Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act, which established the Cooperative Extension Service. The Cooperative Extension Service is a state-by- state network of educators who research and provide educational outreach to farmers and local communities. Today, it continues to address a wide range of agricultural issues in both urban and rural areas.

North Carolina's agricultural industry is very diverse and poses a unique set of challenges to our farmers. The Cooperative Extension Service's educational programs have been essential to addressing these challenges by providing the necessary research to assist farmers across the state. Their research has increased the productivity of farmers, and has allowed rural and family-owned farms to keep up with changing technologies across the industry.

The Cooperative Extension Service has also been active in land-grant colleges and universities throughout the nation. Its work promoting agricultural knowledge in young adults will help the entire industry continue to thrive.

Mr. Speaker, as the centennial date is celebrated on May 8, 2014, we should all be

thankful for the resources that the Cooperative Extension Service has provided our farmers and our communities. I am proud to congratulate the Cooperative Extension Service, and wish them many more years of success.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership and

truly for this time where we have come together to not only celebrate the 66th anniversary of Israel, but a time of remembrance.

As important as a celebration may be each and every year, we must reflect back on what brought this Nation to be. It was really rooted many years prior to its birth in unbelievable tragedy, grief, oppression, when almost 7 million Jews--moms, dads, sons and daughters, husbands and wives--were killed and terminated in a way that many of us can only try to grasp why that could have possibly happened in this world.

Yet today, we see that the antisemitic rhetoric throughout much of Europe has grown to levels that we have not seen since those days of Hitler. So we must take this day and every day to make sure that we voice not only our support for Israel, but our support for a Jewish nation in which America enjoys a great partnership and friendship, but truly an unyielding resolve of brotherly affection.

So today, I thank the gentlewoman for her time and allowing me to speak on this particular issue. But it is important that we remember that even though there was years ago a great tragedy, that today if we do not speak up that things can continue to happen and be a downward spiral, for right at this moment as we speak there are some 100,000 missiles aimed at Israel.

We can live in relative peace and comfort here in America, yet in cities and neighborhoods all across Israel they have to live in fear of a siren going off and a missile perhaps coming in. Yet, it is this partnership and friendship that we have with Israel that must remain solid and be strong.

We have a country that is some 10,000 square miles in Israel, surrounded by 5.2 million square miles of oil-rich country. Yet Israel has no iron, no gold, no silver, no lead, no oil to speak of, and yet over and over again she is attacked. And so you have to ask yourself, why? Why is it that so many people call Israel the aggressor when the missiles are aimed towards her?

I stand today to not only thank the gentlewoman for her time, but also to acknowledge the greatness of Israel, our friendship that is unyielding, and to say Happy 66th Independence Day.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Mr. Harold Corbin and thank him for his service to the 11th Congressional District. This last Saturday marked 50 years of continued service to this great district. It was the first district meeting that he had missed.

Mr. Corbin is a lifelong resident of Franklin, North Carolina, which is a testament to his commitment to our community; and from 1980 to 1989, Mr. Corbin served as the Republican chairman of the 11th Congressional District. As chairman, Mr. Corbin made important contributions that have had a lasting impact on western North Carolina.

In 1981, his activism led to the election of the former Representative Bill Hendon, who was the first Republican Congressman to represent the 11th District in over 100 years.

From 1982 to 2002, Mr. Corbin served as the chairman of the Macon County Board of Commissioners. His leadership and inspiration to his son led his son to get involved in politics. He now holds that same position. It is both of them that have set a tremendous example for our Nation.

I will close with this. All of us in Washington can learn a lesson from Mr. Corbin, who has long said that, once elected, Representatives serving constituents ought to leave their politics at the door and truly serve the citizens.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to express my support for the people of the Island of Cyprus. The Greek Cypriots have agreed to come to the table and begin negotiations with their Turkish counterparts. The United States stands by its commitment to peace in the Eastern Mediterranean. While this is merely the beginning of what could be a very long process, it deserves our commendation. A peaceful resolution would set an example of stability in a region beset by turmoil, tumult, and upheaval.

The Turkish Cypriot people have been isolated for too long. They have desired a unified island for nearly half a century and this new start is a significant step towards their reinstatement into the political, economic, and social structure of not just the Island of Cyprus but also of the entire world.

Mr. Speaker, I restate my resolute support for the start of talks between the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. It is important that we encourage both sides to remain at the table and negotiate in good faith. I also implore our State Department to continue to be resolute in supporting these talks. The power of diplomacy is strong. The world is watching and waiting with hopeful anticipation.

I thank the gentleman from Georgia for this commonsense piece of legislation.

Mr. Chairman, to hear the debate on the floor this morning about Mr. Ryan's budget, you would think that we are arguing about increases or decreases in taxes, but indeed, we are debating more information to make informed decisions, Mr. Chairman. It has nothing to do with those.

There will be a time to debate the new budget, but this is about job creation, Mr. Chairman. This is about the CBO and the flawed method-- many times--that they use in preparing documents for us to make informed decisions.

I will give you a prime example. We had CBO come in and talk to us about energy policy. I said: Well, if we start to tax some of our natural resources so that we can lower gas prices for those people that are having to fill their tanks and having to make decisions between food on the table and gas in their tank, if we tap that, what would be the impact?

They say: Oh, well, you would get a negative CBO score. I said: Well, how could that be? Because, if we had revenues from that, it would create $1.7 trillion over 10 years; and yet what we have somehow is a justification. He says: Well, we are making the assumption that you have already tapped that.

As a business guy, when you have that kind of logic, you can't make correct decisions.

This is about job growth, Mr. Chairman. We lost 400 jobs in the last 48 hours in my district. That is 400 families that are going to have to start to worry about putting food on the table.

Mr. Chairman, we need to get behind this and have informed decisions so that we can make good decisions on legislation going forward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today and thank the leadership of my good friend and colleague from California (Mr. Hunter) on his recognition that we need to go forward with this Coast Guard reauthorization.

Not only does it put in good reforms and continues to work in a real way to support our men and women who serve in the Coast Guard, but it does so in--quite frankly, in a very streamlined way, so I thank the leadership of Congressman Hunter.

I want to go on further and recognize a gentleman from North Carolina, the dean of the delegation, Congressman Howard Coble. Not only is Howard a good friend, but he has served with distinction for more than 30 years here in this House.

Being an active member of the Coast Guard, it was his leadership and truly his work with Congressman Hunter that really set this in motion. Having, at the age of 83, decided that it is time for him to retire from representing the people of the great State of North Carolina, I just want to acknowledge this particular day, Mr. Speaker, on a great statesman, truly a gentleman.

When you look up ``gentleman'' in the dictionary, it should have Howard Coble's picture right beside it. He is the epitome of what it is to not only represent the people of North Carolina in such a fine fashion, but he works across party aisles.

He works with his colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans, to make sure that our country is served in the best way possible. It is with great pleasure that I get to speak on behalf of this bill and, in doing so, honor a man who knows the Coast Guard well and knows that the men and women who serve there serve our country in a the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Kilmer).

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Amos Rutherford on his 100th birthday, which he celebrates today, March 14th, 2014.

Mr. Rutherford is an exemplary citizen and lifelong resident of Caldwell County. Born in Morganton in 1914, Mr. Rutherford joined the military in 1942. As a medical aidman in World War II, Mr. Rutherford was awarded a Good Conduct Medal, American Theatre Service Medal, and a Victory Medal. These awards reflect Mr. Rutherford's character and the incredible size of his heart.

Returning to Morganton in 1946, Mr. Rutherford worked for Mullis Motor Company, and then spent 30 years at the Esso Exxon station in Lenior. I am proud to honor Mr. Rutherford today, as he has shown time and again an unwavering commitment to our district.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the entire 11th District of North Carolina, I congratulate Mr. Rutherford on his milestone 100th birthday and thank him for his service to Western North Carolina and to our nation.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma for his leadership and for his passion.

This is one of those areas, quite frankly, as we look at unfunded mandates, that is taking the power from Washington, D.C., and giving it back to the elected officials in our States, our county governments, and our cities.

The gentleman from Virginia, from the other side, earlier said that certainly he supported this when he was a local official elected there in Virginia, and rightly so. Because I can share a personal story, Mr. Chairman, from a senator, Jim Davis, from my home State who was a county commissioner and now a State senator. I asked him, why do you have such a hard time balancing the budget here in the State? And he gave me two words: unfunded mandates.

Why is that? Because we continue to pass regulation after regulation after regulation, send them down to the States and ask the States to deal with them. The States say, well, we don't have money to implement this. They send it even further, to the county governments. So what happens is that property taxes go up at the local level, State income taxes go up there, all because we believe that we know what is best here in Washington, D.C., on how to implement rules and regulations.

Mr. Chairman, I would suggest that during the first term of the Obama administration we saw a 10 percent increase in regulatory budgets. Now, that is a 10 percent increase in regulatory budgets when the average American hardworking taxpayer saw their budgets go down.

There is something wrong with this, Mr. Chairman. And as we start to look at this, there was a study in 2011--a study in 2011--that said, with each 5 percent reduction in regulatory process, you can create 1.2 million jobs. Well, Mr. Chairman, we have a problem with creating jobs here, and this is a commonsense solution to rein in what is happening here in Washington, D.C., and allow that control to go back to the States and local government.

So the bottom line, Mr. Chairman, is this: to vote against this is a vote that says that we know better how to do business here in Washington, D.C., than the elected officials in State, county, and local governments. I can tell you that the best decisions are made at those local and State levels. I think it is high time that we come back and roll it back in this simple process to make sure that these regulatory reforms and the unfunded mandates that accompany them truly are not a burden on those hardworking American taxpayers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Richard Robb on his 90th birthday, which he celebrated on January 19th, and to thank him for his tireless service to our nation.

During World War II, Mr. Robb served in the U.S. Navy at Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Marshall Islands. He was a crew member on the USS Stockton, a destroyer that sunk the Japanese I-8 submarine which was responsible for numerous war crimes and atrocities.

Following his military service, Mr. Robb continued to devote himself to defending the lives of others. He served 22 years as a sergeant and later a detective in the Sarasota Police Department in Sarasota, Florida.

Since moving to Western North Carolina, Mr. Robb and his wife, Cate, have been active participants in the Macon County Republican Party. They still attend every event and have served crucial roles in Election Day operations to serve the voters of the 11th District. In 2012, they received the ``Golden Elephant'' award for their exemplary lives of service.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the entire 11th District of North Carolina, I congratulate Mr. Robb on his milestone 90th birthday and thank him for his service to Western North Carolina and our nation.

I thank my colleague from Tennessee for her leadership on this particular issue.

For far too long, Madam Speaker, I was silent on this particular issue. Some 22 years ago, as we were expecting our first child--my wife was pregnant--I began to talk to her about this particular thing. There my son was kicking in his mother's womb, and as we started to see this, I realized very profoundly that not only was it life but that it responded. My son was responding to my voice and to my touch, and as we saw that, I realized that I had been silent for far too long.

Regardless of where you are on this particular issue, we must say something today--the many of us who find this just appalling that it is even legal today--in allowing taxpayer dollars to be spent. This is something on which we must stand together. So, for those who can't speak for themselves, I stand here today, and I urge my colleagues to support this particular legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove my name as a cosponsor from H.R. 3550.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Thermo Fisher Scientific's facility in Asheville, North Carolina, for winning the Industry Week Best Plants competition.

According to Industry Week, winners of this annual competition are selected based on their strong manufacturing performance and an unending pursuit of performance excellence.

The equipment manufactured at Thermo Fisher's Asheville plant, including cold storage for biological samples and other lab products, enables research and scientific discovery around the world.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the Asheville site and see firsthand their commitment to investing in process innovations, including their progress toward sending no waste to the local landfill by 2015.

I am thankful for the employment opportunities Thermo Fisher brings to Western North Carolina and pleased that Industry Week--and others worldwide--are recognizing its achievements.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the entire 11th District of North Carolina, I congratulate the dedicated employees of Thermo Fisher Scientific's Asheville facility on this well-deserved award and thank them for their ongoing commitment to our region.

I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his leadership on this commonsense approach to solving a problem that was unintended.

Mr. Speaker, when it really gets down to it, our firefighters and our first responders deserve our attention and our support. They are the ones who, quite frankly, are missing birthdays, anniversaries, who are called out in the middle of the night to serve their communities. My communities in western North Carolina are served by some of the greatest volunteers that a country could want; and here we are tonight, debating this over something that should be common sense.

I would just urge my colleagues across the aisle to join with many of the fire chiefs whom we talked to today--over 13 of them--from large counties and small counties alike, Democrats and Republicans. Every one of them without exception, Mr. Speaker, said that we need to address this because it will hurt the people that they serve.

I think it is time that we come together in this Chamber and make sure that we correct a wrong that has been done.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Quinten Curtis, a 4th grade student from Granite Falls, North Carolina, who has truly demonstrated the spirit of Christmas this season. When his mother, Becky, asked for his Christmas list, Quinten requested two things: a clarinet and 100 cans of food for the South Caldwell Christian Ministries.

Quinten has proved that every one of us can have an impact on our community. His dedication to helping others is truly exemplary and he is a role model for children and adults alike. Quentin set a goal of donating 100 cans by Christmas, but so far has collected more than six times that amount. His selflessness is contagious and has motivated others in his community to participate, collecting donations at the First United Methodist Church.

Quinten's generosity is an inspiration to us all this holiday season, exhibiting the true meaning of Christmas.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dana Elementary School in Hendersonville, North Carolina, for being named a 21st Century Learning Exemplar School by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21).

The 21st Century Learning Exemplar Program seeks to identify, document, promote and celebrate examples of successful 21st century learning across the country. For the past 10 years, P21 has advocated for 21st century readiness for every student.

Last spring, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction nominated Dana Elementary for the 21st Century Learning Exemplar Program. After visiting classrooms and interviewing teachers and students at the school, P21 stated, ``A coordinated effort between school leadership and teachers helps students develop problem-solving skills, a collaborative mindset and a goal-oriented approach to learning.''

Dana Elementary has also been awarded one of six National School Change Awards from the National Principal Leadership Institute.

In May, I had the opportunity to visit Dana Elementary and see the school's innovative teaching techniques firsthand. By combining a dynamic curriculum and modern technology, Dana Elementary engages students and prepares them for the future.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the entire 11th District of North Carolina, I congratulate Principal Kelly Schofield and the entire team at Dana Elementary for being named a 21st Century Learning Exemplar School and thank them for their commitment to our future leaders.