Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Larry Wargowsky, who has retired from his position as Refuge Manager for the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge after thirty three years of service with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, fourteen which were spent managing the Necedah Refuge.

He was born and raised across from the Refuge in Juneau County, and enjoyed a career that took him many places, but was fortunate to retire at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge. Larry Wargowsky started his career of public service after college where he worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources at Horicon, Black River Falls and Mead Wildlife Area. He then joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service working at various National Wildlife Refuges in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. His work has benefited not merely one refuge, or even just one state, but Larry Wargowsky has been a public servant whose career has benefited an entire nation.

Throughout his tenure at the refuge, Larry has seen the resurgence of many wildlife critters from the first bald eagle reproduction in 25 years in 1996 to an increase in populations of the timber wolf and was instrumental in the reintroduction of the Whooping crane to this area. For this he received the Recovery Champion Award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2002. The Whooping crane project at the Necedah Refuge has been a boon to Necedah and Juneau County and has made the area a major ecotourism destination. The Whooping cranes brought international attention to the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge. To accommodate visitors, Larry led an effort to build a new visitor center. Additionally, the Friends of the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge was created under his leadership and this today represents a robust and active group. He is as much a friend to our country as he is to our environment.

I am proud to stand before this chamber and applaud the dedication of Larry Wargowsky to a life of public service and conservation. As an avid sportsman, I am personally grateful to Larry for all of his hard work in preserving our wildlife refuges, but this recognition goes beyond the gratitude of one individual. We as Americans should be grateful to a man who has dedicated his life to public service, and we as inhabitants of this planet should be grateful to that same man who has dedicated his life to defending our wildlife refuges.

Madam Speaker, I was unable to have my vote recorded on the House floor during the vote on H.R. 2847 on Thursday, March 4, 2010 because I was detained due to a meeting with the President of the United States. Had I been present, I would have voted in favor of H.R. 2847 (Roll No. 90).

Stated against:

Madam Speaker, I was unable to have my vote recorded on the House floor on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 due to a flight delay caused by mechanical difficulties. Had I been present, I would have voted in favor of H. Res. 990 (Roll No. 17), H. Res. 1011 (Roll No. 18), and H. Res. 1003 (Roll No. 19).

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 4173, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009.

Over the past year, we became aware of many financial practices which were abusive and reckless. We're putting an end to those practices and making ``too big to fail'' a thing of the past. Americans will no longer be responsible for the bad business calculations and irresponsible behavior that almost brought down our entire economic system. This bill effectively ends the notion of a government guarantee by allowing large, systemically risky institutions to fail at their own expense and in a way that doesn't jeopardize the whole U.S. financial system.

The legislation holds Wall Street accountable through increased transparency and regulation of risky practices. A new systemic risk regulator will monitor financial activity across the whole sector to identify risks and irresponsible behavior and prevent them from becoming a problem for individual investors and the entire economy. The bill also establishes an orderly process for dismantling large, failing companies--at their own expense, and requires that stockholders and executives take a financial hit if risky deals fall through, ensuring an end to taxpayer funded bailouts.

This bill effectively reforms our financial system without unduly restricting appropriate risk- taking. This is pro-business, anti- bailout legislation that aims to address the flaws in the current system in a targeted manner to minimize the burden on those who did not cause the crisis, like Community Banks and Credit Unions--most of whom will be exempt from additional oversight by the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, CFPA.

We are addressing the fractured oversight that exists in our current system. In creating a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, we will establish a baseline for consumer financial protection and target the appropriate financial institutions. If we are willing to demand that products used by our children are reviewed for safety, we should demand appropriate oversight for the financial products we use to pay for their college. More broadly, the CFPA will ensure that all consumers have a watchdog to protect them against financial institutions engaging in abusive or deceptive practices.

This bill focuses on reforming the system so that we maximize the good and minimize the harm, and I am proud to support it.

Madam Speaker, I was unable to have my vote recorded on the House floor on Tuesday, December 8, 2009, due to inclement weather that kept me from flying back from Wisconsin in time for votes. Had I been present, I would have voted in favor of the Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 3288 (Rollcall No. 931), H. Con. Res. 199 (Rollcall No. 932), H. Con. Res. 206 (Rollcall No. 933), H. Res. 940 (Rollcall No. 934), H. Res. 845 (Rollcall No. 935), H.R. 2278 (Rollcall No. 936), H. Res. 915 (Rollcall No. 937), and H. Res. 907 (Rollcall No. 938).

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4213, the Tax Extenders Act of 2009. This bill extends several badly needed tax provisions that will continue to provide economic benefits to struggling families and businesses. While these temporary, last-minute patches are not the preferred means of action for anyone, this action is better than none, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Passage of this bill will ensure that individuals already facing the worst economic situation in decades will retain the ability to deduct state and local taxes, preventing a $3.3 billion tax increase. It also extends the deduction that students receive for tuition payments and the credit teachers receive for stocking their classrooms out of their own pocket. both are essential for making a quality education accessible to all.

For businesses, this bill will extend the invaluable R&D tax credit so they can continue to invest in the innovation that will keep America competitive in the industries of today and tomorrow. I have long advocated making this credit permanent so companies can make it a permanent part of their business plans. I hope we will do that as part of overall tax reform starting next year.

Other provisions important to my district in Western Wisconsin include the Conservation Easement Credit, which gives individuals an incentive to protect environmentally important

land in perpetuity, and the extension of a 5-year depreciation period for farm and agricultural equipment. This extended period has been highly successful in spurring capital improvements on the farm and improving farm output and efficiency.

Finally, I am particularly pleased that this bill extends a provision I authored last year that provides tax relief to families and businesses who are impacted by natural disasters. Following devastating floods in my district in 2007 and 2008, it became clear to me that more tools were needed to assist individuals and businesses to recover. The tax relief provided here offers a more systematic and fair method than the previous system of ad hoc assistance on a case-by-case basis. I thank Chairman Rangel and the rest of the committee for including it in the extenders package today.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to note that all of these benefits are completely paid for, meaning this bill will not add one dime to the deficit. In fact, one of the ways we pay for this bill is by cracking down on foreign bank accounts, where millionaires have been hiding their fortunes from the IRS for years. This type of enforcement has been sorely lacking. It is unfortunate, however, that the bulk of revenue for this bill will come from higher taxation of venture capital funds that have been leaders in spurring job growth and innovation. I sincerely wish we had been able to find an alternative revenue source that would not raise taxes on these entrepreneurs at the exact time when we need them the most. Twice before the Senate has rejected this pay-for, and I hope they will do so again.

On balance, Mr. Speaker, this is a critically important piece of legislation before us that will prevent disastrous consequences in this fragile economic environment. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting its passage today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 866 which encourages the designation of a National Veterans History Project Week. This resolution encourages increased public participation in the Veterans History Project.

As you may know, the Veterans History Project collects and saves the stories of America's veterans who have bravely served this country from World War I to today's conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. This project provides Americans an important way to honor our soldiers: by preserving the story of their service, in their own words, for the use and benefit of future generations.

In 2000, I authored and Congress unanimously passed legislation creating the Veterans History Project. Since its inception, the project has collected more than 66,000 stories and documents. In addition, the Veterans History Project was honored by Harvard University as one of the finalists for the Innovations in American Government Award competition in 2005.

Since the beginning of our Nation, the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines of the Armed Forces have been called on to risk their lives and fight for the ideals that make America great. Regardless of what one thinks about the wars that they fought in, all Americans must agree that the men and women of our Armed Forces have responded to the call of their country and performed with honor and dignity. War veterans and the civilians who have supported them all across this Nation have stepped forward once again, this time answering the call of civic duty by recording their stories and contributing personal documents for the Veterans History Project. Their participation ensures that their accounts are recorded and preserved, becoming a part of this Nation's memory and history.

By passing this resolution today, we can encourage more participation in this important program and ensure that this vital collection of American history continues to grow even further. Capturing the stories of our war veterans is more important now than ever before. We are losing more than 1,700 veterans every day and with them, their firsthand accounts of that war. It is imperative that we capture the stories and personal histories of those veterans before it is too late. The Veterans History Project is instrumental in accomplishing this important goal.

I call upon all members of this body to publicize and promote the Veterans History Project in their own districts and communities. I cannot think of a better way to honor our veterans than by trying to preserve as many of their memories and stories as possible. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Madam Speaker, on November 2, 2009, I missed rollcall votes 832, 833, and 834 to attend parent teacher conferences for my two sons. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on each of those votes.

Mr. Speaker, let's be clear. We really face three choices here tonight: our plan, their plan, and the consequences of doing nothing.

But we know what inaction will bring already. We will pay more, we will get less, and we will bankrupt ourselves as a Nation due to rising health care costs. So let's just take a moment and compare the two plans before us this evening.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, not only is our health care reform plan completely paid for, but we reduce the national deficit by $109 billion in the first 10 years alone; they by only $68 billion. We cover an additional 36 million uninsured Americans in this country; they increase the number of uninsured from 47 million today to over 52 million by 2019. We cover 96 percent of Americans under our plan; they, 83 percent. We give small businesses tax credits to use in the national exchange to make it more affordable for them; they do nothing. We ban the discrimination based on preexisting conditions; they do nothing. We close the doughnut hole for seniors in Medicare; they do nothing.

But, most importantly, they do nothing to reform how health care is delivered and how we pay for it in this country. We change the fee-for- service payment under Medicare, which is all volume based, to a reimbursement system that rewards quality and the value of care. Why is this important? Because studies show that we are spending over $800 billion every year on tests and procedures that don't work. They don't improve patient care, and because of overtreatment in too many instances, we're making patients worse off rather than better off.

Our payment reform plan has the best potential of increasing the quality of care for all Americans at a substantially lower price. They do nothing.

Mr. Speaker, just 2 months ago President Obama stood in this Chamber and reminded us what the true character of the American spirit is all about. He reminded us that we did not come here to fear our future, but to shape it. That is the historic opportunity that we have before us this evening.

I thank the gentleman.

I ask my colleagues to support true reform and provide all Americans with access to affordable and quality care that they all deserve.

I thank the gentlewoman from Maine for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I do rise in strong support of the rule and of the underlying bill, the Small Business Financing and Investment Act. This bill couldn't be more timely. Many of the provisions that we passed in the American Recovery Act to expand the opportunity of small business loan programs are about to expire.

I know, in my district in western Wisconsin, I haven't been on the phone more often than in the past year talking to small business owners who are struggling to get credit in order to keep their doors open. In fact, earlier this week, I was on the phone with the owner of a small manufacturing business that makes boats. He said that he has got customers lining up who are willing to make purchases of those boats, but because lines of credit are not available to them, they can't move forward and close the deals. This has a tremendous ripple effect throughout our entire economy.

I would submit to my colleagues here today that, unless we figure out a way of freeing up the capital markets so that they are more free- flowing and are more efficient, especially for small businesses and farmers, this will be a very difficult recovery to endure. That's why the Small Business Financing and Investment Act is important. We are expanding and extending the 7(a) and 504 loan programs, not to mention expanding the ARC program, as well as the Working Capital Loan Fund.

I want to just take a moment and commend the regional director of the Small Business Administration in my area, Eric Ness, with whom I've teamed up in the last 6 months to hold multiple small business forums throughout western Wisconsin, which help inform small business owners and farmers about the availability of the SBA programs, as well as the local lenders, so that they do know what's available and how it works.

Now, my good friend and colleague from the State of Texas--and he is my friend--had a few mischaracterizations that I want to clarify. As President Reagan is fond of saying, facts can be a stubborn thing. The facts are these:

When we passed the American Recovery Act, we did have accelerated depreciation and expensing for small businesses in it. We had a net operating loss carryback for small businesses so that the profits that they took in previous years could be immediately written down over the last couple of years when they were suffering losses. This has worked to have an immediate cash infusion into those small businesses. What we're doing here today is directly beneficial to small businesses in trying to free up these capital markets that are not working well. These are proven programs that we clearly need to extend and expand upon.

I commend Chairwoman Velazquez of the Small Business Committee, and I commend every member on that committee for the attention and the energy that they have devoted to the plight of small business owners.

In my region of the world, in my district, I know, unless small businesses have the ability to keep their doors open--to make payroll, to make investments, and to expand jobs--we're not going to see the type of job growth that is required to recover from the worst economic recession since the Great Depression.

I would encourage my colleagues to support this rule and to support the underlying bill. Show your support for small businesses, support that they need today.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 3585, the Solar Technology Roadmap Act. This bill establishes an important energy tax title that will create the high-paying green jobs our economy needs, while simultaneously taking strong actions to help in our longer-term fight to combat global warming.

Even with rapid growth in solar and wind installations, most clean technologies installed in the U.S. continue to be manufactured overseas. In the case of solar, the U.S. is steadily falling behind the rest of the world in manufacturing capacity, dropping from 22 percent in 2002 to a mere 7 percent in 2007. Similarly, European firms now account for more than 85 percent of the global wind component market, and the U.S. has only a modest share of global manufacturing of other clean technologies, ranging from fuel cells to advanced batteries. We cannot continue down this path.

We are a nation of leaders and we need to start leading. We must cultivate a new mindset where sustainable technology and a clean manufacturing base are at the forefront. Initiatives like the Solar Technology Roadmap, which level the manufacturing playing field and incentivize investment, are what we need. This tax credit will create new manufacturing jobs--a need that cannot be understated given that the U.S. shed more than 1 million manufacturing jobs in the past 12 months. Correspondingly, the credit will increase the tax base and improve our trade balance. These are key components to our nation's economic recovery and long-term economic growth. Other nations are making these investments and, to remain globally competitive, we need to do the same.

I am pleased at the length to which this bill goes to create green jobs and urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Mr. Speaker, for the past 20 years, the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Reauthorization Act has been one of the most successful government-sponsored, youth-focused conservation education programs. This dynamic program incorporates scientific and wildlife management principles into visual arts curriculum in both public and private schools. As a national program, children in all states have the opportunity to learn about bird conservation while simultaneously developing a strong appreciation for art.

I can attest to the success of this program and would like to congratulate the 2009 Wisconsin Federal Junior Duck Stamp competitors and, in particular, the 22 students from Wisconsin's Third District who placed in the contest. I am proud to say that of the over 600 entries from the 53 schools participating in the State of Wisconsin, the ``Best of Show'' went to Yvette Bauer of Ithaca Public School in Richland Center, located in my District.

The youth of today will become the leaders of tomorrow. We must therefore encourage our youth to become stewards of America's irreplaceable wild places and treasured outdoor heritage.

I strongly support the reauthorization of the successful Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program and look forward to seeing this bill passed in the House today.

I want to thank my good friend and colleague from the Northern Mariana Islands for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 730, to honor the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse as they celebrate their centennial anniversary. Representing such an exceptional university with a rich history of academic achievement, located in my hometown, is a great source of pride for me.

For the past 100 years, the faculty, staff and students of UW-La Crosse have worked hard to make the university one of the most highly regarded public institutions of higher education in this country. This year, U.S. News and World Report again ranked UW-La Crosse second in its rankings of top Midwestern universities.

Founded in 1909, the university is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on Wisconsin's western border, alongside the beautiful Mississippi River, and surrounded by picturesque bluffs. The campus's visual beauty has been a main draw for many students and faculty throughout the years. From its inception, the college has expanded its academic curriculum, and now has 88 undergraduate programs in 44 disciplines and 26 graduate programs. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is providing students with a high-quality education that allows them to excel in the competitive global economy.

As the Representative for western Wisconsin, I have always treasured the strong emphasis that's placed in our area on higher education. All of the six universities located in the congressional district have superior technology, science and math programs that will place graduates in the innovative industries in the future.

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is no exception to this. It is the leading public university that excels in academics, athletics and the quality of life for its students.

UW-L also has an extremely diverse student body that enhances students' cultural awareness and learning experience. The university is a member of the International Student Exchange programs and has made partnerships with other universities around the world. Currently students from over 54 different countries are enrolled at UW-L.

I can attest firsthand to the high caliber of graduates that UW-La Crosse produces, because throughout my time in Congress I have employed many of them. Currently, I have seven graduates from UW-La Crosse on my staff, who happen to be with us today in the House gallery, from my chief of staff, Erik Olson, to my district office manager, Loren Kannenberg, Shannon Glynn, Steve Sipe, Brad Smith, Karrie Jackelen and Mark Seitz. I congratulate them on their achievement and thank them for the outstanding work they do on behalf of the people of the Third Congressional District of western Wisconsin. It's clear that UW-La Crosse prepared them well for their careers after graduation.

I would like to congratulate all of the UW-La Crosse faculty, staff, students, alumni, of the past 100 years for the century of academic excellence. UW-L wouldn't be the success that it is if it wasn't for their hard work and dedication.

The university has achieved so many great things over the past 100 years. I know that the faculty, staff and students of UW-La Crosse will achieve even more over the next 100 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3590, and thank my colleague and friend from Oregon, Mr. Blumenauer, not only for yielding me the time but for the work that he has put into this important piece of legislation. I also want to thank Chairman Rangel and Ranking Member Camp and the other members of the Ways and Means Committee, and the bipartisan support that this legislation has in Congress today. It is the right thing to do for our men and women in uniform.

As my colleague from Tennessee also indicated, Mr. Tanner, it is completely paid for. So it will not add a nickel to our national deficit. And it incorporates a number of very important proposals, including legislation that I had introduced earlier this year with a number of my colleagues to ensure that the men and women who are serving our country abroad are eligible for all the benefits and the opportunities that would be available to them as if they were stationed here in the United States instead of being deployed abroad in a conflict situation where they can't take advantage of these programs because of their deployment.

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This sort of equity is the bare minimum that we should extend to these patriotic servicemembers, many of whom are serving us very bravely in very dangerous missions.

Earlier this year, Congress took an important step to rejuvenating the housing market and helping middle class families buy their first home by modifying and extending the First-Time Homebuyer Credit. This important provision provides first-time homebuyers with an $8,000 tax credit for homes purchased before November 31, 2009. Unfortunately, again, with our servicemembers serving overseas, they haven't been able to take advantage of that credit.

Earlier this year, I was joined by my colleague and friend from Wisconsin (Mr. Kagen) along with Representatives Sam Johnson and Charles Boustany, to introduce H.R. 2562, the Service Members Home Ownership Act. All that did was extend the opportunity for our servicemen and -women who are serving us abroad by 1 year the opportunity to take advantage of the first-time homebuyer $8,000 tax credit.

And with the work that Mr. Blumenauer did and his focus on extending that to Foreign Servicemembers deployed overseas and members of our intelligence community, these provisions are reflected in this legislation today.

I do want to thank Chairman Rangel and others on the committee for understanding the basic equity that's enshrined in this legislation and also for clarifying the tax treatment of the Homeowner's Assistance Program, a program that is administered by the Department of Defense that was expanded in the American Recovery Act that makes it easier for certain members of the military to sell their homes as a result of their service to their country. The passage of this bill today will make sure that this assistance is not taxed as income.

I think these are very simple steps, steps that are necessary and fair to our servicemen and -women, including the largest call-up of National Guard members since World War II in the State of Wisconsin, who are serving us so very well overseas right now under trying and difficult circumstances. But the men and women who put their lives on the line for us every day deserve this kind of treatment from their government.

So I support the legislation, and I strongly encourage the rest of my colleagues to do so.

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 3221, The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act.

With the struggling economy, rising cost of tuition, and decrease in the availability of student aid, working families are finding it increasingly difficult to send their children to college. In order to ensure that America is able to compete in the global economy and remain a leader in the innovative industries of the future, this historic legislation invests in our economic future by making college more affordable and accessible. By reforming our student loan system, simplifying the student loan application process, investing in community colleges to create a highly skilled workforce, and strengthening early childhood education programs we will guarantee that the next generation is equipped with the necessary skills to compete worldwide.

In a fiscally responsible way, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act will make college more affordable and accessible by transforming our student aid system. The reforms will make student loans more reliable and accessible for a greater number of students. Pell Grant Scholarships will receive an additional $40 billion over the next 10 years, $500 million of that will go to students in Wisconsin. In 2019, it is estimated that 20,000 western Wisconsin students will be awarded $75 million in Pell Grants. The bill also simplifies the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form by allowing families to fill out the application with information from just a tax return to prove eligibility.

This legislation also invests heavily in community colleges to cultivate a highly skilled workforce to compete in the global economy. It will encourage and support relationships between community colleges, businesses, states and adult education programs. These partnerships are already occurring in western Wisconsin and with additional grants and investment, our community colleges will be able to strengthen and build upon these partnerships, creating additional jobs and economic development.

Not only will the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act do a better job getting kids to college, it will also provide assistance to ensure that they make it to graduation. Investing in college access and completion support programs will ensure that students receive guidance to ensure they make it to graduation. Further, secondary schools in western Wisconsin will receive $57 million for school renovation to improve the classroom experience and enhance learning for students.

Ensuring that children are put on a path toward academic success begins at an early age. I have always believed that we must place an emphasis on early childhood education in order to prepare students to excel once they begin in school. I have long supported and advocated for legislation that would strengthen early childhood education by providing states with grant opportunities, increased funding, and better training for educators. In previous years, I have introduced legislation that would have accomplished many of the same goals of this bill by creating an Early Learning Challenge Fund to award competitive grants to states that implement early education reforms. This provision is crucial as we work to provide learning and development opportunities to children at an early age, ensuring that kids are ready for success once they enter the school system.

As the country continues to work through some of the most difficult economic conditions in a generation, it is imperative that we increase our investment in education. Innovation and a highly skilled workforce are keys to unlocking the future potential of America. If we are truly going to compete against emerging nations like China and India, we must continue to invest in our education system.

I am proud to represent western Wisconsin, which is home to six universities and dozens of community and technical colleges. With such an emphasis on higher education, we have long been working to become a leader in producing workers for the 21st Century's global economy. This historic legislation will build on the infrastructure already available in western Wisconsin and make higher education more affordable and accessible for everyone.