Vicky Hartzler

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. It's time for our Nation to get our priorities right; and according to the Constitution, there are only a few things that we should be doing here in Congress. One of them is to provide for the common defense; but, sadly, this substitute bill guts our national defense and leaves us very vulnerable as a Nation. Let's review where we've been. A couple of years ago, Defense made some efficiencies under Secretary Gates and cut $78 billion. Then with the Budget Control Act, immediately, $487 billion more was cut from the national defense. Then sequestration has kicked in, which is another $500 billion from national defense, and this proposed budget here goes even beyond that. Our Republican budget replaces cuts from the sequester back into the national defense and keeps it a priority. It makes sure our men and women in uniform have what they need, but this budget cuts an additional $658 billion from the Pentagon. Even Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta earlier said that, with sequestration, it would hollow out our forces. So, certainly, this would do even more. With sequestration, if we don't replace it, which this budget does not, we're going to see 100,000 fewer soldiers and marines; the Navy will likely have to mothball 60 ships, including two carrier battle groups while a quarter of our bombers would be jeopardized; we would also see the elimination of 250 fighter aircraft and higher fees for military health care. Now, that's not providing for the common defense. In addition, if sequestration is not overturned, for which our budget allows, then we could see up to 2.1 million jobs cut. They're calling this budget a Back to Work budget, but when our men and women in uniform come back from Afghanistan, instead of being met with ticker tape parades, they're going to be met with pink slips. It's wrong, and we can do better. There are serious ramifications. Our budget replaces those cuts, and it's needed. There are threats in the world, and this is no time for us to be cutting our defense. We have Iran threatening not only our neighbors, but us; and it is getting closer to having a nuclear capability. We have even this week North Korea shooting off a missile and putting out YouTube videos of that missile coming here and hitting not only cities of the United States, but even the U.S. Capitol. In addition to that, there are radical Islamists around the world who still want to harm us. Now is not the time to cut our national defense. We need to keep our priorities right. We need to provide for the common defense. We need to pass the Republican House budget and reject this substitute that will hollow out our forces and endanger our families.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. But one of the best parts is it gets our priorities right, and it provides for the common defense. There are only a few things that we should be doing here, and it provides that. It replaces and repeals the President's sequester and makes sure that our men and women in uniform have what they need. So I encourage my colleagues to support this bill that gets our economy growing, has our priorities right, protects and preserves those programs for our seniors, and provides for the common defense.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Chairman, thank you for your efforts to lead us to a Path to Prosperity. When I'm home in Missouri in the Fourth District, I hear people say things like: I have to balance my budget, how come Washington doesn't? And: It's time for our government to live within its means. And they might say: At home, we're having to tighten our belts; Washington should, too. Well, I have good news: I agree, and this budget reflects those concerns and those priorities. As a member of the Budget Committee, I'm proud to support a responsible budget that promotes economic growth while reducing wasteful spending. Currently, the Federal Government borrows 36 cents out of every dollar that it spends, and that puts us at an astonishing $16 trillion in debt. This creates anxiety and uncertainty at a time when unemployment is at 8 percent and a lot of families are hurting. We must end the government's reckless borrow, tax, and spend policies. Our budget balances in 10 years, and we do it without ever increasing taxes. Senate Democrats released a budget that actually increases taxes by $1 trillion, and never, ever balances. This is worst than the status quo. Washington must stop spending money it doesn't have. We must target the real problem this country faces, and that's uncontrollable spending. Instead of continuously taxing hardworking Americans more, we must pursue meaningful reforms and pro-growth initiatives. Our budget does that. The keys to this budget are growth initiatives to create jobs and proactive steps to preserve and protect Medicare and Medicaid for the future. Colleagues across the aisle like to claim that this is a voucher system, which is false. The Path to Prosperity reforms Medicare for future beneficiaries by offering them the same kind of health care as current Federal workers and Members of Congress. Future seniors are provided guaranteed issue health coverage where no one will be denied coverage based on health status or preexisting conditions. They will be able to choose from a wide range of options, one of which will include traditional Medicare, if they choose to do that. The government will pay all or part of their premium. Our updated Medicare plan would also give substantial help to the poor, who would qualify for greater premium relief than the wealthy. This will save the program from bankruptcy while fulfilling our commitment to health care security for seniors. The Democrat plan is to kick the can down the road and jeopardize this important program for our seniors. Our plan is right for senior citizens, and it's right for our future. Additionally, we take steps to preserve Medicaid, and we send it back to the States in the form of a block grant to allow local and State control over this very important program to provide flexibility to help low-income individuals, rather than forcing States to fit into one- size-fits-all programs. It's important that we get people back to work, and our budget does that as well by consolidating and enhancing job- training programs and endorsing pro-growth tax reform.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you. I applaud my colleague from New Jersey, and I thank him for his leadership on this very important issue. Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, two rulings which impose legalized abortion in this country. I was in junior high at the time this ruling came down, and I really didn't understand the implications. It was only later when I took a child development class and they showed pictures of the different stages of the baby's development that I came to realize this wasn't just talk about a blot of tissue. This procedure ended a beating heart and denied life into this world. I became pro-life then and continue to be pro-life now. This Friday, hundreds of thousands of Americans will come to Washington to recognize this anniversary. And it's not an anniversary observed with celebration, but one marked by somber reflection. We mourn the loss of 55 million aborted boys and girls, innocent children who were never given the right to live, attend school, go to birthday parties, participate on little league teams, or become siblings and peers. We mourn for families who do not know their lost children but wish they did. We mourn the devastating impact abortion has on our culture and our consciences. This anniversary also represents an occasion to renew our commitment to defending the most fundamental human right: the right to life. We know that more Americans now describe themselves as pro-life--50 percent--than those that consider themselves pro-choice--41 percent-- and we know that younger Americans have begun to understand that the protection of their rights cannot be built upon the destruction of an innocent human being's right to life. Still, we have work to do. The Federal Government continues to subsidize family planning clinics that provide abortions. In 2011, the Nation's largest provider, Planned Parenthood, performed a record number of abortions, over 330,000 abortions. Most of us in Congress represent approximately 750,000 people. If you think about it, that's almost half of a congressional district that was wiped out in 2011 at the hands of Planned Parenthood clinics alone. Planned Parenthood ended the beating hearts of these innocent victims while deluding vulnerable women that their choice wouldn't have any harmful consequences, and they did so with taxpayer funding, over $500 million in 2011. This must stop. Abortion does have consequences. It destroys babies. It harms women physically and emotionally, and it harms men, too. This past weekend, I had the opportunity to hear a man speak, who shared the heartbreak and the shame that he has suffered for over 20 years at the loss of four children that he was responsible for their abortions. It impacted his marriage, his mental and physical health, his parenting, and how he was able to do his job. Abortion has consequences. It deadens our consciences and it perpetrates the lie that killing the unborn is morally acceptable. This week, I stand with hundreds of thousands here in Washington who know better, who understand the truth, that abortion harms us and is killing off future generations. We observe the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade with the renewed hope that more Americans will see this truth and honor life.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report for H.R. 4310, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013. I want to thank Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith and all the colleagues of the conference committee for working together in a bipartisan fashion to bring this important bill to the floor for the 51st consecutive year. The legislation we have brought here to the floor supports America's defense capabilities to better protect our homeland and support our troops. It is a good bill that will provide them with the tools and funding they need as they protect our freedoms and our liberties. There is no higher priority than advocating on their behalf, and they deserve nothing less than our best. There's good news for our military personnel. The bill authorizes a troop pay increase of 1.7 percent and extended bonuses and special pay for our men and women in uniform. Personally, I'm proud to see important military construction projects funded at Fort Leonard Wood. In addition, the bill continues support for the family of long-range strike bomber programs, including the B-2, whose home is Whiteman Air Force Base. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to vote for this legislation and continue to pray for our troops and thank them for their service and their sacrifice.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, December 17, 2012, I was unable to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On rollcall No. 627, ``yea.'' On rollcall No. 628, ``yea.''

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you. I sure appreciate your leadership on this issue and drawing attention to the very real crisis that we have in this country and the very real opportunity we have. You know, the real issue that is before us today is that it's time for Washington to stop spending money it doesn't have and the fact that Washington has a spending problem, not a taxing problem. The President's proposal is a nonstarter, and it's a red herring. It might sound good to some, but it doesn't solve the problem, and we are problem solvers and that's what we're here to do. Even if we gave the President what he wants and raised taxes on family business owners in America, it would only generate enough revenue to fund the government for 8 days. It would not make a dent in our yearly deficit or reduce our national debt. Only by creating jobs and reducing spending will we balance our budget, and the American people understand that. I would love to share with you a few comments that I received. I don't know about you and your office, but I've received hundreds of emails and phone calls from people at home who want to weigh in on this very important issue, and I love their commonsense advice. You know, the best knowledge and expertise on these issues is from the people. It's not from the bureaucrats here in Washington, D.C. Here's just a few of the comments that I've received this week from people back home. Mike in Sedalia says: The issue is not the raising of taxes, but good solid budget cuts. Curtis from Lebanon said: There are still a bunch of us out here that do not want a spend and tax government. New taxes mean new spending. And I thought that was a great comment, especially with the President's proposal that he brought forth the other day when he wanted more stimulus spending. So the cuts that he was proposing, just like Curtis said, were just going to be immediately funneled over to new wasteful stimulus spending. They would have nothing to do with reducing the debt or the deficit. I thought Curtis was right on. We have Lawrence from Pleasant Hill. He said: Good morning Representative Hartzler. I know we are being told we are at the edge of a fiscal cliff. We did not arrive there by not paying enough taxes. The Federal Government spends insane amounts of money, and even by reducing us all to serfs, the taxes will not cover the spending. Well said. Here's Jerri from Lamar. She said: Please stop spending our money. Walk away from the table if they are not willing to stop wasting our hard-earned money. Reform the entitlements and lower the taxes. Nothing else, in my opinion, is acceptable. Do not go back to the Clinton era. That administration led us into a recession. And do not raise the inheritance tax. And then listen to this. She said: I am from a family of farmers. That will kill our family and many others and make it impossible to keep farms that have been in our family for generations. That is the most unfair tax there is. This country will not survive more blows to small business and the middle class. Stop the insanity and stop it soon. And finally, from Patricia in Jefferson City, she said: I want to voice my opinion on what has happened in Washington right now. Politicians have put us in this mess with excessive spending. I want to see huge spending cuts out of the Federal spending before I see any taxes. Now, that's common sense. That's the voice of the American people. You know, Missouri is the Show Me State, and I believe it's time for Washington to show the hardworking taxpayers of my State and every State that they understand it's time for Washington to do what we do at home, and that's live within our means by cutting spending, tightening our belts, and not raising taxes on any American. Washington would be better off focusing on job creation to raise revenue rather than taking more money from its citizens. So that's the common sense from Missouri I wanted to share tonight, gentlelady, and I sure appreciate your leadership on this issue.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, as a lifelong farmer, I rise today in support of H.R. 4157, Preserving America's Family Farms Act. This bill prohibits the Secretary of Labor from finalizing or enforcing a proposed rule that will fundamentally alter the way family farms have operated for decades, and is another example of Washington bureaucrats trying to tell farmers and ranchers how to operate their operations. If these rules are finalized in their current form, children in rural America will not have the opportunity to learn the important life skills and values that working on the farm provides. As I talk with farm families in Missouri's Fourth District, they are frustrated by this rule. Their message is clear, plain and simple: Big Government should not tell hardworking Americans how to raise their children and care for their land. I believe the government should ensure our basic liberties, not trample on them. Parents care more for their children than government bureaucrats and should make the ultimate decisions on the activities of their children, not Washington, D.C. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 500, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Stated against:

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 28, 2012, I was unable to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: on rollcall No. 442, ``yea.''

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, June 18, 2012, I was unable to vote due to a conflicting obligation in my district. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: on rollcall No. 379, ``yea''; on rollcall No. 380, ``yea.''

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the employees of Monsanto who have played a major role in great agricultural advancements, and have positively impacted the lives of Americans and people around the world. I rise today to congratulate the employees of Monsanto who have gone above and beyond their normal duties and have been honored by the company's most prestigious award--the Sustainable Yield Pledge Award. These outstanding workers stand out in the overall mission of the company. Monsanto has risen to the challenge of providing sustenance for an ever-increasing world population and has become a world-leader in advancing sustainable global agriculture. They have a vision to work with farmers to produce more, conserve more and improve lives on a global scale. This is all made possible by researching and advancing biotechnology to help corn, cotton, soybean and other specialty crop famers overcome challenges and hardship. Monsanto is going the extra mile to produce enough food, fuel and fiber for a booming world population, which is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050. The 61 Monsanto employees are prime examples of individuals who combined the vision and values of their company. These award winners display the integrity, dialogue, transparency, sharing, benefits, and respect--all values promoted by Monsanto--and have paid it forward by acting as owners and creating a high-quality work environment. Through their efforts, lives have been improved in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, India and Africa. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to have the opportunity to congratulate the following employees receiving a 2012 Monsanto Sustainable Yield Pledge Award for their positive impacts in science, agriculture and their communities. Zellipah N. Githui, Nikki F. Davis, Elizabeth A. Vancil, Jeff Woessner, Agnes Adel Bolwell, Anne W. Troupis, Ken Rinkenberger, Jose M. Madero, Jose Jaime Mijares, Nery N. Echeverria, Jorge Christlieb, Gerardo F. Vaqueiro, Angela Maria Bastidas, Enrique Wehlen, Manuel J. Bravo, Andres Felix, Manuel Oyervides, Aurelia Skipwith, Kinyua Mbijjewe, Natalie DiNicola, Glynn Young, Kathleen Manning, Kate Humphrey, Darren Wallis, Raegan Johnson, Mark I. Sutherland, Lisa Bannon-Bergmann, Chris Paton, Juan Ferreira, Kobus Lindeque, Deborah Patterson, B. Yogesh, Hitendra Singh Rana, Shrikant Mallinath Patil, Sandeep Bansal, Datta Ithape, Nilesh Bobade, Rahul Haribhau Kapse, Shrijan Gupta, Nick Lammers, Steve Pike, Wendy Martin, Ron Gardner, Tom Good, Krystal Einspahr, Tanner Oliphant, Julie Edmonds, Steve Schaefer, Greg Erler, Marcia Rhodus, Patrick Siler, Jenny Backhaus, Jennifer Tarr, Debra Vohs, Theresa Fitzsimmons, Scott Middelkamp, Andrew Jeremiah, Jason Huelsing, Jeff Hughes, Greg High, and Oseyi Ikuenobe. Accordingly, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing these exceptional Monsanto employees for their extraordinary work and thank them for the impact they have had, and will continue to have, worldwide.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. I think this amendment is very curious when the Secretary of Defense came out with a new defense strategy last year, and they came out and said that the long-range strike fighter is one of their top priorities. And yet a Member of their own party is trying to do away with that. As you know, gentlemen, over 50 percent of the cuts so far have come from our national defense. And there's only a few things we're supposed to be doing here in Congress, and one of them is provide for the common defense. I have the honor of representing the B 2 bombers at Whiteman Air Force Base, and I couldn't be prouder of the good work that they are doing. But we have 19, right now, aircraft. If we approve this amendment, it would be over 50 years old by the time that we would be moving forward with looking at the future, and we'd have the B 2s at 75 years old. I would use his analogy and say a family would not wait until the car is 50 years old, broken down in the garage and won't start before they go consider advancing and getting a new car. We need to be proactive. We need to make sure that our defense industry remains strong. We need to be proactive. We need to oppose this amendment and continue to support our long-range strike fighters.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Madam Speaker, H.R. 4970 reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act for another 5 years, providing important funding for fighting domestic violence and abuse. When Congress reauthorizes any bill, we must make sure that the bill directs resources towards those it is intended to help and makes the best possible use of taxpayer money. That's what we've done in H.R. 4970 by strengthening accountability and transparency in grant administration to ensure that these dollars go to help the victims, not entrenched government bureaucrats. I've been a long supporter of the domestic violence shelter in my own hometown. Hope Haven plays an essential role in aiding victims and providing tools for recovery. I've seen the vital work that they do and know that dozens of other organizations like it will benefit from the bill's passage. This is a bipartisan bill. It's a reauthorization of long-standing provisions that aid women, and I'm hopeful that my colleagues will join me in supporting its worthwhile efforts.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for bringing this forth and for the bipartisan support for this bill. I'm pleased to bring the Small Business Credit Availability Act forward today in order to help small businesses, American manufacturers, farmers, and consumers to access the credit they need in order to grow our economy. Madam Speaker, we need jobs in our country. We need manufacturing to stay strong in America, and we need small businesses to be able to grow. They can't do that if Washington stands in their way. The Small Business Credit Availability Act removes the onerous barriers to credit imposed by the 2009 Dodd-Frank bill governing a bank's ability to offer low-rate fixed loans to small businesses and manufacturers. This bill also removes the barriers to low-rate fixed loans for credit unions, farm credit banks, rural electric cooperative infrastructure lenders, and finance companies who offer credit to their customers. Without this bill, the Farm Credit Council alone expects that substantial new costs between $6 million and $27.2 million a year will be added to their cost of doing business, all for new processes and red tape that are not needed. It is important that local businesses, local manufacturers, and local farmers be able to access low-rate interest loans from local financial entities. This bill keeps the business in the local communities, where it belongs, by reducing the costly new regulations imposed by the 2009 bill. In addition, it clarifies a provision of Dodd-Frank to ensure that manufacturers will be able to continue to provide credit to customers who buy their products. We need to do everything we can to keep manufacturing here in America, and H.R. 3336 helps do that. Lastly, our bill clarifies that State utilities are unduly burdened by Dodd-Frank when complying with State law as they enter into contracts. It's time for Washington to cut the unnecessary red tape that hampers job creation. By passing the Small Business Credit Availability Act, Congress will remove the barriers and clear the way for local entities to do business at home and create jobs while doing it. I urge all my colleagues to support this vital bill.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, last week marked the 2-year anniversary of the President's health care law's going into effect, and as a former teacher, I think it's important that we look at and see how it makes the grade. I believe that if you compare it to the matrix of its failed promises that it deserves an ``F.'' They said that it would create jobs. It didn't. In fact, CBO says 800,000 people will lose their jobs because of it. They said it would lower costs. It hasn't. Premiums have increased by over $2,000 per individual. They said that Americans would be able to keep their own plan and their own doctor. The administration's own estimates say that over 20 million Americans could lose employer-sponsored health care as a result of it. Is it constitutional? I believe it's not. It's time to have grade A health insurance here in America, one that increases accessibility and affordability. That's what House Republicans are advancing, and that's what Americans deserve.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you so much, Congressman. It is an honor to be here tonight on the anniversary of the 39th year of the Roe v. Wade court decision. And today it was so encouraging to see the hundreds of thousands of people from all across this country come here to march and to commemorate this deadline, this decision, and to celebrate life and to pray for the day when all life is valued in this country. It was cold, about 36 degrees here, and it was rainy, but people stood for hours out in the rain, not minding, because they believe in life. And people may say, well, why are the people doing this? And why are you pro-life? And I'd just like to summarize it, Mr. Speaker, in that, basically because it's a child, not a choice. We see those bumper stickers around and we don't think about them very much. But those words and that reality certainly has meaning for me because words matter. I was in sixth grade when the Roe vs. Wade decision came down, and I remember hearing a little bit about it, but not thinking too much about it. I was just busy being a 12-year old kid. But I remember one day in the hallway at school when a girl stopped me and said something about well, what do you think about abortion? What do you think? And I said, well, I don't know. And she said, well, do you think a woman should have a right to do with her body whatever she wants, and the government shouldn't tell her what to do? And I said, well, yeah. And she said well, you're pro-choice. And I said oh, well, okay. And I didn't feel quite right about it, but I didn't have much information, I didn't have much facts, I didn't know. So I remember in the future somebody asked me whether I was pro-choice, and I said yeah. But then something happened. I got some facts, I got some information. It was in high school, in a child development class. And all of a sudden I got to see, for the first time, pictures of a developing baby. And let me show one to you now. This is one of the pictures that I saw, and this is of a 2-month old baby. And I looked at all of these pictures, and I heard the information, and I realized that abortion is taking this life, and it's alive. It is a child. It is not a choice. Here's some facts that I learned: That at day 22, that's just over 3 weeks, when most girls don't even know they're pregnant yet, the heart begins to beat. By the end of the third week the child's backbone, spinal column, and nervous system are forming. By week six, brain waves are detectable, fingernails are forming. Week seven, eyelids and toes form. The nose is distinct and the baby is kicking and swimming. By the end of the second month, which is how old this baby is here, every organ is in place. Bones begin to replace cartilage. Fingerprints begin to form, and the baby begins to hear. By week 9 and 10, the baby can turn his head and frown, and the baby can hiccup. By weeks 10 and 11, the baby can breathe amniotic fluid and it can grasp objects in its hand. Perhaps you've seen that famous picture of that surgery on that unborn baby and how that hand came out and grasped the doctor's finger. Week 12, end of the third month, the baby has all the parts necessary to experience pain. Like my colleague talked about, its vocal cords are complete, and the baby can suck its thumb. Some facts that I also learned are, for instance, in 2008 there were 1.21 million abortions done and of those, 92 percent of those abortions were done during the first 3 months of life. So what that means is that there are abortions, and it would average out to about 138 an hour, I figured up, two for the minute that I'm talking here, where abortions are taking place on babies that can hear, that have a beating heart, that have brain waves going, and that have vocal cords. It is about a child. This is not about a choice. And I commend all the people who came here today to Washington to speak out on behalf of life. And with them, I celebrate, and look forward to the day when all Americans are granted the right to life, whether they're born or unborn. So thank you, Mr. Speaker, for having us today.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, today, I was unable to vote due to a conflicting obligation in my district. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On rollcall No. 882, ``no''; on rollcall No. 883, ``no''; on rollcall No. 884, ``no''; on rollcall No. 885, ``no''; on rollcall No. 886, ``no''; on rollcall No. 887, ``no''; on rollcall No. 888, ``aye.'' Stated against:

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, December 1, I was unable to vote due to a conflicting obligation in my district. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On rollcall No. 872, ``nay''; On rollcall No. 873, ``aye''; On rollcall No. 874, ``no''; On rollcall No. 875, ``no''; On rollcall No. 876, ``no''; On rollcall No. 877, ``no''; On rollcall No. 878, ``no''; On rollcall No. 879, ``no''; On rollcall No. 880, ``aye''; and On rollcall No. 881, ``yea.''

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Washington has a problem. It spends more than it brings in, and it has been doing that for a long time. That's why we are over $15 trillion in debt. That's over $46,000 of debt for every American man, woman, and child. Washington is currently borrowing 36 cents out of every dollar it spends, and under President Obama, our national debt has increased 34 percent. That's the fastest increase in the debt under any U.S. President in history. Our government is digging a hole it might never get out of. We don't have the money, yet Big Government hasn't been able to restrain itself and keeps putting more and more of its spending on a credit card--our children's credit card. Our national debt-to-GDP ratio rivals that of countries like Ireland, Portugal, and Greece, which are facing sovereign debt crises. Soon our Nation's Federal debt will equal our GDP. It is a losing proposition. It's like someone's total credit card debt equalling the total amount of income that they bring in each year. And so what do people do? If they do that at home, unfortunately a lot of people go and get another credit card and they borrow money from that to pay the minimum on the first credit card. But then they have to go and get another credit card to pay the minimum on that one to pay the minimum on that one. It doesn't work. It spirals down and down until finally it ends in bankruptcy. It's unsustainable. Most American families understand that. They live within their means. Washington should, too. I grew up watching my mom and my dad wrestle with balancing the budget on our family farm. They would sit down around the kitchen table at the start of the year and develop a cash flow projection for the upcoming year listing the expenses that would be necessary to put in the crops and projecting the anticipated yields and prices to see how we were going to fare and to ensure that we didn't go over budget. Then my parents would monitor it throughout the year to see how it was doing. My mother would spend hours with her pencil erasing and adjusting the budget as conditions changed either up or down. They used to make my sister and me sit down and participate in the process with them. And I can tell you, as a child, we weren't that thrilled with this tedious task because sometimes it would take hours. But now I'm thankful that they did, and they had the foresight to teach us the importance of balancing a budget. I conveyed that importance to my students when I used to teach personal family finance as a home economics teacher. I told the students that when you budget, the expenses shouldn't be more than the income. They got it. Washington should, too. Now we have the opportunity this week to bring the common sense and the business sense of American families and American small businesses to Washington to force it to live within its means by passing the balanced budget amendment. I firmly believe that this constitutional amendment is the best way to restrain the out-of-control Federal spending of Big Government. Forty-nine States have some form of a balanced budget requirement, and it works for them. I know it works for Missouri, and I believe it will work in our Nation's capital, too. When I was a Missouri State representative, we budgeted according to the revenue projection given us and designed our budget to match the income. If we didn't have the money, we didn't spend it. Because of that, Missouri is on sound financial footing. Clearly, Washington is not because it has failed to balance its budget. Passing the balanced budget amendment will force Washington to cut up these credit cards and to start living within its means. Families are tightening their belts at home to make ends meet. Our Federal Government needs to do likewise. President Ronald Reagan understood the importance of the balanced budget amendment. He said, ``Only a constitutional amendment will do the job. We've tried the carrot, and it failed. With the stick of a balanced budget amendment, we can stop government squandering, overtaxing ways, and save our economy.'' That's why I am excited about this historic vote that we're going to take tomorrow, and I urge all of my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to get behind this commonsense provision that will set us back on the path to a strong financial footing. Now is the time to stop the reckless course that we are on and get things right. I look forward to applying the cash-flow knowledge I learned around the kitchen table as a child to our Federal budget. It worked at home. It's time to make it work in Washington.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you, lady. I appreciate your great remarks. Now I would like to yield as much time as she may consume to another farm gal, a fellow friend here, from South Dakota, Kristi Noem.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you, Jean. Well spoken. Now I get to introduce the vice chairman of our conference and our good friend from Washington, Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you, Cathy. Now I would like to yield as much time as she would like to my good friend, a neighbor on the east side of Missouri--Tennessee here-- Representative Diane Black.

Mrs. HARTZLER. Absolutely. And I know that you would agree that it's a privilege to talk about our seniors tonight, and your background in health care certainly lends a lot of expertise to this issue. I have another friend and colleague who is from the same great State of North Carolina. And I think it's interesting. I learned something here, Virginia, that you're from Grandfather Community, and we're talking about seniors, so it's appropriate. My good friend, Representative Virginia Foxx.

Mrs. HARTZLER

Mrs. HARTZLER. Every day we hear of some new government overreach coming from Washington. Well, today I want to tell you about perhaps the biggest overreach of all--centered around a pristine, beautiful place in my district, the Lake of the Ozarks. The Lake of the Ozarks was built in the 1930s and includes over 1,100 miles of shoreline and is home to thousands of homes and residents and tens of thousands of Americans who enjoy the beauty and the lifestyle of living on the lake. Every day you'll find families and people of all ages enjoying the waters and being with each other surrounded by God's beauty of the Ozark hills. In the spring, we enjoy the Dogwood Festival there, when the hillsides are dotted with the whites and pinks of the dogwood amidst the lime green background of budding trees. In the fall, the hills are ablaze with the colors of autumn. There's something special about seeing it all from a boat on the lake, pulling up to one of the many marinas and restaurants to grab a bite to eat on the water, and then head back home as the sun sets over the water and the sky changes from orange to blue to star studded. The lake is a special place, and it is under attack. It is under attack from the Federal Government. This summer, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an order requiring the removal of over 4,000 what they call ``encroachments'' from around the shoreline of the lake, including over 1,200 homes. Think about that. The Federal Government has ordered the removal and destruction of over 1,200 homes--all that have free and clear title to their property and have been paying property taxes on them for decades. It's shocking. It's outrageous. It's infuriating. And it's got to be stopped. You ask, how did this happen? The Lake of the Ozarks is a privately owned lake owned by Ameren UE. Power is generated from a hydroelectric plant at the lake's dam. FERC regulates the power plant and required Ameren to submit a shoreline management plan as part of a 40-year lease application for the continued operation of Bagnell Dam and the Osage Renewable Energy Center. Ameren submitted the paperwork over 2 years ago; and after sitting on the application for over 2 years, this July FERC rejected their plan and substituted their own plan, which includes an order requiring Ameren to remove as many as 4,000 out-of-compliance structures near the shoreline and within the boundary of the Bagnell Dam project. Here's an example of some of the structures they say need to go. FERC stated the structures ``should be removed in a timely manner and the site restored to preexisting conditions.'' This ludicrous order could result in the unnecessary removal of thousands of homes and other structures along over 1,100 miles of shoreline. What makes this action so onerous is that the property owners have clear title to this land with an easement giving them a right to do with their property as they wish. The deeds issued in the 1930s when the lake was built also reserved a right for the landowners to utilize the lakeshore and adjoining underwater land for ``any and all purposes,'' including ``the erection and maintenance of improvements thereon.'' FERC's order is nothing more than a public taking and it needs to be stopped. If it's not, it will be devastating to our area's economy, home values, businesses and, most importantly, devastating to the wonderful, hardworking people who have invested their life savings to live, raise a family, and retire at Missouri's beautiful Lake of the Ozarks. The Lake of the Ozarks is one of the most popular tourist destinations, not only in Missouri, but across the Nation. It has homeowners from all 50 States of the union. FERC's action could cause irreparable harm to the homeowners, boating, to fishing, water sports, and other business interests. It will cause uncertainty and fear that property values will plummet, and has already locked up the real estate market at the lake. FERC's actions are causing the whole lake community to suffer economically. Economic downturn will lead to delays in much-needed infrastructure repairs and will hurt schools, which depend on property taxes to provide our children with the quality education they deserve. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is a prime example of an out-of-control government agency. It must be stopped. That's why on Monday, I introduced H.R. 3244. This bill will remove FERC's power to tell landowners that they must remove structures from around the lake. I was joined by all of the other Missouri Members of the House of Representatives, five other Republicans, and three Democrats. Our two U.S. Senators, one Republican and one Democrat, introduced an identical bill in the other Chamber. This is a rare show of bipartisanship these days, which just shows how indefensible FERC's actions are. We may disagree on other issues, but on this one we are united. Washington's overreach must be stopped. It's time to put the genie back in the bottle and ensure it doesn't wreak havoc on our lives, our lake, and our rights.