Christopher Murphy

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Pinchot Institute for Conservation, which is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary next year. The Pinchot Institute carries on the legacy of Connecticut native son Gifford Pinchot, whose unique and reasoned approach to conservation endures as we face a new era of environmental challenges. Born in Simsbury, Pinchot grew up inspired by childhood summers spent enjoying his hometown's natural beauty. Committed to forestry and preservation from an early age, Pinchot went on to found the Forestry School, the first of its kind, at Yale, his alma mater. He helped to establish the United States Forest Service, serving as its first Chief in 1905. Pinchot recognized the need to protect our natural heritage at a time of development unprecedented in our nation's history. Throughout his long career in public service, he was instrumental in raising the profile of the conservation movement to the national stage. Pinchot's philosophy of ``practical idealism'' lives on in practice at Yale, at the Forest Service, and at the Pinchot Institute. Dedicated by President Kennedy in 1963, the Pinchot Institute works to balance the sustainable use of our natural resources with a commitment to preservation for future generations. The Pinchot Institute collaborates with organizations around the country and the world to develop non- partisan, innovative, and well-researched solutions to conservation problems. The Institute recognizes the role that sustainable forests can play in the health of our nation's communities, water resources, and wildlife. The need for conservation also resonates with me on a personal level. I began my career in public service with a call to action against the destruction of wetlands in Southington, and I remain committed to the principles of environmental stewardship. Our public lands and fragile resources are preserved and maintained for more Americans than ever before due to the tireless efforts of organizations like the Pinchot Institute. In recognition of the fiftieth anniversary of the Pinchot Institute for Conservation, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring an organization at the forefront of its field.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, have you ever seen the movie ``Fatal Attraction''? It's a great film. The Glenn Close character is so obsessed with Michael Douglas that she does everything within her power to try to win him over, flipping out at the end of the movie by going and boiling the Douglas family bunny. Well, Mr. Speaker, I would submit that, having now had 30 different debates on this floor over repeal of the health care bill, the House Republicans have finally hit their boil-the-bunny moment. Enough is enough. The American people want us to move on. And what they would suggest is, instead of listening to their inner Glenn Close, that maybe House Republicans should start listening to people like Colleen, a 61-year-old retired teacher from Danbury. She's got diabetes; she's got sleep apnea. What she wants is not more politics on the floor of the House of Representatives; she wants relief. She doesn't want another 5-hour debate on top of the other 29. She wants this bill implemented.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I would like to thank the chairman for his assistance and leadership in bringing this bill forward today. This legislation before us, as Chairman Whitfield stated, is pretty simple. It will allow FERC the permissive authority to allow several communities in my district to operate two very small hydroelectric dams as municipal power sources. The Upper and Lower Collinsville dams have been dormant along Connecticut's Farmington River since the 1960s. The licenses that were fairly recently previously issued by FERC to operate both small dams are currently inactive. This legislation would allow FERC the opportunity to reinstate them and transfer them to the town of Canton, Connecticut, for operation. These two small dams are already a beloved and long-standing symbol of the Farmington Valley's rich history. Today, however, we can help make them a symbol of the valley's future as well--retrofitting them to provide clean energy to power thousands of homes and businesses. This legislation was the product of a sustained and collaborative process with State and local stakeholders, FERC, and river protection organizations. The bill provides for an additional comment period on any FERC licensing action, as well as on the licenses' environmental provisions--ensuring that public input is respected and the river's health is protected. While we work to enact policies that will accelerate our transition to energy independence, we shouldn't neglect these smaller projects that can begin that process right here and now, and this bill represents that kind of opportunity. This isn't the first time we've considered this bill in this Chamber. Identical legislation passed the House by voice vote on June 16, 2010. However, the Senate didn't take up the bill that year. As such, I'm hopeful we can muster the same bipartisan spirit today and again pass this noncontroversial energy legislation. Again, I'd like to thank Chairman Whitfield, as well as Chairman Upton and Ranking Members Waxman and Rush and their staffs, for helping bring this legislation to the floor today. We do this institution credit with this kind of bipartisan legislation. Again to the chairman, I appreciate it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the value of the medical device industry in my State and our nation as a whole. This industry is working on some of the most exciting and cutting-edge technologies in the entire health care sector and has changed the lives of millions of Americans. According to estimates, the medical device industry employs approximately 430,000 nationwide. My State is fortunate to have a vibrant medical device industry with nearly 8,000 individuals directly employed at companies, such as BD and Covidien. These companies also support approximately 12,000 more in-direct jobs in my home state. Beyond providing quality, high-paying jobs, these businesses are responsible corporate citizens who are trying to enhance the communities where they are located and the people who live there. For example, employees at BD's plant in Canaan, Connecticut--which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary--have served as mentors to the Housatonic Valley Regional High School and have contributed generously to the United Way and other local charities. In line with a growing body of evidence on the positive impact bariatric surgery can have on diabetics, Covidien has worked with American Diabetes Association to fund new research on this potentially life-changing procedure. Unfortunately, when the House recently considered the Health Care Cost Reduction Act of 2012 (H.R. 436), the majority included an offset that, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation, would result in 350,000 fewer Americans receiving health care coverage. As part of the Affordable Care Act, the Federal Government is set to provide millions of Americans with premium tax credits for the purchase of health insurance. This will not only increase rates of coverage but will also lead to lower overall health costs since more people are insured. The offset that was included in H.R. 436, known as the ``true-up'' provision, would have subjected these individuals to large repayment amounts if for some reason their income levels increased from the time that they were actually receiving coverage to the time they filed their taxes the following year. This could come as a result of the individual or spouse starting a new job or returning to work after school. While I could not support this legislation, I understand the need to reduce the medical device industry's burden in paying for health care reform. Mr. Speaker, I believe that we can all agree that to maintain our position as the world leader in biotechnology, the United States needs to foster innovation and growth within our health care industries. I am proud that I represent a number of those companies and hope that we will find bipartisan solutions to create an environment where they will continue to succeed and develop new breakthrough therapies.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Barely.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Thank you very much, Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz. I don't think that we were ever allowed down on the House floor this early. It was normally close to the witching hour when I, Representative Ryan, you, and Representative Meek were down here, but it is wonderful to be back here. I was really touched when you approached me earlier today to ask me to come and say a few words, because the Murphys are not a very well known Jewish American family. Yet in Connecticut we are so, so proud of the legacy that we have helped contribute to with respect to Jewish American heritage, and this is a great way to be part of this month's celebration. You know, the list is long in Connecticut. You know, I think about somebody like Annie Fisher, who was one of the pioneers of special education in this country trying to segment out a different way to teach kids with learning disabilities. She was the first female principal, first female superintendent in Hartford, Connecticut. I think about a young guy by the name of Kid Kaplan, who was from my district, from Meriden, Connecticut, was a featherweight champion of the world, one of the top 10 featherweights by most people's estimates. But I think maybe most about some of the political legacy that Jewish Americans from Connecticut have left this country. I think a lot about Abraham Ribicoff. Abraham Ribicoff was everything in Connecticut. He was our Governor, he was our Senator, he was our Congressman. He faced, not so quietly, the prejudice that so many Jewish Americans faced as they entered into political life and commercial life throughout the last 100 years. He talked openly when he first ran for Governor about walking into social halls and hearing prejudiced whispers throughout the room as he walked in. He also talked about taking that prejudice head on. He would walk up to the podium, and he would talk about the fact that he had lived the American Dream as the son of Polish immigrants, as a young guy who grew up working in zipper and buckle factories throughout the Hartford region, that he was living the American Dream, that if he could do it so could everybody else and their kids in that room. He was probably best known for a moment at the podium of the Democratic National Convention in 1968 when Chicago police were outside treating protesters fairly roughly. He was the one member of the political elite to stand up on that podium and call them out for their tactics, and even with the mayor of that city sitting in the front row calling him some pretty unfriendly names. He kept his cool and is credited with essentially marginalizing that kind of violence, certainly with historical hindsight. Maybe most important is that Abraham Ribicoff also saw his role as one of the leading American Jewish political figures in this country to help pave the way for others. He had a young intern, not long after he became U.S. Senator, named Joe Lieberman. He hired, in the early 1970s, his administrative assistant, a young hot-shot lawyer named Richard Blumenthal. The two of them, both given their political sea legs by Abraham Ribicoff, are today proudly serving as Connecticut's two United States Senators, both part of our proud political tradition in Connecticut of Jewish American participation in American politics. I am really thrilled to be down here with you to share my gratitude for what Jewish Americans in Connecticut have meant to our cultural life, to our educational life, to our sporting life and, yes, to our political life. Representative Wasserman Schultz, thank you for your leadership and thank you for allowing me and asking me to come down this evening.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. I thank the ranking member. I rise today to support my amendment, No. 97, originally introduced as the American Jobs Matter Act, that is included in this en bloc package. This amendment will finally allow American manufacturers to compete fairly for Department of Defense contracts. My State, which has built submarines for the Navy and has supplied our Armed Forces for generations, has lost about 130,000 manufacturing jobs in the last 20 years, and this country has lost about 6 million. At the same time, the Department of Defense, which is the largest purchaser of goods in the world, has been aggressively outsourcing work to foreign firms. Instead of finding ways to get around the Buy America law, the DOD should be doing more to help protect manufacturing jobs here at home. When we lose the capacity to produce an item that our military needs, we put ourselves at risk, and we also lose jobs. This amendment simply allows for the Federal Government to consider the number of jobs being created here in the United States as a part of a bid for U.S. defense work. Frankly, most of my constituents and our constituents probably think this already happens, but this is an important amendment for job creation and also for U.S. national security. I would like to thank Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith for their willingness to work together on this issue.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Thank you very much, Mr. Rahall. I rise in support of this motion to instruct. Over the past year, the President and Democrats have proposed a series of measures to spend a little bit of money to put people back to work, to spend some money to educate our kids, to build some new schools, to expand broadband. Every single one of those efforts has been met by resistance from Republicans. I realize why that is. The argument is that we don't have any more money to spend. I get that argument. What I don't get is the argument against this motion. What this motion says is that forget spending new money. Let's just make sure that the money that we are already obligated to spend is spent on American jobs. No new money. Let's just redirect the money that we're spending on bridges, on roads, on railways, and make sure that it gets spent on U.S. companies. It's wrong to suggest that we're talking about dramatically ratcheting up Buy American standards such that we're going to ignite some trade war with WTO companies. That's not what we're talking about here today. Buy American laws have been on the books for generations. What we're talking about is just bringing Buy American standards back to what they used to be. The fact is that we have blown hole after hole after hole in Buy American, in part because the Chamber of Commerce, which opposes this motion to instruct, thinks it's a good thing for big multinational companies who bid on a lot of this work to be able to take big chunks of it overseas where they can drive down the cost to them and keep a bigger differential of the contract. Let me give you an example of these loopholes. One loophole is a provision that allows you to segment a contract into all sorts of small, little pieces. When you segment that contract into small pieces, each one of those pieces can result in the amount of the particular contract being so small that it doesn't qualify for Buy American. Well, on one particular bridge contract in San Francisco, by segmenting out the contract and getting around Buy American, we lost 43,000 tons of steel to a Chinese steel company. American jobs lost. When you allow for every country that signs a trade agreement to be exempt from Buy American, this happened. Guess what? Today we make our dog tags on a European-made machine simply because the country that makes it is exempt from Buy American, and they bid 4 percent less than the American company did. American jobs lost. We win when we enforce Buy American because what happens is a company gets a contract. They subcontract with other American companies, and the ripple effect of that one initial contract multiplies jobs times three throughout the economy. Every time we send a contract overseas, yes, it may save that particular bid 3 or 4 or 5 percent. But when we lose that job here in America, when we have to start paying unemployment compensation, when we lose the taxes to the Federal Government, when that unemployed worker's kids need to go on Medicaid, guess what? That 3 or 4 or 5 percent disappears overnight. Let's pass this motion to instruct.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, the question before the House today was whether we were going to take money for preventive services for women and children and give it to college students. That's a really dumb question. It's not dumb because of the recipient of the money. We need, right now, to make a change here in this Congress so that millions of college students all across the country don't see a dramatic increase in the cost of college. My wife and I are amongst those that are paying back our student loans today, and we know what those college students know: that $5,000 over the next 10 years could break the bank. No, it was a dumb question because there was another question that we could have asked. We could have asked whether we should take billions in tax subsidies for oil companies and instead turn those dollars around to needy college students. That is a smart question, a smart question with a pretty easy answer.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the students and adults involved in the Valentines for Troops program in Connecticut and around the nation. The students involved in this program wrote over 4,000 letters for our servicemembers this year. This program seeks to give thanks to the most deserving among us, the men and women of our Armed Forces. Donna Monteleone Randle, a former captain in the Army Signal Corps, serves as the chairperson of Valentines for Troops in Newtown, Connecticut and helps the organization send letters from the students to the servicemembers overseas. The participants in the Valentines for Troops program are doing a fabulous job of showing their support and admiration to those who need it the most. This program was started by a second grade student at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2006. That first year there were 50 letters written by students at the school, and since then the popularity of the program has increased tremendously. Schools and organizations from Trumbull, Monroe, Bethel, Fairfield, and Danbury have joined Newtown in this program. There has been a great deal of national interest in the program this year as well. There are clubs, groups, churches, senior centers, professional offices, and schools from such diverse locations as Colorado, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas, and New York City lending their support to the program. I conducted a similar program called Holiday Cards for Heroes this holiday season. School children in northwestern Connecticut made hundreds of cards for veterans staying in the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the State of Connecticut Veterans' Home in Rocky Hill. So I know what these small tokens of appreciation can do to lift the spirits of a veteran. Mr. Speaker, I believe that we can all agree that the Valentines for Troops program deserves recognition for their efforts to show the admiration that this nation has for its troops. I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the Valentines for Troops program for the service it provides to the men and women of our Armed Services.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of Ms. Merva E. Jackson, who sadly passed away on April 4, 2012. Few times in one's life do you come across a person with such great passion, grace, and expertise like Merva Jackson. Merva had an indelible impact on everyone she met, including me. I vividly remember a meeting I had with her and several of her colleagues in my Washington office in the spring of 2010. It was one of those inspiring meetings that you never forget. The excitement in the room and the commitment to change was palpable as we brainstormed ways to combat the pervasive school-to-prison-pipeline that entangles too many of our youth. We left the meeting energized and with a plan for a statewide conference to tackle ways to reform the system. Merva's passion ignited my own, and I remember feeling so lucky that the State of Connecticut had her to advocate on behalf of vulnerable youth. A few months later our vision became a reality when over 150 people from across the State--and the Assistant Secretary of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education--came together to listen to Merva and others discuss the critical issue of promoting dignity in schools. Of course, she provided invaluable insight and perspective that day, as she did every day. I am deeply saddened by the loss of Merva Jackson but feel so lucky to have known her. I last saw Merva in October at a juvenile justice event in Wethersfield, Connecticut. She was busy planning events for the future, to continue her work for justice and equal opportunity for all. I hold that memory near to me, and hope all who knew her find some comfort in reflecting on their own many loving memories of Merva and take pride in all that she did and all that she was.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, as a Cheshire resident, I rise today to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Cheshire Fire Department. Following a devastating fire at the old Waverly Inn the citizens of Cheshire came together on the 13th of February, 1912 to discuss how to protect their community from the threat of fires. This first community meeting would lead to the organization of the Cheshire Fire Department on February 27th of that year and the chartering of its first twenty- seven members a month later. The Department's first call would come that April to respond to a chimney fire at the home of one of the Department's trustees, Mr. A.S. Bennett. Over the past century the Cheshire Fire Department has grown from its original hand-drawn Chemical Cart and Hook and Ladder Truck (the Department wouldn't have a motorized Fire Truck until 1916) to a modern force with seven engines and several other vehicles across three stations. Throughout its history the Department has remained an organization deeply connected with the community it serves. The 100 firefighters of the Department are all volunteers who dedicate their time, and risk their lives, for the safety of their neighbors. In fact, Fire Chief Jack Casner is the first paid career fire chief in the Department's history. The volunteers and professionals of the Cheshire Fire Department continually strive to provide the utmost level of safety and security to their community. As the north side of Cheshire has seen a dramatic growth in business development, the Department has initiated plans to open a fourth fire station in north Cheshire to improve response times and quality of service. This ability to adapt and expand while remaining focused on the needs of the community has characterized the Cheshire Fire Department throughout its now 100-year history and is why the Fire Department is the oldest continually operating municipal department in Cheshire. In reflection of the 100 years of tireless dedication to community and public safety in Cheshire, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and honoring this 100 year anniversary of the Cheshire Fire Department, the lives and properties saved by its efforts, and the daily risks its volunteers take to protect the town of Cheshire.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 191st anniversary of the independence of Greece. As a member of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, it gives me great pride to draw attention to our nation's strong Hellenic heritage and celebrate Greece's declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire. Following 400 years of Ottoman rule, in March 1821 Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the traditional Greek flag at the monastery of Agia Lavras, inciting his countrymen to rise against the Ottoman army. Against overwhelmingly difficult odds, the Greeks arose victorious. The following year, the Treaty of Constantinople established full independence for Greece. The United States and Greece have enjoyed a long history of friendship since the early days of Greek independence. Today, we are close partners and allies. We share democratic ideals and common values, many of which were inspired by ancient Greek civilization. In fact, our republic is based on ideas about self-government set forth and practiced in Athens over 2,500 years ago. Over time, many Greek citizens chose to bring their families to the United States, often to New York and surrounding areas, including Connecticut. They became proud American citizens, but preserved their history and culture to pass on to future generations. I am proud to represent the thousands of Greek-Americans who live in northwest Connecticut. Their vibrant culture and important contributions have enriched our towns and cities throughout the state. I count many Greek-Americans as friends, and am pleased to join them in celebrating this important day. Zeto E Eleftheria!

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the renewal of negotiations between the government of Morocco and the Polisario Front. The Western Sahara region has been disputed territory since the Spanish withdrew in 1975. It is claimed by Morocco and the Polisario Front, which seeks independence for the Western Sahara. Morocco and the Polisario began direct negotiations in 2007, under the auspices of the United Nations. The next round of negotiations begins on Monday, and I hope that a solution will finally be agreed to during the new talks in Manhasset, NY. The people who live in the Western Sahara have suffered as a result of the region's status being in limbo, and they deserve for this longstanding dispute to be resolved. Morocco has a compromise proposal on the table: democratic autonomy for the region under Moroccan sovereignty. I believe this is a reasonable offer and can serve as a basis for negotiations. Undersecretary of State William Burns previously described the Moroccan initiative as a ``serious and credible proposal to provide real autonomy for the Western Sahara.'' It is also important for the region's residents to be able to express their views on their future, and for negotiators to take those views into account. Mr. Speaker, after more than 35 years, it is time for all parties to negotiate in good faith to finally bring this crisis to a close. We are witnessing monumental changes in North Africa following revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. It is in the interest of the United States and the parties involved to achieve a peaceful, negotiated solution to the Western Sahara issue, and more broadly to encourage Morocco to fully implement King Mohammed's proposed constitutional reforms and continue moving toward a more balanced governmental system that serves the many needs of all citizens of Morocco.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, as we do here in Congress every time that gas prices rise, Members from both sides of the aisle are quick to blame each other. The reasons we find ourselves with high gas prices today aren't simple, and we should be wary of anyone who's offering an overly simple, one-stop solution to this crisis. We can take some steps to try to calm these prices today, but the real fixes are going to take years--and a willingness to lower the partisan rhetoric around this issue is going to be part of the equation. One thing we can do now in the short term is to make sure that our commodities markets are functioning rationally. That means empowering Federal regulators to ensure that oil prices can't be driven simply by financial speculation. We need the Commodities Futures Trading Commission to enforce strong trading limits to police speculation in energy markets, and we here in Congress have to give them the resources they need to do that. The problem we face today isn't one of supply and demand. Demand is at its lowest in 17 years. Supply is at its highest in 3 years. This is a question of making sure that speculation isn't running the price up too fast and too quickly. It's our job to put some speed bumps along the road.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, on February 28, 2012 I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall vote 79. If present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Roger Geiger of Torrington, Connecticut. Mr. Geiger is a veteran and this year's recipient of the American Veterans Post 24 member of the year award. After serving his nation in the armed services, Mr. Geiger continues to serve his community as a member of AMVETS Post 24. Mr. Geiger and his wife Diane founded and continue to run Post 24's Heroes on Wheels program. This program takes in donations of electric wheelchairs and scooters for the benefit of Connecticut veterans. Many of these wheelchairs and scooters are received out of working order and Mr. Geiger takes it upon himself to repair and refurbish this equipment that is essential to ensuring the mobility of many elderly or disabled veterans. Once the repairs are completed, Mr. Geiger and his fellow Post 24 members deliver the electric wheelchairs and scooters to veterans in need. Mr. Geiger's tireless work has resulted in hundreds of veterans in Connecticut and neighboring states being provided with chairs that have returned to them their freedom of mobility. It is for this reason, in addition to his service as the chapter chaplain and his general dedication to the chapter, that Roger Geiger was awarded the Post 24 member of the year award in 2011. Mr. Speaker, I believe that we can all agree Roger Geiger deserves recognition for his outstanding service, both to his nation and to his fellow veterans. His efforts to provide his fellow veterans with the tools they need to maintain their mobility and independence are undoubtedly worthy of recognition. I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding Roger Geiger for his service to our community of veterans.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Mr. Archie Savage, Jr. Sadly, Archie passed away last year at the West Haven Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Archie was born in Memphis in 1930 but called New Britain, Connecticut home since 1980. As a young man just out of high school, Archie served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict and afterwards continued to serve his country as a counterintelligence agent at the height of the Cold War. Archie found time during his 22 years of service to this country to acquire an education with a Bachelors Degree from the University of Denver in 1966 followed by a Masters in Education in 1971, and a Ph.D. from Denver University in 1976. As a public servant Archie was truly exceptional. The first African- American operative in the Central Intelligence Agency, Archie's 22-year career with the Agency brought him across Europe and Asia. He served with distinction on the frontlines of the Cold War at a time of great peril to America and her allies. Archie was given the rank of Officier de la Legion d'Honneur, one of the highest civilian awards granted by the French Republic, for his role in foiling an attempt on the life of President de Gaulle of France in the 1960s. After he retired from government service, Archie dedicated his life to improving his community in New Britain and across Connecticut. He served as a faculty member at Central Connecticut State University and for the past 15 years was the Director of the Office of Affirmative Action at the UCONN Health Center. Over the course of his life he also served on the Board of Directors for a variety of organizations like United Way, the New Britain Public Library, Catholic Family Services, and the Boys and Girls Club; always seeking to give back to his adopted home in New Britain. A devout man, Archie was a long-time member and past Senior Warden of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in New Britain. The creation of a more just and inclusive society was the issue that defined Archie's lifetime of community service more than any other. He served as President of the New Britain-Berlin Rotary Club, an organization dedicated to strengthening the community by bringing people together in service to the community. Archie also served as Chairman of the New Britain Commission on Human Rights and sat on the National Board of Directors of YMCA in the U.S.A. While there he took part in the Jerusalem International YMCA Task Force, a program that seeks to bring opposing communities together and build peace in the Holy Land. Only recently did Archie retire from his position on the New Britain YMCA Board of Trustees. In reflection on the unfortunate loss of a decorated public servant, veteran, and advocate for the communities of New Britain and Connecticut, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and honoring the life of Archie Savage, Jr. and the work he has done defending this country and working to bring together diverse communities across Connecticut and the world.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of Mrs. Allen Whitley Melville. Sadly, Allen passed away on the first of this year in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Born in 1927 in Evanston, Illinois, Allen spent most of her childhood growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, before attending Sarah Lawrence College in New York. In 1947 Allen met a young Navy Corpsman named Frank Melville, who recently returned from serving in World War II. Allen and Frank would go on to marry, forming a life-long bond that would take them from New York to Connecticut and would see them raise four sons. Along the way, Allen and Frank would become pioneers and leaders in two great social causes of their time--treating mental illness and ending homelessness. After Allen moved with her family from New Canaan to Norfolk, Connecticut, in 1980, she became deeply involved in working to bring equal opportunity and fair treatment to the state's mentally handicapped, eventually serving on the Board of the State Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities. While there, she worked to raise awareness on the unfair abuse and neglect that is all too often experienced by those living with mental illness. In her backyard of northwest Connecticut, Allen helped found one of the nation's leading ``club houses'' for people with mental illness, Prime Time House in Torrington; which has the mission to assist those suffering with mental illness to live independent and productive lives. Many Connecticut residents with mental illnesses have found their way to independence and success thanks to the education and employment opportunities afforded by the care of the organization of which Allen helped establish. Allen also was an integral part--and board member--of the Melville Charitable Trust, which works to find and fight the causes of homelessness and was chaired by her husband for many years. Allen made sure that mental illness was a priority of the work of the Trust. In fact, it was the unyielding advocacy of Allen, Frank, and the Melville Charitable Trust, that led me to introduce the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act, which was signed into law in January 2011. The law triples the number of supportive housing units built across the country with federal dollars. The legacy of both Allen and her beloved husband, Frank, who unfortunately passed away in 2007, will be honored every day by this act and by the great works to come in the future by those who have been inspired by the advocacy of the Melvilles. In reflection of the unfortunate loss of a life-long champion for those most in need and all the work she has done for the community of Torrington and the State of Connecticut, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and honoring the life of Allen Whitley Melville and the contributions she has made in bettering the lives of all those she touched.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jim Parent on his retirement as President of the Connecticut State Council of Machinists. James M. Parent was born in 1946 in Van Buren, Maine, and now lives with his wife Robertine in Glastonbury where they raised their two children. A former member of the Glastonbury Democratic Town Committee, Jim has also served as Vice Chair of the Democratic State Central Finance Committee. Jim served his country in Vietnam and returned to continue his public service by joining the labor movement. Jim's knowledge and expertise as an activist for Connecticut's machinists started when he was employed at Pratt & Whitney in 1965 in East Hartford. Since then, Jim has been a fierce advocate for the Machinists' 14,000 members, and has served as the Business Representative for the Machinists Union, Executive Board member of the Connecticut State Council of Machinists and as Hartford Area Vice President from 1986 to 1991, when he was elected President of the Council. As President, he has been a leading advocate for workers in Connecticut. I witnessed his leadership firsthand when we worked together to fight the closing of the Pratt & Whitney Connecticut Airfoil Repair Operation (CARO) and Cheshire Engine Center. Jim's advocacy earned him the Connecticut AFL-CIO Leadership Award in 1997. I am proud to call Jim Parent an ally in the fight to keep good jobs in Connecticut, and to stop the crippling trend of outsourcing. We have worked together to bring jobs back to the United States through efforts to strengthen ``Buy American'' laws. I know that Jim will continue to be a leader and an advocate for Connecticut's working families even after his retirement. I am honored to call Jim Parent my friend, and I wish him well in his retirement.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I'm so grateful that as we prepare to receive the President tomorrow night for his State of the Union Address that we're going to be joined by our colleague, Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. The courage that she has shone in her long recovery has been an inspiration to all of us, and I'm proud to call her a friend. Last year, in the aftermath of that terrible and tragic shooting, we came together as a Congress for the State of the Union. We put aside our partisan differences, and we convened as a united body. Republicans sat with Democrats, conservative Members sat with liberal Members. It was a small but symbolic gesture that this place can rise above partnership for the greater good of this Nation. As cochair of the House's Center Aisle Caucus, I, along with my fellow cochairs are calling on this House to do it again. Tomorrow night, let's sit together, let's show the Nation again that with Gabby in our midst we can be one rather than be divided. Now our small but growing caucus brings together Members who believe that we can discuss issues in a civil and respectful manner. I hope that all of you, all of my colleagues, will join us in an effort to build on the success of last year and start a new bipartisanship tradition in this House.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to note with great sadness the passing of Justin Adinolfi, a leader and inspiration in my home town of Cheshire, Connecticut. Justin was born and raised in Connecticut and spent most of his life there. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Boston College and his MBA from William & Mary, Justin helped countless corporations while serving as a consultant at Anderson Consulting (later Accenture), DH Andrews and Cognizant. He started and ran a business of his own where he continued his work. Justin was also a pillar of our community of Cheshire. He was a member of our town's council as well as our Planning and Zoning Commission. He served actively on the boards of several important institutions in our community, including the Cheshire Education Foundation and MidState Medical Center. He was active in his church as well, serving as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Bridget's Church in Cheshire. To me, Justin was a mentor and friend. When I moved to town in 2005, Justin took me under his wing to help me understand who and what was important in Cheshire. His public service became an example for me, and for many others. His hallmark, to me, was his approachability. He made you feel instantly comfortable, and people felt good knowing a ``regular guy'' was such an important community leader. Mr. Speaker, Justin's achievements at work and his community only begin to tell his story. The rest of his story will live on through his family--his wife Jane and his wonderful children, Justin, Charlotte and Thomas. We grieve with them today. Justin was taken from us too soon. I was proud to consider him a friend and I will miss him. On behalf of this entire House, I pass on my sincerest condolences to Jane, Justin, Charlotte and Thomas, as well as his siblings, nieces, nephews, in-laws, friends and neighbors whose lives he touched so deeply. He will be missed by all of us.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to note the passing of David Montgomery, after a long and well-lived life. David Montgomery had many roles in his life: machinist, union activist, educator, author and, most importantly, father and husband. Dr. Montgomery came to my state of Connecticut in 1979, where he had a distinguished research, writing and teaching career. It was there that he wrote his most notable work, ``Fall of the House of Labor: The Workplace, the State and American Labor Activism, 1865-1925,'' which was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1989. More than an author though, Dr. Montgomery was an activist who started his career not in academia, but on the shop floor. In the 1950s, after graduating from college, he went to work as a machinist, where he began to organize workers to join the International Association of Machinists. He was black-listed and fired from his first job in Minneapolis as a result of his organizing efforts, as he was repeatedly throughout his career. Yet, instead of ceding his cause, he continued to fight for his values. He then made a remarkable transition: he earned his doctorate and began a career in teaching. Dr. Montgomery taught at several colleges, eventually becoming the Farnum Professor of History at Yale. But whatever job he had, he never stopped being an activist. Dr. Montgomery helped strengthen the resolve of workers and activists while teaching in New Haven. His research and teaching informed his students about the history of working people, and he inspired generations of students to study that history as they sought to change the nation. He knew that by valuing the dignity of work and recognizing workers' struggle for justice in their workplace and country, we could help build a more just society. A former student of his, Jennifer Klein, captured his essence when she said in a press account that Dr. Montgomery was not only ``the model of the scholar-activist but also the activist-scholar.'' My heartfelt condolences to Dr. Montgomery's wife, Martel, his sons Claude and Edward, his five grandchildren, his brother Daniel and sister Virginia. Dr. Montgomery led the kind of full and committed life to which all of us should aspire. He will be missed by all who were lucky enough to know him.

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I have listened to a lot of Republicans here on the House floor and back in Connecticut talk about how they think that the only way to build up America is to tear down government and start divesting from our public institutions. That's simply not the history of this country. Over the last 100 years, we've become the world's leader by layering massive private investment on top of massive public investment. And yet day after day, I listen to the right wing come down to this floor and tell the American people that we can no longer afford to make these kinds of investments that we used to make in roads, in rails, in schools, and in new technologies. And, so, it's time that the rest of us stood up here and told them that they're simply wrong, that America is not broke. We have all of the resources and all of the willpower necessary to make the investments we need in order to regain our global competitive edge, but only if we start dealing with facts rather than just with political rhetoric. So, over the next few minutes, I want to show you four pretty simple charts that debunk this myth that our Nation is broke and that we can't muster the resources necessary to meet the challenges of a global century. Let's start here. The United States is still the richest country in the world. In fact, our GDP ranks us at the top of the list among G-20 countries. And for all of the talk about the rise of China, India, and Brazil, our country is still wealthier than all three of those nations combined on a population- adjusted basis. And, so, we have wealth in this Nation. What we have done, though, is make a conscious choice to make our government poor. We are going to spend about a million dollars a year more than we actually take in in revenue. And it's important to talk about why that is. First of all, the notion that discretionary spending is out of control, which is the popular belief, just isn't true. In fact, discretionary spending since 1980 has remained pretty static. If you don't believe that, then think about this statistic for a second. If you thought that government spending was running amok, you would expect that Federal employees were increasing, as well. Well, that's not true either. Since 1970, we actually have 16,000 less Federal workers than we did then. Now, this doesn't mean that the government can't get leaner and that it can't get meaner. It just means that there's another culprit at work when we talk about why our government is so broke, even if our Nation is not, and that's revenue. Today, as a fraction of GDP, this country is collecting less taxes than it has in 60 years. In fact, today, we are collecting only about 15 percent of taxes as it relates to GDP. Now, we're spending more, but the bigger problem is that we're collecting less revenue. So, if the problem is that the government is broke but that our Nation isn't, why does it feel like so many people are out there that are broke? Well, let's explore that with the last chart. Here is the essential problem. Over the last 30 years, the incomes of the bottom 90 percent of Americans have remained virtually flat while the incomes of the top 1 percent of Americans have grown by 300 percent. This is a recipe for economic disaster because, if the bottom 90 percent of Americans don't have enough money to spend, then pretty soon they're not going to be able to buy what the top 1 percent are selling. Everybody fails if this economic equation continues. And the economic history of the last 100 years tells us one thing-- that government has a pretty important role to play in helping to create wealth among the bottom 90 percent. We create real, widespread wealth when we invest in education to move more kids more quickly through quality higher education. We create real, widespread wealth by investing in businesses that create technologies before they become commercially viable. And we create real, widespread wealth by investing in infrastructure so that once again people and goods in this country can move from economic center to economic center without delay. Yes, these investments cost money, but this country isn't broke. Prosperity in this Nation has never appeared out of thin air. It's never come from gutting consumer protection or environmental regulation, it's never come through slashing taxes for the wealthiest Americans, and it's never come from government just sitting by on the sidelines and letting other countries eat our technological lunch. It's come through an innovative partnership between public investment and private ingenuity. Now, America can recommit ourselves to this partnership, but only if we wake up to the reality that we are not broke.