Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congresswoman Roby for holding this important leadership hour. I rise today to speak on some important issues facing our military as well as some provisions within the National Defense Authorization Act.

Here is the bottom line: Our national debt, which is approaching $16 trillion--or $50,000 for every person in this country--is a national security threat and we must find ways to bring our spending under control.

This House has acted to change the debate from how much can Washington spend to how much spending can we cut? We've led by example and cut our own office budgets by almost 12 percent. With the belief that more common sense in Washington can lead to uncommon savings for the taxpayer we have taken a government wide approach to cutting spending

The House has also stressed efficiencies when it passed a bill by my colleague Allen West that would cut the Department of Defense's printing budget by 10 percent.

However, placing our warfighters at risk is not the solution to our debt problem. There are proposals out there to make deep cuts to the Department of Defense that would only create dangerous consequences for the stability of our fighting forces. One proposal would reduce Department of Defense civilian employee levels beyond what our organic industrial base can handle. As a member who represents a vital part of our organic base, the Rock Island Arsenal, these proposals strongly concern me.

The largest concentration of civilians in the Army is within the Army Materiel Command and the largest concentration of civilians within Army Materiel Command is found in our

arsenals and depots--or our organic base. This organic base is what ensures that our military is warm and ready to go at a moment's notice.

That is why I am also concerned about proposals that would reduce organic base specialization in areas like manufacturing.

Without the ability to specialize in these areas, our warfighters could be left flatfooted when emergencies happen. For example, the Rock Island Arsenal was able to produce up-armor kits for the doors of Humvees for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan when their vehicles were being attacked with IEDs. The Arsenal's ability to do this work quickly gave industry the time it needed to create long-term fixes for them and provided our troops with the tools they needed to most safely and effectively accomplish their missions.

During this time of fiscal constraint we must be careful not to penalize our organic base--which provides quality to the warfighter and value to the taxpayer. We must preserve and strengthen our organic base, not weaken it. The workers at the Rock Island Arsenal are a great example of how manufacturing skill can yield success for our warfighters.

In addition to serving on the House Armed Services Committee, I also serve on the Small Business Committee where our focus is solely on job creation through helping small businesses.

Small businesses have proven that they can perform a service or produce goods for the government at a lower cost and often at a faster pace than their larger counterparts, but many challenges remain for businesspeople seeking to break through the bureaucracy.

My colleague on the Small Business Committee, Representative Judy Chu, and I introduced H.R. 3985, the Building Better Business Partnerships Act in February, which passed through the Small Business Committee last month, to reform mentor-protege programs that exist to help small businesses win government contracts.

The Building Better Business Partnerships Act allows the Small Business Administration to oversee civilian mentor-protege programs to streamline the process for each agency and ensure the programs are benefitting all small businesses.

This bipartisan language was successfully included in the FY 2013 NDAA in Committee to help small businesses compete for and win more government contracts so they can create jobs and get folks back to work.

This week, the House will debate the Defense Authorization bill. Our Constitution requires that we ``provide for the common defense'' and for fifty years in a row, Congress has acted to authorize defense programs. I look forward to working on a bipartisan basis to deliver a strong, common sense defense bill for the United States of America.

Again, I want to thank Congresswoman Roby for holding this leadership hour. This July, the Rock Island Arsenal will celebrate 150 years of protecting our brave men and women. As a member of the House I will continue to pursue policies that allow our arsenals to thrive and grow their workload so that the Rock Island Arsenal can celebrate another 150 years and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, a few months ago I had the opportunity to visit the Children's Advocacy Center in my hometown of Rock Island, Illinois. The work that they do there to help children and their families that are victims of crimes is truly amazing, and I am grateful for their commitment to helping the children that need it the most.

April is recognized as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Unfortunately, sexual abuse of children is still a serious problem in our country, and too many cases go unreported.

My colleague from California and I have introduced H.R. 3486, the Speak Out to Stop Child Abuse Act, which would require States that receive Federal funding under their Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to have a law on the books that makes it a criminal penalty for any adult who knowingly fails to report the sexual abuse of a child.

H.R. 3486 simply asks States to help by requiring adults who witness the sexual abuse of a child to report it. I want to thank Congresswoman Bass for introducing this legislation, and I also recommend all of my colleagues help support this, also.

Thank you, Chairman Lucas.

I rise in support of H.R. 3336, the Small Business Credit Availability Act.

Madam Speaker, I've only been in Congress for a little over a year, but I have found the House Committee on Agriculture to be very bipartisan, and I believe that it is in large part due to the leadership of Chairman Lucas and Ranking Member Peterson.

I come to the floor today to speak in support of a bipartisan provision in the bill that is important to the American manufacturing sector--and particularly to Illinois companies like John Deere and Caterpillar, which employ almost 150,000 men and women.

Many of the manufacturers here at home have what are called ``captive finance affiliates'' whose function is to provide loans and leases to customers to purchase the goods they make. The credit that captive finance companies provide is essential to agricultural producers, construction contractors, and manufacturers, and the jobs they support here at home.

Congress provided an exemption in the current law for captive finance affiliates so that when they hedge risks associated with providing loans to their customers, they receive the same exemptions available to the parent company and other end-users. However, there is a lack of guidance in the CFTC's implementation of the exemption, leading to concern that these captive finance companies could be subject to mandatory clearing requirements or regulated as major swap participants. There is bipartisan agreement that this is not what Congress originally intended.

H.R. 3336 will provide the needed clarification for our manufacturers and their captive affiliates. It does so while also providing safeguards against abuse. First and foremost, this only applies to entities that use derivatives to manage their risks, meaning they cannot use derivatives to speculate. In addition, these entities cannot engage in financing that does not facilitate the sale of their manufactured products. The CFTC will have the authority to prevent affiliates from qualifying for this exemption.

Again, I appreciate the bipartisan nature of providing certainty on this issue. I want to thank Chairman Lucas, Ranking Member Peterson, Congressman Bill Owens, Congressman Mike McIntyre, and Congressman Randy Neugebauer for their efforts on this issue. I also really want to thank the majority and minority House Ag Committee and their staff for their work on this issue, especially Ryan McKee and Clarke Ogilvie. It is important to provide certainty for our folks back home.

I thank Leader Cantor for giving me the opportunity to be here today and speak in favor of the Small Business Tax Cut Act.

As Illinoisans filed their tax returns, folks in my district felt the pinch of the tax increases imposed on them by our State's lawmakers, who last year raised personal income taxes by 66 percent and corporate taxes by 45 percent.

State lawmakers told us that taxes would be used to pay Illinois debt and prevent budget deficits down the line; but the truth, as many of us feared, is that these tax hikes have done nothing to help our State. In fact, Illinois unemployment has remained above 9 percent for 36 straight months, since March of 2009. And thanks to Illinois tax hikes, rising gas prices, and Federal tax rates as high as 35 percent, our small businesses are strapped for cash.

As a small business owner, I know the pain all too well. Rather than advancing partisan and un-serious show votes--votes that don't lower gas prices, don't encourage economic growth, and don't impact our deficit--we in the House want to ensure more opportunities for job seekers and job creators.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure and honor that I congratulate Ms. Gladys L. Williams of East Moline, Illinois on a momentous milestone, her 100th birthday, which will be on April 15, 2012.

Born in Kansas on April 15, 1912, the very day the Titanic sank, Gladys grew up to be tough, but a dedicated and wonderful mother whose kids always knew she had their backs. Along with her husband A.H. and her three children, Gladys moved around the country more than 30 times over the years due to her husband's job with the Rock Island Railroad. The family moved in and out of the Quad Cities nearly a dozen times until they finally made Moline home in 1954, around the time A.H. was named General Manager.

Gladys and her family have been active in Moline's First Baptist Church, and she worked in an area high school's cafeteria before eventually relocating to East Moline 16 years ago. Her family did the math recently, and determined that Gladys has been blessed with 17 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, and 21 great-great- grandchildren.

East Moline Mayor John Thodos declared April 15th, 2012 ``Gladys Williams Day'' in honor of this remarkable woman. Mr. Speaker and my distinguished colleagues, I respectfully ask that you join me in wishing Gladys a very happy 100th birthday, and the best as she celebrates this joyous occasion with her friends and many members of her family.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, March 19, 2012, due to an unexpected flight

delay in Chicago, Illinois that prevented my travel, I was unable to cast my vote for roll Number 111.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 3992 which passed by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 371 0. I believe by allowing our allies, such as Israel, to invest in businesses in the United States, we are encouraging job creation and bringing more innovative ideas that will benefit all Americans.

Currently, citizens in 75 countries are eligible to apply for E 2 visas which are non-immigrant visas valid for up to two years and allow visa holders to oversee businesses in which they have considerable capital invested. Prior to 2003, countries could become eligible if specified in trade agreements but now separate legislation is required to add countries to the program.

Countries eligible for E 2 visas span from Albania to Pakistan to the United Kingdom and in Fiscal Year 2010, more than 25,000 E 2 visas were granted. Israel has a reciprocal program allowing United States investors the same ability. E 2 visas invest in our economy and foster working relationships with other countries. Adding Israel to this list will only continue these efforts.

Again, had my flight from Chicago to Washington, DC had not been delayed, I would have voted in support of H.R. 3992.

Mr. Speaker, when small businesses compete for government contracts, the government saves billions of dollars, and thousands of private sector jobs are created through these investments. However, the process of contracting can be needlessly time-consuming and onerous for small businesses to navigate. Last year, the Federal Government failed to meet the requirement for contracts awarded to small businesses. This complicated procurement procedure is hindering job creation and slowing our economic recovery.

Last week I introduced--along with my colleague, Representative Judy Chu from California--H.R. 3985, Building Better Business Partnerships Act of 2012. H.R. 3985 focuses on improving and streamlining mentor- protege programs which pair new businesses looking to increase their government contracts with more experienced businesses. My bill will make mentor-protege programs more efficient and successful by placing the SBA in charge of overseeing and setting standards for programs based on what we know works. Ultimately, H.R. 3985 will make it easier for small business firms to compete.

As we all know, Mr. Speaker, last week was the March for Life here in Washington. Now, as a father of 10, life is a big issue in my house. It's a big issue in other homes and businesses throughout the United States. Thousands of Americans, including some residents of my district, traveled from all corners of the country last week to express their support for the right to life for each human being, to express the desire and passion they have for the born and the unborn.

Just a couple of days later, on Sunday morning, once we had all returned to Illinois, my family and I headed off to church, as we normally do. We sat in the pew and listened to the priest's homily. He read us a letter written by the Bishop of the Diocese of Peoria:

``In the history of the United States, Friday, January 20, 2012, will certainly stand out as a moment of enormous peril for religious liberty,'' the letter reads, referring to the date the Department of Health and Human Services announced that religious organizations will be forced to provide employees with insurance programs that provide abortifacients, contraceptive services, and sterilization.

The letter continues:

``If these regulations are put into effect, they could close down every Catholic school, hospital, and other public ministries of our church, which is perhaps their underlying intention. What is perfectly clear is that this is a bigoted and blatant attack on the First Amendment rights of every Catholic believer. Under no circumstances, however, will our church ever abandon our unshakable commitment to the gospel of life.''

I later learned that this was one of more than 120 letters that bishops had read from the pulpit at masses across the United States.

The letter written by the Bishop of Marquette reads:

``The Federal Government, which claims to be `of, by, and for the people,' has just dealt a heavy blow to almost a quarter of those people--the Catholic population--and to the millions more who are served by the Catholic faithful.''

It later says:

``Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to help build America's cities and towns, its infrastructure and institutions, its enterprise and culture only to have their posterity stripped of their God-given rights.''

Like many of my Catholic brothers and sisters, I do not believe it is the government's business to target religion and require that its believers violate their conscience and their religious beliefs--or suffer the consequences. I do not believe it is the role of government to persecute religions.

I am proudly and passionately pro-life. But regardless of what your views may be on abortion or contraception, I imagine most Americans would be alarmed to learn of our government chipping away at the First Amendment, mandating its citizens disregard their liberty, convictions, and conscience--or else. This is totally unacceptable. No government should force its citizens to violate their religious beliefs.

I recently joined with a number of my colleagues in urging that the administration reconsider this unprecedented government overreach and violation. But I would go further and encourage the administration to abandon this rule. Abandon this rule and continue to allow these Americans who oppose these services for either moral or religious reasons to live their lives in the way that they see fit and without the fear of punishment.

Bishop Jenky of the Diocese of Peoria concludes his letter by saying:

``This country once fought a revolution to guarantee the freedom, but the time has clearly arrived to strongly assert our fundamental human rights.''

Our religious freedoms are under attack. I was sent here to uphold, protect, and defend the United States Constitution, and I intend to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the distinguished life of Sergeant John Baker, Jr.

Born in Davenport, Iowa, but raised within the 17th District of Illinois, in Moline, Sergeant Baker served in Vietnam as a proud member of the United States Army. His selflessness and heroism earned him the Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart as he bravely fought for God and country. Sergeant Baker would humbly say that this Medal of Honor was not actually for him, that he had done what anyone would have, that the medal belonged to all servicemen, to all veterans.

Though he surely never would have said so himself, Sergeant Baker-- the Quad Cities only Medal of Honor recipient--represented all that is good about our great Nation. Although he is no longer with us, the I- 280 bridge named after John Baker, Vietnam veteran, and the monument will also serve as a constant reminder of who Sergeant Baker was and what he did for us all.

Godspeed, Sergeant Baker. God bless you for your outstanding service, your remarkable courage, and your modest heroism.

I rise today in support of the NDAA conference agreement. First I want to thank Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith for shepherding this bill through the committee and through the Armed Services Committee and for really doing a great job for our brave men and women.

This marks the 50th year of the NDAA passing, and it is truly an example of bipartisan cooperation for the good of our country. I appreciate the opportunity I have had, serving on this important conference. And I believe that what we have put together is a great framework that is fiscally responsible and supportive of our troops and national security.

Included in this bill were provisions that would help support our military organic base, including arsenals like the one I represent in Rock Island. I am proud to represent this national treasure found within the Department of Defense. The Rock Island Arsenal and its 8,600 employees have worked hard for our country.

One of the provisions that was included in the NDAA allows our Army industrial facilities to enter into private-public partnerships under section 4544. This provision does away with the cap on these partnerships and ends the sunset date.

I urge strong support and passage of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, December 2, 2011, I attended the funeral of Pfc Adam E. Dobereiner in Rock Island, Illinois. Pfc Dobereiner died on November 18, 2011 in the Kandahar Province of Afghanistan while serving his country. Our nation owes Pfc Dobereiner and his family a debt of gratitude for their sacrifice. We must always remember the service of heroes both past and present.

Had I been present in Washington DC on December 2, 2011, my votes would have been as follows:

For Roll No. 882, which would clarify that an agency shall take into account whether a problem disproportionately impacts certain vulnerable subpopulations, and whether such an impact would be mitigated by new agency action--H.R. 3010 stresses smart, efficient and economical rule making. We should always be looking to maintain levels of service at the lowest cost possible. Under this bill, federal agencies already take public health or general welfare considerations into account. Therefore, I would have voted ``no''.

For Roll No. 883, which would clarify that the agency would retain the discretion to determine whether to provide advanced notice, not later than 90 days, of a proposed rule prior it being published in the Federal Register. For the sake of transparency, the underlying bill makes advance notice of these rules mandatory; therefore, I would have voted ``No''.

For Roll No. 884, which would clarify that regulations to protect public health and safety would not be blocked or repealed by H.R. 3010--Again; the underlying bill provides for the consideration of public health and general welfare. Therefore, I would have voted ``No''.

For Roll No. 885, which would exempt from the Act actions by the Nuclear Regulatory

Commission under the Atomic Energy Act--All federal regulations must be examined for their effect on health, public welfare, the economy and jobs. The NRC should not be carved out of this review. Therefore, I would have voted ``No''.

For Roll No. 886, which would exempt all rules promulgated by the Department of Homeland Security--All federal regulations must be examined for their effect on health, public welfare, the economy and jobs. The DHS should not be carved out of this review. Therefore, I would have voted ``No''.

For Roll No. 887, which Would have recommitted the bill so that it would ``not apply to new regulations or the revision of existing regulations that reduce costs or increase coverage for pharmaceuticals and other health services for seniors, or efforts by the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Veterans Administration, and Defense to negotiate lower prescription drug prices''--Because the whole point and intent of the underlying bill is to lower costs, including the costs of prescription drugs, I would have voted ``No.'' When it comes to vital health services for our seniors, it is vital that we keep the promise of both Medicare and Social Security. I have voted to do exactly that since coming to Congress eleven months ago. We also must continue to work to preserve these programs for our children and their children.

For Roll No. 888, the Regulatory Accountability Act of 2011, which would reform the process by which Federal agencies analyze and formulate new regulations and guidance documents, I would have voted ``Yes''.

We must ensure that the regulations put forth by the federal government--more specifically the 4,000 final rules that federal agencies issue each year--are truly needed and necessary for the public welfare. This includes public health and our economy. I truly believe that our economic recovery is being held back because of overregulation and uncertainty coming from the government. My number one priority as a representative is fostering job creation to strengthen our economy so that American families can pursue their version of the American Dream. H.R. 3010 promotes increased public participation when it comes to considering regulations, stresses that lower cost regulations should be pursued, and provides more certainty to our businesses which represent the key to growing jobs in America.

It is an honor to serve the people of the 17th Congressional District of Illinois.

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, November 29, 2011, due to inclement weather in Chicago, Illinois that prevented my travel, I was unable to cast my votes for rollcall Nos. 860, 861, and 862. I was originally booked on United Flight 5327 from Moline at 9:24 a.m. (CST), connecting to United Flight 610 leaving O'Hare at 11:04 a.m. (CST) and arriving in DCA at 1:53 p.m. (EST). However, I could not make these flights due to my original flight from Moline not getting into ORD until 2:43 p.m., and subsequently having 3 connecting flights being cancelled, forcing me to get on the 6:30 p.m. (CST) United 509, arriving in DCA at 10:20 p.m. (EST).

Had I been present, my votes would have been as follows:

For rollcall No. 860, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, to increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-sponsored immigrants, and for other purposes, I would have voted ``yea.'' This legislation would not increase the total yearly admission numbers, but it would increase the United States' competitiveness and contribute to growing our economy.

For rollcall No. 861, to exempt for an additional 4-year period, from the application of the means-test presumption of abuse under chapter 7, qualifying members of reserve components of the Armed Forces and members of the National Guard who, after September 11, 2001, are called to active duty or to perform a homeland defense activity for not less than 90 days, I would have voted ``yea.'' The brave men and women of our reserve components and National Guard, and their families, make incredible sacrifices so that we can be free. Many are called to duty unexpectedly which can hinder financial planning and place a burden on their families. This exemption should be extended to allow our citizen- warriors time to readjust when they return home.

For rollcall No. 862, which directs the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration [TSA]) to develop and implement a plan for expedited security screening services for uniformed Armed Forces members, and their families, traveling on official orders while in uniform through an airport, I would have voted ``yea.'' Again, we owe the brave men and women of our armed forces a tremendous debt of gratitude. Finding a faster way for them to complete the security screening process while they are in uniform and traveling on official orders is common sense.

It is an honor to serve the people of the 17th Congressional District of Illinois.

I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for inviting me to participate today.

The best thing about having the opportunity to represent the residents of Illinois' 17th District is the ability to just listen to their concerns and then taking those concerns back here to Washington,

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Adoption Day and to celebrate the many families who graciously open their homes and their lives to the most vulnerable and often forgotten children in our communities. As the father of 10 children I understand the importance of family, I also understand the many sacrifices parents make to provide the best opportunities for their kids. This is why I deeply respect adoptive and foster parents; they so readily take on additional expenses and sacrifices to provide a safe home for a child.

I recently joined the Congressional Caucus on Foster Care which is dedicated to protecting and promoting the welfare of the more than 424,000 children who are part of the foster care system in the U.S. The Caucus provides a forum where Members can come together to discuss ways we can improve the system and help these children make a successful transition out of care and into society.

Tomorrow, National Adoption Day will be celebrated across the country. There are more than 400 events planned to highlight the need for more families to open their hearts to children in need and to show gratitude to those who have taken that step. I want to thank each and every foster parent and adoptive parent for opening your safe and loving home to a child. Thank you for taking the time to enrich the lives of those children who need it the most.

I would like to thank the gentleman from Virginia for giving me the time today.

We continue to hear a common thread: Let's raise taxes on our job creators with no solution to our spending problems.

I rise today as the people's House prepares to vote for an amendment to our Constitution that will require Congress and the President to balance the budget. I look forward to voting in favor of this amendment today. Fifteen years ago, an amendment nearly identical to this one passed the House with strong bipartisan support but failed by one single vote in the Senate. Since that time, our debt has tripled.

Did you know that on Wednesday our national debt surpassed $15 trillion? And it has been nearly 950 days since the Senate has passed a budget, not to mention the 20 jobs bills that are sitting over there that they've decided not to act upon.

The American people deserve better. You deserve a credible plan to help get our fiscal house in order, grow our economy, and get folks back to work. It's clear, though, we cannot borrow or spend our way out of this mess. We also cannot afford to put off badly needed but difficult decisions. We need to tackle this unsustainable spending addiction head on.

Since coming to Washington, my fellow freshman colleagues and I have helped change the way the conversation has been held here for years from ``How much can we spend?'' to ``How much can we save?'' This is a good start, but we can do much more to get our country on a better fiscal path and save the American Dream for our kids and our grandkids.

We have the duty to leave our kids and our grandkids with a country better off than it is now. We have the opportunity here to fundamentally change the way Washington does business by supporting the balanced budget amendment. It's time for Washington to balance the budget.

I'm pleased to vote in strong support of a balanced budget amendment and will continue working on ways to get our fiscal house in order, grow America's economy, and create jobs.