Floor Statements

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, as was just said, regulated investment companies, better known as mutual funds to most Americans and to us, are intended to provide individual investors the ability to invest easily and with low cost in a diversified pool of professionally managed investments, and they have worked. In fact, according to the Investment Company Institute, the largest trade association for mutual funds, as Chairman Neal said, more than 50 million American families currently invest in mutual funds.

Most of the current laws that mutual funds have to deal with have not been comprehensively updated for more than two decades. In fact, H.R. 4337 would modify and update certain technical tax rules pertaining to mutual funds. These changes will allow mutual funds to better conform to and interact with other aspects of the Tax Code and security laws.

As Chairman Neal said, we had a wonderful hearing where every single person who testified agreed to the changes in the underlying piece of legislation. It was passed in this House unanimously after that hearing this last summer. Every witness was supportive, and no opposition came before us with respect to the legislation. It was passed in the Senate last week by unanimous consent, with one change.

My hope is today, Chairman Levin, Chairman Neal, Madam Speaker, that this House will once again vote for this underlying piece of legislation with the one change and send it on to the President. Let's make this change, and let's give American mutual fund investors some certainty into the future.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Bishop Hartley High School football team. I am proud to recognize a school that not only excels in academics but also distinguishes itself on the football field. The Bishop Hartley football team is the 2010 Ohio Division IV state champions. The Hawks' victory in the championship game capped a successful season.

Led by head coach, Brad Burchfield, Bishop Hartley finished the season with a 34-13 win over Chagrin Falls, making this the Hawks' first championship win since 1986. The entire Bishop Hartley community should be proud of this momentous occasion.

I offer my congratulations to Coach Burchfield, Principal Michael Winters, the Hawks football team, students and supporters. I know each one of them will treasure the memories of their championship season and I commend them for this truly great achievement.

Madam Speaker, with great pleasure I rise to recognize the distinguished career of my constituent, Major General Gregory Wayt on his upcoming retirement from the Ohio National Guard.

The inception of the National Guard dates back over 370 years. Since its origin as colonial militias, the National Guard has protected our nation, has participated in every armed military engagement, and has responded to natural disasters and local emergencies. Guardsman, activated by the state or federal government, respond to protect our citizens. This commitment by National Guardsmen has been vital to the security of our country and the preservation of our liberties. This incredibly important branch of our armed forces' dedication to freedom and safety extends not only to our citizenry but to many around the world.

Major General Gregory Wayt has served in the United States armed forces for 35 years. Throughout his career, MG Wayt has earned many accolades and achievements for his supreme leadership qualities and unwavering commitment to the guard. Since his appointment as Adjutant General of Ohio's 17,000 guardsmen and women in 2004, the Ohio Guard has received national recognition for its professionalism and for the commitment of its war fighters. Truly, they have lived up to their motto: ``When called, we will respond with ready units!'' The success and outstanding reputation of the Ohio National Guard reflects MG Wayt's caliber of leadership. His long and illustrious career serving our great state and nation will be remembered. I am proud to recognize the achievements of such a fine American.

Once again, congratulations to Major General Gregory L. Wayt on his retirement from the Ohio National Guard. He has left an outstanding legacy. On behalf of the citizens of the 12th Congressional District of Ohio, please accept our gratitude for many years of service and sacrifice.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the retirement of Mr. John Callender from the Ohio Hospital Association. His August 30, 2010 retirement marked thirty years of service.

John is a native of St. Joseph, Michigan and a graduate of Michigan State University. Prior to his work at the Ohio Hospital Association, John worked at the Health Care Financing Administration, within the Department of Health and Human Services for ten years. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was honorably discharged in 1977.

During his tenure, the Ohio Hospital Association has benefited from John's hard work and institutional knowledge. He oversaw activities for all fiscal matters affecting Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance. John was also responsible for maintaining professional relationships with Congress and the executive branch, managing the Hospital Care Assurance Program, the Data Services Program, and chairing the Ohio Hospital Association's Center for Education. He served as chair of Ohio Hospital Capital, OHA Solutions and the Ohio Health Council. He is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association and the American Society of Association Executives.

I am honored to have this opportunity to recognize John for his dedication and achievements during his thirty years of service. I wish John and his wife, Betty, all the best. I am confident John will continue his good works and find happiness in the years ahead.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. TIBERI asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

I thank the gentleman from Tennessee as well for being here on the floor to recognize that 50 years ago, in fact, this week, President Eisenhower signed into law legislation that created real estate investment trusts, or REITs, as the gentleman said, which are investment vehicles that have allowed millions and millions of Americans expanded opportunities to invest in commercial real estate.

Mr. Speaker, while we take for granted that middle class investors and middle class Americans across our country have the opportunity to invest in commercial real estate, it is important to note that prior to 1960 it was only large financial institutions and wealthy Americans who had the means to do so. Over the last 50 years, REITs have greatly expanded that opportunity by allowing investors of all income levels to buy publicly traded, regulated shares of these commercial real estate investment vehicles.

REITs haven't just allowed middle class Americans to diversify their investment portfolios. They have also helped build our local communities--a true win-win situation. Indeed, over the last five decades, these investment vehicles have helped finance important commercial real estate projects in every one of our congressional districts across our country--from hotels to shopping malls, to hospitals, to office parks. In fact, in my congressional district, I am honored to have a number of important entities that are REITs, that truly people in our district don't even realize are real estate investment trusts, which, collectively, employ thousands of central Ohioans. Fifty years after enactment, REITs remain an important part of our Tax Code.

I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this bill with Congressman Levin and Congressman Camp, the lead sponsors; and I am pleased to be part of this resolution of recognizing their 50-year anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of the creation of real estate investment trusts and congratulate the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts on 50 years of service to their membership.

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) opened the door for all investors to participate in large-scale commercial real estate investments. Prior to the passage of tax law in 1960 that provided for the establishment of REITs, this opportunity was generally available only to large financial institutions and wealthy individuals through direct investment in the real estate.

Today, REITs own approximately $500 billion of commercial real estate assets and 132 REITs are traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Last year, REITs paid out approximately $13.5 billion in dividends. This access to publically traded and regulated securities has expanded investment and diversification opportunities for millions of Americans and provided more options as they plan and invest for their retirement security.

REITs have become an important piece of the U.S economy and investment markets, and I congratulate the industry on their 50th anniversary.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure I rise to recognize the 100th birthday of the Ohio Association of REALTORS (OAR).

Home ownership stands as a hallmark of the American way of life, and, for millions of working families throughout this nation's history, owning a home comprises a large part of achieving the American dream. At the core of this promise is the industry which helps make this dream a reality.

Realtors serve a vital role in the healthy propagation of homeownership; therefore, those who contribute to the furtherance of this profession are deserving of our thanks and recognition. The Ohio Association of REALTORS was created to help protect the investment Americans place in their homes, and for 100 years this fine organization has served with distinction. Where homeownership flourishes neighborhoods prosper, as residents are more civic-minded, schools stronger and streets safer.

For 100 years, the Ohio Association of REALTORS has worked to emphasize the value of home ownership and other property ownerships as well as property improvement across the state. Moreover, the OAR actively promotes a sense of civic responsibility and volunteerism with its over 35,000 members, while also pushing members to adhere to the National Association of REALTORS' stringent Code of Ethics.

Through commendable love of our community and fidelity to their craft, OAR serves a vital need in the state of Ohio. Therefore, in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the Ohio Association of REALTORS and in honor of all those individuals who serve their community as a realtor, I am proud to offer this recognition. As a former realtor, I am especially pleased to honor this fine organization for its service to our great state and the realty community.

Well, I thank the gentleman from northeastern Ohio and the Cleveland suburbs in Lake County for organizing this hour today, and I think you've really hit on some of the important points.

When you kind of go back over a year ago when the stimulus bill was passed by the majority, the Speaker said that unemployment wouldn't go above 8 percent. Boy, it would be nice to see unemployment at 8 percent in Ohio at this time, wouldn't it? It would be nice to see unemployment at 8 percent in my district. It would be nice to see 8 percent unemployment in your district. It would be nice to see unemployment even close to 8 percent nationally, and we don't see that today. In fact, as someone who has a father factoring the last time unemployment was above 8 percent, which was in the early 1980s--he lost his job and lost his pension, and we lost our health care--it's kind of deja vu all over again.

Rather than try to focus on those issues, we have spent a whole lot of time on issues that don't employ people, that don't make a difference in people's lives. Maybe they are important, but not as important as dealing with the nuts-and-bolts issues that you've talked about tonight.

I mean, if you can't budget, you can't govern, one man said, who is now the chairman of the Budget Committee from South Carolina. If you can't budget, you can't govern. Maybe you've already said this, but, since 1974, the House has never passed a budget. This year, the Democratic majority is not going to pass a budget in this House of Representatives. If you can't pass a budget, you can't govern. By the way, for the 6 years that I was in the majority here, we didn't have a 78-Member majority like the Democrats do today. This is unbelievable.

I was knocking on doors in my district in central Ohio and in Columbus on Saturday. Americans are mad and they are struggling. They are scared and they are concerned. Those who have the ability to expand their businesses--and there are some employers, job creators who have the ability--are frightened. They are frightened. I don't know if you talked about this before I came. They are frightened at the prospects of higher taxes. They are frightened at the prospects of more regulation. So what are they doing? They are kind of retracting and are not doing what they could be doing, which is creating jobs, obviously.

Rather than being on the floor here to honor somebody who is going to

have a courthouse named after him, which might be worthy, let's focus on these issues that you've talked about that are vitally important. We have an election in 5 months. Between now and then, nobody who I talked to in central Ohio who is a job creator, who is an entrepreneur, who is a risk-taker, is willing to take that risk based upon what they see coming out of this Congress.

So the gentleman from northeastern Ohio is correct in saying that it is not the roadmap that we need to be on to make our economy better in the greatest country in the world. We have too much debt, too many taxes, and too much spending. What we need to be doing is just the opposite of what the majority is doing today.

I yield back.

Will the gentleman yield?

Just last week, back in central Ohio, as we were home during the Memorial Day recess week, I convened a meeting--and I'm a former Realtor, a recovering Realtor. We had real estate folks on the commercial real estate side. We had small businesses. We had business or building managers, building owners and managers and bankers in the meeting.

To your point, they said that the commercial real estate market, if Congress doesn't deal with this issue soon, is going to make the housing meltdown look like minor league compared to what could happen on the commercial real estate side, not just in Ohio but across the country. This is happening very, very soon.

As we deal with this financial regulatory bill that is coming soon, which is in conference committee today, that could actually add to this problem by restraining credit and by creating a bigger problem with respect to access to capital. In this Congress today, with the majority, we are really heading for a disaster of epic proportions if we don't deal with this.

So I am pleased that Representative Minnick is on the case. I am pleased that you are on the case, and I hope that some folks can get to the leadership on the Democratic side to actually do something about this before it is too late.

I yield back.

Well, I thank the gentleman for yielding on this matter and for bringing this up because we've spent a lot of hours on issues right behind you that are not life-or-death issues.

Just a couple weeks ago, we spent less than an hour on an issue that deals with tax increases for people who own partnerships. Quite honestly, the way the majority sold it was we're going to tax people who are hedge fund partners. Yet the reality is, if you look at what the Congressional Budget Office said, in going back to your point about commercial real estate, the U.S. Conference of Mayors expressed grave concern about what the majority Democratic Party was doing with respect to carried interest. Real estate partnerships are the most impacted group, and we're going to take their real estate partnership and go from 15 percent to ordinary income.

So, next year, which is what you just said based upon the tax cuts expiring, the marginal rates going up, the rate increase and the payroll tax for health care, you're going to see a huge increase in people who invest in our cities, in commercial real estate. At the same time that this problem is going to occur that you've already explained, you're going to see tax increases from 15 percent to over 40 percent for some people.

What the Conference of Mayors understands, which is not exactly a conservative group in any way, shape or form, is that, if you're going to increase taxes on people who invest in our cities from 15 percent to over 40 percent, they're not going to invest in our cities. This is a huge impact, even before those tax cuts expire at the end of this year.

What will happen next year is we're going to see capital gains rates go up. We're going to see dividends go up. We're going to see marginal rates go up--close to 40 percent for the top tax group. As the gentleman from northeastern Ohio knows, before all of these tax rates go up, we have already seen 53 percent of Americans today pay Federal income tax. There are 47 percent of Americans who don't, and that is going to get worse when these tax cuts expire. So you are close to a situation where you have more people actually in the wagon than are pulling the wagon rather than people pulling the wagon than are in the wagon. This is not a good situation for America.

My mom and dad came to America for a better life, for the American Dream, for an opportunity, and that is slowly slipping away for so many people under this Democratic majority where it's class warfare every step of the way. When these tax cuts expire, it's more of that class warfare--the haves versus the have-nots--and it's a bad, bad recipe for the future of America if we continue this class warfare argument, whether it's on income, whether it's on capital gains and dividends, whether it's targeting the job creators and the entrepreneurs versus the people in America who aren't.

Fifteen percent.

The capital gains and dividend rate will go up to 20 percent, and depending on what rate they are on, that marginal rate will go up as well.

Well, I thank the gentleman.

You know, the bottom line is there are a lot of people in our State that are hurting. There are a lot of people in Ohio that would like a job. There are a lot of people in Michigan that would like a job.

Looking back over the last year, we have spent a lot of time on energy and cap-and-trade and health care and stimulus. And the bottom line is, ever since we spent that time, more and more people in Ohio and Michigan are out of work. We have record unemployment, record unemployment going back to when I was in high school back in the early 1980s, with no end in sight.

And then, on top of that, we have tax increases coming. We have spending out of control. We have spending that is higher than I've ever seen. Even the high spending that we thought we saw a couple of years ago is minor league compared to the spending today.

And Americans are getting it. And all the time that we've spent on the legislation that you've talked about that is not really important in people's lives is starting to penetrate to the American people, to Ohioans and to Michiganders, that we need to be tackling some of these tough issues.

How do you tackle these tough issues, sir, without passing a budget? And that's the bottom line.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to honor Janet Brenneman on the occasion of her retirement from the Delaware County Board of Elections.

Throughout our history, countless individuals have striven to preserve and expand one of our most fundamental rights -- the right of every American to cast a ballot. Informed, thoughtful participation in our electoral process by all citizens has been valued by generations of Americans as the quintessential action helping propel the United States onto the world stage as the foremost example of self-government.

The dedicated men and women working at our local boards of election can trace their civic lineage to the suffragettes and freedom riders of the past. They are the defenders of our most cherished public act. In this pursuit, Janet Brenneman has devoted the last 35 years of her life to the people of Delaware County. Whether through long hours on election night or her tireless advocacy to inform the voters, Janet established an unparalleled standard of excellence for all other election officers to emulate.

The Delaware Board of Elections stands out as an example for other counties throughout Ohio. Janet's quality of service is matched only by the quality of her character. A devoted friend to colleagues and a trustworthy public servant to voters, Janet's many virtues, both professional and personal, will certainly be missed and hard to replace.

I offer my congratulations to Janet Brenneman on her retirement and join her friends and family in celebrating this great milestone. On behalf of the citizens of Delaware County and the 12th Congressional District of Ohio, I offer my thanks and gratitude for her many years of service.

Madam Speaker, with great pleasure I rise to recognize the distinguished work and accomplishments of Chad Bouton.

The economic prosperity of our nation has always derived from the vitality of the American innovator. Through firm resolve and unparalleled imagination, these men and women

help discover the ideas, practices or products that fuel our country's progress. During these challenging economic times, it is all the more important to recognize their influence in affirming the limitless potential of our great country; therefore, I am happy to recognize one such individual: Mr. Chad Bouton, who was recently honored by Central Ohio's own Battelle Memorial Institute as the Battelle Inventor of the Year.

Since 1997, Chad Bouton has marked himself as a stand-out talent at Battelle. He worked as the primary innovator, inventor and principal investigator for dozens of medical device projects, from enabling paraplegics to control wheelchairs with their thoughts to providing surgeons with tools to enable minimally invasive surgical procedures. His passion for his work has led Chad to be honored with two R&D Magazine ``Top 100'' awards, several Battelle Outstanding Technical Achievement Awards, as well as, having nine of his works published in numerous scholarly journals.

Through the ingenuity of his thinking and tenacity of his work, Chad stands as an example to many across our country. Therefore, I am very pleased to thank him for all he has done for our country, and on behalf of Ohio's 12th Congressional District, congratulate him on his most recent award.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H.R. 4840, the bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1979 Cleveland Avenue in Columbus, Ohio, as the ``Clarence D. Lumpkin Post Office.''

Mr. Lumpkin has long been a pillar in Columbus and the Linden community. Born in 1925, he grew up in the South in a family of sharecroppers. After high school, Mr. Lumpkin joined the United States Army where he served his country honorably in World War II. After the War, Clarence Lumpkin moved to the South Linden community in Columbus where he was elected to the South Linden Area Commission, and has been a driving force and a leader in the community ever since. His work and outstanding presence have touched many lives and are very much appreciated by his fellow central Ohioans. This post office was saved from closing with the help of Mr. Lumpkin's tireless work, so it is appropriate that this post office bears his name.

I hope you will join me in honoring the life and accomplishments of Clarence D. Lumpkin and recognizing his dedication to the Central Ohio community.

Mr. Speaker, I am for health care reform, but not this version. This is a bad bill. It does nothing to address the cost of health care. This bill increases taxes on individuals and employers. It cuts Medicare and adds debt to future generations.

But don't take my word for it, Mr. Speaker. My hometown newspaper, The Columbus Dispatch, has published three editorials this last week against the bill suggesting, and I quote, ``It is incredible that a sixth of the U.S. economy and the health of every American could be subjected to massive government intervention based on such fiscal dishonesty and secrecy.''

Mr. Speaker, this bill does nothing to reform our health care system. It adds people to a broken system.

[From Editorials]

Add It Up

on health-care vote, lawmakers should pay heed to the people

The Obama administration and Democratic leaders in Congress

are pushing Democratic members of the House to pass the

Senate health-care overhaul in the next week or two and to

trust the Senate to agree to changes in follow-up bills that

will make the plan more amenable to House Democrats.

This complicated approach is a parliamentary maneuver

intended to deny Senate Republicans the opportunity to kill

the bill with a filibuster.

Of the 11 Democratic members of Ohio's congressional

delegation, one is opposed and eight say they are undecided

about how they'll vote. Among Ohio's nine Republican members

of Congress, there is no ambivalence. All nine plan to oppose

it.

President Barack Obama is pressing hard for the overhaul

because it is his signature issue. He is more than a year

into his administration and has been handed setback after

setback, despite the fact that the White House, House and

Senate are in Democratic hands. The economy is stalled,

unemployment remains at punishing levels and voters are angry

at the lack of improvement. Not only that, but they are

alarmed about the serious amounts of debt the government has

run up in less-than-stimulating stimulus efforts. The ``blame

Bush'' strategy that Obama has employed to date is now a dead

horse, unresponsive to further lashing. In short, Obama is

desperate for a win.

Ohio's Democrats must decide whether they were elected to

give the American people the best health-care bill possible,

or whether they were elected to save a president from a

political morass.

The answer should be easy: they should vote for the

American people. That means saying no to the health-care

overhaul plans now before Congress. The plans so are have

been sold under false pretenses using accounting gimmicks

that lowball the costs. They contain no serious mechanisms

for controlling the escalation in health-care costs. And

extending health insurance to 31 million more Americans would

place demands on doctors and hospitals that will drive costs

through he roof or necessitate rationing whether it takes the

form of denying some treatments or making people wait longer

for care.

The federal government already runs two of the biggest

medical programs in the country, Medicare and Medicaid, and

both are headed for insolvency. Consider that the health-care

overhaul calls for putting half of the 31 million uninsured

onto state Medicaid rolls at a time when Medicaid already is

driving state budgets into the red.

If almost half of Ohio's congressional delegation is

undecided, the American people are not. Recent opinion

surveys find that half or more of Americans oppose the

proposed overhaul. The number favoring the plan rarely tops

40 percent. No proposal to make over a sixth of the U.S.

economy and to radically alter the health-care prospects of

all Americans should be rammed through in the face of such

opposition.

I think there is no doubt at this point.

I was going to pick a game, and I'm going to pick the People versus the Cornhusker Kickback, but I think it is important at the very top there for you to point out on the chart that you have got at Florida Gators, and you just mentioned at LSU. We could add Montana because there is a special provision for Montana as well. Unfortunately, they lost in the tournament yesterday. We could add the University of Connecticut. Connecticut has got a nice little special provision that is staying in the bill. New Jersey is getting another special little deal. And apparently North Dakota in the reconciliation. I don't know how you have got it just to the two, Florida and LSU. But since we are talking about special deals in special places, I think I will do the People versus the special deal in the Cornhusker Kickback.

For all the special deals.

This chart was put together before we found out that not just health care was going to be in the health care bill. That actually now we're going to be debating a student loan bill which is how the Bismarck bombshell, Bismarck bank job--but now we have student loan, the takeover of the student loan business in the health care bill. I think America has to be aware of that as well.

Back to the issue at hand. The people versus the Cornhusker kickback. That special deal the people want. Is that correct?

The people won on the Cornhusker kickback, but I think it's important to note, as this chart partially does, that there is still Florida gator aid that is in this bill that the majority is going to have to defend, there is still the Louisiana purchase.

Now, there is a water deal for a couple of Members in California that Members are going to have to defend. There is a deal in Arizona. We mentioned

Montana. We mentioned Bismarck. We also mentioned Connecticut and New Jersey, just to name a few. Special sweetheart deals.

I do have a suggestion that may be a sequel to March madness, D.C. style. We could play the game of The Price is Right and talk about some of these sweetheart deals in our next hour that we have next week.

I think in a rout.

Hard to argue with that.

Let's go with Waxman versus taxes.

Obviously the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee wrote most of the bill coming out of the House with the leadership on the Democratic side. And taxes are what more Americans are going to pay a heck of a lot more of.

In fact, I know the Speaker is aware that most of the benefits of this bill don't actually kick in until 2014, when my daughters are going--when my youngest daughters are going to kindergarten, in 2014.

They're 1. So in 2014 they'll be entering kindergarten, and that is when the benefits will begin.

However, the tax increases will begin right away. And in fact, the Senate bill not only increases payroll taxes, but now we have a reconciliation bill that increases or begins taxing on the payrolls of American workers for the very first time unearned income. So when we are trying to convince Americans to save more, now suddenly their annuities and their interest income from a bank and their retirement accounts and all of these other things, rents, are going to now be taxed for the first time on payroll taxes.

We're cracking the door open for the first time on life insurance. And it's a concern to many agents in the industry.

It's not only on that side of the aisle that we have a view of tax increases. We're taxing the medical devices, we're taxing wheelchairs, we're taxing insurance plans. We are having for the very first time something that you as a lawyer, I'm sure, would question the constitutionality of. We're going to tax for the very first time health insurance in terms of, if you don't pay it, if you don't have health insurance--which you're mandated to--you're going to have an IRS agent come knocking on your door.

The very first time we're going to get the IRS involved in your health care, and we're going to have to have the IRS--one estimate is $1 billion dollars a year to hire agents over the next 10 years to monitor yours and mine and the people's health care. So the IRS is going to be involved in everybody's health care. Not to mention all of the other Federal Government employees who we're empowering.

But we are increasing taxes, we are cutting Medicare, and we are increasing the IRS by about 16,500 people to deal with our health care.

For the very first time, it taxes payroll for that unearned income at 3.8 percent. So 3.8 percent for the very first time on unearned income. And it actually raises by .9 percent, almost 1 percent, earned income on the payroll tax.

I'm going to add just one other mention to this. In Washington, D.C., we're spending $1 trillion dollars. The Democratic bill spends $1 trillion dollars to save money. Kind of an oxymoron. Only in Washington, D.C., can we spend a trillion dollars to save money.

I think that's pretty clear; but just to further demonstrate, I had a group of students ask me, with respect to the process in Washington, D.C. because they had learned in their government book that a bill passes the House, a bill passes the Senate, it goes to conference committee, and then they work out the differences, kind of come to an agreement, and it goes back to the House and back to the Senate, when did that change? I think we all have maybe a future business in publishing to change the process because we haven't had conference committees in the past year in this Congress. We have had backroom deals.

And here is another one. And after this Senate bill is deemed and passed through procedural trickery, maybe on Sunday, as the gentleman from Ohio said, that will go to the President's desk. That will have the Cornhusker kickback in it, and then the underlying bill of reconciliation will then come to the floor with all these changes in it, including something that will strike the Cornhusker kickback out, but not the other sweetheart deals, which will also include the student loan bill, among other health care items as well. That will pass with a majority vote here in the House.

But as the gentleman said, it has to pass unchanged in the Senate in order for it to become law and go to the President's desk. That is a huge promise, a huge promise that many Members of this House on the Democratic side are crossing their fingers in hope for because many of them who are voting for this bill now, voting for this deemed bill, this rule that has the deemed language in it, have been fairly critical of the Senate bill which they are technically not voting on, they are deeming it passed.

And I think the American people have had it up to their eyeballs with this trickery and chicanery.

I would certainly give it to Mr. Stupak and the brave Members who stood by him on the Democrat side.

I certainly wasn't there, but I will rely on press reports of what happened.

But just today, one of our Democratic colleagues who voted for the House bill and announced that he was not voting for the special rule that will deem the Senate bill law, said--and I am paraphrasing--that he is voting against this bill because it actually benefits health insurance companies and benefits the pharmaceutical industry.

Now, the pharmaceutical industry actually has run ads all over the country urging a ``yes'' vote on this bill even though many in the White House have publicly attacked them and publicly attacked the health insurance reform industry. It is ironic, but there, apparently at the beginning of this process, was a special deal between the President and what was then the head of this trade association to protect them from having any sort of provisions in the bill that might allow for reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada.

But in addition to that, on the Medicare side, I think my colleague from Ohio has already mentioned it, we are now seeing in this bill and more in the reconciliation bill that comes maybe Sunday, maybe Monday, a huge cut in Medicare. Not just Medicare Advantage, which a third of my seniors have the Medicare Advantage plan in my district, but actual cuts to Medicare, which Medicare's own actuary, his words not our words, said that he believes that the cut is so significant that it will leave providers, doctors, to stop treating Medicare beneficiaries because they won't be reimbursed enough for their services.

Now, in my district, and I am sure in the gentleman from Michigan's district and the gentleman from northeastern Ohio's district, I am already seeing doctors begin the process of not treating Medicare patients because they don't get reimbursed for every dollar that they treat a patient. They are getting reimbursed 80 cents or 85 cents.

Nothing in that bill changes this. In fact, the actuary states that this $500 billion cut will make it much worse. And that doesn't even begin to talk about the impact it has on hospitals and other providers as well.

So this is a huge policy issue that we are going to see, once the benefits side and the cuts occur, that Americans have no idea what is coming with respect to this huge change in policy.

And, actually, one of the Democratic leaders in the Senate took to the floor last week and in a speech actually came clean with respect to a statement that he said that actually insurance costs and health costs would continue to go up, and that is what we have said all along.

This doesn't deal with costs of health. This doesn't deal with costs of insurance. This deals with putting a whole lot more people on Medicaid, not fixing Medicaid. This deals with a whole lot of new taxes. This deals with restricting certain things like Medicare Advantage to give people less choices. This gives people less choices for health savings accounts. It reduces people who might have a flexible savings account, reduces that from $5,000 to $2,500 in taxable benefits.

The American people, once they find out what is in this bill, are going to be shocked at what is actually in this bill, aside from things like student loans that have nothing to do with health care, but actually on the health care side.

We have one more to go to the final four here, don't we?

Point of parliamentary inquiry.

Looking at the chart--maybe I am looking at it wrong. Before we do People/Reid, I think you have to do MoveOn.org/Rahm.

Can I inquire how much time we might have left?

So I'm going to go with Rahm versus MoveOn.org.

Where would you like us to go?

I think we probably should go People versus Senator Reid.

I think the People lost.

But to Senator Reid in the Senate, they lost. Actually, on Christmas Eve.

I think that's more appropriate.

Hard to top the gentleman from Michigan's description.

I think it's hard to argue with the Speaker in a close one, but I'd have to give it to the Speaker.

We solved that already. You're a sticker behind.

What we know is if the House takes up this rule on reconciliation on Sunday or Monday, the Senate bill will be deemed passed and on to the President's desk. That means Senator Reid will have won. The question is: Will they get the votes for the reconciliation the bill in the House and then in the Senate without changing it? If they do change it, does it come back to the House, and can they get the votes to uphold the changes, and what will happen then?

So this is going to play out. What's clear is, as you've pointed out, the American people end up losing. Health care reform is something that the three of us and the majority of Republicans support, but this isn't going to reform people's health care. This adds people to Medicaid. This adds people to insurance. This adds a slew of taxes, Medicare cuts, cuts to Medicare Advantage, and doesn't allow people to necessarily keep what they have. This is not reform that Americans bought into.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Bexley High School in Columbus, Ohio. Bexley High School is in my congressional district, and I am proud to recognize a school that not only excels in academics but also distinguishes itself in athletics. The Bexley Girls Soccer Team recently won the 2009 Ohio Division II Girls Soccer Championship. The Bexley Lions finished their amazing season 21-0-3.

The squad, led by team captains Kendra Wilson, Second Team All-Ohio Charolotte Myers and ``Ms. Ohio'' (girls soccer player of the year) Leah Levey, showed considerable determination throughout the season. For their work on and off the field, members garnered a number of awards. Most notably, the Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association recognized five members as ``Scholar Athletes,'' including: Leah Levey, Rebecca Carroll, Rachael Crane, Katie Grady and Mara Kinney.

Head Coach Scott Dempsey, and assistant coaches, Stephanie Bowshier, Chuck Crawford and Natalie Contosta comprise the soccer coaching staff. Coach Dempsey was recognized for his leadership by being named ``Coach of the Year'' by the Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association.

It is an honor to represent such a fine group of young people who have a strong dedication to team work and academics. I know each one of them will treasure the memories of their championship season and I commend them, and the Bexley community, for this truly great achievement.

Madam Speaker, I am extremely pleased to honor the work of Phil Urban, on the occasion of his retirement as President and CEO from Grange Insurance.

Our nation has always been blessed by the many individuals, who through their innovation and drive led a successful business that impacted a community and its people. Motivated by an unceasing spirit, these entrepreneurs built this great country through their work and accomplishments. Today, the tremendous strength of America and individual communities like Central Ohio are still sustained through the passion and vitality of these dedicated people. Therefore, those who contribute to this heritage deserve to be honored for their service.

As president and chief executive officer, Phil Urban directed Grange Insurance to the heights of its industry, becoming a standout-provider in a crowded market. Phil's unparalleled focus on his craft and drive to succeed helped lead Grange to numerous industry awards and unprecedented profits. Yet, profits cannot solely capture Phil's legacy in our community. Since announcing his retirement earlier this year, Phil has been inundated with an outpouring of affection and praise by his peers and the entire Grange family, all of which can surely attest to the impact he made in his position. The respect he showed for his over 1,500 Central Ohio employees is well-known and is a part of why Grange has become a company emulated and respected by many. Additionally, the weight Phil placed on corporate responsibility led Grange to give millions of dollars back to greater Columbus, leaving a legacy for Phil that will stand for years to come.

Through such distinction and service to his company and to Columbus, Phil stands as a pillar of our community. I am very pleased to thank him for all he has done for Central Ohio.

I offer my congratulations to Phil Urban for a career spent in service. I hope the spirit he daily brings forth in his life and work continues to inspire his friends and co-workers for years to come.