Michael Burgess

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, here's the problem: Every 6, 12, or 18 months for the last several years, doctors who participate in Medicare, a public option, have faced steep payment cuts, threatening their ability to keep their doors open. This Congress, and many Congresses before it, instead of biting the bullet and working to find a long-term and permanent solution to the problem, passes short-term fixes, leaving America's doctors uncertain about their ability to continue serving our Nation's seniors and practicing medicine. Doctors need a stable and reasonable predictor of their Medicare reimbursement rates, and the current formula, the Sustainable Growth Rate formula, is flawed and outdated. For the past several years I have introduced legislation that will correct this formula, and it is incumbent upon this Congress to address this issue. We need a permanent fix. Our doctors are forced to live under the ax of yearly cuts just for the privilege of seeing our Nation's seniors. Reforms to the system are important. I urge constituents to go to the Web site healthcaucus.org, weigh in on this issue, and stay abreast on all of the health care debates that are going on in this Congress.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, one of the problems today in health care is that too many doctors are forced to practice defensive medicine and face the constant threat of lawsuits and unsustainable medical liability insurance rates. This results in millions of dollars of unnecessary tests and procedures. Furthermore, seasoned medical professionals are retiring early because staying in practice is no longer financially feasible, further contributing to our Nation's physician workforce shortage. It's a growing crisis that is pushing affordable care beyond the reach and grasp of millions of Americans. National across-the-board change in the medical justice system would lower the costs and improve care by lessening the threat of unnecessary lawsuits. The Medical Justice Act, H.R. 1468, does just that, modeled after the successful Texas reforms passed in 2003. The results are documented reductions in liability insurance rates, reported growth in the number of doctors licensed each year in the State of Texas, increased charity care, amongst others. To learn more about this very important act and how it is affecting health care in Texas, please visit healthcaucus.org or my Web site, burgess.house.gov.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the U.S. House of Representatives Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding an earmark I received as part of H.R. 2996, Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010: The City of Gainesville Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project, Gainesville, TX--$500,000--STAG Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Project--Congressman Michael C. Burgess The purpose of this project is to expand the water supply and distribution system to convey treated water to the City of Valley View, Bolivar Water Supply and other water users in Cooke County, Texas. The requested funding will be utilized for raw water pump station improvements, a treatment unit and backwash pump station, high service pump station expansion, and other appurtenances as necessary for the water treatment plant upgrade. Federal funding is necessary to allow the city to meet its obligation to provide a stable drinking water supply for residents of Gainesville and surrounding communities and to reduce the region's reliance on limited groundwater sources. The total project cost is $2,533,007. Matching funds will be provided through in- kind services and through city and state funds. The City of Gainesville is located at 200 South Rusk, Gainesville, TX 76240.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. I thank the chairman for yielding. Madam Speaker, last night I offered an amendment that would prohibit the transfer of or receipt of carbon and credit derivatives. And why is that important? Well, this bill will ensure a price for carbon, and it's going to ensure a market for trading carbon credits. This is a breeding ground for financial malfeasance. We are aware that if something has a price, Wall Street will find a way to create a financial instrument to option, swap or hedge and create fees for trading those instruments and drive value from the price of the underlying asset. The current financial crisis has heightened our awareness of the use of derivatives. Here is the problem: None of us can visualize a ton of carbon dioxide, yet that's what we're going to be buying and selling in these credits. Where would you put a ton of carbon dioxide? What kind of container would it come in? In fact, we've had multiple hearings in our committee about problems with the futures market in trading oil. But at least someone eventually has to take possession of that oil. No one has to take possession of that chunk of blue sky that we are going to call a ton of carbon dioxide. My amendment would have stopped the invention of carbon credit derivatives before it starts. It would have stopped the next Enron before it starts. Unfortunately my attempt to prohibit this activity was denied. I can only ask why.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the Lake Cities Fire Department for 50 years of volunteer service to the cities of Corinth, Lake Dallas, Hickory Creek, and Shady Shores. The Lake Cities Volunteer Fire Department started in 1959 with several concerned citizens getting together a volunteer service to provide safety and fire protection for their cities. Over the past 50 years the department has undergone numerous changes, culminating in the city of Corinth taking control of the department in 2008 and contracting with the other cities for service. Today the department staffs trained first responders, 2 fire engines and 2 ambulances. Each day the department strives to deliver the highest level of professional service to its residents. It is with great honor that I recognize the 50th anniversary of the Lake Cities Fire Department. The service and dedication of both the volunteer and paid firemen have kept these cities safe for 50 years. I am proud to represent the department and the brave men and women who serve there.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the U.S. House of Representatives Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding an earmark I received as part of H.R. 2487, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010: (1) Denton Regional Public Safety Training Facility, Denton, TX-- $1,000,000--Byrne Discretionary/COPS Technology--Congressman Michael C. Burgess The purpose of this project is to provide the new Denton Public Safety Training Facility with equipment and technology. The requested funding will help equip the facility, including fire simulation equipment, computerized firearm targeting systems, classroom-based virtual reality simulation equipment and administrative/classroom multimedia equipment. The total project cost is $19,260,000--$4,452,000 federal and $14,808,000 City of Denton. The City of Denton has paid $2.03 million for the 88-acre site of the facility, $205,000 on the master plan for the facility and the City Council has approved $12,600,000 to construct the facility. City of Denton is located at 215 East McKinney, Denton, TX 76201

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Precisely correct. And I thank the gentleman for yielding back. We are in a period of prolonged economic underperformance is the other statement they go on to make. It will essentially be a lost decade. We will recover, but the operative factor will be time and not actions. That is something that most people do not want to hear. Again, excess debt controls almost every other economic facet. You cannot spend your way out of this problem. The unemployment rate went up. The correct response is to not shove more money out the door. The correct response is do what you can to get control of that spending and begin to erode the debt, begin to put the debt on a glide path to reduction. That's where the recovery will come, and that will take time. There is no other way around that. But, again, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I think this is a wonderful discussion that you've had tonight. I thank you for bringing this to the attention of the American people.

Mr. BURGESS. You're absolutely right. Every single one of us did a gut check and said this is not what I came to Washington, DC, to do. It's not what I came to accomplish. One of the things I wanted to share with the gentleman and share with the House tonight, my hometown newspaper, the Dallas Morning News, runs a column every Sunday by a columnist named Scott Burns, a respected economist. Scott Burns this Sunday was quoting an economist in Austin, Texas, Lacy Hunt. Lacy Hunt, going back to the Great Depression, said, and I am quoting here: ``Irving Fisher saw it first. The man who may have been the greatest American economist wrote about the debt- deflation theory of the Great Depression in 1933. He saw that excess debt controls nearly all the economic variables.'' He went on to say: ``Think about it for a minute. It's a very powerful statement. Excess debt controls nearly all of the economic variables.'' What does that mean? That means we cannot control the unemployment rate. That means almost everything is out of our grasp because of the massive amount of debt that we have accumulated. And on Monday of this week, the President said he wanted to accelerate the pace of spending because we weren't getting that money out the door fast enough. Again let me reiterate, excess debt controls every other economic variable. It was true in 1933. I suspect the same is true today. He goes on to say, Scott Burns, ``It means that the government stimulus won't do much. Basically you can't borrow your way out of excess debt.'' I think every Member on the floor here tonight has recognized that at one time or another. And then the final point that he made: ``The only thing that will allow recovery is the passage of time.'' Fortunately, Congress is not in control of that, and time will pass at a set rate regardless of what we think that it will or won't do.

Mr. BURGESS. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I was watching in my office and heard this discussion, and I did want to come over and say just a few words. Of course, you're correct. We had a report in our Joint Economic Committee last Friday about the current unemployment rate in excess of 9 percent. Of course, we spent $878 billion in February of this year. The President told us that was what we had to spend in order to prevent the unemployment rate from going in excess of 8 percent. Clearly we have seen that number already exceeded. And then we heard at the beginning of this week that because of those numbers, the President was going to accelerate the pace of spending, accelerate the pace of distributing the stimulus money. We weren't spending fast enough was our problem. Now, of course, Mr. Speaker, I know the comments need to be directed to the Speaker's chair, but I would remind the Speaker that none of us in this room, in fact, no Republican, voted for in favor of that stimulus bill last February.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, Congress is currently operating under some of the lowest approval ratings in history, and clearly, the public has lost confidence in its Federal Government. Perhaps that's because the Federal Government is rapidly moving down a path that shows that the government is losing confidence in the American people. When it comes to health care, should the government help Americans, or should the government actually control everything when it comes to health care? Our constituents, my constituents certainly, are not asking for more government control, particularly in the arena of health care. Perhaps Congress should listen and have confidence in the American people. The government should continue to play a role for performance standards and ensuring everyone is treated fairly, but then it should get out of the way and let American hard work and ingenuity do what it does best. Now, I have spoken to several health care industry experts, from former administration officials, current administration officials to private citizens with innovative ideas that have worked. In a short interview with former Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt, he hits the nail on the head when he says, We don't have to turn the health care system over to the Federal Government. We can empower consumers and use the government to organize a system and not to own it. I encourage people to visit this site and learn more about health care reform as it stands before us today.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the former Mayor Vic Burgess for his years of service to the City of Corinth and the North Texas Region. After a public service career that spans nearly three decades, Vic Burgess retired this year after three terms as Mayor of Corinth, Texas. Prior to being elected Mayor, Mr. Burgess served as the Denton County Judge, as well as City Councilman in Lewisville, Texas. During his tenure, Mayor Burgess was known for his enthusiasm, dedication and mediation skills. Under his leadership, the City Council worked to stabilize the city's budget and financial reporting. With an eye towards the future, Corinth's development codes became more efficient. Vic Burgess' service to the community goes beyond elected office. As a concerned citizen, he served on the Lewisville Planning and Zoning Commission. His first volunteer duties were as a Reserve Officer for the Lewisville Police Department. He performed duties as a Reserve Officer for the Denton County Sheriff's Department as well. Mayor Burgess is also a man dedicated to family. It is with great honor that I recognize Mayor Vic Burgess for his years of hard work and dedication given to the citizens of Corinth and North Texas. I am proud to represent him in Washington. His service sets a standard of devotion and true leadership, one that will endure.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Fire Marshal John J. ``Jody'' Henry for his tireless and persistent efforts to solve the arson case of the old Cooke County Courthouse. His determination over past three years resulted in the conviction of Timothy York. In his 30 years of service as a firefighter, this incident was one of the most important to Fire Marshal Henry. When the Cooke County Courthouse was attacked on February 21, 2006, Henry began combining efforts with members of different governmental agencies to find the person responsible for the attack on the district judge and courthouse. He spent endless hours pouring over the details of the case in order to put it to rest. Fire Marshall Henry shares the credit of success of this case with the individuals with whom he worked closely. His confidence and his teamwork earned him the respect of his peers. He served as the first vice president of the Texas Fire Marshal's Association and received the Jack Sneed Memorial Commendation Award. The Gainesville Fire Chief considers Henry one of the most dedicated public servants the city has known. He is known in the community for working passionately for the safety of firefighters and citizens alike. Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize the diligent efforts of Fire Marshall John J. Henry in solving the Cooke County Courthouse case. He has been an invaluable firefighter and his continuing efforts in saving lives in the Cook County Community are greatly appreciated. It is an honor to represent Fire Marshal John J. Henry in the 26th District of Texas.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mayor Vic Burgess who will be retiring from the City of Corinth this month after many years serving his community. Since 2003, Mayor Burgess served selflessly in the non-paying position and also served for over five years as a City Council Member before being elected as Mayor. Mayor Burgess also held the position of County Judge for four years. His commitment to his community is further illustrated by his service as a volunteer police reserve officer for the City of Lewisville for six years and as a reserve officer for the Denton County Sheriff's Department for two and a half years. As Mayor and former City Council Member, Vic Burgess demonstrated professionalism, integrity, enthusiasm and dedication to the city and citizens of Corinth. A fellow Council Member stated that, ``Mayor Burgess had a steady guiding hand to lead in good and bad times. He put the city on a good path for the future.'' It is with great honor that I recognize Mayor Vic Burgess for his years of hard work and dedication given to the citizens of Corinth and North Texas. I am proud to represent him in Washington and honor his service and devotion that demonstrates true leadership.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Eric Yang, who won first place in the 2009 National Geographic Bee. I had the pleasure of finding out that Eric had advanced to the final round of the National Geographic Bee, and I was ecstatic to hear that he won. Eric, who is a 7th grader from The Colony, Texas, captured the 1st place title in the tie-breaker round. Eric did not miss a single question during the entire final round, in a competition that National Geographic reported as their most difficult competition to date. Eric is now the proud recipient of a $25,000 scholarship, a trip to the Galapagos Islands, and bragging rights for life. More than just a geography buff, Eric demonstrates his giftedness in several other aspects of his life. An avid pianist, Eric placed first in the Dallas Jazz competition three years in a row. He also conquers in chess, reads anything he can get his hands on, and has an insatiable curiosity. I am encouraged by the inquisitiveness we see in this talented young man. Young people like Eric are the guiding lights we will look upon in the future to better our society. I am proud to recognize Eric Yang for his great accomplishment. It is a distinct privilege to represent Mr. Yang in the 26th District of Texas, and I wish him the very best for a bright future.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the former Mayor Gene Carey for his years of service to the City of Lewisville and the North Texas Region. Gene Carey has a long tenure of public service in Lewisville where he served as Mayor for nine years, a City Councilman for seven years and a member of the city's Park Board for four years. His experience supported his philosophy that Mayor is not a position you start at, rather a position you work up to. Carey is known as a principled and ethical leader with a calming effect on the community. Although he is leaving his position on the City Council, his hard work has resulted in projects that will serve as a reminder of his work for years to come. Under his leadership, Lewisville has seen the securing of new funding for infrastructure and neighborhood improvements, and the revitalization of Old Town Lewisville. Mayor Carey has offered strong guidance at a time when the city saw valued economic developments. He, along with his fellow City Council members also worked hard to provide a new jail facility. During Mayor Carey's tenure, Lewisville saw major efforts to improve the overall quality of life for its citizens with passage of parks and library funding that has resulted in a new library and several areas where families can safely gather to enjoy a day away from hectic schedules. He was a strong advocate for a cultural arts center that will soon break ground. His work has earned him the respect of fellow public servants. Council members will be quick to tell you that Carey always made sure all citizens had their voice heard, whether the issue be large or small. A fellow Council Member stated, ``For 20 years, Gene Carey served with honor and integrity. With his quiet humility he has led the City Council and staff in making Lewisville one of the best places to live in North Texas''. Gene Carey is also respected for his deeds beyond city government. He is family man and a member of Lakeland Baptist Church. He served as President of Christian Community Action in Lewisville and is a graduate of the Lewisville Citizen's Police Academy. He also has the distinction of Honorary Police Officer. He is a professional with a well known sense of humor. It is with great honor that I recognize Mayor Gene Carey for his years of hard work and dedication given to the citizens of Lewisville and North Texas. I am proud to represent him in Washington. His service sets a standard of devotion and true leadership, one that will endure.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize the Dallas Chamber of Commerce as they celebrate 100 years of excellence. Founded in 1909 when the Board of Trade merged with the Commercial Club, the 150,000 Club, and the Freight Bureau, the Dallas Chamber of Commerce has emerged over a century as one of the largest member-driven organizations of businesses in the nation. Membership currently represents 3,000 businesses of all sizes and consists cumulatively of 600,000 employees. The Dallas Regional Chamber is committed to the betterment of the region through active involvement in public policy, economic development, and member engagement. The Dallas-Fort Worth area has grown significantly in the past century and the Dallas Chamber has been there through all of it. Institutions such as Southern Methodist University, the Federal Reserve Bank, DFW airport, UT Southwestern Medical Center, and DART rail have all grown and benefited from the contributions of the Dallas Chamber. The Chamber has also been active in the effort to ensure the region's future success through its educational outreach programs. Programs such as the Job Shadowing program and the Principal Executive Partnership, which builds relationships between educational and business leaders, illustrate the Dallas Chamber of Commerce's investment in aspects of our region's education to help provide for a well trained workforce and a stronger North Texas economy for the future. Madam Speaker, I commend the Dallas Chamber for its long-standing service to the North Texas region, and I congratulate the organization on its centennial anniversary.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. BURGESS. No. Let me continue because my time is short. We are punishing the American consumer by increasing the Passenger Facility Charge, and now we're punishing the American consumer by inconveniencing their ability to book travel. I can only begin to imagine the increase in costs when we eradicate these alliances. However, there is one issue in the bill which is clearly bipartisan and which none of us would ever stand in disagreement upon, and that is the issue of safety. Every citizen should be safe when they fly, and those who act to ensure our continued safety must be recognized and protected. If any element of safety is compromised, then we deserve to know. The amendment I offer today does not give whistleblowers any new laws to pursue legal action. The amendment only proposes to preserve the laws that they already have and certainly not give them any less. They should not be faced with retaliatory firings. They should not have retribution taken in their private, non-work lives. Individuals in the world of the Federal Aviation Administration should be able to speak up and speak out when safety is being compromised. Whether it is the Federal Government, a private company, or their fellow colleagues who compromise safety, these brave people are entitled to the full protection of the law when they inform the public as to how our safety is compromised. In my district we have had several instances of constituents who have acted as whistleblowers. Some have had their claims fully investigated and overseen by the FAA. Some have not. Some have been punished for speaking out. Some have not. We must make certain that every whistleblower is treated fairly and equally. Each and every claim reported to the FAA should be properly reviewed. I asked in November of 2008 to conduct an oversight and investigations hearing focusing on whistleblowers. I would like for this letter that I sent to my Subcommittee of Oversight and Investigations to be included in the Record. November 18, 2008. Hon. Bart Stupak, Chairman, Oversight and Investigations, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Stupak, When we spoke a few weeks ago, I mentioned a situation relating to the Dallas-Fort Worth's Terminal Radar Approach Control (DFW TRACON) that could place the safety of the flying public at risk. I believe that this issue should be of interest to you as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee's Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee as an example of how certain whistleblowers courageously reported abuses of the public trust in an attempt to change FAA's safety and management culture. If you are contemplating a hearing during the 111th Congress focusing on federal whistleblowers, I believe the addition of any one of the brave Americans involved in this particular situation would provide a valuable perspective. This dangerous situation came to light when one of my constituents, Anne Whiteman, raised concerns about the Federal Aviation Administration management at DFW TRACON. Her concerns were that senior managers and air-traffic controllers intentionally misclassified near-miss events as pilot error when in fact they were due to controller error in order to avoid investigation of these incidents and potential disciplinary action. The Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Transportation, at the direction of the Office of Special Council, initiated an investigation and in April 2008 they concluded that Anne Whiteman's concerns were well-founded. Their report confirmed that senior management officials at the FAA jeopardized the safety of our citizens by misclassifying air traffic events merely so they could falsely improve their quality ranking. As per DOT procedure, this report by the DOT's OIG was referred to the Office of Special Counsel, and on November 14, 2008, they issued their report also finding Anne Whiteman's facts to be reasonable. OSC found that the DFW TRACON acted to systematically mischaracterize operational errors as pilot errors. The OSC found this systematic behavior directly resulted from a general lack of oversight at the FAA and also made recommendations to mitigate and avoid this type of situation in the future. I have included a copy of the OSC final report and the OIG April 2008 Memorandum for your review. Thank you for your consideration of this request. As always, it is a pleasure working with you. Even though we do not always see eye-to-eye on every issue, I know both you and I share a desire to ensure that those entrusted with the public's safety are held accountable. Sincerely, Michael C Burgess, Member of Congress. I wanted this Congress to look into how certain courageous whistleblowers report abuses of the public trust and how the FAA's safety and management culture responds. Now, I am well aware that we have stopgap funding for the FAA. Perhaps as a result of this, the FAA has not had the time, the energy, or the resources to do proper oversight and investigations. Perhaps they have not had a chance to look into each and every whistleblower action. If this is the case, then the solution is not to create new laws, thus new actions for the FAA to undergo. The solution is not to give them unheard of amounts of money by taxing consumers. Instead, let us give the FAA the resources they need to do the proper oversight and investigations and ensure that the safety of our citizens is our first and foremost concern. My amendment will recognize the role whistleblowers play in creating a safe flying environment, and I hope Members will join me in supporting their important role.

Mr. BURGESS. Thank you. Today Congress will vote on H.R. 915, which will reauthorize the funding and Safety Oversight Program of the Federal Aviation Administration for 4 years. This will cost the American taxpayers $70 billion. Yet again, another omnibus bill for yet another historic amount of money, and this time spent for the FAA. Where will this money come from? The money will not come from large commercial airlines. These fees will not be generated alone by labor and the efforts of big businesses. These fees will come from the average American already struggling to make ends meet. For instance, this bill will increase the Passenger Facility Charge on airline flights from $4.50 to $7. So every American flying will now have to pay $2.50 more for each trip. In these tough and trying economic times, every dollar counts. So how can we justify making our constituents and airline consumers pay more money to fly and visit their relatives? This bill will also create new fees for registering an aircraft. A new fee for the issuance of aircraft certificates, a new fee for the issuance of special registrations, a new fee for recording security interests, and a new fee for legal opinions for aircraft registration or recordation. There is even a new fee for replacing or issuing airman certificates. It begs the question, what won't we be imposing a new fee upon? At least with this bill, a vote for it will affect everyone. Everyday travelers, tourists, small businesses and large businesses alike will have their pocketbooks affected. I refer specifically to the language in this bill regarding the antitrust immunity sunset, which would terminate airline code-sharing alliance agreements between airlines and the United States Government. Most major U.S. airlines are members of one of three partnerships. They entered into these alliance agreements in the late eighties and the early nineties under both Republican and Democratic Presidential leadership, with full review of the U.S. Department of Transportation as well as the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Now it has been estimated that these airlines will lose almost $5 billion in 2009 alone due to the precipitous drop in passengers.

Mr. BURGESS. I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Judith Bishop, who is retiring as Executive Director of the Fort Worth & Tarrant County YWCA at the end of May, 2009. The YWCA of Fort Worth & Tarrant County offers programs at three different facilities in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The programs provide various services and promote increased financial growth, leadership, education and training opportunities for women. These facilities also provide safe housing, child care, crisis intervention, and social services transitionally homeless women. Ms. Bishop has served as the Executive Director of the Fort Worth & Tarrant County YWCA for twenty years. During her time as Executive Director, Ms. Bishop has shown continued dedication to providing community service and helping those in need. Judith has been persistent in her mission to ensure that all children, regardless of circumstance, have the same opportunity to be successful in life. Madam Speaker, it is with great appreciation that I rise today to honor the accomplishments of Judith Bishop. I salute Ms. Bishop for all of her hard work and altruism. I am confident that her contributions to the YWCA will touch lives for years to come. It is an honor to represent Judith Bishop and the YWCA of Fort Worth and Tarrant County in the 26th Congressional District of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember Dr. Norval Pohl, the former president of the University of North Texas, located in Denton, Texas. Over his six-year tenure as the 13th President of UNT, Dr. Pohl made several prominent, lasting contributions that will benefit the university's students for years to come. Among other accomplishments, Dr. Pohl helped establish the College of Engineering, and oversaw the creation of Discovery Park, a brand new 105,000 square-foot chemistry building, and a student recreation center, which was later named after him. More important is the relationship he cultivated between faculty and students. Dr. Pohl always kept his door open to students, making time to listen to their ideas and concerns and give advice. Under Dr. Pohl's guidance, UNT truly became a student-centered university. Not even a brave struggle with cancer kept him from giving his time to the students who sought his counsel. Dr. Pohl earned his Ph.D. in Quantitative Systems from Arizona State University, and received an M.B.A. in Management and a B.A. in Psychology from California State University at Fresno. In addition to his years at UNT, Dr. Pohl's career saw success at Northern Arizona University, the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, and finally at the Prescott campus of Embry-Riddle University, where he served as Chancellor and Provost. My thoughts go out to his wife Dr. Barbikay Bissell Pohl, and sons Chandler and Prescott, as well as a long list of family and friends. Dr. Pohl will be greatly missed by the many that are fortunate enough to have known him.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, quoting again: ``Wall Street didn't create this subprime mess. Congress, through repeated interventions in healthy markets, did. And when the whole thing failed, it was Congress' fault.'' Investors Business Daily concludes by saying: ``We'd be happy to support a 9/11-style commission to look into the causes of the financial meltdown. But only if Congress agrees to put itself under the microscope. Anything less would be a sham.'' Madam Speaker, they're exactly correct. It will be a sham. The American people will see through this. We should do this correctly. If we're going to have a commission, it should be a 50-50 bipartisan split. Let's investigate. Let's figure out what went wrong. Most importantly, rather than just assigning blame, let us create an environment where this never is able to happen again.

Mr. BURGESS. I thank the gentleman for yielding. My concern today involves just that creation of a financial commission. I spoke on this when the bill passed this House earlier this month. Madam Speaker, I'm generally not in favor of commissions. I think Congress needs to do the work that the people sent us here to do. But if we have to create a commission then, please, let us create that commission so it is above reproach, so that it does not appear to have a political agenda. The 9/11 Commission really should be the model that this body uses for the creation of this financial commission. After all, the events we saw in September of 2008 have been very devastating to this country, even as the events of September 2001 were devastating to this country. We have not looked back into the causes of this crisis. We have not held anyone accountable. Most importantly, since we don't know what went wrong, we don't know how to keep it from happening again. Congressman Brady from Texas and myself introduced a bill earlier this year for just such a commission, H.R. 2111, but it differs substantially from the bill under consideration today. The bill we are considering again creates a 10-member commission, but composed of 6 Democrats and 4 Republicans. The 9/11 Commission was split 50-50. So why would we unbalance this commission and, quite frankly, if there's guilt on one side, there's guilt on the other. And why would we tip the scale in one direction or the other? S. 386 allows the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee to select a commissioner. The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee may have been part of the problem. This bill allows the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee to appoint a representative to the commission. The chairman of the House Financial Services Committee may have been part of the problem. S. 386 creates an accountability commission focused on protecting not the people, but the government. H.R. 2111, however, creates an accountability commission focused on protecting taxpayers and restoring public confidence, something that is missing at this critical juncture. This commission that we are authorizing today is little more than a fig leaf to provide some measure of congressional cover. And, Madam Speaker, when do we get the report? December of 2010. Conveniently timed a month after the next election. If we are so serious about doing this, what is to prevent us from wrapping this work up within a year's time, or September of 2010 at the latest, so that the American people would have this information before they go to the polls next fall? Now, I just want to close by quoting a few lines from Investors Business Daily, an article entitled: ``Probe Yourselves, from April 16, 2009.'' The article says: ``Regulators also deserve blame for lowering lending standards that then contributed to riskier home ownership and the housing bubble.'' Exactly correct. Continuing to quote: ``As such, the proposed commission will be little more than a fig leaf to cover Congress' own multitude of sins.

Mr. BURGESS. I thank the gentleman. ``Letting Members, the true creators of this financial mess, to bash business leaders as they pose as populist saviors of Main Street from Wall Street.'' Continuing to quote: ``On NPR Thursday,'' back in April, ``a reporter confronted Representative Frank, the chairman of the Financial Services Committee, with the fact that his $300 billion Hope for Homeowners program passed with much fanfare a year ago that has so far helped one homeowner.'' One. One homeowner. And the response was: ``It was the fault of the right. And Bush.'' Quoting again: ``Truth is, the chairman's party has been in charge since 2006. And during that time, Democrats have presided over one of the most disgraceful and least accomplished Congresses in history. This financial mess began on their watch, yet they pretend otherwise.'' Further quoting from the Investors Business Daily, the commission that is outlined ``won't get to the bottom of our financial crisis; it will carefully select scapegoats to be ritually shamed by the liberal media, stripped of their wealth, and exiled. Then new rules will be imposed that will no doubt make things worse. And the cycle will begin again.''