Betty Sutton

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as the Clerk just described, House Resolution 409 provides for consideration of the conference report for S. Con. Res. 21, the fiscal year 2008 concurrent budget resolution. The rule waives all points of order against the conference report and against its consideration and provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. The rule also provides for 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Budget. Mr. Speaker, I said it before and I will say it again: Budgets, more than anything else this government produces are moral documents. For this reason, I am proud to report that this Democratic budget is a victory for our working families and our communities. It is a budget that embodies the highest ideals of our government. The fiscal path set by past Congresses was unsustainable, and it put the economic future of our children and grandchildren at risk. But we are charting a new path, a path that is fiscally responsible and in line with the needs and the priorities of the American people. Our budget reverses years of reckless Republican mismanagement, and restores fiscal responsibility to our government. The $5.6 trillion in surpluses projected at the beginning of the Bush administration have disappeared, and have sadly been replaced by a national debt that was swelled to an estimated $9 trillion. This Democratic budget, in contrast to that reckless spending, reaches balance by 2012 and strictly adheres to the pay-as-you-go principle. And at the same time, it rebalances our priorities to help our communities and those most in need. Our budget increases funding for jobs and education, essential to my home State of Ohio, which has lost over 200,000 manufacturing jobs since 2001. Our budget rejects the President's cuts to vital health care programs such as SCHIP, Medicare and Medicaid. In fact, our budget provides for a significant increase in SCHIP funding that, in contrast to the President's proposal, will help cover the 242,000 children in Ohio who remain uninsured. And our budget increases funding for our veterans and our veterans health care programs. These brave men and women who have served our Nation so heroically, deserve only the best services and treatment when they return home. Our budget increases funding for the Community Development Block Grant and the Social Services Block Grant, and it saves the Community Services Block Grant, which the President completely zeroed out. I'm especially proud to have fought for these increases because almost 100,000 people in my congressional district alone have experienced the benefits of the CDBG funding. This budget provides a new direction for our Nation, and let me be clear, Mr. Speaker, no matter what may be said by those on the other side of the aisle, this budget does not call for a single cent in tax increases. Let me repeat, no matter what may be said by those on the other side of the aisle, this budget does not call for a single cent in tax increases. We have also ensured that no additional taxpayers will be ensnared by the Alternative Minimum Tax in 2007 and have provided a reserve fund for a permanent fix. For three of the last 5-years, the Federal Government has had to operate without a budget resolution because the past Congresses failed to pass one, which is why it is critical that we adopt the resolution before us today. It is a budget that reaches balance in 5 years and restores fiscal responsibility through PAYGO rules. We do all this while keeping our priorities in line with the needs and priorities of the people we have been elected to serve. As a moral document that reflects the priority of our Nation, I believe we have crafted a strong budget, and I'm proud to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 409.

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 409 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the honorable chairwoman for the time. Mr. Speaker, our troops are brave and capable. They have fought heroically. But, Mr. Speaker, today we have an opportunity to tell our President that he can no longer ignore the American people, this Congress or the reality of the situation we face in Iraq. We have the responsibility to provide oversight, to ensure that our brave and honorable troops are provided a mission based on a realistic assessment and an achievable goal before we ask them to risk life and limb to implement it. We must end the strain that we have put on our brave military men and women and their families, and we must act today. Mr. Speaker, we know we must get our troops out of the crossfire and the violence of the raging civil war in Iraq. We know what must be done for our soldiers in Iraq to ensure the protection of them and our families here at home. Our military and our National Guard are stretched thin. We must rebuild and re-equip both. Our National Guard in Ohio is training and working on gear that is obsolete. So not only are our military men and women at risk in Iraq; we have our homeland exposed to national emergencies and other threats that we may face. But our President has refused to acknowledge the reality of the situation that we face as a Nation, and I and many other Members of this Congress will not allow the status quo to continue. For this reason, I cosponsored and will cast a powerful ``yes'' vote in support of H.R. 2237. This bill, authored by Mr. McGovern, whom I respect tremendously for his courage and leadership, is responsible and will ensure the safe redeployment of our troops from Iraq. Our bill calls for the redeployment of our troops and allows Congress to take back from the President the reckless decisionmaking that we have seen. Our bill also very importantly ensures a number of things: it protects the ability of our military to go after al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations in Iraq; it provides for the protection of diplomatic and other related U.S. personnel in Iraq; and, finally, it will truly shift our role in Iraq to training and equipping the Iraqi security forces. Mr. Speaker, the time has come to end this war; and, unfortunately, the failed policies of this administration and lack of oversight from past Congresses have left us with few options. 3,372 of our troops, including 157 brave military men and women from Ohio, have died in this war. It is time we did the responsible thing for our heroic soldiers, for their families and for our Nation.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership and for yielding the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the rule and of H.R. 1429, the Improving Head Start Act of 2007. Head Start is vital for our children in high-need areas, providing them with programming critical to their cognitive development, from math and reading instruction, to nutritional and social services for students' families. In 2006, over 900,000 children, almost all of them under 5 years old, participated in Head Start. In my home State of Ohio, Head Start serves more than 38,000 young people, including more than 2,500 children in my congressional district alone. These children come from some of the most high-need families in our Nation, and Head Start does exactly what its name suggests. It gives these children a head start, helping them achieve at or above their age level by the time they leave the program. Unfortunately, children in families facing difficult economic situations often begin school behind their wealthier peers. Head Start achieves amazing results for these children and is often the only program keeping them from falling behind. Despite the crucial role Head Start plays in the lives of hundreds of thousands of American children, Congress has neglected them has neglected to reauthorize or adequately fund this program for the past 4 years. This important legislation authorizes funding for Head Start through fiscal year 2012 and makes a number of long overdue improvements to the program. Our bill increases funding for teacher and staff salaries and benefits and will improve the classroom environment by lowering the student-to-teacher ratio. These changes will give our hardworking teachers and other educational staff more opportunity to work with their students and improve their academic performance. This legislation also helps program hire and retain qualified teachers and staff by increasing salary and benefits and supporting professional development plans. And this bill will expand access to 10,000 additional children. This Congress is making a commitment to our children and the Head Start program, and it is critical that we do so. Research has shown that children attending Head Start are more likely to graduate from high school than other low-income children. Research has also proven that children who attend Head Start are less likely to enter special education, are less likely to repeat a grade and are less likely to end up in the criminal courts in adolescence. Mr. Speaker, this legislation will give more of our children the help and assistance they need. With passage of this legislation, we are not only providing our children with the opportunity for a brighter future, we are building a brighter future for our country. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill so we can keep our promise to America's children.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, it is time we put some teeth behind our rhetoric about helping our manufacturers and promoting innovation and industrial competitiveness. While there are many things that must be done on many different fronts to see real improvements, passing the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act today is one very positive action we can take for manufacturers in Ohio and across the Nation. It also tells those involved in measurement science, standards and technology, and those working to contribute to public safety, industrial competitiveness and economic growth that we are behind their efforts. As I said earlier, when we support the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and the Technology Innovation Program, we are not only talking the talk, we are walking the walk. For this reason, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation.

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 350 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 350 provides for consideration of H.R. 1868, the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007, under a structured rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate to be controlled by the chairman and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Science and Technology. The rule makes in order five amendments printed in the Rules Committee report, each with 10 minutes of debate. The rule also provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Mr. Speaker, I speak today in support of House Resolution 350 and H.R. 1868, the Technology Innovation and Manufacturing Stimulation Act of 2007, a bill which provides essential funding to the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the next 3 fiscal years. The United States Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology strives to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness through the advancement of measurement science, standards and technology. Through numerous individual laboratories, the NIST makes important scientific contributions to numerous scientific fields, from building and fire research to computer security to biotechnology. This bill will enhance the important mission, putting the NIST on a path to double its budget by the year 2017. With this additional funding, the NIST will continue to make important contributions to public safety, industrial competitiveness and economic growth. This bill also allocates funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, also known as MEP. These MEP programs leverage Federal, State, local and private investments to stimulate new manufacturing processes and technologies. These new processes and technologies are a key component for ensuring that American manufacturers have the tools to compete effectively and efficiently against overseas manufacturers. The MEP program has proven remarkably effective in my home State of Ohio, where small and midsize manufacturers face limited budgets, in- house expertise and access to the newest technologies. MEP assistance providing training, expertise and services tailored to the critical needs of Ohio's small and midsize manufacturers have made a big difference. Through this assistance, manufacturers in Ohio have increased productivity, achieved higher profits and remained competitive by providing the latest and most efficient technologies, processes and business practices. In 2006, as a direct result of MEP assistance, my State enjoyed over $150 million of new investment and over $500 million in increased or retained sales. Companies in Ohio participating in the MEP reported cost savings of over $100 million. Through the continued funding of this vital program, we can bring these vast benefits to even more small manufacturers across the country. Finally, and very importantly, this bill allocates funding for the new Technology Innovation Program, which funds high-risk, high-reward, precompetitive technology development by small and medium-sized companies. The goal of this program is to accelerate the development of technologies that will have a broad economic impact on our technology market. Harvard Professor Daniel Bell once said that ``Technology, like art, is a soaring exercise of human imagination.'' It is through the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the Technology Innovation Program that technology is given the wind that it needs to soar. Even more importantly, through this bill, small and midsize manufacturers will be given the support they need to compete with larger competitors in overseas businesses. This bill will not only provide assistance to American companies, like the 1,773 companies in Ohio that were helped by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, but it will also create a stronger and more vibrant American technology industry. This is a good bill, and it deserves our support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only. I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I also ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 350.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, the American people have demanded a new direction in Iraq, and last week this Congress voted to put an end to the administration's failed stay-the-course policy. The President should support our troops and sign this responsible bill instead of issuing veto threats that continue to ignore the reality of our troops' being caught in the middle of a civil war. It is ironic that we are expecting the President to veto this bill to bring our troops home 4 years to the day after he declared the job done in Iraq. It is time for accountability from the administration and from the Iraqi Government. Our bill provides what the American people are demanding and what our troops need: a responsible policy that funds our troops, demands accountability from the administration and the Iraqi Government, and supports our veterans. The President should listen to Congress. Sign this bill, take the funding, and accept accountability.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentleman for the time. Madam Speaker, today I join my colleagues from Ohio and across the country in the celebration of the 45th anniversary of John Herschel Glenn Jr.'s historic journey around our planet. Senator Glenn, a proud Ohio native, carried the hopes and dreams of an entire country with him on his February 20, 1962 trip. He carried those dreams in the tiny Friendship 7 space capsule, no more than 9 feet high and 6 feet wide atop the Atlas rocket. He carried those dreams into orbit at the astonishing speed of 5 miles per second. Senator Glenn piloted the Friendship 7 capsule around the globe three times, becoming the first American to orbit the earth, an accomplishment that raised the spirits of all Americans. When speaking about the historic journey, Glenn recounted later saying, ``I don't know what you can say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets, three in orbit and one on the surface after I was back on board the ship.'' While Glenn was witnessing sunset from the window of the space capsule, the country was witnessing the sun rising on America's fledgling space program, and our Nation's hunger for space exploration. I had the tremendous honor of meeting Senator Glenn when I was in high school. I distinctly remember being in awe of his lifetime of accomplishments. He has led this country in almost every way possible, as a pioneering adventurer, as a scientist, as a military hero, as an elected leader, and as a champion of education. Senator Glenn and all of his accomplishments are an embodiment of our country's can-do attitude. It is in recognition and eternal gratitude that I join my colleagues in rising today to honor this great man and the 45th anniversary of his momentous voyage into the great beyond. Thank you, Senator Glenn, and may your continued journey through life be a lesson in adventure and bravery to us all.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at noon on Monday next.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 331 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz- Balart). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. General Leave

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his support of the underlying measure. This House, in a bipartisan manner, has demonstrated its strong support for our wild horses and burros twice over the last 2 years. There is no reason we cannot continue this strong commitment to protecting these animals here again today. This is a commonsense issue that must be addressed. No longer can we ignore the inhumane treatment inflicted upon these wonderful and beautiful animals. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 331.

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 331 provides for consideration of H.R. 249, to restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild free-roaming horses and burros, under an open rule with a preprinting requirement. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill except clauses 9 and 10 of rule XXI. The rule requires that any amendments to the bill must be preprinted in the Congressional Record prior to their consideration. The rule provides one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 249 is a bipartisan bill that restores important protections for wild horses and burros from sale and slaughter. This bill is necessary because these long-standing protections were stripped by a rider inserted into the 2005 omnibus spending bill without a hearing or debate. The transportation practices faced by these wild horses and burros are cruel and inhumane. They are transferred hundreds or thousands of miles in cramped quarters, just so their meat can be consumed in foreign markets. H.R. 249 bans the sale of wild horses and burros by the Bureau of Land Management, as well as the transfer of these animals for the purpose of processing into commercial products. Over the last 2 years, the House has voted twice on this issue, and these passed either unanimously or overwhelmingly. But they have never been signed into law. It is time we end this inhumane practice once and for all. Since the enactment of these protections through the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act in 1971, we have seen wild horse populations fall by more than 50 percent. These animals cannot wait any longer for us to reaffirm our commitment to the protections we promised 34 years ago. As an animal lover, I am deeply disturbed and opposed to suffering inflicted on animals and will work against practices that lead to their torture or injury. That is why we must pass this rule and pass H.R. 249. These animals need protection, and it is time we restored it for them. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, this is a new Congress. This is a Congress with respect for the Constitution and the principles for which it stands. This is a Congress that respects the underlying principle that people in this country deserve the right to be represented and to have a voice in this great democracy of ours. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and in support of this legislation that is long overdue and which will correct an anomaly in our democracy, an anomaly which denies representation to approximately 600,000 residents of this country. Residents of the District of Columbia have had to wait over 170 years to vote in this country's Presidential election. They have had to wait for over 180 years for the right to exercise home rule. They have had to wait for over 200 years to have a vote in the House of Representatives. And we should not make them wait one day more. These residents live in the shadow of our great Capitol, who pay taxes to our Federal Government, who serve in our military, who fight and die to protect the very representative rights that we have in this country, but yet we deny these citizens the right to have control over the laws that govern our country. They have no Representative who can vote in this House of Representatives. This past Monday, Mr. Speaker, the residents of the District of Columbia engaged in an act of grass-roots lobbying in its purest form. Thousands of these unrepresented residents marched down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol on the city's annual Emancipation Day, marking the day that slavery ended in the District. They marched to the Capitol to ask this legislative body to recognize and rectify the injustice that they experience every single day. They marched for the right to have a say in this legislative body. These citizens, these students, these senior citizens, workers, activists, and church members marched to have a vote. This is a Congress that respects the Constitution. And my respect for the Constitution goes back to very early days. And one of the greatest things that I have ever received was recognition, even in law school, by the Federal Bar Association for outstanding performance in constitutional law. The Framers of our Constitution gave Congress the right to make laws concerning the District of Columbia, and it is under the power of the District clause of the Constitution that I join today in supporting the District of Columbia Voting Rights Act. This is long overdue. The last Congress earned the distinction of being called the ``worse than the do-nothing Congress.'' This is a Congress that is going to get the job done, and this is a Congress that is going to respect the Constitution.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Thank you very much, Mr. Ellison. What a great leader you are, and we thank you for putting this hour together. I am happy to join with these other distinguished colleagues to speak to the American people about the change that is upon us and the hope that is growing. We did hear from the voters loud and clear on November 7. And one of the things that they wanted was a Congress that is responsive to the priorities and needs that exist out there in our communities. One of the things that had been getting in the way of getting that kind of legislation that was truly responsive was the corruption that unfortunately had flourished in this body for quite some time. I also think it is important that we point out the fact that on the day that this Congress opened, we came right down on this floor and we changed the rules to put to an end some of the abusive avenues that existed that resulted in policies that benefited the few at the expense of the many. And, frankly, that was part of the foundation that had to be laid in order to get these other things passed. When you talk about economic justice, and I know we are going to talk about this more this evening, I am very pleased to be a member of the Budget Committee. And the good news is we did recently pass a budget out of this body. The bad news is, when I got to the Budget Committee and I started hearing things about what our fiscal condition was, it was as bad as we feared it was from afar. But, again, because we have a new Congress and because we have change in this Congress, we were able to realign the resources that were there so that at least they met the needs and the priorities of our constituents and the American people and the communities that they live in. So I am very happy to be here with you to talk about all of these things this evening, and I direct it back to you, our leader, Mr. Ellison.

Ms. SUTTON. Thank you, Congressman Ellison; I certainly will. The Employee Free Choice Act was a great accomplishment by this Congress, a bill that will make it easier for workers out there, the people who make this world turn. I stand here in front of you as the daughter of a man who worked in a boilermaker factory his whole life. The sister of a steelworker. The sister of a teacher. The aunt of a food and commercial worker. And these are the people that make the world turn. Yet we hear often that people are not in unions, that union membership is down. Well, it is not because they don't want to be in unions, because we know that being a member of a union and having the right to bargain collectively for fair wages and family-sustaining benefits is something that people do desire and does result in exactly that, a fairer wage and benefits. Frankly, it works for business as well, and there are many examples out there where employers and employees work. But, unfortunately, part of the big reason why union membership is down is because it is very dangerous and sometimes results in the loss of a job if you engage in trying to organize workers into a union so that they can bargain collectively. So this Congress, noting that, noting the need to end the potential for harassment for those who would just simply seek to organize and have their voice heard collectively, passed the Employee Free Choice Act which will enable workers to just simply, if there is a majority of them who want to join a union, then they can sign a card and join a union. So it is going to truly be an effective tool in lifting up America's workers and the middle class. I turn it back over to you, Mr. Ellison.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Spratt for his leadership and for yielding me this time. As the only freshman Democrat on the Budget Committee, I rise to urge my fellow freshmen and all of my colleagues to support the Democratic budget. Mr. Chairman, last November, the American people made it clear that they are ready for a government that will be fiscally responsible. This Nation spoke loud and clear when they elected us and put a new party in power in Congress. They are asking for responsibility and a new direction in our fiscal priorities. Education, health care, the care of our children and our seniors and our veterans, these are issues that Americans care about. Our budget restores common sense to our national spending and sanity to our national priorities. It restores the President's attempt to cut children's health care programs and community block grants. It puts forth the single largest increase in veteran spending in our Nation's history and not a moment too soon. It funds math and science programs for our kids, programs like Head Start and Pell grants that provide access to education that so many of our children need. And this budget concerns itself with the need to create jobs and build a bright economic future. It restores funding for job training programs, and it does so while adhering to the PAYGO rules. It has been a long 6 years for this Nation. Just 6 years ago, we were looking at a projected $5.6 trillion surplus. That has collapsed into a $9 trillion deficit. Every American in this country owes $29,000 worth of debt. Under Republican leadership, the budget became woefully out of balance fiscally and out of balance with the priorities of the American people. The people elected us to take this country in a new direction. This budget will do so, and it will do so in a fiscally responsible manner. Mr. Chairman, it is time for Congress to be accountable to the American people again.

Ms. SUTTON

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Connecticut, a distinguished member of the Budget Committee (Ms. DeLauro).

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only. (Ms. SUTTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.) General Leave

Ms. SUTTON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 275.