Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the ordering of the yeas and nays on adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 454 be vacated, to the end that the concurrent resolution be laid upon the table.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of today, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Sensenbrenner, Ranking Member Conyers and Representatives Watt for their work and leadership on this legislation.

H.R. 4019 is a technical amendment to Public Law 104-95. This legislation clarifies that all retirees should be treated the same with regard to how States may tax retirement payments.

In 1996, Congress passed Public Law 104-95 to prohibit States from taxing the retirement income of nonresident retirees. Essentially, if retirees, most of whom are on fixed incomes, are not living in the State, then no State except the State where the individual resides should tax the retirees' incomes.

After passage of the 1996 law, most States interpreted the law, as it was intended, to apply to all retirees, including employees and partners. One State, however, has recently taken the position that it can treat retired employes of a company and retired partners from partnership differently. This State's interpretation is contrary to the original intent of the law and would allow for a State to tax the retirement payments of a person who retires from a partnership, no matter where that retiree is living. This was not the intent of Congress when the bill was passed, as was emphasized at our hearing by our former colleague Mr. Gekas, who was chair of the subcommittee when Public Law 104-95 was enacted. Congress intended for all retirees to be treated the same under the law, and H.R. 4019 simply clarifies that intent. States must treat all retirees similarly.

I have worked with the State tax administrators and crafted a manager's amendment that passed the full committee by voice vote in order to alleviate their initial concerns, an appreciate their efforts in coming to the table to reach agreement.

I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 4019.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment that I offer on behalf of myself, Mr. Mark Udall, Mr. Rob Bishop, Mr. Rahall, Mr. Gibbons, and Mr. Salazar to redirect $16 million from Departmental salaries and expenses to the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program.

I am pleased to be working with this bipartisan group and thank the gentlemen for their support. All of us have something in common: we represent some of the 1,900 counties that host public lands that rely on the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program to mitigate the impact of the lost tax revenues resulting from Federal land ownership.

The Federal Government owns nearly 650 million acres of land, most of it in the West. The map I have here has all land owned or held in trust by the Federal Government in red. As you look at this map, you can see that we have a problem: the Federal Government owns the bulk of the West. That means that we do not tax those lands, and that means that in the western United States we pay less per child for education but we tax our people more per family because we are supporting the Federal Government.

As the chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, I know well that my fellow colleagues in the West struggle with these issues. It is only fair that we pay a reasonable amount in lieu of taxes to cover this shortfall. The Payment in Lieu of Taxes program was created in 1976 to provide payments to counties to make up for the property taxes they are prevented from collecting on Federal lands located within their boundaries. This year, the administration's budget proposed to cut PILT by $34 million, a paltry 56 percent of the authorized level.

Under Chairman Taylor's leadership, and I might say also Ranking Member Dicks', we have been able to achieve historic levels of PILT funding. We thank them both for that and for their efforts this year that have nearly restored last year's PILT funding levels.

While the number currently in the bill is significantly above the administration's recommendation, it is well under last year's level and far from what it should be, and our counties are bearing the brunt of it.

While the Department's administrative budget has nearly doubled since 2001, PILT funding levels have not kept pace, and this is not acceptable.

It is imperative that we keep fighting for funding so our rural counties will not have to continue to foot the bill for lands owned by the Federal Government.

I urge my colleagues to support the amendment to bring PILT funding levels to the nearly 70 percent of authorization and support the counties that host our public lands.

This amendment will add a modest sum to the PILT program, a sum that is important to the American people who live in and around these Federal lands and those who travel to them and enjoy them from around country.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall).

(Mr. UDALL of Colorado asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Salazar).

(Mr. SALAZAR asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from Colorado for his comments, and I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).

Mr. Chairman, I yield the remaining 1 minute to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop).

Offered By: Mr. Cannon

Amendment No. 10: Page 46, line 8, after the dollar amount

insert ``(reduced by $18,000,000)''.

Page 47, line 1, after the first dollar amount insert

``(increased by $16,000,000)''.

Offered By: Mr. Cannon

Amendment No. 10: Page 46, line 8, after the dollar amount

insert ``(reduced by $18,000,000)''.

Page 47, line 1, after the first dollar amount insert

``(increased by $16,000,000)''.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the dedicated dentists and physicians who volunteer in my home state of Utah to provide much needed care to low-income, uninsured residents in my district.

An estimated one-third of Utah County residents lack dental insurance. Hundreds of thousands of school hours and even more work hours are lost every year due to oral pain when families cannot afford to visit a dentist. In Utah, needy patients are linked with dental providers who are willing to see patients on a charity basis.

For example, a constituent of mine was a patient suffering from severe oral pain due to three abscesses. She had been working full- time; however, she did not have dental insurance through her employment. Even with her full-time wages, she made less than $1,500 a month--which put her family of four more than 150 percent below the poverty level. Fortunately, through a system of volunteer dentists, this constituent was able to schedule an emergency appointment with one of the dentists in a local volunteer provider network. The dentist was able to see her in his office the next day.

This is just one of many success stories among patients who are treated by volunteer dentists and physicians, none of which would be possible without the dedicated professionals who volunteer to give back to their community. I commend the dentists in Utah who willingly donate their time, their resources, and their skill as dentists to help the less-fortunate members of their own community. Their service and commitment in helping the underserved is a testament to the strength of the local community, and I applaud their efforts.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to commend Chairmen Sensenbrenner and King for their work on the manager's amendment to

Mr. Chairman, as we conclude the debate on H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act, I wanted to share with my colleagues a thoughtful letter I received outlining Republican philosophy and the need for comprehensive immigration reform.

December 16, 2005.

Dear Member of Congress: Watching the action in the House

of Representatives this week, we feel compelled to write and

express our disappointment with the direction of the debate

about immigration.

There can be no question: we as a nation need to retake

control of our borders and restore the rule of law in our

communities. But enforcement alone--without more realistic,

more enforceable laws in line with our need for foreign

workers to do jobs Americans no longer want to do--will not

solve the problem of illegal immigration.

The restrictionist wing of the Republican Party--those who

would revoke birthright citizenship for immigrants and build

a fence from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico--has been

getting most of the air time this week. These members have

seized on an emotional issue, and party leaders have humored

them--at the expense of more reasonable Republicans

advocating broader, more realistic reform.

But make no mistake: the reform-minded wing of the party is

alive and well--and standing ready for the next phase of the

battle, in the Senate and beyond.

Who makes up the reform wing? There are political

operatives like Ken Mehlman concerned about how immigration

plays with Latino voters. There are business-friendly

Republicans at the Wall Street Journal, the Cato Institute

and elsewhere who know that immigration is good for the

economy: not just good for individual employers--in

agriculture, food-processing, hospitality, health care,

construction and other sectors--who depend on these workers

to keep their businesses open and growing, but also for

native-born workers employed by these companies and others

that trade with them.

There are security-minded Republicans like Homeland

Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and his predecessor Tom

Ridge who know that creating a system for immigrant laborers

to enter the country legally is the best way to free up

border agents whose real job is protecting us from

terrorists. And then there are Republicans like Ronald Reagan

and now George W. Bush who understand in a more general way

that immigrants are good for the country: that they bring

entrepreneurial energy and family values and fresh

patriotism--and that, as Reagan emphasized, the nation must

remain a beacon to the world.

None of these Republicans think enforcement or legality are

unimportant. But they are convinced that the best way to

restore the rule of law is to start with more honest, more

enforceable immigration quotas--a temporary worker program

more in line with the reality of our labor needs--and then

make those realistic limits stick with all the means at our

disposal. This is the approach that the Senate will almost

certainly pursue when it turns to immigration in January or

February, and it is the approach the President hopes to sign

into law, perhaps as soon as next spring.

House Republican leaders face a difficult challenge--

precisely because of the way the issue divides us from one

other. But we remain convinced that reason--and the party's

traditional values--will prevail in the end. Instead of

trying punitively to enforce unrealistic law, the majority of

the GOP will eventually come together around an immigration

policy worthy of the label Republican--one that encourages

the American Dream and rewards work, even as it restores the

rule of law and enhances national security.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support HR 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act.

The debate over our nation's immigration policy has steadily moved from the back of the newspaper to the front page. I should know. I've been working on this issue since I first came to the House of Representatives in 1996.

Americans are rightly concerned about the security and the integrity of our nation's borders because the very system designed to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into our country is broken. Current statistics estimate that we now have at least 10 million illegal aliens in this country.

Mr. Chairman, if we are going to fix this system, it is important that we fix it in the right way, comprehensively, so that we are not back debating this issue within a year.

We need a system that will encourage well-intentioned, contributing aliens out of the shadows so they can be identified. Standing on the soap box, spouting fire and brimstone is not going to do that, but laws implementing a guest worker program will.

From 1990 to 2000, the number of U.S. Border Patrol agents nearly tripled, but illegal immigration increased by as much as 5.5 million. Increasing enforcement resources to keep out willing immigrant workers, as we did throughout the 1990s, has obviously failed.

Mr. Chairman, as most are well aware, I have long stated that enforcement, border security and a guest worker program are the pieces of the puzzle that need to be linked together to allow us to effectively control our border. A broader strategy that includes both enforcement and the creation of adequate legal channels for immigration serves our nation's interests.

Our immigration laws and policies must reflect the realities we face today. Our economy demands workers, but our national security demands that we identify those lurking in the shadows.

An editorial that ran on KSL-TV of Utah last week stated: ``Steps must be taken to stop the torrential northward flow of illegal workers. As that is accomplished, attention can focus on rationally dealing with the millions of illegal immigrants already here. A realistic temporary worker program, in some form, must be part of the effort.''

Mr. Chairman, KSL has it right. Enhanced enforcement must be a priority for immigration policy, but as part of today's debate, we must realize that we owe it to our constituents to resolve all the issues that contribute to true immigration reform and that includes a guest worker program.

I would like to note that the Mexican government and their President Vincente Fox have taken steps to work cooperatively with the United States to protect our southern border. What often goes unnoticed in the immigration debate is Mexico's efforts to reign in organized crime, stymie drug trafficking and the ongoing cooperation between our Attorney Generals to combat narcotics, illegal immigration and related violence on the border. The OASISS, a prosecution program launched by our countries this year to stop human smuggling by criminal rackets, has helped stem the illegal flow of persons, but there is more to do. President Fox has shown himself to be an ally of America's national and economic security by standing up to the dictators of Latin America, like Hugo Chavez, and this should not go unnoticed.

I encourage my colleagues to support this bill. Broader immigration reform has been outlined by President Bush, and there are ideas in both Houses of Congress that will restore public confidence in a safe and secure immigration system.

I stand committed to seeing comprehensive immigration reform passed out of Congress and sent to the President for his signature. That is what America wants and needs.

I would like to thank Chairman Sensenbrenner for his tireless work on this issue. I support this bill as the first step in the process towards true immigration reform.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 487) supporting the goals and ideals of Korean American Day.

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. 487.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 487, which supports the goals and ideals of a Korean American Day and recognizes the 103rd anniversary of the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States.

Korean Americans have played an important part in American society since January 13, 1903, when over 100 pioneer Korean immigrants arrived in America.

I am proud to say this last century is chock-full of significant, creative Korean-American accomplishments from Jam Kim, the first Korean-American to serve in the United States House of Representatives, to Eugene Chung, first Korean-American to be selected in

the first round of the NFL draft. To commemorate this remarkable period, the Centennial Committees of Korean Immigration and Korean- Americans designated January 13 of each year as Korean-American Day.

The Korean-American community has created a successful community at large and has established a deep sense of culture and heritage for the upcoming generations. It has become a centralizing force that promotes progress and unity of Korean-Americans, as well as preserves their close historical ties with Korean-American ancestors.

Korean-Americans have played an integral part in helping the United States grow our principles of strong family ties, support for our community as well as aspiring for success. With their contributions to the economic vitality of the U.S. global marketplace, they have also rejuvenated businesses, churches and academic communities in the United States.

The Korean-American population has made enormous contributions to all facets of American life, including to the United States military. At least 4,000 Korean-Americans serve in the U.S. Armed Forces with approximately 25 percent serving in Iraq currently. In addition, Korean-Americans score among the top tier in academic tests and scholastic accomplishments.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful that H. Res. 487 will serve to bring the well-deserved recognition to a community that has given so much in leadership and heritage to our Nation.

I would like to thank Chairman Tom Davis for introducing this important resolution and urge my colleagues to join me in its adoption.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to my distinguished colleague and friend from the Commonwealth of Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis).

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), my friend and colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield so much time as he may consume, given the constraint that we may have, to the gentleman from the Commonwealth of Virginia (Mr. Moran).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to again thank both the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for their work on this bill and bringing it forward, and I want to urge all Members to support the adoption of H. Res. 487.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4295) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12760 South Park Avenue in Riverton, Utah, as the ``Mont and Mark Stephensen Veterans Memorial Post Office Building''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I introduced H.R. 4295 to honor two individuals for their patriotic service and ultimate sacrifice for their country. All members of the Utah congressional delegation have cosponsored this legislation to pay homage to these brave and capable soldiers.

Mont and Mark Stevenson were brothers who shared many things. Both were born in Riverton, Utah; both attended Brigham Young University; and most importantly, both answered their country's call to war.

Mont joined the Army Air Corps and served during World War II, while Mark joined the Air Force and served during Vietnam. Mont achieved the rank of captain, while his brother achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Sadly, both of these brave men were killed serving their country. In a

bombing mission over Germany on December 23, 1944, Mont's plane was shot down, and he was reported as being killed in action. He was initially buried in Luxemburg, but was moved and buried in Riverton with full honors after the war's end.

During Vietnam, Mark was shot down on his 94th combat mission, a recon flight over Hanoi. He went down with the plane and was reported missing in action or killed in action on April 29, 1967. Mark was declared dead by the government in 1978, and in 1988 his remains were discovered. Mark was also buried in Riverton with full military honors.

This legislation is not the first honor that these heroes have received. In 1982, Hill Air Force Base renamed their base theater in honor of these two men. Passage of this legislation will allow two brothers that lost their lives while defending our great Nation to receive the honor of having their names placed on their hometown's post office building.

I want to thank Chairman Davis for his support and work on this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4107) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1826 Pennsylvania Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland, as the ``Maryland State Delegate Lena K. Lee Post Office Building''.

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 the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4107, legislation authored by the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings). The bill would designate this post office in Baltimore, Maryland, as the Lena K. Lee Post Office Building. All Members of the Maryland delegation have cosponsored this legislation.

A woman with undying ambition and an unstoppable desire to help others, the Honorable Lena K. Lee, was often referred to as a master teacher, union leader, lawyer, and legislator. Her leadership example through the years has provided countless opportunities for young and determined African Americans in Maryland.

Delegate Lee received her bachelor's degree from Morgan State University in 1939 and her master's from New York University in 1947. Before her days in politics, Delegate Lee was a teacher and eventually a principal in the Baltimore City public school system. In 1952, she became the third woman to receive her law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law.

In 1967, she began a 16-year term as the first African American female lawyer to serve in the House of Delegates. During her tenure, she fought to eradicate social inequality and advocated tirelessly for women's rights. In addition, Delegate Lee was instrumental in helping Morgan State College achieve university status and in saving the Orchard Street Church, a site of the Underground Railroad, from destruction. She has also served as an advocate for the health of Maryland prisoners as well as a supporter in the reconstruction of the new Provident Hospital.

She served as a member of numerous organizations, such as the NAACP, the Urban League, the League of Women Voters. Most notably, she was the first African American woman to serve as the vice-chair of the Baltimore City delegation to the general assembly, and one of the founders of the Women Legislators of Maryland and the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus.

She has been the recipient of numerous awards, honors, and citations, including the Presidential Citation from the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education and membership into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame.

I encourage all Members to come together to pass H.R. 4107 to honor Delegate Lena K. Lee for her constant perseverance and courage in her quest for equality.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support passage of H.R. 4107, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 218) recognizing the centennial of sustained immigration from the Philippines to the United States and acknowledging the contributions of our Filipino-American community to our country over the last century.

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 the resolution under consideration.

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

I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 218 introduced by the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case). This resolution would recognize the centennial of sustained immigration from the Philippines to the United States and acknowledge the contributions of our Filipino- American community to our country over the last century.

According to the 2000 census, there are 2.4 million Filipino- Americans currently residing in the United States. Two of the most concentrated States being California with 1.1 million Filipino- Americans and the State of Hawaii with over 250,000. The United States and the Philippines have built a lasting relationship starting with the period of United States governance between 1898 and 1946. After its independence in 1946, the Philippines have proven to be one of this country's most local international allies.

The contributions to the United States of Filipino-Americans are seen in all facets of our society. They have served in the armed forces, in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the current fight against terrorism in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Their rich culture and ideals have also surfaced in our society by their contributions to the arts, politics, medicine and many other areas.

In December 2005, the Filipino Centennial Celebration Commission in Hawaii will begin a year-long observance of the 100th anniversary of the first Filipino arrivals in the State. The first 15 Filipino immigrants arrived in Honolulu on December 6, 1906, and presently, the Filipino and part-Filipino component of the State population is now roughly 23 percent.

More and more, Filipinos and Americans of Filipino ancestry are assuming positions of power and responsibility in the State and in the private sector. Filipinos have made their mark on United States soil since they started arriving 100 years ago, and the momentum continues to make that mark even greater and will continue to do so in the years to come.

I urge all Members to join me in recognizing the numerous contributions that the Filipino-American population has made in the United States and celebrate the centennial of sustained immigration from the Philippines to the United States.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 574) congratulating the Los Angeles Galaxy on their victory in the 2005 Major League Soccer championship.

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 the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise with some jealousy in support of House Resolution 574, introduced by the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra). This resolution would congratulate the Los Angeles Galaxy on their victory in the 2005 Major League Soccer championship. It is my hope that the Salt Lake Real may someday emulate the Galaxy.

The second MLS title for the club, the 1-0 win over the New England Revolution in extra time, marked the dominance of one of the most experienced and talented teams in Major League Soccer. Although a veteran squad, the beginning of the season was plagued with inconsistent play in which the team fought to recover. The ups and downs of the season, however, did not stop the Galaxy from concentrating on reaching the title contest.

After a loss in the regular season finale, the Galaxy made one of the most impressive runs in playoff history. They knocked off the number one seed in the West in the first round and then took the road to beat Colorado. Finally, when reaching the championship, they took out the number one seeded team in the East with a thrilling goal from Guillermo Ramirez in the first overtime period. Now qualified for two international tournaments next season, the Galaxy has a chance to repeat as MLS champions, as well as a chance to give their fans and supporters an even more exciting and satisfying season.

I urge all Members to join me in congratulating the Los Angeles Galaxy in their successful and momentous season by adopting House Resolution 574.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra) for having introduced this bill, and I urge Members to support adoption of House Resolution 574.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of S. 52, the Senate companion bill to an identical bill I introduced earlier this year. This legislation is important to my constituents, it would allow Beaver County, Utah to obtain and maintain the former Minersville State Park without restrictions.

This legislation would permit county officials to sell a small portion of this land to offset funding needed to operate and maintain the park.

In 1963, the BLM first granted a patent to Beaver County, Utah for the lands that are now part of Minersville State Park, and in 1964, title was transferred to the State of Utah Division of Parks and Recreation.

However, under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, Utah did not have authority to transfer title. Over the years, the State of Utah has made significant improvements to the Park, including building restrooms, campgrounds, a boat launch ramp, an entrance station, a pavilion and a maintenance building.

Under S. 52, Beaver County would be authorized to sell, at fair market value, portions of the property solely for maintenance and development of the recreational site.

Allowing the county this authority is vital to provide for adequate park maintenance. Currently, the park estimates that it is losing approximately $90,000 annually.

This legislation gives Beaver County the necessary flexibility to generate revenue for continued use, without which Utah will be forced to close the park.

Minersville State Park is a beautiful recreational site and extremely important to the residents, my constituents, in the surrounding area. Passage of this bill will prevent the park from closing by enabling the county to maintain and operate the park.

S. 52 is important legislation to both Beaver County and to my state of Utah. This legislation passed the Senate unanimously both in the 108th Congress and in late July of this year.

I urge passage of this legislation, it will benefit Utahns and all those who wish to visit this park.