Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, due to district business, I was unavoidably back in my Congressional District on March 20, 2012. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 665, the Excess Federal Building and Property Disposal Act of 2011, and ``yea'' on H.R. 2087, ``To remove restrictions from a parcel of land situated in the Atlantic District, Accomack County, Virginia.''

Mr. Speaker, due to district business, I was unavoidably back in my Congressional District on March 19, 2012. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 3992, to allow otherwise eligible Israeli nationals to receive E 2 nonimmigrant visas if similarly situated United States nationals are eligible for similar nonimmigrant status in Israel.

I want to thank my good friend from Texas for yielding me the time.

As a small-business owner, I understand firsthand what small businesses are facing today when they try to meet a payroll or a budget, try to expand their business, or try to hire an extra worker.

My small business employs just about 100 people. For me, that's 100 families. It's a responsibility that I take very seriously.

All across our country, we've got 29 million small businesses throughout our Nation. We should be doing everything we can, everything within our power to create an environment that enables those small businesses to hire one more worker. That's why I'm pleased today to stand up and voice my support for this bipartisan JOBS Act on the floor today.

Many of the bills in this package passed the House with over 400 votes each. Today, we hear a lot about gridlock; we hear a lot about partisanship. These are bipartisan bills. What we had are 400 bills, 400 votes here in the United States Congress that were sent over to the United States Senate without action, and I'm glad that we're able to package them today to have another crack at that.

These measures were introduced by Republicans and Democrats and are aimed at allowing small businesses to gain access to capital. This is exactly the type of legislation that the United States Senate should be passing and that the President should sign into law.

This week we're sending another message to the United States Senate, and we urge them to take action on these important matters.

These are bipartisan bills. Our small businesses and hardworking families don't have the luxury of waiting for gridlock in Washington to end, specifically in the United States Senate. We sent 30 jobs bills from this body over to the United States Senate without any action. So it's time that I ask that the Senate join the House and work together with us on the issues that I think we can all agree on in empowering our small-business owners and job creators.

I believe that bipartisanship is extremely important; and when we find common ground, we must act. That's why it's critical that we empower our job creators and small-business owners to spur our economy and get America back to work.

The JOBS Act is an example of how we can put people before politics and progress before partnership, which is why I am delighted to be able to support this bill and thank my colleagues, Mr. Carney, and my friend, Mr. Fincher.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Oreo. In 1912--the same year the South Pole was discovered, and the Titanic sank--the Oreo was first introduced. Growing up, there were many days where I would enjoy dunking an Oreo in my milk and that tradition continues today with children and adults all over the globe. There is no doubt Oreos bring joy to many people throughout the world.

Kraft Foods, headquartered in my district, is the proud custodian of Oreo, and Oreo is one of the company's 12 ``billion-dollar'' brands. Enjoyed in more than 100 countries, today the Oreo brand is the world's top selling cookie. Here is to another 100 years of Oreo being the world's number one cookie.

Mr. Speaker, this week it is important that we not forget the 24th anniversary of the tragic pogroms against Armenians living in Soviet Azerbaijan. Driven by the anti-Armenian movement in the region, mobs committed violent human rights violations against Armenians of all ages living in the town of Sumgait. Today, I stand with the Armenian community around the world to remember all those who were taken from their homes and from their families--simply because of their ethnic background. As we remember those who lost their lives in Sumgait, we must continue to guard against all discrimination, oppression, and targeted violence against ethnic groups around the world.

Mr. Speaker, in stopping a nuclear-armed Iran, 2012 will be as critical a year as ever, and that's a fact. But we here in this Chamber speak as one. With a bipartisan, unambiguous voice, we can drive the conversation all around the world, and that does mean something because the United States must lead the world. It is an abdication of our responsibility and leadership if we leave the Iranian threat to anyone else.

This Iranian regime is already the leading state sponsor of terrorism in the world. They bear responsibility for killing American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. They fuel Assad's slaughter in Syria. They were behind the recently foiled assassination plot right here on American soil in Washington, D.C. Now imagine what they would do under a nuclear umbrella of their own.

This is why we, this Congress, and this administration must anticipate what comes next. We must clearly establish that containment has no place at the table. Such a policy places us at the mercy of a madman, and it would unleash unparalleled consequences the likes of which the world has never seen. This is what's at stake.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to American men and women in uniform, but specifically to an era in the Vietnam conflict that I think did not get as much thanks as it deserves.

On February 11, 1965, flying off of the USS Coral Sea, Lieutenant Commander Robert Harper Shumaker, flying an F 8 Crusader, was shot down over North Vietnam. His parachute deployed about 35 feet before he hit the ground. His back was broken upon impact. He was immediately captured and paraded through the streets.

They took him to what became known at that time as the Hoa Lo Prison. This was going to be the main facility that would house POWs over the next several years. This prison was then dubbed by Commander Shumaker as what we know it today, the Hanoi Hilton. This was an area where a number of POWs were tortured on a regular basis. Lieutenant Commander Shumaker was the second American pilot shot down. At that point in time, it was somewhat of a blessing because the news media actually got pictures and was able to send word back to his family that he was, indeed, alive. That same fate would not be given to many other POWs, which is why the POWs spent time each and every day memorizing the names, the ranks, of all of the other 591 POWs that would go through the halls of the Hanoi Hilton.

The Hanoi Hilton wasn't the only prison, however. Eleven members of the United States military were actually taken out of the Hoa Lo Prison and brought over to what would become known as Alcatraz. These became known as the Alcatraz Eleven. These were considered by the North Vietnamese to be the eleven greatest threats to camp security. We had men like Jeremiah Denton, who was a senator from Alabama, Jim Stockdale, who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, George Coker, Ron Storz, and I'm pleased to say a Member of this body, Sam Johnson.

In Alcatraz, these men spent literally years in solitary confinement in a 3-by-9 foot box with a single lightbulb which was kept on all the time. They were tortured on a regular basis if they were caught communicating. Lieutenant Commander Shumaker was actually known amongst his peers as ``the great communicator.''

They'd devised a tap code earlier, the tap code which would become famous for those going through POW training, survival training.

It was a 5-by-5 box. Starting in the top row, A, B, C, D, E--they cut out ``K'' so they could have an even 5-by-5 box. They would communicate unbelievable volumes of knowledge. Lieutenant Commander Shumaker actually taught French through the walls to Sam Johnson.

In that solitary confinement, again, if they were caught communicating, they were tortured, so there was a reluctance to communicate. But that's

how they kept themselves alive. That's how they exercised the one most important muscle out there, and that was their brain.

Just a couple days ago, Mr. Speaker, marked the 39th anniversary of their release, February 12, 1973. So, although we were not here in this body--we were at home--I felt it appropriate to come up and talk about the anniversary.

Lieutenant Commander Shumaker holds a near and dear place in my heart. He happens to be my uncle. When my wife and I had our first child, we decided to name her Harper after him.

This is an example of the bravery that goes on each and every day for our men and women in uniform. Not a day goes by that I don't thank the good Lord for the men and women that are protecting our Nation each and every day. But I don't look at the picture of my uncle upon his capture and say it's never going to be that bad.

The stories are remarkable, and they continue to come in day and day out because they don't like to talk about them. This was a unique group of individuals that the American public was actually in support of. The Vietnam conflict wasn't very supported, but everybody in America was supportive of the POWs that were putting their lives on the line.

They would resist time and again from giving up information, and yet the North Vietnamese would continue to bring them in to try and torture them for additional information.

Mr. Speaker, we are blessed to have countless American heroes amongst us, but I am proudest of my Uncle Bob Shumaker.

Mr. Chairman, I certainly appreciate my friend and colleague from New Jersey yielding me some time.

Today I rise in strong support of this bipartisan amendment.

Since 1964, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has been our Nation's primary program for Federal land conservation. Using a portion of the leases

collected from energy production on the Outer Continental Shelf, this fund provides matching grants to State and local governments for the acquisition of land and ensures public land and water conservation projects can move forward.

In my home State of Illinois, the economic benefits of preserved public lands are indeed undeniable. Sportsmen, wildlife watchers, outdoorsmen, and others combine to spend over $2 billion annually on outdoor recreation in Illinois.

Mr. Chairman, our amendment today is simple. We believe that this Congress should continue its commitment to conservation programs by ensuring that the underlying transportation bill will not reduce the amount of revenue available for the Land and Water Conservation Fund that has supported over 41,000 State and local projects over its 46- year history.

Madam Speaker, one of the core functions of the government is to invest in infrastructure and transportation. This is not a Republican idea or a Democrat idea. It's an American one. At a time when people are so desperately looking for Washington to come together, this is an issue that we should and can work together on.

This week we're debating the transportation bill. While there are many great qualities about this bill, there is still a need--and I would argue a great need--to improve it. That's why I am pleased that there are literally hundreds of amendments to try to strengthen this bill.

I hail from the State of Illinois. Illinois is a donor State, which means that we are putting in more transportation funds than we are receiving back from the Federal Government. That is why I am concerned by the cuts facing our State. We stand to lose almost $650 million. As one of the largest manufacturing hubs of the country, our region cannot afford to lose this critical funding. Our transportation funds help strengthen our local economy and keep jobs at home.

Let me be clear. There are some very good steps in this bill that I believe we all should be able to embrace. The bill provides long-term certainty to States when they're planning their transportation projects. We haven't had a transportation bill in a number of years, since 2005; and this would provide 5 years of stability. It includes numerous reforms that enable States to cut through red tape and speed up the completion of projects, many taking about 15 years today, which would be going down to 7 or 8 years in the future.

I'm pleased that the bill strengthens the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, which impacts places like Waukegan Harbor. Waukegan Harbor is a critical part of the Great Lakes harbor system

and helps bring jobs home to the 10th District, which so desperately needs them.

That being said, there are several aspects about this bill that need to be resolved. One of my major areas of concern is that of the environment. Madam Speaker, the bill would open a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, also referred to as ANWR, to oil and gas drilling. For over 50 years, the development of ANWR has been debated greatly. We have an obligation to be good stewards of our national treasures and fiscally responsible in funding our Nation's infrastructure. However, including the Arctic refuge drilling provision will greatly complicate the transportation bill moving forward and make agreement with the Senate far more difficult. ANWR should be the last resort, not the first one.

I'm also concerned with the future sustainability of transit funding. In the Chicagoland region, we depend on mass transit to lessen the congestion on our roads and to get people to and from work. We do this far more efficiently with mass transit. Fifty percent more people would be on area highways and interstates if it were not for mass transit.

So think about that. For the people back there that have driven through Chicago, if we were to add an additional 50 percent on the already congested roads, it would make life far more difficult for moving goods and services around and for getting people to and from work. This is not what we need. Mass transit is a vital program and one that we need to preserve. We need to have the certainty out there for funding. In Illinois, our State will face a $137 million shortfall each and every year if this bill is enacted as it stands right now. This is unacceptable.

With all this being said, I believe that we have much to do, and we can work together to build a transportation bill that gives States the ability to plan for the long term and complete projects faster. But we do not need to do so at the detriment of mass transit or the environment. So let's work together and make this a better bill that we can all be proud of and move our country forward.

Madam Speaker, this school year marks the 50th anniversary for Glenbrook South High School in Glenview, Illinois. I want to congratulate Glenbrook South on this impressive achievement.

Over the past five decades, over 27,000 students have graduated and are now proud alums. Glenbrook South has a rich tradition of preparing students to be future leaders, including two of my team members here in Washington, D.C.

Glenbrook South has received many accolades over the years, and that is due in large part to the dynamic teachers, the families who support the school, and the talented students who work hard to excel in academics, sports, music, debate, and more.

I have had the privilege of visiting with the students at Glenbrook South and talking with them about how their government works. I am deeply impressed with the students' insights and their desire to get involved and make the world a better place.

Congratulations to Glenbrook South High School on your achievement. I know there will be many more to come.

And that's just the way it is.

Madam Speaker, I certainly want to thank the chairman for yielding, and thank you for your leadership. I also want to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Walz, for your leadership with regard to the STOCK Act.

Madam Speaker, the American public believes that Congress has the ability to profit from their position, and while this is illegal today in insider trading laws, I think that we've got an obligation to make it even stronger and even clearer to the American public and to everyone that we here in the United States Congress hold ourselves up to a higher standard. I think this is expected of us as public servants.

I am pleased to say that in the STOCK Act, in this legislation moving forward, is language from my bill, H.R. 2162, the No Pensions for Felons bill. This language will strengthen and expand the existing law to require that Federal lawmakers convicted of a public corruption felony forfeit their taxpayer-funded congressional pension.

I know this sounds like common sense, but actually today there are those that are collecting taxpayer-funded pensions that have been convicted of a public corruption charge while serving in public office.

This provision adds 21 new public corruption offenses to the current law, including violations for insider trading and others. Additionally, this will prohibit the former Members of Congress from receiving a congressional pension if they are convicted of a covered offense that occurred while they are subsequently serving in any other publicly elected office.

Sadly, we have seen this before, where former Members of this Chamber, like one from my State, former Governor Rod Blagojevich, convicted of felony corruption charges and yet at age 62 he'll be eligible for a taxpayer-funded pension. Not only is this wrong, this is an insult to the American taxpayers. This provision will address such violations of the public trust in the future.

I want to thank the chairman for your leadership, and I want to urge my colleagues, not just on my side of the aisle, but across the aisle to support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, small businesses are reluctant to expand today. With so much economic uncertainty, our local job creators don't know if they can afford the risk of hiring a new worker.

As a small business owner myself, I know the pressures of meeting a budget and a payroll. I employ 100 people, and for me that's 100 families. I have to make sure that I can ensure that we can provide health care insurance and other benefits before it is time to hire new workers.

Mr. Speaker, there are 29 million small businesses in our Nation. Here, in this body, I believe our goal has to be to create an environment that enables those small businesses to have the confidence to be able to grow and thrive, to be able to add that one new worker. And think about where we would be at that point in time, Mr. Speaker; 29 million businesses across the Nation all hiring just one worker, we'd have a different problem on our hands.

The partisan rhetoric and the lack of progress in Washington is hindering businesses from hiring more people. But I do believe we can come together and tackle some of these problems. Washington has to stop viewing legislation through a political lens and start viewing it through the eyes of the American people.

One area we can agree on is the payroll tax extension. The House voted at the end of the year to extend it for an additional year. The President has asked that we extend it for a year. The holdup is yet again in the United States Senate. Senator Harry Reid would rather play political games with this important measure, and now some Members are asking for a 2-month extension.

Mr. Speaker, I say enough is enough. We need to extend this tax holiday for the entire year. Small businesses don't have the luxury of hoping that we'll get it right. So let's come together today and pass the yearlong extension in both the House and the Senate. Let's give hardworking American taxpayers the relief that they need.

Mr. Speaker, new regulations are also hindering small businesses from expanding. Hundreds of pages of new regulations in the President's health care law, hundreds of rules that have still yet to be written in Financial Services with regard to Dodd-Frank are hindering the financial services industry. Small businesses do not know what new rules are coming next; and, thus, they can't prepare for the future and job growth remains, at best, uncertain.

But we can and must find common ground on regulations. No one is arguing for the elimination of regulation, Mr. Speaker. What we need is smart regulations. It's vitally important we

have clean water, safe working environments, and rules to protect families' investments. Even the President has called for smarter regulations and repealing burdensome regulations that are around this Nation. We can repeal burdensome regulations that are nothing more than red tape and barriers for job creators. We can replace them with smart regulations that truly make our country better and give job creators the certainty they need to grow and thrive.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, we must stop the enormous deficit spending that's going on right here in Washington, DC. This next year, Mr. Speaker, we're faced with another trillion dollar deficit. If my business, my small business back in Illinois, ran the way the government runs, I'd be out of business inside of the month. It's time we in Washington rein in this out-of-control spending. We cannot ask hardworking American families all across the country to live within their means but then turned around and allow Washington to take their hard-earned money and spend it without regard to the future consequences of our children and grandchildren.

It's time we pass a budget that puts our country on a viable economic path forward. When we do this, it will signal to the rest of the world that we are serious about our economic health; and, thus, we'll be able to empower job creators to invest here at home and create jobs right here in our local communities.

Mr. Speaker, I am optimistic about the future. I'm optimistic that we can do this, that we can come together. Spurring our economy and talking about growth isn't a Republican idea or a Democratic idea, but it is certainly an American idea. It's time that we put people before politics and progress before partisanship. It's time for us to work together today for the future of our country and get America back to work.

Madam Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, this is a bipartisan amendment, one that my colleague from Illinois (Mr. Quigley) and I believe strongly about.

As part of this Congress' effort to increase transparency and promote sound accounting practices in the Federal Government, this amendment would reform accounting practices at the Office of Management and Budget. Specifically, it would require the OMB Director to prepare all budgets submitted to the President using accrual-based accounting standards, in addition to the currently used cash-basis GAAP accounting standards.

Americans have a right to expect accountability, honesty, and transparency from their government, and right now, the mistrust of Congress, I believe, is at an all-time high. The use of accrual-based accounting at the Office of Management and Budget would provide a more accurate reflection of our Nation's true fiscal state. For too long, the Federal Government has relied on unsound budgeting practices that understate the reality and distort important costs and liabilities held by the government.

As a small business owner, I know essentially how honest accounting is critical to financial decisionmaking, and in that respect, we should strive to make the Federal Government's practices more like what we demand of the private sector. In fact, the government itself, Madam Chairman, demands that publicly traded companies use the accrual-based accounting method because the accrual-based accounting method gives a more accurate depiction of the true liabilities that are out there. In the cash basis, you're able to distort reality and be able to manipulate things to make them look a little bit rosier.

The American people are looking for a fact-based budget, and they deserve no less. They deserve to know the truth about what our true liabilities are, and the truth is that the current practice of using only cash-basis accounting at the Office of Management and Budget

paints an incomplete picture of our Nation's future long-term liabilities. For example, the promise of Social Security and Medicare only shows up as a cost to the American taxpayer when money is actually paid out. Accrual accounting more accurately reflects our Nation's obligations so that a promise today is immediately recognized and accounted for, whether or not any money has been disbursed at that point in time.

Madam Chairman, I am confident that the House Budget Committee recognizes the importance of honest accounting, of honest accounting practices that accurately reflect the true fiscal state of this country. As a small business owner, I understand that it's absolutely critical when making decisions that impact not only the business but the people that I work with that we have a more accurate reflection of our liabilities. The government should be no different.

With that, I would like to yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Reclaiming my time, if the chairman would work with me to try to make sure we have a fact-based, more accurate, and honest accounting, I would be happy to withdraw the amendment.

With that, Madam Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my bipartisan amendment in hopes that we can have some more accurate accounting in the future.

Mr. Speaker, during the President's State of the Union address in this Chamber just last week, he spoke of the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education, also known as STEM education. STEM education helps support U.S. manufacturing jobs, and it is something that I am a strong proponent of.

The 10th District of Illinois, the district that I represent, is one of the largest manufacturing districts in our Nation. As I travel back home, I hear time and time again from manufacturers that they can't find qualified people able to step up and take the jobs that they have open right now at their manufacturing facilities.

One way we can help put people back to work is by promoting STEM education. Those trained in the STEM field have the opportunity to gain good-paying jobs right here in our local communities. From high schools training our future workers to community colleges helping to train and retrain unemployed individuals, STEM education helps put people back to work and allows U.S. manufacturers to hire American workers.

One example of a successful STEM education program back home is at Wheeling High School. Wheeling High School's Principal, Dr. Laz Lopez, took the initiative to start a STEM education program in order to empower his students to graduate and have a competitive edge against other students seeking employment. Just yesterday, Wheeling High School announced that they are now looking to expand that education to include a curriculum that has nanotechnology. This type of curriculum will give Wheeling High School students a greater competitive advantage when applying for jobs and pursuing degrees in science and technology.

Preparing our students for the 21st century workforce, I would argue, is absolutely critical. But it is also essential that we empower the unemployed to be retrained to pursue careers in the STEM field right back at home and across our country.

Back home, I'm working with the College of Lake County, which is working hard to provide STEM education to adults who are interested in preparing themselves for new careers. The College of Lake County will be hosting a STEM education day on Saturday, February 25. This is to motivate our young people about the importance of STEM education, and to especially focus on young women to learn more about careers in the fields of science and technology.

I am impressed with the work that the College of Lake County and other community colleges are doing to bridge the gap between industry and education. By teaming up with local employers, the College of Lake County is putting in place programs that can train the workforce and also help local manufacturers in need.

In the weeks to come, I'll be hosting a manufacturing and education summit at ETA/Cuisenaire in Vernon Hills. The goal of this summit is to find ways in which local industry can invest in local education so that our region has the resources and trained workforce it needs to expand and to invest in the manufacturing sector of our economy.

I will continue to work with Republicans, with Democrats on promoting this critical initiative of STEM education. This will not only help put people back to work, but will enable manufacturers to hire workers right here at home so that they can continue to grow and expand in our local communities.

Mr. Speaker, I know in just listening to some of the comments that I'm joined by I think all of my colleagues in welcoming Gabby Giffords back to this body for this evening's State of the Union Address, and certainly our thoughts and prayers are with her for a full and speedy recovery as she continues to make strides.

Mr. Speaker, this past month, I've had the opportunity, as many of my colleagues have, to travel throughout our districts, and as the number one manufacturing district in our country, it's no surprise that people are frustrated and concerned about jobs and the economy.

I know that's common because when I talk to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and my colleagues over on this side of the aisle about the number one issue we face, they also say it's jobs and the economy. So whether you're a Republican or a Democrat or an independent, I think we can all come together and agree that we need to find the common ground to spur economic growth.

It's time that we work together in a bipartisan way to pass legislation that empowers job creators and puts America back to work. I firmly believe that if we put people before politics and progress before partisanship and find common ground, we will move our country forward. If you have an idea that is going to move our country forward, I think that we ought to vote on it and move it forward immediately.

Mr. Speaker, today marks the 1,000th day that the United States Senate has not passed a budget. As someone that ran a small business before coming to Washington, sitting around kitchen tables, Americans are wondering how they tighten their belt, how they balance their budget.

But the point there is that they have a budget. Small businesses all across the land can't operate without a budget. Big businesses can't operate without a budget. American families generally can't operate without a budget. And yet we here in Washington have not had a budget in far, far, far too long. You could build the Empire State Building two and a half times in the time that it has taken the Senate to even pass their version of a budget. This is just plainly unacceptable for the American public.

Put something forward. Let us know where we should be putting our priorities. And that, unfortunately, creates an enormous inefficiency. Can you imagine trying to figure out where you're supposed to spend your resources, what you're supposed to spend your money on in terms of trying to move your family forward without a budget?

There is a tremendous amount of uncertainty, Mr. Speaker, out there and I hear it from people each and every day, uncertainty that Washington is creating. Excessive regulations, there's no question about that. We look at Dodd-Frank. In Dodd-Frank, frankly, we've got 400 rules and regulations, over 200-some-odd that have yet to even be written. What it does is it paralyzes small businesses. People are sitting on their hands. They're not moving forward; they're not hiring people. This is something that we here in this body have an opportunity to change. We can provide that level of certainty, and I think that we must.

We're going to hear a lot about a do-nothing Congress, and frankly, I get frustrated when I hear about that. This body has passed over 30 jobs bills and sent them across the courtyard to the other side of the Capitol where they sit on Harry Reid's doorstep. Now, these aren't partisan bills, Mr. Speaker; these are bills like Access to Capital for Job Creators that passed this body by over 400 votes. That's wildly bipartisan, something that we agree upon, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and my colleagues on this side of the aisle; and yet they're sitting on Harry Reid's doorstep, and they won't even come up for a vote. This is the frustration that I think the American public has.

Washington needs to move forward. We need to address jobs and the economy. We need to address the out-of-control spending that has happened, yes, on both sides of the aisle. We need to figure out a way that Washington can tighten its belt so that we do not bury our children and grandchildren under a mountain of debt and jeopardize the very fabric of the American Dream.

Mr. Speaker, I talk to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and I do sense that there is a frustration. There is a concern that we may be the first generation of Americans that leaves our country worse for our children and grandchildren than we received from our parents and grandparents. For me, this is absolutely unacceptable, which is why I think that we have to find that common ground--find the common ground and move our country forward.

I certainly hope tonight we talk about a united America, we talk about a vision that unites us as opposed to one that divides us. This will be an opportunity. And I hope it's about jobs and the economy, the out-of-control spending, and making sure that hardworking American taxpayers are moving forward.

This is our time. It's time we all come together to put America back to work.