Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite).

I would like to inquire as to how much time we have remaining on our side, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, we need to keep in mind the broader challenges facing Medicare. Medicare's trustees have expressed concerns about spending in part B, warning that legislation to avert cuts in physician payments, together with restrictions on premium increases, could ``jeopardize part B solvency and require unusual measures to avoid asset depletion.'' I am concerned that we are doing exactly what the trustees warned us against--placing the Medicare part B program at risk of bankruptcy.

Furthermore, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that H.R. 3200, the House Democrats' health care bill, would increase Medicare part B premiums by $25 billion. I find it ironic that the bill before us reduces premiums by about one-tenth the amount that H.R. 3200 would increase seniors' Medicare premiums.

I am also especially concerned that the majority Democrats are attempting to shut down the debate on how their health care bill would affect seniors enrolled in the Medicare Advantage program. The CBO has confirmed that the $156 billion in Medicare Advantage cuts contained in H.R. 3200 could, indeed, force plans to limit benefits, including premium relief. Yet CMS has issued a gag order prohibiting Medicare Advantage plans from informing their customers of this fact.

At the same time, CMS has apparently taken no action against the sponsor of the largest Medicare Advantage plan, AARP, whose Web site urges seniors to contact their Members of Congress in support of the Democrats' health care bill, which would slash Medicare by more than $500 billion.

Mr. Speaker, why the double standard? It appears that people are free to express their opinions on health care as long as those opinions are in line with the majority party's.

So, while the House Democrats claim to be helping seniors, the reality is that they're trying to cobble together 218 votes to pass a $25 billion part B premium increase through the House, and the Obama administration is abusing its regulatory powers to keep that fact from seniors. Mr. Speaker, that is wrong.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Michigan, the ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, Mr. Camp, the remaining time.

I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, the Obama administration keeps trying to silence critics of its government-run health care plan. This week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services decided that Medicare Advantage plans were offering the wrong opinions about the health care bill. So CMS ordered them to stop telling their customers about the proposed cuts to Medicare benefits.

Mr. Speaker, this Chicago-style politics is a shocking abuse of power that flies in the face of the President's call for open and honest debate. It's time to remind the President and CMS that all Americans have a constitutional right to speak their mind, even when that holds back a government takeover of health care.

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

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 3183

Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Construction General

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: State of California, Department of Water Resources

Address of Requesting Entity: 1416 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $15,000,000 for the Sacramento River Bank Protection Project. This project is located within the limits of the existing Sacramento River Flood Control Project (SRFCP) in Northern California. The integrity of various sections of Sacramento River and tributary levees has become seriously eroded, so much so that the State of California issued a statewide emergency declaration to address the levee deficiencies. Much progress has been made to correct the system's weak points, due to support from Congress, the Administration, and the State of California. Additional federal and state funding is required to continue corrective work throughout the Sacramento River system. $163,000,000 of the total project cost ($510,700,000) will be borne by the non-federal sponsors.

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 3183

Account: Army Corps of Engineers, General Investigations

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Reclamation District 2140

Address of Requesting Entity: PO Box 758, Hamilton City, CA 95951

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $400,000 to enable the Corps of Engineers to complete Preconstruction Engineering and Design (PED) for this ecosystem restoration and flood control project. The Hamilton City, CA flood damage reduction and ecosystem restoration project (P.L. 110-114, Sec. 1001(8)) will provide significantly enhanced flood protection to 2,600 area residents and nearby agricultural lands, and will restore approximately 1500 acres of riparian habitat along the Sacramento River.

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 3183

Account: Army Corps of Engineers, General Investigations

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: State of California, Department of Water Resources

Address of Requesting Entity: 1416 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1,100,000 to enable the Corps to complete the Sutter feasibility study and allow state and local interests to initiate corrective work identified by the Corps' study using state and local funds. The non-federal share of the total project cost (estimated $8,258,000) is estimated to be $4,100,000.

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 3183

Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Construction General

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: State of California, Department of Water Resources

Address of Requesting Entity: 1416 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $600,000 to be coupled with dedicated State of California funds and enable the Corps of Engineers to complete the project's Limited Reevaluation Report and continue construction and mitigation work for this flood protection effort. This important project includes levee repair and reconstruction along the Sacramento and Feather Rivers, specifically consisting of installation of landside berms with toe drains, ditch relocation, embankment modification, and slurry cut-off walls to address seepage and levee boil issues which threaten the performance of flood control structures that protect close to $100 million worth of public infrastructure and private property.

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 3183

Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Construction General

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Yuba County Water Agency

Address of Requesting Entity: 1220 F Street, Marysville, CA 95901

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1,000,000 to strengthen the federal levee system up to a 200-year level flood protection for communities in Yuba County, California. To date, local interests and the State of California have invested $246,500,000 in the project and the related, advanced improvements. These interests anticipate an additional expenditure of up to $118,200,000, for a total estimated non-Federal investment of $364,700,000. With total project costs estimated to be approximately $445,000,000, the only anticipated federal construction contribution will be $33,000,000 for improvements to the Marysville ring levee, a figure that is well below the authorized 65-35 percent cost-share ratio. When completed, the Yuba River project will provide the highest levee of flood protection for any community in California's Central Valley.

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 3183

Account: Army Corps of Engineers, General Investigations

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: State of California, Department of Water Resources

Address of Requesting Entity: 1416 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $150,000 to investigate the feasibility of increasing the level of flood protection for the urbanized area in the City of Woodland, and possibly some nearby unincorporated lands in Yolo County, from a 1 in 10-year level of flood protection to greater than 1 in 100-year level of flood protection. The non-federal sponsors will share 50% of the total project cost.

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

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 3288

Account: Federal Highway Administration, Federal Lands (Public Lands Highways)

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Butte County Association of Governments

Address of Requesting Entity: 2580 Sierra Sunrise Terrace, Suite 100, Chico, CA 95928

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2 million for the Forest Highway 171 widening project. This project will upgrade a 9.6 mile section of roadway that crosses federal lands between communities of Inskip and Butte Meadows from a one-lane gravel road to a paved two- lane route. These improvements are necessary to provide an emergency evacuation route for Upper Ridge residents who are surrounded by federal forest lands that have not been properly managed to mitigate the threat of catastrophic wildfire. The need for this project is greater than ever considering the Humboldt Fire and Butte Lightning Complex Fires that swept through the ridge and surrounding areas last summer destroying homes and forcing thousands of people to evacuate the area. The project will also increase the chances for effective efforts to control instances of wildfire by cutting in half the response time for fire backup support services. The total project cost is approximately $21,000,000. The county is using its State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) dollars (approximately $2,665,000) for the project. It has received a $5,000,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration's Federal Lands Highway Program, $5,800,000 in SAFETEA- LU, $980,000 and $998,450 in the FY08 and FY09 appropriations bills.

Mr. Speaker, House Republicans have a plan to make health care more affordable and promote choice and competition among health plans. Unfortunately, the House Democrats' health care bill is light on cost control and heavy on government control.

A recent New York Times editorial expressed support for the House bill, but described the prospects for lower health care premiums as ``unclear'' and ``distant.''

Mr. Speaker, if that's the best the bill's supporters can say about it, it's time to start over. We need a bill that gets health care costs under control without bankrupting our country or setting the stage for a complete government takeover of our health care system.

Mr. Speaker, rising health care costs are a serious problem, but the Democrat bill being advanced in the House proposes $1.2 trillion in additional spending on health care coupled with massive tax increases that would hurt small business and middle class families.

The Democrat new 8 percent payroll tax will force employers to cut millions more jobs in the middle of the worst recession in decades while their surtax would push my State of California's top income tax rate to over 56 percent, higher than even that of France's. And those tax hikes won't even cover the full costs of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, we need real reform that brings down health care costs instead of pouring more money into a broken system.

Well, I thank my good friend from California (Mr. Dreier) for yielding and also for the leadership that you've given over the years in this incredibly important area of trade, of fair trade, of free trade, and how crucially important it is to our economy, not just to the district I represent but to our entire Nation.

And Mr. Speaker, the number one concern for Americans right now is the economy. Americans know that the health of the U.S. economy directly impacts their job and their ability to provide for their family and keep a roof over their heads.

At the beginning of the year, Democrats pushed through the Congress an unprecedented measure to spend $787 billion in an attempt to stimulate the economy. That was money we had to borrow, creating a national deficit that will reach almost $2 trillion by the end of the year.

The President assured the American people that this was the only way to prevent the unemployment rate from reaching 8 percent. Yet, with this mammoth deficit spending, the unemployment rate has skyrocketed not to 8 percent, but to 9.5 percent, with estimates indicating it will reach 10.5 percent before the end of the year and no end in sight.

While Americans continue to struggle to find work, Congress has moved on to other issues, ignoring one of the most obvious and efficient vehicles to promote economic growth and create jobs: trading with other countries. Importantly, this solution doesn't require the government spending billions of dollars nor does it require a huge expansion or invasion of the government into the free market. It is as simple as removing foreign barriers to U.S. goods and services so that our workers and businesses can compete on a level playing field in the global economy.

Most Americans don't know that the U.S. is not only the number one trading Nation in the world but also the number one manufacturer and that our record exports last year were the one bright spot in our economy.

That is absolutely correct, number one manufacturing Nation in the world, the number one trading Nation in the world. Trade is part of the foundation of a strong economy and high standard of living.

Today, for example, more than 57 million American jobs depend on trade, and these jobs pay 13 to 18 percent higher wages. Clearly, it would be in our Nation's best interest to build on this record, helping us through this difficult economic time.

The premise is simple: reducing tariffs and other barriers would make our goods less expensive and therefore more competitive in foreign markets. The additional sales from exports will help sustain and grow our U.S. businesses during this economic downturn, creating much needed job opportunities in the United States.

When you combine the fact that demand is sluggish in the United States due to the high unemployment and general uncertainty about the economic outlook with the fact that 95 percent of the world's consumers live outside the United States, it seems like the commonsense solution would be to encourage U.S. exports by reducing barriers abroad. The best way to do this is to negotiate market-opening trade agreements with other countries.

Mr. Speaker, my district in rural northern California is typical of many districts across the United States that are largely dependent on agriculture. We produce more almonds, walnuts, rice, and prunes than we can possibly consume, and heavily rely on exporting these goods to foreign markets.

The bottom line is promoting free and fair trade through these agreements is an essential component of economic recovery. Unfortunately, House Democrat leadership has failed to take this necessary step for our workers, despite the fact that we have three agreements--three agreements already negotiated and just waiting for congressional approval.

Two of these pending agreements are with close U.S. allies in South America: Panama, and Colombia. Both of these countries largely already have duty-free access to U.S. markets due to trade preference programs, while our goods face high tariffs in theirs. Yet, these nations want to move from a one-way trade relationship to a two-way relationship. Why? This Congress is preventing that from happening when our workers would benefit from new opportunities in these markets.

It is mind-boggling to me that the U.S. Government continues to ignore the needs of our workers in such a way.

We also have a pending agreement with South Korea, which is the most commercially significant agreement for the United States, as Korea is already our seventh largest trading partner.

Together, these three trade agreements would increase U.S. exports by at least $10.8 billion, as estimated by the U.S. International Trade Commission. That clearly means more businesses for U.S. companies and more jobs for American workers. And these benefits are spread throughout the entire economy. All sectors benefit: manufacturers, agricultural producers, and services.

Yet, instead of providing this true stimulus to our struggling economy, Congress and the administration have chosen to tie our hands behind our back. We must realize the cause of this inaction. If the American people knew that denying a vote on the Panama agreement is causing U.S. workers to miss an opportunity to export heavy machinery to Panama for their $5 billion Panama Canal expansion project, would they think Congress is acting in their best interest by sitting on the agreement? I think not.

If the American people knew that if Canada ratifies their agreement with Colombia before the U.S., Colombians will be buying Canadian wheat instead of U.S. wheat, would they think that loss in market share to our competitor is acceptable? I don't think so.

If the American people knew that if the European Union ratifies their agreement with South Korea before the U.S., Koreans are going to use European services instead of services provided by American workers, would they think their Members of Congress are doing what's best for American workers? Absolutely not.

By not finalizing these agreements, we not only miss out on opportunities for our businesses to expand; we will also start to lose our current market share to our competitors. The EU, Canada, China, and other nations aren't standing still. They will continue to push for their own market-opening agreements that would put U.S. goods and services at a competitive disadvantage.

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that if we are not moving forward, we are moving backwards--and other countries aren't going to wait for us to catch up. Trade is an essential part of economic recovery and the American people cannot afford for this Congress to continue to ignore it. Expanding trade opportunities for our businesses will help them grow and expand, creating jobs that American workers need right now. And if that isn't reason enough, we don't have the luxury of time to sit back and wait while our competitors race by. I urge this Congress to act on behalf of American workers and pass the three pending U.S. trade agreements. Our great Nation is at a crossroads. Will the Democrat Leadership of this Congress take our Nation down a protectionist path, isolating our Nation from the rest of the world, or are they going to choose the path traveled by Pres's John Kennedy and Bill Clinton and embrace the quest for open markets that have helped make this country the greatest Nation in the world?

During this time of economic instability, it has never been more important for the leaders of our Nation to actively choose open markets and free & fair trade. The United States already tried protectionism in the 1920s--it was called the Smoot-Hawley Act of 1928 that raised tariffs on products in every sector which resulted in a worsening of the Great Depression. Mr. Speaker, the American people cannot afford to go down their protectionist path again. We desperately need the benefits & opportunities that these trade agreements create.

Mr. Speaker, not only is this legislation not the right thing; this legislation is one of the most overreaching, damaging pieces of legislation that has ever come before this House of Representatives.

This national energy tax is a job killer and will cost American families over $3,000 per year while doing very little

to affect global temperatures. Rural America, low- and middle-income families, and our farmers will suffer the most under this new tax.

Mr. Speaker, we all want to protect our environment. But we should accomplish that through innovation and investment, not by government micromanagement that undercuts Americans' ability to compete globally.

I urge all Members to protect the American economy and livelihoods of millions of American families and say ``no'' to this gigantic national energy tax.

Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman, my good friend from Texas, for yielding time.

I rise in strong support of this amendment. The district I represent in northern California contains nine National forests currently being overrun by illegal marijuana cultivation. This week two men opened fire on law enforcement officials during a raid on a marijuana garden near a popular fishing and recreation area. Additionally, in another instance, two Lassen County sheriff's officers were shot when they came across another marijuana garden. Thankfully, these officers survived their injuries. But it is simply a matter of time before innocent lives are claimed.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment to ensure the Federal Government is doing its part to provide the resources we need to address this serious and growing problem.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to protect the doctor-patient relationship. President Obama and many congressional Democrats have been pushing for government-run health care. Looking at the results of government-run plans across the world, it is a mistake we simply cannot afford. Government-run health care will be bad for doctors, bad for patients, and bad for the taxpayers.

That is why I introduced legislation to ensure that Washington bureaucrats do not use comparative effectiveness research to make health care decisions for you based on cost. The Doctor-Patient Relationship and Research Act focuses on the two most important people in the health care system, the patient and their doctor.

I urge my colleagues to join me in protecting Americans from government-run health care.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 351, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

(By unanimous consent, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California was allowed to speak out of order.)

Introducing Joaquin Sanchez Sullivan

Mr. Speaker, today, I'm introducing legislation to address the dire situation facing my district and the State of California with respect to accumulation of forest fuels and the threat of catastrophic wildfires.

The California Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention and Community Protection Act of 2009 seeks to implement hazardous fuels reduction and other forest-thinning projects on Federal land that have been collaboratively developed and identified within a community's wildfire protection plan or county fire plan.

Since 2003, California has witnessed three of its worst fire seasons ever. This legislation would help address the only aspect of wildfire we can control: accumulation of forest fuels. Without action, our communities remain at risk to catastrophic wildfire.

I urge my fellow Members to support this commonsense solution.

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 689 to interchange the administrative jurisdiction of certain Federal lands between the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. This bill is a simple jurisdictional exchange between Federal agencies to allow for more consolidated and efficient management of the Chappie-Shasta Off-Highway Vehicle area in the Northern California congressional district I represent.

I'm a firm believer in policies that limit bureaucracy and government interference in our everyday lives. H.R. 689 accomplishes these goals and will also improve access and recreational use of these Federal lands.

For years, many of my constituents have raised their concerns over difficulties in dealing with two Federal agencies to use one OHV area. Issues such as duplicative permits add substantial and unnecessary costs to the users, and even different opening dates for the same area have resulted in frustration from the thousands of users from across California and elsewhere who try to cope with this redundant management.

This noncontroversial exchange was developed collaboratively at the local level by the Forest Service and BLM in conjunction with the local OHV community. The BLM will be able to consolidate the OHV area, while in exchange, the Forest Service will benefit by receiving small tracts of wilderness area that are currently managed by the BLM but are contiguous to Forest Service land. The exchange only involves lands that are already controlled by the Federal Government and will not change the designation of these lands.

This legislation is a prime example of commonsense solutions and better government that will result in a win-win for the taxpayers and their access to our public lands.

I would urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Taiwan on its participation as an observer in the 62nd annual World Health Assembly (WHA), which is taking place in Geneva this week. The recent H1N1 influenza outbreak serves as yet another reminder that international cooperation is vital to protecting against the spread of infectious diseases. In order to achieve this goal, it is important to have broad participation in the activities of the World Health Organization (WHO), and I commend the WHO for inviting Taiwan to assist in carrying out its mission.

Taiwan is a key trading partner for the United States and the fifth largest overseas market for U.S. agricultural exports. With growing attention to ensuring the safety of the food supply in a global economy, our close economic ties with the people of Taiwan present another compelling argument for Taiwan's involvement in the WHA. Furthermore, I believe the Taipei delegation will bring a valuable perspective to the WHA in light of Taiwan's remarkable success in advancing the public health of its people.

This Congress has repeatedly passed legislation promoting Taiwan's meaningful participation in the WHO, and I am encouraged to see these efforts finally come to fruition. I am especially pleased that this development comes in the context of steady improvement in relations between Taipei and Beijing, and I applaud officials on both sides of the Taiwan Strait for their efforts to pursue peace and stability in the region.

I look forward to increased cooperation among Taiwan, the United States, and other members of the international community to share public health information and guard against global pandemics.

Madam Speaker, as Congress commemorates the 61st anniversary of the independence of Israel, I rise to express my deep concern that the future of this nation is gravely threatened by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Iran's radical regime only desires the demise of Israel and longs for regional dominance. It is now on the cusp of acquiring the weapons needed to potentially achieve both.

Nations that value liberty and peace must stand strongly against Iran's dangerous behavior. The United States must confront this looming crisis with resolve and strength.

I have cosponsored the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act, which would significantly undermine Iran's lucrative energy sector. Congress should pass this legislation and show our steadfast support for Israel.