Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I introduce the Reverend Dr. Benny Tate from Rock Springs Congregational Methodist Church in Milner, Georgia. June and I are regular visitors to Dr. Tate's church.

Dr. Tate reminds me of a quote from Alexis de Tocqueville who came to America in 1831 to study democracy. And he wrote, and I quote, ``I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and her boundless forests, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world of commerce, and it was not there; in our democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution, and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good. And if America ever ceases to be good, America then will cease to be great.''

Fourteen years ago Dr. Tate relocated to Georgia to pastor the Congregation of the Rock Springs Congressional Methodist Church. Under his tenure, the average Sunday morning

attendance has grown from 30 to 750. To accommodate this growth, the church is in a building program at this time to build and construct a 1,100-seat sanctuary. Their motto is if God builds it, they will come.

Dr. Tate is the author of two books, Happy Wife, Happy Life, and, One More Night with the Frogs. He also hosts a popular weekly radio program, Apples of Gold. He and his wife Barbara and their daughter Savannah reside in Griffin, Georgia.

Dr. Tate is a pastor that I love, a pastor that I enjoy, and a pastor with a message that if God builds it, they will come because his message is one of righteousness.

I am proud to introduce, Dr. Benny Tate.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of rhetoric that goes on in this Chamber and in this town when it comes to different issues, and I know the intent of a lot of people is different from the intent of others. And I know that there are those who would like to see this child tax credit given to a lot of people. In fact, the bill that we voted on here, this some--$80 billion tax relief would do what a lot of people would like to see done, and that is the child tax credit spread around more.

But as I go back to the district at home, and not just in my district, but traveling throughout Georgia, I have the question asked of me: How in the world, Mac, can you give a tax credit or a refund to people who actually did not have a tax liability? And that is a difficult question to answer, because the Tax code is supposed to be set up in a way and in a fashion that people pay based upon their income; and if they do not have the income to pay the tax, then they have no tax liability. So, therefore, there is some concern with people who do as to why we should give a tax credit, a refundable tax credit to those who do not.

But you know what is interesting about all of this conversation and all of this rhetoric about the different tax provisions, whether it be the payroll tax or whether it be the income tax, whether it be the corporate income tax or whatever it may be, it just fuels the fire at home. And I like this fire. I like to see it fueled, and I appreciate some of my colleagues bringing it up and doing so. But it just accelerates and fuels the fire of those who would like to see a total tax reformation here in Washington of the Tax Codes. As Mr. Archer used to say, just pull it up by the roots and do away with it and put in place a different type of system.

I am often asked by my constituency at home and other parts of the State about a representative from Georgia who has introduced such a measure that is called the Fair Tax introduced by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Linder). That is the reason I am a co-sponsor of it, because of the complexity and the cost of complying with this type of system and how it treats people who pay tax far differently than it does those who do not pay tax. I am a strong supporter of the gentleman from Georgia's (Mr. Linder) Fair Tax.

I have asked the chairman of the committee to let us hold some hearings on the Fair Tax. Let us see just exactly how it would be implemented and how it would change the makeup of the tax system in the United States and how that makeup today is far different from other nations and how, if we changed it, it would make us a lot more competitive in the world marketplace, which we need to be.

Just in the last couple of years we have lost over 2 million manufacturing jobs from this country to offshore, many of those U.S. companies who have moved offshore. I believe if we were to reform this tax system we would see a lot of those companies maybe change their mind and relocate back here or at least change the mind of some of those who want to relocate offshore.

I kind of like the idea that they bring all of this rhetoric to the floor of the House of Representatives and expose the fact that we have a very complicated, complex tax system that treats people who actually get out and work every day and take a risk and invest and try hard to provide for their families, but yet some of their funds are taken from them and transferred to people who do not have a tax liability because some of them do not have enough income or they have a far larger family than the income requirements for the tax liability.

So I appreciate the fact that they will bring this type of information to the floor and this type of rhetoric. It just fuels the fire of the gentleman from Georgia's (Mr. Linder) Fair Tax bill that I am a strong supporter of and would like to see the House Committee on Ways and Means address it with hearings.

I thank the chairman of the committee for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, I too rise in strong support of H.R. 2417, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004. It is a good bill with bipartisan support and, hopefully, it will be adopted, and I feel sure it will.

Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on our Nation, the Select Committee on Intelligence has noted the urgent need for better information-sharing between and among our various Intelligence Community's agencies, and Federal, State, and even local law enforcement are enjoying better shared intelligence. Since joining the committee earlier this year, I have observed the chairman, ranking member, and committee members, how they have advocated the implementation of new policies and technologies which are designed to facilitate the timely sharing of important information among our intelligence agencies and our local law enforcement.

Technical shortfalls in communications and collaboration systems, however, have undermined efforts to fully share information across the Intelligence Community. This bill makes an effort to correct those issues. These technical limitations can be overcome with proper management and capital investments. This bill provides significant funding to assist the Intelligence Community's leadership in developing and sharing useful information, management tools, capabilities, and operating systems throughout the Intelligence Community.

As important as technological solutions to information-sharing are the needs for updated policies to direct the flow of information. The community's leadership has not been sufficiently clear about its information-sharing policies with its various component agencies. As a result, information becomes irrelevant due to outdated directives or conflicting opinions about what information can or cannot be shared, and with whom. One of the key lessons learned by the committee's 9/11 inquiry last year was that a failure to communicate sensitive data on an urgent basis among intelligence law enforcement agencies can cost our Nation dearly.

The committee has taken steps to improve this situation with this important bill. It is a good piece of legislation, a strong piece of legislation. I encourage its passage and support it fully.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce the Asbestos Claims Tax Fairness Act. Asbestos liability issues have reached crisis stage. The costs of the current and potential lawsuits filed against these companies by claimants are staggering. More than 200,000 tort claims regarding exposure to asbestos are pending today, and more than 50,000 new claims are being filed each year.

Many former manufacturers of asbestos stopped using and distributing asbestos long before 1986. However, most of these companies or their corporate descendants, are bankrupt or nearing bankruptcy. As a result, asbestos liabilities are being shouldered alone by the dwindling number of former asbestos manufacturers and distributors that remain in business. This spiraling cycle into bankruptcy means asbestos victims are faced with the decreasing likelihood that they will be compensated for their injuries in the future.

In the 107th Congress, along with more than 125 of our colleagues, my colleague from Georgia and I introduced tax legislation that would help provide compensation to victims of asbestos and help companies beset by asbestos liabilities to continue as viable employers. That bill, H.R. 1412, was the continuation of efforts begun in the 106th Congress. Since the beginning of that effort, the plight for victims has worsened and the economic viability of those entities responsible for meeting those obligations has deteriorated significantly.

Today I again introduce a bill that will help to ensure that there are funds available to pay victims of asbestos exposure.

The legislation has two components. First, it would increase the amount of resources available to pay injured asbestos victims by exempting from federal tax settlement funds established to pay asbestos victims. Hundreds of thousands of individuals rely on these funds for compensation. Under current law, these funds are taxed at the top income tax rate of 35-percent rate.

Second, the legislation would ease tax-law limitations on asbestos defendants who are emerging from bankruptcy. More than 60 companies currently paying asbestos victims have been forced into bankruptcy. Our legislation would exempt these companies from certain tax-law rules that limit use of a bankrupt company's tax assets. This relief would be provided only in situations where the company's restructuring in bankruptcy results in the company continuing as a going concern.

Mr. Speaker, the legislation I am introducing today is not intended to solve all of the problems caused by the asbestos crisis. But these measures will help companies emerge as soon as possible from bankruptcy, minimizing the potential for job losses in the economy and reducing the risk of lost benefits to asbestos claimants. I urge my colleagues to join me in this effort.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a remarkable woman on the occasion of a very special anniversary. In 1993, Mrs. Rebecca Sue Spears, of Fayetteville, Georgia, was diagnosed with breast cancer. This year marks the tenth anniversary of Mrs. Spears being ``cancer free.''

Today, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer approximately every 2 minutes. Thanks to the efforts of people like Mrs. Spears, we are making great strides to eradicate this devastating disease. As a breast cancer survivor, Mrs. Spears continues to raise money and awareness to fight breast cancer and is a true servant leader.

In 2002, at the age of 59, Mrs. Spears participated in the Avon 3-Day Breast Cancer

Walk in Atlanta, Georgia. During this inspiring event, Mrs. Spears walked twenty-miles per day for 3 days and represented women everywhere that are battling this terrible disease. Recently, in Atlanta, she walked in the Susan G. Kormen Race For the Cure; an event that is celebrating its 20th Anniversary and is now the largest series of 5K races in the world. Thanks to dedicated volunteers like Mrs. Spears, the Susan G. Kormen Breast Cancer Foundation has raised over $250 million for education, research, screening and treatment. On June 7, 2003, Mrs. Spears will walk again in her quest to fight cancer, here in our Nation's Capital, in the National Race For the Cure.

I am honored to recognize Mrs. Rebecca Sue Spears on this momentous occasion. She is an inspiration to her husband, James E. Spears, her two daughters, Kathryn and Karen, her two sons Jimmy and Steven, her six grandchildren, and countless others who are battling this disease. In her own words she describes her relentless determination by saying, ``I walk and will continue to walk until a cure is found with hopes and prayers that my daughters, grandchildren, other family members and friends, as well as millions of others, will never have to be told-- `you have cancer.' ''

Mr. Speaker, America has always been a nation which values human life. We have spent trillions of dollars, and sacrificed the best and bravest of our men and women in far-flung lands to prevent the destruction of innocent life. We as a nation fight for the right of every man and woman to live without tyranny.

Our foundational document, the Declaration of Independence states ``We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life . . .''

The issue before us today is not about choice. It is not about convenience. It is not about privacy. The issue before us today is whether the United States will live up to its responsibilities, its foundational principals, and protect innocent human life.

I won't describe the brutal and barbaric practice of Partial Birth Abortion. What I will do, is urge every person within the sound of my voice to consider what allowing this practice to continue says about the American people.

In the most prosperous nation in the world, we currently allow 4,000 to 5,000 infants each year to be brutally murdered in this manner moments before they take their first, liberty laden breath.

On September 11, 2001, more than three thousand Americans lost their lives. This tremendous loss of life lead to tremendous outrage, military action, and was the most tragic experience this nation has ever faced. Yet each year we allow the brutality of between four and five thousand partial birth abortions to occur.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill. I am proud that the American people have said ``enough'' and elected us to represent them here today so that we can prevent any more needless, tragic, painful, barbaric deaths from partial birth abortion.

I urge my colleagues to defend these innocent ones. I urge the Members of this House to support this ban on partial birth abortion.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I never have met Mr. Buffett. But if he is going to get $358 million out of this tax bill, I hope he will sign the check on the back, give me a call, and I will go pick it up and bring it back and give it to Mr. Snow at Treasury. That will maybe please him and please a lot of other folks.

Let me tell the Members about a young couple in Georgia, making about $40,000 a year, three children. The wife does not work. She is raising the children. She called today and said, Momma, I heard on the radio that we are going to get a refund check on the child tax credit. Is that true? We sure could use it.

It is true. But not only is that true, but the bottom line of her husband's paycheck will be better because of the repeal of the marriage penalty, because of the reduction in the marginal rate, and they are going to enjoy those few extra dollars that they earn whether Mr. Buffett enjoys his or not, but I bet he will invest it. He will not send it back.

There are millions of families like that across this country that are going to benefit from this tax bill, this growth and jobs bill. And it is a jobs bill. It is a workers' bill. Because we are changing provisions of the tax law that will make us more competitive with foreign nations, and our workforce in this country competes with the

workforce in those nations. This is going to benefit millions of people who get up every day and go to work. They work hard to provide for their families. They work hard to provide to the community and to contribute to their church. They pay their taxes. They play by the rules, millions of families like that just like the girl that called today and said, Momma, is it true? We sure could use the money. And my wife says, yes, it is.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to your attention an editorial that appeared in Georgia's Columbus Ledger Enquirer newspaper on April 9, 2003 entitled

``Georgians Make a Difference in National Defense.'' The editorial was written by Georgia State Senator Seth Harp, Chairman of the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, and highlights the F/A Raptor Jet Fighter as essential investment to achieve air dominance for 21st Century military operations. The F/A 22 is important to my constituents, nearly 600 of them are working on the program in Columbus, Georgia and the plane itself is being assembled in Marietta, Georgia, but its real importance lies in the safety it provides our fighting men and women, and the security it brings to our national interests.

Georgians Make a Difference in National Defense

Military preparedness is as important today as it has ever

been. As the war against Saddam Hussein illustrates, it is

incumbent upon the military industrial complex to provide our

fighting men and women with the most sophisticated, accurate

and state-of-the art weaponry in the world. When the United

States makes the decision to enter a conflict, it faces two

challenges: achieve the ultimate goal as quickly as possible;

and bring our sons and daughters, fathers and mothers,

neighbors and friends home safely.

That is why next generation aircraft, such as the F/A-22

Raptor, deserves the full consideration, funding and support

of Congress and the Pentagon. This jet fighter is currently

in the testing stage, but with full deployment close at hand,

we are about to see a revolution in how battle is waged in

the sky.

The F/A-22 is supersonic, allowing our pilots to get to

their target, drop their payload, and return to base faster

and with a diminished threat of interception. The plane has

stealth technology, allowing the jet to enter enemy airspace

without detection and, for the first time, giving commanders

an opportunity to use fighter planes during the daylight

hours at the outset of a campaign instead of relying on the

cloak of darkness. It has the most sophisticated avionics and

weapon systems in the world, ensuring the dominance of air

space by our fighter pilots.

Bottom line: The United States stands on the verge of

advancing fighter jet technology to levels unmatched,

unimagined and unbeatable by any other nation on Earth.

There is a certain inevitability that the

F/A-22 has its detractors. There are those that believe we

don't need improvements in fighter jet technology and that we

already have air superiority. Still others have pet projects

that they want funded with research, development and

construction dollars being spent on the F/A-22. And some

argue that our national security interests are being met and,

in fact, we need to scale back on funding next generation

technology.

My response is we can agree to disagree. I believe strongly

that if the technology exists to advance the safety and

security of our nation and the men and women who fight to

protect us, we should aggressively foster the research and

development of those opportunities. The F/A-22 is proving

itself to be a giant leap in that direction, and Fred Reed

said it best in a recent article in the Washington Times:

``Many weapons are just incremental improvements over

existing designs. Occasionally, however, a weapon makes a

major transition, as from propeller power to jet, and becomes

a completely new thing. The F-22 was one of these.''

Right here in Columbus, nearly 600 of our neighbors are

working on the F/A-22 program, and the plane itself is being

assembled at the Lockheed Martin plant in Marietta. This jet

fighter is an important component to our nation's defense,

and we should be proud that Georgians are leading the effort

to bring it from conception to reality. As officials at the

Air Force said: ``Air superiority saves the lives of

America's sons and daughters who we send into harm's way in

the air, on the ground and at sea. The F-22 is an essential

investment to achieve that air dominance--the key for 21st

century military operations.'' It deserves our support, and

those Georgians working on bringing the F/A-22 to the

frontlines of our national defense deserve our thanks.

Mr. Speaker, this is a workers' bill. This bill will benefit the American worker. It will open jobs, 1.2 million by the end of 2004, half a million by the end of this year. This is good news for the American worker.

We hear about 6 percent unemployment, but we do not hear the flip side: 94 percent of Americans are employed. This bill is about maintaining those jobs and adding jobs and making workers more competitive in the global marketplace.

There is talk about unemployment benefits. Mr. Speaker, the best unemployment benefit is a job so that people in this country can collect a paycheck. This bill does that.

This bill helps businesses grow so jobs will grow. Provisions of this bill will keep American companies here in America and keep those jobs here.

There is nothing that the American worker cannot do. Given a level playing field of tax policies, American workers can out-produce, out- compete, and out-perform any other nation's workforce.

Some people claim this tax bill is only for the rich. That is wrong, and they know it. The President has submitted a tax bill here that will help 104 million American taxpayers. Two-thirds of this workers' bill goes to child tax credits, expanding the number of taxpayers in the 10 percent bracket, eliminating the marriage penalty, accelerating marginal rate cuts, and ensuring that middle-income families do not face the alternative minimum tax.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. The biggest problem is that it does not go far enough. I would like to see more. However, it will stimulate the economy, it will grow jobs, it will make American workers more competitive than foreign workers. I support this bill and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I have been a Member of Congress for ten full years, going on my eleventh year now. Since 1993, when I was elected, the ``Home of the Infantry,'' Fort Benning has consistently been selected as the best installation in the nation, and a few times as best in the world.

As a politician, something inside me wants to take credit for that, but as a statesman, I realize that it has been the fine leadership of people like Major General Paul Eaton and Colonel Joe Torres and those who have preceded them who are really responsible for the outstanding performance of Fort Benning.

As a major power projection platform for the Army, Benning serves a very transitional community of soldiers. With our war in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than 7,000 Fort Benning troops are stationed overseas. Obviously, this kind of deployment leaves a hole. Additionally, several thousand more soldiers from other bases have passed through Benning's gates to receive specialized training before deploying to the field. This has placed a great deal of demand on the services offered.

But, in spite of all of these challenges, Fort Benning has been recognized again this year as one of the top 10 military installations in the world with the Communities of Excellence Chief of Staff Award. Competing on the Training and Doctrine Command level, Benning has demonstrated a better, more efficient, faster way to provide outstanding service to the community which calls Fort Benning home.

Additionally, Fort Benning is an integral part of the tri-community, Columbus, GA, Phenix City, AL, and Fort Benning. The military and the civilian communities strive to mutually support one another and each community compliments the others. This is the result of tireless effort by the military, the community leaders of Columbus, and Phenix City. Their effort has paid off and I am glad to see it recognized with this award.

Fort Benning, while it has a proud legacy as the foremost training center of the Army, is only a patch of Earth and some buildings. It is the people who work there that make it an outstanding example of military efficiency and service. It is the dedication of those people and the leadership of its commanders which drive the level of excellence higher each year.

The consistent performance of Fort Benning reflects well on the Army and demonstrates why Fort Benning is a shining example of the Army being all it can be.

I congratulate Major General Eaton and his fine staff on receiving this award and thank them for their service to America and to the community which makes Benning its home.

Mr. Speaker, I was inevitably detained at the White House and was not able to be present on rollcall vote 149, providing for consideration of H.R. 1350; to reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote 149.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I rise in full support of the bill as presented by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security.

With all the respect I have for the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green) and what is he is attempting to do, I do have to oppose his amendment. I can appreciate what he is doing, what he is intending to do, but this is a very serious loophole that does exist. It has benefitted a number of teachers in Texas, it has benefitted a few from Georgia. There is a difference in how the teachers in each State went about it, but it is unfair to the majority of the population of this country who pay into the Social Security system based on their employment for years and years.

This has nothing to do with the government pension offset. It has nothing to do with the windfall benefit. It is all about spousal benefits, and it is a loophole that needs to be closed. It is one that has existed for some time. The Social Security commissioner has recommended that it be closed, the Government Accounting Office has also recommended it be closed, and as the chairman of the full committee mentioned, it can have benefits of upwards of almost $100,000 for those who may work 1 day or 1 year in the system that is covered by Social Security, having worked the majority of their time in a system that is not.

This has caused a lot of the districts in Georgia, the school districts who do not participate in Social Security, to lose teachers to other districts who do, and it is a loophole that needs to be closed.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the gentleman from California (Chairman Hunter) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) for bringing this resolution to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, in early February, the Speaker asked five of us to travel to the Middle East, first stopping in Kurdistan, on into Uzbekistan. We attempted to get into Afghanistan, but, due to bad weather, we were unable to; and also on into Kuwait city.

The purpose of that trip was to deliver a message from the Congress of the United States about the support that we have for Enduring Freedom and for the operation that is going on that they are carrying out today.

On our visit to each of the stops, we had four ways of expressing our gratitude. One, we had banners, banners that had inscribed the words from the President's State of the Union Address, when he addressed the troops and said, you believe in America, and America believes in you. Those banners were signed by hundreds of people, not just Members of Congress, but people from across the country who visited here in Washington. Each of those banners was signed by the Commander in Chief.

Another way that we had of expressing the gratitude of the Congress was a video, a 10-minute video which began with the Speaker of the House delivering a message personally, the Commanding General of Fort Benning, Georgia, people from the PX, people from the streets, also the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman), the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop), Vice President Dick Cheney, and ending by a message from the Commander in Chief, President Bush.

The third way that we expressed our gratitude from the Congress was with a flag. We presented each stop, each unit that we visited, with a flag that had been previously flown over the Capitol of the United States.

Five of us were traveling; the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Capuano), the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Everett), the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson) and myself. Never once did we identify ourselves at any stop as other than Members of Congress. We did not carry a label by party, just Members of Congress, to express our gratitude.

The fourth way was there in person, to personally deliver the message. We never heard one complaint, and we shook the hands of thousands of men and women in uniform. Not one complaint, but a lot of fine compliments to the Congress and to the Commander in Chief. Proud to serve both.

But to our surprise in Uzbekistan, as we were presenting these gifts and expressions of gratitude of the Congress, they had a gift for the Congress. They had a flag that they had flown over the air base, K-2 in Uzbekistan, a forward operation base for Enduring Freedom. But not only did they fly it over the base, they put it aboard a C-130 gunship and flew it over Afghanistan, because they wanted to express to us their gratitude for what we do as Congress and for our Commander in Chief.

Should we not be doing that today in the same fashion that the five of us traveled, as Members of Congress; not by party label, just Members of Congress, proud to be so, and proud of our soldiers and our airmen, our sailors, our marines, our Coast Guard.

God bless each and every one, and God bless our Commander in Chief.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation which corrects an inequity in the Internal Revenue Code which affects the sale of certain assets.

Under current law, landowners who are occasional sellers of timber are often classified by the Internal Revenue Service as ``dealers.'' As a result, the seller is forced to choose between a ``lump sum'' payment method or a

pay-as-cut contract which often results in an under-realization of the fair value of the contract. While electing the pay-as-cut contract option provides access to capital gains treatment, the seller must comply with special rules in Section 631(b) of the Internal Revenue code. The provisions of Sec. 631(b) require these sellers to ``retain an economic interest'' in their timber until it is harvested. Under the retained economic interest requirement, the seller bears all the risk and is only paid for timber that is harvested, regardless of whether the terms of the contract are violated. Additionally, since the buyer pays for only the timber that is removed or ``scaled'' there is an incentive to waste poor quality timber, to under scale the timber, or to remove the timber without scaling.

The legislation I am introducing will provide greater consistency by removing the exclusive ``retained economic interest'' requirement in IRC Section 631(b). This change has been supported or suggested by a number of groups for tax simplification purposes, including the Internal Revenue Service. I urge my colleagues to join in this tax simplification effort and strongly urge its passage.

Mr. Chairman, H.R. 4 reflects the President's and Congress' proposals to move more Americans off government dependence toward individual financial freedom. Prior to the passage of the 1996 welfare law, many mistakenly forecast that welfare reform would place more people in poverty. Instead, welfare rolls were cut by more than half and more than 9 million recipients left the welfare rolls and began collecting paychecks. In fact, one of the greatest success stories of the 1996 welfare reform law has been my home State of Georgia. Some have stated that States will not be able to meet the new work requirements in this legislation; this is not the case with the state of Georgia. Last year, as the House was considering welfare reauthorization legislation, I had the opportunity to speak with Georgia's Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond about the increased work requirements in this legislation. Before serving as Labor Commissioner, then Governor Zell Miller selected Michael Thurmond to direct Georgia's Workfirst program to move Georgians from welfare to work. It was this program that laid the foundation for Georgia's success in moving so many from welfare to work. In our conversation, Commissioner Thurmond stated with the confidence that Georgia will be able to meet these standards. By passing this legislation today, this House is both honoring and building on the success of States like Georgia who are breaking the cycle of dependence and placing more Americans on the road to financial independence. Through the passage of H.R. 4, my home State of Georgia, and other States, will be able to build on the success of the 1996 law and place more Georgians and more Americans on the road to self-sufficiency.