May 25, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1087 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS TRIBUTE TO GEORGE F. HEFFNER PERSONAL EXPLANATION the community, which is very important these days as we hear of increased off-shore move- HON. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS ments by large corporations to remain com- HON. MARK E. SOUDER petitive worldwide. With most small busi- OF CONNECTICUT nesses participating in this program employing OF INDIANA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES less than five people the cost for job creation IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wednesday, May 25, 2005 in the microloan program averages approxi- mately $3000 per employee which is eight Wednesday, May 25, 2005 Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, on May 19, I was times less than SBA’s stated goal of creating participating in the World Economic Forum in one job for every $23,000 loaned through the Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, today I would Amman, Jordan and, therefore, missed 10 re- 7(a) program. like to recognize an individual from my district corded votes. The ‘‘SBA Microenterprise Improvement who has dedicated his life to making our coun- I take my voting responsibility very seriously Act’’ also amends the Riegle Community De- try safer. Not only has this man served our and would like the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD to velopment and Regulatory Improvement Act of Country in WorId War II, but he continues to reflect that, had I been present, I would have 1994 to extend the program to disadvantaged voted ‘‘yes’’ on recorded vote No. 190, ‘‘no’’ go beyond the call of duty by providing his Native American entrepreneurs and prospec- on recorded vote No. 191, ‘‘no’’ on recorded tive entrepreneurs by providing 2 million dol- service to military funerals and always being vote No. 192, ‘‘no’’ on recorded vote No. 193, lars annually over the next three years for available to lend a helping hand for the com- ‘‘yes’’ on recorded vote No. 194, ‘‘no’’ on re- loans and training programs. munity. corded vote No. 195, ‘‘yes’’ on recorded vote I believe that the SBA Microloan and the George F. Heffner was born on March 30, No. 196, ‘‘no’’ on recorded vote No. 197, ‘‘no’’ Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs 1923 in Osceola, Indiana. He served in the on recorded vote No. 198, and ‘‘no’’ on re- has proven that it can help unbankable small U.S. Army in France and Germany during corded vote No. 199. business owners with intensive technical as- sistance; training and small loans to succeed WWII, and was wounded in action. Mr. Heffner f financially and become important service pro- received the Purple Heart three times and was SBA MICROENTERPRISE viders in our communities. I hope that all my awarded the Bronze Star for his valiant ac- IMPROVEMENT ACT colleagues will join me in supporting ‘‘The tions. He married Senora who passed away in SBA Microenterprise Improvements Act’’ legis- 2002. Together they have one son and one lation. daughter. After returning home from the war, HON. BOBBY L. RUSH f Mr. Heffner was one of the founders of Auspro OF ILLINOIS Manufacturing in the 1950s which has enabled IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOME SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE MILITARY him the time to freely dedicate his life to serv- Wednesday, May 25, 2005 ice for others. Mr. Heffner has held many of- Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to in- fices in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, includ- HON. MARK E. SOUDER troduce the ‘‘SBA Microenterprise Improve- OF INDIANA ing Commander in 1964. He is also a member ment Act’’. This act would revise the eligibility IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of the Disabled American Veterans and the for microloan intermediaries, increase the American Legion. maximum microloan small loan amount from Wednesday, May 25, 2005 Mr. Heffner was honored on April 29, 2005 $7500 to $10,000, increase technical assist- Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, recently I was by the United Labor Agency for Community ance contracting to 30 percent, adjust the term made aware of a discriminatory policy within Services as their ‘‘Retiree of the Year’’ for his limit for loans, and create reporting require- the Department of Defense that is preventing ments that will highlight the successes of pub- volunteer work in Elkhart County with the Har- some of America’s best young people from lic-private partnerships. vest Basket for the past 8 years. He has spent enlisting in the military. At a time when we This bill will also provide several improve- many hours assisting the Salvation Army in need as many individuals as are interested to ments to the ‘‘Program for Investment in consider a career in the military, it is out- ringing bells at Christmas time and helping Microentrepreneurs Act of 1999’’, also known rageous that the DoD is turning away home with their community-wide breakfasts. He has as the PRIME Act, a bill that I introduced in school students—a group of young people been active in the VFW in helping with pur- 1999 to help disadvantaged microentre- who happen to be, generally speaking, very chasing the food and delivering the baskets to prenuers obtain technical and training assist- mature, smart, well-disciplined and highly pa- the needy at Christmas. He always volunteers ance. triotic. What more is our military looking for? If to distribute ‘‘Buddy Poppys’’ at Memorial Day The SBA Microloan and the Program for In- any students should qualify for priority enlist- and helps put crosses on the gravesites of de- vestment in Microentrepreneurs (PRIME) are ment it is these students! ceased members during the month of May. unique from other SBA programs because Instead, however, a young man in my dis- Every January he hosts a meal at the VFW they combine training and technical assistance trict was recently informed that he would have Post of ham and beans, paying for the food with loan capital. These programs serve small an extremely difficult time being accepted into businesses without access to loans through and cooking it himself. He is an active mem- the Air Force merely because he was edu- conventional means because they lack busi- cated at home. He was told that home- ber of the Goshen Military Funeral Detail ness experience, collateral, or the credit schooled students were categorized as Tier 2 which conducts gravesite services for de- scores needed. Loans that are very small are applicants—the same category in which high ceased veterans. He always insists on driving unprofitable for banks to service and often are school dropouts are classified. Upon further in- members to the cemetery in his van. He al- not available in rural or low income commu- quiry by my office, the Air Force confirmed ways has a smile on his face and tries to nities. that, yes, home school applicants could not be make everyone smile. His personality shines The combination of technical support and considered on a level playing field with other through to make everyone a happier person. small loans has made these programs the high school graduates and that, ‘‘as a rule, He has helped many organizations in many most successful in the SBA portfolio. In less than 1 percent of [the Air Force’s] annual different ways and continues to make a dif- FY2004 the default rate was five hundredths non-prior service accessions [would] be alter- ference in the community. of one percent even though the loans were nate credential holders.’’ Additionally, even if a made to the riskiest category of borrowers. home school student is accepted into a branch Microloan programs create jobs that stay in of the military, the fact that he or she started ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. VerDate jul 14 2003 06:44 May 26, 2005 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A25MY8.001 E25PT1 E1088 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 25, 2005 in Tier 2 means that they will not qualify for between $35,000 and $200,000, with afford- tributions to legal education, the legal profes- the same benefits and positions available to able terms and conditions. With all of the sion, or government.’’ Judge Casseb’s dedica- traditional high school students. banking industry consolidation, the method by tion to jurisprudence and service has earned I am aware that a 5-year pilot project was which banks make small business credit deci- him his place alongside other luminaries such initiated in 1998 that allowed home-schoolers sions has changed to the disadvantage of as Archibald Cox, Alexander Haig, and Leon greater access to the Armed Services by con- small or startup businesses. Nonprofit inter- Jaworski. sidering them as Tier 1 applicants. While the mediary lenders, including community devel- The Texas Trial Lawyers Association named project was extended an additional year, it ex- opment corporations, are in a better position him the Outstanding Judge in 1985, and two pired without further extension on September to provide financial support to small busi- years later he won the Texas Bar Founda- 30, 2004. In January of this year, the DoD ap- nesses. tion’s Outstanding Jurist Award. In 1991, the peared to make an effort to remove remaining These nonprofit intermediary lenders pro- University of the Incarnate Word gave Judge obstacles to home-schoolers entering the mili- vide riskier, up front capital to small busi- Casseb the Insigne Verbum Award and the tary. However, the memo that was issued con- nesses, with more flexible terms and under- University of Texas Law School named a Pro- tained conflicting language, and ultimately, the writing procedures.