Bobby Bright

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. In closing, I would like to thank Chairman Gordon and his staff on the Science and Technology Committee for their attention to this issue and for working with my staff to draft this amendment. I would also like to thank Chairwoman Slaughter and the Rules Committee for helping my staff put this together and allowing me to offer this amendment today on the floor. Again, I urge all my colleagues today to support my amendment. I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the President, according to the press reports that we are getting over the last couple of days, will be proposing a 3-year freeze on nonsecurity-related discretionary spending. This is a good and necessary first step to control government spending and reduce budget deficits. However, our ballooning deficits mandate that we go even further. Wasteful and unnecessary programs need to be ID'd. They need to be reduced. They need to be eliminated, and they need to be eliminated immediately. I have and will consistently oppose legislation that I believe unnecessarily increases Federal spending or funding programs that do not warrant support during a recession, even when they are only a few million dollars. You know, we must have the mindset that every little bit counts if we're going to be serious about cutting government wasteful spending. I hope the President goes further in explaining some of his proposals in the State of the Union tonight, and I will be listening very closely with many others. Yesterday, the Blue Dogs, my colleagues, released a set of proposals that outline the steps that we must take to have meaningful budget reform. The President and leadership would be well-served to adopt and support these proposals in the coming weeks and months.

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday night the people in Massachusetts reiterated a message too often forgotten in Washington, that message being ``listen to us.'' I have heard this message for quite some time now as I go and travel throughout and across my district. People are fed up and angry, and they think that Congress and the White House are not listening to them. They think that Washington is moving in the wrong direction and is ignoring them altogether. As we say in Alabama, the Massachusetts election was a bell ringer, and leadership needs to listen to that bell ringing. The current state of health care reform epitomizes their disgust. We can all agree that health care is a concern and needs to be reformed. But what good is health care reform if people don't have jobs, if they can't feed their children, they can't pay their mortgage, they can't pay their bills? I have heard this message from my constituents, and I know our primary focus must be on the economy and jobs. I am not alone in my opinions. Elected officials from across the country and across the political spectrum are hearing the same comments: Congress needs to focus on the economy; the health care bill is too massive; I don't like the process, are common refrains as I travel across my district. Closely rivaling Americans' concerns about the economy is their wariness of Federal spending. Too often in the past, Congress was not held accountable by the people, but trillion-dollar deficits as far as the eye can see have awoken them, and rightfully so. For our children's and grandchildren's sake, we must get our fiscal house in order. To be sure, these challenges are not easy to solve. Improving the economy in the middle of a budget crisis is a tall task, but we were sent here to Washington by the people to be their voice and tackle these immense challenges. There is plenty of blame to go around for our current condition. Democrats need to recognize that ambitious plans to address longstanding priorities such as health care, energy, and other spending initiatives must be postponed if the will of the people disagrees with this agenda. And Republicans must remember that they were in charge when hundreds of billions of dollars in deficits were common even when our economy experienced brighter days. History can't simply be swept under the rug. Without further blame on the part of either side, there are some simple solutions that will help solve some of these problems. First, we must reinstate statutory PAYGO. Statutory PAYGO budgeting rules were in place when we experienced record budget surpluses in the late 1990s. PAYGO rules are the only proven way for Congress to keep spending in check. Second, we should pass a fiscal budget commission, and pass it cleanly. This commission will force Congress to act on legislation to reduce excessive long-term government spending and support for some kind of a fiscal spread across party lines. But, too often, leadership of both parties ignore these commonsense solutions. Let's come together, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans, to do the work of the people. In the coming months, leadership needs to heed the call of their own constituents and people around the country. They need to listen to the good ideas of people in both parties, and especially from the moderates who are willing to listen to and to work with the other side. Let's put our heads together and fix the economy while not breaking the bank. Let's find smart and innovative solutions, such as the America Works Act and the Small Business Start-Up Savings Account Act, that will help get our economy back on track. Let's help small businesses and focus on improving Main Street and not just Wall Street. Let's extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts to give families continued assurance that the Federal Government won't be asking any more from them in these troubled times. And while we are addressing these problems, let's get rid of some of the things that have divided us in the past. Let's stop using harsh partisan language and rhetoric that serves little purpose other than to undermine the faith that the American people have in both parties. Let's sit down and thoroughly debate issues and not rush to pass a bill simply for the sake of doing something. Let's open the doors to the public so the public can see the legislative process. And, finally, let's stay focused on the issues for which we have a real mandate: improving the economy and creating jobs. These are lessons we should all take away from what the people, our constituents, are saying. I hope the leadership and the White House are listening today. It is not too late to change course, but we can't continue down our current path. The people are saying, Listen to us. And I certainly hope our leadership will heed that call before it is too late.

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 896, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. I would like to thank my colleague. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution, honoring the soldiers who lost their lives at Fort Hood. As someone who represents two military bases, I can only imagine the profound sense of loss the great Fort Hood community must feel today. This is not just a loss for central Texas. This is a loss for our entire country. Military bases are not walled off from their surroundings. They are vital parts of our communities. When I served as mayor of Montgomery, Alabama, the airmen at Maxwell- Gunter Air Force Base were upstanding citizens who went above and beyond to improve and advance our city. As a Congressman from southeast Alabama, I have seen the brave soldiers at Fort Rucker rush to the aid of nearby towns in the wake of tragedy and crisis. Now it's time for us to show our appreciation to these bases and their families and stand with them as we mourn the tragic and senseless loss at Fort Hood. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who died and also with the ones who are wounded.

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 3854, the Small Business Financing and Investment Act. This amendment requires SBA district offices servicing rural areas to establish a plan for marketing, financing, and investment opportunities for rural businesses. It also requires the offices to designate a rural business financing outreach specialist and host at least one annual outreach seminar in the rural areas of each of SBA's 70 district offices. When I speak to small businesses throughout my district--that's southeast Alabama--I often hear about their problems accessing capital through SBA programs. In fact, my office recently received a call from a constituent in Equality, Alabama, who owns a garden and plant nursery. This gentleman, like many other small businesses across the country, they're struggling to make payroll. He needs access to capital in order to prevent layoffs but was given the runaround at his local SBA district office. He turned to my office because he didn't get the help he needed from the local SBA office. Our constituents and other constituents tell me they simply don't know what opportunities are available to them, be it through the SBA or other Federal agencies. By passing this amendment that I have proposed today, I believe these situations could be avoided in the future. A designated rural business outreach specialist could have helped the small business owner which I just talked about to process his application to access the capital he needed to stay in business. An aggressive marketing campaign would have informed his business and other business owners in my district and throughout the country of the opportunities the SBA has to offer for them. I'm sure there are hundreds of similar businesses throughout our country that have the same story that my constituent posed to me. This is why I have introduced this commonsense amendment which will require the SBA to do a better job of reaching out to rural small businesses that haven't previously participated in any of SBA's important programs. My amendment will help small business owners throughout rural areas and strengthen the underlying bill. SBA district offices should always have business models, marketing plans and outreach specialists designed to specifically help rural areas of our country. This amendment will make the SBA user friendly for small business owners in rural parts of our great Nation. I urge passage of this amendment and this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Chairman, in closing, I would like to thank our chairwoman today for the service and the leadership she has given us on the committee, and also the staff on the Small Business Committee for their attention to this issue and for working with my staff to draft this amendment. I would also like to thank my colleagues for their continuing support and commitment to this issue. I urge all of my colleagues to support my amendment and this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor two very talented law enforcement officials in my district. Last week, Greg Gambril and Daryl Bailey received the highest honors in their respective fields from the Alabama District Attorney's Association. Greg received the Brad Morris Memorial DA of the Year Award. He has served in the Covington County DA's office since 1992 and elected as district attorney in 2004. Daryl Bailey began in the Montgomery County DA's office in 1997 and has served as Chief Deputy District Attorney since 2002. He was named Assistant District Attorney of the Year and he has prosecuted capital murders as well as the domestic violence cases in his district. Again, congratulations to Greg, along can his wife Julie and sons, Joseph and Charlie, and to Daryl Bailey and his wife, Tracy, and children, Laura and Jake, for their achievements and dedicated service to our communities.

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BRIGHT. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act. Put simply, this amendment would ensure that Federal employees called to active duty in the National Guard or Reserves are not penalized for their service. It would clarify the intent of the bill so that these individuals can count the time they serve in active duty towards the time they are employed so they may remain eligible for the benefits under this bill. Too often we have seen our servicemen and women across all branches denied the benefits they rightly deserve due to governmental red tape. There is absolutely no reason that National Guard or reservists should be denied any of the benefits they deserve after honorably serving their country. Again, this amendment will allow members of the Guard and Reserve to be able to count the time they were deployed towards their total time of employment. If passed, this amendment will give the men and women who have served our country needed time with their newborns and tend to their family responsibilities after a birth. This time is even more important when you consider that these warriors have already spent months on end away from their families. Madam Chair, this amendment is simple and straightforward. It clarifies the intent of the bill for our guardsmen and our guardswomen and our reservists and ensures that they won't be penalized for their service to our great country. I urge its passage. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRIGHT. Madam Chair, I would yield 1 minute of my time to Mr. Lynch.

Mr. BRIGHT. Madam Chair, in closing, I would like to thank Congresswoman Maloney from New York. Thank you very much for your hard work on this, and also Chairman Towns and his staff on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee for their attention to this issue and for working with my staff to draft this amendment. I would also like to thank Chairwoman Slaughter on the Rules Committee for ruling in favor of the amendment and allowing me to offer it on the floor today. Finally, I want to thank my colleagues for their continuing support and commitment on this issue. And, again, I urge all my colleagues to support this amendment. I yield back my time.

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 287, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor America's entrepreneurs, those distinguished individuals who support our communities, drive innovation, and keep our nation strong. Small businesses bring fresh ideas to the table, develop the resources to meet the demands of an ever-changing world, and make a meaningful impact on our neighborhoods. Entrepreneurs are responsible for providing 60 to 80 percent of all new jobs, giving them the potential to propel rapid economic growth and expand ever-developing fields. Some of the country's largest companies began as start-ups in small offices, homes and garages exploring these new fields. Limited only by their imagination, these firms performed cutting-edge work in emerging industries that have become the very foundation of our society. As our nation and the world face the most difficult economic conditions in decades, entrepreneurs have the potential to lead us back to prosperity. The resiliency and adaptability shown by small businesses in past recessions demonstrate their capability to meet the challenges standing in their way and emerge stronger than ever. America's small businesses will drive the economic recovery from this downturn and our economy will emerge stronger than ever. Times may be tough, but America's entrepreneurial spirit is tougher. To recognize the monumental achievements of our nation's small firms, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has declared May 17-23 as the 46th Annual National Small Business Week. The House Small Business Committee is celebrating all our country's hard-working entrepreneurs by saluting the Heroes of Small Business, those men and women who have shown the strength, leadership, and resourcefulness that keeps our economy moving forward. I ask that you, Madam Speaker, and the entire U.S. House of Representatives join me in recognizing and thanking Ms. Barbara McClain for her tremendous accomplishments on behalf of small businesses. Ms. McClain is owner and president of McClain Contracting Company, Inc., a firm that has provided a range of services to military bases and other federal installations. Ms. McClain began her career as a bookkeeper and payroll clerk in 1968, and worked for several firms before incorporating her own business in 1990 selling ATVs and watercraft. After limited success in this venture, McClain transformed the business and became a licensed construction company, receiving a SBA certification as a HubZone and 8(a) firm in September 2005. With the program's assistance, McClain Contracting prospered by expanding its work to the federal level. The company has been awarded over $13 million in contracts by Kessler Air Force Base and performed work for other military and veteran-service facilities in Mississippi. Having gained a reputation for quality work, McClain Contracting is currently seeking to expand its services throughout the Southeast region. Madam Speaker, Ms. McClain has exemplified the remarkable accomplishments of which America's entrepreneurs are capable. This week, she will testify before the House Small Business Committee to share her story. I ask that you and the entire U.S. House of Representatives join with me in honoring her for the extraordinary work she has done for the small business economy. Her efforts demonstrate that if given the right resources, America's small businesses can be the catalysts that lift our economy from the current downturn and put us on the road to recovery.

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 2187, the 21st Century Green High Performing Public School Facilities Act. Put simply, this amendment allows the Secretary of Education to reserve 5 percent of Section 102 grant funds for local educational agencies serving geographic areas with significant economic distress or recovering from a natural disaster. In its current form, the bill sets aside money for schools damaged in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Indeed, those two storms caused unprecedented damage to the Gulf Coast, including my home state of Alabama. Americans will never forget the images of storms that overwhelmed a city and region and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless and destroyed its infrastructure, including schools and educational facilities. However, Congress would be shortsighted if we don't recognize that natural disasters happen across the country, across all seasons. Whether it's wildfires in the west, floods in the Midwest, ice storms in the north, hurricanes in the Gulf, or tornadoes throughout the country, our schools are also damaged when Mother Nature strikes. The specific need for this amendment came to my attention because of the ongoing struggles that a community in my district has experienced. On March 1, 2007, a tornado ripped through the town of Enterprise, Alabama. In the middle of its 180-meter path of damage was Enterprise High School, full of children going about their daily routines and preparing themselves for their futures. The tornado left eight children dead, and left a community devastated by more than just material losses. Over two years after the tornado, Enterprise is still struggling to fully rebuild, and the memories of those departed weigh heavily on the minds of the city and surrounding Coffee County. The high school continues to conduct classes out of nearby Enterprise-Ozark Community College. Though construction for a new school is underway, the city and school board has exhausted most of their options for fully funding the rebuilding of the school. Whenever I talk to Mayor Ken Boswell and Superintendent Jim Reese, finding a way to get Enterprise High School reopened as quickly as possible is always at the top of their priority list. I cite the example in Enterprise because I'm sure other school districts across the country will experience similar issues as they recover from natural disasters. Over the past two months, my district alone has seen flooding and storms that have led to at least one federal disaster declaration. Small towns across America are simply not equipped to rebuild a mainstay in their communities like schools when they are destroyed by natural disasters. This is a way for the federal government to lend a helping hand to school districts in need. Moreover, I am a believer in the old adage ``if you're going to do something, do it right.'' Rebuilding and repairing these schools to 21st Century and environmentally efficient standards will help create a positive and healthy learning experience for our students. The families and students who utilize these schools will be able to take pride in them for years to come. In closing, I would like to thank Chairman Miller and his staff on the Education and Labor Committee for their attention to this issue and working with my staff to help draft this amendment. I would also like to thank the Rules Committee for ruling in favor of the amendment and allowing me to present it on the floor today. Finally, I thank my colleagues from Texas Henry Cuellar and Al Green for their continuing support and commitment on this issue. I urge passage of this amendment, and passage of the final bill.

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Chairman, I am happy to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BRIGHT. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 2187, the 21st Century Green High-Performing School Facilities Act. This amendment allows the Secretary of Education to reserve 5 percent of section 102 grant funds for local educational agencies serving geographic areas with significant economic distress or recovering from a natural disaster. In its current form, the bill sets aside money for schools damaged in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Indeed, those two storms caused unprecedented damage to the gulf coast, including my home State of Alabama. However, Congress would be shortsighted if we don't recognize that natural disasters happen across the country. Whether it's wildfires in the West, floods in the Midwest, ice storms in the North, hurricanes in the South and the gulf, or tornados across the country, our schools are damaged when Mother Nature strikes. The specific need for this amendment came to my attention because of the ongoing struggles that a community in my district has experienced. In March of 2007, a tornado destroyed Enterprise High School in Enterprise, Alabama, killing eight school-aged children. Two years later, Enterprise High School is still in the process of rebuilding and has exhausted all avenues for the additional needed funds to complete the school. I cite the example in Enterprise because other school districts across the country will have similar issues as they recover from natural disasters. Over the past 2 months, my district alone has seen flooding, storms, and tornados that have led to at least one Federal disaster declaration, and another is being considered. Small towns across America are simply not equipped to rebuild a mainstay in their community, such as a school, when they are severely damaged or destroyed. This is a way for the Federal Government to lend a helping hand when local school districts need their help. Moreover, I am a believer in the old adage that if you are going to do something, do it right. Rebuilding and repairing these schools to 21st century and environmentally efficient standards will help create a positive and healthy learning experience for our children. The families and students who utilize these schools will be able to take pride in them for years to come. This is a simple but important amendment. I urge its passage. I reserve the balance of my time

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Chairman, I am happy to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Chairman, I am happy to yield 30 seconds of my time to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green).

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the time be extended by 1 minute on each side.

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Chairman, I yield my remaining time to the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Kosmas).

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 341, which expresses heartfelt sympathy for the victims and families of Geneva and Coffee Counties in Alabama. On Tuesday, March 10, a lone gunman began a rampage in the Town of Kinston and continued into Samson and Geneva that would leave 11 dead and four injured in southeast Alabama. Without question, it was the worst tragedy Alabama has seen in recent memory. When I first arrived in Geneva County a day after the shootings, I saw a community still in shock. You never think something like this could happen to you until tragedy strikes in your own backyard. Residents of the Wiregrass were left questioning how one of their own could commit such a heinous and violent crime on his family and neighbors. A community can never fully prepare for events like these, but first responders, local citizens and elected officials responded to the incident with flying colors. Sympathy for the Wiregrass quickly spread, and an outpouring of aid and goodwill poured into Alabama from across the country. To my colleagues in the House and to people watching across the country, we thank you for your support. I was impressed by the courage of the people and the ability for everyone to come together and get through this crisis. I truly believe Americans will remember the Wiregrass as a place that will do whatever it takes to help its fellow citizens. One of our greatest strengths as a country is our ability to collectively respond to tragedy and help our fellow men and women in their times of need. The response to the events of March 10 certainly epitomized the strengths of the American spirit. After the dust settled, it became clear that the incident could have been much worse without quick and decisive action by our local law enforcement. Much has been said about the actions of law enforcement during and after the shootings, and indeed we cannot thank them enough. Without their heroic efforts, the number of casualties could have been much worse. It was a reminder of how much we appreciate those who are on the front lines protecting and defending us every day. We owe a debt of gratitude to our law enforcement officials for what they do to protect us each and every day. Though it has been nearly 2 months since the tragedy occurred, the loss of so many in a small community still weighs heavy on the minds of the people in the Wiregrass area. To make problems worse, Geneva and Coffee Counties have experienced intense flooding and violent tornadoes over the last several weeks, inflicting hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to an already grieving community. While the resolution on the floor today can offer little solace to the families and friends of those who lost loved ones, I wanted the people of Geneva and Coffee Counties to know that my colleagues in Washington are thinking about them and offering their sympathy and continued support. I hope this resolution offers some peace of mind to the families of those killed: Bruce Maloy, Lisa McLendon, Andrea Myers, Corrine Gracy Myers, Sonya Smith, James Starling, James White, Virginia White, Dean Wise and Tracy Wise; and that it provides moral support and encouragement to those injured and still recovering: State Trooper Mike Gillis, Greg McCollough, Ella Meyers and Jeffrey Nelson. And finally, we cannot forget the law enforcement and public officials who provided so much support to a community in shock. Their actions are truly appreciated and heroic. Additionally, I would like to thank the Alabama congressional delegation, my colleagues, Representatives Aderholt, Bachus, Bonner, Davis, Griffith and Rogers, and the 50 other cosponsors of this resolution. The people of southeast Alabama will forever appreciate your unwavering support and sympathy for my constituents in the Second Congressional District of Alabama. I urge passage of House Resolution 341.

Mr. BRIGHT

Mr. BRIGHT. Madam Speaker, this past Friday I had the privilege of attending the Accelerated Reader Renaissance Master School Award ceremony at an elementary school in my district, Harry N. Mixon Elementary School in Ozark, Alabama. To achieve this award, 90 percent of Mixon Elementary School students had to read and comprehend 90 percent of what they read. On average, students read 92 books each during the school year, and that means the student body read 50,526 books through the course of this year. There are only six other schools in Alabama to win this award, and nationwide only 127 schools achieved this goal out of over 60,000 schools. It is quite an achievement for the students, Ms. Donna Stark who is the principal, and Mike Lenhart, the superintendent, and the faculty and parents at Mixon elementary, and it was an honor to be part of the ceremony. By achieving such a high reading level at a young age, the students at Mixon are preparing themselves for future success and setting an example for all young people nationwide. I would like my congressional colleagues to join me in congratulating the students of Harry N. Mixon Elementary School on this outstanding achievement.