July 31, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5337 

return to the Clinton-era rates. This is 

a plan which will protect 98 percent of 

the tax filers in this country from any 

tax increase. It will help balance the 

budget and will give confidence to the 

financial markets, which are terrified 

of the inability of this town to get its 

business done. 

We should act on the Senate’s plan. 

The House Republican leadership has a 

choice: let’s compromise; let’s get 

something done; let’s help the economy—or let’s push this country into 

brinksmanship, which for the last year 

and a half has been the trademark of 

the 112th Congress. 

We can do better as the House of Representatives. Let’s pass the Senate 

measure. Let’s provide some confidence 

for the American people and for the 

U.S. economy to grow. 

f 

THREATENING CONGRESS DOES 

NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE OF SEQUESTRATION 

(Mr. WILSON of South Carolina 

asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) 

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. 

Speaker, in a recent opinion piece submitted to Politico, Jeffrey Zients, the 

Acting Director for the Office of Management and Budget, wrote: 

As President Barack Obama has said many 

times, the sequester wasn’t meant to be implemented. It was designed to cut so deep 

that just threatening them would force Congress to meet and agree on a big, balanced 

package of deficit reduction. 

If the President actually believed the 

Budget Control Act would destroy jobs 

and threaten our national security, 

why did he sign the legislation into 

law? Additionally, if he believed the 

proposed cuts would frighten Members 

of Congress, why has he remained silent on this issue? 

House Republicans have acted and 

passed bipartisan legislation several 

times replacing the sequester with responsible reforms as well as calling for 

more government transparency to stop 

the destruction of 200,000 jobs in Virginia alone. 

I urge the President to support this 

bill in order to promote peace through 

strength. 

In conclusion, God bless our troops, 

and we will never forget September the 

11th in the global war on terrorism. 

f 

20TH ANNIVERSARY OF VIETBAO 

DAILY NEWS 

(Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California asked and was given permission 

to address the House for 1 minute and 

to revise and extend her remarks.) 

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the achievements 

of VietBao Daily News. They are celebrating their 20th anniversary in the 

Vietnamese American community. For 

20 years, VietBao Daily News has 

served its readers with comprehensive 

news, current affairs, as well as information from the broader community 

and from Vietnam. 

VietBao Daily News is also a venue 

for the Vietnamese people to preserve 

the Vietnamese language and cultural 

values through the Writing on America 

Award initiative. This is a writing 

competition that they hold every year 

that allows the Vietnamese American 

community to write short stories 

about their experiences, whether their 

experiences are those of coming over 

from Vietnam or of their experiences 

here. They judge it. They have winners. 

Then they make a compilation of these 

written stories. It’s for the archives. 

It’s for the future. It’s for their community to understand where they come 

from. It’s also for the broader American community to understand. 

So I would like to congratulate all of 

the winners and the participants of the 

2012 Writing on America and Teen 

Writing awards for submitting so many 

incredible stories, some of which I have 

had the opportunity to read. Again, 

congratulations to your staff and for 

your dedication towards the community on this 20th anniversary. 

f 

PROVIDING A ONE-YEAR EXTENSION FOR MEDICARE PHYSICIAN 

PAYMENT RATES 

(Mr. BURGESS asked and was given 

permission to address the House for 1 

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) 

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, as a 

physician and now as a legislator, I, 

frankly, do not understand the way our 

government continues to treat those 

who care for America’s patients. 

Earlier this month, I introduced legislation, H.R. 6142, to provide a 1-year 

extension for Medicare physician payment rates. This allows patients to 

continue to have access to their physicians in the next year. 

Look, this is no mystery. We all 

know the last patch is going to expire 

on December 31. We all know that before December 31 of this year that 

somehow we’ll cobble together and provide another patch. Why not do that 

now? Why make them wait until the 

deadline? They can’t plan. They can’t 

grow their practices. They can’t expand because they don’t know what 

their government is going to do to 

them. 

Further compounding the problem 

this year is the specter of sequestration that occurs on January 1. No matter how you slice it, it’s another 2 percent cut on top of the 27 to 29 percent 

cut they are already going to get under 

the SGR. 

Let’s do the right thing. We could 

pass this bill under suspension this 

afternoon. We could provide our Nation’s physicians the stability and the 

certainty that they need to continue to 

see the patients we’ve asked them to 

serve. 

b 1410 

SAIPAN SOUTHERN HIGH SCHOOL 

MANTA RAY CONCERT BAND 

(Mr. SABLAN asked and was given 

permission to address the House for 1 

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) 

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, here’s a 

story to make us all cheer: 46 high 

school musicians from America’s 

smallest insular area raise a quarter of 

a million dollars to go to London and 

perform during the Olympics where 

they win a silver medal. 

This is the story of the Saipan 

Southern High School Manta Ray Concert Band, who played their hearts out 

at the London Celebration Music Festival this week in Central Hall Westminster. We are all cheering in the 

Northern Mariana Islands because the 

Manta Rays represent us all. 

We’re the only U.S. insular area that 

did not send athletes to London. We 

sent our student musicians, and they 

came away with silver. It took bake 

sales, rummage sales, garage sales, a 

bowling tournament, tree plantings, 

car washes, a radio telethon, lunches, 

and raffles. It took business, government, civic organizations, and individual donors all chipping in because 

these kids dared us to dream. 

Ten years ago, there was no high 

school band in our islands. Most families could not afford to buy an instrument. Today, through the faith, effort, 

and determination of the students, 

we’re all inspired, confirming the belief 

that there is no better investment than 

in our children. 

Congratulations, Manta Rays. 

f 

RUSSIA AND THE WORLD TRADE 

ORGANIZATION 

(Mr. DREIER asked and was given 

permission to address the House for 1 

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) 

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, August 22 

is a very important date. 

The reason I say that is that August 

22 is the date that Russia will become 

a member of the World Trade Organization. It’s a done deal. Both Houses of 

the Russian Parliament have passed it, 

and it’s been agreed to. 

I point to this day because there are 

many who believe that as we look at a 

vote on permanent normal trade relations with Russia that will be on the 

horizon—we’re not going to be able to 

do it this week; I hope we will do it 

shortly after we come back in September—there are some who believe 

that we are playing a role in getting 

Russia into the World Trade Organization. That is not the case. 

All we’re saying, Mr. Speaker, is that 

since Russia is already going to be a 

member as of August 22 of the World 

Trade Organization, we want to make 

sure that U.S. workers and U.S. businesses will have the opportunity to 

have access to the 140 million consumers in Russia. 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with HOUSE