Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act which would create jobs, extend critical tax credits, provide assistance to people in need, and ensures that my home state of Illinois is able to continue building its infrastructure.

The bill extends unemployment insurance until November 30, 2010. It extends the National Flood Insurance Program until the end of the year. It also extends key tax credits for Illinois clean energy producers. Further, enactment of this legislation will ensure that short line and regional rail lines can continue critical track maintenance, providing reliable infrastructure for rail customers and communities across the nation. It achieves this through the Railroad Track Maintenance Credit. The 45G rail tax credit will enable small and mid-sized railroads to update and upgrade their track capacities in order to promote those railroads as a viable way to move freight. This provision means that railroads in and around my district, such as the Burlington Junction Railway, the Decatur Junction Railway, the Illinois & Midland Railroad, the Iowa Interstate Railroad, the Keokuk Junction Railway, and the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad, would all be able to make the necessary upgrades and perform maintenance to tracks which move our nation's food, consumer goods, and coal.

Another aspect of this bill that I am proud to support is commonly known as the ``Doc Fix'', which prevents a 21 percent doctor payment cut under Medicare which is scheduled to take place in June in order to preserve seniors' access to the doctor of their choice. This 19 month fix to the Sustainable Growth Rate formula increases physician payment rates by 2.2 percent for the rest of 2010 and 1 percent in 2011. This provision is necessary to guarantee that Medicare beneficiaries can continue to enjoy the excellent access to care that they do today.

Finally, H.R. 4213 ensures that Illinois highway funds are protected. A provision in the original legislation would have cost Illinois $118 million. But language was added to ensure the state can keep these critical resources. I thank Chairman Oberstar for working with the Illinois delegation to ensure that the state was held harmless in this regard.

The bill saves taxpayer dollars by ending subsidies for corporations who ship our jobs overseas, requiring Wall Street investment fund billionaires to pay their fair share of taxes, and ensuring BP meets its responsibility for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

We are finally starting to see some positive momentum in the job market. But with many Americans still looking for work, these long-term extensions of unemployment insurance are critical to ordinary families' ability to make ends meet. I am pleased this bill also includes two important provisions for our farmers in Illinois. An extension of the National Flood Insurance Program will give families who live along the Mississippi River important protection from future disasters. In addition, those farmers who produce clean energy like biodiesel and ethanol will continue to receive a tax credit.

We pay for much of this by ceasing to reward multinational corporations for shipping American jobs overseas. This policy combined with several unfair trade deals has battered the manufacturing base in my district. It is time to stand up for American workers again.

Mr. Chair, I'd like to begin by thanking my friend Chairman Skelton, for his unwavering commitment to our Nation's defense and the warfighter.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of my amendment included in En Bloc package 3.

Mr. Chair, my amendment simply asks the Army Secretary to report to Congress with the details of the Heirloom Chest policy, plans to continue the program and a cost estimate of expanding it.

The Heirloom Chest is presented by the Army to families in memory of soldiers who have fallen in the defense of our Nation. Under the Army's policy, in the case of separated, divorced, or unmarried parents, the chest is given to only one surviving parent.

While I applaud the Army's efforts to support surviving families, I believe this policy ignores the loss that both parents share and has also unintentionally put added strain on bereaving parents.

Mr. Chair, the intent of my amendment is to ensure the sacrifice of both surviving parents is properly recognized. Families of the fallen have made the ultimate sacrifice, and it is our duty to honor the sacrifice of all survivors.

I urge my colleagues to support this en bloc amendment and the underlying bill.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of this first amendment en bloc to the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. I support this legislation because I believe a substantial investment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics translates to innovation and good-paying jobs. As a member of the Education and Labor Committee, it is clear to me how federal grant opportunities for colleges provides for a strong American workforce.

Mr. Chair, included in this en bloc amendment is language I authored which seeks to give every higher education institution, regardless of funding history or its location, a fair shot at receiving funding.

I have concerns that a disproportional amount of the funding authorized under this bill would end up being awarded to large institutions, which may eclipse small colleges and universities, many of which are located throughout rural America.

Let me be clear--I strongly support, and encourage, all institutions of higher learning to pursue federal STEM funding opportunities. What my provision does is simply express the sense of Congress that when the grant-making authority is evaluating two or more applications of equal merit, that additional consideration should be given to applicants in rural areas and those that have no history of federal STEM grant funding.

Mr. Chair, because there are many bigger schools which have an entire staff dedicated to searching for grant opportunities, I believe that we must ensure there is a level playing field so that all areas of this nation and schools of all sizes and resources are able to benefit.

I believe the language I authored will benefit the overall legislation by enabling unprecedented STEM funding access to schools all across this nation.

I would like to close by thanking and congratulating Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall for their extraordinary work in crafting the underlying bill. I was proud to support the 2007 COMPETES legislation, and I am proud to support its reauthorization.

I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting both en bloc amendment number

one and the final passage of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to join with the Chairwoman of the Railroad, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, Representative Corrine Brown, in supporting H. Res. 1301, a resolution supporting and recognizing National Train Day.

The story of trains in our country is one that mirrors the remarkable story of our nation. Over 150 years ago, the first trains started to move people and goods across the nation. Trains helped lay the groundwork for the industrial revolution and helped spur westward expansion.

Today, trains continue to play an important role in American life. In my district, freight is safely moved by train throughout Galesburg, Decatur, and many other areas. Passenger rail plays a tremendous role in modern America. In places like Quincy, Illinois, Amtrak has helped connect smaller communities with larger ones and the resources they have to offer. In the near future, high-speed rail will cross my district in two separate areas helping bridge urban and rural America and making each accessible in a more environmentally friendly way,

I am proud to say that the future of trains in America is bright. I join Chairwoman Brown in aggressively pursuing a network of high-speed rail corridors that will make the viability of passenger trains more attractive while continuing our work to ensure that the nation's freight rail network remains secure, active, and vibrant.

National Train Day calls attention to the many positive contributions rail makes to our national economy. Rail makes for a safe, clean, effective transport of goods and services. Trains have been, are, and will continue to be a critical part of our nation's great story.

Madam Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to pass H. Res. 1301, a bipartisan resolution which recognizes and supports National Train Day. I thank Representative Brown for authoring this bill and look forward to continue working with her.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 11th annual National Work Zone Awareness Week, which brings national attention to motorists, worker safety and mobility issues in work zones. This year's Awareness Week takes place April 19-23, and is coordinated by the Federal Highway Administration, the American Association of State Highway

and Transportation Officials, and the American Traffic Safety Services Association. Although work zone fatalities have declined nationally by over 30 percent since 1996, 720 people lost their lives in 2008 alone. We can do better.

National Work Zone Awareness Week encourages drivers to pay close attention to their surroundings such as putting down their mobile phones and other devices while proceeding through work zones. With increased awareness, we can continue aiming to make our roads safer for both workers and drivers, but also work toward further decreasing the number of work zone fatalities. According to research from the Illinois Institute of Technology, highway work zone fatalities have actually increased from 2007 to 2008 for both highway workers and vehicle travelers. Its research also shows that Illinois highway worker fatalities have actually stayed consistent over the last 15 years. We need to urge the American people to continue striving to reduce this fatality rate. This is an ambitious goal, but with 7,000 work zone crashes per year in my home State, 29 leading to death, National Work Zone Awareness Week is something we should all support.

In addition, as a Member serving on both the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Education and Labor Committee, I would also like to recognize my two committee chairmen, Representatives Jim Oberstar and George Miller, for their constant vigilance on making workplace safety a top priority of each respective Committee. Madam Speaker, we should all be reminded that driving safely doesn't stop just because you slow down through a highway construction zone, but rather it encompasses all factors that allow motorists to pay close attention to the road while also allowing road workers to improve our infrastructure. These workers should not have to worry about whether or not they're going to make it through the day unscathed.

Again, I would like to offer my recognition for National Work Zone Awareness Week. I thank the Speaker and urge all of my colleagues to join in recognizing this important campaign.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the long and distinguished career of public service of Richard Carol Smith, known to family, friends and colleagues as RC.

A life-long resident of the Midwest, RC has been a fixture in Macon County and in particular Long Creek Township through his work in government service as well as his political activism. What is even more impressive is that while working diligently for the public good, he was employed by Wabash, Norfolk & Western and Norfolk-Southern Railways, for some 39 years. Yet he found the time to be an incredibly active and respected member of his community and our region.

His service and commitment to Long Creek is unparalleled. He currently serves as Long Creek Township Clerk, a post he has held since 1997, as well as being a former assessor for the town. He has also served Long Creek as the township supervisor and assistant supervisor.

His service to Macon County is just as impressive. RC served on the Macon County board for almost 30 years. He was first elected to the board in 1970 and served as chairman from 1985 to 1986 and as vice- chairman for 6 years. He also served as the Mt. Zion Township Supervisor and was the first Democrat elected to the post in 20 years.

In addition to a long career in area Democratic Party politics, Mr. Smith has been an ardent supporter of the labor movement, culminating with him serving as the executive director of Decatur Area Labor- Management from 1989-1997.

A man of faith, RC is active in his local church, where he is an ordained Deacon at the Tabernacle Baptist Church. He also served his country honorably in the U.S. Air Force from 1952 to 1956.

RC can't quite shake the pull of politics and will remain the president emeritus of the Long Creek Township Democrats as well as continue as the secretary of the Macon County Democrats. However, with all of the accomplishments and commitments, RC has earned a well deserved retirement from his service as

the chairman of the Long Creek Township Democrats. RC has been married over 45 years to his wife Wanda and is the proud father of three children and a grandfather to boot. I know that he is looking forward to spending more time with his family, but I am confident he will still remain as an active and steadfast force for his community. I hope he enjoys his retirement--it is well earned after many years of service and commitment to the people of our area.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Let me begin by taking this opportunity to thank Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member McKeon as well as Chairman Andrews and Ranking Member Conaway for their leadership on the underlying bill and for their commitment to our Nation's Armed Forces.

The amendment before us today is one of great importance that aims to ensure a level playing field for domestic manufacturers with the hope of strengthening our economic recovery through the defense acquisition process. My amendment declares that it is the sense of Congress that the Department of Defense should ensure full compliance throughout the acquisition process with the Berry Amendment and the Buy American Act. Further, the amendment declares the sense of Congress that the Department of Defense not procure products made by domestic manufacturers that fail to comply with the labor standards that are set by the laws established by Congress.

Both the Buy American Act and the Berry Amendment are intended to benefit American industry and workers.

And at a time of high unemployment, we must ensure compliance with these important laws to ensure that DOD procurement benefits American families in every corner of this Nation whenever possible.

I think we can all agree here that we want the best equipment and items procured for our Armed Forces, and I think we can all agree that we want to ensure that these acquisitions adhere to the laws and labor standards of the land. My amendment simply expresses and reaffirms congressional intent and aims to aid the economic recovery that our Nation so desperately needs. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Once again, I just want to thank Chairman Skelton for his wonderful work on this bill.

With that, Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

I want to thank Chairman Woolsey for her leadership on the Workforce Protection Subcommittee, who I have had the pleasure of serving with.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 375. On April 28, we observe Workers' Memorial Day, when people all over the world gather to remember and mourn the workers killed or injured on the job. April 28 also commemorates the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Since its inception in 1970, OSHA has been a driving force in improving workplace safety and health conditions across the country. Over the past several decades, through the work of OSHA, we have made enormous strides

in protecting workers, yet there's still much work left to be done.

Mr. Speaker, worker safety has been at the forefront of our social conscience lately. We've seen devastating tragedies from West Virginia to Connecticut to Washington State and now Louisiana. While we grieve for those lost in these tragedies, we should never forget those who are killed on the job but never make the front pages. Their families' pain is no less substantial and our obligation to protect them is no less important. Each of these deaths should remind us that failing to give OSHA the tools it needs to regulate the workforce efficiently leaves our constituents, the American workforce, in jeopardy.

The government alone cannot fully protect our workers. Workers' Memorial Day must also be a reminder to our Nation's employers of their obligation to keep their employees safe. The days of certain companies skirting safety just to save a buck must come to an end once and for all. For those employers that fail to comply, we must strengthen worker protections and make penalties more severe.

On behalf of all of those who we honor on Workers' Memorial Day, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join Chairman Woolsey and me in the fight to modernize OSHA to protect the lives and health of America's workers. Let us all stand together today in solidarity in recognizing Workers' Memorial Day, honor all those we have lost, and vow to take the steps necessary to make every American safer at work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Wall Street reform. With 8 million jobs lost at the hands of Wall Street tycoons recklessly gambling on the financial futures of our constituents, enough is enough.

This Democratic Caucus has made great progress in pulling our economy back from the brink of disaster, yet the hard work remains. It's my hope that we, in a bipartisan manner, can see that reforming Wall Street is not a political issue. It is an issue that will shape the financial security of all Americans and prevent future economic disasters.

When we enact this bill, it will end bailouts by helping ensure that taxpayers never again are on the hook for Wall Street's risky decisions. It will protect families' retirement funds, college savings, home and business financial futures from unnecessary risks, protect consumers from predatory lending abuses, fine print and industry gimmicks. It will inject transparency and accountability into the financial system which has run amuck.

Mr. Speaker, I say to opponents of this bill, enough is enough. It's time to vote in favor of Main Street all across this great country and against the Wall Street that has run roughshod over the future of too many American families.

Mr. Speaker, this Congress, under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Filner, has honored our veterans by dramatically increasing funding for VA health care and making it more timely, efficient, and predictable, hiring additional benefits claims processors and improving VA facilities. The bill before us builds on our earlier victories to improve the quality of health care for our Nation's veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I am particularly pleased that this veterans package includes a bill I introduced with Congressman Jerry Moran to elevate the Department of Veterans Affairs physician assistant adviser to a full-time director. My bill would give 2,000 physician assistants employed at the VA who manage care for one-quarter of all primary care patients a fair and long-overdue voice within the VA.

With the director of physician assistant services, we can ensure that the PA workforce will continue to be an integral component within the VA health system and PAs are able to provide the best possible care to our veterans, especially those in underserved rural areas.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote for S. 1963.

Mr. Speaker, on April 5, 29 hardworking men--fathers, brothers, sons, and husbands--left home for a day at work. All thought they would return home safely to their families that night, but, sadly, they didn't.

I stand in solidarity with my colleagues from West Virginia and all across this Nation in honoring the 29 coal miners that were lost.

I wish to express my deepest sympathies to each of the families of the workers who perished in the West Virginia mine explosion. I know the loss you have experienced will stay with you forever, and I hope that you can take some solace in knowing that all Americans share in your grief.

I would also like to take this opportunity to express my utmost gratitude to the rescue teams who have so tirelessly and heroically risked their own lives in an effort to save others. Your bravery does not go unnoticed and is appreciated by all Americans.

The explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine was America's worst mining disaster in 40 years, and the toll on all West Virginians has been devastating. It requires us to again ask our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, with four mine disasters in the last 4 years, how many more tragedies have to occur before we start taking mine safety more seriously and implement strong reforms to protect all of our miners?

I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to work with Chairman Miller and Chairwoman Woolsey to honor these miners through action. While we cannot bring back the men that were lost, we can do more to advance the cause of workplace safety across this country; and we should start by ensuring that MSHA has the tools, the staff, and technology to prevent tragedies such as these. The report yesterday that a computer error prevented Upper Big Branch mine from

being identified as a risk is deeply disturbing and completely and totally unacceptable. All Americans deserve to work in a place that is safe, and we must take whatever steps are necessary to ensure a disaster like this will never happen again.

Again, I want to join my colleagues in expressing my deepest condolences to those affected by this devastating tragedy. I assure each of the affected families and communities that your loss will not be forgotten and the memory of these coal miners will inspire me and my colleagues to take bold action on mine safety.

I thank the gentleman for the time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize my chief caseworker, Virginia Shelton, who will retire at the end of this month after 25 years of service to the Illinois 17th Congressional District and our Nation.

Ginny, as she is known by her friends and colleagues, handled one of the most important jobs in any congressional office: outreach to veterans.

My predecessor, Lane Evans, had a great reputation for fighting for our Nation's heroes. I have sought to continue that legacy. But the constant behind both of our efforts has always been Ginny, who has dedicated not just her career but her entire life to the men and women who served our Nation in uniform. She is known for spending countless hours explaining each and every right to veterans who are looking to exercise them. She built invaluable relationships with VA staff, putting herself in the best position to advocate for the constituents who sought her help. She studied hard and made herself an expert on VA disability, health care, and other crucial benefits.

For Ginny, serving our veterans was a labor of love. Whether it was on the phone or over a drink at a VFW, Ginny listened and learned about the lives of our veterans. She knew them personally. She was not only an advocate, she was their friend. Their struggle was her struggle. She recognized that behind every case file was a human being, and she understood that when it comes to our veterans, justice delayed is justice denied.

Ginny was passionate about the issues of veterans' homelessness. Each and every year, she was active in the local Stand Down, an event where our homeless heroes are provided haircuts, food, medical care, a place to stay for the night, and counseling. She believed that our Nation should have a Stand Down 365 days a year. Inspired by her efforts, I introduced a bill last year to reduce veterans' homelessness.

Ginny was instrumental in helping me secure a VA outpatient clinic for Whiteside County. The VA predicts approximately 2,500 veterans will use this facility during its first year of operation. Thanks to Ginny, many veterans will no longer have to travel hours upon hours just to receive basic care.

Ginny also managed my nominations to America's service academies, fully investing herself in the process to ensure our young people get the best opportunities possible. She always made sure students filled out their applications fully and got them in on time. She treated each applicant as if they were one of her own kids. I know one her favorite things to do is visit the academies and see firsthand the young men and women who will be our future warriors.

Ginny has been a wonderful friend to my wife, Beckie, and me for many years. I know her late husband, Jack, himself a Marine, is very proud of her today. There are many things I will miss about Ginny: her sense of humor, that unmistakable voice, her invaluable advice and guidance. But it is our veterans who will miss her the most. Her retirement is the end of an era, but I know she will continue her great work going forward. She leaves a legacy marked by selfless service to our Nation and its heroes. And for all the work she has done for our veterans, Ginny Shelton is a hero in her own right.

Ginny, thank you. Thank you so much for 25 years of wonderful work.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3671, the Upper Mississippi River Basin Protection Act. This is an important piece of legislation, which would provide us with a scientific basis for the management of sediment and nutrient loss in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. I am proud to represent an area of Illinois which is bordered by the Mississippi River and believe we must do more to protect this important waterway.

Soil erosion and ecological changes being made by nutrient displacement endanger the long-term viability of the midwest's farming community. The loss of sediments and nutrients upstream endanger the wetland environments downstream. The sediments that flow into the shipping channel of the Mississippi River cost more than $150 million in dredging annually. The Department of the Interior does not have the resources or the scientific data to work effectively at protecting the Mississippi and this bill will change that.

This bill requires that the U.S. Geological Survey and Department of Interior collect data and study sediment loss and soil erosion. I believe this is a good first step towards solving this problem. I also agree that the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences should conduct a comprehensive water resources assessment so that we can be sure that data obtained from both public and private monitoring stations come from a nonpartisan, unbiased source.

H.R. 3671 is beneficial to not just my constituents, but the knowledge we gain from the measuring and monitoring of sediment and nutrients could be used by several entities including the Army Corps of Engineers, who spend a significant amount of time dredging, scientists and academic researchers, environmentalists working to protect the biological integrity of areas in and around the Mississippi River, businesses who conduct barge commerce, the agriculture industry which uses the River's waterways on a daily basis, among many others. It is clear that the best way forward on addressing this issue is to enact a long-term, coordinated, basin-wide monitoring of the waterway. H.R. 3671 has my support because it is one part of this strategy.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Wisconsin, Representative Kind, for introducing this bill and being persistent in once

again gaining passage. Today, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I call upon the Senate to swiftly pass this important, bipartisan, legislation and stand with the House in protecting the Upper Mississippi River Basin.

Mr. Speaker, I was here last November and I talked about my father and my mother. My dad was ill, we lost our house and everything we ever had. And when I came home from my sister's wedding, there was a deputy sheriff with a notice to evict. My dad thought somehow he had let us down. Two days before his death, a death that came way too early for somebody at 67, I sat by his bed and he said Phil, just do two things for me, two promises: take care of your mother and the girls. But the pain that the loss of this house has caused, and the pain this family has had to go through, whatever you do, please, do not let another family have to go through this.

Last November I cast my vote in favor of our bill on behalf of my dad, my family, and for those people; and tonight, I will cast my vote in favor of this bill not just for my dad, but for the people who every 8 seconds in this Nation file bankruptcy and receive foreclosure notices because of health care. It is time to stand up and be counted. Tonight I will stand up, and I will be counted among the ``yeses.''