Ron Kind

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. I thank my good friend for his courtesy and his leadership on this issue. Madam Speaker, we have before us today, because of our friends in the Senate, the granddaddy of all jams. They took an incredibly important economic rescue plan and loaded it up with a bunch of extraneous, unrelated items that weren't paid for. They're in essence holding a gun to our head today daring us to vote ``no.'' But, unfortunately, we gave them that gun last Monday because of the failure of this Chamber to act. And the credit markets are continuing to freeze up, and my concern is unless we take action today, many innocent people back home and throughout America will suffer the consequences. The plan we have before us today, the rescue plan, is vastly different from the original one sent to us by the administration. Today it's about protecting Main Street, not Wall Street. It's about protecting the American taxpayer, not CEOs' salaries. We have included in here important oversight, transparency, accountability provisions to protect the American people. And time is of the essence. But at some point and some time, we have to have the political will and the courage to start paying for things again in this country so we do not leave a legacy of debt for our children and grandchildren. We won't accomplish that today, but time is of the essence and we must move this rescue plan forward to avert a much wider disaster tomorrow.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3997, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. The financial crisis that has been gripping our country reached a point last week where extraordinary action is now required. Supporting this legislation was not a decision that I came to easily or without tremendous thought and consultation. It is based on imperfect information. Initially I was very angry and skeptical of the plan that the administration proposed because it gave too much discretion to the Treasury Secretary and included no accountability for the burden that was going to be placed on the taxpayer. Fortunately, the administration has listened to the concerns from me and my colleagues and has returned the focus of the rescue plan from Wall Street to Main Street. This plan protects taxpayers, not executive compensation. It includes strong transparency, accountability, and oversight functions for Congress. The goal of this plan is to take the poison out of the market, get it stabilized, and ensure the free flow of credit. Most importantly though, it guarantees that taxpayers will be reimbursed for their investment at the end of the day. Furthermore, in the longer term, I support a comprehensive review and reform of our financial market structure and associated regulations. This is a rescue plan for the American economy. The reality is that without action, there is a good chance that Americans could lose everything they have worked so hard for. We are loaning banks money so they can loan money to Americans for their everyday lives to buy a car, pay for college, start a small business, or buy a house. The risk of inaction far outweighs the risk of action. This bill will allow us to continue moving forward. Madam Speaker, I support this important legislation that will shore up our economy and urge my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7060, the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Tax Act of 2008. This bill provides much needed tax relief for many Americans and will help create jobs at a time when unemployment is increasing. Furthermore, this legislation provides needed incentives for renewable energy investments that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decrease our dependence on foreign oil. These are uncertain times for the economy. The troubles on Wall Street have created problems on Main Street, and America's working families are struggling. In times like these, we need tax relief that everyone can count on. The legislation before us today will help achieve this goal. First, H.R. 7060 extends several important expiring tax provisions. In particular, the bill will provide property tax relief for tens of millions of Americans, support for parents through an expanded child tax credit, relief for more than 11 million families through state and local sales tax deduction, help for more than 4.5 million families to cover the cost of education through the tuition deduction, and relief for more than 3.5 million teachers who will be reimbursed for out-of- pocket expenses for their classrooms. H.R. 7060 also addresses the need for more clean energy production in our country by providing long term extensions of the renewable energy production tax credit and the solar energy and fuel cell investment tax credit, while amending them to increase accessibility. These long term extensions will give utilities and investors the predictability they need to move forward with new generation projects in the years to come. The bill also addresses energy use and carbon emissions by extending multiple energy efficient credits for homes and businesses, creating incentives for carbon capture and sequestration demonstration projects, and calling for carbon audit of the tax code to determine what policies are encouraging wasteful energy use and unnecessary carbon emissions. The bill also addresses our dependence on dirty foreign oil by extending and improving tax credits for the production of cellulosic biofuels and plug-in electric vehicles. Finally, this bill is fully offset and complies with pay-go rules. Under the leadership of Chairman Rangel and Speaker Pelosi, we are demonstrating that we can provide tax relief without sending the debt on to our children. After years of fiscal recklessness--deficit financed tax cuts for the wealthy and out of control government spending--this bill sets a precedent of fiscally responsible tax reform. Again, Mr. Speaker, I am happy to support this sensible and fair tax bill before us today. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7060.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend from New York for yielding me the time and for his management of this important rule and the important legislation that we're going to have a chance to debate and consider in a short while. But I also want to thank the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee for his strong commitment to the rural school portion that's been discussed on the floor here. As someone who represents Western Wisconsin, with many rural schools, I have the utmost confidence that we're going to find a way, working with the Senate, whether it's in conference in the reconciliation that will inevitably have to take place between this energy tax incentive extender bill that we have before us and what they've moved earlier in the week in order to get this provision done. It is important, across the aisle, that we accomplish that. But let's get back to the substance of what we have before us here, which represents, I believe, an important step along the road to developing a comprehensive energy plan that makes sense for our country's future and our children's future because of the crucial investment that it makes with the tax incentives to develop alternative and renewable energy sources in this country. Throughout the summer, and for too long, we have heard the chant from the other side that the answer to our energy woes is ``drill, drill, drill.'' But Thomas Friedman is correct in stating that it's comparable to a group of citizens standing up on the eve of the information technology revolution, screaming for more electric typewriters, electric typewriters, electric typewriters, when our national chant really should be, ``invent, invent, invent.'' It's the only way we're going to see our way out of the energy box and crisis that we're facing as a Nation and throughout the world. That's what this bill helps us to accomplish, with tax incentives for the development of wind and solar, fuel cell development, geothermal, electric hybrid technology, but also the incentives to enhance conservation and an efficiency program, which is another important aspect towards energy independence; extending the credit for energy efficient improvements to existing homes, for instance, energy efficient commercial buildings, energy efficient appliance credits, accelerated depreciation for smart meters and smart grid systems, qualified green building and sustainable design projects, as well as the extension of the R&D tax credit, which will help spur the investment in clean technology and clean energy sources. The only real difficulty we have with this legislation is the fact that the Democratic Party, since we took the majority, believes that we need to start paying for things again. We have responsible offsets to pay for this so we don't dig a hole deeper for our children to climb out of. And when we adopted pay-as-you-go budgeting rules, we did it not because we thought it was going to be fun or easy. We did it because we thought it was the responsible thing to do, so that we don't leave a legacy of debt to our children and grandchildren. And the revenue offsets that we identify in this bill to pay for the investment and build-out of renewable energy in this country, come from the exorbitant tax breaks that big oil companies receive under their bill at a time of record profits with oil companies sitting on huge cash reserves. That's why this legislation is important, and I encourage my colleagues to support it.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. At this time I would like to yield 2 minutes to my good friend from Iowa, who has been in the front lines of battling the flooding that his State unfortunately incurred, Mr. Boswell. (Mr. BOSWELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. KIND. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 2 minutes to my good friend and colleague from the great State of Texas who obviously has suffered greatly under the effects of Hurricane Ike, Mr. Lampson.

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of my time. Again, Madam Speaker, I do want to thank and commend the leadership of this Congress, from Speaker Pelosi to Minority Leader Boehner, as well as the leadership on the House Ways and Means Committee, to Mr. Rangel, to Mr. McCrery, and my colleagues on the committee. I also want to thank all the hard work and effort that our staff on the committee and off the committee have put in to putting this legislation in order. And disasters, as my friend from Texas so eloquently stated, is not fun. It is not fun seeing the effect that it has on families, on little children, on businesses and the spirit of the communities. But they also are a time of great inspiration, and it really tests the true character of any community. And we've unfortunately seen that in a span of 10 months twice in the State of Wisconsin. We still have communities there that are wrestling with some very important decisions about possibly relocating whole towns into higher ground or to different locations where there have been businesses and homes for generations there, and it's not an easy decision. At times like that, it's inspirational seeing how people come together and rally from the agencies, to local leaders, to first responders, to volunteer organizations, and complete strangers just showing up because of their concern and compassion for their fellow citizens. Now, it's the country's time, and this Nation has always shown that compassionate streak, that when one area has been hit by a disaster, we all rally and collectively respond. And no one, no matter where they live, is immune from this, and that's been demonstrated again over the course of this last year. We think this is an appropriate direction. We think the provisions in here are the right way to go, and I would encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. KIND. I would be happy to yield.

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining on our side?

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, we have no further requests for time, and I am prepared to yield, if my friend from Texas is.

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I rise, obviously, in support of the legislation. I do want to take a moment and thank my good friend from Texas for being an original sponsor of the legislation that we had introduced earlier this year in regards to disaster relief. Madam Speaker, as you know all too well, it's always bittersweet to be before the Congress promoting a disaster relief bill; bitter because of the disastrous effect that disasters have on so many families and businesses throughout the country, and certainly we have received our fair share this year alone. But also sweet, given the bipartisan cooperation that we're seeing from the leadership, the leadership on the committee, and I thank Chairman Rangel and Ranking Member McCrery for their help and assistance with this package, and the urgency in order to get this done so that we can get the assistance out and the help provided, so we can start rebuilding our communities again, getting people back in their homes, getting businesses up and functioning, hiring people and restoring people's lives. And we believe this Disaster Tax Relief Act is the right approach. It has three major features to it that I think merits attention. One is, by using the Tax Code, you build in some predictability and certainty for anyone throughout the country who's affected by disaster. Doing it this way, we don't have to wait for Congress to take an action on an appropriation bill or provide FEMA with more funding in order to get help out there. Another important feature is that it is a nationwide, consistent and fair approach; so that Members, given their seniority or position on certain committees, don't have increased leverage in providing assistance to their area while neglecting other areas throughout country. By dealing with these tax provisions, it applies uniformly throughout the Nation in every district, every State, they qualify merely based on a Federal disaster declaration in that area. Then, finally, I believe it provides additional assistance to businesses. Over the last year in dealing with the floods that have devastated the upper Midwest and talking to community leaders, but especially business owners, I was struck by the frustration business owners had in what little disaster assistance is out there for them to get their businesses up and going. About their only recourse, since they don't qualify for direct FEMA grants, was for them to go to the Small Business Administration and negotiate a loan at a rate that's typically not even competitive with local bank rates in their area. By revising these tax provisions this is, I think, a direct response of the need for providing more help to businesses, large and small, that are also affected by these disasters. Real quickly, to highlight some of the provisions, the measure changes limitations to the deduction of personal casualty losses. It waives limits on charitable deductions for relief associated with federally declared disasters. Businesses can write off or deduct qualified disaster expenses through 2011. Businesses hurt by disasters can carry back now net losses for up to 5 years. And two more provisions that I have to commend the Iowa delegation especially in promoting and getting including in this legislation, from Mr. Boswell to Mr. Loebsack and Mr. Braley, the additional low-income housing credits that's in this bill, and the private activity bond provisions for housing bonds and for business property projects. As Mr. Brady also indicated, there is an increase in the charitable mileage rate that Mr. Lewis from Georgia has been advocating for some time in order to help those who are incurring travel expenses for charitable purposes to keep pace with the increased energy costs that they're facing. This will make it a little bit more affordable for them to continue these activities. About a little over a year ago, Madam Speaker, the rains came, the waters rose, and the flooding occurred in the upper Midwest. And just when so many people were returning to their homes and getting back into their business, early in June this year we suffered the same type of flooding phenomena. It was a double whammy within a 10-month period of time. To go through it once is one thing. People have this rallying effect and this collective responsibility to one another, and it's truly inspirational seeing how complete strangers show up on people's doorsteps to help. Seeing how the local community leaders and the first responders are the first ones out there battling the devastating effects of these disasters. But to get hit within a 10-month period of time with the same type of disaster really takes the wind out of the sails. People have been looking for the government, the Federal Government, along with State and local agencies and all the help that they're getting from the private sector to enable them to get back up on their feet. The floods in the upper Midwest over the past year that devastated the State of Iowa, northern Illinois, southern Minnesota and southern Wisconsin and portions of my district were tough enough. And then to see Hurricanes Gustav and Ike and the devastating effect that that has caused to so many lives in the southern part of our country, the wildfires out west, there is a great urgency and need in order to move this disaster relief package forward. This is one aspect of it. There will still be an emergency supplemental appropriation bill to provide disaster assistance as well. But again, given the outlines and the contours of this legislation, we think it's a uniform, fair approach with built-in predictability, so that if a disaster declaration is declared, people know what they can expect and what type of relief they can have. And then coupled with the assistance that FEMA is able to provide. Let me just conclude by thanking FEMA for the assistance that they've provided, at least in the upper Midwest that I personally witnessed. They brought teams in that were the height of professionalism, very sensitive to the needs. They tried to expedite the process as quickly as possible while staying true and responsible to taxpayer funds. We appreciated that assistance as well as the coordination that they provided at the State and local level. With that, Madam Speaker, I would encourage my colleagues to support the legislation. I will reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 3 minutes to our good friend and colleague from Louisiana (Mr. Cazayoux) who has been instrumental in helping to shape and put this disaster package together and ushering it through the Congress.

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I yield back.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I thank the Chair of the subcommittee, and I too want to commend the Chair and ranking member of the committee for bringing this important AMT fix before the Congress today. Madam Speaker, I couldn't agree with my friend from New York more. These 1-year fixes of the alternative minimum tax are just not sustainable. It is not fair, because it doesn't build in predictability and certainty with the Tax Code. That is why I commend the gentleman from Massachusetts, given the groundwork he has so far laid in trying to find a permanent fix to the AMT dilemma we face in the Nation. Obviously, none of us in this Chamber or in this Congress would want to see millions of working families wake up on Tax Day realizing that because of bracket creep and the inability to index the AMT, that they are going to be facing a higher tax liability. Given the doldrums that the economy is facing right now, working class families especially can't afford to take an additional tax hit. But at some point in this Chamber and in this Congress and in this country, we have to start paying for things again. That is why one of the first things that we did as a new majority last year was reinstitute pay-as-you-go budgeting rules. Not because we thought it was going to be easy or simple or fun, but because we thought it would be necessary to restore some fiscal discipline. While many of us have been working on the extension of tax provisions and making sure AMT doesn't capture more working families, we are trying to do it in a fiscally responsible manner by finding appropriate offsets to pay for it so we are not adding to the debt burden of future generations. That is the great task left before us. It is unfinished today, because obviously this AMT fix is not paid for, but it is something we have to take up in the next session of Congress, finding a permanent fix, and getting into the Tax Code with major reform, which is coming up next year already. Again, I appreciate the leadership that the gentleman from Massachusetts and others on the subcommittee have shown so far on this issue. I encourage my colleagues to support it.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, as a 10-year member of the Education and Labor Committee, I'm very proud of the product that the chairman and the ranking member and members of the committee have produced in this Congress today. It's the most important investment that this country is going to make in the future of our Nation for many years to come, but I'm especially grateful for the inclusion of the real-time court reporter scholarship program. The court reporters are the guardians of our public record, and not too many of my colleagues realize that with the Telecom Act, we mandated closed captioning for every television program in the United States. But because of the shortage of court reporters, we're having a hard time filling our courtrooms and meeting closed captioning services. So I'm glad they included it; I commend them for the job they've done; and I ask my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6580) to ensure the fair treatment of a member of the Armed Forces who is discharged from the Armed Forces, at the request of the member, pursuant to the Department of Defense policy permitting the early discharge of a member who is the only surviving child in a family in which the father or mother, or one or more siblings, served in the Armed Forces and, because of hazards incident to such service, was killed, died as a result of wounds, accident, or disease, is in a captured or missing in action status, or is permanently disabled, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the dollar limitation on contributions to funeral trusts, and for other purposes.

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, the Hubbard Act does recognize and correct a grave injustice and an anomaly in how sole survivors in our military are treated in regards to the eligibility of our veterans benefits. And I want to also commend Representative Nunes for recognizing this injustice and for his perseverance in gathering support, educating his colleagues here in Congress, and making passage of this legislation possible. I also want to commend the delegation of the Central Valley and the effort and engagement that they've shown on such an important issue. I want to encourage my colleagues to support the Hubbard Act of 2008.

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to introduce other extraneous material on H.R. 6580.

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, at this time, I would like to recognize for such time as he may consume a former funeral director himself, my good friend and colleague from Ohio, Charlie Wilson.

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 6580 is a combination of two good pieces of legislation joined together to be pay-as-you-go compliant under our current budget rules. The first part of the bill is the Hubbard Act, an important bill introduced by my good friend and colleague on the Ways and Means Committee, Representative Devin Nunes from California. The second part of the bill (H.R. 1264) is a bill that I and Charlie Wilson of Ohio introduced to make it easier for individuals to save and to plan for their funerals. Let me begin by commending Representative Nunes for sponsoring and for introducing the Hubbard Act. This bill makes an important change to the rules governing sole survivorship in the Armed Forces. It's the right thing to do. In a moment, you will realize why. Representative Nunes represents the Hubbard family in California. Tragically, this family has lost two sons, Jared and Nathan, to the war in Iraq. The remaining son, Jason, left the Army under the sole survivor rule, which protects parents from losing all of their children to war by permitting the last remaining sibling in combat to return home if all other siblings have been killed or have been severely injured. This truly is the Saving Private Ryan scenario. After being discharged, however, Jason Hubbard was asked to repay significant portions of his enlistment bonus; he was denied transition health care, and he was told he wasn't eligible for GI benefits even though he had already paid into the program. Currently, there are no standard benefits available to those who separate from the Armed Services under the Sole Survivor Policy regardless of whether one's service obligation was completed. The Hubbard Act will allow those troops who voluntarily separate under the sole survivor rule to qualify for the same benefits provided to those who involuntarily or who honorably separate from the military. Sole survivors of their families who have already made the greatest sacrifice should qualify for the benefits that they've earned. This bill corrects that. Again, it's the right thing for us to do. To offset the costs of the Hubbard Act, H.R. 6580 also includes language to eliminate the current dollar limitation for qualified funeral trusts. Current law limits a funeral trust to just $9,000, but this is generally no longer sufficient to cover a family's funeral and burial expenses. With this contribution limit, even those who responsibly plan for their own funerals often leave their families with substantial expenses. Given that the qualified funeral trusts can only be used for specific, limited purposes, I see no reason to place a dollar limit on their use. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, the bill will have a positive impact on the Federal Treasury. The passage of this legislation is an important step for American families and funeral directors, and it would allow for seamless funeral and burial planning for families in western Wisconsin and throughout the United States. I hope these two commonsense, bipartisan pieces of legislation packaged together will pass this Congress and will move to the President's desk swiftly. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6580. Finally, I would like to offer my thoughts and prayers to the Hubbard family. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten. I hope the passage of this bill will offer them some solace, will honor their sacrifice and will respect their sons' service to our country. May God bless Jared and Nathan. May God also bring a special comfort to those families who have lost a loved one while serving our Nation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield such time as he may consume to an original cosponsor with Mr. Nunes and Mr. Cardoza of the Hubbard Act, our good friend and colleague from California, Jim Costa.

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I was unable to have my vote recorded on roll No. 515 on Wednesday, July 23, 2008. Had I been present, I would have voted against the motion to adjourn.