January 26, 2010 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H337 but our military personnel are truly in- past year, the policies of more taxes, my State of California, and we think— dispensable to the humanitarian re- runaway spending and record debt have Democrat and Republican alike—that sponse. U.S. military professionals had a chilling effect on job creation it’s a very good idea for the President have the logistical, medical, and engi- across this country. The stock market to be focusing on job creation and eco- neering skills that are desperately is languishing, home sales have de- nomic growth. needed in a disaster zone. clined, and unemployment is in double- Well, Madam Speaker, he has a won- This critical contribution to the digits, reaching its highest level in dec- derful opportunity to take what I be- Haiti relief effort comes at a time ades. lieve would be the strongest, boldest, when the men and women of our mili- Last year, President Obama and con- most dynamic step towards economic tary are already being stretched by two gressional Democrats promised that growth, and that is to send to Capitol wars. But crises rarely happen on a the trillion-dollar stimulus plan would Hill three pending trade agreements: planned timetable, and our troops have create jobs immediately, and unem- Panama, Colombia and South Korea. demonstrated, once again, their capa- ployment would not rise above 8 per- We could create jobs in the manufac- bility to respond admirably whenever cent. Sadly, the only thing the waste- turing sector, in the service sector, in disaster strikes. ful stimulus bill created was bigger the farming sector of our economy if As any American who has been helped by government, with nearly 2.7 million we were to break down the barriers the National Guard or other U.S. forces during American jobs lost since that promise that right now prevent U.S. workers a flood, hurricane, fire, tornado, or other emer- was made. and service providers from being able gency, there is no limit to the compassion, The Republican plan provides tar- to have access to that consumer mar- commitment, and dedication of those wearing geted tax relief for working families ket. the American service uniform. and small businesses and will create So as we work together in a bipar- U.S. military servicemembers and their fami- real jobs, not an illusion of jobs saved, tisan way to create jobs, I encourage lies make tremendous sacrifices, both for our as the administration suggests. It’s the President, Madam Speaker, to send Nation and in working to help people in times past time that the President and the those three trade agreements so that of need all over the world. I am so proud of Democratic majority get serious about we can create jobs. putting Americans back to work. the contribution our heroes in uniform are f making to help the people of Haiti, in coopera- f tion with all of the other people in government KEEP TERRORISTS LOCKED UP IN COMMUNICATION FROM THE and non-governmental organizations, and CUBA CLERK OF THE HOUSE international organizations who are working as (Mr. SMITH of Texas asked and was The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- partners in the Haiti relief effort. given permission to address the House fore the House the following commu- f for 1 minute and to revise and extend nication from the Clerk of the House of NATIONAL HEALTH CARE AND his remarks.) Representatives: THE CONSTITUTION Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speak- HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, er, President Obama says that closing Washington, DC, January 22, 2010. (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was the terrorist detention center in Cuba Hon. NANCY PELOSI, given permission to address the House will help America’s image abroad and The Speaker, U.S. Capitol, House of Representa- for 1 minute.) make America safer. This idea is con- tives, Washington, DC. Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, trary to common sense, nonsensical, ir- DEAR MADAM SPEAKER: Pursuant to the the United States Constitution is a permission granted in Clause 2(h) of rule II of rational, counterintuitive, and dan- the Rules of the U.S. House of Representa- document to limit the Federal Govern- gerous. Since the President has an- ment. Thomas Jefferson said, ‘‘Free tives, I have the honor to transmit a sealed nounced his intention to close the mili- envelope received from the White House on government is founded in jealousy, and tary prison, there have been more at- Friday, January 22, 2010 at 2:53 p.m., and said not in confidence, which (requires) lim- tempted terrorist attacks, not fewer. to contain a message from the President ited constitutions to bind down those The terrorists sense weakness, not whereby he transmits consistent with Public whom we are obliged to trust with strength. law 107–108 a report on matters related to power.’’ Keeping terrorists locked up in Cuba, support for the interdiction of aircraft en- As the all-seeing eye of the govern- rather than transferring them to the gaged in illicit drug trafficking. ment tries to take care of us, and since With best wishes, I am, U.S. or other countries, is the only way Sincerely, it believes we are subjects incapable of to protect Americans. If they go to taking care of our own health, nowhere LORRAINE C. MILLER, other countries, they can be released. Clerk of the House. in the Constitution is the Federal Gov- If they go to the U.S., they can get con- ernment given the enumerated privi- stitutional rights, like citizens, which f lege to make a power grab and control they certainly don’t deserve. The ad- UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE FOR the Nation’s health. The Constitution ministration should treat terrorists THE INTERDICTION OF AIR- sets limits on what dictates of pain the like terrorists and leave them in Cuba. CRAFT ENGAGED IN ILLICIT Federal Government is allowed to in- f DRUG TRAFFICKING—MESSAGE flict on the rest of us. George Wash- FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE THREE PENDING TRADE AGREE- ington didn’t fight the Redcoats so peo- UNITED STATES (H. DOC. NO. 111– MENTS THAT WILL CREATE ple would be the subjects of a new op- 89) pressive, untrustworthy Federal bu- JOBS reaucracy, and the Colonists didn’t die (Mr. DREIER asked and was given The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- in the War of Independence so a health permission to address the House for 1 fore the House the following message care czar could have the rule over us. It minute and to revise and extend his re- from the President of the United is an unconstitutional abuse of power marks.) States; which was read and, together to nationalize American health care Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, as we with the accompanying papers, referred and trust the government with our all know, there will be a great deal of to the Committee on Foreign Affairs health. excitement around the Capitol tomor- and ordered to be printed: And that’s just the way it is. row evening. The President of the To the Congress of the United States: f United States will be delivering his Consistent with the authorities re- first State of the Union message. Early lated to official immunity in the inter- PUT AMERICANS BACK TO WORK indications are that he will be talking diction of aircraft engaged in illicit (Mr. FLEMING asked and was given about the issue that Democrats and drug trafficking (Public Law 107–108, 22 permission to address the House for 1 Republicans alike and people around U.S.C. 2291–4), as amended, and in order minute.) this country are talking about, and to keep the Congress fully informed, I Mr. FLEMING. Madam Speaker, the that is job creation. am providing a report by my Adminis- American people are hurting, and We have got an unemployment rate tration. This report includes matters Washington is not listening. Over the in excess of 10 percent, much higher in related to support for the interdiction

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Is there and began to pursue a music career ant to clause 8 of rule XX, the Chair objection to the request of the gentle- when rheumatoid arthritis forced him will postpone further proceedings woman from California? to quit his job in a local silk mill. As today on motions to suspend the rules There was no objection. has been stated, he started in 1945 with on which a recorded vote or the yeas Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I the Blue Grass Boys, then later with and nays are ordered, or on which the yield myself as much time as I may the Foggy Mountain Boys and then fi- vote incurs objection under clause 6 of consume. nally with the Nashville Grass. rule XX. I rise today to support House Resolu- He passed away, but his voice and Record votes on postponed questions tion 583, which recognizes Lester unique bluegrass style will always be will be taken after 6:30 p.m. today. Flatt’s invaluable contributions to remembered. Lester Flatt and the f American art as both a songwriter and Bluegrass Boys are credited with the b 1415 a performer. One of nine children, Les- introduction of bluegrass music to this ter Flatt was born on June 9, 1914, and Nation. Bluegrass music is a unique HONORING LESTER FLATT raised in Sparta, Tennessee. As a sing- form of American roots music and is Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I er and a guitarist, Lester Flatt is wide- considered a sub-genre of the country move to suspend the rules and agree to ly considered one of the founding fa- music scene. the resolution (H. Res. 583) expressing thers of bluegrass music. Bluegrass was especially popular in the sense of the House of Representa- He learned to sing and to play the the rural areas of this country, and it’s tives that Lester Flatt has made an in- guitar in local churches. As a member often referred to as the Kentucky blue- valuable contribution to American art of the legendary Flatt and Scruggs and grass after Bill Monroe, who was from as both a songwriter and a performer, the Foggy Mountain Boys, Flatt not Kentucky and a member of the Blue- leaving an indelible legacy in bluegrass only popularized bluegrass music, he grass Boys. Bluegrass music is a music, as amended. transformed the music genre from re- uniquely American art form and Lester The Clerk read the title of the resolu- gional to national. Bluegrass music Flatt helped to introduce this music to tion. itself, Madam Speaker, originated in the Nation. Lester Flatt left an indel- The text of the resolution is as fol- the early 1600s as an American art form ible legacy in bluegrass music and in lows: of immigrants as they came to Amer- the American art, and I ask my col- H. RES. 583 ica. Irish, Scottish, English and Afri- leagues to support this resolution. Whereas Lester Flatt was born on June 19, can American cultures have played a I reserve the balance of my time. 1914, and was raised in the region of Sparta, major part in developing bluegrass Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I’m Tennessee; music. pleased to recognize the gentleman Whereas Lester Flatt began playing guitar The music started in rural areas and from Tennessee (Mr. DAVIS), the spon- and singing in local churches at a young age; in small towns describing life in the sor of this legislation, for as much time Whereas Lester Flatt began his career with hills or on the farms. Eventually this as he may consume. Charlie Monroe and the Kentucky Pardners Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. I thank the in North Carolina in the early 1940s; sound became popularized and Lester Whereas in 1945, Lester Flatt was invited Flatt emerged from Tennessee as our gentlelady for yielding time, and I will by Bill Monroe to play rhythm guitar and Nation’s premiere bluegrass artist. make some very brief comments. sing with Monroe’s band on the Grand Ole With Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys in As we look across America, we look Opry; the mid-1940s, Lester helped bring na- at our rivers, our streams, our oceans Whereas Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Chub- tional acclaim to bluegrass music with and our lakes, the scenic mountains of by Wise, Howard Watts, and Bill Monroe are the Original Bluegrass Band. Later in Tennessee, the scenic mountains, obvi- widely credited with the creation of blue- Flatt’s career he teamed up with Earl ously the Rocky Mountains and the grass music through their band, Bill Monroe Appalachians. Our artists that will and the Bluegrass Boys; Scruggs to create the Foggy Mountain Whereas Lester Flatt later joined with Boys in 1948. This group went on to paint portraits and paintings on can- Earl Scruggs to create the band Flatt and achieve longstanding success and pres- vas, our literature, through great au- Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys, tige unprecedented in the bluegrass thors of our time, our character, as a which remains one of the most influential music world. Parting with Earl in 1969, Nation, our heritage, our family tradi- bands in bluegrass music; Lester continued successfully with his tions, our family values, and, yes, our Whereas in 1969, Lester Flatt parted with own ‘‘Nashville Grass’’ until shortly music are part of this great American Scruggs to form the band Nashville Grass, before his death in 1979. heritage. with whom he performed until shortly before Our music, music of those like Flatt his death on May 11, 1979; Though he reached tremendous Whereas in 1991, Lester Flatt, along with heights across the Nation, Flatt pre- and Scruggs that, when I was a child Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs, became an in- ferred to perform in small towns. He, growing up, listening to a radio oper- augural member of the International Blue- along with two others, became inau- ated by a battery on a Saturday night grass Music Hall of Fame; and gural members of the International was one of the special times when the Whereas Lester Flatt is widely regarded as Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. family got together. But certainly for one of the greatest bluegrass musicians and Madam Speaker, I want to once again this particular occasion, for that hour- singers of all time, writing dozens of songs congratulate Lester Flatt on his artis- long session, the ‘‘Grand Ole Opry,’’ we that are considered bluegrass classics: Now, tic accomplishments and honor his ex- would hear such performers as Bashful therefore, be it Resolved, That it is the sense of the House traordinary life. I thank Congressman Oswald and Stringbean and, yes, Flatt of Representatives that Lester Flatt has LINCOLN DAVIS from Tennessee for and Scruggs, that became an entity in made an invaluable contribution to Amer- bringing this resolution forward today. the mid-forties. ican art as both a songwriter and a per- I reserve the balance of my time. Lester Flatt was born in Sparta, Ten- former, leaving an indelible legacy in blue- Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speak- nessee, in a district that I now rep- grass music. er, I yield myself such time as I may resent in White County. And from that, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- consume. he basically learned his art in church ant to the rule, the gentlewoman from I rise today in support of House Reso- by singing with the choir. He learned California (Ms. WOOLSEY) and the gen- lution 583, expressing the sense of the his art by self-teaching and by instruc- tleman from Utah (Mr. BISHOP) each House of Representatives that Lester tions from others in the community of will control 20 minutes. Flatt has made an invaluable contribu- how to play different instruments. And

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