Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price) works very hard on organizing our Truth Squad and making sure that we are getting the word out about what needs to be gotten out in terms of the issues that are important, I think, to the American people. We are going to talk about the economy and what is happening to the economy in the United States, and I want to talk a little bit about that to begin with until Mr. Price gets here, and I probably will recognize my colleague from Tennessee, who is also here to speak on this issue, and ask him if he would share some comments. The first thing I want to say is that our economy is in wonderful, wonderful shape. It is the best economy that we have had in this country for many, many years. Now, a major reason that the economy is in such great shape is because of the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003. I was not here when those tax cuts were passed, but I am very pleased that they were passed and that they brought about such a positive economy for this country. We have the lowest unemployment rate that we have had in 50 years. We have growth in all sectors. We have more people owning their homes than have ever owned them before. Incomes are up and revenues are up. And I want to say something about revenues, using some information from the Heritage Foundation. Tax revenues in 2006 were 18.4 percent of gross domestic product, which is above the 20-year, 40-year and 60-year historical averages. The inflation-adjusted 20 percent tax revenue increase between 2004 and 2006 represents the largest 2-year revenue surge since 1965 and 1967. There is a myth out there that tax revenues are low. Tax revenues are actually above the historical average, even after the tax cuts. We know that tax cuts are good for this economy; they are always good for the economy. The more money that we leave in the hands and the pockets of our taxpayers, the better off we are. When the government appropriates that money and spends it, the government is very inefficient in its spending of that money, and that does not grow the economy, contrary to what many of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle would like to say. We are going to talk again more and more about the economy and the fact that it is in very good shape. And it is very unfortunate that the economy doesn't get the positive press that the economy has gotten under Democratic Presidents, when in fact most of the time the results of the good economy are coming from a Republican Congress, which knows how to do things in terms of growing the economy. I would like to recognize now my colleague from Tennessee, who is here to make a presentation on this issue, also. I know that he will bring some enlightened points to the discussion.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to a proud son of Sparta, North Carolina, country singer and Grand Ole Opry legend, Del Reeves. Del Reeves passed away after a long and painful battle with emphysema on New Year's Day 2007. Del Reeves was born in 1933 and was named Franklin Delano Reeves after Franklin Delano Roosevelt who was nominated to be the Democratic Presidential candidate just a few days before his birth. Del was a driven individual who knew at a very young age that he wanted to be a performer. As a young child, Del spoke of music on the radio and said, ``I listened on the radio on Saturday nights and it was the ultimate,'' referring to the Grand Ole Opry. ``As a child, I told my daddy I was going to sing on the Opry one day. He said, `Yeah, sure you are.' I kept my goal in mind and in '66 we achieved it.'' He was one of the select members of the Grand Ole Opry for 40 years. Del achieved that goal and many others. From a very young age, Del would borrow his brothers' instruments, and by the time Del had turned 12 years old, he had become a local radio star on WPAQ in Mount Airy on the ``Merry Go Round Show,'' a program which is still aired today. But this was just a start for Del Reeves. He went on for years performing and recording numerous hits, including 55 charted hits, two of them in the top 10. Del was just more than a performer. He attended what is now Appalachian State University and served in the Air Force at Travis Air Force Base, where he wrote a number of his songs. Del was very dedicated to his hometown and the advancement of others. He started the Del Reeves Scholarship Fund, and for 10 years came back to Alleghany for the ``Del Reeves Homecoming,'' where he held concerts to benefit the scholarship fund he set up. I am so proud that Del, a Sparta native, was successful in his performing career, yet never lost touch with his roots and never let go of his dedication to helping others. Del had a wonderful career that spanned over 40 years. Beyond being a member of the elite group of the Grand Ole Opry, Del also wrote and performed a number of hit songs and appeared in eight movies, including ``Sam Whiskey,'' starring Bert Reynolds and Clint Walker. Del also worked in television, hosting a TV program called the ``Del Reeves' Country Carnival.'' Some of Del's greatest hits were ``The Belles of the Southern Belle,'' his first hit in 1963; ``The Girl on the Billboard,'' his number one billboard hit; ``Sing a Little Song of Heartache,'' which he wrote with his wife; and ``Looking Through the Windshield,'' his trucker anthem released in 1965. Other notable hits that charmed and thrilled country music fans were hits such as ``Women Do Funny Things to Me,'' ``Good Time Charlie's,'' ``Be Glad'' and the ``Philadelphia Fillies.'' In addition, Del wrote many songs for country legends such as Carl Smith, Roy Drusky, Rose Maddox and Sheb Wooly. Del enjoyed performing lighter material as well as singing ballads, and he reflected on that saying, ``Under this clown's face, there's a serious guy . . . I've been clowning as long as I can remember.'' That is what made Del Reeves unique, he was such a multifaceted and talented person. When asked how he would like to be remembered, he said, ``I want to be remembered as a great showman and a nice guy . . . that's all I could hope for.'' That is exactly what Del got, as he certainly is remembered as a nice guy and a great showman. One of his closest friends, J.D. Higgins, appropriately commented that on New Year's Day country music lost a tremendous entertainer, and I will miss him greatly. He will be missed by country music fans all over the world. I know he will be missed by family, friends and his numerous admirers. Del was a true inspiration who made his hometown friends and North Carolina proud. Del Reeves showed his large heart and love for his hometown community by creating a scholarship fund and always coming home to perform in Alleghany. Del's contributions will serve as a lasting testimony of his tremendous talent, kindness, motivation and delightful personality. We will all miss Del Reeves but know that his timeless music will never be forgotten. He leaves quite a legacy for fans and future generations.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for their plan for winning the war on terror and for the current situation in Iraq. The only things that we have heard from Democrats has been criticism. I also want to point out an article in today's Wall Street Journal and insert the entire article in the Record. The article is entitled, ``Progress in Baghdad''; and it says, Capitol Hill has probably been too busy running for political cover to notice, but the last few days in Iraq have actually featured good news, as the government seems to be making some progress on key political and security issues. And it ends with, the Bush administration has itself made many mistakes trying to micromanage Iraq's political development, but it now seems to understand that it is fated to deal with the Shiite-led government it has. Congressmen who are sincere in wanting to take the Iraq issue off the table in 2008 could help by showing a similar combination of resolve and humility. I think we need the resolve and humility to say that we are there for victory and that failure is not an option. [From the Wall Street Journal] Progress in Baghdad Capitol Hill has probably been too busy running for political cover to notice. But the last few days in Iraq have actually featured good news, as the government seems to be making some progress on key political and security issues. One step forward is that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has won parliamentary backing for his Baghdad security plan. This means the elected representatives of Iraq's Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds remain capable of compromise and are willing to give the new strategy a chance to work. There's also evidence that the Baghdad plan is having an effect. Yes, al Qaeda bombs targeted the Shiite Ashoura holiday as expected. But there are also widespread reports of Sunni jihadists fleeing the capital in anticipation of a crackdown. Prime Minister Maliki has already started moving against Shiite militias, which might explain an apparent drop in sectarian violence. No one should get overconfident, but clearly the bad guys are taking the joint U.S.-Iraqi effort to pacify the capital seriously. Meanwhile, the weekend saw an encouraging performance by the Iraqi security forces who took control of the Najaf area only about a month ago. Acting on their own intelligence, Iraqi police and a battalion from the Eighth Army Division confronted a radical Shiite sect calling themselves the Soldiers of Heaven who had reportedly planned to assassinate mainstream Shiite clerics, including the moderate Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. Some observers are trying to spin this battle as a defeat for the government, because the first Iraqi units on the scene had to call for reinforcements and for American air power. But the fact that Iraqi forces were able to pre-empt the attack on Najaf before it began, and that everyone involved was able to coordinate the operation and soundly defeat the enemy makes it sound like a success to us. Hundreds of the insurgents were killed, compared to a handful of Iraqi and U.S. troops. This may well be a model for how U.S. troops might play a supporting role down the road-- assuming Washington gives them a chance to get Baghdad under control first. For the moment at least, Iraq seems to be inching in the right direction. After a week of Western lamentations about the gracelessness of the Saddam hanging, it became clear that the primary effect of the execution was to enhance Prime Minister Maliki's stature in Iraq. Mr. Maliki, in turn, is using that political capital. The last thing he needs is to have his efforts undermined by votes of no-confidence in Washington--or meddling by Congressmen with ``benchmarks'' who pretend to know better than he does how to deal with the most difficult issues, such as how best to marginalize Moqtada al-Sadr. The Bush Administration has itself made many mistakes trying to micromanage Iraq's political development, but it now seems to understand that it is fated to deal with the Shiite-led government it has. Congressmen who are sincere in wanting to take the Iraq issue off the table in 2008 could help by showing a similar combination of resolve and humility. Let's unite.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I rise today in objection to the so-called continuing resolution the Democrat leadership is going to bring up tomorrow. This is by no means a typical continuing resolution. A continuing resolution basically requires only a couple of lines saying that the current appropriations are continuing for a set period of time. This CR has not been scrutinized through the committee process before being brought to the House floor for a vote. This is a $463 omnibus spending bill without any specific guidelines or accountability measures. American taxpayers deserve to know how their hard-earned dollars are being spent. Madam Speaker, this is not a continuing resolution. A typical 1- or 2-page bill that continues spending at its previous level. Again, it is an omnibus spending bill well over 100 pages long, full of excessive unregulated spending, just another broken promise by the Democrat leadership that shows their true colors.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, last year, Democrats promised the most bipartisan Congress ever in the history of our Congress. What we have seen so far is about as far from that as I could imagine. Not only have the rules been broken in terms of bills being rammed through, not going through regular order so that there can be debate and discussions, but even when there are bills that all Members can support, albeit that they are not as strong as we would like, they are mischaracterized. Over the weekend, I read most of the debate that went on last week about H.R. 476 dealing with ethics reform in the Congressional Record: ``Please take note. The Democratic leadership of this institution plans to clean up the criminal and ethical morass it inherited. This bill is a down payment on the new ethical climate control system we are building. ``The American people deserve to know that criminal unethical behavior by any of our colleagues will be punished and that the penalties for violating the sacred trust which has been bestowed upon us by our voters and the States we represent will be substantive, serious and not window dressing.'' Well, ladies and gentlemen, we passed a bill tougher than the bill that was passed last week in the last Congress, and we don't need to keep making these kinds of comments if we want a bipartisan relationship.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I rise today in full support of our troops and H.R. 511, legislation reaffirming Congress's support for the troops deployed in a theater of war. Those overseas protecting us from further terrorist attacks and fighting nobly on the Global War on Terror deserve our steadfast support. The President has recognized missteps and offered a new direction and plan for victory. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have yet to address the issue, except to criticize the President's plan before it has even been implemented. It was Leader Boehner and the Republican Conference that have called upon the Speaker to create a select committee on oversight to hold the President and Prime Minister Maliki accountable for progress in Iraq. Madam Speaker, I stand here with pride and offer my full support to the brave soldiers who are helping foster democracy in the Middle East, while, at the same time preventing terrorists from attacking us on our soil. So many Members pledged ``We will never forget.'' Well, that is a promise I made and intend to fulfill. To our troops, thank you for your dedication, bravery and noble work to make the world and America a better place, following in the footsteps of so many American heroes. I commend Congressman Sam Johnson, an American hero, and urge support of H.R. 511.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, anniversaries are commonly recognized as a cause for celebration. Yet today the 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade is no cause for celebration. While I am inspired by the thousands of citizens who came to Washington to march for life, I am truly disheartened by those who celebrate this ``anniversary,'' a date which marks an overactive judiciary allowing the destruction of human life. This judicial opinion's 34th anniversary marks the Federal judiciary's usurpation of the Republic's right to set social and moral policy through the electoral process. Moreover, the science behind the opinion is outdated and should, at the very least, be reevaluated in light of new advancements in science over the last 34 years. Many legal scholars see the finding in Roe v. Wade as nothing more than judicial activism, a poorly written opinion lacking logic and the strict interpretation of the Constitution in rendering said opinion. The real legacy of Roe v. Wade is a culture war that will likely continue through many of the opinion's anniversaries yet to come. Mr. Speaker, today is no cause for celebration. It is yet another example of judges legislating from the bench. Human life is a gift from God, and we all should cherish and protect it.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the Democrats' proposed energy bill that would only hurt hardworking Americans through raising taxes, forcing the cost of gas and home heating oil to increase, and inflicting massive job losses as a result. In the 109th Congress, I distinctly remember the Democrats continually saying that the Republicans were outsourcing jobs. With increased taxes, many hardworking Americans in the oil industry will lose their jobs to overseas corporations, not only hurting the American worker, but also increasing our Nation's dependence on foreign oil. We have not built a refinery in America since 1976, which further has added to our dependence on foreign oil by giving the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, massive control over us. Madam Speaker, if we want true energy reform, we must begin to build refineries, allow for responsible exploration of energy within our own borders, and invest in energy alternatives. Raising taxes, causing job losses and increasing fuel costs are not the answer. If we fail to act in a responsible manner, we are continuing to allow ourselves to be at the mercy of OPEC and the nations that control it.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, on January 20th, the people of Azerbaijan, both at home and abroad, will commemorate the 16th anniversary of what has become known as Black January. The terrible event remembered by this commemoration was an atrocity--but it also gave birth to a hope that led eventually to independence and freedom. At around midnight, on the night of January 19-20, 1990, Azerbaijan was invaded by 26,000 Soviet troops pursuant to a state of emergency that had been declared in secret by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet in Moscow. Dozens of people would be dead in the streets of Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, before the Soviet authorities in Moscow ever even deigned to acknowledge that a decision had been made to suppress the pro-independence and pro-democracy movement in Azerbaijan. A courageous resistance by Azerbaijanis to the Soviet invasion continued into February. Eventually, 140 Azerbaijanis were killed, about 700 more were wounded, and still hundreds more were rounded up and detained indefinitely. The Soviet attack against innocent civilians in Azerbaijan followed massacres in other constituent republics in the then-Soviet Union, including Kazakhstan in 1986 and Georgia in 1989. Tragically, the Azerbaijani experience would be replicated in large part 1 year later in Lithuania. In a report issued shortly after the tragedy of Black January, Human Rights Watch put the onrush of events into a larger perspective: ``. . . the violence used by the Soviet Army on the night of January 19-20 was so out of proportion to the resistance offered by Azerbaijanis as to constitute an exercise in collective punishment. The punishment inflicted on Baku by Soviet soldiers may have been intended as a warning to nationalists, not only in Azerbaijan, but in the other Republics of the Soviet Union.'' But brute force was not enough to hold the Soviet Union together. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, the night of January 19-20, 1990 gave birth to Azerbaijan's independence. It was on that night that Azerbaijanis lost their fear of the Soviet Union. It was on that night that Azerbaijanis realized their dream of independence and freedom could not, and would not, be denied. On August 30, 1991, in the wake of the attempted coup in the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan declared its independence--one of the first constituent republics to do so. And the last troops from the former Soviet Union were finally removed from Azerbaijani soil in 1993. Every January 20, as many thousands gather in Martyr's Cemetery in the hills above Baku, the dead are honored and the nation's commitment to independence, democracy, and freedom is renewed. The victims of Black January did not die in vain.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a true inspiration whose perseverance showed the very best of the human spirit. Yesterday, Benny Parsons, a NASCAR legend, passed away after a difficult battle with lung cancer. Parsons grew up in the foothills of North Carolina in Wilkes County, and his dedication and drive lifted him from poverty to national recognition. He became an inspiration to countless fans and individuals. He was a beloved character who brought passion to the sport. Today, we mourn and also celebrate the life of this beloved man in the 5th District of North Carolina. The chairman of NASCAR, Brian France, said of Benny Parsons, who was affectionately referred to as BP, that ``Benny Parsons was a true champion, both on the race track and in life. Benny loved our sport and the people that make it up and those people loved him. He will be remembered as being a great ambassador for the sport.'' Words such as these convey the deep admiration, respect and love of Benny and the effect he had on those with whom he connected. After leaving Wilkes County, Benny first took a job as a cab driver in Detroit, Michigan, before he progressed to become a NASCAR champion. While faced with fame and admiration, Benny never forgot his roots and the importance of where he came from. He was often referred to as ``The Professor'' after he retired from racing in 1988 and began broadcasting and commenting on NASCAR races for NBC, ESPN and TNT. He had an uncanny ability to deliver information in a relaxed and informative way for the last 6 years, even when he was going through the rigorous treatment for cancer. Michael Waltrip, who recently tested his car at the Daytona track, said of Benny, ``When you talked to him, he brought out the human element. The cars are nuts and bolts, but he talked through that. He was able to deliver to people. He just tried to be passionate about what he believed, and he did a great job of explaining what people were seeing.'' To show his admiration of Benny, Waltrip painted on the side of his car, ``We love you, BP.'' Respect, admiration and inspiration among colleagues, fans and the public made Benny Parsons the amazing and inspirational figure that he was, but it was his personality that espoused all of these qualities so many came to admire. It was his passion and commitment to NASCAR and his love of the sport that made Benny such a lovable person and such a great inspiration. Even at his sickest moments, he had set up a Web blog for his fans, continually sharing his optimism that he would recover and that the will to fight is so important. Besides the inspirational spirit and the continual drive to fight any obstacle in front of him, Benny Parsons was quite the accomplished NASCAR driver. He was a member of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. He was the 1973 NASCAR champion and won 21 races, including the race in 1957 at Daytona. In addition to those accomplishments, Benny was the first driver to be a Cup competitor, to qualify for a race over 200 miles per hour, driving 200.176 miles per hour at the Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in 1982. Benny Parsons made 526 starts from 1964 until his retirement in 1988. With such an outstanding record, Benny was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1994 and continued his passion by broadcasting from the pit and won a Cable Ace Award for best sports analyst on his first season in the booth. I think that NBC sports champion Dick Ebersol said it best about Benny, commenting, ``Benny was a beloved and widely respected member of the NASCAR community. He was a great driver and a terrific broadcaster, but above anything else, he was a kind and generous human being. His character and spirit will define how he is remembered by all of us.'' Benny fought cancer to the end with optimism and grace, inspiring countless people. His compassion, generosity and charming personality will be missed. Benny had made North Carolina and NASCAR proud, and his memory will be a lasting one of inspiration and dedication.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I am very grateful to my colleagues for giving me an opportunity to speak on this bill. I have been listening to the debate on this bill, and it is, again, an amazing situation for me. My colleagues on my side of the aisle have been extremely articulate. They have presented the facts, and I am amazed that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, at how they can stand up and simply not tell the truth over and over and over again. I am just astonished by it. I graduated from college after 7 years without a dime of debt. I worked my way through school. Any student who wants to go to college in this country can graduate from college without a dime of debt. We have all kinds of choices in this country as to where to go to college. If people want a college degree, they can do it. What we are doing, by decreasing, by the sham, it is nothing but a sham, and I think people have to say that over and over again. I am not going to repeat the statistics that have been given, because they have been given very well. My opponents simply cannot deny the facts, they cannot deny the numbers. How we have increased the Pell Grants, they can't deny, and how they did nothing to increase the Pell Grants. But they cannot deny the facts. They can give your opinions, but they cannot deny the facts. One of the facts is, there is going to be one time, 6 months, where this is going to be cut in half, as they said they were going to do. What a shame that they are doing that and making the people of this country believe that they are, quote, ``keeping their promises.'' They are not keeping their promises. All we are doing is inviting colleges and universities to increase their tuition and fees. I became a college administrator and a college president. So I know student financial aid from the inside and out. This is, again, a smoke-and-mirrors issue. We are not going to help students, we are not increasing accessibility for poor students. If we were, we would be putting this into either work-study or Pell. That is how you really help the low- income students who are trying to go to school, not by decreasing to 3.4 percent for 6 months, the loans. What they are really trying to do here, I think, is drive the private sector out of the market for having student loans. They would like the government, again, to take over this entire program. We are not increasing this issue of accountability. We don't know when our students graduate from college now what skills they have. Republicans have tried and tried and tried to get schools to be accountable for what they are charging for, and it is very expensive to get a college degree these days, especially if you go to private institutions. So we don't increase the accountability, but we increase what the colleges and universities are going to charge. I think it is a very cynical move on the part of the Democrats to do this, and I think it is very unfortunate.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I might consume. I rise in support of the resolution to honor Muhammad Ali on his 65th birthday. I can think of few people more deserving of this honor. Yes, he is the only three-time heavyweight champion of the world, as well as an Olympic gold medalist. Yes, he was crowned Athlete of the Century by Sports Illustrated, but Muhammad Ali is so much more than a boxer. He is a man who literally taught us another way to talk and think about sports and about life. We had never heard athletes put their work to rhyme before Ali vowed to ``float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.'' We had never seen an athlete so adept at the promotional aspects of his sport. Today we remember the names of his fights, the Rumble in the Jungle, the Thrilla in Manila, as much as the fights themselves. And when his career in the ring ended, we had never seen an athlete who moved so seamlessly, so dramatically, so thoroughly to put his fame to work for the public good. It was after he had hung up the gloves, remember, that Time magazine declared his the most recognizable face on Earth. He earned that sobriquet through his tireless struggles against hunger and poverty, he is said to have helped provide more than the 22 million meals for the hungry, through his support for education, adoption and efforts to urge young people of diverse backgrounds to grow in their understanding of one another. Today, he continues his work for the betterment of all humanity through the Muhammad Ali Center in the downtown area of his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. He continues to promote that which brings people together as opposed to that which pulls them apart. He continues to teach the lessons that made him great. His center is organized around the six core values of respect, confidence, conviction, dedication, giving and spirituality. In his younger days, he revolutionized boxing with hands so fast they could deliver punches not even visible to the naked eye. Since then, he has revolutionized the role of retired athlete, leading by example, showing others how to put their fame and fortune to good use. For these reasons, I urge all Members to support this resolution for this most deserving American. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H. Res. 58 and yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my distinguished colleague from the State of Texas (Mr. Paul). (Mr. PAUL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my disappointment with the broken promises of the Democratic leadership. I had high hopes that the promise of unlimited amendments and bipartisanship would prevail in the 110th Congress, but there have been no signs of these promises. From the beginning, hypocrisy and corruption have reared their ugly heads. The minimum wage bill is touted as a massive relief for the poor, while only 2.5 percent of the population are actually making the minimum wage. This bill was nothing more than a kickback to unions, who use the Federal minimum wage to negotiate their salaries. This increase is a whopping 41 percent over 26 months; not to mention that in the bill American Samoa was exempt, a place where there are two canning plants for Del Monte Corporation, headquartered in San Francisco. The pledge for open debate and unlimited amendments has been completely ignored. Democrats' bills have been rammed through without opportunity for amendments. So many promises made, all of them broken. Mr. Speaker, this 100-hour agenda is a pure sham of political showmanship. The Democrats have distorted the North Carolina State motto, which is, ``To be rather than to seem.'' While these bills seem worthwhile, they are nothing more than window dressing for political gain.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Thank you, Congressman Price, and thanks for always being so prepared with the Official Truth Squad and having the charts out there that show people the facts. Before I got here, I hope you said your famous line, people are entitled to their opinion, but the facts are the facts and we cannot change those. That is important. Again, I think what we have here is a sham, and perpetuation of untruths by the Democrats to the American people; and frankly, having served 10 years in the State legislature, in the State senate, we were not allowed to say things that were untrue. We got called down by the presiding officer. So when I first came here and heard Democrats doing that, I was stunned, and as you know, pushed to get the Truth Squad going so that we could get the facts out there. But I appreciate your comments about my experience. Let me say that I do know a lot about this subject, both from my own personal experience as a student and my experience as a university administrator and college president. I grew up about as poor as anybody you will ever meet. So did my husband. It took me 7 years to get my undergraduate degree, but I graduated from college without a single penny of debt. We have heard all these sad stories about all these people graduating from college with debt. But, you know, it doesn't have to be that way. People choose to borrow money to go to college. They can work, and they can apply for scholarships. They can do the kinds of things I did. I got absolutely no help from home. I financed my entire education and graduated after 7 years without a penny of debt, so it can be done. Students have lots of choices where to go to school. We have community colleges that are very inexpensive that do wonderful jobs, all the way up to very expensive schools in this country. People have that opportunity. After I graduated, after I earned my doctorate, I was a university administrator, and I knew a lot about financial aid because that was part of my job. Then I became a community college president. So I do know this subject very well. Again, I am appalled at this. I said on the debate about stem cell research that we are so misleading the public, thinking that if we do embryonic stem cell research, we are suddenly going to cure all the diseases in this country. I think the Democrats are being very cynical again in trying to perpetuate to the American people that if this bill, this bill did pass the House today, by passing this bill in the Congress, what we would do would be to make college education affordable and accessible. It will do not one thing to increase access for any single person going to college. It will not make a college education more affordable. I heard you and my colleague from Tennessee talking about how it is not going to help a single college student. It only cuts down the cost of interest that people have to pay back after they get out of school, and, as you pointed out, it exists for a mere 6 months. What an absolute travesty to try to perpetuate on the American people. We need to get the truth about this bill out. I know that there is an 80 percent approval rate for this topic. Certainly the American people want colleges and a university education to be more affordable. However, what we are doing in the Federal Government is, we are actually driving up the cost of going to college. We are driving it up by putting all of this Federal money out there. You know when the Federal dollars are out there, people will go after it, and the colleges and universities raise their tuition rates every time we increase the amount of money that is available to go to college. Then they scream and yell that they don't have enough money. That is what we are doing. By doing this kind of a thing, we are doing the opposite of what the Democrats say they want to do. If they were honest about what they wanted to do, if they wanted to help truly needy students, which I worked with my entire career in higher education, low-income students, first-generation college students, then they would put the money into the Pell Grants or into work-study. Studies show that people who work 15 hours a week while they are in college do much better than students who don't. So that is the kind of thing that we should be doing. This is another broken promise. The Democrats want to say it is a fulfilled promise. But even this only produces one-tenth of what they promised to do in the campaign, 10 percent return on their promises. We need to figure out a nice ditty to go with that, 10 percent return, 10 percent of the 100 percent promise is what the Democrats are producing here, and it is bad. What I think the Democrats really want to do is turn us into a socialistic country where the government controls everything. They want to put the government in control. What I think they want to do is drive the private sector out of this area. We do have a direct government loan, but most of the loans are being done through the private sector. You know, I don't know a single thing in this country that the government does better than the private sector. There is nothing more efficient. But what would happen is, by tinkering with these rates, even making things very insecure, you are going to drive the private sector out. Because they do business plans; they don't have a well to go to, like the American people, to draw up that money just by adding taxes that the American people cannot resist. What they want to do, I think, is really put the government in control of financial aid and of loans. That would be a terrible, terrible mistake. We don't need to be doing that. So I think it is important that we come here every week, every night, every day, and tell the American people what the truth is about these programs that the Democrats are pushing. I want to point out one other thing that I am not sure has been pointed out today. I am quoting from a fact sheet that was given to us by staff of the Education Committee. In a shocking display of hypocrisy, Democrat leaders are paying for their $6 billion-plus plan with some of the same lender subsidy cuts crafted by congressional Republicans in the 109th Congress. Ironically, House Democrats voted against many of these cuts the last time they were proposed, calling it part of the now discredited rate on student aid. Now, what they do, they brought in, in almost every case the bills they brought in had been bills that we had last time. They voted against them, they now bring them in. This is not something that we did last time; we didn't say this. We did do a lot to decrease the rate of spending for loans, but we added money for the loans, but decreased what students would have to pay for the loans. We did do that. Furthermore, in 2002, Representative George Miller, who is now chairman of the committee, praised what the Republicans had done by fixing the 6.8 percent rate that began last year. He says, in addition to extending lender subsidies, it cuts interest rates to students fixing the rate at 6.8 percent beginning in 2006 and will save the average student about $400. Too often in Congress the needs of the average people come last in line. My colleagues, meaning Republicans, should be commended for assuring that this legislation meets the needs of students and their families. My goodness, he has got amnesia about what he said just a short time ago about what the Republicans were doing. But this suits their needs. They can get out and make campaign promises and then come in here, fulfill 10 percent of what they promised to do, and then try to fool the American people. Republicans have done a great deal to help students who are struggling to get an education, and we will continue to do that. But we are not going to be duplicitous about it. We have been very straightforward about it. I want to thank you again for leading the Official Truth Squad tonight and helping us get the word out to the American people. We are not going to let them get by with telling their open truths. We are going to bring the facts here every time and make sure that the American people hear, as Paul Harvey says, ``the rest of the story.''

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, it seems that the Democrats have a one-size- fits-all solution for all the issues facing our country: Big Government. According to the Democrats, the best thing for the American people is to involve the government in every aspect of our lives instead of letting citizens decide for themselves what is right for them. An example of this is their current proposal to let the government, quote unquote, negotiate drug prices for prescription drugs covered by Medicare. No one will argue with lower drug prices, but that is not what this bill will accomplish. What the Democrats don't tell you is that this bill will lead to fewer choices of prescription drugs for our Nation's seniors and will hurt community pharmacies, as it will increase mail order prescriptions. In short, Madam Speaker, this bill is bad medicine, as is the notion of Big Government that the Democrats are pushing on the American people.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the growing threat of Iran and Syria and their involvement in the current war in Iraq. As President Bush pointed out in his speech Wednesday night, we live in difficult times and are facing types of enemies never seen before. These terrorists are bent on the destruction of Western Civilization. I am pleased the President acknowledged the threat of Iran and Syria and included monitoring the borders of Iraq as an essential part of the solution to the Iraq conflict. Seventy percent of American casualties in Iraq come from IEDs provided by Iran. This must be dealt with divisively or we will continue to lose the brave men and women who are fighting a noble cause in the global war on terror. In addition, intelligence estimates show that at least 32,000 people are being paid by Iran to interfere with American efforts in Iraq. It is clear we cannot win in Iraq without dealing with Iran. They are determined to dominate the Arabian peninsula with their radical and twisted version of Islam, and to defeat and humiliate the United States in our efforts to help Iraq build a strong and stable democracy to serve as a model in the Middle East

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Last night, the President addressed the Nation about the war in Iraq. No one is happy that we are at war, but we must remember that we were attacked by the terrorists; that the war in Iraq is critical to the global war on terror, and we must continue to fight and defend against the terrorists there as much as at home. We must maintain our efforts to provide security and stability for the Iraqi government and its people until they are able to do so themselves. We cannot walk away or we will face increased bloodshed at home and abroad. I applaud the President for recognizing the need for a new direction in the Iraq war in order to achieve this and presenting tangible alternatives to the problems we currently face there. I support making sure that the Iraqis take the lead and act aggressively and swiftly against any violence. Prime Minister Maliki has issued a commitment to meet these challenges, and the President must hold him accountable to this pledge. It is my hope the proposals put forth will lead to success in Iraq. Our troops deserve unwavering support, and this new direction the President has implemented must show progress. Now is the time to unite as Americans and not as partisan politicians. I look forward to the day when a free and democratic Iraqi government and its people can defend themselves and be a model for others in the Middle East.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, some of my colleagues who have spoken before me on the side of life have been extremely eloquent, and I am very glad that they have spoken this morning. I have listened to the debate this morning, and I want to say that many people are very cynical about our government and about Congress in general, and I can understand why this debate would make even more people cynical. To say to the American people that by approving more Federal dollars to do embryonic stem cell research would cure all of these diseases that are brought out and that those of us who oppose spending more Federal dollars on embryonic stem cell research are stopping the advance of science is one of the most cynical things I have ever heard said on this floor and, I think, will tend to make more people think that Members of Congress who are pro-life are cruel and unkind. As my colleagues have said, the score board is 72-0. Nothing efficacious has come out of embryonic stem cell research in 25 years of research. In fact, a lot of negative things have happened. And to mislead the American public is cruel. It is just absolutely cruel to make people think again that they could be cured. Thirty years ago, I lost a side of my right eye completely from a detached retina. You can't implant retinas. You can't transplant retinas. The only thing that could possibly help me would be a new retina to be grown. So I support stem cell research. I support Dr. Atala's work in North Carolina at Wake Forest because they are actually growing organs from people's own stem cells. That research has enormous potential. Adult stem cell research has done good things. Embryonic stem cell research creates tumors and rejection. Dr. Atala would tell you that himself. It is not the way to go. What we need to be doing is promoting stem cell research and to do all that we can. My husband is diabetic. I am very empathetic to the fact that research could do a lot to help us with diseases, but this is not the route to go. Killing human life does not have to be accomplished to create efficacious treatments for people and diseases. Again, I am so disappointed in the way this has been presented to the American people. We are doing embryonic stem cell research. Embryonic stem cell research and stem cell research are two different things. My colleagues never use the word embryonic. They always say stem cell research. Pro-lifers support stem cell research; we just don't support the destruction of life to get there.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Wake Forest University's Institute for Regenerative Medicine for its recent medical breakthrough in amniotic fluid stem cell research. Using these specific cells does not require the destruction of human life at any stage. This is tremendous news. Not only does this prevent the destruction of human life but these stem cells have amazing properties that show very promising results. Unlike embryonic stem cells, these remain stable for years without forming tumors and are easily retrieved for medical use. They also have the ability to grow into brain, muscle and other forms of tissue that could potentially cure diseases. In addition, since these cells are a genetic match to a fetus, they can be used to help cure birth defects or even be frozen over time to use as a personalized tissue bank for use later in life. In addition to being a medical breakthrough, this gives hope to millions who support the sanctity of life that curing diseases and the potential for regenerative tissue growth are possible in a moral and ethical way. I am proud to recognize the truly amazing work of Wake Forest University's Institute of Regenerative Medicine and look forward to the promise of its continued research.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Thank you, Congressman Price, for yielding. And, again, thank you for keeping our Truth Squad together and making sure that we are here on a regular basis presenting the facts to people. That is what I think we have to do on this very, very important issue of stem cell research. The people who are pushing for embryonic stem cell research and the media, I think, have very much misled the American public on this. They have not done a good job of educating people on this issue. I had a chance last year to speak on this issue for quite a long time on the floor and got a lot of positive feedback from people saying this is the first time I ever had anybody really explain the difference in embryonic stem cell research and stem cell research. So I want to talk a little bit about that tonight, because I think that is one of the critical issues, and then I want to talk about the facts again. It really is important that we understand what the facts are as they relate to the difference between adult stem cell research and embryonic stem cell research, and I am going to probably repeat this several times because I think it is so important. I have something that is not as good as the charts, but stem cell research treatments, adult stem cell research treatments, if you can see this, it says: ``Adult, 72; embryonic, 0.'' That is the score. There have been 72 efficacious treatments that have come out of the research on adult stem cells, zero out of embryonic stem cells. In fact, all the research that has been done using embryonic stem cells have produced tumors and rejection, and no embryonic stem cell research has been allowed to be done on humans because of the very bad results that have come out of the research using embryonic stem cells. Now, the other thing that people have been misled on is whether there is any embryonic stem cell research going on. There is embryonic stem cell research going on, but many people, including myself, object to the use of Federal funding when it involves the destruction of human life. In 2006, NIH spent $38 million on embryonic stem cell research. You will never hear that coming out of the voices of the people who are pushing for embryonic stem cell research. They want the American people to believe that nothing is being done and that people who have debilitating diseases are being denied the opportunity for quick cures. Nothing could be further from the truth. Approximately $200 million is being spent on human nonembryonic stem cell research: adult stem cells, cord blood, et cetera. I am proud to be able to say that Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Dr. Tony Atala and his team of researchers have been able to show strong results in their work with amniotic fluid stem cells. That has come out this week and I have talked about it on the floor and we are going to continue to talk about it. I spoke to Dr. Atala just before I came over here tonight, and he wanted me to remind people of the real problems with embryonic stem cells and the fact that every time they have been used they create tumors, and they are rejected by the animals into which they are injected. That does not happen when you are using a person's own cells or when you are using amniotic stem cells. That just is not happening with people. So we need to make sure that people understand the difference because it is so easy for folks to talk about stem cell research, and they make folks like me look like we are mean and hateful people because we don't want to do this research that kills human life because they are saying that it is worth it to improve the lives of people with diseases. But pro-life people support stem cell research. There is only one exception, we don't want that research to kill other human life. We don't think that is appropriate. Never in the history of this country have we allowed research to do that. We very strongly control research to make sure that human beings are not damaged by the research that is done. In a former life I was a social scientist, and so I understand about the ethical way to do research. We have never done that in any other area, and yet it seems so easy for people to talk about doing embryonic stem cell research and destroying the embryos. The national media and others have really ignored the scientific realities, and they fail to report that embryonic stem cell research is the less promising course of action that, in fact, ends life. This negligence allows people who are suffering from diseases to develop false hope about possible breakthroughs by embryonic stem cell research. Again, just the opposite is true. Nothing positive has come out of embryonic stem cell research. Nothing. Zero. But out of adult stem cell research, cord blood research, amniotic fluid research, we have, again, 72 good treatments that have come, and we will be expecting more of those. Every day we have breakthroughs in that area, and we will continue to have breakthroughs. But if we get distracted by taking money away from this very promising research and put it into this unethical research that destroys human life and holds very little promise, then that is where the real crime is, I think, that we are trying to take the money away from what is producing good results and put it into something that is not producing good results. As I said before, no embryonic research has been done in humans because it is too dangerous. When it has been done in laboratory animals, there is no control over what happens. The stem cells develop in ways that can't be controlled. They create tumors. They are rejected, and it is all negative; and yet with the other, it is all positive. I think when we have the vote on this issue this week, people have to keep this in mind. I hope that the citizens who in the past have not understood the difference in these issues, they have not understood the ethical issues or the scientific issues, will say to your Member of Congress, I now understand this better, and I want you to take the ethical route, the efficacious route, not the route that will create death to the embryos and not positive kinds of results. I yield back to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price) who is the official leader of our Truth Squad and helps us inform the American people at every one of these events.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss fiscal responsibility and earmark reform. I have spent my entire political career fighting to reduce wasteful spending so Americans can keep more of their hard- earned money. In the 109th Congress, I voted for H. Res. 1000 which provided for earmark reform by requiring full disclosure of earmarks on funding, authorization and revenue legislation so Members and the public will be able to easily identify projects which otherwise may be inappropriately hidden from adequate scrutiny in a timely manner. Earmark reform is important to providing accountability of government spending. It is truly disappointing and a shame that the Democrat leadership coupled it with the fiscally irresponsible policy of PAYGO, which forced many of us to vote ``no.'' PAYGO is based on tenuous economic projections, is unreliable and, simply put, will make it easier to raise taxes and more difficult to give taxpayers back their money. I voted for the Republican motion to commit which included the earmark reform and excluded PAYGO. Unfortunately, the Republican motion did not succeed, and we now face fiscal policies where government can spend more and continually raise taxes on the American taxpayer.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary efforts of the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team, who recently defeated the Massachusetts Minutemen in a 28-17 victory. What makes this a magnificent triumph is that this is the second straight year the Mountaineers have brought home the NCAA Division 1 football championship subdivision, formerly recognized as Division 1-AA. The Mountaineers finished their season with a 14-1 record, losing only their first game of the season and going undefeated all the way through to the championship game after that. I am honored to represent Appalachian State University, as they have not only a stellar academic program but also have succeeded in athletics as well. This shows the diversity and accomplishments of Appalachian State as they exemplify a true student body where life lessons are learned through extracurricular activities as well as rigorous academic study. I am pleased to recognize the momentous accomplishments of junior Kevin Richardson who scored all four touchdowns and had 179 rushing yards that led the Mountaineers to victory in the championship game. Although Massachusetts had started the game with an early lead, the Mountaineers persevered, worked as a team, and never gave up. The Mountaineers had tremendous support from their fellow classmates, alumni and residents of Boone, North Carolina. Not only have they received this support on their home field, Kidd Brewer Stadium, the gridiron, but also when the Mountaineers traveled for their games. At the playoff game, an enormous crowd of 22,808 included over 15,000 Appalachian State Black and Gold dressed fans at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. With great anticipation of another Mountaineer victory, the attendance set a record for Finley Stadium at the University of Tennessee where the game was played. While the game was played and won by the Appalachian State football team, the tremendous support of friends, family, alumni and North Carolina residents set an exciting tone and surely assisted the team by showing their dedicated support. Also notable was that this was the 12th time in the 15 games this season that the Mountaineers played before a sold out crowd. I extend my deepest congratulations to all the Mountaineers who played with dedication, perseverance and, most of all, heart. I also applaud the tremendous coaching staff, including head coach Jerry Moore, who has been with Appalachian State University for 18 years, serving the athletic program with enthusiasm and steadfast commitment. His service, along with the entire coaching staff, has been invaluable in guiding the team to their great successes. Congratulations, again, Appalachian State Mountaineers for your tremendous success in back to back NCAA titles. You are definitely a source of pride for western North Carolina. It is also my pleasure to commend the Wake Forest Demon Deacon football team on an outstanding season. Prior to the start of the season, the Deacons were predicted to finish last in their division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. However, they were not discouraged by these predictions and actually seemed to revel in the role of the underdog. Ultimately, Wake Forest shocked the Nation by finishing the regular season 11-2, which placed them at the top of the Atlantic Division in the ACC. They then defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Atlantic Coast Conference Champion game, making Wake Forest ACC champions for the first time since 1970. Much of the team's success this year is due to its resilience, tenacity, and impeccable coaching. Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe was unanimously named ACC Coach of the Year and beat out a strong group of national contenders to be named the 2006 NCAA National Coach of the Year. Coach Grobe and the Deacons battled injuries to several key players, including their starting quarterback and starting tailback, but bounced back in the face of adversity to set a school record for victories. After such an unbelievable season, no one was surprised when the Deacons were chosen to play the 2007 Orange Bowl. The reigning ACC champs traveled down to Miami, with their fans in tow, to face the champions of the Big East Conference, the Louisville Cardinals. Wake Forest came into the game well prepared and played like the champions they are. While Louisville emerged victorious, Wake fans and players alike left Miami with their heads held high, proud of a season full of accomplishments. The Orange Bowl culminated a magical season for the Demon Deacons, one that Wake fans will never forget. Finishing the regular season 11- 2, serving Florida State its first-ever shutout at home under the leadership of Coach Bobby Bowden, winning the ACC championship and appearing in the Orange Bowl can be considered highlights. But by no means could these achievements capture the spirit and the emotion of this phenomenal season for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The sentiments of this season can best be summed up in the 10 minutes following the Orange Bowl on January 2. Even though the Deacons lost, Wake fans remained in the stands after the game, standing and cheering in support of the team that brought them so much joy this season as Wake players walked to their side of the stadium to thank the fans for their steadfast support. This relationship underlines what it means to be a Deacon fan. Wins and losses ultimately aren't all that matter, but rather the sense of pride and family that comes along with being a Deacon is what makes the Wake Forest team and the fans such a special group. Mr. Speaker, I just want to say, Go Deacs. There may have been a few tears shed in Dolphins Stadium following this year's Orange Bowl, but they were not tears of sadness. They were tears of pride and accomplishment, and they were very hard earned. Congratulations to Wake Forest, and best of luck next season. We know it will be every bit as exciting as this one. Go Deacs!

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. I want to thank you, Congressman Price, for bringing the Truth Squad back. It is unfortunate that we had to do it on the first day of session, but it was necessary to do that. As some folks know who may have seen us in the 109th Congress, and you know to me it seems like it was only yesterday we were here. It does not seem like a while ago. We began the Official Truth Squad because our colleagues on the other side of the aisle were constantly saying things that we knew were not true, and we felt that somebody needed to respond to them. It fell to a group of primarily freshmen Members to form the Truth Squad, although we had great help from some of our colleagues, some of whom are here tonight, to talk about the truth. Unfortunately, a lot of what our colleagues said in the 109th Congress, some of those things that were not true were believed by the American people, and they believed a lot of the things that they said that were not true about the economy, about things that were happening in the government; but they believed them on their promises of what they said they would do. They offered to make changes, and we know that there were some Republicans who didn't do all that they should have done, not just in the last Congress but in others. And so the American people have held our feet to the fire on this. I think we came back here, though, with a very positive spirit and we all came in today knowing it was going to be a very historic day, but we were going to celebrate the very positive day that we have here. All of us are very grateful for the wonderful opportunity to serve in the Congress of the United States, and we came here with the idea that we were going to solve problems that all Americans face. We see that happening in our communities every day. We see Democrats and Republicans working together side by side in many different ways. I marvel every time I go to a parade or to some fair or some event that is put on by a community and how the people have worked together to do that, very often without any support from any government body because they put aside political differences for the good of the community. That is obviously what we Republicans want to be happening in the 110th Congress. We believe that the American people are united in their desire for peace and national security. They want solutions to problems, not partisan bickering that only creates deadlocks and no solutions. Again, the people in our communities do that every day, and so we looked forward to the goal and the promise of the new majority to restore the House to civility, to restore open debate so that ideas can be examined, always reviewed and respected. And as Leader Boehner said today in his speech, ``May the best idea win.'' We are here to debate ideas. We want to put the best ideas out there and know that if we put our good ideas out there and get them up for a vote, many times they are going to win; and many times we are going to vote for the ideas that the Democrats bring up. But we should be united in a common goal, although they are different perspectives. All Members agree they should be able to voice their opinions on behalf of their constituents and the constituents that sent them here to represent them. We are going to hold the Democrats accountable to their promises, just as the Truth Squad during the 109th Congress came in and brought in the facts. And we are not going to compromise our ideals or principles, but we are going to do everything we can to make America better. We want open debate on legislation. We want Members to be able to voice their concerns, their opinions, offer amendments in subcommittees, full committee and in consideration of any legislation on the floor. There should be plenty of time to review legislation and every Member should be allowed the opportunity to participate. After all, this is the people's House. It doesn't belong to the Members of Congress; it does belong to the American people. We are here not for a lifetime but temporarily to serve the people who sent us here. As we are reminded again today, this House has been here for a long time and will be here for a long time to come. We want to make sure that it is strengthened and not weakened in what we do. I don't believe there was a direct mandate in this last election. Folks lost races and won races for lots of different reasons; but I do believe the American people want change in the way we operate. As I said the other day in our conference, as I have heard the rhetoric and seen the actions of our Democratic colleagues, the North Carolina State motto just kept going over and over in my head. The North Carolina State motto is ``esse quam videri'' which means: to be rather than to seem. What we want to make sure is that our Democratic colleagues don't try to pull the wool over the eyes of the American people by seeming rather than being. And what we have seen on the first day is the seeming rather than the being. So we want to do what I think the American people want us to do, to find solutions to the problems we face. We don't think that is going to be done behind closed doors and legislation ramrodded through here because of the majority. We don't want Members stripped of the ability to address the House with their ideas, principles and amendments. Those things don't affect us individually as much as they affect our constituents. So I am going to remind our colleagues over and over and over again of the North Carolina State motto and say to them we hold you to the principles of doing what you said you were going to do and being rather than seeming. Again, I want to thank my colleague from Georgia for organizing the Truth Squad in the 110th Congress, and I look forward to working with you, although I hope we are not going to have to be here too many nights a week.