Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H. Res. 198, a resolution I authored recognizing the significance of Black History Month. This piece of legislation is supported by conservatives, moderates and liberals. It is a piece of legislation that I received not one negative comment on. Every person that I requested agreed to support the legislation. So I thank those who supported it.

I am delighted that 80 Members of Congress joined me in cosponsoring this bipartisan resolution which serves as a testament to our united desire to inform all Americans about the contributions made by persons of diverse backgrounds to the development of our great country.

Black History Month is a time of the year when all Americans of every race and ethnicity are given the opportunity to study the untold history of African-Americans and their contributions to American and world civilization. Additionally, Black history is American history and it is essential that we recognize the great contributions of all Americans by commemorating this month long celebration.

My resolution:

Recognizes the significance of Black History Month as an important time to recognize the contributions of Black Americans in the nation's history;

Encourages the continued celebration of this month to provide an opportunity for all people of the United States to learn more about the past and to better understand the experiences that have shaped the nation;

Affirms that the contributions of Black Americans are a significant part of the history, progress, and heritage of the United States; and the ethnic and racial diversity of the United States enriches and strengthens the nation.

Black History Month is also a special time to honor pioneers such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X, W.E.B. DuBois, and many others who fought for the complete freedom and full emancipation of African-Americans. That is why we use Black History Month and every month to honor their wonderful contributions.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues support H. Res. 198, a resolution recognizing the significance of Black History Month.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand in the well of the House tonight and address conditions at Walter Reed Medical Center, as well as other military medical hospitals, and I would also like to, in doing this, talk about why our soldiers and our veterans are so important to us.

I want to start by saying if we are truly concerned, if we are truly concerned about national security, then we have to be concerned about those who secure national security. We have got to be concerned about our soldiers. We have to be concerned about our veterans. Because, in fact, they make it possible for us to have these liberties that we have come to know and to love.

Tonight, as I start this explanation, I would like to first use the words of another, Major General John H. Bailey II, and I want to bring his words to our attention, because he has written an ode that really explains why the American soldier, the American veteran, is so important to this Nation and to the well-being of this country. His ode is styled from Boston to Baghdad, and his words capture the essence, the spirit of what the American soldier is all about, what the American soldier has done for this great country.

His words are:

I am the American veteran. I was born in battle on April 19, 1775. I am the total sum of my country's ethnic and cultural diversity. I am loyal, dependable and patriotic. My motto is, ``Duty, Honor and Country,'' and my battle cry is, ``Don't Tread on Me.'' The tracks of my tears and the stains of my blood can be traced from Boston to Baghdad.

I was there at Lexington when the shot heard around the world was fired, saw the whites of their eyes, was battle-tested at Bunker Hill, Valley Forge and Yorktown, and won my country's independence.

I earned worldwide respect during the Spanish-American War while helping our friends in Cuba gain their independence. Names like Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders and the 9th and 10th Cavalry became household words. I saw action at San Juan Hill, Guantanamo Bay, and the Philippines. A young Lieutenant John Pershing was heard to have seen ``white and black regiment fighters shoulder to shoulder unmindful of color in combat.''

I was there at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, in the year of our Lord 1918. I was crowned in glory at the conclusion of World War II, the war to end all wars and the birth of Veterans' Day.

During World War II, in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the pearl of the Pacific, I rallied a nation, shouldered the weight of the world, defeating the Axis powers, preserving democracy around the world and preventing the annihilation of a race of people who called Germany home. In this country, we call these exceptional citizens Jewish people, and we know them as the Jewish community.

No words can better describe the effects of our entry into World War II than those of Admiral Hirohito when told by an aide, ``Sir, we have scored a great victory,'' and he replied, ``I'm afraid we have awakened a sleeping giant.''

Thank you, World War II veterans. You are the greatest generation. Never before have so few given so much for so many.

In support of our friends in South Korea, I saw action at Bloody Ridge, Pork Chop Hill and Heartbreak Ridge, while introducing the helicopter and jet aircraft as battlefield tactics, actions which changed the course of military history.

I went to Vietnam to help the people of South Vietnam maintain the right to choose their own destiny. There I fought at Hue Dong Hai and Hamburger Hill. I refused to fall at the hands of a well-equipped and determined enemy during the 1968 Tet Offensive.

During Desert Storm, I engaged Saddam Hussein in his mother of all battles. I destroyed his will to resist.

And then there was 9/11, a day which must never be forgotten, a day which must never be repeated. It tested the soul of our Nation in a way not witnessed since December 7, 1941. And due to the atmosphere it created, I was again sent to Iraq as a part of the global war on terror. I am still there today

participating in peacekeeping and nation building. My rewards are found in the eyes of children and old people who now have hope.

I am the American veteran. I am from New York City, the countryside of Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. I've come from sea to shining sea. As a participating citizen, I shall continue to fulfill my forefathers' dreams of a more perfect union and open my arms and say to the world, send me your tired, your huddled masses, because I know it is that diversity that makes us who we are.

In closing, he adds, I leave you with the words of a young John F. Kennedy in his inaugural address, who said, ``We will bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty.'' This pretty much describes the spirit of the American soldier and the American veteran.

Mr. Speaker, I share these words because it is important for us to understand the sacrifices not only made by this generation of veterans but the sacrifices made by veterans since the country was founded, since the genesis of this country, if you will. And because our veterans have been so important to us, because they have been there for us, we must be there for them.

I regret to say, Mr. Speaker, that we have not been there for them when it comes to military hospitals and facilities and the delivery of health care through the military facilities. We have not been there because recent events have shown us, in transpicuously clear, empirical data, that hospitals are substandard, that some of the treatment received has not been delivered in the kind of fashion and manner that we would have those persons who have given us liberty and justice for all, those persons who have made real the ideals in the Constitution of the people, by the people, for the people, those persons who have given us this opportunity to stand here tonight, we have not made the delivery of health care services as effective and efficient as they should be.

So I am here tonight with a colleague, and we are going to talk about not only the problems at Walter Reed but the problems in health care delivery in military facilities, generally speaking; and we are going to also continue to be grateful for the service that our American veterans have rendered to make this country the great country that it is.

At this time, I will yield such time as she may consume to the honorable lady from the District of Columbia, a student of jurisprudence par excellence, I might add, one who is a part of the conscience of the Congress and certainly the conscience of Washington, D.C., who has fought for statehood and continues to fight for the American veteran. She speaks, and when she speaks, others listen. I am honored to share time with the honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton.

Would the lady yield for just a moment?

Thank you.

You have mentioned Walter Reed several times and conditions at other facilities as well. I have information from the Washington Post that I would like to share to substantiate much of what you have just said, and I think that it bears reading because I want to make sure that I quote the Washington Post accurately. This is from February 18, 2007:

``Behind the door of Army Specialist Jeremy Duncan's room, part of the wall is torn and hangs in the air, weighted down by''--what the gentlelady called to our attention just a moment ago--``black mold.'' Black mold weighing the door down to the extent that it is being pulled apart from the wall.

``When the wounded combat engineer,'' it goes on to read, ``stands in his shower and looks up, he can see the bathtub on the floor above through a rotted hole.''

Now, this is hardly what we would expect to find in a hospital.

This is at Walter Reed Hospital, itself.

If I may, I agree with the gentlelady. What I am saying, I suppose, is the Walter Reed complex; building 18 is a part of the hospital complex.

The point is that, on the facility that Walter Reed claims as a part of it, building 18, the infamous building 18, we have these substandard conditions. These conditions are conditions that we would hardly expect to find at a facility that is treating wounded persons, patients, persons who, quite frankly, can become ill because of the conditions that they have to exist in while they are recuperating from their war injuries. These are the kinds of conditions I think the Washington Post, and I thank the Washington Post for doing this, but I think that the Washington Post has done our country a great service by calling them to our attention.

I would also mention this, if I may, before I yield back. My heart was really torn when I saw persons giving their testimony at the various hearings that took place. I was very much hurt and had tears literally well in my eyes when I saw one of the family members testifying about how a relative was treated. And then to hear soldiers talk about what they had to go through, the enormous amount of red tape, before they could be served. These kinds of conditions in the hospital as well as the conditions that are a prelude to entry into the hospital make it very difficult for our soldiers to appreciate the promise that we made to them, the promise to provide for them if they provided for us. If they made it possible for us to be secure, we made a promise to them to provide for them. It was very heart-wrenching to see the kinds of conditions, to hear the kinds of conditions, if you will, talked about with reference to our soldiers.

I am hopeful that these conditions will change. They have got to change. And they have got to change right away. I know that the gentlelady has other conditions that she would like to talk about, and I have other charts that I will be sharing as well.

I will yield to the gentlelady.

And I would gladly support the gentlewoman's legislation.

I will tell you, I talked earlier about the shot heard around the world. When it was stated that Walter Reed would be closed, that was the shock heard around the world. I think that that, probably of all of the closures that were to take place and are to take place, I think that one probably penetrated to the very heart and core of what a military service for veterans is all about.

Absolutely. And the bipartisan support for this is manifesting itself. I have noticed that partisanship, while it still exists, partisanship is not hopefully going to stand in the way of taking care of our veterans.

It is my hope that, as we look at these conditions and we recognize what is happening to our veterans as a result of being in these horrendous conditions, to be quite candid, that we will put aside the partisanship and we will do what we need to do to rebuild, reconstruct Walter Reed.

You mentioned the closure of it at an inopportune time. Clearly, while we are in a war, when our military hospitals and centers are most needed, we should not, we should not close the crown jewel. That sends a bad signal to people around the world as well when they hear that what is considered to be our top military medical facility is going to close. So I am completely with the lady; I support what she proposes to do.

And I would also add this. We are about to spend in Baghdad to construct a facility there, which is beyond the reach of this country in the sense that most Americans will never use it, and we are going to spend millions, untold millions there because we have cost overruns. We just don't know what we are running into as we are doing this, it seems. And it would seem to me that we can direct some of these dollars, make sure these dollars are used prudently and judicially. But there can be dollars spent here for our veterans who are returning home who are going to need the best medical attention that the world can provide.

And as further evidence, if I may, of what is happening at Walter Reed as the gentlewoman has explained in terms that are quite clear, in the infamous building 18, which is a part of the complex, a part of the complex. I have another quote here from the Washington Post, and this one speaks of life in building 18. It talks about how it is the bleakest homecoming for men and women whose government promised them, and we made a promise to our soldiers; we promised them, we committed to them that: If you go and defend the country, you go to war, put yourself in harm's way; if you will put yourself in harm's way and defend this country, we will take care of you when you return.

And this is from February 18, 2007. According to the Washington Post, this promise of good care in return for their sacrifices, they returned home to the bleakest home coming that the government could have provided given that this promise was made.

I am going to yield to another colleague who has joined us. But it also goes on to say that, and this is a quote: ``I hate it,'' said a soldier, who stays in his room all day. ``There are cockroaches.'' This is for our veterans. ``Cockroaches. The elevator doesn't work. The garage door doesn't work. Sometimes there is no heat and no water.'' No heat and no water in a facility for our veterans.

I think it is appropriate to get a response from the gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Steve Kagen, if he would care to add to this discussion.

And if the gentleman would yield one moment, I might also add that the gentleman is a medical doctor and is imminently qualified to talk about issues of care for our soldiers.

The gentleman makes an excellent point. Because ultimately people make decisions, and somewhere along the way, conditions that merited attention were not dutifully attended to.

And I might add also, in terms of covering their backs when they come home, that these medical facilities, not just Walter Reed but others, are experiencing some concerns that we have to talk about as well, which can be a great segue into this Washington Post comment from March 5 of 2007.

This one reads that ``the mold, mice and rot of Walter Reed's Building 18 compose a familiar scenario of many soldiers back from Iraq or Afghanistan. Soldiers and veterans at other facilities report bureaucratic disarray similar to Walter Reed's indifferent, untrained staff, lost paperwork, medical appointments that drop from the computers, and long waits for consultations.''

Now that kind of treatment is something that cannot continue. The bricks and mortar, we have to deal with, and I believe we can deal with that. But we also have to make sure that the computers work. We have got to make sure that persons have adequate staffing available to them at hospitals so that they can receive the kind of attention that they merit and deserve.

This problem is systemic, as the gentlelady explained, and I think that we have to take a systemic approach to dealing with it. If we only focus on Walter Reed, then I think we miss something important, an opportunity to look at the entirety of what we are confronting and to take corrective action, not for one circumstance but for all circumstances that we find ourselves confronting at this time.

Let's not let any aspect of this escape. While we are dealing with it, let's deal with it in its entirety.

And I would yield to the gentlelady.

If I could, before you yield to the gentleman, let me just say this. We have had another person to join us, and I think it appropriate that we announce the presence of the subcommittee Chair on Oversight and Investigations, and I am confident that he will have much that he is going to share with us.

I just want the Members to know that he is with us tonight, and that would be the Honorable Harry Mitchell, who is from the great State of Arizona. And because he is the Chair of the subcommittee, I feel it my duty to yield to him at this time, after which we will continue. Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for taking the time to come to the floor. Your leadership is invaluable on this type of concern. We want the country to know that you will be there for our veterans, and we are going to make sure that it is fixed. We have a short-term solution, but we have to also have a long-term vision, and I greatly appreciate your taking the time.

I yield back to the chairman.

I thank the chairman for his vision.

I would now yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Kagen.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his observations.

And I think that we are very fortunate that your State of Wisconsin has sent you here with the vision that you have. And I believe that you are going to be a very valuable Member of this House. The contributions that you have already made have made a difference, and we thank you for your presence.

I will now yield again to the gentlewoman because I know that, given she is from the District of Columbia and Walter Reed is in her district, that she has some additional points to make.

Absolutely. And such that they can see it immediately, if not sooner, because you really don't need a commission to kill roaches. You really don't need a commission to go over and take care of a mold problem. You don't need a commission to repair doors, to make sure that the water runs and that it is hot. You don't need a commission to do the little things that make a big difference in the life of a patient in a hospital.

So it would seem to me, and I commend the President for appointing the commission, that while commissions have their role, there are things that can be done immediately that they can see such that they will have confidence that the committee is going to do its work because right now there probably is a failure of confidence in what the commission may ultimately conclude because we live in a world where it is not enough for things to be right; they must also look right. And it doesn't look right to have a commission studying a problem when roaches are running across the floor. So we ought to get in there as quickly as possible and allow the people who can do these little things that make a big difference in a person's life, give them the opportunity to make some change, immediate change, that the patient can see.

I think that this infamous building 18 is one that can receive the kind of attention that these soldiers, these veterans, will appreciate immediately. They shouldn't have to look through walls and see bathtubs above them. They shouldn't have to cope with the conditions of mold that can, in and of itself, become another problem for them. So I am hopeful that we will see some immediate change right away.

And I believe that the chairman is still with us, and I would like to have the chair give his response to what we are talking about with reference to immediate change.

Mr. Speaker, I know each speaker will have some closing comments to make. If I may, I will start with the medical doctor, the first-term Congressperson who has already made a difference by being here and who has shared an infinite amount of intelligence with us.

I yield to the gentleman to please give closing comments so we can hear from the other speakers as well.

MR. KAGEN. Mr. Speaker, during the past 12 years, our opposition party, during their power, during their control of Congress and our budget, the veterans budget for the VA health care system fell by 12.5 percent on a per person basis. This is at a time when they took us to war based on lies and deception, based ultimately on poor judgment, based on a time when there will be 263,000 of our Guardsmen and Army Reserve coming home and needing the care that they need.

This is not the time to reduce the veterans health care budget. This is a time for Democrats and Republicans across the aisle to work in a bipartisan way, to come together and move up our performance, not to deny that it exists at all.

This thing again from Walter Reed was a terrible, terrible blot on what otherwise would be a tremendous health care system, the veterans health care system.

Mr. Speaker, we will hear from our chairman at this time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlelady from the District of Columbia, who has been a real fighter for veterans in this Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for her vision as well.

Let me close by saying this to my colleagues and friends: we are not talking about what we call a Third World country when we talk about Walter Reed and the facilities. We are talking about the richest country in the world, a country where we can spend $177 million per day on the war, and that was prior to January of this year. Now we spend over $200 million, not per year, not per month, not per week, but per day on the war. A country where one out of every 110 persons is a millionaire.

In this, the richest country in the world, where our soldiers and our veterans have made it possible for us to have these riches, these liberties, I think that we have to provide better services for them before, during, and after any injury that they may receive.

So I am honored that we had the time tonight. I want to thank the Speaker for allowing us to have this time tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order earlier tonight.

Madam Speaker, let's not forget that it was with the help of organized, unionized workers that we acquired the 40- hour work week, that we instilled child labor laws, that we have paid leave, that we have pensions, and that we have health care.

Madam Speaker, in a world where loyalty to workers is becoming an endangered species, the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act helps to level the playing field between industry and workers, and it will give workers a fair chance to organize and fight invidious outsourcing. Our jobs are being taken overseas. We need to have workers on the ground in a position to fight this. It will give workers an opportunity to preserve health benefits and an opportunity to protect pensions.

Workers are the first line of defense when it comes to protecting the standard of living that we have in this country. We must level the playing field and pass the Employee Free Choice Act. I encourage all of my colleagues to do so.

Madam Speaker, I stand here today in support of giving our working men and women a fair chance and a free choice to form a union. As one of 234 cosponsors of this legislation I can confidently tell the men and women who literally make this country run that you are not alone in your fight for higher wages, improved benefits, and better working conditions. I can confidently tell you that we understand that the right to unionize is the right to pursue the American dream.

It is as a result of unions that we can enjoy weekends with our families. It is as a result of unions that we can benefit from basic health and safety protections. It is as a result of unions that we can take advantage of family and medical leave.

Unfortunately, under the current labor law system, employers often use a combination of legal and illegal methods to silence employees who try to form unions. The law says that employers cannot intimidate, coerce, or fire employees for attempting to exercise their democratic rights.

Yet, in reality: Every 23 minutes a worker is illegally fired or discriminated against for their support of a union. 34 percent of employers coerce workers into opposing unions with bribes or special favors. 51 percent of employers illegally threaten to close down worksites if employees vote for union representation. 75 percent of employers hire anti-union consultants to help kill union organizing drives. 91 percent of employers force workers to attend intimidating one-on-one anti-union meetings with their supervisors.

Madam Speaker, some people say that liars figure and figures lie, but I want the American people to hear these figures and decide for themselves whether they believe that American workers should have the right to unionize:

Workers who belong to unions earn 30 percent more than non-union workers. Workers who belong to unions are 63 percent more likely to have employer-provided health care than non-union workers. Workers who belong to unions are 77 percent more likely to have jobs that provide short-term disability benefits than non-union workers. Workers who belong to unions are nearly 400 percent more likely to have guaranteed pensions than non-union workers.

This discrepancy is even more pronounced among women, African Americans, and Latinos:

Women in unions earn $9,300 more a year (31%) than their non-union counterparts. African Americans in unions earn $9,700 more a year (36%) than their non-union counterparts. Latinos in unions earn $11,300 more a year (46%) than their non-union counterparts.

It is astonishing that some would try to prevent some of the hardest working Americans the right to organize at a time when:

The average CEO in the United States makes more than 260 times the pay of the average worker. A CEO earns more in one day than an average worker earns in one year.

We have seen an increase in:

The number of people who are classified as poor (from 32 million in 2000 to 37 million in 2004). The number of low-income households paying more than half their income on housing (from 9.4 million to 11.6 million). The number of Americans who lack health insurance (from 40 million in 2000 to 46 million).

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to hear the voices of our 60 million working brothers and sisters: Who say they want a voice at their workplace, Who say they want a choice at their workplace, Who say they want unions.

I urge my colleagues to join the distinguished Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, George Miller, and vote ``yes'' on the Employee Free Choice Act.

Employee Free Choice Act

Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to honor a great Texan and a great American.

Ann Richards served not only as the Governor of Texas, but as an exemplary role model for young people across the United States. She lived her life with humor, tenacity, dedication and an indomitable spirit that will be missed.

Time and time again, Ann Richards showed a true commitment to that great American ideal of equal opportunity for all. For example, nearly half of her 3,000 appointees were female, 15 percent of her appointees were African American, and 20 percent of her appointees were Latino. She was by every measure a Governor for all of the people of Texas.

During her time in office Governor Richards also developed a Robin Hood Plan for Texas schools, to ensure equitable financing for all school districts in our state. The Robin Hood Plan has substantially equalized funding for school districts across Texas and has helped those districts without high property values provide good education for their students.

Governor Richards should also be recognized for developing an innovative and remarkably effective drug treatment program for Texas prison inmates. The Texas Initiative was launched in 1991 and quickly grew into the most ambitious and aggressive prison-based drug and alcohol treatment program in the country. Under Governor Richards' watch only 7.2 percent of those who had undergone at least 3 months of treatment were reincarcerated within 1 year of being released, compared to 18.5 percent of those who received no treatment.

Ann Richards' legacy goes well beyond the state of Texas. Her famous statement that ``well-behaved women rarely make history'' exemplifies how she has helped inspire a generation of young women to aspire to hold the highest public offices in the land or to follow whatever their dreams may be.

Governor Richards also became a leading international spokesperson for women battling osteoporosis, authoring the book I'm Not Slowing Down: Winning My Battle with Osteoporosis, which has been described as inspirational and eye-opening.

Ann Richards lived a life full of accomplishments. She gave new opportunities to thousands of people across Texas. She inspired a generation of young women. She was a great woman, and she will be deeply missed.

I commend my colleague, the Dean of the Texas Delegation, Congressman Ortiz for introducing this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, this is the very last day of the

month of February, which is Black History Month, and today I rise to thank the many Members who have supported H. Res. 198, which recognizes the significance of Black History Month.

This piece of legislation is supported by conservatives, moderates and liberals. It is a piece of legislation that I received not one negative comment on. Every person that we requested agreed to support the legislation. So I thank those who supported it.

But I also, Mr. Speaker, want to apologize to the many that I did not approach and ask for support because my belief is that this kind of legislation will receive the support of all persons of goodwill. African Americans in the diaspora in America merit this kind of support. The Members of this House have given it to African Americans and to persons of goodwill, and I thank them all.

Mr. Speaker, I love America. America means something to me. No one loves the Constitution more than I. No one believes in the Declaration of Independence more than I. No one respects the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance more than I. No one appreciates the American soldier more than I.

So I stand here today in the well of the United States House of Representatives as a proud American who understands that it is not the Constitution that gives us or protects government of the people, by the people, for the people. It is not the Declaration of Independence that preserves the concept of all persons being created equal. It is the soldier.

It is not the Pledge of Allegiance that preserves liberty and justice for all. It is the soldier. It is the soldier who shields those who would make real the great American ideals. Regardless as to how we feel about the war, we should all thank God for the American soldier.

Mr. Speaker, our soldiers have done their job. More than 84,000 National Guard and Reservists have been deployed more than once since 2001. More than 170,000 soldiers in the Army have served more than one tour of duty. More than 23,000 soldiers have been wounded, and more than 2,200 of these from Texas were from Texas alone. More than 3,100 soldiers have died, including more than 200 from Texas.

Our soldiers have liberated Iraq from a ruthless, brutal dictator. Our soldiers have answered the clarion call for help for which too many will never come home for the holidays and far too many will never see home again.

So for this I say, God bless the American soldiers, their friends, their families, and their loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, the American people have been that friend, indeed, in Iraq's time of need. In addition to blood, sweat and tears, the American people have spent more than $267 million, not per year, not per month not per week, but more than $267 million per day on this war.

Mr. Speaker, with this money, according to CNN and the National Priorities Project, we could have hired 6.4 million public school teachers. We could have built 3.3 million public housing units. We could have insured 220 million children for 1 year.

On a more lofty level, America has helped the Iraqi people develop a constitution. We have helped the Iraqi people establish democratic elections. We have helped the Iraqis reconstitute their military and overhaul their constabulary.

Mr. Speaker, after all that we have done, more than 23,000 wounded. After all that we have done, 3,100 are dead. After all that we have done, more than $267 million per day. After all that we have done, whenever we leave, it will not be cut and run. We have helped the Iraqi people to have the opportunity to embrace freedom and democracy.

It is now time for the Iraqi people to seize upon this precious, priceless opportunity and have a free and independent Iraq, something that all the money in the world cannot buy and not even the most powerful military in the universe can impose.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot want liberty and justice for all Iraqis more than all Iraqis want liberty and justice for themselves.

If the Iraqis want government of the people, by the people, for the people, then their soldiers, not ours, must provide it. We can stay in Iraq forever and never have a free and independent Iraq, not as long as the Iraqi people engage in an uncivil war with each other. You can debate whether it is a civil war or not, but there is no debating that it is an uncivil war that they are having with each other.

Mr. Speaker, because I support our soldiers and oppose the President's policies, I will vote for the resolution.

Thank you, Congressman Carney, for bringing this important piece of legislation before the House.

Today, friends, we will honor and we will respect the fourth anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security. In so doing, we understand that it has been a rocky 4 years, but the importance of this mission of Homeland Security has only grown.

We must never forget the crucial mission of the Department of Homeland Security and that it cannot be fulfilled without the people who make up the Department of Homeland Security.

While there have been some difficult times, it is time for us to acknowledge that there are some good people working in the Department of Homeland Security. These people are heroes who work day and night keeping our country safe. They sacrifice their time. They are often away from their families, and they do a thankless job too often. So we are here today to say thank you, not only to those who are in the lofty offices and who hold high positions, but we are also here today to say thank you to those who sweep the floors, those who file the paperwork, those who answer the phones, those who are making a difference in the lives of Americans by making sure that while we are on their watch we are protected.

I want you to know that while the Department came in dead last with reference to job satisfaction for Federal employees, according to a recent OPM survey, and we know that this is unacceptable, they were dead last; but I believe that they can improve. I believe that they will do better. And I want to share my optimism because the Department of Homeland Security is a Department that every one of us is depending on who lives in the homeland. So the leadership in this Department must do better.

Congress today, I believe, stands with the rank and file employees of this Department, and we want everyone to do better, and we are here to support all of those many employees who are working hard for us.

So I ask today that my colleagues join me in supporting and in embracing this resolution for the Department of Homeland Security. They are making a difference in our lives.

The Department recently saw its fourth anniversary. It has been a rocky 4 years, but the importance of its mission has only grown.

We must never forget that the crucial mission of the Department cannot be fulfilled without the people who make it up. .

These heroes work day and night keeping our country safe, sacrificing time with their families, doing often thankless jobs. We are here today to thank them.

The Department came in last in the recent OPM survey of job satisfaction of Federal employees. This is unacceptable. The Department's leadership must do better; it must listen to the people on the front lines.

Congress stands with these rank-and-file employees. We will do our part to see that the Department does better by them.

We have criticized the Department's management and decisions in the past, but no one should mistake this for criticism of the men and women on the front lines, day after day.

Please join me in honoring these everyday heroes.

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the subcommittee chairman, Congressman Howard Berman. I thank you much for the many things that you have done.

Mr. Speaker, I also think it appropriate to thank today chairman John Conyers of the Judiciary Committee for assisting in this and causing this piece of legislation to move forward quickly. I thank Senator Hillary Clinton and the more than 20 cosponsors in the United States Senate.

My understanding is that companion legislation will be filed there today. We would like to thank the 117 cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, all of whom believe that this legislation is exceedingly important. And, of course, I would like to thank last year's cosponsor with me, the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, Congressman James Sensenbrenner.

Mr. Speaker, there are many organizations that have endorsed this legislation: the American Jewish Committee; the ADL, the Anti- Defamation League; LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens; and NCLR, the National Council of La Raza.

Today, H. Con. Res. 44 honors the NAACP for 98 years of service to America. Mr. Speaker, that is 98 years of upholding the constitutional notion of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. That is 98 years of standing on the Declaration of Independence and the premise that all persons are created equal; 98 years, Mr. Speaker, of saluting the proposition in the Pledge of Allegiance that we are indeed one Nation, with liberty and justice for all.

I thank God, Mr. Speaker, for the NAACP and those brave souls who assembled 98 years ago today on February 12, 1909, a group of people who met to fight for the rights of black people. They were an integrated group, both black and white, who believed in the Constitution of the United States of America.

And while we must remember that the NAACP was founded to make democracy work for black people, we shouldn't forget that it was Mary White Ovington, a white woman, who is said to have hosted the founders meeting. And we shouldn't forget that she did this in response to William English Walling, a white man who wrote an article asking citizens to rally in support of African Americans.

We don't forget in the NAACP, and we should never forget, the fact that this organization has never been a black-only organization. So, today, I salute the NAACP-ers, current and those who have gone on for their great work in this great country. I want to salute them by remembering those who are black, but I also pledge that we will never forget those who are white.

So as we remember Dr. Louis T. Wright, who in 1935 became the first black NAACP board Chair, we should not forget Oswald Garrison Villard, the white man who in 1911 became the very first Chair of the board of the NAACP. You see, there were two white NAACP board Chairs, Oswald Villard and Joel Spingarn, before we had a black NAACP board Chair.

And I believe we should remember James Weldon Johnson. He was the first black executive secretary and director of the NAACP. However, we should never forget Francis Blascon and Mary White Ovington, along with Mary Nurney and Royall Nash, all of whom were white and served before James Weldon Johnson.

Let us remember the brilliant lawyer and Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall. However, we should not forget Arthur Spingarn, the white NAACP-er who donated large sums of money and raised even more money for the NAACP Legal Redress Committee. While Thurgood Marshall was a great litigator, and he was, we should never forget that the Spingarns were great donators and made it possible for a lot of the litigation to take place.

I will remember and I beg that we all remember Medgar Evers, the black NAACP field representative who was assassinated in his front yard in 1963. However, we shouldn't forget John R. Shillady, the white NAACP executive secretary, because he was beaten by a mob in Austin, Texas, and he never recovered.

Through the efforts of a multiracial, religiously diverse and ethnically inclusive group, the NAACP has made great contributions to our society: the passage of the Voting Rights Act; the passage of the Civil Rights Act; the Fair Housing Act of 1968; filed and won many lawsuits, including Brown v. Board of Education; Shelley v. Kraemer; and recently contributed millions of dollars to assist the Hurricane Katrina victims.

So today we can literally say we eat where we eat, we live where we live and we sleep where we sleep in part due to the NAACP, and we are grateful that they have been there for us.

Mr. Speaker, I beg that all of my colleagues will support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, it was a preeminent privilege to serve with the gentleman on the Science Committee when he was a chairperson in waiting, and I am honored to call you Mr. Chairman today.

Mr. Speaker, this is a serious problem. I beseech, I urge, I implore, I beg that my colleagues would support this legislation, H.R. 365.

365 is an appropriate number for this legislation, because this is a 365/24/7 problem. And this problem must be dealt with. This is a dangerous drug to produce. It is toxic. It is poisonous. It is deadly. It can explode. Twenty percent of all labs are discovered because of fire or explosion.

And as bad as this is, there is a sinister side to this drug. Innocent people are being harmed by virtue of this drug being in residential property that landlords are not aware of. And when these innocent persons move in with their children, the residue from this product is causing damage to the liver, damage to the lungs, may cause cancer, and it creates problems in the neurological system.

Mr. Speaker, we must act now. These labs are in all 50 States. No State is beyond the scope of this problem. Two-thirds of the residential settings are victimized with these labs. Between 2003 and 2005, the DEA pointed out that 47,000 lab incidents occurred. We must act now if the innocent are to be protected from this deadly assassin. I beg that we all support this important piece of legislation.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the Honorable Barbara Lee for introducing the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day resolution. I also thank the 396 Members who voted in support of this resolution in a true spirit of bipartisanship.

And I ask the question, why is it important to support National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness? Why? Because as of 2005, 188,000 African Americans were living with AIDS. Why? Because African Americans are 12 percent of the population and over 50 percent of the new cases diagnosed. Why is it important? Because for African Americans, HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of death. Why is it important, Madam Speaker? Because AIDS is the number one cause of death for African American women 25 to 34.

However, Madam Speaker, notwithstanding the impending crisis, I am hopeful. I am hopeful that we will allocate more funds, more funds for medication, because this disease can be treated. More funds for counseling because this disease can be prevented. More funds for research because this disease can be cured. And, Madam Speaker, I believe that we must end AIDS because it has the potential to be our end.

Mr. Speaker, the foundation of our Nation is education. Generally speaking, those with better educations earn more, are healthier and live longer. The road to a better society is paved with education.

I want more of our people to have the opportunity to travel the road to a better society. This is why I will support H.R. 5. It cuts interest rates on subsidized student loans in half from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent. It saves the typical borrower $4,400. It provides more opportunities for more Americans to have more opportunities.

I will support H.R. 5.

Madam Speaker, today I would like to honor the memory of Quintanna Wilson Hall Alliniece. Mrs. Alliniece lived a life dedicated to her strong faith and to the education of multiple generations of Houston students.

Mrs. Alliniece was born in Brazoria County, Texas and moved to Houston to attend high school. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the Houston College for Negroes in 1942 and a Masters degree in Education from Texas Southern University.

A leader in her community, Mrs. Alliniece taught English and Mathematics for over forty years in the Sweeny and Houston Independent School Districts. She held leadership roles in numerous organizations including the Houston League of Business and Professional Women, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Interfaith Ministries Food Pantry, and the YWCA. Mrs. Alliniece was also a life-long member of the Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church where she served as Mission II President for over 35 years.

Finally, Madam Speaker, Quintanna Wilson Hall Alliniece will be missed dearly by her son and my close friend Anthony Hall Jr. He is a well-respected member of the Houston community and Chief Administrative Officer of the City of Houston. She will also be missed by her daughter-in law Carolyn, grandchildren, sisters and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She will be remembered in the City of Houston as a dedicated educator and valued community leader. May she rest in the peace she has richly earned.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Speaker of the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi; our leader, Steny Hoyer; our whip, Jim Clyburn; our chair, Rahm Emanuel; and our vice chair, John Larson, for allowing us this time to commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Mr. Speaker, like Dr. King, I love America. I love the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence, all persons are created equal; and the Pledge of Allegiance, liberty and justice for all; and the Constitution, government of the people, by the people, for the people.

So today, Mr. Speaker, I stand here in the well of the United States House of Representatives as a proud American, and I pay tribute to a great and noble American, Dr. Martin Luther King.

Dr. King was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1929, at a time when some Americans could buy a hat but they couldn't try it on; at a time when some Americans had to step off the sidewalk so that other Americans might pass; at a time when of the people, by the people, for the people did not include all of the people; at a time when liberty and justice for all did not include all; at a time when all persons are created equal, but some people were more equal than others.

So I thank God for Dr. Martin Luther King, because he refused to use the back door. He refused to sit in the balcony. He refused to drink from a colored water fountain. He refused to allow his name to be ``Boy.'' He was a man among men.

He stood up for the least, the last and the lost. He stood for the least, those who were born into a legacy of poverty; the last, those who were the last hired and the first fired; the lost, those who were lost in poverty in a land of plenty.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. King and the many others who made it possible for me to be here. Because, you see, they fought for and secured the Voting Rights Act. Before the passage of the Voting Rights Act, we had five African Americans in Congress. This includes the House and the Senate. Now we have 43. We had four Hispanic Members of Congress. Now we have 30. We had three Asian Americans in Congress. Now we have nine.

Because of Dr. King and others, Congressman Charlie Rangel has Ways and Means; he is the Chair of Ways and Means. Because of Dr. King and so many other countless faces, Homeland Security is securely in the hands of Congressman Bennie Thompson. Because of Dr. King and those who fought for civil rights, Intelligence is intelligently chaired by Congressman Silvestre Reyes, and the Judiciary Committee is in the hands of Congressman John Conyers.

Because of Dr. King and the great sacrifices that were made by the civil rights workers, women have made great strides, because the House is not only a woman's place, it is a place where a woman can be speaker. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi is the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

So I thank God for Dr. King. I thank God that he was born, and I understand that had he been born in Europe, he could have been Pope. Had he been born Muslim in the Middle East, he could have been a prophet. In another time, he could have been President. I thank God that he was born when he was, however, because had he not been born when he was, I would not be in the United States House of Representatives.

Thank God for Dr. Martin Luther King.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for the Iraqis to stand up and defend themselves.

Mr. Speaker, we have freed them from a ruthless dictator. We have lost more than 3,000 lives. We have more than 20,000 wounded. We have helped them to construct a constitution, to reestablish their constabulary. We have helped them hold an election, and we are spending more than $177 million, not per year, not per month, not per week, but per day.

It is time for them to stand up and defend themselves. Do not send 20,000 in; bring 20,000 troops home. It is time for them to stand up and defend themselves.