Rob Andrews

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, as we meet this afternoon, there are 15 million unemployed Americans. And no matter where you go in this country, you hear that the number one concern of our constituents is creating an environment where businesses and entrepreneurs can put people back to work. So what is the House doing this week? Re-litigating, regurgitating, rearguing a political debate about health care again. I believe the people of this country want us to work together to get jobs back in the American economy. The Republicans offer us a slogan, a job killing health care bill. What kills jobs is paralysis in Congress. What kills jobs is ignoring the economic problems of this country. ``No'' is not simply the right vote on the merits, it's the right vote because this is the wrong bill at the wrong time.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, we are gathered here this afternoon to show respect and affection for our beloved colleague, Gabby Giffords, to mourn the dead, and to provide support for those wounded in body and in spirit. We also have a special responsibility here this afternoon to tell the truth about the nature of America. Our children and people all over the world saw acts of heinous violence on Saturday, and many think that that represents the true nature of America. We are here today to say it most emphatically does not. The true nature of America is not an evil, haunted person killing innocent people. The true nature of this country is the diligence of Gabrielle Giffords as she stood there listening to her constituents so patiently. The true nature of America is the optimism of a 9-year-old girl eager to become involved in the political process. The true nature of America is the ultimate act of selflessness as a long-term husband interposes his body between that and the bullets and saves the life of his beloved wife whom he met in grammar school. The true nature of America is the skill and heroism of the young intern, 5 days in the service of Congresswoman Giffords, who rushed to her side and very likely saved her life with his skill. The true nature of America is the judiciousness and careful reasoning of the Federal judge who gave his life by happenstance on that day at that moment. The true nature of America is the three brave Arizonans who ran toward a man with a loaded gun who was firing away, threw their bodies at him and saved the lives of countless others around them. Saturday was a horrendous day, but let us be resolved that it will not be marked in history by the manifestation of evil that it represents, but by the manifestation of optimism and diligence and selflessness and goodness that truly reflect the spirit of the American people. May God bless our colleague and all those who suffered through this long nightmare.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. There are 15 million Americans unemployed as we meet this morning. They do not want us to play politics with health care; they want us to work together to create jobs. There is a job killer loose in America. The job killer is unfair trade practices that force the outsourcing of our jobs. There is a proposal that has broad agreement between Republicans and Democrats to bring fair trade back to America. If we defeat the previous question, we will move to amend the rule to make in order the Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act, which simply says this: As the Chinese have been slamming the door shut on our workers and products, we've been opening our shelves in American department stores. No more of that. No more outsourcing of jobs. No more unfair trade practices. A fair and level playing field for American workers. Let's work together to create jobs and stop the politics and the waste of time of health care. Vote ``no'' on the previous question.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. I think the gentleman, Mr. Speaker, aptly points out, the majority promised accountability but they are delivering hypocrisy. They said that their number one goal would be job creation. There is not a bill, not a word, not an idea about job creation the first 2 weeks of the new Congress. They said they were running on reducing the debt and the deficit. Well, as Mr. Van Hollen very accurately points out, this rule says, We will reduce the deficit, except when we deal with health care or tax cuts for the wealthy, in which case we'll pretend it doesn't exist. We'll pretend there is no deficit when it comes to health care, the largest Federal expenditure, at least one of the largest, and tax cuts for the wealthy. Then finally, hours ago, the majority said: We're going to cut $100 billion from this year's budget. And then they said, well, we didn't really mean $100 billion. We're going to cut something, but we'll tell you later what it is. Americans who are concerned about the debt and the deficit should be very concerned about the lack of accountability they are seeing here today: A rule that blows open the deficit, a procedure that ignores job creation, and a $100 billion promise that just vanished like the champagne bubbles at their fund raiser last night.

Mr. ANDREWS. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. ANDREWS. The question that will be before the ladies and gentlemen of the House on this rules package is: Do you want to honor the commitment to reduce the deficit or abandon it? The rules plan permits an abandonment of the promise to reduce the deficit because it ignores the fiscal consequences of the repeal of the health care bill, which the Congressional Budget Office has said will reduce the deficit by more than a trillion dollars over the next 20 years, and it ignores the fiscal consequences of permanently extending the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 for the wealthiest Americans. This is not a question of liberal or conservative, Republicans or Democrat. It's a question of honoring a promise or abandoning it. To those who wish to honor the promise of deficit reduction, the right vote on this rules package is ``no.''

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. I want to first associate myself with the remarks from my friend Mr. Conaway and the work we had the chance to do together on acquisition reform. And I'm so proud to cast this vote for a bill that's so aptly named after Ike Skelton. The measure of a person's achievement is not found in the pages of lawbooks or in the annals of politics. The measure of Chairman Skelton's achievement is the improvement in the quality of life of troops around the world. This morning, Mr. Chairman, because of you, they are safer; they are better trained; they are better equipped; and, most importantly-- and I know this matters to you--their families and their loved ones are in better schools, better housing, and they have better health care. The chairman has always said that each year was going to be the ``year of the troops.'' He said it every year, and he meant it. Because every year that he served in this Congress, on this committee, and as its chairman, he made it the ``year of the troops.'' His contribution will go far beyond the years and far beyond this bill. It's an honor to serve with this chairman. Thank you, on behalf of those who wear the uniform of this country, for your selfless patriotism and service to them.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Cornell Law School Professor Robert S. Summers, whose tireless dedication to his students and intense passion for the law are worthy of recognition. Professor Summers grew up on his family's farm in rural Oregon. There, his parents imbued in him a strong work ethic, which he credits for his extensive career of publication and scholarship. He went from driving tractors and school buses to studies at the University of Oregon, and Harvard Law. He has spent the last 50 years as a law professor, 42 of them at Cornell Law School. December 1, 2010 was his final class. Professor Summers has been an unwavering advocate for his students. He ardently supported increased minority enrollment within law schools, and saw this goal through to fruition, traveling the country holding recruiting and preparatory sessions. Professor Summers demanded analytical excellence in the classroom. He taught using the traditional Socratic Method, forcing students to learn through argument and questioning, instead of simply providing them with the answers. I was a student in Professor Summers's Contract Law class for first year students, and the class was a formative experience for me. Being called upon to answer questions from Professor Summers was rewarding and challenging and it helped make me the person I am today. In addition to his laudable career in education, Professor Summers has also made significant contributions to the field of law. He co- authored the Universal Commercial Code, outlining procedures for numerous commercial transactions, and was also called upon by the governments of Russia, Egypt, and Rwanda to help draft their civil codes. He is simply the type of lawyer that many law students aspire to be when they first enter school, but that very few become. Madam Speaker, Professor Summers' commitment to the legal education of the nation's law students and service to the field of law merit recognition. I am sure Professor Summers will embody the same honor and morality in his retirement as he did throughout his distinguished career.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. For many Americans, tonight their urgent priority is to find a job. It should be our urgent priority to create those jobs for those Americans. I support this imperfect bill because I believe it will help create those jobs. I think a tax cut of $1,000 a year for a family making $50,000 will help spur spending. I think that not raising taxes on people who sell real estate or teach school or drive a school bus is the right thing to do. I think that some degree of tax certainty for business people and investors over the next 2 years will help to spur investment. And I know that every penny that people receive in an unemployment check will be spent as soon as possible--because people have to. And that helps spur the economy as well. And I also hope that the bipartisan agreement tonight to do the easy thing, which is reduce people's taxes, will be followed by a bipartisan agreement to do the hard thing--and that's reduce spending in a way that is sensible, equitable, fair, and necessary. This is not a perfect agreement, but it's a necessary one. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, in considering their position on this bill, Members should listen to echoes of the past, leaders of the present, and consider some of the voices that have been silenced. In the past, we heard: If we should end this policy, it would be a tragedy of great proportion. I fear such a step, if it were carried out, would remove our armed establishments from the ranks of history's greatest. Those are the words of a Senator in 1948 talking about the racial integration of the Armed Forces. They have thrived and prospered since that just and correct decision. Listen to this voice: In the almost 17 years since Don't Ask, Don't Tell was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed. I fully support the approach presented by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen. That is the voice of Colin Powell, retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, someone who experienced all of the unit leadership that is being talked about on the floor this afternoon. But I would invite the Members to think about the silenced voices, the men and women who lay maimed in military hospitals who are gays and lesbians who serve their country and have been injured in the process, who cannot have a visit from the person they love most in the world because they have had to hide their sexual orientation. And I would urge the Members to consider the silenced voices who lay beneath white crosses in Arlington Cemetery and other places of honor around the world who are gays and lesbians who have been dishonored by a practice that says they cannot say who they really are, even though they love their country so very much. This is an act of basic decency and justice. It is long overdue. For those who quarrel with time, I agree with their quarrel. This should have been done a long time ago. Today is the day to get it done. Vote ``yes.''

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary contributions of Colonel Joal E. Wolf. On behalf of New Jersey's First Congressional District and the entire nation, I would like to thank Colonel Wolf for his service and dedication. Colonel Wolf was commissioned in the Active Component Army as a Field Artillery Officer through ROTC scholarship at Pennsylvania State University. He graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in finance and has a Masters in Business Administration. After graduation, his initial military assignment was with the 6th Battalion, 14th Field Artillery, 1st Armored Division, Germany as Battery Fire Direction Officer, Battery Executive Officer, Battalion S2, and Assistant Battalion S3. Upon release from active duty in 1988, Colonel Wolf entered the U.S. Army Reserves and served as Battery Commander, Battalion S1, and Battalion S4 in the 4th Battalion, 92nd Field Artillery Regiment in Erie, Pennsylvania. In 1993, Colonel Wolf was recruited by the 308th Military Intelligence, MI, Detachment based in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he supported the Africa Branch and Executive Support Office at the Defense Intelligence Agency, DIA. While assigned, Colonel Wolf served as S3, Executive Officer, and Commander. During his command, the unit was credited for creating the Iraqi ``55 Most-Wanted'' deck of cards at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. In 2008, Colonel Wolf assumed duties as the Commander of the 3300th Strategic Intelligence Group in support of the Defense Counterintelligence & HUMINT Center and the National Media Exploitation Center at the Defense Intelligence Agency. Colonel Wolf participates in several civic and business organizations, and is the former President of the French Creek Valley Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America. He currently resides in Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania and is President and Proprietor of Conneaut Cellars Winery, Inc., a state of the art winery that produces 20,000 gallons of national award-winning wine. Madam Speaker, Colonel Joal E. Wolf's commitment to the United States must be recognized. I wish him the best in his future endeavors and thank him for his continued service and dedication to our country.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary contributions of Colonel Joal E. Wolf. On behalf of New Jersey's First Congressional District and the entire Nation, I would like to thank Colonel Wolf for his service and dedication. Colonel Wolf was commissioned in the Active Component Army as a Field Artillery Officer through ROTC scholarship at Pennsylvania State University. He graduated with a bachelors of science degree in finance and has a masters in business administration. After graduation, his initial military assignment was with the 6th Battalion, 14th Field Artillery, 1st Armored Division, Germany as Battery Fire Direction Officer, Battery Executive Officer, Battalion S2, and Assistant Battalion S3. Upon release from active duty in 1988, Colonel Wolf entered the U.S. Amy Reserves and served as Battery Commander, Battalion SI, and Battalion S4 in the 4th Battalion, 92nd Field Artillery Regiment in Erie, PA. In 1993, Colonel Wolf was recruited by the 308th Military Intelligence (MI) Detachment based in Erie, PA, where he supported the Africa Branch and Executive Support Office at the Defense Intelligence Agency, DIA. While assigned, Colonel Wolf served as S3, Executive Officer, and Commander. During his command, the unit was credited for creating the Iraqi ``55 Most-Wanted'' deck of cards at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. In 2008, Colonel Wolf assumed duties as the Commander of the 3300th Strategic Intelligence Group in support of the Defense Counterintelligence & HUMINT Center and the National Media Exploitation Center at the Defense Intelligence Agency. Colonel Wolf participates in several civic and business organizations, and is the former president of the French Creek Valley Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America. He currently resides in Conneaut Lake, PA and is president and proprietor of Conneaut Cellars Winery, Inc., a state-of-the-art winery that produces 20,000 gallons of national award-winning wine. Madam Speaker, Colonel Joal E. Wolf's commitment to the United States must be recognized. I wish him the best in his future endeavors and thank him for his continued service and dedication to our country.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary contributions of Colonel Joal E. Wolf. On behalf of New Jersey's First Congressional District and the entire nation, I would like to thank Colonel Wolf for his service and dedication. Colonel Wolf was commissioned in the Active Component Army as a Field Artillery Officer through ROTC scholarship at Pennsylvania State University. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and has a Masters in Business Administration. After graduation, his initial military assignment was with the 6th Battalion, 14th Field Artillery, 1st Armored Division, Germany as Battery Fire Direction Officer, Battery Executive Officer, Battalion S2, and Assistant Battalion S3. Upon release from active duty in 1988, Colonel Wolf entered the U.S. Army Reserves and served as Battery Commander, Battalion S1, and Battalion S4 in the 4th Battalion, 92nd Field Artillery Regiment in Erie, Pennsylvania. In 1993, Colonel Wolf was recruited by the 308th Military Intelligence (MI) Detachment based in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he supported the Africa Branch and Executive Support Office at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). While assigned, Colonel Wolf served as S3, Executive Officer, and Commander. During his command, the unit was credited for creating the Iraqi ``55 Most-Wanted'' deck of cards at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. In 2008, Colonel Wolf assumed duties as the Commander of the 3300th Strategic Intelligence Group in support of the Defense Counterintelligence & HUMINT Center and the National Media Exploitation Center at the Defense Intelligence Agency. Colonel Wolf participates in several civic and business organizations, and is the former President of the French Creek Valley Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America. He currently resides in Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania and is President and Proprietor of Conneaut Cellars Winery, Inc., a state of the art winery that produces 20,000 gallons of national award-winning wine. Madam Speaker, Colonel Joal E. Wolf's commitment to the United States must be recognized. I wish him the best in his future endeavors and thank him for his continued service and dedication to our country.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, the Senate unanimously passed this bill. Unanimously. I think I understand why, because they understood what I hope we understand today is the choice that is in front of the country. You can understand that choice by thinking about where two Americans are at this moment. One of them is a second grader who just went through her paces and classes for the morning. It's now time for lunch. This bill says no matter how much money her mother and father make, she is going to get a nutritious, wholesome meal to fuel her for the rest of the day. And, yes, that is going to cost $4 billion, which is offset by cuts in other areas of the budget. The second American is the leader of a huge hedge fund on Wall Street. He is on his way to lunch at the priciest restaurant in Manhattan, maybe a $200 or $300 lunch. One of the other issues before the Congress this week is whether he should get a tax cut that over the years will cost a dollar for every penny that this bill costs. These are the two Americans whose considerations are before the House today. I don't begrudge the hedge fund manager for the wealth he's accumulated, the jobs he's created. I don't think we should borrow money from the Chinese to lower his taxes; but I think, as the unanimous consent of the Senate thought, that that second grader should get a wholesome, healthy school lunch, and we should vote ``yes.''

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Anastasius, Tassos, Efstratiades, whose personal commitment to preserve the proud heritage of Cypriot Americans and efforts to raise awareness of the continued strife in Cyprus is worthy of recognition. Mr. Efstratiades's love for his homeland is admirable and his accomplishments as a father and businessman are truly inspirational. Mr. Efstratiades, a partner at Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell & Hippel, LLP, has been named Chairman on both the Governor's Commission on International Trade for New Jersey and the Cherry Hill Economic Development Committee. He has also served on the New Jersey General Assembly's Task Force on Business Retention, Expansion and Export Development. In these roles Mr. Efstratiades has demonstrated his abilities as a leader, spearheading efforts to improve commerce and create economic growth, contributing directly to the well-being and prosperity for many families in Southern New Jersey. As a leader in Greek American initiatives, Mr. Efstratiades's service is truly extraordinary. Serving as chairman of the Greek American Chamber of Commerce, he has worked to cultivate relationships and ease business struggles for countless Greek and Cypriot-American businesspeople. Mr. Efstratiades's civic leadership helped him earn this prestigious title, while his tireless efforts have garnered him the respect and admiration of his peers and colleagues. Madam Speaker, Anastasius Efstratiades's commitment to South Jersey must be recognized. I wish him the best in his future endeavors and thank him for his continued dedication to Cypriot Americans.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Angelo Romeo as Director of the Gloucester County Department of Veterans Affairs. A resident of Newfield, New Jersey, Mr. Romeo has demonstrated a tireless work ethic and dedication to Gloucester County veterans that deserves recognition. Mr. Romeo's life shows the strong influence of his mother and political mentor, Virginia Romeo, the first woman elected to the Newfield City Council. Following in her footsteps, Mr. Romeo first ran for a freeholder position in 1972 and was later appointed to fill Lee Ranstrom's seat in 1974 before winning his own election in 1975. He also served as a Captain in the U.S. Army from 1966-1969. After a 20-year break from politics, Mr. Romeo joined the Department of Veterans Affairs in Gloucester County in 1998, where his part-time position quickly flourished into a full-time leadership role. Mr. Romeo excelled at finding and meeting the needs of veterans in Gloucester County. Mr. Romeo worked tirelessly to establish the Veterans Affairs clinic and the Williamstown cemetery. Since the beginning of 2010, the VA clinic in Gloucester County has seen over 4,000 individuals with a combined 18,000 appointments. Furthermore, the State of New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Small Business Administration awarded the Veteran Small Business Advocate of the Year to Mr. Romeo. Mr. Romeo and his wife, Susan, have four children and eight grandchildren whom they plan to take to Disney World after he retires next month. Madam Speaker, Angelo Romeo's commitment to Gloucester County and its veterans must be recognized. I wish him the best in his future endeavors and thank him for his continued service to the veterans of Gloucester County.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor five members of the Camden City Fire Department who have provided years of dedicated service to the Camden, New Jersey community. Chief Kevin Hailey, Chief Ralph Roberts, Chief Maurice Wilson, Chief Darryl Lewison and Chief Larry Wilson deserve to be recognized for their hard work and devotion to the Camden City Fire Department. Chief Kevin Hailey began his many years of service in April of 1981 when he was hired by the Camden City Fire Department. The youngest Fire Captain in the Camden City Fire Department's history, Chief Hailey went on to become Battalion Chief and then Deputy Chief. After 28 years of devoted service to the Camden City Fire Department, Chief Hailey retired on May 1, 2010. Married to his high school sweetheart Melvina since 1989, Chief Hailey is the proud father of one daughter, Kelly. Chief Ralph Roberts has represented the Camden City Fire Department as Firefighter, Fire Inspector, Fire Captain, Assistant Training Officer, Fire Sub Code Official, Emergency Management Coordinator and New Jersey State Licenses Inspector. An advisor on many city boards who holds a degree in Fire Science, Chief Roberts was an invaluable member of the Camden City Fire Department for 28 years. He retired on June 1, 2010. Chief Maurice Wilson became a member of the Camden City Fire Department in April of 1982. After being promoted to Captain in February of 1996, he was further promoted to Battalion Chief in April of 2001 and Deputy Chief in January of 2005 before retiring on May 1, 2010 after 28 years with the Camden City Fire Department. Chief Wilson and his wife Betty have two children. Chief Darryl Lewison was hired by the Camden City Fire Department in 1982 and was quickly assigned to Ladder 3 on 4 group where he spent the next six years before transferring to Ladder 2. Chief Lewison served as Captain of Engine 7 on 3 group in 1992 and was then assigned to Rescue 1 on 4 group. After eight years, Chief Lewison was transferred to Engine 10 on 4 platoon and continued on to Ladder 2. In 2001, Chief Lewison was made Battalion Chief on 2 group and then transferred to Battalion 1 on 1 group. After 28 years of dutiful service, Chief Lewison retired on May 1, 2010. Chief Larry Wilson joined the Camden City Fire Department in 1981 after serving as a U.S. Marine from 1972-1975 and attending school at Rutgers University and Camden County College. Chief Wilson was assigned to Engine 6 on 3 group before transferring to both Engine 7 and Ladder 3. After his promotion to Captain of Engine 7 in 1996, Chief Wilson was transferred to Engine 11 and then promoted to Battalion Chief of Battalion 2 on group 3. After 28\1/2\ years of service, Chief Wilson retired on April 1, 2010. The proud father of four children, Chief Wilson and his wife, Joan, have nine grandchildren. Madam Speaker, the commitment of Chief Kevin Hailey, Chief Ralph Roberts, Chief Maurice Wilson, Chief Darryl Lewison and Chief Larry Wilson to the community of Camden, New Jersey should not go unrecognized. I express my deepest appreciation to these men for their dedication and unwavering loyalty to the Camden City Fire Department.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of Dr. Herman D. James of Voorhees, New Jersey, who died of heart failure in his home on October 2, 2010 at the age of 67. He is survived by his wife Marie, three children and two grandchildren. Dr. James' life and work left a lasting impression on the Rowan University community. Originally from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Dr. James relocated to Harlem, New York with his family at the age of ten. As a young man, he developed a love of jazz music, which he later shared with the listeners of Rowan University's radio station, WGLS-FM. Dr. James went on to graduate from Tuskegee University in 1964 with a bachelor's degree and later earned his doctorate in sociology from the University of Pittsburgh. Becoming the fifth president of the former Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) in 1984, Dr. James began his legacy of striving for academic improvement. Under his leadership, Rowan University saw the launch of its college of engineering as well as the first doctoral program available at a New Jersey state college. Dr. James was also the pioneer of fund-raising for state colleges, resulting in the $100 million donation by Henry and Betty Rowan, the largest gift to a public college at that time. Through the generosity of the Rowan family, Dr. James was able to construct a building for the college of engineering while transforming Rowan University into a more residential campus. Dr. James' love of the classroom persisted even after his retirement from the position of president in 1998, teaching sociology and educational leadership classes up until last year. Madam Speaker, Dr. Herman D. James' commitment to Rowan University and its students should not go unrecognized. I express my deepest condolences to his family for their loss and pay tribute to the memory of this outstanding individual.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Miss Madison Welsh for being named Miss America's Preteen National Teenager 2011. She is a loving sister to Russell and Kyle, and the daughter of Mayor Russell and Heidi Welsh. After being crowned New Jersey Preteen in April, Madison competed in the weeklong national competition in July against the other forty-nine state winners. The competition was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where Madison was crowned the winner. As Miss America's Preteen National Teenager 2011, Madison will travel across the United States for the next year working with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and volunteering in communities across America. The America's National Teenager competition celebrated its fortieth anniversary this year, making it the longest running pageant for teens in the U.S. Founded in 1970, the pageant promotes leadership, scholastic aptitude and service, and offers more than five million dollars in college scholarships annually. The Preteen division, which Madison won, is for girls between the ages of nine and twelve. Madam Speaker, Madison Welsh is an outstanding role model among her peers and I congratulate her for being named Miss America's Preteen National Teenager 2011. I wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. I thank the chairman for yielding. My friend from Arizona said a few minutes ago, we're in the crazy season. I think on this issue we've been in the crazy season for about two decades. I think when we have a policy that says if the other side doesn't follow the rules, you just ignore it, I think that's crazy. If you have a policy that says if the Chinese manipulate their currency and make it easy to fill the shelves at Wal-Mart but empty the pockets of American workers and you ignore it, I think that's crazy. So I think the process of going forward when the other side doesn't play by the same rules that we do, that empties factories, empties wallets and empties communities in this country, I think ignoring that is crazy. And I am glad to see that this House on a bipartisan basis for the first time in a long time is saying it's time to stand up for American communities, American companies and American workers and vote ``yes'' on this legislation.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of Robert U. Cassel of Mantua Township, New Jersey, who died September 1st, 2010 at the age of 95. A longtime resident of Gloucester County, Mr. Cassel has left a legacy of dedication and commitment to his community. Mr. Cassel was born in Philadelphia and graduated from Woodbury High School in 1932. An avid learner, Mr. Cassel continued on to Lebanon Valley College to study biology, leading to his career as a chemist with the Mobil Corporation. During World War II, Mr. Cassel's supervisor advised him that he was exempted from the draft as a result of the importance of his position. Understanding the call of his country, he ignored that exemption and entered the 94th Infantry Division, arriving in France three months after D-Day. He later became a battalion operations officer in the 301st Infantry Regiment. In that position, he was awarded two Bronze Stars for helping fellow battalion members escape a trap that could have destroyed the unit. During his service, Mr. Cassel collected several battle artifacts that he shared at veteran events and Veterans Day presentations at schools. He later donated these items to the University of Georgia. Until recently, he was also the editor of the Hoodlum News, a quarterly newsletter for the 301st Infantry Association. Combining his passion for nature with his dedication to the community, Mr. Cassel was a founding member of the Gloucester County Nature Club in 1949. Furthermore, Mr. Cassel embodied a spirit of volunteerism, dedicating his time to the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial, the Mennonite relief warehouse in Lancaster County, and the Boy Scouts of America. He is survived by his wife Carol and his two daughters, Claire Cassel and Judith Cassel Williams, as well as three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and a sister. Mr. Cassel is predeceased by his first wife, Eve. Madam Speaker, Robert U. Cassel's endless dedication to Gloucester County and our country should not go unrecognized. I express my sincere condolences to his family for their loss and pay tribute to the memory of this exceptional man.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. I thank my friend for yielding. I think if we went into any shopping mall or restaurant in America today and asked people who aren't in politics, What would you like to see us do to help put people back to work?, they would say, Well, small businesses create three out of four jobs in the country. Why don't you help them? Why don't you make it so if they create jobs you cut their taxes? Why don't you make it so if they can't get loans, if they have good credit they can get loans and pay them back so it doesn't cost the Treasury anything? And why don't you do this in such a way that it doesn't add to the deficit, that you offset the cost of doing this by finding other savings to pay for it? Why don't you do that? That's exactly what this bill does. Now, I suspect that if the minority's not going to support this bill, it has more to do with the calendar than the content of the bill. In 40 days the voters are going to the polls. And the other side has decided to run their campaign on the basis that nothing good is happening. That's their judgment. We're making a different judgment here: helping small businesses by cutting their taxes, helping small businesses by making credit available to creditworthy borrowers, and helping the American people by creating jobs in a way that doesn't increase the deficit. Our friends on the other side, Madam Speaker, say there's a climate of fear in Washington. Maybe people are justifiably afraid out in the country that the other side wants to do nothing but say ``no.'' We should vote ``yes'' on this bill.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from California just said that, by extending and perpetuating unemployment benefits to families, it will somehow destroy the economic future of these families. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, Mr. Speaker. I think the reality is, if you take away people's ability to pay their rent or their utility bills or their credit card bills, you absolutely destroy them. The issue before the House today is whether or not 2.5 million Americans, whose unemployment benefits have expired or are about to expire, should get extensions. I emphatically believe that they should. Now, the argument that we have heard from the other side--first, about not even taking a vote on this issue and now against extending those benefits--is twofold. The first, which we just heard a version of, is that to extend their unemployment benefits somehow zaps the incentive for people to look for jobs. I would challenge anybody who makes that assertion to go meet 10 or 100 or 500 unemployed people and ask them just how many want ads they have circled, just how many resumes they have sent out, and just how hard they have looked for jobs, and I think that will put that argument to rest. The second argument is a good faith argument that people do not want to add to the national debt. First of all, this is a selective argument. Nearly two-thirds of the national debt was accumulated during the administrations of Presidents Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush. Most recently, when the past administration added to the national debt by prosecuting an endless occupation of Iraq with borrowed money, virtually no one on the other side raised this issue. Most recently, when the prior administration dramatically reduced the taxes of the top 5 percent of the people in this country by borrowing the money, virtually no one on the other side raised this issue. Today, Members on the other side, both in the other body and here, have taken the position that, while extending benefits to janitors and bus drivers and salespeople who have lost their jobs is somehow fiscally irresponsible if you don't offset it, extending tax breaks to the top 5 percent of the people in the country on a permanent basis is completely responsible. So, in other words, the person who was laid off from her job of cleaning an office building can't get unemployment benefits unless there is a spending cut or a tax increase to pay for it, but the person who owns the office building, who could get a $500,000 tax cut, could get that with borrowed money. This makes no sense. What does make sense is a ``yes'' vote on today's bill.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. I yield to the gentleman.