Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 352) providing that the House of Representatives will focus on removing barriers to competitiveness of the United States economy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 352.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Tiahrt).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to respond to the gentleman with regard to Ireland. Surely they have improved their public education system. And, furthermore, they have lowered their regulatory burden and cut taxes. I think those two areas are largely responsible for their growing economy and the increased opportunity in Ireland.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Tiahrt).

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

First I want to respond to a few comments made by the opposition here. There is a lot of talk about a nonbinding resolution, but this House today is going to take up four bills to reform OSHA that will help small businesses and their enterprises be more competitive and their employees be more competitive in the global economy. Health care, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) brought up health care, and he very well knows that the Committee on Education and the Workforce that he sits on as the ranking member is addressing health care. We recognize that health care is a problem. We recognize that the plight of the uninsured is a problem. And yet I will say as a physician, as someone who has dealt with health care on a daily basis, universal government-run health care is not the answer.

We need to continue to address this problem and support solutions like association health plans, something that we have already taken up in committee and will be coming to the floor soon. This will help get people who are uninsured back on to the rolls of being insured. This will help small businesses provide insurance for those who lack insurance today.

We need to continue to expand health savings accounts. These have already begun to help many Americans, but we need to continue to work on this. This is the future of health care. This is how we are going to create a competitive health care environment that will bring down the cost and make it affordable for all Americans.

And we need medical liability reform. We need medical liability reform. No question about it. And this Congress will address these issues.

So to say this is a nonbinding resolution, surely it makes a statement about some of the needs that we need to work on, but at the same time this Congress is addressing all of those issues; and we ask our colleagues across the aisle to join us to pass these bills so that we can help those Americans in need and we can increase our competitiveness on the global market.

I support this resolution, and I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) and the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Tiahrt) for their tireless work to remove barriers on U.S. companies, to ensure that America can be competitive in the global economy.

American businessmen and -women are second to none in resourcefulness, entrepreneurial spirit, business ingenuity; and the government should foster, not stifle, these qualities.

I mentioned, as a member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, that we are going to work on OSHA reform and AHPs. These are commonsense good measures that will improve our competitiveness.

Frivolous lawsuits, costly health insurance, an overly complicated Tax Code, skyrocketing energy costs, compliance with innumerable Federal and State regulations result in small businesses spending more time just trying to comply with government and government laws and regulations than growing their businesses, creating jobs, and generating revenue. Yet because of the entrepreneurial spirit of these Americans and many small businesses that we have out there, they do survive and even thrive despite all these adversities.

Let me talk about my district in southwest Louisiana for a moment, which has been known for its entrepreneurial spirit. Today, it is a spirit that continues to grow our agricultural influence, despite many adversities, and build small businesses that are grabbing the eye of the global market. We have a port, the 11th largest port in the country, the Port of Lake Charles. Once known as a regional provider, it has grown into an economic engine for our State and our Nation. And as it continues to increase in size, it is moving larger numbers of products into the United States and out into the world.

Our economic developers are finding ways to attract businesses that have never before known the advantages of doing business in Louisiana. Let me give an example. Lafayette Economic Development Authority is a prime example of showcasing the educational and technological benefits of Louisiana's Seventh Congressional District to attract companies to our area. Gregg Gothreaux heads up this organization and has strived to capitalize on an outstanding workforce to make Lafayette a competitive force in the business world. In fact, in the year 2004, Inc. Magazine named Lafayette, Louisiana, one of the best places to do business. And 3 months ago, Entrepreneur Magazine named Lafayette one of the top technology centers in the South, based on its appeal and ability to attract high-tech companies.

Another great example from my district is a small business with 15 employees headed up by Rick Broussard, and he has been able to attract the United States Marine Corps with a service by building these drone airplanes. And he is hoping to build his business, employing hopefully in the

near future 100 employees, so that he can improve his competitiveness and raise his revenue and contribute to the competitiveness of our country and our defense initiatives.

He is not an isolated example. There are many examples in Louisiana and around this country that are competing, despite the regulatory burden, the tax burden and other added costs of doing business.

Mr. Speaker, it is our job, it is our job as elected officials to ensure that our businesses have the necessary tools to compete in this global economy, and this Congress will address these issues.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished Majority Leader, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds to respond.

I would remind the gentleman that these tax cuts have led to an economic growth of 3.8 percent and significant job growth, so I would remind him that these are pro-economic growth policies.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Tiahrt).

Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Tiahrt), who has worked so hard to ensure the competitiveness of this country.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 358 I was inadvertently detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of one of the constituents in my district. Delores M. Handy has been a valuable employee of the Acadia Parish Tax Assessor's Office for over 3 decades. On June 30th, 2005, she will retire after 33 years of service to her community.

This woman, affectionately known as Dee, has become a friendly face in local government. The most common phrase used to describe her is ``tremendous asset.'' Working at the counter in the Assessor's Office, she will always be remembered as a woman who greeted every customer with a smile and an offer to help them solve whatever problems they were facing. Through the years, she has developed friendships with people from every walk of life and no one left her office without feeling like she had done everything possible to serve their needs.

I join the residents of Acadia Parish, along with the people of the 7th District, in thanking Delores Handy for her contribution to making Southwest Louisiana a great place to live. She is a fine example of what is right in our government and will be missed.

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

I rise in support of the Jo Ann Davis of Virginia amendment which would allow the Department of Defense to continue its prior support of youth organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America and its affiliates.

The Boy Scouts of America is a valuable organization which has served thousands of children and young adults since 1910, teaching them the value of family, community, service and leadership. The Department of Defense has sponsored affiliates of the Boy Scouts of America for years, providing valuable support by holding meetings, camping events and other activities on Defense property, as well as hosting official events. That partnership will come to a halt if Congress does not act.

In order to settle a lawsuit, the Department of Defense agreed to instruct its bases worldwide not to sponsor Boy Scout troops because of the Scouts' oath of allegiance to God. How can we as a Nation punish an organization for a pledge similar to that which every single enlistee and officer swears before God as a prerequisite for service to our country?

By passing this amendment, we will ensure that youth organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America, are not discriminated against because of their values and beliefs; and for that reason, I urge adoption of this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, this is the second time this week that the House has considered the important issue of life of the unborn.

I rise in strong opposition to the Davis amendment which attempts for the ninth time in 9 years to repeal a provision of law which prevents military doctors from performing abortions at overseas military hospitals.

As a physician, I have dedicated my life to healing and nurturing human life. Military hospitals, which are paid entirely with taxpayer dollars, should not facilitate the taking of innocent human lives. Additionally, this does not take away a single existing right for women serving overseas, as they do have the option to travel to other locations for the procedure.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to preserve military hospitals as a place of healing and to vote against the Davis amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the majority leader for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to vigorously oppose H.R. 810. It is ethically wrong to destroy human life, and H.R. 810 would allow for Federal funding to destroy human embryos.

As a heart surgeon, I have dealt with life and death. I have held damaged hearts in these hands, and I have seen how powerful human emotions, coupled with hope, can be; but human emotions coupled with false hope and misinformation are dangerous.

Embryonic stem cells have not produced a single human treatment and have significant limitations. They are prone to transplant rejection, prone to tumor formation, and there is a significant risk for contamination with animal viruses.

Proponents of embryonic stem cell research are certainly aware of these problems, and that is why they view H.R. 810 as a stepping stone to human cloning.

Adult stem cells have been used to treat 58 human diseases, and they do so without taking away what we are trying to preserve in the first place: life. Yes, life.

For example, heart disease, the number one cause of death in the United States, coronary artery disease, has been successfully treated with adult stem cell therapies; and there have been 10 clinical trials that have been completed in human patients using bone marrow-derived adult stem cells to treat heart attack patients, damaged hearts.

And in one trial, patients who were bedridden, not able to walk, were found to be jogging on the beach or climbing eight flights of stairs after successful treatment.

Mr. Speaker, it is irresponsible to spend scarce Federal dollars on false promises when there are certainly alternatives with existing treatments that do not create an ethical dilemma. And for these reasons, I oppose H.R. 810 and urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this as well.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 190 I was inadvertently detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the great achievements and selfless service of Ms. Marcelle Fortier Citron of Lafayette, Louisiana. Ms. Citron has been helping the people of Acadiana for over fifty years. She began her service work in 1950, when she served as the co-chair for the Hospital Dental Clinic for Under- Privileged Children. During the 1950s she helped establish the Lafayette Day Nurseries, where underprivileged mothers could leave their children when they had to go to work. In 1962, Ms. Citron helped found the Pink Ladies and Candy Stripers for the Lafayette Sanitarium at the Lafayette General Hospital. She then served as the organization's president for three and a half years.

In 1982, Ms. Citron became a board member of the Faith House Battered Women's Shelter. She served on the board for nine years, including two as president. Frequently, Ms. Citron would provide shelter in her own home for the women and the families that

sought refuge at Faith House. During her time with the Faith House, it was recognized as one of the top five model shelters in the country by the Homeless in America Project. Even today Ms. Citron remains in touch with many of those she helped through the Faith House and often provides them with necessities.

In the late 1980s, Ms. Citron founded two non-profit organizations that have done immeasurable good for Acadiana. Foodnet was created in 1987. Foodnet provides food and necessities for lower income residents in Acadiana's eight parishes. During its eighteen years of existence, Foodnet has collected over 30,000 tons of food for the thirty food distribution agencies it supports. In 1989 Ms. Citron also founded Project RX, a program which provides free prescription drugs for those in financial distress. Today, this organization helps hundreds of needy obtain important and critical medications.

In recognition of her service, Ms. Citron has received numerous service awards. In 1990 she was named Outstanding Woman by the Business and Professional Women Association. She was then named Rotarian of the Year in 1991. Ms. Citron has also been awarded the Lafayette Civic Cup. Though she has received so much deserved notice of her great service, Ms. Citron nonetheless prefers to remain in the background of her organizations. She works not for public recognition but rather solely for the public good. I applaud Ms. Citron's work and commend the shining example of personal charity and kindness she sets for Acadiana.

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to acknowledge the contributions of a very special church in Louisiana's 7th Congressional District. For over fifty years, the Mount Olive Baptist Church has been a important part of the Lake Charles community, making countless contributions to the moral fabric of Southwest Louisiana. Today I want to praise this church especially for its commitment to the education of our youth. For the past twenty-five years, Mount Olive has run scholarship program that has allowed students in my district to become better educated and productive members of our society.

In 1980, Brother Charles Ellis came to the delegation with the idea of providing educational scholarships for children of the community. Under the supervision of Reverend N.D. Lee, the congregation began awarding scholarships to local students for $400. Today the church awards scholarships of $1,000. So far, over seventy students have benefited from this program.

This marks the 25th year that Mount Olive Baptist Church has supported the educational dreams of students. The church has taken upon itself the mission of improving their community in the most important way possible--by seeing to the education of tomorrow's leaders. I thank Mount Olive Baptist Church for this tremendous service and wish them all the best in continuing to set such a fine moral example in Southwest Louisiana.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from Delaware for yielding me this time. I want to thank the chairman for his leadership on this bill.

I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 366. This bill is important to Louisiana and to our country. Many students back home in my State, Louisiana, do not attend college; and they seek work opportunities immediately after high school or even before graduating. Louisiana's employers need proficient workers with training and education past the high school level to work in the energy, chemical, and high-tech industries. Voc ed programs are an avenue for these students to obtain advanced training or certification to enter the workforce ready to be productive.

SOWELA Technical Community College in Lake Charles, Louisiana, provides a number of accredited programs. The school is recognized as one of the top aircraft maintenance programs in the Nation, and they have successfully used Tech-Prep to engage area high school seniors as they finish high school.

This bill increases the focus on student achievement in core academic subjects such as math and science education that incorporate the use of technology and strengthen the transition from secondary to postsecondary education. The bill empowers States and local communities to insist on accountability and improvement for students. By establishing separate performance indicators for secondary and postsecondary students, it focuses on success at the local level and allows States and local communities to reward performance.

Furthermore, this bill would combine funding for the Tech-prep and Perkins State grant programs. This will give much needed flexibility for States, streamlining funding and ensuring current activities continue while the program as a whole is updated to meet the challenges of the future. This will also ensure that a greater share of the funds are targeted to the local level so that communities have more control over their programs.

Mr. Chairman, I urge passage of this bill. I hope the other Chamber will also take action, as well, to improve the vocational education opportunities for our students.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the withdrawal of the remaining Syrian troops from Lebanon on April 26, 2005. This withdrawal marks the end of a 29 year military presence which allowed Syria to unduly influence and manipulate Lebanon's government and people. During these years, dissenters of Syrian influence have been politically persecuted. Some have been abducted and others murdered.

Syria has played a devious role in Lebanon in the past decades. I do appreciate Syria's decision to recall its final troops in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559. However, Syria must completely stop imposing its influence and will on Lebanon. This will clear the way for the Lebanese to exert their rights to self government and bring about a more promising era in Lebanon's history.

It is my hope that the Lebanese people will use this landmark development to institute a free and equitable government. I do not pretend that establishing such a government will not be trying for the Lebanese people. The ethnic, religious, and political segmentation which fueled Lebanon's lengthy civil war still exist within the nation's borders. Now that the Syrian troops have departed, Maronite, Sunni, and Shi'a, Opposition and Loyalists will need to work together in order to form a stable and autonomous government for Lebanon.

Overcoming these types of divisions is inevitably a challenging task. However, I have great faith in the ability of the people of Lebanon to do so. In a recent poll conducted in Lebanon, citizens revealed that they derived their primary identification not as their religious or political orientation, but rather as being Lebanese. This is a promising indication of the direction which Lebanon's politics can take. If The people of Lebanon are able to make the welfare their nation rather than their own group interests their top priority, I am confident that Lebanon's government will be able to flourish.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the work that members of our armed forces are doing in Iraq. Too often, the news from Iraq is of attacks from insurgents, the political difficulties of forming a new democracy and international political gamesmanship. I want to highlight one effort by our troops to befriend the Iraqi citizens and demonstrate our commitment to democracy and freedom.

Sgt. Martin Schulthess is a member of the 256th Battalion of the Army National Guard and he is a paramedic with Acadian Ambulance Service. In patrols through Iraq, he and his troops have been able to earn the trust and friendship of the Iraqi citizens. After suffering under Saddam Hussein, they are struggling to create a civil society without fear of torture, imprisonment or death. These Iraqis know American and coalition forces support their efforts to govern themselves. They support the elimination of terrorist insurgents and former Baath Party members who do not want to establish a new government.

Sgt. Schulthess attributes a measure of his success to the small gifts he distributes to Iraqi children. These small hand-outs help to build the trust of the Iraqi people and gain their assistance. The ability of Sgt. Schulthess and the 256th Battalion to build and maintain these relationships has provided valuable intelligence to enhance the safety of our troops from Southwest Louisiana.

I am proud to represent Southwest Louisiana and the home of the 256th. I know the families and friends of these soldiers are ready for them to return home. Soldiers like Sgt. Schulthess set an example that all of Acadiana and Louisiana can be proud of. The kind of ingenuity, creativity, and initiative demonstrated by our troops will help to bring them home safely after planting the seeds of democracy in Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 8, the Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2005, and encourage my colleagues to pass this important legislation. This vital legislation will permanently repeal the estate tax, a tax that is unjust, inefficient, and harmful to small businesses, the backbone of our economy. Repeal of the Death Tax will create a system that is more equitable and more productive for our economy.

The Death Tax is a burden on our economy that costs the country between 170,000 and 250,000 jobs every year. In Louisiana, our family- owned farms have been faced with decreasing profitability and in many instances the Death Tax is an additional burden that they cannot carry; this tax is a leading cause of the dissolution for thousands of family- run businesses across the country. It also diverts resources from investment in capital, slowing research and development at a time when our country is facing growing competition around the world. We cannot afford to continue discouraging productivity and innovation.

Furthermore, the death tax is inefficient. Since the 1930's, revenue from the tax has fallen steadily as a percentage of total federal revenue. Compliance costs each year can be almost as high as the tax itself, around $22 billion in 2003; thus every dollar raised by the death tax is $2 that could have been invested in capital and new jobs.

The economic damage ofthe Death Tax is reason enough for its repeal, but it is also fundamentally unjust. The rate of taxation is as high as 47%, and this is in addition to the taxes that were already paid on the assets subject to this tax. The Death Tax also discourages hard work and savings and instead encourages large-scale consumption. At a time when we should and need to be encouraging individuals to save for their future, we cannot continue to send this mixed message.

By repealing the Death Tax we will create a tax policy that is more efficient, more equitable and more productive for our economy. I urge Congress to act today to permanently repeal the Death Tax and ensure that our future generations will be able to carry on the heritage of our forefathers.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to give my Special Order at this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the farming community of southwest Louisiana. During the March district work period, I held community meetings in all eight parishes of my district to discuss issues facing my constituents. At each meeting, farmers and their families filled the rooms to ask for help.

Farming in Louisiana is not just a job for these men and women, Mr. Speaker. They love the land that they work, and they want to ensure that their livelihood is preserved for generations to come, but they are struggling to survive. Unless Congress can come to their aid, these farmers may not be in business by the end of the year.

Let me give some examples. Steve Broussard is a banker in my district and Steve works with farm loans for local growers, and he told me four rice farmers in our district have been forced to quit already this year. By the end of this season, eight more could be out of business. For a rural community, farms are the foundation of a local economy. The closure of a single farm means the loss of a customer for many local businesses and a reduction of revenue for schools, public utilities, and hospitals in these communities.

Cindy Lahaye works in a hospital in Mamou, Louisiana; and Cindy told me that in this town of 3,500, they are feeling the ripple effect at their rural hospital because the surrounding farming community cannot afford health care at this time. This is a problem that begins with our farmers and affects every one of us.

In my recent conversations, I asked my constituents for input and suggestions on what could be done to provide relief for our farming community. First and foremost, Mr. Speaker, we must reopen important markets that have been closed for various political reasons. I had a farmer in Ville Platte, Louisiana, who told me, I have bins full of rice, but I am broke. Bumper crops in the past few years have caused prices to drop, and with a new crop going into the field, there is no place to move the surpluses from the past 2 years. Iraq, Iran, and Cuba were all some of the largest importers of U.S. rice, and all three of these export markets remain restricted.

Cuba, for example, had resumed importing agricultural commodities from U.S. farmers because of the provisions in the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000. A recent ruling by the Office of Foreign Assets Control threatens to derail this reemerging market. My colleague from Missouri has introduced a bill that could provide immediate relief for the rice farmers of my district. H.R. 1339 amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to clarify allowable payment terms for sales of agricultural commodities and products to Cuba.

I am proud to cosponsor this bill, and I pledge my support for this legislation.

Secondly, taxpayer dollars dedicated to the United States Agency for International Development and the PL 480 program should be used to purchase U.S. commodities and not foreign food. The program serves two purposes. One, it provides emergency and nonemergency food aid to countries in need; and, secondly, the program helps American farmers since the money is used to purchase American agricultural products.

Wynn Watkins of Jefferson Davis Paris, Mr. Speaker, told me this. Congressman Boustany, he said, all we have here is rice. It is the busiest time of the year for us, and we all came out of our fields to hear you speak today. We are being asked to send our boys to Iraq and Iraq cannot take our rice. Where is the justice in that? I agree with Wynn Watkins, Mr. Speaker.

USAID's budget proposal would transfer $300 million of the agency's $1.2 billion of food aid funding for 2006, and the transferred funds would be used to purchase foreign food for emergency relief. As a member of the Committee on Agriculture, I am opposed to this transfer.

Third, we need to improve the counter cylical payment process. A higher-than-expected final price for rice in 2004 significantly reduced last year's payments. Many farmers mistakenly based their budgets and capital investments on information found on the National Agriculture Statistics Service Web site. The number had not been adjusted for 3 months, and the USDA and the NASS need to reform their calculation and communication strategies to avoid future such incidents. I have asked Secretary Johanns to look into this, and I urge him to be flexible with the farmers who must repay these advances.

Fourth, rising fuel prices and the surging cost of fertilizer have nearly doubled the cost of production for the farmers in my district. We must pass a long-term, comprehensive energy policy. Abundant, affordable and reliable energy is critical, critical to the success of our agriculture industry.

And, finally, we must honor the promises made to our farmers in the 2002 farm bill. Larry Sarver, from Crowley, Louisiana, told me that in 2002 he had a 6-year agreement with the Federal Government and he made budget and capital investment decisions. We need to protect this farm bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the efforts of an extraordinary group of gentlemen from the 7th Congressional District of Louisiana. The Men's Basketball team of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette brought spirit and pride to my hometown with a Sunbelt Conference Tournament Championship and qualification for the 2005 NCAA Basketball Tournament. First year Head Coach Robert Lee demonstrated he has the character and leadership qualities to mold these young men into not only great athletes, but into respected members of our community.

I am very proud to acknowledge the effort and achievement of Head Coach Robert Lee, Assistant Coaches Rennie Bailey, Carlin Hartman and Jason Kennemer. I also want to congratulate the players on their achievements in the 2004-05 season--Orien Green, Brian Hamilton, Chris Cameron, Dwayne Mitchell, Tiras Wade, Spencer Ford, Ross Mouton, Adam James, Derek Gray, Cletis Fobbs, Anthony Rhodman, and Alphonso Williams. Finally, it is important to recognize the Rajin' Cajuns staff--Trainer Travis Soileau, and Managers Chase Mancuso, Will Keliner and Khadim Kandji.

The 2004-05 season was a great success and these young men and their coaches should be proud of their achievements. I want to thank them for bringing enthusiasm and excitement to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the Southwest Louisiana community.

Geaux Cajuns!