John Carney

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Equal Pay Day and call for passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act. In my home State of Delaware, a full-time working woman is paid nearly $10,000 less than a man who works full time. That means women in Delaware make 80 cents for every dollar men make; and for women of color, the pay gap is even worse. If this pay gap were eliminated, women in my State and across the country would have more money to spend on rent, more money for child care, more money for gas, and more money for food. Above all, a system that pays men more than women for doing the same job is just not fair; and as Members of Congress, we should do something to fix it. That's why I'm a cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act. This bill would make it harder for employers to engage in discrimination against women in the form of unequal pay. I urge my colleagues to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act so women in Delaware who do the same jobs for the same hours get the same paycheck as their male counterparts.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the many life achievements of the Honorable Loretta L. Wootten, one of Delaware's most devoted public servants. This March as we celebrate the remarkable contributions women have made throughout our Nation's history, I'm proud to recognize Loretta, someone who has broken ground for women in Delaware. Loretta emerged as a strong leader early in her political career by helping Delaware's own Joe Biden win his first bid for the United States Senate in 1972. Since then, she has been a trusted adviser for many Delaware leaders. In 1986, Loretta became the first woman elected as Register in Chancery in Delaware, a position which she held for four consecutive terms. After retiring in 2000, she once again answered the call of her community by serving as Kent County Clerk of the Peace, which she continues to this day. In addition to her numerous professional accomplishments, Loretta is a devoted wife to her husband of 51 years and a loving mother and grandmother. She is someone who has earned the respect of everyone in our community and helped make Delaware a better place for future generations. It's a privilege for me to call her a friend and work with her.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember Judge Leonard Williams, who died recently at age 78. Judge Williams was one of Delaware's most prominent civil rights leaders and a successful lawyer and judge in Wilmington. Judge Williams spent his life breaking barriers and paving the way for others. Judge Williams was one of the first African American students to integrate the University of Delaware and was the first African American on its football team. Judge Williams was the longtime law partner of Louis Redding, the Wilmington lawyer who argued Delaware's Brown v. Board of Education case before the Supreme Court. He was a friend and mentor to countless members of our community. Judge Williams was part of the Greatest Generation of African Americans, those who fought the often lonely fight for civil rights and justice, enduring struggle and hardship to make our State and our country a better place for everyone. His presence in the State of Delaware, and particularly in my home city of Wilmington, will be sorely missed. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 587 on Previous Question H. Res. 788, I mistakenly recorded my vote as ``yea'' when I should have voted ``nay.'' I ask unanimous consent that my statement appear in the Record following rollcall vote No. 587.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Delaware Speaker of the House Bob Gilligan. In November, Speaker Gilligan will conclude a 40-year career as a member of Delaware's house of representatives, making him the longest- serving member in State history. Throughout his career, Speaker Gilligan has been one of the most effective leaders in Delaware State government. Speaker Gilligan has been a trusted and compassionate leader during times when Delaware needed him most. He helped lead the State through some of its most difficult fiscal challenges. He championed open government legislation that gave Delawareans unprecedented access to their representatives and oversaw the passage of landmark civil rights reforms. And he did this while maintaining the friendship and respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. On a personal level, I will always appreciate Speaker Gilligan's friendship and support. He gave me my first job in public service as a legislative fellow, an experience that inspired my work in government and politics. It has been a real privilege for me to work over the years with Bob, and I would like to congratulate Speaker Bob Gilligan on an outstanding career and wish him well in his retirement.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, the Delaware delegation recognized the vision and tireless efforts of former Congressman Mike Castle of Delaware to develop a recreational trail along the Chesapeake and Delaware (or C&D) Canal by breaking ground for construction of the trail. The C&D Canal, managed by the Philadelphia District of the Army Corps of Engineers, has been in operation since 1829. Today, it is one of the busiest working waterways in the world, with over 25,000 vessels passing through it each year. The canal is a critical commercial waterway serving the Ports of Wilmington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. The C&D Canal is bordered by a 16-mile stretch of flat, uninterrupted land, perfect for a trail, and surrounded by more than 7,500 acres of public land, creating a unique and safe environment for recreationists. In 2004, Congressman Castle saw these assets as an ideal opportunity to enhance the canal's existing resources by adding a recreational trail. Under Congressman Castle's leadership, a working group was formed in 2004 with representatives from the State of Delaware, New Castle County, the Army Corps, Delaware City, Chesapeake City, the State of Maryland, and recreation groups. In 2005 and 2006, public workshops were held to solicit ideas and comments from local residents regarding potential recreational uses along the C&D Canal. In March 2006, a concept plan was completed by the working group, recommending the creation of a recreational trail along the canal to be used by walkers, joggers, cyclists, and equestrians. In 2007, design work for the trail began and environmental assessments were completed, and in 2009 trail design was completed. Congressman Castle was instrumental in obtaining resources for the trail. In addition to supporting efforts to acquire state and local funding, he also secured a total of $2.2 million in Public Lands Highways Discretionary awards in fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010 from the Federal Highway Administration to go toward planning and construction of the trail. Congressman Castle's vision and years of work to build a trail along the C&D Canal was not forgotten when he left office. Recognizing the tremendous benefits that could be realized by the trail, the delegation picked up the project where Castle left off. Since then, the delegation has worked with the Federal Highway Administration, the State of Delaware, New Castle County, the recreation community, and others to reinvigorate the working group and secure additional funding to build the first phase of the recreational trail along the banks of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. The recreational trail along the C&D Canal will provide a common link to communities across the States of Delaware and Maryland from Chesapeake City to Delaware City. It will create a safe and inviting recreational opportunity along the canal and will bring families and other groups to hike, bicycle, jog, skate, or ride horseback along the trail. Local business, including restaurants and shops, will reap the benefits of this increased tourism to the area. The C&D Canal trail will also support healthy lifestyles through outdoor recreation. The trail will improve safety along the canal and increase the appeal and land value of residential developments in the area. The C&D canal recreation trail will be an attractive asset for the Middletown, Odessa and Townsend region that will draw new residents to the area. Congressman Castle long ago embraced the notion that the C&D Canal is like an emerald necklace draped across the northern portion of our beautiful state, and we are so very pleased that this jewel will be named after our dear friend. On July 9, the Delaware Department of Transportation broke ground on Phase I of the recreational trail. This first phase will complete approximately nine miles of the trail from Delaware City to just beyond Summit Marina in Delaware, including the construction of two trail heads, parking areas, and comfort stations. Honoring Congressman Mike Castle's long-time support of recreational and commuter-oriented greenways and trails in Delaware and across the nation, as well as his vision, leadership, and steadfast support of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal trail, the Delaware delegation hereby dedicates the trail to him, and officially recognizes the name as the ``Michael N. Castle Trail at the C&D Canal.''

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my thoughts about the tax on medical devices. The House voted on H.R. 436, the Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012. This bill would have repealed the 2.3 percent tax on medical devices that was instituted to pay for the Affordable Care Act. While I did not support H.R. 436, I recognize that medical device makers are at the forefront of innovation and that Federal legislation should support those efforts. I am concerned about the impact that the medical device tax will have on American jobs. Particularly during these difficult economic times, I believe we must do everything we can to encourage, not stifle, job creation. I believe the Affordable Care Act will provide critical health care coverage to millions of Americans, and I also believe that paying for it responsibly is important. I did not support H.R. 436 because I do not believe that Americans already struggling to afford the cost of healthcare coverage should bear the burden of eliminating this tax. Moreover, I believe we should refrain from making significant changes to the funding structure of the Affordable Care Act until the Supreme Court has rendered its decision on the constitutionality of the law. At that time, the House should revisit repealing the medical device tax with an offset that protects American families while being fiscally responsible.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Food and Drug Administration Reform Act and, in particular, the provisions it contains to address critical drug shortages. Across the country, patients are not getting critical medications they need to battle diseases and stay healthy. This crisis is hitting cancer patients especially hard, with serious shortages of chemotherapy drugs. In response to this crisis, I introduced the Drug Shortage Prevention Act with my colleague, Representative Larry Bucshon. I'm pleased that key provisions of this bill are included in the legislation that the House passed last night. These provisions help FDA and the DEA fix some of the regulatory problems that are causing these shortages. This is not a partisan issue. Drug shortages affect all of us. I'm pleased that the Senate passed its own version of this legislation last week, and I'm hopeful that both Chambers can quickly come together to present a final package for the President's signature. When a family gets hit with a diagnosis like cancer, they have enough things to worry about. Running out of chemotherapy drugs should not be one of them.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a 10-year, $4 trillion deficit-reduction plan that is both balanced and comprehensive. In the Congress today, there is now broad support in both parties from both Chambers to reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over 10 years. That's the goal set by the President's deficit reduction commission. Today, we will consider a number of budget proposals for fiscal year 2013. None of them is perfect, but it is critical that we come together behind a reasonable 10-year, $4 trillion framework and start working on the details. Time is running out to fix this critical problem. I believe the Van Hollen and the Cooper-LaTourette proposals are both frameworks that deserve support and consideration. Both of them are balanced and fair. They include revenue increases and spending cuts, and they don't undermine the fragile economic recovery in the short term. Progress is difficult, and today's budget votes are only the first step. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on this difficult task.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the Reverend Maurice Moyer, who died Tuesday, March 6, at age 93. Rev. Moyer was one of Delaware's most respected and beloved citizens, and a prominent civil rights leader. As president of the Wilmington Branch of the NAACP from 1960 to 1964, Rev. Moyer led the fight for open public accommodations and fair housing. He was part of the 1963 March on Washington, and participated in the voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Rev. Moyer fought tirelessly for equal rights for all and was an inspiration to everyone who knew him. He did so much to make Delaware and our country a better place for all of us. It was a privilege for me to know him personally and to join his family and friends for his 90th birthday party, where we celebrated his incredible life and legacy. I will always remember Rev. Moyer's broad smile, his strong voice, and his kind heart. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the Reverend Maurice Moyer who died Tuesday at age 93. Rev. Moyer was one of Delaware's most prominent civil rights leaders. As president of the Wilmington Branch of the NAACP from 1960 and 1964, Rev. Moyer led the fight for open public accommodations and fair housing. He was part of the 1963 March on Washington and participated in the voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Rev. Moyer fought tirelessly for equal rights for all and was an inspiration for everyone who knew him. He did so much to make Delaware and our country a better place for all of us. Rev. Moyer was one of Delaware's most respected and beloved citizens. It was a privilege for me to know him personally and to join his family and friends for his 90th birthday party where we celebrated his incredible life and legacy. I will always remember Rev. Moyer's broad smile, his strong voice and his kind heart. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to encourage all my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to support this important piece of legislation to create jobs. In December, Representative Fincher and I introduced H.R. 3606, the Reopening American Capital Markets to Emerging Growth Companies Act of 2011. Today, our legislation is the vehicle for a package of bills to help small businesses access capital and grow. I'd also like to recognize Mr. Fincher and his staff, Jim Hall and Erin Bays, for their bipartisan work on this bill. I would also like to thank Ranking Member Frank and Representative Waters for their assistance and leadership throughout this process. The original bill, H.R. 3606, which is contained in the bill today before us, will create jobs in part by making it easier for emerging growth companies to undertake IPOs and go public. On average, research tells us that 92 percent of a company's growth, job growth, occurs after they go public. But in recent years, the number of companies going public has fallen off dramatically. This legislation takes a commonsense approach to reduce the cost of going public for these so-called ``on ramp'' status companies by phasing in, not exempting, by phasing in certain costly regulatory requirements. Our bill creates a new category of issuers called ``emerging growth companies.'' They have annual revenues of less than $1 billion and, following the initial public offering, less than $700 million in publicly traded shares. Exemptions for these on-ramp status companies would either end after 5 years or when the company reaches $1 billion in revenue or $700 million in public float. The legislation will also make it easier for potential investors to get access to research and company information in advance of an IPO, and this is an issue around which there's been quite a bit of discussion in committee. This is critical, though, for small and medium-sized companies trying to raise capital that have less visibility in the marketplace. Last month, these provisions were passed out of the Financial Services Committee with a bipartisan vote of 54 1. We've worked hard to craft legislation that could garner support from Democrats and Republicans and that can pass both the House and the Senate. And as you heard earlier, it's supported by the administration. In fact, many of the ideas in this bill were generated out of a process started by the Treasury Department itself. Making it easier for small and medium-sized companies to grow is an effective way to create jobs and improve the economy, and we all know how important that is to the constituents that we serve. This legislation will encourage more entrepreneurs to start businesses and allow more start-ups to become public companies and grow and create jobs. Please join me in supporting H.R. 3606.

Mr. CARNEY. I thank the gentleman. Being new at this, I think I was supposed to grab that time in opposition, but I don't oppose this amendment. So I stumbled there for a minute. I rise in support of the technical amendment that is under consideration at this time and also say that, in the work through the committee, we also had a technical amendment that was adopted by the committee that addressed a number of the concerns that were raised by Ranking Member Frank and by my good friend from Ohio (Mr. Renacci) consistent with this amendment that's under consideration right now. This is the spirit in which we've worked this bill, tried to address concerns that were raised both by interested parties as well as by individual Members. So I rise in support of the amendment.

Mr. CARNEY. I rise to claim time in opposition, though I'm not opposed to the amendment.

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to first thank the gentleman from California for his amendment and for working with the minority party and the ranking member on the provisions of the amendment. I understand there's support for the amendment on this side of the aisle as well. I would like to take a minute, if I could, or a couple of minutes, to talk about the Waters amendment, which was discussed a few minutes ago, just to clarify a few points, if I may. Congresswoman Waters, in committee, raised the concerns about the way information was used during the dot-com boom in the early 2000s, and there were obviously some problems with that. But I think the Record needs to be clear that under our bill, all analyst research for emerging growth companies will remain subject to certain provisions. They will be subject to the Global Research Analyst Settlement, which was a court settlement that resulted from the problems in the early 2000s. This settlement established a comprehensive set of rules that severed the link between investment banking and research activities at large banks. They will be subject to section 501 of Sarbanes-Oxley, which requires research analysts and broker dealers to disclose all potential conflicts of interest in research reports; they will be subject to Regulation AC, which requires research analysts to personally certify that the views expressed in research reports accurately reflect the research analysts' personal views about the securities, and to disclose whether research analysts were compensated in connection with specific recommendations; and, they would still be subject to stock exchange listing standards. The point is that the protections against these conflicts that the gentlelady from California is concerned about are preserved under our bill, and we would argue that the amendment is not necessary. In fact, what the amendment would do is it would take away what we think is an advantage to our legislation, which is research that would be available on small emerging growth companies which are not covered currently by certain of these regulations. So I'd like to just ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle-- obviously, the amendment failed on a voice vote, and I would ask, as the amendment goes to a recorded vote, that my colleagues keep in mind that these protections still exist for investors. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to support bipartisan legislation to create jobs. In December, Congressman Stephen Fincher and I introduced H.R. 3606, the Reopening American Capital Markets to Emerging Growth Companies Act of 2011. Our legislation will create jobs by making it easier for emerging growth companies to undertake an IPO. On average, 92 percent of a company's growth occurs after they go public. Unfortunately, in recent years the number of companies going public has fallen dramatically. This legislation will reduce the cost of going public for emerging growth companies by phasing in certain costly regulatory requirements. Last night, our legislation passed out of the Financial Services Committee with a bipartisan vote of 54 1. We have worked hard to craft this legislation in a way that can pass both the House and the Senate and be signed by the President. Please join me in supporting this bipartisan legislation that will create jobs and grow the economy.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to clarify my position on a vote cast on February 9, 2012. The vote was on passage of S. 2038, the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, which would prohibit members of Congress and staff from benefiting from insider trading based on non-public information. On rollcall vote Number 47, I did not vote. It was my intention to vote ``aye.''

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the prescription drug shortage crisis we have today in America. Across the country, patients are being forced to go without the critical medication they need to battle diseases and stay healthy. This crisis is hitting cancer patients especially hard, with serious shortages of chemotherapy drugs. That's why this week I introduced the Drug Shortage Prevention Act with Representative Larry Bucshon, my Republican colleague from Indiana. Our bill helps FDA work with drug producers and distributors to fix some of the regulatory problems that are causing these shortages. It also improves communication so doctors and patients have the information they need to make smart treatment decisions. This is not a partisan issue. Drug shortages affect all of us, and so I urge my colleagues to quickly pass this bipartisan legislation. When a family gets hit with a diagnosis like cancer, they have enough things to worry about. Running out of chemo drugs should not be one of those things.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate two very important events in our Nation's history that occurred on December 7. As we know, today is National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. We pray for the more than 3,500 U.S. soldiers and civilians who were killed or wounded in defense of our Nation that day. The sacrifices they made 70 years ago are not unlike the sacrifices that our soldiers and their families are being asked to make today. December 7 is also an important milestone for the founding of our Nation. Today is Delaware Day, the 224th anniversary of Delaware's ratification of the United States Constitution, making Delaware the first State to join the Nation. Delaware's Founding Fathers saw the vision and genius of the form of government laid out in our Constitution. It is this vision and this document that continues to guide everything we do today. So let us take time today to remember the contributions every generation has made to protect the values and freedoms upon which this great Nation was founded.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a remarkable woman and to honor her decades of service to the State of Delaware. Former State Senator Nancy Cook has been a leader in strengthening Delaware agriculture and our economy for the past 40 years. Senator Cook has been an irrepressible leader since becoming Delaware's first female Democratic senator in 1974. For 36 years, Senator Cook served with distinction on the Senate Agriculture Committee, where she accomplished so much for Delaware farmers. Recently, a legislator remarked that agriculture had no better friend in the Delaware Senate than this lady, and I couldn't agree more. In 1991 Senator Cook helped create the Aglands Preservation Program, which has preserved over 20 percent of Delaware's farm land. In 1999 she helped establish Delaware's landmark Nutrient Management Program. The program is now a role model for the entire region in the effort to manage animal waste responsibly and protect precious bays and waterways. I would like to thank the Delaware Farm Bureau for its decision to honor Senator Cook with the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award, and to join the bureau in celebrating an incredible leader for Delaware. Congratulations to my good friend, Senator Cook.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, last week I sponsored a job fair in my home State of Delaware in Georgetown. The good news is that nearly 2,000 people turned out to meet 55 employers, some of whom had jobs for them. The bad news is that so many people out there are looking for work. Thousands of people in Delaware and millions across the country are looking for work. Mr. Speaker, it's time we vote a jobs bill here in the House of Representatives. The President set up the American Jobs Act. It contains infrastructure investments on roads, highways, and schools. It contains tax cuts for small business. These are things that we could all agree on here in Congress, and they will help businesses create the jobs that people need right way in our districts. It's time we do what the people sent us here to do in Washington. It's time to pass a jobs bill here in the House of Representatives.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. I thank my colleague from Hawaii, one of the other small States. I know you're a delegation of two; we're a delegation of one. I represent the whole State of Delaware. I tell my constituents that we have two Senators and one Member of Congress. That means that I have to work twice as hard, Mr. Speaker, to serve the people in my State. I'm pleased to join my freshman colleagues on the Democratic side of the aisle this afternoon for our discussion about small business and job creation, and I'd like to talk for a little bit about the situation in my State, the State of Delaware. All of us are coming off a district work week, where we spent our time, I'm sure, meeting with constituents, talking to business owners, small business owners, large business owners, and working our districts. And I did the same thing in Delaware, not too far from the Capitol here. I would like to highlight two meetings that I had in particular. One was a job fair that we held in Georgetown, Delaware, which is the county seat in the lower part of our State. Many people from the Washington, D.C. area know Georgetown as they pass through it to go to our lovely beaches during the summer time to enjoy time with their family at the beach. This particular day we sponsored a job fair in Georgetown, along with Senator Carper and Senator Coons. This was a program that Senator Coons championed in Wilmington initially, and we've moved it now to the other two counties of our State and had a job fair in Dover and a job fair in Georgetown this past week, really helping to connect those folks in our State who are unemployed or underemployed, people looking to move up with employers who are looking to hire. And even though we have over 9 percent unemployment nationally and a little bit over 8 percent unemployment in our State of Delaware, there are still a lot of jobs that go wanting, mostly because the employers are not able to find people that have the required skills for that particular enterprise. So the good news about this job fair is that we had 55 employers there, many of whom were prepared to hire people and offer them jobs, certainly take resumes and interview people or set up interviews. But we had over 8,000 people who came seeking employment or seeking an upgrade in their current job situation. And that's a lot of people in the small State of Delaware in the least populous area of our State. So it tells us the very serious problem that we have with the lack of jobs and the lack of skills that people might have to do the jobs that are out there. Later on in the week, I met at PATS Aircraft, which is an airplane manufacturing facility at Georgetown Airport. They've been hiring airplane mechanics over the last several years. In fact, when I was lieutenant governor, one of the biggest problems that they had was finding workers that had the requisite skills to do the jobs that they had. Now, they have since lost some of that work; but they were looking ahead and anticipating, with some assistance from the FAA, to extend the runway there at Georgetown Airport--going back to your point about the need for infrastructure to stir business development, business growth and job creation. If we were able to extend the runway there at the airport, PATS would be able to hire more mechanics. But there are a lot of people out there, while they might want those jobs, would not have the skills to do the work. And so Delaware Technical and Community College, with the help of the State government, has developed a training program specifically to prepare workers for that facility and other airplane manufacturing facilities in our region. We have a Dassault Falcon plant, which does airplane maintenance and mechanics at the New Castle County Airport, as well as a large Boeing facility over the line in southeastern Pennsylvania. So these are jobs. They are highly skilled jobs. They are jobs that require mechanical ability. They are jobs that require training. And there are certainly lots of folks out there that are looking for employment, and these are the kinds of jobs that we need to prepare people for. One of the press conferences we had this week was at Delaware Technical & Community College where we highlighted a Federal grant that was going to Delaware Tech to create training programs for businesses, basically to enable people to upgrade their skills to take the jobs that are available. One of the problems, obviously, that we have in our country--and the President's employment council has identified this problem--is that we have jobs that are out there, but we don't have people with the right kinds of skills for those jobs. So we need to have programs--and this is where the public sector comes into play, particularly technical and community colleges--to provide that training and those skills for those folks. Later on in the week, I met and spoke with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce; and the Georgetown Chamber, of course, is comprised mostly of very small businesses. They had a really simple message for me, as a Member of Congress, and that is that they see their businesses struggling because of a lack of confidence among consumers. And when you think about the U.S. economy at large, about 70 percent of economic activity is consumer driven. So when consumers don't have confidence either in their employment situation in the present--they may not be employed--or their future employment situation, they're not willing to spend money on small business services or products in the community and, therefore, these small businesses suffer. So their message to me was really a simple one, twofold. One is: Do no harm in Washington, DC. Do the work of the people, solve the problems that we have, and inspire confidence. And I think one of the ways that we can do that--there's a lot of discussion. Most of the discussion that I hear from my constituents in the State of Delaware-- and we've had town hall meetings. We're going to have a telephone town hall meeting tonight. I'm sure I will hear the same thing: Enough with the partisan bickering back and forth across the aisle. Let's focus on the challenges that we face--creating jobs and strengthening businesses, creating a business climate in the short term where businesses can thrive, where consumers can have confidence so they'll be willing to spend on small businesses and other procurement. And in the long term, address our deficits, our debt, and our budget imbalances. If we're able to do that, we'll at least provide some confidence to the people that we represent that those that they send from Delaware, the Members of the House of Representatives here and our Senators across the Capitol, are doing their part, are working together, are focused on not the politics of where we all stand in relation to the next election but on solving the problems that face our country. I think the vote that we have coming at the end of this year, which will be the result of the work of the Committee on the Budget, will be maybe one of the most important votes in a number of years. I have heard our majority whip Steny Hoyer refer to it as the most important vote here in the last 30 years. And I think that's right in many respects, because people out there, my constituents, your constituents, Ms. Hanabusa, in Hawaii--I see our colleague from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline) has joined us as well--our constituents are asking us, begging us to do our work to inspire confidence and to do the right thing for the country. And that involves giving people the skills they need to be able to do the jobs that are available out there, creating confidence so businesses can make investments, so people will be willing to spend money and consume so our economy will get back on its feet again. In the long term, we'll set up a fiscal situation with our government so that the economy can be strong and create jobs for my children and their children. So I want to thank my colleague from Hawaii for leading our dialogue this afternoon on job creation, on small business development across our country in our respective districts, and I look forward to sitting here with you for a few more minutes and engaging in this dialogue. I just wanted to give a few words about how the people in Delaware are responding to the work that we are doing or are not doing here in the Congress.

Mr. CARNEY. Oh, I absolutely got that sense. And people that I talked to--Democrats, Republicans, it really didn't matter what party affiliation they had--were pretty fed up with what they had seen in the whole debt ceiling debacle, not so much the debate around it but the fact that we let it go to the brink and that we seem to want to, with every continuing resolution, every important vote, take it to the brink before coming together, however that might happen, whether it's one side of the aisle getting enough votes or whether it's coming across the aisle and having a bipartisan approach. Frankly, the people in Delaware are more focused on having us address problems and solve those problems, and they're not really concerned at all, in fact, with the politics of it. What they tell me is: Cut it out. Cut it out. And they ask me: Is it so bad? And I tell them that I have been reading a lot of Civil War history of late. I read a book about Abraham Lincoln about a year ago and, after that, started looking for other books to read. Of course just after we were sworn in, one of our leaders, Congressman Larson from Connecticut, gave us a history of the House of Representatives. And because I had been doing so much reading about the Civil War, I decided to go first to those chapters just before the Civil War and during the Civil War and afterwards and to read about the history of the House of Representatives. And I want to tell you, it might be hard for some of our constituents in Hawaii and Rhode Island and Delaware to believe it, but things were a lot worse during that period of time. One of the stories was related in the book that one Member almost caned another Member to death on the floor of the House. I tell my constituents, it's not nearly that bad. In fact, we have a lot of friends--frankly, I have a lot of friends, and I know you do--across the aisle. I think the real problem is we have pretty significant differences of opinion on issues, and that's understandable. That's what makes our country so great, frankly, that we can come here. We can come from our respective areas of the country with different points of view. As I look around this Chamber, you see America in this Chamber through the Representatives that are sent here by the people. But we need to understand that this country is greater than all the rest of us as individuals, and we need to live up to the greatness of our country by recognizing that we have got to put our differences behind us at the end of the day so that we can come to some resolution for the good of the people at large.

Mr. CARNEY

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize September as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. When I served as Delaware's Lieutenant Governor, I spent a lot of my time helping children in our State understand the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices. I started a program called the Lieutenant Governor's Challenge that helped thousands of Delaware students make regular physical activity part of their daily lives. One of my partners in these initiatives was Nemours, a foundation that operates A.I. DuPont Hospital, a world-class facility for children in Wilmington, Delaware. Nemours works with schools, childcare centers, and community organizations to help children make healthy food and lifestyle choices and to stay physically active. If we can help children make healthy decisions at an early age, those habits will stay with them for a lifetime, and we will save money on the country's health care bill as a result. Mr. Speaker, we should follow the lead of organizations like Nemours for the healthy messages they bring to our children in places where they live, learn, and play.

Mr. CARNEY

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