Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I, too, have reviewed the post office naming and find it to be one of the most thoughtful and merit-oriented namings that we have had in a long time.

And with that, I yield 10 minutes to the gentlelady from Michigan (Mrs. Miller), the author of this bill.

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

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

The automated external defibrillator is a critical part of saving lives here in America. In the first 10 minutes of an onset of symptoms, you have an incredibly short period of time, that 10 minutes, to make the difference between life and death. A typical response time, an optimum response time, for a 911 call is 5 minutes. The availability of these devices, once thought to be only in the crash kit on an emergency vehicle or in a hospital, is now spreading. At our airports, including our Nation's Capital airports, these devices are not just available but they are hung throughout the facility, making it possible, and, in fact, it has occurred, for people who have a heart symptom and pass out to be brought back to life in those 10 minutes, those precious 10 minutes. But in order to expand the use of this lifesaving apparatus, we need to have additional training.

I join with the gentleman from Illinois in saying that the importance of this Automatic External Defibrillator Week is not that we can learn to say it without tying our tongue but, in fact, that we can deploy these devices and get people trained. In my own small condominium unit here in Washington, our neighbors have been trained; and it will undoubtedly in time save lives in our community.

I join with the majority in urging that this bill not only become law this year but that we make this an annual event so as to spread the lifesaving capability of this device.

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

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

I join with my colleagues in supporting National Fire Fighter Appreciation Day. This year, particularly as a Californian, it is appropriate that this was authored by a Californian and that I have the opportunity to personally thank the men and women who saved lives and property in California just a month and a half ago. But, of course, firefighters do that every day throughout the country, not just in wildfires that consume hundreds of thousands of acres.

Interestingly enough, firefighters also carry automatic external defibrillators and save lives every day. Firefighters are not just people who put out fires. They are people who train in the prevention of fire. They are people who train in emergency procedures that save lives. They are people who answer to so many calls in our community.

The fact is on 9/11 we understood that firefighters go in the direction where anyone, anyone, should be running from and they do so with no regard for their own safety. They do so because that is what a firefighter's job is. Firefighters do not shy away from riots. They do not shy away from the worst inferno, and they do not shy away from earthquakes in my home State and other disasters. In fact, the term ``American hero'' is best attributed to the men and women who every day train to go into fires to find and retrieve people and, in fact, not to leave the site until all life has been preserved and all property, to the best of their ability, has also been maintained.

Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues in recognizing the heroism not just in California 2 months ago but, in fact, throughout the country of our firefighters and urge support and passage of National Fire Fighter Appreciation Day.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I yield 10 minutes to the gentlelady from Michigan, Mrs. Candice Miller.

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

Mr. Speaker, I join happily with the gentleman from Missouri and my own home State Senator, Senator Feinstein, in urging immediate passage of this renewal.

This extension is not only critical, but it comes at a time when those of us on this House floor are still remembering the recent loss of Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis. Yes, in fact, today could be considered to be Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis' Breast Cancer Awareness Day because it's not just the statistic of 180,000 people, mostly women, getting breast cancer or 40,000 dying, it's a friend and a colleague who fought valiantly through not only this Congress but the previous Congress, and almost, but did not, win against this dreaded disease.

Breast Cancer Awareness stamps are not about the $54 million raised, although that goes a long way towards adding to the research pool. It's about the countless millions of people who receive a stamp that sends a message that reminds them to get that available mammogram, to, in fact, do a self-test, to be aware of lumps, to be aware of the possibility of this terrible and invasive disease taking the life of their wife, their daughter, their mother. So, I join again in urging passage of this.

And I might take a personal liberty that you don't often see on the House floor. My opponent in my last race and, God willing, my opponent in this race, Jeeni Criscenzo, is presently fighting cancer. I saw her yesterday in California dealing with the effects of chemo. Her detection was relatively early; she has a good chance. But it's things like this that the House does that sometimes gets criticized as not substantial legislation that hopefully will save women like my opponent and friend, Jeeni Criscenzo, from the kind of terrible tragedy that befell Jo Ann Davis and so many other women last year.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, often the most absurd example is what forces us to look, and look more carefully, at flaws in our legislation. This one is a good example. Chris Frecking is a citizen of the United States who has been employed at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco for the last 16 years. Mr. Frecking was born in the Philippines to an American father in 1968 and was sworn in as a U.S. citizen in 1990. But there lies the rub.

He was sworn in as an American citizen. He came here from the Philippines after he turned 18 unaware that he should register with the Selective Service after there was in fact no draft or likelihood of anyone being called if they did. He failed to do so. He did try, though, when he discovered that this was a lifetime requirement in 1994. But, in fact, this was not allowed.

This is a gentleman who has been a good citizen, who in fact fell through the cracks. This legislation today after careful scrutiny in harmony with many organizations but most importantly at the leadership of the director of the Selective Service, in fact, makes it possible for us to continue to urge men to register for the Selective Service and treats them fairly if, through no fault of their own, they fail to do so.

I urge the swift passage of this bill. It is good legislation. It corrects a minor flaw. I join with my colleague from California in saying that sometimes the best legislation is small and bipartisan but makes a big difference in people's lives.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 20 years of exemplary service that Serge S. Duarte has given to this great country.

Serge S. Duarte, a native of southern California, is the Deputy Special Agent in Charge in San Diego for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, Office of Investigations.

From March 1987 to 2003, Mr. Duarte served in a variety of management, supervisory, and Federal investigative roles with the U.S. Customs Service. During his first 5 years with Customs, Mr. Duarte conducted extensive undercover investigations penetrating international narcotics trafficking organizations.

In March 2003, the U.S. Customs Service merged under the newly created Department of Homeland Security. Under this new organization, Mr. Duarte oversees a large Federal law enforcement workforce that conducts investigations into terrorism, protection of critical infrastructure, money laundering, commercial fraud, copyright protection, criminal gangs, immigration fraud, cyber crimes, and narcotics smuggling. He is responsible for enforcement operations that have identified and removed over 500 unauthorized aliens illegally working at airports, military installations, Government shipyards and other critical infrastructure facilities in San Diego. Additionally, over 100 persons in the San Diego area involved in sexual predation and child pornography have been arrested or deported. Finally, he oversees investigations into criminal organizations that are responsible for the illegal transfer of military aircraft hardware and restricted technology from the United States to Iran, China and other proscribed countries.

Mr. Duarte received a masters in public administration from National University in 2003. He is also a graduate of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar and the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, VA, and is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He is the Chair of the Border Research Technology Center Advisory Council, and a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Area Maritime Security Council, the National Tactical Officers Association, the California Narcotic Officers Association, the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association.

On behalf of the people of the United States, whom Serge Duarte spent a career serving, I thank him for his service and commitment to the defense of our Nation.

Madam Speaker, this past week, the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) convened in Madrid, Spain to choose the countries that will chair the organization for the next three years. The 56 member nations of the OSCE voted to give the chairmanship to Greece in 2009, Kazakhstan in 2010, and Lithuania for 2011.

All of these countries should be congratulated for being awarded this important duty. The selection of Kazakhstan as chair for 2010 is especially significant for several important reasons.

First, Kazakhstan will be the first ex-Soviet republic to assume the chairmanship of the OSCE, which is quite timely given that many of the countries in region are continuing to struggle with the transition from communism to full democracy. Kazakhstan, as the largest country in the region, may be in the best position to promote the OSCE's principal mandates of respect for human rights and advancing democracy.

Conversely, while OSCE ministers were meeting, Russia conducted parliamentary elections in open contempt of OSCE's election monitoring program. Reacting to a series of obstructions and delays clearly intended to frustrate their work, the OSCE finally concluded that Russian authorities had made it impossible for monitoring activities to occur before or during the December 2 election.

By contrast, Kazakhstan fully cooperated with OSCE's monitoring and reporting during its August 18 parliamentary election. It allowed 1,200 election observers to cover 1,743 polling stations, whereas Russia set a limit of 450 international observers for its 95,000 polling stations.

Prior to its election, Kazakhstan adopted reforms to increase the transparency and integrity of its elections and ensure public access to election information and the media. The same reforms are being rolled back in Russia.

Kazakhstan may well be that alternative. At the meeting in Madrid, Kazakhstan's foreign minister, Marat Tazhin, stated that ``Kazakhstan accepts with a strong sense of duty and firm commitment the role of Chairman-in-Office of OSCE for 2010'' and pledged to uphold and protect OSCE's election-monitoring activities.

The other Commonwealth-of-Independent States in the former Soviet union are surely observing these developments as they approach their own political crossroads. One path is the Russian way of ``managed democracy,'' currently being exemplified by President Vladimir Putin, which includes consolidation of power within his inner circle, the removal of human rights and press freedoms, and a worrying shift towards more authoritarian rule. The other path is the Kazakh way, which includes improving freedoms for the press and human rights groups, greater confidence in the rule of law, and a strengthening of democratic values. It is my sincere hope that the other CIS countries will take the latter path.

Madam Speaker, the Bush administration has rightly put democratization in the forefront of its foreign policy, but it does not come quickly or easily to countries that have only known authoritarian rule.

Kazakhstan is such a country and while it is not yet a full-fledged democracy, it is definitely moving in the right direction and is deserving of our support to head the OSCE in 2010.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to make the vote for H.R. 2085. Had I been present, I would have voted for H.R. 2085.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to join with the gentleman from Virginia, my friend, in enthusiastically supporting this legislation. After 50 years of this kind of a Council of Governments' working, it deserves the recognition it will receive here on the House floor today. I certainly believe that Mr. Moran has done a very, very good job of outlining the 50 years of success, beginning in April of 1957, and I think we should briefly reflect on what 1957 until day was all about.

This is a time in which the District of Columbia went through terrible upheaval. Maryland and Virginia had to reinvent themselves. All of this could not have been done without the kind of cooperation that this council produced. I think it is certainly unique to have the District of Columbia and two States, five counties, two cities and dozens of Maryland counties all working together. These jurisdictions are cooperating.

I think that is a legacy that has only half finished its work. I think on a bipartisan basis we all recognize the improvements in the quality of living here, the transportation and infrastructure that makes it possible for us to get to work by road or by rail.

So, I look forward to this organization continuing for another 50 years serving what is today 1.6 million people, and certainly a growing population, both in and out of the district.

With that, I very much urge passage of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), the author of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3470.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to urge the passing of this bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 744 West Oglethorpe Highway in Hinesville, Georgia, as the ``John Sidney `Sid' Flowers Post Office Building''.

A native of Liberty County, Sid Flowers served in the U.S. Army before attending law school at Mercer. Despite distinguishing himself as a top scholar at Mercer, he opted not to pursue high profile law firms in Atlanta. Instead he returned to his hometown where he served the county as Solicitor General for nearly four decades. But his public service did not end there. Mr. Flowers was best known for his pro bono legal work, contributing his advice to the First Presbyterian Church and the church's school at no charge.

Mr. Flowers not only gave back to the community professionally, but also through his generous, often anonymous, contributions. His munificence took many forms, whether it was through community service or anonymously picking up the tab for soldiers dining at local restaurants.

When Mr. Flowers passed on August 21, 2006, Liberty County lost the consummate public servant. A kind and humble man, his passionate and selfless commitment to his community and country undoubtedly deserves tribute.

I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this bill to publicly honor this man, not only for his public service, but for the intangible generosity of his spirit.

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

Mr. Speaker, I join with my fellow colleague from California in support of H.R. 3569, a bill to name the post office on Santa Ana Avenue in Fontana after Beatrice ``Bea'' E. Watson.

She was truly a pillar of the community and well-recognized in Fontana. As my colleague said, the California delegation uniquely requires 53 cosponsors in order to bring a bill. That means that a very diverse State, the most diverse in the Nation, has to come together on these post office namings. This is an example when we did.

Bea dedicated her life to the community and in every sense was in fact a true Californian, although in fact, like myself, she was born in Ohio and came to California at age 20. She originally moved to San Bernardino where she attended the San Bernardino Community College. She then worked for the telephone company as an administrator for Pacific Bell.

Only years later did she arrive in Fontana. Nevertheless, her dedication allowed her to become truly a pillar of the community, a city councilwoman, and to serve in various capacities for the rest of her life, through both Fontana's 50th and 75th anniversaries.

It is not lightly that we consider naming post offices after people not in the postal community, and I join with my colleague today and the California delegation unanimously urging passage of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to yield such time as he may consume to the author of this bill, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter).

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3974.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of this bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 797 Sam Bass Road in Round Rock, Texas, as the ``Marine Corps Corporal Steven P. Gill Post Office Building'' in honor of the late Marine Corporal Steven P. Gill, a 24 year old Marine Corps reservist killed near Zaidon, Iraq by an IED on July 21, 2005.

A native of Round Rock, Corporal Gill was not only a model soldier, but also a model citizen.

After graduating from Westwood High School in 1999, he enrolled in Concordia University. Corporal Gill planned to enter the seminary, but his work with children and church youth groups inspired him to pursue a life as a youth minister.

Then, on September 11, 2001, his life, like so many other American's, changed dramatically. In the words of his father, Bill Gill, ``When he saw those towers crashing, he had to do something.''

Convinced by his father to finish the semester, Corporal Gill enlisted in the Marines in January, 2002, later assigned to the 4th Marine Division, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, based in San Antonio, the same unit his father served in years ago.

Corporal Gill is a shining example of an individual who continually and selflessly served those around him, both through his work for his community and his country. His spirit lives on through the work of his mother, Rose Gill, who, despite losing her job in wake of his death, continues to promote the Marines and the sacrifice of her son.

Three months after his death she ran in the Marine Corps Marathon and has run in his honor every year since, raising money for wounded soldiers.

``He knew the sacrifice he might be called to make, and he accepted that,'' his father said. I urge you to honor that sacrifice and the amazing life of this genuine American hero.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of S. Con. Res. 45 because there is in fact nothing, nothing more despicable than those who prey upon children. Whether that abuse is physical, psychological or sexual, this crime destroys lives, harms families, and all too often is perpetrated with a cruelty that is unreported and unseen.

I support the work of this foundation and its recognition that the National Football League players can off the field make a real contribution to making America a better, safer place.

Whether it is John Elway or Joe Montana or any of the other past recipients of this award, they have in fact worked long and hard, not for millions of dollars or thousands of dollars, but for the good of the young people who are our future in this country. Therefore, I too join my colleague and urge the House to unanimously support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of S. Con. Res. 45, which commends the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation for its work to prevent child abuse.

Mr. Speaker, there is nothing sadder in this country than the specter of children being abused by adults. Whether it's physical, psychological or sexual abuse, these crimes destroy lives, harm families and, all too often, perpetuate cruelty and crime for generations.

The award, named for the longtime head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts, recognizes the NFL player whose off-the-field efforts have done the most in that year to raise awareness of this often hidden crime. Past winners include Dan Marino, Tedy Bruschi, Joe Klecko, John Elway, Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott.

Mr. Speaker, we thank Baltimore for crabcakes and Billie Holliday and Camden Yards and Cal Ripken. And today, we thank Charm City for this.

The award was the vision of Sam Lamantia Jr., a Baltimore hair stylist.

The courage award concept was initiated by Ernie Accorsi, a longtime NFL executive who served as general manager in Baltimore in the early 1980s. Larry Harris, then assistant sports editor of the Baltimore Evening Sun, had the idea to name the award for Block, a forward- thinking, innovative trainer who had a lifelong passion for preventing and addressing child abuse.

The NFL's athletic trainers worked to take the award to a national level.

Today, it represents a cooperative effort of the foundation, the NFL, the NFL Players Association, the NFL Alumni Association, NFL films, the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Pete Rozelle, the league's late commissioner, was among its biggest supporters.

The foundation has helped open Courage Houses, sanctuaries for abused children, in 14 NFL cities. Its annual awards ceremony attracts speakers from the highest levels of the sport.

It's been a great partnership, Mr. Speaker, between pro football and the Ed Block Foundation, and it is worthy of our commendation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues in this bipartisan effort to bring greater awareness to World Diabetes Day.

As my colleague said, 225,000 people per year die in the United States alone from diabetes. But I believe that, as we recognize this day, we have to recognize that diabetes doesn't just kill; diabetes debilitates. It causes blindness. It takes away all or part of limbs. It slows people down in their day-to-day ability to enjoy life. One of the great inventors of our time invented the insulin pump, which allowed people to not have to periodically stop to take medicine, but it didn't change the debilitating effect that artificially-given insulin causes.

We do not have a cure for diabetes today. We need to continue working toward that, as many of our pharmaceutical companies are. So bringing awareness to this is just a first step in making sure that the United States, Europe, and the other developed nations work hard to find real cures for this dreadful disease.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of H. Con. Res. 211, which supports the goals and ideals of World Diabetes Day.

Mr. Speaker, diabetes is among the most lethal diseases known to man. It kills about 225,000 people per year in the United States alone-- fifth among disease-related deaths and roughly equal to the population of New Orleans or Madison, WI.

And it's generally believed to be significantly under-reported on death certificates, especially among the old--who may endure multiple chronic conditions, many caused by diabetes.

Because, as anyone who has diabetes knows all too well, when you have diabetes, you don't just have diabetes. The disease leads to increased risk of a number of seriously, sometimes life-threatening complications.

These include--but certainly aren't limited to--heart disease and stroke, blindness, high blood pressure, kidney disease, nervous-system disease, dental disease, even pregnancy complications.

Strokes and heart disease are two to four times more likely for those with diabetes than those without, and diabetes is the leading cause of new blindness cases in the United States.

Most of these associated health problems can be avoided with good diabetes control, but many people don't realize they have diabetes until it has caused one of these other diseases. Indeed, of the 21 million people in the United States who have diabetes, nearly a third don't yet know it. Those who do spend about one in every 10 dollars we spend on health care in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud efforts such as World Diabetes Day that call attention to the problems this disease causes and the need for further research and outreach.

We need to do what we can to solve this mystery and slow this killer--both to alleviate the pain, suffering and expense of our fellow citizens afflicted by the disease and for our own economic benefit.

Experts say diabetes costs the U.S. economy $132 billion per year. That's what we spend on telecom in a year. It's the total Gross Domestic Product of Singapore and matches, roughly, what the country spends on all research and development in a year.

Mr. Speaker, I know people who suffer from diabetes. So does everyone in this House. Approving a resolution does not do much to alleviate that suffering. But today, it is what we have the opportunity to do. Let us do it.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, ``We cannot dedicate . . . we cannot consecrate . . . we cannot hallow . . . this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.''

The words of Abraham Lincoln hold as much meaning today as they did when he spoke to them in Gettysburg in 1863. Today we remember two men who gave their lives for our protection. Border Patrol agents Theodore L. Newton, Jr., and George F. Azrak, are 2 of the 104 Customs and Border Patrol agents who have been killed in the line of duty.

Madam Speaker, today we will have the opportunity to honor the lives of two brave public servants when we vote to designate the United States Border Patrol Station in Murrieta, CA, as the ``Theodore L. Newton, Jr. and George F. Azrak Border Patrol Station.''

Border Patrol agents Newton and Azrak selflessly gave their lives in the line of duty. During their patrol on the morning of June 17, 1967, Agents Newton and Azrak stopped an old military ambulance at a checkpoint, and inside the vehicle, they found 800 pounds of marijuana. There were two men in the ambulance and two in a car following behind, all were convicted felons and all were well armed. The four armed men overpowered the two agents and forced them to drive to a remote cabin where they handcuffed and murdered Agents Newton and Azrak. Over 400 law enforcement agents and volunteers searched the remote terrain for 2 days before the agents were finally found.

The murders of Agents Newton and Azrak prompted the Border Patrol to adopt new safety measures--including increasing manpower, adopting more up-to-date technology and implementing a new policy requiring at least three agents and a backup unit to work at each checkpoint--to ensure that this terrible incident would not be repeated.

United States Customs and Border Patrol agents have a long history of working thanklessly to make our country safer. Every day they protect our borders against terrorism and, when needed, step in to assist in the face of national disasters. Just last week, San Diego area CBP personnel were deployed to assist in wildfire emergency response.

However, it has not been tradition to name Border Patrol stations after people; they are instead named for location. Undoubtedly, the

Newton-Azrak Station will continue to be referred to by its Murrieta location, but its official title will be the ``Theodore L. Newton, Jr., and George F. Azrak Border Patrol Station,'' in honor of the heroes who gave their lives for the safety of others.

As we honor and remember the fallen agents, I would like to thank all of our Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection personnel for their service and commitment to the safety and security of all Americans.