted ``no.'' I would like to be recorded as ``aye'' for rollcall No. 64.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great sadness to report the passing of former Illinois Representative Edward Derwinski.

Congressman Derwinski dedicated his life to public service, including 24 years here in the House serving Illinois' Fourth District from 1959 to 1983. He passed away on January 15 at the age of 85. Perhaps best known for his colorful and engaging personality, he went on to serve as the Undersecretary of State for National Security Affairs, and in 1989 he led efforts to renew our country's commitment to its veterans as first ever Secretary for Veterans Affairs.

President George H.W. Bush once said of Ed, a former infantryman in World War II, that he had the skill of a seasoned legislator, the patience of a practiced administrator, the finesse of a diplomat, and the heart of a man who knows what it means to start his government career as a private in the United States Army.

Today I join my colleagues in the Illinois delegation in honoring his service to our State and Nation. My thoughts and prayers are with all those who knew him best, especially his wife, Bonnie; son, Michael; daughter, Maureen; stepdaughter, Maggie; stepson, Kevin; sister, Bernadette; and his seven grandchildren.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3630. I appreciate the efforts of the chairman and my colleagues who serve on the relevant committees in crafting a package that responds to the needs of all Americans right now.

The bill addresses the urgent struggles of the unemployed and small business owners. It recognizes that we cannot dig our way out of a recession with more taxes and higher deficits. Whether you are a job creator or a job seeker, the bill extends critical assistance at a time when millions of Americans need it most. The bill does all this and more without adding one penny to the deficit. Important government reforms and cost-saving measures were included in the bill to reduce the debt and implement long overdue reforms. It's also important to note that this compromise takes steps to protect the Social Security Trust Fund.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is a smart step towards job creation and economic certainty. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Benet Academy Girls Volleyball Team from Lisle, Illinois, on winning the Class 4A State Championship on November 12.

The terrific team, led by Coach Brad Baker, finished the season with a phenomenal record of 39 wins to 3 losses. This accomplishment by the Redwings marks the first state championship for an all-girls team at Benet Academy.

Each of these talented students should be commended for her hard work and discipline, especially Senior Meghan Haggerty, who led the team with 18 kills during the three-game match and 13 straight service points in the final game.

Her sister, Sophomore Maddie Haggerty, followed her lead with 16 kills. And Senior Jenna Jendryk, who previously was named MVP in the Benet Invitational and Wheaton Classic, rounded out the team with 10.

Mr. Speaker, our community is very proud of these accomplished young women, at least seven of whom already have made plans to play volleyball at Division I universities.

Once again, I'd like to congratulate the Benet Academy Redwings on their win and wish them continued success in all of their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Lemont Knights of Columbus Council #1599 for 100 years of civic service.

On December 10, 1911 the Lemont Knights of Columbus Council #1599 was chartered. Although the original charter members have all passed, their vision of Service to God, church, and country is still the primary goal of the Lemont Knights of Columbus. In pursuit of achieving this goal, the Lemont Knights of Columbus have sent its members to both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam and other armed conflicts--all while establishing and maintaining numerous civic service programs and projects.

Over the past 100 years, the Lemont Knights have established scholarship programs, food pantry drives, natural disaster relief efforts, and annually participates in the national ``Tootsie Roll'' day--a fundraiser that generates thousands of dollars each year for the mentally disabled in Lemont.

The Lemont Knights have worked very hard to become a foundation of service in my congressional district. I would like to join my colleagues in congratulating the Lemont Knights of Columbus Council #1599 for 100 years of outstanding service to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Illinois Bolingbrook High School football team on winning the Class 8A State Championship on November 25.

Coach John Ivlow led the team to a record-breaking season of 13 wins and 1 loss. This accomplishment by the Raiders marks the first State football championship for Bolingbrook High School. Despite the absence of their star linebacker, the Raiders overcame five turnovers and won the championship game by a score of 21-17 against the top-rated Loyola Academy.

Each player this season demonstrated a tremendous level of demonstration and hard work, including seniors Antonio Morrison and Robbie Bain. Other stars of the game included junior Aaron Bailey, who scored the game-winning touchdown, and senior Diaron Rhodes, who sealed the game with an interception.

Mr. Speaker, our community is very proud of these accomplished young athletes. Once again, I would like to congratulate the Bolingbrook High School Raiders on their win and wish them continued success in all of their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 855 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''