John Boehner

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Mr. Clark Kolp, who is retiring as the Van Wert County Republican chairman. Carl Kolp served his country during World War II as a navigator in the European theater. He later served his country and the citizens of Ohio as administrative assistant to Bill O'Neill when he served as both attorney general and Governor. Over his political career, Clark has built a reputation as a strong manager and a leader. He continued his tradition of civic service by serving as Van Wert County Republican Party chairman. Gentle, serious and always brutally honest, you can count on Clark to ``give it to you straight.'' Like the father of the Republican Party, Abraham Lincoln, Clark values honesty and integrity. At a time when these values are certainly not synonymous with politics, Clark led the Van Wert County Republicans with a steady hand and honest approach to do the right thing. Abraham Lincoln said, ``Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.'' Like Abe Lincoln, Clark Kolp attained success, admiration, and a positive image by maintaining his integrity and honesty. Although there may have been some who questioned his political affiliations or strategies, they never doubted his integrity. It is no coincidence that Van Wert County is a bastion of Republican voters. It just didn't happen. Clark Kolp made it happen. For years, Clark has worked to promote Republican values and elect those who share his vision for better government. Clark is known throughout the State of Ohio. Here is the political veteran who GOP leaders throughout the State seek out for wisdom when running for office. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and admiration that I rise to recognize Clark Kolp for his service as Van Wert County Republican chairman. For those of us who know him for his service to his community and to his country, we are grateful. For those of us who are fortunate to call him our friend, may God bless him with a long and fruitful retirement.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, today, the city of Fairfield, OH, marks its 40th anniversary. On this proud day, I extend my heartiest congratulations to its citizens, who have made Fairfield what it is today and what it promises to be tomorrow. Although Fairfield became a city only 40 years ago, it boasts a proud history. Early in 1787, the New Jerseyite John Cleves Symmes heard from Major Benjamin Stites of a place in the western territories that was ``the garden spot of any place that he had seen.'' Moved to visit the land, Judge Symmes formed a company to buy a large tract of land between the Little Miami and Big Miami Rivers, and ultimately, Judge Symmes was successful in buying just less than 1 million acres, at approximately 66 cents per acre. Revolutionary war veterans moved into Ohio, seeking better lives for their families from the richness of the land. They traveled the country roads now recognized as U.S. Route 127 and S.R. 4. These pioneers began the statehood application process, and Ohio was accepted as a State in 1803. The opening of the Erie and Miami Canals in the 1820's brought greater prosperity and immigration to Fairfield's promising pastures, as farm goods and people moved freely between Ohio and major markets on the east coast. In this century, Fairfield has grown and thrived, just as America has grown and thrived. While nearby Cincinnati grew into a truly large world class city, Fairfield maintained its uniquely American, town-of- the-heartland, entrepreneurial character. Incorporated as a village on July 10, 1954, it officially became a city on October 20, 1954. Today, its outlook for the future is as sure as its roots in the past. As a thriving center of the small businesses that will lead America into the next century, Fairfield is truly an illustration of how citizens, politically and economically empowered, can take control of their lives and make a better world for themselves and their families. I sincerely and enthusiastically congratulate Fairfield on its 40th year of independent life as a city, and look forward to many more successful years to come.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Earl Baltes for his past and present efforts as a race track owner and promoter. Earl has been a promoter of auto racing for most of his life, providing race fans with the excitement of sprint car racing for more than 40 years. Earl's racetrack, Eldora Speedway is just north of Greenville, OH, and has hosted veteran drivers such as Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Johnny Rutherford, Roger McCluskey, and Bobby and Al Unser, Sr. just as they were beginning their careers. More recently, up and coming racers including Jeff Gordon, Ken Schrader, Ernie Irvan, and Jeff Purvis have competed at Eldora. Certainly, Eldora Speedway and the name Earl Baltes is familiar throughout the auto racing industry. While there may be a few who have raced at Eldora and do not have fond memories, they all fondly remember Eldora Speedway and Earl. Earl's hard work and perseverance have come to fruition. Eldora Speedway ranks among the premier short-track facilities in the nation-- attracting auto racing drives and fans from across the country and throughout the world. His dream of turning a cornfield into a top ranked race track has become a reality. At age 74, when many have settled down to a life of retirement, Earl continues to thrill race fans with some of the greatest sprint car racing in the world. The sport has changed a great deal since Earl built Eldora Speedway in 1954, and only through determination and hard work has Earl remained successful. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Earl Baltes and thank him, on behalf of my district and on behalf of race fans everywhere for giving race car drivers the opportunity to excel and for providing fans the thrill of auto racing.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, my colleagues, we have today before us the CAREERS bill, and I would like to congratulate my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have worked diligently this year in order to put this bill together. As my colleagues know, last November, when the American people decided that they would change Congress, they decided that government in Washington was too large, too expensive, too bureaucratic, and they wanted it straightened out and cleaned up. One of the issues that we have talked about on our side of the aisle for the last couple of years is the issue of job training and job retraining. The fact is that there are 161 job training/retraining programs run by the Federal Government around the country, well-meaning, well-intentioned, trying to do the right thing, but I have got to say I think we have lost our focus, and what the committee is brining before us today is a bill that does provide focus. It moves these programs back to the States where they can be run much more efficiently and more effectively than what we can do here in Washington; and, second, it does bring focus by moving the money into four large block grants for the States to use. So, Mr. Chairman, this is a giant step in the right direction. It takes the money that the taxpayers have provided, some $25 billion, and puts focus in it, trying to help those in need in our country that need job training, people who need retraining as their jobs are eliminated, to help maintain their ability to be productive members of our work force, and so, as we look at trying to improve our work force and get our work force ready for the 21st century, this bill could not be any more timely, and I congratulate the chairman of the committee and the chairman of the subcommittee.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I too join with our colleagues on the Democrat side of the aisle on behalf of Republicans in the House to mourn the death of our good friend, Jamie Whitten. Mr. Speaker, Jamie did serve in the House for some 53 years and was an example to all of the Members of this House on both sides of the aisle about how to be a statesman. His influence in agricultural policy over those 53 years was, without question, substantial. And without question, for 53 years, Mr. Whitten had the most influence over agricultural policy in this country. Today, we mourn his death and say prayers for him and his family.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to direction of the Republican Conference, I call up a privileged resolution (H. Res. 217) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, a lot has changed over the last 9 months of the Republican controlled Congress. As Members of Congress went home for their August recess, they listened to their constituents. Their constituents continued to ring the bell that was heard loudly last November by voters around this country when they decided to change the makeup of the U.S. Congress. They said that they wanted a smaller, less costly, less intrusive government, and they reiterated their demands over August. As we look to the fall with a lot of confusion, a lot of activity, let me make it perfectly clear that Republicans in Congress are going to balance the budget over the next 7 years to save the future for our children; that we are going to strengthen, preserve, and protect Medicare for our senior citizens; that we are going to reform welfare, where we reward work and take away the incentives for illegitimacy today; and, last, our fourth objective is to reduce the tax load on middle-income Americans and provide incentives to have a strong, healthy economy so that we ensure that we actually balance the budget over the next 7 years. This is what we must do to protect our children's future.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman of the subcommittee for the fine job that he had done and for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, to my colleagues that have been about watching this debate over the last several days and to people whom I am sure have been watching it, probably wondering why all of this rancorous debate, why all of this strife. A lot of people might call it partisan bickering, yelling at one another. But what is really going on here I think we all understand is a very serious debate about what the appropriate role of the Federal Government here in Washington is today. Now, last November the American people, I think, made a big decision. They sent this town a very serious message, that they want government in Washington to be smaller, less costly, and less intrusive into their lives. While they said that, they sent a new Congress here to change the way Washington does its business. Probably our largest priority is to actually put forward, and we are going to pass, a plan that will actually balance the Federal budget here in Washington. As we do that, we are going to reinvent government here in Washington and reinvent the role of government here in Washington. I am surprised as I listen to some of the debate from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, that they think that compassion ends at the outer edges of the beltway in Washington, that our States and local communities, that parents do not really care about what happens to their children's future. Well, they do. Another point I would make is that as we redesign this Government and shrink this Government, what we are going to do is save the future for our children and theirs. I ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who have designed these 240 Federal education programs, what good it really does for our children and theirs if we are going to have these programs, but we are going to let them pay for them over the next 40, 50, 60 years, because all it is doing is adding to the national debt? How fair is that? The fact is I think we can go a lot further moving these programs back. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to share a story with my colleagues, about a historic event which took place in Darke County, OH. On August 3, 1795, the Treaty of GreeneVille was signed. This weekend, the city of Greenville will be celebrating the bicentennial anniversary of this important step in a peaceful settling of the western frontier. The period after the Revolutionary War was a turbulent time in the newly created United States of America. Pioneers were venturing westward over the Appalachian Mountains into such States as Ohio. The founding fathers were concerned that the newly created nation would disintegrate as the western territories would side with the North, the South or even decide to form their own countries. The Northwest Ordinance was passed in 1785 to preempt this disaster. The Northwest Ordinance set out an orderly framework for settlement and the qualifications for statehood. Land survey was done on a grid- like fashion to ensure that land title disputes would be few and so that settlements would be established in an orderly manner. Predictably, the increase in settlement led to further conflicts with the Indians of the region. President Washington was committed to providing security to the Northwest Territory and sent several commanders to lead the army. Each expedition was defeated, until President Washington appointed Maj. Gen. ``Mad Anthony'' Wayne. In the spring of 1793, Wayne led his well equipped troops from Ft. Washington, which is present day Cincinnati, and marched northward following a line of forts, such as Ft. Hamilton, that had been established. Rather than stopping at Ft. Jefferson, Wayne continued north for a few miles and built Ft. GreeneVille, around which later grew the city of Greenville. He met with the Indians and held discussions to arrange for a peace treaty, however the previous Indian successes encouraged them to fight. Eventually, the peace talks were called off and Wayne prepared for battle. He pushed further north and defeated the Indians at the site of Ft. Recovery where a previous battle had been lost by General St. Clair. Near the Maumee River at the Battle of Fallen Timbers on August 20, 1794, Wayne again decisively defeated the Indians. Wayne continued to press the Indians and in the fall of 1794, Wayne returned to Ft. GreeneVille. Peace negotiations began in June of 1795 and continued through August and concluded with the signing of the Treaty of GreeneVille on August 3, 1795. The signing of the treaty by Gen. ``Mad Anthony'' Wayne, President George Washington and the Indians living in the territory ended 40 years of hostilities with the Indians west of the Ohio River. The agreement brought about the safe settlement of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota. Settlers could explore and move to the West without fear of Indian attack and battle. The United States had taken its first step westward, ensuring stability for the future. In 1912, as the late President Theodore Roosevelt stated in a speech made in Greenville, ``Greenville is a most historical site. It marks one of the great epochs in the history of our nation. . . a starting point of America as a coming world power.'' After the treaty was signed, the Stars and Stripes automatically changed from a flag of 13 colonies to the flag of the United States. A 15 star flag was hoisted over Fort GreeneVille by General Wayne. Eight years later, Ohio became the 17th State in the union. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent the citizens and the city of Greenville, OH. Our forefathers persevered in creating a free and safe Nation. We truly have a reason to celebrate and recognize the treaty signed in Greenville, OH, 200 years ago today.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague from New Mexico, Mr. Skeen, for yielding, and thank my colleagues in the House for their endurance during this entire consideration of the agriculture appropriation bill. The amendment that we have before us has been explained very clearly by my colleagues that have proceeded me. There are two exchanges that handle U.S. furs for mink producers in America. It is the Seattle Fur Exchange, a co-op of ranchers out West. Here in the East, it is the New York market and 36 percent of it is owned by small mink farmers around the country. But this program is about helping small farmers around our country. It is not about helping corporations. It is about helping our farmers compete in a world market where they have to compete with subsidized furs from all around the world. This program has helped open markets for U.S. producers. They have been through 5 years of almost all of them going out of business. They are actually starting to make some money, and pulling the plug on this program at this time, frankly, is not fair to them. In the budget, agriculture is taking its hit. We are going to be putting up somewhere between $17 and $20 billion over the next 7 years to balance the budget. We are going to do our share. But this is not the way to do it. But let me say to my colleagues that this amendment is more than about cutting money. Some who are interested in this amendment are interested in it only for one reason, because they want us to kneel down at the altar of political correctness of those radical animal rights people who do not want you to wear mink, they do not want to wear mink. They are bringing this to the floor of the House and it is unfair. Vote against this amendment.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague for yielding me this time. Since 1985, we have reduced subsidies, direct subsidies, to farmers from $35 billion in 1985 and $9 billion last year, and as we have brought subsidies to farmers down, what we have done is we have moved money into export programs so that our farmers have fair access around the world. There are a number of programs that they gain access for our farmers. The market promotion program is just one of these programs, and the special part about market promotion is that this is value-added products. It is commodities that are produced here in America, they are processed here in America with American labor, creating American jobs that we can use this program to move these products around the world. As we continue to bring down subsidies to farmers, as most every Member of this Congress wants to do, we have to ensure that our farmers are not being unfairly blocked from entry into other markets around the world, because the European Economic Union is trying to steal those markets from our small farmers. It is not fair. This is a good program. Defeat their amendment.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleague for yielding time to me. Ladies and gentlemen, we know this amendment that is before us tonight has nothing to do with smoking. It is not even about public policy. It does not even have anything to do with the tobacco program. What this is tonight, ladies and gentlemen, is about politics, not about policy. This is about big government telling the American people what they can and they cannot do. It is nothing more than harassing small farmers in 23 States in America that have grown tobacco for 300 years. It is another step down the path toward political correctness that some on the left want to continue to advance in this Chamber. My colleague, tonight let us say no to more, bigger and better government here in Washington. Let us say no to political correctness, and let us say no to the amendment offered by the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Durbin].

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, let me say that on November 8, the American people said pretty clearly that they want this new Congress to reduce the size, scope, and cost of Government here in Washington, DC. At a time when we are going to do that, we have been doing it all year and we are going to keep doing it, why do we want to invest more money in building facilities that are, frankly, never going to be used? We are not going to need some of these buildings here in town. As we go through this downsizing over the next couple of years, we will have ample room for the FDA, what is left of it, to be consolidated in some other empty buildings. We should not be investing money in buildings we are never going to use.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I am somewhat torn as to what to do here today regarding the privileged resolution of the minority caucus leader. The resolution, offered at the direction of the minority caucus, would appoint Mr. Mascara to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Mr. Holden to the Government Reform and Oversight Committee. As I pointed out to the minority leader last Monday, the history and precedents of this House allowed each party to appoint those members of its caucus to available committee slots as it saw fit, without the consent or approval of the opposing caucus. Never before last Monday has a Member of this body had to face the recorded vote of members of the other party to accept his conference's assignment to a standing committee. Now it seems to me that if the minority wishes to engage in a case of tit-for-tat, then for us as the majority, it is a bit like engaging in a duel with an unarmed man. Two hundred thirty-two Republican votes would indicate that the minority would have a difficult--if not impossible--time placing any member of its caucus on a committee unless the majority party felt it was in the majority's interest to have that minority member on the committee. And yet, this is what the minority seems to want as a new precedent of the House given their actions of last Monday.

Mr. BOEHNER. I thank my friend the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, in the interest of comity, however, I will not call for a recorded vote, subjecting your leadership, Mr. Mascara, and Mr. Holden to the humiliation of defeat. I would hope that in the future, those Democrats who care for this institution, have a respect for the history of the House, who are tired of pointless dilatory tactics, and who want to roll up their sleeves and get to work on balancing the budget, preserving Medicare, and saving our country for our children, I hope they will prevail upon their leadership to put childish actions aside and put the interest of the country before those of a partisan few.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Hayworth].

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to lay the motion to reconsider on the table.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself our remaining 1 minute. Mr. Speaker, the facts are this: The facts are that since January of this year, four Democrats, two in the House and two in the Senate, have switched parties, more than in any 2-year cycle in the history of our country. As long as they continue to switch parties, guess what? We as Republican Members, as the majority, have to find a committee to put them on. Tonight we are proud to bring to this floor a resolution putting the latest Democrat to switch parties on the Committee on Ways and Means. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. Thomas]. (Mr. THOMAS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Paxon].

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. English].

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I make a point of order that the gentleman in the well is questioning the motives of the gentleman that is in question on the resolution appointing him to the committee.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to a point of order.