Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I for one would like to let my friend, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), know that I am not so weak in my faith that burning of a cross would somehow destroy my faith. And yet I still believe that when somebody burns the cross, that the effect on our society, the chances of a riot, the chances that it will lead to violence are so high that society has a right to protect itself from the inevitable outcome of that kind of action. Furthermore, I do not believe we are acting as a body in order to tell the American people what to do.

I believe we reflect on a bipartisan basis, an overwhelming bipartisan basis, which reflects the will of the people, their desire to see this protection. That is why 50 States have all passed resolutions. Some of these States are very much Democrat States, some very much Republican.

This is not about patriotism or party. This is about the will of the people. We

must respond to the will of the people. I believe in the Constitution as a not easily changeable document, and I respect the idea that we should not change it lightly. But just as this Constitution began without Indians, African Americans, women, or even people below the age of 21 being able to vote, and we have revised and revised and revised to get a more perfect democracy, we too must respond to this generation's request.

This generation's request of us is, in fact, to establish a special respect level, not an overly high one, but a special respect level for the flag. Not because America will somehow be destroyed if one or one million flags are burned, but because the American people have called on this body to offer them an opportunity to amend the Constitution, and we do so here today. We attempt to give the American people that opportunity to revise the Constitution.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

I might remind the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), my friend, that we limited the terms of how many times someone could run for President as a constitutional amendment. That is fluid document. It may add or subtract. It may reflect the will of the people. The will of the people in our lifetime was to limit the amount of terms that a President could serve, no differently than the question of whether or not you can incite a riot by burning a flag.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, June 17, 2005, I was not in Washington, DC, for votes. Had I been present, I would have voted in favor of H.R. 2745, the Henry J. Hyde United Nations Reform Act of 2005.

Regarding the amendments, I would have voted in favor of the Royce, Fortenberry, Flake and Chabot/Lantos amendments, and I would have voted against the Pence, Gohmert, Stearns and Lantos/Shays amendments.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise with this amendment today in order to increase the funding to the attorneys general for trafficking in humans that is going on rapidly throughout the country. I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Wolf) and his committee for working to bring this legislation to the floor and to highlight these problems here today.

Illegal immigration is the number one issue in my district and in the State of California. One of the greatest reasons that Members of Congress oppose illegal immigration is the dangerous practice of smuggling human beings into the United States by practitioners known as ``coyotes.'' Coyotes care little for the welfare of their cargo, only about the fee they will have, and have killed countless aliens in the process.

Over the past few years, the U.S. Attorney's Office has not prosecuted coyotes by any means to the fullest extent possible. As a matter of fact, in November of 2004, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, Carol Lamb, set up new guidelines. Under these guidelines, the only prosecution of a coyote for bringing somebody into the United States would include that they would be prosecuted only if they committed three felonies, and two of these crimes occurred in the district in the past 5 years. At least one of these offenses should have had the result of a prison sentence of at least 13 months, and it goes on. Essentially, you have to be a three-time criminal felon who endangered either the Border Patrol or directly the lives of individuals involved in order to even be eligible for prosecution. As a result, people who have been caught and released 20 or more times continue to not be prosecuted in the San Diego district. Throughout the district and throughout the country, the Office of the U.S. Attorney claims that they have to prioritize prosecution of human smugglers because there are insufficient funds. We aim to deal with that here today.

We should not allow smugglers to go free due to the lack of resources. There is no question that we have over 11 million, by the U.S. Census, over 11 million illegals in this country. I, for one, make no claim that tomorrow we could remove them all, but certainly, while we are trying to figure out how to grapple with this vexing problem, we should have a zero tolerance for people who traffic in human beings.

My amendment is intended to begin that process. It is my sincere hope that I can work with the Committee on Appropriations in order to put an emphasis on this area of trafficking.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to enter into a colloquy with the gentleman from Virginia Chairman Wolf.

I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the chairman's assurances.

I will at this time insert in the Record all of my statement and additional relevant materials.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to amend H.R. 2862 in order to increase funding for the prosecution of human smugglers, known as ``coyotes.'' I thank Chairman Wolf for his Committee's work in bringing this legislation before us.

Illegal immigration is the number one issue I hear about from my constituents in California. Illegal immigration not only endangers our nation's security but in many cases the security of those individuals illegally immigrating. Aliens who allow themselves to be smuggled into the United States are at the greatest risk, and it is their smugglers who need to be prosecuted most expeditiously.

The U.S. Attorney's Office has stated in the past that it does not have the resources needed to fully prosecute arrested coyotes. Border Patrol agents who arrest many of the coyotes have compared their detention and prosecution to a catch-and-release program, stating that many are released within hours of arrest and caught again the next day. For example, the Border Patrol was instructed to release known coyote, Antonio Amparo-Lopez, an individual with 21 aliases and 20 arrests. Releasing a criminal such as this due to lack of funds is completely unacceptable, and is demoralizing to the Border Patrol agents who work so hard to make the arrests in the first place.

For this reason I am proposing this amendment to increase the funding for the United States Attorneys by $5,000,000. The amendment redirects funds from the General Administration account of the Department of Justice into the Salaries and Expenses account of the United States Attorneys. I truly hope the U.S. Attorney's Office takes to heart the seriousness of this Congress' commitment to coyote prosecution.

I look forward to working with the Appropriations Committee further in efforts tied to the prosecution of alien smugglers. I also look forward to working with Chairman Sensenbrenner as we continue to address this issue within the Judiciary Committee during the Department of Justice Reauthorization process.

[From the Associated Press State & Local Wire, Nov. 2, 2004.]

Federal Prosecutors To Be More Selective on Immigration Cases

(By Elliot Spagat)

Federal prosecutors in San Diego said a burgeoning caseload

was forcing them to be more selective about charging illegal

immigrants who have committed crimes.

Under proposed guidelines, the government would focus on

prosecuting immigrants whose previous crimes occurred only a

short time ago and happened nearby, making it easier to get

police and court records.

Illegal immigrants with criminal records are often charged

with re-entry after deportation, a felony offense. Federal

prosecutors in San Diego file more than 2,000 re-entry cases

a year.

The guidelines would also be more selective about

prosecuting immigrant smugglers, concentrating on cases in

which migrants are led through dangerous terrain.

Carol Lam, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of

California, asked the Border Patrol to 'comment on the

proposals, and hasn't set a date for them to take effect,

said Steve Clark, first assistant U.S. attorney. The changes

would apply only to the Southern California district--which

encompasses San Diego and Imperial counties.

Clark on Monday declined to discuss specifics, saying that

might encourage criminals to alter their behavior in an

effort to escape prosecution. But, he said, the changes are a

response to ``finite resources'' and a growing caseload.

``(The) number of alien smuggling cases presented to our

office has increased significantly over the last year,''

Steven Peak, an assistant U.S. attorney, wrote Paul Blocker

Jr., the Border Patrol's acting San Diego sector chief.

``Alien smuggling cases are manpower-intensive and often

difficult to prosecute successfully.''

Peak's Aug. 24 letter--first reported by KGTV--TV of San

Diego--said many illegal immigrants with criminal histories

committed their offenses outside Southern California or

haven't been arrested for 10 years, making it difficult to

get police and court documents.

Under the new guidelines, offenders with three felony

convictions would be prosecuted only if two of those crimes

occurred within the district in the last five years. At least

one of those offenses should have resulted in a prison

sentence of at least 13 months.

The new guidelines for prosecuting immigrant smugglers

would require that the suspect ``intentionally or recklessly

created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily

injury,'' Peak wrote. Examples include guiding migrants

through remote areas in extreme weather.

A spokesman for the Border Patrol, Sean Isham, said the

agency was working closely with prosecutors on the revisions

and emphasized that they are still only proposals.

Shawn Moran, a spokesman for National Border Patrol Council

Local 1613, which represents Border Patrol agents in San

Diego, was more critical.

``We're not happy about it,'' he said. ``It pretty much

just raises the bar on the threshold for prosecution.''

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Dreier/Kolbe amendment that would increase funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) by $50 million. This is an extremely important issue to the people of California, because now Californians pay a disproportionate amount of the costs of incarcerating criminal aliens. SCAAP reimburses state and local governments for some of these costs.

States do not hold authority over national immigration policy, and they should not shoulder the burden of paying for criminal alien incarceration. It is the responsibility of the Federal government to ensure the security of our borders. Because undocumented aliens pose a great risk to our national security, the Federal government should bear the costs.

I thank Congressmen David Dreier and Jim Kolbe for introducing this amendment, and I urge its adoption.

Offered By: Mr. Issa

Amendment No. 5: Page 2, line 7, insert ``(reduced by

$5,000,000)'' after the dollar amount.

Page 6, line 12, insert ``(increased by $5,000,000)'' after

the dollar amount.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 169, ``Recognizing the importance of sun safety.'' As incidences of skin cancer continue to rise, now affecting one out of every five people in the United States, sun safety is increasingly important to keeping Americans healthy.

I would like to applaud the Sun Safety Alliance for its efforts to enhance national awareness of the importance of sun safety and the need for early childhood protection. I support the efforts by the Sun Safety Alliance to motivate the public to take necessary and appropriate actions to protect themselves and members of their family, especially young children from the dangers of developing skin cancer from over exposure to the sun's UV radiation.

I hope that the designation of the week of June 5-11, 2005, to National Sun Safety Week will remind Americans of the dangers of over exposure to the sun and to encourage safe sun practice. Skin cancer can be a preventable disease if sun safety precautions are followed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 744 and H.R. 29. Both will help eliminate the monitoring of and tampering with computers across America. I thank Representatives Bob Goodlatte and Mary Bono for bringing this legislation before us today.

I support the goals of both the ``Internet Spyware Prevention Act'' and the ``Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act.'' Computer users currently lose personal information to the purveyors of malicious computer software that has come to be known as spyware. These bills establish jail terms and severe monetary penalties for various types of invasive actions. Individuals, under the veil of business activity or otherwise, will no longer be able to remotely take control of computers, nor change their settings without.

We have come to depend upon computers in almost every aspect of our lives. An unimaginable amount of personal information sits on computers that must remain secure.

Again, I applaud the efforts of the House Committees on Judiciary and Energy & Commerce.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 142, Supporting the Goals and Ideals of a ``Rotary International Day'' and celebrating and honoring Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial anniversary.

Since 1905 when the first Rotary Club was founded in Chicago by Paul Harris, Rotarians have been dedicated to the principle of ``Service above Self.'' Though this principle has been embodied in various ways and mottos throughout Rotary's history, this ethic of service has always been rooted at the core of the organization and in the hearts of Rotarians throughout the world. Today 1.2 million Rotarians put service above self in more than 30,100 Clubs in over 160 countries.

In 1985 Rotary International launched PolioPlus, a program to immunize all the world's children against polio by the centennial anniversary of Rotary's founding. To date, the

PolioPlus program has committed more than $500 million to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries. These funds are providing much needed polio vaccine, operational support, medical personnel, laboratory equipment and educational materials for health workers and parents.

With its community-based network worldwide, Rotary is the volunteer arm of the global partnership dedicated to eradicating polio. Rotary volunteers assist in vaccine delivery, social mobilization, logistical help and other services which cannot be quantified in dollars alone.

From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is The Four-Way Test, which was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor. Rotarians challenge themselves in their daily lives to ask the following four questions of the things they think, say or do: 1. Is it the truth? 2. Is it fair to all concerned? 3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships? 4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

In the forty-ninth Congressional district alone Rotary International is represented by the Rotary Clubs of Vista, Bonsall, Fallbrook, Oceanside, Valley Center, Perris, Murrieta, Temecula, Temecula Sunrise, Sun City--Menifee and Lake Elsinore.

Rotary is among the finest of organizations and I join in celebrating with all Rotarians the one hundredth anniversary of their founding and wish them another one hundred years of success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the inclusion of the REAL ID Act within the supplemental appropriations conference report. The REAL ID Act is an important step towards addressing a significant national security concern.

The inclusion of the REAL ID Act in this legislation will protect Americans from terrorists who seek to exploit weaknesses in our homeland security. By allowing homeland security officials to more closely scrutinize asylum claims and by expanding the grounds for deportation to include additional terrorist related activities, this act makes America more secure. The creation of minimal standards for drivers' licenses will help reduce the use of fraudulently obtained state IDs to access sensitive areas and board aircraft.

Last year, I voted against intelligence reform legislation because of the removal at the last minute of the REAL ID Act. I know Judiciary Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner strongly opposed the removal of the REAL ID Act from that legislation. When many had lost hope, he continued the fight to move the REAL ID Act through the legislative process. I thank Chairman Sensenbrenner for sticking by his convictions, providing leadership on this issue, and ensuring the inclusion of the REAL ID Act within this conference report.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend the successes of the Minuteman Project whose efforts have helped shine light on the flood of aliens illegally entering our country each day and the many deficiencies in United States border security.

It is an extraordinary event when citizens take it upon themselves to make a statement in such a profound manner, leaving their families and homes to travel to a remote area of

the Arizona desert to stand watch at the border. For years, we have tried to contain the onslaught of illegal immigration and smuggling into the United States, but we have done so with too few personnel and with policies in place that have undermined these efforts and often aided those illegally present in our country. The Minuteman Project has shown us that we can be effective in securing our borders if we have the personnel and policies in place to do the job.

In just seventeen days, the Minutemen proved that a few dedicated citizens could stifle a significant amount of illegal immigration. They peacefully, unobtrusively, and effectively assisted the United States Border Patrol to intercept numerous illegal border crossings. This was a neighborhood watch program at its finest.

I want to thank the participants in the Minuteman Project for their concern for our country and for their willingness to disrupt their own lives to bring attention to an issue that Congress has not effectively addressed. They have stood their watch on America's border, now Congress must act decisively to expand the Border Patrol and close a hole in our border security that is wide open to those who would harm us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 210, a resolution acknowledging the importance of intellectual property in the United States and throughout the world. I thank Mr. Wexler for introducing this important legislation.

Prior to my election to Congress, I spent over twenty years in the consumer electronic industry. I know firsthand the importance of allowing an individual or company to reasonably protect their creative works. If it were not for this ability to prevent others from infringing upon a creator's ideas, the United States would not be the engine of economic growth that it is today.

World Intellectual Property Day was established in recognition of these principles. The goals of this Day are simple--to promote, inform, and teach the importance of intellectual property. Through my travels abroad, I have come to realize that not all entities around the globe, public or private, respect intellectual property rights to the same degree. For example, we still face increasing amounts of piracy of copyrighted works and counterfeiting of patented medications. Put plainly, the incentive to create stems in great part from the desire to do so exclusively. Ensuring the continuation of intellectual property rights in the United States and throughout the world will only serve to bring more high quality and safe products consumers want to the market.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 33 years of dedicated service of Colonel John R. Bates to our Nation and the United States Marine Corps.

Colonel Bates dropped out of college in 1966 to enlist in the United States Marine Corps, then Private Bates was trained as both an infantryman and a machine gunner, and deployed to Vietnam where he was assigned to Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. In Vietnam, he participated in eight major combat operations and many more unnamed battalion and smaller hostile-fire operations. He was wounded in combat three times, the most serious of which resulted in the loss of much of his right lung by an enemy machinegun round. Bates was promoted to the rank of Sergeant while serving in Southeast Asia. While in Vietnam, he held the billets of Fire Team Leader, Squad Leader, and acting Infantry Platoon Commander. After thirteen months in Vietnam, then-Sergeant Bates was ordered to Camp Pendleton, California, and assigned as a Troop Handler for the 2d Infantry Training Regiment and was subsequently discharged due to medical disabilities attributed to his earlier wounds.

Re-entering college using the GI Bill, state rehabilitation funding, and a disability pension, Bates completed his Bachelor of Science and Education degree, followed by a Master of Science degree from the University of Central Arkansas. In 1975, seven and a half years after his medical discharge, his repeated requests to compete for a commission were granted and in November of that year he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Marines at Quantico, Virginia. Upon completion of the Basic School, he was awarded an infantry MOS and assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Bn, 7th Marines at Camp Pendleton as an infantry platoon commander. Lt. Bates' next assignment was as Service Company Commander at Camp Courtney, Okinawa. Returning to the United States and promoted to Captain, he assumed duty with the 12th Marine Corps District Recruiting Command at Treasure Island, California. His following duty assignment was that of Inspector Instructor for Echo Co, 2nd Bn, 23rd Marines, at San Bruno, California. Promoted to Major, Bates was next assigned to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii as the ``Group Grunt'' for Marine Air Group Two-Four. There he flew numerous hours in both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. After two years at the MAG, he was assigned Executive Officer for 1st Bn, 3rd Marines, and later as the acting commander of that battalion during Desert Shield and Desert Storm hostilities in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Returning from the Persian Gulf in the spring of 1991, Major Bates was assigned as the S-3, Operations Officer, of The Basic School, Quantico, Virginia, and was subsequently promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Following that assignment, in 1994 LtCol Bates was ordered back to Hawaii and assumed the duties as the G-3 Ground Operations Officer for Marine Forces Pacific, spending much of the time in Korea, Japan and other areas of the Far East.

In 1996, LtCol Bates assumed command of 2nd Bn, 3rd Marines, and deployed the battalion to Okinawa, mainland Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong. Promoted to Colonel in 1998, Bates was transferred to become the Fleet Marine Officer, Second Fleet, in Norfolk, Virginia. In 2000, Col Bates was next assigned to Seventh Fleet, headquartered in Yokosuka, Japan, where he commanded Task Group 71.34, as the Fleet Anti-Terrorism Officer, requiring duty in much of Asia, Australia, New Caledonia and Micronesia.

His present assignment is as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations and Training, Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton. In February of 2003, Col Bates assumed the duties as the Liaison Officer for I Marine Expeditionary Force to Marine Forces Central Command in Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has completed the resident courses of Amphibious Warfare School and the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College. Bates holds life membership in the Disabled American Veterans. He is an avid ultra-distance runner, having completed more than 50 marathons and in 1986 was co-holder of the American Record for the 146-mile run from Badwater, California, (Death Valley) to the summit of Mt. Whitney. He is an experienced and current Military Free-Fall parachutist and civilian USPA ``D'' licensed skydiver. His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Purple Heart with two gold stars, the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, the Combat Action ribbon with one gold star, and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal with one gold star. He is married to the former Stephanie Tucker of St. Louis, Missouri. They have one son, 1st Lt. Joshua Rustin Bates, currently the S-3 Alpha for 1st Bn, 7th Marines.

On behalf of the American people whom Colonel Bates spent a career serving, I thank him for his service, honor and commitment to our country.

Mr. Speaker, on March 21st, 2005, I was traveling overseas with Minority Leader Pelosi on officially authorized travel. Had I been present during roll call vote 90, a motion to suspend the rules and pass Senate bill 686, for the relief of the parents of Mrs. Theresa Marie Schiavo, I would have voted ``aye'' in favor of passage.

Mr. Speaker, on February 28 we lost a great American when Jerry Kalov passed away after a long battle against leukemia.

Jerry Kalov was a great American because he lived the rags to riches story. He grew up poor in Chicago and worked in several stores and rose to lead major companies including International Jensen and Harman International.

But Jerry's ``riches'' were not his degrees or his money. Jerry had no college degree and he died without a fortune. Jerry was one of America's richest men because of the huge number of lives he affected, including mine.

Jerry's passion was helping people become leaders. He took so many under his wing and he mentored us without judging us but always making us better.

For me, he took a successful businessman and taught me about humility, diplomacy and patience. He continued to mentor me even after I entered Congress and helped keep me grounded in what is a rare and heady atmosphere.

For Consumer Electronics Association president Gary Shapiro he took a brash lawyer and instilled business savvy and people skills. Jerry taught him that if you care about your employees, results will follow. He mentored Gary and several volunteer CEA chairmen and helped transform a sleepy small association into a top 20 economic and political powerhouse.

Among the CEA leaders he mentored was Kathy Gornik. Kathy owns a small Kentucky loudspeaker company. Jerry convinced her that she could lead a major national association and with Jerry's help, Kathy tripled the association's membership and created a special focus on smaller entrepreneurial companies.

Jerry mentored several others including JEDEC president John Kelly, NARDA president Elly Valas and Casio president John McDonald.

We have lost a friend, an influencer of people and a model for sharing through mentoring. Jerry reminds me that a man's worth is measured by the people he affected. Jerry helped shape many of us and we will miss him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work of one of my constituents, Ms. Beverly Hanson of Oceanside.

Several months ago, Southeast Asia was devastated by a tsunami. This terrible tragedy claimed the lives of countless thousands of people and caused horrific damage to the lives of those who survived it. Ms. Hanson was deeply touched and saddened by the lives of the children affected. Seeking to make a difference in the lives of these traumatized children, she started a toy drive she called ``Teddy Bears for Tsunami Children.''

Ms. Hansen set up boxes with signs at local retail establishments, banks, and nonprofit organizations requesting donations of new and previously loved clean teddy bears and small, plush toys. The first shipment of 240 stuffed animals left San Diego for India, tightly packed into the suitcases and duffle bags of 62 doctors and nurses with Project Compassion. Approximately 300 more animals were sent in a package to Sri Lanka by Debbie and Mano Appapillai of Carmel Valley, California. Ms. Hanson is currently collecting 500 or more toys which will find their new homes this month. Ms. Hanson has worked very hard to publicize her project into North San Diego County. She utilized newspapers, drop off points, and television to get her message out. Her determination and effort are rare and worthy of the highest praise. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have Beverly Hanson as a constituent.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Radioprotectant Procurement Act of 2005. This bill directs the Departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security to review all potentially viable radiation countermeasures and to move toward procurement of those which the government deems safe and effective against a nuclear or radiological attack.

The threat of a radiological or nuclear attack is one of the gravest faced by the United States. The results of such an attack could be catastrophic, causing death, widespread radiation sickness, economic hardship and at the very least, tremendous strain on public health resources. These effects could be mitigated if the proper radiation countermeasures are rapidly administered.

Currently, the medical options for responding to acute radiation exposure are very limited. Decontamination of individuals through showering and changing clothes is currently the main tool we have to ``treat'' large numbers of actual or suspected casualties. But this does little to prevent or mitigate the radiation sickness caused by initial radiation exposure or radioactive fallout.

The good news is that there are a number of drugs and other medical countermeasures that have the potential to counteract the health effects of radiation exposure. The Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute is now testing at least one product that might actually slow or stop the destruction of bone marrow caused by radiation and resulting diminution of the body's immune system--a leading cause of sickness and death from irradiation. Unfortunately, no such radioprotectants are stockpiled in amounts adequate enough to be effective against large-scale nuclear or radiological attacks.

In 2004, President George W. Bush signed into law the Project Bioshield Act of 2004, authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research and development of effective countermeasures. The Radioprotectant Procurement Act seeks to accelerate these efforts, as every day that passes without progress in obtaining a needed countermeasure is another day that we remain vulnerable against that threat.

If we can give people a drug that will keep them alive and healthy after being exposed to high levels of radiation, then I think we should do everything we reasonably can to get that drug purchased and distributed as quickly as possible.

The bill I am introducing today calls upon the Federal Government to do just that, and to move as expeditiously as possible in this regard. I look forward to continuing to work with the Administration and my colleagues in this body to make sure that these new and innovative medical countermeasures continue to be responsibly but quickly developed, tested, and stockpiled. The American people deserve nothing less.

Thank you Mr. Speaker and I ask my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring and enacting this important bill.