Floor Statements

Offered By: Mr. Reed

Amendment No. 381: Page 282, line 10, after the dollar

amount, insert ``(decreased by $15,000,000)''.

Page 359, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert

``(increased by $15,000,000)''.

Page 359, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert

``(increased by $112,800,000)''.

Thank you very much.

I stand today to join my colleague and applaud my colleague for coming to the floor of the House to articulate what are truly our founding and our core principles. We should be going back to our Constitution on a regular basis and always recognize that what our Founding Fathers envisioned for America was a limited Federal Government; not an America that guarantees everyone success in life, but, rather, a government that guarantees that every American, every man, woman, and child in America has the opportunity to succeed.

We do not at the Federal Government level pick winners and losers. What we should do is always guarantee that the opportunity in America is there for our young men, women, and children of the generations of today and the generations of tomorrow to have the opportunity to succeed and control their own destiny.

I see an America right now, my good friend from Pennsylvania who is articulating here today, the concerns that the Nation of America truly is fighting for its existence.

We see a national debt that is at $14 trillion in publicly held debt. You talk to people about the unfunded liability of putting that national debt at $200 trillion, plus or minus. That's $242,000 for each man, woman, and child in America. That is not sustainable. That will not protect this Nation for generations of today and of tomorrow and for generations that are not even contemplated as we sit here tonight.

We have an obligation to stand for this wonderful Nation, and I am proud to join my colleague from Pennsylvania and come here tonight and cry out for America to say we need to stand once again.

We need to fight for our very existence, because that existence is threatened from that financial insecurity that is brought on by this national debt. And I am so confident that when we stand together, when we come into this Chamber and we have the open and

vigorous debate that we are going to have and that we will have, America will prosper. We will make the hard decisions, and we will stand proudly as one Nation for many generations to come that will be the beacon and the light to the world for so many who so need us and who so want us to succeed, and we are committed to that effort.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the repeal of the job-killing ObamaCare legislation.

This bill is a whopping 2,500 pages, a monstrosity of new spending and government bureaucracy, rushed to approval after only 48 hours of arm-twisting and deal-making. Unfortunately,

just as Republicans predicted, this legislation did absolutely nothing to address the real problem of health care--its cost.

Republicans have long advocated for tort reform to be included in any legislation to lower the costs of health care. For just as long, those who have written this legislation have continually ignored the need for tort reform. As even as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates, tort reform initiatives could save approximately $54 billion. I will say that the other side attempted to address tort reform by providing $50 million to States to consider the concept of tort reform. Here we go again. Another example of what's wrong with Washington, spending $50 million to figure out how to save money. The American people recognize Republicans have a better plan, one which reduces health care costs.

The American people recognize Republicans have a better plan, one which reduces health care costs and gets lawyers and bureaucrats out of our doctors' and nurses' offices.

Let's repeal this bill, focus on bipartisan initiatives we all agree on like fixing the doughnut hole, and pass tort reform legislation once and for all without spending an additional $50 million. Until we do so, jobs will continue to be lost.

Madam Speaker, I rise today without a script, but to send my thoughts and prayers, and those of all of the thousands of people from my district, out to the Congresswoman's family, to the Congresswoman herself, and to all the families that were affected by such a tragic day in our Nation's history.

We shall never forget what happened last Saturday. But as I walked into work today, and I saw the Sun breaking as it was coming up and shining on the dome of the Capitol, it was a glorious sight. Because what it reminded me is that even in our darkest days this Nation always will rise again. And as we stand here rightfully and pay our respects to our dear colleague and the families that suffered so much, and are suffering as we speak, let us not forget that this Nation will rise, and we will persevere.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 4 I was unavoidably detained and unable to cast my vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Jeanne Kaidy, a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Ms. Kaidy has been teaching at McQuaid Jesuit High School in Rochester, NY, for twelve years, currently teaching Biology and AP Environmental Science. Ms. Kaidy serves as chair of the Science Department at the high school and an adjunct instructor at Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY. Her lessons have encouraged her students to develop skills in collecting and analyzing field data; as a result, Ms. Kaidy's students continuously achieve some of the highest marks among schools in New York State on the AP Environmental Science exam. Ms. Kaidy's commitment to the academic growth of her students and dedication to her work is deserved of this high honor.

I am proud to honor her for the outstanding achievement of this award. I hope her excellence will be an example to the whole Nation and its hard working teachers.

Mr. Chairman, let me first note that this whole situation is an example of what is wrong with Washington. As a new Member, I think we have to stop continuously putting off difficult decisions until we are forced to make a decision in crisis mode as the clock clicks to zero hour. This vote has profound ramifications for every American, and now we are backed into a corner where the current tax rates expire on all taxpayers if we do nothing.

It didn't need to be this way. Shame on the politicians whose inaction over the decade forced us onto this precarious ledge. Shame on the leadership of the past 2 years who put us into this boxed corner.

Good policy cannot be handcuffed by this sort of last minute political guerilla warfare. The process which brought us to this point is inexcusable, so much so that the average middle class family in my district will pay more than $1,500 in increased taxes if we fail to act.

Our economic recovery in upstate New York continues to lag. Preventing the pending income and estate tax hikes that will hit every family and business in my district is paramount at this time. But once this bill is passed, we must begin in the next Congress to eradicate out-of-control spending. We cannot be put into this position again.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Hornell High School football team for the great success that they achieved on the football field during the 2010 season. This year, the Red Raiders won their second consecutive New York State Class B championship. The victory in the championship game was the Red Raiders' 26th consecutive victory over the last two years. The Hornell Red Raiders are in the distinguished position of having the longest current win streak in New York State high school football. Through their hard work, great determination and incredible success on the football field, the Hornell Red Raiders have brought great honor to their team, their school, and the City of Hornell. It is with no small amount of pride that we recognize the players and cheerleaders, coaches

and advisors, and administrators and parents for their achievement and congratulate them on their second consecutive state championship and 26th consecutive victory.

I thank my colleague from Nebraska, and I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to stand tonight and rise in support of H. Res. 1690. I appreciate the opportunity to speak today in regard to American Diabetes Month.

To me, it has been an honor and a privilege to be involved with many diabetes advocacy groups over the years, particularly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

This issue is a personal issue with my family. My son, Will, who is 10 years old, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 4. I personally will never forget the day, being rushed to the emergency room, as I had to hold him down and look him in the eye, with tears in his eyes, as he screamed in terror as to why, Daddy, are you holding me and letting these doctors hurt me? And we were doing it for his best interest because he had to be administered insulin to take care of his diabetic situation. My wife and I have been living with this disease for well over 6 years. I watch my wife every night get up at 2, 3, 4 in the morning, testing his blood glucose levels to make sure that he is properly monitored and that his diabetes is kept in check.

It is important to me today to stand up and recognize that there is no cure at this point in time for juvenile diabetes or diabetes itself. I hope in the near future and as a Member of this Chamber that that cure will be found. But in the meantime, I join my colleagues in expressing my concern for the 24 million children and adults in the United States who are living with this disease, and the estimated 57 million Americans that are at risk.

Today, we must become aware of this disease and its symptoms to make sure that everyone who suffers these symptoms of frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, extreme fatigue and irritability check with their medical providers and make sure that they are checked for diabetes, because it has life-threatening impacts such as blindness, amputation, and kidney failure.

I am here today to stand in support of this measure, and I will do whatever is in my power to raise awareness for diabetes and finding its cure as my tenure here in this House so allows.

I thank you, Madam Speaker, for welcoming me to this Chamber, and thank you, Congressman King, for introducing me to the House.

I would like to thank my wife, Jean; my children, Autumn and Will; and my family and friends. Without them, I would not be here.

I would also like to look to Heaven and hope my mother and father are proud and will guide me and us in this new endeavor.

As we begin this journey, the time for talk has come and gone. The campaigns are over, and the American people have spoken. Now is the time for service.

And though we may have our differences, let us invoke the spirit of those who stood in this very Chamber to solve the perils of our Nation's past and, through our vigorous debate, complete our work so our Nation will rise to a greatness not yet seen on the face of the Earth. Our debate should always be dynamic, and while we may disagree at times, we shall at all times conduct ourselves with humility and civility toward all.

Though we may appear on occasion to be rivals in this Chamber, I pledge to you and let us always remember and pledge to each other that we are forever countrymen, who proudly swear allegiance to our flag and will forever stand united against all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help us God.

Finally, it is with great pride that I join this institution thanks to the people of New York's 29th Congressional District. Over the last 2 years, I have heard your concerns, and I will represent you with all my heart, all my mind, and all my soul. I promise to serve you with dignity and dedication as we restore the opportunity for success that every American deserves.

Thank you, and I am so proud to call each and every one of you friends and colleagues.