Frank Kratovil

Mr. KRATOVIL

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

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

Mr. KRATOVIL

Mr. KRATOVIL. Madam Speaker, today a native of Maryland's Eastern Shore, Specialist Michael Yates, was laid to rest. Specialist Yates, of Federalsburg, was killed in a senseless act of violence that should serve to shine a brighter light on the mental health of those serving our Nation. Specialist Yates, along with four colleagues, reportedly was shot and killed by a fellow serviceman on duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom at Camp Liberty in Baghdad. Growing up on the Eastern Shore, Specialist Yates was an avid hunter and fisherman and like many of my constituents held a deep love for his country and a desire to serve in defense of freedom. At the young age of 17, Specialist Yates joined the Army where he was sent to Ft. Knox, Germany, and then to Iraq, where he served as a calvary scout. Specialist Yates had recently returned to Federalsburg where he was able to visit with family and friends one last time before returning to Iraq and ultimately to a counseling center at Camp Liberty. It was here that a fellow soldier whom he had reportedly described to his step- father as ``a fairly decent guy who had some major issues,'' shot and killed Specialist Yates. The death of Specialist Yates and his fellow soldiers must serve as a warning sign that the time is now, especially with an influx of returning veterans to make soldiers' and veterans' mental health a priority and heed Secretary Gates' recommendation to support funding for traumatic brain injury and psychological health exams for our servicemen and -women. Honoring our commitment to those who serve our Nation means offering them not only top-notch medical care for physical injuries, but also first-rate mental health services to help fight the alarming rising trend of suicide and mental illness among veterans. Honoring our commitment means more than waving our banners and flags at parades. It means putting our money where our collective mouth is. We owe this to Specialist Yates, as well as the friends and families of those involved in this tragic event. I have introduced a resolution along with fellow colleagues from both sides of the aisle who lost constituents in this incident honoring their service and calling for a greater focus on mental health issues among servicemen and veterans. I urge my colleagues to sign on and support this resolution when it reaches the floor.

Mr. KRATOVIL

Mr. KRATOVIL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. KRATOVIL. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to congratulate the Small Business Committee chairwoman, Ms. Velazquez, and lead sponsor, Congressman Heath Shuler, for bringing H.R. 2352, the Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act of 2009, to the floor today. This legislation will arm small businesses and entrepreneurs, who are the lifeblood of our economy, to grow and prosper. Investing in America's small businessmen and -women will help our economy recover. Small businesses create approximately four out of five new jobs. These small businesses are the backbone of the economy. They are the mom-and-pop stores on the Main Streets in small towns across America. But they are also individuals who are willing to take a risk and begin their own small high-tech companies. I, like many Members of the House of Representatives, represent a largely rural district. A drive up and down Route 50 in my district reveals a landscape dotted with car dealerships that have closed their doors, restaurants that have gone out of business, empty hotel parking lots and store fronts with more vacancy than occupants. Although these images are not unique to rural areas, they deliver a much deeper blow to rural areas that rely on these small businesses for a greater percentage of local revenue and regional commerce than metropolitan and suburban areas. For this reason, I have offered an amendment that would establish a rural entrepreneurship advisory council within the Small Business Administration. The council will be comprised of appropriate officials from the SBA, the rural development programs of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Commerce, as well as representatives from the academic, small business, agriculture and high-tech sectors. The council is tasked with providing a report to Congress on rural entrepreneurship, specifically a report on entrepreneurship in rural communities compared to urban communities, potential barriers for individuals in rural communities, effective Federal policies that are expanding entrepreneurship in rural communities, and recommendations for Federal policies to foster entrepreneurship in rural communities and to ensure that rural entrepreneurs have equal access to technical assistance, entrepreneurial opportunities and educational outreach. The council will also provide ongoing advice to the SBA administrator on issues related to rural entrepreneurship and how to foster rural entrepreneurs, including the effective use of broadband technology. This is a simple, commonsense amendment that will ensure our Nation's rural entrepreneurs are not left behind. I urge support of the amendment as well as the underlying bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. KRATOVIL

Mr. KRATOVIL. This Congress needs to control spending across the board--and this bill is a necessary step in the area of major defense acquisition programs. I strongly support H.R. 2101, and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. KRATOVIL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2101 because it will save taxpayers billions of dollars while maintaining a strong national defense through improved oversight of the acquisition of major weapons systems. Cost overruns, schedule slips, and performance shortfalls have plagued large weapon system acquisition programs since World War II. Current major defense acquisition programs continue to experience these problems despite mandates from Congress and the Department of Defense. This legislation is an essential step to getting back our financial house in order. As a Member of the House Armed Services Committee, I recognize that we must continue to provide a strong national defense. However, taxpayers deserve a smart national defense as well--especially at a time when they are being compelled to tighten their belts and make difficult financial decisions about how to reduce their own personal experiences expenses. In light of current economic conditions and the sacrifices by average Americans across the country, Congress and the Department of Defense must also make a real effort to establish the necessary financial discipline, accountability, and oversight of major defense acquisition programs. The GAO found that as of 2009, the Department of Defense had at least $166 billion of cost growth on 96 major weapons systems. A 20 percent improvement could save the taxpayer as much as $30 billion. The WASTE TKO Act seeks to cut the cost growth in major defense acquisition programs in three major ways. First, it requires the Secretary of Defense to designate an official expert on cost estimation, systems engineering, and performance assessment. This new internal oversight function will provide us with independent assessments of acquisition programs. Second, the bill creates an ``intensive care unit'' for sick programs. Programs that are not meeting the standards for system deployment or that have had critical Nunn-McCurdy cost breaches will get additional scrutiny. Finally, it increases oversight of programs in the early stages of acquisition. It requires the DOD to set up a new system to track the cost growth and schedule changes that happen prior to milestone B--the decision point where system development begins.

Mr. KRATOVIL

Mr. KRATOVIL. Mr. Chairman, studies suggest that almost 50 percent of all subprime loans were accepted by lenders without verification of stated income. In some cases, borrowers provided their lenders with fraudulent information in order to qualify for a mortgage and deceive the lenders. In other cases, the lenders actually encouraged the borrowers to do so, or simply looked the other way despite obvious questions of credibility. How can we avoid this from happening again? Mr. Chairman, we can do this by passing the Moore-Kratovil-Kilroy amendment to H.R. 1728, which can appropriately be referred to, as a prosecutor might say, a ``trust but verify'' amendment. The Moore-Kratovil-Kilroy amendment to H.R. 1728 would help stabilize the mortgage markets and help protect against fraud by requiring mortgage lenders to verify the income history of each home loan applicant by obtaining a IRS tax return transcript from a third-party provider prior to closing a loan. IRS tax transcripts can be used to verify income and avoid possible fraud or eventual foreclosure. Verification of stated income through IRS tax transcripts will protect the taxpayers, investors, and mortgage market by discouraging fraud, reducing foreclosures and strengthening the market. This past April, as was mentioned, the TARP special inspector----

Mr. KRATOVIL. This past April, the TARP Special Inspector General recommended the Treasury use third-party income verification to prevent fraud in the newly announced mortgage modification system. As a former prosecutor, I certainly had experience prosecuting fraud in the courtroom. What this amendment does is stop fraud before it even gets there by eliminating the ability to misrepresent or encourage a misrepresentation of income. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. KRATOVIL

Mr. KRATOVIL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of one of Maryland's finest public servants, Christine Sarbanes--a woman of grace, passion and compassion. She was a teacher, an activist and a volunteer who gave selflessly to her community, to Maryland, to the Nation, and to the greater world community. Her belief that every individual had the potential to be great fueled her passion for teaching, for spreading literacy worldwide and for providing access to higher learning for each and every student who had a desire to learn. Christine Sarbanes was a dedicated mother, a full-time educator and both a political partner and adviser to her husband, Senator Paul Sarbanes. For many of us, each job alone would constitute enough to leave a legacy, but for Christine, she chose to go above and beyond as a community servant, as an active board member for a number of community and international organizations, and as a tireless fundraiser for causes near to her heart. I would like to extend the thoughts and prayers of my family and constituents to Senator Sarbanes, to my colleague, Congressman John Sarbanes, and to the entire Sarbanes family.

Mr. KRATOVIL

Mr. KRATOVIL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of personal responsibility. Over the last week, we have all expressed outrage over the bonuses paid to AIG executives. The truth of the matter, however, is, this is just the latest example of a lack of personal responsibility that is rampant within our Nation. As we attempt to recoup taxpayer dollars wrongfully used to pay for those bonuses, we also need to recognize that what has happened at AIG is a symptom of a much broader issue affecting our Nation; and, until we as a Nation come to grips with the problem and begin addressing it, we will face the consequences of AIG- like problems again and again. The lack of personal responsibility in our Nation is not simply apparent at AIG; it is evident everywhere. It is evident in the actions of unscrupulous lenders, making money off of unwitting borrowers, knowing full well these borrowers are being set up for failure. It is evident in the actions of reckless investors who took on enormous debt in the hopes of turning a quick profit, but instead passed their debt along to the American people. It is evident in the corporate executives, who, despite having ultimate responsibility for their failing companies, have absolutely no problem taking bonuses while their own employees, stockholders, and American taxpayers pay the price for their failings. It is evident in the views of some of our citizens who have benefited from the opportunities that wealth and privilege afford, and yet feel absolutely zero responsibility to assist in providing for the common good. It is evident in the talking heads on both sides of the political spectrum that intentionally, either for political gain or sheer entertainment, distort and oversimplify complex issues that erode confidence in our leaders and in our institutions. And, yes, Mr. Speaker, this lack of personal responsibility is also evident in us, Members of the House of Representatives, Democrats and Republicans, who continue to play politics and blame one another for political expediency instead of coming together to move our Nation forward. In short, the issue is simply not the executives at AIG. There is enough blame to go around, and we all have a part to play in changing the culture of our Nation. Regardless of what happens in the short term, long-term economic and moral strength of our Nation depends on renewing one of our greatest American virtues, personal responsibility.

Mr. KRATOVIL

Mr. KRATOVIL. Mr. Speaker, once again, this body finds itself engaging in a classic example of partisan politics and the blame game. I am no longer interested in wasting any more time or any more taxpayer dollars arguing who is to blame for our failing economy, who is to blame for the AIG bonuses being paid, or who is to blame for a declining sense of personal responsibility we see not just among our AIG executives but across this country. What I am interested in doing today is doing what we can do to recoup the taxpayer dollars that were used to pay AIG executives bonuses that not only did they not deserve but should be ashamed for having accepted. That is what this bill does. Now, just so there is no confusion. This body voted to increase the oversight and accountability of the monies provided under TARP in the TARP Reform and Accountability Act. I voted for that legislation to address the exact issue that is now presented at AIG. 166 members of this House voted against it and many of them now stand up and criticize the lack of oversight with regard to these contracts. This country has had enough of partisanship and obstruction on one hand, combined with no solutions on the other. In terms of the stimulus bill, the language in the bill provided more, not less restrictions on executive pay. How can those who voted against additional restrictions on the TARP funds and against additional accountability, now stand up and with a straight face argue that we have not done enough. The American people are tired of these old political games. What we need are solutions, not rhetoric.

Mr. KRATOVIL

Mr. KRATOVIL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 290th Military Police Company of Adelphi, Maryland. Earlier this month I had the honor of attending a welcome home ceremony for the soldiers. In June of 1948, the ``Defenders'' received their original Federal recognition and were activated several times during the 1960s and 1970s to quell civil disturbance in Cambridge, Salisbury and Baltimore, Maryland. In 1990, the 290th was mobilized both in support of Operation Desert Shield and of Desert Storm. On September 11, the 290th was again called to service to secure the crash site at the Pentagon while rescue and recovery operations took place. From there, the 290th was mobilized under Operation Noble Eagle for homeland defense. The 290th was again called upon to help support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. During the mission, the 290th provided force protection for key air bases, including those in Pakistan. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the gulf region, once again the 290th was sent to Mississippi to assist local law enforcement with emergency and relief operations. And, again, in October 2007, the 290th was once again mobilized and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This is a unit that has been asked to serve our Nation all over the world and right here at home, and each time it has responded to the call of duty valiantly and honorably. But now, deservedly, they are home. Our Nation's greatest strength is the men and women who selflessly give of themselves to defend our ideals, and their families, who make sacrifices every day while their loved ones are in harm's way. I salute the 290th military police company and welcome them home, and pledge to be an advocate for them and all veterans of our Armed Forces. Celebrating the valor of our Armed Forces is one thing, but here in Congress we must put our money where our mouth is and support the men and women of our Armed Forces, their families and our veterans, or we are merely providing lip service to them. Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record the members of the unit from Maryland's First Congressional District, who served so honorably. Name, Rank, City: Benitez, Luis Enrique, Jr, SPC, Bel Air, MD 21014; Fowler, Allen Mitchell, SGT, Bel Air, MD 21014; Sullens, Jeffrey Lee, SGT, Belcamp, MD 21017; Frederick, Robert, SPC, Preston, MD 21655; Zimmerman, Maria Masha, SPC, Preston, MD 21655; Wood, James Spencer, SPC, Cockeysville, MD 21030; Smack, Derrick Clinton, SPC, Delmar, MD 21875. Dixon, Kassey Craig, SPC, Elkridge, MD 21075; Dixon, Kim Craig, SGT, Elkridge, MD 21075; Saunders, James Junior, 1SG, Hanover, MD 21076; Baschogeorge, Franklyn L, SGT, Jessup, MD 20794; Buckingham, Victoria Kathari, SGT, Laurel, MD 20708; Sadler, Brandon Anthony, SPC, Port Deposit, MD 21904; Ward, John Allen, SPC, Port Deposit, MD 21904. Clayton, John Joseph, SSG, Annapolis, MD 21409; Tull, Thomas David, SSG, Severn, MD 21144; Windisch, Catherine Anne, SSG, Annapolis, MD 21409; Blevins, Richard Earl, SGT, Hebron, MD 21830; Calhoun, Susan Mabel, SGT, Delmar, MD 21875; Cannon, Anitra Chantal, SPC, Crisfield, MD 21817; Dixon, Joel Harrison, SPC, Salisbury, MD 21804. Henley, Tony Mario, Jr, SPC, Pittsville, MD 21850; Houston, Martin Lee, Jr, SPC, Ocean City, MD 21842; Insley, Amber Joy, SPC, Princess Anne, MD 21853; Marvin, Andrew Michael, SGT, Salisbury, MD 21804; Richards, Johnathan, SPC, Pocomoke, MD 21851; Hunter, Christy Lynn, SGT, Crisfield, MD 21817.

Mr. KRATOVIL

Mr. KRATOVIL. I would like to thank the gentlewoman from Colorado for yielding. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the Markey-Kratovil amendment because this Congress needs to do more to ensure that rural communities receive an equal share of the funds needed to protect our environment, reduce pollution, and provide clean water. Of the top 15 Clean Water Fund priorities in Maryland, eight of them are located in my district, the First District. Of those eight, six serve municipalities with populations under 10,000. Despite their relatively small populations, these small towns play one of the largest roles in protecting the Chesapeake Bay, our Nation's largest estuary with a watershed spanning six States and 64,000 square miles. By increasing the percentage of funds set aside for rural communities from 10 to 15 percent, we are taking a giant step forward in the repair of aging infrastructure, improvement of failing septic systems, and prevention of nutrients entering the Chesapeake Bay. These funds not only benefit the local communities by lessening their financial burden and helping to improve their infrastructure, but they benefit every family within the expansive watershed that relies on the bay for everything from commerce to recreation. Oftentimes larger population centers are given funding priorities with the assumption that the benefits will find their way towards smaller suburban and rural communities. In the case of the Chesapeake Bay, the funding needs to focus on smaller, more rural areas that are on the front lines of protecting our environment. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund is especially important to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, where nitrogen pollution degrades habitat for key plants and animals in the bay's ecosystem, including underwater grasses, crabs, and oysters. As a result of nitrogen pollution, the Chesapeake Bay now functions at barely one-quarter of its estimated potential. The funding also plays an integral role in upgrading sewage treatment plants that receive the majority of SRF funds. Wastewater discharged from sewage plants is the second largest source of nitrogen pollution to the Chesapeake Bay. When approximately 12 million of the 16 million residents of the watershed flush their toilets, the wastewater goes to sewage treatment plants and is discharged into the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. To date, more than two-thirds of those plants do not use any technologies to remove nitrogen pollution, and only 10 plants are currently reducing nitrogen pollution to the state-of-the-art levels, according to the most recent data available. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund is the primary Federal funding mechanism to reduce water pollution and some of the more rural areas, especially those in my State and district, are the primary defenders of the environment. When allocating these funds, it's important to look past population and toward priorities so that the funding is more targeted for our long-term environmental health.

Mr. KRATOVIL

Mr. KRATOVIL. Madam Speaker, I come to Congress as a career prosecutor, someone whose job it has been to sort through facts in search of the truth. In my career, I have found that usually the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Running for Congress gave me the opportunity to meet with people with divergent opinions. But what I found was that as differing as their opinions may have been, more often than not they shared the same goals for their families and communities. Most wanted more financial stability. They wanted to send their children to college, and they wanted a government that didn't interfere with their small business, but provided incentive and opportunity to grow. People agreed that a clean and healthy Chesapeake was vital to our region, whether they valued the bay for sport, commerce or tourism, and they wanted a Congress that applied oversight to every penny they appropriated. The long and short was that my constituents there were just as different, they shared the same goals. In my first days as a Member of Congress, I found the same to be true of my colleagues. I pledged to my constituents that I would work with both sides of the aisle in order to help accomplish these common goals, and that is the same promise I make to my colleagues. No party has a monopoly on good ideas, and, as always, if we work in a bipartisan manner, we will find that the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Mr. KRATOVIL

Mr. KRATOVIL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of H. Res. 40 because I believe that not only is it a good idea for Congress to investigate waste, fraud and abuse, but I believe it is our Constitutional responsibility to do so. The American people have lost faith in this institution. They no longer trust Congress to spend their money wisely and have grown increasingly cynical about our ability to provide needed oversight. They expect us to safeguard their money the same Way we would our own children's college funds or our retirement accounts--we must meet this expectation. The current economic environment demands financial responsibility. We can no longer allow our nation's finite resources to be squandered while families in our districts are struggling to make ends meet. What this resolution does is ensure that Congress is fulfilling one of our most basic functions. It calls for at least three hearings a year, one every 120 days, on the topic of waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement. This is an opportunity to show our constituents that we are serious about changing Washington and putting an end to the reckless and dangerous spending that in part helped create the unfortunate economic environment in which we find ourselves. Many of us campaigned that we would come here to do our best to change Washington; taking steps to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse is a good start. This is a good resolution that protects taxpayer dollars. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 40.