Charles Wilson

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, next month we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Social Security. As we mark this important anniversary, I believe it's important to reflect on the millions of seniors that have been helped by Social Security over the years. I have met with hundreds of Ohioans recently, and they are concerned about Social Security's future. The message to me has always been clear. They don't want to undermine any part of Social Security, and certainly not with privatization. They oppose any measure that would jeopardize the safety net that Social Security provides them in retirement, and I agree. It's true that Social Security is facing some real challenges. However, I strongly believe that Congress can focus on keeping these promises to our seniors instead of putting the entire Social Security at risk, leaving it to the whims of Wall Street.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, by July 17, more than 112,000 people in the State of Ohio will lose unemployment benefits due to the Senate's inaction. For out-of-work families, these benefits help pay the rent, they buy food, and they pay for health care when there isn't a paycheck coming in. During these tough economic times, extending unemployment benefits is one of the most efficient and fast-acting ways to stimulate our economy. That is why on July 1, I voted in favor of the 6-month unemployment benefits extension, which would continue benefits until November 30. With the Ohio unemployment rate growing to 11 percent in June, this emergency relief is absolutely necessary for Ohio, and I will continue to fight for the passage of a long-term unemployment package. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass the 6-month extension immediately. The time to act is now.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Yes, some compromise. But that being said, I truly believe that now we have taken the risk away from the taxpayers having to pay for really the reckless gambling and things that went on with the derivatives and how they accounted for them and how they were able to be manipulated. And really oversight is now on Wall Street--and it needed to be there all along. I truly believe we would have not had the meltdown we had had it been there in the first place. It is there now, and it will continue to help us in the future.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Yes, I would. Thank you. I believe that the other thing that needs to be said here, too, is Democrats stood strong for financial reform by making sure that we never get in the position where the taxpayers have to bail out a bank again. There's no such thing as too big to fail anymore. There are further amounts I would like to have seen done. But in order to get it through, we had to lighten up some-- --

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. We are seeing that in Ohio, and we are working on our education. We are trying more than ever to get the reading programs going as best we can. What we found out, Congressman, is that when a child can read and comprehend, the science and math scores go up and the discipline problems go down. So the education and the development and work that we have going on in the State of Ohio is something that our governor has been very firm about, and is not giving up the fight for a better education for our children.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. I believe that we have seen examples of this back in my district in Ohio also. We have seen a roofing company that we just visited last week, and they have come up with a new type of roof that is a green roof that actually has vegetation growing on it. It not only keeps the inside of the building cooler, but it is much more pleasant to look at. Another option they had was a white roof instead of a second, and I was amazed. With that white roof, Congressman, you could hold your hand out like this and just feel the heat reflecting back off that roof versus going into the building. These are the type of energy efficiencies that we are going to have to look at as we move forward in our country to become the leader again.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. In addition to supporting those that are out of work with unemployment benefits, we need to support small business so that they can create more job opportunities for our workforce. Why aren't small businesses hiring? On NPR this morning, one small business owner said it as clearly as anyone can say: Small businesses are not hiring because they don't have to. We need to create an economic environment that makes it necessary for small business to hire. As we all know, 60 to 80 percent of the new jobs come from small businesses. Most Americans get their first jobs at a small business. I know I did. And the small businesses on Main Street are the ones that will lead our economic comeback, not the big businesses on Wall Street. So what can we do here in Congress to help small business? Access to credit is one of small business's biggest challenges. For small firms to play their job-creation role, they need the right tools to work with, and without the access to capital, small businesses have a tough time staying afloat. According to the SBA, without access to affordable credit, small enterprises are twice as likely to fail compared to businesses that can find credit. They must be able to access capital to be able to get their new venture off the ground or expand their operations. Given how tight credit markets are, that is a challenge that every business in every community is encountering. That is why Congress has taken steps to address these problems. Legislation that Congress passed in February strengthened the SBA lending programs and made them even more usable for small business. This important new law does a number of things to help small business. It provides interest-free loans of $35,000, giving that shot in the arm, the immediate cash to cover existing business obligations. It makes it easier for small business owners to get small business SBA loans, and that is cutting away much of the redtape. So many people have stayed away from SBA because of the redtape that has been cut back significantly or eliminated in many cases. This will reduce the cost of loans. It helps small firms raise equity and capital. In total, the new law will generate $21 billion in new lending and investment for small business. These programs, when paired with existing programs at the Small Business Administration, will help business to continue and America's small business weather the storm and lead us back to prosperity. In addition, I support the Small Business Lending Funding Act. The bill would boost funding to small business by investing capital in community and smaller banks. The more that participating banks increase their total loans to small business, the more favorable the terms become. Finally, I also support the Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act. It is a companion measure to the Small Business Lending Fund that will help small business grow and create new jobs through, number one, 100 percent exclusive of small business capital gains, small business penalty relief and increased deductions for startup expenditures. Again, I would like to thank Congressman Garamendi of California for convening this session, and I am happy to be with you and share with you some of the problems and issues and solutions we have in Ohio.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. That's correct.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Well, it is sad because what will happen is they will go down to the welfare level. They have to be able to have food and some way to be able to survive, and I think it is the biggest part of cruelty and, secondly, I believe that the States are already scraping by with just not having the proper funding that they need. So to push this down to the State level would be catastrophic for a State like Ohio.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Thank you for convening this important discussion about our economy and our need to create jobs. I appreciate both of my colleagues from the California area and say that I represent the Ohio River Valley area that runs from Youngstown down through Steubenville, Athens, Marietta-Athens, and on down. So it's all along the Ohio River where we have had for many years and generations steel workers and people that have helped to move this economy and our country forward. But by July 17 over 112,000 people in the State of Ohio will lose their unemployment benefits. This is due to the Senate's inaction to extend unemployment benefits which contribute to the important every- day expenses like paying your mortgage, health care bills, utility bills, and cost of food where there isn't a paycheck coming in. The American people are hurting, and they want to work. Until we can get everyone who wants a job working again, I believe that it is important that we continue to support unemployment insurance. On July 1, I was proud to vote in favor of the House-passed legislation to extend unemployment benefits for millions of American families. This 6-month extension of benefits will not only help families looking for work, but it is a proven fact that it will boost our economy also. In a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll, more than 6 in 10 Americans support congressional action to extend unemployment benefits for jobless workers. And The Washington Post agrees, stating in a recent article that passing the extension of unemployment insurance is both the right thing to do and the fiscally prudent thing to do. I would like to quote The Washington Post editorial: ``Drawing the deficit line at additional unemployment benefits is shortsighted, because, if anything, the economy could benefit from more stimulus spending, not less. Unemployment benefits, which are most apt to be immediately plowed back into the economy, are about the most stimulative form of spending. Extending them is both fiscally sensible and morally decent. ``Unemployment benefits . . . are an essential lifeline. The Senate needs to extend them.'' In fact, the analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office suggests that extending unemployment benefits is one of the most cost-effective and fast-acting ways to stimulate our economy. It's not just the CBO. Many economists agree that extending these benefits decreases the chances of slipping back into a double-dip recession. As a matter of fact, I have here from Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, a former economist to Senator John McCain, who says for every dollar that is invested in unemployment insurance $1.61 is pumped back into the American economy. I hope that all of us can see the need for extending these unemployment benefits and move quickly to get our people voted back to be able to have the Senate do the right thing and pass unemployment.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the judicial and civic contributions of Judge David Tobin. This month, Columbiana County is losing a great public servant. Judge Tobin devoted twenty-five years of his life to serving on Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas, the second longest tenure of any judge on the Court. His time spent on the bench and prior decade of service as a Columbiana County Prosecuting Attorney greatly benefited the citizens of Columbiana County. During his service, he had the honor of serving on the Ohio State Bar Association's Board of Character and Fitness as a Commissioner. He also worked hard to bring the Supreme Court of Ohio to the Columbiana County Courthouse to host a court session. These are just a few of the examples that illustrate the professional respect for Judge Tobin exhibited from Lisbon to Columbus. He was also greatly respected throughout the community. From community service through the Calcutta Rotary, to his work with the Calcutta Community Park Committee, to his various coaching positions, Judge Tobin exhibited a strong commitment to his community. The people of Columbiana County have been blessed by the long service of Judge Tobin, and upon his retirement this July, he will be sorely missed. I ask my colleagues today to join with me in honoring Judge Tobin, a respected judge and public servant who has been and will always be dedicated to the people of Columbiana County.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Madam Speaker, this week, Congressman Glenn Nye and I introduced the SWEEP Act. This legislation would require that an independent, bipartisan commission be established to review Federal programs and to make recommendations for those that should be eliminated, consolidated, or have their funding reduced. Most importantly, this bill would require Congress to have an up-or-down vote on the commission's recommendations. There are many programs that have outlived their original purpose. The SWEEP Act will help us to weed out programs that are no longer needed, and that will help our bottom line. This bill is part of a comprehensive 10-bill package that I'm either cosponsoring or writing to help tackle our national debt. Each of the 10 bills in my plan does one of three things that working families do as they deal with their own finances: They make commonsense spending decisions. They trim the fat. They chip away at their everyday debt. The SWEEP Act will help trim the fat, and I am proud to help bring this bill to Congress. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important bill.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to deliver some good news to Medicare participants around the country. This week, seniors who fall into the Medicare part D doughnut hole will begin receiving $250 checks in their mailboxes to help them cover their prescription drug costs. This is one of many benefits for Medicare participants included in the health care reform law that Democrats passed earlier this year. Across the country, nearly 4 million seniors will be helped by these checks. In my district alone in Ohio, over 9,000 people will receive this benefit. While the doughnut hole will soon be closed completely, seniors will continue to see lower prescription drug costs. Next year, those experiencing a coverage gap will receive a 50 percent discount on their brand-name drugs. I am proud to work hard to improve Medicare for all seniors.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I share the concerns many Americans have about our country's financial future. I often hear from Ohioans who are worried about the financial burden we are leaving for the next generation. They want to know if there's anything they can do to help. That is why yesterday I introduced the Check the Debt Act. This bill would add a ``check the debt'' box to our annual tax forms. This would allow individuals to contribute $3 to help pay down the national debt, without adding to their tax bill. This option would be similar to the public financing of campaigns check, where a check the box is already available on tax forms. Nearly 33 million people each year respond to public campaign financing without adding to their tax bill. This raises nearly $100 million annually for campaign financing. That kind of money is a step in the right direction. It will enable and encourage Americans to lend a hand in paying down our debt. The $13 trillion debt our country has built up over the last several decades will not go away overnight, but we must start somewhere.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, each Memorial Day Americans pause to remember the tremendous commitment and sacrifice made by our men and women in our Armed Forces. I'm proud that this Congress continues to honor our military by making veterans a top priority. In the last 2 years, we have invested in our veterans health care and worked hard to improve the benefits available once they return home. For instance, we passed a new GI Bill so our troops have access to a quality education. We also increased the gas mileage reimbursement rate, which is important for our veterans in rural areas like mine. I recently introduced another piece of legislation to help rural veterans, the Appalachian Veterans Outreach Improvement Act. This bill will improve access to services and benefits for veterans in Appalachia. With Memorial Day right around the corner, I ask my colleagues to join me in continuing to fight for our veterans.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, under the leadership of this Congress, my colleagues and I are working nonstop to help Americans that have been struggling with unemployment, failing businesses, and falling home prices. One of our most important tools to ensure our country's recovery is fixing our banking system. Comprehensive regulation reform will protect American consumers and restore commonsense rules to help keep an American crisis like the one we faced this past year from happening again. For too long, executives on Wall Street bent the rules and dodged the regulations. Basically, reforming Wall Street will mean a return to classic American values. If you work hard and play by the rules, you will be rewarded. We will quite simply put an end to taxpayer-funded bailouts. I have often said it is hard to play a fair game without a referee on the field, and that is exactly what we are going to do now, is put a referee on Wall Street. I urge my colleagues to work for comprehensive financial reform.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Madam Speaker, this week, I introduced the Appalachian Veterans Outreach Improvement Act to improve access to services and benefits for veterans in Appalachia. My legislation would authorize a cooperative agreement between the Secretary of the VA and the Appalachian Regional Commission, or ARC. In rural districts like mine, veterans often lack the access and resources necessary to receive the benefits and services that they have earned. Veterans in Appalachia encounter difficult obstacles, like having to travel great distances to get service. This legislation would highlight ARC's unique understanding of the Appalachian region, and it would allow the VA to work with the ARC to provide technical assistance to our veterans. I urge my colleagues to join me in standing up for this rural veterans act.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, this week I introduced the Summitville Procurement Protection Act of 2010. This legislation will improve the Federal subcontracting process. Here is the problem: Federal Acquisition Regulation holds the government to transparent reporting standards as it hires prime contractors, but it does not hold those prime contractors to the same standards when they hire subs. This is a complete lack of oversight. A company in my district, Summitville Tiles, was denied the opportunity to present a formal bid precisely because of this problem. My legislation would level the playing field and require that prime contractors meet five sections of the Federal Acquisition Regulation as they hire subs. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, as this country's economy was about to fall off the cliff, Congress acted. We strengthened and improved our economy by helping working families. On Tax Day, it is important to note that 99 percent of the working families in my State of Ohio have benefited from 25 different tax cuts through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Mr. Speaker, according to the Citizens for Tax Justice, working people in Ohio received on average $1,046 from these breaks. That includes an average of $496 from one of the fastest and most widely shared tax cuts in American history, the Making Work Pay tax cut. Social Security recipients received a one-time recovery payment of $250. And more than 879,000 families in Ohio were protected from paying higher taxes under the alternative minimum tax. More must be done as we put America back to work, but I am proud to have supported the Recovery Act and am pleased to see the tax cuts helping so many Americans.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today to share my strong support for the health reform bill that we will be voting on this weekend. This bill is not perfect, but it's a significant step forward. This bill will ensure that a wonderful little girl named Bridget from Marietta, Ohio, whom I met with last week, will never be denied health insurance due to a preexisting condition even though she was stricken with cancer at the age of 3. It will guarantee that 9,300 other residents in Ohio's sixth district with preexisting conditions can obtain coverage. This legislation will improve coverage for 365,000 residents in my district with health insurance and extend coverage to 40,000 people who are uninsured. The bottom line is that we need this reform. Families like Bridget's need this reform. Our economy needs this reform. This is a historic vote, and I'm proud to cast my vote in favor of commonsense health care reform that finally benefits the people, not the insurance companies.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I am from Ohio's Sixth District, my district is in Appalachian Ohio, and we have a large population of seniors and retirees, so I'm truly interested in how this reform bill strengthens Medicare. If we don't do anything, the Medicare trust fund is projected to be insolvent by 2016. Medicare takes care of our seniors, but it is high time that we take care of Medicare. The health care reform bill keeps Medicare solvent for 9 more years. We extend that timeline by finally getting tough on the waste in Medicare. So as we make services better for seniors, we also fight fraud and waste. The inspector general of the Health and Human Services Department has found a number of problems in Medicare with false claims for wheelchairs and orthotics, and overcharging for devices and prescription drugs. We need to provide the tools to strengthen our enforcement mechanisms and fight these abuses. I thank leadership for providing a long and thoughtful examination of health care, one of the most pressing issues of our time. I look forward to reading the bill soon.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, this week I introduced the Energy Education Loan Forgiveness Act, a bill to provide student loan forgiveness to skilled workers in advanced energy industries. The United States is already facing a critical shortage of trained workers for jobs that focus on energy efficiency, and studies show that demand for such workers will only grow. We need more workers, but we have to educate them properly, and the cost of such an education is an obstacle to many. My legislation would help ease this burden by establishing a student loan forgiveness program for energy students who go to work in the advanced energy field. This program would start at $2,000 in forgiveness in the first year and go up to $5,000 with 5 years. If we want our country to lead the way in advanced energy technologies, we have to be willing to invest in that workforce through education. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Madam Chair, I come to the floor tonight to support H.R. 4173, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009. I have often said it's hard to play a fair game without a referee, and I believe that this bill will help us put the appropriate referees in place in our financial markets. It's a big step forward for more oversight, transparency, and consumer protection. Before coming to Congress, I served for many years on a small bank board back home in Ohio. I know that small banks like the one in our community were not the problem that we're having today and they were not a part of the problem that led our financial markets to the edge of collapse this last fall. I am proud that this legislation acknowledges that by not putting unfair burdens on banking institutions that have shown themselves to be good corporate citizens. While the bill is not perfect, I support commonsense regulation of our financial markets. We must put an end to the ``too big to fail'' phenomenon. We must finally give consumers the long-overdue protection that will be provided by consumer protection. And we have to continue making significant improvements on mortgage lending standards so that we never again suffer from predatory lending and practices that we have in the past. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the issue of key importance for my constituents: jobs and the economy. I'm proud of the work that Congress has done to bolster the economy and create new jobs across our country. In Ohio, we continue to see new funds awarded and released every week. Communities across the State and my district have been positively impacted by these funds. To date, over $225 million of recovery funds have been announced to counties I represent along the Ohio River, ranging from improvements in technology investments to education funding, substantial things for our future. Just last week, $75 million in recovery money was announced in Ohio. These funds include $8.6 million for water projects in 10 of my 12 counties. That investment represents jobs for our workers and clean water for our residents. I'm proud to work for the results that these investments have accomplished. With more than half the money to be spent, I look forward to more of these improvements throughout the State of Ohio as we put America back to work.

Mr. WILSON of Ohio

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, as we wind down the clock on the health care debate, I have thought long and hard about what's best for my district back in Ohio, and I have concluded that the Affordable Health Care for America Act is an important step forward in fixing our broken health care system. While this legislation is not perfect, there are benefits that are simply too hard to ignore. For example, in my district, 13,000 small businesses will have the opportunity to provide their employees better health care. We will close the drug doughnut hole for over 9,000 seniors just in my district alone, and it will help 174,000 households in the Sixth Congressional District afford better coverage. I have always promised the people that I work for back home that I will vote in their best interest and that I will stand up for what is right. I am proud to be here this evening on this issue, and I believe that this bill is the right thing to do to provide stability and security for the families in Ohio in my district.