Melissa Hart

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the West Deer Volunteer Fire Department, WDVFD, on their 60th anniversary of service. Over the past 60 years the WDVFD has maintained its mission of protecting the residents of Deer Township. Serving nearly 12,000 people and almost 29,000 square miles, the WDVFD has established a tremendous amount of respect among the community for their public service. Since 1945, the WDVFD has developed, maintained, and strengthened a strong mutual trust and open communication between the fire department and the community in which it protects. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring the 60th anniversary of the WDVFD. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute such principled public servants as the West Deer Volunteer Fire Department.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Madam Chairman, I thank the chairman for his kind words and for recognizing me on this bill and for his continued support of manufacturing technology and advancements for our manufacturers so they can compete effectively. I also am pleased that the ranking member and the subcommittee chairman also support this moving forward because H.R. 250 supports a number of important initiatives that will help American manufacturers be more competitive in the world economy. We live in a real world, a world economy. One of the provisions in this bill that is most important to that competition is the reauthorization of the MEP, Manufacturing Extension Partnership. MEP makes it possible for even the smallest firms to tap into expertise and knowledge that they could not afford on their own. Each center, such as Catalyst Connection in Pittsburgh, works directly with area manufacturers to provide expertise as well as services tailored to the most critical needs of these manufacturers. The organization provides a wide variety of assistance. Some examples are process improvements, worker training, business practices, and applications of information technology. Many of these items are required for firms to be competitive in today's market. Small manufacturers are the driving force behind our U.S. economy, and increasing productivity and job creation in this sector is critical. In fact, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which manages this program, recently showed positive results nationwide. In a single year, MEP clients reported a $2.8 billion increase in sales. They have hired new workers and retained 35,000 workers; experienced $681 million in cost savings; and $941 million in plant and equipment investments have been made. Last month I visited Sharon Custom Metal Forming in Farrell, Pennsylvania, and met with management and employees of this country. One of the issues they highlighted was how their utilization of MEP has improved their business and made them more competitive. They are not alone. That happens all over my district, and continuing to fund this program means we will continue to give our entrepreneurs and small business people a competitive edge that will help them to continue to succeed in today's global market.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman and also the gentleman from California (Chairman Thomas) and the gentleman from New York (Ranking Member Rangel) and my colleagues of the Committee on Ways and Means for finding some creative and very practical ways to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Since it was one of the deadliest disasters, or the deadliest disaster, in U.S. history, it has left countless individuals without the most basic needs, and the American people's response has been historic, with millions being donated in time and money, nearly $800 million already donated privately to the relief effort on top of government assistance. Unfortunately, despite this outpouring, the people in the communities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama still need help. H.R. 3768 will help these families rebuild their lives in a number of different ways. One, it will encourage even more private help from individuals. It encourages more cash donations by individuals by allowing them to deduct more of the contributions that they give. It will also encourage more deductions by corporations. Under current law, they can only deduct 10 percent of those donations. That is waived under this bill. It increases the opportunity for people to provide more physical help by increasing the reimbursement rate for mileage for those who actually will spend their gasoline getting to places to help, ways that people can get involved personally. Also, those who have had savings, who are going to need to tap it, who have been victims, are assisted in accessing their own money. It was mentioned earlier that people can access their IRAs without the penalty that they currently would have for accessing that money before their retirement. It is important for us to allow these victims access to whatever they can get, whatever assets they can get to help them get their lives back on track sooner. I think it is the least that we can do to address some very simple but very practical issues via this bill.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Bill Straub and Debra Meade for their many years of hard work and support toward the game of shooting, throughout the entire State of Pennsylvania. Bill and Debra have dedicated themselves to the game of shooting by holding several positions at the Pennsylvania Skeet Shooting Association (PSSA). Over the years, both Debra and Bill have occupied various offices at the PSSA, including Director, President, and Vice President. Currently, Bill is the Shoot Manager of the PA State Skeet Championships and Debbie holds the office of Secretary/Treasurer at the PSSA. The pair has also been very active in the National Skeet Shooting Association, both serving as Directors. Bill and Debra have left their mark on the sport in their own right. Bill has been named to the All American Skeet and PA State Skeet Teams, as well as earning an induction into to the PA Skeet Shooting Association's Hall of Fame. Debra, who has shot nearly 100,000 skeet targets, has garnered numerous accolades and Lady Championship Victories throughout her career. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring Bill and Debra. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute such dedicated citizens as Bill Straub and Debra Meade.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Stepfamily Association of America (SAA) and recognize their efforts as they celebrate their annual Stepfamily Day on September 16, 2005. Over the past nine years the SAA, our Nation's largest stepfamily organization, has worked diligently to provide outreach to stepfamilies and to those who work with them. The SAA offers information, education, and support to stepfamilies across the country to ensure that they have the proper tools to build and maintain strong families. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring the SAA and to acknowledge the annual Stepfamily Day. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute an organization like the Stepfamily Association of America.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation (LCEDC), on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the corporation. Over the past 50 years the LCEDC has worked diligently to promote business growth and help foster ideal climates for commerce development. The corporation has also worked tirelessly with local business leaders and government officials throughout the community, to create jobs for the citizens of the greater Lawrence county region. I recognize the LCEDC for all of their hard work and dedication to cultivating small businesses which serve as the backbone of the American economy. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring the 50th anniversary of the LCEDC. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute such a principled organization as the Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team for their organization and participation of the World Harmony Run 2005. Commencing April 16, the World Harmony Run seeks to advance international camaraderie through bringing together runners from more than seventy countries and all fifty states. The goal of this event is to promote genuine goodwill and understanding of cultures through a 10,000 mile trek that will come to an end on August 14th. This event was inspired by Sri Chinmoy in 1987 through his vision of sport as a means of furthering international harmony. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring the participants of the World Harmony Run 2005. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute the diligent work of the many volunteers involved in World Harmony Run 2005 and the members of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Lawrence County Builders Association (LCBA), on the 25th anniversary of its founding. Over the past 25 years the LCBA has worked diligently to provide support services to its builder and associate members. This nonprofit trade association has also worked tirelessly with the National Association of Home Builders and Pennsylvania Builders Association to create a positive regulatory and legislative environment to keep housing and general construction affordable. I recognize the LCBA for all of their hard work and dedication to education and professional development for all of its members. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring the 25th anniversary of the LCBA. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute such a principled organization as the Lawrence County Builders Association.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Adult Literacy Lawrence County (ALLC), on the 25th anniversary of its founding. Over the past 25 years the ALLC has worked diligently to provide support services to adults that struggle to read. This organization was launched when New Castle Public Library's director, Ms. Roux, heard Al Bennett of the U.S. Dept. of Education speak about libraries taking responsibility for developing literacy programs. Securing non-profit status in 1996, the ALLC officially became a community-based organization. This non-profit organization has worked tirelessly to create a positive environment to meet the changing needs of the community. The agency offers tutoring, ABE and GED, family literacy, and computer literacy components. From July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005 more than 240 adults participated in one or more ALLC program components. Additionally 1,048 children read more than 5,000 books as they competed for a ride in the Summer Reading Kickoff Parade. It is with great pleasure that I recognize the ALLC for all of their hard work and dedication to continued education and literacy competence of its community members. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring the 25th anniversary of the ALLC. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute such a principled organization as the Adult Literacy Lawrence County.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity and join the Daniel B. Matthews Historical Society in honoring the extraordinary patriotism and valor of eight Sewickley WWII Tuskegee Airmen of the all African-American 99th Pursuit Squadron. Often referred to as the ``Sewickley Eight'' by local historians, the three surviving honorees include brothers Mitchell Higginbotham and Robert Higginbotham, of California, and William Johnston of Ohio. Jim Addison, Curtis Branch, William Curtis Jr., William Gilliam and Frank Hailstock will be honored posthumously for their unprecedented service by the society as well. These distinguished men continued their successes after the war. In a period of extreme racism, these men overcame immense professional challenges. Mitchell Higginbotham, commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and pilot, now serves as an itinerant Ambassador of Goodwill for the Tuskegee Airmen. After serving as an expert in multi-engine aircrafts, Robert Higginbotham went on to become the first African-American intern and resident at the Sewickley Valley Hospital. William Johnston, commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, serving as a Tuskegee pilot, went on to become a corporate pilot. The ``Sewickley Eight'' and their families will be honored on Thursday August 4th by the Daniel B. Matthew Society's first annual Founders Luncheon at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Sewickley, Pennsylvania. This event will take place on the opening day of the 39th annual Come-On-Home Weekend in Sewickley. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring the brave Sewickley natives of the WWII Tuskegee Airmen of the all African-American. 99th Pursuit Squadron. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute such citizens as the Tuskegee Airmen who embody the spirit of patriotism.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the HEALTH Act. It is called the HEALTH Act for a very good reason. It is going to help a number of people who now are finding it very difficult to have access to health care. We have considered this bill twice in the last Congress, I believe once in the first Congress when I was here, and objecting to this as unfamiliar to Members is simply disingenuous. This issue is so well known, not only to Members, but to the general public, that it scores as one of the most important issues when asked nationwide what we need to address. The other side of the aisle suggested we deal with bad doctors, bad lawyers, and bad judges. Well, bad doctors, bad lawyers, and bad judges are regulated by the States. The problem is that medical malpractice reform should have been dealt with by the States, but my State of Pennsylvania has not handled the problem. Many States have not acted to deal with this problem and avert further crisis. Patients needing care face a real crisis in access to care. The wait is too long, the cost is too high. Physicians are quitting because of the high cost of medical malpractice insurance. From 2003 to 2004, Pennsylvania doctors faced double-digit medical malpractice insurance increases. The reason: out-of-control lawsuits. According to the National Medical Practitioners Database, payouts in my State of Pennsylvania have risen from $187 million in 1991 to nearly $500 million in 2003. These excessive lawsuits have gotten so out of control, as I mentioned earlier, that many doctors have quit the practice of medicine. That means patients do not have physicians to even see. Last year I met with a dozen doctors from my district. Of the dozen, nearly all of them raised their hand when I asked them if they had children. One doctor said his wife refuses to allow her kids to study medicine. We need to address this issue, and we need to address it today.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Clearly, I am in support of the U.S. Trade Rights Enforcement Act; and as yesterday, I stood somewhat flummoxed at the lack of support on the other side of the aisle where they claim to care about workers in the United States, but will not support this legislation. I stand here again to explain how this certainly is the best way available to us today to help workers in the United States. I visit many plants in the communities I represent in western Pennsylvania; and when people talk to me about their top issue, there are several, but one that always recurs, no matter the size of the manufacturer, are concerns about China. Their concerns deal with market access, they deal with piracy of products, they deal with dumping of products in the American market, and they deal with Chinese currency manipulation. Our U.S. Government has put a significant amount of pressure on China, but not enough. This bill gives our government the tools to put that real pressure on China and to actually deal with them. It gives them teeth. Currently, U.S. companies can only file antidumping trade cases against companies in market economies. We need to deal with nonmarket economies like China. This bill helps us to do that. The other issue of piracy is one that we have struggled with in the Judiciary Committee trying to find ways to protect the intellectual property that we create here in the United States to make sure that those creators get the benefit of their ideas. We have now under this bill tools to fight piracy, to enforce our laws; dumping of products, a huge concern for manufacturers, especially of commodity products. This bill helps us deal with dumping. Finally, China made a step in the right direction on currency manipulation last week. This bill helps us to monitor the results of what they have done and to push them to do even more to make sure that their currency floats. This legislation, the United States Trade Rights Enforcement Act, is a very broad and very helpful piece of legislation to our manufacturers, our farmers and our service providers in the United States. It will help us get into that economy in China to sell our products there, to protect our products that are created here. It will monitor their system. It will enforce the laws that they have agreed to follow. It gives our United States Trade Representative the opportunity to make sure that the atmosphere here in the United States only gets better and our access to Chinese markets improves significantly.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the DR-CAFTA agreement. And I stand here supporting it from a district that has a pretty significant portion of organized labor, and a district that has a pretty significant portion of manufacturing. Many of my colleagues who support this agreement are from very similar districts. One might wonder why, if one has been listening to the arguments from the other side of the aisle all night. But one does not wonder why if one made the phone calls into the district like we have been making over the last several months, talking to employers about this agreement. And what we have learned was that companies employing from 12 to 600 are excited about this. American companies with American employees, many of them organized labor, are excited about this agreement. And why? Because they have a very difficult time getting their products into Central America as it is today. That is because there are very high tariffs on our products going into Central America. Right now Central American countries have very little, if any, barrier getting their products into the United States. It has been that way for 20 years. But one of the best ways we can help move them forward is to get our products into Central America. Partially because a lot of their industrial development needs to be advanced, and we have the products to help them do that. How to raise their standard of living? Certainly raise their quality of manufacturing. Raise their opportunity to sell quality goods, give us the opportunity to help them do that. Interestingly enough, the arguments we hear do not seem to make any sense; they are very circular. We have to oppose this because we will hurt Central Americans, but we have to oppose this because we will hurt Americans. Neither of those arguments holds water. This agreement is good for Central America, it is good for the United States manufacturing, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I rise in support of this bill, and I am mystified by the opposition on the other side of the aisle. It appears that partisan politics trumps good business. It appears that partisan politics trumps their interest in American manufacturers. Foreign subsidies products exported to the United States continue to cause extreme financial hardship for these manufacturers. While rules exist to provide countervailing duties on such products, rules do not take into account the advantages enjoyed by nonmarket economies like China. Because China is such a major global trader, China's undervalued fixed-exchange rate has exacerbated significant imbalances between trading partners. Under China's fixed-exchange rate, the U.S. annual bilateral trade deficit accelerated since 2001, reaching $162 billion in 2004. While U.S. exports to China increase, its undervalued currency has burdened U.S. manufacturers, restricted market opportunities for exporting our products into China. Meeting with businesses in my district, the three main complaints I have heard from my district regarding China have been piracy of product, the dumping of products on our market, and the currency pegging issue. I believe that we need to support this legislation, reject the Democrat bill, which does not address these issues.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Dominican Republic- CAFTA agreement. Our colleagues have discussed a lot of issues regarding CAFTA: whether it is important to our national security and whether it will help those countries to grow and become more secure and prevent some illegal immigration into the United States. But one of the most important things about this agreement is that it is good for American business. I do not know about my colleagues, but I am for agreements that help our manufacturers, and what I have discovered is that the manufacturers in my district will benefit from this agreement. In fact, a significant portion of them either currently export or want to export to those countries. But currently, there are heavy tariffs placed on their products when they arrive in Central America, making those products more expensive to the purchasers there. This agreement will remove those tariffs and make American products more available to those who wish to purchase them in Central America. Now, my question is, how can that be bad for American business? It is not. It is good for American business, and anybody who is thinking about growth in our economy should support the CAFTA agreement.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Monsignor William Ogrodowski, marking the 30th anniversary of his ordination to the Catholic priesthood. This June, the Monsignor will celebrate the 30th anniversary of his ordination in 1975. For the last 30 years Monsignor Ogrodowski has been a symbol of strength and a source of inspiration for not only the congregations of Saints Peter and Paul and Saint Francis Cabrini, but the entire Beaver County community as well. In order to mark this special occasion, parishioners met at Saints Peter and Paul in Beaver for an anniversary mass, followed by a dinner reception at Saints Francis Cabrini in Center Township. The Monsignor, joined in celebration by 14 fellow priests, commented that his favorite part of the priesthood was interacting with people. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring the Monsignor. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute such a principled clergyman as Monsignor William Ogrodowski.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Stephen C. Balmert of Cranberry Township, PA on receiving a Discover Card Tribute Award Scholarship, sponsored by Discover Card in cooperation with the American Association of School Administrations. Mr. Balmert has been honored for his exceptional community service and solid academic performance. Stephen was one nine students statewide that was awarded a scholarship in the amount of $2,500. Each year Discover Card offers over $1 million dollars in scholarships to 459 high school students who have displayed strong dedication to academics as well as service to their respective communities. This scholarship is the largest of its kind in the entire country. The Discover Card Tribute Award Scholarship Program has been dedicated to enhancing American students' educational experience and opportunities by providing funds for students to help them pay for any form of higher education. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring Mr. Stephen C. Balmert. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute the achievements of citizens like Stephen whom make our District great.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. Money is a key element of terrorist organizations. If we are to prevent future attacks and continue to dismantle terrorist organizations, we must cut off their access to funding. In order to thwart terrorists financing, President Bush in September of 2001 signed an executive order freezing the assets of terrorist organizations and their supporters and authorizing the Secretaries of Treasury and State to identify, designate, and freeze the U.S.-based assets that financially facilitate terrorism. Since then, an unprecedented international effort to freeze terrorism financing has ensued. This has truly been an international effort with 173 nations implementing orders to freeze terrorist assets with more than 100 countries passing new legislation to fight terrorism financing, and 84 countries establishing the Financial Intelligence United to share information helping to combat terrorism. Terrorist organizations need money, not just to carry out attacks. They especially need funding to continue their operations such as recruiting and training new terrorists and simply supporting their current organizations. One of the most important lessons we have learned is exactly how terrorists and other criminal organizations transmit money through unregulated financial markets. Like the patchwork of terrorist organizations themselves, terrorism funding does not come from a single source. Terrorism networks are funded through rogue state sponsorship, corrupt charities, and illegitimate businesses fronting as legitimate businesses and using that money for terrorism, also through exploitation of our legitimate markets and financial networks. Many terrorist organizations use a network known as hawalas to exchange money and finance terrorist activities. These hawalas are an informal exchange in which payments are delivered without money actually being moved. In addition, terrorists engage in criminal activities such as extortion, smuggling and trafficking, credit card and identity fraud, and the narcotics trade to fund their murderous activities. After September 11, our Federal Government acted aggressively through domestic and international efforts to halt such activities to prevent terrorism financing. Unfortunately, we have learned that these are not enough. My amendment would address some of the loopholes. One, we increase the penalty for terrorism financing. Under current law, violations only carry a $10,000 fine and a 10-year sentence. My amendment would increase the fine to $50,000 and the sentence to 20 years. We also update money laundering statutes. They must keep pace to help prevent financing of terrorist activities. As Chancellor Gordon Brown stated last week, prevention of money laundering is the key element of stopping the financing of terrorist groups of the type suspected of planning and carrying out the London bombings. First, my amendment will add a predicate offense to the money- laundering statutes, such as operating illegal money laundering and transmitting businesses, misuse of Social Security numbers, military- style training of individuals, and a new terrorism financing offense. My amendment also clarifies the law so that a combination of transactions or parallel transactions can trigger money-laundering statutes. Mr. Chairman, our PATRIOT Act added a new forfeiture provision for individuals planning or perpetrating the act of terrorism against the United States. My amendment adds a parallel provision for individuals planning or perpetrating an act of terrorism against a foreign state or an international organization acting within the jurisdiction of the United States. This amendment builds on our current laws to address some of the shortfalls in our laws that we have learned about from our law enforcement since 9/11. I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment.

Ms. HART. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Ms. HART. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Just to answer a couple of points: what we do in the amendment is to help to provide opportunities for a series of predicate offenses. So what you get is an opportunity to follow through a number of transactions to show that there is money laundering. And we have added a couple of new offenses, but there can be a mixture of some legal and illegal transactions to do that. So if the concern is that a grandmother transmitting money to her family or the other way around, it is not going to trigger a problem under this amendment. It is very clear that there would have to be a series of transactions that are suspect in order for this law to be triggered; and, obviously, there has to be some suspicion of financing terrorism before law enforcement would move forward with that kind of prosecution.

Ms. HART. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I just want to thank the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, who supports the amendment, and also the chairman of the Committee on Financial Services, who certainly would have been concerned if the concern of the gentlewoman from California were a legitimate one regarding our language. It is very clear that there would have to be a series of transactions. That series of transactions would have to lead law enforcement to believe that there is a financing of terrorism.

Ms. HART. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. HART. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement. Upon its implementation DR-CAFTA will allow goods and services to be traded among these countries without tariffs or other trade barriers. Currently, the United States has significant barriers to those countries. Those countries do not have significant barriers into the United States. The benefits of DR-CAFTA go well beyond the free movement of goods. This agreement will solidify the political enlightenment that has taken place over the past decade in Central America and the Dominican Republic. In the not so distant past communists and generals ruled the DR-CAFTA countries. Today freedom and democracy rule these lands. DR-CAFTA will continue to enhance these fragile democracies by committing them to free and open economies and create new opportunities for their economies and workers. The agreement will lead to stability and propel these countries forward, rather than allow them to backslide into dangerous political and economic policies that have hindered other countries in Latin America. Politically and economically stable countries, especially those in our hemisphere, are vital to our national security here in the United States, and I urge my colleagues to support this very important agreement.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me, and I appreciate the opportunity to have this discussion tonight, because, unfortunately, the American people are hearing a lot of diatribe that really has no basis in fact regarding Social Security. The gentlewoman mentioned earlier a point that needs to be stressed, and that is that people believe that Social Security is just fine, that their benefits that they expect are going to be paid, and that nothing is going to change. Unfortunately, that is just not the case. As was mentioned also earlier, in 1983 there was a significant change in the law, and the reason they had to do that was because Social Security was not going to have enough money to pay out the benefits. So the taxes did increase. Now we are at another point where we are having a very serious change in our demographics, and that means that there are a lot more people who are going to be receiving Social Security benefits in the coming years. The good news is they are going to live a lot longer than they used to, but the bad news is that the Social Security money is not going to be enough to fund the benefits they expect. Of course, another problem that Social Security has had for years and one that the GROW Act of 2005, which several of my colleagues have mentioned, will help us fix, is that the money that comes into Social Security now is not even being spent on Social Security to a significant degree. There is a surplus in the Social Security account for the next several years and that money should actually be saved for Social Security benefits. But right now it is not being saved for Social Security benefits. That money is being spent on general government operations, as my colleague from Indiana mentioned. It could be anything from some crazy museum or the war. But that money has been collected for Social Security, so it should be spent there. We need to stop the raid on Social Security. We need to stop spending the surplus on things other than Social Security. One of the best proposals I have seen to do that is the GROW Act of 2005. It would not only stop the raid, but it would give Social Security a different dimension that I think is important to Americans, especially in this day and age, and that is that it would set up personal accounts for each American in the Social Security system. That money would actually have their name on it. A lot of people think that the Social Security money they pay in goes into an account with their name on it. But that is not the case. It goes into the trust fund and gets spent on a number of things. What the GROW Act would do is set up personal retirement accounts for each person in the Social Security system. Everybody who is paying in taxes would have this account, and that money could no longer be spent on other government operations. It would stay in Social Security. It would be our money. It would have our name on it. It would be inheritable. It is not today, so if you die at 64 and you still have not begun receiving your Social Security benefits, those benefits are lost and your family does not have any claim on those benefits. So the GROW accounts would be created for anybody under 55, unless they choose not to participate. Then they can stay in traditional Social Security. So that Social Security surplus would be dedicated to these GROW accounts and they would be invested in guaranteed, marketable Treasury securities. Another concern and some of the demagoguery we have heard is that you can invest this money in something and lose it in the stock market. That is what you hear, it is a risky investment. These are marketable Treasury securities, not risky investments. They are real assets that are very conservative, in fact. Upon retirement, these account balances would be used to help pay Social Security benefits. I mentioned that they are inheritable. I think this is worth stressing over and over again, because most people understand that they do not have an ownership right in Social Security. But under the GROW Act, they would. So I think there are a lot of things that are an advantage to people that these proposals would really bring that they are not aware of; and as long as some of these groups, such as the ones in the district of the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Chocola), are out there, we really need to clear the record, to make it clear. I serve on the Committee on Ways and Means. We have been looking at ways to basically shore up Social Security, to make sure that the American public will have an investment that they can depend upon for their retirement; something that will be real; something that will give them a real ``bang for their buck'' as they invest it through their entire lives. And we know that investing it this way is just much smarter. Every person who pays those taxes certainly wants to get the most out of them that they can. Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentlewoman from Kentucky (Mrs. Northup), I really appreciate the opportunity to join you tonight.