Brad Ellsworth

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter) for 5 minutes.

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

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. I would like to thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2008. Tomorrow is April 15, Tax Day, a day when Americans follow through on their civic obligation by filing their tax returns with the Federal Government. Paying taxes isn't something any of us enjoy doing, but we all do it anyway out of a sense of duty to our country. Each year, taxpayers play by the rules and pay their share of taxes. I don't think it's too much to ask companies, particularly those who receive Federal Government contracts, to do the very same. According to the Government Accountability Office report, in 2004 and 2005 alone, government contractors owed the U.S. Treasury over $5 billion, that's billion with a ``b,'' in unpaid Federal taxes. Many of these contractors were closely held businesses that simply gamed the system by withholding employee wages, Social Security, Medicare and individual income taxes and then never sending these withholdings to the IRS. That doesn't mean that all contractors are cheating the system; in fact, most are not. Most are doing terrific work and putting our tax dollars to good use. But we have a responsibility to protect companies and taxpayer dollars by stopping corrupt contractors from gaming our system. The only way you do that, when they won't do it on their own, is by increased oversight. This legislation is simple in scope and will go a long way towards ensuring that companies doing business with the Federal Government are doing that in good faith. And by leveling the playing field between contractors, we can better ensure our tax dollars are not used to reward tax cheats. The Contracting and Tax Accountability Act establishes a process to prevent people who have serious tax delinquent debts from ever receiving Federal contracts or grants. This legislation affirms that it is the policy of the United States that no government contracts or grants should be awarded to individuals or companies with seriously delinquent Federal tax debts. It requires that bids for Federal contracts include a certification that the person does not possess serious delinquent tax debt. An authorization to verify this certification with the Secretary of the Treasury is also required. The definition of serious delinquent tax debt was carefully defined as an outstanding debt for which a Notice of Lien has been filed in the public record. The definition also excludes tax debt that is being repaid in accordance with an installment agreement, and a tax debt for which a collection due process has been requested. I would like to thank Chairman Waxman, Chairman Ed Towns for guiding this legislation through his subcommittee, and Mike McCarthy on his staff for lending his expertise. I would also like to thank Senator Barack Obama and Ian Solomon on his staff for their collaboration in the Senate on this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, the Contracting and Tax Accountability Act is a practical and cost-effective way to ensure all companies who wish to do business with the Federal Government compete on an equal playing field. This legislation protects good faith contractors who are playing by the rules and brings much needed transparency to how our tax dollars are being spent. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. The passage of this bill today is an important step forward in the effort to ensure every American has access to quality mental health care services. Access to quality, affordable mental health care is just as important as access to traditional health care for Americans struggling with psychological problems. For decades, America has led the world in developing and implementing mental health diagnosis and treatment methods. Unfortunately, while American hospitals, doctors, and counselors provide the best mental health care in the world, many Americans are left without access to the benefits of that system. Too often, cost prohibits people from obtaining adequate coverage and seeking care when they need it. This bill makes important advances in addressing this problem for Americans with private health insurance. H.R. 1424 will expand access to mental health care and services for Americans with private health insurance, requiring plans to make mental health copayments, deductibles, and other benefits equal to benefits offered for traditional, physical health care. I believe this bill is an important step in breaking down the barrier to treatment many Americans with mental health problems face when they try to improve their lives, and I urge my colleagues to support it. While I am a strong supporter of the underlying legislation, I would like to express my concern with one of the offsets used to pay for the bill's costs. The Medicaid prescription drug rebate has proven to be an important tool in ensuring access to the best pharmaceutical drugs for low-income Americans. Currently, prescription drug producers already pay a significant rebate in order to participate in Medicaid, and this bill would increase that rebate by almost one third. I am concerned that further expanding this rebate could have a negative impact on research and development of the next generation of treatments. Congress needs to ensure it provides increased access to mental health services without jeopardizing future pharmaceutical breakthroughs. I will continue to support this bill and encourage my colleagues to do the same. However, as this bill advances to conference with the Senate, I hope that the final product we send to the President will not contain an overly burdensome increase in the Medicaid rebate. MR. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of civil rights and the passage of H.R. 1484, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007. This bill is aimed at eliminating discriminatory provisions in mental health. With this bill addiction treatments are provided on par with treatment for other medical illnesses and conditions, such as diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure. Currently, many families are facing hurdles and obstacles in obtaining quality care for mental illness and addiction disorders. Over 57 million Americans suffer from a form of a mental health disorder and more than 26 million from a chemical addition. Our early intervention services for mental health and addiction are behind other medical conditions. This is discrimination; this is not the American way. In my District alone, we are facing an alarming methamphetamine-use crisis, these patients often require professional help. Mental health must be recognized as equal to other health conditions and illnesses. The stigma must be removed so more people will be able to seek professional help and our loved ones will be able to live healthy and productive lives. These are real diseases, and those affected by them deserve coverage. We are living in different times now and we need to pay closer attention to the mental health needs of our families. For example, the recent school shootings are evidence of where counseling and treatment may have prevented these tragedies, yet stigma and lack affordability of mental health services stood in the way. I urge my colleagues to support mental health parity and vote in favor of H.R. 1424.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Signature Learning Center in Evansville for being recognized as one of the top high schools in the Nation by US News & World Report. Of course, they aren't telling us anything we didn't already know. In the Evansville community, the Signature Learning Center has developed a well-deserved reputation of academic excellence with 100 percent enrollment in advanced college prep courses and 100 percent graduation rate. And people are taking notice. In addition to this recognition, the school was listed by Newsweek as one of the top 100 high schools in the Nation last year, and just this year was named a National Charter School of the Year by the Center for Education Reform. These students are the next generation of leaders in our community. The quality of education they receive has a direct impact on the strength of our country. The Signature Learning Center is providing students in southern Indiana with the tools they need to meet their full potential and make a difference in our world. I am proud of their accomplishments and grateful for their continued contributions to the Evansville community.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Chairman, I would like to yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller).

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the chairman again and the ranking member for his understanding and patience on this matter. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Chairman, my staff and I worked hard with Chairman Miller and his staff to address some important issues with this amendment. My amendment would strike from the bill a requirement that penalizes mine operators who have been assessed penalties and pay them in a timely fashion. In its place, the amendment provides the Secretary of Labor with a mechanism to hold accountable those businesses that have a history of delinquent fine payments, while ensuring that honest businesses can contest fines without paying them up front. As written, the underlying bill would require all mines to place the amount of an assessed fine into escrow if they choose to contest that fine. This is intended to ensure that mine operators cannot evade their responsibility to pay fines if they lose that appeal. While I support this important new collection tool, I do not think the bill takes into full account the financial burden that it could create for small businesses that do not have the means to leave funds in escrow while they contest a citation. In Indiana and across the country, there are numerous mine operations that don't have the operating budget to cover such large and unforeseen costs. The small quarry mines in the Midwest and the sand and gravel operations in the South might not have the overhead to freeze thousands of dollars while they appeal the citation. I would hate to see those mines forced to miss a payroll or lay off their hardworking employees because of this provision. My amendment addresses this concern by directing the Secretary to maintain a list of mine operators with a history of delinquent payments. Only those operators who are on this list would be required to prepay their fines into escrow. The amendment would also provide businesses with an opportunity to contest their placement on this delinquency list if they believe that placement list was a mistake. Ultimately, my amendment would relieve undue financial burden for all mines, but particularly the small mines that are acting in good faith to properly appeal and, when necessary, pay their fines. This amendment also addresses an important issue affecting mine safety in recent years, the lack of comprehensive safety inspections in every mine. In November of 2007, the Department of Labor's Inspector General reported that 15 percent of mines were not fully inspected in fiscal year 2006, due mainly to lack of inspection resources. As we know, we can pass all the mine safety laws we want in this House, but if inspections of mines aren't being held, and they aren't held accountable to our standards, we haven't made any progress at all. As the Inspector General points out in his report, and I quote: ``Incomplete or missed inspections place miners at risk because hazardous conditions in the mines may not be identified and corrected. In fiscal year 2006, approximately 7,500 miners were employed at 107 mines which did not receive at least one required inspection.'' In response to the failure outlined in that report, this amendment creates the Mine Safety Programs Fund to guarantee that all MSHA fines are reinvested in mine safety, which allows us to make sure every mine is living up to our standards and providing a safe working environment for working American miners. Last year, safety violations resulted in about $40 million of MSHA fines. If that money was reinvested in mine safety, it would have meant an estimated 20 percent increase in the inspection resources. We can pass all the mine safety laws we want, but if we don't give the Department of Labor resources to fund them, we haven't made progress for the American miners and what they expect of us. Again, I would like to thank Chairman Miller and his staff, as well as my staff, for working with us for what I think is an important amendment to this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in sadness, but also to honor the life and memory of the gentlewoman from Indiana that passed this week, Congresswoman Julia Carson. Julia will be remembered as a political trailblazer, a tireless advocate and dedicated public servant to the people of Indiana. Her life was a shining example of the power of the American Dream: rising from the humble beginnings of poverty and segregation to become a leading champion for civil rights, women's rights and the working poor in this House. She leaves behind a legacy of standing up for those most vulnerable among us. But most of all, Julia accomplished what we should all strive to do. She left the world a better place than what she found it. She will be deeply missed by this House, by me, and by the people of Indiana. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends during this difficult time.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding achievements of Cadet Kate Whitacre from Boonville, IN. Kate recently received the Carl A. Spaatz Award--the highest honor bestowed upon members of the Civil Air Patrol. The award is based on a demonstrated excellence in leadership, character, fitness and aerospace education. And Kate's receipt of this prestigious award is a testament not only to her abilities in these areas but also to her commitment to our community. As a member of the Civil Air Patrol, she is volunteering to risk her own life to make others safer, and she understands that there is no higher calling than service to others. I congratulate Kate Whitacre on her tremendous accomplishment. She is a leader among many and an inspiration to us all.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. I appreciate the gentleman from Arkansas recognizing me, Madam Speaker. It is an honor to follow my good friend from Ohio in his eloquent words about what we are here to talk about tonight. When I ran for Congress, the good people of the Eighth District of Indiana sent me and gave a message. I heard that message loud and clear, that they wanted me to come, if they would hire me to come and do my part to get the House's fiscal orders back in shape. When I came to Congress a year ago in January, I started looking for people that thought the same way I did, that pay-as-you-go was just a natural thing. And I found a group called the Blue Dogs. Now, I have got to admit I didn't know what a Blue Dog was. And I would venture to guess that most of the people in Indiana didn't know what a Blue Dog was. But I know now. And it is a group that I am proud to associate myself with. I have got to tell you, Madam Speaker, that the folks back in the Eighth District in Indiana in Terre Haute, Greencastle, and Evansville probably feel like they are being choked blue now. That is how the Blue Dogs got their name. They were being choked blue. And the people of our country are being choked blue by our constant running up the debt and deficit in this country. One thing I learned as a little kid growing up in school was you say what you are going to do, and then you do what you say you are going to do. And that includes everybody in this House, the 435 Members. People like to complain about their taxes. They like to complain about this debt, and they have a right to. But what they do know is they expect government services, and they expect us to spend their money wisely. And so they know that when they want to drive on our Federal highways, and they know that when they call, they want our homeland protected by border security. So when they hear about government contracts gone bad, military spending, that waste, fraud and abuse accounts up to $88 billion in a few investigations, they get a little weary of that, and so do I. We can't run this House like this. We wouldn't run our personal homes like this, we wouldn't run a personal business like this, and we can't run the people's House like this. We have done some good in this House. We passed the PAYGO legislation, one of the first things we did in the first week of this 110th Congress. We have cut earmarks in half. We have closed tax loopholes. But it is not enough. Congressman Ross, the poster you show when you speak has gone up since I came into this office and displayed my poster. It was $29,000 per person for every man, woman and child in this country when we started, and now it is 30, even though we have done some good. So we can't relax now until we start chipping away piece by piece, chunk by chunk and bring that back down so that we are not strapping every man, woman and child in this country with now a $30,000 debt. It is imperative that we continue to observe the PAYGO rules of this House. And when and only when we do that will we see this number start going in the reverse and get our affairs back in order.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Coach John Hart and the F.J. Reitz High School Panthers on their 2007 4A Division Indiana State football championship. The title is the first state championship for the Panthers since 1971 and was a fitting conclusion to an outstanding season. The Panthers defeated the Lowell High School Red Devils in the championship game by a score of 33-14 and capped off an impressive 15-0 season. Their victory is the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice. The team and coaching staff have demonstrated outstanding talent and an unwavering commitment to achieving their goals. The Reitz Panthers are shining examples of the idea that success in life comes to those who are willing to set goals and work hard to achieve them. They are an inspiration to me and everyone in the Evansville community who has followed their progress this season. Congratulations again to the F.J. Reitz Panthers Football Team for an outstanding season. Go Panthers!

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. I would like to thank the gentleman, my good friend from Indiana (Mr. Donnelly). Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of CJ's Home Protection Act. Nearly 2 years ago, a killer F3 tornado struck my district in southwest Indiana. The tornado hit a manufactured housing community after most people had gone to bed on a Saturday night, and it took the lives of 25 Hoosiers, 20 in my county and five in Warrick County next door, lives that might have been saved if the victims knew a storm was approaching. CJ Martin, an energetic, smiling 2-year-old boy, was one of the victims that night. He and the other 24 victims are the reason I am here today, as well as the victims who have suffered the same across our country. His picture is a reminder of the destruction that comes to families and communities when severe weather strikes without warning. Mr. Speaker, I was the sheriff of the county back in 2005, and I oversaw the recovery effort in the wake of this storm. The picture doesn't do it justice. The horror and devastation the storm left behind is something I will remember for the rest of my life. That is why this bill is so important to me. I met Kathryn Martin, CJ's mother, right after the storm, and in the months afterwards she took that pain and suffering and turned it into an effort to pass this same legislation in the State of Indiana, which she was successful in doing. Kathryn was successful in getting the bill passed, and because of the awareness she raised about weather radios, the people in my hometown of Evansville, Indiana, have the most weather radios in households per capita. When I met Kathryn, I promised her that if I ever got to Congress, I would introduce a Federal bill that did the same thing she was trying to push in our State. This bill before us today fulfills that promise. CJ's Home Protection Act amends the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standard to require that each manufactured home delivered for sale shall be supplied with a weather radio inside the manufactured home. One might ask, not every area in this country suffers tornadoes. You are right about that. A tornado took CJ's life, but it could have just as easily been a fire like in California, flash flooding and even tsunamis. An added bonus of this bill would be that weather radios are also used to put out AMBER alerts. The radio must be capable of broadcasting emergency information related to local weather conditions, equipped with a tone alarm and specific alert message encoding, and comply with Consumer Electronics Association standards for public receivers. Like a smoke detector, these inexpensive devices can provide families with the warning they need to take action and protect themselves when severe weather strikes. This bill is about improving public safety, plain and simple. It is not about demonizing the manufactured housing industry. Kathryn and John Martin and the other residents of this community love their homes, and the manufactured homes provide affordable, high-quality homes for thousands of American families. In fact, when my wife Beth and I were first married, we agreed to buy a manufactured home as our first home. Unfortunately, the manufactured housing park told us we were too young to move there so we had to make other arrangements. I continue to be a strong supporter of manufactured housing. I see this legislation as adding one more feature to enhance the safety features of these structures. This bill is sponsored by the American Red Cross, the International Association of Firefighters, and the Michigan Committee for Severe Weather Awareness. Before I close, I want to thank the chairman of this committee, Barney Frank, Spencer Bachus, Congressman Dennis Moore and Congresswoman Kay Granger for their support and being supporters of this bill, as well as Congressman Joe Donnelly. I would also like to thank my staff for their tireless work on this effort. Severe weather does not distinguish between Republicans and Democrats. It doesn't care whether you live in Indiana, California, Alabama, or Kansas. This is public safety legislation, and for a mere $30 to $80, we can perhaps save the next 2-year-old boy from this type of devastation.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims. This day gives each of us the opportunity to remember the victims of violent crimes and offer our support to their families. As a career law enforcement officer, I saw firsthand the devastation violent crimes bring to victims and their families and to the communities where they occur. And I understand the need to defend victims rights in the aftermath of their unspeakable loss. In honor of those victims, I'm proud to join my colleague from Washington (Mr. Reichert) in introducing legislation to prohibit America's most heinous criminals and murderers from profiting from their crimes. Our bill, the Stop the Sale of Murderabilia to Protect the Dignity of Crime Victims Act, would fight the exploitation of criminal activity by preventing criminals from selling their wares in public auction. I can think of no better way to honor the victims of murder than supporting this bill.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, on Friday, September 7, 2007, I missed rollcall votes Nos. 860, 861, 862, 863, and 864 because I was leading a congressional delegation trip to conduct oversight in Iraq and to meet with U.S. military leadership and American men and women in uniform who are currently serving in theater. Had I been present for rollcall 860, H. Res. 636 which provided for the consideration of H.R. 1908, Patent Reform Act of 2007, I would have voted ``yes.'' Had I been present for rollcall 861, H. Res. 637 which provided for the consideration of conference report to accompany H.R. 2669, College Cost Reduction and Access Act, I would have voted ``yes.'' Had I been present for rollcall 862, the Conyers Amendment to H.R. 1908, Patent Reform Act of 2007, I would have voted ``yes.'' Had I been present for rollcall 863, final passage of H.R. 1908, Patent Reform Act of 2007, I would have voted ``no.'' Had I been present for rollcall 864, on agreeing to the Conference Report to H.R. 2669, College Cost Reduction Act of 2007, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the birthday of CJ Martin. I say commemorate because he would celebrate his fourth birthday tomorrow. Instead, CJ was taken from his family and our community by a killer F-3 tornado that struck his great grandmother's home in Eastbrook manufactured housing community. CJ and the other 24 victims might have been saved had they only had a warning that they needed to protect themselves. Mr. Speaker, I was the sheriff of Vanderburgh County when this tornado hit. I saw firsthand the devastation that it caused and what severe weather can bring to the families and the communities that they touch. That experience resulted in my introduction of CJ's Home Protection Act, H.R. 2787. The bill simply requires manufactured homes to come equipped with life-saving NOAA weather radios. Like a smoke detector, these inexpensive devices can provide families with the warning they need to take action and protect themselves. Today, as we remember CJ's birthday, I encourage my colleagues to honor his life by cosponsoring this important public safety measure.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Chairman, I acknowledge the point of order and I will ask for unanimous consent to withdraw this amendment. But before I do that, I would like to at least spell out what this amendment intends and what I intended with the amendment. We're talking about earmarks. This is an earmark of a little different sort. It's earmarking the collection of Federal taxes owed to this government. This amendment sought to ensure that none of the funds appropriated in this bill could be used to enter into a contract greater than the simplified acquisition threshold unless the prospective contractor certified in writing to the agency awarding the contract that they owed no Federal tax dollars and no Federal tax debt. The Federal acquisition regulation already requires prospective contractors to certify within a 3-year period preceding the offer that they've never been convicted and had a civil judgment against them for various legal infractions such as tax evasion, forgery, or bribery. This amendment is very simple. It simply adds the following three tax debt-related offenses: That the prospective contractor must certify that they have not ever been convicted of a civil judgment rendered against the contractor for violating any tax law or failing to pay any tax. Have or have not been notified of any delinquent taxes for which liability remains unsatisfied. Or, number three, have or have not received a notice of a tax lien filed against the contractor for which liability remains unsatisfied or for which the lien has not been released. Very simply put, Mr. Chairman, it has come to my attention and the attention of many of my constituents that Federal contracts are being awarded to companies that have not paid their Federal taxes. This really isn't just a small matter. These are companies that continue to receive Federal contracts, 3,800 in fact, that owe $1.4 billion in Federal taxes. Now, I pay my taxes every year. I'm sure everybody in this room does and I'm sure everybody up in the gallery does. To award a Federal contract to a company that fails to pay gives them an unfair advantage. The people in the Eighth District of Indiana don't expect us to do this, and I don't think anybody across the country expects us to continue to do this. Yet it continues to go on and on and on. I've offered this amendment in other bills and I'll continue to offer it until this Congress does its work and ensures this. Not all contractors that receive Federal contracts are bad players, but when 3,800 don't pay $1.4 billion, we need to put a stop to it. At a time when our fiscal house appears to be in somewhat disarray and the deficit continues to grow, we can't continue to allow companies like this to receive Federal tax dollars and Federal contracts. While I am withdrawing this amendment today, I respectfully ask the chairman to include this language in the eventual conference report. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the great efforts of one of my constituents, Mr. William Stearns. Mr. Stearns has gone to great lengths to promote a stronger sense of community in Greene County, Indiana, and his hard work provides us all a valuable resource. Mr. Stearns created and maintains the website gogreenecounty.com, which provides wonderful local information on a variety of topics. The website's forum provides a convenient place for local Hoosiers to discuss a variety of issues, and the community links expand the resources that community members can access from this one, convenient website. As great a service as this website is to the people of Greene County, Mr. Stearns' work is all the more remarkable because he performs this great service despite being legally blind. When one considers the visual difficulties Mr. Stearns overcomes every day, the fact that he produces a valuable website for our community is especially noteworthy. I commend William Stearns for his tremendous service to Greene County, Indiana.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Chairman, I had planned to introduce an amendment and I chose not to do that, and I will explain why. But my amendment would have sought to reduce by $2.6 million the salaries and expense account of the Smithsonian Institute, an account in which there is a history of well-documented, wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars. Though I called for a freeze in the funding for the Smithsonian's administrative account, this amendment should not be mistaken for opposition to this important institution. For more than 150 years, the Smithsonian has made significant contributions to the cultural enrichment of the United States. Through its 18 museums, 144 affiliate museums, the National Zoo, and nine research centers around the world, the Smithsonian has contributed to the education of millions of people. In fact, officials estimate that 24 million people visited the Smithsonian in 2006 and almost 21 million visited affiliate museums across the world. There is no doubt that the Smithsonian reaches across America and the world to offer a rich experience for both children and adults alike. I think I speak for most of my colleagues in expressing a deep appreciation for the excellent work the Smithsonian does, but I also agree with the Appropriations Committee that the institution has recently exhibited a ``crisis of leadership, governance and principle.'' As was well-documented in the press and here in Congress, some of the Smithsonian's top officials received exorbitant salaries and housing allowances, traveled lavishly, and made otherwise egregious expenditures on the taxpayers' dime. My constituents, like many of yours, sent me to Washington to ensure that their tax dollars were spent wisely. They believe, as I do, that Congress should not reward waste, fraud or abuse with more taxpayer dollars. This amendment would have called for the Smithsonian to enact steps to get its spending practices under control. It was meant to send the message that until the Smithsonian can demonstrate it can responsibly spend taxpayer dollars, it should not receive increased funding. I would like to thank Chairman Dicks for allowing me to talk about this amendment that I believe would have taken a real step in addressing waste, fraud and abuse in the Smithsonian. However, after discussion with several of my colleagues who serve on the Smithsonian Board of Regents, I have been assured that this institute has begun to enact measures that will lead to real reform in the institute. We should all continue to observe this, as well as all institutions under our control.

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is why I did not offer the amendment because I am confident that we will watch this.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support the millions of Americans who live in manufactured housing across the country. Over the years, the willingness of Americans to work hard and achieve their dreams has illustrated the health of our economy and our democracy. Hoosiers recognize the importance of safe, affordable housing to the realization of this American Dream, and my constituents sent me to Congress to make this dream more accessible to Hoosier families. And so, I am proud to be a cosponsor of the Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization Act, which will expand the opportunities of home ownership. I am also proud to have introduced CJ's Home Protection Act, which will add to the efforts of housing manufacturers to ensure the safety of the families in their homes.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor S. Sgt. Roy P. Lewsader, Jr. of Clinton, Indiana, who died on June 16, 2007. While fighting for our country in Afghanistan, a rocket-propelled grenade detonated near his vehicle in Tarin Kowt. Roy was born in Terre Haute, Indiana. He joined the U.S. Army in 1988 and served until his death as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. To serve our country in the U.S. military is an honorable and noble profession. Ray's service to our country in life, as well as in death, epitomizes what it means to be an American hero. During his more than 13 year service to our country, Roy distinguished himself as soldier and leader. He received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, as well as the Army Achievement Medal three times and the Army Commendation Award. Roy Lewsader, Jr. gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country and will be remembered as a hero, a father, and a husband. On behalf of all of the people of the 8th District, I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Melissa; daughters, Briana, Ozzra'D, Cheyenne, and Keebee; son, Billy; and the rest of his family and friends who love and miss him today.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Colonel Todd R. Smith for his extraordinary service as Commander of Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA) in Crane, Indiana. Colonel Smith has been selected to serve as the Chief of Staff for the Joint Munitions Command in Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois. Rock Island's gain is Crane Army's loss. I know I speak for everyone at Crane when I say that Colonel Smith leaves a strong legacy of achievement and CAAA is a more efficient operation because of his leadership and service. Colonel Smith, a native of Bluefield, West Virginia, arrived at Crane Army in July 2004 as a highly regarded and decorated leader in the Army having served in leadership positions in Germany, Korea and the U.S. He also commanded the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant in Texarkana, Texas from July 1999 to July 2001. Prior to arriving at CAAA, Colonel Smith served as Chief, C/J4 Munitions Division, Combined Forces Command and United States Forces Korea. Colonel Smith's vision and leadership at Crane Army, particularly through his focused implementation of the Lean Six Sigma and Continuous Improvement, has resulted in the creation of an organizational culture that resulted in increased efficiency and quality of service throughout all operational areas at CAAA. In fact, Colonel Smith was able to decrease annual project costs by $2.6 million while maintaining the expected high level of production. The Crane Continuous Improvement program highlights the determined leadership Colonel Smith has provided at CAAA. Under his leadership, CAAA has produced 6 Lean Six Sigma Black Belts, 40 Lean Six Sigma Green Belts, 22 Lean Six Sigma Executive Leaders, and 24 Lean Six Sigma Project Sponsors. CAAA's establishment of the Ammunition, Transportation, Tracking, and Control Center (ATTACC) remains the hallmark of the Continuous Improvement program. ATTACC, located on base at CAAA, allows depot operators to utilize proactive logistics through a shared computer application. The result is more accurate schedules and efficient planning for the processing of ammunitions receipts and issues. ATTACC is a sterling example of Crane Army's mission statement, ``Only Our Best for the World's Best!'' It is a testament to Colonel Smith's leadership that CAAA has been nationally recognized for excellence. CAAA was honored with a 2006 White House Closing the Circle Award for environmental contributions by the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive. CAAA was also honored in 2006 with the Indiana Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence. On a personal level, Colonel Smith has been awarded with many honors throughout his distinguished career in the Army. Among these awards are the Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Parachute Badge, and the Army Staff Identification Badge. Madam Speaker, I commend Colonel Smith for his outstanding service to his country and to Crane Army. I wish him the best as he takes his new leadership position with the Joint Munitions Command.