Gerald Connolly

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the 40th Anniversary of the Lake Ridge Occoquan Coles Civic Association, LOCCA. The builders of the Lake Ridge Planned Community began development in the mid 1960s. The developers of Lake Ridge envisioned a community where people could live, work, shop and play. However, early residents desired a way to shape the vision for their community. They recognized a need for an organization that was capable of influencing planning and development decisions in Lake Ridge. On July 6, 1970, the residents established the Lake Ridge Communities Civic Association, LRCCA, as a non-political, nonpartisan organization that gave citizens an organized community voice. The LRCCA hosted bake sales, dances and other fund-raising activities to support local civic projects and to foster a newfound sense of community in Lake Ridge. In 1978, the organization matured into the Lake Ridge Occoquan Civic Association, LOCA, in response to growing concerns over unchecked growth and development in Prince William County. The membership created the Planning, Environment, Land-Use and Transportation Committee, PELT, to evaluate new development in the area. The organization encouraged quality development with appropriate infrastructure investments, compatible architecture, signage and landscaping and promoted the use of green community designs complete with sidewalks and trails. In 1997, the membership rewrote the bylaws to refocus the group and formally include the Coles Magisterial District within its jurisdiction, creating the Lake Ridge Occoquan Coles Civic Association, LOCCA. The influence of this community organization on quality development standards in Prince William County cannot be understated. For four decades, dedicated members have sacrificed their time and contributed their considerable talents to the responsible stewardship of their community. Their work has not gone unnoticed. This was the first civic association to be awarded the Virginia Green Award, and it was recognized as one of the most influential civic associations in the Commonwealth of Virginia when it was honored with the Virginia Citizen's Planning Association Award. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in commending the membership of the Lake Ridge Occoquan Coles Civic Association for the tireless advocacy efforts and congratulating them on their 40th Anniversary. I extend my personal appreciation to the past and current members of LOCCA for improving and safeguarding the quality of life of countless Prince William County residents.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th Anniversary of the Association of Civilian Technicians, which is headquartered in my district in Lake Ridge, Va. In 1960, Vincent J. Paterno and twelve fellow New York technicians banded together to establish the Association of Civilian Technicians. Their stated mission was to represent the interests of our country's National Guard Technicians. Today, ACT represents the 48,000 employees of the Air and Army National Guard who are classified as Title 32 Civilian Technicians. A Title 32 Civilian Technician's duties and responsibilities are to maintain the working order of the aircraft, vehicles, tanks, helicopters and supporting equipment needed by the National Guard to carry out its mission. ACT members serve as mechanics, administrative personnel and technical support positions. They enable active duty personnel to keep our nation safe from attack and ensure that our military is always at the ready. Through vigorous advocacy efforts, ACT has helped secure a number of rights and benefits for civilian technicians. In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law ``The National Guard Technician Act.'' The legislation established the Technician Program and provided National Guard Technicians with fair and just compensation, employment benefits and access to a retirement system that is equitable to other federal employees. ACT honors the service of our nation's civilian technicians by fighting to deliver the care and consideration they deserve. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Association of Civilian Technicians. For half of a century, ACT has represented the best interests and welfare of America's National Guard Technicians and their families. I would like to extend my personal appreciation to ACT members for their service and contributions to our national security.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the 20th Anniversary of the Manassas African American Heritage Festival. The first Heritage Festival was organized by a group of community leaders who sought to host an event that would feature the unique contributions and diversity of the African American community. Ethnic heritage is often a source of strength and inspiration for individuals seeking their piece of the American dream, and part of the American experience is proudly sharing that heritage with others. The Manassas African American Heritage Festival spotlights, celebrates, and commemorates the roots and rich history of the African American community. During the past two decades, the Festival has supported organizations and causes that promote African American culture. Colleges, churches, nonprofit organizations, and civic groups are among the attendees. The Festival has awarded ``Community Awards for Excellence,'' purchased and distributed school supplies, encouraged health screenings, and made education a community priority. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Manassas African American Heritage Festival. It is important that we preserve the values and traditions of African American culture and appreciate the indelible mark it has left on our Nation's history.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to thank the NOVA- Annandale Symphony Orchestra for providing our community with outstanding performances for the past 16 years and to recognize its 2010 Award Recipients. In 1994, Dr. Claiborne Richardson of the Reunion Music Society (RMS) and Dr. Gladys Watkins of the Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), Annandale Campus, formed a partnership between to create the NOVA-Annandale Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra combines the talents of local professional and amateur musicians and college students to develop their skills by performing the music of different cultures and heritages. On April 16, 2010, during the NOVA-Annandale Symphony Orchestra's ``Colors of Spring'' concert the RMS announced award recipients in two special categories: The Richardson-Watkins Founders Awards, which recognize persons or businesses from the community that have made significant contributions to the success of the RMS' programs, and The Orchestra/Players Awards, for which musicians are recognized by their peers for making significant contributions to the success and development of the symphony orchestra over several years. The 2010 recipients of The Richardson-Watkins Founders Awards are: Campbell & Ferrara Nurseries in Annandale, Va., and its Garden Manager, Karen Stay, for many years of providing complimentary flower arrangements displayed in the lobby of the NOVA Theater during the orchestra's concerts and for helping to promote concerts at its store. Ms. Stay always makes sure the floral arrangements are delivered on time. Mr. Steven Metzger, owner of ``Expert Software Design,'' who has hosted the RMS' website for many years, making timely changes, and absorbing all expenses. His diligence in maintaining the website is particularly noteworthy since he commutes between his home in Fairfax, Va., and his full-time job in Frederick, Md. Mr. Metzger has been instrumental in converting the website (www.reunionmusic.org) to a new, exciting design. Dr. Barbara Saperstone, Provost of NOVA's Annandale Campus, who has supported RMS programs over a decade, including needed resources for the orchestra such as acoustical enhancements in the college theater. Through her leadership the college has provided at no cost to the orchestra or the RMS use of rehearsal rooms and the theater, purchase of music scores and printing of ``playbills'' for concerts. The recipients of The Orchestra/Players Awards are: Mrs. Nancy McKinless, who has served for many years as the orchestra's librarian and plays the violin at concerts. Mrs. McKinless ensures that the musicians have appropriate music scores for rehearsals and concerts. This involves dealing with music libraries for renting or purchasing music. Mr. Rolland (``Bucky'') Roup, who plays the violin. Mr. Roup devotes many hours to carefully coordinate logistical matters with the orchestra's music director and with the NOVA theater technical staff, and he has trained a cadre of other orchestra members to assist in stage management. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the NOVA-Annandale Symphony Orchestra for continuing to offer outstanding concerts in collaboration with the RMS and NOVA, and I also ask that we commend the 2010 recipients of The Richardson-Watkins Founders Awards and of The Orchestra/Players Choice Awards.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to address an issue of critical concern. As my colleagues know, Sept. 5-12, 2010, has been designated as Suicide Prevention Week, and I am honored to do my part in raising the awareness of this threat so that we can better protect those most vulnerable in every community. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among teens and young adults. Every 2 hours, a person under the age of 25 commits suicide, resulting in estimated 12 youth suicides every day or more than 4,000 unnecessary deaths each year. More than 78,000 veterans of current military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have sought help for mental health related issues. I, along with my colleagues, have taken steps to provide the needed support to our warriors, but we must do more. More than 6,200 veterans commit suicide each year; our best and bravest feel that they have no options or way out of their despair. Among our senior citizen population, the suicide rate is the highest. Although those over the age of 65 account for just 12.5 percent of the population, they account for nearly 16 percent of all suicides. There is also an ethnic component to suicide rates. While CDC reports that the rate of white, non-Hispanic suicide attempts is 7.7 percent, the black non-Hispanic suicide attempt rate is nearly 10 percent and the Latino suicide attempt rate is an astonishing 14 percent. We must do everything in our power to reduce this threat and to provide resources to those who need our assistance. I would like to recognize and thank those people and organizations who are dedicated to reducing suicide rates and preserving life. One such organization located in the 11th Congressional District of Virginia is CrisisLink. CrisisLink is dedicated to reducing the frequency of suicide attempts and death and to providing resources that can ease the pain for the survivors affected by the suicide of a loved one. Through educational programs, research projects, intervention services and bereavement services, CrisisLink is at the forefront of providing needed support to those who need it the most. For 40 years, CrisisLink has provided needed services to the community; answering more than half a million crisis calls, responding to more than 25,000 potential suicides, providing more than a quarter million referrals to community resources, promoting mental wellness, educating the community about depression and other mental illnesses, and reducing the stigma attached to mental illness. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in proclaiming September 5-12, 2010, as Suicide Prevention Week, and I ask that we commend CrisisLink for its unwavering commitment to providing assistance to so many in their time of need.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 63rd Anniversary of Pakistan independence. The 11th Congressional District of Virginia has benefited from being home to a diverse range of ethnic and religious peoples from all over the world. Northern Virginia as a whole is strengthened by this diversity. One community I wish to recognize today is the Pakistani community, which is an integral part of the makeup of Northern Virginia. I am honored to represent a district with such diversity and prosperity. The Pakistani community has been vital to that success, contributing expertise and hard work in some of our fastest growing industries. The work ethic displayed is consistent with so many immigrant groups who have come before and who have contributed to building the United States of America into a great nation. By celebrating our respective traditions and heritage, we reaffirm our identity as Americans. Pakistan Independence Day celebrates the end of British rule in the region and the founding of Pakistan as a sovereign nation by Muhammad Ali Jinnah. August 14, 1947, is officially recognized as the day that Pakistan won independence, and it is celebrated with lights, fireworks, and displays of national pride. The Pakistan Festival USA was originally held at the Lincoln Memorial in 1987, and has grown into a must attend event for the Pakistani community. Pakistan Festival USA has since moved to Lorton, VA, in the heart of the 11th Congressional District, in order to meet the needs of the growing attendance and demand of the Washington area Pakistani community. Today, this is one of the largest celebrations in the country celebrating the independence of Pakistan and recognizing the contributions of the Pakistani-American community. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the 63rd Anniversary of Pakistan's Independence, and in recognizing the many contributions of Pakistani-Americans to our country and wishing them Yaum-e-Azad Mubarak (Happy Independence Day).

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, according to independent economists, the action of this Congress pulled the economy back from the brink of falling into another Great Depression. I hope my colleagues have had a chance to review the recently released study by former Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Alan Blinder and Mark Zandi, Moody's Analytics chief economist and former economic adviser to John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign. We have heard some from the other side of the aisle demagogue on the value of the Recovery Act and other actions we took to stabilize this economy. Republicans loudly claim these programs were failures. But what do the actual economists say? From the study, I quote. ``There is little doubt that, in total, the policy response was highly effective.'' Madam Speaker, after careful analysis, the study's bipartisan authors conclude that the Nation's gross domestic product would have been 11.5 percent lower than it is today without government intervention. They conclude that an additional 8.5 million working Americans would have lost their jobs. When this Congress took office in January of 2009, we were facing an economy in freefall with the second Great Depression in clear sight. We were in the midst of a deepening recession, the worst in 80 years. Increasing monthly job losses had peaked in January of that year at 741,000; housing prices were mired in 22 straight months of decline; foreclosures dramatically increased. The economy's contraction was worsening as gross domestic products shrank at an increasing rate each quarter. Bank failures accelerated, threatening family savings. All combined, Americans lost $17.5 trillion in net worth because of the Bush recession. And in the midst of this economic maelstrom, in the face of the united opposition from the minority, we took action, immediate action, and passed the Recovery Act to stabilize the economy, protect teachers, firefighters, police officers, boosted the private sector payrolls, invested in America, and spurred growth. According to the experts from both sides of the aisle, it worked. Again quoting from the study, ``The effects of the fiscal stimulus alone appear substantial.'' Madam Speaker, they found that the Recovery Act raised GDP by 3.4 percent, reduced the unemployment rate by 1.5 percent below where it otherwise would have been, and, most importantly, added or protected 2.7 million American jobs. The proof is in more than just the study. Look at the GDP. Before we passed the Recovery Act, GDP was declining for the third straight quarter, including a 2.7 percent drop in the third quarter of 2008, a 5.4 percent drop in the fourth quarter, and an astonishing 6.4 percent decline in the first quarter of 2009 when we came into office. The Recovery Act slammed the brakes on that freefall. The very next quarter, GDP posted only a 0.7 percent decline, quickly followed by four straight quarters of GDP growth. The Recovery Act also stemmed the ever increasing monthly job losses. It is no coincidence that the job losses peaked just before we acted and then immediately began to drop. Currently, we are in our seventh straight month of private sector job growth, with 600,000 net private sector jobs created this year alone. The manufacturing sector continues to expand in fact to its highest levels. American automobile sales, initially spurred by the successful Cash for Clunkers program, continue to improve. The stock market, which plummeted throughout 2008 and hit rock bottom in the first quarter of 2009, has rebounded since, increasing more than 60 percent. In fact, we have recovered $6 trillion of the $17.5 trillion lost by American families. Madam Speaker, the Blinder and Zandi study illustrates our intervention and investments through the Recovery and Reinvestment Act saved the U.S. economy from the second Great Depression. But, as the recent study demonstrated, we averted the worst outcome, but we still have work to do. Make no mistake. Despite the fragile economy, our economy is growing again, and that growth is the direct result of the actions of this Congress to save American taxpayers and to save this economy.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to my colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Holt).

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. I yield 1 minute to my colleague from the great State of Maryland (Mr. Cummings).

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleagues. I also want to thank the following staff for their assistance on this amendment: Dave Heymsfeld, Stacie Soumbeniotis, Ryan Seiger, Navis Bermudez, Susan Jensen, George Slover, and David Lachman. We want to ensure that this amendment only affects the relationship of parent and subsidiary companies. With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. I want to thank Chairman Rahall and Chairman Oberstar, in particular, for their hard work on this bill and for their collaboration on this amendment. I am joined by Congressman Holt and Congressman Welch, who co- introduced this amendment to ensure that oil companies cannot shift oil cleanup costs onto taxpayers by allowing subsidiary companies to go bankrupt. Under current law, if an oil subsidiary is responsible for a spill, it can declare bankruptcy and not sell its assets, in which case the parent company would not inherit cleanup liabilities. A profit- maximizing parent company would allow a subsidiary to go bankrupt and not sell liabilities if the value of cleanup and liability costs exceed the value of the subsidiary's assets. This is a realistic scenario given the high cost of the cleanup of oil spills. Even a well capitalized company worth several billions could be responsible for an oil spill costing tens of billions. The Exxon Valdez spill cost more than $2 billion to clean up, and that was just 10.9 million gallons of oil. The Deepwater Horizon spill already has cost $3 billion, with total cleanup cost in the tens of billions at the very least. Through this act, oil companies could be responsible for much greater costs. The fishing industry in the gulf is worth $5.5 billion annually. Losing 50 percent of western Florida's tourism would cost that State $10 billion. If Congress eliminates the private liability cap under OPA, then an oil company responsible for a spill could be liable for tens of billions to reimburse property owners and workers for lost property and wages. Given the extraordinarily high cleanup and private liability costs of oil spills, we must close this loophole. Our amendment would ensure that BP and other oil companies are not able to escape their cleanup responsibilities. Without passage of this amendment, BP and other oil companies could avoid paying for cleanup costs entirely. I urge my colleagues to support the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize James R. Leaman, retiring President of the Virginia AFL-CIO, for his leadership and service to union members and working families across the Commonwealth. Throughout his distinguished career, Jim Leaman has strived to protect the health, safety, and quality of life for all of Virginia's workers. Whether they were white collar or blue collar, industrial or agricultural, public sector or private sector workers, Jim Leaman fought for them all. Jim Leaman dedicated his life to ensuring Virginia's working men and women received a fair wage, had access to affordable health care, and worked in a safe environment. He carried the banner of Virginia's working families to the halls of Virginia's General Assembly, the U.S. Congress, to the counties, cities and towns of the Commonwealth, and within Virginia's Democratic Party. Throughout his many years of service to the AFL-CIO and Virginia's workers, Jim Leaman never wavered from his principles. He was, and is, a steadfast advocate for fairness, equality, and justice for all Virginians. Jim Leaman was a true public policy advocate. Along with his work to protect the interests of Virginia workers, he also pushed broader issues that affected the lives of all Virginian's, such as opposition to the usurious rates charged by payday lenders to those who could least afford such costs. As a result of his efforts and leadership on non-partisan voter registration campaigns, thousands of Virginians became voters and participated in our democratic process. Prior to his four-year tenure as President, Jim Leaman served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Virginia AFL-CIO from 1990 to his election as President in 2006. He was a proud 35-year member of the Communications Workers of America and is currently a member of the Iron Workers. Jim has advised several Virginia governors and other elected leaders and has served on boards and commissions dealing with labor and employment issues in the Commonwealth. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in acknowledging the accomplishments and distinguished career of my friend and one of Virginia's great labor leaders, Jim Leaman. I thank him for his service and wish him the best in all of his future endeavors.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, there has been considerable finger pointing, misdirected, I might add, by our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, with respect to who is responsible for the mountain of debt weighing on our Nation. I rise to set the record straight and highlight just some of the actions we have taken to reduce the deficit and restore fiscal responsibility. When this Congress took office in January of 2009, we inherited the worst recession since the Great Depression and a $1.2 trillion annual deficit with red ink forecast far into the future. As my colleagues will recall, the general concern 10 years ago in the financial sector was whether the United States bond market could survive in the event that the entire national debt was retired as projected at the time. Starting in fiscal year 1998, we had three straight budget surpluses, totaling more than $559 billion, with a projected $5.6 trillion surplus well into the decade. Unfortunately, we now know what happened next. The Bush administration and Republican-controlled Congresses cast aside fiscal discipline and made a number of reckless, long-term budget decisions that turned record surpluses into record deficits. They initiated two wars, enacted two long-term tax cuts, and a new, permanent entitlement program, none of which was paid for, and all of which added to the debt. These actions alone added $6.6 trillion to the national debt and left the Federal budget fundamentally unbalanced for the foreseeable future. Tragically, but predictably, the $5.6 trillion in projected surpluses became more than $6 trillion in national debt. But, Mr. Speaker, while we inherited these budget deficits, we also inherited the responsibility to do something about them. The American people don't want to see more of the same bankrupt fiscal policies of the past. They want to return to fiscal responsibility, and this Congress has taken a number of steps to do just that. Earlier in this Congress, we adopted one of the most significant deficit reduction tools, reinstituting statutory PAYGO, or pay-as-you- go legislation. PAYGO is a simple concept: If you've got an idea, you've got to pay for it. And we know it works. In 1990, in the face of then record deficits, Congress enacted statutory PAYGO, which helped lead to three straight years of surpluses. Unfortunately, in 2002, President Bush and a Republican- controlled Congress failed to reenact PAYGO. The results were disastrous and predictable--an immediate return to record deficits. Our restoration of PAYGO this year is a critical step in controlling spending and reducing deficits. Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives has made deficit reduction a priority with the passage of a number of important pieces of legislation. One of the largest drivers of the deficit has been the rising cost of health insurance premiums and health care costs. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the health insurance reform law will finally bend the cost curve and reduce the deficit by $124 billion over the next 10 years, and $1.2 trillion in the 10 years thereafter. Through passage of the Student Aid and Responsibility Act, we reformed the college loan program, producing new efficiencies, expanding opportunity for millions of young people, and we reduced the deficit by $19 billion. We responded swiftly to a Government Accountability Office report highlighting billions of dollars of cost overruns and wasteful Pentagon spending for weapons and services. The Weapons System Acquisition Reform Act and the IMPROVE Acquisition Act passed by this Congress will crack down on more than $300 billion in wasteful spending, further reducing the deficit, and will ensure that our defense dollars are serving the actual needs of our men and women in uniform. The American Clean Energy and Security Act which passed this body set new standards for energy efficiency and use of renewable energy, which would reduce the deficit by $9 billion over the next decade. The recently passed Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act will enforce greater accountability of risky bank practices and reduce the deficit by $3.2 billion over the next 10 years. Beyond those actions, President Obama's proposed 3-year spending freeze for non-security discretionary spending will reduce the deficit by another $250 billion over the next decade. The recently adopted House budget for fiscal year 2011 reduces the President's request by billions of dollars. I support the President's bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform and its efforts to identify even further opportunities for additional deficit reduction. Mr. Speaker, despite inheriting record deficits, we have taken a number of steps that will restore fiscal responsibility and reduce the deficit. Already, our actions, coupled with the improving economy, have resulted in more than $250 billion in reduction of the debt in the current year alone. The United States went almost 30 years between budget surpluses from 1969 to 1998. The actions of this Congress have set us on the path to ensure it doesn't take another generation.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, last week we celebrated the 45th anniversary of the adoption of the Older Americans Act. Later this month we will celebrate the 45th anniversary of Medicare and next month the 75th anniversary of Social Security. Seniors are vital to our communities, having spent a lifetime building and shaping this Nation. Increasingly, our seniors have been able to continue to make important contributions throughout all of their lives, volunteering their time, mentoring our youth, and often remaining active in the workforce. As a former Chairman of Fairfax County, Virginia, I was proud of the work I helped lead in the creation of a 50+Plus Action Plan outlining more than 60 initiatives to support our senior population. We expanded transportation opportunities, ensured communities were planned to provide housing options for all ages, pursued respite options for caregivers. And it was necessary to bring that focus to Washington. This Congress has made strategic investments to assist these efforts through actions such as the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act that expanded opportunities for seniors to remain active. But it wasn't always this way, which is why we needed the Older Americans Act. The Older Americans Act facilitates the provisions of necessary social services and nutritional support to seniors through a partnership with various State agencies. In addition to establishing the Administration on Aging, the act established the National Family Caregiver Support Program, recognizing the critical role that family caregivers provide and the need to make sure they have the necessary resources. That act also provides for home-based services, disease prevention and wellness programs to promote better health. The Older Americans Act was a continuation of the improvements in the quality of life begun in 1935 when Congress enacted the Social Security Act. The poverty rate among seniors in 1935 exceeded 45 percent. Today it is 10 percent. Few acts of Congress have made such a dramatic difference on a single demographic group. In addition to the Older Americans Act, in 1965 Medicare was established to protect seniors' health. Before its enactment almost half of all senior citizens lacked health insurance. Given the traditionally higher costs of senior health care without Medicare, for many Americans there was no prospect of health insurance. Our efforts to further enhance the quality of life for our Nation's senior citizens continue to this day. The Health Care Reform Act enhances Medicare benefits. What's interesting to me is I was a young high school debater when Medicare was adopted, and the national high school debate topic that year was, Would the adoption of Medicare constitute socialized medicine in America? Would it, in fact, discourage the private sector? Would it, in fact, make us look a lot more like the health care system in the United Kingdom or Canada? Much of the rhetoric we hear today about health care reform was echoed 45 years ago against Social Security, and much of it came from the same sources who oppose health care reform today. They consistently opposed Medicare. Yet when you go to a retirement community, when you meet with seniors across this country, certainly in my district, I can't find one who thinks that we ought to repeal Medicare. They know that Medicare has made a huge difference in the quality of their lives, and going from being maybe the most vulnerable demographic group in America in terms of health care coverage, today they have the most protected. That's the efficacy of an effective government program that has made a difference in the quality of lives. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the anniversaries of the Older Americans Act, the Social Security Act, and Medicare, we also celebrate the adoption of the Health Care Reform Act that will make the same kind of difference in years to come in millions of lives now and in the future.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with my colleague Rep. Frank Wolf, to recognize the community of Centreville, VA, for recently being named one of Money Magazine's ``Best Places to Live 2010.'' Centreville ranked number 30 among 100 small communities named best for families. Money compiled its list of ``Best Places to Live 2010'' after reviewing hundreds of small communities across the United States with populations between 50,000 and 300,000 for family-friendly qualities. Economic strength, the quality of the schools, availability of affordable housing, overall safety, and community spirit were among the factors used to evaluate each city's quality of life. As one of the top 30 cities on the list, Centreville passed four rounds of appraisal, including one in which appraisers visited the community to form personal impressions and to interview its residents. Centreville ranked highest amongst the four Virginia communities named to the list. The others were Alexandria, VA, at number 47, Chesapeake, VA, at number 85, and Suffolk, VA, at number 91. Location figured prominently in Centreville's ranking, as its 54,000 residents are in close proximity to our nation's capital and local attractions such as the National Air and Space Museum at Dulles International Airport, Manassas National Battlefield Park and the Bull Run and Shenandoah Mountains. Madam Speaker, we ask that our colleagues join us in congratulating Centreville on receiving this designation and in encouraging its residents to continue upholding the high standards that earned them this honor. We also invite our colleagues to visit Centreville to see firsthand what makes this community special.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Fairfax County Public Schools on its nutrition program, which recently was named best in the country by the School Nutrition Association. FCPS's Food and Nutrition Services Department is the largest child nutrition program in Virginia, serving approximately 140,000 customers each day at 238 schools and centers, 8 day cares and private schools, 15 senior citizen programs, 18 Meals-on-Wheels sites, 133 School-Age Child Care (SACC) programs, and 52 Family and Early Childhood Education Programs (Head Start). The School Nutrition Association recognized FCPS's ability to handle this demanding task, noting its commitment to excellence in creating nutritious and appealing meals, implementing innovative nutrition education initiatives, developing a strong professional development program, and exercising superior financial management. Under Fairfax's nutrition program, students participate in surveys to assist in the planning of meals and attend various tasting parties to help establish customer preferences. The popular ``Give Me 5! Colors That Jive'' program introduces students to new and unfamiliar fruits and vegetables each month, such as jicama, butternut squash and sweet potato wedges. The district also provides easily accessible nutrition statistics with every prepared meal. Partnering with teachers, the Food and Nutrition Services staff hosts hundreds of nutrition education sessions each year in our local schools. They also reach into the community, hosting monthly nutrition classes for parents and seniors. Further, the district offers cooking classes for students and their families to emphasize the point that healthy eating starts at home. In addition to the award, the School Nutrition Association presented FCPS with $25,000 to expand its innovative nutrition programs. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Fairfax County Public Schools on this tremendous honor. As my colleagues know, providing our young people with nutritious meals and educating them about healthy eating habits provides them with the proper fuel for academic and lifelong success.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) for his outstanding leadership on this and so many other issues on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. I also thank the ranking member, Mr. Issa, for his friendship and his leadership on our committee as well. I particularly want to thank my colleague from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) who's been a long-time leader in telework, and my colleague and friend from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) for his leadership on this legislation. Without that leadership, we wouldn't be here today and relief wouldn't be on the way to our Federal workforce and hard-pressed commuters in the national capital region. Mr. Speaker, before I came to Congress, I represented a major jurisdiction in the national capital region, Fairfax County, for 14 years, the last five being its chairman; and I, like Mr. Issa, came from the private sector. I spent the last 20 years of my career before coming here working for a number of information technology companies, and I saw firsthand the value of telework in the private sector. One of the major employers in my district, for example, is AT&T. I went and visited a major facility they have in my district. Thirty- three percent of their workforce teleworks regularly, 33 percent; and their estimated cost savings in terms of reduced absenteeism is $2,000 per employee. So, if we took that kind of statistic and superimposed it on the Federal workforce, we would obviously save a lot more than whatever the implementation costs of this bill might be. I believe, like my colleagues who have spoken before, this is critical. This is critical for Federal operations. Every Federal agency now needs to have a continuity of operations plan in place; and in the national capital region, tragically, that is underscored. Frank Wolf, my colleague from Virginia, talked about 9/11. He was here in Congress while I was a supervisor in Fairfax County. My office was in the fire station, Fire Station 30 in Merrifield, and my men and women in that fire station were backup to the Arlington Fire Department at the Pentagon the day it was attacked, the second worst terrorist attack in American history. And I saw what they went through, and I know what happened to this region that day. A continuity of operations plan, if we needed a reminder, a tragic reminder, of how critical that is to our national security, 9/11 was it. Subsequently, we've had lots of natural events here in the national capital region that have further reminded us of how important it is that the largest single employer in our region, the Federal Government, have a vigorous telework program in place because, without that, there is no continuity of operations plan of any meaning. So for national security reasons and in service to the taxpayers we serve through the Federal agencies, we must have a vigorous telework program in place. In the national capital region, if we could reach 20 percent of our daily commuters of 2.5 million people teleworking at least 1 day a week, we could take 4 to 6 percent of the cars off the road every day, improving air quality, improving congestion, and improving productivity. The Federal Government being the largest employer has a special responsibility. I mentioned AT&T has 33 percent teleworking in its workforce. The average in the Federal Government ranges from 6 to 10 percent, far below what the private sector is, in fact, doing. We can and must do better. The Federal workforce lends itself to telework in some ways that are unique to the Federal workforce, and we know the benefits. We've heard some arguments here that only 10 percent of the Congress sits in the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and, therefore, we need more time to make sure that we can examine this legislation and its costs. I will argue there are no net costs to this bill. I would argue that this bill has been scored before in many incarnations, in legislation that was before the previous Congress and voted on, in legislation in the other body. So it's not like we didn't know, and we know that the productivity gains and savings are considerable but more than wipe out any potential implementation costs. Whatever costs there are can and will be absorbed by the implementing Federal agencies, and we know that. That ought not to be an excuse for inaction. This is something that can bring us together on a bipartisan basis. I do find it a little ironic, however, to hear about the need to come together and maybe we can use the motion to recommit to do that when our side of the aisle has not seen the motion to recommit, and obviously we can't buy something in the hopes that it's going to do something positive, and I would urge my colleagues to share the motion to recommit so that perhaps we can come to common ground on that. But at the end of the day, this legislation is critical to the future workforce of the Federal Government and, frankly, for the national security of the national capital region.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, it is my great honor to recognize the recipients of the 2010 Best of Braddock Awards. The awards are given annually to deserving individuals, organizations and companies in the Braddock Magisterial District of Fairfax County, Va., who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the community. Residents of the 11th Congressional District enjoy an exceptional quality of life. Fairfax County schools are ranked as some of the best in the country, our communities are safe, and our employment rate is second highest in the nation. However, much of what defines a community cannot be found in statistics; it lies in the commitment and contributions of all who strive for the betterment of the community as a whole. Recipients of the 2010 Best of Braddock Awards: Citizen of the Year--Duane Murphy. Club or Organization Making a Difference--Burke/West Springfield Senior Center Without Walls. Most Can-Do Public Employees (Local)--Neighborhood College Team for the 2010 Sessions. Most Can-Do Public Employees (Federal)--Mike McMahon, National Park Service. Young Person of the Year--Kelsey Rose, West Springfield High School; Melissa Sbrocco, Robinson Secondary School. Special Achievement Award--Tommy Salvi, Canterbury Woods Elementary School. Outstanding Business Persons--Jules and Nicky Verster, previous owners Great Harvest Bread. Neighborhood Enhancement or Beautification, Homeowner-- Fernando Restropo, Wakefield Chapel Road. Neighborhood Enhancement or Beautification, Civic Association--Mike Walsh, Woodwalk HOA Landscaping Committee Chair. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating these outstanding residents and companies and also in thanking them for their service to our community. Their efforts and leadership have been a great benefit to our community and truly merit our highest praise.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the most recent graduates of the Prince William County Public Safety Academy. As they join the ranks of the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue, these men and women are entering a proud profession with a rich history. Securing a position as a first responder begins with a competitive application process. Recruits must then complete a rigorous and comprehensive 23-week training program before graduating as a Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue Technician I. A Technician I is trained in emergency medical services, fire prevention and countless other public safety measures. The certifications required to reach the status of a Technician I cannot be accomplished without complete dedication and hard work. The graduates have completed the requisite coursework for certification in CPR, Infection Control, CISM, EMT-B, Firefighter I, Firefighter II, EVOC 2, EVOC 3, Flashover Simulation, RIT, Mayday, Hazmat Awareness/Operations, Swift Water Rescue Awareness, LPG with Simulation, Rural Water Supply, BLS Protocols, Rope Rescue Awareness, Vehicle Rescue Awareness and Child Passenger Safety Seat Installation. Each graduate has completed more than 600 hours of training and education. It is my honor to enter into the Congressional Record the names of the Prince William Department of Fire and Rescue Recruit Class 2010-1: Benjamin Draxler, Shannon Frick, Nels Jorgenson, Hanif Majeed, Nathaniel Matthews, Timothy Moore, Ariel Morales, Ethan Newham, Chris Payne, Jajuan Reed, Adam Renner, Raymond Sanez, Nicholas Soper and Alexander Thomson. There are many reasons that firefighters and first responders are known as America's Heroes. These brave men and women regularly put the lives and well being of those they serve ahead of their own. I am confident that this newest group of graduates will serve the citizens of Prince William County with distinction and honor. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating the newest members of Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue. I have just two other words I would like to say to them: Stay Safe.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, in 1989 the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground in Prince William Sound, spilling 10.9 million gallons of oil that eventually coated 1,100 miles of Alaskan coastline. Following this disaster, Congress passed the Oil Pollution Act in 1990 to require that oil companies pay the full cleanup costs of oil spills. However, this legislation has a couple of loopholes that need to be closed. If an oil company subsidiary is responsible for the spill, that subsidiary can declare bankruptcy and sell its assets, even to its parent company, without passing on cleanup cost liabilities. The SPILL Act, which the House will vote on this week, will close this loophole so that liability follows subsidiary assets. Whether or not the SPILL Act becomes law, there will be another loophole in the Oil Pollution Act: If a subsidiary is responsible for an oil spill, it can declare bankruptcy and not sell its assets, in which case the parent company would not inherit cleanup liabilities. This is a realistic scenario, given the high cost of oil spills. Even a well capitalized company worth several billion dollars could be responsible for an oil spill that costs tens of billions of dollars to clean up. The Exxon Valdez spill cost over $2 billion just to clean up 10.9 million gallons of oil. As of late June, the Deepwater Horizon spill had already cost BP $2.65 billion with total cleanup cost estimates as high as $100 billion. Moreover, if Congress increases the cap on private liability under the Oil Pollution Act, oil companies could be responsible for much greater costs. The fishing industry in the Gulf is worth $5.5 billion annually. Just losing 50% of western Florida's tourism would cost the state $10 billion. If Congress eliminates the private liability cap under OPA then an oil company responsible for a spill could be responsible for tens of billions of dollars to reimburse property owners and workers for lost property and wages. Given the extraordinarily high cleanup and private liability costs of oil spills, we must close the loophole that allows parent companies to escape liability by letting subsidiaries go bankrupt. I have introduced legislation, the Stand by your Oil Pollution (STOP) Act, to prevent oil companies from shedding liabilities of subsidiaries. This legislation is necessary to ensure that BP doesn't escape its cleanup responsibilities in the Gulf and to prevent oil companies from setting up subsidiaries to avoid liability for spills in the future.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the 20th Pastoral Anniversary of Pastor Charles Arthur Lundy of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Woodbridge, Va. Pastor Lundy has a long and distinguished career in the service of the Lord. He was baptized at the age of 13 at the Wayland Baptist Church in Baltimore, Md., under Reverend W. W. Payne. In February of 1981, Pastor Lundy was ordained a deacon, and just three years later, he was licensed by the Star Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church in Triangle, Va., under the Reverend Dr. Frederick S. Jones. Pastor Lundy was ordained a Gospel Minister in August of 1987 and served as the director of Christian Education for Star Bethlehem. He was called to be the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church on June 23, 1990. On his first Sunday at the pulpit he delivered the sermon, ``Stay in the Ship,'' and established his pastoral focus of ``putting the family back together.'' During his 20 years of leadership, Pastor Lundy has grown the Ebenezer Church family. In June 2000, the church's Family Life Center was dedicated to accommodate an expanding ministry. Pastor Lundy has grown his flock by developing a message that offers spiritual guidance and comfort. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Washington Bible College and earned his Masters of Divinity from Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. His ministry is constantly evolving to accommodate the needs of his congregation and make Ebenezer a welcoming place to worship. Pastor Lundy has never been one to shy away from service. He spent 26 years in the United States Marine Corps before he retired with the rank of Major as an Engineer Officer. He is the past-Parliamentarian for the Northern Virginia Baptist Association. He is the past-Chairman of the Nominating Committee and a former member of their Commission on Evangelism. He is a former Assistant Secretary for the Northern Virginia Minister's Conference, and he is a former member of the United Way for the National Capital Area. In 2009, Pastor Lundy was elected as President of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology Alumni Association. In each of these positions, Pastor Lundy has inspired others with his leadership and energy. Pastor Lundy is married to the former Jacquelyn Hinton McWhite, and they are the proud parents of five daughters, two sons, and the grandparents of nine grandsons, and two granddaughters. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Pastor Charles Arthur Lundy on his 20 years of service to Ebenezer Baptist Church. He is a pillar of the community with countless individuals depending on his counsel and support. He bears this burden with the peace of mind of man who knows his purpose is justified and his mission is pure.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, it would be unconscionable for this Congress to fail to enact legislative protections for the Nation's consumers after the worst economic collapse in 80 years. We must pass Wall Street reform when it comes before the House hopefully later this week. We know what happened without adequate oversight. Under the Bush administration and previous Republican Congresses, the large financial institutions were granted free rein to undertake abusive, risky behavior, ultimately at great public expense. In the absence of well- enforced regulation, their reckless actions triggered the great recession, plunging millions of American families into economic chaos. Starting in 2007 when the mortgage and credit crises hit, the recession accelerated in 2008 as the financial sector came perilously close to a complete collapse. Millions of Americans acutely felt that collapse through lost jobs, foreclosed homes, and the destruction of their personal savings. Collectively, Americans lost $17.5 trillion worth of aggregate household wealth during that recession: college funds, retirement accounts, 401(k)s, and emergency nest eggs like that. In the midst of this economic carnage, many of the financial institutions that precipitated the collapse had the chutzpah to turn to those same American families and ask for a bailout. For example, AIG received $170 billion through 2008's TARP bill and the Federal Reserve, despite having engaged in a number of risky actions that led to its own predicament. AIG's unbridled pursuit of profit became America's pain. We must not allow that to happen again. I support the visionary Wall Street reform that protects consumers from the abuses and deceptive practices that led to this crisis. It will create a consumer financial protection bureau that will consolidate consumer protections currently spread out inefficiently and ineffectively over seven different Federal agencies. The bureau will ensure transparency in financial products and transactions, providing consumers with greater information and protections on mortgages, credit cards, and other financial products. Unscrupulous mortgage lenders no longer will be able to hoodwink prospective home buyers into home loans that the home buyer cannot afford. Not only did that practice lead to individual homeowners suffering eventual foreclosures, but it drove down the equity in all homes as prices sunk and mortgage failures exacerbated the financial collapse. I support Wall Street financial reform that properly regulates the risky aspects of the financial sector, finally bringing transparency to the shadowy world of derivatives. In 2006, the derivative markets bought and sold, and often repackaged, was worth $668 trillion, that's with a T, an astonishingly high amount, and yet all traded virtually without oversight or regulation. The financial institutions that traded these derivatives did so in secret, and when the underlying assets failed, such as mortgage-backed securities, the financial sector was unprepared for the repercussions, and American families paid the price. I support Wall Street reform that provides an orderly liquidation for financial institutions that fail at the institution's expense, not the taxpayers. That means never again will big banks receive taxpayer- funded bailouts. In the event of failure, large financial institutions must be prepared for an orderly wind down that does not cause additional strain to the overall economy and does not require taxpayer assistance. This reform ensures that the firms prepare liquidation plans ahead of time in case they are ever needed, and most importantly, Wall Street reform clearly states that taxpayers will never again have to fund a failing firm's bailout or liquidation costs. Madam Speaker, the Wall Street reform before us accomplishes the goals of protecting consumers, providing transparency to previously unregulated markets, and ending too-big-to-fail taxpayer-funded bailouts. It finally provides the financial protections for consumers and homeowners that have been lacking for far too long. Wall Street reform will help ensure that never again will American families be unprotected and left footing the bill for someone else's big mistake. I strongly support Wall Street reform and encourage my colleagues to do so. Never again should private risk become public responsibility.