Volume 2009 — The Book of Ron Paul

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 1 INTRODUCING THE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFICIARY TAX REDUCTION ACT AND THE SENIOR CITIZENS’ TAX ELIMINATION ACT January 6, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 1:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce two pieces of legislation to reduce taxes on senior citizens. The first bill, the Social Security Beneficiary Tax Reduction Act, repeals the 1993 tax increase on Social Security benefits. Repealing this increase on Social Security benefits is a good first step toward reducing the burden imposed by the federal government on senior citizens. However, imposing any tax on Social Security benefits is unfair and illogical. This is why I am also introducing the Senior Citizens’ Tax Elimination Act, which repeals all taxes on Social Security benefits.

2009 Ron Paul 1:2
Since Social Security benefits are financed with tax dollars, taxing these benefits is yet another example of double taxation. Furthermore, “taxing” benefits paid by the government is merely an accounting trick, a shell game which allows members of Congress to reduce benefits by subterfuge. This allows Congress to continue using the Social Security trust fund as a means of financing other government programs, and masks the true size of the federal deficit.

2009 Ron Paul 1:3
Instead of imposing ridiculous taxes on senior citizens, Congress should ensure the integrity of the Social Security trust fund by ending the practice of using trust fund monies for other programs. This is why I am also introducing the Social Security Preservation Act, which ensures that all money in the Social Security trust fund is spent solely on Social Security. At a time when Congress’ inability to control spending continues to threaten the Social Security trust fund, the need for this legislation has never been greater. When the government taxes Americans to fund Social Security, it promises the American people that the money will be there for them when they retire. Congress has a moral obligation to keep that promise.

2009 Ron Paul 1:4
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to help free senior citizens from oppressive taxation by supporting my Senior Citizens’ Tax Elimination Act and my Social Security Beneficiary Tax Reduction Act. I also urge my colleagues to ensure that moneys from the Social Security trust fund are used solely for Social Security benefits and not wasted on frivolous government programs.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 2 INTRODUCTION OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY PRESERVATION ACT January 6, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 2:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to protect the integrity of the Social Security trust fund by introducing the Social Security Preservation Act. The Social Security Preservation Act is a rather simple bill which states that all moneys raised by the Social Security trust fund will be spent in payments to beneficiaries, with excess receipts invested in interest-bearing certificates of deposit. This will help keep Social Security trust fund moneys from being diverted to other programs, as well as allow the fund to grow by providing for investment in interest- bearing instruments.

2009 Ron Paul 2:2
The Social Security Preservation Act ensures that the government will keep its promises to America’s seniors that taxes collected for Social Security will be used for Social Security. When the government taxes Americans to fund Social Security, it promises the American people that the money will be there for them when they retire. Congress has a moral obligation to keep that promise.

2009 Ron Paul 2:3
With federal deficits reaching historic levels, and with new demands being made on the U.S. Treasury on an almost weekly basis, the pressure from special interests for massive new raids on the trust fund is greater than ever. Thus it is vital that Congress act now to protect the trust fund from big spending, pork- barrel politics. As a medical doctor, I know the first step in treatment is to stop the bleeding, and the Social Security Preservation Act stops the bleeding of the Social Security trust fund. I therefore call upon all my colleagues, regardless of which proposal for long-term Social Security reform they support, to stand up for America’s seniors by cosponsoring the Social Security Preservation Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 3 INTRODUCTION OF THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG AFFORDABILITY ACT January 6, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 3:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Prescription Drug Affordability Act. This legislation ensures that millions of Americans, including seniors, have access to affordable pharmaceutical products. My bill makes pharmaceuticals more affordable to seniors by reducing their taxes. It also removes needless government barriers to importing pharmaceuticals and it protects Internet pharmacies, which are making affordable prescription drugs available to millions of Americans, from being strangled by federal regulation.

2009 Ron Paul 3:2
The first provision of my legislation provides seniors a tax credit equal to 80 percent of their prescription drug costs. While Congress did add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare in 2003, many seniors still have difficulty affording the prescription drugs they need in order to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. One reason is because the new program creates a “doughnut hole,” where seniors lose coverage once their prescription expenses reach a certain amount and must pay for their prescriptions above a certain amount out of their own pockets until their expenses reach a level where Medicare coverage resumes. This tax credit will help seniors cover the expenses provided by the doughnut hole. This bill will also help seniors obtain prescription medicines that may not be covered by the Medicare prescription drug program.

2009 Ron Paul 3:3
In addition to making prescription medications more affordable for seniors, my bill lowers the price for prescription medicines by reducing barriers to the importation of FDA-approved pharmaceuticals. Under my bill, anyone wishing to import a drug simply submits an application to the FDA, which then must approve the drug unless the FDA finds the drug is either not approved for use in the U.S. or is adulterated or misbranded. This process will make safe and affordable imported medicines affordable to millions of Americans. Madam Speaker, letting the free market work is the best means of lowering the cost of prescription drugs.

2009 Ron Paul 3:4
I need not remind my colleagues that many senior citizens and other Americans impacted by the high costs of prescription medicine have demanded Congress reduce the barriers which prevent American consumers from purchasing imported pharmaceuticals. Congress has responded to these demands by repeatedly passing legislation liberalizing the rules governing the importation of pharmaceuticals. However, implementation of this provision has been blocked by the federal bureaucracy. It is time Congress stood up for the American consumer and removed all unnecessary regulations on importing pharmaceuticals.

2009 Ron Paul 3:5
The Prescription Drug Affordability Act also protects consumers’ access to affordable medicine by forbidding the Federal Government from regulating any Internet sales of FDA-approved pharmaceuticals by state-licensed pharmacists.

2009 Ron Paul 3:6
As I am sure my colleagues are aware, the Internet makes pharmaceuticals and other products more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans. However, the Federal Government has threatened to destroy this option by imposing unnecessary and unconstitutional regulations on Web sites that sell pharmaceuticals. Any federal regulations would inevitably drive up prices of pharmaceuticals, thus depriving many consumers of access to affordable prescription medications.

2009 Ron Paul 3:7
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to make pharmaceuticals more affordable and accessible by lowering taxes on senior citizens, removing barriers to the importation of pharmaceuticals and protecting legitimate Internet pharmacies from needless regulation by cosponsoring the Prescription Drug Affordability Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 4 INTRODUCTION OF THE IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION ACT January 6, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 4:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, today I introduce the Identity Theft Prevention Act. This act protects the American people from government- government- mandated uniform identifiers that facilitate private crime as well as the abuse of liberty. The major provision of the Identity Theft Prevention Act halts the practice of using the Social Security number as an identifier by requiring the Social Security Administration to issue all Americans new Social Security numbers within 5 years after the enactment of the bill. These new numbers will be the sole legal property of the recipient, and the Social Security Administration shall be forbidden to divulge the numbers for any purposes not related to Social Security Administration. Social Security numbers issued before implementation of this bill shall no longer be considered valid federal identifiers. Of course, the Social Security Administration shall be able to use an individual’s original Social Security number to ensure efficient administration of the Social Security system.

2009 Ron Paul 4:2
Madam Speaker, Congress has a moral responsibility to address this problem because it was Congress that transformed the Social Security number into a national identifier. Thanks to Congress, today no American can get a job, open a bank account, get a professional license, or even get a driver’s license without presenting his Social Security number. So widespread has the use of the Social Security number become that a member of my staff had to produce a Social Security number in order to get a fishing license!

2009 Ron Paul 4:3
One of the most disturbing abuses of the Social Security number is the congressionally- authorized rule forcing parents to get a Social Security number for their newborn children in order to claim the children as dependents. Forcing parents to register their children with the state is more like something out of the nightmares of George Orwell than the dreams of a free republic that inspired this Nation’s founders.

2009 Ron Paul 4:4
Congressionally-mandated use of the Social Security number as an identifier facilitates the horrendous crime of identity theft. Thanks to Congress, an unscrupulous person may simply obtain someone’s Social Security number in order to access that person’s bank accounts, credit cards, and other financial assets. Many Americans have lost their life savings and had their credit destroyed as a result of identity theft. Yet the federal government continues to encourage such crimes by mandating use of the Social Security number as a uniform ID!

2009 Ron Paul 4:5
This act also forbids the federal government from creating national ID cards or establishing any identifiers for the purpose of investigating, monitoring, overseeing, or regulating private transactions among American citizens. In 2005, this body established a de facto national ID card with a provisions buried in the “intelligence” reform bill mandating federal standards for drivers’ licenses, and mandating that federal agents only accept a license that conforms to these standards as a valid ID.

2009 Ron Paul 4:6
Nationalizing standards for drivers’ licenses and birth certificates creates a national ID system pure and simple. Proponents of this scheme claim they are merely creating new standards for existing State IDs. However, imposing federal standards in a federal bill creates a federalized ID regardless of whether the ID itself is still stamped with the name of your State.

2009 Ron Paul 4:7
The national ID will be used to track the movements of American citizens, not just terrorists. Subjecting every citizen to surveillance diverts resources away from tracking and apprehending terrorists in favor of needless snooping on innocent Americans. This is what happened with “suspicious activity reports” required by the Bank Secrecy Act. Thanks to BSA mandates, federal officials are forced to waste countless hours snooping through the private financial transactions of innocent Americans merely because those transactions exceeded $10,000.

2009 Ron Paul 4:8
Turning State-issued drivers licenses into federally controlled national ID cards is yet another federal usurpation of State authority and another costly unfunded mandate imposed on the States. According to a report issued by the National Conference of State Legislators, turning drivers licenses into national ID cards will cost the States more than $11 billion.

2009 Ron Paul 4:9
Madam Speaker, no wonder there is a groundswell of opposition to this mandate. Several State legislatures have even passed laws forbidding their States from complying with this mandate! The Identity Theft Prevention Act not only repeals those sections of the federal law creating a national ID, it forbids the federal government from using federal funds to blackmail States into adopting uniform federal identifiers. Passing the Identity Theft Prevention Act is thus an excellent way for this Congress to show renewed commitment to federalism and opposition to imposing unfunded mandates on the States.

2009 Ron Paul 4:10
This legislation not only repeals those sections of federal law creating the national ID, it also repeals those sections of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 that require the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a uniform standard health identifier – an identifier which could be used to create a national database containing the medical history of all Americans. As an OB/GYN with more than 30 years in private practice, I know the importance of preserving the sanctity of the physician-patient relationship. Oftentimes, effective treatment depends on a patient’s ability to place absolute trust in his or her doctor. What will happen to that trust when patients know that any and all information given to their doctors will be placed in a government accessible database?

2009 Ron Paul 4:11
By putting an end to government-mandated uniform IDs, the Identity Theft Prevention Act will prevent millions of Americans from having their liberty, property, and privacy violated by private and public sector criminals.

2009 Ron Paul 4:12
Some members of Congress will claim that the federal government needs the power to monitor Americans in order to allow the government to operate more efficiently. I would remind my colleagues that, in a constitutional republic, the people are never asked to sacrifice their liberties to make the jobs of government officials easier. We are here to protect the freedom of the American people, not to make privacy invasion more efficient.

2009 Ron Paul 4:13
Madam Speaker, while I do not question the sincerity of those members who suggest that Congress can ensure that citizens’ rights are protected through legislation restricting access to personal information, the only effective privacy protection is to forbid the federal government from mandating national identifiers. Legislative “privacy protections” are inadequate to protect the liberty of Americans for a couple of reasons.

2009 Ron Paul 4:14
First, it is simply common sense that repealing those federal laws that promote identity theft is more effective in protecting the public than expanding the power of the federal police force. Federal punishment of identity thieves provides cold comfort to those who have suffered financial losses and the destruction of their good reputations as a result of identity theft.

2009 Ron Paul 4:15
Federal laws are not only ineffective in stopping, private criminals, but these laws have not even stopped unscrupulous government officials from accessing personal information. After all, laws purporting to restrict the use of personal information did not stop the well-publicized violations of privacy by IRS officials or the FBI abuses of the Clinton and Nixon administrations.

2009 Ron Paul 4:16
In one of the most infamous cases of identity theft, thousands of active-duty soldiers and veterans had their personal information stolen, putting them at risk of identity theft. Imagine the dangers if thieves are able to obtain the universal identifier, and other personal information, of millions of Americans simply by breaking, or hacking, into one government facility or one government database?

2009 Ron Paul 4:17
Second, the federal government has been creating proprietary interests in private information for certain state-favored special interests. Perhaps the most outrageous example of phony privacy protection is the “medical privacy”’ regulation, that allows medical researchers, certain business interests, and law enforcement officials access to health care information, in complete disregard of the Fifth Amendment and the wishes of individual patients! Obviously, “privacy protection” laws have proven greatly inadequate to protect personal information when the government is the one seeking the information.

2009 Ron Paul 4:18
Any action short of repealing laws authorizing privacy violations is insufficient primarily because the federal government lacks constitutional authority to force citizens to adopt a universal identifier for health care, employment, or any other reason. Any federal action that oversteps constitutional limitations violates liberty because it ratifies the principle that the federal government, not the Constitution, is the ultimate judge of its own jurisdiction over the people. The only effective protection of the rights of citizens is for Congress to follow Thomas Jefferson’s advice and “bind (the federal government) down with the chains of the Constitution.”

2009 Ron Paul 4:19
Madam Speaker, those members who are not persuaded by the moral and constitutional reasons for embracing the Identity Theft Prevention Act should consider the American people’s opposition to national identifiers. The numerous complaints over the ever-growing uses of the Social Security number show that Americans want Congress to stop invading their privacy. Furthermore, according to a survey by the Gallup company, 91 percent of the American people oppose forcing Americans to obtain a universal health ID.

2009 Ron Paul 4:20
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I once again call on my colleagues to join me in putting an end to the federal government’s unconstitutional use of national identifiers to monitor the actions of private citizens. National identifiers threaten all Americans by exposing them to the threat of identity theft by private criminals and abuse of their liberties by public criminals, while diverting valuable law enforcement resources away from addressing real threats to public safety. In addition, national identifiers are incompatible with a limited, constitutional government. I, therefore, hope my colleagues will join my efforts to protect the freedom of their constituents by supporting the Identity Theft Prevention Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 5 INTRODUCING THE SOCIAL SECURITY FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS ONLY ACT January 6, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 5:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, today I introduce the Social Security for American Citizens Only Act. This act forbids the federal government from providing Social Security benefits to noncitizens. It also ends the practice of totalization. Totalization is where the Social Security Administration takes into account the number of years an individual worked abroad, and thus was not paying payroll taxes, in determining that individual’s eligibility for Social Security benefits!

2009 Ron Paul 5:2
Hard as it may be to believe, the United States Government already provides Social Security benefits to citizens of 17 other countries. Under current law, citizens of those countries covered by these agreements may have an easier time getting Social Security benefits than public school teachers or policemen!

2009 Ron Paul 5:3
Obviously, this program provides a threat to the already fragile Social Security system, and the threat is looming larger. The prior administration actually proposed a totalization agreement that would have allowed thousands of foreigners to qualify for U.S. Social Security benefits even thought they came to, and worked in, the United States illegally. Adding insult to injury, this proposal could have allowed the federal government to give Social Security benefits to non-citizens who worked here for as little as 18 months. Estimates of what this totalization proposal would cost top one billion dollars per year.

2009 Ron Paul 5:4
Despite a major public outcry against extending Social Security benefits to those who entered this country illegally, a version of this proposal actually passed the other body in the 109th Congress. That the executive branch would propose, and part of the legislative branch would endorse, using social security monies to reward to those who have willingly and knowingly violated our own immigration laws is an insult to the millions of Americans who pay their entire working lives into the system and now face the possibility that there may be nothing left when it is their turn to retire.

2009 Ron Paul 5:5
While the new administration has yet to take a public position on totalization, and hopefully will be more reasonable on this issue than its predecessor, it is still imperative that Congress act. Even if the new administration repudiates all proposals to allow those who entered the county illegally to receive social security benefits, the only way to guarantee a future administration will not revive this scheme is for Congress to put an end to totalization once and for all. I therefore call upon my colleagues to stop the use of the Social Security Trust Fund as yet another vehicle for foreign aid by cosponsoring the Social Security for American Citizens Only Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 6 THE SENIORS’ HEALTH CARE FREEDOM ACT January 6, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 6:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Seniors’ Health Care Freedom Act. This act protects seniors’ fundamental right to make their own health care decisions by repealing federal laws that interfere with seniors’ ability to form private contracts for medical services. This bill also repeals laws which force seniors into the Medicare program against their will. When Medicare was first established, seniors were promised that the program would be voluntary. In fact, the original Medicare legislation explicitly protected a senior’s right to seek out other forms of medical insurance. However, the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 prohibits any physician who forms a private contract with a senior from filing any Medicare reimbursement claims for two years. As a practical matter, this means that seniors cannot form private contracts for health care services.

2009 Ron Paul 6:2
Seniors may wish to use their own resources to pay for procedures or treatments not covered by Medicare, or to simply avoid the bureaucracy and uncertainly that comes when seniors must wait for the judgment of a Center from Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) bureaucrat before finding out if a desired treatment is covered.

2009 Ron Paul 6:3
Seniors’ right to control their own health care is also being denied due to the Social Security Administration’s refusal to give seniors who object to enrolling Medicare Part A Social Security benefits. This not only distorts the intent of the creators of the Medicare system; it also violates the promise represented by Social Security. Americans pay taxes into the Social Security Trust Fund their whole working lives and are promised that Social Security will be there for them when they retire. Yet, today, seniors are told that they cannot receive these benefits unless they agree to join an additional government program!

2009 Ron Paul 6:4
At a time when the fiscal solvency of Medicare is questionable, to say the least, it seems foolish to waste scarce Medicare funds on those who would prefer to do without Medicare. Allowing seniors who neither want nor need to participate in the program to refrain from doing so will also strengthen the Medicare program for those seniors who do wish to participate in it. Of course, my bill does not take away Medicare benefits from any senior. It simply allows each senior to choose voluntarily whether or not to accept Medicare benefits or to use his own resources to obtain health care.

2009 Ron Paul 6:5
Forcing seniors into government programs and restricting their ability to seek medical care free from government interference infringes on the freedom of seniors to control their own resources and make their own health care decisions. A woman who was forced into Medicare against her wishes summed it up best in a letter to my office, “. . . I should be able to choose the medical arrangements I prefer without suffering the penalty that is being imposed.” I urge my colleagues to protect the right of seniors to make the medical arrangements that best suit their own needs by cosponsoring the Seniors’ Health Care Freedom Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 7 Statement on H Res 34, Recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, Reaffirming the United States strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process January 9, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 7:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this resolution, not because I am taking sides and picking who the bad guys are and who the good guys are, but I’m looking at this more from the angle of being a United States citizen, an American, and I think resolutions like this really do great harm to us.

2009 Ron Paul 7:2
In many ways what is happening in the Middle East, and in particular with Gaza right now, we have some moral responsibility for both sides, because we provide help in funding for both Arab nations and Israel. And so we definitely have a moral responsibility. And especially now today, the weapons being used to kill so many Palestinians are American weapons and American funds essentially are being used for this.

2009 Ron Paul 7:3
But there is a political liability which I think is something that we fail to look at because too often there is so much blowback from our intervention in areas that we shouldn’t be involved in.

2009 Ron Paul 7:4
Hamas, if you look at the history, you will find that Hamas was encouraged and actually started by Israel because they wanted Hamas to counteract Yasir Arafat. You say, Well, yeah, it was better then and served its purpose, but we didn’t want Hamas to do this.

2009 Ron Paul 7:5
So then we, as Americans, say, Well, we have such a good system; we’re going to impose this on the world. We’re going to invade Iraq and teach people how to be democrats. We want free elections. So we encouraged the Palestinians to have a free election. They do, and they elect Hamas.

2009 Ron Paul 7:6
So we first, indirectly and directly through Israel, helped establish Hamas. Then we have an election where Hamas becomes dominant then we have to kill them. It just doesn’t make sense.

2009 Ron Paul 7:7
During the 1980s, we were allied with Osama bin Laden and we were contending with the Soviets. It was at that time our CIA thought it was good if we radicalize the Muslim world. So we finance the Madrassas school to radicalize the Muslims in order to compete with the Soviets.

2009 Ron Paul 7:8
There is too much blowback. There are a lot of reasons why we should oppose this resolution. It’s not in the interest of the United States, it is not in the interest of Israel either.

2009 Ron Paul 7:9
I strongly oppose H. Res. 34, which was rushed to the floor with almost no prior notice and without consideration by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The resolution clearly takes one side in a conflict that has nothing to do with the United States or U.S. interests. I am concerned that the weapons currently being used by Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza are made in America and paid for by American taxpayers. What will adopting this resolution do to the perception of the United States in the Muslim and Arab world? What kind of blowback might we see from this? What moral responsibility do we have for the violence in Israel and Gaza after having provided so much military support to one side?

2009 Ron Paul 7:10
As an opponent of all violence, I am appalled by the practice of lobbing homemade rockets into Israel from Gaza. I am only grateful that, because of the primitive nature of these weapons, there have been so few casualties among innocent Israelis. But I am also appalled by the longstanding Israeli blockade of Gaza – a cruel act of war – and the tremendous loss of life that has resulted from the latest Israeli attack that started last month.

2009 Ron Paul 7:11
There are now an estimated 700 dead Palestinians, most of whom are civilians. Many innocent children are among the dead. While the shooting of rockets into Israel is inexcusable, the violent actions of some people in Gaza does not justify killing Palestinians on this scale. Such collective punishment is immoral. At the very least, the U.S. Congress should not be loudly proclaiming its support for the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza.

2009 Ron Paul 7:12
Madam Speaker, this resolution will do nothing to reduce the fighting and bloodshed in the Middle East. The resolution in fact will lead the U.S. to become further involved in this conflict, promising “vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, and survival of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.” Is it really in the interest of the United States to guarantee the survival of any foreign country? I believe it would be better to focus on the security and survival of the United States, the Constitution of which my colleagues and I swore to defend just this week at the beginning of the 111th Congress. I urge my colleagues to reject this resolution.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 8 Bailout January 14, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 8:1
Mr. PAUL. Although I recognize the chairman of the committee’s points that this literally is not the appropriation, I rise in opposition to the bill, but I do want to speak out against this whole process of what we are trying to do with the bailout, not only this time but the time before. It is a system that has brought this country to its knees, and I think we haven’t recognized what the cause has been, and therefore, we’re not looking at this problem in the proper manner in order to solve the problem.

2009 Ron Paul 8:2
There has been a lot of money involved and a lot of money spent. There have been appropriations that we’ve made here in the Congress as well as the trillions of dollars the Federal Reserve has used to try to bail out the financial industry, and nothing seems to be working.

2009 Ron Paul 8:3
I think it’s mainly because we haven’t recognized nor have we admitted that excessive spending can cause financial problems. Excessive debt can cause some problems. Inflation – that is, the creation of new money and credit out of thin air – can cause a lot of problems, and we’ve been doing it for decades. It was predictable. It was not a surprise that we got ourselves into a financial mess because of a system that is deeply flawed.

2009 Ron Paul 8:4
So what do we have? What have we been doing now for the last 6 months to a year? We have been spending more. We have been running up debt like we’ve never run up debt before, and we’re printing money like we never have before. We think that is going to solve the problem. That literally has been the cause: too much spending, too much borrowing and too much inflation.

2009 Ron Paul 8:5
I do want to address the subject more specifically about moral hazard and why the system was so deeply flawed. That is, when a Federal Reserve system and a central bank create easy money and easy credit and they have interest rates lower than they should be, businesspeople do the wrong things. They make mistakes. It’s called malinvestments, and we’ve been doing it for a long time. It causes financial bubbles, and they have to be corrected.

2009 Ron Paul 8:6
Actually, the recession is therapy for all of the mistakes, but the mistakes come, basically, from a Federal Reserve system that’s causing too many people to make mistakes. It causes savers to make mistakes. Interest rates are lower than they should be, so they don’t save. In capitalism, capital comes from savings, but for decades now, capital has come from the printing press, and nobody has saved.

2009 Ron Paul 8:7
That contributes to what we call “moral hazard” as well as the system of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac system. It always had a line of credit. It never had to use it, but the assumption was, if we ever got into any trouble, the Treasury would be there, and the Federal Reserve would back them up. That existed for a long time, causing specifically the housing bubble to develop.

2009 Ron Paul 8:8
Then we subsidized the insurance. The government-subsidized insurance program further promoted the principle of moral hazard – people doing things, spending money and investing in the incorrect way.

2009 Ron Paul 8:9
Then with the assumption that we’re all going to be bailed out, which we’re endorsing by bailing everybody out, people say, “Well, no sweat because, if there is a mistake, the government will come to our rescue.” That’s part of the system of the FDIC. Now, nobody can conceive of the notion that we could live without an FDIC, but the truth is that a private FDIC would never permit this massive malinvestment. There would be regulations done in the marketplace, and there would not be this distortion that we’ve ended up with.

2009 Ron Paul 8:10
So this bill actually makes it permanent that the insurance will be $250,000 per depositor. Now you say, on the short run, that’s pretty good because that conveys confidence to the system because at least we know that our deposits are secure. This is true. It helps in the short run, and generally, this is the way we work here. We always say, On the short run, this is going to be a benefit. On the short run, the bailout will help. On the short run, we will do “this.” Actually, on the short run, there is a great deal of harm that’s done. As a matter of fact, today, the long run is here.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 9 INTRODUCING WE THE PEOPLE January 14, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 9:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the We the People Act. The We the People Act forbids federal courts, including the Supreme Court, from adjudicating cases concerning State laws and polices relating to religious liberties or “privacy,” including cases involving sexual practices, sexual orientation or reproduction. The We the People Act also protects the traditional definition of marriage from judicial activism by ensuring the Supreme Court cannot abuse the equal protection clause to redefine marriage. In order to hold Federal judges accountable for abusing their powers, the act also provides that a judge who violates the act’s limitations on judicial power shall either be impeached by Congress or removed by the President, according to rules established by the Congress.

2009 Ron Paul 9:2
The United States Constitution gives Congress the authority to establish and limit the jurisdiction of the lower Federal courts and limit the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. The Founders intended Congress to use this authority to correct abuses of power by the Federal judiciary.

2009 Ron Paul 9:3
Some may claim that an activist judiciary that strikes down State laws at will expands individual liberty. Proponents of this claim overlook the fact that the best guarantor of true liberty is decentralized political institutions, while the greatest threat to liberty is concentrated power. This is why the Constitution carefully limits the power of the Federal Government over the States.

2009 Ron Paul 9:4
In recent years, we have seen numerous abuses of power by Federal courts. Federal judges regularly strike down State and local laws on subjects such as religious liberty, sexual orientation, family relations, education, and abortion. This government by Federal judiciary causes a virtual nullification of the Tenth Amendment’s limitations on Federal power. Furthermore, when Federal judges impose their preferred polices on State and local governments, instead of respecting the polices adopted by those elected by, and thus accountable to, the people, republican government is threatened. Article IV, section 4 of the United States Constitution guarantees each State a republican form of government. Thus, Congress must act when the executive or judicial branch threatens the republican governments of the individual States. Therefore, Congress has a responsibility to stop Federal judges from running roughshod over State and local laws. The Founders would certainly have supported congressional action to reign in Federal judges who tell citizens where they can and can’t place manger scenes at Christmas.

2009 Ron Paul 9:5
Madam Speaker, even some supporters of liberalized abortion laws have admitted that the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, which overturned the abortion laws of all 50 States, is flawed. The Supreme Court’s establishment clause jurisdiction has also drawn criticism from across the political spectrum. Perhaps more importantly, attempts to resolve, by judicial fiat, important issues like abortion and the expression of religious belief in the public square increase social strife and conflict. The only way to resolve controversial social issues like abortion and school prayer is to restore respect for the right of State and local governments to adopt polices that reflect the beliefs of the citizens of those jurisdictions. I would remind my colleagues and the Federal judiciary that, under our constitutional system, there is no reason why the people of New York and the people of Texas should have the same policies regarding issues such as marriage and school prayer.

2009 Ron Paul 9:6
Unless Congress acts, a State’s authority to define and regulate marriage may be the next victim of activist judges. After all, such a decision would simply take the Supreme Court’s decision in the Lawrence case, which overturned all State sodomy laws, to its logical conclusion. Congress must launch a preemptive strike against any further Federal usurpation of the States’ authority to regulate marriage by removing issues concerning the definition of marriage from the jurisdiction of Federal courts.

2009 Ron Paul 9:7
Although marriage is licensed and otherwise regulated by the States, government did not create the institution of marriage. Government regulation of marriage is based on State recognition of the practices and customs formulated by private individuals interacting in civil institutions, such as churches and synagogues. Having Federal officials, whether judges, bureaucrats, or congressmen, impose a new definition of marriage on the people is an act of social engineering profoundly hostile to liberty.

2009 Ron Paul 9:8
It is long past time that Congress exercises its authority to protect the republican government of the States from out-of-control Federal judges. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to cosponsor the We the People Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 10 LIVING BENEATH OUR MEANS January 21, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 10:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, it has been said, and all too often ignored, if you live beyond your means, you will be forced to live beneath your means.

2009 Ron Paul 10:2
Living and consuming on borrowed money always end. Lenders, even in an age of inflation, have their limits. When living extravagantly, it seems the good times will continue forever, but when the bills come due and the debt, with interest, needs to be paid, the good times end.

2009 Ron Paul 10:3
The fiction that the appreciating prices of houses and stocks and other assets serve as savings is always self- limited and ends with pain. Without a source of newly borrowed funds, once the value of stocks and houses depreciates, the individual comes to the realization that hard work and effort are required to produce sustained wealth. Working minimally is replaced with working maximally to survive, as well as to pay for the extravagance of previous years. The consequence is more work and a diminished standard of living.

2009 Ron Paul 10:4
A nation that has lived beyond its means for a long period of time must go through a similar process. Once the national debt grows to an extreme proportion, as ours has, there is no possibility of it being paid off in the conventional sense. Default and liquidation are required, but sovereign states that enjoy the ruthless power to tax and create new money always resort to paying their pays by deliberately depreciating the currency. This makes it hard to identify the victims and the beneficiaries.

2009 Ron Paul 10:5
Today’s middle class and poor are suffering and the elite are being bailed out, and all the while the Federal Reserve refuses to tell the Congress exactly who has benefitted by its largesse. The beneficial corrections that come with a recession, of debt liquidation and removing the malinvestment, are delayed by government bailouts. This strategy proved in the late 1930s to transform a recession into a Great Depression and will surely do so again.

2009 Ron Paul 10:6
We have become the greatest debtor nation in the world. The borrowed money was not used to build our industries but was used mainly for consumption. The fact that the world trusted the dollar as the reserve currency significantly contributed to the imbalances of the world financial system. The fiat dollar standard that evolved after the breakdown of Bretton Woods in 1971 has ended. This is a consequence of our privileged position of living way beyond our means for too many years.

2009 Ron Paul 10:7
At present, all efforts worldwide are directed toward salvaging a financial system that cannot be revived. The only tool the economic planners have is the creation of trillions of dollars of new money out of thin air. All this does is delay the inevitable and magnify the future danger.

2009 Ron Paul 10:8
Central bank cooperation in the scheme will not make it work. Pretending the dollar is maintaining real value by manipulating the price of gold – the historic mechanism for measuring a currency’s value – will work no better than the effort of the 1960s to keep gold at $35 an ounce. Nevertheless, Bretton Woods failed in 1971, as was predicted by the free market economists, despite these efforts.

2009 Ron Paul 10:9
This crisis we’re in is destined to get much worse because the real cause is not acknowledged. Not only are the corrections delayed and distorted, additional problems are yet to be dealt with – the commercial property bubble, the insolvent retirement funds, both private and public, state finances, and the university trust funds. For all these problems, only massive currency inflation is offered by the Fed. The real concern ought to be for a dollar crisis, which will come if we don’t change our ways.

2009 Ron Paul 10:10
Even massive bailouts cannot work. If they did, no person in the United States would ever have to work again. We need to wake up and recognize the importance of sound money. We need to reintroduce the work ethic. We must once again cherish savings over consumption. We must recognize that an overextended foreign policy has been the downfall of all great nations. And, above all else, we need to simply believe once again in the free society that made America great.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 11 More Spending Isn’t The Answer January 22, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 11:1
Mr. PAUL. I thank the gentlelady for yielding, and Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution because I don’t believe the bailouts can work, and more spending isn’t the answer.

2009 Ron Paul 11:2
Actually, we should have talked more about prevention of a problem like we have today than trying to deal with the financial cancer that we are dealing with. But the prevention could have come many decades ago. And many free-market economists predicted, even decades ago, that we would have a crisis like this. But those warnings were not heeded, and even in the last 10 years there have been dire warnings by people who believe in sound money and not in the inflationary system that we have that we will come to this point.

2009 Ron Paul 11:3
Over those decades we were able to bail out to a degree and patch over and keep the financial bubble going. But today, we are in a massive deflationary crisis, and we only have two choices. One is to continue to do what we are doing: inflate more, spend more, and run up more deficits. But it doesn’t seem to be working because it won’t work because the confidence has been lost. The confidence in the post- Bretton Woods system of the dollar fiat standard, it is gone. This whole effort to refinance in this manner just won’t work.

2009 Ron Paul 11:4
Now, the other option is to allow the deflation to occur, allow the liquidation of bad debt and to allow the removal of all of the bad investments; but that politically is unacceptable, so we are really in a dilemma because nobody can take a hands-off position. Politicians have to feel relevant. And, therefore, they have to do something. But there is no evidence that this is going to work.

2009 Ron Paul 11:5
Now we hear that there is a proposal, and we read about it in the paper, and I don’t know who came up with this, but it is the idea of having a bad bank. Let us create a government bad bank, and this bad bank is to take the bad debt from the bad bankers and dump these assets onto the good citizens. Well, I think that is a very bad idea. I mean, it doesn’t make any sense for the innocent American citizen to bear the burden.

2009 Ron Paul 11:6
But others will say no, we will bail out the citizens as well. But ultimately, it is the little guy that loses on this. The bankers got $350 billion, and we can’t account for it and their assets don’t look that much better, and yet the American people are still suffering. It didn’t create any more new jobs. The attempt now will be maybe to redirect this. But, unfortunately, it will not be any more successful.

2009 Ron Paul 11:7
The fallacy here is we are trying to keep prices high when prices should come down. What do we have against poor people? Lower the price of houses, get them down. A $100,000 house, get them down to $20,000. Let a poor person buy these houses. That is what we want.

2009 Ron Paul 11:8
But this is a remnant of the philosophy of the 1930s when it was thought we were in trouble because the farmers weren’t getting enough money for their crops. So people were starving in the streets, and guess what the policy was that came out of Washington: plow under the crops and then maybe the prices will go up. Diminish the supply, and it will solve our problem. It didn’t work then, it won’t work today.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 12 INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION ALLOWING INTERSTATE SHIPMENT OF UNPASTEURIZED MILK January 28, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 12:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce legislation that allows the shipment and distribution of unpasteurized milk and milk products for human consumption across state lines. This legislation removes an unconstitutional restraint on farmers who wish to sell or otherwise distribute, and people who wish to consume, unpasteurized milk and milk products.

2009 Ron Paul 12:2
My office has heard from numerous people who would like to obtain unpasteurized milk. Many of these people have done their own research and come to the conclusion that unpasteurized milk is healthier than pasteurized milk. These Americans have the right to consume these products without having the Federal Government second-guess their judgment about what products best promote health. If there are legitimate concerns about the safety of unpasteurized milk, those concerns should be addressed at the state and local level.

2009 Ron Paul 12:3
I urge my colleagues to join me in promoting consumers’ rights, the original intent of the Constitution, and federalism by cosponsoring my legislation to allow the interstate shipment of unpasteurized milk and milk products for human consumption.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 13 THE TAX FREE TIPS ACT January 28, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 13:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to help millions of working Americans by introducing the Tax Free Tips Act. As the title suggests, this legislation makes tips exempt from federal income and payroll taxes. Tips often compose a substantial portion of the earnings of waiters, waitresses, and other service-sector employees. However, unlike regular wages, a service-sector employee usually has no guarantee of, or legal right to, a tip. Instead, the amount of a tip usually depends on how well an employee satisfies a client. Since the amount of taxes one pays increases along with the size of tip, taxing tips punishes workers for doing a superior job!

2009 Ron Paul 13:2
Many service-sector employers are young people trying to make money to pay for their education, or single parents struggling to provide for their children. Oftentimes, these workers work two jobs in hopes of making a better life for themselves and their families. The Tax Free Tips Act gives these hard-working Americans an immediate pay raise. People may use this pay raise to devote more resources to their children’s, or their own, education, or to save for a home, retirement, or to start their own businesses.

2009 Ron Paul 13:3
Helping Americans improve themselves by reducing their taxes will make our country stronger. I, therefore, hope all my colleges will join me in cosponsoring the Tax Free Tips Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 14 FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD ABOLITION ACT February 3, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 14:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce legislation to restore financial stability to America’s economy by abolishing the Federal Reserve. Since the creation of the Federal Reserve, middle and working-class Americans have been victimized by a boom-and-bust monetary policy. In addition, most Americans have suffered a steadily eroding purchasing power because of the Federal Reserve’s inflationary policies. This represents a real, if hidden, tax imposed on the American people.

2009 Ron Paul 14:2
From the Great Depression, to the stagflation of the seventies, to the current economic crisis caused by the housing bubble, every economic downturn suffered by this country over the past century can be traced to Federal Reserve policy. The Fed has followed a consistent policy of flooding the economy with easy money, leading to a misallocation of resources and an artificial “boom” followed by a recession or depression when the Fed-created bubble bursts.

2009 Ron Paul 14:3
With a stable currency, American exporters will no longer be held hostage to an erratic monetary policy. Stabilizing the currency will also give Americans new incentives to save as they will no longer have to fear inflation eroding their savings. Those members concerned about increasing America’s exports or the low rate of savings should be enthusiastic supporters of this legislation.

2009 Ron Paul 14:4
Though the Federal Reserve policy harms the average American, it benefits those in a position to take advantage of the cycles in monetary policy. The main beneficiaries are those who receive access to artificially inflated money and/or credit before the inflationary effects of the policy impact the entire economy. Federal Reserve policies also benefit big spending politicians who use the inflated currency created by the Fed to hide the true costs of the welfare-warfare state. It is time for Congress to put the interests of the American people ahead of special interests and their own appetite for big government.

2009 Ron Paul 14:5
Abolishing the Federal Reserve will allow Congress to reassert its constitutional authority over monetary policy. The United States Constitution grants to Congress the authority to coin money and regulate the value of the currency. The Constitution does not give Congress the authority to delegate control over monetary policy to a central bank. Furthermore, the Constitution certainly does not empower the federal government to erode the American standard of living via an inflationary monetary policy.

2009 Ron Paul 14:6
In fact, Congress’ constitutional mandate regarding monetary policy should only permit currency backed by stable commodities such as silver and gold to be used as legal tender. Therefore, abolishing the Federal Reserve and returning to a constitutional system will enable America to return to the type of monetary system envisioned by our nation’s founders: one where the value of money is consistent because it is tied to a commodity such as gold. Such a monetary system is the basis of a true free-market economy.

2009 Ron Paul 14:7
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand up for working Americans by putting an end to the manipulation of the money supply which erodes Americans’ standard of living, enlarges big government, and enriches well-connected elites, by cosponsoring my legislation to abolish the Federal Reserve.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 15 WHAT IF? February 12, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 15:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I have a few questions for my colleagues.

2009 Ron Paul 15:2
What if our foreign policy of the past century is deeply flawed and has not served our national security interests?

2009 Ron Paul 15:3
What if we wake up one day and realize that the terrorist threat is a predictable consequence of our meddling in the affairs of others and has nothing to do with us being free and prosperous?

2009 Ron Paul 15:4
What if propping up repressive regimes in the Middle East endangers both the United States and Israel?

2009 Ron Paul 15:5
What if occupying countries like Iraq and Afghanistan – and bombing Pakistan – is directly related to the hatred directed towards us?

2009 Ron Paul 15:6
What if some day it dawns on us that losing over 5,000 American military personnel in the Middle East since 9/11 is not a fair trade-off for the loss of nearly 3,000 American citizens – no matter how many Iraqi, Pakistani, and Afghan people are killed or displaced?

2009 Ron Paul 15:7
What if we finally decide that torture – even if called “enhanced interrogation techniques” – is self-destructive and produces no useful information and that contracting it out to a third world nation is just as evil?

2009 Ron Paul 15:8
What if it is finally realized that war and military spending is always destructive to the economy?

2009 Ron Paul 15:9
What if all wartime spending is paid for through the deceitful and evil process of inflating and borrowing?

2009 Ron Paul 15:10
What if we finally see that wartime conditions always undermine personal liberty?

2009 Ron Paul 15:11
What if conservatives, who preach small government, wake up and realize that our interventionist foreign policy provides the greatest incentive to expand the government?

2009 Ron Paul 15:12
What if conservatives understood once again that their only logical position is to reject military intervention and managing an empire throughout the world?

2009 Ron Paul 15:13
What if the American people woke up and understood the official reasons for going to war are almost always based on lies and promoted by war propaganda in order to serve special interests?

2009 Ron Paul 15:14
What if we, as a Nation, came to realize that the quest for empire eventually destroys all great nations?

2009 Ron Paul 15:15
What if Obama has no intention of leaving Iraq?

2009 Ron Paul 15:16
What if a military draft is being planned for the wars that will spread if our foreign policy is not changed?

2009 Ron Paul 15:17
What if the American people learn the truth: that our foreign policy has nothing to do with national security and it never changes from one administration to the next?

2009 Ron Paul 15:18
What if war and preparation for war is a racket serving the special interests?

2009 Ron Paul 15:19
What if President Obama is completely wrong about Afghanistan and it turns out worse than Iraq and Vietnam put together?

2009 Ron Paul 15:20
What if Christianity actually teaches peace and not preventive wars of aggression?

2009 Ron Paul 15:21
What if diplomacy is found to be superior to bombs and bribes in protecting America?

2009 Ron Paul 15:22
What happens if my concerns are completely unfounded? Nothing.

2009 Ron Paul 15:23
But what happens if my concerns are justified and ignored? Nothing good.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 16 INTRODUCTION OF THE TAX RELIEF FOR TRANSPORTATION WORKERS ACT February 13, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 16:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Tax Relief for Transportation Workers Act. This legislation helps those who work in the port industry cope with the costs of complying with Congress’s mandate that all those working on a port obtain a Transportation Worker Identity Card, TWIC. The Tax Relief for Transportation Workers Act provides a tax credit to workers who pay the costs of obtaining TWICs. The credit is refundable against both income and payroll tax liabilities.

2009 Ron Paul 16:2
When Congress created the TWIC requirement, it placed the burden of paying the cost of obtaining the card on individual workers. Imposing the costs of obtaining TWICs on port workers has several negative economic impacts that Congress should help mitigate by making the cost associated with obtaining a TWIC tax deductible. According to the Department of Homeland Security, a port worker will have to pay between $100 and $132 to obtain a card. The worker will also have to pay a $60 fee for every card that is lost or damaged. Even those employers whose employers pay the substantial costs of obtaining TWICs for their workforce are adversely affected by the TWIC requirement, as the money employers pay for TWICs is money that cannot go into increasing their workers’ salaries. The costs of the TWIC requirement may also cause some employers to refrain from hiring new employees.

2009 Ron Paul 16:3
Ironically, many of the employees whose employers are unable to pay the TWIC are part-time or temporary workers at the lower end of the income scale. Obviously, the TWIC requirement hits these workers the hardest. According to Recana, an employer of port workers in my district, the fee will have a “significant impact” on port workers.

2009 Ron Paul 16:4
Unless Congress acts to relieve some of the economic burden the TWIC requirement places on those who work in the port industry, the damage done could reach beyond the port employers and employees to harm businesses that depend on a strong American port industry. This could be very harmful to both interstate and international trade.

2009 Ron Paul 16:5
Regardless of what one thinks of the merits of the TWIC card, it is simply not right for Congress to make the port industry bear all the costs of TWIC. I therefore urge my colleagues to stand up for those who perform vital tasks at America’s ports by cosponsoring the Tax Relief for Transportation Workers Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 17 FEDERAL RESERVE IS THE CULPRIT February 25, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 17:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, the Federal Reserve is the culprit; it has delivered this crisis to us. The Federal Reserve’s low interest rate policy is a big mistake; it is not a panacea.

2009 Ron Paul 17:2
Artificially low interest rates are achieved by inflating the money supply. Low interest rates penalize the thrifty, and those who save are cheated. It promotes consumption and borrowing over savings and investing. Manipulating interest rates is an immoral act, it is economically destructive. The policy of artificially low interest rates caused our problems and, therefore, cannot be the solution.

2009 Ron Paul 17:3
The market rate of interest is crucial information for the smooth operation of the economy. A central bank setting interest rates is price fixing and is a form of central economic planning. Price fixing is a tool of socialists and destroys production.

2009 Ron Paul 17:4
Central bankers, politicians and bureaucrats can’t know what the proper rate should be. They lack the knowledge and are deceived by their aggrandizement. Manipulating the money supply and interest rates rejects all the principles of the free market.

2009 Ron Paul 17:5
Ironically, free markets and sound money generates low rates, but unlike the artificially low rates orchestrated by the Fed, the information conveyed is beneficial to investors and savers.

2009 Ron Paul 17:6
The Congress, by conceding this authority, conveys extraordinary economic powers to the elite few. This is a power that has been abused throughout history. Only the Federal Reserve can inflate the currency, creating new money and credit out of thin area, in secrecy, without oversight or supervision.

2009 Ron Paul 17:7
Inflation facilitates deficits, needless wars, and excessive welfare spending. Debasing a currency is counterfeiting. It steals value from every dollar earned or saved. It robs the people and makes them poorer. It is the enemy of the working person.

2009 Ron Paul 17:8
Inflation is the most vicious and regressive of all forms of taxation. It transfers wealth from the middle class to the privileged rich.

2009 Ron Paul 17:9
The economic chaos that results from a policy of central bank inflation inevitably leads to political instability and violence. It is an ancient tool of all authoritarians.

2009 Ron Paul 17:10
Inflating is never a benefit to freedom- loving people. It destroys prosperity and feeds the fires of war. It is responsible for recessions and depressions. It is deceptive, addictive, and causes delusions of grandeur with regards to wealth and knowledge.

2009 Ron Paul 17:11
Wealth cannot be achieved by creating money by fiat. It instead destroys wealth and it rewards the special interests. Depending on monetary fraud for national prosperity or a reversal of our downward spiral is riskier than depending on the lottery.

2009 Ron Paul 17:12
Inflation has been used to pay for all the wars and empires, and they all end badly. Inflationism and corporatism engenders protectionism and trade wars. It prompts scapegoating; blaming foreigners, illegal immigrants, ethnic minorities, and too often freedom itself for the predictable events and suffering that results. Besides, the whole process is unconstitutional. There is no legal authority to operate such a monetary system. So let’s stop it. Let us restore a policy of prosperity, peace and liberty. The time has come. Let’s end the Fed.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 18 Humphrey-Hawkins Hearing Statement February 25, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 18:1
Mr. Chairman,

2009 Ron Paul 18:2
We find ourselves mired in the deepest economic crisis to afflict this country since the Great Depression. Yet, despite the failure of all the interventionist efforts to date to do anything to improve the economy, each week seems to bring new proposals for yet more bailouts, more funding facilities, and more of the same discredited Keynesian ideas. There are still relatively few policymakers who understand the roots of the current crisis in the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy. No one in government is willing to take the blame, instead we transfer it onto others. We blame the crisis on greedy bankers and mortgage lenders, on the Chinese for being too thrifty and providing us with capital, or on consumers who aren’t spending as much as the government thinks they should.

2009 Ron Paul 18:3
One aspect that needs to come to the fore once again is that of moral hazard. When the government acts as a backstop to insure losses that come about from making poor decisions, such poor decision making is rewarded, and thereby further encouraged in the future. Such backstopping took place through the implicit government guarantee of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, it takes place through FDIC deposit insurance that encourages deposits in the fundamentally unsound fractional-reserve banking system, and it has reached its zenith in the TARP program and its related bailouts.

2009 Ron Paul 18:4
When banking giants are reimbursed for their losses through redistribution of taxpayer money, what lesson do we expect them to learn? Can anyone in Washington say with a straight face that these banks will shape up their business practices when they are almost guaranteed billions of dollars in taxpayer funds? Even if this does provide a temporary lifeline, it only delays the inevitable collapse of a banking system built on an unsustainable model. Fractional-reserve banking is completely dependent on faith in the banks’ abilities to repay depositors, and when that ability is thrown into doubt, the house of cards comes crashing down. The Federal Reserve may be able to manage public confidence, but confidence only goes so far. When banks are required to hold a maximum of ten percent of their deposits on reserve, the system is fundamentally insolvent. Such a system cannot be propped up or bailed out, except at the cost of massive creation of money and credit, which would result in a hyperinflation that would completely destroy our economy.

2009 Ron Paul 18:5
Chairman Bernanke and others in positions of authority seem to gloss over these systemic instabilities and assume an excessively rosy outlook on the economy. I believe we are at another major economic crossroad, where the global financial system will have to be fundamentally rethought. The post-Bretton Woods dollar standard system has proven remarkably resilient, lasting longer than the gold-exchange system which preceded it, but the current economic crisis has illustrated the unsustainability of the current dollar-based system. To think that the economy will begin to recover by the end of this year is absurd. The dollar’s supposed strength exists only because of the weakness of other currencies. The Fed’s increase of the monetary base and establishment of “temporary” funding facilities has set the stage for hyperinflation, and it remains to be seen what results.

2009 Ron Paul 18:6
If banks begin to lend their increased reserves, we will see the first steps towards hyperinflation. Now that the Fed has increased the monetary base, it finds itself under pressure to withdraw these funds at some point. The question, however, is when? If it withdraws too soon, banks’ balance sheets collapse, if too late, massive inflation will ensue. As in previous crises, the Fed’s inflationary actions leave it compelled to take action that will severely harm the economy through either deflation or hyperinflation. Had the Fed not begun interfering 18 months ago, we might have already seen a recovery in the economy by now. Bad debts would have been liquidated, inefficient firms sold off and their resources put to better use elsewhere. As it is, I believe any temporary uptick in economic indicators nowadays will likely be misinterpreted as economic recovery rather than the result of Federal Reserve credit creation. Until we learn the lesson that government intervention cannot heal the economy, and can only do harm, we will never stabilize the economy or get on the road to true recovery.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 19 THE TAXPAYER’S FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE ACT February 26, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 19:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the Taxpayers’ Freedom of Conscience Act, which forbids federal funds from being used for population control or “family planning.” The recent executive order allowing those who perform and/or promote abortion overseas to receive taxpayer money brings new urgency to the need to protect pro-life Americans from being forced to subsidize abortion.

2009 Ron Paul 19:2
It is not enough to say that “family planning” groups may not use federal funds to perform or promote abortion. After all, since money is fungible, federal funding of any activities of these organizations forces taxpayers to underwrite the organizations’ abortion activities. Thus, the Taxpayers’ Freedom of Conscience Act is the only way to protect taxpayers from having to support what they “disbelieve and abhor.”

2009 Ron Paul 19:3
Thomas Jefferson eloquently made the case for Taxpayer’s Freedom of Conscience Act when he said that: “To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”

2009 Ron Paul 19:4
I hope all my colleagues will join me in helping end the “sinful and tyrannical” policy of forcing pro-life Americans to subsidize, either directly or indirectly, abortion by cosponsoring the Taxpayer’s Freedom of Conscience Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 20 THE FEDERAL RESERVE TRANSPARENCY ACT February 26, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 20:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Federal Reserve Transparency Act. Throughout its nearly 100-year history, the Federal Reserve has presided over the near- complete destruction of the United States dollar. Since 1913 the dollar has lost over 95% of its purchasing power, aided and abetted by the Federal Reserve’s loose monetary policy. How long will we as a Congress stand idly by while hard-working Americans see their savings eaten away by inflation? Only big-spending politicians and politically favored bankers benefit from inflation.

2009 Ron Paul 20:2
Serious discussion of proposals to oversee the Federal Reserve is long overdue. I have been a longtime proponent of more effective oversight and auditing of the Fed, but I was far from the first Congressman to advocate these types of proposals. Esteemed former members of the Banking Committee such as Chairmen Wright Patman and Henry B. Gonzales were outspoken critics of the Fed and its lack of transparency.

2009 Ron Paul 20:3
Since its inception, the Federal Reserve has always operated in the shadows, without sufficient scrutiny or oversight of its operations. While the conventional excuse is that this is intended to reduce the Fed’s susceptibility to political pressures, the reality is that the Fed acts as a foil for the government. Whenever you question the Fed about the strength of the dollar, they will refer you to the Treasury, and vice versa. The Federal Reserve has, on the one hand, many of the privileges of government agencies, while retaining benefits of private organizations, such as being insulated from Freedom of Information Act requests.

2009 Ron Paul 20:4
The Federal Reserve can enter into agreements with foreign central banks and foreign governments, and the GAO is prohibited from auditing or even seeing these agreements. Why should a government-established agency, whose police force has federal law enforcement powers, and whose notes have legal tender status in this country, be allowed to enter into agreements with foreign powers and foreign banking institutions with no oversight? Particularly when hundreds of billions of dollars of currency swaps have been announced and implemented, the Fed’s negotiations with the European Central Bank, the Bank of International Settlements, and other institutions should face increased scrutiny, most especially because of their significant effect on foreign policy. If the State Department were able to do this, it would be characterized as a rogue agency and brought to heel, and if a private individual did this he might face prosecution under the Logan Act, yet the Fed avoids both fates.

2009 Ron Paul 20:5
More importantly, the Fed’s funding facilities and its agreements with the Treasury should be reviewed. The Treasury’s supplementary financing accounts that fund Fed facilities allow the Treasury to funnel money to Wall Street without GAO or Congressional oversight. Additional funding facilities, such as the Primary Dealer Credit Facility and the Term Securities Lending Facility, allow the Fed to keep financial asset prices artificially inflated and subsidize poorly performing financial firms.

2009 Ron Paul 20:6
The Federal Reserve Transparency Act would eliminate restrictions on GAO audits of the Federal Reserve and open Fed operations to enhanced scrutiny. We hear officials constantly lauding the benefits of transparency and especially bemoaning the opacity of the Fed, its monetary policy, and its funding facilities. By opening all Fed operations to a GAO audit and calling for such an audit to be completed by the end of 2010, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act would achieve much- needed transparency of the Federal Reserve. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 21 THE END IS NOT NEAR March 4, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 21:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, the end of the war is not near. I might ask, are the troops coming home from Iraq as promised? Not quite. Sixteen months is too quick, so the plan now is to do it in 34 months. The administration claims all the troops will be out of Iraq by the end of 2011. Sure they will.

2009 Ron Paul 21:2
We’re told that 50,000 U.S. troops will still be in Iraq in August of 2010, and we’re supposed to cheer. We’re told that they won’t be combat troops, so we’re to believe that means they won’t be exposed to any danger. If they are non-combat troops, does that mean they are bureaucrats, policemen, teachers or soldiers without weapons? This will hardly satisfy the Iraqis, who resent any foreign troops at all in their country. A U.S. puppet government protected by 50,000 American soldiers is not the road to peace.

2009 Ron Paul 21:3
Will the Iranian-friendly Shiite majority not be motivated to take advantage of the instability we have created?

2009 Ron Paul 21:4
Will the 100,000 Sunni militants we arm and subsidize continue to obey our wishes? It sounds to me like a powder keg exists with the indecisiveness of our Iraqi policy.

2009 Ron Paul 21:5
There is no intention to close the dozens of military bases that now exist. The world’s biggest embassy will remain in Baghdad and incite continued resentment toward the American occupation. Our soldiers will remain easy targets of the rightfully angry nationalists.

2009 Ron Paul 21:6
Our presence will serve as an incentive for al Qaeda to grow in numbers and motivate more suicide bombers. An indefinite presence, whether in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Pakistan, will continue to drain our financial resources, undermine our national defense, demoralize our military and exacerbate our financial crisis. All this will be welcomed by Osama Bin Laden, just as he planned it. It’s actually more than he had hoped for.

2009 Ron Paul 21:7
More likely the outcome will be that greater than 50,000 Americans will be in Iraq in August of 2010, especially when the contractors are counted. Violence will accelerate. We will be an occupier at the end of 2011, and we will remain a pariah in the Middle East.

2009 Ron Paul 21:8
The war in Afghanistan and Pakistan will be much bigger, unless the dollar follows the path of the dollar-based world financial system and collapses into runaway inflation. In this case, the laws of economics and the realities of history will prove superior to the madness of maintaining a world empire financed by scraps of paper.

2009 Ron Paul 21:9
Our military prowess, backed by a nuclear arsenal, will not suffice in overcoming the tragedy of a currency crisis. Soviet nukes did not preserve its empire or the communist economy.

2009 Ron Paul 21:10
This crisis demands that we quickly come to our senses and reject the foreign policy of interventionism. Neither credit coming from a Federal Reserve computer nor dollars coming from a printing press can bail us out of this mess. Only the rule of law, commodity money and liberty can do that.

2009 Ron Paul 21:11
Mr. Speaker, let’s consider reinstating the Constitution before it’s too late.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 22 INTRODUCTION OF BILLS TO HELP THE UNEMPLOYED March 4, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 22:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing two pieces of legislation to help the increasing number of Americans who, because of the recession, have lost their jobs. The first bill, the Unemployed Tax Relief Act, makes a laid-off worker’s last paycheck tax free.

2009 Ron Paul 22:2
The second bill, the Unemployment Assistance Act, allows unemployed people to make penalty-free withdrawals from accounts such as Roth IRAs and 401(k)s, to cover living expenses, health care, education, and job training expenses. People who make these penalty- free withdrawals while unemployed will be able to replenish their accounts once they have started new jobs.

2009 Ron Paul 22:3
Madam Speaker, while we may disagree about the best solutions to the economic crisis gripping the nation, I hope my colleagues will at least agree on these commonsense measures and cosponsor the Unemployed Tax Relief Act and the Unemployment Assistance Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 23 STATEMENT ON INTRODUCING THE SUNLIGHT RULE March 5, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 23:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis famously said, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” In order to shine sunlight on the practices of the House of Representatives, and thus restore public trust and integrity to this institution, I am introducing the sunlight rule, which amends House rules to ensure that members have adequate time to study a bill before being asked to vote on it. One of the chief causes of increasing public cynicism regarding Congress is the way major pieces of legislation are brought to the floor without members having an opportunity to read the bills. For example, the over-one-thousand page economic stimulus bill was first posted on the Internet at 12:30 a.m. the night before the vote. Obviously, this did not give individual members of Congress adequate time to review what is certainly one of, if not the, most significant pieces of legislation that Congress will consider this year.

2009 Ron Paul 23:2
My proposed rule requires that no piece of legislation, including conference reports, can be brought before the House of Representatives unless it has been available to members and staff in both print and electronic version for at least ten days. My bill also requires that a manager’s amendment that makes substantive changes to a bill be available in both printed and electronic forms at least 72 hours before voted on. While manager’s amendments are usually reserved for technical changes, oftentimes manager’s amendments contain substantive additions to or subtractions from bills. Members should be made aware of such changes before being asked to vote on a bill.

2009 Ron Paul 23:3
The sunlight rule provides the people the opportunity to be involved in enforcing the rule by allowing a citizen to petition for an Office of Congressional Ethics investigation into any House Member who votes for a bill brought to the floor in violation of this act. The sunlight rule can never be waived by the Committee on Rules or House leadership. If an attempt is made to bring a bill to the floor in violation of this rule, any member could raise a point of order requiring the bill to be immediately pulled from the House calendar until it can be brought to the floor in a manner consistent with this rule.

2009 Ron Paul 23:4
Madam Speaker, the practice of rushing bills to the floor before individual members have had a chance to study the bills is one of the major factors contributing to public distrust of Congress. Voting on bills before members have had time to study them makes a mockery of representative government and cheats the voters who sent us here to make informed decisions on public policy. Adopting the sunlight rule is one of, if not the, most important changes to the House rules this Congress could make to restore public trust in, and help preserve the integrity of, this institution. I hope my colleagues will support this change to the House rules.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 24 EARMARKS March 10, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 24:1
Mr. PAUL. I would like to address the subject of earmarks today. I think there’s a lot of misunderstanding here among the Members as to exactly what it means to vote against an earmark. It’s very popular today to condemn earmarks, and even hold up legislation because of this.

2009 Ron Paul 24:2
The truth is that if you removed all the earmarks from the budget, you would remove 1 percent of the budget. So there’s not a lot of savings. But, even if you voted against all the earmarks actually, you don’t even save the 1 percent because you don’t save any money.

2009 Ron Paul 24:3
What is done is, those earmarks are removed, and some of them are very wasteful and unnecessary, but that money then goes to the executive branch. So, in many ways, what we are doing here in the Congress is reneging on our responsibilities, because it is the responsibility of the Congress to earmark. That is our job. We are supposed to tell the people how we are spending the money, not to just deliver it in a lump sum to the executive branch and let them deal with it, and then it’s dealt with behind the scenes.

2009 Ron Paul 24:4
Actually, if you voted against all the earmarks, there would be less transparency. Earmarks really allow transparency, and we know exactly where the money is being spent.

2009 Ron Paul 24:5
The big issue is the spending. If you don’t like the spending, vote against the bill. But the principle of earmarking is something that we have to think about, because we are just further undermining the responsibilities that we have here in the Congress.

2009 Ron Paul 24:6
If we want to get things under control, it won’t be because we vote against an earmark and make a big deal of attacking earmarks because it doesn’t address the subject. In reality, what we need are more earmarks.

2009 Ron Paul 24:7
Just think of the $350 billion that we recently appropriated and gave to the Treasury Department. Now everybody’s running around and saying, Well, we don’t know where the money went. We just gave it to them in a lump sum. We should have earmarked everything. It should have been designated where the money is going.

2009 Ron Paul 24:8
So, instead of too many earmarks, we don’t have enough earmarks. Transparency is the only way we can get to the bottom of this. And if you make everything earmarked, it would be much better.

2009 Ron Paul 24:9
The definition of an earmark is very, very confusing. If you would vote to support the embassy, which came up to nearly $1 billion in Baghdad, that is not called an earmark. But if you have an earmark for a highway or a building here in the United States, that is called an earmark. If you vote for a weapons system, it would support and help a certain district, and that’s not considered an earmark.

2009 Ron Paul 24:10
When people are yelling and screaming about getting rid of earmarks, they’re not talking about getting rid of weapons systems or building buildings and bridges and highways in foreign countries. They are only talking about when it’s designated that certain money would be spent a certain way in this country.

2009 Ron Paul 24:11
Ultimately, where we really need some supervision and some earmarks are the trillions of dollars spent by the Federal Reserve. They get to create their money out of thin air, and spend it. They have no responsibility to tell us anything. Under the law, they are excluded from telling us where and what they do.

2009 Ron Paul 24:12
So, we neglect telling the Treasury how to spend TARP money, and then we complain about how they do it. But just think literally; the Treasury is miniscule compared to what the Federal Reserve does.

2009 Ron Paul 24:13
The Treasury gets hundreds of billions, which is huge, of course, and then we neglect to talk about the Federal Reserve, where they are creating money out of thin air, and supporting all their friends and taking care of certain banks and certain corporations. This, to me, has to be addressed.

2009 Ron Paul 24:14
I have introduced a bill, it’s called H.R. 1207, and this would remove the restriction on us to find out what the Federal Reserve is doing. Today, the Federal Reserve under the law is not required to tell us anything. So all my bill does is remove this restriction and say, Look, Federal Reserve, you have a lot of power. You have too much power. You’re spending a lot of money. You’re taking care of people that we have no idea what you’re doing. We, in the Congress, have a responsibility to know exactly what you’re doing.

2009 Ron Paul 24:15
This bill, H.R. 1207, will allow us for once and for all to have some supervision of the Federal Reserve. They are exempt from telling us anything, and they have stiffed us already. There have been lawsuits filed over the Freedom of Information Act. Believe me, they are not going to work, because the law protects the Federal Reserve.

2009 Ron Paul 24:16
The Constitution doesn’t protect the Federal Reserve. The Constitution protects the people to know exactly what is going on. We should enforce the Constitution. We should not enforce these laws that protect a secret bank that gets to create this money out of thin air.

2009 Ron Paul 24:17
So, the sooner we in the Congress wake up to our responsibilities, understand what earmarks are all about, and understand why we need a lot more earmarks, then we will come to our senses, because we might then have a more sensible monetary and banking system, the system that has brought us to this calamity. So, the sooner we realize that, I think it would be better for the taxpayer.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 25 THRIFT SAVINGS FUND IMPROVEMENT ACT March 10, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 25:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Thrift Savings Fund Improvement Act. This legislation expands the investment options available to congressional and other federal employees by creating a precious metals investment fund in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). Adding a precious metals fund to the TSP will enhance the plan’s ability to offer congressional employees a wide range of investment options that can provide financial security even during difficult economic conditions.

2009 Ron Paul 25:2
The Thrift Savings Plan is one of the most important benefits offered to congressional employees. A strong TSP can obviously play a key role in attracting and retaining talented individuals to serve in the legislative branch. Adding a precious metals option will strengthen the TSP. In the last year, the price of gold rose by 5.5 percent while the Dow Jones experienced one of its worst years ever, falling by 33.8 percent, while the NASDQ declined by 40.5 percent!

2009 Ron Paul 25:3
Recent gains aside, precious metals have a number of features that make them a sound part of a prudent investment strategy. In particular, inflation does not erode the value of precious metals is not eroded over time. Thus, precious metals can serve as a valuable “inflation hedge.” Precious metals also maintain, or even increase, their value during times of stock market instability, such as what the country is currently experiencing. Thus, investments in precious metals can help ensure that an investment portfolio maintains its value during times of economic instability.

2009 Ron Paul 25:4
Federal employees could greatly benefit from the protection against inflation and economic downturns provided by prudent investments in precious metals. I, therefore, once again urge my colleagues to cosponsor the Thrift Savings Fund Improvement Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 26 THE FREEDOM TO BANK ACT March 10, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 26:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce legislation repealing two unconstitutional and paternalistic federal financial regulations. First, this legislation repeals a federal regulation that limits the number of withdrawals someone can make from a savings account in a month’s time without being assessed financial penalties. As hard as it is to believe, the federal government actually forces banks to punish people for accessing their own savings too many times in a month. This bill also repeals a regulation that requires bank customers to receive a written monthly financial statement from their banks, regardless of whether the customer wants such a communication.

2009 Ron Paul 26:2
These regulations exceed Congress’s constitutional powers and violate individual property and contract rights. Furthermore, these regulations insult Americans by treating them as children who are unable to manage their own affairs without federal control. I urge my colleagues to show their respect for the Constitution and the American people by cosponsoring the Freedom to Bank Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 27 INTRODUCING THE CHILD HEALTH CARE AFFORDABILITY ACT March 12, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 27:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to help working Americans provide for their children’s health care needs by introducing the Child Health Care Affordability Act. The Child Health Care Affordability Act provides parents with a tax credit of up to $500 for health care expenses of dependent children. Parents caring for a child with a disability, terminal disease, cancer, or any other health condition requiring specialized care would receive a tax credit of up to $3,000 to help cover their child’s health care expenses.

2009 Ron Paul 27:2
The tax credit would be available to all citizens, regardless of whether or not they itemize their deductions. The credit applies against both income and payroll tax liability. The tax credits provided in this bill will be especially helpful to those Americans whose employers cannot afford to provide health insurance for their employees. These workers must struggle to meet the medical bills of themselves and their families. This burden is especially heavy on parents whose children have a medical condition, such as cancer or a physical disability, that requires long-term or specialized health care.

2009 Ron Paul 27:3
As an OB–GYN who has had the privilege of delivering more than four thousand babies, I know how important it is that parents have the resources to provide adequate health care for their children. The inability of many working Americans to provide health care for their children is rooted in one of the great inequities of the tax code – Congress’s failure to allow individuals the same ability to deduct health care costs that it grants to businesses. As a direct result of Congress’s refusal to provide individuals with health care related tax credits, parents whose employers do not provide health insurance have to struggle to provide health care for their children. Many of these parents work in low-income jobs; oftentimes, their only recourse for health care is the local emergency room.

2009 Ron Paul 27:4
Sometimes parents are forced to delay seeking care for their children until minor health concerns that could have been easily treated become serious problems requiring expensive treatment. If these parents had access to the type of tax credits provided in the Child Health Care Affordability Act, they would be better able to provide care for their children, and our nation’s already overcrowded emergency rooms would be relieved of the burden of having to provide routine care for people who otherwise cannot afford it.

2009 Ron Paul 27:5
According to research on the effects of this bill done by my staff and legislative counsel, the benefit of these tax credits would begin to be felt by joint filers with incomes slightly above $18,000 dollars per year, or single income filers with incomes slightly above $15,000 dollars per year. Clearly, this bill will be of the most benefit to low-income Americans balancing the demands of taxation with the needs of their children.

2009 Ron Paul 27:6
Under the Child Health Care Affordability Act, a struggling single mother with an asthmatic child would at last be able to provide for her child’s needs, while a working-class family will not have to worry about how they will pay the bills if one of their children requires lengthy hospitalization or some other form of specialized care.

2009 Ron Paul 27:7
Madam Speaker, this Congress has a moral responsibility to provide tax relief so that low- income parents struggling to care for a sick child can better meet their child’s medical expenses. Some may say that we cannot enact the Child Health Care Affordability Act because it would cause the government to lose revenue. But, who is more deserving of this money, Congress or the working parents of a sick child?

2009 Ron Paul 27:8
The Child Health Care Affordability Act takes a major step toward helping working Americans meet their health care needs by providing them with generous health care related tax cuts and tax credits. I urge my colleagues to support the pro-family, pro-health care tax cuts contained in the Child Health Care Affordability Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 28 COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE REFORM ACT March 12, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 28:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, America faces a crisis in health care. Health care costs continue to rise while physicians and patients struggle under the control of managed-care “gatekeepers.” Obviously, fundamental health care reform should be one of Congress’ top priorities.

2009 Ron Paul 28:2
Unfortunately, most health care “reform” proposals either make marginal changes or exacerbate the problem. This is because they fail to address the root of the problem with health care, which is that government polices encourage excessive reliance on third-party payers. The excessive reliance on third-party payers removes all incentive from individual patients to concern themselves with health care costs. Laws and policies promoting Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) resulted from a desperate attempt to control spiraling costs. However, instead of promoting an efficient health care system, HMOs further took control over health care away from the individual patient and physician.

2009 Ron Paul 28:3
Returning control over health care to the individual is the key to true health care reform. The Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act puts control of health care back into the hands of the individual through tax credits, tax deductions, improving Health Savings Accounts, and Flexible Savings Accounts. Specifically, the Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act:

2009 Ron Paul 28:4
A. Provides all Americans with a tax credit for 100 percent of health care expenses. The tax credit is fully refundable against both income and payroll taxes;

2009 Ron Paul 28:5
B. Allows individuals to roll over unused amounts in cafeteria plans and Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA);

2009 Ron Paul 28:6
C. Provides a tax credit for premiums for a high-deductible insurance policy connected with a Health Savings Account (HSA) and allows seniors to use funds in an HSA to pay for a medigap policy;

2009 Ron Paul 28:7
D. Repeals the 7.5 percent threshold for the deduction of medical expenses, thus making all medical expenses tax deductible.

2009 Ron Paul 28:8
By providing a wide range of options, this bill allows individual Americans to choose the method of financing health care that best suits their individual needs. Increasing frustration with the current health care system is leading more and more Americans to embrace this approach to health care reform. I hope all my colleagues will join this effort to put individuals back in control of health care by cosponsoring the Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 29 INTRODUCING THE QUALITY HEALTH CARE COALITION ACT March 12, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 29:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the Quality Health Care Coalition Act which takes a first step towards restoring a true free market in health care by restoring the rights of freedom of contract and association to health care professionals. For over a decade, we have had much debate in Congress about the difficulties medical professionals and patients are having with Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). HMOs are devices used by insurance industries to ration health care. While it is politically popular for members of Congress to bash the HMOs and the insurance industry, the growth of the HMOs are rooted in past government interventions in the health care market though the tax code, the Employment Retirement Security Act (ERSIA), and the federal anti-trust laws. These interventions took control of the health care dollar away from individual patients and providers, thus making it inevitable that something like the HMOs would emerge as a means to control costs.

2009 Ron Paul 29:2
Many of my well-meaning colleagues would deal with the problems created by the HMOs by expanding the federal government’s control over the health care market. These interventions will inevitably drive up the cost of health care and further erode the ability of patents and providers to determine the best health treatments free of government and third-party interference. In contrast, the Quality Health Care Coalition Act addresses the problems associated with HMOs by restoring medical professionals’ freedom to form voluntary organizations for the purpose of negotiating contracts with an HMO or an insurance company.

2009 Ron Paul 29:3
As an OB–GYN who spent over 30 years practicing medicine, I am well aware of how young physicians coming out of medical school feel compelled to sign contracts with HMOs that may contain clauses that compromise their professional integrity. For example, many physicians are contractually forbidden from discussing all available treatment options with their patients because the HMO gatekeeper has deemed certain treatment options too expensive. In my own practice, I tried hard not to sign contracts with any health insurance company that infringed on my ability to practice medicine in the best interests of my patients and I always counseled my professional colleagues to do the same. Unfortunately, because of the dominance of the HMO in today’s health care market, many health care professionals cannot sustain a medical practice unless they agree to conform their practice to the dictates of some HMO.

2009 Ron Paul 29:4
One way health care professionals could counter the power of the HMOs would be to form a voluntary association for the purpose of negotiating with an HMO or an insurance company. However, health care professionals who attempt to form such a group run the risk of persecution under federal anti-trust laws. This not only reduces the ability of health care professionals to negotiate with HMOs on a level playing field, but also constitutes an unconstitutional violation of medical professionals’ freedom of contract and association.

2009 Ron Paul 29:5
Under the United States Constitution, the federal government has no authority to interfere with the private contracts of American citizens. Furthermore, the prohibitions on contracting contained in the Sherman antitrust laws are based on a flawed economic theory which holds that federal regulators can improve upon market outcomes by restricting the rights of certain market participants deemed too powerful by the government. In fact, anti- trust laws harm consumers by preventing the operation of the free-market, causing prices to rise, quality to suffer, and, as is certainly the case with the relationship between the HMOs and medical professionals, favoring certain industries over others.

2009 Ron Paul 29:6
By restoring the freedom of medical professionals to voluntarily come together to negotiate as a group with HMOs and insurance companies, this bill removes a government-imposed barrier to a true free market in health care. Of course, this bill does not infringe on the rights of health care professionals by forcing them to join a bargaining organization against their will. While Congress should protect the rights of all Americans to join organizations for the purpose of bargaining collectively, Congress also has a moral responsibility to ensure that no worker is forced by law to join or financially support such an organization.

2009 Ron Paul 29:7
Madam Speaker, it is my hope that Congress will not only remove the restraints on medical professionals’ freedom of contract, but will also empower patients to control their health care by passing my Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act. The Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act puts individuals back in charge of their own health care by providing Americans with large tax credits and tax deductions for their health care expenses, including a deduction for premiums for a high-deductible insurance policy purchased in combination with a Health Savings Account. Putting individuals back in charge of their own health care decisions will enable patients to work with providers to ensure they receive the best possible health care at the lowest possible price. If providers and patients have the ability to form the contractual arrangements that they find most beneficial to them, the HMO monster will wither on the vine without the imposition of new federal regulations on the insurance industry.

2009 Ron Paul 29:8
In conclusion, I urge my colleagues to support the Quality Health Care Coalition Act and restore the freedom of contract and association to America’s health care professionals. I also urge my colleagues to join me in working to promote a true free market in health care by putting patients back in charge of the health care dollar by supporting my Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 30 TREAT PHYSICIANS FAIRLY ACT March 12, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 30:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Treat Physicians Fairly Act, legislation providing tax credits to physicians to compensate for the costs of providing uncompensated care. This legislation helps compensate medical professionals for the costs imposed on them by federal laws forcing doctors to provide uncompensated medical care. The legislation also provides a tax deduction for hospitals who incur costs related to providing uncompensated care.

2009 Ron Paul 30:2
Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) physicians who work in emergency rooms, as well as the hospitals, are required to provide care without seeking compensation to anyone who comes into an emergency room. Thus, EMTALA forces medical professionals and hospitals to bear the entire cost of caring for the indigent. According to the June 2/9, 2003 edition of AM News, emergency physicians lose an average of $138,000 per year because of EMTALA. EMTALA also forces physicians and hospitals to follow costly rules and regulations, and can be fined $50,000 for failure to be in technical compliance with EMTALA!

2009 Ron Paul 30:3
Forcing physicians to offer their services without providing any form of compensation is a blatant violation of the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment. After all, the professional skills with which one earns a living are a form of property. Therefore, legislation, such as EMTALA, which forces individuals to use their professional skills without compensation is a taking of private property. Regardless of whether the federal government has the constitutional authority to establish programs providing free-or-reduced health care for the indignant, the clear language of the takings clause prevents Congress from placing the entire burden of these programs on the medical profession.

2009 Ron Paul 30:4
Ironically, the perceived need to force doctors to provide medical care is itself the result of prior government interventions into the health care market. When I began practicing, it was common for doctors to provide uncompensated care as a matter of charity. However, government laws and regulations inflating the cost of medical services and imposing unreasonable liability standards on medical professionals even when they where acting in a volunteer capacity made offering free care cost prohibitive. At the same time, the increased health care costs associated with the government-facilitated over-reliance in third party payments priced more and more people out of the health care market. Thus, the government responded to problems created by their interventions by imposing EMTALA mandate on physicians, in effect making the health care profession scapegoats for the unintended consequences of failed government health care policies.

2009 Ron Paul 30:5
EMTALA itself is having unintended consequences that could result in less care availability for low-income Americans at emergency rooms. This is because EMTALA provides a disincentive for physicians from offering any emergency care. Many physicians have told me in my district that they are considering curtailing their practices, in part because of the costs associated with the EMTALA mandates. Many other physicians are even counseling younger people against entering the medical profession because of the way the federal government treats medical professionals! The tax credit of the Treat Physicians Fairly Act will help mitigate some of these unintended consequences.

2009 Ron Paul 30:6
The Treat Physicians Fairly Act does not remove any of EMTALA’s mandates; it simply provides that physicians can receive a tax credit for the costs of providing uncompensated care. This is a small step toward restoring fairness to the physicians. Furthermore, by providing some compensation in the form of tax credits, the Treat Physicians Fairly Act helps remove the disincentives to remaining active in the medical profession built into the current EMTALA law. I hope my colleagues will take the first step toward removing the unconstitutional burden of providing uncompensated care by cosponsoring the Treat Physicians Fairly Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 31 INTRODUCING THE NURSING HOME EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ACT March 12, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 31:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Nursing Home Emergency Assistance Act. This act makes private, for-profit nursing homes eligible for the same federal aid as is currently available to public nursing homes. Under current federal law, only public nursing homes may receive federal disaster assistance. However, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes do not distinguish between private and public, or for-profit and not-for- profit, nursing homes.

2009 Ron Paul 31:2
As I have recently seen in my district, all nursing homes face unique challenges coping with natural disasters and their aftermaths. It is not fair to the taxpayers who work in, reside in, or have entrusted the care of their loved ones to, a private nursing home that private nursing homes are denied the same federal aid available to their public counterparts. Mr. Speaker, the Nursing Home Emergency Assistance Act ensures all residents of nursing homes can benefit from federal disaster aid. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 32 INTRODUCTION OF THE FREEDOM FROM UNNECESSARY LITIGATION ACT March 12, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 32:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the Freedom from Unnecessary Litagation Act. As its title suggests, this bill provides an effective means of ensuring that those harmed during medical treatment receive fair compensation while reducing the burden of costly malpractice litigation on the health care system. This bill achieves its goal by providing a tax credit for negative outcomes insurance purchased before medical treatment. The insurance will provide compensation for any negative outcomes of the medical treatment. Patients can receive this insurance without having to go through lengthy litigation and without having to give away a large portion of their award to a trial lawyer.

2009 Ron Paul 32:2
Relying on negative outcomes insurance instead of litigation will also reduce the costs imposed on physicians, other health care providers, and hospitals by malpractice litigation. The Freedom from Unnecessary Litigation Act also promotes effective solutions to the malpractice crisis by making malpractice awards obtained through binding, voluntary arbitration tax-free.

2009 Ron Paul 32:3
The malpractice crisis has contributed to the closing of a maternity ward in Philadelphia and a trauma center in Nevada. Several years ago, surgeons in West Virginia actually walked away from their jobs to protest increasing liability rates. These are a few of the examples of how access to quality health care is jeopardized by the epidemic of large, and medically questionable, malpractice awards, and the resulting increase in insurance rates.

2009 Ron Paul 32:4
As is typical of Washington, most of the proposed solutions to the malpractice problem involve unconstitutional usurpations of areas best left to the states. These solutions also ignore the root cause of the litigation crisis: the shift away from treating the doctor-patient relationship as a contractual one to viewing it as one governed by regulations imposed by insurance company functionaries, politicians, government bureaucrats, and trial lawyers. There is no reason why questions of the assessment of liability and compensation cannot be determined by a private contractual agreement between physicians and patients. The Freedom from Unnecessary Litigation Act is designed to take a step toward resolving these problems through private contracts.

2009 Ron Paul 32:5
Using insurance, private contracts, and binding arbitration to resolve medical disputes benefits patients, who receive full compensation in a timelier manner than under the current system. It also benefits physicians and hospitals, which are relieved of the costs associated with litigation. Since it will not cost as much to provide full compensation to an injured patient, these bills should result in a reduction of malpractice premiums. The Freedom from Unnecessary Litigation Act benefits everybody except those trial lawyers who profit from the current system. I hope all my colleagues will help end the malpractice crises while ensuring those harmed by medical injuries receive just compensation by cosponsoring my Freedom from Unnecessary Litigation Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 33 Statement in Opposition to HR 1388 - National Service March 18, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 33:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Chair, I rise to oppose HR 1388. The idea that it is legitimate for the federal government to take money from one group of citizens and use that money to bribe other citizens into performing “national service” violates the basic moral principles of individual liberty that this country was founded upon.

2009 Ron Paul 33:2
I would make three points to those of my colleagues who try to justify this bill by saying that participation in the programs are voluntary. First, participation in the program is not voluntary for the taxpayers. Second, nothing in the bill prevents federal taxpayer dollars from being used to support state and local programs that force children to perform “community service” as a condition of graduating from high school. Because an increasing number of schools across the nation are forcing children to provide “service” as a condition of graduating, it is quite likely that the funds authorized by this bill will be used to support mandatory service. Third, and most importantly, by legitimizing the idea that it is an appropriate role for the government to promote “service,” legislation such as H.R. 1388 opens the door for mandatory national service. Today, influential voices in both major parties are calling for a national program of mandatory service as well as a resumption of the military draft. With the increased need for more troops for the administration’s expanded military adventurism in Afghanistan, as well as the continuing movement to conscript young people not eligible for military service to serve the government at home, can anyone doubt that this bill is only the down payment on a much larger program of mandatory national service?

2009 Ron Paul 33:3
The moral case against national service was eloquently expressed by former President Ronald Reagan in the publication Human Events in 1979: “. . . it [national service and conscription] rests on the assumption that your kids belong to the state. If we buy that assumption then it is for the state – not for parents, the community, the religious institutions or teachers – to decide who shall have what values and who shall do what work, when, where and how in our society. That assumption isn’t a new one. The Nazis thought it was a great idea.”

2009 Ron Paul 33:4
Mr. Chair, millions of Americans including many young people, are already volunteering their time and talents to help their fellow citizens and better their communities without being bribed by the government. In fact, to suggest that the young Americans need a federal check as an incentive to volunteer is an insult to the American people. I hope all my colleagues to join me in standing up for individual liberty, the great American tradition of true volunteerism, and the Constitution by opposing H.R. 1388.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 34 Blame Congress For Results March 19, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 34:1
Mr. PAUL. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

2009 Ron Paul 34:2
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this rule as well as the bill because of the lack of need for this and the disgrace that this has brought upon us.

2009 Ron Paul 34:3
Yesterday, for instance, the Federal Reserve met and they came out and announced that they would create new money to the tune of $1.25 trillion. The dollar promptly went down 3 percent, and today it went down another 1.5 percent. And today on emergency legislation, we’re going to deal with $165 million worth of bonuses, which obviously should have never been given. But who’s responsible for this? It’s the Congress and the President, who signed this.

2009 Ron Paul 34:4
So this is a distraction. This is an outrage so everybody can go home that voted for this bill and say, look, I am clamping down on this $165 million but I don’t care about the previous $5 trillion the Fed created and the $1.25 trillion they created yesterday.

2009 Ron Paul 34:5
Think of the loss in purchasing power in less than 24 hours. And we think that we can solve this problem. We first appropriate, unconstitutionally, $350 billion. We give it to the Treasury. We have no strings attached. And then you have an unintended consequence; so we express this outrage. And at the same time, what do we do? We come along and we now propose that we pass a bill of attainder. So we do things that are unconstitutional. They have an unintended consequence. So what is our solution? To further undermine the Constitution.

2009 Ron Paul 34:6
A line should be drawn in the sand. Let’s quit appropriating funds in an unconstitutional manner. Let’s quit bankrupting this country. Let’s quit destroying our dollar.

2009 Ron Paul 34:7
If you really want to do something, you ought to consider H.R. 1207, which would monitor and make the Fed answer questions. I understand the Fed and the Treasury were involved in a lot of these antics, and yet the Fed is not even required to answer any questions.

2009 Ron Paul 34:8
So it’s about time we have an open book about the Federal Reserve and solve some of these problems.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 35 Blame Congress For Bonuses March 19, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 35:1
Mr. PAUL. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

2009 Ron Paul 35:2
Today, there is a lot of expression of outrage – and indeed, there should be.

2009 Ron Paul 35:3
I don’t believe that this resolution really addresses the real problem that we have. It looks like it’s giving the administration an excuse by saying that he is only doing what we have asked him to do, and the administration. And in many ways this is true. The real fault, I think, falls within the Congress ever giving this money and allowing this to happen. But to excuse the administration and then complain about these bonuses and think that that can solve our problems, it just won’t do that.

2009 Ron Paul 35:4
The real outrage, I think, is the lack of monitoring of what we do; we give out money, we have no strings attached, we give out hundreds of billions of dollars, and we totally ignore what the Federal Reserve does by issuing literally trillions of dollars. And yet, this is the emergency legislation.

2009 Ron Paul 35:5
This is politically driven, I happen to believe. I think people would like to express their outrage, and they do. And it’s an easy target, picking on AIG, but we create these problems; we create them by doing things that are unconstitutional. We come up with these schemes and these expressions and excuses, and at the same time, we don’t address the subject of why do we spend money, and why do we allow a monetary system to operate without any supervision by the Congress? That’s where our real problem is. And someday we will address that and deal with this rather than doing it in the political way of saying, well, it’s not our fault, it’s their fault.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 36 INTRODUCTION OF THE CURES CAN BE FOUND ACT March 19, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 36:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Cures Can Be Found Act. This legislation promotes medical research by providing a tax credit for investments and donations to promote adult and umbilical cord blood stem cell research, and provides a $2,000 tax credit to new parents for the donation of umbilical cord blood that can be used to extract stem cells.

2009 Ron Paul 36:2
Mr. Speaker, stem cell research has the potential to revolutionize medicine. Stem cells could hold the keys to curing many diseases afflicting millions of Americans, such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Umbilical cord blood stem cells have already been used to treat over 70 diseases, including sickle cell disease, leukemia, and osteoporosis. Umbilical cord blood stem cells have also proven useful in treating spinal cord injuries and certain neurological disorders. Adult stem cells have shown promise in treating a wide variety of diseases ranging from brain, breast, testicular, and other types of cancers to multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, heart damage, and rheumatoid arthritis.

2009 Ron Paul 36:3
By providing tax incentives for adult and umbilical cord blood stem cell research, the Cures Can Be Found Act will ensure greater resources are devoted to this valuable research. The tax credit for donations of umbilical cord blood will ensure that medical science has a continuous supply of stem cells. Thus, this bill will help scientists discover new cures using stem cells and, hopefully, make routine the use of stem cells to treat formerly incurable diseases.

2009 Ron Paul 36:4
By encouraging private medical research, the Cures Can Be Found Act enhances a tradition of private medical research that is responsible for many medical breakthroughs. For example, Jonas Salk, discoverer of the polio vaccine, did not receive one dollar from the federal government for his efforts. I urge my colleagues to help the American people support the efforts of future Jonas Salks by cosponsoring the Cures Can Be Found Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 37 GENERATIONS INVIGORATING VOLUNTEERISM AND EDUCATION ACT March 19, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 37:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Chair, I rise to oppose H.R. 1388. The idea that it is legitimate for the federal government to take money from one group of citizens and use that money to bribe other citizens into performing “national service” violates the basic moral principles of individual liberty that this country was founded upon.

2009 Ron Paul 37:2
I would make three points to those of my colleagues who try to justify this bill by saying that participation in the programs are voluntary. First, participation in the program is not voluntary for the taxpayers. Second, nothing in the bill prevents federal taxpayer dollars from being used to support state and local programs that force children to perform “community service” as a condition of graduating from high school. Because an increasing number of schools across the nation are forcing children to provide “service” as a condition of graduating, it is quite likely that the funds authorized by this bill will be used to support mandatory service. Third, and most importantly, by legitimizing the idea that it is an appropriate role for the government to promote “service,” legislation such as H.R. 1388 opens the door for mandatory national service. Today, influential voices in both major parties are calling for a national program of mandatory service as well as a resumption of the military draft. With the increased need for more troops for the administration’s expanded military adventurism in Afghanistan, as well as the continuing movement to conscript young people not eligible for military service to serve the government at home, can anyone doubt that this bill is only the down payment on a much larger program of mandatory national service?

2009 Ron Paul 37:3
The moral case against national service was eloquently expressed by former President Ronald Reagan in the publication Human Events in 1979: “. . . it [national service and conscription] rests on the assumption that your kids belong to the state. If we buy that assumption then it is for the state – not for parents, the community, the religious institutions or teachers – to decide who shall have what values and who shall do what work, when, where and how in our society. That assumption isn’t a new one. The Nazis thought it was a great idea.”

2009 Ron Paul 37:4
Mr. Chair, millions of Americans including many young people, are already volunteering their time and talents to help their fellow citizens and better their communities without being bribed by the government. In fact, to suggest that the young Americans need a federal check as an incentive to volunteer is an insult to the American people. I hope all my colleagues to join me in standing up for individual liberty, the great American tradition of true volunteerism, and the Constitution by opposing H.R. 1388.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 38 INTRODUCING THE ENERGY EFFICIENT AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AUTOMOBILE TAX CREDIT ACT March 26, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 38:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Energy Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Automobile Tax Credit Act, legislation that will help Americans reduce pollution and the amount they pay for gas. My legislation accomplishes these important goals by providing Americans a tax credit of up to $2,000 when they sell or trade in a car and obtain a vehicle that has at least a 20% higher average fuel economy than the sold or traded- in car. The bill also creates a federal tax deduction for any state or local taxes paid on the purchase of the more fuel-efficient automobile and makes interest on loans to purchase the more fuel-efficient automobile tax deductible.

2009 Ron Paul 38:2
This legislation will help Americans reduce the amount they pay to fill up their cars by making it easier for them to obtain more fuel- efficient cars. I hope my colleagues would agree that Congress should provide free market incentives to make it easier for Americans to exchange their current cars for cars that create less pollution.

2009 Ron Paul 38:3
Providing tax deductions and tax credits to make it easier for Americans to purchase fuel- efficient automobiles is a win for American consumers, a win for the environment, and a win for those of us who favor free market solutions to pollution and high gas prices. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 39 Statement on Comprehensive Healthcare Reform Act March 26, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 39:1
Madame Speaker, America faces a crisis in health care. Health care costs continue to rise while physicians and patients struggle under the control of managed-care “gatekeepers.” Obviously, fundamental health care reform should be one of Congress’ top priorities.

2009 Ron Paul 39:2
Unfortunately, most health care “reform” proposals either make marginal changes or exacerbate the problem. This is because they fail to address the root of the problem with health care, which is that government polices encourage excessive reliance on third-party payers. The excessive reliance on third-party payers removes all incentive from individual patients to concern themselves with health care costs. Laws and policies promoting Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) resulted from a desperate attempt to control spiraling costs. However, instead of promoting an efficient health care system, HMOs further took control over health care away from the individual patient and physician.

2009 Ron Paul 39:3
Returning control over health care to the individual is the key to true health care reform. The Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act puts control of health care back into the hands of the individual through tax credits, tax deductions, improving Health Savings Accounts, and Flexible Savings Accounts. Specifically, the Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act:

2009 Ron Paul 39:4
A. Provides all Americans with a tax credit for 100% of health care expenses. The tax credit is fully refundable against both income and payroll taxes;

2009 Ron Paul 39:5
B. Allows individuals to roll over unused amounts in cafeteria plans and Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA);

2009 Ron Paul 39:6
C. Provides a tax credit for premiums for a high-deductible insurance policy connected with a Health Savings Account (HSA) and allows seniors to use funds in an HSA to pay for a medigap policy;

2009 Ron Paul 39:7
D. Repeals the 7.5% threshold for the deduction of medical expenses, thus making all medical expenses tax deductible.

2009 Ron Paul 39:8
By providing a wide range of options, this bill allows individual Americans to choose the method of financing health care that best suits their individual needs. Increasing frustration with the current health care system is leading more and more Americans to embrace this approach to health care reform. I hope all my colleagues will join this effort to put individuals back in control of health care by cosponsoring the Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 40 RECOGNIZING 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF EGYPT-ISRAEL PEACE TREATY March 30, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 40:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in reluctant opposition to this resolution. I do so not because I oppose our recognizing peace as preferable to, and more productive than, war. On the contrary, too seldom do we celebrate and encourage the end of violence and warfare on this Floor so I welcome any such endorsement of peace in international relations. However, I cannot agree with the final “resolved” clause of this resolution, which states that:

2009 Ron Paul 40:2
. . . the House of Representatives calls for recognition of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel as a model mechanism upon which partner nations may build to overcome longstanding barriers to peace and effective mutual cooperation.

2009 Ron Paul 40:3
What the resolution fails to mention, and the reason we should not endorse the treaty as a model, is that at the time the peace was being negotiated at Camp David the United States committed itself to an enormous financial aid package to both Egypt and Israel in exchange for their accession to the treaty. Over the past thirty years, the United States taxpayer has transferred to – some might say “bribed” – Israel and Egypt more well over $100 billion as a payoff for their leaders’ signature on the treaty. Particularly in this time of economic hardship, where so many Americans are out of work and facing great financial challenges, I hardly believe we should be celebrating that which increases the strain on taxpayers. I believe we should cease all foreign aid to all countries, as it is a counterproductive and unconstitutional transfer of wealth from U.S. taxpayers to governments overseas.

2009 Ron Paul 40:4
I do believe we should, where possible and without meddling, encourage nations and regions at war or in conflict to work toward peace. But I also believe we should lead by example: that we should demonstrate by our actions the benefits of friendly relations and trade with all nations which seek the same. I strongly oppose the idea that we should bribe the rest of the world to do what we demand. Therefore, while I celebrate the achievement of peace between Egypt and Israel, I do not believe this “model” to be productive or in the best interests of the United States. I urge my colleagues to reject this resolution.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 41 Federal Reserve Monetizes Debt April 1, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 41:1
Mr. PAUL. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

2009 Ron Paul 41:2
Madam Chairman, I rise in opposition to this resolution.

2009 Ron Paul 41:3
You know, they say so often that there is not enough bipartisanship around here. We hear that complaint a lot of time. But, you know, when I look at it, I see that there’s been too much bipartisanship in creating the problem we have had. And it hasn’t been the last – this crisis that we’re in the midst of, this financial crisis, didn’t pop up here in the last 60 days. It didn’t pop up here in the last 8 years, but it’s taken several decades to get to this point where we are today dealing with a budget that is just totally out of control and a monetary and economic system that is uncontrollable as well.

2009 Ron Paul 41:4
It is said that this budget is going to be $3.6 trillion with a $1.1 trillion deficit. An amazing thing is that $1.1 trillion deficit is going to be $400 billion less than this year. I will wait and see if that really comes out because that probably won’t work out that way. Matter of fact, characteristically, the statistics that we hear when we talk about the budget are never reliable, especially when you’re in a recession. In a recession, nobody can protect the revenues. The revenues are going to be a lot lower than they said and the expenditures are going to be a lot higher.

2009 Ron Paul 41:5
So I am making a prediction that the spending will be over $4 trillion this year and that the deficit is going to be over $2 trillion and that the picture that we are looking at today is much worse than we’re willing to admit.

2009 Ron Paul 41:6
Matter of fact, I think the problem we face today is not so much a budgetary problem. It’s much different. I think we talk a lot about the budget. Just think about how many hours we talked about it today. But the budget and the deficit is a symptom of something much more serious. And that is, what have we allowed our government to become? I think it has been the loss of respect by us here in the Congress to understand and take seriously article I, section A. If we did that, we wouldn’t be doing all of these things that we’re doing.

2009 Ron Paul 41:7
If we understood the tenth amendment, we wouldn’t be doing all of this. We wouldn’t have a deficit. If we understood monetary policy, we wouldn’t have a monetary system that encourages all of this that gets us off the hook because conservatives like to spend a lot of money, and liberals like to spend a lot of money. And they don’t have to worry. We raise taxes. We borrow it. And we do it, and we’ve been doing it for decades and getting away with it. But it’s coming to an end because we’ve always been dependent on the Fed to come in and monetize the debt.

2009 Ron Paul 41:8
Now, have they backed off in any way? No. They are expanding it. Not only do they buy in the market, they are buying it directly from the Treasury. They’re only encouraging us to do even more of this.

2009 Ron Paul 41:9
We have endorsed, as a Congress and as a people, a welfare/warfare State. And that is not part of what America is supposed to be. And it encourages the spending and the borrowing and the deficits and all of the inflation.

2009 Ron Paul 41:10
And we take – for instance, we were supposed to get a lot of change with the new administration. One thing I was hopeful about is that they might look at this overseas wild expanding and expansion of the war going on in the Middle East, but the military budget, the war budget, is going up 9 percent. And as long as we have the expansion of the war, the dependency on the spending overseas, we’re spending over $1 trillion over a year maintaining the world empire at the same time we have runaway spending here on welfare here at home. It is unsustainable.

2009 Ron Paul 41:11
We have a debt that will not be paid. We know that when it reaches a certain level, it cannot be paid. But it is always liquidated.

2009 Ron Paul 41:12
Now, if an individual or a company goes into debt, it can be liquidated in the old-fashioned way of bankruptcies. Countries don’t go bankrupt. What they do is they default on a debt. That doesn’t mean they won’t pay it. They pay it off in bad money. And literally, that is the purpose of the Federal Reserve right now is to lower the real debt. So if you destroy 50 percent of the value of the dollar in the next year or two, the real debt has gone down 50 percent.

2009 Ron Paul 41:13
Literally, the Federal Reserve board is praying for, encouraging inflation to lower the real debt because it can’t be sustained.

2009 Ron Paul 41:14
But who does that hurt? It hurts the people who save, the people who save get 1 percent on their earnings, and we tax the little bit they get, and the people who are doing the right thing are being punished the most.

2009 Ron Paul 41:15
So the ones who live beyond their means get bailed out. And it’s a very bad, bad system that we have. And we have to decide what the role of government ought to be.

2009 Ron Paul 41:16
You know, we do blame the banks and we blame the business people and everybody. But you know, I have a lot of people that come to my office and say, Cut his, cut his, but don’t cut my program.

2009 Ron Paul 41:17
So we have to decide as a people what should the role of government be. And if we think the role of government is going to be, and should be, the policeman of the world and to run the welfare State, this budgetary problem will never be solved.

2009 Ron Paul 41:18
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired. Mr. BRADY of Texas. Madam Chairman, I would like to grant 30 seconds to Mr. PAUL to conclude.

2009 Ron Paul 41:19
Mr. PAUL. I thank you for yielding.

2009 Ron Paul 41:20
And let me just close by saying the greatest danger I see right now is the placing of the blame for the crisis that we’re in is that we had too much freedom, too much capitalism, not enough regulation. And they did this in the 1930s. They are doing it even more now.

2009 Ron Paul 41:21
Instead of saying that we overspent, overtaxed, overregulated, we have lost our confidence. And if we don’t change that attitude and if we accept this notion, accept international regulation, believe me, we’re in big trouble. We will lose our freedom, and we will lose our sovereignty as well.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 42 INTRODUCING THE TEACHER TAX CUT ACT AND THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS TAX RELIEF ACT April 2, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 42:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce two pieces of legislation that raise the pay of teachers and other educators by cutting their taxes. I am sure that all my colleagues agree that it is long past time to begin treating those who have dedicated their lives to educating America’s children with the respect they deserve. Compared to other professionals, educators are under-appreciated and under-paid. This must change if America is to have the finest education system in the world!

2009 Ron Paul 42:2
Quality education is impossible without quality teaching. If we continue to undervalue educators, it will become harder to attract, and keep, good people in the education profession. While educators’ pay is primarily a local issue, Congress can, and should, help raise educators’ take home pay by reducing educators’ taxes.

2009 Ron Paul 42:3
This is why I am introducing the Teachers Tax Cut Act. This legislation provides every teacher in America with a $3,000 tax credit. I am also introducing the Professional Educators Tax Relief Act, which extends the $3,000 tax credit to counselors, librarians, and all school personnel involved in any aspect of the K–12 academic program.

2009 Ron Paul 42:4
The Teacher Tax Cut Act and the Professional Educators Tax Relief Act increase the salaries of teachers and other education professionals without raising federal expenditures. By raising the take-home pay of professional educators, these bills encourage highly qualified people to enter, and remain in, education. These bills also let America’s professional educators know that the American people and the Congress respect their work.

2009 Ron Paul 42:5
I hope all my colleagues join me in supporting our nation’s teachers and other professional educators by cosponsoring the Teacher Tax Cut Act and the Professional Educators Tax Relief Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 43 FAMILY EDUCATION FREEDOM ACT April 2, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 43:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Family Education Freedom Act, a bill to empower millions of working and middle- class Americans to choose a non-public education for their children, as well as making it easier for parents to actively participate in improving public schools. The Family Education Freedom Act accomplishes it goals by allowing American parents a tax credit of up to $5,000 for the expenses incurred in sending their child to private, public, parochial, other religious school, or for home schooling their children.

2009 Ron Paul 43:2
The Family Education Freedom Act returns the fundamental principal of a truly free economy to America’s education system: what the great economist Ludwig von Mises called “consumer sovereignty”. Consumer sovereignty simply means consumers decide who succeeds or fails in the market. Businesses that best satisfy consumer demand will be the most successful. Consumer sovereignty is the means by which the free market maximizes human happiness.

2009 Ron Paul 43:3
Currently, consumers are less than sovereign in the education “market.” Funding decisions are increasingly controlled by the federal government. Because “he who pays the piper calls the tune,” public, and even private schools, are paying greater attention to the dictates of federal “educrats” while ignoring the wishes of the parents to an ever-greater degree. As such, the lack of consumer sovereignty in education is destroying parental control of education and replacing it with state control. Loss of control is a key reason why so many of America’s parents express dissatisfaction with the educational system.

2009 Ron Paul 43:4
According to a survey conducted by Education Next/Harvard PEPG, the majority of Americans support education tax credits. This poll also found strong support for education tax credits among liberals, moderates, conservatives, low-income individuals, African- Americans, and public-school employees. This is just one of numerous studies and public opinion polls showing that Americans want Congress to get the federal bureaucracy out of the schoolroom and give parents more control over their children’s education.

2009 Ron Paul 43:5
Today, Congress can fulfill the wishes of the American people for greater control over their children’s education by simply allowing parents to keep more of their hard-earned money to spend on education rather than force them to send it to Washington to support education programs reflective only of the values and priorities of Congress and the federal bureaucracy.

2009 Ron Paul 43:6
The $5,000 tax credit will make a better education affordable for millions of parents. Madame Speaker, many parents who would choose to send their children to private, religious, or parochial schools are unable to afford the tuition, in large part because of the enormous tax burden imposed on the American family by Washington.

2009 Ron Paul 43:7
The Family Education Freedom Act also benefits parents who choose to send their children to public schools. Parents of children in public schools may use this credit to help improve their local schools by helping finance the purchase of educational tools such as computers or to ensure their local schools can offer enriching extracurricular activities such as music programs. Parents of public school students may also wish to use the credit to pay for special services, such as tutoring, for their children.

2009 Ron Paul 43:8
Increasing parental control of education is superior to funneling more federal tax dollars, followed by greater federal control, into the schools. A recent review of the relevant research conducted by Andrew J. Coulson of the CATO Institute shows that increasing parental controls increases academic achievement, efficiency, the orderliness of the classrooms, and the quality of school facilities. Not surprisingly, graduates of education system controlled by parents tend to achieve higher levels of education and earn more than their counterparts in bureaucratically controlled education systems.

2009 Ron Paul 43:9
Clearly, enactment of the Family Education Freedom Act is the best thing this Congress could do to improve public education. Furthermore, a greater reliance on parental expenditures rather than government tax dollars will help make the public schools into true community schools that reflect the wishes of parents and the interests of the students.

2009 Ron Paul 43:10
The Family Education Freedom Act will also aid those parents who choose to educate their children at home. Home schooling has become an increasingly popular, and successful, method of educating children. Home schooled children out-perform their public school peers by 30 to 37 percentile points across all subjects on nationally standardized achievement exams. Home schooling parents spend thousands of dollars annually, in addition to the wages forgone by the spouse who forgoes outside employment, in order to educate their children in the loving environment of the home.

2009 Ron Paul 43:11
Ultimately, Madam Speaker, this bill is about freedom. Parental control of child rearing, especially education, is one of the bulwarks of liberty. No Nation can remain free when the State has greater influence over the knowledge and values transmitted to children than the family.

2009 Ron Paul 43:12
By moving to restore the primacy of parents to education, the Family Education Freedom Act will not only improve America’s education, it will restore a parent’s right to choose how best to educate one’s own child, a fundamental freedom that has been eroded by the increase in federal education expenditures and the corresponding decrease in the ability of parents to provide for their children’s education out of their own pockets. I call on all my colleagues to join me in allowing parents to devote more of their resources to their children’s education and less to feed the wasteful Washington bureaucracy by supporting the Family Education Freedom Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 44 INDUSTRIAL HEMP FARMING ACT April 2, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 44:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Industrial Hemp Farming Act. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act requires the Federal Government to respect State laws allowing the growing of industrial hemp.

2009 Ron Paul 44:2
Eight States – Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia – allow industrial hemp production or research in accord with State laws. However, Federal law is standing in the way of farmers in these States growing what may be a very profitable crop. Because of current Federal law, all hemp included in products sold in the United States must be imported instead of being grown by American farmers.

2009 Ron Paul 44:3
Since 1970, the Federal Controlled Substances Act’s inclusion of industrial hemp in the schedule one definition of marijuana has prohibited American farmers from growing industrial hemp despite the fact that industrial hemp has such a low content of THC (the psychoactive chemical in the related marijuana plant) that nobody can be psychologically affected by consuming hemp. Federal law concedes the safety of industrial hemp by allowing it to be legally imported for use as food. The United States is the only industrialized nation that prohibits industrial hemp cultivation.

2009 Ron Paul 44:4
The Congressional Research Service has noted that hemp is grown as an established agricultural commodity in over 30 nations in Europe, Asia, North America, and South America. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act will relieve this unique restriction on American farmers and allow them to grow industrial hemp in accord with State law.

2009 Ron Paul 44:5
Industrial hemp is a crop that was grown legally throughout the United States for most of our Nation’s history. In fact, during World War II, the Federal Government actively encouraged American farmers to grow industrial hemp to help the war effort. The Department of Agriculture even produced a film “Hemp for Victory” encouraging the plant’s cultivation.

2009 Ron Paul 44:6
In recent years, the hemp plant has been put to many popular uses in foods and in industry. Grocery stores sell hemp seeds and oil as well as food products containing oil and seeds from the hemp plant. Industrial hemp is also included in consumer products such as paper, cloths, cosmetics, and carpet. One of the more innovative recent uses of industrial hemp is in the door frames of about 1.5 million cars. Hemp has even been used in alternative automobile fuel.

2009 Ron Paul 44:7
It is unfortunate that the Federal Government has stood in the way of American farmers, including many who are struggling to make ends meet, competing in the global industrial hemp market. Indeed, the founders of our Nation, some of whom grew hemp, would surely find that Federal restrictions on farmers growing a safe and profitable crop on their own land are inconsistent with the constitutional guarantee of a limited, restrained Federal Government. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to stand up for American farmers and cosponsor the Industrial Hemp Farming Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 45 INTRODUCTION OF THE HOPE PLUS SCHOLARSHIP ACT April 2, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 45:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I raise to introduce the Hope Plus Scholarship Act, which expands the Hope Education Scholarship credit to cover K–12 education expenses. Under this bill, parents could use the Hope Scholarship to pay for private or religious school tuition or to offset the cost of home schooling. In addition, under the bill, all Americans could use the Hope Scholarship to make cash or in-kind donations to public schools. Thus, the Hope Scholarship could help working parents send their child to a private school, while other patents could take advantage of the Hope credit to help purchase new computers for their children’s local public school.

2009 Ron Paul 45:2
Reducing taxes so that Americans can devote more of their own resources to education is the best way to improve America’s schools, since individuals are more likely than federal bureaucrats to insist that schools be accountable for student performance. When the federal government controls the education dollar, schools will be held accountable for their compliance with bureaucratic paperwork requirements and mandates that have little to do with actual education. Federal rules and regulations also divert valuable resources away from classroom instruction.

2009 Ron Paul 45:3
The only way to reform America’s education system is through restoring control of the education dollar to the American people so they can ensure schools provide their children a quality education. I therefore ask all of my colleagues to help improve education by returning education resources to the American people by cosponsoring the Hope Plus Scholarship Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 46 INTRODUCING THE MAKE COLLEGE AFFORDABLE ACT April 2, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 46:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to help millions of Americans afford higher education by introducing the Make College Affordable Act of 2009, which makes college tuition tax deductible. Today the average cost of education at a state university is $12,796 per year, and the cost of education at a private university is $30,367 per year. These high costs have left many middle-class American families struggling to afford college for their children, who are often ineligible for financial aid. Therefore, middle-class students have no choice but to obtain student loans, and thus leave college saddled with massive debt.

2009 Ron Paul 46:2
Even families who plan and save well in advance for their children’s education may have a difficult time because their savings are eroded by taxation and inflation. The Make College Affordable Act will help these middle-class students by allowing them, or their parents or guardians who claim them as dependents, to deduct the cost of college tuition as well as the cost of student loan repayments.

2009 Ron Paul 46:3
The Make College Affordable Act will also help older or nontraditional students looking to improve their job skills or prepare for a career change, by pursuing higher education. In today’s economy, the average American worker can expect to change jobs, and even careers, several times during his or her working life, making it more important than ever that working Americans be able to devote their resources to continuing their educations.

2009 Ron Paul 46:4
Helping the American people use their own money to ensure every qualified American can receive a college education is one of the best investments this Congress can make in the future. I therefore urge my colleagues to help strengthen America by ensuring more Americans can obtain college educations by cosponsoring the Make College Affordable Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 47 INTRODUCING THE AGRICULTURE EDUCATION FREEDOM ACT April 2, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 47:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Agriculture Education Freedom Act. This bill addresses a great injustice being perpetrated by the Federal Government on those youngsters who participate in programs such as 4–H or the Future Farmers of America. Under current tax law, children are forced to pay federal income tax when they sell livestock they have raised as part of an agricultural education program.

2009 Ron Paul 47:2
Think about this for a moment. These kids are trying to better themselves, earn some money, save some money and what does Congress do? We pick on these kids by taxing them. It is truly amazing that with all the hand- wringing in Congress over the alleged need to further restrict liberty and grow the size of government “for the children” we would continue to tax young people who are trying to lead responsible lives and prepare for the future. Even if the serious social problems today’s youth face could be solved by new federal bureaucracies and programs, it is still unfair to pick on those kids who are trying to do the right thing.

2009 Ron Paul 47:3
These children are not even old enough to vote, yet we are forcing them to pay taxes. What ever happened to no taxation without representation? No wonder young people are so cynical about government.

2009 Ron Paul 47:4
It is time we stopped taxing youngsters who are trying to earn money to go to college by selling livestock they have raised through their participation in programs such as 4–H or Future Farmers of America. Therefore, I call on my colleagues to join me in supporting the Agriculture Education Freedom Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 48 INTRODUCING THE EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT TAX CUT ACT April 2, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 48:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Education Improvement Tax Cut Act. This act, a companion to my Family Education Freedom Act, takes a further step toward returning control over education resources to private citizens by providing a $5,000 tax credit for donations to scholarship funds to enable low-income children to attend private schools. It also encourages private citizens to devote more of their resources to helping public schools, by providing a $5,000 tax credit for cash or in-kind donations to public schools to support academic or extra curricular programs.

2009 Ron Paul 48:2
I need not remind my colleagues that education is one of the top priorities of the American people. After all, many members of Congress have proposed education reforms and a great deal of time is spent debating these proposals. However, most of these proposals expand federal control over education. Many proposals that claim to increase local control over education actually extend federal power by holding schools “accountable” to federal bureaucrats and politicians. Of course, schools should be held accountable for their results, but they should be held accountable to parents and school boards not to federal officials. Therefore, I propose we move in a different direction and embrace true federalism by returning control over the education dollar to the American people.

2009 Ron Paul 48:3
One of the major problems with centralized control over education funding is that spending priorities set by Washington-based Representatives, staffers, and bureaucrats do not necessarily match the needs of individual communities. In fact, it would be a miracle if spending priorities determined by the wishes of certain politically powerful representatives or the theories of Education Department functionaries match the priorities of every community in a country as large and diverse as America. Block grants do not solve this problem as they simply allow states and localities to choose the means to reach federally-determined ends.

2009 Ron Paul 48:4
Returning control over the education dollar for tax credits for parents and for other concerned citizens returns control over both the means and ends of education policy to local communities. People in one community may use this credit to purchase computers, while children in another community may, at last, have access to a quality music program because of community leaders who took advantage of the tax credit contained in this bill.

2009 Ron Paul 48:5
Children in some communities may benefit most from the opportunity to attend private, parochial, or other religious schools. One of the most encouraging trends in education has been the establishment of private scholarship programs. These scholarship funds use voluntary contributions to open the doors of quality private schools to low-income children. By providing a tax credit for donations to these programs, Congress can widen the educational opportunities and increase the quality of education for all children. Furthermore, privately- funded scholarships raise none of the concerns of state entanglement raised by publicly- funded vouchers.

2009 Ron Paul 48:6
There is no doubt that Americans will always spend generously on education, the question is, “who should control the education dollar – politicians and bureaucrats or the American people?” Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in placing control of education back in the hands of citizens and local communities by sponsoring the Education Improvement Tax Cut Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 49 TRIBUTE TO BURT BLUMERT April 2, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 49:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, Burton Samuel Blumert passed away on Monday March 30, following a long battle with cancer. Burt was a true hero of the freedom movement and my close friend, advisor, and business partner.

2009 Ron Paul 49:2
As the founder and manager of Camino Coins in Burlingame, CA, Burt was one of the nation’s leading dealers in gold and silver coins. A student of Ludwig von Mises and the Austrian school of economics, Burt understood the important role precious metals played in protecting ordinary citizens from the damage wrought by fiat money and inflation. Thus, he regarded his work as a coin dealer not just as a business, but as an opportunity to help people by providing with some protection from the Federal Reserve’s inflation tax.

2009 Ron Paul 49:3
After I stepped down from Congress in 1984, I partnered with Burt in the coin business, a partnership which lasted until I returned to Congress in 1996. Our partnership was based on nothing more than our words.

2009 Ron Paul 49:4
As anyone who ever dealt with Burt could testify, that was all that was needed, because Burt’s word was truly his bond. I am unaware of anyone who dealt with Burt who questioned his integrity or his commitment to his customers. As well-known and respected as he was for his leadership in the coin business, Burt was best known as a promoter of libertarian ideas. Burt was a long time friend and patron of Murray Rothbard, one of Mises’ top American students and a pioneer in economics, political theory, history, and much else. Burt helped Murray establish the Center for Libertarian Studies, and served as its president from 1975 until his death.

2009 Ron Paul 49:5
Burt also played a key role in the flourishing of the Ludwig von Mises Institute, which, as its name suggests, is the leading center for the promotion and development of Austrian economics and libertarian political theory in the nation. Burt served as a founding board member of the Institute and the chaired the Institute’s board after the original chair, Mrs. Margit von Mises, passed away in 1993. He also published The Rothbard-Rockwell Report, a well-read libertarian newsletter written by Murray Rothbard and Mises Institute President Lew Rockwell.

2009 Ron Paul 49:6
Burt played a major role in making the ideas of liberty a force on the internet by serving as the publisher of Lewrockwell.com, as well supporting the development of Mises.org. Burt also played an instrumental role in the development of Antiwar.com. Burt also served as chairman of my first run for the presidency, and important counselor in the second.

2009 Ron Paul 49:7
In addition to his work with these organizations, Burt was a friend, mentor, and patron to numerous libertarian scholars and activists. He was incredibly generous with both his time and his resources. Talking to Burt was always a treat, because he had one of the best senses of humor I have ever known, and it seemed like he was always in a good mood. Events that would send his friends into fits of depression, rage, or both would be used by Burt as fodder for a series of jokes and wisecracks. Even in the last days of his battle with cancer he remained upbeat. One of Burt’s friends called him shortly after learning about Burt’s cancer, but instead of consoling Burt, this friend ending up having his sprits lifted by Burt’s humor.

2009 Ron Paul 49:8
It is somewhat of a comfort to myself, and I am sure to Burt’s other friends, to know that he lived long enough to see so many of his efforts bear fruit. Today, the Mises Institute teaches sound economies and the principles of liberty to thousands of students every year while Mises.org is one of the leading economics websites in the world. Lewrockwell.com is one of the top providers of political, economic, and cultural commentary on the web, while Antiwar.com is the leading source of information for scholars, journalists, and activists looking for material to combat the propaganda of the war party.

2009 Ron Paul 49:9
As I travel across the country, I am astounded at the number of young people I met who are interested in the cause of individual liberty, peace, and sound money. Many of them got their introduction to these ideas through one of the many organizations nurtured by Burt Blumert.

2009 Ron Paul 49:10
Madam Speaker, perhaps the highest compliment one can pay to a departed friend is to say that they left the world better than they found it. That is certainly true in the case of Burt Blumert. While I am saddened that I will never again benefit from Burt’s good humor and wise counsel, I am comforted by knowing that I was blessed by his friendship and the thought that the vibrant and growing freedom movement will serve as a living monument to Burt for years to come. I therefore join friends of liberty around the world in mourning Burt’s passing, and saluting all he accomplished during his lifetime.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 50 INTRODUCTION OF THE LIBERTY AMENDMENT April 30, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 50:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the Liberty Amendment, which repeals the 16th Amendment, thus paving the way for real change in the way government collects and spends the people’s hard-earned money. The Liberty Amendment also explicitly forbids the Federal government from performing any action not explicitly authorized by the United States Constitution.

2009 Ron Paul 50:2
The 16th Amendment gives the Federal government a direct claim on the lives of American citizens by enabling Congress to levy a direct income tax on individuals. Until the passage of the 16th amendment, the Supreme Court had consistently held that Congress had no power to impose an income tax.

2009 Ron Paul 50:3
Income taxes are responsible for the transformation of the Federal government from one of limited powers into a vast leviathan whose tentacles reach into almost every aspect of American life. Thanks to the income tax, today the Federal government routinely invades our privacy, and penalizes our every endeavor.

2009 Ron Paul 50:4
The Founding Fathers realized that “the power to tax is the power to destroy,” which is why they did not give the Federal government the power to impose an income tax. Needless to say, the Founders would be horrified to know that Americans today give more than a third of their income to the Federal government.

2009 Ron Paul 50:5
Income taxes not only diminish liberty, they retard economic growth by discouraging work and production. Our current tax system also forces Americans to waste valuable time and money on compliance with an ever-more complex tax code. The increased interest in flat- tax and national sales tax proposals, as well as the increasing number of small businesses that question the Internal Revenue Service’s IRS) “withholding” system provides further proof that America is tired of the labyrinthine tax code. Americans are also increasingly fed up with an IRS that continues to ride roughshod over their civil liberties, despite recent “pro-taxpayer” reforms.

2009 Ron Paul 50:6
Madam Speaker, America survived and prospered for 140 years without an income tax, and with a Federal government that generally adhered to strictly constitutional functions, operating with modest excise revenues. The income tax opened the door to the era and errors) of Big Government. I hope my colleagues will help close that door by cosponsoring the Liberty Amendment.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 51 INTRODUCING THE PARENTAL CONSENT ACT April 30, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 51:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Parental Consent Act. This bill forbids Federal funds from being used for any universal or mandatory mental-health screening of students without the express, written, voluntary, informed consent of their parents or legal guardians. This bill protects the fundamental right of parents to direct and control the upbringing and education of their children.

2009 Ron Paul 51:2
The New Freedom Commission on Mental Health has recommended that the federal and state governments work toward the implementation of a comprehensive system of mental- health screening for all Americans. The commission recommends that universal or mandatory mental-health screening first be implemented in public schools as a prelude to expanding it to the general public. However, neither the commission’s report nor any related mental-health screening proposal requires parental consent before a child is subjected to mental-health screening. Federally-funded universal or mandatory mental-health screening in schools without parental consent could lead to labeling more children as “ADD” or “hyperactive” and thus force more children to take psychotropic drugs, such as Ritalin, against their parents’ wishes.

2009 Ron Paul 51:3
Already, too many children are suffering from being prescribed psychotropic drugs for nothing more than children’s typical rambunctious behavior. According to Medco Health Solutions, more than 2.2 million children are receiving more than one psychotropic drug at one time. In fact, according to Medico Trends, in 2003, total spending on psychiatric drugs for children exceeded spending on antibiotics or asthma medication.

2009 Ron Paul 51:4
Many children have suffered harmful side effects from using psychotropic drugs. Some of the possible side effects include mania, violence, dependence, and weight gain. Yet, parents are already being threatened with child abuse charges if they resist efforts to drug their children. Imagine how much easier it will be to drug children against their parents’ wishes if a federally-funded mental-health screener makes the recommendation.

2009 Ron Paul 51:5
Universal or mandatory mental-health screening could also provide a justification for stigmatizing children from families that support traditional values. Even the authors of mental- health diagnosis manuals admit that mental- health diagnoses are subjective and based on social constructions. Therefore, it is all too easy for a psychiatrist to label a person’s disagreement with the psychiatrist’s political beliefs a mental disorder. For example, a federally- funded school violence prevention program lists “intolerance” as a mental problem that may lead to school violence. Because “intolerance” is often a code word for believing in traditional values, children who share their parents’ values could be labeled as having mental problems and a risk of causing violence. If the mandatory mental-health screening program applies to adults, everyone who believes in traditional values could have his or her beliefs stigmatized as a sign of a mental disorder. Taxpayer dollars should not support programs that may label those who adhere to traditional values as having a “mental disorder.”

2009 Ron Paul 51:6
Madam Speaker, universal or mandatory mental-health screening threatens to undermine parents’ right to raise their children as the parents see fit. Forced mental-health screening could also endanger the health of children by leading to more children being improperly placed on psychotropic drugs, such as Ritalin, or stigmatized as “mentally ill” or a risk of causing violence because they adhere to traditional values. Congress has a responsibility to the nation’s parents and children to stop this from happening. I, therefore, urge my colleagues to cosponsor the Parental Consent Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 52 BIRTHDAY GREETINGS TO MALINDA WRIGHT May 4, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 52:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, Malinda Smith Wright will turn 100 on May 17, 2009. Malinda was born and raised in Brazoria County, TX, which is in my congressional district, and has spent all of her life there.

2009 Ron Paul 52:2
Malinda was married to Alex C. Wright for over seventy years. Together, Malinda and Alex raised six children. A lifelong lover of reading, Malinda continues to read the newspaper every day, and I understand that she is particularly interested in the stock market.

2009 Ron Paul 52:3
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to take this opportunity to extend my congratulations and best wishes to Malinda Wright as she prepares to celebrate her 100th birthday with her friends and family.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 53 HONORING JACK KEMP May 6, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 53:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I support H. Res. 401, which honors the legacy of former Representative Jack Kemp. I became friends with Jack when we served together in the House of Representatives from 1976 to 1985. Our friendship was based on our shared conviction that low taxes and sound monetary policy are essential to liberty and prosperity.

2009 Ron Paul 53:2
Jack is probably best known for the key role he played in the “supply side revolution” that led to the tax rate reductions of the early eighties. However, what I most remember about Jack was that he was one of the few politicians I have met who understood how fiat money harms Americans. Jack was passionate about reforming monetary policy so America would again have, as Jack memorably put it, a “dollar as good as gold.” It was largely due to Jack’s efforts that the Republican Party platform of 1980 endorsed a return to the gold standard. Jack’s support was instrumental in me being named to the U.S. Gold Commission in 1982. While I was not always in total agreement with Jack’s views on monetary policy, I always appreciated his interest in the issue.

2009 Ron Paul 53:3
In his later years, Jack was critical of the idea that the best way to promote human liberty was through an aggressively militaristic foreign policy. In his 1996 campaign for Vice President, Jack attacked the Clinton Administration’s aggressive foreign policy, famously quipping that the United States government should not “bomb before breakfast.” In my last conversation with Jack, he shared with me his opposition to the Iraq war.

2009 Ron Paul 53:4
In conclusion, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 401 and honor the best of Jack Kemp’s legacy by working for low taxes, sound money, and a sensible foreign policy.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 54 AMERICA’S TREASURY IS BARE May 14, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 54:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, today we passed the supplemental bill. And I’m deeply disappointed about that. I was disappointed also that I wasn’t able to get any time to enter into the debate because the time was rather limited and it was a closed rule. But I did want to make a couple of comments and the concerns that I have had about this supplemental.

2009 Ron Paul 54:2
When the President sent the supplemental over, it was $84.9 billion. And there were some of us that were hoping that we wouldn’t be funding the war through supplementals, but it looks like that hasn’t changed, the process would continue, even though there were some that believed there would be a change in the way we funded these wars. When that bill came to the House, there was a lot of expression about concern about spending too much money. But by the time it got to the floor, it was $96.7 billion. And things were added, for instance, $2 billion for the flu epidemic that didn’t occur, but still, we are going to spend $2 billion trying to figure out whether we are ever going to have an epidemic.

2009 Ron Paul 54:3
It was very disappointing that even though it was a closed rule, the minority had one chance to do something about it and maybe reduce some of the spending. But lo and behold, when that amendment was offered, it was offered to increase the spending by $2.9 billion. There was a lot of expression of the outcry about this spending and the deficits we have and the deficits exploding and the Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid underfunded, and we are in the midst of a crisis. But it doesn’t seem to bother anybody about spending. But the truth is, the Treasury is bare. The Treasury is empty. And yet we continue to spend all this money.

2009 Ron Paul 54:4
So where do they think they are going to get this money? Well, we can’t tax the people any more. The people are broke. And yet still we resort to more borrowing and more printing of money which will not last forever. It will eventually come to an end. And I think that is what we are witnessing.

2009 Ron Paul 54:5
This process bothers me a whole lot that we come to the floor with the supplementals. We rush them through. We talk about this excessive spending. And lo and behold, when we finally vote, we get a total of 60 people who would say, Enough is enough. And besides, what are we doing? Where are we spending this money? I thought we were supposed to, with this change in administration, that we would be fighting less wars. But no. The war in Iraq continues. We expand the war in Afghanistan. We spread the war into Pakistan. And we always have on the table the potential danger of Iran.

2009 Ron Paul 54:6
So when will it ever end? We can’t even define the enemy. Who exactly is the enemy over there? Is it the al Qaeda? The Taliban? Is it the Government of Pakistan? If you can’t define the enemy, how do you know when the war is over? If we are in war, which we are, how can this be anything other than war? When was this war declared? Oh, well, we got this authority 5 or 10 years ago. Who knows when? Perpetual war. This is what we are involved with. Perpetual spending. And then we say, well, we have to do that to be safe. That is what is preposterous. It is the very policy that makes us unsafe. We pursue this policy, and the more we do, the less safe we are. There is a big argument now about whether we are safer now with the new administration or is it making us less safe?

2009 Ron Paul 54:7
The truth is the policies of the last 10, 15, 20 years have made us less safe. And as long as we occupy countries, as long as we kill other people and civilians are being killed, we are going to build enemies. And as long as we are known throughout the world that we torture people, we will incite people to hate us and want to come here to kill us. So we aren’t more safe. We are less safe by this foreign policy. And some day we have to wise up, change our ways and not be the policeman of the world, not to pretend that we can be the nation builder of the world, swear off and make sure we don’t torture, because you don’t get worthwhile information from torture. All it does is incite people against us. And the occupations can never be of any benefit to us.

2009 Ron Paul 54:8
What about the financial calamity that is coming? I’m afraid this is the way this will end, through another financial crisis much bigger than the one we currently have, because you can’t create $2 trillion of new money every year and expect this system to continue.

2009 Ron Paul 54:9
The Soviet system collapsed because they couldn’t afford it. Their economic system was a total failure. We did not have to fight the Soviets. Even though they were a nuclear power, they collapsed and disintegrated. And that is what we have to be concerned about, because we cannot continue to finance this system and pursue a policy which endangers us.

2009 Ron Paul 54:10
So if we care about the American people and care about our liberties and care about our Constitution, we ought to look seriously at our foreign policy and not continue to pursue the supplemental appropriations where we continue to spend money that we don’t have.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 55 CONSUMER DEBT May 14, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 55:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce legislation to help Americans struggling with consumer debt by excluding discharges of debt from the definition of taxable income. Currently, when someone is relieved of consumer debt, such as credit card debt, they are taxed on the forgiven debt. So, for example, if a credit card company agrees to forgive $12,000 of a $15,000 debt, the debtor’s taxable income increases by $12,000 – even though the debtor does not actually have an additional $12,000 in his or her bank account.

2009 Ron Paul 55:2
The only way for Americans to avoid turning cancelation of debt into a taxable event is by declaring bankruptcy or insolvency. Thus, the tax code’s perverse incentives could cause more Americans to declare bankruptcy, which is neither in the best interest of the debtor or their creditors.

2009 Ron Paul 55:3
Madam Speaker, the tax code should not punish Americans who work out a settlement with their creditors that enables them to avoid bankruptcy. This is unfair to both the debtors and their creditors. I therefore encourage my colleagues to cosponsor my legislation removing discharged debt from the definition of taxable income.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 56 CURRENT CONDITIONS OR JUST A BAD DREAM May 19, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 56:1
Mr. PAUL. Could it all be a bad dream, or a nightmare? Is it my imagination, or have we lost our minds? It’s surreal; it’s just not believable. A grand absurdity; a great deception, a delusion of momentous proportions; based on preposterous notions; and on ideas whose time should never have come; simplicity grossly distorted and complicated; insanity passed off as logic; grandiose schemes built on falsehoods with the morality of Ponzi and Madoff; evil described as virtue; ignorance pawned off as wisdom; destruction and impoverishment in the name of humanitarianism; violence, the tool of change; preventive wars used as the road to peace; tolerance delivered by government guns; reactionary views in the guise of progress; an empire replacing the Republic; slavery sold as liberty; excellence and virtue traded for mediocracy; socialism to save capitalism; a government out of control, unrestrained by the Constitution, the rule of law, or morality; bickering over petty politics as we collapse into chaos; the philosophy that destroys us is not even defined.

2009 Ron Paul 56:2
We have broken from reality – a psychotic Nation. Ignorance with a pretense of knowledge replacing wisdom. Money does not grow on trees, nor does prosperity come from a government printing press or escalating deficits.

2009 Ron Paul 56:3
We’re now in the midst of unlimited spending of the people’s money, exorbitant taxation, deficits of trillions of dollars – spent on a failed welfare/warfare state; an epidemic of cronyism; unlimited supplies of paper money equated with wealth.

2009 Ron Paul 56:4
A central bank that deliberately destroys the value of the currency in secrecy, without restraint, without nary a whimper. Yet, cheered on by the pseudo-capitalists of Wall Street, the military industrial complex, and Detroit.

2009 Ron Paul 56:5
We police our world empire with troops on 700 bases and in 130 countries around the world. A dangerous war now spreads throughout the Middle East and Central Asia. Thousands of innocent people being killed, as we become known as the torturers of the 21st century.

2009 Ron Paul 56:6
We assume that by keeping the already- known torture pictures from the public’s eye, we will be remembered only as a generous and good people. If our enemies want to attack us only because we are free and rich, proof of torture would be irrelevant.

2009 Ron Paul 56:7
The sad part of all this is that we have forgotten what made America great, good, and prosperous. We need to quickly refresh our memories and once again reinvigorate our love, understanding, and confidence in liberty. The status quo cannot be maintained, considering the current conditions. Violence and lost liberty will result without some revolutionary thinking.

2009 Ron Paul 56:8
We must escape from the madness of crowds now gathering. The good news is the reversal is achievable through peaceful and intellectual means and, fortunately, the number of those who care are growing exponentially.

2009 Ron Paul 56:9
Of course, it could all be a bad dream, a nightmare, and that I’m seriously mistaken, overreacting, and that my worries are unfounded. I hope so. But just in case, we ought to prepare ourselves for revolutionary changes in the not-too-distant future.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 57 INTRODUCING THE SANCTITY OF LIFE ACT May 20, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 57:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support the Sanctity of Life Act. This legislation provides that the federal courts of the United States, up to and including the Supreme Court, do not have jurisdiction to hear abortion-related cases. Since the Supreme Court invented a “right” to abortion in Roe v. Wade, federal judges have repeatedly thwarted efforts by democratically elected officials at the state and local level to protect the unborn.

2009 Ron Paul 57:2
However, the federal courts have no legitimate authority to tell states and local communities what restrictions can and cannot be placed on abortion. Even some intellectually honest supporters of legalized abortion acknowledge that Roe v. Wade was incorrectly decided. Congress must use the authority granted to it in Article 3, Section 1 of the Constitution to rein in rogue federal judges from interfering with a state’s ability to protect unborn life.

2009 Ron Paul 57:3
Madam Speaker, it is my hope that my colleagues will join me in support of using the power granted to the Congress by the Constitution to protect the ability of individual states and the people to restore respect for the sanctity of human life.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 58 INTRODUCTION OF COERCION IS NOT HEALTH CARE May 21, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 58:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the Coercion is Not Health Care Act. This legislation forbids the Federal Government from forcing any American to purchase health insurance, and from conditioning participation in any Federal program, or receipt of any Federal benefit, on the purchase of health insurance.

2009 Ron Paul 58:2
While often marketed as a “moderate” compromise between nationalized health care and a free market solution, forcing every American to purchase a government-approved health insurance plan is a back door approach to creating a government-controlled health care system.

2009 Ron Paul 58:3
If Congress requires individuals to purchase insurance, Congress must define what insurance policies satisfy the government mandate. Thus, Congress will decide what is and is not covered in the mandatory insurance policy. Does anyone seriously doubt that what conditions and treatments are covered will be determined by who has the most effective lobby. Or that Congress will be incapable of writing a mandatory insurance policy that will fit the unique needs of every individual in the United States?

2009 Ron Paul 58:4
The experience of States that allow their legislatures to mandate what benefits health insurance plans must cover has shown that politicizing health insurance inevitably makes health insurance more expensive. As the cost of government-mandated health insurance rises, Congress will likely create yet another fiscally unsustainable entitlement program to help cover the cost of insurance.

2009 Ron Paul 58:5
When the cost of government-mandated insurance proves to be an unsustainable burden on individuals and small employers, and the government, Congress will likely impose price controls on medical treatments, and even go so far as to limit what procedures and treatments will be reimbursed by the mandatory insurance. The result will be an increasing number of providers turning to “cash only” practices, thus making it difficult for those relying on the government-mandated insurance to find health care. Anyone who doubts that result should consider the increasing number of physicians who are withdrawing from the Medicare program because of the low reimbursement and constant bureaucratic harassment from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

2009 Ron Paul 58:6
Madam Speaker, the key to effective health care reform lies not in increasing government control, but in increasing the American people’s ability to make their own health care decisions. Thus, instead of forcing Americans to purchase government-approved health insurance, Congress should put the American people back in charge of health care by expanding health care tax credits and deductions, as well as increasing access to Health Savings Accounts. Therefore, I have introduced legislation, the Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act (H.R. 1495), which provides a series of health care tax credits and deductions designed to empower patients. I urge my colleagues to reject the big government-knows- best approach to health care by cosponsoring my Coercion is Not Health Care Act and Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 59 INTRODUCING THE PROTECT PATIENTS’ AND PHYSICIANS’ PRIVACY ACT May 21, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 59:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Protect Patients’ and Physicians’ Privacy Act. This legislation protects medical privacy, as well as quality health care, by allowing patients and physicians to opt out of any federally mandated, created, or funded electronic medical records system. The bill also repeals the sections of Federal law establishing a “unique health identifier” and requires patient consent before any electronic medical records can be released to a third party.

2009 Ron Paul 59:2
Congress has refused to fund the development of a unique health identifier every year since 1998. Clearly, the majority of my colleagues recognize the threat this scheme poses to medical privacy. It is past time for Congress to repeal the section of law authorizing the Federal unique health identifier.

2009 Ron Paul 59:3
Among the numerous provisions jammed into the stimulus bill, which was rushed through Congress earlier this year, was funding for electronic medical records. Medicare providers have until 2015 to “voluntarily” adopt the system of electronic medical records, or face financial penalties.

2009 Ron Paul 59:4
One of the major flaws with the federally mandated electronic record system is that it does not provide adequate privacy protection. Electronic medical records that are part of the federal system will only receive the protection granted by the Federal “medical privacy rule.” This misnamed rule actually protects the ability of government officials and state-favored special interests to view private medical records without patient consent.

2009 Ron Paul 59:5
Even if the law did not authorize violations of medical privacy, patients would still have good reason to be concerned about the government’s ability to protect their medical records. After all, we are all familiar with cases where third parties obtained access to electronic veteran, tax, and other records because of errors made by federal bureaucrats. My colleagues should also consider the abuse of IRS records by administrations of both parties and ask themselves what would happen if unscrupulous politicians gain the power to access their political enemies’ electronic medical records.

2009 Ron Paul 59:6
As an OB/GYN with over 30 years of experience in private practice, I understand that one of the foundations of quality health care is the patient’s confidence that all information the patient shares with his or her health care provider will remain confidential. Forcing physicians to place their patients’ medical records in a system without adequate privacy protection undermines that confidence, and thus undermines effective medical treatment.

2009 Ron Paul 59:7
A physician opt out is also necessary in order to allow physicians to escape from the inefficiencies and other problems that are sure to occur in the implementation and management of the Federal system. Contrary to the claims of the mandatory system’s proponents, it is highly unlikely an efficient system of mandatory electronic health records can be established by the Government.

2009 Ron Paul 59:8
Many health technology experts have warned of the problems that will accompany the system of mandatory electronic medical records. For example, David Kibbe, a top technology adviser to the American Academy of Family Physicians, warned President Obama in an open letter late last year that existing medical software is often poorly designed and does a poor job of exchanging information. Allowing physicians to opt out provides a safety device to ensure that physicians can avoid the problems that will inevitably accompany the government-mandated system.

2009 Ron Paul 59:9
Madam Speaker, allowing patients and providers to opt out of the electronic medical records system will in no way harm the practice of medicine or the development of an efficient system of keeping medical records. Instead, it will enhance these worthy goals by ensuring patients and physicians can escape the inefficient, one-size-fits-all government- mandated system. By creating a market for alternatives to the government system, the op- out ensures that private businesses can work to develop systems that meet the demands for an efficient system of electronic records that protects patients’ privacy. I urge my colleagues to stand up for privacy and quality health care by cosponsoring the Protect Patients’ and Physicians’ Privacy Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 60 INTRODUCTION OF THE AFFORDABLE GAS PRICE ACT May 21, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 60:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Affordable Gas Price Act. This legislation reduces gas prices by reforming government polices that artificially inflate the price of gas. While the price of gas has not yet reached the record levels of last year, over the last 2 months the average price of gas has risen approximately 16 percent. In some areas, the price of gas is approaching $3.00 per gallon. There is thus a real possibility that the American people while soon by once again hard hit by skyrocketing gas prices.

2009 Ron Paul 60:2
High gas prices threaten our fragile economy and diminishes the quality of life for all Americans. One industry that is particularly hard hit is the trucking industry. The effects of high gas prices on the trucking industry will be reflected in increased costs for numerous consumer goods, thus further harming American consumers.

2009 Ron Paul 60:3
Unfortunately, many proposals to address the problem of higher energy prices involve increasing government interference in the market through policies such as price controls. These big government solutions will, at best, prove ineffective and, at worst, bring back the fuel shortages and gas lines of the seventies.

2009 Ron Paul 60:4
Instead of expanding government, Congress should repeal Federal laws and polices that raise the price of gas, either directly through taxes or indirectly though regulations that discourage the development of new fuel sources. This is why my legislation repeals the Federal moratorium on offshore drilling and allows oil exploration in the ANWR reserve in Alaska. My bill also ensures that the National Environmental Policy Act’s environmental impact statement requirement will no longer be used as a tool to force refiners to waste valuable time and capital on nuisance litigation. The Affordable Gas Price Act also provides tax incentives to encourage investment in new refineries.

2009 Ron Paul 60:5
Federal fuel taxes are a major part of gasoline’s cost. The Affordable Gas Price Act suspends the Federal gasoline tax any time the average gas prices exceeds $3.00 per gallon. During the suspension, the Federal Government will have a legal responsibility to ensure the Federal highway trust fund remains funded. My bill also raises the amount of mileage reimbursement not subject to taxes, and, during times of high oil prices, provides the same mileage reimbursement benefit to charity and medical organizations as provided to businesses.

2009 Ron Paul 60:6
Misguided and outdated trade polices are also artificially raising the price of gas. For instance, even though Russia and Kazakhstan allow their citizens the right and opportunity to emigrate, they are still subject to Jackson- Vanik sanctions, even though Jackson-Vanik was a reaction to the Soviet Union’s highly restrictive emigration policy. Eliminating Jackson- Vankik’s threat of trade-restricting sanctions would increase the United States’ access to oil supplies from non-Arab countries. Thus, my bill terminates the application of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 to Russia and Khazaskin, allowing Americans to enjoy the benefits of free trade with these oil-producing nations.

2009 Ron Paul 60:7
Finally, the Affordable Gas Price Act creates a Federal study on how the abandonment of the gold standard and the adoption of freely floating currencies are affecting the price of oil. It is no coincidence that oil prices first became an issue shortly after President Nixon unilaterally severed the dollar’s last connection to gold. The system of fiat money makes consumers vulnerable to inflation and to constant fluctuations in the prices of essential goods such as oil.

2009 Ron Paul 60:8
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Affordable Gas Price Act and end government polices that increase the cost of gasoline.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 61 COMMEMORATING 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TIANANMEN SQUARE SUPPRESSION June 2, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 61:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to oppose this unnecessary and counter-productive resolution regarding the 20th anniversary of the incident in China’s Tiananmen Square. In addition to my concerns over the content of this legislation, I strongly object to the manner in which it was brought to the floor for a vote. While the resolution was being debated on the House floor, I instructed my staff to obtain a copy so that I could read it before the vote. My staff was told by no less than four relevant bodies within the House of Representatives that the text was not available for review and would not be available for another 24 hours. It is unacceptable for Members of the House of Representatives to be asked to vote on legislation that is not available for them to read!

2009 Ron Paul 61:2
As to the substance of the resolution, I find it disturbing that the House is going out of its way to meddle in China’s domestic politics, which is none of our business, while ignoring the many pressing issues in our own country that definitely are our business.

2009 Ron Paul 61:3
This resolution “calls on the People’s Republic of China to invite full and independent investigations into the Tiananmen Square crackdown, assisted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross . . .” Where do we get the authority for such a demand? I wonder how the U.S. government would respond if China demanded that the United Nations conduct a full and independent investigation into the treatment of detainees at the U.S.-operated Guantanamo facility?

2009 Ron Paul 61:4
The resolution “calls on the legal authorities of People’s Republic of China to review immediately the cases of those still imprisoned for participating in the 1989 protests for compliance with internationally recognized standards of fairness and due process in judicial proceedings.” In light of U.S. government’s extraordinary renditions of possibly hundreds of individuals into numerous secret prisons abroad where they are held indefinitely without charge or trial, one wonders what the rest of the world makes of such U.S. demands. It is hard to exercise credible moral authority in the world when our motto toward foreign governments seems to be “do as we say, not as we do.”

2009 Ron Paul 61:5
While we certainly do not condone government suppression of individual rights and liberties wherever they may occur, why are we not investigating these abuses closer to home and within our jurisdiction? It seems the House is not interested in investigating allegations that U.S. government officials and employees approved and practiced torture against detainees. Where is the Congressional investigation of the U.S.-operated “secret prisons” overseas? What about the administration’s assertion of the right to detain individuals indefinitely without trial? It may be easier to point out the abuses and shortcomings of governments overseas than to address government abuses here at home, but we have the constitutional obligation to exercise our oversight authority in such matters. I strongly believe that addressing these current issues would be a better use of our time than once again condemning China for an event that took place some 20 years ago.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 62 Resolution on Mental Health Month June 3, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 62:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I certainly support efforts aimed at removing the stigma associated with mental health, increasing public awareness of the need to support those with mental health problems and their families, and the other goals of Mental Health Month. However, I am concerned that certain language in H. Res. 437 appears to endorse all of the recommendations of the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, even though certain of the commission’s recommendations threaten individual liberty and the wellbeing of American children.

2009 Ron Paul 62:2
In particular, the commission recommended that the federal and state governments work toward the implementation of a comprehensive system of mental-health screening for all Americans. The commission recommends that universal or mandatory mental-health screening first be implemented in public schools as a prelude to expanding it to the general public. However, neither the commission’s report nor any related mental-health screening proposal requires parental consent before a child is subjected to mental-health screening. Federally- funded universal or mandatory mental- health screening in schools without parental consent could lead to labeling more children as “ADD” or “hyperactive” and thus force more children to take psychotropic drugs, such as Ritalin, against their parents’ wishes.

2009 Ron Paul 62:3
Already, too many children are suffering from being prescribed psychotropic drugs for nothing more than children’s typical rambunctious behavior. According to Medco Health Solutions, more than 2.2 million children are receiving more than one psychotropic drug at one time. In fact, according to Medico Trends, in 2003, total spending on psychiatric drugs for children exceeded spending on antibiotics or asthma medication.

2009 Ron Paul 62:4
Many children have suffered harmful side effects from using psychotropic drugs. Some of the possible side effects include mania, violence, dependence, and weight gain. Yet, parents are already being threatened with child abuse charges if they resist efforts to drug their children. Imagine how much easier it will be to drug children against their parents’ wishes if a federally-funded mental-health screener makes the recommendation.

2009 Ron Paul 62:5
Universal or mandatory mental-health screening could also provide a justification for stigmatizing children from families that support traditional values. Even the authors of mental- health diagnosis manuals admit that mental- health diagnoses are subjective and based on social constructions. Therefore, it is all too easy for a psychiatrist to label a person’s disagreement with the psychiatrist’s political beliefs a mental disorder. For example, a federally- funded school violence prevention program lists “intolerance” as a mental problem that may lead to school violence. Because “intolerance” is often a code word for believing in traditional values, children who share their parents’ values could be labeled as having mental problems and a risk of causing violence. If the mandatory mental-health screening program applies to adults, everyone who believes in traditional values could have his or her beliefs stigmatized as a sign of a mental disorder. Taxpayer dollars should not support programs that may label those who adhere to traditional values as having a “mental disorder.”

2009 Ron Paul 62:6
In order to protect America’s children from being subject to “universal mental screening” I have introduce the Parental Consent Act (H.R. 2218). This bill forbids federal funds from being used for any universal or mandatory mental-health screening of students without the express, written, voluntary, informed consent of their parents or legal guardians. H.R. 2218 protects the fundamental right of parents to direct and control the upbringing and education of their children.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 63 MISTAKES: JUST A FEW! June 3, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 63:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, in the last few years in interviews on the economy, I’ve been asked what I would do if I were in charge. In answering the question, I usually started with explaining the errors we made that gave us the crisis. The interviewer frequently responded by saying that he wasn’t interested in the cause of the problems, only what we should do now to correct it. This is a typical attitude in Washington, but we cannot expect correct policies to be implemented if we don’t understand the cause of the crisis. Instead, we have pursued all the wrong policies. Let me list a few mistakes we have made.

2009 Ron Paul 63:2
We have failed to recognize the true cause of the crisis. Instead, free markets and not enough regulations and central economic planning have been blamed.

2009 Ron Paul 63:3
We continue to listen to and give too much credibility to the very people who caused the crisis and failed to predict the onset.

2009 Ron Paul 63:4
A massive single-year debt increase of $2 trillion and a $9 trillion stimulus by Congress and the Federal Reserve verges on madness.

2009 Ron Paul 63:5
This has entailed taxpayers being forced to buy worthless assets, propping up malinvestments, not allowing the liquidation of bad debt, bailing out privileged banking, Wall Street and corporate elites. We promote artificially low interest rates which eliminates information that only the market can provide. Steadily sacrificing economic and personal liberty is accepted as good policy. Socializing American industry offers little hope that prosperity will soon return.

2009 Ron Paul 63:6
Inflating the money supply over 100 percent in less than a year is no way to restore confidence to a failing financial system. Expect huge price increases in the future.

2009 Ron Paul 63:7
We have set the stage for further expanding the money supply many folds over through fractional reserve banking.

2009 Ron Paul 63:8
We deliberately liquidate debt, especially government debt, by debasing the currency. We refuse to accept the fact that the debt cannot be paid, and future obligations are incomprehensible with revenues crashing and unpredictable while expenditures are put on auto pilot with no new request being denied.

2009 Ron Paul 63:9
There’s an attitude that the deficit and inflation can be dealt with later on, yet tomorrow will be here sooner than later.

2009 Ron Paul 63:10
Plans are being laid for a super regulator, even if it takes a worldwide government organization like the IMF to impose it.

2009 Ron Paul 63:11
Promising the IMF $100 billion when we can’t even take care of our own people’s medical needs is obviously absurd. Plans are laid to massively increase taxes, especially with the carbon tax, that when tried in other countries didn’t work and had many unintended consequences.

2009 Ron Paul 63:12
A national sales tax, now being planned, sends bad signals to investors, consumers and workers.

2009 Ron Paul 63:13
The deeply flawed neoconservative foreign policy of expanding our militarism in the Middle East and Central Asia continues.

2009 Ron Paul 63:14
There’s no end in sight for secret prisons, special courts, ignoring the right of habeas corpus, no penalties for carrying out illegal torture and a new system of preventive detention. We continue to protect the concepts of state secrets and Presidential signing statements. We are enlarging Bagram prison in Afghanistan, and there’s no cessation of the senseless war on drugs.

2009 Ron Paul 63:15
Indeed, as former Vice President Dick Cheney has said, we’re in greater danger today than under the Bush administration; but it’s not because we’re not following the Cheney-Bush foreign policy of preventive war, but rather because we are. The Bush doctrine on war is still in place, and the economic failures of the previous administration are being continued and expanded.

2009 Ron Paul 63:16
The policies required to provide a solution to this catastrophic crisis we face are available. We must apply a precise philosophy of liberty along with respect for private property ownership, free markets, voluntary contracts enforced by law and free minds.

2009 Ron Paul 63:17
Also required is the adoption of a commonsense foreign policy that requires us to stay out of the internal affairs of other nations.

2009 Ron Paul 63:18
Pretending that politicians, central bankers and regulators have the knowledge to centrally plan the economy and police the world only makes things worse. Realizing this provides the necessary first step to salvage our economy and liberty.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 64 GLOBAL WARMING PETITION SIGNED BY 31,478 SCIENTISTS June 4, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 64:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, before voting on the “cap-and-trade” legislation, my colleagues should consider the views expressed in the following petition that has been signed by 31,478 American scientists:

2009 Ron Paul 64:2
“We urge the United States government to reject the global warming agreement that was written in Kyoto, Japan in December, 1997, and any other similar proposals. The proposed limits on greenhouse gases would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage the health and welfare of mankind.

2009 Ron Paul 64:3
There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gases is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth’s atmosphere and disruption of the Earth’s climate. Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth.”

2009 Ron Paul 64:4
Circulated through the mail by a distinguished group of American physical scientists and supported by a definitive review of the peer-reviewed scientific literature, this may be the strongest and most widely supported statement on this subject that has been made by the scientific community. A state-by-state listing of the signers, which include 9,029 men and women with PhD degrees, a listing of their academic specialties, and a peer-reviewed summary of the science on this subject are available at www.petitionproiect.org.

2009 Ron Paul 64:5
The peer-reviewed summary, “Environmental Effects of Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide” by A. B. Robinson, N. E. Robinson, and W. Soon includes 132 references to the scientific literature and was circulated with the petition.

2009 Ron Paul 64:6
Signers of this petition include 3,803 with specific training in atmospheric, earth, and environmental sciences. All 31,478 of the signers have the necessary training in physics, chemistry, and mathematics to understand and evaluate the scientific data relevant to the human-caused global warming hypothesis and to the effects of human activities upon environmental quality.

2009 Ron Paul 64:7
In a letter circulated with this petition, Frederick Seitz – past President of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, President Emeritus of Rockefeller University, and recipient of honorary doctorate degrees from 32 universities throughout the world – wrote:

2009 Ron Paul 64:8
“The United States is very close to adopting an international agreement that would ration the use of energy and of technologies that depend upon coal, oil, and natural gas and some other organic compounds.

2009 Ron Paul 64:9
This treaty is, in our opinion, based upon flawed ideas. Research data on climate change do not show that human use of hydrocarbons is harmful. To the contrary, there is good evidence that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide is environmentally helpful.

2009 Ron Paul 64:10
The proposed agreement we have very negative effects upon the technology of nations throughout the world; especially those that are currently attempting to lift from poverty and provide opportunities to the over 4 billion people in technologically underdeveloped countries.

2009 Ron Paul 64:11
It is especially important for America to hear from its citizens who have the training necessary to evaluate the relevant data and offer sound advice.”

2009 Ron Paul 64:12
We urge you to sign and return the enclosed petition card. If you would like more cards for use by your colleagues, these will be sent.”

2009 Ron Paul 64:13
Madam Speaker, at a time when our nation is faced with a severe shortage of domestically produced energy and a serious economic contraction; we should be reducing the taxation and regulation that plagues our energy- producing industries.

2009 Ron Paul 64:14
Yet, we will soon be considering so-called “cap and trade” legislation that would increase the taxation and regulation of our energy industries. “Cap and-trade” will do at least as much, if not more, damage to the economy as the treaty referred by Professor Seitz! This legislation is being supported by the claims of “global warming” and “climate change” advocates – claims that, as demonstrated by the 31,477 signatures to Professor Seitz’ petition, many American scientists believe is disproved by extensive experimental and observational work.

2009 Ron Paul 64:15
It is time that we look beyond those few who seek increased taxation and increased regulation and control of the American people. Our energy policies must be based upon scientific truth – not fictional movies or self-interested international agendas. They should be based upon the accomplishments of technological free enterprise that have provided our modern civilization, including our energy industries. That free enterprise must not be hindered by bogus claims about imaginary disasters.

2009 Ron Paul 64:16
Above all, we must never forget our contract with the American people – the Constitution that provides the sole source of legitimacy of our government. That Constitution requires that we preserve the basic human rights of our people – including the right to freely manufacture, use, and sell energy produced by any means they devise – including nuclear, hydrocarbon, solar, wind, or even bicycle generators.

2009 Ron Paul 64:17
While it is evident that the human right to produce and use energy does not extend to activities that actually endanger the climate of the Earth upon which we all depend, bogus claims about climate dangers should not be used as a justification to further limit the American people’s freedom.

2009 Ron Paul 64:18
In conclusion, I once again urge my colleagues to carefully consider the arguments made by the 31,478 American scientists who have signed this petition before voting on any legislation imposing new regulations or taxes on the American people in the name of halting climate change.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 65 Rep. Paul Opposes Bill June 10, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 65:1
Mr. PAUL. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me these 2 minutes.

2009 Ron Paul 65:2
Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this bill. Some are hopeful that this will be a less militaristic approach to our foreign policy. Quite frankly, I don’t see any changes. I wish it were something that would represent a humble foreign policy, but when you put an extra $100 million into the military operations of the United Nations, I hardly think this is a change in direction. Actually, it’s $18 billion that is going into more meddling, and we don’t have $18 billion.

2009 Ron Paul 65:3
The President has now asked us here in the Congress to follow the PAYGO rules. Well, that might be a good idea if we had set aside the idea that we would raise taxes, but we’re not going to cut any domestic spending for this foreign spending, so the odds of this following the PAYGO rule are essentially nil.

2009 Ron Paul 65:4
I want to call attention to one provision in this that is rather disturbing to me, and that is the Civilian Stabilization Initiative. This is new. It was not invented by this administration. It was invented by the last administration. This is to set up a permanent standing, nation-building office with an employment of or with the use of nearly 5,000 individuals.

2009 Ron Paul 65:5
So what is the goal of this new initiative going to be? It will facilitate democratic and political transitions in various countries.

2009 Ron Paul 65:6
Now, if you want to talk about interfering in the internal affairs of other nations, that is exactly what this is all about. Facilitating democratic and political transitions? Well, of course. We’ve been doing that for a long time, but we’ve gotten ourselves into a lot of trouble doing it. We did it in 1953, and we’re still suffering the consequences. This initiative is a little more honest. It’s up front. We’re actually supporting and funding a facility that would be involved in political transitions. The mandate in this is to “reconstruct” societies. That sounds wonderful. There are a lot of societies that need reconstruction, but so many of the societies that we have to reconstruct we helped to destroy or to disrupt.

2009 Ron Paul 65:7
Think of what our troops and our money have done in Afghanistan as well as in Iraq. I think this provision, itself, is enough reason to vote against this authorization.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 66 Let People Decide Whether To Use Tobacco June 12, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 66:1
Mr. PAUL. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

2009 Ron Paul 66:2
Madam Speaker, I don’t think anybody can argue at all with the intentions of the proposal of this bill. There is no question that cigarettes are very harmful. The question for me here is the process, and I find the process here atrocious because it assumes that authoritarianism is right, proper and that it works and that volunteerism, education, self-reliance and depending on oneself to take care of oneself is a proper approach. We totally reject our free society and assume that if we just have tobacco police roaming the country, that all of a sudden bad habits are going to be cleared up. We’re dealing with bad habits, and these are bad for health. But let me tell you, I can bring you a list here of dozens and dozens of bad habits that lead to death. As a matter of fact, one of the things that we ought to consider is, how many people die from our drug war? We have a drug war, and about 3,000 people die from the use of illegal drugs. So we have a drug war going on, and tens of thousands of people die.

2009 Ron Paul 66:3
It’s so exasperating at times because we always have two proposals here, or we have two ways of solving problems or dealing with tobacco. For decades, what did we do? We subsidized tobacco, and now we want to prohibit tobacco. Why don’t we just let the people decide. This whole idea of either having to subsidize something or prohibit something shows a shallowness that I think we ought to challenge.

2009 Ron Paul 66:4
One part of this bill that I find particularly bad, but it is pervasive in so much of what we do, about 100 years ago we took the First Amendment and freedom of speech and chopped it into two pieces. We have political speech. Of course we like that. We’re in the business of politics. But we take commercial speech, and we put it over here, and we regulate the living daylights out of commercial speech. That’s not a First Amendment. That’s chopping freedom in half, and that just leads to more problems. But this will lead to prohibition, and it won’t work. This will just give us a lot more trouble.

2009 Ron Paul 66:5
You say, Well, how will these problems be handled if we just permit people to advertise? Well, you are not allowed to commit fraud; you are not allowed to commit slander; you are not allowed to commit any libel or slander or fraud. So there are prohibitions. But this approach can’t work. It is assumed that people are total idiots, that they won’t respond to education, that we have to be the nanny state. We want to expand the war on drugs, which is a total failure.

2009 Ron Paul 66:6
And look at what happened to the prohibition of alcohol. You say, Well, no, this is not going to be a prohibition. It is going to be prohibition. This is a form of prohibition. When you have prohibition or even approach prohibition, what do you create? You create the black market. We will see the black market come. Already the taxes are opening up the doors of the black market.

2009 Ron Paul 66:7
All I ask for is people to reconsider, believe that freedom, self-reliance and individualism can solve these problems a lot better than a bunch of politicians, bureaucrats and tobacco police here from Washington, D.C.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 67 Statement on War Supplemental Appropriations June 16, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 67:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this conference report on the War Supplemental Appropriations. I wonder what happened to all of my colleagues who said they were opposed to the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wonder what happened to my colleagues who voted with me as I opposed every war supplemental request under the previous administration. It seems, with very few exceptions, they have changed their position on the war now that the White House has changed hands. I find this troubling. As I have said while opposing previous war funding requests, a vote to fund the war is a vote in favor of the war. Congress exercises its constitutional prerogatives through the power of the purse.

2009 Ron Paul 67:2
This conference report, being a Washington- style compromise, reflects one thing Congress agrees on: spending money we do not have. So this “compromise” bill spends 15 percent more than the president requested, which is $9 billion more than in the original House bill and $14.6 billion more than the original Senate version. Included in this final version – in addition to the $106 billion to continue the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq – is a $108 billion loan guarantee to the International Monetary Fund, allowing that destructive organization to continue spending taxpayer money to prop up corrupt elites and promote harmful economic policies overseas.

2009 Ron Paul 67:3
As Americans struggle through the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, this emergency supplemental appropriations bill sends billions of dollars overseas as foreign aid. Included in this appropriation is $660 million for Gaza, $555 million for Israel, $310 million for Egypt, $300 million for Jordan, and $420 million for Mexico. Some $889 million will be sent to the United Nations for “peacekeeping” missions. Almost one billion dollars will be sent overseas to address the global financial crisis outside our borders and nearly $8 billion will be spent to address a “potential pandemic flu.”

2009 Ron Paul 67:4
Mr. Speaker, I continue to believe that the best way to support our troops is to bring them home from Iraq and Afghanistan. If one looks at the original authorization for the use of force in Afghanistan, it is clear that the ongoing and expanding nation-building mission there has nothing to do with our goal of capturing and bringing to justice those who attacked the United States on September 11, 2001. Our continued presence in Iraq and Afghanistan does not make us more safe at home, but in fact it undermines our national security. I urge my colleagues to defeat this reckless conference report.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 68 EARMARK DECLARATION June 16, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 68:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding an earmark I obtained as part of H.R. 2487.

2009 Ron Paul 68:2
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 68:3
Bill Number: H.R. 2487

2009 Ron Paul 68:4
Account: NASA

2009 Ron Paul 68:5
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership

2009 Ron Paul 68:6
Address of Requesting Entity: 2525 Bay Area Blvd., Suite 640, Houston, TX 77058

2009 Ron Paul 68:7
Description of Request: An earmark of $1,000,000 to fund the Bay Area SATOP program to transfer the knowledge and technology of the U.S. Space Program to small businesses. SATOP provides technical assistance to small businesses.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 69 EARMARK DECLARATION June 17, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 69:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, “Pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding an earmark I obtained as part of H.R. 2892.”

2009 Ron Paul 69:2
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 69:3
Bill Number: H.R. 2892

2009 Ron Paul 69:4
Account: FEMA, State and Local Programs/ Emergency Operations Center

2009 Ron Paul 69:5
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Brazoria County Emergency Management

2009 Ron Paul 69:6
Description of Request: An earmark of $100,000 to fund construction of an Emergency Operating Center in Brazoria County, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 70 CONGRATULATING STEVE LEBLANC, CITY MANAGER OF GALVESTON, TEXAS June 18, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 70:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to congratulate Mr. Steve LeBlanc, City Manager of Galveston Texas, on being named Administrator of the Year by the Texas City Management Association (TCMA). Steve received this award because of the leadership he provided to Galveston in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Since my congressional district includes Galveston, my office has had the opportunity to work closely with Steve. I have always been impressed with his dedication to the people of Galveston, a dedication best exemplified by his tireless efforts to help Galveston rebuild, following the devastation of Hurricane Ike.

2009 Ron Paul 70:2
A longtime resident of Galveston Island, Steve has a Bachelor of Science in Coastal Engineering from Texas A&M and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston. He has served as Galveston’s city manager since March 1997. Before being named city manager, Steve held several positions with the city including Director of Utilities, Director of Public Works, and Assistant City Manager.

2009 Ron Paul 70:3
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I once again extend my congratulations to Galveston City Manager Steve LeBlanc on being named Administrator of the Year. I also thank him for all he does for the people of Galveston. It is my sincere hope that Galveston benefits from Mr. LeBlanc’s services for years to come.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 71 INTRODUCING EVACUEES TAX RELIEF ACT OF 2009 June 18, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 71:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Evacuees Tax Relief Act of 2009, legislation providing tax relief to those forced to abandon their homes because of a natural disaster. This legislation provides a tax credit or a tax deduction, depending on the wishes of the taxpayer, of up to $5,000 for costs incurred because of a government-ordered mandatory or voluntary evacuation. Evacuees could use the credit to cover travel and lodging expenses associated with the evacuation, lost wages, property damages not otherwise compensated, and any other evacuation-related expenses. The tax credit is refundable up to the amount of income and payroll taxes a person would otherwise pay, thus ensuring working people who pay more in payroll than in income taxes are able to benefit from this tax relief. The credit is available retroactive to December of 2007, so it is available to Hurricane Ike evacuees, as well as those who evacuated because of Hurricanes Gustav and Dolly.

2009 Ron Paul 71:2
Just last year, the majority of my district, including my home county, was subject to mandatory evacuation because of Hurricane Ike. Therefore, I have firsthand experience with the burdens faced by those forced to uproot themselves and their families because of a natural disaster. Evacuees incur great costs in getting to safety, as well as loss from the storm damage. It can take many months, and even years, to fully recover from the devastation of a natural disaster. Given the unpredictable nature of natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornados, it is difficult for most families to adequately budget for these costs. The Evacuees Tax Relief Act helps Americans manage the fiscal costs of a natural disaster.

2009 Ron Paul 71:3
Madam Speaker, with the 2009 hurricane season now upon us, it is hard to think of a more timely and more compassionate tax relief proposal than one aimed at helping families cope with the costs associated with being uprooted from their homes, jobs, and communities by a natural disaster. I hope all my colleagues will show compassion for those forced to flee their homes by cosponsoring the Evacuees Tax Relief Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 72 Statement Opposing Resolution on Iran June 19, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 72:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise in reluctant opposition to H. Res 560, which condemns the Iranian government for its recent actions during the unrest in that country. While I never condone violence, much less the violence that governments are only too willing to mete out to their own citizens, I am always very cautious about “condemning” the actions of governments overseas. As an elected member of the United States House of Representatives, I have always questioned our constitutional authority to sit in judgment of the actions of foreign governments of which we are not representatives. I have always hesitated when my colleagues rush to pronounce final judgment on events thousands of miles away about which we know very little. And we know very little beyond limited press reports about what is happening in Iran.

2009 Ron Paul 72:2
Of course I do not support attempts by foreign governments to suppress the democratic aspirations of their people, but when is the last time we condemned Saudi Arabia or Egypt or the many other countries where unlike in Iran there is no opportunity to exercise any substantial vote on political leadership? It seems our criticism is selective and applied when there are political points to be made. I have admired President Obama’s cautious approach to the situation in Iran and I would have preferred that we in the House had acted similarly.

2009 Ron Paul 72:3
I adhere to the foreign policy of our Founders, who advised that we not interfere in the internal affairs of countries overseas. I believe that is the best policy for the United States, for our national security and for our prosperity. I urge my colleagues to reject this and all similar meddling resolutions.

2009 Ron Paul 72:4
Madam Speaker, I urge you to support H.R. 560, expressing support for all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and rule of law and for other purposes. The only effective way to achieve lasting peace and prosperity in the region, along with bringing about reforms in Iran’s polity, is to assist the Iranian people in their quest to achieve political, social, and religious liberty. Every government can be judged with the way in which it treats its ethnic and religious minorities, and the current Iranian government gets a failing grade for its treatment of its many and diverse minorities. It is not our position as the United States to determine the outcome of the recent Iranian elections, but as a leader in the international community, we have a responsibility to ensure that the people of Iran have the opportunity to have fair and free elections.

2009 Ron Paul 72:5
Yet with the results of the recent election, there was no chance for Iranian citizens to participate in democracy. On June 12, 2009 Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was ostensibly re- elected to his second term as President, as a result of the tenth Presidential elections in Iran, held and calculated on June 13, 2009. Subject to official results released by Iran’s election headquarters, out of a total of 39,165,191 ballots cast in the presidential election, Ahmadinejad allegedly won 24,527,516 votes, which accounts for approximately 62.6 percent of the votes, while his opponent and former Prime Minister of Iran Mir- Hossein Mousavi purportedly secured only 13,216,411 (37.4 percent) of the votes. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei announced that he envisions Ahmadinejad as president in the next five years, a comment interpreted as indicating support for Ahmadinejad’s reelection.

2009 Ron Paul 72:6
Just 48 hours after Iranian officials announced incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s landslide 62.6% victory, the situation in Tehran and in regions throughout the country broke out in a wave of violent protests in response to what the people of Iran knew to be a rigged poll.

2009 Ron Paul 72:7
Yet despite the large-scale civil unrest in response to the rigged elections, the outstretched arm of the Ayatollah extends beyond Tehran. Whereas the size of the crowds protesting reached to more than 1 million people united in outrage at the absence of a fair and free electoral process. Despite the government ban that has been placed on all public gatherings with the purpose of voicing opposition to the outcome of the Iranian presidential elections, the people of Iran have publicly expressed their dissent. Iranians throughout the country have defied Interior Ministry warnings broadcast. Violence has spilled on to the streets of Tehran. To date, 7 Iranians have been killed in violent political unrest. Beyond Tehran, Iranians living in the rural regions are feeling the Ayatollah’s pressures to cease all public expression of their discontent with the outcome of the elections. The Iranian people living in the region of Mashad are currently confined to their homes in order to prevent them protesting in the streets. All foreign journalists have now been quarantined and/or made to leave the country.

2009 Ron Paul 72:8
Following the results of the June l2th Iranian election, President Obama released a statement in reaction to then elections in Iran, stating “I am deeply troubled by the violence that I’ve been seeing on television,” Obama said in Washington. “I can’t state definitively one way or another what happened with respect to the election. But what I can say is that there appears to be a sense on the part of people who were so hopeful and so engaged and so committed to democracy who now feel betrayed.”

2009 Ron Paul 72:9
Given the absence of fair and free elections, coupled with the government’s poor record for transparency and accountability, we have deep cause for concern about the opportunity for free choices and democratic participation for the people of Iran. Despite intensified inspections since 2002, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) inability, to verify that Iran’s nuclear program is not designed to develop a nuclear weapon is cause for great concern. While Iran states that the intention of its nuclear program is for electricity generation which it feels is vital to its energy security, U.S. officials challenge this justification by stating that “Iran’s vast gas resources make a nuclear energy program unnecessary.”

2009 Ron Paul 72:10
Establishing a diplomatic dialogue with the Government of Iran and deepening relationships with the Iranian people will only help foster greater understanding between the people of Iran and the people of the United States and would enhance the stability the security of the Persian Gulf region. Furthering President Obama’s approach toward continued engagement will reduce the increased threat of the proliferation or use of nuclear weapons in the region, while advancing other U.S. foreign policy objectives in the region. The significance of establishing and sustaining diplomatic relations with Iran cannot be over-emphasized. Avoidance and military intervention cannot be the means through which we resolve this looming crisis.

2009 Ron Paul 72:11
In conclusion, we must condemn Iran for the absence of fair and free Presidential elections and urge Iran to provide its people with the opportunity to engage in a Democratic election process, by demanding new elections, and ensure that all votes are fairly counted. I look forward to further meaningful discussion and a new foreign policy strategy with regard to Iran when the people of Iran are able to participate in a fair and democratic electoral process.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 73 Impeachment Of Judge Samuel Kent June 19, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 73:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, as the House of Representatives Member for Galveston, Texas, I have followed the case of Judge Samuel Kent with great interest. My study of the facts of this case has convinced me that the House Committee on the Judiciary made the correct decision in recommending that Judge Kent be impeached. Unfortunately, because of a commitment in my congressional district, I was only able to be on the House floor for the vote on the first count. Had I been on the House floor for the vote, I would have voted for all four counts of impeachment. I hope the Senate expeditiously acts on this matter.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 74 LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM MAYOR SCARCELLA OF STAFFORD, TEXAS June 19, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 74:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, public officials looking for ways to increase economic growth and attract new residents and businesses to their cities, counties, or states could learn a lot from the city of Stafford, Texas, and Mayor Leonard Scarcella. Stafford has flourished since 1995 when, under Mayor Scarcella’s leadership, the city eliminated the property tax.

2009 Ron Paul 74:2
Thanks to the absence of property taxes, Stafford residents enjoy cheaper mortgages and have more disposable income than similarly situated residents of towns with property taxes. The extra income as a result of the freedom from property taxes is particularly beneficial during today’s tough economic times.

2009 Ron Paul 74:3
The loss of property tax revenue has not deprived Stafford residents of quality city services; in fact, Stafford resident Alice Rolston told the Houston Chronicle that the police check on her home when she is on vacation, many homeowners living in towns with high property taxes can’t count on that type of service.

2009 Ron Paul 74:4
Entrepreneurs looking to start up businesses are attracted to Stafford because of the lack of property taxes, Fortune magazine ranks Stafford the 36th best American city to start and run a small business.

2009 Ron Paul 74:5
While Stafford sales, franchise, and permit fees account for some of its ability to operate without a property tax, the major factor in the city’s success is the city’s fiscally prudent management. Stafford Councilman Cecil Willis says the mayor watches every penny in the city’s budget. City employees often perform two or more functions and the city council even debates whether to authorize the purchase of light bulbs and pencils.

2009 Ron Paul 74:6
Madam Speaker, Mayor Scarcella is also a good argument against term limits, as he is one of the few elected officials who remains as committed to low taxes today as when he led the fight to eliminate the property tax. Mayor Scarcella should serve as a role model to us all in how to effectively govern without burdening the people with excessive taxes.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 75 EARMARK DECLARATION June 24, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 75:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I obtained as part of HR 2996.

2009 Ron Paul 75:2
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 75:3
Bill Number: H.R. 2996

2009 Ron Paul 75:4
Account: Fish and Wildlife Service, Land Acquisition

2009 Ron Paul 75:5
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: San Bernard Wildlife Refuge

2009 Ron Paul 75:6
Address of Requesting Entity: 2547 CR 316, Brazoria, TX 77422

2009 Ron Paul 75:7
Description of Request: An earmark of $2,500,000 to fund Land Acquisition for the San Bernard Wildlife Refuge in Brazoria County, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 75:8
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 75:9
Bill Number: H.R. 2996

2009 Ron Paul 75:10
Account: EPA, STAG Water and Wastewater infrastructure project

2009 Ron Paul 75:11
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Baytown

2009 Ron Paul 75:12
Address of Requesting Entity: 2401 Market Street, Baytown, TX 77522

2009 Ron Paul 75:13
Description of Request: An earmark of $500,000 to fund Water and Wastewater infrastructure improvement in Baytown, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 76 HONORING FROST, HOMETOWN, MOODY NATIONAL AND TEXAS FIRST BANKS July 14, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 76:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, at a time when the financial headlines are dominated by stories of financial institutions seeking taxpayer funds and other special privileges, I am pleased to call my colleagues’ attention to a story from the Galveston Daily News about how four community banks came together to help their friends, neighbors and customers begin to recover and rebuild from Hurricane Ike. I ask for unanimous consent to insert this story into the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD.

2009 Ron Paul 76:2
Last fall, as the people of Galveston were assessing the damage from Hurricane Ike and Congress was beginning debate on spending billions of taxpayer funds to bail out irresponsible financial institutions, representatives of Frost, HomeTown, Moody National and Texas First banks met to discuss how these banks could help jumpstart hurricane recovery efforts. The four banks agreed to make unsecured bridge loans to Galveston businesses to ensure these businesses had access to capital while they waited for federal assistance and insurance payments.

2009 Ron Paul 76:3
The four banks made more than $40 million in recovery loans. These loans provided lifelines to many businesses struggling with both the devastation of Hurricane Ike and the credit crisis. Without the efforts of these four banks, several Galveston businesses would have had to shut their doors.

2009 Ron Paul 76:4
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I extend my thanks to management and employees of Frost, HomeTown, Moody National, and Texas First banks for their efforts to help the businesses and people of Galveston recover from Hurricane Ike.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 77 INTRODUCING THE COMPLETE AND PERMANENT PROPERTY TAX DEDUCTION ACT OF 2009 July 14, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 77:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Complete and Permanent Property Tax Deduction Act of 2009. This bill makes the property tax deduction, which is scheduled to expire this year, permanent and removes all limitations on the deduction.

2009 Ron Paul 77:2
The Complete and Permanent Property Tax Deduction Act will help millions of Americans who struggle with high property taxes. Making the property tax deduction permanent will especially benefit senior citizens, whose homes often are the major part of their wealth, and young families struggling to cope with the costs of owning new homes. I respectfully urge my colleagues to help ensure all homeowners can continue to take advantage of the property tax deduction by cosponsoring this legislation.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 78 H. RES. 607 WHICH COMMEMORATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF APOLLO 11 MOON LANDING July 14, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 78:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to cosponsor H. Res. 607, which commemorates the fortieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Apollo 11’s successful mission was certainly a “giant leap for mankind,” that should be a source of pride for all Americans.

2009 Ron Paul 78:2
One of my favorite quotes regarding the moon landing was penned by philosopher Ayn Rand in 1969: “Think of what was required to achieve that mission: think of the unpitying effort; the merciless discipline; the courage; the responsibility of relying on one’s judgment; the days, nights and years of unswerving dedication to a goal; the tension of the unbroken maintenance of a full, clear mental focus; and the honesty. It took the highest, sustained acts of virtue to create in reality what had only been dreamt of for millennia.”

2009 Ron Paul 78:3
Rand’s words not only apply to the Apollo 11 mission but to all of the work of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). As a representative of the Gulf Coast of Texas, which is home to many of NASA’s most significant triumphs, I have had the opportunity to meet many NASA employees. I have always been impressed by their professionalism and dedication to their mission.

2009 Ron Paul 78:4
In conclusion, I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon by supporting H. Res. 607.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 79 COMMUNITIES REBUILD AFTER HURRICANE IKE July 15, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 79:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, at a time when the financial headlines are dominated by stories of financial institutions seeking taxpayer funds and other special privileges, I am pleased to call my colleagues’ attention to a story from the Galveston Daily News about how four community banks came together to help their friends, neighbors and customers begin to recover and rebuild from Hurricane Ike.

2009 Ron Paul 79:2
Last fall, as the people of Galveston were assessing the damage from Hurricane Ike and Congress was beginning debate on spending billions of taxpayer funds to bail out irresponsible financial institutions, representatives of Frost, HomeTown, Moody National and Texas First banks meet to discuss how these banks could help jumpstart hurricane recovery efforts. The four banks agreed to make unsecured bridge loans to Galveston businesses to ensure these businesses had access to capital while they waited for federal assistance and insurance payments.

2009 Ron Paul 79:3
The four banks made more than $40 million recovery loans. These loans provided lifelines to many businesses struggling with both the devastation of Hurricane Ike and the credit crisis. Without the efforts of these four banks, several Galveston businesses would have had shut their doors.

2009 Ron Paul 79:4
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I extend my thanks to management and employees of Frost, HomeTown, Moody National, and Texas First banks for their efforts to help the businesses and people of Galveston recover from Hurricane Ike.

2009 Ron Paul 79:5
[From the Galveston Daily News, May 24, 2009] BANKS STEPPED UP WHEN CHIPS, ECONOMY WERE DOWN (By Laura Elder) Just days after Hurricane Ike, as failing Wall Street institutions roiled the U.S. financial system, civic leaders and representatives of four banks forged an agreement that would profoundly shape the island’s economic recovery.

2009 Ron Paul 79:6
After several meetings, some in storm- swamped buildings under generator-powered lights, representatives of Frost, HomeTown, Moody National and Texas First banks agreed to make unsecured bridge loans to island businesses for rebuilding until federal money and insurance payments materialized.

2009 Ron Paul 79:7
The community banks made more than $40 million in recovery loans at a time when lending by industry giants had all but ground to a halt. The 180-day loans, at 5 percent interest, were a lifeline to local businesses hoping to recover quickly from a hurricane that inflicted $11.4 billion in damage along the upper Texas Coast.

2009 Ron Paul 79:8
Some island business owners said their livelihoods would have been lost for good had not been for the help of community bankers.

2009 Ron Paul 79:9
LINE OF CREDIT Charley DiBella, owner of DiBella’s Italian Restaurant, which took in 4 feet of storm surge, was helped by HomeTown Bank not once but twice after Hurricane Ike, which struck Sept. 13.

2009 Ron Paul 79:10
DiBella credits the bank and Gary Gilliland, chief commercial lending officer, for providing a line of credit to the restaurant.

2009 Ron Paul 79:11
With the loan, DiBella’s was able to make storm repairs and open in November. But in January, disaster struck again when a fire broke out on the second floor of the 20-year- old restaurant. HomeTown Bank helped again, DiBella said. DiBella’s Italian Restaurant plans to reopen Tuesday.

2009 Ron Paul 79:12
“Without HomeTown Bank and Gary Gilliland, there wouldn’t be a DiBella’s Restaurant,” DiBella said. “I had insurance, but you know what that’s like.”

2009 Ron Paul 79:13
Gilliland, who checked on properties for his clients who had evacuated and weren’t allowed back on the island for days after the storm, was in May named Indie Banker of the Month by Independent Banker Magazine for his work during Hurricane Ike.

2009 Ron Paul 79:14
BRIDGE OF DOLLARS HomeTown Bank, at last count, had made more than $6 million in bridge loans to area businesses after the storm, said Jimmy Rasmussen, president and chief executive officer.

2009 Ron Paul 79:15
Two days after Ike struck, Wall Street institution Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, deepening a financial crisis and already painful credit crunch that had stalled lending. Fast-and-loose credit practices by the banking giants had come home to roost.

2009 Ron Paul 79:16
NO ‘VOODOO’ PRODUCTS But independent and community banks were never caught holding a bundle of bad loans.

2009 Ron Paul 79:17
“We’re not sitting here selling voodoo products to peddle to people,” said Matt Doyle, vice chairman of Texas First Bank.

2009 Ron Paul 79:18
That local competing banks got together in one room after the hurricane wasn’t so unusual, Doyle said.

2009 Ron Paul 79:19
“We may be competitors, but we’re community bankers,” Doyle said. “When our community is suffering, all that goes out the window, and it’s never really even in the house.”

2009 Ron Paul 79:20
Texas First Bank lent $8.5 million in recovery loans.

2009 Ron Paul 79:21
Bankers are the first to say their efforts weren’t without self-interest. They certainly earned money from the loans. And they made loans based on credit history, long- standing relations and with the understanding they would be repaid.

2009 Ron Paul 79:22
IN IT TOGETHER And if a lot of local businesses failed, the local banks were going to feel it, so they had an interest in the success of their neighbors.

2009 Ron Paul 79:23
“If Galveston business didn’t recover, we’re all going to be damaged, all going to take losses,” said Vic Pierson, president of Moody National Bank, which made about $21 million in recovery loans after the storm.

2009 Ron Paul 79:24
“It was in our best interest to do whatever we could to assist as rapidly as we could for business recovery on the island.”

2009 Ron Paul 79:25
STRONG RELATIONSHIPS Those who didn’t have strong relationships with their bankers were left waiting for help from the Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Pierson said.

2009 Ron Paul 79:26
“Those programs are very good, but to finally get some dollars can take 90 to 120 days or longer,” Pierson said.

2009 Ron Paul 79:27
“A business couldn’t wait three or four months to get started and I think that’s where the local community banks came in.”

2009 Ron Paul 79:28
Watching a business rebuild can encourage others to follow, Pierson said.

2009 Ron Paul 79:29
“It was absolutely critical that people started putting their businesses back together and making a statement,” Pierson said.

2009 Ron Paul 79:30
NEED REMAINS Albert Shannon, Frost Bank’s group president in this region, and other bankers interviewed for this story credited Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas and Jeff Sjostrom, president of Galveston Economic Development Partnership, for the idea of recovery loans. Island businessman Gerald Sullivan, who early after the storm was appointed by Thomas to help with recovery, also played a role in encouraging recovery loans, bankers said.

2009 Ron Paul 79:31
Frost Bank, headquartered in San Antonio, made $5 million in recovery loans, Shannon said.

2009 Ron Paul 79:32
Sjostrom recently traveled to Manatee, Fla., to share ideas with officials there about recovery efforts.

2009 Ron Paul 79:33
“They were just amazed at the response of our local lenders,” Sjostrom said.

2009 Ron Paul 79:34
Still only about 75 percent of the island’s 2,500 business have returned, Sjostrom said. Many were uninsured for flood damage when Ike struck.

2009 Ron Paul 79:35
Businesses that aren’t able to turn to the banks are doing what they can to recover, Sjostrom said,

2009 Ron Paul 79:36
“They’re not sitting back waiting and crying,” Sjostrom said. “They’re going forward doing what they have to make it work. We still have a lot of businesses that need financial help.”

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 80 EARMARK DECLARATION July 16, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 80:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I obtained as part of H.R. 3183, the Energy and Water bill

2009 Ron Paul 80:2
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:3
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:4
Account: DOE, EERE

2009 Ron Paul 80:5
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Galveston Wharves

2009 Ron Paul 80:6
Address of Requesting Entity: PO Box 328, Galveston, TX 77553

2009 Ron Paul 80:7
Description of Request: An earmark of $250,000 to fund Solar Energy Project at the Port of Galveston, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 80:8
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:9
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:10
Account: USACE, Investigations

2009 Ron Paul 80:11
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2009 Ron Paul 80:12
Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, TX 77550

2009 Ron Paul 80:13
Description of Request: An earmark of $675,000 to fund investigations at Port Freeport, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 80:14
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:15
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:16
Account: USACE, Investigations

2009 Ron Paul 80:17
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2009 Ron Paul 80:18
Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, TX 77550

2009 Ron Paul 80:19
Description of Request: An earmark of $200,000 to fund investigations at Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 80:20
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:21
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:22
Account: USACE, Construction

2009 Ron Paul 80:23
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2009 Ron Paul 80:24
Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, TX 77550

2009 Ron Paul 80:25
Description of Request: An earmark of $500,000 to fund infrastructure improvement in Houston-Galveston Navigation Channels, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 80:26
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:27
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:28
Account: USACE, Construction

2009 Ron Paul 80:29
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2009 Ron Paul 80:30
Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, TX 77550

2009 Ron Paul 80:31
Description of Request: An earmark of $2,500,000 to fund infrastructure improvement in Clear Creek, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 80:32
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:33
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:34
Account: USACE, Construction

2009 Ron Paul 80:35
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2009 Ron Paul 80:36
Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, TX 77550

2009 Ron Paul 80:37
Description of Request: An earmark of $8,000,000 to fund infrastructure improvement in the Texas City Channel, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 80:38
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:39
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:40
Account: USACE, O&M

2009 Ron Paul 80:41
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2009 Ron Paul 80:42
Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, TX 77550

2009 Ron Paul 80:43
Description of Request: An earmark of $1,790,000 to fund infrastructure improvement in Cedar Bayou, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 80:44
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:45
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:46
Account: USACE, O&M

2009 Ron Paul 80:47
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2009 Ron Paul 80:48
Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, TX 77550

2009 Ron Paul 80:49
Description of Request: An earmark of $3,316,000 to fund improvements in Freeport Harbor, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 80:50
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:51
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:52
Account: USACE, O&M

2009 Ron Paul 80:53
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2009 Ron Paul 80:54
Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, TX 77550

2009 Ron Paul 80:55
Description of Request: An earmark of $13,095,000 to fund infrastructure improvement in Galveston Harbor, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 80:56
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:57
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:58
Account: USACE, O&M

2009 Ron Paul 80:59
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2009 Ron Paul 80:60
Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, TX 77550

2009 Ron Paul 80:61
Description of Request: An earmark of $2,264,000 to fund infrastructure improvement in Victoria Harbor, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 80:62
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:63
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:64
Account: USACE, O&M

2009 Ron Paul 80:65
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2009 Ron Paul 80:66
Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, TX 77550

2009 Ron Paul 80:67
Description of Request: An earmark of $26,046,000 to fund infrastructure improvement in the GIWW, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 80:68
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:69
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:70
Account: USACE, O&M

2009 Ron Paul 80:71
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2009 Ron Paul 80:72
Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, TX 77550

2009 Ron Paul 80:73
Description of Request: An earmark of $4,627,000 to fund infrastructure improvement in the Matagorda Ship Channel, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 80:74
Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 80:75
Bill Number: H.R. 3183

2009 Ron Paul 80:76
Account: USACE, O&M

2009 Ron Paul 80:77
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2009 Ron Paul 80:78
Address of Requesting Entity: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, TX 77550

2009 Ron Paul 80:79
Description of Request: An earmark of $4,000,000 to fund infrastructure improvement in the Texas City Ship Channel, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 81 H. Res 607 July 20, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 81:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to cosponsor H. Res. 607, which commemorates the fortieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Apollo 11’s successful mission was certainly “a giant step for mankind,” that should be a source of pride for all Americans.

2009 Ron Paul 81:2
One of my favorite quotes regarding the moon landing was penned by philosopher Ayn Rand in 1969: “Think of what was required to achieve that mission: think of the unpitying effort; the merciless discipline; the courage; the responsibility of relying on one’s judgment; the days, nights and years of unswerving dedication to a goal; the tension of the unbroken maintenance of a full, clear mental focus; and the honesty. It took the highest, sustained acts of virtue to create in reality what had only been dreamt of for millennia.”

2009 Ron Paul 81:3
Rand’s words not only apply to the Apollo 11 mission but to all of the work of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). As a representative of the Gulf Coast of Texas, which is home to many of NASA’s most significant triumphs, I have had the opportunity to meet many NASA employees. I have always been impressed by their professionalism and dedication to their mission.

2009 Ron Paul 81:4
In conclusion, I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon by supporting H. Res. 607.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 82 Statement at Financial Services Committee Hearing July 21, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 82:1
The Federal Reserve in collaboration with the giant banks has created the greatest financial crisis the world has ever seen. The foolish notion that unlimited amounts of money and credit, created out of thin air, can provide sustained economic growth has delivered this crisis to us. Instead of economic growth and stable prices it has given us a system of government and finance that now threatens the world financial and political institutions.

2009 Ron Paul 82:2
Real unemployment is now 20% and there has not been any economic growth since the onset of the crisis in the year 2000, according to non-government statistics. Pyramiding debt and credit expansion, over the past 38 years, has come to an abrupt end – as predicted by free-market economists. Pursuing the same policy of excessive spending, debt expansion, and monetary inflation, can only compound the problems and prevent the required correction. Doubling the money supply didn’t work; quadrupling it won’t work either. The problem of debt must be addressed.

2009 Ron Paul 82:3
Expanding debt when it was a principal cause of the crisis is foolhardy. Excessive government and private debt is a consequence of a loose Federal Reserve monetary policy. Once a debt crisis hits, the solution must be paying it off or liquidating it. We are doing neither. Net US debt is now 372% of GDP. In the crisis of the 1930s it peaked at 301%. Household debt services requires 14% of the disposable income – an historic high. Between 2000 and 2007 credit debt expanded five times as fast as gross domestic product.

2009 Ron Paul 82:4
With no restraint on spending, and revenues dropping due to the weak economy, raising taxes will be poison to the economy. Buying up the bad debt of privileged institutions and dumping worthless assets on the American people is morally wrong and economically futile. Monetizing government debt, as the Fed is currently doing, is destined to do great harm. In the past 12 months the national debt has risen over $2.7 trillion. Future entitlement obligations are now reaching $100 trillion. US foreign indebtedness is $6 trillion. Foreign purchases of US securities in May were $7.4 billion, down from a monthly peak of $95 billion in 2006.

2009 Ron Paul 82:5
The fact that the Fed had to buy $38.5 billion of government securities last week indicates that it will continue its complicity with Congress to monetize the rapidly expanding deficit. This policy is used to pay for the socialization of America and for the maintenance of an unwise American empire overseas, and to make up for the diminished appetite of foreigners for our debt.

2009 Ron Paul 82:6
Since the attack on the dollar will continue, I would suggest that the problems we have faced so far are nothing compared to what it will be like when the world, not only rejects our debt, but our dollar as well. That’s when we’ll witness political turmoil which will be to no one’s benefit.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 83 CONGRATULATIONS TO UNITED SPACE SCHOOL PROGRAM July 22, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 83:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, on August 4 the Foundation for International Space Education (FISE) will host United Space School Day at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas. The United Space School Day is a summer science camp/ health careers promotion activity coordinated by the East Texas Area Health Education Center (AHEC). The United Space School Day’s activities will focus on the education pathways appropriate for students interested in careers in life sciences, aerospace medicine, and bioastronautics.

2009 Ron Paul 83:2
United Space School Day is just one part of FISE’s United Space School program. The United Space School program, which is rooted in the International Space School that was established in 1994, is the major way FISE carries out its mission of providing space-based academic instruction to pre-collegiate students from across America and around the world who are interested in science, engineering, technology, or mathematics careers. The United Space School gives these students the opportunity to learn from some of the space industry’s leading experts. Participants in the programs follow a curriculum specially designed to provide appropriate training and development by instructors qualified and knowledgeable in the proper disciplines.

2009 Ron Paul 83:3
As the students visit the various educational venues and participate in the space-related learning initiatives, they are exposed to myriad examples of space-related careers as well as careers in industries that support the space programs, including life sciences. United Space School students also benefit from daily one-on-one interaction with leading aerospace professionals from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Johnson Space Center (JSC), and the supporting aerospace community.

2009 Ron Paul 83:4
United Space School participants are also given a unique “hands on” learning experience through the development of a Manned Mission to Mars Project. United Space School’s organization, schedule, and curriculum are designed to provide the structure, knowledge, resources, mentoring, and appropriate settings to complete the Manned Mission to Mars project.

2009 Ron Paul 83:5
Madam Speaker, FISE’s United Space School program is doing invaluable work in preparing the next generation of scientists and aerospace engineers. I would not be surprised if future breakthroughs in space technology came from alumni of the United Space School program. It is therefore my pleasure to extend my congratulations to the United Space School program on the occasion of the United Space School Day. I also extend my thanks to NASA, the Johnson Space Center, the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, East Texas AHEC, and all the volunteers who help make the United Space School program possible.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 84 EARMARK DECLARATION July 23, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 84:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I obtained as part of HR 3183, the Education and Transportation bills

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1) Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

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Bill Number: H.R. 3288

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Account: DOT, FHA

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Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Baytown

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Address of Requesting Entity: 2401 Market Street, Baytown, Texas 77522

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Description of Request: An earmark of $400,000 to fund infrastructure improvements at the Highway 146 and Spur 330 in Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 84:8
2) Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

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Bill Number: H.R. 3288

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Account: DOT, FTA

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Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Galveston

2009 Ron Paul 84:12
Address of Requesting Entity: PO Box 779, Galveston, Texas 77553

2009 Ron Paul 84:13
Description of Request: An earmark of $500,000 to fund transit vehicle replacement in Galveston, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 84:14
3) Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 84:15
Bill Number: H.R. 3288

2009 Ron Paul 84:16
Account: DOT, FTA

2009 Ron Paul 84:17
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Gulf Coast Center

2009 Ron Paul 84:18
Address of Requesting Entity: 123 Rosenberg, Ste 6; Galveston, Texas 77515

2009 Ron Paul 84:19
Description of Request: An earmark of $750,000 to fund a Park and Ride in League City, Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 84:20
4) Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

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Bill Number: H.R. 3293

2009 Ron Paul 84:22
Account: DOE, FIPSE

2009 Ron Paul 84:23
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Brazosport College

2009 Ron Paul 84:24
Address of Requesting Entity: 500 College Drive, Lake Jackson, Texas 77566

2009 Ron Paul 84:25
Description of Request: An earmark of $200,000 to fund equipment purchases at Brazosport College in Texas.

2009 Ron Paul 84:26
5) Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 84:27
Bill Number: H.R. 3293

2009 Ron Paul 84:28
Account: DOE, FIPSE

2009 Ron Paul 84:29
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Brazosport College

2009 Ron Paul 84:30
Address of Requesting Entity: 500 College Drive, Lake Jackson, Texas 77566

2009 Ron Paul 84:31
Description of Request: An earmark of $380,000 to fund curriculum development at Brazosport College in Texas.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 85 EARMARK DECLARATION July 28, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 85:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I obtained as part of H.R. 3183, the Education and Transportation bills

2009 Ron Paul 85:2
(1) Requesting Member: Congressman RON PAUL

2009 Ron Paul 85:3
Bill Number: H.R. 3326

2009 Ron Paul 85:4
Account: DOD/RDTE, A

2009 Ron Paul 85:5
Legal Name of Requesting Entity: U.S. DoD

2009 Ron Paul 85:6
Address of Requesting Entity: 504 Scott Street, Fort Detrick, MD 21702

2009 Ron Paul 85:7
Description of Request: $4,200,000 For Testing of safety of vanadium. Protecting the health of servicemen and civilian workers.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 86 INTRODUCTION OF THE CONGRESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT July 29, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 86:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Congressional Responsibility and Accountability Act. This bill requires Congress to specifically authorize via legislation any proposed federal regulation that will impose costs on any individual of at least $5,000, impose costs on a business or other private organization of at least $10,000, or impose aggregate costs on the American people of at least $25,000, or cause any American to lose his or her job.

2009 Ron Paul 86:2
According to some legal experts, at least three-quarters of all federal laws consist of regulations promulgated by federal agencies without the consent, or even the review of, Congress. Allowing unelected, and thus unaccountable, executive agencies to make law undermines democracy and violates the intent of the drafters of the Constitution to separate legislative and executive powers. The drafters of the Constitution correctly viewed separation of powers as a cornerstone of republican government and a key to protecting individual liberty from excessive and arbitrary government power.

2009 Ron Paul 86:3
Congress’s delegation of law-making authority to unelected bureaucrats has created a system that seems to owe more to the writings of Franz Kafka than to the writings of James Madison. The volume of regulations promulgated by federal agencies and the constant introduction of new rules makes it impossible for most Americans to know with any certainty the federal laws, regulations, and rules they are required to obey. Thus, almost all Americans live with the danger that they may be hauled before a federal agency for an infraction they have no reasonable way of knowing is against the law.

2009 Ron Paul 86:4
While it is easy for members of Congress to complain about out of control federal bureaucrats, it was Congress that gave these agencies the ability to create laws. Since Congress created the problem of lawmaking by regulatory agencies, it is up to Congress to fix the problem and make certain that all federal laws are passed by the people’s elected representatives. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to cosponsor the Congressional Responsibility and Accountability Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 87 INTRODUCING HEALTH FREEDOM LEGISLATION July 29, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 87:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce two pieces of legislation restoring the First Amendment rights of consumers to receive truthful information regarding the benefits of foods and dietary supplements. The first bill, the Health Freedom Act, codifies the First Amendment by ending the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s efforts to censor truthful health claims. The second bill, the Freedom of Health Speech Act, codifies the First and Fifth Amendment by requiring the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to prove that health claims are false before it takes action to stop manufacturers and marketers from making the claims.

2009 Ron Paul 87:2
The American people have made it clear they do not want the federal government to interfere with their access to dietary supplements, yet the FDA and the FTC continue to engage in heavy-handed attempts to restrict such access. The FDA continues to frustrate consumers’ efforts to learn how they can improve their health even after Congress, responding to a record number of constituents’ comments, passed the Dietary Supplement and Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). FDA bureaucrats are so determined to frustrate consumers’ access to truthful information that they are even evading their duty to comply with four federal court decisions vindicating consumers’ First Amendment rights to discover the health benefits of foods and dietary supplements.

2009 Ron Paul 87:3
FDA bureaucrats have even refused to abide by the DSHEA section allowing the public to have access to scientific articles and publications regarding the role of nutrients in treating diseases by claiming that every article concerning this topic is evidence of intent to sell an unapproved and unlawful drug.

2009 Ron Paul 87:4
Because of the FDA’s censorship of truthful health claims, millions of Americans may suffer with diseases and other health care problems they may have avoided by using dietary supplements. For example, the FDA prohibited consumers from learning how folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects for four years after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended every woman of childbearing age take folic acid supplements to reduce neural tube defects. This FDA action contributed to an estimated 10,000 cases of preventable neutral tube defects.

2009 Ron Paul 87:5
The FDA also continues to prohibit consumers from learning about the scientific evidence that glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis; that omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of sudden death heart attack; that calcium may reduce the risk of bone fractures; and that vitamin D may reduce the risk of osteoporosis, hypertension, and cancer.

2009 Ron Paul 87:6
The Health Freedom Act will force the FDA to at last comply with the commands of Congress, the First Amendment, numerous federal courts, and the American people by codifying the First Amendment prohibition on prior restraint. Specifically, the Health Freedom Act stops the FDA from censoring truthful claims about the curative, mitigative, or preventative effects of dietary supplements. The Health Freedom Act also stops the FDA from prohibiting the distribution of scientific articles and publications regarding the role of nutrients in protecting against disease. The FDA has proven that it cannot be trusted to protect consumers’ rights to make informed choices. It is time for Congress to stop the FDA from censoring truthful health information.

2009 Ron Paul 87:7
The Freedom of Health Speech Act addresses the FTC’s violations of the First Amendment. Under traditional constitutional standards, the federal government bears the burden of proving an advertising statement false before censoring that statement. However, the FTC shifted the burden of proof to industry. The FTC presumes health advertising is false and compels private parties to prove the ads (and everything the regulators say the ads imply) to be true to a near conclusive degree. This violation of the First and Fifth Amendments is harming consumers’ by blocking innovation in the health foods and dietary supplement marketplace.

2009 Ron Paul 87:8
The Freedom of Health Speech Act requires that the government actually prove that speech is false before the FTC acts against the speaker. This is how it should be in a free society where information flows freely in order to foster the continuous improvement that benefits us all. The bill also requires that the FTC warn parties that their advertising is false and give them a chance to correct their mistakes before the FTC censors the claim and imposes other punishments.

2009 Ron Paul 87:9
Madam Speaker, if we are serious about putting people in charge of their health care, then shouldn’t we stop federal bureaucrats from preventing Americans from learning about simple ways to improve their health. I therefore call on my colleagues to stand up for good health and the Constitution by cosponsoring the Health Freedom Act and the Freedom of Health Speech Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 88 THE BIG GUNS HAVE LINED UP AGAINST H.R. 1207 July 30, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 88:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, the big guns have lined up against H.R. 1207, the bill to audit the Federal Reserve. What is it that they are so concerned about? What information are they hiding from the American people? The screed is: “Transparency is okay – except for those things they don’t want to be transparent.”

2009 Ron Paul 88:2
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke argues that H.R. 1207, the legislation to audit the Federal Reserve, would politicize monetary policy. He claims that monetary policy must remain “independent,” that is, secret. He ignores history, because chairmen of the Federal Reserve in the past, especially when up for reappointment, do their best to accommodate the President with politically driven low interest rates and a bubble economy.

2009 Ron Paul 88:3
Former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Arthur Burns, when asked about all the inflation he brought about in 1971, before Nixon’s re-election, said that the Fed has to do what the President wants it to do, or it would “lose its independence.” That about tells you everything. Not by accident, Chairman Burns strongly supported Nixon’s program of wage and price controls, the same year; but I guess that’s not political. Is not making secret deals with the likes of Goldman Sachs, international financial institutions, foreign governments and foreign central banks, politicizing monetary policy? Bernanke argues that the knowledge that their discussions and decisions will one day be scrutinized will compromise the freedom of the Open Market Committee to pursue sound policy. If it is sound and honest, and serves no special interest, what’s the problem?

2009 Ron Paul 88:4
He claims that H.R. 1207 would give power to Congress to affect monetary policy. He dreamt this up to instill fear, an old statist trick to justify government power. H.R. 1207 does nothing of the sort. He suggested that the day after an FOMC meeting, Congress could send in the GAO to demand an audit of everything said and done. This is hardly the case. The FOMC function, under 1207, would not change. The detailed transcripts of the FOMC meetings are released every 5 years, so why would this be so different, and what is it that they don’t want the American people to know? Is there something about the transcripts that need to be kept secret, or are the transcripts actually not verbatim?

2009 Ron Paul 88:5
Fed sychophants argue that an audit would destroy the financial market’s faith in the Fed. They say this in the midst of the greatest financial crisis in history, brought on by none other than the Federal Reserve. In fact, Chairman Bernanke stated on November 14, 2007, that “a considerable amount of evidence indicates that central bank transparency increases the effectiveness of monetary policy and enhances economic and financial performance.”

2009 Ron Paul 88:6
They also argue that an audit would hurt the value of the U.S. dollar. In fact, the Fed, in less than 100 years of its existence, has reduced the value of the 1914 dollar by 96 percent. They claim H.R. 1207 would raise interest rates. How could it? The Fed sets interest rates and the bill doesn’t interfere with monetary policy. Congress would have no say in the matter; and besides, Congress likes low interest rates. It is argued that the Fed wouldn’t be free to raise interest rates if they thought it necessary. But Bernanke has already assured the Congress that rates are going to stay low for the foreseeable future, and, again, this bill does nothing to allow Congress to interfere with interest rate setting.

2009 Ron Paul 88:7
Fed supporters claim that they want to protect the public’s interest with their secrecy. But the banks and Wall Street are the opponents of 1207, and the people are for it. Just who best represents the “public’s” interest? The real question is, why are Wall Street and the Feds so hysterically opposed to 1207? Just what information are they so anxious to keep secret? Only an audit of the Federal Reserve will answer these questions.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 89 H.R. 3269 July 31, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 89:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, many Americans are justly outraged that Wall Street firms that came hat in hand to receive bailouts from the federal government rewarded their executives with lavish bonuses. But while holding those financial firms accountable to the taxpayers is a laudable aim, the legislation before us, H.R. 3269, goes far beyond this.

2009 Ron Paul 89:2
This is not the first time that Congress has meddled in matters of executive compensation, and unfortunately it will not be the last. Just like Congress’ meddling with the economy, each intervention creates unseen problems which, when they crop up, are again addressed by legislation that creates further unseen problems, thus continuing the cycle ad infinitum. Problems with executive compensation cannot be addressed by further burdensome legislation.

2009 Ron Paul 89:3
The Wall Street bailouts have already given the federal government too much power in corporate boardrooms, and H.R. 3269 is yet another step in the wrong direction. While shareholder votes on compensation may be non-binding now, once the precedent of government intervention on behalf of shareholders is set, there is no reason to believe that these votes will not become binding in the future.

2009 Ron Paul 89:4
Perhaps even more frustrating is that enforcement of the provisions of this bill will be undertaken by overpaid bureaucrats who lack the skills to earn comparable salaries in the marketplace by providing useful products or services desired by consumers. People who shuttle between federal regulator and federally regulated firms, trading on their political connections and epitomizing the corruption endemic to the government-managed financial system, will be making decisions that affect every single public company in this country.

2009 Ron Paul 89:5
In order to understand the reasons behind excessive executive compensation, we need to take a look at the root causes. The salaries and bonuses raising the most ire are those from the financial sector, the sector which directly benefits from the Federal Reserve’s loose monetary policy. Loose monetary policy leads to speculative bubbles which drive up stock prices and enrich executives who cash in their stock options. It makes debt cheaper, which encourages reckless business expansion. And it shuttles money from industries that produce valuable products and services to industries that are favored by the federal government. H.R. 3269 is a well-intended but misguided piece of legislation. Until we strike at the root of the problem, we will never get our financial system back on a firm footing.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 90 MORE GOVERNMENT WON’T HELP September 23, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 90:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, our government has been mismanaging medical care for more than 45 years. For every problem it has created, it has responded by exponentially expanding the role of government.

2009 Ron Paul 90:2
Here are some points I’d like to have my colleagues consider. Number one, no one has a right to medical care. If one assumes such a right, it endorses the notion that some individuals have a right to someone else’s life and property. This totally contradicts the principles of liberty.

2009 Ron Paul 90:3
Number two, if medical care is provided by government, this can only be achieved by an authoritarian government unconcerned about the rights of the individual.

2009 Ron Paul 90:4
Number three, economic fallacies accepted for more than 100 years in the United States have deceived policymakers into believing that quality care can only be achieved by government force, taxation, regulations, and bowing to a system of special interests that creates a system of corporatism.

2009 Ron Paul 90:5
Number four, more dollars into any monopoly run by government never increases quality, but it always results in higher costs and prices.

2009 Ron Paul 90:6
Number five, government does have an important role to play in facilitating the delivery of all goods and services in an ethical and efficient manner.

2009 Ron Paul 90:7
Number six, first, government should do no harm. It should get out of the way and repeal all of the laws that have contributed to the mess we have.

2009 Ron Paul 90:8
Number seven, the costs are obviously too high, but in solving this problem one cannot ignore the debasement of the currency as a major factor.

2009 Ron Paul 90:9
Number eight, bureaucrats and other third parties must never be allowed to interfere in the doctor-patient relationship.

2009 Ron Paul 90:10
Number 9, the Tax Code, including the ERISA laws, must be changed to give everyone equal treatment by allowing a 100 percent tax credit for all medical expenses.

2009 Ron Paul 90:11
Laws dealing with bad outcomes and prohibiting doctors from entering into voluntary agreements with their patients must be repealed. Tort laws play a significant role in pushing costs higher, prompting unnecessary treatment and excessive testing. Patients deserve the compensation; the attorneys do not.

2009 Ron Paul 90:12
Number 10, insurance sales should be legalized nationally across State lines to increase competition among the insurance companies.

2009 Ron Paul 90:13
Number 11, long-term insurance policies should be available to young people similar to term life insurances that offer fixed prices for long periods of time.

2009 Ron Paul 90:14
Number 12, the principle of insurance should be remembered. Its purpose in a free market is to measure risk, not to be used synonymously with social welfare programs. Any program that provides for first-dollar payment is no longer insurance. This would be similar to giving coverage for gasoline and repair bills to those who buy car insurance or providing food insurance for people who go to the grocery store. Obviously, that would not work.

2009 Ron Paul 90:15
Number 13, the cozy relationship between organized medicine and government must be reversed.

2009 Ron Paul 90:16
Early on medical insurance was promoted by the medical community in order to boost reimbursements to doctors and hospitals. That partnership has morphed into the government/insurance industry still being promoted by the current administration.

2009 Ron Paul 90:17
Number 14, threatening individuals with huge fines by forcing them to buy insurance is a boon to the insurance companies.

2009 Ron Paul 90:18
Number 15, there must be more competition for individuals entering into the medical field. Licensing strictly limits the number of individuals who can provide patient care. A lot of problems were created in the 20th century as a consequence of the Flexner Report in 1910, which was financed by the Carnegie Foundation and strongly supported by the AMA. Many medical schools were closed, and the number of doctors was drastically reduced. The motivation was to close down medical schools that catered to women, minorities, and especially homeopathy. We continue to suffer from these changes, which were designed to protect physicians’ income and promote allopathic medicine over the natural cures and prevention of homeopathic medicine.

2009 Ron Paul 90:19
Number 16, we must remove any obstacle for people seeking holistic and nutritional alternatives to current medical care. We must remove the threat of further regulations pushed by the drug companies now working worldwide to limit these alternatives.

2009 Ron Paul 90:20
True competition in the delivery of medical care is what is needed, not more government meddling.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 91 CONGRATULATIONS TO POSTMASTER OLA HELM September 29, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 91:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, Ola Helm, a 23 year veteran of the United States Postal Service, will be officially sworn in as the 24th postmaster for the Brazoria, Texas post office on Thursday, October first. I am pleased to extend my congratulations to Postmaster Helm.

2009 Ron Paul 91:2
Postmaster Helm began her postal career on May 10, 1986 as a letter carrier in my hometown of Lake Jackson, Texas. Over the years, Postmaster Helm held a variety of positions in the postal service, including window clerk, supervisor, coach postmaster and officer charge at a variety of local post offices, including Danbury, Freeport, West Columbia, Sweeny and Needville.

2009 Ron Paul 91:3
Prior to being appointed postmaster for Brazoria, Ola Helm served as Postmaster for the Van Vleck office. She has spent the past 17 months familiarizing herself with the employees and patrons of the Brazoria post office. The people of Brazoria County are lucky to have such a dedicated and experienced postal veteran serving as postmaster, and I am pleased to once again extend my congratulations to Postmaster Ola Helm.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 92 Foreign Policy September 30, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 92:1
Mr. PAUL. I thank the gentlelady for yielding.

2009 Ron Paul 92:2
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill. Sometimes I wonder how we can, with a straight face, bring a bill up like this with the conditions of this country, especially financially. I oppose this bill for two reasons. One, we don’t have the money. That would be a pretty good reason not to support it. And the other reason is I do not believe it’s in our national security interests. I know this is being promoted as benefiting our national security, but I do not believe it helps us one bit. This bill was essentially voted on in June, and the vote was 234–185, which means that it is assumed at least 56 or more individuals in the Congress have switched their votes.

2009 Ron Paul 92:3
Now they say they have tinkered with the bill and changed it a little bit, but it’s an authorization that could be $15 billion. So it hasn’t had that much of a change. But today it is expected that these individuals will change and vote for this bill not really asking the questions.

2009 Ron Paul 92:4
Now, the bill is defined as fortifying democratic institutions. That is a good goal. But it never, never works. We are in 130 countries, we have 700 bases around the world, and we pursue this, and we are bankrupting our country by trying to maintain this empire. I have often made the point that the way we treat our fellow countries around the world is we tell them what to do, and if they do it we give them money. If they don’t do it, we bomb them. Under this condition, we are doing both. We are currently dropping bombs in Pakistan. The CIA is dropping bombs, and innocent people get killed.

2009 Ron Paul 92:5
If you want to promote our good values and our democratic process, you can’t antagonize the people by literally killing people over there, because if bombs were falling on this country, we wouldn’t be all that happy with that. So this does not improve our conditions whatsoever.

2009 Ron Paul 92:6
I would suggest another proposal for our foreign policy, not using bombs and bribes, but what about neither one? What about just talking to people? What about reducing tariffs? What about trading with them? Instead, it is this form of foreign policy that will not serve our interests.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 93 RECOGNITION FOR MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS STATE HOUSE AND SENATE FOR THEIR WORK ON BEHALF OF GALVESTON TEXAS October 21, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 93:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, on October 23, the Galveston Chamber of Commerce will recognize the following members of the Texas State House and Senate for their tireless work in the Texas state legislature on behalf of the people of Galveston: Senator Joan Huffman, Senator Mike Jackson, Senator Steve Ogden, Representative Dan Branch, Representative Craig Eiland, Representative Jim Pitts, and Representative Larry Taylor. I am pleased to join the Galveston Chamber of Commerce in saluting these seven legislators.

2009 Ron Paul 93:2
In the past year, each of these legislators have diligently worked to help the people of Galveston recover from Hurricane Ike. Among the issues they worked on were windstorm insurance, state support for rebuilding Galveston Island, and ensuring continued support for the University of Texas Medical Branch.

2009 Ron Paul 93:3
I am honored to have a working relationship with these legislators. My district staff regularly communicates with the offices of these state legislators, in working together to meet the needs of our shared constituents.

2009 Ron Paul 93:4
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I again join my friends at the Galveston Chamber of Commerce in thanking Senator Joan Huffman, Senator Mike Jackson, Senator Steve Ogden, Representative Dan Branch, Representative Craig Eiland, Representative Jim Pitts, and Representative Larry Taylor for all they do for the people of Galveston. I look forward to continuing to work with these legislators.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 94 BIRTHDAY GREETINGS TO BERTHA RICHARDSON November 4, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 94:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, on November 2, the family and friends of Mrs. Bertha Richardson gathered together to celebrate Mrs. Richardson’s 100th birthday. I am pleased to extend belated birthday greetings to Mrs. Richardson. Mrs. Richardson is a life-long resident of Rosharon, Texas, which is in my congressional district. As the matriarch of her extended family, Mrs. Richardson continues to her relatives, and all members of her community, with the gifts of her faith and wisdom. I urge all my colleagues to join me in sending our best wishes to Bertha Richardson on the occasion of her 100th birthday.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 95 NATIONAL SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY WEEK November 6, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 95:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I voted against H. Res. 700, designating the week of November 9 as National School Psychology Week to draw attention to the threat to liberty posed by proposals that school physiologists perform mandatory mental evaluations of all school children without parental consent.

2009 Ron Paul 95:2
The New Freedom Commission on Mental Health has recommended that the federal and state governments work toward the implementation of a comprehensive system of mental- health screening for all Americans. The commission recommends that universal or mandatory mental-health screening first be implemented in public schools as a prelude to expanding it to the general public. However, neither the commission’s report nor any related mental-health screening proposal requires parental consent before a child is subjected to mental-health screening. Federally funded universal or mandatory mental-health screening in schools without parental consent could lead to labeling more children as “ADD” or “hyperactive” and thus force more children to take psychotropic drugs, such as Ritalin, against their parents’ wishes.

2009 Ron Paul 95:3
Too many children are suffering from being prescribed psychotropic drugs for nothing more than children’s typical rambunctious behavior. According to Medco Health Solutions, more than 2.2 million children are receiving more than one psychotropic drug at one time. In fact, according to Medico Trends, in 2003, total spending on psychiatric drugs for children exceeded spending on antibiotics or asthma medication.

2009 Ron Paul 95:4
Many children have suffered harmful side effects from using psychotropic drugs. Some of the possible side effects include mania, violence, dependence, and weight gain. Yet, parents are already being threatened with child abuse charges if they resist efforts to drug their children. Imagine how much easier it will be to drug children against their parents’ wishes if a federally funded mental-health screener makes the recommendation.

2009 Ron Paul 95:5
Universal or mandatory mental-health screening could also provide a justification for stigmatizing children from families that support traditional values. Even the authors of mental- health diagnosis manuals admit that mental- health diagnoses are subjective and based on social constructions. Therefore, it is all too easy for a psychiatrist to label a person’s disagreement with the psychiatrist’s political beliefs a mental disorder. For example, a federally funded school violence prevention program lists “intolerance” as a mental problem that may lead to school violence. Because “intolerance” is often a code word for believing in traditional values, children who share their parents’ values could be labeled as having mental problems and a risk of causing violence. If the mandatory mental-health screening program applies to adults, everyone who believes in traditional values could have his or her beliefs stigmatized as a sign of a mental disorder. Taxpayer dollars should not support programs that may label those who adhere to traditional values as having a “mental disorder.”

2009 Ron Paul 95:6
In order to protect our nation’s children from mandatory mental health screening, I have introduced introduce the Parental Consent Act (H.R. 2218). This bill forbids Federal funds from being used for any universal or mandatory mental-health screening of students without the express, written, voluntary, informed consent of their parents or legal guardians. This bill protects the fundamental right of parents to direct and control the upbringing and education of their children. I hope all my colleagues will cosponser H.R. 2218.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 96 Afghanistan, Part 1 November 18, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 96:1
Mr. PAUL. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to express my appreciation for your getting this Special Order on this very important subject.

2009 Ron Paul 96:2
Of course, a lot of people in this country are asking, What should we do about Afghanistan? It’s a pretty important question. It might be one of the most important questions that we are asking right now. And yet nobody seems to have an answer. I think the difficulty in finding an answer comes sometimes from not having fully understood why we got there. I just can’t imagine this debate that’s going on within our government today, the executive branch, the legislative branch, and with the people – can you imagine this going on during World War II? How many troops should we have? What is our exit strategy? Who is our enemy? How are we going to impose democracy? It’s so far removed from what a traditional responsibility is of our government, which is to provide national security.

2009 Ron Paul 96:3
Now they have practically run out of excuses for why we are over in Afghanistan. The only one that is left that they seem to cling to is that we are there for national security; we want to fight the bad guys over there because we don’t want to fight them over here. I will talk a little about that later; but, quite frankly, I think that’s a fallacious argument and actually makes things a lot worse.

2009 Ron Paul 96:4
It just bewilders me about how we get trapped into these situations. I happen to believe that it’s because we get ourselves involved too carelessly, too easily and we don’t follow the Constitution, because under the Constitution, you’re supposed to declare the war, know who your enemy is, and know when you can declare victory and bring the troops home. And we did that up until and through World War II. But since then, that hasn’t been the case.

2009 Ron Paul 96:5
I recall a book I read in the 1980s written by Barbara Tuchman. She wrote a book called the “March of Folly,” and she went back as far as Troy, all the way up through Vietnam and took very special interest in countries where they were almost obsessed or possessed with a policy, even though it was not in their interest, and the foolishness and the inability to change course. She died in 1989, but I keep thinking that if she had lived, she would probably write a history of our recent years, another “march of folly.”

2009 Ron Paul 96:6
Just think of what has happened since the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet system collapsed. It didn’t take us long. Did we have any peace dividends? No. There were arguments for more military spending, we had more responsibility, we had to go and police the world. So it wasn’t long after that, what were we doing? We were involved in the Persian Gulf war.

2009 Ron Paul 96:7
And then, following that, we had decades of bombing in Iraq which didn’t please the Arabs and the Muslims of the world and certainly the Iraqis, but it had nothing to do with national security.

2009 Ron Paul 96:8
And then, of course, we continued and accelerated our support of the various puppet governments in the Middle East. In doing so, we actually went to the part of not only supporting the governments, but we started putting troops on their land. And when we had an air base in Saudi Arabia, that was rather offensive. If you understand the people over there, this is a violation of a deeply held religious view. It is considered their holy land; and foreigners, especially military foreigners, are seen as infidels. So if you’re looking for a fight or a problem, just put troops on their land.

2009 Ron Paul 96:9
But also, as a result of the policy that we have had in the Middle East, we have been perceived as being anti- Palestinian. This has not set well either. Since that time, of course, we haven’t backed off one bit. We had the Persian Gulf war, and then we had 9/11.

2009 Ron Paul 96:10
We know that 9/11 changed everything. We had 15 individuals from Saudi Arabia, a few from Yemen and a few from Egypt, but, aha, this is an excuse that we have got to get the bad guys. So where are the bad guys? Well, Iraq, of course. Of course, they figured, well, we can’t quite do that, let’s go into Afghanistan. Of course, not one single Afghani did anything to us. They said, oh, no, the al Qaeda visited there.

2009 Ron Paul 96:11
But I just can’t quite accept the fact that the individuals that were flying those airplanes got their training by going to these training camps in Afghanistan doing push-ups and being tough and strong. What did they do? Where was the planning? The planning was done in Spain and they were accepted there in legal bases. They were done in Germany; they were accepted there. As a matter of fact, they even came to this country with legal visas. And they were accepted by the countries.

2009 Ron Paul 96:12
And, no, no, we said, it’s the Taliban; it’s the people of Afghanistan, never questioning the fact that a few years back, back in 1989 when the Soviets were wrecking the place, we were allied with the people who were friends of Osama bin Laden, and we were over there trying to support him. So he then was a freedom fighter.

2009 Ron Paul 96:13
And the hypocrisy of all this and the schizophrenia of it all, they were on again and off again. No wonder we get ourselves into these difficulties. And it doesn’t seem to ever lead up.

2009 Ron Paul 96:14
The one assessment that was made after Vietnam, and I think you can apply it here, is how do we get in and why do we get bogged down? And two individuals that were talking about this, East and West, Vietnam and the United States, they sort of came to the conclusion that we, the Americans, overestimated the ominous power of our military, we could conquer anybody and everybody. And we underestimated the tenacity of people who are defending their homeland, sort of like we were defending our homeland in the Revolutionary War, and the invaders and the occupiers were the Red Coats. There’s a big difference, and you can overcome all kinds of obstacles; but we have never seemed to have learned that. And unless we do, I don’t think we can solve our problems.

2009 Ron Paul 96:15
Indeed, we have to realize that we are not the policemen of the world. We cannot nation-build. And Presidential candidates on both sides generally tell the people that’s what they want, and the people say, keep our fingers crossed, hope it’s true. But then, once again, our policies continue down the road, and we never seem to have the energy to back off of this.

2009 Ron Paul 96:16
I emphasize, once again, that I think we could keep our eye on the target, emphasize what we should be doing if we went to war a lot more cautiously, if we have an enemy that we have to fight in our national defense and then there is a declaration of war.

Mr. KAGEN. Would the gentleman yield for a moment?

2009 Ron Paul 96:17
Mr. PAUL. I will yield.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 97 Afghanistan, Part 2 November 18, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 97:1
Mr. PAUL. I thank you for yielding. I want to just make a couple of points in closing. The statement at the beginning of this war was made that it’s different this time. Even though the history is well known about Afghanistan – it’s ancient history, but it’s different this time because we’re different, and it’s not going to have the same result. But so far, you know, they haven’t caught Osama bin Laden, and we don’t have a national government, really. We don’t have really honest elections. We haven’t won the hearts and minds of the people. There is a lot of dissension, and it is a miserable place. It is really a total failure, let alone the cost, the cost of life and limb and money. I mean, it is just a total failure. The thought that we would pursue this and expand it and send more troops just blows my mind.

2009 Ron Paul 97:2
I just want to mention a couple of things that I think are bad arguments. One thing is we are involved there, we have invested too much, and, therefore, we have to save face because it would look terrible if we had to leave. But it is like in medicine. What if we, in medicine, were doing the wrong thing, made the wrong diagnosis? Would we keep doing it to prove that we are right or are we going listen to the patient and to the results? Mr. KAGEN. You would lose your license.

2009 Ron Paul 97:3
Mr. PAUL. Yes, that’s right. But it seems like politicians don’t lose their license. Maybe they should. Maybe there will be more this year or something. But the other argument they make is, if you take a less militant viewpoint as we all do that we’re not supportive of the troops. The troops don’t believe that. The troops I talk to and the ones Mr. JONES talks to, they know we care about them, and they shouldn’t be put in harm’s way unless it is absolutely necessary.

2009 Ron Paul 97:4
This other argument is, well, we have got to go over there to kill them because they want to kill us. Well, like I mentioned before, it wasn’t the Afghans that came over here, but if we’re in their country killing them, we’re going to create more terrorists. And the more people we send, the more terrorists, and the more we have to kill. And now it’s spreading. That’s what I’m worried about in this war.

2009 Ron Paul 97:5
There was one individual – I don’t know his name – but they believed he was in Pakistan, so he was part of the terrorist group, the people who were opposing the occupation. So they sent 15 cruise missiles, drones, over looking for him. It took the 15th one to kill him. But 14 landed, and there was an estimate made that about 1,000 civilians were killed in this manner. How many more terrorists have we developed under those circumstances?

2009 Ron Paul 97:6
I do want to have 1 minute here to read a quote, and then I will yield back. This quote comes from a Russian general talking to Gorbachev, and Gorbachev went into office in 1985, and this was a year later. The general was talking to Gorbachev. Just think, Gorbachev was in office 1 year. He had the problem. He was trying to get out. He didn’t get out until 1989. But the general says, “Military actions in Afghanistan will soon be 7 years old,” and told Mr. Gorbachev at a November 1986 Politburo session, “There is no single piece of land in this country which has not been occupied by a Soviet soldier. Nonetheless, the majority of the territory remains in the hands of rebels.” It reminds me of the conversation between Colonel Tu and Sumner after Vietnam. And Sumner, our colonel, says, You know, we defeated you in every battle in Vietnam. And Tu looked at him, and he said, Yes, I agree, but it was also irrelevant.

2009 Ron Paul 97:7
I yield back.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 98 Afghanistam Part 3 November 18, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 98:1
Mr. PAUL. I would like to just make one more comment as we close the Special Order.

2009 Ron Paul 98:2
I opened my remarks talking about Barbara Tuchman’s “The March of Folly.” We are on the same course. I would say it’s time to march home. I’m not for sending any more troops. It is very clear in my mind that if the job isn’t getting done and we don’t know what we’re there for, I would say, you know, it’s time to come home, because I fear – and it’s been brought up. Congressman MCGOVERN has brought it up, and everybody’s talked about the finances of this because it is known that all great nations, when they spread themselves too thinly around the world, they go bankrupt. And that is essentially what’s happened to the Soviet system. They fell apart for economic reasons.

2009 Ron Paul 98:3
So there are trillions of dollars spent in this operation. We’re flat-out broke, a $2 trillion increase in the national debt last year, and it just won’t continue. So we may not get our debate on the floor. We may not be persuasive enough to change this course, but I’ll tell you what, the course will be changed. Let’s hope they accept some of our suggestions, because when a Nation crumbles for financial reasons, that’s much more dangerous than us taking the tough stance and saying, It’s time to come home.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 99 CONGRATULATING SHARK TOWN MICRO COMMUNITY November 18, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 99:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, Monday, November 23, in Port Lavaca, Texas, IBC Bank and HJM Elementary School will co-host the Shark Town Micro Community Grand Opening. Shark Town Micro Community is an innovative education program that gives HJM Elementary students the opportunity to learn “real world” business and financial skills. I am pleased to extend my best wishes to the people of IBC Bank, HJM Elementary, and all the businesses, educators, and, especially, students participating in this program.

2009 Ron Paul 99:2
The Shark Town Micro Community is a small community within the school run by the students. The HJM Elementary student council serves as the Shark Town council, and the student council president serves as the mayor of Shark Town. HJM Elementary students named the community after their school’s mascot, a shark.

2009 Ron Paul 99:3
Students may choose to work at any of a variety of business, including an IBC Bank, Wal-Mart, and HEB grocery store. Students can also work at Shark Town’s branch of the IRS, student workers have to pay taxes, one of Shark Town’s utility companies, the post office, the local newspaper, the safety patrol, or the recycling center. Students may also train to be future teachers.

2009 Ron Paul 99:4
Local Port Lavaca businesses sponsor their Shark Town counterparts. The businesses provide their Shark Town counterparts with signs, badges, and shirts for their employees. Local businesses also provide funds for the Shark Town companies. Employees of the local businesses also periodically visit the school to offer assistance to their counterpart businesses.

2009 Ron Paul 99:5
Students receive salaries based on their jobs and their work performance. In order to participate in Shark Town, students must submit job applications and be interviewed. Payment is in the form of “sand dollars.” Students may use their sand dollars to pay their taxes and utility bills as well as to shop at Shark Town’s stores.

2009 Ron Paul 99:6
Madam Speaker, the Shark Town Micro Community program represents an innovative means of providing students with a unique opportunity to learn about how businesses operate as well as develop work and financial management habits that will serve them well throughout their lives. It is my pleasure to again congratulate all those participating in the Shark Town Micro Community project.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 100 TRANSPARENCY AT THE FEDERAL RESERVE December 1, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 100:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke does not want us to know any the details of the Fed’s secret operations. This position is not surprising and has been typical of all central bank chairmen. Bernanke’s stated goal is “to design a system of financial oversight that will provide a robust framework for preventing future crises.”

2009 Ron Paul 100:2
During its 96 years of existence, the Federal Reserve has played havoc with our economy and brought great suffering to millions through unemployment and price escalation. And it has achieved what only a central bank can: A steady depreciation of our currency. Today’s dollar is now worth 4 cents, compared to the dollar entrusted to the Federal Reserve in 1913. Ninety-six years should have been plenty of time for the Fed to come up with a plan for preventing economic crises.

2009 Ron Paul 100:3
Since the Fed is the source of all economic downturns, it’s impossible for any central banker to regulate in such a manner to prevent the problems that are predictable consequences of his own monetary management. The Federal Reserve fixes interest rates at levels inevitably lower than those demanded by the market. This manipulation is a form of price control through credit expansion, and is the ultimate cause of business cycles and so many of our economic problems, generating the mal- investment, excessive debt, stock, bond, commodity, and housing bubbles.

2009 Ron Paul 100:4
The Federal Reserve’s monetary inflation, indeed, does push the CPI upward, but concentrating on the government’s reports of the CPI and the PPI is nothing more than the distraction from the other harm done by the Federal Reserve’s effort at central economic planning through secret monetary policy operations. Real inflation, the expansion of our money supply, is greatly undercounted by these indices. In response to our latest financial crisis, the Federal Reserve turned on its printing press and literally doubled the monetary base. This staggering creation of dollars has yet to be reflected in many consumer prices, but will ultimately hit the middle class and poor with a cruel devaluation of their savings and real earnings.

2009 Ron Paul 100:5
The Fed has clearly failed on its mandate to maintain full employment and price stability. It’s time to find out what’s going on. Instead of assuming responsibility for the Fed’s role in the crisis, Bernanke brags about, “arresting” the crisis.

2009 Ron Paul 100:6
I would suggest to Mr. Bernanke that it’s too early to brag. Bernanke decries any effort to gain transparency of the Fed’s actions to find out just who gets bailed out and who is left to fail. Instead, he proposes giving even more power to the Fed to regulate the entire financial system.

2009 Ron Paul 100:7
What he does not recognize – nor does he want to admit – is that he is talking about symptoms while ignoring the source of the crisis: the Federal Reserve itself. More regulations will never compensate for all the distortion and excesses caused by monetary inflation and artificially low interest rates. Regulation distracts from the real cause while further interfering with the market forces, thus guaranteeing that the recession will become much deeper and prolonged.

2009 Ron Paul 100:8
Chairman Bernanke’s argument for Fed secrecy is a red herring. It serves to distract so the special interests that benefit from the Fed policy never become known to the public. Who can possibly buy this argument that this secrecy is required to protect the people from political influence?

2009 Ron Paul 100:9
My bill, H.R. 1207, has nothing to do with interference with monetary policy. This was explicitly stated in the amendment voted on in the Financial Services Committee. Bernanke’s argument for protecting the independence of the Fed is his argument for protecting the secrecy of the Fed. Chairman Bernanke concludes that “America needs a strong” – think cartel – “nonpolitical” – think Goldman Sachs – “and independent” – think secret – “central bank with the tools to promote financial stability, in the midst of a horrendous financial crisis, and to help steer our economy to recovery without inflation.”

2009 Ron Paul 100:10
This belief is a dream that one day will become a nightmare for all Americans unless we come to our senses, stop our wild spending, runaway deficits, printing press money, massive bureaucratic regulations, and our unnecessary world empire. A crucial step towards fixing these problems will be transparency of the Federal Reserve.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 101 THE QUAGMIRE OF AFGHANISTAN December 2, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 101:1
Mr. PAUL. Certainly, in the last 24 hours, we’ve had a lot of discussion about Afghanistan and whether or not we should send more troops. As a matter of fact, that debate has been going on for a long time. The whole debate about Afghanistan is something that makes me think that we are bogged down, considering the fact that it has been going on for 8 years.

2009 Ron Paul 101:2
This is not new for us. This is more or less the rule rather than the exception, and I believe this comes about because of the way we go to war. In the last 60-some years, we have never had a declaration of war, but we have been involved in plenty. We’ve been involved in Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and the Iraq War, and now Afghanistan, and it looks like it’s going to be Pakistan as well.

2009 Ron Paul 101:3
So I think the reason we get here is because we don’t declare war and we slip into war, and then it becomes political. There are two sides. There is one side of the argument that says, Let’s just come home. And the other side says, Fight it all out. And people say, No, you can’t be an extremist on this. You have to have a balance. And the balance is chaotic. There’s no way of measuring victory, and nobody wants to give up, claiming it would be humiliating to give up.

2009 Ron Paul 101:4
But just think of the tragedy of Vietnam, all those years and all those deaths and all that money spent. Eventually we left, and South Vietnam is now a unified country, but we still have troops in Korea, in Europe, and in Japan. And we are bankrupt. So some day we are going to have to wake up and look at the type of foreign policy that the Founders advised us to have, and that is nonintervention: don’t get involved in the internal affairs of other nations, have free and open trade and accept friendship with other countries who offer it, and that we shouldn’t be the policemen of the world and we shouldn’t be telling other people what to do. We cannot be the policemen of the world and pay for all those bills because we are literally bankrupt.

2009 Ron Paul 101:5
In thinking about the dilemma that we have, I think back, even back in the 1960s when I was an Air Force flight surgeon for 5 years, and that was the first time I heard the term “quagmire.” And thinking about that for many, many years, that’s all I can think about right now is to evaluate what we have. There are a few phrases that have been around for a long time, and I believe they more or less describe what is happening here. Quagmire. Certainly that is what we are doing. We are digging a hole for ourselves. “Perpetual war for perpetual peace.” We have all heard that term, and it sounds like we are in perpetual war. “War is the health of the state.” We all know the government size and sacrifice of civil liberties always occurs much more so in the midst of a war.

2009 Ron Paul 101:6
A book was written many years ago by one of the most, if not the most decorated soldier we ever had, Smedley Butler. He wrote a book called “War is a Racket.” And I have come to this belief that war literally is a racket for the people who push these wars, whether it’s the military industrial complex or the special interests and the various factions, but it’s never, it’s never for the people.

2009 Ron Paul 101:7
Today it is said that we’re over there to protect our national security to go into Afghanistan. Well, it’s down to 100 al Qaedas in Afghanistan, and, quite frankly, the Afghan Government had nothing to do – they said they harbored the al Qaeda, and that is true, but do you think those 19 guys needed to do pushups in Afghanistan to come over here and do what they did? The real planning wasn’t in Afghanistan. It was in Spain. It was in Germany. Where was the real training? The real training was in Florida. The training was in Florida, and the FBI had evidence at the time that they were being trained, and it’s totally ignored. And yet we are concentrating, we are still back to 9/11, fear of nuclear war. We have to go in, scare the people.

2009 Ron Paul 101:8
Yet what is the motivation for individuals to become radical against us, whether it’s in the Taliban or al Qaeda? There is one single factor that is the most influential in motivating somebody to commit suicide terrorism against anybody or us, and that is occupation by a foreign nation. And now, where have we occupied? We have occupied Iraq and Afghanistan. We are bombing Pakistan. But not only the literal occupation, but also, we have this threat on Pakistan.

2009 Ron Paul 101:9
So I would say it’s time for us to reassess ourselves and look at a noninterventionist foreign policy.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 102 INTRODUCING THE FREE COMPETITION IN CURRENCY ACT December 9, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 102:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Free Competition in Currency Act of 2009. Currency, or money, is what allows civilization to flourish. In the absence of money, barter is the name of the game; if the farmer needs shoes, he must trade his eggs and milk to the cobbler and hope that the cobbler needs eggs and milk. Money makes the transaction process far easier. Rather than having to search for someone with reciprocal wants, the farmer can exchange his milk and eggs for an agreed-upon medium of exchange with which he can then purchase shoes.

2009 Ron Paul 102:2
This medium of exchange should satisfy certain properties: it should be durable, that is to say, it does not wear out easily; it should be portable, that is, easily carried; it should be divisible into units usable for everyday transactions; it should be recognizable and uniform, so that one unit of money has the same properties as every other unit; it should be scarce, in the economic sense, so that the extant supply does not satisfy the wants of everyone demanding it; it should be stable, so that the value of its purchasing power does not fluctuate wildly; and it should be reproducible, so that enough units of money can be created to satisfy the needs of exchange.

2009 Ron Paul 102:3
Over millennia of human history, gold and silver have been the two metals that have most often satisfied these conditions, survived the market process, and gained the trust of billions of people. Gold and silver are difficult to counterfeit, a property which ensures they will always be accepted in commerce. It is precisely for this reason that gold and silver are anathema to governments. A supply of gold and silver that is limited in supply by nature cannot be inflated, and thus serves as a check on the growth of government. Without the ability to inflate the currency, governments find themselves constrained in their actions, unable to carry on wars of aggression or to appease their overtaxed citizens with bread and circuses.

2009 Ron Paul 102:4
At this country’s founding, there was no government controlled national currency. While the Constitution established the congressional power of minting coins, it was not until 1792 that the U.S. Mint was formally established. In the meantime, Americans made do with foreign silver and gold coins. Even after the Mint’s operations got underway, foreign coins continued to circulate within the United States, and did so for several decades.

2009 Ron Paul 102:5
On the desk in my office I have a sign that says: “Don’t steal – the government hates competition.” Indeed, any power a government arrogates to itself, it is loathe to give back to the people. Just as we have gone from a constitutionally instituted national defense consisting of a limited army and navy bolstered by militias and letters of marque and reprisal, we have moved from a system of competing currencies to a government-instituted banking cartel that monopolizes the issuance of currency. In order to reintroduce a system of competing currencies, there are three steps that must be taken to produce a legal climate favorable to competition.

2009 Ron Paul 102:6
The first step consists of eliminating legal tender laws. Article I Section 10 of the Constitution forbids the States from making anything but gold and silver a legal tender in payment of debts. States are not required to enact legal tender laws, but should they choose to, the only acceptable legal tender is gold and silver, the two precious metals that individuals throughout history and across cultures have used as currency. However, there is nothing in the Constitution that grants the Congress the power to enact legal tender laws. We, the Congress, have the power to coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, but not to declare a legal tender. Yet, there is a section of U.S. Code, 31 U.S.C. 5103, that purports to establish U.S. coins and currency, including Federal Reserve notes, as legal tender.

2009 Ron Paul 102:7
Historically, legal tender laws have been used by governments to force their citizens to accept debased and devalued currency. Gresham’s Law describes this phenomenon, which can be summed up in one phrase: bad money drives out good money. An emperor, a king, or a dictator might mint coins with half an ounce of gold and force merchants, under pain of death, to accept them as though they contained one ounce of gold. Each ounce of the king’s gold could now be minted into two coins instead of one, so the king now had twice as much “money” to spend on building castles and raising armies. As these legally overvalued coins circulated, the coins containing the full ounce of gold would be pulled out of circulation and hoarded. We saw this same phenomenon happen in the mid-1960s when the U.S. government began to mint subsidiary coinage out of copper and nickel rather than silver. The copper and nickel coins were legally overvalued, the silver coins undervalued in relation, and silver coins vanished from circulation.

2009 Ron Paul 102:8
These actions also give rise to the most pernicious effects of inflation. Most of the merchants and peasants who received this devalued currency felt the full effects of inflation, the rise in prices and the lowered standard of living, before they received any of the new currency. By the time they received the new currency, prices had long since doubled, and the new currency they received would give them no benefit.

2009 Ron Paul 102:9
In the absence of legal tender laws, Gresham’s Law no longer holds. If people are free to reject debased currency, and instead demand sound money, sound money will gradually return to use in society. Merchants would have been free to reject the king’s coin and accept only coins containing full metal weight.

2009 Ron Paul 102:10
The second step to reestablishing competing currencies is to eliminate laws that prohibit the operation of private mints. One private enterprise which attempted to popularize the use of precious metal coins was Liberty Services, the creators of the Liberty Dollar. Evidently the government felt threatened, as Liberty Dollars had all their precious metal coins seized by the FBI and Secret Service in November of 2007. Of course, not all of these coins were owned by Liberty Services, as many were held in trust as backing for silver and gold certificates which Liberty Services issued. None of this matters, of course, to the government, which hates competition. The responsibility to protect contracts is of no interest to the government.

2009 Ron Paul 102:11
The sections of U.S. Code which Liberty Services is accused of violating are erroneously considered to be anti-counterfeiting statutes, when in fact their purpose was to shut down private mints that had been operating in California. California was awash in gold in the aftermath of the 1849 gold rush, yet had no U.S. Mint to mint coinage. There was not enough foreign coinage circulating in California either, so private mints stepped into the breech to provide their own coins. As was to become the case in other industries during the Progressive era, the private mints were eventually accused of circulating debased (substandard) coinage, and with the supposed aim of providing government-sanctioned regulation and a government guarantee of purity, the 1864 Coinage Act was passed, which banned private mints from producing their own coins for circulation as currency.

2009 Ron Paul 102:12
The final step to ensuring competing currencies is to eliminate capital gains and sales taxes on gold and silver coins. Under current federal law, coins are considered collectibles, and are liable for capital gains taxes. Short- term capital gains rates are at income tax levels, up to 35 percent, while long-term capital gains taxes are assessed at the collectibles rate of 28 percent. Furthermore, these taxes actually tax monetary debasement. As the dollar weakens, the nominal dollar value of gold increases. The purchasing power of gold may remain relatively constant, but as the nominal dollar value increases, the Federal Government considers this an increase in wealth, and taxes accordingly. Thus, the more the dollar is debased, the more capital gains taxes must be paid on holdings of gold and other metals.

2009 Ron Paul 102:13
Just as pernicious are the sales and use taxes which are assessed on gold and silver at the state level in many States. Imagine having to pay sales tax at the bank every time you change a $10 bill for a roll of quarters to do laundry. Inflation is a pernicious tax on the value of money, but even the official numbers, which are massaged downwards, are only on the order of 4 percent per year. Sales taxes in many states can take away 8 percent or more on every single transaction in which consumers wish to convert their Federal Reserve Notes into gold or silver.

2009 Ron Paul 102:14
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, allowing for competing currencies will allow market participants to choose a currency that suits their needs, rather than the needs of the government. The prospect of American citizens turning away from the dollar towards alternate currencies will provide the necessary impetus to the U.S. Government to regain control of the dollar and halt its downward spiral. Restoring soundness to the dollar will remove the government’s ability and incentive to inflate the currency, and keep us from launching unconstitutional wars that burden our economy to excess. With a sound currency, everyone is better off, not just those who control the monetary system. I urge my colleagues to consider the redevelopment of a system of competing currencies and cosponsor the Free Competition in Currency Act.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 103 Statement Before Foreign Affairs Committee December 10, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 103:1
Mr. Speaker thank you for holding these important hearings on US policy in Afghanistan. I would like to welcome the witnesses, Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry and General Stanley A. McChrystal, and thank them for appearing before this Committee.

2009 Ron Paul 103:2
I have serious concerns, however, about the president’s decision to add some 30,000 troops and an as yet undisclosed number of civilian personnel to escalate our Afghan operation. This “surge” will bring US troop levels to approximately those of the Soviets when they occupied Afghanistan with disastrous result back in the 1980s. I fear the US military occupation of Afghanistan may end up similarly unsuccessful.

2009 Ron Paul 103:3
In late 1986 Soviet armed forces commander, Marshal Sergei Akhromeev, told then-Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, “Military actions in Afghanistan will soon be seven years old. There is no single piece of land in this country which has not been occupied by a Soviet soldier. Nonetheless, the majority of the territory remains in the hands of rebels.” Soon Gorbachev began the Soviet withdrawal from its Afghan misadventure. Thousands were dead on both sides, yet the occupation failed to produce a stable national Afghan government.

2009 Ron Paul 103:4
Eight years into our own war in Afghanistan the Soviet commander’s words ring eerily familiar. Part of the problem stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of the situation. It is our presence as occupiers that feeds the insurgency. As would be the case if we were invaded and occupied, diverse groups have put aside their disagreements to unify against foreign occupation. Adding more US troops will only assist those who recruit fighters to attack our soldiers and who use the US occupation to convince villages to side with the Taliban.

2009 Ron Paul 103:5
Proponents of the president’s Afghanistan escalation cite the successful “surge” in Iraq as evidence that this second surge will have similar results. I fear they might be correct about the similar result, but I dispute the success propaganda about Iraq. In fact, the violence in Iraq only temporarily subsided with the completion of the ethnic cleansing of Shi’ites from Sunni neighborhoods and vice versa – and all neighborhoods of Christians. Those Sunni fighters who remained were easily turned against the foreign al-Qaeda presence when offered US money and weapons. We are increasingly seeing this “success” breaking down: sectarian violence is flaring up and this time the various groups are better armed with US-provided weapons. Similarly, the insurgents paid by the US to stop their attacks are increasingly restive now that the Iraqi government is no longer paying bribes on a regular basis. So I am skeptical about reports on the success of the Iraqi surge.

2009 Ron Paul 103:6
Likewise, we are told that we have to “win” in Afghanistan so that al-Qaeda cannot use Afghan territory to plan further attacks against the US. We need to remember that the attack on the United States on September 11, 2001 was, according to the 9/11 Commission Report, largely planned in the United States (and Germany) by terrorists who were in our country legally. According to the logic of those who endorse military action against Afghanistan because al-Qaeda was physically present, one could argue in favor of US airstrikes against several US states and Germany! It makes no sense. The Taliban allowed al-Qaeda to remain in Afghanistan because both had been engaged, with US assistance, in the insurgency against the Soviet occupation.

2009 Ron Paul 103:7
Nevertheless, the president’s National Security Advisor, Gen. James Jones, USMC (Ret.), said in a recent interview that less than 100 al-Qaeda remain in Afghanistan and that the chance they would reconstitute a significant presence there was slim. Are we to believe that 30,000 more troops are needed to defeat 100 al-Qaeda fighters? I fear that there will be increasing pressure for the US to invade Pakistan, to where many Taliban and al-Qaeda have escaped. Already CIA drone attacks on Pakistan have destabilized that country and have killed scores of innocents, producing strong anti-American feelings and calls for revenge. I do not see how that contributes to our national security.

2009 Ron Paul 103:8
The president’s top advisor for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, said recently, “I would say this about defining success in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In the simplest sense, the Supreme Court test for another issue, we’ll know it when we see it.” That does not inspire much confidence.

2009 Ron Paul 103:9
Supporters of this surge argue that we must train an Afghan national army to take over and strengthen the rule and authority of Kabul. But experts have noted that the ranks of the Afghan national army are increasingly being filled by the Tajik minority at the expense of the Pashtun plurality. US diplomat Matthew Hoh, who resigned as Senior Civilian Representative for the U.S. Government in Zabul Province, noted in his resignation letter that he “fail[s] to see the value or the worth in continued U.S. casualties or expenditures of resources in support of the Afghan government in what is, truly, a 35-year old civil war.” Mr. Hoh went on to write that “[L]ike the Soviets, we continue to secure and bolster a failing state, while encouraging an ideology and system of government unknown and unwanted by [the Afghan] people.”

2009 Ron Paul 103:10
I have always opposed nation-building as unconstitutional and ineffective. Afghanistan is no different. Without a real strategy in Afghanistan, without a vision of what victory will look like, we are left with the empty rhetoric of the last administration that “when the Afghan people stand up, the US will stand down.” I am afraid the only solution to the Afghanistan quagmire is a rapid and complete US withdrawal from that country and the region. We cannot afford to maintain this empire and our occupation of these foreign lands is not making us any safer. It is time to leave Afghanistan.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 104 Sanctions on Iran, Part 1 December 15, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 104:1
Mr. PAUL. The chairman states that the main purpose of this bill is to prevent the Iranians from getting a nuclear weapon. That isn’t even as powerful a statement as was made that enticed us into the Iraq war. There was the claim that they already had them. But now, this is a pretense, and yet here we are taking these drastic steps. My main reason for opposing this bill is that I think it’s detrimental to our national security. There’s no other reason. It doesn’t serve our interests. So I am absolutely opposed to it.

2009 Ron Paul 104:2
In the late 1930s and the early 1940s the American people did not want to go into war, but there were some that were maneuvering us into war, and they used the argument that you needed an event. So, in June of 1941, sanctions were put against Japan, incidentally and ironically, to prohibit oil products from going into Japan. Within 6 months there was the bombing of Pearl Harbor. And there is now talk, there’s been talk in the media, and we’ve heard about it, we need to bomb Iran. And that’s what the people hear.

2009 Ron Paul 104:3
The sanctions are a use of force. This is just not modest. This is very serious. And the way this is written, it literally could end up with a blockade. It could be trying to punish our friends and cut off trade, and this cannot help us in any way. We would like to help the dissidents. We’d like to encourage them to overthrow their government. But hardly should we have our CIA, with U.S. funded programs, going in there with a policy of regime change. They know these kind of things happen. We’ve been involved in this business in Iran since 1953. And it doesn’t serve us well. It backfires on us, comes back to haunt us.

2009 Ron Paul 104:4
One of the goals explicitly expressed by al Qaeda and their leaders has been they would like to draw us into the Middle East because it would cost us a lot of money and it could hurt us financially. And the second reason they want us over there is to get us bogged down in an endless war. And for the last decade, that is what we’ve been doing. We are bogged down to the point where it’s very discouraging to the American people, very frustrating, no signs of victory, no signs of peace. But we’re bogged down. These were the precise goals of the al Qaeda leadership.

2009 Ron Paul 104:5
And also, one of the purposes of enticing us over there and being involved is to give a greater incentive to recruit those individuals who become violent against us. And this has been unbelievably successful. So we’ve been involved in Iraq. We’ve been involved in Afghanistan. We’re bombing Pakistan and almost, this is like another bonus for those who want us to be attacked, is that we’re over there and just fomenting this anger and hatred toward us.

2009 Ron Paul 104:6
That is why I believe this is not in our best interest. It actually hurts us. Once we say that we’re going to do something like using force and prevent vital products from going in, it means that we’ve given up on diplomacy. Diplomacy’s out the window. And they’re not capable of attacking us. You know, this idea that they are on the verge of a bomb, you know, our CIA said they haven’t been working on it since 2003. And the other thing is, if you want to give them incentive to have a bomb, just keep pestering like this, just intimidate them. Provoke it. This is provocative. They might have a greater incentive than ever.

2009 Ron Paul 104:7
They can’t even make enough gasoline for themselves. I mean, they are not a threat. They don’t have an army worth anything. They don’t have a navy. They don’t have an air force. They don’t have intercontinental ballistic missiles. So it is not a threat to our national security. I see the threat to our national security with this type of policy which could come and backfire and hurt us.

2009 Ron Paul 104:8
I want to read number 5 in the bill, that particular item, because it makes my case, rather than making the case for those who want these sanctions. I think this literally makes my case. Number 5 says, on October 7, 2008, then- Senator Obama stated Iran right now imports gasoline, even though it’s an oil producer, because its oil infrastructure has broken down. If we can prevent them from importing the gasoline that they need and the refined petroleum products, that starts changing their cost-benefit analysis, that starts putting the squeeze on them. The squeeze on whom? On the people.

2009 Ron Paul 104:9
This will unify the dissent. This will unify the Iranian people against us. If we want to encourage true dissent and overthrow that government, which is more spontaneous and honest, I would say this is doing exactly the opposite.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 105 Sanctions on Iran, Part 2 December 15, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 105:1
Mr. PAUL. I thank the gentleman.

2009 Ron Paul 105:2
If the gentleman from California didn’t like my analogy about how we were maneuvered into war in World War II, I think it might be much more appropriate to compare it to the sanctions on Iraq. There were those in the 1990s that wanted us to go to war with Iraq. We were looking for an excuse, and we put strong sanctions, continued flying over their country and bombing. Thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of kids died because of those sanctions, and eventually they got their war. We ended up in the war.

2009 Ron Paul 105:3
Anybody who believes that taking gasoline away from the common person in Iran is going to motivate them to get rid of their Ayatollah – it’s the Ayatollah that carries the power – that’s not going to happen. It just does exactly the opposite. So this is why I believe this is a much greater threat to our national security. It does not help us. It doesn’t achieve the goals that are set out.

2009 Ron Paul 105:4
For instance, we now commonly say that the Iranians have no right to enrich. Well, they signed a nonproliferation treaty, and they have not ever been told that they are making a bomb. And what we are saying in this bill is that they can’t enrich anymore. So in a way, you’re violating international law by saying they can’t enrich, period. So that is just looking for trouble.

2009 Ron Paul 105:5
Now, what else this bill will do:

2009 Ron Paul 105:6
It is going to push the support of the Iranians in another direction. It’s going to push them towards India, China, and Russia, and these countries have special associations with Iran. So we are going to separate us. We will be isolated from that, and they are going to have a much closer alliance with these countries. That will not serve our interests.

2009 Ron Paul 105:7
It’s going to serve the interest of one country mostly, and that’s China. China acts only almost like capitalists. They take our dollars they have earned from us and they are spending the dollars over there. They would like to buy the oil, refine the oil, and drill the oil. But here, we assume that we have to do it through force, through sanctions, threats, intimidation, and secret maneuvers to overthrow their regime. It just doesn’t work. It sounds good. It sounds easy, but it does backfire on us. You get too many unintended consequences.

2009 Ron Paul 105:8
And besides, our national security does not depend on what we do in the Middle East. Our national security is threatened by this. We are overstretched. We’re broke. And this is part of the strategy, as I mentioned before. Our archenemies in that region want to bankrupt us. They want to stir up hatred toward us, and they want to bog us down. And they’re achieving what their goals are.

2009 Ron Paul Chapter 106 Sanctions on Iran, Part 3 December 15, 2009

2009 Ron Paul 106:1
Mr. PAUL. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

2009 Ron Paul 106:2
I talked to somebody today that will be voting for these, but admitted that they won’t work and it is mere symbolism. So already they don’t think these will do much good, even those who will vote for it. They’re impossible to enforce, is one reason, and it will create a black market. And these particular sanctions are most difficult to enforce just because of the nature of the way it’s written.

2009 Ron Paul 106:3
One must understand a little bit about the pressures put on this country to act in a defensive way. They happen to be surrounded by a lot of nuclear bombs. And they don’t have a history, the Iranians. As bad as they are for their leadership and how bad their regime is, they’re not expansionists territorially. I mean, how many years has it been since they invaded another country for the purpose of taking over another country? It is just not in recent history at all. But the countries around them, India – India has nuclear weapons, China has nuclear weapons, Pakistan, Israel, the United States. I mean, they’re all around them, so I’m sure they feel like a cornered rat.

2009 Ron Paul 106:4
What I see here is propaganda, propaganda to build fear into people, to prepare the people for what is likely to come, just as we did in the 1990s, fear that there were weapons of mass destruction, but this one is, well, someday they might get a weapon of mass destruction. Unfortunately, I am just really concerned that this is going to lead to hostilities because this is the initiation. The fear is building up. Too often in this country we talk of peace at the same time that we pursue war. We pursue war, and we use these efforts to push our policies on others.

2009 Ron Paul 106:5
And quite frankly, we don’t have any more money to pursue this policy, whether it’s used by the militarism or even to try to buy friends by giving them a lot of money. It just doesn’t work.

2009 Ron Paul 106:6
I urge a “no” vote on this resolution in the interest of United States security.

2009 Ron Paul 106:7
Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a few more points as to why I oppose this new round of sanctions on Iran, which is another significant step toward a U.S. war on that country. I find it shocking that legislation this serious and consequential is brought up in such a cavalier manner. Suspending the normal rules of the House to pass legislation is a process generally reserved for “non-controversial” business such as the naming of post offices. Are we to believe that this House takes matters of war and peace as lightly as naming post offices?

2009 Ron Paul 106:8
This legislation seeks to bar from doing business in the United States any foreign entity that sells refined petroleum to Iran or otherwise enhances Iran’s ability to import refined petroleum such as financing, brokering, underwriting, or providing ships for such. Such sanctions also apply to any entity that provides goods or services that enhance Iran’s ability to maintain or expand its domestic production of refined petroleum. This casts the sanctions net worldwide, with enormous international economic implications.

2009 Ron Paul 106:9
Recently, the Financial Times reported that, “[i]n recent months, Chinese companies have greatly expanded their presence in Iran’s oil sector. In the coming months, Sinopec, the state-owned Chinese oil company, is scheduled to complete the expansion of the Tabriz and Shazand refineries – adding 3.3 million gallons of gasoline per day.”

2009 Ron Paul 106:10
Are we to conclude, with this in mind, that China or its major state-owned corporations will be forbidden by this legislation from doing business with the United States? What of our other trading partners who currently do business in Iran’s petroleum sector or insure those who do so? Has anyone seen an estimate of how this sanctions act will affect the US economy if it is actually enforced?

2009 Ron Paul 106:11
As we have learned with U.S. sanctions on Iraq, and indeed with U.S. sanctions on Cuba and elsewhere, it is citizens rather than governments who suffer most. The purpose of these sanctions is to change the regime in Iran, but past practice has demonstrated time and again that sanctions only strengthen regimes they target and marginalize any opposition. As would be the case were we in the U.S. targeted for regime change by a foreign government, people in Iran will tend to put aside political and other differences to oppose that threatening external force. Thus this legislation will likely serve to strengthen the popularity of the current Iranian government. Any opposition continuing to function in Iran would be seen as operating in concert with the foreign entity seeking to overthrow the regime.

2009 Ron Paul 106:12
This legislation seeks to bring Iran in line with international demands regarding its nuclear materials enrichment programs, but what is ironic is that Section 2 of H.R. 2194 itself violates the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to which both the United States and Iran are signatories. This section states that “[i]t shall be the policy of the United States . . . to prevent Iran from achieving the capability to make nuclear weapons, including by supporting international diplomatic efforts to halt Iran’s uranium enrichment program.” Article V of the NPT states clearly that, “[n]othing in this Treaty shall be interpreted as affecting the inalienable right of all the Parties to the Treaty to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with articles I and II of this Treaty.” As Iran has never been found in violation of the NPT – has never been found to have diverted nuclear materials for non-peaceful purposes – this legislation seeking to deny Iran the right to enrichment even for peaceful purposes itself violates the NPT.

2009 Ron Paul 106:13
Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that many of my colleagues opposing war on Iran will vote in favor of this legislation, seeing it as a step short of war to bring Iran into line with U.S. demands. I would remind them that sanctions and the blockades that are required to enforce them are themselves acts of war according to international law. I urge my colleagues to reject this saber-rattling but ultimately counterproductive legislation.