Joe Donnelly

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2139) to modernize the manufactured housing loan insurance program under title I of the National Housing Act, as amended.

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 477) recognizing National Homeownership Month and the importance of homeownership in the United States.

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation, and to insert extraneous material thereon.

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa).

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests. I want to thank my good friend, my colleague from Illinois, for his assistance in this. It is a terrific resolution. We look forward to its success.

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 477 introduced by Congressman Gary G. Miller of California. This resolution recognizes the importance of National Homeownership Month, which the President designated as June of this year. Homeownership is one of the fundamental building blocks of our society. And it plays a fundamental role in achieving the American Dream. It helps to provide families with economic security and helps to build strong communities. The national homeownership rate in the United States has reached a record high of almost 70 percent. This is the result of the hard work of both public and private sector organizations, nonprofit groups, and Federal, State and local government working together for a common cause: to ensure that families have a stable living environment and are in a supportive community. Homeownership is a crucial indicator of our economic health. I believe that ensuring affordable homeownership for hardworking Americans is one of the most important tasks we have here in Congress. We must work together to encourage more opportunities for homeownership so that buyers are able to choose a housing option that meets their needs. Owning a home helps families build financial stability, and it puts them on sound financial footing so they are able to invest in things like college and saving for retirement. This not only affects every American family; it allows our economy to prosper. It is important to ensure that while we are promoting homeownership, and that we are preparing homeowners for the responsibility of maintaining and paying off their home, that they understand this process as well. The rise in predatory lending and in subprime loans has contributed significantly to the high rate of foreclosures in States like Indiana, my home State. Congress must work to ensure a level playing field for home buyers to purchase a home with a mortgage that they can work with and be able to pay. I urge Members to vote in favor of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Madam Speaker, in the 190 years since Indiana achieved statehood, many well-educated, aspiring individuals from the Ohio River to Lake Michigan have represented its citizens. Perhaps none of them came to Washington more dedicated to the ideal of representing the common man than James Prather Jontz. I rise today to honor his life and service to Indiana. Jim was born in Indianapolis in 1951, graduated from Indiana University in less than three years, completed graduate work at Purdue University and was an instructor at Butler University. His political career was sparked by his opposition to a dam building project in Central Indiana, and at the age of 23, he became a member of the Indiana House of Representatives. After representing his district for ten years, he was elected to the Indiana Senate where he established a reputation for standing up for his convictions. In 1986, Jim was elected to The United States House of Representatives where he served three terms. In Congress, Jim fought for his constituency's issues. Jim valued his own college education and he did what he could to promote college attainment in a state that long has trailed the national average on college attainment. He served on the House Agriculture Committee and worked to develop a new farm bill to benefit his district's farmers. He worked for our service members and national security needs by overseeing the transition of the Grissom Air Force Base to the Grissom Air Reserve Base. During his tenure Jim sought and secured federal funding for the first steps of the Hoosier Heartland Corridor, one of Indiana's most important highway projects. This project was stalled in the construction phase for nearly 20 years, but, because of his efforts, it was designated as one of 21 national priority corridors. Today, land acquisition is proceeding for the completion of the final 40 miles of that corridor. Jim might be best remembered for championing environmental causes. He worked to protect the Pacific Northwest's old-growth forests and to foster collaboration between organized labor and environmentalists. His work on behalf of our natural resources and environment drew national attention. Following Jim's tenure in the House, he continued advocating for the environment while serving as President of Americans for Democratic Action from 1998 to 2002. He moved to Oregon to work with forest preservation groups. Jim's final project was leading Working Families Win, an effort to raise the minimum wage and improve health care for the uninsured. His dedication to his fellow Americans continued until his death earlier this year. Jim Jontz raised the bar for civic engagement, both for his peers and his constituents. He raised awareness about many important issues. For the people of his district, he raised their expectations that one man can make a difference in so many areas of our society. Today, on behalf of the citizens of Indiana, I honor James Jontz for his years of unselfish dedication to his district, his state and his country.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Chairman, I want to commend you on this bill and what a tremendous job your committee has done in producing this. I want to make sure that the Veterans Administration uses the added resources that you have provided to help reduce the disability claims that we have seen getting backlogged. We need to reduce that backlog in the most efficient manner possible. Mr. Chairman, I strongly support this underlying bill. For the first time in years, Congress is going to provide the kind of resources the VA should have in order to provide the level of health care and customer service that America's veterans have earned through their service. I commend you and the committee for drafting a bill that we can all be proud of and that works for our veterans. Today, America's disabled veterans must wait an average of almost 6 months for the VA to make a decision on their initial claim. Right now, as we speak, almost half a million veterans have pending claims that have already exceeded that 6-month time period, a period of time, I believe, that is far, far too long. With hundreds of thousands of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, we can only expect the demand for services to rise. This is an unacceptable situation, as you well know, Mr. Chairman, and it's a result from two occurrences, insufficient resources at the VA to process claims and a system that fundamentally needs to be improved. We commend you because this bill starts to address the funding issues that we face. H.R. 2642 provides invaluable new resources to address the VA's deficiencies, including funding for over 1,000 additional claim workers. I want to make sure the VA is doing everything possible in considering every opportunity to use the funds you are using in a wise fashion. The Government Accountability Office has made eight commonsense recommendations to how it can improve the disability claims process at the VA. This report, most recently reiterated on May 25, is a report that deals with our wounded warriors and how to take care of them better. It has eight strategic ways to fix the disability claims situation. However, according to the GAO, the VA is not moving on these eight recommendations. I think the Congress should know why the VA is not moving forward with these, and if they do move forward, they should let us know when and how they are going to implement these recommendations. We should require the VA to report back to Congress on what it is doing to implement the GAO recommendations and how they can improve this process. Mr. Chairman, we are grateful. The veterans of Indiana's Second District are grateful for the increase in funds, and we ask your help in making sure that the VA uses those funds in a wise way and reduces the disability claims backlog.

Mr. DONNELLY. I thank you for your leadership and your wisdom on this issue.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the sacrifice of Technical Sergeant Ryan Balmer, native son of Mishawaka, Indiana, who died on June 5, 2007 while proudly serving his nation in Kirkuk, Iraq. Ryan risked everything in service to America, and for that we are eternally grateful. Ryan was stationed at Hill Air Force base in Utah where he lived with his wife, Danielle and their two children Anthony and Gabby. His family, including his mother, Patricia Balmer, was anticipating his scheduled arrival home five days later when they were informed of his death. Danielle had made posters, buttons and banners to welcome Ryan home and had planned to line the road to their home with American flags. She also made a shirt for Gabby that read, ``My daddy's finally home.'' However, when Danielle saw the uniformed Air Force officers, including Ryan's saddened commanding officer, arrive at her work, she learned he was not coming home. Danielle said,``He died doing what he loved.'' Shortly after graduation from Mishawaka High School, Ryan joined the Air Force where he became part of the Office of Special Investigations. His mission was to help identify, investigate and neutralize criminal, terrorist and espionage threats, one of the most dangerous assignments in today's Air Force. At the time of his death, he was serving as a liaison between Iraqi police and U.S. military officials in Kirkuk. Ryan was killed when the vehicle in which he was riding, the first of a three vehicle convoy, was hit by an improvised explosive device. His commander, General Dana Simmons, called him a ``warrior'' who made the ultimate sacrifice in his brave performance of duty. It is my somber duty to honor and remember Ryan and a life cut tragically short. I am saddened by the loss to his family, our community and our country. We were all blessed by his presence and diminished by his passing.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of Roland Kelly, a 16-year member of the South Bend Common Council, World War II veteran, and beloved member of the community. Mr. Kelly lost his battle with a strep infection on May 26, 2007. Born and raised in Port Chester, New York, Mr. Kelly enlisted in the United States Navy at age 17 to serve in WWII. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1950 and remained in South Bend to work in broadcasting until 1972. At WSBT-TV, Mr. Kelly served as the news anchor and the news director. Though a natural in front of the camera, Mr. Kelly began a new career at the local bank where he served as the Vice President and Director of Marketing, and he would retire as the Director of Business Development. Throughout his life, he dedicated himself to bettering the community through volunteering and mentoring. Mr. Kelly was a member of many boards and committees, but most notably he sat on the South Bend Common Council as Vice-President until his death. Described as the ``peacemaker'' by fellow council members, he sponsored an anti-gun ordinance in 1991 and was instrumental in including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in anti- discrimination laws. Mr. Kelly was also influential in revamping a tax abatement ordinance which has fostered millions of dollars of new investment in our community. Committees he sat on included the Information and Technology committee and the Community and Economic Development committee, and he was chairperson of the Community Relations committee. For his dedication to the community, Mr. Kelly was inducted into the South Bend Community Hall of Fame in 2001. Our community has lost a beloved family member, generous friend, devoted father, doting grandfather, and Notre Dame's most enthusiastic fan. He was described as a ``ham at heart'' and was often seen performing in theatre and music groups. Off-stage, Mr. Kelly never missed an opportunity to share a witty story. Mr. Kelly leaves behind three children, seven grandchildren, a great- grandson, and countless friends. His ever-present energy and humor will be dearly missed. It is with great pride that I celebrate the life and service of Roland Kelly.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of COL Owen A. Heeter, who faithfully served our country in the United States Air Force for 30 years. Colonel Heeter passed away on February 17, 2007. Colonel Heeter was born in Athens, Indiana in 1936. He graduated from Rochester High School in 1954 as an accomplished athlete and went on to attend DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. At DePauw, Colonel Heeter played baseball and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. However, it was his experiences in the Reserve Officers Training Corps that led him to a career dedicated to serving our country. After graduation in 1958, Colonel Heeter joined the United States Air Force, becoming one of our country's most successful pilots. He was stationed at various bases within the United States and overseas, including Spain, Thailand, and Panama. Some of his most notable accomplishments include becoming the first pilot to fly an HH-53 helicopter across the Pacific Ocean, flying rescue missions over Vietnam, and recovering bodies from the mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana. Colonel Heeter received numerous awards in recognition of his outstanding service during his tours of duty. Included in these are the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. After retiring from the Air Force, Colonel Heeter was a member of the international sales department at Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas. After retiring 10 years later, he returned to Rochester, Indiana, eventually marrying his high school sweetheart. In the last decade of his life, Colonel Heeter was an active member of Grace United Methodist Church, the Kiwanis Club, the LeRoy Shelton American Legion Post #36, and many other organizations. He enjoyed working on his golf game and spending time with his grandchildren. Colonel Heeter represented the best that this country has to offer. His selfless dedication to the United States, to his community and to his family will always be remembered. It is with great pride that I celebrate the life and service of COL Owen A. Heeter.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Thank you, Mr. Ross. It is a privilege. And as you look at that chart and you see the indicator of how many of our veterans are waiting for service, waiting for care, when we are spending $300 billion, Mr. Ross, on interest payments and on the veterans approximately $25 billion, I have the privilege of being on the Veterans Affairs Committee, and we have crying needs in almost every part of this country. We were blessed in my home area just this past week. We were able to announce that there will be a new veterans' clinic opening in approximately 8 months in Elkhart County, Indiana. But, Mr. Ross, we need so many more. There is a need in the southern part of my congressional district down around Cass County and Fulton County, but we have to plan so carefully because our financial needs require that we spend $300 billion on paying down interest. Mr. Ross, I ask you to think of what we could do for veterans, opening new clinics and new hospitals, if just a small portion of those funds could be used instead of paying down a national debt that has exploded over the last years.

Mr. DONNELLY. I know we are starting to run short on time, so I just want to sum up what I have been thinking and saying here tonight with this: How far have we gone askew? How confused have we become with this administration when a 3.5 percent pay raise is unnecessary, but we lose $12 billion in Iraq that there is no trace of, that was loaded onto skids into an airplane and can't even be found. But we can't give a 3.5 percent pay raise to the best, the bravest, the finest who have ever served this country. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Ross, that's part of the reason we need this Iraq War Accountability Act, just one of the many glaring things, but I leave that with the American people and let them know these Blue Dogs are on the hunt to get that fixed.

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, it was interesting over Memorial Day weekend, I was back home and went to a Memorial Day service in Rolling Prairie, Indiana, which is in LaPorte County, a beautiful county right next door to where I live, and some of the World War II veterans said to me, ``You know, Joe, when we went to war, everyone sacrificed. We were all in this together.'' Then I was fortunate enough a few days later to read a book called ``The Price of Liberty'' by Robert Hormats. This book explained a simple factor, that in this war we have been asked to go shopping, while the military sacrifices every day and their families sacrifice every day. Mr. Speaker, what was pointed out in the book is that this is the first war in history where at a time we were going to war, we also decided to cut taxes and increase other spending, and this formula has resulted in explosive deficits. My good friend from Arkansas, next to him is a poster detailing the cost of Operation Iraqi Freedom, close to $400 million, heading to $500 billion. When this was first discussed, the Office of Management and Budget some years ago said the top cost we would have was $50 billion to $60 billion. We were told, my dear friend from Arkansas, that the oil revenues would cover all the costs. Look where we are some years later. There has been an air of unreality from the start in facing up to the fact that, in the past, all Americans sacrificed together. And instead of sacrificing, we borrowed the money from the Chinese, we borrowed the money from the Mexican government, we borrowed the money from the Japanese government. My good friends throughout my district, the veterans in Cass County and in Carroll County, would roll their eyes if they knew that we were funding our war by borrowing money from the Chinese. They would say, ``Joe, how crazy is this? How does this make any sense at all?'' And the answer is, it doesn't. Instead of looking each other square in the eye and saying we have obligations, we have responsibilities, we have a sense of shared sacrifice, this administration has told us we can take a pass. Well, my good friend, we cannot take a pass, and the policy of cutting taxes and increasing spending on other government programs while funding this war continues on, the hole gets bigger, and the burden we are passing on to our children grows every day. So I yield back to my good friend from Arkansas, with the hope that at some point we will understand that we are all in this together and that not all the burden should be placed on our military families.

Mr. DONNELLY. We, in my hometown of South Bend, just this past weekend, last Saturday, sent off 175 young men and women who will be going over to serve in Iraq, and again, a number of them on their second tour of duty. The best, the bravest, the finest you could ever see. I want to make sure that they have the finest body armor that they could possibly have; the best vehicle protection that they could have; the best equipment; the best training. All of that costs funds. We want to make sure those funds are there, and we will. But think, Mr. Ross, of $300 billion just to pay down a debt that never should have been run up in the first place. Those Guardsmen, as they were leaving, I was telling them all good luck, Godspeed. And they said, sir, it's our privilege to serve this country. It is a right that we look at and cherish, and it is a great honor for us to have this opportunity. Well, our obligation is to make sure they have everything they need. As you said, there is a hearing tomorrow on body armor. I have been fortunate enough over the last few months to have gone to Walter Reed Army Hospital on a number of occasions. I went through Building 18. I saw the holes in the ceiling; I saw the mold on the wall; I saw the wallpaper peeled off and hanging down. I saw plastic buckets along the floor because the roof was leaking in a United States medical facility, an outpatient housing center. And living in there were our brave Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who had been wounded and come back, and what they received when they came back was a room with a leaking roof, with mold. This facility is being closed in 2011, but part of the concern is do we have enough funds to cover everything? And here we are sending $300 billion a year to the Chinese, to the Japanese, to the Mexicans because they are holding our paper. Our obligation is to clean up this mess. That is what we are trying to do with PAYGO and similar systems that the Blue Dogs have sponsored and have brought to the floor of this House. So, I am proud to be an Indiana Blue Dog, along with my fellow Hoosier Blue Dog, Brad Ellsworth of Evansville, Baron Hill of the Ninth District, along with my 40 other colleagues. And I know we are hoping next week to add approximately five more. We will continue to try to bring common-sense, moderate policies, not partisan fights, to this country so we can restore sanity back to the operations of this country again. I yield to my good friend, Mr. Ross.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2199. Mr. Speaker, this bill will help us better care for America's wounded warriors suffering from traumatic brain injury, the signature wound of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. This important legislation will require the VA to better screen veterans for symptoms of TBI, devise a long- term care strategy, and promote better understanding of TBI and how we can provide the best care possible. I also want to thank my good friend, Mr. Michaud, for including my bill, H.R. 2190, establishing an advisory committee on rural veterans, as a provision of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, over 40 percent of returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are coming home to rural communities, and countless older veterans live in rural America, places like Pulaski County and Starke County, Indiana. The health care needs and services rural veterans require are very, very unique. These veterans often have increased barriers to obtaining the same quality of care as their urban and suburban counterparts. We must do better by them. It is critical that the VA have direct input from rural veterans at the highest level of policymaking. The Advisory Committee on Rural Veterans will work with and advise the VA Secretary on how policies and programs affect them, and how services can be improved for rural veterans and their families. I urge my colleagues in the House to pass this bill to improve care for our wounded warriors and America's rural veterans.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my friend Mr. Hill's bill to get tough on criminals who undermine our Nation's safety. Mr. Speaker, the Alien Smuggling and Terrorism Prevention Act is a commonsense bill whose time is overdue. This legislation clarifies current law and would more severely punish those criminals who smuggle illegal aliens into our country, lengthening the amount of time they would have to be imprisoned and providing strong new sentences for those who assist terrorists. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hill's bill recognizes that there must be real penalties for people who break our laws. When it comes to our immigration policies, we first need to prove to Americans that we can secure our borders against intruders and provide strong enforcement of existing laws. We need to get law enforcement and Federal agents all the tools they need to do their jobs effectively. We should provide the resources and technology our businesses need to better verify the citizenship of potential employees and crack down on employers who knowingly flout workplace laws. We must not provide amnesty for those who have broken our laws. And, Mr. Speaker, I regret that the recent proposal on comprehensive immigration reform in the Senate does not appear to have passed these tests. I strongly urge my colleagues today to vote for H.R. 2399.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Chairman, my amendment, along with my good friend and colleague, Mr. Feeney from Florida, will ensure that pre-purchase financial counselors for low income, first-time home buyers who are to receive Affordable Housing Fund grant moneys do not discriminate against any particular form of housing in the performance of their duties or rendering financial advice. My amendment will prohibit any existing biases from entering into the financial advice that counselors administer to first-time home buyers, and it ensures that the advice that they are providing is strictly financial, not editorial. These first-time home buyers need to have access to information about all of the types of affordable housing that is available to them, whether it is a manufactured home, condominium or any other form of quality affordable housing. We want to ensure that the people who benefit from this program have all of the information they need to make a sound decision based on their financial needs, but counselors should not steer them to or away from specific types of housing. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I see that my good friend Mr. Feeney is on the floor as well.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to Corporal Nick S. Polizzotto, nine year veteran of the South Bend Police Department, who gave his life in the line of duty. For the people of South Bend, Indiana, Corporal Polizzotto is indeed a hero. On April 24, 2007, a report of gunshots brought Corporal Polizzotto and his partner, Patrolman Michael Norby, to a local motel. There, at 1:37 a.m., an armed suspect shot both policemen, killing Corporal Polizzotto. Patrolman Norby credits Corporal Polizzotto with saving his life. Our community has lost a beloved family member, a generous friend, a devoted father and a dedicated protector. Often described as having a heart of gold, he proudly wore his uniform and bravely patrolled the streets of our city until making the ultimate sacrifice. Born and raised in South Bend, Nick always wanted to be a police officer and graduated from Indiana University with a degree in criminal justice. During his many years as a Southeast South Bend beat officer, he received 18 commendations and was Officer of the Month in 2006. Corporal Polizzotto leaves behind his parents, his son, Joseph, a brother and sister and countless relatives and friends who loved him. South Bend has lost a brave guardian. Madam Speaker, we grieve for our hero, Corporal Nick Polizzotto. May God welcome him home and give comfort to his family and friends.

Mr. DONNELLY

Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Chairman, we don't need any political cover. We are proud to stand for this amendment. The only political games are those being played by others. I rise in support of this amendment, recognizing the important role that faith and community-based organizations play in Head Start's continued success. Head Start has been instrumental in advancing the development of comprehensive skills in disadvantaged children during the crucial years before they enter elementary school. Since 1965, Head Start has been a resounding success; in no small part because of faith- based organizations, organizations I support fully. Since the beginning, community and faith-based organizations have been a part of this program and currently serve more than 90,000 children and their families. Faith-based organizations play a critical role because they are intimately familiar with the community in which they serve and are driven by a moral commitment to our youth. This amendment reaffirms Congress' strong support for their current and future involvement in Head Start, making clear that regardless of rumors to the contrary, they will remain eligible on the same basis as other organizations to participate in Head Start. Mr. Chairman, I urge all my colleagues to support this amendment and the passage of H.R. 1429. I am proud to support it and the faith-based organizations that will serve it.