[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 42 (Saturday, March 20, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H1767-H1771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMENDING AGRI-BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAMS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD FOR 
                  THEIR EFFORTS IN WAR-TORN COUNTRIES

  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1075) commending the members of the Agri-
business Development Teams of the National Guard for their efforts, 
together with personnel of the Department of Agriculture and the United 
States Agency for International Development, to modernize agriculture 
practices and increase food production in war-torn countries, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1075

       Whereas the Agri-business Development Teams of the National 
     Guard began as a pilot program started in Missouri, and the 
     Missouri National Guard worked with the Missouri Farm Bureau 
     and the University of Missouri to draw a blueprint that could 
     be followed by other Army National Guard units;
       Whereas the Agri-business Development Teams consist of 
     National Guard members who have a civilian background in 
     farming or a related agricultural business;
       Whereas the Agri-business Development Teams now consist of 
     units from 11 States;
       Whereas before deploying overseas, members of an Agri-
     business Development Team collaborate with land-grant 
     universities, which spend weeks teaching and preparing 
     strategies for the farms to which the Agri-business 
     Development Team will deploy;
       Whereas in Afghanistan, the goals of the Agri-business 
     Development Teams include improving irrigation systems and 
     providing sustainable methods for fertilizing, planting, 
     harvesting, marketing, and storing agricultural crops, 
     modernizing slaughter facilities, setting up markets to trade 
     crops and livestock, developing a juicing and canning 
     facility, and improving livestock health through mobile vet 
     clinics, all of which can help divert cropland from poppy 
     production;

[[Page H1768]]

       Whereas the Agri-business Development Teams also are 
     partnering with the Department of Agriculture to have a 
     directory of 50-60 experts in a variety of agricultural areas 
     in Afghanistan; and
       Whereas the Agri-business Development Teams have been quick 
     to use alternative energy sources, such as wind, solar, and 
     small water dams, which in the absence of a national energy 
     grid in Afghanistan are more reliable and easier to protect 
     from enemy attack: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives commends the 
     members of the Agri-business Development Teams of the 
     National Guard and the National Guard Bureau for their 
     efforts, together with personnel of the Department of 
     Agriculture and the United States Agency for International 
     Development, to modernize agriculture practices and increase 
     food production in war-torn countries.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Skelton) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1075, a resolution commending 
the Agri-business Development Teams of the National Guard; and I thank 
the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer) for introducing this 
resolution.
  The Agri-business Development Teams, often called ADTs, are one of 
the unsung successes of the mission in Afghanistan. Agriculture makes 
up about 45 percent of Afghanistan's gross domestic product and employs 
over 70 percent of its population. Although Afghanistan once supplied 
food for the region, 30 years of war has degraded the agriculture 
economy of Afghanistan so much that substantial assistance is required 
to rebuild it and ensure that Afghanistan has food security.

                              {time}  1400

  The first Agri-business Development Team was from the great State of 
Missouri, and I have particular pride in the great work that they do. 
These teams are made up of National Guard members who have expertise in 
agriculture from their civilian lives. These volunteers spend 1 month 
training for deployment in Indiana and then they are sent to 
Afghanistan for 11 months. Each team has about 58 personnel, with 12 
agriculture experts, although all members of the team have some level 
of agriculture expertise. Right now there are teams from nine States 
deployed, including one from Missouri.
  Mr. Speaker, I might mention that the Thanksgiving before last I 
spent with the Missouri Agriculture National Guard team in Afghanistan. 
And I must tell you that they did a fantastic job. I am very proud of 
them. I was proud to have visited with them, break bread with them on 
Thanksgiving Day, and tell them that we in Missouri are downright proud 
of them.
  From the start, the Missouri National Guard has been a leader in the 
program, and the fourth Missouri team is now preparing to go. I have a 
list of the Missouri Guard members who have gone to Afghanistan and 
returned, and I would ask that their names be included in the Record.

                    Missouri Agri-Business Team One

       Allen, Jon Matthew, E3.
       Allen, William Noel, Jr., E4.
       Allison, James Gregory, O5.
       Brandt, Curtis Herbert, E6.
       Briscoe, Aaron David, E4.
       Bruce, William Eugene, E5.
       Bunch, Billy Wayne, E4.
       Choate, Richard Austin, E4.
       Dignan, Kyle Patrick, E5.
       Douglass, Earl Brian, E4.
       Dunlap, Douglas Kevin, O3.
       Elkin, William Anthony, O2.
       Garner, Nathan Lee, E4.
       Gideon, Chad Ryan, E4.
       Godsey, Larry David, E8.
       Gustin, Brian Eugene, E7.
       Hall, Shannon DeWayne, E5.
       Harper, Stephen Timothy, O1.
       Hoaglin, Robert Lee, Jr., E5.
       Holderieath, Jason Jacob, E4.
       Huitt, Mark Douglas, E6.
       Kellison, Aaron Curtis, E3.
       Kidd, Jimmy Wade, E4.
       Lyons, Jeffry Joseph, E7.
       Murray, Rickie Dean, E5.
       Neher, Jeremy Lee, E4.
       Norman, Michael Timothy, E4.
       Oyer, Chad Edward, E4.
       Pennington, Nicholas Ryan, E3.
       Peterson, Erik Sven, E4.
       Pettibon, Matthew Travis, E4.
       Pierce, Russell Wayne, E7.
       Richards, Clayton Shawn, E6.
       Roth, Robert Edward, O3.
       Rufener, Damon Carl, E6.
       Salmon, Joshua Nathan, E6.
       Saunders, Berry James Allen, E5.
       Seek, Michael Lee, O3.
       Simmons, Randall Scott, E8.
       Stegmann, Matthew Herman, E7.
       Sutton, Darrell Craig, E4.
       Thornborrow, William Jose II, E5.
       Vesco, David James, E4.
       Vogel, William Joseph, Jr., E9.
       Wagner, Ted Curtis, E4.
       Williams, David Roy, E6.
       Winston, Bryan Joseph, E4.
       Wymore, John Darren, E6.

                    Missouri Agri-Business Team Two

       Ashton, Daniel James, O2.
       Banuelos, Scott Alexander, E5.
       Bennett, Alan Lee, O3.
       Boyle, David Lee, O5.
       Brainard, Jonathan Gregory, E5.
       Branson, Timothy, E3.
       Brody, John Anthony, E4.
       Brown, James Edward, E4.
       Coplin, Richard Keith, W1.
       Cunningham, Heather May, E4.
       Dam, Russell Jens, E6.
       Davenport, Zachary Dale, E4.
       Davidson, Sean Michael, E4.
       Dipley, Jennifer Lindsay, E5.
       Flaxbeard, Zachary Thomas, E3.
       Frink, Richard Allen, E8.
       Funken, Jennifer Ann, E6.
       Green, John Allen, E5.
       Green, Ronald, E7.
       Hafner, Gerald Wesley, E5.
       Hartman, Timothy Ray, O5.
       Hill, Scott Douglas, E6.
       Hill, Timothy Michael, E4.
       Jones, Anton Claxton, E6.
       Keilholz, Nicholas Allen, E1.
       Lane, Andrew Christian, E4.
       Larsen, John Kenneth, E4.
       Latour, Andrew Dennis, E4.
       Ledbetter, Jason Robert, E5.
       Lee, Daniel, E1.
       Litherland, Sean Nicholas, W2.
       Love, Richard Anthony, E4.
       Matlock, Kyle, E4.
       Mullins, Matthew Dean, E9.
       Olson, Julie Ann, E4.
       Patty, Ryan Heith, E4.
       Percy, Jacob, E4.
       Powell, Nathaniel Elliot, E3.
       Reppert, Michael Leslie, E3.
       Sears, James Grant III, E1.
       Smith, Stephen Ryan, E4.
       Steinbrook, Michael Lee, E6.
       Stewart, David Liekweg, O2.
       Thomas, Michael, E3.
       Trigg, Timothy William, E6.
       Udovich, Anthony Steven, E5.
       Walters, James Wilson, Jr., E9.
       Wilkinson, Denise, O4.
       Wilmoth, Scott Allen, E4.
       Wilson, Tony Lynn, Jr., E4.
       Withrich, Jason Allen, E7.
       Wunderlich, Janet, O3.
       Beaver, Jonathan A., SSG.
       Brandau, Scott W. SRA.
       Herring, Adam S., SRA.
       Jacobs, Matthew E., SRA.
       Mackey, Seth E., SSG.
       Moe, Eric J., SRA.
       Pearce, Douglas D., SRA.
       Polley, Terry P., TSG.
       Robison, Richard C., SSG.
       Salcedo, Daniel A., SSG.

  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to include an exchange of letters in 
regard to House Resolution 1075.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                   Washington, DC, March 16, 2010.
     Hon. Ike Skelton,
     Chairman, Committee on Armed Services,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to you concerning House 
     Resolution 1075, ``Commending the members of the Agribusiness 
     Development Teams of the National Guard for their efforts, 
     together with personnel of the Department of Agriculture and 
     the United States Agency for International Development, to 
     modernize agriculture practices and increase food production 
     in war-torn countries.'' As you know, this measure was 
     referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition 
     to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be 
     subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
     consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
     jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
       This resolution contains provisions within the Rule X 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. In the 
     interest of permitting your Committee to proceed 
     expeditiously to floor consideration of this important 
     resolution, I am willing to waive this Committee's right to 
     mark up this resolution. I do so with the understanding that 
     by waiving consideration of the resolution, the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs does not waive any future jurisdictional 
     claim over the subject matters contained in the resolution 
     which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction.
       Please include a copy of this letter and your response in 
     the Congressional Record

[[Page H1769]]

     during consideration of the measure on the House floor.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Howard L. Berman,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                            House Committee on Armed Services,

                                   Washington, DC, March 16, 2010.
     Hon. Howard L. Berman,
     Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rayburn House 
         Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding 
     House Resolution 1075, ``Commending the members of the Agri-
     business Development Teams of the National Guard for their 
     efforts, together with personnel of the Department of 
     Agriculture and the United States Agency for International 
     Development, to modernize agriculture practices and increase 
     food production in war-torn countries.'' This measure was 
     referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition 
     to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be 
     subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
     consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
     jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
       I agree that the Committee on Foreign Affairs has certain 
     valid jurisdictional claims to this resolution, and I 
     appreciate your decision to waive further consideration of H. 
     Res. 1075 in the interest of expediting consideration of this 
     important measure. I agree that by agreeing to waive further 
     consideration, the Committee on Foreign Affairs is not 
     waiving its jurisdictional claims over similar measures in 
     the future.
       During consideration of this measure on the House floor, I 
     will ask that this exchange of letters be included in the 
     Congressional Record.
           Very truly yours,
                                                      Ike Skelton,
                                                         Chairman.

  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of House Resolution 1075. I am 
pleased to join my colleagues, Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer and 
the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Representative Ike 
Skelton, both from Missouri, as well as the many cosponsors of this 
resolution, in expressing the gratitude and pride of the United States 
House of Representatives for the work of the U.S. National Guard's 
Agri-business Development Teams. The efforts of these brave men and 
women, along with their colleagues from the Department of Agriculture 
and the United States Agency for International Development, are 
critical to creating economic opportunities for nations such as 
Afghanistan.
  We know all too well that Afghanistan has been devastated by nearly 
three decades of war. And such efforts, in addition to what our combat 
forces are doing, are instrumental in bringing security and stability 
to the country.
  I would like to take a moment to recognize all those who serve, our 
military and civilians. I am proud to stand here today and say ``thank 
you.'' Thank you for making the choice to serve. Thank you for sharing 
your skills and expertise with the Afghan people. Thank you for 
protecting America's interests and representing the best she has to 
offer. And I thank your families as well for their sacrifices.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Missouri for introducing this 
bill. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my friend and my 
colleague from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).
  Mr. KIND. I thank my friend from Missouri for yielding the time. And 
I also want to commend my colleague who introduced the resolution. I 
was a proud cosponsor of this resolution.
  On a previous trip to Afghanistan, I too had a chance to spend some 
time with the National Guard Agri-business Development Teams. And we 
can't thank our troops for the mission that they are carrying out in 
Afghanistan enough. And it is especially true for the citizen-soldiers 
that we send over there, our Guard and Reserve units. But the Agri-
business Development Teams are performing a very vital and important 
function in the development and assistance that is taking place in 
Afghanistan, a country which, after all, is an agrarian nation.
  I am especially proud that one of the leaders in the National Guard 
is a gentleman by the name of Colonel Marty Leppert, who as a kid grew 
up on a dairy farm outside of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, in the heart of my 
congressional district. And I commend USDA and USAID, but especially 
our military leadership for recognizing the value of identifying our 
soldiers with agriculture backgrounds, and utilizing that expertise in 
the development of these ag development teams working with Afghan 
farmers. That is going to be the key to a successful resolution and the 
economic development that has to occur in that country.
  I commend my colleague for offering the resolution.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer).
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in support of House 
Resolution 1075, commending the Agri-business Development Teams, or 
ADTs, on their work. I want to thank Chairman Skelton along with 
Ranking Member McKeon, as well as the rest of the Missouri delegation 
for their support and efforts in helping the Missouri ADTs. In 
addition, I would like to thank the senior Senator from Missouri, Kit 
Bond, for his support of the ADT program from the very beginning.
  There are many people who made the efforts of the ADT a great 
success. First, I want to commend Colonel Marty Leppert, Chief Tony 
Romano, and the entire team of men and women dedicated to using their 
skills and knowledge to improve the situation in Afghanistan. They have 
met a massive challenge with determination to see their goals achieved.
  The National Guard's Agri-business Development Teams started as a 
pilot program in Missouri. The Missouri team partnered with the 
Missouri Farm Bureau, the University of Missouri, and Lincoln 
University to draw a blueprint that is being followed by other Army 
National Guard units from around the United States. In addition, ADTs 
get resources and guidance from the National Guard Bureau, the United 
States Department of Agriculture, and the United States Agency for 
International Development.
  The National Guard ADTs have a big mission. They help to modernize 
agricultural practices and increase food production in a war-torn 
country. ADTs are made up of Guard members who have a civilian 
background in farming or a related agricultural business, and they are 
using those skills to teach Afghan farmers sustainable farming 
practices. This task is not easy, but the units from 11 different 
States have been working long hours with farmers and community 
officials.
  The farming practices used today by the Afghans are very primitive, 
almost medieval-level farming. The teams that have been deployed work 
with Afghan farmers to provide basic agricultural requirements. Their 
goals include: improving irrigation systems, providing effective 
methods for fertilizing, planting, harvesting, marketing, and storage 
of agricultural crops. In addition, they have established modern 
slaughter facilities to help contain spreading diseases, set up markets 
to trade crops and livestock, developed a juicing and canning facility, 
and improved livestock health through mobile vet clinics.
  They have been quick to use alternative energy resources such as 
wind, solar, and small water dams as well. Maintaining a reliable water 
source still remains one of the biggest problems. The Guard units are 
using sustainable methods for pumping water and working on watershed 
management to capture snow melt and rainwater runoff for irrigation. 
Since a national energy grid and 24/7 energy is not available, these 
alternative energy sources actually provide a better solution.

  There is no easy fix for the situation in Afghanistan. There are 
problems with local customs, tribal leadership, and issues of property 
rights that must be solved on a routine basis. If a team wants to 
construct a building or dig a well, it has to find out which village 
elder has authority to grant permission to use the land. In many 
villages, property usage and ownership is decided in meetings with 
family elders. However, our young men and women labor vigorously and 
diligently in search of solutions to these many challenges.
  The work in Afghanistan is important, where agriculture makes up 45 
percent of the gross domestic product and employs more than 70 percent 
of the population, but where farming practices are inefficient and 
outdated. Many Afghan fields are used to grow opium poppy plants, which 
provide the

[[Page H1770]]

raw material used to make heroin. It is my hope that establishing a 
viable agricultural industry will provide farmers throughout 
Afghanistan with alternatives. And quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, in my 
judgment this is the way that we are going to be successful in 
Afghanistan, by turning the Afghan people and their economy around and 
earning their trust to be able to work with us in running the Taliban 
out of the country.
  The bill we consider today recognizes the good work that these men 
and women are carrying out every day. I encourage other States to look 
at ways they can contribute to the mission of the National Guard ADTs.
  I urge my colleague to join me in passing this legislation.
  Mr. SKELTON. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Once again, I commend the National Guard for their service to this 
country and to the cause of freedom. The freedom they work and fight 
for is embodied in the constitutional system that we enjoy in this 
country. Few votes we have taken in this body will affect our 
constitutional system of freedom more than the vote we take tomorrow on 
health care.
  Now, the American people have spoken loud and clear on this issue of 
health care. They do not want a government takeover of health care. And 
the latest health care plan that we will be voting on as early as 
tomorrow afternoon is still a government takeover of health care 
despite what others have said, because, number one, it includes 
billions of dollars in new taxes and over a trillion dollars of new 
government spending. It will cause millions of employers to cancel the 
health care they offer their employees and force these individuals into 
a government-run health care plan.
  It creates a health care czar to impose health care price controls 
that will lead to a shortage of care and even more individuals falling 
into government-run insurance. It will mandate private citizens that 
they purchase health care whether they need it or want it.
  Democrats are planning to abuse the legislative process to pass 
purely partisan legislation with no bipartisan support that will change 
one-sixth of the American economy. Democrat leaders are even 
considering a process that will allow their health care bill to become 
law without an up or down vote. That would be the so-called ``Slaughter 
solution,'' named for the chairman of the Rules Committee, 
Representative Louise Slaughter of New York.
  This would declare that the House deems the Senate version of 
ObamaCare to have been passed by the House. House Members would still 
have to vote on whether to accept the rule, but then they would be able 
to say they only voted for the rule and not for the underlying Senate 
bill. But remember, a vote on the rule is a vote on the bill. 
Legislative tricks and unconstitutional procedures should not be used 
to jam through Congress a partisan bill that will impact the life of 
every American and affect one-sixth of our Nation's economy.
  The American people have been trying to get the message across that 
they want Congress to start over on health care through an open and 
honest dialogue and process. It is time to work step by step on health 
care reform that will lower costs for families without increasing the 
size of the Federal Government.
  I would like to point out, Mr. Speaker, that when you add the 4,872 
pages of legislative text to the 1,347 pages of committee reports, you 
have a total of 6,219 pages of bill text. Now, we got the final version 
of this 72 hours from the potential vote tomorrow afternoon. And if a 
Member was to take all 72 hours, allowing for 8 hours of sleep each 
day, because otherwise they may just get burned out, that leaves 48 
hours of solid reading of this 6,200 pages. That works out to 129 pages 
an hour, or 2 pages a minute.
  I haven't seen a lot of Members, frankly, spending their time reading 
2 pages a minute for this 6,000 pages, and yet that is what we are 
being asked to vote on as early as tomorrow afternoon. I don't think 
that's really what the American people deserve for how this body should 
do its business.
  At this point, Mr. Speaker, I would reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1415

  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Carnahan).
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, it's an honor to be here and to speak on 
behalf of this resolution that honors the members of the Agri-business 
Development Teams that have been operating. These are joint missions 
that combine some of the best of our military capabilities, the best of 
our civilian capabilities, and they are operating in some of the most 
important areas we need to succeed.
  We've seen the success of these teams on the ground in Afghanistan. 
We have heard from our military leaders how essential they are to our 
success. We are very pleased that our Missouri National Guard has been 
one of the leading groups that has done this. They have worked with our 
universities, with our rural electric co-ops, and many of our civilian 
capabilities have been brought to bear from our farming communities in 
Missouri to help bring more advanced agricultural methods to 
Afghanistan and to be sure that we succeed in the fight against 
terrorism.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, at this point, I would like to yield 2 
minutes to my colleague from the State of Texas (Mr. Poe).
  Mr. POE of Texas. I appreciate the gentleman yielding.
  I totally support H. Res. 1075 and the support of the National Guard 
and the Agri-business Development Teams.
  The National Guard is doing a phenomenal job in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
The chairman could give me the exact number, but I don't know the 
percentage of the National Guard troops that are in Afghanistan, but 
it's extremely high. We count on the citizen soldiers to help us in 
times of war, and they are there not just from the State of Missouri 
but from the State of Texas as well.
  And I had a chance to be with some National Guard troops in 
Afghanistan during the Christmas season. They're doing a phenomenal 
business in helping those Afghans change from growing poppies that is 
turned into cocaine and heroin that is sold primarily in Europe and 
teaching them to farm wheat and soybeans. In fact, Texas A&M University 
has developed some type of soybean that yields ninefold what a typical 
soybean yields, and they are being planted in Afghanistan so that 
farmers can sell legitimate crops on the open market.
  This bill is an important bill because it recognizes our National 
Guard, but also this bill is a bipartisan bill. It is supported by both 
sides. And legislation in this House, to be successful, should be 
supported by both sides, unlike the health care bill that we're going 
to vote on tomorrow afternoon. It's only supported by a portion of one 
side with no input from the others. And I think that we should have a 
bipartisan vote in support of the health care bill as well, which, 
unfortunately, we are not.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, in answer to the gentleman from Texas, my 
understanding is that right now as we speak--though the number is 
increasing--there are some 80,000 American troops in Afghanistan today.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. I would like to inquire how much time our side has 
remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 9 minutes remaining.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Thank you.
  I will yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Let me just continue where I left off a few moments ago talking about 
this huge bill tomorrow that affects our Nation's freedom so much on 
health care, and let me just point out that our side of the aisle, the 
Republicans, have introduced 70 bills that offer free market solutions 
to health care reform that do not take over America's system of health 
care.
  For instance, one solution, H.R. 3400, is the Empowering Patients 
First Act. This particular bill would do three things, Mr. Speaker:
  Number one, it gives access to coverage for all Americans. It makes 
the purchase of health care financially feasible for all by extending 
the income tax deduction on health care premiums to those who purchase 
coverage in the

[[Page H1771]]

nongroup or individual market. Right now, you only have this tax break 
if you're an employee of a corporation. That is not fair to all 
Americans. Everyone should have that same tax break.
  The beauty of that is that you would have a tax advantaged purchase 
price on your health care premiums and you would own that premium. It 
wouldn't have to come to you through your job, and then it would be 
portable. If you go to another job, if you transfer, if you lose your 
job, you don't lose your coverage. It goes with you when you buy it 
yourself. That is why that point is so important.
  Number two, coverage is truly owned by the patients. Like I said, 
this gives greater choice and portability and it expands the individual 
market. We can also, to accomplish this goal, create pooling mechanisms 
such as association health plans. I have friends who are Realtors in 
the real estate industry. They would love to form a national 
association of real estate agents and brokers and employees all over 
this country. That association would have tremendous buying power and 
economies of scale, but right now, that is prohibited by law. That is a 
commonsense solution that Republicans have offered and, I dare say, 
would have bipartisan support by this body.
  And thirdly, we need to rein in out-of-control costs, and 3400 does 
that as well. It reforms the medical liability system. It establishes 
administrative health care tribunals--you could call them health 
courts--in each State and adds affirmative defense through provider-
established best practice measures. That would be a defense if you're 
charged with some kind of malpractice as a provider. This would 
encourage, also, the speedy resolution of claims and would cap 
noneconomic damages.
  So, Mr. Speaker, let me just conclude by saying that there are 
reforms that the Republicans have offered that would be not a massive 
overhaul of one-sixth of our Nation's economy and that would 
incorporate free market mechanisms and procedures that the American 
people would be much more comfortable in. If you look at the polling, 
Americans do not want a massive takeover of health care.
  At this point, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1075, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________