Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the dedication and achievements of Mr. Rick Cornett of Worthington, Ohio. August 1, 2007 marked the 10-year anniversary of Mr. Cornett's leadership as Executive Director of the Ohio Optometric Association.

Beginning his career serving as a Clinical Specialist for the U.S. Army, Mr. Cornett has spent more than three decades working in leadership roles. His continued enthusiasm about eye and vision issues, disease and care is admirable.

During his tenure, the Ohio Optometric Association has enjoyed phenomenal success. The Association has increased their resources, public health initiatives and advocacy for expanding patient access to services and promoting the importance of a lifetime of comprehensive eye care. Mr. Cornett has spent 10 years dedicated to the profession of optometry and ensuring the care of patients. The Ohio Optometric Association is fortunate to have the leadership and enthusiasm of a director like Mr. Cornett.

I am honored to have this opportunity to recognize Mr. Cornett for his dedication and hard work over his 10 years of service and wish him the best for the next 10 years.

Madam Speaker, It is my pleasure to recognize Tom Price for his induction to the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame.

Agriculture has always been a cornerstone of our State's way of life. As leaders in the community and the economy, farmers have provided invaluable service to Ohio since its inception. Therefore, those who contribute to the furtherance of agriculture in our State deserve to be placed among the ranks of our finest citizens. The Ohio Agriculture Hall of Fame is an institution that honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions through lifetimes of service and dedication to our State's agriculture industry.

Tom Price has dedicated his life to central Ohio's farming community. Throughout his career he has shared his experiences by teaching classes at The Ohio State University. He has served on numerous councils, continually being recognized by state leaders, county farm bureaus and local agriculture councils for his efforts. Finally, he has made a lasting impression on his community by improving relationships between Delaware County's rural and urban neighbors. In all areas of his career, Tom Price has worked hard to improve Ohio, sharing his expertise and developing partners in our community.

For his life of perseverant service to Ohio and consistent hard work toward the betterment of our fair State, I commend Tom Price upon his induction into the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame. He is truly deserving of this honor, one of the greatest our State's agricultural community can bestow.

I am pleased to commend him on this accomplishment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in reluctant opposition to this bill today.

I support the Children's Health Insurance Program. The original goal was worthy, Mr. Speaker: Cover poor children. Unfortunately this bill does much more than that. It expands the program to more adults and to children of middle-class parents who may already have insurance, and funds this expansion through relying on tobacco taxes that are going to bring in less revenues through the years, including tax increases on private health care plans, cuts to community hospitals, nursing homes, home health care providers, and, yes, cuts to Medicare beneficiaries.

Democrats are cutting Medicare, specifically the Medicare Advantage program. Seniors in my district have been writing and calling me, and I have been talking to them.

One said to me, ``The quality of our health coverage is greatly improved through Medicare Advantage.'' Another said, ``I cannot afford higher out-of-pocket costs. I get preventative care. I also get some dental coverage and eye care that I would not be entitled to under original Medicare.'' And, lastly, ``Please, in the name of decency, do not vote to change my health care.''

Mr. Speaker, over 13,000 of my constituents benefit from Medicare Advantage. I will not vote to cut their benefits today. I will not, Mr. Speaker, support this bill which pits grandparents versus their grandkids.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise to recognize the communities of Gahanna and Westerville, Ohio. Both have been ranked by Money magazine as two of the 100 best places to live in the Nation.

Praised for their economic opportunity, quality school systems, and safe and hospitable neighborhoods, Gahanna and Westerville are truly desirable places to live. As a life-long neighbor of both communities, I have been witness to the kindness of both communities every time I pass through.

The friendly atmosphere cultivated by the members of both communities is engaging and welcoming, making them a wonderful place to call home. The rankings by Money magazine are true testaments to the Buckeye spirit, which both areas adequately represent.

I offer my congratulations to Mayor Becky Stinhcomb of Gahanna, Mayor Diane Fosselman of Westerville and the members of both communities. All have created wonderful places for Central Ohioans to call home.

Mr. Speaker, it is a distinct honor to rise and recognize Worthington Libraries, recently named the 2007 Library of the Year by Library Journal and Gale.

The roots of Worthington Libraries can be traced to 1803 and the small town of Granby, Connecticut, where a group of 100 men, women and children set out to begin a new life in Worthington, Ohio, bringing their collections of books with them. The library which was formed to manage those books was the first in Franklin County and only the third in Ohio.

The first building to actually house the collection came in 1927 when Elizabeth Jones Deshler donated money for a library building on the northeast corner of the Village Green, the area set aside by Worthington's founders for the public pursuit of learning and education. Mrs. Deshler dedicated the building to the memory of her grandfather, Worthington founder James Kilbourne. In 1931, Mrs. Deshler funded the addition of north and south wings on the James Kilbourne Memorial Library Building.

With a new location and an additional building, the current Library offers the world-class service and learning environment to match its storied past. The library is still the focal point of the community, emphasizing accountability to its patrons through rigorous, forward- looking planning and quality service that embraces not just adults but also children and teens. The community returns the compliment with strong financial support, giving the library 65.5 percent of its funding, even though three-quarters of Ohio's public libraries get most or all of their funding from the state.

Innovations which contributed to Worthington Libraries' selection for Library of the Year included a roving reference librarian, new ways to promote high-traffic items like popular fiction, a teen blog and ``MySpace'' page, adult programming that extends to forums sponsored with the town's Council for Public Deliberation, and strong e-assets that include not only 164 topnotch electronic resources and more than 8000 full-text periodicals but also TumbleBooks, which provides animated stories for children.

It is an honor to represent a community which prides itself upon the pursuit of knowledge, and the Worthington Libraries nobly provides that endeavor for its residents. Congratulations to all the staff of Worthington Libraries for continuing to find new ways to promote reading and learning.

Madam Speaker, it is a distinct honor for the central Ohio delegation to rise today to commend the leadership and accomplishments of Karen Holbrook during her tenure as the President of The Ohio State University. Holbrook became Ohio State's 13th president in October, 2002, and has served the University and the greater university community nobly for five years by guiding Ohio State towards ever-increasing prominence in research initiatives and funding, higher academic standards, and enhanced community partnerships.

Ohio State has steadily risen in national rankings of universities since 2002, climbing to 19th among the nation's public universities in U.S. News and World Report's 2007 edition of ``America's Best Colleges.'' Under Holbrook's watch, the quality of the student body has also increased dramatically. Fifty-two percent of Ohio State's incoming freshmen in the fall of 2007 are expected to be in the top 10 percent of their high school class and 90 percent will be in the top 25 percent. Average ACT scores have also increased. Thanks to better- prepared incoming students and a nationally recognized First-Year Experience program, freshman-sophomore retention has risen to 91.5 percent, well above the average among similar universities.

The completion of the South Campus Gateway project, a mixed-use development of retail, entertainment, offices and housing, has

revitalized the edge of campus through the Campus Partners initiative. These improvements have enhanced student life, revitalized an urban neighborhood and provided high-quality destinations for the campus community and visitors alike.

With annual research expenditures now at $652 million a year, Ohio State is ranked 8th among public research universities in the nation by the National Science Foundation based on the amount of sponsored research. Also, the University has risen from 5th to 3rd among public universities in industry-sponsored research. Holbrook presided over the creation of the Undergraduate Research Office to encourage and enable undergraduate students to connect to research projects as part of their educational experience. As a result, more than 300 students now participate in the annual Denman Undergraduate Forum.

Finally, Holbrook has led the University into strong partnerships in the community, especially with renowned research institute Battelle, which includes the Metro High School for students interested in science, technology, engineering and math, the Urban Arts Center, WOSU@COSI (a collaboration of the university's public media stations and the Center for Science and Industry), and the Battelle Center for Mathematics and Science Education Policy at the John Glenn School of Public Affairs. These partnerships and initiatives are already bearing fruit, and their impact and importance will only increase down the road.

It is truly a pleasure to have worked with President Holbrook over the last 5 years and to have joined her in efforts that increased the prominence and reputation of a great institution. The Ohio State University is a better place because of Holbrook's leadership, and for that, all Buckeyes are forever in her debt.

Go Bucks. Beat Michigan.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the gentlewoman from North Carolina's amendment, and I too will echo the words of the gentleman from Indiana that it is disappointing to see what we are doing here tonight; when the American people spoke loud and clear last November for transparency, for more openness in government, and what we have is less transparency and less openness in government.

I think you will see tonight and tomorrow a series of amendments that will try to strike that balance that the American people spoke so loudly about in November.

Tax and spend is back. Today is just the beginning. I believe what we will see in the next 11 appropriation bills is a lot more spending that the American people are going to be very surprised about.

With that, Mr. Chairman, I would like to yield to the gentlewoman from North Carolina.

Madam Speaker, It is with great pleasure that I recognize the 100th birthday of Mr. Howard E. LeFevre.

Such a milestone is certainly deserving of recognition. Mr. LeFevre has been an eyewitness to some of the most tumultuous events in human history. Two World Wars, the birth and demise of the Soviet Union, the first flight of an airplane, and space travel are all examples of events that have transpired in his lifetime.

His life has been marked by his service and generosity. Service to others and service to the community are timeless American traditions and hallmarks of what has made our nation so great. Mr. LeFevre's leadership and strength of character have enhanced every organization under his care and positively influenced countless members of our community.

Mark Twain was right when he observed, ``Only he who has seen better days and lives to see better days again knows their full value.''

Please allow me to join his family and friends in wishing him all the best.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this resolution this evening.

The resolution we are debating this evening is a nonbinding resolution. It has no effect of law. It does nothing to change our direction in the war on terror. For those who oppose the war, this

resolution does nothing to end it. For those of us who would like to debate the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, this does nothing.

For those of us who would like to continue to show our support for the funding of the troops, it does nothing. For all of the chest pounding from the majority about a new direction or redeployment, this does nothing. This resolution could pass 435-0 and it still would do nothing.

Madam Speaker, there has been no opportunity for a free exchange of proposals this evening that could be useful in moving us forward. In fact, just this morning, one of Ohio's largest newspapers, the Columbus Dispatch, said it best in their lead editorial: ``Empty gestures. Democrat's resolution on Bush's Iraq war policy is political posturing.''

That says it all. Madam Speaker, your party has the majority in the House and in the Senate. Yet we have tonight before us a resolution that does not do anything. If the majority wants to exercise real leadership, let's have a true debate. Let's make real decisions, tough decisions, that is for sure, but real decisions.

Madam Speaker, let me tell you about a young marine corporal in my district. His name is Matt. Matt represents the best and brightest in America. Matt had a scholarship to go to college. He turned it down. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after Iraq was liberated.

Matt was on his second tour of duty just last month when he was shot. He returned home a few weeks ago. Matt will receive a Purple Heart. Weeks before he was shot, Matt sent an e-mail back to his family and friends in Ohio. In it he says: ``We have done a lot of good in Iraq, but on the homefront we likely will not see that reported.'' Matt said he has watched his fellow marines' hearts grow heavy when they talk to their family and friends, and that this is a tough part of war and a tough part of fighting for freedom.

I spoke with Matt a few days ago as we began debate on this resolution. Matt asked me to oppose the resolution and give him and his fellow soldiers the tools and the support that they need to help Iraqis help themselves take control of their own country, and together fight and defeat radical extremists.

Matt supports the mission. Matt does not want to see his children and grandchildren going back to Iraq to handle what can and should be done now. Our constituents elected us to lead, Madam Speaker. Our brave servicemen and -women look to us for leadership. We must not disappoint them.

Matt, God bless you and your fellow troops for your great and wonderful service to our country. I will vote against this resolution, this nonbinding resolution tomorrow, and will do all I can to support you and your fellow soldiers in your mission to fight and defeat radical extremists who seek to destroy our way of life.

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to offer my best wishes to my aunt and uncle who recently celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.

Antonio and Ida Frissora first met after Ida moved to Columbus, Ohio from Niagara Falls in 1955. They were married on January 26, 1957 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and have now spent 50 years together.

Antonio and Ida have been wonderful parents to Christina, Tony and his wife, Caroline, and Don and his wife, Robin. They are the proud grandparents of eight.

As loving parents and grandparents, they continue to set a wonderful example for others to follow. I join with their family and many friends in wishing Antonio and Ida all the best on this joyous occasion.

Mr. Speaker, I join those who mourn the death of former United Nations Ambassador Jeane J. Kirkpatrick. Ambassador Kirkpatrick was a great American patriot and champion of liberty for those living under Communist or other totalitarian regimes.

Like President Reagan, who appointed her to the U.N. post, Ambassador Kirkpatrick was an American original. She became a Republican when she found that the Democratic Party no longer reflected her values, just as Reagan did. She was Reagan's first female cabinet level appointee, and was his point person at the U.N., where she was a brilliant advocate for her country's interests.

If Ambassador Kirkpatrick did not originate the phrase ``Blame America First,'' she certainly brought it to the attention of the American people with her use of the words in defending President Reagan's foreign policy at the 1984 Republican convention. She pointed out that Democrats and other critics were quick to place the responsibility for all the world's problems at the feet of their own county. Somehow, Ambassador Kirkpatrick said, they always blame America first. Unfortunately, those words too often still apply today.

Ambassador Kirkpatrick deserves a large share of the credit for helping the U.S. win the Cold War. Her efforts brought freedom to many around the globe who otherwise may not have been able to enjoy it. She remained a passionate spokesperson for her country's interests until her death. Her voice has been silenced now, and it will be missed.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 6326) to clarify the provision of nutrition services to older Americans, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman McKeon and Mr. Hinojosa for all the work they both have done to make this an even better product today. Your leadership has been crucial to this process.

I am proud, Mr. Speaker, of the bipartisan and bicameral process from both sides of the Capitol in coming up with a piece of legislation during this time of year that can be supported by the majority of both parties and a majority here in the United States House of Representatives.

This has been a product of many months of hard work to reauthorize the Older Americans Act, and the chairman and the ranking member of the subcommittee overviewed the legislation quite well, so I will not repeat what they said. But we heard from national, State, and local stakeholders, we heard from constituents and seniors themselves, and today we have a product that the vast aging network in America can be proud of as this reauthorization passes this House today.

This process has been an open and bipartisan process from the beginning, and this piece of legislation is better for that. I want to thank Mr. Hinojosa for being a devoted partner in this process. His friendship and hard work and that of his staff have been much appreciated by myself and my team.

I also want to acknowledge the great work of Kate Houston, Stephanie Milburn, Rich Stombres, and a staff member of mine who is now in law school, Angela Kelmack, for her hard work as well. I appreciate all the hard work of all of our members who have contributed to this process, the members of the committee and the cosponsors.

Again, this is a proud day for older Americans. On to the Senate, after we urge our colleagues to pass this bill on the House floor today.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4 provides significant reforms of ERISA prohibited transaction rules. These new exemptions are in addition to exemptions that have already been granted by the Secretary of Labor or are included in the ERISA statute.

I am supportive of the relief for the use of electronic communication networks and similar trading venues. This reflects the availability of new technology to make trading more efficient. ERISA plans are incurring higher execution costs because of the difficulty of sending ERISA plan trades to electronic trading systems. Greater access to electronic trading can provide ERISA plan participants with the same benefits that are available to non-ERISA plans and other institutional investors.

The legislation requires plan fiduciary authorization and prior notice before an ECN or similar trading venue can be used if the manager or his affiliate has an ownership interest in the trading venue. However, it recognizes that prior notice and authorization is not required for exchanges or venues where a manager or its affiliate have an ownership interest that is insignificant, such as under 10 percent. In addition, as under current law, a transaction executed on an exchange or automated public quotation system will not result in a prohibited transaction, even if it is owned in part by an affiliate of an investment manager.

Mr. Speaker, I am excited that we are here today considering this piece of legislation that was passed out of committee unanimously. It has been a bipartisan process from the very beginning. I believe we have a better bill that Members can support because of that process, a bill that will make it easier for Americans to be homeowners. I thank Mr. Frank. As a former realtor, I want to associate myself with his remarks with respect to the flexibility of this bill, the importance of this bill. We have come a long way in getting here today passing this bill.

I do want to acknowledge his valuable input as a cosponsor of the legislation, a key cosponsor, as well as his work on the Financial Services Committee, and also his aid Scott Olson. This legislation today is better because of the work that you all put into it. I really appreciate and am grateful for that work.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to acknowledge the leadership of Mr. Ney, chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing, and Chairman Oxley for their work on this legislation, and the key work of committee staff Clinton Jones. Clinton, you have been great on this legislation from the very beginning; Cindy Chetti, Tallman Johnson, Rashmi Puri, along with Lindsay Vogtsberger from my staff as well. This has been a great collaboration. I appreciate the full support from the Members and the committee.

This legislation builds on the past successes of FHA's title I program by increasing the availability of title I loans for manufactured housing, encouraging more private sector participation and increasing access to the ever-important secondary mortgage market.

Manufactured housing has played a critical role in creating homeownership for families both in urban and rural settings across this country, across our State in Ohio. Unfortunately, manufactured housing is in the midst of a downturn, a downturn in housing production levels due in part to tightening of underwriting standards.

Historically, FHA title I programs have provided loans for financing mortgages of manufactured homes, which are homes leased on land. In 1992, FHA title I insured over 30,000 loans nationwide. In 2004, the number fell to 2,000. In Ohio, the chairman's home State and my home State, loans fell from a high in 1992 of 281, to only 15 written in 2004.

This bill incorporates recommendations from HUD's Commission of Independent Agency ``Report to Improve the title I Program.'' The legislation raises the maximum loan limits for manufactured homes on lots with annual indexing using the U.S. Census data. It also makes a number of changes, Mr. Speaker, to ensure the financial soundness of the program by allowing the Secretary of HUD to revise underwriting criteria.

Furthermore, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that implementing this piece of legislation will result in savings of half a million dollars a year.

Mr. Speaker, I am truly proud of the fact that I am the sponsor of this bill with Mr. Frank and look forward to its passage here in the House and hopefully passage soon in the Senate so that more Americans may achieve the American dream of homeownership.