Ron Kind

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Chairman, at this time I would like to yield 1 minute to a real champion of recreational sportsmen and -women throughout the country, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Heinrich).

Mr. KIND. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to a champion of outdoor recreationists throughout the country and in the State of Nevada, the gentlelady from Nevada (Ms. Titus).

Mr. KIND. At this time, I would like to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia, a champion for hunting and fishermen in Virginia and throughout the country, Mr. Perriello.

Mr. KIND. Mr. Chairman, I yield 15 seconds to the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, Mr. Rahall.

Mr. KIND. I yield myself the remainder of the time. Mr. Chairman, I also want to thank, who wrote a letter in support of this amendment, the American Wildlife Conservation Partners. It's a group of 45 outdoor recreational organizations from hunting to fishing to shooting sports to conservation groups throughout the country. They see the value of increased access to our public lands. But, Mr. Chairman, this is also an amendment about jobs because outdoor recreation, hunting, fishing, shooting sports, they contribute over $730 billion to the national economy every year. They support 6.5 million jobs. Almost one of every 20 jobs is associated with some outdoor recreational activity. And they stimulate close to 8 to 9 percent of all consumer spending in this country. So increasing access so more people have the opportunity to get to the public lands to do this is going to create jobs and strengthen our economy. I encourage my colleagues to support the amendment.

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

Mr. KIND. I yield myself 1 minute. (Mr. KIND asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. KIND. Mr. Chairman, our vote today is a very simple choice. It's a choice of whether we're going to stand with the workers of the oil and gas industry, with the families of the gulf region, with the taxpayers of this country, or whether we choose to stand with the powerful special interests known as Big Oil. I choose to stand with the American people. And here is why. This legislation is going to increase safety standards to protect workers. It's going to increase the liability limits so that those responsible pay. It's going to reform the ethics standards to end the revolving door between industry and oversight functions. And it's also going to live up to the promise of funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund so that those companies extracting resources on our public lands help conserve and protect our natural resources. In a little bit, I and others will offer an amendment under the Land and Water Conservation Fund so that a dedicated portion of that increases access for hunters, fishermen and outdoor recreationists to the 35 million acres that are currently cut off and isolated from our use. This is a good bill. It's necessary in the shadow of the worst oil disaster in our Nation's history. I encourage my colleagues to support it and the amendment that I will be offering.

Mr. KIND. I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. KIND. This is a very simple amendment. One of the strengths of the CLEAR Act is that it asks public companies that are extracting resources from our public lands to contribute to a fund, a fund called the Land and Water Conservation Fund that was established in the mid- 1960s to help preserve and conserve the vital natural resources that we have throughout the United States. But the problem is that so much of the public lands that are available are inaccessible. They're not accessible for the hunters, the fisherman, the outdoor recreationists, those who enjoy shooting sports to gain access to the lands. In fact, a recent study showed that close to 35 million acres that currently exist in public lands are inaccessible to hunters and fishermen throughout the country. This amendment would direct just 1\1/ 2\ percent out of the Land and Water Conservation Fund that would be used in order to purchase easements or right-of-ways from willing, voluntary sellers so that the hunters and fishermen have access to these public lands. The inaccessibility is one of the contributing causes of why so many people are not hunting or not involved in shooting sports. This amendment would go a long way to addressing that, and it's consistent with the underlying philosophy of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. I'd ask my colleagues to support it. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KIND. Mr. Chairman, at this time, I would like to yield 1 minute to a very strong supporter of the hunting and fishing community, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Kratovil).

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4899, the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010. As long as our troops are in harm's way, it's important that they have the tools and resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. In the meantime, we need to be sure that we continue to have the right policy. I am pleased that President Obama has been asking the right questions about what our exit strategy will be. While I supported the War Supplemental, I have a number of concerns with how this effort is proceeding. We know that our success depends on having a credible, responsible Afghan government. Unfortunately, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has not demonstrated that he is willing or able to seriously tackle corruption in his government. Furthermore, nearly nine years after combat in Afghanistan first began we continue to see only limited progress in training Afghan security forces and developing the capability for Afghans to take full responsibility for the safety and security of their people. Of course, even if we have our policy right, we still need full cooperation from Pakistan, particularly in preventing Afghanistan's western provinces from becoming a safe haven for al Qaeda and allowing the Taliban to operate with impunity. We must, however, carefully consider the consequences of simply cutting and running, which would likely result in the Taliban taking over the country and providing a sanctuary to al Qaeda, which continues to threaten terrorist attacks on America and other countries. I will work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to hold both the Afghanistan and Pakistan governments' feet to the fire and closely review the effectiveness of our efforts to stand up competent and capable Afghan security forces. I support the War Supplemental because we have to give our troops the resources they need to carry out their mission and because abandoning the Afghan people now would only strengthen those who seek to do us harm. It also endangers the many Afghans who have worked with coalition forces to help stabilize their country. Throughout this difficult war, our troops have performed bravely and I am deeply honored by the sacrifices they and their families make. Wisconsin families have provided more than their fair share of troops to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Recently, the 32nd ``Red Arrow'' Brigade returned to Wisconsin after being deployed for one year in Iraq. I was privileged to take part in a ceremony to welcome them back and thank them for their exemplary service. Their experience shows that with appropriate training, our troops can adapt to any situation in order to achieve their mission. We must work to ensure that we can bring our troops back home in a responsible way that protects America's security.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise in recognition of the Village of Cochrane in Western Wisconsin. Cochrane is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding on Saturday, July 3rd. Located just east of the mighty Mississippi river, Cochrane is surrounded by natural beauty. Located in Buffalo County, it is one of the few areas in the Midwest untouched by the glaciers in the last ice age. Numerous hills and bluffs rise majestically above its many lakes and streams. This beauty is enjoyed by sportsmen from across Wisconsin, many of whom come to fish for trout in the nearby rivers and streams. While Cochrane citizens once played a role in Wisconsin's timber industry in the mills of the nearby City of Buffalo, it has always been and always will be an agricultural center. Farming is the number one source of income in Buffalo County, and Cochrane is no exception. Cochrane's Lacrosse Milling Company plays a vital role in processing the natural grains produced across the Midwest. I am very proud of the citizens of Cochrane, who help to continue Wisconsin's agricultural tradition. The Village of Cochrane exemplifies the enduring work ethic present in Western Wisconsin. Though not great in size, together communities such as Cochran make up an important piece of the social fabric of our society. I hope you will join me in applauding the citizens of Cochrane for all that they have contributed to their State and our Country over the past 100 years. I also hope that they will continue to grow and prosper in the months and years ahead.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5552) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require that the payment of the manufacturers' excise tax on recreational equipment be paid quarterly and to provide for the assessment by the Secretary of the Treasury of certain criminal restitution, as amended.

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I again want to thank my colleagues, Mr. Ryan and those on the Ways and Means Committee, for their strong support of the bill. It has received bipartisan support. I'm not aware of any opposition by any of my colleagues to this legislation. There's a broad coalition of support outside Congress between the conservation and outdoor recreation community, along with the firearms industry, many people who do care about those opportunities that we enjoy as a shooting sport but also hunting, fishing, recreation. This merely corrects, as my colleague pointed out, an anomaly that's existed in the Tax Code for too long. It's not fair to single out one industry for a biweekly reporting requirement when everyone else has a quarterly reporting requirement, and, quite frankly, cash flow problems have been an issue. That's the reason why it was brought to our attention. At a time when the economy is languishing, we need to be working with businesses, large and small, to be able to expand job- creating opportunities. This bill is a small step in achieving that. So I would encourage my colleagues to support the bill.

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

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record.

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 5552, the Firearms Excise Tax Improvement Act of 2010. It's a bill that I introduced with 54 bipartisan cosponsors, along with my friend and colleague from Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan), that will strengthen wildlife conservation funding in America by helping firearm and ammunition manufacturers grow their businesses. H.R. 5552 changes the excise tax payment schedule for firearm and ammunition manufacturers from a biweekly reporting requirement to a quarterly schedule, like every other industry in the country. The bill would also allow the IRS to collect restitution debt that has been court ordered to be paid in criminal tax cases. This commonsense legislation will allow for the creation of jobs for working families, save money for businesses, increase investment in wildlife conservation, and simplify and make consistent the payment of excise tax across all industries, all of which is paid for and fully compliant with pay-as-you-go budgeting rules. There is very broad and bipartisan support from both sides of the aisle for this bill. This legislation is supported by every major conservation group, along with the firearms industry. It is in short a win-win-win for families, businesses, and conservation efforts across the country. I have long been a supporter of conservation efforts. As a former cochair of the Congressional Sportsman's Caucus, I am pleased this bill benefits sportsmen and conservationists alike and continues to contribute critical funding for the development of wildlife restoration projects across the country, ensuring that our natural resources are protected for future generations. I regularly enjoy spending time outdoors with my family, especially my two little boys. The ability to enjoy outdoor recreational activities like hunting and fishing are not only important for our peace of mind, but back home in Wisconsin it also contributes over $9.7 billion annually to the Wisconsin economy and supports 129,000 jobs, generating $570 million in annual State tax revenue. I am sure this is a story that we can talk about from State to State to State. Also, companies in Wisconsin that manufacture, distribute, and sell firearms, ammunition, and hunting equipment employ as many as 2,050 people in the State and generate an additional 2,300 jobs in supplier and ancillary industries. Across the Nation, these companies employ as many as 183,000 people. Not only does the manufacture and sale of firearms and hunting supplies create jobs, but the industry also contributes to the economy as a whole. In fact, the 2010 firearms and ammunition industry was responsible for as much as $27.8 billion in total economic activity throughout the country. The firearm and ammunition excise tax is the major revenue source for funding the Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund, also known as the Pittman- Robertson Trust Fund. Last year, firearm and ammunition manufacturers contributed approximately $450 million to wildlife conservation through the excise tax payments. All the industry is asking to do, Mr. Speaker, is change the biweekly reporting requirement of the excise tax to a quarterly reporting requirement, just like every other industry. There are stories that were brought to my attention that some of the smaller manufacturers actually had to take out loans in order to meet the biweekly excise tax requirement payment right now, which obviously interrupts their cash flow and makes it tough for them to reinvest in their businesses, expand their operations, and hire more people. We are just fixing that anomaly with this legislation. I want to thank my friend, my colleague from Wisconsin, for his support for the legislation, as well as the chair and ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee and the staff for helping us get this legislation in order. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the various groups who provided invaluable feedback on this legislation, and in particular the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, the NRA, the Safari Club International, Ducks Unlimited, and many, many others. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution to support the goals of National Dairy Month. For more than 70 years now, we have been celebrating the importance of the dairy industry to our nation's health, economy, and national security. If you were to come visit my home state of Wisconsin and travel through my congressional district, you would quickly understand why Wisconsin is called ``America's Dairyland.'' Fields of corn, wheat, and straw are spotted with the large red barns, silos, and grazing cattle that have become the iconic images of dairy farming. It's not uncommon to learn that a family has been dairy farming for generations and that they hope their children will be able to carry on this tradition and way of life. If you stop by one of those farms today, you'll hear firsthand just how difficult times are. Over the past couple of years, milk prices have been too low while the cost of feed and other inputs was too high. Our farmers today are really stretched thin, having drawn down so much equity in recent times that they're not sure that they'll earn enough to pay off their debts. More families have been forced to close down their operations, rent out their land, and find another line of work. Not only are these people losing a way of life and imperiling our long-term ability to lead the world in agricultural production, we are also seeing local communities struggling to deal with a major shift in their economies. This dairy crisis has demonstrated that our confusing and outdated subsidies and price supports simply don't provide the level of risk management that our farmers need. Major stakeholders in the dairy industry have united to put forward serious, creative proposals to reform our subsidy programs. We have an opportunity here to not only provide a strong safety net for our dairy farmers, but also to lead the way in reforming our commodity support programs. While National Dairy Month is a great opportunity for families all across our country to remember the nutritious value of dairy products as a major source of vitamins and minerals, we cannot forget how difficult times are for our dairy farmers. Over the months and years to come, I look forward to working with my colleagues on a bipartisan basis to provide a workable safety net to our farmers, while supporting local foods and sustainable agricultural practices.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Navy Lieutenant Commander Dan Rieken, a native of Prescott, Wisconsin, who has led a distinguished career in the United States Navy and proudly served his country for more than 20 years. LCDR Rieken first enlisted in the Navy as a Fire Controlman in 1984. After graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1991, LCDR Rieken was commissioned an Ensign in the Navy and has helped plan and manage ballistic missile defense programs, assisted in overseeing efforts to ensure the security and reliability of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command's through the Y2K transition. Later, LCDR Rieken graduated with distinction from the Naval War College in 2003 and then received his Masters from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2004. Today, LCDR Rieken serves in the White House Communications Agency as a Presidential Communications Officer, System Engineer, and Program Manager for acquisitions, modernization, and future systems design. On August 1, 2010, LCDR Rieken will retire from the United States Navy. His dedication to serving his country has been unwavering, regardless of party or ideology. He has worked to strengthen our country's security as our nation transitioned out of the Cold War era and into the Post-September 11th era. I congratulate LCDR Rieken on his retirement and thank him for his dedication to the safety and security of our country.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Staff Sgt. Jessika Greendeer, who has been awarded the Bronze Star for her services in the United States Army. Jessika is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, and has served in the United States Army since 2004. She is the daughter of Conroy and Janet Greendeer, and the great-granddaughter of Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr. The Ho-Chunk Nation has stated that she is the first Ho-Chunk woman to have been awarded the Bronze Star. Her services during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and her outstanding performance during combat operations therein helped to make the command's mission a success. For her actions, she was awarded the Bronze Star, one of the highest military awards available to members of the Armed Services. I am proud to stand before you today and commend Staff Sgt. Jessika Greendeer for her service to our country. As a citizen of the United States, I am personally grateful to Jessika for her excellence in the U.S. Army. She has demonstrated the kind of sacrifice and service to our country that not only makes her a role model to members of the Ho- Chunk Nation, but to all Americans.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. I thank my good friend and colleague from Tennessee for recognizing me. Mr. Speaker, as one of the co-chairs in the New Democrat Coalition, and as a co-chair with Representative Rush Holt of our Innovation Task Force, I rise in proud support of the reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act. And I commend our Chairman Bart Gordon on the Science Committee for the work that he has put into producing this bipartisan bill. We may be losing him to retirement, but he is leaving one of the most important legacies that we can do around here, and that is to ensure strong and robust job growth in the short term, the midterm, and the long term. That is what this bill is all about. This bill is about making crucial investments to make sure that our Nation remains the most innovative and creative Nation in the world, on the cutting edge of scientific, medical, and technological discoveries and breakthroughs. We do that by investing in the STEM fields of study--science, technology, engineering, math--where the job growth is going to be occurring; by investing in basic and applied research in both the private and public sector; by creating innovation centers around the Nation so that we can partner with the private sector to create the jobs of the future, and ensuring that all Americans are full participants in the 21st century global economy. That is what the America COMPETES Act is all about. I would encourage my colleagues on the other side who may be playing this political gotcha game yet again today to stop. Stop playing this game and do the right thing and support this bill. If you think that we ought to be prohibiting Federal dollars to be used for lobbying purposes, that's in the bill. So support it. If you believe that veterans should be full participants in all the programs being offered in the bill, including the STEM education programs, that's in the bill. If you believe that we should prohibit Federal funds from being used to pay the salaries of child molesters and rapists, that's already in the bill. And if you think we should fire any Federal employee who has been looking at pornography on their government computer, that's in this bill. So let's end the political gotcha games that delayed passage of this bill last week and do the right thing today. I hope it's not something that's going to come up again on the floor today, because this is the right thing to do for the future of our economy. It's the right thing to do for the American people. Let's make sure that we remain the most innovative Nation in the world. That's what the America COMPETES Act does. This should pass with wide bipartisan majorities, as the first authorization of this bill did a couple of years ago, with roughly 360 Members supporting it. We should support it again today. I urge its passage.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Chair, I thank my good friend and colleague from Tennessee for yielding me this time. As one of the co-chairs in the New Dem Coalition, Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act. The New Democratic Coalition was strongly behind the creation of America COMPETES in 2007, as we stand with this reauthorization bill today. I want to commend the leadership of the Science Committee and all the members for producing this legislation, but especially our good friend from Tennessee, Chairman Gordon, for the vision and the leadership that he has shown on this issue. Unfortunately, we're going to be losing Representative Gordon to retirement this year, but I can't think of a more powerful or lasting legacy for any Member to leave with than with the creation of the America COMPETES Act. What this legislation is about is making sure the United States of America remains the most innovative and creative Nation in the world, that we stay on the cutting edge of scientific, medical and technological discoveries and breakthroughs, that we're making sensible investments in basic and applied research and also in workforce development areas, especially in those crucial fields of study, such as science, technology, engineering, and math. We have a choice to make today, whether to support these investments or not and watch other nations in the world do this for us. This bill is based on the seminal studies that have occurred previously through the National Academy of Science, ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm,'' or even before that with the John Glenn Commission ``Before It's Too Late.'' So the information is in. The studies are complete. We know what we have to do, and this is one of those fundamental building blocks to establish the groundwork for long-term sustainable economic growth. In short, this is about jobs today, tomorrow, and in the future. I encourage my colleagues to support this reauthorization. And I congratulate Chairman Gordon for such an important bill and for his distinguished service in Congress.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 5013, the IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010. Our country must return to the days of fiscal responsibility, and to do this we must look at Defense spending. The Pentagon is famous for its overspending and its misuse of tax dollars. In a time when the country is in an economic crisis, we must move forward with reforms that would help eliminate wasteful spending. The IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010 seeks to create a better management system for the Pentagon's purchases. By changing the way the Pentagon buys equipment and contracts for services, we are establishing more efficient practices that will decrease government spending. The efforts of the Defense Department to acquire goods is often complex, and it results in problems such as inefficient operations, waste, and often a lack of enforcement with regulations and laws. This is not a new problem. In fact, President Lincoln's Secretary of War resigned during the civil war because of problems with contracting. The country cannot afford to continue down this path. This needs to change, and the IMPROVE Acquisition Act is a step in the right direction. At the beginning of the 111th Congress we passed the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009, which helped to make improvements to the acquisition process. With the passage of H.R. 5013, we will take another step toward fiscal responsibility. It is time that we start making decisions that will help to guarantee that our children inherit a better country. By being fiscally responsible and passing H.R. 5013, we take a step forward in preserving the future for our children while making necessary reforms to the Department of Defense.