David Davis

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2638, the ``Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act of 2008.'' The following project I requested was included in the legislation considered on the floor of the House: Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Research Development Defense Wide, Industrial Preparedness. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Seaman Corporation. Address of Requesting Entity: 1000 Venture Boulevard, Wooster, OH 44691. Description of Request: I received an earmark in the amount of $1,600,000 to continue a research and development project to develop a more reliable collapsible storage tank that will be utilized by our military for fuel and water distribution. Research and development will occur in Seaman facilities in Ohio and in Bristol, TN. In recent years, the tanks being used by our military have consistently underperformed, and the Defense Logistics Agency is working with Seaman to develop fabrication technologies that will improve the performance capabilities of the tanks being produced. The money appropriated for this project will be utilized by: (1) identifying the manufacturing processes to ensure long-term performance that meets and/or exceeds current military application requirements, (2) establishing quality assurance procedures to ensure extended life performance dependability, and (3) providing field validation testing.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of the House of Representatives the story of Marine Corporal Bradley J. Walker of White Pine, Tennessee. Corporal Walker, a proud American and proud Marine, was injured when his Humvee vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Haditha, Iraq in November of 2006. As a result of his injuries, Corporal Walker had both legs amputated at the knees. Since that time, Corporal Walker has been an inspiration to all of us as he has taken to his recuperation with the same drive and determination that was the hallmark of his service with the Marine Corps. As has always been the case, the community of White Pine rallied to the cause of Walker's family in the true ``Volunteer State'' spirit by transforming their home to meet Corporal Walker's new needs as well as honoring him with a parade and a declaration of ``Brad Walker Day.'' Corporal Walker has been an inspiration to many others as well. Recently, I had a discussion with Bert Caswell, a member of the Capitol Guide Service. Bert had met Brad at Walter Reed Medical Center and was truly moved by his story. That inspiration led Bert to write a poem that honors Corporal Walker. I enjoyed having the opportunity to read this poem and wanted to share this with the House of Representatives: Walking Tall (By Albert Carey Caswell) There's a calm before the storm . . . Upon, battlefields of honor in hearts as worn . . . All in souls of honor, as into the darkness their hearts of courage move on . . . where magnificence is born . . . And when that battle is done . . . Fine Men and Women of honor lie face down, living but their last most brilliant suns! And then there are those ones, left behind with new battles begun . . . without arms and legs our sons . . . As somehow their heart's must get up and walk again . . . All in their pain and heartache, as their most splendid souls must somehow begin . . . Telling them to get up and walk, as these inner voices of faith and courage so much has taught in the end! Taught us all about the walk, the walk of life . . . All in the kinds of battles we so chose to fight, all in these our darkest days of night . . . All between dark and light, life and death . . . good and evil . . . as comes this battle, this their fine fight . . . Is but their walk so burning bright . . . Is but their walk of life, which brings such light . . . to everyone there so in sight . . . Are all those steps they take, watching them . . . as all of our hearts so begin to break, all on this night . . . And now upon this day, so seen . . . Is but a fine United States Marine, Corporal Bradley J. Walker of Tennessee . . . Who went off to war, who gave up his two fine legs all for our country tis of thee . . . While, there in the face of death . . . As he looked down to see no legs left, when he began his most heroic quest . . . But, cheating death . . . as he began to walk . . . step by step . . . as his faith our world would bless . . . As Brad, stands even taller on this day . . . All in what his heart has now so conveyed, all in those new steps he has so made . . . For Marines can do, and a heart of courage full can so teach so much too . . . all in courage's way! All in our walk o life . . . Will we walk tall, and with our souls so burn bright? Doing what is right! As comes this night, Walking Tall . . . Corporal Bradley Walker this valiant knight . . . Brad, The Toast of Tennessee . . . One damn fine United States Marine . . . And if I ever have a son, I but hope and pray he'd be like this one . . . Walking Tall like Bradley! In honor of Corporal Bradley J. Walker, D Co., 4th Combat Engineer Battalion of White Pine Tennessee. Madam Speaker, this is a fitting tribute to a fine young man who has sacrificed so much for his country, and I hope that the House will join me in honoring Corporal Walker for his service and thanking Bert Caswell for his tribute to this young man's service and sacrifice.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2638, the ``Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act of 2008.'' The following projects I requested were included in the legislation considered on the floor of the House: Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Provision of Industrial Facilities, Procurement of Ammunition, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: BAE Systems, Inc., Holston Army Ammunition Plant. Address of Requesting Entity: Washington office--1300 North 17th Street, Suite 1400, Arlington, VA 22209; project location--4509 West Stone Drive, Kingsport, Tennessee 37660. Description of Request: I received an earmark of $1,600,000 for the continuation of a project to upgrade and reactivate a second acid recovery site at the Holston Army Ammunition Plant in Kingsport, Tennessee. This acid recovery system is part of the physical property of the Holston Army Ammunition Plant and does not belong to the current operating contractor of the facility, BAE Systems. All production at the Holston Army Ammunition Plant depends on the proper function of the plant's only acetic acid recovery system. Since there is currently no ready backup system, all explosives manufacturing at Holston is vulnerable to a lengthy shutdown if failure were to occur in the area of plant operations. The acid recovery section of the Holston Army Ammunition Plant is critical to all explosives production at the facility. The equipment in this portion of the plant has deteriorated with age and use and is continually requiring both scheduled and unscheduled repairs in order to remain operational. The current demand for high explosives will not allow the existing facility to be shut down for an adequate period of time to properly refurbish it. Such a shutdown would stop all high explosives production for an extended period of time with unacceptable impacts to a large number of weapon systems. The Holston Army Ammunition Plant has a second acid recovery system on site, but it has not operated since the early 1970s and needs substantial work to be brought on line. Modernization, upgrading, and reactivation of this system could be completed without interrupting production. Once completed, the existing facility will be held for reserve/backup capability, allowing Holston production to be protected against a failure in the system. Upon completion, the new system will become the primary system and the aging, deteriorating system will become the secondary backup, and this request is consistent with the Army's modernization plans for Holston. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: Weapons and Munitions Technology, Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Army. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Aerojet Ordnance Tennessee, Inc. Address of Requesting Entity: HQ--P.O. Box 13222, Sacramento, CA 95813-6000, project location--1367 Old State Route 34, Jonesborough, TN 37659. Description of Request: I received an earmark of $2,000,000 for a project that will research alternatives to the use of depleted uranium. The Department of Defense is actively reviewing replacement materials for depleted uranium (DU) because of concerns of radioactivity and toxicity. This project looks at ways to determine whether or not tungsten can be a viable alternative to DU. The funding for the study will be broken down into the following categories and the review of four leading alternatives: $600,000 for U.S. Army Armament Research, Development, and Engineering Center Oversight. $453,000 for the study of the layered long rod composite approach. $494,000 for the study of nanostructures for severe plastic deformation. $238,000 for the study of steel jacketed tungsten penetrators. $215,000 for the study of infiltrated solid state sintered penetrators.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, we need an American energy plan and we need it now. The American people are hurting. Young families are hurting. Senior adults are hurting. Small businesses are hurting. Vern, from Jefferson County, Tennessee, is hurting. Vern is an Iraqi war veteran. Vern has to drive from Jefferson County in Tennessee all the way into Knoxville. It's costing him over $90 a week to drive to work. He makes $8 an hour. He's trying to become an electrical apprentice. Vern told me he may have to go on welfare. Vern has a young family. Vern is an Iraqi war yet. Vern wants to do what's right by his family. He has already done what's right by America. This Congress needs to do what's right for Vern and other young families in America, senior adults in America, small businesses in America. We don't need any more excuses. We need to vote on meaningful energy legislation. We need to do it now. We don't need to go home, we need to take votes. I'm willing to stay here today and vote. We voted this week. We had time to vote to go home. We ought to have time to vote to bring down gas prices at the pump. The American people demand it, they demand it now.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory and life of U.S. District Judge Thomas G. Hull, who passed away Tuesday, July 29, 2008. Judge Hull lived a life of public service and truly embodied the Tennessee Volunteer spirit. He was known by all for his compassion, integrity and dedication to public service throughout his 82 years of life. Judge Hull served in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, was a Tennessee State Representative, and a state and federal judge. Judge Hull's passion was evidenced in everything he did whether it was serving as Chief Clerk of the Tennessee General Assembly or as campaign manager for James H. Quillen's first campaign for U.S. Congress. Judge Hull was appointed as U.S. District Judge by President Ronald Reagan and at times handled the entire caseload for the Eastern District of Tennessee because of judgeship vacancies. He served 23 years with the federal branch of government including 7 years as Chief Judge of the Eastern District of Tennessee. Judge Hull played a major role in the construction of the James H. Quillen United States District Courthouse to replace the old and overcrowded courthouse in Greeneville, Tennessee. Judge Hull was active in the business and banking communities and was active in the Republican Party of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I ask that the House join me today in offering our sympathies to the family and friends of U.S. District Judge Thomas G. Hull. He was a family man, a compassionate public servant and true friend of the First District of Tennessee. His service is greatly treasured, and he will be deeply missed.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Thank you for your leadership on this subject and so many others. It's good to be with you tonight and many of my colleagues from around the country. The American people are hurting. Young families are hurting, senior adults are hurting, small businesses are hurting. Energy prices are hurting us all. A family that rents cabins for a living in my district back in northeast Tennessee recently told me they have seen a 50 to 60 percent decrease in rentals during the past spring and summer. They told me that this decrease in rentals may force the family business to go into bankruptcy because they rely on tourists who travel to the beautiful mountains of northeast Tennessee. Oil prices also affect the cost of many of our daily essentials. Here is just a small list of everyday items that rely on oil for their production. See if you use any of these products. We need oil. We need American oil. Hearing aids, tennis rackets, eyeglasses, soft contact lenses, trash bags, glue, ballpoint pens, carpets, tires, artificial limbs, bandages, and dentures, to name just a few.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Yes.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Very good points. And I represent a rural east Tennessee district that has a lot of farming as well. You make some good points. You actually start, when you start to till the ground, you have to have diesel. The cost has gone up to the point where it's almost put some farmers out of business. Then you have to put fertilizer on the ground, if you can afford it. If you don't have the fertilizer, you don't make the product. So it really is hurting people from all backgrounds. Families are canceling vacations. Police departments are cutting patrols. Small businesses are closing across America. Moms and dads are sitting around their kitchen tables trying to put a budget together to decide if they're going to be able to send their kids to school and buy the products that they need, all while the leadership here in Washington refuses an up-or-down vote on increasing American energy.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Yes.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. If they will allow us to vote, I will vote ``yes.'' They may decide to vote ``no.'' But we need to be able to vote and vote the will of the American people. We have 435 distinct, separate districts across America. Out of those 435, I'm sure some will vote ``no,'' some will vote ``yes,'' but it's really up to Speaker Pelosi to allow it to come to the floor for a vote. The American people sent us here to do a job.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Yes.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. We're here tonight to ask the Democrat majority to let us take a vote on all-the-above, no more excuses. You know, the interesting thing is we actually took a vote on the floor today. You know, we're here taking votes, 435 Members. We took a vote today to go home. So leadership's letting us take votes but just not on energy bills. I think that's a point that ought to be taken to the American people. They need to understand that we're taking votes. We're just not taking votes to increase the supply of energy. All of the above, wind, solar, coal, oil, drilling, natural gas, we're taking votes but not to increase energy. We're taking votes to go home for 5 weeks. That means for 5 weeks gasoline prices are going to be high back in northeast Tennessee. That's not what the American people look for.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. I think I have an answer to that because I do believe there are some commonsense Democrats on this floor. This is not a Republican issue. This is not a Democrat issue. This is an American issue. The only thing standing between us and the vote is Nancy Pelosi's Democrat leadership. I would call on the Democrat leadership to let us vote. Let Republicans vote. Let Democrats vote. Let them vote their conscience. Let them vote their district. And I would, without a doubt, believe that we could go home on August 1, 48 hours from now, with an energy plan that would bring down prices at the pump because there's going to be some commonsense Democrats that will vote to make sure that moms and dads have some relief at the pump; young families have some relief at the pump; senior adults have some relief at the pump; small businesses have some relief at the pump. We need some relief at the pump.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory and life of Sevierville City Administrator Doug Bishop, a true asset to the First Congressional District of Tennessee, who passed away Saturday, July 19, 2008. Doug Bishop lived a life of service, entrepreneurship, and was known by all for his love and compassion to his wife Jane and their two daughters. A great community leader, Doug Bishop served on numerous boards and committees and was honored as City Manager of the year by Tennessee City Managers Association. His tireless work ethic, intelligence and dedication showed through his work for Sevierville. Under Bishop's tenure as Sevierville City Administrator, he brought an events center and key infrastructure like water plants, fire stations and sewer systems. Doug's values and characteristics embody that of a true Tennessee Volunteer. When attending college during the Vietnam War, he left to join the Air Force where he served in Vietnam and Thailand. Doug Bishop's service to the United States, Tennessee, and Sevierville should not go unnoticed. Madam Speaker, I ask that the House join me today in honoring the life of Doug Bishop and offering our sympathies to his family and friends. He was a dedicated member of the community who loved his family to no end. His service to the City of Sevierville is greatly treasured and he will be deeply missed.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House to join me in supporting House Resolution 1128, legislation that supports the goals and ideals of National Carriage Driving Month. The origin of carriages can be traced to the Middle Ages when roads were extremely crude, and wooden carts offered an uncomfortable way to be transported. From the 16th century, various types of vehicles were built with some rudimentary form of springs to create some comfort for passengers. The luxury of springs spurred the popularity and comfort of this mode of travel and mass production of carriages would begin in earnest. As travel distances increased, the hooded carts were replaced with carriages with a roof and later with a closed cabin with doors and windows. Carriages were built for royalty, businessmen and merchants and commoners, often named after their function or shape. When the technique of forging iron was developed in the 1800s, steel parts would replace leather springs. Industrially produced springs, axles and other metal parts improved the quality of the carriages leading into the 19th century, which was the golden age of the carriage. The Industrial Revolution stimulated economic changes that added prosperity to the middle class, and they would ultimately become the driving force behind the purchase of carriages and the creation of carriage factories founded in cities throughout America and the rest of the world. Certainly, before the advent of the automobile, Americans enjoyed the horse-drawn carriage as a mode of transportation. Today, many people, including constituents of mine in east Tennessee, collect and restore the great vehicles as an avocation. Tens of thousands of Americans now enjoy this pursuit and millions more Americans enjoy their work in parades, shows and museums. The month of May is often celebrated by the carriage community as carriage riding month, and this legislation supports the idea of a National Carriage Driving Month. These vehicles helped settle and build our Nation in its infancy, and this noncontroversial legislation celebrates the elegance and charm of a bygone era. In closing, I am pleased that the House is considering this noncontroversial legislation celebrating a mode of transportation prior to the era of the automobile. I regret the House is not considering meaningful legislation to deal with our current energy crisis. With gas prices continuing to escalate, my friends in the carriage restoration and driving community may find themselves in demand once again. I ask my colleagues to please support House Resolution 1128 and please support bringing meaningful energy legislation to the floor on which so many of my constituents of the First Congressional District of Tennessee are asking for action.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Thank you for yielding time. It's interesting that we stand here and talk about public transportation. I represent northeast Tennessee, a rural area, and I tell you the people who live in northeast Tennessee don't have access to public transportation. People in rural America are hurting. Young families are hurting. Senior adults are hurting. Small businesses are hurting. Sheriffs' departments and police departments are hurting. Let me tell you about two groups. The first is Vern Long. Vern lives in Jefferson County, Tennessee. I met with him last Saturday when I was back home in the district. Vern is an Iraqi war veteran. He has a wife and a child. He lives in Jefferson County and drives to Knoxville, Tennessee to work every day. He makes $8 an hour. He's an apprentice electrician. He wants to go on to be an electrician. He has to drive into Knoxville, and it costs him $90 a week, $90 a week to fill up his tank. He told me, ``Congressman, if the Congress doesn't pass an energy bill to bring these gas prices down, I may have to go on welfare and quit my job. And I want to protect my family. I want to be there to protect my future.'' Let me tell you about Sheriff Steve Burns. Sheriff Burns is from Greene County, Tennessee. I met with him last Saturday. He told me he put his budget together for Greene County this past February and March. He said, if it passes in the county commission as he presented it, he will be $50,000 in the hole because of high gas prices. Public transportation bills to send bureaucrats to work in Washington will not help rural America. America is hurting. We need an energy policy. We don't need more excuses, and we don't need more bills that make it sound good and look like we're trying to do something here. We need an energy that actually uses American oil, natural gas, coal-to- liquid technology, clean coal technology. We need to use nuclear power. Yes, we need green energy. We need all of the above. The American people are demanding action, real action, not excuses from Washington. Please, I beg the majority. Let's take this burden of high gas prices off of people like Vern Long and off of sheriffs' departments like Sheriff Steve Burns'. Let's pass some real energy legislation. No more excuses.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I stand to talk to the American people today. The American people are hurting. Young families are hurting, senior adults are hurting, those that are on fixed incomes are hurting, small businesses are hurting, all because we don't have an energy policy that actually includes energy. Let me tell you about one such person. Over the weekend I met with a young family. The gentleman's name was Vern Long from Jefferson City, Tennessee. Vern told me he makes $8 an hour. He has to drive to work to Knoxville, Tennessee. It costs him $90 a week to drive to work. Vern told me that he may not be able to continue working; he may have to go on welfare, because we don't have an energy policy that has American energy. This has to stop. It is time for no more excuses. Vern doesn't want to go on welfare. Vern is a United States veteran. He spent time in Iraq. We owe people like Vern Long a better future for he and his family. We need an energy policy that uses American energy now. No more excuses. It is time for us to pass a policy where we drill for American oil, natural gas, and use clean coal technology. The time is now. No more excuses.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I keep hearing my colleagues on the other side of the aisle say that we need to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. I couldn't agree more. The Democrats are good at making promises, but they need to follow through on those promises. There is one thing my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are very good at saying--``no.'' It seems like every option we put on the table, whether it's developing the sources of the Outer Continental Shelf, expansion of nuclear power, or opening more refineries in the United States, the answer is always no. The Department of Interior estimates that in the Outer Continental Shelf alone, there is almost 100 billion barrels of oil and over 450 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. How high will gas prices have to go before the Democrats start saying ``yes''? $5 a gallon? $10 a gallon? It's time for no more excuses. Families are hurting. Businesses are hurting. The American people are asking for help. It's time to say ``yes.''

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Junior Group Exhibit Team from Chuckey-Doak Middle School for their first-place performance in the Tennessee History Day competition. They will now move on to the national competition next week. The Chuckey-Doak Middle School team, composed of students Emily Frazier and Katie Adams, also took first place with their performance on Women's Suffrage: The Conflict Within. To understand and present these topics in an articulate way is a noteworthy and outstanding accomplishment. The students have represented Chuckey-Doak Middle School and East Tennessee in an exceptional way. With their first-place performance, the team will travel to the University of Maryland and compete against other students from across the country at the 2007-2008 National History Day competition. It is a pleasure to see that these students are taking the initiative to represent their schools in the most upstanding way. Their dedication to knowledge, excellence and hard work is honorable and I congratulate them on their successes. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Emily Frazer and Katie Adams and in wishing them the best of luck at next week's National History Day competition.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Junior Group Performance Team from Mosheim Middle School for their first-place performance in the Tennessee History Day competition. They will now move on to the national competition next week. The Mosheim Middle School team, composed of students Brianna Morrow, Melissa Kinser and Brittany Loveall, took first place with their performance on the Salem Witch Trials. To understand and present these topics in an articulate way is a noteworthy and outstanding accomplishment. The students have represented Mosheim Middle School and East Tennessee in an exceptional way. With their first-place performance, the team will travel to the University of Maryland and compete against other students from across the country at the 2007-2008 National History Day competition. It is a pleasure to see that these students are taking the initiative to represent their schools in the most upstanding way. Their dedication to knowledge, excellence and hard work is honorable and I congratulate them on their successes. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Brianna Morrow, Melissa Kinser and Brittany Loveall and in wishing them the best of luck at next week's National History Day competition.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1247, a bill I introduced, to support the goals and ideals of June 20 as American Eagle Day. The bill also highlights the successful recovery story of the American bald eagle, the official national emblem of the United States. The American bald eagle has been a part of American culture for hundreds of years. In 1782, the Second Continental Congress established that the bald eagle was the official emblem of the United States because of its uniqueness to North America. It can be seen on the United States seals in public buildings, schools, and even here in the House Chamber. Over the years, the bald eagle has become a living symbol of the United States spirit, freedoms, and continual pursuit of excellence. Mr. Speaker, just 45 years ago the United States had only about 400 nesting pairs of the American bald eagle. Through conservation, education and careful planning, today we have seen a significant rise to about 7,000 nesting pairs of the American bald eagle. Because of the successful recovery exhibited by the American bald eagle, the Department of the Interior has taken the bald eagle off both the endangered and threatened species list. The bald eagle has been a national symbol, and its recovery has been a national success story. H.R. 1247 will not only honor the now thriving American bald eagle, it will also encourage support of the United States Mint bald eagle commemorative coin program which has been a success for the past few years. Currently, this coin program has raised over $5 million for the American Eagle Foundation, which is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, which is located in my district. The American Eagle Foundation is a successful not-for-profit organization seeking to protect and fully restore the bald eagle population across North America. They also care for the injured and orphaned birds that have a strong environmental presence through educating thousands of families who visit Pigeon Forge, Tennessee each year. Furthermore, this bill encourages school systems, businesses, governmental agencies and conservation groups to share information on the American bald eagle that will benefit children and schools across our Nation. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting H.R. 1247, a bill I introduced to support the goals and ideals of June 20 as American Eagle Day, and celebrate the recovery and restoration of this great bird, the bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Thank you, Mr. Forbes. I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to be with you. I rise tonight in support of H.R. 888. Psalm 33:12 says, ``Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.'' It doesn't say, ``Blessed is the nation whose God was the Lord,'' and there's a difference. Our Founding Fathers understood the difference. As has been stated before, you can see it all through these hallowed Chambers. Above the Speaker's dais you will see the words, ``In God we trust.'' Unfortunately, on TV at times you don't see the words ``In God We Trust,'' they cut just a little bit below that. You will see Moses in full array in the back of the Chamber. This building, the Capitol of the United States, was actually used for church services in its early history. Out in the Rotunda, you will see many beautiful paintings. The first one you come to in the Rotunda you will actually see Pocahontas, that you will remember from Thanksgiving. Well, Pocahontas, in the painting, is actually depicted right after she changed her name to Rebecca when she became a Christian and was baptized. Our Founding Fathers understood our Christian Nation and our Christian heritage. And President James Buchanan understood this completely when he issued a proclamation in 1860 entitled ``Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer.'' And he's quoted, ``In this, the hour of our calamity and peril, to whom shall we resort for relief but to the God of our Fathers? His omnipotent arm only can save us from the awful effects of our own crimes and follies, of our own ingratitude and guilt towards our Heavenly Father.'' It certainly sounds to me like President James Buchanan understood ``Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.'' We understand today that America isn't great because we have a large government. We're great because down through history, if we had a problem, we turned to God first and then we turned to our neighbors, not to a big government. And if we want to continue to be that great Nation, we need to look to II Chronicles 7:14, which says, ``If my people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.'' We need healing in our land.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, with high gas prices soaring, moms and dads across East Tennessee and across America are struggling to put a budget together at the kitchen table. They are worried how they are going to pay for their health care, how they are going to buy enough gas to get their kids to school, how they are going to pay for their children's education. Families and small businesses across America are hurting. Earl Humphreys, for example, in Bristol, Tennessee, owns Lawn Boyz Lawn Care Service. He has told me he may have to go out of business. It is time for solutions, time for no more excuses. High gas prices are not only an economic security issue, they are a national security issue. We are too dependent on foreign countries, countries that hate us and hate our freedoms and, quite frankly, hate our religion. We need an energy policy now. I call on the Democrat majority to offer legislation that will provide for lower gas prices, better economic security, better national security, and I ask them to do it now. We need to use American energy. We need solutions.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a true Tennessee Volunteer. Mary McKeehan Patton was born in England and immigrated to Pennsylvania in the late 1760s. Mary Patton was an apprentice in Pennsylvania where she learned the trade of making gunpowder. After giving birth to two children in Pennsylvania, Patton moved to the Overmountain region of North Carolina, which is now East Tennessee and part of the First District. With help from her husband, Andrew Taylor, a private in the Pennsylvania militia, they started their own gunpowder mill on what became known as Powder Branch. Mary Patton embodied the entrepreneurial spirit that many immigrants who come to America possess. She used this mill to supply gunpowder to militias during the Revolutionary War. Patton's true Tennessee Volunteer spirit showed when she gave over five hundred pounds of gunpowder to the 850 Overmountain Men for the Battle of Kings Mountain during the Revolutionary War. Some say that this victorious battle over the British was a very influential part of the Revolutionary War, and to the eventual founding of our country. On December 15, 1836, Mary Patton passed away and was buried at Patton-Simmons Cemetery, which is located in my district. The cemetery is located in the historic town of Elizabethton, Tennessee. This Saturday, June 7, 2008 the Watauga Chapter Tennessee Sons of the American Revolution and The James Sevier Society of the Tennessee Children of the American Revolution will be hosting a memorial service at the grave of Mary Patton and will be honoring her for her efforts and role in the Revolutionary War. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in honoring a true Tennessee Volunteer who embodies the entrepreneurial spirit that has made America the great country that we are today.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. I would like to thank the gentlelady from Colorado for doing this special hour. I don't think there's anything more important facing Americans right now and facing this Congress than to deal with the high cost of energy, and I thank you for your leadership. With the national average cost of gasoline at the pump today at $3.98 a gallon, moms and dads across the country are struggling to balance the family budget. It breaks my heart, and I know of a young family back in northeast Tennessee just trying to make enough money to make it to work or take their child to school. It breaks my heart when we have senior adults that are on a fixed income that don't have the opportunity to have more money, to be able to afford the gasoline to go to the doctor or go to the hospital or go to the grocery store. It breaks my heart when you have a small business that's trying to create those jobs and make life better for their fellow man. It breaks my heart. This Congress must pass meaningful legislation to reduce the price of gasoline and fuel at the pump, and we need to do it soon. Just recently, Shell Oil Company Chairman John Hofmeister testified before the Senate on why gas prices are so high. He said, ``As repetitive and uninteresting as it may sound, the fundamental laws of supply and demand are at work.'' Over the past few weeks, I along with most of my colleagues on this side of the aisle have produced an energy policy, not just a piece of an energy policy, but a true energy policy that addresses our supply of American energy. This energy policy explores all facets of our energy needs, from drilling for American oil and natural gases to using alternative fuels like switchgrass and ethanol. The policy increases American supply, which will effectively lower prices. This energy policy will help people like Earl Humphreys, who owns and manages Lawn Boyz Lawn Care in Bristol, Tennessee. Earl told me that he may not be able to continue his business much longer because of high fuel prices. He is not making enough money to support his family, purchase his fuel, pay his staff, and keep the doors open on his family-run business. How sad. People like Earl are relying on Congress to do something. Colleagues on this side of the aisle and I have offered nothing but solutions. On the other side of the aisle, they've offered nothing but excuses. Congress' Democratic leadership is out of touch with the American people like Earl. Instead of increasing American energy supply so that prices can go down and Earl can continue to support his family, the Democrat leadership wants to tax energy producers, stifle American production, and abandon cars, SUVs and pick-up trucks that we all rely on. Recently, one Congressman proposed a 50-cent tax increase on gasoline. Now, that makes absolutely no sense to me. We can't tax and regulate our way out of an energy crisis, and we can't tax your pick-up truck from empty to full. Leadership's energy policies have been to conduct seven investigations into price gouging, conduct four investigations on speculators, and create $20 billion in new taxes on oil producers. Unfortunately, the leadership of Congress' policies don't save Americans any money at the pump. In fact, gasoline prices have increased from $2.33 a gallon to $3.98 per gallon since Speaker Pelosi and her Democrat colleagues took control of this Congress last year. That's not a solution. When China and other growing industrialized nations are moving from bicycles to cars, Americans are being made to go from cars to bicycles. That's not a solution. Currently, China is drilling for oil and natural gas almost in sight off the coast of Key West, Florida. The irony here is that while China is out there drilling, America can't, under the leadership of this Congress. What is it going to take to make this Congress realize that we need to increase American energy supply and decrease our dependence on foreign energy, our dependence on people that hate us and hate our freedoms? The majority of the American people understand, East Tennesseans understand and I understand, Earl understands and people from Bristol, Tennessee, understand, we must take immediate action to allow for drilling in an environmentally safe way on American soil and off our coasts. In the Outer Continental Shelf alone, it's estimated that we have over 17 billion barrels of oil, oil that someone else is drilling for. On the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve alone, we have the potential to provide consumers with over 1 million barrels of oil per day. We need solutions. We must take immediate action to allow for the construction of new refineries, and we can do that on old military bases. We must take immediate action on production of natural gas where our supply is abundant. Eastman Chemical Company, which is located in my district in northeast Tennessee, has been using clean coal gasification to meet their ever increasing energy needs on a daily basis. We must take immediate action to allow for the construction of safe nuclear power plants. For instance, France currently powers 80 percent of their energy needs from safe nuclear power plants. We must take immediate action using alternative fuel sources, like switchgrass and ethanol from nonfood sources. New technologies like switchgrass and ethanol are exciting and will be part of our solution to lower high energy costs. We must take immediate action by using clean coal technology, something that the Germans used in World War II. This is not futuristic. They were doing it in World War II. Coal is not some smutty leftover from the Industrial Revolution. We have approximately 250 years worth of coal right here in the United States, and you can take a lump of coal and actually turn it into gasoline and drive your car and fly jet planes. They did it in World War II. We need solutions. Republican energy policies like the ones I've just listed will save every American at least $1.82 per gallon of gasoline. That's $36.40 for each 20-gallon tank full of gasoline. Tennesseans like Earl sure can use a $1.82 discount at the gas pump. We need solutions. Americans like Earl are looking for solutions, not excuses. The time for solutions is now. That's why I've cosponsored the No More Excuses Energy Act. It combines all these different types of energy to bring down the price at the pump and make sure we have energy to heat our homes in the winter. We need solutions, not excuses.