Vicky Hartzler

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Keith Rothfus, who is new here but, boy, he hit the ground running. Appreciate your leadership, Keith. What would you like to share tonight?

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you very much, Keith. Good point there. Now I yield to a friend from Kentucky, Andy Barr.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. I thank you very much. You've really spoken to the heart of this whole issue. We want fair treatment for all. The President has given over 2,000 waivers from this law to special interests and to certain groups, given special treatment to Members of Congress and their staff and has said that businesses and large corporations don't have to comply for a year. But yet he has been unwilling to give a 1-year extension to the hardworking families in my district and your district and individuals who work so hard and the ones that we're hearing about, so that's not fair. So we hope--I hope--that the President and the Senate will listen to your words tonight and be willing to come forward and to sit down with us and find that common ground, and where we can delay this for a year and move forward as a country. Thank you for bringing up those great points. I am very happy tonight to yield to a friend of mine from Missouri, Representative Jason Smith. He is here and he's doing a fantastic job, and I'm very honored to serve with you. The people of the Eighth District of Missouri know that you're doing a fantastic job on their behalf. I would love to hear your thoughts at this historic time about the matters before us.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you, Doug. What great points. We have extended our hand to the Senate and to the President this entire time, and yet we have had the door slammed in our face. But you're right, he has negotiated with others. It's time for him to negotiate with us. Thank you for bringing up those excellent points. Now I yield to the chairman of the Financial Services Committee, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Jeb Hensarling).

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you. I now would like to yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma, Jim Bridenstine. I not only serve on the Armed Services Committee with him, but he has a very good perspective on all these issues.

Mrs. HARTZLER. I thank the gentleman. What a great point. It is unbelievable that the Commander in Chief of this country has sidelined his own men and women in uniform and the civilians that support and defend this country. Thank you for bringing that up. I agree with you, we have done everything we can. When this first happened, we signed a letter and sent it to the President. We said, We did not intend for you to be able to furlough these people. We want everyone back on the job. So far, we haven't heard a thing. As Representative Lankford said, they're still studying the issue. Well, I call on the Commander in Chief of this country to step forward and be a Commander in Chief and to put that order out to bring them back for the good of our country. And now I am pleased to yield to my friend from Minnesota, the wonderful lady, Michele Bachmann.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you, gentleman. I think that was very helpful to review all the steps of what we have done to keep this government open, and how each one of our attempts has been rebuffed and how the door has been slammed in our face time and time again. But we are still here. We are still working. We're not going to give up. We want to talk. We want to negotiate. And we're going to continue to put forth proposals to fund different aspects of government to make sure that people aren't harmed in this whole process. So thank you for coming today and sharing those thoughts. I would like to yield now to my good friend from Kansas (Mr. Huelskamp) just across the way here, a fellow farmer. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this very important time.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you, gentleman. I think that shows that the Senate has been, it seems like, on furlough. It's too bad they didn't have time to vote on the NIH funding bill that we sent over there that would ensure that money goes and continues for very vital research, such as cancer and Alzheimer's and diabetes and heart disease. We sent them that bill to make sure that research continues and it's fully funded, but it's just sitting over there. They haven't voted on it. We passed a bill dealing with veterans, to make sure the Veterans Administration, everything remains open. But they haven't voted on it; it's just sitting over there. We passed a bill to ensure the memorials stay open, to clarify and make sure the President isn't able to close them down and barricade them like he's doing now. But they're not voting on them. This has got to stop. It's time for us to get together and talk. I appreciate all of my colleagues who have come here tonight to share their thoughts at this very historic time in our country's history, first of all, to let people know why we are fighting. We're fighting for our families, and we're fighting for quality health care in this country, and we're fighting for fairness. We believe in fair treatment for everyone. It's not right that the President says this health care law isn't good enough for corporations, and I'm going to grant over 2,000 waivers for my special interest groups, but yet you, as an American family, hardworking family, you have to comply. And then I thank the gentleman for bringing up the point that, even as the law went into effect, it's unworkable; people can't even sign up. Do you know that the President has had over half of his deadlines he hasn't been able to meet in this law, he's had to extend them? So that's why we're fighting. Let's wait just at least a year and not force every person in this country to comply. I'm from Missouri and I know Harry Truman, and he said, ``The buck stops here.'' The buck should stop here with the Commander in Chief when it comes to him allowing the civilians in the military to be furloughed in this country. That has got to stop. I appreciate my colleagues who brought up this excellent, excellent point about what has happened and the travesty and the injustice and the danger that this Commander in Chief is putting our country in. It's wrong and it needs to stop. He also needs to open up the memorials. We all understand we have differences of opinion here. We all understand we have to talk about policy. But no President ever has closed open-air memorials in this town that are open 24/7, 365 days a year. But this President has chosen to barricade not only the World War II Memorial, but also the Martin Luther King Memorial and all the others here in Washington, D.C. We have learned today that they have even closed Normandy. Around the world they are closing the veterans cemeteries. This has got to stop. We can discuss the policy, but these tactics have got to change. We want everyone in America to know tonight that Republicans, we are here willing and ready to keep working and to talk. It is time for the President and Harry Reid to negotiate, to meet with us, and to discuss our differences and come to an agreement that will result in less government--it will keep our government open though--spend less money, and protect the American people from this onerous health care law. We can do it. The American people do it every day. We do it in our families. If we have a disagreement, we sit down and talk. My sister and I did it when we were little girls. My mom made us talk. It works. So let's sit down, let's talk, let's work this out. Let's get our government back open, let's get all the military reinstated, let's reopen the memorials here around this country, and let's put the American people first. We can do it. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Madam Speaker, today is a historic day. It is the fourth day of the Democrats' government shutdown. There is a profound difference of opinion on not just ObamaCare but on the size and role of government in our lives. The future course of our country and what we look like hangs in the balance. Will we continue down the path of a bigger government that takes more of our hard- earned money, inflicts a substandard health care system on us, and tramples our rights? Or will we be a Nation of the people, by the people, and for the people that protects our rights, ensures our liberties, and allows us to keep our hard-earned money? These are big decisions. And America is watching how we, as leaders, solve these problems and come to a resolution. As Republicans, we have been here and have put forth proposal after proposal to fund the government and keep it open and protect the American people from this onerous health care law. We have sent over to the Senate numerous proposals to keep the government open while ensuring no one gets special treatment under ObamaCare. Unfortunately, Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats rebuffed every attempt to negotiate and slammed the door to talking. They went home last weekend. We stayed here and worked. They tabled each of our proposals. We appointed conferees. Harry Reid refused to appoint conferees. He has slammed the door to reopening government by refusing to talk. President Obama called Speaker Boehner to the White House yesterday. We were encouraged. Sadly, the message was, I've called you here to tell you I'm not going to talk. I'm not going to talk. I'm not going to talk. Good-bye. You can't negotiate if you won't talk. My mother is a pretty special lady and a pretty wise woman. When I was a little girl, she knew how to get my sister and I talking again when we were mad after a fight. She'd make us sit in a room together for half an hour. We hated it. It was uncomfortable at first. We didn't want to make eye contact or communicate. But by the end of 30 minutes, we were always talking again, and we were ready to set aside our differences and move forward. That's what needs to happen here. I have got a poster here, Let's talk. That's what we need to do. But instead, the President has resorted to tactics and over-the-top political stunts that are not only harmful to moving the discussion forward but are harmful to American citizens. He furloughed defense civilians and Reserve personnel. This is in spite of the legislation we passed and he signed to prevent that. The Pay Our Military Act appropriates funds to our military and allows all defense workers to remain on the job, but the President has decided to furlough workers anyway. As a result, over 150,000 Army civilians and 75,000 Navy civilians were sent home. Reports are coming in that long overdue maintenance at shipyards is being delayed and not completed. Our national defense is jeopardized because our Commander in Chief has sidelined our military. But that's not all. The President has chosen to try to inflict as much public pain as possible to get his way. For the first time in history, he has closed the U.S. memorials in Washington, D.C., and around the world. Despite many of these memorials being open air venues with 24/7 access 365 days out of the year, he has spent precious tax dollars renting barricades to close them. Earlier this week, President Obama ordered the National Park Service to close the World War II Memorial despite the fact that numerous World War II veterans had been planning for months to travel to D.C. to visit the iconic memorial as part of the Honor Flight program. Here's a picture of what they were greeted with: instead of being greeted like heroes, these veterans came to D.C. to see metal barriers surrounding the monument in the middle of the Mall erected to honor their service and their sacrifice. There was no need to ever close the World War II Memorial other than to make a political point, as keeping these monuments open would not cost a thing and were funded primarily through private donations by those wishing to honor these veterans. When I went down Wednesday morning to help remove the barriers for veterans from Missouri so they could see their memorial, I was ashamed of the President's action and continuous lack of respect for the men and women who fought and died for our country. The unprecedented action of closing monuments has never been authorized during any previous government shutdown by any other President, including President Clinton, and underscores this President's desire to purposely do everything in his power to make Americans suffer from his political games. The President has since seen the public outcry and opened the World War II Memorial but only to veterans. Unfortunately, it remains barricaded to the general public and all other war memorials. President Obama has also barricaded other venues in D.C., such as the FDR Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the new Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial. Here they are in this poster doing that. He, himself, dedicated this memorial in 2011. And during his dedication speech, he referenced many important milestones in the life of Dr. King and made reference to the fact that this monument was meant for all who seek freedom and testament to the numerous--and here are the President's words--``the numerous barricades that have fallen since Dr. King started his fateful journey to push for social justice.'' However, the President has chosen to needlessly punish Americans who travel to D.C. to pay homage to the monument and has literally erected barriers to keep out those visitors. In that same 2011 speech, the President points out that if Dr. King were alive today, ``He would want us to know that we can argue fiercely about the proper size and role of government without questioning each other's love for this country--with the knowledge that in this democracy, government is no distant object but is rather an expression of our common commitments to one another. He would call on us to assume the best in each other, rather than the worst, and challenge one another in ways that ultimately heal, rather than wound.'' I sincerely wish the President would heed Dr. King's wise words and sit down with us so we can work out our differences instead of needlessly punishing Americans for his inability to find common ground and civilly pass legislation. Let's talk. Now I want to give my colleagues an opportunity to share their thoughts about this important time in history. So I yield to my good friend from Tennessee, Diane Black.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you, Diane, for those great words. Now I yield to the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Ron DeSantis, who knows a little bit about serving his country in multiple ways, including being a part of the Navy.

Mrs. HARTZLER. I thank the gentleman. I think that is very true. It shows that we are here fighting for a bunch of people in this country whom it's hurting. And that's why we need to repeal it or amend it or do something to stop this onerous law that's hurting people. So thanks for bringing that up. Now I yield to my good friend from Colorado, Doug Lamborn.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you, so much. What wise words about what this fight is about for the future generations of our country and how we are fighting for a better health care system and a government that lives within its means. It's time to do that, and it's time to negotiate for the President and the Senate to come and talk to us. So let's talk. I am glad to have a friend of mine, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup). We have the honor of serving together on the Armed Services Committee, and I really respect him and his views not only as a patriot and a member of the Armed Services Committee, but also as a doctor. I yield to the gentleman.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you very much for those excellent comments. This is about fairness. Fair treatment for all. That's all we're asking. That's something that Americans everywhere can agree on. So as the Senate and as the President hear these words, I hope they will come and let's talk and let's move forward with this. Now I'm happy to yield time to my friend from south of Missouri, in Oklahoma, a fantastic representative and leader here, James Lankford.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. I rise today to speak against the discriminatory practice of the Southern Poverty Law Center through the use of so- called ``hatemapping'' and its proliferation of intolerance. While the group claims to be dedicated to fighting hatred and bigotry, the Southern Poverty Law Center has, instead, placed itself at the forefront of Christian persecution and religious intolerance. Because of its misplaced hatemapping, on August 15 of last year, Floyd Lee Corkins entered the Family Research Council and shot and badly wounded Building Manager Leo Johnson, who stopped Corkins' intended killing spree. The SPLC's radical intolerance of traditional values is not only hyperpolarizing, but spurred on this violence. Spreading discrimination against those who believe in traditional Christian values is not, in fact, fighting hatred; rather, it is espousing further bigotry. Our country was founded on the principles of religious freedom. When the SPLC demonizes any group or person who remains steadfast in their religious convictions, it only increases the amount of intolerance in our society. So I ask my fellow Members to join me in fighting against religious intolerance in the world today by calling for an end to religious intolerance against all groups, including those with Christian beliefs.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, September 10, 2013, I was unable to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: on rollcall No. 452, ``yea.''

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, Washington bureaucrats are up to their old tricks again. They're interfering with how we run our businesses, dictating the type of health insurance we have to purchase, and stonewalling tax-exempt status based on political speech. Now they're going so far as to tell magicians how to do their magic shows. Let me introduce you to Marty Hahne. He's an area magician from Missouri who's been doing magic shows for children in southern Missouri for over 27 years. This summer, he received a chilling letter from the Federal Government requiring him to have a license. Not for himself, but for his rabbit. The Agriculture Department is interpreting a decades-old law on animal exhibitions to now include pet bunnies used in magic shows. In order to continue conveying to children that reading is magic, he has to not only obtain a license, but also write a mandated disaster plan for his rabbit, including provisions for fire, floods, tornados, ice storms, and power failures. This is just another example of government overreach and loss of freedoms in our country. It is time for this to stop. It is time for common sense to prevail. It's time for Big Government to leave us alone. With the track record of this current administration, that really would be like pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Bill and Verda Day of Harrisonville, Missouri who are celebrating their 70th Wedding Anniversary. Bill and Verda are a tower of strength, support, understanding and love for their family--children Russ (Ann), Dave (Karen), Steve (Vicki), and Al (Dixie); nine grandchildren (one deceased); and 17 great-grandchildren. Bill and Verda met while students at University of Missouri, and have always lived with great dignity and genuine grace, always demonstrating a deep and continuing concern for human values and ideals, and inspiring others to do the same. Verda was the Harrisonville City Clerk for 24 years, from 1963 to 1987. Bill taught high school vocational agriculture for 23 years and was a Farm Bureau Insurance agent in Harrisonville for 20 years. They have been wonderful leaders in the community and have made a tangible impact on Harrisonville through their involvement in church and civic organizations. This meaningful occasion is the result of the love and hard work that this couple has invested in their marriage. Bill and Verda have touched the lives of their family and many friends through the shining example of their marriage, which is a testament to the devotion and admiration that they possess for one another. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating Bill and Verda Day in the celebration of their 70th Wedding Anniversary, and extend to them best wishes for their future happiness.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, this White House needs to learn a thing or two about fairness. Why do they feel the need to delay the implementation of ObamaCare for businesses but not for individuals? If businesses get a break, why should hardworking Americans be left on the hook? This law is unfair for everyone. It's unfair to those who are going to have to pay more out of their pockets when their insurance premiums shoot up. It's unfair to workers who are going to see their hours cut because of the insurance costs. It's unfair to everyone who is going to have all of his or her personal medical information placed in the hands of a government bureaucrat. It's unfair to every American across this country. House Republicans believe that if you're going to give a break to Big Business you need to do the same for individuals and families. It's only fair.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, July 11, 2013, I was unable to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On rollcall No. 348, ``nay.''

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 27, 2013, I was unable to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: on rollcall No. 296, ``yea, on rollcall No. 297, yea, on rollcall No. 298, yea.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, Father's Day was this past Sunday, and I am very thankful that I had an opportunity to spend some time with my father, with my sister and her family. Everybody was there. I had an opportunity to thank him for the role that he has meant and continues to mean in our lives, and to thank him for that. It was also an opportunity for my daughter and I to do something special for my husband. But, you know, Father's Day also presents us with the great opportunity to focus on the importance of fathers in this country. The presence of a father has such a tremendous impact on the life of each and every child and adult in America. A father serves to provide a sense of protection, guidance, and above all, love for their child. Fathers also push their children to pursue their dreams and to never give up. I think of my own father, Ted Zellmer, and the profound influence that he has had on my life. Not only has he taught me the meaning of hard work and dedication, but he has supported me throughout my entire life to where I am today, representing the good people of Missouri. That's what good fathers do and why they are so important. We learn a lot from fathers--whether it's how to drive a tractor and shoot a free throw, like my dad showed me, or how to fix an engine or play baseball. Dads teach us. They also show us how to live by example. Children learn the importance of work and dedication to providing for the family when they see their dad leave for his job each day. They learn the importance of faith when he takes his family to church on Sunday. And they learn the value of family when he prioritizes his time to eat dinner with them each night, or to coach their Little League team. We need good fathers now more than ever. Their importance is paramount to another discussion taking place in our Nation, and that is the value of marriage in America. Along with Father's Day, June will also bring an important announcement: the Supreme Court's much- anticipated rulings on both the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and Proposition 8. These cases have put the national spotlight on this issue in a new way, and provide an opportunity for Americans to discuss the question: What is marriage? It's not complicated. Marriage exists to bring a man and woman together as husband and wife, to become the father and mother for any children that come from that union. Marriage is based on the biological fact that reproduction depends on a man and a woman and the reality that children need a mother and a father. Redefining marriage would further distance marriage from the needs of children. It would deny as a matter of policy the ideal that a child needs a mom and a dad. We know that children do best when raised by a mother and a father. President Obama is also a strong advocate for the importance of a strong male figure in a child's life. With firsthand experience of growing up without a father, the President works every day to be a great dad for his two daughters. The Obama administration has created many new programs under his Fatherhood Initiative Program, including under Fatherhood Buzz and Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Initiative. During his speech, President Obama said: Too many fathers are missing from too many lives and too many homes, having abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And then he goes on. The President says: We know the statistics--that children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and to commit crime, nine times more likely to drop out of schools, and 20 times more likely to end up in prison. They are more likely to have behavioral problems or to run away from home or become teenage parents themselves, and the foundations of our community are weaker because of it. Clearly, we all agree on the critical role fathers play in the lives of their children, which is why we should continue to affirm marriage as the union of a man and a woman in the interest of children. Every child deserves a mom and a dad. You cannot say that fathers are essential while also making them optional. That's why we're here tonight, to make a case for fathers. Too many times in society, they are viewed as optional. Hollywood shows often depict them as buffoons. We know different, and are here to set the record straight. It's time to honor the fathers of America for the vital role they play in not only our families, but also the stability and the well-being of our Nation. It's time to show the respect that is due them, encourage men to be better fathers for their children, and champion the vital role they play in marriage. I'm joined tonight by several of my colleagues, and I appreciate them taking the time to visit about this very, very important topic. I have my good friend from Kansas, Tim Huelskamp here, and he certainly is a person who knows a lot about being a good father because he certainly is one, and I yield to Tim Huelskamp.

Mrs. HARTZLER. I thank the gentleman. That was very, very well said, and I appreciate your encouraging the men to be leaders of their households and to make a difference for their children--the next generation. I appreciate all of my colleagues who have come tonight so that we could talk about the importance of the fathers and how important it is to have marriage strong in our country. Every child deserves a mom and a dad. You cannot say that fathers are essential while also making them optional. The presence of a father has such a tremendous impact on the lives of each and every child and on every adult in America. Fathers not only represent the success of our children but also the success of our Nation. As we get closer to the Supreme Court's ruling concerning the Defense of Marriage Act, it is crucial that we weigh the entirety of the impact such a decision will have on families. My colleague from Oklahoma earlier cited the President in this quote when he stressed the importance of fathers. I think it's very, very good, and I want to repeat it. President Obama said: As fathers, we need to be involved in our children's lives not just when it's convenient or easy and not just when they're doing well--but when it's difficult and thankless, and they're struggling. That is when they need us most. Every single child in this country deserves the opportunity to have a mother and a father. That is why we must uphold marriage. Not only must we represent the future of our children but also the future of our Nation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you so much, Representative Franks. I couldn't say it any better I think. Thank you. The heritage that he has given his children and that his father gave him and his grandfather gave him, that's what it's about is being able to pass on that heritage to your children. That's why we have a policy in our country that encourages fathers to be there for their children, so that every child has a chance to have a mother and a father. I am glad to be joined today by a gentleman from California, Doug LaMalfa. Thank you for coming tonight. I look forward to hearing what you have to share on this very important topic. Mr. LaMALFA Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mrs. Hartzler, for holding this time here tonight for us. Let's talk about the importance of fatherhood and what all that means. I really appreciate the words of my colleague from Arizona who just spoke and his eloquent way of doing that. We are in a nation here that really cries out for the type of values that are represented by what is called the nuclear family--kids these days, with so many temptations and so many things out there that will pull them in all different directions. They need a mom and they need a dad. We know statistically, just talking numbers, that the chances of success for children to grow up and be successful in their own lives, not in poverty, not in abusive situations, the percentages are so much higher when there's a loving mom and a dad in their lives. We have very important tasks, very important jobs here in this place. Mr. Speaker, when we make policy here, we always need to make it in such a way that supports the family, that strengthens the family and doesn't weaken it or in some fashion even use the State, use the government, as usurping the role of the parent or of a dad like we've seen so much with maybe the start of the great society--well- intentioned things that have gone on to, in many ways, replace the father in people's lives. There needs to be that accountability to come back and bring that unit together. Thinking of my own dad--we lost him almost 5 years ago now--he was always a strong and pretty quiet leader, but he could just give you ``the look'' pretty much and set you back on track. He had to spend a lot of hours out on the farm. We didn't always get to see him all the time when it was busy in the springtime with planting or with harvest, but we always knew, my sisters and I, that he was there for us. He didn't get to every ball game, but we always knew. We never had to question his dedication and commitment to us and to our mother, because moms are in it, too. We know that certainly because, typically, mostly the caregiver for kids a lot of times, she needs that support, too, that comes from that committed family unit. So we have to make policy, we have to make things that support that in this place. I'm so disappointed with the direction our country has gone the last 40 to 50 years that has broken that apart. I have an obligation to my wife and my four kids. One of the most difficult things in contemplating what goes on with this role of service that I've been blessed with by the voters in my district is the time away from home. Being from the west coast, it's a heck of a commitment. With a 5-hour plane ride each way and all that, you don't just get to pop in like when I was in the State legislature in Sacramento and you get home most nights. That's the kind of thing that keeps me worrying sometimes, worrying a little bit: Am I doing right by my kids? We do this here--I think anyone that runs for office--ostensibly with the idea that we're trying to help the next generation and preserve the country and preserve our freedoms. But there's a sacrifice in this job. It kind of all comes back to perspective. Father's Day, the other day, I got to spend home with the family. All my kids either got me a little something or made a little card. Very, very touching things said in those cards reminded me that, yeah, we are here trying to do something for them, preserve their rights, their opportunities, their liberties, and that they understand, even though I don't always get to be home, that it is for them. So that makes me feel good about doing this--about taking on the huge issues here, the long hours, the sometimes fruitless battles, and people looking at us from the outside with our, maybe, 10 percent approval rating, wondering, What the heck are you doing back there in Washington, D.C.? We all know we're here for a good reason. We have an obligation as dads to be there for our wives and for our kids, which is nothing new, but it's the dedication. They need to know that we're there for them, that we're fighting for something, whether it's our more day-to-day jobs--if you're a butcher or a baker or a candlestick maker--or if you're back here getting to be part of the U.S. Congress. The importance of a dad to a son can't be overstated. You need a man in the life to guide your son to the right path, to be that strong voice, to keep your son in the position, first of all, of respecting his mother, of respecting his sisters, of respecting women--of what that role is supposed to be. They need that, and a lot of them have lost out on that. It's sad. We see the tragedy. Some of these kids are walking the streets, and they grow up to be in gangs and so much because they didn't have that. A dad has a very strong role with his daughters--to ensure that they know they have value, that they aren't something to be out there to be traded, as so often happens when they don't have that fatherly voice saying, You have value, and you have self-respect--that is so key to you. It keeps so many times young girls out of trouble and on that good path. You can't overstate that role of a father on both sons and daughters and, of course, that very strong support that's needed for your wife, who has to watch the home fires when we're off doing things like this. She needs that. So what I'm saying to the men who are already fathers or who are would-be fathers is, you've got a very important task, extremely, the most important task--to be that leader of your household. You need to stick with them through thick and thin. And men, be men. Don't be something else. Grow up. You need to cast off childish things when you've made that commitment to a woman and to fatherhood, because they're watching you. Your neighborhood is watching you. It's the most important thing you'll ever do. So, Mr. Speaker, I conclude tonight with the thought that, for there to be one Nation under God, men have a very key role in that. That's being that father, and that's holding the family together. No matter what might come and affect it, no matter what legislation or court decision might try to affect or break that family union or make confusing decisions for our children, we have that role, and we can be that guide for their whole lives. It is rewarding for all of us. With that, I appreciate the time, and I appreciate the gentlelady from Missouri (Mrs. Hartzler) for leading this discussion here tonight.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you so much, Jim. I really enjoyed hearing the stories about your father and the role that he played. You know, I think every child in that derby was a winner who had a father who helped make their little pine box with them. It really is important and makes a huge difference. So thanks for sharing that. Now I'd like to yield my time to Congressman Trent Franks from Arizona, who is certainly a champion for so many of these issues that are so important to us today, and to fathers and families.