Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, while we are debating this bill, Americans are concerned about the pending health care legislation. Americans know that advances in medical research are a strength of the American health care system and should be encouraged instead of restricted by additional layers of redtape.

Unfortunately, this misguided health care legislation would reduce Medicare payments to CAT scan and MRI providers. It also creates a 2.9 percent excise tax on medical device manufacturers. The lowered payments and increased taxes can reduce the availability of new and advancing medical imaging technology. This will inhibit future innovation in medical research and will delay or deny patient access to new and valuable technologies.

Continued innovation that improves patient-centered medicine is vital to the long-term availability of health care services in America. This is just one example of the number of provisions buried in this pending health care bill.

The unintended consequences of lowering payments and increasing taxes will constrain future research and development and hinder our doctors' ability to deliver the best quality care to our patients. This pending health care legislation will end up restricting the innovation and invention which is at the heart of the American economy. And for that reason, I strongly oppose the bill, and we should be debating that bill today.

Madam Speaker, I am just a bill, and I am sitting here on Capitol Hill waiting for a vote, apparently, unless you're in Nancy Pelosi's House. Unlike in ``School House Rock,'' Nancy Pelosi says that this little guy doesn't need to wait around for a vote. He can be deemed to be passed.

Now, this is a new one for my daughter Jessica's high school government class. They can't understand how Speaker Pelosi can deem a bill passed without a vote. There is no deeming a bill passed in ``School House Rock'' or in the expectations of the American people.

In today's Washington Post, Speaker Pelosi tells us why she wants to deem the health care bill passed without a vote. She suggests that it politically protects lawmakers who are reluctantly supporting the measure. However, the American people are smart. They know that for this bill to become law, it takes a vote.

Madam Speaker, let's stop the parliamentary tricks. Let's bring this bill to a vote, and I will be voting ``no.''

Madam Speaker, it is irresponsible for Congress to continue debating an increasingly unpopular and costly health care bill at a time of record-breaking deficits and uncertainty about our economy. We should be focusing on reducing spending and creating jobs. In Tuesday's New York Times, columnist David Brooks editorialized that the majority's ``passion for coverage has swamped their . . . commitment to reducing the debt. The result is a bill that is fundamentally imbalanced.'' Brooks wrote that ``they've stuffed the legislation with gimmicks and dodges designed to get a good score from the Congressional Budget Office but that don't genuinely control runaway spending.'' He points out that the bill appears deficit-neutral because it immediately collects revenues but doesn't pay for benefits until 2014. It also doesn't include $300 billion in additional costs because it assumes Congress will cut Medicare reimbursements by 21 percent.

Unfortunately, this proposed government takeover of health care has blocked the path to reasonable reform. We can and must work together on a bipartisan basis to achieve real reform that will bring down costs and increase access for all Americans without increasing the national debt.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my long-time staff member and dear friend, Stacy Barton, as she departs from her distinguished service to the United States Congress.

Stacy has served as my chief of staff for four terms as the Representative from Ohio's Third Congressional District. She has served the people of my community with great enthusiasm and unrivaled commitment, and will be missed by all who have had the honor of working with her.

Stacy grew up in Calvert County, Maryland, where her grandparents owned a tobacco farm. She attended both Northern Middle and Northern High schools, later enrolling at St. Mary's College to major in psychology and sociology.

After beginning her graduate studies at the University of Delaware, Stacy enrolled in a fellowship program through the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. It was then that she began her Hill career, serving the distinguished Member from Washington, D.C., Eleanor Holmes Norton.

Following her fellowship, Stacy remained in Representative Norton's office for another year before leaving the Hill.

She later served as the director of government relations for a firm with a focus on urban development, representing clients such as the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

I first met Stacy in her work with the U.S. Conference of Mayors and for the City of Dayton, Ohio.

Stacy formed her own lobbying firm, the Barton Company, in January 1999, advocating for many mayors throughout the country. She served as the city of Dayton's Washington, D.C., office when I served as the mayor of Dayton.

In 2002, Stacy closed her firm to serve as chief of staff in my Congressional office on the seventh floor of the Longworth House office building. She served with great distinction and, at times, has been the only African American chief of staff to a Republican Member in either the House or the Senate. It has been suggested that Stacy Barton may be the first female African American to serve as chief of staff to a Republican Member of the House. And I dare say that she probably is the only staffer from Eleanor Holmes Norton's office to serve as chief of staff to a Republican Member of Congress.

As is often the case with life on the hill, Stacy's public service has come with many personal sacrifices, including spending a great deal of time away from her husband, Lee, and her two incredible children, Morgan and Miles.

In addition to the battles fought daily on Capitol Hill, Stacy has lived with multiple sclerosis, cared for her mother who was diagnosed with cancer, and raised a daughter with autism.

Stacy and I have worked together for over 10 years. Stacy, as you leave the seventh floor of Longworth this evening, I owe you my sincere thanks and gratitude for your friendship and for your counsel.

I wish you a happy new beginning.

Mr. Speaker, as the administration begins to finally focus on job creation, they should look to the auto industry. Last year, the Federal Government, at the insistence of the administration, provided a $30 billion bailout to General Motors to create, according to administration officials, ``a leaner and more efficient company.''

Recently, in House hearings, I questioned Assistant Treasury Secretary Allison about taxpayer dollars subsidizing GM expansion and investment overseas. This taxpayer bailout appears to have cost additional U.S. jobs and is jeopardizing automotive supplier companies. Harco Manufacturing, from my congressional district, is an example of a supplier being impacted by the bailout of General Motors. After receiving bailout funds, General Motors has selected suppliers from overseas, making it nearly impossible for domestic companies to fairly compete for business.

Harco has requested that auto czar Ed Montgomery visit their facility to talk about these issues during his trip

to Ohio tomorrow. It is my hope that Mr. Montgomery will work with them to help grow jobs here and not overseas.

Mr. Speaker, American auto suppliers deserve better from their government.

Madam Speaker, Member requests associated with the fiscal year 2010 defense appropriations bill (H.R. 3326).

Project--Advanced Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC)

Requesting Member: Michael Turner

Bill Number: H.R. 3326

Account: Air Force, RDT&E

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Advanced Technical Intelligence Center for Human Capital Development (ATIC)

Address of Requesting Entity: 2685 Hibiscus Way, Suite 110, Beavercreek, OH 45431

Description of Request:

I am requesting $5,200,000 for Advanced Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) in fiscal year 2010. The entity to receive funding for this project is Advanced Technical Intelligence Center for Human Capital Development (ATIC), 2685 Hibiscus Way, Suite 110, Beavercreek, OH 45431. The funding being requested will enable ATIC to continue and expand its mission to educate future technical intelligence experts while conducting basic research necessary to sustain technology advancements in support of the Intelligence Community and the warfighter.

Mr. Speaker, Politico reported last week that the Democrat health care reform legislation has more pages than War and Peace, and nearly five times as many words as the Torah, costing over $2 million per word.

The Republican Conference reports that over 100 new Federal bureaucracies are created in the bill. The Wall Street Journal Opinion Page stated that ``the bill may be the worst piece of post-New Deal legislation ever introduced.''

America deserves better, and the American people demand more from their leaders on something that is so important to every American family. There is a better way to maintain care for those with health insurance, while decreasing the number of uninsured Americans.

We should start with some commonsense reform, such as prohibiting insurers from excluding preexisting conditions, allowing insurers to offer plans across State lines, enacting tort reform, and allowing small businesses to pool together to purchase health plans for their employees.

Mr. Speaker, it is not too late for us to work together to craft responsible legislation and decrease costs.

Mr. Speaker, if the government's handling of the outbreak of H1N1 flu, known as swine flu, is any indication of how it will administer a public health care option, we should all be greatly concerned. With the media reporting that lines of hundreds of people wait for H1N1 vaccinations, it took a Presidential national emergency declaration just to cut through the bureaucratic red tape.

If this Congress is serious about health care reform, why not start with simple principles on which most of us can agree, such as prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage based on preexisting conditions, portability of health care coverage, investing in medical research to ensure quality care, deductibility of health insurance premiums, ensuring access to health savings accounts, limiting frivolous lawsuits which raise health care costs, and allowing small businesses to group together to negotiate insurance plans.

Instead of the President's sweeping overhaul, which will likely result in pitfalls, we should look at simple reforms to adhere to mutually agreed upon principles ensuring that those who have health insurance can keep it and those who don't can obtain it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Lipinski, for introducing this legislation commemorating the 90th anniversary of the establishment of U.S.-Polish Diplomatic Relations.

The Polish people and the people of the United States have a long history of friendship that dates back to the American war of independence when Polish patriot Casimir Pulaski volunteered to serve in the Continental Army and led his own cavalry regiment in fighting the British.

We have stood shoulder to shoulder during dark times in both our histories, and in more recent times, we rejoiced together as the iron curtain that had enshrouded Poland and Eastern Europe was cast aside.

And, in 1999, the United States and NATO welcomed Poland into our security partnership.

In 2008, America signed a cooperative security agreement with Poland to further our mutual security interests. This included the establishment of a missile defense system to protect both Europe and the United States from ballistic missile attacks from rogue states such as Iran.

This agreement was signed as a result of the strong courage of Poland's leaders who believed the United States government when it promised to help protect their homeland.

Ironically, on September 17, 2009--the 70th anniversary of the 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland--the Administration withdrew U.S. support for this mutual missile defense system in Europe. The Administration must now respond to find other ways that our cooperative partnership may be advanced.

As a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the author of the NATO First Act, I believe the United States must remain committed to working with the Polish people to sustain our mutual partnership.

I urge support of H. Res. 266.

Madam Speaker, United States Air Force Lieutenant General Terry Gabreski, the highest-ranking female officer in the Air Force, is retiring after 35 years of distinguished and honorable service to our nation.

General Gabreski distinguished herself as Vice Commander of the U.S. Air Force Material Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, located in my congressional district, from August, 2005 through January, 2010. During her leadership, she catapulted the Air Force Material Command into one of the most highly efficient and productive organizations within the Department of Defense.

General Gabreski executed over 40 percent of the entire U.S. Air Force budget during her tenure and oversaw the full operational capability of the F-22A.

General Gabreski supported the warfighter, ensuring our forward- deployed operations have the resources they need. She also oversaw the development and deployment of AngelFire persistent surveillance and the reconnaissance program, which was lauded by the U.S. Marine Corps as ``war-winning technology.'' She is also responsible for the Aeronautical System Center's Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) program, which was established in response to the portable anti-aircraft missile threat to intra-theater airlift.

General Gabreski worked to effectively make sure the Air Force lived within its budget. She radically simplified and streamlined the

Air Force sustainment funding system through the development and implementation of Centralized Asset Management (CAM). These efforts allowed the Air Force to make decisions within constrained funding, enabling warfighters to focus on their primary missions, and established a new level of credibility in warfighter support overall.

General Gabreski was a leader and inspiration to the Dayton community. During her time at WPAFB, she participated in many events, offering advice to women in leadership roles. She is a credit to the Air Force and a source of support and inspiration to many throughout the military and the Dayton community.

As General Gabreski culminates a distinguished career of more than three decades of Air Force service, I appreciate her dedication to her country, her outstanding performance as the highest ranking female officer in the Air Force, and her significant contributions toward strengthening our military.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member McKeon for their leadership and their steadfast support for our men and women in uniform.

The portion of this bill that relates to our strategic forces legislation reflects broad bipartisan agreement. The conference report retains a provision to establish the stockpile management program, strengthen the stockpile stewardship program and preserve the intellectual infrastructure.

I am pleased that the report includes a provision on the START follow-on treaty, which makes it clear that the treaty should not include limitations on missile defense or advanced conventional weapons; and that the enhanced safety, security and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile and modernization of the nuclear weapons complex are key to enabling further stockpile reductions.

I am disappointed that the conference sustains the President's cut of $1.2 billion to our missile defense systems. These cuts come despite significant activity in Iran and North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs.

I introduced a provision which would have increased funds for the European missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic and open the door to an alternative only if the Secretary of Defense certified that it was at least as cost effective and operationally available as the Czech and Polish-based system. Unfortunately, my amendment was diluted as the Defense bill passed. However, I still expect the administration to address its intent.

In missile defense, I am pleased that the report authorizes an increase of $20 million to sustain the GMD industrial base and $23 million for additional SM-3 interceptors.

In another area, I am concerned that this report does not include the House-passed language protecting child custody arrangements for servicemembers. I want to thank Chairman Skelton for his bipartisan support on this issue. The language which I offered has consistently been opposed by the Senate and the Department of Defense, although it has passed the House four times.

While the report includes a study to be undertaken by March 31, 2010, studying this issue and waiting for States to enact custody protections is not a strategy to solve this problem. Our men and women in uniform serve in a Federal military and deserve Federal action on this issue.

I appreciate the work that has been done on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 758, 759, and 760, I was detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on 758, ``no'' on 759 and ``yea'' on 760.

Madam Speaker, as the Cincinnati Reds wind down their 2009 season, many in Dayton and southwest Ohio are feeling a sense of loss for the departure of the Reds' best known sports writer, Hal McCoy, who retires next week.

To call Hal McCoy an institution in sports journalism is somehow not giving him due credit. Hal McCoy is the Reds to the readers of the Dayton Daily News. He's been on the Reds' beat for 37 years--longer than any other sports reporter following a single team.

His ``Real McCoy'' blog on the Dayton Daily News site notes ``McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.''

An honors graduate from Kent State University's School of Journalism, Hal McCoy has 43 Ohio and national writing awards. Most appropriately, he is also a member of the writer's wing of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.

Hal McCoy's retirement comes as the Dayton Daily News ceases its special reporting on the Cincinnati Reds due to budget limitations. As McCoy put it, ``I'll finish the season covering the Reds and baseball, the last hurrah, then say my final goodbyes. They're putting me out to pasture. I only wish it was center field.''

While he notes retirement is not something he looks forward to, Hal McCoy admits he may still do some writing for the Dayton Daily News. We hope so. Good luck and thanks for everything, Hal.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to my distinguished colleague from the State of Illinois (Mrs. Biggert).

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H. Res. 16, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise in support of H. Res. 693, honoring the life and accomplishments of Jim Johnson and expressing condolences to his family on his death. Today we honor Jim Johnson for his life accomplishments and for his positive attitude he exhibited, even as he battled with cancer.

Mr. Johnson began his coaching career as head coach at Missouri Southern University. He went on to coach at Notre Dame, winning the national championship in his first year with the university. He entered the NFL in 1986 with the Arizona Cardinals and coached for 22 years for the Cardinals, the Indianapolis Colts, the Seattle Seahawks and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Mr. Johnson's achievements in life and his career are truly inspiring. He was one of the top defensive masterminds in NFL history. In fact, his aggressive style, noted for its frequent blitzing, kept Philadelphia at or near the top of the NFL in nearly every major defensive category since Mr. Johnson joined the Eagles staff in 1999. With Mr. Johnson at the helm of the defense, the Philadelphia Eagles appeared in five NFC championship games, including in 2004 when they advanced to the Super Bowl.

Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid stated:

``Johnson really represented everything the City of Philadelphia is all about, with his toughness and grit. That's the way he fought this cancer.''

It is clear that Mr. Johnson made a large impact on those around him on and off the field. Sadly, Mr. Johnson passed away from melanoma on July 28, 2009, at the age of 68. Though he has left this world, he will forever be remembered for his accomplishments.

I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Johnson and expressing our condolences to his family in his passing by supporting H. Res. 693.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of House Resolution 693, and I yield back the balance of my time.