Today the House will debate extending the payroll tax cut. I strongly urge extending this tax cut. If we don't, tens of millions of New York families will see an average tax increase of $1,000 next year, and as many as 400,000 jobs could…

Today the United States and Canadian Governments will announce a Beyond the Border agreement to ease border trade and travel in this era of heightened security. I support this goal because in western New York our future depends on…

In February 2009, tragedy struck western New York when Continental Connection Flight 3407 crashed outside of Buffalo. The National Transportation Safety Board found that one of the principal causes of the crash was pilot fatigue, so…

We are approaching the deadline for the supercommittee to propose a debt reduction plan. Most economists are in agreement on what we need to do: in the long term, reduce the debt by at least $4 trillion over 10 years through a mix of added…

On November 28 a new Federal courthouse will open in western New York. Located on historic Niagara Square in Buffalo's central business district, the 10-story structure will be home to the United States Court for the Western District of…

I was in my district today to attend to matters concerning the opening of a new federal courthouse in Buffalo. This is one of the largest federal projects completed in western New York in recent years, supporting hundreds of jobs. This…

This week the partisan chairs of the previous deficit reduction commissions admonished the supercommittee to ``go big'' with a package that includes a balance of cuts and revenues. Unfortunately, I think they will ``go small,'' and that…

I call on my colleagues and call their attention to a report issued last week by Transportation for America. The report identified 99 bridges in western New York, 2,000 bridges in New York State and 63,000 bridges nationwide as…

The Great Lakes are one of America's most overlooked and underappreciated resources. They are the largest source of surface freshwater in the world, providing more than 30 million people with drinking water and supporting a multibillion…

It is with great satisfaction that I report to the House today on the agreement reached between the Ford Motor Company and the United Auto Workers and its positive impact on the Nation and in western New York. Under the agreement, Ford…

I come before the House today, Mr. Speaker, to call for the immediate implementation of the pending aviation safety rule on preventing pilot fatigue. In February of 2009, Continental Connection Flight 3407 crashed in my community of…

We each talk in this Chamber about jobs. The good news is legislation that will create jobs has already been introduced. Now we have to pass it. The American Jobs Act includes $50 billion to repair our aging infrastructure. It would create…

I'm proud to come before this body today to celebrate the end of the discriminatory Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. For too long, American service men and women selflessly fought to protect our freedoms without receiving the same freedoms…

On August 3 the United States will have $306 billion in obligations and $173 billion to address those obligations. At that moment, if the debt ceiling is not raised, our Nation for the first time in its history will default on its…

The Great Lakes are one of the most overlooked and unappreciated national assets. They are the largest source of freshwater in the world and contain 20 percent of the freshwater on Earth. The Great Lakes face many challenges. Agricultural…

I thank my colleague and friend Mr. Reed. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment, which would provide an adequate level of funding for the Non-Defense Environmental Cleanup program. The Non-Defense Environmental Cleanup…

I thank my friend and colleague from Michigan for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment to terminate the National Flood Insurance Program. The National Flood Insurance Program is, both in its design and…

Earlier today I was in a meeting with a constituent and inadvertently missed the vote on H.J. Res. 68, a resolution authorizing for one year the limited use of the United States Armed Forces in support of the NATO mission in Libya. Because…

Our amendment would enhance public safety in communities across the country by striking the provision in the bill that would limit participation in the Urban Area Security Initiative program to just 10 cities. Homeland Security Secretary…

I thank the gentleman. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my strong opposition to an amendment made in order under this rule, an amendment which would block the implementation of regulations to prevent pilot fatigue. Our current pilot…

The accident that happened on April 20, 2010 was an economic, environmental, and human tragedy that cannot be minimized or forgotten.

Last night the President spoke to Congress and to the Nation about the need for increased funding for biomedical research, both to improve the quality of life of our Nation's citizens, and to generate new economic investment. He is right…

Since 1970, health care costs have increased an average of 9.9 percent a year, far outpacing inflation and creating a drag on our economy by increasing the expense of new hiring and undermining new business investment in this Nation. This…

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, the outpouring of support from every corner of western New York for the victims of the attack in Tucson has been overwhelming and inspiring. It is on behalf of western New York that I…

I rise in strong support of the Seniors Protection Act. Since 1975, seniors have depended on a cost-of-living adjustment to meet their rising expenses. Through an automatic formula, they have received a cost-of-living adjustment every…