Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, we face a truly historic day today in the United States Congress. For the first time in our Nation's history, we have a Congress working with an administration offering the American people a healthcare reform bill that, instead of reducing the number of uninsured in this country, increases the uninsured by 24 million people, including 431,000 in my home State of Wisconsin.

And we understand why. It is a simple explanation. This is a tax cut bill for the most wealthy in the guise of healthcare reform. That is unfortunate because it is a missed opportunity of fixing what isn't currently working in the healthcare system.

If we wanted to be honest with the American people today, we would admit that there are important, good features of the Affordable Care Act that should remain and we should not end. But there are things that need to be fixed, and we have to stay focused on reducing healthcare costs for all Americans. Let's continue to work on delivery system reform and payment reform so we get better results at a better price.

But a bill before us that increases the uninsured by 24 million, that delivers huge tax breaks to the most wealthy, that applies a new older American tax, especially in rural areas like mine in Wisconsin, and that robs money from the Medicare trust fund is not only a missed opportunity, it is bad legislation.

I encourage my colleagues to vote ``no.'' We can do better. We must do better.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Court Reporting and Captioning Week and in

appreciation of court reporters across the country.

Court reporters play a critical role in our communities. They are the guardians of our public record. They have unique skills translating the spoken word into text to be recorded for history. They preserve judicial proceedings and assist individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.

I have seen firsthand the dedication and professionalism shown by court reporters from my time as a special prosecutor in Wisconsin and, more importantly, from my wife Tawni, who has been a court reporter in western Wisconsin for nearly 25 years. I wish her a happy Valentine's Day today.

In addition to the critical role court reporters play in the courtroom, the National Court Reporters Association and its members have made significant contributions to the success of the Veterans History Project. The Veterans History Project, which was created by legislation that I authored, is the largest oral history collection in the world, having collected over 100,000 stories from our Nation's veterans. Their stories are permanently stored at the Library of Congress and are available to the public.

Shortly after the Veterans History Project was launched in 2000, my wife Tawni encouraged court reporters across the country to partner with the Library of Congress to assist in transcribing veterans' stories; and to date, court reporters have submitted over 4,000 oral history transcripts to the Library of Congress. Not only have court reporters been willing to work with the Library of Congress to transcribe stories that had already been submitted, but many court reporters have personally gone and interviewed veterans in their local communities.

For example, last August, at the court reporters' national convention, the National Court Reporters Foundation celebrated Purple Heart Day by interviewing eight Purple Heart recipients for the Veterans History Project. Additionally, the National Court Reporters Foundation recently launched a new program called the Hard-of-Hearing Heroes Project, where veterans with profound hearing loss will be interviewed for the Veterans History Project through the use of realtime captioning.

This is important because, according to the VA, hearing loss is one of the most common service-related injuries, and it is estimated that 60 percent of our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer some form of hearing loss. The program will help ensure every veteran has a chance to share his or her story.

As we celebrate National Court Reporting and Captioning Week, I want to thank the National Court Reporters Association and its many members throughout the country for their hard work and professionalism. I especially want to thank the court reporters for their significant contributions to the Veterans History Project and to preserving veterans' stories for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished life of Alvin Baldus, who passed away on February 2, 2017 at the age of 90 in Menomonie, Wisconsin. An honorable veteran, public servant, and friend, Al's service to this country is an inspiration to not only the state of Wisconsin but anyone who aspires to be in public service. I had the distinct honor to get to know Al and his wonderful family and am proud to have modeled my public service career after Al's civil and accessible nature.

Born in Garner, Iowa, Al graduated from Elkton High School in Minnesota, attended Austin Junior College in Austin, Minnesota, and served in the U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II from 1944 through 1946. During the Korean War, Al again answered the call to serve his country in the U.S. Army with the 2nd Infantry Division from 1951 through 1953, receiving the Bronze Service Star medal for his bravery and courage, which included action in the Battle of Old Baldy.

In 1959, Al married the love of his life, Anna Lorayne ``Lolly'' Reiten and the two of them began to raise their family in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Soon after in 1966, Al's community elected him to the Wisconsin State Assembly. For eight years, Al served Dunn County with integrity. For Al, this was just the beginning.

Al not only served his fellow Wisconsinites in the State Assembly, but he also represented the voices of the Third Congressional District in this body, the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1974 through 1980 during the 94th, 95th, and 96th Congresses. Al spent his years in the House as a strong voice for agriculture fighting for legislation that promoted environmental conservation, agricultural safety, and milk price supports. Al used his leadership as the chairman of the Dairy and Poultry Subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee to fight for farmers in the U.S. Congress. In 1989 Al's strong commitment to serving his community convinced him to resume his lifelong joy of public service in the Wisconsin State Assembly until his retirement in 1997.

I vividly remember meeting with Al, Lolly and his children with my wife Tawni to talk

about my future as a Congressional Representative. They graciously welcomed us into their home, and I was struck by how well behaved and kind his children were. As our visit went on, I grew to understand that everything about Al and Lolly was authentic and accessible.

It has been an honor for me to serve in the same seat that Al held many years ago. On behalf of my family, Wisconsin and a grateful nation, I would like to thank and commend Al for his years of dedicated service. Al's colleagues remember him for being kind, gracious, civil, and approachable. May his legacy continue to live in this chamber and across the nation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Michigan for yielding me this time.

It is kind of amazing, Mr. Speaker, that today, although it won't be reflected in the final vote count of the legislation before us, there actually is a lot of common ground that exists in this Chamber.

I couldn't agree more with my friend and colleague from Wisconsin, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, that our Nation is in desperate need of comprehensive tax reform. We have an a old, antiquated Tax Code that is not fair. It is too complicated.

It is leading us in a less competitive position in the global economy, and it is long overdue for a thorough scrubbing and a review so that we can simplify it, lower the rates for businesses--large and small--and for our families back home, and lead us in a more competitive position.

I am concerned that the approach that the majority is taking undermines that attempt. This legislation and the legislation that was before us yesterday and the legislation that will be coming up as soon as we get back from the President's Day recess is probably the surest signal that the majority in the Congress, just 6 weeks into this new session, is punting on comprehensive tax reform because this isn't the way to do it.

To cherry-pick certain provisions where, policywise, it may make sense and there is great agreement behind the policy of what is being offered, not paying for it undermines the ability for us to comprehensively reform the Code, making the difficult decisions so we don't leave a legacy of debt for future generations.

My name is on these bills today. I have teamed up with Representative Tiberi from Ohio when it comes to the expensing 179 allowance. I think it makes sense with small businesses and family farmers in Wisconsin and throughout the country to have that cash flow, to have that certainty built into the Code, to make sure that they can immediately expense the investments that they are putting into their business which can help to grow the economy and create jobs.

I have teamed up with my friend from Washington State (Mr. Reichert) on S corp modernization, but between those bills, it is an $80 billion cost, according to the Congressional Budget Office, and no effort to find an offset or a pay-for to deal with it, and that is a missed opportunity because this really does come down to fiscal responsibility.

My friend from Wisconsin was once quoted as saying, ``The people deserve a government that works for them, not one that buries them in more debt.''

We couldn't agree more with that sentiment; yet we have got an example of how well Pay-As-You-Go budgeting can work. During the 1990s, when there was a spending increase offered or a tax cut offered, there had to be an offset to pay for it, and it helped lead, along with a growing economy, 4 years of budget surpluses when we were paying down the national debt, rather than adding to it, but somehow, that element of fiscal discipline and responsibility is absent in the legislation that is before us today.

We can move forward as Chairman Camp did last year in offering his discussion draft on comprehensive reform by making difficult decisions within the Tax Code, finding expenditures that are inefficient and not necessary to promote growth and job creation, and make those decisions while we reform the entire Code.

That is the approach that we should be taking rather than piecemealing very popular proposals, mind you, but doing it in a way that leaves a legacy of more deficits and more debt for future generations to grapple with but also undermines the baseline that we need, the tools that we need to do comprehensive reform the right way.

I would encourage my colleagues--maybe they are doing it because they know it is a message piece rather than a real, substantive proposal. Again, we couldn't agree about the need for greater certainty, more predictability in the Tax Code so our businesses can start making longer-term decisions and not worrying about whether Congress is going to get its act together at the end of the year and extend short-term measures like this.

But the way to do that is in comprehensive reform and making the difficult decisions that will have to be made, so we don't pile up the debt for future generations.

Again, the policy behind this 179 S corp modernization, I think it is in the right place. We have got to find a way to pay for it.

I encourage my colleagues to vote ``no.'' Let's get back to the real business of reforming a Tax Code that is long overdue.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to have my votes recorded on the House floor on Monday, February 2, 2015. Weather across the Midwest delayed my flight to Washington, DC until after votes had been called. Had I been present, I would have voted in favor of H.R. 361, H.R. 615, and H.R. 623.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of the career and retirement of James ``Jim'' Nissen. After twenty-six years as La Crosse District Manager of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge and nearly 39 years with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mr. Nissen announced his retirement on January second 2015.

Nissen held seasonal positions with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Nebraska, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, and South Dakota. He also held permanent positions in Indiana, Vermont, Utah, and Wisconsin. Each station offered new opportunities and challenges and developed his career from a student trainee to Refuge Manager.

Mr. Nissen is not a native of the La Crosse, WI area, but according to his colleagues, ``no one knows this refuge better than he does.'' Nissen grew up in a duck hunting family in northeastern Nebraska, not far from the Platte River and among the prairie pothole country that produces much of the continent's canvasback ducks. Jim's career followed this regal bird across the country and in 1989, Nissen came to the La Crosse District after two years of overseeing the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge on the eastern side of Wisconsin. The Horicon position marked his return to Wisconsin; Nissen had been there in 1976 for the Canada goose dispersal program, where he not only helped manage the goose population, but also met his wife Ruth.

The La Crosse position offered Nissen the chance to get back to a river-based assignment--his true passion. Nissen fell in love with the abundance of canvasbacks, also referred to as ``the king of ducks,'' that the Upper Mississippi River and La Crosse area boast during fall migration. ``I like rivers and canvasbacks and people,'' Nissen said, ``so it was a good fit.''

Each fall, the Upper Mississippi River allows Nissen to see nearly half of the world's canvasback population pass by his window during migration. ``It really is a world-class spectacle,'' Nissen said.

During his tenure at LaCrosse, Jim received numerous awards and accolades including the Meritorious Service Award of the Department of the Interior in 2007. He has overseen multi-million dollar habitat enhancement projects funded through the Environmental Management Program; he has acquired over 2,500 acres of lands for inclusion in the National Wildlife Refuge; he has overseen the construction of a LEED certified Visitor Center and office; and he is regarded as a leader in wetland and waterfowl ecology and management.

Jim's departure will create a profound void in the Upper Miss' institutional knowledge. His energy, wisdom, humor, innate ability to remember dates, and his many discussions will be missed terribly by all who worked alongside him. I wish both Jim, Ruth, and their son Travis all the best in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of the retirement of Bernard ``Berny'' Frank Balkonis, Jr. Mr. Balkonis was Vice President of Sales for Prairie Estates Genetics of Middleton, Wisconsin. Mr. Balkonis' retirement at the end of 2014 marked the conclusion of a 40 year career in the seed corn industry. The President of Prairie Estates Genetics, Ron Rogers, affirmed that Balkonis leaves a robust legacy as a fantastic mentor to forage managers and a valued member of the Prairie Estates Genetics team.

Mr. Balkonis graduated from University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 1975, working on dairy farms in the summer and during holiday breaks to make his way through school. After graduation and marriage to his high school sweetheart, Mr. Balkonis was recruited by Farm Supply (Growmark), and managed a store location in northern Illinois for five years. After his time with Farm Supply, he then joined PAG Seeds, a division of Cargill. During his time with PAG Seeds, Mr. Balkonis worked as a territory manager in southwest Michigan. After PAG Seeds, Paymaster, and Cargill combined to create Cargill Hybrid Seeds, Balkonis was moved to northern Michigan, where he became both territory manager and assistant district manager. While located throughout Michigan, Mr. Balkonis and his wife welcomed three sons into the world.

In 1992, Mr. Balkonis was promoted within Cargill Hybrid Seeds to area manager for the eastern United States. Then, in 1996, Mr. Balkonis assumed the position of area manager for the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois and moved his family to Holmen, Wisconsin. In 2000, when Cargill Hybrid Seeds sold to Dow (becoming the entity Mycogen), Mr. Balkonis remained on as area manager. After his time as area manager with Mycogen, Mr. Balkonis took on the responsibilities of VP of Sales for Prairie Estates Genetics, where he would spend the rest of his career and begin the transition to the new role of grandparent with the birth of his first grandson Efraim.

Mr. Balkonis will retire with his wife of 40 years, Claudia, in Trempealeau, Wisconsin, just 10 miles north of Holmen where they raised their three sons, Adam, Scott and Wade. I wish to extend the best of wishes to Berny as he steps into retirement and that next great adventure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to explain my vote on Wednesday, January 14, 2015 in opposition to H.R. 240, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2015. Although I support many aspects of this legislation, I was unable to support the final bill due to a number of troubling amendments.

I am strongly in favor of funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), especially with the risk of terrorism we currently face as a nation. I applaud many sections of the DHS funding bill, including increased funding from FY 2014 for Customs & Border Patrol (CBP), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

However, there are a number of amendments added to this bill which run the risk of tearing families apart, and I could not support the final bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career and retirement of William L. Berg. Mr. Berg, a lifelong resident of Wisconsin, is retiring from his position as president and CEO of Dairyland Power Cooperative. During his career, Mr. Berg oversaw a series of major transitions in the electric utility industry. He handled these transitions with confidence, leaving Dairyland better for his service. Mr. Berg's tenure at Dairyland was the longest of any CEO of a generation and transmission cooperative in the United States.

Mr. Berg graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Electrical Engineering in 1971 and 1972, respectively. From 1972 to 1974, Mr. Berg was employed by the Wisconsin Electric Power Company as an engineer. Bill was hired by Dairyland in 1974, and assumed the duties of president and chief executive officer in 1990, just as the electric restructuring movement began. His leadership helped to guide Dairyland through the rapid changes associated with this period of restructuring and deregulation.

Mr. Berg spent his career championing the values underpinning the cooperative business model. He believed that the strength of a cooperative comes from its members. His primary concern was always the interests of the cooperative's members, and by remaining focused on their fundamental importance, he was able to achieve great success as the leader of the cooperative.

Mr. Berg is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Wisconsin and a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. He spends his time serving on a variety of boards and committees, including the Board of Advisors of Viterbo University and its Executive Committee. He also serves on the Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee of the Surface Transportation Board of the U.S. Department of Transportation and is a member of National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's Environmental Task Force. Mr. Berg is a past-president and current board member of the National Renewables Cooperative Organization. He is also a past-president of the National G&T Managers' Association and has served on the Board of Directors of the Electric Power Research Institute.

Bill and his wife, Cindi, live in La Crosse where they plan to remain active in their church and in other community activities after Bill's retirement. Together they have two children, Michael and Sarah, as well as five grandchildren. Bill and Cindi are keen travelers, enjoying hiking experiences across the continents. I wish Bill and Cindi all the best in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the career of Major William E. Bruring. Major Bruring began his career with the Civil Air Patrol as a high school student in December of 1941. He joined the organization right after the Pearl Harbor attacks, when his mentor, Roy E. Kumm, began Civil Air Patrol organizational meetings in the 32nd Red Arrow Wisconsin U.S. Army Division. Major Bruring was just 18 years old when he joined.

In Wisconsin, the Civil Air Patrol served many purposes. They towed aerial targets for student pilots, performed pre-flight training and handled other home front duties, such as war drives, collecting supplies and assembling medical kits to be deployed overseas to American troops in need of relief. Major Bruring also served as a paratrooper in the Army during World War II, volunteering for service when he graduated high school in 1943, and served in the Navy during the Korean War. When he returned home, he continued to serve in the Civil Air Patrol, and continues to serve in the organization today. Every Memorial Day, Major Bruring helps to coordinate ceremonies honoring America's veterans.

On December 10th, 2014, Major Bruring was honored with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest distinction awarded to civilians in the United States, for his dedication and service in the Civilian Air Patrol during World War II. He is but one example of the brave men and women of Wisconsin who serve their country.

It is with great pleasure that I extend these words of congratulations, as well as words of sincere appreciation, for all that Major Bruring has done for western and central Wisconsin. His service, both as a civilian in the Civil Air Patrol and as a soldier in World War II and Korea, are worthy of the highest praise, and he is certainly deserving of the Congressional Gold Medal. I wish him the best of luck in the years to come.

I thank my friend for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, let me make sure I have got this straight. We have got a bill before us today, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, that will increase our budget deficit by $53 billion because there are no offsets or pay-fors in this legislation; it will reduce the number of people receiving employment-based health care coverage by about 1 million workers; it will increase the number of people in Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, the health insurance exchanges, by more than 500,000 people; and it will increase the number of uninsured in our country by another 500,000 people--all at the same time when, again, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found in a recent analysis: ``There is no compelling evidence that part-time employment has increased as a result of the Affordable Care Act.''

What's not to like?

Happy New Year, American workers.

My good friend from Wisconsin recently said during the debate that he can't find a worse way to hurt working families. Well, you did with this legislation, and I encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Rachel Stanley for her many contributions to the House of Representatives and specifically to my office. At the end of this year, Rachel will be leaving my office to pursue opportunities away from Capitol Hill.

Rachel joined my staff in the fall of 2011 as my Legislative Assistant handling the tax and financial services portfolio. She hit the ground running and was invaluable from the start. Recognizing her growth in the office, she was promoted to Tax Counsel and will leave my office after serving for the past year as my Legislative Director. Rachel was particularly successful in working on the Cooperative and Small Employer Charity Pension Flexibility Act, which provides flexibility for multiple employer pension plans by allowing them to opt in or out of Pension Protection Act funding rules. This allows for more money to be invested into businesses and communities.

Over the past year, Rachel has served as my Legislative Director. Under her tenure, my office has a number of legislative accomplishments, including awarding the Medal of Honor to Alonzo Cushing, advocating for greater rail safety, and pushing for a tax code that encourages American manufacturing.

Next year, Rachel will join the staff of Principal Financial, where she will continue to work on tax and pension policy. While I am sorry to see her leave my staff, I wish her the best of luck in her new role. Rachel embodies the term public service and has worked tirelessly to make our nation a better place, which has not been easy given the current toxic environment. It is unfortunate that we are losing such a competent and dedicated public servant.

Mr. Speaker, on my behalf, thank you to Rachel for her service and dedication to not only the constituents of the Third District of Wisconsin, but to all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Travis Robey for his many contributions to the House of Representatives and specifically to my office. At the end of this year, Travis will be leaving my office to pursue opportunities away from Capitol Hill.

Travis first came to Capitol Hill as a Legislative Assistant for Congresswoman Darlene Hooley, focusing on health policy. He joined the staff of Congressman Mike Thompson in April of 2008 as a Legislative Assistant. In 2009, he joined my staff as Legislative Director. From day one in my office, Travis worked tirelessly on health care reform. Through

tough negotiations, he helped me lead the Quality Care Coalition and was successful in getting the Value Modifier for Physician payments included in health care reform. That provision incorporated quality and cost metrics as a factor in physician reimbursements for the first time. Additionally, he helped me successfully advocate for the small business exchanges and small business tax credits in the ACA, which were modeled after legislation that he had worked on.

Apart from his successes during health care reform, Travis was integral on the staff level in negotiating the successful adoption of the SMART Act Secondary Payer Reform into law. Being in the Minority can make legislative successes fleeting, but Travis had the talent to work with the Majority to get meaningful things done in one of the most dysfunctional congresses of all time.

As my Legislative Director, Travis effectively cultivated junior staff into successful Legislative Assistants who continue to be an asset to my team. Over the past year, Travis has served as my Chief of Staff in Washington, D.C. Under his tenure, my office was legislatively successful, despite being in the Minority in a very polarized Congress. I am proud that he has helped my staff to remain legislatively productive despite great challenges.

Next year, Travis will join the staff of the American Hospital Association, where he will continue to work on important health policy challenges. While I am sorry to see him leave my staff after almost 6 years, I wish him the best of luck in his new role. Travis embodies the term public service and has worked tirelessly to make our nation a better place, which has not been easy given the current toxic environment. It is unfortunate that we are losing such a competent and dedicated public servant.

Mr. Speaker, on my behalf, thank you to Travis for his service and dedication to not only the constituents of the Third District of Wisconsin, but to all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Sarah Kaplan for her many contributions to the New Democrat Coalition. At the end of this year, Sarah will be leaving the New Dem staff to continue graduate school full-time.

The New Democrat Coalition, which I have the pleasure to lead as Chair, is a group of 55 pro-growth, innovative solutions oriented Members of the House Democratic Caucus. The New Dems are committed to a growth agenda that speaks to Americans' hopes for a brighter economic future. Whether it's revolutionizing the ways we prepare people for the jobs of the future, encourage a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, or maintaining America's competitiveness in a rapidly-shifting global economy, the New Dems continue to work to advocate these priorities and modernize the policy and messaging of the Democratic Caucus.

Sarah joined the New Dem staff in May 2013 as a staff assistant and research associate. She hit the ground rolling and was valuable at the start to the Members and staff of the Coalition. Recognizing her growth in the office, she was promoted to Policy & Member Services Aide where she assisted the New Dem Leadership Team and the Executive Director in strengthening the cohesion of the Coalition and advancing our policy priorities. Sarah was particularly valuable in working on the Coalition's innovation, education, national security, and trade policy priorities.

Next year, Sarah expects to earn a Masters in Security Studies with a focus on Terrorism and Substance Violence from Georgetown University. After earning her graduate degree, she plans to continue serving our nation by rejoining government in national security policy.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Members of the New Democrat Coalition, thank you Sarah.

I thank my friend for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, this may be one of the last times I have an opportunity to address the current chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Mr. Camp from Michigan, and I just want to commend him for such a distinguished career in the United States Congress. He has been an honest broker on the issues, a good friend, and I know all of us are going to miss him terribly when he decides to retire and go on to other ventures in his life. We all wish him well.

Mr. Speaker, I think all of us, it is safe to assume, are not happy with this process or the fact that we are here again at the end of the year trying to do a 1-year extension on tax breaks that will be retroactive to 2014, mind you, and not paid for. This is a lousy way to run a Tax Code. It is a lousy way to run a government. I think individuals and businesses, large and small, need greater certainty for the decisions they have got to make with their lives and their businesses, especially the investment decisions; and by doing things retroactively around here and maintaining that uncertainty in future years, it is not the right way to go. And, also, not paying for it.

I think there are opportunities. Certainly the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget laid out a whole list of potential pay-fors that, if we had real interest, we could have very easily scrubbed the Code to find some offsets to pay for the $40 billion cost that this 1- year extension has today, rather than just adding it to the debt and deficit in our country. We have got to do a better job at that.

But if this also means we have an opportunity moving into next year of being serious about comprehensive tax reform, something that is long overdue--again, with the leadership of the Ways and Means Committee and Mr. Camp and introducing his discussion draft proposal earlier this year, so a lot of a groundwork has been made--then this might be the pressure that we need to get the committee and this body to do what is long overdue, and that is reform an antiquated Tax Code to make it more fair, more simple, to make it more competitive in the global environment.

I think that is a goal that, again, hopefully, we share, and it might be an avenue of bipartisan cooperation as we do move forward.

Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I continuously hear from small business owners and farmers back home about the need for greater certainty and the need to revamp a Tax Code that has outlived its usefulness. It is riddled with inefficiencies. It is riddled with certain expenditures that have been included in it throughout the years due to powerful special interests who know how to work the Halls of Congress to get their special provisions in it, and who we are leaving behind are hardworking families back home and the small businesses on Main Street who can't hire their legion of lobbyists out here to protect their interests or to get their special provisions in.

So as we move forward, hopefully this will be one of those areas where we can find some common ground and do what is right for our Nation. That would help jump-start the U.S. economy and put us in a much more competitive place, when it comes to the global economy, at the same time.

I reluctantly support it. I think we could have done a better job. But I think it is also important for policy reasons to maintain these tax provisions until we get a chance to do comprehensive reform around here.