. >> i want to have you step aside from your role with the treasury union. he were in charge of making -- assume you were in charge of making decisions for a company whose debt has increased 60% over a period of time and you have to make a decision about personnel. which you have to let people go or reduce their salary? >> first i want to know what caused the decline in revenue. >> it is what it is. not yet to make a decision. >> if the war cost -- work force did not cause it, i had to get down to the root cause of what did it. i think there are other things to look at. >> you cannot say what you do? >> if the work force did not cause the debt, i think working with them and figuring out what can be done -- they will have suggestions on how to change and do the work better and not do things, for example, why cut taxes on the wealthiest americans. >> my time is up. i will yield to the distinguished chairman from massachusetts. >> thank you, mr. chairman. you can put your union hat back on. [laughter] 60% of federal employees working in three departments, one b

make sure we reward it accordingly. >> i want to have you step aside from your role with the treasury union. he were in charge of making -- assume you were in charge of making decisions for a company whose debt has increased 60% over a period of time and you have to make a decision about personnel. which you have to let people go or reduce their salary? >> first i want to know what caused the decline in revenue. >> it is what it is. not yet to make a decision. >> if the war cost -- work force did not cause it, i had to get down to the root cause of what did it. i think there are other things to look at. >> you cannot say what you do? >> if the work force did not cause the debt, i think working with them and figuring out what can be done -- they will have suggestions on how to change and do the work better and not do things, for example, why cut taxes on the wealthiest americans. >> my time is up. i will yield to the distinguished chairman from massachusetts. >> thank you, mr. chairman. you can put your union hat back on. [laughter] 60% of federal employees working in three departments, one

he's also a member and shop steward of his union, which in this case happens to be the national treasury employees union. he's been named the transportation security officer of the year. he's received outstanding ratings from his employer. he has been made the chair and vice chair. he was once chair and vice chair of the safety committee. he has -- he's on a team that has designed ways to keep transportation security officers up to date on techniques for identifying weapons and prohibited items through x-ray machines. he served on the emergency readiness team. that's a team that deploys within 24 hours in the event of an emergency or natural disaster. anthony hutchinson is a federal employee. when you speak of federal employees, it seems to me we owe them at least the courtesy of recognizing them for what they do for the american people . but you would not have understood that if you had been watching over the last few weeks the episodes in wisconsin. these were shocking, and many, i think, thought, well, maybe it has come to this. unions aren't very popular and maybe people are ready to

president for the partnership of public service and the national president for the national treasury employees union. if you all would not mind, please stand up to be sworn in. please raise your right hand. do you solemnly swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give this committee will be the truth, the old trees, and nothing but the truth? thank you. let the record show all witnesses have answered in the affirmative. i will recognize each of you for by minutes to summarize your testimony. the transcript has been submitted for the record. >> chairman ross, ranking member, and members of the subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to testify. the views i expressed in this testimony are my own and should not be construed as recommending a official position. as a consequence is up this filing, the average federal employee bursting typically more than they would make in the private sector. there are things the congress should be made aware of. it does a poor job of approximating market fare -- market paid. the jobs similar level of work received the same pay. an engineer, and i t specialist, and

union administration, which is the credit union regulator, and they're the product of an agreement reached last year by the senate banking committee and the treasury department. as i begin to close, mr. president, i want to note all the organizations that support increasing credit union small business loans: the americans for tax reform, the national association of realtors, the national small business association, the national association of manufacturers, the harlan institute, the competitive enterprise institute, the league of united latin american citizens, the national cooperative business associati association, the national farmers union, the hardwood institute, the national council of textile organizations, and many others. mr. udall: mr. president, i urge my colleagues to do the right thing and let's finally fix this unnecessarily federal limit on small business loans and support a smart, focused, bipartisan amendment to increase job growth and support for our local small businesses. mr. president, i believe my amendment is at the desk. i ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be set aside and that the udall amendment number 242

johnson has an interest in revisiting this legislation, which i negotiated with the treasury department, the national credit union administration, and the previous chairman of the banking committee, senator chris dodd. but i would like to make it clear in the "congressional record" that chairman johnson does not, in fact, oppose this amendment. and i also would like to take this opportunity to clear up some confusion related to the $30 billion small business lending fund established as a part of the small business jobs act which arose when i tried to call up my amendment two weeks ago. as i pointed out in my original remarks, banks were given access to the small business lending fund but credit unions have not been allowed to expand their small business lending because of the very cap on loans my amendment addresses. in our discussion here on the senate floor, it was pointed out to me that credit unions had been asked if they wanted to participate in the small business lending fund but that the credit union industry had turned down that invitation. i was unaware of such an offer and i appreciate being told of it,

decision from january 1, 2010 to show that corporations and unions have the rights to spend unlimited amounts in independent expenditures from their treasury for candidates elected or candidates defeated. they could spend money before citizen united, but they had committees to do so to raise the money. now they can use the money from their treasury. i think this is an enormous effect on the american political system. i'd like to talk about the case from the perspective of the questions you asked me earlier. are conservatives more restrained in approaching the constitution than liberals? usually there's restraint as about deferring to the government upholding laws, think this puts striking laws down. in citizens united they struck down a statute that was passed by congress in 2001 and signed by president bush. we think that the courts more restrained if it's following precedent and more active if overruling precedent. well, in 2003 mcconnell vs. courts overruled -- we think the court is being more active if it's ruling broadly. citizens united come to the supreme court on a narrow question, and the justice asked for a new briefing as to whe

on the state of the union for consideration of the bill h.r. 839 to amend the emergency economic stabilization act of 2008 to terminate the authority of the secretary of the treasury to provide new assistance under the home affordable modification program while preserving assistance to homeowners who were already extended an offer to participate in the program either on a trial or permanent basis. the first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. all points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. general debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on financial services. after general debate, the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. it shall be in order to consider as an original bill the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the committee on financial services now printed in the bill. the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be considered as read. all points of order against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute are waived. no amendment to the committee

the clerk: union calendar number 15, h.r. 839, a bill to amend the emergency economic stabilization act of 2008 to terminate the authority of the secretary of the treasury to provide new assistance under the home affordable modification program, while preserving assistance to homeowners who were already extended an offer to participate in the program, either on a trial or permanent basis. the chair: pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the first time. the gentlewoman from illinois, mrs. biggert, and the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. frank, each will control 30 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from illinois. mrs. biggert: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise -- i yield myself such time as i may consume. the chair: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. biggert: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 839, the hamp termination act and commend my colleague from north carolina, mr. mchenry, for introducing this bill. h.r. 839, the hamp termination act, would put an end to the poster child for failed federal foreclosure programs. announced by the administration in february, 2009, and launched in march, 2009, the program has languished for

the clerk: union calendar number 15, h.r. 839, a bill to amend the emergency economic stabilization act of 2008 to terminate the authority othe secretary of the treasury to provide new assistance under the home affordable modification program, while preserving assistance to homeowners who were already extended an offer to participate in the program, either on a trial or permanent basis. the chair: pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the first time. the gentlewoman from illinois, mrs. biggert, and the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. frank, each will control 30 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from illinois. mrs. biggert: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise -- i yield myself such time as i may consume. the chair: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. biggert: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 839, the hamp termination act and commend my colleague from north carolina, mr. mchenry, for introducing this bill. h.r. 839, the hamp termination act, would put an end to the poster child for failed federal foreclosure programs. announced by the administration in february, 2009, and launched in march, 2009, the program has nguished for t