Brett Guthrie

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, so I yield back my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the passage of H.R. 2877, a bill designed to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 76 Brookside Avenue in Chester, New York, as the ``1st Lieutenant Louis Allen Post Office'' in honor of the late Louis E. Allen, a 34-year-old Army National Guardsman killed by an explosion in Tikrit, Iraq, on June 8, 2005. A native of Goshen, New York, and a West Point graduate, First Lieutenant Allen was not only a model soldier but also a model citizen who had a true passion for helping others. A loving husband and father of four sons, he drove more than 1 hour each way to George Baker High School in Tuxedo, New York, a school where he taught science. The school superintendent remembers him as loving kids and having a ``real passion for our students.'' He was also known by his family as being fun-loving, gracious and caring as he took care of everyone around him. A longtime friend of Allen's once said that ``if my son grows up to be half the man Lou is, I'll be the happiest father in the world.'' First Lieutenant Allen is a shining example of an individual who continually and selflessly served those around him, both through his work for his community and country. His spirit lives on through the work of his family and friends as they continue to promote the sacrifice of First Lieutenant Allen through the First Lieutenant Louis Allen Scholarship and Community Foundation. It is with gratitude for his bravery and sacrifice for his country that I ask all Members to join me in supporting H.R. 2877 in First Lieutenant Allen's honor. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 822, expressing support for students to learn about Christopher Columbus. Yesterday, we celebrated the 517th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' voyage to the Americas. Columbus landed in the Americas in what is now the Commonwealth of the Bahamas on October 12, 1492. Christopher Columbus' voyage to America was an integral part in the history and founding of our Nation. Today, tributes to Christopher Columbus can be found all around the country. Almost every State has a city that bears the name ``Columbus.'' There are memorials located from coast to coast. There is a fountain memorializing Columbus here in Washington, D.C., and a chapel relocated from the Columbus family castle in Spain to Pennsylvania, just to name a couple of examples. The importance of Christopher Columbus in American history and heritage is obvious. However, if you asked students today, many cannot tell you why yesterday was a holiday and for most a day off from school. The importance of a knowledge of history has been argued for centuries. Yet, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress in 2006, less than half of the country's high school seniors have a basic knowledge of American history. For this reason, it is important to support this resolution and encourage students to take advantage of educational opportunities, in and out of school, to learn about Christopher Columbus and his voyage to America and the history of the United States. I would like to thank my colleague from Pennsylvania, Mr. Glenn Thompson, for introducing this resolution. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I encourage the adoption of this resolution in commemorating the work and balance that families have to have between work and family time. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 768, expressing support for the designation of the month of October as National Work and Family Month. Establishing a healthy balance between work and family obligations is something that most workers, women and men, struggle with at some point in their careers. Studies have shown that employees who are able to effectively balance family and work responsibilities are less likely to report making mistakes or feel resentment towards employers and coworkers. Eighty-five percent of the United States' wage and salaried workers have immediate day-to-day family responsibilities outside of their jobs. Workplace flexibility often allows parents to be more involved in their children's lives. Parental involvement is associated with children's higher achievement in language and mathematics, improved behavior, greater academic persistence, and lower dropout rates. Today, with this resolution, we support the designation of the month of October as National Work and Family Month. Through this designation, we recognize the importance of balancing work and family; and we urge public officials, employers, employees, and the general public to work together to achieve more balance between work and family. I stand in support of this resolution, and I ask my colleagues' support. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I encourage my associates and colleagues to vote for this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 730, honoring the 100th anniversary of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse was founded as the La Crosse State Normal School in 1909. The school was established for the purpose of teacher preparation. In 1964, the college was designated a university as part of the Wisconsin State university system, and it was renamed Wisconsin State University-La Crosse. The university adopted its current name in 1971. UW-La Crosse now offers 87 undergraduate programs in 44 disciplines and 26 graduate programs with an emphasis in 8 disciplines. The university is organized into 3 colleges: the College of Business Administration, the College of Science and Health, and the College of Liberal Studies, which houses the School of Arts and Communication and the School of Education. The university also offers Wisconsin's only nationally accredited degrees in recreation management and therapeutic recreation, the UW system's only nuclear medicine technology program, and it offers one of two Midwest undergraduate archeology majors. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse also has a thriving athletic program. The university maintains strong programs in indoor and outdoor track, cross-country, gymnastics, and football. UW-La Crosse has approximately 570 student athletes, participating on 19 teams, which have won 51 NCAA national titles in 9 different sports. UW-La Crosse has won 23 men's track and field titles in school history, the most in Division III history, and 6 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association championships. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has become an example of excellence in academics, athletics and as an American university. U.S. News and World Report ranked UW-La Crosse second among Midwestern public universities offering bachelor's and master's degrees in 2005, 2006, 2007, and third in 2008. The university was recognized as a ``best value'' by Kiplinger's ``Personal Finance,'' and the Princeton Review named UW-La Crosse one of America's ``best Midwestern colleges'' and an ``America's best value college'' in 2007. It is a privilege to stand before the House today to congratulate the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on the occasion of their 100th anniversary. I extend my congratulations to the faculty and staff, to the students and alumni. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 659, congratulating Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., on 98 years of serving local communities and of enriching the lives of collegiate men throughout the Nation. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity was founded in 1911 at Indiana University, Bloomington. Today, the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity has over 150,000 members with 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters in every State of the Union and international chapters in the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, Japan, the Caribbean, St. Thomas, St. Croix, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Nigeria, and South Africa. Annually, more than 1,800 members are initiated into Kappa Alpha Psi. The fraternity's constitution has never contained any clause which has either excluded or suggested the exclusion of a man from membership because of color, creed or national origin. To be considered for membership, a candidate must have a 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Kappa Alpha Psi chapters are active in their communities and colleges and universities. The fraternity has sponsored programs such as Guide Right, Kappa League and the Student of the Year competition. I am happy to congratulate Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and I ask my colleagues to support this resolution for this great organization, this fraternity, that has meant so much to our country.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) as much time as he may consume.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 791, congratulating the Aldine Independent School District in Harris County, Texas, on winning the 2009 Broad Prize for Urban Education. Few goals could be more important to American public education today than closing the achievement gaps among students by race, income, language, and gender. The goal is particularly critical for the Nation's urban public schools. The achievement gap is the difference in performance between groups of students, especially groups defined by race/ethnicity and family income. Although bringing about comprehensive change in our educational system may be difficult, the Aldine Independent School District teachers and staff have worked hard to create a supportive, safe, and effective learning environment which has enabled students to achieve academic success. The Aldine Independent School District ranks among the highest performing school districts in the State of Texas. In addition, it is one of the top large school districts in the State for African American and Hispanic students. Between 2005 and 2008, the SAT and Advanced Placement participation rates for these groups increased significantly. In 2008, African American students achieved higher proficiency rates in math at all school levels, and in reading at the middle school and high school levels. And Hispanic students performed at the highest achievement level on reading and math assessments compared to other school districts in the State. It is clear that the Aldine Independent School District is a shining example of what is right about urban education. As a result, the school district was awarded the $2 million Broad Prize for Urban Education this year. Established in 2002 by the Broad Foundation, the Broad Prize is the largest education award in the country given to school districts. The prize is awarded each year to honor urban school districts that demonstrate the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among low-income and minority students. I would like to congratulate Superintendent Wanda Bamberg and all of the principals, teachers, staff and students for all of their hard work which made this award possible. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues for support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise today to support House Resolution 209 recognizing the significant contributions of American citizens of Greek ancestry, philhellenes, and the Daughters of Penelope to the United States. What began with roughly 300,000 Greek immigrants after World War I has grown to more than 3 million Greek Americans today. Throughout our Nation's history, the Greeks who came to America saw the promise and hope for their future. Once there, they have been instrumental in building a Nation from the ground up. Greek Americans have risen to become leaders in business, government service, medicine and the arts. The State of Maryland was proud to have Paul S. Sarbanes, a Greek American, serve five terms in the United States Senate. Dr. George Papanicolaou saved millions of lives by inventing the Pap test for women, and performers such as Olympia Dukakis and Elia Kazan are but a few examples of how Greek Americans continue to fulfill the American Dream. And we as a country are all better for their many contributions. Greek Americans have a long history of contributions through community service to the United States. In the early 1900s, they formed a number of organizations that were dedicated to the well-being of families in the communities where Greek Americans lived. Among the groups that Greek Americans formed was the Daughters of Penelope, which was founded in 1929 in San Francisco and is an affiliate organization of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association. Today, the Daughters of Penelope has grown to more than 350 chapters throughout the world. The mission of the Daughters of Penelope is to create awareness of the ideals of ancient Greece such as education, civic responsibility, philanthropy and patriotism through community service. Greek Americans, along with all Americans, can be proud of the Daughters of Penelope's commitment to education. They have provided tens of thousands of dollars annually for scholarships, education seminars, and donating children's books to libraries, schools, shelters, and churches through the ``Open Books'' program. Other Daughters of Penelope achievements include being the first ethnic organization to submit oral history tapes to the Library of Congress, which provide personal experiences of first-generation Greek Americans. Now in its 80th year, the Daughters of Penelope continues to promote its ideals and promote awareness through a number of causes, including cancer research, Alzheimer's disease, muscular dystrophy and others. They also provide financial support for medical research to victims and communities affected by natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes and forest fires. I ask my fellow Members of Congress to join me in recognizing the 80th anniversary of the Daughters of Penelope and the contribution of Greek Americans to the history of the United States and the way in which their presence enriches and strengthens our country. I support House Resolution 209 and reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. As cold and flu season is quickly approaching, media reports in my district and around the country are reporting on the exposure to the H1N1 virus. I recently met with the Kentucky Pork Producers, who raise concerns that the media and individuals referring to the H1N1 flu virus as the ``swine flu'' is having a negative effect on them. Because it is referred to as the ``swine flu,'' individuals may think that the H1N1 virus can be caught from eating or handling pork. However, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack have repeated on various occasions that this is not a food-borne illness, but a respiratory virus. Secretary Vilsack said recently that the virus should not be called ``swine flu'' because there is no indication that any swine from the United States has been infected, nor is there any significant risk of transmission by eating pork. Pork and pork products are safe, and H1N1 virus cannot be acquired from eating pork. There are a lot of hardworking families in my district and across the country whose livelihoods are harmed by this misconception.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. GUTHRIE. The purpose of this amendment is to ensure dislocated workers are encouraged to compete through the grant process, and we think that's a worthwhile goal. Also, since I have time, I want to complement what Chairman Miller just said on BRAC. I actually represent Fort Knox, which is a big winner in the BRAC. I know a lot of communities were distressed before, but Fort Knox is going to be expanding and putting a lot of strain on our local schools. I look forward to seeing what comes out of conference and being an opportunity to be supportive of that. I really appreciate that very much. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Chairman, if we disagree with the CBO numbers from the March score, instead of using the most up-to-date ones, if you take $10 billion and save it from a mandatory program, I applaud that, and I applaud the amendment because we should save toward deficit reduction. Yet, if the bill allows you to take $10 billion and to save it for deficit reduction but on the discretionary side of the counter a tax dollar is a tax dollar and it requires you to spend $13.5 billion on transferring administrative costs from the program to discretionary, then the additional Pell Grants are going to have to be spent by the discretionary side through the appropriations process. So when you save $10 billion here but you spend $13.5 billion there, then you're raising the deficit $3.5 billion. I don't know any other way to look at it. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Chair, I rise to claim time in opposition though I do not oppose the amendment.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Chair, this amendment is important, I think, because I have some military experience and I have a lot friends with military experience, and as we send our young men and women across the world to defend us, they do take advantage of college opportunities that so many people and so many institutions do offer our military. And when they come home, we should expect that their efforts should count towards their degrees. I think this is a very good thing to do, and I appreciate the gentleman from Idaho for bringing this forward. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Again I just want to say I agree. When our military men and women travel, they're temporary. When they travel, they're away from their homes and they move around quite often. And the military has done an outstanding job of encouraging people to advance their degrees, advance in the ranks; noncommissioned officers as well as commissioned officers now require education and degrees. And I think it's very important that we do this, as they may be in Afghanistan for a year and then back in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, for a year or two, and they're picking up different courses. Then when they get home and want to get on with their life and get back into the civilian sector, they ought to put all that together into a clear path towards a degree. Again I appreciate the gentleman bringing this forward. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Chair, I rise to claim time in opposition though I'm not opposed to the amendment.

Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Chair, as I understand it, the purpose of this amendment is to ensure States applying for this new pre-K funding understand any geographic disparity between early learning programs for low-income children and consider steps to reduce the disparity. This amendment's a positive step. It may even move us closer to ensuring more low-income children are served by this program, something that's really not clearly spelled out in the bill. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTHRIE

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, over the recent district work period I traveled to each county in my district, listening to constituents' ideas and concerns and answering questions. I heard overwhelmingly that a government-run public option was not a viable answer to the problems Americans are facing. The President gave a well-delivered speech last week, but left many questions in the minds of the American people: How do we pay for such a bill? How can you cut funding for Medicare without impacting the millions of seniors who receive the benefits? How will individuals who are happy with their coverage get to keep the care they have? Everyone agrees on the need for improvement. However, we must move toward changes that make health care more affordable, more accessible and of higher quality. We have an opportunity to work together to improve the lives of all Americans by crafting a bipartisan, commonsense solution that our country can afford.