Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the 2004 Florida High School Athletic Association, FHSAA, Class 4A State Football Champion Seffner Armwood High School Hawks from the 12th Congressional District of Florida.

The Hawks won their second straight State title after a hard fought victory over the Lake Gibson Braves also from 12th Congressional District. I also want to recognize the valiant efforts of the entire Lake Gibson football team, even though they came up short in this year's state championship game.

I commend the champion Seffner Armwood football team for a wonderful and magical run this year. The people of Florida and Hillsborough County are proud of you. You have all demonstrated that hard work, perseverance and unity are the foundation of success.

I applaud both Seffner Armwood and runner-ups Lake Gibson's football coaching staff for their commitment and dedication to their players and for proving that hard work, sportsmanship and determination pay off.

I salute the Seffner Armwood High School students, teachers, coaches and the entire football team on their achievement as once again victors of the Class 4A State championship football game.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the 2004 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class lA State Football Champion Fort Meade Middle-High School Fighting Miners from the 12th Congressional District of Florida.

This was an incredible season for the Fighting Miners as they finally became the best football program in Class 1A and one of the elite teams in Florida under Head Coach Michael Hayde.

I commend the champion Fort Meade Middle-High School football team for a wonderful and magical run this year. The people of Florida and all of Polk County are proud of you. You have all demonstrated that hard work, perseverance and unity are the foundation of success.

I applaud the entire Fort Meade football coaching staff for their commitment and dedication to their players and for proving that hard work, sportsmanship and determination pay off.

I pay tribute to Fort Meade Middle-High School students, teachers, coaches and the entire football team on their achievement as victors of the Class 1A state championship football game.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the 2004 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 5A State Football Champion Lakeland Senior High School Dreadnaughts from the 12th Congressional District of Florida.

The championship game victory capped an undefeated season for the Lakeland High Dreadnaughts as they finished 15-0 for the third time in the past nine seasons and won their fourth state championship under Coach Bill Castle.

I commend the champion Lakeland High School football team for a wonderful and magical run this year. The people of Florida and all of Polk County are proud of you. You have all demonstrated that hard work, perseverance and unity are the foundation of success.

I applaud Lakeland Head Coach Bill Castle for being awarded this year's Dairy Farmers Award as coach of the year of the Florida Athletic Coaches Association, but most importantly for his commitment to his players and stressing the important values of preparation, hard work, dedication, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

I pay tribute to Lakeland High School students, teachers, coaches and the entire football team on their outstanding achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 64) and I ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated public servant who has served this institution with distinction.

During the 108th Congress, Bob Dix served as my staff director on the Government Reform Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census. In that capacity, Bob assembled a remarkable team of experts that assisted the subcommittee in conducting oversight on a number of areas crucial to our domestic and national security.

Over a period of 17 months, the subcommittee held 39 substantive hearings, ranging from the implementation of the President's Management Agenda and E-Gov initiatives to the threats posed at our Nation's airlines and seaports. Bob was the lead staff member of my Corporate Information Security Working Group, which was a public/private partnership that was tasked with creating a uniform set of safe- practice information security standards for businesses, government and consumers. In the process, Bob has distinguished himself as a leading expert on the cutting edge technology issues of our times.

Bob Dix has accepted the position of Vice President of Government Affairs and Corporate Development for Citadel Security Software, Inc., and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his service to the subcommittee and his commitment to public service.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 866 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

(Mr. PUTNAM asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, it is a beautiful Saturday morning all across America and people are waking up and taking their morning coffee, reading the paper, getting the kids off to soccer practice, and slipping into the woods to do a little hunting.

As I say, on this glorious Saturday morning, people are going about their lives and doing the things that they do, enjoying time with their family and their business, and they are undoubtedly thinking to themselves, as they find out that Congress is in session on a Saturday, that it is about time those guys did some work.

It is an important issue indeed that finds us here doing the people's business this weekend as we wrap up a very productive 108th Congress. The omnibus package that is here before us today, this rule, H. Res. 866, provides for consideration of H.R. 4818, making appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005.

Mr. Speaker, this rule waives all points of order against the conference report and against its consideration. Section 2 of the resolution provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 114 under a closed rule and provides for one hour of debate in the House, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and

ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. All points of order against consideration of the joint resolution are waived. Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit H.J. Res. 114.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation represents a tremendous amount of work on the part of our appropriators, working in conjunction with the authorizing committees on a bipartisan, bicameral basis. It is important to note, Mr. Speaker, that this omnibus represents the work of nine different subcommittees on appropriations. There are nine different bills combined in there, but it is not because of the work of the House that that is the case. The House has passed all but one of those bills, and, unfortunately we find ourselves here at the end of the 108th Congress passing them en blanc as a result of issues not related to the House, as the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), and the ranking member of that committee, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), have done a tremendous job of making sure that the House appropriation train runs on time.

This legislation includes funding for the majority of our agencies and departments, along with very important infrastructure appropriations and needs. It is vital that we pass this to ensure the smooth and continued operation of the Federal Government. The final spending package fully complies with the spending targets agreed to by the Congress and the administration, totaling $821.9 billion in fiscal year 2005 discretionary spending.

Mr. Speaker, it is important to note and to reinforce the fact that this fully complies with the spending targets laid out by this Congress and represents a freeze, or zero percent growth, in nondefense discretionary spending. Total discretionary spending in this bill is $388.4 billion. All additional spending is paid for by an across-the- board cut of 0.83 percent in all nondefense and nonhomeland security spending, a $300 million recession in nonwar, nonemergency defense funds, and $283 million from limitations on expenditures from the Crime Victims Fund.

Mr. Speaker, discretionary funding in the fiscal year 2001 budget, the last budget of the last administration, was 15 percent. Fifteen percent. Mr. Speaker, for the past 4 years, we have been able to hold the line on discretionary spending. This year's freeze demonstrates this Congress' commitment to fiscal responsibility during a time when our men and women in uniform are in harm's way.

In our restraint, however, we continue to make provisions for those who rely on America's promises. The bill provides a record level of resources for veterans health, including a total of over $30 billion for the Veterans Health Administration; $19.5 billion for medical services; $4.7 billion for medical administration; $3.7 billion for medical facilities; and $385 million for medical research. In addition, the bill does not contain additional fees or surcharges for America's veterans.

The bill also provides a significant boost in the manpower and resources of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The bill includes over $5 billion for the FBI, an increase of over $625 million above last year, and $100 million above the President's request. This funding provides enhanced training, information technology, and staff to the tune of over 1,100 new positions for the FBI to improve intelligence and counterterrorism capabilities, while continuing to fight white collar and violent crime.

The package we consider today prioritizes our Nation's needs in a fiscally responsible manner, and I urge my colleagues to support both the rule and the underlying bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton).

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

Mr. Speaker, I certainly share the gentleman's concern about the situation that people up north find themselves in. It is a situation, to be honest, that is somewhat unfamiliar to me, having been raised in Florida and never having seen snow until I was 30. But I understand the plight. I am proud of the work that the appropriators have done, undoubtedly from the Northeast and around the country, who share the gentleman's concern at funding LIHEAP at $2.2 billion, an increase of $84 million over last year. They are certainly doing everything they can to make sure that the winters in Boston are a little bit less cold and a little bit less dark.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon), a distinguished physician.

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee who has played a key role in putting this bill together.

(Mr. REGULA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from San Diego, California (Mr. Cunningham), a decorated war hero and outspoken supporter of all men and women in uniform.

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

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

I am delighted to see that the work of the appropriators has been so well received as it relates to transportation needs and defense needs and continuing our support for international issues and the fight against AIDS and malaria and tuberculosis, the investments that they have made in basic medical research. I am glad to see that their work is so highly regarded that the focus of the opposition is limited to a single issue.

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

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

The gentleman has presented two rhetorical questions, and I will respond to one. It is a pleasure to be here with the distinguished gentleman from Washington, a man who represents a very technologically savvy constituency and a very environmentally concerned constituency. And that tremendous pile of paper was available on the Web last night at 12:15 that would have taken advantage of the skills that are out there as well as saving a few trees.

This is an important work. And I might also ask how long it took for the gentleman to read cover to cover all of the nine bills that had already passed this House in due time?

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp), who also serves on the Committee on Appropriations and has worked very hard toward this final product.

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

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

I would just point out that this bill is within budget and that the House has done its work in hearing and passing the individual spending bills, and whatever inadequacies there may be in this process would not be a result of this half of the legislative branch.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

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

Mr. Speaker, I certainly tip my hat to the distinguished ranking member of the Committee on Rules. The gentleman has served on that committee for 26 years, and I certainly wish him and his family all the best.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to bring the debate on this rule over this critically important continuation of the Federal Government to a close. I want to thank our great Floridan, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), for what he and his staff, his great committee, have done in meeting the needs and prioritizing the needs of this Nation.

As a Nation and as a State, we are indebted to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) for the leadership and service he has provided. As a Congress, we are indebted to him for the patience and honor and dignity and demeanor that he has brought to these ever-so-difficult times. No one can understand the burdens that are placed on the chairman, and he has always handled them so well.

As we debate the issues contained within this omnibus and what it means for this Nation going into the Thanksgiving week, it is important that we keep in mind as we celebrate that uniquely American holiday that the safety and comfort that is provided for us by the men and women who are funded by this bill and the infrastructure that takes us to be with family and friends is provided by investments made in this bill. And as we give thanks to the Almighty for our family and our friends and for the blessings, it is important to take the opportunity to give thanks for the blessings of just being an American and the liberty and freedom that that means and the people who provide it for us who are in uniform, who are in law enforcement and who benefit greatly by the priorities in this bill.

Amendment Offered by Mr. Putnam

Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the amendment and on the resolution.

The previous question was ordered.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to express my grave concern about the proposed new taxes on cigar manufacturers included in the FSC/ETI conference report. This new tax, which was not included in either the House or Senate version of the FSC/ETI legislation, amounts to $282 million. Companies in the State of Florida will pay more than 75 percent of this tax increase.

I do not know how this new tax provision appeared in the conference report, but it is bad policy. This is supposed to be a jobs bill for all Americans, but I am afraid that this new tax will cost jobs in my state. For the historic Florida cigar industry, this provision is nothing more than a tax increase and job killer.

Since cigar manufacturers generally do not use the types of tobacco being ``bought out,'' it is improper to impose a new tax on them under this bill. We should not increase taxes on industries unless the new tax has something to do with the purpose of the new program. The cigar industry should not subsidize the cigarette and smokeless tobacco industry. I hope that this issue will be revisited in the near future and a correction can be made to reverse this ill-conceived tax increase.

Mr. Speaker, for the past two years I have been privileged to serve as Chairman of the Government Reform Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy,

Intergovernmental Relations and the Census. Upon my appointment to the House Rules Committee, I was required to relinquish my chairmanship, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Full Committee Chairman Tom Davis and the staff for their tremendous efforts.

In the 108th Congress, the Subcommittee held 39 hearings--substantive hearings--on issues ranging from the threats of cyber terrorism, to the President's Management Agenda, to Geospatial issues and to planning for the 2010 Census. During this time, I believe that we have put America on alert--in government, the private sector and home computer use--to the threats posed by cyber criminals and how best to protect our resources.

Much of the success that we enjoyed on the subcommittee is due to the hard work and expertise of the staff, which took a citrus farmer from Central Florida and brought him up to speed on the intricacies of new technologies and their importance to all Americans. My able Staff Director, Bob Dix, led a truly outstanding team of individuals who worked tirelessly to conduct thorough oversight of the areas of jurisdiction of my subcommittee. They deserve much of the credit for the positive impact that we have made.

Lastly, I would like to thank Chairman Tom Davis for the trust he placed in me. As my predecessor on the Technology Subcommittee, he left great shoes to fill. I appreciate his guidance and friendship, and I pledge to continue working on these issues of importance in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time.

I want to just rise and join any colleagues from Florida and the rest of the Congress in expressing my profound appreciation for the assistance that is on its way to a number of States but particularly Florida. Words are inadequate to describe the deep sense of loss that people have at looking at the devastation when they have a foot of sand in their home or an entire roof missing. But words are also inadequate to describe the profound sense of relief that comes when FEMA and State and local officials are there in a proactive way to provide tarps, to provide water, to provide batteries, to provide hot food; and it is a community effort.

But at the end of the day that community effort is made possible to a great degree in terms of resources by this Federal Government. So the bipartisan effort on the part of dozens and dozens of Members to help those drought-stricken in the Midwest and far West and those Floridians and Alabamans and Georgians and Carolinians who will pass on for generations the stories about Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne, our heart goes out to them, and we just express that deep

sense of appreciation to the hardworking men and women of the government who have been there making that relief happen and the appreciation to our fellow man, to our neighbors, to the American spirit that made the water and ice lines possible, that brought in truckloads of relief from churches and faith groups from all over the country to help their fellow man whom they had never met before. And it is just part of that great community spirit and that sense of what is the strength of America, Mr. Speaker.

But at the end of the day, working out the details is always difficult in a government this large, and we want to certainly tip our hat to the efforts that the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young) has put into this. It is a debt of gratitude that we owe that we can never repay and all Floridians and all Americans are certainly grateful for the service he has performed for this Nation.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 819 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

(Mr. PUTNAM asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 819 is a modified, closed rule that provides for consideration of H.R. 5212, making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, for additional disaster assistance relating to storm damage and for other purposes.

The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill and provides for 1 hour of debate in the House, equally divided and controlled by the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on Appropriations. The rule provides for consideration of the Hensarling amendment which shall be separately debatable for 20 minutes, equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, this is my inaugural rule, and I want to begin by thanking the Speaker for the honor of serving on this distinguished committee, and what an important rule to begin with, as it impacts the Sunshine State that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) and I are so honored to represent.

Mr. Speaker, on four occasions in a span of 6 weeks, portions of my home State of Florida have been designated disaster areas. Additionally, areas in nine other States have been declared disaster areas due to hurricane-related damage. Between August 13 and September 26, five hurricanes wreaked havoc upon the eastern and Gulf coasts of the United States. For the first time since 1886, a single State has been hit by four hurricanes in one season.

The widespread devastation caused by these natural disasters is breathtaking. Damage was sustained along the entire eastern seaboard from ravaging winds in the Florida Keys and the Florida panhandle to tornadoes and mudslides in the Carolinas and severe flooding up the east coast.

The emergency supplemental appropriations bill, H.R. 5212, provides substantial resources for recovery. This rule brings to the Floor legislation to help families and farmers and businesses rebuild in the aftermath of nature's destruction.

The long-range economic effects of these storms will be severe. All facets of the economy were affected due to power outages, crop losses, and wind and water damage. It is difficult to comprehend the impact of these successive storms on Florida's economy. Florida's largest economic engine is tourism. The land of pristine beaches and world- class attractions has seen significant hardship for the tourism industry, while entire communities along the panhandle have been washed away. Businesses, large and small, are suffering from the aftermath of these storms. Many remained closed for weeks at a time while they went without utilities, losing important revenue. Mom-and-pop shops have fewer beach-goers to serve. Families and businesses now face multiple insurance deductibles following the damage of multiple storms that hit the same areas.

Florida's agriculture industry sustained the loss of up to 40 percent or more of its citrus crop for this season, along with the loss of trees that provide future harvests. In addition to citrus, the vegetable, sugar, cattle, timber, dairy, nursery, and other industries suffered severe losses.

Our infrastructure, Mr. Speaker, was utterly destroyed in some areas. Bridges, interstate bridges were washed away, cutting off evacuation routes and isolating communities. Hospitals were forced to close due to damage. Schools were shut down to serve as shelters. In my county alone, 13 days of school have been missed. The school year has essentially begun anew on four separate occasions. Military bases have been closed following extensive damage to hangars, equipment and training areas. Traffic lights lay in the middle of intersections. Daily life came to consist of searching for ice and batteries and helping neighbors wield a chain saw to remove a tree on top of your home, business or vehicle.

President Bush has recommended a total of $11 billion in assistance to the States that have been affected by these storms. The bill provides for $6.5 billion for disaster recovery efforts for FEMA, which is in addition to the $2 billion that was appropriated for FEMA earlier this month. FEMA uses these resources for a variety of disaster relief activities, including direct assistance to impacted individuals and families, debris removal, utility and infrastructure repairs, emergency food and shelter, and mitigation.

Mr. Speaker $1.1 billion for the Department of Defense; $929 million for

disaster relief activities of the Small Business Administration; $800 million for the Federal Highway Administration's emergency relief program for repairs to roads and highways; $600 million in agricultural assistance to provide needed help to producers suffering crop loss from these hurricanes; $245 million for the Army Corps of Engineers; $150 million for community development grants; $50 million for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to help provide nutritional, medical and social services to affected elderly individuals; $126 million for NASA; $121 million to repair damage to VA facilities that support our ever-so-important servicemen and women and the veterans; $70 million to support the American Red Cross in their mission to shelter, feed and otherwise support the victims of these storms.

In addition to this enacted and requested emergency funding, Federal agencies will continue to use existing resources and programs for response and recovery efforts from all recent hurricanes and storms.

I am proud that our President has followed through with an assistance package that amounts to more than $12.2 billion in restoration efforts for damages occurring as a result of Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne, storms that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) and I have come to know by their first name in an all-too-intimate way. I am deeply grateful to our governor Jeb Bush for his tireless efforts throughout this period, and I want to applaud the extraordinary efforts of our chairman, a fellow Floridian of the Committee on Appropriations, the gentleman from Largo (Mr. Young), and all of his team. Their hard work guarantees that Floridians can recover from the devastation left by these storms.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I just want to take a moment to praise the combined efforts of FEMA, local first responders, local cities and counties, recovery operations, managers, utility companies, the men and women and everyday heroes who climb to the top of telephone poles to restore power while the wind is still out there and the water is still coming in; people from around the country who rush in with mobile semis that can feed 10,000 people at a time, giving hope to an entire community. Storms like this tend to bring out the best in people, Mr. Speaker, and it is an impressive thing to see the American spirit alive and well.

I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I certainly understand the passion of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), and I will remind him that in addition to the $11 billion that is in this package, the President delivered $500 million in assistance to citrus, nursery, and fruit vegetable growers just 2 weeks ago in the aftermath of the first two storms. And as we gather data from these storms and whatever else the Atlantic sea may have in store for us, there will be additional assistance forthcoming.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Appropriations.

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

I appreciate the work the gentleman has done in agriculture, and I appreciate the gentleman's record in matters affecting the budget, which is why

I draw to his attention the fact that we have improved upon this rule and will be providing for additional assistance beyond the Southeast, beyond the Carolinas, beyond Florida, to assist those affected farmers and ranchers and fully offset it, which is an important piece of fiscal responsibility.

What is so sacred, what is so sacrosanct about a farm bill that my colleague would hold it up so high that he would not use it to help farmers? Farmers in Florida, farmers in Georgia, farmers in the Carolinas, perhaps farmers who do not have access to the billions of dollars that are allocated in the farm bill on an annual basis; but farmers who have suffered from four separate hurricanes, many farmers who had the eye of three storms come over their field, pass over their ranch, we would say to them, we do not want to open the farm bill to help you because that is for other farmers?

The farm bill, as it is today, has a reserve because it has worked. I was on the committee. I voted for it. I supported it. It is a good package, but why would we let that package stand in the way of assistance to farmers? Is that not what the farm bill is for?

Is that not why we put all the effort and time and labor into it, to help people in need, to help farmers who are suffering? Ranchers who have had their fences devastated, their barns blown to the ground? Row crop farmers who have seen all of their plastic torn up? Citrus growers who have seen a sea of brown from Charley and yellow from Frances and green from Jeanne, where Mother Nature has color-coded the devastation that is their crop, that is on the ground rotting? We would say to them, we will not open it up?

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), the distinguished Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, my former chairman and someone who is passionate about all of America's farmers and ranchers.

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

I am disappointed that the gentleman will be voting against the rule. I know his passion for America's farmers, and I know that farmers all across this land have been affected.

Perhaps it is the Floridian in me, but I would argue that this rule goes a long way towards those affected by some very substantial and unforeseen events, and the improvements that have been made would go a long way towards extending that beyond those areas affected by hurricanes. After neglecting those areas who have been dealing with a drought now for years, I know that the reservoirs are going dry.

I know that people are frustrated and they are concerned about what their livelihood will hold because of this drought issue, and frankly, that is why I think these improvements were put in there. I think it is a fiscally responsible approach to helping as many of America's farmers who have been stricken by these disasters as possible, and certainly, the dairy industry is one that has been impacted. It has been impacted in Florida when the power was lost for days at a time, and of course, America's modern agricultural system, if we cannot get power to these milking parlors, the cows go dry.

That is a legitimate problem, and we worked on a bipartisan basis as a delegation and, frankly, as a group of people who are concerned about the future of American agriculture to find ways to solve this disaster assistance problem.

Just as, 18 months ago, we were able to reach down into section 32 funds, which are traditionally designated for fruit and vegetables and marketing and nutrition programs, in providing drought assistance to the Midwest, we are similarly using an account to reach down into and provide assistance for farmers from Florida and Georgia and the Carolinas who are desperately in need.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I have enjoyed certainly a very close working relationship with both of these gentlemen from Florida as we have tried to do everything we can to bring in the appropriate amount of relief for a State that is hurting. There have been heroic efforts in the State of Florida bringing the I-10 bridge back on line in a matter of days and bringing, internally, administrative relief to agriculture and those issues affected early on.

I would just say, Mr. Speaker, that it is important that we keep in mind that this is a process. As we reach the end of this congressional session, there has been a rush to pull together the adequate, the accurate and adequate damage numbers, and that is difficult to do. It is difficult to pull together the data on transportation needs. It is particularly difficult to pull together the data on agricultural needs when they are still mounting.

I would say that, 6 months from now, we will still be dealing with damages that are presenting themselves that came about as a result of the hurricanes. So for the other side to say that they would reject all of the relief for lack of marginally additional relief seems a little bit foolhardy, adding to the fact that we are to be accused of ignoring the Midwestern States when we have a proposal to do just that, to expand the relief beyond those hurricane stricken States and take care of those who have been dealing with drought.

I think we are delivering, in a number of ways, and frankly, from all of our working relationships with the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, there is a high level of confidence that those issues will be taken care of in conference and through his additional legislation that he is filing.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne), a tireless advocate for disaster relief and for drought relief.

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

The gentleman will have the opportunity to vote for $600 million in agricultural assistance, and the gentleman will have an opportunity to vote for drought relief.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Brooksville, Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite).

Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment in the nature of a substitute.

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

Mr. Speaker, as one can tell, I drew a hot one from my inaugural first rule. But I cannot think of a better group of colleagues to work on this with than the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings); the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Boyd); and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), certainly our senior delegation member.

This Emergency Supplemental Appropriation is so vitally important to rebuilding the infrastructure, the economies, and the communities of the hurricane-damaged areas throughout the Southeast, and now, with the amendment, those communities of the Midwest and far West who have suffered so greatly under the drought. I urge my colleagues to support this rule.

The material previously referred to by Mr. Hastings of Florida is as follows:

Previous Question for H. Res. 819--Rule on H.R. 5212 Emergency

Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act for FY05

Strike all after the resolved clause and insert:

Resolved, That upon the adoption of this resolution it

shall be in order without intervention of any point of order

to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 5212) making

emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year

ending September 30, 2005, for additional disaster assistance

relating to storm damage, and for other purposes. The bill

shall be considered as read for amendment. The previous

question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and on

any amendment thereto to final passage without intervening

motion except: (1) one hour of debate on the bill equally

divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority

member of the Committee on Appropriations; (2) the amendment

printed in Section 2 of the resolution, if offered by

Representative Stenholm of Texas or his designee, which shall

be in order without intervention of any point of order or

demand for division of the question, shall be considered as

read, and shall be separately debatable for 30 minutes

equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an

opponent; and (3) one motion to recommit with or without

instructions.

Sec. 2.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the amendment in the nature of a substitute and on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, it must be an election year, because the fear mongering is in full swing.

President George W. Bush has repeatedly said he doesn't intend to revive the draft, because he believes that the military is more effective and less expensive as an all-volunteer force than it would be under a draft. Yet that hasn't stopped his critics, who are waging a behind-the-scenes campaign to frighten the American people.

The truth is this: President Bush has no ``secret plan'' to reinstitute the draft, and the only measure that would do so is the one we are considering today--offered by members of Senator Kerry's party and cosponsored solely by the minority party.

I concur with the Pentagon's assessment that the all-volunteer force has provided a military ``that is experienced, smart, disciplined and representative of America.'' Volunteer soldiers are more family- oriented, career-oriented and stay longer. Lastly, there is no need for a draft at this time.

Mr. Speaker, I am opposed to this bill, and its overwhelming rejection today by the Members of the House will put to rest the spin that is being offered by those merely interested in frightening voters during an election year. I urge my colleagues to join me in denouncing these tactics and voting against this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 7 o'clock and 50 minutes a.m.), the House adjourned until today, Wednesday, October 6, 2004, at 10 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3478) to amend title 44, United States Code, to improve the efficiency of operations by the National Archives and Records Administration, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3478, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have witnessed over the last several weeks in Florida just how quickly lives and property and years of work can be taken from us. Many are left with only memories in the wake of these storms, and I would like to thank President Bush and the Members of this House for the outpouring of assistance that we have received.

Our memories and the collective memory of our national life is what in part inspire us to move ahead and to rebuild in the face of tragedy. The custodian of our collective national memory is the National Archives, and I rise today to offer an amendment in the form of a substitute to H.R. 3478 to reauthorize an important part of that agency.

This legislation will reauthorize appropriations through fiscal year 2009 for the National Historic Publications to Records Commission, the eighth passage of this legislation since 1964. The NHPRC's mandate is to look outward, to provide assistance to non-Federal agencies, institutions and individuals committed to the preservation and use of American documentary resources.

The NHPRC remains today the only grant making organization, public or private, in the Nation whose only focus is the preservation of and increased access to American historical documentation in its myriad forms and formats, be it the quill pen or the computer.

Through its competitive grants, the NHPRC provides a kind of venture capital for the historical world, through which solutions to electronic records questions can be discovered and begin to be tested, and new initiatives and new projects in State and local government records, private archival institutions and documentary editions, can be launched and given vital support.

American history did not all happen in Washington. It has unfolded in every State and every locality, through private actions as well as those of the government, and unless we safeguard historical records wisely, there will be gaping holes in our Nation's history.

Records created and maintained within each State are important to individuals and institutions in a democracy, not just national institutions, but government institutions at every level, as well as organizations in the private sector that have a great impact on American life.

The NHPRC safeguards holdings of the State and local archives, the university archival and manuscript collections and the documentary collections of libraries, historical societies and other cultural repositories, private and public.

They have revolutionized the study of American history. One of the Nation's leading historians has called this work the most important and lasting work of the 20th century, the most important work in the American history of the 20th century.

The NHPRC exists to stimulate the care and use of records that are beyond the NARA's jurisdiction. It does that by encouraging documentary work outside the Federal Government, with small grants to archival, historical and cultural organizations throughout our country. It is the only national funding agency that is directly addressing the challenges posed for recordkeeping and records preservation.

Among the types of grants that the commission makes are those designed to assist State and local governments with disaster preparedness to protect the vital records that document the rights and privileges of citizenship. We can attest to the need for that type of readiness in Florida.

Through grants, through working with State advisory boards and through contributing to funding partnerships, the NHPRC plays a critical role in promoting work to ensure that records of many kinds in many parts of the country will be safe and accessible for the scholars who need them.

As chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census, which has jurisdiction over the National Archives, and as a citizen concerned about rights, accountability and history, I request that NHPRC be reauthorized to carry on its important work.

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

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

I appreciate the support of the distinguished gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) and the hard work that the ranking member of this subcommittee, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay), has put into this legislation; and I urge its passage.

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

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), the distinguished chairman, for yielding me the time.

I rise to oppose this amendment, the Weiner amendment. As chairman of the subcommittee that has oversight over the Census Bureau, I must strongly oppose efforts to take the money needed for the important work that the Census Bureau continues to do for our Nation. I want to offer my support to the full mark of $774 million that was voted out of the Committee on Appropriations.

It is ironic that a Member from an area that was affected by an undercount, that is a critic of the effectiveness of the Census Bureau, would respond by gutting it, by taking boots out of the streets that have the effect of making sure that that undercount does not occur, by finding all of those additional people, by making sure that there is a fair and accurate count. He guts the budget that would correct those types of things.

The Census Bureau is the preeminent provider for the data that keeps our Nation running. We have an economy that is information-based. Without the information to make good decisions our economy and our Nation suffers.

I support the efforts of the Census Bureau to plan an accurate and fair census for 2010, and the planning for that is ongoing. It is not something that we ramp up the year before. The modernization and early planning for census 2010 is money well spent, particularly full funding for the American Community Survey.

We cannot be shortsighted when it comes to the census. The American Community Survey, for example, would give a city like New York that has seen a great deal of change since the last census as a result of horrible events beyond our control in 2001, it would give New York accurate data on an annual basis rather than having to wait an entire decade to reflect the change that occurred there on September 11. The American Community Survey, at its heart, is designed to give areas like New York City, like Washington, D.C., like small Midwestern towns that disappear overnight with the fury of a tornado accurate data on an annualized basis rather than having to wait 10 ears to have good, solid, sound information.

This amendment, the Weiner amendment, drastically reduces the money that the Census Bureau needs to do its valuable work to prepare for the 2010 census and to implement the American Community Survey. They have already sustained a $19 million cut from the President's budget request. The money that is needed for the gentleman from New York's (Mr. Weiner) amendment, regardless of its tremendously good intent, is money that the President and full committee have provided to fund the Census Bureau and the implementation of the ACS that will replace the

long form and provide the detailed demographic and economic data annually for areas around the Nation.

The impact of the cut proposed by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Weiner) and the Weiner amendment will stop the American Community Survey with no opportunity to restart it. It would mean a loss, as the chairman has said, of over 1,000 Federal jobs at the Census Bureau, boots on the ground that could provide the gentleman the accurate count that he is rightfully concerned about; and it wastes the $500 million already invested on the American Community Survey and would add significant new costs to the 2010 census.

The Census Bureau, Mr. Chairman, does important work every day that keeps our economy running. It is important work to plan for the 2010 census and fully implement the ACS. We cannot eliminate this funding, and I strongly urge the House to reject this.

I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, the 2000 census was the most accurate census in this Nation's history. In a Nation as large and diverse as ours, we will never, ever have a perfect count, and they have been doing these since Caesar. There is yet to be a perfect count.

I acknowledge the gentleman's concern with the undercount; and I also acknowledge that gutting their budget, which is what the gentleman's amendment does, will not improve the accuracy of the 2010 census.

Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Chairman, would the gentleman answer, for the purpose of enlightening the House, how much additional money local law enforcement New York City has received under homeland security grants?

Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman would yield, give us the bottom line number for those who are not into per capita, how many billions of dollars has New York received since September 2001?

Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished chairman from Virginia, and I rise to oppose the Hefley amendment.

Mr. Chairman, it is important that we preserve the American Community Survey for a couple of reasons. One, it is optional. The controversy that has arisen over time is with the intrusiveness of the long form. The ACS replaces that.

But, secondly and even more importantly, the ACS gives communities and States and businesses and demographers annual data, good, solid, accurate annual data, not a snapshot on a decennial basis. If you look at the towns that are wiped out by tornadoes in the Midwest, they have to wait 10 years for the formulas affecting them to be updated. If you look at what has happened to midtown Manhattan since 2001, or northern Virginia, or what happened all around the country for a variety of reasons, the information is not updated until 10 years after the fact. They have to wait until the next big census.

The ACS replaces that with a shorter version that is a sampling of the Nation that is done every year. It is more accurate information, it is more helpful to the local governments who depend upon that information for the formulas that are generated by our government, and frankly, it is less intrusive to the American people.

Defeat the Hefley amendment. Protect the American Community Survey. It is a modernization of the American census.

I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, the gentleman's point is well taken.

Mr. Speaker, as a result of my participation in CODEL Hoekstra to Iraq, I regret that I was not able to vote on the following bills on June 21, 2004 in the House of Representatives, due to official business. If I had been present to vote, I would have voted in the following manner:

H. Res. 591.--Expressing the gratitude of the House of Representatives for the contributions made by America's community banks to the Nation's economic well-being and prosperity and the sense of the House of Representatives that a month should be designated as ``Community Banking Month''--yes.

H.R. 4363.--Helping Hands for Homeownership Act of 2004 (Technical correction to the Housing Opportunity Extension Act relating to the Habitat for Humanity Program)--yes.

H. Res. 660.--Congratulating Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks on pitching a perfect game on May 18, 2004--yes.