Glenn Thompson

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 209, I was absent on the evening of April 27, 2009, because I was attending a public meeting at the Allegheny National Forest in Warren, Pennsylvania, regarding the pending Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, SEIS, ongoing litigation, and the proposed ``settlement.'' Recent Forest Service actions on the Allegheny have created adverse economic distress in my rural district and are unfairly denying my constituents access to their legally owned subsurface mineral rights. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, on rollcall no. 208 I was absent on the evening of April 27, 2009 because I was attending a public meeting at the Allegheny National Forest in Warren, Pennsylvania regarding the pending Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), ongoing litigation, and the proposed ``settlement.'' Recent Forest Service actions on the Allegheny have created adverse economic distress in my rural district and are unfairly denying my constituents access to their legally owned subsurface mineral rights. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 207 I was absent on the evening of April 27, 2009, because I was attending a public meeting at the Allegheny National Forest in Warren, Pennsylvania, regarding the pending Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), ongoing litigation, and the proposed ``settlement.'' Recent Forest Service actions on the Allegheny have created adverse economic distress in my rural district and are unfairly denying my constituents access to their legally owned subsurface mineral rights. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Yea.''

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Boy Scout program that has positively impacted the lives of thousands of young people in central Pennsylvania. The Boy Scouts of America is one of the Nation's largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations in the world. 2009 marks the 75th anniversary of the Seven Mountains Boy Scout Camp and the 80th anniversary of Juniata Valley Boy Scout Council. Madam Speaker, I am proud of the scouting program that has made such a difference in the lives of young men and women for eight decades. For nearly a century, the BSA has helped build the future leaders of this country by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. The Boy Scouts of America believes--and through nearly a century of experience, knows--that helping youth is the key to building a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society. I congratulate the Juniata Valley Boy Scout Council, a National Quality Council, for 80 years of service. I would also like to congratulate the Seven Mountains Boy Scout Camp, a nationally recognized camping program, on its 75th anniversary.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today with a message from a few of my constituents. This scroll is a petition signed by hundreds of Centre County residents who participated in one of the many TEA parties that took place this past week in my district. Not only do I agree with their message that the Federal Government has overstepped its bounds and continues to spend, tax and borrow too much, but I am proud of these folks who took a stand. I came to Washington in January to be a part of democracy in action, and today, I can say that I am proud of my constituents who spoke out in their displeasure with this broken process that we call Washington. I am proud that they exercised their first amendment rights. You see, Mr. Speaker, what occurred this past week is democracy. It's what our forefathers envisioned when drafting the Constitution and, later, the Bill of Rights. It's what our soldiers fight for each and every day. Mr. Speaker, it is the American way. With that, I thank my colleague from Texas for his assistance.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Well, I thank my good friend and colleague from Utah. You know, America does have an energy addiction. There's no doubt about it. But it's an energy addiction to foreign energy. And it's an addiction that's just absolutely unnecessary. We are facing a crisis in the fact that over 70 percent of our energy resources we obtain from foreign countries. Many of those countries are those that, frankly, don't like us very much, and they take our money willingly, but what they use it for could potentially easily do us harm in the future. And that's wrong. That's a threat to our economy. And we know that we have been spending a lot of time in this body talking about the economy in the past 3 months since I came to Congress. And it's a threat to our national security. So what are the--such a looming crisis that we're experiencing every day, and what's the solutions that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, our Democrat Party solution? Well, we saw that just a couple of hours ago with the budget that was proposed. That was cap-and-trade. That's how we address energy. We put a tax on everything. We put $1.8 trillion in taxes. Now, The White House's budget showed somewhere around $630 billion of new taxes that we placed on. But I know that there was a briefing on the Senate side with somebody from, a White House staffer that was able to talk that actually the impact on the economy will be triple that. We're talking $1.8 trillion. I've got to tell you, Mr. Bishop, before I came to Congress I didn't know how many zeros were in a trillion. That's a new skill for me. Unfortunately, it's a sad skill to have to have and have to profess here. We're looking at broken promises. The President promised that 95 percent of all Americans would have a decrease, see their taxes decrease. Well, that promise has been broken with cap-and-trade, because cap-and-trade puts a tax on just absolutely everything. In Pennsylvania alone, it's estimated that our energy costs, the cost of turning on your electrical switch, is going to increase by 40 percent. And that's going to increase, and then you have the tax on everything, anything that's produced or consumed, if it's made with carbon or it's got a carbon footprint which is, you know, we took pride in that, that that advances our economy and our society, but today it's a bad word. But that, anything that uses that puts a tax today. Well, that's going to impact everybody, businesses industries, families. But I've got to tell you, the people I feel--I'm scared most for are the people that are living, just barely getting by, paycheck to paycheck, those folks who are poor, those who are not making it today. And just the electricity costs alone are going up by 40 percent in Pennsylvania. Cap-and-trade, cap-and-tax, that's a war on the poor. And what that's going to do to people that are just living, just barely getting by today is, it's absolutely unacceptable. It's just not bad policy, frankly, it's harmful. Now before I came to Congress, I worked 28 years in health care. I actually thought that I was going to retire in nonprofit community health care. And for me that meant that hopefully they'd have a nursing home bed for me when I got to the end of my career in nonprofit community health care. But one of the things I learned first in my health care career was, do no harm. And I use that in my decision-making here on the House floor. The first thing in terms of any type of public policy is, do no harm. And that's something that would serve all of myself and my colleagues to remember in the public policy we're doing, especially on this energy debate, because cap-and-trade is harmful. Now, we have great potential, I think, for moving towards and accomplishing energy independence. Let me talk a little bit about that, starting with domestic oil. 150 years ago this year, and actually, the third week in August, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, Colonel Drake drilled the first well ever in the history of the world and produced energy, produced oil. And that's something we take great pride in. And we have tremendous domestic oil resources today that we have not been utilizing, that we could be utilizing to not just be dependent on foreign sources, but what a great economic stimulus that would be to take that $700 billion that we send overseas every year and invest that in American energy-producing companies that hire American workers. That's the best stimulus that we could have done, and that's the stimulus that we need to do, and it will be the first stimulus that we do out of this Congress that will be effective in this congressional cycle. Let me talk about natural gas. Credible, clean energy. And we have lots of it. The Outer Continental Shelf. We certainly have it throughout my district. We have the third largest natural gas play in the world that goes through Pennsylvania, 15 of my 17 counties, wonderful, clean, natural gas that's available. And we have at least two bus lines in my Congressional district that runs on compressed natural gas. It's clean, it's cheaper, and it's a good resource, and we need to be using more of that. Nuclear. We haven't built a new nuclear plant in how long? Countries such as France are way ahead of us. Nuclear energy has come a long way since the days when we were concerned about accidents. It's clean, it's safe and the technology advancements are wonderful. Coal. We have, my district, I'm proud of the fact that we have a tremendous amount of coal. We have a history of providing coal for the country. And, in fact, we've got great educational institutions in my facility, we have lots of them, but one in particular is doing some wonderful research on coal sequestration techniques. And that technology is being developed with the researchers that we have right in rural Pennsylvania where we have these vast coal resources to be able to use. And then alternative energy. And I do believe in all of the above and support an all-of-the-above approach to addressing our energy independence. But if you take the alternative energies today, where we're at today with solar, with wind, we're looking at producing less than 1 percent, meeting less than 1 percent of our energy needs. So let's say we work real hard and we double that. All right. That's 2 percent. We're a long ways off from fulfilling and meeting the energy needs that our country has today. We need to be able to use our domestic resources, oil, natural gas, coal, and continue the research and development of alternative energies. I'm very proud of the higher education institutions that I do have in the district that are working also on developing these alternative energy sciences. But as I talk with those researchers on alternative energies, they tell me that the best hope for the future, to be able, at one point, to be able to replace the use of fossil fuels perhaps is solar at this point. But even with that, they tell me it is generations and generations away from being developed to the point where we can actually fill that gap. So for us to be energy independent, to meet our economy needs, to provide good jobs for Americans, producing domestic energy and for our national security, we really need an all-of-the-above type solution to our energy. So why are we dependent on foreign energy? Well, the best way to do that is, let me illustrate with a bit of a riddle. My alma matter, I've talked about Penn State. We have a great winning football coach, Joe Paterno. How'd you like to be in your mid eighties and just get a 3-year extension on your contract? He's a great guy and he's got a great record. So here's the riddle. What's the difference between Coach Paterno's winning record and America's energy policy? Well, actually Coach Paterno's winning record really is there, it really exists. We do not have, America has never had an energy policy. And, in fact, the biggest barrier we have to American energy independence, and American economic independence using our energy resources, has been the Federal Government. And it's time for that to stop. And let me share with you a living example of how government gets in the way of using domestic resources, domestic energy resources. In my district, in the northern part, we have this wonderful four counties, it includes the Allegheny National Forest. It's 513,000 acres. It's a wonderful area. It was formed back in 1923. 85 years it has existed, and it was formed for the purpose of providing a sustainable timber supply for industry, and also to supply sustainable energy, specifically, oil to begin with, and now natural gas that is drilled in the forest. And, in fact, the Federal Government, in its wisdom in 1923, when it secured all these lands to form this national forest, chose not to secure the private property subsurface rights, the mineral rights there. And the reason for that was because it felt that private property owners would be better able to access and to produce the energy that is contained in those minerals, the oil and the natural gas that is there today. Well, that has worked well for us for approximately 85 years. Just about a little over 70 days ago, the Forest Service, who manages that, decides to no longer proceed with what's called ``notices to proceed.'' That's basically the green light to be able to go after the oil and the natural gas that our country needs to fuel our needs. It's domestic energy. Now, the impact of that in just 70 days has been, as you can imagine, on the businesses. First of all, it's an attack on those who own the private property rights, which is wrong. We respect private property rights in this country, but then there are the businesses, the drillers who go after the oil. We haven't had a new start on a well in over 70 days. You have the schools and the counties and the municipalities that rely on that, that being the big part of our economy in those four counties. Then you have the families, the families who depend on those jobs, and we have seen job loss, and we have seen people's hours being cut back across the board in many different industries. It's just not the drillers. They're the individuals who are involved with the small excavating companies, who come in to clear the access road. They're the folks who work in timbering, who remove the timber to be able to open up those areas for drilling. You have to remember that this is something we have worked well together on with the Forest Service for 86 years. It has been a great partnership of making sure that we provide the resources that America needs. Then, all of a sudden, the Forest Service, because of lawsuits by environmentalists, has shut this process down. It has shut down the economy in the four counties, in the Allegheny National Forest and in those counties that depend on that economy around it. Well, that's wrong. That's absolutely wrong. You know, America has the ingenuity. In terms of being energy independent and in using our resources, we've got the ingenuity. We've got the resources. We've got the American spirit. We've got people who work hard in those industries, I mean long days, days that a lot of Americans wouldn't want to put in, but they do that because that's what they enjoy; that's their passion, and they help to provide the energy resources that our country needs. As I said before, the biggest barrier to accessing these domestic resources, to accessing America's energy resources for America's being energy independent, has been our own government. It's time for smart government energy policy. Again, I propose that the best stimulus that we could ever do for our economy would be to access all of our domestic energy resources. That would be oil, natural gas, the building of nuclear plants, the use of coal, the development of the alternative energies at the same time, concurrently. As we do that, we put American energy-producing companies to work that are hiring American workers. I thank my friend and colleague from Utah for the opportunity to join him this evening.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. I come to the floor today to honor a man that exemplifies public service--a man that hails from the big city of Philadelphia, but who has had a profound impact on my rural district. Secretary Mike DiBerardinis has served the Rendell administration and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with distinction for the past 6 years as the head of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, or DCNR. While I have only had limited interaction with the Secretary personally, his work for the Pennsylvania Wilds Initiative--a nature tourism program that encompasses my district--speaks volumes about his character and his dedication to rural Pennsylvania. Under the Secretary's leadership, DCNR has taken the PA Wilds from a concept to a budding program, highlighting the beautiful landscape and the many attractions of central and northwestern Pennsylvania. From hiking, to biking, to backpacking, and skiing, Pennsylvania Wilds has it all. In fact, this past summer, the Secretary was in my hometown breaking ground on the State's first Nature Inn, in Bald Eagle State Park-- adding yet another component to an already robust State park system. So while tomorrow is the Secretary's last day at the helm, I want to say thank you. Thank you for your service to rural Pennsylvania. Your leadership and vision has made a lasting impression.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend. Sounds like the movie Groundhog Day. Doesn't it? Well, actually, that would be an insult to my most famous constituent, Punxsutawney Phil. It is the Democratic budget. Mr. Speaker, as the budget comes to the floor this week, the American people deserve to know the truth. This budget will increase taxes on every single American. This budget will stifle economic growth. And, this budget will increase the tax burden on small businesses, the very segment of the economy that is best equipped to get us back on track. Mr. Speaker, this is not the change the American people voted for in November. At the current pace, the 111th Congress is going to leave one legacy for which it will be remembered, and that is a legacy of debt for future generations, $9.3 trillion in debt over the next 10 years, if the President's budget is rubber-stamped by this Congress. It is time for the American people to hear the truth. This budget taxes too much, spends too much, and borrows too much.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. I thank the gentleman for his remarks. The fact is, it sounds like our districts are very similar, and we're hurting right now, and we need leadership, leadership with a vision for smart government solutions, and that's not what I'm seeing with this proposal coming forward next week from the President. With that, I thank the gentlelady.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. I thank the gentlelady for yielding me some time here. Obviously, today there are serious concerns about the President's budget, a budget that borrows too much and spends too much and taxes just way too much. Prior to my running for Congress this past year, I spent 28 years in the health care business. And one of the first things you learn in the medical profession is ``do no harm.'' So, Madam Speaker, I come to the floor today to speak briefly about the harm the President's budget will cause back in rural Pennsylvania. My rural district is much like the heartland of this country. Mom-and- pop shops, family farms, small businesses. Just run-of-the-mill folks looking for a fair shake. So in evaluating the President's budget, I asked myself one question: will this proposal help or hamper the economic growth in my district. And truth be told, it didn't take long for me to answer this simple question. Increasing taxes on small businesses, as this budget proposes, will penalize the very segment of the economy that is best equipped to get us back on track. Small businesses are creating 7 out of every 10 jobs. They are the backbone of rural America. They are the farmers that harvest much of the food that we eat. They are the small, independently owned energy companies whose employees go to work each day with the goal of achieving American energy independence. They are the independent truckers that haul the goods that we consume. You see, Madam Speaker, these are not Republican or Democrat jobs, but they are jobs that are at risk of being eliminated if this budget proceeds as currently written. The President's new cap-and-tax energy policy, which will inevitably drive up the cost of every manufactured and processed good we consume, will increase utility bills and will cost more just to fuel up at the tank and will devastate rural America. Madam Speaker, oil was discovered in my district 150 years ago. We are also home to the most promising natural gas play in the country and the third largest in the world. Many of my constituents make a living by harvesting the natural resources that we are blessed with. These same natural resources, I may add, that are used to build windmills, solar panels and biorefineries. You see, without natural gas and oil, there would be no windmills or solar panels. These very natural resources are the key feedstock in manufacturing the next generation of clean energy sources. So we should celebrate the American energy industry, the fuels that made this country what it is today, the fuels that will serve as a bridge to the renewable energy future; not penalize it, as does this budget that the President proposes. All is not lost, however. The Speaker will have an opportunity to allow fruitful debate and deliberation next week when the budget comes to the floor. House Republicans will put forward a budget proposal that offers smart government solutions and address the very issues I've laid out. The American people are hurting. The economy is on life support. And if the Democratic leadership asks themselves this simple one question-- will this budget help or hamper economic growth--they will come to the table and work with Republicans to find a reasonable compromise for the good of the entire country.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. I certainly will.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. It has been 68 days, Mr. Speaker, since the United States Forest Service approved a notice to proceed with oil and gas production on the Allegheny National Forest. Why is this cause for concern? Well, we are talking about a relationship between the Forest Service and private landowners that has existed for 86 years without a disruption of this magnitude. We are talking about jobs. Without permits to proceed, companies continue to lay off employees, and the local economy suffers. Take Michael Hale's company, for example, a constituent of mine from Bradford, Pennsylvania, who recently wrote: ``As an owner of an excavating company during tough difficult times, I am discouraged by the recent actions by the Forest Service in delaying processing of notices to proceed for oil and gas extraction in the Allegheny National Forest. ``For the first time in our 26-year history, we have had to make adjustments to our workforce due to an inability to work. Currently, 35 percent of our field workers have been laid off and the remaining workers have had their hours reduced by 25 percent. ``We are not asking for a handout or a bailout of any kind, we just want to be able to work.'' It's companies like Michael Hale's that are the fabric which holds this economy and many of our rural communities together. They're not looking for a bailout, just a fair shake.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. No, sir, it was not me.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I bring a serious economic concern from my district today. In the northwest corner of my district in beautiful rural Pennsylvania lies the Allegheny National Forest, established 86 years ago when the Federal Government purchased 513,000 acres that it encompasses. By agreement in 1923, the subsurface mineral rights in the forest did not convey with the purchase, and oil and natural gas have been harvested ever since. Because of the value of timber harvested and the oil and natural gas produced, the ANF serves as the economic engine of the region, providing good-paying, family-sustaining jobs for many in the oil, natural gas, timber and forest products industry. In addition, the ANF is not taxable, since it is owned by the Federal Government, making the municipal governments even more reliable on the development of oil, natural gas and the timber in it. Mr. Speaker, what's important to note here is that the Federal Government entered into an agreement with the owners of these subsurface minerals, an agreement which has been honored for 86 years. Unfortunately, that process has come to a halt. In reacting to lawsuits brought by environmental groups, Forest Service and Justice Department lawyers, who most likely have never stepped foot in the Pennsylvania ANF, are now managing the forest, instead of dedicated ANF Forest Service professionals, who despite many challenges over 8 decades, have carried out their duties admirably. So when the Forest Service does not issue new permits to proceed with harvesting oil and natural gas, people lose their jobs and the local economy suffers. To demonstrate that this is much more than a legal battle between the Forest Service and environmental groups, I will read a part of one of my many communications I have received from constituents. ``With local drilling being slowed to a virtual halt, we have seen the `ripple effect' significantly decrease our business. The timber industry is in the worst shape that we have ever seen, and now loggers are not even needed to clear right-of-ways for roads, locations and pipelines. ``For the first time in 30 years we have had to reduce our workforce and contribute to the nearly double-digit unemployment rate.'' I find it to be the height of hypocrisy that the Secretary of Energy recently asked OPEC not to decrease its oil production, while at the same time our government is taking actions to prevent the production of our own oil and natural gas. Importing 60 percent of our oil and sending $700 billion to foreign, often unfriendly countries should dictate government policy that promotes the production of our own oil, not the opposite. If the Allegheny Defense Project, which is run out of Portland, Oregon, more than 3,000 miles from the beautiful Pennsylvania ANF, continues to use the legal system and their environmental shield to stop the legitimate and environmentally safe harvesting of timber, natural gas and oil from the ANF, or any other forest, I ask that they consider the effect of such efforts on the communities, families and individuals who depend on the safe and sound harvesting of those commodities to keep their jobs and to pay their bills. Oil and gas production is western Pennsylvania. It's part of our life. It's what we do. It's where Colonel Drake sunk the world's first commercial oil well 150 years ago this year. The safe and environmentally sound harvesting of our resources in the Allegheny National Forest has been going on for decades. There is no reason it should be delayed or stopped now, especially during a recession. Mr. Speaker, it has been 63 days since the Forest Service has issued any permits for new oil and gas wells in the ANF. This is unacceptable. I trust that the Forest Service and the Department of Agriculture will resolve this problem quickly so that our community can get back to work producing our own oil and natural gas. And, if not, I will return to this floor and continue to do all I can until it is resolved.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, growing up, my father ran two small businesses, a sporting goods business and a marina, both of which I worked at over the years. My grandfather's family worked a local dairy and farm. So, Mr. Speaker, I was a bit taken back when the administration's budget proposal came across my desk last week. I know you often hear politicians speak about small business being the backbone of our economy, but it's true, and even more so in the American rural communities that I represent. With 710 new jobs created by small business owners, these individuals are key to the revitalization of our economy and putting folks back to work. This budget proposal will increase the tax burden on every single small business owner not once, but twice. Overhead costs, raw materials, transportation, and every other segment of the supply chain will skyrocket under this proposal. This is not acceptable and will only lengthen this recession and penalize the very best people that are best equipped to put folks back to work. Now, I will give credit where credit is due. I was pleased to see the President take a step in the right direction yesterday by relaxing the lending rules at the Small Business Administration to allow credit to flow more freely.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 240, which supports the goals and ideals of Professional Social Work Month and World Social Work Day. As a health care professional of three decades and a former licensed nursing home administrator, I observed personally every day social workers making meaningful contributions throughout the Nation. They are on the front lines helping people overcome life's most difficult challenges--poverty, abuse, addiction, illness, disability, discrimination, and more. Social workers are the Nation's largest providers of mental health services, delivering 60 percent of mental health treatment. However, these highly trained professionals also work in schools, hospitals, health care agencies, senior centers, crisis centers, and military bases. Social workers also actively advocate changes in policy and legislation to strengthen the social safety nets critical to so many. Whether in direct practice, administration, education, research, or policy development, social workers promote social justice for all. According to the International Federation of Social Workers, social work grew out of humanitarian and democratic ideals, and its values are based on respect for equality, worth, and dignity of all people. Since its beginnings over a century ago, social work has focused on meeting human needs and developing human potential. Human rights and social justice serve as the motivation and justification for social work action. In solidarity with those who are less fortunate, the profession strives to alleviate poverty and to promote inclusion for the most vulnerable populations. This year's Social Work Month theme--``Purpose and Possibility''-- truly highlights the special characteristics of those who choose social work as a profession and underscores the goals of their work. While their day-to-day work often goes unnoticed, we stand today to recognize with gratitude the contributions of the millions of caring individuals who have chosen to serve their communities through social work. I ask my colleagues to support this resolution. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, last weekend I had the opportunity to visit our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and was able to thank them personally for their selfless sacrifice and for their service to our country. From the moment that I arrived in country along with five of our colleagues, there was an extreme sense of pride, purpose, and confidence in the soldiers we met. These troops are led by the finest military leaders in the world, such as General Ray Odierno, General David McKiernan, General Lloyd Austin, to name just a few, with each of their commands providing superb support. So I come to the floor today with a message from the troops, a message that I found somewhat selfless, but not at all surprising coming from these fine men and women. Mr. Speaker, they asked me to tell the stories of their success, that they're making a difference. That the cut-and-run strategy that politicians, who have absolutely zero battlefield let alone military experience, preach from this floor is not the support that they and their families expect or deserve. So with that I tell you a story about a women's health clinic in Baghdad. This clinic, like many in Iraq, has intermittent electricity throughout the day and little, if any, after the sun goes down. After spending 28 years in healthcare, I can tell you that I know firsthand you cannot decide when a baby decides to be born or when an emergency occurs. So what did our soldiers do? Well, they did a lot. For example, they installed solar panels on the roof of the clinic and batteries to store that energy. That clinic is now operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing much needed care to women and babies in need. And I assure you, Mr. Speaker, this is one of countless examples of what occurs daily in Iraq. No, you won't read this in the newspaper or see it on cable TV, but, Mr. Speaker, it is precisely the type of action and goodwill that our young men and women in uniform perform on a daily basis that deserves recognition. So I appreciate the opportunity to thank our troops and to share their message with you.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to a great cause and to congratulate the over 15,000 young men and women at Penn State University who participated in the largest student-run philanthropy in the world--THON. THON, which is short for Dance Marathon, is a student-run venture led by the Penn State University Interfraternity and the Panhellenic Council whose mission is to conquer pediatric cancer by providing outstanding emotional and financial support for the children, families, researchers and staff at the Penn State Children's Hospital. Madam Speaker, this is no ordinary student organization. Dating back to 1972 when the first THON was held, a small group of dancers raised approximately $2,000. This past weekend, over 15,000 student volunteers raised $7.49 million to fight pediatric cancer. Since its inception in 1972, THON has raised more than $52 million for this worthy cause. And while this is a yearlong, never-ending fight against pediatric cancer, it culminates each year with a 46-hour dance marathon. With 708 dancers this year representing over 350 student organizations and 180 individual groups, THON has shattered previous year's record. Madam Speaker, it is this type of leadership and dedication that gives me renewed hope that our Nation's best days are still ahead of us. As a proud Penn State alumnus, I join with colleagues such as Congressman Wolf, a Penn State alumni, in saying it is not only an honor to be associated with a first class institution, it is a privilege to share that association with the 15,000 students that participated in THON. We Penn Staters have a saying: ``We are Penn State.'' But, Madam Speaker, as you can see, it goes without question that these students are truly the ``we'' in Penn State.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Growing up in Steeler country, I have long viewed the franchise the golden standard of the NFL. Now in their sixth Super Bowl title the entire world knows what we in central and western Pennsylvania have known for some time, the Steelers are the greatest professional football franchise of all time. From the ownership to the coaching staff, the players, the fans, the Steelers organization continues to impress me, both on and off the field. Their commitment to enriching the lives of western Pennsylvania's youth and their partnership with the community is as strong today as it was in 1933 when Arthur J. Rooney first founded the team. To the Rooney family and the team, Coach Tomlin, who I may add is the youngest head coach in history to win a world championship, my good friend from Florida and classmate Tom Rooney, on behalf of the Fifth District of Pennsylvania, congratulations, and thank you for everything that you do for central and western Pennsylvania.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I just got off a call with Carolyn Greco, a constituent of mine from Lumber City Borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. Now, this young lady, who is now retired, has voted in every primary and general election since her 21st birthday; yet, she has never called an elected official before to voice her concern regarding legislation until this now so-called stimulus package. When asked why, her response was somewhat heartening: ``I had faith in the system,'' a notion that she is now questioning for the first time in her life based on this legislation alone. Let me repeat that. She had faith in the system, a notion she is now questioning for the first time in her life based on the stimulus package alone. Mr. Speaker, the more the American people have an opportunity to evaluate and dissect this massive spending measure, the more frustrated they grow. Does Congress need to act? Absolutely. House Republicans stand ready to work with our counterparts across the aisle, if given the opportunity to sit at the table, to craft a package that creates and preserves jobs, invests in our roads and bridges, and offers tax relief to middle-class Americans and small business owners. I don't think you can find one person in this Chamber who believes that we should wait this out. But this backroom deal is not what the American people want nor deserve. Yesterday the Secretary of the Treasury spoke about accountability and transparency. It is time for the House and Senate Democratic leadership to heed the Secretary's advice and instill that same transparency and accountability into the legislative process. Mr. Speaker, for the past three decades, I have been working, prior to coming to Congress, as a health care professional. And the first rule you learn as a health care professional is ``do no harm.'' And as I look at this stimulus package, I find few good provisions that will fulfill the intent of an economic stimulus within the period of time dictated. Other provisions I find ineffective at best. And overall, I find this bill is harmful, harmful in the sense it will lead to a deeper and a worse recession through deficit spending which will lead to increased inflation, and it will provide a legacy for this Congress of a bloated national debt well beyond where we are today. It enhances and increases our foreign financial dependence. And it provides for non-stimulus, wasteful spending that will only detract from the true strategic priorities and the real needs that our country faces. Mr. Speaker, there are 435 able-minded Members of this body. And while we all come from different corners of the country with differing opinions, and I do believe that is what makes us stronger, and unique backgrounds, this is the people's House where debate should be encouraged and thoughtful deliberation should be the standard. This backroom style of politics is not the change President Obama promised. And it is not the change the American people voted for in November.

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I had the honor of attending Groundhog Day at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. And while we were all there to celebrate an age-old tradition, I was not surprised by what was on the minds of my constituents. Like the rest of the country, Mr. Speaker, small-town, rural Pennsylvania is facing difficult times. But with that said, a great majority of the folks in the Fifth District of Pennsylvania are adamantly against this latest boondoggle that some are calling a ``stimulus package.'' Are there some worthwhile programs in this bill? Absolutely. But hardworking, Main Street Americans are looking for what I call smart government solutions, not the Big Government Washington- as-usual-style plan that was adopted by the House Democrats. Smart government solutions put money back in taxpayers' pockets for small business and middle class tax relief. Done correctly, investment in infrastructure and increased domestic energy production are smart government solutions. Mr. Speaker, there are 435 able-minded Members of the body. And while we all come from different corners of the country with different opinions and unique backgrounds, this is the people's House, where debate should be encouraged and thoughtful deliberation the standard. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, from what I have witnessed thus far, the people's representatives are not being heard.