Kevin McCarthy

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. I will continue to reserve my time.

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition for a number of reasons. First and foremost, we are putting forward legislation that we will not even be able to fund. Appropriations said they will not meet, they will not pass, so we are telling States that this is an IOU. Secondly, Mr. Speaker, over $3 billion in Federal grants have been made available to States in 2008 in previous years to assist with election systems and administration which can include the purchase of authorized backup paper ballots. Of this amount, over $1 billion remains unspent, but we are asking the Federal Government to spend more. Mr. Speaker, we are talking about paper ballots. Survey after survey of Secretaries of States have shown that they have backup operations prepared for their States and their ballots. Even in our own committee, Mr. Speaker, you have pointed out time and time again that paper ballots are where mistakes are made when they are hand counted. Paper ballots are where things become manipulated. So, Mr. Speaker, I ask for a ``no'' vote. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the former Secretary of State of Michigan and my good friend, Mrs. Candice Miller.

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the dean of the Ohio delegation, Mr. Regula. (Mr. REGULA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a community leader, Mrs. Patricia ``Pat'' Johnson, on her retirement after 27 years of service on the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees. Pat's service to the Paso Robles public schools officially started when she was elected to the Paso Robles elementary school board, now the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees, but her contribution to the community of Paso Robles began long before that. With her daughter, Danielle, coming up through the Paso Robles school system, Pat served as both a classroom and library volunteer, often spending her entire day at Marie Bauer Elementary School and George H. Flamson Middle School. She served as president of the local Parent Teacher Association and the School Site Council prior to her election to the Board of Trustees. During her time on the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees, the district experienced significant growth. Seven new schools and three administrative buildings were built during her tenure of service, a local middle school was modernized and property was purchased that would later make room for the teacher's center. Of the new schools built, she knew and worked with several of the teachers the buildings were named after. In addition to playing a vital role in Paso Robles school district's growth, Pat also presided over several areas of conceptual transformation of the school district, including unification in 1996, of the Paso Robles elementary school board and the current board she serves on, as well as implementation the Middle School Concept, an independent study program, and accreditation of the district high schools and high school graduation diplomas. Throughout her tenure with the Paso Robles public schools, she was also an active participant in various California School Boards Association events. Over the past 27 years, the students and community served by the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District have benefited from Pat's dedication and energetic service. She worked tirelessly to ensure the students of Paso Robles had a school system that provided them a world- class education to ensure they were prepared for the future and successful throughout their lives. Her many contributions to Paso Robles are a shining example of the dedicated public service to which we should each aspire. I know Pat looks forward to spending time happily in her retirement with her husband Fred, daughter Danielle, and grandchildren Nicolas, Isabella, and Jose. I commend Pat for her service to the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District and the local community, and I wish her all the best as she enters this next stage of her life.

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Madam Speaker, consistent with House Republican Earmark Standards, I am submitting the following earmark disclosure and certification information for two project authorization requests that I made and which were included within the text of H.R. 5658, the ``Duncan Hunter Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009.'' Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy. Bill Number: H.R. 5658. Account: Military Construction, Air Force. Project Amount: $6,000,000. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Edwards Air Force Base. Address of Requesting Entity: 1 S. Rosamond Blvd., Edwards AFB, CA, USA. Description of Request: This funding would complete construction of the main base runway at Edwards Air Force Base, CA. The funding will be used to complete paved shoulders on the runway and account for extra costs in the overall runway replacement project from items such as the stabilization of over 41,000 cubic yards of both unsuitable and unstable soil. The main base runway, which supports almost every flight operation at Edwards Air Force Base, as well as space shuttle landings when necessary, is over 50 years old and is rapidly degrading as a result of Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR), a reaction between the cement and the aggregate that creates map cracking, scaling and spalling of the concrete. Emergency Foreign Object Damage (FOD) repairs have forced runway closures affecting 10 to 15 flights for each closure. No other runways at Edwards AFB can safely support the current and projected test operations without significant test mission delays, and temporary relocation of these missions is not feasible; however, many of the current and planned test missions can be supported by a temporary runway. This project was programmed by the Air Force in 2003 for FY06, and was incrementally funded over 3 years (FY06, FY07 and FY08). After the project was programmed. the cost of construction materials escalated dramatically, eliminating all management reserve and resulting in a reduction in the planned scope of the project. Providing the final $6,000,000 in FY09 will complete the project as originally scoped, avoid contractor demobilization and remobilization, and avoid reconstitution of the temporary runway to support this work, saving the government over $4,000,000 in cost avoidance on the temporary runway alone. Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin McCarthy. Bill Number: H.R. 5658. Account: Research Development Test and Evaluation, Air Force. Project Amount: $3.000,000. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Aerojet-General Corporation. Address of Requesting Entity: P.O. Box 13222, Sacramento, CA 95813- 6000, USA Description of Request: This funding authorization will be used to return the Hydrocarbon Boost Technology Demonstrator program to its initial programmed funding level. This critical, next-generation liquid rocket engine development effort run by the Air Force Research Laboratory at Edwards Air Force Base will not only provide the highest performing hydrocarbon engines ever developed in the United States, but also will provide higher operability, lower costs and greater safety with higher reliability than any liquid booster engine ever made in the U.S. and perhaps the world. A match is not required for defense research projects, but I was informed that during the past eight years, Aerojet has invested approximately $30 million in internal research and development funding on this technology and intends continued support in FY09.

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague from California, Congressman Jim Costa, to honor Joseph Claude Shell, a longtime Bakersfield political and community leader, who passed away on Monday, April 7, 2008, at the age of 89. Joe was born in La Conner, Washington in 1918 and moved with his family to San Diego at the age of 2. Joe attended the University of Southern California and played 3 years of varsity football, which included two trips to the Rose Bowl, and being the captain of the undefeated 1939 team. While Joe was studying law at USC, he served his country during World War II as a civilian flight instructor (having learned to fly at the age of 14) for the U.S. Army Air Corps at Cal Aero and Lancaster from 1942-1943, and eventually joined the Navy in 1944 serving as a senior pilot in the air transport service. After the war, Joe lived in Los Angeles and worked in the Kern County oil fields as an independent oil producer and drilled many of the wells around Bakersfield. In 1953, Joe won election to the California State Assembly, representing the 58th District, which covered the Wilshire district of Los Angeles. A major political figure in California politics, he served for a decade in the State legislature, 4 of those years as the Assembly Republican Leader, fighting for free enterprise, low taxes, and limited government. During his time in the Assembly, Joe authored the State Scholarship Act, which gave thousands of young people educational opportunities at public and private universities. While in the Assembly, he met Mary K. Husking, who he married in 1970. In 1962, Joe ran for governor and though he did not win the Republican nomination, he remained active in State and local politics. Joe and Mary K. returned to the oil business and drilled wells in the Deer Creek area, near Porterville. In 1989, Governor George Deukmejian appointed Joe to the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board, where he served for several years before stepping down. Joe's death is a great loss for the Bakersfield community, but he will always be remembered for his years of service in the U.S. Armed Forces and California State Assembly, always leading by principle rather than rhetoric, and for his integrity and interest in seeing government perform honestly and with accountability at all levels. Joe is survived by his wife, of 38 years, Mary K. who currently resides in Bakersfield, and his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren Barbara, Joe, Jr., David, Harold, Diane, Lynn, Geoffrey, Robert, Steven, Stacey, Brian, Dana, Ryan, Nicole, Emily, Jennifer, Matthew, Mark, Justin, Ellie, and Thomas.

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Les Clark, a resident and community leader from Kern County, California, for his exemplary leadership and commitment to the oil patch in Kern County and on receiving the 2008 Ray Bradley/Tom Woodward Lifetime Achievement Award from the Independent Oil Producers' Agency, IOPA. Les has been a resident of Taft, California, which I represent, for most of his life. He attended local schools and then graduated from Fresno State University. While at Fresno State, he worked for the Atlantic Richfield Oil Company and Petrotherm, Inc., which provided Les his first experience working in the oil industry. After graduating from college, he worked at Belridge Oil Company and Shell Oil Company, thereby continuing his lifelong commitment to the oil patch. Today, Les is the Executive Vice President at IOPA, which is an association comprised of independent oil companies that operate mainly in the San Joaquin Valley. At IOPA, with his industry knowledge and depth of experience, Les is responsible for analyzing all regulatory issues impacting San Joaquin independent oil producers, as well as being their principal contact with various government officials and regulators in the Valley. Les served as vice president of IOPA from 1980 to 1999 prior to serving there in his current capacity. Active on the state and national level, Les is a board member on the American Petroleum Institute API, and has been honored with API's 2004 Oil Baron Award, the Desk & Derrick 1994 Oil Man of the Year Award, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's Annual 1991 State Director's Award--Oil & Gas Program. Les has also been inducted into the Hall of Fame for the Kern County Officials Association in 1993. Les also is a leading proponent and catalyst for oil industry innovation, spurring technological advances. In addition, recognizing the importance of keeping our environment clean for future generations to enjoy, he has devoted much time and taken leadership roles on many important environmental issues, particularly air quality; Les always takes a compelling and all-inclusive approach to addressing environmental issues. To that end, he has been active in various Cal-EPA and San Joaquin Valley air pollution control initiatives. In addition to his service in the Kern oil patch, Les is an active member of the communities in Bakersfield, Taft, and Kern County. To mention just a few of his endeavors, Les is a past president of the Taft Chamber of Commerce, past trustee of the Taft Union High School District, and a past chairman of the Water Association of Kern County and the West Side District Hospital Foundation. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce and the Petroleum Club of Bakersfield, a trustee of the Kern County Museum Foundation, and a member of the Greater Valley Center/Regional Economic Alliance for Leadership, the San Joaquin Valley Air Study Policy Committee, and of Governor Schwarzenegger's California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley. Les and his wife, June, have been married for 41 years and have raised two daughters, Tessa and Kerrie, and one son, Les III. They have nine grandchildren: Tanisha, Ayana, Darius, Arizona, Keelan, Sierra, Logun, Willow and Cash. Receiving the lOPA 2008 Ray Bradley/Tom Woodward Lifetime Achievement Award is a fitting recognition of Les' lifelong commitment to advancing innovation and environmental issues among oil producers. With his dedication and larger-than-life personality, I know that Les will continue to be an effective leader in the Kern oil patch and a prominent community leader in my district. I commend his leadership and hope that Kern County continues to benefit from his experience and wisdom.

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Tehachapi High School Warriors varsity football team. The Warriors have won the 2007 California Interscholastic Federation Central Section Division III championship, also known as the Valley Championship. The championship game took place on Friday, November 30, 2007. The Warriors defeated Foothill High School, 33-28, in its last game of the season to win the championship. Victory wasn't sealed until the final minutes of the fourth quarter. The Warriors, finishing the season with a record of 12-1, won their ninth CIF championship averaging 33 points per game, giving this year's team the fourth highest alltime points per game in the 78-year history of Mountain Football. Additionally, in its 13 games, the team completed 4,443 yards of offense and scored 62 touchdowns. I want to extend my congratulations to the Tehachapi High School Warriors student athletes for their impressive championship win and their strong 2007 season. The 2007 roster included Justin Hansen, Kurtis Knudson, Franky Rodriguez, Ehren Ochsenrider, Dan Rakowski, Garrett Coontz, Josh Schulgen, Nick Howell, Derek Lange, Neal Herman, Jesse Olofson, Tyler Hack, Steve Miller, Zach Maravigli, Zeke Saavedra, Chris Marsik, J.J. Balkar, Will Clark, Adam Mullen, Richie Meister, Josh Strauss, Kelly Lorenz, Jeff Waldram, Austin Herman, Angelo Loli, Matt Henry, Louie Olofson, Byron Herman, Jason Hail, Marshall Pearson, John Cramer, Damian Rodriguez, Joey Hack, Alek Taliulu, Matt Santos, Jonathan Perrien, Vince Ortiz, Cameron Hood, Dominic Chavarria, Cody Rogers, Eric Harroun, Kevin Ruiz, Brent Hanes, Humberto Silva, John King, Jimmy Lopez, Marcus Abarquez, Ryan Rubi, Drew Howell, Steve Brass, Luke Papac, Geo Higareda, Mike Gonzalez, Tucker Kill, Phil Smith, Chris Fimbres, Shawn Pimentel, and Jon Castelblanco. The coaching staff of the Tehachapi High School Warriors helped to lead the team throughout this incredible season. The Warrior head coach is Steve Denman. In the playoffs, Coach Denman claimed the distinction of having the most wins of any head coach in the history of football in Kern County with 223 victories. The Warriors' assistant coaching staff included Bill Carll, Pat Snyder, Dennis Ruggles, and Chris Olofson. Roger Davis and Derek Thompson were the medical staff for the team, and team videos were handled by Larry Campbell. All of the components of the Tehachapi High School Warriors varsity football team came together in this championship season. Their stellar teamwork, combined with months of physical and mental training, enabled the Warriors to win this Valley Championship. I am sure that this experience will benefit these young men long after their high school graduation. On behalf of the residents of the 22nd Congressional District, I commend the Tehachapi High School Warriors on winning the 2007 Valley Championship. I know the parents, teachers, neighbors, and fans in our community will remember this season for many years to come.

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the student athletes and coaches of the Bakersfield High School Drillers varsity football team on winning the 2007 California Interscholastic Federation Central Section Division I title. On Friday, November 30, 2007, the Drillers defeated Clovis West High School 19-16 in its last game of the season to win the title. This was truly an outstanding achievement to wrap up a near perfect season, a season where the Drillers finished with a record of 13-1. The Driller victory marked the 34th Central Section football championship for Bakersfield High School. Driller football fans, students and the Bakersfield community were treated to an exciting championship game where in the fourth quarter with a tied score and 25 seconds left, the Drillers' skill, training, hard work, and athleticism paid off with an emotional 43-yard field goal victory. I want to extend my congratulations to the Bakersfield High School Drillers student athletes for their impressive championship win and 2007 season. The 2007 roster included Tim Etcheverry, Emanuel Turner, Matthew Varvel, Alfonso Jackson, Marcus Nelson, Alex Mitchell, George Ming, Craig McMahon, Donovan Littles, Peter Mitchell, Mark Durando, Cooper Damron, Jerek Johnson, James Diaz, Jesus Mora, Emmanuel Ojeriakhi, Vince Van Horne, Demitri Katsantonis, Criston Moore, Irving Gant, Johnny Noorwood, Kenneth Wallace, Anthony Padilla, Sean Andrew, Louie Miranda, Emilio Cantu, Tevin Jackson, Johnny DePina, Kyle Billington, Collin Ellis, Mitch Knoy, Joel Turrubiates, Johnny Ghilarducci, Peter Welsh, Jake Hunt, Vincent Morales, Jacob Miller, Jason Erickson, Blake Pursel, Joe Benyon, Jamaal Littles, Patrick Parker, Saige White, Charles Anderson, Keith Fingers, Christian Selby, Stephen Schroeter, Chris Landa, Gabriel Cardenes, Mark Van Kopp, Joshua Rojas, Max Heflin, Dakota Velasquez and Jeovany Nunez. I also want to congratulate the coaching and support staff who helped lead the team to its championship season. The Driller head coach is Paul Golla and his coaching team includes Sean McKeown, Chris Rzewuski, Lance McCullah, Kirk Erickson, Josh Canales, Clint Tobias, Gus Theodore, Pete Mitchell, John Bumerts, Chad Stoner, and Adam Levinson. Supporting the team is Dean of Athletics Jeff Scott, Physical Therapist Kurt Wingate, Dr. Nick Valos, Trainer Big Joe and Trainer Steve Johns. Participation in athletics is a wonderful component of a high school education because it provides opportunities for leadership, teamwork and competition. The months of physical and mental training and the teamwork that was required to win this Central Section Division I title will benefit these young men long after their high school graduation. On behalf of the residents of the 22nd Congressional District, I once again commend the Bakersfield High School Drillers on winning the 2007 Central Section Division I title. I am very proud of the accomplishments of the 2007 Drillers football team, and I know the parents, teachers, neighbors and fans in our community will remember this season for many years to come.

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the ranking Republican on the full committee, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers).

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution to dismiss the election contest related to the results of the 13th Congressional District of Florida race in 2006. Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate the chairman of this task force, Mr. Gonzalez. It was a three-member task force with Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and myself. Every bit of this contest, as we went through studying it and spent the hours on it, was a unanimous decision. This was a bipartisan movement, a bipartisan investigation; and I just want to thank the chairman for his professionalism, his respect and the ethics in which he carried this out. In my former life, I was actually a staff member to a former chairman of House Administration, and I was an individual that investigated some contestant elections. I will tell you this is probably the most thorough investigation we have seen. We knew after the last election that there were races in this body that were even closer, within 100 votes; and we did not contest those as they went. But we wanted to make sure, as Christine Jennings moved this debate and this argument, as we were going through, that we looked at every single one. I want to thank the State of Florida. Before we even went to study it, they went through analyzing all the machines. We had the GAO look at every ability of the machines, even miscalculating the machines as they came forward to make sure they were still correct. The American public can be very proud to know that every vote in the 13th District was counted. The outcome was correct, and Congressman Vern Buchanan was elected on that day and still elected today. I want to congratulate the work that was done by the task force. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the legislation, S. 2110, to designate the United States Post Office located at 427 North Street in Taft, California, as the Larry S. Pierce Post Office, the true hometown hero. U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Pierce was born in Oklahoma in 1941. As a young child, his family moved to Taft, California, which I represent today. Sergeant Pierce attended Taft city schools and would have graduated from Taft Union High School with the class of 1959 but decided to serve his country by joining the U.S. Army in 1958. Sergeant Pierce served in the 1st Battalion Airborne, 503rd Infantry and the 173rd Airborne Brigade in the Vietnam War. On September 20, 1965, near Ben Cat in Vietnam, Sergeant Pierce was leading his reconnaissance platoon, was ambushed by hostile forces. Sergeant Pierce and his squad successfully routed the hostile forces from their location. During pursuit of this enemy, Sergeant Pierce heroically sacrificed his own life to save his men. He came upon a road where they found a mine. He threw himself upon it knowing that if this mine went off, it would destroy many and take many lives of his own men. Upon hearing of this and upon his death, in February of 1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded Sergeant Pierce the Medal of Honor. In this award, he went on to say for his ``inspiring leadership and personal courage,'' and his ``profound concern for his fellow soldiers,'' acting with ``extraordinary heroism, at the cost of his life'' and to ``great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.'' Sergeant Pierce would have been 66 years old this year. He is survived by his wife, Verlin, who currently lives in Bakersfield, California; his children, Teresa, Kelley and Gregory. This legislation is a fitting honor for a Vietnam War veteran who sacrificed his life to save the lives of fellow soldiers by naming the post office in his hometown of Taft in his memory. I do want to thank Senator Feinstein for introducing this legislation and for working with me. Taft is a place where Senator Feinstein's own father worked. She knows of the work of Sergeant Larry Pierce, the hometown hero, as many have gone on to say. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a copy of Staff Sergeant Larry Pierce's Medal of Honor and a copy of the Taft City Council letter of support and resolution requesting the post office in his name. U.S. Army--Medal of Honor Citation

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the student athletes and coaches of the Taft Union High School Wildcats varsity football team on winning the 2007 California Interscholastic Federation Central Section Division IV championship, also known as the Valley Championship. On Friday, November 30, 2007, the Wildcats defeated Corcoran High School 28-14 in their last game of the season to win the championship. This was a truly outstanding achievement to cap an outstanding season, a season where the Wildcats finished with a record of 12-1. The Wildcat victory marked the first football Valley Championship for Taft since 1930. Taft Union High School football fans, students and the Taft community were treated to an exciting championship game where in the fourth quarter with a tied score, the Wildcats' skill, training, hard work, and athleticism paid off and led them to an emotional two touchdown victory. I want to extend my congratulations to the Taft Union High School Wildcats student athletes for their impressive championship win and 2007 season. The 2007 roster included Donald Baggs II, Derek Barnes, David Barraza, Dalton Botts, Chad Cruz, Wes Elland, Blake Emberson, Lyndon Faagau, Jose Flores, Jeremy Gonzales, Sergio Gonzales, Tommy Halphin, James Hiracheta, Tyler Houghton, Austin Kindred, Loren Kolb, Joe Laulu, Andrew LeClair, Konelio Maino, Dylan Niblett, Matther Nixon, Jeremy Orr, Christian Ramirez, Kurtis Rawls, Blaine Reich, Jerry Romo, Ricardo Romo, Ben Savali, Ioane Savail, Fabian Scheifele, Shane Sefo, Cody Shirreffs, Jesse Simmons, Steven Spoonemore, Jesse Tafoya, Fabian Taute, Kyle Taylor, Jeremiah Twisselman, Joel Vermillion, Tommy Williams, Aaron Wroblewski, Stewart Bandy, Avesee Faagau, Adalberto Figueroa, Eric Foch, Shaquil Gant, Mike Hagstrom, Kacey Kaszyckl, Hunter Liljeroos, Mike Newkirk, Todd Parker, Felipe Pulldo, Cody Reaves, Andrew Smith, Freddy Tuuamalemalo, Jordan Vermillion, and Braxton Walters. I also want to congratulate the coaching staff who helped lead the team to its championship season. The Wildcat head coach is Steve Sprague and his coaching team includes Russell Emberson, Arley Hill, Rick Woodson, Shawn Cummins, Rob Cleveland, Paul Martinez, Brian Durkan, Bryan Powell, Dee Griffith, Mike Goodwin, John Wagner, and Jeremy Letterman. Participation in athletics is a wonderful component of a high school education because it provides opportunities for leadership, teamwork and competition. The months of physical and mental training and the teamwork that was required to win this Valley Championship will benefit these young men long after their high school graduation. On behalf of the residents of the 22nd Congressional District, I once again commend the Taft Union High School Wildcats on winning the 2007 Valley Championship. I am very proud of the accomplishments of the 2007 Wildcats football team, and I know the parents, teachers, neighbors and fans in our community will remember this season for many years to come.

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ray Karpe, a resident and community leader from Bakersfield, California, for his outstanding and exemplary leadership while serving as the 2007 President of the Bakersfield Association of Realtors'. After earning a bachelor of science degree in business administration from California State University, Bakersfield, Ray graduated from the Graduate Realtor' Institute, GRI, in 1989. He began his real estate career with Karpe Real Estate Center in 1986 and served as property manager, sales associate, loan officer, project development manager, and vice president before becoming the center's president. He received his real estate broker's license in 1998. Ray Karpe has been a longtime leader in local real estate matters, reflecting the same success, enthusiasm, care, and commitment to his community as two generations of Karpes before him. He has served the Bakersfield Association of Realtors' in all levels of leadership and served on over 35 committees since becoming a Director of the association in 2002. He became the third generation of the Karpe family to be honored as the Realtor' of the Year in 2005 by the Bakersfield Association of Realtors', before being appointed president of the association in 2007. Ray has also ably represented Bakersfield realtors and the Bakersfield community in the State and national association. Since 2003, Ray has been a director of the California Association of Realtors', C.A.R., and has served as chair and vice-chair of the Taxation Committee. And this year, C.A.R. President Bill Brown appointed him to serve on the 2008 C.A.R. executive committee. Since 2006, Mr. Karpe has been a director of the National Association of Realtors', a member of the Taxation Committee, and is a ``National Golden R'' Member--President's Circle. In his free time, Ray is an active community volunteer serving as a director on the boards of the California State University, Bakersfield Foundation, Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield, and Garces Memorial High School. He is also a member and past director of the Rotary Club of Bakersfield, the Young Presidents' Organization, YPO, and a member of the 11 Gallon Club at the Houchin Community Blood Bank. A true mark of leadership is the generosity of time and talents that one gives on behalf of his neighbors and communities. Ray Karpe exemplifies this time-honored tradition. I commend Ray for his service and leadership as president of the Bakersfield Association of Realtors' and wish him and his family well as he continues to serve our community.

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor John Couch, a community leader from Atascadero, California, on his retirement after 17 years of serving the city, most currently as chief of police. Chief Couch grew up in North Dakota. After graduating high school in 1970, Chief Couch enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed in Vietnam, serving with the 114th Assault Helicopter Company. He completed his service with the Army in 1973 and enrolled in California State University, Sacramento, where he earned his degree in criminal justice administration in 1977. Alter his graduation, Chief Couch worked for the city of Santa Clara Police Department for 13 years and achieved the rank of sergeant. Since 1990, Chief Couch has served in the Atascadero Police Department. Chief Couch was elevated to the rank of chief on October 7, 2004. During his tenure, he has instituted many, improvements to the police department. For example, Chief Couch facilitated the purchase of additional motorcycles for the Traffic Division and added computers and in-car video to all Atascadero Police Department patrol vehicles. He improved the efficiency of law enforcement in Atascadero by creating a special enforcement team, upgraded the capabilities in dispatch, made technical improvements to the radio repeater system, and implemented a crime free multi-housing program and a new traffic safety program. Chief Couch also succeeded at improving the police department retention and recruitment process and the department's relations with the community it serves by expanding community outreach and education programs. Community service is a central priority for Chief Couch even in his off-duty life. Chief Couch is a member of the Atascadero Kiwanis Club. He also serves on the local board of directors for both the Women's Shelter and the Salvation Army. Finally, in addition to serving as chief of police. John is the chief driver and mechanic of the bus for the Atascadero Bible Church. Chief Couch and his wife Margie have been married for 25 years and have raised two children, Brittany and Jared. Dedicated to serving his community in a variety of ways, Chief Couch's leadership at the Atascadero Police Department will he sorely missed and difficult to replace, but his well-deserved retirement will give him the ability to spend more time with friends and family. I commend his service to the City of Atascadero and I hope that Chief Couch enjoys his transition into the next stage of his life.

Mr. McCARTHY of California

Mr. McCARTHY of California. I thank the gentleman from Tennessee. He has done a tremendous job here, and I appreciate your comments. Because when we all sat on this Chamber's floors and we listened for the first time the pride of having the first woman elected Speaker, her comment and her words were: partnership, not partisanship. And we looked forward to that day that we would sit down, we would debate the ideas, and we would actually change the way that this body works, and no longer would congressional Members just slip something into the bill so it would pass and no other Member was able to see it or debate it. But we soon learned that did not change. You know, the President of the United States stood in these Chambers and gave the State of the Union speech, and he challenged this Congress to cut their earmarks in half. Now, that would mean there would only be about 6,700 earmarks inside the bill. There were 9,000. We heard the majority side say: we had to put another 230 in from the last time you even were able to look at these just to get Members to vote for it. That is not the way the American people want legislation produced. They want to see it in a committee, they want to see it debated, they want to see the power of the idea actually win. What are these earmarks about? Well, these earmarks are probably the worst things you have ever seen. We used to have a former chairman of the Ways and Means, Bill Thomas. And when he retired, he took all his papers, it is an historical time, on what he was able to accomplish in his 6 years as chairman and his 28 years in Congress, and he gave it to the junior college in Bakersfield, California. We have a new chairman of Ways and Means, and he had been there only about 6 months, now it is almost a year. Within 1 year, he had already put $2 million into the Health and Human Service appropriation to build a library named after himself, to build a very nice office for himself in the style of a Presidential library of like Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter. Those two libraries were built with private funds. But, you know, I take a great deal of pride of the Republican freshmen, because all 13 voted ``no.'' The majority in the majority party all defended him; came down with an amendment to say, let's strip that $2 million, we have a deficit. The college didn't even ask for it. That individual actually came to the floor, defended it, and said he deserved it, he worked here so long. We said, well, you named it after yourself. Should we put something in and name it after ourselves? No, no, you wouldn't deserve it. But that, the Building a Monument to Me? The idea that it is not the taxpayers' money? That is what has gone on. That is what is going wrong here. And that is why tonight we are talking about the transparency. We are talking about what is going on. Our next speaker tonight comes from the State of Ohio, the Fourth District. And I will tell you, the impact that he has had on this floor in less than a year is tremendous. If we had just taken his amendment on each and every appropriation bill that he would put forward, the American taxpayers would have saved $20 billion. $20 billion. But each and every time, the majority party twisted the arms of each and every one of their Members to make sure that it wouldn't pass. But he did not give up, and he continues to fight that call and be able to move us forward. So I yield to Representative Jim Jordan, who is the only freshman Republican who serves on the Committee of Judiciary, Committee on House Oversight and Reform, and the Committee on Small Business. Congressman Jordan.

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Well, I thank the gentleman, and I thank all the freshmen that have been able to join us tonight, because really tonight was about bringing accountability and maybe some adult supervision because I think that's what the American public wants to see here in Congress, see that we are able to provide more free time, not take up more of your time to earn more taxes for the American Government. I'll tell you tonight we're probably going to turn out the lights here in Congress in the next couple of days. But as those freshmen coming from the Republican Party, we all pledged that we would work in a bipartisan manner. We're eager to do that. We have a desire to do that, not to be a red and blue State but be the red, white and blue country. And we challenge the majority party here to change from the last year. It doesn't have to end a year from now as poorly as it ended this year. It doesn't have to end with the failure in setting new records, with the approval ratings so low with the lack of bills coming through, nothing but earmarks to try to get a bill through. It could actually end with common sense, with pride and, really, to be able to move it forward. I'll tell the American people, I might get at times a little depressed sitting on this floor, but if anyone ever comes back to Washington, DC, I'd ask you to look up your Congresswoman or your Congressman and have them give you a tour because the greatest city in the world is right here and the greatest monument is this building, and the best monument inside this building are the stairs. I will tell you, those stairs are made of marble. When you walk on those stairs those stairs are worn out from the feet that have walked before. And every day that I come over I take the stairs to go up the one flight just so I can walk on those stairs. And you know what? I get goose bumps each and every time I do it, because I believe that regardless of how big our challenges are, we will come together because the people before us and the challenges before us were much greater than we're facing today, that they came together. And if we can learn one thing through those stairs of marble it's that each and every one you take one step at a time. And I think we need to take one step, each at a time to come a little closer into the middle and find some common ground. So I thank you for the time you have been with us tonight, and God bless.

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Well, I appreciate that, Congressman, because you made a very good point, because that wasn't the only Member that sat there and put an earmark in. We had a bill come through here talking about the Defense, went over to the Senate, came back. We had an individual that was in the leadership of the Democratic Party, all a sudden there was $1 million in there for a golf course in his district. And we asked, well, why did you need to put $1 million in the Defense bill for a golf course there? They said because all they had was tennis courts. They needed golf as well. Do the American people really believe they need their taxes raised so some Member could put in a golf course and never even be debated in committee, never even have to withstand the ability to have accountability to look at it transparently? I mean, that's the frustration we see. And I know my good friend from Michigan, Mr. Walberg, when he sat there and worked on the farm bill, he looked time and time again at those family farms that say when they want to pass on to the next generation, he looked at this new majority, what they did, that they were going to raise the inheritance tax to 55 percent. You know what would happen to those family farms back home.

Mr. McCARTHY of California. You make a very good point, and I will tell you, you talk about these earmarks. That just means the majority party goes out and tries to raise more money, raises the taxes. And one of the leaders to stop that, because you see how many taxes you pay and what really comes from the leadership that continues in Ohio, Congressman Jim Jordan.

Mr. McCARTHY of California. I thank the gentleman from the Seventh District of Michigan. When we came to this floor, I like many of you sat here and dreamt about the day we put people before politics. You watched TV, and you didn't want a red or blue country; you wanted it red, white and blue. When we come to this floor, we put on our American hat, not our Republican, not our Democrat hat. But the one thing, we haven't found the partnership here; we found the partisanship. We found bills that were coming up for political gain, not to be debated on the floor, not to be debated in committee. And I will tell you when you think about that, that is not the way to run this House, and the American people have said so when you saw the poll numbers. Tonight is about bringing about accountability and talking to those Members who are home in their houses and wondering about what they are going to be able to do for Christmas and what they are seeing on the floor of this Congress. This new majority has put in the largest tax increase in American history. You know, the IRS Federal codes have 1.6 million words. That is 380 times the number of words in the U.S. Constitution. When our Founding Fathers said what would it take to run this country, they were able to do it in much fewer words and regulations. I think tonight as we sit and talk, and we sat and debated on this floor, I look to my good friend from eastern Tennessee to talk a little bit about the earmarks and the abuses that have come forward that the people back in eastern Tennessee would say that is not the way they run their household.

Mr. McCARTHY of California. Well, I appreciate my good friend from Ohio. The gentleman brings up a good point. The article the gentleman cited said if the Federal Government was a public business, that our stock would be dropping. Well, if you look at the poll ratings, that is exactly what has taken place. We have set a new record in this Congress with this new majority with the lowest congressional approval rating ever. This new majority has set a new record of being the least effective; 13 appropriation bills, 1 year to get them done, and only got one through. Twelve have not gone through. So they compiled them all and laid them on the floor. This is the longest any Congress has ever gone. And the only reason that the omnibus bill is going to pass now is a deadline. The American public does not believe that their government should work based upon deadlines; it should work based upon ideas and accountability. We have been in office about a year now. As that sun begins to set, I have thought about what could improve this House. The House really is the leader of the free world. I have come to the conclusion there are two things this House needs. Number one, we need accountability. Number two, we need adult supervision to get the job done. I will tell you that is what tonight is about. Our next speaker comes from the Seventh District of Michigan representing Battle Creek, Jackson and Adrian. His name is Representative Tim Walberg. He serves on the Committees of Agriculture and Education and Labor. And let me tell you how hard this individual works. I caught him this morning. He was up working on constituent services. He is now on the floor. There are times he is over in the hospital visiting troops. I told him we were going to be speaking on the floor tonight. He said, Let me see. I am going to be in my office and I am going to put on a teletown hall to my district. He is calling thousands of people in their home, and they are going to question their Congressman. So when I talk about this place needs accountability, I will tell you that the Seventh District of Michigan is getting that accountability from morning to night, that Tim Walberg is hard on the job, working fast and making sure that accountability is coming back home. I yield to my friend from the Seventh District of Michigan, Tim Walberg.

Mr. McCARTHY of California. I thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota, Mrs. Bachmann, because she said it right, that this alternative minimum tax is going to hit a lot of Americans. And it is not about a revenue crisis here in Washington, DC.; it is really a spending crisis. We set a new record that more money has come into this Treasury than ever before, but more money is going out. This Congress has a couple other historical facts with this year. This is the longest a Congress has ever gone without approving 13 appropriation bills. This is a Congress that has not been effective from that date. And I will tell you from the 13 freshman Republicans that got elected all at the same time, we talked about accountability. We talked about changing the way Congress goes about it, that we bring transparency back home. And in that omnibus bill that was before us, those 34 pounds of paper, there were 9,000 earmarks; 9,000 earmarks. Think for one moment. Did the American public get to debate them? Did they get to see them? Did the power of the idea win at the end of the day down here? And you wonder as you are sitting back at home, Mr. Speaker, with the American people, maybe they don't qualify this year to pay the alternative minimum tax. Will they be affected still? I will tell you, if you are a taxpayer and you get a refund from the IRS and you try to send that in early, get your taxes done early so you can get that money back, and maybe you are going to take your kids to Disneyland, maybe you are going to put a little money a way for a kid's college, or maybe you are going to put money away for yourself for retirement, you know what? You are not going to get it back very soon. The IRS has already said because this Congress has not acted, this majority has not taken it up and solved the problem, because of that, we are going to wait 7 extra weeks. They have to reprogram, even if an action is taken here tomorrow on this floor, and that is the concern I have. When you think about this budget, $2.9 trillion. People at home say, You are talking trillion, you are talking billion, what does that mean? Let's take it down just one step. It is 1,000 billion for every trillion. Just think for a moment, just $1 billion. It is Christmastime. If someone were to give you $1 billion and you went and said, I am going to spend $1,000 a day. I am going to go on a shopping spree each and every day. How long it will take you to spend $1 billion? 2,740 years. A billion minutes ago the year was 104 A.D. and the Roman Empire was flourishing; yet the Federal Government spent $1 billion in the last 3\1/2\ hours. That is what is going on that the American people need to know about. To continue on, we have some more freshmen here with us tonight. From eastern Tennessee, we have Representative David Davis from Johnson City. Let me tell you a little bit about David Davis. He sits on the Committee on Education and Labor, Homeland Security and on Small Business, because he has been a small businessman. He knows how to run a business, how to earn money, how to employ individuals and how to grow the economy. But I will tell you, he is a Representative that never loses sight of where he represents in eastern Tennessee. Just last week he opened up his house to all of his constituents. He welcomed them over for a little time of cheer during the holiday season. And you had about 500 people through your house, and you said at the end of the time it was nice, because you had the hardwood floors and you had it all cleaned up. But we are very proud of the representation you give and how you reach out to your constituents, and I yield the time to David Davis.