Christopher Lee

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Thank you. I want to start by thanking my colleagues from western New York, Ms. Slaughter and Mr. Higgins, for signing on to this amendment and the support they have given to the families of the victims of flight 3407. The need for this amendment arose due to the revelations that came out of the NTSB hearings held last week and the causes of the crash. As I'm sure many Members of this distinguished body know by now, the crew of flight 3407 was not adequately trained to execute maneuvers that may have prevented this tragedy. All 49 people onboard lost their lives in addition to one person on the ground. Here we had a case of a regional carrier, Colgan Air, operating under the banner of a major commercial airline. So the passengers were flying on a Colgan plane but were holding Continental Airline tickets. This is not unusual. In fact, regional carriers now make up almost half of the Nation's daily flights. These revelations, combined with the fact that all of the multiple fatality commercial plane crashes that have occurred in this country since 2002 have been on regional carriers, have left the families and the public with more questions than answers. This amendment would instruct the GAO to conduct a thorough investigation of all commercial airline pilots' training and certification programs, including the standards the FAA uses for such programs, how quickly air carriers update and train pilots on new technologies, and what warning technologies are in place to signal impending danger. This top-to-bottom review will provide the American people with an independent look at the disparity in training between the regional carriers and major commercial airlines and, more importantly, what impact it has on passenger safety. I want to submit a message from Kevin Kuwik, whose girlfriend lost her life in the crash. Kevin has been speaking on behalf of the families. ``In the past 3 months, our group of families has struggled to come to terms with the fact that this tragic accident was, seemingly, very preventable. This action represents an important step in ensuring that all pilots are trained at the highest level possible, especially in the critical areas of stall recovery and cold weather operations, to prevent other families from having to suffer through what we have.'' I want to echo the forward-looking aspect of Kevin's statement. This is not about assigning blame to any one individual or entity. While it is horrifying to think that this tragedy may have been avoided, this comprehensive review would expose information that would help the aviation industry reform its training practices to ensure passenger safety and confidence. I want to close by again thanking my colleagues from western New York, Ms. Slaughter and Mr. Higgins, for agreeing that there is a need for this action and, more importantly, for the support they have given to our community in the months since the tragedy occurred. I urge the adoption of this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEE of New York. I would like to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri).

Mr. LEE of New York. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the President announced tax reforms that would pave the way for making the research and development tax credit permanent. R&D is the lifeblood of our economy, and this tax credit provides companies with an incentive to invest in technology and expand their operations. In 2005, more than 70 percent of R&D tax credit dollars nationwide went toward wages for highly skilled jobs. Since 1981, however, Congress has extended the credit 12 times with extensions as short as just 6 months. Retroactive extensions leave companies in uncertain circumstances for long periods of time beyond the expiration date. This is why I have introduced bipartisan legislation with Mr. Boccieri of Ohio that would make the R&D tax credit permanent. Unlike other proposals to make the R&D tax credit permanent, H.R. 1545 would also offer a bonus tax credit for companies who manufacture their products in the United States. We shouldn't wait to make the R&D tax credit permanent. We should act now to sustain the manufacturing base that is so critical to this country's future.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to honor one of my most prestigious constituents, Charlotte Williams Conable. A longtime resident of Alexander, New York, Charlotte has made it her life's work to advance the status of women around the world. A longtime advocate of women's rights, Charlotte enlisted in the women's studies masters' program at George Washington University as an adult student. It was during her time there that she wrote Women at Cornell: The Myth of Equal Education, a novel that explores the origins of coeducation and discusses the role Cornell University had in bringing women into the collegiate system. In 1981, Charlotte penned another book, Older Women: The Economics of Aging. As a graduate of Cornell University, Charlotte was one of only a few women who went on to earn a position on Cornell's prestigious Board of Trustees. Due to her extensive work in the literary field, Charlotte rightfully earned a spot in Feminists Who Changed America, 1963-1975. As the wife of the late Congressman and World Bank president Barber Conable, Charlotte spent her life with a man who was voted by his colleagues the ``most respected'' member of Congress. Charlotte often accompanied Barber on his trips all over the world. She served as his eyes and ears, often splitting up from the group in order to give Barber a more accurate description of the conditions on the ground. On May 9, 2009, Charlotte will be recognized by the YWCA of Genesee County as a Fabulous Female for her lifetime achievement. As a lifetime supporter of the local YWCA, Charlotte will become a recipient of the very award she is receiving. She is certainly deserving of this high honor. Madam Speaker, in recognition of the lifetime achievements of Charlotte Williams Conable, I ask this Honorable Body to join me in honoring Charlotte Williams Conable for her dedication to furthering the equality of women throughout the world.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I wanted to thank the chairman and the ranking member for helping to bring this legislation to the floor. I also want to thank the members of our New York delegation for cosponsoring this measure. Last month, I visited with Army National Guardsmen based out of Western New York who spent part of 2007 and most of 2008 serving in Afghanistan. These are soldiers who put their lives on hold for more than a year to help train the Afghan national army and police. They take great pride in the work that they do over there, but what they are most proud of is the fact that everyone came home safe and sound. Of course, not all units are fortunate. A great hero by the name of Brian Schramm, who grew up in Monroe County, a native of the town of Greece, heard the call to serve early on in his life. He signed up not long after graduating high school and went on to become a tremendous Marine. On October 15, 2004, Lance Corporal Schramm was on his second tour of Iraq when he became the first resident of the 26th Congressional District to be killed in action in Iraq. He was 22. Brian made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the values that sustain this country, family, community, hard work and freedom. That is why I introduced this proposal to rename the post office in his honor just a few miles down the road from where Brian had grown up. This is one way to pay tribute not only to Brian's sacrifices, but those of his loved ones as well, his parents, Keith and Mary Ellen; his older sister, Jennifer; and his two younger brothers, Kyle and Michael. Keith and Mary Ellen, who I've had the privilege to meet, have honored their son's legacy by becoming very active in local veterans' issues. Mary Ellen recently started the Rochester chapter of Gold Star Mothers. Being part of a military family requires a great amount of courage, and in Keith and Mary Ellen, the town of Greece has two everyday heroes. This post office would certainly not be the last tribute to Brian's memory. Each year a student at Brian's alma mater of Greece Olympia High School receives a scholarship in his name. This award is a testament to Brian's incredible work ethic and his lifelong desire to help others. Today, western New Yorkers seek to take another step towards repaying the great debt of gratitude we owe to Lance Corporal Schramm by redesignating a Federal facility in his honor. This legislation will make it so that children growing up in the town of Greece now and years to come will ask their parents, who was Brian Schramm? And then they will come to know about the selfless individual and brave patriot who gave his life to protect this Nation. Mr. Speaker, I can think of no better way to ensure that Brian's legacy endures.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to oppose the rule and, more importantly, the budget resolution. Having run a business, I know that, to put together a responsible budget in the middle of a difficult economic climate, you have to prepare for things to get worse, not assume they will get better. The majority's budget fails to meet the commonsense standard by spending taxpayer dollars freely, without the same ``do more with less'' approach that many of my constituents live by. For proof of that, look no further than the fact that independent estimates suggest, roughly, 250,000 new Federal bureaucrats may be needed to spend all the money in the President's budget. We should be looking at paring our employment roles, not expanding the already bloated Federal Government. Moreover, by continuing to borrow money we don't have, taxpayers will be on the hook for as much as $1 trillion in interest payments on this debt. This is only a preview of the massive burden that will be forced on our children and grandchildren by Washington's refusal to make tough choices now. My constituents didn't send me here to evaluate how their hard-earned money is spent in the abstract. This is about dollars and cents. By that measure, this budget is reckless spending, and it fails to protect working families, family farms and small businesses who are struggling right now. This budget simply spends too much; it borrows too much, and it taxes too much.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Mr. Speaker, small businesses created over 80 percent of the jobs in this country in the past decade, yet Washington continues to apply erroneous legislation that hurts and dampens the entrepreneurial spirit we have in this country. Whether it is health care costs, high taxes, or promoting legislation which opens businesses up to more frivolous lawsuits, Washington is making it very difficult on hardworking Americans when we ask them to shoulder more burdens which they continually face. That is what I heard yesterday when I conducted a small business roundtable in my district. One of these small business owners said, ``We don't want to depend on the government for anything, but they can help us by understanding that the burdens they are placing are trickling down and breaking the backs of small business.'' We can start to change that by passing H.R. 1552, legislation I have introduced with my colleague from Maryland, Frank Kratovil, that will give a boost to new small businesses by increasing the maximum tax deduction on their startup costs from $5,000 to $20,000. This bipartisan initiative will provide firms with the much-needed resources they need.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Madam Speaker, every day western New Yorkers tell me what sacrifices they are making during these tough economic times. I wish the same could be said for Washington. This Congress has already missed two opportunities to impose fiscal restraint with the stimulus and the omnibus spending bills. Now the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office tells us that the administration's budget proposal will produce $9.3 trillion in budget deficits over the next 10 years. As this chart demonstrates, that amount represents more than two-and-a-half times the budget deficits of the prior administration, which in itself was faulted for spending too much. Taxpayers will be stuck paying more than $1 trillion in interest payments on this excessive borrowing. Today's red ink will bring impossible choices for our children and our grandchildren. We need to make Washington do more with less, just as western New Yorkers have for many years.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Madam Speaker. It is with great pride that I rise today to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Village of Middleport, New York, a family-oriented community that nearly 2,000 Niagara County residents call home. Located just 45 minutes from Buffalo and Niagara Falls, the Village of Middleport, rich in history, has rightfully earned its ``Friendly Community'' moniker. The slogan came from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who stopped in Middleport while traveling along the Erie Canal. FDR rightfully called Middleport ``a friendly community.'' Middleport's history is closely tied to the Erie Canal. Founded in 1859, the Village quickly became a popular stopping place for workers on the historic waterway. Many residents can remember a time when dozens of barges would line the canal and workers would stop by the local mills, factories and businesses on a daily basis. The Village prides itself on being a family-centered hamlet. It is no surprise that in 2007 BusinessWeek Magazine named Middleport the best place to raise a child in New York State because it ``provides a good measure of all the things a child needs to grow and prosper.'' The celebration of all these historic accomplishments wouldn't be possible without the dedication of trusted Village Historian Anna Wallace. For three decades, Anna has done an extraordinary job documenting Middleport's narrative. Her years of work in archiving the background of the Erie Canal and its role in the development of Middleport will be used for generations to come. Madam Speaker, in recognition of the 150th Anniversary of the Village of Middleport, I ask this Honorable Body to join me in honoring the Village of Middleport and their dedicated Village Historian Anna Wallace.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. I thank the gentlelady from North Carolina for yielding. I rise today to oppose the rule and underlying ``cramdown'' bill, which will allow bankruptcy judges to arbitrarily rewrite the amount of principal owed on a home mortgage loan. I recently received an e-mail from a constituent in Byron, New York, who said he lost $50,000 on a previous home he had recently sold. He's a hardworking individual in my district who accepted that but ended his e-mail by asking, ``Are we now going to be expected to pay for someone else's losses when I'm struggling to keep paying my own mortgage?'' I receive calls, faxes, e-mails like these every day from homeowners who work hard trying to make ends meet only to be asked to help those who either have made poor decisions or who acted purely for personal gain by speculating on the market. Yet in this bill, part of Congress' response is to change the Nation's bankruptcy laws and to allow judges arbitrarily to rewrite the amount of principal on mortgages. This will open up a Pandora's box on government intervention and will have the exact opposite effect than what is needed during these very tough economic times. When I talked to our community banks and ask how they have been able to prevent foreclosures, they point to a combination of sound lending practices and access to credit. It is in the banks' best interests to work with borrowers to help them stay in the homes. And, in fact, they are doing that now. Allowing bankruptcy judges to intervene would add additional risk to the market. It will help push that more mortgages won't be repaid and forcing lenders to tighten credit and raise borrowing costs for all homeowners at the worst possible time. I ask my colleagues to vote down this rule so we can keep this Pandora's box closed and get back to work on truly sensible practices that will help keep the dream of homeownership within reach of middle- class families.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this spending bill, and I do so in the same Chamber as last night the President spoke on an issue of fiscal responsibility. But now this Congress is about to pass another major spending bill, and when you look at the numbers, it's simply an embarrassment. This is on the heels of the largest spending bill in the United States' history being passed less than 2 weeks ago. This thousand-page bill is $410 billion; nearly 9,500 earmarks--or almost 25 per Member of Congress. The largest 1-year increase in discretionary spending since the Carter administration. On top of that, this bill doubles up on spending in many areas already allocated through the stimulus package. The one number I keep coming back to is $11.5 trillion dollars. That's how high the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says the budget deficit will rise over the next decade under the spending programs enacted by this Congress. That's nearly 3\1/2\ times the cumulative budget deficit for the previous administration.

Mr. LEE of New York. More of the same irresponsible spending will not engineer western New York's economy from recovery or create jobs over the long term. Mortgaging our children's future will only drive us deeper into this ditch. It's time to change the course here in Washington. Washington has to start doing more with less.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and appreciate the support from our State delegation, many of whom cosponsored this resolution. I especially want to thank Mr. Higgins and Ms. Slaughter who have exhibited untiring leadership in offering assistance in the days since this tragedy has struck. The night of Thursday, February 12, was going along like any other winter evening in the small town of Clarence. Clarence is located less than 20 miles from the city of Buffalo. At the home of the Wielinski family, 22-year-old Jill was watching television with her mother Karen, while her father, Doug, was in the dining room doing some housework. It was at that moment that Continental Flight 3407 carrying 49 passengers and crew struck the Wielinski home, taking Doug's life. All on board the plane were lost. Each and every soul is a significant loss to our community. Among them: a prominent human rights activist; a September 11th widow; a retired Air Force reservist; an accomplished jazz guitarist; the cantor at a Williamsville temple; the director of a youth service program; a program manager for Northrop Grumman; a nurse at Westfield Memorial Hospital; a second-year law student; the daughter of a Holocaust survivor; a Vietnam veteran with two Purple Hearts; and lastly, a personal friend who was expecting the birth of her first child due at the end of May. At that moment about a quarter mile away, Clarence Center Fire Chief David Case was also having a quiet evening at home when he heard on his radio that a plane had crashed and struck a house nearby. Chief Case was one of the first to arrive on the scene that night, but by no means was he by himself. Volunteers from throughout Clarence were assisted by crews from Newstead, Akron, Harris Hill, Rapids, East Amherst, Swormville, Amherst, Millgrove, Bowmansville, the Village of Lancaster, Brighton, and the Buffalo Niagara International Airport's Aircraft Rescue Firefighter unit. Their efforts were supported by hundreds of volunteers who gave their time and energy to support the first responders and the families of the victims. Last night, Chief Case sat in this very gallery just a handful of rows away from the First Lady as the President of the United States addressed Congress on the state of our Nation. Chief Case did not come here to accept the salutations normally afforded everyday heroes among us. He said he came ``only to be a representative of the men and women of Clarence Center Fire Company and all of the first responders.'' To those first responders and all of the volunteers, I simply want to say thank you. Chief Case was indeed a fitting representative for a small and proud town that just last year celebrated its bicentennial. Clarence is where my wife and I chose to make our home, and it is where my 3-year-old son will grow up; and I hope that he, in turn, raises a family there as well. Since the night of this accident, we have been posting on our Web site messages from families of the victims. Thoughts and prayers have come in from all around the country. One message we received was from Holly Henderson, a Clarence resident, and it reads: ``I'm a Clarence resident and a frequent traveler. I thank all of those who were deeply concerned for me, my family and neighbors and ask that they continue to pray for the souls whose lives ended in such tragedy. It is awesome to see how the community has put up ribbons and have come together in this time of crisis. It confirms why I moved back to this area after being gone for so long and feel very proud to be part of this great community in western New York where the people are truly the best in the world.'' Of course, this resolution is not nearly tribute enough to the memories of the victims and the courage of their families, and the echoes of the shock and grief we felt that long Thursday night are still with us. We can find comfort in the fact that even in tough times like these, families and communities come together, rally around one another and do whatever they can to help those in need. Again, I thank the members of our delegation for their support and for this resolution.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Madam Speaker, I regret that I do not have the opportunity to participate in today's debate due to the need to be back in my district. I sincerely appreciate the Members of the House engaging in a moment of silence to honor the memory of those who lost their lives in last night's tragic accident in Clarence, NY. America's current economic crisis has hit western New York hard, and from the outset of this debate, I have expressed the need for a timely, fiscally responsible recovery plan that provides the economy with the jumpstart it needs to create jobs. This new Washington spending plan simply fails to meet this common- sense standard of economic growth. It is far more focused on growing Washington than it is on stimulating job creation and had I been present I would have voted no. In many ways, this spending bill is inferior to its predecessor. It creates nearly just as many and expands more government programs while severely limiting tax relief for small businesses, which create most of our economy's new jobs. In fact, for every one dollar this spending bill devotes to small-business tax relief, Washington gets to keep more than 32 dollars for itself to create new government programs. Creating jobs in western New York has been at the top of my ``to-do'' list since before I ran for Congress, when I was helping run a family manufacturing business. That's why I helped craft a timely, fiscally responsible economic recovery plan that creates twice the jobs at half the cost of this Washington spending bill. Additionally, my recovery plan creates 184,000 more jobs for New Yorkers than this spending bill. The plan I helped put together spurs job creation right now by providing relief for 100 percent of income taxpayers, preserving ``net operating loss carryback'' reforms that help small business weather tough economic times, and implementing a tax deduction equal to 20 percent of income for those small businesses with 500 or fewer employees. Washington's refusal to reform its spending habits and focus its efforts on job creation puts significant taxpayer dollars at risk. In fact, the massive spending in this plan is enough to create budget deficits 2.5 times the size of President George W. Bush's deficits over the same 8-year period.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Army Private First Class Albert Jex, a Lockport, New York native who made the ultimate sacrifice on February 9, 2009, in Mosul, Iraq. Private Jex was deployed to Iraq in December from Fort Hood as part of the 1st Cavalry Division which is the Army's premier heavy-armored division. Named after a great-uncle who died fighting the Nazis in World War II, Private Jex devoted his life to public service. He was a junior volunteer fighter for the South Lockport Fire Company, and he heard the call of duty after the events of September 11, 2001. The close-knit neighborhood where Private Jex grew up has been lined with yellow ribbons since he first became a soldier and was sent to Iraq in 2003. These symbols now serve as quiet tributes to the bravest of patriots. Finally, I want to recognize the courage of Private Jex's family. The thoughts and prayers of all western New Yorkers go out to his family.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Madam Speaker, as we all know, the United States has marked American Heart Month every February for the last 45 years. I want to thank the chairman, Mr. Towns, and the ranking member, Mr. Issa, for their cooperation in getting this resolution to the floor so quickly. I also want to thank our nearly 60 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle. Two years ago, I lost my father-in-law to heart disease. Ironically, three nights ago, a very close friend of mine--49 years old, in the best shape of his life--had a stroke. So it tells you this can strike at any time and anywhere to anyone. Heart disease and stroke affect more people in western New York than anywhere else in the country. Here are some other facts: The rate of stroke death in western New York is 23 percent higher than the national rate and is 79 percent higher than the aggregate New York State rate. Heart disease kills ten times as many women in western New York as breast cancer and six times as many women as lung cancer. Of course, heart disease remains the number one cause of death for both women and men throughout the United States. The one fact that troubles me greatly is that only 58 percent of western New York residents report visiting doctors on a routine basis or having their blood pressure and cholesterol checked. That number is just simply too low. The one thing we can do is raise public awareness for both heart disease and stroke without spending a dime. We just need to talk to family and friends about the warning signs of these silent killers and what preventative steps we can take to ensure it does not happen. The simple act of going to a doctor or even visiting the American Heart Web site may be all it takes to save a life. I also want to point out that this resolution also recognizes the importance of National Wear Red Day. Last Friday, companies, organizations and cities across America, including Rochester and Buffalo, New York, showed their support for women's heart disease awareness by wearing red. I am also entering into the Record a letter from the American Heart Association in support of this resolution and the goals and ideals of American Heart Month. I hope that, in addition to the passage of this resolution, my colleagues will join me in talking to constituents so as to raise awareness of these deadly diseases. American Heart Association, Washington, DC, February 12, 2009. Hon. Chris Lee, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman Lee: On behalf of the American Heart Association and our more than 22 million volunteers and supporters nationwide, thank you for your leadership in introducing your Congressional resolution (H. Res. 112) supporting the goals and ideals of American Heart Month and National Wear Red Day. The Association is pleased to support this resolution. As you know, heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases remain the No. 1 killer and a major cause of permanent disability in the United States. And although one in three American adults suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease, too many people still don't know the risk factors, warning signs, or steps they can take to reduce their risk. Each year in February, we recognize American Heart Month as a way of reaffirming our national commitment to fighting heart disease and raising awareness among Americans about the need to know their risk for heart disease and to take action to reduce that risk. Likewise, we recognize the first Friday of each February as National Wear Red Day to raise awareness among women and their healthcare providers about heart disease as the leading killer of women. We applaud your efforts to help educate your constituents and Americans nationwide about heart disease, its risk factors and warning signs. You're making a real difference in people's lives. Thanks again for introducing this resolution. Please don't hesitate to call on the American Heart Association and our American Stroke Association division again in the future if we can be of assistance to you on health policy issues or concerns. Sincerely, Sue A. Nelson, Vice President, Federal Advocacy.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Madam Speaker, last week I received an e-mail from a constituent, Lori Adams, who runs the Silver Lake Country Market in Perry, New York. Her e-mail reads, ``I thought owning a business would be a dream, but it feels more like a nightmare. I keep thinking we are gaining ground only to slide back. I've had to make tough choices to stay open. When I hear about the stimulus and the bailouts for people who made bad choices, I feel even more defeated. When is Washington going to realize it's the small businesses that are on the front-line of this crisis?'' This is an example of the countless messages I have received over the past weeks from families and small business owners struggling to survive and outraged by how Washington continues to spend their money without restraint. For every dollar this so-called ``stimulus'' devotes to tax relief for small businesses, Washington gets to keep $6 to create new government programs. We need a timely, fiscally responsible plan that helps small businesses innovate, creates good paying jobs and grows the economy for our families, not adding to an already bloated Federal Government.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. I thank our esteemed ranking member for yielding. I rise in opposition to the rule, but more importantly to the underlying bill. The stimulus bill is fraught with spending that truly misses the mark, and what we need to turn around is our struggling economy. The stimulus should spark job creation and ease the strain on middle class America. We spent our way to prosperity and a bloated Federal Government. The bill does not provide adequate tax relief to small business and middle- class Americans who are on the front line of this crisis. For every dollar this plan devotes to small business, $6 are used to create new Federal programs, programs which never seem to end. Creating new Federal programs for every American is not a responsible blueprint for creating jobs in our country and in western New York. Western New Yorkers are no strangers to doing more with less. It's time the Federal Government follow that same pattern. Now Washington needs to do something quickly and responsibly.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to commemorate the Greece Rotary Club for working for the betterment of the Greece community for 50 years. The Greece Rotary is made up of more than 100 leaders from the community who volunteer their time and resources to help others and advance goodwill. The Greece Rotary Club has undertaken many important volunteer projects, including giving out more than 1,600 dictionaries to help bolster children's interest in reading. The impact of the Greece Rotary has been felt throughout the world as well. Last year, the Rotary worked in conjunction with Rotarians in Africa to complete two community service projects: donating books to Ethiopia and installing clean water systems for elementary schools in Nigeria. Through its numerous good deeds and unselfish acts, the Greece Rotary has made good on Rotary International's mottos of ``Service above self'' and ``They profit most who serve best.'' Rotary International works to bring business leaders together for humanitarian service projects and to build trust, goodwill and peace around the world. Thus Madam Speaker, in recognition of 50 years of tremendous service to the Town of Greece, I ask that this Honorable Body join me in honoring the Greece Rotary Club.

Mr. LEE of New York

Mr. LEE of New York. Madam Speaker, taxpayer dollars must be spent with accountability and transparency. To date, the Troubled Asset Relief Program, commonly known as TARP, has failed to meet the commonsense standard of fiscal responsibility. TARP was established last fall as an emergency plan to prop up the ailing financial markets, but, today, we have far more questions than answers. Taxpayers have already lost $64 billion on the first round of investments made through TARP. The new administration has asked this Congress to double down on TARP and rubber stamp another $350 billion without credible assurance of future results. With a $1.2 trillion deficit on the books and a nearly $1 trillion stimulus package looming, these are resources we cannot afford to spend without responsible oversight. Western New York's economy is in a perilous state. What we need right now is swift bipartisan action that creates jobs and spurs future economic growth, not another bloated Washington program that overpromises and underdelivers. I hope my colleagues will reject any attempt to rubber stamp the TARP Program and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, not wastefully.