Nick Smith

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time once again, let me ask a question of the chairman. Where is this $60 million of the funds coming from in Justice?

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, you know, we are certainly in the campaign season of an election year; and I think everybody, Mr. Speaker, needs to be on guard for the talent to spin. And I am reminded of a cartoon that was in our paper recently. And there were four figures, and the first figure said, ``Gas prices are going up.'' And the next figure says, ``Yeah. That is President Bush trying to give his friends in the oil industry more income and more money.'' And the next figure said, ``Well, look, gas prices are coming down.'' And the next figure says, ``Yeah. That is President Bush trying to buy our votes.'' So I just challenge, Mr. Speaker, everybody in America to brace themselves probably for the most television ads they are going to see ever in this election. And you know what is encouraging is people in this country have a lot of what I call common sense that sort of comes from the gut. So I suggest to everybody, size up the candidates. Do what is right for our future. You know, some people down here suggest that the way to have a balanced budget is to increase taxes. Some people suggest the way to balance the budget is to reduce spending. Whatever it is, I think we need to be very cognizant of what we are doing to future generations with overspending. This year, even with the job growth and the expanded economy that is going to result in an estimated $100 billion less overspending, less deficit spending than was earlier predicted, we are still leaving a huge mortgage to our children and our grandchildren. I want to talk about just two issues in that regard as we face the next several weeks of deciding how much we are going to spend in the appropriation bills, in the overspending and what it does to our kids, right now. And interest rates of course just went up a quarter of a percent last week. It looks like before the end of the year they are going to go up again a little bit. Fourteen percent of total Federal spending now goes towards servicing the debt. So here is 14 percent of the $2.3 trillion that is being spent this year being spent to pay interest on what we are borrowing to accommodate the overzealousness of this body, the Senate, and the White House for the last 25 years to spend more and more money, trying to solve more and more problems. That 14 percent of the total spending represents approximately $300 billion a year; and if you realize that interest rates are going up and at the same time we are increasing the deficit, that means increasing the debt, that means increasing the interest that we are going to have to pay on that debt, it just leaves our kids with a huge responsibility, to the extent that their standard of living is going to be less than ours if we continue to do what we have been doing, and that is overspending. And I suggest increasing taxes is not the right way to accommodate that overspending. Right now businesses are charged 18 percent more than the industrial countries that we compete with. They pay 18 percent more in taxes in this country than other countries. So to simply say we are going to increase the taxes and put our businesses at a greater competitive disadvantage means that there is a greater likelihood that other countries are going to undersell us, that are going to produce those products. It means that companies in this country, to survive, are going to do more of their business overseas. Let us not solve our problems by increasing taxes. Let me finish, Mr. Speaker, by talking about overpromising. It is easy for a politician to go back home to their districts or their States and say, well, you have some problems; I am going to come back in Congress, and we are going to push to solve that problem simply by increasing taxes to accommodate you, or maybe not even increasing taxes; maybe just making propositions. The economists use the words ``unfunded liabilities'' to describe how much we have promised over and above the revenues coming in to pay for those promises. I would ask people to guess how much unfunded liabilities are now projected by the Medicare and Social Security actuaries. The answer is $73.5 trillion. That means that we would have to have $73.5 trillion into a savings account, earning as much interest to accommodate inflation, to pay for what is not coming in in the payroll tax in future years. It is not fair. It is moving away from the principle of those that work hard, that try, that study and invest end up better off than those that do not. I would suggest, Mr. Speaker, in closing, that it is important in this election year that the people of America size up their candidates.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, education is the key to our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement partially rests in the hands of our teachers. Today, I would like to recognize a teacher from Parma, Michigan that significantly influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership who were winners of the LeGrand Smith Scholarship. Lola Collins teaches fourth and fifth grade at Parma Elementary in Parma. She is credited with instilling in students an enthusiasm for not only these subjects, but also for life. As one of her students, Kelli McCarrell, said, ``She showed me how to be who I am, and not be afraid of experiences. Because she was my teacher for two years, she watched me grow up. Both of these years, she encouraged my curiosity for life and my energetic passion for knowledge--it is her influence that has helped me become who I am today.'' The respect and gratitude of her students speaks well of Lola's ability to challenge young minds and encourage them to always put forth their best effort. Lola Collins' extraordinary work as a teacher has challenged and inspired countless students to move beyond the teenage tendency of superficial study and encourage them to foster deeper thought and connections to the real world. Arguably, no profession is more important because of its daily influence upon the future leaders of our community and our country, and Lola's impact on her students is certainly worthy of recognition. On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Lola Collins. We thank her for her continuing dedication to teaching and her willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students to strive for success.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, education is the key to our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement partially rests in the hands of our teachers. Today, I would like to recognize a teacher from Jonesville, Michigan that significantly influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership who were winners of the LeGrand Smith Scholarship. Judy Hale teaches College Prep English at Jonesville High School in Jonesville. She is credited with instilling in students an enthusiasm for not only these subjects, but also for life. As one of her students, Shea Scott Dow said, ``She listens and gives advice to her students, she motivates and she maintains expectations. Because of these high expectations, I feel that I'm ready to go to college and be successful in my studies.'' The respect and gratitude of her students speaks well of Judy's ability to challenge young minds and encourage them to always put forth their best effort. Judy Hale's extraordinary work as a teacher has challenged and inspired countless students to move beyond the teenage tendency of superficial study and encourage them to foster deeper thought and connections to the real world. Arguably, no profession is more important because of its daily influence upon the future leaders of our community and our country, and Judy's impact on her students is certainly worthy of recognition. On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Judy Hale. We thank her for her continuing dedication to teaching and her willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students to strive for success.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, education is the key to our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement partially rests in the hands of our teachers. Today, I would like to recognize a teacher from Jackson, Michigan that significantly influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership who were winners of the LeGrand Smith Scholarship. John W. Moody teaches Mathematics and Physics at Concord High School in Concord, Michigan. He is credited with instilling in students an enthusiasm for not only these subjects, but also for life. As two of his students said, Matthew Wixson and Michael Horosko, ``He takes time to explain something if I don't understand it, and he is always there to give a bit of wisdom. He has helped shape who I am and I will be forever grateful to him for that.'' And, ``Mr. Moody taught me excellent math and science strategies, but even more important he taught me lessons about life. He is an excellent teacher, but even more so, a good friend.'' The respect and gratitude of his students speaks well of John's ability to challenge young minds and encourage them to always put forth their best effort. John W. Moody's extraordinary work as a teacher has challenged and inspired countless students to move beyond the teenage tendency of superficial study and encourage them to foster deeper thought and connections to the real world. Arguably, no profession is more important because of its daily influence upon the future leaders of our community and our country, and John's impact on his students is certainly worthy of recognition. On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to John W. Moody. We thank him for his continuing dedication to teaching and his willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students to strive for success.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, education is the key to our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement partially rests in the hands of our teachers. Today, I would like to recognize a teacher from Bronson, Michigan that significantly influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership who were winners of the LeGrand Smith Scholarship. Melissa Souva teaches Agricultural Science at Bronson High School in Bronson, Michigan. She is credited with instilling in students an enthusiasm for not only these subjects, but also for life. As one of her students, Bobby Jo Ludwick said, ``Mrs. Souva has taught me the importance of good leadership and community service. The self- confidence that I've gained from her support will play a role in my life everyday. She has taught me that I can make a difference. I thank her for making a difference for me.'' The respect and gratitude of her students speaks well of Melissa's ability to challenge young minds and encourage them to always put forth their best effort. Melissa Souva's extraordinary work as a teacher has challenged and inspired countless students to move beyond the teenage tendency of superficial study and encourage them to foster deeper thought and connections to the real world. Arguably, no profession is more important because of its daily influence upon the future leaders of our community and our country, and Melissa's impact on their students is certainly worthy of recognition. On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Melissa Souva. We thank her for her continuing dedication to teaching and her willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students to strive for success.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, education is the key to our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement partially rests in the hands of our teachers. Today, I would like to recognize a teacher from Coldwater, Michigan who significantly influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership who were winners of the LeGrand Smith Scholarship. Scott German teaches Biology at Bronson High School in Bronson, Michigan. He is credited with instilling in students an enthusiasm for not only these subjects, but also for life. As one of his students, Bobby Jo Ludwick said, ``Mr. German has taught me the importance of good leadership and community service. The self-confidence that I've gained from his support will play a role in my life everyday. He has taught me that I can make a difference. I thank him for making a difference for me.'' The respect and gratitude of his students speaks well of Scott's ability to challenge young minds and encourage them to always put forth their best effort. Scott German's extraordinary work as a teacher has challenged and inspired countless students to move beyond the teenage tendency of superficial study and encourage them to foster deeper thought and connections to the real world. Arguably, no profession is more important because of its daily influence upon the future leaders of our community and our country, and Scott's impact on his students is certainly worthy of recognition. On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Scott German. We thank him for his continuing dedication to teaching and his willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students to strive for success.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, education is the key to our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement partially rests in the hands of our teachers. Today, I would like to recognize a teacher from Bronson, Michigan that significantly influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership who were winners of the LeGrand Smith Scholarship. Lori Sykes teaches Mathematics and Science at Litchfield High School in Litchfield. She is credited with instilling in students an enthusiasm for not only these subjects, but also for life. As one of her students, Lindsey Teller, said, ``She taught me a strong work ethic, as she always expected the very best from me. I felt like she was a real person, not just a teacher.'' The respect and gratitude of her students speak well of Lori's ability to challenge young minds and encourage them to always put forth their best effort. Lori Sykes' extraordinary work as a teacher has challenged and inspired countless students to move beyond the teenage tendency of superficial study and encourage them to foster deeper thought and connections to the real world. Arguably, no profession is more important because of its daily influence upon the future leaders of our community and our country, and Lori's impact on her students is certainly worthy of recognition. On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Lori Sykes. We thank her for her continuing dedication to teaching and her willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students to strive for success.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, education is the key to our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement partially rests in the hands of our teachers. Today, I would like to recognize a teacher from Jackson, Michigan that significantly influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership who were winners of the LeGrand Smith Scholarship. J. Barry Weldon teaches Modern American History and Government at Morenci High School in Morenci. He is credited with instilling in students an enthusiasm for not only these subjects, but also for life. As one of his students, Rosanna Green said, Mr. Weldon is an amazing educator. In everything he teaches he adds excitement for learning. He also taught me important life lessons and influenced me to always try hard and be the best I possibly can be.'' The respect and gratitude of his students speaks well of Barry's ability to challenge young minds and encourage them to always put forth their best effort. J. Barry Weldon's extraordinary work as a teacher has challenged and inspired countless students to move beyond the teenage tendency of superficial study and encourage them to foster deeper thought and connections to the real world. Arguably, no profession is more important because of its daily influence upon the future leaders of our community and our country, and Barry's impact on his/her students is certainly worthy of recognition. On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to J. Barry Weldon. We thank him for his continuing dedication to teaching and his willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students to strive for success.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, education is the key to our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement partially rests in the hands of our teachers. Today, I would like to recognize a teacher from Battle Creek, Michigan that significantly influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership who were winners of the LeGrand Smith Scholarship. Kathy Rizor teaches Advanced Biology at Harper Creek High School in Battle Creek. She is credited with instilling in students an enthusiasm for not only these subjects, but also for life. As one of her students, Renee Burdick said, ``She encouraged me to excel in all aspects of my life ranging from academics to extracurricular activities. Not only did she facilitate the position of a great educator for me, but she served as a strong leader for my other classmates, Harper Creek and the greater Battle Creek community.'' The respect and gratitude of her students speak well of Kathy's ability to challenge young minds and encourage them to always put forth their best effort. Kathy Rizor's extraordinary work as a teacher has challenged and inspired countless students to move beyond the teenage tendency of superficial study and encourage them to foster deeper thought and connections to the real world. Arguably, no profession is more important because of its daily influence upon the future leaders of our community and our country, and Kathy's impact on her students is certainly worthy of recognition. On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Kathy Rizor. We thank her for her continuing dedication to teaching and her willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students to strive for success.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I wore my Adam Smith tie this morning because today we are going to talk about some ways that might help us give discipline to ourselves on how much money we spend and how much overpromising we do. Two areas. One, I am from a farm in Michigan. That is where we usually try to reduce the mortgage so our kids have a little better chance. In this Chamber and in the Senate and the White House, what we have been doing for the last 20 years is increasing the debt. Every year for the last 20 years the debt subject to the debt limit has been going up. Plus, we have been overpromising in Medicare, Social Security. The unfunded liability is a huge burden on our children. So, hopefully, today we can join together to help give ourselves discipline on overspending by changing the law.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I think it would be good for history's sake to look at the last time that we dramatically increased taxes. We did that; when President Clinton came into office, we had the largest tax increase in history, and what was the effect of that on spending? During those years of the Clinton administration, we increased spending by 33 percent. During those periods, we increased the debt limit three times. So we have dramatically demonstrated that if we have more money, we are going to have more spending. I would suggest that there has to be some limit, and the overall bill gives us some intestinal fortitude, gives us some guts to resist the temptation to promise more and spend more has to be incorporated. Mr. Speaker, I hope we can have the kind of votes and support to give us that discipline in this kind of budget reorganization.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I chair the Subcommittee on Research on the Committee on Science, and I am very concerned that science and technology should not be in the partisan politic arena for this election in November. At a speech in Denver on Monday, John Kerry kicked off a week of campaign politics focused on science and technology policy. He attacked President Bush for putting politics over science and promised to reinvigorate American innovation. As chairman of the House Subcommittee on Research, and a long-time advocate of expanded support for science and technology, I suggest Mr. Kerry is putting politics before science. In the strongest possible way, I urge this issue must remain bipartisan. Even in today's highly charged political environment, I am disappointed that Senator Kerry has chosen to politicize science, and I feel compelled to respond to his misleading and actually sometimes false statements and attacks on this administration. Senator Kerry's fact sheet promises to support scientific research based on facts, not ideology, and I respectfully suggest that a good place for the Senator to start would be to minimize the distortion of facts and ideological rhetoric that are so prevalent in his very own press releases on this subject. A quick review of the Senator's recent press release on science and technology and its accompanying letter of endorsement, signed by some Nobel prize winning scientists, reveals several distortions and factual errors that should be brought to light. They include: Failure to disclose backgrounds of Democrat party activism by these scientists. The Kerry campaign touted the endorsement of 48 scientists, as if they were speaking on behalf of the welfare of science and discovery itself. But, in fact, it is clear these scientists are, collectively, also very passionate liberal ideologues with an extensive record of support for the Democratic party. Twenty-two of Senator Kerry's Nobel endorsers show up on the Federal Election Commission, the FEC Web site, as having donated $25,000 to Democrats for every $1,000 donated to Republicans. To repeat: $25,000 to the Democrats for every $1,000 to Republicans. Obviously, some bias for the Democrats. The lead organizers of the letter, Burton Richter, Harold Varmus, and Mario Molina, announced their support for Kerry in a conference call as though they were nonpartisan objective observers that had no choice but to reluctantly support Kerry's campaign. But by way of their public record of financial support for Democratic candidates, Richter, Varmus and Molina have consistently used their names outside of science, donating $13,950 to Democrats such as Wesley Clark, Al Gore, Barbara Boxer and Bill Bradley. If Senator Kerry wants to limit the exploitation of science for political gain, he should start by fully disclosing the history of political contributions by his prize-winning supporters, most of whom have had their research supported from government funds. One of Mr. Kerry's false claims: The Kerry campaign ``fact sheet'' begins by stating that, ``George W. Bush has led one of the most antiscience administrations in our Nation's history,'' and goes on to claim that the President ``has proposed cutting research and development in most nondefense research programs through fiscal year 2009.'' This projection is in fact not a Bush administration proposal but, rather, a particular result of the AAAS, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, that is based on multiyear revenue and spending projections, combined with the administration's goal to halve the deficit in five years. In short, it is not correct. Let me report the assumptions that were made in reality, and what is grounded in reality is in the Bush administration and this Congress, there has been a stellar record of support for science and technology funding. By almost every measure, funding for science and technology under President Bush's watch has increased dramatically. Since the President took office in 2001, Federal support for R&D has increased by 37 percent after adjusting for inflation, growing from $78 billion to $107 billion in constant 2000 dollars. By comparison, Federal support for R&D actually decreased 4 percent in President Clinton's first term, going from $77.4 billion in 1993 to $74.4 billion the last year of Clinton's term (source: FY 2005 budget, historical tables). False Claim of America's Scientific Demise. The title of Senator Kerry's press release, ``Kerry Pledges to Once Again Make America the Leader in Science,'' is emblematic of the pessimistic approach to America he has taken with his campaign. If John Kerry doesn't think America is the world leader in science and technology, what country does he think is better? The truth is, by every measure, the United States is far and away the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to science and technology. The challenge is keeping it there and not letting it disrupt bipartisan support with a bunch of political cheap shots. The U.S. spends nearly three times as much on R&D as the second-place country, Japan. And more money is spent on R&D activities in the U.S. each year than the rest of the G-7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom) combined. The United States also holds strong leads in specific sectors. For example, the U.S. produces 32 percent of the entire world output in high-technology products. Technology products also account for a very large share of U.S. exports, thereby making a positive contribution to our overall trade balance (source: National Science Board Science and Engineering Indicators, 2004). A Record To Run From. Finally, Senator Kerry likes to attack President Bush for ``not having a record to run on.'' But while the President indeed does have a strong science and technology record, it is worthwhile for us to examine Senator Kerry's record on science and technology as a member of the Senate for the past two decades. A review of floor statements posted on Senator Kerry's web site show that, over the past 4 years, he's only mentioned science four times in floor statements. Further, even though Senator Kerry is a member of the influential Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, he has not introduced any legislation during this Congress on science and technology issues. Science, research, and innovation are vital to our country's future. Senator Kerry hasn't shown leadership on science and technology during his two decades in the Senate. Now he is dividing what has been bipartisan support for science and technology. Mr. Kerry, it is not good for science and it is not good for our country's future.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate many of the concerns of the previous speaker; but I think everybody should be very aware that for the 8 years under the previous administration, there was not one year that we reduced the debt held by the public as defined by law. Not one year. We have increased spending every year two and three and sometimes almost four times the rate of inflation, so a decision has to be made. Do you want to start cutting down spending, or do you want to increase taxes? If we increase taxes, what we do is we put our business at a greater economic disadvantage, competitive disadvantage with businesses that we are trying to compete with in other countries. I agree with the previous speaker that there is a danger of going deeper and deeper into debt. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I ask people to guess what percentage of our marketable debt is now held by foreign interests. The answer is 45 percent. I just finished a meeting with the Canadian Parliament. The Canadian Parliament now for the last several years has paid down their total debt, not just paid down part of it but paid down so that their net debt has been decreasing. At the same time over the last 10 years in the United States our debt has been continuing to increase. Let me just say that the language in this legislation that opens the door in conference committee to increase the debt limit might be acceptable. I would be adamantly against it if it set the debt limit in this bill. It does not set the debt limit in this bill. Sometime we are going to have to face up to our overspending and that means discussing increasing the debt of this country. Today, interest on the debt of this country, what it costs to service this debt, the interest on the debt, is $300 billion plus this year. It represents a little over 14 percent of our total Federal spending. I think both sides should agree, let us start balancing spending with the revenues coming in. Let us not make promises as far as unfunded mandates and unfunded liabilities in Social Security and Medicaid and Medicare.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Founding Festival of the City of Jackson, Michigan. This celebration commemorates the 175th anniversary of the founding of the City of Jackson, Michigan, and the 150th anniversary of the meeting ``Under the Oaks,'' the first convention of the Republican Party. New Yorker Horace Blackman arrived at what is now Jackson on July 3rd, 1829. On July 4th, he staked out his 160-acre claim along the banks of the Grand River. Named for President Andrew Jackson, the village also known as Jacksonburgh and Jacksonopolis grew quickly, and became a hub of commerce and transportation in southern Michigan. It became the terminus of the Michigan Central Railroad, which helped to spur economic growth in the region, and served as a starting point for pioneers heading west. Jackson has played an important role in defending our country. It was the first city in Michigan to muster troops for the Civil War, and made significant contributions to the war effort during WW II, manufacturing materiel and supplies. Jackson was a leader in the automotive industry, with 23 different cars manufactured in the City, including the ``Jackson'' automobile. Both Buick automobiles and Ritz Crackers were originally manufactured in Jackson. Gilbert's Chocolates, Sparton Electronics, and the All-Star Dairy also call Jackson home. July 6, 2004 marks the 150th Anniversary of the Under the Oaks meeting in Jackson, MI. On this day in 1854, the name ``Republican'' was used in affiliation with a political party for the first time in the history of the United States of America. With its seeds sown at meetings in Ripon, Wisconsin; Friendship, NY; and Bangor, Maine, the movement took root at the meeting in Jackson, adopting a platform, nominating candidates, and formally adopting the name ``Republican.'' Called to the City of Jackson by Charles V. DeLand, editor of the Jackson American Citizen newspaper, thousands of former Whigs, FreeSoilers, disgruntled Democrats, and others assembled in Jackson to consider further anti-slavery actions. The call was taken up by newspapers throughout the state to meet on the 6th of July 1854. The crowd of more than 3,000 quickly filled Bronson Hall to overflowing, and the meeting adjourned to the oak grove on Morgan's Forty, at what is now the corner of Franklin and Second streets. At this meeting ``Under the Oaks,'' the first Republican platform was passed, the first Republican candidates were nominated, and the name ``Republican'' was formally adopted. It is only fitting that this city, that also played an important role in the Underground Railroad, is where the first political platform calling for the abolition of slavery would be adopted. Thus was born the Grand Old Party. At the time of year that we celebrate the founding of the United States of America, it is my great honor to recognize the founding of Jackson, Michigan, a truly American city born on the fourth of July, and of that Grand Old Party, the Republicans.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Chauncy Billups, Tayshaun Prince, Big Ben Wallace, Richard ``Rip'' Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Corliss Williamson, Mehmet Okur, Lindsey Hunter, Elden Campbell, Darvin Ham, Mike James, Darko Milicic. Mr. Speaker, these are the names of the Pistons. I would like to congratulate the Detroit Pistons for bringing the NBA championship back to the east, back to Motown, and back to the State of Michigan. It seemed like no one believed in the Pistons, no one gave them a chance against the Laker team that had been really tailor-made to win the title. Well, true fans believed, and our beloved team did not disappoint. The Pistons played hard every minute. They found every loose ball, controlled the offensive boards, and kept beating the Lakers down the floor. They never stopped coming and never stopped going for it. The Pistons had a whole team of role models. They had chemistry, coaching, spirit, determination, you name it. Detroit's defense was more dominant than any single player, and they are worthy of champions. They played as a team and won as a team and set a good example for all of us. Years from now, true Piston fans are going to remember this magical journey.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today in favor of H.R. 4517, the U.S. Refinery Revitalization Act of 2004. Existing U.S. refineries are already operating at or near full capacity because this country hasn't added new refineries in almost three decades. As Director of Energy at USDA during the 1970s Arab oil embargo, I find that not only hard to believe, but unacceptable. EPA implemented tougher Clean Air Act regulations, including a program that requires refiners to take expensive steps to cut factory emissions when they expand capacity or build new plants. Many refiners couldn't meet the requirements and have gone out of business. Now, we only have the capacity to meet about 90 percent of our gasoline needs. This is especially significant in Michigan where we have just one refinery left--the Marathon Ashland plant in Detroit. In addition to federal law, the state of Michigan also needs to consider changes in state law and regulation that will encourage the building of more refineries in Michigan. U.S. laws requiring dozens of different regional gasoline formulations have created unusual fuel requirements that are not easily met by foreign refiners. Each formulation requires different pipelines and trucks for different parts of the country that increase the cost. A shortage of clean tankers available to ship gasoline from overseas is yet another bottleneck. This adds to the cost at the pump, and leads to regional price shocks when refineries experience interruptions in their production. Under this bill, many areas in Michigan would be eligible as a Refinery Revitalization Zone, including Wayne County, where Michigan's last remaining refinery is located. I stand in favor of H.R. 4517 because this will help the Midwest region lower its 6 percent gasoline supply deficit and reduce some of the highest pump prices in the nation.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, our dependence on foreign energy leaves American consumers at the mercy of events occurring all over the world, from OPEC production decisions to increases in demand in China and India to terrorism in Saudi Arabia to incipient dictatorship in Venezuela. Reducing our dependence would ease the unpredictable swings in oil prices that now cause such havoc with both family budgets and the larger economy. As Director of Energy at USDA, I served on President Nixon's Oil Policy Commission during the 1970s Arab oil embargo, and I can tell you that this problem is greater today. There are no easy and simple answers. We can make significant progress, but we have to go about it by making energy independence a national priority and by making investments in many key scientific areas. That's why I supported the energy bill the House passed last year and why I am supporting this legislation. This bill would increase conservation, encourage the use of domestic clean coal, permit greater domestic oil production, add to research into new energy sources, and expand the use of ethanol, biodiesel, biomass, and other renewable energy sources. As Chairman of the Science Research Subcommittee, the bill includes amendments I offered that were put in the bill, including nitrogen fixation, nuclear power research, clean coal research, and school bus emission reductions. Section 962 of the bill supports research and development programs on biological nitrogen fixation, including plant genomics research. Today's nitrogen fertilizers are made from natural gas. We now have the technology to develop and enhance plants to put nitrogen in the soil. This section of the bill will reduce natural gas consumption and in turn will lower farmers' costs. This bill contains important provisions to increase domestic fuel production, improve homeland security, and encourage the production of renewable fuels like hydrogen and ethanol. Currently, 2.5 billion gallons of ethanol are put into the American gasoline supply. With this new legislation, 5 billion gallons will be blended in by 2012. Ethanol is an oxygenate and is good for reducing pollution and lessening our dependence on imported fuels. We can grow it in abundance in our own fields every year. However, current ethanol technology production needs a continued tax break. Ethanol is only profitable with efficient production when you use the corn by-products. One bushel of corn makes 2.6 gallons, and 90 percent of ethanol is produced from corn. About 1.7 billion bushels of corn will go towards ethanol under this bill. By guaranteeing that 5 billion gallons of ethanol will be used, American farmers and ethanol producers can invest with confidence that, for at least the next 10 to 15 years, ethanol investments will pay off. By increasing ethanol usage, this bill bolsters corn prices. Agreement on a modernized energy policy focusing on our nation's innovative strengths in science and technology and a reduction on our reliance on the hostile and politically unstable Middle East for fuel will help achieve energy self sufficiency and improve our country's economy and security for decades to come.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, for a moment, I want to talk about what our decision should be in this United States Congress as we approach another budget year. One of the big challenges of the Congress of the United States is the overspending of government, because it adds to the debt. Over promising adds to unfunded liabilities, and the question becomes, when is it time for Congress and the White House to start faxing and reducing the growth of the Federal Government? I would suggest, Mr. Speaker, that the time is now. We should start next year making changes in the programs, such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, where Congress has overpromised and does not have the revenue coming in to pay for these programs in the long run. That includes Social Security. The reason I suggest now is a good time is because the economy is growing very rapidly, and I quote from an article in the U.S. News & World Report by Editor-in-Chief, Mort Zuckerman. ``New jobs are being generated in large numbers, income is growing at twice the rate of last year, and the acceleration is such that we will probably see a 5 percent growth in the gross domestic product. Sixty-one percent of private industries surveyed have added workers. That is the highest in 4 years. Business confidence has surged to a 20-year high, and business spending is exploding. The productivity boom, meanwhile, has made it possible to keep inflation under 2 percent, saving consumers billions. This has been due not just to technology but to tighter and better management controls. We are on a trajectory toward extraordinary growth in the second half of 2004 that will beget stronger job and income growth.'' So the situation that we have been facing is increasing the deficit over $500 billion a year. A deficit is the overspending in one budget year of the Federal Government; spending that exceeds all revenue coming in. This year, we are looking at $536 billion. For the next 3 years, at least, it is going to be over $500 billion at the rate we are going. And let me put that in a little bit of perspective. We are a country that is about 228 years old. It took the first 200 years of this country to accumulate a debt of $500 billion. Now we are going deeper into debt, more than $500 billion every year. It is time that Congress and the White House did what every family has to do, what every business has to do, and that is tighten our belts and not continue to spend more than the revenue coming in. Some suggest we should simply increase taxes to accommodate increased spending. I am suggesting that we should prioritize spending, start slowing down the growth in spending, so we are not increasing the size of government by more than three or four times the rate of inflation. Overspending is one issue that we are laying on future generations; the other is overpromising. Overpromising is what the budget people call unfunded liabilities. Unfunded liabilities are promises that Congress and the White House have made over and above the revenues coming in to pay for those promises. The major categories are Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. The experts predict that unfunded liabilities of this country now amount to over $73 trillion. The money is not going to be there. And so the only ramification is to load our next generation and our young people with either the responsibility of paying for the interest on that increasing debt or increasing taxes. It is irresponsible for Congress and the White House not to face up to some of the promises that we have made instead of pretending that the problem somehow is going to be paid for by future generations that are going to have their own problems. With that, Mr. Speaker, I would just simply suggest that every voter in America, when they go to candidate forums, ask that individual running for Congress or for the United States Senate or for President what their plans are to save Social Security and their plans to stop the overspending. The kind of debt that we are passing on to future generations is unacceptable.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I was farming and in the Michigan legislature when Ronald Reagan took office. With President Reagan, he not only led the country but restored America's confidence. He renewed our sense of America's goodness and America's greatness. And with that assurance, the American people achieved great things. When Ronald Reagan came into office, we had Watergate, defeat in Vietnam, we surrendered control over the Panama Canal. Vietnam fell to Communism and Cambodia soon followed. The Sandinistas took control of Nicaragua. The Ayatollah Khomenini held 52 American hostages for more than a year at our embassy in Tehran. Inflation stood at 13.5 percent and interest rates reached 21 percent. People in America had lost their optimism and pride in our country, and it was Ronald Reagan that brought us back. It was Ronald Reagan who turned it around. He never lost faith in the American people, and he had enough optimism to restore our lost confidence and get America back on its feet. That is what impressed me so much in those days, that tremendous turn-around from so many being down to being proud again of America. He believed that we could cut taxes and restore our economy, and we did. By the end of his term, the U.S. economy had grown by a third. He believed we could stand up proudly for American values around the world and stand up to the Soviet Union, and we did. It was President Reagan's resolve that halted the march of Communism in Central America and Afghanistan. It was Reagan's resolve that nurtured the Solidarity movement in Poland, and gave heart to the dissidents of the Soviet Bloc. Ultimately, it was President Reagan's faith in American ideals and his steadfast determination that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the liberation of Eastern Europe. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, it was that leadership and vision for America that made Ronald Reagan special. And now the country mourns and the world remembers in the death of a great world leader.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I share with my colleagues a poem by Albert Carey Caswell. And to This End And to this end Approach Heaven, our True American Hero . . . America's finest of all true friends Rest now . . . our Great American Patriot . . . as up to Heaven your magnificent soul as so ascends. And to this end And oh, what to this our Country you have so been With that, your warm smile and that thick brown hair . . . and what your heart of gold has so meant. And to this end The promise, and your gift . . . the pride and the respect . . . believing in us as if . . . as you'd begin Bringing your Nation back to shore, our savior . . . rescuing & seeing the light that others so ignored. And to this end Breaking down walls, hearing the children's calls . . . wearing your heart on your sleeve To believe . . . In God and Country, and in all of those things which made us free . . . all in you we see. And to this end To dream . . . to start from nothing, as it would so seem As was yours . . . this The Great American Dream . . . as is this, our Nation's greatest of all themes. And to this end Returning and The Pride and The Respect . . . to America's greatest of all assets Her fighting Women & Men . . . her one true fine reason why we all can dream, you'd not let us forget. And to this end As you brought the light, into that battle against the darkness . . . this your courageous fight As you have brought us hope, where there was none . . . as your journey begun . . . for what was right. And to this end Yes, Ron . . . there are jelly beans up in Heaven my dear friend And to you, I so salute . . . this one's for you Gipper . . . as the swollen tear drops so roll down my chin. And to this end . . . ``Well, There You Go Again'' And now, and forever . . . whenever, I look into our flag . . . I'll see your face For such men of heart, such men of warmth & character & grace, Heaven . . . so surely holds a place.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, people say that a truly great athlete is not only gifted himself, he makes those who play with him better. The same is true of President Reagan, who not only led the country, but restored America's confidence. He renewed our sense of America's goodness and America's greatness. And with that assurance, the American people achieved great things. When Reagan came into office, America was demoralized. President Carter had even spoken of our ``malaise.'' Watergate and our defeat in Vietnam shook our self-confidence. We surrendered control over the Panama Canal which we had built. The Soviet Union was at the height of its power and communism seemed to be on the march. After Vietnam fell to the communists, Cambodia followed. The Sandinistas took control in Nicaragua and communist insurgencies were under way in Ethiopia, Angola, and Mozambique. The Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and were in the process of suppressing the Solidarity movement in Poland. At the same time, the Shah fell in Iran, and supporters of Ayatollah Khomenini held 52 Americans hostage for more than a year at our embassy in Tehran. Worse, the American military expedition to free them failed in the desert, with the crash of two helicopters and the death of eight servicemen. The economic situation was just as dire. In 1980, inflation stood at 13.5 percent, and interest rates reached 21 percent. The turmoil in the Middle East sparked gasoline shortages. People waited for hours in line just to fill up their cars and worried about people stealing the gas out of their cars. People lost their optimism. America no longer seemed special, or a world leader. It felt like the divine spark at the center of the American experiment had gone out. It was Ronald Reagan who turned it around. He never lost faith in the American people. And he had enough optimism to restore our lost confidence and get America back on its feet. He believed we could restore our economy--and we did. By 1990 the U.S. economy had grown by a third, or roughly the size of the entire German economy. And 35 million jobs were created. He believed we could stand up proudly for American values around the world and stand up to the Soviet Union--and we did. It was President Reagan's resolve that halted the march of communism in Central America, and in Afghanistan. It was Reagan's resolve that nurtured the Solidarity movement in Poland, and gave heart to the dissidents of the Soviet bloc. Ultimately it was President Reagan's faith in American ideals that led to the fall of the Berlin wall and the liberation of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. It was that leadership and vision for America that made Ronald Reagan special. Like FDR during the depression, he taught us that there was nothing to fear but fear itself. Like Winston Churchill during World War II, he spoke for an entire nation at a time of stress. It restored our confidence, and that made all the difference. Let us remember Ronald Reagan. Let us remember what Ronald Reagan wanted for America. He wanted us always to be that shining city on a hill. And he wanted us to know that America's best days always lie ahead. May God bless Ronald Reagan and Mrs. Reagan and may God bless America.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I would like to join my colleagues in recognizing the Congressional Pages that will be ending their term of service this week. I would also like to commend Congressman Shimkus and Peggy Sampson for all of their hard work. The House Pages have made up the critically important support staff that has kept the House floor running smoothly for over 200 years. The 2003-2004 full-school year Pages were selected from hundreds of applicants, following an incredibly competitive process that scrutinizes their individual achievements in academics, leadership, and commitment to social and civic service. Page duties include delivering all types of correspondence and legislative materials throughout the Capitol and House Office Buildings, answering phones in the Members' Cloakrooms, relaying messages, flying flags over the Capitol, and preparing the House floor for session. These pages have spent their entire junior year of high school in Washington, D.C., living, taking classes and working for the House. The typical day of a Page begins very early at 5:45 am or 6:00 am to eat breakfast prior to attending classes for school at 6:45 am. At 10:00 am, their legislative workday begins and lasts until the House adjourns in the evening; and sometimes into the early morning hour. These individuals have demonstrated their true commitment to playing an important role in our Nation's future by learning and working in the nation's capitol. We honor those Pages that have shown the same generosity of spirit, depth of intelligence, and capacity for human service that is so important to leaders. These exceptional students have consistently displayed their dedication, intelligence and concern throughout their time as a Page in Congress. They stand out among their peers not only because of their many achievements, but also the disciplined manner in which they meet all challenges. Although they have already accomplished a great deal, these young people possess unlimited potential. The House Pages are young men and women of character, ambition, and initiative, who have made a significant contribution to the United States House of Representatives and already learned well the value of hard work and commitment. Their efforts and dedication is very much appreciated and our best wishes bestowed upon them in all of their future endeavors that I am sure for some will include elected office including Congress. I suspect all will be leaders. On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, we extend our thanks and highest praise and congratulations to each Congressional Page.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, it is my sincerest pleasure that I rise to recognize and compliment the congressional pages that will be ending their term of service this week. The House pages have made up the critically important staff that has kept the House floor running smoothly for over 200 years. This 2003- 2004 school year pages were selected from hundreds of applicants following an incredibly competitive process that scrutinizes their individual achievements in academics, leadership, and complement to social and civic service. Page duties include delivering all types of correspondence and legislative materials throughout the Capitol and House office buildings, answering phones in the Members cloak room, relaying messages, flying flags over the Capitol, and preparing the House floor for session and many other duties. These pages have spent their entire junior year of high school in Washington, D.C. living, taking classes, and working for the House. The typical day of a page begins very early at 5:45 a.m. or 6 a.m. to eat breakfast prior to attending classes for school at 6:45 a.m. At 10 a.m. their legislative work day begins and lasts until the House adjourns in the evening and sometimes into the wee early morning hours. These individuals, I think, Mr. Speaker, have demonstrated their true commitment to playing an important role in our Nation's future by learning and working here in the Nation's Capitol. We honor those pages that have shown the same generosity of spirit and depth of intelligence and capacity for human service that is so important of our leaders. These exceptional students have consistently displayed their dedication, intelligence, and concern throughout their time as a page in Congress. They stand out among their peers not only because of their many achievements but also the disciplined manner in which they meet all challenges. I compliment the administration and those that have guided these pages. And although these pages have already accomplished a great deal, these young people possess unlimited potential. The House pages are young men and women of character, ambition and initiative who have made a significant contribution to the United States House of Representatives and have learned well the value of hard work and commitment. Their efforts and dedication are very much appreciated and our very best wishes bestowed upon them in all of their future endeavors that I am sure for some will include elected office, including Congress. I suspect all will be leaders in their community. On behalf of the United States House of Representatives, we extend our thanks and our highest praise and congratulations to each congressional page.