Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I come to the floor today to speak out on the Democrats' proposed ``Slaughter solution.'' This is a sleight-of-hand with an unconstitutional move to avoid a true vote. Article I, section 7 of the Constitution reads, Every bill shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate before it is presented to the President of the United States.

With the Slaughter solution, leadership is attempting to manipulate the rules to circumvent this fundamental constitutional requirement. In the Senate, they have a bill there with so many special deals--taxes on insurance, coverage for abortion--even they cannot pass it for a second time. And so Democrat leadership here in the House tried to avoid a traditional up-or-down vote. The Supreme Court has even spoken on this and said a bill must contain the exact text before it is approved in one House and then the other--precisely the same text.

Madam Speaker, if we ignore the basic requirements of the Constitution, whether by disregarding procedural restraints or overstepping our congressional authority by dictating people's health insurance, we will descend from the freedom of democracy toward the tyranny of a dictatorship.

Madam Speaker, I do indeed rise today in honor of Sergeant Christopher Richard Hrbek, a recently fallen marine. It was on January 14, 2010, when Sergeant Hrbek gave his life in service of our country. And today, we have the opportunity to pay tribute to Sergeant Hrbek by considering H.R. 4628, this legislation that will rename the post office up in Westwood, New Jersey, in his honor.

In addition, though, to paying tribute to Sergeant Hrbek, I would like to pause for a moment to recognize his family as well, for the sacrifice that they now have endured on behalf of our Nation. Chris is survived by his wife, Jamie Lynn Wengerter, his mother and stepfather, Cheryl and James Hodges, his father and stepmother, Richard and Gail Hrbek, his two sisters, Amy Dellentash and Lori Hrbek, and his two stepbrothers, Jim and Beau Hodges, as well.

As was pointed out, Sergeant Hrbek was not only a hero in the armed services, he was a hero back in his hometown as well. Chris was born and raised up in Westwood, New Jersey, and as stated, at the age of 16, he, along with a couple of his friends, became cadets in the Westwood Fire Department.

And just as an aside, I remember going to the funeral and hearing the little stories that they told--even before they were 16 just pretending to be

firemen and the like, and always wanting to be a firemen when they grew up. But at age 16 they were able to actually put that into action and become cadets in the Westwood Fire Department.

Chris saw every opportunity to serve as a chance to shine. This is why it was no surprise when he enlisted in the U.S. Marines in 2003. And as a marine, Sergeant Hrbek served four tours of duty, which included two combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. But it was indeed on December 23, 2009, when they were under heavy enemy fire that he saved a life, and it was of his own Sergeant Major, Sergeant Major Raymond Mackey.

As it was recounted later on to his family, Chris had been out on a patrol at that time when he heard an explosion about 10 paces behind him. Chris turned to see what it was, and he saw Sergeant Major Mackey badly wounded by the explosion.

So what did he do?

Well, he immediately turned his attention to Mackey, applying seven tourniquets and saving the Sergeant Major's life, and he did this all while under attack at the time. This is truly a definition of grace under fire. And for his valiant efforts Chris earned a Bronze Star with a Combat V. However, Chris was not able to ever receive that medal in person.

For it was on January 14 that Sergeant Chris Hrbek was killed on patrol in Helmand Province in Afghanistan after he encountered an IED. Hrbek's family posthumously accepted the Bronze Star on behalf of his life at his funeral. A letter was issued to his parents from the Marine Corps, and I think it really captured the sentiment that I know all America shares. It said, ``by his zealous initiative, courageous actions, and exceptional dedication to duty, Sergeant Hrbek reflected great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.''

After Chris died in combat he received a hero's welcome back in his hometown in Westwood, New Jersey. It was on January 20th, this year, that his flag-draped coffin passed through the streets of Westwood, which were lined as far as you could see with flags and residents and students all coming out who stood proudly, side by side, in a mass of people, to pay tribute to this young man.

Now, joining the procession were the Marines from Camp Lejeune who served alongside him. And one of the marines was Sergeant Ryan Harsman. Sergeant Harsman noted, When Chris walked into a room everyone knew that he was there. He just had that presence. He never ran out of fuel.

Now, the New York Fire Department also honored Chris and, this month, bestowed the title of honorary firefighter, because Sergeant Hrbek had been accepted to begin training with the fire department over in New York City, but he deferred his enrollment twice so that he could continue his service to the U.S. Marines.

Sergeant Hrbek set the highest example, someone who was willing to risk his life to save the lives of others. And so I am proud to be the sponsor of H.R. 4628 honoring the life of Sergeant Hrbek.

And I, with my colleague, join all my colleagues here to support this legislation memorializing Chris and his service to his hometown of Westwood, New Jersey, where Christopher Hrbek will forever be remembered as a hero, as a heroic marine, a loving husband, a son and a brother as well.

Madam Speaker, as a member of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Affairs, I am proud to congratulate the nation of Greece on its upcoming celebration of the 189th anniversary of independence. It's been one hundred and eighty-nine years since Greece obtained freedom from the oppressive Ottoman Empire.

On March 25, 1821, the Greek people rose up against Ottoman oppression and declared their independence. The Greeks had been under occupied rule by the Ottoman Turks for over 400 years. After years of war and negotiations, Greece was finally recognized as an independent nation in 1832.

As the birthplace of democracy, Greece has shared numerous self- government efforts across the world, including here in the United States. America's Founding Fathers were inspired by the political experiences and philosophies of ancient Greece in writing our Constitution and founding our representative democracy. Today, Greece is again a thriving democracy and an example of self-determination for other nations.

Greece has long been one of the United States' closest allies. Greece fought alongside America in every war of the 20th Century and continues to offer strong support in the current war on terrorism.

I am honored to cosponsor H. Res. 1107 which recognizes the 189th anniversary of the independence of Greece and am pleased that this bill is being considered by the House of Representatives today.

I would again like to congratulate Greece for celebrating such a momentous occasion. This anniversary is a time to remember the sacrifices of the past, to take pride in your nation, and to look ahead to a future of promise.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize some of the unsung heroes of our ongoing military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq: the Military Working Dogs (MWDs). For over 60 years, military dogs have been working, serving, and risking their lives alongside our brave servicemen and women around the world. Like their handlers, these Military Working Dogs have served this country with honor and distinction, keeping our country safe both at home and abroad.

During World War I, many dogs, beginning with the first military dog, Sergeant Stubby, served alongside American forces overseas. On March 13, 1942, the Army Quartermaster Corps officially recognized and incorporated the so-called K-9 Corps. Between 1942 and 1945, over 10,000 dogs were trained in the War Dogs program. Military dogs have continued to play an important role in the U.S. Armed Forces through the 20th century and into the 21st. Today, these four-legged soldiers serve alongside our soldiers overseas, searching for explosive components, drugs, and IEDs. As they do every day in our homes and yards, these dogs have proven to be man's best friend on the battlefield as well.

I became aware of the important work of Military Working Dogs through Frank Yevchak, a constituent from Hewitt, NJ and founder of Support Our Four-Legged Soldiers. Frank and his organization have sent thousands of dollars of supplies to MWD handlers stationed in Balad, Iraq. Supplies range from cooling vests and blankets to toys and treats--whatever the

handlers need to keep the dogs comfortable and able to complete their important jobs. Frank also includes letters and cards from local students in the care packages. Most recently, Frank has partnered with Macopin Middle School in West Milford. In the fall and winter, the ``Paws of Love Campaign'' at the school was able to raise $1,200 for our soldiers and canine companions.

As a dog owner, I understand the important traits of loyalty, courage, and dependability that these dogs give to our Armed Forces. Today, one day shy of the Military Working Dogs' 68th birthday, I recognize the important work of Military Working Dogs and thank their owners, trainers, handlers, and supporters for all they do for our soldiers and our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank Mrs. Maloney for her introduction of H.R. 4621, the Prevent Deceptive Census Look Alike Mailings Act. What this bill will do is seek to prevent the word ``census'' from appearing on mail that does not pertain directly to the national census.

Currently we do have laws to address sending deceptive or fraudulent mail, and the Postal Inspection Service currently has responsibility for investigating allegations of this nature and determining if a violation has been committed. However, what this bill will do is simply reinforce and reiterate existing law.

This bill would give postal inspectors an additional tool, if you will, in addressing mail sent by those seeking to capitalize on the importance people place on the U.S. census--mail that

may be in a gray area where inspectors are unable to determine whether a violation has been committed or not.

The census is one of the most important functions of the Federal Government, particularly given the role it plays in our representative democracy, so confusion or reduced participation can affect political representation, and also whether a community receives its fair share of Federal dollars. So when a piece of mail says ``census'' on it, we want people to take it seriously, to read it and to respond to it. We must maintain public trust in this process and send the message to citizens that an accurate census is of paramount importance to all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, with that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 4624, designating the facility of the United States Post Office located at 125 Kerr Avenue in Rome City, Indiana, as the ``SPC Nicholas Scott Hartge Post Office.''

It was back on May 14, 2007, that Specialist Hartge met a tragic, yet heroic fate when his unit came in contact with enemy forces in Iraq. In honor of this fallen American hero, it is fitting and appropriate that we recognize the ultimate sacrifice that he made for his country.

He was raised in Rome City, Indiana. Specialist Hartge was profoundly affected by the 9/11 attacks on the United States. It was then that he decided that he wanted to, more than anything else, serve his country. Before graduating from East Noble High School, he enlisted in the Army. Just 1 week after graduation, he left for boot camp at Fort Benning.

In August 2006, he was deployed to Iraq, where he and his unit patrolled the difficult streets of the city. Risking his life every day, he served as a driver and a radio/telephone operator. Although he was one of the younger members of his unit, he distinguished himself as hard working, a good soldier, and the type of person his comrades could always count on. He believed in what he was fighting for. He believed and felt that they were really helping the people of Iraq.

While he was only 20 years old, he aspired to do something special with his life. And, indeed, when we think about it, he did. He became a positive role model for those around him and those he surrounded himself with. He once told his fellow soldiers that ``the Army doesn't give you values; it develops values that you already had from your parents.'' That's so true.

He is survived now by his parents, a sister and brother--a fellow soldier. Yes, this fine young man embodied the values and the passions of this great Nation. Sadly, he paid the ultimate sacrifice to preserve those freedoms for all of us.

Mr. Speaker, as I come to the floor and speak about this fallen soldier, I'm mindful of the fact that I was here only literally several weeks ago, submitting a similar resolution for a young man about the equal age, back from our district, from the Fifth Congressional District of the State of New Jersey. Likewise, in these circumstances we saw the outpouring of support from the people of his community on the day that he was returned once and for all to his final resting place in his hometown. At that time, members of his fire department, the mayor and council and, more importantly, the entire community came out and recognized him.

It was at that point we realized that it's a day to remember these fallen soldiers when they do come back. But that day is a fleeting day. Even when you talk to the parents of the soldiers at those funerals and the services, they don't really even remember it, in some ways. A week later, it was such a blur, just a fast passing, and all the commotion that went on that day. It was hard to remember who was there.

So I'm sure, like the speaker on the other side of the aisle and all the Members on the other side of the aisle agree, it's for this reason we come to the floor today and name the post office for Specialist Hartge, because we don't want to just make it a 1-day event. We don't want it to be an incident where the community comes out and pays respect at the church service and graveside. We don't want it to be a time that is in passing. We want to have something there in the community that, day in and day out, members of his family, other members of the community that he grew up with, his boyhood friends and the like, will able to see his name on post office.

We also want to have something in the community that, days in the future, when future generations grow up, kids that he grew up with have grown up and gotten married and have children themselves and they come back to town, that they will see Specialist Hartge's name up there on the post office.

Maybe they will ask their parents, Who was that Specialist? Who was that name? Who was that soldier? And there will be people still around in the community who say, I remember him when

he grew up here. I remember what he did for the town. I remember him going through the high school in the days there, and the friends that he had there. I remember him for the love that he had for his family, his brother and his sister, and for everyone else here. I remember him also for the sacrifice that he made for this country overseas.

So in that respect a little bit of him will be remembered for this generation and his posterity as well. So I thank the gentleman for moving this piece of legislation in a bipartisan manner so that a piece of him will be remembered for posterity.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my strong support for H. Res. 1036, recognizing the contribution of Korean Americans to the United States.

It was indeed back on January 13 that we marked the 107th anniversary of Korean American Day, for it was on that day, 107 years ago, that a boat carrying 102 Korean immigrants arrived in Hawaii. In the years since that time, many Koreans have come to the United States for opportunity, safety, and other reasons. Like the millions of immigrants before them, Korean Americans have made a tremendous contribution to the United States. At the beginning, these immigrants were laborers on farms, worked in mines, railroads, and such. It was their hard labor that literally helped build this country as we have it today. Today, there are over a million Korean Americans across this great country.

This year marks yet another great anniversary for them. The Korean War began 60 years ago this June, impacting the lives of millions of Koreans and, of course, people in this country as well. By the 1960s, Koreans became

one of the top five immigrant groups to the United States, as many Koreans sought hope and freedom and refuge from poverty and violence. The consequences of a divided Korean Peninsula affected the world then, as it does today. We will continue to work for diplomatic relations to resolve this conflict, and a North Korea free from nuclear weapons as well.

These Korean American immigrants have made untold contributions to American society. They have raised strong and good families and built successful businesses, dynamic communities, active civic associations, churches and charities. Thousands of Korean Americans currently serve in our Armed Forces; and many of them deployed overseas today, in harm's way, are keeping our Nation safe from terrorism and other risks.

Whether it's in military or in education, in science, in business or in the arts, Korean Americans have played and continue today to play a vital role in shaping communities throughout this country. So, Mr. Speaker, I come pleased to present this opportunity to recognize the contributions that Korean Americans have made to our Nation and urge all of us here on the floor and my colleagues across this House to support H. Res. 1036.

I would like to say thank you to the gentleman from the other side of the aisle for the past resolutions and this one as well.

I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I do rise today in support of H.R. 4547, designating the facility of the U.S. Post Office, located at 119 Station Road in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, as the Captain Luther H. Smith U.S. Army Air Forces Post Office.

Luther H. Smith was an original of the now legendary Tuskegee Airmen. His accomplishments, as already set forth, during World War II truly speak for themselves but deserve to be mentioned here on the floor.

Mr. Smith was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal with six oakleaf clusters, the Prisoner of War Medal, and eight European and Mediterranean Theaters Campaign Ribbons.

It was on October 13, 1944, while he was flying a mission over Hungary, that Mr. Smith's P-51 Mustang fighter plane was hit, caught fire, and he was forced to bail out. Saved then only by a parachute, Mr. Smith lost consciousness as he drifted towards Earth, snapping his hip in two places when he crashed into a tree. Later, there were some German soldiers who found him, and he was placed in a German hospital and then, after that, a prison camp for 7 months until the war ended. Wounded and starving, the exuberant and now talkative man, affectionately nicknamed Quibbles by his Airmen friends, withered to a mere 70 pounds during his internment.

After returning home from the war, Mr. Smith received an engineering degree from the University of Iowa. He went on to spend the next 37 years as an aerospace engineer for General Electric, leveraging his experience to hold two U.S. patents; a testament, I think, to his creativity and his innovation.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Smith's life is an inspiration, and his tremendous sacrifices and a clear willingness to place himself in harm's way for this Nation are worthy of commendation. I ask our colleagues to support this resolution so that his life story will continue to inspire generations of Americans to serve their country.

Having no further requests for time, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the work of VFW Post 8946 in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey for their selfless and inspiring deeds towards their fellow citizens. For the past few years this group of extraordinary individuals has been traveling to the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. as well as the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. During their trips the members of the Post have spent time with wounded veterans and their families. They have brought items such as clothing, CD players, electric shavers and even a large TV for the recreation room.

After one of their more recent visits to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, William Huston, a member of the Post, told a local reporter that, ``these young men have a remarkable attitude, we cannot properly express the admiration we have for them.'' It is this sense of genuine commitment towards helping those who have given so much to our nation that makes this Post unique in many ways.

As I reflect on the deeds they have done I cannot help but be reminded of the enduring words from President Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address. Lincoln challenged his fellow Americans to ``care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.'' The men of this Post are a living testament to these words.

I want to once again thank this group of exceptional men for their service towards their fellow citizens. I am proud to represent such a fine group of people in the United States House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 63th commemoration of Taiwan's ``2-28 Massacre.'' In the Fall of 1945, 50 years of Japanese occupation of Taiwan ended with World War II. The United Nations gave administrative control of Taiwan to the Chinese Nationalist Party. After more than a year, the Taiwanese people were frustrated by the corruption and economic mismanagement that seemed to plague the party.

On February 28, 1947, an elderly woman was arrested and beaten. A group of Taiwanese confronted the Chinese troops responsible. One of the Taiwanese was shot, riots raged, and Chinese soldiers gunned down thousands of unarmed civilians.

During the following days, government troops arrived from mainland China. The Chinese soldiers began capturing and executing leading Taiwanese lawyers, doctors, students, and other citizens. It is estimated more than 18,000 people lost their lives. During the following four decades, the Chinese Nationalists continued to rule Taiwan with an iron fist under Martial Law that was not lifted until 1987.

The Massacre had far reaching implications. Over the next half- century, these events helped galvanize Taiwan's struggle for independence and for its transformation from a dictatorship to a thriving and pluralistic democracy.

I urge other Members to join me in commemorating this important historical event.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the bill for a number of substantive reasons. But also, quite honestly, after hearing the comment from the gentleman from California, I also was about to say I rise with concerns as to the process as well.

I appreciate the ranking member's comment as far as potentially moving forward on this. I too have been there in the past, where we do things in committee, in the relevant committees I serve on, serve on Financial Services Committee and have agreements with the other side of the aisle and with the chairman specifically of Financial Services, with Chairman Frank, and then things go to the Rules Committee, and I don't know whether it was a bipartisan obstacle in this case, but be it as it may, problems happen with Rules Committee. And I can tell you with my working with Chairman Frank, he was able to actually get things done then on the floor as far as the substantive amendments done here to get it done. So I hope that we see similar action with regard to this as well that we have seen in other committees.

But I do rise in opposition or concern about this bill with regard to the repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson aspect. And I do so for three points. One has been touched upon, but I want to go into a little bit more detail with regard to the CBO. CBO, Congressional Budget Office, nonpartisan entity, has noted the States already have the laws on the books to prevent what we are really trying to deal with here, price fixing and bid rigging, et cetera.

Furthermore, State insurance commissioners already typically review the rates charged by insurance companies. So what does this basically mean in a nutshell? Basically, States are working in this direction already, and that the passage of this legislation will have a minimal positive impact.

Just a side note. When we talk about State insurance regulation in general, you have to remember when we are talking about the financial situation that we are in right now, it was not the fault of the State regulators of the financial marketplaces that brought us to where we are, it is the fault largely to errors and omissions in the Federal regulators. So if we are trying to cast blame or aspersion on any regulators out there, it should not be on the State regulators, because in essence they have done their jobs, and we should not be throwing other impediments to that getting done.

Second point, someone already mentioned about a report out of the CBO. Let me go into a little bit more specifics about what the CBO said with regard to costs. CBO said, and I quote, ``To the extent that insurers would become subject to additional litigation, their costs and thus their premiums might increase.'' Let me repeat that. Their premiums might increase. So to all the points of the other side of the aisle saying that we are doing this with the good intention of trying to get premiums to come down, what do the experts, the nonpartisan CBO, say? Just the opposite, premiums might go up. So the conclusion there is here is a case where increased litigation costs would actually drive up the cost of insurance, and not bring it down.

Third and final point, touched upon a little bit, and let me go in more detail. This legislation could have the effect of shutting out new entrants, not folks already there, but shutting out new entrants into the marketplace.

Thank you.

This legislation would have the effect of shutting out new entrants into the marketplace. The other side of the aisle has already talked about the fact that they want to have greater competition in this area of health insurance, and I am assuming insurance across the board. But what this will do, as the gentleman and others have already said on the floor, is basically say to the new entrants, to the small companies who want to get into this marketplace, to be able to compete against the large entrenched companies that are already there, you are pushed out, you are locked out. So is that what we want to do with this legislation? That will be the impact.

Let me conclude then. In a letter to Speaker Pelosi, the National Association of State Insurance Commissioners says the following: ``The business of insurance, while exempted from Federal antitrust law, is still subject to State antitrust enforcement actions.'' That is important. ``In fact, even if the McCarran-Ferguson antitrust exemptions were repealed, the State action doctrine exempting them would continue to apply. The most likely result of this repeal would therefore not be increased competition, but a series of lawsuits testing the limits of the State action doctrine, with associated litigation costs being passed along to the consumers in the form of higher premiums.''

The conclusion, Madam Speaker, is more litigation, more harmful consolidation, and more increase to the cost to the consumer, all things that we should be working to oppose. And that is why I do not support the underlying legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the

100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. Established on February 8, 1910, the Boy Scouts have provided a positive influence for millions of young men throughout the country and have instilled in them the twelve key pillars contained in the Scout Law, which reads: A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Over the past 100 years, we've all known family, friends, and neighbors involved in the Boy Scouts who took these building blocks of leadership to heart and made their communities a safer and better place. The Boy Scout program has reminded the American people of the higher notions of patriotism and good citizenship. With a range of former Boy Scouts such as Buzz Aldrin, Bill Gates, Tommy Lasorda, and Gerald Ford, this program has served to structure the lives of some of our greatest countrymen.

I want to personally congratulate the two Boy Scout Councils in my district, the Northern New Jersey Council and the Patriots Path Council, on this very special anniversary. The dedicated Scout leaders who are involved in these programs have introduced Scouts in New Jersey to exciting explorations and taught them new skills that they will use throughout their life. They have recounted stories of Native American folklore around campfires, taught Scouts the uses of a taut-line hitch and bowline knot, and have provided the Scouts with an opportunity to take on responsibilities and duties to further their maturity into adulthood. There are few greater chances for aiding our country than to help these young men in their efforts to make themselves physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

The Boy Scouts of America owes its tremendous history and over two million Eagle Scouts to an unknown English Scout who helped an American newspaper publisher cross a street in London. That newspaper publisher was so impressed by the Scout's willingness to help that he would later go on to found the Boy Scouts of America. Today, the Boy Scouts of America embrace the social and personal virtues needed in mankind and provide countless opportunities for their Scouts to better our world as a whole. With their example in mind, I hope all Americans will use this opportunity to help a neighbor, volunteer in his or her community, explore nature, or learn more about our great Nation.

Mr. Speaker, the other side of the aisle has been calling for even more misguided government spending despite the fact that they have controlled this House for the last 3 years, with massive spending in the past. Hasn't the American public spoken loud and clear that the Federal Government is just spending too much and trying to do too much, and that they want us to start cutting spending here?

You know, the consequences of governments spending too much money are apparent around the world. Over in Greece, with potential default, they are only the tip of the iceberg. You have Italy and Spain also showing serious concerns as well. But here at home over the last 3 years we now see, because of the Democrat leadership of the House, $1.6 trillion deficits without any serious commitment whatsoever about trying to cut spending.

And what is the result of that? Well, Moody's is now saying that there is a real possibility that the U.S. may lose its AAA rating. Think about that for a moment. Serious people are beginning to whisper that if things don't change here, the U.S. may actually default on its debts in the coming years and do serious damage to our economy and weaken it and cause higher interest rates.

You know, throughout the last year we have talked a lot about spotting systemic risk in our economy. Well, there is one major risk in it right now, our mammoth Federal deficit and ever-increasing debt. Washington and the Democrat majority leadership must get serious about addressing this fast.

Madam Speaker, there is not a member of this body who has not been gripped by the graphic stories and images coming out of Haiti since the tragic earthquake on January 12. The human suffering is on a scale we can scarcely comprehend, and its proximity to our country and the need of its victims have rightly roused the charitable spirit of the American people. In the midst of such tragedy, however, we look to stories of hope from the rubble. I would like to share one of those stories today.

On January 9, fifteen members of the Trinity United Methodist Church in Hackettstown, NJ, departed for an eight-day missions trip to Port- au-Prince and Bon Regos, Haiti. This missions team delivered dozens of suitcases filled with medical equipment and personal hygiene items to orphanages, hospitals, and schools in some of Haiti's most disadvantaged neighborhoods. Thankfully, no one on the trip was seriously injured in the earthquake. In the following days, thanks to the tireless work of the State Department and the kindness of strangers, the entire team was evacuated to the Bahamas and is now safe at home with their families and loved ones.

While it was not their intention when they signed up, the members of this team deserve to be recognized for their selflessness and service. Their names are:

Rev. Frank L. Fowler III, Leslie Williams-Wexler, Virginia G. Mitchell, Erica L. Pattky, Frank Proccaccini, Suzanne P. Buchanan, Melissa J. Deibel, Kim M. Koch, Vicki L. Meuller, Virginia L. Thorp, Taylor S. Thorp, Danielle S. Chamberlain, Kathryn A. Stiner, Linda C. Callaham, and Carmen M. Courter.

I join their family, friends, and parishioners in a prayer of thanksgiving for their safe return. I am especially proud of Erica Pattky and

Taylor Thorp, two teenagers from my district who were part of this team. Their commitment to service at such a young age is a model for people of all ages in our community.

In the coming months and years, American churches, non-profits, and relief-aid organizations will play a vital role in stabilizing and rebuilding the Republic of Haiti. I am convinced that Americans will answer the call to ``Love thy neighbor,'' not due to any government mandate or social obligation, but because it's just what Americans do. In crises both small and large, the United States has proven itself the most philanthropic and charitable nation in the world. I thank the members of Trinity Methodist for providing such a courageous example.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a recently fallen Marine, Sergeant Christopher Richard Hrbek.

He was a field artillery cannoneer with the 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines, out of Camp Lejeune. He was stationed in Afghanistan. Sergeant Hrbek was an active member of his community back in Westwood, New Jersey. He was a volunteer fireman for 9 years. In 2003, in response to the attacks on September 11, 2001, he enlisted with the United States Marines. He heard the call of duty and he answered it.

As a Marine, he served multiple tours of duty, which included combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. On December 23, 2009, under enemy fire, he saved the life of his sergeant major, who had stepped on an IED. For this, he was to be awarded a Bronze Star with a combat ``V.'' He then set the highest example of someone who was willing to risk his life to save the lives of others.

Sadly, on January 14, 2010, he, himself, stepped on an IED, and died in the service of his country.

He is survived by his wife, Jamie Lynn Wengerter; mother, Cheryl Hodges; stepfather, James Hodges; father, Richard Hrbek; stepmother, Gail Hrbek; two sisters, Amy Dellentash and Lori Hrbek; and two stepbrothers, Jim and Beau Hodges.

His dedication to his country and to his fellow soldiers represents his tremendous sense of loyalty and selflessness. Christopher Hrbek is a true American hero. Chris will never be forgotten by his friends, by his family or by the country he fought for.