Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I want to congratulate the North Dakota State Bison on an incredible football season that led to winning the 2011 FCS championship. More than 10,000 Bison fans cheered on NDSU in Frisco, Texas, where the Bison defeated Sam Houston by a score of 17-6.

The Bison and Coach Craig Bohl worked hard this season, and their determination resulted in NDSU's ninth football championship and the first championship in Division I.

These student athletes represent NDSU's commitment to both academic and athletic excellence. Their character and perseverance truly exemplify the North Dakota spirit, and they have made our State proud.

Congratulations, Coach Bohl, the Bison players, and NDSU fans everywhere on an excellent season. Thank you, and go Bisons.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Nebraska for yielding.

Once again, President Obama has chosen to put politics over the American people by punting on the Keystone Pipeline decision until after his 2012 campaign.

The construction of the pipeline will create thousands of good-paying jobs, spur economic growth, and help break our national dependence on foreign oil. This pipeline has received bipartisan support. It will increase America's access to safe and secure energy supplies and would bring more than 1.2 million barrels of oil into U.S. markets each day. Its construction could create tens of thousands of new jobs, many of which could be seen in North Dakota. In fact, Bakken Field crude oil is expected to account for 25 percent of the pipeline's expanded capacity.

North Dakota is a national example of why we need a common sense, long-term energy plan. Our energy sector has created thousands of good, high-paying jobs. In fact, our state has the lowest unemployment in the nation. But this wasn't an accident. It was the result of common sense policy--a long-term energy plan called EMPOWER North Dakota that encouraged energy development, rather than putting up new regulatory barriers.

But instead of looking to North Dakota for solutions that could help our economy, create good jobs, and help American become energy independent, the Obama administration continues to create new roadblocks to expanding domestic energy production.

I strongly urge President Obama to look ahead for the next generation, not the next election, and expedite the approval of the Keystone expansion.

Mr. Speaker, as I talk with North Dakotans, it's clear we're all frustrated with Washington.

ObamaCare is a disastrous law that 70 percent of North Dakotans do not want. Unemployment remains unacceptably high, making it clear that President Obama's government stimulus did not work. Washington bailed out Wall Street while Main Street continues to suffer. And Washington persistently fails to uphold its responsibility to balance the budget.

Meanwhile, the Obama administration continues to pursue overreaching regulations that create more redtape and uncertainty for North Dakota's families, farms, and small businesses. These burdensome regulations threaten job creation, and they are the biggest challenge facing our economy. We need to take serious steps today to halt the Obama administration's regulatory overreach.

That's why I announced my REGS Agenda: Reduce the redtape; Empower the States; Grow the economy, and Stop President Obama's overreach.

This agenda is the result of talking with North Dakotans and learning about the impact of senseless regulations on North Dakota's farmers, ranchers, and small businessmen.

During my recent regulations tour, I spoke with energy providers who are concerned about the EPA's regional haze requirements that could cost North Dakota over $700 million just to comply. Farmers told me about the forever-changing fuel storage mandates that added new costs. And I heard how the new EPA regulations on gas generators could cost a North Dakota school district a quarter of a million dollars. This cost is not because they are using generators more than allowed; the cost is because the EPA simply doesn't like which hours they're using it.

The REGS Agenda is also the product of feedback I've received from North Dakotans at 10 public town hall hearings I've held this year and through the countless emails, letters, and phone calls. The message was clear: Washington is not the solution, it's the problem.

To get our economy moving again and our country back on track, President Obama and congressional leaders could learn a lot about how we do things in North Dakota. The REGS Agenda is also the product of legislation I've been working on. Last month, I introduced a bill that would rein in the Obama administration's Federal takeover of the State regional haze management, which threatens to create more business uncertainty and stifle job creation. It will also increase the energy costs for American families and small business. And today, I will proudly vote in support of the REINS Act, which is a much-needed measure to rein in this regulatory overreach.

But this agenda is not simply the sum of this past year; it's also a path moving forward to rein in the overreaching, out-of-touch government regulations that burden small business, farms, and ranches each and every day. I will continue to add to this agenda to fight against the job-killing regulations that threaten small businesses' ability to create jobs and grow our economy.

The number one thing we can do to get our economy back on track, to give small business certainty, to grow and create jobs, is to rein in President Obama's overbearing regulations. They're burdening job creation, and it adds more cost and more redtape. Through the REGS Agenda, I'll continue fighting to bring regulatory relief to the American people.

Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 884, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mr. Nadler

I thank the chairman for yielding.

One year ago, as House freshmen, we came out here. We were elected to change how Washington works.

When we arrived in Washington, there was one thing we agreed on, and that was that our country was on an unsustainable path. As I'm here tonight, listening to some of this debate, I'm stunned that the way you get 260 votes is with pork. This is what's wrong with Washington. This is why it has to change.

We know the crisis we're in. We've heard that the $15 trillion of debt matches our whole country's economy. Fifteen years ago, had we passed a balanced budget amendment, America would be the financial powerhouse of the globe. We would not be comparing ourselves to Greece and comparing ourselves to Europe.

I strongly believe that the one fundamental thing we can do to change the way Washington does business is to have a balanced budget amendment. We wouldn't need this amendment if we actually balanced the budget. We are at a critical stage in our Nation's history, and tomorrow, we have the opportunity to make the future look better--by passing this balanced budget amendment.

This is Congress' opportunity to get it right. We can pass a balanced budget amendment, and we can change the course of our country's future. It's time. Now is the time for a balanced budget amendment.

Madam Speaker, 15 years ago a balanced budget amendment failed by a single vote in the Senate. Since then, our debt has tripled, largely due to President Obama's increased spending. In fact, it took our Nation over 200 years to accumulate the same amount of debt as we've accumulated in the last 2\1/2\ years.

In North Dakota we know that you can't do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. This week, Congress has the opportunity to get it right.

In North Dakota we balance our budget. We work to leave that next generation better off. Washington could learn a lot from North Dakota, and that's why I will proudly vote for a balanced budget amendment this week.

Madam Speaker, with each new overreaching one-size-fits-all mandate, the Obama administration continues to burden the States with unnecessary costs and regulations that are hindering job creation. That's why today I introduced the Regional Haze Federalism Act. This will rein in the Obama administration and prevent a Federal takeover of State haze management.

States like North Dakota continue to act responsibly to create well- researched plans and to implement EPA-mandated policies; yet it's clear that these efforts to play by the rules aren't enough for the Obama administration. The administration's overreach would cost North Dakota over $700 million. Those costs will directly increase rates to our consumers across the State.

If we are truly committed to creating jobs and lowering energy costs, we need to empower the States and rein in President Obama's overreaching EPA.

Mr. Speaker, North Dakota has experienced devastating and unprecedented flooding this year. To provide additional flood control storage, our State requested that the Corps lower the water levels in Lake Sakakawea. This could help prevent a repeat of this year's flooding. Last night, the Corps denied our State's request. I strongly disagree with this decision.

The people of North Dakota are more than just frustrated. They have lost so much to flooding, and they deserve more say in the Corps management of the water levels. I have called on the Corps to testify before Congress on what went wrong this last spring, and I will continue to press for an honest conversation about the Missouri River Basin's flood protection. The Corps should do everything within its power to prevent another devastating flood next spring. Unfortunately, this recent decision suggests that the Corps is continuing forward with the same management plan that failed so badly this spring. Things need to change now before the people of North Dakota and other Missouri River States are faced with another devastating loss.

Mr. Speaker, we've been waiting for these trade agreements for a long time. Every day that goes by without them has been a missed opportunity. At a time when our economy is struggling, these trade agreements mean more opportunities for Americans. They mean more American exports. And, most importantly, they mean more American jobs.

We've already seen the benefits of trade in North Dakota. Our exports have more than doubled over the last 5 years because of our renewed commitment to free trade. These trade agreements before us today could increase exports by $23 million in North Dakota alone and $13 billion nationwide.

If we're serious about creating jobs, if we're serious about getting our economy back on track and allowing the U.S. to stay competitive in a fast-moving global market, passing these trade agreements is a critical first step. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting them.

Mr. Speaker, on July 25th, 2011, I was unable to be in attendance for rollcall votes #630-636 due to the funeral of my long- time friend, North Dakota Senate Majority Leader Bob Stenehjem. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows.

RCV #630--Yes

RCV #631--Yes

RCV #632--No

RCV #633--Yes

RCV #634--No

RCV #635--No

RCV #636--No

Offered By: Mr. Berg

Amendment No. 15: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following:

Mr. Speaker, on July 21, 2011, I was unavoidably detained for rollcall vote No. 612. Had I been present I would have voted in favor of the question of consideration of H.R. 1315, the Consumer Financial Protection Safety and Soundness Improvement Act of 2011.

Mr. Speaker, we've been down this road before. Our country faces unprecedented debt. The House has worked to cut spending and reduce the deficit. But the Senate Democrat leadership and the Obama administration would rather raise taxes and mislead Americans with scare tactics rather than support these commonsense solutions, solutions that would help get our country back on track.

We cannot do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. Americans have tightened their belts, and they've made the tough choices. It's time for Washington to do the same.

Our financial situation is a mess. It's going to be a long road to get our country back on track, but it's clear we can begin right here. We need to cut the spending, we need to cap the growth in government, and we need to balance the budget.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to honor a statesman and my good friend, Senator Bob Stenehjem, who passed away yesterday in a tragic car accident.

Bob served as the Senate majority leader in North Dakota for 10 years, and he worked incredibly hard for the State that he loved, and he worked through a system that he believed in called the legislative process. He was respected and admired by those of us who served alongside him in the State legislature.

And his tireless legislative work is one of the reasons North Dakota is doing so well today. As Bob would say: We are the envy of the Nation.

It hurts knowing my friend is gone, and I ask that we all keep his wife, Kathy, and the Stenehjem family in our thoughts and prayers.

North Dakota has lost a wonderful public servant. But I know that Bob's character and beliefs will continue through his policy and prosperity for years to come.

I will miss Bob very much.

This has been a very tough spring for North Dakota as well as for many other districts along these overflowing rivers. Unprecedented flooding has devastated many communities, leaving property destroyed, thousands without homes and hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland flooded. Roads and bridges are severely damaged as well.

This year's flooding is unusual both in the scope of its damage as well as in how long the flooding has lasted. Many North Dakotans purchased flood insurance to be prepared for the floods and to protect themselves and their families from the losses that these floods cause. Unfortunately, FEMA's current policy fails to account for a long- lasting flood event like the one that we've seen along the Missouri River.

I support the 30-day waiting period. If individuals purchase insurance 30 days before their properties are damaged, they should be protected regardless of when FEMA declares a ``flood in progress.'' That declaration could be counties or even States away or unexpectedly worsened by the Corps' decision to increase the outflows from dams along the flooded rivers upstream and to do this with very little warning.

The Terry-Berg amendment would protect these individuals who have played by the rules. We need responsible policies that help plan for the uncertainty of natural disasters. We also need to protect and help the people who have suffered when these disasters hit home. This amendment will do both. So I urge my colleagues to support these victims by voting in favor of this amendment.