Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a dynamic Hoosier who passed away yesterday December 16, 2005 at the grand age of 79 years old. I knew Jennie Mae Freeland Keller very well and she was truly a very special person. One of six children born into a poor and struggling family from southern Indiana, she was an art and music prodigy. At the age of 15 she moved from Connersville, Indiana to live with her older sister in Indianapolis so she could attend art school classes at Herron School of Art and also attend Shortridge High School--known for its superior music program. Jennie Mae was proud of having gotten straight A's all through school and later in life she would learn she was a Mensa. While at school she excelled with her chosen musical instrument--the cello--though she never read a note of music. It is perhaps fitting that she passed away while listening to the classical music she so loved in life, and with a video of America's most beautiful sights playing in the background.

Described by her children as the ``Laura Petrie'' of her neighborhood, Jennie Mae always merrily accepted duties, such as collecting for the March of Dimes, or the Cancer Society--all while trying to raise five children. Two of those kids, Elizabeth and Claudia, have long been valuable members of my staff, and my heart goes out to them and their siblings in their time of grief. Mr. Speaker, Jennie Mae Keller may not go down in the history books as someone who changed the world, but she changed the lives of everyone around her or came through her life. She will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.

I respectfully ask my colleagues to join me in sending their deepest sympathies and heartfelt prayers to Jennie Mae Keller's family, and I ask unanimous consent to place a copy of Jennie Mae's obituary in the Congressional Record.

Jennie Mae, Freeland Keller. Born January 30, 1926

An accomplished artist and musician. In 1943 at the age of 17 was awarded the title of Miss World Peace shortly after the end of World War II. A loving and devoted mother and wife. A tireless volunteer for political freedom. A never ending fighter for what was

right, and not just politically correct. Will be sadly missed by all that knew and loved her. May God Bless her.

Mr. Speaker, the liberal media and my liberal colleagues are attacking the President for protecting America. The wiretaps that he has ordered are legal, and he informed the Intelligence Committees 12 times about them.

What are we going to do? Are we going to wait around until terrorists attack us and then say we ought to check what they are saying on the telephone to their al Qaeda buddies?

The fact of the matter is the President is defending the United States of America, and we should be supporting him.

The PATRIOT Act, which is being stuck in the Senate, needs to be passed. We need to get these guys and stop them before they attack buildings in New York or Indianapolis or California or Washington, D.C., and the President wants to do that. That is why the PATRIOT Act is so important.

Let's talk about torture. Putting a guy on a water board who is about to blow up a bunch of soldiers in Baghdad and holding him under the water for a little bit to make him tell us what he is going to do or if he is going to cut somebody's head off that is an innocent civilian, or go into a school and blow up a bunch of kids is not what I call terrible. We are not pulling out their fingernails or cutting off their heads. We need to put pressure on them to tell us what's going on so we can save Americans and American troops.

This is a war. It is not a tea party. And we need to win it. The President is doing the right thing, and we need to support him. God bless President Bush.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 252) expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the United States should actively support the aspirations of the democratic political and social forces in the Republic of Nicaragua toward an immediate and full restoration of functioning democracy in that country, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise today in strong support of this concurrent resolution that expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should actively support efforts in Nicaragua to move that country towards an immediate and full restoration of a functioning democracy.

Further, the resolution calls on the United States and the international community, including the Organization of American States, to actively support the government of Nicaragua and civil society as they work to establish the necessary conditions to ensure a free, fair and transparent electoral process.

Throughout the 1980s and the 1990s, Latin America and the Caribbean, with the notable exception of Cuba, made remarkable progress towards democracy. I believe much of the credit for this progress is due to the courageous leadership of many democracy-minded people in the region who grew weary of the brutal dictatorships, but also the dedication of people like former President Ronald Reagan and others in the U.S. and elsewhere who invested in the future of these countries by helping to plant the seeds of democracy and nurturing them over time.

That investment is paying off, but we should be under no illusions that the work is complete. The truth is that, 15 years after the Managua Spring, democracy and freedom in Nicaragua are being eroded. While democracy is still holding on, it is not without its opponents, and in Nicaragua, the alarm bells are ringing.

Right now in Nicaragua, the hard left and the corrupted right are making common cause in attempting to bring down the democratically elected government of Enrique Bolanos. Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega in alliance with convicted former president Arnoldo Aleman has entered into an arrangement known as the Pact that poses a real and present danger to every democratic institution in that country, from the national assembly, the national electoral council, to the supreme court right on down.

For example, the Pact, through its control of the National Assembly of Nicaragua, tried to strip President Bolanos of his constitutional powers through what is known as the Stability and Governability of the Country Law. In October, however, the assembly, under pressure from the international community and perhaps the introduction of this resolution, voted to postpone this law until after President Bolanos leaves office in January of 2007.

Delaying the governability law has allowed Nicaragua to avoid an immediate constitutional crisis. But as President Bolanos said quite clearly during a recent visit with members of our subcommittee here in Washington, which I chair, the future of Nicaraguan democracy remains under threat and that the United States needs to pay attention before it is too late.

I believe that we must do what we can to ensure that the upcoming elections in Nicaragua are free and fair. Passage of this resolution will send a loud and clear message to the political elements that are attempting to subvert Nicaraguan democracy that the United States does not abandon friends who have stood so strong for the value of democracy.

While the recent actions of the Ortega-Aleman Pact indicate they may have abandoned their immediate efforts to overthrow President Bolanos, we should be under no illusion that they have given up their longer- term goal of returning Nicaragua to the days of oppression and dictatorship. So many Nicaraguans died during the years of violence and civil war for the dream of a free and democratic Nicaragua. Their sacrifice should not be in vain. We must work with the democratic forces of Nicaragua to ensure that Nicaragua continues to thrive and benefit for the people of that nation.

The resolution before us sets out a path which I believe and many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle believe will ensure that democracy remains viable in Nicaragua. I urge my colleagues to show their support for democracy in Nicaragua by supporting this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Weller), vice chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I will be happy to yield to my colleague.

I do not think so at this time. I think this resolution sends a very strong message, and I think we need to pass it.

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

Let me just end by saying, thank you to Mr. Lantos, my very good friend, for his leadership and his hard work on this and a lot of other legislation. Let me just say that Mr. Lantos and I were both here back in the 1980s when the war took place in Nicaragua and El Salvador, and we saw the horrible result of dictatorships. We saw the horrible result of civil war, and democracy has changed that whole region down there. And we think it is extremely important that we do everything we can to support democratic institutions so that we do not have the bloodshed that we saw back in the 1980s and we do not see the massive flight of people leaving that region to get to the United States and elsewhere to get away from those wars. So I think this resolution sends a strong message. Once again, I thank Mr. Lantos.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 458) remembering and commemorating the lives and work of Maryknoll Sisters Maura Clarke and Ita Ford, Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel, and Cleveland Lay Mission Team Member Jean Donovan, who were executed by members of the armed forces of El Salvador on December 2, 1980, as amended.

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, on December 2, 1980, 25 years ago this month, four American church women were murdered in El Salvador by members of the El Salvadoran military. In 1984, five national guardsmen were tried, convicted and sent to prison for these murders.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of their deaths, the resolution before us commemorates the lives and work of the Maryknoll Sisters, Maura Clarke and Ita Ford, Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel and lay missionary Jean Donovan. It extends our most profound sympathy and support to the families, friends and religious communities of these four women. It encourages us to find inspiration in their lives and work and calls upon the American people and religious congregations to participate in local, national and international events marking the 25th anniversary of their deaths.

The resolution also recognizes that progress has been made in El Salvador following the war, but reminds us that the work of these missionaries on behalf of the poor remains unfinished. Therefore, it calls on us as a Congress to engage ourselves and relevant U.S. agencies to continue to support and collaborate with the Salvadoran government and other private nonprofit and religious groups working to reduce poverty and hunger in El Salvador and to promote educational opportunity, health care and social equity.

I would like to commend Mr. McGovern for bringing this resolution to the floor. It is a fitting tribute to four inspiring American church women who worked on behalf of some of the poorest Salvadorans, including refugees and children left homeless during El Salvador's internal struggles. I think we could all learn a lesson from the events of 25 years ago and work even harder to ensure that democracy remains strong in Central America and elsewhere so that such events can never be repeated. I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

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, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 444--a resolution I am proud to be a co-sponsor of--offered by my good friend Congressman Ralph Hall of Texas. H. Res. 444 is a straightforward bill which expresses the House of Representatives' support for the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of the gynecologic cancers, and it is the fourth leading cause of cancer death among women living in the United States. Currently, half the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer die within 5 years. This is a national tragedy, and what makes it even more tragic is the fact that many of those deaths could have been prevented if more women and their doctors knew the risk factors and recognized the early warning signs of ovarian cancer and other gynecological cancers.

When it is detected early, ovarian cancer is very treatable, unfortunately, as I mentioned, ovarian cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose because symptoms are sometimes subtle and maybe easily confused with those of other diseases. As a result, only 29 percent of ovarian cancer cases in the U.S. are diagnosed in the early stages. When the disease is detected before it has spread beyond the ovaries, more than 95 percent of women will survive longer than 5 years. But, in cases where the disease is not detected until it reaches the advanced stage, the 5-year survival rate plummets to a devastating 25 percent.

As there is still no reliable and easy-to-administer screening test for ovarian cancer, like the Pap smear for cervical cancer or the mammogram for breast cancer, early recognition of symptoms is dearly the best way to save a woman's live. Without increased education about ovarian cancer and recognition of women who are at higher risk for developing ovarian cancer, many women and their doctors will continue to ignore or misinterpret the symptoms of the disease.

Along with many of our colleagues, I know first-hand how terrible cancer can be and how easily this insidious disease can be misdiagnosed. I applaud Congressman Hall's tireless efforts to raise awareness of this terrible disease and I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.

I hope before this Congress adjourns for the year that we can follow- up this critically important legislation with a vote on Johanna's law, the Gynecologic Cancer Education Act--H.R. 1245. Johanna's law takes the logical next step by directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a national campaign to increase the awareness and knowledge of women with respect to gynecologic cancers, which shall include: (1) Maintaining a supply of written materials to provide information to the public on gynecologic cancers; and (2) developing and placing public service announcements to encourage women to discuss their risks of gynecologic cancers with their physicians. The bill also requires the Secretary to award grants to nonprofit private entities to test different outreach and education strategies for increasing such awareness among women and health professionals.

With a national public service announcements campaign describing risk factors and symptoms and encouraging women to talk to their doctors about their risk of gynecological cancers, I am confident that we can increase early detection of these deadly cancers, and, when possible, help women reduce their risk of ever contracting them in the first place.

Any woman is at risk for developing a gynecologic cancer. We owe it to our mothers, our wives and our daughters to do all we can to both raise awareness of these terrible diseases and to fund the research necessary to stamp out this kind of cancer once and for all.

I know I get a big kick, Mr. Speaker, out of listening to my colleagues come down here and talk about the sky falling. After 9/11 we had an economic downturn and tourism suffered and all the ancillary industries suffered, airlines suffered and the economy started going down. We had scandals on Wall Street, and those scandals led to further economic problems. President Bush suggested to the Congress that the way to stimulate economic recovery and growth was the same thing that President John F. Kennedy did back in the 1960s, and that was to cut taxes. And so we cut taxes.

And because we cut taxes, there has been growth in the economy for the past several years. The unemployment rate has been down. The economy has been growing. Everything has been going well.

Now we have been hit with some other things that are very, very disconcerting. We had the Katrina hurricane, and we had another hurricane that hit Florida recently. These hurricanes are going to cost a lot of money. Some people think it will cost $60, $70, or $80 billion before it is over. It will not be the $250 billion that was talked about, but it will be around $50, $60, or $70 billion at least.

Now I would like to say to my Democrat colleagues, for whom I have great respect, to join with us in the next few days in passing a cost- savings bill, a cost-savings bill that will cut about $50 billion out of spending. That $50 billion can be used to offset some of the costs for the Katrina disaster and the other disasters we have experienced recently.

I know it is going to involve some hard decisions. I heard one of my Democrat colleagues just a few minutes ago come down and start talking about some of the programs that are going to have to be cut. And I admit there will be difficult choices to be made, but that is what we are all about around here, making difficult choices, difficult decisions. It is extremely important that we make the hard choices so we control spending and make sure we do the right things for economic growth in this country.

The way to do that is when we have this cost-savings bill come before the body in the next few days, my Democratic colleagues who are concerned about the deficit, who are concerned about spending, who are concerned about Katrina and the costs involved, join with us in this cost-savings bill to save about $50 or $60 billion in rescissions and across-the-board spending cuts. Because if you do that, we can keep this country on an even keel. So please join with us when this bill comes to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to make a comment about what you just said about the New York Times article. When you see what was said at the beginning there, written in the New York Times, you immediately feel like, well, this young man was saying, you know, this is something we should not be doing, and I am just pushing my chances. But when you read the whole article, it is clear that he thought the life that he was giving for the freedom of those people was worth it.

Mr. Speaker, he said in the last part there: ``To me, that is why I died. Others have died for my freedom. Now this is my mark.''

I mean, I cannot believe that there are distortions like that in the media. It makes me just cringe when young men and women pay a price like that and write to their loved ones why they are doing it and why it was so important that they made that sacrifice and then have them be mischaracterized by a newspaper that has a preconceived idea of what ought to be done over there. It really, really bothers me.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to that, my colleague, Duncan Hunter, who is the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, gave me this Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith of the United States Army. I was reading this and I was thinking about the sacrifices that these young men and women have made to protect people and to make sure that these people get the freedoms that we have enjoyed for so long. It says: ``Sergeant First Class Smith braved hostile enemy fire to personally engage the enemy with hand grenades and anti-tank weapons and organized the evacuation of three wounded soldiers from an armored personnel carrier struck by rocket- propelled grenades and a 16-milimeter mortar rounds. Fearing the enemy would overrun their defenses, Sergeant First Class Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a 50-caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged armored personnel carrier. In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force. During this action, he was mortally wounded. His courageous actions helped defeat the enemy attack and resulted in as many as 50 enemy soldiers killed, while allowing the safe withdrawal of numerous wounded soldiers. Sergeant First Class Smith's extraordinary heroism and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Third Infantry Division, Rock of the Marne, and the United States Army.''

Mr. Speaker, it really bothers me when I see people come down here and start in one way, giving an offhanded compliment to our soldiers and sailors and marines who are over there fighting and say, you know, we really respect them; and then with the other hand they say, oh, we ought to get out of there right now. We ought to withdraw tomorrow. We ought to get everybody out of there, because this is a lost cause.

It is just not a lost cause. They went over there to do their duty and to stop worldwide terrorism, and this is the focal point. It is really bad that we have people in this body on the other side of the aisle, in my opinion, that say, you know, they are doing a great job and we really support them and, at the same time, the sacrifices that have been made should be for naught, we ought to just bring them home.

We are in a world war against terrorism, a world war, and this is the major battleground right now. The reason we are not being attacked in large part here in the United States, in my opinion, is because these young men and women are making these sacrifices over there, in the middle of the storm, where terrorism has its genesis, where Iran and Syria and other countries are supporting terrorism. They do not want democracy to flourish over there, because they know their days will be numbered if democracy succeeds. Our young men and women who are fighting over there are making their days numbered, in my opinion.

I would like to just make one quote from Sir Winston Churchill, when I think about my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and they start talking about how we have to get out of there right now. Sir Winston Churchill, who was one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century, he said in a speech that he made entitle ``We Shall Fight on the Beaches,'' which is very famous, he says: ``Wars are not won by evacuations.'' You do not win by retreating.

The Iraqis now have almost 190,000 men in their armed services and their police forces over there. They are taking up more and more of the fight every single day. As soon as they become battle-ready and they can protect themselves, you are going to see us starting to bring our troops home. But we are not going to capitulate. Not under this President, we are not, and not under the majority that we have in this Congress.

Now, if the more liberal Members of this body want to cave in, if they want to assuage the enemy and pat them on the back, then that is what is going to be their legacy to this country and to this world; but I do not want to be a part of that, and I do not think my colleagues on this side of the aisle want to be a part of it either.

Let me just say one thing that is not being reported by the media that should be, and it should be reported thoroughly and fully. Things are getting better in Iraq. There are now 196,000 Internet subscribers. There used to be almost none. Now there are 44 commercial television stations. None existed under Saddam Hussein when he buried alive up to 100,000 people and killed over 400,000 people. There are more than 100 independent newspapers and magazines and 72 commercial radio stations. None existed before under Saddam Hussein. There are now 3,404 public schools, all kinds of projects, police and fire stations, health facilities, and new reconstruction projects going on. Things are moving in the right direction, but they are not being reported by the media in this country.

So, Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me. I would just like to end by saying that the war against terrorism is one that we cannot and must not lose, and our fighting men and women are paying the supreme price over there right now, defending not only the rights and freedoms of the people in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they are also protecting us as well. So I would just like to say God bless them and thank each and every one of them for what they are doing.

Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States today made a speech before our health agencies that I think was very timely and very important. It dealt with the possible outbreak of the bird flu, better known as the avian flu, and he talked about steps that needed to be taken to speed up the process to create more vaccines to protect the American public against a pandemic that could kill tens of thousands, if not millions, of Americans. I think if is very laudable that he did that.

One of the things he talked about was tort reform to protect the pharmaceutical industry against liability suits, because he said there is only one vaccine manufacturer in the United States, and that is because the vaccine manufacturers have been afraid to produce vaccines because they might be sued on a class action basis. There might be thousands of people suing them because of damage that has been done to them.

So if I were talking to the President tonight, I would say, first of all, Mr. President, I think what you said was very good and what you proposed is very good. There are a couple of things that ought to be added to the mix though, Mr. President, that I think are very important.

First of all, we had hearings for about 4 years on mercury in vaccines. It used to be one in 10,000 children were autistic. Now it is one in 166. We had scientists from all over the world and doctors from all over the United States come in and testify that one of the leading causes of neurological problems in children and adults who are suffering from things like Alzheimer's is they have been damaged by the mercury that is used as a preservative in vaccines. It is called Thimerosal.

We need to get mercury out of all vaccines. Until that happens, I think it is going to be very difficult for this body and the other body to pass legislation to protect the pharmaceutical industries and the vaccine industries against class action lawsuits.

So the first thing I would say to the President was, get mercury out of all vaccines. That is very important.

Second, make the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program user friendly. Right now, people who have had children who have been damaged are losing their homes. They are having to mortgage everything they own to pay for

the damage done to their children and loved ones. So we need to make it more user friendly.

There is about $3 billion in that fund. It was created to protect the pharmaceutical industry from class action lawsuits while at the same time providing a mechanism for people who have been damaged by vaccines to get compensation. It needs to be changed. It needs to be improved so that it is more user friendly. If we need to put more money into the fund, the pharmaceutical industry can add a nickel to the cost of each vaccination. That should cover ever any shortfall. That is very important.

The final thing is to make sure that we do not leave anybody behind. There are thousands and thousands and thousands of children and families that have been damaged by the mercury that was in vaccines. We must not forget them. We must make sure that they get compensated for the liability they have incurred, how they have been damaged. It is extremely important.

Right now, we have demonstrations all the time when people come out and say, ``My child has been damaged and we do not know what to do about it.'' The only thing we can do as a government, in my opinion, is to make sure they get compensation from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund and get mercury out of all vaccines. If we do that, I will sponsor the legislation to protect them against all class action lawsuits.

I have talked to leaders of the major pharmaceutical companies about this. I said, in exchange for giving you protection against class action lawsuits, make sure people who are damaged by vaccines can get compensation from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund and take away one of the leading causes of neurological damage and damage that has been caused by vaccines, neurological problems like autism and Alzheimer's. Get mercury out of all vaccines.

So, Mr. President, if I were talking to you tonight, I would say it is extremely important that we do what you suggested today to protect the American public against a flu outbreak that could kill millions of people, but, at the same time, let us not forget those who have already been damaged by vaccines that were tainted with things like mercury.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Spina Bifida Association of America (SBAA)--an organization that has helped those living with and affected by this debilitating disease for over 30 years--and recognize the observance of October as National Spina Bifida Awareness Month, and to pay tribute to the more than 250,000 Americans in the Spina Bifida Association of America Community.

Currently, it is estimated that approximately 70,000 people in the United States are living with Spina Bifida, the most common permanently disabling birth defect. For those of my colleagues who may be unfamiliar with this disease, Spina Bifida is the broad term used to describe a series of neural tube defects that occurs in the first month of pregnancy when the spinal column doesn't completely close. In fact, there are three different distinct forms of Spina Bifida, often referred to as Occulta, Meningocele and Myelomeningocele.

The Occulta form of Spina Bifida is often referred to as hidden Spina Bifida, as the spinal cord and the nerves are usually normal and there is no opening on the back. Instead, in this usually harmless form of Spina Bifida, there is a small defect or gap in a few of the small bones (vertebrae) that make up the spine. There may be no motor or sensory impairments evident at birth, but subtle, progressive neurologic deterioration often becomes evident in late childhood or early adulthood.

The Meningocele form of Spina Bifida is when the protective coating covering the spinal cord (meninges) push outward through an open part of the spine like a sac. Cerebrospinal fluid fills the sac, but there is usually no nerve damage. Individuals may suffer minor disabilities at the onset, but new problems can develop later in life. Finally, the Myelomeningocele form of Spina Bifida--the most serious type of Spina Bifida, which causes nerve damage and more severe disabilities--occurs when the meninges and the

spinal nerves both come through an open part of the spine.

While medical science has not yet discovered the exact cause of Spina Bifida--it is a birth defect that can strike anyone--we do know that a woman taking 400 mcg of folic acid whether as part of a multivitamin/ drug formula or alone, prior to and in the early weeks of pregnancy, reduces her risk of having a baby with Spina Bifida or another neural tube defect by as much as 70 percent. That is why since February 1996 and at the direction of Food and Drug Administration, all U.S. food manufacturers started adding folic acid to most enriched breads, flours, corn meals, pastas, rice and other grain products to reduce the risk of birth defects in newborns. Following the fortification of cereal grains, the incidences of these types of birth defects decreased by about 20 percent.

However, surveys and research suggest that only about 30 percent of American women consume the daily recommended amount of folic acid. As a result, today in America there are still some 60 million women at risk of having a baby born with Spina Bifida, and everyday, an average of 8 babies are affected by Spina Bifida or a similar birth defect of the brain and spine. Annually, approximately 3,000 pregnancies are affected by these birth defects.

These devastating birth defects cannot be cured, so they must be prevented, and the evidence of folic acid's benefits as a preventative is extremely compelling. The solution is education and awareness. Since 1973, the Spina Bifida Association of America--the nation's only organization solely dedicated to advocating on behalf of the Spina Bifida community--has been leading the charge. Through their almost 60 chapters in more than 125 communities, the SBAA has helped bring thousands of expectant parents together with parents of children who suffer from the disease. This type of one-on-one interaction helps concerned parents get answers to their questions, but most importantly it lends support and gives people essential information and hope. Thanks to SBAA's efforts, millions of people have received vital information about Spina Bifida and how it affects those who live with it; countless women have learned about the importance of taking folic acid prior to pregnancy to reduce the risk of Spina Bifida and other neural tube defects; and, countless individuals afflicted with Spina Bifida have gotten the help they need to live life to its fullest and achieve their full potential.

A very special lady who works with me in my office, Ms. Donna Jones, in fact happens to have Spina Bifida. Since the day she came on board, she has done a great job and helped me understand first-hand the challenge of living with this disease. Ever since I've known her, Donna has always believed that change can come if even one individual believes in themselves and strives to make a difference no matter how hard the challenge. And she has never let the challenge of living with her disease slow her down or stop her from pursuing her dream of making a difference and advocating for persons with disabilities. I was happy to be able to give her the opportunity to come to Washington and try to make her dream a reality; and I have no doubt that because of her tireless efforts to raise awareness of Spina Bifida on Capitol Hill, the incidence of Spina Bifida will decrease and fewer children will have to endure the road she has had to travel.

Even with all the challenges she faces, I have never seen Donna without a smile on her face. She definitely has an infectious love of life, and when the world looks at her it doesn't see a person unobtrusively going through the motions of everyday life, it sees an outspoken, dynamic and active person willing to get involved in the issues that she cares about, particularly those that affect disabled individuals in our country.

I believe that Donna is perhaps the best advocate the Spina Bifida community could have on Capitol Hill because each and every day, she serves as living proof that someone with Spina Bifida need never take a back seat to anyone. I wish more young people in America had the same fire and commitment as Donna. In fact, it is largely thanks to Donna that I became aware of and joined the Congressional Spina Bifida Caucus. I hope that many of my colleagues listening today will also join the Caucus and work to spread awareness and education about this disease. Working together we can do so much to improve the quality of life to those living with Spina Bifida.

Just this past Wednesday, October 5, 2005, the SBAA's held its 17th Annual Gala here in Washington to benefit the Association and its many chapters around the nation. The event was a tremendous success and the funds raised will help the SBAA and its chapters around the country continue the good work they do in preventing more occurrences of this devastating disease, and reducing the suffering of those 70,000 Americans living with Spina Bifida. I firmly believe that we owe SBAA a great debt for what they have accomplished.

In my home State of Indiana, SBAA, the Spina Bifida Association (SBA) of Central Indiana and the SBA of Northern Indiana have formed a collaborative partnership to make a difference in the lives of Hoosier families living with Spina Bifida by helping them meet the challenges and enjoy the rewards of raising their children. In addition, in response to the devastation of the Gulf region of this country by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Indiana's Spina Bifida chapters answered the call by participating in the Spina Bifida Hurricane Emergency Life Support Program (SBHELSP). Established by the SBAA, the SBHELSP, assisted in getting vitally needed supplies to victims of the hurricanes and to put displaced families affected by Spina Bifida in touch with others who understand their special needs and can help them. I cannot say enough good things about the hard work, dedication and compassion of the volunteers and staff at all the Indiana chapters of SBAA; I can only thank them on behalf of all Hoosiers for all they have done and all that they will continue to do.

SBAA and its local chapters are making a difference one life at a time. With National Spina Bifida Awareness Month upon us again, I would say to my colleagues in closing that the time for us to start making a difference is now.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the House of Representatives considered House Resolution 388, a resolution condemning the gross human rights violations committed by the Cuban regime, and expressing the support of this House for the right of the Cuban people to exercise their fundamental political and civil liberties. Unfortunately due to scheduled Committee hearings I was unable to be on the floor during debate on this extremely important resolution. As chairman of the International Relations Committee Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere--and a long-standing critic of the Castro regime--and co-sponsor of the resolution, I want to take this opportunity to express my strong support for H. Res. 388. I would also like to thank my colleague from Florida, Congressman Lincoln Diaz- Balart--a true champion for the Cuban people--for introducing this resolution and once again highlighting the atrocious human rights violations the Cuban people continue to suffer at the hands of Castro's oppressive regime.

Since Castro assumed control of Cuba on January 1, 1959, fundamental human rights and basic living conditions have deteriorated tremendously. Most Cuban people live every day in fear of their government, thousands of whom risk their lives every year to flee the communist regime by any means necessary--even attempting to brave the hazardous 90-mile crossing between the United States and Cuba on makeshift rafts.

For a time, they tried to pretend that Mr. Castro had changed his ways, but events in Cuba over the past two years have reopened the eyes of the world community to the true evil nature of the Castro Regime. For example, Castro created a constitutional amendment permanently making socialism the official form of state government, and positioning himself to remain in power until he is either forcibly removed or deceased. In addition to these totalitarian mandates, he has staged the most sweeping crackdown on peaceful advocates of change in the history of Cuba.

On March 18, 2003, Fidel Castro ordered the arrest of many writers, poets, librarians, and pro-democracy activists in a large-scale operation to stifle any movement against his regime. Subsequently, some of the targeted individuals were released, but 75 remained in jail to be tried for their ``crimes'' against the country, citing Article 91 of Cuba's Penal Code that states, ``(anyone) who in the interest of a foreign state, commits an act with the objective of damaging the independence or territorial integrity of the state of Cuba.'' The Cuban government accused the dissidents of engaging in activities that could be perceived as damaging to Cuba's internal order, and/or perceived as encouraging to United States embargoes against the country.

The list of Cuban detainees published by Amnesty International in their ``Essential Measures'' brief of 2003 reveals some striking information. Among the detained are 23 people over the age of 50, as well as 5 others who are more than 60 years of age. I wonder what dissenting activities they were engaging in that would earn them a collective 1,242 years in prison. These peaceful pro-democracy advocates, whom Mr. Castro likes to call dissidents or ``enemies of the revolution,'' were convicted for activities such as: attending an assembly to promote civil society, possessing membership in the Committee on Cuban Human Rights, or publishing documents to be disseminated abroad that represent a clear means of implementing the measures established in Article IV of LIBERTAD, also known as the Helms-Burton Act, which would increase the United States sanctions and blockades against Cuba.

Three of the 75 activists rounded up during the regime's Spring 2003 crackdown on dissent are currently engaging in a hunger strike to protest the deplorable conditions of their confinement; contaminated food and water, excessive heat, filthy conditions and medical mistreatment.

Christian Liberation Movement member Jose Daniel Ferrer, who has not eaten for more than 22 days. He is serving a 25-year sentence for promoting the Varela Project, a constitutional petition calling for free elections, civil liberties and freedom for political prisoners. He recently was placed in a prison unit with dangerous common criminals, a tactic that Cuban authorities often use to harass and injure political prisoners.

Victor Rolando Arroyo, an independent journalist and librarian, has been on a hunger strike for more than 16 days. In 2000 he spent 6 months in jail for giving out toys to children on Three Kings Day. Now he is serving a 26-year sentence. His wife says that he has been hospitalized. He has refused forced feeding and is severely dehydrated.

Felix Navarro, a democracy advocate and Varela Project activist, has shared the hunger strike in solidarity with Mr. Arroyo, who is in the same prison. Mr. Navarro is serving a 25-year term.

Just this past July, the Castro regime renewed its efforts to stamp out the pro-democracy movement.

On July 13, 2005, the Cuban Government detained 24 human rights activists who were participating in a solemn event in remembrance of the victims of the tugboat massacre of innocent civilians by the Cuban government on July 13, 1994. Human rights activists Rene Montes de Oca, Emilio Leiva Perez, Camilo Cairo Falcon, Manuel Perez Soira, Roberto Guerra Perez, and Lazaro Alonso Roman remain incarcerated from the July 13, 2005, event and face trumped up charges of ``disorderly conduct.''

On July 22, 2005, Members of the pro-democracy opposition in Cuba sought to demonstrate in a peaceful and orderly manner in front of the French Embassy in Havana, on behalf of the liberation of all Cuban political prisoners, and to protest the current policy of the European Union toward the Cuban Government. The Cuban regime mobilized its repressive state security apparatus to intimidate and harass, and eventually arrest and detain many of those who were planning on attending the peaceful protest. These leaders in the struggle for freedom in Cuba continue to be detained without cause.

The Cuban regime has also arrested more than 400 young Cubans, from late 2004 through June of 2005, as a ``measure of pre-delinquent security.''

The facts are undeniable; the Castro regime is just as committed today to repressing attempts by the Cuban people to bring democratic change to the island and denying the Cuban people their universally recognized liberties, including freedom of speech, association, movement, and the press as it was in 1959. That is why H.R. 388 is so important; because it sends a strong message to the Castro regime that this House will not forget--and it will not let the world community forget--those people who are suffering and dying in Cuban prisons for the so-called crime of speaking out against the injustices perpetrated by Castro and his henchmen.

Mr. Speaker--although I am very concerned about the state of democracy throughout the Western Hemisphere--as it stands today, Cuba is the only nation in the hemisphere that is a complete dictatorship. As U.S. service men and women put their lives on the line to bring freedom and democracy to people around the world who have long suffered under the hand of tyranny, we only need to look at Cuba to see what can happen when any Nation shuns democracy and subjugates itself to the whims of dictatorship.

I believe that because of the ills inflicted upon Cuba by the Castro regime, the transition from economic stagnation and political oppression to a democratic society built around the principles of respect for the rule of law and basic human rights--with a free economy--will be a challenging process, but it is an attainable endeavor. I have hope that there will be a day when the light of democracy shines in Havana. Until that day, I say to Mr. Castro--we will never forget.

Mr. Speaker, I was regrettably delayed in my return to Washington, DC, from a meeting with Nicaraguan President Bolanos in Managua, and therefore unable to be on the House Floor for rollcall votes 476 and 477. Had I been here I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote 476, and ``yea'' on rollcall vote 477.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian. In late September he will be making a brief stop in Miami en route to Central America and later staying overnight in San Francisco on his way back to Taiwan. During his stopovers in Miami and San Francisco, I am hopeful that a few of my colleagues will have a chance to visit with him, and--more importantly--exchange views on Taiwan's future, Taiwan's relations with China and the United States, and Taiwan's bid to re-enter the United Nations.

In the last five years, President Chen has shown strong leadership in guiding his people through turbulent times. Despite worldwide financial challenges, Taiwan's economy has continued to grow and despite pressures from Taiwan's opposition leaders, Taiwan has been faithful to its route of constitutional reform and full democratization. Today, Taiwan continues to be a beacon of prosperity and freedom throughout Asia. Taiwan's 23 million people enjoy high standards of living and full rights of freedom and liberty.

President Chen has been deft in handling cross-strait relations. Despite China's passage of the anti-secession law last spring, China's positioning of 700 missiles along Taiwan's coast and China's many other unfriendly acts toward Taiwan, President Chen has insisted on a peaceful solution to the Taiwan issue and an early resumption of talks between himself and other Chinese leaders. President Chen fully understands that peace and stability within the Taiwan Strait are in global community's best interest.

As for Taiwan's relations with the United States, we have strong trade and cultural relations with Taiwan. Taiwan is one of our largest trading partners and cultural exchanges between our two countries are vibrant. Moreover, we are committed to defending Taiwan under the framework of the Taiwan Relations Act, and we are fully committed to a peaceful solution of the Taiwan issue--no military conflict should ever occur in the Taiwan Strait. Moreover, we appreciate Taiwan's full cooperation with us in combating terrorism, its monetary contributions to the Twin Towers Fund, Pentagon Memorial Fund and its offer of humanitarian assistance to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

It is regrettable that Taiwan has been excluded from many world organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations. It has been a gross injustice to deny Taiwan's 23 million people their proper voice in the world. The United States should take more active steps in helping Taiwan re-enter the World Health Organization and the United Nations.

It is my hope that President Chen and the people of Taiwan will receive both proper and greater international attention as President Chen travels to Central America and hopefully to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Busan, Korea, this November. The story of Taiwan, in the person of President Chen, needs to be told and heard around the world.

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

First of all, I am for medical malpractice reform. I think it is extremely important we address this issue. However, I have a real problem with this bill. In section 7, item (c), under punitive damages, it in effect will protect the pharmaceutical industry against class action lawsuits by parents who have had their children damaged by mercury in vaccines that causes neurological problems, such as autism.

We had hearings on this for about 6 years, and we had scientists from all over the world, and the mercury in vaccines is a contributing factor to autism and other neurological disorders in children. It is in adult vaccines as well.

Now, I will not go into specifics of the language in here, but according to attorneys I have talked to in the last couple of days, it protects the pharmaceutical companies against class action lawsuits. I would not have a problem with that if there was another avenue for these parents to go to get money.

We created the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund to take care of that. It was supposed to be nonadversarial. Unfortunately, parents have gotten nothing out of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund, even though there is $3 billion there. So there is only one avenue they have, and this legislation, the way I read it, blocks that.

The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon) has worked with me on this, and I think he shares some of the same concerns that I have, and he is welcome to say a word or two if he wants to, but what I want to ask of the manager of the bill, would the gentleman work with me to try to clean this up so that that problem does not exist anymore; so they at least have an avenue to deal with this?

I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his assurances.

I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to submit for the Record a Dear Colleague letter which I sent to Members regarding this legislation:

Congress of the United States,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, July 27, 2005.

The Vaccine Liability Waiver in the Medical Malpractice Legislation

Will Hurt Autistic Children and Their Families

Dear Colleague: As we debate medical malpractice this week,

I want to bring to your attention a provision in the bill

that would waive vaccine manufacturer liability. Section 7(c)

of the legislation states that no punitive damages may be

awarded against a manufacturer or distributor of a medical

product based on a claim that the product caused harm, unless

the company violated FDA regulations. Essentially, this means

as long as the vaccine goes through the regular FDA approval

process, the company is shielded from liability.

In the 1980's, roughly 1 in 10,000 American children were

diagnosed with some kind of autism spectrum disorder. Today,

that number has risen to 1 in 166 with the number rising

alarmingly as children have been required to get more and

more shots containing the mercury-based preservative

thimerosal During my tenure as Chairman of the House

Committee on Government Reform, and as Chairman of the

Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness, I chaired numerous

hearings examining the alarming increase in autism in this

country over the last several decades. We also conducted a

four-year long investigation into the facts and theories

surrounding the connection between mercury in vaccines

(thimerosal) and autism and other childhood and adult

neurodevelopment disorders, such as Alzheimer's. Credible

scientific evidence points to a connection between

thimerosal, autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Many of the families of thimerosal's victims did not know

about the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program--the

no-fault compensation system that provided for quick and fair

recovery for those who experience injuries related to a

vaccination which Congress established in 1986--and were

unable to file claims within the 3 year Statute of

Limitations. Thousands of families were left out in the cold,

unable to get into the program. They are out there with

nothing. Their houses are being sold, they are going

bankrupt, they are spending all their money and leading

desperate lives trying to help their kids, and they cannot do

it. Therefore, the only recourse they had was to file a class

action lawsuit.

As the number of thimerosal injured children grew, concerns

over the potential financial impact of these class action

lawsuits, and the growing scientific research demonstrating a

connection between thimerosal and autism, and the subsequent

effect on the pharmaceutical industry's bottom line prompted

supporters of the Pharmaceutical industry to slip sections

1714 through 1717 into the Homeland Security Act of 2002

effectively killing all thimerosal class action lawsuits. In

the 11th hour without any debate, without anybody knowing

about it until it was too late, these lawsuits were stopped

in their tracks.

Fortunately, the language was ultimately removed after

being discovered by several deeply concerned Members of both

the House and Senate. Section 7(c) of the Help Efficient,

Accessible, Low-cost, Timely

Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2005 (H.R. 5) is arguably a thinly

veiled attempt to resurrect the ill-conceived Homeland

Security Act provisions of 2002, and although Section 10 of

the bill exempts vaccine cases before the National Vaccine

Injury Compensation Program, if a vaccine claimant exercises

his or her right to opt-out of VICA and bring a lawsuit in

state or Federal court or has no recourse but to file a

lawsuit because of the Statute of Limitations, Section 7(c)

of H.R. 5 will fully apply to limit that civil claimant's

rights.

Congress should strike this provision from the medical

malpractice legislation. We serve the interests of the

American people, not the pharmaceutical industry.

Sincerely,

Dan Burton,

Member of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, we had a situation a few years ago where on the homeland security bill at about 11 o'clock at night, they stuck language in the bill which prohibited class action lawsuits against the manufacturers of thimerosal, which is a preservative that is in vaccines, and 50 percent of it is ethyl mercury. We have hundreds of thousands of kids that have been damaged by ethyl mercury in vaccines. It is called thimerosal. The language in this bill, and I want to read it to you, says, ``No punitive damages may be awarded against the manufacturer or distributor of a medical product, or a supplier of any component or raw material of such medical product, based on a claim that such product caused the claimant's harm where,'' and it goes on.

The way I read this, these people who have been damaged, and we have been fighting for years to get them the ability to get money from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund, one of the negotiating things that we have had is the language that is being put in this bill that is going to stop that. What this means simply is that if this passes with this language in it, the way I understand it, those people, those thousands and thousands of people that have children that have been damaged by thimerosal, mercury, in vaccines will have no recourse, and they cannot get any restitution out of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund the way it is right now. I do not know how this got in here, but I can tell you right now, this is not good. I want to support my chairman and the Rules Committee, but this language is not good.

Thimerosal was approved as well. You say there is

language in here that does exempt vaccines?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for that very eloquent introduction. I am not sure I deserve it, but I appreciate it.

Let me say to my colleagues who are undecided and my colleagues on the Democrat side of the aisle, I voted against NAFTA. I voted against GATT. I voted against the World Trade Organization. So why am I for CAFTA? And I want to tell you why, because I think it is extremely important. There are three reasons.

First of all, right now as the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw) said a minute ago, the trade balance is in favor of the countries in the Caribbean and the Central American nations because they have duty free into our country, and we have to pay a duty to sell products in their country. CAFTA will change that. It will balance it out so there will be free trade in both directions. That will encourage more trade in both directions.

Second, this is a national security issue, and the President of the United States talked about this today, and we need to talk about it right now on this floor.

The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw) talked about what went on in the early 1980s when we had wars in Nicaragua and El Salvador, and people's bodies were laying all over the place because of this insurrection and these civil wars down there. If we do not do something to stabilize those countries in Central and South America, we will see wars not only in Nicaragua and El Salvador and possibly other Central American countries, we will see them in South America. We have got governments down there that are trying to export revolution right now by undermining some of the fledgling democracies in Central and South America.

CAFTA is one of the mechanisms that we could use to stabilize those fledgling democracy by creating more jobs and helping fight poverty in those countries. It is extremely important from a national security standpoint. That is one of my biggest concerns. If there is destabilization in those Central and South American countries, you can rest assured that there will be massive flight from those countries when wars break out, and they will be coming north. We have an immigration problem right now that we must solve, and we have talked about this time and again. But the problem is going to be exacerbated and made a lot worse if we let those countries, those fledgling democracies, starting to be destabilized by revolutionaries. There are governments down there right now that are using their resources to undermine some of these democracies, and we need to do everything we can to countermand that.

This is a very important piece of legislation. It is very important. I hope my colleagues will see that and vote for it.