Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, the initial reports of yesterday's Iraqi election all point to it having been a remarkable day for the Iraqi people. Although Iraq's security situation remains precarious and the country's economy and much of the infrastructure have yet to be repaired, the past year has seen important progress in the country's political development.

More than 11 million Iraqis went to the polls to cast their votes for a new parliament and a new future. Iraq Sunnis who boycotted the polling in January, turned out in force to ensure their voices would be heard in the new legislature. For weeks, Sunni imams had been imploring their congregants to vote and their calls were heeded. Election observers estimated that turnout was in excess of 70 percent nationwide and the turnout was matched by preelection polling that showed a high degree of enthusiasm for and optimism about the elections and what they mean for the future of Iraq.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of yesterday's voting was the absence of violence. Across the country, only 52 attacks were recorded, and there were no mass casualty incidents. This stands in marked contrast to the January election when voters in polling stations were hit by more than 300 insurgent attacks.

Yesterday's relative calm was due to the men and women of our Armed Forces. Our troops and their commanders did a magnificent job over the past months to prepare the country for this crucial election. Even as we celebrate the success of the voting, we cannot overlook the incredible sacrifice of our military men and women. They have performed magnificently, but at an enormous cost.

While the election itself was a remarkable achievement, we, our coalition partners and the international community, must move quickly to ensure that Iraq's fragile, nascent democracy is able to flourish.

Two days ago I was invited to the White House, along with a number of my Democratic colleagues, to meet with the President and senior administration officials on preparations for the elections and next steps in Iraq. I appreciated the President's efforts to reach across the aisle for unity, and we had a far-reaching discussion on how best to move forward in Iraq. I hope that the President's recent willingness to engage with Members of Congress, and especially Democrats, augers more consultations with the Hill on Iraq and the broader array of national security challenges that confront us.

Counting the votes will take days and perhaps weeks, given the sheer number of ballots cast for the more than 300 political parties that registered to compete in the election, as well as the bifurcated nature of allocating seats by province and nationwide.

As we move forward, I see a series of five steps as crucial to Iraq's future.

First, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, who has done a remarkable job in Kabul and in Baghdad, must work with the Iraqis to assemble a new government that will include the diverse array of Iraqi voices in order to maximize the legitimacy of the government in the eyes of the Iraqi people while minimizing the prospects for the dissolution of Iraq. The apparently strong showing by the secular Iraqi National List, headed by former interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, may be an early indicator that a broad-based government may be possible.

Second, we must work with a new parliament and help them execute the revisions to Iraq's Constitution that were promised in the days leading up to the October referendum. Constitutional changes that strengthen the power of the central government and ensure that the Sunnis are able to share in the nation's oil wealth will do much to allay the concerns of Iraq's Sunnis.

Third, we must ramp up our efforts to train and equip Iraq security forces so that a significant portion of American forces can be redeployed from Iraq with the remainder of American troops adopting a much lower profile. This will allow us to better safeguard the lives of our troops even as we continue to act as the ultimate guarantor for the new Iraqi state.

Fourth, we must fracture the insurgency in order to weaken it. The Iraqi insurgents are made up of three distinctly different groups. The first group, the foreign jihadis, must be destroyed. The second group, which is made up of the hard-core Baathists, is also likely to fight to the bitter end. The third wing of the insurgency is composed of disaffected Sunnis who are motivated primarily by the loss of their status in Iraqi society.

Yesterday's election and the consolidation of a broad-based government should be instrumental in diminishing the threat from this faction.

Finally, we must redouble our efforts to reconstruct Iraq. While there has been some progress in restoring basic services and providing opportunities for Iraqis, there is much work yet to be done. This is an area where we should make a new effort to reach out to the international community and engage them in Iraq's future.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday's voting was a triumph for the Iraqi people, for the cause of democracy in the Arab world, and for our Armed Forces; but now we must act quickly and effectively to solidify these political gains.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak out of turn.

Madam Speaker, the poet Longfellow once wrote: ``Thy fate is the common fate of all; into each life some rain must fall.'' How true this is.

We know that calamities will come to our Nation. We know that terrorists are trying to attack us again and that Osama bin Laden wants to strike us with weapons of mass destruction. We know that in years to come hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters will devastate our shores, our towns, our homes, and most terrible, our very lives.

We must prepare, not only with a strong military and good infrastructure but also with a reserve of funds to cushion the impact to our economy and to meet the needs of the victims. Part of being prepared is doing what many families know as saving for a rainy day.

America has seen both prosperity and depressions, periods of unbridled growth and periods of stubborn stagnation. We have seen strong budget surpluses and huge budget deficits.

While any economy has periodic cycles of expansion and contraction, we know that fiscally irresponsible policies of an administration or a Congress can abbreviate an upturn or prolong a downturn.

Today, a lack of revenue, uncontrolled spending and faulty planning have put our national debt so high that putting our fiscal house in order seems out of reach. I am here to tell you that it is not out of reach. It will take time, but it is possible and it must be done.

The Blue Dog Coalition has put together a comprehensive 12-point plan to make needed reforms to our budget process, and one of these critical reforms is the creation of a rainy-day fund to set aside money for good times to pay for disasters, which we know will eventually come.

Madam Speaker, as you know, unlike the Federal Government, States must balance their budgets each year. In tough times States must raise revenue or cut spending. And generally, they cannot put these decisions off for another year or another generation. But many States have been resourceful. Forty-five of them, including my own home State of California, have created their own rainy-day funds. These funds are still small, too small and the States are in poor fiscal health. But they have begun the process of planning for their own rainy days.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, since 2001, States have used around $30 billion from their rainy-day funds and general fund balances to help offset more than $250 billion in deficits.

Even during these weak economic times, States must continue to maintain and grow the viability of their rainy-day funds. In California we understand only too well that an earthquake, wildfire, or other calamity can strike our State without notice; and these funds will be crucial to helping Californians deal with the crisis.

The Federal Government must also be prepared for the Nation's next crisis; but, sadly, we are not. Even today, this Congress struggles with the unprecedented task of rebuilding the gulf coast after the worst natural disaster in our Nation's history.

Because the Federal Government failed to make the proper investment into the levees protecting New Orleans, one of our prized cities now lies in ruins. If we had had the foresight to establish a national rainy-day fund prior to Katrina, immediate fiscal decisions of this Congress could have been so much less painful, the cuts so much less devastating, and we would not have to go so far deeper into debt to come to the aid of our fellow citizens.

Imagine also that if Congress properly invested each year into the rainy-day fund, the interest from this fund could be used to make needed infrastructure improvements, the same type of improvements that could have saved the city of New Orleans from such devastating flooding.

Congress has so far provided more than $62 billion in emergency funds to respond to Hurricane Katrina, but we know that so much more will be needed. So much more was spent after September 11 and still our Nation's needs are not met.

Let us do what we encourage all of our children to do and save for the future. I encourage this Congress to take a strong look at the Blue Dogs' 12-point plan and establish a rainy-day fund.

Mr. Speaker, in the face of our $8.1 trillion debt, the House recently passed a budget reconciliation bill. This so-called Deficit Reduction Act cut spending by $53 billion by cutting programs like health care for the sick, education benefits for students, child support help for parents, and food stamps for hungry families. Even as supporters of the budget reconciliation bill applauded their own new- found frugality, they knew the savings would never be realized because today the House passed a tax reconciliation bill, erasing the 3-week- old savings of $53 billion with $70 billion in new tax cuts. And most egregiously, the lion's share of these tax cuts benefit the most prosperous among us.

At a time when one in seven Americans have no health insurance, the budget bill cut $11 billion for Medicaid, the most basic part of America's safety net. It further empowered health care providers to turn away patients who are unable to pay. This was not only uncaring but fiscally unwise. It will cost our Nation more certainly in the long run when significant health problems are left untreated.

Mr. Speaker, with a Federal debt now of $8 trillion, every American owes $27,000. Americans understand that the inability of the administration and Congress to balance the budget will have a disastrous effect on future generations. Imagine leaving our kids with an unpaid $27,000 credit card bill and more interest on the way.

But holding back medical treatment for chronically ill children is not the way to restore fiscal discipline. Neither is making cuts to education that will close the doors of opportunity to a generation of students. The budget bill cut student loan programs by more than $14 billion. With new fees and higher interest rates, educational opportunities will be lost, and all of the stimulus to the economy that would have been generated by all those new engineers and scientists will be lost with them.

Does our Nation truly benefit economically or otherwise by pushing so many deeper into poverty, or by closing the doors to higher education? In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and all that it revealed about the persistence of poverty in America, can we really have a more secure future with a less effective safety net?

I am proud to be a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate and conservative Democrats concerned about fiscal responsibilities. I join my Blue Dog colleagues in seeking ways to reduce the debt; but we were compelled to oppose this bill because it was a sham, a debt increase that made the poor poorer, the rich richer, and the country's future even more precarious. Any reasonable look at the numbers will easily reveal the truth: these bills result in an increase to the national debt.

As a Nation, we have gone from an $86 billion surplus under President Clinton in 2000 to a record $412 billion deficit last year. Our fiscal house is more than out of order; it is spiraling out of control.

What we need right now is a balanced budget strategy and one that honors the values of the American people, that rewards work not wealth, that requires the sacrifice of all Americans for the common good and not the sacrifice alone of the poor, the young, or the infirm.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Lois Brockman Wellington, an amazing public servant, leader, caregiver, and friend.

Lois was an exceptionally dedicated health provider, both for her family members and for the community she cared about so dearly. She became a champion of home care providers and long term care for seniors, and dedicated herself to the well-being of the aging.

As a representative of Los Angeles County in the California Senior Legislature, Lois successfully pursued legislation on behalf of both youth and the aged. She also represented U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer as a Silver Senator to the National Silver Haired Congress. This organization holds annual meetings to discuss senior concerns and has been particularly active on social security and prescription drug policies. Lois was also President of the Congress of California Seniors. In this role, she advocated positions on numerous propositions and provided Californians with an important perspective on policy issues. She also fought for better regulation of long term care insurance policies.

I know what a dedicated advocate Lois was for senior issues because she was not only a community treasure; she was also a dear friend. She was a constant--and vocal--reminder of the importance of Medicare as a lifeline for seniors, and of Medicaid as a social safety net. She tirelessly advocated for other programs such as the Older Americans Act and one of its signature programs, Meals on Wheels. Lois was a true inspiration to me--she was active even through her golden years--and her memory will be a lasting one both to our community and to me and my family.

Lois received much well-deserved recognition for her work. In 1999, she was named Woman of the Year in the 43rd Assembly District and was appointed to the Commission on Aging by then Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa. This important commission is a principal advocate to the state on behalf of older individuals. To Lois, one of the most exciting distinctions she received occurred in 1997, when as a representative to a national senior organization, she was chosen to introduce then- President Bill Clinton. Lois also traveled widely in her role as President of the International Senior Citizens Association, attending conferences in Guadalajara, Manila, Toronto, and Dublin.

She is survived by a devoted family, including her husband of over 68 years, Frederick E. ``Ted'' Wellington, daughter Barbara Dunbar Erman, son Rick Wellington, grandsons Larry and Mike Erman and Edward and Peter Wellington, and great grandchildren Sean Erman and Hailey Wellington.

Lois was passionate and knowledgeable about her work, extremely energetic and an inexhaustible, wonderful, beautiful, gentle spirit. Our community is better for having known Lois, and I want to express my heartfelt condolences to her family and friends. She will be deeply, deeply missed.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday my colleague from Pennsylvania, a man whom I deeply respect and admire for his lifetime of service and sacrifice to the Nation, made a serious statement about the prosecution of the war effort by the President. His speech yesterday morning and the resolution that he introduced were heartfelt expressions that he no longer believes that we can stay the course in Iraq. Mr. Murtha believes that the continued presence of American troops in Iraq has retarded Iraqi efforts to unify the country and that Iraqis will not take the necessary steps to restore security as long as American troops remain in the country in large numbers.

But instead of addressing the serious deficiencies in the Administration's military strategy, the majority offers this counterfeit resolution that precludes any debate on how we can improve our chance of success in the war effort.

Although there are differences within our caucus as to what our course of action in Iraq should be, we are united in our belief that the present course being followed by the administration is not working, and we must find a new course.

But how have the Vice-President and the Republican Majority in this House treated the sincere misgivings of a man who has shed blood for his country and been a staunch supporter of our men and women in the military? They have launched a vicious smear attack on Mr. Murtha's patriotism. Indeed they have gone so far as assert that anyone who questions the wisdom of any aspect of their handling of the war is unpatriotic, and willing to give aid and comfort to the enemy. Unfortunately, the administration's inability to communicate a clear strategy for success in Iraq has caused a great many Americans to question the Nation's prosecution of the war--including some of the most devoted, most patriotic and most courageous of Americans. People like former Senator Max Cleland, and now Jack Murtha.

But I believe that Senator Chuck Hagel has it right--the willingness to question, to prod and to probe our government is what produces the best policy and leads to the best

outcomes, in war as well as in peace. The courage to question a powerful but imperfect government is much more the essence of patriotism than a coerced silence.

The administration's prosecution of the war effort has suffered from deficient planning that took the maxim of preparing for the worst and hoping for the best and turned it on its head. It failed to consider how the Sunni minority would react to being stripped of its privileged status, even as they underestimated the consequences of decades of totalitarian rule and the atomization of Iraqi society under Saddam Hussein.

Many of my colleagues and I have repeatedly called upon the President to do what should have been done a long time ago by laying out a strategy and vision for success in Iraq that will not condemn the Iraqi people to anarchy or turn Iraq into a haven for jihadis. We have called for proper oversight of the war effort by Congress to make certain that our troops in Iraq are properly equipped and that we are doing everything in our power to ensure their safety and success.

This House, this Congress and this Nation stand for the proposition that reasoned debate can produce wise policies that will best ``provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.'' Mr. Speaker, this resolution should be withdrawn.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to mourn the passing and celebrate the life of former Congressman Ed Roybal, an individual who had an extraordinary and inspiring dedication to public service. Ed Roybal's fight for social justice and the rights of the underserved mark him as a true American patriot.

Congressman Roybal's lifelong commitment to public service began at the California Tuberculosis Association, where he eventually became the Director of Health Education. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and then returned to Southern California to found the Los Angeles Community Service Organization, an agency dedicated to mobilizing Los Angeles' Mexican-Americans against discrimination. He was the first Hispanic to serve on the Los Angeles City Council. Representative Roybal was also the first Hispanic from California to serve in the United States Congress in nearly one hundred years. During his 30 years of service, Representative Roybal sat on the Appropriations Committee and chaired the Treasury, Postal Service General Government Subcommittee.

Representative Roybal spent his career fighting for and protecting the rights of the underprivileged. Through his leadership in Los Angeles, he advocated for an end to discrimination against Mexican- Americans in housing, employment, and education. On the national level, Representative Roybal fought for funding for civil rights, health programs, and education initiatives. In 1967, he introduced and won approval for the first federal bilingual education law, which established English classes for migrant children and others. Representative Roybal was also one of the first members of Congress to press for HIV/AIDS research funding. In addition, he fought for the elderly, campaigning for funding for senior programs and successfully maintaining Meals on Wheels. In 1993, the retired congressman founded a non-profit agency dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of health and human services for older persons.

Representative Roybal will be remembered for his distinguished service and his remarkable leadership in the fight for civil rights and justice. His work is a legacy that serves as an important example for all of us about the immense good that a dedicated and committed public servant can accomplish. I am proud to serve with Representative Roybal's daughter, Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard, who continues the legacy of her father with honor and distinction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Pat and Jerry Jambazian on the 50th anniversary of Wonder Cleaners & Drapery in Temple City. The Jambazian family has been providing their excellent services to the community since 1955. Jerry Jambazian's parents, Andrew and Rose Jambazian, first started the family business in San Gabriel in 1947, and in 1955 the Jambazian family moved to Temple City, where they have been giving back to the community ever since.

The Jambazians' Wonder Cleaners & Drapery is the oldest family-owned business in Temple City. Over the many years they have spent in Temple City, the Jambazians have shown themselves to be both excellent entrepreneurs and good neighbors. Throughout the past 50 years, their passion for providing conscientious, caring service to their customers has not waned, and they remain committed to making everyone feel well taken care of and welcome. It is this level of personal care and dedication that has allowed Wonder Cleaners & Drapery to grow steadily through the years.

Even while running a successful family-owned business, the Jambazians have also managed to remain deeply involved in the community. In addition to his duties and responsibilities as a proprietor, Jerry Jambazian has been involved in numerous different civic organizations, ranging from the Kiwanis Club to the Temple City Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Jambazian supports our local schools by organizing the Student of the Month program and working closely with students, teachers, and the community to encourage a greater appreciation of education. Jerry Jambazian also serves on the boards of many different non-profit organizations, and his leadership efforts in constructing the Outdoor Performance Pavilion have contributed to the completion of that beautiful venue in Temple City. Jerry Jambazian has further contributed to Temple City through his excellent photography skills; his photos are beautiful mementos of special community moments. Without Jerry Jambazian's leadership skills, enthusiasm, and passion for helping others and serving the community, Temple City would not be what it is today.

I am proud to congratulate the Jambazian family on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of their family-owned business, Wonder Cleaners & Drapery. I ask all Members of Congress to join me in honoring the Jambazians for their dedication to making our community a better place to live.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 546 and yield myself such time as I may consume.

I first want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros- Lehtinen), the chairwoman for the Subcommittee on Middle East and Central Asia, for offering this important and timely resolution.

I would also like to acknowledge my friend and ranking member of the Middle East Subcommittee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Ackerman), for his role in the crafting of the measure.

Mr. Speaker, 1 week ago today, hateful and heartless fanatics committed a vile crime against the people of Jordan. The terrorists' immediate victims were the unsuspecting guests of three hotels, in one particularly sickening case, a wedding party at the height of its celebration where both bride and groom were of the Islamic faith.

This brutal attack killed scores of civilians, injured hundreds of others, and forever scarred the hearts of the victims' loved ones. Through these heinous acts against their own brothers and sisters, the terrorists demonstrate once again that they are not merely enemies of Western Civilization but of all civilization.

But the broader target of this assault was the public of a country that has been a stalwart ally of the United States in the global war on terrorism. This is not the first time that the people of Jordan have been victimized in a terrorist attack, but it is by far the most extensive offense against innocent civilians in Jordan by ruthless fanatics since the war on terrorism began.

To their great credit, the Jordanian people are not retreating in defeat, but are declaring their defiance. They are not making excuses for these vile enemies of all mankind, but are demanding accountability. They are not cowering in their homes, but taking to the streets in protest.

Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us condemns last week's reprehensible events in Amman and expresses our solidarity with the people of Jordan. It also declares our country's readiness to support Jordanian authorities in their efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice and to eradicate the networks that plot and carry out such attacks.

As our country knows all too well after September 11, and as all others who have sustained years of wanton terrorist carnage in the name of religious fundamentalism know all too well, there can be but one response to such inhumanity: unified resolve to bring it swiftly and irreversibly to an end.

This vicious crime must also serve as a cautionary tale to those in the Arab world who are content to stand by and watch as Iraqi security forces and American troops battle to defeat the vicious insurgency and the foreign jihadis who are indiscriminate in their slaughter.

We may be the primary targets of Zarqawi today, but he and his ilk are determined to destroy modernity and retard social and political progress throughout the Muslim world in the name of a perverted interpretation of Islam. As the carnage in Amman made clear, the war on terror is a shared endeavor in which the Arab people must play a central role in the victory over terror.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution expresses our profound outrage at this vicious attack and our profound sympathy and solidarity with our Jordanian friends at this time of their sorrow. I urge all of my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, we now enjoy a tragic kinship with the people of Jordan, just as we enjoy with the people of London, the people of Madrid; and we all remember what it was like on September 11. Perhaps one of the only positive repercussions at the time was the outpouring of support that we enjoyed from around the world as countries around the globe expressed their solidarity with the United States in confronting this new and terrible force.

We now join the people of Jordan in their time of sorrow, in their time of need. We express our solidarity with our Jordanian friends. Our hearts break with their losses and our resolve is united with theirs to combat this terrible evil confronting the world. I want to just, in closing, once again thank our wonderful chairwoman of the subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Glendale Masonic Lodge #368 for 100 years of outstanding service to the community.

Glendale Masons lead by example, give back to their community, and support numerous philanthropic causes. They invest in children, neighborhoods, and our future. Glendale Lodge #368 now represents the consolidation of 8 Lodges from the Glendale area: Unity #368 (1905), Glendale #544 (1922), Crescenta Valley #652 (1926), Meridian #667 (1928), Verdugo Hills #727 (1953), La Canada #739 (1954), Oakwood #743 (1954) and Frank S. Land #819 (1965). Unity was started by several brothers who felt there was enough interest in Masonry in Glendale to start a Lodge. The name Unity was chosen because it covered several towns and villages (Glendale, Tropico, West Glendale, and Casa Verdugo) and they did not want to single out any one area. All of these villages and towns were eventually annexed into what is today the City of Glendale.

The first Masonic Temple in Glendale was built in 1914 at 232 South Brand. In 1928, it was torn down to make way for the present Historic Temple. However, the stock market crash and depression came that same year and the Lodge was unable to service their loan and thus lost the building to private interests. After Word War I, a great interest in Masonry resulted and the Lodge grew at an impressive rate. Masonry held its own until after World War II. In 1947 through 1957 another large influx of members was experienced. In 1956, membership slowly declined. It accelerated in the late 1960s through the 1980s. This resulted in the consolidation of Lodges starting in 1980, and in 1997, the last lodge joined to form Glendale Lodge #368.

The Masonic Lodge's mission is guided by the enduring and relevant tenets of their fraternity--Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth--and core values which include ethics, tolerance, and family. The Lodge currently holds annual recognition nights for the teachers and employees of the Glendale Unified School District, Glendale Police Officers and Firefighters. They also sponsor a successful and vital tutoring program at Wilson and Roosevelt Middle Schools in Glendale. The Glendale Masonic Lodge also supports the Shriner's Hospital for children, and the Scottish Rite Language Program. Through the Grand Lodge of California, the Glendale Lodge supports two homes for the elderly located in Covina and Union City, the Children's Home in Covina, and a very active scholarship program.

I ask all Members of Congress to join me today in congratulating the Glendale Masonic Lodge and its members for 100 years of outstanding service to the City of Glendale and surrounding communities.

Mr. Speaker, this week we honor our Nation's veterans-- not just the thousands who have risked their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the millions more who over the years have answered the call to arms and served as a member of the United States Armed Forces.

Since the founding of this Nation, Americans have battled courageously to protect the helpless, defeat despots and spread the cause of freedom to every corner of the globe. Most of

the men and women who served in World War I are no longer with us. World War II, Korea and Vietnam veterans still walk among us today, and we owe them the most heartfelt gratitude.

The torch was passed to a new generation after the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Since then, hundreds of thousands of young people have donned the uniform of a soldier, Marine, sailor or airman in our Global War on Terrorism. They have chosen an often arduous life not for fame or riches, but because they believe in America and her ideals. These great young people have embraced the challenge. From the dusty streets of Iraq to the jagged mountains of Afghanistan, they have done their duty with honor, fighting for their country and each other.

I have traveled overseas several times to Iraq and Afghanistan to meet our military personnel and have witnessed them doing their job magnificently; they fight voluntarily on our behalf. I was awed by their courage, determination and dedication as they combat a brutal enemy thousands of miles from home.

The times have changed, but the sacrifices have not. More than 2,000 U.S. service members have been killed and over 16,000 have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We in Congress must honor our veterans not just with words, but with deeds. The survivors of those who make the ultimate sacrifice must be cared for in a manner that honors their memory. Benefits and health care must remain readily available for service members and their families--active duty, Reserve or Guard. And those wounded warriors who return home must be mended back to health, in body and spirit.

In my district, I have convened a working group to assist veterans in every possible way. The goal of this group is for communities to create innovative and effective programs which show appreciation and offer financial, moral and physical support for veterans.

Over 25 million U.S. veterans live among us today. You may know one. Pause a moment and thank them for their service. They deserve no less.

Madam Speaker, from the dawn of civilization, man has peered out into the heavens and dreamt of exploring the vast expanses of our universe. During the past half century, from America's first satellite, the grapefruit-sized Explorer I, to the International Space Station now being built 200 miles above us, human beings have begun to learn how to operate in the harsh environs of space.

Our unmanned space probes--from the Ranger and Surveyor craft that paved the way for Apollo to the Voyager spacecraft that explored the outer planets--continue to increase our understanding of the universe. Everyone of the ambitious American space probes that has visited another planet has been managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.

It is for this reason, I am proud that the conference report covering NASA operations includes full support of the work of JPL on the Mars exploration program and the Space Interferometry Mission.

NASA's Mars exploration program embodies the President's vision for space exploration. It will expand our knowledge of one of our neighbors in the solar system and pave the way for a manned mission to Mars. NASA's search for planets and life beyond our solar system is also having increasing and dramatic success with more than 150 planets now discovered. With full funding, the Space Interferometry Mission will examine over two thousand stars for planetary systems, fulfilling a critical step in the search for Earth-like planets.

For their strong support of this vision, I would like to thank Chairman Lewis and Ranking Member Obey. I would also like to thank Chairman Wolf and Ranking Member Mollohan for meeting on several occasions to discuss the important work of JPL.

In addition to expanding our reach into the depths of the universe, the space research program at JPL will have additional benefits here on Earth. According to economists, investment in research and development has one of the highest rates of return in the long-run. While public investment in research and development in other nations has increased in recent years, it has stagnated in the United States. Full funding for the work at JPL demonstrates our continuing commitment to research in the sciences.

The space exploration program also has an impact on young people. Generations of students have been inspired to enter scientific fields by stunning images from the heavens. The funding for cooperative education programs between NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Griffith Observatory recognizes the importance of encouraging more students to enter scientific fields.

With our commitment to the programs at NASA's Jet Propulsion laboratory, we are pursuing both the human quest to understand our universe and the American quest for continuing leadership in space exploration.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, November 4, 2005 I was unavoidably detained and thus missed rollcall vote No. 569.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 569, in support of the conference report to accompany H.R. 3057, making appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, November 3, 2005 I was unavoidably detained thus missed rollcall vote No. 568.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 568, in support of H.R. 4128, the ``Private Property Rights Protection Act''--legislation that I voted in support of in the House Judiciary Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the conference report and congratulate the Chair and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations for their leadership in crafting this important legislation and for their work in ensuring that crucial national security priorities are appropriately funded.

Even as our troops are still engaged in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, new challenges to our Nation's security and diplomatic interests are emerging. This bill does a good job of meeting these challenges within the confines of an extremely tight budgetary environment.

I am particularly pleased that the conference agreement includes $75 million in assistance to Armenia and $3 million for Nagorno Karabagh. The conferees also agreed to maintain the military assistance parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan by approving $5 million in Foreign Military Financing, FMF, and $750,000 in International Military Education and Training, IMET, for both countries. Through these appropriations, the conferees have continued to advance the political and economic development of the Caucasus, while also increasing stability in the region.

I was also heartened to see that the conferees continued this country's longstanding support for our democratic ally Israel by providing $2.5 billion in assistance for Israel, including $2.3 billion for military grants, and $240 million in economic assistance.

At the same time, the Congress has wisely met the president's request for $150 million for development programs for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, $75 million more than the current level. Only by helping the Palestinian people to break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness can we hope to realize the vision of a two-state solution to decades of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. I believe that it is wise that our assistance to the Palestinians goes to private voluntary organizations (20 percent) or to contractors (80 percent), all of which are selected and monitored by USAID. While I hope that Abu Mazen will be able to end the corruption in the PA, I think that it is prudent that the U.S. forego direct transfers to the PA until there is greater transparency and accountability.

This has been a difficult year for our relationship with Egypt. Even as Cairo has proven a valuable partner in helping to facilitate the Israeli pullout from Gaza, the country's moves towards democracy have been halting. I think that this bill properly funds our priorities by appropriating $1.8 billion in aid for Egypt--$1.3 billion for military grants, and $495 million in economic assistance with $50 million of the economic assistance directed to programs that promote democracy and human rights, and $50 million be for education, including $5 million for scholarships for disadvantaged Egyptian students.

At a time when the United States is viewed with skepticism and outright hostility in many parts of the world, foreign assistance and disaster relief is one of the most effective ways to change negative views of our country. In the wake of the tsunami last December and the October 8 earthquake in Pakistan, the generosity of the American people has been a strong force for advancing our national interests abroad, even as we wrestled with the aftermath of a devastating series of hurricanes here at home.

As the Congress and the President begin to work on the Fiscal Year 2007 budget for foreign operations, I hope that we will remember that feeding the hungry, healing the sick and helping those left homeless by nature's fury can play an important role in making the United States more secure and more respected by the rest of the world.

Again, I thank my colleagues for their work on this important legislation and offer my wholehearted support.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, anyone who held out hope that despite his reputation as a hard liner that Iran's new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, would adopt a more statesmanlike posture in office, has been bitterly, tragically, and unequivocally set straight. The Iranian dictator has instead chosen the role of international outlaw.

With his remarks 2 days ago that Israel must be wiped off the map, the Iranian strongman showed utter disregard for human life and for the central principle of the United Nations and the modern international system. Ahmadinejad's outrageous remarks were reinforced today by massive demonstrations in Iran that further threaten to ignite tensions in a volatile region of the world and undermine the fragile Israeli/ Palestinian peace negotiations.

What makes Ahmadinejad's remarks all the more disturbing is that they come at a time when Iran is actively pursuing nuclear weapons that could make his harsh rhetoric a reality. How can the world stand by while an outlaw nation attempts to gain nuclear weapons? How can the world stand by while an outlaw nation announces its despotic intentions to annihilate millions of people? Should Iran one day act on its murderous intent, how can the world claim surprise?

As our ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), points outs, sometimes a madman means exactly what he says. The world must unite to condemn these threats

and this episode must stiffen the resolve of Europe and the United Nations to ensure that Tehran will never, never acquire nuclear weapons.

I thank the chairman and the ranking member for the leadership in offering this resolution, and I am proud to sponsor it.