Betty Sutton

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Well, again, I just want to summarize some of the things that we've been talking about here and just say it loud and say it strong, that we have to focus on replacing policies that reward businesses for outsourcing jobs with incentives and sensible tax policies that will help our businesses and workers what? Make it in America. And we have to develop a trade model that will put an end, an enforceable end to currency manipulation and illegal subsidies and product dumping, one that requires reciprocity of market access and one that ensures that products produced elsewhere and sold into our U.S. market are safe for consumption here in the United States. If you look at this chart that my friend, Representative Ellison from Minnesota, is helping me hold up here, we can see how working Americans are being squeezed; 12,000 to 20,000 American jobs are offshored every month. It is outrageous, and we have a chance with our policies to stop this from happening. Let's close the corporate tax loopholes and save $14 billion a year and start to save these jobs.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, next month we will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of Social Security. Before 1935, half of America's seniors lived in poverty. Since FDR signed Social Security into law, we have upheld a sacred trust to our parents and grandparents that after decades of hard work, raising their children, and defending the U.S. against foreign enemies, that they would be able to retire with dignity and respect. Three weeks ago, my colleague from Ohio, the House Republican leader, implied that we should raise the retirement age to 70 for everyone, office workers and construction workers alike, and cut Social Security benefits to help reduce the deficit and pay for the war in Afghanistan. Raiding Social Security in this way is both irresponsible, and it is a breach of trust. We should not be gutting Social Security and breaching our sacred trust to America's seniors. It's amazing that Republicans are willing to gut Social Security and refuse unemployment compensation during these challenging times while at the same time arguing that we must preserve the tax cuts for the superwealthy.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentleman from Virginia for the time and for his leadership on this very important issue. I rise today in strong support and as a cosponsor for the Prevention of Interstate Commerce in Animal Crush Videos Act. And I thank Mr. Gallegly and Mr. Peters, and all of those who are involved in dealing with this horrific, horrific problem. The recent Supreme Court decision overturned 10 years of Federal law that outlawed animal crush videos. They said that the 1999 law was overbroad. And the Supreme Court also left open an avenue for a more targeted law. So today we make it clear, again, that the intentional crushing, burning, drowning, suffocating, and impaling of animals for profit is beyond sick, and it must be stopped. Today, with this narrowly tailored measure, we will end the trade of crush videos, videos where animals are tortured for profit. Animal abuse and profiting from these actions are beyond wrong. It's our responsibility to close the loopholes to crack down and end the trade in crush videos, and I urge a ``yes'' on the Prevention of Interstate Commerce in Animal Crush Videos Act to end this unconscionable practice.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentleman for the time, and I thank my colleague, Congressman Kucinich, for his efforts and leadership on this legislation. David John Donafee was a 42-year-old letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service who lived in the congressional district that I am so honored to serve. He lived in Medina County, Ohio, in the city of Brunswick; and, sadly, David was crossing the street while walking his route when he was fatally hit by a car on February 14, 2008. David was a devoted husband, a father, a son, a brother, a brother- in-law and uncle; and he was very involved in the community in children's hockey. For 14 years, David delivered the mail; and to paraphrase the U.S. Postal Service's motto, he went about his life with duty, honor, and pride. Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, nor the winds of change, nor a Nation challenged stayed David from the swift completion of his appointed rounds. But tragically, a reckless driver did. Our hearts remain with Sandi, his wife, his children, and the entire Donafee family. David's death was a tragedy that should not have happened. While we are honoring his life by naming the post office after him, as it should be, we also have a duty to remind drivers to yield to pedestrians crossing the street. We know that this small gesture will not close the hole in the Donafee family's hearts, but we want them to know that we care and we appreciate all that he did for our community. He connected us, one with another. With this post office naming, we will remind people of David's noble service, and we will remind each other of our obligation to look out one for another.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support for H.R. 5481 and am proud to be an original cosponsor. I'd like to commend Rep. Capps and Rep. Markey for their leadership on this issue. The National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling must have subpoena power. Last week, BP CEO Tony Hayward was anything but forthcoming in his answers before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. And through Congressional investigations, we have already learned that standard methods were not followed by BP and that shortcuts were taken to maximize profits at the expense of safety. The Commission must have subpoena power and BP must be held accountable for the consequences of their unsafe approach. We must take the necessary actions on behalf of the American people to ensure that reckless and careless decisions at the expense of our environment, our workers, and our economy are forever abandoned.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support for the Calling Card Protection Act (H.R. 3993) and would like to commend Rep. Engel for his leadership on this issue. The Calling Card Protection Act provides common-sense solutions to protect consumers from fraud and abuse. When buying a calling card, a consumer should receive the full amount of time purchased to talk to their family or friends. Unfortunately, because of hidden fees and charges, this is not the case. H.R. 3993 requires that calling card providers accurately and clearly disclose any fees and charges . . . and provide an accurate representation of how many minutes the card will provide. Madam Speaker, our troops use pre-paid calling cards to call their loved ones while they are fighting for us overseas. They deserve the full amount of time when calling their family.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support for Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act (S. 1660). And I'd like to commend my friend, Rep. Matsui, for her leadership on this issue. This bill will protect the health of American families from high uses of formaldehyde in common household products like flooring, paneling, cabinets, and doors. Currently foreign manufacturers who use unsafe levels of harmful toxins like formaldehyde are able to undercut domestic manufacturers who put safety above profits. When a family installs a new countertop or paneling, they expect that the wood products are harmless. And we must ensure that is the case regardless of where the products are made. Recently, the Economic Policy Institute published a report stating that 2.4 million American jobs have been lost since 2001 directly because of unfair trade tactics by China. The report states that in the ``wood products'' segment, our trade deficit was a negative $862 million in 2001. By 2008, our trade deficit in ``wood products'' alone had more than doubled to $1.8 billion. This trade imbalance from unfair trade practices like using cheaper and often dangerous materials like formaldehyde has cost our nation millions of jobs and endangered American families. Today, we can help to level the playing field for domestic manufacturers by taking action against unsafe amounts of formaldehyde. Vote yes on Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, thank you, Representative Dingell and thank you for organizing this special order hour to honor Ron Gettelfinger. I rise today to honor Ron Gettelfinger as he retires from the United Auto Workers where he has served for the last eight years as President. Thank you President Gettelfinger for your service--not only to your membership but to our Nation. You have made a difference and you have made our Nation a stronger and a better place. Your efforts have strengthened the middle class. In 1964, Ron Gettelfinger became a member of UAW Local 862. He worked as a chassis line repairman and was elected by the workers at Ford's Louisville Assembly plant to represent them. Ron served as Director of UAW Region 3, which includes Indiana and Kentucky . . . Ron exemplified what it means to be a leader. Through his leadership, the UAW has navigated the difficult waters of the financial collapse in 2008 and the current recession. And as unfair trade deals have devastated U.S. manufacturing jobs, Ron Gettelfinger stood strong in the fight for a new approach to trade. Fair trade that works with our workers and businesses, not against them. Ron Gettelfinger has called for fair trade agreements that include workers' rights and environmental provisions. And Ron Gettelfinger has called for the so-called Free Trade Agreement with South Korea to be renegotiated. This Bush-negotiated trade agreement would allow unfair advantages for Korean automakers to persist. In 2009, our trade deficit with South Korea in autos was $7.8 billion. Korean automakers control 95 percent of their domestic auto market. And Ron Gettelfinger led the charge for reciprocity of market access, calling on Korea to open their market. Ron knows, as we know, that our workers are the very best in the world and can compete on a level-playing field. Ron negotiated deals for working families and our trade representative must also negotiate good deals with our working families in mind. Because of Ron's leadership during his eight years as President and his service to UAW members since 1964, I am proud to represent 8,700 active and retired UAW members in my Congressional District. In Ohio, we have at least 111,000 active and retired UAW members. Thank you again Ron for your outstanding service to the UAW, to American manufacturing, and to our Nation.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow, and further, when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18, 2010, for morning-hour debate.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Police Week. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a Presidential proclamation that set aside May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week of May 15 an as National Police Week. Since that time, we have dedicated this week to honor those who have fallen in the line of duty. During this week, police officers and their families and people in our communities throughout the country come together to honor and remember those officers who have fallen in the line of duty. It's a week to honor their service, their sacrifice, and their life. But this week is also for the surviving family members and fellow officers of the fallen. It's a time of tribute, and it's a time of healing. Northeast Ohio has experienced the tragic loss of two police officers recently this year. At the end of his watch on March 15, 2010, Officer James Kerstetter of the Elyria Police Department was shot and killed in the line of duty. Just 2 days earlier, on March 13, Officer Thomas Patton of the Cleveland Heights Police Department collapsed and died while in pursuit of a suspect. Officers Kerstetter and Patton gave their lives in protection of their communities. These brave men knew the risks of the profession, but they also knew the rewards. Our policemen and women are part of the foundation of our communities. They risk it all as they walk the beat and patrol the streets, keeping our families and neighborhoods safe. Police officers go to work every day, committed to the oath that they take to serve and protect. And too often when officers fall, we are reminded of the costs and the sacrifice of the protection they provide us. But we must not only remember their service in times of loss. We must not only appreciate all that they do for us during this 1 week. We must appreciate their service and support them every week, every day. We must commit ourselves to the mission of supporting the service of our police and giving them the means to fulfill their oath. That's why this year and in previous years, I supported full funding to the Community Oriented Policing Services, known as the COPS program. Congress created COPS in the 1990s to address increasing crime rates, and it has succeeded in putting over 117,000 more police on the beat. COPS' funding had been cut significantly after the 1990s, but I am proud to say that I have fought to make sure that this funding is continually improved and restored. The Recovery Act that was passed and was supported by the FOP provided $1 billion for this competitive grant, aiding police forces that were facing drastic cuts in the face of a declining economy. There were 165 officers' jobs saved throughout Ohio, and in my district alone 30 officers' positions were saved through COPS funding by the Recovery Act, and that doesn't even take into account all of us who were saved and safer because they were on the street. We must continue to fight for funding and support our police, just as they fight for us every day to keep us safe, just as Officer Kerstetter and Officer Patton fought to keep us safe and gave their lives to protect us, let us always be there for them.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1272, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the May 4, 1970, Kent State University shootings. As a lifelong Northeast Ohioan and a graduate of Kent State University, I hold what took place on May 4th close to my heart. After the announcement of the U.S. incursion into Cambodia, Kent State students began a weekend of anti-war protests that culminated in the deaths of four unarmed students on May 4th . . . . . . Another nine were injured, including one of my constituents, Barberton resident and my very dear friend, Alan Canfora. During the height of the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1971, 17 people were killed during anti-war protests on college campuses. Many of these Vietnam War demonstrations, including those at Kent State, pitted students against their peers serving in the National Guard. Forty years after the Kent State shootings, the tragic events of May 4th remain a symbol of the Vietnam War and the protests that ensued at college campus in Ohio and across the country. I commend the recent placement of the site of the May 4th shootings on the National Register of Historic Places. I also applaud the establishment of the May 4th Visitors Center, Memorial, and Historical Walking Tour on the campus. May 4th took the lives of Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder. They will always live on in our memories. They represent a generation and a tumultuous chapter of our Nation's history that should not ever be forgotten.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise as a proud cosponsor in strong support of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act. As we recover from this recession, we must remain committed to ensuring that our students are properly educated in math and science to strengthen our Nation's economic competitiveness. With the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, we will make targeted investments in science, technology, engineering, and math education and groundbreaking research. Research leads to innovation. Innovation leads to manufacturing new products, and manufacturing leads to good-paying jobs. According to the Alliance for American Manufacturing, every manufacturing job in our country directly supports four additional jobs. This bill will support our manufacturers, many of which are small businesses, by improving access to credit with innovative technology Federal loan guarantees. This bill improves the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program by reducing the local cost share, allowing Manufacturing Extension Partnership program centers like MAGNET in Ohio to leverage more funds. MAGNET, which is based out of Cleveland, has leveraged Manufacturing Extension Partnership funds to generate nearly $10 million in new investment and has created or retained over 400 jobs in my congressional district alone between 2005 and 2009. Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers will help rejuvenate our Nation's manufacturing base by informing local community colleges of the skill sets local manufacturers seek. Our workers must have the necessary job training to secure good-paying jobs. We must invest in our students, our workers, our small businesses, and our short-, mid-, and long-term economic competitiveness, and that is exactly what our bill does. For these reasons, I am proud to cosponsor the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, and when the bill is called up for a vote tomorrow, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Matsui for yielding the time and for her leadership. I rise today in strong support of the underlying bill, H.R. 5019, the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act, and I want to congratulate and thank Representative Peter Welch for his leadership in bringing us to this place. This is a timely, smart, commonsense bill that will achieve multiple goals. Home Star will help our workers, help our economy, and our environment. Make no mistake, Madam Speaker, this is a jobs bill. And jobs are the highest of high priorities. It's estimated that the Home Star Program will create 168,000 good-paying construction, manufacturing, and retail jobs. And these are jobs that cannot be shipped overseas. Home Star will help kick-start the construction industry, which has been one of the hardest hit industries during this economic recession. Today more than one in four construction workers remain unemployed. And today those in this Chamber have the chance to vote to change that. Home Star will also stimulate domestic manufacturing and grow jobs, which will strengthen our economy and strengthen our Nation. There are sustainable building solution companies in my district and across this country that are ready and waiting for the Home Star initiative, employers who are ready to ramp up production, ready to put people back to work. And the positive ripple effects will be felt throughout the retail and distribution sectors. Home Star will also help millions of families lower energy bills. Improving energy efficiency is one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways for homeowners to reduce energy waste. And Home Star will improve our environment, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and enhance our national security. Energy efficiency improvements will create jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Household energy accounts for more than one-fifth of U.S. carbon emissions. And as we proved with the bipartisan, let me stress bipartisan and successful Cash for Clunkers program, it doesn't have to be jobs or the environment. It can be jobs and the environment. Home Star enjoys broad national support from business leaders, environmental and energy efficiency groups, labor unions, manufacturers, retailers, and construction contractors. For these reasons I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the underlying bill because this is a jobs bill, and we need to make jobs the highest priority.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for her time and the leadership that she is displaying here and on so many issues. I also want to thank my friend, Representative Alcee Hastings, for his leadership in bringing this very appropriate resolution to the floor. I rise today in support of House Resolution 1157, to honor and congratulate the National Urban League on their 100th year of giving back to our communities. I want to thank the leaders in our communities of the Urban League: Bernett Williams, who has the leadership of the Akron Urban League; and Fred Wright, who is the leader of the Lorain County Urban League. Each of these affiliates in Akron and Lorain has stood tall and served as a pillar in our community through the difficult times that many have faced over the past years. This year, the Akron Urban League will celebrate its 85th anniversary of serving the Akron community, fighting to eliminate the disparities that African Americans face, and helping others who face disadvantages in our community. The Akron Urban League has set out on an aggressive list of programs for adults, one which focuses on career training and pairs each student with a mentor from the local corporate community. The Lorain County Urban League has served Lorain County for 30 years, empowering African Americans and the disadvantaged. In Lorain County, they offer opportunities such as a youth empowerment program, a program designed to give our young people the preparation and the skills that they need for the 21st century careers through education and community service. Both the Akron and Lorain County Urban League affiliates mean a great deal to northeast Ohio and to our country. Putting people back to work remains my top priority in Congress, and the National Urban League and its affiliates in Lorain County and Akron are steadfastly dedicated to this mission.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Congressional Republicans threaten to take us back to the failed policies that created the economic crisis, siding with special interest, Wall Street banks, credit card companies, Big Oil, and insurance companies. These Bush economic and fiscal policies created the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, with job losses of nearly 800,000 a month, and nearly doubled our national debt. Democrats in Congress are working to create American jobs and a strong new foundation for our economy, protecting Main Street and the middle class, not siding with the insurance companies and Wall Street. This week's news provides evidence that American families are beginning to feel some effects of an economy headed in a better direction. USA Today headlines read: ``Economists say recovery looks stronger than expected.'' Bloomberg says: ``Companies in U.S. plan to increase employment, survey shows.'' The New York Times says: ``From the mall to the docks, signs of rebound.'' No matter how much they try to side with Wall Street, Democrats will side with the American people and build a recovery and an economy that will work for them.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to pay tribute to Jody Lowry, who passed away on December 25, 2009 after a courageous battle with cancer. I know Jody from her active role in the Northeast Ohio Community, and have personally come to know her friendship and hospitality at her lovely home in Akron. Jody was an avid volunteer, devoted daughter, wife, and loving mother. Jody was also very active with local service groups in Akron, Ohio. She knew that she could make a positive contribution in Akron while continuing to fight her cancer. Jody was determined to serve our community by giving to the people who needed her help. Whether it was at The Summit County Battered Women's Shelter, Children's Hospital, or the St. Joseph Parenting Center, Jody committed her time to helping people who could not always help themselves. Her work for children's rights continued as a Guardian Ad Litem for the Summit County CASA/GAL Program and was further proof of her devotion to others in need. Perhaps her most avid cause was her work at the Alzheimer's Association, where she chaired the Annual Alzheimer's Association Gala last year. She became involved in the Alzheimer's Association as a result of her father, Jacob's long time Alzheimer's illness, which took his life last summer. Jody was a lifelong resident of Akron, was a respected and beloved member of the greater Akron Community, and her presence will be remembered by the entire area. Her legacy of community, friendship, family and good work will continue for many, many years however. The fact that her funeral at the Akron Jewish Center was overflowing with hundreds upon hundreds of her friends and family members is a testament to her life long work. Jody leaves behind not only those whom she served, but also a loving family--her husband Randy, her daughters Marisa and Meredith, her mother Elaine Apelbaum, her brother Perry Apelbaum, as well as other many other close family members and friends. Jody will truly be missed. We will always remember Jody for her ever-present smile, her commitment to her community, and her dedication to her family. On behalf of the people of Ohio's 13th District, I want to express my deepest sympathies to her Mother Elaine, her husband Randy and her daughters, Marisa and Meredith. They have lost a great daughter, wife and mother who passed away much too soon and we have lost a true friend and committed member of our community.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership on this extremely important issue. I rise in strong support of this resolution. This Thursday, April 28, 2010, millions of workers and their families throughout the world will gather to commemorate Workers' Memorial Day. We will remember and honor those injured or killed on the job, and we will renew the call for stronger workplace protections. Since 1970, when the Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed, more than 410,000 workers' lives have been saved due to improvements in working conditions. However, the number of workplace-related illnesses, injuries, and deaths remains far too high. In 2008, more than 4 million workers were injured and 5,214 workers were killed due to job hazards. In Ohio, 168 workers lost their lives in the workplace in 2008; 168 Ohioans went to work and lost their lives as a result of workplace hazards. One hundred and sixty-eight men and women went to work and never returned to their families. This is about more than statistics. This is about lost lives. This Workers' Memorial Day we pause and remember the thousands of lives lost in workplaces around the world. In the past 3 months alone, we have witnessed four major workplace tragedies that claimed the lives of 41 workers. Eleven workers are still missing after an oil rig explosion last week. We must act to ensure our workplaces are safe and our workers are protected. We must continue to fight to create well- paying, safe jobs for the American people. We must continue to fight to protect our workers' safety and health and to hold those who put their employees at risk accountable.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Cleveland Heights Police Officer Thomas Patton II. On March 13, Officer Patton was on patrol when he began chasing down a suspect. Tragically, he collapsed during the chase and died shortly after the incident. He was only 30 years old. Officer Patton was the only son of my friend and our community leader, Ohio State Senator Tom Patton, and his late wife, Evelyn. Officer Patton leaves behind a loving fiancee, Tricia, and beautiful 8-month-old daughter, Kayleigh Evelyn. Thomas meant the world to his family and was even nicknamed ``Precious'' by his five sisters. It was without question what career path Thomas would take. He came from a family with a strong tradition of police officers that began with his grandfather, who joined the Cleveland Police Department in 1946. As a child, he would dress up in old police uniforms and dream of what it might be like to be a patrolman. Thomas grew up in Strongsville, Ohio, in the heart of the 13th Congressional District, and he attended Holy Name School. He saw the dedication and commitment that his grandfather and uncle made as police officers and decided to take that step for himself. He knew the challenges and risks, and he fully embraced the spirit of the job. He loved the excitement of working nights. He loved serving others, and he died doing what he loved. He died serving and protecting the rest of us. Officers from nearby communities gathered outside his hospital the night he died, and many more at his memorial service. The sea of blue uniforms was a testament to the fraternal brotherhood of police that he embraced. His spirit and dedication to his community will be sorely missed, but his service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. He will live on as a hero to his family, to Ohio, and the Nation.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life and service of Elyria Police Officer James Kerstetter. On March 15, Officer Kerstetter was tragically shot and killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic call. He made the ultimate sacrifice, putting his life on the line to protect another. Officer Kerstetter was a committed public servant. He was a member of the department for 15 years. He was a member of the SWAT team and taught the rookie officers at the department. He was the lead crash investigator, and prior to joining the police force he served with the Lorain County Sheriff's Department. But even more importantly, he was the loving and devoted husband of wife Tammy and the proud father of three daughters--Misty, Shelby, and Bailey. James Kerstetter was known as ``Sponge'' to his fellow officers and was affectionately called ``Jimmy'' by his family. Jimmy was a humble family man, a loving husband, father, son, brother, and uncle. He never wished for the spotlight, but he touched the lives of people all across the community with his outgoing spirit. His death has been a shock to his family, the city of Elyria, and numerous communities throughout Ohio. Over the past weeks, we have seen just how much he meant to so very many. Jimmy knew that his family and the city of Elyria are worth the service that he dedicated himself to, a community he grew up in, he served in, and he embraced. His memory will live on in the hearts of family, friends, and the community of Elyria that he touched so very deeply. He is and always will be a community hero, a national hero.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Thank you very much, Mr. Garamendi, and thank you for leading us here on the floor tonight to talk about such important things, you know, what we're doing to help the American people in this time of challenge as we pull together and pull forward. And I guess I appreciate that introduction. I think that the point is I, like you, my colleagues who are here on the floor tonight, am willing to do what it takes to make things work for the people I'm honored to represent in the 13th Congressional District of Ohio.

Ms. SUTTON. Well, it's outside of Cleveland. I represent Lorain County, Summit County, Medina County and part of Cuyahoga County as well. So it is the salt of the Earth.

Ms. SUTTON. That's right. And you should visit. We'd love to have you. Come out and see all of the great things and all of the potential that those who I am so privileged to serve have and what our area has to offer. But thank you for bringing us to the floor tonight to talk a little bit about some of the tax benefits that exist in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and just in general to talk about the American Recovery Act, because we all know that it was critically important at the time it was passed back in the early part of last year, that all the economists from across the board were saying that we have to keep our economy from going off of the edge, and we stepped up to the plate and we acted. And it's really important that people understand what it is that this bill actually did. You know, it was all about fostering our Nation's economic recovery, creating and saving jobs, providing services to people affected by the recession. And, of course, as you point out, part of that was about these tax credits and these tax benefits. And we all know that this was a huge middle class tax cut, families getting up to $800. Certainly in Ohio, I would just share with you in the 13th Congressional District, many of our families were beneficiaries of these tax cuts. So the mission to improve the lives of the families in northeast Ohio who I serve during these challenging times continues. But it is worth noting that the Council of Economic Advisers has reported that the Recovery Act created or saved as many as 2.4 million jobs nationally and up to 79,000 in Ohio. And for me, probably like all of you here tonight, jobs, jobs, jobs is what I am most interested in delivering to the American people and facilitating opportunity for them to go to work and be able to raise a family and have the kind of life that makes this country so very great. So I know we're just getting started in our discussion. I look forward to talking more about the tax benefits and the other great things that were in this bill and all of the other pieces along the way that we are putting into place for the near term and to generate that sustainable growth that we need in both our economy and in the job market out there, because far too many people are, unfortunately, still hurting.

Ms. SUTTON. Absolutely, I will be honored to do so; and I appreciate, Representative Tonko, your bringing up the tax credit. I want to point back, before I get to what we have teased about a little bit here----

Ms. SUTTON. We are not going there quite yet, but what I want to talk about first is that, in the recovery stimulus bill, one of the things that was put to use where I live in Elyria, Ohio, was a Department of Energy investment to create a BASF catalyst plant. So we are now creating the largest lithium ion facility in North America right in that district outside of Cleveland, Ohio, in Elyria, Ohio, positioning Ohio to be a leader as we move to the next generation of vehicles powered by lithium ion batteries, because that's the biggest market for the future. So we get the jobs to build the factory, then we get the jobs to work in the factory, and then we get all the jobs down the road that are sustainable as we develop this. And we, in the meantime, of course, are producing cars. They were going to produce these batteries that are going to be good for consumers because they are going to be more cost- effective and efficient for them. It's going to improve, obviously, our environment, but it puts us ahead. This is what America is about. It's about innovation. It's about moving forward with new products and ways but powered by American workers. So I definitely come from a part of the country where the domestic auto industry is a very important piece of our puzzle. We have a lot of families that depend upon the domestic auto and related industries for their livelihood, and, okay, we will finally get to it. One of the things that I was so proud of and that was actually in some ways funded in part, at least, by the recovery stimulus bill was the CARS Act, more commonly referred to as the Cash for Clunkers Program.

Ms. SUTTON. I was indeed. And, as I indicated, it was called the CARS program, but it was really about people. It was about our friends and our neighbors that number in the tens of thousands in every State, not just Ohio or Michigan but across the country, those people who rely upon the auto and related industries for their livelihood, to put food on the table, to reach the middle class and stay in the middle class. With the CARS Act, the Cash for Clunkers Program, the goal was multiple, the goals were multiple. What we did was, obviously, the results are in. We have seen study after study. What we did is we put about 60,000 or so people back to work because of the CARS Act, because of Cash for Clunkers in the auto and related industries. We moved the GDP as a result of the program from a range of $3.8 billion to $6.8 billion, an increase in GDP just due to that one very limited program of less than a month, less than a month. What we also did, we just got another study back with the program that provided incentives to consumers to, of course, trade in their old gas-guzzling cars, to get more fuel-efficient cars, gave them incentives to do that, helping them in this time of need to get something they needed but couldn't afford, get those jobs shored up, get the improvements in the environment. We saw an environmental gain in the cars turned in from the ones that were turned in to purchase of 60 percent. So those consumers are going to continue to save for years to come, somewhere in the neighborhood of a thousand dollars a year. Seven hundred to a thousand dollars a year is the estimate. So this was a program that was win/win/win. And we saw a recent study, if that wasn't good enough.