Ike Skelton

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Carnahan).

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, in answer to the gentleman from Texas, my understanding is that right now as we speak--though the number is increasing--there are some 80,000 American troops in Afghanistan today. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Ms. Erin Conaton, the Majority Staff Director of the House Armed Services Committee, who leaves our staff today to become the new Under Secretary of the Air Force. Madam Speaker, this is a bittersweet moment for me. I have come to depend upon Erin Conaton as a trusted advisor and friend since she joined the House Armed Services Committee staff in 2001. Seldom does one person have the combination of talent, good judgment, knowledge, devotion to duty, common sense, and, as we say in Missouri, ``good get along,'' but Erin is blessed with all of these qualities. And while I am not happy about losing her to the Pentagon and no longer working with her on a daily basis, I know that our country will not just be in good hands, but better hands, with Erin as Under Secretary of the Air Force. Erin has an impressive academic and professional background. She holds a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and a master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Before becoming a Congressional staffer, Erin was highly recommended to me as a result of her outstanding work as the Research Staff Director for the U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century, also known as the Hart-Rudman Commission. Erin joined the House Armed Services Committee staff in 2001, serving as a Professional Staff Member covering a range of defense policy issues. In 2005, she became the committee's Minority Staff Director. And at the start of the 110th Congress in 2007, Erin assumed the post of Majority Staff Director, serving all of the members of our committee and overseeing the committee's 70-person staff. She has run the House Armed Services Committee as well as anyone in my 33 years in Congress. In the nine years that I have had the privilege to know and work closely with Erin, she has consistently demonstrated her leadership ability, mastery of national security issues, and dedication to our men and women in uniform. Erin's work ethic is unparalleled, but more importantly, she has a rare gift for getting along with people. Despite the demands of working on Capitol Hill, Erin is unflappable and approaches every challenge with a level head, whether working with Members of Congress, Congressional staff, or Administration officials. I am delighted that the Obama Administration recognized that Erin Conaton would be an excellent nominee for the next Under Secretary of the Air Force. I can't brag on her enough, and I am pleased that the other body confirmed her nomination last week. I know Erin will make us proud as she continues her career in public service with the Department of the Air Force, and I wish her all the best as she takes on this new challenge.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Paul Oostburg Sanz, who until recently served as the General Counsel of the House Armed Services Committee. As a result of his confirmation by the other body late last week, Paul will soon take a new position as the General Counsel of the Department of the Navy. Paul Oostburg Sanz became General Counsel of the House Armed Services Committee in January 2007, just at the time I had the honor to begin serving as committee chairman. In the almost three years since, Paul has played a critical role in day-to-day operations of the committee and has also been a trusted advisor on the legal issues facing the Department of Defense. It is no exaggeration to say that Paul's ability to grasp complex issues, his attention to detail, and his years of experience on Capitol Hill were instrumental in helping our committee and the Congress to achieve the enactment of the last three annual National Defense Authorization Acts. Our committee and the Congress have particularly benefited from Paul's expertise on matters related to detainee policy and the Military Commissions Act, as well as issues related to counter-narcotics, matters related to Southern Command, and international legal issues. A look at Paul's resume gives you a good idea about the breadth and diversity of his experience. He earned a law degree at Harvard University Law School and earned a Master in Public Affairs degree from Princeton University. His international experience includes service as Peace Corps English teacher in Guinea-Bissau, and work in South Africa conducting political party training during the historic 1994 national elections. Paul also worked on conflict-resolution issues for the U.S. Embassy in Liberia, and on democracy and governance programs for the USAID Mission in Mozambique. Before coming to Capitol Hill, Paul clerked for a U.S. district court judge in Puerto Rico. From May 2001 to December 2006, Paul served as the Deputy Chief Counsel for the House Committee on International Relations, providing strategic and procedural counsel to our distinguished colleague, the late Congressman Tom Lantos, who at that time was the committee's Ranking Member. It is clear that Paul has the education, experience, and intellectual gifts to be an excellent General Counsel for the U.S. Navy. I also believe Paul has the temperament to serve our country exceptionally well in this position. In the time I have worked with Paul, he has approached every problem and every challenge thrown his way with a calm demeanor and rational analysis. Then he gets to work, and his hard work pays off. Because of Paul Oostburg Sanz's outstanding ability and work performance, I am not surprised the Obama Administration sought him out to serve at the Pentagon. The prospect of Paul's departure from the Hill gives me no joy, but I am happy that his talents have been recognized and that our country will continue to benefit from his service. Paul will be missed by all of us on the House Armed Services Committee, but I wish him every success in his new role as General Counsel of the Department of the Navy.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, have we forgotten? Have we forgotten what happened to America on 9/11? Have we forgotten who did it? Have we forgotten those who protected and gave them a safe haven? Let me speak a word in favor of those young men and young women who wear a uniform today that are doing something about it. I'm so proud of them. Every American should be proud of them and their professionalism, their devotion to duty, their patriotism. Thus, I rise in strong opposition to this ill-timed resolution that threatens to undermine the recent gains by U.S. forces and our Afghan and coalition partners. Six months ago, I wrote a letter to the President while he was conducting a full review of our strategy in Afghanistan, urging him to adopt and fully resource an effective counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan. I still maintain that pursuing such a policy offers the best chance for success in our mission there. Afghanistan is the epicenter of terrorism. We cannot forget that it was the genesis of multiple attacks that killed thousands of Americans--children, parents, spouses, neighbors. We must do everything we can to ensure that it will not happen again and be used as a safe haven for those who seek to do us harm. Last December, after 8 long years with no strategy in Afghanistan, President Obama recommitted our Nation to defeating al Qaeda and reminded us that the success of this mission requires us to work with our international allies and Afghan partners, and we are. The President also announced that our military commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, the best we have in this type of conflict, would receive an additional 30,000 troops to implement this counterinsurgency strategy. These additional combat troops, combined with those already in theater, would allow our troops and civilian experts to partner with their Afghan counterparts, reverse the momentum of the Taliban and create conditions needed for governance and economic development. Even with just a fraction of these reinforcements in place, we already see signs of success. Last month Afghan, allied, and U.S. forces launched an operation to push the Taliban out of Marjah, a town of about 50,000 people in central Helmand province that became a new hub of activity for the Taliban and insurgents after our marines drove them out of nearby Garmsir. They successfully pushed the Taliban out of Marjah and are now beginning to reestablish government in that area, the second phase of that operation. A new Afghan administrator has been put in place, and the process of building that government has begun. Additionally, in recent days, Pakistani forces made the most significant Taliban captures since the war began, detaining the Taliban's second in command, the former Taliban finance minister and two shadow governors of Afghan provinces. This mission will be costly. It will not be easy. Hard fighting lies ahead for our forces. The Afghan people have to recommit themselves to building a government that is mostly free of corruption and is capable of providing justice and security, and it is unclear if there will be future captures in Pakistan. But this counterinsurgent strategy is the best we have to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for al Qaeda and those who wish to kill Americans. If we vote to pull out now and abandon those Afghans who have only recently been freed from the Taliban, I have no doubt that the Taliban would be able to reestablish their hold on southern Afghanistan, if not the entire country.

Mr. SKELTON. After 8 long years, we finally have a strategy for success in Afghanistan, and we have a President who has appointed the right leaders in General McChrystal and Ambassador Eikenberry, who's willing to provide those leaders with the military and civilian experts that they need. Success is not guaranteed in this mission, but passing this resolution guarantees failure in Afghanistan and poses a serious risk that we will once again face the same situation that existed on September 11, 2001. I hope my colleagues will join me in opposition to this resolution.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Chairman, first, let me thank the gentleman from Texas, Chairman Silvestre Reyes, for the hard work that he did on this bill. So I rise today in strong support of the Intelligence Authorization Act. From my perspective as chairman of the Armed Services Committee, it's a good bill, one that will support the intelligence needs of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. Every day, American men and women who are deployed into harm's way depend on the intelligence capabilities authorized by this bill to achieve their missions. I cannot state strongly enough about how those in uniform who are in harm's way depend upon the intelligence that they receive. This legislation ensures continued delivery of quality intelligence products and capabilities through our warfighters. It will lead to important improvement in the future. As I've said before, the relationship between the intelligence community and the Department of Defense is fundamental to the success on the battlefield. This bill strengthens the relationship by expanding the intelligence community's technical and human collection capabilities. It adds significant resources to modernize signals intelligence capabilities, and other cutting-edge technologies that are the foundation for intelligence support for our warfighters in Afghanistan. The bill also adds resources for HUMINT collection against terrorists and other enduring and emerging global security issues in Asia, Africa, as well as in Latin America. This measure will improve oversight of the intelligence community by creating a statutory and independent intelligence community-wide inspector general. And, finally, this bill enhances cybersecurity, which is becoming very, very important, cybersecurity efforts by authorizing significant investments to support the President's comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. I congratulate Chairman Reyes on bringing this bill to the floor and urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this very, very important measure. And I might add, Madam Chairman, that we, on the Armed Services Committee, have dealt with some, and have the jurisdiction of dealing with some, matters that my friend from Michigan mentioned a few moments ago. They are within our jurisdiction.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend and colleague Congressman John Murtha of Pennsylvania. It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to a friend of more than 30 years. Jack Murtha arrived in Washington to serve in this House in 1974, just a few years before I had the honor to join this distinguished body. Jack Murtha and I had a lot in common, in our love for the troops and for our country. We didn't always agree, but you always knew that his heart was in every fight he took on. People listened to his counsel. He had conviction. He inspired respect. The kind of respect that Jack Murtha had in this House doesn't come automatically. No one has it when they take the oath of office for the first time. It has to be earned. Jack Murtha was no nonsense. Like President Truman, he didn't suffer fools. You knew where he stood, and if you were lucky, you had him in your corner. He was a fighter, for his country and for the people of Pennsylvania. Jack Murtha was a leader. He loved our country. He loved the men and women of the Armed Forces, and especially the United States Marine Corps, of which he wore the uniform and served with great distinction. He also loved the Congress, and understood its indispensable role as a co-equal branch of our federal government. Anyone watching the House floor could see his leadership in action, as he held court with other members in the back corner. A master legislator, he built relationships, mentored other members, and conducted the business that runs this institution and plays a big part in running this country. With the passing of Jack Murtha, we have lost one of the giants of the House. I salute his dedicated service to our country--as a Marine, as a businessman and community leader, and as a Member of Congress. Jack Murtha will be deeply missed. My condolences go to his wife Joyce, his children Donna, Pat, and John, and also to the people of Pennsylvania he cared about so much and represented so well.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1066) recognizing the bravery and efforts of the United States Armed Forces, local first responders, and other members of Operation Unified Response for their swift and coordinated action in light of the devastation wrought upon the nation of Haiti after a horrific 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Port-au-Prince and surrounding cities on January 12, 2010.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1066, recognizing the bravery and efforts of the United States Armed Forces, local first responders, and all of those involved in Operation Unified Response. I want to thank my colleagues for bringing this important measure before the House. On January 12, a massive earthquake struck the nation of Haiti that was followed by a series of very powerful aftershocks that left catastrophic damage in and around the city of Port-au-Prince. The devastation resulted in an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 deaths, including over a hundred Americans reported dead and 3 million Haitians directly affected by the earthquake. Within 2 weeks, the United States had deployed 25 Navy and Coast Guard ships, 79 helicopters, 290 vehicles, and 21,493 Armed Forces personnel. Medical military assets had treated over 4,000 patients, of which 2,000 were treated aboard the hospital ship USS Comfort. The United States had distributed 1.9 million bottles of water, 1.7 million meals, and over 74,000 pounds of medical supplies. The United States acted immediately, setting up a whole-of-government response with the U.S. Agency for International Development in the lead and the Armed Forces playing a leading role. Within 24 hours, the U.S. had deployed Air Force special operations forces to secure the Port-au- Prince airport and reestablish airport operations, deployed the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, and started preparing both Army and Marine units for immediate deployment to that region. This critical contribution to the Haiti relief effort comes at a time when the men and women of our military are already being stretched by two wars. Our troops have once again demonstrated their capability to respond quickly and effectively when disaster strikes. U.S. military servicemembers and their families make tremendous sacrifices both for our Nation and in working to help people in times of need all over the world. On behalf of Congress, I want to thank our heroes in uniform and all of those involved in Operation Unified Response for the extraordinary contributions to the Haitian people. I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my friend, my colleague, and the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek).

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, before I yield to my friend, the gentlelady from California, let me acknowledge the cooperation of my friend and my colleague, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Berman, for expediting consideration of this resolution. I extend these thanks to the committee's ranking member as well, the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen). House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, February 4, 2010. Hon. Ike Skelton, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, Rayburn House Office Bldg., Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to you concerning House Resolution 1066, ``Recognizing the bravery and efforts of the United States Armed Forces, local first responders, and other members of Operation Unified Response for their swift and coordinated action in light of the devastation wrought upon the nation of Haiti after a horrific 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Port-Au-Prince and surrounding cities on January 12, 2010.'' As you know, this measure was referred to the Committee on Armed Services and, in addition, to the Committee on Foreign Affairs for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. This resolution contains provisions within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. In the interest of permitting your Committee to proceed expeditiously to floor consideration of this important resolution, I am willing to waive this Committee's right to mark up this resolution. I do so with the understanding that by waiving consideration of the resolution, the Committee on Foreign Affairs does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the resolution which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. Please include a copy of this letter and your response in the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Sincerely, Howard L. Berman, Chairman.

Mr. SKELTON. I yield 3 minutes to my friend, the gentlelady from California (Ms. Lee).

Mr. SKELTON. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, having no further requests for time, I yield back the balance of my time as well.

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, it has come to my attention that John Hoskins has recently retired as the Director of Missouri's Department of Conservation after a career in conservation that spans more than three decades. A steadfast steward of Missouri's beautiful natural resources, Mr. Hoskins has spent his life protecting our environment so that future generations may enjoy Missouri's God-given beauty. A lifelong Missourian, Mr. Hoskins grew up on a small Ozark farm where he learned the value of a clean environment and the special connection we enjoy with our natural surroundings. After graduating with a bachelor's degree from Southeast Missouri State University in 1975, he went on to complete a Master of Public Administration degree at my alma mater, the University of Missouri. Throughout his tenure with the department, Mr. Hoskins has balanced competing priorities with a fixed budget. Under his leadership, the department has expanded conservation education facilities across the state and created new school programs to teach young Missourians the importance of caring for our precious natural resources. On a personal note, the magazine of the Department of Conservation, the Missouri Conservationist, has been a mainstay of my office for many years now. My fellow Missourians and I have long enjoyed the magazine's interesting articles and the beautiful pictures of Missouri's great outdoors. Madam Speaker, I trust my fellow members of the House will join me in recognizing John Hoskins, a man who has dedicated his life to the effective stewardship of Missouri's environment.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, in 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts v. EPA that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, had authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Since that time, EPA has been putting in place a framework to do just that. I do not agree with the Supreme Court. Congress never explicitly granted EPA the authority to regulate greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, under the Clean Air Act. That law was enacted years ago and was meant to eliminate lead in the air and to reduce smog. Because of the Supreme Court's ruling, the EPA has put in motion the process of writing complex rules to regulate emissions from both mobile and stationary sources in the United States--meaning both from automobiles, mobile, and from factories, farms, and power plants, stationary. I have serious concerns with the powers given to the EPA by the 2007 Supreme Court ruling, and many people in Missouri's Fourth Congressional District share my view, particularly relating to possibly costly regulations of stationary emitters. In recent years, Congress has been working to get a better handle on EPA and to create a different approach to confronting global climate change, an issue that many scientists and national security experts have concluded could be a real threat to America's long-term domestic and international interests. In most cases, the discussion in Congress and throughout the country regarding the need for action to slow climate change has been very non- partisan, with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents agreeing that some sort of shift in energy policy should occur. There has been tremendous debate, however, regarding just how best to gain better oversight of EPA while reducing potentially harmful emissions. After hearing for years from farmers, rural electric cooperative members, and others about their fear of the EPA in this area, I voted in 2009 for legislation that would, among other things, prevent EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions on farms and elsewhere and would instead create a market based trading system, called cap and trade, designed to cap these emissions over time. The legislation that passed in the House, H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, would also promote homegrown, clean burning renewable fuels by eliminating regulatory requirements at EPA that unfairly restrict renewable energy production in rural America. In particular, it would temporarily stop the EPA from holding U.S. producers responsible for land use changes in other countries, expand the definition of what qualifies as renewable biomass, and include a program to help fund the installation of blender pumps that will help make clean-burning renewable fuels more readily available in America. These provisions are valuable for rural America, which is why it was important to keep this bill moving forward and not to let it die in the House. I realize H.R. 2454 contained other controversial provisions, some of which I did not support. That is why I pledged at the time to work with my colleagues to refine the bill or to oppose it during final deliberations if that was not possible. In particular, I was skeptical of the so-called cap and trade system envisioned under H.R. 2454. I have met with Fourth District residents about cap and trade since the vote and am more convinced than ever there is little support for it in my district. In fact, many rural Missourians are downright fearful of the unintended consequences associated with cap and trade. This year, Congress must set aside cap and trade and instead piece together a scaled back, bipartisan energy bill that gets a better handle on EPA; strengthens America's renewable fuels policies for ethanol, biodiesel, and biomass; encourages responsible domestic exploration of oil and natural gas; expands clean nuclear energy; ensures America's propane industry, which is vital to rural America, remains a key priority; imposes a reasonable renewable electricity standard, with close consultation with utilities, that requires use of renewable fuels in addition to coal and natural gas; and invests in clean energy research and development that will benefit colleges and universities, non-profits, and businesses and allow the United States to become a leader in renewable energy jobs. Right now, it appears that even a scaled back energy bill is on shaky ground in the Senate. While Senator Jeff Bingaman, a Democrat from New Mexico, and Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, have passed a bipartisan bill out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, more recent attention has focused on a bill introduced by Senator Barbara Boxer of California and passed out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The more liberal tone of the Boxer legislation has, frankly, alienated conservative Democrats, such as I. Legislative stalemate combined with aggressive actions by EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions without explicit authority from Congress make more urgent Congress' need to assert leadership and to make clear that EPA does not have authority to regulate these sorts of emissions under the Clean Air Act. That is why I have introduced bipartisan legislation in the House to address this very serious issue. On February 2, 2010, I introduced H.R. 4572, a bill to prohibit EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the authority of the Clean Air Act. My bill would also stop EPA from holding U.S. producers and renewable fuels industries responsible for land use changes in other countries and would expand the definition of what qualifies as renewable biomass under U.S. energy law. Congressman Collin C. Peterson, the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, and Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson, R-Missouri, joined me as original cosponsors of H.R. 4572. This legislation will send a clear message that many of us in Congress are just plain concerned about what EPA is trying to do under the authority of the Clean Air Act and are ready to do something about it. I am very hopeful that H.R. 4572 will become law or will be included in any sort of scaled back energy bill that could conceivably be drafted this year. In my view, enacting common sense, bipartisan energy legislation, like the bill I have introduced, will help build consensus among the American people and Congress on energy and environmental policy issues and would allow for the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over time.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to our remarkable troops. Our men and women in uniform represent the best of America. Never is that more apparent than when our forces are mobilized to help people in need, most recently in the wake of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. As of last week, approximately 13,000 military personnel are part of the Haiti relief effort, about 10,000 aboard ship, and 3,000 ashore. The United States' response to the Haiti earthquake is a whole-of- government effort, with the U.S. Agency for International Development in the lead, but our military personnel are truly indispensable to the humanitarian response. U.S. military professionals have the logistical, medical, and engineering skills that are desperately needed in a disaster zone. This critical contribution to the Haiti relief effort comes at a time when the men and women of our military are already being stretched by two wars. But crises rarely happen on a planned timetable, and our troops have demonstrated, once again, their capability to respond admirably whenever disaster strikes. As any American who has been helped by the National Guard or other U.S. forces during a flood, hurricane, fire, tornado, or other emergency, there is no limit to the compassion, commitment, and dedication of those wearing the American service uniform. U.S. military servicemembers and their families make tremendous sacrifices, both for our Nation and in working to help people in times of need all over the world. I am so proud of the contribution our heroes in uniform are making to help the people of Haiti, in cooperation with all of the other people in government and non- governmental organizations, and international organizations who are working as partners in the Haiti relief effort.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, it has come to my attention that Jim Keathley, the superintendent of the Missouri Highway Patrol, will be retiring on March 1, 2010. After exactly 33 years of service with the highway patrol, Mr. Keathley's impressive career will come to a close. The people of Missouri have benefited greatly from the 3 years he has served as superintendent, a job he enjoys immensely. Among his most notable achievements is a reduction in traffic deaths to levels not seen since 1950. This impressive accomplishment is due in no small part to his vigilant focus on highway safety. For more than three decades, Mr. Keathley has put his life on the line for the safety of my fellow Missourians. Now, his sons follow this proud tradition as state troopers themselves. Missouri is a better place due to the proud service of Mr. Keathley and his sons. Madam Speaker, it is with great honor that I wish the very best for Mr. Keathley as he begins a new chapter in his life. I trust that my fellow members of the House will join me in thanking him for his service to the people of Missouri.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, let me take this means to recognize Francis Brillhart, a businessman, volunteer, and mayor who has served the community of Holden, Missouri for over 43 years. On January 3, 2010, Mr. Brillhart celebrated his 75th birthday. Francis Brillhart has owned and operated Brillhart Music for the past 4 decades. In that time, he has donated or provided at reduced cost audio equipment and sound systems to local churches, nonprofits, and service organizations throughout the community. Though his work with this Holden staple consumed much of his time, Mr. Brillhart's true passion was serving others. Serving on the Johnson County Real Estate Board, Emergency Management Board, and the Community Health Board, Mr. Brillhart worked diligently so that his fellow citizens could lead better, safer, and more comfortable lives. The hallmark of his lifetime of service has been the 11\1/2\ years he served as Mayor of Holden. During that time, Mr. Brillhart ensured that government worked for the people he represented. With his family, friends, and neighbors in mind, he made tough decisions that benefited all. He left big shoes to fill in Holden's City Hall, and he will not soon be forgotten. Madam Speaker, I trust that my fellow Members of the House will join me in wishing a very happy birthday to Francis Brillhart, a man who has bettered the lives of countless residents of Holden, Missouri.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, on August 17, 2009, I became a cosponsor of H.R. 3590, the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act. This legislation, which passed the House of Representatives on October 8, 2009, by a vote of 416 to 0, was designed to make certain changes in the tax code to assist members of the military in becoming homeowners. Thankfully, the legal changes envisioned in H.R. 3590 were included in a different bill to extend the first-time homebuyer tax credit that received bipartisan support and was signed into law by the President. After the military tax issue was resolved, the Senate Majority Leader used H.R. 3590 as the legislative vehicle to pass health care reform. On December 23, 2009, the Senate adopted a manager's amendment to H.R. 3590 which removed the provisions of the bill as it passed the House and replaced them with provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment also changed the title of the bill. A public search of legislation I have cosponsored in the 111th Congress shows that I am a cosponsor of the original H.R. 3590. I take this opportunity to clarify that I cosponsored and voted for the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act, not the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Mr. SKELTON

Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I come from Missouri--the Show-Me State-- where people conduct their lives with a sensible skepticism and a great devotion to common sense and patriotism. Missourians pride themselves in being straight shooters. They work hard and play by the rules. They look at issues with a pragmatism that more Americans should possess. They, like I, have been angered by the greedy behavior of Wall Street tycoons who helped get our country into its current economic mess. Their anger is amplified when they hear news stories, as all Americans have in the past few days, about how some of Wall Street's biggest banks are planning to give millions of dollars in bonuses. I am outraged by this. I have to ask myself, ``Where is the common sense of these Wall Street bankers? Where is their patriotism? Where is their shared sense of sacrifice?'' I grew up during World War II. When this Nation was in trouble then, all Americans stood together; all Americans made sacrifices--the working men and women of this country and the barons of industry. This current crowd on Wall Street just doesn't seem to get that. And that is a shame. It was important for the government to help save the American financial system from ruin. It was close to going off a desperately high cliff in the autumn of 2008. That would have been devastating for the Missouri families I represent. Was I angered that the government had to take emergency action? You bet I was--as were the folks in whose shoes I stand each day in Washington. Action was needed in large part because Wall Street tycoons had gambled with risky mortgage backed securities and because the government was not shining its regulatory light fully on these risky investments. And, many Wall Street firms rewarded employees with exuberant pay packages based on get-rich-quick financial transactions. In February 2009, Congress directed Treasury to review and set strict guidelines on executive compensation at financial institutions receiving assistance under the 2008 Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. Treasury has been doing that under the direction of Kenneth Feinberg, who runs the Office of the Special Master on executive compensation at the department. I am saddened that Congress would have to create a special office to help this greedy bunch find their moral compass. And, I am even more saddened that Wall Street banks would continue to think it appropriate to cut enormous bonus checks when so many American families are out of work and many others are very deeply concerned about their economic future. Can't the Wall Street crowd see how their pay schemes are interpreted in middle America? Can't they understand that their profits are occurring because the American people made serious sacrifices to right the Nation's economic ship? I am not yet convinced that the Treasury Secretary, the Federal Reserve Chairman, or the President have worked hard enough to press this compensation issue with the Wall Street community. That is why Congress has been working on several bills to establish more sensible policies in this area and in financial regulation more broadly. I fully realize that American companies must retain good workers to be competitive in the global marketplace and it takes pay to do that, but I am angered that executives at firms that received federal taxpayer assistance do not possess the common sense to share in the sacrifices being made by the American people during this tough economic climate. I urge them to take a step back and to reconsider their actions.