Jimmy Duncan

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday the top front-page story in USA Today said gas will soon hit $5 a gallon. If it does, it will really slow our recovery, and some think it could lead to another recession. It will really hurt the already hurting small towns and rural areas because their people on average have to drive farther distances to go to work. Environmentalists want gas to go much higher so people will drive less; but if gas goes to $5 a gallon or even higher, it will hurt a lot of poor and lower-income and working people. I know most environmentalists come from very wealthy or upper-income families, and I know they will say we don't have enough oil to drill our way out of this problem; but if we would at least start producing a little more oil, it would be harder for other countries to keep raising their prices. President Clinton vetoed drilling in ANWR in the mid-nineties, stopping a million more barrels a day from being produced here. When environmental radicals stop more domestic oil production, it helps foreign energy producers, but it really hurts middle- and lower-income Americans.

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to honor two of the most beloved people in my District. Twin sisters Helen Ashe and Ellen Turner have been serving the homeless and winning over hearts in the City of Knoxville since they founded the Love Kitchen in 1986. The Love Kitchen served just 22 meals the day it opened, but 25 years later, it now serves more than 2,000 meals each week to the homeless and homebound. I have known Helen and Ellen for many years, and they are the kindest, most gracious and selfless people I know. They live their life by the Love Kitchen's slogan: ``Everybody is God's Somebody.'' Over the years, their hard work and devotion to the less fortunate stoked the volunteer spirit of one of this Nation's great cities and turned the pair into local celebrities. As the holidays near, it has become tradition to see Helen and Ellen on local television pleading for help so that no one in need is turned away. And the good people of East Tennessee always deliver, donating supplies and offering volunteers in droves. In fact, a few years ago my wife Lynn volunteered at the Love Kitchen, and she will never forget the experience. Helen and Ellen always exercise a remarkable humility, redirecting any deserved attention showered on them back to the Love Kitchen and those it serves. Today, they were guests on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and I am so thrilled and thankful that Ms. Winfrey took notice of these extraordinary sisters. Now, millions more outside of Tennessee have been touched and hopefully moved to similar community service by their story. Reflecting on her upbringing as the daughter of a share cropper, Helen told the Knoxville News Sentinel in 2008, ``The three truths daddy taught us were: There is but one Father, and that is the Father in heaven. There is but one race, and that is the human race, and he taught us not to take the last piece of bread from the table, because somebody may come by that is hungry.'' Mr. Speaker, I urge my Colleagues and other readers of the Record to join me in recognizing Helen Ashe and Ellen Turner for their compassionate, life-long devotion to community service and unwavering faith in God. On the occasion of their appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, I request that the Knoxville News Sentinel article celebrating their service to Knoxville be reprinted in the Record below. [From the Knoxville News Sentinel, Dec. 31, 2008] Drinnen: ``Everybody Is God's Somebody'' at The Love Kitchen (By Beth Drinnen) ``Everybody is God's Somebody.'' That's the slogan at The Love Kitchen in East Knoxville, and from the moment you walk in the building, you start to feel it. Complete strangers greeted me with smiles and a couple of ``good morning, honey's,'' as I was wrapped in warm, welcoming hugs by both Helen Ashe and her twin sister, Ellen Turner, founders of The Love Kitchen. Helen and Ellen were born in Abbeville, S.C. Their parents were share croppers. ``We've been working since we were 8 years old,'' said Helen proudly. ``My sister and I used to wash dishes for a contractor. He built a little step so that we could reach the sink easier. We made 50 cents a week,'' she said as she looked at Ellen and smiled. The sisters moved to Knoxville in 1946 when they were 18 years old. ``That's what our parents gave us as a graduation gift,'' said Ellen. ``Our parents saved up a little bit of money and we were to choose where we wanted to live.'' They chose Knoxville because their favorite aunt, one of their father's sisters, Eva Icem, lived here. ``The three truths that my Daddy taught us were: There is but one Father, and that is the Father in Heaven. There is but one race, and that is the human race, and he taught us not to take the last piece of bread from the table, because somebody may come by that is hungry,'' said Helen. People going hungry had always weighed on Helen's mind. ``Every single day I would tell Ellen, `One day, I'm going to do something about it.' '' Ellen nodded her head. ``One night,'' Helen began, ``I had a dream . . .'' Ellen quickly interrupted. ``No, you let me tell that,'' she said, her eyes shining. ``We got a phone call early one morning,'' Ellen continued, ``And my husband and I were still in bed. He said, `Honey, Helen's on the phone and I can't understand a word she's saying.' I got on the phone and it was Helen, and honey, she was just babbling away. I said `Honey, is Al okay?' Al was her husband, and I thought he was dead the way she was carrying on. I said, `Helen, calm down.' And she said, `Sis, I had an encounter with God last night. And I'm going to have that feeding program; I'm going to have a place where people can come and get something to eat.' '' Ellen looked proudly at her sister. ``And she does,'' she grinned. The Love Kitchen first opened its doors in 1986 in the basement of a local church. They eventually moved out of that space and into several more before moving into their current location at 2418 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., in 1994. The bulk of their ministry involves delivering food to homebound people. The Love Kitchen delivers food each Thursday to approximately 2,200 homes. In addition to the meals they deliver, The Love Kitchen serves breakfast on Wednesday and lunch on Thursday to approximately 40 to 110 people each day. Wednesday afternoons are dedicated to handing out anywhere from 60 to 150 food bags to the homeless or needy in the community. The bags usually contain enough food to last the recipients a week. They also hand out hygiene bags to new patrons at the Kitchen, and recently handed out approximately 300 blankets to the homeless. If Helen and Ellen are the heart of The Love Kitchen, the volunteers are the lifeblood. Most begin volunteering because they want to help the less fortunate, but wind up staying because they love Helen and Ellen so much. The University of Tennessee's chapter of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity has been sending volunteers to help pack food bags for the past fifteen years. ``It's good to come here and . . . do something nice for someone less fortunate,'' said volunteer and Phi Gamma Delta Tyler Bowland. ``I like to come to see Helen and Ellen,'' said volunteer and Phi Gamma Delta Matt Baumgartner, then he laughed. ``Seeing what they do here everyday, I think it's a good thing to come and help her out!'' He smiled, ``They have been a blessing to a lot of people.''

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me this time. First I would like to commend Chairman Rogers and his staff, because I am sure they have tried to do as much as they thought they possibly could in what would get through the Senate. But I rise at this time to especially commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell) for making what I consider to be a very courageous amendment. He knows that this amendment is probably not going to get many votes, but I will tell you, this amendment makes a very important point and sends a very powerful message, and that is that nothing should be left off the table. There should be no sacred cows. As he has pointed out, as the gentleman from California has pointed out, the Pentagon actually receives an increase under this bill. But we can no longer afford to have higher military spending than all the other nations of the world combined. We are facing an astounding $1.6 trillion deficit, a $14 trillion debt, and there is no way we can come even anywhere close to doing what we should do if we leave any departments or agencies off or make them not look for savings. The President's commission on the debt said that very thing. They said that the Pentagon was going to have to look for savings. And as far as Homeland Security, The Wall Street Journal had an editorial that they noticed that we were voting for almost anything and everything if it had the word ``security'' attached, and they said from now on we should give four times the weight and twice the scrutiny to anything that had the word ``security'' in it.

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. I thank the gentlelady from Ohio for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 72. I thank the Speaker and the House leadership for giving us this time to help call to the attention of the Nation something that has become a very serious problem, and that is the explosion of rules and regulations and red tape that has taken place over these last several years at a very rapid pace. In 2005, a study by the Small Business Administration found that businesses spent approximately $1.1 trillion to comply with Federal Rules. Confirming that, another study in 2009 by the Competitive Enterprise Institute said Federal regulatory compliance had reached $1.2 trillion for businesses. The annual outflow of rules has meant that nearly 60,000 Federal rules have been issued just since 1995. Regulatory agencies issued over 3,500 final rules in 2009. Today's Code of Federal Regulations contains an astounding 157,974 pages. They haven't designed a computer that can keep up with all of that, much less a human being. And the average family, according to another study by the SBA in 2010, they said the cost of Federal rules and regulations now costs the average family over $15,000 a year, and that has increased by more than $4,000 just in the last 5 years. George Mason University put out a report earlier this year which said that U.S. regulations ``are now more onerous than those in other countries, particularly countries that offer similar property rights and infrastructure,'' and that ``the United States risks losing investment capital and jobs.'' Speaking more specifically about the Transportation Committee, according to a GAO report the typical transportation project now takes between 9 and 19 years to plan, gain approval of and construct a new major federally funded highway project. Let me give you two examples. Several years ago when I chaired the Aviation Subcommittee, we had a hearing in which they said the main and newest runway at Atlanta airport at that time took 14 years from conception to completion. It took only 99 construction days. They were so happy to get all the final approvals they did those in 33 24-hour days. It was all environmental rulings and regulations and red tape. Four years ago, we had a hearing in the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, and they said that a highway project in Southern California, a 9-mile project, took 17 years from conception to completion, from 1990 until 2007. What these delays and rules and regulations have done is driven up the cost. We now take on average three times as long and three times the cost of any other developed nation.

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. What this does is it hurts the poor and lower-income and working people of this country because it destroys jobs, it drives up prices, all these regulations. It even kills people, when you delay for years widening and improving highways and making them safer. So it is causing problems for everything that comes out of our committee. This is a very important resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, later today we will vote on a resolution to reduce Federal non-security spending to the 2008 level or in some cases less. This is a very good first step if we follow through and abide by this resolution. However, we need to make sure that these cuts are real and not simply cuts that will be reinstated later in an end-of-the-year omnibus spending bill. More importantly, I want to add my voice to the growing chorus that is saying loud and clear that nothing should be left off the table. There is waste in every Federal department and agency, and the waste in the Defense and Homeland Security Departments is huge. No department should be given a free pass and made exempt from cost savings and belt- tightening. We have a national debt of over $14 trillion, a mind-boggling incomprehensible figure. Even The Washington Post, which has usually supported every Federal spending program imaginable, editorialized recently, ``It's time to stop worrying about the deficit--and start panicking about the debt. The fiscal situation was serious before the recession. It is now dire.''

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) for their work in bringing this bill to the floor at this time. As has been described, this is a private relief bill attempting to allow the young widow of a marine who was killed in combat in Iraq to bring the couple's young son and come to live with the marine's family in the State of Tennessee in my district. While everyone has supported this bill every step of the way, it has run into some technical or procedural difficulties that have delayed it until this point. As has previously been stated, I would like, as Ms. Chu did, to thank particularly Senator Alexander and Senator Webb who have taken such a personal interest in this bill on the Senate side, and I would like to once again thank the House for passing the general bill last month. Mrs. Ferschke, the mother of this soldier, first came to see me about this in December of 2008. Early in this Congress, we introduced a private relief bill. It took a few months to get the necessary information and complete the required paperwork, but this private bill was taken up by the Subcommittee on Immigration in the Judiciary Committee on July 23, 2009. At that time it received the support of both Chairwoman Lofgren and Ranking Member King, both of whom I would also like to thank. However, at that point there were some objections to doing private bills in the other body, and so at the direction of the staff of the Judiciary Committee, both majority and minority, we attempted to do an amendment to the Defense bill. However, some of the people on the Rules Committee, while supporting the bill, did not feel it was germane to the Defense bill, which we also had to agree with, but we were doing that at the direction of others. But I also would like to thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) because hearing about this at the Rules Committee, he took a special and personal interest in this bill also. We then introduced a general bill, once again working with the staff of the Judiciary Committee, whom I would also like to thank. That bill was passed last month in the House, but we ran into some objections here, and that is why we are back here today on this private relief bill. Hotaru Ferschke, as has been stated, is the widow of the late Sergeant Michael Ferschke of the U.S. Marine Corps. She was born on October 20, 1983, in Okinawa, Japan. In March 2007, as Ms. Chu said, when Sergeant Ferschke was stationed in Okinawa, he met her at a mutual friend's party. They dated for more than a year before Sergeant Ferschke was deployed to Iraq in April 2008. Shortly before Sergeant Ferschke deployed, the couple learned that Hotaru was pregnant. Sergeant Ferschke's parents and members of his military unit in Iraq have attested to the fact that the couple already had planned to marry before Hotaru became pregnant and had decided to live and raise their future family in the United States. The couple was married by proxy, by telephone, by a military chaplain in July of 2008 while Sergeant Ferschke was in Iraq. But 1 month later, in August of 2008, Sergeant Ferschke was killed in combat. Although the marriage is legally valid and recognized by the military, in order for Mrs. Ferschke to be recognized as Sergeant Ferschke's spouse for immigration purposes, the marriage itself would have had to have been consummated. Under the circumstances, this wasn't possible. The law makes no allowance to the fact that Mrs. Ferschke was already pregnant with her husband's child before the marriage ceremony took place. I could go on and tell additional details, but I'll just leave those for the statement that I have and say that this is something that I think everyone has wanted to support all through this, and it is a great moment for this family to hopefully finally complete this at this time at the tail end of this Congress. And so I urge my colleagues to support this very worthwhile legislation.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, several years ago, they sent us to a civility conference because they didn't think that Democrats and Republicans were getting along well enough in the Congress, and I have never forgotten something our first speaker said. David McCullough, the great historian, told a story about a Russian visitor who came up into the House gallery in 1948 and watched for a while, and then he went out and shook his head and he said, ``The House is a strange place.'' He said, ``A man stands up and says absolutely nothing, no one pays any attention, and then everyone disagrees.'' They say there is a little bit of truth in the best humor, and I guess there is some truth in that humor. But David McCullough was kind enough to go on from there and say, but if he had a chance to live his life over again and he could choose what he wanted to do, he would choose to be a member of that wild and raucous bunch known as the United States House of Representatives. I think today, because of some of the television talk shows, that many people around the country think that we all dislike each other or that we hate each other at times, or that Democrats and Republicans just don't get along at all. But that is not true at all, and I think for the great, great majority of Members, all of us get along really well with everyone, regardless of party, and all of us consider it a great privilege and honor to serve in the United States House of Representatives. We are losing many, many good Members from both sides of the aisle this year because of retirements, running for other offices, or for all sorts of reasons, and there are many other Members, both Democrat and Republican, who are good friends of mine who are leaving to whom I should pay tribute. But I rise tonight to pay special tribute to a very special man, and that is Congressman James Oberstar from Minnesota. In my entire 22 years in this Congress, I have served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. I had a couple of chances in my early years to move to other committees, and I think people were surprised that I didn't take either one of those offers. But I enjoyed serving on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, originally called the Public Works and Transportation Committee, in part because it was considered to be the most bipartisan, or nonpartisan, committee probably in the Congress. It was often said that there is no such thing as a Republican highway or a Democratic highway; and on many, many things people on both sides of the aisle on that committee worked together to help build America. Certainly, Congressman Oberstar was one of the great leaders of that committee through his entire time in the Congress. Jim Oberstar served for 11 years on the committee staff, rising to the position of staff director. He then began his service in the House and continued to serve for the past 36 years. It is an astounding figure to think that a man worked on this one committee for 47 years of his life, but he has done so with great honor and distinction. In fact, I think almost everybody knows that there is no one in the Congress and probably never has been anyone in the history of the Congress who has known transportation issues and understood them and worked on them longer and harder and with more effectiveness than Jim Oberstar has. At one point, he was chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee. In 1994, after the election, the Republicans took control and I had the honor of becoming the chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee, and I served for 6 years in that position, which was the maximum allowable on our side. When I took over as chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee, I had frequently heard Jim Oberstar referred to as ``Mr. Aviation.'' So I went to him and asked for his help, and he helped me and guided me and gave me advice that to this day I appreciate very much, and he did that in a very kind and humble way. Then, of course, in the last 4 years, he reached the pinnacle and became chairman of that committee, a committee that he loves. He has been a great chairman, and I think he has tried to help everyone on both sides of the aisle. So I just wanted to rise and pay tribute to a man that I consider to be a great American and a great Member of Congress, Congressman James Oberstar.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, Retired Major General Frederick Harwood ``Fred'' Forster passed away on November 18, 2010, after a long and very brave battle with cancer. I do not know another person who has met such a challenge with more strength, faith, and grace. Fred was a very patriotic American and one of the finest men I have ever known. He had an immeasurable impact on Blount County, Tennessee, and the United States in many positive ways. Upon reporting the news of his death, The Daily Times newspaper in Maryville, Tennessee, referred to Fred as ``a community treasure.'' Fred's pastor at Mount Lebanon Baptist Church said Blount County has lost a ``great man and friend to this community,'' and he continued on to say that, ``(Fred) believed in prayer and accepted the will of God without complaint. Dignity, respect, honor, faith, love, commitment; these are the words that describe Fred.'' Sharon Hannum, Chair of the Blount County Chamber Foundation, said, ``I have met no stronger, dedicated and compassionate leader than in the person of Fred Forster.'' Former Maryville Mayor Joe Swann said, ``His steadfastness in the face of such adversity makes him the solider we point to and say, `I had the great privilege of knowing that remarkable man.' '' Senator Lamar Alexander, a native of Maryville himself, called Fred a friend and said, ``Blount County and I will miss him greatly.'' Fred is perhaps best known for his success in the military. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1968, his accomplishments as a pilot and natural leadership abilities propelled Fred to the rank of assistant adjutant general of the Tennessee Air National Guard at the time of his retirement in 2003. During his 35-year service, he served as commander of the 134th Air Refueling Wing, Tennessee Air National Guard, and chief of staff of the Tennessee Air National Guard. Fred's time in the military took him through the Air Command and Staff College, Army Command and General Staff College, and Air War College. He received countless decorations, including a Bronze Star, and served in Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, playing an important role in the liberation of Kuwait during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Fred also found much success in community development. He served as chief executive officer of the Blount Partnership, a venture made up by the Blount County Chamber of Commerce, Industrial Development Board, Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau and Blount Chamber Foundation. His time at the Chamber is admired by all who were lucky enough to work with him until his retirement earlier this year. As you would imagine, Fred's work did not stop with the military or his time at the Chamber. He devoted much time to other civic and private organizations too numerous to name in this space. Fred was buried with full military honors at Mount Lebanon Baptist Church, and I attended his graveside service along with many hundreds of other people. It was very obvious to everyone who was there how loved and respected he was in the community. Recently, Fred's father-in-law, Garland DeLozier, also passed away. Garland was a community leader in his own right, and I offer my condolences to Fred's wife, Carolyn, who has lost her husband and father in such a short span of time. Before his passing, Fred said of Carolyn, ``She was invaluable. Couldn't ask for a better supporter and a partner and a helper and sustainer.'' Fred's daughter Rebecca was one of my House Pages and is now a member of my staff, and her sister, Joy, interned for me in 1996. I know the pain myself of losing a father at about their age, but they should have much comfort in knowing how loved and admired their dad was by everyone and how proud he was of their own accomplishments. Fred was very devoted to his family, and he will be greatly missed by Carolyn, Joy, and Rebecca, as well as his daughter, Katherine; grandchildren Drew and Caroline; mother, Harriet; and sister, Jane. Madam Speaker, I urge my Colleagues and other readers of the Record to join me in celebrating the extraordinary life of Major General Fred Forster. His life and accomplishments are without comparison, and he will forever be an example to all those who knew him.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I wish today to honor one of the most well-known and respected attorneys from my district. Bill Banks recently passed away at the age of 82. He practiced law in Knoxville for more than 50 years, and I do not know another person who respected and honored the profession more than Bill. He graduated from the University of Tennessee Law School in 1950 when there were many fewer attorneys than there are today. As the legal profession grew and more law practices opened, Bill became a leader among his peers. I have nothing but fond memories of him from my own time as a lawyer and judge in Knoxville. Bill's love of the law and government was not just limited to his practice. He also served on the Knox County Election Commission for many years and was instrumental in the transition from paper to machine voting in Knox County. He also served admirably in the Korean War as an officer with the United Nations War Crimes Commission. His work during the war earned him a citation for meritorious service. Those who knew Bill knew a humble and kind man devoted to his family and faith. He was a long-time member of Washington Pike United Methodist Church. His community involvement included the Knoxville Elks Lodge, where he rose to the rank of Exalted Ruler and Trustee. He was also an active Mason and was a member of the Burlington Masonic Lodge, the Scottish Rite and Kerbela Temple in Knoxville. I had the privilege of knowing Bill Banks personally and considered him to be a good friend for almost 40 years. He was one of the finest men I have ever known, and he touched thousands of people in good and positive ways throughout his life. I extend my condolences to Bill's daughter and son, Betsy and David; four grandchildren; brother, John; and sister, Allene. His absence will surely be felt in Knoxville, but Bill's life will be celebrated as an example of one lived with a dedication to what truly matters: God, family, and community.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I wish today to honor one of the most well-known and respected men in Blount County, Tennessee. A. Garland DeLozier passed away at the age of 88 on October 23, 2010. He lived a long and successful life full of service to God, family, community, and Country. Upon reporting Garland's passing, The Daily Times newspaper in Maryville declared, ``Few, if any, have equaled his quiet involvement as a community leader in farm, business and government circles.'' Garland's service to Blount County is legendary. He was a former Blount County Commissioner, Member of the Board of Education, President of the Chamber of Commerce, and charter member of the Foothills Land Conservancy. He was also a man of God who always used his faith as his compass. For half a century, he served as a Deacon at Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church, where he devoted his time and effort wherever it was needed. He served as church treasurer and Sunday school teacher and even volunteered in the jail ministry. Garland raised beef and dairy cattle most of his life and achieved much success in farming, what I believe to be one of the toughest jobs around. I have nothing but the greatest admiration for those persons who make their living off the land, and Garland somehow found time to run a successful farm and serve as a leader in the agricultural community. Garland served as a member of the Blount County Soil Conservation District Board of Supervisors and the state Soil Conservation Committee under Governor Lamar Alexander, whose campaign for Governor he helped lead. He was also a member of the Farm Bureau, Gideons International, and the Blount County Livestock Association, and he served on the board of directors of First Tennessee Bank and Blount Memorial Hospital. As you would expect from someone of Garland's character and generation, he volunteered admirably for service during World War II, serving three years in the United States Air Force in Europe. Garland was a shining example of not just a community leader but also a beloved father, grandfather, and husband. His 64-year marriage to wife, Tommie, is something we should all aspire. I extend my deepest sympathies to Tommie, as well as Garland's daughters Carolyn and Debora, son Arthur, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Garland's granddaughter, Rebecca Forster, is one of my former House Pages and a current member of my staff, and her sister, Joy, interned for me in 1996. They are wonderful young women who exude their grandfather's character and love of community, and I know he is proud of them. The former publisher of The Daily Times wrote on the news of Garland's death, ``I would like to say to his family that God will take care of them for all he did.'' Madam Speaker, I urge my Colleagues and other readers of the Record to join me in celebrating the life of Garland DeLozier. He is an example of leadership and generosity that is becoming rarer to find, and his absence will be felt by all those who knew him.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, Ireland, with a population of just 4.4 million, has been forced to get a $90 billion bailout to keep from crashing. With our debt of almost $14 trillion and trillion-dollar yearly deficits, we are very close to becoming a gigantic Ireland financially. A similar bailout for the U.S. would be over $6 trillion. In yesterday's Washington Post, columnist Fareed Zakaria, concerning what he called our economic crisis, wrote this: ``Washington is asking consumers to stop saving and start spending, while the government issues more debt and the Fed lowers rates--all measures designed to increase debt.'' ``In other words,'' he wrote, ``we are fighting a crisis caused by excessive debt by encouraging excessive debt. Is that really the best way to get growth?'' A few months ago the Post editorialized, ``It's time to stop worrying about the deficit and start panicking about the debt. The fiscal situation was serious before the recession; it is now dire.'' The problem is that the Post, like too many in this city, always attacks any attempts to cut spending.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for yielding. I rise today in support of House Resolution 1669, to congratulate and compliment the National Air Transportation Association on its 70th anniversary, and for its advocacy of general aviation in the United States of America. NATA is the leading organization representing aviation service businesses such as fixed base operators, charter providers, and aircraft management companies. At the start of World War II, the Federal Government drafted plans to ground all private aviation for the duration of the war. Such a ban would have crippled general aviation in this country for years to come. However, 83 founding members started the NATA in 1940 with the purpose of showing how private aviation could be an asset to our country and to its national security, and certainly not a threat. In fact, the NATA helped save the Civilian Pilot Training Program that was created by President Franklin Roosevelt just a few years earlier. This program trained thousands of college students to fly, many of whom later contributed to the war effort. Today, NATA represents over 2,000 member companies that own, operate, or service aircraft, and provide for the needs of the traveling public by offering services and products to aircraft operators and others such as fuel sales, aircraft maintenance, parts sales, storage, rental airline services, flight training, Part 135 on demand air charters, fractional aircraft program management, and scheduled commuter operations from smaller aircraft. There are more than 230,000 general aviation aircraft in the United States, which use nearly 19,000 small and regional airports. These airports help connect people and industries that do not always have easy access to our larger commercial airports. In addition, the general aviation industry represents millions of jobs, and contributes $150 billion to the U.S. economy. General aviation is a vital component of the transportation industry in the United States. Not only does the association represent aviation interests in Washington, it takes an active role in promoting aviation in our communities. NATA provides grants to schools for the purpose of purchasing educational materials. The NATA also provides scholarships to young people who are interested in pursuing a career in aviation. Madam Speaker, I served as chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation for 6 years. I personally witnessed the National Air Transportation Association's tireless efforts on behalf of private aviation. Finally, I would like to mention that the president of this association is our former colleague, former Congressman Jim Coyne. While in Congress, Congressman Coyne regularly flew to and from his congressional district in Pennsylvania. He has served in this position since 1994. And I would like to say that the members of the NATA are very fortunate to have someone with his knowledge of the aviation community to lead their association. I introduced this resolution to recognize this association and its contributions to private aviation. I hope my colleagues will join me in support of this bill.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, Jacob George Hudson, or Shag as he was known by almost everyone, is one of the most liked and respected men in Greenback, Tennessee, a town in my District. I recently received the sad news that Shag passed away at the age of 93. He lived a long life full of family, friends, and the respect of everyone who knew him. He was a very close friend to both me and my late father and one of the strongest supporters we ever had. Although Shag accomplished much personal success, his devotion to God, family, and Country always came first. He was a member of Greenback First Presbyterian Church for 62 years and served his congregation in every way possible as an Elder and Deacon. Before his death, Shag asked that people donate to the Greenback First Presbyterian Church Building Fund upon his passing instead of sending flowers. Even in death, he continued to give. Shag also devoted his life to his community. He served on the Loudon County Commission from 1954-1982. In that capacity, he married more than 3,000 couples. I cannot think of a better way to strengthen the base of a community than with an investment in family, and Shag has been there from the beginning for so many families in Greenback. Shag did not just officiate the ceremonies, but he also served as a living example of commitment through his 69-year marriage to his wife Willie Dixon Hudson. Many in Greenback also know Shag from his 65 years as a cattle broker and his 60-year membership in the Greenback Masonic lodge. He is especially proud of the time he spent as a member of the Farm Service Agency State Committee from 1987-1992. In this position, he was able to help farmers all across the State of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I would like to call the remarkable life of Shag Hudson to the attention of my Colleagues and other readers of the Record and extend my sympathies to his wife Willie, son and daughter- in-law Ronald and Judy Hudson, daughter and son-in-law Brenda and Johnny Powell, five grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and brother Howard. He is greatly missed and fondly remembered by everyone lucky enough to have known him.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, a Nationwide revolt is developing over the body scanners at the airports, and it should. Hundreds of thousands of frequent fliers who fly each week are upset about getting these frequent doses of radiation. Parents are upset about being forced to have their children radiated or being touched inappropriately by an unrelated adult. There is already plenty of security at the airport, but now we are going to spend up to $300 million to install 1,000 scanners. This is much more about money than it is about security. The former Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, represents Rapiscan, the company which is selling these scanners to his former Department. Far too many Federal contracts are sweetheart, insider deals. Companies hire former high-ranking Federal officials, and then, magically, those companies get hugely profitable Federal contracts. The American people should not have to choose between having full- body radiation or a very embarrassing, intrusive pat-down every time they fly as if they were criminals. We need a little more balance and common sense on this.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an educator and mentor from my District in Knoxville, Tennessee, who has dedicated his life to young people and Knoxville College, the institution he loves. Dr. Robert Harvey has stepped down as President of the College, and he leaves behind an institution much stronger because of his selfless devotion to the school, its students, faculty, and staff. Dr. Harvey's tenure at Knoxville College spans 68 years, beginning with his time as a student through his time as a beloved professor and finally, the school's President. I am proud of the role that Knoxville College has played in my District. As Co-Chairman of the House Historically Black Colleges and Universities Caucus, I have always offered whatever support I could to assist the school through the years. No one has done more for Knoxville College than Dr. Harvey. As long as I can remember, he has always been there when needed. After graduating from the school in 1946, he went on to teach mathematics. Even after his retirement in 1988, Dr. Harvey continued to teach on a part-time basis and stepped in as interim President four times. On the occasion of his retirement, Knoxville College has dedicated a scholarship in his name, which will be awarded to a student pursuing higher education in math and science. Dr. Harvey told the Knoxville News Sentinel that the measure of an institution is how far the student travels. No one has traveled further or sacrificed more to ensure Knoxville College's place for future generations than Dr. Robert Harvey. I have the privilege of being a member of Eastminster Presbyterian Church, the same church to which Dr. Harvey and his wonderful wife, Edwina, also belong. Bob and Edwina are two of the kindest, most compassionate people I have ever known. Both grew up, as my father did, in what would be considered bitter poverty today. But far from being bitter, they are two of the most grateful, appreciative people that one could find. They are grateful to both God and country, and this Nation would be a much better place if there were more people like Dr. Robert and Edwina Harvey. Madam Speaker, I urge my Colleagues and other readers of the Record to join me in congratulating Dr. Harvey, at the age of 87, on the occasion of his much-earned retirement. Knoxville College's legacy will forever be tied to his devotion.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. First of all, I want to say thank you to my colleague from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for those very kind words and for his help on this. He has been very interested in this since my first appearance before the Rules Committee. I also want to thank Chairman Conyers. I want to thank Mr. Poe, especially our colleague Zoe Lofgren from California, who has helped on this as well, Senator Alexander in the other body, and Senator Webb, a former marine, who has taken a great interest in this legislation. Mr. Speaker, before we are Members for very long, we see things that we think would be impossible, things that somehow work out. We also see the opposite of that as we see some things that appear to be easy or simple that somehow turn into nightmares or serious problems. While this is something that, I think, almost everyone on both sides of the aisle who when they've heard about it have been supportive and helpful, it has been a difficult thing to reverse as to its technicality and to get this all worked out. This legislation has been adequately described by the three prior speakers, but I will say that I also rise in support of H.R. 6397. Certainly, this is a tragic situation in which a young marine was killed in action in Iraq 1 month after his marriage to this young woman from Japan. Then, of course, a little bit later, as has been described, the young woman, Mrs. Hota Ferschke, gave birth to Sergeant Ferschke's child. Sergeant Ferschke was then killed in Iraq, as Mr. McGovern mentioned, during combat on August 10, 2008. Because Sergeant Ferschke's death prevented the couple from consummating their proxy marriage, the Department of Homeland Security does not recognize that the Ferschkes were legally married. Then Mrs. Ferschke gave birth to Michael Ferschke, III, in Okinawa on January 7, 2009. She immediately registered her son's birth with the State Department, securing his U.S. citizenship. After Sergeant Ferschke's death, Hota Ferschke filed a petition to immigrate to the U.S. In response to Hota Ferschke's petition, the DHS issued a denial of her petition, citing sections 1703 and 101(a)(35) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Sergeant Ferschke and Hota had intended to raise baby Michael in the U.S. where Michael could grow up with Sergeant Ferschke's family. This legislation would amend current immigration law so that DHS would recognize a proxy marriage between two individuals caused because of an active duty servicemember's deployment abroad. This legislation will straighten out a tragic and sad situation for a woman and her child, and I think everyone sees the merit in this, or at least I hope they do, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, Bill Felton of Knoxville, Tennessee, is one of the most respected men in my District. His military career and civic service make him admired by everyone fortunate to know him. Bill Felton is a leading expert in the transportation field. His education began at the University of Tennessee, where he majored in transportation and received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He soon found himself in the United States Army Transportation Corps, rising to top leadership positions. Bill's long and distinguished career in the Corps began with his commission as Second Lieutenant and lasted three decades, when he retired as a Colonel. During his time in the military, Bill was stationed mostly at the U.S. Army Transportation Corps' headquarters at Fort Eustis, Virginia, where he became an expert in transportation and logistical matters for the military. During his military career, Bill continued his training and education through many courses, including instruction at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and the completion of the Defense Advanced Traffic Management Course, Transportation Movements Officer Extension Course, and Transportation Corps Career Officer Course. He also graduated from the Command and General Staff College. Bill loves the military and does everything he can to help those in active service; but he has always had an especially soft spot for Veterans. He is the founder of the East Tennessee Veteran's Memorial Association and is largely responsible for the Veterans Memorial at World's Fair Park in downtown Knoxville. Bill has always felt very strongly about our Nation and is very patriotic. Never one to sit by idly and complain, he has always taken an active role in politics. He served as President of the West Knoxville Republican Club and Executive Committee Member of the Knox County Republican Party. His other civic contributions include serving as Vice President of the Knoxville Convention and Visitor's Bureau and on the Board of Directors of the Bijou Art Center. He also worked tirelessly for the Knoxville Dogwood Arts Festival, Girls' Club, Knoxville Rotary Club, and rose to top leadership at the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce. Bill is also a respected businessman who is a leader in the life insurance industry. Several articles he wrote on the industry have been published nationally, and he is the former President of the Knoxville Association of Life Underwriters. Madam Speaker, I do not see how anyone could love this Country more than Bill Felton. I call his service and devotion to the United States and his Community to the attention of my colleagues and other readers of the Record.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me the time, and I thank the gentleman from Ohio for his words in support of this legislation, and I also want to thank the very large number of cosponsors from both sides of the aisle that we have on this bill. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 1442 would designate the month of November as Military History Month. While still a general in the Continental Army, George Washington said, ``When we assumed the soldier, we did not set aside the citizen,'' meaning that he believed from the early days of this country's history that citizen-soldiers were the most important people in this Nation in so many, many ways. Since even before there was a United States until today, Americans have never shied away from the fight to make life better, not only for ourselves but for many millions of others. To better understand, appreciate, and celebrate the influence of the military on our Nation's narrative, we should designate November as United States Military History Month. There are two major holidays already set aside to honor the men and women who have served this Nation. First known as Declaration Day, what is now known as Memorial Day commemorates the American soldiers who have died in combat. Veterans Day began as Armistice Day to note the end of World War I. The Congress changed it to Veterans Day in 1954, and now on November 11 of each year we honor all those who have served in the military. But without celebrating our country's military history, these holidays might very well end up being seen merely as days off work or just days that government buildings and banks are closed. The U.S. military has always played a very important role in our Nation's evolution and in protecting the American way of life. Establishing, through the passage of this resolution, H. Res. 1442, a month each year to highlight our Armed Forces will hopefully encourage Americans to learn, remember, and appreciate the sacrifices of the men and women who serve. It is often said that a nation which forgets its own history does so at its peril. This resolution is a fitting and appropriate way to honor our past and especially the extremely important role the U.S. military has played in that history. I have submitted this resolution at the request of one of my constituents, Mr. Ed Hooper, a great military historian; and this is very appropriate, too, because it shows that legislation often does not emanate from Washington but, really, comes from the ground up, from the people that we represent. This is truly the American way to do legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution to designate November as Military History Month in this Nation.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chair, just this morning, in an article entitled, ``Stop Spending, Start Cutting,'' columnist Cheri Jacobus wrote in The Hill newspaper, ``While it's one thing for Americans to be livid at their elected officials over of out-of-control spending and unthinkable levels of debt that will be passed down to children yet to be born, we now have reason to be not only angry, but very, very afraid.'' The Congressional Budget Office just told us the painful, unvarnished, frightening truth this week that unless Federal spending is reined in dramatically and/or revenues increased, we are headed for certain sudden economic catastrophe that would make this current economic crisis seem like a day at the beach. Now we are about to pass a bill that has $30 billion in just land purchases. Then there are all the new taxes. This bill creates a new tax on all existing and new Federal onshore and offshore leases. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that this tax on oil and a new tax on natural gas will total $22 billion in 10 years, and eventually these taxes will climb to $3 billion per year. And the CBO also estimates that the new energy taxes will create another $14 billion in litigation costs alone. All of these costs, both direct and indirect, will eventually be passed on to the American consumers of energy--small businesses, families, and farmers. Of course, this new tax applies only to American energy, giving a distinct advantage to foreign oil and gas and jeopardizing American energy jobs. A professor at LSU said this in testimony in front of the Natural Resources Committee, These provisions are simply job killers for a large number of oil and gas employees along the gulf. He said, Unfortunately, the proposed bill under consideration today would eliminate even emerging opportunities and shut down tens of thousands of jobs for Louisiana oil and gas workers. Dennis Stover, executive vice president of Uranium One, testified before the committee that this bill will decrease U.S. exploration and development. And he said, ``By introducing great uncertainty regarding the lands ultimately available for uranium exploration and development, a leasing system will only serve to increase the United States' reliance on foreign sources of uranium.''

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my amended bill, H.R. 4658, the Benton MacKaye Cherokee National Forest Land Consolidation Act. This bill is a simple bill that authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to convey to the Towee Falls Baptist Church a 65-acre parcel of National Forest System land in the Cherokee National Forest, which surrounds the Church. The bill would also allow the Forest Service to acquire from the Monroe County Tennessee Board of Education an 102-acre parcel of land in Monroe County, Tennessee, known as the Doc Rogers tract. The result is a net increase of 37 acres for the Cherokee National Forest. This bill is very important to Monroe County, Tennessee, a rural county in my District that is struggling economically. This bill is a win-win for all parties involved. The Towee Falls Church sale would allow the Forest Service to dispose of a piece of property and end an inholding created by the granting of a permit to the church in question in 1946. The Church is a willing buyer of the additional property to expand its building and cemetery, the latter of which will soon be full. The sale of the Doc Rogers tract would allow the Monroe County School Board to dispose of a piece of property that the Forest Service would like to purchase because it is traversed by the Benton MacKaye Trail, a hiking trail that feeds into the Appalachian Trail. This bill is named in honor of Benton MacKaye, who was an American forester, planner and conservationist who lived from 1879 to 1975. He helped pioneer the idea of land preservation for recreation and conservation purposes. Mr. MacKaye is best known for developing the idea of the Appalachian Trail, the National Scenic Trail that runs 2,179 miles from Georgia to Maine and runs through my District in Tennessee.

Mr. DUNCAN

Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, H.R. 5730. It rescinds $713.2 million in contract authority for 309 projects from four prior Surface Transportation Authorization Acts. This rescission of contract authority will come from the following authorization bills: $4.5 million for projects designated in the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987; $263.5 million for projects designated in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991; $441.4 million designated for projects in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century; and $8.1 million authorized by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act, SAFETEA. In total, H.R. 5730 rescinds approximately $713 million in contract authority, which is a type of budget authority. However, this bill, like the bill sponsored by Mr. Perriello last week, unfortunately will not have any impact on outlays or direct spending. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the budget deficit is defined as the amount by which the Federal Government's outlays exceed its total revenues. Because H.R. 5730 will not reduce the Federal Government's outlays, this bill, unfortunately, will not reduce the budget deficit. However, I believe it is smart for Congress to look at the projects it has funded in the past and take the projects that are no longer going to move forward off the books. While I certainly applaud the gentlewoman from Colorado for this legislation, we need to go much further. Congress needs to do much more to reduce our ballooning national debt and the current budget deficit. Last week the Office of Management and Budget projected that this year's budget deficit will be $1.5 trillion. If I told somebody 10 years ago or even 5 years ago that we would be facing a $1.5 trillion deficit in 1 year's time, they wouldn't have believed it. By the end of the year, the Federal debt will represent 62 percent of our Nation's economy. Congress needs to step up and take immediate action to ensure our children and grandchildren are not buried under a mountain of debt. I've also been asked by Ranking Member Mica to point out that none of the five Transportation and Infrastructure Committee bills being considered on the floor today were sponsored by members of the minority. Traditionally, 30 percent of the bills considered under suspension of the rules have been sponsored by members of the minority. However, of the 43 T&I committee suspension bills that have been considered this session, only four have been sponsored by members of the minority, and we certainly encourage the committee to try to work to improve this percentage back to its traditional 30 percent. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. General Leave

Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to our colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, I support this legislation. It is a small step for fiscal conservatism. I think it is very unfortunate, though, that this debate comes right on the heels of the debate about the war supplemental, a more than $55 billion bill on top of the hundreds of billions we've already spent for the war in Afghanistan. A columnist in today's Washington's Post said, We are wading deeper into a long running, morally ambiguous conflict that has virtually no chance of ending well. I think it's very sad that we're talking about spending mega-billions more on a war that has continued for over 9 years at this point and is not worth one more American life. But I commend the gentlewoman from Colorado for bringing this legislation to the floor. As I said earlier, it's unfortunate that in the way we do the Federal accounting this will not reduce the deficit, but it is a step in the right direction, and we need to go further and actually cut total Federal spending by the $713 million that procedurally we are saving here in this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.