mr. pitts: mr. speaker, last week the president's chief budget advisor, peter orszag, said that the administration was unwilling to send a package of deficit reducing budget cuts to capitol hill. even though the president's party's in control of both houses, or scomblag didn't think that administration budget recommendations would be considered. just a few days later, however, the president announced that he wants congress to pass a $50 billion bill to bail out states regardless of whether that increases the deficit. so the administration's perfectly willing to dictate to congress that we should increase our already burdensome national debt but wholly unwilling to recommend sensible cuts to existing government programs. we just can't go on like this. this week greece just had another debt rating agency slash their bond rating to junk. now, europe is putting together a bailout package for spain. ireland and portugal may not be far behind. the warnings are numerous but i fear that they are being ignor

mr. pitts: to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. pitts: madam speaker, you may remember that the american people told that congress must pass a health care bill to know what was in it. after three months the american people found out what was in the law and they don't like it. a recent poll this past week shows that 55% oppose the law and they have good reason to oppose it. new h.h.s. rules will mean that many companies and individuals will be forced to change to plans that meet the government's new standards. so much for if you like your plan you can keep it, as the president said. for seniors, c.b.o. reports that half of all medicare advantage plans will end in the coming years. seniors who were receiving vision and dental coverage on these plans will now be forced to buy costly supplemental coverage. the more layers we peel away the less there is to like about obamacare. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlem

mr. pitts: i ask permission to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. pitts: the economic damage in the gulf continues, but it seems like the administration wants to move on to other things before the leak is stopped and the oil cleaned up. the president spent a significant part of his speech tuesday night talking about imposing new costs on energy and cap and trade climate legislation. we all know how important it is to have less dependence on fossil fuels, especially from foreign sources, and encourage clean energy production. the question is whether we do that by imposing new costs on the american people because of global warming. we should not impose new taxes on energy just based on the hope that clean energy will become more cost feasible. i don't have to remind anyone that we have unemployment near 10%. making it expensive to run factories and run businesses won't bring back jobs. we need clean energy and i'm proud to se

mr. pitts: mr. speaker, we have heard a lot lately about the need for a european style value aided tax in the u.s. to solve our budget problem. just yesterday the ruling coalition in britain announced it wants to raise their nation's value-added tax from 17.5% to 20%. it's estimated that this increase would cost 163,000 jobs and reduce consumer spending by $5.3 billion in the united kingdom. it's not a surprise that the v.a.t. tax is creeping up. the average rate is now 20% a. and greece raced their rate to 21% as part of their bailout agreement. this is yet more evidence that the v.a.t. taxee are easy for countries to raise during times of fiscal crisis. with so much discussion about an american v.a.t., we have to be aware of what the true cost of such a tax would be to our own job growth and consumer spending. early proposals might calling for a 5% v.a.t. tax but in truth the seemingly easy revenue would take it all too easy for the u.s. government to quickly raise taxes to european levels. this s

mr. pitts: mr. speaker,e again the complete lack of leadersp demonstrated by the administration on budget issues is extmely disappointing. when the president introduced his budget earlier this year he projected trillion dollar deficits for years to come. to fix the problem he passed the buck ta new debt commission. this week when budget director per orszag was asked about whher the administration will send a package of budg cuts to congress hsaid that it would be, quote, a fruitless exercise. certainly congress controls the pur, but the president plays a critical role in providing leadership on spending issues. i know that house republicans would support a substantial package of budget cuts. we're not going to wait for the president, however. we're going to kp introducing sensible measures to reduce spending and we're going to let the american people have their say on youcut website. our nional debt has reached the levelhere it is holding back our economic growth. we shouldn't wait any longer to put

mr. pitt m speak, this week violence flaired up in kurdistan prompng thousands of uzbeks to flee their home and seerefuge in neighboring unies. innocent people,luding women, childrennd the elderly are sufferinth over 100 killed. just otwo months ago they pposed t authoritarian president whpromlyled to larus in protection of e goverent. approval of a new constitution and genel elections re proc smoothly untithe recent vien which was president.osing the ven withhe prese chaos, the interigove is insistthat the dof electns remains unchange ins me vienn their land. t u.s. wants to keepur air forcba in kurdistabut we've shown le inrestn nation build reap lick that's free of corruption. even chinand rssre lendi their suppo with humanitariaaid. we neepresident obama help a nation struggling to create democracy and frdo to trengthen their independence and sovereigy. if without action on theart of the u.s., violce wil continue. he speaker p tempore: the gentleman's te has pid. for what purpose dthe gent

mr. petri: i yield such time as he may consume to my clleague from pennsvania, joe pitts. thspker o tempore: the gentman is recognized. eaker.tts: tnk y, mr. i rise in support of h.res. 89, and commend my colleague, mr. spsorihis resoti. we often hear about deadbeat andelinqnt it's eao rget that millions of dads across america are strivingo ood husban and posive role models fo thr kids. it iimportt for us to recognize thos dads and e tremenus importce promoting faerhood in amera. ere'no denyine invaluab role at a father plays in a child's life. all knowhat children with involv and loving fathers ve a sigficant aantage they tend to perform better i school. lf-estm.a healthy exhibit positive soal behavior. d avoidr use and othr iminal aivit but tisind of stistical research reallyust affirms what we already knowe true fatherhood is important. ovng father plays gral role in the family. and healthy famies are the undation for a hlthy ciety. this ia ptisan issue. and i'm gd that rublicans and democratar joining effort to hor responsible fatherhood. country rely on thwork of famie