Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to Mrs. Margie Sullivan for her accomplishments and dedication to the bluegrass gospel music industry.

Sullivan, born in Baskin, LA, has devoted more than 60 years to the bluegrass gospel music ministry. Known as the ``First Lady of Bluegrass Gospel Music,'' she is featured in the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame located in Bean Blossom, Indiana. In addition, she is an International Bluegrass Music Association Living Legend recipient, member of the Alabama Country Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia, Alabama, and has been named as ``Goodwill Ambassador'' for bluegrass music in several European countries.

Earning these recognitions is a tremendous honor, and I commend Margie for her hard work and compassion.

I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Mrs. Margie Sullivan. She is truly deserving of our appreciation.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to congratulate Margaret Beatty for being selected Queen Evangeline of the 41st International Acadian Festival in Iberville Parish.

Margaret, a 17-year-old senior at St. John High School in Plaquemine, La., is the daughter of Donnie and Amy Beatty.

The International Acadian Festival is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, Council #970 of Plaquemine, which is the oldest Knights of Columbus Council in Louisiana.

It is always outstanding to see the diligence with which the young students of Louisiana work to give back and better their communities. I have the highest confidence that Margaret will succeed in whatever endeavors she pursues.

I ask my colleagues to join me in passing good wishes to Margaret Beatty, her family,

and the entire International Acadian Festival. Margaret is truly deserving of this recognition.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3962 states in section 1 that the legislation builds on what's broken in today's health care system and repairs at the same time. I agree that improvements need to be made in the existing health care system, but placing individuals under one umbrella doesn't build on what's working or repair what's not.

The bill includes a government-run public option that cuts Medicare and Medicare Advantage programs and raises taxes on middle class families. In addition, the bill does not protect the interests of small business, nor

does it adequately address defensive medicine. And in the midst of States struggling with financial constraints, it will burden them with more unfunded mandates from the Federal Government.

This latest proposal may be a different name, but even with a new name, the legislation remains a government takeover of health care.

Mr. Speaker, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has included an opt-out plan into this health care plan. We all know that it is still just a government-run plan that's going to require a vote of the legislature.

Now, do we really think that the Governor and the legislature are going to vote for a plan that opts them out of the plan but yet requires the taxpayers of that State to pay for that plan? Why, of course not.

Whether it's opt-out, opt-in, trigger plan--whatever it's called-- it's still a government-run plan that's going to create an unfair advantage for the government against private insurance, causing many people to lose their plans.

I am not going to vote for a plan that raises taxes, that cuts benefits or that drives a Washington bureaucrat between the patients whom I represent and the physicians.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 1298.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim of Alexandria, LA, originally known as the Hebrew Benevolent Society of Rapides. Chartered on October 2, 1859, the congregation recently celebrated its 150th anniversary of distinguished service to the Jewish community, as well as to providing faithful dedication to the Alexandria area.

The congregation first held religious services in various private homes with lay leadership. The initial Jewish sanctuary was built in 1870, and the first rabbi, Marx Klein, came in 1873. On October 14, 1873, the young congregation became one of the original charter members of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, presently known as the Union for Reform Judaism, which today represents 900 affiliate congregations in the United States and abroad. The present sanctuary was constructed in 1952.

The congregation has been served by 23 rabbis and 33 board presidents. It grew to a peak of nearly 300 families during the mid- twentieth century.

Many members of the Temple have held various leadership roles in civic and charitable organizations throughout Central Louisiana. In addition, they have made significant contributions in the fields of medicine, law, government, social services, education and the cultural life of the region.

The Temple, the Rabbi and individual members continue to play an integral part in achieving better interfaith understanding, working to strengthen the quality of life for all citizens in the communities of the region.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in commending the Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Professor Geza Vermes, an internationally renowned biblical scholar.

His commitment to inspiring and educating the world has been unwavering, and he deserves our congratulations.

Among his impressive list of endeavors, Vermes is perhaps best known as publisher of the first English translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls. His latest work, ``The Story of the Scrolls,'' is set to be published in February, 2010.

Since 1957, Vermes has been teaching in England. Today, he is Professor Emeritus of

Jewish Studies and Emeritus Fellow for Wolfson College, and is a lecturer at Oxford University and throughout the world.

In addition, Vermes is a Fellow of the British Academy (1985) and the European Academy of Arts, Sciences and Humanities (2001), holder of an Oxford higher doctorate and honorary doctorates from the universities of Edinburgh (1989), Durham (1990), Sheffield (1994) and the Central European University of Budapest (2008).

On September 24, Vermes will be a guest lecturer at the University of Louisiana--Monroe. It is an honor to welcome such a distinguished and esteemed scholar to the 5th District.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Professor Geza Vermes for his remarkable career and countless accomplishments.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate The American Legion Post 3 for their hard work, service and dedication to the Alexandria/Pineville area, and to the nation.

In 2009 alone, The American Legion Post 3 donated $34,500 to more than 30 laudable organizations throughout central Louisiana. Post 3 will be honored with a ``Legiontown USA'' program and subsequent ceremony on September 16, the anniversary of the organization's congressional charter, as American Legion Day.

The ``Legiontown USA'' campaign was recently introduced to increase awareness of the activities and efforts of local posts in communities throughout the United States and worldwide. This movement is beneficial for it gives our courageous veterans the recognition they deserve.

On a national level, The American Legion is a patriotic, non-profit organization devoted to advocating for our veterans on Capitol Hill. It is an honor and privilege to have such a prominent and compassionate institution in the 5th District of Louisiana.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending The American Legion Post 3 for their loyalty and dedication to our nation's veterans, as well as for their tremendous service to the communities of central Louisiana.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to commend Mr. Wiley Hilburn, an esteemed editor, respected mentor and prolific columnist.

On September 1, the Louisiana Tech University news bureau chief, journalism teacher and department head, will retire after 41 years of dedication and service. Hilburn's legacy is not only embedded in his written work, but translated into the countless careers of past students.

The Tech Talk, Louisiana Tech's weekly newspaper, was not always the student voice of the university, but merely a mouthpiece for the administration. In 1968, Tech President F.J. Taylor, hired Hilburn to liberate the school's newspaper, a period consumed with controversy and fueled by opinion. Successfully safeguarding the student body's First Amendment right during the Vietnam War and Civil Rights movement renders recognition.

Hilburn will retire from one of Louisiana's most acclaimed journalism schools. During his 41-year-tenure, Hilburn served under Taylor and current Tech President Dan Reneau. Throughout the past 40 years, students have learned how to report responsibly and objectively.

Although he will no longer steer the student voice of Tech, his opinionated outlook of reason will continue in his columns, printed weekly in The Shreveport Times and The News-Star, of Monroe.

The Ouachita River touches most parishes in North Louisiana; Hilburn touches the hearts of all of his readers in North Louisiana every Sunday. During his four decades of teaching and mentoring students, Hilburn gave `fragments' of his life to every journalism student who walked through Keeney Hall.

I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Mr. Wiley Hilburn, a teacher, writer and personal friend.

Thank you for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the ranking member, the chairman and the members of the committee for passing this important piece of legislation. The entire Louisiana delegation are cosponsors of this. The National Forest Service is in support of it. In fact, they provided the language that is in this bill. As it's been said, CBO has scored it as zero. From the sale of this land, the proceeds will go back to the National Forest Service for money that they have spent over the years, providing maintenance for this 50 acres of land that will be sold to this not-for-profit group.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of the Commerce, Justice Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 2847.

Congressman Rodney Alexander

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. 3293.

Congressman Rodney Alexander

Mr. Speaker, we all know that the health care system that we have in America is the best that the world has to offer. Do we need to improve it? Absolutely. But the question is how far do we go?

Do we tax the employer, who is now struggling to make ends meet, increase payroll taxes by 8 percent? No. We give that employer an advantage, an incentive to provide health care. Give him a tax break. Give the employee a tax break so they can go out and buy their own insurance. So give them an incentive.

But if we go and pass this bill, the government-run-all health care plan, we are going to break the backs of small businesses across this Nation that are the backbone of this Nation. Then we will hear a cry, Where are the jobs?

Mr. Speaker, several of my colleagues have come to this mike today and said, Where are the jobs? Well, if we pass this government-run health plan with compulsory insurance, it's going to create some jobs. It's going to take a government police force that you won't believe. We're going to have Barney Fifes running all over this Nation forcing people to do things they don't want to do.

And how do we pay for it? Well, that's simple. We just go to the small businesses that can't afford to buy insurance for their employees as it is and we increase by 8 percent their payroll taxes. We are going to break the backs of small businesses that are the backbone of this Nation.

Let's put a stop to this nonsense.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of the Defense Authorization and Homeland Security Appropriations bills.

Congressman Rodney Alexander