Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize World AIDS Orphans Day, which is commemorated every year on May 7.

Over 15 million children have already lost one or both of their parents to HIV and AIDS, 12 million of which live in Sub-Saharan Africa. By 2010, there could be 20 million children.

Children who have been orphaned by HIV and AIDS of course are left without food, shelter, education or protection. Three years ago, we enacted legislation that I authored with Chairman Henry Hyde to better focus and coordinate our foreign assistance programs to address the unique needs of these children. Last month, the House passed legislation named after two great men who love children, former Chairman Tom Lantos and Chairman Henry Hyde, to reauthorize and provide $50 billion for our global HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria programs, and to allocate 10 percent of global AIDS funding to meet the needs of AIDS orphans.

Today, on World AIDS Orphans Day, I urge my colleagues in the other body to take the next step and to pass this important bill. Together we can create a brighter, safer and more secure future for the world's children.

Let me thank Chairwoman Waters for continuing to take on the tough issues as she once again is taking on this tough issue of the foreclosure crisis with this bill. I want to thank her for her leadership and also Chairman Frank.

This bill will give HUD the tools to work with States and local governments to identify distressed neighborhoods and purchase and rehabilitate vacant houses before they become a blight on their neighborhoods.

There are entire neighborhoods in my district in Oakland, California that are threatened, quite frankly, with complete collapse. The longer homes stay empty, the more likely they will further destabilize already fragile communities, discourage investment, depress home values, and create a spiraling cycle of foreclosures.

This bill provides $15 billion in loans and grants to directly relieve these neighborhoods. This is just half of what this administration has already spent on bailing out Bear Stearns. Thank goodness Congresswoman Waters has provided this plan to help stabilize communities.

I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Let me thank you, Chairman Conyers, for yielding and for those kind words but also for your leadership on so many issues. You are a true warrior, and we would have never been at this place today had it not been for yourself.

I also want to thank Chairman Berman; I want to thank our subcommittee chairman, Don Payne; and Chairman Bennie Thompson for their leadership on so many issues and for making sure that this bill came today to this floor in a bipartisan fashion.

As a cosponsor of this legislation and a long advocate against apartheid, I am especially pleased that we are taking this important step to finally right this inexcusable wrong. Many of us were arrested during the anti-apartheid movement, myself included.

It wasn't until the mid 1980s that finally Congress put our country on the right side of history by overriding President Reagan's veto to impose sanctions.

This is a bill that my predecessor, a great warrior, now the mayor of Oakland, California, Ron Dellums, had introduced for 12 long years. I can remember during that period the ILWU protesting, in fact, I was arrested with them also, the unloading of ships from South Africa which kicked off much of the anti-apartheid movement. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, a great leader who just recently received, as did Mayor Ron Dellums, one of the highest honors by the South African Government, led the fight in California against apartheid. And I think we were one of the first States to impose sanctions.

All of us who were involved during that time had to take risks. The ANC couldn't even travel outside of New York and couldn't come to Washington, D.C. because they were considered a terrorist organization. Many of us had to go to Europe just to meet the members of the ANC to talk about how we could help end the brutal regime of apartheid which was killing so many people, dehumanizing the whole country, and was one of the most ruthless systems that we have ever known.

It has been 18 years since Nelson Mandela was released from prison and 14 years since he was elected president of South Africa. And this year he will turn 90 years old. Yet to this day, to this day, despite his legacy as a hero of the anti-apartheid movement, despite the fact that he is a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, he received the Peace Prize in 1993, despite his election as president, we still require Nelson Mandela to apply for a visa waiver to enter into the United States just for a visit. This is just plain wrong.

Last December I traveled to South Africa for World AIDS Day with our colleague, the Delegate Donna Christian. And we were asked by many people many times over and over and over again why President Nelson Mandela was still on the terrorist list. Well, we were, quite frankly, very embarrassed and shocked. And we were determined that we would do everything we could to finally, again, put our country on the right side of history. So I am pleased and I am excited that we are taking this step today.

The ANC was fundamentally involved in a war of liberation against the oppressive apartheid regime in South Africa for over four decades. If they hadn't been involved in this war of liberation, apartheid would still be existing in South Africa. So instead of continuing to penalize the ANC for their political struggle against apartheid, we really should be commending them for their work in transforming South Africa into a beacon of democracy. And just look at how they have moved forward in their peace and reconciliation process. I think we could learn a heck of a lot in our own country by the leadership of President Mandela and how the people of South Africa, black and white, have come together to reconcile and to move forward to take South Africa into this new millennium and into a new South Africa.

So let me just thank again Chairman Conyers and Chairman Berman for bringing this bill to the floor today. It's really the right thing to do. And for those of us who have been so long involved in the anti- apartheid movement, and now, of course, in the movement to stop the genocide that is taking place in Darfur, this is a day that we have been waiting for for a long time. This is the only thing that we can do now, to say, first of all, that we understand that this should not have taken so long, but at least it is better late than never. Thank you very much, Mr. Conyers.

Mr. Speaker, earlier today I missed rollcall vote No. 239 on approving the Senate amendments to H.R. 5715, the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act of 2008. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Cover the Uninsured Week, to highlight the deplorable fact that over 47 million Americans-- including 9 million children, lack health insurance in our country.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly believe that health care is a basic human right. Yet far too many people have no access to even the most basic health services. Contrary to popular belief, 8 out of 10 Americans who lack health insurance come from working families who just can't afford the high cost. Minority communities also disproportionately suffer from a lack of health coverage. More than one-third of the Hispanic population in our country and more than one-quarter of Native Americans live without health insurance. Nearly 22 percent of African Americans and 20 percent of Asian Americans also lack health insurance. These statistics are just plain shameful.

What's worse is that because these individuals lack health coverage they are more likely to wait to seek treatment until they are really sick, which in turn further drives up health care costs and creates a vicious cycle of un-insurance.

Mr. Speaker, the sad truth is that over the last 8 years of this administration, the number of uninsured Americans has been steadily rising. Instead of supporting proposals to expand access to health care, however, this administration has continually supported policies that have driven more people into poverty, placing affordable health care even further out of reach.

Perhaps the clearest example is this President's veto of the SCHIP bill and his refusal to provide health coverage to 10 million children. That is just unconscionable.

As the only industrialized nation in the world that does not guarantee health care for all our people, I believe we must move toward a system of universal health coverage. That is why I have introduced H.R. 3000, the Josephine Butler United States Health Service Act, to make the United States Health Service its own independent executive branch and establish an Office of the Inspector General for Health Services.

My bill would require the Health Service to ensure that everyone has the right and the ability to access the highest quality health care available regardless of cost. Mr. Speaker, providing universal health care is the right thing to do and it is consistent with our values as a nation and the goals of Cover the Uninsured Week.

Madam Speaker and Ms. Kilpatrick of Michigan, I rise today on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus to honor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, one of our own who served as a Representative of California's 37th Congressional District from 1973 to 1979, and is retiring at the end of this year, after an impressive 50-year career as a public servant in the State of California.

On the occasion of Mrs. Burke's retirement from public office, we wish to extend to her sincere congratulations for the decades of dedicated service that she has given to her nation, her State, and her County, most recently as Chair of the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, the largest county in the

nation with a population of over 10 million. For the past 15 years, she has served with distinction as the Supervisor of the Second District, representing nearly 2.5 million residents.

Indeed. Mrs. Burke has blazed a path for African-American women in public service that had its genesis during her high school years when, as a teenager, she got involved in public speaking and competitive contests, earning scholarships to the University of California-Berkeley and later to the University of California-Los Angeles.

In 1953, she was the first African-American woman to be admitted to the University of Southern California Law School since its founding in 1928. Upon graduation from Law School, inasmuch as many private law firms showed no interest in hiring women as attorneys, particularly African Americans, she opened a law practice, specializing in civil rights and laws regarding housing, immigration, eminent domain, and the licensing of residential care homes for children and adults.

Mrs. Burke was active in the Civil Rights Movement, with memberships in various local and national organizations, and served as a staff attorney on the McCone Commission that investigated the causes of the 1965 Watts Riots in Los Angeles. She became a spokesperson for the underrepresented and, through a grassroots campaign, won her first political office in 1966 as a California State Assemblywoman, a position she held for the next six years.

In 1972, Mrs. Burke was the first African-American woman, west of the Mississippi River, to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and, one year later, she was the first Member of Congress to give birth while in office. In 1978, she ran for Attorney General of California winning the Democratic nomination, but subsequently losing in the general election. The Governor of California in 1979 appointed her to a vacancy on the Fourth Supervisorial District in Los Angeles County. She also was appointed by the Governor in 1982 to serve on the Board of Regents of the University of California. In 1984, Mrs. Burke was selected to serve as Vice Chairman of the U.S. Olympics Organizing Committee. before becoming the first African-American elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1992.

Notably, Mrs. Burke served as the Vice Chair of the 1972 Democratic National Convention, and she played a significant role in the 2000 Democratic National Convention in hosting an event for hundreds of African-American elected officials nationwide.

She has received innumerable awards and honors both as an African American and as a woman, including being selected as one of Time Magazine's ``America's 200 Future Leaders'' in 1974, as The Los Angeles Times'' ``Woman of the Year'' in 1996: UCLA's ``Alumni of the Year'' also in 1996, and UCLA's ``Local Legislator of the Year'' in 2008. She has served on the Boards of numerous prestigious organizations and corporations.

While these are just some of Mrs. Burke's significant accomplishments, on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, the House of Representatives, and the State of California, we extend our deepest gratitude for her important contributions throughout her illustrious career. With sincere best wishes, we congratulate Mrs. Burke upon her retirement from elective office. We are pleased to join her many co- workers, family, friends, and associates in wishing her health, happiness, and continued good fortune in her future endeavors.

In conclusion, Yvonne Brathwaite Burke's exemplary record testifies that she is a woman of indomitable compassion, courage, character, and faith. We believe that she will be remembered for the beneficial changes she made in people's lives.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2830, the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2007, which makes significant strides in supporting the invaluable work of the United States Coast Guard.

I applaud the many improvements that this legislation will make to Federal policy in protecting our coastal environment, strengthening security in our Nation's ports, and providing the tools and resources necessary for rapid emergency response and coordination.

The collision of a containership with the San Francisco Bay Bridge near my district, and the resulting oil spill that spread throughout the Bay, raised many questions about maritime policy in our Nation's coastal waters and ports. Commendably though, the committee field hearing examining the Federal response to the oil spill also provided potential answers to these questions.

I am pleased to see that many important provisions were included in H.R. 2830 to improve our water vessel traffic systems, sharpen incident response, and tighten environmental and security requirements. H.R. 2830 will mandate double hulls for new container vessels with large oil capacities, reducing the risk of spills and contamination, and protecting animals, plant life, and local economies from the harmful impact of such disasters.

I also strongly support the provision added by my colleague, Rep. Tauscher, which authorizes the Coast Guard to issue regulations

that require bar pilots to carry portable navigational devices when they are navigating large container and tanker ships. These portable devices provide pilots accurate and necessary information to safely navigate their ships, and are critical to preventing future accidents like the one that occurred in the San Francisco Bay.

As a longtime advocate of bringing common sense to our national security priorities, I am also pleased to acknowledge the important steps this legislation takes to securing our ports and the safety of communities that live around them. H.R. 2830 takes critical steps to safeguard nuclear materials by establishing a pilot program to employ preventive radiological/nuclear detection equipment on Coast Guard vessels.

Mr. Chairman, it is important to note that many States, including California, have been at the forefront of efforts to more effectively protect and manage our coastal waters. For instance, the Port of Oakland in my district was the first port in the United States to require that ships exchange their ballast water with seawater before entering the bay--a regulation that is now widely considered a critical measure of defense against invasive and non-indigenous species. Moving forward, we must work to ensure States can successfully complement Federal regulations in the future, to enhance coordination, and to provide a more comprehensive policy for protecting our waters.

Mr. Chairman, I am also pleased that this bill will support Coast Guard efforts to diversify its workforce, by helping to build valuable partnerships between the Coast Guard and minority serving institutions. In 2006, just 16 percent of the Coast Guard Officer Candidate School graduates were minorities. Programs such as the Minority Serving Institution Management Internship Program, will recruit students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribal colleges, among others, and help to develop a new and diverse generation of civilian managers and Coast Guard Officers.

The establishment of a Coast Guard Laboratory of Excellence-MSI Cooperative Technology Program at three minority-serving institutions will assist in modernizing the Coast Guard's security programs while increasing the number of minority graduate degree holders in science, engineering, mathematics, and information technology--all fields that are critical to the mission of the Coast Guard.

Mr. Chairman, I stand in strong support of H.R. 2830, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Madam Speaker, today is Equal Pay Day. As a cosponsor and strong supporter of H.R. 1338, the Paycheck Fairness Act, I rise to join my colleague, Congresswoman DeLauro in calling for passage of this important bill. This legislation strengthens the current Equal Pay Act of 1963 and represents another important step in our Nation's efforts to end gender based wage discrimination.

Since the Equal Pay Act was signed into law over 45 years ago, the wage gap has narrowed less than half a cent per year. African American women earn just 63 cents on the dollar, and Hispanic American women fare worse, at 52 cents. As women grow older, the wage gap widens: women aged 45 to 64, who are preparing for retirement, earn only 71 percent of what men do. At the current rate the wage gap is closing, the Institute for Women's Policy Research estimates equity will not be achieved until 2057.

Given that 41 percent of women provide the sole source of income for their families, lower incomes affect their ability to pay for essentials like groceries, doctor's visits, and child care. Current increases in gas prices, rising foods costs, and a stagnant job market are especially impacting women during these difficult economic times.

The Paycheck Fairness Act will enhance enforcement of equal pay requirements by allowing women to sue for compensatory and punitive damages if wage discrimination is proven. This measure alone will compensate women for years of discrimination, and send a clear signal to employers that wage discrimination will not be tolerated.

Moreover, H.R. 1338 enhances training and community outreach programs that will educate employees, labor organizations, and the general public on ways to effectively negotiate salaries and benefits. These programs will develop a new generation of self-reliant women in the workforce.

Finally this bill recognizes employers who proactively adjust their wage scales to ensure that women are paid fairly in comparison to men. The Paycheck Fairness Act outlines measurable actions; and furthermore, it ensures that nationally we are addressing and

working to rectify years of gender based wage discrimination.

In my home State of California, women earn only $55,000 compared to their male counterparts who earn $72,000 with an equivalent education level. While I am disappointed that California has one of the largest disparities in pay rates between men and women, this is a national problem that we must rectify.

Ensuring that women receive equal pay for equal work is a matter of basic fairness that affects all working women and their families. I urge all of my colleagues to support this very critical piece of legislation, and I applaud Congresswoman DeLauro for continuing to highlight the importance of passing this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Israel and its people on the 60th anniversary of its founding and offer my sincere hope that the seventh decennial of its existence will usher in a period of lasting peace between it and its neighbors.

We all agree that Israel and the Israeli people have accomplished much during its 60 years. As this resolution points out, Israel has forged a politically diverse and dynamic society with a thriving economy and vibrant cultural and intellectual life. It has produced 8 Nobel Prize winners and has provided sanctuary for millions of Jews throughout the world.

I have visited Israel on more than one occasion and I was most impressed by its commitment to many of the democratic principles we cherish here in the United States. As the resolution points out, there are many common bonds between the United States and Israel.

So, Mr. Speaker, as a strong supporter of the Israeli people and Israel's right to exist, I agree we should take time to recognize Israel on this momentous occasion. I also believe, however, that we must take this opportunity to encourage Israel and all the parties involved to find a workable solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to redouble efforts on the path to peace.

For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I support H. Con. Res. 322, which recognizes the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Mrs. Pinkie Parker Hardy. We lost our beloved Mrs. Pinkie Hardy on April 3, 2008. She led a full and vibrant life during her 91 years on this earth, raising a loving family and mentoring many in her church and community.

On May, 19, 1916, Pinkie Parker was born in Washington, Louisiana to Alice White and John Parker. During Pinkie's life, she witnessed many of the Nation's most turbulent and controversial moments. Growing up in the south in the first quarter of the last century, Pinkie was self- educated and she devoted her energies to her community, her family, and her faith. She was a lifelong resident of Eunice, Louisiana.

In 1936, at the age of 20, Pinkie Parker married Herman Joseph Hardy. From this loving union, five sons and two daughters were born. In 1949, Mrs. Hardy became a parishioner at St. Mathilda Catholic Church. She remained a devout and extremely active member of this parish until she became ill just last year.

Mrs. Hardy contributed immeasurably to the growth and service of St. Mathilda Parish during her life. Bishop Flynn appointed her as the first Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at St. Mathilda. She also served as Lector and Parish Council President for several years. For 50 years, Mrs. Hardy was an active member of the Knights of Peter Claver (KPC) Council #92. Mrs. Hardy spent 26 of those years serving as the Grand Lady of KPC.

In 1987, Mrs. Hardy was the recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award from the Diocese of Lafayette. In 2002, she received the Bishop's Medal for devoted service to her church and society.

It is clear that Mrs. Hardy was an indispensable component of her community. She came of age and lived her adult life during the most tumultuous and influential political period in American history. Mrs. Hardy's life exemplifies that of many African-Americans during this century, their struggle for human rights and civic freedom, and their strength and perseverance.

These important men and women are seldom recognized for their greatness. Mrs. Hardy's life is one to be remembered and admired as an example of the true work and inner fortitude that keeps this country together. These individuals dedicated their lives to the service of their God and community in the face of incredible odds. Each and every one of them had a unique story, a special impact, and a loving family. Mrs. Pinkie Parker Hardy was a member of mine.

On a very personal level, Mrs. Hardy was ``family'' to me. She shared her deep religious faith, her wonderful Creole cooking (especially her gumbo) and her insights as a strong, yet gentle African-American woman with me on several occasions. To know ``Mrs. Pinkie'' was to love her.

Mrs. Pinkie Parker Hardy will be sorely missed by all those who loved her and were honored to have her kindness and spirit touch their lives. Her memory and legacy will live on through her seven children, five daughters-in-law, 22 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren as well as innumerable relatives and friends.

Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes and honors Mrs. Pinkie Parker Hardy. We extend our deepest condolences to her family and children. Thank you for sharing her great spirit with so many people over the last century. May her soul rest in peace.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Hastings amendment to H.R. 2634 which expresses the sense of Congress that Haiti's debts should be immediately forgiven. This amendment seeks to empower a nation that has endured a turbulent past and has fought courageously to achieve a relative measure of stability.

As the world has experienced a 40 percent rise in global food prices since mid-2007, Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has keenly felt this increase on a greater scale. Eighty percent of Haiti's population lives on less than $2 a day. The cost of staple foods which Haiti's economy depends on, such as rice, beans, fruit, and condensed milk, has gone up 50 percent in the past year.

The high cost of food in Haiti has led to anti-government protests and riots, in which at least 5 people have died and 40 people have been wounded. These extreme reactions to the humanitarian crisis will jeopardize Haiti's security and the capacity of its democratic institutions to govern effectively. To put it simply, Haiti's democracy cannot survive if it is unable to ensure that its people have access to basic food commodities at a reasonable price.

The Hastings amendment reinforces the point that Haiti is scheduled to send $48,700,000 in debt payments to multilateral financial institutions in 2008--money that could be better spent on providing for its people.

In light of this devastating global food crisis and the crisis in Haiti, we must urge the Secretary of the Treasury to do all that he can to expedite the complete and immediate cancelation of Haiti's debts to all international financial institutions.

This is a reasonable amendment that responds to an urgent need, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Chairman, let me first just say how happy I am today to be able to speak on behalf and in support of H.R. 2634, and I have to first thank our Speaker for leading this House in doing the right thing on behalf of the poor and those yearning for a better life.

I also must thank my colleague Congresswoman Maxine Waters for introducing this important legislation. She is a true leader in the debt relief movement. The world truly owes her a debt of gratitude for her consistent work and for never letting up on finding ways to relieve the suffering of the poor.

Also, let me thank Chairman Barney Frank for his leadership and for bringing this bill to the floor today in a bipartisan and timely manner and for his commitment to help those who need our help, and to Spencer Bachus, who has been committed to debt relief since I have been here, because they fundamentally believe that this is the morally right thing to do. And working together, they have shown the world, really, the best in elected leadership in this House.

So thank you, Chairman Frank.

Mr. Chairman, as an original cosponsor of this bill, I feel very strongly in the power and the benefit of a simple act of forgiveness and what that can bring. In my travels to the developing world, I have witnessed what Mr. Bachus and what Ms. Waters so eloquently described today.

As a result of this legislation, an additional 27 countries could potentially be eligible for expanded debt relief.

This speaks volumes to what can be done to alleviate poverty or help address crises in the developing world, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as the devastating HIV/AIDS pandemic. These countries would have to meet strict criteria to guarantee transparency in their financial management systems and ensure that the savings are actually spent on alleviating poverty. The bill would also ensure the involvement of civil society organizations, so important, to help set priorities for how this money should be spent.

The action we take today is not only the right thing to do for countries facing a crushing debt burden, but it speaks volumes about our fundamental values as a nation and as a people. This bill does not give people fish but the means to catch their own fish, feed their families, and live their lives in the manner that all God's children deserve.

Is it any wonder that this bill has the support of over 60 groups led by the Jubilee U.S.A. network? Backing this effort, this coalition includes such a broad range of organizations from the faith community, environmentalists, labor, international development groups, and grassroots advocacy organizations.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

Let me just say these organizations should be saluted today. They deserve our support and thanks for their work in raising their voices and doing the hard work to help build this great bipartisan support for this bill.

Debt forgiveness is the right thing to do. It is consistent with our values as a Nation. And I urge my colleagues to support this bill and proclaim today as a day of jubilee.

Let me first say to the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, I want to thank you also for staying the course for freedom, justice, and equality for so many years. Thank you, Mr. Conyers, and thank you for yielding.

Madam Speaker, let me say that I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1095, and I also must thank Congressman Al Green for introducing this very important resolution but also for his consistent voice for liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Congressman Green.

The Fair Housing Act was critical in ending the rampant discrimination in the housing industry 40 years. Today the Fair Housing Act continues to play a vital and significant role in ensuring fair and equal access to housing for all Americans.

It is in part due to the failure, however, of this administration to enforce these civil rights laws that led to the predatory lending practices that fueled the housing crisis our Nation now faces.

Just like many other innovative and progressive ideas about equality and fairness, I must remind us of the fact that the Fair Housing Act had a California precursor: the Rumford Fair Housing Act, one of the first fair housing laws in the Nation. Former Assemblyman William Byron Rumford, the first African American from Northern California elected to the California legislature, and whose seat I was later honored to hold, passed this landmark bill in 1963, and today I also honor his memory and his legacy.

But like many today who argue that the housing and financial services industries do not need further oversight or regulation, I must remind us also that during this period, a candidate for governor over 40 years ago, Ronald Reagan, fought very hard against fair housing laws. But, thankfully, Ronald Reagan lost his fight to make housing discrimination the law in California, and 40 years ago the Congress passed the Fair Housing Act to outlaw discrimination in housing in every State of the union. Like my colleagues, I also honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. today as we pass this resolution.

Unfortunately, today the promise of fair housing remains unfulfilled. De facto segregation has kicked in. Subprime mortgages have unfairly hit African Americans and the Latino community and other communities of color. So we must work to educate Americans about their right to fair housing and work together to enforce the law. And we must fully fund fair housing programs to at least the tune of $84 million in fiscal 2009.

So, Madam Speaker, we must recommit ourselves today to make these critical investments a guarantee for fair housing for all Americans. Housing should be a basic human right in our great country.

Madam Speaker, let me begin by thanking my colleague Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the gentlewoman from California, for organizing this very important special order tonight. Let me just say to you, Congresswoman Waters, your clear voice and your sound judgment as the co-founder of the Out of Iraq Caucus has helped guide this antiwar movement, not only here in the House of Representatives, but throughout the country.

Your boldness and your vision in organizing those of us who knew that this war was wrong from day one in putting together over, what, some 77 members now of the Out of Iraq Caucus, I have to salute you and thank you for that, because we will never go back again. All we can do is go forward to try to end this occupation and try to prevent another preemptive war against Iran.

It is very timely that Congresswoman Waters has called us here tonight to sound the alarm on Iran. It is truly disturbing to me to hear many of the same drumbeats on this administration 's march to war with Iran as we saw 5 years ago in the run-up to the war in Iraq. So I want to provide just a little bit of history on Iraq to draw out some of these parallels, in the hope that they will provide Congress and the American people with a clear warning signal.

Madam Speaker, this discussion is also timely today because today is April 15th, and millions of Americans across our country are right now racing the clock to beat the tax filing deadline. Lots of them are asking, how much do they owe and what is the government doing with their money?

One answer, Madam Speaker, is that in the last 5 years, this administration has spent nearly a half trillion dollars on the Iraq war and occupation. This Iraq tax, and that is what it is, an Iraq tax, comes out to approximately $16,500 for every American family of four. Has the tax been worth it? Let's look at what we have gotten in exchange.

More than 4,000 of the Nation's best and bravest have been killed. More than 30,000 others have been wounded, many suffering permanent and debilitating injuries. Tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians have died, and millions have been internally displaced or sought refuge in neighboring countries. Meanwhile, the occupation of

Iraq has caused serious damage to America's international reputation and created a generation, mind you, a generation of future enemies incensed by the endless occupation of their country by a foreign power.

Madam Speaker, compounding the folly of this strategic blunder, the $500 billion which American taxpayers already have spent on this occupation is now undermining our ability to finance the investments needed to address the pressing domestic needs of the American people and to revive our sagging economy. Given what the Iraq tax has brought American families, and this $500 billion is quickly mounting to almost $3 trillion very soon, is anyone really surprised that the American people are angry and demanding change?

The saddest aspect of this whole story and this whole episode, Madam Speaker, is it did not have to be that way. Along with 125 of my colleagues, a substantial majority of House Democrats, I opposed the war, like Congresswoman Waters did, from the beginning, and we voted against the resolution authorizing the use of military force.

I offered an amendment Congresswoman Waters supported, we got 72 votes during that period, to the original use of force resolution to prohibit the administration, remember this, Congresswoman Waters, we tried, we tried, we did everything we could do to try to keep the administration from taking military action until the United Nations could complete their inspections and confirm that Saddam Hussein's regime indeed possessed weapons of mass destruction which it intended to use against us or to give to our sworn enemies.

Had the Lee amendment been adopted, we would have learned much sooner and at far less cost what the whole world knew, that evidentially we didn't know, but some of us knew, but the whole world now knows, including the American people, that Iraq did not pose an imminent threat to the United States, was not involved in the September 11th attacks, had no ties to al Qaeda and had no weapons of mass destruction.

The war and occupation has also exacted an awful toll on our military force, our structure, our readiness, and the men and women in uniform and their families. General Richard Cody, the Army Vice Chief of Staff, testified before the Congress that the Army is out of balance. The current demand of our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan exceeds the substantial supply and limits our ability to provide ready forces for other contingencies.

Because of this administration's mistake, tens of thousands of servicemen and women have been required to undertake lengthy deployments into the war zone, two, three, and some even four times. This has placed enormous strain on them and their families and increased their risk of struggling with mental health issues, including when they return home many, many post-traumatic stress issues that we have never seen before. Nearly 60,000 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder, and most experts in the field believe the numbers could be much higher.

Some may ask, why is it necessary to review this history? Well, as the old saying goes, those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. The other reason for reviewing this history is because it goes straight to the veracity and the credibility of this administration that brought us this debacle and which may be maneuvering to reprise its strategic and geopolitical incompetence by taking preemptive military action against Iran.

If you listen carefully, you can hear the same distant drumbeats of a coming war with Iran. The signs are very familiar. Nearly on a daily basis we read or hear these from the administration, and let me just repeat a few of these drumbeats that we hear.

They say Iran is the single greatest threat to the stability in Iraq, although when I asked General Petraeus last week if Iran was in Iraq 5 years ago, he said they weren't really ``kissing cousins.'' I think that is what his comment was. No, Iran was not in Iraq 5 years ago.

Iran is building nuclear weapons.

Iran is killing American soldiers in Iraq, arming, training and funding insurgents and terrorists.

Iran is interfering with the peace process in the Middle East.

I am reminded how the administration sent General Colin Powell, do you remember that, Congresswoman Waters, the Secretary of State, by far the most effective and respective spokesman, before the United Nations Security Council to make the case to the world that Iraq posed an imminent threat to regional peace and security. The case presented by General Powell accomplished its mission, but its factual foundation rested on falsehoods, misinformation and speculation masquerading as evidence. To this day, General Powell regards his performance that day as really a mark on an otherwise distinguished career of public service to our Nation.

General Petraeus is the 2008 version, quite frankly, of General Powell. He inspires more confidence than President Bush and is far more credible than Vice President Cheney. But so did General Powell inspire and bring this credibility to this administration, and he turned out to be wrong; terribly wrong.

Again last week, General Petraeus testified that Iranian-backed so- called special groups posed the greatest long-term threat to the viability of a Democratic Iraq. He testified that it was these groups that launched Iranian rockets and mortar rounds at Iraq's seat of government two weeks ago, causing loss of innocent life and fear in the capital and requiring Iraqi and coalition actions in response.

This is starting to sound like the groundwork being laid for the need to take defensive action against Iran. This is unacceptable. We should not be looking for an excuse to attack Iran. Congress should not stand for yet another so-called preemptive military strike, and we should take action to clearly prohibit any such attempt against Iran.

As I stated, we have been down this road before. We have learned a simple truth from five hard and bitter years in Iraq. No unjust war ever produced a just and lasting peace. It has not worked in Iraq. It will not work in Iran.

What is needed is not another rush to unwarranted, unnecessary and misguided military action, but rather a strong diplomatic surge for peace and reconciliation. And, yes, I do believe that a nuclear-armed Iran poses a danger. I believe we need to move forward with nonproliferation efforts, including looking at our own arsenal of nuclear weapons in our own country. Nuclear weapons should not be an option at this point, given the dangers of the world. So we need to address nuclear nonproliferation in the context of a strong diplomatic initiative.

One of the most important first steps we should take is to have direct, comprehensive and unconditional bilateral talks with Iran. To facilitate this goal, it is imperative for the administration to show that it is serious in this endeavor by appointing a special envoy. I think we need to appoint a special person, an individual who does nothing but ensure that we move forward to reduce the tensions in the region, and this envoy should receive the necessary support to carry out his or her mandate.

That is why I introduced H.R. 5056, the Iran Diplomatic Accountability Act of 2008. Among other things, this bill directs the President to appoint a high level envoy empowered to conduct direct, unconditional, bilateral negotiations with Iran for the purpose of easing tensions and normalizing relations between the United States and Iran. No one says this is going to be easy, but we must start somewhere.

The latest National Intelligence Estimate released last week representing the consensus view of our 16 intelligence agencies clearly indicates that Iran is nowhere close to having nuclear weapons capability. The NIE assessment underscores why it is critical for Congress to ensure that this administration's saber rattling against Iran does not turn into a march to war. We have been down this path before.

Madam Speaker, in conclusion, the last 5 years in Iraq demonstrates the folly of rushing off to start a war. We don't need another war in Iran. We need to end the war in Iraq and fully fund the redeployment of American troops so that they may be reunited with their families in the United States. We need to use our funds to support them, protect them, and bring

them home. And we need to begin to move forward to address the real issues with regard to Iran and begin to take the military option off of the table, because our President, this country always has the military option, and it makes no sense to use this or to talk about it if we truly intend to reduce tensions and look for some form of global peace and security.

Thank you, again, Congresswoman Waters for calling us together today.

I, too, want to commend the gentlelady from Texas for raising some of the constitutional issues that we have to grapple with each and every day.

I would like to talk briefly about the issue of the preemptive strike which is central to this administration's foreign and military policy.

In essence what the Bush administration has decided is that it is all right, and actually it is their standard, to be able to use force not necessarily in the face of an imminent threat, but it is all right and it is a policy of this administration to be able to use force to prevent a future perceived threat. All of this is couched in this global war on terror where oftentimes they believe they do have a blank check to use force wherever they want to go in the world.

When you look at what they are trying to do now in Iraq with regard to the security agreements, they are trying to negotiate a permanent military presence in Iraq without even coming back to Congress to try to get the authority to do that. I think minimally, and we have several bills that have been introduced into this body, that basically just say before the administration decides to use force or take military actions or strike Iran, minimally they must come to Congress to seek authorization.

Well, for the life of me, this is the People's House. I cannot figure out why we cannot have a resolution as basic as that come to this body so we can pass that. I think that should be a minimum standard to protect the American people from first of all what could be total chaos. Secondly, when you just look at the expenditure of resources and what a possible preemptive strike could cost as it relates to Iran in terms of treasury, blood, our young men and women and also our financial resources. We may just be a few voices in the wilderness crying out tonight, but we are crying out very loudly and asking the American people to look at these signs because as Congresswoman Waters said, we are sounding the alarm so we can stop what appears to be on the horizon.

Mr. Speaker, American families continue to struggle in the face of this recession and yet in 1 day the Bush administration spends $339 million on the war in Iraq.

As General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker appear before Congress this week to defend this occupation, congressional Democrats have many questions about the costs of this occupation. This country has spent more than $500 billion in Iraq. It could go up to 3 to $4 trillion. Yet 47 million Americans have no health insurance.

Last month, then GAO Comptroller David Walker stated the Iraqis have a budget surplus. We have a huge budget deficit.

One of the questions is who should be paying? That's a really good question, considering that we are currently pumping billions of dollars into this war, which is stimulating economies in Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia while the American economy is in recession. What about investing money here instead of in education, health care and infrastructure to create jobs?

This occupation has placed a massive human and financial cost on the United States, and yet President Bush demands more of the same. We must end this occupation and bring our troops home.