ms. lynn woolsey. ms. woolsey: i want to add a few more things about the buffett rule because there's so much to talk about that i'm sure that the -- our c-span viewers and probably most of the members of congress are -- really don't realize. 400 highest earning americans in 2008 who made an average each of $271 million -- so, ok, 400 individuals averaged $271 million paid an average effective federal tax rate of just 18.1%. at the same time, a married couple earning $70,000 a year paid a rate of 25%. is that just unbelievable? mr. ellison: amazing. ms. woolsey: the buffett rule seeks to restore balance to families so that the tax code would make sure that no millionaire would pay a lower tax rate than middle-class americans. in fact, the buffett rule is targeted -- the legislation will only impact taxpayers with a taxable income over $1 million who are not paying a minimum mum tax rate of 30%. so -- minimum tax rate of 30%. so realize that. of the 144 million tax returns filed in 2010, less than 500,000 of

ms. woolsey. >> thank you. for closing arguments, no doubt. >> yes, please. >> thank you. well, it's clear that we recognize that the entire system failed the miners a at upper big branch. past congresses should not have slashed funding for mine inspectors. msha needed to do a better job. the bureaucracy obviously needs to be scrubbed to bring it into the 21st century. but they didn't do anything on purpose. and massey exploited msha's weaknesses and those weaknesses in the law. and they hurt their workers. this is the 21st century. together in a bipartisan way, mr. chairman, and it's your subcommittee that i'm honored to be the ranking member of. we have to put our heads together. we have to ensure that we move into the 21st century, that we enact meaningful reform. otherwise we're not going to be honoring the lives or the deaths of the 29 workers who spilled their blood at upper big branch. and we cannot let them be forgotten. they should have taught us a lesson. if they didn't, then we're dumber than nails. and we won't go forward. we'll keep spinning in a circle, talki

ms. woolsey. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from california is cognized for one minute. ms. woolsey: mr. speaker, in my dictionary a slush fund is defined as a fund for bribing public officials or carrying on corruptive propaganda. yet, the speaker of the house used that term, the chair of the education and labor committee used that term slush fund to describe the prevention of public health fund which has screenings for cervical cancer and birth defects and immunizations. we are theost wealthiest and most powerl nation in the world. i refuse to accept the idea that to solve one problem we have to create another. the democrats propose writing the ryan budget wrong by taxing oil company profits. therefore, their suggestion that we go from a 3.4% interest to 6.8% can be paid for out of the wealth of oil companies that benefit from our country so tremendously. mr. speaker, i reject the blackmail inherent in h.r. 4628. i don't want anybody to know that it's ok to pit one group against another and we cannot undermine heal care to pay for education. we have to do the right thing an

ms. woolsey for finding the opening statement and sitting in the claire for that moment. mr. main, thank very much for your leadership at msha and thank you for your leadership in response to this tragedy, and in rebuilding the resources at msha so we don't have to go through this again, hopefully of again. i want to read, you mentioned, read from his court distribute, mr. gary mae, a back and forth with the u.s. attorney's office, and the question is, mr. mae, while you were at upper big branch mine was there a practice of providing when inspector were comes to the mine? answer, yes. question, can you tell us from beginning to end how these warnings were communicated? answer it would start usually someone came through the guard shack. there would be a phone call and it would be announced over the radio, "company on property." from that point it would be received at the office. from the office, call underground, let them know we had "company." skipping forward in this discussion, question, how often at upper big branch mine were warning given to inspectors, that inspectors we

ms. woolsey, for five minutes. ms. woolsey: mr. speaker, last weekend the united states government in afghanistan reached a strategic agreement to define the terms of the relationship between our two countries in the near-term future. first of all this agreement affirms that our combat troops will not leave afghanistan until 2014. which is far too slow a timetable. don't we have enough evidence right here after 10-plus years that we are not making america safer with this war? we are not minimizing the terrorist threat, and we are not bringing stability and security to afghanistan? how much more will americans be asked to sacrifice? how many more tens of billions in taxpayer dollars will be wasted when we have so many needs right here at home. how many more americans have to come home in a casket? how many more will take their own lives because the mental health distress of serving in a combat zone becomes too much. how many more have to spend the rest of their lives in a wheelchair or without a limb or limbs because of injuries suf

ms. woolsey, for five minutes. ms. woolsey: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, yesterday americans filed their tax returns, sending the federal treasury funds for the government to perform vital functions. . unfortunately, much of that money, way too much of that money continues to be wasted on a policy that has failed miserablely. i am talking about a policy that has lost the confidence of the american people whose taxes support it, a policy that has cost nearly 2,000 american lives, a policy that has done more to undermine our national security goals than has done to make our nation safer. of course i'm talking about the war in afghanistan. this past weekend brought yet another -- brought yet more evidence that our continued military presence in afghanistan carrying a price tag of roughly $10 billion a month is stirring up unrest and emboldening insurgents rather than providing security and stability. beginning this last sunday, the taliban launched a series of bold, coordinated and simultaneous attacks throughout afghanistan, hitting the parliament b

ms. woolsey, ms. jackson lee of texas, mr. clay, mr. butterfield, mr. al green of texas, ms. moore, ms. clark of new york, ms. edwards, ms. fudge, ms. bass of california mrks sewell, ms. norton, and ms. christian -- ms. christianson. -- ms. christiansen. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlelady rise? ms. foxx: i send to the desk a report from the committee on rules for filing under the rule. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title. the clerk: report providing for consideration of the bill h.r. 2049 to protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing and shooting and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: referred to the house calendar and ordered printed. the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from north carolina seek recognition? >> to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. the gentleman is correct, the house is not in order. members will clear the well. ms. foxx: mr. speaker, i rise today

ms. woolsey. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from california is recognized for one minute. ms. woolsey: mr. speaker, in my dictionary a slush fund is defined as a fund for bribing public officials or carrying on corruptive propaganda. yet, the speaker of the house used that term, the chair of the education and labor committee used that term slush fund to describe the prevention of public health fund which has screenings for cervical cancer and birth defects and immunizations. we are the most wealthiest and most powerful nation in the world. i refuse to accept the idea that to solve one problem we have to create another. the democrats propose writing the ryan budget wrong by taxing oil company profits. therefore, their suggestion that we go from a 3.4% interest to 6.8% can be paid for out of the wealth of oil companies that benefit from our country so tremendously. mr. speaker, i reject the blackmail inherent in h.r. 4628. i don't want anybody to know that it's ok to pit one group against another and we cannot undermine health care to pay for education. we have to do the right th

ms. woolsey: i thank the congresswoman from connecticut for this special order and for those kind words. thank you very much. so let me see, doif this right? am i getting it? my colleagues on the ore side of the aisle think it's just fine for the wealthiest -- wealthiest americans to avoid their fair share of the tax burden, that it's fine for a millionaire to pay a lower federal tax rate than his secretary, so tell me who they believe should make do with less in order to close the budget deficit? just who do they want to sacrifice? oh, of course, those americans who are barely getting by. who can't afford life's basic necessities without support from the federal government. mr. speaker, to convert snap into a block grant program and cut nutrition assistance would cut a giant hole in the social safety network. actually, the snap program is a smart investment in americans who need help the most. it stimulates the economy, it increases worker productivity, it's good for our children's development and academic performance. at this very moment, when a harsh economy is threatening the securit

ms. woolsey, mr. cleaver, mrs. christensen, there is joy and pain today.mber of people in this hall to pay their respect to my father for his work around the world. the pain is that he is not here for us to tell him how much we appreciated him. there's been just an overwhelming month or so. at his passing, i was in a very good place and reflecting on what he had done for me and my family over the course of my life. but as time has gone on and i've had time to stop and think, it's become very hard not to be emotional anytime i think of even calling his name. whether it be congressman donald payne, daddy, whatever. it has been a very emotional time. but as it was stated and i stated, he never asked for anything. he did things. he told me and he referred to me -- i have a family nickname. he would say, i do the things i do because i can. people need help all around the world. and wherever there is injustice , he felt it was important to step in. yes, africa was his passion, but people find situations where their civil and human rights were being violated beca