Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Captain William B. Ecker of Punta Gorda, Florida, in my district, who passed away earlier this month. Captain Ecker flew combat missions in the Pacific during World War II, serving 32 years in the United States Navy. Most notably on October 23, 1962, Ecker led low-level sorties over Cuba collecting photographic evidence of the Soviet missiles fueling vehicles and other related equipment.

Flying the F-8 Crusader, Captain Ecker was able to fly at lower altitudes than the U-2 spy plans. At the lower level, Ecker took close- up pictures of a site near the town of San Cristobal in western Cuba proving without a doubt that Soviet missiles were in Cuba.

Captain Ecker received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his quick and risky flights over Cuba. The unit Ecker commanded, VFP-62, received the first peacetime Navy Unit Commendation in history by President John F. Kennedy.

Captain Ecker leaves behind his wife, Kit, of 62 years and his two sons, Richard and David, and a Nation grateful for his distinguished service.

Mr. Speaker, when I came to Congress over 1 year ago, I was hoping to work across party lines in the spirit of bipartisanship because that's what the people in my district in Florida expected. But ever since I got here, the Democratic majority has locked Republicans out of the debate time and time again. And now here we are talking about what The Wall Street Journal calls the ``worst bill ever.''

The Pelosi health care bill cuts Medicare, increases taxes on businesses, individuals and employers, and it's a $1.2 trillion boondoggle that will complete a government takeover of the health care system, even though the majority of Americans don't want it.

I don't know what the majority was doing over the August recess, but I was holding town hall meetings with hundreds of my constituents and friends; and the message was clear, we are a free people that chose to be governed, not the other way around. Enough is enough.

Mr. Speaker, 3 million Americans have lost their jobs since the Democratic stimulus plan passed. It was supposed to create 4 million jobs. National unemployment was at 8 percent when the stimulus passed, and now it's approaching 10 percent. In Florida, in my district, it's over 11 percent, and even in St. Lucie County, it exceeds 15 percent unemployment.

Now is not the time for partisan bickering but, rather, for bipartisan solutions. That's why I've joined with Democrat and fellow freshman John Boccieri from Ohio to introduce a bill to get Americans back to work.

This week, we're introducing the Back to Work Tax Credit Act, a commonsense bill to expand the current work opportunity tax credit to the long-term unemployed.

The time for action is now. My neighbors in Florida and all over America deserve real solutions from Washington, not just talk and further inaction.

Thank you, Mr. Hunter.

Just last week, myself, along with Mr. Hunter from California, sent a letter to the President asking him to take seriously the request of General McChrystal, the commander in Afghanistan; ask McChrystal to come to this body and address the Congress--or at least address the Armed Services Committee, of which I am a member--to let us know what his plan is in a very specific and detailed manner so that we can ask the tough questions, that we can do the people's work and to look out for our men and women serving in uniform.

Along with many members of the freshman class, that letter was sent last week, and along with many other letters sent to the President, along with letters sent to my office, phone calls asking me to support our troops, support the generals on the ground, support our military chain of command and to do the right thing in Afghanistan. And that's to give us a chance to win where we know that we can win.

The United States versus the Taliban. Think about that for a second. The United States versus the Taliban. And what the questions are and what we have to do. As Sun Tzu said, Don't go to war until you know you can win; and when you go to war, know that you've already won it.

So what General McChrystal is asking the President to do quite simply is three things to win the war in Afghanistan: First, give us a surge in troops more than the troops that we've already approved--at least 43,000 more troops--to be able to secure the towns and villages and cities so that people feel safe, so that people come out of the woodwork and the intimidation of the Taliban and can feel that they can trust the Americans and our allies, that we're not going to leave, that we're going to stand by them and stand by for the people's rights and freedom in Afghanistan.

This has been an issue of a lot of contention and, quite frankly and unfortunately, politics, not only here in the House but between the two parties and across this great country. The second thing is to integrate with the Afghan people. It's going to be risky. We are going to have to come out from behind the walls, out of the Bradleys, come down from the turrets in the Humvees and really do a much better job of winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people.

It's going to open us up to risk, and it's going to up us up to harm's way, quite frankly. But I think General McChrystal understands that it's going to take some sacrifice; it's going to take making the risks and the hard decisions to be able to accomplish this goal. Because, on the other hand, you have the Taliban, which operates under intimidation, operates under violence and threats that, if you cooperate with the Americans, we won't forget it and you will be punished, and there will be recourse for the things that you have done to cooperate with the enemy, in that case, us, the United States.

The third thing that General McChrystal asks of the Commander in Chief is to help end the corruption in Afghanistan politically. This is the hardest of the three prongs and I think the most important. The local governments, the regional governments and the central national government have a long, long way to go in ending what has been a long string of corruption in Afghanistan. That's going to be the most difficult aspect of General McChrystal's request. But, again, we have the best team in place.

The President, to his credit, has assembled the finest military and civilian defense staff that, as a former Army captain, I could possibly ask for, Secretary Gates, Jim Jones, General Petraeus, even General Shinseki being on the cabinet, even though he's with the Veterans Administration, just an outstanding dream team of military brass. We have the best team in place.

I urge the President to listen to them, take their counsel, do the right thing in Afghanistan, finish the job that we started there. Whether or not it was neglected, whatever argument you want to make, starting from today on, for the kids that are there now, that are manning a post, that are out there alone and cold and homesick and undermanned, let's do the right thing and send a message to the world that the United States of America will stand up for freedom across this great planet of ours and stand by where freedom wants to ring out.

And I believe it does, and I believe it will; and we should not let politics play a role in this, and let the generals on the ground do their job, and then support the President once he makes that decision.

Thank you, Mr. Hunter and Madam Speaker.

I rise today in support of the Energy and Water appropriations bill. This bill contains support for various projects within my district that will help with the continued restoration and preservation of the south Florida ecosystem.

I'm pleased with the funding for the continued restoration of the Hoover Dike. This earthen dike is currently undergoing a massive rehabilitation project that will continue to ensure the health and human safety of Pahokee, South Bay, Okeechobee, Belle Glade, Clewiston, Moore Haven, and the surrounding communities.

However, while I'm grateful to the committee for its support of these projects, I must express my great disappointment with the Senate for stripping out most of the vital construction funding for the Indian River Lagoon. This project was originally authorized in the 2007 Water Resources Development Act as a component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.

While some in the upper body argued that the Indian River Lagoon was a new project and a ``new start'' and therefore not deserving of funding, I argue it's not a new start, as it is a component of the overall ongoing Everglades Restoration project. By cutting the majority of its vital funding, we are only kicking the can further down the road for not getting this vital project started.

It's time for the Federal Government to live up to its financial commitment to this project. My only hope now is that the lagoon will receive funds, however minimal, and our colleagues in the Senate will now agree that this is not a new start and therefore deserves to be fully funded next year.

Every year that goes by, however, without adequate funding, further damage is done to our fragile ecosystem there in the Indian River Lagoon, making recovery that much harder.

I'd like to thank my fellow Florida colleagues, especially Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz, for their tireless work and support for these projects, and the House committee for including funding in the original House bill. I look forward to continuing the good work that we have started.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained due to sickness.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 736, and ``nay'' on rollcall No. 735.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Today is a great day for the residents of Fort Pierce, Florida, and the Treasure Coast.

Over two decades ago, the late Congressman Tom Lewis and his district director, Ann Decker, started the long process of bringing a Federal courthouse to St. Lucie County. I was greatly honored that one of my first official events as Congressman was to participate in the historic groundbreaking of this new building. Shortly thereafter, I introduced legislation to honor the distinguished life and career of the late Florida supreme court chief justice, Alto Lee Adams, by naming this new building in his memory.

This courthouse will fill a vital role for the city of Fort Pierce, bringing much-needed jobs and investment to the community with a greatly needed new Federal courthouse to the area. It is only fitting that this courthouse be named in honor of a man who himself gave so much to his community.

Chief Justice Alto Lee Adams, Sr., attended the University of Florida College of Law and graduated in 1921. He practiced law in Fort Pierce from 1924 to 1938 until he was appointed as a circuit court judge for St. Lucie County.

After Florida voters adopted an amendment which created a seventh justice in the State supreme court in 1940, Alto Lee Adams, Sr. was appointed to the court by then-Governor Fred P. Cone. He served as a justice on the Florida supreme court from 1940 to 1951 and 1967 to 1968, and as chief justice from 1949 to 1951.

Chief Justice Adams believed it was important to give back to his community and even served as president of the Florida State Elks Association in 1937. His service to the St. Lucie community served as an example to his children and those who knew him. In addition to his distinguished career, Judge Adams started a successful cattle ranch named Adams Ranch in St. Lucie County which is still run by the Adams family.

Judge Adams set a standard of integrity and community service that lives on today, and I believe it's only fitting that a new courthouse be named in his honor.

I would like to thank Chairman Oberstar, Ranking Member Mica, Mr. Diaz-Balart, and their staff, for helping support the moving of this legislation. I am proud to sponsor H.R. 3193 and ask my colleagues for their support.

Mr. Speaker, you know, with all of the talk of health care reform over the last several weeks, we haven't heard anything from the majority with regard to medical malpractice reform. This is kind of interesting because if any of you actually walk into a doctor's office across the country and ask them what's the one thing that could really help with health care in this country with costs and care and coverage, they would say medical malpractice reform.

Today across this country, doctors do not look at patients as patients. They look at them as future lawsuits. If we

aren't careful, this country won't have doctors anymore because anybody that's interested in going to med school will go to law school.

The government takeover of health care fails to address the concerns of the people that we really should listen to the most, and that's the doctors.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3288--Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

One request was funded in this bill and is a previously Congressionally authorized project.

$800,000: State Road (SR) 80, Hendry County, Florida. The entity to receive the funds for the project is Hendry County, Florida located at Courthouse Square, 165 S. Lee Street, La Belle, Florida 33975. SAFETEA- LU, Item 1487 authorized the widening of SR 80 in Hendry County, Florida. SR 80 serves as a major route for the movement of freight and agriculture products throughout the county, as well as a connector between Florida's east and west coast counties. It is the nearest cross-state highway north of I-75, extending from eastern Palm Beach County to Fort Myers on Florida's west coast. Funds will be used to further widen the road from two lanes to four.

All of my projects are Congressionally authorized and go only to public government agencies.

Mr. Speaker, there has been some talk recently about the potential of a second stimulus package. Why would we need such a second stimulus? Because the first one didn't work. It's not rocket science, and the American people know it.

What the American people don't want to hear is that prior Congresses or that prior administrations used to do this, or that prior Congressmen were engaged in this, that or the other. What Americans want now is leadership and solutions moving forward, not how things used to be.

I'm new here. I came here because the American people were sick and tired of the way things used to work. Unemployment will soon reach double digits, and it already has in my district, the 16th District of Florida.

The first stimulus didn't work because the Federal Government is not capable of taking taxpayer money and properly redistributing it. So let's have a second stimulus package. Let's give tax breaks to small businesses and to small business owners. Let them hire and keep the people that they want to work for them. That's the American way. America works when people make it work, not when the government takes over.

Mr. Speaker, you know, I wasn't planning on speaking tonight, but earlier this evening Mr. Chaffetz informed me that you were commemorating the life of Harry Kalas. And even though I represent the 16th district of Florida, as many Floridians, I came from somewhere else. I was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and my entire childhood could probably be summed up as being a diehard Phillies fan. And I can remember clearly going down to the Jersey Shore in the summer times, as so many Philadelphians did. And after being put to bed at night by my parents, sneaking out behind the couch there was a table, and I stored an AM radio there, and night after night listening for hours to the voice of Harry Kalas, the mellow, laid back voice that so many Phillies fans just came to admire and love. And how many people listened to that voice for so many hours in the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia region.

He truly will be missed. And you know, I always told people that I wanted to grow up and be a baseball announcer, and it was because of Harry Kalas. And somewhere I went off track. But I wanted to take the time here on the House floor to commemorate the life of Harry Kalas. And someday I hope to be a baseball announcer and I hope to be as good as Harry Kalas was.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3183--Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Five of my requests were funded in this bill, and all are previously Congressionally authorized projects.

$350,000: St. Lucie Inlet, Martin County, FL. The entity to receive the funds for the project is Martin County, FL located at 2401 S.E. Monterey Road, Stuart, FL 34996. The funding will go to a Congressionally authorized project to dredge the inlet. This project is funded through the Army Corps of Engineers Operations and Maintenance Account.

$1,000,000: St. Lucie County, FL, Fort Pierce Beach. The entity to receive the funds for the project is St. Lucie County, FL located at 2300 Virginia Ave, Fort Pierce, FL 34982. The funding will be used on a Congressionally authorized project to restore the beaches severally degraded by jetties which protect the federally-maintained inlet. This project is funded through the Army Corps of Engineers Investigations Account.

$350,000: Martin County, FL. The entity to receive the funds for the project is Martin County, FL located at 2401 S.E. Monterey Road, Stuart, FL 34996. The funding will be used for the federally authorized Hutchinson Island Shore Protection Project that provides for a protective berm and storm dune and periodic nourishment of the restored beach. This project is funded through the Army Corps of Engineers Construction Account.

$130,000,000: Herbert Hoover Dike. The entity to receive funding for the project is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 701 San Marco Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32207. The Dike is a federally maintained structure that is currently undergoing rehabilitation to ensure the continued safety of the communities around the lake. This project is funded through the Army Corps of Engineers Construction Account.

$210,239,000 South Florida Everglades Ecosystem Restoration, FL. Of this total, about $22,000,000 is for the Indian River Lagoon which Representative Rooney requested. The entity to receive funding for this project is the South Florida Water Management District located at 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33406. The Indian River Lagoon-South Project was authorized in WRDA 2007 as a component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. The project will help clean and restore the fragile ecosystem and is a 50/50 partnership with the state and local agencies. This project is funded through the Army Corps of Engineers Construction Account.

All of my projects are Congressionally authorized and go only to public government agencies.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the efforts and achievements of the 2009 Congressional Award recipients. Striving to better themselves and inspire others, these individuals have invested countless hours into public service, built their strength and endurance through academic and athletic pursuits, and explored their own abilities in new and challenging arenas. Volunteerism, self-discipline, and determination are hallmarks of this class of award recipients, and their passion rightfully deserves the admiration of this House.

The Congressional Awards recognize four avenues of individual growth--community service, physical fitness, exploration, and personal development--while acknowledging their interconnectivity in forming balanced and promising young citizens.

In their pursuit of these goals, recipients have encouraged the growth of new skills and greater confidence. For many, these projects will be the cornerstone for future endeavors, further enriching their lives and encouraging others to follow their lead.

The 2009 Congressional Award winners demonstrate dedication to improving their communities and making the world a better place.

The following are honored recipients of the 2009 Congressional Award:

Alec Kohli, Lukas Bergqvist, Ashley Macres, Kristen Glass, Stephanie Glass, Sarah Williams, Kelly Chen, Renee Jorgensen, Spencer Chase, Mark Felicio, Todd Lundrigan, George Major, Sarah Schwab, Charles Su, Christopher Barnum, Sacha Finn, Cameron Chalfant, John Hunsaker, Malinda Seu, Lynn Tse, Natalie Millman, Kathryn Gasparro, Heather Mauldin, Jena Mauldin, Andy Powers Davis, David Steinmetz, Christina DiMarzio, Courtney Cox, Hayley Gibson, Drake Gordon, Alexandra Abadia, Brian Asker, Christian Estevez, Jessica Fillhaber, Jordan Gallas, Stefan Hogle, Shannon Johnson, Kiera Kadri, Jesse Lively, Nicholas Lively, Adam Pere, Aleksi Poirier, Maxwell Poirier, Mitchell Poirier, Faren Silverman, Philip Stumpf, Neil Zimmerman, Erin Brannen, Katherine Brattebo, Taylor Celedinas, Lyndsay Daubert, Elizabeth Doane, Michelle Hardin, Adam Hollander, Summer Lubart, Connor Melnyk, Amanda Pekar, Jessica Olsen, Joshua Howard, Michael Moroz, Jenna Harris, Ashley Newman, Weston Newman, Rebecca Brazeale, Jeralyn Westercamp, Katelyn Benton, Jonathan Bertsch, Kyle Felzien, Heather Layher, Josh Layher, Jacob Levi, Daniel Revard, Shelby Roth, Kathryn Vincent, Lyndsey Vincent, Megan Breeding, Shawn Bybee, Ida Fischer, Hosanna Kabakoro, Mary Jordan Langfield, Elizabeth Middleton, Justin Novacek, Anna Sandven, Ryan Seastrom, Rebecka Seward, Candace Trautwein, Alexander Hawkins, Erica Newell, Melanie Spung, David Cieply, Emily Carlile, Alex Cain, Joshua Chudy, Lisa Huber, Jadhken Kerr, Jadhon Kerr, Rachel Battershaw, Annie Burke, Dakota Hauserman, Rachel Matthew, Denver Shipman, Scott Shipman, Emilee Whitesell, Mari Reeves, Tyler Wilcox, Brandi Thomas, Christopher Camillucci, Niels Steadman, Todd Sharpe, Kristen Barnett, Cassandra Dalrymple, Joanna Guy, Henry Zheng, Joseph Jendrusina, Veronica Kirin, Jenna Bjorke, Alexander Mace, Ashley Mace, Ami Mehta, Emma Frey, Kelsey Abele, Elizabeth Lewis, Tyler Camp, Daniel Clark, Cory Gargus, Chelsi Smith, Justin Armstrong, Mattie Carter, Ashley Cooper, Derek Lair, Steven Elliott, Alston Harris, Eleanor Hoppe, Sarah Smith, Colin Sorensen, Katherine Aronoff, Summer Brecht, Elizabeth Cubbage, Jordan Phifer, Eric Stump, Katie Stump, Rebecca Wentzel, Steven Zipparo, Gabrielle Giaquinto, Madeline Giaquinto, Sonam Shah, Nicholas Stango, John Voorhees, Samantha Albala, Patrick Chevalier, Robert Dorfman, Adam Gross, Megan Arguell, Alexandra Garney, Megan Partridge, Nevin Raj, Neal Bakshi, Elizabeth Bogdon, Sean Lu, Tina Shiang, Rebecca Wu, Christina Borovilas, Mary-Katherine Rose, Sujay Tyle, Nandini Srinivasan, Michael Cox, Mike Eklund, Teor Khuon, Du Luong, Phong Ma, Quyen Ma, Nhan Nguyen, Tevorith Srong, Srun Chhang, Le Long, Phanit Nhem, Mi Ta, Camlung Ung, Kyle Zhu, Jazmin Richardson, Vinay Trivedi, Cuiping Chen, Cuiyu Chen, Jillian Comer, Elizabeth Donahoe, Jacob Feldman, Julie Ann Haldeman, Brittany Love, James McDonald, Julia Melin, Victoria Patchell, Marta Piotrowicz, Julia Powers, Jocelyn Simons, Michelle Wojciechowicz, Tyler Zimmerman, Stephanie Bernasconi, Luis Gutierrez, Joaquin Mondragon, Amin Ruiz, Brian Elgort, Ryan Kane, Kent Willis, Michele Felberg, Christina Noblett, Amanda Vining, John Bradshaw, Collin Evans, Christine Folger, Britt Brandon, Sarah Gresser, Alicia Hanson, Jonathan Hanson, McKenna Rankin, Marshall Christopher, Karen Pickens, Cassandra Tuten, Mark Van Wagenen, Jenessa Barch, Faith Jones, Amanda O'Malley, Katherine Shannon, George Smith III, Dana Mathews, Blythe Hall, Devin Hall, Kaitlin Smith, Jacqueline Bedsaul, Taryn Bierhuizen, Courtney Owens, Patrick Crow, Matthew Cutler, Sam Pauken, Stephanie Redfern, Jennifer Baltas, Alexander Grigg, Emily Green, David Ramish, Nicolo Mendolia, Alexander Chin, Chelsea Green, Ryan Pyke, Leanne Paulsen, Lauren Below, James Hilgendorf, Paul Isaac Picklesimer, John Tate Bauman, Nicole Clikeman, Beth Cochran, Alex Coolidge, Kali Gentleman, Jessica Griffith, Keegan Hall, Tylor Hanzlik, Ian Kline, Edward, Lynch, Michael Aaron Meier, Stephanie Meisner, Christina Nielsen, Betsy Plemons, Christopher Plemons, Kurt B. Rangitsch, Sara Rangitsch, Katrina Sauter, Katherine Stewart, Lara Wilson.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 433, I was in a meeting and unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have vote ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 417, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''