Dean Heller

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, I am deeply humbled by the opportunity to stand here today and to address the body as Nevada's 25th Senator. Nevada is a small State, but it is one that has provided many with a great chance to succeed. Most people know that it was in Nevada where Samuel Clemens began to sign his writings as Mark Twain and reported on the territorial legislative sessions. However, the reason Samuel Clemens came to the Nevada territory was to follow his older brother, Orion Clemens, who served as the first and only secretary of the Nevada Territory. That position would later become secretary of state, a position which I held prior to my service in Congress. Similar to the Clemens brothers who sought greater opportunities, it is in a State such as Nevada where a son of a mechanic can have the opportunity to interact with those who are responsible for governing the State. For instance, as a boy I delivered the newspaper to then- Gov. Mike O'Callaghan. For a time, I went to Sunday school with then- Lt. Gov. Harry Reid's sons, and I was educated at the same public high school as Senator Paul Laxalt. Our current Governor, Brian Sandoval, is someone whom I used to play organized basketball with. I wish to thank Senator Laxalt for his support and Senator Reid for being here today. I also wish to thank Senator McConnell for being here as well. My father's automotive shop was across the street from the Nevada State legislature, so many of the legislators would come into my dad's business. I spent a lot of time there as a kid working in that garage, sweeping floors, repairing cars, fixing engines and transmissions. In that shop, I learned the value of hard work and responsibility and the importance of family. I am proud of what I learned growing up in Nevada: values from two great parents, good teachers, and good neighbors. Nevada values such as faith in God, hard work, honesty, and commitment to family--these are the values I try to bring to Washington, DC, every day. Although Nevada has changed over the years, in many ways it is very much the same place as when I grew up. I bring this up because I recall what it took for my father to keep his business in operation, and I think about what might have happened if he were still in business today. During this time when so many people are hurting and our economy is so fragile, it is important to understand how government impacts our economy and businesses across the Nation. While Washington politicians tarnish one another, Americans are still out of work. My home State of Nevada, in particular, leads the Nation in unemployment, foreclosures, and bankruptcies. Nevadans do not want finger-pointing; they want jobs. Nevadans do not want political talking points; they want to keep their homes. Nevadans do not want to hear all the promises; they want to pass on a better future to their children and grandchildren. Job creation and economic recovery should be a bipartisan value. Unfortunately, Washington is paralyzed by politicians and has been reduced to sound bites. Too often it seems we cannot move beyond the politics of today. It appears we are more interested in press conferences than solving our Nation's most pressing problems--issues such as Medicare, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Instead of strengthening and preserving the program, it is often used as a political weapon. The truth is, Washington has not done enough to get our Nation back on track and the American people know it. I recently received a letter from a small business owner who had this to say: My business had to dramatically cut our spending and unfortunately lay off half of our good employees. Many of our customers have lost their jobs and their homes due to government intervention in the housing market and massive mismanagement of our tax dollars . . . government employment has gone up, while private sector employment has dropped. These are the kinds of stories I hear from Nevadans far too often. For over 4\1/2\ years I have done weekly telephone townhall meetings, where I have the opportunity to speak with thousands of households across my great State. During a recent round of phone calls, I have been asking participants if they believe their children and grandchildren will have a better economic future than we have today. More than two-thirds of these respondents say no. Many Nevadans believe the economic burden of our national debt and the impact it will have on future generations will lead to fewer opportunities and less upward mobility. I am certain Nevada is not alone in this sentiment. Do we want to be the first Congress that hands our children and grandchildren a lesser quality of life? This should serve as a wake-up call for Washington. Passing a better life to our children and grandchildren is a value we all share as Americans. From all corners of Nevada and our Nation, the message is clear. The status quo is not working. We can no longer afford to ignore the biggest problems facing our country: government spending and the national debt. The choices are clear. We can continue down this path which leads to bigger government, higher taxes, less jobs, and rationed health care for our seniors or we can decrease government spending, create jobs, and fulfill our promises to future generations. Washington needs to place its trust in the American people to reenergize our economy, not the Federal Government. It was Reagan who said: From time to time, we have been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. But if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else? Our debt will serve as an anchor on future prosperity if we do not work today to solve this problem. Business as usual is not an option. What we do as Senators and the decisions we make are critically important to those whom we wish to represent. Sometimes the results of our actions are seen immediately and sometimes the full ramifications take decades to unfold. Record deficits, high unemployment, an anemic recovery, and inflation are fueling anxiety over our Nation's fiscal health. The key to recovery is to create an environment where economic growth can flourish and provide certainty and stability to our Nation's job creators. I evaluate legislation through what I call the entrepreneurial standard or the ``more, higher, less test.'' Does this bill provide more competition with higher quality at less cost? What would a small businessman do? If the Federal Government approached problems through an entrepreneurial perspective, we would have a more efficient government at less cost to the taxpayer. Unfortunately, our government is not providing that certainty today. We have a temporary Tax Code, overly burdensome regulations, and an ever-increasing national debt. There is no question the Federal Government must stop spending money we do not have. If we are going to keep America exceptional, we have to chart a new direction for our country. As families across Nevada struggle to pay their bills and fight to keep their homes, government spending has grown exponentially. This must end if we are going to turn this economy around. We must focus on the long-term health of our economy and remove impediments that have caused economic stagnation and disabled businesses from creating new jobs. The Federal Government has been on a massive spending spree, and it is time for this reckless behavior to end. History offers little evidence that massive deficit-financed spending leads to economic recovery. As an opponent of the stimulus and the Wall Street bailout, I believe reining in government spending is critical to economic recovery and the future of our country. The unemployment rate, foreclosures, bankruptcies, all represent people who have become victims of this recession. There are those who have endured pay cuts to keep their jobs, individuals who are underemployed, and seniors on fixed incomes dealing with the increases in cost-of-living expenses. No question, times are tough. So the question we must answer is, Do we have the courage to overcome partisan divides and work together to solve our Nation's problems? While we all may not be members of the same political party or share the same philosophy of government, I believe we are all here to do what is right. In these difficult times, it is more important than ever that we work together, find common ground, and make tough decisions to create jobs and get people back to work. Every day I go to work to advocate for the great State of Nevada, and every day I let Nevadans know there is someone in Washington who is on their side. There is not a day goes by that I do not think about what can be done to create jobs and get our economy moving again. This is not the first time Americans have endured tough times, and it probably will not be the last. There will be better days ahead. However, it is incumbent upon us to effect change in difficult times to create a better future. Today, we are at a crossroads, possibly a defining moment in our Nation's history, where we must change the way we govern. The window of opportunity is available, but it is growing smaller every day. Mark Twain wrote: ``You are a coward when you even seem to have backed down from a thing you openly set out to do.'' I ask another question: What is it that we set out to do? I ran for office to make a difference, to leave this place better than I found it. We still are the greatest Nation on Earth, with the greatest form of government. Our best days are yet to come--if we act now to return our Nation to what made us great: families, entrepreneurs, community, the American dream. We must stop the mindset that we have all the answers here in Washington because I can assure my colleagues we don't. The answers are out there. They are in places such as Nevada, Alaska, Ohio, and perhaps Kentucky; in small towns and large cities across this country. Let the American engine fire again. Tear down the barriers to growth and opportunity and launch this great Nation to its great next chapter. I stand ready to serve and ready to bring us all together. When my children and grandchildren look back many years from now, it is my hope that history will show we rose to the occasion to ensure their future and the future of our great Nation. I am confident we can meet those challenges. Our strength as a nation is bigger than the troubles of today. May God bless the State of Nevada and may God bless this great country. I yield the floor.

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Thank you very much. (Applause, Senators rising.)

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. I thank the chairman for yielding time. I'm an original cosponsor of H.R. 4 and proudly voted for this measure in the House Ways and Means Committee last month. Madam Speaker, today's debate marks the second time, over the course of 3 months, that the House has taken the opportunity to discuss the disastrous consequences the health care bill has and will continue to have on our economy. The House passed H.R. 2, which repealed the health care bill, with bipartisan support in January. Today we consider one of the many provisions of the bill that suppress economic recovery and job creation. The 1099 reporting mandate will impose substantial paperwork and reporting burdens on an estimated 40 million entities, including governments, nonprofits, and small businesses. Instead of fostering job creation in the private sector--which is what our economy needs--the previous Congress has passed a provision that would direct precious time and resources to collecting volumes of information and filling out mounds of new paperwork for businesses all throughout this country. Once the economic engine of this Nation, small businesses are now buckling under the weight of onerous mandates and high taxes from a Federal Government that spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much. As a result, unemployment in Nevada has reached record highs that currently stand at nearly 15 percent. Efforts to repeal the 1099 provision enjoy bipartisan, bicameral support. I am pleased the House will pass H.R. 4 as part of our commitment to alleviate the burden the previous Congress placed on small businesses and American taxpayers. I remain committed to overturn the health care bill in its entirety. I support targeted legislation such as H.R. 4 to provide economic relief as soon as possible.

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yucca Mountain as a storage location for the Nation's nuclear waste is dead. Even the administration understands that transporting the nuclear waste to a State with no nuclear activity jeopardizes the security of our Nation and is a bad investment of precious taxpayer dollars. Unfortunately, this bill not only tries to keep the Yucca Mountain project in regulatory limbo, it seeks to block information regarding viable alternatives to Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste dump. Yucca Mountain is in my district, and our State has been dealing with this boondoggle project for literally decades. According to the Government Accountability Office, over the past 20 years the proposed site has suffered from gross mismanagement, faulty science and research, contract mismanagement, and, most alarmingly, questions about safety and design of the site and its impacts on its surrounding environment and people. I am a strong supporter of the need to responsibly develop all of our Nation's energy resources, including nuclear energy. However, the key to my position is the need to be responsible, and continued investment in the storage of nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain does not meet this litmus test. I continue to be disappointed at the House's insistence of reviving the Yucca Mountain boondoggle. Most recent estimates place the cost of the Yucca Mountain facility at nearly $100 billion. Not surprisingly, this estimate seems to increase with each passing year. Given our current economic climate and our serious debt problems, our Nation cannot afford to continue with this poorly managed project. Congress needs to have a serious discussion about studying reasonable alternatives to Yucca Mountain. If you're concerned about the safety of American citizens and the wise stewardship of tax dollars, then join with me to keep this project out of limbo, acknowledge reality, and move forward on a responsible solution to our Nation's nuclear waste storage issue. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HELLER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HELLER. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Labrador).

Mr. HELLER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment with my friend from Idaho (Mr. Labrador) to prohibit funds from being used to designate national monuments under the Antiquities Act. Roughly 85 percent of Nevada is federally controlled. So I am sensitive to any actions that could close access to public lands. New national monuments would limit access, threaten grazing rights, end mineral exploration of mining, and even impact private property. And this is the last thing we need in this dire economy. A transparent public process that includes input from local officials, communities, and stakeholders for any new Federal land designation is in the best interest of the residents of our public lands communities. That is why I support efforts to require any Antiquities Act actions to have congressional approval. Government that works in the best interest of the people ensures that all stakeholders have a seat at the table. Examples, such as the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, which in the waning days of the Clinton administration literally obliterated massive economic development with a stroke of a pen, are why I am standing here today. I don't want this to happen in Nevada or anywhere else. I urge my colleagues to join us to protect communities from the heavy hand of the Federal Government and support our amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HELLER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk, amendment No. 482.

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

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity to speak. Earlier this evening, or I should say last night, I had a tele-town hall meeting. I do this once a week. Generally what I do is I ask and we talk about what we're doing on the floor today: trying to create jobs to reducing the size of our Federal Government. So I open it up and I ask people, What would you cut? Or, Send me an email. Go to heller.house.gov, hit the prompt button to send me an email. Tell me what you would cut out of this Federal Government. And I got, obviously, numerous responses, as I'm sure most people in this audience would. But I have to tell you, at the top of everybody's list, frankly, if it's not the top two or three, it's always in the top five, is to cut foreign aid. So we have an opportunity to do that today. So what my amendment does is it cuts $211,244,700 from the Multilateral Economic Assistance Account in the State Foreign Operations section. This number is 14.5 percent of the account. And I am asked, What is the purpose of the 14.5 percent of this particular account? Well, 14.5 percent happens to match the State with the highest unemployment in the country, and that State happens to be the State of Nevada, the State that I am from. This money is going to go to debt reduction. And I would like to talk about what frankly is being cut in this particular amendment. Some of us have heard of these organizations. Most haven't. For example, we can go to the Global Environmental Facility, GEF. They make grants to help developing countries deal with global environmental problems. We're going to cut the International Development Association from the World Bank. IDA lends concessional rates to low-income countries. What is a concessional rate? That means we're just going to take your tax dollars, and World Bank is going to actually lend it for less than you can go to your own bank to get a loan. So it is kind of a double whammy: we're going to take your money, and then we're going to loan it for less than you can actually get the loan yourself. The Clean Technology Fund seeks to reduce the growth of greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries. The Strategic Climate Fund seeks to address climate change under the auspices of the World Bank. We can go through the list, some of them actually quite interesting. The International American Development Bank, Enterprise for the American Multilateral Investment Fund. I don't know how many people have heard of many of these, but this is where your tax dollars go in this foreign aid. How about the Asian Development Fund? I wonder if some Asian country gets a concessional rate, China perhaps, to buy our own government securities with. The African Development Fund. The International Fund for Agricultural Development. We can go on and on. International Organization and Programs. International Financial Institutions. My point here, Mr. Chairman, is it is not our responsibility to create jobs in foreign countries. Our responsibility is to create jobs right here at home. And I choose America first. I think that's what our constituents are asking: In this process, do you choose America first over foreign aid to some of these other countries? I choose America first. I choose Nevada first. And I think when our Nation is facing some significant budget crisis and many Americans needs are still unmet, the fact that Congress continues sending so much money overseas is unconscionable, and I believe the Federal Government is responsible to Americans before any other country. I support reducing foreign spending, and I strongly urge all my colleagues to support my amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. HELLER. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise in support of H.R. 2. Last year the previous Speaker of the House told Members that we needed to pass the health care bill so that we could find out what was in it. Now Members and the American people have had the opportunity to read it, and they don't like it. What they have found includes a $1.2 trillion price tag and more than 100 new Federal programs and onerous mandates that reflect how out of touch the previous majority was with the American people. This Congress will reject these policies, replace them with market- based reforms that will provide greater access and affordability of health care. Repealing the bill would help more Nevada employers and their workers keep the insurance that they currently enjoy. An estimated half of all employers and 80 percent of small businesses will be forced to give up their coverage under current law, which I find unacceptable. Uncertainty in the business community means fewer jobs created. In my home State, where unemployment persists at more than 14 percent, it also means thousands of Nevadans continue depending on unemployment benefits when what they want is a decent job to provide for their families. Furthermore, we must act to prevent last year's bill from further impacting the pocketbooks of hardworking Americans who are already struggling. Repealing this bill will protect Nevadans from predictable health care premium increases of at least $2,100, block a $570 billion tax increase on all Americans, and keep Nevada's seniors in their current Medicare Advantage plan while preventing higher prescription drug prices. Madam Speaker, this Congress is in the business of cutting red tape, not creating it. I strongly support passage of H.R. 2. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass meaningful legislation that will promote better, more affordable medical care.

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 658, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 662 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 657, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Madam Speaker, on roll call No. 663, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 664 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 659, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 660, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``no.''

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 661, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the heroic sacrifice and service of SPC Tim Hall of the 173rd Airborne Brigade of the United States Army. On June 10, 2010, SPC Hall of Reno, Nevada, was severely wounded by a mortar attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. Although he was severely injured and lost both of his legs, SPC Hall continues his courageous effort on the road to recovery. My sincere gratitude, appreciation, and thoughts are with SPC Hall and all of our service members as they continue to heroically and selflessly sacrifice for our Nation. I am honored to represent SPC Hall and his family in Nevada's 2nd Congressional District. I am proud to submit a poem penned in his honor by Albert Caswell for the Record. The Hall of Fame In our country Tis of Thee. . . . All in this our Nation of the free . . . But stand, the greatest of all Americans indeed. . . . Are but all of those who go off the war, for you and me. . . . The ones who answer That Call To Arms . . . Who put themselves, and their families all in such heartache and grave harm. . . . To our Nation's Hall of Fame, belong. . . . The ones who now so lie in the soft cold dark graves, so all alone. . . . And all of those others who come back home. . . . Without arms and legs, and burns upon their bodies own. . . . Our best and our brightest, our very bravest who so fight this. . . . Her most magnificent names. . . . are all but in our Nation's Hall of Fame! Men, like SPC Tim Hall. . . . of the 173 Airborne, who stood tall. . . . As a mortar attack, left him dying. . . . As it was but then his brave heart to him, started crying. . . . Not to give up or to give in. . . . as this warriors new battle would begin! With his two fine legs gone, he told himself it was time to move on. . . . Get Up. . . . Get Moving. . . . Get Airborne! As so deep down in his heart, so worn. . . . Was the courage and the faith, to somehow move on. . . Another Hall of Famer born. . . . with his profiles in courage soars . . . To new heights. . . . To Teach Us. . . . To So Beseech Us. . . . oh Tim what form! As he so Reaches Us, and somehow carries on! As one of Nevada's Finest Sons. . . . There's gold in his heart, this one! For this man is Army Strong! Hoooah, for in his heart beats such a song! A song of Strength In Honor, all day and all night long! And if I had a son, I wish he but shine like this one. . . . As thy will be done, for he's in The Hall of Fame this son! Showing us all to what new heights a heart can run! America's Son! So on this Christmas morning as you awake. . . . Or during the Festival of lights, would you so take. . . . So take the time to remember, all of these. . . . Selfless Souls, who so bring us peace! Who our Nation's Hall will never cease!

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Nowhere in this letter--signed by 28 pages of organizations and businesses nationwide--do they waffle or endorse these income limitations. Several chambers of commerce and local businesses from around the State of Nevada who understand the importance of certainty in our tax policy have signed onto this letter. Businesses like Silver State Barricade and Sign, Starsound Audio, Hartmann and Associates, and Air Systems, Inc. are all in this letter. Today's exercise in political theater is simply bad policy.

Mr. HELLER. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 4853. Of course I strongly support tax relief for the middle class and others, but today's bill is misguided. Nevada is struggling. It has one of the highest unemployment rates in the Nation; more than 14 percent. Some counties in my congressional district are as high as 16, 17 percent unemployment. Real unemployment is probably closer north of 20 percent. At home in Nevada I constantly talk to families, small business owners and workers struggling to make ends meet. That's why I have supported extending unemployment insurance. But Nevadans, like most Americans, want jobs. So today, ``Washington knows what's best, class warfare, pick-and- choose method of so-called tax relief'' is a dangerous way to go. The outgoing majority party does not understand that tax hikes do not create jobs. The outgoing majority party doesn't understand that bigger government doesn't create jobs. The outgoing majority party still doesn't understand that more regulation doesn't create jobs. And doubling down on failed stimulus spending--which this bill does also-- is, too, the wrong way to go. It bears repeating simply because the current outgoing majority so often fails to listen: The income levels in the bill today exclude many small businesses, and it's those small business owners who are the job creators in the economy. Three-quarters of all new jobs are created by small businesses, which employ half of all private-sector employees. These are the entrepreneurs, the patent filers, the exporters, the startups and the innovators. They, not Washington politicians, are the ones who will lead our Nation out of its economic struggles, yet today we are asked to support a tax increase on them. I have a letter here signed by a number of national and local organizations who strongly support extending the current tax relief. In the letter they say, ``strongly urge Congress to end the tax uncertainty plaguing the business community by extending the expiring 2001/2003 tax rates.

Mr. HELLER

Mr. HELLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5307, the Ultralight Smuggling Prevention Act. I want to thank Congresswoman Giffords for the opportunity to work with her on this important piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, Nevadans are all too familiar with the impact of illegal drugs on our communities. Meth and other illicit substances are destroying lives and families in my State. Due to its proximity to southwest border States, Nevada serves as a hub for the distribution of Mexican drugs destined for the central and eastern United States. As a result, too many Nevadans are exposed to illicit drugs from Mexico, along with the violence and the crime that accompanies drug smuggling activities. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Mexican- produced crystal meth is the most readily available form of meth in Nevada. Mexican black tar heroin is the most prevalent form of heroin in my State, and Mexican-grown marijuana is readily available in Nevada. Because of the impact Mexican drugs are having on Nevada, I believe passage of the legislation we are considering today is important. While ultralights from Mexico don't have the range to make it into Nevada, all methods of smuggling across our southern borders impact the supply of illegal drugs throughout our Nation. The 2010 National Drug Threat Assessment released by the National Drug Intelligence Center identified ultralights as a new means drug cartels are using to smuggle drugs into the United States. Due to a loophole in current law, drug smugglers who use ultralights are subject to lesser penalties than they should be. The Ultralight Smuggling Prevention Act will provide law enforcement the tools they need to prosecute drug smugglers to the fullest extent of the law. The Ultralight Smuggling Prevention Act takes the commonsense step of including ultralights under the aviation smuggling provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930. This bill will simply establish the same penalties for smuggling drugs on ultralights as for smuggling on airplanes or automobiles. In closing, I would like to again recognize and thank Congresswoman Giffords for her leadership. I am also grateful to my colleagues on the House Ways and Means Committee for allowing this bipartisan legislation to come to the floor in this timely manner. I urge my colleagues to support passage of the Ultralight Smuggling Prevention Act. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.