Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I think it is appropriate that my first bill to be considered on the House floor is to honor a distinguished veteran who passed away in December of last year. Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Roy Boehm was a true American hero and longtime resident of Punta Gorda, FL which I am honored to represent.

Mr. Boehm was a retired Navy Lt. Commander and was the first officer in charge of SEAL Team 2, one of the original Navy SEAL teams. Many would say that he was the first SEAL.

H.R. 2470 names the post office located at 19190 Cochran Blvd. in Port Charlotte after Lieutenant Commander Boehm. LCDR Boehm enlisted in the Navy in 1941 and fought during World War II, Korea and Vietnam. In 1942, he participated in the Battle of Cape Esperance and Guadalcanal during WWII. He also was involved in action in Kerama Reto and Okinawa.

During his service, LCDR Boehm obtained qualifications in deep sea diving, deep submergence rescue chamber operator for submarine rescue, experimental diving, and salvage diving. He graduated from both Airborne and Ranger Training.

In 1961, under orders from President Kennedy LCDR Boehm developed and launched the Navy's elite Sea, Air, and Land forces unit known as the SEALs. LCDR Roy Boehm set the standard for the Navy SEALs of today and he is missed.

Well, thank you very much.

I thank the gentlelady from Wyoming for giving us the opportunity to reflect on our first 100 days and on, really, where we're going as a country and on the direction that we, as freshmen, when we all ran for Congress, thought we were going to go when we got here and on how we were going to try to make a difference, not only in our individual communities but in the country as a whole.

I was watching earlier on C-SPAN the former speakers talk about the spending and the size of government. I think that that's really the lighthouse that I use as a direction as to who we want to be as Americans and as to who we want to be as Congressmen. We really have a decision to make here as we move forward with all of the things that we have to consider.

I've got to be honest with you. It's very disheartening to see, as the father of three very young children, what we're leaving them as a legacy so far. Although, I am very encouraged by my fellow freshmen and by the people whom I meet on the treasure coast of Florida, in central Florida, in western Florida, and in the district that I represent, the 16th District of Florida. They remind me of why they sent me to Washington and of why they sent all of us to Washington.

It's never going to fall on deaf ears for me that the American people whom I represent and the American people whom I talk to believe in a strong United States of America, one with a strong military but one that lets the free market dictate who they're going to be without inhibiting where they're going to go.

It just breaks my heart to hear this week that auto dealers that employ hundreds of people and that contribute so much to my community are being closed. For what reason? They're not really sure. It's just because they were the ones picked even though, for decades, they've been profitable companies. People that own certain automobiles--I won't go into what they are--may have to travel over an hour now to get their cars serviced. Really, again, it's who we want to be as Americans.

I just want to thank the freshmen personally. The reason I really wanted to be here tonight was to thank you, personally, for signing up to a letter that I sent to the Speaker of the House today, asking her to not include a global bailout, really, of foreign countries on the backs of our American servicemen and women who are fighting.

As a former Army captain with my fellow colleague, who is a former marine--or a current marine--Duncan Hunter, we asked the freshmen Republicans to ask the Speaker not to include something that has nothing to do with funding our troops in the service that they're providing, which is putting themselves in harm's way for our liberty and for our freedoms, and really holding a military funding bill hostage with this IMF funding bill that has nothing to do with military spending.

To do that, for me, honestly, has been the biggest disappointment in my short tenure here in Congress. I have to explain to those men and women--and a lot of them are still active duty who my wife and I served with--that there is a problem with putting ammunition in their weapons or in giving them the body armor that they deserve or in up-armoring vehicles that they have to drive in because the majority has put into this bill something that has nothing to do with military spending. To try to explain that and to try to even justify to myself that what we're doing is the right thing is very difficult.

As we move forward as freshmen, whatever we decide to do on a lot of these issues, we can never forget why we're here and who sent us here.

Again, I just really thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to reflect and also for giving us the hope to move forward on a lot of the things that we're about to do here in Congress.

Absolutely.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present I would have voted on rollcall No. 284--``nay''; 285--``nay''; 286--``yea''; 287--``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, we've all heard about the out-of-control spending, the borrowing, the increase in taxes, the bailouts, the AIG bonuses, the stock market drop, the job losses, more foreclosures, government-run health care, increased gas prices, the credit crisis, more jobs lost, the President firing the CEO of General Motors, and more jobs lost--and this only in the first 2 months of this Congress.

Now we face a budget this week that will increase taxes, increase spending, increase borrowing more than ever before in the history of this country. We are also poised to make serious cuts in military spending in uncertain times.

We need to take a serious look in the eyes of our children and ask ourselves if they deserve the future we are giving them.

Thank you, sir. I appreciate the chart, first and foremost, because what I wanted to jump in and tell you is that we have been joined by some children in the chamber. This past weekend, I had the opportunity to go camping with my kids in Central Florida, and it all sort of dawned on me and hit me at once, as we are now referred to as the party of ``no.''

When you see a chart like this and you see what these children are about to face and what my three young sons, who are 7, 5, and 2, are about to face, why we are the party of ``no.'' And we heard recently from the other side as they were here and how outraged they were at AIG and how outraged they are at some of the things that are going on, this is why we vote ``no.'' This is exactly the reason why. We have to stand by our children and not saddle them and put on their backs what you are displaying on that chart there, sir, so that we can keep our financial house in order and allow it to translate to them an America that is better than we inherited.

We are on the cusp, as one of my friends in Florida likes to say, of being the first generation of Americans that leaves to their children an America that is worse off than what we received. That is all on us.

So we can sit here all day and talk about how outraged we are at AIG and what has happened with these bonuses being paid out that was agreed to and voted on by this Congress, even though a lot of us on the Republican side voted ``no,'' to be called the party of ``no'' and to see this, and now to hear the Democrats say they are outraged by what has happened.

Sir, I appreciate your saying that, because as I stand here with my colleague, Dr. Cassidy, as a fellow freshman, I do believe that when we came up here after campaigning recently, what the American public, or at least my constituents, were expecting, was the bipartisanship that you are talking about. And I have to tell you, it is the biggest disappointment from taking the oath of office and starting as a congressman, that that is just not reality. I don't know if that is how it has worked. Obviously, it has worked in the past. But that is not what we are getting now in this Congress. And it is an extremely disappointing, eye-opening phenomenon that unfortunately we have to endure.

I just want to expand a little bit on what the gentleman was talking about with regard to the $250,000 on top of what you are talking about with cap-and-trade, or cap-and-tax, as some people like to call it, with the people that are going to have to pay the $3,000 per household to afford the energy costs that cap-and-trade will bring. But the $250,000 cannot be dismissed without first realizing you're talking about the small business owners. The people who in my district employ five, 10, 15 people, they have told me that if they have to incur more taxes, because they are doing their taxes right now, if they have to incur more taxes, they are going to have to lay people off. So even if you don't make $250,000, you are going to be affected by this tax increase because you might be one of those people that the people making $250,000 lays off.

So I think it is important that the spending, the taxing, and now obviously the borrowing that we are having to incur is just the wrong recipe, as I said before, for the future of our country.

If the gentleman will yield. And the question that you have to ask yourself, say that there are jobs created, and certainly there may be short-term jobs created. But what happens when the money runs out? You either have to pass another stimulus bill to keep those jobs or the small businesses are going to have to absorb those jobs. But if they have to incur increased taxes, they are not going to be able to do so. So whatever jobs are created through the current stimulus are a flash in the pan. And we are seeing there are a lot of things in that stimulus that we don't like so much, like bonuses for AIG. That is why we voted ``no.'' And we are criticized for doing that. But it was the right thing to do. I think that in the end, with what you're saying, Dr. Cassidy, is that there may be a short flash in the pan for jobs, but it is not the long-term jobs that this country needs.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 115, I was on the floor and voting, but due to mechanical error, my vote was not recorded. I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Martin County Fire Medic Fred Pierno, Jr. Freddy is the only member of the Martin County Fire Rescue to ever die in the line of duty. He lived a life of service to his community and country. He was a Navy veteran during the Vietnam War and served for 20 years with Martin County Fire Rescue. His fellow firefighters enjoyed working by his side and he always put others first.

It was in 2006 while trying to save the life of a patient that he contracted hepatitis C. Firefighters and medics like Freddy put their lives on the line day in and day out and face dangers that can't always be seen. Freddy is only the 13th firefighter in the United States to die in the line of duty from this virus.

We honor Fred Pierno's sacrifice to the people of Martin County. He will truly be missed.

Madam Speaker, I can't tell you how disappointed I am as a new Member of this body as to the process that we are deliberating here today having only received this bill late last night and now we are voting on it today. What happened to the open and transparent Congress that I promised my constituents and that the President asked us to do when I was elected here not too long ago? The Democrats say that there has been transparency, but we know that this is not true.

What about the backroom deals? What about reaching across party lines? The minority has been left out of the discussion, and the people of my district expect and deserve better. I cannot vote for such a large bill that levies our economic future on the backs of my children.

Where is the help for more take-home pay for Martin County? Thirteen dollars a week? Where is the foreclosure relief for St. Lucie County? It's been cut in half. And what about jobs? I couldn't find one specific job for St. Lucie County which unemployment rates are now rivaling Detroit, Michigan.

The majority says it's their plan or nothing, and we are the party of ``no.'' But we had a plan. It was a good plan. And I sincerely hope in the future we will be able to work together as the people expect us to do.

Mr. Speaker, thank you to Congressman Doyle for sponsoring this bill. You know, it's not really in our family's disposition to sort of brag on itself, but given the opportunity that I have as a new Member of this Congress and the accomplishments that we've had, I'll do so briefly.

Our old quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, called my grandfather, Art Rooney, a good king. But for 40 years, Mike, as you said, the Pittsburgh Steelers never won. And then the chief, who founded the team in 1933, saw his team win four Super Bowls in the 1970s, before he died in 1988. Now, we have two more in the last couple of years, and that's six, more than any team ever. I know my grandfather is up there in heaven looking down, smiling, smoking a cigar. I miss him every day, and I love him very much.

Michael, Dan, and my cousin, Artie, have done a great job carrying his torch, but the other owners in my family who are part of this team, my Uncle Art, who scouted all those players you saw play in the 1970s that won four Lombardi trophies, my Uncle Tim of New York, my Uncle John of Philadelphia, my dad, Pat Rooney, Sr. of Florida, and the McGinleys, all ``North Siders'' of Pittsburgh, but all make up the ownership of the Pittsburgh Steelers and play a role in who the Rooneys are and how they conduct business.

Instilled by my grandfather, the secret of the success of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Rooney family is, quite simply, patience, humility, faith, trust in our coaches and our players, but most importantly, defense. Defense.

I want to say congratulations to our coaches, Mike Tomlin and Dick LeBeau, who should be in the Hall of Fame, our front office, our players, Glades Central High School MVP Santonio Holmes, James Harrison, with the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history. But most of all to Steeler Nation, get ready for Number 7 in 2009.

Go Steelers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Roy Boehm, a true American hero and a longtime constituent of Punta Gorda, Florida.

Mr. Boehm was a retired Navy lieutenant commander, and was the first officer in charge of SEAL Team 2, one of the original Navy SEAL teams. Many would say that he was the first Navy SEAL.

Lieutenant Commander Boehm enlisted in the Navy in 1941, and fought during World War II, Korea and Vietnam. In 1942, he participated in the Battle of Cape Esperance at Guadalcanal, one of the largest, all- surface sea engagements of World War II. In 1961, under orders from President Kennedy, Lieutenant Commander Boehm developed and launched the Navy's elite Sea, Air and Land forces unit known as the SEALs.

Our Nation is grateful for Lieutenant Commander Boehm's service. Lieutenant Commander Roy Boehm set the standards for the Navy SEALs of today, and he will truly be missed. On behalf of all of the men and women who wear or who have worn the uniform, I say thank you for your service.