John Boehner

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 2507.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the Senate bill (S. 2507) to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to provide children with increased access to food and nutrition assistance, to simplify program operations and improve program management, to reauthorize child nutrition programs, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California for yielding me this time, and I rise today in tribute to a great American, Ronald Reagan. We have heard extensive remarks this morning about his two major accomplishments, I believe: the end of the Soviet Union as we know it, and setting in place employer tax rates leading to an economic recovery. If we think about what happened, he was the first to call for the end of the Soviet Union and, frankly, the first to predict the end of the Soviet Union as we knew it. No one in my lifetime has done more to spread freedom around the world than Ronald Reagan, and we all owe him a great debt not only here in our country, but around the world. His tax policies of the early 1980s led to an economic recovery in the 1980s, and I believe the entire expansion of the 1990s can be traced back to the lower tax rates set in the early 1980s, giving investors a reason to invest in our economy. But I think Ronald Reagan's greatest contribution to our country was his optimism, his hope, and his belief in the strength of the American people. One only has to look at what we went through in the 1960s and the 1970s and what Ronald Reagan inherited when he took office. America, to say the least, was on its heels. We had gone through the problems of the Vietnam era; we had gone through problems with the Presidency; we had gone through the problems of the energy crisis; and this new animal that came upon our economy called inflation. America was beginning to wonder about itself, and it was Ronald Reagan who talked about the shining city on the hill and all that America could be. It was Ronald Reagan that knew and said that our best days lie ahead, not in the past, and he was right. The hope that he brought, the enthusiasm he brought, and the belief in the American people was something that did, in fact, renew the American spirit. His patriotism and the patriotism he brought to our country was something that we have not seen for some time. I know in my case, I and my entire family grew up in the Democrat Party, and it was Ronald Reagan, it was Ronald Reagan, who showed me that I was a Republican. It was Ronald Reagan who encouraged me to take a more active role in my community. I was proud to be a volunteer on his campaign in 1980. And, Mr. President, let me say this: You were my hero then; you continue to be my hero. It was Ronald Reagan who inspired me to make a commitment to public service and to do my share on behalf of the American people, and forever I will be grateful. Mr. President, we still love you.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I think all of us realize that the American economy is changing, and I think it is changing at a more rapid pace than any of us would likely know. During a hearing several months ago, I found a number of statistics that I really found unusual. If we all think back for a moment to 1999, the American economy was in full bloom, the stock market was rising, employment levels were at all-time highs, yet in 1999 the American economy lost 35 million jobs. Yes, that is right. The American economy lost 35 million jobs. But, in 1999, the American economy also created 37 million new jobs, a net gain of 2 million jobs. Now, let us move forward 3 years to 2002. And what happened in 2002? We had a recession, we had the effects of 9/11, we had a war going on in Afghanistan, and the American economy lost 35 million jobs in 2002. The American economy, though, in 2002, only created 33\1/2\ million new jobs. This churning that we see in the American economy has always been there, but this churning we are now seeing is happening at a much faster pace than ever before; and, as a result, the need for job training, retraining, and educational services for American workers is at an all-time high. During our hearing, when we had Alan Greenspan in front of our committee, he said this: ``We need to increase our efforts to ensure that as many of our citizens as possible have the opportunity to capture the benefits that flow from that engagement. For reasons that I shall elucidate shortly, one critical element in creating that opportunity is the provision of rigorous education and ongoing training to all members of our society. This proposal is not novel. It is, in fact, the strategy that we have followed successfully for most of the past century and a strategy that we now should embrace with renewed commitment.'' Education and training and ongoing education and training for the American workforce is absolutely critical, Mr. Speaker. There has been a lot said here today about the nature of our economy and what is happening, but in a U.S. News and World Report that is out today, dated June 7, Mort Zuckerman, in his editorial, says this: ``The economy is well on a tear. New jobs are being generated in large numbers. Income is growing at twice the rate of last year. And the exhilaration is such that we will probably see 5 percent growth in the gross domestic product. The jobs reports of the past few months have changed market sentiment. Sixty-one percent of private industries surveyed have added workers. That is the highest in 4 years. Business confidence has surged to a 20-year high, and business spending is exploding, with even American manufacturing joining the party. Companies that once saved every nickel are laying out more and more money as capital equipment to meet growing orders in double-digit rates.'' He goes on to say later in the article, ``We are on a trajectory toward extraordinary growth in the second half of 2004 that will beget stronger job and income growth, stronger retail spending, and accelerating demand at a time when businesses have cut costs, raising profit margins to their highest level in years. ``Higher profits will beget more spending, which will beget more business expansion, which will beget more income for workers which should trigger yet another increase in demand.'' Do not look now, but the surging economy may be the real October Surprise. There is a real surge in our economy; and for Americans to take advantage of that surging economy, the kind of education and training that we allow under the Workforce Investment Act and provide for them should be helpful to them. These personal reemployment accounts are a pilot project to give them the choice about the kinds of services they need, the kinds of training or retraining they need to go out and take advantage of a surging economy to get a real job for the long term.

Mr. BOEHNER. I do, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Herger), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Resources of the Committee on Ways and Means that deals with this.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman from California (Mr. Herger) has pointed out, we have extended unemployment benefits on several occasions and have provided tens of billions of dollars in support for those extensions. The motion to recommit, if Members believe this is going to provide unemployment extensions to people, they are kidding themselves. What the Kildee motion does is create a new program within the Workforce Investment Act to extend unemployment benefits. This is not the usual unemployment system that we have that works really well. Under this proposal, we create a new program that is not funded. There is no funding in this bill for the program that is being created, and all this is going to do is bring false hope to millions of Americans who are out there trying to seek work who are on unemployment. But the worst part of the motion to recommit is that it totally eliminates the underlying bill. For those of us who believe personal reemployment accounts are a good idea and that projects ought to be initiated to allow people up to $3,000 to find the kind of training, retraining, and education they need in order to gain good employment, that entire bill is eliminated under the gentleman's motion to recommit. I would urge my colleagues, let us not engage in a facade; let us not make empty promises to people who need our help and need our help badly. This is a new program. It is not funded. It will not extend unemployment benefits. Again, the worse part about it is it would eliminate the entire underlying bill and the personal reemployment accounts that we think will be helpful for American workers who are out of work. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Tiahrt).

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. There was a discussion here about what would happen if workers chose to take a $3,000 personal reemployment account and their ability to access services at the Career One Stops. I just want to set the record straight. While it is true that recipients would be prohibited from accessing intensive or training services through the One Stop career system for 1 year after the creation of the account, unless, unless the person with the account chooses to purchase services there, however, all individuals remain eligible for the core services provided by the Career One Stop. Such services include job search and placement assistance, including career counseling, where appropriate, and access to labor market information. Now the idea here is that we allow individuals $3,000, giving them the right to choose the types of services that they think will help them get back on their feet and find a good job. They can purchase those services at the Career One Stop or they can go down the street and go to a community college if they want. But the core services that the Career One Stops provide for all individuals, these persons with the $3,000 personal reemployment accounts, would still be eligible for those core services. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter), the author of this bill.

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

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), the original author and I would describe as the father of the Workforce Investment Act. I applaud him on his good work.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we probably would not be here today if the other body would actually go to conference on the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act. But I think all of us realize that they have been unwilling to go to conference, and we believe that we have got every responsibility known to man to help those people who are unemployed and need help. Secondly, let me say that, once again, we are getting into a debate about the perfect becoming the enemy of the good. What this bill does is set up a pilot project that allows unemployed workers who qualify the option of this $3,000 reemployment bonus. The real key here is that they, the unemployed workers, get to decide what kind of training they need, what kind of education they might need, what kind of services they may need to help them get back on their feet and into good work. They get to decide, not some bureaucrat in some office somewhere. They get to decide. And this option of allowing them that flexibility, I think, is worth trying. That is what we are asking for today: Let us try this. Let us see what happens. Let us see if this additional flexibility for unemployed workers does, in fact, help them get the training, retraining they may need to find a good job. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my colleague, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter) the author of this bill.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne), a member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the economic news over the last 8 months has been very encouraging. Republicans and President Bush have focused on creating jobs and opportunity, helping working Americans by providing tax relief, improving worker training and education to help Americans without work get back on their feet, and enhancing the competitiveness of employers both at home and abroad to ensure they continue to hire more and more American workers. As recent data from the Labor Department shows, the U.S. is creating thousands of new jobs every month. The pro-growth agenda has created 1.1 million net new jobs over the last 8 months, and 625,000 jobs, net new jobs, I should say, in March and April alone. Moreover, the national unemployment rate declined to 5.6 percent in April, lower than the average unemployment rate during the 1970s, the 1980s, and the 1990s. While this is welcome news for working Americans, we remain committed to ensuring that every displaced worker has the opportunity to find meaningful employment and access to job-training services that will help them find good-paying jobs. As President Bush has said, one worker out of work is one too many, and we have a responsibility to help working families in times when they need it most. Job training and worker education is more important to this effort in today's changing economy now more than ever before. Every member of our society, including those who are most vulnerable and the hardest to employ, want to achieve independence and self-sufficiency. No American wants endless reliance on our government, and I think the President recognizes that and providing personal reemployment accounts represents one more way we are helping the unemployed by specifically tailoring job training and employment services to meet their unique needs. Giving displaced workers the resources they need and continuing this economic expansion is critically important. That brings us to why we are here today: to highlight a new and innovative approach to helping the unemployed get back on their feet. The bill before us, the Worker Reemployment Accounts Act, allows demonstration funding under the Workforce Investment Act to be used by States and local workforce investment boards for a pilot project to offer personal reemployment accounts of up to $3,000. With the funds from these accounts, unemployed workers may purchase a variety of different services to help them find a new job and to reenter the workforce, including job training, child care, transportation, housing assistance, relocation services, career counseling, computer classes, just to name a few. And all of these are accessible through the One-Stop Career Center system where unemployed workers already seek job training assistance. A key component of this plan allows workers who become reemployed within 13 weeks to keep the balance of their account as a cash reemployment bonus. In addition, these reemployment accounts empower individual recipients to make choices appropriate for their own circumstances. Recipients will be able to create reemployment accounts that help them navigate all of the options that are available, such as career counseling or job training for a new profession. In providing choice and flexibility, I think we get people back to work into steady, good-paying jobs sooner. For those who are struggling to get back on their feet, we in Congress, I think, have a responsibility to look for additional solutions to help them when they need it most. The intent of this bill is clear: this new benefit supplements and enhances the services that are already available for those who are most likely to face obstacles in finding and keeping new employment, whether it be unemployment benefits or the employment training programs offered through the Workforce Investment Act. The bill before us is a pilot project, a scaled-back version of a more comprehensive proposal that the Committee on Education and the Workforce approved last year. Our goal here is to put this program to a test, see how it works in practice, and determine whether it truly gives unemployed workers an option, a workable option to help them improve their job search. The lessons learned through this pilot project will give Congress more information on how best to serve those who are looking for work. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter) and the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) for their work on this measure and last year's bill as well. During hearings that we had last year, we heard from State leaders at a field hearing in Nevada about the practical benefits of these reemployment accounts in helping the unemployed. We also heard from Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, who said that the accounts ``will empower individuals by giving them more flexibility, personal choice, and control over their job search and career.'' Over the past 2 years, we have taken numerous steps to help unemployed workers, and we are also in the process of reauthorizing the Federal job-training programs under the Workforce Investment Act. Millions of jobless workers should not have to wait for job-training reform, and Congress has an obligation this year to improve those job- training opportunities for American workers. Unfortunately, it appears, though, that some in the other body want to block major job-training legislation that would help strengthen training and retraining opportunities for American workers. I think if given the opportunity, we look forward to completing work on that legislation this year. But Congress must act now to provide new, innovative options to help workers as quickly as possible, and the choice and flexibility available through personal reemployment accounts will help more Americans get back on their feet and find good jobs. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and included extraneous material on H.R. 444.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 656, I call up the bill (H.R. 444) to amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to establish a Personal Reemployment Accounts grant program to assist Americans in returning to work, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 1261) to enhance the workforce investment system of the Nation by strengthening one-stop career centers, providing for more effective governance arrangements, promoting access to a more comprehensive array of employment, training, and related services, establishing a targeted approach to serving youth, and improving performance accountability, and for other purposes, with a Senate amendment thereto, disagree to the Senate amendment, and request a conference with the Senate thereon.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following letters for the Record: Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, May 28, 2004. Hon. William M. Thomas, Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Thomas: Thank you for your May 17, 2004 letter regarding H.R. 3908, the ``To provide for the conveyance of the real property located at 1081 West Main Street in Ravenna, Ohio.'' I agree that the Committee on Ways and Means has jurisdiction over matters concerning the Social Security Act and the effect this bill would have on provisions within your Committee's jurisdiction. While these provisions are within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means, I appreciate your willingness to work with me in moving H.R. 3908 forward without the need for additional legislative consideration by your Committee. I agree that this procedural route should note be construed to prejudice the jurisdictional interest and prerogatives of the Committee on Ways and Means on these provisions or any other similar legislation and will not be considered as precedent for consideration of matters of jurisdictional interest to your Committee in the future. I thank you for working with me regarding this matter and look forward to continuing our work and cooperation on this bill and similar legislation. This letter and your response will be included in the Congressional Record during the floor consideration of this bill. If you have questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to call me. Sincerely, John Boehner, Chairman.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4411, the Priorities for Graduate Studies Act. I'm pleased to stand in support of this bill, which will both enhance graduate education and build on the strength of education at all levels by helping to increase study of subject areas facing shortages at the K-12 level. I'd like to commend Representative Burns for his work on this important bill. The Priorities for Graduate Studies Act will build on the success of the graduate programs currently authorized under Title VII of the Higher Education Act, and, additionally, the bill will help fulfill the demand for highly qualified teachers at the K-12 level. Witnesses have testified before the Education and the Workforce Committee that an important key to placing highly qualified teachers in every public school classroom, as called for by the bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act, is having adequate faculty available to train the teachers of tomorrow. This is particularly important in subject areas facing severe shortages. I believe the importance of this cannot be overstated. If we are serious about ensuring every child learns from a highly qualified teacher, we must address the issue comprehensively. Elementary and secondary classrooms across the Nation are facing severe shortages of highly qualified teachers, particularly in high- demand subject areas. States and schools tell us they are struggling to find highly qualified math, science, and special education teachers. And as our schools work to educate those whose native language is not English, we need teachers who are prepared to meet the needs of students with limited English proficiency (LEP). To meet these demands, this bill places a priority on these particular subject areas for graduate assistance programs, ensuring that our investment in graduate education continues to improve education at all levels. Although I believe the role graduate education plays in creating a pipeline of highly qualified teachers is extremely important, the many other benefits of graduate education should not be overlooked. As we enter the 21st Century, the need for advanced education is becoming increasingly vital to successfully maintaining our place in the technologically-advanced economy. Now, more than ever, our citizens are obtaining graduate degrees in order to gain more expertise in their field of study. This bill will help ensure the continued availability of such graduate study opportunities for students. As we move forward with the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, we must continue to build on the success of these programs that prepare the next generation of scholars. We have expressed our support for our teachers before, and we stand united today to continue that support and urge our colleagues in the other body to do the same. Graduate education is fundamental to maintaining our competitiveness and economic leadership, as well as ensuring the success of education reform in classrooms across America. And as our economic recovery continues and new jobs are created everyday, the importance of education will only grow. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this bill, and the continued success of graduate education.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4409, the Teacher Training Enhancement Act, and I would like to thank the gentleman from Georgia [Representative Gingrey] for his leadership on this issue. The bill before us complements the No Child Left Behind Act and will help to improve the quality and accountability of our nation's teacher preparation programs. In exchange for significant new funding, the No Child Left Behind Act calls on states to place a highly qualified teacher in every public school classroom by the 2005-2006 school year. We can all agree highly qualified teachers play a pivotal role in the successful education of our nation's children, and those children deserve nothing less than the best. Congress has kept its word to increase funding to help ensure teachers can become highly qualified--in fact, funding for teacher quality grants increased by 35 percent in the first year of No Child Left Behind alone. We're providing the resources, and this bill will build on that effort by ensuring our teachers are highly qualified and prepared to teach. There is no doubt highly qualified teachers are essential if we are to provide every child in America with a high quality education. In fact, the future competitiveness of our workforce is directly dependent on the quality of education in our schools. Today's students are tomorrow's workers, and highly qualified teachers play a vital role in providing our students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Yet the nation's teacher training programs suffer from a serious lack of accountability, and this time it's the teachers who are being left behind. The bill before us today takes important steps to ensure teacher training programs are giving prospective teachers the skills and knowledge they need to meet the highly qualified standard in No Child Left Behind. Let's be clear on this point: this bill is about supporting our teachers. We're expecting a lot from them, and they deserve high quality training programs that will ensure they are ready to teach when they step into the classroom. This legislation makes several improvements to Title II of the Higher Education Act to strengthen the programs that train the teachers of tomorrow. This bill is about helping teachers, pure and simple--giving them the tools and training they need to meet the needs of the nation's students. H.R. 4409 authorizes competitively awarded grants under the Higher Education Act to: increase the quality our teaching force by improving teacher preparation and enhancing professional development; hold teacher preparation programs accountable for preparing highly qualified teachers; and recruit highly qualified individuals, including minorities and individuals from other occupations, into the teaching force. The Teacher Training Enhancement Act ensures program effectiveness can be accurately measured and places a renewed emphasis on the skills needed to meet the ``highly qualified'' standard found in the No Child Left Behind Act. This includes areas such as: the use of advanced technology in the classroom, rigorous academic content knowledge, scientifically based research, and challenging state student academic standards. Under this bill, funds can also be used to recruit individuals, and specifically minorities, into the teaching profession. This bill allows for the creation of Centers of Excellence at high quality minority serving institutions. These Centers of Excellence will help increase teacher recruitment and strengthen teacher preparation programs at minority serving institutions. As we work to place highly qualified teachers in classrooms across the nation, I'm particularly pleased that the Teacher Training Enhancement Act allows for innovative programs that provide alternative options to the traditional teacher training programs. Proposals outlined in the bill, such as charter colleges of education, provide a much-needed alternate route to training highly qualified and effective teachers. This bill recognizes that individuals seeking to enter the teaching profession often have varied backgrounds. And by creating flexible approaches that step outside the box, these individuals can become highly qualified teachers through training programs as unique as their individual experiences. H.R. 4409 will also bolster accountability so that the effectiveness of teacher training programs can be measured. While current higher education law contains annual reporting requirements, these measures have proven ineffective in gauging the true quality of teacher training programs. In fact, the current requirements have sometimes been manipulated, leaving data skewed and often irrelevant. This bill will strengthen reporting measures and hold teacher preparation programs accountable for providing accurate and useful information. A highly educated workforce is critical to America's future competitiveness. And the quality of education is directly related to the quality of teachers entrusted with the vital task of educating our students. I've said it before and I'll say it again; we are expecting a lot from teachers, and they deserve our full support. This bill will do exactly that--support the teachers of tomorrow, and the teaching profession as a whole, by strengthening teacher training. Our teachers deserve it, our schools deserve it, and our students deserve it. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this bill and encourage my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from Ohio, for yielding me this time. Tomorrow, we will consider a bill that is integral to helping return more Americans to work, the Worker Reemployment Accounts Act. As President Bush has said, one American without a job is one too many. This legislation provides a unique approach to helping displaced workers return to good jobs. The bill offers new assistance for unemployed workers in the form of personal reemployment accounts which would help workers who need it the most return to work more quickly. The Worker Reemployment Account Act is one piece of a larger effort to solidify the future competitiveness of America's workforce by improving education and job training. Later today, we will consider two bills aimed at strengthening teacher training and increasing the availability of highly qualified teachers in high-demand subject areas. These bills, which will be packaged with the Worker Reemployment Accounts Act under this rule, represent a comprehensive strategy for strengthening education at all levels and improving job training. With 1.1 million new jobs created over the last 8 months and 625,000 net new jobs added just in March and April, it is clear that our resurgent economy is moving on the right track. Indeed, almost every economic indicator tells us the economy is adding momentum every month, and manufacturing jobs have been on the rise for 3 straight months as well. The unemployment rate fell to 5.6 percent in April, lower than the average unemployment rate during the 1970s, 1980s, and the 1990s. Despite these encouraging signs, we need to do more to help displaced workers get back on their feet, and it is clear that job training and worker education is more important in today's changing economy than ever before. We want to give workers a hand up, not just a handout. Self-sufficiency and independence from Government is every American worker's goal, not dependency and endless reliance on our government. We recognize this fact, and personal reemployment accounts represent one more way we are helping the unemployed get back on their feet through personalized job training and employment services specifically tailored to meet that person's own needs. The Worker Reemployment Accounts Act is an innovative approach to helping workers find good-paying jobs. The bill authorizes funding for a pilot project similar to the one proposed by President Bush earlier this year that would provide workers with personal reemployment accounts up to $3,000 to purchase employment-related services to help them find a good job. The bill does not authorize a specific dollar amount for the pilot program but simply makes reemployment accounts an allowable use of funds under the demonstration programs of the Workforce Investment Act. The President requested $50 million for this demonstration program, and I am sure Congress would fund it appropriately. This is an efficient and flexible approach that empowers Americans to find good-paying jobs. The funds from these accounts can be used for a variety of employment-related services, including job training, career counseling, transportation assistance, child care, and housing assistance. One of the best elements of the plan is that any unspent balance in the account can be kept by workers who find work within 13 weeks of being laid off. Workers can keep any remaining amount as a reemployment bonus. The personal reemployment accounts will be administered through the One-Stop Career System established under the Workforce Investment Act where displaced workers already seek employment assistance. States and local workforce boards that want to participate can apply to the Labor Secretary for competitive grants to offer reemployment accounts to unemployed workers. An individual who receives an amount must be receiving unemployment benefits, be identified by the State as likely to exhaust his or her benefits, and be eligible for at least 20 weeks of unemployment compensation. These accounts are a new benefit option that would work in tandem with unemployment insurance as an additional vehicle to help workers in their efforts to find good-paying jobs. Over the past 2 years, we have taken numerous steps to help unemployed workers, and this is another way we are responding to the needs of Americans who find themselves without work. As I stated earlier, the U.S. economy is strong and getting stronger. Personal reemployment accounts are yet another important step to help these displaced workers find the jobs that they seek. By giving job- seekers all the resources they need to return to work, we will continue this economic resurgence and help every unemployed American secure the education and skills necessary to take advantage of today's reenergized job market. That is what this debate is all about. Let us not let the perfect become the enemy of the good. Let us support the rule and the underlying bill.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for the opportunity today to have this debate on how to bring some more equitable regulations over at OSHA. Small employers are the engine of job creation in America and for employers of 100 or less, they create about 70 percent of the new jobs that we see in our country each and every day. Yet these same employers are the ones that are dealing with the ever-rapidly rising cost of health insurance premiums for their employees, the cost of government regulations. They see competition not only from their neighbors down the street but competition from far beyond our seas. And if we want this engine of economic growth to continue to create jobs in America, we as Members of Congress ought to be looking at laws and regulations that affect their ability to compete both at home and abroad. I want to congratulate my colleague from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections. He and the members of his subcommittee did a marvelous job in looking at OSHA. Now, we have made great strides at OSHA over the last 5 or 6 years in terms of OSHA, a government agency, charged with protecting worker health and safety, working in a more cooperative way with employers all across the country. And what has happened? We have seen workplace injuries and accidents decrease. And this voluntary cooperation that we have under way, we believe can be enhanced by the four underlying bills that we bring to the floor today, whether it is giving the review commission a little more flexibility in looking at some regulations; whether it is expanding the review commission so they can speed up the adjudication of disputes between employers and OSHA; or whether it is to say to OSHA, before you bring a lawsuit against a small employer, you ought to consider the impact on it and what it does to the small employer, because if you bring this suit against a small employer and you lose, you ought to pay the legal costs for the employer. A lot of small employers do not want to take on the Federal Government, do not want to take on the U.S. Treasury or OSHA even if they think they are right because of the giant expense involved. Most of these businesses do not have the kind of capital that big businesses have; and as a result, they are reluctant to really adjudicate what they think is a legitimate claim. And we believe that if OSHA would have to pay those fees if they lose, it would bring more balance to this relationship between OSHA and the employers and maintain the cooperative spirit that we have seen grow over the last 5 or 6 years. So the four bills that we have before us I think will enhance worker safety, will enhance competitiveness for small companies. We ought to have a debate today, and I think the rule outlines a very fair process for the consideration of these four bills; and I would urge my colleagues not only to support the rule today but to support the four underlying bills that we are bringing to the floor under it.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 645, I call up the bill (H.R. 2730) to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to provide for an independent review of citations issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker the fourth bill we will debate today in this series of votes is another narrowly crafted bill that addresses a specific problem that we found in the OSHA law. In short, we strongly believe that small businesses that face meritless OSHA enforcement actions should not be prevented from defending themselves simply because they cannot afford it. The Occupational Safety And Health Small Employer Access to Justice Act levels the playing field for small businesses and encourages OSHA to better assess the merits of the case before it brings unnecessary enforcement actions to court against small businesses. Under current law, the Equal Access to Justice Act allows small business owners to recover attorney's fees if the owner successfully challenges a citation. However, if OSHA can establish that its enforcement action was ``substantially justified'' or the result of ``special circumstances,'' small businesses can be refused attorney fees even if OSHA loses the case in court. Historically, the law's ``substantially justified'' and ``special circumstances'' standards have made it easy for OSHA to prevent recovery under this broad standard, so attempts by small business owners to recover costs often merely exacerbate the financial harm caused by OSHA's dubious enforcement actions. In fact, let us look at some of the records here. In 2002, OSHA cited 83,760 violations based on its approximately 40,000 workplace inspections. Yet, how many applications were filed for attorney's fees against OSHA in 2002? That number is eight. How many were granted? One. Moreover, for the last 25 years, only 1 year has seen more than 10 applications filed for attorney's fees against OSHA. When you compare that number to the approximately 80,000 violations cited every year, you begin to wonder. We have heard testimony in our committee on this issue, and what we have found is that the law's ``substantially justified'' and ``special circumstances'' standards have made it easy for OSHA to deny small businesses the ability to recovery attorney's fees. What these numbers tell us is that small businesses can already see the writing on the wall. They know OSHA has the upper hand; and if the prospect of recovering attorney's fees is as bleak as it appears, then why fight the citations at all? Small employers should not be forced to knuckle under OSHA's citations and settle up front when they believe they are innocent. This measure simply forces OSHA to carefully evaluate the merits of its case against small employers before they bring its case. If OSHA's case is weak and they bring the case anyway, then the agency is going to have to pay the attorney's fees if in fact they lose the case. Employers face relentless competition every day in the face of high taxes, rising health care costs, and burdensome government regulations. The last thing they need is a meritless OSHA-related litigation that could take years to resolve. As we have said earlier today, over the last 8 months our economy has created 1.1 million net new jobs; 625,000 net new jobs in just the last two months. We might want to make sure onerous government regulations do not hamstring small businesses' ability to continue to hire new workers and compete in our economy. Frivolous litigation kills jobs, and this measure will help ensure OSHA carefully considers the merits of the case before they bring enforcement action. The measure before us is a narrowly crafted commonsense bill that addresses a specific problem in OSHA, and it deserves the support of all of our colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.