When the House last met in December, in the dying days of the 110th Congress, thanks to the leadership of the Speaker and of the chairman of Financial Services and of the people of this body, we sent a rescue...

Rep. McCotter: I come from Michigan. I was born in Detroit. Wherever you go in the world, people know two things about Detroit. They know we make cars, and they know we make music: Motown. And so when we find ourselves in difficult situations, it is not unusual for us to refer to music to help keep our lucidity and our balance; to come through the tough times.

I thank the chairman. Thank you for your indulgence, and I will have an opening statement and some questions, and I'll try not to take up too much time. And if I cover ground that you already have, please feel free to disregard it and put in your own points.

Mr. Speaker, we have confronted the first financial panic of the "New Global Economy"--an economy spawned by the fall of the Berlin Wall--and the precedent we set will affect our prosperity, liberty, and posterity for generations.

Madam Speaker, before I was elected to Congress, we used to hear-and unfortunately with some justification-that when faced with a crisis, Members of Congress would invariably soil themselves, throw money at the problem, and hoped it went away.

Mr. Speaker, in August the high price of energy helped cost 84,000 Americans their jobs; 39,000 auto manufacturing jobs in the State of Michigan alone were reported lost.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor and acknowledge the Western Wayne County Conservation Club, a group dedicated to the preservation and continuation of outdoor sporting for all generations, upon reaching their 70th anniversary of the club's establishment.

Mr. Speaker, today the world commemorates and mourns the events that happened in Tiananmen Square 19 years ago today.

Mr. Speaker, I would like today to discuss an issue that is on the horizon that could very well affect the economic freedom of Americans, especially their family's prosperity and happiness.