mr. nye: mr. speaker, recent reports on u.s. economic growth are promising and suggests that recovery is taking hold. however, i continue to hear from small business owners in my district who are still having a tough time obtaining the business loans they need today. they have weathered the worse of the storm and are ready to lead our economy to a strong recovery. however, in order to do this they need capital, capital from loans that banks are unwilling to lend. as chairman of the small business subcommittee on contracting and technology, my subcommittee examines every day how the federal government can incentivize business innovation. for example, last year with my fellow virginian, mark warner, i proposed the small business administration take action on the arc loan program, a vital loan program that had been delayed months until congress authorized it. because of our efforts, soon after the arc loan program was implemented, it's expected to create or retain 24,000 jobs and assist 4,900 businesses this year alone. we must con

mr. nye virgin. the chair: pursuant to house solution 1, the gentleman from virginia, mr. nye, and a member opposed, each will contro2 five mis. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from virgini mrnye: m spear, i yaings. the air: the gentlan -- i yield myselfuch time as i may nsume. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. nye: i scan here today to fight for my constituents in on roa, virginia, d for thousands of famlies across the united states against toxic chinese dry wall. it has serious health implications. the toxins released from t dry of chemicals d rotten eggs that can cause deep hacking coughs, bloody noses, and eye irritation much thecariest fact is we still do not know what long-term health efcts chinese drwall will ave. nce january of last year, more than 3,300 cases ha bee reported from 37 states anhe districtf columbia. famies have en lwith an impossible choice. live in aontaminat home or pay tens if not hundreds of thousands of dllar to rip out and replace their home's dr

way of our nation's nye mortgage businesses and if a -- minority businesses and facilitates their growth during these very tough economic times. the chair: does the gentlewoman yield? mr. green: i will reserve. the chair: the gentleman from texas has one minute remaining. the gentleman on the other side has yielded. the gentleman from texas has yielded. mr. green: i will yield the balance of my time as well. the chair: the gentleman has yielded the remainder of his time. the gentleman from texas is recognized. the gentleman has yielded back. the question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from texas, mr. green. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. the amendment is agreed to. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from illinois rise? ms. bean: i move that the committee rise. the chair: the question is on the motion to rise. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. the committee rises. the speaker pro tempore: the house will come to order. madam chair. the chair: the committee of the whole house on the state of the union, having had under consideration h.r. 5297, directs me to report that

mr. wilson: thank you, madam speaker. this week congressman glenn nye and i introduced the sweep act. this legislation would require an independent bipartisan commission be established to review federal programs and make recommendations for those that should be eliminated, consolidated or have their funding reduced. most importantly, this bill would require congress to have an up or down vote on the commission's recommendations. there are many programs that have about lived their original purpose. the sweep act will help us weed out programs that are no longer needed and help our bottom line. this bill is part of a comprehensive 10-bill package that i'm either co-sponsoring or writing to help tackle our national debt. each of the 10 bills in my plan does one of three things that working families do as they deal with their own finances. they make commonsense spending decisions. they trim the fat. they chip away at their everyday debt. they -- the sweep act will help trim the fat, and i am proud to help bring this bill to congress. i urge my colleagues to co-sponsor this important bill.