Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, January 22, 2008, I was not present for votes as my flight from Arkansas to Washington, D.C. was delayed.

Had I been present for rollcall No. 19, H.R. 4211, a bill to designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 725 Roanoke Avenue in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, as the Judge Richard B. Allsbrook Post Office, I would have voted ``yea.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 20, H. Res. 866, a bill honoring the brave men and women of the United States Coast Guard whose tireless work, dedication, and commitment to protecting the United States have led to the Coast Guard seizing over 350,000 pounds of cocaine at sea during 2007, far surpassing all of our previous records, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Henry Pryor of Camden, Arkansas, who passed away December 9, 2007, at the age of 50.

Henry Pryor was a consummate professional who made a positive impact on the people and businesses he worked with throughout his life, which was abruptly and sadly cut short due to a tragic car accident. His career in banking took him across the United States and he eventually landed in Camden, Arkansas, where he served as Executive Vice President of Heartland Community Bank of Camden, and Senior Vice President of Farmers Bank and Trust of Camden.

Although Henry Pryor had a career in business, his calling and real passion was in community development. The City of Camden and its residents were extremely fortunate to gain from his selfless gifts of time and energy to make his community a better place to live. As a member of the Ouachita County Historical Society, he was instrumental in preserving historic properties in Camden such as the Clifton- Greening Street Historic District. He took a keen interest in seeing businesses flourish throughout Camden and Ouachita County through his service as president of the Camden Area Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he was a graduate of the Leadership Camden area program and he served on numerous area boards and commissions. As a local community leader, he also recognized the vast importance of regional festivals and the impact they had on residents and businesses, through his proud service as chairman of the Annual Camden Daffodil Festival.

I send my deepest condolences to his wife of 21 years, Angela Woodward Pryor of Camden, Arkansas, and to his numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.

Henry Pryor will be missed by his family, his church, his community and all those who knew him and called him a friend. His focus on the community and his spirit of service to others and to his community will never be forgotten. I will continue to keep his family in my deepest thoughts and prayers.

Madam Speaker, as he prepares for retirement at the end of this year, it is impossible to think about Razorback athletics and imagine what it would be like without Coach Frank Broyles. His achievements on the field are numerous and distinctive. However, it is his battle off the field that inspires me even more. In 1999, Coach Broyles' wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and, needless to say, this battle changed his family forever. Studying defenses on the football field for decades prepared Coach Broyles as he looked for a way to attack perhaps his greatest challenge yet.

After years of caring for his wife and receiving calls and letters from supporters, he sat down and compiled his most impressive playbook ever: ``The Coach Broyles' Playbook for Alzheimer's Caregivers: A Practical Tip Guide.'' His playbook has helped countless families caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's, letting them know that their fight with this disease is not something they must face alone. In 2004, Coach Broyles' wife, Barbara Broyles, succumbed to the disease, which still has no cure.

His accomplishments in college football will never be forgotten, but the hope and faith he has given to families across this Nation coping with Alzheimer's will leave a lasting impact on our society for generations to come.

Madam Speaker, this Democratic House has voted twice in a fiscally responsible manner to provide this tax relief which I voted for. Unfortunately, Senate and House Republicans have sadly chosen to side with protecting tax cheats and their offshore accounts instead of siding with 23 million working families and providing them with the tax relief they deserve.

Abandoning our commitment to the fiscal responsibility and passing an AMT bill that is not paid for leaves our children to foot the bill to the tune of some $80 billion.

It is morally wrong to continue to borrow money from China and to rob the Social Security trust fund to fund our domestic needs here at home. This vote today will do just that, a vote forced on us by Senate Republicans.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this Republican tax increase on our children, grandchildren and future generations.

Parliamentary Inquiry

Madam Speaker, this evening, as most Tuesday evenings, I'm joined by members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition as we come to the floor of the United States House of Representatives to talk about the debt and the deficit and what that means for the future of this country and how so many of today's priorities continue to go unmet because of this.

Today's national debt is $9,169,206,830,867 and some change. For every man, woman and child in America, their share of the national debt, $30,205.

As you walk the halls of Congress, Madam Speaker, as you walk the halls of the Cannon, Longworth and Rayburn House Office Buildings, you will easily know when you're walking by the door of a fellow Blue Dog member because you will see this poster that reminds us of the national debt, as well as your share.

This evening we want to talk about PAYGO. It's an acronym for pay-as- you-go, and basically there was a lot made to do about the first 100 legislative hours in this new Democratic majority. Well, the 47 of us in the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition were proud of what we were able to accomplish in this first legislative hour under this new Democratic majority, and that was reinstating the PAYGO rules, which means pay-as-you-go. If you have got a new program you want to fund, you've got to show us how you're going to pay for it. If you want to cut a tax, you've got to show us how you're going to pay for it.

The business of borrowing money from China to fund programs and tax cuts in this country are over, and we want to thank the new Democratic leadership for their commitment, their commitment not to bring a bill to this floor that's not paid for.

At this time to talk more about this issue and a lot of talk about AMT, the alternative minimum tax is going to touch a lot more people this year. We want to protect those people. We want to make sure they're not taxed, but we also want to make sure that that bill that comes to this floor is paid for. It doesn't make sense to protect people from taxes if we're simply borrowing the money from China and then asking our children and grandchildren to foot the bill.

That's why I was very disappointed last week when the Senate voted 88-5 to fix the AMT. They took the easy way out. It wasn't paid for. The Senate's plan borrows $50 billion just for this year, $50 billion from China to pay for a fix to the alternative minimum tax. We have a plan in the House not only to fix it but to pay for it, and we voted for that a couple of weeks ago on the House floor and we're going to vote on it again this week.

And to talk more about this and what it all means for this country and for future generations is one of the founders of the Blue Dog Coalition, my friend, John Tanner from Tennessee.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Tennessee, a founder of the Blue Dog Coalition, John Tanner, for joining us this evening for this Special Order.

Madam Speaker, there's 47 of us in the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. The Blue Dog Coalition is just another name for fiscally conservative Democrats, and one of our newest members who has joined us for the 110th session of Congress, and we're just delighted to have her, is our friend Kirsten Gillibrand from New York's 20th district.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York. For those just joining us, to set the stage, Madam Speaker, the Senate, we sent the Senate an AMT fix, alternative minimum tax fix, to ensure people didn't get hit with this unfair tax, and we paid for it. They sent it back to us without being paid for. Instead, they want to borrow $50 billion from China, and that's what got 47 members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition worked up, and for a good reason.

I'm pleased to be joined by a fellow Blue Dog member from California's 20th Congressional District, my friend Jim Costa.

I thank the gentleman from California for joining us.

And, Madam Speaker, this is a Special Order hosted by the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. And at this time, as we discuss this PAYGO and AMT issue deeper and further and put it in context, I'd like to call on a former co-Chair of the Blue Dog Coalition, Baron Hill from Indiana.

I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill) for his insight on this issue.

Madam Speaker, let me make it clear that the Blue Dog Coalition wants to ensure that no additional taxpayers are liable for the AMT tax this year. Let me also make it clear that, unlike the Senate, we want a bill that's paid for. We don't want to simply borrow the money from China to fund a tax cut or to provide tax relief in this country. And that's what makes us different in this new Democratic majority from what we had in the previous Congresses under the Republican control. They have given us the largest debt ever, the largest deficit ever; and the time has come to put an end to that. And someone that understands that better than anyone is the Blue Dog co-Chair for policy, my friend Dennis Moore from Kansas.

I want to thank the gentleman from Kansas for joining us.

Madam Speaker, in the next 35 minutes, we've got a number of Blue Dogs, fiscally conservative Democrats, that have taken to the floor of the House tonight to join me in talking about the importance of PAYGO, pay-as-you-go, the kind of principle that was in place in this Chamber when President Clinton gave us the first balanced budget of any Democrat or Republican in about 40 years.

At this time I would like to call on a former co-Chair of the Blue Dogs from the State of Tennessee, someone that has helped lead this effort and who brings a lot of insight to this issue, the former co- Chair for policy of the Blue Dogs, and that's my friend Jim Cooper from Tennessee.

I want to thank the gentleman from Tennessee, former co- Chair of the Blue Dogs, for joining us and in being a part of standing firm on the floor of the House of Representatives in support of PAYGO.

Some people may say, what's this business all about? Well, the House passed a bill to provide tax relief for millions of people, and it was paid for. We sent it to the Senate and they didn't like it; so they sent it back unpaid for. Their idea was to borrow $50 billion from someplace like China to pay for it.

Well, we're going to send it back again, probably tomorrow, Madam Speaker, with another pay-for. And some people are maybe saying, ``Huh? So how are you going to pay for it?'' Well, it's not glamorous, but it makes sense to me. We're going to pay for it by closing loopholes allowing hedge fund managers to defer compensation in offshore accounts. There's no reason why the Senate shouldn't be able to join us in supporting that. It pays for it instead of borrowing the money from China and provides the tax relief that we need for middle-class working families all across this country.

I would like to call on a former cochair for communications of the Blue Dogs, my friend from California, a member of the Rules Committee, very involved in this whole issue, and that's Dennis Cardoza.

I thank the gentleman from California, who has contributed greatly as the former cochair of the Blue Dogs and now a member of the Rules Committee.

The reason all of this is so important is because of this: Today, the U.S. national debt, $9,169,206,830,867, you divide that by every man, woman and child in America, and your share, Madam Speaker, is $30,205.

Since President Bush took office, the gross national debt has increased by nearly $3.5 trillion, $3.427 trillion. That's $41.54 billion per month. That's $9.57 billion per week. That's $1.37 billion per day. That's $56.93 million per hour. That's $948,907 per minute. And that's $15,815 per second. Any way you divide it out, Madam Speaker, for a country boy from south Arkansas, that's a whole lot of money. And this group, the Blue Dogs, fiscally conservative Democrats, are trying to restore common sense, accountability, and fiscal discipline to our national government. And right in the middle of it all is my friend from Louisiana, a fellow Blue Dog member, Charlie Melancon.

I thank the gentleman from Louisiana. And as our friend John Tanner from Tennessee has said so eloquently, this administration, this President has borrowed more money from foreigners than the previous 42 Presidents combined.

Since President Bush took office, our Nation has borrowed $1.23 trillion from foreign sources. That's a big number. Let's break it down. That's $15.45 billion per month. That's $3.54 billion per week. That's $505.6 million per day. That's $21.07 million per hour. That's $351,113 per minute. And that's $5,852 per second.

So, Madam Speaker, that's why we're here. We want to restore common sense and fiscal discipline to our national government. We want to put an end to this reckless spending and this debt and this deficit, and to help us do that is my friend from Ohio, new member of the Blue Dogs, serving his first term in the 110th session of Congress, Zack Space from Ohio's 18th congressional district.

I thank the gentleman from Ohio for his insight.

Madam Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield to the gentleman from Indiana, Brad Ellsworth, from Indiana's Eighth Congressional District. A new member of the Blue Dogs in the 110th session of Congress, Brad Ellsworth.

I thank the gentleman from Indiana. Madam Speaker, if you have any questions, comments or concerns you can e-mail us, Madam Speaker, at [email protected].

The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Space) was saying that he didn't have his calculator with him, but he knew it was a lot of interest that had been paid. This year we have paid $239 billion in interest on the national debt. That is close to $1 billion a day, without a calculator. But with a calculator, and to put it in perspective, the same amount we would pay for any of the following, stocking every family in America's refrigerator for 7 months, filling every U.S. gas tank, and that is not easy to do this these days, for 10 months, filling every American's gas tank for 10 months at today's gas prices, providing 4 years of in-state public tuition for 10.2 million students. I have a daughter in college now. I can appreciate that one. Paying 1 year of salary for 8 million new teachers. We could do any one of those things, Madam Speaker, with the amount of interest we have paid on the national debt this year.

The whole point here, Madam Speaker, is we will continue, this demonstrates it right here, the reds, the amounts we are spending on interest, the light blue, or the turquoise as we would say back home, is the amount we are spending on education. The dark green is how much we are spending on veterans. And the purple is how much we are spending on homeland security.

America's priorities, Madam Speaker, are out of whack. And they are going to remain out of whack until we get our fiscal house in order. And no one understands this better than the leader of the Blue Dogs, the administrative co-Chair for the Blue Dogs who spends a lot of time on these issues, and I can't thank him enough for being here and waiting patiently all night and letting all our fellow Blue Dog members go, we have had a dozen tonight, that is a lot, to come to the floor of the House tonight to talk about these issues. We have about 10 minutes left. The gentleman from Florida, Allen Boyd, can have as much of it as he wants.

I thank the gentleman from Florida, the administrative cochair of the Blue Dogs, Mr. Allen Boyd from Florida's Second Congressional District, for being a part of this Special Order this evening, as he is so many Tuesday evenings.

What we are talking about here, Madam Speaker, is the Republican Congress, the Republican administration, after having a balanced budget under President Clinton for the first time in 40 years, gave us the largest debt ever in our Nation's history, largest deficit ever in our Nation's history, and there has been a lot of talk about all this.

Mr. Tanner was talking earlier about how this administration has borrowed more money from foreigners than the previous 42 Presidents combined. That has to be paid back with interest. And to put it in perspective, the Federal Government has sent $709 billion abroad in the form of interest payments since President Bush took office, and $155 billion in 2007 alone. The same amount would fund any of the following: The amount of money this administration has sent to foreigners to pay interest on the debt that we have borrowed from them to fund tax cuts in this country for folks earning over $400,000 a year. With the interest paid on this debt, this foreign debt, the amount of your tax money, Madam Speaker, that we have sent overseas, with that amount of money, we could have built 12,000 new elementary schools, 7,000 new veterans clinics, and I might remind you, Madam Speaker, we have a new generation of veterans coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq. And get this: We could have funded all road and bridge construction and improvements for 10 years.

It's about priorities, and it's time this Nation got its priorities in order. It's time we got our fiscal house in order. Make no mistake about it, Madam Speaker, for the second time this week we are going to send to the Senate an AMT fix that ensures that no, not one, additional taxpayer is liable for the AMT tax. Not one. Madam Speaker, we are paying for it, and as conservative Democrats we are reaching across the aisle and we are begging, we are begging Republicans to join us in doing the right thing and fixing this the right way.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Second Lieutenant Stuart Liles of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, who died on November 13, 2007, at the age of 26, while serving our country in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Second Lieutenant Stuart Liles graduated from Fountain Lake High School before attending the University of Central Arkansas. While in high school and college, his deep sense of unity and teamwork flourished when he joined the ROTC program which was the inspiration for his service in the Army National Guard upon graduation.

Second Lieutenant Liles served our country in the U.S. Military in the National Guard, the Army Reserves, and as an active duty soldier in the U.S. Army. His proud and honorable service will forever be remembered by our nation. He served in the 122d Aviation Support Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. His bravery, courage and dedication to the U.S. Army are exemplified by his service and leadership roles within his platoon, where he served as Platoon Leader on active duty.

Second Lieutenant Liles was a dedicated family man who adored his family dearly, and he was also a man of devout faith. As a deeply spiritual man, Liles was often proud to have the opportunity to combine two of his passions--his faith and his love of acting. In the community of Hot Springs, he will always be remembered for his portrayal of Jesus in the outdoor musical passion play, ``The Witness.''

Second Lieutenant Stuart Liles will be remembered as a hero, a son, a father and a husband. My deepest condolences go out to his wife Aubre Paschal Liles of Little Rock; his daughter Aurora Elisabeth Liles of Little Rock; his mother Kristen Liles Quintanella of Hot Springs; his sister Erin Long of Saint Mary's, Georgia; his brother Sean Liles of Fayetteville; and to his numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He will be missed by his family, his community, his country and all those who knew him and called him a friend. I honor Second Lieutenant Stuart Liles for his bravery, his patriotism and his service and I will continue to keep his family in my deepest thoughts and prayers.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend Ray Smith, Jr., of Hot Springs, Arkansas, who passed away November 1, 2007, at the age of 83.

Ray Smith, Jr., spent his lifetime dedicated to his family, his country and to public service. After returning from World War II where he served as a pilot in the Army Air Corps, Smith completed law school and began practicing in his hometown of Hot Springs.

Smith decided in 1955 to run for public office, which began his whirlwind career in politics that has left a lasting impression upon the Hot Springs region and the State of Arkansas. After he was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives, Smith rose through the ranks and became majority leader, majority whip and chairman of the House Education Committee. However, it was prior to these accomplishments in which Smith's name will forever be remembered. During the 1958 special session called by then-Governor Orval Faubus, Smith cast the lone dissenting vote on a Faubus bill to close any schools that were ordered to be integrated. It was this belief in equality and opportunity for all Americans that led Smith to vote his convictions even when his colleagues could not.

During his 27 years representing Hot Springs in the Arkansas State Legislature, Smith continued to play a key role in the community. His belief in the importance of education led him to sponsor legislation creating the Garland County Community College, where he would go on to serve as chairman of the board of trustees. His dedication to local organizations such as the Boys Club of Hot Springs and the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club displayed his deep commitment to giving back to the community.

In addition to his civic leadership, Ray Smith, Jr., was also a man of devout faith. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church where he served on the board of trustees and as chairman of the Official Board of the First United Methodist Church.

I send my deepest condolences to his wife, Patricia Floyd Smith of Hot Springs; his three sons, William Randolph Smith of Washington, DC, Scott Floyd Smith of New York, New York, and Steven Bryan Smith of Hot Springs; his two daughters Patricia Carol Smith of Arkadelphia and Suzanne Smith Palmieri of Silver Spring, Maryland; his brother William Y. Smith of Falls Church, Virginia; his sister Betty Mildred Pierce of Pine Bluff; and to his nine grandchildren and numerous friends. Ray Smith, Jr., will be greatly missed in Hot Springs, Garland County and throughout the State of Arkansas, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Judge Charles Skinner, a true treasure to the community of El Dorado, Arkansas, and to Union County. Judge Skinner passed away November 2, 2007, at the age of 73.

Judge Charles Skinner spent his lifetime dedicated to public service and to improving the community around him. He devoted 20 years to Union County as a juvenile probation officer where he garnered much support and admiration for his professionalism and out- going nature. His work over the years with youth where he taught the values of respect and service shaped the lives of numerous young people, and had a lasting impact on the quality of life in Union County that can still be felt today.

It was Judge Skinner's deep work ethic and dedication to helping others that led him to seek public office as Union County Judge. His popularity, which he gained through his selfless service, was evident in his 1990 landslide victory in which he won each precinct within the county. He will always be remembered and held in high regard for his service to Union County to make it a better place to live for all who called it home.

Throughout his life and career, Judge Skinner believed deeply in the fundamental idea of assisting others and giving back to those who needed a helping hand. I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Jo Ann Skinner of El Dorado; his two sons, Charles Skinner Jr., of El Dorado and David Skinner of El Dorado; his brother, James Skinner of Magnolia; and to his numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. Judge Skinner will be greatly missed in El Dorado, Union County and throughout the state of Arkansas, and I will continue to keep his family in my thoughts and prayers.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Howard Newton of Dumas, Arkansas, who passed away September 25, 2007, at the age of 89.

Howard Newton was a decorated World War II veteran, a retired farmer and an inspiration to all who knew him. Upon graduating from Tillar High School, he enlisted in the Army where he honorably served his country earning numerous medals including the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. His bravery and courage was exemplified by his selfless leadership in battles including the noted rescue of trapped Allied forces in Bastogne, Belgium, during World War II.

After the war, Howard Newton returned home to Desha County to pursue his true passion of farming the land that he loved. He worked thousands of acres of farmland in Desha County and was the first farmer in the area to irrigate cotton. He continued his work in agriculture by chairing the committee to build a Farm Bureau office in McGehee that would eventually benefit thousands of farmers from across the region.

In addition to his leadership in the field of agriculture, Howard Newton was also a man of devout faith. He was a member of the Newton Chapel United Methodist Church where he served as board member and Sunday School teacher, as well as a familiar face in the congregation, and always someone with open ears for conversation and fellowship.

Howard Newton will forever be remembered for his outstanding service to our country and his community. I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Frances Rands Newton; his daughter, Gene Beard Curry of Pottsboro, Texas; his sister, Hazel Wheeler of Sulphur Springs; his stepchildren, Sarah Jones of Soldotna, Alaska and Allan Rands of Dumas; and to his numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. Howard Newton will be greatly missed in Dumas, Desha County and throughout the State of Arkansas, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Earl Clemons, Jr., formerly of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who passed away October 20, 2007, at the age of 83.

Earl Clemons, Jr., dedicated his life to his family, his community and his country. He was born in the small Delta town of Tamo, in Jefferson County, and his deep affection for the Delta region can be measured by the enormous contributions he made to the agriculture community of Arkansas, something he dedicated his passions and energies to throughout his long life. It can always be said he lived life to the fullest and impressed upon each person he met the value of giving back, something that was evident in his numerous leadership roles he held in life.

Upon graduation from Grady High School, Earl Clemons, Jr., served his country in the 103rd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. After his service, he returned home and earned a degree in agricultural engineering from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He took his enthusiasm for agriculture back to his hometown of Tamo where he refined his craft on the family farm. Over the years, he gave everything he had to agriculture and to the Delta region. His famous ``Farm Tour'' was a detailed history of agriculture in the Delta that included visits to a local cotton gin, cotton oil mill and river port where grain was loaded.

In addition to his work in the field of agriculture, Earl Clemons, Jr., was also a man of devout faith. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pine Bluff. His belief in the importance of community led him to serve in many civic organizations such as the Grider Field Airport Commission and the local Board of Directors of Simmons First National Bank in Pine Bluff.

I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Bennye Jane Haskins Clemmons; his two sons, Earl ``Skip'' Clemons III of Little Rock and Neil Clemons of Chicago, Illinois; his two daughters Jane Clemons of San Francisco, California and Rose Clemmons Gladner of Little Rock; and to his six grandchildren and numerous friends. Earl Clemons, Jr., will be greatly missed in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, the agriculture community and throughout the state of Arkansas, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Mr. Speaker, this evening, as most Tuesday evenings, I rise on behalf of the 47-member-strong, fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition.

As I sat here, Mr. Speaker, thinking about what I wanted to discuss in this next hour with some of my Blue Dog colleagues, I couldn't help but listen to some of the rhetoric that we've heard over the past hour. You know, for 6 years, for 6 years the Republicans controlled the White House, the House and the Senate. And what did they give us? They gave us tax cut after tax cut for folks earning over $400,000 a year.

And this new Democratic majority, what has the Democrats given you? We are giving you health care for children of working parents. Let me repeat that. This is health care for the children of working parents. This is not for children whose parents are on welfare. They're already covered under a program known as Medicaid, which is health insurance for the poor, the disabled and the elderly.

Some 10 million children in America will go to bed tonight without health insurance, without the ability to go to the doctor when they get sick. And who are they? They're the children of parents who are trying to do the right thing and stay off welfare, but they're working the jobs with no benefits.

While the Republicans were hiding earmarks, the Democrats in this new majority have been passing legislation that says if you're a Member of Congress and if you break the law, you lose your pension, period. And while the Republicans have been on an agenda that benefits those earning over $400,000 a year, the Democrats in this new majority have raised the Federal minimum wage for the first time in 10 years.

If we're serious about moving people from welfare to work, we've got to pay them more than $10,712 a year, which is what the previous minimum wage represented if you worked 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, never get sick, and never take a single day off for vacation.

Now, they said that the Democrats are wanting to provide health insurance for children of working parents. We plead guilty to that, and after all, if the working families have been benefiting from some of these tax cuts that primarily benefited those earning over $400,000 a year for the past 6 years, our working families might not need the help, but they do because under the past 6 years of a Republican White House, House and Senate, quite frankly, they haven't got it.

It's time, Mr. Speaker, to tone down the political rhetoric and look at the facts, and as a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, I can tell you what we're all about. We're about fiscal discipline and accountability. We're about putting an end to the partisan bickering. We don't care if it's a Democrat or Republican idea. We ask ourselves, is it a commonsense idea and does it make sense for the people that send us here to be their voice?

Today, the U.S. national debt is $9,063,547,746,613. If you divide that enormous number by every man, woman and child in America, including the children being born today, every one of us, our share of the national debt, $29,888. That's what those of us in the Blue Dog Coalition refer to as the debt tax, D-E-B-T, which is one tax that cannot be cut, cannot go away until we get our Nation's fiscal house in order.

Tonight, we're going to be talking about the debt, the deficit, and as members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, we're going to be talking about ways to put an end to this reckless spending.

If you ask 100 people on the street what they think about this Iraq war policy, you will get about 100 different answers, but one of the things that unites us as Blue Dogs is we believe that the money that this administration asks for for Iraq should be accounted for. We believe that if this President is going to continue to spend, and this is year 5, if this President is going to continue to spend $16 million an hour, $16 million every 60 minutes going to Iraq, and if this President's going to continue down that path, then we believe we're not here tonight to debate the merits of $16 million an hour going to Iraq, but we're here tonight to hold this administration accountable for how that money is being spent and to ensure that it's being spent not on projects for Iraq but providing the protection and the state-of-the-art equipment that our brave and honorable men and women in uniform not only need but deserve.

This war has affected all of us. My first cousin was in Iraq when his wife gave birth to their first child. He's now back for a second time, and he will be there when she gives birth to their third child. My family's not any different from many families across America.

Many families have made the sacrifice, some of them the ultimate sacrifice, in support of their loved ones who have gone and simply done what they've been asked to do. And Mr. Speaker, if we're going to send our men and women in uniform to Iraq, we need to make sure some of this money is being spent on them, and we need to make sure that we're taking care of them.

At this time, one of the things that the Blue Dog Coalition has done is

we've written legislation known as H. Res. 97 that was drafted by members of the Blue Dog Coalition to ensure accountability for how the money is being spent in Iraq. At this time, I would call on one of the cochairs, the cochair for policy for the Blue Dog Coalition, and that is my dear friend, the cochair for policy for the fiscally conservative Blue Dogs, and this is Dennis Moore of Kansas who's going to talk more to us this evening about H. Res. 97, which simply is called, Providing for Operation Iraqi Freedom Cost Accountability, and I thank Congressman Moore for being a part of this Special Order this evening.

The gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moore) is the cochair of policy of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition.

As you can see, the 2007 Iraqi war funding, the total cost, $135.2 billion; the cost per month, $11.3 billion; the cost per day, $370 million. That's about $16 million an hour. I helped dedicate and break ground on interstate I-530, which someday will connect I-30 and I-40 in Little Rock through Pine Bluff to I-69 in southeast Arkansas, which could create a economic revival in one of the poorest regions of the country, the delta region.

In my speech in Pine Bluff yesterday I couldn't help but point out in the last transportation reauthorization bill there was about $6 billion for new interstate construction for all of America for the next 5 years. That's about the amount we will spend in Iraq in the next 2 weeks.

Don't get me wrong, let me make it very clear, as long as we have troops in harm's way, I am going to support them and make sure we support them as a Nation in providing them the very best that money can buy and the technology and the equipment they need to do their job as safely as possible and return home to their families. We have to ask ourselves at some point, $16 million an hour going to Iraq means $16 million an hour we don't have to invest in our communities in America, that we don't have to invest in education and homeland security and veterans benefits, and the list is endless.

At some point, at some point we have to demand a new direction in Iraq and begin to invest in America again.

At this time, I would recognize our administrative cochair of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, and that's my good friend, Allen Boyd from Florida.

I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Boyd), the administrative cochair of the Blue Dogs for his insight and examples of waste, fraud and abuse that's going on with your tax money over in Iraq.

If you have got any comments or concerns or questions of us, you can e-mail us at [email protected]. That is [email protected].

Again, this is an hour where most Tuesday evenings we come and lead a discussion about accountability and fiscal discipline in our government by the Blue Dog Coalition.

If you are wondering how in the world did we get our name, Blue Dog Coalition, a lot of folks, especially in the South, have heard of a Yellow Dog Democrat, meaning you would vote for a Democrat even if it was a yellow dog as long as it was running as a Democrat. Somewhere along the way we were Yellow Dog Democrats that felt we were being choked blue by the extremes of both parties. Thus the name the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of fiscally conservative, commonsense Democrats that are trying to restore fiscal discipline and accountability to our government.

At this time I am pleased to turn this thing over to a former policy cochair of the Blue Dogs, the gentleman from Tennessee, Jim Cooper.

I thank my colleague and former policy cochair for the Blue Dogs from Tennessee, Mr. Cooper, for his insight on not only Iraq war spending but these other fiscal responsibilities, trying to restore fiscal responsibility to our government and those issues surrounding that.

You mentioned Medicare. Medicare is health insurance for, basically, it's the only form of health insurance most seniors have to either stay healthy or get well, not to be confused with Medicaid, which is health insurance for the poor, the disabled, and the elderly.

Your bill, as you discuss the entitlement programs and find ways to put an end to these deficits, I applaud you for trying to do this in a bipartisan manner and having support on both sides of the aisle.

Do you have any other examples you'd like to share with us on this legislation?

It was a fascinating discussion, and you raise a good point, and that is that it wasn't too long ago that Members of Congress were coming to this floor to debate how to spend a budget surplus, how to invest a budget surplus. You know, it was under President Clinton. I'm proud to say it was a fellow Arkansan from my home town of Hope, Arkansas, where I grew up and graduated high school, who gave us the first balanced budget of any Democrat or Republican President for the first time in what, 40 years?

And he did that. There were several contributing factors that allowed him to be able to lead us in that direction, one of which was having what's called PAYGO rules on the floor of this very House, something the Republican leadership threw out the door with this new Republican President back in 2001. And what PAYGO rules mean is it means pay as you go. PAYGO is an acronym for pay as you go, which means exactly what it sounds like it means. If you've got an idea for a new program that's going to cost money, you've got to show how you're going to pay for it. No more of just borrowing money from China. If you want to cut taxes for folks earning over $400,000 a year, you've got to show how you're going to pay for it. No more borrowing money from China.

And I'm proud to tell you that in this new Democratic Congress, there's a lot of discussion about the first 100 legislative hours where we raised the Federal minimum wage and where we implemented the 9/11 Commission recommendations, where we said Members of Congress who break the law will no longer receive a pension, where we passed earmark reform, where we have passed SCHIP to ensure that the children of working parents receive health care. We've done a lot in this session of Congress. Unfortunately, a lot of it is sitting over on the Senate's doorsteps waiting for Senate action, which is somewhat disappointing for a lot of us that come here every week and work hard to pass these policy initiatives that are good for working families, good for children and good for seniors.

But not in the first legislative 100 hours, not in the first 9 months of this new 110th Congress under a Democratic majority, but in the first hour on this very floor of the United States House of Representatives, this new Democratic Congress reinstituted a House rule known as PAYGO.

You want to expand on that?

That is a national security issue, in my opinion, Mr. Cooper. What if those countries decide to call those loans? What does that mean? The ``dream team,'' Mr. Rubin and the others told us today what it meant, and I think you asked the question. And it means higher interest rates. They will have to raise interest rates in this country to where it's attractive for other countries to buy our paper, to buy our money. That is, I think, directly a threat to our national security.

And to put it in perspective, the total national debt from 1789 through 2000 was $5.67 trillion. But by 2010, the total national debt will have increased to $10.88 trillion under this Republican President's administration and under his budgets that he sends to Congress. This is a doubling, a doubling, of the 211-year debt in just 10 years. Interest payments on this debt are one of the fastest-growing parts of the Federal budget, and the debt tax is one that cannot be repealed. For every man, woman, and child in this country, you take the national debt and divide by the number of people. It is about $29,000 per person. And that is one tax that cannot be cut until we get our Nation's fiscal house in order.

Our Nation, under this Republican President's budget, is borrowing about a billion dollars a day. But before we borrow another billion dollars a day, we are spending about a half billion paying interest on the debt we have already got.

This puts it in perspective. Interest payments on debt dwarf other priorities, the 2008 budget authority in the billions of dollars. The red box is the amount of money, your tax money, Mr. Speaker, that is going to pay interest on the national debt, to repay the loans to places like Japan and China and the United Kingdom and OPEC and Korea and Taiwan and the Caribbean Banking Centers and Hong Kong and Germany and Mexico.

We talk a lot about education. We talk about how we want our children to receive a world-class education. But the turquoise box, this box, Mr. Speaker, reflects how much of your tax money is going to educate our children compared with the amount going in the red to pay interest on the national debt.

We say we want to keep our promises to our veterans. We say we want to provide our veterans with world-class

health care and housing and education when they return home. But in the green box, Mr. Speaker, you will see the amount of money we're spending on our veterans compared to the red box, the amount of money being spent on interest on the national debt.

And, finally, the purple box, homeland security. Now, I came here in 2001. The first 9 months of 2001, I don't think I ever heard the word ``homeland security'' mentioned once. But that is now a household name, a household phrase, a household word. Homeland security. It make us feel good. We go through the metal detectors at the airport and we feel safer. We take our shoes off and I always take my pen out of my pocket, and we feel safer. And what most of us don't know is about half the belly of a plane is not your suitcase that you saw X-rayed. It's freight, freight that continues to go unchecked. About one out of every 100 containers that enter our ports, five out of every 100 containers, maybe 10 out of every 100 containers that enter our ports are checked.

And what about the food we put in our body? Mr. Speaker, for all the seafood and fruits and vegetables that come into this country from other countries by way of port, do you know how many FDA inspectors there are at those ports? Not per port. But for all the ports in America. For all the seafood, fruits, and vegetables coming into America from all over the world, there are about 70 FDA inspectors. Not per port, not per shift, not counting the ones that aren't sick or on vacation. There are 70 total. Homeland security, the purple box, this is how much we are really investing in protecting our homeland. And that is why a recent nonpartisan assessment indicated that we are less safe today in America than we were on September 11, 2001.

These priorities, education, veterans, homeland security, will continue to go unmet until we get our Nation's fiscal house in order.

Deficits matter. They reduce economic growth. They burden our children and grandchildren with liabilities. They increase our reliance on foreign lenders who, as Mr. Cooper pointed out, now own 40 percent of our debt. That's right. Our Nation, the U.S., is becoming increasingly dependent on foreign lenders. Foreign lenders currently hold a total of $2.199 trillion of our public debt. Compare that to only $623.3 billion in foreign holdings in 1993. It's kind of like David Letterman and his top 10 list. The top 10 countries, this Republican administration, this Republican Congress for the past 6 years time after time after time has borrowed money from foreigners to fund tax cuts in this country for folks earning over $400,000 a year.

And whom have we borrowed the money from? Japan, $637.4 billion; China, $346.5 billion; United Kingdom, $223.5 billion; OPEC, $97.1 billion; Korea, $67.7 billion; Taiwan, $63.2 billion; Caribbean Banking Centers, $63.6 billion; Hong Kong, $51 billion; Germany, $52.1 billion.

And rounding out my version of David Letterman's top 10 list, the 10th country that we have borrowed the most money from, number 10 on the list, all this debate these days about immigration policies, and I think we do need to secure the border and I think that we should have those who want to come here and live among us play by the rules, respect our laws, learn English, respect our flag. I believe those things. No amnesty, as Mr. Reagan gave us during his years in office. We learned that doesn't work. But rounding out the top 10, while everybody is focused on immigration: Mexico. The United States of America has borrowed $38.2 billion from Mexico to fund tax cuts in this country for folks earning over $400,000 a year. Those are the facts.

I am pleased to be joined by a fellow Blue Dog from the State of North Carolina, Mr. Mike McIntyre.

I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina.

In the remaining four or five minutes we have, I want to turn this over to one of the founders, one of the long-time leaders of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, and that is my friend from Iowa, Mr. Leonard Boswell.

I thank the gentleman from Iowa.

The gentleman from North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, this evening you've heard from Blue Dog members from Kansas, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, Iowa and Arkansas. And we're a group of 47 fiscally conservative Democrats that are simply trying to restore common sense and fiscal discipline to our Nation's Government as we try to offer up commonsense, practical ways to put an end to this reckless spending and hold this government accountable for how your tax money is being spent.

Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, I was not present for rollcall vote 996, final passage of H.R. 1483, the Celebrating America's Heritage Act. Had I been present for rollcall 996, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Flave Joseph Carpenter Sr., formerly of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, who passed away October 15, 2007, at the age of 89.

Flave Carpenter spent his lifetime dedicated to his family, his community and his country. He was born in Clark County and his affinity for the region he called home can be measured by the enormous contributions he made to all the people and organizations he championed throughout his long life. He lived life to the fullest and would always say yes when he was called upon to help.

Flave Carpenter spent 28 years serving in the military, which encompassed tours in World War II and Korea where he was honored with multiple decorations including two Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars and a Silver Star. Upon retirement, he returned to Arkadelphia where he took his enthusiasm for serving his country and shifted it into public service. Over the years, he gave everything he had to the city of Arkadelphia and Clark County by serving as the executive director of several local businesses and organizations. He was appointed by then- Governor Dale Bumpers to the Arkansas Parks and Recreation Commission and was later elected chairman of the Arkansas Chamber of Commerce Directors. His passion for public service was rewarded in 1984 when then-Governor Bill Clinton inducted him into the Arkansas Parks and Tourism Hall of Fame. In 2002, he received the esteemed Lifetime Leadership in Economic Development recognition by the Arkansas Economic Developers.

In addition to his civic leadership, Flave Carpenter was also a man of devout faith. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where he served as deacon and elder. He also enjoyed the outdoors and the camaraderie that came with hunting, experiencing nature and the numerous recreational opportunities the State of Arkansas offered.

I send my deepest condolences to his three children, Diane McKenzie of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Jan Davis of Brazil, South America, and Flave Carpenter Jr., of Searcy; his sister Carolyn Jane Berry of Arkadelphia; and to his numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. Flave Carpenter will be greatly missed in Arkadelphia, Clark County and throughout the state of Arkansas, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend Earl Paty, Jr., of Sheridan, Arkansas, who passed away October 17, 2007, at the age of 76.

Earl Paty, Jr., was a lifelong resident of Grant County where he built a solid foundation of community service that impacted countless lives and will forever be remembered by all who knew him. Whether serving others during his 40-year career at International Paper Co., or through his involvement with numerous local and state organizations, he devoted his lifetime to selflessly giving back to the citizens of Grant County and the State of Arkansas to make the world a better place.

Earl Paty, Jr., was a devout man of faith and a member of Moore's Chapel United Methodist Church. He took great pride in serving the church and congregation on the Administrative Board, as a Sunday School teacher and as a delegate to the Arkansas Annual Conference. He even rose to the level of becoming a certified lay speaker within the United Methodist Church. In addition, he was actively involved with numerous local organizations where he devoted his time and heartfelt energies to others. These included the Grant County Fair Board, the Grant County 4- H Club, the Southeast Arkansas District Development Cooperative and the Sheridan Masonic Lodge.

Perhaps my fondest memories of Earl Paty, Jr., are the many discussions we had over the years about politics, as he well understood how a career in public service could positively affect the lives of thousands. I always admired his fervor for politics which took him up the ladder from chairman of the Grant County Democratic Party to the Executive Director of the Senior Democrats of Arkansas. His contributions to the Democratic Party were recognized in 2003 when he was honored with the distinguished Harold Jinks Democratic Memorial Award. In fact, it was Earl Paty, Jr., who inspired me, through his passion and love of politics and public service, to seek elected office and run for the seat I now hold as U.S. Representative of Arkansas's Fourth Congressional District. For that, I am forever grateful. He was a man I truly looked up to and admired and I am blessed to have been able to call Earl a dear friend.

I send my deepest condolences to his wife of 53 years, Betty Sue Autrey Paty; his children Patricia Knighten, David Paty, and Leslie Tannahill; his two sisters Sue Walker and Faye Welch; and his nine grandchildren, two great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Earl Paty, Jr., will be greatly missed in Sheridan, Grant County and throughout the state of Arkansas, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor from H. Res. 106.