Floor Statements

Madam Chair, American families, farmers, and small business owners are making big sacrifices in their personal budgets so they can ride out this difficult economic climate. It's apparent, however, that many in Washington don't share this sacrifice when it comes to government spending.

Unfortunately, the budget proposed by President Obama and endorsed by the House Democrats would take us down a dangerous path. This budget's projected deficits over the next 10 years will exceed all of our previous deficits combined. This massive spending spree is a slap in the face of future generations that will have to pay the bill.

This budget includes trillions of dollars in tax increases that, incredibly, won't even come close to paying for this new spending. These tax hikes jeopardize the jobs of millions of Americans by squeezing small businesses already nearing the breaking point and would create a drag on any attempt to jump-start our economy.

I call upon my fellow Members to support the Republican alternative budget that reduces spending, dramatically simplifies the Tax Code, lowers taxes, and slashes the debt to a manageable level.

The Democrat budget ignores the entitlement crisis, while our alternative addresses the serious problem that puts our Nation's financial future in tremendous risk.

Madam Chair, we must maintain the great American tradition of providing our children a better opportunity than we received. This House should stand by the American taxpayer and support the alternative Republican budget.

Mr. Chair. I rise today in opposition to the rule for H.R. 1404, the Federal Land Assistance, Enhancement, and Management Act of 2009.

While this legislation is important to address the very serious issue of funding shortfalls faced by the Federal wildland firefighting agencies each year, I believe that it does not do enough to address the cause of these soaring wildfire suppression costs.

We need to drastically increase management on our Federal forests to reduce these fuels and the risk of catastrophic wildfire in the first place.

For this reason, I introduced an amendment to make some of these funds available for hazardous fuel reduction projects.

While unfortunately it was not made in order, I am pleased to see that we will be allowed the opportunity to debate Mr. Goodlatte's amendment to expand the ``Good Neighbor'' authority to assist in getting some work done on the ground.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and others that bring additional focus to the real root of the problem.

Madam Speaker, Pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the follow information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009:

Division A--Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug

Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Salaries and Expenses

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: California Department of Food and Agriculture

Address of Requesting Entity: 1220 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $581,000 in order to augment local and state contributions to the California County Pest Detection Augmentation Program, and would be used to establish dog teams at strategic locations throughout California. The dog, its handler, and support staff would perform inspection and investigation of incoming shipments, as well as the evaluation of the potential for broad infestation. The California County Pest Detection Augmentation Program is a locally-led inspection program that focuses on agricultural and plant material entering the state at its various points of entry.

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Salaries and Expenses

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: California Department of Food and Agriculture

Address of Requesting Entity: 1220 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $693,000 to help local and state officials detect dozens of threatening pest species, which if left unchecked, could result in an enormously costly and damaging agricultural infestation. Facilitating a vibrant trade in agricultural commodities is good for American farmers and consumers alike. But to maintain food security for the nation and to protect California's natural environment from infestation by invasive species, prudent investments in pest detection at all levels of government must continue.

Division C--Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies

Appropriations Acts 2009

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

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 $832,000 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. Of the total cost ($3,359,000), $840,000 will be borne by the non-federal sponsors.

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

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 $48,000 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.

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

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 $669,000 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. 1105

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 $1,914,000 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. 1105

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 $22,967,000 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. 1105

Account: Army Corps of Engineers, Construction General

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District

Address of Requesting Entity: 344 East Laurel Street, Willows, CA

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $600,000 to accelerate work on correcting deficiencies in the Gradient Facility and to initiate bank stabilization work in the vicinity of River Mile 208. The Corps of Engineers was a critical project participant in the construction of a large, state-of-the-art fish screen and pumping facility along the Sacramento River at Hamilton City, CA. Specifically, the Corps constructed a ``Gradient Facility'' within the mainstem of the river in order to stabilize the river's surface level and ensure optimal effectiveness of the new screened diversion. Recent surveys have uncovered various deficiencies at the project area during low river flows. As many as 298 ``high spots'' have been identified where the Gradient Facility breaks the surface of the water and creates a hazard for boaters. In addition, significant bank erosion is also occurring within the vicinity of the fish screen project. Left unchecked, this erosion could jeopardize the operability of the pumping station.

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

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 $3,110,000 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 $145,000,000 in the project, and anticipate an additional expenditure of up to $215,000,000. With total project costs estimated to be approximately $400,000,000, 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. 1105

Account: Bureau of Reclamation, California Bay Delta Ecosystem Restoration Project

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Family Water Alliance

Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 365, Maxwell, CA 95955

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,000,000 to facilitate the screening of small water diversions (fewer than 100 cubic feet per second) throughout the Sacramento Valley. Section 103(d)(6)(iii) of the Water Supply, Reliability, and Environmental Improvement Act (P.L. 108-361) authorizes the Secretary to participate in fish screen and fish passage improvement projects as part of the larger Ecosystem Restoration program established under the CALFED program.

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Northern California Water Association

Address of Requesting Entity: 455 Capitol Mall, Suite 335, Sacramento, CA 95814

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $4,000,000 for additional screening of large agricultural diversions. Section 3406 (b)(21) of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (P.L. 102-575) requires the Bureau of Reclamation to work with state and local partners to protect federally protected aquatic species through the screening of major water diversions throughout the CVP system. USBR and its local partners have achieved considerable accomplishments under this program in recent years. The Meridian Farms Water Company and the Natomas Mutual Water Company in Northern California are each working to consolidate and screen major water diversion facilities on the Sacramento River in order to preserve reliable water supplies for agriculture and managed wetlands and remain in compliance with the federal Endangered Species Act.

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources, Central Valley Project, Sacramento River Division

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Northern California Water Association; Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority; Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District

Address of Requesting Entity: 455 Capitol Mall, Suite 335, Sacramento, CA 95814 (NCWA); PO Box 1025, Willows, CA 95988 (TCCA); 344 East Laurel Street, Willows, CA (GCID)

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $6,449,000, which of the funds provided: $1,200,000 is to be coupled with state and local investments for the Sacramento Valley Integrated Plan in order to seek a better understanding of the process for groundwater recharge and production from the main aquifer system in the area; and $2,900,000 is for the Red Bluff Diversion Dam to ensure reliable water deliveries for over 120,000 acres of mostly small and mid-sized farms, and will greatly complement other restoration projects throughout the CVP aimed at improving anadromous fish populations. Funding is also provided for the Hamilton city pumping plant and other programmatic purposes.

Division I--Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related

Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009

Requesting Member: Congressman Wally Herger

Bill Number: H.R. 1105

Account: Department of Transportation, 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 $998,450 to 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. Fire danger in this area is extremely high with high volumes of very dense fuel sources. These improvements are necessary to provide Upper Ridge residents, recreational visitors, and emergency vehicles with an emergency evacuation route in the event of a catastrophic wildfire. It 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 project is estimated to cost $19,000,000 over the next three construction seasons. The county is using its State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) dollars (approximately $1,892,000) for funding environmental, design, and right of way construction and support. The project has received $5,000,000 from the Federal Highway Administration's Federal Lands Highway Program. It has also received $5,800,000 in SAFETEA-LU, and $980,000 in last year's appropriations bill for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.

Mr. Speaker, all across the country, Americans are hurting. I held three telephone town halls this week and I heard firsthand how difficult things are for people. These are people willing to work; people looking to keep their small business afloat; people looking to feed their families. But they are not looking for a handout and they know that we can not spend and borrow our way back to prosperity.

Unfortunately, Congressional Democrats have chosen to use this bill to achieve an eight year long wish list. How does billions of dollars for ACORN help a small business owner keep people employed? How will funding for the NEA grow our economy?

Instead of making health care more affordable, they are pushing policies that will quietly set the stage for government takeover of health care, resulting in bureaucrats making decisions for patients and doctors.

Congressional Democrats wrote much of this bill secretly, negotiated it behind closed doors, and released late last night, giving only a few hours to review it. And the reason that they are trying to ram this bill through is simple--it won't stimulate our economy.

That's why we should scrap this bill and pass the alternative measure proposed by House Republicans, one based on fast-acting tax relief for working families and small businesses. We need a bill that will get to the heart of the matter and put our economy back on its feet.

Mr. Speaker, we just voted on this so-called stimulus bill that wasn't even available for us to see until late last night. It should come as no surprise that in this monumental piece of legislation, there are items in it that could not have survived careful scrutiny in the light of day.

Many of my colleagues have pointed out the wildly extravagant spending and the lack of real job creation and economic recovery in this bill. I fully share those concerns, but I also want to call to attention a little-known provision tucked six pages deep inside this 1,100 page bill. The Democrats are spending $1.1 billion on a new Federal board to conduct health care research. Sounds innocent enough, right?

Unfortunately, this provision is the camel's nose under the tent in the Democrats' quest to have the Federal Government push doctors aside and put Washington in charge of patients' health treatment options. This board, the Federal coordinating Council on Comparative Effectiveness Research, will be comprised of 15 Federal bureaucrats, all appointed by the President. Not a single practicing physician or patient advocate will be allowed to sit on this board.

Mr. Speaker, this is the first step of government-run health care. Despite numerous requests from patient groups, this bill does not include a single protection to ensure that this research will not be used by Medicare, Medicaid, VA, DOD or private health insurance to deny access to needed treatments. The goal of this board is to conduct research that will allow the Federal Government to deny needed health care. Physician groups are very concerned that this board and its research will significantly harm the patient/doctor relationship.

Other governments have been using this research to deny medically necessary care for years. The British Government currently uses similar research to restrict treatment using a formula that divides the cost of the treatment by the number of years the patient is likely to live. Treatments for younger patients are more often approved than treatments for diseases that affect the elderly. For example, in 2006, the British Government used comparative effective research to say that elderly patients with macular degeneration had to wait until they went blind in one eye before they could get a new drug to save the other eye. It took almost 3 years of public protest before the board reversed its decision.

Mr. Speaker, Americans expect better and deserve more. Physicians and patients, not faceless Federal bureaucrats, should be in charge of health care decisions.

Republicans will continue to fight to keep this Federal Government out of our American's medicine cabinets. In the very near future I'll be introducing legislation to protect patients from the misuse of comparative effective research and ensure that seniors continue to have access to medically necessary treatments.

Mr. Speaker, I urge every Member of this House to join me in this effort.

Madam Speaker, to paraphrase an old saying, those who don't learn from history are doomed to make things worse. History shows us that government spending does not fix economic problems. If spending was the key to a robust and sound economy, the U.S. should be in a boom time.

Government spending has been out of control for the past 20 years. Look where it has gotten us.

Spending that is delayed for 2 years is not stimulus. Spending for pet causes of Members of Congress is not stimulus. And temporary tax credits for people who already pay no income tax are not stimulus.

Madam Speaker, we need fast-acting tax relief for working families and small businesses. I urge the Senate to put good policy above politics.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 47, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Thank you. Mr. Chairman, this is a good Republican alternative. It preserves some of the best features of the underlying bill, like extending increased small business expensing and bonus appreciation, and repealing the onerous 3 percent withholding requirement for government contractors. In addition, it eliminates hundreds of billions of dollars in wasteful spending and adds fast- acting tax relief to help our economy now.

It improves on the underlying bill by extending assistance to laid- off small business employees by allowing all individuals to deduct the cost of their health insurance premiums. And, unlike the underlying bill, it cuts taxes for all taxpayers and protects middle-class families from a huge tax increase under the alternative minimum tax.

Mr. Chairman, this is real economic stimulus. I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this bill with the firm belief and hope that we can do better.

We are currently undergoing a severe economic downturn. My own State and district have been badly impacted. And I share our new President's desire to move quickly on an economic recovery measure. However, I cannot support a bill that claims to provide $275 billion in tax relief when $80 billion of that is going to people with no income tax liability. You can't cut taxes for someone who doesn't pay taxes. Mr. Chairman, we can do better by focusing on tax relief that creates incentives for economic activity.

Nor can I support a bill that spends hundreds of billions on big government programs like the National Endowment for the Arts or new cars for Federal workers. We do need to make long-term investments in infrastructure and health information technology, but long-term investments require careful planning. We can do better by taking

the time to get infrastructure and health IT right, and by eliminating wasteful spending.

Nor can I support a bill that would lead employers to cut jobs or drop health coverage in the middle of a recession. Allowing workers to stay on COBRA longer--more than 30 years in some cases--could impose an unfunded mandate on employers of $40 billion or more. In the Ways and Means Committee, the majority refused even to study the effect of this provision on coverage. We can do better by expanding eligibility for health insurance tax relief, and by providing more funding for high- risk pools for those who can't get coverage elsewhere.

Finally, I can't support an $825 billion bill that won't fully take effect until 18 months or 2 years down the road, or even longer. Mr. Chairman, people in my district need help today. We can do better by passing fast-acting tax relief that will create jobs this year, plus extended unemployment benefits for those out of work.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.'' Mr. Chairman, we can and must do better.

Madam Speaker, today I introduce a bill to facilitate a land exchange between the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service to allow for consolidation and more streamlined administration of the Chappie-Shasta Off-Highway Vehicle Area in the northern California district I represent. The Chappie-Shasta Off-Highway Vehicle Area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management but also encompasses a parcel of land under the jurisdiction of the Forest Service.

This legislation is a simple and straightforward land exchange that would allow the Bureau of Land Management to consolidate the management of the OHV area to achieve more efficient management and a better experience for the area's users. In addition to consolidating the OHV area this bill will also place an equal amount of scattered wilderness parcels and other Bureau of Land Management lands under the jurisdiction of the Forest Service, allowing for improved management of those lands as well. Passage of this noncontroversial legislation will result in a win-win for the taxpayers and the Federal Government.

I look forward to working with my colleagues in order to move this legislation through Congress.

Madam Speaker, today is the 36th annual March for Life marking the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that denied the American people the ability to address the abortion issue through their ballot box. I commend the estimated 200,000 Americans who traveled to our nation's capital to proclaim the inalienable human rights of unborn children. The organizers of this important event never let this anniversary pass without calling on our Nation to

promote an American culture where every child's right to life is emphatically defended.

I find hope and encouragement today because Americans increasingly agree that abortions occur too frequently in our nation. I believe people with different views about Roe v. Wade should build on this sentiment and work together to ensure that the alternatives to abortion are well known to women facing an unexpected pregnancy. In doing so, I believe we can dramatically reduce the number of abortions in our Nation and begin to create a culture where unborn children are universally welcomed by their parents and protected by law.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of SCHIP and believe its reauthorization is critical to millions of children, but I am opposed to the bill before us today. This legislation does nothing to make private health coverage more affordable. By expanding a program that severely underpays doctors in my State of California, it may result in higher costs for private coverage. And assuming that the increased tobacco tax achieves the goal of discouraging smoking, it commits an irrational policy of financing a growing program through a declining revenue source.

In addition, this new version would effectively shut down physician- owned hospitals currently under construction, including a $40 million project in my district in Yuba City, California, scheduled to open in a couple of months. This will be a severe blow to a small county that has long had one of the highest unemployment rates in California.

Madam Speaker, in the middle of the worst economic downturn in decades, this provision would destroy jobs in Yuba City and in dozens of other cities across America.

I would urge all of my colleagues to ask themselves, do you believe that a corporate board halfway across the country would do a better job of holding down costs and ensuring high quality care than a team of local doctors, and, if so, are you certain enough that you are willing to deny your constituents the opportunity to make that choice?

I urge rejection of this misguided provision and a ``no'' vote.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson), a member of the Health Subcommittee.

(Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan), a member of the Health Subcommittee.

(Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Camp).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany), who is a physician.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Linder).

How much time do we have, Madam Speaker?

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the Republican whip, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor).

Madam Speaker, I reserve the 1 minute I have to close, but I would yield to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) for the time that he has that he controls.

Madam Speaker, I yield the remainder of our time to the minority leader, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).

Madam Speaker, this poem was penned by Albert Caswell in honor of a great American hero, Christopher Frost from Chico California. Tech Sergeant Frost lost his leg during an IED explosion in Samara, Iraq. His courage and positive attitude is an inspiration to us all. He was part of the Weapons Intelligence Team/Air Force.

But I . . .

Went off to war . . .

And, I will not give up, nor give in for sure!

For my heart, will fly once more . . . for I will rise, and I

will soar!

Wearing my Nation's Wings, I'll reach for the stars . . .

once again . . . once more!

Until, that very end . . . America, and The United States Air

Force . . . I will defend . . .

Is but my life's passion, my life's force . . . all in my

heart as my course, I've fashioned . . .

For we all have mountains to so climb . . .

For we all have stories, to so write and so rhyme . . .

Answers, to the hardest of all questions to find!

All about what we have so left inside, all about our short

lives . . . which so come to mind . . .

All those moment's which test our metal, all in our pain and

woe . . .

As this is mine . . . all for Country Tis of Thee, I was

ready to die and bleed . . .

And gladly, pay the greatest of all costs indeed . . .

All in what I've found, and so believe . . . all in what I've

lost and do not need . . .

As on this day my life, takes me to new heights . . .

Look into my heart, as it's there you'll find inspiration

taking flight . . .

As this Airman's heart, soar's so high above . . .

Burning bold, burning bright . . . all in my love . . .

A work of art, which make's souls fly . . .

Showing us all, how a heart faith and courage can so soar so

high . . .

Bring hope, and bringing light . . . speaking long and loud

this night . . .

Who on battlefields of honor once seen . . .

Or home once again, rebuilding from such heartache and pain .

. .

As Chris your heart of courage full, so astounds . . .

For when all seemed lost, Chris somehow you found . . .

The Strength, The Courage . . . to not be discouraged . . .

The Light, that flows through your eyes which does nourish .

. .

Teaching us all so how . . . To bare that burden, to bare

that cost . . .

Even, with your fine leg lost! Mountains you so cross . . .

To reach for the stars, in all your loss . . .

All in that smile upon your face, all in that mantle of a

hero heart that's yours portrays . . .

As we see such a fine heart that will not look down . . .

Teaching us all, what God has made! As your fine heart so

sounds . . .

Reminding us all, not to waste not even a single day . . .

Bringing tears to eyes, as we kneel down and pray . . .

But I . . .

If I could but be like you . . .

Then, I would but teach every women, child and man so too!

Where faith and courage, and service to country begins . . .

And if ever I have a son . . .

I but hope and pray . . . he could but soar, as far and as

high . . . as you have my fine son!

And, be like you the one . . . But I . . .

Mr Speaker, I rise in opposition to this legislation. The truth is that the ``Big Three'' didn't get into this position overnight. They are suffering from decades of poor management decisions, uncompetitive labor agreements, and failure to stay at the cutting edge of innovation. And while this bailout may provide some short-term relief for these companies, it doesn't fix their fundamental problems.

My constituents want to know why their tax dollars should be used to bail out companies that haven't been willing to make the necessary changes to stay competitive. They also want to know where we will draw the line. Lots of businesses are hurting because of this recession. How many more bailouts will they be asked to pay for? We all know that this $14 billion is only the first installment. Until these companies are thoroughly restructured and modernized, they will just keep coming back for more taxpayer money.

As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, I'm also concerned by the last-minute inclusion of a provision that requires the federal government to insure certain leases that the IRS has ruled are illegal tax shelters. Taxpayers who play by the rules certainly don't want to see a bailout for agencies that participated in questionable tax deals. The collapse of AIG does raise some difficult issues, but this provision needs more consideration and should not be in this bill.

Mr. Speaker, this is an all-around bad deal for the taxpayer. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 645, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''