Bruce Braley

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney).

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I am proud to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings).

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, this body is numb. We forget that we are a family, a dysfunctional family at times, but that we are a family. We all get to know each other, and we all have a common passion for the values of this country, values that brought us here in the first place. That is a remarkable story that we have heard unfolding about our good friend Gabby Giffords since this horrible tragedy first took place. All of us in this body share a unique sense of responsibility for what happened to our dear friend, to her courageous staff and to the incredible people who showed up to participate in democracy at that Safeway in Tucson on Saturday. I know that a lot of us had this shared experience of horror on Saturday as we watched these horrible images appear in front of our eyes. I want to briefly talk about my good friend Gabby. It is ironic that on this day when our President is in Tucson, honoring the memory of those who lost their lives and those struggling to put their lives back together, that my connection with Gabby and President Obama go back to the exact same day. It was September 29 of 2006. Gabby and I were both candidates for Congress. We met at an event, and there were things about her that leaped off the page immediately. It was her passion for why she was running, it was her fearlessness, and it was that smile that you've heard people talking about that could light up a room. We got to talking about each other and what we had in common; and I learned that her brother, Alex Giffords, had been a place kicker at Iowa State University, where I graduated from college and where I was an unknown walk-on under Earl Bruce. And we talked about that. And I have in my office this little print of Beardshear Hall at Iowa State University that my friend Gabby gave to me that she got from her brother Alex because she knew this was important to me. This little picture is an emblem of what an amazing human being Gabby Giffords is because she was always thinking more of her friends than she was of herself. I got on a red eye after first meeting Gabby Giffords and flew back to my district and met an unknown Senator from Illinois who had just gotten elected named Barack Obama for the very first time. That's what is great about this country is these random meetings that we have with amazing people from all over the country who we meet on the House floor, many of whom came in in one of the largest classes in recent memory. You heard them come to the floor today and talk about someone they barely knew or may have met briefly or didn't know at all, because that is what binds us together is the spirit, the history of this Chamber and what it has meant as the people's House. That is why it is incumbent on all of us to take away as a lesson from this tragedy a renewed sense of respect for each other and for the common purpose that brought us all here together in the first place. I talked about how we are a family. Every Thanksgiving our family has a tradition of watching a movie called ``Home for the Holidays'' about a very dysfunctional family. The star of that movie is Holly Hunter. In one of the closing moments of this movie--which like all good movies makes you laugh, makes you cry and makes you think--Holly Hunter's father is down in the basement watching old home movies and he's talking to her about one moment in his life that took 5 seconds and made all the difference in the world in his relationship with his daughter. And he said, You were fearless, huh? Fearless. That is my friend, Gabby Giffords. She is fearless in what makes this job worth having. That is why we have a responsibility--to her and all the people who lost their lives and who showed up at that town hall meeting because they care about this country--to make a difference going forward in how we talk to each other and how we care about each other. As we look forward to next Monday, we should remember what Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us, that ``the moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice.'' We have a collective duty, all of us, to make sure that we bend that arc sooner and quicker so that the American people realize that we are all in this together and that this is the people's House for a reason. I want to thank my Republican colleagues for their extreme sensitivity and their devotion to this important resolution, and I thank my colleague from California for helping us put this resolution together today. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I regret missing floor votes on today, December 22, 2010 due to travel. If I was present, I would have voted: ``yea'' on rollcall 664, motion to concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 847--James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3860, important legislation to ensure proper oversight of Arlington National Cemetery. I'm proud to have sponsored companion legislation to this bill in the House to see that we fulfill our oversight duties and properly honor our fallen heroes. Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for Presidents, Senators, Representatives, Supreme Court Justices, Generals, Admirals and the countless soldiers, known and unknown, who've died in defense of freedom. It is home to memorials for Iowa heroes like the five Sullivan brothers who were lost at sea in 1942 with the sinking of the USS Juneau, but who are honored with tombstones among all of their fallen brothers. Arlington National Cemetery is a national institution that symbolizes the service and sacrifice by our citizens that makes the United States great, but most recently, it's been a sign of government incompetence. The recent scandal of unmarked and inappropriately marked gravesites is an indignity to the Americans memorialized there, but it is also a stain on America. To date, Arlington Cemetery has spent over $5 million to computerize records to determine who is buried where, with nothing to show for it but continued problems in gravesite identification. The misuse of these funds disrespects our honored dead and is a breach in the trust of the American people. As the son of a World War II veteran, I have the deepest respect for our Nation's veterans and I want nothing but the best treatment for them in life and in death. We owe them more than they've been given. I had the honor of attending the burial service of Specialist Ross McGinnis of Knox, PA at Arlington Cemetery as one of my first acts in Congress. Specialist McGinnis was killed in action near Adhamiyah, Iraq on December 4, 2006 when he threw himself on top of a grenade thrown into his HMMWV, saving the lives of at least four other soldiers, including one of my constituents. For his actions that day, Spc. McGinnis was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. My bill, and the bill we passed, asks for nothing more than the respect that our distinguished veterans like Spc. McGinnis deserve. I commend my colleagues for their support on this matter.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Chairman, today, the House will vote on a bill that will explode the deficit by $858 billion. While this package includes several programs I have proudly supported, I cannot support the underlying bill. As recently as last week, I voted to give every American a tax cut by making the middle class tax cuts permanent for the millions of American families, consumers, and small business owners who drive our economy. I have consistently voted to extend unemployment insurance to assist the families struggling in this difficult time. Those were some of the good things included in this deal. Unfortunately, the merits of these good things do not outweigh the bad things in this deal. I cannot justify mortgaging our children's futures to provide a Christmas bonanza to the privileged few. I refuse to support increasing the deficit by at least $81 billion to provide a tax break to the wealthiest people in this country. I refuse to support a bill that would balloon the deficit by $23 billion to provide an average tax break of more than $1.5 million to only 6,600 families a year. That is why I am voting ``no,'' and I urge you to do the same. Americans spoke clearly on November 2. Congress must get serious about reducing the deficit and become better stewards of their tax dollars. After endless talk throughout this session about fiscal responsibility, the looming threat of a growing deficit and forcing America's next generation into crushing debt to China--a so-called tax deal has been produced. Today, this House will vote on a bill that will explode the deficit by $858 billion dollars. While this package includes several programs I have proudly supported, I cannot support the underlying bill. As recently as last week, I voted to give every American a tax cut by making the middle- class tax cuts permanent for the millions of American families, consumers and small business owners who drive our economy. I have consistently voted to extend unemployment insurance to assist the families struggling in this difficult recession. I have voted to extend the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit to assist our Nation's low-income families who have a difficult enough time making ends meet as it is. I have consistently voted for ethanol and biodiesel tax credits that sustain the growth of our Nation's renewable energy industry and support the jobs of thousands of my constituents in Iowa. Those were some of the good things included in this deal. Unfortunately, the merits of these good things do not outweigh the bad things in this deal. I cannot justify mortgaging our children's futures to provide a Christmas bonanza to the privileged few. I refuse to support increasing the deficit by at least $81 billion to provide a tax break to the wealthiest persons in this country. I refuse to support a bill that would balloon the deficit by $23 billion to provide an average tax break of more than $1.5 million to only 6,600 families a year. And I unequivocally refuse to threaten the long-term viability of social security with a shell game to pay for diminished social security contributions. I'm voting ``no'' on this bad deal because we cannot keep kicking the can down the road when it comes to difficult decisions about the deficit, especially with a package that threatens the financial stability of our Nation. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``no.''

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Chair, Americans spoke clearly on November second. Congress must get serious about reducing the deficit and become better stewards of their tax dollars. After endless talk throughout this session about fiscal responsibility, the looming threat of a growing deficit and forcing America's next generation into crushing debt to China--a so-called tax deal has been produced. Today this House will vote on a bill that will explode the deficit by $858 billion dollars. While this package includes several programs I have proudly supported, I cannot support the underlying bill. As recently as last week I voted to give every American a tax cut by making the middle class tax cuts permanent for the millions of American families, consumers and small business owners who drive our economy. I have consistently voted to extend unemployment insurance to assist the families struggling in this difficult recession. I have voted to extend the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit to assist our nation's low-income families who have a difficult enough time making ends meet as it is. I have consistently voted in for ethanol and biodiesel tax credits that sustain the growth of our nation's renewable energy industry and support the jobs of thousands of my constituents in Iowa. Those were some of the good things included in this deal. Unfortunately, the merits of these good things do not outweigh the bad things in this deal. I cannot justify mortgaging our children's futures to provide a Christmas bonanza to the privileged few. I refuse to support increasing the deficit by at least $81 billion to provide a tax break to the wealthiest persons in this country. I refuse to support a bill that would balloon the deficit by $23 billion to provide an average tax break of more than $1.5 million to only 6,600 families a year. And I unequivocally refuse to threaten the long-term viability of social security with a shell game to pay for diminished social security contributions. I'm voting ``no'' on this bad deal because we cannot keep kicking the can down the road when it comes to difficult decisions about the deficit, especially with a package that threatens the financial stability of our nation. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``no.''

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, as the American middle class continues to endure tough economic challenges, the deadline looms for extending middle class tax cuts that will provide continued relief when it is needed the most. Standing in our way are Republicans who are holding the middle class hostage in favor of giving added tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires, even though these bonus tax breaks would add $700 billion to the national deficit. So what is at stake? These middle class tax cuts will provide 98 percent of Americans who face a tax increase on January 1 the much needed relief that they deserve. For the typical middle class family, that means the loss of $2,000 next year. The Republican demands would mean that those making more than $1 million a year would receive an average of $100,000 annually, and the middle class would be saddled with $700 billion in new debt to pay for multimillion-dollar tax cuts for billionaires. In tough times like these, millionaires should be giving charity, not getting it, and that is the choice that the American people should be demanding that we make.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I missed votes on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 visiting a constituent at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. If I were present, I would have voted: ``Yea'' on rollcall 572, On Agreeing to the Resolution, H. Res. 332-- Providing for the House to adjourn for the Thanksgiving District Work Period.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. I thank my friend from Missouri for yielding to me. In February of 2009, I introduced the Plain Writing Act, and I rise today to talk about the responsibility of this government to communicate effectively with its citizens. I know that lawyers are often blamed for the legalese that makes government documents so difficult to read and understand, so some might find it unusual that this ``plain language'' bill was introduced by someone who practiced law for 23 years before being elected to Congress. They might be surprised to learn that the use of clear, concise language in communications has been a passion of mine since I started practicing in 1983, when the Iowa Supreme Court adopted plain language guidelines for use in its jury instructions. Since that time, I've been speaking and writing about the importance of using plain language to improve both written and spoken communications. I was proud to introduce the Plain Writing Act, a bill that requires the Federal Government to write documents such as letters from the Social Security Administration or a notice from the Department of Veterans Affairs in simple, easy-to-understand language. I first introduced this bill last Congress and was proud when it passed the House floor earlier this year with overwhelming support. In fact, this same bill passed by a vote of 376-1 on April 14, 2008, and by a vote of 386-33 on March 17, 2010. Yesterday it passed the Senate unanimously. I want to thank Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Ed Towns and Ranking Member Darrell Issa for their support of this important legislation. I also want to thank Senator Bennett from Utah, Senator Voinovich from Ohio and Senator Akaka from Hawaii for working together in a bipartisan manner to get the Senate to pass this important bill. Anyone who's done their own taxes knows the headache of trying to understand pages and pages of confusing forms and instructions. There is absolutely no reason for the Federal Government not to write these tax documents and other public documents in language we can all understand. Yet despite the objections of my friend from Utah, the Federal Government, no matter who's in charge, has always had a problem with this accountability. Writing documents in plain language will increase government accountability and save Americans time and money. Plain, straightforward language makes it easier for taxpayers to understand what the Federal Government is doing and what services it's offering. Small businesses will see substantial benefits from eliminating Federal gobbledygook. Often small businesses have to hire lawyers and accountants to help them navigate the maze of Federal paperwork and convoluted language. The National Federation of Independent Business estimates that the average per hour cost of paperwork and recordkeeping for small businesses is $48.72. The use of clear, easy-to-understand language in government paperwork will substantially reduce burdens on small businesses and save taxpayers millions of dollars. The Plain Writing Act will require the Federal Government to use plain communications, forms, and public distributed documents, writing in a clear, concise, well-organized manner that follows the best practices of plain language writing. Using these complex forms, letters, and notices imposes unnecessary hardships on American citizens, and replacing them with plain language will improve service to the public, save time that agencies currently spend answering questions about what documents mean, and make it easier to hold agencies accountable for their work. I know this bill will make it easier for Americans and small businesses to work and understand their government. I want to thank all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who join me today in standing up for plain language and plain writing and standing up for effective communication with our constituents and standing up for small business owners and in standing up for the taxpayers who, despite the CBO estimate of the short-term cost, will see substantial savings as we reduce the time that Federal agencies spend responding to requests for information.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I'm proud to rise in strong support of my legislation, the All-American Flag Act. I strongly believe that our American flags should be made in the U.S.A. with American products. Currently, Federal law does require that American flags purchased and used by the government are partially American made. That is, the law only requires that at least 50 percent of the materials used to make the flag are American made. I strongly believe that this is a hypocritical use of our taxpayer dollars, especially when the majority of American flags that are imported into the United States come from China. According to Commerce and Census Data, in 2009, the dollar value of flags imported to the United States was $3 million. Of that total, $2.5 million of imported flags came from China. The Federal Government should not be buying American flags that are manufactured in countries such as China. This is why I introduced the All-American Flag Act. My legislation would simply require that any United States flags acquired for use by the Federal Government be entirely manufactured in the United States. This is a simple fix that ensures American flags are not foreign-made. I urge my colleagues to support my All-American Flag Act and look forward to seeing it pass on the House floor.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I missed votes on Monday, September 16, 2010, due to a meeting at the Institutes of Medicine. If I were present, I would have voted: ``Yea'' on rollcall 526, On Ordering the Previous Question, H. Res. 1620--Providing for consideration of H.R. 4785, the Rural Energy Savings Program Act. ``Yea'' on rollcall 527, On Agreeing to the Resolution, H. Res. 1620--Providing for consideration of H.R. 4785, the Rural Energy Savings Program Act. ``Yea'' on rollcall 528, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Concur in the Senate Amendments, H.R. 3562--To designate the Federal building under construction at 1220 Echelon Parkway in Jackson, Mississippi, as the Chaney, Goodman, Schwerner Federal Building.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support the amendment that I have offered to increase funds within the Community Development Block Grant by $20 million to be used for disaster relief and recovery in the Midwest by reducing funding for the administration operations and management and nonpersonnel expenses in the bill. This past weekend, heavy rains caused major flooding in parts of my district. Lake Delhi, which you see on this illustration, was a treasured summer retreat. It's gone. The 9-mile long lake disappeared after sudden flood waters breached its 92-year-old dam on Saturday morning. I was standing at the south end of the dam watching this happen at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. Over a dozen other communities in my district are also experiencing major flooding this week. This $20 million increase to CDBG will be used to help aid flood relief and recovery in the Midwest. The eligibility requirements for CDBG clearly state that grant funds can be used for particularly urgent community development needs because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the public. Due to the flooding, parts of my district are currently experiencing serious and immediate threats to the public. Piles of flood-polluted garbage are piling up and raising serious public health concerns. You can see the damage that has been caused as the lake has drained. The stench of rotting fish permeates the air around Lake Delhi. Many of the homes are experiencing major flood damage while values are expected to plummet as the lake has disappeared. The CDBG funds have been used in the past to aid in disaster relief and recovery. In 1997, they were used to aid communities in the upper Midwest affected by severe flooding. In 2002, emergency CDBG funds were awarded to the State of New York for assistance for properties and businesses damaged by the terrorist attacks of 9/11. These emergency funds helped these businesses with economic revitalization. I look forward to working with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as the State of Iowa, to ensure that the CDBG funds are properly used to aid in flood recovery and relief. I urge everyone to support flood relief for the Midwest. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the three year anniversary of the Iowa Safe Schools law. As an Iowan, I'm proud to say that my home state has a strong Safe Schools law which protects all students against prejudice. Iowa is the 10th state to pass such a law which was the extension of the Civil Rights law which protects LGBT school staff members from discrimination. I also rise today to recognize my friend, former State Senator Mike Connelly. Senator Connelly has been a trusted advocate for policies related to education and youth in Iowa during his 30 years working as a legislator. Senator Connelly played an integral role in the passing of the Safe Schools law serving as the floor manager in the Iowa Senate for the passing of the bill. It was Senator Connolly who successfully challenged those who were initially opposed to the Safe Schools Law. His support helped persuade many Senators to switch their final vote from ``no'' to ``yes.'' I'm pleased to be celebrating the three year anniversary of the Iowa Safe Schools law. This law will protect students against discrimination for generations to come.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I missed votes on Monday, July 26, 2010 due to flooding in the district. If I were present, I would have voted: ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 467, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as amended, H.R. 1320--To amend the Federal Advisory Committee Act to increase the transparency and accountability of Federal advisory committees, and for other purposes. ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 468, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree, as amended, H. Res. 1504--Recognizing and honoring the 20th anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 469, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as amended, H.R. 3101--Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill but also to voice my strong concerns with the direction of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While I fully support ensuring the safety of our Nation's troops, I have serious concerns over the provisions of this bill related to the funding of the conflicts. I have long advocated a responsible withdrawal from Afghanistan and believe that the continued funding of these wars outside of the appropriations process without a plan in place for withdrawal is reckless and wasteful. I firmly believe that Congress must require a responsible exit strategy from Afghanistan and work to ensure that the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq remains on track. Over the weekend, severe weather across Iowa caused heavy rains, thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes, and flooding that devastated numerous communities in my district. I support this bill today for the $5.1 billion included to replenish the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Relief Fund, which has been operating at a dangerously low level since the beginning of this year, halting recovery projects in Iowa and across the country from past disasters. With the recent disasters in my district, I believe this continued funding is vital to ensure that my constituents and other citizens who are faced with disaster have the necessary assistance to recover and rebuild from these devastating storms. I applaud the House and Senate for acting today to ensure appropriate funding is available for disaster recovery and for other provisions in support of veterans, but I do not support another blank check for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, unemployment benefits and Social Security benefits are a safety net. They are not a lottery handout; and as we struggle to try to get the Senate to pass an extension of unemployment benefits, with 15 million out-of-work Americans who are depending on us to pay their bills, it's important to remember that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said that passage of unemployment benefit extensions is one of the most cost-effective and fast-acting ways to stimulate the economy. But lost in all of this debate and all of this delay is the human side. So I want to share the story fresh from the headline of today's Dubuque Telegraph Herald with the headline: ``Desperation sets in for jobless parents.'' A family with a 32-year-old dad and 30-year-old mom could provide for their children a year ago, but times have changed because Mom suffered an injury at work and hasn't been able to work since March. Dad lost his job a couple of months later, and their unemployment benefits expired in July. The family includes girls, 14 and 10, and boys, 11 and 7. These are the Americans who need us to act now.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, it is always a privilege when a member of your district, a constituent, gets to deliver the prayer to open the House day. It's also a rare privilege when that individual happens to be your personal pastor. But, Mr. Speaker, no one knows better than you what a rare privilege it is when that person is also a member of your family. I am extremely proud to have my brother here to deliver the opening prayer. This is an important week in his life because this is also the 30th anniversary this week of his ordination as a Presbyterian minister. He is the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He has also served churches in Nevada and Ida Grove, Iowa. He got his Divinity Degree from the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in my district. He's been a great role model to me and my family and has been an inspiration to the parish where he has served because of his community leadership, including a very long and strong action in leading the CROP Walk to help take care of needy people throughout this world. For that reason I am honored to have him here today. I appreciated the inspiring remarks he shared with us.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, I am proud to be a cosponsor of the bill, and I thank the chairman for yielding. As we continue to stop the oil disaster in the gulf coast and clean it up, we must also ensure that the victims of this spill are fairly compensated for their loss. And at our field hearing in Chalmette, Louisiana, we saw firsthand that these individuals, like the brave families who are here today, are being inadequately compensated for the enormous losses they face. One of the few requests made by Natalie Roshto and Courtney Kemp at that hearing, who testified, was that Congress take the necessary steps to strengthen these laws and ensure their husbands did not die in vain. And when we had our Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee hearing on June 17, I had a chance to question BP Chairman Tony Hayward, and I showed him clips of those widows' testimony, challenging him to listen to their pain and explain to them how on the anniversaries of the loss of their husbands and the anniversaries of their marriage and the birth of their children and at their children's graduation and their weddings, where is BP and Transocean and Halliburton going to be? That's why we need to pass this bill.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk made in order under the rule.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Chairwoman, I think that the comments that you've heard are indicative of what's wrong with the way the government agencies write their documents. I think it is deplorable that we have to take this action. But the sad truth is, anybody who's looked at these loan documents knows how serious this problem is. I think this is a small step in the right direction. I call this ``the little engine that could.'' I think if we implement this across the board in federal agencies, American taxpayers and consumers of Federal information will be much better off. And I urge my colleagues to vote in support of the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.