Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, October 8, 2004, I regrettably missed recorded vote numbered 526. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye''.

Stated against:

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend six months of operation of Rx New Hampshire, a website and program designed to bring affordable prescription drug costs to New Hampshire residents. Launched on April 5, 2004, it has already hosted more than 14,000 visits and is responsible for hundreds of anecdotal cases of Granite Staters using the information to save on their needed medications.

New Hampshire Governor Craig Benson is a leader on this issue and has demonstrated that affordable prescription drugs and safety are not mutually exclusive goals. In order to provide citizens with the confidence to use any of the screened pharmacies located in Canada listed on the State website at http://www.state.nh.us/governor/ prescription/prescription.httnl, Governor Benson directed the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services to identify only those Canadian pharmacies that meet strict domestic and international accreditation standards. Onsite inspections of facilities in Canada have also been performed by independent New Hampshire pharmacists for each listed provider. Samples have been bought and shipped through the normal process and were analyzed for active ingredients at the NH State Police Forensic Laboratory and examined by the NH Board of Pharmacy. No significant difference between these drugs and a duplicate prescription list that was filled from local U.S. chain pharmacies was found.

For more information, I have linked the prescription drug section of my Congressional Web site at www.house.gov/bass to the Rx New Hampshire page and urge my House colleagues and all Americans to visit and examine the good work and solutions offered in the Granite State.

I again call on Congress and the Federal Drug Administration to adopt importation policies that do not stand in the way of such innovative and proven solutions to these growing costs. I am certain that Governor Benson and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services would be willing to lend their expertise to any other State or Federal agency wise enough to follow their lead.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from Illinois, for joining him in offering what I consider to be a bipartisan amendment.

I would only point out that Newdow on its face was based on a procedural issue of standing, and the math might be quite different if the decision was based upon substance rather than standing.

I rise in support of this amendment offered by my friend, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Watt). I sponsored H.R. 2028, along with 225 or so other Members of Congress, because I believe that we should have ``under God'' in the Pledge of Allegiance, and I voted on three other occasions in the same fashion.

There are two other issues involved here. The first is whether or not we want to make sure that we have ``under God'' in the Pledge of Allegiance, and the second issue is, do we want to take on a fundamental issue that has been debated in this country for over 200 years? And that is whether or not the Supreme Court has standing in appellate jurisdiction for issues that may be unconstitutional.

I come down on the side of the precedent that we have had in this country for the last 200 years. I support the Watt amendment because I support passage of the bill and the signing of the bill by the President of the United States. I want ``under God'' in the Pledge of Allegiance. I want to make policy. As a colleague of mine on the Republican side said yesterday, let us make policy, not make statements.

Vote for the Watt amendment and pass the bill.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, July 22, I regrettably missed recorded votes numbered 407 and 409. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on both measures.

Mr. Chairman, owing to weather-caused flight delays, I was regrettably absent on Monday, July 12, 2004, and consequently missed recorded votes numbered 359 and 360. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' and ``aye'' respectively on these votes.

Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Madam Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey). In response to my friend, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Taylor), the basic issue here is it is not necessary to kill American bison. As the gentleman mentioned when he said his opening remarks, the Department of Interior and the National Park Service both prominently display as their logos the American Buffalo. The 42nd Congress in 1872 passed legislation creating Yellowstone National Park, and it required that the Secretary of the Interior ``shall provide against the wanton destruction of the fish and game found within said park, and against their capture or destruction for the purpose of merchandise or profit.''

In 1999, the Congress spent $13 million to set aside additional Federal lands to ensure that animals in the park could migrate during the winter and summer seasons. This is in addition to the hundreds of millions of dollars which have been wisely spent to provide good stewardship of the land and protection of the wildlife for the public's benefit. Yet the National Park Service also spends millions to harass and shoot the very animals that they are supposed to be protecting. This past winter alone, they captured 482 bison and they killed 277 of them. It is absurd.

This expenditure is a waste of taxpayers' dollars when there are other reasonable methods to manage one of our Nation's premier wildlife icons.

Our amendment would place a 1-year moratorium on Park Service funding that is used for lethal management and would force the agency to redirect its resources toward common-sense wildlife management endeavors more in keeping with its proud record of stewardship. A few common-sense measures to safeguard livestock, fencing, vaccinations, working proactively would be far more productive and less destructive than the system and program we have in place today.

The buffalo and other wildlife are why we have this park in the first place. We allow cattle grazing on it because there is enough room for both resources, but then to use the false fears of cattle ranchers as an excuse to kill these buffalo is absurd. If the ranchers do not want to risk their cattle on these Federal lands, they have many different resources, but the bison do not.

Let us be clear, however. This is an amendment that is designed to halt the wasteful and unnecessary attack on the American bison. It is not about hunting and it would not affect traditional wildlife management tools such as hunting outside the national park. The basic question here is should we kill buffalo from Yellowstone National Park with one dollar while we spend other dollars on the other hand to protect them. To me it is one of these crazy concepts that needs to be stopped. It will be stopped if Members vote in favor of this amendment.

Madam Chairman, I urge the committee to support the pending amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Staff Sergeant Randy Scott Rosenberg of Berlin, New Hampshire. He bravely served the Army's Company B, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, and was considered a Task Force ``All-American'' soldier. Staff Sgt. Rosenberg made the ultimate sacrifice to protect his country and aid the Iraqi people when a vehicle-based improvised explosive device detonated near a U.S. checkpoint in Khalidiyah, Iraq, on January 24, 2004.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Staff Sergeant Randy Scott Rosenberg and our other servicemen and women who have courageously given their own lives in order to protect and defend the democracy we enjoy in America and to extend the freedoms that come with democracy to those who live in fear and oppression worldwide.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Private 1st Class Andrew D. Stevens of Stratham, New Hampshire. He bravely served the Army's 10th Mountain Division supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and earned his Expert Infantry Badge. Pfc. Stevens made the ultimate sacrifice in service to his country when the Blackhawk helicopter he was riding in tragically crashed during a training accident at the Fort Drum, New York on March 11, 2003.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Private 1st Class Andrew D. Stevens and our other servicemen and women who have courageously given their own lives in order to protect and defend the democracy we enjoy in America and to extend the freedoms that come with democracy to those who live in fear and oppression worldwide.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Sergeant Jeremiah ``Jay'' Holmes of Dover, New Hampshire. He bravely served the Army National Guard's 744th Transportation Company of Hillsborough, N.H., supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Holmes made the ultimate sacrifice to protect his country and aid the Iraqi people when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb on a bridge near Balad, Iraq, on March 29, 2004.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Sergeant Jeremiah ``Jay'' Holmes and our other servicemen and women who have courageously given their own lives in order to protect and defend the democracy we enjoy in America and to extend the freedoms that come with democracy to those who live in fear and oppression worldwide.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor LCpl Peter J. ``P.J.'' Sora, Jr. of Londonderry, New Hampshire. He bravely served the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division as an assistant machine gunner and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal. Lance Corporal Sora made the ultimate sacrifice in service to his country when the military vehicle he was riding in tragically rolled over during a training accident at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, in Twentynine Palms, California on May 4, 2004.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring LCpl Peter J. ``P.J.'' Sora, Jr. and our other service men and women who have courageously given their own lives in order to protect and defend the democracy we enjoy in America and to extend the freedoms that come with democracy to those who live in fear and oppression worldwide.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Sergeant William John Tracy, Jr. of Webster, New Hampshire. He bravely served the Army's Company B, 5-158th Aviation, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Sgt. Tracy made the ultimate sacrifice to protect his country and aid the Afghani people when his Blackhawk helicopter tragically crashed in Kuwait on February 25, 2003.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Sergeant William John Tracy, Jr. and our other service men and women who have courageously given their own lives in order to protect and defend the democracy we enjoy in America and to extend the freedoms that come with democracy to those who live in fear and oppression worldwide.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Sergeant 1st Class Robert Edward Rooney of Nashua, New Hampshire. He bravely served the U.S. Army National Guard's 379th Engineer Company, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Ferguson made the ultimate sacrifice to protect his country and aid the Iraqi people when he died of injuries he sustained in an accident at the Shuabai Port in Kuwait on September 25, 2003.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Sergeant 1st Class Robert Edward Rooney and our other service men and women who have courageously given their own lives in order to protect and defend the democracy we enjoy in America and to extend the freedoms that come with democracy to those who live in fear and oppression worldwide.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Master Sergeant Richard Lee Ferguson of Conway, New Hampshire. He bravely served the Army's 10th Special Forces Group supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Master Sgt. Ferguson made the ultimate sacrifice to protect his country and aid the Iraqi people when the military vehicle he was riding in tragically rolled over in Somara, Iraq on March 30, 2004.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Master Sergeant Richard Lee Ferguson and our other servicemen and women who have courageously given their own lives in order to protect and defend the democracy we enjoy in America and to extend the freedoms that come with democracy to those who live in fear and oppression worldwide.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a group of students and their teacher from Nashua High School South. After months of studying and hard fought competitions, this group proudly represented New Hampshire in the national finals of the ``We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution'' competition.

The students demonstrated their understanding of the Constitution before simulated congressional committees made up of constitutional scholars, lawyers, journalists, and government leaders. Their comprehension and knowledge of the founding principals our country is established upon earned the team a Unit Award for expertise in the ``Extension of the Bill of Rights.''

I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing these exceptional students from New Hampshire along with the more than 1,250 other high school students that also participated in the national finals. I proudly submit the members of the team for listing in the Congressional Record.

Daniel Aldrich, Rhiannon Campbell, Byron Chicklis, Aaron Chilelli, Keith Crouse, Nathan Domingues, Charles Dowdell, Amanda A. Duquette, Timothy E. Gilpatrick, Tara Goulet, Melissa Hodges, Eileen Hynes, James Kaklamanos, and Erik Kiser.

Cassandra Loftus, Gregory M. McDonald, Christie McHugh, Peter McNamee, Caitlin Meagher, Catherine Ngo, Michelle Potter, Adam Rheault, Michael Snelgrove, Philip Trzcinski, Matthew Van Wagner, Erin Lynne Walford, and Tarin LaFrance, Teacher.

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to announce significant milestones for two New Hampshire institutions: 141 years for the Manchester Union Leader and 50 years for WMUR-TV.

As Presidential candidates competing in our First-in-the-Nation Primary can tell you every 4 years--and I can tell you every day--these media outlets provide vital information to thousands of Granite Staters every day. The Union Leader has done it since March 31, 1863--WMUR for the past 50 years this month.

The breadth and depth of the coverage these different sources provide ought to be a model for local press everywhere. One is locally owned and the other by one of the world's largest diversified communications companies.

At a time when citizens have access to more sources of news, weather, and entertainment than ever before, each is a significant part of the New Hampshire community and a respected center of journalism.

I offer my congratulations for the Union Leader's and WMUR's many decades of community service and best wishes for continued coverage in the decades to come.