Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I am a small business owner. I own and operate a business. I employ just under 100 people. For me, that is 100 families. One of the reasons that I am here today is I decided the government was making it harder and harder for me to put the key in the door and open up my business every day, and it should be quite the opposite.

We need regulation. I am going to agree with my colleagues on the other side. We need regulation, but it has to be smart regulation. H. Res. 72 finally gives the American public, employees, consumers, businesses, and families a bright light at the end of what is a very dark and long regulatory tunnel. And while we agree that many regulations are there to safeguard the American public, this resolution will simply require that House committees review these government regulations.

While doing so, each committee will identify each regulation's effects on jobs and economic growth, and, more specifically, ask certain sets of fundamental questions, including, will the proposed regulation impede private

sector job creation? That is the number one goal right now, to try to create jobs. Will the proposed regulation discourage innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit? Will the proposed regulation harm economic growth and investment? Will it harm America's global competitiveness? Will the proposed regulation limit access to credit and to capital? Will it create economic uncertainty?

Unfortunately, for years, many in the Congress and regulators have simply ignored these questions, with devastating results for job creation.

Mr. Speaker, in our global marketplace we must ask, analyze, and debate the questions contained in this resolution if we are serious about creating an environment where private sector jobs are created.

Unfortunately, in the past we had multiple massive bills with thousands of pages of legislative text written and jammed through the Congress without meaningful debate, without transparency, and without opportunity for most Members to actually read and to analyze the mountain of legislation, creating countless regulations, rules, studies, and commissions. How can we possibly expect businesses to invest scarce capital in new equipment, in new research, in development, in new product lines, in new marketing programs, maintaining existing jobs and new initiatives, when our regulations are paralyzing businesses and entrepreneurs with a tremendous amount of uncertainty?

I hear back in my district all the time from those that are trying to create jobs. A good example of the regulatory environment is a small business in the 10th District back in Illinois, Learning Resources, whose sole mission is to provide better resources for teachers and students to learn more easily.

Learning Resources has suffered along with its current employees, and I would argue potential employees and their families, because of undue burdensome regulations. Their regulatory compliance costs have increased ten times, 1,000 percent, in just the last 5 years, even though the company has not had any safety issues or any problems during that time or the years prior to. With unduly burdensome regulations, jobs have been lost, business expansion opportunities have been cut short, employee benefits have been shaved and consumer prices have been artificially inflated.

The Small Business Administration estimates that a total regulatory compliance cost imposed on American businesses amounts to over $1.75 trillion each and every year. This is nearly twice as much as all individual income taxes collected each year. This takes away from productive investment and growth.

We live, Mr. Speaker, in a global marketplace where businesses and capital are mobile, where businesses and jobs gravitate to where they are most welcome, where customers can easily choose to buy goods and services from businesses based anywhere in the world. We want those businesses and those jobs here in the United States. We want businesses to innovate. We want them to make sure they are welcome here in our borders. We have to create, however, an environment where they can grow and they can thrive.

H. Res. 72 is good for individuals, for families, for employees, for businesses. It is good for our government, and it is good for our Nation, and I would respectfully urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support its passage.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Times have changed, but familiar challenges remain. We must strive to make our government smarter, protect America in a dangerous world, and create jobs here at home. As we enter a new era, we look to the past for guidance, to the man from Dixon, Illinois, who redefined our party and who reshaped the world, and we look forward always with the optimism and competence of our 40th President.

At a time when the world stood at the intersection between freedom and tyranny, President Reagan's leadership made it clear that the American path was the right way to go. As we work to create jobs and rein in spending right now, it is critical that this Congress, and indeed all Americans, stay committed to his vision.

Ronald Reagan trusted the American people, believing that we possess the strength of character to freely lead our lives, to grow our businesses and to create jobs. As I talk with people back home in my district, one constant I hear is the desire for the Federal Government to simply stop making things so difficult on them, to get out of the way.

Today we face great challenges, massive deficits, a weakened economy, and businesses struggling to provide jobs. Moving forward, we need not just a dose but a full commitment to the principles of individual liberty and free markets championed by President Reagan. I believe we need to empower our citizens to create new opportunities for growth.

Today we admire President Reagan for his eternal optimism and his firm belief in American exceptionalism.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 10, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 2. And what we've heard today on both sides of the aisle is how this is going to affect small business. Well, I run a small business. That's where I came from. And let me tell you that this is going to have a devastating impact on small business.

What this law did is it addressed access to insurance. It does not address cost or quality. These are the things that we need to address. My health insurance rates for the people that I work with each and every day last year went up 44 percent--44 percent.

There is no question that we need reform. We need a healthy debate. We need openness in this body to actually discuss what needs to be going forward in health care. What we had last year was anything but. There was no bipartisanship in what happened last year. The only bipartisanship in last year's bill was the opposition to it.

I welcome the opportunity to reach across the aisle to Members on the other side, to work with them to craft a bill, one that will talk about malpractice reform, one where the government will not come in between a decision that you make with your physician.

We have an opportunity here, an opportunity for real reform. We want that. We need that. The American people have demanded it. From American businesses and people all across the United States, they demand it.

And from the other side who said we came in and had health care reform, I did not take the congressional plan. We know we can do better, and I ask my colleagues on the other side to support H.R. 2.

Mr. Speaker, it is with tremendous honor, excitement, and humility that I rise to the floor of this great Chamber to represent the aspirations and hardworking values of Illinois' 10th Congressional District--Chicago's north and northwest suburbs.

Let me begin by expressing our thoughts and prayers remain with Congresswoman Giffords as she undergoes her recovery. My heart goes out to her and her family, along with the other families whose lives have been changed by this tragedy in Tucson on January 8.

Tonight I am here to continue the tradition of this congressional seat by delivering a speech that lays out how I intend to legislate and explains the manner in which I will work with my colleagues to move this country forward.

Over the past 18 months, I have traveled all over our great district trying to ask people what keeps them up at night. Stretching from Wilmette to Waukegan, Libertyville to Glenview, Highland Park to Palatine, I am fortunate to represent a congressional district that encompasses a diverse community that asks its political leaders to tackle a wide-ranging ambitious agenda. And from all conversations I've had at train stations and town centers, at countless small businesses, in diners and in town hall meetings, there is one thing I know: the 112th Congress must focus on jobs and the economy, on reining in the out-of-control spending here in Washington, and to make sure that our country remains safe and free.

Beyond talking with members of my community, I also took the time to study the heritage of the congressional seat representing the people of northern Cook and eastern Lake Counties. Beginning with our first representative, John McLean, upon Illinois' founding, statehood in 1818, ours is an area that has always demanded a high standard of leadership, a commitment to local issues, and yet an eye towards American leadership in the world.

Our community is bound by deep-rooted characteristics--namely, a desire for pragmatic, effective leadership; vigorous independence; and the ability to work with the other side of the aisle in a civilized and bipartisan manner. These are the virtues that I pledge to continue in Congress as I begin my service to the people of the 10th Congressional District.

In looking at the work of my predecessors, I have come across a number of individuals who served our area in the highest tradition of public service with the commitment to the greater good. Tonight, I would like to take a moment to speak about a few of them.

The first woman to represent northeastern Illinois in Congress did so with remarkable distinction, skill, and effectiveness. Marguerite Stitt Church took to Congress in 1949, succeeding her late husband, Congressman Ralph Church. She served until 1962 promoting fiscal restraint, equal pay for women, and civil rights initiatives. She held a healthy disdain for extravagant Federal spending, which we can all certainly appreciate today. And foreshadowing the men who would follow her, Marguerite Church encouraged democratic reforms abroad from her position on the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Mrs. Church retired in 1963 only to be succeeded in the 88th Congress by a man who also took to the causes of fiscal conservatism and American leadership in the world: Donald Rumsfeld. The people of northeastern Illinois elected Secretary Rumsfeld--a fellow New Trier High School graduate--to Congress at the young age of 30. From 1963 to 1969, he served our area with great distinction. He had a spot on the Joint Economic Committee, and during perhaps the most critical time in the development of our space program, he sat on the House Committee on Science and Aeronautics. As many know, his tenure in Congress was just the beginning of a long career in public service.

Ten years later saw the beginning of another incredible career devoted to public service. For 21 years, John Porter served the people of the 10th district. In that time, he made his great mark both at home and abroad. Serving on the Appropriations Committee and as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, John Porter achieved a record of tremendous legislative success. Reflecting on the values of his district, he advocated for scientific funding and advancements in health care research, displayed a commitment to the environment, championed a strong respect for the taxpayer, and set a standard for high quality constituent service.

John Porter also recorded impressive accomplishments in the area of foreign policy. After a trip to the Soviet Union, he founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus. This led him to help free refuseniks in Russia, fight for the rights of North Korean refugees,

and work for religious freedom in China. I am honored and fortunate to have Congressman Porter's support and valuable mentorship as I begin my career in this body.

For the past decade, and following in Congressman Porter's footsteps, the people of the 10th Congressional District have been tremendously fortunate to enjoy the representation of Mark Kirk. In Congress, Mark Kirk set the standard for thoughtful, independent leadership. And his centrist pragmatism mirrored the values of our district. His success is no secret to me or anyone who followed his career. Mark Kirk worked tirelessly in all areas of our district.

The Illinois 10th Congressional District is a unique area that demands sensible, independent leadership. Congressman Kirk knew the people, he knew their concerns; and perhaps most importantly, he knew how to translate that into action and legislative successes. To look at his record of accomplishments in the areas of foreign policy, defense, environmental protection, human rights, transportation, and on the economy is to see a Representative who knows what his constituents value most. His record as a fiscal conservative and a social moderate, his desire to reach across the aisle in search of the best ideas, these are the qualities that I hope to carry forward as I begin my career in public service to the people of the 10th District.

I am honored and fortunate to call now-Senator Kirk a close friend, a valued mentor. We are comforted by the fact that Senator Kirk continues to represent the State of Illinois, and all Americans, in the United States Senate. And the communities of northern Cook and eastern Lake Counties are privileged to share his talents with the rest of the State and the country.

Like Congressman Porter and Congressman Kirk, I too will represent our independent-minded congressional district by working in a bipartisan fashion, by listening to all people for the best ideas, and by governing in a pragmatic, sensible manner. The American people demand solutions, and I will always remember that all of us are here to improve the lives of all Americans.

While we can and should disagree at times, I am committed to the principles of open debate, the free exchange of ideas, and to charitably interpreting and considering other positions, all with a common objective: improving the lives of America. To that end, I will be the strong and independent fiscal conservative and social moderate that I believe matches our community's values, as so accurately and valuably represented before me by Congressman Porter and Congressman Kirk.

I ran for Congress because I wanted to get this Nation back to work. To me, that centers on three things: jobs and jump-starting the economy, reining in the out-of-control spending here in Washington, and making sure that our country remains safe and free. Our first priority in this Congress must be to help ensure that the best conditions exist to create good jobs, high-paying and secure jobs for all people across this country, and to preserve those that already exist. It's jobs, first and foremost.

As I have so often been reminded, the unemployment rate nationally is 9.4 percent. In Illinois, it's even higher. And in certain communities within the 10th District, the unemployment rate is higher than 20 percent. To me, this is simply unacceptable, which is why I will highlight, strengthen, and support those local institutions that provide critical job-skills training to the unemployed.

On a more fundamental level, however, we need laser-like focus on job creation. This means establishing certainty across America for employers, keeping taxes low, maintaining vigorous oversight on Federal regulations, and expanding opportunities so that businessmen and -women can do what they were meant to do: to innovate, to prosper, to grow, to invest, and to hire.

We need to ensure that the Federal Government is not making it more difficult and more costly for businesses to put the key in the door and open up their businesses each and every day. As a small business owner myself, I am here as part of a wave of people who know firsthand what it takes to run a company, to meet a payroll and to meet a budget, and to create jobs. This is not theory, but rather this is a commonsense, proven, practical approach which will guide my philosophies in this Congress. This is a great American priority, and we must get it right.

Next, we must tackle Federal spending and get it under control, to get our fiscal house in order. There can be no greater example as to the urgency of this matter than what happened in my home State of Illinois this last week. During the final hours of the State's legislative session last Wednesday, Illinois State lawmakers passed a massive State income tax increase to make up for the State's rampant, unchecked spending.

With a 66 percent increase in personal income tax rates, and corporate income tax rates also rising dramatically, families and businesses in Illinois are being punished because the politicians cannot control themselves and the spending. This acts as a huge additional burden, with no meaningful State commitment to cut spending. This is devastating for job creation in a State that so desperately needs it. We need to encourage job creation, and this will only increase the trend of employers not hiring, laying off, and potentially even leaving the State.

I will work hard to make sure that the 10th District, American families, and businesses are not put in a similar position, crippling themselves here at the Federal level. And that work begins immediately.

Tomorrow afternoon, this House will vote on health care reform, an area where I think last year we missed a golden opportunity. Last year's health care overhaul addressed access to insurance, but it failed to address cost or quality of health care. Earlier today, I held an event in my district in Vernon Hills to highlight yet one small, very small, section in this legislation, one that will have a devastating impact on businesses, the new 1099 rules. This provision will unfairly burden small businesses with mounds of paperwork and compliance fees and will certainly hinder the economy at the worst possible time.

Fortunately, I believe that most in this body see the wisdom in correcting this terrible legislative mistake. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill to repeal these unworkable and unnecessary and unproductive 1099 rules. I look forward to working with both Republicans and Democrats to keep this legislation simple, and to pass it as soon as possible.

Now, when we look at health care, there are certainly some good aspects of this law. The coverage of preexisting conditions, for one, should be strongly considered. Going forward, there is also keeping children on your insurance until they are 26. But there's a lot, plenty that needs to be corrected. And we need to put a better system in place. I firmly believe that affordable and accessible health care is a vital issue, and we need to make sure that it is available to all Americans; but we need to be talking about meaningful malpractice reform, interstate competition, consumer-driven care, and tax breaks for individuals to purchase insurance on their own, just like businesses have today.

The American people deserved better. They deserve health care reform that passes the House with broad bipartisan support. One of the reasons for the major flaws in this health care law is that broad bipartisan cooperation did not happen. Rather, the law grew out of a closed legislative process, where some of the best ideas to lower costs and to raise quality were ignored. We cannot afford another missed opportunity. As such, I invite all Members of this Congress, Republicans and Democrats, to reach across party lines so that we can produce the best bill with the best ideas for the American public.

In that spirit, it is my intent to introduce a practical and centrist alternative to the current health care law. This plan will reduce health care costs and expand insurance coverage without raising taxes and will guarantee that the government does not come between a decision you make with your doctor. It will address malpractice reform and allow any individual who finds a plan that better suits them anywhere in our Nation to be able to purchase it. It is critical that we move forward in this area of health care reform so that we can have the best system possible, one that works for all Americans.

This is a sentiment that I have consistently heard in communities all across the 10th District.

Another concern I hear all over our district, and a major priority of mine, is to keep our Nation safe and free. The 10th District is fortunate to have a tradition of congressional leadership on national defense and foreign affairs, and I look forward to stepping forward in this area.

I will always be focused on keeping our Nation strong and free, and it will be an honor to work to support the incredible men and women who wear our Nation's uniform and service.

On a more local level, I will be an advocate for our veterans as they return home and become acquainted with the beautiful Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in north Chicago. This is the first fully integrated Federal health care center between the VA and the Department of Defense, and we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Senators Kirk and Durbin, along with many others, for bringing it to our community. This facility shows our commitment to those who serve, but it is also a reminder of the sacrifice required to protect American freedoms.

Currently, I believe Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon to be the biggest threat to our national security and to our democratic allies abroad. The sanctions that Congress passed last year are clearly having an impact on the Iranian regime, but I believe that we cannot rest until the Iranian nuclear threat is affirmatively and effectively dismantled. I pledge to aggressively monitor developments in this area and search for ways in which I can help in Congress, because a nuclear- armed Iran is simply unacceptable.

In my mind, one of the best ways to combat this Iranian threat is a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. I traveled to Israel this past year in order to see firsthand the security challenges the United States and Israel currently face together in the Middle East. As such, I fully understand why a strong U.S.-Israel relationship is critical for the United States, and I look forward to using my voice here in Congress to continue to advocate for its strengthening.

Finally, I would like to turn to two areas that are particularly important to me and to the people of my district, education and the environment.

I believe that education is the building block for the prosperous America of tomorrow. We must encourage schools to prepare our students for success in the jobs our modern economy demands, and I am confident in the ability of our local school districts to prepare our students appropriately. I do believe a one-size-fits-all model stymies innovation in education. Accordingly, we must give more authority and control to local school districts.

However, we must not allow unfunded Federal mandates and programs to get in the way of our local school districts providing high-quality education.

As a scout, a Boy Scout and now a scout master, I was taught by my scout masters Lee Getchow, Charlie Barnes and Artie Bergman to love the outdoors and nature.

In northeastern Illinois we are fortunate to be stewards of one of the greatest natural resources in the world, Lake Michigan. With 26 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, the 10th Congressional District enjoys tremendous benefits from its precious resource. We have an important obligation to preserve and protect this great natural resource that is vital to the 10th District and to the entire United States. From drinking water to recreational opportunities, I will work diligently to protect the lake to improve her water quality.

I will also work with local, State and Federal parties to clean up Waukegan Harbor and de-list this wonderful resource as an area of environmental concern once and for all.

Focusing on jobs and the economy, reining in Federal spending, and keeping our Nation safe and free and working to strengthen our Nation's health care system, our education system and our environment, these are major legislative goals for the 112th Congress. And in the tradition of those who have served the people of Chicago's north and northwest suburbs before me, I look to be a voice of pragmatic, centrist ideas, someone who listens to all people on both sides of the aisle and looks for ways that we can work together to best serve the American people.

As a fiscal conservative and a social moderate, I am a firm believer in smaller government. This will guide my service in this House. I have some very large shoes to fill; but it is my promise that I will represent this office with dignity, distinction, honor and, above all, integrity.

I thank the people of the 10th District of Illinois for the opportunity to serve them. I will never forget why I am here or who I am here to represent.