Mike Pence

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Chairman, with so many American families struggling, with so many Americans struggling to find work, and businesses struggling to hire unemployed Americans, it's time to rein in the Federal Government. It's time to rein in the avalanche of red tape cascading out of Washington, D.C. and stifling our recovery. It's time to enact the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2011, the REINS Act. I rise to commend the gentleman from Kentucky, Congressman Geoff Davis, for his visionary and tireless efforts in moving the REINS Act to the floor today and for his leadership in this Congress. You know, small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. They represent 99.7 percent of employer firms, and have generated 65 percent of net new jobs over the past 17 years. Yet today, as most American small businesses know, our job creators are saddled with too many regulations and too many regulatory authorities. According to the Small Business Administration, the average small business faces a cost of $10,585 in Federal regulation per employee each and every year. The REINS Act will address that. It will protect jobs and promote small business growth by ensuring that the legislative branch has the final say on major regulations before they take effect. This legislation reforms the rulemaking process by requiring that Congress approve any regulation that would have an annual economic impact of $100 million or more. For too long, Congress has delegated its legislative authority to unelected bureaucrats and agency officials to determine the rulemaking process. It's time to bring that authority back into the Congress where the Framers of the Constitution intended it to be, especially with regard to major rulemaking. The American people are hurting. The American economy is struggling. It's time to rein in Big Government and release the inherent power of the American economy. Again, I urge my colleagues to join with me in a bipartisan fashion, I hope and trust, in support of this important legislation.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate one of Columbus, Indiana's most famous sons, the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, Tony Stewart. Indiana has long been known as the world's capital of auto racing and Hoosiers are proud of our home-grown NASCAR champ. In a season finale that went down to the last lap, Tony drove what he called the greatest race of his life. His victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway clinched the season championship and cemented his status as one of stock car racing's all-time greats. Tony's racing career began like many other aspiring young racers-- behind the wheel of a go-kart. In 1983, at the age of twelve, Tony won his first championship. By 1989, he had moved from go-karts to open- wheel machines and captured the National Midget championship in 1994. The next year, he won the United States Auto Club's Triple Crown. In 1996, Tony demonstrated his prowess for racing at the Brickyard by capturing Rookie of the Year honors at the Indianapolis 500 and followed up with an IndyCar championship a year later. After becoming a full-time NASCAR driver in 1999, Tony won three races en route to becoming NASCAR's Rookie of the Year. Three seasons later, he won his first NASCAR championship. In 2005, Tony won the Brickyard 400 before a hometown crowd and went on later in the season to take his second title. The 2011 season will long be remembered for Tony's historic run in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. As a testament to the tenacity and poise of the entire Stewart-Hass Racing team, Tony brought the number fourteen to victory lane in five of the ten races that make up the Chase. Mr. Speaker, Hoosier race fans like myself have come to know Tony Stewart as a tremendous competitor. Whether he is racing the short tracks and dirt ovals all across Indiana, or at our famous Brickyard, Tony Stewart is a true champion.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Academy of Model Aeronautics located in Muncie, Indiana, for their receipt of the prestigious National Aeronautic Association's Brewer Trophy for youth education. The Brewer Trophy is the nation's highest award for aerospace education and is awarded annually to individuals or organizations who make significant contributions to aerospace education in the United States. The Academy of Model Aeronautics has a 75-year history of aviation education, and they have impacted millions of young people across the country. They have taught tens of thousands of teachers, community leaders, and students how to build and fly miniature aircraft. In addition to their educational programs, the Academy of Model Aeronautics has given nearly $800,000 in scholarships to college-bound seniors pursuing careers almost exclusively in engineering, technical, and professional disciplines. The Academy is also strongly invested in science, technology, engineering, and math education programs. I commend the Academy of Model Aeronautics for their receipt of the prestigious Brewery Trophy and thank them for their numerous contributions to the Muncie community, the State of Indiana, and the nation.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 2, a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This is a challenging time in the life of our Nation. Our economy is struggling under the failed economic policies of the recent past and under a mountain range of debt. We have an unchecked, spendthrift Federal Government that's placing a burden of insurmountable debt on our children and grandchildren. Washington, D.C. isn't just broke, it's broken. And the time has come to change the way we spend the people's money. And to do that in our national charter, the time has come for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States. I want to take a moment to commend just a few people who brought us to this day. I want to commend Speaker Boehner and the Republican leadership for ensuring that for the first time in 15 years we would have an up-or-down vote in the House and in the Senate on a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. But I also want to commend the gentleman from Virginia, Congressman Goodlatte, who throughout those last 15 years has been, as we say back home, like a dog with a bone on a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. His tenacity, his commitment to this reform, not singularly but predominantly, has brought us to this day, and I commend him from my heart. Our Nation is sinking in a sea of debt. Just this week, we passed $15 trillion in national debt. And the American people are tired of the same old arguments. They want solutions, not slogans. They want reforms, not rhetoric. The balanced budget amendment to the Constitution is an authentic, long-term solution to runaway Federal spending, deficits, and debt by both political parties. The measure we bring to the floor today is a bipartisan measure. It is nearly identical to the version that last passed the House with bipartisan support. It requires simply that the Federal Government not spend more than it takes; it requires a three-fifths vote to raise the Nation's debt ceiling; and it requires any increase in taxes by a true majority rollcall vote. Now, while I support this historic version, this bipartisan version of the balanced budget amendment, I do regret it doesn't go further. I would that we had brought a version of the balanced budget amendment to the floor that included a cap on Federal spending, strict limits on the judiciary, and a higher hurdle for Congress to raise taxes on the American people. But while this version of the balanced budget amendment doesn't have everything I want, I believe it will move the debate forward. Adding to our national charter the expectation of the American people that this national government live within its means, that the income meet the outgo, would be a historic addition. So I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan version of the balanced budget amendment. Let's send it to the Senate by the requisite supermajority, and then let's let the States decide whether the time has come to put in our national charter the requirement that this government live within the means of the American people.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Well, with a national government seemingly incapable of confronting a mountain range of debt and a national media preoccupied with politics, I have to tell you, Mr. Speaker, as I travel across the State of Indiana, one thing is clear: In the city or on the farm, Hoosier families are hurting. Unemployment in the State of Indiana is a heartbreaking 8.9 percent, and Hoosiers want action on jobs. Now, the President is traveling around the country talking about his legislation. He says that the American people can't wait to take action on jobs, and let me just say, I couldn't agree more. The good news is House Republicans have a plan, and House Republicans have taken action. Since the first of this year, House Republicans have passed no less than 15 different pieces of legislation to create jobs in America. These are commonsense, bipartisan bills that have passed the House of Representatives and are now languishing in the Senate. We call them the forgotten 15. Among the forgotten 15 is legislation to increase domestic energy production, reduce the harmful Federal regulatory burden on jobs, help unemployed veterans, and the rest. I urge my colleagues in the other body to take action on the forgotten 15. We can't wait. Let's take the measures necessary to put Americans back to work.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution to reaffirm `In God We Trust' as the official motto of the United States (H. Con. Res. 13), and I want to thank Congressman Randy Forbes for introducing this resolution and commend him for his tireless and ongoing defense of America's Christian heritage. I believe that reaffirming our commitment to ``In God We Trust'' as the official motto of the United States matters. It pays tribute to our present and past, and it facilitates our future. America was founded on the principle that we derive our rights from our Creator. They are not given to us by government or by kings. These rights are given to us by God. I don't believe that one can adequately explain the near boundless prosperity and advancement of the United States of America since 1776 other than the hand of Providence. In these difficult times, now more than ever, we should reaffirm `In God We Trust' as our official motto.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise along with Congressman Todd Young to honor the life and legacy of Professor Harve Rawson. Harve Rawson was greatly talented and abundantly generous. He earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from Antioch College, and went on to earn a master of arts and doctorate in research psychology at Ohio State University. For thirty-two years Dr. Rawson served as a professor of psychology at Hanover College, and later served as dean of faculty at Franklin College. He was the first two-time winner of the Baynham Teaching Award, and he was named the Mary E. Hamilton Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Hanover College. Dr. Rawson was a two-time Fulbright Scholar in psychology and also spent a year teaching at the College of Health Sciences in Bahrain. His great passion for traveling also took him to more than 100 countries and all seven continents. Throughout his long and storied career, he authored dozens of research articles, gave more than 500 professional presentations, and wrote nine books about his personal experience and interests. His list of accolades and recognitions include being named a Malone Scholar, a Sagamore of the Wabash by the State of Indiana, a Kentucky Colonel, a Citizen of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers, and a Distinguished Academic Psychologist by the Indiana Psychological Association. Dr. Rawson was also awarded the Golden Quill Award for Outstanding Research and the Outstanding Community Service Award for Psychologists. But beyond his many academic achievements, Harve Rawson was known as a generous leader who truly possessed a servant's heart. He founded Englishton Park Children's Program, a short-term residential program for at-risk children, where he served as director for 25 years. He was also a founding and long-time board member of the Jefferson County Youth Shelter in Madison, Indiana. Mr. Rawson was a four-time president of the Lide White Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors, a long-time member of the Board of Directors of Englishton Park Presbyterian Ministries, Inc., and a member of the Big Brothers Big Sisters board. His impact on the community will forever be remembered by the many lives he touched during his lifetime of service. We offer our deepest condolences to his sons Paul and Reed, his brother John, his sister Margaret, and his four grandchildren. During this difficult time, we pray you find solace in faith and family.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month draws to a close, I rise today to express my support for those engaged in the ongoing fight against the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in the United States. More than 1 in 4 cancers in women are breast cancer, and more than 250,000 cases of breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in American women this year. In my home state of Indiana, more than 4,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year alone. We can all do our part in reducing the incidence of breast cancer by talking with our family, friends, and loved ones about individual risk factors, prevention, and early detection. A combination of monthly breast exams, yearly clinical breast exams, and regular mammograms is the best way to detect breast cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages. Mammograms are a particularly important weapon in the fight against breast cancer. Breast cancer is often detected in its earliest stage as an abnormality on a mammogram before it can be felt by a woman or by her health care provider. I would also like to express my sincere admiration of the 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in this country who have exhibited tremendous courage and vigilance in their personal fight against this disease. Our mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, and loved ones afflicted with this disease deserve all our support and respect in their heroic battles as we strive to find the cure.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart to honor the passing of Gordon St. Angelo, a prominent Hoosier and community activist. Mr. St. Angelo was born and raised in Huntingburg, Indiana, where he operated a clothing store. He is most known, however, for his involvement in the community. Mr. St. Angelo helped create a foundation with Milton and Rose Friedman to promote and establish educational choice in America. He also served for 25 years as the senior program officer of community development at the Lilly Endowment. Gordon St. Angelo's other community involvements included serving as chairman of the board for The Indianapolis Star's Jefferson Awards and for the Indianapolis Civic Theatre, was a board member and vice president of the Indianapolis Airport Authority from 1983 to 1999, and served on the boards of numerous community organizations and colleges. Many Hoosiers also remember Gordon St. Angelo for his political involvement in Indiana and on the national stage. He began his career with the Democratic Party, and was instrumental in the successful election campaigns of Governor Roger Branigin, U.S. Senators Birch Bayh and Vance Harke, as well as many other candidates. In 1964, he was elected chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party, a position he held for ten years. He also became the Democratic Party's deputy national chairman in 1968 and helped manage Hubert Humphrey's presidential bid. Mr. St. Angelo was known for his ability to relate to many different kinds of people, and perhaps surprisingly, migrated to the Republican Party a little more than a decade after his involvement in Humphrey's democratic presidential bid. He served as chairman of the Indiana Republican Party from 1981 to 1989, and is remembered as an honorable man who could be friends with his opponents and worked to get the best candidate in office. A committed family man, Gordon St. Angelo was married for 53 years to his beloved wife, the late Beatrice. They loved to travel, and visited more than 100 countries during their life together. I offer my deepest condolences to his three sons, Paul, Kurt, and John. The Old Book tells us that ``the Lord is close to the brokenhearted,'' and that is my prayer for you. During this difficult time may you find solace in faith and family.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Later today the House will consider H.R. 2447, a bill awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Montford Point Marines, the first African Americans to serve in the United States Marine Corps. The United States of America owes these heroes a debt of honor that we will endeavor to pay, in part, today. I rise in strong support of this measure. It was President Franklin Roosevelt who issued an Executive order in June of 1941 that opened the doors for African Americans to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Between 1942 and 1949, approximately 20,000 African Americans earned the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor at Camp Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina. And we'll honor them today. I especially want to commend the Montford Point Marines Indianapolis chapter's surviving marines. And since there are no ``former marines,'' allow me to commend Marine Averitte Corley, Johnny Washington, and Lancaster Price, along with the late Walter Ezzell and Everette Sweat, who have done yeoman's work in keeping the proud memory of the Montford Point Marines alive in the Hoosier State. The Congressional Gold Medal is a fitting tribute to the Montford Point Marines. It marks the service and sacrifice of these trailblazing heroes, but it also marks our Nation's mark toward a more perfect union, and I heartily endorse it.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the House floor on rollcall votes 790 and 791. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall 790, and ``yea'' on rollcall 791.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Protect Life Act with a grateful heart for Chairman Joe Pitts and Congressman Dan Lipinski for their bipartisan leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor. I believe that ending an innocent human life is morally wrong. But I also believe that it's morally wrong to take the taxpayer dollars of millions of pro-life Americans and use them to subsidize abortion or abortion coverage in this country. As it stands today, ObamaCare requires millions of pro-life taxpayers to pay for abortions and subsidize health care plans that cover abortions. This legislation will correct that profound flaw. Now, I know President Obama issued an Executive order during the heat of the legislative battle over ObamaCare, but we all know Executive orders do not carry the force of law. They can be overturned by the courts and are superseded by statutes. ObamaCare should be repealed. But in the meantime, let's take this moment to say ``yes'' to life, to say ``yes'' to respecting the values of tens of millions of Americans and make right that which was wrong in ObamaCare itself. Let's pass the Protect Life Act, and let's protect taxpayers of pro-life values all across this country and do it now.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, this is a difficult time in the life of our Nation-- 9.1 percent unemployment nationally, and millions of Americans families are hurting. And the American people are looking to Washington, D.C., more for solutions than for fights. And today with the Korea free trade agreement, with the Colombia trade promotion agreement and the Panama trade promotion agreement, Washington, D.C., in a bipartisan way is coming together with a solution that will help to create jobs and get this economy moving again, and I heartily support it. I want to commend Chairman Camp, Ranking Member Levin, Speaker Boehner, Leader Cantor, and even the President of the United States for working together in common purpose to bring us to this important moment. I've always believed that trade means jobs. And I say with some pride, that's especially true in the Hoosier State. Indiana is uniquely poised to take advantage of the free trade opportunities provided in these agreements, and I'm grateful for the chance to elaborate on that. I often say in Indiana we do two things well: we make things and we grow things. The truth is that in the State of Indiana, we do a lot more than that. But in Indiana, what we grow and what we build is really at the heart of the Hoosier economy, and expanding global markets for what we make and for what we grow is going to create jobs in Indiana, in the city and on the farm. The American Farm Bureau estimates that implementing these three agreements will increase agricultural exports in Indiana by nearly $55 million a year, creating 500 new agricultural-related jobs. The Korea agreement that we debate at this moment will eliminate $1.3 billion in tariffs on U.S. exports that cover many products Indiana is known for, like feed corn, soybeans, and dairy. It will eliminate those duties while other duties on products like pork will be phased out. Other industries, like Indiana's growing life sciences sector, will benefit. Let me say again, I rise in support of these agreements because I believe that trade means jobs. And America and Indiana need jobs like never before. I urge my colleagues in both parties to join in this bipartisan effort, and let's move this bill.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart to honor the tremendous life and legacy of Virgil Scheidt from my hometown of Columbus, Indiana. Mr. Scheidt lived a long and blessed life full of family, hard work, and community service. On February 20, 1949, he married the love of his life, Bettie. He began his career as a farmer, and he and Bettie owned and operated their own farm for more than thirty years. But as much as he loved farming, Mr. Scheidt felt called to do more for his community, and in 1960, he was elected Bartholomew County Treasurer. After winning re-election four years later, he was also elected President of the Association of Indiana County Officials, and went on to be elected as a national director of the National County Officials in 1967. Mr. Scheidt was elected chairman of the Bartholomew County Republican Party in 1965, where he served for 33 years. After serving as district chairman for several years, he was ultimately elected chairman of the Indiana State Republican Party in 1989. His involvement in local, state, and national politics spanned decades and included such honors as serving as an elector of the Indiana Electoral College in the 2000 presidential election, and attending and serving as a delegate for numerous national Republican conventions. Virgil Scheidt was also an entrepreneur and businessman. Besides his life on the farm, he founded a real estate brokerage firm, and in 1974, was appointed to the Indiana Real Estate Commission where he served as a member for fifteen years and as its chairman from 1983 to 1985. He was named Realtor of the Year in 1987 by the Columbus Board of Realtors and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by them in 1999. Despite his many business and political activities, Mr. Scheidt was still a dedicated and active member of his community. He was a member of the Columbus Rotary Club, Harrison Lake Country Club, the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Columbia Club. He was also an active and lifelong member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Columbus. His legacy of service was honored by three different governors when each of them gave him the prestigious Sagamore of the Wabash Award, and additionally he received the Distinguished Hoosier Award in 1985 from Governor Robert Orr. While his loss will be deeply felt, we find hope in the Good Book which tells us that ``the Lord is close to the brokenhearted.'' I offer my deepest condolences, to Mr. Scheidt's beloved family: wife Bettie; sons Randy and Warren; daughters Deborah and Christie; grandchildren Matthew, Leslie, Travis, Zachary, Allison, Katie, Todd, Emily, Nicholas, Olivia, and Madeleine; great-grandson Harrison; as well as his numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. May you find comfort in the eternal hope we find in our faith, and encouragement that Virgil Scheidt will be remembered and honored in the hearts of Hoosiers for his life of service for years to come.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the legislation currently before the House, H.R. 2250 and H.R. 2681, which if enacted into law will go a long way in reining in an Environmental Protection Agency that seems intent on implementing regulations that will not only drive up energy costs for all Americans, but also drive even more of our jobs overseas. I also rise to address another threat coming from the EPA--the very real and serious danger facing the refrigeration industry from overreaching by the EPA to implement additional regulations on an industry that were never authorized by Congress. As many of my friends know, this industry is currently subject to regulations under the Montreal Protocol. The Montreal Protocol, originally signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1987, was designed to protect the ozone layer by regulating and phasing out ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs and HCFCs. Those regulations have been implemented and the industry is complying with them as we speak. Now, the EPA has indicated its intent to regulate hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs. It is important to distinguish that HFCs are not ozone depleting substances that would make them subject to the Montreal Protocol, but rather greenhouse gases. The EPA does not currently have the authority to regulate greenhouse gases and the EPA should not be permitted to move forward on their intentions until Congress has given the EPA the express power to do so. Mr. Speaker, the refrigeration industry, like any other, is feeling the pinch in these difficult economic times. My state is fortunate enough to be home to one of the few remaining domestic refrigerant manufacturers and so I have heard first-hand what this potential regulatory over-reach would mean to this industry. I urge the House to remain vigilant on the specific issue of HFCs and additionally to pass both pieces of legislation before it this week. We must ensure that the EPA does not overstep its legal authority by issuing regulations on areas where Congress has not delegated its authority, and we must block the implementation of EPA proposed regulations on cement manufacturing facilities, industrial boilers, process heaters and incinerators, which would be terribly harmful to our already fragile economy, costing billions of dollars and thousands of jobs. The EPA regulations dealing with Portland cement force the industry to reach nearly unachievable emissions levels, and according to the Portland Cement Association, will eventually force the shutdown of 18 plants and cost $3.4 billion over the next three years. American cement producers would be put at a significant disadvantage to their foreign competitors and nearly 4,000 cement manufacturing jobs will no longer exist because of the EPA's actions. These regulations would also result in increased costs of $1.2 to $2 billion to state and local governments for road projects. H.R. 2250 would target the rules finalized by the EPA dealing with industrial boilers, commonly known as Boiler MACT (Maximum Achievable Control Technology). Boiler MACT would be devastating to the people of Indiana. In fact, according to a study completed by HIS Global Insight, Indiana would be the second hardest hit state by Boiler MACT. There are currently 82 industrial boilers in the Hoosier state and these regulations would cost more than $1 billion and eliminate over 16,000 jobs. In closing Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass these vital pieces of legislation and to continue to work to ensure that regulations from the EPA do not cost Hoosier jobs.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, you know, in the midst of these rancorous and divided days in our Nation's Capital, there is a growing consensus across this country that Washington, D.C., isn't just broke, it's broken. With a $14 trillion national debt, the American people want solutions, not fights. They want reforms that will transcend political parties and the historic divides that have made this city seem, for most Americans, to appear to be a House divided. Well, thanks to tough negotiations this summer, the American people deserve to know that Congress has a historic opportunity to vote on just such a bipartisan solution. It's a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States. For the first time in 15 years, the House and the Senate will have an up-or-down vote on this historic measure, and every American who is fed up with borrowing and spending and deficits and debts should let their voice be heard and be heard today. Most Americans work hard, they pay their bills, and they live within their means. I think it's time we had a national government as good as our people. It's time to pass a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, send it from this House to the Senate, and from this Congress to the States for ratification.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, like every American, I will never forget where I was on the morning of September 11, 2001. As a Member of Congress from Indiana, that day my duties took me to Capitol Hill and to sights and sounds I will never forget. I witnessed the U.S. Capitol literally hemorrhaging with people running in every direction. I heard the deafening sounds of sirens all around and thunderous booms of military aircraft going supersonic at low altitude. And I saw the columns of mud-brown smoke billowing out of the Pentagon just across the Potomac River. As the world watched the towers fall in New York City, I witnessed the aftermath of the first attack on our nation's capital since the War of 1812. It was a day when evil triumphed over good and the cunning plans of the enemies of freedom had their moment. They thought they had unleashed violence sufficient to cow a great nation but they were wrong. What our enemies intended for harm gave birth to a season of national unity and a new generation of heroes. The unity and call to service appeared almost instantly. At a time of great national division, it is hard to imagine today what Washington DC was like in the hours, weeks and months following September 11th, but the unity of that day did happen. I was there. I saw it. In the swirl of events that morning, I knew that Congress would need to convene to provide the authority and resources for our national response. As Capitol Hill police officers urged me to leave the grounds, I asked where I could report for duty and was escorted to the office of the Chief of the Capitol Police where the combined leadership of the House and the Senate in both parties was huddled watching the events unfold on several television screens. When I arrived in the room, the congressional leaders were standing apart, divided by party and by institutions, but as that fateful morning wore on, things changed. Faced with a merciless attack on our nation, the politics of the room dissolved. There were no Republicans in that room, there were no Democrats in that room, just Americans. I watched as leaders set aside every divisive issue before the Congress and made plans to move resources and programs designed to meet the moment with bipartisan resolve. And that unity would animate the work of the Congress for months following the attack. But the true legacy of 9-11 cannot be found among political leaders of the day, but in the citizen soldiers and public safety personnel who answered that day with courage and selflessness. To the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who answered that day with resolve, who did what needed to be done without regard to their own safety, we owe our deepest gratitude. I have prayed with the families and wept at the funerals of Hoosiers who did not shrink from 9-11 but grew into heroes whose names will forever be engraved in the heart of a grateful nation. To our police, fire and public safety personnel who ran in when others ran out, who braved the flames, who followed the leads and who took such actions as were necessary to bring us a decade free of another terrorist event on American soil belongs the credit for this day. This anniversary belongs to the fallen, their families and to all those whose diligence and tenacity brought safety to our families and justice to our enemies. A common enemy forged common ground and a new generation of American heroes. Today, we rightly pause to remember those who fell on 9-11 and every day since in the War on Terror. But we also pause to celebrate those Americans who, by their service and sacrifice, have made this day of tragedy into a triumph of freedom.-

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the House during rollcall vote 692. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' -

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, this is a challenging time in the life of our country. Our economy is struggling; millions are out of work; and now, with a more than $14 trillion national debt, America is on the verge of having its debts exceed our statutory borrowing limit. Now, I recognize that if you owe debts, pay debts. Congress has an obligation to defend the full faith and credit of the United States. But this Congress also has an obligation to keep faith with this and future generations of Americans by restoring fiscal responsibility and discipline to our National Treasury. The bipartisan Budget Control Act that we will consider today will make it possible for the Nation's bills to be paid with no new taxes, dollar-for-dollar cuts in spending for every increase in the debt ceiling, and it will give the American people a fighting chance to consider a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. Now, let me be clear. The Budget Control Act is not so much a good deal as it is a good start. I really believe this bipartisan compromise is a modest but meaningful step in the direction of fiscal discipline and reform, and I welcome it. Now, while this bill doesn't go nearly far enough, it does move us in the right direction. You know, leadership means knowing when to say yes and knowing when to say no. I believe the time has come to get something done so this Congress can move our national government back in the direction of fiscal responsibility and reform, and begin to advance policies that will put Americans back to work. Last thought. There is a lot of credit taking on a day like today, a lot of bipartisanship, back patting, as we say. But let me say from my heart, this day, where we see the ship of state turning ever so slightly toward that lode star of fiscal responsibility, this day does not belong so much to any one political leader, to any one political party, or to any one branch of government. This day belongs to the American people who have stood, who have clamored, who have come to town halls and who have demanded this government live within its means and said: Enough is enough. This is your day.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. As America watches and the world watches from afar, Washington, D.C., debates a debt ceiling increase and debates various proposals for confronting it in a manner that is consistent with our commitment to this generation and the next. For the past 10 years, I've been fighting runaway Federal spending, deficits, debt, and takeovers here in Washington, D.C., by both political parties. Now I recognize if you owe debts, pay debts. This Congress has an obligation to defend the full faith and credit of the United States of America and find a way to pay our bills. But this Congress also has an obligation to keep faith with this and future generations by restoring fiscal responsibility and discipline to our national Treasury. I have come to the conclusion over the last decade that Washington, D.C., is not only broke; it's broken. As a colleague of mine said earlier this week, the American people don't just want a deal, they want a solution. And I rise to say that I believe a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States is that solution. I told my colleagues earlier this week I did not want to vote for any increase in the debt ceiling unless this Congress did everything in its power to send a balanced budget amendment to the Senate and to the States. Earlier today, we learned that Speaker Boehner and Leader Cantor had made a decision for this Friday to bring two separate balanced budget amendments to the floor, and I heartily support their decision. The first balanced budget amendment will include spending limitations and require a supermajority on tax increases, and I support those measures. But the second balanced budget amendment hasn't seen action here on the House floor for 15 years. Fifteen years ago, what is commonly referred to as the ``historic'' or the ``clean'' balanced budget amendment received overwhelming and bipartisan support, some 300 votes on the floor of the House of Representatives and almost passed the Senate. I believe that by bringing that historic balanced budget amendment to the floor of this Congress this week we are doing all we can to send the balanced budget amendment to the Senate and to the States. And with that, I inform my colleagues today that I will support the Boehner plan, I will support the Budget Control Act, and I urge all of my colleagues to join me in doing the same. Now, the Budget Control Act has much to recommend it. It has no tax increases, and we have confirmed from the CBO dollar-for-dollar spending cuts to match any increase in the debt ceiling. And there are mechanisms for additional cuts and additional reforms. But the Budget Control Act also includes a requirement that the Senate vote between October and November of this year on a balanced budget amendment. Again, let me say, a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution has not been considered in the Congress for 15 years, despite overwhelming public support across this country. Now, I'm for the version of the balanced budget amendment with various limits, but I believe it's vitally important that Republican leadership has chosen to bring the bipartisan version to the floor, to play it straight and give us a fighting chance to get those two-thirds votes necessary to amend the Constitution. So I rise to announce my support for the Budget Control Act. I rise to express gratitude to Speaker Boehner and Leader Cantor, who listened to colleagues like myself who thought we could improve the circumstances of this vote by accelerating and improving our choices for a balanced budget amendment. And, frankly, I also rise to commend all of my colleagues who have held out for a better deal. I want to say from my heart, this is better. History is often made in unexpected ways and at unexpected times. I believe, with the consideration of the Budget Control Act on the floor today, we have an opportunity to make progress toward restoring fiscal discipline to Washington, D.C.; but I believe with consideration of the balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States tomorrow, we have an opportunity to make history. So I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Budget Control Act on the floor today. But I also urge all of my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats alike, to join us as we make a good faith effort to send a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States to the Senate and to the States. Let us put into the national charter that this national government, for this generation and the next, must again live within our means.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor to rise in support of the Budget Control Act of 2011, which is a negotiated compromise between the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and the Republican and Democratic leadership of the United States Senate. Let me say that again: the Budget Control Act that we will bring to the floor today is a compromise. At a time when people across America long for a Washington, D.C., that is able to reach across the aisle, lower the volume, solve the problem, this legislation comes to the floor. And I'm proud to support it. The truth is it is a difficult time for people across my beloved Indiana and all across this country. Our economy is struggling. Unemployment is at 8.3 percent in Indiana, 9.3 percent nationally. And I believe that runaway Federal spending by both political parties is a cause and a barrier to our economic recovery today. We simply must put our fiscal house in order. Now, I know the administration wanted us simply to raise the debt ceiling without conditions, but that was rejected I think almost unanimously in the United States Senate, and we rejected it as well in this body. What needs to be done today is we need to recognize that if you owe debts, pay debts. We have to raise the Nation's debt ceiling so that we have the money to pay the Nation's bills. But we also owe a debt to this generation of Americans struggling in this economy and to the next generation of Americans that we can only repay through fiscal discipline and reform, and the Budget Control Act does that. The Budget Control Act does two things that I believe are worth highlighting. Number one, it ensures in this first installment that there will be a dollar in budget cuts for every dollar in increase in borrowing authority by the United States. That's crucial.

Mr. PENCE. Secondly, the agreement around the Budget Control Act also ensures that there will be a vote in this body now tomorrow and a vote in the United States Senate this fall on a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States. There are other aspects of this bill that are meritorious--hard- spending caps, more enforceable than spending caps of the past; the creation of a bipartisan commission to negotiate spending discipline and reforms for the next installment of a debt ceiling increase. But for my part, making sure that any increase in the debt ceiling is matched dollar for dollar with spending cuts in this bill and for the first time in 15 years bringing a bipartisan version of the balanced budget amendment to this floor of the House and soon to the floor of the Senate are worthy of note. And they should endorse this approach. This is a very serious time, Mr. Speaker. I welcome the Budget Control Act as evidence that Congress can still compromise. We can still come together across the aisle. We can find a way to pay the Nation's bills and do so in a way that reflects our commitment to fiscal discipline and reform.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, this is a difficult time in the life of the people of this country. Families are hurting. Our economy is struggling. The economic policies of this administration have failed to turn around this Great Recession, as it has come to be known. And I believe that runaway Federal spending, deficits, and debt are a barrier to our economic recovery, a barrier to putting Americans back to work. We have to change the fiscal direction of this government for this generation, for jobs for Americans today, and for future generations who are facing a mountain range of debt--a $14 trillion national debt; $1.65 trillion deficit this year alone. As most of my colleagues know, I've fought against runaway spending on a bipartisan basis. I opposed Big Government plans when they were offered by Republican Presidents and in Republican Congresses, and I fought with equal vigor against the borrowing, the spending, the bailouts, and the takeovers of the recent Democratic Congress and this administration. But now we come to another debt ceiling vote, and as the late Russell Kirk wrote, ``Politics is the art of the possible.'' The American people are looking in and they know, if you owe debts, pay debts. We have to find a way to pay the Nation's bills. But the American people also know we have to find a way to set our Nation on a course of living within our means once again. Now, I am still studying Speaker Boehner's proposal, but there is much that recommends it. I have long said that there should be no increase in the debt ceiling without real and meaningful spending cuts and reforms in the short term and in the long term. In many respects, the deal negotiated with Senate leaders by Speaker Boehner meets that standard. There are no tax increases in the bill. After adjustments to the bill today, there will for certain, according to CBO, be dollar-for-dollar cuts for any increase in the debt ceiling. Also, there are spending caps, a commission, and the possibility of long-term entitlement reform. All of this commends the Boehner plan as an important first step toward fiscal discipline and reform. There is also a call at some point to vote for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, and it's my belief in the importance of that last element that brings me to the floor today. I rise to urge all of my colleagues to keep an open mind on the Boehner plan, but also to keep an open mind about bringing a balanced budget amendment to the floor that could enjoy broad bipartisan support. Look, Washington, D.C., is not only broke; it's broken. The American people have seen both political parties run up deficits and debt, both political parties live outside the means of the American people, and they know in their heart of hearts that something is missing. I believe that's a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Now, I've authored the spending limit amendment to the Constitution. I support the stout version of a balanced budget amendment that Republicans marked up and referenced in the Cut, Cap, and Balance bill, a spending limit cap, a supermajority on tax increases. But I don't think it takes any great insight to know that that bill will likely not get the 290 votes that we need to send it to the Senate and send it to the States. So in addition to voting on that bill, with spending constraints and others, I believe the time has come to bring the historic balanced budget amendment back to the floor of the Congress. I believe there should be no increase in the debt ceiling unless this Congress does everything in its power to send a balanced budget amendment to the Senate and to the States for ratification. And I believe we have that moment. I've talked to some of the most prominent Members of the Democrat minority in this Congress today, and they've expressed support for this amendment. The American people overwhelmingly support a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. So I urge my colleagues to keep an open mind, keep an open mind to the Boehner plan. I'm continuing to study it and seeing if we can embrace it as an important first step on fiscal discipline and reform, finding a way to pay the Nation's bills, but change our fiscal direction. But I also encourage my colleagues to consider at some point in the near future, let us bring to this floor a balanced budget amendment that could enjoy broad bipartisan support, to know that we cannot only make progress for fiscal discipline and reform, but we can make history by restoring to the national charter or placing in the national charter those restraints on spending that this Nation's Capitol, under both parties, desperately needs.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, I was absent from the House floor during rollcall votes 615 and 622-629. Had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on 615, ``aye'' on 622, ``aye'' on 623, ``aye'' on 624, ``aye'' on 625, ``aye'' on 626, ``no'' on 627, ``no'' on 628, and ``yea'' on 629.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the House floor during rollcall votes 601 and 602. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on both rollcall votes.