Larry Bucshon

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to light a problem that's facing my constituents in Clinton, Indiana. Feather Creek floods over 100 times per year, damaging the same homes year after year. In 2008, many of the homes filled completely with water, leaving only their roofs to be recognizable. The Army Corps of Engineers has been working on the project for many years, including numerous environmental studies and surveys of the land, but the flooding does continue. The Army Corps, to their credit, held a town hall last week in Clinton, where they heard from over 300 residents about the damage this flooding has been causing them for decades. The estimated cost of the project is $900,000. I do appreciate the willingness of the Army Corps of Engineers, specifically, Colonel Leonard, to meet with my staff and constituents, and I urge the Corps to remember what they heard in Clinton, Indiana, last week and complete the Feather Creek project as quickly as possible. My constituents deserve no less than a safe environment, free from the threats of yearly floods.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 501. As a cardiothoracic surgeon, I often worked through the holidays since, guess what? No one chooses when they have a heart attack. I did my job. I'm here today to do my job, and I'll work through the holidays if that's what it takes. We have 11 days to pass a tax relief bill along with the extension of unemployment insurance, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and, finally, 11 days to prevent a 27 percent cut to Medicare that will put American seniors at risk of losing their access to quality health care. Seniors rely on being able to see their doctors. This 60-day patch does nothing to create certainty for providers of seniors; in fact, it jeopardizes their care. I support the bill we passed last week. I support this resolution. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on House Resolution 501.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, as a cardiothoracic surgeon, I stand here today to voice my concern about the impending cuts to the Medicare program. I implore the Congress to craft a multiyear fix to the SGR-- ideally, a permanent fix. This is a real threat to seniors across the country. Each year, the Congress continues to play politics with seniors' access to quality care. This must end. Seniors, some of our most vulnerable citizens, may not be able to see the doctors of their choosing if Congress does not address this issue. According to the AMA, one in three physicians is limiting the number of new Medicare patients they see, and one in eight doctors is no longer taking new Medicare patients. That's today. What is more disturbing than these immediate cuts is the fast approaching insolvency date. This is a critical problem. Ignoring the insolvency date of 2024 puts our seniors' care at risk, once again, on an even larger scale than what we are facing today. We cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand. As a physician, on behalf of my patients, let's act now to protect the Medicare program and ensure access to quality care for America's seniors.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act. In the last few years, the National Labor Relations Board has had a clear bias toward Big Labor in decisions and rulemaking. Although this bill addresses several onerous rules and decisions from the NLRB, I would like to focus on one in particular. On August 26 of this year, the Board overturned decades--let me repeat--decades of precedent with its decision in the Specialty Healthcare case. By standing up today and voting for the bill before us, we can stop an out-of-control agency from causing irreparable harm to industries across the Nation. The Board has decided it will no longer determine if the interests of a bargaining unit are sufficiently different from other current units. This will encourage unions to create the smallest so-called ``micro-unions'' possible, and it could result in employers having to negotiate with multiple units within their own businesses. This undermines a worker's ability to make an informed choice about whether to join a union, and it may potentially fractionate the workplace. H.R. 3094 reinstates the traditional standard for determining which employees make up an appropriate bargaining unit. This bill is about fairness for workers and employers. It returns the Board to the precedent that it has operated under for the last 20 to 30 years under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Returning to this precedent will provide certainty and clarity to workers and employers, and it will undo the biased behavior of the current Board. I support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor U.S. Navy Captain Dianne Johnson. For the last 36 years, Captain Johnson has loyally served our great nation. Her dedication, on both active and reserve duty, is one that sailors and citizens should emulate. I know that her absence will be noticed by all those who served alongside her. For myself, and all her colleagues at the Navy Operational Support Center in Indianapolis, thank you Captain Johnson; may you have a fulfilling and enjoyable retirement that is richly deserved.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. This is an opportunity for the Federal Government to keep our checkbook balanced, just as every American is expected to do. The House passed a very similar amendment in 1995 when our debt was $4.86 trillion. Seventy Democrats voted for the amendment, including 11 of my current colleagues. I urge my friends on the other side of the aisle to vote for this amendment now that our debt has tripled to over $15 trillion. The President recently said in regards to balancing the budget, ``We don't need a constitutional amendment to do that. We don't need a constitutional amendment to do our jobs. The Constitution already tells us to do our jobs--and to make sure the government is living within its means and making responsible choices.'' Mr. President, I respectfully disagree. Washington, D.C., has not been able to make these choices and is not living within its means. I was elected by the people of Indiana's Eighth Congressional District to help us make that happen. I'd also like to say that some of Mr. Hoyer's comments help us today to outline exactly why Washington, D.C., needs a balanced budget amendment. I thank him for pointing those reasons out. This is not a partisan issue, Mr. Speaker, it's an American issue. I support this amendment, and I urge my colleagues today to vote ``yes'' on a balanced budget amendment. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. I rise today in opposition to the amendment of the gentleman of New York (Mr. Bishop) and, subsequently, to that of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), which also affects the uniform national standard of ballast water discharge. This legislation creates a national standard that we desperately need. Currently, each State is able to create its own rules and regulations for ballast water discharge. The State of New York recently enacted extreme new ballast water requirements that are 100 times more stringent than international standards. After an extensive study, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources determined that the technology does not exist to meet this standard. If allowed to go into effect, these regulations would cost Indiana approximately 8,800 jobs while doing little to protect the Great Lakes from invasive species. On September 7, Governor Daniels of Indiana joined Wisconsin Governor Walker and Ohio Governor Kasich in submitting a letter to New York Governor Cuomo opposing New York's extreme new ballast requirements. I urge all my colleagues to save maritime jobs not only in Indiana but across the Great Lakes and vote against these two amendments. September 7, 2011. Hon. Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York State, NYS State Office Building, Albany, NY. Dear Governor Cuomo: We are writing to share our concerns regarding regulations adopted by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) that could seriously impede maritime commerce in the Great Lakes States to the west of New York. In late 2008, NYDEC issued rules intended to prevent the introduction of aquatic nuisance species into New York waters via the ballast water of commercial vessels. While we share NYDEC's concern regarding the impact of invasive species on the ecology of the Great Lakes, we note that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has coordinated a global treaty to require all ships to install environmental technology by 2016 to clean ballast water to a specific water quality standard. The IMO is the maritime arm of the United Nations and it coordinates international shipping policy. Many Great Lakes states have incorporated the IMO ballast water treatment standard into their own rules. Likewise, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has embraced these same requirements for new federal regulations to be issued later this year. Under New York's regulations, shipowners must install technology on existing vessels by August 1, 2013, to treat ballast water to a level 100 times more stringent than the IMO standard. Any vessels built after January 1, 2013, must include technology to treat ballast water to a level 1,000 times more stringent than the IMO standard. These rules not only apply to ships visiting New York ports, but also extend to ships in passage through New York waters destined for the ports of neighboring states and provinces. The rules apply to ships whether or not they discharge ballast water. Today, there is no technology approved by the USCG to meet New York's regulatory requirements. In fact, the USCG has yet to establish a ballast water treatment technology approval process. Shipowners will not install ballast water treatment systems unless USCG approved, because they are unable to obtain insurance otherwise. We also note that in February 2010, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) established ballast water treatment regulations similar to the NYDEC; i.e., 100 times the IMO standard. Wisconsin's ballast water discharge general permit required the WDNR to conduct a feasibility determination of this standard, which it completed in December 2010. After considerable analysis, and in consultation with the Ballast Water Collaborative, a group of leading environmental scientists, vendors, naval architects and other experts in the U.S. and Canada, including New York DEC staff, the WDNR concluded that treatment technologies do not exist today to meet the 100 times IMO standard. The WDNR ballast water general permit was subsequently modified to require the IMO standards. Ohio and Indiana employ the Vessel General Permit (VGP) under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)--which has gone through each state's 401 review process and includes conditions that do not exceed IMO standards to regulate ballast waters. Further, USEPA has a Memorandum of Understanding with the US Coast Guard to, when inspecting vessels, ensure they are complying with the VGP. We know the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tasked its Science Advisory Board (SAB) to address the question of whether ballast water treatment technology exists now, or in the foreseeable future, to meet a standard greater than IMO. In the SAB's recently issued final report, it emphatically stated that no such technology exists. The State of New York is now the only jurisdiction in the Great Lakes that still regulates ballast water treatment technology more stringently than the IMO standard, and New York's standards are technologically impossible to meet. Unless the NYDEC regulations are amended, they will possibly force the closure of the St. Lawrence Seaway, and imperil thousands of maritime-related jobs in the Great Lakes States and Canada. Fortunately, the final USCG ballast water regulations will be published in the next few months. We have always supported a strong, consistent--standard that covers all U.S. waters. NYDEC regulations are already having an effect on maritime commerce in the Great Lakes as shippers, ports, industry and labor unions look to establish long-term business agreements and plan future investments. Preventing the spread of invasive species continues to be a top priority for all of us, but waterborne shipping is critical to our economies, and we must work together toward controlling invasive species while also protecting the commerce of our nation's waterways. We urge New York to take prompt action and amend its ballast water regulations to align with the IMO and USCG standards. Sincerely, Gov. Scott Walker, Wisconsin. Gov. Mitch Daniels, Indiana. Gov. John Kasich, Ohio.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying bill. I guess yesterday there was some confusion at the White House about the Republican plan for job creation, and I would like to just point out that in early June we released that, and it can be found on jobs.gop.gov if the President is interested. The Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act stops the administration from another attempt to enforce unachievable standards that don't provide the health or environmental benefits that are claimed. And in exchange for no benefits, we're going to give up more jobs in States and industries than cannot afford more setbacks. In my State of Indiana, 95 percent of our electrical energy depends on coal. It would be devastating. An independent study released earlier this year found that as many as 316,000 jobs will be taken away if this rule is enacted by the EPA. At a time when the President is touring the country promoting his jobs bill, I think it's hypocritical of his own EPA to promulgate a rule like the coal ash rule that's been shown by outside organizations to kill jobs. So this is my question: Why is the EPA focusing on regulating coal ash when they, themselves, say the materials do not--I repeat, do not-- exhibit any of the four characteristics of hazardous waste? Their own extensive studies reported to Congress show that coal ash does not exhibit corrosivity, reactivity, ignitability, or toxicity. Why then are we forcing through a regulation that goes against EPA's own findings? The reason is because of an ideological, anti-coal agenda from the administration. That's why. But the concern on most Americans' minds is job creation, and this here is a jobs bill. To let the EPA regulate coal ash rather than leaving it to the States' hands would only create jobs at the EPA. We need more jobs in Indiana's Eighth Congressional District. For that reason, I support the rule and I support the underlying bill.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor U.S. Navy Captain Charles LaSota. Captain LaSota took command at Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center in 2008 and today is his retirement ceremony. I would like to congratulate Captain LaSota for a distinguished career. His many achievements in academics and the Navy have made him an officer that all sailors and citizens should emulate. His dedication to our nation has spanned many decades and many posts and for that I would like to thank Captain LaSota. At Crane, Captain LaSota not only added more than 800 personnel during his command, but he also made sure to give back to the community that supports the base through organizations such as the Boy Scouts, American Red Cross, Ride to Recovery, and the Crane Learning and Employment Center for Veteran's with Disabilities.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor U.S. Army Private First Class Brett Everett Wood. PFC Wood, a 19-year-old of Spencer, Indiana, lost his life in combat on September 9 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, during an insurgent attack on his unit with an improvised explosive device. PFC Wood was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Wainwright, Alaska. Indiana lost a great citizen who enlisted with his brother, Nikk, during the summer of 2010. His sacrifice and valor in defense of the freedoms we hold dear should be commended, and I would like to offer my most heartfelt condolences to PFC Wood's family and friends. From a grateful Nation, he will be missed but not forgotten.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the legislation before the House--H.R. 2401, the Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act. Coal mining is a lifeblood industry in southwest Indiana and throughout the Midwest. We have abundant reserves of the natural resource throughout my state and the citizens of my district depend heavily on coal mining and the burning of coal for electricity. In fact, 98 percent of Indiana's power generation comes from coal. The Environmental Protection Agency has gone to great lengths to disrupt coal production in the United States--in many cases haphazardly and without recognition of the economic and social benefits derived from coal mining and the electricity it generates. The further hampering of our country's ability to mine and utilize coal will have drastic effects on the economy--hitting hardest those areas, like my district, that depend on coal for jobs and paychecks. That said, there are utilities in this country that have completed or are making currently the strategic investments necessary to comply with the EPA rules this bill seeks to delay. These investments have been made at significant cost to the utility customers, who are paying higher rates as a result. As this legislative initiative moves from House passage to Senate consideration--and negotiation between the two bodies--it is imperative we find a workable solution that both protects the investments these utilities have made and are making while maintaining the underlying intent of the bill before us. For this reason, I plan to work toward such a solution because not doing so would leave those utilities at a significant competitive disadvantage in the marketplace--and frankly would be unfair to the customer. I am hopeful my colleagues will join me in this effort.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the SABIC Innovative Plastics facility in Mount Vernon, Indiana as recipient of the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable's MVP2 Project Award. SABIC Innovative Plastics is one of the largest producers of thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers and this award is testament to its facilities dedication to pollution prevention. The project garnering this award recovered and commercialized sodium nitrate. This initiative reduced water use by 19 million gallons and carbon dioxide generation by 10 million pounds for a combined savings of $4.45 million annually. I am proud to have the global headquarters of SABIC in our district and their commitment to environmental sustainability should be commended. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Mt. Vernon SABIC Innovative Plastics facility for receipt of the MVP2 Project Award.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Thank you, Mr. Kline. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about jobs. The first thing I want to do is correct this ridiculous notion that this bill causes jobs to go overseas. I would argue it does just the opposite. Just like Dr. Roe, I grew up in a union household. My father was a United Mine Worker, and that's why I am here today. I was elected to Congress to protect all workers, not just a select few. Ninety-three percent of American workers are not in a union; 7 percent are, in the private sector. The National Labor Relations Board complaint is an attack on American job creators. Again, I was elected to protect all workers, not just a select few. The NLRB's decision to punish Boeing for creating 1,100 new jobs is just another example of the administration abusing its position to advance a biased agenda. I want to remind everyone no jobs were taken from Washington State. This is a straightforward bill that prohibits the NLRB from ordering an employer to close, relocate, or transfer employment under any circumstances. This bill will create an environment necessary for employers to develop their businesses in the State that offers the best opportunity--and, I would argue, in the best country that offers the best opportunity--to grow and create jobs and not have this left up to a board of unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and let's get America back to work.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Thank you, Chairman Kline. Mr. Chairman, first let me thank Representative Hunter, Chairman Kline, Ranking Member Miller, and others for their hard work and leadership on this legislation. I rise today as a cosponsor of H.R. 2218, the Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act. Where American education was once a world leader, over the past few decades we are losing our advantage. The Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act will facilitate the development and replication of high-performing charter schools that will help America regain its stature as a leader in educating its citizens. Charter schools are created through a contract with local education providers that allow flexibility and innovation in educating our children while maintaining the same requirements and accountability of traditional public schools. Charter schools are able to bring innovation and special programming into the curriculum that is uniquely tailored to the needs of their specific student population. This not only allows choice for parents whose children may be better suited for this kind of flexibility, but also can inspire progress in traditional schools by raising the bar and creating greater transparency. By increasing funding opportunities for the replication of successful charter schools and facilities assistance, H.R. 2218 encourages States to invest in charter schools. Further, H.R. 2218 supports the evaluation of the impact of charter schools on their students, faculty, parents, and communities to ensure that high-quality education is available for every child and parents can choose the correct venue for their child's education. In my district in Evansville, Indiana, Signature School was ranked the top high school in the Midwest and the number three charter school in the country by The Washington Post. These rankings were based on data that indicate how well a school prepares its students for college based on Advanced Placement tests or International Baccalaureate completions. Signature School is an example of a high-performing charter school that this legislation aims to replicate. Replicating schools like Signature School that have a proven history for effectively preparing our children for college is not only in the best interest of students and parents but also in the best interest of the economy. By increasing the number of students that are college ready, we build a more educated generation, more prepared to take on the complex jobs in health care, engineering, science and technology and others that future industries will demand. With an unemployment rate near 9 percent, educating our students is critical. By increasing our students' access to high-quality charter schools, H.R. 2218 will prepare our children for the high-tech jobs of the future. This is essential if we are to maintain our competitiveness in a global economy.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Madam Speaker, here we are on the verge of a financial meltdown, and my friends on the other side of the aisle are worried about politics. They are here today worried about protecting the President from having to do his job: lead. The Republicans in the House are leading. We have passed two bills that would end this crisis, and the Senate hasn't voted on them; they've tabled them. We're here to lead. We need leadership and we are providing it.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today for America's financial future. We are at a time when we need to make every effort to save our Nation's credit rating. The rating agencies have said that raising the debt ceiling is not enough. While I would have preferred the Cut, Cap, and Balance plan, the Budget Control Act vote today and the balanced budget amendment vote tomorrow is the best remaining approach to reduce spending and help avoid a downgrade. We can institute real reforms today as a first step on a long path to fiscal stability. However, the bill isn't perfect. I wanted more, and frankly, all of our constituents deserve more. The reality is our friends on the other side of the aisle won't allow it. With years of reckless spending by the Federal Government, instead of making tough choices to address our spending problems, the other side wants to raise taxes on the American people to continue funding Washington, D.C.'s spending spree. In addition, they want us to give the President a blank check to get him through the 2012 election. Well, that's not going to happen. The United States has always maintained a AAA credit rating, and the threat of inaction by our colleagues in the U.S. Senate and no plan offered by the administration puts that at risk. The House has and will take action. We need to send a clear message to the American people that we are willing to make the tough choices and work together on behalf of our Nation's citizens. I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill and to take the first step to restoring fiscal responsibility to our Nation.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Terre Haute Police Officer Brent D. Long. Officer Long was killed in the line of duty on July 11, 2011, while assisting to serve a felony warrant. A proud member of the Terre Haute, Indiana, Police Department for 6 years as a K-9 handler and a member of the department's SWAT team, Officer Long was 34 years old. Terre Haute has lost one of its finest citizens, and the community will forever be indebted to Officer Long's service. His sacrifice and valor should be commended, and I would like to offer my most heartfelt condolences to Officer Long's family, friends, and to the Terre Haute Police Department, who have lost one of their own.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor U.S. Army Specialist James A. Waters. Specialist Waters, a 21-year-old native of Cloverdale, Indiana, lost his life in combat on July 1 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device during an insurgent attack. Specialist Waters was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum, New York. Indiana lost a great citizen, who was affectionately known as Jimmy. He planned to marry his high school sweetheart in December. His sacrifice and valor should be commended, and I would like to offer my most heartfelt condolences to Specialist Waters' family and friends. From a grateful Nation, he will be missed but not forgotten.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about jobs. Last week, during the district work period, I met with local business leaders, toured businesses throughout my district, and listened to their concerns. It should not come as a surprise to anyone the main topic of conversation was where are the jobs and what is the state of the economy. Over and over, the small business leaders told me that government regulations and uncertainty are negatively affecting their ability to grow and create jobs. Businesses are afraid to invest in the future due to the uncertainty in our Tax Code, the increased costs and regulations stemming from the Affordable Care Act--which they can't afford--and the increased burdens of an out-of-control regulatory process that has stifled job creation. Just yesterday, the National Federation of Independent Business released their report showing a decline in optimism for small businesses for a third consecutive month. It has been 28 months since the ill-conceived stimulus passed and a year since June 2010 was declared ``recovery summer'' by the administration; yet 1.9 million fewer Americans have jobs. This is why we need to get our fiscal house in order, cut spending, repeal the Affordable Care Act, and end onerous regulations. The Republican majority gets the message, and everything we're doing is to create a climate where we can expand and create jobs in America.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor to H.R. 1380.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Thank you, Dr. Roe, for yielding. I was a cardiothoracic surgeon just recently, last year, prior to coming to Congress. I helped patients and their families make informed decisions regarding the care they needed or the care their loved ones needed. I provided a professional opinion based on the facts and sometimes had to convey information and news to patients and their families that they didn't want to hear. Mr. Speaker, I came here to tell the American people the truth that sometimes can be difficult to hear, but the American people deserve the truth about what's happening with health care in this country. The majority of my patients were Medicare patients. We know that Medicare is one of the main drivers of our long-term systemic debt. I want to reiterate that on May 13 the Medicare Board of Trustees released their annual report on the program's financial status. In it, the Medicare Trustees stated that the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will become insolvent in 2024. That's within 13 years, Mr. Speaker, 5 years sooner than last year was predicted. And from a physician's standpoint, according to the American Medical Association, one in three primary care doctors is currently limiting Medicare patients in their practice, and one in eight physicians is forced to refuse Medicare patients altogether due to the cuts already that have been made in the Medicare program. And with the Medicare population estimated to double by 2030 to approximately 70 million Americans, imagine the access problems we're going to have then. Today, the average couple that turns 65 has paid in over $100,000 to the Medicare program but is receiving over $300,000 in benefits. Mr. Speaker, this is not a sustainable model. Without significant reforms, beneficiaries in the future are going to be at risk for limited access to quality care they deserve and they count on, and ultimately face rationing of care, waiting lists, and dramatic cuts to current seniors based only on the cost, not based on what Dr. Roe has said, the quality of care or what type of care they need, but based on the money alone. Anyone promoting the status quo is dooming Medicare to failure, and soon. It's coming up in 2024. Our plan doesn't affect any American over age 55. They have counted on these benefits. But what it does is preserves the program for future Americans. Again, the status quo is dooming Medicare to failure, and soon. Congressional Democrats and the current administration have offered no plan to date except the Independent Payment Advisory Board that Dr. Roe and others have been talking about in the ObamaCare bill; again, I want to say again, 15 unelected Washington, D.C., bureaucrats making decisions about Medicare, making decisions about the future of health care for our seniors. IPAB was thought to be maybe the silver bullet--if you listen to them tell the story--to control costs. But what IPAB really will do is will recommend cuts be made to the program--not savings, cuts, we're talking about here. CMS will then make those recommendations to Congress unless we get a two-thirds vote. They go in play. They start to happen. We have given up, as Dr. Roe said, our congressional authority to do something about the future of health care for our citizens. This is a misguided approach that will, again, empower this group of unaccountable bureaucrats to determine the type of health care you may receive based on your age and your health. Health care decisions are best made when left up to the patient and their doctor. You and your doctor and your family know what's best for you, not the government. And I want to finish by saying, for me, personally, Mr. Speaker, this is about the future of health care for the American people. I fear for what the future may hold--access problems, waiting lists, rationing of care. Look at other countries that have socialized medicine. All of these things are occurring. This may be based on your age, based on your health. We don't know what they're going to be based on in the future. It could be based on other factors. Do we really want this type of health care for the American citizens? I would answer ``no'' on behalf of my patients and on behalf of all Americans and, especially in the case of IPAB, on behalf of our American seniors.

Mr. BUCSHON. I feel exactly the same way, Dr. Roe. For me, again, I've never seen a Democrat or a Republican patient. I see a patient. In fact, in my practice as a heart surgeon, frequently, I didn't even know what type of health care coverage that patients had. For a doctor, like you or me, for any health care professional, what matters is what's the right type of health care to provide for that patient regardless of ability to pay. And what we're looking at here is the potential where these bureaucrats may tell you, Dr. Roe, that you cannot treat this patient based on their decision about whether or not it's affordable for the American people. They're going to make decisions based on money, not based on what needs to be done.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about jobs. Over a month ago, I launched my participation in American Job Creators. All too often in Washington, regulations are created that end up stifling job creation across our Nation. That is why I chose to participate in American Job Creators. With unemployment at 9 percent, it was common sense to me to ask the job-creating experts what regulations are affecting their ability to grow and expand. One job creator in my district, Jodie, is a home builder. She went to AmericanJobCreators.com and used the platform to communicate with me. Jodie identified the onerous banking regulations created by the Dodd- Frank Act, making it more difficult for contractors to borrow money from lending institutions. This, in turn, makes it more difficult to complete and start new projects. We know the housing crisis has made it difficult on the construction industry, but adding these regulations has further stifled the industry's ability to recover and to create jobs in America. I would like to thank Jodie for her participation and encourage more people to go to AmericanJobCreators.com.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 1214. This is just another section of the ObamaCare bill, which, of course, I proposed and promoted the repeal of the entire bill. This is another slush fund of mandatory spending in the bill, $200 million, with no congressional oversight over the next 4 years; where the Secretary of Health and Human Services can grant construction and renovation for school-based health centers, again, at their own discretion. Again, as was just stated, none of this money can go to actually providing health care. It is deceptive to say that this section of the ObamaCare bill is to promote health for our students and others at schools. This is another indication of uncontrolled Federal Government spending with no congressional oversight, and I speak today on behalf of the bill to rescind that.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind the American people why we're here. We're here today because of the failure of the 111th Congress to pass a budget for the first time in decades. You might think that for one party that controlled the White House and both Chambers of Congress, this would be a relatively easy thing to do, but you have to try. In an effort to protect a few powerful committee chairmen and other incumbents in their own party, they made a political decision not to pass a budget because it had a $1.5 trillion deficit attached to it. You can't run and you can't hide from the American people. Now, even after the people have spoken in November, they are continuing to protect the status quo, protecting out-of-control Washington spending, and offering no solutions of their own other than raising everyone's taxes and demagoging anyone who puts forward a plan. Again, I would like to see their plan. I began running to represent Indiana's Eighth Congressional District in October of 2009, an endeavor I had never undertaken before. I was a practicing physician, cardiothoracic surgeon. I decided to seek public office because of our government's inability to control spending. Let's remind everyone where the status quo has led us. It has led us to historic unemployment and a mounting debt that is mortgaging the future of our children and grandchildren. But yesterday, our counterparts in the Senate and the White House showed different intentions. I can't stand before you today in good conscience not advocating for the men and women who have volunteered to wear the uniform of our great Nation. A notion that a bill to fund the troops for the remainder of the fiscal year is being threatened by a veto is preposterous. This challenge to fix our government's spending habits is above politics and talking points. While I stand here today in the people's House, individuals are playing petty politics while we offered a solution yesterday that pays our troops and avoids a government shutdown. We passed H.R. 1 with a modest $61 billion down payment on controlling Washington spending, and we have been criticized in the face of a $1.5 trillion deficit. I implore the Senate and the White House to join with us here in the House and act to significantly reduce spending and avoid a government shutdown. And I offer one last observation since I am new to Congress, a continuing frustration that I am finding here in Washington, D.C., and that is I am amazed by the resistance of some in Congress to tackling this problem, especially the fact that some continue to find excuses why we can't even consolidate programs and downsize government and make things more efficient here in Washington, D.C. at the very least. But I found this at a committee hearing the other day when the Democrats continued to make excuses after a Government Accountability Office report showed the excesses that we have here in Washington, D.C. This is a serious issue we face together as a Nation. I began this conversation when I began running for Congress almost 2 years ago, and it's a conversation I continue to have with my constituents. This is an adult conversation about facts and our future. Until we come to a solution that will put hardworking Americans and Hoosiers back to work and our government begins to act in a responsible manner when it comes to our Nation's fiscal issues, I will continue to have this conversation with my constituents and with the American people.