Bob Etheridge

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise in support of the Energy Market Emergency Act of 2008. I don't have to tell anyone that gas prices have skyrocketed over the last several months. We can all remember when we thought $2 a gallon gas was high. Now we would like to return to that. Now it is on average over $4. On June 6, the price of crude oil hit an all-time record of $139 per barrel. American families are paying an average of $4.07 for gasoline, double the price from 2001 when President Bush took over. Truckers and farmers are paying an average of $4.77 per gallon for diesel, triple the price from 2001 when the President took office. There is clearly not just one factor leading to these outrageous prices. However, there is a growing concern that excessive speculation by investors could be a significant cause of the prices we are experiencing. North Carolina families are struggling to make ends meet, as are families all across the country. Congress must act to ensure speculators are not artificially raising energy prices for their own gain while hardworking Americans are suffering. This legislation tells the CFTC, which is responsible for overseeing our energy markets, to use all other authority to ensure that excessive speculation is not occurring. I can't blame them. When the price of crude oil spikes $10, folks really believe something is wrong. The House Ag Committee will conduct hearings in July to examine all of the various pieces of legislation to address this issue, including legislation that I have introduced called the Increasing Transparency and Accountability Act of 2008. I believe after a careful review we can craft responsible legislation that can improve the price discovery function of these commodity markets. But no amount of CFTC authority will make a difference if the agency doesn't have the resources to do their job. Since 2002, trading on the commodity markets has increased six times.

Mr. ETHERIDGE. While trading has increased six times, under the Bush administration, staff levels have fallen to the lowest level in the 33- year history of the exchange. My legislation and others will increase it by 100 people. These are investigators. Let me just say for those who are listening, that means if you have a speed limit of 55 or 60 miles an hour, we are going to put more cops on the beat. That's what we need. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support the Energy Market Emergency Act of 2008. I don't have to tell anyone here that gas prices have sky rocketed over the last several months. I remember a few years ago when two- dollar-a-gallon gas seemed outrageous. Now the national average is four dollars. On June 6th, the price of crude oil hit an all time record of $139.12 per barrel. American families are paying an average of $4.07 per gallon for regular gasoline, double the price from 2001 when President Bush took office. Truckers and farmers are paying an average of $4.77 per gallon for diesel fuel; triple the price from 2001, again when the President took office. There is clearly not just one factor leading to these outrageous prices. However, there is a growing concern that excessive speculation by investors could be a significant cause of the prices we are experiencing. North Carolina's families are struggling to make ends meet while the cost of energy soars. Congress must ensure that investors are not artificially raising energy costs for their own gain while hard-working Americans are suffering. This legislation tells the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which is responsible for overseeing our energy markets, to use all of its authority to ensure that excessive speculation is not occurring. I serve as chairman of the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management, which has jurisdiction over the CFTC, and I'm here to tell you that people think something is not right. And I cannot blame them. When the price of crude oil spikes $10.00 in one day, people think somebody is making some money, and it isn't them. The House Agriculture Committee will conduct hearings in July to examine all of the various legislative proposals to address this issue, including legislation I have introduced, H.R. 6334, the Increasing Transparency and Accountability in Oil Prices Act of 2008. I believe after a careful review, we can craft responsible legislation that can improve the price discovery function of these commodity markets. No amount of additional CFTC authority will make a difference if the agency doesn't have the resources to do their job. Since 2000, trading on commodity markets has increased six-fold. However, during that time, the Bush administration let staffing levels at the CFTC fall to their lowest level in the agency's 33-year history. My legislation calls for 100 additional full-time positions at the CFTC, mostly for enforcement because they need the talent to keep an eye on these markets. And I want to applaud Representative Rosa DeLauro for knowing this simple truth and providing more funding for the CFTC than the President requested in the Agriculture Appropriations bill. Commodity markets are like highways in that both have limits. If drivers don't think there are any cops watching on the road, they are going to push past the speed limits. If the CFTC doesn't have enough staff to monitor an ever growing and changing marketplace, investors will push the limits there as well. Today's directive to the CFTC will send a message to the administration that they must get serious about these sky rocketing costs and will pave the way for more comprehensive legislation in the future. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6275, Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008. H.R. 6275 is critical to easing the burden on middle-class taxpayers. The Alternative Minimum Tax, AMT, was originally intended to make sure that the Nation's wealthiest citizens did not avoid paying taxes altogether. However, it was not indexed for inflation and the AMT now affects millions of middle income tax payers across the country. H.R. 6275 would extend for 1 year AMT relief for nonrefundable personal credits and increases the AMT exemption amount to $69,950 for joint filers and $46,200 for individuals. At a time of economic uncertainty and rising gas and food prices, H.R. 6275 would provide over 25 million families with tax relief. In my district alone, over 33,000 families would be affected by the AMT this year. As a member of the Budget Committee, I am also pleased that this bill includes offsets and is budget-neutral. Instead of adding to our national debt, H.R. 6275 responsibly pays for itself by closing a loophole that allows hedge fund managers to pay less taxes, encouraging tax compliance, repealing subsidies for the five biggest oil companies, and tightening tax laws on foreign-owned companies. I support H.R. 6275, Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6331, The ``Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008.'' This bill fulfills America's promise to its seniors and disabled citizens, protecting access to high quality health care without unreasonable costs. For more than 40 years, Medicare has helped meet the needs of many vulnerable Americans. It cannot continue to do so if providers are paid unreasonable reimbursements, if rules hinder quality patient care, or if the burden of paperwork and payment delays keeps small businesses out of the health care market. This bill ensures physicians, pharmacists, durable medical equipment suppliers, and other health care providers can continue to support the health and well being of Medicare beneficiaries in many ways. H.R. 6331 will ensure health care is available in rural areas of this country, like those in the Second District of North Carolina. By replacing a 10 percent cut in pay with a slight increase, it ensures doctors can afford to stay in business wherever they choose to practice medicine. By improving payments to hospitals that provide care where no other provider is available, and by making sure rural hospitals are paid equally for clinical services, it ensures those services are available throughout the country. By increasing access to telehealth, it expands the reach of professional advice beyond the doctor's office. H.R. 6331 is also a boon for small businesses. The vast majority of medical providers are small businesses, and by ensuring they can afford to provide care we support the engine of our economy. Especially in rural areas, our small community pharmacies and medical equipment suppliers are the face of medicine for many Medicare beneficiaries. Health care is improved when people know their providers, and this makes them more likely to comply with medical directives. I am pleased that H.R. 6331 includes several provisions for these small suppliers that I have advocated for some time, including prompt payment provisions and a delay in rules from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS. Before proceeding, we need to be sure that these initiatives, including competitive bidding for durable medical equipment and the implementation of the Average Manufacturing Price, AMP, system, help to preserve and improve patient care by allowing community suppliers to remain open so that they may continue to serve, and, more importantly, operate at a level that facilitates the provision of the best possible, safest medical care. Mr. Speaker, this legislation improves the health and health care of Medicare beneficiaries, the ability of medical professionals to provide that care, and the quality of medical care throughout our country. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6331.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6304, FISA Amendments Act. This bipartisan bill takes steps to increase our Nation's security while also protecting Americans' civil liberties. H.R. 6304, FISA Amendments Act, provides the critical tools that our intelligence community needs to ensure the safety of our Nation. With many surveillance warrants set to expire in the coming weeks, the intelligence community needs a strong and dependable set of guidelines to follow while conducting surveillance. H.R. 6304 allows the Government to authorize surveillance in the case of an emergency situation, provided that they return to the FISA court within 7 days to apply for a warrant. This bill also includes a number of provisions that significantly strengthen the protection of our civil rights. H.R. 6304 clarifies that FISA is the exclusive means for conducting surveillance in the United States, prohibiting any President from using executive power to conduct a warrantless wiretapping program. This bill also requires the Government to obtain an individual warrant from the FISA Court before conducting surveillance on a United States citizen. This warrant must be based on probable cause, and the provision now includes American citizens abroad as well. H.R. 6304 requires prior review and approval of the intelligence community's targeting and minimization procedures that ensure that any inadvertently intercepted communications by American citizens are destroyed. Finally, the FISA Amendments Act adds a strong layer of oversight to this process by directing the Inspectors General from Justice, State, Defense, the DNI, and NSA to review surveillance procedures and submit their findings to Congress. H.R. 6304 rejects blanket immunity for telecommunications companies that may have participated in the administration's warrantless wiretapping program. Under this bill, lawsuits against these companies would be determined by Federal district courts. These telecommunications companies will have to prove that the Administration provided written assurance that their activities were legal. There is no immunity for any government official who may have violated the law included in this legislation. This bill is much stronger than the Senate version, and will protect both our security and the civil liberties that we enjoy. I support the passage of H.R. 6304, FISA Amendments Act, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bipartisan measure as well.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation to provide emergency supplemental appropriations for Fiscal Year 2008. This legislation contains funding for our troops, expands education benefits for veterans, extends unemployment benefits for workers and provides assistance for the victims of the floods in the MidWest. This bill contains $161.8 billion for DOD funding for our troops to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the representative of Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base, I'm pleased that this bill provides $2.2 billion over the President's request to fully fund military quality of life initiatives--including funding for military child care centers, military hospitals and VA hospitals. For our returning troops, it includes a new GI bill that restores full, 4-year college scholarships to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to help make them part of an economic recovery like the veterans of World War II. This legislation also provides up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every state to workers exhausting the 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits, and provides $2.65 billion for urgent disaster relief in response to Midwestern floods and tornadoes. 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. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Mississippi for yielding. I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for introducing this important piece of legislation. As has been indicated, every day over 36 million people travel on forms of mass transit or public transportation in this country. More than 11 million commuters use rail and mass transit, while over twice this number, more than 25 million, use public or private school buses to travel to and from their schools. As a former superintendent of schools of the State of North Carolina, I know how important these systems are to delivering our most precious cargo, our school children, to and from school safely and securely. Just as we have a responsibility to ensure the public can travel on rail and mass transit confident of their safety, we have an equal responsibility to make sure that our school bus routes are secure. I thank Congresswoman Jackson-Lee for her hard work, Chairman Thompson for working with me to include this piece of legislation in this resolution, and I want to thank Ranking Member King for his help also. School buses have been targets for terrorists not only in countries such as Israel, Thailand, Yemen and African countries, but also Canada and the United States. Last year, the FBI warned that members of extremist groups have purchased school buses and obtained licenses to operate them. An attack on a school bus would be devastating, not only in lives harmed, but also the psychological and symbolic impact. We owe our children and their families no less than that we will be able to confidently say that their transportation is secure. Earlier this year in a 9/11 bill, Congress required TSA to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment on school transportation. They are making progress on this goal. We need to make sure that this assessment is completed on time and that it is followed with efforts to keep our children safe as they travel to and from school activities. The provisions of this resolution shows that Congress is serious about providing that confidence for rail, for mass transit, as well as for school transportation. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 1150.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, we have been hearing a lot of talk this week about high energy prices. The Republican talking point for the week is that Democrats are causing high gas prices because we won't allow drilling. That is false rhetoric. It is the oil companies that are choosing not to drill on 80 percent of the leases already available for drilling in Alaska. It is the oil companies that are choosing not to increase drilling in the Naval Petroleum Reserve, one of the largest petroleum reserves in the Nation and one that President Clinton made available for drilling. Meanwhile, it is the Democrats who have put 70,000 more barrels of oil per day on to the market by halting shipments to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. It is the Democrats that have passed legislation that would allow OPEC to be investigated for price fixing, legislation that the President has threatened to veto. It is time to stop the rhetoric, Mr. Speaker. I challenge the President to demand fair play from OPEC and the Republican Party to stand up for the American people and not Big Oil.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. I thank my friend, Congressman Donnelly, for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H. Res. 1010, recognizing the importance of manufactured housing in the United States. Unfortunately, far too many homeowners are facing difficulties during this current National Homeownership Month. Housing prices are dropping, home sales are stagnating, and thousands of families are facing the prospect of foreclosure. Manufactured housing can provide a sustainable and affordable housing alternative. Instead of being trapped in exotic mortgages with high interest rates, many Americans can choose cost-effective manufactured housing. This sector of the housing market has also experienced an evolution in the types and quality of homes that they build, offering a wide array of designs that can fit the needs of more families. In addition, Congress has passed legislation that provides tax credits for the builders of these homes to meet energy efficiency standards. These Energy Star labeled homes are more energy efficient and can provide savings in the face of rising energy costs. Manufactured housing can be a critical component in achieving two of HUD's most important priorities, providing increased affordable housing, and reducing dependencies on subsidized housing. In addition, as a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I also recognize the importance that manufactured housing can play in the wake of a natural disaster. Manufactured housing can provide a quick, safe, and efficient way to house these victims and provide families with shelters as they put their lives back together. Owning a home is a large part of the American Dream. I support this resolution as well as the goals and ideals of Manufactured Housing Week. I urge my colleagues to vote for the passage of H.R. 1010.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Conference Report to accompany S. Con. Res. 70, Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2009. This Budget Resolution strengthens our economy, restores fiscal discipline, and makes America safer. A budget is a statement of our priorities. As the only former State schools chief serving in Congress, I am particularly pleased about this measure's provisions for education and innovation. This resolution rejects the President's proposed education cuts and instead provides greater investment in our Nation's schools, including the school construction bonds Chairman Rangel and I have been working on for nearly a decade and increased Impact Aid for federally impacted local public schools. As a Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I am pleased that after 7 years of this administration failing to address fully some of our most pressing security needs, this budget provides the necessary resources to meet critical threats to the Nation. Specifically, this budget resolution rejects the President's proposed cuts to critical State and local law enforcement initiatives, including the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, Byrne Grants, and the COPS initiative. I strongly believe that homeland security starts with hometown security and I am pleased that this resolution rejects the President's misguided cuts. I am also pleased to report that the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Resolution also makes our Nation's veterans a top priority. This budget is strongly supported by all the major veterans organizations because it provides $3.3 billion more than the President's proposed budget for 2009 and $39 billion more over 5 years. This budget continues our commitment to fully fund veterans' health care by providing an 11 percent increase from last year. This resolution also rejects health care fees and TRICARE enrollment fee increases and includes additional funding to speed the veterans' disability claims process. I am proud to represent thousands of veterans in North Carolina's Second Congressional District, and they deserve a budget that reflects the importance of the sacrifice they have made in serving our country. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I have become increasingly concerned about the legacy of debt this administration is passing on to future generations. The $5.6 trillion projected surplus that the administration inherited when it took office has been transformed into a $3.2 trillion deficit. More than 80 cents of every dollar of new debt since 2001 is owed to foreign investors, including foreign governments. The high level of indebtedness to foreign investors heightens the American economy's exposure to potential instability or even from financial threat from unfriendly foreign governments, and places additional burdens on our children and grandchildren. It is a massively irresponsibe tax on posterity. However, this Budget Resolution is a positive step in restoring fiscal responsibility. Using realistic Congressional Budget Office estimates, this budget reaches balance in 2012, remains in balance in 2013, and posts smaller deficits than the President's proposed budget for the next 3 years. In addition, this budget continues the House of Representatives' emphasis on fiscal discipline by following the pay-as- you-go rule. On behalf of North Carolina's children and working families, I support the Budget Conference Report for Fiscal Year 2009 and urge my colleagues to join me.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3021, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act. Madam Chairman, as the only former State schools chief serving in Congress, I have always worked to be a voice for children and their schools. One of the biggest challenges we face in my home State of North Carolina--and really across this country--is a lack of adequate facilities for learning to take place. We simply must make a commitment to get our children out of trailers and into quality classrooms. You just heard my colleague talk about what we're doing overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan building schools. If we can build them overseas, we certainly can build them here in the United States. This bill is an important first step toward improving our children's education. We will need to follow the authorization of these grants with full funding in appropriations. And we need to ensure that local and State authorities can raise money in other ways, as would be provided by in the America's Better Classroom Act through interest-free bonds to build more schools. There really is no substitute for bricks and mortar when it comes to quality schools and meeting the educational goals of our community. I applaud Chairman Miller and Congressman Chandler for their leadership on this issue, and urge my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 3021, to improve the quality of where our children go to school and help them to learn and to be able to compete in the 21st century.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, as you know, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease, affecting as many as 30,000 Americans. What you may not know is that military veterans are at greater risk of ALS than those who have never served in the military. A study by the Department of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Administration (VA) found that those who served in the 1991 Gulf War are approximately twice as likely to die from ALS as those who did not serve in the Gulf. Harvard University researchers found that, regardless of where or when they served, veterans are more likely to be diagnosed with ALS than the general public. Current research shows that ALS is occurring at greater rates in those who are serving in the current conflict in Iraq. The Department of Defense recognized this risk by establishing the ALS Research Program (ALSRP) last year and provided $5 million to conduct research into new treatments and a deeper understanding of the disease. The ALSRP will benefit those who served our country with better medical care, and will also give hope to all whose lives have been touched by the disease, regardless of military service. Congress should send a clear message of support to our men and women serving in the military and continue funding for this important medical initiative. I urge my colleagues to provide funding in the 2009 Defense Appropriations Act to continue this innovative research partnership, which leverages DOD resources with scientific expertise in the private sector and at universities. This research will enable us to take action to protect our soldiers and veterans by determining why they are at greater risk, and will give us tools to treat all those who suffer from this disease. We need to continue to wage a war against ALS, the disease that took the life of baseball greats Lou Gehrig and North Carolina's own Jim ``Catfish'' Hunter, as well as many other American heroes great and small. I knew ``Catfish'' and he was a good man, and he would be proud of the work that our local ALS Association Chapter is doing in his name. The ALS Association is the world leader in ALS research and patient care services. The Carolinas' Jim ``Catfish'' Hunter Chapter of the ALS Association raises awareness and gives support to people with ALS and their families throughout North and South Carolina. For each of the past two years, it has been named as ``Chapter of the Year,'' and their work alerted me to this important veteran's issue. Madam Speaker, with your leadership, the support of our colleagues in Congress, and the help of activists at the grass roots level, we have a real shot at conquering ALS for our military veterans and citizens alike.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise again today, in strong support of the 2008 Farm Bill. Mr. Speaker, because of a technical glitch, this Farm Bill will have a new number, but this is the same bill. This is the same bill that was passed on a bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives, and an overwhelming vote in the other body, and it is still, as it was last week, one of the most important pieces of legislation this Congress has passed this year. Mr. Speaker, it is critical that we have a stable farm policy in this Nation, for our farmers, and for every child who participates in a nutrition program. This is legislation that affects every citizen in this country. Again, this is a bill we can all be proud of. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon in strong support of H.R. 6074. Today gas prices are higher than they have ever been at any time in our Nation's history. These prices are causing a ripple effect that is causing the price to rise for even the basic necessities of life for Americans, such as food and electricity. And in States like my home State of North Carolina, where people must travel farther distances to go to work, church, and the grocery store, these prices are making it harder to make ends meet. This legislation will end the practice of oil producing countries, most notably the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), from intentionally suppressing production capabilities to ensure higher profits. This legislation closes a loophole that prevents the U.S. Department of Justice from being able to sue these countries under anti-trust violations. H.R. 6074 will also establish a Justice Department task force that will carefully examine these countries for collusion, gouging, trade manipulation, and other unfair practices. This task force will be required to report their findings annually to the Congress. Mr. Speaker, for too long these countries have come to rely on a strong U.S. market to sell their product. Today, we are sending the message that they will now have to play by the rules. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 6074.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6049, Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008. This bill provides tax relief for millions of Americans while spurring business investment and innovation in renewable energy. I am pleased to note that H.R. 6049 will benefit the families of millions of children by expanding the child tax credit to those earning $8,500 a year. This bill will also provide tax relief by extending the State and local sales tax deduction, provide property tax relief for 30 million homeowners, and help families afford college with the tuition deduction. As the only former school superintendent serving in Congress, I am especially pleased to note that this bill is supported by the National Education Association because it includes an extension of the tax deduction for educators who help supply their classrooms, and an extension of the Quality Zone Academy Bonds school modernization program that helps school districts address renovation and repair needs. H.R. 6049 includes important tax relief provisions for businesses as well as individuals and families. This bill extends the Research and Development Tax Credit for over 27,000 businesses, the 15-year straight-line cost recovery for leasehold improvements and qualified restaurant improvements, and the tax credit for the environmental remediation of brownfields areas. We need to strengthen our economy by helping to spur American innovation with investment in American businesses. Developing alternative energy sources and ending our dependence on foreign oil is one of the most critical challenges facing our nation. H.R. 6049 includes several provisions that will spur innovation in this area such as an extension of investment and production tax credits for solar energy, wind energy, and energy derived from biomass, geothermal, hydropower, and solid waste. In addition, H.R. 6049 includes incentives that promote the production of homegrown renewable fuels, like biodiesel, for the installation of more E-85 pumps, and a $3,000 tax credit for the purchase of fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid vehicles. These provisions will create and preserve thousands of ``green collar jobs'' as well as provide relief for Americans who continue to see gas prices rise to historic records across the country. I support the passage of H.R. 6049, Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008, and I urge my colleagues to join me.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank Chairman Peterson and Ranking Member Goodlatte for their hard work. They worked together in a bipartisan manner. I rise today in support of the veto override of H.R. 2419. Last week, this legislation was passed on a bipartisan vote in this House and by an overwhelming vote in the other body, and I am saddened that this President, a man who represents himself as a friend of agriculture, would choose to turn his back on our Nation's farmers and rural America by vetoing one of the most important pieces of agricultural legislation that this Congress has passed this year. Mr. Speaker, it is critical that we have a stable farm policy in this Nation, not just for farmers, but for every child that participates in a nutrition program, for every food bank, for every school lunch program. This legislation affects every citizen in this country. This is a bill that we can be proud of, Mr. Speaker, and I urge my colleagues to vote to override this veto. It is a vote for America.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Chairman Skelton, let me thank you for your friendship and for your extraordinary leadership on the Committee on Armed Services. I appreciate your willingness to engage me in the important topic of suicide prevention in our military forces. As you know, earlier this year, my constituent, Master Sergeant (retired) Christopher Scheuerman, testified before the Subcommittee on Military Personnel about the tragic circumstances surrounding the suicide of his son, Private First Class Jason Drew Scheuerman. Jason was deployed with the 3rd Infantry Division at Forward Operating Base Normandy in Iraq, and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound from his M16 rifle. Jason showed clear signs of mental distress, but the system failed Jason. Recent reports indicate the Army suicide rate is the highest in 26 years of record keeping. While there are many outstanding mental health professionals in the Army system, the command structure creates an inherent conflict of interest and a lack of independent objectivity. Servicemembers are currently allowed a second civilian opinion, but often find it nearly impossible to access an outside mental health provider. I appreciate the fact that this bill addresses the issue of suicide prevention by directing the Secretary to consider how the military can make a second opinion more accessible, including the possibility of providing a second medical evaluation in combat theater by telephonic evaluation. I know that that is a somewhat controversial suggestion, but we must find a way to stop preventable suicides like Jason Scheuerman. We owe our servicemen and women no less. Mr. Chairman, I would like to continue to work with you, Chairwoman Davis and Ranking Member McHugh on this important issue, and I hope that the Secretary will undertake this study immediately so that it is possible for our troubled servicemembers to obtain a second civilian health opinion.

Mr. ETHERIDGE. I thank the gentleman for his time and help.

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 5658, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009. This legislation authorizes $601.4 billion for defense programs in FY 2009, including $70 billion in emergency funds authorized specifically to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is funding that is critical to our nation's defense, as well as to the troops serving so valiantly in the wars being waged on two fronts. Thanks in a large part to the leadership of Chairman Skelton, this legislation provides greater funding than had been requested by the President for equipment depleted by the war in Iraq, including new combat vehicles, new battle gear for the Army National Guard and reserves, military pay raises, and shipbuilding. H.R. 5658 authorizes $25.4 billion for defense health-care programs, and blocks the president's plan to raise user fees for programs such as Tricare and deductibles for service members and military retirees. This legislation will also authorize an increase of 7,000 active-duty Army personnel, and provide for 5,000 more Marine Corps personnel than current levels. This legislation also provides for a 3.5 percent pay raise for active duty military, rolls back proposed benefit reductions to spousal benefits, and increases funding for military housing upgraded for bases like Fort Bragg, North Carolina, located in my district. Mr. Chairman this is a good bill for our troops. It is our duty, our charge as members of this body, to ensure that those who protect and defend our nation in this all-volunteer army receive the best health care, pay, and living conditions that we can provide for them. We owe this to them. I support this legislation and I would urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5872, the Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act. This bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 350,000 $1 silver coins in 2010 to commemorate the centennial of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. The $10 surcharge required for each coin will be paid to the National Boy Scouts of America Foundation. Mr. Speaker, I have long been honored to be associated with the Boy Scouts of America. I am the proud father of an Eagle Scout and I have been proud to support the Occoneechee Council of the Boy Scouts in North Carolina through volunteer work and vital fundraising. I have been honored to receive the Silver Beaver, the Scouts' highest award for volunteering, Scouting has contributed to the fabric of American life for nearly 100 years. The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated on February 8, 1910, and chartered by Congress in 1916, The Boy Scouts of America's original mission was to provide an educational program for boys and young men to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating in citizenship, and to develop personal fitness. You know, North Carolina and America and indeed the entire world have changed a great deal since 1910, yet the Boy Scouts endure. The Boy Scouts remain a mainstay of American life because the message of this organization is timeless: developing American citizens who are physically, mentally and emotionally fit. The leadership and service skills learned as a Boy Scout have enabled men to become leaders in all walks of life: government, business, sports, science and the arts. These include such distinguished individuals as: President Gerald R. Ford, our first Eagle Scout to become President; Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates; and my friend, Richard Gephardt, the former Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. Closer to my home, former North Carolina Governor and Senator Terry Sanford was an Eagle Scout. The Boy Scouts of America is an institution that contributes so much to the strength of our social fabric. The activities of the Boy Scouts reinforce our moral core and help sustain our American values, generation after generation. I support the issuance of this commemorative centennial coin, and I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this bill.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation to provide emergency supplemental appropriations for Fiscal Years 2008. This legislation contains funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through the summer of 2009, expands education benefits for veterans, and extends unemployment benefits for workers. While this final bill is not perfect, I will vote for it to provide necessary funds for our troops in the field as well as fund some of our most pressing domestic priorities. As a veteran of the U.S. Army myself, I strongly support our troops, our veterans and their families. Our troops have done everything they have been asked to do and done it exceptionally well. I am tremendously proud of all the troops from North Carolina and across America who have done their duty so admirably. This legislation includes $162.5 billion for our troops to fight the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It also includes provisions to make sure that our troops meet the Pentagon's definition of ``combat ready'' before they are deployed to Iraq and prevents them from being deployed longer than Pentagon guidelines recommend. As the representative of Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base, I am a proud cosponsor of the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act and am pleased that it is included in the Supplemental Appropriations bill. The original Montgomery G.I. Bill was a hugely successful initiative that provided hundreds of thousands of soldiers with new opportunities in education and business following World War II. We owe those same opportunities to the men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and currently serving around the globe. This initiative would give returning service members who have served on active duty in the Armed Forces or reserves after September 11, 2001, to receive educational assistance for up to 4 years, and can be used at any time within 15 years of discharge or release from active duty. The new GI bill is also fiscally responsible as it is paid for with an income tax surcharge of one-half of one percent on individuals with incomes above $500,000 and couples with incomes above $1 million. Education is the key to the American dream, and our troops who have sacrificed for our country should be given every opportunity to access a higher education when they leave the service. With our economy hurting, this bill extends unemployment benefits for workers who have exhausted their benefits by up to 13 weeks in every state and an additional 13 weeks in states with high unemployment. With the number of Americans looking for work growing, and the number of American jobs decreasing, this bill will help those Americans suffering in this economy. 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. Speaker, let me commend the chairman and ranking member for their hard work. And I stand in support of this conference report. This truly is a bipartisan piece of legislation that the House Agriculture Committee has produced and one that affects every citizen in this country. Agriculture is the number one industry in my home State of North Carolina. It is responsible for $66 billion in income and employs almost one-fifth of the State's workforce. Mr. Speaker, it is critical that we have a stable farm policy in this country, not just for North Carolina, but for every child that participates in the nutrition program, for every food bank and for every school lunch program. The bill increases the funding for the Nation's nutrition programs by over $10 billion, provides over $1.1 billion for renewable energy, and increases funding for conservation efforts by $6.6 billion. And for new and growing sectors of agriculture like organic foods, we have included, for the first time, mandatory funding for specialty crop research and marketing. And we are able to do all this while ensuring that the safety net for our farmers remains intact, ensuring that no matter what, our citizens will always have a stable food supply.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, this week gas prices have hit yet another new high. Today, gas prices are higher than they have ever been in the history of our country, and rural Americans are getting hit particularly hard. Yet while most Americans are struggling to make ends meet, oil companies are making record profits. H.R. 6022, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act, will suspend the acquisition of petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to provide relief to the American consumer. Mr. Speaker, everyone from farmers, commuters, employers, and senior citizens have been hit hard by the rise in gas prices. This is affecting the rural economy of the people of the Second District of North Carolina, and indeed rural areas across the country where people must travel long distances to make sure they have the basic necessities of life, from school and jobs, to church and the grocery store. This legislation will suspend the purchase of as much as 70,000 barrels of oil per day, and could have the effect of lowering our gas prices. While I believe that it is our duty to find alternatives to our reliance on foreign oil, right now we need to take this step to suspend deposits into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. I urge my colleagues to vote for passage of H.R. 6022.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5872, the Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act. This bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 350,000 $1 silver coins in 2010 to commemorate the centennial of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. The $10 surcharge required for each coin will be paid to the National Boy Scouts of America Foundation. Mr. Speaker, I have long been honored to be associated with the Boy Scouts of America. I am the proud father of an Eagle Scout and I have been proud to support the Occoneechee Council of the Boy Scouts in North Carolina through volunteer work and vital fundraising. I have been honored to receive the Silver Beaver, the Scouts' highest award for volunteering, and I received a new award for my congressional support for Scouting. Scouting has contributed to the fabric of American life for nearly 100 years. The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated on February 8, 1910, and chartered by Congress in 1916. The Boy Scouts of America's original mission was to provide an educational program for boys and young men to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating in citizenship, and to develop personal fitness. You know, North Carolina and America and indeed the entire world have changed a great deal since 1910. Yet the Boy Scouts endure. The Boy Scouts remain a mainstay of American life because the message of this organization is timeless: developing American citizens who are physically, mentally and emotionally fit. The leadership and service skills learned as a Boy Scout have enabled men to become leaders in all walks of life: government, business, sports, science and the arts. These include such distinguished individuals as: President Gerald R. Ford, our first Eagle Scout to become President; Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates; and my friend, Richard Gephardt, the former majority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. Closer to my home, former North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford was an Eagle Scout. The Boy Scouts of America is an institution that contributes so much to the strength of our social fabric. The activities of the Boy Scouts reinforce our moral core and help sustain our American values, generation after generation. I support the issuance of this commemorative Centennial Coin, and I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this bill.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3221, American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, and amendments to the bill. This bill is a critical step towards stabilizing our housing market, and providing assistance to thousands of Americans facing foreclosure. There are grave problems facing our current housing market and economy. Decreasing home values and lack of available credit are damaging the market, and skyrocketing mortgages have led thousands of families to face the frightening prospect of foreclosure. In my state of North Carolina alone, PEW Charity Trusts and the Center for Responsible Lending estimate there will be 53,254 foreclosures in 2008 and 2009. Not only does foreclosure strike at the heart of these families' financial stability, but unfortunately the damage spreads across all of our communities. The same study shows that over 330,000 homes in North Carolina will be devalued by the spillover impact of the foreclosures, and North Carolina stands to lose over $860 million in property values. However, H.R. 3221 is a comprehensive package that can provide relief to these families and our communities in a variety of ways. Provisions in this bill reform and modernize the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) as well as government sponsored entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These programs allow for stability in the housing market and by strengthening their loan limits and regulations, they can serve as a safer alternative to the riskier subprime loans we have recently seen. The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008 also includes a tax benefit for first-time homebuyers as well as an additional credit on property taxes for existing homeowners who claim the standard deduction. These measures will help revive the housing market and get our sluggish economy moving in the right direction. This bill also creates a voluntary FHA initiative that provides mortgage refinancing assistance to allow families to stay in their homes while also strengthening the housing market. This voluntary plan would require lenders to write-down some of the existing mortgage in order to qualify for FHA backing, and would require borrowers to return portions of any future profits on the house to the government in order to prevent foreclosure. It is important to note that under H.R. 3221, only owner-occupied homes facing foreclosure can qualify for this mortgage assistance, and speculators, investors, and second-homeowners are not eligible. This provision represents a compromise by all participating parties and can keep people in their homes and improve surrounding communities. I support the passage of H.R. 3221, American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, and I urge my colleagues to join me.