Floor Statements

Thank you, Ranking Member McKeon. I want to thank our chairman for his support for an amendment that's in the en bloc.

Two weeks ago, Jim Marshall and I introduced the NATO First bill. With the chairman's support, six out of eight of the provisions of that bill are included in some form of the National Defense Authorization Act that recognized support for our allies in Europe. As the U.S. and Russia begin our START negotiations of the previous START Treaty expiring at the end of 2009, it's important for us to set some framework.

This amendment would limit the use of FY 2010 defense funds to implement reductions for U.S. strategic nuclear forces pursuant to a treaty with Russia, for example, START, unless the President certifies that the treaty: one, provides sufficient verification mechanisms; two, does not limit U.S. ballistic missile defense systems capabilities or advanced conventional weapons capabilities; and that the National Nuclear Security Administration is sufficiently funded. The amendment also requires a report on U.S. and Russian nonstrategic nuclear weapons.

I want to thank Roger Zakheim from our staff, who worked diligently for the drafting of the NATO First bill and also for the accomplishment of these amendments.

I want to thank the chairman who has continued to work in a bipartisan way to accomplish a number of provisions in this bill that are important to our national security, and I believe this is certainly one of them.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to speak in favor of the Franks amendment. I was very disappointed with the administration's decision to cut $1.2 billion out of missile defense funding below the fiscal year 2009 funding. Make no mistake, this is a cut. We are going to spend $1.2 billion less than we spent in 2009.

We are going to do this while we have increasing threats, not decreasing threats, to the United States. And make no mistake, the Department of Defense has not provided one data point. They have not provided one study. They have not provided any information, no intelligence that indicates we have a reduced threat, all the while we know with this reduced threat, there is no justification for a reduction.

I am concerned with the top-line missile defense cut, I am deeply concerned about the specific cuts that include a 35 percent cut to the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system in Alaska and California, and the administration decision to decrease the planned number of field interceptors, which is our response to North Korea's ICBMs, terminate construction of a missile field in Alaska that is partially complete, and curtail additional GMD development.

I support the Franks amendment. While we have an increased threat, we should not be decreasing our commitment to missile defense.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2847.

(1) Project--Wilmington Police Department--Equipment Replacement and Modernization

Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner

Bill Number: H.R. 2847

Account: OJP--Byrne

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wilmington Police Department

Address of Requesting Entity: 69 N South St., Wilmington, Ohio 45177

Description of Project: Located in rural Clinton County, Ohio, the Wilmington Police and Fire Department are in need of equipment modernization in order to more effectively serve the first responder needs of the community. Funds for this request will be used to replace computer equipment for the Department in order to increase public safety.

(2) Project--Improved Solutions for Urban Systems--21st Century Jobs for Disengaged Youth

Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner

Bill Number: H.R. 2847

Account: OJP--JJ

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Improved Solutions for Urban Systems (ISUS)

Address of Requesting Entity: 140 N. Keowee St., Dayton, OH 45402

Description of Project: Improved Solutions for Urban Systems is looking to expand upon their already successful model of providing education and job training for at-risk youth. Funds for this project will be used to support and train disengaged youth for 21st Century jobs, such as ``green collar'' jobs.

I would like to thank and congratulate Chairman Skelton,

Ranking Member McKeon and his predecessor John McHugh, who has been nominated for Secretary of the Army, and lend my support for H.R. 2647, the fiscal year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act. I would also like to thank Mrs. Tauscher, Chairwoman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee. She has provided a strong and thoughtful voice on national security issues. I wish her the very best in her new position as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.

This bill contains sound bipartisan provisions that provide key capabilities to our warfighters, strengthens our Nation's strategic forces and sustains the intellectual capital supporting our national security infrastructure.

The National Nuclear Security Administration is provided with the flexibility necessary to increase the long-term reliability, safety and security of our nuclear weapons stockpile. I was disappointed, however, that the bill implements the administration's missile defense cut of $1.2 billion. Given North Korea's widely publicized nuclear missile tests and missile launches, not to mention Iran's recent missile tests, cuts in missile defense challenge common sense. I cannot reconcile why the administration has decided to decrease missile defense funding while daily news reports, substantiated by our own intelligence agencies, articulate an increasing missile threat. Despite the current threat posed by North Korea, including reports of a potential ICBM launch, the committee rejected amendments, many that were offered by myself and my colleagues, to restore missile defense funds. This included providing a modest amount of funds to complete a partially constructed missile interceptor field in Alaska designed to protect the U.S. homeland. Ironically, the bill includes $80 million for dismantling North Korea's missile program. I don't think anyone actually believes that Kim Jong Il is going to allow the Obama administration to enter North Korea and dismantle its nuclear weapons program. Unfortunately, the administration's $1.2 billion cut has set up false choices between protection of the United States homeland and protection of our forward-deployed troops and allies. Both are necessary, and both could have been adequately funded without such deep cuts. I am, however, pleased this bill included key provisions of the bipartisan NATO First bill that my colleague Mr. Marshall and I introduced to fortify America's transatlantic security links with our European allies.

I want to thank the chairman for his efforts, including these provisions in this bill. Lastly I would like to thank Jane Harman, Joe Wilson and Susan Davis for their support and assistance as this bill includes strong provisions to enhance sexual assault protections for women in uniform. Also with the chairman's support, this bill includes provisions that would protect the custody rights of our men and women who are serving. Unbelievably, courts across this country have denied our men and women their custody rights as a result of their absence in serving their country. Secretary Gates has committed to work with this committee, and I look forward to his work on this. I would like to encourage support for the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act.

Madam Speaker, last weekend the Dayton, Ohio area played host to America's Amateur Radio operators. The Dayton Hamvention, located in Trotwood, has been a fixture of the Amateur Radio community since the event's founding in 1952.

There are 663,000 FCC-licensed amateurs in the United States and Ohio ranks fourth nationally with a total of 27,800. Many traveled to the Dayton area to attend the Hamvention.

The Amateur Radio Service, which began in the early 1900s, is both a challenging hobby and a valuable national resource in times of local and national disasters. Amateur Radio has repeatedly proven its value in providing two-way communications for local emergency operations centers and public safety officials during hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes and even terror attacks. Its motto, ``When all else fails . . . Amateur Radio,'' is more relevant today than ever.

For most of the 20th century, Amateur Radio attracted and nurtured telecommunications skills in America's youth, inspiring many to seek careers in communications and engineering while advancing the art of radio communications. Today, Amateur Radio satellites link hobbyists around the globe, and Amateur Radio operators combine the latest computer technology and digital communications with a commitment to public service.

The Dayton Hamvention, sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association, has steadily grown in size and popularity to become the premier annual gathering of ham radio operators from around the world. The three day event offered exhibits of the latest in radio and digital communications technology and forums for hams to share their skills and interests.

Thanks to the never ending hard work of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association, hams eagerly look to Dayton each year for innovation and inspiration.

Well, I want to thank Brad Miller for his leadership on this issue. This is a very important issue that affects our whole country. And we all took a pause as we saw our financial institutions shaken nationally. And as the bailouts were proposed that came here to this floor to be voted upon, across the country, Americans wondered, How did we get here? How did this happen?

Now I voted against every bailout that came here to this floor. And I voted against it because not only did I believe that they were not structured appropriately, that there was money that was going to be wasted, but more importantly, not one of them included a change in the laws that would prohibit the type of practices that got us here to begin with. The toxic assets that people talk about are these mortgage- backed securities that were traded and sold upstream. They were the securities that were based upon practices of mortgage lending that had a negative impact on our families and a negative impact on our communities.

And today I wanted to offer my support for the recently passed bill, H.R. 1728, Mr. Miller's bill, the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2009. This bill directly addresses the root causes of the current financial and economic crisis in the United States as well as how it has led to some home abandonment and high foreclosure rates throughout the country.

Mr. Speaker, the United States is experiencing a steady increase in foreclosures and mortgage lending problems that have impacted homeowners, families, communities, the United States economy and global economies. In 2006, there were an estimated 1.3 million foreclosures in the United States. This number has increased by 79 percent in 2007, bringing the estimated number of foreclosures nationwide to 2.2 million. In 2008, an estimated 3.2 million foreclosures were reported nationwide. Estimates suggest that this trend is likely to continue with millions more of Americans potentially losing their homes to foreclosure in the next 4 years and with foreclosures not abating until perhaps 2011.

Recently, an analysis by the Associated Press reported that Ohio has three of the most vacant neighborhoods in the United States where home foreclosure and abandonment have devastated neighborhoods with parts of northwest Dayton, Ohio, in my district, with more than 40 percent of the area being vacant. This statistic makes northwest Dayton the ninth emptiest neighborhood in the Nation. If you look at the 2008 foreclosure rates in my district, there have been 4,091 foreclosures in Montgomery County, the primary county of my district. There were 1,558 foreclosures in Warren County, 287 foreclosures in Clinton County, and 351 in Highland County.

These statistics become even more real when I open the pages of my local newspaper. When I was home over the past couple of weeks, I looked at the newspaper, and I actually compared the number of pages that actually contained news to the number of foreclosures. The Dayton Daily News the other day showed up on my doorstep. It had 14 pages of news nationally and worldwide and 14 pages of foreclosures. Those are foreclosures that affect families, communities and neighborhoods, the families that live there, the children that live there, and the neighbors that live next to the homes, and the neighborhoods that begin to decline upon foreclosure and abandonment.

According to a study commissioned by Jim McCarthy, the head of the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center in my district, the mortgage foreclosures associated with lenders who are identified as subprime lenders increased at an annual rate of 43 percent from 1994 to 2000. This number is more than double the annual 18 percent rate increase associated with lenders who are not identified as subprime lenders. The study also showed that foreclosure filings in Montgomery County, Ohio, nearly doubled from 1994 to 2000 and that subprime lenders were responsible for a disproportionately high share of that increase. In Montgomery County, the number of predatory lending complaints since 2001 have risen to 5,326.

Home foreclosures resulting from predatory lending take a toll on American cities. Properties which are foreclosed often sit vacant for long periods of time and not only become an eyesore but become a threat to public health and to safety. Boarded-up neighborhoods, falling property values, and increased crime all lead to an eroded local tax base and impair a city's ability to provide important services to urban families.

Additionally, when I served as mayor of the city of Dayton and faced this issue and how it impacts homeowners, my community continued to wonder how the financial markets would be able to sustain the losses associated the mortgage foreclosures. Beyond the individual impact resulting from predatory lending, these practices were resulting in the loss of capital in the market that cumulatively, one would expect that it would have an impact.

Now, I want to show you some of the boards that I have beside me. These are the home foreclosure numbers for Montgomery County for the years starting in 1997 to 2008. Since I have been in Congress here for 6\1/2\ years, in a county that has a population of slightly more than 500,000, there have been about 27,000 foreclosures in the community. The number of families that are impacted, the number of houses in the neighborhood is just really astounding.

I wanted to show you a representative map of a neighborhood that would show you what that would look like from the early period, before this period here starting from 2004 on where we have the higher numbers, as the foreclosure crisis began in the community. This is one Dayton neighborhood in northeast Dayton. You can see probably on the camera just a few of the streets and the make-up of the area. But for every dot you see on this map, that represents a foreclosure. This is just the period from 1997 to 2003. We haven't even imposed upon this map what occurred from 2003 forward.

If you imagine, that means that just about everybody living in the neighborhood lives next to a house that went through foreclosure. And what is unfortunate is that a lot of those houses then go on to abandonment. When a house is foreclosed, a family might walk away. And many times families are left in the neighborhood living next to houses like these that become boarded up, sources for criminal activity, lowering the property values and trapping everyone. If these houses were subject to predatory lending and their neighbors were not, the neighbors still are impacted by predatory lending by having these types of occurrences in their neighborhood and next to them.

Well, today, Mr. Speaker, the impact of all of this is clear. It does impact our financial institutions. And it does impact the very fabric of our financial institutions for our community and our country. These are the toxic assets that everyone speaks about. When they talk about toxic assets and mortgage-backed securities, they talk about the real- life foreclosures that have occurred. And predatory lending practices have contributed a disproportionate amount to those impacts.

I believe that homeownership is a privilege that everyone should enjoy. But we must not allow for the dream of homeownership to be shattered because of questionable and less-than-honest mortgage lending practices that can steal individuals' futures. That is why I'm pleased to commend my colleague, Brad Miller, on his leadership on this issue and work on securing the passage of H.R. 1728 in this body.

Brad, we appreciate it. The families who have been impacted appreciate it. This is an important step of changing the rules so that we don't continue the practice of creating toxic assets.

Well it has definitely gone down. And Brad, you make some excellent points. Now our community in Dayton, Ohio, and the surrounding counties, Warren, Clinton and Highland, that are in my district, we are not an area of the country which saw these large spikes in property values. We had very modest property appreciation. What happened most of the time, I believe, and the Montgomery County Fair Housing Center has statistics where this has been proven out, is that through predatory lending practices and what I believe are also fraudulent lending practices, the loan-to-value ratio got out of kilter. They would lend people more money than their house was worth. Structurally, you cannot maintain that. You are going to have a foreclosure if someone leverages their entire equity.

I will give you an example. Someone might have a house that is worth $70,000. A lender comes to them and says, well, your house is really worth $100,000. I will give you $10,000 cash out of your equity. And then they will charge them $15,000 in fees that are rolled up and capitalized into the loan, so the family now has a $100,000 loan on a house that was worth $75,000. They got $10,000 to send their kid to college or pay medical bills. But they are now sideways because the house really isn't worth $100,000.

So if you have then an economic event where they have difficulty in making that mortgage payment, it is different from economic downturns we have had before. When we have had economic downturns before, people still had equity in their home. They might be able to sell their home or they might be able to try to make the payments on the lower value. But once you have a loan on a house that is greater than its value, and people do not have the money to cut the check for the difference, they are going to walk away. And they are structurally going to have to leave that home behind. The bank is going to foreclose and take it. You're going to have this abandonment.

And what you just said, Brad, what is really important, is the people who live next to that house, who didn't have a predatory loan, who didn't take a loan out greater than their value, now see their property values drop because the house next door to them is now abandoned.

We have seen stagnation in property values and growth in the Dayton area, some declines. People who live next to a home that has been in foreclosure see their property values decline. So it is something that doesn't just impact the family. These numbers you see here of people who have had their home where they have lost it in foreclosure are multiplied by the number of people who live next to those homes. And in some neighborhoods because there are so many that this has happened, the whole neighborhood sees the decline.

Absolutely. In Ohio, we have had significant job loss, and that goes to part of the economic crisis that people are seeing.

But when you have people's home values drop, just as you said, they have less wealth. And when they have less wealth, they are less secure, so they are less secure in proceeding with other purchases.

But an issue that also impacts them is when the value of your house goes down because someone else has gone into foreclosure, the value is not there and you are also stuck, unable to sell your home. There are people now, who because of the number of foreclosures that have occurred in the neighborhood, were holding onto their house, and that has a suppressing impact on the economy also. If the value was still there, they might sell their home and move on.

Brad, I commend you again for your bill. Throughout the country, people know we have a foreclosure crisis. They know there is a foreclosure crisis which goes straight to the issue of toxic assets, which goes straight to the financial stability of our financial institutions. This bill, unlike the bailouts that were passed, goes straight to the issue of trying to stop these practices so that we don't continue to crank out toxic assets. That will provide stability in the market where people will have some confidence that these loans that are being given have some standards behind them and that families are not put at risk.

Exactly to what you said, one other thing that I want to talk about is the issue of how people feel about this.

There are people who live next to abandoned homes that went into foreclosure, who have made their payments and have seen their property values drop, and they know that lenders took advantage of the families in their neighborhoods, and those lenders are part of where the tax dollars are going for these bailouts. They want to know when are these lenders, when are they going to be held accountable and stopped from these types of activities. That is what your bill does. It goes to saying we are not going to allow the lenders to continue these practices. Elements of your bill will have a huge impact on neighborhoods and families. Thank you for advancing it.

Before you turn to Mr. Ellison, I do want to commend you for this bill. It is very important. You are taking action that goes right to the heart of the crisis. I am pleased to support it, as this House was, and we certainly look forward to it proceeding. Thank you for highlighting it today.

I speak today in favor of H. Resolution 401, honoring the life of the honorable Jack Kemp. Jack Kemp was a friend of mine. His love of urban issues and love of those who government could help to achieve the American Dream was both admirable and something that many of us have attempted to follow.

With his recent passing, we have to remember his work not only here in this body, but as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Jack Kemp is a guy who brought forth many concepts of how to appropriately size government, look to ways to lower tax burdens, and for economic development and moving the country forward. More importantly, he was also a guy who understood that the work of government was important, that it played an active role and held opportunity for people seeking the American Dream.

His work and efforts to advance some of those programs really made a difference in the lives of many and is something today that we can look to as a model.

He believed that tax cuts and economic growth would create benefits for everyone in the community, but also believed in trying to amass capital, bringing them to urban areas, assisting in redevelopment, assisting in enhancing educational programs, and looking to those neighborhoods where there were needs and ways which we can enhance their economic opportunity and the opportunity of those who live there.

Jack Kemp's legacy is a model that we should continue to strive for as we look to ways to take our government into our neighborhoods to assist those who are in need.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Akin. I appreciate your leadership on this and your leadership on the Armed Services Committee, and I want to thank you for doing this this evening. This is such an important issue.

And, Congressman Franks, I appreciate his leadership in trying to highlight where we have been, what we've accomplished, and, of course, the threats that we have in front of us.

Many people are not necessarily aware that we have missile defense currently deployed to protect portions of the United States and to respond to some of the threats. It's not a complete shield for the area, and it's certainly something that we moved quickly to deploy in the face of the issue of the threats of North Korea. Our system currently has 26 Ground-Based Interceptors in Alaska and California, 18 Aegis Missile Defense ships, 13 Patriot battalions, and five Ground- Based Radars all supported by satellite-based systems and command and control systems.

The issue here is that this is deployed initially to respond to emerging threats, but it's an incomplete system. It's one we have not fully yet assembled, and it certainly is technology that is emerging. The more that we work with this, the more that we learn, the greater ingenuity that we have and the ability to respond to what are real threats to our country.

As we all look to what Iran is doing and what North Korea is doing, we know that there is a real threat to our country, a real threat to our allies, and a real threat to our interests. So we have to preserve in this budget round our ability to fund the deployment of these systems, the maintenance, the upgrade, the research and development that will help us look to the future as to how do we protect our country and our allies. This is a very important function, and I really appreciate your bringing this to light and all those who are participating.

Again, I want to thank you for your focus on this because there is an information gap, I think, between our capability of what we are able to do and what the American people know that we can do. So many times when people talk about missile defense, they remember the past criticisms, that this is a system that would not work, it's an impossible task.

Well, this is a system that not only works, it's deployed. And many people are not aware that we actually have missile defense systems that are deployed for the purposes of protecting the United States from the threat of North Korea. Again, as you and I were discussing, it's an incomplete system in that we have not fully deployed all of the system that's necessary to protect the United States. But, again, this is a system that has not only been tested fully, responds to some of the threats that we have, but it's actually deployed.

Now, it is just the first phase of a system. We have to continue our research, continue the American ingenuity that is so great. The missiles that you have behind you that are able to intercept are so important, again, and technology that people said would not work.

We have other technologies that we need to explore; for example, the airborne laser, being able to take high directed energy and actually apply them to some of the missiles that threaten us. That's the technology that's so important to pursue.

Because as we pursue research and development, as we pursue testing and find out the ways in which we can utilize this, these technologies to protect ourselves, we are going to perfect it. We are going to find the American ingenuity that we all know and apply it in ways that protect our families and our communities and our cities.

I think the real easy answer as to why we should have missile defense is because our adversaries are so interested in funding missiles, and they obviously see that missiles are a way that they put us at risk because they are investing so heavily in it, in research and technology. And we are seeing in the rogue nations, now North Korea and Iran and their capabilities, the fact that they are reaching for these shows that we need to reach for the defense.

One area that I wanted to raise and that I know that we need investment in is in the area of intelligence and our space capabilities that give us the eyes and ears and the ability to understand what some of the threats are, to be able see them, to be able to respond.

It is good to bring this information to light for the public, because people need to know what's out there, what we are capable of, but also what is left to do.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105.

1. Project--Lynchburg Police Department Police Equipment Replacement and Modernization

Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner

Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division B

Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Village of Lynchburg

Address of Requesting Entity: 155 South Main Street, Lynchburg, Ohio 45142

Description of Project: Funding will go toward the replacement of outdated police cruisers and will support the inclusion of necessary, modern equipment that will support law enforcement in this community.

2. Project--Employment Training for Reentering Offenders-Turning Point Applied Learning Center

Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner

Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division B

Account: OJP-Byrne Discretionary Grants

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Turning Point Applied Learning Center, Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: Turning Point Applied Learning Center, Inc., 110 Homestead Ave., Hillsboro, OH 45133

Description of Project: Funds for this project will go toward the workforce retraining of ex-offenders in rural Ohio who lack a GED and are seeking basic employment skills and documented work history.

3. Project--Holes Creek, West Carrolton, OH

Requesting Member: Michael R. Turner

Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Division C

Account: Construction

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Miami Conservancy District

Address of Requesting Entity: 38 E. Monument Ave., Dayton, Ohio 45402

Description of Project: Funds will go toward the construction of a levee and floodwall to protect 13 commercial and industrial properties north of the creek, and purchase three flood prone properties south of the creek and remove the structures, completing this flood protection project.

4. Project--Ohio Environmental Infrastructure, OH, City of Hillsboro,

Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize the members of the General Daniel ``Chappie'' James American Legion Auxiliary Post 776, located in my congressional district in Riverside Ohio, for the service its members have given to our nation and our community.

Ms. Carol T. Robinson has completed a successful year as the 2007- 2008 Department of Ohio President of the American Legion Auxiliary. She is the first African-American woman to hold the office. Ms. Robinson joined the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 776 through her late brother, William A. Hawkins, a U.S. Army veteran during the Korean War.

Ms. Robinson organized a project with Sew Much Comfort, a local nonprofit organization, to supply adaptive clothing for hospitalized amputee service members. For the 89th Department of Ohio American Legion Convention held last July in Dayton, she asked each attendee to bring a donation for our troops. Ultimately, Ms. Robinson sorted, packed and shipped 48 boxes (503.7 pounds) for our wounded warriors. This summer, at the National Convention of the American Legion Auxiliary held in Phoenix, Arizona, Ms. Robinson accepted four National Awards, several Central Division Awards and Certificates for Auxiliary programs conducted during her administration.

The American Legion Auxiliary is the world's largest, nonprofit, patriotic women's service organization whose members do volunteer work for a multitude of worthwhile causes which benefit American's veterans, children and communities. It is my privilege to recognize Ms. Carol Robinson and the members of the General Daniel ``Chappie'' James American Legion Auxiliary Post 776 for their leadership and service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to pay tribute to United States Air Force General Bruce Carlson for his 37 years of distinguished and honorable service in the United States Air Force and to our Nation.

General Carlson has had a distinguished career, beginning with his graduation from the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Minnesota. He has held numerous flying assignments, staff and command positions throughout his career. He commanded the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, the Air Force's first stealth fighter wing. His staff assignments included time at HQ AF, the office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff. Prior to serving as Commander of Air Force Materiel Command, General Carlson served as Commander of the 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB and Joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike, U. S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB.

As Commander of AFMC, General Carlson led the organization to meet leadership challenges and world threats. General Carlson championed the Air Force alternative fuels program and delivered on Presidential and Secretary of the Air Force challenges to reduce the military's dependence on foreign oil. General Carlson also oversaw the development and deployment of AngelFire persistent surveillance and reconnaissance program. Under his command, AngelFire deployed to the CENTCOM AOR with the help of Air Force Research Laboratory personnel, marking the first- ever deployment of an AFRL program directly into combat. Additionally, General Carlson delivered the first MQ-9 Reaper to the 42nd Attack Squadron at Creech AFB nearly a year ahead of schedule to meet Air Combat Command requirements.

He received numerous military awards for his service including: Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters. He also received the highest honor from the Air Force enlisted corps, the Order of the Sword. In addition, General Carlson is a command pilot with over 3,300 flight hours.

I have known General Carlson since he took command of AFMC in August 2005.

General Carlson is a man who is honest, provides a straight assessment and has the highest degree of ethics. His service honors the Air Force and our country. I've appreciated his dedication to duty and his willingness to work with the surrounding community. General Carlson truly exemplifies the core values of

the Air Force, ``Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do.''

Madam Speaker, I oppose H.R. 1424 today because it does not address the real problems that caused this current financial crisis.

Madam Speaker, I voted against the financial bailout legislation that failed on Monday, with the hope that Congress could then work on different ideas for how to solve this problem. Instead, we have been given nearly the exact same proposal, with little modification, but with a much larger price tag. Although I support taking action to help correct the damage done to our markets, I believe that making the wrong choice today places a risky and heavy burden on American taxpayers. Today's legislation does not provide adequate assistance to homeowners, does not provide assistance to communities with large quantities of foreclosures, and does not prohibit the predatory lending practices that got us into the current crisis.

Madam Speaker, the Treasury Secretary and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve have both indicated that this may not work. Further, there is no backup plan if this proposal does not work. When discussing this bailout, it is important that people keep in mind that agreeing to the $700 billion price tag could be only the beginning. This bailout would transfer billions of dollars in mortgage-backed securities to the federal government and provide no roadmap for what comes next. If these properties are foreclosed, the federal government is not prepared to become the Nation's largest homeowner without seriously considering how it will handle these mortgaged properties. If the Federal Government takes possession of these mortgages, questions like ``who will replace the roofs and windows,'' will abound.

That is why I have introduced H.R. 7113, the Preserve our Neighborhoods Act, a bill which would allow communities who have been hit hardest by the foreclosure crisis to purchase the mortgages acquired by the Treasury during the course of the bailout. This would allow these local governments to take abandoned, blighted properties, and redevelop them for more productive use.

Additionally Madam Speaker, I have joined my Ohio colleague Congressman Steve LaTourette in attempting to amend the current package to reduce the amount of the initial bailout payment, and increase Congress's role in allocating additional funds. Both of these provisions would provide some commonsense reforms to this bill--these provisions would add accountability to the bailout

payment, and address a real problem that's facing local communities.

Congressman Representing Ohio's Statement H.R. 1424 Concurring to the Senate A Speaker,

But sadly Madam Speaker, these reforms are not a part of this package. Instead, we have essentially the same package we had before, only with tax credits and earmark spending. Any legislation that we bring forward should hold the right people accountable and prohibit the bad lending actions that led to this crisis. Today's bill fails in this respect and therefore leaves us vulnerable to the same situation in the future.

While I am in favor of the tax extenders and have voted in favor of mental health parity, both of which are included in the current package, the underlying problem still remains: how does the federal government address the foreclosures that have led to this mess. Something should be done Madam Speaker. Something should be done to fix this problem. Unfortunately, H.R. 1424 is not the solution.

Madam Speaker, I submit the following: for the Congressional Record regarding Member requests associated with the FY2009 CRH.R. 2638 Homeland Security Appropriations Act.

1. Project--Integrated Electrical Starter/Generator (IES/G).

Requesting Member: Michael Turner.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: Air Force, RDT&E.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Air Force Research Laboratory.

Address of Requesting Entity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH.

Description of Request: $1,600,000 is appropriated for an Integrated Electrical Starter/Generator in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. The funding would be used to help develop a pre-prototype, sensorless IES/G to demonstrate the feasibility of supplying both main engine start function and the electrical power necessary to operate all aircraft systems. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

2. Production of Nanocomposites for Aeorospace Applications.

Requesting Member: Michael Turner.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: Air Force, RDT&E.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Air Force Research Laboratory.

Address of Requesting Entity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH.

Description of Request: $1,600,000 is appropriated for the Production of Nanocomposites for Aerospace Applications in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. The funding will transition nanomaterials technology into Air Force applications. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

3. Project--Security Forces Operations Facility.

Requesting Member: Michael Turner.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: Air Force, Mil Con.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Address of Requesting Entity: Dayton, OH.

Description of Request: $14,000,000 is appropriated for a Security Forces Operations Facility in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is Wright-Patterson Air Force Base located at Dayton, OH. The funding would be used to house the operations of the 88th Air Base Wing Security Forces Squadron (88 SFS), which provides security and police services for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

4. Project--Tactical Metal Fabrication System (TacFab).

Requesting Member: Michael Turner.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: Army, RDT&E.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army Tank Automotive Research, Development, Engineering Center.

Address of Requesting Entity: Dearborn, MI.

Description of Request: $2,000,000 is appropriated for the Tactical Metal Fabrication System in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is the Army Tank Automotive Research, Development, Engineering Center in Dearborn, MI. The funding will help Tactical Metal Fabrication (TacFab) System design, develop and build a mobile, containerized foundry, deployable overseas as a companion to RMS, the Army's Rapid Manufacturing System. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

5. Nano-Composite Structures Manufacturing Technology Development.

Requesting Member: Michael Turner.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: Air Force, RDT&E.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Air Force Research Laboratory.

Address of Requesting Entity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH.

Description of Request: $800,000 is appropriated for Nano-Composite Structures Manufacturing Technology Development in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. The funding will enable the nano-composite materials and structures manufacturing technology development and demonstration from this R&D project to meet national defense needs by providing lighter

weight and lower cost composite structures manufacturing processes for defense systems applications such as sensor and weapon platforms. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

6. Hybrid Bearing.

Requesting Member: Michael Turner.

Bill Number: H.R. 2638.

Account: Air Force, RDT&E.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Air Force Research Laboratory.

Address of Requesting Entity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH.

Description of Request: $1,600,000 is appropriated for Hybrid Bearings in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. The funding being requested will help develop a high speed bearing for aerospace applications that will provide exceptional hot hardness, exceptional fatigue life, exceptional wear resistance, and exceptional fracture toughness. Defense applications would include the JSF main shaft bearing application, as well as other weapons platforms or devices requiring high speed bearings. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Madam Speaker, the state of Ohio has been greatly blessed to have leaders like Ralph Regula, Dave Hobson, and Deborah Pryce working for them in the United States Congress. Their decades of hard work and outstanding service have made the state of Ohio a better place and have set an example for the rest of the Ohio Delegation. I am proud to have had the opportunity to work with them on the issues affecting our state and our nation. Ralph Regula has been a great example of service and statesmanship as the Dean of the Ohio Delegation. Dave Hobson has been a role model and mentor for me since I took office in 2003 and I appreciate his friendship and support. Deb Pryce has been a graceful and determined leader for all Ohioans over her 16 years in Congress. I join the rest of my colleagues in congratulating Ralph Regula, Dave Hobson, and Deborah Pryce, on their service to their districts, our State, and the United States of America.

Madam Speaker, I submit the following earmark request:

1. Project--Security Forces Operations Facility.

Requesting Member: Michael Turner.

Bill Number: H.R. 6599.

Account: Air Force, Mil Con.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Address of Requesting Entity: Dayton, OH.

Description of Request: $14,000,000 is appropriated for a Security Forces Operations Facility in fiscal year 2009. The entity to receive funding for this project is Wright-Patterson Air Force Base located at Dayton, OH. The funding would be used to house the operations of the 88th Air Base Wing Security Forces Squadron (88 SFS), which provides security and police services for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 556 and 557, I was not present. On 556 I would have voted ``no,'' and on 557, I would have voted ``yes.''