Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart to remember the exceptional legacy of service of Brooke Tuttle from my hometown of Columbus, Indiana.

Mr. Tuttle was born in Hicksville, Ohio, and received a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management from Ohio State University in 1957. The next year he married his wife Barbara, who would become his bride of 52 years. After serving as a Captain in the U.S. Army from 1957- 1959, Brooke Tuttle joined Cummins, Inc., headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, and he later earned a Masters in Business Administration from Indiana University in 1964.

During his 29-year career with Cummins, Mr. Tuttle had various responsibilities including: General Manager of the Fleetguard filtration business; leading the $700 million worldwide parts and services distribution business; opening distribution centers in Asia, Europe, and Central and South America; and serving as Executive Director of Public Policy.

Brooke Tuttle was deeply invested in his local community and was responsible for outstanding growth and prosperity. He served as President of the Columbus Economic Development Board in 1985, and after he retired from Cummins three years later, Mr. Tuttle continued as President of Economic Development. During his 22 years as president, he spearheaded the expansion of 260 existing companies and helped attract 52 new manufacturing and technology companies. As a result of his hard work and dedication to the Columbus community, Columbus gained 10,000 new manufacturing jobs and $2.2 billion of new investment. Mr. Tuttle retired from the Columbus Economic Development Board in 2007.

After his retirement, Brooke Tuttle served as President of LHP Technologies and continued teaching Economics at Ivy Tech and Indiana University/Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) as an adjunct professor for twenty years. IUPUC awarded him the ``Excellence in Teaching'' award in both 1990 and 2010. His accolades also included the Columbus Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award and the distinguished Sagamore of the Wabash Award.

Despite his demanding and successful career, Brooke Tuttle never forgot to give back. He served as president of Rotary Club International, the Columbus Foundation for Youth, and the Columbus Girls Club. He also served as a Moderator for Leadership Bartholomew County, a Big Brother, and as a basketball coach for the Boy's Club. He was also a deacon at the First Presbyterian Church and served on the IUPUC Board of Advisors, as well as the Visitor's Center Board.

My deepest and most heartfelt condolences go out to his beloved wife Barbara, daughter Katherine, son Jeffery, and his nephew Philip. In the midst of this difficult time be encouraged that the innumerable contributions of Brooke Tuttle will not soon be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the memory of James R. ``Jim'' Craig, who passed away on December 9, 2011. Jim will long be remembered in the community of Pendleton, Indiana as an American hero and a civic leader.

Jim was born on May 30, 1923, in Noblesville to Sydney and Kathryn Craig. Since 1934, Jim called Pendleton home. After graduating from Westtown Pennsylvania Friends School in 1941, Jim went on to study at Purdue University.

During his time at Purdue, he learned of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Like many young men, Jim wanted to serve and defend his country. After enlisting in the United States Marine Corps, Jim received his commission as a Second Lieutenant. He was placed in command of the 1st Platoon, 24th Marines and saw action at Iwo Jima. Jim's platoon suffered many casualties in the battle and that had a lasting effect on him, as described in the book, The Last Lieutenant, written by his nephew Dr. John C. Shively.

Jim married his beloved Patricia Lee Carroll on October 21, 1944. In 1947, he graduated from Purdue University and went on to own Pendleton Lumber Company until 1960. He was employed at Pendleton Savings and Loan until 1978 and then worked as a real estate broker until 2000.

Jim was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Pendleton, and was very active in many civic groups and activities including the Boy Scouts of America, the Pendleton Junior Baseball League, the Madison County Community Foundation, and the South Madison Community Foundation. Jim took part in the 1964 School Reorganization, was a Salvation Army life-member, served on the Kettle Drive, the Pendleton Lions Club, and volunteered at St. John's Hospital. Jim founded the Pendleton Swim Club and was a U.S. Swimming official. Jim also was a Pendleton Chamber of Commerce member and served on the Pendleton Planning Commission.

I had the privilege of getting to know Jim as part of my duties representing the Sixth Congressional District. Jim was a fixture at town hall meetings and I will fondly remember his participation in those events.

Jim was also blessed with a wonderful, loving family. He is survived by his wife, Patricia of 67 years and their six children. Jim was blessed with sixteen grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Through them, I am confident Jim's legacy will live on thanks to the lessons he instilled in those around him.

Mr. Speaker, the Bible tells us, ``The Lord is close to the brokenhearted,'' and that is my prayer for the family of Jim Craig. Let us all keep Jim and his family in our thoughts and prayers as we mark the passing of this American hero.

Mr. Chair, I rise as a cosponsor and strong supporter of the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act (H.R. 1633). I want to express my appreciation to the gentlelady from South Dakota, Congresswoman Noem, for her strong leadership on this issue. As a family farmer and sponsor of this legislation, Congresswoman Noem is keenly aware of the devastating effects Environmental Protection Agency regulations can have on our Nation's farmers.

For those who are unfamiliar with farm dust, it is quite simply the everyday dirt and dust present in rural America on fields and country roads. It occurs naturally from dry weather or wind blowing across wide open spaces. Or it can be caused by the act of farming--tilling-up the land or harvesting crops. If you come from rural areas like my home district in Eastern Indiana, you know that farm dust is a part of daily life, and if you make a living on a farm, you probably have never even given farm dust a second thought. But, the EPA, despite the fact that rural farm dust has not been shown to pose a significant health concern, has done nothing to clarify the difference between rural farm dust and harmful pollutants that are common in urban areas. This legislation differentiates farm dust from these harmful air pollutants and gives family farms the certainty of knowing the federal government will not regulate their windblown soil.

Mr. Chair, the EPA needs to leave farmers alone and let them get about the business of farming. The Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act will go a long way in securing the long-term stability of family farms and rural businesses. It would limit the EPA's regulation of this naturally occurring dust by giving state and local governments the ability to address the issue, and it would delay any new National Ambient Air Quality Standards issued by the EPA for one year.

In this difficult economy, family farms must be protected from burdensome, costly federal redtape. The EPA has no business regulating the dirt kicked-up on the farms and back roads of rural Indiana, and I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation.

Mr. Chairman, with so many American families struggling, with so many Americans struggling to find work, and businesses struggling to hire unemployed Americans, it's time to rein in the Federal Government. It's time to rein in the avalanche of red tape cascading out of Washington, D.C. and stifling our recovery. It's time to enact the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2011, the REINS Act.

I rise to commend the gentleman from Kentucky, Congressman Geoff Davis, for his visionary and tireless efforts in moving the REINS Act to the floor today and for his leadership in this Congress.

You know, small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. They represent 99.7 percent of employer firms, and have generated 65 percent of net new jobs over the past 17 years. Yet today, as most American small businesses know, our job creators are saddled with too many regulations and too many regulatory authorities. According to the Small Business Administration, the average small business faces a cost of $10,585 in Federal regulation per employee each and every year. The REINS Act will address that. It will protect jobs and promote small business growth by ensuring that the legislative branch has the final say on major regulations before they take effect.

This legislation reforms the rulemaking process by requiring that Congress approve any regulation that would have an annual economic impact of $100 million or more. For too long, Congress has delegated its legislative authority to unelected bureaucrats and agency officials to determine the rulemaking process. It's time to bring that authority back into the Congress where the Framers of the Constitution intended it to be, especially with regard to major rulemaking.

The American people are hurting. The American economy is struggling. It's time to rein in Big Government and release the inherent power of the American economy. Again, I urge my colleagues to join with me in a bipartisan fashion, I hope and trust, in support of this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate one of Columbus, Indiana's most famous sons, the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, Tony Stewart. Indiana has long been known as the world's capital of auto racing and Hoosiers are proud of our home-grown NASCAR champ.

In a season finale that went down to the last lap, Tony drove what he called the greatest race of his life. His victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway clinched the season championship and cemented his status as one of stock car racing's all-time greats.

Tony's racing career began like many other aspiring young racers-- behind the wheel of a go-kart. In 1983, at the age of twelve, Tony won his first championship. By 1989, he had moved from go-karts to open- wheel machines and captured the National Midget championship in 1994. The next year, he won the United States Auto Club's Triple Crown. In 1996, Tony demonstrated his prowess for racing at the Brickyard by capturing Rookie of the Year honors at the Indianapolis 500 and followed up with an IndyCar championship a year later.

After becoming a full-time NASCAR driver in 1999, Tony won three races en route to becoming NASCAR's Rookie of the Year. Three seasons later, he won his first NASCAR championship. In 2005, Tony won the Brickyard 400 before a hometown crowd and went on later in the season to take his second title.

The 2011 season will long be remembered for Tony's historic run in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. As a testament to the tenacity and poise of the entire Stewart-Hass Racing team, Tony brought the number fourteen to victory lane in five of the ten races that make up the Chase.

Mr. Speaker, Hoosier race fans like myself have come to know Tony Stewart as a tremendous competitor. Whether he is racing the short tracks and dirt ovals all across Indiana, or at our famous Brickyard, Tony Stewart is a true champion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Academy of Model Aeronautics located in Muncie, Indiana, for their receipt of the prestigious National Aeronautic Association's Brewer Trophy for youth education. The Brewer Trophy is the nation's highest award for aerospace education and is awarded annually to individuals or organizations who make significant contributions to aerospace education in the United States.

The Academy of Model Aeronautics has a 75-year history of aviation education, and they have impacted millions of young people across the country. They have taught tens of thousands of teachers, community leaders, and students how to build and fly miniature aircraft. In addition to their educational programs, the Academy of Model Aeronautics has given nearly $800,000 in scholarships to college-bound seniors pursuing careers almost exclusively in engineering, technical, and professional disciplines. The Academy is also strongly invested in science, technology, engineering, and math education programs.

I commend the Academy of Model Aeronautics for their receipt of the prestigious Brewery Trophy and thank them for their numerous contributions to the Muncie community, the State of Indiana, and the nation.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 2, a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

This is a challenging time in the life of our Nation. Our economy is struggling under the failed economic policies of the recent past and under a mountain range of debt. We have an unchecked, spendthrift Federal Government that's placing a burden of insurmountable debt on our children and grandchildren. Washington, D.C. isn't just broke, it's broken. And the time has come to change the way we spend the people's money. And to do that in our national charter, the time has come for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

I want to take a moment to commend just a few people who brought us to this day. I want to commend Speaker Boehner and the Republican leadership for ensuring that for the first time in 15 years we would have an up-or-down vote in the House and in the Senate on a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

But I also want to commend the gentleman from Virginia, Congressman Goodlatte, who throughout those last 15 years has been, as we say back home, like a dog with a bone on a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. His tenacity, his commitment to this reform, not singularly but predominantly, has brought us to this day, and I commend him from my heart.

Our Nation is sinking in a sea of debt. Just this week, we passed $15 trillion in national debt. And the American people are tired of the same old arguments. They want solutions, not slogans. They want reforms, not rhetoric. The balanced budget amendment to the Constitution is an authentic, long-term solution to runaway Federal spending, deficits, and debt by both political parties.

The measure we bring to the floor today is a bipartisan measure. It is nearly identical to the version that last passed the House with bipartisan support. It requires simply that the Federal Government not spend more than it takes; it requires a three-fifths vote to raise the Nation's debt ceiling; and it requires any increase in taxes by a true majority rollcall vote.

Now, while I support this historic version, this bipartisan version of the balanced budget amendment, I do regret it doesn't go further. I would that we had brought a version of the balanced budget amendment to the floor that included a cap on Federal spending, strict limits on the judiciary, and a higher hurdle for Congress to raise taxes on the American people.

But while this version of the balanced budget amendment doesn't have everything I want, I believe it will move the debate forward.

Adding to our national charter the expectation of the American people that this national government live within its means, that the income meet the outgo, would be a historic addition.

So I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan version of the balanced budget amendment. Let's send it to the Senate by the requisite supermajority, and then let's let the States decide whether the time has come to put in our national charter the requirement that this government live within the means of the American people.

Well, with a national government seemingly incapable of confronting a mountain range of debt and a national media preoccupied with politics, I have to tell you, Mr. Speaker, as I travel across the State of Indiana, one thing is clear: In the city or on the farm, Hoosier families are hurting. Unemployment in the State of Indiana is a heartbreaking 8.9 percent, and Hoosiers want action on jobs.

Now, the President is traveling around the country talking about his legislation. He says that the American people can't wait to take action on jobs, and let me just say, I couldn't agree more. The good news is House Republicans have a plan, and House Republicans have taken action.

Since the first of this year, House Republicans have passed no less than 15 different pieces of legislation to create jobs in America. These are commonsense, bipartisan bills that have passed the House of Representatives and are now languishing in the Senate. We call them the forgotten 15. Among the forgotten 15 is legislation to increase domestic energy production, reduce the harmful Federal regulatory burden on jobs, help unemployed veterans, and the rest.

I urge my colleagues in the other body to take action on the forgotten 15. We can't wait. Let's take the measures necessary to put Americans back to work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution to reaffirm `In God We Trust' as the official motto of the United States (H. Con. Res. 13), and I want to thank Congressman Randy Forbes for introducing this resolution and commend him for his tireless and ongoing defense of America's Christian heritage.

I believe that reaffirming our commitment to ``In God We Trust'' as the official motto of the United States matters. It pays tribute to our present and past, and it facilitates our future. America was founded on the principle that we derive our rights from our Creator. They are not given to us by government or by kings. These rights are given to us by God.

I don't believe that one can adequately explain the near boundless prosperity and advancement of the United States of America since 1776 other than the hand of Providence. In these difficult times, now more than ever, we should reaffirm `In God We Trust' as our official motto.

Mr. Speaker, I rise along with Congressman Todd Young to honor the life and legacy of Professor Harve Rawson.

Harve Rawson was greatly talented and abundantly generous. He earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from Antioch College, and went on to earn a master of arts and doctorate in research psychology at Ohio State University. For thirty-two years Dr. Rawson served as a professor of psychology at Hanover College, and later served as dean of faculty at Franklin College. He was the first two-time winner of the Baynham Teaching Award, and he was named the Mary E. Hamilton Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Hanover College.

Dr. Rawson was a two-time Fulbright Scholar in psychology and also spent a year teaching at the College of Health Sciences in Bahrain. His great passion for traveling also took him to more than 100 countries and all seven continents. Throughout his long and storied career, he authored dozens of research articles, gave more than 500 professional presentations, and wrote nine books about his personal experience and interests.

His list of accolades and recognitions include being named a Malone Scholar, a Sagamore of the Wabash by the State of Indiana, a Kentucky Colonel, a Citizen of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers, and a Distinguished Academic Psychologist by the Indiana Psychological Association. Dr. Rawson was also awarded the Golden Quill Award for Outstanding Research and the Outstanding Community Service Award for Psychologists.

But beyond his many academic achievements, Harve Rawson was known as a generous leader who truly possessed a servant's heart. He founded Englishton Park Children's Program, a short-term residential program for at-risk children, where he served as director for 25 years. He was also a founding and long-time board member of the Jefferson County Youth Shelter in Madison, Indiana. Mr. Rawson was a four-time president of the Lide White Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors, a long-time member of the Board of Directors of Englishton Park Presbyterian Ministries, Inc., and a member of the Big Brothers Big Sisters board. His impact on the community will forever be remembered by the many lives he touched during his lifetime of service.

We offer our deepest condolences to his sons Paul and Reed, his brother John, his sister Margaret, and his four grandchildren. During this difficult time, we pray you find solace in faith and family.

Mr. Speaker, as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month draws to a close, I rise today to express my support for those engaged in the ongoing fight against the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in the United States.

More than 1 in 4 cancers in women are breast cancer, and more than 250,000 cases of breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in American women this year. In my home state of Indiana, more than 4,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year alone.

We can all do our part in reducing the incidence of breast cancer by talking with our family, friends, and loved ones about individual risk factors, prevention, and early detection. A combination of monthly breast exams, yearly clinical breast exams, and regular mammograms is the best way to detect breast cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages.

Mammograms are a particularly important weapon in the fight against breast cancer. Breast cancer is often detected in its earliest stage as an abnormality on a mammogram before it can be felt by a woman or by her health care provider.

I would also like to express my sincere admiration of the 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in this country who have exhibited tremendous courage and vigilance in their personal fight against this disease. Our mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, and loved ones afflicted with this disease deserve all our support and respect in their heroic battles as we strive to find the cure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart to honor the passing of Gordon St. Angelo, a prominent Hoosier and community activist.

Mr. St. Angelo was born and raised in Huntingburg, Indiana, where he operated a clothing store. He is most known, however, for his involvement in the community. Mr. St. Angelo helped create a foundation with Milton and Rose Friedman to promote and establish educational choice in America. He also served for 25 years as the senior program officer of community development at the Lilly Endowment.

Gordon St. Angelo's other community involvements included serving as chairman of the board for The Indianapolis Star's Jefferson Awards and for the Indianapolis Civic Theatre, was a board member and vice president of the Indianapolis Airport Authority from 1983 to 1999, and served on the boards of numerous community organizations and colleges.

Many Hoosiers also remember Gordon St. Angelo for his political involvement in Indiana and on the national stage. He began his career with the Democratic Party, and was instrumental in the successful election campaigns of Governor Roger Branigin, U.S. Senators Birch Bayh and Vance Harke, as well as many other candidates. In 1964, he was elected chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party, a position he held for ten years. He also became the Democratic Party's deputy national chairman in 1968 and helped manage Hubert Humphrey's presidential bid.

Mr. St. Angelo was known for his ability to relate to many different kinds of people, and perhaps surprisingly, migrated to the Republican Party a little more than a decade after his involvement in Humphrey's democratic presidential bid. He served as chairman of the Indiana Republican Party from 1981 to 1989, and is remembered as an honorable man who could be friends with his opponents and worked to get the best candidate in office.

A committed family man, Gordon St. Angelo was married for 53 years to his beloved wife,

the late Beatrice. They loved to travel, and visited more than 100 countries during their life together. I offer my deepest condolences to his three sons, Paul, Kurt, and John. The Old Book tells us that ``the Lord is close to the brokenhearted,'' and that is my prayer for you. During this difficult time may you find solace in faith and family.

Later today the House will consider H.R. 2447, a bill awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Montford Point Marines, the first African Americans to serve in the United States Marine Corps. The United States of America owes these heroes a debt of honor that we will endeavor to pay, in part, today. I rise in strong support of this measure.

It was President Franklin Roosevelt who issued an Executive order in June of 1941 that opened the doors for African Americans to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Between 1942 and 1949, approximately 20,000 African Americans earned the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor at Camp Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina. And we'll honor them today.

I especially want to commend the Montford Point Marines Indianapolis chapter's surviving marines. And since there are no ``former marines,'' allow me to commend Marine Averitte Corley, Johnny Washington, and Lancaster Price, along with the late Walter Ezzell and Everette Sweat, who have done yeoman's work in keeping the proud memory of the Montford Point Marines alive in the Hoosier State.

The Congressional Gold Medal is a fitting tribute to the Montford Point Marines. It marks the service and sacrifice of these trailblazing heroes, but it also marks our Nation's mark toward a more perfect union, and I heartily endorse it.

Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the House floor on rollcall votes 790 and 791. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall 790, and ``yea'' on rollcall 791.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Protect Life Act with a grateful heart for Chairman Joe Pitts and Congressman Dan Lipinski for their bipartisan leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor. I believe that ending an innocent human life is morally wrong. But I also believe that it's morally wrong to take the taxpayer dollars of millions of pro-life Americans and use them to subsidize abortion or abortion coverage in this country. As it stands today, ObamaCare requires millions of pro-life taxpayers to pay for abortions and subsidize health care plans that cover abortions. This legislation will correct that profound flaw.

Now, I know President Obama issued an Executive order during the heat of the legislative battle over ObamaCare, but we all know Executive orders do not carry the force of law. They can be overturned by the courts and are superseded by statutes.

ObamaCare should be repealed. But in the meantime, let's take this moment to say ``yes'' to life, to say ``yes'' to respecting the values of tens of millions of Americans and make right that which was wrong in ObamaCare itself. Let's pass the Protect Life Act, and let's protect taxpayers of pro-life values all across this country and do it now.