E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 111 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 155 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2009 No. 73 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was THE JOURNAL Rev. Smith is a native of Texas and a called to order by the Speaker pro tem- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The longtime resident of Fort Worth, where pore (Mr. SALAZAR). Chair has examined the Journal of the he and his wife live with their six chil- dren. A graduate of the Southern Bible f last day’s proceedings and announces to the House his approval thereof. Institute and of the University of DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- Texas at Arlington, with a degree in architecture, Rev. Smith has served as PRO TEMPORE nal stands approved. a spiritual foundation in his commu- The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- f nity for over 25 years. fore the House the following commu- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mr. Speaker, I commend Rev. Smith nication from the Speaker: for his longstanding service to his pa- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the WASHINGTON, DC, rishioners and congregants in Forest May 13, 2009. gentleman from Illinois (Mr. SHIMKUS) Hill, Texas, in the Forth Worth area, I hereby appoint the Honorable JOHN T. come forward and lead the House in the and to members of his congregation SALAZAR to act as Speaker pro tempore on Pledge of Allegiance. whom he has so capably served. It is this day. Mr. SHIMKUS led the Pledge of Alle- my pleasure to have Rev. Smith here NANCY PELOSI, giance as follows: with us today and an honor to rep- Speaker of the House of Representatives. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the resent him and his parishioners in the United States of America, and to the Repub- f 26th District of the State of Texas. lic for which it stands, one nation under God, f PRAYER indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. f ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER Rev. Charles E. Smith, Berea Baptist PRO TEMPORE Church, Forest Hill, Texas, offered the MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE following prayer: The SPEAKER pro tempore. The A message from the Senate by Ms. Chair will entertain up to 15 further re- Almighty God, bestow the best of Curtis, one of its clerks, announced Your blessings upon the men and quests for 1-minute speeches on each that the Senate has agreed to without side of the aisle. women of Congress and all who shall amendment a concurrent resolution of hereafter occupy these Halls. Grant the House of the following title: f them divine wisdom to lead our Nation H. Con. Res. 38. Concurrent resolution au- COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE with humility and discernment. thorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for REFORM Order their steps as they work to the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Serv- (Mr. HALL of New York asked and strengthen our national resources. Pre- ice. was given permission to address the serve in them the time-honored values f House for 1 minute.) of faith, hope, and love that sustained WELCOMING REV. CHARLES SMITH Mr. HALL of New York. Mr. Speaker, our forefathers. Let their decisions in- I hear stories every day from Hudson spire America so that we might shine The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without Valley families about the skyrocketing as a beacon. objection, the gentleman from Texas costs of health care. People tell me As we pause this week to pay homage (Mr. BURGESS) is recognized for 1 that having to deal with insurance to our fallen police officers, let us be minute. companies leaves them being denied thankful for the services of our law en- There was no objection. coverage for any reason, plausible or forcement officers everywhere who risk Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I have not. They talk about medical bills that their lives daily for the safety and pro- the honor of welcoming and recog- are already too high before they have tection of others. nizing Rev. Charles E. Smith, who just to pay even more to cover their chil- Protect also our military members, gave the opening prayer before Con- dren who just graduated from college fortifying them as they secure the gress this 13th day of May of 2009. Rev. and are now struggling to find work. blessings of liberty to us and our pos- Smith is the pastor at Berea Baptist Families USA released a study this terity. Church in Forest Hill, Texas. He is week showing that 3.5 million New Finally, unite us as one Nation under joined today by his wife, Gloria; his Yorkers spend more than 10 percent of God that we may give You praise and children; and many, many members of their pretax income on health care glory always. his church family and church congrega- costs and almost 1 million New York- Amen. tion. ers spend more than 25 percent. This is b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H5489 . VerDate Nov 24 2008 01:54 May 14, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A13MY7.000 H13MYPT1 rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with HOUSE H5490 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 13, 2009 pretax income, which would be an even try’s energy policies by limiting the This is an example of the ugly con- higher percentage of their disposable amount of pollutants industries can sequences of enforcement-only ap- income. emit into the atmosphere and by in- proaches to immigration reform. We These numbers are one more piece of vesting in a clean energy economy that need a real reform that reflects Amer- evidence showing that the time is now will lead to new jobs, new businesses, ica’s needs. That’s comprehensive im- for comprehensive health care reform. and less dependence on foreign oil. This migration reform. We must reduce health care costs for act will invest in American jobs that I urge my colleagues in Congress to middle class families. can’t be shipped overseas. Whether it’s learn from the past and work with CHC f the ingenuity and innovation to create and President Obama to pass com- new technologies or the manufacturing prehensive immigration reform. DEAD PEOPLE GET STIMULUS that builds windmills, we will create CHECKS f millions of jobs here at home and make (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was America the world leader in the 21st- THE GLOBAL WARMING BILL given permission to address the House century clean energy economy. (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given for 1 minute.) f permission to address the House for 1 Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in an DAWN JOHNSEN minute and to revise and extend his re- effort to give away taxpayer money, marks.) the Social Security Administration is (Mr. PITTS asked and was given per- Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, you can even sending so-called ‘‘stimulus’’ mission to address the House for 1 be assured of a couple things: The glob- checks to dead people. An 83-year-old minute and to revise and extend his re- al warming bill reportedly that will be man in Maryland said his mother, who marks.) taken up next week in the Energy and has been dead for over 40 years, re- Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, the Presi- Commerce Committee will raise energy ceived one of the $250 stimulus checks. dent’s nominee to head the Justice De- costs and create massive job losses. Even though the 83-year-old son partment’s Office of Legal Counsel is How do I know this? It happened in didn’t receive one of the checks, I guess truly from the radical fringe, which is southern Illinois in 1992, where we lost because he’s still alive, I’m sure he ap- why her confirmation is running into 14,000 coal miner jobs. The State of preciated the government thinking so much trouble in the Senate. Ohio lost 35,000 coal miner jobs. about his mom by sending her a check That person is Dawn Johnsen, a Why in the world in this economy so close to Mother’s Day. former attorney for one of the Nation’s would we make it more difficult to It does seem a bit odd that it takes largest and most radical abortion compete in the international arena by the government 40 years to figure out groups. Ms. Johnsen’s own quotes raising energy costs? somebody died. Anyway, the Social Se- speak for her radical views. She equat- I hope my Democratic friends are curity bureaucrats admit at least 10,000 ed pregnancy to slavery. She said that ready to answer that question. other dead people received checks too. laws restricting a woman’s ‘‘abortion That would be about $2.5 million in choice are disturbingly suggestive of f money. I wonder how many other free involuntary servitude.’’ She’s likened THE NEW ENERGY ECONOMY checks were sent to dead people that pregnant mothers to ‘‘no more than (Mr. PERLMUTTER asked and was the Social Security folks don’t even fetal containers.’’ And she claims that given permission to address the House know about. abortion is ‘‘a relief’’ rather than the for 1 minute.) Maybe since the bureaucrats are giv- traumatic experience it truly is for Mr.