Gerald Connolly

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my good friend from Massachusetts who has so ably shepherded this legislation to this point. The Telework Improvements Act is an important piece of legislation because it will help us meet five critical policy goals: reduction of dependence on foreign oil; reduction in traffic congestion; improvement in air quality; improvement in Federal recruitment and retention; and improvement in the continuity of operations plan for the Federal Government. I want to particularly thank Congressman John Sarbanes for his leadership in introducing this legislation; my friend and colleague from Virginia, Frank Wolf, who has long championed this cause; the Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry; and of course the ranking member on the subcommittee, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz). Telework is an essential part of Federal personnel policy because it can help recruit and retain Federal employees. It can maintain continuity of operations in the event of an emergency, and reduce congestion and associated air pollution. That is very important in this National Capital Region, which is a nonattainment region as measured by the EPA. With 47 percent of the Federal workforce eligible for retirement sometime over the next 10 years or so, we must provide benefits that attract highly qualified employees. Many private companies already provide better telework benefits than does the Federal Government. We must not fall further behind. The ability to work from remote workstations relies on its regular use. Telework is an important and cost-effective component of efforts to reduce congestion, greenhouse gas pollution, and smog. According to the Telework Exchange, if 20 percent of Americans teleworked, we could eliminate 67 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually and reduce Persian Gulf imports by 40 percent. These greenhouse gas emissions correspond to a reduction in ground level ozone in our region, which is critically important to protect the health of our region's residents. Only 6 percent of eligible Federal employees currently telework on a regular basis, even though the largely white collar workforce in our region is perfectly suited for telework. By contrast, in my county, Fairfax County, the largest suburb in the National Capital Region, 20 percent of our eligible workforce telecommutes at least one day a week. The Telework Improvements Act provides a vehicle to increase telework participation, establishing telework managing officers for each agency and integrating continuity of operations planning performance metrics. If I had my way, frankly, we would set a 20 percent goal for every Federal agency. Hopefully that is an issue we will revisit at some point. As an expression of support for this legislation, the Office of Personnel Management announced administrative changes to improve telework policy. This announcement followed an oversight hearing at which Director John Berry received several questions from committee members about telework and the introduction of this act. Since then, we have had multiple severe snowstorms, as has been mentioned, and the nuclear summit hosted by President Obama in the District of Columbia, all of which demonstrated the importance of telework. During the snowstorms, Federal workers saved taxpayers $30 million each day in lost productivity or productivity that would have otherwise been lost because of a telework program already in place. That represented the equivalent of a 30 percent telework rate which is achievable on a regular basis if we commit ourselves to a more robust effort. Aggressive telework targets like these have already been undertaken by leaders in the private sector. AT&T, for example, has achieved a telework participation rate of 33 percent, contrasted with 6 percent in the Federal Government. It is estimated that many companies save as much as $2,000 per employee per year as a result of reduced absenteeism as a result of telework. Although OPM's telework initiatives are already making a positive difference, it is clear we need to create a statutory framework so it is not undone potentially by future administrations. In subcommittee markup, I introduced an amendment to direct GSA to work with other Federal agencies to ensure that telework is always a part of the continuity of operations planning. Should this legislation pass, we will be better prepared for future snowstorms or emergencies by enhancing the ability of Federal employees to work remotely. This amendment seems even more important in light of the attempted bombing in Times Square last week, and the ongoing terrorist threat faced here in the National Capital Region. I appreciate Chairman Lynch's willingness to work on this and a separate university-based telework center amendment that was adopted in full committee, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation without further delay.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, as the economy faced imminent collapse in 2008, the choice between allowing a complete meltdown of the financial sector and initiating taxpayer funded bailouts was at best a choice between the lesser of two evils. It was reflective of the fact that a complete and thorough lack of financial regulation by the previous administration and previous Congresses had allowed years of abuse and risky behavior by many financial institutions to subject the entire economy to unparalleled peril. We know the system was broken. Consumers weren't protected. They lost trillions of dollars in their retirement funds, housing values declined to record lows, and bank lending dried up. Taxpayers weren't protected. They were forced to bail out the very companies that created the economic disaster. Even Wall Street wasn't protected, as the irresponsible and reckless actions of some institutions left the entire financial industry and the American economy in near collapse. When no one is protected, everybody is endangered. We know the results: the worst recession since World War II; the highest unemployment since 1983, peaking in January 2009 with 740,000 jobs lost; a stock market that plummeted to less than half its peak value; housing foreclosures that increasingly cast families out of their homes; millions of Americans out of work, and a dramatically shrinking gross domestic product. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, holders of more than two-thirds of all of the mortgages in this country, nearly collapsed and are now in government receivership. General Motors and Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy only with Federal taxpayers owning significant amounts of those companies as well. The financial sector was the epicenter of the recession. Between 2000 and 2007, 27 banks failed. Since then, 215 have failed. The largest savings and loan failure in American history happened in July 2008 when IndyMac was seized. The largest bank failure in history happened just 2 months later when Washington Mutual, in existence for more than 100 years, collapsed, threatening its customers' $307 billion in assets. The largest insurance company failure in American history, AIG, also occurred in late 2008. Only the Troubled Asset Relief Program, initiated under President Bush, and its more than $170 billion taxpayer funded bailout kept AIG from actual collapse. It is important to ensure that taxpayer funds are never again used to bail out private companies. We must have a procedure in place that not only ends the concept of too big to fail, but also prevents the financial abuses from endangering the economy in the first place. The value of the derivatives market as of October 2008 stood at $668 trillion. I did not misspeak. The value of the derivatives bought and sold, completely unregulated, totaled more than 15 times the entire world's gross domestic product. Although this does not represent $668 trillion of real wealth, it does indicate hundreds of trillions of dollars worth of speculative investments, which remain void of any transparency today. How can we allow the massive derivatives market to remain completely unregulated after what we have gone through? How can we allow the risky and abusive actions of certain financial institutions to endanger an entire economy? How can we allow American taxpayers to be faced with the untenable choice of risking further economic collapse or funding financial institutions' misdeeds? Big banks and other financial institutions cannot with one hand wave a finger in America's face decrying any perceived threat to their autonomy while simultaneously holding out the other hand to the American taxpayer asking for a bailout. It is unconscionable to allow private risk to become public responsibility. That is why the House took action last December passing the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. It is long past time for the Senate to join us and assure American taxpayers that never again will they be asked to bail out misbehaving financial institutions. We must not allow the near-criminal lack of oversight again. We must not continue to turn a blind eye to the abuses of the past. On behalf of the American taxpayers and consumers, we must enact financial reform now.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me start by thanking the chairman and ranking member of the committee and the subcommittee for their leadership on this thoughtful legislation to deliver long-needed reforms to our military acquisition. I would also like to acknowledge the tremendous work of the Armed Services Committee's bipartisan Panel on Acquisition Reform, led of course by Mr. Andrews of New Jersey and Mr. Conaway of Texas. My amendment builds upon the panel's recommendations for getting the most out of the industrial base. Defining and assessing the industrial base has been an ongoing challenge for both the Department of Defense and Congress, dating back to the creation of the Armed Forces themselves. One of the key findings of the panel was the need to cast a wider net in terms of defining the industrial base beyond the traditional players. Many of today's technology innovations are being brought forth by small- and mid-sized companies that are more commercial in nature and don't fit the traditional mold of the industrial base. While we must preserve those unique industrial capabilities that have made our Armed Forces the world's most advanced military force, we also must adjust to the innovative changes within the supply chain to ensure that we provide our troops with the tools they need to perform their duties. To accomplish this, we need to adjust our industrial policy to reflect the growing importance of services and information technology providers in the industrial base. We also need, Mr. Chairman, to acknowledge the importance of systems engineering and integration to our military operations. This amendment would create an Industrial Base Council within the DOD. The council would complement the Blue Ribbon Panel on Eliminating Barriers to Contracting with the Department of Defense that's also created by this legislation. Whereas the Blue Ribbon Panel would be comprised of industry representatives that will present recommendations to the Pentagon on eliminating barriers to those nontraditional industrial base suppliers, this council would be tasked with assessing those and other proposed policy changes and then recommending specific actions to the Secretary of Defense. The council will be comprised of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, who shall chair the group. An official from within the Under Secretary's office will be appointed to oversee the council. Council membership will also include: officials within the Secretary's office responsible for manufacturing, research and development, systems engineering and systems integration, services, information technology, and sustainment and logistics; the director of DLA; and representatives from other military departments. In addition to providing budget and policy guidance to the Secretary on modernizing the industrial base, the council will provide strategic input for the Quadrennial Defense Review and other reports, and will revise and issue new guidance for the DOD's technology and industrial base. This amendment, Mr. Chairman, creates an Industrial Base Fund, which when supported by appropriations, will support the actions and recommendations of the council itself. This is a good government initiative that will strengthen our industrial base, strengthen our small business community, and our military readiness moving forward. I urge my colleagues to support the amendment and these important acquisition reforms. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. I just want to thank my colleague for his gracious remarks. Mr. Chair, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of several students in Northern Virginia. These students have participated and excelled in programs administered by their local Parent Teacher Associations and Parent Teacher Student Associations. Parent Teacher Associations, PTAs, and Parent Teacher Student Associations, PTSAs, serve a critical role in helping to provide the best possible educational environment for our students. The Northern Virginia District PTA consists of a region with more than 220 schools. Schools located throughout northern Virginia are consistently recognized as being among the very best schools in our country. I strongly believe one factor in the excellent education received by our students is the high level of involvement and encouragement provided by parents through the PTA and PTSAs. I am pleased to congratulate the following students on being recognized by the National PTA and Virginia PTA for their outstanding achievements: 2010 District PTA Citizenship Essay Awards--High School Division: Trisha Hajela (10th Grade, Centreville High School), and Katherine DeFazio (12th Grade, James Madison High School). 2010 District PTA Citizenship Essay Awards--Middle School Division: Bennett Casciano (7th Grade, South County Secondary School), and Cali Willcockson (8th Grade, Liberty Middle School). The 2010 PTA Reflections National PTA Nominees are: Dance Choreography: Primary Division--Claire de la Paz (2nd Grade, Herndon Elementary School PTA) for her dance performance titled ``Free Bird.'' Literature: Middle/Junior Division--Eliza Malakoff, (7th Grade George Washington Middle School PTA) for her insightful essay titled ``No Beauty?'' Music Composition: Intermediate Division--Kyle Gatesman, (4th Grade, Canterbury Woods Elementary School PTA) for his musical composition titled ``Reflections in Color: Variations on a Theme.'' Visual Art: Primary Division--Hannah Cadenazzi, (1st Grade, Great Falls Elementary School PTA) for her interpretative painting titled ``Family.'' Visual Art: Intermediate Division--Brittney Fogg, (5th Grade, Willow Springs Elementary School PTA) for her authentic drawing titled ``Beauty is worth looking for.'' Visual Art: Middle/Junior Division--Jiwhae Choi, (8th Grade, Rachel Carson Middle School) for the multifaceted vision of ''Beauty is never giving up.'' 2009 National PTA Award of Excellence: William Park, (12th Grade, Langley High School) who was recognized at an awards reception at the Department of Energy on January 16. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me today to recognize the outstanding achievements of these students. I also ask that we recognize the Northern Virginia District PTA, in partnership with the Virginia PTA, as they work diligently to develop the diversity of talents and skills of students attending schools throughout Northern Virginia. It gives me great pleasure to acknowledge the achievements of these students and the Parent Teacher Associations that support them.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to the contributions of Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) and Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSA) in northern Virginia. These associations serve a critical role in helping to provide the best possible educational environment for our students. Schools located throughout northern Virginia are consistently recognized as being among the very best in our country. I strongly believe one factor in the excellent education received by our students is the high level of involvement and encouragement provided by parents through PTAs and PTSAs. Parent volunteers exist in a number of capacities within each school ranging from planning and implementing social events to helping ensure that teachers have the classroom resources they need to succeed. The Northern Virginia District PTA represents a region with more than 220 schools. Maintaining a healthy and strong organization is an important part of allowing these groups to have the greatest possible impact on the students they serve. To encourage such strength, it is important to note the individual PTAs and PTSAs that excel in this mission as well as the individual Volunteers of the Year. I am pleased to congratulate the following on being recognized by the National PTA and Virginia PTA for 2009-2010 school year: $1,000.00 National PTA Healthy Lifestyle Grant: Laurel Hill ES PTA $300.00 Virginia PTA Family Fitness Grants: Samuel Tucker ES PTA and Haycock ES PTA 2010 National PTA Phoebe Apperson Hearst Family-School Partnership Awards of Merit: Fairview ES PTA, Lake Braddock SS PTA, Mosby Woods ES PTA, and White Oaks ES PTA 2009-2010 Virginia PTA Superior Membership Achievement Awards: Falls Church ES PTA, Nottingham ES PTA, Flint Hill ES PTA, and Langley HS PTSA 2009-2010 Virginia PTA Outstanding Membership Achievement Award: Peyton Randolph ES PTA 2009-2010 100 percent Membership Awards: Chesterbrook ES PTA, Falls Church ES PTA, Flint Hill ES PTA, Langley HS PTSA, Nottingham ES PTA, and Waynewood ES PTA 2009-2010 New Unit Charters: Cedar Lane School PTSA, Laurel Hill ES PTA, Lutie Lewis Coates ES PTA, Drew Model School PTA, and Arlington Special Education PTA 2009 Virginia PTA Volunteer of the Year: Sue Bernstein, Hollin Meadows ES PTA 2010 District Volunteer of the Year Nominees (Secondary): Kathy Conrad, Patricia Fausser, John Long, Janet Robinson and Greg Brandon. 2010 District Volunteer of the Year Nominees (Elementary): Karen Hildebrand, Teresa Willebeek-Lemair, Jenniefer Schantz, Jana Hollis, Ellen Giblin, Jill Chastain and Christa Soltis. Congratulations to Sue Bernstein for being named the 2009 Volunteer of the Year and best of luck to the 2010 Volunteer of the Year Nominees. A special note of appreciation is deserved by the following individuals for their service as elected officers of the Northern Virginia PTA Executive Board as they complete their term in office; District Director Debbie Kilpatrick, 1st Asst. District Director Nina Austin, 2nd Asst. Director Rob Horvath, Secretary Angela Nesley and Treasurer Donald Cantwell. Thank you and those who serve as Committee Chairs for your tireless efforts during the 2008-2010 term in office. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in recognizing the outstanding achievements of the individuals and the PTA/PTSA organizations being recognized. Dedicated involvement from so many parents reflects a strong commitment to public education and community service that students in our schools are fortunate to experience. I offer my strong support for these organizations and their dedicated volunteers.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the efforts of our nation's Peace Corps volunteers in honor of the 49th Anniversary of the Peace Corps. Since the establishment of the Peace Corps by President Kennedy in 1961, nearly 200,000 Americans have served in 139 countries. For the past 49 years, Peace Corps volunteers have demonstrated the nation's commitment to encourage and expand development at the grass roots level. Currently, 7,671 volunteers are providing expertise and development assistance to 76 countries. Peace Corps volunteers have made significant contributions in agriculture, business development, information to technology, education, health, youth, and the environment. In these various sectors and communities, volunteers have been able to adapt and respond to new challenges through their innovation, creativity, and compassion. For example, Peace Corps volunteers have provided hope and assistance to people affected by HIV/AIDS. Volunteers have led the way in making the Peace Corps at the forefront of responding to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Through living in the community and learning the local language, they are able to share information relating to HIV/AIDS in a culturally appropriate way. Once Peace Corps volunteers return from abroad, they have become leaders in all sectors of society. Through their training and experience abroad, volunteers are able to adapt to different cultural settings at the professional level. I would like to commend our proud nation's Peace Corps volunteers for their service, particularly those men and women of the Eleventh Congressional District of Virginia. I consider it a great honor to represent these noble men and women, who travel great distances and make great sacrifices to help reaffirm our country's commitment to helping people help themselves throughout the world. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues and their staff to join me in recognizing the achievement of and the Peace Corps volunteers. They are a great credit to our country, and we should applaud them.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Grace Wang, recipient of a Siemens Foundation award for her excellence in the College Board's Advanced Placement program courses and exams in the area of science and mathematics. The Siemens Foundation has actively supported science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Each year, the Foundation provides more than $7 million in support of education initiatives. The Foundation supports programs from grade school through graduate school to encourage students to achieve their potential. The Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement provides $2,000 college scholarships for two students in each state based on grades and scores in AP science and math classes. Grace Wang, a student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, has excelled in her AP science and math classes. Through her hard work, she has proven that she is one of the best and brightest in the nation. She is a shining example of the achievements of students in the area of math and science. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating Grace Wang for this honor. She truly is an example of our nation's promising future in the science and technology fields.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today, joined by my colleague, The Hon. James Moran, to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new Habitat for Humanity development in Northern Virginia. This new development, Perry Hall, will provide homes to 12 families in Arlington County, Virginia. Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia, an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, was founded in 1990 and is entering its 20th year serving Arlington and Fairfax Counties as well as the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax. Since 1990, Habitat for Humanity has built homes for 73 Northern Virginia families. Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to the belief that all people deserve a safe and decent place to live. To qualify for a Habitat for Humanity home, the applicant must have lived in Northern Virginia for at least 1 year prior to application, currently live in either substandard or inadequate housing which may include overcrowded or unsafe living conditions, be willing to complete 300-500 hours of ``sweat equity'' to building of their home, earn only 25-50% of the area median income, and have adequate income to pay a 20-30 year zero interest mortgage with a 1% down payment. The successes of Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia would not be possible without the support of their partnerships with individuals, corporations, civic organizations, associations and faith based groups from throughout the community. Equally important are the committed employees and volunteers who dedicate countless hours to achieve the goal of providing homes for those in need. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the groundbreaking of Perry Hall and in recognizing the invaluable contributions that Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia has made to the entire region. I would also ask that my colleagues join me in thanking the supporters, employees and volunteers of this wonderful organization for their ongoing dedication.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the volunteers who assist the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office. These volunteers work with deputies and civilian staff to help inmates to improve their lives during incarceration and to prepare them for a successful transition back into the community. With more than 500 deputies, the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office is the largest Sheriff's office in Virginia and among the largest in the country. These deputies perform invaluable services for Fairfax County residents to include providing court security, managing the detention center, and serving the civil law process. Volunteers with the Sheriff's Office help provide inmate programs and services at the Adult Detention Center (ADC) and Pre-Release Center, including mental health counseling, religious services, alcohol and drug support groups, health education, library services and job training. Volunteers complete a Sheriff's Office training program and also work closely with staff to ensure that best practices are followed. The efforts of these volunteers improve the lives of those incarcerated, reduce recidivism, and make our communities safer. Each year, the Sheriff's Office hosts a luncheon to thank all of the dedicated individuals who help make the volunteer program a success. The office also recognizes one individual in each service area and it is my honor to recognize these extraordinary citizens: OPPORTUNITIES, ALTERNATIVES, and RESOURCES--DON EHRETH Don Ehreth became an active OAR volunteer in March of 2009. At the Family Outreach desk, Don lends a compassionate ear to the concerns of the families and friends affected by incarceration. While others are relaxing on a weekend, Don educates and provides information about the incarceration process and OAR services.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Volunteer Fairfax, and more particularly the contributions that its volunteers make to our community. Volunteer Fairfax mobilizes people and resources to meet regional community needs. Areas in which Volunteer Fairfax acts as a clearinghouse and matches volunteers to community needs include literacy programs, homeless and poverty assistance, emergency response and recovery functions, senior citizen assistance, education, and many more. I am honored to pay tribute to the following winners of the 2010 Volunteer Fairfax Awards: Community Champion Award Recipients are: Braddock District: Jeff Root; Dranesville District: Maya Huber; Hunter Mill District: Jim Larson; Lee District: Jane Hilder; Mason District: Frank Vajda; Mount Vernon District: Linwood Gorham; Providence District: Tysons Corner Center Employees Springfield District: Mike Thompson, Jr.; Sully District: Verdia Haywood; Fairfax County At-Large: Chris and Lisa Bright. Competitive Award Recipients are: Adult Volunteer Over 250 Hours: Kevin Takeguchi; Adult Volunteer Under 250 Hours: Campbell ``Cam'' Gibson; Adult Volunteer Group: Digital TV Volunteer Team Family Volunteer: Renee and Sean McGinnis; Senior Volunteer: Ibrahim Barsoum; Volunteer Program: Homestretch Volunteer Program Youth Volunteer: Simrun Soni; Youth Volunteer Program: McLean Local Heroes; Corporate Volunteer Group: Excella Consulting; Rising Star: Zack Sanders. Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient: Betty Powell. Benchmark Award Recipients: A number of other individuals are being honored for significant contributions of time and energy to dozens of volunteer organizations in Northern Virginia. I congratulate and thank each of the Benchmark Award Honorees for their commitment to the community. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing our gratitude for the efforts of these volunteers and their colleagues at Volunteer Fairfax. The selfless commitment of these individuals provides enumerable benefits to Northern Virginia as a community as well as life-changing services to the individuals in need.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today, joined by my colleague, Congressman James Moran, to recognize the recipients of the 19th Annual Best of Reston Awards for Community Service. The Best of Reston Awards are presented to individuals, organizations and businesses that have put forth tremendous effort in their commitment to community service and improving the lives of others. Local businesses, organizations, and individuals are recognized at this event for their contributions enriching our community. The Best of Reston Awards are the result of collaboration between Reston Interfaith and the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce. Reston Interfaith is a volunteer organization dedicated to providing social services to vulnerable individuals in Reston, Herndon and the surrounding area. Their mission is to ``promote self-sufficiency through direct support and advocacy for our neighbors in need of food, immediate shelter, affordable housing, quality child care, and other human services.'' Founded in 1970 with the goal of making housing affordable, Reston Interfaith has grown to serve 13,000 residents and has expanded its service areas to include programs in housing, child care, food services and nutrition, social services, and other critical areas. Recipients of the 2010 Best of Reston Awards for Community Service are: Individual Community Members: Imam Mohamed Magid and Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk, Holly Norris, and Emily Ward. Civic/Community Organization: Reston Historic Trust. Small Business Leaders: The Virginia Spine Institute and Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. Corporate Business Leaders: Reston Heights Hotels: The Sheraton Reston Hotel and The Westin Reston Heights. Fairfax County 2009 First Responder Officers of the Year: Officer Eric R. Glueckert of the Fairfax County Police Department, and Ronald A. McNew and Craig S. Furneisen, Jr. of the Fairfax County Fire Department. We congratulate the recipients of the 2010 Best of Reston Awards for Community Service as well as Reston Interfaith for its 40 years of work to better the lives of residents throughout the Reston area. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join Rep. Moran and me in paying tribute to Reston Interfaith and its 2010 honorees for their demonstrated commitment to our community. I also would like to express my sincere gratitude to these individuals for contributing their time and energy to make our community a better place for us all.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, thanks to this Congress, hundreds of millions of Americans have received hundreds of billions of dollars in tax cuts, in fact, more than $800 billion. If that sounds like an astounding number, it is. It astounded President Reagan's Domestic Policy Advisor, Republican Bruce Bartlett, who said ``Federal taxes are very considerably lower by every measure since Obama became President.'' The proof of these tax cuts is clearly evident in the latest tax refund data: The average refund in America increased by 10 percent this year, to a record $3,000. Thanks to the tax cuts passed by this Congress, we've returned more money to American taxpayers than ever before. The Recovery Act we passed last year was enacted to stabilize the economy. It created 25 separate tax cuts now benefiting 95 percent of all Americans. While they haven't received the same level of attention as the jobs and infrastructure we worked on in that bill, the tax cuts actually make up the largest component of that act. More than 241,000 families in my district, the 11th District of Virginia, benefited from Making Work Pay tax cuts that provided $400 to individuals and $800 to every family. The Act also included a tax credit of $250 for Social Security recipients, providing some relief to 79,000 seniors in my district, and to 1.3 million Virginia seniors throughout the Commonwealth. We prevented 26 million Americans from being subjected to the AMT tax. We expanded the child tax credit to families of 16 million children. In total, the Recovery Act was a $288 billion tax cut bill. In addition to expanding health care coverage and lowering insurance premiums, the recently passed health insurance reform will provide billions of dollars in tax relief. It provides $40 billion in tax cuts for small businesses to help them afford health insurance. Currently, only 43 percent of those companies are able to afford that coverage. Eight percent of companies that do provide insurance said that without reform they'd have to cut health insurance this year. The new law provides billions of dollars in tax credits to those small businesses, the engine of economic growth and job creation in America, so that they can provide necessary health care coverage to their employees. Small businesses are the Nation's job creator, and represent the backbone of our economy. Congress has provided billions of dollars of tax relief to these small businesses. We expanded business deductions, increased the loss-carryback ratio, and provided greater deductions for research and development. In addition, the HIRE Act provided businesses with tax incentives to hire new employees throughout the country. A full economic recovery will depend on the expansion of the private sector, and the HIRE Act is a way of incentivizing through tax cuts those businesses to make those hires. We also extended tax cuts for homebuyers to encourage demand and stabilize the housing market, thereby safeguarding the equity of existing homeowners. Homeowners making their residence more energy efficient received tax cuts as well, enabling them to benefit from lower taxes along with the lower energy bills they got. Car buyers also received tax cuts through a sales tax deduction in last year's Recovery Act. That's just a sampling, Mr. Speaker, of how the more than $800 billion in tax cuts are benefiting the American people. But we're not done. We've got at least another $285 billion in proposed tax cuts. For example, the House passed a revised estate tax that will dramatically lower taxes starting next year, and we now await Senate action. In addition, the House and Senate are finalizing the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act that would allow individuals to continue to deduct State and local taxes from their Federal taxes, preserve the standard deduction for State and local real property taxes, and expand additional business taxes cuts. And I have introduced bipartisan legislation, I might add, to completely eliminate the antiquated telephone excise tax that was first implemented to fund the Spanish American War. This bill provides millions of dollars in tax relief, especially to our seniors. Mr. Speaker, perhaps you're wondering why we don't hear the other side of the aisle touting these tax cuts. Maybe it's because not a single one of them voted for the 25 tax cuts provided in the Recovery Act. Not one voted for the small business tax cuts of the HIRE Act. Not one voted for the Estate Tax Relief Act. These are real tax cuts that have put real money back in the hands of America and into the hands of working Americans and seniors, back into the hands of America's small business owners. That is the leadership of this Congress, and this leadership will continue providing strength to strengthen our families, our small businesses and our economy through additional tax relief.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, today I would like to recognize the members of the Auxiliary of Inova Fairfax Hospital, a group of volunteers dedicated to quality support to the hospital, patients and community, and commend them as they celebrate their 50th anniversary. The Auxiliary of Inova Fairfax Hospital is the largest corps of volunteers serving the hospital. A small group of local women got together while the hospital was still in the planning stages, as a way for interested citizens to help make the hospital a reality. The first formal meeting of the Executive Board of the Auxiliary was in the fall of 1960, when the Auxiliary numbered fewer than 100 active members. Today, when you join the Auxiliary, you are joining an organization of about 1,200 volunteer members whose mission is to provide quality volunteer services, support and financial resources to the hospital, its patients and the community. The excellent health care services our community enjoys today are a result of their hard work. In the organization's first year, volunteers logged more than 14,000 service hours. Since then, volunteers at Fairfax have contributed millions of hours of service to assist patients and allow hospital staff to focus on patient care. Among the many successful results of the volunteers' fundraising efforts was a $3 million contribution--the largest gift in the Inova Health System's history at that time--to help build the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute, a 156-bed state-of-the-art cardiac facility that opened in 2004. The volunteers also raised money to contribute $1 million each to the Inova Fairfax Hospital Women's and Children's Center and the Physician's Conference Center. Madam Speaker and my esteemed colleagues, I ask you to join me in congratulating the Auxiliary of Inova Fairfax Hospital on 50 years of extraordinary dedication for the betterment of Inova Fairfax Hospital and the greater Fairfax community.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding member of the Virginia State Police. This individual has demonstrated superior dedication to public safety and has been awarded the prestigious Valor Award by the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Valor Awards recognize remarkable heroism and bravery in the line of duty exemplified by our public safety agencies and their commitment to the community. Our public safety and law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line everyday to keep our families and neighborhoods safe. One member of the Virginia State Police is being honored this year for his exceptional service. It is with great pride that I submit his name into the Congressional Record: Recipient of the 2010 Investigative Merit Award is: Trooper Edward J. Miskin. Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the men and women who serve in the Virginia State Police. Their efforts, made on behalf of the citizens of Virginia, are selfless acts of heroism and truly merit our highest praise. I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding this group of remarkable citizens.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize outstanding members of the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue. These individuals have demonstrated superior dedication to public safety and have been awarded the prestigious Valor Award by the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Valor Awards recognize remarkable heroism and bravery in the line of duty exemplified by our public safety agencies and their commitment to the community. Our public safety and law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line everyday to keep our families and neighborhoods safe. The individuals are receiving awards at the 2010 ceremony in three categories: The Bronze Valor Award, the Lifesaving Merit Award, and the Lifesaving Award. Thirty members of the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue are being honored this year for their exceptional service. It is with great pride that I submit their names into the Congressional Record: Recipients of the 2010 Bronze Valor Award are: Technician II Daniel Beck, Technician I Allan Kehrer, Captain Kim Pumphrey, Technician I Shane Barnett, Technician II Michael Moore and Technician II Michael Mishler Recipients of the 2010 Lifesaving Award are: Technician II Michael Moore, Technician II Jonathan Moore, Technician II Jeremy Moore, Technician II Rob Ardaiolo, Captain Kim Pumphrey, Technician I Shane Barnett, Technician II Scott Coloe, Technician I Andrew Marsh, Captain Scott Dixon, Technician II Sean Trainum, Technician II Jason Scott, Technician I Mike Shannon, Lieutenant Ed McNally and Technician II Michael Mishler Recipients of the 2010 Certificate of Valor are: Technician II Walt Hunt, Technician II Dan McCleese, Technician I Matt Livingston, Technician I Steve King, Technician II Michael Mishler, Technician II Michael Moore, Technician I Cameron Malone, Technician I Chris Klahr, Technician II Clarence Voundy, Technician II Matt Norman Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the men and women who serve in the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue. Their efforts, made on behalf of the citizens of Prince William County, are selfless acts of heroism and truly merit our highest praise. I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding this group of remarkable citizens.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Manassas Park/Manassas City/Prince William County Regional Narcotics Task Force. The Task Force demonstrated superior dedication to public safety and has been awarded the prestigious Valor Award by the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Valor Awards recognize remarkable heroism and bravery in the line of duty exemplified by our public safety agencies and their commitment to the community. Our public safety and law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line every day to keep our families and neighborhoods safe. The Regional Narcotics Task Force is being honored this year for its exceptional service with an Investigative Merit Award. It is with great pride that I submit the Task Force into the Congressional Record. Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the men and women who serve on the Manassas Park/Manassas City/Prince William County Regional Narcotics Task Force. Their efforts, made on behalf of the citizens of Northern Virginia, are selfless acts of heroism and truly merit our highest praise. I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding this group of remarkable citizens.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize outstanding members of the Prince William County Police Department. These individuals have demonstrated superior dedication to public safety and have been awarded the prestigious Valor Award by the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Valor Awards recognize remarkable heroism and bravery in the line of duty exemplified by our public safety agencies and their commitment to the community. Our public safety and law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line every day to keep our families and neighborhoods safe. The individuals are receiving awards at the 2010 ceremony in a variety of categories: The Silver Valor Award, the Lifesaving Merit Award, the Lifesaving Award, the Hillary Robinette Award, and Investigative Merit Award. Seventeen members of the Prince William County Police Department and the Department's Street Crimes Unit are being honored this year for their exceptional service. It is with great pride that I submit their names into the Congressional Record: Recipient of the 2010 Silver Valor Award is: Officer Gary Mendoza. Recipients of the 2010 Lifesaving Merit Award are: Officer Joseph Westerman, Officer Tiffany Hill, Officer Brandon Fields, and Officer Heath C. Oyler. Recipients of the 2010 Lifesaving Award are: Officer Daniel Carton, Officer Adam Gardner, Officer Mark Depatie, Officer Jennifer Ingraham, and Officer Nelson Rocha. Recipients of the 2010 Hillary Robinette Award are: Officer Donald A. Hoffman, Officer Juan Sanchez, Detective Melvin Negron, Detective Victor Cordero, and Detective William Colindres. Recipients of the 2010 Investigative Merit Award are: Detective Cameron B. Crouch, Officer William E. Whited, and the PWCPD Street Crimes Unit. Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the men and women who serve in the Prince William County Police Department. Their efforts, made on behalf of the citizens of Prince William County, are selfless acts of heroism and truly merit our highest praise. I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding this group of remarkable citizens.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize outstanding members of the Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton Volunteer Fire Department. These individuals have demonstrated superior dedication to public safety and have been awarded the prestigious Valor Award by the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Valor Awards recognize remarkable heroism and bravery in the line of duty exemplified by our public safety agencies and their commitment to the community. Our public safety and law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line everyday to keep our families and neighborhoods safe. Eight members of the Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton Volunteer Fire Department are being honored this year for their exceptional service. It is with great pride that I submit their names into the Congressional Record: Recipients of the 2010 Bronze Valor Award are: Rescue Chief Ed Craig, Chief James McAllister, Captain Richard Slusher, Assistant Chief John M. McGovern III, Lieutenant Steve Godin, Captain John Roberts, Technician Jason Lowery, and Technician Michael Skeele. Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the men and women who serve in the Occoquan-Woodbridge- Lorton Volunteer Fire Department. Their efforts, made on behalf of the citizens of Prince William County, are selfless acts of heroism and truly merit our highest praise. I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding this group of remarkable citizens.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize outstanding members of the Fairfax County Police Department. These individuals have demonstrated superior dedication to public safety and have been awarded the prestigious Valor Award by the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Valor Awards recognize remarkable heroism and bravery in the line of duty exemplified by our public safety agencies and their commitment to the community. Our public safety and law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line everyday to keep our families and neighborhoods safe. Three members of the Fairfax County Police Department are being honored this year for their exceptional service. It is with great pride that I submit their names into the Congressional Record: Recipients of the 2010 Bronze Valor Award are: Pilot Chuck Angle, Officer Tim Schilling and Officer Jon Karninski. Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the men and women who serve in the Fairfax County Police Department. Their efforts, made on behalf of the citizens of Fairfax County, are selfless acts of heroism and truly merit our highest praise. I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding this group of remarkable citizens.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize outstanding members of the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department. These individuals have demonstrated superior dedication to public safety and have been awarded the prestigious Valor Award by the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Valor Awards recognize remarkable heroism and bravery in the line of duty exemplified by our public safety agencies and their commitment to the community. Our public safety and law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line everyday to keep our families and neighborhoods safe. Two members of the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department are being honored this year for their exceptional service. It is with great pride that I submit their names into the Congressional Record: Recipients of the 2010 Bronze Valor Award are: Sergeant Joe McCann and Firefighter Aaron Kollmorgen. Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the men and women who serve in the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department. Their efforts, made on behalf of the citizens of Prince William County, are selfless acts of heroism and truly merit our highest praise. I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding this group of remarkable citizens.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize outstanding members of the Manassas City Police Department. These individuals have demonstrated superior dedication to public safety and have been awarded the prestigious Valor Award by the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Valor Awards recognize remarkable heroism and bravery in the line of duty exemplified by our public safety agencies and their commitment to the community. Our public safety and law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line everyday to keep our families and neighborhoods safe. The individuals are receiving awards at the 2010 ceremony in two categories: The Lifesaving Award and the Investigative Merit Award. Three members of the Manassas City Police Department are being honored this year for their exceptional service. It is with great pride that I submit their names into the Congressional Record: Recipient of the 2010 Lifesaving Award is: Officer Donald W. Hylton. Recipients of the 2010 Investigative Merit Award are: Senior Detective David E. Abbott, Jr. and Darwin A. Guyton. Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the men and women who serve in the Manassas City Police Department. Their efforts, made on behalf of the citizens of Manassas City, are selfless acts of heroism and truly merit our highest praise. I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding this group of remarkable citizens.