[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 108 (Friday, July 17, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1834-E1835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 16, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3170) making 
     appropriations for financial services and general government 
     for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 3170, the FY 10 
Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act. This bill 
provides much-needed funding for key financial institutions and many 
other important priorities, and includes appropriations that will 
directly benefit my district's economic development.
  I would like to thank my colleagues for their leadership on this 
bill, and particularly Representative Jose Serrano for his guidance and 
support for the University of Texas at Brownsville's International 
Trade Center.
  Brownsville's strategic proximity to Mexico and its multiple seaports 
has endowed it with unique potential for international trade and 
development that will have far-reaching benefits

[[Page E1835]]

for my district and beyond. For this reason, I have consistently 
advocated for funding, which has been included in this appropriations 
act, to operate the International Trade Center at the UTB International 
Technology Education and Commerce Campus (ITECC) which houses all of 
the services required to conduct international trade including: 
international law, accounting, banking, insurance, logistics services, 
export-import marketing services, U.S. customs, government trade 
services and industry showrooms for specific target sectors such as 
medical, communications, and computer technology.
  I am very supportive of this initiative as well as provisions 
included in the bill to strengthen America's financial institutions 
through more robust regulatory enforcement and fraud detection 
capabilities, investment in economic development programs for 
underserved communities and small businesses, and many other important 
programs.
  Among the most important provisions of the bill is funding that 
supports $28 billion in new lending to help small businesses in South 
Texas and throughout the nation that have been unable to obtain credit 
and much-needed business loans due to the economic downturn. Small 
businesses are the backbone of our economy, and we owe it to them to 
make this lending available.
  I want to make clear that my vote for this bill reflects solely my 
support for the aforementioned priorities. I have consistently voted 
against using federal funds to support abortion services and am pleased 
that this bill upholds those limitations so that my constituents' tax 
dollars are not used in a way inconsistent with their moral beliefs.
  My vote in favor of H.R. 3170 reflects my commitment to fund this 
nation's economic priorities and help our South Texas communities and 
small businesses in the midst of a deep recession.

                          ____________________