Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent on December 30, 2012 and missed rollcall votes 649 through 651. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall votes 649, 650, and 651.

Mr. Speaker, it's an honor to rise for what will be my last time speaking as a Member of the United States House of Representatives. The people of Indiana have given me a new assignment.

But I rise tonight to pay a debt of gratitude to all of those who gave me the privilege to serve in this place. As a boy, I dreamed of someday representing my hometown in our Nation's capital. Twelve years ago, the people of the Sixth Congressional District made that dream a reality. And so I begin tonight by simply saying `thank you' to all of them for letting me live that dream in these past 12 years, to come to this place again and again, and to be some small part of the story of this institution and America's story.

My only ambition in Congress was to look out for my family and to keep my word to the people who sent me here. To let my `yes' be `yes' and my `no' be `no.' And it is my hope that as people view the totality of my record and my life, they'll see that we've done just that.

There are those to thank tonight that made that possible, and that's what brings me to this task this evening. First, permit me to give thanks to God, whose grace and mercy has sustained us every day that we have served the people of Indiana in this place.

Next, and on this Earth most of all, I rise to honor and thank my beloved wife, Karen Pence, whose love, whose support, whose sacrifice, patience, and kindness, have made all that I have done in the service to the people of Indiana in this place, possible. Thanks for believing in me. I love you and I'll see you home. To our children: Michael, Charlotte, and Audrey. They were 6, 7, and 8 when I first arrived in this place and stood on this floor with my right hand raised, 12 years ago. They are now 18, 19, and 21. Thank you for your love. But thank you for the sacrifices that you have made so that we could live our dreams. Now go make your dreams come true. I know every one of you can.

To my colleagues with whom I've stood at this place, shoulder to shoulder, doing freedom's work, standing each and every day, cheerfully on behalf of the founding principles of this Nation: standing for a strong national defense; for limited government; for economic freedom; and for the moral foundations of this Nation. You know who you are. And we will take you from this place in our hearts always. You know there's a saying back home, when you see a turtle on a fence post, one thing you know for sure is that he didn't get there on his own.

So lastly what I want to do tonight, Mr. Speaker, is really to pay a debt of gratitude to the best congressional staff in American history. The men and women who have served our efforts in this city, and at home in Indiana for the past 12 years. I leave this body truly humbled when I look back at the caliber of the staff that we've been able to call to this mission, servant leaders all. They are men and women who approached each and every day with a servant leader's heart and made sacrifices over the years in order to serve the people of Indiana with integrity and energy. Names like Bill Smith and Lani Czarniecki; Jennifer Pavlik and Josh Pitcock; Matt Lloyd and Paul Teller; Marc Short and Sheila Cole, Russ Vought and Mary Vought; Ryan Fisher, LeAnne Holdman Gibbs and Chris Kiefer; Brian Neale and Ryan Jarmula, just to name a few. You know, I don't really have time tonight to name all of the men and women who served us in various capacities over these last 12 years. I submit each and every one of their names to the Congressional Record this night.

Some people look on in Washington, D.C., and they are rightly frustrated. Some people can come to this Nation's capital and lose their idealism. I'm not such a person. When I walk out of this Capitol for the last time, I will leave here with my idealism intact. I will continue to believe as our Founders did, that we are one nation under God, rich with a purpose yet to be fulfilled. That no matter how dark the day may seem that we can be confident when we stand for freedom and we do freedom's work, because freedom is not just our story, it's His story. And when we stand for freedom, however imperfectly, we make His work on this Earth our own.

In the words of the poet I depart this place saying,

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

I say to my colleagues and friends and neighbors in Indiana, my duties take me elsewhere, but wherever providence leads this Nation, let us ever remember that we have promises to keep for future generations of Americans in preserving, protecting, and defending the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity. And I know we'll keep that promise because we're Americans.

Thank you for the honor of addressing you tonight. And to the people of the Sixth Congressional District: know that I'll always be grateful for the privilege that you have given me to serve in this place. And I will always cherish my days in the People's House.

May God bless the United States House of Representatives, and all who serve her now, and ever on this floor. And may God bless the United States of America.

Mike Pence Staff Roster: 2001-2012

Acornley, Mark--Part-Time Admin Assistant: October 6, 2011-

2012

Adams, Susan--Staff Assistant: October 6, 2003-February 29,

2004

Ahearn, Mark--Legislative Director: January 22, 2002-April

2, 2003

Alexander, Jerry--Constituent Services Representative &

Director of Community Outreach: July 9, 2001-May 15, 2007

Arnold, Ron--Director of Administration & Deputy Chief of

Staff: January 3, 2001-October 31, 2009

Atterholt, Kathleen--Caseworker: January 3, 2001-January 2,

2010

Bauer, Zachary--Staff Assistant & Legislative

Correspondent: January 4, 2010-2012

Bennett, Kim--Deputy District Director: January 3, 2001-

2012

Berry, Debra--District Representative: August 6, 2001-2012

Breeding, Mary--Paid Intern & Staff Assistant: April 1,

2001-January 18, 2002

Brinkman, Muffet--Staff Assistant: January 8, 2001-March

31, 2001

Brown, Skip--Communications Assistant: January 2, 3004-

November 16, 2005

Brown, Will--Staff Assistant & Legislative Correspondent:

January 3, 2009-January 2, 2011

Castor, Amy--Staff Assistant: May 16, 2004-March 12, 2006

Collins, Larry Ken--Communications Director: January 3,

2001-March 31, 2001

Craig, Lindsey--Legislative Assistant: January 2, 2009-

April 2012

Crouch, Daniel--Legislative Assistant & Senior Legislative

Assistant: January 16, 2007-August 7, 2009

Czarniecki, Cary (Lani)--District Director: January 3,

2001-2012

Dilly, Jonathan--Paid Intern: May 21, 2001-August 8, 2001

Evans, Ben--Constituent Services Representative: January 4,

2010-2012

Fisher, Ryan--Legislative Assistant & Legislative Director:

January 3, 2001-January 2, 2007

Fortin, Kristin--Paid Intern: May 7, 2001-July 13, 2001

Gaskill, Kily Smith--Executive Assistant: January 13, 2009-

2012

Gibbs, LeAnne Holdman--Staff Assistant, Legislative

Assistant, Senior Legislative Assistant & Legislative

Director: February 24, 2004-October 21, 2008

Hawkins, Nicole--Community Development Assistant: January

23, 2006-April 6, 2007

Howe, Jeff--Field Representative: January 3, 2003-February

28, 2010

Hughes, Kaitlynn--Press Assistant, Press Secretary: January

2, 2011-2012

Jarmula, Ryan--Staff Assistant, Legislative Assistant and

Senior Legislative Assistant: January 22, 2008-2012

Karchner, Derek--Staff Assistant & Press Assistant: January

22, 2002-March 6, 2003

Keller, Aaron--Paid Intern: June 12, 2001-July 31, 2001

Kennedy, Elizabeth--Staff Assistant: February 23, 2004-

April 30, 2005

Kiefer, Chris--Legislative Assistant & Senior Legislative

Assistant: January 3, 2001-April 30, 2005

Kincaid, Andrew--Legislative Assistant: January 3, 2001-

December 31, 2001

Lahr, Matt--Press Assistant: February 1, 2006-January 2,

2007; Press Secretary: May 10, 2010-January 9, 2011

Lavoie, Matt--Staff Assistant: March 13, 2006-April 15,

2007

Likens, Darlene--Caseworker: January 3, 2001-May 31, 2002

Lloyd, Matthew--Communications Director: January 29, 2003-

December 31, 2008; Communications Director for GOP

Conference: January 1, 2009-December 31, 2010; Communications

Director: January 1, 2011-2012

McCarthy, Greg--Staff Director of Foreign Affairs, Middle

East and South Asia Subcommittee while Rep. Pence served as

Ranking Member: January 1, 2007-January 2, 2009

Meeker, Autumn--Staff Assistant: June 1, 2010-2012

Milazzo, Nathaniel--Legislative Correspondent, Legislative

Assistant & Legislative Director: April 25, 2005-January 2,

2011

Miller, Craig--Legislative Assistant: January 3, 2004-June

4, 2005

Miller, Molly Jarmu--Communications Assistant & Legislative

Assistant: January 1, 2002-July 28, 2003

Miner, Ryan--Paid Intern: June 1, 2007-July 11, 2007

Myers, Janille--Executive Assistant: January 12, 2009-2012

Neale, Brian--Legislative Assistant & Legislative Director:

June 17, 2009-2012

Pardieck, Karrie--Casework Director: January 3, 2001-2012

Pavlik, Jennifer Marsh--Executive Assistant & Staff

Director: January 6, 2001-2012

Perdew, Abby--Administrative Assistant & Administrative

Director: January 27, 2009-October 31, 2011

Phipps, Andrew--Director of Community Relations: January 3,

2001-October 31, 2001 Piepgrass, Stephen--Communications

Director: April 23, 2001-August 15, 2002

Pitcock, Joshua--Legislative Assistant, Deputy Chief of

Staff and General Counsel: May 11, 2005-Dec. 31, 2008; Deputy

Chief of Staff and General Counsel for GOP Conference:

January 1, 2009-June 30, 2011; Deputy Chief of Staff and

General Counsel: January 1, 2011-July 31, 2012; Chief of

Staff--August 1, 2012-2012

Radtke, Schrade (Trip)--Legislative Director: March 22,

2003-December 30, 2003

Reger, Ryan--Field Representative: January 3, 2001-December

31, 2007

Shettle, John--Part-Time Caseworker: January 3, 2001-2012

Siktberg, Alan--Staff Assistant/Field Representative:

February 1, 2005-February 14, 2008

Slatter, Ian--Legislative Assistant & Communications

Director: January 1, 2002-January 31, 2003

Smith, William A.--Chief of Staff: January 3, 2001-July 31,

2012; Senior Advisor: August 1, 2012--2012

Son, Daniel--Communications Assistant & Press Secretary:

January 26, 2008-May 31, 2010

Sulc, Kevin--Constituent Services Representative: July 9,

2001-2012

Tronovitch, Ryan--Staff Assistant: April 27, 2007-December

31, 2007

Wilson, Mikah--Constituent Services Representative/

Caseworker/Administrator: January 3, 2003-October 31, 2009

Wilson, Duncan--February 23, 2005-February 28, 2005

Wilson, William Patrick--Legislative Director: January 2,

2001-December 31, 2001

Chairman Mike Pence, Republican Study Committee Staff Roster: 2005-2006

Executive Director--Sheila Cole

Deputy Director--Paul Teller

Policy Director--Russ Vought

Senior Policy Analyst--Derek Baker

Policy Analyst--Joelle Cannon

Research Assistant--Marcus Kelley

Communications Director--Matt Lloyd

Chairman Mike Pence, House Republican Conference Staff Roster: 2009-

2010

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name Title Tenure ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Marc Short...................... Chief of Staff.... Jan. 2009-Dec.

2010 Josh Pitcock.................... Deputy Chief of Jan. 2009-Feb.

Staff. 2010

Deputy Chief of Mar. 2010-Dec.

Staff/General 2010

Counsel. Emily Seidel.................... Director of Jan. 2009-Dec.

Operations/ 2010

Assistant to the

Chief of Staff. Katie Strand.................... Director of Member Jan. 2009-Dec.

Services and 2010

Events. Melanie Looney.................. Coalitions Jan. 2009-Feb.

Director/General 2010

Counsel. Russ Vought..................... Policy Director... Jan. 2009-Aug.

2010 Daris Meeks..................... Policy Advisor and June 2009-Aug.

Legislative 2010

Counsel.

Policy Director... Aug. 2010-Dec.

2010 Adam Hepburn.................... Policy Advisor.... Jan. 2009-Dec.

2010 Chris Jacobs.................... Policy Advisor.... Jan. 2009-Jan.

2010 Andy Koenig..................... Policy Advisor.... Jan. 2009-Dec.

2010 Jonathan Hiler.................. Policy Advisor.... July 2010-Dec.

2010 John Gray....................... Policy Advisor.... Apr. 2010-Dec.

2010 Sarah Makin..................... Policy Advisor.... Jan. 2009-Mar.

2010

Policy Advisor/ Mar. 2010-Dec.

Coalitions 2010

Liaison. Brian McManus................... Policy Advisor/ Apr. 2010-Dec.

Coalitions 2010

Liaison. Lisa Tanner..................... Policy Advisor.... June 2009-Aug.

2009 Matt Lloyd...................... Communications Jan. 2009-Dec.

Director. 2010 Mary Vought..................... Press Secretary... Feb. 2009-Dec.

2010 Andeliz Castillo................ Deputy Press Feb. 2009-Dec.

Secretary and 2010

Director of

Specialty Media. Courtney Kolb................... Media Coordinator. Jan. 2009-July

2010

Deputy Press July 2010-Dec.

Secretary. 2010 Rachel Semmel................... Press Assistant... Jan. 2009-July

2010

Radio/TV Booker... July 2010-Dec.

2010 Brian Newell.................... Deputy Press Jan. 2009-Mar.

Secretary/ 2010

Speechwriter. Doug Sachtleben................. Deputy Press Apr. 2010-Dec.

Secretary/ 2010

Speechwriter. Katie Hughes.................... Press Assistant... June 2010-Dec.

2010 Emily Pickett................... Press Assistant... June 2010-Dec.

2010 Ben Howard...................... Staff Assistant... Feb. 2009-Dec.

2010 Scott Neale..................... Staff Assistant... Jan. 2009-May 2010 Ja'Ron Smith.................... Staff Assistant... Jan. 2009-Dec.

2010 Ryan Howell..................... Visual Media...... Jan. 2009-Dec.

2010 Bryant Avondoglio............... Visual Media...... Jan. 2009-Dec.

2010 David Holley.................... Visual Media...... Jan. 2009-Dec.

2010 Rebeccah Propp.................. Visual Media...... June 2009-Dec.

2010 Ericka Anderson................. Visual Media Mar. 2009-Dec.

(blogger). 2010 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to rise for what will be my last time speaking as a Member of the United States House of Representatives. The people of Indiana have given me a new assignment. But I rise tonight to pay a debt of gratitude to all those who gave me the privilege to serve in this place.

As a boy, I dreamed of someday representing my hometown in our Nation's Capital. And 12 years ago, the people of the Sixth Congressional District made that dream a reality, and so I begin tonight by simply saying thank you to all of them for letting me live that dream in these past 12 years, to come to this place again and again and to be some small part of the story of this institution and America's story.

My only ambition in Congress has been to look after my family and keep my word to the people that sent me here, to let my yes be yes and my no be no. And it is my hope that as people review the totality of my record and my life, they'll see that we've done just that.

But there are those to thank tonight that made that possible, and that's what brings me to this task this evening.

First, permit me to give thanks to God, whose grace and mercy has sustained us every day that we have served the people of Indiana in this place.

Next, and on this earth most of all, I rise to honor and thank my beloved wife, Karen Pence, whose love, whose support, whose sacrifice, patience and kindness, have made all that I have done in the service of the people of Indiana and this place possible. Thanks for believing in me. I love you, and I'll see you home.

To our children, Michael, Charlotte and Audrey, they were 6, 7, and 8 when I first arrived in this place and stood on this floor with my right hand raised 12 years ago. They're now 18, 19, and 21. Thank you for your love. But thank you for the sacrifices that you made so that we could live our dreams. Now go make your dreams come true. I know every one of you can.

To my colleagues, with whom I've stood in this place, shoulder to shoulder, doing freedom's work, standing each and every day cheerfully on behalf of the founding principles of this Nation, standing for a strong national defense, for limited government, for economic freedom and for the moral foundations of this Nation, you know who you are, and we will take you from this place in our hearts always.

You know, there's a saying back home that when you see a turtle on a fence post, one thing you know for sure is he didn't get there on his own. And so lastly, what I want to do tonight, Mr. Speaker, is really pay a debt of gratitude to the best congressional staff in American history, the men and women who have served our efforts in this city and at home in Indiana for the past 12 years.

I leave this body truly humbled when I look back at the caliber of the staff that we've been able to call to this mission, servant leaders, all. They are men and women who approached each and every day with a servant's heart, made sacrifices over the years in order to serve the people of Indiana with integrity and energy.

Names like Bill Smith and Lani Czarniecki, Jennifer Pavlik and Josh Pitcock, Matt Lloyd and Paul Teller, Marc Short, Brian Neale and Ryan Jarmula, just to name a few.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent on December 12 and 13, 2012 and missed rollcall votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Aye'' on rollcall votes 621, 622, 623, 624, 625 and 626.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent and missed roll call votes during the week of December 3, 2012. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall votes, 614, 615, 617, 618, 619 and ``no'' on rollcall vote 616.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent during the week of November 26th and missed Rollcall Votes 611, 612 and 613. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on Rollcall Votes 611 and 613, and ``no'' on Rollcall Vote 612.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to mark the passing of Andrew Michael Freeman, a combat veteran from the Hoosier state who recently earned an honorable discharge from the United States Army. As our nation paused on Veteran's Day to honor those men and women in uniform who have served our country, the community of Anderson sadly mourns the loss of one of their own.

Andrew graduated from Anderson High School in 2004. In January 2009, Andrew enlisted in the United States Army and soon thereafter served in the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. While serving in Afghanistan, Andrew earned numerous distinctions, including several Army Achievement Medals and other awards for his dedication and hard work.

Andrew is survived by his father and stepmother, Stephen and Stephanie; his mother, Christina; his siblings, Amanda, Monica and Justin; as well as his grandparents, Morris and Maurita Freeman, Nancy Lantz, Harold and Gertrude Granger and Judy Waymire. Andrew also leaves behind many friends and fellow servicemembers and I wish to extend my deepest condolences to all of those who mourn his passing, especially his beloved girlfriend, Heather Majors.

We are told to mourn with those who mourn, and grieve with those who grieve. As we mourn the passing of Andrew Michael Freeman, our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with his family.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent on November 16, 2012, and missed rollcall vote 608. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote 608.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent on November 15, 2012, and missed rollcall votes 605, 606, and 607. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall votes 605, 606, and 607.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent on November 13, 2012, and missed rollcall vote 604. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote 604.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize an exemplary school in Indiana's Sixth Congressional District. Yorktown High School in Yorktown, Indiana, has been named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. Yorktown High School earned this recognition for its excellence in education, showcased through its high-performing students as measured by state assessments or nationally-normed tests.

Yorktown High School has been a staple of the community, serving students in grades 9-12 for more than 100 years with a dedication to core beliefs, including that curriculum and instruction will be research or evidence-based with student achievement being measured to ensure continuous progress. Also, it holds fast to the core belief that school leaders will expect and support ongoing improvement of teaching and student performance and that students will learn and perform best when stakeholders maintain high expectations. Not only does Yorktown High School boast a graduation rate of 95 percent, but in 2011, seniors at Yorktown High School passed AP exams at a rate of 30 percent, compared to the national average for public schools of 18.1 percent.

I want to congratulate Yorktown High School students, administrators and teachers for earning this prestigious award. You have made not just Yorktown, but the entire Hoosier state proud.

Mr. Speaker, I was deeply saddened to learn that, for the second time in less than a month, the community of Anderson is mourning the loss of a police dog. On July 26, 2012, Anderson Police Department K-9 Kilo was lost during a shooting that took the life of a Pendleton resident and injured two police officers. Just weeks later, on August 18, 2012, while tracking the scent of a bank robbery suspect, Anderson Police Department K-9 Magnum was shot and eventually succumbed to those wounds.

Both Kilo and Magnum were lost in the line of duty and while some may believe their service is far different from the officers who choose to wear the uniform, those who stand on the thin blue line see police dogs as partners. Kilo and Magnum both were loyal to the end. With their instincts and training, these police dogs were the front line of defense, protecting their human compatriots.

I couldn't be more proud, that in the wake of these tragedies, the community has rallied around the Anderson Police Department. Students at both Anderson Prepatory Academy and Anderson High School have raised funds to help the city bring on another K-9.

Police dogs, like Kilo and Magnum are often visible within our communities and can be very valuable with public outreach efforts. Yet, as we have learned, these animals often are the front line of defense for officers and the public at large.

Let us keep the Anderson Police Department, especially Officers Marty Dulworth and Matt Jarrett, the handlers of Kilo and Magnum, in our prayers. These instances demonstrate that our first responders put our lives ahead of their own on a daily basis. For that, we will be forever grateful.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a profound sense of sadness that I rise to mark a tragedy in the community of Pendleton, Indiana that has taken the life of an innocent resident and a K-9 police dog and injured two police officers.

On the evening of July 26, 2012, John Neal Shull, Jr. of Pendleton, lost his life in a shooting incident. According to Pendleton Police Chief Marc Farrer, Shull was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mr. Shull was a business owner in Pendleton and a member of the local Kiwanis Club.

He will be remembered for his sense of humor and fondness for classic cars, but those who knew him best will remember John Neal Shull, Jr. as a devoted family man and friend. I want to offer my sincere condolences to his wife Noelle, their children and to his extended family.

Also lost during this terrible tragedy was one of Anderson's finest--K-9 police dog Kilo. Kilo and his handler, 11-year veteran police officer Marty Dulworth, were assisting Pendleton police with responding to the shooting. Officer Dulworth had been partnered with Kilo since 2010. The two have been responsible for several successful drug arrests and earned a number of awards during the K-9 Olympics. During the course of the incident, Officer Dulworth was wounded after suffering gunshots to his legs. Pendleton Police Sergeant Shane Issacs was also wounded while responding to the incident after being grazed by an assailant's bullet.

Mr. Speaker, I have always believed that we owe a debt of gratitude to those first responders who, like in Pendleton, rushed to the scene and put themselves in harm's way to ensure our protection. To choose the life of a police officer is to choose to make certain sacrifices for the good of the public. These men and women do so on each traffic stop, each knock on a door and each time they stand watch over a public event. For that, Mr. Speaker, we will be eternally grateful.

Let us keep the family of John Neal Shull, Jr. in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. We also pray for the full recovery of Officer Marty Dulworth and Sergeant Shane Issacs. Finally, as a dog owner, I feel for the loss suffered by Officer Dulworth and the Anderson Police Department, and on behalf of the Sixth District of Indiana, I want to express condolences and gratitude for the service of Kilo, the police dog.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Adam Walsh Reauthorization Act of 2012 (H.R. 3796). I would like to recognize Representative Sensenbrenner for a career spent protecting our nation's children, including this bill before the House today.

Six years ago I stood with my then 15-year old son and 13-year old daughter in the Rose Garden at the White House when President George W. Bush signed into law the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.

Title V of the Adam Walsh legislation contains my bill, the Child Pornography Prevention Act. My bill set forth new findings to protect children against so-called ``home pornographers'' to better enable federal prosecutors to proceed with cases against them. It also provided increased protection to victims of child pornography and strengthened the hand of law enforcement in investigating and bringing charges in obscenity and child pornography cases. Finally, it closed a loophole that allowed pornographers to exploit children by using them in productions with simulated sexual activity or lascivious sexually explicit content and then claim that they believed the children to be over age eighteen.

The Adam Walsh legislation had many other good initiatives that have protected our nation's children by improving sex offender registration and providing local law enforcement officials with tools needed to track those who prey upon children. Some of these provisions require reauthorization, and I am pleased today that we are moving forward with this reauthorization, especially of the two key programs that fund the U.S. Marshall's fugitive apprehension program and the grants that help states comply with the national sex offender registry requirements, in a fiscally responsible manner.

I consider myself fortunate to have been able to contribute to the Adam Walsh bill, as well as the 2003 Child Abduction Prevention Act (later renamed the PROTECT Act), which setup the Amber Alert system. That legislation also included the Truth in Domain Names Act that I authored. The Truth in Domain Names Act made it a criminal act to knowingly use a misleading domain name with the intent to deceive a child into viewing harmful material on the Internet, and it has made a difference in protecting children from Internet pornography.

Congress over the years has faced many very difficult issues, but we always have kept the best interest of children at the forefront of our work. As we move to reauthorize these important programs in the Adam Walsh bill today, I want to thank my colleagues for coming together to put our children first.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4157, the Preserving America's Family Farms Act, and I thank Representative Latham for his work on this issue.

Like many Hoosiers who worked on a farm during their youth, I believe we must encourage young men and women to participate in family farming and ranching.

Last September the Labor Department proposed regulations that would significantly limit the ability of young men and women to work on farms and ranches. They have since backed-off, but the law does not currently prevent them from bringing it up again. This legislation will explicitly prohibit the Department of Labor from pursuing these types of regulations and ensure that family farming and youth employment will be continued traditions in Indiana and throughout our Nation.

Despite the severe drought we are currently experiencing, young Hoosiers continue to look

forward to summer jobs on the farm, where life lessons and a few dollars can be learned and earned along the way.

Mr. Speaker, I can think of few places better than an Indiana farm where a young person can truly learn the values of personal responsibility and hard work. And if America's farms are to continue to feed this nation and world, we must encourage young men and women to participate in farming and ranching. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan legislation.