Blaine Luetkemeyer

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3892. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Village of Argyle, located in Maries and Osage counties, in Missouri. I would like to acknowledge the Village of Argyle as its residents prepare to celebrate the milestone of their centennial this upcoming June. In the beginning of the 20th century, a group of Scottish-Irish surveyors made their way to the Midwest and were preparing to build a rail bed for the St. Louis, Kansas City and Colorado railroad to run between Kansas City and St. Louis. This spurred the formation of a town. The area, once known as Sanbonfass, after St. Boniface, was named Argyle after a shire in the Isles of Scotland called Argyll. The Village was incorporated in 1908, and the rock island line brought prosperity to the village shortly thereafter. Today the Village is home to about 170 of my constituents, all of whom I know are proud to call Argyle home. In closing, Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in wishing the residents of the Village of Argyle congratulations on reaching this important milestone.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to recognize Chairman Velazquez for her great leadership and bipartisan fashion on this committee which has a myriad of issues that we address on a daily basis, and I want to thank her for her excellent leadership and providing us a forum to debate these ideas in a fair fashion. I am proud to support H.R. 1842, the Expanding Entrepreneurship Act of 2009, to assist many fellow small business owners and employees throughout my district in Missouri and throughout the country. Small businesses have generated up to 80 percent of net new jobs annually over the last decade and continue to contribute 38 percent to the gross domestic product. As we try to jumpstart the slumping economy and put people back to work, it only makes sense to provide relief and not more onerous tax hikes to our Nation's most productive job creators. While this logic has underpinned alternative plans supported by myself and many of my colleagues to boost the economy and ensure growth in the future, it has been all but ignored by the administration and the majority in Congress. At a time when small businesses are struggling to keep their doors open, we must remain ever vigilant in improving the efficacy of entrepreneurial and technical assistance programs. We also need to ensure our small businesses are able to adequately utilize all available resources. My bill beefs up support services in key entrepreneurial development programs, making these programs more effective and responsive to the needs of small businesses and ensuring that existing programs are being used effectively and duplicative government programs are done away with. To make these widely used programs more responsive to the needs of small businesses and at no cost to the taxpayers, H.R. 1842 establishes planning standards within these programs, requires maintenance of an entrepreneurial development database, and ensures that someone is available to assist small businesses at all SBA district offices. The bill also requires the SBA to develop a job-creation strategy for 2009- 2010. The bill also expands specific programs, such as small business development centers, women's business centers, and the Service Corps of Retired Executive, or SCORE. These widely used programs are intended to assist entrepreneurs with practical and technical skills needed to help start and sustain a business. In addition, the bill creates new support programs for veteran-owned and Native American-owned small businesses, improves cross-program coordination to maximize use of program resources, and creates 21st- century online learning initiatives for entrepreneurs. An investment in entrepreneurial development programs yields strong returns. In 2008, the SBA entrepreneurial development programs helped to generate 73,000 new jobs and bring $7.2 billion into the economy. Some economists have estimated that every dollar invested in these initiatives returns $2.87 to our economy and helps these small businesses thrive. Since the onset of the credit crisis over 2 years ago, available credit to small businesses and consumers has contracted by trillions of dollars. Without access to credit, small businesses can't grow, can't hire, and too often end up going out of business. That is why I am particularly pleased to support a bill that strengthens small business development centers, one-stop assistance centers for current and prospective small business owners designed to assist small firms in securing capital and credit. As Louis Celli, CEO of the Northeast Veterans Business Resource Center in Boston, put it at a recent hearing on this same subject, we have the right focus by wanting ``to interweave these programs together and really force everybody to play in the same sandbox.'' And by making entrepreneurial development programs more effective, we can be not only more responsive to small businesses but also be better stewards of taxpayers' dollars. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the request to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1834, a bill to provide additional small business development center resources focused on Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. I'd like to thank Chairwoman Velazquez for working in a cooperative and bipartisan manner to bring this bill to the House floor. The majority of Indian tribe members and Alaska Natives live on or in the immediate vicinity of Indian lands. These lands are generally in remote locations far from access to resources that most Americans take for granted. Due to the remoteness and lack of economic development, it is not surprising that Native Americans suffer from unemployment averages in excess of twice that faced by the rest of the American population. Enactment of H.R. 1834 is not designed to immediately relieve the harsh circumstances facing many Native Americans. Instead, it is an effort to bring greater technical assistance to Native Americans so they can create new businesses that will spur economic development. The committee has heard testimony from Native Americans about the value of the technical assistance provided by SBA's entrepreneurial outreach programs. These programs enable them to navigate the complexities of starting a business. H.R. 1834 recognizes the value of this assistance by codifying the Small Business Administration's Tribal Business Center program. In addition, the bill improves access to Small Business Development Centers by providing the grantees with increased incentives to perform outreach to Native Americans without undermining the core funding provided to Small Business Development Centers. Finally, the bill requires better coordination between the SBA and tribal organizations in providing technical programs. By providing the technical resources needed to start and manage businesses, H.R. 1834 will challenge the entrepreneurial spirit of Native Americans, increase economic development on Indian lands, reduce poverty, and create a healthier living environment for future generations of the first Americans. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I have criticized many of the provisions of this bill and rightfully so. However, one bi-partisan area that strikes the appropriate balance in providing lower-cost options to consumers without destroying a healthy and functioning industry in this country that is included in both the underlying bill, which I strongly oppose, and the Republican substitute, which I intend to support, are the sections relating to the creation of a market for biosimilar products. These provisions were one of the few areas in the bill adopted on an overwhelming bipartisan vote for the Eshoo-Inslee-Barton (EIB) amendment in the Energy and Commerce Committee. Creating a pathway for new products that doesn't destroy the ability or the incentives for innovator companies to develop breakthrough technologies and, at the same time, providing a safe and effective way to bring competition to benefit patients is a laudable achievement. I wish we could remove this provision from this fatally flawed piece of legislation and consider it separately because it would pass with the kind of overwhelming bi-partisan support that Americans across the country wish to see. However, these provisions are only the first step in a long path to the marketing of these new products. New research and clinical testing will have to occur, and the FDA will write rules that will ensure this research is done safely and effectively. One of the reasons I have long supported the U.S. biotechnology industry is that it is a homegrown success story that has been an engine of job creation in this country. Unfortunately, many of the largest companies that would seek to enter the biosimilar market have made their money by outsourcing their research to foreign countries like India. With this week's devastating news that unemployment has reached 10.2%, it is critical that we preserve jobs in the United States. While the innovators have created jobs here, these generic companies have shipped them overseas, so they can turn around and sell cheap knockoffs of innovative American products. As this new market launches in the U.S., we need to ensure that we foster innovative products in this country for the creation of jobs and research that will go into proving whether these products are interchangeable with the innovators products. I have my doubts that these companies can create such interchangeable products, but I am certain that the research and testing of whether or not they can should occur in this country and not somewhere across the globe. Testing and research on these interchangeable biosimilars should be occurring in this country to ensure that it is done properly and safely and to benefit our economy.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, the American people have spoken. Poll after poll now shows by overwhelming majorities that this health care proposal is being rejected by them. What are their concerns? Seniors are concerned about their Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and their care in general, as this bill makes a $500 billion cut in the Medicare program, which will lead to rationed care. Small business owners are concerned about their businesses, as this bill will enact billions of new taxes, surcharges, and places new mandates on them that may cause them to lose their businesses. Young people are concerned about their futures. Will the $1 trillion price tag of this bill indebt them and their children for the rest of their lives? This bill does not lower the cost of health care. According to the Congressional Budget Office, it raises the cost of health care. The American people don't see this bill as a solution to the health care problem. They see it as adding to the problem. They have spoken. We need to listen.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, as we continue to discuss the health care bill, this monstrous health care bill, one thing is clear: American families simply cannot afford this attempt at a government takeover of health care. The proposed plan is the wrong prescription for our country. This monstrous piece of legislation is a prescription for tax increases and for job loss, but most importantly and unfortunately, with the government's dictating health care terms and choices, we're going to see a lower standard of care for our families. By forcing this mammoth overhaul on hardworking Americans, this majority is hoping to create a health care system that increases taxes on small businesses, that reduces benefits for seniors, and that piles insurmountable debt upon our children. Republicans have offered a more responsible, incremental approach to improve our health care system in a way that controls costs and that provides the quality of care that Americans deserve. Despite months of town hall meetings at which millions of Americans voiced their opposition to a government takeover of health care, the majority still doesn't get it. The American people deserve more. They want more.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Again, I would like to echo the sentiments of Ranking Member Graves with regards to the fine bipartisanship and the good, hard work of everybody on the committee to come up with, I think, an outstanding bill to help our small business folks in this country. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3854 and am pleased to see that this bill includes my legislation, H.R. 3740, the Small Business Investment Company Modernization and Improvement Act of 2009. As a small businessman, I am proud to support a bill that would assist many fellow small business owners and employees throughout my district and Missouri and all throughout the country. Small businesses have generated up to 80 percent of new net jobs annually over the last decade and contribute 38 percent of the GDP. Like every recession before, small business will lead us back to economic prosperity. Most small business owners remain cautious in their economic outlook, with more than two-thirds in recent polls saying the recession is not over for them. Many people want to signal that their economy is on the mend, but American small businesses and small business owners aren't able to send that message yet. Small businesses have never had a harder time getting a loan, as access to credit is being denied at an increasing pace. Since the onset of the credit crisis over 2 years ago, available credit to small business consumers has contracted by billions of dollars. Without access to credit, small businesses can't grow, can't hire, and too often end up going out of business. In recent hearings on the Small Business Administration's capital access programs, we heard from two SBIC witnesses from my home State of Missouri, Capital For Business and C3 Capital. Both testified that despite having a 50-year record of growing American small businesses and providing over $55 billion in financing to over 100,000 U.S.-based businesses, the SBIC is being dramatically underutilized. When both credit and investment have evaporated, it does not make sense to leave an effective small business tool unused. Additionally, this bill will halt the continued flight of SBICs that participate in the program by establishing an expedited licensing process. A broken licensing system for far too long has been cutting off capital to good small businesses. I know of a successful SBIC in Missouri that applied for a second license and it took over 1 year, countless hours of paperwork and expensive legal bills. This legislation would provide a transparent process with clear standards and a reasonable timeline for applicants. This bill also includes strong taxpayer protections. New background checks and proof of raised capital would be required. Funds that have major regulatory problems or are unable to raise private funds would not be able to get an expedited repeat license. Further, the administrator should have the authority to put the brakes on any application that she thinks may pose a risk to the taxpayer. At a time when small businesses are still struggling to keep their doors open, I am pleased to see a bill working its way through the legislative process that would improve initiatives already available to small businesses. Perhaps more important, the bill we consider today recognizes the ability here to create good private sector jobs in Missouri and across the country. Mr. Chairman, this bill is not an answer to what ails our economy. It is a good start to help small business, the economic engine of our economy, get back into the business of doing business. I urge my colleagues to adopt the legislation.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Clopton High School Lady Hawks Softball team for winning the Class 1A Missouri State Championship on October 24th. The young women and their coaches should be commended for all their hard work throughout the regular season and bringing home the 1A Softball Championship to their school and community. I ask that you join me in recognizing the Clopton Lady Hawks for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, this morning I had the opportunity to meet with a group of Honor Flight veterans at the World War II veterans memorial. These ladies and gentlemen are our heroes. One of them came up to me and said, Congressman, please don't let them take my Medicare away. That is a solemn promise. They are concerned about the quality of care, about the costs they are going to incur. This is something that is extremely important to our seniors. Over the weekend, I had an opportunity to talk to a businessman. He came up and said, Congressman, please don't let them implement these mandates and these excessive taxes on me. I can't survive as a business. The American people are looking over these proposals and they are saying ``no.'' A while ago we heard that it is not leadership unless you vote ``yes.'' I say it is time we start listening to the people and doing what they want. They have looked at these issues, they have looked at these proposals, and they have said ``no.'' I think we need to listen to them, because they are the ones who are going to pay the bills, they are the ones that are going to be impacted by it, and they say ``no.''

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mary L. Nirmaier and Rose Ross, two members of the only 300 remaining survivors of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots. I am proud to see these two remarkable women honored with the Congressional Gold Medal. Women Airforce Service Pilots were the first women in history to fly America's military aircraft. Between the years 1942-1944, women were recruited to fly non-combat missions, so that male pilots could be deployed in combat. Through their actions, Women Airforce Service Pilots were a catalyst for revolutionary reform in the integration of women pilots into the U.S. Armed Services. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest and most distinguished award that the U.S. Congress can award to a civilian. Just as the Navajo Code Talkers and Tuskegee Airmen served with distinction and were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, it is also appropriate for Congress to recognize and honor the service of the WASP with the Congressional Gold Medal. Our soldiers, sailors, and pilots sacrifice everything they have in service to America and will serve as a permanent reminder of the bravery, loyal patriotism, and love of country. In closing, Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in wishing Ms. Nirmaier and Ms. Ross our sincerest thanks and appreciation for their commitment, dedication, and service to our nation. It is an honor to represent them in the United States Congress.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, as the American people struggle to make ends meet, too many also live with the challenge of affording basic health care for themselves and for their families. When I was home this past weekend, I heard from my constituents on a number of issues, but health care was prime on their minds. They were concerned about the plan on the table. They have great concern with regard to the provisions in there and with regard to the rationing of care. They're very concerned about the possible loss of the doctor- patient relationship. Small businesses are concerned about the tax provisions in the bill that may cost them not only the employees they have but their businesses on the whole. At a time when we need to be helping small business, we're adding another burden onto them. Our side, that of the Republicans, has a plan to address each of these concerns in a way that solves problems rather than creates a lot of government bureaucracy, which actually takes over 18 percent of our economy. My constituents believe that the administration's plan on the table is the wrong plan at the wrong time and that it will have the wrong outcome.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, if we're all real quiet and if we turn down the rhetoric and if we listen very attentively, I think we can hear the voices of our constituents back home--the people who pay the taxes of this country. What are they saying? What question are they asking? Where are the jobs? Where are the jobs, Mr. President? Well, we're not hearing them, are we? They've seen the $800 billion stimulus package that was passed through this House, that was rammed down our throats and that had no effect. In fact, we've gone the other direction. Instead of increasing employment, we've gone the other way. We're now at 9.5 percent, headed towards double digits. What is the solution? A second stimulus is being talked about. Is that really what we need to do? In this last stimulus, there was a little bitty piece for small businesses. They're the ones that generate the jobs. They're the ones that can turn this economy around. They're the ones that can hire the people. Yet we ignore them. We turn our backs on them. Oh, there are those voices again. I think I can hear them. Yes, they're louder this time. They say, Where are the jobs, Mr. President? Where are the jobs?

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. I am proud to rise today in support of House Resolution 390, a resolution recognizing the Winston Churchill Memorial and Library in Fulton, Missouri, as ``America's National Churchill Museum.'' Before I discuss the details of the bill, I would like to thank the many folks who helped make this possible. First, I want to thank my predecessor in Congress, Kenny Hulshof, who first introduced this resolution in the 110th Congress. Kenny laid the groundwork for the passage of this bill, and I am honored to finish the work that he began. Also, from the moment I first introduced the resolution, the Missouri delegation was at my side. To be sure, I am extremely pleased that every member of the Missouri delegation signed on as an original cosponsor of my resolution, and I want to thank them for all their continued support. I also want to thank the many other Members of this body who supported me in this endeavor, many of whom are Churchill enthusiasts themselves. I am truly honored to be in such good company. I look forward to welcoming all of them to my district when they bring their families to visit America's National Churchill Museum. Most of all, I want to thank President Forsythe, president of Westminster College, at whose campus the museum is located, and his dedicated staff, Angie Robinson, Rob Crouse, and countless others. I also want to recognize the museum's executive director, Dr. Rod Havers, for his daily devotion, expertise, and passion to the upkeep and expansion of this remarkable museum. Much has been written about one of the greatest figures of the 20th century, Sir Winston Churchill, a man with a literary bent and a deep devotion to public affairs. He was a Nobel Prize winner, an artist, a keen strategist, and a brilliant politician. He was also instrumental in bringing an end to World War II. On March 5, 1946, Winston Churchill delivered his historic ``Iron Curtain'' speech on the campus of Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. With a current population of close to 13,000 and a then- population of 7,000, Fulton was and still is the perfect stopover in the rolling green hills of central Missouri. There, the man Harry Truman called ``that great world citizen,'' Winston Churchill, marked the beginning of the Cold War with the words that were heard around the globe. Today, the speech is regarded as perhaps one of the most important that Churchill ever delivered. The speech contained certain phrases, ``the special relationship,'' ``the sinews of peace''--which at once entered into general use and which have since survived. However, it's Churchill's mention of the Iron Curtain that attracted immediate international attention and shaped public opinion in the United States and Western Europe. He said, ``From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.'' Russian historians date the beginning of the Cold War from this speech. And in its drawing together of several themes to a climax, Churchill's speech may be regarded as one of the finest in the 20th century. It certainly changed the way the democratic West viewed the communist East. The astounding achievements of Winston Churchill's life are a testament to his dedication to protecting liberty for all people. Churchill did not merely hate tyranny; he despised it, and he reviled communism. The contempt he breathed for dictators renewed his Iron Curtain speech in Fulton, Missouri, and strengthened the West's faith in the superiority of democracy and the inevitability of its success. The Winston Churchill Memorial and Library was founded in 1969. The museum is a 16th-century church designed by Christopher Wren that was painstakingly relocated, brick by brick, from London, England, to Fulton, Missouri, and is the only museum in the Nation that exists for the sole purpose of honoring the life and extraordinary legacy of Winston Churchill. I might mention that it underwent a multimillion dollar renovation just a couple years ago. The bill we consider today recognizes this museum as the world-class facility that it is and the historical significance of the site. I urge all my colleagues to join me in passing this important legislation.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I would like to state for the record my position on the following vote I missed while attending a funeral in Missouri: On Friday, June 12, 2009, I missed rollcall Vote No. 335. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall Vote No. 335.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I would like to state for the record my position on the following vote I missed due to being delayed at a committee hearing. On Thursday, June 11, 2009, I missed rollcall vote No. 332. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 332.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. I thank the gentlelady from Wyoming (Mrs. Lummis). It's a great evening that you've put together for us here. You know, we've been here a little over a 100 days, about 120 days now, and we've all got some first impressions of what this body is all about, what our work is all about, and it's been kind of an eye-opening experience for me coming from the Midwest. My little community in my district I think is a true slice of Americana, in that it's full of small towns and it's where you know your neighbors and where you wave at them as they go by. You know, we still have gun racks in the back of pickups where I come up. But we also have some great people, and that's the reason that I was excited to be able to represent those folks. You know, where I come from people still believe in limited government, lower taxes, self-reliance on the individual, common sense, and balanced budgets, whether they're their own or the local political entity. It's kind of ironic, though. When you get here, things seem to change. In my mind, what a difference 2,000 miles make in the way governance takes place. Coming from the statehouse in Missouri, I know it's completely different, but yet it's the same type of process; although that kind of seems to be completely different. You know, here, instead of limited government, we seem to be content and intent on expanding government by leaps and bounds into every aspect of people's lives, into the businesses. Instead of lower taxes, we're about to consider the largest tax increase in the history of this country, which I think will push us off an economic cliff. I have some grave concerns about it. As I go home and talk to my constituents about the carbon tax, the cap-and-trade bill that's coming up shortly, they're alarmed and they're very concerned. Another one that I mentioned was self-reliance. It's interesting that today we passed another bill which adds to the government payroll, the government bailout, the government, people on our payroll, instead of allowing people to be able to take care of themselves. And if you'd mind, I've got a little story to tell about some good folks at home that are just like everybody else's, but it's interesting to see and to note we had a terrible tragedy that ran through my district a few weeks ago. We had a tornado that went through and actually killed three folks, very tragic, did thousands of dollars worth of damage. It happened during the week when I was here in DC. So I called up my folks at home and asked a couple of my guys to be sure and go out and talk to those folks and give them some help, whatever help they needed, and assure them we'd be there to help them in whatever way we could. I went there the next day when I did get home and met with the local leaders and it was amazing. All the emergency folks, the community leaders had everything under control, and it was amazing how ordered and how orderly they were. There was no Federal Government running in there to tell them what to do. They were all doing it themselves with their own plans. Then I went out and talked to the local folks who had sustained the damage, who had endured this tragedy. And while they were upset and distraught and certainly you know, not in the best frame of mind, they still were very thankful because they had a community of folks that was around them, that was giving them the support that they needed to be able to withstand this ordeal and get through it. And the strength of the community is a thing that really was impactful to me, from the standpoint that that community came together, and there was such an outpouring that there was probably more help than they actually needed to help with the cleanup and to give them the support they needed to get back on their feet. And that's the kind of people that we have in this country, all over this country. Given the chance, they can be that self-reliant people that can bring this country back to what it is. With regards to the common sense I mentioned a minute ago, it's one of the most often heard comments I hear when I go back home, What in the world are you guys doing in DC? And of course, my response is, well, common sense is something a little in short supply here in DC sometimes. Just, it's kind of a foreign concept.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Yes. The process in my home State where I served in the House both in the minority and in the majority, and in the leadership and as a committee chairman--so I have a pretty wide background there in the house. It's not unlike Missouri, but yet it's different. Here we don't necessarily run everything through committee. Another thing, it has to be germane. Not always are you allowed to offer amendments. It's an amazing process where I thought that it would be more open, more transparent. That was the promise from the administration, yet we see little of that. During the discussion here, it's been interesting to listen to all my colleagues and yourselves. They've got some great stories to tell and great perspectives on how we should be governing ourselves, how we, as a people, should be governing ourselves. And it's interesting to me that if you look at our Constitution, it says, ``We, the people.'' It doesn't say ``We, the government;'' and to me, I think that is very important. We stop and think about our framers. When they put this very special document together, this American experiment that they were trying, they said, ``We, the people.'' They wanted the people to be where the power was, to be where the ability to control their lives was, not the government. It seems as though very quickly when you get here, the perspectives are clearly different. Here the government is where the power always emanates from, and they want everybody to be subservient to. It's that sort of mindset. It's that sort of situation that we find ourselves in here that I think is very frustrating to our constituents. They see this as well; and over the last several weeks as I've gone home, this concern continues to well up with regards to where we're going as a country, where we're going as a government. They don't see themselves as being a part of it anymore, and they want us to be their voice. It's an honor to serve them, and it's an honor to be here. But I think the perspective of this body needs to be that of serving people, rather than to be served. I sometimes think we get that switched around.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, the cap-and-trade bill currently working its way through the House is nothing more than a national energy tax. The right to emit carbon would essentially be auctioned off to generate revenue for more government spending programs, amounting to a major tax increase for all American consumers. This proposed cap-and-trade is actually a cap-and-tax system that will increase taxes, eliminate jobs, or drive them offshore, and raise the cost of energy and the price of purchasing any product or service dependent upon energy. Many sources have looked at this and said that it will cost about $4,000 per household, if not more. Even the President expects energy prices to rise, and describes them as skyrocketing. This national energy tax will be disastrous, particularly in light of our Nation's current economic circumstances. As an alternative, I support an ``all of the above'' energy policy to end our dependence on foreign oil. I support increasing domestic exploration for oil, investing in biofuels, alternative fuels, clean coal and nuclear technology.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Shuler) for his hard work in crafting this much needed small business legislation, and I would like to thank Chairwoman Velazquez and Ranking Member Graves for their hard work and for allowing this thing to expeditiously go through the full committee. Small business accounts for 70 percent of our Nation's jobs, and it provides an invaluable source of innovation to our economy. As we try to revive the slumping economy and put people back to work, wouldn't it only make sense to provide relief to our Nation's most productive job creators? As a small business man myself, I am pleased to sponsor a bill that will assist the many small owners and employees throughout my district and the country. Two out of every three jobs are created by a small business, and like every recession before, small business will lead the way out of this recession into economic growth again. Rather than relying so heavily on the government to spend our way out of this recession, we need to focus on ensuring that our small businesses are able to utilize all of the resources already available. This bill beefs up support services in key entrepreneurial development programs, making these programs more effective and responsive to the needs of small businesses and ensuring that existing programs are being used effectively and that duplicative government programs are done away with. To be sure, an investment in entrepreneurial development programs yields strong returns. In 2008, the SBA entrepreneurial development programs helped to generate 73,000 new jobs and to bring in $7.2 billion to the economy. Some economists have estimated that every dollar invested in these initiatives returns $2.87 to our economy and helps these small businesses thrive. Given that the biggest challenge facing small businesses right now is their ability to access credit, I am particularly pleased to support a bill that strengthens Small Business Development Centers, one-stop assistance centers for current and prospective small business owners, designed to assist small firms in securing capital and credit. This bill moved promptly through the full committee and to the House floor. I am pleased with the bipartisan support this bill has received in the committee. I want to thank my colleagues for their careful and timely attention to the legislation that will give our small business owners the opportunity to grow and expand.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, in a vast sweep of mountains, steppe, and desert in the heart of northern Asia, one of the most remarkable political transformations of the decade is unfolding. I rise today to commend democracy in Mongolia. The collapse of communism and totalitarianism has provided Mongolia with a historical opportunity of introducing simultaneous political and economic changes by dismantling the communist regime and central planning economy to build democracy and market capitalism. Mongolia's democratic transition explicitly indicates that Mongolia has reached remarkable achievements in building democracy and market capitalism. Mongolia's parliamentary democracy has been playing a meaningful role in building democracy and market capitalism, and civil society has emerged and developed. Mongolia's democratic reforms have been radical and irreversible. Now, Mongolia is committed to successful completion of the final phase of its transition to market capitalism to deepen and strengthen democracy. In closing, Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in supporting Mongolia's continued transition to democracy.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 43 years of military service of Robert Wayne Wilcox, a farmer from Moberly and Randolph County Eastern District Commissioner. I want to commend Mr. Wilcox for his two combat tours in Vietnam and two tours in Iraq, and I would also like to draw special attention to the fact that Mr. Wilcox volunteered for multiple tours of duty in both Vietnam and Iraq. Mr. Wilcox began his military career by entering active duty on March 21, 1966 and served proudly until this past March 23, 2009. Mr. Wilcox accumulated more than 4,000 hours of flight time as a military pilot and during his last tour of duty in Iraq, he flew Black Hawk helicopters in over 400 hours of combat. Mr. Wilcox has attained numerous awards, including: three Bronze Stars for meritorious service, one Meritorious Service Medal, one Army Commendation Medal, 18 Air Medals, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, a Vietnam Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with ``M'' device, one Army Service Ribbon, an Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with bronze star attachment. Our soldiers, sailors, and pilots sacrifice everything they have in service to America and will serve as a permanent reminder of the bravery, loyal patriotism, and love of country. In closing, Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in wishing Robert Wayne Wilcox our sincerest thanks and appreciation for his commitment, dedication, and service to our nation. It is an honor to represent him in the United States Congress.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the brave acts of heroism and military achievement by the members of the United States Armed Forces who participated in the June 6, 1944, amphibious landing at Normandy, France. I want to commend them for their leadership and valor in an operation that helped to bring an end to Word War II. I would like to draw special attention to the 201 Missouri men who died aboard LST 496 during the Battle of Exercise Tiger, a 1944 naval battle that had been originally planned as a practice mission for the D-Day Invasion of Normandy. Nearly 750 United States soldiers and sailors, a large number of whom were from Missouri's 3206th Quarter Master Service Company, died in the exercise on April 28, 1944, after a number of their ships were sunk by German forces. These soldiers and sailors sacrificed everything they had in service to America and will serve as a permanent reminder of bravery, loyal patriotism, and love of country. In closing, Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in a wishing all the members of the Armed Forces our sincerest thanks and appreciation for their heroic mission.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the St. Francis Borgia Boys Basketball team for winning the Class 4 A Missouri State Championship on March 14th. The Knights were hungry for a win and that hunger showed. Armed with a tenacious defense that forced 17 turnovers and fueled by their high-powered offense, the Knights walked away with a convincing 59-41 victory over the Kearney Bulldogs. The young men and their coaches should be commended for all their hard work throughout the regular season and the playoffs. And it just goes to show that a strong defense is the foundation for a winning offense. I ask that you join me in recognizing the St. Francis Borgia Knights for a job well done!