Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership on this issue and on this rule.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in favor of this rule and in strong support of the underlying legislation, the Expanding American Homeownership Act.

Owning a home in this country is called the American Dream for many reasons: the pride of ownership, a sense of responsibility, the feeling of settling down and belonging to a community and a neighborhood. But the American Dream is in peril for many families in this country as foreclosures rise and dreams shatter.

I am sorry to report, Mr. Speaker, that in my home State of Ohio, we have the Nation's highest rate of mortgages that are seriously delinquent or in the foreclosure process. In April of this year, Ohio had nearly 12,000 default notices, auction sale notifications, and bank repositions. Sadly, one in ten Ohio homeowners with a mortgage is at least a month behind in payments and one in four with a subprime loan is delinquent or in foreclosure.

These staggering statistics are not just numbers. They are families and individuals whose American Dream is quickly becoming a nightmare. I have talked with many hardworking, proud families who are struggling to pay their mortgages and afford health insurance, struggling to put food on the table and pay for their children's college education. They are working hard and they are playing by the rules, but nonetheless the American Dream has moved out of their reach.

The homeownership crisis is part of a larger problem for our Nation where policies and laws have not worked for our low- and middle-class families the way that they should. This is unacceptable for my constituents, and it should be unacceptable for a Nation built by working men and women that prides itself on ownership, responsibility and fairness.

Mr. Speaker, the problems in the housing market are not new, but they have become what they are because of a lack of action and leadership from prior Congresses and this administration. The lack of oversight has led to the abuse of a mortgage system by unscrupulous lenders and others looking for easy profit by preying upon those who are most vulnerable. And it is wholly unacceptable that a system that should be an avenue to homeownership has instead become a path to heartache for far too many families.

Today by passing the Expanding America Homeownership Act, we take a bold step forward on what is going to be a long road to fix this broken system.

H.R. 1852 raises loan limits, helps reduce the burden for high-risk borrowers, expands counseling for home buyers, and provides new ownership incentives for low-income families. And these are very important and positive measures.

This is a demonstration of our commitment to restore the American Dream, but we also understand that there is no easy fix for this issue. In coming days, I plan to introduce legislation that will bring together many interests and groups involved in foreclosure and mortgage lending crisis so that we can continue to act to improve this situation. I hope that, working together, we will be able to quickly offer comprehensive and meaningful solutions to move forward.

A similar effort has been made in Ohio spurred by our new Governor, Ted Strickland. And just recently, they came back with some very important recommendations that will hopefully make a meaningful impact in the State. But we here in Congress at the Federal level need to do our part.

Mr. Speaker, never again do I want to have to hear that a family has lost their home simply because our laws and regulations have worked against them.

I urge passage of this rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 637 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz- Balart). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials into the Record.

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

(Ms. SUTTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 637 provides for consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 2669, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. The rule waives all points of order against the conference report and its consideration and considers the conference report as read.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today in support of this rule and this much-needed underlying conference report, the College Cost Reduction Act, which will help give our students a real opportunity to go to college and give them the vital tools necessary to enter our workforce and build a positive future for themselves and our communities. And, Mr. Speaker, at the outset I want to thank Representative George Miller, the distinguished chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, along with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose commitment to our students, our families and our future in this country has brought us to this day when we are able to take this great step to put college education back within reach of so many hardworking families and students. The College Cost Reduction Act addresses one of the most pressing issues facing millions of families across this Nation: the question of how they will afford to send their children to college.

Educational opportunity is the backbone of our Nation and everything that makes it great. And while access to higher education is more critical than ever for younger generations, the cost is rapidly moving out of reach for many low- and middle-income families. Tuition at 4- year public colleges and universities has risen 41 percent after inflation since 2001. And the typical American student now graduates from college with a $17,500 debt. This problem has developed into nothing less than a crisis.

Sadly, due to the failure of past Congresses, many students have had their dreams shattered because they could not afford college tuition. Many hardworking parents have had their hearts broken because, despite their valiant efforts, they simply could not afford to pay tuition and meet other vital family needs. This problem has festered for too long, and I have long believed, Mr. Speaker, that those in government must work with the people they are called to serve and not against them.

And that is what this bill does. It is the single largest investment in higher education since the GI Bill. It's good for our families. It's good for our students. It's good for our country.

Financial barriers to higher education not only hurt students themselves by robbing them of the education and training necessary to make a productive and positive impact in our communities; it hurts us all. Investing in our students will not only improve their future; it will help our economy and our retired workers whom they will support. It ensures our national security, continued improvements in health outcomes, and will help the United States maintain its role as a leader in developing new cutting-edge technologies. By providing students with access to higher education, we are bolstering every sector of our economy from medical research to manufacturing because we are creating the next generation of innovators and leaders. Investing in our younger generations will not only help our students and families who are need; it strengthens America.

The promise of the American Dream is the glue that holds our communities together. It was educational opportunity that provided me, the proud daughter of a working family, to obtain a first-rate education and ultimately find my way to the floor of the House of Representatives to fight for what is right. By denying the opportunities afforded by access to higher education, we deny our families their share of the American Dream.

The College Cost Reduction Act addresses this crisis in a fiscally sound and responsible manner. It is funded by cutting unnecessary subsidies to private lenders and putting our taxpayer dollars to work for the American people. So, Mr. Speaker, this act will not only put college back in reach for our families; it does so by cutting almost $21 billion in taxpayer subsidies to private lenders and reinvesting over $20 billion of the savings in our Nation's students and putting an additional $750 million towards reducing our Nation's deficit.

Specifically, the College Cost Reduction Act will cut the interest rates on subsidized student loans in half. The bill invests heavily in the much-needed, need-based Pell Grant scholarship program, increasing the maximum award by at least $1,090 over the next 5 years and expanding eligibility for the grants. By passing this bill, we will make a college education possible for hundreds of thousands of additional students over the next 5 years.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, this legislation also recognizes the value of our public servants by providing them with loan forgiveness for those who choose to serve in the jobs that make our world turn: teachers, firefighters, nurses, law enforcement officers, and librarians.

Further, the College Cost Reduction Act provides upfront tuition assistance to qualified undergraduates who commit to teaching in public schools in high-poverty communities. This bill invests in the strength of our communities and of our country. And the return on our investment as a Nation in our students and people will, without question, provide an enormous return.

Mr. Speaker, the crisis of college cost is pervasive, and it is getting worse. It is long past the time that Congress take action to ensure that a college education is not a privilege reserved only for the wealthy.

I urge all of my colleagues to support our children and our families by voting for the rule and the underlying bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the distinguished gentleman, the chairman of the Education and Labor Committee from California (Mr. George Miller).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York, a distinguished member of the Education and Labor Committee, Mr. Bishop.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois, a distinguished member of the Education and Labor Committee, Mr. Davis.

(Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, the Congress has an obligation to address the needs of the American people, and to work with them to address the pressing problems that they face.

Today, we take a great step towards regaining the faith of the American people as we pass the College Cost Reduction Act to provide hundreds of thousands of American families with the opportunity to create a better life for their children. I am proud to be a part of that effort.

The College Cost Reduction Act is a fiscally responsible bill which makes the single largest investment in college aid since the GI Bill, which, as we all know, provided our Greatest Generation with the opportunity to create the Nation we know today.

This legislation invests over $20 billion in student aid, and does so with no additional cost to the taxpayers.

Before I close, Mr. Speaker, I want to again applaud the extraordinary leadership of Chairman George Miller in making college affordability a top priority.

Under his guidance, all of the members of the Education and Labor Committee have crafted a good bill that works for our families and our country.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this investment in our children, in our economy and in our future, to keep faith with the American people, and to send a clear message that the American Dream is not a relic of the past, but a cornerstone of our future.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.

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

The previous question was ordered.

Mr. Speaker, I was deeply saddened today to hear of the passing of Congressman Paul Gillmor.

As a freshman Member of this body, I haven't known Mr. Gillmor as long as some of my colleagues who have already spoken and who will, I'm sure, rise to speak in moments following my remarks.

I did have occasion enough to spend time with Mr. Gillmor to know what a friendly and unpretentious and likeable man he was. And my thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Karen, and his family and his friends. I did have the opportunity to serve with Karen in the State legislature in Ohio. And Karen, as I said, you're in our thoughts and prayers.

The State of Ohio and the United States Congress have lost a great friend. Paul Gillmor devoted his life to serving his community, his State and his Nation. From his service in the United States Air Force to his tireless efforts on behalf of the people of Ohio in Congress, Paul Gillmor always fought hard to make a difference in people's lives. We will all miss him greatly. And I am grateful for the opportunity to have known him even for the short time that I did.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2992, the SBA Trade Programs Act.

I want to thank Congressman Hall for introducing this important bill and for his continued efforts to ensure our trade policies work for American businesses and workers.

I also want to applaud the distinguished chairwoman, Chairwoman Velazquez, for her leadership on this issue and dedication to helping our small businesses.

This bill could not be more relevant because small businesses in Ohio and across the Nation are struggling to compete because of sometimes misguided U.S. trade policies and unfair and often illegal foreign trade practices.

Small businesses and their workers are the backbone of communities in Ohio and across this Nation. Just listen to the statistics:

Small businesses comprise 97 percent of all export enterprises but only generate 30 percent of domestic export revenues, and that number is shrinking. This is happening because our trade policies often benefit large corporate interests and leave small businesses behind.

The trends also show that it is becoming more and more difficult for American small businesses to compete against the unfair trade practices of foreign nations, often propped up by governmental subsidies, weak intellectual property laws, and currency manipulation.

H.R. 2992 will help small businesses become more competitive in the international trade market. This bill will provide a comprehensive set of resources to help small businesses by increasing export assistance, strengthening small business trade policies, and providing adjustment assistance.

These are very important steps we can take at the Small Business Administration to help our local firms stay competitive; and while this will help small business compete both domestically and globally, there is clearly much more that needs to be done, including an overhaul of U.S. trade policy to ensure that the needs of American businesses and workers and communities are being met.

Unfortunately, our current trade policies put American businesses and workers often at a disadvantage and reward companies who move overseas or outsource jobs, and for communities like mine, Mr. Speaker, in northeast Ohio where the creation and retention of jobs is the number one issue, supporting our local industries and small businesses will be critical to our ability to revitalize our economy and succeed in the future.

Today, we move in the right direction by passing the SBA Trade Programs Act; and, once again, I applaud Congressman Hall and Chairwoman Velazquez for their leadership on this important issue and for the hard work that they are doing.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 602 and ask for its immediate consideration.

For the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials into the Record.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Ms. SUTTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 602 provides for the consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 2272, the 21st Century Competitiveness Act. The rule waives all points of order against the conference report and its consideration and considers the conference report as read.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 602 and the underlying conference report on the 21st Century Competitiveness Act. Too often, we hear that our Nation is struggling to properly educate our students in math and science, and as a result we are falling behind in this world. This is unacceptable to me, and it should be unacceptable to this Congress.

But today we have the chance to change this. Today we make a true commitment to our future. Today we can make it clear that we support American innovation and understand the vital need for our Nation to remain competitive in the global economy.

The 21st Century Competitiveness Act will help ensure that our students, teachers, businesses and workers are prepared to continue to keep this country at the forefront of research and development. Our bill increases funding and makes improvements for the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, and at the Department of Energy Office of Science. The bill increases funding for science, technology, engineering and math, also known as STEM research and education programs.

This bill also allocates funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. These MEP programs leverage Federal, State, local and private investments to stimulate new manufacturing processes and technologies. It's through these new processes and technologies that we can ensure American manufacturers have the tools to compete effectively and efficiently against overseas manufacturers.

The MEP program has proven to be remarkably effective in my home State of Ohio where small and midsize manufacturers face limited budgets, lack of in-house expertise and lack of access to the newest technologies. MEP assistance provided training, expertise and services tailored to the critical needs of Ohio's small and midsize manufacturers.

Through this assistance, many manufacturers in Ohio have increased productivity, achieved higher profits, and remain competitive by providing the latest and most efficient technologies, processes and business practices. In 2006, in fact, as a direct result of MEP assistance, my State enjoyed over $150 million of new investment and over $500 million in increased or retained sales. Companies in Ohio participating in the MEP reported cost savings of over $100 million.

Through the continued funding of this vital program, we can bring these vast benefits to even more small manufacturers across the country. Our efforts here today are vital to stopping the offshoring and outsourcing as well that may have hurt many communities in my home State of Ohio and all across this Nation.

This Congress can send a strong message today that we want to ensure that our Nation is prepared for the future. Let's pass this rule and the 21st Century Competitiveness Act.

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

Mr. Speaker, before I yield, I just want to make it clear, as has been stated on this House floor

many times in recent days, that the FISA legislation will be on the floor of this House before the August recess. We're happy that we are here today to pass this rule and this legislation, and we are also able to deal with FISA.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch).

Mr. Speaker, at this time it is my great pleasure to yield 20 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Tennessee, the chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology, Mr. Gordon, whose leadership brought us here to this great day.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, it is my privilege to yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

Mr. Speaker, at this time it's my honor to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida, a member of both the Rules Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence (Mr. Hastings).

Mr. Speaker, I would inquire of the gentleman if he has any remaining speakers. I'm the last speaker on this side, and I'll reserve my time until the gentleman has closed for his side.

Mr. Speaker, it is time that we make a commitment to our students who want to succeed in the fields of math and science. It's time that we help our manufacturers and promote innovation and industrial competitiveness. With this legislation, we are setting our course.

While there are many things that must be done on many different issues to see real improvements, passing the 21st Century Competitiveness Act today is one very positive and enormous step in the right direction. We are saying we want to invest in our teachers. We want to invest in our students, invest in science and research and development and innovation. We are developing our workforce for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, we are preparing our Nation for a bright future. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.

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

Amendment to H. Res. 602 Offered by Mr. Hastings of Washington

At the end of the resolution, add the following:

Sec. 2. That immediately upon the adoption of this

resolution the House shall, without intervention of any point

of order, consider the bill (H.R. 3138) to amend the Foreign

Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to update the

definition of electronic surveillance. All points of order

against the bill are waived. The bill shall be considered as

read. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on

the bill to final passage without intervening motion except:

(1) one hour of debate on the bill equally divided and

controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; and (2) one

motion to recommit.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me the time and for her leadership on this very, very important issue.

Madam Speaker, today we act to ensure that 11 million children in this Nation will have access to the health care that they need.

With this legislation, we add 5 million more of our most vulnerable citizens to the Children's Health Insurance Program. With this legislation, we will finally ensure coverage for 95 percent of all children in need in this great country.

Our bill, the Children's Health and Medicare Protection, or CHAMP, Act reauthorizes and improves CHIP, while also making important improvements to the Medicare program and changes that will help reduce tobacco use in this Nation.

Children in the State of Ohio stand to benefit tremendously under this bill. The coverage of 218,500 currently enrolled in CHIP will be secured, and funding for the CHAMP Act will allow Ohio to reach another 164,000 children who have remained uninsured until this time.

Expanding and improving health care for our children is one of the most important things we can do to ensure a brighter future for our families and our communities and this country.

If our children do not have access to the health care they need, it affects their schooling, their home life and can have a severe impact on their ability to grow into a strong, well-rounded adult.

Madam Speaker, we hear a lot of purported excuses and lamenting from across the aisle about why we should not act to ensure that the children get the insurance they need here today.

Well, I want those Members to go explain to the families and the children in Ohio's 13th Congressional District,

who will now have access to the health care they so vitally need, why they oppose this legislation. These Members need to explain why it's okay that we can provide tax breaks to millionaires but can't afford the less than $3.50 a day it takes to cover a child through CHIP.

If we do not pass this bill, children in my district will lose health coverage and families may have to face the consequences of medical debt, and we've seen it all too often lead to bankruptcy and foreclosure. That's unacceptable to me and my constituents.

On Medicare, Madam Speaker, the CHAMP Act also makes significant improvements toward improving benefits and limiting premium increases for beneficiaries. More than 202,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Ohio will be assured that their out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs will not rise, and almost half a million beneficiaries in my home State with incomes under 150 percent of the poverty level will receive assistance with copayments and deductibles, as well as prescription drug costs.

Madam Speaker, I do have some concerns regarding changes in the Medicare policy on the purchase of power wheelchairs and the effect that this will have on Medicare beneficiaries with long-term debilitating conditions. But while I certainly support the overall bill, I hope that we can address this issue in conference or in some other matter in the near future to ensure people are not hurt.

I strongly support the rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcal No. 763, relating to the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. I would like to enter into a colloquy with the chairman.

I really appreciate having this opportunity to talk with you, and I commend your work on putting this very strong legislation together that includes important increases for science and technology programs, as well as law enforcement, among many other things.

But I want to discuss with you just for a moment my concerns for funding and oversight in this bill for the United States Trade Representative. Now, many of my colleagues have been pretty vocal, since the beginning of this Congress, in expressing our concerns with our current trade policy and its harmful effects on our families and communities. A large part of this is what I see as a lack of responsibility by the USTR in promoting exports to other nations and protecting American workers and businesses against unfair trade practices against other nations.

I was going to offer a number of amendments here today dealing with increasing USTR funding, specifically for oversight and enforcement of our trade laws, but I appreciate the increase in funding in the bill for the ITC, but I believe so much more needs to be done. Instead of fixing the many problems we have with our current policies, whether it's our current record trade deficit or the loss of millions of manufacturing jobs, the USTR has, instead, focused efforts on enacting more flawed trade agreements.

It seems as if, instead of working to make our trade agreements better, the administration and the USTR have focused on joining with private interests and using USTR funding to lobby Congress. I believe we must rein this in, what I see as an improper and excessive lobbying by USTR of Congress.

While I was hoping to offer an amendment on that here today as well, I hope that this Congress will take a closer look at their activities in the future. I strongly believe that we have a responsibility to stand up and tell the USTR that they must start working for American businesses and workers, rather than continue current policies that cost jobs here at home and have decimated our manufacturing base.

While I would have hoped that we could have done more on this bill to move USTR in that direction to be more responsive to the responsibility to the American people and to the workers in my district, rather than foreign governments and large corporations, I am happy to be here and am supportive of the bill.

I appreciate the opportunity to share this with you and look forward to working with you in the future.

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

Offered By: Ms. Sutton

Amendment No. 29: Page 85, add the following after line 24:

Offered By: Ms. Sutton

Amendment No. 30: Page 85, add the following after line 24:

Offered By: Ms. Sutton

Amendment No. 31: Page 70, line 17, insert the following

before the period: ``: Provided further, That of the amounts

made available under this heading, at least $10,000,000 shall

be used only to reduce the barriers to exports of United

States goods and services identified in the 2007 National

Trade Estimates report, giving priority to those barriers

that result in the greatest opportunities for United States

goods and services: Provided further, That none of the funds

made available in the preceding proviso may be used to

negotiate any free trade agreement, with any country, that

has not been signed by the parties before the date of

enactment of this Act''.

Offered By: Ms. Sutton

Amendment No. 32: Page 70, line 17, insert the following

before the period: ``: Provided further, That of the amounts

made available under this heading, at least $1,000,000 shall

be used only for monitoring, enforcement, and oversight of

trade laws and rules relating to the People's Republic of

China''.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Kildee, both for the time and for his leadership in this bipartisan effort. I am so happy as a new Member of Congress to be here to join him and support this legislation today, because it is about fairness for those on the front lines protecting our neighborhoods and communities, our firefighters and law enforcement officers.

This bill is about ensuring these public safety employees, these heroes, have the right to ensure their voices are heard in the workplace. Not only do they deserve this right, we owe it to these public servants who risk their lives and put their safety on the line every day to protect our families and our communities.

Our legislation simply gives them the same rights that so many other workers around this Nation retain. These people who put the public first deserve to be heard on the matters that affect their livelihood.

For our firefighters, police officers, EMTs and other public safety officers, let's rise beyond the words of support, pass this bill, and make it clear that we respect and admire the work and sacrifice of these brave men and women.

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

Mr. Speaker, for 4 long years our country has endured a tragic war, a treacherous journey down a dark and winding path, with no clear routes, no clear destination and fatal hazards lurking around every blind corner.

Today I rise again with Chairman Skelton and my colleagues to act to clear the road ahead, to bring its end into the light. I rise again to push, to prod, to urge my colleagues to help us end the President's failed policy; to help us change the mission to a mission based in reality; to help us end the ravages that our brave soldiers who have performed so heroically, remove them from the crossfire in which they are caught, to remove them from the snipers' bullets and the life- ending IEDs.

I rise with the hope that those who have stood with the President and have given his Iraq policy a chance to succeed and another chance to succeed and another chance to succeed, that they will today choose a responsible change in direction based in reality that will establish a comprehensive and clear strategy for our role in Iraq.

Congress has allowed the President to lead our troops down this path for too long. It is time to demand accountability, to demand an exit strategy that is clear, and to demand an end to the injury and death that our brave soldiers face every day as they courageously proceed down this undefined road on which the President has placed them and they have dutifully traveled.

The President's ambling course has led our troops through the deadliest 3 months of the war in April, May and June of this year. During those three deadly months, 329 American soldiers died in Iraq. The cost of continuing down this path is too great. We must act to bring direction and accountability to the United States' mission for the sake of our troops and the families that love and support them.

It brings me great sadness to report that, since the war began in the spring of 2003, 163 brave men and women from Ohio have been killed. And 25 of those precious lives have been lost since the surge. The President's escalation of this war means six more grieving families in Ohio since when I last spoke in favor of the redeployment bill in May of this year. How many more times will we come to this floor to demand responsibility and accountability from our President? How many more families will be devastated by the loss of a loved one? How many more times will we hear the administration continue to argue that we are, quote, ``just about to make progress''?

Last November, the people of the 13th District of Ohio made their voices heard when they went to the polls. Their voices joined with the voices of people across this Nation. They voted for a change in direction, and today we act to give it to them.

Mr. Speaker, as the hour grows late here this evening, I and some of my fellow freshmen colleagues have gathered here on the floor to talk about the issue that is overarching everything we do in this country today, the war in Iraq.

When we were elected in November, many of us came here on a mandate for change, a mandate for a change of direction in the way the country was heading and a mandate for change in direction in Iraq. So, tonight we are here to talk about the important events of this day, the action that this House took to pass a very important bill, the Responsible Redeployment From Iraq Act, and also to talk about the report that was recently released from the White House on Iraq and the benchmarks that, sadly, are not being met.

With that, I would like to actually turn this discussion over to some of my fellow colleagues. We will begin with a statement and some commentary from the gentleman from New Hampshire, the distinguished gentleman from New Hampshire, Mr. Paul Hodes.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman for his eloquent words about this very, very tragic subject.

At this point I yield to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire for her comments.

I thank the gentlewoman for her comments. Your points are well taken. After 4\1/2\ years of this tragic war, more than 3,600 brave American troops killed, more than 26,000 injured, and nearly half a trillion dollars spent, we continue down the path that the President insists on taking us.

In his defiance, he has indicated he will continue to ignore reality, as well as the facts contained in the administration's own analysis of the war that was released today.

As you point out, in January, the President sent thousands of additional troops to Iraq and promised to hold the Iraqi government accountable for meeting those benchmarks for success. Today that report makes it clear that we need a change in course.

Unity in Iraq, we know here on this floor, must be determined by the people of Iraq, and our brave troops are caught in the crossfire of a sectarian civil war without a military mission, and the President has no plan to bring them home.

Instead of rejecting calls for change and demeaning those who seek it, the President should listen to the military experts, to Congress and the American people who in their will and wisdom want to responsibly redeploy the troops home.

With that, I would like to yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Arcuri).

I thank the gentleman for his poignant remarks. Your point is well taken when you talk about the benchmarks and the target moving. How many more times will we hear this administration argue that we are just about to make progress? And yet here we are, 4\1/2\ years later.

I would like to yield to the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney).

I thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison), and the points raised are worth talking about. He's absolutely right when we talk about the loss of life, the irretrievable loss of life as being the real cost, the real measure of our loss.

Not too long ago during this surge, the escalation of this war, within this past 6 months, I had the very sad experience of I'm sure that many of you have had of going back to my district to go to visitation, to calling hours, for a fallen soldier. And on this occasion, I walked in and I was taken aback because family members, they thank you. They thank you for coming to pay your respects to this one who was willing to give it all for his country.

And as I walked in and I walked over to the casket where this brave soldier lay and there he was, this young man, and I kneeled down and I looked and I looked long and I looked hard because I wanted to remember and I wanted to feel all that I could so that when I came back here to cast the votes that we must cast and to make the decisions that we must make about the lives that are in our hands, to answer the questions about what we're willing to ask them to do and what we're willing to protect them from, I wanted that to be a part of who I am and the decisions I make.

So I carried that with me, and I carried it with me for the vote today, but I can't help but also share a very disappointing moment that happened later that day when I returned home, to hear the news and our President talking about how much he enjoyed riding his bike and how we should all ride our bikes because it's a healthy thing to do. Well, maybe so, but it struck me that this President, to my knowledge, doesn't go to many of those calling hours, and perhaps it would be different and perhaps the decision-making would be different because you're right, my colleague from Minnesota, the lives lost are irretrievable.

With that, I'd like to yield to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Hodes), who has joined us again.

It reminds me of a committee hearing yesterday, and we heard some discussion from one of the witnesses about courage. It was used in the context, you have to have the courage to go forward. Sometimes it takes courage to go forward.

I know that Mr. Arcuri and I together looked at each other, and thought sometimes it takes the courage that you spoke of, Mr. Hodes, to admit when things aren't going right and changing direction. That is the kind of direction that we need in this country from our President, that we need for our troops from our President.

I would just ask the gentlewoman from New Hampshire to add to that, because I know that you hear a great deal in your role as a member of the Armed Services Committee. That is a point that is important for people to know about one of the consequences of this continuing path that we are going down in Iraq.

I would like to turn to the gentleman from New York, because I know he has something important to add.

It really is. Today was the day we passed the Responsible Redeployment From Iraq Act. It is about achieving that victory. We ask that the President join us in trying to take this into a different direction, a better direction for the country, for our troops.