Robert Latta

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to an outstanding young man from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am happy to announce that Todd Kleman of Fort Jennings, Ohio has been offered an appointment to attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. Todd's offer of appointment poises him to attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy this fall with the incoming midshipmen Class of 2014. Attending one of our Nation's military academies is an invaluable experience that offers a world-class education while placing demands on those who undertake one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of their lives. Todd brings an enormous amount of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming Class of 2014. While attending Fort Jennings High School in Fort Jennings, Ohio, Todd attained an impressive grade point average. Todd was inducted into the National Honor Society, active in the Scholastic Bowl, and a member of the Envirothon Team. Throughout high school, Todd was a member of the soccer and track teams, earning varsity letters in both events. Todd was active in the community by being a 4-H member, Junior Leader, member of the Junior Fair Board, and a Boy Scout. Todd also participated in the marching and pep bands. I am confident that Todd will carry the lessons of his student leadership to the Merchant Marine Academy. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Todd Kleman on the acceptance of his appointment to the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Our service academies offer the finest military training and education available. I am positive that Todd will excel during his career at the Merchant Marine Academy and I ask my colleagues to join me in extending their best wishes to him as he begins his service to the Nation.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to an outstanding young man from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am happy to announce that Joel Boose of Norwalk, Ohio has been offered an appointment to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Joel's offer of appointment poises him to attend the United States Military Academy this fall with the incoming cadet Class of 2014. Attending one of our Nation's military academies is an invaluable experience that offers a world-class education while placing demands on those who undertake one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of their lives. Joel brings an enormous amount of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming Class of 2014. While attending St. Paul High School in Norwalk, Ohio, Joel attained a grade point average that placed him in the top ten percent of his graduating class. Joel was inducted into the National Honor Society, participated in the Teens Leadership Corps, and was active in the Student Council. Throughout high school, Joel was a member of the football, track, and swimming teams. Joel utilized his leadership skills by being captain of the football team and vice-president of the Key Club. In addition, Joel was awarded an academic letter each year and was recognized as a McScholar Athlete. I am confident that Joel will carry the lessons of his student leadership to West Point. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Joel Boose on the acceptance of his appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Our service academies offer the finest military training and education available. I am positive that Joel will excel during his career at West Point and I ask my colleagues to join me in extending their best wishes to him as he begins his service to the Nation.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to an outstanding young man from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am happy to announce that Grant Genzman of Perrysburg, Ohio has been offered an appointment to attend the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. Grant's offer of appointment poises him to attend the United States Naval Academy this fall with the incoming midshipmen Class of 2014. Attending one of our Nation's military academies is an invaluable experience that offers a world-class education while placing demands on those who undertake one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of their lives. Grant brings an enormous amount of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming class of midshipmen. While attending St. John's Jesuit High School in Toledo, Ohio, Grant attained an impressive grade point average that placed him first in his graduating class. Grant earned the AP Scholar Award, the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, the Claver Scholar Award and he was inducted into the National Honor Society. Outside the classroom, Grant was a member of the football, wrestling, and tennis teams. Grant utilized his leadership skills by participating in St. John Jesuit's Integrity Committee, Ambassadors Core Team, Marine Science Club, and Student Council. I am confident that Grant will carry the lessons of his student leadership to the Naval Academy. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Grant Genzman on his acceptance of appointment to the United States Naval Academy. Our service academies offer the finest military training and education available. I am positive that Grant will excel during his career at the Naval Academy and I ask my colleagues to join me in extending their best wishes to him as he begins his service to the Nation.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, on March 4, I sent a letter to the FEMA administrator. That letter is regarding my concerns and the concerns I have heard from U.S. tent manufacturers and suppliers about FEMA purchasing disaster relief tents from foreign manufacturers. Humanitarian needs are great throughout the world, and the American people have shown their generous spirit through the outpouring of monetary and commodity donations as well as teams of personnel to serve in the medical assistance area. U.S. companies who manufacture shelters, such as this tent right here, can easily increase their production to fill the needs of humanitarian crises around the world. We need to continue to have U.S. tent manufacturers who can provide tents to U.S. military, U.S. embassies, and humanitarian relief efforts throughout the world. When we use Federal taxpayers' dollars to aid in humanitarian relief efforts, we need to purchase U.S. manufactured products. The Department of Defense is required under their Buy American provision to purchase their humanitarian relief tents from U.S. manufacturers, so why shouldn't agencies such as FEMA or USAID be required to do the same? Companies that are proven and have had government contracts help retain and create jobs. Purchasing U.S.-made tents also represents economic opportunities for our hard-hit areas in the United States where manufacturing jobs have disappeared by the thousands in the last several years. The simple question I have is, why did or should FEMA or any other government agency purchase foreign-made tents when American-made tents help keep Americans employed and are of high quality and high value? When our unemployment rates continue to be at or around 10 percent, and the Fifth Congressional District's exceeds over 12.5 percent, purchasing foreign-made products with American tax dollars is troubling to me. Mr. Speaker, it is time that the U.S. agencies be required to purchase U.S.-made tents and keep Americans working.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I come to the well to announce the passing of Arthur ``Jibby'' Jibilian, a World War II hero. During World War II, Jibby was a Navy Radio Operator who volunteered with the OSS and participated in the largest successful rescue mission of 513 downed airmen behind enemy lines in Yugoslavia. Jibby stayed behind until the very last airman was rescued on December 27, 1944. The heroic efforts of Jibby and his fellow OSS officers and the Yugoslav people are told in ``The Forgotten 500''; however, they have yet to receive any military or government recognition for their actions. I introduced H.R. 3496, which honors Jibby with the Medal of Honor. He said, ``I am well aware that the Medal of Honor is not bestowed lightly. However, let me say that just being nominated is an honor in itself. Therefore, I am in a win-win situation.'' I will continue working on this legislation to honor this exceptional American with the recognition he deserves.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this flawed health bill.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, 233 years ago this May, a group of American patriots met in Philadelphia to create a Constitution which has been the guiding light to freedom-loving people around the world. Now, as we gather here, the majority is planning a procedural gimmick to get around having to vote for a health care bill that Americans don't want or can't afford. Let's not circumvent the Constitution. Outside Independence Hall when the Constitutional Convention concluded in September of 1787, a Mrs. Powell of Philadelphia is reported to have asked Benjamin Franklin, ``Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?'' With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, ``A Republic, if you can keep it.'' Let's keep this Constitution.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise to pay tribute to Ken Morrow, Olympic gold medalist and U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee. The City of Bowling Green, Bowling Green State University, and the greater Northwest Ohio community celebrate this great American athlete. In an incredible achievement in 1980, Ken Morrow was a member of hockey teams that won an Olympic gold medal and the Stanley Cup. At the age of 23, Ken Morrow was a member of the 1980 USA Miracle on Ice American hockey team that won the gold medal for the United States of America in Lake Placid, New York. Ken Morrow was also a member of the New York Islanders, who won the Stanley Cup in 1980. A Bowling Green State University alumnus, Ken Morrow was an NCAA West All-American athlete in 1978. Morrow was also named player of the year for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. He was drafted by the New York Islanders in 1976; however, Morrow remained in college until graduating in 1979. Ken Morrow played a total of ten seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). During his professional hockey career he helped the New York Islanders to win four straight Stanley Cup titles. Following his career as a hockey player, Morrow began a coaching career in the NHL. He was later inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, and in 1996 received the Lester Patrick Award for his accomplishments in the sport of hockey. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in conveying special gratitude to Ken Morrow as we celebrate this accomplished individual. Our communities are well served by great Americans like Ken Morrow. On behalf of the people of the Fifth District of Ohio, I am proud to recognize Ken Morrow.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Well, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I really appreciate him hosting this Special Order late this afternoon. I think it's very, very important that the American people absolutely know what's going on here. As we all were home over the Christmas holidays, I know that I had a lot of events that I had to attend. I don't care if I spoke at a Chamber of Commerce or a Rotary, you name it, people were very, very concerned with what's going on in this Chamber. They're worried about a lot of things. They're worried about the health care that's been passed by this House, they're worried about jobs, they're worried about the cap-and-tax legislation, they're worried about the EPA and other mandates that are being forced down their throats. But I think it's important probably to start off talking about the health care a little bit here. I don't think there's anybody in this Chamber, there's not one person in this country that would say that we shouldn't do something about having some meaningful debate on health care in this country. But when we're looking at it, what we've seen happening is we've seen, as has been mentioned by my colleagues from Texas and also from Pennsylvania, it's been a one-way street. And the American people don't care for that. They want an open debate, and they want to make sure that they know what's going on. But as we're talking about this health care, I think it's important that we also hear what the people back home are saying. When I'm home-- I represent the largest manufacturing district in the State of Ohio. I also represent the largest agricultural district in the State of Ohio. In 2008, I represented the ninth-largest manufacturing district in Congress. Because of what's happening in this economy, I've dropped to 15. And I don't even want to know when the next numbers come out to find out where the Fifth Congressional District is located in that long list. But when I go out and go to the different factories and go to the small businesses, and I really want know what is going on, that's the best way I can gauge what is going on in the economy. When I'm out there--one visit to one factory in particular sticks with me. A gentleman came up to me who was a press operator. He came up and said, I really don't understand what you guys are doing in Washington. And he said, You know, you all talk about health care. If I can't put a roof over my family's head, if I can't put food on that table, why do I care about health care right now? I worry about jobs, and I worry about my job. And I think that that's something that has been lost in this. I know one of our colleagues from the Senate recently said that maybe in the past year that the Congress here should be really concentrating on not health care but on job creation. Because let's just talk about these jobs and what's happening out there, not just from that individual that works on that factory floor, but just an individual like everybody you know that might work in a factory across this country. But also I remember walking and being in one of my small business owner stores in the district, and after I was in the store and I bought some things, I was walking out and he said, Can I talk to you for a little bit? We stood out, and it was pretty darn cold that afternoon, but we stood outside for a good long period of time. He said, Let me tell you something. If you all pass this health care legislation, I'm out of business. He said, There's no way. He said, Even though your bill was over 1,000 pages long, and I know that the Senate bill is going to be several thousand pages--a couple thousand pages long--he said, What I've been able to get out of it and figure out in the newspaper, I won't be able to stay in business. He said, Look around here. Look at the people running the cash register, stocking the store in here. They're all going to be without a job. And it's going to be one more store on Main Street USA that's going to be vacant. And we can't have that happen. I think that what we need to do in this body is really go out and talk to these individuals. I have advocated what we need to do is instead of trying to do a few hearings down here--and I don't think we had enough hearings when we talked about health care and during this debate--I think what we should have done is taken these hearings across America. And we wouldn't have done anything but help the American people to, first of all, have their say in what is going on, and two, that the Members of this body would be able to hear it directly from the American people. I know when I served in the Ohio Legislature for 11 years--you know, when you're representing the State of Ohio, it's not that large of a State, and many times we would have all of our hearings in Columbus. But many times, we would take our hearings out across what we called the four quadrants of the State and hold hearings in different areas. And that's so that people can actually come nearby to where they live. They didn't have to drive down to the State capitol. I think that's what we should have done with this whole debate on health care. Let's bring these hearings to the American people, and let them have their say. That is where we are going to find out what they are going to have to say about this. That is where we are going to find these things out. When you're talking about jobs killers--you know, with the model that was being advocated by Ms. Romer, we could lose up to 5 million jobs in this country. The National Federation of Independent Businesses, just from the employer mandate on small businesses across this country, they're estimating 1.6 million jobs could be lost. That's on top of the millions of jobs that we've lost since the beginning of this recession and also the almost 3 million jobs since the beginning of last year that have been lost just from the beginning of this administration. We can't afford to lose more jobs in this country, because where are these people going to go? It's not that hard to remember back to 1982. In 1982, during that very tough recession that we can all remember, President Carter, during his administration from 1977 up to 1981, during the campaign when he was elected, had created what he called the misery index. And that misery index took the unemployment rate, the inflation rate, and the interest rate. It was toward the end of his administration. You know, we saw in this country 21.5 percent interest rates. We saw unemployment rates in double digits, and we saw the inflation at double digits. Well, where we are today, when we look at having over 10 percent unemployment in this country, and we're talking about losing millions more jobs because of this bill, we can't afford it. When you're talking to the small businesses and small factory owners out there about what's in this piece of legislation besides all these mandates--but just talk about the taxes. This was prepared by an analysis done by the Committee on House Ways and Means from Ranking Member Dave Camp. Since the increases in 2009, just in general, the net taxes that were passed by this House were $1.71 trillion. And just the estimate on this health care bill alone, they're looking at over $732.5 billion. That's billion dollars. And who's going to pay for this? When they're looking at that 5.4 percent surtax placed on a lot of the small businesses that are the ones that create jobs out there and on certain individuals at a certain higher level, when you're looking at $460.5 billion in taxes, when you're looking at these employer mandates at $135 billion, and you go right down the line, this is what's going to kill incentive in this country. This is what's going to kill the entrepreneur. This is what is going to kill people who will say, Why even get up in the morning and try to go out and create jobs? Because one of the things that is lost here in Washington and in these Halls of Congress is that this body does not create jobs. This body spends the wealth of this country. You know, the American people are really out there, and they understand it. When you look at this, it was mentioned a little bit earlier about what is happening with the increases, when you're talking on the Senate side about a 40 percent tax on those individuals out there with a quote-unquote Cadillac plan. Well, a lot of people say, Oh, Cadillac, they must be rich individuals. Well, I'll tell you what, in the State of Ohio, we have a lot of auto plants, and when you're looking at these auto plants, a lot of these folks are the auto workers who are going to end up paying 40 percent on an individual premium or will spend $8,500 on their health care plan, a family plan at $23,000. When you put these together, it's like, how are they going to pay for this as a small family? When you take all these costs that are being associated under this piece of legislation, it's unfathomable. When we talk about unfathomable, I did read the health care bill. I sat down one weekend. I think it was 1,028 pages. I read it, tabbed it, underlined it so I could really get a good understanding. You are looking at a couple thousand pages on the Senate side. But I think what is missing in this whole debate is, you know, here is what someone gave me not too long ago, the Constitution of the United States. But you know, as that little commercial on TV says: But wait, there's more. In this little book that's in about 10-point type, there's the Constitution, the Convention, the Congressional Resolutions, all of the amendments, the Virginia Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Massachusetts Bill of Rights, the Articles of Confederation, the Virginia Statute of Religious Liberty, the Annapolis Convention, the Virginia Randolph Plan, the New Jersey or Patterson Plan, the Hamilton Plan and The Great Compromise, right there. That is America in a nutshell. How is it that we end up today putting out thousands of pages that people can't comprehend, but America, our government, and how we were founded is right there. Put it in your pocket, and read it at any time. And I think that's what the American people are very concerned about, and I appreciate the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. LATTA. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Just talking about these numbers, how are we going to pay for this? We are looking at 21, 22, $23 trillion in the outyears here. The question is how are we going to pay for this. We owe $3 trillion to foreign governments, over $800 billion owed to the Chinese alone, our largest creditor. Down the road when the Chinese and the Italians, all these governments are now saying, Wait a minute, America, you have got to do something about your spending. You have got to get this under control. They are worried about something. They are worried about getting paid back, and they don't want to see this debt that we owe them become cheap money, and so they are getting concerned about this. But if you just go back to 1981, 1982, if we go to those years when the Federal Government was out there borrowing heavily, we had 21\1/2\ percent interest rates in this country. I was just starting to practice law back then, and we had to write land contracts if a person wanted to sell a house. You couldn't go to the bank and get a loan because there was no money. The seller would meet with the buyer and they would say, In 3 years time, you are going to pay me so much interest and principal. And hopefully at the end of that time there would be a balloon payment to try this pay this thing off if they could get a loan. But when we are looking at these numbers, it is going to be unfathomable how we are going to pay this off, because the Federal Government is going to have to go out there and borrow every penny that is out there and somehow do this. But then when you look and talk to these private enterprises out there, the small businesses, they are having a hard time getting credit today, and we are not in that situation. It is bad, but it is not going to be anything like this that you show in your chart.

Mr. LATTA. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I think you would be very hard pressed to find it. I know that when I went out in my district--I know that Members going across their districts, across this country have found the same questions being asked, Where does it say that? Especially a question, as the gentleman from Texas has mentioned, that under this bill that was passed by the House that there was a $2.5 percent, quote-unquote, fine on individuals, plus that individual mandate that you have to have it or civil or criminal penalties could be imposed. How can we do that? You know, it's unfathomable that this would be able to withstand a challenge in court that an individual would be forced to have to do this. Again, I think if you just read this little document, you are going to be very hard pressed to find it. If I could just mention--and also what the gentleman from Texas was talking about--what it's going to do to the States. In the Columbus Dispatch, there was an article that broke it down for the State of Ohio. We are running about an $850 million deficit. And unlike this body, we have to balance our books. It is constitutional that we have to make sure that we're in balance. So Ohio is out of balance by about $850 million, but there was also a story by the Columbus Dispatch, in their calculation, that this bill would impose a Medicaid debt upon the State which would increase that deficit by another $900 million. I think that this is what people need to find out. This is not just going to affect small businesses or large businesses or individuals. This is going to affect your State government, your local government, if they can even function. Because all of a sudden, these mandates are going to come down from Washington, and good luck. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. LATTA. I appreciate the gentleman for yielding. I would be remiss if I didn't bring this up. As I mentioned a little earlier, I represent the largest agricultural district in the State of Ohio, along with manufacturing. When we are talking about all these numbers about what could occur with all this massive debt that we are going to be accumulating, what is that going to do to the farmers out there? How are they going to get their crops out? How are they going to be able to buy land? How are they going to be able to buy machinery? The last thing that we want to be in this country, not only do we not want to be a debtor Nation, but we don't want to become dependent on the rest of the world for our food. Because once we lose that ability to grow our own food, to supply it for ourselves, we are done. And if the American people think the times are tough now when we are worried about where we get our energy or who is going to be buying our debt, you throw food into that mix, and that will be pretty much the end. I think that is why you take all these things together and why this debate is so important. And that is why I think really that we should have had this debate going on across the United States. I appreciate the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, it is very appropriate that we assemble here today on December 7, ``a day that will live in infamy,'' words that were spoken by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on this House floor 68 years ago tomorrow. On that December 7, the United States lost many courageous, dedicated, heroic, compassionate men and women when the Pacific fleet was attacked at Pearl Harbor by forces of the Imperial Japan Navy. I rise today in support of House Resolution 940, which I introduced last week on December 1. As it has already been pointed out very eloquently about the background of the National Guard, the Guard dates its origins back to December 13, 1636, when the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony ordered existing militias to be organized into three regiments. Since then, the National Guard has fought in every major American conflict. From the shot that was heard around the world at Lexington Green and later at Concord Bridge in April of 1775 to our men and women who are standing strong today and fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, the National Guard and its citizen soldiers have been there for us no matter what, always ready, always there. The National Guard is the oldest component of the Armed Forces of the United States. The National Guard's number one priority is the security and defense of our homeland at home and abroad. Americans have relied on their National Guard for more than three-and-a-half centuries, even before the United States existed. I want to thank all past and present members of the National Guard for their service and response to the attacks on September 11, 2001, and their continuing role in homeland security and military operations around the world. In today's world, it is essential that we honor and support all of our servicemembers who have sacrificed so much for us to ensure that our freedoms and liberties are secure in the United States. We need to support and provide our men and women of the National Guard and all the Armed Forces with the necessary resources to ensure their readiness and success. As the National Guard's official song goes, ``Defending freedom, protecting dreams, this is the spirit of what it means to me. For my God and my home that I love: I Guard America, Guarding America, America.''

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2996, the Fiscal Year 2010 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act Conference Report. Requesting Member: Congressman Robert E. Latta Bill Number: H.R. 2996, Fiscal Year 2010 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act Account: EPA; STAG Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Project Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Fostoria, Ohio Address of Requesting Entity: 213 South Main Street, Fostoria, OH 44830 Description of Request: $500,000 for the City of Fostoria for the planning, design and construction of a new sanitary pump station and force main. The existing sewer system within the project area is required to be studied in detail. The study will include the investigation of sewer alignments, sizes, catchment areas, and capacity. The study may also include the development of the most economic protocol to full/partial separate sanitary and storm sewers, redirecting inflow to the East Branch of the Portage River. This project will significantly expedite the City's compliance with the Clean Water Act. I certify that neither I nor my spouse has any financial interest in this project.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. The American people want to be heard, and I think that is one of the things they are really saying here is wait a minute, I don't think we are being heard in this discussion.

Mr. LATTA. Well, I'll tell you. You know, when we were all home during the August work period, I went through I don't know how many different factories, and I went through lots of small businesses. As one example in particular, I had a gentleman walk up to me. He was a factory worker. He said, You know, I'm really not sure what you all are talking about there in Washington. He says, If I can't put a roof over my family's head, if I can't put food on the table, health care is not the top issue for me. People are all concerned about health care, but as to where it is in the priority ranking, it's at survival right now. We've got a lot of folks out there who need to survive. At the same time, you have a lot of these smaller businesses--you know, when I talk about smaller, it could be a factory of about 150-170 which is now down to 29-35 people, and they're just hoping they can keep the lights on. When they see and hear that Washington might impose a mandate on them, especially at that 8 percent level, they say, Well, we're not going to survive.

Mr. LATTA. That is one of the things we had to do on some of the noneconomic damages, and, again, it was only a small portion, because we had to pick certain areas and we picked the one area, and we watched those things come down. Because what happened was as soon as we passed the legislation, as soon as it was signed into law, it was challenged in the Ohio Supreme Court and it was upheld for being constitutional. But those are the things you have to do. Those are the things when you are talking about doctors not having to practice that defensive medicine, instead of running four, five or six tests, maybe they only have to run the two. But they are going to run the four, five or six tests. Why? Because if it is in your neighborhood and the courts have been saying why haven't you done this, you have got a problem. That is why these doctors say I have to do it, because otherwise I am going to get sued and my malpractice insurance is going to say you didn't do what you should have done, and now you are in trouble.

Mr. LATTA. Yes.

Mr. LATTA. We were at this time last year, but we've slipped to 15th now.

Mr. LATTA. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I appreciate your hosting this very special Special Order this evening. Where I come from in Ohio, we are very, very hard hit. Our unemployment rate is one of the highest in the State in our district. I represent the largest manufacturing district in Ohio. I represent the largest agricultural district in Ohio. At this time last year, we were, according to the National Manufacturers, about the ninth largest in manufacturing.

Mr. LATTA. It's the way they define when you're coming out of a recession. Back in 1982, when I look at that recession, one of the things that a lot of people point to is that it was very, very tough. We all remember coming out of the Carter administration with double-digit unemployment, with double-digit inflation and with a 21\1/2\ percent interest rate. A lot of people also said the same thing: You know what? It's tough, but at the end of the day at some point, that factory down the street is going to reopen, and I'm going to get my job back. In this case, we've got so many companies out there, especially in my district, that are saying, You know what? We've cut as much as we possibly can. We're going to do as much as we possibly can to make sure we can just keep the doors open, and we find right now that we can survive with what we've got. When they say ``what we've got,'' it's the employees who are on the floor right now. They say, We're not going to hire anybody else. That's the scary thing because now, all of a sudden, we're going to have all of these young people coming out of high school, coming out of trade schools, coming out of community college, and coming out of college. Where are they going to go? Because we've got more and more people saying, I can't retire. I've got to keep working because I'm not sure what I'm going to have down the road. There are all of these things that, I think, have got to really be looked at. That's why, I think, the American people have said to us, especially in my district, We all agree. There's not one person in this body right here who would say we should not do something about health care in this country; but it's how we do it, how we proceed. It's slowing it down. The American people want it to be the best thing, not something that's rushed through, not something that's in a 1,990-page bill.

Mr. LATTA. You hit on a very important point right here. One of the things they're talking about right now is that we've been coming out of this recession into a jobless recovery. When you have these unemployment rates----

Mr. LATTA. If the gentleman would yield.

Mr. LATTA. Absolutely. You hit the nail on the head. All of these companies that are out there struggling right now look at everything. Health care is a huge issue to them. Cap-and-trade is an issue out there--the electricity costs to keep the machines running. Then we had the second highest corporate tax rate here in the United States. If you put these all together, plus you throw in the EPA and the environmental things that have to go on at these companies, and if they're owned by a parent company that has a plant someplace else in the United States, they can say, as in our situation, Well, you know what? Your costs go up too great in Ohio. You're just going to have to move. There are some companies out there that are multinational and they've said, You know what? We're to the point that, with any more costs, it would be cheaper for us to actually make it on the Pacific Rim and ship it here, and then we won't have to worry about all of these costs, and there's the product. Yet, you know, health care is one of those things that everybody wants to make sure that we have; but at the same time, we've got to do it in the right manner, and that's what a lot of folks back home are very concerned about, because I don't care if you're a senior citizen and you're on the Medicare side or if you're a businessowner. Again, these businessowners are the ones who are very frightened because they're the ones who keep people employed on Main Street. In talking about Main Street, not too long ago, I was out on one of my Main Streets in my district. One of the businessowners asked, Bob, you know, is this thing going to pass? He said, You know what? You're looking at my business right now, and I will not be able to survive, with the numbers that I'm seeing from Washington right now, under this legislation.

Mr. LATTA. Absolutely.