Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, when this administration took over on January 20, the unemployment was at about 7.2 percent, and they made a promise that this new stimulus of $787 billion would create or would save 600,000 jobs. Since that point, we've lost 2 million jobs. Where are the jobs?

The President's top economic adviser pictured here, Mr. Larry Summers, has made us all feel better in this country by telling us:

Of all the statistics pouring into the White House every day, top economic adviser Larry Summers highlighted one Friday to make his case that the economic free-fall has ended. The number of people searching for the term ``economic depression'' on Google is down to normal levels, Summers said. Searches for the term were up fourfold when the recession deepened in the earlier part of the year, and the recent shift goes to show consumer confidence is higher, Summers told Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Mr. Speaker, where are the jobs? I'm telling you that somebody in this administration is asleep at the wheel.

Madam Speaker, due to a family member's medical condition on July 17, 2009, I missed a number of votes. Had I been present, I would have voted the following:

``No'' on table Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair, rollcall No. 573;

``No'' on ordering the Previous Question, rollcall No. 574;

``No'' on agreeing to the Resolution Rule providing for the consideration of H.R. 1018, the Restore Our American Mustangs Act, rollcall No. 575;

``No'' on agreeing to the Hastings of Washington Part B Substitute Amendment, rollcall No. 576;

``No'' on passage the Restore Our American Mustangs Act, rollcall No. 577;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Heinrich amendment, rollcall No. 578;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Cao amendment, rollcall No. 579;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Blackburn amendment, rollcall No. 580;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Campbell amendment, rollcall No. 581;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Flake amendment, rollcall No. 582;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Flake amendment, rollcall No. 583;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Flake amendment, rollcall No. 584;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Flake amendment, rollcall No. 585;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Flake amendment, rollcall No. 586;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Flake amendment, rollcall No. 587;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Hensarling amendment, rollcall No. 588;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Hensarling amendment, rollcall No. 589;

``Aye'' on agreeing to the Hensarling amendment, rollcall No. 590;

``No'' on motion to recommit with instructions, rollcall No. 591; and

``No'' on passage making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies, FY 2010, rollcall No. 592.

Madam Speaker, due to a personal medical condition on July 7, 2009 I missed two votes. Had I been present, I would have voted the following:

``Aye'' on Directing the Architect of the Capitol to place a marker in Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center which acknowledges the role that slave labor played in the construction of the United States Capitol, and for other purposes. (rollcall No. 478)

``No'' to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide an annual grant to facilitate an iron working training program for Native Americans. (rollcall No. 479)

Madam Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Was the last vote held open to change the outcome of the vote?

I'm sorry, the House was not in order, and I did not hear your answer. I'm sorry.

Further parliamentary inquiry.

Madam Speaker, I know that at times we hold the vote open to make sure that everyone has a chance to vote. In the last vote, approximately 24 more people voted than had voted in the previous vote 5 minutes earlier. So what was the reason for leaving the vote open when clearly the outcome was changed by the vote being held open and people changing their vote?

What is that minimum time?

That was a minimum 5-minute vote?

Further parliamentary inquiry, what is the max time?

The last speaker just talked about what the Republicans want to do. Well, what the Democrats want to do is spend, spend, spend. And I gave a little math lesson yesterday, and I'd like to revisit that today, Mr. Speaker.

You know, we talk about millions of dollars and we talk about billions of dollars and we talk about trillions of dollars. The more you hear those words, they just become words, and you don't realize how much money that is.

A million seconds equals a little over 11 days. A billion seconds is 31 years and 8 months. A trillion seconds is 31,710 years. If I gave you $1,000 a second, it would take me 31.7 years to give you $1 trillion at $1,000 a second.

We're not the Party of No. We're the party of doing what we can afford. The Democrats are the party of throwing money at any problem that comes about, with no regard to what it's costing the American taxpayer.

Mr. Speaker, as we heard a previous speaker say, the national debt right now, as of June 30, stood at $11.5 trillion.

How much is 1 trillion? Does everybody know how much 1 trillion is, Mr. Speaker? I don't know, but I would like to explain it. One million seconds, 1 million seconds is a little over 11 days. One billion seconds is 31 years and 8 months, 31 years and 8 months for 1 billion seconds. How many years is 1 trillion seconds? One trillion seconds is 31,710 years; 31,710 years is made up by 1 trillion seconds.

Mr. Speaker, if I were to give somebody $1,000 a second, 60 seconds a minute, 60 minutes an hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, 365 days, it would take me 31.7 years to spend $1 trillion.

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

I rise in support of House Resolution 612, expressing the profound sympathies of the House of Representatives for the victims of the tragic Metrorail accident on Monday, June 22, 2009, and for their families, friends and associates. Today we, as a body, express our profound sympathy and support for the victims of this most serious and worst accident in Metro's history.

On June 22 a train heading towards Fort Totten on the Red Line slammed into an idling train in front of it and killed nine people and injured nearly 80 others. The crash occurred at approximately 4:59 p.m. We are greatly saddened by this unnecessary tragedy and senseless loss of life, but our grief cannot compare to the families and friends who lost loved ones that day. Today we extend our sympathies to those who were lost and injured. The nine Metro riders killed on that fateful day were from all walks of life, a reflection of our Nation's Capital and its residents.

As we express our sympathy for the victims, I would also like to commend the D.C. and regional emergency personnel who responded to the accident and did their jobs with competence and compassion. I would also like to recognize the heroism of the other train passengers who helped to free those who were trapped, fashioned tourniquets and comforted the injured. In addition to the death and injury to the victims, there's been tremendous damage done to the morale of Metro riders and to Metro's reputation. A recent Washington Post editorial commented on the crash as having ``shattered many riders' assumptions about the safety of the system.'' Clearly there is much work to be done to ensure nothing like this terrible accident ever happens again.

But today in this House it is time we take a moment to honor and express our profound sympathy for the victims of this tragic Metrorail accident of June 22 and their families, friends and associates. I urge my colleagues to join me in expressing our sympathies on this day by passing House Resolution 612.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, so I will yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to my distinguished colleague, my friend and the author of this resolution from the State of Oklahoma (Mr. Cole).

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of the Members to support the passage of H. Res. 469.

I rise in support of H.R. 469 honoring the life of basketball star and jazz musician Wayman Tisdale and expressing condolences to his family on his death.

Today, we honor Wayman Tisdale, for his life accomplishments and for his demonstration of positive thinking, particularly in the last couple of years of his life as he battled cancer.

Mr. Tisdale's inspirational and enthusiastic way in which he lived his life serves as an example for us all. He was a star basketball player, showing a profound gift for the sport during his time at Oklahoma University in the mid-1980s. He is considered an OU basketball legend, having been a three-time All-American during his time at the university and was OU's all-time leader in scoring and field goal percentage. Mr. Tisdale was a member of the men's basketball team in the 1984 Olympics and assisted in their gold medal win.

He went on to be the second overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers, and played for a total of 12 NBA seasons for the Pacers, the Sacramento Kings, and the Phoenix Suns until his retirement from the NBA in 1997.

Though his professional basketball career came to an end at that point, Mr. Tisdale did not, in any sense, slow down. He continued to participate in basketball camps for youngsters. He also became known as a talented jazz musician, releasing his first CD in 1995, which achieved the Number four spot on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart and also gained a spot on the R&B charts. His subsequent albums were also successful, with many earning spots on Billboard's Top 10.

Mr. Tisdale's accomplishments in his life are a reflection of his motivational frame of mind. He was noted and admired for his positive thinking, even after he was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2007. The diagnosis led to surgeries and eventually the amputation of his right leg, but Mr. Tisdale never lost his positive outlook.

Sadly, Mr. Tisdale passed away suddenly on May 15, 2009. Though he has left this world, he will forever be remembered for the optimistic and confident manner in which he led his life and, by example, encouraged us to do the same.

In a press interview in June of 2008, he said ``You go through things. You don't change because things come in your life. You get better because things come in your life.''

Many people can attest that they are better for having had Mr. Tisdale as a role model and a part of their lives. I rise today and ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Tisdale and expressing our condolences to his family in his passing by supporting H. Res. 469.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

American music reflects the culturally diverse heritage of the United States. It is almost impossible to envision American music without recognizing the influence and contributions from African Americans. The roots of Black music can be traced to the Mississippi Delta and cities such as New Orleans, Chicago, and Kansas City. The great State of Georgia has offered music greats such as Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Gladys Knight, and James Brown, among many others. They have illustrated the personal experiences through their music, thus inspiring millions of fans and countless generations of Americans.

I ask my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution celebrating the 30th anniversary of June as Black Music Month.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, so I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Sergeant First Class Blake Simms and Sergeant First Class Chad Stackpole, winners of the 2009 Best Ranger Competition, a rigorous contest at Fort Benning, Ga., between elite two-man teams.

Simms and Stackpole won a home-court victory, as they hail from Benning's 4th Ranger Training Battalion.

The Best Ranger Competition started out as a contest between the best two-man teams at Fort Benning in the early 1980s but quickly expanded Army-wide. It easily rates as one of the toughest, most physically demanding competitions in the world. Contestants endure extreme demands of their physical, mental and technical abilities as Rangers, and they must deliver at levels that far exceed the expectations of average soldiers.

Today, the competition pits the best of the best against each other. It's an honor to simply win a spot in the contest, making Simms and Stackpole's accomplishment all the more extraordinary. The event lasts three days and teams face elimination unless they complete all events, which include marksmanship, climbing a 60-foot rope and long, wet hikes. It's easy to see why of the 49 teams that entered only 24 finished all courses.

Both Sergeant First Class Blake Simms and Sergeant First Class Chad Stackpole have been awarded many medals, including the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Valorous Unit Award and many others.

Simms, from Columbus, GA, joined the service after high school in 1999. He has served one tour in Iraq and also participated in the humanitarian aid to New Orleans following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Simms had competed in the Best Ranger Competition twice before. He is married with two children.

Stackpole, from Bowling Green, KY, has served since 1998 and has deployed to Iraq twice. He and his wife Andrea have two children. Stackpole has competed in the competition twice with a 5th place finish last year.

Sergeant First Class Blake Simms and Sergeant First Class Chad Stackpole have dedicated their lives to the service of this nation and have dedicated years of their lives to fighting on the front lines of the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. With a combination of hard work, dedication and talent, they have proven on the field of battle and on the field of competition that they rank amongst the best soldiers in the U.S. Army--the greatest fighting force in the history of the world.

Madam Speaker, I call on the U.S. House of Representatives to join me and the people of Georgia's 3rd Congressional District in honoring the service and applauding the stellar achievements of Sergeant First Class Blake Simms and Sergeant First Class Chad Stackpole. They are a tribute to Fort Benning, the U.S. Army Rangers, and the United States.

Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. Speaker, is it true that under this rule, we cannot get separate votes in the House on each amendment that was adopted in the Committee of the Whole?

So is it true that we will not be able to get a separate vote on the amendments that were passed in the Committee of the Whole?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm assuming that is a ``no'' answer.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Speaker, I move to reconsider the vote.

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

Madam Speaker, on June 19, 2009 I attended the grand opening of the National Infantry Museum located on Fort Benning Army Installation, Georgia. As a result, I missed a number of votes. Had I been present, I would have voted the following:

``No'' on providing for consideration of H.R. 2918, making appropriations for the Legislative Branch FY 2010. (rollcall No. 409)

``No'' on Agreeing to the Resolution providing for consideration of H.R. 2918, making appropriations for the Legislative Branch FY 2010. (rollcall No. 410)

``Aye'' on Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to expressing support for all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and rule of law, and for other purposes. (rollcall No. 411)

``Aye'' on Motion to Recommit with Instructions Making appropriations for the Legislative Branch FY 2010. (rollcall No. 412)

``No'' on Passage making appropriations for the Legislative Branch FY 2010. (rollcall No. 413)

``Present'' on Quorum Call of the House. (rollcall No. 414)

``Aye'' on Article I impeaching Samuel B. Kent, judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (rollcall No. 415)

``Aye'' on Article II impeaching Samuel B. Kent, judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (rollcall No. 416)

``Aye'' on Article III impeaching Samuel B. Kent, judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (rollcall No. 417)

``Aye'' on Article IV impeaching Samuel B. Kent, judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (rollcall No. 418)

Mr. Speaker, I demand separate votes in the House on the following amendments: Mollohan No. 11; Schock No. 8; Bordallo No. 19; Moore No. 3; Boswell No. 41; Nadler No. 31; Bernice Johnson No. 35; Cuellar No. 102; Hodes No. 98; and Reichert No. 114.

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

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.