Steve Stivers

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Alvis House on its 45th anniversary of providing exceptional service to the Columbus community. Since 1967, Alvis House has displayed a genuine commitment to its motto, ``Reconnecting Families, Restoring Communities and Reinvesting in Ourselves.'' From its programs that help individuals reenter the community after their involvement in the criminal justice system, to the assistance Alvis House provides to families affected by having relatives in jail or in prison, this facility has definitely proven its ability to have a positive impact on the community. Alvis House also provides a range of individualized habilitation and behavioral support services to those with developmental disabilities that works to help them engage in our communities. For that, I commend the facility. The work of Alvis House helps to brighten the future by unlocking each individual's potential and investing in the resources that attain results. Alvis House and its accomplishments benefit the communities in which we all live, and I look forward its continued tradition of excellence and service.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Madam Speaker, I've served for 26 years in the Ohio Army National Guard and had the pleasure of serving with many brave men and women over the years, including a tour of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom. As a member of the armed services as well as a Member of Congress, I was shocked and horrified last year by reports of the Dover Air Force Base mortuary sending veterans' remains to the Prince George landfill. The Washington Post reported on December 7, 2011, that they uncovered ``976 fragments from 274 servicemembers that were cremated, incinerated and taken to the landfill between 2004 and 2008.'' This is an outrage. It disrespects our men and women in uniform, and it can't be allowed to stand. The first step to fixing this is creating a proper memorial for those who have served our country so well and given their last measure of devotion. I'm working on legislation to create a Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery for every conflict moving forward. This plan will be paid for by taking money from the Air Force, because that's where the poor decisions were made. I plan to introduce this legislation very soon. To those who have given their final measure of devotion in service to our country, they deserve a final resting place worthy of their dedication, commitment, and devotion, and we need to give that to them. God bless the United States of America. [From the Washington Post, Dec. 7, 2011] Air Force Dumped Ashes of More Troops' Remains in Va. Landfill Than Acknowledged (By Craig Whitlock and Mary Pat Flaherty) The Air Force dumped the incinerated partial remains of at least 274 American troops in a Virginia landfill, far more than the military had acknowledged, before halting the secretive practice three years ago, records show. The landfill dumping was concealed from families who had authorized the military to dispose of the remains in a dignified and respectful manner, Air Force officials said. There are no plans, they said, to alert those families now. The Air Force had maintained that it could not estimate how many troops might have had their remains sent to a landfill. The practice was revealed last month by The Washington Post, which was able to document a single case of a soldier whose partial remains were sent to the King George County landfill in Virginia. The new data, for the first time, show the scope of what has become an embarrassing episode for vaunted Dover Air Base, the main port of entry for America's war dead. The landfill disposals were never formally authorized under military policies or regulations. They also were not disclosed to senior Pentagon officials who conducted a high- level review of cremation policies at the Dover mortuary in 2008, records show. Air Force and Pentagon officials said last month that determining how many remains went to the landfill would require searching through the records of more than 6,300 troops whose remains have passed through the mortuary since 2001. ``It would require a massive effort and time to recall records and research individually,'' Jo Ann Rooney, the Pentagon's acting undersecretary for personnel, wrote in a Nov. 22 letter to Rep. Rush D. Holt (D N.J.). Holt, who has pressed the Pentagon for answers on behalf of a constituent whose husband was killed in Iraq, accused the Air Force and Defense Department of hiding the truth. ``What the hell?'' Holt said in a phone interview. ``We spent millions, tens of millions, to find any trace of soldiers killed, and they're concerned about a 'massive' effort to go back and pull out the files and find out how many soldiers were disrespected this way?'' He added: ``They just don't want to ask questions or look very hard.'' Senior Air Force leaders said there was no intent to deceive. ``Absolutely not,'' said Lt. Gen. Darrell D. Jones, the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for personnel. This week, after The Post pressed for information contained in the Dover mortuary's electronic database, the Air Force produced a tally based on those records. It showed that 976 fragments from 274 military personnel were cremated, incinerated and taken to the landfill between 2004 and 2008. An additional group of 1,762 unidentified remains were collected from the battlefield and disposed of in the same manner, the Air Force said. Those fragments could not undergo DNA testing because they had been badly burned or damaged in explosions. The total number of incinerated fragments dumped in the landfill exceeded 2,700. A separate federal investigation of the mortuary last month, prompted by whistleblower complaints, uncovered ``gross mismanagement'' and documented how body parts recovered from bomb blasts stacked up in the morgue's coolers for months or years before they were identified and disposed of. The problems also transpired at a time when the mortuary was shielded from public scrutiny. News coverage of the return of fallen troops to Dover was banned by President George H.W. Bush in 1991 before the first Persian Gulf War. The ban remained until April 2009, when the Obama administration lifted it. The Air Force said it first cremated the remains and then included those ashes in larger loads of mortuary medical waste that were burned in an incinerator and taken to a landfill. Incinerating medical waste is a common disposal practice but including cremated human ashes is not, according to funeral home directors, regulators and waste haulers. Air Force officials said they do not know when the landfill disposals began. They said their first record of it is Feb. 23, 2004. The mortuary database became operational in late 2003. The Air Force said mortuary leaders decided to end the practice in May 2008 because ``there was a better way to do it,'' Jones said. The military now cremates unclaimed and unidentified body parts and buries the ashes at sea. Jones said the Air Force did not need to inform relatives of troops whose remains ended up in the landfill because they had signed forms stipulating that they did not wish to be notified if additional remains were identified. The forms authorized the military to make ``appropriate disposition'' of those subsequent remains. Asked if the landfill was a dignified final resting place, Jones said: ``The way we're doing it today is much better.'' Gari-Lynn Smith, the widow of an Army sergeant killed in Iraq, said she received an e-mail in July from Trevor Dean, the mortuary director, saying that incinerated remains had been taken to landfills at least since he began working at Dover in 1996. Dean is one of the officials facing discipline for his role in the reported mismanagement at the mortuary. Smith's husband, Sgt. 1st Class Scott R. Smith, a member of a bomb-disposal unit, was killed on July 17, 2006. In 2007, she began asking the military what happened to some of his remains that were identified after his funeral. After four years of letters, phone calls and records requests, she received a letter from the mortuary in April stating that the military cremated and incinerated those partial remains and disposed of them in the King George landfill. ``I hope this information brings some comfort to you during your time of loss,'' read the letter, signed by Dean. Smith was infuriated. ``They have known that they were doing something disgusting, and they were doing everything they could to keep it from us,'' she said in a phone interview. In May 2008, then-Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates ordered a detailed review of policies at Dover after an Army officer complained that the mortuary had cremated a fallen comrade at a nearby funeral home that also cremated pets in a separate chamber. The review team ordered changes, emphasizing the need to ensure the highest levels of dignity and honor. The Pentagon would not release the report, which was overseen by David Chu, who was undersecretary of defense for personnel. A copy obtained by The Post, however, shows that the landfill disposal practice was never reviewed or mentioned. Chu, now president of the Institute for Defense Analyses in Alexandria, declined to comment. Private contractors hired by the Air Force to handle the remains' incineration and disposal of the residue said they were unaware that they were transporting the ashes of dead troops. Records show that the Air Force hired the contractors to dispose of medical waste and did not specify that cremated body parts were included. MedTrace Inc. of North East, Md., had Air Force disposal contracts between 2004 and 2007, records show. Don Holland, a manager for the company, said his employees picked up boxes of sealed containers from the Dover mortuary. ``They were certified as medical waste that had been properly treated--that's it,'' Holland said. ``We don't go looking at what's in there. It's sealed.'' MedTrace took the items to an incinerator in Baltimore, according to state records in Delaware, where the mortuary is located. Holland declined to discuss the incineration and which landfill his company used. Lisa Kardell, a spokeswoman for Waste Management, which operates the King George landfill, said the firm has no record of a contract with MedTrace for the years 2003 through 2008. She said that Air Force officials have not returned calls over the past two weeks from her company's attorneys, asking which haulers would have been handling the Dover materials and the disposition of the ashes. ``Obviously, we would be opposed to taking cremated remains of our servicemen and servicewomen and putting them in our landfill,'' Kardell said. ``But it sounds like a lot of us were pulled in unknowingly to this unfortunate situation with the Air Force,'' she added. ``It's a moral thing,'' said Jeff Jenkins, the manager of the King George landfill. ``Someone killed overseas fighting for our country, I wouldn't want them buried--any part of them--in the landfill.''

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and thank Dwight and Sharon Poage and the Mayan Families for their extraordinary passion for causes that have made enduring positive differences in people's lives in the Lake Atitlan region of Guatemala. This record recognizes the Mayan Families' strong partnership with the Upper Arlington Rotary Club in jointly creating sustainable humanitarian focused projects that provide opportunities, hope and a future for the indigenous and impoverished people in Guatemala. Your commitment to potable water, children and adult nutrition, education and improving basic essential living conditions in the underserved communities has had a profound impact. On behalf of the citizens of Ohio's 15th Congressional District I commend your dedicated efforts for the families of Guatemala.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, because government has spent money we don't have and borrowed money we can't pay back, our national debt now stands at $15 trillion. My daughter, Sarah, who is 2 years old, now has $50,000 as her share of the national debt. Congress and the President have an obligation to make the tough decisions to reduce spending so we can provide a brighter future for our kids. That's why I was proud to support the Expedited Legislative Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act this week. The bipartisan legislation provides a constitutional line-item veto solution and creates more checks and balances against runaway spending. Alone it won't solve our problems; however, combined with a biennial budget and a balanced-budget amendment, it can deliver our children, like Sarah, from a future of debt to one of opportunity.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Marion Gray on being named Knight of the Legion of Honor by France. In the course of his service in World War II Marion Gray became the first Franklin County man to be wounded on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. Throughout our nation's history, courageous men and women have selflessly fought time and again to secure our liberty. Marion Gray is one of those courageous men. A true patriot, Sergeant Gray enlisted one day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Gray then was sent to Camp Roberts to learn Combat Intelligence. He later transferred into the Medical Corps which allowed him to serve his country with the education in pharmacology and pre- medicine that he gained at The Ohio State University. As a combat medic, Sergeant Gray travelled as part of the 29th Division of the 116th Regiment to the beaches of Normandy, where he was part of the first wave to land on D-Day. Sergeant Gray's regiment was one of the hardest hit and during the course of that day Gray was injured twice. Thankfully, he survived but had to spend 30 days recovering in a hospital in South Hampton, England before being returned to his original company. He later went on to help liberate St. Lo, France, and served admirably until the end of the war in Europe. It is because of the sacrifices made by Marion Gray and those he served with, that we continue to enjoy the freedoms that we do today. I am deeply thankful for Sergeant Marion Gray's heroism and sacrifice, and I congratulate him on earning the Knight of the Legion of Honor.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Rotary Club of Columbus for its centennial year of providing exceptional, ``Service Above Self,'' and for truly living up to its motto throughout these past 100 years. The Rotary Club of Columbus was chartered on March 5, 1912, as the 38th club in Rotary International. Ever since that time, Columbus Rotary has contributed a great amount to the Columbus area. In 1919, the Rotary helped to organize the Ohio Society for Crippled Children, now known as Easter Seals. The Rotary established Camp Enterprise in 1967 to teach the Free Enterprise system to teenagers, and the program went on to become a model for Clubs across the country. In 2003, the Rotary was especially instrumental in establishing the Rafiki Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya. Columbus Rotary projects continue today and include important programs and initiatives like Adopt-A-School, Homeless Family Foundation, and annual scholarships to local students. Without the hard work and selfless contributions of Columbus Rotary and its members our great city would not have the vibrancy and sense of community that it does today. I offer my congratulations to Columbus Rotary on its 100 years, and I look forward to many more years to come.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the lengthy public service career of David Long, Chief of the Norwich Township Fire Department. David Long has served the Hilliard, Ohio community as a member of its fire department for 36 years, serving more than 7 years as Chief of the department. Born and raised in the Hilliard area, David joined the Norwich Township Fire Department in 1975 as a part-time firefighter. On September 9, 1976 he earned a full-time position from which he moved up the ranks, becoming a lieutenant on July 1, 1984, Assistant Chief on April 1, 1996, and finally Chief of the department on April 2, 2004. He is a certified paramedic, fire instructor, and fire inspector. David Long has played a critical role in keeping the Hilliard community safe for more than three and a half decades. He has literally run into burning buildings to protect his neighbors. David's willingness to put his own life at risk in service to others is truly inspiring and exemplifies the courage that makes America great. As Chief, David has led the department during an important time for the community and has presided over some major departmental milestones, including relocating the department to the Hilliard Joint Safety Services Building. David has been a sound and stable leader, admired both by his firefighters and the community at large. Chief David Long has touched many lives and inspired others to service at this critical time in our history when we need dedicated public servants the most. I thank David for all that he has done for the Hilliard community and congratulate him on concluding an impressive and inspiring career.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true American hero, Army Specialist Christopher Kurtz of the 1st Platoon, Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division. This month marks the one year anniversary of an IED blast that nearly took his life and left him without his legs and took from him part of his hand. As a Lieutenant Colonel in the Ohio Army National Guard, I have had the honor and privilege of witnessing firsthand the heroism, selflessness, and dedication of those who serve in our military. We enjoy unparalleled freedom and opportunity in this country, because brave Americans like Christopher Kurtz have dedicated their entire lives to building and preserving the United States as the greatest nation on earth. I truly am grateful for this opportunity to pay tribute to Christopher Kurtz. Mr. Speaker, I ask that this poem penned in his honor by Albert Caswell be placed in the Congressional Record. In. . . . All In That Fight! Are but all of those courageous brave hearts, who must bring their light! Whose most magnificent hearts, must somehow reach upward but to the greatest heights! Who are all Airborne, with but their fine hearts so worn . . . Who so courageously must ignite! While, moving all out there into that darkness of war. . . . Armed, but only with their most courageous of all lights to victory to insure! To So Find That Courage . . . To So Find That Faith. . . . All in how their fine hearts have so behaved. . . . All with such Strength In Honor, so all in place. . . . To so win that battle, to so win that fight! As from out of such darkness, they so bring their light! While, one and all are so willing to face! That Face of Death! And not so ask why, while there all of their fine hearts so crest! Armed but with only your saw gun in hand, as Chris you so heroically went out ahead. . . . As was heard your most courageous battle cry, all in your stead! As from out of such darkness as said! As from out of all of your heartache, as your great heart so led. . . . With such courage and faith, all in this your most amazing grace. . . . Excepting this fight! Because, from hearts of courage full like yours, America's Sons over darkness have so shown their might! Because with only such fine men as you Christopher, will we so win that fight! As on that day, when you so walked through that valley death. . . . Armed with but only your courage as so left, as with your Brothers In Arms as you had all so pledged! When, a bomb almost left you for dead! While, lying there all between life and death! As you had so died several times, as when you said the Lord came to you and so said! So said, ``don't give up, I have more work for you to do!'' As from that moment on, you began your new fight as onward you so moved! So on that next morning as you so awoke, so close to death. . . . As in that moment, your fine heart so spoke. . . . So spoke to you about all what you had so left! As into the future, with all of your courage our nation would so bless! As you had lost your two strong legs, and part of your hand. . . . But, somehow your great heart still found the strength to stand! As we so watched you Chris, so watched you grow. . . . As you so came back from the dead, and all of that pain and woe! As what a fine work of art, your life to our world would show! To So Teach Us All! To So Beseech Us All! As it was you who so led! To take us to higher places, with tears upon our faces. . . . with but your heart so pledged! To places where only hearts of courage, have so sped! For you will walk again my son, and you will so run! As you rebuild your life, America's most brilliant of all sons! For from what you've lost. . . . far much more you've gained! But, with your iron will, the price you paid. . . . With your beautiful children and wonderful wife! Oh yes you are now so winning that fight! For heroes like you are put upon this earth, to so teach us all what so comes first! And if ever I have a son, I wish he could but be as brilliant as you this one! Who All In The Fight, so did what must be done! And led with his heart of honor, upon battlefields so on! And came back home, through all of this pain and heartache. . . . as Thy Will Be Done! Who has taught us even greater things, showing us all to what new heights hearts can run! And one day for all of your sacrifice, you will shine. . . . all up in Heaven's sun! For up in Heaven, you need not arms or legs! And that's where Christopher you are going one day! All for what you gave! And what you've done! But your life here on earth, is not finished! Is not so done, because our Lord has more work for you my son! All In That Fight!

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. I would like to thank the gentleman from California for yielding me time and for his leadership on this issue. I want to voice my support for the Access to Capital for Job Creators Act. This is straightforward legislation that provides a simple method for job creators to find funding for their businesses. This legislation will allow entrepreneurs to advertise their investment opportunity to accredited investors and to solicit investment without being subject to costly and burdensome regulations. This exemption would only apply to general solicitations or advertising if the buyers are accredited investors, those people that have $1 million net worth or an income above $200,000. This leaves protections in place for those who may be less sophisticated investors. Simply put, this bill helps finance job growth in America by connecting small businesses and job creators with sophisticated investors while keeping protections for less sophisticated investors.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate White Castle on its 90th Anniversary. White Castle is considered America's first fast-food hamburger chain and owns and operates more than 400 restaurants in 11 states. White Castle was founded in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas by Walter A. Anderson and Edgar Waldo ``Billy'' Ingram. In 1933, the company moved its headquarters to Columbus, Ohio where they continue to be an integral part of the community. White Castle is known for its small, square hamburgers called ``sliders.'' With these tasty little burgers as their mainstay item, White Castle became the first hamburger chain to sell a million hamburgers and, later, the first chain to sell a billion hamburgers. Additionally, White Castle ``sliders'' have been sold in the frozen foods section of grocery stores nationwide since 1987 and have been available in vending machines since 1993. Today, White Castle remains a family-run business having been lead by three generations of the Ingram Family. Their unique porcelain steel buildings are an icon in many neighborhoods across the Midwest. White Castle is truly an American original and is inspiring because it is a story about the success of the American Dream. I am grateful to White Castle for being a pioneer and innovator of the fast-food industry. I congratulate White Castle and its owners and team members on their 90th Anniversary and on having provided what America craves for 90 years.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of Marine Corps Capt. Jason ``Duke'' Dequenne, who on October 15, 2011, began a run like no other: 236.2 miles to celebrate the 236th birthday of the Marine Corps and, more importantly, to honor those Marines who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. On November 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, PA, the Marine Corps was founded under the commission of Samuel Nicholas, who promptly began recruiting from a local pub, Tun Tavern. Though it no longer exists today, Dequenne laced up his shoes and hit the pavement outside that very pub known now as the birthplace of the Marines for the first day of his history-making feat on October 15, 2011. In order to accomplish his 236.2 mile route, Dequenne will run a punishing 15 miles each day until finishing with the 36th Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC on October 30, 2011. However, the birthday of the Marine Corps is not the sole motivation behind his unfathomable trek; each mile will be dedicated to telling the story of a fallen soldier. Dequenne felt the individual stories and sacrifices were not being relayed effectively to the public, who often only see lists of names and ranks of fallen heroes. In attempts to change this, Capt. Dequenne will participate in speaking engagements along this Philadelphia to DC route after each run to tell the stories of Marines who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Each step of the 236.2 journey will not only embody the memory of a fallen Marine, but will raise money through the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation. All proceeds will be donated to military and law enforcement families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty. Capt. Dequenne enlisted as a Marine in 1996, before completing Office Candidate School in 2005. He currently serves at The Basic School in Quantico, VA, as the assistant logistics officer. As a serving member of the Ohio Army National Guard and veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, I thank Capt. Jason Dequenne for honoring our fallen heroes and raising support and awareness for their families. One foot in front of the other, Oo-rah!

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Ohio State University's ``Script Ohio'' on its 75th anniversary. Script Ohio is a band formation tradition that has played a major role in football game days at Ohio State throughout the years. In October of 1936, the OSU Marching Band marched into its first Script Ohio, a formation where the cursive word ``Ohio'' is spelled out by the members of the band, with the letter ``I'' dotted by the sousaphone player. The inspiration for this famous band formation came from the band director at the time, Eugene Weigel, and band member, Ted Boehm. 75 years after its first OSU appearance, the tradition continues to be an important part of every home football game. As graduate of the Ohio State University, I take great pride in the traditions of my alma mater. Ohio State Football is definitely one of those traditions--and Script Ohio is certainly part of that tradition. Football games would not be the same without Script Ohio, and I offer my congratulations on its 75 years. I look forward to seeing Script Ohio march in the Horseshoe for many years to come.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Columbus Clippers on winning their ninth, and second consecutive, Governor's Cup. The Governor's Cup is a baseball tradition dating back to 1933 and is awarded annually to the International League's champion. First at Cooper Stadium and now at Huntington Park, since 1977 the Columbus Clippers have been a Central Ohio institution. The Clippers are a world-class organization, and attending a game at Huntington Park is a world-class experience. I have enjoyed many warm summer evenings cheering on the Clippers, and I know countless other Ohio families have shared similar fun-filled experiences enjoying America's favorite pastime in each other's company. In Columbus, we take our sports seriously, and the Clippers have always been a point of pride for us. Their past two seasons have been particularly impressive with the team winning back-to-back championships. A single Governor's Cup win is an impressive achievement but two in a row is truly extraordinary. Over the years the Clippers have made their city and state proud with similar championship streaks, including holding on to the Governor's Cup for three consecutive years from 1979-1981. A winning season takes hard work and many hours of practice and a great deal of effort. The team's success brings City of Columbus together to celebrate as a community. To the Columbus Clippers, I offer my congratulations on this season' championship and my best wishes for a strong season next year. Columbus Clippers, RING YOUR BELL!

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. It has been said, ``A journey of a thousand miles begins with a small step.'' Today, with a looming national debt of over $14.2 trillion, we need to take dramatic steps to decrease spending, but we can make a difference by taking small steps as well. Throughout our Nation's economic crisis, I've heard from constituents who have said they want to do more to pay off the national debt. I voluntarily give back $700 from every paycheck to help pay down the national debt, and I wanted to make it easier for like-minded citizens to do the same. That's why I've sponsored the Debt Contribution Act, which creates a checkoff box on the tax return for individuals who want to donate money to pay down the national debt. It ensures 100 percent of those proceeds are used to pay down the national debt, and it makes sure that it's still a tax deductible contribution, which it has been since 1964. So with a national debt of over $14.2 trillion, we won't be running a surplus anytime soon, but we can allow patriotic Americans who want to volunteer and give money to pay down the national debt to do that, and I hope my colleagues will help me support and pass the Debt Contribution Act.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor CPT William Smith, who passed away July 15, 2011, at the age of 93. A true American hero, CPT Smith charged the beaches of Normandy, survived the Battle of the Bulge, and continued on to serve in the Korean Conflict. D-Day for CPT Smith began hours before thousands braved the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944. Under the cover of darkness, he rowed alone onto Omaha Beach, making ready for his duty as a forward observer. Burying himself for hours beneath a concrete slab and under heavy enemy fire, CPT Smith used only the lights of German artillery to locate their guns, calling in the targets to US Naval ships protecting the invasion. CPT Smith survived D-Day, spending 12 grueling hours alone in his make-shift post with nothing but infantry assault elements to protect him. CPT William Smith also fought in the invasions of North Africa and Sicily. In total, CPT. Smith served in seven European campaigns, including the infamous Battle of the Bulge, never once putting his own safety before that of his country. For his service in the 32nd Field Artillery, 1st Infantry Division, he was awarded the D-Day medal, World War II medal, French Freedom and Jubilee medals and the Bronze Star with V for Valor. Less than a decade later, CPT Smith once again answered his country's call to duty, serving as an invasion specialist in the Korean Conflict. Upon returning home, he built Kisco Photo Service into a dominant force in the camera and film market. Smith then went on to serve as the Chairman of Sales and Marketing Technology at Columbus Technical College at age 53. Bill never lost touch with his comrades in arms, joining both the VFW Lodge #2398, Worthington, Ohio and AMVETS, Worthington Post #239. He was a member of New England Lodge #4, F & AM and a 32nd degree Mason, Valley of Columbus. Married 70 years to wife Berni, with two children, Bill and Shirley, Smith fully lived his family values. Smith's son, Bill E. Smith, spoke of his late father as a man of faith, of family, and of community. And that is just how we will remember him.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, sometimes small steps can make a big difference, and often the best legislation comes from our constituents. That's the case with legislation that I have introduced called the DEBT Contribution Act, which gives Americans simpler ways to make a tax- deductible contribution specifically to reduce our national debt. Recently, I have received letters from constituents like this one asking how they can donate funds to pay down our national debt. I voluntarily give $700 out of every paycheck to go toward paying down the national debt, and I want to make it easier for like-minded citizens to do the same. That's why I've sponsored the DEBT Contribution Act. It does three things: First, it creates a check-off box on the individual tax return form to make it more user friendly to give a tax-deductible contribution to pay down the national debt. Second, it makes sure that 100 percent of those funds are used to reduce the national debt and not redirect it for any purpose. And, finally, it makes it clear that it is tax deductible, as it has been to give that charitable contribution. Our national debt is now $14.2 trillion, and we need to do everything we can to pay down our national debt. I urge my colleagues from both sides to support this measure.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate The Columbus Dispatch for 140 years in business as a leading news source in Ohio. When I am home, I start each morning at the table with my daughter Sarah, eating breakfast and reading the Dispatch. From the inaugural publication on July 1, 1871, to this morning's edition dropped on my doorstep in Columbus, the Dispatch has become a staple in Central Ohio as the region's daily printed and on-line source for local, state, national, and international news. With a proven track record of trustworthy and in-depth analysis, unbiased relaying of the facts, and heartfelt community editorials the Dispatch exemplifies excellence in reporting. The important events of the past 140 years have been delivered into the homes of our community by the Dispatch. The paper relayed the sinking of the Titanic and the outbreak of WWI. It told of the tragedies of Pearl Harbor and gave us hope after September 11, 2001. And the paper has celebrated our local victories with us, like the Buckeyes National Football Championship in 2002. Since 1905, the Wolfe family has owned and operated the newspaper, allowing it to become one of the most widely read newspapers in the nation. To the Wolfe family and all Dispatch employees, I offer my congratulations and may your next 140 years be as informative, innovative, and inspiring as your first.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. I would like to thank the chairwoman for yielding me time. I rise in support of the Speaker's resolution. With 26 years of military service, my experience has taught me many lessons, and those lessons give me pause and concern with regard to the Kucinich resolution. I think we need to be prudent, thoughtful and measured in the way we end our involvement in Libya, and I don't believe that the Kucinich resolution does that. Even though the President did not follow proper procedures and even though he should have allowed Congress to debate and decide the issue, a 15-day withdrawal would cause other issues. Currently, the U.S. is providing important refueling, logistics and other support functions for our NATO allies. Unfortunately, if you create a 15-day time line, those allies might not have time to plan or build capacity to resource their plan and effectively continue their operations. I don't agree with how the President has handled our current military mission in Libya, and I don't think he has currently explained the national security interest of our mission. However, I think the troops that have been called to action have performed admirably, and I thank them for their service. But now we are involved, and the time frame for withdrawal in the Kucinich resolution would hurt our NATO allies, the same allies who have stood by us in Afghanistan for 10 years. They deserve our cooperation in any transition. I support the Speaker's alternative resolution on Libya. I think it asks tough questions of the President, and requires him to explain our national security interests and to justify his strategy to Congress and to the American people. If the President doesn't answer those questions within 14 days, I believe Congress should continue to assert its constitutional authority. In response to the gentleman from California, I would like to say that I think it is important we get information to make timely decisions. Therefore, I support the Speaker's alternative resolution as a way forward in Libya.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss some of the major challenges that face our Nation. We face a spending crisis, a debt crisis, a jobs crisis; and in order to solve those, the best thing we can do is focus on jobs because creating jobs will empower families, it will increase our economic power, and it will improve our government budget situation. From my many travels around my district in Ohio, from Franklin County to Madison County to Union County, it has become clear that both individuals and businesses need more certainty when it comes to health care costs, energy costs, taxes, and regulation. I visited Stanley Electric in London, Ohio, and they would like to expand. They have temporary workers they would like to make permanent full-time workers, but government regulations out of Washington are preventing them from doing that. I held a jobs roundtable in Hilliard with small businesses, and from those small businesses I heard that we need Congress to get out of the way of job creators. We need to bring more certainty to the banking system so that they will start lending to small businesses. Capital and credit need to be available if small businesses are going to create jobs. They asked us to change the culture in Washington so that people here understand that government does not create jobs; small business owners and entrepreneurs create jobs. We need to allow those local employers to focus their resources on hiring and to growing their businesses. If we allow them, business can and will create jobs. We just need to give them the incentives, and innovation will be there. Business owners need the flexibility to invest back in their businesses, and they need the ability to keep more of what they have earned if they do well. I held a jobs forum in my district at Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business to discuss with central Ohio job creators what they need to invest and create jobs. A number of good ideas came out of that forum. Dwight Smith, who is with Sophisticated Systems in Columbus, Ohio, said that Ohio and the Nation need to do a better job of putting together job training with unemployment. He said whole categories of jobs are being eliminated in this economy, and we need to make sure that the people that are out there are looking for jobs that are here today and are going to be here tomorrow. I think that is a great idea. We need to focus on training and preparing our workforce for jobs that are here today and here tomorrow. We need to tie our workforce development dollars together with our unemployment programs so they work together well. Kathy Ivan, the owner of Fabric Farms, a small business owner in my district, was very concerned about the onerous small business regulation of the 1099 provisions that were in the health care bill. I am glad to say that particular portion of the health care bill has been repealed, but we have to take further steps to make sure that business owners have certainty with regard to health care costs and energy costs so that they will be willing to hire new employees. John Ness of ODW Logistics shared that government ``has stepped on the hands and needs to stay out of the way'' of small business owners. We need to remove the obstacles for these business owners, and the United States Government needs to make tax rates competitive with the rest of the world. John Ness is in a global business, and America's tax rates are making him less competitive. Dr. Michael Camp, who is with the OSU Center for Entrepreneurship, spoke about the importance of accelerator projects, and how collaboration with Ohio's Third Frontier can yield positive results. We have a lot of work to do; but if we can stay focused on getting government out of the way and giving businesses more certainty, you'll see businesses creating a lot of jobs. Those are just a few of the great ideas that were shared at my jobs forum, and I will continue to work on those ideas and other ideas and reach out so that we can grow our economy because the best way to solve our problems is through creating jobs.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the amendment offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Clarke). I represent Columbus, Ohio, which in the past has been one of the Tier II cities that has received Urban Security Initiative funds. The current version of this bill would restrict Urban Security Initiative funds to only Tier I cities, which would be the top 10 riskiest cities. The problem is the risks don't stop at number 10, and it's not clear that there is any significant reduction in risk between the tenth-riskiest city and the 11th-riskiest city. This is an arbitrary decision, and the Clarke amendment ends the arbitrary 10-city restriction and allows the Department of Homeland Security to have discretion in funding risks. It does not increase funding one cent. I urge adoption of the Clarke amendment. And I would just like to make it clear that the whole point of this amendment is to remove an arbitrary restriction and give the Department of Homeland Security the ability to fund where the risks are. This amendment does not add a dime to the cost. It increases flexibility. And it won't necessarily cost cities like New York or any other city any funds. All it does is allow cities to be eligible so that if there is real risk there and the Department of Homeland Security chooses to fund that city, then they can fund it. So it's a commonsense approach. I ask my colleagues to support the Clarke approach. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Teddy Osborn of Grove City, Ohio for making Boy Scouting history in Ohio. Teddy, a highly decorated Eagle Scout, is an active member of Ohio's largest Boy Scout troop, Troop 200, chartered out of Northwest Methodist Church in Columbus. Today I would like to commend Teddy for earning the maximum number of Boy Scouts of America badges--all 129. While accumulating the mandated number of 21 merit badges can be tough; earning all 129 badges is not only going above and beyond, but is an outstanding accomplishment. An 18-year-old senior at Columbus Bishop Ready High School, Teddy attained what less than one percent of all Boy Scouts annually achieve when he earned his 100th merit badge. In earning all 129 merit badges, Teddy is the first boy scout in Ohio's 100 years of scouting history to earn all available merit badges. On behalf of the citizens of Ohio's 15th Congressional District, I congratulate Teddy Osborn on this historic scouting accomplishment.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Yvonne Austin of Grove City, Ohio. Yvonne has been selected as a 2010 Great Comebacks Award recipient for the Central Region. Each year, Great Comebacks presents regional awards to 12 individuals throughout the United States who have struggled with a chronic intestinal condition and have exhibited extraordinary strength and courage for managing to live full and productive lives despite daily struggles. An 18-year-old freshman in college, Yvonne was balancing two jobs with her education, while secretly struggling with symptoms she could not explain. A year later, she finally sought medical advice and was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Despite this diagnosis Yvonne was determined not to let the disease hinder her tenacious work ethic or interrupt her active lifestyle. With a great desire for travel, Yvonne set out to explore the world. Her adventurous spirit led her to the Great Barrier Reef, spending her time scuba diving, swimming with sharks, and even taking up waterskiing. However, Crohn's disease continued to invade her life with painful flare-ups and numerous hospitalizations. After 15 years of managing her symptoms with medications, Yvonne consented to a temporary ostomy in 2002 and opted for a permanent ileostomy in 2004. Three friends nominated Yvonne for the Great Comebacks Award, describing her as a confident and inspirational woman who radiates positive energy and goes the extra mile for her family and friends. Yvonne's friends also recalled how she quickly rushed to the aid of a friend's mother who had received an emergency ostomy. Today, Yvonne is a successful mortgage banker, and led by her adventurous spirit has for the past three years been a nationally- ranked competitive water skier. She is also an avid golfer, fundraises for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, and volunteers at a local children's hospital to provide support to parents and children who are living with an intestinal disease and/or an ostomy. Yvonne believes faith, humor and a positive attitude can overcome any adversity.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Our focus this Congress should be on supporting job creation. I would like to refocus this debate a little bit, because I support a pretty simple proposition when it comes to regulation, and that is the benefits of regulation should exceed the costs. Last week, in Worthington, Ohio, I heard from over a hundred small business owners at a local chamber of commerce. They are worried about uncertainty. They are worried about limited transparency in this current regulatory environment, and it causes them to slow down on job creation and it stifles our economy. Over the past couple of weeks, the House committees have had hearings on jobs, including the Financial Services Committee, that talked about job growth. We discussed the need to compare the benefits of the costs of regulation to those benefits even with the independent agencies. Experts suggested that we review overly burdensome and duplicative regulation, which hurts access to capital and job growth. I believe the Office of Management and Budget should be required to analyze the tradeoffs between proposed regulations and what they have on affecting job creation, economic growth, innovation, and competitiveness. We must ensure that our new Federal regulations don't interrupt consumers' ability to obtain credit, or prevent small businesses from adding jobs or hindering economic growth.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding. Mr. Speaker, in my office, I have a picture of President Ronald Reagan, with a quote from January 25, 1988. It reads: After all our hard-fought victories earned through the patience and courage of every citizen, we cannot--must not--turn back. We will finish our job. How could we do anything else? We are Americans. These thought-provoking words from President Reagan still inspire us today. We are facing a number of challenges in our country: a tough economy, fierce competition for jobs from nations like India and China, and the fighting of two wars with determined enemies who are committed to destroying the American way of life. President Reagan's words remind us that while we face difficult challenges, we must face them together, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans because we're all in this together. His actions lived up to his own words. He rolled up his sleeves, worked with Members on both sides of the aisle, and provided leadership to move America forward. Today, with a Republican House, a Democratic-led Senate and administration, we only need to look to President Reagan's work with Speaker Tip O'Neill on Social Security reform in 1983 to learn an important lesson. It shows us today that you can be successful in making a good faith effort to work together toward a common goal if you work together and don't lose sight of your core principles. America is a shining city on a hill, and we will always be living President Reagan's legacy. You know, we need to honor his optimistic spirit by living and leading by his example. I'd like to join my colleagues in honoring President Reagan on the 100th anniversary of his birth. He was truly one of our great Presidents, a man who understood what it meant to be an American leader.