Adam Kinzinger

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Let me just add really briefly to that. You talk about our ideas and the fact that, you know, look, the President can--the REINS Act, for instance, that makes sense, some of those things. I make a promise here today: if the President comes to the Republicans and says, give me some ideas, and we give him ideas and he takes them, I will not go out and say that is a victory for Republicans. So let's get the partisanship out of this and say it's time to not be Republicans or Democrats about this; it's time to be Americans. Look, Mr. Speaker, I would say that the President has made, in his mind, a valiant attempt to save the economy. Unfortunately, I hate to say it, it hasn't worked. So come to us. Let us give you some ideas. And if you adopt our ideas, I--I personally--promise that I will not go out and say that the Republican Party just rolled the President, or we just rolled the Democrats, or anything like that. I will say America just won because we've worked together to get some big things done.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Captain Paul B. Moses of the Belvidere Fire Department, and to recognize his years of dedicated public service. Captain Moses began his career on January 10th, 1979 and was one of the first firefighters to complete Emergency Medical Technician training within the department. Since then he has worked in many different capacities during his tenure. In August of 1983, he became lieutenant and then six years later, in 1989, was appointed Chief of the department, a position he held for the next six years. Over his remaining years he completed his career as both Lieutenant and finally as Captain. He was a member of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, the Winnebago Fire Chiefs Association, and served on Boone County's 911 Board for over 15 years, serving many years as Chairman. While Chief he was instrumental in upgrading department equipment with the purchase of a new Fire Engine and Ladder Truck. He improved training within the department and was instrumental in the computerization of records. Most importantly, Captain Moses led from the front, never asking someone to do something he couldn't or wouldn't do himself. He is what you envision a firefighter to be, courageous, dedicated, strong, and passionate about his service. On July 11th, Captain Moses retired from the Belvidere Fire Department after more than 34 years of sacrifice and service. Captain Moses has played an invaluable role in the Belvidere Fire Department for decades and he will be missed. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I wish to express our deepest thanks to Captain Moses for devoting his life's work to protecting and serving his community.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for organizing the time and bringing us all together. This is an important discussion. When I think back to somebody who's a big hero of mine, Ronald Reagan, I think back to the eighties, of course, and I think of what Ronald Reagan talked about. He discussed America as a shining city on a hill, a city that everybody around the globe looks at and says ``I want to live there.'' Or they look at the United States and say, ``that is a country that I want my country to look like.'' That's frankly the Republican Party. And I understand that over the last few years, the Republican Party hasn't necessarily done a great job of messaging that. That's our fault. But I look at somebody like Ronald Reagan, and I look at the vision he has put out for America and I say, You know what? That is the Republican party that I joined. That's the Republican party that I believe in, the party that believes that a kid in the inner city of Chicago should have the same opportunity as a kid raised in the best suburbs of Chicago. That's what we believe. So when we talk about this really controversial issue of immigration--you have Americans on both sides of the issue, and Americans that have gotten ginned up on either side of this issue that are speaking to this with anger--I think something we have to do as a Nation and something that I think we need to do here right now is to say, Let's have this conversation about immigration, but let's do it in a way where we can discuss what America wants to be and what America is about and how to give most people around the world the opportunity to be in America. I think most Americans would agree that the first thing we have to do is ensure that we have a safe border, not only just because of the idea of immigration and ensuring that we have a system that works for everybody, but because--look, on a porous border you have an opportunity for terrorists to come through with weapons that we don't want in the United States of America. We've seen in our schools--I visited a place called Rosecrance the other day in Rockford, Illinois, that has teenagers that are suffering from drug addiction. Do you know what the cheapest drug they can get a hold of is now? You'd think maybe marijuana, right? It's actually heroin. Do you know where most of the heroin is coming through? It's coming through the border of Mexico. So I think when we talk about border security, we're not talking about it in an angry way. We're just saying as a sovereign Nation, we have a right to determine our immigration policy, and you can't determine immigration policy with a porous border. Once we do that, once we have honest border security and we're honest with the American people, then we have to have this discussion about how do we passionately and compassionately deal with folks that want the American way, as well. That's a conversation I'm looking forward to having tonight over the next few minutes. And as we move on, I'd like to yield to the gentleman from Colorado, a great Member of Congress, Mr. Cory Gardner.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. I thank the gentleman for your statements and everybody here for your statements. I am a member of the International Guard. Just 2\1/2\ months ago, I actually did missions on the border between Mexico and Texas. I fly a reconnaissance airplane, and the goal was to look for folks who had crossed illegally. In most cases, we were looking 60 miles into Texas. We were finding dozens of people. Each time we would look somewhere, we'd catch 60 to 100 a night. I felt bad for the folks who were hunkered down, who had crossed the border that were told by some coyote that they paid their entire life's saving to, told by some coyote that ushered them over that once you step foot in America, you'll be just fine. And then they realize that the journey actually begins. What you'd see in many cases was the Border Patrol, who do very tough, hard work, would apprehend most of these folks. In some cases, a couple of them would scatter, and they'd be left alone. They'd be left 15 miles away from the nearest town, with no water, with no food, and with no idea where to go. I think of that, and I think of the administration saying the border is already secure. I think what that leads to is there is an epic lack of trust in Washington right now. That's why actually the four of us came to Washington, because we recognize there's a huge lack of trust in D.C. So this idea that we're going to say from on high in Washington, we're going to just deem the border secure at some point, when the administration has already deemed it secure, is I think where the lack of trust is and why there's so much emotion tied into this. I think this is a beginning step in having a great discussion about how to actually tackle this problem in a way that both sides can agree with and that is fair to the American people and to folks who want to live the American life.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. That's a great story. I just had a town hall meeting in Rockford, Illinois, yesterday. You get folks from all ends of the political spectrum. That is the great thing about our democracy is we can have that respectful conversation. You have everything from folks who say, Look, all you have to do is enforce existing laws, put more people on the border. Then you have a lot of people who say, Hey, we need to not have any more border enforcement and just allow everybody here to become U.S. citizens. I think the answer is, frankly, in the middle of that. When you talk to folks, and it doesn't matter if they're on the right or left or somewhere in between, everybody has a heart. Everybody cares about people. And when you talk about the fact, as Mr. Gardner mentioned, there are people here who are 5 years old, through no fault of their own, sometimes 12 years old, or now they're getting ready to go to college and they realize they're not here legally, this is something we ought to have a lot of compassion for and understand. And I think we've got to take some of the anger out of it on all sides of the aisle and just have a grown-up discussion and say, What do we have to do to fix the problem here? What do we have to do to fix the issue? Because, frankly, I don't know how long I'll be in politics, but I don't ever want to have to address this again. And I think that's the thing. And that's what I hear at my town hall meetings is, you know, when you really get past kind of the initial arguments, folks say, We just really don't trust Washington, but, unfortunately, you're the ones that have to solve this problem.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Well, thank you. And as we do wrap up our time, I just want to say thank you to those paying attention today and to my fellow Members here. This is an important issue. This is the very beginning of a long discussion that we need to have because this is too important to get wrong. This is too important to rush, because America's the greatest country in the world and this is something we ought not ever forget. And in the process of doing that, we ought to remember that we're an America that many of us come from immigrants and an America that, frankly, is proud of where we've come from. So with that, I want to thank the fellow Members of Congress here with me to talk about this. And this is the very beginning of, I'm sure, a long discussion about where we go from here.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. The big picture of this is we're getting into a lot of the details we need to. But I want to just, as I give my last statement of the night, I just want to say this. You know, America is the land of opportunity. America is growing at less, frankly, organically, with folks just here, than we need to to continue to be a powerful economy in the world, so this is a discussion that we have to have. It is a discussion that is required if we're going to be, in 20, 30, 40, 50 years, the most powerful country in the world. I don't have kids yet, but I sure hope when I do that my grandkids can live in a world where America is unchecked, the power in the world. They never have to worry about some of the problems that previous generations have had to worry about. This reminds me, and as I've heard folks on, frankly, the other side of the aisle that have said many times, you know, they use very emotional statements to talk about what the Republican Party believes. I've heard us called the Party of No. I've heard us called, you know, taking food from the mouths of children, not caring about anybody but the rich. I've heard it all. Look, I'll admit this in some cases, in many cases, the Republican Party has not done a good job of messaging. I remember seeing an ad on television where a pizza company talked about how they used to do it wrong and now they want to do it right. Well, here's what we need do and here's what my passion is: to let the people know that, frankly, the Republican Party is the party of opportunity. We're the party that, as I mentioned earlier, believes that a kid born in the worst of circumstances should be able to pull himself out of those circumstances and be one of the most successful people in the world, including President of the United States if he or she wants to be. That's what we believe. That's, when we go forward in this debate and any other debates, that's the message that I think is important to get out. Let's quit calling each other names. Let's quit trying to use cheap shots. Let's just have a grown-up discussion and say we both, all sides of the aisle, want a successful America; we just see how to get there differently. And let's have a discussion as adults, as Members of Congress, and, frankly, as Americans should have a discussion.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Cherry Valley Police Chief Todd M. Houde, and to recognize his service to the Cherry Valley community. Chief Houde began his career in law enforcement as a deputy sheriff with the Winnebago County Sherriff's Office in 1981 after graduating from Memphis State University with a degree in criminal justice. He became a full- time police officer with the Cherry Valley Police Department in August 1986. Throughout his years with the department, he has protected the Cherry Valley Community through his work on multiple task forces. From 1987 to 1990, Chief Houde was assigned to the State Line Area Narcotics Task Force and in 1995 he was assigned to the Northern Illinois Auto Theft Task Force. On June 28, Police Chief Todd M. Houde retired from the Cherry Valley Police Department after thirty-two years of service. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I wish to express our deepest thanks to Chief Houde for devoting his life's work to protecting and serving his community.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate you yielding. And, Mr. Blumenauer, thank you for leading on this, Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Stivers as well. This is such an important issue. You know, we're a Nation of commitments, and a lot of the times Washington gets this reputation of Republicans and Democrats don't agree on anything, and we just fight like cats and dogs. I feel like some of that is true, but I think this is a great example of where, frankly, people are coming together to say as a Nation what's the right thing to do here. We've made commitments. We've taken ourselves and made promises to people, and people have put themselves out on the line for us. What's the right thing to do? I would even dare to speculate that those of us that are sponsoring this amendment probably don't even agree on the future of the Iraq war or the Afghanistan war. But we do know that we believe we have to hold to this. As Ms. Gabbard was talking about, there's a lot of unsung heroes in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. I experienced it as well as a pilot in the military as people that were Iraqi nationals, in my case, that really stood up and put their lives on the line in order to fight for a new Iraq, to fight for a new freedom, to provide for their families, and to understand that they want to build an alliance between Iraq and the United States. And a lot of them went home at night, as was eloquently expressed, went home at night in fear that this was going to cost them their lives, but knowing that the strength and the power of the United States was there with them, and that they could rest easy at night, knowing that we could keep to our words. Unfortunately, many of these folks have been killed or targeted for killing, and do continue to live in fear. And so we created a program which would allow a lot of these that have put their lives on the line in order to facilitate what our interest is in Afghanistan and Iraq, to be able to come to the United States. And, unfortunately, this has been bogged down in bureaucracy that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It's been bogged down in the definition of whether they worked for the United States or whether they actually worked for ISAF. Well, I would tend to say that whether you worked for ISAF or the United States, you should probably fall under this program. I think it's just right that we, as a Nation, figure out what's going wrong and do this, and I think this is a great opportunity. This is a great opportunity to come together and say, you know, you put your life on the line for us; we're going to do everything we can for you. I think about all the times when I would be ready to go fly and, you know, you talk to folks that are associated with what we're doing; and had we not had interpreters there to be able to bring the languages, frankly, the United States and Iraq or Afghanistan together, we'd often just be staring at each other, not knowing what we're thinking, but we're each thinking something. But to be able to have these folks that come together and really talk about what it is that we need to do is the right thing to do. I just, again, want to say that, as Americans, we have to hold to our commitments. This program provides lifesaving protection to those that served us. It will provide refuge to the countless Iraqis and Afghan civilians that have helped us, and it's the right thing to do. So, again, I just want to say to Mr. Blumenauer, to Ms. Gabbard, to Mr. Stivers and to everybody watching, frankly, and listening to these proceedings, thank you for your help. Thank you to America for standing up and doing the right thing, and to those that continue to defend us day by day.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, in the midst of talking about immigration reform, which I think is something that we're going to be addressing very shortly and something we ought to address very shortly, I want to just come forward and share an experience I had over the last week. I'm still a pilot in the Air National Guard. That's a job I've kept while I've been in the Congress and a job I hope to continue to keep. Part of what I did last week is I actually went and worked on the border with the Air National Guard. We do an ISR--intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance--looking for people that have crossed illegally into our country and, frankly, looking for drugs and things along that line. It was a unique trip for me, because most times when Congressmen go to the border, they actually probably would go in an official capacity as a U.S. Congressman. We've all experienced these trips. You see what the administration, frankly, wants you to see. So they take you somewhere like El Paso where there's a very effective fence in place. But where they don't take you is a place called Mac Pump. Mac Pump is in McAllen, Texas, one of the areas that I worked in my capacity as an Air National Guard pilot, and it really was actually kind of disheartening what we would see. You'd see folks cross the Rio Grande, that would stand in the United States of America. As we would call Border Patrol to come and assess the situation, they would literally step back and put their ankles in the water and at that point they are unapprehendable. And they would stare, 5 feet away from U.S. Border Patrol, and maybe a hundred yards away then another group, knowing that our Border Patrol agent was tied up, would then cross the Rio Grande and make it free. Or they'd outlast the Border Patrol agent and then they'd step back onto U.S. territory and then the agent would come back. They'd play this cat and mouse game. It could easily be solved with a border fence. It could easily be solved with actually real border security. This isn't border security that we're going to do because we're upset, because we're angry, but because I believe that we have to have real immigration reform in this country. Things like high-skill visas are very important, but allowing people who want an opportunity to come to the United States to do so through a legal process. The problem that we have set up now, though, and really frankly the sad part about it is a lot of these immigrants believe that the second they set foot in the United States of America, everything's going to be good. Everything's going to be all right. And we agree. This is the greatest country in the world. The problem is once many of these immigrants step into the United States of America, their journey has just begun, because the other part of where I worked in this mission over the last week was about 50 to 100 miles inland in Texas, as we would find people hunkered down in moss, very thick brush, as they would try to wade and rely on their guides. In many cases their guides would vacate when they'd hear Border Patrol, and they'd run away from these groups of people hiding in the brush and would leave them stranded in the middle of the Texas plains without water, without food, without any knowledge of where they're going. In fact, in this sector I was working last year, there were 200 dead bodies found, and that's only a fraction of those that actually die on this journey. So I believe that border security is important so that we can set up a situation in which those that want to come here legally can do so and can go through the legal process of living in the United States or eventually becoming a United States citizen, and we're not creating a situation in which many of these immigrants are coming and frankly losing their lives. I've talked to Border Patrol, and the interesting thing is now I did it out of the capacity as a U.S. Congressman, although of course they knew what I did in my other job, and I said, if I could take one thing back to Washington, what would it be? And they said, if you take back one thing to Washington, tell them that even though the Secretary is saying that the border is secure, even though the administration is saying the border is secure, it is not secure. Take that back. We need more border patrol agents, we need the fence, we need the ability to do our job. They're prevented from doing legal things that are humane to apprehend in many cases folks running with dope and trying to escape, giving them the opportunity to do what they need to do. So, Mr. Speaker, I agree with those that are saying we need immigration reform in this country, and I'm a believer in that. I believe it's time that we understand and talk about the fact that America is a nation built of immigrants. My third or fourth generation ahead of me came over from Germany. I respect that and I appreciate it, and I think it's a tradition we need to continue. But I believe the first step to real immigration reform is border security. And I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, my trip to the border for a week as a pilot in the Guard opened my eyes to the fact that we are continually exposing ourselves not just to dope and drugs being run into this country but into a potential of a terrorist attack on the United States and a weapon that was run through the border of Mexico, because it's done every day.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, if I had been able to offer an amendment to the Continuing Resolution, H.R. 933 I was prepared to offer the following:

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American hero, somebody born in Channahon, Illinois, in my district, and passed away very recently. His name is Joe Cook, Sr. Joe was a community leader, a great father, a great family member, but I would like to point out today a great veteran of the United States. He was a proud American, a decorated Korean war veteran, a member of the U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division. He was listed as missing in action for over 121 days behind enemy lines. By the grace of God, he was one of the very few to return home from Task Force Crombez, a recipient of the Silver Star, five Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts. These are the kinds of Americans that we need to honor and cherish today. And I tip my hat off to Mr. Cook, and I say thank you, sir, for your service to your country.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your hard work in bringing this forward. I just want to thank all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for supporting this bill. Unemployment rates continue to be far too high among our veterans who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. These returning men and women deserve a smooth transition from the military into the civilian workforce. As a Nation, we must recognize the experience and education that our military-trained EMTs receive. It's inefficient to force these well-trained veterans to start over with basic training in the civilian workforce after aiding wounded men and women who were severely injured in combat. We must recognize military-trained EMT skills and education and streamline the process so these honorable men and women can quickly return to work here at home. I'm a pilot in the Air National Guard. One of the things that really brought this to my mind is, as a pilot, I went through my pilot training and was able to take an equivalency test in which I was granted, basically, the civilian equivalent of what I learned in the military. And you realize those are very obviously transferable skills. And to be able to bring that into the civilian workforce has done great for airlines and commercial piloting and everything, frankly, related to aviation in the civilian world. This bill is a commonsense way to help our veterans as they transition back to civilian life. By supporting States to make the process more efficient, veterans with military EMT training will more quickly become certified civilian EMTs. In doing so, returning veterans will not have to start over at square one in their training and can enter the civilian workforce much sooner. One other point to make in this is that in rural areas--and I represent a lot of rural areas in Illinois--there is a shortage of emergency medical technicians in small towns. But there's not a shortage of folks coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan--veterans in these small communities. To be able to do this small step in ensuring that the rural areas, the rural municipalities and our veterans are matched with jobs where there is need is, I think, a very positive step in the right direction. I would urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this great piece of legislation.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to first off thank the chairman for bringing this bill forward. I want to thank Chairman Upton, the ranking member of both the full and subcommittee, and I especially want to thank Congresswoman Capps for helping me on this. This is an outstanding bill, and I thank you for your leadership. Unemployment rates continue to be far too high among our men and women who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Returning veterans deserve a smooth transition from the military into the civilian workforce. As a Nation, we must recognize the experience and education that our military-trained EMTs receive. It's inefficient to force these well-trained veterans to start over with basic training in the civilian workforce after aiding wounded military men and women who are severely injured in combat. We must recognize military-trained EMT skills and education and streamline the process so these honorable men and women can return quickly to work here at home. We also need to recognize that training and education of these EMTs and the education that they receive in the military is important, and we must streamline the civilian certification process so these honorable men and women can return to work even faster. I'm a pilot in the military, and I still continue as an Air National Guard pilot. One of the things that really stood out to me was how I went through training with the military and came out and very quickly was able to receive all of the civilian equivalent certifications from what I got in the military. Now, that really stands out to me as how we, both in the Federal Government and in the State, ought to consider doing business and recognize the skill that these military folks are trained with. This bill is a commonsense way to help our veterans as they transition back to civilian life. By supporting States to make the process more efficient, veterans with military EMT training will more quickly become certified civilian EMTs. In doing so, they will not have to start over at square one in their training, and they can be ready to go. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, throughout his career as a public servant, Congressman Jerry Costello has displayed a commitment to his fellow citizens, starting with his career in law enforcement and transitioning to become a very successful court administrator. In 1980, he was elected chairman of the St. Clare County Board and acted as its chief executive for 8 years until being elected to Congress from Illinois' 12th district. Congressman Costello's wife, Georgia, has also displayed a dedication to the people and communities of southern Illinois, working as a teacher, school principal, administrator, and most recently, the President of Southwestern Illinois College. Throughout his 24 years in Congress, Congressman Costello has been a tireless advocate for the 12th district, working to improve the region's economy and enhance its transportation infrastructure. As a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Congressman Costello helped write two highway bills that included funds for many local projects, including the construction of the New Mississippi River Bridge. He led the push to construct the MetroLink Light Rail, a rail system connecting St. Clare County to the St. Louis region. In addition, Congressman Costello was instrumental in developing southern Illinois' clean-coal industry, working to secure research and funding grants for various local universities. Congressman Costello served four years as the Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee, helping to shepherd numerous airline safety and Federal Aviation Administration reform bills into law. One of his most significant legislative accomplishments is helping to write the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009, a bill that increased the required number of commercial pilot training hours and set new rules to limit pilot fatigue. For his work protecting and enhancing the Scott Air Force Base, Congressman Costello has been recognized as the base's ``Patron Saint.'' He championed the base through numerous rounds of the Base Realignment and Closure process from 1995-2005, establishing Scott as one of America's leading Air Force bases. His efforts not only preserved the base, but brought the Army's Surface Deployment and Distribution Command and added 800 jobs the region. In my two years working with Congressman Costello, I have had the privilege to get to know and learn from him. The Illinois delegation will surely miss his expertise and leadership. He leaves behind a legacy of being able to work with any Member, regardless of party, to get the job done and do what's best for the Nation. I am grateful for the time during which I was able to call Congressman Costello my colleague and friend, and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, due to transportation issues beyond my control, I was unable to cast my votes on Monday, September 10, 2012. If able to cast those votes I would have voted Aye on H.R. 6122, to Revise the Authority of the Librarian of Congress to accept gifts on behalf of the Library; H.R. 2139, the Lions Club Commemorative Coin Act; and H.R. 6186, to Require a study of community-based flood insurance options.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. I would like to thank Chairman Bono Mack for the time and her work in getting this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act. It's an honor to stand here with my colleague from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) in support of this forward-thinking, bipartisan legislation, especially at a time when Americans feel like Republicans and Democrats are unable to work together. Mr. Speaker, the world is becoming more competitive, as evidenced by the recent report from the World Economic Forum announcing that the U.S. has fallen from first to seventh in global competitiveness. And I tell you what actually really gets to me is the fact that I feel like many Americans are starting to accept the fact that we are just going to lose our competitive edge and we're going to lose our manufacturing power base to a country like China. And I don't think that's something that we have to accept. We've heard from the manufacturing base in this country. They need a simpler Tax Code. They need an education system that prepares students in math and science, trade policies that are open and fair, and regulations that protect the health and welfare of our citizens with the lowest cost on business. The purpose of this legislation is to build on the consensus and ensure government policies promote a competitive environment for manufacturers in the decades to come. Mr. Speaker, we are the biggest economy in the world because of our manufacturing resources. We produce 21 percent of global manufactured goods, with an estimated 18.6 million jobs. Manufacturing jobs are some of the highest paying in our economy, with the average job making upwards of $77,000 annually. With the right policies in place, we can usher in a manufacturing renaissance in this legislation, and this legislation will help ensure our global competitiveness for decades to come. Mr. Speaker, in Illinois alone, over 600,000 people are employed in manufacturing. This is an industry that's vital to the health of our economy and our national security. This Nation is blessed to have some of the hardest working and most innovative people in the world. When I go home to Illinois and I speak directly to a small or large manufacturer, they're ready to compete on the global stage, and they're ready to compete with China. They only need government to ensure that they are playing on a level playing field. That means fair trade, a simple tax policy, educated students, and the least burdensome regulations possible. This legislation will bring together private sector and government leaders to create a manufacturing strategy that both Congress and the President can implement. It's time to get politics out of supporting the middle class. The American people are tired of stalemates. They're ready for action. They're ready for both parties to focus their energy on the people who elected them. Now is the time to act before this window of opportunity for a manufacturing renaissance passes us by. I'm proud of this legislation. I think it's a strong first step in finding solutions to help our Nation's economy. And I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Supreme Court made one thing very clear, or the other day they made one thing very clear: the individual mandate is nothing more than a tax. The overall tax burden that this puts on our economy is staggering. The overall tax burden this puts on the middle class is staggering. And along with those unprecedented personal taxes that this implements, let me point out two other major ones: A $20 billion device tax. Okay. You can pay for that, according to this bill; A $102 billion small business health insurance tax. This bill clearly places a huge tax burden on the American people, as said by the Supreme Court. And by the way, yesterday, the administration asked for a tax increase on the majority of small businesses. But don't worry, because that's only for a year, because in a year taxes will increase on all levels of income if the tax cuts are allowed to expire. In 2010, the American people sent a message to Washington when they sent one of the largest, boldest freshman classes that they have ever sent to Washington, D.C. We were here with a mandate: Stop the tax hike; repeal this health care law. And we'll do that.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, leadership isn't easy. These are lessons that we learned all through history. We learned it from Abraham Lincoln when he had to face a union that was dissolving. I learned it in officer training as a pilot in the military. And I learned it in my experience overseas. Think of the sacrifice that our troops have made in Afghanistan. Now, we understand it's been too long, but think of the sacrifice they've made. Now we're getting ready--very quickly, with the passage of an amendment, if this passes--to say we're just getting out; we're not going to leave the commanders on the ground with the authority to say how we do it or what we do. What are we going to say to our troops if this passes, and what are we going to say to Bibi? Bibi is a young woman in Afghanistan who at the age of 12 was sold into slavery because somebody committed a crime in her family and the Taliban required her to be sold into slavery. She escaped and had her nose and ears cut off. Her uncle and her family turned their back on her as she tried to crawl to safety. She went to an American forward operating base, where she was granted safety and freedom. What are we going to say to Bibi when we pick up and say, you know what, we've had enough, we're just going to pick up and leave today? This is a big deal. I would urge my colleagues to oppose this ill- thought-out amendment.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I rise today for the purpose of a colloquy with the chairman to discuss the importance of assessing our global competitiveness in manufacturing through an online tool that will calculate the costs of manufacturing in the United States versus overseas. I would like to recognize and thank the chairman for including the online manufacturing tool in last year's Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Act. On the Energy and Commerce Committee, we've been working to find ways to highlight the shift in U.S. manufacturing competitiveness. According to a recent analysis by the Boston Consulting Group, China's overwhelming manufacturing cost advantage is shrinking, and by 2015, the cost gap between the United States and China will virtually close. Companies need to reassess their manufacturing strategy with a rigorous analysis of the costs for manufacturing overseas compared to the cost in the United States. I'm excited by the online tool that will be developed by the Department of Commerce to assist U.S. companies in determining the costs of manufacturing overseas, and I commend the chairman for his work in promoting U.S. competitiveness.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Reclaiming my time, I thank you and I look forward to it, and I appreciate your leadership on this issue.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. I thank the ranking member and the chairman for your hard work on the issue and the members on the committee. This is very important. It goes beyond partisanship. This is about national security. The idea of cyberattacks, it's not something that is just out there in space that we really don't have to worry about. This is an issue that's here today, and it's here right now. In fact, just today, the New York Stock Exchange was the target of a DDoS attack on some of its external computer systems. That's not something that we just magically happen to have today. This is happening every day, thousands and thousands of times a day. I'm a military guy and I'm a military pilot. I think a lot about the threats from outside. You think a lot about threats of terrorism and threats of invasion or anything along that line. But I'll tell you one of the biggest threats that really keep us up at night is this idea of a cyberattack. I think it's something that we have to take head-on. This voluntary information-sharing between classified portions of our government and certified private actors will serve to enhance our defenses greatly. It is important to note the amount of classified information currently shared between our government and private industry is muddled at best. The few private companies who are lucky enough to receive an invitation into the current classified annex of cybersecurity-sharing face significant challenges when it comes to even understanding what that information is. Many times they simply get a badly scanned printout of a current threat situation from which they try to prevent a future attack, and it is woefully inadequate. We talk a lot about the Russians and about the Chinese and their use of cyberwarfare against us. That's a significant threat. That's something very serious. But I want to speak just momentarily about the threat from Iran. We all know that Iran is a very serious country that is very seriously focused on bringing down, in many cases, the West. They've said it themselves. The Iranian regime from the highest level down has publicly stated their plans to fight enemies with abundant power in cyberspace and Internet warfare. It's also publicly stated that Iran blames the West for the Stuxnet virus which disrupted their nuclear program, and they have vowed retaliation. The combination of the low cost and effectiveness of cyberwarfare has led the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to actively and effectively recruit radical Islamist hackers for nefarious purposes. We can't stand idly by while we see nations like Iran threaten the future of this country. So I support this bill, and I commend the folks who have worked on it.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to rise today to recognize David Hinderliter for his outstanding service as the President and CEO of the Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce. During his impressive 20 years as the head of the Association, Dave oversaw the creation of many successful programs and organizations, leading to recognition and four star accreditation of the Association by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Dave began his service at the Association as the Ambassador to the Chamber and served multiple terms as the Chairman of the Government Affairs Committee of the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. In this position, he led the effort to create a very successful Illinois Chamber Executive education program. While Dave's accomplishments as Executive have been many, his service to the Association represents only a portion of his service to the profession and the community. Often deflecting credit for success to those with whom he serves, Dave represents the epitome of leadership, enabling others around him to excel and succeed. In addition to his commitment to the Kankakee business community, Dave also finds time to coach his children's soccer teams and lead his son's Scout troop. He is a devoted husband to Diane Hinderliter, and father to Andrew, Amanda, and Cameron Hinderliter. Once again, I am humbled to honor Dave for his distinguished service to the Association, the Chamber community, and the people and business owners of the Kankakee Region and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. You all know the saying, ``money is power,'' right? I think we all can agree in this Chamber that the one thing that we want to do is empower small business. How do you empower small business? You let them keep more of the money they earn so they can go out and they can invest in new products so they can hire people. I'd love to get people back to work. I'd love to empower small business. That's why we want to let them keep more of what they earn. I did an initiative in my district called the One More Jobs Initiative, where it asks small business owners, What do you need from the Federal Government to create just one more job? A pretty noble concept: instead of pontificating here, let's actually ask those who create jobs. The number one answer I got, Mr. Speaker, was: let us keep more of the money we earn and let us hire people. Give us tax certainty. That's why I rise in support today of this tax cut package, because this is exactly what small business needs to continue to be successful, to pull this country out of this recession we're in, and continue to reclaim our mantle as the most powerful country in the world.