Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Kern Community Foundation (KCF) on its 10th anniversary serving the citizens of the southern San Joaquin Valley. KCF was formally established in 1999, but it actually organized in 1995. The Foundation was created to build endowments to address Kern County's changing needs over time, help donors create charitable legacies, and assist nonprofit groups to deliver services to manage their donated funds.

In 2002, KCF joined the League of California Community Foundations, and received re-granting funds from the California Endowment for health needs in Kern County. KCF then launched the Nonprofits' Resource Center in 2003 to assist Kern County's nonprofit organizations with training, discussions of community issues, technical assistance, grant-writing help, e-blast communications, and program support.

In 2005, KCF introduced the Women's & Girls' Fund of Kern County as its first Field of Interest Fund. The Women's & Girls' Fund provides ongoing support to nonprofit organizations that serve Kern's women and girls. To date, the Fund has introduced the concepts of ``collective giving'' and `` giving circles'' to more than 300 donors. KCF's Women's & Girls' Fund has been model for other small foundations in California to emulate.

Also in 2005, the Kern Community Foundation entered strategic re- granting partnerships with private foundations, all of which continue in 2009. These partners include the California Wellness Foundation, the Weingart Foundation, and the James Irvine Foundation. The Kern Community Foundation achieved compliance with ``National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations'' in 2006.

Since its inception, the Kern Community Foundation has promoted philanthropy to individuals, nonprofits and civic groups in numerous Kern communities including Bakersfield, Ridgecrest, Shafter, Wasco and the Kern River Valley area. With new funds added each year, KCF currently holds 90 charitable funds to suit various donors' intent. The Foundation has operated several grant making programs to benefit Kern County: Discretionary Grants; Kern Community Wellness Grants; Weingart- KCF Grants; Kern Community Response Grants; School-to-Career Grants; Women's & Girls' Fund Grants; and GABY (Grant Advisory Board for Youth) Grants.

The Kern Community Foundation has given the County of Kern ten years of dedicated service. I commend KCF for its service to Kern County residents in standing by their mission statement of ``enhancing the quality of life for all of the people of Kern County by encouraging philanthropy, by providing services to donors, and by assisting those who serve to meet the needs of the community.'' I applaud KCF's admirable service to Kern County and will continue to do so for years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Coach Al Baldock, a legendary college football coach from my district, who passed away on Monday, September 14, 2009, at the age of 79.

Coach Baldock was born in Holly, Texas on December 17, 1929. He attended college at the University of Southern California, where he played football for the Trojans from 1948-1950. During his football career at USC, Al was a teammate of future National Football League MVP, Frank Gifford. In an act of service that would prove to be a theme of his life, he took two years off from college to serve our country in the Army. He then returned to USC for his final year in 1953.

Al's career as a head coach began at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California in 1959. Leading the football team at Allan Hancock College, Coach Baldock had future Oakland Raiders head coach John Madden as one of his assistant coaches. When John Madden was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, he credited Coach Baldock as one of the influences in his life. Coach Baldock was the head coach at Allan Hancock College until 1961. Coach Baldock continued to succeed as a head coach, first at the College of the Sequoias from 1962 to 1968 and then at Los Angeles City College from 1972 to 1974.

The majority of Coach Baldock's coaching career was spent at Taft College. He was the head football coach at Taft College from 1976 until 1993. Under his leadership, the Cougars won 15 conference championships, six state championships, six Potato Bowls and two national crowns. For his outstanding leadership, Coach Baldock was inducted into the Bob Elias Kern County Sports Hall of Fame in 1997, the California Community College Football Coach's Association Hall of Fame in 1999 and the California Junior College Hall of Fame in 2000.

Coach Baldock also helped to shape lives off the field as an instructor at Taft College for 28 years. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, daughter Erin, and grandsons Nathaniel and Jonathon. He was a fixture in Taft and will be missed by our community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask to address the House for 1 minute for the purpose of inquiring about next week's schedule, and I yield to the gentleman from Maryland, the majority leader.

Since this is the first colloquy of the fall, I would like to give the Members and the public a sense of what the House will be considering over the next couple of months. What do you expect to be voting on during the months of September and October?

And I yield to the gentleman.

Reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman.

Does the gentleman expect the House to be in session beyond the targeted adjournment date of October 30?

And I yield.

Does the gentleman see the House taking any days or weeks off that are currently scheduled between now and the 30th of October?

I thank the gentleman.

Currently, you have scheduled out between now and October 30. Do you see any of those Mondays or Fridays that maybe we would not be in session, having done our work during the week, knowing that the debate is going on still within health care and others that people can be back in their district? And I yield.

Would the gentleman be able to tell early for at least September, knowing the Mondays and Fridays that we may be able to be working at home?

I just wonder if the gentleman, knowing the schedule of all the Mondays and Fridays now, if you've already made that decision which Mondays and which Fridays?

Well, I appreciate the gentleman's answer.

Well, I thank the gentleman.

Knowing that we heard the President last night, and we're all coming off from an August recess where we watched America wake up and really pay attention to what is going on here in Congress and voice their opinion when it comes to health care, and having watched that and having my own townhall meetings, watching other Members' townhall meetings throughout the country and some of the questions raised, I listened to the President last night talk about ideas and a public plan, and others--the gentleman yourself had talked during your townhalls--and some leadership said the public plan has to be in the plan or a bill will not go through. I know the gentleman from Maryland said it doesn't have to be exactly a public plan in there.

Does the gentleman believe that health care will come to the floor in the House before in the Senate?

I thank the gentleman.

Reclaiming my time, I notice you refer to the bill and sometimes another bill, and you have this bill H.R. 3200 done by one side of the aisle, passed three committees. I know last time when President Clinton was in and they took up health care and they produced a bill in Ways and Means, it took 7 weeks of debate. I know this was 48 hours and others were a short time period.

When you refer to that bill, are you referring to H.R. 3200 coming before this body, this House?

I yield to the gentleman.

Reclaiming my time, just referring back, what I said was when the Clinton administration did health care, on Ways and Means they debated for 7 weeks, taking the bill up itself. When we did it this time, it was 48 hours of presenting the bill, the amendments, and being voted out of committee.

Knowing the call to the American public about transparency, and we all heard that during the month of August, would the gentleman allow, before any bill comes to the floor--and I guess the bill would be H.R. 3200, from what I am hearing the gentleman say. I know it is in committee, but when you get to that final version----

Reclaiming my time, so it would be a different number, but in essence the same bill.

Would the gentleman allow, before that bill is voted on on this floor when you come to the conclusion of where that bill ends up, would we be able to have the time to go back to the American public and, again, all of us have townhall meetings again for the transparency of saying this is the bill that would be voted on in the House?

I yield to the gentleman.

I thank the gentleman.

The only thing I would ask, knowing that the American public did have this bill vetted but the majority of the American public disagreed with this bill, disagreed with the public option, and having the transparency here that the American public is asking, having the American public so engaged and educated on health care and it being such an issue, I always thought it would be helpful not only to this body but to the American public itself, before we go and vote again, whatever comes before that bill to come to the House, that you allow the opportunity for Members to go home and have a townhall and explain what is in the final version of the bill before that vote takes place. I think the American public would appreciate it, and it would be a great opportunity for both sides.

Well, I thank the gentleman and I appreciate his answers today. The one thing I would say, I did this townhall in Bakersfield, California, where I did no notice, I didn't do a mailer, and gave enough opportunity. We have an opportunity now to know we will be in past October. I had 3,000 people, that is 1 percent of the whole city's population, turn out, and very engaged, very knowledgeable of the bill itself.

So I just hope the opportunity comes that knowing maybe there is a different number on this bill, but it is still H.R. 3200, that the public would be able to see it. And I will tell the gentleman that the Republicans on this side have a lot of ideas about health care, a lot of bills out there, of ways that we can lower the costs, take care of preexisting conditions and actually make health care much better for all Americans.

I appreciate the time and yield back.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2623, legislation that would amend the Federal securities laws to clarify the Security and Exchange Commission's, the SEC, authority to sanction certain employees of regulated or supervised entities after they leave their jobs.

I would like to thank Mr. Kanjorski and Chairman Frank for bringing this bill to the floor today. I would also like to mention that this legislation was included in a larger piece of securities legislation from the 110th Congress, H.R. 6513, the Securities Act of 2008, which passed the House on suspension by voice vote.

The legislation is also included in H.R. 3310, the Consumer Protection and Regulatory Enhancement Act introduced by Ranking Member Bachus, and I appreciate his support on this legislation.

This legislation is directed at ensuring that former employees of organizations like the New York Stock Exchange or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority can be held accountable for any misconduct while an employee of these organizations.

Many provisions of Federal securities law which authorize the sanctioning of a person who engages in misconduct while associated with a regulated or supervised entity explicitly provide that such authority exists even if the person is no longer associated with that entity or has left his or her job. But there are confusing loopholes so that employees of some regulated or supervised organizations cannot be sanctioned by the SEC after they leave their positions. By clarifying the SEC's authority to sanction formerly associated persons, we ensure that employees are held accountable for their actions while in those positions even if they have moved on to another job.

Specifically, my legislation amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1994 and the Investment Company Act of 1940. Congress must ensure that the SEC has authority to investigate individuals suspected of violating the securities laws, to bring enforcement cases, and have those cases considered on the merits and not be dismissed on an ambiguity because a statute is confusing. No one should be able to violate the securities laws and resign their position knowing that the SEC cannot proceed against them. My legislation does not expand or alter the SEC's current authority; it clarifies it.

One illustration of the need for this legislation is in the case of Sal Sodano, who was chairman and CEO of the American Stock Exchange, AMEX. On March 22, 2007, the SEC charged Sodano with failing to enforce compliance with the Exchange Act during his term as the AMEX chairman and CEO; however, the SEC's filing occurred after Sodano left the AMEX in 2005. So his lawyers pointed to this loophole in the Federal law that the SEC could only sanction individuals while they were still associated with the organization.

The SEC's administrative law judge noted that the current law does not provide for sanctioning of a former officer or director. The judge specifically noted that Congress has drafted many statutes that allow the ability to sanction individuals formerly associated with any number of entities, but not in this case. By passing H.R. 2623, Congress can close this loophole and ensure accountability for individuals working at regulated or supervised entities.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, which will provide more accountability, transparency, and efficiency in securities regulation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

General Leave

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership guidelines on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I requested that were included as part of H.R. 3326, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3326

Account: Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy (Marine Corps)

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: California Polytechnic State University

Address of Requesting Entity: 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407

Description of Request: $3.5 million was included for the California Central Coast Research Partnership to continue existing projects and undertake new projects in specific research focus areas in conjunction with Office of Naval Research priorities, including power & energy; operational environments; maritime domain awareness; information analysis and communication; Naval warrior performance and protection; survivability and self-defense; and platform mobility. This project is expected to support research for the Department of Defense, while supporting Cal Poly's science and engineering faculty and students.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3326

Account: Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Electronic Warfare Associates, Inc

Address of Requesting Entity: 400 West Reeves Street; Ridgecrest, California 93555

Description of Request: $2 million is included for the Navy Advanced Threat Simulator (NATS) to develop an advanced threat simulator to support development and testing of new electronic warfare systems that will operate against the latest threat surface-to-air missile systems currently being deployed in potentially hostile areas of the world. This project is expected to result in a more robust self-defense capability for our Naval aviators, upgrade China Lake's testing and training ranges, and continue to support local jobs in Ridgecrest.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3326

Account: Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Advatech Pacific, Incorporated

Address of Requesting Entity: 2015 Park Avenue, Suite 8, Redlands, California 92373

Description of Request: $2 million is included for the Flow Path Analysis Tool (FPAT), to continue development of a state-of-the-art ramjet/scramjet analysis tool for military (Army, Navy, and Air Force) and NASA applications. FPAT is expected to save millions of dollars by evaluating feasibility, predicting performance, and eliminating non- viable or too costly design concepts without having to actually build them (or scale models of them) for testing.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3326

Account: Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: AAI Corporation

Address of Requesting Entity: 124 Industry Lane, Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030.

Description of Request: $2 million is included for the Next Generation Electronic Warfare Simulator (NGEWS), to provide simulation support for the EA-18G's advanced Electronics Surveillance Measure capability. The F/A-18 Advanced Weapons Lab at China Lake, California is expected to use this capability to more efficiently complete their mission of testing the EA-18G and save money by optimizing lab testing rather than flight testing.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3326

Account: Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Aerojet-General Corporation

Address of Requesting Entity: PO Box 13222, Sacramento, CA 95813-6000

Description of Request: $1.5 million is included for Test Stand 2-A technical improvements to be used for technical improvements to test stand connections or interfaces at the Air Force Research Laboratory's Propulsion Directorate at Edwards Air Force Base, allowing testing of next generation launch technologies while lowering the cost of putting payloads into orbit. This test stand is a national asset, and these modifications will help to ensure thorough testing of the next generation of re-usable launch vehicles that leverage advanced domestic propulsion technology.

Mr. Speaker, earlier today I was in a meeting with a microcosm of small businesses around the United States. We met inside this Capitol. We talked about health care. We talked about ways to reform health care, to bring the costs down, the quality up, to be able to have greater accessibility, to be able to have the ability to move from job to job and have health care coverage, to be able to have choice and quality.

And when I sat around this table with small business owners, one of the individuals owned a Kentucky Fried Chicken, one owned a pizza establishment, and he talked about going from 45 employees to 35. He said if this health care bill, as proposed, as is written today, his question will not be, will he have to lay people off; the question will be, will he shut down? He will have to close his business if this bill passes this week.

I ask that we spend our priority not on how much time we have to pick a dog but how much time we actually have to do health care right.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership guidelines on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I requested that were included as part of H.R. 3288, the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Account: Federal Highway Administration, Surface Transportation Priorities

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Kern County Roads Department

Address of Requesting Entity: 2700 M Street, Suite 400, Bakersfield, California 93301

Description of Request: $400,000 was included for the Kern County Roads Department to help fund construction of a six-lane overpass along Seventh Standard Road at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad crossing. Seventh Standard Road is located in the northern Bakersfield metropolitan area, and serves as a major goods carrier route and east/ west corridor in the community. This grade separation project will produce local jobs and reduce congestion and air pollution from idling vehicles as more than 50 high-speed trains cross Seventh Standard Road at this railroad crossing daily.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership guidelines on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I requested that were included as part of H.R. 3288, the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Account: Federal Highway Administration, Transportation & Community & System Preservation

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Kern County Roads Department

Address of Requesting Entity: 2700 M Street, Suite 400, Bakersfield, California 93301

Description of Request: $400,000 was included for the Kern County Roads Department fund completion of the environmental designs related to the widening of State Route 119 in Taft, California, between Cherry Avenue and Tupman Road. These environmental designs are a requirement as part of the National Environmental Policy Act, and this funding will enable the Kern County Roads Department and Caltrans to complete these studies. State Route 119 is not only the primary commuter road between the Cities of Taft and Bakersfield, but is one of the major transportation corridors in the Central Valley that provides access to Los Angeles, the coastal cities, and northern California.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership guidelines on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I requested that were included as part of H.R. 3293, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3293

Account: Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration--Health Facilities and Services

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: San Luis Obispo County Community College District

Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 8106, San Luis Obispo, California 93403

Description of Request: $100,000 was included for the San Luis Obispo County Community College District's (Cuesta College) Department of Nursing & Allied Health SLO & NC to fund upgrades to nursing program training rooms and purchase new medical training equipment to create modern hospital settings for teaching students. Though hospital settings remain the best laboratory for student learning, it is high- risk. This funding will provide Cuesta College nursing students with state-of-the-art, hands-on learning in a low-risk environment, which helps ensure future nurses from Cuesta College have the skills and training to save lives in hospitals and emergency rooms in the region and beyond.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership guidelines on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I requested that were included as part of H.R. 3293, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3293

Account: Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration--Health Facilities and Services

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: California State University, Bakersfield

Address of Requesting Entity: 29 Romberg Nursing Education Center, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, California 93311

Description of Request: $150,000 was included for the California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) to fund purchases of new classroom equipment, technical resources, and medical equipment for CSUB's nursing program. This funding is to bring CSUB's nursing program to a level of technological and environmental sophistication that is comparable to other nursing departments across California in order to meet the national and regional nursing shortage that is predicted to increase over the next decade, which would negatively affect patient care.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership guidelines on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I requested that were included as part of H.R. 3293, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3293

Account: Department of Education--National Projects, Safe Schools and Citizenship Education

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Center for Civic Education

Address of Requesting Entity: 5145 Douglas Fir Road, Calabasas, California 91302

Description of Request: $35 million was included for the Center for Civic Education to fund the Education for Democracy Act We the People and Cooperative Education Exchanges programs. These national programs are designed to increase local students' understanding and appreciation for the constitutional democracy system of government, and provide them the knowledge base to be actively involved in local, state, and federal government and public policymaking. In addition, this funding, authorized more than 15 years ago, would go to local schools to help students obtain a better understanding of America's Founding Documents, ensure students can effectively participate in state and local government, prevent school violence through positive engagement and group problem solving, and reinforce democratic values in new and emerging democracies around the world through exchange programs.

Madame Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership guidelines on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I requested that were included as part of H.R. 3293, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3293

Account: Department of Education, Fund for the Improvement for Post Secondary Education

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: San Luis Obispo County Community College District

Address of Requesting Entity. P.O. Box 8106, San Luis Obispo, California 93403

Description of Request: $350,000 was included for the San Luis Obispo County Community College District (Cuesta College) to purchase equipment to train students in vocational technical education fields at the Trades/Technology Complex. This initiative focuses on training students so they are prepared for local and regional jobs in the fields of viticulture, small engine mechanics, welding, engineering, construction technology, and solar and other alternative energy training. This program will help ensure San Luis Obispo County has skilled workers to help meet local job demands.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership guidelines on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I requested that were included as part of H.R. 3293, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3293

Account: Department of Education, Fund for the Improvement for Post Secondary Education

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Kern Community College District

Address of Requesting Entity: 2100 Chester Avenue, Bakersfield, California 93301

Description of Request: $250,000 was included for the Kern Community College District (KCCD) to purchase wind, solar, and other renewable energy equipment for training renewable energy technicians and engineers, and for institutionalization of curriculum for the Renewable Energy Regional Workforce Training program at KCCD affiliated schools (Bakersfield College, Cerro Coso College, and Porterville College), as well as Taft College. Kern County produces over 30% of wind-generated electricity in California and 5% in the nation, as well as ranks 4th in California in potential solar power generating capacity. As more emphasis is placed on renewable and clean energy, estimates indicate there will be a need to fill several thousand new jobs in the region over the next 5 years to meet industry need. This KCCD training program will help ensure the U.S. workforce has the skills to fill today and tomorrow's renewable energy jobs.

Mr. Speaker, this morning I opened up my hometown paper, The Bakersfield Californian. On the front page of the local section there is an article, Kern County's unemployment rate for the month of June increased to 14.7 percent. If that's a talking point, it's coming directly from the paper. One year ago the unemployment rate was 9 percent.

The American people know that if Americans are not working, America is not working. My constituents ask me, Is this Obama economy going to improve? They continue to ask me, If you take more from what people earn, for the energy tax every time you turn on a light, when you go to health care, taxing, are you taking away the choice?

But I tell them there is a chance for a better way. There is a better way to work together to focus on small business. Small business creates 70 percent of every job in America. We can do better by working together and stopping the unemployment.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership guidelines on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I requested that were included as part of H.R. 3183, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2010.

Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy

Bill Number: H.R. 3183

Account: Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Address of Requesting Entity: 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, California 93407

Description of Request: $250,000 was included for California Polytechnic State University Center, San Luis Obispo, to purchase student training equipment and establish educational outreach programs for the Center for Renewable Energy and Alternative Electric Transportation Technologies (CREATT). This Center will serve as an alternative energy test-bed to develop, demonstrate, and validate new alternative energy technologies to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, reduce emission sources, and help the United States achieve better energy efficiency and energy independence.