John Boccieri

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 663 To Amend The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require criminal background checks for school employees, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Madam Speaker, Corporal Nate Schaming of Ohio, and The United States Army . . . 82nd Airborne Division 1/504 PIR C Co., lost both his legs in an IED explosion in Iraq on 12/01/07. Like many of our heroes who come home from war, he must begin a new battle and a new fight. As we watch him in awe, as he rebuilds his life, with but only his faith and great courage to sustain him . . . Another key part of his recovery, can also be directly attributed to his wonderful mother Pamela who has been there day and night. Any doctor or nurse will tell you that the family members are the true Unsung Heroes in recovery . . . and they are key to it. I ask that this poem penned by Albert Caswell be placed in the Record. In . . . Nate . . . Born with it, something so very great! Inherent, the nature or something . . . belonging to . . . In Nate, that's what you do! An Army Man, Who So Can! One of Ohio's, who's who! A future Hero seen, who from deep down within him . . . such his greatness would convene! When courage crests . . . Like John Glenn, Oh Those Most Heroic Ohio Men . . . But, The Best! Who lock and load . . . The ones, who live by the greatest of all honor codes . . . Who but for us, them and their families . . . bare the load . . . Who all in times of war, who with such hearts of courage sure . . . Ensure our victory, all out upon death's road! To lose your once strong two fine young legs! As upon, them . . . such speed they gave! While then somehow to rebuild . . . while so close to the grave! With but with only lies within a heart, so brave . . . Surely, but coming from down within . . . coming from Nate! A man from that Buckeye State . . . Who has taken all of this pain and heartache . . . For him, Heaven would have to wait . . . As with a mother's help so great . . . his new life he creates! For God is Good, and God is Great! All in such men and women of honor, he so creates . . . All within hearts which will not hesitate, from somewhere deep down within . . . inside so states! So states, all about Courage and Faith . . . Whose fine hearts, are so full of character . . . as so In Nate . . . Who Teach Us All, Who Reach Us All . . . Who So Beseech Us and Do So State! Of what we are born with . . . And the kind of courage, we are warmed with . . . that which so ever lives on which states! For as we stand here this day and see, what is good . . . what is great . . . What is so . . . In Nate! As now we understand, The Greatest Of All Things . . . That which our Lord so creates, are but found deep down within someone like Nate! And if ever I have a son, I but hope and pray . . . he could but be like you this one! In Nate!

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. As Admiral Mullen has said, it is troubling that men and women from our country have to lie about who they are to defend the truth and freedom of our war. The courts have spoken. The military leadership have spoken. Our military has spoken. It is time for Congress to speak that, when you take an oath to die for our freedom, it matters not who you love at home but, more importantly, that you love our country.

Mr. BOCCIERI. President John Kennedy said, ``A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but ideas live on.'' The idea to which many of our troops have fought to preserve and protect for our great Nation is the idea of freedom--the freedom to live in a country where you can be anything you want to be, the freedom to do anything you want to do, and the freedom to go anyplace you want to go. Today, our troops are over in Iraq and Afghanistan so that the people of those nations can have even a little of what we take for granted. The mark of a great country is that men and women, when called, will leave everything behind, sacrifice everything for someone, something, someplace they consider greater than themselves. While the cause of such a noble idea as freedom lives on and our troops sacrifice daily on foreign lands, we must maintain constant vigilance for life here at home. The issue before us today is one of which the very soldiers who fight to spread the idea of freedom to countries that don't know it find an ever-fleeting policy that denies them the opportunity to be who they want to be and the freedom to do what they want to do. As one who spent 17 years in the military, flying wounded and fallen soldiers out of Iraq and Afghanistan, the finest men and women have served our Nation, I find it regrettable that, for some, the freedom that they're fighting for is not evenly applied.

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of a man with a dedicated vision not just for himself, but for his life's work. My constituent, Dr. Brian Mathie of Louisville, Ohio, has a commitment to a lifetime of healthy vision for all Ohio residents. He proves why the Ohio Optometric Association named him the 2010 Optometrist of the Year. For his contributions to preserving the gift of sight for people across our district and all across Ohio, for his mentorship and leadership in our community, I too join in congratulating Dr. Mathie for his service. Countless times I have relied upon Dr. Mathie and his staff at the Roholt Vision Institute of North Canton to provide care for me. He is dependable, reliable, and accurate. Dr. Mathie is not only a leader in the physician's office, but in the classroom and the community, where he serves as an adjunct faculty member at Ohio State University College of Optometry and participates in the Louisville Community Foundation, Rotary Club, and Cross Eyed Missions. Dr. Mathie, you are a community leader, one dedicated to public service and good public health. Thank you for your commitment. I wish you success in your profession and your leadership.

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Mr. Speaker, the American people are watching. While we may wear different jerseys, we are supposed to be playing for America, and this vote today is about whether we are going to stand up and fight for Americans. Just last week, the Chinese Government ordered all our domestic manufacturers who are building cars in China to turn over all their battery technology. Ohio, who has 25 percent of her economy based on the automotive industry, cannot afford to stand on the sidelines as countries like China refuse to play by the rules. Critics believe that this legislation could start a trade war. America is already in a trade war, and the question is whether the U.S. Government is going to show up for the fight. And forcing the agreed- upon trade rules is not protectionist. In fact, the Chinese practices like currency manipulation and illegal subsidies are protectionist. In 2005 Ohio lost more than 183,000 manufacturing jobs because of bad trade deals. I say that you can't afford to buy tennis shoes if you don't have a job. And that is what this bill is about. In the past 2 years alone, workers from nine local companies in my district received trade adjustment assistance as a result of bad trade deals. We respect the Chinese culture, their people, and their workers, but we are playing for America. We have got to build it; we have got to assemble it, and we have got to manufacture it here in our country. We can't be the movers of wealth; we have to be the producers of wealth, and it starts with this vote today.

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Madam Speaker, I was not present for the following roll call votes. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On rollcall No. 454, on H. Con. Res. 292, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Aerospace Week, and for other purposes, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 450, on H. Res. 1219, Expressing support for designation of September as National Child Awareness Month, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 449, on H. Con. Res. 126, Recognizing the 50th anniversary of Title VI international education programs within the Department of Education, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 448, on H. Res. 1472, Expressing support for designation of the week of September 13, 2010, as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 372, on H.R. 5297, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 293, on H.R. 5330, To Amend the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Act of 2004 to Extend the Operation of Such Act for a 5-Year Period Ending June 22, 2015, and for Other Purposes, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 292, H.R. 1017, Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 291, H. Con. Res. 278, Expressing the Sense of Congress That a Grateful Nation Supports and Salutes Sons and Daughters in Touch on Its 20th Anniversary That is Being Held on Father's Day, 2010, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, the District of Columbia, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 213, H. Res. 1271, Honoring the Life and Achievements of Rev. Benjamin Lawson Hooks, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 212, H. Res. 1257, Supporting the Goals and Ideals of National Financial Literacy Month, 2010, and for Other Purposes, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 172, H. Res. 1205, Providing for Consideration of the Bill (H.R. 4849) to Amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to Provide Tax Incentives for Small Business Job Creation, Extend the Build America Bonds Program, Provide Other Infrastructure Job Creation Tax Incentives, and for Other Purposes (On Ordering the Previous Question), I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 153, On Approving the Journal, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 84, H. Res. 699, Expressing the Appreciation of Congress for the Service and Sacrifice of the Members of the 139th Airlift Wing, Air National Guard, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 50, H.R. 4238, To Designate the Facility of the United States Postal Service Located at 930 39th Avenue in Greeley, Colorado, As the ``W.D. Farr Post Office Building'', I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 49, H.R. 4425, To Designate the Facility of the United States Postal Service Located at 2-116th Street in North Troy, New York, As the ``Martin G. `Marty' Mahar Post Office'', I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 19, H. Res. 1003, Expressing Support for the Designation of January 10, 2010, Through January 16, 2010, As National Influenza Vaccination Week, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 18, H. Res. 1011, Recognizing the Importance of Cervical Health and of Detecting Cervical Cancer During Its Earliest Stages and Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Cervical Health Awareness Month, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 17, H. Res. 990, Expressing Support for Designation of January 2010 As ``National Mentoring Month'', I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 5, H.R. 3892, To Designate the Facility of the United States Postal Service Located at 101 West Highway 64 Bypass in Roper, North Carolina, As the ``E.V. Wilkins Post Office'', I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 858, H. Res. 868, Honoring and Recognizing the Service and Achievements of Current and Former Female Members of the Armed Forces, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 381, H.R. 2847, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 109, H.J. Res. 38, Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009, and for Other Purposes, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 108, H.J. Res. 38, Making Further Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009, and for Other Purposes, I would have voted ``no.'' On rollcall No. 107, On Approving the Journal, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. In 1994 they warned that stall recognition and the recovery techniques are to be included as stick shaker and stick pusher during training. But yet this airline did not include it. In section 208 of this bill, we will change that, and we will make sure that pilots are having simulator training, and that they're going to recognize and avoid stalls of aircrafts and recover from stalls as part of their simulator training. For over 30 years we've been telling the FAA to do this, to make this a part of their curriculum; and nothing has happened. Now Congress has acted to ensure that this tragedy will be avoidable in the future. I thank the chairman and this committee for its leadership, and for the families, for their unrelenting push to make sure that we hold, not only those who are training pilots, but those who are operating our equipment and flying our loved ones around this continent and others to be as safe as they can. We owe it to them, and this Congress is going to act today on this. I thank you for your leadership.

Mr. BOCCIERI. Madam Speaker, Chairman Costello, Chairman Oberstar, and Ranking Members Petri and Mica, we thank you for your leadership on this important issue, and including this legislation in this moving bill through the House of Representatives. There's an adage that we often say in aviation, that you train like you fly, and you fly as you train. And aviators know that the practice that we do prepares us for situations where we find ourselves in compromised circumstances. And we know that the training that we do prepares us for those emergencies. But you could take the most experienced air crew, with thousands of hours, hundreds of thousands of hours, put them in an air frame, and if they're not trained in the safety equipment of that aircraft, they will not know how to recover. And while this accident in February was completely tragic, I'm sad to say that it was completely avoidable if we would have only taken the leadership as we are doing today. When I reviewed the NTSB's reports, and I found that those pilots were not trained in the safety equipment on their aircraft, I was aghast. I was aghast that the Q400 check pilots that were interviewed, their demonstration or instruction of the aircraft pusher system is not part of the training syllabus for initial or recurrent training on the Q400. These pilots and this airline were cutting corners, and now we're paying the price for this. And those families who died are experiencing the grief and tragedy that was completely avoidable. Madam Speaker, in the 1970s the NTSB had been telling the FAA to include stall recovery upset training as a part of curriculum for new pilots. Since the 1970s.

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOCCIERI. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would remind the gentleman as well on the other side that it was a Republican-controlled Congress and a Republican President who allowed us to get $11 trillion in debt when the last Democratic-controlled White House had a $5.6 trillion projected surplus. So, now that the facts are straight, I just want to be clear that this legislation is about amending the Federal bankruptcy codes, which have already been used to exempt furniture, musical instruments, jewelry, and other household goods, to be allowed to exempt people's heirlooms, their firearms, that have been passed on from generation to generation. I believe that the majority of Americans agrees with the Second Amendment--the constitutional right that we have to bear arms. We have continually upheld its validity for hundreds of years because, in many cases, a family's guns are heirlooms, treasured pieces of family history, which should not be subjected to financial hardship. I spoke of my grandfather's M1 carbine that has been handed down to me now through two successive generations. One fact, one principle this country was founded upon was the ability of our people to provide their own protection. Bearing this in mind and this historical perspective, we respect the rights of gun owners as a shared value we see amongst Democrats and some Republicans. It is not a Republican or a Democratic issue but a foundational value of American ideals. We must protect the rights guaranteed to us by our Founding Fathers no matter what financial circumstances a citizen must face.

Mr. BOCCIERI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlelady from New York (Mrs. McCarthy).

Mr. BOCCIERI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, while Congress works to pull our Nation out of this economic recession, many people across our great country continue to struggle with depleted savings and financial hardship, but those financial challenges should not affect a person's individual constitutional rights and their ability to protect their family. That is why I stand here today in strong support of H.R. 5827, Protecting Gun Owners in Bankruptcy Act. My legislation ensures families hit hard by the recent economic downturn in the recession and forced to file bankruptcy do not hand over their right to protection or their right to possess a firearm. H.R. 5827 provides an exemption in the Federal Bankruptcy Code for personal firearms. Since 2005, debtors who file bankruptcy could retain household goods such as radios, TVs, VCRs and linens, but not firearms. Currently, bankruptcy for gun owners not only means the seizure of family heirlooms, but perhaps the inability for them to protect their own family. This means that families who file bankruptcy are left without this constitutionally provided right. H.R. 5827 ensures a person who files for bankruptcy will not lose a treasured family heirloom or sporting equipment passed down from one generation to the next. I happen to have a weapon that was passed down that my grandfather used in the Second World War, an M1 Carbine rifle that is a family heirloom. And as a small arms expert in the United States Air Force and a hunter in Ohio, I know that firearms are not just mere possessions but family heirlooms as well. My fellow sportsmen in Ohio want to see the protection of their constitutionally protected rights. The Protecting Gun Owners in Bankruptcy Act will ensure that families can keep these prized possessions and continue to pass them on for generations to come. The right protected by the Second Amendment is deeply rooted in our Nation's history and tradition. One needs to look no further than the woods of Ohio during autumn to know that this is true. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOCCIERI. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today, we are talking about what is in a family's heirlooms, their possessions. I know the Republican would like to draw this into a long debate about how we got into this mess, but I will remind the gentleman that, on day one in 2009 when the 111th Congress started, we were faced with unprecedented budget deficits that were handed over to us from the previous administration--$3.5 trillion to be exact--and an economy that was in free fall. We didn't know where it was going to land. We were faced with two undeclared, unfunded wars, unregulated greed on Wall Street, and a banking crisis that was affecting so many small businesses. So I will remind the gentleman that, while the policies that allowed us to get into this ditch are not at the heart of this debate, certainly, he is welcome to debate us, as we proceed further, on how we got into this economic mess and on what measures we are taking to get ourselves out of this. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of two great cities of Wooster and Medina in Ohio who are working hard to bring jobs to my northeastern Ohio district. The national Site Selection magazine recently announced its annual rankings of States with the most business friendly atmosphere. This year, the city of Wooster finished second in the country among cities between 10,000 and 50,000 people for attracting business development. The magazine also highlighted efforts of the Sandridge Food Corporation in Medina to create jobs through a recent $6.2 million expansion for machinery and equipment, as well as to make additions and expansions to their building. That effort is expected to create between 50 and nearly 330 jobs. The honors speak to the ingenuity of both cities and their commitment to growth in tough economic times. I commend the efforts of Wooster Mayor Bob Breneman and Mayor Dennis Hanwell in Medina for their efforts to bring jobs to our district. The teamwork of local elected officials, local leaders, and employers paved the way for economic growth and job creation. These are not easy times, but this news proves that the American spirit is alive and well in Ohio. With the right plan, leadership, and perseverance, we can overcome these tough economic times together.

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a man who served as a statesman for organized labor and the United Auto Workers, leading his brothers and sisters through some of the most difficult economic times facing our nation. While a chassis line repairman, Ron Gettelfinger became a member of the UAW in 1964. Since then, elected by his peers each time, he became Director, then Vice President and finally President of the UAW. Now, after serving two consecutive terms as President of the UAW, Ron Gettelfinger will retire from his tenure. Mr. Gettelfinger believed in fighting ``for something better'' and he achieved this during his 8 year term as President of the UAW in a multitude of ways. He championed the fight for fair trade agreements that contained strong labor protections and he stood up in support of clean energy issues. He fought to keep manufacturing jobs here in the United States by supporting domestic investments in advanced technology vehicles. And as a steadfast advocate for the American worker, he strongly supported accessible and affordable healthcare for everyone. I thank Ron Gettelfinger for his service to our great country and the UAW as a voice for the ordinary, hard working American.

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Mr. Speaker, I have always been told that leadership is about action, not position. But when you hear the position on the other side of the aisle that we need to stand up for big Wall Street banks, we need to stand up and apologize to BP and Big Oil for our involvement in trying to clean up the oil spills, and we need to stand up and allow foreign corporations to be involved in our political process, there is a clear difference between this aisle, and it's a bright line. The American people need to understand this. When we took office a year ago as freshman Democrats, we were handed two undeclared, unfunded wars, an economy that was in free fall, we didn't know where we were going to land, and greed, unregulated greed on Wall Street. And now the answers and solutions that we hear from the other side is that we need to privatize Social Security to pay for our debt, we need to make sure that we apologize to BP, we need to make Americans work harder and work until they are 70. Mr. Speaker, there is a clear difference. We need regulated reform to make sure that Wall Street banks are accountable. We need to make sure we move away from our dependence on foreign oil, so that we stand up to the big insurance companies and provide access to health care for all Americans. There has been a clear difference for the decisions that we made because we know on this side that leadership is about action, not position.

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 65) providing for the use of the catafalque situated in the Exhibition Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center in connection with memorial services to be conducted in the United States Senate Chamber for the Honorable Robert C. Byrd, late a Senator from the State of West Virginia, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Mr. Chairman, the people of our country have spoken time and time again: They want less money in politics, not more. And what I hear from our colleagues on the other side is that we should roll back 100 years of legislative action by this body. The regressive decision by the Supreme Court has turned the keys of electoral government over to big corporations in the United States. Make no mistake, it's as if the Supreme Court rolled up to the drive- thru window and just super-sized the campaign contributions of corporate America. In the Constitution it says ``We the people.'' ``We the People,'' not ``We the corporations.'' ``We the people of the United States of America.'' Corporations don't vote in our electoral process, people do. This is about the people of our country and not having their voices drowned out in the electoral process. We need to make sure that the DISCLOSE Act gives further teeth so that foreign governments don't influence our domestic elections. We're not going to outsource and offshore our elections. Let's stand up for the American people and the balance of power in our country.

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Today, I rise to acknowledge two businesses in my Ohio district helping to combat the BP oil disaster in the gulf and creating jobs. Stanwood Boomworks in Massillon, Ohio, is one of 10 companies in the country producing oil booms designed to help contain spilled oil. Over the past few weeks, Boomworks has hired 80 new local workers and is producing 250 booms a day. Boomworks supplied more than 1,000 oil booms for Gulf Coast workers already, and I want to honor their hard work today. Another local company, ABS Materials in Wooster, Ohio, is taking advantage of National Science Foundation grants to create jobs at home and provide solutions for the Gulf Coast oil spill. An NSF grant helped fund research leading to the formation of ABS Materials in 2009. As a result of that funding, it currently employs 28 people at two locations and will expand to over 100 in the upcoming year. ABS Materials is currently working on producing a more environmentally friendly way of separating oil from ocean water in the Gulf of Mexico. I congratulate both of these companies on their perseverance and success during these tough economic times and their leadership in combating the worst oil spill in our country's history.

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Thank you. It's an honor to join my colleagues here on the House floor to talk about how we got here, where we're going, and what we're doing to put our country back on track. You know, you bring up a great point. We hear from the other side that the greatest tools that the government has is to largely unregulate big business, big corporations, and provide tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. Virtually every problem that America is facing, that's the solution that's put on the table. Now I argue that, look, our philosophy, our broad political philosophy in this political body--at least I know from our side of the aisle--is that the government needs to set the out-of-bounds markers, we need to set the goal posts, let the free market operate in between, but be a good referee. Be a good referee. Throw the flag when you have big corporations that want to bet on the price of oil going up on Wall Street. Throw the flag when you want to bet against people failing to pay their mortgage. Failing to pay their mortgage--that's what was happening on Wall Street. That's like betting against America. I think we can do better. We don't want to take the stripes off the referee. We want to make sure that the playing field is even and fair for all Americans, and that's why we're being charged with action. Because I think all of us here tonight believe that leadership is not just about position, a political position, but it's about action. Leadership is about action. And we run for office not just to win elections but to get things done. And we want to put America back to work by investing in America and by investing in our greatest asset-- that is our people. So a lot of talk has been made about the stimulus and the economic recovery. I mean, the charts don't lie, folks. When we walked on the job here in the office of the House of Representatives, I'm in my first term, and just in May of 2009, what was handed to us from the previous administration were two unfunded, undeclared wars that cost $1 trillion. We had an economy that was in free fall. We didn't know where we were going to land. Exploding deficits from the war and tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. We had unregulated greed on Wall Street, a banking system in chaos. I mean, it required swift action, not just a political position but swift action. In May of 2009, we had lost 345,000 jobs. One year later, after some of the economic policies that we put in place here in the Congress under Democratic leadership, we've turned that 180 degrees and actually had a net job gain of 431,000 jobs by May of 2010. So the facts don't lie. Another thing that really disturbs me about our friends on the other side of the aisle is the whole notion that Democrats are not tough on deficits. And that is a complete falsehood when you look at this chart right here. This chart right here shows that deficits have been handed on by the last three Republican Presidents. We look at President Reagan, a $1.4 trillion deficit left to the American taxpayer. We look at President George Bush. We see that he left a $3.3 trillion deficit, and that didn't begin to turn until President Clinton turned those deficits into a $5.6 trillion surplus. And what was left to us when we came in the door in the 111th Congress was nearly a $12 trillion deficit by two undeclared, unfunded wars, two tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans who could afford to pay and pay their fair share, and a prescription drug plan that left huge holes, doughnut holes for our seniors who couldn't afford to pay the prescription drugs. These are the facts. And like Joe Friday used to say, ``Only the facts, please, ma'am.'' Right now we're trying to set the facts straight, and my colleagues are appropriate in pointing out these deficiencies in the arguments by our colleagues on the other side.

Mr. BOCCIERI. Thank you. I thank the gentlemen here today for talking about how we can get our economy back on track and put America back to work. We're beginning to see the signs of economic recovery. Ten successive months of manufacturing growth has led to an upturn in manufacturing and our output in Ohio and many Midwestern States. We've seen the housing sector improve. The housing sector of the economy is very important to our economy because every recession since the Great Depression, the housing sector has led us out of any downturns in the economy we've ever had. And, in fact, when you think about all that goes into building a new home with steel and wood and carpeting and drapes--you build a third car garage, you've got to put a car in it--the appliances, I mean, there is a lot of economic output, especially with those household products like washers and dryers and the like that require a great deal of manufacturing output. So we're beginning to see upturns in the economy because of that. Now look, we lost a lot of jobs, millions of jobs under previous economic policies. It's going to take us a while to get back and grow the economy and get back to the confidence levels that we all share that we're in a stronger position, but we're on the right track. We're on the right track, and according to folks who study the economy daily, like Fortune magazine, in April they said the economy has made a sharp U-turn in the past couple of months and better days for the American businesses and workers are around the corner. Newsweek said, America is coming back stronger, better and faster than nearly anyone had expected and faster than most of its international rivals. Recovery came quickly because the public and private sectors reacted with great speed. From the far left to the far right, economists were saying that we had to do something. We had to do something. And there's only three tools that the American Government has to jump-start or kick the economy. We can work to manage interest rates with the Federal Reserve. We saw that interest rates are at near-record lows, zero percent in some cases. We saw that the other policy that we have at our fingertips is to utilize tax policies. Largest tax break in American history to small businesses and to American middle class families. In fact, USA Today said tax bills are the lowest in 2009 since 1950 thanks to tax policies that were enacted through the stimulus and other measures that helped with respect in 2009. The other policy that we have is to inject huge amounts of capital out into the marketplace, and I think it's the right policy to help those factory workers that were struggling to meet their payments and their bills and to put bread on the table, with helping them with an unemployment check or a little bit of COBRA assistance so they could carry their health care insurance from month to month while they were looking for a job. I think that was the right investment in 2009. I think that was an investment in the American people, with jobs training and skill training, investing in our workforce. Those are real tangible things that we can take, and that's why we're getting reports like this. As a note, we've seen some positive job gains in the 16th Congressional District. Medline Industries just added 35 jobs and will be creating quite a few more in the next 3 years with them doing business. They manufacture and distribute medical products. We saw Nationwide Insurance add 600 jobs in Ohio, and many of them are in my congressional district. Rolls Royce, an international company that makes fuel cells that are going to add to our electric vehicles, they're using these things in NASA right now. They just announced they're moving their fuel cell research headquarters from Singapore to Stark County, Ohio. I know they're going to be working with my colleague in the 17th District, working on some research and development; and we want to enhance them. We're going to add and retain nearly 90 jobs in my congressional district. We see ABS company got a National Science Foundation grant, absorbent materials company in Worcester, Ohio. They have this grant. They're doing leading-edge research, and they're helping further development of creating high-tech jobs here in the 16th Congressional District. We also saw Barbasol add dozens of jobs in Ashland County in my congressional district. These are real signs in a real congressional district of how some of the policies that we've enacted are helping to grow our economy. So I join my colleagues in saying that leadership is about action, not just taking a political position because you want to win the next election. The ``just say no'' crowd here in Washington is not lending itself to the recovery of our country. We need their help. We need their help. We need all Americans working together to put our country back on track. We need the Republicans' help to put the country back on track. We've seen tough times before, but we've always pulled together as a Nation and made it through our toughest times.

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 372, the Jackson Lee/Cao amendment, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. BOCCIERI

Mr. BOCCIERI. Instead of giving the keys back, we should revoke the license, quite frankly, because these numbers are stark. And I have children who are going to have to pay for this. You have children who are going to have to pay for this. Let's revisit this, a $1.4 trillion deficit under President Reagan, a $3.3 trillion deficit under President H.W. Bush, a $5.6 trillion surplus under President Clinton, an $11.5 trillion deficit under George W. Bush. I mean, the numbers are stark, and every answer or every solution that they tried to come up with is about giving more tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and taking the stripes off the referee. This is not the answer. We need to come together as a country to address this. But certainly the facts are presented here, and that is why it is so important that we have got to invest in the greatest asset in our country, and that's our people. And you know, by doing that with the Recovery Act, investing in workforce investment, retraining workers-- because some of these trade deals have been good for the Ports of Galveston and California and the Port of New York, but they haven't been good for the Midwest. Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz and I understand that by reinvesting in our workforce, helping those workers transition from manufacturing jobs that have left is very important to me. And while I'm encouraged that we've seen now 10 consecutive months of manufacturing increase in our country, we have got to be the producers of wealth in this Nation, not just the movers of wealth. I'm happy to report that small businesses in my community are beginning to grow again. The NuEarth Corporation in Alliance, they have just created 60 new jobs in our small town. Medline Industries, a manufacturer and distributor of medical products, has just created dozens of jobs and will be adding jobs over the next 3 years, they have announced. Nationwide Insurance just announced another 600 new jobs in Ohio. They have a facility in my district, an office building in my district. One of the best news reports that we have heard was that Rolls-Royce, who has invested in fuel cell technology, an alternative energy source that even our military is beginning to use, just announced that they're moving their research headquarters from Singapore to Stark County, Ohio, in the 16th Congressional District. They're going to invest $3 million in equipment and are creating up to 60 new jobs and are retaining 32 that are there already. And it goes on and on. The statistics are showing that we are improving this economy. We're growing--certainly not fast enough for the million of jobs that have been lost under the previous administration and what we were handed day one when we walked in the office, but we are doing our best to turn this economy around and invest in our people.

Mr. BOCCIERI. Absolutely. And our Web site is Boccieri.house.gov. That's B-o-c-c-i-e-r-i.house.gov. Please join our Facebook there and leave us your comments as well. I enjoyed this conversation and dialogue we had. Let's work together to put America back on track. We can do this. America has played second place to no one. And we can invest in our future, invest in our greatest asset, our workforce, and we can do it together.