mr. pitts, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from california. mrs. capps: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. so ordered. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from california. mrs. capps: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california. mrs. capps: i rise in strong support of house resolution 996, expressing support for the designation of september as national childhood obesity awareness month. i would like to commend my colleague from ohio, marcia fudge, for introducing this resolution, which i'm proud to co-sponsor. this is a bipartisan resolution, supported by over 57 national organizations representing both the public and private sectors. by dedicating september, the month when most children have returned to school to focus attention on combating child

mr. pitts: to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. pitts: madam speaker, the federal government is deep in debt and digging fast. we all know the importance of balancing the federal budget, but we sdiss agree on how to -- disagree on how to do that. how can we reduce the deficit without hurting our economy? do we cut spending or do we raise taxes? i have here an analysis from two harvard professors looking at how large changes in fiscal policy affect deficits and economies. the research shows that, quote, fiscal adjustments based upon spending cuts and no tax increases are more likely to reduce deficit and debt over g.d.p. ratios than those based on tax increases, end quote. the authors look at decades of economic data around the world and came to the conclusion that it is best to go about reducing large deficits through government restraint and spending cuts. some think that we can't -- that we can keep spending recklessly, raise taxes and balance the books. this study shows

mr. pitts: to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized for one minute to address the house. mr. pitts: in a year for the first time in memory the pelosi congress is failing to adopt a budget, i'm proud to co-sponsor a spending limit amendment that would place a cap on federal government spending. tax rates go up and down. tax laws change. the economy changes. but in the past six decades federal tax receipts have stayed consistent at nearly 20% of g.d.p. in a "wall street journal" op-ed last monday, it was noted, quote, the tax base isn't just something you can kick around around -- at will. it makes and economic living system that makes its own choices. we can't fight against the maximum level of natural taxization. if we raise taxes we won't collect enough to reduce our deficit and we won't restrain economic -- and we will restrain economic growth. we have been bailing out for far too long. the spending limit amount is a sensi

mr. pitts: mr. speaker, this week the house is going to consider another so-called jobs bill, but what is really in this bill? certainly not many private sector jobs or real help to america small businesses. extending unemployment compensation is necessary, but it's not creating jobs. a delayed fix to the medicare reimbursement rate isn't creating new jobs. billions of dollars to bail out state medicaid programs isn't jobs. welfare payments isn't jobs. we are about to spend $200 billion on a so-called jobs bill without creating any private sector jobs. just a few months ago i polled 16,000 of my constituents, only 12% of them believe that government policies are making it easier to create jobs. is it any wonder why americans have this opinion? the so-called jobs bill this week permanently raises taxes to pay for one-year tax extension. unemployment is nearly 10%. millions of americans have given up looking for jobs. we need to stop making it harder for businesses to hire and start provide real relie

mr. pitts: to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. mr. pitts: consumer spending is critical to creating new jobs. the last thing we want to do during a recovery is discourage it. unfortunately, we are hearing whispers and rumblings that the president's debt commission could recommend a new value-added tax before the end of the year. close advisors to the president such as paul volcker and john podesta publicly supported this tax which is already widely used in europe. the problem is that european taxes mean european unemployment and levels of job growth. from 1982 to 2007, the u.s. created 45 million new jobs compared to only 10 million in europe. that tax -- v.a.t. tax raised the price of goods directly reducing consumer purchasing power. this means fewer jobs. i think we need to make it clear to the debt commission that a v.a.t. tax is no solution to our fiscal problems. the real solution is to restrain federal government spending that is far -- has far outstripped its traditio

mr. pitts: mr. speaker, i'm very concerned about the president's new nominee for the c.m.s., dr. donald burrick. his positions on health care represents a steps toward more government control of the doctor-patient relationship. the doctor opposes efforts to make patients more cost sensitive stating that such measures have, quote, no rational in science, ethics or evidence, end quote. but there's plenty of evidence that consumers behave differently when the cost of a product are made clear. the doctor praised the british commission responsible for rationing care as, quote, extremely effective and a conscientious, valuable and knowledgeable building system, end quote. this is the same system that routinely denies care in the name of cost savings that's led to lower cancer survival rates than the u.s. americans don't want a system of poor service and long waiting periods, but that's what we might expect under a c.m.s. administer who has been knighted for his service to the british national health service. i yield back. . the speaker pro tempore: flops the gentleman from tennessee ri

mr. kanjorski: madam speaker, i yield to a member of congress from pennsylvania, joe pitts. mr. pitts: madam speaker, the pennsylvania republican delegation's also proud to welcome representative critz to the house. mark, i'm certain you will try to emulate your old boss' record of service to the people of the 12th congressional district. he is missed by the delegation, but we are glad to have a good frie of his representing pennsylvania in the house. i'm certain at your prior service to the 12th district will be invaluable as you serve here in washington. on behalf of the republican delegation, please don't hesitate to contact any ofs if we can be of help as you begin your service to the people of pennsylvania. again, welcome to the house of representives. i yield back. mr. critz: thank you, madam speaker. also would like to thank my wife, nancy, my two beautiful children, sadie and joe, my family, mrs. murtha -- my entire family and mrs. murtha for their support. i also want to thank the people of pennsylvania's 12th congressional district who i am honored to are. today i begin

mr. pittsmadam speaker, the pennsylvania republican delegation's also proud to welcome representative critz to the house. mark, i'm certain you will try to emulate your old boss' record of service to the people of the 12th congressional district. he is missed by the delegation, but we are glad to have a good friend of his representing pennsylvania in the house. i'm certain that your prior service to the 12th district will be invaluable as you serve here in washington. on behalf of the republican delegation, please don't hesitate to contact any of us if we can be of help as you begin your service to the people of pennsylvania. again, welcome to the house of representatives. yield back. mr. critz: thank you, madam speaker. also would like to thank my wife, nancy, my two beautiful children, sadie and joe, my family, mrs. murtha -- my entire family and mrs. murtha for their support. i also want to thank the people of pennsylvania's 12th congressional district who i am honored to are. today i begin

mcon: i yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from indiana, mr. pitts. -- mr. pence. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pencei ask unanimous consent to revise andxtend my remarks. the chair: without objection. mr. pence: i rise in support of of of the giant strike fighter task force. let me sai'm proud of the hoozer employees who worked to develop this engine. but that's not whi'm here. i'm here because i do believe that e essential choice between us is competion or sole source contracting. either we can require two companies to engage in head-toead competition or we can give o company a sole source contract worth $100 billion for the next 30 years. which do y think is more in the interest of tack payers? oppose this amendment. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman from california has 45 seconds remaing. mr. mckeon: mr. chairman, i yield0 seconds to the ntleman from new jersey, mr. andrews. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for 45 seconds, without objection, so ord. mr. andrews: members should ask these questions in citg this issue. when it comes to sav

i am going to answer mr. pitts' last question for you. defensive medicine is learned behavior.sicians of another generation are not likely to unlearn that behavior overnight. it will certainly help. but when i am criticized by the president because we did liability reform in texas and mccallen is still place where health care is expensive, you are not going to change it overnight. i do not think there is any question. i remember the studies that came out of los angeles while i was still in practice. they threw up their hands and stop offering vbac's for a while because of the liability issue. dr. lawrence, restored of what the group intuit the $11 -- of what the group got into with the $11 million judgment. that is 11,000 vbac's we will have to do to cover the cost of the $11 million judgment. the numbers do not work out. we have to undertake a more sensible medical justice system in this country. i do not know what it is. unlike earlier offer. i-- i like earlier offers. what is going on in texas seems to be helping in a big way. it is not as holding down the cost of premiums f

when they find -pitt i would aaso like to welcome %-nhtsa is also penalizinggtoyo- toyota of with respect to the fine was paid yesserdaa without admitting toothe underryyng charges. mr. strickland, recentlyy traveled to japan to meet with toyota. secretary lahood went with you. he also said toyota is now listening and payinn attention to nhtsa's warnings. ttat is quite aaturnaround in mr. strickland, i would like to assessment and whh you are now confident that tooota has gotte+ the message that before seemed not to get through. i would also like toolearn roo you how toyota's working relationship with nhtsa has improved since our last hearing, based oo seeretary lloyd's hearrng nd on your testimony -- secretary lahood's3 your testimony from before. was the only proolem toyota? are you still confident today assthorough as they shouud ave -pbeen? do you have he necessary skills and expertise to perform this?+ are you doing other reviews of recalls to assure yourself that other manuffcturers are being responsive? mr. lentz, i want to make sure ttat recent iiprovements that toyota has announced are not aa matter of form over substance. i hope youucan offer us some+ spec