Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 59) expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the establishment of an appropriate day for the commemoration of the women suffragists who fought for and won the right of women to vote in the United States, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Government Reform, I rise in support of House Joint Resolution 59. This legislation, introduced by the distinguished gentlewoman from Las Vegas, Nevada (Ms. Berkley) recognizes women's suffrage as a great milestone in our Nation's history.

The resolution specifically intends to commemorate the struggle waged by suffragists such as Sojourner Truth, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony as a culmination in women's earning the right to vote. Many people reviled social reformers like these women leaders in the mid-19th Century. Today, however, they rightfully celebrate the fight to end this injustice.

I appreciate the gentlewoman from Nevada's work in further recognizing the legacy of the American civil rights movement.

From the women's rights meeting called by Mott and Stanton in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848 until the ratification of the 19th amendment in 1920, the determination of these women was as strong and has endured as any in our history. To earn the right to vote, these women chained themselves to the White House gates. They went on hunger strikes. They participated in marches and often were arrested and jailed for their disobedient action.

Despite the difficult obstacles and resistance they faced, suffragists remained committed to giving women the equal voice in American politics. Their victory was finally secured when Secretary of State Colby certified the ratification of the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution on August 26, 1920. The joint resolution under consideration marks the 19th amendment's upcoming 85th anniversary on August 26.

The 19th amendment reads: ``The rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.'' This single, timeless sentence ensured that our democracy would never again restrict women from voting for their leaders.

Mr. Speaker, the story of the women suffragists included many excruciating chapters, but its tumultuous activities and its conclusion is a credit to democracy and the ability to adapt and improve.

For all these reasons, I strongly urge my colleagues to support the adoption of this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time, and I urge adoption of House Joint Resolution 59.

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 agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 181) supporting the goals and ideals of National Life Insurance Awareness Month, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), the author of this bill.

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

I urge all of my colleagues to support the adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 181 that emphasizes the significance of life insurance. I support this resolution. Today as many as 50 million Americans currently lack life insurance coverage. This reality puts countless families at risk of losing their assets in the event of a wage-earner's unexpected death.

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 agree to the resolution (H. Res. 329) honoring former President William Jefferson Clinton on the occasion of his 59th birthday.

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

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the distinguished author of House Resolution 329, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), and the entire House of Representatives, I wish President William Jefferson Clinton a happy 59th birthday.

House Resolution 329 would honor President Clinton on the occasion of his 59th birthday on August 19th. It would furthermore commend President Clinton's continued commitment to public service and world leadership. Since the House will be out of session in August, I would like to thank the House leadership for scheduling this resolution for early consideration today and support the resolution's adoption.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, approximately a year ago, we honored former President William Jefferson Clinton in a very similar way on his 58th birthday. Then we were doing it, to a great extent, because of his quadruple bypass. It seemed appropriate to honor this immediate former President in a time of personal and family concern.

This year, though, we honor President Clinton for what he has done since that time, coming out of the hospital, coming to the aid of people around the world, but particularly in Asia after the December 26 earthquake and tsunami. President Clinton and President Bush, former President Bush, have shown the value of former Presidents.

President Clinton's leadership in this very elite former Presidents' club is a tribute to what can be done by people who stay engaged and involved. And so although it is likely that most people know that I probably did not vote for President Clinton in either of his elections, I certainly would be happy to vote today to honor the President on his 59th birthday because of what he has done since leaving the White House.

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. 289) supporting the goals and ideals of National Health Center Week in order to raise awareness of health services provided by community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will be brief, because, in fact, the minority member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) who is managing this, is the author of this bill.

This bill, House Resolution 289, honors our Nation's community health centers and their invaluable contributions to thousands of Americans, perhaps millions of Americans, in need. Health centers provide primary and preventative medical, dental, and pharmaceutical services; and their work acts as a vital safety net in the health care delivery system.

Mr. Speaker, I urge that we give this resolution immediate consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I just want to take a moment to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for offering this important legislation and speaking so eloquently on it.

The gentleman's passion for these important centers is evident in the words he said here today.

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. 294) supporting the goals of ``A Day of Commemoration of the Great Upheaval'', and for other purposes.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 294, which was introduced by the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany).

This legislation tells the story of the Great Upheaval, which is an event that, while perhaps little known to many Americans, helped shape the culture and history of the State of Louisiana.

The Great Upheaval refers to the expulsion of the Acadian population of Nova Scotia by the British in the mid-18th century, which is the origins of these original French settlers of the land that is now the eastern Canadian province of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

The Treaty of Utrecht, signed by the British and French at the conclusion of the War of the Spanish Succession in 1713, ended a series of land trades between the world's powers by finally awarding to the British the region inhabited by the Acadians.

Consequently, by 1730, all Acadians were compelled to swear an oath that gave their allegiance to the British, but the oath further forced them to agree to bear arms against the French or Indians.

However, in 1794 when the French and Indian War broke out, the majority of Acadians refused and disregarded this commitment to fight the French. Consequently, the British deported these Acadians, more than 10,000 strong, who would not commit their loyalty to the British Crown.

The King of France encouraged the displaced French citizens to ultimately settle in Louisiana. These thousands of Acadians exiled from Nova Scotia 2\1/2\ centuries ago are the ancestors of many of today's French Acadian, or Cajun, citizens in Louisiana.

Largely due to the Great Upheaval, French influence is still very strong in south Louisiana. The third week of September is officially Acadian Heritage Week in Louisiana. In addition, in December 2003, Queen Elizabeth signed a royal proclamation that acknowledged the mistreatment of the Acadians and designated July 28 of every year a day to commemorate the Great Upheaval.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany), the author of the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2977) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 306 2nd Avenue in Brockway, Montana, as the ``Paul Kasten Post Office Building''.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2977, introduced by the distinguished gentleman and colleague and classmate of mine, the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Rehberg), would name the post office in Brockway, Montana, as the ``Paul Kasten Post Office Building.'' The bill honors rural mail carrier Paul Kasten for his more than five decades of dependable work in the Postal Service.

Mr. Kasten began his postal career in 1947. Believe it or not, in the early years he delivered the mail on horseback. After his lengthy career, Kasten retired earlier this year at the age of

86. He is a credit to the tremendous work performed by the entire Postal Service. That is why we are so pleased to see the House is considering an appropriate honor.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Rehberg) for his work, and I ask that this postal naming be approved on behalf of Paul Kasten.

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

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. 2894) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 102 South Walters Avenue in Hodgenville, Kentucky, as the ``Abraham Lincoln Birthplace Post Office Building''.

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

Mr. Speaker, it would be nearly impossible to pay sufficient homage to President Abraham Lincoln, our sixteenth President of the United States. President Lincoln was a man whose convictions enabled the emancipation of thousands from slavery and led to the preservation of the Union, which allowed our United States to develop into a strong and free Nation that it is today.

In our efforts to commend these and other contributions, it should be recognized that Lincoln's greatness extended far beyond the reaches of his Presidency. Today, however, through the consideration of this legislation, H.R. 2894, we focus on the humble origins that produced for us this great President. Considered by many to be our greatest President, we are designating Abraham Lincoln's Birthplace Post Office Building, for it was in Kentucky that he was born on February 12, 1809, in a log cabin near Hardin County, Kentucky. During his childhood, Lincoln's determined spirited led him to covet education and to develop an insatiable appetite for reading and learning.

Undoubtedly as a result, Lincoln's incredible oratorical capacity strengthened his political influence throughout his life. He effectively appealed to the Nation in such unforgettable speeches as the Gettysburg Address, the Second Inaugural Address, and the famous ``House Divided'' speech. He truly used his verbal skills to his fullest advantage.

As I am sure the distinguished sponsor of H.R. 2894 would assert, Lincoln's characteristic determination embodied the hard-nosed and ambitious attitude with which Kentuckians as he are often associated. His labors to free the slaves and preserve the Union positively impacted our Nation to an extent that cannot be overstated.

Again, we have often looked at President Lincoln as our greatest President. We have often honored him. But I think it is particularly important to recognize that H.R. 2894 speaks not to the State from which he heralded at the time of his election, not about the end of his life, but Kentucky, the place of the origin and the roots of his life.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Lewis), the author of the bill, and just note that I feel I am on the path between Kentucky and Illinois here, with my own birthplace being Ohio.

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 Senate bill (S. 775) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 123 W. 7th Street in Holdenville, Oklahoma, as the ``Boone Pickens Post Office''.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in support of S. 775, a bill to name the postal facility at 123 W. 7th Street in Holdenville, Oklahoma, as the Boone Pickens Post Office.

Well-known businessman Boone Pickens has personified the American Dream through his hard work and determination. Early in his professional life and career, Pickens grew frustrated working at a large impersonal company. Instead of enduring the daily struggle through the organizational red tape, he decided to start his own business in 1956 at age 28. This nascent company ultimately evolved into one of the leading oil and gas exploration firms in the Nation, the Mesa Petroleum Company.

But more important, the House is considering this honor for Boone Pickens not because of his business success but for his philanthropy. Over the years, Pickens has generously invested in his alma mater, Oklahoma State University, supported a wide range of medical research initiatives, and several other scientific and social causes.

Boone Pickens has contributed his time, energy, and resources to make America a better place to live and work; and for these reasons, I support S. 775 today, and I ask my colleagues to support the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to urge all my colleagues to support the effort to name the post office in Holdenville, Oklahoma, where Boone Pickens was born in 1928; and I congratulate our distinguished Senator and my friend, Senator Jimmy Inhofe, on recognizing the importance of T. Boone Pickens in both business and philanthropy.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 571) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1915 Fulton Street in Brooklyn, New York, as the ``Congresswoman Shirley A. Chisholm Post Office Building''.

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

Senate 571, sponsored in the other body by the distinguished Senator from New York, Senator Charles Schumer,

honors the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 20, 1924, Shirley Chisholm spent a lifetime advocating civil rights for all Americans. After graduating with honors from Brooklyn College, Shirley Chisholm worked at the Mount Cavalry Child Care Center in Harlem for several years. Later, she founded the Unity Democrat Club, which mobilized black and Hispanic voters. In 1964, Shirley Chisholm ran for and won a State assembly seat in the New York General Assembly. During her term, Ms. Chisholm most notably championed bills to aid day care centers and schools.

In 1968, she campaigned and was elected as the Representative from New York's Twelfth District to the United States Congress, where she served until 1982. Throughout her tenure, Congresswoman Chisholm boldly spoke out on civil rights, women's liberties, and issues specifically affecting those in need.

In 1972, Congresswoman Chisholm was emboldened and encouraged, as many are, to run for President. That year, she sought the Democrat nomination for President and in doing so became the first African American woman to run for the White House on a major party ticket. She received nearly 5 percent of the vote in the Democrat national convention, losing the nomination to then--Senator George McGovern of South Dakota.

Mr. Speaker, Shirley Chisholm sadly passed away on January 1 of this year. It is clear that Shirley Chisholm touched her colleagues and constituents with her courageous and groundbreaking public service career. Thus, it is appropriate to name the post office located in her hometown of Brooklyn in Congresswoman Chisholm's honor. I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting Senate 571.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3339) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2061 South Park Avenue in Buffalo, New York, as the ``James T. Molloy Post Office Building''.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 3339 introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins). It would designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 2061 South Park Avenue in Buffalo, New York, as the James T. Molloy Post Office Building. The entire New York State delegation has cosponsored this bill, and I join with them in support.

In 1975, during the 94th Congress, James Molloy was elected doorkeeper of the House of Representatives, a position he held with distinction until the 104th Congress in 1995. As doorkeeper, he introduced six different Presidents, several heads of state and other dignitaries in joint sessions and other congressional events. In fact, Mr. Molloy is the last doorkeeper of the House of Representatives, and H.R. 3339 would honor his esteemed service. I urge all of my colleagues to support the naming of this post office.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I, too, want to join in thanking the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins) for bringing this important bill to our attention, and I urge its passage.

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

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

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.J. Res. 59, H. Con. Res. 181, H. Res. 329, H. Res. 289, H. Res. 294, H.R. 2977, H.R. 2894, S. 775, S. 571, and H.R. 3339.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Arizona for yielding me this time, and I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff).

I have the distinction of being one of the few members on the Committee on the Judiciary who is not an attorney, and I got a little applause on that, I think. But I came to Congress from the business of automobile security. The one thing I know about what we are dealing with in terrorism is that if you leave an open window on an automobile, no amount of security will protect you. If you leave the automobile or your home unlocked, no security system will protect you.

There is absolutely no doubt that we must protect America. To do so, we have to be able to go anywhere and never take anything completely off the table.

I believe that this amendment allows us to guarantee that there are no safe havens for terrorists while, at the same time, we will protect the privacy and the fair expectation that there will not be unreasonable rifling through the records at libraries or, for that matter, I hope, anywhere else under this act.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, the threat we face as Americans today is all too real. The recent bombings in London could have happened on American soil, and it is only through the vigilance of our many law enforcement entities that we can combat this occurrence.

The PATRIOT Act, as it was originally adopted, contains many needed tools to fight those who would harm us here in America. One of those tools was the expansion of roving wiretap authority. This vital tool allowed us to reach out and touch those who had discovered that using a new cell phone every day would have gotten around existing wiretap laws. It did not take the terrorists long to realize that, and it would not take them long if that ceased to exist for them to begin using that technique prior to the PATRIOT Act.

We made America safer when we expanded these surveillance authorities, because now law enforcement can continue to monitor a terrorist's activity without undue interruption. But this new authority must be balanced with our fundamental civil liberties.

It is not that law enforcement has ever misused the roving wiretap provision. I repeat: law enforcement has not been, through our oversight, seen to have abused the roving wiretap provision. However, this is such a serious, serious potential that we must take all measures necessary to ensure that it will not be in the future.

For that reason, I seek to amend H.R. 3199 to add a level of judicial oversight not in the current bill. The current bill gives the issuing court blanket discretion on when law enforcement must report back on a roving wiretap. My amendment requires law enforcement to report back to the court within 15 days of using the roving aspect of the warrant. My amendment also requires law enforcement to report on the total number of electronic surveillances that have been conducted.

These are simple steps that will help guard against possible abuses in the future, while doing nothing to hamper the value of the roving wiretap.

Mr. Chairman, I thoroughly appreciate the opportunity to offer this amendment; but I also want to comment that we have, as a committee, worked like never before on a bipartisan basis to dramatically improve a law when it came to civil liberties that already had good teeth when it came to the security of our people.

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

Mr. Chairman, it is with great pleasure that I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), the chairman of the entire Judiciary Committee.

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

I want to assure the gentlewoman from California that her concerns on electronic data and the fact that in an era of VOIP that we do have to look at that. I serve with the gentlewoman in California on many of the caucuses that deal with that. I look forward to both in Judiciary and, quite candidly, in other committees of jurisdiction here in the Congress to continue to work on properly identifying and modernizing how that is going to be interpreted. I think it is beyond the scope of the PATRIOT Act today, but it certainly is not beyond the Congress to have to bring things up to snuff, and I look forward to working with the gentlewoman from California.

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

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

I will just close quickly in thanking the chairman, the ranking member, the staffs for the hard work that led to the underlying bill, but also to this particular amendment. This was done on a bipartisan basis. There was give and take.

Over on the Senate side there is a companion that is somewhat similar that has, I believe, a 7-day timeline, and undoubtedly we will work together in conference to reconcile those two. But the good work done on a bipartisan basis in the House has led to what I believe is the right compromise, although I certainly will work with the other body.

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

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, before we take up amendment 20, I would like to step back to amendment 6 of yesterday. I had submitted an amendment made in order under the rule to strike proposed changes to U.S. economic and military aid to Egypt yesterday. I decided not to offer this amendment.

I yield to the gentleman from Illinois.

Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman.

I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from California. I appreciate the offer by the chairman and ranking Democrat to look at this, and I look forward to working with them and the administration on this matter.

On that, Mr. Chairman, I would like to move to amendment No. 20.

Amendment 20 was made in order because it is dealing with an important matter. This amendment takes the necessary and commonsense steps to enhance the security of American passports. It will help to eliminate three major loopholes currently present in the passport acquisition process that have been exploited by criminals, especially over the last 5 years.

First, it requires the Secretary of State to submit a report that describes the weaknesses of identification documents, including birth certificates, required for the issuance of passports. This report will lay out the minimum acceptable criteria for birth certificates issued by State and county governments in order for the certificates to be accepted by the State Department for the purpose of obtaining a passport.

Second, the amendment establishes a requirement that all passport agents undergo background investigations and comprehensive training programs to improve fraudulent document detection and thereby reduce fraud. This will make it harder for insiders to sell passports to criminals and terrorists and easier for government authorities to discover those who do. The Secretary of State would be authorized to determine requirements for both background checks and oversight of these agents.

Finally, Mr. Chairman, and without a doubt most importantly, this amendment expands the authority of the United States Government to investigate cases of illegal sales of passports and visas by U.S. Government personnel. It authorizes the Federal District Court of the District of Columbia to issue warrants in such cases and authorizes special agents under the direction of the director of the Diplomatic Security Service to execute such warrants.

It will also require foreign service officers and other personnel serving abroad in diplomatic positions, including ambassadors, to waive any challenge to the Federal court jurisdiction over matters involving the illegal sale of a passport or a visa or any other matter involving official corruption. The waiver would include any legal challenges to the diplomatic security conducting investigations for the same.

This will resolve the current impasse that happens in a significant number of foreign countries when local magistrates and police officials are barred under respective local laws from allowing investigations by anybody into the homes of diplomats.

Mr. Chairman, the requirements laid out in this amendment will raise the State Department's ability to detect and eliminate passport fraud. It is critical for our Nation's security that we implement the measures I have laid out.

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake).

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

Mr. Chairman, in closing, I would like to offer my assurances to the ranking member that it was never the intention of this amendment to eclipse the postal service's good efforts; and the portion of the amendment that deals with State Department developing in no way, shape, or form is intended to stop the training from being conducted by the appropriate agency in the appropriate place. I look forward to working with the ranking member to clarify that in any language necessary.

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

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition, although I do not oppose the amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support and to help offer this amendment along with my colleague the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson). We have worked together in the past to address these issues of intellectual property theft, and I look forward to continuing to work with her to address these issues in the future.

Intellectual property theft continues to be one of the biggest threats to American companies doing business abroad. While we have begun to focus on the biggest offenders, China and Russia, where intellectual property theft costs American companies billions of dollars each year, we cannot afford to ignore the copyright piracy taking place in other regions of the world.

This amendment would direct the funding to activities in countries that are not members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, under the auspices of the State Department's Economic Bureau. These funds will be used for a wide range of activities, including assistance in procuring equipment to combat piracy, posting intellectual property experts abroad to help train foreign officers and to improve local enforcement of intellectual property laws.

This amendment will help ensure that the State Department has the adequate tools to engage with foreign governments and to assist them in developing an infrastructure to enforce their laws. I urge my colleagues to support the Watson-Issa amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

Mr. Chairman, I raise a point of order.

Mr. Chairman, I raise a point of order against section 928. This provision violates clause 2 of House rule XXI. It proposes to change existing law within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Government Reform and, therefore, constitutes legislation on an appropriations bill in violation of House rules.

Mr. Chairman, I offer my amendment no behalf of the thousands of women fighting a fierce battle against gyneocologic cancers. I would like to first thank Chairman Lewis and Chairman Regula for giving me the opportunity to speak on a topic that is not only a legislative priority, but a personnel commitment.

My amendment would simply redirect $5 million within the HHS budget to the Office of Women's Health to coordinate a national education campaign to educate the public on gynecologic cancers.

Every 7 minutes a woman is diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer. In 2005, over 82,000 will be diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer and over 27,000 women will die. The most common gynecologic cancers include ovarian, cervical and uterine cancers.

Too many women are dying because they were diagnosed too late. Education and early detection are the keys to saving women's lives and reducing these statistics. If diagnosed in the early stages, the 5 year survivability rates are as high as 95 percent.

Gynecologic cancers, when detected early, can often be prevented from becoming fatal. Since all women are at risk--no matter their ethnic background or socioeconomic status--it is critical that we find a way to inform women about the steps they can take to maintain their health.

Due to the private and intimate nature of these cancers, oftentimes women are uncomfortable discussing issues surrounding gynecologic cancers with friends and family. It is vital that we have a national dialogue to provide accurate and timely information to the public.

By simply educating women about these cancers, we have an opportunity to save lives. The messages are simple: learn the symptoms, have an annual exam and talk to your doctor. Unfortunately, most women do not know these messages, which is why we need to pass today's amendment.

Dollars spent on education are an appropriate use of federal resources. Education empowers individuals to make the best choices regarding their health care.

Last year, I discovered first-hand how important early diagnosis and education can be. My Legislative Director was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Her journey led me to work with Representatives Sander Levin, Kay Granger and Rosa DeLauro and introduce H.R. 1245, ``the Gynecologic Education and Awareness Act of 2005,'' which has 193 bipartisan cosponsors.

This bill, also know as ``Johanna's law,'' has allowed me the privilege and honor to meet and work with an amazing group of survivors, patients, doctors, and families who have lost loved ones to these awful cancers.

I would like to personally thank Sheryl Silver, who started this whole effort over 4 years ago. In honor of her sister, Johanna, who died of ovarian cancer, Sheryl focused her energy and resources on writing, lobbying and working this bill. It is a model of how our democracy should work.

In addition, I would like to thank the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO) and the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation for their tireless efforts in saving women's lives. They have been invaluable to this Legislative effort. Dr. Beth Karlan, from Cedars Sinai Medical Center, is the President of SGO and the doctor who saved my Legislative Director's life and deserves a special note of heartfelt gratitude.

I appreciate the opportunity in raising this issue today. I look forward to working with Chairman Jerry Lewis and Chairman Ralph Regula and appreciate their hard work and their willingness to work with all members on their issues.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Lewis) and the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Regula). I planned to offer an amendment, which is at the desk, but after discussing at length the merits of it with the chairman of the full committee and the chairman of the subcommittee, we reached an understanding that the importance of women's health and, particularly, gynecological awareness, is sufficient that we will be able to make every effort to try to find dollars to move gynecological awareness through the ordinary process without an amendment.

I certainly want to thank the chairman for his help on this. I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), who also wants to quickly make a couple of comments on the effort to raise gynecological awareness, one of the great and unheard-of killers of American women.

I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.

I yield to the gentleman from Michigan, the coauthor of this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman.

I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman.