Jason Altmire

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Croatian American Civic Club of Farrell, Pennsylvania, as it celebrates the Centennial of the ``Hrvatski Dom,'' the Croatian home. This architectural and cultural landmark, which still stands, serves as a reminder of the great impact the Croatian community has on our region's rich cultural history. Their commitment to the preservation of their culture is worthy of this body's recognition and admiration. Croatian immigrants, who began construction on the Hrvatski Dom in September of 1912, would arrive immediately after their 12-hour shifts at the steel mills to work on the arduous task of laying bricks. On Thanksgiving, 1912, less than three months after the beginning of construction, the Hrvatski Dom was officially opened, serving as a testament to the dedication and perseverance of these immigrant laborers. Starting as lodging for a collection of Croatian immigrants, the Hrvatski Dom quickly transformed into the central location for a community of like-minded Croatian Americans. As the hub for Croatian immigrants, the Hrvatski Dom became an educational, musical, and athletic haven for young and old alike--bridging the gap between the old country and their new culture as American citizens. I would also like to give special recognition to a celebrated member of the Croatian American Civic Club, who passed away earlier this year. Known as Aunt Polly, Mrs. Pauline Desput exemplified the love and care of the Croatian community in Pennsylvania. I take great pride in celebrating and congratulating the Croatian American Civic Club of Farrell on its momentous day.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, while I would have preferred the Lofgren approach, I rise in support of the STEM Jobs Act because it's critical to keeping America competitive in the global economy. The United States has the best institutions of higher education in the world, particularly when it comes to the STEM fields. Yet U.S. businesses frequently express concerns over the availability of qualified workers to perform jobs that are available and need to be filled once we educate and train these students for jobs. We send them back to their home countries to compete against us. This simply makes no sense. By passing this bill, we will help ensure that the best and brightest in the world aren't working for our competitors abroad, but that America keeps that talent here at home and they play on our team instead of competing against us.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. I thank the gentleman from Illinois. I, too, rise to pay tribute to our great colleague, Congressman Jerry Costello. We've spent a lot of time during this hour talking about what a great person Jerry Costello is, which is certainly true. He is a kind and decent man. He operates in a bipartisan manner, and he is a friend to nearly everybody in this institution. We could continue to take the entire hour just talking about what a very fine person Jerry Costello is. Yet, when you look at the legislative record over the decades of service that he has offered to his constituency and to the country, there are a few things that stand out. On the Transportation Committee, Jerry Costello has a long and lasting record of many achievements, but he also has a lot of things he has done back home that those of us in Washington maybe don't see every day. For example, when the Base Closing and Realignment Commission slated for closure a military base in Jerry's district, Jerry Costello did what is nearly impossible--he got the realignment commission to review the facts; he had that decision overturned; and he saved that military base and the thousands of jobs that go with it for his district. That's a lasting achievement he can be proud of. When you look at things on the Transportation Committee that have lasting significance, a changing in the law to benefit all Americans. There was a tragic, terrible catastrophe--an air disaster in Buffalo several years ago. Jerry Costello took the lead in this Congress and in this country in changing the laws dealing with pilot fatigue and the requirements for the pilots on the planes. That is going to save lives around this country, and that is going to allow for the averting of this type of disaster in the future. That happened because of Jerry Costello's leadership. So, Mr. Speaker, when we think about the lasting contributions that Jerry Costello has made, yes, many of them are personal. Many of them have to do with the relationships he has built and the friendships he will carry forward into his new career, but let's also remember the many significant legislative achievements for his district that are unparalleled to anyone else's in this institution. So, Jerry, we wish you the best. We are going to miss you.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment that will restore $15.5 million that was cut from the Yellow Ribbon program under this bill. While I understand the tough budget constraints we face, I think we can all agree that programs that provide essential services to the brave men and women who risk their lives to serve our country should not be on the chopping block. Simply put, no one should stand ahead of our Nation's veterans and our men and women in uniform when it comes time to making Federal funding decisions. Congress established the Yellow Ribbon program in 2008 to provide tailored support to meet the unique needs of the National Guard and Reserve combat veterans and their families before, during, and after their deployments. The services it provides includes suicide prevention, career counseling, access to health care, veteran, and education benefits. Last year alone, the Yellow Ribbon program held over 2,100 events across the country, reaching over 300,000 servicemen and -women and their families. As the number of returning National Guard and Reserve combat veterans increases, the need for these services increases along with it. My amendment will help to ensure the Yellow Ribbon program is there to meet the increasing need. My amendment simply restores funding for the Yellow Ribbon program to its level from the previous year, fiscal year 2012, paid for by transferring funds from the overseas contingency operations transfer account. The $15.5 million returned to the Yellow Ribbon program represents only one half of 1 percent of this account. While I recognize its importance, I think a small part of the funding can and should be used to help our National Guard and Reserve veterans and their families navigate through the challenges associated with their deployment. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. I thank the gentleman from California. I was listening to the discussion, as I often do, and I wanted to bring a perspective to join that discussion, Mr. Speaker, as they were both talking about health care. As one who did not support the health care bill originally, I do think it's important to recognize, as has been happening in this discussion, what's working with regard to the health care bill, what's already been implemented that's making a real difference in people's lives. The reason I did not support repeal of the health care bill both times we brought it up was because I have the fourth most Medicare beneficiaries of any district in the country. I have 135,000 Medicare beneficiaries. Many of them are caught in the doughnut hole, what we have come to know as that gap in coverage in the Part D prescription drug program. We are now entering the third year of the phase-in to completely close that doughnut hole. Already, people who are in the doughnut hole have received a $250 compensation for coverage through the doughnut hole. They're getting a steep discount on brand-name drugs. Moving forward, as I say in the years to come, they're going to completely close the doughnut hole and get coverage all the way through. That's something that would not have happened if we had repealed the health care bill. Small businesses all across the country that struggle with the skyrocketing cost of health care that's affecting every family and every business in this country, they're getting a tax credit to help offset the cost, to provide coverage, if they choose, to their employees. That's something that's making a real difference in the district that I represent. They are being able to cover people up to age 26. Often, they are recent college graduates struggling in the down economy. With the job market of today, the parents' plan is being able to for a short period of time insure those young adults after they've graduated from school and may be in transition in their life or in the job market. That's making a real difference for people that I represent. For people with preexisting conditions-- children today and, beginning in 2014, for adults--they will not be able to be denied coverage because of a chronic health condition. That's something that's long overdue in this country. Those are all things that have been implemented. They're in the law today. They're taking effect, and they're impacting people. We can't overlook that. The legal issues have been decided. This is settled law now. What we need to do is make sure--especially with the Medicaid ruling, which was not talked about as much because the court focused on the mandate. But with the States being able to opt out on the Medicaid side, we have to find a way for health care providers to be guaranteed coverage for people who come to their door, whether they be a hospital, a physician, a long-term care facility, whatever it may be. When the health care bill was put into place, before it became law, the deal that was made in return for universal coverage covering people in this country was the providers--all those provider groups I mentioned--gave a little. They understood they had to take some cuts to help offset the cost of that, the cost to the government and to the taxpayer. Now the court has said that States can opt out of part of that through the Medicaid program. We need to make sure that those health care providers are able to keep their end of the bargain and the government keeps their end of the bargain by finding a way to cover everybody. I did want to add that perspective again as someone who didn't originally support the bill. There are things that are working and have been implemented, and I commend both my friends from California and New York for having the discussion tonight.

Mr. ALTMIRE. I appreciate the gentleman opening the door for that issue, and health care is just one issue facing American families in the country today. I know that this group that meets periodically when we're done with session to have these discussions, as I'm sure both of my colleagues do, Mr. Speaker, I hear from people in my district after these discussions show up on people's TVs. I hear from people all over the country, in fact, that say you need to continue talking about the job market, continue talking about infrastructure repair, something we have talked about at length, talk about health care, talk about issues facing small businesses and working families in America, because that's something that I think gets lost in the politicization that takes place in a Presidential election year. We're starting to head towards that time of the year when politics trumps everything, and it's unfortunate because what gets lost is these are real people. These are real Americans that are suffering in the job market.

Mr. ALTMIRE. Absolutely, I would agree. I had a chance to chat with them earlier today, and there is no group that should stand ahead of our Nation's veterans when it comes time to making Federal funding decisions, so I'm glad that they are joining us today.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, it's been 7 years since the Congress enacted a long-term highway authorization; and since that law expired in 2009, State transportation agencies across America have had to deal with the uncertainty of looming funding expirations, construction workers have not known whether there would be jobs available to them, and motorists, retailers, and manufacturers have watched our infrastructure continue to crumble as this body continually failed to act. We cannot wait any longer. That's why I'm pleased today Congress will finally pass a long-term authorization that will provide certainty that has been lacking for years. I'm also pleased that the final conference report includes a provision I authored to make America's roads safer for older drivers. By improving the safety of our roads and highways and making older drivers' travel as safe as possible, we increase road safety for every American. This bill is an example of the success Congress can achieve when we work together. I thank my colleagues for their dedication to our Nation's infrastructure, and I'm proud to support this bill.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose the motion. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in opposition to the motion. The motion offered by the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Black) seeks to eliminate a distracted driving grant program included in the Senate surface transportation authorization bill. I oppose this motion because it ignores the significant safety hazard that distracted driving poses to drivers, commuters, passengers, and pedestrians. Distracted driving is any activity behind the wheel that takes a driver's attention away from the road. The rapid development and ubiquitous use of technology such as cell phones, smart phones, and in- vehicle touch screens has made routine distraction an almost commonplace occurrence in every vehicle across America. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2010 more than 3,000 Americans were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver and approximately 416,000 additional Americans were injured. Distractions from technology can include texting, talking on a phone, or using a navigation system or other audio or visual equipment while in a vehicle. But because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver all at the same time, it is by far the most dangerous distraction. The Wireless Association reported that in June 2011 more than 196 billion text messages were sent or received in the United States, which is up nearly 50 percent from just 2 years ago over the same period. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also reported that more than 100,000 drivers are texting and more than 600,000 drivers are using cell phones at any given moment in time. Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's attention from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, which, while it may not seem like a long time, it's the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field, taking the driver's eyes off the road. It's not surprising that, according to research done by Virginia Tech, a texting driver is 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash than a non-distracted driver. The proposed grant program in the Senate bill is an opportunity to address the rapidly growing problem of distracted driving and to educate the driving public about the real and immediate dangers of distraction behind the wheel. Mr. Speaker, thousands of American lives are at stake. And these are not statistics. These are people--like 21-year-old Casey Feldman, who was struck and killed by a distracted driver as she crossed the street in Ocean City, New Jersey in 2009. It's people like 56-year-old John Sligting, who was killed on his motorcycle when a teen driver talking on her cell phone missed a stop sign in June 2007. It's people like 13- year-old Margay Schee, who was killed on her school bus when a distracted driver rear-ended that bus in September 2008. Although some on the other side of the aisle are skeptical of seemingly every Federal program, we must avoid the temptation to eliminate programs without considering the real impacts they have on the lives of our constituents and on communities all across America. To the point the gentlewoman, my friend from Tennessee (Mrs. Black), raised in her opening remarks, the distracted driving grant program contained in the Senate bill is merely an incentive program, not mandatory. It's an incentive for States that have already passed laws and have them on the books. Therefore, there are no sanctions if States do not pass laws or participate. There are no penalties to not participate. So, Mr. Speaker, to put it simply, this motion represents a giant step backwards in highway safety for all of America. I urge my colleagues to reject this motion to instruct, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ALTMIRE. We have no further speakers. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. The previous speaker talks about States being the innovators. I certainly agree on that. This motion that we are talking about right now involves a State incentive program where States can qualify for Federal money for an optional grant that they may choose to participate in or not. If they do not choose to participate, they are free to pass any distracted- driver laws they wish or not. There is nothing in what is contained in the Senate bill that in any way inhibits or prohibits or disincentivizes States from passing their own distracted-driving laws. They are still free to do whatever they want to do and go as far or not as they want to go. All the Senate language says is that if States choose to meet the higher Federal standards, they may qualify for potential limited grant money that will be made available. No State is sanctioned for not participating. With that, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ALTMIRE. Yielding myself as much time as I would consume, I would, again, make the point that the program in question in no way sanctions, penalizes, disincentivizes, discourages or prohibits States from, in any way, addressing driver safety. It in no way prohibits States from being innovative, from creating new technologies, new programs, doing things that are not recommended in the bill or this program. States are free to do whatever they want to do on this issue. So to continually pound away at the point that we're somehow taking away the ability of States to be flexible is simply incorrect. It's not consistent with the program in question. It's not consistent with the language of the bill we are discussing. With that, I would inquire of my friend--I have no more speakers on our side--is she prepared to close?

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

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Speaker, we all agree that rebuilding our Nation's infrastructure is the best way to create jobs today and ensure long- term economic growth tomorrow. Our failure to pass a long-term, fully funded transportation authorization has undermined our competitiveness as a Nation, overburdened our local and State governments, and hurt American businesses. It prevents the State and local governments in every single one of our districts from funding repairs to their bridges, roads, and railways. It leaves our infrastructure crumbling. And it discourages businesses from creating construction and manufacturing jobs that American workers could be filling today. Madam Speaker, I urge the transportation conference committee to finalize their work before the current authorization expires at the end of next week. We owe it to the American people to get this done.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the legislation we will be voting on this afternoon to repeal the $30 billion excise tax on medical device companies, and I'm proud to join Mr. Paulsen in his effort to prevent this misguided tax from taking effect next year. The district I represent in western Pennsylvania is home to a number of medical device companies that have planted their roots in our region. They offer high-paying, quality jobs and are developing innovative devices that are saving lives. One example is Zoll Medical, which manufactures the LifeVest, a lightweight, wearable defibrillator that continuously monitors a patient's heart. The device allows patients with medical conditions to return to their daily lives with the peace of mind that they are protected from sudden cardiac arrest. This is the type of innovation that we should be encouraging in this country, not penalizing. The excise tax is simply misguided policy. The American medical device industry has proven that when given the chance to succeed, it has the ability to produce devices that can better the quality of life for Americans and even save lives. The industry is already facing challenges from foreign competitors that have an easier time getting their products to market. We must give the U.S. device manufacturers the opportunity to succeed, not punish them for being innovators and risk losing the incalculable contributions they provide to our economy, the delivery of health care and quality of life for every American. The rule that we are debating today provides us with the chance to vote to help ensure that the next great medical breakthrough is developed in this country right here in the United States and not overseas. I urge my colleagues to support its passage, and I thank Mr. Polis for yielding me the time.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank my friend, Congressman Poe, for his strong leadership on this issue and for again working with me this year to highlight the critical importance of expanded mobile communications along our southern border. Last year I had the opportunity to visit the district of our former colleague, Gabrielle Giffords, in southwestern Arizona, where I met with customs and Border Patrol agents, examined construction of the border fence and spoke with ranchers and residents who live and work in the remote areas along the U.S.-Mexico border. In rural areas along that border, cell phone service is virtually nonexistent, and where service does exist, it's often unreliable. Some ranchers even have to resort to communicating through the use of two-way radios. The lack of cell phone service presents an obvious safety issue for ranchers, as my friend, Congressman Poe outlined, and it's a safety issue for residents and the National Guard troops who patrol that protected area. If a rancher feels threatened, he cannot currently call for help or alert law enforcement to the situation. To address this issue, our amendment adds $10 million to the general account for border security fencing, infrastructure, and technology to expand mobile communications in remote areas along our southern border. These funds may be used by the Department of Homeland Security to enter into public-private partnerships which will provide a more reliable communications link between law enforcement officials and citizens who live and work in our border areas. Last year, Congressman Poe and I offered a similar amendment that passed with a strong bipartisan vote of 327 93. Despite its inclusion in last year's omnibus funding measure, little action to date has been taken by DHS to implement stronger cell coverage along the U.S.-Mexico border. I urge support of our amendment to show DHS that the safety of our southern border is a priority for this Congress. This is a problem we can and must fix. Supporting this amendment will not increase spending, but what it will do is protect the public and increase the effectiveness of law enforcement in rural border areas. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Madam Chairman, let me thank Chairman Culberson for his excellent work on this important bill which funds our Nation's military construction projects and provides support to the infrastructure that serves our Nation's veterans. The Veterans Affairs campus located in Butler, Pennsylvania, provides critical health care services to veterans across western Pennsylvania. Two years ago I worked with my colleagues to provide $8.5 million to make improvements to the campus to ensure the veterans in our community receive the best care in the most up-to-date facilities. Despite these improvements, the VA has plans to move forward with construction of an offsite health care center. And while this is a laudable initiative by the VA, many veterans in our community are worried that the construction of this new center will lead to the elimination of services that are currently available to them at the Butler VA, which is a valuable asset to the community relied upon by veterans throughout western Pennsylvania. Valid questions about the rationale behind constructing a new facility have been raised in the veterans' community, and their input should be heard. Any new, offsite facility should complement, not replace services currently provided at the Butler VA campus. My colleagues and I will continue to monitor this issue to ensure the highest quality services to veterans will continue to be provided at that facility now and in the future. I yield to the Representative of the Butler VA facility, my friend, Congressman Mike Kelly.

Mr. ALTMIRE. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to recognize the students, faculty, and administration of Fox Chapel Area High School in Pittsburgh, PA, for their participation in the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project. On March 16, 2012, the students of Mrs. Jen Klein's Advanced Placement Government class hosted local veterans to be interviewed about their service in the military. Nine veterans visited Fox Chapel Area High School where students collected first-hand accounts of their experiences serving in the military, including World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. These stories will become a part of the permanent collection at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Along with the veterans' biographical data, their personal stories will be preserved so that future generations can understand the sacrifice and commitment they made for our country. The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress American Folklife Center was created by Congress and signed into law in 2000. To date, over 74,000 records have been collected from veterans across the country. As the largest oral history program in United States history, this program relies on volunteers throughout the nation to collect and preserve the first-hand interviews of America's wartime veterans. Because of their participation, the students of Fox Chapel Area High School's names and interviews will be a part of the permanent collection. The Veterans History Project gives our servicemen and women the opportunity to share their stories of service to our country in a way that no one else can. As the future leaders of America, these students exemplify the best that our schools have to offer. For their outstanding work and dedication to this project, I would like to commend and thank the following students of Fox Chapel Area High School: Alexander Carlier, Ishan Chatterjee, Zachary Ferguson, Ben Freeman, Alexander Fox, Alexander Goodwin, Sarah Henry, Steven Ho, Loteta Lee, Johnny Lou, Jack Millard, Minu Nagashunmugam, Cristian Nicolescu, Sarah Ogren, Erin Ross, Nicole Segall, Ryan Shymansky, Andrew Tabas, Carly Trakofler, Connor Whelan, Samantha Wiley, Hannah Davis Leizerowski, Emily Owens, Tanner Patsko, Morgan Tucker, Emma Thompson, Josh Norkevicus, Erin Zoller, Ana Roc Martinez, Graydon Leonard, Gisselle Manson, Benjamin Klaas, Chloe Artice, Jacob Snyder.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Chairman, in March, ``NBC News'' ran a story about a soldier who was charged $41 for a three-second voicemail he left his wife from a pay phone in an airplane in Germany. This is simply outrageous. For servicemembers in transit to and from deployment, a quick phone call from an airport pay phone is often their only link to loved ones at home. Because public phones in foreign airports may not accept prepaid calling cards, servicemembers have to accept whatever cost the pay phone service charges in that particular airport. It is important that we help provide that crucial link for our servicemembers during this time of transit. My amendment would direct the DOD to submit a report on the feasibility of providing telecom services to servicemembers in transit to overseas deployment and to investigate allegations of overcharging servicemembers. The brave men and women of our Armed Forces deserve better than $41 3-second call. I encourage all Members to support my amendment.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, construction of the Keystone XL pipeline would create thousands of jobs for hardworking Americans, but it would also increase our energy independence. Canada has already confirmed its intention to build the pipeline. The only question now is whether or not our Nation will benefit from the jobs, economic growth, and energy security that comes with construction of the pipeline. We cannot allow this opportunity to pass us by. The project would be developed in keeping with all environmental regulations and constructed with the safest and most advanced pipeline technology available. What's more, the Keystone pipeline takes advantage of Canada's vast oil resources that are the second-largest on the planet. The time for delay has long since passed. The House legislation would advance the approval and construction of the pipeline passed by the House on multiple occasions with bipartisan support. The Keystone pipeline has the potential to become a viable, long-lasting, sustainable source of energy for the future. Construction of the pipeline would provide a steady source of energy for our country, decrease our reliance on volatile oil markets, and provide the certainty that comes with steady jobs for tens of thousands of Americans. Mr. Speaker, the pipeline is going to be built. What is left to decide is whether Americans will benefit from it. I strongly urge the conferees on the Surface Transportation reauthorization committee to include the Keystone pipeline in the final bill, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to continue to advance our Nation's energy independence.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. Every year around this time, the President submits a budget, the House and Senate debate their own budgets and, well, nothing happens. Congress has not adopted a budget in over 1,000 days, and it's been 15 years since Congress passed all of its appropriations bills on time. This is simply unacceptable, and that's why I ask my colleagues to join me and the bipartisan cosponsors of the No Budget, No Pay Act. This bill is simple. It says that if Congress can't complete its work, if the budget and appropriations bills are not done on time, then congressional pay would cease and Members of Congress would not be paid until those bills are enacted. Members could not receive their lost salaries retroactively. Once pay is withheld, it's gone forever. Somehow, I think if this bill were law, Members would find a new urgency and finally find a way to get their work done on time.

Mr. ALTMIRE

Mr. ALTMIRE. I thank the gentleman from California and my friend from New York (Mr. Tonko). We have a discussion going now about manufacturing in America. And our colleagues understand the relationship that exists between manufacturing and R&D, research and development. And it's critical that we look at those together, because of the discussion that we're having in this country about why, over the past several decades, we've lost so much in manufacturing, we've lost our core manufacturing businesses. I come from western Pennsylvania. We have seen the steel industry over the past several years. Although there is a resurgence today, it's been many, many years since we lost a lot of that steel industry that we had in western Pennsylvania, and it was the core base of employment for generations in the Pittsburgh area. Across the country, we've seen our manufacturing industry decimated by foreign competition; and the reason R&D relates to this, as the gentleman certainly knows, is it's a continuum. And at first, when America lost its manufacturing lead to other countries, we still kept the innovation; we still kept the R&D. But the continuum that exists between someone in America coming up with an idea, an invention, turning that, through R&D, into a real product, a real innovation, we have always been the leaders in that in America. Americans have led the way with innovation, with creation, with technology, and then turning that into the manufacturing sector, turning that towards product development, manufacturing, exportation to other countries, creating a base of people who are going to use that product. The whole continuum is something that we have seen over the last several years through foreign competition. We've lost our lead in a lot of those things. And because of our failure to invest in research and development, because of our failure to keep up with the foreign competition, we've lost even more than just the manufacturing sector. We've lost our competitive edge on the innovation side as well. That's why it's so critical, even in the times that we face now, severe fiscal restraint, a recession that we are finally recovering from. We have to continue to make that investment in R&D because, as the gentleman from New York said, if we don't do it, other countries will--and they are. And if we expect to compete in a global economy, if we expect to get back our lead in manufacturing, which we are starting to do, it has to begin at that first stage of innovation, of research and development, creating new products, leading to new ways of manufacturing, more cost-efficient ways of manufacturing. We're going to be able to do it, and we're starting to see the resurgence in America specifically because we understand that continuum that exists. It would be a tragedy for workers in this country to begin moving in the other direction. I thank the gentleman for his leadership.