Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, in 1993, when professional baseball owners were deciding how to rehabilitate the reputation of baseball after the players' strike, they debated whether to enact a wild-card rule to allow the second place team into the playoffs. Only one owner at the time voted against this, Texas Rangers general partner, George Bush.

When the rule passed 27-1, at the time the President said, ``I made my arguments and went down in flames. History will prove me right.''

Since then, nearly a third of the World Series Champions have been wild-card teams, including the 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. The rule helped save baseball, as history has shown.

And just like his baseball predictions, President Bush sings a very similar tune about Iraq. He says, as recently as yesterday, ``History will prove whether I'm right, and I think I'll be right.''

Really? Five years today since his speech on ``Mission Accomplished.'' And let's take stock. More than 4,000 lives have been lost, tens of thousands of American men and women have been injured, we've spent over 475 billion taxpayer dollars in Iraq, with the price tag continually going up.

History will judge whether, once again, George Bush's record and America's reputation will go down in flames. At this rate, he's 0 for 2.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Chicago Cubs on their 10,000th franchise victory. Last night, the Cubs were away from the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, located in the heart of the Fifth Congressional District, and beat the Colorado Rockies in Denver to reach this historic milestone.

My hometown Cubbies are one of only two teams in MLB history to win 10,000 games. This year marks the Cubs 138th season, and 100th anniversary of our last World Series Championship, but like all Cubs fans, I have faith that this is our year.

Almost 142 years ago today, the Cubs played their first game in the National League as the Chicago White Stockings, and they finished in first place in that 1876 season. In 1902, the team officially became the Cubs, and northsiders have been rooting for our Cubbies ever since.

The Cubs' home, Wrigley Field, is located at 1060 W. Addison in my district, and is the oldest National League ballpark and second oldest in the majors. Countless memories have been created at Wrigley Field as Chicago families and fans across the country have come to watch the wins and losses of our Cubs.

Chicagoans are very excited about our Cubs this year, with the team playing great baseball and sitting in first place in the Central with a record of 15-6. Manager Lou Pinella has done a terrific job with an outstanding complement of players, from pitchers Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, and Carlos Marmol to Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, newcomer Kosuke Fukudome, and last night's hero, Ryan Theriot.

Great players have filled Cubs lore over the years, and we will never forget legends like Ernie Banks, Gabby Hartnett, Ron Santo, Billy Williams, Mordecai ``Three Finger'' Brown, Ryne Sandberg, Mark Grace, and others.

Last night's victory was hard fought, with the Cubs defeating the Rockies in 10 innings to earn that 10,000th victory. Madam Speaker, as the Representative of Wrigley Field and all the residents of the 5th Congressional District of Illinois, as well as hundreds of thousands of Chicago Cubs fans, I congratulate the Cubs on this wonderful milestone. I'm looking forward to many more victories and hope to see that ``W'' flag flying at Wrigley Field throughout the summer and fall.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Geraldine ``Jerre'' McPartlin for receiving ``The 2008 Sister Huberta McCarthy, R.S.M. Woman of Mercy'' award. Mrs. McPartlin is the fifth woman to have the honor of receiving the ``Woman of Mercy'' award, and I congratulate her on this achievement.

This award has been presented by Mercy Hospital and Medical Center's Women's Board in honor of Mrs. McPartlin's work carrying forth the mission of Mercy Hospital throughout her professional and private life.

In 1852 Mercy Hospital and Medical Center was founded as the State of Illinois' first hospital and Chicago's first chartered hospital. For the last 155 years, Mercy has helped treat countless Chicagoans from all backgrounds, income levels, and educations seeking medical care.

Jerre, as she is known to her friends and family, was raised on the West side of Chicago and educated at Resurrection Grammar School and Siena High School by the Sisters of Mercy. She began her career working with the local labor movement as a business agent for the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union. This union serves thousands of workers in the hospitality and food service industries in the Chicagoland area. In 1985 she became the First Vice-President of the Chicago Federation of Labor, and in 1995 was named ``Labor Woman of the Year'' by the Chicago Federation of Labor.

Jerre has given her time to a long list of worthwhile charities, including Concern Worldwide USA, Misericordia, and Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. She has been a member of the Mercy Women's Board for several years, as well as Vice President of the Women's Board from 2003-2005.

Amazingly, she has managed to give so much of her time and energy to others while also being devoted to another sizable organization--her family. Jerre has 12 children, 23 grandchildren, and 8 great- grandchildren, and I am as impressed with the size of her family as her commitment to service.

Madam Speaker, because of Jerre McPartlin's tireless commitment to our community, she has touched the hearts and lives of thousands of Chicagoans. On behalf of the people of the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois, I thank her for her service to the people of Chicago and wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the visit of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict the XVI, to the United States. In addition to commemorating this Pontiff's first visit to our Nation as the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, today also marks the 81st birthday for his Holiness. The theme for the Pope's U.S. visit is ``On Christian Hope,'' and on behalf of the more than 200,000 Catholic residents of the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois, I would like to welcome Pope Benedict the XVI to Washington, DC and the United States.

Pope Benedict the XVI was elected the 265th Pope in August of 2005. Since that time he has traveled to nations all over the world spreading the beliefs of hope, peace, and justice. Throughout his life the Holy Father has touched the hearts of millions. From his humble beginnings in Germany through his current role as leader of the Roman Catholic Church, his religious doctrine and his belief in faith, hope, and kindness have guided his commitment to the Church and people around the world. He has connected with Catholics and non-Catholics alike through his dedication for advancement of human rights for all people.

The Holy Father has been honored throughout the world as a leader on issues that affect people of all races, religions, and creeds. He is an advocate for the poor and the needy, the hungry and the old, the sick and the tired. The belief that all citizens of the world should have rights is not simply a religious belief, but a human belief and one that we as Americans should honor.

Roman Catholics make up over 20 percent of the United States population and over one-sixth of the worlds population. The Roman Catholic Church in the United States operates schools, universities, shelters, and hospitals to help and educate people of this great nation.

Madam Speaker, the Holy Father is a dedicated servant to the Church and his followers, and we are proud to welcome him on his first visit to America. I wish him continued success in his efforts for human rights and spiritual advancement, as well as a very happy birthday.

Mr. Chairman, let me just say to the simplification of the student loan form--actually, it happened to be my first bill--which is to take the 106 questions, 8 pages long, down to commonsense English, cut it in half, and the good news is that, in fact, the Higher Ed Reauthorization Act will then, in short order--I have all the confidence in Chairman Miller--be on the floor this month to pass.

This, like that act, is a second step that we take to make sure that we put a protective wall around the student loan market.

What we see today in the mortgage industry, what we see today happening in other parts of the marketplace, should not happen to those students and those families who are trying to send their kids to college.

We live in an era where you earn what you learn. A college education is a ticket to the middle class life and to greater economic security and greater economic opportunity. What has happened in the subprime market and what has happened in our marketplace in the financial sector should not migrate into the student loan industry.

This legislation ensures that it will not. It has two messages, one to parents and students, that says in this

time of uncertainty, know that your government is there to ensure that you get a student loan coming up this fall.

It's also a message to the executive branch: Do not wait for a crisis. Do not act like you do not have this authority. You have this authority. The Congress, in a bipartisan vote, will make sure you know in no uncertain terms to have the authority to prevent any chaos, any disruption to the student loan marketplace.

This legislation, like the reauthorization of the higher ed bill, will build on the facts that we have extended this year and increase Pell Grants for the first time, pass the largest increase of student loans since the GI Bill in 1944. This Congressman knows that when middle class families look at their kids, look at the cost of college that has gone up by $7,500, knows that kids today, when they graduate, graduate with an average debt burden of $18,000 when they get their diploma.

This Congress makes sure that middle class families don't fall farther behind making sure their kids have a better and more opportunistic future than they had. A college education is the key to that future, and I am proud that we are taking this action speedily before there is any crisis in the student loan industry.

Madam Speaker, to pick up on my colleague's comments about fairness, one of the provisions in this legislation deals with closing the loophole for KBR, a former Halliburton subsidiary, that used the Cayman Islands to avoid paying taxes. And that is, it was discovered that in fact KBR, they're a company that was doing its operations in Iraq, was not paying and consciously set up a company in the Cayman Islands, just a post office box, set up a company to avoid paying Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance, which is how they became the low bid.

It is the company, by the way, I'm sure you remember this, that served contaminated water to our troops, costing the taxpayers more money to take care of the health of those troops.

They set up an operation in the Cayman Islands, and in fact, their post office was Post Office Box 847, One Capital Place, 4th Floor, Shedden Road, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, KY1-1103. And the reason they were the low bidder? They didn't pay their fair share.

And the truth is the American people care about two things when it comes to American taxes: Simplicity of the code and fairness. And this is an example of the unfairness of our code.

In fact, if you look at the Ugland House in the Cayman Islands, one building houses 12,000 companies who have established post office boxes or ZIP codes or modems there, and the only purpose they're there for is to avoid paying their fair share of their taxes. And one of the pieces of this legislation is, in fact, to shut down the operation so companies cannot get contracts doing government work here in the United States, paid for by the taxpayers, whose sole purpose is to avoid paying their fair share.

The company acknowledges that the reason they set up the Cayman Islands was so they didn't pay Social Security, they didn't pay unemployment, they didn't pay Medicare.

And the way this was discovered was on a worker who was laid off with 10,000 employees, went to go collect unemployment insurance and was told no, you don't have the money for that because you didn't pay insurance. He said no, I work for an American company, and then discovered, in fact, he didn't work for an American company. KBR was a company set up in the Cayman Islands for the purpose of avoiding paying their fair share of taxes, and it is right here on April 15, when Americans are facing bigger tax bills, higher costs for health care, higher costs for education, higher costs for gasoline, that in fact those companies that are servicing in Iraq pay their fair share and not use the tax code to avoid their responsibility.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lane Technical High School on their victory at the first Chase Urban Debate National Championship held in Chicago last weekend. I want to specifically congratulate Lane Tech students Andrew Hobaugh and Nick Locke for taking first place in the tournament.

Lane Technical High School is the largest public high school in Illinois with a strong tradition of superior education on Chicago's north side since 1908. Lane Tech offers students a superb college preparatory curriculum, with particular emphasis placed upon the technological aspects of a modern education. Lane Tech holds itself to its mission statement to provide all students with a superior academic, technical, and fine arts education that prepares students for success in their post-secondary endeavors of school, career, community and family life.

The debate tournament was hosted by the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues, NAUDL, and was held at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management's downtown Chicago campus. Competing against 33 other urban debate teams from around the country Andrew Hobaugh and Nick Locke took first place after beating Atlanta's Grady High School in the final round on Sunday.

According to NAUDL, Urban Debate Leagues have proven to increase literacy scores by 25 percent and achieve high school graduation rates of nearly 100 percent.

Lane Tech is an outstanding educational institution in Chicago. Year after year, they continue to be committed to improving and educating our youth to secure a promising future.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to stand today to recognize Lane Tech High School and particularly, Andrew Hobaugh and Nick Locke for their outstanding performance at the first Chase Urban Debate National Championship.

I would like to thank my colleague for lending the time.

Mr. Speaker, we are having a conversation here about trade and globalization and about how to make sure that, in fact, globalization is a win-win strategy for the American people. And we were talking about Colombia, but what we really are talking about is the effects of globalization on the American economy.

And in fact today, if you take a look at The Washington Post Business page, there's a new survey out showing the middle class feeling worse in this period of time than ever before, more squeezed by rising costs. Energy is up nearly 2 bucks a gallon since 2001. Nearly $2 up. Health care costs have doubled. College costs are up 64 percent, and yet the median household income in this country shrunk $1,100. The middle class are feeling squeezed.

Globalization can be a good thing. Trade can be a good thing. But if you don't have an agenda to make sure Americans win in that globalization, you're going to get a squeeze on the middle class where they resist the attempts to open up markets to American-made products.

What we need here, and what we are seeking here, is a new deal for the new economy for the American workers. And that means when health care costs are up like that, we make sure there's health care security to the American people, which is why it was wrong to veto a children's health care bill for America's children to give 10 million children's parents who work full-time health care.

It is why it is wrong that when we have an extension of the hope and lifetime college credit so Americans can get to community colleges, can get the chances for their kids to go to college, it is wrong to allow that tax credit to end.

It is why we are trying to make sure that, in fact, American people have a retirement security and a universal 401(k) so those who work full time, 75 million Americans, who do not have a savings plan outside of Social Security have in fact a 401(k) like the rest of us. It's an agenda to make sure there is an economic security plan.

No conversation about trade is ever about trade. It's about the standard of living of the middle class of this country.

Globalization could be a good thing if you have an agenda, and just trade alone is not an agenda to make sure that the middle class of this country, that built this country since World War II are strengthened to compete and win in this globalized economy.

And what we are ensuring today is that we have in fact a trade deal that is not seen as a cost to the American people but seen as an opportunity to succeed in that world, and we today are making sure that there is a win-win strategy to that globalization.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize WBBM-AM, which this year them continued success. will celebrate its fortieth anniversary as an all-news outlet.

WBBM-AM, more commonly known as Newsradio 780, became an all-news radio station in 1968 Under the direction of John Callaway. Today, with a power of 50,000 watts, Newsradio 780 is one of the highest rated stations in Chicago, providing listeners with the latest local, national, and international news.

On May 6, 2008, WBBM-AM will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a live midday broadcast from Daley Plaza in Chicago, and I am proud to recognize the radio station for serving as a trusted news source for 40 years. Known for its outstanding journalism as well as traffic and weather together on the 8s, WBBM-AM is a resource to Chicagoans at home, at work, and on the way.

Madam Speaker, as a listener and a Member of Congress from Chicago, I congratulate WBBM-AM on their 40th year of all-news broadcasting, and I wish them continued success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 793, the Reauthorization of the Traumatic Brain Injury Act. S. 793 is the Senate companion to H.R. 1418, a bill that I cosponsored to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize and improve our efforts to combat and treat traumatic brain injury, TBI, at the Federal and State levels. As a member of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, this issue is near and dear to my heart, and I am proud that we are debating this important legislation today.

Of troops wounded in Iraq 62 percent have sustained TBI, compared to a rate closer to 20 percent in previous conflicts. Overall in the U.S., there are about 1.5 million civilian cases of traumatic brain injury each year. I have worked hard to make researching and fighting TBI a priority and, in particular, the relationship between TBI and epilepsy.

Traumatic brain injury, TBI, causes epilepsy in up to 30 percent of civilians and 50 percent of military head injuries, greatly exacerbating chronic neurological disability. TBI is particularly problematic for soldiers currently serving or recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 1996, members of Congress passed the Traumatic Brain Injury Act, which amended the Public Health Service Act to increase resources available to research on traumatic brain injury. Today, we have the opportunity to reauthorize and amend this act to include a broader spectrum of traumatic brain injury programs, especially those at the State level.

An expansion and improvement of our traumatic brain injury programs will serve those in

this country who suffer from the condition, while providing opportunities for research and development of programs to better prevent and detect traumatic brain injuries.

Madam Speaker, traumatic brain injuries affect families across America, and we must continue to invest in programs to prevent, detect, and treat these injuries. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 20th anniversary of the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse for their dedication to protecting the safety, security and dignity of America's most vulnerable citizens.

The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA) is a multidisciplinary association of researchers, practitioners, educators, and advocates dedicated to protecting seniors. In 1988 Dr. Rosalie Wolf founded NCPEA and served as its President until her passing 2000. Under her guidance and the leadership of her successors, Randolph Thomas and Pam Teaster, NCPEA kept diligently pursued its mission to prevent abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older persons and adults with disabilities through research, advocacy, public and professional awareness, interdisciplinary exchange, and coalition building.

In 1989 NCPEA published the Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, what is now the Nation's leading source of information on research and practice in the field. NCPEA has devoted itself to, and impacted the national debate on elder abuse prevention in a manner that has proved to be both substantial and comprehensive. NCPEA has participated in forums to set national policy to various Institutions such as the National Institute of Medicine, the Department of Justice and the Health Resources and Services Administration. In addition, they have forged a strong international presence and including participation in the United Nations Year of the Older Person, leadership involvement with the United Kingdom Action on Elder Abuse, Latin American Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse as well as the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse.

It has been my honor to work closely with NCPEA in the past 5 years. NCPEA was one of the five founding organizations of the bi-partisan Elder Justice Coalition, and as the sponsor of H.R. 1783, the Elder Justice Act, I am proud to have their support and grateful for NCPEA's consistent leadership in the work of the Coalition.

On March 28, 2008, NCPEA will celebrate their 20th anniversary with a celebration right here in our Nation's capital, and I am proud to recognize NCPEA's 20 years of dedication to the protection and safety of our aging population.

Madam Speaker, I congratulate NCPEA on their 20th year of hard work on behalf of our Nation's seniors, and I wish them continued success in the future.

Mr. Chairman, this week, or just today, rather, it was found out, we discovered and it was reported, that the United States is running a $176 billion deficit in February alone. Earlier this week, we also found out that the Iraqis have a surplus of over $50 billion.

We also know that the American taxpayers have paid for 20 Iraqi hospitals to be refurbished and 80 health clinics to have been built and 60 more planned. And the Republican budget, in the area of health care, cuts $370 billion from Medicare and Medicaid.

The Iraqis, due to the American taxpayers, will get 6,700 schools rehabbed. The Republican budget eliminates the Pell Grant increases that Congress proposed this year.

We're also increasing our funding and training of the Iraqi teachers. The Republicans plan to reduce the military retirement and health care benefits by $1.3 billion. And while Iraq is running a surplus and not spending their resources on improving their country, the entire deficit over the entire period of time that the Republican budget has is a little over $700 billion.

President Kennedy once said, ``To govern is to choose,'' and my friends on the other side have made some choices. While the Iraqis run a surplus, they've made sure that America runs a deficit. While Iraq and American taxpayers are asked to make sure that we rebuild schools and hospitals in Iraq, here in the United States their budget cuts those very investments.

In fact, the Democratic budget turns this ship around of inheriting $3.8 trillion in new debt that has accumulated over the last 6 years and ensures that we invest in American schools, in American hospitals, in American health clinics, and in American teachers. And it ensures, also, that we have a middle class tax cut. So, it makes sure that, while we are doing what we are supposed to do in Iraq, we don't do

it at the expense of what we need to do here at home. We have invested in Iraq, and our budget ensures that we invest in America.

I thank my friend from California for the time.

When I worked in the White House in 1996, we took two important steps on dealing with mental health parity. The first was signing the mental health parity legislation in 1996. That was referred to earlier. The second was also signing the executive order that ensured that government workers, Members of Congress and their staff, as well as other government workers, also had mental health parity in their health care. Some would think we are a little crazy for being in this job, but now we have got health care coverage for it.

The fact of what this legislation does is provide for the taxpayers in America and make sure that they have the same access to the same type of health care that we have. It's that simple. When we did the first bill, the same people that were opposed to this bill, the insurance companies, said it would ruin the health care system. It didn't happen. The same insurance companies that are in the Federal employee system said they couldn't do what the executive order told them they had to do. They did it.

Every time you try to make a little more reform to have a little more coverage, the insurance companies tell you that you can't do it. We accomplished it, and we accomplished it by doing right by the American people.

The prior speaker mentioned that everybody is for covering mental health coverage, or for having mental health coverage, except for when it comes to covering mental health coverage. You can't be for it and then against it. Everybody was for an increase in the minimum wage, except for when you wanted to vote for it, they weren't voting for it. Everybody thought it was a good idea to increase Pell Grants, except for when it came to vote to increase Pell Grants.

Well, here we are going to do this. You can't just say you're for mental health parity and then vote against it. This is the legislation. It builds on what we did in 1996 and 1999, and brings the type of reforms that are necessary. This is an illness, and these illnesses affect everybody's families, everybody's families, and it makes sure that there is one set of rules to the road when it comes to health care coverage.

I appreciate the time, and it's time that we have this type of legislation on the floor.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the recipients of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center's 2008 Humanitarian Award: Mr. Theodore ``Ted'' Schwartz, and Mr. John W. Rowe. This award recognizes their civic leadership and outstanding contributions to the Jewish community.

Mr. Rowe is an active leader in his community and deeply involved with Chicago-area

civic organizations and educational institutions. Among his roles, he works on behalf of Urban League Chicago, Straight Talk America, the Economic Club of Chicago, and the Chicago Historical Society. Additionally, I am proud to call John a good friend.

John excels professionally as the chairman, president, and CEO of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation, one of the Nation's largest energy companies, with over 17,000 employees. Under Mr. Rowe's direction, Exelon was named the Nation's best utility company in Forbes Magazine's 2005 list of ``The Best Managed Companies in America.''

Mr. Theodore Schwartz is a lifelong Chicagoan, whose entrepreneurship and determination has led to the creation of hundreds of jobs in the Chicago-area. Mr. Schwartz's company, APAC Customer Services, founded in 1973, has grown into one of the largest, and most successful teleservice companies in the Nation.

Mr. Schwartz's vision and ingenuity led him to become one of the most respected figures in the teleservice industry, and he has been rewarded with several honors, including the Illinois High Tech Entrepreneur Award, induction into the American Teleservices Association Hall of Fame, the Call Center Solutions Hall of Fame, and the University of Illinois Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.

The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center was founded by Holocaust survivors more than 25 years ago in order to preserve the history of the Holocaust, teach new generations about the dangers of hate, and honor the lives of the millions who perished. This award celebrates two men who have helped make the mission of the Center a reality.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor Mr. Rowe and Mr. Schwartz upon receiving this award. Their efforts have helped the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center to thrive. Congratulations to John and Ted on receiving the Humanitarian Award, and I wish you both the best of luck in your future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, the American people are being asked to pay twice, once at the pump, and once on tax day, in supporting big oil companies. There are record prices at the pump, and now we have record taxpayer subsidies for the big oil companies. As my mother used to say, Such a deal.

ExxonMobil reported earning $40 billion in 2007, the largest corporate profit in American history. At the same time, oil prices topped $100 a barrel for the first time in history, and the New York Times reported this morning that by spring a gallon of gas could cost $4 per gallon. Now I don't think there's anything wrong with record profits. That's not unseemly, in my view. What's unseemly is if the Congress continues to give companies that are making record profits $14 billion in taxpayer subsidies. That is what's unseemly. Not the profits. They make whatever they need to make. I just want to know when the free market principles are going to take over here. At what point do the oil companies, without taxpayer subsidies, go out and enjoy the benefits of a free market? At what point do we stop treating taxpayers as dumb money? That's what I don't understand. I got it when oil was at $15 or $25, energy companies needed help. At $100 a barrel? You've got to enjoy the free market at some point here.

Now here is the problem: We have wedded the country and the taxpayers to a 20th-century energy source rather than investing in 21st-century sources, whether that's wind, solar or thermal. We've got to stop asking the taxpayers to subsidize the past and start asking them to invest in the future. That's exactly what the chairman's legislation does. And it's time that we start to do that.

This would be a hat trick for the United States. Usually there's just winners and losers. If we did this and got this to the President's desk and he had the courage to finally give up on his addiction to Big Oil, we would actually have something that's good for the environment, good for the economy, and good for our foreign policy and our security interests. That is what we're trying to do with this legislation. It is a total hat trick.

Like what we did with the student loans, we stopped subsidizing the big banks and started helping middle-class families. Like we suggested on health care with the HMOs, stop subsidizing the HMOs and start helping the consumers. This legislation begins to end the taxpayer subsidies to Big Oil, and invests in our future by making sure we have energy independence with wind, solar and thermal.