Bob Ney

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Mount Vernon, of Knox County, Ohio, is celebrating 200 years of establishment; and Whereas, Mount Vernon in its entirety is recognized and is commended for its excellence, leadership, and ongoing efforts to be an example of success for the rest of the state of Ohio; and Whereas, Mount Vernon will celebrate its founding on July 16, 1805, exactly 200 years ago. Therefore, I join with the residents of Knox County and the entire 18th Congressional District in celebrating the Bicentennial Anniversary of Mount Vernon.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I hereby offer my heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and the residents of Danville of Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare upon the death of this outstanding soldier. Staff Sgt. Goare was a member of the United States Army B Company, 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment stationed at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia. He was serving his great nation in the country of Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Staff Sgt. Goare, at 29, was an active citizen in his community and did his best to make his country a better place to live. Staff Sgt. Goare's courage and selflessness to his country was displayed even as his helicopter came under attack on June 28, 2005. Staff Sgt. Goare will be remembered for his unsurpassed sacrifice of self while protecting others. His example of strength and fortitude will be remembered by all those who knew him. While words cannot express our grief during the loss of such a courageous soldier, I offer this token of profound sympathy to the family, friends, and colleagues of Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Frank and Mary Fregiato were united in marriage April 30, 1949, and are celebrating 56 years of marriage; and Whereas, Frank and Mary Fregiato were married April 30, 1949, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Wellsville, OH; and Whereas, Frank and Mary Fregiato are the loving parents of two children and four grandchildren. Therefore, I join with the residents of Martins Ferry, and the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in congratulating Frank and Mary Fregiato as they celebrate their 56th Wedding Anniversary.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Marion was born In New Cumberland, West Virgina on July 19, 1905 and is celebrating her 100th birthday; and Whereas, Marion Stewart, a graduate of Ohio University in Education, teaching kindergarten and first grade for many years; and Whereas, Marion Stewart was a faithful and committed member of the Daughters of the American Revolution for 82 years; and Whereas, Marion Stewart has dedicated her time to the Girl Scouts, Sunday School teaching, service activities, Beacon House activities, where she resides, and the Retired Teachers Association. Therefore, I join with the residents of the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in wishing Marion Stewart a very happy 100th birthday.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Lieutenant Daniel Barnes is retiring from the Knox County Sheriff's Office after 34 years of exemplary service; and Whereas, Lieutenant Daniel Barnes served the citizens of Knox County with dedication and pride as a range officer and firearms instructor for the Knox County Sheriff s Office and other organizations; and Whereas, Lieutenant Daniel Barnes has been among the most well-liked and well-respected public servants as he served throughout his career in the patrol division, common pleas court bailiff, and most formerly as lieutenant over the civil process and records division; and Whereas, Lieutenant Daniel Barnes will be deeply missed by many in the Sheriffs Office, community he protected, and by his fellow officers. Therefore, I join with his wife Cathy, the community, and his fellow officers at the Knox County Sheriffs Office in thanking Lieutenant Daniel Barnes for his 34 years of service and wish him the very best on the occasion of his retirement.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, George Annarino was born in Licking County on July 19, 1935; and Whereas, George Annarino has taught martial arts in Newark, Ohio for almost 40 years, winning numerous awards for distinction within his practice; and Whereas, George Annarino has been inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame for his excellence; and Whereas, George Annarino is a steward of his community, devoting copious amounts of his time to a variety of charities and has been the recipient of the ``Key to the City,'' a prestigious volunteer service award. Therefore, I join with the residents of the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in congratulating George Annarino as he celebrates his 70th birthday.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, I hereby offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Emma Louise Ney Palavido; and Whereas, Emma Louise Ney Palavido was born August 22, 1925 in Bellaire, Ohio; and Whereas, Emma Louise Ney Palavido was a woman committed to her family, a devoted wife to her husband, John Palavido, and a strong role model for her three daughters, Sandy Allman, Patty Pleasant, and Debby Showalter and stepson John Palavido; and Whereas, Emma Louise Ney Palavido was the proud and dedicated grandmother of six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, devoting much of her later years to their activities; and Whereas, Emma Louise Ney Palavido was an example of strength of character and courage who will be forever remembered; and Whereas, the understanding and care which she gave to others will stand as a monument to a truly fine person. Emma Louise Ney Palavido's life and love gave joy to all who knew her. Therefore, while I understand how words cannot express our grief at this most trying of times, I offer this token of profound sympathy to the family and friends of Emma Louise Ney Palavido.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Airman Scott Schlegel has served the United States in Operation Iraqi Freedom as a member of the United States Air Force Reserves; and Whereas, Airman Scott Schlegel is to be commended for the honor and bravery that he displayed while serving our Nation in this time of war by saving a family from drowning; and Whereas, Airman Scott Schlegel has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence, and outstanding service; Therefore, I join with the family, friends and the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in thanking Airman Scott Schlegel of the United States Air Force for his service to our country. Your service has made us proud.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Captain Michael R. Kuhn of the 42nd MP Brigade in the United States Army was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for acting out in bravery and courage against the enemy while engaged in military operations; and Whereas, Captain Michael R. Kuhn is to be commended for the honor and heroism that he displayed while serving our Nation in Baghdad, Iraq; and Whereas, Captain Michael R. Kuhn has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence, and outstanding service which has extended from his time serving in the Ohio University Reserve Officer Training Corps to now serving as a soldier in the United States Army. Therefore, I join with the family and friends, the residents of Logan County, and the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in thanking Captain Michael R. Kuhn for his service to our country and to congratulate him on his achievement of receiving the Bronze Star Medal. Your service has made us proud.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker: Whereas, Tom Hardy has provided outstanding service and contributions while affiliated with the Ohio Association of Insurance Agents, Inc. serving it since 1976 and at different times holding the positions of executive vice president and chief executive officer; and Whereas, Tom Hardy's many accomplishments include being the creator, publisher, and editor of Ohio Insurance magazine and guiding the continual growth of the Association with dedication and strong leadership; and Whereas, Tom Hardy has served on the Board of Directors of the Griffith Foundation for Insurance Education at the Ohio State University where he received his degree in 1971 as well as giving his talents to multiple other organizations within his field; and Whereas, Tom Hardy has worked selflessly and with dignity as an integral part of various committees of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America, being the longest serving state executor in the Nation. Therefore, I join with Tom Hardy's family, friends, and the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in commending Tom Hardy for his exceptional work and years of service, and wish him the very best in his future endeavors.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate Chairman Baker's effort on crafting this piece of legislation and Chairman Mike Oxley's diligence in seeing this bill to the floor. H.R. 804, introduced on February 15, 2005, will prevent federal agencies that administer means-tested or income-tested benefits from considering NFIP mitigation grants as income. H.R. 804 is necessary due to an IRS ruling in July 2004 that such grants must be reported as income for tax purposes. This IRS ruling has caused significant uncertainty in the administration of the Bunning-Bereuter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004. Anecdotal information has revealed that a significant number of homeowners have refused mitigation offers not only due to the fear of a potential tax liability, but also the potential for other unknown liabilities imposed by other federal government agencies. These penalties could include the loss of certain federal education, nutrition and health care benefits. H.R. 804 eliminates the potential for additional penalties by preventing federal government agencies (other than the IRS) from considering NFIP flood mitigation grants as income. The precedent for this exception is found in the Stafford Act, which explicitly states that any disaster or pre-disaster mitigation payments made to homeowners under that Act are not to be considered as income by any federal agency administering a means- or income-tested benefit. By incorporating this language in the National Flood Insurance Act, H.R. 804 will resolve any additional uncertainty by likewise preventing federal agencies from considering flood mitigation grants as income. Floods have been, and continue to be, one of the most destructive and costly natural hazards to our nation. In the aftermath of Hurricane Dennis this past weekend, I fear many communities in the South and Midwest will witness this unrelenting power firsthand as the tropical depression continues to unload heavy, flooding rains inland. During this past year, there have been three major floods in my district in eastern Ohio. All three of these incidents qualified for federal relief granted by the President. Recent flooding in January of this year resulted in historic levels in several local dams, and, in Tuscarawas County, three communities were forced to evacuate, which displaced 7,000 people. I was able to witness this devastation firsthand when I toured damaged properties in both Tuscarawas and Guernsey counties. Also, I am planning to hold a field hearing in Tuscarawas County next month to continue the Subcommittee's oversight of the National Flood Insurance Program. The National Flood Insurance Program is a valuable tool in addressing the losses incurred throughout this country due to floods. It assures that businesses and families have access to affordable flood insurance that would not be available on the open market. Prior to the passage of the National Flood Insurance Act in 1968, insurance companies generally did not offer coverage for flood disasters because of the high risks involved. Today, almost 20,000 communities participate in the national flood insurance program. More that 90 insurance companies sell and service flood policies. There are approximately 4.4 million policies covering a total of $620 billion. Last year's Flood Insurance Reform Act achieved significant reforms to this important federal program and I look forward to hearing from all of our witnesses today as we discuss FEMA's implementation of its flood mapping policy, as well as determine whether new reforms and initiatives are in order to complement the work we accomplished last year. I urge my colleagues to approve this legislation.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, on June 30, 2005, I was unable to be present for rollcall vote No. 341, on agreeing to the King (IA) amendment to H.R. 3058, the Departments of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2006. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 341.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 344.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3071.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 344) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a Chinese state-owned energy company exercising control of critical United States energy infrastructure and energy production capacity could take action that would threaten to impair the national security of the United States.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 344, introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), and urge its immediate adoption. Briefly, this resolution asks that the President initiate a thorough review of any potential takeover of Unocal Corporation by the Chinese National Offshore Oil Company as soon as any agreement of such a takeover is announced, on the grounds that such a purchase could threaten the national security of the United States. Mr. Speaker, at a time of rising prices on global oil supplies, ready access to energy resources is a vital element to our economic security. It is imperative that the United States protect its access to Unocal's energy resources in order to protect our economy and our national security. Just as importantly, Mr. Speaker, I and many Members are extremely skeptical of assurances that the Chinese oil company executives have sought to offer that they would dedicate any oil production from this region to consumption in the United States. Mr. Speaker, we know from a number of past experiences that the Chinese do not look at trade the same way we do, that agreements made or treaties signed are more of a starting point for negotiation than documents that must be adhered to. Especially in this purchase, the Chinese company and the Chinese government are not playing fair. This company is 70 percent owned by the Chinese government, is said to be receiving more than a quarter of the funding of its bid for Unocal at zero percent or at highly subsidized interest rates. Mr. Speaker, American companies who are interested in buying Unocal cannot get funding deals like that. They borrow on the open, nonsubsidized credit market, or they would be able to offer a few billion dollars more in an instance like this. I call that an unfair trade practice, and a good enough reason for the deal to be waved off all by itself. But, Mr. Speaker, there is a much more serious reason to be skeptical of this proposed purchase, and it is for that reason I support this resolution. In my view, a purchase of Unocal by a company that the Communist government of China controls, a government that is one of our major trading partners but also one of our major trade competitors, threatens the national security of this country by holding out the prospect that every drop of oil, every unit of natural gas produced by that company could end up being shipped to China. We are all reminded every time we go to the gas pump what has happened to the price of oil recently, and if the Chinese shut off the Unocal tap, the United States supply of oil would be that more scarce and a gallon of gas or heating oil that much more expensive. You only need 2 numbers to understand how serious this problem potentially could become: the global excess capacity of oil production right now is estimated to be just 1.5 to 2 million barrels of oil a day, the lowest in the past several decades. Compare that to this: last year, China's increase in demand for crude oil is said to have been 850,000 barrels a day, with the demand expected to grow another 7.5 percent this year alone. Mr. Speaker, the Chinese economy is inhaling oil, and a lot of other commodities, at a staggering rate. How can we imagine that a government-owned oil company will not send its fuel to feed that government's economy, and not our own? Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this resolution that is so needed. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton). (Mr. BARTON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes).

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth). (Mr. HAYWORTH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), the chairman of the Committee on Resources.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk).

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman, our ranking member from California, for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3071, a resolution permitting the individuals currently serving as Executive Director, Deputy Executive Directors, and General Counsel of the Office of Compliance to serve one additional term. I support this initiative as it was a recommendation contained in the February 2004 Government Accountability Office report on the Office of Compliance, which stated that allowing these individuals to serve for more time will increase the institutional continuity and therefore potentially the effectiveness of the organization. I believe that this is a better serving of our institution and that the current executive staff who have the opportunity to serve an additional term so the Congress that way can evaluate and decide how best to move forward with the GAO's recommendation. I appreciate the gentlewoman's work and her staff on this issue. Again, I think this will better serve us and the Office of Compliance and our constituents and the staff of the House. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3071, a resolution permitting the individuals currently serving as Executive Director, Deputy Executive Directors, and General Counsel of the Office of Compliance to serve one additional term. A February 2004 Government Accountability Office report on the Office of Compliance, concluded that allowing these individuals to serve for longer than one term could increase the institutional continuity and potentially the effectiveness of the organization. Though the statute originally limited staff to one term, the flexibility to have the executive staff serve for an additional term, may better serve the institution and we must have some way of evaluating the GAO's recommendation. Therefore the current executive staff will have the opportunity to serve one additional term. When their terms have expired the Congress can re-evaluate whether term limits serve the interests of the Office of Compliance and this institution.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 3071) to permit the individuals currently serving as Executive Director, Deputy Executive Directors, and General Counsel of the Office of Compliance to serve one additional term, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.