Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is a distinct honor to rise and recognize Worthington Libraries, recently named the 2007 Library of the Year by Library Journal and Gale.

The roots of Worthington Libraries can be traced to 1803 and the small town of Granby, CT, where a group of 100 men, women and children set out to begin a new life in Worthington, OH, bringing their collections of books with them. The library which was formed to manage those books was the first in Franklin County and only the third in Ohio.

The first building to actually house the collection came in 1927 when Elizabeth Jones Deshler donated money for a library building on the northeast comer of the Village Green, the area set aside by Worthington's founders for the public pursuit of learning and education. Mrs. Deshler dedicated the building to the memory of her grandfather, Worthington founder James Kilbourne. In 1931, Mrs. Deshler funded the addition of north and south wings on the James Kilbourne Memorial Library Building.

With a new location and an additional building, the current Library offers the world-class service and learning environment to match its storied past. The library is still the focal point of the community, emphasizing accountability to its patrons through rigorous, forward- looking planning and quality service that embraces not just adults but also children and teens. The community returns the compliment with strong financial support, giving the library 65.5 percent of its funding, even though three-quarters of Ohio's public libraries get most or all of their funding from the State.

Innovations which contributed to Worthington Libraries' selection for Library of the

Year included a roving reference librarian, new ways to promote high- traffic items like popular fiction, a teen blog and ``MySpace'' page, adult programming that extend to forums sponsored with the town's Council for Public Deliberation, and strong e-assets that include not only 164 top-notch electronic resources and more than 8,000 full-text periodicals but also TumbleBooks, which provides animated stories for children.

It is an honor to represent a community which prides itself upon the pursuit of knowledge, and the Worthington Libraries nobly provides that endeavor for its residents. Congratulations to all the staff of Worthington Libraries for continuing to find new ways to promote reading and learning.

Madam Speaker, it is a distinct honor for the central Ohio delegation to rise today to commend the leadership and accomplishments of Karen Holbrook during her tenure as the President of the Ohio State University. Holbrook became Ohio State's 13th president in October 2002, and has served the University and the greater university community nobly for 5 years by guiding Ohio State towards ever-increasing prominence in research initiatives and funding, higher academic standards, and enhanced community partnerships.

Ohio State has steadily risen in national rankings of universities since 2002, climbing to 19th among the Nation's public universities in U.S. News and World Report's 2007 edition of ``America's Best Colleges.'' Under Holbrook's watch, the quality of the student body has also increased dramatically. Fifty-two percent of Ohio State's incoming freshmen in the fall of 2007 are expected to be in the top 10 percent of their high school class and 90 percent will be in the top 25 percent. Average ACT scores have also increased. Thanks to better- prepared incoming students and a nationally recognized First-Year Experience program, freshman-sophomore retention has risen to 91.5 percent, well above the average among similar universities.

The completion of the South Campus Gateway project, a mixed-use development of retail, entertainment, offices and housing, has revitalized the edge of campus through the Campus Partners initiative. These improvements have enhanced student life, revitalized an urban neighborhood and provided high-quality destinations for the campus community and visitors alike.

With annual research expenditures now at $652 million a year, Ohio State is ranked 8th among public research universities in the Nation by the National Science Foundation based on the amount of sponsored research. Also, the University has risen from 5th to 3rd among public universities in industry-sponsored research. Holbrook presided over the creation of the Undergraduate Research Office to encourage and enable undergraduate students to connect to research projects as part of their educational experience. As a result, more than 300 students now participate in the annual Denman Undergraduate Forum.

Finally, Holbrook has led the University into strong partnerships in the community, especially with renowned research institute Battelle, which includes the Metro High School for students interested in science, technology, engineering and math, the Urban Arts Center, WOSU@COSI (a collaboration of the university's public media stations and the Center for Science and Industry), and the Battelle Center for Mathematics and Science Education Policy at the John Glenn School of Public Affairs. These partnerships and initiatives are already bearing fruit, and their impact and importance will only increase down the road.

It is truly a pleasure to have worked with President Holbrook over the last 5 years and to have joined her in efforts that increased the prominence and reputation of a great institution. The Ohio State University is a better place because of Holbrook's leadership, and for that, all Buckeyes are forever in her debt.

Go Bucks! Beat Michigan!

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize 15-year- old Lizzie Palmer, a constituent of mine from Columbus, Ohio, for her powerful and emotion-provoking video production, Remember Me.

For those who have not seen it, I respectfully recommend you do so. A 5-minute montage of photos of American soldiers and their families, Lizzie's video does not editorialize on the War in Iraq. It does not choose sides in the debate on the War on Terror. It is not a political statement. Rather, it conveys the very message that so many of us in this body recite day in and day out on this very floor: support the troops.

Yet it conveys her support for the troops in a thoughtful, dignified and mature manner that fully transcends the way in which the phrase is often used as a tagline by so many on both sides of the debate.

Unfortunately and unwittingly, however, Lizzie herself has become embroiled in America's debate on the war. The deep-seeded and sincere emotions that so many Americans feel about the War on Terror have now entered her realm, and have somehow cast her video as controversial, where no controversy should exist.

On YouTube, Lizzie's video has been watched more than 12 million times, and nearly 6,000 viewers have posted their comments and reactions to it. While most postings come from people deeply moved and appreciative of Lizzie's creation, the site also now serves as host to our nation's bitter divide on our presence in Iraq--a vitriolic and rancorous debate over America's foreign policy.

Inciting such a debate was never Lizzie's intention. According to Lizzie, she created this video to express her gratitude to the American men and women of our nation's all-volunteer force. She simply wanted to express her appreciation to our soldiers who day in and day out perform their duty professionally and proficiently, without qualification and without complaint.

Just as she does not pass judgment on why they are there, we should not seek to use Remember Me to further our own agenda. Those who do so have entirely failed to grasp the simple but fundamental message Lizzie is conveying to our soldiers: we support you without qualification. We should honor them all, and thank them for their thankless task at hand.

We all sit stateside, out of harm's way, opine on the efficacy of our mission in Iraq, and all claim to have the best interests of our troops at heart. But sometimes it takes the clearer vision of a 15-year-old--a vision unfettered, unencumbered, and unclouded by the politics of the world around us--to help remind us of what is truly important in this debate.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Chemical Abstracts Service, an American scientific institution and world's largest compendium of information on chemical substances.

Located in Columbus, Ohio, adjacent to the campus of Ohio State University, what is now called Chemical Abstracts Service, or ``CAS'' as it is popularly known, was founded in 1907 when a collaboration of leading chemists partnered with the American Chemical Society to begin publishing a new journal called Chemical Abstracts.

One hundred years later, Chemical Abstracts is recognized around the world as a leading source of indexed scientific literature and contains more than 27 million bibliographic records related to the chemical sciences. Its sister resource, the CAS Registry, comprises more than 32 million unique entries for chemical substances. These two massive and integrated databases, along with a wealth of related resources on chemistry and chemical reactions, form the backbone of today's Chemical Abstract Service. Scientists, information professionals, and academicians around the world access these databases daily through online services that have revolutionized the way scientists conduct research.

Speaking of the value of CAS services, 2005 Nobel Laureate in chemistry, Dr. Robert Grubbs, said, ``CAS databases streamline the investigative process, allowing you to take an idea and rapidly find the important and necessary information before you forget about the idea or it loses its excitement. That really is invaluable.''

This year CAS celebrates its 100th anniversary as a strong, vibrant national scientific treasure: fully electronic, web-enabled, and still growing every day. This month, CAS is being designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark and it is my honor to recognize this great scientific institution and wish CAS good luck for its next 100 years.

Madam Speaker, I was detained in a meeting in the Senate during rollcall vote 398. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mary Pauline Cunningham McNeal, and pay tribute to her on her 100th birthday, July 9, 2007. Born in Madison County, OH, Mrs. McNeal now resides in London, OH. She will gather with her loved ones on July 8, 2007 to celebrate her 100th birthday.

Mrs. McNeal continues to impress her children, grandchildren, great- grandchildren, and even great-great grandchildren, with her active lifestyle that includes cooking, yard maintenance, and bingo four to six times a week. As a member of the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, she seldom misses Sunday services, and participates in their annual chicken and noodle dinner. Mrs. McNeal is also well- known for her delicious lemon pies and her famous chicken pie casseroles.

Mrs. McNeal's vibrant personality and active lifestyle make her an important part of our community. Mrs. McNeal serves as an inspiration and joy to those who know and enjoy her friendship and love. On this very special occasion, I salute this amazing woman for her long life, and her dedication to her family and her church.

I thank the gentleman, my friend Mr. Wilson, for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 292, legislation I introduced to encourage schools to celebrate National Garden Month by including outdoor learning in their curriculum.

Mr. Speaker, I want to make special thanks to my friend, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy) for cosponsoring this bill and helping me get it to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, the National Garden Association has designated April as National Gardening Month, during which people across the Nation take out time from their busy schedules to plant seeds and bulbs and trees to beautify their lawns and gardens and, ultimately, the communities in which they live. However, this annual ritual does more than just enrich the aesthetics of people's yards. Research has shown that gardening positively impacts environmental attitudes, interpersonal skills, self- esteem and even nutritional attitudes. That is why it is important that we expose our children, especially school-age children, to the benefits of nature and gardening through outdoor learning.

April is a fitting month for consideration of this measure as we celebrate both Earth Day, and in many States, Arbor Day. With conservation and environmental stewardship in the air, we should seize this opportunity to encourage children all across America to

step away from their televisions and turn off their X-Boxes, get outside, get some fresh air, and become the young scientists in the living laboratory that is all around us.

More so than any one generation before it, children today are instilled with the values of environmentalism and conservation. H. Res. 292 builds upon and nurtures this value system and serves as a win-win for all.

With the long-term health of our environment becoming an increasingly hot topic, it is imperative that we teach our children to appreciate, respect and protect our environment. While doing so, it improves and beautifies the planet around us. It also is essential to the physical, emotional and mental development of our children. The practice of gardening has proven to improve landscapes and environmental health, nutrition and personal health and family and community bonds. This bill will introduce more children than ever to gardening and horticulture.

For a more beautiful America, and for healthier and happier children, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate our ranking member yielding the time. And I want to thank Chairman Frank and Ranking Member Bachus for making this bill a priority in this new Congress. I want to especially thank Chairman Frank for assuring that the goodwill and the hard work that went into this bill in the last Congress has not gone to waste. And I want to thank my good friend, Carolyn Maloney, for this is not the first bill that we have worked on nor will it be the last.

The National Security FIRST Act is not a compromise between Democrats and Republicans, it is a product of bipartisan consensus. We often pay lip service to bipartisanship in this Chamber, but today we have a chance to pass a sincerely bipartisan product.

Americans were appalled by the Dubai Ports fiasco, as they should have been. And the answer to the Dubai Ports problem could have been an overreacting, overreaching, protectionist response.

It is often joked that legislative bodies do two things well: Nothing and overreact. But that is not the case here. Instead, this legislation puts national security first, while not sacrificing job creation and important relationships with our trading partners. America is a good investment. The National Security FIRST Act makes important changes to CFIUS. Responsibility is restored by requiring the chairman and the vice chairman of CFIUS to put their signature on every deal. A formal intelligence assessment must be conducted for every transaction. CFIUS must be accountable to Congress through committee notification of individual deals and an annual report on every CFIUS transaction.

Investors in the United States deserve certainty that the process by which deals are reviewed is objective, thorough, and straightforward. This bill ensures that we continue to protect the United States' national and economic security while promoting beneficial foreign investment.

Mr. Chairman, in my State of Ohio, a State admittedly struggling to keep our manufacturing jobs, international employers provide jobs for more than 200,000 of us. We have seen the benefits of open markets and foreign investment. Honda Motor Corporation's capital investment alone topped $6.3 billion during its time in our State. Honda's North American plants purchased more than $6.5 billion in parts from 150 different Ohio suppliers in 2005 alone.

H.R. 556 clearly outlines an objective review process that will encourage future investment in Ohio and elsewhere, just like the Honda investment, and will help protect American companies from possible retaliatory measures by other countries. But, most importantly, the American people can feel confident that this legislation institutes the oversights and protections needed to determine if a foreign investment transaction is really in the best interests of the United States' national security and the safety of our citizens.

I want to thank once again Chairman Frank, Ranking Member Bachus, Ms. Maloney, our whip Mr. Blunt, Representative Crowley, and everyone who worked so hard on this issue. I urge support for a clean bill.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. And I especially thank you for your leadership on the floor through this very important debate, a hard debate for us here in the House of Representatives and a hard debate for this country.

But, Mr. Speaker, a new plan is being implemented, a new plan with political, economic and military components. Reinforcements are on their way even as we speak. The Iraqis do need to do their part, we know that. President Maliki tells us that they will. And if we reinforce now, they will take it over. They will stand up because they must, and then we will come home.

Mr. Speaker, not everyone believes that this is a good plan. It is sophisticated, it is comprehensive, but not everyone agrees that it is the right plan, and I understand that.

This war certainly hasn't achieved its intended results. The President said ``stay the course,'' and some said no. The President now says, ``change the course,'' and the same folks say no. That's fair; we have room in this great Nation to disagree. But if that is the case, that you don't want to stay the course or change the course, then use the tools and the powers available to you to stop the course.

The tools are at your disposal, the power of the purse to defund the effort. You could repeal the authorization that most of us voted for this in 2002. You could require troop withdrawal. You have that power and you have that right. But, Mr. Speaker, with the world watching, with Islamic fundamentalists, jihadists, just waiting, and with

our troops working tirelessly to protect and defend us, don't pass this pointless resolution.

If it meant anything, it would be a different argument, but it won't bring one soldier home sooner and it won't change the course of this war. It has no teeth, no muscle; but most of all, it has no positive value whatsoever for us as a Nation at war. Some people say it sends a message to our Commander in Chief, and I believe that that is true. But that message pales compared to the message it sends to our enemies; our enemies, who pledge that their jihad will last until their religion prevails in the world; not until we are out of Iraq, until their religion prevails in the world; our enemies, who believe it is their religious duty to bring hostility to the West and to America. They are tuned in today, Mr. Speaker, you better believe it, and no doubt they are cheering.

But what this message says to our enemies and to the President and to everybody else in the world is nothing compared to what it says to our troops. This resolution says, Your cause is lost. This impatient Congress says, Thanks, but we have had our fill. This resolution says to our troops that your cause is no longer worthy and your friends have died in vain. And today we learn that this is only the first step in the slow-bleed strategy.

We can't say in the first paragraph that we support them and in the next paragraph that we can't reinforce them. We can't say that first we honor our troops and their service, and in the next breath say that their cause really isn't worth it after all.

Mr. Speaker, our military leaders have a plan. They don't have guarantees, there are no guarantees in war. General David Petraeus asked for these troops. I met him when I was in Iraq. He is one of the country's most qualified, brilliant military leaders. He says this is what is needed.

This plan gives our troops the help they need and gives the Iraqi Government a last chance to stand up and take over. This resolution rejects the only plan on the table. If we reject this plan, then what should we do? We will be at the status quo. What should we do to keep this country free from terror for another 5 years? What should we do to show solidarity? Nothing? What we should do, Mr. Speaker, is defeat this resolution. Don't demoralize our troops.

Madam Speaker, I was absent from the House during the week beginning February 5, 2007. As a result, I was not recorded for a series of votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcalls 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, and 92, and ``nay'' on rollcall 81.

Madam Speaker, I was absent from votes today, January 16, 2007, due to a memorial service in Ohio. As a result, I was not recorded for a series of votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcalls 24, 25, and 26.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a distinguished constituent and a valued member of our country's Homeland Security team, Tom Rice, the federal security director for Port Columbus International Airport. Tom was recently chosen from among 125 peers by the Transportation Security Administration as the Federal Security Director of the Year for the Eastern Region.

In bestowing this honor, TSA recognized Tom's contributions in providing operational direction for federal security, demonstrating integrity and innovation, and improving the morale of employees by promoting a culture of achievement among team members.

Tom's four decades of distinguished and impeccable service in law enforcement is no secret to central Ohio. After serving for 33 years in the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Tom spent a year at the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction as the acting chief inspector and then had a 5-year tour with the City of Columbus as safety director. Before briefly retiring, Tom also consulted for the Ohio Department of Youth Services. However, with the creation of TSA, Tom was swiftly called to return to duty and was sworn in as the first FSD for Port Columbus and Rickenbacker airports in June 2002.

I am thrilled to see his leadership in security recognized nationally by our Nation's top security agency. Passengers at Port Columbus know and trust Tom. And even amid passenger uncertainty due to terrorist threats, his innovative and professional leadership has helped Port Columbus continue to grow and business at Rickenbacker to flourish. I can think of no better person to receive the recognition of our Homeland Security community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of our colleagues who will be sorely missed next year in the United States House of Representatives, the gentleman from the Buckeye State, Mr. Oxley.

Mike Oxley has been a good friend, and we will miss his leadership in this House and in Ohio. For the last 25 years, Mike has represented the Fourth District of Ohio with honor and integrity.

In 1981, when he arrived, he brought with him a belief in the hope offered by Ronald Reagan--a hope of economic prosperity guided by the expansion of free enterprise and open markets. Mike Oxley has spent every day of his Congressional career spreading that hope.

As Chairman of the Financial Services Committee for the last 6 years, Mike saw our economy through some of its toughest tests. It is a testament not only to the resilience of our economy, but to the leadership provided by Chairman Oxley that our economy and our financial sector have not only endured, but prospered.

Ox has been our captain and our coach. He stuck firm to his core beliefs, while never sacrificing civility. We can all learn from Mike Oxley's leadership: When it comes to the

well-being of our country, bipartisanship can carry the day. And if and when we do disagree, we should openly and honestly discuss our differences, like statesmen.

We have not seen the last of Mike Oxley. Be it in a boardroom or at a Buckeye game, his presence will surely be known.

It is an honor to call Mike Oxley a friend, and we wish him Godspeed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my congratulations and adulations to the 2006 Hilliard Davidson Wildcats football team, which on Saturday, December 2, earned the title of State Champions in the Division I Ohio State Football Playoffs, and finished its storybook season a perfect 15-0.

No superlative or tired sports cliche can effectively capture the magic of the Wildcats' season. Consistently overlooked and routinely outsized by its opponent, week after week, Davidson utilized its underdog role, its unglamorous but methodical offense, and its blistering defense to knock off yet another favored adversary. Davidson won with discipline, with heart, and perhaps most importantly, with class and dignity.

Quietly, Davidson has amassed a 73-25 record under the leadership of Coach Brian White, and has firmly asserted itself as a premier, dynastic program in central Ohio. However, each year, Davidson and other central Ohio high school football programs are largely ignored by the football experts and pundits, and relegated to the shadows of storied, goliath programs in the northeast and southwest parts of the state.

This year, however, one by one, the Goliaths fell to David--or in this case, Davidson. In its heart-stopping, double overtime victory on Saturday, Davidson fully entrenched itself in the hearts and minds of central Ohio football fans, and served notice to high school football aficionados across the State and Nation that Hilliard Davidson is second to no one.

Throughout its historic championship run, Hilliard Davidson represented the ideal virtues of amateur athletic programs--teamwork, tenacity, competitiveness, and dignity--and its storybook season will be recounted for generations to come in central Ohio.

I could not be more proud than to represent Hilliard Davidson High School in Congress, and I congratulate the players, coaches, fans and parents who made 2006 such a memorable one.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to accept Tuesday's challenge from the gentleman from Florida, who suggested that his Florida Gators will upset the undefeated number-one ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and our soon-to-be-declared Heisman Trophy Winner, quarterback Troy Smith.

In his ill-advised wager, the Congressman staked a crate of Florida oranges to a corresponding delicacy from the State of Ohio. I offer up a crate of peanut butter and chocolate buckeyes. But no such buckeye treat will ever reach his palate, for he will never savor the sweet taste of victory.

If the gentleman from Florida remains tragically optimistic about his team's chances in Glendale, he should examine the fate of two other teams whose schedules placed them helplessly in the path of the mighty Buckeyes. The agony that permeates through the cities of Austin, Texas and Ann Arbor, Michigan should serve ample notice to the Honorable Gator Fan that Florida's berth in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl is not an opportunity for football immortality, but a certain footnote in Ohio State's storybook 2006 season.