Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, America has lost a great public servant. Thor Hesla died in Kabul, Afghanistan last night, a victim of the Taliban.

That Thor should pass at the hands of religious extremists is perhaps one of the great ironies of life because he was such a strong proponent of the humane, human virtues in life. He worked in tough places, tough jobs in America, in Kosovo, in Afghanistan, always promoting peace, democracy, and the general public welfare. He worked so many hard, dangerous jobs, and he was such a colorful person that he was larger than life. And I guess there are some of us who came to believe that the bullets would always go around him, and in his own particularly human way, Thor had become a touch immortal.

I owe him a deep debt of friendship and gratitude. He was my 1998 campaign manager, and we won a hard-fought campaign under his leadership. But that was the least of it. It was what he did afterwards. His friendship, his support, and his wise advice, which I was sometimes wise enough to accept, that was what for me set him apart and built our deep relationship. And I believe that there are hundreds of people across this country and perhaps thousands of people around the world who similarly feel this bond of friendship and this debt of gratitude to Thor. America and the world are better for his life and his work.

Earlier, I used the word ``victim'' in connection with Thor; and I misspoke, because Thor was no one's victim. He chose his life, he chose his work, and he chose Kabul.

Because of events earlier during the recess, I had an opportunity to speak with my son about life and its end. And while there are many ways to live well, to live a good life, there are few, if any, good ways to pass on. But if there are any, it is to pass on in the company of friends and family or to pass on for a cause. Now, Thor wasn't with his family in Atlanta or here in Washington, his sister, his brother-in- law, his nieces, or his parents; but he was with a family and a circle of friends, the family of those who care, the friends of those who care for others and who care to risk for others. He died in the cause of bringing some small measure of peace, prosperity, and democracy to those who are in dire need of those things.

So tonight we mourn, we remember, we celebrate the life of Thor Hesla. America has lost a fine public servant, but he is now a public servant for all

those in all the ages who care to remember those who care and sacrifice for others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.J. Res. 15--Recognizing the contributions of the Christmas tree industry to the United States economy. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this resolution.

During the holiday season, it is appropriate that we consider this resolution. Many Americans participate in the tradition of Christmas and Christmas trees are an important part of this tradition. Many memories associated with Christmas include a beautiful natural tree decorated with lights and ornaments with gifts underneath, shared with family and friends.

Whether families purchase a pre-cut tree or cut the trees themselves--the tree most likely came from a tree farm. More than 36 million Christmas trees are produced each year, and 98 percent of them come from Christmas trees farms. Christmas tree farms have a positive contribution to our economy.

None know the importance of Christmas trees to our economy better than Oregonians. In 2006, Christmas trees accounted for more than $121 million of the Oregon economy. Our number one agricultural commodity is nursery products, including Christmas trees. While many people know Oregon for our forests, it is fitting that we are also first in the Nation in Christmas tree production. I am proud to represent thousands of Oregonians who are part of the Christmas tree and nursery industry.

Christmas trees are both part of the Christmas and winter holiday season, and important to Oregon and the nation's economy. I commend my colleague, Ms. Foxx, for introducing this resolution.

Madam Speaker, as my colleagues know, in early December, the Pacific Northwest coast experienced severe storms. The storms caused devastating damage that isolated towns, left citizens without housing, transportation, communications, water, heat or electricity, and tragically caused loss of life. One city in my district, Vernonia, was particularly hard hit. The elementary, middle and high school were all severely damaged. Because of the damage, Vernonia students in grades 6- 12 are now going to school in the nearby community of Scappoose. Although the storm recovery continues, and will continue for sometime, I wanted to share with my colleagues the following communication from Scappoose High School Principal Sue Hays reporting on the first day of Scappoose-Vernonia school. Her message is one of communities coming together, neighbors and families helping each other. Simply put, Oregonians at their best.

I will continue to do all I can to assist Oregon communities and families recover from the storms, but I wanted my colleagues in the House to know that the compassionate, proud, and hardy Oregon spirit shines on. Here is Principal Hays' message:

``Dear Scappoose Families,

I wanted to let you know how our first day of Scappoose-Vernonia School was. It was a great day, a very emotional day as the Vernonia students arrived in seven buses. Their teachers greeted them at the cafeteria doors with open arms. Every comment from the Vernonia staff to students was so heart felt. Questions about how is your family? How is your house? Are you ok? And . . . ``we are so glad you are here . . . we have missed you'' was repeated with each child. Many hugs took place as if these students had not seen each other for a lifetime! It was a very emotional moment for some of us.

We managed to feed all 300 students that showed up in record time, and then the

Vernonia students were off to the gym for an assembly and to get their new schedules. The Scappoose students then assisted the students to their classrooms and gave them guided tours of our building. Our Scappoose students came in for lunch shortly afterwards and then they headed home for the day.

It is now 3:30 and the halls are quiet and the Vernonia student's grades 6-12 are in class listening to teachers and working away on the latest assignment given to them. It is like nothing ever happened and they don't seem to know that they are even in Scappoose. They do know that there is teaching and learning going on, friends have reunited and the teachers that love them are there to support them and teach them.

I am so in awe of our staff and students who have handled this situation with grace, enthusiasm and superb organizational skills. The Vernonia students and staff have been very appreciative and they do have ``stories'' to tell. I talked to a couple of students today where one told me he still had 6 feet of water in his house. Another student told me he lost everything including his house. The lesson of the day was ``giving and receiving''.

Thank you all for your support and ``class act'' that your sons and daughters displayed today, even at 7:30 am in the morning! Report was that most everyone was on time!

If any of you wish to volunteer to ``man'' the donation areas at the high school, please let us know via email scappoosehighschool@ scappoose.kI2.0r.us. Mr. Casey Honl has volunteered to coordinated and supervise the donations! People are now wanting to donate appliances and furniture, and we are trying to locate a facility that we can store the items in. We are still accepting cash donations with checks made out to ``Vernonia School Project''. We are hoping to get all students a new pair of tennis shoes. I have 60 donated from Nike at this time. Lastly, we can't forget the food drive to fill our own food bank in Scappoose as well as sending food to Vernonia. The U-haul in front of the school will be open school hours Wednesday through Saturday am. Thanks again for being such a great community! You are loved!

Madam Speaker, I rise to enter into the Record the text of a letter authored by Dean Harold Hongju Koh of Yale Law School and signed by numerous prominent law school deans, professors, and students to GEN Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan denouncing his recent assault on the rule of law in his country. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

We the undersigned lawyers, deans, professors, law

students, and law school administration and staff denounce in

the strongest terms General Pervez Musharraf's recent assault

on the rule of lay in Pakistan. By suspending the

Constitution; dissolving the Supreme Court and the provincial

High Courts and replacing them with judges of his own

choosing; engaging in arbitrary and unprovoked arrests of

thousands of opposition leaders, journalists, and other law-

abiding citizens; and violently suppressing protests by

hundreds of lawyers who were acting in the highest tradition

of our profession, General Musharraf is trampling upon the

very system of law that alone can justify a ruler's power

over his people. We stand in solidarity with our fellow

lawyers and the democratic values that they represent, and we

urge an early restoration of legality and legitimate

authority in Pakistan.

Sincerely,

Harold Hongju Koh,

Dean and Gerard C. and Bernice Latrobe Smith Professor of

International Law, Yale Law School.

I thank the gentlelady.

Mr. Speaker, between December 1 and December 3, the States of Oregon and Washington were battered by an exceptionally severe storm. One wind measurement instrument clocked at 129 miles an hour before it blew over, and I am told by a helicopter pilot that the U.S. Coast Guard measured winds up to 150 miles an hour. This is the first time that the National Weather Service used the term ``hurricane'' in connection with a storm outside of the tropics or subtropics, certainly as far north as latitude 45 where we are. We set an unfortunate record.

We have frequent storms in the Pacific Northwest, but what set this one apart is that while the typical winter storm may bring winds of 70 or 100 miles an hour for a few hours to coastal Oregon, this storm brought sustained winds of 85 to 100 miles per hour for 24 hours and gusts up to 130, 150 miles an hour. Entire swaths of trees were uprooted or snapped off. Homes were flooded. Twelve to 14 inches of rain fell in a 24-hour period in some parts of the coast range, and both Interstate 5 and the main Amtrak line on the west coast were closed for a period of time.

The folks who live in the coast range and on the coast were especially hard hit. But we are a hardy people who live in this paradise, and people took care of themselves. They immediately reached out to their neighbors. They helped each other, pulled together as a community, and we got through this together.

Unfortunately, several people perished, many people were injured. And many people went without heat or electricity or telephone service, were cut off from the world and were cut off by landslides on the roads, also, in addition to the loss of communication. But people got through this together in the great tradition of America and the great tradition of the Northwest and of Oregon.

I would like to especially commend the local and State first responders, the Oregon National Guard, the United States Coast Guard, the Oregon Red Cross, and the good works of the State of Oregon in facing this very, very severe storm. Even during the torrential rain and the winds, the good citizens of Oregon and Washington came to one another's assistance. There are people who told me that they knew that someone was trapped in a home, and they went in to get them even though there were shingles and pieces of glass flying through the air hard enough to stick into the side of homes. And one person went into a home where a piece of sheet metal was flapping in the wind, knowing that if that sheet metal came off that it would become a dangerous projectile, but he went in to get the resident out.

City Councilor Mark Kujala of Warrenton stayed by the phones for 24 hours to take calls and answer calls so that people would not feel isolated and cut off, so that they could get some information. KMUN in Astoria, Oregon, because there was a severe storm a year ago, prepared for this by putting up a propane tank. And even though a tree fell on its roof and damaged the structure severely, KMUN stayed on the air all through the storm and gave the people of the north Oregon coast a sense of connection to what was happening in the outside world. And I want to commend the amateur radio operators, the folks who kept parts of the

local telephone system operating, and others, for keeping our communities together through the darkness, the cold, and the isolation when most of the phone lines went down.

The immediate efforts of first responders as well as local and State officials are to be applauded. And I want to express a special thanks to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard lost all of their communication. They lost their Internet. They lost their telephones. They lost their cell phones. They were down to VHF radio, 1950s technology, to communicate with other first responders and themselves, and yet, they went out and picked people off the roofs, went into homes. One of the rescuers went into a home that was flooded up to chest level and the lights were still on in the room where this disabled individual was located, and yet this rescue swimmer went in there with the electricity on and got the person out and into a rescue helicopter.

The National Guard performed heroic efforts. Camp Rilea became a safety shelter, kind of a dry safe harbor for the people of the north coast. They distributed generator fuel to so many people who were trying to run their own generators when the power went down, and at one point they were down to their last 30, 60, 90 minutes of fuel. But then they got resupplied and were able to help continue to keep other folks' generators working. And the radio station in Seaside had their antenna blown down, but they got right back up the next day when it was safe to get the antenna back up and get a generator going and kept folks informed.

I have tried to work closely with Governor Kulongoski, and he has been terrific through this entire episode. It was a Sunday-Monday storm, and I couldn't get a phone call through to folk in the area until Wednesday night, but Governor Kulongoski toured the area Tuesday afternoon and was on the phone with me Tuesday afternoon to tell me some of the things that were needed. The Governor and I work hard to make sure that both the State and the Federal components of recovery and prevention for the future, that we do our jobs, that we have not too much government but all the government that we need to keep Americans safe, to enable us to pull together in times of crisis and need.

Life is uncertain in the paradise that we call the Pacific Northwest. It has sometimes been referred to as the land of fire and ice. We have regular storms, periodic fires, and rare huge earthquakes and tsunami. To paraphrase an author of the region: We are always searching for hardy people to match this challenging land. And I think that we do have those people.

Life in the paradise we call home may be uncertain, but we know that we are a match for it and we shall meet the challenges together. A long road of recovery lies ahead, but like the pioneers of old, we will bring everyone to the finish line together. No one will be left behind. No one will be forgotten. I want to salute the citizens of the Pacific Northwest, the first responders, and everyone else who came from the region to help out in our time of need. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, last night big, rich tobacco companies killed health care in Oregon for little poor kids. Now we in Congress must and can do better for our entire Nation.

But Republican leaders refuse to allow bipartisan negotiators to reach a compromise that would give 10 million American children the health care they need and deserve. The Republican leaders' refusal to negotiate only highlights their continued opposition to health care for the children of low-income working families.

Unfortunately, President Bush also remains unmoved by the health care needs of our children. The President has routinely refused to meet with congressional leaders, even to discuss the children's health care insurance program.

While President Bush works against children's health care, Republicans and Democrats will continue to work together to identify a compromise that will afford health care to 10 million American children. A bipartisan majority of us realize just how important it is to ensure that children have access. The health care of the 10 million American children and over 100,000 children in Oregon is simply too important to ignore.

Mr. Speaker, I want to express my great respect to Chairman Levin and Chairman Rangel and deep appreciation for the improvements that they have achieved in this bill compared to past trade bills. I came to Congress, ran for a Federal office, substantially to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law, both at home and abroad. Trade agreements are one of the few, one of the key levers to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law abroad.

So I regret that I cannot vote for this bill tonight because it does not put human rights on an equal footing with environmental and labor protections. But I do hope to work with the chairman and people on both sides of the aisle of goodwill to reach a day, some day, when human rights will be included in trade deliberations on an equal footing with environmental and labor protections.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 35th anniversary of the passing of one of the most important laws in this country: the Clean Water Act.

The Clean Water Act is a keystone law for the protection of our Nation's waters. This law ensures water quality for a healthy environment, the vitality of plant and animal species and most notably, it is fundamental to public health and our survival.

Two-thirds of cities in the United States draw their water from rivers, and our health relies on the health of the rivers. An entire generation has grown up in this country taking for granted the cleanliness of our Nation's waters. For us, it has been as easy as turning on the faucet for a glass of clean, safe drinking water. And I am confident that without the Clean Water Act, this would be in jeopardy.

The Clean Water Act, using both regulatory and non-regulatory tools, has reduced pollution in our waterways. The act established the basic structure for regulating pollutants and gave the Environmental Protection Agency the authority to implement pollution control programs. The act brought us water quality standards and made it unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant into navigable waters at any time.

My home State of Oregon has worked hard to do its part in solving its water pollution problems, and no city has done more to advance innovative strategies to mitigate storm water run-off pollution than Portland, Oregon. Run-off is a serious threat to our water quality. In fact, runoff from roads is responsible for 80 percent of the degradation of the Nation's surface water.

Portland has been making an extraordinary investment toward a comprehensive Greenstreets Implementation Program that will reduce impervious surfaces, treat and filter storm water at its source, reduce demands on the city's collection system, support regulatory compliance and enhance watershed health. In short, greenstreets filter storm water before the water soaks into the ground, pours into a river or ends up in the sewer system. The city of Portland estimates that its green street projects reduce pollution in runoff by up to 90 percent.

Greenstreets also save money for sewer ratepayers and taxpayers. According to the city of Portland, traditional pipe and stormwater disposal systems can cost up to twice as much as green streets. What more could you ask for: safe drinking water and clean rivers, at less cost to the taxpayer.

Portland is a national leader in this and will continue to be a laboratory for techniques that other jurisdictions can use to meet regulations of the Clean Water Act. It is through these innovative technologies and techniques that the Clean Water Act will continue to meet its mission to provide the public with safe, clean drinking water.

Madam Speaker, today I offer my best wishes and congratulations to the people of Taiwan in recognition of the National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

During the late 1980s and early 1990s Taiwan witnessed a peaceful transition of political power to a full-fledged democracy and a multi- party political system that respects human rights and the rule of law. I commend the people of Taiwan for building a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous island.

For over 50 years, the United States and Taiwan have fostered a close relationship, which has been of mutual political, economic, cultural, and strategic advantage. I believe that the United States should remain committed to enhancing stability, security, and prosperity in Taiwan and across the Taiwan Strait.

In celebration of this Double Tenth National Day, it is my hope that the United States, Taiwan, and the People's Republic of China can maintain dialogue and work together to promote enduring peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in the Taiwan Strait.

I thank the chairman.

As both Chairman Conyers and Chairman Berman are aware, the version of the legislation in the other body contains a section that ends the diversion of fees from the Patent and Trademark Office.

Absent a compelling consideration, would the chairman be amenable to working to keep that provision in conference?

I thank the chairman.

Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Technology and Innovation Subcommittee and a cosponsor of the bill, I rise in support of H.R. 2850, the Green Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2007. I want to commend Dr. Gingrey for his work on this bill.

Partnerships with universities, non-profits, industry and the Federal Government are important for the chemical industry's success. The transfer of technology from federally funded research to industry helps promote innovation, which helps the United States remain competitive in a global economy.

Federal support of green chemistry can produce many benefits. First, companies will be able to produce more products less harmful to humans and the environment. Second, businesses will benefit from the facilitation of green chemistry research by the Federal Government and the subsequent transfer of technology to the private sector.

This bill presents opportunities to reduce impact on the environment while assisting our domestic industry to find new products through innovation.

Recently, Columbia Forest Products, a company in my district, received an award for an innovation in green chemistry. The company produces interior plywood products. In collaboration with Oregon State University, Columbia Forest Products has created a soy-based product to use for its production of plywood, instead of traditional urea- formaldehyde resin.

H.R. 2850 will help create more opportunities for universities and companies to partner in green chemistry innovation.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

Madam Speaker, one lesson we Americans learn as children is that we should guard our liberty and our security with equal vigor.

The FISA bill before us, while reinstating the power to direct surveillance toward foreigners, protects Americans in two key ways:

1. An independent judge, and not the attorney general or anyone else in the executive branch, will rule on surveillance applications.

2. Nothing in this bill immunizes any potential illegal surveillance.

Americans expect accountability, that their private lives remain private, and that their own government is one they need not fear, especially when we face difficult times. This bill strikes the appropriate balance between liberty and security.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

I offer an amendment to invest further in renewable energy by creating a university based research program for biomass energy research. The amendment authorizes funds for competitive grants to support research at institutions of higher education to use trees killed by disease or insect infestation for biomass energy.

Priority will be given to research institutions in low-income or rural communities, those that already conduct research in this field, institutions which can enter joint ventures with Indian tribes and those institutions located near forests killed by massive disease or insect infestation.

Mr. Chairman, we must capitalize on America's universities for research and renewable energy. My amendment will harness universities as a resource to advance our renewable energy portfolio.

The amendment also ensures grants will be distributed throughout the United States. If fully funded, at least a dozen universities could be selected from the pool of university applicants.

In the Pacific Northwest, the unfortunate incidence of disease and insect infestation in our forests can be mitigated by turning dead trees into renewable energy. By targeting universities in rural and low-income communities, we create needed jobs and help develop those jobs in communities which frequently have felt neglected in our pursuit of pro-environmental causes.

Dead trees can be an opportunity to create clean, renewable energy, generate jobs and protect our healthy forests by using our dead and dying ones for biomass energy. I urge my colleagues to support this research program.

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

Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Chairman, there are at least several institutions that I know of in the Pacific Northwest that would qualify; and I suspect that if a fine research institution in Texas were to team up, say, with an Indian tribe in New Mexico or Oklahoma, I am sure that many institutions in Texas would also qualify under these criteria.

I would further like to point out that, unlike other grant programs which specify a handful of States which are to be given priority, this amendment does not do that. It is designed to be open to schools from all 50 States.

Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Chairman, it is my recollection that Lyndon Johnson paid a great deal of attention to trees in Texas and their positive and detrimental nature at times. It has come to my attention, through my public and private activities in the Pacific Northwest, that we have a tremendous number of trees, some of which are dying of disease and insect infestation, and those trees become a threat to our healthy forests.

It was the intent of this author to try to have a win-win by generating energy from dead and dying trees which are otherwise a threat to the healthy forests which remain.

If the gentleman would yield.

I thank the gentleman.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we teach American children that we ought to protect both our safety and our privacy with equal vigor, and tonight we fail these children and we fail future generations.

The Senate bill before us empowers the Attorney General to authorize surveillance. It empowers the Attorney General to develop the regulations guiding that surveillance. It empowers the Attorney General to audit the compliance with his own guidelines. This bill makes Albert Gonzales the sheriff, the judge, and the jury.

Americans expect accountability, that their private lives remain private, and that their government is one they need not fear.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 121 to call on the Japanese government to formally and unequivocally acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility for its Imperial Army's coercion of young women, known as ``comfort women,'' into sexual slavery during the World War II era.

I would first like to commend my distinguished colleague, Mr. Honda, for introducing this important resolution and for his leadership and hard work on this critical matter. I further want to recognize the extraordinary friendship between Japan and the United States, a friendship which has spanned at least half a century.

This resolution is being considered today so that the truth about comfort women will remain in the history books.

An estimated 200,000 women were sexually exploited by the Japanese armed forces during Japan's military expansion and wartime occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through World War II. Although Koreans made up the majority of these euphemistically termed ``comfort women,'' Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipino, Dutch, and Indonesian women also were victimized.

Comfort women were used for recreational sex by Japanese soldiers as a military strategy to increase the soldiers' efficiency. These women were mentally and physically dehumanized and subject to extreme sexual violence. Only a few hundred of these courageous survivors of the World War II horror are still alive today.

Undoubtedly, today's Japan is a world leader and a valued ally to the United States. It is not the intent of Congress to punish Japan, but to help Japan acknowledge comfort women as part of its wartime history. An official, unambiguous apology from the Japanese government for its wartime atrocities is vital for historical record, emotional healing, and the education of future generations.

I support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.