Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, music is in the very heart and soul of the Tennessee 7th. We rise and sleep to rhythms played by our neighbors that are heard throughout the world. Simply put, musical excellence is commonplace in our corner of the country, but from time to time, remarkable sounds come along. I rise today to honor one such group of remarkable sound, the Adamsville Junior-Senior High School Band.

Capturing their seventh Division One State Championship title since 1999, the Adamsville Band knows a thing or two about hard work, flawless performances, and perfect sound. This group of high school musicians routinely brings home superior ratings in both the quality of their music and the caliber of their performance. This past season brought a new record-high score for the band with a score of 95.24 in the finals. Under the direction of Frank Congiardo, the young men and women of the Adamsville Junior-Senior High School Band are led with dedication, heart, and pride.

The Tennessee 7th is home to outstanding singers, songwriters, producers, and performers, but we are only as strong as the next generation of dedicated musicians. The artists who take the field under the banner of the Adamsville High School Band are proving that our legacy of great sound is safe in their hands. I rise today to thank the talented students, countless supporters, and the professional leadership of Frank Congiardo for their outstanding success. I ask my colleagues to join with me in honoring these students as they add another note to the soundtrack of America.

Madam Speaker, in the wake of the Obama budget that has been filed this week and has been called everything from a nervous breakdown on paper, to a disaster, to not a serious budget, we get more news this morning.

According to a Gallup poll that has come out this morning, 85 percent of small business owners in this country indicated that they are currently not looking for workers. Asked why, 48 percent said it was due to concern about possible rising health care costs. Forty-six percent said that they were worried about new government regulations because last year this administration gave them about 4,000 new mandates and gave them about 80,000 pages of new Federal regulations.

We need to return to the time-tested formula that always works in this country: less regulation plus less taxation plus less litigation always equals more innovation and more job creation right here in this country.

We know that the total cost of Federal regulation has risen to $1.75 trillion annually, twice what is collected in Federal income taxes. Let's get on the right track.

Mr. Speaker, whether you find yourself sitting on the Dock of the Bay, with Sweet Caroline, Takin' It to the Streets, or talking to the Son of a Preacher Man, chances are you've heard the soulful and intense blasts of the Memphis Horns. Music is the very rhythm of our culture, and in the Tennessee 7th, we champion the sounds and cultural treasures of our community. I rise today to honor one great treasure: The Memphis Horns.

Each from simple but musically enriched beginnings, Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love were more than the trumpet and the saxophone behind the Memphis Horns. Playing at the beginning for the greats: Elvis, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, the Horns made a name for themselves as the blended tones of Memphis. From the 1960s on, the Horns played for anyone who needed that unique shot of Memphis soul. Including The Doobie Brothers, Peter Gabriel, U2, Jimmy Buffett, B.B. King, and Willie Nelson, The Memphis Horns are the very notes of the south.

When they first came together to form their sound, Love and Jackson wondered what they would do each year when the tour stopped. As they released their final project, the Memphis Horns need never to worry what they will do next. As members of the Musicians' Hall of Fame winner, their place is noted in America's history. As one of the great sounds of Memphis, their place is secure in America's hearts. Their legacy is a permanent part of our musical soul and their unique sound and uplifting notes will be trumpeted for a great long while. I ask my colleagues to join with me and celebrate the quintessential Memphis Horns as they receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mr. Speaker, music is in the very fiber of our being, and we are proud to continually showcase the sounds that call Tennessee ``home.'' From the serious songs of the darkest moments to the lighthearted tunes of the breeze, George Jones is one of the staples of country music. I rise today to celebrate the many chart-topping hits, the award-winning duets, and the musical accomplishments of The Possum.

It seems as if each of the past several decades have been marked by a George Jones hit. In the 1950s, it was Billboard's No. 4 ``Why Baby Why.'' In the '60s, his singles consistently hit the Top 10. 1973 brought us the Number 1 single ``We're Gonna Hold On.'' 1980 brought music fans what many call one of greatest country records of all time, ``He Stopped Loving Her Today.'' He rounded out the 20th century with the powerful ballad ``Choices,'' reminding us all of the humanity and redemption found in community. With 13 Number 1 hits, 30 Top 5s, the prized duet partner of James Taylor, Merle Haggard, Ray Charles, Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, and Garth Brooks, Jones's unique country music sound is beloved the world over.

Inducted into the Country Music Hall of fame in 1992, chosen as a Kennedy Center Honors recipient in 2008, and presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, George Jones certainly has the laurels of a seasoned country music star. But you won't find him resting on those, nor will you hear his countless fans telling others of his awards. His fans and his peers speak of his fidelity to the music, to the sound, to the hard work of finding and singing the right notes of the soul.

Madam Speaker, I think that there are millions of Americans today, many American Catholics, who listened intently to the debate that took place on the ObamaCare bill. They weren't really sure about it, but they kept hanging on to a couple of things: If you like what you have, you can keep it, is what the President said. They have found out that's not the way it turned out.

Well, when it came to all of the guidelines that were coming from HHS, don't worry about these. They'll never be mandates. They're just going to be guidelines. They're there for information and instruction.

Well, that didn't come about either, because what has happened, the Catholic organizations and schools and hospitals are being mandated by the Federal Government to violate their religious beliefs and to meet the Federal mandate of providing contraceptives, abortion services, and sterilization services, all in the name of a health care policy.

This is something that needs to be reversed. I stand with the millions of Americans who are fighting this mandate.

Mr. Speaker, it's an interesting thing: there are programs around here that are completely out of control, and one is the Department of Energy's Loan Guarantee Program that our Energy and Commerce Committee has been investigating for the past year. I'll tell you, I was thinking about an old country song when we were talking about this program today, which is: when you're in a hole, stop digging. That is certainly what applies to the Department of Energy's Loan Guarantee Program, and that is what DOE needs to do.

We are seeking information to figure out exactly what has happened with taxpayer money. Now, everybody has heard about Solyndra. We all know how that has run off the rails. It went bankrupt; it wasted taxpayer money. Now we have Fisker, which is a company that received Federal loan guarantees. Right now, it's trying to renegotiate the terms of its initial loan. Guess what, now we find out that they're laying off employees--20 employees and 40 contractors.

Yet, again, another Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program, under the watch of Secretary Chu, is having difficulty, and Federal taxpayer money is being wasted.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is becoming increasingly clear to anybody that's paying attention that this President's policies have failed and are making the economy worse.

More Americans are out of work than when he took office. At that point, unemployment was 7.8 percent. America has witnessed the longest period of sustained high unemployment since the Great Depression, more than 8 percent for every month that he has been in office.

When the President talks about the latest unemployment statistics, I think it's important that we look at more pressing issues, which is labor force participation. For the past 31 months, discouraged workers have been dropping out of the labor force in unprecedented numbers.

In June 2009, which they like to say was the end of the recession--it was 6 months into his term--the labor force participation rate was 65.7 percent. Today, it is down to 63.7 percent. The difference between those two numbers represents 4.8 million people who have given up looking for work. If the labor force participation rate had remained where it was when he took office, at 65.7 percent, the unemployment rate for January 2012 would have been 11 percent, rather than 8.3.

It is time for us to change policies. It is time for us to get America back to work. The American people continue to say, ``Where are the jobs?''

Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Madam Chairman, I oppose the amendment, and I stand here today in support of repealing the CLASS Act.

You know, it's been almost 2 years since we sought passage of the ObamaCare bill in this Chamber, and it is something that we have worked since taking the majority to repeal this and get it off the books; and, indeed, what we are seeing is a need to get this CLASS Act off the books.

Despite the Federal Government's best efforts, there is no way to show that this is going to save money. Indeed, in a budget gimmick, as we were discussing this bill in committee a couple of years ago, what they did was to come in and say, Oh, this will save $80 billion. Oh, let's add title 8 to the bill, let's add sections 8001 and 8002 to this legislation, and let's create this little pool here where we're going to have near-term expenses that are supposed to yield us some long-term savings. The problem is all the new math you wanted to put to work on this, Madam Chair, there was no way to show that it was ever going to save money. And, indeed, Secretary Sebelius, who is the Health and Human Services Secretary, was forced to admit last October that there was no path forward for this program.

So what we need to do is to say this was a mistake. It doesn't save money. It is not going to address a problem. It is something that needs to come off the books. It is a way we can step forward and we can take a program off the books. And I encourage my colleagues to support ending the CLASS Act, getting it off the books.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, it is so true that ``to whom much is given, much is required,'' especially when it comes to ensuring the blessings of creation for our children and grandchildren. Seventy-five years ago, a group of concerned citizens came together to offer their time, talents, and treasures to protect waterfowl populations and preserve wetland habitats.

Ducks Unlimited has a purposed beginning. During the 1937 Dust Bowl, drought-plagued waterfowl populations were at unprecedented lows. Recognizing the waterfowl were dangerously near to unrecoverable populations, a small group of sportsmen organized themselves and got to work.

Over the past 75 years, the members of Ducks Unlimited have worked to conserve, restore, and manage habitats essential to the well-being of our continent's waterfowl populations. Through public-private partnerships and the hard work of Ducks Unlimited volunteers throughout the country, more than 12 million acres across North America have been preserved.

Madam Speaker, it never ceases to amaze me how the citizenry, bound together by common dedication, determination, and focus, and not by government fiat, can change the world. Ducks Unlimited has spent the last 75 years improving water quality, mitigating the effects of floods, safeguarding and expanding recreational opportunities. They are to be commended for their 75 years.

Mr. Speaker, we owe much of our freedom to those who offer their life's work in service to the tenets of this mighty country. With unequalled resolve, the men and women of the United States Armed Forces protect freedom at home while bringing the light of freedom into the world's darkest places.

On October 19, 2011, one of our brave defenders of the contract of democracy was injured when an Improvised Explosive Device exploded while he was on patrol in Afghanistan. He celebrated his 24th birthday at Walter Reed Medical Center awaiting his second prosthetic leg. After 11 surgeries, Wilson remains determined as his toil is for a higher purpose. He will stand and greet his fellow heroes as they return from the Global War on Terror in April.

With boldness, the brave men and women serving in our Armed Forces respond to recognizable evil with the might of America's military, and today freedom continues to march onward. There is a debt of gratitude to Specialist Wilson that no words can repay. I ask my colleagues to join with me in honoring Specialist Andrew Wilson as he refuses to accept defeat and lives brightly the Warrior Ethos. I rise to honor his sacrifice and join him in prayer for those in battle who have not yet made it home.

Mr. Speaker, there are sacred obligations all citizens have to their community: to participate, to serve, and to leave their home a more prosperous place than they found it. From time to time, it is my distinct privilege to acknowledge outstanding citizens who have made it their life's work to fulfill their sacred obligations. I rise today to honor Chief Ricky Watson as he retires from 25 years of service to the Brentwood community, the Memphis community, and the greater Tennessee family.

Chief Watson began his career in public service by joining the Memphis Police Department in 1978 where he worked in various precincts as well as in the Criminal Investigations Division. A veteran of the United States Air Force, it was no surprise that Chief Watson would join the Tennessee National Guard and earn the rank of 1st Lieutenant. Coming to Brentwood in 1986, he served as Captain of Administrative Services and Captain of Police Services until 2000 when he was appointed as Chief of Police.

A storied legacy of service, Chief Watson embodies at that we in this chamber hold sacred. A member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, American Legion, and Leadership Brentwood, Chief Watson has spent his career giving to the noble ideals of freedom, service, and sacrifice. I thank him for his service and his example, and ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ricky Watson for his lasting devotion to a higher calling.

Mr. Speaker, throughout our history, at times appointed, this country has come face-to-face with evil. It's gone by different names, but it is always recognizable by its desire to blot out the light of freedom. Time and time again, America has seen her sons and daughters respond to that threat with the might, devotion, and strength of military service. We've seen the freedom defended within our boundaries, but more than this, we've come to be known the world- over as defenders of freedom's cause at home and abroad.

One such son, Robert Mechling, took to the call of freedom and served as captain in the 8th Army Air Force in World War II. His dedication to the mission at hand and the promise of liberty for those bound by tyranny's grasp has earned him deserved admiration and distinction. For his heroic deeds which were decisive in the liberation of France, especially his participation in the Normandy landings, Mechling will receive the National Order of the Legion of Honor.

I rise today to honor Robert Mechling as he receives the highest honor given by the President of the Republic of France and thank him for his courage. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Mechling and all who served in WWII for their constant vigilance against the foe.

I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, he said something that is so important. This is a special day, it's a somber day and solemn in many ways, but yet it is a day when you think about hope and encouragement and reconciliation. We all have had constituents who have come in today to express their opinion and to mark this 39 years to be here to protest, 39 long, painful years of government-sanctioned abortion on demand.

My constituents and many Tennesseans that came here today and that gathered in churches and at the State Capitol in Nashville have done it for two reasons. One is to protest abortion. The other is to show respect for life. They have spoken with one voice.

Life is a beautiful gift from God and no government should be able to take that life away. We know in our hearts what is true. Life is a natural right, and the Declaration of Independence calls for us to protect the smallest and the weakest among us. After all, there is no independence without our most basic, fundamental right, the right to life.

There are a couple of things that have concerned many of us lately. One is abortion being smuggled into our health care system through ObamaCare. It is something that I think is morally indefensible, it is fiscally irresponsible, it is an issue that we're going to hear more about each and every day as we go through the year.

As a woman, I believe that America and our citizens deserve better than abortion. And I believe, and this is the second thing that has really caught a lot of attention lately and is an area where we are going to place some additional attention this year, and that is on Planned Parenthood. America deserves better than Planned Parenthood. And it's important that everyone realize, Mr. Speaker, that Planned Parenthood continues to profit from the destruction of human life with taxpayer money. This year, we are going to delve into that issue a little bit more and find out more about what has happened with these funds and the organization of Planned Parenthood.

Today, as our constituents have come into the city, we have been encouraged, and we have encouraged others. It's nice to be able to encourage one another. We all have prayed for the millions of women and children who are hurt by abortion, and we have also prayed that God will provide the courage and the steadfastness that is needed for us to put an end to this national tragedy.

I thank the gentleman for the time.

Every time I go back home to Tennessee and as I hold town hall meetings, I do hear from my constituents: Enough is enough. Stop the madness. Let's get the Nation's fiscal house in order.

That is what the American people are demanding that we do. Just so we all realize what the debt is, you're talking $15.2 trillion. Nearly $5 trillion, or one-third, of that debt has come onto the books in the past 3\1/2\ years. That is the rate of acceleration by which this administration is pushing this Nation to the brink, and that is why our constituents are saying, ``Stop it.'' It's the reason for this vote today: to pass a resolution of disapproval and to send our message to the President that, look, time has long passed for you to bring forward a plan to deal with this debt. It is your responsibility to do so for this country, and it is your responsibility to do so for future generations in order to make certain that our children and our grandchildren, like my two grandchildren, don't have an increasing share of this.

This past year, a family's share of our national debt grew by $30,000. It is time for us to realize that we have to stop the out-of- control spending, we have to freeze this spending, and then we have to begin to cut and remove and eliminate items that are unnecessary to the budget. Let's reiterate our commitment to getting back on the right track, getting our fiscal house in order, and let's reiterate this commitment to the American people that we have hit the high-water mark in spending, and we are going to join together in a bipartisan fashion to make certain that we get the Federal Government's fiscal house in order.

Will the gentleman yield?

I want to go back to something that Mr. Scalise said, which I think gets to the heart of the issues that we are talking about. And I would like to highlight this with our colleagues.

Mr. Scalise, who knows this issue so very well because he is from Louisiana, he has constituents who work in this industry every day. He said, what the President had done was to choose, to make a conscious decision to push off making a definitive pronouncement on the Keystone pipeline. Mr. Speaker, I think that is so important. And what Mr. Scalise is saying gets to the heart of this.

The President made that decision. Usually--and Mr. Scalise can illuminate us on this issue a bit--but it is my understanding that, generally, a Presidential permit requires anywhere from 18 to 24 months to secure, and that currently the Keystone pipeline is in its 40th month of trying to get a permit from this administration, from the President; and that if the President has his way on this, he is going to push that, and it would be another 12 months.

The gentleman's point, I think, is so important to make. The President has already taken twice as long as most Presidents would take to enter into this decision. So he has already had twice as much time. But he is asking for half again as much time to make this decision.

And while he can't make a decision--it's like voting ``present'' when you come to the floor to cast a vote, not being able to make a decision, being indecisive on this--while that is transpiring, the United States is looking at 20,000 direct American jobs and an additional 118,000 private sector jobs that would be linked to this project, if the information is correct that I have received. So you are talking about a total of 138,000 direct and indirect American jobs, good-paying jobs that are American products that will produce energy that is right here that we would be getting from Canada and bringing in about 700,000 barrels of oil a

day so that we could begin to break the ties that are existing with OPEC and Middle Eastern oil.

And I think that it's so important for us to look at this. This is not an issue of taking more time or additional time.

The time is now because we've already spent twice as much time as is generally needed to do the due diligence and to check the process and to make that decision that will move us toward energy independence.