Sam Johnson

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, my e-mail inbox is full of constituents fed up with AIG. I don't blame them. I have had it up to here with bad news about AIG and their big-time bonuses. They should return that money. As a U.S. News columnist asked, ``Forget bonuses. Why are these people still collecting regular paychecks?'' I am glad that New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo demanded AIG provide information on who is receiving bonuses in its Financial Products Group. Those who receive the fat-cat bonuses are mainly responsible for the company's and the country's financial problems. I say fire them all. They don't deserve bonuses. Turn them over to the Marines. Put them in the brig.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, folks in America ought to be outraged. They have a right to know that Congress has spent roughly $1 billion an hour since the new President took office. Recently, Michael Allen of Politico wrote about a speech in the other body. He described a crafty Senator's efforts to express his deep concern that the Nation is spending way too much money, and America can't afford this free-for-all spending Congress. In just 50 days, the Congress voted to spend about $1.2 trillion between the stimulus and the omnibus. That amounts to $24 billion a day, or about a billion dollars an hour, most of it borrowed money. Congress spending $1 billion an hour? Pew.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this administration's new budget torpedoes core values we Americans hold dear: hard work, fairness and the freedom to thrive. Sadly, the new budget will raise taxes on anyone who works hard, plays by the rules and pays taxes. It will raise taxes on anyone who drives a car, turns on their lights or saves. It will raise taxes on people who donate to charity or own a home. It will raise taxes on anyone who plans, hopes or dreams of becoming successful. That's just wrong. We must not raise taxes, but save America during this severe recession.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, after just passing a $1 trillion spending plan, the Democrats in Congress claim they will tax and spend our way out of this economic gloom. I believe we should root out government waste before we add new government spending, and we don't want to increase taxes when folks are already feeling pinched by this tough economy. In the Texas State House, the Speaker threatened to kick me off Ways and Means if I didn't vote to raise taxes. I just said ``no.'' When I didn't vote to raise taxes, they booted me off the committee. What can I say--there were no new taxes in Texas. How about America? This Congress must approve a Federal spending freeze before we can consider tax hikes during these uncertain economic times. The last thing we need to do is push consumer confidence even lower. Let's take tax hikes off the table.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. Requesting Member: Congressman Sam Johnson Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The City of McKinney, Texas Address of Requesting Entity: 222 N. Tennessee, McKinney, Texas 75070. Description of Request: $300,000 in FY 2009 Department of Justice COPS Law Enforcement Technology and Interoperability funds to replace the City's Public Safety Radio System and to acquire interoperability capabilities. The City of McKinney, Texas, was the fastest growing city with a population greater than 100,000 in the U.S. between 2000 and 2006, according to U.S. Census statistics released last year. With a population that has mushroomed from 38,700 to 121,000 in only ten years, resources for many important projects are strained. The current 800 MHz radio communications system, completed in 2001 when McKinney's population was half its current size, now has communications coverage deficiencies, particularly in the newer growth areas in southwestern McKinney. These ``dead spots'' are experienced by all City radio system users (Police, Fire, EMS, Public Works, etc.) and could compromise officer safety, citizen safety, and the ability to respond adequately in emergency situations. Efforts to eliminate the coverage deficiencies through adjustments to the current system have had only limited success, and it has become evident that replacement of the system is crucial. The rapid growth of Collin County dictates the need for interoperability in the event of a crisis. The adjacent cities of Frisco, Allen and Plano, as well as Collin County, are in the process of planning for upgrades to Project 25 digital technology. (Project 25 is a joint multi-phase effort of state, federal and local government with support from the Telecommunications Industry Association to provide unencumbered access to communications interoperability among law enforcement agencies.) The City of McKinney has engaged consultants to develop specifications for a three-to four-site Project 25 radio system to provide agencies with critical coverage improvements, interoperability, and expandability for continued growth. Replacing the system with Project 25 digital radio system technology will maximize radio spectrum efficiency, ensure an open standard for non-proprietary equipment and interoperability, eliminate existing coverage deficiencies, and allow for continued growth to meet the City's ultimate buildout population. (McKinney's population will ultimately reach more than 300,000.) The Federal government has recognized the importance of interoperable communications equipment to meet the Nation's homeland security needs. The total cost estimate for a three-site P25 radio system and equipment is $5,938,000. This request is for $300,000 in FY 2009 Federal funding to support McKinney's efforts. The City can get the project underway in 2009. Bill Number: H.R. 1105. Account: Museums and Libraries. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The National Virtual Vietnam Archive. Address of Requesting Entity: Texas Tech University, 19th and University Avenue, Lubbock, Texas 79409. Description of Request: $571,000. The requested funding will be used to continue to develop and establish the Virtual Vietnam Archive, which is a digitized, online version of the Vietnam Archive. This multi- phased project is crucial in order for the extensive collection of the Vietnam Archive to be available to all Americans, and particularly to Vietnam veterans. The first phase focused on establishing the Virtual Vietnam Archive at Texas Tech. The second phase focused on expanding the Archive to include other private collections and non-government collections. The requested funding will be used for the final phase which focuses on including selected government documentary collections, which are not currently scheduled for digitization by the National Archives. FY 2009 funding will be used to reproduce the documents contained in Record Group 472; ship documents to the Vietnam Archives at Texas Tech; digitize documents; and make documents freely available online to the American people and to researchers throughout the nation and around the globe.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. My constituents are outraged at Washington's reckless spending, and they insist this jumbo government giveaway won't stimulate the economy, won't help them find good jobs, won't keep a roof over their head, and won't help them pay the bills. I am deeply concerned the government keeps writing checks that our children and grandchildren cannot cash. We must know who is going to pay for all this. Our constituents deserve much better. Taxpayers should not be exposed to even more risks. Many have been hurting from the economic crunch; yet experts project most of this stimulus spending won't happen until after 2010, years into our recession. That will not help struggling America right now. I think our country would benefit from a real stimulus package that boosts our lagging economy with job creation, tax relief, and smart, targeted spending. Let's work together to get this done right for America.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, last week Americans learned of 50,000 new layoffs in just one day. We also heard another startling fact: that the financial industry bailed out by Uncle Sam paid $18 billion in bonuses. That's just appalling. The $18 billion payout in 2008 ranks as the sixth highest in bonus history and compares with 2004, a banner year, on Wall Street. As a supporter of free enterprise, I back performance-based bonuses for a job well done. Banks just barely getting by, thanks to taxpayer bailout money, have no business paying bonuses. With our economy sliding deeper into recession, this reckless decision to pay bonuses showcases the disgraceful behavior of greed and arrogance of Wall Street that Americans detest. It is flat irresponsible. Let's stop the bailout bonus bonanza now.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, there are 11 million unemployed Americans receiving a notice that says they owe taxes on their unemployment benefits and they'll have a huge bill due on April 15. After this scary realization, these folks will get on their phones or their computers to ask us where we think they are going to get the money to pay the additional tax. As this Congress works to find ways to kick-start the economy, I propose we not kick these folks when they're down and we eliminate the tax on unemployment insurance benefits for 2008 and 2009. This economic stimulus ought to do this. The 1099 statements that are showing up in mailboxes to notify my constituents that they owe Federal taxes on their unemployment is just ridiculous. I'd want to be able to tell my constituents we're going to do something about this problem. Let's go back to the drawing board and come together to really help the unemployed. At this time I'd also want to say thank you and God bless to Kathleen Black, who is going from my staff to the Senate, one of the best tax persons in the Congress.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. I want to talk about a high school champion. I rise to congratulate the 2008 state champions of Texas high school football--the Blue and White Allen Eagles. Last month, the Allen Eagles defeated Fort Bend Hightower 21 to 14 in a stunning second half comeback to win the Texas 5-A football championship in Houston's Reliant Stadium. The crowd went wild! Under head coach Tom Westerberg, the Eagles' football program has thrived with stellar seasons in '07, '06 and '05 as well. I will insert the names of the top coaches into the Record. There is a special story about this team. Each spring, the rising seniors pick a motto for the upcoming season. The players selected: Start strong. Finish strong. Congratulations to the Allen Eagles. Way to finish strong. I salute you. God bless you, and God bless America. Go Eagles! Tom Westerberg, Head Coach, Asst. Athletic Director. Terry Gambill, Asst. Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator. Jeff Fleener, Offensive Coordinator. Jeff Chaney, Special Teams Coordinator. Mike Carter, Strength Coordinator.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to a provision in this bill that would have drastic consequences for hospitals in my district and hospitals around the Nation. Everyone in this Chamber can agree that health care in this country needs transformation. America has always been a leader when it comes to medical research, training the best, the brightest, and providing superior care. We need to make sure that tradition continues. Physicians across the country have decided they can provide better health care to more people by engaging in the process. Some doctors have decided to play a role in the care delivered in the hospitals in their community, and studies show that this has resulted in higher quality care and higher patient satisfaction. Physician-owned hospitals employ highly skilled workers. They are an engine in the local economy, and language in this bill will devastate most of them. I say most, because a handful of hospitals located in special congressional districts will have rights that hospitals in my district and the majority of others will not. Why do only a handful of Members of Congress receive the privilege of a carve-out for their hospitals? Many facilities have poured millions of dollars into constructing hospitals that will be forced to shut down because of this bill. Baylor Hospital in particular in my district is in the process of adding additional operating rooms and hospital beds to serve the community needs. This local hospital won't be able to complete the project because of this bill. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to work with me to see that all existing hospitals and those under development are treated the same in this legislation. No carve-outs, no special privileges. It has to be all fair and all the same. Physician-owned hospitals have proven over and over again they spur greater choice and offer higher quality care to patients. These hospitals all deserve the right to be able to continue to serve their community. That is the American way.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Collin County Sheriff's Office for placing as a ``National Award Winner'' for its outstanding participation in the 25th annual National Night Out Crime, Drug, and Violence Prevention program for a 5th consecutive year. They placed 10th in the Nation for those with populations over 300,000. Over 10,000 communities participated in 2007. I've spent time with these folks and they run a top-notch event dedicated to improving the quality of life in North Texas. Thank you to every person in the Sheriff's Office who makes Collin County a great and safe place to live, work and play. National Night Out aims to bring neighbors together with block parties, cookouts, visits from local police and sheriff departments, parades, exhibits, flashlight walks, contests and youth programs. National Night Out heightens crime and drug prevention awareness, generates support for local anti-crime initiatives, and fosters neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships. National Night Out sends a message to criminals to let them know that neighbors are united together to protect their communities and will fight back. It was an honor to participate in National Night Out this year. The Collin County Sheriffs Office received a well-deserved award. Congratulations to everyone on that team. God bless you and I salute you.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I want to recognize the city of Murphy, TX, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week. This city's rich history and enduring perseverance serves as a shining example of the mettle of all Texans. The first settlers of Murphy arrived in 1846, establishing a village which later became known as a shipping point for area farmers and stock raisers. However, it wasn't until 1888 that it received the name it is known by today when William Murphy donated the right of way used to build a railroad line through the center of what would become the town. Although Murphy's borders enclose only 3.8 square miles, the population has quadrupled since the last U.S. census. Murphy is known for its close-knit community, family values, and friendly faces. With a rich history of country living and community building activities, Murphy prides itself on promoting the well-being of its residents of all ages. This fast-growing city boasts over 14,000 residents, comprised largely of families. Popular D Magazine has ranked Murphy as one of the premiere Dallas suburbs to live. Ebby Halliday, a local real estate company, notes that ``Murphy offers a small town environment with `big city' convenience. . . . This town is ideal for families looking for the best of both worlds.'' I congratulate the good people of Murphy on its 50th anniversary and wish the residents many more years of prosperity.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill H.R. 6600, the Medicare Identity Prevention Act. I thank Mr. Doggett for bringing it up. Apparently we can't get any resolution on Social Security so we need to do it one baby step at a time. Americans are rightly worried about the security of their personal information, including their Social Security number. Practically every day we hear about another data breach in the private or public sector where identity information of hundreds, if not thousands, of people is stolen. According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, the total number of known records that have been compromised since January 2005 is over 158 million. Even though Social Security numbers were created to track earnings for determining benefit amounts under Social Security, these numbers are now unfortunately widely used as personal identifiers. According to the Government Accountability Office, Social Security numbers have become the ``identifier of choice'' and are used for all sorts of business transactions. In an April 2007 report, the President's Identity Theft Task Force identified the Social Security number as the most valuable commodity for an identity thief. These thieves are hard at work. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that about 5 percent of all of the adult population has been victim of identity theft. Even worse, the true number of victims of that crime is unknown since most victims don't report it. We also know that this is a serious problem for illegal immigration. During a recent hearing at the Social Security Subcommittee, we learned that a credible set of fake identity documents costs about $350. With those fake documents, illegal immigrants can get a job and even sneak through the government's E-Verify system which is meant to verify whether an employee is eligible to work in this country. Congress must get to work on identity theft, and removing the Social Security number from widespread circulation is an excellent place to start. For years, the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security has been working on this problem in a bipartisan way. We have approved bills to protect the privacy of Social Security numbers and prevent identity theft since the 106th Congress when it first approved the Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act. That legislation was introduced on a bipartisan basis by then-Subcommittee Chairman Clay Shaw and then-ranking member, the late Bob Matsui. The Ways and Means Committee has begun working on this and so has the Energy and Commerce Committee. Our two comprehensive bills are really not that far apart, yet we are repeatedly met with opposition from those groups which prefer to splash Social Security numbers on every personal document they want. The comprehensive efforts of our two committees are being met with the same resistance they met in previous years until now. I commend my colleague from Texas (Mr. Doggett) for working in a bipartisan way and not giving up on the issue. Sometimes you just have to take an issue one bite at a time. The bill H.R. 6600, Medicare Identity Theft Prevention Act, will take the Social Security number off the Medicare card. It is completely ridiculous that people are told not to carry their Social Security card in order to protect their identity, but then every senior citizen is told they must carry their Medicare card, which has their Social Security number on it. When the wallet of a senior citizen has been stolen, even a low-tech crook can get the identity theft. It's not the card itself; it's a fact that then every medical record at nursing homes, hospitals, and doctor offices has a Social Security number written on it. The wholesale amount of Social Security numbers that are available to identity thieves is staggering and completely unnecessary. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services must change their tracking number for Medicare purposes. In just a few years, the first baby boomers are going to be turning 65 and become eligible for Medicare. Rather than a huge wave of retirees being issued an ``identity theft kit'' when they receive a Medicare card, that card should have a unique identifier. Private insurance moved away from Social Security cards years ago. Medicare needs to do that, too. The problem of identity theft is not going to be addressed with one single piece of legislation, but we must start somewhere, and starting with Medicare cards before Boomers become eligible is a great place to start. Thank you, Mr. Doggett, for your support. I urge my colleagues to support this bill as well. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, the news on this Wall Street bailout has me fuming. Taxpayers want, need, and deserve answers and accountability. The Treasury Secretary should not have the authority to spend $700 billion with zero oversight. Meanwhile, a provision in the bill says that banks that bought Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac preferred stock get better tax treatment than an individual who bought preferred stock. That is wrong. Why shouldn't banks be held responsible for their mistakes? I am not sure this is the best way to fix the problem. We need to discuss serious alternatives before we ask Americans to shoulder billions in additional debt. Hundreds of my constituents have called outraged at this Wall Street rescue. They want to know when we are going to bail them out. I am outraged too. Taxpayers deserve better from America.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards of earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of the Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2638, The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. (1) Secure Grids Network Centric Operations. Requesting Member: Hon. Sam Johnson. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: 2-0601103F, University Research Initiatives Requesting Entity: The University of Texas at Dallas, located at 800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080. Description: The Secure Grids Network Centric Operations will develop an integrative Grid laboratory spanning multi-univerisities to investigate techniques and systems for pervasively secure grid computing with focus on network centric enterprise services and on the management of massive data sets. Key applications include massive knowledge intensive surveillance tasks, such as cooperative terrorist tracking employing multi-agency databases, and the analysis of financial movements. This project is a collaborative efforts between 3 universities in 3 states, namely The University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas at Arlington, and Purdue University. Project amount is $1,600,000. (2) Mobile, Oxygen, Ventilation, and External Suction (MOVES). Requesting Member: Hon. Sam Johnson. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: 123-0604771N, Medical Development. Requesting Entity: SVTronics Inc., located at 3465 Technology Drive, Plano, Texas 75074. Description: The U.S. Marine Corps has been developing a lightweight, self-contained, Mobile, Oxygen, Ventilation, and External Suction (MOVES) system in support of the En Route Care System. The MOVES system uses ambient air to produce oxygen and then delivers the oxygen directly to the casualty. It has a ventilator that can ventilate a patient with up to 85% oxygen, and it also has suction capability. In addition, the MOVES system can monitor vital signs including blood pressure, heart rate, pulse oximetry, temperature, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, and ECG. All of these capabilities are integrated in a single system that typically runs for 3.5 hours on a single battery set (2.5 hours minimum), but can run even longer with additional batteries. The system reduces the cube and weight of the present En Route Care System by over 80%, and eliminates the hazards associated with having oxygen gas cylinders in the field. The Marine Corps has also begun development of an add-on module for the MOVES system for portable anesthetic delivery in the field. The module will eliminate waste, hazards, and need for additional training because it will administer the anesthetic by the technique most familiar to anesthesiologists trained in the U.S. It will also be much more rugged and lightweight than current technology. Project amount is $1,200,000. (3) Stryker Common Active Protection System (APS) Radar Requesting Member: Hon. Sam Johnson. Bill Number: H.R. 2638. Account: 62-0603653A, Advanced Tank Armament System (Atas). Requesting Entity: Raytheon, located at 2501 W. University Drive, McKinney, Texas. Description: APS is an externally mounted vehicle protection system that identifies, discriminates and intercepts RPGs, mortars, antitank guided missiles and artillery projectiles after they are launched toward a combat vehicle. The system consists of the Multi-Function Radio Frequency (MFRF) radar, launchers, fire control processors and countermeasures. In 2007, the Army accelerated the APS requirement for Stryker by designating it a critical component of Spin Out 2, the second increment of FCS technologies to be fielded to the Current Force in the 2010-2012 timeframe. APS is funded under the FCS MGV budget line, but there is no dedicated funding to support APS development for Stryker in FY08 or FY09. The Army originally requested FY08 funding for Stryker APS but has since reallocated these funds to support power management and other upgrades needed to accommodate Spin Outs. The lack of dedicated Stryker APS funding in FY09 halts Current Force APS development and undermines Spin Out 2. Project amount is $1,600,000.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. The American people want, need, and deserve a Congress that responds to their needs and acts diligently on their top priority. Sadly, the Democrats in Congress, beholden to their radical leftist interests, have blocked progress and will not let us do the job that the American people sent us to Washington to do--find real energy solutions. Ironically, the only border fence the Democrats seem to care about is the fence they want to put up around the areas where we can't explore for oil. That's a disgrace. Solving our energy crisis means tapping all of America's resources for America's future to create American jobs and American prosperity. Folks are sick and tired of paying around $4 a gallon for gas. They're fed up with relying on foreign countries and brutal dictators to supply our energy needs. Americans have had it with a Democrat leadership who told the Congress to take a 5-week vacation instead of staying around to do their jobs. The Democrat bill before us today is a sham. They're refusing to allow us to tap into our own home-grown energy resources and discouraging investment in future energy supply. I'm here to tell you, in Texas, this bill is all hat and no cattle. On October 1, the ban on offshore energy exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf expires. This bill would put the lid on the OCS with no progress in sight. However, today's bill puts excessive rules and regulations back on the OCS, landing us basically back where we started. That's not what I call progress. We owe it to the American people to get this one done right. We need to open up the Outer Continental Shelf. We need to allow States to share the revenue of oil exploration. We need to tap Alaskan areas that hold potential for domestic energy resources, not just the parts cherry-picked by the Speaker. We must be open to oil shale, clean coal, nuclear, and renewable energy sources like wind and the sun. We don't need more bureaucracy, we need more innovation, and we need it all. I'm urging my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to work together to come up with real energy reform for our children, grandchildren and America's future.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, at this time I would like to recognize Mr. Jerry Moran from Kansas for 1 minute.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 6532. Today, just 7 weeks after the House first considered this bill transferring $8 billion from the general fund to the highway trust fund, here we are, back again. I was one of 37 Members to vote against the bill when it was previously considered in the House. The bill simply kicks the can down the road just a little bit more until the highway trust fund is again broke. Delay and bailout. Delay and bailout. This Congress is elected to run the country, yet we delay action, wring our hands, lament that there are few good options available to address the Nation's problems, then bail out programs gone broke. Our delay only makes the problem worse. Our delay only leaves us with fewer options once we are forced to act. The bill before us today puts another temporary patch on a highway system that needs funding. Even with this $8 billion infusion of cash, the trust fund is going to go broke again before the next Congress acts to address the underlying problem. When the House initially passed this bill on July 23, the balance of the trust fund stood at $4.2 billion. Now we learn from the Department of Transportation that in the span of just these few weeks, that balance has fallen all the way to $1.4 billion as of the beginning of this month. So today the administration has called upon the Congress to approve this $8 billion transfer and to make it effective immediately, rather than on September 30th, because the trust fund is likely to go broke sooner. The highway funding system is based on fuel taxes that are declining at a time when the price of fuel is rising. Fewer people are driving because the cost of gas is skyrocketing. The majority will not let us debate an energy bill. The majority Democrats will not let America work toward domestic oil and gas. Americans want, need and deserve a clear energy policy that uses American energy sources like oil and gas from offshore. Americans want, need and deserve an energy policy that develops new technologies and brings them to the market. Yet this Congress delays action and prevents debate. If the highway bills that this Congress has passed were not larded up with thousands of earmarks, then spending from the trust fund could be better regulated to match taxes with spending. A little bit of self- control would solve this problem. Unfortunately, the bill that will pass the House today shows no self- control. It is just another bailout. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Could I ask how much time is remaining on our side?

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I recognize Mr. John Mica from Florida, the ranking member on the Transportation Committee, for 3 minutes.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. At this time I would like to yield 3 minutes to Mr. Hensarling from Texas, the chairman of the Republican Study Committee.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, at this time I recognize Mr. Flake from Arizona for 5 minutes.