Randy Neugebauer

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, due to official business, I missed rollcall vote 146 on Thursday, May 11, 2006. Had I been present I would have voted ``aye.'' This was a vote on H. Res. 802, a resolution to encourage all eligible Medicare beneficiaries who have not yet elected to enroll in the new Medicare Part D benefit to review the available options and to determine whether enrollment in a Medicare prescription drug plan best meets their current and future needs for prescription drug coverage. I wholeheartedly agree with the message in H. Res. 802. To that end, I have worked diligently to notify my constituents of this new program wherever I go. I am pleased so many seniors have chosen to participate in this program and that so many are saving money.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 153 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, this morning I rise to honor an organization based in the 19th district of Texas that has played a vital role in West Texas for half a century. In 1956, a group of West Texas cotton farmers and agricultural businesses came together to form Plains Cotton Growers. Today, PCG represents cotton growers in 41 counties throughout the High Plains and Panhandle of Texas. These growers produce nearly 20 percent of the nation's cotton crop each year. In the 50 years since its creation, PCG has attained a much-deserved reputation as an organization that producers can trust and rely upon for a wide range of services and information. Under the leadership of presidents from W.O. Fortenberry to Rickey Bearden, PCG has promoted regional cotton interests, served as a resource for cutting-edge agricultural research, and provided its members with information on important legislative matters. If there is an issue in Congress affecting cotton farmers, then Plains Cotton Growers is on top of it. PCG provides the invaluable service of informing its members on agricultural policy being debated in the Capitols in both Washington, DC and Austin, Texas. PCG also ensures that its members have a voice in both Capitols as it keeps legislators abreast of the views and concerns of farmers. To the staff and members of Plains Cotton Growers: Congratulations on your 50th anniversary and thank you for your service to the people of West Texas.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Howard College for winning the NJCAA Region V Championship on March 12, 2006. Head coach Mark Adams led the Hawks to an 81-71 victory over their arch rival, Midland College, in spectacular fashion. With this victory, the Hawks have earned their first trip to the NJCAA National Tournament since 1969. Even greater than their triumph on the court, the Hawks have overcome many obstacles and trials along the way. Last year, Howard sophomore Dezmon Harris lost his mother in the same week his team lost the Regional Championship game to Midland. With fierce determination and an unyielding desire to win, Harris led his team to victory this year and showed why he was recently named WJCAC Player of the Year. Since 1945, Howard College has been a beacon of education in my district. It brings me great pleasure to honor the athletic achievements of an institution that continues to be a leader in educating the young people of West Texas.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling).

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. There has been a lot of discussion about what this bill does and what it does not do. What it does do is not take away Katrina funding; but what it says is let us break this bill into two pieces the way that the President of the United States sent this bill over to us, giving an opportunity for Members to express their opinions about our current defense policy, giving Members of Congress the ability to talk about and express their opinions about how they feel about Katrina policy and how it is going today. One of the things that this amendment does, Members would be able to come back for debate on Katrina and have a separate vote at that particular time. What we need to understand is this is no small sum of money. This is $92 billion as of the last count; and with the amendments, it is probably going to be more. We also know that $92 billion is in excess of 10 percent of our discretionary spending for 2006. So it makes good sense for the American soldiers, the young men and women that are defending our Nation, that are executing the war on terrorism to have a separate vote. It makes good sense for the people in the devastated areas because of the hurricanes that we have had, for us to have deliberative talks and discussions about what is good policy for Katrina. But let's don't leave the third set of people out that this body is charged to represent, and that is the American people. We need to make sure when we are making policy in this building and in this Chamber that it is good for the people in America. The American people are looking to us; and quite honestly, the people back in the 19th Congressional District of Texas are concerned about our spending. They question how much is an emergency and what is an emergency. Quite honestly, Mr. Chairman, I think that combining these bills today is not good policy, and I urge my colleagues to come down and give a positive vote, vote for this amendment, vote for our soldiers, vote for the people in Katrina, but also vote for the American people. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence). (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King).

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining?

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, a couple of weeks ago, or several weeks ago, I think in February, the President of the United States sent over two supplemental bills, one for Katrina and one for our defense. Two bills. Because even the President recognized that these are two different issues, a $68 billion defense bill; a $20 billion Katrina bill. Unfortunately, when this bill came to this body for consideration, it was combined, not giving Members the opportunity to determine what they think is the best policy, both from a defense standpoint and a domestic standpoint. I am concerned about the fact that these emergency supplemental bills have really become appropriation bills, and the word ``emergency,'' I think, has somewhat slipped from that process. We should be able to come to this floor, and my bill allows Members to be able to give a vote for Katrina or a vote for our defense in an appropriate way that they feel is good for the American taxpayer. One of the concerns I have, Mr. Chairman, is that in this 109th Congress, if we pass this bill today, with no offsets, by the way, and a previous speaker talked about there was no offsets for that amendment, in fact, there are no offsets in this bill, in the 109th Congress we will have spent as much money on emergency supplemental spending as we have spent in the previous five Congresses. Mr. Chairman, I would say to you that I don't think that is good for the American people. What I think we ought to do, though, is have policy that does address the merits of what our efforts are in Iraq and Afghanistan and the merits of how we are spending the American taxpayers' money on Katrina relief. In fact, we have already approved in this body $100 billion worth of emergency spending in other relief for Katrina victims. What is at issue here is the question of whether or not a lot of the issues that are in this supplemental should actually have been in this supplemental. But more importantly, it should not be allowed for piling on and adding things to these supplemental bills, which, in fact, become a free-for-all. These are two different issues. How we spend the money defending the American people in our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan as we execute the war on terrorism and how we deal with the catastrophic events that have happened in Katrina are two separate issues. And I would encourage my colleagues to give the American people the benefit of their wisdom and judgment and have a vote on each one of these issues. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas, for becoming the first base in 4 years to receive an overall outstanding rating following an Air Combat Command Operational Readiness Inspection. Operational Readiness Inspections are demanding examinations of our Nation's combat operations. Inspections ensure expeditionary readiness by testing combat capabilities in stressful real-world situations. They allow our Nation's airmen to face deployment with increased confidence after practicing wartime skills at home that are executed in operations around the world including Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. This outstanding rating proves that the men and women of Dyess can take the fight anywhere. They are the very best in the Air Force because they have been well-trained and are well-prepared for any task or any challenge they will face in expeditionary operations.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor Thomas Jay Harris, the former editor of the leading newspaper in Lubbock, Texas who passed away on Sunday, February 26. During the course of his 87 years, Jay could call many people his friend and could point to many achievements. He was a war veteran, a community leader, and a proud newspaperman. Jay began his 53-year journalism career in 1938 working for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal while still an undergraduate student at Texas Tech University. He then spent 3 years serving his country in the Air Force during World War II. Following the war, he returned to the newspaper. He would remain at the A-J for the rest of his professional career, the last 22 years of which were spent as the newspaper's editor. As editor, Jay deftly balanced the need to report on issues of importance to the local community while still pursuing stories of national and international significance. It was this thirst for foreign affairs that led him to support the International Cultural Center at Texas Tech. This center introduced students and aspiring journalists to the cultures of foreign countries. I had the privilege of knowing Jay. Almost every time I spoke with him, he had an idea on how to make Lubbock or Texas Tech better. Jay was persistent and always stuck with an issue until he got results. Jay lived his life with passion. I will miss Jay and his enthusiasm for his work, for his community, and for his country.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressmen Hensarling and Moore and Chairmen Oxley and Bachus for their efforts to bring H.R. 3505 to the floor today. Regulatory relief is much-needed by our nation's financial institutions, and I am pleased to support this legislation. Since 1989, federal banking regulators have adopted more than 851 new rules and regulations. Regulatory costs, which total $38 billion, account for 13 percent of banks' non-interest expenses. It is time for Congress to provide relief. I am especially concerned about the impact of unnecessary regulations on community banks and small credit unions, which are the types of institutions that serve much of rural West Texas. The regressive burden of regulations has contributed to the decline in the number of community banks and diminished the investments they are able to make in small communities. H.R. 3505 includes a balance of regulatory relief among all types of financial institutions, and all institutions will benefit from the elimination of annual privacy notices when they do not share information or have not changed their privacy policy. There are provisions in this legislation that provide relief specific to community banks, national banks, credit unions and thrifts. I am especially supportive of the much needed relief on Currency Transaction Reports and Suspicious Activity Reports. Last year banks filed more than 13 million CTRs and 300,000 SARs, overwhelming law enforcement with reports. Eliminating CTRs for seasoned customers will save institutions many hours of paperwork and redirect resources to the most useful reports. Focusing resources on transactions that pose the greatest risks benefits law enforcement, financial institutions and citizens. I encourage my colleagues to support the long-overdue regulatory relief in H.R. 3505.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition today to S. 1777. One of the things that I am concerned about is we are spending billions of dollars every day on this Katrina emergency disaster, with very small results. We have people filing lawsuits against the government to keep them from being kicked out of apartments, while thousands of trailers are idle just a few hundred miles away. Certainly, our hearts and thoughts go with the people who experienced this tremendous tragedy, but I think one of the things that I hear from the people in the 19th District of Texas is that they see we are spending billions and billions and billions of dollars, yet we are getting reports of mismanagement almost at every level of government. One of the things that I think we have to do, and it is the reason I am going to encourage my colleagues today not to support this, is I think we have to step back and look at where we are spending our money today, the American taxpayers' money, by the way, and by the way, money that we don't have. Every dollar we are spending right now for Katrina relief is money that we are borrowing, and we are going to saddle our future generations with that debt. So I believe that what we have to do is begin to assess what are the job creation opportunities going to be in that region. We are at a time in our country today, quite honestly, where we have record low unemployment, yet we are here today to extend unemployment benefits for another 13 weeks. The question I have is not whether these people need a job, but the question is are we providing opportunities for them to get a job and moving them away from an environment of entitlement to an environment of empowerment, where we are investing dollars in those communities in such a way that those communities will be able to create jobs for those people that maybe lost their jobs because of this disaster that happened. So, Mr. Speaker, I would encourage my colleagues today, let's vote this down. Let's sit back and assess where we are spending our resources. I know that we have a $20 billion additional supplemental coming to the floor of this House for debate, and I think as we keep throwing money at this problem, what we hear on the national news every day is the people living in these areas are saying they are not getting any of the help. The way to make sure you have accountability is not to give someone more money, but to bring in more accountability. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues not to support this.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to bring an important anniversary to my colleagues' attention. My elementary school, Maedgen Elementary School, in Lubbock, TX, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Maedgen first opened in the spring of 1955 and has been educating Lubbock's youngest citizens ever since. The school was named in honor of Charles Ernest Maedgen--1882- 1964--an early resident of Lubbock who had a strong interest in the community and in education. I am proud to be a Maedgen alumnus and am looking forward to attending the anniversary commemoration on February 24, 2006. I have many fond memories of my elementary school years. Mrs. Dunn, my first grade teacher, had a big influence on my life. I particularly remember a chart she placed in the front of the classroom to teach reading. Mrs. Dunn, using that chart, unlocked the world of reading for me. I also have memories of Mr. Ford, my principal. Some days I think I spent as much time in his office as he did Many things have changed in our world and in education over the past 50 years. Teaching methods have changed, and technology that we never could have imagined 50 years ago now plays a big role in students' education. For example, computers, instead of charts, are used to teach reading now. I am pleased that Maedgen Elementary School is still serving the Lubbock community by teaching our children and giving them the tools to build a successful life. Congratulations to all who have worked over the past 50 years teaching and serving Lubbock children at Maedgen, and best wishes for much success to all future students, teachers and administrators.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, on February 17, 2006, a legend in Lubbock radio will celebrate 50 years in the broadcasting business. Mr. Paul R. Beane currently serves as general manager and morning radio program host at KRBL, 105.7 FM. Mr. Beane's long career began in 1956 at KGVL in Greenville, TX, and he has worked in all aspects of radio since that time. Over the years, he has worked at 18 radio and television stations in Texas and Louisiana, spending the majority of time in and around my hometown of Lubbock. He is a familiar face and voice to the people of west Texas and we appreciate his efforts to bring us news, information and entertainment. Many Lubbock residents have fond memories of Paul's broadcasts. I particularly remember his ``News Flash'' announcements before giving the news update. In this day and age of weblogs, podcasts and e-mail updates, it is refreshing to turn on the radio, hear Paul's voice and get the news from a genuine reporter and trusted member of the community. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Paul Beane on his 50th anniversary in broadcasting.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to my colleagues' attention an important event in my congressional district. On February 27, 2006, the African-American Chamber of Commerce in Lubbock, Texas, is holding the third annual induction ceremony for the Educators Hall of Fame. This unique event honors Lubbock's local educators and recognizes the essential role they play in the community. This year, the Educators Hall of Fame will honor six teachers who, among other accomplishments, prepared students for leadership before and during the civil rights movement. These educators are unsung heroes who helped build a foundation during those turbulent times for the march toward full equality promised by our Constitution. For the first time, three non African-Americans will be honored for their commitment to help African-American youth during that time. This year's inductees into the Educators Hall of Fame are Dr. Sam Ayers, Ms. Lottie Barrow, Lubbock Independent School District Superintendent Wayne Havens, Ms. Nora Hutchinson, Ms. Rose Mediano, and Ms. Mae Phea. The Lubbock African-American Chamber of Commerce should be commended for their initiative to recognize the important work done by education professionals. These educators are being honored because they believe that America can be made a better place through education. Their years of service have touched the lives of many and improved our community, State and country.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, last month, Texas lost a law-enforcement officer in the line of duty. Trooper Matthew DeWayne Myrick lived in Hereford, TX, and served as a State trooper for 2 years. He died in an automobile accident while responding to another accident south of Hereford. While I didn't have the honor to know Trooper Myrick personally, I did have the opportunity to pay my respects at his memorial service. There I learned about a remarkable man who loved God, his family and his country. Trooper Myrick served his country as a member of the U.S. Navy. He then earned both his undergraduate degree and a masters degree in Agronomy from Texas Tech University. He was a devoted husband of Christy and loving father of four children, Matilyn, Tate, Luke and Embry. A family man, he was well known for his strong faith in God. His love for God was the center of his life and affected every part of his life. Trooper Myrick leaves behind a great legacy of faith, love for his family and public service. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him and by those West Texans he served through his work with the Texas State Patrol. His family and community can be proud of his life of love and service. He is an example to us all of a life well- lived.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time. Like many of the previous speakers, I, too, am very disappointed this evening that we did not have an opportunity to bring some real reform to this process. The committee, I think, worked very hard in making sure that we move down the road of transitioning this insurance program back to the private sector, which is where it belongs. Unfortunately, the version that we are considering tonight will not do that. Another thing that is extremely disappointing, I think, about tonight's version is that, in the event of a catastrophic event, the American taxpayers were going to step up in a gap basis but eventually get all of their money back. In this particular bill, that will not be the case. This is an area where the government, I think, stepped in at an appropriate time to shore up the marketplace, the insurance marketplace; but I think one of the things that is very important is that, as we move forward, while we are going to extend this for a period of 2 years, I think it is important that the committee continue to work very diligently to make sure that we work towards a process working with the private sector, ensuring that we move and transition in a way that really puts this back into a free marketplace, which is where it belongs. So I want to thank the chairman for his hard work. I know that he shares in the disappointment that we are not really considering the House version, which is a better version, tonight and which was a more fiscally responsible version.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Oxley and Ranking Member Frank. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3422 would exempt public housing authorities with 250 or fewer public housing units and section 8 vouchers combined from the requirement of submitting an annual plan to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In the 108th Congress, the House passed a similar legislation sponsored by former Congressman Doug Bereuter. The Senate, however, failed to take up this legislation. I represent a rural West Texas district. Most of the public housing authorities in my district have fewer than 250 housing units and/or vouchers. Several have part-time directors or directors who split time between public housing authorities. The annual plan process, mandated by Congress in 1998, requires a significant amount of time and resources for these public housing authorities. This mandate is especially burdensome on our PHAs, our small ones, because they have few staff resources to devote to the annual plans. While HUD has taken regulatory steps to reduce the reporting burden for small PHAs, the plans still require much unnecessary paperwork and additional time. Reducing the unnecessary paperwork and reporting will help smaller PHAs better serve their communities and focus on their mission of providing affordable rural housing to rural residents in need. H.R. 3422 only addresses annual plans. Small PHAs will still complete their HUD 5-year plan. This legislation also requires PHAs to continue providing their residents with opportunity to help set goals and policies for the housing authority and to continue to certify their civil rights compliance with HUD. However, I would note that the intent of this legislation is for HUD to keep the annual certification process as simple as possible and not create additional requirements and additional reports for PHAs. This is a small bill, but it has a positive impact on PHAs in rural areas in my district, and I ask the House that this much-needed, commonsense regulatory relief for small public housing authorities be passed. As the ranking member said, one of the things that makes sense is when government oversteps its bounds, it is appropriate for government to step back in and correct those. I think this is a much-needed correction so that we can let these small public housing authorities focus on the tenants and not on the paperwork. I thank, again, the chairman and the ranking member.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, the federal government is facing a serious deficit due to recession, attacks on our Nation and the ongoing war on terrorism. The good news is that the deficit is going down and, although it doesn't go as far as I would like, this legislation reduces the deficit further. Much-needed tax relief helped boost the economy and create more than 4 million jobs since May of 2003. Following three straight years of tax relief, tax revenues are up and the deficit is down by nearly $200 billion. The growing economy makes a difference, but Congress must also take action on the spending side of the equation. For the first time in more than 20 years, we are on track to reduce discretionary spending by almost one percent. However, more than half of federal spending takes place through programs with budgets that essentially run on auto-pilot. Until we address the runaway spending growth in these programs, which is outpacing growth of the economy, Congress will never be able to balance the budget. Republicans in Congress have developed a plan that will reform these auto-pilot programs and save taxpayer dollars in order to reduce the deficit. The Deficit Reduction Act includes program reforms totaling nearly $50 billion in net savings over the next five years. To put this in perspective, this slows the rate of growth in the automatic portion of the budget by one-tenth of a percent. No, this is not nearly enough to close the deficit gap, but it is an important start that will have positive effects. Although I support the savings in this bill, I am extremely disappointed that the portion of our plan that would reduce dependency on foreign oil by allowing exploration in a small portion of the Arctic Refuge was struck from the bill. Raising $3.678 billion over five years through oil and gas leases would not only help reduce the deficit but would also increase our energy security. The House has overwhelmingly voted to open ANWR in the past, and there is no good reason why this bill should not include it. All areas of government must contribute to the savings in this bill, and agriculture is no exception. However, with high fuel costs, the last thing our producers need is to bear a disproportionate burden of the deficit-reducing effort. I worked to ensure that agriculture's contribution treats farmers fairly, protects the core policies of the 2002 Farm Bill, and looks at all areas of spending within USDA. Our plan reduces farm program direct payments by just one percent for the next four years and delays elimination of the Step 2 cotton competitiveness program until August, 2006. I support the reforms we are making in the food stamp program to help ensure that benefits are going to those who are truly eligible and in need. Despite the claims to the contrary, we are not reducing nutrition assistance for a single U.S. citizen who meets the eligibility requirements. Rather, our reforms will direct benefits to U.S. citizens and discontinue the practice of automatically granting enrollment to certain groups of recipients without first determining their eligibility. This irresponsible practice has resulted in millions of dollars of benefits going to those who are not eligible. Our plan strengthens Medicaid, which has helped many low-income Americans gain access to healthcare. Federal Medicaid spending has increased 97 percent since 1995 and will continue to grow by an unsustainable seven percent each year if no reforms are made. Because Medicaid also represents a large share of state budgets, provisions offered by a bipartisan coalition of governors are included in our plan. These provisions include requiring more accurate prescription drug pricing and closing loopholes that have allowed wealthy Americans to deplete their assets and collect benefits intended for those who truly need them. We also require states to better enforce current laws and prevent illegal immigrants from getting Medicaid. These reforms will save $12 billion through the end of this decade. Some in Congress, and their allies outside these halls, attack this plan and willfully misrepresent the effects it will have on Americans. Let's be clear: Congress is not cutting programs. What we are doing is taking a step to slow the unsustainable growth rate of these programs and reform them to prevent waste and abuse. Those who criticize this effort have offered no alternative of their own. Because they are bereft of new ideas, they are content to carp from the sidelines. But left to their own devices, they would increase taxes on hard-working American families to grow the size of an already massive and wasteful government. The bottom line is that real solutions and responsible leadership are needed to balance the federal government's checkbook. By reforming government and renewing our commitment to hardworking American taxpayers, our plan will continue to reduce the deficit and expand the economy.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Old Jail Art Center in Albany, Texas on its 25th anniversary. The Art Center first opened on December 19, 1980 and, as the name indicates, is located in the first permanent jail built in Shackelford County. The historic location in combination with the excellent permanent art collection and other exhibits gives Albany an important cultural center that receives over 30,000 visitors a year. Texas Monthly magazine has called The Old Jail Art Center the best small-town museum in the state and it is easy to see why. It has a permanent collection of over 1900 works of art, including modem paintings by artists such as Thomas Hart Benton, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Pablo Picasso. The museum's Eastern Art Collection displays thirty- five Chinese terra-cotta tomb figures from the Han and T'ang dynasties. The Old Jail Art Center provides art education opportunities with 43 Big Country school districts. In addition, the museum offers historical archives and serves as a research library for Shackelford County. I am pleased to honor this full service art center that contributes to the cultural and educational opportunities for my constituents in the 19th Congressional District of Texas. I would like to congratulate all those involved with making this museum such a success. The citizens of Albany and all Texans can be proud of the Old Jail Art Center and its programs.