Bob Etheridge

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 3288, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010. This bill makes investments to improve transportation, housing, and critical national infrastructure, and, at least as critically, it is a jobs bill. H.R. 3288 builds on the work of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create jobs and bolster our flagging economy. Unemployment rates across the country are reaching record highs, with my state of North Carolina at an average of 11.1 percent. New construction and renovation in transportation infrastructure and housing initiatives can provide thousands of desperately needed jobs. Every $1 billion of federal investments in highways creates an estimated 34,800 jobs. This bill provides a substantial increase in funding to repair and expand our Nation's aging infrastructure. Our transportation infrastructure provides the means to move goods and products; making it essential to the health of our larger economy as well as to the safety of every American traveler. H.R. 3288 provides $41.1 billion to improve and repair our nation's highways, increases funding for the next generation of high speed rail, and includes $3.5 billion for airport modernization and safety grants and $2.9 billion to modernize the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control system. H.R. 3288 also provides critical funding in the housing sector and invests in local communities, including those in rural America. Under this bill, there are more housing resources available for low income families, veterans, the elderly, and disabled individuals, including capital, operating funds, and counseling services. This bill also increases funding for Community Development Block Grants, HOPE VI grants, and brownfields redevelopment. This appropriations bill fully funds our most important transportation and housing priorities. I support H.R. 3288, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 3082, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010. This legislation continues our commitment to the men and women who sacrifice so much to keep our nation safe, supporting members of our military on base, in theater, and when they return home. As the representative of Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, and many members of our National Guard and Reserves, I am pleased that this bill invests in the infrastructure needed to prepare our troops for battle and improve military equipment. Fort Bragg is becoming one of the largest military facilities in the country through the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, and this bill will provide more than $200 million for a variety of projects on the base in support of Army activity, special operations forces, and the National Guard. Nationwide, H.R. 3082 contains significant funding for new facilities including $450 million to modernize troop housing, $2 billion to improve military family housing, and $7.5 billion for BRAC. In recognition of the historic contributions of National Guard and Reserve personnel to operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as their support of emergency assistance and homeland security, this bill provides $200 million for National Guard and Reserve construction. H.R. 3082 also includes $1.4 billion for needs related to operations and troop increases in Afghanistan. Overall, this bill ensures that our military infrastructure keeps up with the needs of our modern fighting forces and operations overseas. As an Army veteran, I am also pleased that H.R. 3082 continues to build on our promise to take care of all those who have served our country with honor. It provides nearly $109 billion for veteran's services, including medical care and facilities. Together with increases of the last two years, enactment of this bill will have increased veteran's funding by nearly 50 percent, in recognition of the service of our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill provides $34.7 billion to improve access to medical services for all veterans and $4.6 billion for mental health care, and will add 1,200 new claims processors to reduce the claims backlog and ensure veterans receive care and payment in a timely manner. It also makes significant investments in medical research and information technology. As the representative of a predominantly rural district, I am aware that more than 40 percent of veterans live in rural areas. This bill invests $440 million to improve access to care for these veterans, who often have to travel long distances to receive care. Madam Chair, this bill takes care of those who are keeping America safe. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 3082, to fulfill our continued obligations to our nation's military.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 3081, 2010 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill. This legislation provides $48.843 billion for the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and related agencies to help the U.S. meet its foreign policy goals of economic stability and poverty reduction, advance the global fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other health crises. This bill helps protect our national security through effective diplomacy and international development projects. It provides needed assistance to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq and it promotes security, economic development, health, and education around the world. The bill also provides vital resources to rebuild the capacity of the State Department and USAID. It reverses a decade of reliance on supplemental appropriations and provides an honest accounting of the true cost of critical national security initiatives. To rebuild our diplomatic and development capacity, the bill provides funding for approximately 1,000 new positions at the Department of State and approximately 300 new employees at USAID as part of the Development Leadership Initiative, creating jobs that hardworking Americans can fill. This bill also provides a total of $7.684 billion for global health programs, including $5.7 billion in total funding for global HIV/AIDS prevention and health initiatives. Diseases like HIV/ AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria continue to threaten the lives of millions of people as well as stability in the developing world, and this bill will advance our security interests while also fulfilling our moral obligation to fight this scourge. Mr. Chair, H.R. 3081 enhances our ability to keep our Nation secure and our citizens safe. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chair, I rise tonight in reluctant support of this legislation. While H.R. 2997, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010 provides critical funding for the United States Department of Agriculture, including important initiatives that I helped put in the 2008 Farm Bill, it falls short for some rural Americans. USDA funding is critical to our nation, and H.R. 2997 ensures USDA can continue its good work. This bill provides more than $2.8 billion for rural development, 4 percent more than in 2009, for investments such as rural housing, water projects, community facilities and economic development efforts. These rural initiatives not only sustain our rural communities, but also create new opportunities for growth and development in our nation's small towns. At a time when our rural economies are suffering, this funding provides a desperately needed hand up, and a way to spur continued growth and maintenance for existing infrastructure. To protect American agriculture, the safety of our nation's food supply, and to spur the continued research that makes our land grant universities the pinnacle of the world's agriculture research centers, the bill provides nearly $1.2 billion for the Agricultural Research Service $1.3 billion for important agricultural research at the National Institute for Food and Agriculture, and $881 million to fund programs that protect American agriculture against animal and plant diseases. As the representative of the district that contains the main campus of North Carolina State University, one of our nation's finest land grant and agricultural research institutions, I am proud that the research funds within the bill will continue to allow these students and researchers to do their good work for American agriculture and the consumers who eat the healthy food American farmers produce, here at home and across the globe. Conservation efforts were sadly diminished under the last Administration, but this bill provides $980 million for conservation programs at USDA, 8 percent above the President's request and 1 percent above 2009. Funding provided in H.R. 2997 for the Natural Resources Conservation Service will improve service in the field, and deliver conservation to protect the environment. The bill rejects $267 million in proposed cuts to farm bill conservation priorities, including the Wetlands Reserve Program, Farmland Protection Program, and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program. These initiatives ensure that our children inherit the legacy of a clean environment and a healthy rural America. They deserve no less than what we enjoyed growing up. To help the most needy in our society, H.R. 2997 provides more than $7.5 billion to provide proper nutrition to mothers and their children, supporting healthy food for up to an additional 700,000 women, infants, and children. The funds provided in this bill will help bring needed WIC assistance to more than ten million people. It also sets aside $125 million for the upcoming WIC reauthorization, including a number of program improvements such as increasing fruit and vegetable vouchers, implementing the electronic benefit transfer system, and expanding the breast feeding peer counseling program. There are many good things in this bill. But while the bill provides basic support for our nation's farmers, it leaves out some of the farmers most in need and may harm many of our livestock and poultry producers. Mr. Chair, the people who live in my district are suffering. With double digit unemployment in every county in my district, we are experiencing some of the worst economic conditions in the nation. My farmers are suffering as well. I have poultry growers and livestock producers who are on the verge of losing their homes. This bill should include Section 32 funding, that I requested, for economic disaster assistance for these producers, producers who work hard to raise thousands of birds for our family tables but are not eligible for any traditional assistance at USDA. This provision would have helped nearly a thousand poultry producers in a dozen states who have lost their contracts. These folks have nowhere else to turn for a bridge that will allow them to keep their farms. When we are giving bailouts to Wall Street and the auto industry, we owe it to rural America to lend a hand to those who reside on Main Street. But, unfortunately, the committee did not include this provision. I am also concerned about a provision put into this bill that extends a ban on imports of processed poultry meat from China. This is already threatening to hurt not only U.S. poultry producers, but also pork and beef producers who depend on the Chinese market. While I share Chairwoman DeLauro's desire to make sure that our food is safe, arbitrary restrictions do not forward our goals. Congress should rely on the food safety efforts of USDA and FDA, and insist on continued oversight of these agencies. We must work to improve Chinese food safety in a manner that protects U.S. consumers, but that is also consistent with our international obligations on fair trade. Singling out our largest trading partner may lead to retaliation that would threaten an already suffering industry. It is my hope that this provision will be removed from the bill during conference. Mr. Chair, I will vote for H.R. 2997, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. But I also urge those in Leadership, and the Chair of this committee, to think of North Carolina's poultry farmers, and livestock producers across the country, as this bill goes to conference. I hope to work together in the future to ensure that future legislation is more inclusive of all of our farmers and people in need.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 2892, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010. This legislation provides $44 billion for the Department of Homeland Security to continue its work to keep Americans safe, keep our borders secure, and ensure our communities are prepared for any disaster-- whether natural or man-made. At a time when our state and local governments are strained in the current economic downturn, this legislation continues our federal commitment to support local efforts that keep our communities safe. It provides $3.55 billion for first responder grant initiatives, including $810 million for Fire Grants, $950 million for State Emergency Preparedness Grants, $330 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants, and a total of $90 million for interoperable communications and emergency response centers. H.R. 2892 will help secure our border and improve the enforcement of our nation's immigration laws. The measure would fully fund 20,019 border patrol agents with $3.5 billion and provide $732 million for border fencing, infrastructure and technology. It would provide $5.7 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enhance our ability to identify and remove immigrants who have illegally entered the country, and $248 million for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to improve the processing of visas for those eligible to enter the country. This funding includes $112 million to operate and improve E-Verify, the DHS initiative that empowers businesses to screen potential employees' immigration status. As North Carolina is a prime hurricane state, I am pleased that this bill makes important investments in all-hazards disaster preparedness. It provides $2 billion for Disaster Relief, $220 million to continue flood map modernization and to maintain modernized maps, and $200 million to address the increasing needs for emergency food and shelter, recognizing that the current economic downturn is a disaster in its own right. Madam Chair, this is a strong bill that enhances our ability to keep our nation secure and our citizens safe. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2010. As the representative of Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base, I am pleased that this bill makes important investments to support our national security and recognize the contributions of not only our men and women in uniform but also the families that support them. It provides for a 3.4 percent pay raise for service members and authorizes $1.95 billion for family housing programs. It expands support for those who are injured in battle, with enhancements for the medical ``mission to heal'' and funding to help friends and family visit or otherwise support recovering service members. It also expands TRICARE health coverage for reserve component members and their families. H.R. 2647 improves military readiness and authorizes additional funds for equipment depleted by the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. It authorizes the president's request for 15,000 more Army troops, 8,000 more Marines, 14,650 more Air Force personnel, and 2,477 more Navy sailors, and also includes funding for force protection to keep those troops safe in theater. It recognizes the toll on our Army National guard and reserves by providing new battle gear and construction projects in our communities. While I am pleased that this resolution provides authorization of $50 million for Impact Aid funding, with additional $15 million for BRAC- affected areas, these levels are inadequate for the pressing needs our school districts have as they care for military-connected students. As the former superintendent of North Carolina's schools, I know first- hand that we cannot provide a high-quality education without high- quality facilities. In North Carolina, the BRAC process has swelled enrollment in the counties around Fort Bragg--Cumberland, Harnett, Johnston, and Sampson--without increasing the tax base that supports the local schools. Impact Aid funding has barely increased in the last five years. We must renew our commitment to support these students and give local schools the support they need to provide them a quality education, especially in the current economic downturn that is straining state and local budgets. Mr. Chair, despite this shortfall, this is a strong bill that supports our men and women in uniform, and their families, and enhances our national security. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, I rise reluctantly to speak on H.R. 2456, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. This is not a perfect bill, and I will work for its improvement before it comes back here for another vote. However, one thing is clear to most Americans: the time for action is now. Last summer we had gas prices that hit more than $4 per gallon. Last winter some folks could not afford to heat their homes. We need to start a clean energy economy that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and position America as a leader in a new technological industry. America has traditionally been a global leader in innovation and economic growth, and this legislation takes a first step to get America running on new energy technologies. We have the technology and the research infrastructure to create new ideas. We have talented people ready to go to work. And we certainly need the jobs, especially in North Carolina. This bill will put people to work creating the industries of the 21st Century. We have seen that our current energy policy is not working. By doing nothing, or delaying action, we risk further crippling our economy. That is not a risk we can afford. We will continue to use oil, coal and natural gas, solar, wind, hydroelectric, and nuclear, but should also create new sources of energy and develop efficient technologies. We need to start an energy economy today, with a policy of ``all of the above.'' This is an economic imperative, to create jobs and to prevent spikes in energy costs. This is a national security priority, to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to keep the hundreds of billions of dollars we send overseas here at home. This is a competitiveness issue, to make America a leader in an emerging industry and promote research and development here in the U.S.A. North Carolina has always been a leader in technology, and has the potential to meet America's energy needs through our agricultural strength. Moving forward towards a clean energy economy will be a boon for North Carolinians and the whole country. This is not a perfect bill. It contains some protections for low and moderate income families, but does not do enough for the middle class. It makes some efforts to prevent regional price differences, but does not do enough to recognize the investments North Carolina's rate payers have already made. It takes some steps to establish goals for international climate negotiations and to ensure that the United States is not placed at a competitive disadvantage, but it should do more to protect American companies if we take responsible action and other nations do not. I will reserve the right to work to improve this bill to improve its consumer relief provisions, promote regional fairness, and ensure that our businesses have a level playing field with their international competitors. But I will vote for this bill today to move us forward into the future that America needs and deserves.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 2847, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010. This legislation will fund the Departments of Commerce and Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and several other independent agencies. These collective agencies and departments allow our nation to continue to invest in critical science research, like climate change, education, and state and local law enforcement. At a time when our nation is in need of rebuilding, and our communities to be made safer for our children, this bill will provide $3.4 billion for state and local law enforcement and crime prevention grants, including more than $800 million for Community Oriented Police Services (COPS), to help keep our streets and neighborhoods safer, $400 million for the Office on Violence Against Women, and $2 billion for the Drug Enforcement Administration. To help these children grow up in a safe environment, and move into adulthood with the opportunity that a better education will present, the bill offers $1 billion for Science Education, and over $18 billion for NASA. Overall, it provides nearly $31 billion for science as part of a commitment to America's innovation and competitiveness. A vote in support of this bill is a vote in favor of our security, our liberty, and the hope of our future through education. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 2847.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, Chairman Conyers, and Majority Leader Hoyer for expediting this resolution to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday, June 9, the town of Garner, in my district, changed forever. A natural gas leak, as you've heard, ignited a massive explosion at the ConAgra Food plant, causing the collapse of a significant portion of the structure. Three employees died in the explosion; and close to 40 others were injured, four, with critical burns. This resolution remembers the lives of Barbara McLean Spears of Dunn, North Carolina, Louis Junior Watson and Rachel Mae Poston Pulley, both of Clayton. They were all hardworking Americans who did just what we do every day: they got up, they went to work on that fateful day, Tuesday, to make their lives better and to do their part to contribute to America's work force and success of this Nation. One of those workers, Louis Junior Watson, was particularly heroic. Though he had a means of escape, Watson chose to remain in the building to aid his coworker, Barbara McLean Spears, who had fallen. This extraordinary man is truly a hero and exemplifies the spirit of community and kinship that has strengthened his community. Mr. Watson and his wife, Terri, would have celebrated their wedding anniversary yesterday. They had a 14-year-old son, and 16-year-old and 18-year-old daughters. Louis Junior Watson was laid to rest at 11 a.m. today. More than 1,000 people attended the Sunday funeral services held for Rachel Mae Poston Pulley. Ms. Pulley was a mother of seven and a grandmother of six. Barbara McLean Spears, who was married one year ago to her partner of 15 years, Anthony Spears, also leaves behind her 61-year-old mother, Bertha McLean, two brothers and two nieces. She was also laid to rest yesterday. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring their lives and their loved ones who are left behind. This resolution also recognizes Mayor Williams and his staff, our first responders, fire, police, EMS, who were quick to the scene and prevented even further loss of life or injury. Those emergency personnel worked tirelessly on behalf of our communities; and we thank all of them, including private citizens who stepped up in this great time of need. Four of those brave firefighters, as you've already heard, were injured in the line of duty on Tuesday, and we commend their heroic efforts. The citizens in and around my district have come together in the wake of this devastation, and it has been remarkable. I'm heartened and encouraged by the show of support from my fellow North Carolinians. Our small communities are enhanced by businesses like ConAgra, which employed 900 people at this plant. I'm pleased to learn that they've set up a recovery fund for the victims, and they've been distributing groceries to their employees in need. I know that ConAgra is working to rebuild the plant, and I look forward to the day when the employees can return to their work. There's a great demand for the products that ConAgra is producing in Garner, and I am pleased that these snacks and other food products are made in the Second District of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, let us remember those who we have lost and be thankful for those who were saved. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and the entire ConAgra community because they are suffering. On Friday night I participated in a vigil in Garner to remember and honor the victims. I was honored to attend and pleased with the tremendous outpouring of support. At 11:30 tomorrow, exactly 1 week after the accident, Mayor Williams, the city of Garner, and all the community will join together with other individuals in other communities who were touched by the accident in a moment of silence to commemorate this disaster. I hope that we will have Congress' voice represented there with the passage of this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support this important and necessary and timely resolution.

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, it is always difficult when tragedy rocks our small communities. Yesterday morning an explosion rocked the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina, causing the collapse of a significant portion of that structure and rupturing an ammonia tank. Many of my colleagues here saw that on the national news. Many times it's nice to make national news, but yesterday was not the day to make national news. Three people tragically died: Barbara McLean Spears of Dunn, North Carolina; Lewis Junior Watson of Clayton, North Carolina; and Rachel Mae Poston Pulley of Clayton, North Carolina. Our sympathies go out to their families, friends and their loved ones. There were 40 other people injured, including four who suffered critical burns. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families as they recover. As usual, when there is an emergency of this size in our community, our first responders--fire, police and EMS--were quick to the scene and prevented further loss of life or injury. Private citizens risked their well-being to come to the aid of their friends and neighbors. I'm proud of the North Carolinians who responded yesterday to the needs of these individuals and their families and those who will respond in the days to come. Our small communities are enriched by businesses like ConAgra, which provides 900 jobs in this community. This one was the largest plant of ConAgra's plants. I am pleased to learn that they have set up a relief fund for the victims, and they are working to rebuild the plant. I ask my colleagues to join me in a moment of sympathy for these victims and their families.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, I regret that yesterday inclement weather delayed my flight and prevented my timely return to Washington. I was, therefore, unable to cast a vote on a number of roll call votes. Had I been present, I would have voted Yes on H. Res. 421, recognizing and commending the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on its 75th year anniversary. I would have voted Yes on H.J. Res. 40, to encourage the people of the United States to honor Native Americans by designating the Friday immediately following Thanksgiving Day as Native American Heritage Day. I also would have voted Yes on H. Res. 489, recognizing the 20th anniversary of the brutal suppression of protesters and citizens in and around Tiananmen Square.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 2352, The Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act of 2009. The American spirit of entrepreneurship is one of the key values that have made our nation great. As a former small business owner, I believe it is essential that we nurture these ventures and increase opportunities for more Americans to start their own business. Small businesses employ millions of Americans, and help form the backbone of our economy. These small businesses play an even more important role in today's struggling economy. H.R. 2352 takes several steps to bolster and expand opportunities for entrepreneurs. This bill modernizes the Small Business Administration's (SBA's) entrepreneurial development programs so that these businesses can survive the downturn and help move our economy forward by creating jobs. H.R. 2352 provides small businesses with new tools to address their changing needs by bolstering Small Business Development Centers across the country. H.R. 2352 also expands opportunities to our nation's veterans by authorizing $10 million in FY 2011 and $12 million in 2012. These funds will be used to increase outreach facilities across the country and establish specialized assistance programs targeted to veterans. H.R. 2352 also includes increased counseling and training initiatives designed to increase business opportunities for women. I support efforts to foster the American spirit of entrepreneurship and I support The Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act of 2009. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Richard Allen and Melissa Gregory Roberts on the birth of their child, Ryan Andrew Roberts. Ryan was born on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at 10:30 am, weighed 8 pounds and 10 ounces, and was 20.5 inches long. My wife Faye joins me in wishing Richard and Melissa, and grandparents Joseph C. and Janice L. Gregory, Neil Richard Roberts, and Betty W. Marino great happiness upon this new addition to their family. As the father of three, I know the joy and pride that Richard and Melissa feel at this special time. Children remind us of the incredible miracle of life, and they keep us young-at-heart. Every day they show us a new way to view the world. I know the Roberts family looks forward to the changes and challenges that their new son will bring to their lives while taking pleasure in the many rewards they are sure to receive as they watch him grow. I welcome young Ryan into the world and wish Richard and Melissa all the best as they raise him.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2187, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act. As the only former state schools chief serving in Congress, I know that one of the biggest challenges we face in North Carolina, and across the country, is the lack of adequate facilities for learning to take place. This bill will put the federal government in partnership with local school districts to improve our schools and make them safer, healthier, and more green places for our children. However, this bill is about more than building schools. In this time of economic crisis, our efforts should be focused on helping people in our communities. And this bill does that by focusing on three things: jobs, jobs, and jobs. First, the bill will create jobs in our communities in the short term. School construction and modernization projects enabled by this legislation will put people to work in construction, renovation, and planning. Across the country, hundreds of projects are ready to go immediately if given the green light with funding, and that means employment in 30 or 60 or 90 days from the time this bill gets funded. Second, the bill lays the foundation for the clean energy jobs we need in the future. The green building projects enabled by this legislation will provide a model for innovation in the future. We will put people to work improving energy efficiency and applying new sources of energy to our needs, creating high tech jobs and new industries that will apply American ingenuity and know-how. This will also reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy. Third, the bill invests in the next generation so that they are prepared for the jobs of the 21st Century. There really is no substitute for bricks and mortar when it comes to quality schools and to meeting the educational goals of our communities. Funding in this bill will move our kids out of trailers, from facilities that put our children's health and safety at risk, into quality classrooms where they can focus on learning. And it will free up local funds to be used to improve classroom education. This bill is about jobs today, jobs tomorrow, and jobs for the future. It addresses our most important priorities in unemployment, energy, and education. It is a good bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this important legislation, which makes emergency supplemental appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009. H.R. 2346 provides our troops what they need for their missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, provides appropriate Congressional oversight for our military and national security efforts, and ensures the continued safety and security of our citizens. This bill contains $96.7 billion to support our efforts to fight in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan and to protect against pandemic flu. As the representative of Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base, I'm pleased that this bill provides $3.2 billion for quality of life initiatives-- including funding for military child care centers, military hospitals and wounded warrior facilities. It includes an additional $500 per month for each soldier who has served involuntarily after their enlistment ended, recognizing the sacrifices that they have made in necessary service to our country. The legislation supports the President's plan to end the war in Iraq and bring our soldiers home, and supports his efforts to refocus our efforts to root out terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It also contains an important provision to prevent the release of prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, into the United States and requires the President to submit a comprehensive plan regarding the proposed closing of the Guantanamo Bay facility to Congress before any action is taken. As the representative of a rural district that has seen farmers lose contracts and put on the brink of foreclosure, I am pleased that this bill contains emergency funding to address the shortfall in farm loan programs. North Carolina and 46 other states have loan backlogs that today cannot be funded, and the $71.3 million in this bill will help keep our farmers in business and our nation's food supply secure. Mr. Speaker, as we start to address the legacy of the failed policies of the past eight years and the deficit that we inherited, we must still invest in our priorities and ensure the safety and security of all Americans. This bill is the last time that we will address critical war funding needs outside of the regular budget process, and is a necessary step to providing a new direction for our military, our economy, and our nation. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress as well as the President and the Administration, to provide a new direction in Iraq and to meet the critical needs of the people of North Carolina's Second Congressional District.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 1728, Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act. Our nation currently has the highest home foreclosure rate in a quarter century. Millions of families are facing the frightening prospect of foreclosure. Not only do these foreclosures cause great harm to individual families, but they result in declining property values for whole communities and huge disruptions in the overall housing market. This housing crisis has rippled through our economy and led to the economic recession in which we find ourselves. H.R. 1728 makes the necessary reforms to prohibit many of the ill-advised practices that led to the housing crisis. H.R. 1728 includes several provisions to end abusive or predatory lending. This bill ends compensation structures that incentivize mortgage originators to steer borrowers into more costly loans. It also calls for increased disclosure so that consumers know if loan originators are benefiting at their expense. This bill creates uniform standards to prevent mortgage abuse. In order to meet these new standards, consumers would have to have a ``reasonable ability to repay.'' In addition, loan refinances would have to provide some ``net tangible benefit'' to the consumer. Meeting these new guidelines will help erase some of the riskier loans that have damaged our housing sector. Any lender that violates these standards would be liable for damages including attorney's fees. In addition, Federal financial regulators would also get new authority to address abusive mortgage practices by issuing joint regulations. Finally, H.R. 1728 protects tenants by providing them protections and increased notification if the house they rent falls into foreclosure. Exotic derivatives markets based on mortgages were a primary contributor to our current economic downturn. This bill requires creditors retain at least five percent of the credit risk of each loan they transfer, or sell to a third party. Similarly, H.R. 1728 would ensure that the secondary market also comply with these new standards as they buy and trade these loans as securities. Sharing risk is an important part of ensuring safety in the marketplace. These reforms will help us rebuild our economy now, and help us avoid future mistakes like those that contributed to our current economic crisis. I support the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. I thank my colleague from the Fourth District for yielding. He has the great privilege, my colleague from Kentucky, he has the great privilege of representing an outstanding university in academics and research and now a school that has added to their joy with another national championship. But as my colleague from Kentucky said, I think all of us need to keep it in perspective. We are awful proud of the Tar Heels because they showed what, really, athletics are about: tenacity, having a commitment for excellence and strong academics. UNC is one of those institutions that anchors the corner through the Research Triangle, one of the fine research universities in this country and one of the regions that employs an awful lot of our people. So we are awful proud of the young men who come to North Carolina, who have added to the reputation of that great UNC institution in bringing home a national championship. I think for people who have played basketball, you can really appreciate what it takes, the pressures that are on those young men anywhere from 18 to 21 years of age, tremendous pressure over a full season and in several weeks leading to a championship where every game is a championship game. All you have to do is lose one game and you are out. I don't know of any greater pressure that a young person can have, and yet they showed the kind of class, the kind of strength, tremendous will. A lot of congratulations go to the coach, to the university and especially to those young men. Let me thank my colleague for bringing this resolution forward. I encourage all of my colleagues to join in supporting this resolution and congratulating an outstanding group of young men from all over the country who came to North Carolina to go to school, to get an education and play a sport that allowed them to get an education. I think folks begin to forget sometimes what we are talking about are student athletes. They are students first and then athletes. I thank you for doing this resolution. I am proud to have an opportunity to join him in congratulating these young men and the alums for that. I would close by saying that my daughter had our first grandson, she was a graduate, undergraduate, graduate school and law school, and the first thing she taught him to say was ``Go Heels.'' She didn't even get him to say, ``I am glad to see you, Grandaddy.'' It was ``Go Heels.''

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my daughter Catherine and her husband Tim Otto on the birth of their third child and my sixth grandchild, Jackson Cameron Otto. Jackson was born on Sunday, April 26, 2009, at 2:42 a.m. and weighed 7 pounds and 14 ounces, and was 21.25 inches long. My wife Faye and I are delighted to welcome Jackson as he joins our five other grandchildren, William, Virginia, Cameron, Walker, and Andrew. Faye and I wish Catherine and Tim and big brothers William and Andrew great happiness upon this new addition to our family. Faye and I are truly blessed by the arrival of little Jackson Cameron Otto. The birth of a new child is a joyous occasion that reminds us of the promise of a new life. Children remind us of the incredible miracle of life, and they keep us young-at-heart. Every day they show us a new way to view the world. My family and I are looking forward to spending a lot of time with our new bundle of joy and introducing him to all of our friends and neighbors in North Carolina's Second Congressional District.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of State Senator Vernon Malone, who passed away on Saturday, April 18, 2009. In his passing, I lost a friend and North Carolina lost one of its most outstanding citizens; a man who was instrumental in his community, county, and state. A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Senator Malone was known for his passionate support for education. After graduating from Shaw University, where he was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Malone worked for 34 years as a teacher and eventually superintendent at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind. As chairman of the Wake County school board, he presided over the merger of Raleigh city schools and Wake County public schools in 1976. This was a significant achievement because it took other school systems in the state years to do the same. When others shied away from issues of race and class, Senator Malone tackled them head-on. After his work with the school board, Vernon served as a Wake County Commissioner, and eventually as chairman of the Commission, from 1980 until his election to the State Senate in 2002. As always, he fought fervently for education and for equality. He also found time to serve his community in his spare time, serving as vice-chair of Shaw University's board of trustees; as a trustee for North Carolina State University, the North Carolina Museum of Art and the Wake Education Partnership; as Chairman of the Wake County Coalition for the Homeless; and as a director of Capital Bank, a community bank headquartered in Raleigh. Most recently, Vernon served in the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 14th Senate district and was reelected three times. In the State Senate, he continued to work on education. He was co-chairman of the Senate's Higher Education Committee and Appropriations Committee for Higher Education. Vernon Malone rose to prominence during a time when prejudice ran high. Rather than succumb to intolerance, he was able to rise above it. I am glad that he was able to witness the inauguration of President Barack Obama earlier this year. It was Vernon and his contemporaries who made it possible for our nation to eventually elect an African American President. Madam Speaker, Senator Vernon Malone had a commitment to excellence in everything he did. He was a respected legislator, a dedicated public servant, and a great North Carolinian. It is fitting that we honor him and his family today.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, H. Con. Res. 85 builds on the work this Congress has started on to get our economy back on track, address the current crisis, and build for future needs. Just so folks will understand, a budget in Congress is not like the budget we think about. It really is a framework. It's a blueprint. I'm sure my colleagues on the other side of the aisle talk about all the things that are in it, but what they don't say is this doesn't do any of the things they are talking about. We'd like for our friends across the aisle to join us. This really should not be a partisan issue. The issue of getting our economy on track shouldn't be partisan. The issue of investing in education for our children's future shouldn't be a partisan issue. The issue of fixing health care for the American people, in my home State one of the largest numbers of people unemployed are in North Carolina because our unemployment rate right now is fourth in the Nation. These people don't care who gets it for them. They want health care fixed. And certainly I remember $4 a gallon of gasoline that got us where we are. We need to fix that. This bill lays out a plan to cut the deficit by nearly two-thirds by 2013 and create jobs with investments in those areas I have just talked about: health care, clean energy, and in education. And, yes, reconciliation is about getting a budget in balance. That's what the Democrats have used it for, what we used it for last time. And I think it's appropriate when it's used that way. But I will remind you that a budget is more than just a document. It is a statement of our Nation's priorities and our values. And this budget is about that. It's about the future. It's about the people's needs, and it's about creating jobs with investments and reform in health care, clean energy, and education to make sure that we are prepared for the 21st century economy. Our efforts in this budget are about protecting families. And it's really about three things and three things only: jobs, jobs, jobs. We have to remember that. At the end of the day, there are a lot of people in this country who are looking to us to help. Yes, the business community needs our help, and we are going to try to do it. It takes the first step in restoring America's financial strength. And we will get there by growing our economy in areas like health care, education, and energy, which will pave the way for a sustained recovery and get our people back to work and our economy back on track. And, yes, I am very pleased that this budget makes room for those areas. But it makes room for critical investment in education in the future of our children and not just children but for those who want to go to college and, yes, for those who want to go back to school and make a difference as the economy changes and get an education so that they can make a way for their family. I would encourage you to vote for this resolution and vote against the motion to instruct. As the only former state schools chief serving in Congress, I am particularly pleased that the budget prioritizes education and innovation. In recent months, first with the economic recovery legislation and then as we finished the 2009 appropriations process, Congress devoted significant funding to education to create quality jobs now and in the future. This budget resolution provides a blueprint to follow through on these priorities. Education is the key to economic growth, future success, and access to opportunity for our citizens, and this Budget Resolution makes a clear statement that education is a top priority. We are a nation of great resources that has proven time and again that we are the world leader in innovation and progress. With time, and with continued effort, we will break with the failed policies of the recent past and restore our strength and global competitiveness.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1256, The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. This legislation is good for our children. It keeps tobacco out of our children's hands and restricts advertising directed at young people. This legislation also works to ensure the quality and relative safety of tobacco products, in spite of their known dangers to human health. As a Member of this body who represents a tobacco growing area, I worked to ensure that this is balanced legislation. This is not a perfect bill, but it does represent an approach that considers the impact on those whose livelihoods depend on farming tobacco. North Carolina is the largest tobacco producing state in the Nation and my district is in the top three of overall production. We cannot simply ignore the economic impact that this crop represents to our state, and in this legislation we have not done so. Tobacco remains a legal product, but we need to protect our Nation's children from its effects. H.R. 1256 puts in place uniform marketing standards and controls, as well as ensuring that the marketing is straightforward, and that the ingredients are properly disclosed. While this bill will go a long way in protecting our Nation's children from tobacco, it allows our Nation's tobacco farmers to continue their way of life. As the Chairman has assured me in our colloquy on the House floor, this legislation will keep FDA off the farm. I urge my colleague's to protect our Nation's children and support our Nation's farmers. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 1256.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, you know, a budget's more than just a document. It really is a statement of our Nation's priorities and values. And the underlying bill that we're talking about builds on the work this Congress has done to put our economy back on track and provide jobs for our people and invest in the current economic crisis of building for future needs. The bill lays out a plan to cut the deficit by nearly two-thirds, creates jobs and investments, reforms health care, and provides for clean energy and education. As a former school chief in my home State, I'm particularly pleased that the budget prioritizes education and innovation, a critical foundation piece for building a future. In recent months, we have seen the economy start to recover as we put things in place. We'll see that in the months to come. But let me just share a personal story. Just this past week I was at a middle school, Meadow Middle School in Johnson County, met with a bunch of students who will be the first in their family to go to college. That's what this is all about. We're building for the future. These youngsters start in middle school making a decision where they're going. Never has a member of their family been to college. That's what we're about here today. Certainly we can argue the details, but, you know, let's keep our focus on what it's about. It's about the people of America, those who've lost their jobs, some who've lost hope. But we can give hope to the next generation. We can provide a foundation for building jobs, and we can get our economy moving again. But we have to do it together. This budget resolution is a step in that direction of building a strong future for America and making a difference--for the leadership position in the world.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Chair, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 85 (H. Con. Res. 85). This resolution builds on the work of this Congress to put our economy back on track, addressing the current crisis and building for future needs. A budget is more than just a document, it is a statement of our priorities. This is an especially important budget and comes as our nation faces a number of challenges in our struggling economy. Across the country, millions of families are facing foreclosure or have lost their jobs, savings, or access to health care. We have seen the failure of many of our financial institutions, and a lack of credit that is necessary for our small businesses to grow. In my own state of North Carolina, the unemployment rate has risen to a historic high of 10.7 percent. This budget begins to reverse the Bush Administration's failed policies and restore America's economic strength. H. Con. Res. 85 invests in priorities like health care, education, and energy independence to create jobs and get our economy back on track. As the former Superintendent of Schools in North Carolina, I know that the best investment we can make is in our children. I am pleased that H. Con. Res. 85 strongly supports early learning, including the President's initiatives to help strengthen and expand early childhood education and school meals initiatives. This budget also makes college more affordable and accessible by increasing Pell grants and providing additional assistance to help more low-income high school graduates attend and complete college. Education is the key to economic growth, future success, and access to opportunity for our citizens. The legacy left by the previous administration includes mounting debt and economic decline and we must return to a fiscally sustainable path. In addition to education, this budget makes investments in health care, energy independence, and other areas in a fiscally responsible way. This budget cuts the deficit in half over four years and bolsters PAYGO, the rule requiring Congress to find revenue to offset spending proposals. As a Member of the Committee on Ways and Means, I am also pleased that this budget supports $1.5 trillion in tax cuts for low and middle income families. This Budget Resolution provides a strong blueprint for our economic future. I support H. Con. Res. 85, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. I thank the chairman. Mr. Waxman, I thank you for that, and I thank you for the clarification that this is a bill intended to protect our children and not to regulate tobacco farmers. Tobacco is a critical crop in North Carolina's economy and has been for a long time. I look forward to continuing to working with you to help North Carolina farmers preserve their jobs and their livelihood.