Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Texas for yielding to me and for working with us on this hour to talk to the Nation about the good news that we have on our economic front.

I have been here almost 4 years now, and for some reason good news seems to get buried a lot, and it is deeply concerning to me when we are talking about something as critically important as our Nation's economy, people working, families. So I think it is extremely important for all of us to give a good viewpoint to our Nation on how our Nation is moving in the right direction.

I would like to talk about my home State of West Virginia. Many times in terms of economics, West Virginia has had difficulty with our State economy. We have not moved with the rest of the Nation when the rest of the Nation is surging economically. We have sort of puttered along a little bit, and so in my home State people will say to me, Shelley, I hear that national indicators are good and that we are creating 1.4 million new job with President Bush's programs, but what is happening in West Virginia? Is that really occurring in West Virginia? The great news is, yes, it is.

The indications today were just brought out by the State Department of Employment Programs. It announced today that in the month of May we saw the largest period of job growth this year, 4,400 new jobs created in the State of West Virginia in May. Our unemployment rate, which has been steadily below the Nation's unemployment, dropped another 3/10ths of a point to 5.2 percent. These are not happenstance. This is not just a blip in the radar screen. This is a constant indication that the economics of West Virginia are improving, just as the economics of the Nation are growing and thriving.

Being home last weekend, I talked to many folks, miners, realtors, bankers, schoolteachers, truck drivers: How is business? How is it going? Every single one of them has a positive, uplifting message to give. They are either hiring more people, ordering new parts, or increasing their equipment, all the things that are the great indicators of economic growth. The tax savings in West Virginia is being reinvested, just as the President's Jobs and Growth Act had planned, and new workers are being hired.

There are also other good signs. Not only is West Virginia being included in the upturn of the Nation's economy and settling into new jobs, but other things are occurring, and I think it is important to be pointed out.

We have heard about outsourcing and we are all concerned about any job that leaves an American shore and goes across the sea where we want to keep that job on our shores, but in West Virginia interestingly one in five of our manufacturing jobs in West Virginia, they are working for a foreign-based company. Those jobs have been in-sourced to the State of West Virginia, and I think that is over 27,000 workers in the State of West Virginia are in that position.

The pride of Buffalo, West Virginia, which is in my District, is the Toyota manufacturing plant where over 1,000 West Virginians build the engines that are in the Toyota Camrys that are parked in our driveways, and can my colleagues imagine the impact that 1,000 of those manufacturing jobs in a small area such as Buffalo, West Virginia, has on the total economy of that location and that area and region of our State?

We also saw personal income rise in the latter part of 2003 to a total of $44.7 billion, and that is one of the highest numbers ever reported in the State of West Virginia. Our exports have increased by over $100 million. Personal tax collections are forecast to increase by 3.1 percent this coming year. That is an indication that more people are working. They are working at higher salary levels, and they are enjoying the prosperity a boom economy can provide, and the prosperity the Jobs and Growth Act of 2003 that President Bush put forth is working.

We also have many in West Virginia who are enjoying the tax benefits that were a part of that on an individual basis. We have several hundreds of thousands who are enjoying the marriage tax penalty: 400,000 individuals paying fewer taxes; and over 100,000 small businesses enjoying the tax relief that was so vitally important to jump-starting this economy and moving it in the right direction.

So, while we always seem to want to have the gloom and doom news take the headlines, I think it is time that the Americans see the headlines that are the reality of our economy here in the United States, and that is we are moving in the right direction. There is more work to be done, and States like West Virginia are feeling the impact, are being able to take hold of the movement and the surge in the economy. More jobs are being created, more families are feeling that, and for me to be able to say that this Congress, with this President, put these policies into place makes me proud to go home every weekend to West Virginia and say we are moving in the right direction. We are going to keep up the momentum, and things are on the rise.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for granting me the time.

Madam Speaker, America has lost a great patriot with the passing of President Ronald Reagan. My fellow West Virginians join me in mourning his death.

As our President, he shepherded America through tough times, cutting taxes and invigorating our Nation's economy. President Reagan's service as a statesman reflected the good freedom could do when waged against tyranny.

In June of 1987, President Reagan stood in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Germany, calling upon Mikhail Gorbachev to ``tear down this wall.''

Reagan aimed to replace the instability brought by fear of nuclear war with the firm backing of freedom.

When the wall fell, a wave of sovereignty rolled through Eastern Europe, washing away suppressive governments and leaving in its wake democracies firmly backed by individual liberty.

Americans will always measure their President against the high bar Ronald Reagan has set for the Presidency. But along with being a statesman, a peacemaker, and a leader, Ronald Reagan was a kind man who I was very honored to have met, a loving husband and father, and a compassionate human being.

I will always remember Ronald Reagan for his ability to lift up the American people, inspiring us to rely on ourselves, not on our government, to overcome challenges in our lives. His legacies will be remembered for years to come. Freedom over fear, the individual before its government, and the strength of America overall.

May God bless America, and may God bless our President, Ronald Reagan.

Mr. Speaker, I am exceedingly proud to be the sponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 413. I am also extremely proud that all 62 women Members of Congress are cosponsors on this legislation as well.

During World War II, a remarkable band of women picked up the rivet guns left on factory floors and shipyard docks by departing workers. Many of those workers were husbands, boyfriends, sons and dads; and those women started building the tanks, airplanes, and ships that America needed to win the war.

This group of women became known as Rosie the Riveters, the bandana- brazing, tight-muscled woman depicted in posters with the slogan ``We Can Do It.''

Earlier this month, I called on all the Rosies from West Virginia to send me their stories so younger generations of West Virginians could learn about this important part of their history.

It is clear the important role that the Rosies played during the war. I received a letter from a woman from Elkview, West Virginia, who worked on the wing sections of B-29 Superfortress bombers at the Goodyear plant in Akron, Ohio. The B-29 was the military's most sophisticated propeller-driven bomber.

Another Rosie from Winfield, West Virginia, worked as a riveter at General Machinery in South Charleston, West Virginia, building rockets that her husband used thousands of miles away in the Pacific.

Just last week, several Rosies came to Washington to tell their stories. Leona Phares from Elkins, West Virginia, came; and she had a very touching comment. I asked her what she did when her husband left her. Her husband was originally in the factory with her, and he was called to duty. I said, What did you do? She said, I worked as long and as hard and as fast as I could, because I wanted him home as quick as he could get there.

We also learned that one of the Rosies from the district of the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter) was held upside down for 15 minutes at a time because her hands were so small she could get up under and rivet in certain areas.

Extraordinary women. We always say we can do twice as much in half the time, but upside down at the same time?

This resolution honors the extraordinary contributions of the women pioneers who have inspired future generations, whose dedicated service on the home front during World War II was instrumental in achieving an Allied victory. The resolution urges citizens to study, reflect upon, and celebrate the stories and accomplishments of the Rosies.

The Rosies are a vital part of American history. This band of remarkable women should be honored and remembered.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud co-sponsor of H.R. 4359. Last year, this House increased the child tax credit by $400 per child. This increase from $600 to $1,000 per child has benefited families across the country.

Under current law, however, the child tax credit is scheduled to decrease to $700 per child in 2005, increase to $800 in 2009, return to $1,000 in 2010, and fall to $500 in 2011.

Mr. Speaker, if parents are to take advantage of this tax credit to purchase new clothes, school supplies, or a new computer for their child, or to invest in their child's future, they need to know that these tax cuts are not here today and gone tomorrow.

This legislation corrects the problem in existing law and makes the $1,000 child tax credit permanent. When the underlying legislation we are considering today becomes law, parents will know from year to year the amount of money they have for their children.

The President's jobs and growth plan has helped to get our economy back on track. Over 500,000 jobs have been created in just the last 2 months. We must continue the tax cuts we passed last year to benefit American families and the American economy.

This bill is another step forward. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this rule and in supporting the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, seniors throughout West Virginia are learning about potential savings on their prescriptions because of recent reforms to Medicare. No matter what critics may say, it is very easy to find out information about the new prescription drug card. Just ask Ann Brown, one of my constituents.

I worked with Ann. We went on line together. And she was able to see very easily what her savings would be by going onto the Medicare.gov website.

But Ann is not alone. A senior living in Charleston, West Virginia in a 25304 zip code who takes Fosamax for osteoporosis, Zocor for cholesterol, and Nexium for acid reflux can save $170 a month by using a Medicare-endorsed cards, which is a savings of over $2,000 a year. That is a real savings.

Why are they saving? Because the competition and buying power of over 40 million seniors across the country is driving down the cost of prescriptions.

Beginning on June 1, seniors will begin to realize these significant savings, and through the Medicare-endorsed prescription drug card, they will see that this benefit is significant, meaningful and hits the bottom line.

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition, but I am not in opposition.

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

Mr. Chairman, Americans are concerned about the welfare of the men and women we send to defend our country. The American people understand that war is violent. What the American people will not tolerate is the assault or rape of a female soldier by a fellow soldier. Simply put, this is unacceptable.

Recent reports of sexual assaults of female soldiers serving abroad, along with numerous cases of assaults in or around military bases, clearly demonstrate the need for the Department of Defense to change their approach to this problem.

Women are serving in the military, and we are mighty proud of them. Along with my colleagues today, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite), we offer this amendment to help the military work through this problem, understand its causes, and put in place measures that will prevent it from happening.

The amendment calls for the Secretary of Defense to increase training for officers so they are better equipped to deal with sexual assaults. The amendment calls for a clear and precise protocol that protects privacy and ensures safety and which women can follow to report an attack. The amendment ensures access to the appropriate medical treatment and counseling for women at all times during their service, no matter where they are in the world. This policy is to be put in place by January 1, 2005.

Members of both the House and Senate, including my colleagues on the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, have examined this issue, along with the Department of Defense's Task Force on Care For Victims of Sexual Assault. We agree that the action called for in this amendment is beyond necessary to deal with the multiple incidents of sexual assaults in the military.

These steps, which are being mirrored in the Senate's version of the legislation, will help the Armed Forces prevent attacks from happening, as well as put proper procedures in place that bring aid and comfort to those who have survived attacks.

I am hopeful the action by this Congress will help bring a change in the attitude in the U.S. military. It needs to be made perfectly clear that it is unacceptable to sexually assault a female soldier; and if you choose to make that mistake, you will be held accountable for your actions, no matter who you are, what your rank is, or what condition you serve under. I am in full and hardy support of this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 1 minute. Mr. Chairman, I want to take this time to thank the members of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, and my co-chairwoman, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter). Her work on this issue has been very valuable, and she has been very aggressive; and I think the result of our hearings are bearing fruit here in this amendment.

I would also like to thank the chairman of the committee and the ranking member for their letting us offer this amendment and also, hopefully, making it a part of the bill.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of association health plans. As we have heard, small businesses pay 17 percent more for their health care than employees of large companies. In a State like West Virginia, where over 90 percent of our business is small business, this is impossible for our small business owners.

Over 44 million Americans, sadly, are without health insurance, and more than 60 percent of those are employed by a small business. The high costs small businesses have to bear to provide health care, for what in many cases are just a few employees, prohibits owners from providing affordable health insurance and losing employees at the same time.

Through a trade association, like the National Federation of Independent Businesses, small businesses would be allowed to band together, pool their resources, drive down health care costs and gain buying power.

Nondiscrimination provisions in the legislation ensure health coverage will be offered to those who need it most, and solvency requirements will make sure that the health plans have the financial resources on hand to cover their employees' needs.

Mr. Speaker, during a roundtable I had several weeks ago with small business owners in my district, everyone was concerned about offering health care coverage. Small business owners want to be able to afford this, not only for them as owners but also for their employees.

This House has passed this association health plan legislation before. Workers need health care coverage, their children need health care coverage, and small business owners want to offer health care coverage. I urge my colleagues to support association health plans.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak about the medical liability reform bill.

Being from a State like West Virginia, we have been in crisis for many years, and I am exceedingly frustrated that we are not able to pass this bill and get it to the President for signature. We have passed this bill seven times, while our colleagues in the other Chamber have not acted on this. As a result, we are a Nation faced with torts gone wild.

Mr. Speaker, the medical liability crisis our Nation is faced with is not a recent development. It has been an ever-present problem of varying degrees over the last 3 decades. Some States, like California, have been proactive and enacted tort reforms 3 decades ago. The California reforms, commonly referred to as MICRA, resulted in significantly limiting the increase in medical liability premiums as compared to the rest of the Nation.

The other States' premiums have risen over three times as much as those in California. Doctors are retiring, moving, and throwing up their hands in frustration across this land. Access, affordability, and quality of our health care is at stake.

Mr. Speaker, some State legislatures have acted recently to change their respective tort law system for medical liability claims. I am proud to say my own State of West Virginia has been a leader in this. However, this much-needed reform is now vulnerable to judicial review and can be ruled unconstitutional.

Other States, like Pennsylvania, are specifically prohibited by their State constitution from considering such reforms. Mr. Speaker, this is why a Federal reform is so desperately needed. This reform will defer to State tort law where it is present, but will serve as a backstop for States where the respective State supreme court rules against the new laws.

Mr. Speaker, it is time to take control of the health care costs that are spiraling out of control due to a legal system gone wild. Our Nation's health care is at risk.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 250th Anniversary of Hampshire County, West Virginia, which I proudly represent here in Congress. The Virginia General Assembly authorized the creation of Hampshire County effective May 1, 1754, removing the South Branch, Patterson Creek, New Creek, and Capon River valleys from Frederick County, Virginia. It was named after the English county of the same name.

Hampshire County was established to provide an accessible local government for citizens on the north side of Cape Capon and Warm Spring Mountain and to more effectively deal with the conflicts stemming from the onset of the French-Indian war.

The history of Hampshire County extends longer than that of the United States or the State of West Virginia. The county has undergone several border changes over the years; at one time it included all of present day Mineral, Hardy, and Grant counties, along with portions of Morgan and Pendleton counties, an area extending 2,800 square miles. Today, the county has an area of just over 640 square miles, but continues to grow in population. The county's population grew by 22.5 percent between 1990 and 2000, and currently 20,798 people call Hampshire County home.

I am honored to represent Capon Bridge, Mill Creek, Romney, and the other communities of Hampshire County here in Congress. I congratulate Hampshire County on its 250th anniversary and wish the county all the best for the next 250 years.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Ross), for sponsoring the Regulatory Relief Act of 2003 with me. He has been very instrumental in bringing this much-needed legislation to the floor. I also want to thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), and especially the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) for shepherding this bill through the process, it has been a process, and their strong leadership on the committee.

With the passage of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the U.S. PATRIOT Act, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Congress has imposed sweeping reforms and multiple new mandates on the financial services industry. While I firmly believe that these new laws have strengthened this important sector of our economy, such sweeping reforms do not come without a cost, a cost that is ultimately paid for by every American who writes a check, saves for their retirement, or simply purchases groceries with a credit card.

The gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Ross) and I introduced this bill to restore regulatory balance. While Federal regulations play an important role in protecting consumers, instilling confidence and ensuring a level playing field, overregulation can depress innovation, stifle competition, and actually retard our economy's ability to grow.

Periodically reviewing and questioning the regulations put into place over time will ensure that as industries and technologies change, so too will the rules that govern them.

This bipartisan legislation will roll back several outdated and burdensome mandates while also providing new commonsense provisions that together will benefit the financial services industry and their consumers.

To promote efficiency our bill allows the FDIC the flexibility to rely on new technology to store records electronically, streamlines the merger application process, and gives examining agencies the discretion to adjust the exam cycle so their resources can be used most efficiently, among very many other revisions in the regulatory process.

We provided enhanced consumer protection by prohibiting a person from working at a bank who has been convicted of a breach of trust and by allowing interagency data sharing to ensure that a lack of information does not result in malfeasance.

H.R. 1375 strikes a balance that will help the financial services community thrive, compete, and offer the best services to their customers. Again, I want to thank the ranking member and our chairman and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Baucus) and the other Members for the bipartisan nature of which this bill has been brought to the floor.

I urge my colleagues' support.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against domestic violence. Domestic violence encompasses all acts of forceful behavior that one person uses to maintain control over another person. While we are taking steps to eradicate the threat of domestic abuse for women and children, unfortunately the statistics demonstrate the need for more community outreach, funding for prevention programs, and help from Congress.

In my home State of West Virginia, there has been a 400 percent increase in the number of domestic violence complaints to our law enforcement agencies. I am committed to stopping violence against women. But women are not the only victims. Many times children are the victims. In our Nation, millions of children, 9 million children, have reported seeing violence in their home. These statistics are just an estimate, 9 million, but I believe one child is one too many. We need to take care of our children and ensure they are safe from violent crimes, particularly in their own homes.

With a strong commitment from Members of Congress to work together to decrease domestic violence in our Nation, hopefully we will see a drop in the domestic violence statistics in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Van Applegate, a senior at Jefferson County High School in my district. Van, this week, will become an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in scouting.

The Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, which I proudly represent, is home to a great deal of history. Van restored and rededicated the gravesite of Private Luke Quinn, who was killed during John Brown's raid of 1859. Brown's raid was a significant event in our Nation's history, and in the history of eastern West Virginia. Van is to be congratulated for his hard work in restoring this piece of Civil War- era history.

Van cleaned the gravestone and installed a Marine Corps flag as part of his project. He then staged a reenactment of Quinn's funeral, drawing nearly 100 residents to take part in the educational event.

In addition to scouting, Van is editor of his school newspaper, sports editor of the yearbook, executive producer of the student-run television station, and vice-president of the Jefferson County High Student Government Association.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Van Applegate for his commitment to historical preservation in West Virginia and congratulate him on becoming an Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Colonel Jesse A. Thomas, the Commander of the 167th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard based in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

Colonel Thomas is retiring after 33 years in our Armed Forces. Colonel Thomas began his military service as a T-37 instructor pilot in 1971. He then joined the West Virginia Air National Guard when he became a C-130 aircraft commander. Colonel Thomas has logged approximately 11,000 flight hours as a command pilot, including 5,000 hours as an instructor.

During Operation Desert Shield, Thomas deployed to Europe as an aircrew member and unit commander. He also flew airdrop and air defense missions in Yugoslavia and Central America and Southwest Asia.

Mr. Speaker, in our current war on terror, the National Guard has been called upon to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, and thousands of brave men and women have answered that call. I thank all of the men and women of the National Guard who give so much in service to our Nation. Colonel Jesse Thomas, who has dedicated 34 years to the defense of freedom, deserves the respect of all of us in the House, and I thank him for his devoted service to the people of West Virginia and his country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor George M. Moore, Jr., a resident of my district, for his service and commitment to America's veterans. Mr. Moore has served as Director of the Veterans Administration Hospital in Martinsburg since 1998. In 1999, Moore became the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service Line Director, making him responsible for the management of all prosthetic operations in Martinsburg, WV, Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, DC. Previously he has worked with the VA in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Jackson, MS.

Moore served our country on active duty as an Air Force fighter pilot in Vietnam. Recently, the Disabled Veterans of America recognized him as their 2003 Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year.

All of us in West Virginia and in Congress are proud of the service George Moore has given to our Nation. Both as a soldier himself, and later as a worker for disabled veterans, Moore has distinguished himself as a leader in our Nation's fight for freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the fourth grade class at Polk Creek Elementary School in Weston, West Virginia. These students in Mrs. Mary Wagoner's class recorded a CD entitled ``Thinking of You'' for distribution to the 100 Lewis County, West Virginia, residents serving our country in Iraq.

The students performed the songs ``Thinking of You,'' ``Allegiance Rap,'' ``You Are Our Heroes,'' ``The West Virginia Hills,'' ``American Tears'' and ``Mighty United'' for our soldiers.

All of us in this House share the sentiments expressed by these students. The men and women serving our country in Iraq are in the thoughts and prayers of us all. Hearing from these school children will improve the morale of our troops and show them they are in the thoughts of people back home.

I would like to thank Principal Thomas Garrett, Teacher Mary Wagoner, along with Whitney Ballard and Shaun Davis, for their hard work with the students at Polk Creek Elementary on this project. I am honored to represent the Lewis County community and thank Polk Creek Elementary for their efforts to honor our military personnel.