Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, the American people have been speaking for months about the need to increase our domestic energy production. Never has the political will been so strong for the opening up of our domestic resources both on- and offshore. But, this Democrat-controlled Congress is not heeding the voice of its constituents and has failed them by bringing H.R. 6899 to the floor today.

Our Nation is currently facing one of the most significant energy challenges in its history. We are not producing enough energy to provide for our growing economy. This bill inadequately addresses this challenge because it keeps 88 percent of our known resources in the Outer Continental Shelf, OCS, off limits to new domestic energy exploration. If Congress is serious about energy independence and lowering the cost of fuel, this isn't the bill. America deserves a comprehensive, bipartisan energy bill that opens up our domestic resources, incentivizes the discovery of renewable technologies and encourages conservation. This is the policy that will lead America into energy independence in the long-term and bring down the price of gas in the short-term.

Before I get into why this bill fails our constituents, I want to point out a provision I do support. I was pleased the provision that makes it a Federal crime for oil companies with Federal leases to provide gifts to Government employees was inserted in this bill. I am deeply disappointed in recent revelations about improper activities between Federal employees and oil company representatives. And I support actions that would help prevent such improper activities from happening again. However, this bill fails miserably to incentivize the discovery of new technologies and domestic energy sources.

Why does this bill fail our constituents? The Democrat-controlled Congress hastily put together this 290-page bill in the dark of night and brought it to the floor the very next morning. At 9:45 p.m. on September 15, 2008, H.R. 6899 was introduced. At 10 a.m., H.R. 6899 was brought to the House floor without any amendments and no committee input. This is not the process envisioned by our founders. Actually, when the Republicans held the majority in 2005, they allowed 23 Democrat amendments to be offered to the energy bill, H.R. 6. This bill fails our constituents because this leadership has shut out the voice of 48 percent of our constituents by not allowing any Republican amendments.

The bill opens with the words, ``Prohibition on Leasing.'' The Democrat's energy solution for the American people is a prohibition on leasing and limited new energy production that will help us achieve energy freedom. This bill will produce little if any new oil and gas since it locks up, by law, the first 50 miles of our coasts--on the Pacific coast that is over 97 percent of our known resources. Overall, 88 percent of all known resources offshore remain permanently locked under this bill. Instead of producing more American energy with American workers, the Democrats would rather rely on foreign nations to produce our oil and natural gas. This is economically and environmentally irresponsible.

In the 50-100 miles beyond the Atlantic and Pacific shores, the adjacent state must approve any lease. But what makes this provision even more unlikely to produce any new energy offshore is the fact that the bill does not share any of the royalties with adjacent states. Thus, it effectively removes any incentive for states to ``opt in'' while changing current policy on state revenue sharing.

Why is this bill failing our constituents? Our country holds the largest supply of clean coal in the world. But this bill does nothing to promote clean coal and coal to liquid technologies.

Why does this bill fail our constituents? Americans face a significant increase in our electricity rates in the coming months. This bill does nothing to increase our capacity; in fact, this bill imposes a new 15 percent renewable energy requirement on utilities. This bill fails our constituents because these new renewable energy requirements will be passed along to them in the form of higher monthly utility bills.

The American people deserve a rational, transparent debate about developing domestic energy resources. Congress should pass a bipartisan energy plan that includes conservation, production, and innovation to help America become energy independent. We desperately need energy freedom in America.

Why does this bill fail our constituents? This bill fails our constituents because it doesn't bring us any closer to energy independence. Instead of introducing a bill in the dark of night, this Democrat majority should bring up a bipartisan bill that has been vetted by both sides of the aisle. The Speaker has an abundance of legislative options that address our short-term and long-term energy needs. But she refuses to allow a full debate and vote on a comprehensive plan.

For instance, a bipartisan bill, H.R. 6709, the National Conservation, Environment and Energy Independence Act, has been introduced by Representative Abercrombie (D-HI) and John Peterson (R- PA). I am a cosponsor of this bill. One of the principal areas of this legislation is production--the exploration for and extraction of oil and natural gas in places such as the Outer Continental Shelf. There's also a call to establish conservation and environmental reserve funds that will help to preserve and to maintain wildlife refuges and public parks and to develop alternative energy, including solar, wind, and biofuels. The production of oil and natural gas from within U.S. borders will serve as a bridge to the Nation's ``alternative energy future'' and will see to it that the royalties from the leasing and sale of that oil and natural gas go to alternative energy, environmental, and conservation projects.

A second option is H.R. 6566, the American Energy Act, of which I am also a cosponsor. The American Energy Act is an ``all of the above'' energy strategy that will increase the supply of American-made energy in environmentally sound ways. It will accomplish this by opening energy-rich deep ocean resources, Arctic coastal plain, and Inter- Mountain West oil shale resources for more environmentally safe oil and gas exploration. This bill will also improve energy conservation and efficiency by providing tax incentives for businesses and families that improve their energy efficiency. This legislation focuses heavily on the promotion of alternative and renewable energy technologies through spurring the development of alternative fuels by permanently extending the tax credit for alternative energy production, including wind, solar and hydrogen and promoting coal-to-liquids technology.

These are the policies that will lead America into energy independence. While I cannot support this bill today, if H.R. 6709, the bipartisan energy bill were to be brought to the House floor, I would vote ``yes.'' If H.R. 6566, an ``all of the above'' energy bill were brought to the House floor, I would vote ``yes.'' It is my hope that these bills will be brought to the floor of the House of Representatives before the 110th Congress adjourns. These are the bills that actually address and allow America to explore our own domestic resources and build a bridge to our future energy sources.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for adoption. Specifically, I rise to express my support for two bills we are considering on the floor today--the Fostering Connections to Success and Increased Adoptions Act, and the resolution Recognizing National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month.

It is no secret that I am pro-life. Life begins at conception, and I believe that we should do everything within our power to encourage and facilitate mothers to carry their child to term. It is my hope and prayer that every child will be wanted and loved by his or her parent. But I am not so naive as to think that this is always the case. Tragically, there are situations where the mother and/or father cannot care for their baby. Perhaps the mother is still in school, and too young to responsibly raise the child. Perhaps she is unmarried, and does not have the means to provide for her baby. There are a myriad of reasons. But while there are some in this great nation who would suggest these, and other extenuating circumstances are exactly why abortion needs to remain legal, I instead believe that they are exactly the reason adoption needs greater national attention.

Over the years that I have had the privilege of serving the people of the 4th District of Kansas here in Washington, I have worked with many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation that protects the sanctity of life, for those born, and those still in the womb. An important aspect of that effort, however, is caring for the child after it is born. Unfortunately, this is an area that is often overlooked. It is my hope that legislation before us today, H.R. 6893 and H. Res. 1432, will help remedy this problem.

The Fostering Connections to Success and Increased Adoptions Act takes great steps to assist both children and adoptive parents. It provides financial assistance for relatives of children in foster care that agree to become permanent guardians. And it includes educational stability as a factor when establishing a child's case plans. Provisions like these help to establish a sense of consistency in the life

of a child that is all too often lacking that. It also reauthorizes the Adoption Incentives Program, which can make the possibility of adopting more feasible for some families.

Madam Speaker, the choice to adopt a child is not one to be made without great consideration. There are risks and challenges involved with such a decision. We in Congress should show them our support and encouragement for them when they do decide to adopt. One way for us to do that is through H. Res. 1432. I encourage my colleagues to join me in voting for these bills, and let's show our support for adoption, and the children and families involved in it.

Madam Speaker, today is the 7th anniversary of one of the most horrific days in our Nation's history. On September 11, 2001 terrorists attacked the United States and slaughtered our fellow citizens in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Fox News is calling this the ``day that changed America'' but I disagree. America didn't change, instead the evil attacks brought out the best in America.

As terrible events have a tendency to do, the terrorist attacks brought this Nation together. We have mourned together, been angry together, prayed together, indeed come together as Americans not as Southerners or Northerners, Midwesterners or East Coasters. It's an outlook that extends beyond national pride; we acknowledge that we as Americans are all in this together. None of us who were here on that terrible day will forget the spontaneous gathering of Congress on the steps of this great building that survived thanks to the brave men and women of Flight 93. Politics was truly brushed aside as we joined hand in hand, mourning the dead, celebrating the spirit of this great Nation, and vowing to do all we can to protect this Nation and her citizens.

The events of September 11, 2001 did have had a drastic effect on our Nation and the world at large. The focus of the country changed. Today, our Nation's ideas and her people still face a continuing threat from terrorists. Nearly every single day, the intelligence community records another threat or two against America or our interests. Hardly a week goes by that some terrorists somewhere don't reiterate their interest in attacking this great Nation. But our military, first responders and intelligence officers as well as alert citizens have remained vigilant and prevented further attacks.

Today as we remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and their loved ones, we also take time to honor and thank the thousands of first responders, the myriad aviation personnel from air traffic controllers to pilots and flight attendants who safely grounded planes across the country, and of course the men and women in our military and intelligence communities who have been engaged in a global war on the terrorists for the past seven years. God bless them all and may God continue to bless America.

Madam Speaker, owning a home is an essential component of the American dream, and an accomplishment that millions of Americans aspire to and take pride in. In recent months, however, the housing market has entered a slump. The effort to provide a way for all Americans to own their own homes brought a sharp increase in the usage of subprime and exotic mortgages, which proved to be more than the market could handle. We now find ourselves grappling with decisions on how best to ``fix'' the problems that have arisen in the housing market and in our economy.

However, a potential $300 billion Government handout, such as what has been proposed in this legislation, is not the answer. Congress has been given a real opportunity to reform Government Sponsored Enterprises, GSEs, and eliminate the threat to the housing market. Unfortunately, however, the authors of this legislation have chosen to reject real reforms and instead only include ridiculous amounts of bailout spending. By extending an unlimited line of credit to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac until 2009, we are placing American taxpayers at risk by absorbing the losses of these for-profit institutions. The bill further institutes a tax on the very GSEs that we are being asked to prop up, and allows that money--an estimated $9 billion over 10 years-- to be given to supposed ``housing and development'' groups that have been shown to participate in illegal and unethical activities, such as widespread voter fraud. The Congressional Budget Office, CBO, has estimated that the expected value of the Federal budgetary cost from enacting this proposal would be $25 billion over fiscal years 2009 and 2010, but that this figure could rise into the hundreds of billions of dollars. I believe this legislation will further exacerbate our nation's rising deficit and further weaken our already ``weak dollar.''

While there is no doubt the housing slump must be addressed, I am concerned by the precedent of using taxpayer dollars to bail out fraudulent lenders and, in some cases, irresponsible borrowers. Congress can enact responsible, market-based legislation to address our housing needs. I fully support FHA and GSE reform measures, yet I cannot support a massive bailout to irresponsible lending practices and market speculators. For these reasons, I voted against H.R. 3221.

I remain committed to supporting measures that provide the necessary relief to families who have been victimized without burdening taxpayers for the irresponsibility of others. Therefore, I have given my support to two alternative bills introduced before the House of Representatives that precisely address the needs of homeowners in a responsible and fair way.

First, H.R. 5974, the Housing Opportunity for All Americans Act of 2008, addresses the housing slump in a responsible way. For instance, this bill does not include $300 billion in funding to the Federal Housing Authority. Instead of providing a massive bailout to irresponsible lenders and borrowers, this legislation creates a market incentive approach to the housing slump. The market approach includes a one-time tax credit for homebuyers of 10 percent of the home's purchase price, up to $10,000, for 1 year after the enactment of the bill. Also, under this legislation, taxpayers who are nonresident aliens, those who flip a home within the 1 year period, or people who sell a house to a relative simply for the credit, would not be eligible. Furthermore, mortgages which exceed the maximum original principal obligation of a mortgage Freddie Mac will purchase would not qualify.

Second, the Homeownership Protection and Housing Market Stabilization Act of 2008, H.R. 5857, is a more responsible approach to addressing the current issues facing the housing market and the underlying causes of the problem. The bill includes provisions to directly protect homebuyers and owners, such as housing counseling, improved disclosure practices, fraud combating and prevention measures, and encouragement to rework loans instead of foreclosing. It also aims to help prevent lenders from falling into the same habits that have recently developed in the industry by providing liability protection for helping troubled borrowers, requiring escrow accounts for subprime borrowers, and reforming appraisal practices for prospective homebuyers. In addition, this legislation contains provisions similar to those that have passed this House with my support: FHA modernization and improved regulation of GSEs, including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

These alternative bills provide the integrity of the appraisal process and strengthen mortgage fraud prevention efforts that will help bring stability to the current housing market. These bills together represent a viable alternative, offering an appropriate response to a serious problem without burdening taxpayers for the irresponsibility of others. I hope this body has the chance to consider these important provisions in the immediate future.

Madam Speaker, I submit the following:

H.R. 6599, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act; 2009, contains $6,800,000 for MXG Consolidation and Forward Logistic Center, Phase 2 in the Air Force, Military Construction account.

This project is for McConnell Air Force Base located at 57837 Coffeyville St., Kansas, 67221.

The funds will help complete phase two of the Maintenance Group (MXG) Consolidation and Forward Logistics Center that will streamline many different facilities into one maintenance facility, resulting in improved military operations and saving taxpayer dollars by reducing operations and maintenance spending.

No matching funds are required for this military construction project.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 535, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 525, I was inadvertently detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to President Bush's veto of H.R. 6331. This legislation is a critical bill to ensure that our seniors have access to health care and so I will again vote in its favor. I am disappointed with the President's decision and am compelled to make a stand in support of our seniors.

By the nature of our democratic process, almost no bill considered in Congress is perfect, and H.R. 6331 is no exception. We cannot, however, ``let the perfect be the enemy of the good.'' H.R. 6331 is a good compromise that will help preserve our health care delivery system. This bill will increase investment in preventive and quality care, expand programs in rural communities, expand the patient centered medical home, and begin to transform the health care delivery system through the adoption of electronic prescribing. This investment will yield generations of healthier adults, improved quality of life, and long-term health care savings.

One of the most important pieces of this bill is the physician reimbursement rate fix--which is really an access issue. Perhaps the most critical situation facing our seniors in the coming decades will be access to physicians. Due to the paltry reimbursement rates for their services, more and more doctors are unable to take on new Medicare patients, or even serve any Medicare patients. They simply cannot pay the bills. The formula that CMS uses to determine the reimbursement for physician services is not based on cost accounting standards. No one seems to understand why CMS adopted this formula decades ago, yet no one at the agency seems willing to overhaul it. The result is decreasing reimbursement for physicians. When they cannot cover their own costs, they have to stop seeing Medicare patients and this is a grave concern. We are not only concerned that our parents will not be able to see a physician when in need, but also that there won't be adequate health care access when the baby boomers and our children become Medicare eligible. I'm for a permanent fix, which this House voted for in 2004 as part of the Medicare Modernization Act before the Senate stripped it, but until we get there, preventing the annual cuts must be our priority. This bill prevents a reimbursement rate cut and helps physicians continue to see their senior patients.

I strongly disagree with the President--and even my own leadership-- on his position. Access to healthcare is one of the greatest issues facing our seniors--along with rising fuel costs--and it is irresponsible to stand in the way of providing that access. I urge my colleagues to join me in overriding the veto of H.R. 6331.

Mr. Speaker, I offer my support for the passage of both amendments which constitute H.R. 2642, the Iraq/Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations. Our service personnel serving abroad and here at home deserve the full support of this Congress. After months of partisan posturing by the Democrat Leadership, this bill finally puts the needs of our troops above the needs of politicians.

This bipartisan agreement provides $161.8 billion for the Department of Defense (DoD) to carry out the will of this nation. This funding pays the salaries and benefits of military and DoD civilian personnel, the fuel for their vehicles, and ammunition for their guns. This funding also takes care of their loved ones left behind.

In addition to providing for our service personnel in combat, this important legislation expands the GI education benefits for our veterans and extends unemployment insurance, Although unrelated to the primary purpose of this legislation, I agree that these are vital priorities to the American people.

In December 1943 when Kansan Harry Colmery wrote the guiding principles that would become the GI Bill of Rights, the promise was clear. Veterans returning from war would be provided with free education and a host of other benefits as a token of America's thanks for their service. Today, returning veterans receive many of these same benefits, but the value of the educational benefits has fallen due to the rapid rise in the cost of higher education.

The important educational expansion to the GI Bill found in H.R. 2642 renews the promise first proposed by Harry Colmery. Service members in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world fighting the Global War on Terror deserve our support while in uniform and when their duty is complete. As a Kansan, I am proud of the work Mr. Colmery started in 1943 and the work Congress continues today with the passage of this legislation.

This bill provides increased educational benefits for all members of the military who have served on active duty since September 11, 2001. The new benefit includes tuition reimbursement equal to the established cost regularly charged for in-state tuition at a public institution of higher education, a housing allowance, and a stipend for supplies and equipment for four academic years. The amount of the benefit is determined by the length of time, after September 11, 2001, the service member was on active duty. This provision also allows educational benefits to be transferred to the spouse or child of a service member.

As a co-sponsor of H.R. 5740, which provided the base concepts of this GI Bill expansion provision, I am very pleased that these benefits were included in H.R. 2642. Thankfully these much deserved benefits are not linked to a tax increase on small businesses, which was the case on an earlier version of the Iraq/Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations.

In addition to providing funding for our troops fighting the Global War on Terror and

valuable educational benefits to our military veterans, this legislation includes an extension of unemployment insurance for 13 weeks in every state through March 31, 2009. Contrary to previous versions that had been considered by this House, this provision incorporates a 20-week work requirement in order to qualify for benefits. This work requirement is essential to ensure that people do not gain unemployment benefits for a longer period of time than they worked.

Mr. Speaker, this is a proud day. I am privileged to support this important legislation to honor our commitments to those in uniform and our veterans. They deserve nothing less. I hope all my colleagues will support both amendments to the H.R. 2642.

Madam Speaker, the Interior approps bill will be in the full committee tomorrow and is, on balance, a very good bill. Chairman Dicks has done a thorough job, with many hearings, and has been very fair in looking at the various elements of the bill.

But it is an energy bill as well, and with gas at $4.089 as a nationwide average, and with great opportunity in the Interior bill, we have done nothing to bring down the price of gas.

So, tomorrow, in the full committee, we have a series of amendments that will address the price of gasoline, and I urge all my colleagues to join in the effort to bring down the price of gas.

We can do this by increasing production in ANWR, in the Outer Continental Shelf. We can start to do the permitting process for oil shale. In every case, we will increase a reliable, environmentally safe supply of oil, and bring down the price of oil for working men and women here in America.

So, again, Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join with us and bring down the price of oil by increasing the supply.

Mr Speaker, I rise today to offer my strong support to H. Res. 1243, which recognizes the importance of fathers in American society.

In 1965, while reporting to the Johnson administration on the problems of under-class America, Daniel Patrick Moynihan cut to the root of many of the problems we in Congress work so hard to address. His report stated that, ``. . . A community that allows a large number of young men to grow up in broken families . . . never acquiring any stable relationship to male authority, never acquiring any rational expectations about the future--that

community asks for and gets chaos.'' Tragically, since the Moynihan Report was issued, the number of fatherless homes has more than tripled. Is it any wonder, then, that our society has the problems that it does?

Several studies conducted in recent years emphasize the importance of fathers in the well-being of their children. Children living without their fathers are 5 times more likely to live in poverty as those who live with both parents. Not living with both parents quadruples the risk of having an affective disorder, such as depression, and are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with breathing problems such as asthma. Cigarette, alcohol, and drug use, and violent crime rates are all significantly lower for children that come from two parent households. Children with fathers are half as likely to drop out of school, half as likely to repeat a grade, and much more likely to get A's, enjoy school, and participate in extracurricular activities. And where fathers were present, young men were more likely to grow up to become good fathers themselves.

It would be naive for me to suggest that the simple presence of a father guarantees the success of their children and a life without problems. But the evidence is overwhelming that fathers do play a vital role in the growth and development of their children. So, Mr. Speaker, as we prepare to celebrate Fathers' Day this weekend, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this resolution that expresses our appreciation for the hard work that fathers do in providing for their families, for modeling good relationships, and for raising their children to be responsible citizens of this great country.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I would like to take just a moment to honor my own father, Wilbur Tiahrt. Truly a member of the Greatest Generation, he raised me and my siblings to be people of integrity, to value our families, and to appreciate and cherish the freedoms we have in America today. Seven years ago, my father underwent open heart surgery. That experience has served as a very personal reminder to how short life is, and each Fathers' Day I am especially grateful for the time that I have with my father.

Mr. Speaker, gas is over $4 a gallon and people are upset. According to a May 20 Gallup poll, 57 percent of Americans support drilling in U.S. coastal and wilderness areas that are now off- limits. The tide is turning. Americans know we can solve this problem of high gas prices.

Just this week the Sioux City Journal reported the results of what they called the ``most important election in the county's history.'' By a solid 58-42 percent, the voters of Union County approved a zoning ordinance that will keep alive the county's chances of landing the Nation's first oil refinery in 32 years. They know we need to increase our energy supply, and that's why I introduced the Refinery Streamlined Permitting Act, H.R. 2471, a bill that would require agencies to give high priority to refinery applications that would result in greater capacity, a cleaner-burning fuel, and a reduction in refinery's pollution output.

Mr. Speaker, Americans need substantive solutions to secure our Nation's energy future. Let's join together in our efforts to open up the coasts, the wilderness areas, and drill for more oil to increase our domestic supply and bring down the price of gasoline.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in support of H. Con. Res. 334, honoring the Armed Forces of the United States of America during ``National Military Appreciation Month.'' During this month, we Americans honor and recognize all the military members who serve and have given their lives in defense of the freedoms we enjoy today. This bill recognizes those on active duty in all branches of service, the National Guard and Reserves, retirees, veterans, and all of their families.

We must continue to impress upon our children and grandchildren the sacrifices that our armed services have provided this country. We must be diligent in reminding all Americans, young and old, that the price of freedom is paid for everyday, through the blood, sweat and tears of our brave men and women of the Armed Forces and the sacrifices made by their family members.

Additionally, our Education System has the duty and the responsibility to continue to highlight the historical impact of the military throughout the last 230 years. Americans must never forget the historical impact of the military in United States history and the role they played in ensuring the American way of life. Events like the American Revolution, the Civil War, Pearl Harbor, Normandy, and World War I and II, must always be remembered for the important role they played in making the United States of America the greatest country in the world.

Finally, while we understand and praise the personal sacrifices our brave men and women make in defending our great Nation, we frequently forget that duty is a 24-7, 365-day commitment for the soldiers and their families. As we continue our Global War on Terror, military members of the Armed Forces will continue to shoulder the burden of freedom and independence. A month-long dedication to their tireless efforts is the cast we can do as Americans.

Americans, during the National Military Appreciation Month, should go out of their way to shake the hand of a military member, say a special thank-you, and continually pray for our soldiers and their families.

The Armed Forces of the United States of America continue to play a vital role in the defense of this country. Their contributions and sacrifices have not gone unnoticed and designating May as National Military Appreciation Month is a perfect opportunity for us as a Nation to pay great tribute to their tremendous sacrifices.

I encourage my colleagues to support this important resolution and am pleased that today the House recognizes the valuable contributions of the Armed Forces of the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the Congressional Club on the occasion of their Founder's Day Celebration and their 100th anniversary. I am grateful to the Congressional Club for embracing my family since I was elected to the House in 1994. It has played such an important role in our lives that my wife, Vicki Holland Tiahrt, served as president of the Club in 2005 and 2006, and remains very involved. This organization, founded in 1908 by a unanimous act of Congress, has provided a setting for bipartisan friendships for 100 years. The only club to be commissioned by an act of Congress, the bill was signed by Teddy Roosevelt, who knew the value of a loving wife. When his wife passed away, President Roosevelt lamented, ``The light has gone out of my life.''

It was so wise for Congress in 1908 to form the Congressional Club for wives. While never receiving any tax dollars or public money, and governed by a bipartisan board, the Congressional Club has remained a home away from home for spouses, a safe place for sharing the trials of public life, and for developing bipartisan friendships that encourage civility and good will in government. The membership and relationships extend to the administration of the White House and the Supreme Court.

A clubhouse was built in 1914 at 2001 New Hampshire Avenue, in Northeast (Washington). The land was donated by Mary Foote Henderson and chosen because the women could look south down 16th Street and see the White House. Immediately, embassies began building in that area in order to be close to the Congressional Club. The Club has been a good neighbor for nearly a century, staying when others left as the area suffered urban decay. The women paid their mortgage and

kept their property in good repair with money raised from dues and the selling of 14 published editions of the Congressional Cookbook. Due to its success, the club was able to pay off its mortgage in 1948. To commemorate the occasion, Club member and First Lady Bess Truman ceremonially burned the papers at the 40th anniversary celebration. Since that time, their funds have been given to charity, and been used to pay for the upkeep of this historic home. The presence of the Congressional Clubhouse helped promote renewal in the DuPont Circle neighborhood until finally the U Street corridor is booming and busy again. The Clubhouse is on the National Register of historic places.

This is much more than just a social club. During World War I, the women rolled bandages and kept a room at Union Station for traveling soldiers. During World War II, Eleanor Roosevelt encouraged the women to promote patriotism and public safety in their home districts as part of the war effort. After September 11, the spouses were given a briefing to share with their home districts about how to prepare their families and communities for the possibility of additional terrorist attacks.

For a century now, spouses have done inner-city charity work. Every December, a Christmas party hosts underprivileged children who celebrate the season with gifts and a holiday meal, the singing of carols and making of crafts with Congressional families. At the end of each school year, a pizza party is held at the Club for at-risk inner city children. The wives have encouraged a sense of community by honoring the local fire and police departments and hosting the annual appreciation day for local nursing home senior citizens.

They continue to contribute to the lives of Congressional families by providing orientation for spouses of newly elected Members, annually honoring the First Lady and giving tens of thousands of dollars to a charity in her name. Their regular luncheons provide programs of education and entertainment.

Also worth mentioning is the global reach of the spouses through the annual honoring of ambassadors' wives. This past week, the Congressional Club hosted over 50 countries, who modeled fashions from their native land. This extension of the hand of friendship around the world surely promotes good will and encourages understanding of our culture of freedom and equality for all people.

I would also be remiss if I did not mention the work of the Club's Anniversary Committee, and its president, my beloved wife, Vicki. They have put together a number of events celebrating the anniversary, including a ringing of the official bells of the United States Congress, a birthday cake at the annual First Lady's luncheon, and a commemorative cancellation stamp.

It is fitting that this Congress should honor the good work of our political spouses and of the Congressional Club. In a time of extreme partisanship that all too often poisons relationships and stymies legislative action, the Congressional Club serves as a poignant reminder of life without partisanship. I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Congressional Club and their 100 years of friendship and community service.

Madam Speaker, owning a home is an essential component of the American dream, and an accomplishment that millions of Americans aspire to and take pride in. In recent months, however, the housing market has entered a slump. The effort to provide a way for all Americans to own their own homes brought a sharp increase in the usage of subprime and exotic mortgages, which proved to be more than the market could handle. We now find ourselves grappling with decisions on how best to ``fix'' the problems that have arisen in the housing market and in our economy.

However, a broad government handout, such as what has been proposed in recent legislation, is not the answer.

While the housing slump must be addressed, I am concerned by the precedent of using taxpayer dollars to bail out fraudulent lenders and, in some instances, irresponsible borrowers. H.R. 5818 and H.R. 3221, the so-called ``Neighborhood Stabilization Act of 2008'' and ``Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008,'' propose such a bailout at the cost of responsible, hardworking American families.

These bills do contain important provisions such as the modernization of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and reform of Government- Sponsored Entities (GSEs). These bills, however, also include a $300 billion taxpayer-funded government subsidizing of irresponsible lending behavior. I fully support the FHA and GSE reform measures that have passed the House of Representatives, yet I cannot support a massive bailout to irresponsible lending practices and market speculators. For these reasons, I voted against H.R. 5818 and H.R. 3221.

While I cannot support legislation that rewards bad behavior at the expense of taxpayers, I remain strongly committed to supporting measures that provide the necessary relief to families who have been victimized without burdening taxpayers for the irresponsibility of others. Therefore, I am supporting two alternative bills introduced before the House of Representatives that precisely address the needs of homeowners in a responsible and fair way.

First, H.R. 5974, The Housing Opportunity for All Americans Act of 2008, addresses the housing slump in a responsible way. Instead of providing a massive bailout to irresponsible lenders and borrowers, this legislation creates a market incentive approach to the housing slump. The market approach includes a one-time tax credit for homebuyers of 10 percent of the home's purchase price (up to $10,000) for 1 year after the enactment of the bill. Also, under this legislation, taxpayers who are non-resident aliens, flip a home within the 1 year period, or sell a house to a relative simply for the credit, would not be eligible. Furthermore, mortgages which exceed the maximum original principal obligation of a mortgage Freddie Mac will purchase would not qualify.

Second, H.R. 5857, the Homeownership Protection and Housing Market Stabilization Act of 2008, is also a more responsible approach to addressing the current problems facing the housing market. The bill includes provisions to directly protect home buyers and owners, such as housing counseling, improved disclosure practices, fraud combating and prevention measures, and encouragement to rework loans instead of foreclosing. It also aims to help prevent lenders from falling into the same habits that have recently developed in the industry by providing liability protection for helping troubled borrowers, requiring escrow accounts for subprime borrowers, and reforming appraisal practices for prospective homebuyers. In addition, this legislation contains provisions similar to those that have passed this House with my support: FHA modernization and improved regulation of GSEs, including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

These alternative bills provide the integrity of the appraisal process and strengthen mortgage fraud prevention efforts that will help bring stability to the current housing market. These bills together represent a viable alternative, offering an appropriate response to a serious problem without burdening taxpayers for the irresponsibility of others.

I am hopeful that a bipartisan compromise can be achieved in Conference that can be supported by majority of the Members of the House and Senate, as well as the President. An effectual and responsible solution to the current situation must be reached for the sake of our economy and our citizens, and I hope to be able to vote on legislation that provides sensible but effective relief for American homeowners.