Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I have made it clear from the beginning that until the Senate leadership can pass a budget, the House should be using the baseline off of the framework included in the House-passed 2012 budget. The Path to Prosperity is a credible and commonsense proposal that would put our nation on the path to balanced budgets and debt reduction.

Unfortunately, the spending levels set forth in today's omnibus appropriations package exceed those numbers established in the Path to Prosperity. For this reason, I had to cast my vote against the legislation considered in the House today.

It is impossible to get our nation's fiscal house in order unless we have a budget framework to work off of. House Republicans have done their job and passed a budget, it is now time for Senate Democrats to do the same.

My constituents sent me to Washington to make the difficult spending decisions, and I'm more than willing to make them. Continuing Resolutions and omnibus packages are not the sort of bold action that the people in Tennessee's Fourth Congressional District expect. I applaud efforts by the House Leadership in which a number of our appropriations bills were considered this year under regular order and under open rules which allowed for debate and amendments. Unfortunately, this process was unable to be completed and many of the bills passed by the House have simply languished in the Senate without consideration.

I am hopeful that United States Congress will restart a process in which budgets are passed and the 12 appropriations bills are considered in an open process. Omnibus bills are unpopular to our constituents. They invite poor legislating and lead to increased spending. Our constituents expect and deserve more.

I have made a commitment to continue the fight for long-term solutions to rein in Washington's out-of-control spending, and I am appreciative of the constituents in the Fourth District of Tennessee who have sent me to Washington to do that very thing.

Last night the House passed jobs bill number 28 that is now awaiting action from President Obama and the Democratic- controlled Senate.

The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act will protect American workers from higher taxes while ensuring that resources are not taken from the Social Security trust fund to pay for this relief. Most importantly, this legislation includes a measure that will support the creation of more than 100,000 new American jobs by expediting the creation of the Keystone XL energy pipeline.

This Christmas season, Congress and the President have the opportunity to give the American people the gift of jobs and tax relief that they need without spending more money that we do not have.

It is time for President Obama to live up to his own rhetoric of ``we can't wait'' and put partisan politics aside and get Americans back to work.

Mr. Speaker, as both a practicing physician and a Member of Congress, I have had numerous discussions with patients and constituents regarding how difficult it is for Medicare beneficiaries to find access to care.

Unfortunately, this dilemma will only be exacerbated if Congress fails to enact legislation by the year's end for the sustainable growth rate, the formula in which physicians are paid for treating seniors on Medicare. Without congressional action, physician reimbursement will be cut by 28 percent on January 1, 2011, which will drastically hurt seniors' ability to find medical care.

For roughly 8 years, Congress has applied a short-term fix to resolve these cuts. Republican doctors are committed to enacting a permanent solution to the flawed SGR formula. Democrats had a chance to deal with this issue during the passage of ObamaCare but, instead, chose to cut roughly $525 billion in Medicare.

Congress must have the courage to repeal the flawed SGR formula and create a sustainable and reliable payment schedule.

Mr. Speaker, my constituents are rightfully fed up. President Obama has managed to create an economy where the only things that are growing are power in Washington, debt for our children and grandchildren, a lack of confidence for job creators, and the number of unemployed Americans.

When it comes to creating an environment to help the private sector create jobs, the difference between House Republicans and Senate Democrats is the difference between action and inaction.

This year, under the House Republicans' Plan for America's Job Creators, we have passed more than 25 pro-growth job bills. These bipartisan bills are aimed at restoring the freedom and confidence of job creators by breaking down the barriers preventing them from growing and creating badly needed jobs. Yet 21 of these bipartisan House-passed job bills are stuck in the Senate because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid continues to put politics before jobs.

It's time for the Senate Democrat leadership to join our fight for America and put them back to work. Pass these jobs bills.

Thank you, Dr. Fleming. And I, like Dr. Roe, appreciate you holding this tonight because I think there's so much fear, frustration, and confusion among our Nation's seniors right now about what's really going on. There's a lot of misinformation out there. And I think it's good that we, as health care providers, can get together and help clear up some of the misinformation because, as Dr. Roe said, we should never let the government or bureaucrats get between the doctor and the patient. That's a very important relationship, and I think most all patients would agree.

How did we get into this mess?

It's really kind of mind boggling that it has come this far. And as you stated earlier, the Democrat plan is doing nothing; and we know that the consequences of that as, per the CBO, the actuary of CMS, Mr. Foster, has said Medicare will be bankrupt by 2020. So we cannot afford to do nothing. And we got into this mess really just by kind of the head-in-the-sand approach that sometimes occurs here in Washington.

As Dr. Roe mentioned, Medicare was initiated in 1965, and at that time the life expectancy for a male was 68. Well, thankfully, through good medicine, good follow-up, good care, better drugs, better techniques, the life expectancy has gone up at least by a dozen years. But that being said, there really wasn't any planning for that increase. A program that was designed for, on average, 3 years of coverage is now 12 years more, and so that's part of the problem.

A second big factor is we all knew about the baby boomers. Everyone knows about them. And the bottom line is they have started hitting the system at an alarming rate. Ten thousand new members every day are entering the Medicare system. Again, something that we've all seen coming, but it wasn't accounted for in terms of cost; and Dr. Roe explained how it was underestimated greatly what it would cost in the first place.

We know that people pay into Medicare because that is going to be their health care plan when they retire. That's what was promised to them. So we can't do nothing.

In the Paul Ryan plan, we laid out that those 55 and older won't have to worry about it. We know that we can't do nothing, so those 55 and under will have to make changes, as you discussed, and I'm sure we'll discuss more.

But for those seniors out there that are concerned that the Republican plan is cutting them off or killing Medicare as we know it simply isn't true. We're trying to preserve, protect, and save it for future generations as well as take care of them.

Right now you can take an average couple who makes $80,000 a year and they pay, over a lifetime, about $109,000 in Medicare taxes into the program. But with health care costs the way they are now, the average extraction for that same couple is $343,000.

Right.

As you say, it's clear that $1 in for $3 out doesn't add up by anybody's math, even Washington's math. So those factors make it very clear that Medicare is on an unsustainable path.

I find it very frustrating that so many people are living in fear right now with this misinformation. And if any of the other Members-- I'm sure they experienced, as my office did, the AARP here, a few weeks ago, had seniors calling Congressmen to say, you know, Don't cut our Medicare. They're referring to the SGR cuts, which actually pertains to the doc fix. But the seniors are confused thinking that their Medicare was actually going to be cut 30 percent or 29, 27 percent, whatever it is. And so when they were calling my office, I was glad to tell them, Yes, we get it. That actually is a cut to physician reimbursement.

But what it does to seniors, more concerning, is that it's going to limit their access to care, because physicians right now are in a position where they can't afford the overhead to even keep their practices open.

I think it was good that the AARP brought that to their attention, but it certainly is great that we have the opportunity tonight to clear that up for our seniors, that it's not a cut, a direct cut to their Medicare benefits, but it is going to directly impact their access to care.

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, no one can deny that our Nation's on an unsustainable spending path that will lead this country to bankruptcy. Our national debt is now a staggering $15 trillion and rising daily.

In the past 50 years, the budget has been balanced just six times, a losing record that has seen our deficit explode from $300 billion to $15 trillion.

Congress has tried spending caps. Time and time again, one Congress sets them, just to see the next Congress undo them. That's why we must have this amendment. A balanced budget amendment will finally force the Federal Government to live within its means, not just this Congress, but for generations to come.

Politicians love their polls, and a recent poll shows that 75 percent of Americans favor a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. If we, as Congressmen, are truly representing the people who sent us here, this is the day that we set partisan differences aside and listen to the people. Three-fourths of Americans want this. We only need two- thirds of our Members to make this happen.

It is no secret to anyone here that Congress suffers from a 90 percent disapproval rating, and I believe it's because the American people are sick and tired of partisan politics and that their voices fall on deaf ears. Today we have a chance to show the American people that we are listening, that we do care about them, and that we do hear their voices.

Republicans should embrace this bill; Democrats should embrace this bill; the President of the United States should embrace this bill because, clearly, the American people embrace this bill. It is a rare opportunity where we all win.

Let us return to our districts with our heads held high, tell our constituents that their voices were heard, that we listened. Let's hug our children and grandchildren and tell them today we made history and we have taken a giant step toward securing their future. For the sake of this great Nation, do the right thing. Pass this resolution.

If the Obama administration is serious about creating jobs for the American people, they should start by listening to America's job creators.

As part of my Tennessee Job Creators Tour, I've had the opportunity to meet with over 40 businesses. They have a clear message on how Washington can help create jobs: Get government spending under control; create a fair, flatter and simpler Tax Code; and repeal job-killing regulations that hurt their ability to do business and hire more workers.

House Republicans understand the importance of freeing our Nation's business owners from the confidence-killing threat of higher taxes and more regulation so that they can invest, grow, and hire. To accomplish this, we have passed a total of 17 job-creating

bills this year, and they are now stuck in the Senate. Please go to jobs.gop.gov and read the plan.

The Democrats' suggestion that ``poor sales'' are driving unemployment is shortsighted and out of touch, considering the overwhelming consensus among the businesses I have personally visited.

It's time for Senate Democrats and President Obama to follow our lead and pass these 17 bills.

I thank the chairman for yielding.

I rise today in support of H.R. 2587, the Protecting Jobs from Government Interference Act.

As I have traveled Tennessee's Fourth Congressional District and spoken with 30-plus job creators, our conversations inevitably focus on one basic complaint: that the Federal Government's overregulation of the private sector is impeding job creation in this country.

Instead of reducing the regulatory burdens on business, an act which would most certainly create much needed private sector jobs, this administration has used its labor board to make it harder to do business in America. Nowhere is this more apparent

than in its recent unfair labor practice complaint against Boeing.

If you want to talk about creating jobs, let's look at the facts: Boeing has invested approximately $1 billion to build a plant in South Carolina, which will create new, well-paying jobs in South Carolina.

Despite the fact that not one--not one--single employee in Washington has lost his or her job due to Boeing's decision, the administration is attempting to destroy those South Carolinian jobs.

I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill.

I thank the gentleman.

For too long, the Federal Government has been allowed to engage in an irresponsible spending spree that has resulted in the accumulation of over $14 trillion of debt, and $3 trillion of that debt occurred in just the last 3 years under President Obama.

Does anyone really believe that the American people have received a good return on their investment? I know that many of my constituents in Tennessee's Fourth District don't. Unemployment is still above 9 percent, and our economy is still not creating jobs. And now this President claims to need a $2.4 trillion blank check to continue with his failed policies. That means our national debt would be close to $17 trillion by the end of next year. Enough is enough.

The latest assessment of our debt indicates it will reach 109 percent of GDP in the next decade. That will only further degrade employers' confidence in our economy and hinder their ability to create jobs. We cannot allow that to happen. I was elected by the people of Tennessee's Fourth Congressional District to come to Washington to finally make the Federal Government learn to live within its means. No more borrowing 40 cents out of every dollar, no more trillion-dollar deficits, no more stimulus spending, and, most importantly, no more expecting our children and grandchildren to pay for all of this.

The debt limit debate provided us with a real opportunity to put our Nation back on a fiscally sustainable path by finally forcing the Federal Government to make difficult, but badly needed, spending decisions--decisions that I am more than willing to make. I believe that we missed an opportunity to open up the books and do something that should have been done years ago--prioritize our spending.

It is hard to believe that with all the waste, fraud, and abuse that occurs within the Federal Government that we would have any problem cutting enough spending so that raising the debt limit would be unnecessary. When families in my district have spent more than their budget allows, they look to how they can cut back, not how they can borrow more money. Maybe they don't take a vacation that summer. Maybe they go out to eat less often or hold off on purchasing a new car. The point is they know that the answer to getting back on the right fiscal track is spending less, not borrowing more. The same should hold true for the Federal Government.

I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this joint resolution of disapproval.

Thank you, Dr. Roe. I appreciate you leading this discussion.

I rise tonight in support of my many physician and other health care colleagues that are in the Chamber tonight to discuss what I agree should be a bipartisan issue. It has been so disturbing to me after being in Congress just 5 months to see some of the disrespect that goes on across the aisle on the floor back and forth. But when it comes to our seniors' health care and health care in general, it's something I take very personally.

I think I can speak for all of my physician colleagues, nursing colleagues, our dental colleagues, that are in the Doctors Caucus, that none of us went to medical school or nursing school or dental school to become politicians. We went into those fields because we care about people, and we're now here for that exact same reason. And to sit in this Chamber and listen to accusations about this plan of Paul Ryan's to help save Medicare is just more than I can stand to not get up and at least share my thoughts. Because the bottom line is, as some of my colleagues have mentioned tonight, the CBO states that the cost of doing nothing is that Medicare will be broke in 9 years.

We've also heard that 10,000 new Medicare recipients are entering the pool each and every day. We also have talked about the fact that the average age of a Medicare recipient in 1965 in terms of life expectancy was 68. So, at that time, you were expected to be on Medicare, Dr. Roe, for approximately 3 years. Well, thankfully, due to advances in medicine, men and women are both living on average at least 10 years longer.

And I think Dr. Bucshon mentioned that the average couple pays in about 100,000, or 109,000 into Medicare taxes but are extracting 343,000. So it doesn't take a mathematician or CPA to figure out that this program has been severely mismanaged.

So when we step up as a conference and as conservatives to help save the Medicare program but yet we watch, one after another, Members from the other side of the aisle get up and use scare tactics on our seniors saying that this plan is cutting their Medicare, that's just simply untrue, and I think that we need--and we need to set the record straight and people deserve to hear the truth as has been spoken here tonight.

So I join you in my concerns that these are patients we're talking about. These are people. And seniors deserve to know the truth that if they are 55 and older, this plan does not affect their Medicare.

I know that the message has been unclear because I conducted a tele- town hall just last week before the Memorial Day weekend, and we had over 20,000 people call in. And the majority of the questions that we were asked was, Why is my Medicare being cut?

So I think that we need to reiterate the fact that, if you're 55 and older, there are no changes. If you're under 54, we're taking steps to make sure that your Medicare will be preserved and saved and protected for future generations. Anything else would be simply irresponsible.

Another claim that was disturbing to me was the special election in New York. Some claim that the reason that the conservative candidate lost was because of our attempt to save Medicare. And it was spun as that cutting Medicare is something you just don't touch politically. But I know a lot of us, including yourself, Dr. Roe, didn't come here to play politics. We came here to do the right thing, and the right thing is to tell the American people the truth. And what we're trying to do is protect that plan.

The plan that is going to cut Medicare that has been mentioned already is the ObamaCare plan. And that seems to have been pushed to the back burner, and that's a dangerous thing. The IPAB bill that you sponsored, and I'm proud to cosponsor, is a great example of that.

So we need to speak boldly and let the people know the truth so our seniors are not afraid and scared by political tactics. I'm proud to join you tonight in this discussion.

Yes, sir.

You are correct, and I agree with everything you said. The point that a lot of folks made on the campaign trail is there is simply too much government medicine. There are unsustainable costs. I know our colleague from New York, Ann, as an RN, probably recalls the day where she spent more time on patient care than documentation. And now most nurses will acknowledge that it's just the reverse; they spend much more time on paperwork and bureaucratic issues than taking care of patients.

And I think that it's important that we remember that just a short time ago, when the Affordable Health Care Act, more commonly known as ObamaCare, was being pushed forward, Americans vehemently opposed this bill. I don't want them to forget all the reasons why they opposed it. They didn't ask for it. We can't afford it. And we don't need it.

There were approximately 30 million uninsured people, according to the President, at the time. But yet up to 75 percent of people rated their health care as good or excellent. So we're taking a system that has flaws and excessive costs, and trying to completely turn it upside down with this Affordable Health Care Act, which we all know is going to lead to rationing of care, decreased quality of care, and increased costs. You can't add people to a system and decrease costs without rationing care.

So I think it's important that the people stay engaged and speak out and acknowledge that they want the relationship to be between themselves and their doctors, and not between Washington bureaucrats such as what the IPAB is proposing. That's exactly what we're going to see. And we need to stand firm. The American people don't need to forget why they were opposed to the ObamaCare bill in the first place.

Mr. Speaker, today I come to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to remember the four victims who tragically lost their lives in Bledsoe County as a result of the severe storms and tornadoes that struck middle Tennessee on April 28, 2011.

Loretta Winters Bellos was dearly loved by those in her community. She was described by friends as a generous and beloved friend who will be greatly missed.

Loretta's sister, Patricia Lynette Thompson, attended Brayton Baptist Church in Graysville and was previously very involved in the Tremont Baptist Church. Those that knew her said that her faith and her church family were a very important part of her life. Her family says they will remember her as ``the best mother, grandmother and wife in the world.''

Debbie Gibbs Fox was known as an avid animal lover and her husband, Harold ``Sonny Boy'' Hudson Fox, was described by friends as someone with a lightened spirit who was always a joy to be around.

To all the families and friends of each of these victims, I'm sorry for your loss and offer my deepest sympathies.

I would also like to take a moment to recognize the many emergency management service workers and volunteers that have worked tirelessly to help the victims overcome this terrible tragedy. While touring the damage left by these storms, I was extremely touched by the kindness and generosity of the many people who were there to immediately lend a hand to their neighbors in this time of great need.

I know that the rebuilding process will be difficult and that much was lost, but I'm confident that our community will get through this. My wife, Amy, and I are keeping the families of the affected members in our thoughts and prayers as they begin the process of rebuilding their lives. May God bless you.

Like all Americans, I was relieved to hear the news that the world's most notorious terrorist would no longer be able to pose a threat to those who seek peace and freedom. We owe a great deal of gratitude to our brave men and women serving in uniform, as well as our intelligence officers, for successfully bringing down Osama bin Laden and scoring a major victory in the fight against terrorism. These individuals truly deserve our Nation's deepest appreciation for the selfless work they do in order to keep us safe.

Unfortunately, this occasion is bittersweet. As we reflect on those that laid down their lives in defending our freedom, these individuals made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that we enjoy the precious blessings of liberty. While there is nothing that can replace the lives that have been lost, I hope that their loved ones can take some solace in the fact that the man responsible for September 11 has been brought to justice. Yesterday should send a clear message to those that engage in terrorist activities that we will find you and you will pay for your crimes. We are America, a Nation built by and defended by heroes, and we will prevail in the war on terror.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Lance Corporal Andrew Paul Carpenter who tragically lost his life while bravely serving our country.

Andrew enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on September 7, 2007, where he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In August of 2010, Andrew was deployed to Afghanistan for the second time, where he bravely served on the front lines during combat operations.

While patrolling the Helmand province in Afghanistan, Lance Corporal

Carpenter sustained fatal combat-related injuries and died on February 19, 2011.

Andrew graduated in 2002 from Columbia Central High School in Columbia, Tennessee. He was active in the school's marching band where he played trombone and helped the band win a State championship during his senior year. Andrew went on to further his education at Middle Tennessee State University.

He enjoyed numerous activities such as playing golf, soccer and paintball, and made friends easily through his dependable and loyal nature. He is remembered by those who knew him as someone who was constantly looking for ways to help those in need. It is no wonder that serving the United States Marine Corps was a natural choice for him.

Before joining the Marines, Andrew worked at the YMCA Fun Company, where he pursued one of the things that he enjoyed most in life-- working with children. Andrew would often dress up in Batman costumes to entertain kids at the YMCA after-school program. He was known for his tender heart and his ability to positively impact the children he encountered.

On January 1, 2010, Andrew married the love of his life, Crissie. She was truly his best friend and soul mate, and he would often say that their wedding day was by far the best day of his life. Shortly before Andrew was deployed to Afghanistan, he and Crissie learned that they would be blessed with a baby boy. Landon Paul Carpenter was born March 18, 2011.

Landon, no words can sufficiently express the gratitude or repay the debt that we owe your father for his selfless service in protecting our great Nation. He laid down his life so that we may all be blessed with our Nation's most fundamental tenets--life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Your father, simply put, is a true American hero. As you grow up in this great Nation, know that you are given that privilege because of men like your father who make great sacrifices to protect our freedoms.

Crissie, during this difficult time, I hope that you can find some solace in the fact that your husband nobly gave his life so that you and your son can continue to live in the land of the free.

And, finally, thank you to Andrew's family for raising such an extraordinary young man.

Today we honor and remember Andrew Paul Carpenter. We will never forget the sacrifices he made in order to ensure that we continue to be blessed with the precious gift of freedom.

God bless America.

Mr. Speaker, I find it shameful that Washington has run up trillion dollar deficits for the last 3 years and yet there are those that seek to portray Republicans' modest, commonsense spending cuts as extreme. It is time for government to tighten its belts and balance its budgets just like families do every day across Tennessee's Fourth Congressional District.

I refuse to allow our Nation to continue borrowing money from China for reckless government spending and then send the bill to our children and grandchildren.

Americans deserve the truth. The choices that we make now on spending are not easy, but they are necessary. We cannot continue to spend money that we do not have. My constituents did not send me to Washington to ignore problems nor offer excuses. They did send me here to solve the problems and not kick the can down the road further.

Our Nation is not in debt because Americans are taxed too little. We are in debt because government spends too much. We must address our Nation's debt crisis and spending addiction, and we must do it now.

Mr. Speaker, today I come to the floor of the U.S. House, to honor and celebrate the great Tennessee tradition of Mule Day.

For nearly 170 years, Mule Day has been an annual event in Columbia, Tennessee, which is widely known as the ``Mule Capital'' of the world.

Mule Day was first celebrated in 1840, as a single day livestock show. Since then, it has evolved into a week-long festival that attracts over 200,000 attendees, making it one of the largest livestock markets in the world. In addition to mules, the festival highlights Tennessee's rich traditions of agriculture, food, music, dancing, and crafts.

Mrs. Knoxie Goad will serve as Grand Marshal for the 2011 Mule Day Parade. I thank her and all the good citizens of Columbia, Tennessee and surrounding areas who continue to work long and hard to ensure that Mule Day remains an important part of Tennessee's heritage.

I look forward to attending this year's ``Mule Day'' and celebrating the proud history of the American Mule.