Ron Kind

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution to honor one of Wisconsin's greatest Senators, the late Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day. Tomorrow, we will celebrate the 40th anniversary of this important day, and just as Senator Nelson envisioned, people across the country will reflect on the importance of conservation and environmental stewardship. When Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day 40 years ago, environmental protection was an issue of little importance to most Americans. Today, I know he would be proud to see how far we've come. Thanks to his foresight and leadership, environmental stewardship is one of the top issues in American politics and society. Not only has the issue risen here in Washington, but now American citizens and businesses large and small are doing their part to protect our environment and create the innovative industries of the future. Public and private investment in green technology and renewable energy can reduce our dependence on foreign oil, re-invigorate our economy, and create new jobs. In fact, the area I represent in western Wisconsin has abundant natural resources that could help the area become a leader in clean energy innovation. As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, it is important to realize that as good stewards of the planet, we must work to do our part to conserve energy, restore our environment and take care of this place we call home. We can all do more to lower our carbon footprints. Simple steps such as using energy-saving light bulbs, increasing the sustainability of our homes, carpooling with others in the neighborhood, and recycling our trash are all important ways we can lessen our energy consumption and preserve our environment for future generations. Senator Nelson's legacy is alive and well today, especially in Wisconsin and I will continue to carry it forward in Congress and I hope that people in western Wisconsin and across the country will remember it in the work they do and the way they lead their lives. Together we ensure a safe, clean, and abundant natural world for our children.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the bipartisan Fitness Integrated with Teaching (FIT) Kids Act, H.R. 1585, legislation I authored with my colleague, Representative Zach Wamp. Throughout my time in Congress, I have taken a special interest in ensuring our nation's youth live healthy, active lives. The FIT Kids Act focuses on getting physical education back into schools and has the support of over 50 organizations in addition to bipartisan support in the House. With one in three children in this country being classified as overweight or obese it is clear that childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Our kids are living increasingly sedentary lives, not enjoying the wonders of the outdoors or being active. As opposed to going outside, they stay indoors, sit in front of the television and play video games. In Wisconsin alone, 25 percent of children watch three or more hours of television a day and 20 percent play video games or use a computer for means other than school work three or more hours per day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children participate in 60 minutes of physical activity daily. Since kids spend a majority of their time at school, it is clear that schools must be involved as we work to get kids moving. This is especially true when it is considered that for children ages 9-13, an age that kids should be at their most active, 61.5 percent don't receive any physical activity outside of school hours. Even more disturbing, only 3.8 percent of elementary schools, 7.9 percent of middle schools, and 2.1 percent of high schools provide daily physical education and 22 percent do not require students to take any physical education. The rise in childhood obesity correlates with the removal of physical education from schools over the past two decades and a decline in routine physical activity. Of all the deaths from major chronic diseases, 23 percent are linked to sedentary lifestyles that today begin in early childhood. This is backwards; we need to ensure that our nation's youth learn the merits of living active lifestyles starting at an early age, not how to live inactive lives. It is true that you can't have a healthy mind without a healthy body. Study after study have shown that active children perform better on tests and are more focused and driven during the school day. With the advance in technology and the changing society we live in, it may be true that today's kids will never be as active as they were in the past. However, we can provide them with quality physical education that will teach them the immense benefits to living an active life beginning at an early age. The FIT Kids Act will get kids moving during the day again and help them learn how to live healthy, active lifestyles. The bill will provide information to parents and communities on the amount of physical education being offered in schools measured against the most recent national recommendations. Also, it will require that school districts provide parents with information on healthy living because schools can only solve so much of this problem. This information increases awareness of entire families and communities about opportunities for physical activity and how best to live healthy lives. Providing parents and caregivers with this information is imperative to ensure that they are making healthy choices at home. In addition to providing information to parents and communities, the bill enacts a National Research Council Study on the types of physical education offered in schools and various and innovative means that schools successfully employ physical education in order to get students active. Additionally, there will finally be a comprehensive study regarding the relationship between cognitive development, academic achievement and physical education and fitness. The cost of the study will be minimal and the benefits substantial. While some studies have indicated that physical activity and education lead to better academic achievement, including a study most recently conducted by the CDC, the study in this bill would provide definitive evidence of the importance of movement and exercise to cognitive development and future productivity. Lastly, this bill will make available to state education agencies and local education agencies best practices on innovative physical education and physical activity policies and programs at the state and local level while identifying common challenges in implementing physical education and barriers for meeting the DC recommendations for physical education. I am so proud that the FIT Kids Act made it to the floor today. With all of the great things the First Lady has been doing to stop childhood obesity and all of the historical private and public partnerships that are currently being formed throughout the country, the timing is perfect for us to address the lack of physical education being provided in schools. I want to give a special thanks to my colleague, Zach Wamp, for all of his tireless work supporting this bill. I would also like to thank Chairman Miller for his devotion to the concepts and goals of the FIT Kids Act. The American Heart Association, the National Association for Sports and Physical Education, the American Diabetes Association, and the National Football League with their Play 60 campaign, all support the FIT Kids Act and advocated for its passage. And, last but certainly not least, I want to thank Richard Simmons. For nearly four decades, Richard has helped millions of Americans lose weight, tirelessly working with overweight adults, teaching them to adopt a lifestyle of balance, moderate eating and exercise. Most recently, he has changed his focus from adults to children, traveling to over 200 schools last year. A leading advocate for the FIT Kids Act, Richard has praised the bill at schools, on television, and at speaking events around the country. His successful grassroots campaign in favor of the bill flooded congressional offices with letters urging support of the bill. As we pass the FIT Kids Act today, it serves as a testament to Richard's tenacious advocacy to make our children healthy again. The benefits of getting physical activity back into schools are so great that it is something we need to come together and commit to. Routine physical education is a proven way to lower children's body mass index, increase students' attention and attentiveness during the day, and improve kids' academic scores. Let's pass this bill to ensure that we don't continue spending $147 billion annually on obesity related medical expenses or have more of our population suffer from chronic diseases, harming their quality of life and economic output. We need to commit to providing children with the foundations and knowledge to make healthy choices and live active lives; the FIT Kids Act puts us on the path toward doing this.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Today I still miss Senator Nelson greatly. As a young Member of Congress, I always made a point of calling him in his office in Washington at least once a week just to discuss the issues of the day, get his feedback on the policy proposals that we were working on and seek his guidance. I am still a proud member of the Natural Resources Committee. With the work I was doing there, I was able to work very closely with Gaylord Nelson, trying to enhance his legacy. But he knew, as I hope all of us realize, that Earth Day is not an event to be celebrated just one day a year, but a mission to practice each and every day throughout the year. It is that message especially to the younger generation that I think is his greatest legacy, where the Earth Day lessons are being taught in schools and school rooms throughout the Nation and throughout the world at least on April 22nd, if not more throughout the year. I commend the leadership and especially Representative Obey for bringing this resolution and encourage my colleagues to support it.

Mr. KIND. What the gentleman, my good friend from Arizona, is alluding to is his week of isolation on an island in the South Pacific all by himself communing and being one with nature. And I think he has assured me that I could be his special agent when Hollywood comes calling to do the reality TV show of having a Member of Congress stranded on some deserted island for a while contemplating the deeper thoughts and philosophy of life. So I am ready to go when he is ready to go with that Hollywood production.

Mr. KIND. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. KIND. I thank my good friend from California for yielding me this time. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from California and my friend from Arizona for managing this resolution. I proudly rise in support of the resolution commemorating not only the 40th anniversary of an important day in all of our lives, Earth Day, but especially to pay tribute to the father of Earth Day, a political hero of mine as a kid growing up, a member of the greatest generation who fought and served during the Second World War, a political icon still in the State of Wisconsin and throughout the Nation and the rest of the world, former Senator Gaylord Nelson. I am sure that if young Gaylord was told as a kid growing up in Clear Lake, Wisconsin, which is close to my wife's hometown of Cumberland, a population of less than 400 people, that he would one day rise and become the father of the modern environmental movement and the creator of Earth Day, which is celebrated in over 167 Nations throughout the globe on April 22nd, he would have thought you were kidding. It's a true American success story. He lived the all-American story. And he left an important legacy and a reminder to all of us as inhabitants on this beautiful, yet very fragile planet of ours, that we are mere stewards of the precious resources that the good Lord has saw fit to bless us with. And as stewards of those resources, we have a special moral and personal responsibility to utilize those resources reasonably and sensibly, so we leave a legacy to future generations to also be good stewards of this planet. I am proud to represent a congressional district in western Wisconsin which was actually home to the very first watershed project throughout the United States in the Coon Valley area, which became the model of what is today the current conservation title of our farm bills. The title is based on voluntary and incentive-based land and water conservation programs that our farmers are able to utilize in order to set up sound land and water management practices on their farms. And it has spread nationwide. Gaylord Nelson and his wife were the subject of a chapter in Tom Brokaw's book The Greatest Generation. Like everyone in this Great Generation, he was an ordinary individual who did extraordinary things.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. I thank my friend for yielding me time. In response to my good friend from Utah, I know his belief is sincere, but just to be clear with this legislation before us, we are not mandating that schools and school districts have to offer physical education, merely informing parents and the community what physical activity and what physical education courses are being provided today. And we are very careful in that. But there is a very simple concept behind the FIT Kids legislation before us today, and that is this: studies have shown that it is hard to develop a healthy mind without a healthy body. And as my good friend from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp) has been fond of saying, one of the best antidepressants ever invented in the entire world is just good old- fashioned sweat. That is what we are up against with the childhood obesity epidemic that is ravaging our country and our youth today, the onset of early childhood type 2 juvenile diabetes, cardiovascular disease. Close to 75 percent of kids today are on the verge of being overweight. We know that 80 percent of them will be overweight in adult life if something isn't done to preempt that at a much sooner level. That is what's behind the movement towards the FIT Kids legislation. It is an attempt to try to emphasize physical activity and physical education courses back in our schools today. Why is this important? Again, part of the reason, as Mr. Wamp pointed out, is that with the advent of No Child Left Behind, various courses that were offered in the past are being squeezed. Arts is being dropped, and physical education, especially, is one of those courses that is viewed more and more as a discretionary item rather than something that is necessary to enhance our own child's performance in the classroom. We know that when kids are more physically active, they tend to perform better in schools, test scores go up, there is less disciplinary programs, graduation rates go up, and their overall health improves--all worthy goals that we need to be encouraging and supporting more of throughout the Nation. But today, only 4 percent of elementary schools, 8 percent of middle schools, 2 percent of high schools even provide daily physical education in their schools. Twenty-two percent of schools don't require students to take physical education at all, and that number is growing. Sixty-two percent of children don't receive any physical activity outside of school hours, and schools are providing less and fewer physical activity opportunities. What FIT Kids will do is work to ensure that kids are active during the school day and are taught from an early age the benefits of living an active and healthy lifestyle. The bill will have schools make information available to parents and communities about the type of physical education being provided to students for each grade in relation to the recommended amounts established by the CDC, as well as information on the importance of living healthy and active lifestyles. It will enact a National Resources Council study through the National Academy of Sciences to figure out the best way to incorporate physical activity in the school day and study the relationship between physical activity and cognitive development and academic achievement where there is a dearth of research being provided today. And it will make available best practices for innovative and successful physical education programs and policies at the State and local levels so schools and school districts are not being asked to recreate the wheel trying to figure out what works and what doesn't. There are many model programs that already exist that we can help share through the modeling of best practices and get that information out to empower more schools and therefore more families. Ultimately, and I would agree with my friend from Utah, it really does come down to personal responsibility, for us to take more personal control over our own healthy lifestyle decisions. We all know what we all need to be doing a better job of--eating healthier, exercising more, not smoking, and especially for us parents, to work much closer and earlier with our children at the earliest possible age to help them develop the good lifestyle decisions that will continue throughout their life. And that will mean, from time to time, unplugging them from the technology that so many of our kids are addicted to. I have two little boys at home myself.

Mr. KIND. I know the power that technology holds over our kids today from XBoxes and TiVos and cell phones and BlackBerrys and all, but it is also leading to a more sedentary lifestyle, increasing the childhood obesity epidemic. It is up to us parents working in the home, providing a good model of care and working with our kids to establish these good practices. Again, I want to thank my colleagues, Mr. Wamp and Mr. Inslee, for being original sponsors of the legislation, the gentlelady from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), who is also a cosponsor of this bill. I want to thank Chairman Miller and the members of the Education and Labor Committee for the hearings and the attention brought to it. I also want to thank the over 50 organizations that have endorsed this legislation, such as the American Heart Association, the NFL Players Association with their Play 60 campaign, the National Association of Sport and Physical Education, the American Diabetes Association, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association; the first lady, Michele Obama, along with the President, that has elevated the cause of children's health to new levels and new attention in this country; my own staff person, Shannon Glynn, who has worked tirelessly on this bill; and not least, Richard Simmons, who has been a tireless advocate promoting FIT Kids throughout the Nation, testifying here in Congress, appearing before press conferences, on Jay Leno, on David Letterman, and visiting hundreds and hundreds of schools every year for his life mission of promoting healthy living habits for not just adults, but especially the children in our lives. I thank Richard Simmons for his leadership and his tireless advocacy on FIT Kids. I ask my colleagues to support it. It's the right thing to do, it's the right step, more needs to be done. This is a good place to start.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I will never forget the pride I felt as a 6- year-old kid in Wisconsin watching Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the moon. It was a deep and abiding belief that I live in a country that's capable of accomplishing anything once we put our mind to it. That belief is being tested throughout America today. People are wondering if we're still capable of doing great things. I believe we can, and I want my two boys to feel the same way. I believe our country, by working together, can ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable, and secure health care, regardless if they're young or old, whether they're rich or poor, and even whether they have a preexisting condition. And we can do this in a fiscally responsible manner by paying for this bill and finding savings that will reduce the deficit in future years. That national achievement can begin today, this evening, with our vote. I encourage my colleagues to support this health care reform for all Americans.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. I thank my friend from Missouri for yielding the time. And I also want to commend my colleague who introduced the resolution. I was a proud cosponsor of this resolution. On a previous trip to Afghanistan, I too had a chance to spend some time with the National Guard Agri-business Development Teams. And we can't thank our troops for the mission that they are carrying out in Afghanistan enough. And it is especially true for the citizen-soldiers that we send over there, our Guard and Reserve units. But the Agri- business Development Teams are performing a very vital and important function in the development and assistance that is taking place in Afghanistan, a country which, after all, is an agrarian nation. I am especially proud that one of the leaders in the National Guard is a gentleman by the name of Colonel Marty Leppert, who as a kid grew up on a dairy farm outside of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, in the heart of my congressional district. And I commend USDA and USAID, but especially our military leadership for recognizing the value of identifying our soldiers with agriculture backgrounds, and utilizing that expertise in the development of these ag development teams working with Afghan farmers. That is going to be the key to a successful resolution and the economic development that has to occur in that country. I commend my colleague for offering the resolution.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlelady for yielding me this time and also for her help and support with this legislation. I also want to thank the gentleman from California and the members on the Natural Resources Committee for their bipartisan support of the Upper Mississippi River protection bill. As the gentlelady indicated, this has passed the previous Congresses. We're working with the Senate to finally get it to the President so it can be enacted. And to address a couple other concerns--and we've worked in a bipartisan fashion on this bill--there is concern about privacy protection and data collection. We feel that what has been worked out is a reasonable compromise to ensure that privacy but also, more importantly, that there is buy-in of private landowners which will be crucial for the implementation of this legislation. What we're trying to do is put the science in place in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. The greatest threat that this great national treasure that we have running through the middle of America, comprising roughly 50 percent of the landmass of our Nation, is the amount of nutrients and sediments that flow into the river basin doing incalculable ecological damage. We've heard of the stories of the dead zone being created in the Gulf of Mexico. Well, 40 percent of the nutrients that are flowing south through the river and ending up deposited in the Gulf, contributing to the dead zone, emanates in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. What we want to do is utilize the expertise that exists at USGS so that they can do better monitoring of sediment and nutrient flows and develop computer models so we can identify the hot spots, and then utilize the resources that are available to target those hot spots to prevent the increased flow of sediment and nutrients into the river basin. This has received wide support in the Upper Mississippi River region. All five of the State Governors in the Upper Mississippi region have endorsed this. The Mississippi River Basin has endorsed it. Countless outdoor recreational groups, such as Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy have endorsed this approach, because it is a vital national treasure that we must do more to preserve and protect. The Mississippi River affects over 30 million people who rely upon it for their primary drinking source. It is North America's largest migratory route, with 40 percent of the waterfowl species using this corridor during their biannual migration in the spring and during the fall. It's a multiple use resource, with commercial navigation, recreation, tourism, bringing roughly $1.5 billion of direct economic activity to the Upper Mississippi region but, additionally, over $1 billion with tourism activity to the Upper Mississippi. But what's been lacking is the scientific data that this legislation will put in place so we can start collecting it, tracking it, and then be smarter with the use of the various public and private approaches that this bill calls for so we can maximize the resources to intercept the nutrients and sediments that would flow into it. Again, I want to thank the chairman of the committee, the members on the committee. I want to thank the members of the U.S. Geological Survey, especially Mike Jawson and his team at the Upper Mississippi River Environmental Science Lab. I have worked very closely with them with regards to this legislation and their long-term resource monitoring program. They do have incredible competency to do the science that we're asking them to do in this bill. I also want to personally thank my own river advisory group who has consulted me on all things related to river issues. I would encourage my colleagues to once again support this much needed but also bipartisan piece of legislation. I ask my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to congratulate the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center for receiving a 2009 United States Air Force Organizational Excellence Award. The National Air Force award recognizes the Western Wisconsin based Airmen to be among the top Air Force units in the nation. The Volk Field Unit Airmen have consistently demonstrated a high level of excellence and efficiency in their service to the Wisconsin Air National Guard. Volk Field is one of four Combat Readiness Training Centers in the nation and the only selected for this top Air Force Award in 2009. The citizen-Airmen at Volk Field provide an invaluable service to our nation in supporting the National Guard, the Reserve, and interagency training and operational needs. This award sets the Volk Field unit apart from similar units and congratulate them on this outstanding achievement. I commend the strong leadership of Volk Field's Combat Readiness Training Center Commander Colonel Gary Ebben and the great work of both the civilian staff and the men and women in his unit. I am proud to represent such dedicated and hardworking Wisconsin citizens committed to public service. The Volk Field unit exemplifies the great work ethic that characterizes the citizens of Western Wisconsin. I anticipate continued achievements from the Wisconsin Air National Guard units.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Larry Wargowsky, who has retired from his position as Refuge Manager for the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge after thirty three years of service with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, fourteen which were spent managing the Necedah Refuge. He was born and raised across from the Refuge in Juneau County, and enjoyed a career that took him many places, but was fortunate to retire at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge. Larry Wargowsky started his career of public service after college where he worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources at Horicon, Black River Falls and Mead Wildlife Area. He then joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service working at various National Wildlife Refuges in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. His work has benefited not merely one refuge, or even just one state, but Larry Wargowsky has been a public servant whose career has benefited an entire nation. Throughout his tenure at the refuge, Larry has seen the resurgence of many wildlife critters from the first bald eagle reproduction in 25 years in 1996 to an increase in populations of the timber wolf and was instrumental in the reintroduction of the Whooping crane to this area. For this he received the Recovery Champion Award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2002. The Whooping crane project at the Necedah Refuge has been a boon to Necedah and Juneau County and has made the area a major ecotourism destination. The Whooping cranes brought international attention to the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge. To accommodate visitors, Larry led an effort to build a new visitor center. Additionally, the Friends of the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge was created under his leadership and this today represents a robust and active group. He is as much a friend to our country as he is to our environment. I am proud to stand before this chamber and applaud the dedication of Larry Wargowsky to a life of public service and conservation. As an avid sportsman, I am personally grateful to Larry for all of his hard work in preserving our wildlife refuges, but this recognition goes beyond the gratitude of one individual. We as Americans should be grateful to a man who has dedicated his life to public service, and we as inhabitants of this planet should be grateful to that same man who has dedicated his life to defending our wildlife refuges.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I was unable to have my vote recorded on the House floor during the vote on H.R. 2847 on Thursday, March 4, 2010 because I was detained due to a meeting with the President of the United States. Had I been present, I would have voted in favor of H.R. 2847 (Roll No. 90). Stated against:

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I was unable to have my vote recorded on the House floor on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 due to a flight delay caused by mechanical difficulties. Had I been present, I would have voted in favor of H. Res. 990 (Roll No. 17), H. Res. 1011 (Roll No. 18), and H. Res. 1003 (Roll No. 19).

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 4173, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009. Over the past year, we became aware of many financial practices which were abusive and reckless. We're putting an end to those practices and making ``too big to fail'' a thing of the past. Americans will no longer be responsible for the bad business calculations and irresponsible behavior that almost brought down our entire economic system. This bill effectively ends the notion of a government guarantee by allowing large, systemically risky institutions to fail at their own expense and in a way that doesn't jeopardize the whole U.S. financial system. The legislation holds Wall Street accountable through increased transparency and regulation of risky practices. A new systemic risk regulator will monitor financial activity across the whole sector to identify risks and irresponsible behavior and prevent them from becoming a problem for individual investors and the entire economy. The bill also establishes an orderly process for dismantling large, failing companies--at their own expense, and requires that stockholders and executives take a financial hit if risky deals fall through, ensuring an end to taxpayer funded bailouts. This bill effectively reforms our financial system without unduly restricting appropriate risk- taking. This is pro-business, anti- bailout legislation that aims to address the flaws in the current system in a targeted manner to minimize the burden on those who did not cause the crisis, like Community Banks and Credit Unions--most of whom will be exempt from additional oversight by the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, CFPA. We are addressing the fractured oversight that exists in our current system. In creating a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, we will establish a baseline for consumer financial protection and target the appropriate financial institutions. If we are willing to demand that products used by our children are reviewed for safety, we should demand appropriate oversight for the financial products we use to pay for their college. More broadly, the CFPA will ensure that all consumers have a watchdog to protect them against financial institutions engaging in abusive or deceptive practices. This bill focuses on reforming the system so that we maximize the good and minimize the harm, and I am proud to support it.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I was unable to have my vote recorded on the House floor on Tuesday, December 8, 2009, due to inclement weather that kept me from flying back from Wisconsin in time for votes. Had I been present, I would have voted in favor of the Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 3288 (Rollcall No. 931), H. Con. Res. 199 (Rollcall No. 932), H. Con. Res. 206 (Rollcall No. 933), H. Res. 940 (Rollcall No. 934), H. Res. 845 (Rollcall No. 935), H.R. 2278 (Rollcall No. 936), H. Res. 915 (Rollcall No. 937), and H. Res. 907 (Rollcall No. 938).

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4213, the Tax Extenders Act of 2009. This bill extends several badly needed tax provisions that will continue to provide economic benefits to struggling families and businesses. While these temporary, last-minute patches are not the preferred means of action for anyone, this action is better than none, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Passage of this bill will ensure that individuals already facing the worst economic situation in decades will retain the ability to deduct state and local taxes, preventing a $3.3 billion tax increase. It also extends the deduction that students receive for tuition payments and the credit teachers receive for stocking their classrooms out of their own pocket. both are essential for making a quality education accessible to all. For businesses, this bill will extend the invaluable R&D tax credit so they can continue to invest in the innovation that will keep America competitive in the industries of today and tomorrow. I have long advocated making this credit permanent so companies can make it a permanent part of their business plans. I hope we will do that as part of overall tax reform starting next year. Other provisions important to my district in Western Wisconsin include the Conservation Easement Credit, which gives individuals an incentive to protect environmentally important land in perpetuity, and the extension of a 5-year depreciation period for farm and agricultural equipment. This extended period has been highly successful in spurring capital improvements on the farm and improving farm output and efficiency. Finally, I am particularly pleased that this bill extends a provision I authored last year that provides tax relief to families and businesses who are impacted by natural disasters. Following devastating floods in my district in 2007 and 2008, it became clear to me that more tools were needed to assist individuals and businesses to recover. The tax relief provided here offers a more systematic and fair method than the previous system of ad hoc assistance on a case-by-case basis. I thank Chairman Rangel and the rest of the committee for including it in the extenders package today. Mr. Speaker, I would like to note that all of these benefits are completely paid for, meaning this bill will not add one dime to the deficit. In fact, one of the ways we pay for this bill is by cracking down on foreign bank accounts, where millionaires have been hiding their fortunes from the IRS for years. This type of enforcement has been sorely lacking. It is unfortunate, however, that the bulk of revenue for this bill will come from higher taxation of venture capital funds that have been leaders in spurring job growth and innovation. I sincerely wish we had been able to find an alternative revenue source that would not raise taxes on these entrepreneurs at the exact time when we need them the most. Twice before the Senate has rejected this pay-for, and I hope they will do so again. On balance, Mr. Speaker, this is a critically important piece of legislation before us that will prevent disastrous consequences in this fragile economic environment. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting its passage today.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 866 which encourages the designation of a National Veterans History Project Week. This resolution encourages increased public participation in the Veterans History Project. As you may know, the Veterans History Project collects and saves the stories of America's veterans who have bravely served this country from World War I to today's conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. This project provides Americans an important way to honor our soldiers: by preserving the story of their service, in their own words, for the use and benefit of future generations. In 2000, I authored and Congress unanimously passed legislation creating the Veterans History Project. Since its inception, the project has collected more than 66,000 stories and documents. In addition, the Veterans History Project was honored by Harvard University as one of the finalists for the Innovations in American Government Award competition in 2005. Since the beginning of our Nation, the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines of the Armed Forces have been called on to risk their lives and fight for the ideals that make America great. Regardless of what one thinks about the wars that they fought in, all Americans must agree that the men and women of our Armed Forces have responded to the call of their country and performed with honor and dignity. War veterans and the civilians who have supported them all across this Nation have stepped forward once again, this time answering the call of civic duty by recording their stories and contributing personal documents for the Veterans History Project. Their participation ensures that their accounts are recorded and preserved, becoming a part of this Nation's memory and history. By passing this resolution today, we can encourage more participation in this important program and ensure that this vital collection of American history continues to grow even further. Capturing the stories of our war veterans is more important now than ever before. We are losing more than 1,700 veterans every day and with them, their firsthand accounts of that war. It is imperative that we capture the stories and personal histories of those veterans before it is too late. The Veterans History Project is instrumental in accomplishing this important goal. I call upon all members of this body to publicize and promote the Veterans History Project in their own districts and communities. I cannot think of a better way to honor our veterans than by trying to preserve as many of their memories and stories as possible. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, on November 2, 2009, I missed rollcall votes 832, 833, and 834 to attend parent teacher conferences for my two sons. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on each of those votes.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. I thank the gentleman. I ask my colleagues to support true reform and provide all Americans with access to affordable and quality care that they all deserve.

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, let's be clear. We really face three choices here tonight: our plan, their plan, and the consequences of doing nothing. But we know what inaction will bring already. We will pay more, we will get less, and we will bankrupt ourselves as a Nation due to rising health care costs. So let's just take a moment and compare the two plans before us this evening. According to the Congressional Budget Office, not only is our health care reform plan completely paid for, but we reduce the national deficit by $109 billion in the first 10 years alone; they by only $68 billion. We cover an additional 36 million uninsured Americans in this country; they increase the number of uninsured from 47 million today to over 52 million by 2019. We cover 96 percent of Americans under our plan; they, 83 percent. We give small businesses tax credits to use in the national exchange to make it more affordable for them; they do nothing. We ban the discrimination based on preexisting conditions; they do nothing. We close the doughnut hole for seniors in Medicare; they do nothing. But, most importantly, they do nothing to reform how health care is delivered and how we pay for it in this country. We change the fee-for- service payment under Medicare, which is all volume based, to a reimbursement system that rewards quality and the value of care. Why is this important? Because studies show that we are spending over $800 billion every year on tests and procedures that don't work. They don't improve patient care, and because of overtreatment in too many instances, we're making patients worse off rather than better off. Our payment reform plan has the best potential of increasing the quality of care for all Americans at a substantially lower price. They do nothing. Mr. Speaker, just 2 months ago President Obama stood in this Chamber and reminded us what the true character of the American spirit is all about. He reminded us that we did not come here to fear our future, but to shape it. That is the historic opportunity that we have before us this evening.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. I thank the gentlewoman from Maine for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I do rise in strong support of the rule and of the underlying bill, the Small Business Financing and Investment Act. This bill couldn't be more timely. Many of the provisions that we passed in the American Recovery Act to expand the opportunity of small business loan programs are about to expire. I know, in my district in western Wisconsin, I haven't been on the phone more often than in the past year talking to small business owners who are struggling to get credit in order to keep their doors open. In fact, earlier this week, I was on the phone with the owner of a small manufacturing business that makes boats. He said that he has got customers lining up who are willing to make purchases of those boats, but because lines of credit are not available to them, they can't move forward and close the deals. This has a tremendous ripple effect throughout our entire economy. I would submit to my colleagues here today that, unless we figure out a way of freeing up the capital markets so that they are more free- flowing and are more efficient, especially for small businesses and farmers, this will be a very difficult recovery to endure. That's why the Small Business Financing and Investment Act is important. We are expanding and extending the 7(a) and 504 loan programs, not to mention expanding the ARC program, as well as the Working Capital Loan Fund. I want to just take a moment and commend the regional director of the Small Business Administration in my area, Eric Ness, with whom I've teamed up in the last 6 months to hold multiple small business forums throughout western Wisconsin, which help inform small business owners and farmers about the availability of the SBA programs, as well as the local lenders, so that they do know what's available and how it works. Now, my good friend and colleague from the State of Texas--and he is my friend--had a few mischaracterizations that I want to clarify. As President Reagan is fond of saying, facts can be a stubborn thing. The facts are these: When we passed the American Recovery Act, we did have accelerated depreciation and expensing for small businesses in it. We had a net operating loss carryback for small businesses so that the profits that they took in previous years could be immediately written down over the last couple of years when they were suffering losses. This has worked to have an immediate cash infusion into those small businesses. What we're doing here today is directly beneficial to small businesses in trying to free up these capital markets that are not working well. These are proven programs that we clearly need to extend and expand upon. I commend Chairwoman Velazquez of the Small Business Committee, and I commend every member on that committee for the attention and the energy that they have devoted to the plight of small business owners. In my region of the world, in my district, I know, unless small businesses have the ability to keep their doors open--to make payroll, to make investments, and to expand jobs--we're not going to see the type of job growth that is required to recover from the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. I would encourage my colleagues to support this rule and to support the underlying bill. Show your support for small businesses, support that they need today.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 3585, the Solar Technology Roadmap Act. This bill establishes an important energy tax title that will create the high-paying green jobs our economy needs, while simultaneously taking strong actions to help in our longer-term fight to combat global warming. Even with rapid growth in solar and wind installations, most clean technologies installed in the U.S. continue to be manufactured overseas. In the case of solar, the U.S. is steadily falling behind the rest of the world in manufacturing capacity, dropping from 22 percent in 2002 to a mere 7 percent in 2007. Similarly, European firms now account for more than 85 percent of the global wind component market, and the U.S. has only a modest share of global manufacturing of other clean technologies, ranging from fuel cells to advanced batteries. We cannot continue down this path. We are a nation of leaders and we need to start leading. We must cultivate a new mindset where sustainable technology and a clean manufacturing base are at the forefront. Initiatives like the Solar Technology Roadmap, which level the manufacturing playing field and incentivize investment, are what we need. This tax credit will create new manufacturing jobs--a need that cannot be understated given that the U.S. shed more than 1 million manufacturing jobs in the past 12 months. Correspondingly, the credit will increase the tax base and improve our trade balance. These are key components to our nation's economic recovery and long-term economic growth. Other nations are making these investments and, to remain globally competitive, we need to do the same. I am pleased at the length to which this bill goes to create green jobs and urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Mr. KIND

Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, for the past 20 years, the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Reauthorization Act has been one of the most successful government-sponsored, youth-focused conservation education programs. This dynamic program incorporates scientific and wildlife management principles into visual arts curriculum in both public and private schools. As a national program, children in all states have the opportunity to learn about bird conservation while simultaneously developing a strong appreciation for art. I can attest to the success of this program and would like to congratulate the 2009 Wisconsin Federal Junior Duck Stamp competitors and, in particular, the 22 students from Wisconsin's Third District who placed in the contest. I am proud to say that of the over 600 entries from the 53 schools participating in the State of Wisconsin, the ``Best of Show'' went to Yvette Bauer of Ithaca Public School in Richland Center, located in my District. The youth of today will become the leaders of tomorrow. We must therefore encourage our youth to become stewards of America's irreplaceable wild places and treasured outdoor heritage. I strongly support the reauthorization of the successful Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program and look forward to seeing this bill passed in the House today.