Floor Statements

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. 2647, The National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2010.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers of Michigan

Bill Number: H.R. 2647

Account: Operations and Maintenance--Operating Forces

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Peckham Industries

Address of Requesting Entity: Peckham Industries, 2822 N. Martin Luther King Blvd., Lansing, MI 48906

Description of Request: Provide funding of $2,600,000 for a Cold Weather Layering System (CWLS) for U.S. Marine Corps Expeditionary Forces. The Marine Corps requirement for the Polartec components to CWLS is 202,000 units. $2,600,000 will fund approximately 13,000 sets of CWLS. The CWLS is designed to reduce the weight and volume that a Marine operating as dismounted infantry must carry to accomplish combat missions in mountainous and cold weather environments.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to be heard on the point of order.

Mr. Speaker, the motion to recommit contains language that I placed into the June 15, 2009, Congressional Record to prohibit any funds in this bill from being used by the Department of Justice to provide Miranda Rights to detainees in the custody of the United States military in Afghanistan.

House Resolution 544, the original rule for consideration of this bill, limited amendments to those received for printing in the portion of the Congressional Record of June 15, 2009, or earlier, designated for that purpose in clause 8 of rule XVIII. Therefore, under the terms of House Resolution 544, the original rule adopted for consideration of this bill, my amendment was in order to be considered during the amendment process in the Committee of the Whole.

Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that clause 2 of rule XXI of the rules of the House prohibits a limitation from being offered on an appropriations bill if it contains legislation. Since my amendment did not constitute legislating on an appropriations bill, my amendment would have been in order as a valid amendment during consideration of the Committee of the Whole.

However, the highly restrictive second rule that we operated under for consideration of amendments in the Committee of the Whole prohibited me from offering my amendment, an amendment that would have been in order under the rules of the House, despite the fact that I testified at the Rules Committee asking that I be allowed to offer it. Had my amendment been allowed to be offered during this consideration of amendments to this bill, this motion to recommit would not be subject to any parliamentary challenge.

Therefore, I ask the Chair to find this motion to recommit in order so that Members can consider this very important amendment to prohibit the extension of Miranda Rights to expected terrorists, non-U.S. citizens, captured on the battlefield in Afghanistan.

Mr. Speaker, I appeal the ruling of the Chair.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I move that we reconsider the vote.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, we have, I think, the most important decision we're going to make in the years ahead on how we look at the war on terror. Prior to 9/11, look at the events. The 1993 Twin Tower bombings, the USS Cole, the East African bombings. And after the 1993 bombings, we decided to continue our effort to treat the war on terror as a law enforcement exercise, and it led all the way through to 9/11. And this body, collectively, said we have a very important decision to make now after the 9/11 attacks.

We said it's either going to be a crime or it's going to be an act of war. This body, in overwhelming numbers, decided it was an act of war, and we aggressively pursued our counterterrorism efforts around the world, and we pursued those who attacked us with absolute vigilance, and it has been successful. No one can argue it has not been successful.

Think of what happened right after that. We policed up Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and because he had been schooled in the United States, the very first thing he told those who grabbed him was, I want a lawyer. Thank goodness, thank the good Lord above, they said, Sorry, pal. You're not a United States citizen. Have a seat.

As for those interrogations between KSM and the other two very senior members of al Qaeda, our intelligence services tell us that 60 to 70 percent of what we know about al Qaeda and how it functions came from just those interrogations--60 to 70 percent. That's by the understanding of our intelligence community. From there, we pursued globally the effort to aggressively pursue those who attacked us and the network of al Qaeda.

After the President said he would not propose reading Miranda rights as if they were shoplifters, imagine our shock when we found they had sat down with the Justice Department and with others and had cooked up a plan called the Global Justice Initiative to change the priority from intelligence-gathering on the field to law enforcement on the field. What does that mean?

It means, when they were picking up somebody on the battlefield in Afghanistan, after attacking, say, the 82nd Airborne or after putting out IEDs to kill civilians or Afghans or U.S. soldiers, he was brought back to a detention facility, and they said, We might want to prosecute that person in the future. Sir, you have the right to remain silent.

I cannot tell you how dangerous that is to our national security. It is not a law enforcement event. It is an enemy combatant event. The information that that individual has is perishable. Maybe they're making those IEDs. Maybe they're financing the networks that make those IEDs. Maybe they're the ones who are planning the very next attack on U.S. soldiers. We need them to talk. We don't need to treat them like United States citizens. As a matter of fact, for those on whom they have been doing this, the individuals aren't even Afghan citizens. They're from around the world, directly and intentionally coming to Afghanistan to kill U.S. soldiers.

This is a serious shift in policy on how we pursue our counterterrorism efforts--the most important, I think, we will debate here. This is our chance to send a message, a very clear message.

As the senior FBI official told us, the reason they're going to do this and are doing this is that they want to err on the side of prosecution. I say, Mr. Speaker, that we err on the side of the safety of the men and women in our United States military and of the people right here at home.

If you don't think it's happening, it is.

A letter dated June 12 from the FBI Director says that the proposal would also ensure, when possible, that the intelligence is gathered in a manner that best preserves future options vis-a-vis the individual terrorists at issue, including gathering evidence in a manner that ensures its integrity in the event a prosecution becomes the most desirable approach, which is FBI legalese speak for saying, Listen, we're going to treat them all like we're going to prosecute them.

Imagine the tension between the CIA and the DIA and the other law enforcement community efforts when these enemy combatants come in, when somebody reads them their rights, when the CIA knows they have information that may save the life of a soldier. The confusion that we interject

onto the battlefield is wrong, and it is dangerous.

Mr. Speaker, this is our chance. This is our chance together, in a unified way--in the same way that we stood up after 9/11 and said, It is not a crime; it is an act of war; enough is enough. Don't give them the rights of a United States citizen. Give them the rights of an enemy combatant and all that comes with it, and we help the 101st Airborne Division.

Mr. Speaker, I can't tell you how disappointed I am with the majority for not allowing a fair and free debate on some very important issues. Obviously this bill spends too much money. It has earmarks that have never been vetted. But we brought other issues of equal importance, things that the American people deserve to hear. I had an amendment. It says we need to stop Mirandizing terrorists in foreign countries, Afghanistan, for attacking our troops and being detained. Miranda rights--You have the right to remain silent. You have a right to a lawyer. It's happening now. And the worst part of this is that even the majority wasn't briefed or, if they were, they're not talking about it. We have one opportunity to stand up today and say, Enough. You can't criminalize the battlefield.

We have FBI agents who, after our soldiers picked them up and after trying to kill members of the 82d Airborne or the 101st or our Marines, take them to the detention facility, and they read them their rights. They're non-United States citizens. They're foreigners. We just wanted the opportunity to tell America, We think that's crazy. You're going to tell a terrorist who just came off the battlefield that you have the right to remain silent. How much information will they not give that might save the life of one of our soldiers in Afghanistan today? And the biggest travesty today is, you never gave us the opportunity to talk about it, to move the issue forward.

We've had about three different opinions from this administration on if they are or are not doing it. Well, I can tell you--I've been there, and I've seen it. Our soldiers are going to get frustrated. I know our FBI agents are frustrated. Our law enforcement community is frustrated. And the best you can do is say, Debate is inconvenient for us today, and some things are just better left unsaid, like the billions of dollars in this bill that spends too much money, money that we don't have, that we're going to have to borrow from the Chinese or the Russians or the Saudis. Or the fact that we look those soldiers in the eye and say, We can't even have the opportunity to talk about it on the floor of the House.

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, FY2010 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 2847

Account: COPS Technology

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Oakland County Sheriff's Office

Address of Requesting Entity: 1201 N. Telegraph Road, Pontiac, MI 48341

Description of Request: Provide funding of $1,025,000 for law enforcement technology to assist in fingerprinting and criminal identification. This funding would be used to complete a three part biometric identification enhancement project. $450,000 would be used for software, $125,000 would be used to upgrade patrol cars, and $450,000 would be used for portable devices. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office is the lead agency for this request on behalf of ``CLEMIS,'' a consortium of 105 law enforcement agencies located across nine counties in Southeastern Michigan. CLEMIS contributes wireless network technology to the mobile data computers in patrol vehicles.

Offered By: Mr. Rogers of Michigan

Amendment No. 73: At the end of the bill (before the short

title) insert the following:

Sec. 534. None of the funds available in this Act may be

used to provide rights under Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436

(1966) by the Department of Justice, including all component

agencies, to detainees in the custody of the armed forces of

the United States in Afghanistan.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Yes, I am.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my friend, Mr. Berman, for his efforts on this bill, as I do Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen on her efforts on what I think is the most pressing national security issue we face today, Pakistan. And when you look at the troubles that they face and what a unique country it is, they are a nuclear-armed sovereign nation that has expressed concern about its eastern neighbors, the Indians, and all of the effort, both diplomatic, economic, militarily, intelligence, that they apply to what they view as a problem sect.

And to the west of that country, even in their Constitution, they treat differently. They give it special autonomy: the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. And that's the area that has caused Afghanistan and the United States untold misery, danger, something we ought to worry about.

And this bill in the most arrogant way says, You know what? We know better than you, Pakistan. We're going to make you set up a teachers' pay scale if you want our Federal money, if you want U.S. money to help us in the fight against terrorism that is ongoing today by people like Batula Masood, who are trying to kill Americans today and make further unstable the Pakistani Government, or Fazlullah, who has moved into the Swat area, the first time somebody from the tribal areas has taken this effort.

Fazlullah, for the first time, took some settled areas. It used to be a great area--as a matter of fact, a tourist area in Pakistan, the Swat Valley--and the military has had difficulty in trying to extract them from what is a settled area in Pakistan. That is real trouble.

Many of you have quoted ``The 60 Miles from Islamabad.'' That was the Swat Valley movement, and it was done by Fazlullah, 30-something years old, rabid Taliban leader, who was able to, in just a very short period of time, take over most of the police stations.

You have al Qaeda senior leadership moving freely with the Haqqani network supporting their abilities in the tribal areas of Pakistan. Batula Masood, as I said before, has been engaged in terrorist acts not only against us, but the Pakistanis.

Their government is at risk, their people are dying. This bill arrogantly says, listen, we want you to help us in terrorism, but let me tell you what's important, your teacher pay scales. Those are important.

This is a sovereign nation. As a matter of fact, Senator Kerry--we don't often agree with Senator Kerry--an interesting quote: ``Well''--I won't use all of his language--``we're just doing their bidding. We're their lackeys. We're not in control. You guys (the Pakistani Government) are an American puppet, blah, blah, blah.'' What he was saying is, don't put all these arbitrary caveats on this bill.

Let's support President Obama. He hasn't been there that long. He wants to implement his policy. He says he needs flexibility. I agree with him. This is one of the most complicated, complex problems we will face when it comes to national security.

You even, in this bill--and I don't think you're thinking about what the implications are--through your labor agreements in this bill, inspectors are to publish reports listing the names and locations of every firm in the program. This is a nation beleaguered by terrorists. Why would you give them a list of targets in Pakistan published by the United States Government? It makes no sense whatsoever.

You often talked about the arrogance of the previous administration telling people how they ought to live and telling them how they ought to govern. This is the most intrusive, most arrogant approach to providing someone assistance that is actually helping us fight terrorism in the most difficult area I can find in the world today.

I am going to ask you to please take a look at this motion to recommit. It puts a little common sense back in it and says, you know what, we'll get to the teacher pay scale and merit-based system that you would like to get to maybe another day, but today we are worried about the safety and security of our soldiers in Afghanistan who are under attack from Taliban leaders, headquartered the Shura Council in Quetta, Pakistan. We are worried about the Haqqani network, who is developing the logistical support that they need through arms and other things to help target our soldiers in Afghanistan. We are worried about Fazlullah's efforts in his first settled areas of Pakistan. That ought to be our watch today.

We are getting ready to send thousands and thousands of fresh United States troops to this region. Our focus has to be national security; it has to be their security. It has to say, Pakistan, we are a partner, not your mother. We are not going to hold your hand in this. We are going to be your equal partner in your fight on terror. Thank you for your commitment.

We're going to stand up for those folks.

I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Michigan State University in

East Lansing, Michigan. Continuing their proud history of service MSU recently won a United States Agency for International Development and the Higher Education Development Africa-U.S. Higher Education Initiative Planning Grant Competition.

Nearly 300 applications were submitted for capacity building partnerships between U.S. colleges and universities and higher education institutions in Sub-Saharan African nations. Michigan State University is one of 40 winners that will each receive a planning grant of $50,000.

This initiative was proposed during the Higher Education Summit for Global Development and subsequent regional summits held in Rwanda last year. It is the beginning of an ongoing campaign to assist higher education institutions in Africa.

In total, the grants will help to develop plans to address regional and national economic development priorities in Africa such as engineering, health, agriculture, environment and natural resources, science and technology, education and teacher training/preparation, and business, management and economics.

Michigan State University will partner with the University of Malawi to address critical 21st century environment and development challenges. Their project is titled ``Ecosystem Services: Linking Science to Action, in Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources.''

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Michigan State University on their receipt of this important grant. They are truly deserving our respect and admiration.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

In its current form.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friends for bringing up and working on an issue that we all know is troublesome, smoking in America. We certainly don't want our kids to do it. We wouldn't wish it on any family. And sometimes we disagree on the smallest things and the paths to get there. And I think this is one of those occasions. But some of those differences have huge consequences. We even offered an amendment to say to the FDA if you're going to give them this authority, you ought to be able to get nicotine out of cigarettes. And the majority said ``no.''

So what we are going to do is we're going to have them create this whole new government structure to approve or authorize or regulate a drug that, if used as directed, will kill you--for the first time in the history of the FDA. It is a problem. But as long as we get to this place of eliminating smoking, maybe we are moving forward.

But here is a huge problem, and I hope my colleagues listen well. Because for several years during the course of this bill, we have been told and told again and told again that this will not impact the general fund of the FDA. It will not. But, in fact, it will. There is a dangerous loophole in this bill, and we together today can close it. I will tell you why this is important. Because it does allow in the bill specifically for money to come from the general fund of the FDA to get this thing going for as long as 6 months. Six months doesn't seem like a long time. But let me tell you, the FDA is strapped for resources and failing in many of its core missions.

Many of us here agree with that. We have often said it is not meeting its mission requirements. We need to give them more, more resources. This bill today takes away precious resources from some of the most dangerous diseases and cures that may be on their way at the time they don't need it. Do you realize last year the FDA inspected roughly 6,000 of 189,000 food facilities under its jurisdiction? Three percent. Americans eat food imported from 150 countries where they are processed in 189,000 plants, scattered from China to Fiji. But in 2007, the FDA inspected just 96 of those plants.

You pose to the new FDA Commissioner a very dangerous set of policy decisions. Do I not inspect food plants to get this new regulation going today or for the next 6 months? The last salmonella outbreak had 550 illnesses and eight deaths. You will make, today, the FDA Commissioner choose between one more inspection and catching one more bad outbreak of salmonella or stepping up and starting to regulate, in this new way, tobacco at the FDA. The salmonella outbreak cost the industry about $100 million just for tomatoes last year alone. People are dying because we are not meeting our obligations for food safety. This bill jeopardizes the Commissioner from meeting that core and important element in food safety in the United States.

But that is not all. Chronic pain. We are very close. They have new technology that is getting close to being approved by the FDA. You will make that Commissioner stand up and say, ``I'm sorry that you have arthritis and have waited and prayed every day of your life for that cure, that new medicine that is going to alleviate your pain and give you a quality of life. I'm sorry, we have to wait 6 months for that cure.'' Six months does mean a lot.

Pediatric cancer, we are very close to some great treatments, some great treatments. If it is your son or your daughter in your family, are you willing to say, let's wait 6 months for that cure, for that medicine, for that very treatment that may save your life? You make the FDA Commissioner choose when you pass this bill today if we don't close this loophole. It is not done.

Biologic drugs, we all know how important they are, what kind of cures they can bring, the innovation. They are already hurting economically. You're telling them, ``wait 6 months for that new cure for whatever disease ails you because we want to get this bureaucracy started at the FDA and take some of those resources.'' What scientist are we going to ask that Commissioner to remove from the bench to do that study for 6 months to find that cure? That is what we are doing today if we don't close this loophole.

Alzheimer's, we have some great cures. But they keep telling us they need additional resources to meet the demands on the new medicines that are coming forward to either alleviate pain or alleviate the disease or slow it or even cure it, God help us all if we can do that soon. But you make the Commissioner decide, today, to stop that research, to stop that process, to slow down the clinical trial so we can institute this new bureaucracy on cigarettes at the FDA.

Some pretty exciting stuff on HPV, cervical cancer is in the works.

I will end with this because I can go on and on about all the diseases that mean so much to all of us, a very simple thing, close this dangerous loophole, vote for this motion to recommit, protect the families, stand with them as they pray each night for a cure for their diseases.

Announcement By the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the Democrat budget, and I do so reluctantly. We were hoping that we could come together on something that takes the country forward.

When you look at how Americans are hurting--and I'm from Michigan, and nobody knows about hurting economies like we do in Michigan--it's painful, but the prescription that the Democrats offer is dangerous: Borrow more money. Spend more money. Tax the very people who are going to get us out of this recession--the small business people. It's not that we're taxed too little already, and we have to be taxed more.

I mean this bill says: Listen, you know what? With your electric bill, Americans, you're not paying enough. We're going to charge you the largest utility tax increase in the history of the United States under this cap-and-tax program in the Democrat blueprint. We're going to borrow more in the next 10 years than for all the wars that we've ever fought combined. We're going to spend every penny of it.

So what happens if you're building cars or if, actually, you work for a small business in Lansing, Michigan? You're getting up in the morning under the Democrat tax bill, and you're going to pay a lot more for your shower in the morning. You're going to put the laundry in before you go to work, and you're paying a lot more to do your laundry. Your kids are doing their homework on the Internet. They're paying more to do their homework on the Internet. You turn on your coffee maker, and you're paying more. You get out to the car of which you paid a sales tax. You pay a tax for your license plate. You pay a tax for your driver's license. You pay a State gas tax and a Federal gas tax. Guess what?

Your gas bill is going up to drive to work under this plan.

You get to work, and for the privilege of showing up at this small business, you're going to pay more for taxes for that small business. The electric bills in that place are going up, in some cases the estimates are, by 177 percent. You're paying more. You pay a city income tax, a State income tax, a Federal income tax. You pay your unemployment tax and your Workers' Comp tax.

You get home, and you're paying a huge property tax. Oh, by the way, that's going up, too. When you go to call your Congressman to complain, you pay a special universal tax on your phone. You sit down to have a beer to relax, and you pay a Federal excise tax on that beer. You pay more for wine to get it in the country. You pay more for 1 percent milk.

All of this is at a time when people are hurting. It's the most regressive tax you can propose. The poorest Americans are already taxed to death. This is the wrong prescription. It borrows too much; it spends too much; it taxes too much.

I encourage my friends and colleagues from the other side of the aisle who talk about priorities to name me the importance of raising the cost of doing your laundry, of keeping your food cold, of cooking your food, and of keeping your house either warm or cool to the average American, and tell me that's a good priority for the future of job growth and development.

Madam Chair, I would urge the rejection of the Democrat budget, and would urge putting some common sense back in this equation.

I would like to thank the gentlelady.

I rise with a little bit of disappointment this evening about the state of this bill because we were told when this bill passed last year--which I supported this bill--that there would be no money taken from the general fund to implement this new program. No money.

I heard it often repeated, heard it repeated in committee this year. No money from the general fund would go to support this new program. And let me tell you why that's a good idea not to take any money from the general fund to do what we all would agree needs to happen.

We need to have some form of oversight and regulation of tobacco products. Last year, the FDA inspected

roughly 6,000 of the 189,000 food facilities under its jurisdiction. That's about 3 percent. Americans eat food imported from 150 countries and processed in 189,000 plants scattered from China to Fiji. But in 2007, the FDA inspected just 96 of those plants--96 out of 189,000 plants.

And what does this bill do? It takes money from those kinds of operations from the FDA's general fund to implement this new government program.

The FDA examined less than 1 percent of the 7.6 million fresh produce lines imported to the United States from 2002 to 2007.

We had just the salmonella outbreak. Just the salmonella outbreak, 550 illnesses and eight deaths in 43 States.

So what you are saying is, you know what, it is okay to stop those programs, take money out of those programs. FDA, this is more important to start this new program.

Well, imagine if you are a pediatric cancer patient and you are waiting today for the dozens of approvals that are going through the process today. But you know what? This is more important. This new government program is more important than pediatric cancer. It is more important than chronic pain. There are drugs that would treat chronic pain and cancer and other conditions, including new technology to prevent pain killer abuse that are going through the process now, and you stop it and you slow it down because you take money from the general fund. And it is time that you cannot get back.

They say, well, it only happens for 6 months, Congressman Rogers. We only take that money for 6 months, $1, 1 minute away from the scientist who is going to develop the cause or the treatment for something like cancer or pediatric cancer or chronic pain care. We should not interrupt that process. Those dollars, that time is too precious.

Mr. Speaker, this is really a dangerous precedent.

A vaccine can now protect women from a strain of HPV that causes most cervical cancers. Think of this, the FDA is now reviewing applications to approve HPV vaccinations for women in their mid 40s. And when you do this program the way you are doing it, you take money away from those programs. So maybe they don't get it in 3 months or 6 months, maybe it is 1 year. Maybe you give them a delay in this operation that costs the lives of real Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the rejection of this bill. We ought to go back and say nothing ought to impede food safety and the safety of the medicines and the cures that are getting ready to come to the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today for the urgency that faces the United States--and I hope every single American engages in this debate.

The economy has certainly taken a great toll on the great State of Michigan, where I'm from, and President Obama's recently offered budget, if enacted, is just one more slap at working people of the great State of Michigan and all around this country.

It creates a cap-and-tax program for the first time in this history. Something that used to be free, you're now taxed to use it.

The National Association of Manufacturers estimate this plan will cost Michigan alone 121,000 jobs by 2030. It also increases gas rates by 141 percent and electric rates by 177 percent. What does that mean to you? If you have a $70 per month electric bill today, it's going up to $193 per month just for the enactment of the cap-and-tax program.

If you're paying about $1.91, as you are at the pump today, if enacted, the cap-and-tax program takes that to $4.60 a gallon. Good luck in economic prosperity.

If you're a UAW worker in Michigan today and you happen to work in the great city of Lansing, Michigan, you are already paying a State gas tax, a Federal gas tax. You're paying a tax for your driver's license, a tax for your license tag, you're paying a sales tax on the car which you purchased. You pay a city income tax, a State income tax, and a Federal incomes. You pay your FICA tax.

If you go home and if you enjoy a beer after work, there's a special excise tax on the beer that you consume. You click on your cable TV, you pay a tax for that as well. You sit in your Barcalounger. Guess what? You paid a sales tax on that, too.

Mr. President, more taxes will not solve the problem. It will exacerbate the problem. Working families in this country deserve a break, not platitudes, not kind words, not silver-tongued speeches.

These people are right on the edge of losing their homes, and we're going to enact a tax that makes it that much harder for them to make the very payments to stay in their homes today.

Every time you tax a job like this--imagine this. We build cars. Imagine if the taxes go that much up on just your home ownership costs--your electric bill, your gas bill, when you fill up with gasoline--imagine what happens to the manufacturing base that uses energy. The cost for producing that car goes up.

So you're your paying more for gas a gallon, you're paying more for your electric bill. And, guess what? If you want to go out and buy a car, good luck. The cost of that electricity increase is built into the cost of that car.

We no longer will remain competitive. I tell you what--China loves this idea. India loves this idea. Absolutely. They want to make it prohibitive for us to build anything in the United States of America. And how do we do it in this budget? We increase the budget

by $49,040 per man, woman, and child in America.

Your Congress will have borrowed more money in the past year than the cost of all America's wars combined. One year. You know, the sad thing is we have to go to countries like China, Saudi Arabia, and others and, we have to ask them: Please, lend us money for these programs that we know may in fact hurt the American people here in the very near future.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that President Obama's budget will force the United States to borrow $9.3 trillion. That equates to more than $120,000 per family of four for 14 years-- think of this--14 years of groceries for the average family of four. Every man, woman, and child, 14 years of groceries by just the debt that we are placing on our children's heads in the very near future. This is an unprecedented expanse of government at the expense of the future prosperity of the children of the United States.

About 64 percent of the businesses will claim, at this $250,0000 limit--64 percent of those are small businesses. So your diners, the folks that you go and get your auto fixed at--guess what? They're getting a tax increase as well. So not only are they paying all that other tax, they're getting another tax increase to make this whole budget try to work.

At the end of the day, you're still assuming $120,000 in debt per family. What have we done? Where are we going?

We know how this works. And if we can just take a step back, take a deep breath and say, Mr. President, we're with you. But you cannot tax the prosperity of America and our children and their future. You cannot tax so much, you cannot spend so much, and you cannot borrow so much if we want prosperity in the future.

I would hope Americans are paying attention and asking some very hard questions about the future of this great Nation.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the State News at Michigan State University as they celebrate their 100th anniversary.

The State News was founded in 1909 as the Holcad in order to defend the Michigan Agricultural College against a series of articles and critical remarks published in the Lansing Journal. In 1925, as the Michigan Agricultural College changed its name to Michigan State College, the Holcad became the Michigan State News. In 1971, the State News became a 501(c)3 organization, run independently of the university.

Each year, the State News employs hundreds of students, training them in the areas of reporting, photography, design, and advertising that are critical to a career in journalism. Throughout its 100 years, the State News has served as a way for students to connect to each other on campus, voice opinions, and act as a watchdog for the East Lansing community.

Madam Speaker, a commitment to journalism is the foundation for creating a more informed citizen body. I wish to extend my gratitude to The State News for its achievements, and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing its 100 years in serving the East Lansing community as a successful student-run newspaper.

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, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act:

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: United States Department of Agriculture/Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Services (USDA/CSREES) Special Grants Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University

Address of Requesting Entity: 484 Administration Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824

Description of Request: Provide funding of $346,000 for fire blight research at Michigan State University. Approximately, $148,000 is for the salaries of laboratory and field research personnel; and $36,000 is for materials and supplies. Michigan State University has obtained funding from the Michigan Apple Committee and industry sources and will continue to fund the fire blight research at MSU at a level of $52,500 in FY09.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: United States Department of Agriculture/Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Services (USDA/CSREES) Special Grants Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University

Address of Requesting Entity: 484 Administration Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824

Description of Request: Provide funding of $104,000 for research of Armillaria Root Rot. Approximately, $84,000 is for the salaries of

laboratory researchers; $9,000 is for operating costs; $1000 is for travel to field sites; and $10,000 is for equipment necessary.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: United States Department of Agriculture/Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Services (USDA/CSREES) Special Grants Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University

Address of Requesting Entity: 484 Administration Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824

Description of Request: Provide funding of $246,000 for research of Bovine Tuberculosis. Approximately, $174,252 is for Salaries and support for 2 graduate students; $72,978 is for Laboratory supplies; and $8,770 for research related travel. Michigan State University will provide $127,500 in-kind funding.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: United States Department of Agriculture/Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Services (USDA/CSREES) Special Grants Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University

Address of Requesting Entity: 484 Administration Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824

Description of Request: Provide funding of $147,000 to improve fruit practices for sugar beets and dry beans. Approximately, $101,440 is for salaries and expenses and $40,560 is for lab maintenance and equipment. In addition to the federal funds provided by this grant, this research is supported by personnel, equipment, and facilities funded by the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and Michigan State University Extension.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: United States Department of Agriculture/Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Services (USDA/CSREES) Special Grants Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University

Address of Requesting Entity: 484 Administration Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824

Description of Request: Provide funding of $266,000 to enhance the environmental sustainability of food and agricultural systems under research at Michigan State University. Approximately, $325,000 is for salaries of 11 researchers; $5,000 is for travel expenses; $10,000 is for farmer stipends; $15,000 is for materials and supplies; and $45,000 is for communication and outreach. Michigan State University expects to leverage at least $150,000 in state, local, and private funds to expand the impacts of the special grant.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: United States Department of Agriculture/Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Services (USDA/CSREES) Special Grants Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University

Address of Requesting Entity: 484 Administration Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824

Description of Request: Provide funding of $4,545,000 for wood utilization. The requested funds will be used for salaries of key personnel and graduate students. Grant funds will also be used to purchase equipment, materials and supplies needed. Michigan State University provides in excess of $500,000 in support of this project annually through use of lab space, equipment, and personnel assigned to the project.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: United States Department of Agriculture/Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Services (USDA/CSREES) Special Grants Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Natural Resources Conservation

Address of Requesting Entity: 2805 S. Industrial Hwy, Suite 100, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Description of Request: Provide funding of $404,000 for reducing soil erosion and controlling sediment. Grant funds will be used for salaries, materials and supplies and for equipment purchases and travel costs.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: United States Department of Agriculture/Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Services (USDA/CSREES) Special Grants Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University

Address of Requesting Entity: 109 Agriculture Hall, East Lansing, Michigan 48824

Description of Request: Provide $346,000 in funding for Phytophthora research at Michigan State University. Approximately 85 percent of the funding will go to researchers, technicians and students. Approximately 15 percent will be used for materials, supplies and administration. Michigan State University has received outside sources of funding for Phytophthora research as well. This funding is consistent with the authorized purpose of the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: United States Department of Agriculture/Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Services (USDA/CSREES) Special Grants Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University

Address of Requesting Entity: 302 Administration Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824-9190

Description of Request: Provide $384,000 for detailed investigation of the most promising technologies to determine the value proposition that is needed to interest commercial partners in the further development of bio based production of fuels, chemicals, and materials. Funds will cover salaries; materials and supplies; and equipment purchases and travel costs.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Lansing

Address of Requesting Entity: 124 W. Michigan Avenue, 9th Floor, Lansing, MI 48933

Description of Request: Provide $500,000 to enable the procurement of crime-fighting technology critical to the safety of the community. Approximately 35% for a Fiber Optic Communications Network; 25% for an In-Car Video Camera System; 20% for a Public Video Surveillance System; 10% for a Patrol Vehicle Laptop Workstation Replacement; and 10% for a Detention Camera Replacement. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the COPS Law Enforcement Technology account. At least $500,000 in local City of Lansing funds will be provided as matching funds. Lansing public safety capabilities lag current standards in law enforcement, and require upgrading in order to best secure the jurisdiction. Through support requested of the federal government, the City of Lansing would be able to realize significant integrated upgrades.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: United States Department of Energy's Solar and Renewable Energy Account

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research

Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 20634, St. Simons Island, GA 31522

Description of Request: Provide $475,750 for detailed investigation of the most promising technologies to determine the value proposition that is needed to interest commercial partners in the further development of bio based production of fuels, chemicals, and materials. Funds will cover salaries; materials and supplies; and equipment purchases and travel costs.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: United States Department of Energy

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Michigan State University

Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 20634, St. Simons Island, GA 31522

Description of Request: Provide $3,806,000 for research and commercialization for clean energy, national energy security, and a cleaner environment. Approximately, 7.4% for peer reviewed competitions and 92.6% is for research projects. The Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research has stated that they are able to match Federal funds, on average, 130% with non-federal funds. Industry also provides at least 50% cash matching, additional in-kind matching, and substantial investments in technology development.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: United States Army Corps of Engineers

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The City of Lansing

Address of Requesting Entity: 124 W. Michigan Ave, Lansing, MI 48933

Description of Request: Provide $48,000 for Grand River Waterfront Restoration--next phase planning activities based on 2004 Corps Pre- Planning Reconnaissance Study for Grand River shoreline and habitat restoration, including potential modifications to Moores and North Lansing Dams.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Legal Name of Requesting Entity Cleary University

Address of Requesting Entity: 3750 Cleary Drive, Howell, Michigan 48843

Description of Request: $475,750 for the design and implementation of a Geothermal Energy System at the Livingston Campus Community Center, part of a broader renovation of the Livingston Campus Community Center. Approximately 15% of funding will be used on Design and Engineering of the Geo-thermal field, 40% will be used for Well Drilling and Piping and 45% will be used for circulation pumps, equipment and installation.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Financial Services

Legal Name of Requesting Entity Cleary University

Address of Requesting Entity: 3750 Cleary Drive, Howell, Michigan 48843

Description of Request: To provide $100,000 for the development of a Micro Business Incubator at Cleary University in Howell, Michigan. Approximately $80,000 of the funding will go toward the acquisition of a suitable adjacent building, $11,000 of the funding will go toward renovations and $9,000 will go toward office equipment.

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, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act:

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: STAG Water and Wastewater Infrastructure

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Mason, Michigan

Address of Requesting Entity: 201 West Ash St. Mason, MI 48854

Description of Request: City of Mason Water Treatment Plant $500,000.00 The purpose of this project is to construct a water treatment plant for use by the City of Mason. The Water Treatment facility is necessary to comply with federal water safety regulations.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Science and Technology

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Consortium for Plant Biotechnology

Address of Requesting Entity: PO Box 20634 St. Simons Island, GA 31522

Description of Request: $750,000 for research and commercialization of clean energy technologies. Approximately, 7.4% for peer reviewed competitions and 92.6% is for research projects. The Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research has stated that they are able to match Federal funds, on average, 130% with non-federal funds. Industry also provides at least 50% cash matching, additional in-kind matching, and substantial investments in technology development.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Fund to Improve Post-Secondary Education

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Lansing Community College

Address of Requesting Entity: 210 W Shiawassee St, Lansing, MI 48933

Description of Request: To provide $190,000 to create a Military Medic Transition Program to allow military medics to transition first to civilian paramedic certification and then through a fast-track nursing program. Approximately $85,000 for curriculum development; $85,000 for personnel; and $20,000 for recruiting and marketing. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the Fund to Improve Post-Secondary Education account. In a short period of time, this innovative program has the ability to provide fast-track training to job seekers and assistance to hospitals and first responders in filling their vacancies. The potential impact of this program has been recognized by the State of Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth, Primia Civitas Foundation, Sparrow Health Care Systems, Capitol Health Care Employment Council, and Delhi Township Fire Department; all whom have indicated their support for this initiative.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Employment and Training Administration

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Oakland Community College

Address of Requesting Entity: 2480 Opdyke Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304-2266

Description of Request: To provide $285,000 for an educational consortium to support the economic transformation in Michigan from manufacturing to knowledge-based. Approximately $134,000 is for Salaries, Wages and Benefits; $34,000 for consulting services; $67,000 for Consortium Subcontracts; $23,000 for supplies and materials; $20,000 for technology and equipment; and $7,000 for communication and printing. The focus of the project in 2009 will be expanding the consortium from supporting Oakland County's ``Emerging Sectors'' initiative to supporting workforce and economic development initiatives throughout southeast Michigan. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the Employment and Training Administration account. The project is a continuation and expansion of an FY2008 appropriation. The project is supported by the Education and Workforce Committee of the Oakland County Business Roundtable, Oakland County government, local and state economic development entities and the Workforce Development system. The Oakland County Michigan Works! Agency is underwriting the cost of a skills assessment inventory--a critical foundational piece for the Educational Consortium--at cost of $280,000.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Cleary University

Address of Requesting Entity: 3750 Cleary Drive, Howell, Michigan 48843

Description of Request: To provide an earmark of $238,000 for an Early College Dual Enrollment Program. Approximately 36% for computers, printers and servers; 18% for lab equipment; 18% for interior enhancements; 13% for classroom furniture and supplies; and 13% for virtual classroom enhancements. This request is consistent with the intended and authorized purpose of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education account. Cleary University maintains and is working to expand an Early College partnership with local public schools to provide collegiate level instruction for high school students. These funds would directly benefit Kensington Wood High School, Livingston Education Service Agency, Brighton Area Schools, Hartland Area Schools, Howell Public Schools, and Pinckney Community Schools.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: IM

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Road Commission of Oakland County

Address of Requesting Entity: 31001 Lahser Road, Beverly Hills, Michigan 48025

Description of Request: Provide funding of $237,500 for the purchase of right of ways necessary to complete the widening of Baldwin Road from two lanes to a four lane boulevard between Brown Road and Waldon Road,

a distance of 2.0 miles as access to the I-75 interchange. This project P.E. is funded with previous congressional budget appropriations and High Priority Program funds from SAFETEA-LU.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: IM

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Michigan Department of Transportation

Address of Requesting Entity: Michigan Department of Transportation, 425 W. Ottawa St. Lansing, MI 48909

Description of Request: Provide funding of $570,000 for the purchase of right of ways necessary to complete the construction of an interchange and overpass at the interchange of Interstate 96 and Latson Road.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: 5309 Legal

Name of Requesting Entity: The Capital Area Transportation Authority

Address of Requesting Entity: 4615 Tranter Street, Lansing, MI 48910

Description of Request: Provide funding of $1,900,000 for the purchase of approximately 3 40 foot hybrid buses, 2 60 foot hybrid buses, 2 small buses, 2 rural service buses and 7 Mini-Hybrid fan systems.

Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (MI)

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: 5309

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The Capital Area Transportation Authority

Address of Requesting Entity: 4615 Tranter Street, Lansing, MI 48910

Description of Request: Provide funding of $712,500 for the renovation and expansion of the existing bus storage facility. The funding will be distributed such that 50% will pay for renovations and 50% for expansion construction that will extend the useful life of the facility.