Alan Nunnelee

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor one of the members of the Greatest Generation, Mr. Paul Eason. Mr. Paul came home after World War II and became a success in his community by any measure of the word: a manufacturing leader, three terms on our city council, chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission, Citizen of the Year. But his most significant contribution was giving his time and energy as scoutmaster for three generations of boys in Tupelo, Mississippi. He was the scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 12 for over 59 years. When he began, his scouts thought it would be interesting to see if they could go for a year without missing a monthly campout. And Troop 12 recently completed its 729th consecutive monthly campout, not missing a month since Harry Truman was president. They thought they were learning how to tie knots and pitch tents; Mr. Paul was teaching them the meaning of the scout oath: ``On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country.'' America needs more young men that understand the meaning of duty, excellence, and honor. As a father of two of Troop 12's eagle scouts, Mr. Paul, I want to say thank you for the contribution you've made to your community, your State, and to your Nation. And on this, your 90th birthday, may God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the Keystone XL pipeline. Opponents of this pipeline claim it will damage the environment, that it will ship oil from Canada to China, and that increasing the supply of oil will somehow raise gas prices. The truth is that this pipeline has been through the most thorough environmental review of any pipeline in history, the oil carried by it will go to American markets, and it will help lower energy prices by moving capacity from growing basins in Canada, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and west Texas that are comparable in volume to nearly half of the U.S. Persian Gulf imports. The Keystone XL pipeline will also benefit America by increasing the percentage of our energy supply provided by a stable neighbor and ally. More North American oil means less oil from Venezuela and Iran. This pipeline will create 20,000 high-wage construction jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs. Keystone XL will also provide a new and stable supply access to gulf coast refiners, like the one in Pascagoula, Mississippi, who set the price of gasoline and are vulnerable to OPEC and supply disruptions. We in the House are focused on jobs and the economy, and this pipeline is an obvious, direct example of what real stimulus looks like--stimulus that comes from the private economy and produces real value. The fact of the matter is that Canada is going to develop their resources, and if we do not want their oil, that supply will go elsewhere to our competitors such as China. The Canadians have the supply, and we have the demand. And the Keystone XL pipeline has gone through a rigorous environmental review. There's no reason not to move forward with this vital project. The President needs to get off the campaign trail long enough to get his administration out of the way so that the Keystone XL pipeline can be developed.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. I thank the gentlelady from North Carolina for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 358, the Protect Life Act, which would prohibit Federal funding for abortions and would end abortion coverage under President Obama's health care law. As a member of the Mississippi State Senate, I introduced similar legislation that would have prevented hard-earned tax dollars of Mississippians for paying for abortions under ObamaCare. That legislation specifically allowed Mississippi to opt out of using the State tax money to pay for abortions in the State health care exchange. And I'm proud to say that in May of 2010, our Governor, Haley Barbour, signed that legislation into law and Mississippi became the third State in the Nation to approve the abortion subsidy opt-out. For 16 years, it was my privilege to stand up for life on the floor of the Mississippi Senate. And I'm proud to say that as a result of that effort, Mississippi is now one of the safest States in the Nation for unborn children and one of the strongest pro-life States in the Nation. Today, I'm proud to take that voice to the floor of the House of Representatives in our Nation's Capitol. ObamaCare should not have served as a vehicle for abandoning or weakening Federal policies on abortion funding. Health care is about saving and nurturing, not about taking human life. Even though President Obama signed an Executive order to address abortion funding concerns in the health care bill, an Executive order is not law. The Protect Life Act would strengthen long-standing Federal policies on abortions; and, more importantly, would codify the principles of the President's Executive order. As I stand here today, I have the privilege of serving the First District of Mississippi in the United States House of Representatives, and I will continue to fight to protect the lives of the innocent and to serve as a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. Americans recognize the value of life. As a cosponsor of this legislation, I urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to support this bill as we work to defend the morals of our taxpayers and give the needed protections to the unborn.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Madam Speaker, we continue to suffer from an unemployment rate of over 10 percent, and America saw zero job growth in the month of August. Our Nation has a jobs crisis. So why is the Obama administration making it so difficult to create jobs? Not only do we have a jobs crisis, but we also have a debt crisis. These two things are interconnected, and we certainly should not make one worse while making the other better. The President has outlined his $447 billion jobs plan, and it's essentially stimulus number two. It's the same recycled ideas that clearly didn't work from the last $800 billion stimulus. At the same time, the President wants to pay for his plan with $1.5 trillion in new taxes. It's estimated that small business owners would pay over half the taxes raised under this proposal, ultimately hitting our employers the hardest and creating an even worse environment for private sector job growth. Tax increases destroy jobs. They're not an option. Now, there are some issues we agree on. For example, infrastructure funding. That's an appropriate function of government. It's something we could do to boost a sagging economy. But the problem is mistrust. With the President's first stimulus, little went to actual infrastructure development. Now, we agree that we must move forward on the three free trade agreements. By passing those agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea we'll increase competitiveness of American manufacturers and have an increase of 250,000 American jobs. While we can find common ground on a few things, the President continues to show reluctance on impacting entitlement program solvency. His proposal seeks to strengthen the independent advisory board which was created by ObamaCare. This board of unelected bureaucrats was given way too much authority in the first place to determine what benefits are covered and how much physicians are paid. The best way to control costs in Medicare is to increase choice and competition, not by empowering a group of unelected bureaucrats. The Obama administration has created a triple threat of out-of- control spending, excessive regulations, and higher taxes. And these three things have resulted in an environment that has destroyed the confidence and prevented job creators from hiring. Washington must create an environment favorable to job creation and focus on removing this triple threat. First, we must continue to fight to rein in Washington's unrestrained spending. This fall, the Congress will deal with a balanced budget agreement which would finally force Washington to live within its means and do what families, businesses, and local and State governments are already required to do, and that is balance their budgets. We must focus on regulatory relief. Just recently the House passed a bill that would prohibit the National Labor Relations Board from dictating where an employer can and cannot locate jobs in the United States. Employers need to be allowed to invest in the State that offers the best economic climate for job creation. This week we're going to vote on the TRAIN Act. The Obama EPA has imposed unnecessary and burdensome regulations on businesses, and we want to determine how those regulations affect electricity prices, fuel prices, and unemployment. The TRAIN Act will help uncover exactly how much the EPA is costing Mississippi consumers, farmers, small businesses, and State and local governments. These are just a few examples of the frustrating regulations that have come out of the Obama administration. Lastly, we must concentrate on tax reform. The Joint Select Committee has the opportunity to lay the foundation for fundamental tax reform, but they must not enact tax increases. The American people don't need or want more solutions from the Federal Government. They want the Federal Government to get out of their way. By tackling our spending problem, by removing excess regulations and by guaranteeing that taxes will not increase, we will unleash the American economy and give businesses the confidence they need to grow and create jobs.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Madam Speaker, our Nation is faced with 10 percent unemployment and rising, out-of-control deficits. And the Obama administration solution: spend more, tax more, and regulate more. This has created an environment that has destroyed confidence and increased unemployment. Instead, Washington must create an environment favorable to job creation. We must rein in out-of-control spending. This fall, we will vote on a balanced budget amendment that will require Washington to do what families and small businesses already do: live within their means. We must remain focused on relieving the regulations that are choking job creation. And lastly, we must concentrate on tax reform, not tax increases, because increased taxes are the enemy of job creation. The American people don't want more solutions from the Federal Government; they want the Federal Government to get out of the way. And if we do those things, we will unleash the American economy and give businesses the confidence they need to grow and to create jobs.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. The question we're debating tonight is not whether we give aid and assistance to those of our neighbors that have been hit by serious disasters. We all agree that's the appropriate thing to do. The question is do we cut spending elsewhere to pay for that assistance. Now, what our friends on the left have told us is, look, that's not the way we've done it in the past. In fact, we've always done it by just going ahead and spending without any offset. Doing it the way we've always done it has put us $14 trillion in debt. What we have to do is exactly what the people of Monroe County, Mississippi did on the night of April 26. Those families had dreams. They had hopes; they had plans. And on April 27, the tornados hit and their plans changed, and they redirected their spending plans to take care of the disaster. Now, if the families in Monroe County, Mississippi have done that, they have every reason to expect their government to do the same thing. Now, we've been told, But we need some government program to create jobs. If we will give the American people the assurance that their government is serious about cutting spending like this bill does, we'll give them the confidence to create jobs. If we remove the regulatory burdens, American businesses will create jobs. And if we give them the assurance that we're not going to raise their taxes, the American economy will thrive and create jobs.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Thank you, Mr. Dreier. We've heard from our friends on the other side ``we want compromise.'' The American people expect solutions. This Harry Reid plan offers no real solutions to the out-of-control spending problem. This Harry Reid plan offers no solutions to the broken Washington mess that got us here. So I will vote ``no.''

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, last week the remains of Corporal Judge C. Hellums of Paris, Mississippi, were returned from the Parroy Forest near Luneville, France, and given a proper burial in Arlington National Cemetery. In the fall of 1944, following the Normandy invasion, Corporal Hellums' unit, the 773rd Tank Battalion, was fighting its way east through France toward the German border. The M-10 tank destroyer to which he was assigned was attacked. Two men survived with serious injuries, but Corporal Hellums, along with Private First Class Lawrence N. Harris of Elkins, West Virginia, and Private Donald D. Owens of Cleveland, Ohio, were killed in the attack. All evidence at the time indicated that their remains had been destroyed. Over the last decade, through the cooperation of a French citizen who had been exploring the forest and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command using DNA evidence and forensic identification tools, the remains of these heroes were identified. On July 20, 2011, 67 years after their deaths, they were given the proper burial they had been denied as they were laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. To these heroes, we say: Welcome home, and may you rest in peace. While these soldiers were identified, we still have 72,000 American soldiers who are unaccounted for from World War II, and more than 83,000 from all wars who are missing in action. Staff Sergeant Leroy Leist is one of those Americans. In 1944, his World War II bomber was shot down over the North Sea. His body, along with several of his fellow crewmembers, was never recovered. For more than a decade, Adrian Caldwell has worked tirelessly to locate her father's remains and bring them home. All of our fallen war heroes deserve a proper burial, and my office is working with Mrs. Caldwell to ensure that her father receives what he earned--the honor and gratitude from the country he served and gave his life to defend. This repatriation reminds us that freedom is not free. We enjoy the liberty of a free Nation today because of men like these who answered freedom's call. And the way we honor their sacrifice is to remember them and call them by name. The Greatest Generation is passing to their heavenly reward at a rate of over a thousand people a day. These are veterans who left their homes to fight in faraway places. These are families who supported those efforts. We cannot thank them enough before they are called home. The other way we honor their sacrifice is to pass on the legacy of freedom that they died to defend. When I conduct town hall meetings around Mississippi, I ask a question: Do you believe your grandchildren will live a better life than you lived? For the first time in American history the answer to that question is no. Sixty-seven years from now, and 167 years from now, successive generations will review the actions of our generation. Only history will record if we answered freedom's call.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I am humbled today to rise in memoriam of Army Sergeant Jason W. Vaughn of Iuka, Mississippi, who gave his life in defense of freedom. Sergeant Vaughn was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington. He was only 29 years old. Sergeant Vaughn was killed in action on May 10, 2007, when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Baqubah, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He joined the Army in 2002. Sergeant Vaughn first served in Iraq from November of 2003 until 2004. In fact, he was serving his second tour of duty when he was killed in action. He was the recipient of the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, and the Global War on Terror Service Medal. Sergeant Vaughn was buried with full military honors at Oak Grove Cemetery in Iuka, Mississippi, on May 19, 2007. He held the rank of specialist, and he was posthumously promoted to sergeant and awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He was a graduate of Tishomingo County High School. By all accounts he was a loyal friend and a great leader. His father, Walter Vaughn, told the Associated Press, ``He had friends all over the place. He was an outgoing type of person. The world lost a leader. My son was a born leader.'' RaNae Smith Vaughn spoke proudly of her son: ``Jason was a handsome man on the outside and, more importantly, on the inside. We will always remember his smile, bear hugs, love of life, positive attitude, and his way of making everyone around him feel special. His greatest attribute may have been his kind heart. Jay was always extremely considerate of the needs of his family and friends. He never forgot to call and give his mother and his sister a special greeting on birthdays and other special occasions. We as his family are so grateful for the opportunity to have had him in our lives. Jason will live on in our hearts and minds forever.'' Sergeant Vaughn also left behind his wife, Contessa W. Vaughn; his stepdaughter, Ashley Martin; and a brother and a sister. I want to thank my colleagues in the Mississippi delegation and the 112th Congress for their support of H.R. 2213 to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 801 West Eastport Street in Iuka, Mississippi, as the Sergeant Jason W. Vaughn Post Office. We cannot bring back a husband or a son, but this bill honors his memory and his sacrifice. And it will serve as a constant reminder to the people of Tishomingo County that freedom is not free. Mr. Speaker, I would urge passage.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding. Today the majority of Americans don't believe that successive generations will enjoy the quality of life that they've enjoyed, and a lot of that fear is driven by unrestrained Federal Government, unrestrained spending, because the majority of Americans understand the proverb: The borrower is the slave to the lender. Just a few hours ago, Harper Grace Nunnelee entered the world. And today, in her honor, her grandfather will cast a vote to secure the blessings of liberty for Harper Grace and for her brother, Thomas, and for their successive generations yet unborn. And I hope that a majority of my colleagues will join me as we vote to cut, to cap, and to balance.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. I want to thank the subcommittee chairman and the committee chairman for bringing this bill forward in the way that they've done it. I particularly want to thank them for the fact that this bill provides $1 billion in emergency funding for the Army Corps of Engineers to repair the damage caused by recent storms and floods and to prepare for future disaster events. This funding is offset by a rescission of the remaining emergency high-speed rail funding that was originally allocated in the stimulus bill. Our friends on the other side have told us they're not opposed to the emergency funding because of the storms and floods--they just don't like the offset. In fact, I've heard it said, We've always done it this way. When an emergency comes up, when a disaster occurs, we've always just funded it without a spending offset. Madam Chairman, on April 26, 2011, the people of Smithville, Mississippi, had hopes; they had dreams and they had plans. Some of those plans were budgetary and financial, but on April 27, at approximately 3 p.m., those plans changed. They changed drastically. When an historically devastating storm swept through the Southeast, Smithville, Mississippi, was struck by an EF5 tornado, and was literally wiped off the face of the Earth. Let me make it quite clear. The people of Smithville are very grateful for the outpouring of food, of supplies, of materials that have come from around the Nation. They're grateful for the outpouring of help that has come from the various agencies of the Federal and State governments, but those same people have also redirected plans and priorities in their own lives. They didn't proceed forward with the plans that they had the day before. Madam Chairman, if the men and women in Smithville, Mississippi--many of whom are living in trailers, many of whom have seen their lives disrupted and houses destroyed--are making the difficult choices in their own lives, they have every reason to expect their government to do the exact same thing. That's the basis for budgeting: deciding how to allocate available resources for both planned and unplanned events. They continue to say, But we've never done it that way. Madam Chairman, over the past three decades, if we'd had leadership in this body like that of the leader of this subcommittee and the chairman of the committee and if we had done it in the way that they're doing it today, our national debt would be at least $1.3 trillion lower, and we would not even be in this debate about considering to raise it. I want to thank the chairmen for their leadership, and I urge the passage of this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NUNNELEE. Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, last week we learned that the economy added a meager 18,000 jobs and the unemployment rate went up to 9.2 percent, far from the 6.7 percent that President Obama claimed it would be today if the stimulus bill had been signed into law. Far too many Americans are looking for jobs. Yet the President insists that tax increases are the way to fix Washington's spending problem. Tax hikes that will destroy jobs and destroy the confidence that our job creators need to hire new employees. To keep American jobs here we don't need to raise taxes. We do need to get our fiscal house in order. Twenty-two million Americans search daily for full-time work, the worst sustained unemployment streak since the Great Depression. To these Americans, there is no end in sight. For them, unemployment's not a rate, it's a reality. Our job crisis has everything to do with our spending crisis and our debt crisis. If we hit the August 2 deadline, the United States Government will face what many Americans have felt: Too much month left at the end of our money. We simply won't have enough money to pay our bills. Americans have had to make that decision time and time again. At the end of the month, they have to decide what to pay first--the mortgage, the electric bill, the grocery bill, or the car payment. Now, I will be very disappointed if, in making those decisions, the administration chooses to play politics. We need to make sure we pay Social Security, interest on the debt, Medicare, and our troops that are standing in harm's way. The American people want real solutions, and the House of Representatives has committed to a long-term plan. We voted for a budget that would make Washington start living within its means. Even the President's own chief of staff has said that in 5 years Medicare is going broke. However, it's been 800 days since our friends in the Senate have passed a budget. And they have nine House-passed jobs bills sitting in their hands, but they refuse to act on any of them. A recent poll shows that only 17 percent of mothers believe that their children will have a better life in the future. At every townhall meeting I ask participants whether they think their grandchildren will live a better quality of life than they live. The response is slim. If Congress is going to be asked to raise the debt ceiling, we must have a long-term plan to fix Washington's spending problem. House Republicans have made our demands clear. We will not raise the debt ceiling without spending cuts larger than an increase in the debt ceiling. We will not raise the debt ceiling without structural reforms that restrain further spending and guarantee that we don't get into this mess again. And I am not interested in a temporary band-aid. We have already voted ``no'' on raising our debt limit without significant cuts and reforms. We will not support a plan that raises taxes on hardworking Americans. We didn't get into this problem because taxes are too low. We are in this situation because of runaway spending and the failed economic policies of this administration. We need to move forward and solve this crisis in a responsible way.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Yesterday, President Obama executed a shortsighted energy plan and released 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, all while the United States' combined recoverable oil, natural gas, and coal resources are 1.3 trillion barrels of oil equivalent, the largest in the world. We have 40,000 times more American natural resources under our ground than the amount President Obama took out of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Drawing down reserves intended for national emergencies is far from the energy plan we need, especially when we're sitting on abundant resources. President Obama must quit blocking American energy production. Mr. President, if you want to make us energy secure, if you want to see a thriving economy creating jobs, if you want to free Americans from the burden of high gas prices, unleash the power and ingenuity of American energy exploration, and do it now.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, at 2:35 a.m., Endeavor landed safely following its final trip into space. As Endeavor retires after its 25th mission, it lives on with a unique legacy: the only space shuttle named by children. In 1989, Senatobia, Mississippi, Middle School was the national winner in a competition to name a new spacecraft. Their mission? To come up with a name that captured the spirit of America's mission in space. On May 16, two decades later, as Endeavor launched its final mission, those elementary children are now adults, and the spirit and excitement of that final flight was felt most in Senatobia, Mississippi. As the Senatobia-1, a balloon built and flown by students, was launched, it was filled with signatures wishing Congresswoman Giffords a speedy recovery and captured beautiful images of their beloved spaceship as it took to the skies for one last time.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, yesterday in this Chamber, we listened as Prime Minister Netanyahu outlined a viable plan for peace in the Middle East, a plan that includes a free Palestinian state and a secure Israel. Earlier, President Obama used the phrase, ``The United States believes,'' to articulate his beliefs that this peace should be based on the 1967 borders. This is not how the United States feels or has ever felt about Israel, an ally and a close friend; a friendship based on common democratic values, religious affinities, and security interests. As a friend, we cannot force Israel into indefensible borders ultimately leading to its destruction, because Israel is surrounded by people who want to see it wiped off the face of the Earth. Israel is our friend, and we, the United States of America, believe in standing with our friend.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. This morning, in Tupelo, Mississippi, Whiteside's Restaurant is quiet. The lights are turned off. Tables around which coffee and conversation had flowed freely, a place where I have enjoyed many great meals, is quiet this morning. And on the front door there's a sign that simply says, ``Due to the economy and Uncle Sam, Whiteside's is closed. Donna Whiteside said that the driving force in her closing her business was higher taxes, increased gas prices, and a sluggish economy. Higher gas prices have become a cruel tax on all Americans. Donna Whiteside saw it as her customers had shrinking disposable incomes because of higher gas prices. Donna Whiteside saw that the cost of her groceries were going up because of higher gas prices. What is not helping Americans get relief at the pump is the stalling of energy production by this administration. Since taking office, President Obama has actively delayed, blocked, and stalled American energy production--and the American people are sick of these stalling tactics. That's why the House of Representatives is concentrating on three key initiatives that will reverse the Obama administration's policies that are hurting families and small businesses, destroying jobs, and increasing our reliance on foreign oil. Last week, the House passed the Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act. It will require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct oil and natural gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Virginia that have been delayed or canceled by this administration. In fact, if we don't have an oil lease this year, it will be the first time in my lifetime that the American public has not had that. Yesterday, the House voted on the Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act. Since the drilling moratorium was officially lifted in October, the administration has chosen to drag their feet and stalled the permitting process in the gulf. Twelve rigs have already left the gulf for other regions, taking hundreds and even thousands of jobs with them. This steady decline in oil and natural gas production is costing the United States $4.7 million every day in lost revenues. This act speeds up the drilling permitting process and will put thousands of Americans back to work. Today, we'll vote on the Reversing President Obama's Offshore Moratorium Act. The administration's actions have placed the Atlantic coast, the Pacific coast, and areas of Alaska off limits. This Act will implement a smart drilling plan requiring the administration to move forward on American energy production in areas containing the most oil and natural gas resources. In north Mississippi, we're working at leading the way toward helping our Nation become energy secure. All three of these bills combined can create up to 1.2 million jobs that will generate revenue that our Nation needs, and it will put us on the path to achieving energy security, of more American oil, more natural gas, clean coal, nuclear energy, and new technologies such as wind and solar. Donna Whiteside and the thousands of businesses and families around America need to know that the House of Representatives is listening to them. The House Republican American energy initiatives will free the American people from the Obama administration's stalling games. If the Senate will consider and pass this legislation, it will put an end to higher gas prices that are straining budgets and are compromising our energy security.

Mr. NUNNELEE

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 218, I call up the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 36) directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make a correction in the enrollment of H.R. 1473, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on House Concurrent Resolution 36.

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes. This resolution would deny funding to Planned Parenthood. It's morally wrong to have taxpayer dollars from my constituents in Mississippi, or from any other State, go towards organizations that provide abortions. Since 1977 Planned Parenthood has assisted in aborting the lives of over 5 million children. This resolution before the House is simple and straightforward. Now, there will be those who frame the resolution as a debate over denying health care benefits for women. This isn't the case. In fact, in this resolution not one dime of women's health or family health planning funding is reduced. It simply says those dollars cannot go to Planned Parenthood. This is an organization that has protected those who prey on our children and has protected those who rape our granddaughters. Planned Parenthood holds itself to be above the law by ignoring mandatory reporting requirements, by skirting parental consent, by aiding and abetting child trafficking. They put quick and secret abortions ahead of the welfare of victimized young girls. And it has to stop. Those who oppose this resolution are enabling them. I refuse to reach into the pockets of our taxpayers to fund this sort of activity. I have always viewed these young women as much victims as the unborn child, and I want to go after those corrupt and immoral businesses that exploit them. We did a pretty good job of running them out of the State of Mississippi. In fact, in November Mississippi will have on its ballot an initiative that defines personhood, and over 106,000 Mississippians put their signatures on the initiative to get this on the ballot. And Planned Parenthood is a political organization and is funding the opposition to this ballot. Bottom line: We need to deny funding to those agencies that support abortions, and this resolution will do that. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Tennessee, the principal sponsor of the bill, Mrs. Black.

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence). (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the other principal sponsor of this bill, the gentlelady from Alabama (Mrs. Roby). (Mrs. ROBY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. NUNNELEE. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

Mr. NUNNELEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).