Brad Ellsworth

Mr. ELLSWORTH

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

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Chairman, this amendment seeks to ensure that none of the funds appropriated in this bill may be used to enter into a contract greater than the simplified acquisition threshold unless the prospective contractor certifies in writing to the agency awarding the contract that the contractor owes no Federal tax debt. The Federal Acquisition Regulation already requires prospective contractors to certify within a 3-year period preceding the offer that they have not been convicted or had a civil judgment rendered against them for the various legal infractions such as tax evasion, forgery and bribery. This amendment simply adds the following three tax debt- related offenses: the prospective contractor must certify that they, one, have or have not been convicted of a civil judgment rendered against the contractor for violating tax law or failing to pay any tax; two, have or have not been notified of any delinquent taxes for which the liability remains unsatisfied; and, three, have or have not received a tax notice or tax lien filed against the contractor for which the liability remains unsatisfied or for which the lien has not been released. Mr. Chairman, my constituents, like many of yours, sent me to Washington to ensure their tax dollars are spent wisely. And I guard their tax dollars wisely. They believe, as I do, that it's wrong for government contractors who owe millions and accumulated billions of dollars in unpaid taxes to continue to be awarded Federal contracts when their taxes are not paid. Not only do these bad actors cheat our government of tax revenue; they gain an unfair advantage over the businesses that play by the rules. Not all contractors are into gaming the system. Most are doing terrific work and putting our tax dollars to good use. But we have a responsibility to protect those businesses and the taxpayers' dollars by weeding out the corrupt contractors. The only way you do this is through increased oversight. At a time when our fiscal house is, some say, in complete disarray and deficits continue to grow, we cannot continue to allow companies to receive Federal tax dollars while shirking their own tax responsibilities. Mr. Chairman, I respectfully ask my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to thank Chairman Price for his support of this important amendment that would have taken an important step to address waste, fraud and abuse in the contracting process at the Department of Homeland Security. It's my hope that we can work together to have this commonsense approach to contractor certification included in the eventual conference report. Again, I'd like to thank the chairman for his support, but I do ask unanimous consent to withdraw this amendment.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, it is an honor for me to join you and the members of the Blue Dog Coalition in their mission to bring fiscal responsibility back to this House. As my friend from Oklahoma said, I am a new member. I have been up here approximately 5 months now, so it is easy for me to remember what the people of the Eighth District of Indiana said, their marching orders when they sent me here and elected me to the people's House. They told me to stay honest. They told me, don't let Washington change you. They said, in fact, you need to go and change the way Washington works. And they said ``spend my money wisely.'' They have probably seen Mr. Ross on TV and saw the poster that showed that every person in this country, their portion of the national debt was $29,000, and it recently had to be added to. Over $29,000. Every man, woman, child, living person in this country, owes $29,000 of that debt. That is too much. Why are we strapping our children and grandchildren with that kind of debt? The people in Indiana are pretty smart. Nobody likes taxes, but they realize that taxes are a necessary, I might go as far and say, evil, if they want the services that the government provides. So they don't mind paying those taxes if they know that their Congress people are spending those taxes wisely. So when they hear about ``bridges to nowhere'' and fish museums and teapot museums in North Carolina, or maybe more serious than that, things like $38 million worth of weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan that have gone on the missing-in-action list, weapons that probably have fallen into our enemy's hands, or $9 billion in $100 bills on pallets that is gone. It is missing, and our great country, with all of our accounting, cannot account for $9 billion in cash that has gone over there on skids. That is not what the people of Indiana expect of this Congress. It is not what they expect of me, and I don't think they will tolerate it. That is why when I came to Congress, when I heard about the Blue Dog Coalition, the Blue Dog Caucus, that it was a pretty easy group to join. When I checked on them, and I assume they checked on me, we had those same values and ideals. We were fiscally conservative. We want to spend the people's money wisely. We weren't going to waste it. We actually worked to balance the budget, that we wouldn't spend money we didn't have. I have a credit card. Probably most people in the audience here, Madam Speaker, you may have a credit card, I am sure. But I don't run up those totals to the amounts that our country has run up, into foreign countries. My wife and I work hard. We charge things, and then we pay off that card. That is what the people expect us to do here. So it is going to take tough decisions. It is going to take the tough calls. But we have got that. A group of 43 have that internal fortitude to put those tough decisions on the front. The people understand that. They will let us do that, that we will make wise decisions with their money. So I stand here tonight, not only in the Armed Services Committee, but in every committee, whether it is Agriculture, Small Business, Armed Services, no matter what the committee is, this Congress, the people's House, has a responsibility to spend their money wisely. I pledge to do that, I know the Blue Dogs pledge to do that, and I think the other 434 Members of Congress need to do that, too. With that, I yield back to the gentleman from Arkansas.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Signature Learning Center in Evansville for being recognized as one of the top charter schools in the nation by the Center for Education Reform (CER). The Center is one of only 53 schools to receive the National Charter School of the Year Award and was selected based on student achievement, satisfaction of parents, and its policies and programs. The Signature Learning Center has approximately 275 students with an average class size of 20. Its students excel academically with 100 percent enrollment in advanced college preparatory courses and 100 percent graduation rate. For these reasons and others, the school was listed by Newsweek as one of the top 100 High Schools in the nation in 2006. Signature Learning Center joins nearly 4,000 charter schools nationwide in educating over 1 million American children. Children are our nation's greatest resource. The quality of education they receive has a direct impact on the strength of our economy, the safety of our communities, and the ability of our nation to compete in the world. The Signature Learning Center is providing children in southern Indiana with the tools they need to meet their full potential and make a difference in our world. I am proud to recognize them for their accomplishments today.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the correctional officers and employees from around the country, and to voice my strong support for this bill. I spent almost 25 years in law enforcement, much of that working in a jail myself. And from my experience, correction officers are some of the hardest-working law enforcement professionals that are working today. House Resolution 264 recognizes them for their important contributions to the safety of our communities. This week is National Correctional Officers and Employees Week. The bill we are considering today supports the goals and ideas of this important week, and honors all corrections officers and employees for their service to their communities, their States, and also to this Nation. It also recognizes the critical role that the correctional facilities play in the U.S. criminal justice system. I am proud to be a cosponsor to this legislation with Congressman Holden and Congressman LoBiondo. I echo Mr. Scott's words. Mr. Holden felt strongly enough about this legislation to call me and ask me to make a few comments on his support for this bill. He was unable to attend this meeting as he had prior commitments in his district, but he asked me to express his strong support for the men and women who work in the correctional system on all the levels, who work tirelessly to protect their communities from those incarcerated and breaking the law. The men and women who work in our prisons and correctional facilities face danger in their everyday lives. I have seen this firsthand. They are outnumbered. They work long hours. They often go without their lunches or eat their lunches while performing their duties. We owe them a lot. And although you are not going to see a lot of documentaries about the correctional officer in the TV shows, they work just as hard as any patrolman on the street. And they are outnumbered and surrounded by their adversaries every day. Their role is critical and yet goes unrecognized often. We can do our part to recognize them this week. Hopefully, this bill will bring some much deserved appreciation for their work, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Gibson County Deputy Sheriff Bruce Vanoven for his dedication and valor in the line of duty. On a July night in 2006, Deputy Vanoven responded to a distress call from Cameron White. White had been shot, stabbed, and left for dead in a Pike County cornfield. Without knowledge of White's location or whether the suspect had left the scene, Vanoven searched the field for White and three other victims, who had already died from their injuries. As a result of his willingness to jeopardize his own safety to help others, Deputy Vanoven arrived in time to administer medical assistance to White until paramedics could reach the scene. His heroism saved Cameron White's life. For his actions, Deputy Vanoven has received accolades from America's Most Wanted and the American Red Cross and was named Deputy of the Year by the Gibson County Sheriff's Department. As someone who has spent his career in law enforcement, it is a true honor to have this opportunity to recognize Bruce Vanoven. I commend his actions and thank him for his service to the people of southwest Indiana.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to be a sponsor of this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support it. This amendment honors faith-based and community-based organizations that provide essential health services and education to thousands of low-income children each and every day. This program is a perfect example of government and faith-based organizations partnering to provide every child an equal playing field in school and in life, and we must ensure these churches and schools receive the support they need. This amendment demonstrates our support to the thousands of families across Indiana who depend on Head Start programs run by faith-based and community organizations. These programs are dedicated to ensuring equal opportunities for Hoosier children, and I am proud to support them today on the House floor. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and to pass this important bill.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the important contributions of one of my constituents and friends, Dr. William Wooten. For nearly a decade, Dr. Wooten has been a leader in substance abuse prevention in the Evansville, Indiana community. While serving as the Medical Director of Addiction Services for the Mulberry Center in Evansville, Dr. Wooten saw an alarming number of young people with substance abuse problems. Inspired by a program in Little Rock, Arkansas, Wooten urged a community effort to combat this problem. In March of 1998, Wooten's organizing efforts culminated in Youth First, Inc., which focuses on prevention and early intervention approaches to reduce substance abuse. Under Wooten's leadership, the Youth First program has grown rapidly each year since its inception and this year will serve over 20,000 people. For all of his outstanding work, Dr. Wooten has been honored by such groups as Family Partnership Against Drugs, Boys and Girls Clubs of Evansville, The United Way and Rotary International. On April 19, 2007, he was presented with Leadership Evansville's 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award. I am proud to have this opportunity to honor Dr. Wooten for his distinguished service to the Evansville community.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, each year, we lose billions of dollars in tax revenue because of fraud and payment delays. I was particularly angered when I read a March 2006 report issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that found tax debts totaling $1.4 billion were owed to the federal government by over 3,800 GSA contractors. Shockingly, these GSA contractors represented approximately 10 percent of all GSA contractors during Fiscal Year 2004 and the first 9 months of Fiscal Year 2005. This is simply unacceptable. It is my aim to increase the scrutiny on government contractors who owe millions in unpaid taxes even as they pad their bottom lines with taxpayer dollars. Today, I am introducing a bill that will up the ante on bad actors who cheat our government of tax revenue and, in the process, gain an unfair advantage over businesses that play by the rules. This legislation, the Federal Contractor Accountability Act of 2007, will require prospective contractors to certify that they are not delinquent in their federal tax payments. No prospective contractor will be awarded a contract with a federal agency unless the prospective contractor certifies in writing to the agency making the award or extension, or issuing the order, that the contractor owes no Federal tax debt. To certify, the prospective contractor must acknowledge that within a 3-year period, they have not been convicted or had a civil judgment rendered against them for violating any tax laws, failing to pay any tax, or has been notified of any delinquent taxes for which the liability remains unsatisfied. Additionally, to certify, the prospective contractor must acknowledge that they have not received a notice of a tax lien filed against them for which the liability remains unsatisfied or the lien has not been released. It is that simple. It is not too much to ask that a private entity that wishes to do business with the federal government certify that they pay their taxes in good faith. Madam Speaker, the Federal Contractor Accountability Act of 2007 is a practical and efficient way to ensure that we close the ever-widening tax gap. This legislation protects good faith contractors who are playing by the rules. These contractors should not have to unfairly compete against tax cheats for federal contracts.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Legal Employee Verification Act and ask for its consideration and support. This bill overhauls the broken employment verification system we have today and replaces it with the mandatory, efficient, and transparent process our country needs. Today, too many working men and women are denied the job opportunities they deserve because it is more convenient for some employers to go around the system and hire an illegal immigrant. Employers who break the law should be held accountable, and the Employment Eligibility Confirmation System created by this bill will make it more difficult to evade our employment regulations. At the same time, business owners who play by the rules every day can rest assured that they are competing on a level playing field. Instead of dealing with a confusing process that often yields inconclusive results, if any, employers will quickly know the status of their prospective employees. Within as little as one day, an employer will know whether that person is eligible to work here in the United States. This efficient system will bring peace of mind to both employers and employees by giving definitive answers in reasonable periods of time. In addition, the Legal Employee Verification Act makes use of the technology used in our nation's immigration documents. This critical security upgrade currently helps fight identity fraud and gives security officials a new tool to protect our country from those who seek to do us harm. Now this upgrade will also discourage illegal immigrants from using falsified documents to secure jobs here, giving our law-abiding workforce a fair shot at every job available. I don't fault people for wanting to come to live and work in America. It's a great place to live and raise a family. All I ask is that they do it legally. Madam Speaker, it's time we get serious about enforcing our immigration and employment laws. The Legal Employee Verification Act will give us important new tools to do just that. It's common-sense policy, and I'm proud to introduce this bill for consideration.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of former Congressman James Prather ``Jim'' Jontz, who passed away on April 14, 2007 after a long battle with colon cancer. Jim dedicated his life to public service and environmental protection. In 1974, at the age of 22, he was one of the youngest people ever to be elected to the Indiana General Assembly. After 10 years in the General Assembly and 2 in the Indiana Senate, Jontz ran for the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 5th District. He went on to serve three terms in the House where he fought for government accountability and preservation of the environment. After leaving Congress, Jontz moved to Oregon where he continued his advocacy for environmental causes. Jim Jontz was the kind of man that got into politics for the right reason: he saw a problem in his community and decided he could make a difference. He will be remembered for his strong conviction, his populist spirit, and his unwavering commitment to protecting the environment. I want to send my condolences to his family. He was a great public servant to the State of Indiana and our Nation.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. Less than 2 years ago, a devastating tornado ripped through my community in Evansville, Indiana, and although 25 residents of those two counties lost their lives, our emergency services organizations were applauded for their response to that devastating tornado. There is only one reason that we handled that; it is because we had a disaster plan in place and because we practiced that plan and we worked that plan so that when it hit, we did our job. A few months after that tornado, a much larger disaster, Hurricane Katrina, showed the horrors of these disasters on a more massive scale. In the days and weeks that followed, Hoosiers watched the citizens of New Orleans searching for food, clean water, and a safe place to sleep. With the local government underwater, people relied on the government in Washington to come to their aid. The failures of the Federal Government at that time are far too many to list right here. While we work to fulfill our promises to the citizens recovering from this disaster, we must also prepare for the future. America has suffered massive disasters in the past; and, unfortunately, we are going to see them in the future. As our families prepare themselves for the possible scenarios, Congress must ensure that a failure that we saw before does not happen again. The RECOVER Act, and I am proud to support this, is an important step in improving the government's response to large-scale disasters. And I am proud to support it, as I said. The RECOVER Act requires the Small Business Administration to prepare for future disasters by developing a comprehensive disaster plan. The government would be required to conduct regular disaster simulations and update its disaster plan in response to new challenges as we see them. This bill also requires the SBA to start to implement a new disaster plan, a 1,000-person disaster reserve corps that will receive annual training for future disaster responses. These additional employees would be prepared to meet the challenges posed by sudden disasters. If programs like these were in place before Hurricane Katrina, the government might have been able to invigorate the local economy and speed up the rebuilding effort. I can understand we can't change the past, but we can improve our response to disasters in the future. The RECOVER Act will make those improvements and help the government fulfill its responsibility to protect the citizens in the aftermath of disasters. I am proud to lend my support to the RECOVER Act, and I urge my colleagues to join me in helping protect disaster victims.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding achievements of one of my constituents, James W. Murray of Oakland City, IN. For the past 33 years, Murray has served as president of Oakland City University. During his remarkable tenure at OCU, the school has undergone massive and exciting improvements. When Murray arrived on campus, the school had only 324 students. Today the total enrollment exceeds 2,300, and OCU has become the second largest employer in Gibson County, IN. President Murray also oversaw OCU gaining full accreditation and university status. The school's main campus has undergone extensive facility expansion during his tenure, and as an advocate for fiscal responsibility, I congratulate President Murray for executing these projects debt-free. Murray also deserves commendation for his distinguished service as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. He served in both Korea and Vietnam and received three Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. President Murray will retire on May 31, and I am proud to honor his exceptional career. His contributions in service to our country and commitment to education deserve recognition.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today for two reasons. First of all, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the victims of yesterday's tragedy at Virginia Tech. The people of the Eighth District of Indiana will keep them and their families in their thoughts and prayers I also rise today in support of the Taxpayer Protection Act. This bipartisan bill empowers middle-class Hoosier families in the fight against identity theft, and I am proud to support it. Credit cards, on-line banking and shopping on the Internet have become a part of everyday life for many Hoosiers. These tools can make life easier for Hoosier families, but they also make Hoosiers vulnerable to criminals attempting to steal identities. With modern technology, a criminal can steal someone's credit cards, bank account and Social Security number and then proceed to spend thousands of dollars in someone else's name. In addition to saddling families with thousands of dollars in debt, these crimes can erase years of good credit history, denying consumers the ability to buy a house or lease a car. The Taxpayer Protection Act takes on this new threat and requires the Federal Government to notify taxpayers of any suspected identity theft. This bill is an important step in providing taxpayers the security of knowing their information is safe, and it will give Hoosiers the power to fight identity theft. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I had not intended to address the House, the people's House tonight. But as I sat in the chair you sit in just a few minutes ago, I looked out and listened to the other Members and reflected on why I was sent here just 90 days ago, or a little longer, and thought that it was my duty to come down and talk. As I heard Mr. Boyd from Florida address the group and talk about the way he was raised in Florida, it was very similar to the way Mr. Ross was raised in Arkansas and the way I was raised in Indiana. It reminds me of a story that I told a few times and PAYGO comes to mind. I can remember when I was very young, probably in the 10-year-old range, having my eye on a Sting-Ray bicycle at Sears and Roebuck in Evansville, Indiana, at the Washington Square Mall. Those back home will know what I am talking about. It was a purple Sting-Ray, metal flake seat. I think they called it a banana seat, if I remember it correctly. It had a sissy bar on the back and high-rise handlebars. For anybody in that age group, you will remember what I am talking about. I can vividly remember that the price tag was $55 for that bicycle. I remember going home and asking my parents if I could have that bicycle. They said, sure, when you save the $55, knock yourself out, you can go down and do that. I cut grass, and I delivered papers with my brother, and I had odd jobs until I saved the $55 and was able to go down to Sears and purchase that bike. That's the way you did it back then. You saved your money. You paid as you went. That's the way you purchased things. That lesson stayed with me to this day. I am proud to display that poster outside my hall, outside my office in the Cannon Building. But it's also a stark reminder, when we are talking about trillions of dollars of debt, that every Member of this country, every man, woman and child, that their part of the national debt is $29,465, is a stark reminder of the work we have to do. When I was asking people to hire me for this job, I can remember a couple of things they told me they wanted before they would send me here that they wanted me to guarantee them, that I would be honest, and I would be fair, and I would be fiscally conservative. When I started looking at the Congress, and groups to associate yourself with, it became very easy when I found out about the Blue Dog Coalition, the fiscally conservative group of Members, 43 strong now, that said we have got to bring this place back to order. I can remember a gentleman in Evansville, Scott Saxe, a gentleman I used to work out with at the Fitness Zone in Evansville. He said, you know, I am a Republican, but this has gotten ridiculous, the way our country spends. He says, we have got to stop this insanity. That is why I applied for this job, so I could come be a part of that. People come in my office every day, and good people. I call them do-gooders, because they are good people doing good things. They are looking for that Federal help that we can give them. But we can't give it unless we have that money; we save it in the areas we can save. It's tough, because you know these people are out helping folks every day. You want to give, because that's the way America is. We give to people that are doing good, but it's tough, because we have got to make tough decisions. But in the 3 months that I have been here, now going on 4, I see examples every day of ways that we can cut the waste, fraud and abuse, the things that we are doing that the American people, when they hear about it in the Eighth District of Indiana, they get really upset, and they should, and that is why I am here. Just a few examples: when we send contractors, no matter how you feel about the war in the Middle East, but when we send our contractors over on our dime, and they sit 9 months and never lift a finger on the contracts they are hired for, that is money wasted that we could give, put to something else, education, to help people help people. When we have pallets of money that are lost, pallets, skid loads of $100 bills that are lost, and we can't find them? That is not why they sent me to Congress. That is not what they expect us to do, to lose millions of dollars on pallets in the Middle East. No-bid contracts, we have all heard about those. Companies would be getting Federal contracts that aren't paying their Federal taxes. I don't think people mind paying taxes. They will talk about it. But when they drive on I-70 through Terre Haute, or I-64 through the northern part of Vanderburgh County or I-164, they appreciate those roads. When the FBI or Federal law enforcement agency does something good for them or the Border Patrol keeps their borders safe, they don't mind paying taxes for that. But when they are getting ripped off or losing money and are doing no-bid contracts, and we have companies being awarded Federal contracts and not paying their Federal taxes, is just plain wrong. It's not why they sent me here. It's not why they sent any of us here, and they want us to stop. Single-source contracts, let's take, for example, our military plants, and there are two companies that make the engines, but we award to one single source. It's wrong. Competition is healthy; we need to do it. It's why I am proud to join the Blue Dog Coalition. This Congress, both sides of the aisle, needs to work together to bring some sense, some common sense and fiscal accountability back to these Halls so that we can go back to our districts, proud, Republicans and Democrats alike, saying we are spending your money wisely, we are spending it honestly and fiscally and conservatively.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the DePauw University Women's Basketball Team for winning its first NCAA Division III National Championship. Not only is this the first championship for Coach Kris Huffman, it's the first national championship, in any sport, in the school's history. The DePauw Tigers defeated the Washington University, St. Louis, Bears by a score of 55-52. The Tigers built a 15-point lead at one point, but the Bears rallied back to cut the deficit to 3 in the closing moments of the game. The Tigers blocked a last second 3-point shot attempt to earn their first title. The win caps a successful DePauw season with a record of 31-3. Senior Cassie Pruzin led the way for the Tigers scoring 12 points in the game. Fellow seniors Liz Bondi and Suzy Doughty and junior Kalei Lowes each contributed 9 points. Bondi, who also had 9 rebounds and 3 assists in the game, was named most valuable player of the tournament and, along with Doughty, was selected for the All-Tournament team. Congratulations to Coach Huffman and the DePauw Women's Basketball Team for an outstanding season. Go Tigers.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1538, the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act of 2007. Throughout our history, we have asked generations of Americans to protect the freedoms we enjoy. As the newest generation of brave Americans steps forward to answer the call at great personal sacrifice, we must honor them with a renewed commitment to providing the medical care they deserve. The brave men and women of our armed forces proudly serve this great nation by putting their lives on the line in missions that take them far away from their homes and families. We must never forget the debt owed to our soldiers when they return home from the battlefield. This bill addresses some of the patient care problems at Walter Reed Medical Center recently brought to light in news accounts and Congressional hearings. It requires every wounded service-member to be assigned a case manager to review and supervise the soldier's medical care. The problems experienced at Building 18 should not overshadow the otherwise exceptional care the doctors and nurses at hospitals and clinics throughout the country provide our men and women in uniform. This will requires us to provide those doctors and nurses with reinforcements to ensure none of our wounded soldiers are left behind again. Our obligations to our wounded soldiers do not stop when they become wounded veterans. By streamlining the transition process from soldier to veteran, our local VA clinics and hospitals can ensure our veterans continue to receive exceptional medical care without bureaucratic interruption. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 1538, the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act of 2007, takes necessary strides toward ensuring that all of our wounded soldiers receive the best possible medical care. I am proud to support this bill and will continue to stand up for our service members in the future.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, as I traveled around the 8th Congressional District during this last recess, I heard from many Hoosiers concerned about their tax burdens. These burdens are especially prevalent for new parents starting a family. Parents across Indiana are struggling to balance work and family; to meet the costs of raising a family while spending quality time with their children. It ought to be easier. What I heard from my constituents convinced me to introduce the Child Tax Relief Act. The bill will double the child tax credit to $2,000 in the first year of a child's life, or in the first year after a child is adopted, to help parents defray the costs of a new child at home. Middle class families spend an average of $20,000 on a child before he or she turns two years old. New parents have enough to worry about already; they shouldn't have to lose sleep over their finances too. The bill gives new parents a much-deserved break when they need it most. I encourage my colleagues to co-sponsor this legislation and join me in bringing some needed relief to American families.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Caleb Schmitt for winning the 135-pound individual Indiana wrestling State championship. This title is a fitting conclusion to an outstanding season and career for the Castle High School senior. Schmitt has racked up many accolades in his 4 years wrestling for the Knights including school records for wins in a season, wins in a career, and technical falls in a career. He was a sectional champion all 4 years and his teammates voted him team MVP in three seasons. He also collected two conference championships and numerous invitational titles. Schmitt displays his athletic versatility with his success on the soccer field, where he was a 4-year starter and letter winner on the varsity team. He will continue his soccer career in the fall at the University of Southern Indiana. Congratulations to Caleb Schmitt for all of his achievements.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Matt Powless for winning the 171-pound individual Indiana high school State wrestling championship. This title capped an incredible 51-0 season for the Evansville Memorial High School senior. After finishing sixth in the State tournament last year, Powless returned to capture the first State wrestling title in Memorial history. Along the way he set school records for pins in a season and career. His long list of wrestling accolades includes sectional, regional, semistate, and conference titles. In addition to his success on the mat, Powless also excels in the classroom. He ranks 13th in his high school class, with an exemplary 5.9 grade point average on a 6.0 scale. He has been named to six Academic All City Teams for wrestling and football. His continued academic success while devoting significant time to athletics is a testament to his intellect and dedication to excellence. I congratulate Matt Powless for his remarkable wrestling season. He is the definition of a student-athlete and an excellent example for young people in my district. Great job, Matt.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding achievements of Terri Poczerwinski from Evansville, Indiana. Tomorrow, Mrs. Poczerwinski will be one of four graduates to receive the Career College Association's Graduate Recognition for Excellence, Achievement and Talent (GREAT) Award. To be selected among the 1.8 million students in career colleges across the country is truly a remarkable feat. Mrs. Poczerwinski's story is one of triumph over tragedy. She enrolled in the medical assisting program at Indiana Business College (IBC) in April 2005. She excelled in her classes even while recovering from surgery the beginning of fall term. Then in November 2005, tragedy struck when Terri lost her daughter Melinda in the tornadoes that ravaged southwest Indiana. Despite struggling with her personal grief, Mrs. Poczerwinski continued her hard work and success in the classroom. Then two days before Thanksgiving and again before Christmas, her son-in-law was injured by an improvised exploding device while serving in Iraq. But Mrs. Poczerwinski pressed forward, graduating from IBC last December with a 3.57 grade point average. She now works at Hebron Pediatrics. I congratulate Mrs. Poczerwinski for her tremendous accomplishments in the face of adversity. She is an inspiration to us all.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Coach Mike Goebel and the Evansville Mater Dei wrestling team for winning their second consecutive Indiana high school State championship. This is the twelfth title for Goebel as head coach of Mater Dei, an Indiana record. The Wildcats completed their undefeated season on February 24 by mauling the second-ranked Mishawaka Cavemen, 31-18. Mater Dei took an early lead when junior Stephen Lovelace recorded a pin in the 160-pound class. After Mishawaka cut the Wildcat lead to 15- 12, 125-pound sophomore Zeke Zenthoefer responded by pinning his opponent to open a 25-12 advantage. Senior Nick DeWig, the individual State runner-up in the 145-pound class, insured Mater Dei's victory with a 13-5 decision that pushed the lead to an insurmountable 10 points. Wildcat senior Chris DeWitt sealed the win with a 9-5 decision in the final match. Other winners for the Wildcats were Ben Fleming, Zach Goebel, Cody Moll, and Jerry Parkinson. This championship is the culmination of years of hard work by these young men under the leadership of Coach Goebel. I commend the Evansville Mater Dei wrestling team for all of their success. Go Wildcats.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. The Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2007 provides long overdue tax relief for small businesses and their employees. Small businesses form the backbone of the American economy. They create hundreds of millions of new jobs each year, and they drive the innovation that makes America great. The men and women whose blood, sweat, and sometimes tears go into building their small businesses are living examples of the American dream, and they deserve our support. There is no doubt that this bill is a win-win for Indiana. It is a win for Hoosier small business owners who work hard, play by the rules, and provide good jobs for thousands of hardworking people in south and west Indiana. It is also a win for Hoosier workers. Small businesses employ 1.2 million workers in Indiana. And that is why we must make every effort to ensure that small businesses prosper in a progrowth economy. As Congress works towards increasing the minimum wage for the American workers, legislation like this is necessary to help small businesses across the country stay competitive. Mr. Speaker, the Small Business Tax Relief Act enjoys wide bipartisan support for a reason. We know it is the right thing to do for America's small businesses and for its workers. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important legislation, and I urge my colleagues to give it their full support. Let us come together and show that the path toward fiscal responsibility can be both probusiness and proworker.

Mr. ELLSWORTH

Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, every day I am inspired by the unwavering will and determination of our fighting men and women who continue to serve with valor in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their commitment to serving our country represents the very best America has to offer and we owe them our debt of gratitude. Mr. Speaker, I, too, wondered how this resolution would affect our troops. In recent hearings of the House Armed Services Committee, of which I am a member, when asked about the impact of this debate on our troops, General Peter Pace, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a man I hold in very high regard, said, ``From the standpoint of our troops, I believe that they understand how our legislature works and that they understand there's going to be this kind of debate.'' But most importantly he told us, ``There is no doubt in my mind that the dialogue here in Washington strengthens our democracy. Period.'' Mr. Speaker, I had two Iraqi war veterans in my office this afternoon and I asked them about this resolution. They said, ``Congressman, let me tell you what the guys over there think about. They think about doing their job, they think about staying alive, and they think about getting home to their families.'' General Pace and these soldiers are right. Our democracy is strengthened when we engage in vigorous debate about solutions to the challenges that we face, and there is not a more pressing, more important challenge before us than this war right now. But let me be perfectly clear: I strongly and I unequivocally support our troops, and I challenge anybody that questions my patriotism. As a result, we must provide the equipment and the resources that our troops on the ground need to meet their mission safely. Their safety should never be compromised by our disagreements here in Washington, D.C. Despite our differences, I believe the President is sincere in his desire to bring a successful end to the war in Iraq, but he has failed to convince me that sending these 21,000 additional troops represents a new or successful strategy. We went to Iraq under a failed plan in 2003, and we can't afford to take the same failed path. More importantly, we owe our fighting men and women better than what we are giving them. We need to know the goals for success are well- defined; that benchmarks are in place for both the Iraqis and for America; and that the Iraqi government will live up to their end of the bargain. So far they have not, and there is no indication that says they will now. For too long, Mr. Speaker, our country has gone without questioning whether there is a better way forward in Iraq, and before we send these 21,000 men and women into harm's way, we must ask ourselves these questions. And I remind you, I asked General Pace these questions myself and asked him to look me in the eye and answer these. Does this plan produce less violence and fewer roadside bombs? Does it ensure our military can meet the other threats to our security and homeland across the country? Does it move us closer to the day when our fighting men and women can come home and America is at peace? I don't believe this plan answers any of those in the affirmative or with a yes. Over the last few weeks, I have listened to generals, I have heard from constituents and talked to military families, and after countless hours of consideration, my gut tells me that I can't believe that this plan is the answer. Unfortunately, this plan still gives no clear indication of the consequence if the Iraqis fail to meet their commitment that they made to us over the last few years. To date, our military has done everything we have called on them to do. Yet the Iraqi leaders have not lived up to their commitments. I believe the time has come for the Iraqi government to step up and halt the sectarian violence, find the political will to solve their own problems and take charge of their own destiny. That is ultimately the key to finding a successful conclusion to this war and bringing our brave men and women home.