Tom Price

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate 10 Girl Scouts from the Sixth Congressional District of Georgia for earning the highly coveted Girl Scout Gold Award. Through hard work, dedication and perseverance, Kathryn Cook, Kristen Crawford, Aimee Jarvis, Amy Kroeger, Tera Lekan, Elizabeth Roddy, Brittany Scott, Michelle Teplis, Kelly Watson, and Jordan Wynn, with their community service projects, have positively affected, literally, the world. Collecting school supplies to donate to young Iraqi students, sewing and stuffing 250 teddy bears for pediatric and emergency ward patients, collecting and donating essentials to foster care children, and writing books for children in both English and Spanish. These are just some of the many projects taken on by these girls. The Girl Scout program is based on four fundamental goals that encourage girls to develop to their full potential, relate to others with increasing understanding, skill and respect, develop a meaningful set of values to guide their actions and contribute to the improvement of society. Congratulations to each of these young American girls for their accomplishments and for embracing worthy principles. We look forward to their continued excellent example and for their future leadership.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the fifth amendment to the Constitution states that ``No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.'' However, that was then. Thanks to the recent Supreme Court ruling on eminent domain, the fifth amendment has been vastly expanded. As one Supreme Court Justice stated in the dissent, ``Nothing is to prevent the State from replacing a Motel 6 with a Ritz Carlton, any home with a shopping mall, or any farm with a factory.'' Property rights? There is nothing right about this decision. Now, tax revenues are more important than neighborhoods. Mr. Speaker, with this decision, the rights of our citizens are now competing with tax revenue and private developments. The Constitution is meant to protect the rights of our citizens, not compete with the bottom line. What is clear at this moment is that the Supreme Court has thrown the protection of individual property rights right out the window. These Justices need to be reined back in by both State action and loud condemnation of this outrageous finding. Public use has been redefined so boldly by this Supreme Court decision that it's no wonder citizens are concerned about their homes and property. In the short term, all states are encouraged to adopt strict and narrow definitions of ``public use.'' In the long term, we in Congress must determine whether more clarity needs to be brought to the court on this matter. Remember Jefferson's principle: ``The true foundation of republican government is the equal right of every citizen in his person and property and in their management.''--Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Kercheval, 1816.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, again, I appreciate those comments. I think this is a positive move to realign our budget priorities in a more positive way for education, and I urge my colleagues to support the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the comments of the chairman and of the other Members who have spoken. I understand that, again, our budget is a budget of priorities. The President had requested $500 million for the Teacher Incentive Fund, and I believe that moving toward a budget that greater aligns our priorities in the area of education is important. $200 million would be left in AmeriCorps; $200 million. That is not a paltry sum. In addition, the CBO has stated that this $70 million shift would in fact save $33 million. I do not know how they come up with those numbers, but that is how they score this. So we are spending $70 million and saving another $33 million. I believe moving toward the Teacher Incentive Fund, which would, again, provide incentives for high quality teachers in our schools that would ultimately result in changing lives in a very positive way, is a positive amendment and a positive thing to do. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I would rise to commend the Chair and the committee for their work. I understand the difficult times that we are in and the decisions that are difficult that we need to make. As a budget is a demonstration of our priorities, I offer a positive amendment in an effort to further highlight those priorities. Currently in the bill the Teacher Incentive Fund earmark has $100 million and the AmeriCorps earmark has $270 million. My amendment increases the funding for the Teacher Incentive Fund by $70 million and reduces that funding for AmeriCorps by the same amount. President Bush asked in his budget for $500 million for the Teacher Incentive Fund in the FY 2006 budget. The Committee on Appropriations was only able to provide $100 million for this program. The Teacher Incentive Fund is a new teacher merit pay pilot initiative. Teachers and officials who improve student achievement of are provided with financial incentives, rewarding achievement. This is a good idea. The Teacher Incentive Fund will carry out two goals: One, rewarding effective teachers teaching in schools most in need; and, two, rewarding effective teachers in schools that are top performers in closing the achievement gap and meeting the annual targets in No Child Left Behind. Ask yourself, who made a real difference in your education? Most of us will remember one or two teachers who affected us in a very remarkable way. For me it was one of my high school teachers, Dr. Welch, and I will never, never forget how he challenged me to excel. Teacher quality is the most important school-related factor influencing student achievement. One of the tenants of no child left behind is putting a qualified teacher in every single classroom. It is estimated that more than 2 million teachers will need to be hired over the next decade and the Teacher Incentive Fund will encourage more talented individuals into the field of teaching. The AmeriCorps program is a program that was conceived under then- president Clinton, and, in short, the Federal Government is paying participants, paying participants, to participate in a volunteer capacity, sometimes up to $21,000 year. It is the antithesis of limited government. When the Federal Government assumes the job of private organizations, it encourages citizens to abandon their civic responsibilities. According to GAO studies, the results of the AmeriCorps program are difficult to measure. Furthermore there are more than 83 million Americans who volunteer, meaning that the overall impact of AmeriCorps is minimal, especially given the level of funding provided. This is a common sense amendment. It is consistent with our mission of improving education and limiting the spread of government. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment to improve education and our competitiveness in the world. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, just by way of clarification, I appreciate the gentleman's comments, and budgets are difficult, there is no doubt about it, and they say where we are in the priorities. Just by way of clarification, this fund is not for the talented and gifted program. This fund is to find high quality teachers and reward high quality teachers who increase achievement in schools and increase achievement in closing that gap.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the new city of Sandy Springs. A celebration that has been 30 years in the making took place in Fulton County, Georgia, on Tuesday night as 94 percent of voters chose to incorporate into what will be Metropolitan Atlanta's second largest city. Countless people worked long and hard to make this city a possibility. All those folks who put in the time and effort into making the city of Sandy Springs a reality are to be raised up as an example of the positive outcome from fervent belief and diligent commitment. I have always believed that the government closest to the people is the most responsive. And it is only fair for these citizens to have their local tax dollars to better their own community and have their own city council, one much more attuned to their needs and concerns. Mr. Speaker, take note: the birth of this new city is a landmark day for my district. I am confident that great things will come from their residents and their leaders. What a privilege it is for me to represent a constituency so involved and passionate about their destiny and that of our State and great Nation. Freedom rings in Sandy Springs.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, we do not need any more airline companies going bankrupt. Imagine retiring with a pension only 50 or even 20 percent of what you expected. That is what is happening to thousands of airline employees. A government bailout is not fair to taxpayers, and it will not work. What will work is industry-specific pension reform. In the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure hearing yesterday, we heard testimony from financial experts, the PBGC, the Pilots Association, and others. They painted a picture of a flawed current business model. In the face of high fuel costs and more retirees than workers, defined benefit plans simply do not work for many companies. Congress can help. H.R. 2106 gives the airline carriers greater flexibility in funding their pensions. It provides more security for employees and will ensure that taxpayers will not be held liable for these underfunded pensions. A government bailout should not be a financial planning tool for the airlines. Mr. Speaker, employees should receive the pensions they have worked for their entire lives, and taxpayers should not be left holding the bag. The Employment Pension Preservation and Tax Prepare Protection Act, H.R. 2106, is the winning formula.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. As the gentleman knows, I was interested in offering an amendment today that would require a plaque to be placed in Statuary Hall which would recognize that church services were held in the House Chamber from 1800 to 1868. Throughout the 1800s, the Speaker's podium in the Old House Chamber was converted into a preacher's pulpit on Sundays for church services. These services were nondiscriminatory and voluntary. The services were open to the public and became so popular that Thomas Jefferson and James Madison attended regularly. As the gentleman knows, I withdrew my proposal in light of ongoing activities relative to the exhibitry in the Capitol Visitors Center. I wonder if the gentleman would not mind, please, explaining his understanding relative to Statuary Hall and the exhibit hall in the soon-to-be-opened Capitol Visitors Center.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, and I appreciate so much his working with me on this and look forward to appropriately recognizing the fact that there have been religious activities in this Capitol from the beginning of our Nation through the first 70 or 80 years.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from California for allowing me to participate in this discussion. Would the chairman enter into a colloquy with me regarding an amendment I had wished to offer relative to placing a plaque in Statuary Hall?

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as a third-generation physician who has practiced medicine for over 20 years, I have seen colossal increases in health care costs. Unfortunately, they do not seem to be slowing down. Health care costs are rising much faster than one can imagine, and in just the last year they have gone up by 8 percent. Employers continue to pass these costs on to their employees in the form of increased deductibles and payments for prescriptions and care. Employees have no choice but to pay these costs because they are stuck with somebody else making decisions about their care. It is time we start thinking about health care in a new way. It is time to put patients back in charge. Nobody knows better than the patients themselves what kind of health care they need. Mr. Speaker, change in our health care system is needed now more than ever before, and health care should respond to the needs of patients. H. Res. 215, the Health Insurance Patient-Ownership Plan, puts health care choices back into the hands of patients where they should be. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 215.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman ever so much. I appreciate that. I always thought it was two bites at the apple, but she is right. It is three bites that the government takes. That is unjust and unfair. I just wanted to come and add a little perspective of what I believe is the optimism that this Congress is leading with, this Republican leadership and this Republican majority is leading with. I appreciate the gentlewoman doing this this evening and giving us an opportunity to show the American people and talk with the American people about the positive things that this Congress is doing, and I thank her very much.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee for yielding. I appreciate very much the opportunity to be involved with her in this discussion tonight. I was listening a little earlier, and I was thinking, do you not just get tired of the naysayers? Do you not just get tired of the folks who have nothing but doom and gloom to offer? It really is remarkable. I do not know what I would do if I felt that way every single day; the other side of the aisle seems to be so depressed and demoralized about what is going on. They are obviously not paying attention. This is an exciting time to be an American. It is an exciting time for all Americans. The gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor), our whip, mentioned that it is a serious time, and it is a very serious time; but it is an optimistic time as well. The gentlewoman mentioned many of the issues that we have acted on these first 169 days. It is the summer solstice. It is the longest day of the year, and the light in this longest day we ought to use to shed light on what we have done over these first 169 days. The gentlewoman mentioned a couple of them that I wanted to touch on. Class action reform is one of them, real lawsuit abuse reform that we have been able to enact, and we have been working on that in Congress for years, literally, trying to get that done, and it took Republican leadership and it took a Republican Congress to get it done. We will end some of the harassment that is going on in terms of local lawsuits and protect consumers. The budget resolution was mentioned where we are actually cutting real spending. The unsustainable rate of Federal spending that we have we are ending. We are ending that unsustainable rate and moving in the right direction. That is optimistic. That is positive for our Nation. REAL ID, the border security that she talked about, and we are getting good support from other side of the aisle for these things. Forty-two Democrats were on that who voted for that, and it is a first step in the right direction as it relates to border security. The bankruptcy bill the gentlewoman mentioned as well. That is real reform that had 73 Democrats. The energy bill we have not talked much about, 41 Democrats on that bill. I want to talk briefly tonight about something that is near and dear to my heart and I know near and dear to the gentlewoman's and that is tax reform. The tax reform that we have acted upon this year in this Congress is the death tax, permanent repeal of the death tax. This is part of that, those posters and the items that the gentlewoman talked about 100 days, 100 ways, what House Republicans have done to strengthen America. The death tax, the other side of the aisle earlier this evening said that tax cuts hurt Americans. I was dumbfounded when I heard that. Tax cuts hurt Americans. Do my colleagues know that the death tax itself costs the American economy up to 250,000 jobs annually? By permanently repealing the death tax, we would add more than 100,000 jobs each year. Nearly 60 percent of business owners say that they would add jobs over the coming year if death taxes were permanently and completely eliminated. What does the death tax do? Well, it is the leading cause of the dissolution of thousands of family-run small businesses. Small businesses owned by families, the death tax comes at the end when somebody dies who is the senior in the family, and what happens is that that death tax is instituted, and they have to sell that family business in order to pay that death tax. It penalizes work. It penalizes savings. It deals an incredible death blow to small businesses. Get this statistic: more than 70 percent of family businesses do not survive the second generation. Eighty-seven percent do not make it to the third generation. Why is that? How much does that death tax take? You talk about 15 percent taxes here is high, and 20 percent there, and the income tax has a rate that is higher than that; but what does the death tax take? Forty-seven percent. Forty-seven percent. It is no wonder that 70 percent of small businesses do not survive to the next generation. So the death tax is unfair. It is unjust. It hampers economic growth. It increases the cost of capital. It artificially elevates interest rates, and this is another astounding fact: it probably costs the government and taxpayers more to collect the tax than the tax revenue that is gotten. That is the kind of nonsense that Americans are tired of. So what did our Congress do, led by Republicans and joined by some commonsense Democrats? What did our Republican leadership and our Republican House do? We passed a bill to repeal permanently the death tax. I could not be more proud to serve with men and women who act on this issue and other issues in such a responsible way. I am here to tell my colleagues that it is a positive thing that this Congress is doing, that this Republican leadership is doing, and that this Republican majority is doing; and we ought to be excited about where we are as Americans about the leadership that we have.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, recent comments alleging mistreatment of prisoners at Guantanamo are not only insulting, they are wrong. The 545 prisoners being interrogated at Guantanamo are properly housed and fed, they receive medical care, and have their religious needs met. A U.S. Senator made statements last week that were clearly imprudent and unwise, comparing treatment of detainees to acts of genocide and repression. Millions of people died in the camp cited by the Senator, and no one has died at Guantanamo. While American troops are busy attacking and defeating terrorism, our tax dollars are providing Korans, prayer rugs, and healthy meals to the terrorist prisoners at Guantanamo. It is not Pol Pot at Guantanamo, it is pot roast. To purport that there is a moral equivalency between the acts of dictatorial madmen of the 20th century and the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo does a disservice to history, to our national honor, and to each member of our military who risk their lives every day preserving the privileges we enjoy. I call on the Senator to talk to the guards at Guantanamo and get the facts straight. Then he should apologize to them, to the rest of our soldiers, and to the American people.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, every year more than 3 million Americans have their identities stolen. That is one every 10 seconds. These incredible statistics show that identity theft both online and offline is not slowing down. Just this past week we learned of another incident where up to 40 million identities were compromised. The last Congress overwhelmingly approved legislation known as the FACT Act, and President Bush signed it into law. It helps you to protect your identity by providing a free credit report every year, requiring creditors who lent money in your name to a thief to help you clear your name, and creating a single place where a fraud alert can be put on your credit history and honored all across America. Congress has taken steps to strengthen identity theft laws, but the bad guys are still out there, and commonsense precautions are the key to help Americans from becoming victims. Mr. Speaker, people do not give the keys to their house to complete strangers, and that same lesson applies to identity theft. I urge all Americans to guard the keys to their identity as we in Congress continue to find aggressive solutions.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today is a great day for metropolitan Atlanta. For the first time in quite a while, Georgians can breath easier and healthier. According to the EPA, the air quality in the Atlanta area is better today than it has been for over a quarter century. In fact, the region has made significant strides when it comes to the environment. Custom fuel, periodic automobile emission checks, and curbing industrial emissions have all contributed to these much-improved results. In fact, the environment is shaping up, and air quality is on the rise all across the Nation. Reports have shown that in the 1990s levels of air pollution decreased, for lead by 60 percent, for carbon monoxide by 36 percent, for particulates by 18 percent, and for ozone by 4. We in Georgia are on our way to building on this news. Thanks to the commitment made by citizens and business and elected officials, a true partnership has developed. Today I congratulate the hard work of all of those who have made this possible and look forward to even more environmental success in the Sixth District of Georgia and all across this great Nation.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, pension plans are on the minds of the American people. Just typing the words ``pension plan'' into an Internet search engine yields over 4,000 returns in less than a second. Americans are very concerned about their retirements. Couples who were planning where they will spend their golden years now are trying to figure out what to do with shrinking pension checks, as businesses struggle to fund their pension plans. Government and taxpayer bailouts are not fair to the public, and they are not a solution to the problem. Recent hearings here in the House have made the case crystal clear as experts have said that they think we need industry-specific reform. United Airlines recently dumped their pension plan onto the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, so now thousands and thousands of their employees face an uncertain future and the PBGC goes billions of dollars further into the red. This is a no-win situation for everyone involved. Mr. Speaker, let us take action. Let us be proactive, and let us pass much-needed pension reform now.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the need to secure our borders has never been greater. Thousands of illegal immigrants are crossing our borders on a daily basis, and every public service is taking a financial hit from illegal immigration. Whether it is education, health care, or law enforcement, our State and local governments are being stretched to the limit. That is not even the worst of it. Illegal Mexican immigrants are given a 32-page guidebook, paid for and contributed by the Mexican Government, providing tips on how to obtain benefits, avoid arrest, and blend into our society once they have crossed our border. Recently, a Denver area police officer was shot and killed by an illegal immigrant. That illegal alien had been pulled over and ticketed three times in the previous 7 months by officers who never asked him about his immigration status, even though he had only a Mexican driver's license and no insurance. The sad thing is that the officers did everything correctly, according to the police manual. Mr. Speaker, our immigration policies are badly broken. When they get in the way of justice being served, it is time for strong enforcement of our laws and to secure our borders.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, scandals at the United Nations have been going on for far too long and are far too many. Oil-For-Food scandal, UNICEF scandal, peacekeeping operation scandal, the list goes on and on with no end in sight. The days of giving the U.N. a blank check must come to an end. Accountability and ethics must return to the United Nations. Somewhere in the mess of Saddam Hussein collecting kickbacks, workers collecting pay checks for work they never did and poor management of funds, it was forgotten that the goal of the U.N. was to provide assistance to those who need it most. The case for reform could not be more clear. When an organization lacks the fundamental institutional control that is needed to operate in a fair and unbiased manner, changes must be made. The time to streamline and prioritize programs and hold those in charge at the U.N. accountable has come. The focus of the United Nations has shifted from its intended purpose of protecting people and ensuring humanitarian aid to scandals that make the headlines in the tabloids and embarrass the world. Mr. Speaker, it is time we ensure that the future of the United Nations is not a story of scandal, but a story of success.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, in classrooms across the country, schools are making the grade when it comes to No Child Left Behind. In my home State, Georgia is making significant gains. The achievement gap is narrowing as students in schools are held accountable for their performance. Educators know that merely promoting students to the next grade level is not the solution to low test scores. In 2002, 64 percent of African American fifth-graders passed the State math test compared with 86 percent of white students, a 22 percentage point gap. Now, thanks to No Child Left Behind, 80 percent of African American students passed the test, compared with 92 percent of white students, a 10 percent improvement. In 2002, 71 percent of Hispanic third-grade students passed the State reading test compared with 90 percent of white students, a 19 percentage point gap. This year, 86 percent of Hispanic students passed the test compared with 96 percent of white students. Again, nearly a 10 percent improvement. Mr. Speaker, No Child Left Behind is working. Student test scores are rising. But more importantly, students are leaving the classroom with the fundamental skills necessary to succeed at the next level and in life.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, America's health care system is indeed in need of fixing on so many levels. You can lose count of the number of problems that it has. One of the major issues is cost. Recent studies show that the average American pays close to $4,000 a year on health care. However, that figure pales in comparison to the $11,000 that health care costs for America's seniors each. The last time this study was conducted in 1989, the average cost was only $2,200. Health care has become big business and big government, and patients are further removed from their doctors. Decisions that should be made between doctors and patients are now being decided many times by somebody else. Rising costs affect everyone: patients, doctors, and even small businesses that can no longer afford health insurance for their employees. Regardless of who pays, patients should have a choice when it comes to their health care, plain and simple. H. Res. 215 would do just that. As we move forward, we must be on the patients' side; they know what is best for themselves.