David Davis

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank my friend from Ohio for yielding and for his leadership. I come from the mountains of east Tennessee. We have a lot of common sense in those mountains. We understand when you spend $3.2 billion, that's a lot of money. We have men and women all around America right now sitting around their kitchen tables trying to decide just exactly how they are going to feed their children, how they are going to take care of their families, how they are going to pay the tuition and buy that next tank of gas. We talked about in the last election that we are going to be providing a change here in Washington. I believe the freshmen Republicans that came into Congress with me this year are here to offer that change. The way we offer that change is quit spending as much as has been spent in the past. We can do that. When we have an economy growing about 3 percent and this bill is going to grow by 6 or 7 percent, people understand you can't grow government at twice the rate of the American family's income. It just can't be done. We need to make sure that we use some commonsense when we put these budgets together. We can't spend more money than the American people can earn. I think the American people did send us here to Washington to rein in that spending, get a handle on our fiscal House. I think this amendment by my friend from Ohio will go a long way towards doing that. This is not about a cut. This is simply about holding the line on spending. The American people can understand if they have $100 this year and somebody wants to grow it to $200 next year but you can't afford it, and you say, ``I can't give you $200, but I will let you keep your $100,'' if you kept that at $100, that is not a cut. That is staying the same. That is what this amendment does. This simply says we are not going to grow that $3.2 billion. I thank the gentleman for his amendment.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank my friend from Ohio for yielding. It is interesting as I hear this debate, I am a new Member of Congress. I have been here 6 months now. I've heard speakers on the majority side talk about ``your amendment is irresponsible.'' I have a hard time understanding that. Quite frankly, coming from Tennessee, holding the line on spending is not irresponsible. I heard another speaker talk about cuts. Well, actually there is no cut. What your amendment actually does is hold it at the levels of last year's spending. That is not a cut. I have not gotten used to ``Washington speak'' yet, coming from the mountains in East Tennessee. In East Tennessee, a cut actually means you spend less money this year than you did last year. Your amendment says you're going to spend the same amount of money. We are talking about $34.2 billion. In East Tennessee, that is a lot of money. That goes a long way. Actually, what we are looking at in this appropriation bill is a 9.5 percent increase in spending. When the rate of inflation is less than 3 percent, this is a growth in spending of almost three to four times the rate of inflation. We have men and women all around America right now sitting at their kitchen tables trying to decide how they are going to balance their budgets. Why in the world are we in Congress trying to grow our budgets almost 10 percent when we have people across America that are trying to just balance their budget? Gas prices are high. They are worried about increases in taxes. The least we can do, the very least we can do, is just hold the line on spending. That is not a cut. That is not how I learned about cuts back in East Tennessee. I just hope that we will do everything we can to support your budget. I encourage support of your amendment. I encourage my colleagues to do so. Still, we are looking at, again, $34.2 billion. I think that is enough spending. We need to hold the line. Thank you for your amendment.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today, Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the request to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2359, the SBA Entrepreneurial Development Programs Act of 2007. I would like to thank Chairwoman Velazquez for working in a cooperative and bipartisan manner to bring this bill to the floor. This bill makes modest yet necessary changes in the core entrepreneurial technical assistance programs of the SBA, the Small Business Development Center Program. Small business development centers, on a relatively modest appropriation, provide free training sessions which last at least 1 hour and free individual one-on-one counseling. The centers met a total of 700,000 individual business owners and prospective owners in fiscal year 2007. Changes are necessary to clarify the statutory mandate and ensure that small business development centers are appropriately responding to the new challenges facing America's entrepreneurs. These alterations are reflected in title I of the bill. Even though the program is more than 25 years old, there is no definition of the term ``small business development center,'' which substantially adds to the confusion interpreting the statutory language. I would like to thank the chairwoman for including the definition in the term. Another key change demonstrates the need to update the mission of the small business development centers as technology and business practices change. Broadband access is no longer a luxury for many, if not most, small businesses; yet the only reliable data on broadband access in America comes from providers that make the reports to the Federal Communications Commission. Congressman Fortenberry, the ranking member of the Committee's Subcommittee on Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship, had the idea that rather than relying on these providers, a more accurate picture might come from actually asking individuals whether they had access to broadband services. Mr. Fortenberry thought it would make sense to have the center survey their clients when they come in the door on the availability of broadband service. The survey might prove a valuable addition to supplement the existing data from broadband providers. And without appropriate information on broadband access and penetration, it is impossible to develop policies that ensure small businesses will have affordable access to broadband. Title II also includes a mechanism to increase the capacity of small business development centers to offer regulatory compliance assistance to small businesses disproportionately affected by erroneous regulatory burdens. It is an idea supported by the House in the previous four Congresses and by the National Federation of Independent Business. I would like to thank the chairwoman and Mr. Sestak for including this critical assistance to small business owners. Ultimately, H.R. 2359 is designed to help small businesses get the advice and assistance they need to continue their ever-increasing importance in maintaining America's prime place in the global economy. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield such time as he may consume to my good friend Mr. Latham.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today, Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the request to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2366, the SBA Veterans Programs Act of 2007. I would like to thank Chairwoman Velazquez for working in a cooperative, bipartisan manner to bring this bill, authored by Mr. Buchanan, a freshman member of the committee, to the House floor. No one can debate the sacrifice that America's veterans have made and continue to make in defense of our country. While the repayment of that debt may never occur, we can certainly provide them with the needed assistance to prosper in civilian life. H.R. 2366 is a modest contribution to repaying the debt and helping them make a smooth transition into civilian life. The bill recognizes that veterans learn a variety of critical skills. Recruitment advertisements for the armed services highlight the various technical skills that they can obtain through the military. These skills clearly are valued in civilian companies. In addition, the military inculcates its members with other important skills such as leadership, decision- making, teamwork, and the drive to win. All of these are critical to success as a small business owner. The military does not teach its members how to take these skills and transfer them to starting a business. They require additional training to understand the key components of operating their own business without first having to serve a sort of ``apprenticeship'' working with others. In 1999 Congress recognized that more services should be directed to help the 25 million veterans start and grow their small businesses. Those efforts succeeded because a number of small businesses owned by veterans have grown to 14 percent of all small businesses. Despite this success more must be done to assist our veterans in the startup and operation of their businesses. Outreach must improve to ensure that veterans wishing to start their own businesses will have the training and advice needed to transfer their skills to entrepreneurship. The technical advice and assistance are not limited to veterans leaving the service. Reservists who operate their own small businesses have their own unique set of operational problems associated with their call-up to duty. They may not know how long their call-up will last, and they may need assistance in ensuring that they have in place a plan to operate their businesses while they are on Active Duty. H.R. 2366 represents an effort to expand the focus of the SBA entrepreneurial assistance programs to our veterans. Of most significant importance is the need to create more Veteran Business Outreach Centers. These centers operate as cooperative agreements between the Small Business Administration and the non-profit entities. These centers provide entrepreneurial development services, such as business training, counseling, mentoring and referrals. They also conduct entrepreneurial business development workshops focusing on self-development and self-employment. Counseling services may range from development of business plans to identifying government procurement opportunities. There are only four Veteran Business Outreach Centers. To serve our military men and women, more are obviously needed, and title III requires the establishment of two more centers in each of the next two fiscal years. Another important element of the bill is the recognition of the changing nature of the military with a greater involvement of women. Title I of the bill requires the administrator to establish within the Office of Veterans Business Development a program to provide assistance to women veterans. Given the rapid expansion and success of women-owned businesses, it makes sense to ensure that the needs of women veterans are met when they seek to start and operate small businesses. Our fighting men and women are the best in the world. Let us help them become the best entrepreneurs in the world by enacting H.R. 2366. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. I would like to yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Buchanan) as much time as he may consume.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the request to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2284, a bill to provide additional Small Business Development Center resources focused on Native Americans, Alaskan Natives and Native Hawaiians. The bill, the product and dedicated effort of the author, Congressman Tom Udall, former Small Business Committee member, was passed without objection by voice vote. I would like to thank Chairwoman Velazquez for working in a cooperative and bipartisan manner to bring this matter to the House floor. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the request to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2397, the SBA Women's Business Programs Act of 2007. I would like to thank Chairwoman Velazquez for working in a cooperative and bipartisan manner to bring this bill, authored by Ms. Fallin, a freshman member of the committee, to the House floor. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Ms. Fallin).

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield as much time as he may consume to my good friend, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2637, the Child Labor Protection Act of 2007, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. I appreciate the work of Chairman Miller and Chairwoman Woolsey, as well as the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson) in crafting this legislation. There is no one more vulnerable in our workforce than its youngest members. While the employment of young workers is essential to instilling in them the work ethic and the value of a dollar, their collective safety must be the highest priority of our Nation's employers and, indeed, the Nation as a whole. With this in mind, the measure before us would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act by increasing to $50,000 the civil penalty for any type of child labor violation that causes a death or serious injury of an employee under the age of 18. The current maximum civil penalty is $11,000, and it is low by any reasonable estimation. So this update is both prudent and necessary. Moreover, the legislation would allow the $50,000 penalty to be doubled up to a maximum of $100,000 for the willful and repeat violations that cause the death or serious injury of any child employed in violation of the Federal child labor standards. Once again, such an increase is both prudent and necessary. The measure before us is essential for the continuation of the Department of Labor's ongoing focus on workplace safety for youth, and I commend President Bush for his work in this issue. Earlier this year, the Department submitted draft legislation similar to H.R. 2637, and before that, the Department proposed new labor standards rules to cover nonagricultural occupations for employment of 14- and 15-year-olds, as well as occupations that place the well-being of employees under 18 years of age at risk. Mr. Speaker, we are making undeniable, bipartisan progress on updating our child labor laws. As the Bush administration continues its work, the Child Labor Protection Act would provide it with additional tools to address serious child labor violations, decrease repeat occurrences and strengthen the overall enforcement of critical child labor laws. Again, I thank my colleagues for their work on this measure and urge passage of this bill in the House. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. MR. HARE. Mr. Speaker at this time I am honored to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey), the sponsor of this very important piece of legislation.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, as a proud father of two, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 474, recognizing the immeasurable contribution of fathers in the healthy development of children, supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on Father's Day. William Shakespeare wrote, ``It is a wise father that knows his own child.'' The truism of these words is exceedingly relevant today. The presence of two committed, involved parents contributes directly to better academic performance, reduced substance abuse, less crime and delinquency, fewer emotional and other behavioral problems, less risk of abuse and neglect and lower risk of teen suicide. The research is clear: Fathers factor significantly in the lives of their children. There is simply no substitute for the love, involvement and commitment of a responsible father. The fathers of yesteryear thought that merely being a good provider meant that they were good fathers. Fathers today have the responsibility to set aside quality time for their children in ways that may contribute to happy memories that last a lifetime. Fathers realize that their time with children is really an investment in them. Being an involved father is good for children and good for fathers. And while each father is a unique person who parents in his own way and style, there are some characteristics that good fathers have in common. Good fathers are involved in the lives of their children. They attend their children's school events, games and activities. They also involve their children in their lives and the adult world by taking them to see the workplace, taking them along when the car needs to be repaired or involving them in decisions that affect the family. Good fathers set limits and are firm. They let their children know their beliefs and expectations but rely on explanations and reasoning rather than force. Indeed, today's lifestyles are changing. More and more fathers are effectively balancing their personal, work, and family times. Both children and fathers are realizing the importance of the father's role, and there are ever-increasing amounts of research being conducted on the father's role in today's families. These findings document the importance of the father's role, the profound influence of fathers in children's growth and development, and the characteristics that good fathers have in common. Fathers play a significant role in shaping the character of their children. By spending time with their sons and daughters, being stern yet fair disciplinarians, and listening to their experiences, fathers mold and shape their children into the men and women they will become. As advisers and role models, fathers help their children to understand the difference between right and wrong and to recognize how the decisions they make today can affect the rest of their lives. Fathers instill important values that prepare their children for the challenges and opportunities ahead by demonstrating true leadership. Their love and devotion inspire the future generation of Americans to achieve their dreams and demonstrate the true spirit of our country. A father is one of the most important influences in a child's life. On Father's Day and every day, we honor our fathers and celebrate the special bond between a father and a child. I am honored to rise today in support of this resolution and in honoring all of our fathers for the roles that they play and for the love they give. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. General Leave

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield as much time as he may consume to my good friend and fellow Tennessean, Mr. Duncan.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, in honor of my own father, Lawrence Davis, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the gentlelady from North Carolina for offering this amendment. Any time we can save $1.2 million, I think we ought to do it. We have Americans sitting across our great fruited plain tonight listening to this debate. They've just gotten up from their dinner tables, trying to make decisions on how they can balance their own budgets. When we first came to Congress, I'm a new Member of Congress. I came out of the Tennessee Legislature. When we came here, we talked about open government and transparency, and we're going to be the most honest government in Congress ever; also talked about gas prices are going to be brought down rather than go up. Those are just some of the things that were promised. Well, American families are sitting around their dinner tables tonight trying to decide how they're going to balance their own budget, and they're looking to us here in the Congress to make sure that we don't put an extra burden on them by raising their taxes and raising these appropriation requests. I came to the Congress out of the Tennessee Legislature, as I said, and I was known for open government and transparency. That's one of the ways I was able to win my election. And that's exactly what people want in this Congress. They want a Congress that they can feel good about, that we're going to be honest with them and we're going to spend their tax dollars wisely. Ronald Reagan once said, we don't have a $1 trillion debt because we don't tax enough. We have a $1 trillion debt because we spend too much. And anything we can do to help control those tax dollars and that spending is exactly what we need to do. We need that transparency and that accountability as we move forward, and we don't need secret slush funds. We don't need to come in after we pass bills, later on, and then drop in pieces of legislation called earmarks. That was another promise that was made during the last elections, that those would be open and transparent. We don't need to drop those in later, where the American people don't have an understanding. They understand they've got to make their house payments. They understand they've got to fill up their vehicles and their cars with this gas that was going to have lower gasoline prices. They understand that. But they certainly need to understand, as well, what we're voting on. We need to be open and accountable. It's interesting to me, just looking back at some of the things that were said by the Democrat leadership. Back on September 14 of 2006, the Speaker of this House said, this is a place where we really need to throw up the shades and pull back the curtains. We have to have the fullest possible disclosure. It has to be on earmarks and appropriations and authorizations and on taxation, and it has to be across the board with no escape hatches. Well, I stand in support of this amendment, so we can make sure that we throw up the shades and make sure that we're held accountable. I'd like, again, to thank the gentlelady from North Carolina for her leadership on this amendment. And with that, I'd like to yield my time to the gentlelady from North Carolina.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues on the House Resources Committee for bringing this legislation that I've introduced, along with my fellow Tennessee Members, Jimmy Duncan and John Tanner, to the floor of the House today supporting the goals and ideals of American Eagle Day. Almost 225 years ago, on June 20, 1782, the Second Continental Congress designated the bald eagle as the national symbol of the United States. Since that time, the bald eagle has become a fixture on the seals and marks of the Federal Government and on our stamps, currency and coinage. And while the bald eagle has always been such a popular fixture in the hearts and minds of so many Americans, it is difficult to believe that we were very close to forever losing the symbol of our great country. In 1963, the number of nesting pairs of eagles in the 48 contiguous States had dwindled to a figure of just over 400. As the habitat for the bald eagle solely exists in North America, these figures were extremely alarming and led to the bald eagle being listed as an endangered species for the first time in 1967. Today, I'm pleased to note that, as a result of the Federal protection laws and through the diligent efforts of so many private conservationists, the bald eagle has made an incredible recovery. In 1995, the bald eagle was removed from the endangered list to the threatened list, and it could very soon be moved permanently off of these lists as soon as Federal guidelines can be finalized that will forever protect the birds and their habitats. I have been extremely interested in this issue, not only because of the importance of this as a matter of national concern but also because of my firsthand experience in dealing with a group located in the heart of the First Congressional District of Tennessee that has been working for the last 22 years to save the bald eagle. The American Eagle Foundation is located in Pigeon Ford, Tennessee, at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This nonprofit group has worked to establish recovery programs to protect the eagle and actively cares for many nonreleasable birds to ensure they live healthy lives. In addition, they operate the largest bald eagle breeding facility in the world, and they have released hundreds of eaglets into the wild with the support of local, State and Federal officials. Through the efforts of the American Eagle Foundation and the grassroots efforts of children nationwide, I am pleased to offer this legislation for this consideration. Spaced conveniently between Flag Day on June 14 and Independence Day on July 4, July 20 will give Americans another day in which they can celebrate their patriotism by honoring the unique symbol of our heritage and folklore. I again thank my colleagues for bringing this legislation to the floor of the House and encourage all of my colleagues on the House to join me in supporting this bill.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory and service of PFC Harry Leon Wilson, who is the only known African-American to be a member of the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division during the Korean War, where he was taken as a prisoner of war on November 27, 1950 and died in February 8, 1951 while in prison. Harry Leon Wilson is also the only known African-American POW from Carter County, Tennessee to die in a Korean prisoner of war camp. Private Wilson was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, The United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. Madam Speaker, I ask you and all of my colleagues to join me in honoring the memory, selfless service, and great sacrifice of PVT Harry Leon Wilson.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Rogers), and I ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control that time.

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Musgrave).

Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of House Resolution 290 honoring the contributions of the Rocky Mountain Senior Games on its 30th anniversary for significantly improving the health and well-being of older Americans. We should recognize the hardworking volunteers and the event coordinators that make this week's events possible. Without their efforts, these games would not be possible. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.