Statements For the Record

Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my strong opposition to H.R. 2608, the short-term continuing appropriations measure on the floor today to fund government operations through November 18, 2011.

Mr. Speaker, once again this Tea Party Republican majority is determined to ignore the jobs crisis in this country and instead focus the energy and efforts of Congress on busting unions and attacking the federally protected rights of workers to organize. This legislation is a direct assault on workers' rights in order to protect the profits of one corporation -- Boeing. This legislation essentially tells 14 millions unemployed Americans that their needs are irrelevant as long as there is a CEO in America who wants to crush a union.

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Thank you Mothers2Mothers International and Management Sciences for Health for organizing this briefing. Mothers and children around the world need access to quality health care. As a global community, we must do more to ensure all children and their mothers have access to the support, information, and health care they need to grow-up healthy and strong.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the special occasion of the centennial celebration of St. John's Hospital. For 100 years, this community hospital has provided quality health care to residents in the Saint Paul – Minneapolis Metropolitan Area.

In 1911, when it first opened its doors in Saint Paul's Dayton's Bluff neighborhood, St. John's German Lutheran Hospital was a 25-bed facility.

Thank you for that introduction and for inviting me to be here with you all today!

This is a historic time to be here in DC. I can honestly say that no one knows what's going on here in Washington. I say that in sincerity. And I say that in sadness. We have to get this issue resolved, because it affects all of us.

Mr. Chair, in Minnesota, we understand that the arts are an essential part of our economy and the number of jobs it creates.

The arts are so vital to our economy and our development and civic life that in 2008, Minnesotans voted to amend our state constitution to raise money, yes, to tax themselves, and dedicate part of the revenue to the arts.

Minnesota is the only state in the country where there is a dedicated public funding source for the arts.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Interior – Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, I have great respect for Chairman Simpson, Ranking Member Moran and the staffers on both sides of the aisle. On one important aspect of this bill -- Chairman Simpson and Representative Cole have worked together with Democrats to protect critical education and health care investments in Indian Country as part of our trust relationship with the 565 tribes in this country.

I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2018, the so-called Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act. It would be far more accurate to title this legislation the "Dirty Water Act" due to the damage it would inflict on our nation's waters.