Gerald Connolly

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Hinojosa for his leadership on this important resolution, and I thank my colleague from Florida. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. I now yield 4 minutes to the chairman of the Higher Education Subcommittee, my friend from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa).

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1144) expressing condolences to the families of the victims of the February 27, 2010, earthquake in Chile, as well as solidarity with and support for the people of Chile as they plan for recovery and reconstruction.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, since it began in 2007, the Great Recession has caused tremendous hardships throughout the Nation. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs, in increasingly larger numbers every month, including 741,000 in January 2009 alone. Our economy contracted an astounding 5.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, and an unbelievable 6.4 percent as this Congress and the Obama administration were taking office in the first quarter of 2009. Foreclosures were skyrocketing, up 81 percent in 2008, with more than 2.3 million homes in default or seized. Our economy was on the brink. Nowhere was that more evident than in the precipitous drop of American households' net worth. I brought a visual aid today because words alone cannot do this loss justice. From December 2007 through March 2009, Americans lost $17.5 trillion in net worth. That is trillion with a ``t.'' That is larger than the entire economy of the United States. If we dedicated the entire output of the U.S. economy, every penny spent by every single person, it still would not equal that loss. It represented a loss of $56,000 for every single person in our country. I am not talking about the value of a business, or corporate profit. The net worth of American households is their 401(k) and retirement accounts. It is in the value of their children's education fund. It is their emergency savings and nest eggs. It is the equity in their homes, the single largest asset most Americans have. In fact, foreclosed homes have decreased the equity of existing homeowners by $502 billion alone. American homeowners who always have remained current on their mortgage payments nonetheless have lost more than half a trillion dollars in equity, simply because of those foreclosures. And the broader housing market troubles have only exacerbated that loss. This long red line represents that loss. It represents $17.5 trillion of lost college payments, $17.5 trillion of delayed retirement, $17.5 trillion lost from the American dream. This blue line represents the return to growth for that net worth. One of the very first acts this Congress undertook was to pass the Recovery Act. The economy was in free fall, and Americans were literally losing trillions of dollars. And it worked. The first quarter after we passed the Recovery Act, the economy slipped only 0.7 percent, and by the end of last year it had recovered and grown by 5.9 percent, the largest increase in 6 years. Housing prices had an unprecedented 22 straight months of decline starting in 2007, leaving more than 20 percent of all homeowners underwater with negative equity. Not only are these homeowners unable to access home equity in case of emergencies, they cannot sell their homes without risking bankruptcy if they need to relocate for their jobs. As a result of our actions through the Recovery Act, and the extension and expansion of the first time home buyers tax credit, and overall mortgage refinancing support, housing prices stabilized. And in December 2009, they grew for the seventh consecutive month. While their value has not fully recovered, the average home sale price increased $45,000 from January 2009 through January of this year, restoring tens of thousands of dollars in equity to each homeowner. The stock market, representing the retirement funds, 401(k)s and life savings of so many Americans, has grown almost 60 percent since its March 2009 low. Although there is still a way to go to fully restore the value, the increases have been steady. The result of these improvements to the American people is the blue line. It is $5 trillion of value restored to American households. Madam Speaker, I ask you to look at that red line again. The decline was continuous until our interventions. Since our actions, the growth has been continuous. We are not out of the woods just yet. Households lost value every month for the longest recession since World War II. But we have turned the corner, and Americans today have $5 trillion more in net worth because of our actions. That is why it is vital to stay the course so we can continue to help every homeowner recover their life savings and restore prosperity to every household.

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 offer my support for H. Res. 1059, honoring the bravery and heroism of our local urban search and rescue teams for their lifesaving efforts in Haiti. The earthquake of January 12, 2010 was a horrific event that wreaked untold devastation and tremendous loss of life on Port-au-Prince and its surrounding areas. In a matter of minutes, 200,000 people lost their lives. It was a sobering reminder of how fragile life is. The response, worldwide, to this awful tragedy has been a comforting reminder of our resilience and willingness to lend aid and hope to those in need. The men and women of the Fairfax County, Virginia, New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Miami-Dade and Virginia Beach urban search and rescue teams immediately left for Haiti, risking their own lives to save others. Day in and day out, these men and women serve their local communities, providing lifesaving care at home, but when there are people in great need, America's local urban search and rescue teams always rush to answer the call. During the initial days after the quake, these men and women brought relief to worried families and hope to an anxious nation with daily rescues from the rubble. We should all be thankful for their efforts, and I am especially proud of Virginia Task Force 1 from Fairfax, which I represent. During its time in Haiti, Virginia Task Force 1 participated in the rescue of 16 people. While the untold loss of life was horrific, the efforts of all of our urban search and rescue teams made a difference. I continue to offer my deepest sympathy to the people of Haiti as they cope with the aftermath of this terrible tragedy. I commend the heroic men and women of Virginia Task Force 1, and all our urban search and rescue teams, for so richly embodying the American spirit that says if you are in need, we will help. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, as the mid-Atlantic region continues to dig out from historic winter snowstorms, it reminds us of our efforts to continue to dig out of the Great Recession. The snow finally stopped falling, yet it has taken us a long time to get back to normal. Thousands of people waited in subfreezing temperatures for days for their power to be restored; thousands more waited days for their streets to be plowed. Despite best efforts, the recovery has taken time. Our economic recovery also takes time. The Great Recession of 2007 has officially lasted for 19 months. It was the longest recession since the Great Depression. Seven hundred forty-one thousand Americans lost their jobs in January of 2008. In the first quarter of 2009, GDP tumbled an astonishing 5.4 percent. By March, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had plummeted more than 53 percent. Unemployment rose to 10.2 percent, a 26-year high. Without immediate action, Mr. Speaker, the economy was on the brink of falling into a devastating depression. With more than 700,000 Americans losing their jobs every month when we took office, we had to act immediately, and we did. The Great Recession lasted 2 years, and a full recovery will take time. But we made significant improvements in all areas of the economy, and we are in recovery now. Second quarter GDP in 2009 slipped 0.7 percent. The following quarter saw a return to economic growth of 2.2 percent. And in the fourth quarter of 2009, GDP exceeded expectations and registered an outstanding 5.7 percent growth, a swing of more than 11 percent in just 9 months. The manufacturing industry grew in January 2010 for the sixth consecutive month and, according to the Institute for Supply Management, is at its highest level since August of 2004. Retail spending, a critical component of recovery, increased 0.5 percent in January. The stock market has increased almost 60 percent since its March low, beginning to restore 401(k)s and college funds. Mark Zandi, a Republican economist from Moody's and former economic adviser to Senator John McCain during his presidential campaign, said, ``I don't think it's an accident that the economy has gone out of recession and into recovery at the same time that the stimulus is providing its maximum economic impact.'' Mr. Speaker, our job is not finished, but our efforts have saved the economy from complete collapse and half-restored growth. A full jobs recovery will also take time. Monthly job growth during the economic boom in the late 1990s was 231,000. The 2000s saw much worse job conditions. Through the 8 years of the Bush administration, annual job growth was the worst since World War II, averaging just 0.2 percent, less than half of the next lowest administration. We had our work cut out for us from the start, but we acted decisively and created the conditions for job growth. Job losses that were 741,000 when we started here, by November of 2009, we had in fact created 64,000 jobs net. As a consequence of declining job losses, the unemployment rate has begun to fall from 10.2 percent to 9.7 percent today. It will take time to fully dig out of this economic morass. Therefore, it is critical we maintain the course and allow our efforts to continue their positive effect. Mr. Speaker, the mid-Atlantic region suffered a second serious winter storm within the same week. For those who hadn't fully dug out from the first record blizzard, the additional snowfall was a daunting and dangerous challenge. The same holds true for our economy. But, unlike the weather, we can have an impact. Americans have always been persevering. If we stay the careful course that has led to the beginnings of our recovery, we can avoid the dangers of a double-dip recession. We can and will maintain our economic recovery until every American has a chance to return to work.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the celebration of Chinese New Year. This year marks the 4,708th year in the Chinese Lunar calendar. In Virginia's 11th District, constituents of different backgrounds-- including Chinese, Indonesian, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Malaysian--gathered on February 13th and 14th to ring in the New Year. The celebration that many of my constituents attended was presented by the Fair Oaks Mall and sponsored by the Hai Hua Community Center in Virginia. This celebration was a testament to the rich cultural traditions that are often practiced by the residents of Northern Virginia. This year, the Lunar New Year celebration also included a Lantern Festival celebration. The festivities consisted of cultural performances, demonstrations, and arts and crafts activities. To my constituents and all those who celebrated Chinese New Year, I wish you a prosperous Year of the Tiger.-

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Our Daily Bread, and to congratulate them on their 25 years of service to the community. Our Daily Bread is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to providing critical services to families and individuals suffering from financial hardship. Through robust community support from local faith- based groups, community organizations, local businesses, schools and universities, Our Daily Bread has grown to provide food, financial literacy education and assistance, school supplies, and holiday cheer to thousands of people in our area. Our Daily Bread's mission is to identify and address the unmet fundamental needs of Fairfax area residents, and to empower the community to help our neighbors maintain self-sufficiency. This mission of sustainability and self-sufficiency evolved from humble beginnings. Our Daily Bread was founded in 1984 as a temporary homeless shelter that rotated among several area churches. When Fairfax County opened a county-run shelter in the Reston area, Our Daily Bread refocused its energies on feeding the homeless and opened a soup kitchen to serve those most in need. Recognizing the difficulties faced by those patrons unable to benefit from this service, Our Daily Bread again reinvented itself first by delivering sandwiches made by volunteers and later to delivering supplemental groceries directly to homeless families who were living in motels along Route 50 in Fairfax. Our Daily Bread has a history of being dynamic in the face of changing demographics. Beginning in the 1990's and largely fueled by the high cost of rental housing, a new urgent need emerged. Families who were not homeless, families in which one or both parents were often juggling multiple jobs, were finding themselves unable to meet their basic needs and were just one crisis away from homelessness. Our Daily Bread rose to meet this challenge and began a program offering emergency financial assistance in the form of a modest one-time grant of up to $350.00. More recently, Our Daily Bread expanded their services to provide financial mentoring, a back to school program and holiday meals and gifts. It is a testament to talent and commitment of the volunteers, staff, and supporters who make Our Daily Bread what it is today; an organization with the foresight and readiness to take on new problems, while continuing to deliver on core initiatives. Today, Our Daily Bread provides critical services to the elderly, the working poor, the disabled and the homeless in the Fairfax area. In 2009, Our Daily Bread provided food assistance to 345 families, a 73% increase from the previous year. In addition, 279 families benefited from financial assistance and over 100 families took part in financial literacy training and mentoring. Nearly 3,800 families were served by the holiday program, and 350 children received supplies for school. Over half of those assisted by our Daily Bread's program were children. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in paying tribute to Our Daily Bread for their commitment to the community. I would also to express my sincere gratitude to the volunteers and staff who contribute their time and energy and also to the Fairfax area business community for the support they provide to this worthwhile cause.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Nyasha Sprow, 12, of Dale City, Va., for receiving a Prudential Spirit of Community Award, a nationwide program that honors youth for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The Prudential Spirit of the Community Award was created by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals in order to impress upon our young people that their contributions are important and to inspire young people to become involved in their communities. As a recipient of the award, Nyasha will receive a $1,000 award and an engraved silver medallion. Nyasha was nominated by the Prince William Chapter of the American Red Cross in Manassas. She is a seventh grader at Herbert Saunders Middle School in Manassas and is an advocate for organ and tissue donation. Her two sisters were tragically killed, and her mother made the hard decision to donate their organs and tissues. Following this tragic event, Nyasha has made advocating organ donation her personal mission. Nyasha is a spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation, where she conducts presentations for elementary school children, distributes literature at health fairs and speaks with the media. She also helps with fundraising events sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation and the Washington Regional Transplant Center. In addition to her work with the National Kidney Foundation, she discussed the issue of organ donation as a contestant in the National American Miss pageant. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Nyasha Sprow for her outstanding volunteerism. She should be applauded for her initiative in making her community a better place to live. She has demonstrated a level of commitment and accomplishment that is truly extraordinary for someone of her age, and she deserves our sincere admiration. Her actions demonstrate the impact the youth can play in our communities.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the celebration of Chinese New Year. This year marks the 4,708th year in the Chinese Lunar calendar. In Virginia's 11th District, constituents of different backgrounds-- including Chinese, Indonesian, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Malaysian--gathered on February 13th and 14th to ring in the New Year. The celebration that many of my constituents attended was sponsored by the Asian Community Service Center and hosted by Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church, Virginia. This celebration was a testament to the rich cultural traditions that are often practiced by the residents of Northern Virginia. To my constituents and all those who celebrate Chinese New Year, I wish you a prosperous Year of the Tiger.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Molly Sabolsky, a senior from W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Va., for receiving a 2010 Harry F. Byrd Jr. Leadership Award. Senator Byrd developed the award to recognize and reward students that are strong academically and demonstrate leadership qualities. A $10,000 scholarship is awarded to one student from each congressional district in Virginia. Each high school in Virginia is able to nominate one student to compete for the award. Students are nominated based upon their excellence in academics, leadership, good citizenship, and character. Molly Sabolsky embodies the reward through her academic achievement in the classroom and her leadership on the volleyball team. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Molly Sabolsky for being recognized by the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Leadership for her academic success and leadership qualities.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ann Lam Wong and Sharon Dravvorn, recipients of 2009 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards. The Milken Foundation honors teachers, principals, and specialists throughout America with $25,000 individual awards. Criteria for individual awards include exceptional education talent based on student results in the classroom, educational accomplishments outside of the classroom, and professional leadership. All of the recipients of the awards will attend the Milken Educator Forum in Los Angeles, Calif., in May. Ann Lam Wong is a biology teacher at West Springfield High School in Springfield, Va. She teaches several sections of biology, and 100 percent of her students passed the Virginia Standards of Learning tests in biology with 68 percent passing at an advanced level. Wong also teaches AP biology, where 75 percent of her students passed the AP examination with a score of 3 or higher. In addition to teaching biology, Wong mentors students who are having a hard time transitioning to high school. She started an AP summer academy, which increased AP enrollment requests at West Springfield High School by 27 percent. Wong also is the advisor for her students' Asian American Student Association. Sharon Dravvorn teaches 9th and 10th grade mathematics at Woodbridge High School in Woodbridge, Va. Dravvorn incorporates a broad range of tools in her classroom, including the use of classical music, logic games, and visual aids. She focuses on teaching students that failed their 8th grade Standards of Learning exams. Ninety-five percent of those students who have received additional instruction from Dravvorn went on to pass their exams. Along with teaching mathematics, Dravvorn is a role model for other teachers in the area. She mentors fellow teachers, leads a book club for teachers, and teaches training courses for her peers. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ann Lam Wong and Sharon Dravvorn as examples of outstanding educators through their exceptional work in and outside of the classroom. They are role models for both their students and other teachers.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois, the distinguished floor manager.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. I thank the Chair, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. First of all, let me thank, Mr. Chairman, the leadership of Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall and the floor managers, Mr. Lipinski of Illinois and Mr. McCaul of Texas. I appreciate very much their leadership. Cybersecurity, Mr. Chairman, has been a growing concern, and recent events like the attack on Google and the hacking of Web sites maintained by Members of this very Chamber in the House highlight the urgency of today's action. As you know, the bill would expand research and development work in the field of cybersecurity, to provide for increased higher education opportunities, and to launch a much needed public awareness campaign on the importance of making our electronic communications and commerce as secure as possible in today's digital age. My amendment, Mr. Chairman, would clarify that children and young adults should be an important target audience of that public awareness campaign, and must be included. Children and young adults are by far among the largest consumers of new media and technology, yet in many cases they are also the most naive when it comes to taking basic safety precautions when using this technology and these innovations, which makes it all the more important that we reach out to them specifically. While children and young adults are among the most savvy users of technology, I fear they do not fully grasp the permanence of their actions, whether it is blogging, Facebooking, Tweeting, or posting videos on YouTube. The use and portability of information technology has exploded in the past decade. More than 80 percent of households, for example, in my district have Internet access. Technology has become a vital part of our everyday lives, particularly for the younger generation. According to the Center for Education Statistics, 67 percent of preschool children have used a computer, and 23 percent of preschool children have used the Internet. Those figures of course jump exponentially higher once children reach school age, as technology becomes integrated into the classroom curriculum. By the time young people reach high school, 97 percent of them are using computers, and 80 percent are online regularly, which for parents of teenagers like myself, that may sound like a conservative figure. I cannot emphasize enough, Mr. Chairman, how important it is for us to reach children at a young age, in the classroom, to develop a healthy sense of caution as we instruct them about the wonders of technology. That is particularly true in our science, technology, engineering and math-focused schools. That is why in my district, Thomas Jefferson High School, ranked the number one high school in the United States 3 years in a row, is churning out the innovators of tomorrow. I look forward to exploring future opportunities in this area with the committee and urge my colleagues to support this important legislation. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. I thank my distinguished colleagues, Mr. Chairman, and 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. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Childhelp and to congratulate them on their 50th Anniversary. Childhelp is one of the premier national organizations dedicated to leading the fight against child abuse and neglect. Founded in 1959 by Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, Childhelp's approach focuses on prevention, intervention and treatment. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam. Childhelp's programs and services also include residential treatment services; children's advocacy centers; therapeutic foster care; group homes; child abuse prevention, education and training; and the National Day of Hope, part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month every April. Several of Childhelp's programs were firsts and continue to be studied by professionals worldwide as ``models that work.'' Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson continue to actively lead the organization and provide its vision, serving as Chairman/CEO and President, respectively. Their humanitarian commitment has been recognized throughout the world; Sara and Yvonne were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for three consecutive years, 2005, 2006 and 2007. It is impossible to know how many lives have been touched by Childhelp, how many children protected, how many families strengthened. Although exact numbers may be difficult to identify, it is clear that Childhelp has filled a critical role in child abuse prevention and education. It would not have been possible for Childhelp to achieve its many successes without the dedication and commitment of their volunteers. They are the heart and soul of the organization; they are the links that keep the chain strong. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Childhelp, especially the volunteers of this incredible organization, for their commitment to the most vulnerable members of our society, our children. I also ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating Childhelp on the occasion of its Golden Anniversary.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, the time for fiscal responsibility is now. Unfortunately, budget deficits are not a new phenomenon. We had budget deficits in 74 of the past 100 years. In fiscal year 1969, under Lyndon Johnson, we had a budget surplus of $3.2 billion. However, each of the next 28 budgets was in deficit. But starting in fiscal year 1998, under President Clinton, we had four straight budget surpluses, totalling more than $559 billion. In fact, the long term budget outlook predicted $5.6 trillion in surpluses. The last time we had four consecutive budget surpluses was in fiscal year 1930. The Great Recession, which began in 2007, dramatically increased unemployment to a peak of 10.2 percent, a 26-year high. For those fortunate enough to remain employed, the recession led to depressed wages and benefits; growing at just 1.5 percent, the lowest level since 1982. As a result, families suffered and Federal income revenues declined precipitously. In 2009, corporate income revenue declined 55 percent, or $166 billion, from its 2007 level, and individual income revenues fell 20 percent, or $230 billion. In addition to the tremendous toll this recession took on the American public, rising unemployment and stagnant wages added almost $400 billion to our debt. In fact, total Federal revenues, which historically have represented roughly 20 percent of our gross domestic product declined to 14.8 percent in 2009. Although the recession did not create budget deficits, it exacerbated their severity enormously. In the face of this budgetary maelstrom, we took decisive action. Last year, the House of Representatives voted to reinstitute a statutory pay-as-you-go piece of legislation. In 1990, Congress enacted that statutory PAYGO rule, and required spending increases and revenue decreases to be offset so as not to increase the deficit. PAYGO was one of the critical tools used to control Federal spending and effectuate eventual budget surpluses. Unfortunately, in 2002, a Republican Congress and a Republican President, President Bush, failed to reenact PAYGO, and allowed it to expire. The results were predictable and disastrous with respect to the Federal deficit. The expiration of PAYGO conveniently allowed the Bush administration to enact three budget-busting initiatives: tax cuts for the wealthy; a prescription drug plan, prescription part D, unpaid for; and two wars, one in Iraq and Afghanistan, none of these initiatives paid for. These actions dramatically increased spending and reduced revenues, adding $6.7 trillion to the national debt, and leaving the Federal budget fundamentally unbalanced for the foreseeable future. Combined with the Great Recession, these actions led to the fiscal year 2009 budget, which began in October of '08, with a deficit of more than $1 trillion. For the better part of the past decade budget deficits were ignored and fiscally irresponsible behavior reigned supreme. A true commitment to deficit reduction will require further action. And just as the previous surpluses were the result of prolonged fiscal responsibility, we must demonstrate a long term focus. Budgets do not go from significant deficits to surpluses overnight. Therefore, it is critical that we set specific milestones and identifiable budget reduction goals. The President's new budget reduces deficits to 3.9 percent of the GDP, a more sustainable level. This is a reasonable beginning for the next several years. However, more will be necessary, and our goals should continue to further reduce the deficit over the long term. President Obama's spending freeze proposal is painful, but itself it is a small, though significant action. It demonstrates a return to fiscal responsibility, and represents $250 billion in deficit reduction. Additional action, however, will have to be taken. For example, the ever-rising cost of health care not only affects every American family pocketbook, but also is a significant contributor to budget deficits. Today health care costs are 18 percent of our GDP. Without reform, that will rise to a staggering 34 percent by 2040. The House health insurance reform legislation was a first step in controlling these costs, and reduced the budget deficit by $139 billion over the next decade. Our efforts already have shown modest success. Although we are still in the throes of a fragile economic recovery, the improving conditions recently resulted in a $50 billion reduction from the '09 deficit. While we cannot completely grow our way out of deficits, creating conditions for economic growth is critical to deficit reduction, and the President's budget reflects that.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor City of Fairfax Fire Chief Thomas W. Owens and to recognize his decades of public service. Chief Owens has had a long and distinguished career in public safety. His journey began in 1969 when, at the age of 16, he joined the Sterling, Va., Volunteer Fire Department. During his 21-year tenure with that organization, he served in all operational capacities and eventually rose to the rank of Chief of the department. Shortly after he began volunteering with the Sterling Fire Department, Chief Owens began his career as a professional firefighter in 1972 as a Firefighter/Station Office with Prince William County, Va., Fire and Rescue. Between 1972 and 1990, Chief Owens' held a number of positions with several municipal fire departments in the National Capital Region, including those in Prince William, Washington, D.C., Loudoun County, and Fairfax County. In 1990, Chief Owens stepped down from his duties with the Sterling Volunteer Fire Department. That same year, he became the first Director of Fire and Rescue for the Frederick County, Va., Fire and Rescue Department. In 1998 Chief Owens returned to Northern Virginia as Assistant Fire Chief of the City of Fairfax Fire Department, and, in 2003, he was appointed Chief. This impressive history of regional service tells only a small part of the Chief Owens story and barely captures his many contributions to our community. Under his leadership, emergency preparedness and public and professional education were top priorities. Chief Owens established a formal Life Safety Education Program which emphasized fire safety education for our most vulnerable residents, children and seniors. In addition, he created a citizen-based Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) with grant funding. His dedication to the continued education of emergency responders helped lead to an expansion of the Public Safety Training Center, the strengthening of flammable liquids firefighting capabilities and the implementation of a swift water rescue program. Under the leadership of Chief Owens, the City established an Office of Emergency Management. Chief Owens has had a permanent, indelible impact in another unique area. He led the efforts to strengthen and enhance the working relationship between the City of Fairfax Fire Department, the leaders of the Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. and the City of Fairfax Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Association which fostered mutual respect, support and cooperation and resulted in second-to-none service to the residents of the City of Fairfax and the entire region. One highlight of this new partnership is a joint revenue-sharing program with the Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department to provide a sustained revenue source for fire truck and equipment replacement. Chief Owens has served as a member of the policy steering committee for the Northern Virginia Emergency Response System, which guides the all-hazards emergency planning for the region. He also served as Chairman of the Northern Virginia Fire Chiefs Committee for six years, and he coordinated the city task forces that provided support services in the Gulf Coast region after Hurricane Katrina. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Chief Owens for his years of dedication to public safety and his community and for his unwavering support of emergency responders under his command. We wish him the very best as he begins yet another chapter of his life as the Director of the Division of Fire Rescue Services for Frederick County, Md.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce 2009 Businesses of the Year. The Businesses of the Year Awards are divided into eight categories. Each year, the Prince William Regional Chamber identifies a business for each category that best exemplifies the entrepreneurial and community spirit of the County. The winners represent some of Prince William's most heartening stories of success and charity. I would like to extend my personal congratulations to the recipients of the 2009 Businesses of the Year Awards: New Business of the Year: Dogtopia of Woodbridge. Small Business of the Year: The Dog Eaze Inn. Medium Business of the Year: Whitlock & Associates Wealth Management. Large Business of the Year: R.W. Murray Co. Home Based Business of the Year: ImageWerks. Community Service Organization of the Year: Greater Prince William Community Health Center. Cultural Arts Organization of the Year: Youth Orchestras of Prince William. Community Outreach Award: Larry Hair Designers, Inc. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating the 2009 Businesses of the Year and wishing them continued success. Strong businesses are the backbone of a healthy and robust economy, and we do our community a service to encourage their creation and growth.

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia

Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the nominees for the Prince William County Teacher of the Year/Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award. The Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award program was established by the Washington Post to ``recognize excellence in teaching, to encourage creative and quality instruction, and to contribute in a substantive way to the improvement of education in the Washington metropolitan area.'' The annual recipients represent each of the 19 public school systems in the metropolitan region and a single representative from the region's private schools. The educator selected from Prince William County Public Schools also is recognized as the Prince William County Teacher of the Year. Teachers who meet the criteria for the award are those who instill a desire to learn and achieve, understand the individual needs of students, and demonstrate a thorough knowledge of subject matter and have the ability to share it effectively with students. I congratulate the 2010 Prince William County nominees for the Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award: Karen Bentall, library media specialist, Sudley Elementary School; Margaret Bozzard, third-grade teacher, Enterprise Elementary School; Toni Anne Cipriano, learning disabilities teacher, Buckland Mills Elementary School; Colleen Crownhart, physical education teacher, Dale City Elementary School; Elizabeth Genova, K-5 reading teacher, Swans Creek Elementary School; Artise Gill, 11th- and 12th-grade English and photojournalism teacher, Brentsville District High School; Tammy Hinkle, fifth-grade teacher, Buckland Mills Elementary School; Megan Howland, fourth-grade teacher/reading specialist, Buckland Mills Elementary School; Elizabeth Johnson, third-grade teacher, Buckland Mills Elementary School; Leota Johnson, art teacher, Marshall Elementary School; Mary Tate Kenneally, 11th- and 12th-grade algebra 2 and 11th-grade geometry teacher, Battlefield High School; Joseph Kirrane, sixth-grade social studies teacher, Graham Park Middle School. Terri Lawson, seventh-grade life sciences teacher, Saunders Middle School; Erin Lips, 9th-12th-grade business teacher, Stonewall Jackson High School; Donald Magee, band director, Forest Park High School; Bobbie Mandro, family and consumer sciences teacher, Gar-Field High School; Dory McAllister, 9th-12th-grade special education teacher, Hylton High School; Heather Oberle, 9th-grade English teacher, Brentsville District High School; Doreen Raymond, French and gifted education teacher, Bull Run Middle School; Erin Steinebach, fourth-grade reading specialist, Buckland Mills Elementary School. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in commending the nominees for the Prince William County Teacher of the Year/Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award. Their continued service will ensure that Prince William County students are provided with a world-class education in a more vibrant learning community.