Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Committee on Government Reform, I am very pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H.R. 3767, which designates a postal service in St. Charles, Illinois, after the late Jacob L. Frazier.

This legislation was introduced by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert) on September 14 and unanimously passed out of the Committee on Government Reform on September 15. This legislation has the support and cosponsorship of the entire Illinois delegation.

Jacob Frazier, 24, was a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force attached to special forces. A native of St. Charles, he enlisted in the Illinois Air National Guard in 1997. He was assigned to the 169th Air Support Operations Squadron, 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria, Illinois.

Sadly, Staff Sergeant Frazier died on March 23, 2003, from wounds sustained from an ambush in Geresk, southern Afghanistan. He was the Illinois Air National Guard's first combat casualty in Afghanistan.

Jacob Frazier leaves behind his parents, Jim and Joyce; four younger siblings, sisters Jessica and Kathryn, and twin brothers, Zachary and Daniel; his fiancee, Jessica Fregin; and a host of other family members.

Mr. Speaker, it is always an honor to stand on the House floor and recognize the ultimate sacrifice of a soldier. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Frazier family and Ms. Fregin. It is indeed proper and fitting that we honor Staff Sergeant Jacob Frazier by designating the St. Charles Post Office, and I urge the swift passage of this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, on August 28, 2005, the West Oahu Little League Baseball team, hailing from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, won the Little League World Series championship in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. They beat the defending champions from Willemstad, Curacao by a score of 7-6 in dramatic fashion.

Trailing for much of the game, the West Oahu team rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning, evening the score at 6-6 and sending the game into extra innings. The first batter in the bottom of the seventh inning hit a spectacular home run over the center field wall to seal the victory for the West Oahu team, the first Little League World Series champions in the history of the State of Hawaii.

The West Oahu victory in the 59th Little League World Series championship is and likely will remain one of the most exciting finishes in the championship's storied history. The hard work and dedication of West Oahu team members and their coaches and

their families and friends are reflected in this tremendous accomplishment.

I hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating this team in their momentous achievement in winning the Little League World Series championship.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie), the author of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, the American Gold Star Mothers is an organization of women whose sons and daughters gave their lives in the service of their country. It is a group no one wishes to be a member of, but as their children answered the call of duty, so do mothers who are left behind.

Grace Darling Seibold was compelled to help others grieve and veterans heal upon learning of her own son's death in 1918 during World War I. ``Realizing that self-contained grief is self-destructive,'' Seibold formed a group of grieving mothers to comfort not only each other but wounded soldiers as well.

The group of 25 mothers who bonded by sacrifice and tragedy was formally established as Gold Star Mothers, Inc., on January 5, 1929. The Gold Star Mothers organization now consists of over 900 members. The organization assists veterans with benefit claims, families with funeral arrangements, and, of course, mothers with grief. The Gold Star Mothers are a true representation of the many levels of service and sacrifice that exists in the defense of our country.

The Gold Star Mothers are a true testament to American patriotism and should be recognized for their sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, I move that my colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives join me in recognizing the establishment of Gold Star Mothers Day.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) for his leadership. This country is united and determined to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. By passing this important bill, we can quickly move refunds into the hands of families and businesses that have worked hard and paid their taxes.

I do want to provide and share with my colleagues a report that the New York delegation, under the leadership of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) and others, developed for our gulf coast colleagues that outlines the experiences that we had, the challenges that we had in the recovery process in our efforts to help New Yorkers.

I thank this body for their swift and committed help in helping New Yorkers. But despite the efforts of our entire delegation to get a report about what exactly happened in the seven tax benefit programs that came into New York, we asked for a GAO report, again under the leadership of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) and others, and they have told us that they do not track this information and do not have any information on whether the tax benefits were used, who they went to, or if anyone even benefited from them.

I share that experience with my colleagues so they might want to add to the legislation, if it is not already in it, that there be a mandate that the impact of what we are trying to do to help people in fact is tracked when we are spending, or may spend, billions of dollars. The taxpayers, the victims, and this body deserve an accurate tracking of what exactly happened and if our intentions to help people really was realized in dollars in their pockets and dollars in economic development. I want to share with my colleagues from the gulf region this report.

Our recovery in New York is still ongoing 4 years afterwards. I hope we are not here 4 years from now waving a similar report from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama trying to find out what happened with the efforts that I truly support today to help families and victims of Hurricane Katrina, and I strongly support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, anyone interested in viewing the reports mentioned in my speech please visit my website at www.house.gov/maloney.

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to rise today to pay tribute to our female astronauts. These heroines are not only a source of pride for all Americans, but they have also inspired countless women to reach for the stars in their own lives and careers.

The space program has long been one of the best examples of America's leadership role in the world. Our astronauts are daring, brilliant, and selfless, risking their lives for the sake of scientific discovery. But like our Nation itself, they were once divided along gender lines.

Indeed, when NASA was created by President Eisenhower in 1958, there were no female astronauts. Of course, there were no women on the Supreme Court back then, and in Congress there was just one female Senator, and only 15 women serving in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, we have come a long way in the last four decades. There are now 14 women Senators, 66 female Members of Congress, and at NASA women are not just along for the ride, they have assumed leadership roles in both the agency and on its missions, as we have seen by this fine work of Eileen Collins and Wendy Lawrence.

I am especially delighted today to recognize the achievements of my fellow New Yorker, Eileen Collins from Elmira, New York, who in 1999 became the first woman to command a space shuttle.

In 2003, Ms. Collins again took to the reins of a space mission, providing steady guidance to the Space Shuttle Discovery during an incredibly difficult and perilous mission.

Mr. Speaker, women have taken part in some of the greatest NASA missions, and some of the most heartbreaking too. Some of these women gave their lives for our country.

As a former teacher, I remember feeling incredibly proud when my colleague, Christa McAuliffe, was selected from more than 11,000 applicants to become the first civilian in space, the first teacher in space.

Of course, we were all horrified when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after lift-off, cutting short the lives of Christa and the other brave astronauts who flew with her.

The loss of the Challenger and, more recently, of the Space Shuttle Columbia were staggering blows to our country. But I know that our space program will rebound from these disasters, as it always has, with a new sense of purpose, stronger and more determined than ever.

I also know that as we rebuild, American women will be leading the way, inspired by the sense of duty to our country and by the women who have come before them. Women like Sally Ride, the first woman in space; Kathryn Sullivan, the first American woman to perform a space walk; Mae Jeminson, the first African American woman astronaut; Shannon Lucid, who set a U.S. record for the most time living in space.

Thanks to these pioneering women astronauts, the sky is the limit for women and girls in this final frontier.

Today, we recognize the contribution of all of the women who work to realize the grand mission of NASA and who continue to contribute today.

Mr. Speaker, today our country faces an increasingly severe shortage of qualified math, science, and engineering students and professionals to fill the high-tech jobs of tomorrow.

Women have long been underrepresented in these fields, both in the workplace and in the classroom. It is essential to our economy, even to our national security, that we attract the best and the brightest to these fields.

The number of girls and young women entering math, science, and engineering is growing and moving in the right direction. And in our universities and workplaces, we need to cultivate nondiscriminatory environments to further this momentum.

NASA truly showcases the very best of what women can achieve and can contribute, and the fact that they can contribute equally. May the women pioneers we honor today inspire not only the astronauts, but the scientists, mathematicians, and engineers of tomorrow. I thank them for their wonderful contributions. I congratulate the entire team.

Mr. Speaker, I submit for printing in the Record the names of 29 current and 13 deceased or former female NASA astronauts.

Ellen Baker, Yvonne Cagle, Tracy Caldwell, Kalpana Chawla,

Laurel B. Clark, Mary Cleave, Catherine Coleman, Eileen

Collins, Nancy J. Currie, Jan Davis, Bonnie Dunbar, Anna

Fisher, Linda Godwin, Susan J. Helms, Joan Higginbotham,

Kathryn Hire, Marsha Ivins, Mae C. Jemison, Tamara E.

Jernigan, Janet Kavandi, Susan L. Kilrain.

Wendy Lawrence, Shannon Lucid, Sandra Magnus, Megan

McArthur, Pamela Melroy, Barbara Morgan, Lisa Nowak, Karen

Nyberg, Ellen Ochoa, Judith A. Resnik, Sally K. Ride,

Patricia C. Hilliard Robertson, Margaret Rhea Seddon,

Heidemarie Sefanyshyn-Piper, Nicole Scott, Kathryn C.

Thornton, Janice Voss, Mary E. Weber, Peggy Whitson, Sunita

Williams, and Stephanie Wilson.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the achievements of Daniel Finkelstein, a great New Yorker and a dear friend of mine. On September 29, 2005, Danny's friends, family and colleagues will gather to celebrate his 50 years as an attorney. Anniversaries are a time for reflection, and I feel that it is fitting to reflect on the career of a truly remarkable man.

Mr. Finkelstein's distinguished 50-year career as a real estate litigation attorney has earned him the respect of New York's legal community; indeed, Danny is widely known as the ``Dean'' of New York's landlord-tenant lawyers. Formerly a founding partner of New York City's largest landlord-tenant law firm, Danny currently serves as the senior partner of Finkelstein Newman LLP.

A graduate of New York University and Brooklyn Law School, Mr. Finkelstein's professional accomplishments include his service as Senior Real Estate Manager for the Board of Estimate of the City of New York and his role as Assistant Chief Enforcement Attorney to the Temporary State Housing Rent Commission.

Mr. Finkelstein also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the New York County Lawyers' Association, NYCLA, and was the chair of its Committee on the Civil Court. He is an active member of several NYCLA committees, including the Association's Committees on the Judiciary and the Civil Court Practice Section.

Danny has made tremendous contributions to the legal profession, but he has also placed a priority on teaching the law to others. For many years, Danny served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at New York Law School and taught courses at New York University's School of Continuing. and Professional Studies. Mr. Finkelstein's contributions to legal scholarship include a two-volume, 2000 page treatise on Landlord and Tenant Practice in New York and his service as Editor-in- Chief of Landlord-Tenant Monthly, a law journal published by Treiman Publications.

Additionally, Mr. Finkelstein lectured, in conjunction with Brooklyn, Fordham, and New York Law Schools, on the rights of senior renters before members of the New York State Bar Association, on the conduct of landlord-tenant trials at numerous legal education forums and on arbitration and mediation programs. I am particularly proud of Danny's work

to create the nationally recognized and award-winning ``Safe Housing for Children'' lectures, which were sponsored by NYCLA, the New York Foundling Hospital and Fordham University's Graduate School of Social Service.

Finally, Mr. Finkelstein received Certificates of Appreciation from Presidents Ford, Nixon, Johnson and Kennedy for his service to the Nation and his contributions to the Military Selective Service Act and Selective Service System.

Mr. Speaker, I request that my colleagues join me in honoring Daniel Finkelstein's 50 years in the legal profession and his lifetime of service to New York City. Along with Danny's longtime friends, colleagues and co-workers, I wish him many more years of happiness and outstanding public service.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3132, the Children's Safety Act of 2005. I can think of few offenses more horrifying than sexually assaulting or abusing a child. Children are among our society's most vulnerable and it's up to us, the adults, to protect them.

We have all heard the tragic stories about young children being kidnaped, assaulted, and too often murdered by sexual offenders who in some cases have been living in the same neighborhoods as these kids. Tragically, many of these offenders have committed multiple crimes against children. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, more than 500,000 sex offenders are registered in the United States and as many as 100,000 sex offenders cannot be located by law enforcement. Statistics from the Bureau of Justice show that child molesters who are released from prison are more likely to be rearrested for child molestation than other sex and non-sex offenders. Approximately 3.3 percent of 4,300 released child molesters in 1994 were rearrested for another sex crime against a child within 3 years. For those who had more than one prior arrest for child molestation, 7.3 percent were likely to be rearrested for the same crime. And 24 percent of released offenders were reconvicted for a new offense, encompassing all types of crimes.

The legislation before us today would accomplish several critical objectives including requiring sex offenders to register more often and for longer periods of time, providing the public with access to more information on sex offenders, creating new penalties, and requiring DNA to be used to identify and prosecute sex offenders. However, I do share the concerns expressed by some of my colleagues regarding the limitations contained in the bill regarding the review of habeas corpus petitions by Federal courts.

I would like to thank Ranking Member Conyers for offering an amendment today that is based on legislation that I have introduced, H.R. 1193, the ``Hate Crime Statistics Improvement Act,'' which would require the Attorney General to collect data about gender-

based hate crimes. With accurate data, local communities can identify gender-based hate crimes in their area and chart their progress toward eliminating them. Moreover, the inclusion of gender will send a strong message that gender-based hate crimes will not be tolerated. It is my understanding that Chairman Sensenbrenner will accept this amendment, and I thank him as well.

We must be diligent in our efforts to protect children from those individuals who would steal their innocence, or worse, take their lives. I am hopeful that this legislation will enhance the efforts already in place so that parents and communities can take the necessary steps to ensure that their children will be safe.

Mr. Speaker, on September 13, 2005, I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall votes numbered 465, 466, and 467. Rollcall vote 465 was on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to SCONRES 26, a bill honoring and memorializing the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93. Rollcall vote 466 was on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3649, the Sportfishing and Recreational Boating Safety Amendments Act. Rollcall vote 467 was on the motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 276, the Wind Cave National Park Boundary Revision Act.

Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall votes 465, 466, and 467.

Mr. Speaker, on September 7, 2005, I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall votes numbered 456 and 457. Rollcall vote 456 was on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 3650, a bill to allow United States Courts to conduct business during emergency conditions, and for other purposes. Rollcall vote 457 was on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 3169, a bill to provide the Secretary of Education with waiver authority for students who are eligible for Pell Grants who are adversely affected by a natural disaster.

Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall votes 456 and 457.

Mr. Speaker, on September 6, 2005, I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall votes numbered 454 and 455. Rollcall vote 454 was on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to, H. Res. 360, commemorating the 60th anniversary of V-J Day and the end of World War II in the Pacific. Rollcall vote 455 was on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to, S.J. Res. 19, a joint resolution calling upon the President to issue a proclamation recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act.

Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall votes 454 and 455.

Mr. Speaker, sadly, approaching the four year anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, our

country faces great tragedy again and a tremendous national challenge in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

I would like to assure the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama that New Yorkers who lived through 9/11 understand the shock and dismay being felt deeply after Hurricane Katrina.

We are well aware that time and great effort will be needed to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, but we know also that the recovery will advance strongly because of the great will of the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. I also hope that the recovery will be spurred by the strong support most assuredly coming from countless New Yorkers and Americans from all corners of the country.

I stand ready to work with Members of Congress from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to advance all Federal programs necessary for recovery operations after Katrina. My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by Hurricane Katrina and with the people now facing great recovery challenges in its wake.

Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the September 11th Humanitarian Relief and Patriotism Act with Representatives Peter King, Weiner, Nadler, Higgins, Farr, Serrano, Engel, Owens, McDermott, Lantos, Schakowsky, Bennie Thompson, Solis, Schiff, Berman, Pallone, Patrick Kennedy and Grijalva.

We are introducing this legislation because the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, left many surviving spouses and children of legal employment-based visa holders and undocumented workers in jeopardy of being deported, because their immigration status was linked to a family member who was employed at the WorId Trade Center. While the USA PATRIOT Act allowed these individuals to stay in the United States until September 10, 2002, that reprieve has expired. These individuals should not be forced to leave the country because of the actions of the terrorists.

The ``September 11th Humanitarian Relief and Patriotism Act,'' which would provide for the adjustment of status (application for permanent residence, commonly known as ``green card'' status) or the cancellation of removal (and adjustment of status) for the spouse, child, dependent son, or dependent daughter of victims who were killed on September 11. While the Administration continues to act with care by not moving forward with deportation procedures for these individuals, their legal status remains in limbo unless they are given legal status in the United States. They should not continue to be victimized by the 9/11 terrorists by living in fear that they will have to leave their homes, jobs, and communities. Additionally, New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, supports this legislation and is calling on Congress to act.

Finally, I would like to thank Moshe and Debra Steinberg for their assistance in preparing this legislation for introduction and for all of the work they have done on behalf of the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and urge its swift passage into law.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this conference report.

As I've said before here on the floor of the House, America needs an energy policy. We need an energy policy that actually brings down record high gas prices, protects our environment, and truly reduces our dependence on foreign oil by encouraging energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources of energy. Unfortunately, this bill fails on all fronts.

We are heavily reliant on oil to power our cars and fuel our lifestyle, and 58 percent of the oil we consume is imported, often from politically volatile regions of the world. Promoting conservation and raising efficiency standards must play an important role in overcoming our dependence on oil and reducing our reliance on imports. Today, more than two-thirds of the oil consumed in the United States is used for transportation, mostly for cars and light trucks. Increasing fuel efficiency would lower pressures on oil prices, enhance our national security, curb air pollution, and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, which cause global warming. And yet, instead of truly addressing energy conservation and fuel efficiency, H.R. 6 hands out huge new subsidies to the oil, gas, coal and nuclear industries.

This energy bill also harms our environment and threatens our drinking water by rolling back important safeguards in the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, protections which are critical in keeping our waterways clean and safe. Under this bill, in fact, fluid laced with toxic chemicals and contaminants could actually be injected into oil and gas wells that penetrate underground water sources, risking contamination of our drinking water. I absolutely can not vote for an energy bill that might put the drinking water of my constituents at risk.

I don't think any of us believe that this energy bill is the last word on energy policy, and much remains to be done to meet the great challenges that lie before us. Until more is done, I oppose this conference report, and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time and for his extraordinary leadership on human rights for people around the world.

And I know that he joins his voice, his strength, his wisdom in working with the Iraqi Women's Caucus to do absolutely everything to protect the women in Iraq.

Today's USA news report has an article that states that the government may designate Islam Sharia as a main source of legislation in the country according to a draft. This is incredibly troubling that the rights of women may be turned back. It would be a terrible step for the women if their rights are actually restricted under this new constitution.

This resolution which we are sending to the government is tremendously important, and I would like to be associated with the comments on both sides of the aisle.

Just last week, we met with women leaders from Iraq. Two of them were official members of the government, and they were major leaders in their communities. They expressed their tremendous concern, and they appealed to us to keep their names confidential, showing the fear that they feel for retaliation.

I have corresponded with several Iraqi women. One was murdered, another one had a tremendous threat on her life, and they are working with incredible strength for their country and for the rights of their families.

I would say that any country that protects their women is a stronger country, and Iraq will be a stronger country if women are able to preserve their position. One of the women we met with was a professional, and she had been denied her job.

Under Sharia, women will lose many of the rights that they already have. As one of them said to me, and I quote: ``It is horrible. We are concerned. You must do something. The time is now.''

August 15 they will be coming forward with the final draft. They will be voting in October, and we must move forward. Just yesterday, along with 40 of my colleagues, I sent a letter to President Bush urging him and the State Department to do everything they possibly can to encourage the drafters of the constitution to include specific rights for women, thereby ensuring their equality and their full participation in the new Iraq country.

Under the former regime, they were educated, participated in the workforce, and played a role in the government. And since the end of the Saddam Hussein dictatorship, women have served and are serving in the national assembly as cabinet members and in local governments across their country.

I have had the opportunity twice to visit Iraq, to visit our soldiers, to meet with officials, and always to meet with women leaders. They are concerned. They are working hard, and with like- minded men are trying to preserve their role.

If they lose their position in the constitution, it will be incredibly difficult to reverse that. So it is critically important, and it would be a tragic irony

if women now began to lose ground. There might be full participation and equal treatment under the law for women in Iraq, and I know that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I hope they will join the Women's Iraqi Caucus in expressing our strong support and solidarity with the women of Iraq as they fight for the rights to which they are entitled.

I would just like to close that it would be really a tragedy beyond words if women lose their standing in the constitution and lose the firm grounded protection of a constitution. This is critically important. I urge all of my colleagues to join us in supporting this important resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I include the following for the Record:

[From USA Today staff and wire reports.]

One Draft of Iraq's Constitution Makes Islam Main Source

Baghdad.--Framers of Iraq's new constitution are

considering designating Islam as the main source of

legislation in the country, according to a draft published

Tuesday in the government newspaper.

The draft, which appeared in the Baghdad newspaper Al-

Sabah, further states that no law shall be approved that

contradicts ``the rules of Islam,'' raising worries that the

new government will restrict the role of women in society.

The constitution could change significantly, however,

before the parliament votes on it by Aug. 15.

``There are several drafts of the constitution out there,''

U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said in a statement Tuesday.

``I have seen one draft of the constitution in one of the

newspapers today. There are other drafts, as well. Now is the

time to produce a single draft by the commission,'' he said.

The draft published Tuesday seems to reflect the views of

conservative members of the constitution committee.

``Islam is the official religion of the state and is the

main source of legislation,'' the draft reads. ``No law that

contradicts with its rules can be promulgated.''

The document also grants the Shiite Arab religious

leadership in the holy city of Najaf ``independence for its

guiding role'' in recognition of its ``high national and

religious symbolism.''

In Washington, 41 members of the House of Representatives

wrote a letter to President Bush urging him to support

provisions in the constitution that would protect women's

rights. ``It would be a terrible step backward for the women

of Iraq if their rights are actually restricted under the new

constitution,'' said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., in a press

release.

The letter points out that the constitution would replace

the transitional administrative law, which provides for equal

treatment under the law and set a requirement that 25% of the

seats in the National Assembly go to women.

During the U.S.-run occupation, which ended June 28, 2004,

key Shiite and some Sunni politicians sought to have Islam

designated as the main source of legislation in the interim

constitution, which went into effect in March 2004.

However, U.S. Administrator Paul Bremer blocked the move.

He said that Islam would be considered ``a source''--but not

the only one. At the time, prominent Shiite politicians

agreed to forgo a public battle with Bremer and raise the

issue again during the drafting of the permanent

constitution.

The drafting committee met Tuesday to discuss federalism,

another contentious issue, according to Sunni Arab member

Mohammed Abed-Rabbou.

He described the discussion as ``heated'' and said no

agreement was reached.

Parliament speaker Hajim al-Hassani urged Iraqi media to

refrain from publishing supposed texts unless they were

released by the constitutional committee.

The Sunnis on the committee agreed only Monday to resume

work on the committee after they walked out to protest the

assassination of two of their colleagues this month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 59, to Establish Women's Suffrage Commemoration Day.

With this Commemoration Day, we pay tribute to our foremothers, who worked tirelessly for generations to gain the right to vote.

We acknowledge that the journey to equality is long and difficult, but it is well worth the fight.

And we pledge to keep the struggle for women's rights alive.

The journey towards women's rights in America is as old as our country itself. While John Adams drafted the Constitution at the Continental Congress, his wife counseled, ``Remember the ladies,'' but the Constitution made no mention of women's rights.

So our foremothers fought on.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton declared that all men and women are created equal.

Susan B. Anthony was arrested for casting a ballot and refused to pay the bail.

Between 1917 and 1919, over a thousand women held a vigil outside of the White House, asking, ``How long must women wait for liberty?''

Finally, in 1920, with the 19th Amendment, women won the right to participate in our democratic process.

As we remember the long and arduous battle for women's suffrage, let us also remember the right not yet won. 157 years ago, Elizabeth Cady Stanton called for equal rights for all Americans. It is time for our Constitution to echo that sentiment. There is no better tribute to our brave foremothers than to pass the Equal Rights Amendment.

Only the ERA can prevent women's rights from being rolled back. Afghanistan, Bosnia

and Herzegovina, Finland, Austria, and Portugal are just a handful of the countries that already guarantee non-discrimination based on sex in their constitutions. It is time we join their ranks.

Alice Paul used to say, ``When you put your hand to the plow, you can't put it down until you get to the end of the row.''

For Alice and Elizabeth, for Sojourner and Lucretia, for our foremothers, our grandmothers and our daughters, let us put our hands to the plow and pass the ERA.