Mike Kelly

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I am truly grateful for the brave and heroic service of Lance Corporal Weaver. Let us not forget the ultimate sacrifice that he and so many other young Americans have made in promoting freedom and in protecting our great Nation. I urge all Members of this House to join me in strong support of this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. I'm glad to be here with my colleagues from Pennsylvania. My thoughts of Coach Paterno go way back to the time when I was a really young guy in Butler, Pennsylvania, and Coach Paterno at that time was an assistant coach for Rip Engle. Coach Paterno would come into our high school, and he was very close friends with my high school coach, Art Bernardi. But the thing I remember most about Coach Paterno, he had the ability to inspire you to do things that maybe you didn't think you could do. He had the ability to get you to go beyond being tired into being better. As a young guy growing up, he would come into our study halls and he would come into our halls, and I had the chance to go to Penn State many times to see him as an assistant coach, and always enjoyed the moments we had, and then go over to his house with Mrs. Paterno, and he would say to Mrs. Paterno, Hey, these guys are hungry. Can you get them a sandwich? Can you get them something to eat? They were always so nice to us, and the kids were small then. So I can understand the sense of loss that not only the Paterno family has but the State of Pennsylvania, and in particular, Penn State University, because Coach Paterno was part of the fabric of that which is Penn State. He was the leaven that held Penn State together. He was the man that transcended not just football, because football was only a very small part of our life, but it was that game that taught us about life that was to come and the adversity that you would face and the problems that you would have to solve, and the idea that, yeah, well, you may not have done it real well on that last play. The only sin was not getting up off the deck and getting ready for the next play. So I join my colleagues from Pennsylvania, and there's a deep sense of loss for all of us in Pennsylvania, and especially all of those folks at Penn State who have lost a true leader and a true icon--not just for college football and not just for athletics, but for the American life. So I am deeply indebted to Coach Paterno for what he taught us. I also am grieving with the family and with the rest of the State of Pennsylvania for the loss of a truly great American, Joe Paterno.

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. I thank the gentleman from California. I do stand in strong support of the Civilian Property Realignment Act, and I'll tell you why. I come from the private sector where sometimes assets become liabilities. An asset becomes a liability when it costs you so much to insure it, secure it, and maintain it that it no longer serves the purpose it was originally designed for. When you look at this, I look at this as almost--there's a TV show. I haven't seen it, but they tell me it's called ``Hoarders.'' This is where people hoard things that they have no use for, but it takes up all space in their house and it takes up their personal wealth. We are looking at a situation right now in this country where we have to reduce the size of government and reduce the cost. Why? Because it's the hardworking American taxpayer that foots the bill for all these properties that are being unused or underused. Wouldn't it just make sense to take them from the liability side and put it on the asset side? It no longer will cost the American taxpayers money to secure, insure, and maintain. It would go into the private sector. It would create jobs. These people would convert these into a use that makes more sense for today, and they would start paying taxes on it. This is a win-win situation for the American taxpayer. I would submit to you, if this were not a reelection year, we would not be going through gymnastics in this House of things that make absolutely no sense to the people who pay for them; that's the American taxpayer. After sitting here for 1 year and watching this ridiculous tennis match and trying to figure out if we really came to reduce the size of government, if we really came to reduce the debt that we have, if we really came to create jobs, if we really came for something that makes sense for America, why are we wasting America's time by debating issues that don't make sense for the people that pick up the tab, and that's the American taxpayer? It is not this House that pays for it. It is those homes around our district and in this country. I have gotten to the point where I cannot stand listening to this garbage that comes out of here. It does nothing but create animosity. It does nothing to fix the situation. We have absolutely reached way past the midnight hour. So I strongly support the gentleman's bill, the Civilian Property Realignment Act. Let's change these things from being liabilities into assets. Let's take the government's foot off the throat of the American taxpayers. Let's turn this country around and make it a useful situation. I thank the gentleman. Please stand strong. We need to get these issues done. Announcement by the Chair

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. Again, I appreciate the gentleman for bringing this topic up. We have to understand that, if we are really going to get this economy back on track, it is the people who make things--and we talk about making it in America. If we're really trying to support the domestic automakers, then you don't raise the price of the car by $3,200. With each price increase, we eliminate somebody who would have bought a new car. As we eliminate the purchase of new cars, we also affect the long-range market for used cars. A new car eventually becomes a used car. We are eliminating personal transportation in this country by upping the bar in a systematic way, and people aren't noticing it. There should be an outrage among the hardworking American families of whom sometimes Dad works two jobs and Mom works a job--all to put food on the table, to educate their children, and to somehow get them from where they live to where they need to be, whether it be for their jobs or for education or for after-school activities. We are eliminating private transportation in this country by upping the price and by making it impossible for the average American to own his own car.

Mr. KELLY. I thank the gentleman from Texas. I come from a family that in 1953 started in the automobile business. My father came from being a parts picker in a warehouse for General Motors, surviving World War II and then coming back home and starting his own dealership in 1953. So, not only can I talk the talk, but I've actually walked the walk. When we sit back and when we see what this administration is doing, while they say on one side they're very concerned with jobs and that they're very concerned with the recovery of the automobile industry, they propose legislation that will take 7 million buyers out of the market. That is a staggering number of cars that we will not be able to build. If we can't build them, we don't need folks there in the factories. We don't want to mess with the fragile recovery that the automobile industry has right now. Again, as I said, in having walked that walk and in understanding the cost of these vehicles as they go up, it is a terrible thing that this administration is considering. It does not surprise me because we are talking about people who have never in their lives actually had their own skin in the game. So, when they talk about these measures that they're taking, when they talk about all these well-intentioned ideas, they forget that the ultimate sacrifice made is by the buyers, by the American consumer. We are going to raise the average cost of these vehicles by $3,200. As I said earlier, 7 million prospective buyers will not be in the market. We have jumped the standards that we had by 3 years. I was there in the early seventies when the CAFE standards came into existence. The corporate average fuel economy had nothing to do with green energy; it had nothing to do with a carbon footprint. What it had to do with was our reliance on foreign oil. We are making great strides to that effect. Now, I do know that my friends in the automobile manufacturing business have agreed to these new standards. I also know that there are so many resets in this new standard that they opted to go along with this administration's directions and that they bought into this idea knowing that each electric car that they build, which is subsidized by $7,500 in taxpayer funds--hardworking American families who have paid their taxes will not have the same benefit that people buying these electric cars--the metrics on that is $175,000. That is their average income. Now, who are we appealing to? We give the industry a double count on those. That's how they get to the 54.5 miles per gallon, and they understand with the resets that it's much easier to go along with this administration than to try to fight them up front. I will tell you, of my friends in the automobile dealer business, who are the folks who go to work every day, who have to put bread on the table, in my dealership there are 110 folks who come in there every day to solve the transportation needs of the people in our community. The other side of this is safety. When my wife and my four children get in their cars--and keep in mind there are five grandchildren involved now--we're going to start asking those folks to start driving lighter cars, cars that will not be as safe as the cars we have on the road right now. And why? Because we are catering to an administration that puts its agenda ahead of the American public's safety. So I appreciate what the gentleman from Texas is doing. I understand the unintended consequences of this, so it's time for us to blow the whistle on an administration that refuses to acquiesce to what the public needs and continues to drive its own agenda. I appreciate what you've done.

Mr. KELLY. I agree with the gentleman, and I will tell you that I join in your fight. This is not only a fight that we must fight; this is a battle we must win. I will fight with you every step of the way. We cannot continue to take a free and self-governing people and tell them not only what foods they can eat, what houses they can live in, what light bulb they can use, or what car and truck they can drive. So I thank you for being a champion of the American people and the hard-working Americans that pay for every single thing that this government does.

Mr. KELLY. It's all price point and it's all affordability, and it comes down to: How much per month does it cost for the average, hardworking American family to keep private transportation? We are raising the price by $3,200 per car. We are eliminating 7 million people from having the opportunity to own their own cars, their own transportation, which has been the hallmark of this country and which has driven this economy for many, many years. It has allowed the people to move out of the cities and into the suburbs because they had a way to get to work, and they didn't have to rely on public transportation. In this country, what is very unique is that you can get up in the morning, and you can drive to wherever it is you want to go, and you can get there by yourself or with your friends; but that's the uniqueness and that's the greatness of America, and it has always been. It is the one thing that the rest of the world looks at. Private transportation is absolutely critical, and we are going to eliminate the ability for 7 million Americans to have that opportunity.

Mr. KELLY. Yes, absolutely. We talked about that. The loopholes in this program are not for the hardworking American families that go to work every day to support their kids and their families and their well-being. The folks really don't buy these cars to drive; they buy them because they can. We are giving people $7,500 in Federal loopholes. Then in my State of Pennsylvania, it throws another $3,500 towards the purchase of an electric car. Those cars, by the way, are 200,000 cars per manufacturer. It's not 200,000 cars in total, but 200,000 cars per manufacturer. The cost of this and as you see the trajectory of this expense, it goes off the charts. The answer is it is not going to improve fuel economy. What really drives fuel economy is the number of miles you drive each year and the cost of gasoline. Yet they start to talk about, No, no. We've got to tell people that they can only drive a car that gets 54.5 miles per gallon. You know, sir, as well as I do, that that is not the case. We've been gamed again. I think there should be an outrage over this with the American people now. This is a regulation that does nothing but push an agenda and does not push the well-being of the American citizen.

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, under the Constitution, Congress has the solemn responsibility to the American people ``to provide for the common defense.'' Congress exercises this responsibility through passage of H.R. 1540, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. Three guiding principles for this legislation are discussed below. First, the conference report for H.R. 1540 provides the members of our armed forces with all of the resources necessary to complete their missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world. The brave men and women who make up our armed forces have a high calling--to protect the American people--and it is incumbent upon us as the Congress to do everything we can to give them the resources they need to get the job done quickly and safely. Further, this conference report provides military personnel and their families with the support that they need and which is rightfully theirs. Serving as a soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine is no ordinary job, and members of our armed forces as well as their families need to know that no matter what happens here in Washington, DC, there will be no interruption to their pay or benefits as they work night and day to keep us safe. Lastly, this conference report provides for investment in the future of our nation's security by ensuring that our armed forces are capable of responding to the threats of today and the threats of tomorrow. Our enemies around the world are not standing still; they are actively probing for any weaknesses in our nation's defenses, and we must be vigilant in maintaining both our current capabilities and developing future capabilities. For the sake of our country and our allies who depend on us, we must sustain a strong, flexible, and effective force structure. The conference report provides authorization for national defense spending in the following amounts: $554 billion for the base budget and $115.5 billion for overseas contingency operations, i.e. the war on terrorism. This is a significant reduction in funding from the original House-passed version to comply with the first tier of the Budget Control Act's requirement to cut defense spending by an estimated $465 billion over ten years. Specifically, this authorized funding has been reduced $19 billion from the Fiscal Year 2011 National Defense Authorization Act, $21.8 billion from the House-passed version of the Fiscal Year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, and $24.1 billion from President Obama's budget. While our nation's economic plight has forced us all to tighten our belts, we cannot put Americans at risk by engaging in irresponsibly deep cuts to our defense spending that would hollow out our nation's military. This conference report strikes the right balance between the important priorities of reducing wasteful government spending and providing for a strong, robust, national defense. The conference report also sets forth key policies that will help to ensure the safety of our nation and the effectiveness of our military. A few examples are discussed below. The conference report provides for new sanctions on entities that engage in financial transactions with the Central Bank of Iran, including other state central banks. The provisions apply to the purchase of petroleum, which is of course one of Iran's key natural resources. The threat from Iran has only grown in recent weeks and months. Iran has continued its relentless drive towards developing nuclear weapons; continued its unceasing promotion of terrorism, including a brazen attempt to assassinate the Ambassador from Saudi Arabia to the United States, on American soil; sought to exert its malign influence over key countries in the region, including the nascent democracy of Iraq; and threatened America's strongest ally in the Middle East, the nation of Israel. Cutting off Iran's access to international financial transactions will help stop Iran from making progress towards any of these harmful goals. Further, the conference report codifies conscience protections for military chaplains. Chaplains are crucial to the well-being of the members of our armed forces, who rely on them for guidance and spiritual nourishment especially when they are serving overseas. Chaplains shall never be forced to act against their consciences. Accordingly this conference report protects chaplains from being forced to perform same-sex marriages in violation of their conscience or their moral principles. Lastly, the conference report forbids government funding from being used to transfer or release Guantanamo Bay detainees into the United States. To permit known terrorists to enter the U.S. would create an unacceptable threat to the safety of the American people and the conference report rightly prevents such an unthinkable scenario from occurring. In short, this conference report provides crucial funding and sets forth key policies to ensure our nation's defense. I unequivocally urge my colleagues to vote for this important legislation.

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. I rise in strong support of this piece of legislation. This is so commonsense. This is so basic. It is as basic as blood is to the body, the access to capital for small businesses, the ability to raise capital in hard times. I will tell you right now the biggest inhibitor right now to us creating jobs is the uncertainty. And for anybody in small business to go to a bank right now and say, I need to borrow money, I want to buy equipment, I want to invest in inventory, you know what they're met with: we are not sure we can do that. With the new rules and regulations, we don't know them yet, so we have to kind of hold back on that. But you know what, we need access to that capital if we are to succeed. If we are to move forward as a country, we need to unleash those bonds that are keeping us moored by them, and we can do it. This legislation is commonsense. And as I said earlier, this is the same as blood is to the body. Access to capital for small business is absolutely critical. It has to be done now. There is great bipartisan support for it.

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1280, the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011. S. 1280 honors the memory of Kate Puzey. Kate, a 24-year-old Peace Corps volunteer from the state of Georgia, was murdered in 2009 while serving as a teacher in a village in the West African country of Benin. Shortly before her death, Kate had reported that a foreign national, working under contract for the Peace Corps, had allegedly molested some of the young girls. Kate had requested anonymity and confidentiality because the man's brother worked at the Peace Corps office. Unfortunately Kate is not the only Peace Corps volunteer who has been victimized while serving overseas. During the last 10 years, Peace Corps volunteers have reported an average of 22 rapes and 267 assaults per year. Not only are these statistics far higher than the national average, according to 2008 data from the Department of Justice, but Peace Corps data suggest twice as many assaults occur than are reported. S. 1280 provides much-needed reform of the Peace Corps to protect volunteers against sexual assault and other violent crimes and to care for victims of such crimes. Specifically the bill provides risk-reduction and response training, a new Office of Victims Advocacy, confidential reporting, and other measures. For the sake of the 8,655 Peace Corps volunteers serving in 77 countries around the world, representing the best of our country's values, often at great personal risk, I urge the passage of this bill.

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 806, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Grijalva

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. I rise in strong support of the bill. I can speak very clearly about the relationship that we have with Korea because, in addition to being a General Motors dealer who sells Chevrolets and Cadillacs, I also sell Hyundais and Kias. I can tell you of the alliance that we have had, of the very strong partner we have had in Korea for so many years. Since 1949, Korea has fought with us in every military skirmish--side by side, shoulder to shoulder with us. In the United States alone, Hyundai has invested over $3 billion in bricks and mortar in building two plants--one in Montgomery, Alabama, the other in West Point, Georgia. When we're worried about the number of cars being sold here, let's understand one thing, that over 60 percent of the Korean cars sold in the United States are made by Americans. There are 60,000 jobs in the United States right now because of Hyundai and Kia's investment between our borders. And when we look at our market, our global opportunity, we have got to pass these trade agreements. We have got to pass the TAA. Why? Because it's good for America in addition to all these jobs and the possibility of 250,000 additional jobs in the country that's looking for a job almost every day. These jobs are there. They're available to us. We have got to get on with these trade agreements. In addition, let me also state that Hyundai and Hyundai dealers have raised over $43 million in the fight against pediatric cancer, which is over 10 times what this Congress has invested in that fight against pediatric cancer. The opportunities are outstanding right now. The opportunity is now, and what better time to pass these agreements than when we're hunting for the jobs that we need the most for our people and also with allies who have stood shoulder-to-shoulder and arm-in-arm with us in every single battle. I would urge every single Member in this House to please pass the agreements. Let's move on. Let's get America back to work.

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. ``I cannot believe you guys put yourselves behind the eight ball.'' Well, that's what my football coaches used to say whenever our team botched a play or missed an opportunity to win a game. As we mark 888 days since the Senate has passed a budget, I'd like to say to our friends over in the Senate: I can't believe you folks have put the American people behind the eight ball. Without a long-term budget, you can't run a business, you can't run family finances, and you sure as heck can't run a government. Passing a budget is one of the most basic legislative responsibilities Congress has, and the Senate leadership has not only punted on this, they've taken a knee. Leadership isn't about sitting on the sidelines, it's about having the courage to run the play. My colleagues in the House and I are calling on Senator Reid to run the play. Pass a budget. Pass the pro- growth bills we've already gotten through the House and help get America out from behind the eight ball. The American people have waited 888 days to see a budget come out of the Senate. And while the Senate is taking its good old time, the American people are taking it on the chin. With constant threats of shutdowns and slowdowns over continuing resolutions, we've had enough. Mr. Reid, please do your job. Pass a budget. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. Mr. Chair, during consideration of H.R. 2018, the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011, I voted ``no'' on the Capito Amendment, rollcall No. 566, when it was my intent to vote ``yea.'' Amendment No. 5 Offered by Mr. Polis

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 1380.

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. I will yield.

Mr. KELLY. I appreciate that. If I may, and I'm going to wrap up. We came here for a cause. We did not come here for a career. And if you cannot win the debate by using facts, and if you have to use fear, then shame on you. Shame on you. Go home. Go home. If you don't want to fix it, if you don't want to play by the rules, if you don't want to make America sleep safely again and sleep soundly, then go home. There is a level of fairness that needs to be played by. And I will tell you this, I have never in my life been subjected and have watched seniors been put through so much, and it's not necessary. If it's about your party, and if it's about trying to convince them, then doggone it, you're using the wrong message. Let's make sure that we fix it for the future, because it's there for our seniors, and it's there for our children.

Mr. KELLY. I appreciate that. To my friend from Arkansas and the rest of my colleagues that are here tonight, I have to tell you, it's only been about 4 months since we all came here, and I think we all came for the right reason. We came for a cause and not a career. I have got to tell you, the reason I am here tonight is because I had a telephone town hall today, and the folks that called me were seniors. The disturbing part about the conversations were that the most vulnerable folks out there, the people who lived within their means for the longest, made the most sacrifices, did the most to keep the promise that America holds for all of us, are the ones that are being attacked now. And they are not being attacked with facts; they are being attacked with fear. I have friends who are Democrats, but I would ask them to please, if you can't confuse them, then try to convince them. If you don't have the right facts, then quit using fear. And if they're going to use fear to make these people not able to sleep at night, to make it uncomfortable for them to lay their head on the pillow at night, the same people that have done so much to make the country great, if you are going to continue to lie to them and tell them, Those Republicans are going to take away your health care; they're going to take away Medicare; they are going to take away Medicaid; they're going to ruin Social Security for you, please, please, play by the rules. Play by the rules. Do what's right. Do what's right for America. This is not about Republicans. This is not about Democrats. This is about Americans. And this is especially about seniors. I am one right now. My birthday was just the other day. I am 63 years old. I don't think of myself as a senior. But you know what? The folks that I see after church on Sunday and who I have coffee with, they are seniors. They are in their seventies and they are in their eighties, and to have to sit there with them and tell them, We are not taking away your Medicare. We're the only ones that have a plan to save it. We are not taking away your Social Security. We're the only ones that have a plan to make sure it's safe. If we can't be honest, if we can't look each other in the eye and say that we are here to fix it, that we are here to make America have the stability that it once had; if we can not tell our seniors, it's okay folks, we're not going to take anything from you, we're going to work together to get it fixed--and this is the thing that bothers me. After listening to those folks today on the phone, I am convinced that there is something seriously wrong within this House.

Mr. KELLY

Mr. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. KELLY. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1308 was introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly) and is a straightforward bill to amend the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act by extending the Commission's termination date, as well as the Commission's final report deadline. In June 2009, President Obama signed Public Law 111-25 to establish the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission. The purpose of the Commission was, and is, to plan, develop, and carry out activities that are both fitting and proper to honor the memory of our late great President. President Reagan was born on February 6, 1911, and 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of his birth. Furthermore, the Commission was also tasked with being a crucial resource to Federal, State, and local government agencies as well as private groups as they go about planning and conducting events to honor President Reagan. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1308 is a very simple bill that extends the life of the Reagan Commission, and, unlike many prior Presidential commissions, costs the American taxpayer absolutely nothing. Mr. Speaker, I want to be very clear. The Reagan Commission does not receive a single penny of taxpayer dollars. The original bill and subsequent law prohibited the use of taxpayer money from going to the Commission, and this bill does not alter that provision in any way, shape, or form. The Commission has and continues to operate solely on private donations--something I'm sure Mr. Reagan, as a careful steward of taxpayer money, would himself have been glad to hear. The purpose of H.R. 1308 is to allow the hardworking staff and members of the Commission the opportunity to continue to provide their expertise and assistance as entities and groups all over the world continue to honor President Reagan. The Commission has already played a major role in celebrations at the Reagan Library on the President's birthday and has worked to establish a yearlong exhibit at the National Archives. Even the floor statements given by Members in this Chamber back in February were organized by the Reagan Commission. While the Commission has contributed much to events and ceremonies over the past few months, many more celebrations and events are planned throughout the rest of the year. In fact, multiple events to honor President Reagan's role in the fall of the Soviet Union are scheduled this summer in Europe. Here in the United States, a Joint Meeting of Congress may take place this fall, and numerous other events will take place at the State and local levels all over our country. Mr. Speaker, the Commission is currently scheduled to terminate on May 30 of this year, and this bill simply moves that date to December 31. In addition, H.R. 1308 moves the Commission's final report deadline from the 30th of this month to November 30. Changing these dates would ensure that the Commission can help entities and groups all over the world deliver high-quality and fitting events to celebrate the life of a truly great leader and man. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1308) to amend the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act to extend the termination date for the Commission, and for other purposes.

Mr. KELLY. I thank my colleague from Illinois. I appreciate that. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from the great State of California, the sponsor of this bill and a member of this Reagan Commission, Mr. Gallegly.