Floor Statements

In the face of rising demand for help with home energy costs, the Ohio Department of Development reports that it has $17 million less than last year to help low-income households pay energy bills. Cuyahoga County was forced to cut assistance checks this summer from $175 to $100.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds have helped millions of Americans stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. However, LIHEAP dollars have been stretched to the breaking point as more and more people find it impossible to pay their energy bills. It's outrageous that the most vulnerable Americans--children, the disabled, and elderly--go hungry and develop long-term health problems as the profits of oil and other energy companies skyrocket.

I support a second stimulus package that includes $3.12 billion for the LIHEAP program. But I believe we must also redouble our efforts to address the economic policies that create and perpetuate energy insecurity.

Support a second stimulus package for these Americans who rely on the LIHEAP program.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Audrey Susanne Chapman, and in recognition of her tremendous contributions to the community through her writing and journalism.

Audrey graduated from Hudson High School in 1983 and went on to earn her degree in journalism from Ohio University in 1987. Her exceptional writing talents led her to work in several local publishing companies including Penton Publishing and Cleveland Magazine. Audrey's contributions to Cleveland Magazine received honors from the Society of Professional Journalists of the Cleveland Press Club.

Audrey is survived by her mother, Rumrill Chapman, her two sisters, Heather Chapman and Lesley Chapman and her brother, Brian Chapman. She will be remembered not only for her work as a gifted writer and journalist, but also for her kindness and ability to create connections with everyone she met.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in remembrance of Audrey Susanne Chapman, and in recognition of her dedication to her work, the community, and her family.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Stephen Mulloy, who dedicated his life to serving as a community organizer on behalf of Irish-Americans in the Greater Cleveland Area.

Stephen Mulloy was born in Keel, County Mayo, Ireland and immigrated to Cleveland in 1954. Just a few short weeks after settling into his new home in Cleveland, he became active in numerous Irish-American community organizations in which he would remain active for over fifty years. His participation, dedication, and leadership made him an invaluable member not only to the Irish-American community, but also to the Greater Cleveland community. Many in the Greater Cleveland Community were familiar with Mr. Mulloy as it was his voice that kicked off the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Cleveland. Each year he beautifully sang both the Irish and U.S. national anthems, and in 2007, he served as the grand marshal of the Parade.

Mr. Mulloy was a member of several organizations including the West Side Irish-American Club, in which he served four one-year terms as President; the United Irish Societies, the Cleveland branch of the Irish National Caucus, and the St. Jarlath Gaelic Football Club, which he also played with for several years. He also was the founding member of the Mayo Society of Cleveland and served as past officer of the Irish Northern Aid organization. In addition to singing the national anthems at Cleveland's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade, he was a renowned bag pipe player in the Shamrock Pipe Band. Mr. Mulloy also arranged several tours to Ireland for a local theatrical company, the Cleveland Irish Players and once in 2004, organized and led a trip for Mayor Jane Campbell and several Clevelanders to Achill Island.

Mr. Mulloy's leadership and personable demeanor allowed him to connect with many of Cleveland's diverse communities and he was recognized several times for his dedication and work in the Greater Cleveland Community. Earlier this year, he was the recipient of the Mayo Society of Cleveland Man of the Year Award. In 2000 he was honored with the Man of the Year Award by the first group he joined after immigrating from Ireland, the West Side Irish-American Club.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in celebrating the life of Stephen Mulloy, who dedicated his life to serving his family and his community.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank all of those who serve our country through the gathering of intelligence for the protection of the American people. I appreciate their dedication and their attention to the gathering facts for deliberations related to our national security.

Regrettably, the current administration has destroyed the credibility of the Intelligence Community through the fabrication of intelligence. The Bush administration continues a relentless pursuit of a self- serving agenda rather than an agenda that serves the best interests of the American people.

No single example can more clearly illustrate this point than the administration's falsification and cherry-picking of intelligence to build a phony case for the war in Iraq. Through the manipulation of intelligence, the administration sold a war to the American public based on false statements that included a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda, Iraq and 9/11, as well as false claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and intentions to attack the U.S.

As long as President Bush remains in office the intelligence budget will continue to be at risk for being used to support subversive intelligence and provide license to the administration to engage in criminal activity by shaping intelligence to fit corrupt policies.

Under the Bush administration there have emerged several high-profile classified leaks to the media that have reemphasized the need for reform within our intelligence agencies. From these media leaks, we not only became aware of the efforts to manipulate intelligence and to falsify a cause for war against Iraq but we also became aware of the illegal NSA domestic wiretapping program without a court order. We became aware of the rumored CIA detention centers in Eastern Europe, and the CIA's extraordinary rendition program, used to transport suspects to other nations with less restrictive torture policies. It is regrettable that intelligence is often reshaped to fit doctrine instead of doctrine being reshaped in the face of the facts of intelligence.

Furthermore, this bill will not stop unilateral covert U.S. intelligence operations aimed at bringing about regime change in Iran. As reported in a recent article in The New Yorker, the Bush administration is already engaged in collecting covert intelligence on Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program instead of engaging Iran in high-level diplomatic negotiations without preconditions. The administration has made clear their thirst for a war with Iran. The opportunity for unscrupulous tactics by this administration with respect to Iran clearly exists as long as this body stands idly by.

I strongly oppose this bill.

This afternoon I will move to refer an Article of Impeachment to the Judiciary Committee.

People ask me, don't we have more important things to do? Think about this. This war has cost us our constitutionally guaranteed civil liberties. Is there something more important?

The Iraq war will eventually cost between two and $3 trillion, meaning every American family will pay upwards of $30,000 for this war. The war has contributed substantially to higher gas prices. Is there something more important?

Over 4,100 of our troops have died, and as many as 1 million innocent Iraqis have perished. Is there something more important?

There was never any proof that Iraq constituted an imminent threat to our national security, or that Iraq had the capability or intention of attacking the United States. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 or al Qaeda's role in 9/11. Yet Congress was led to believe otherwise.

The Bible says, ``You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.'' Congress must know the truth in order for our Nation to remain free. In a free Nation nothing is more important than the truth.

Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in condemning the attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in July of 1994. Those responsible for the destruction and loss of human life that resulted from this attack must be held accountable. I believe that anyone who acts to destroy innocent life, regardless of their position in society or the country they are from should be subject to international scrutiny for their actions, and that includes our own officials.

In the past I have voted in favor of similar resolutions that condemned the attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center and sought to hold accountable those responsible for this deplorable and heinous act. Accordingly, today I once again support all aspects of this resolution that calls for justice on behalf of the 85 people murdered and 300 wounded.

However, H. Con. Res. 385 is not without problems in its current form. First, the final ``Whereas'' clause of the resolution contains information that is speculative rather than factual. The resolution appears to draw this clause from an ABC News report from June 19, 2008, which provides no hard evidence to support the stated claims. Second, the resolution claims in the penultimate ``Whereas'' clause that Iran ``in recent years'' has opened ``nearly a dozen embassies in Latin America.'' In recent years, Iran has opened two embassies in Latin America, one in Colombia in 2007 and one in Nicaragua in 2007. These events brought the total of Iranian embassies in Latin America to eight. According to experts at the Congressional Research Service, CRS, the

other six Iranian Embassies in Latin America have been around for a long time and include those in Cuba, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela.

As such, I do not agree with the decision by the U.S. House of Representatives to treat this resolution as noncontroversial. The bill could unwittingly place this Congress in the position of promoting an attack on the country of Iran through its attempt to draw parallels between Iran and those responsible for the attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center. Instead of using speculative and factually inaccurate information which is clearly included in this bill, the resolution should be redrafted and kept to readily ascertainable facts about the unconscionable attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in 1994.

This body must not allow an attack on innocent people be used as a pretext for an attack on more innocent people. Indeed, we have done this once with disastrous results. I believe this House is better served by demanding sensible and responsible diplomatic foreign policy initiatives. This body should demand that the administration engage Iran immediately in high-level diplomatic negotiations without preconditions. By neglecting this duty and employing tactics that maintain an ongoing condemnation of Iran, without opening diplomatic channels, this body is systematically destroying every available route to restoring peace and security in the Middle East, which could have devastating consequences for Israel, as well as our troops in Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to a question of the privileges of the House and offer the resolution noticed on July 10.

Madam Speaker, I move that the House refer the resolution to the Committee on the Judiciary.

I want to thank the gentlelady from Ohio, my long-time friend and colleague, Representative Marcy Kaptur, for organizing this special order and for her continued commitment to addressing the foreclosure crisis, which is ravaging communities like Toledo and Cleveland and cities across this country.

I would also like to thank Chairwoman Maxine Waters for her persistence in addressing the foreclosure crisis and the subprime crisis. It has been an honor for me to work with Congresswoman Kaptur and Congresswoman Waters on this very important matter.

My subcommittee, the Subcommittee on Domestic Policy of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, a subcommittee of which I am chair, has held five hearings over the past 2 years regarding the foreclosure crisis, predatory lending, lasting effects.

What we have found is that neighborhoods are totally blameless victims of the foreclosure crisis. When homes are lost to foreclosure, property values of the surrounding homes plummet, and owners lose equity in their homes.

When you go into a neighborhood like Slavic Village in Cleveland where I am from, and you look how certain people built a community there, an older ethnic community, where people would take pride in their property, in keeping it immaculate, and then you see foreclosures in the community. Suddenly, someone who has had a property that they have kept up for 40 or 50 years, sees their property values decline because of the foreclosures around them and sees their property actually at risk, the fire hazards and safety hazards because of the foreclosures around them.

We are seeing people who, for their family, their home is their biggest investment in their life. That's the way it is for most Americans, seeing their investments threatened because of the sharp practices in subprime lending, and in the foreclosure scandal that has hit this country that Congresswoman Kaptur has been one of the primary spokespersons on in terms of exposing.

We see these demands for services, municipal services. They increase as the foreclosures run wild, more police and firemen needed where there are a lot of foreclosed homes, increased social services and code enforcement. When you think of a foreclosed home, the cost of the foreclosed house goes far beyond the cost of the house itself.

Unfortunately, the State of Ohio and the City of Cleveland have been at the center of this crisis for some time now. According to RealtyTrac, which is an independent group that gathers information on foreclosure, four Ohio cities are in the top 20 metropolitan areas affected by foreclosures. Moreover, the Cleveland metropolitan area ranks sixth in the Nation for percentage of houses in foreclosure, which is a staggering statistic, considering our city's modest property values and the cost of living, which in Cleveland is relatively inexpensive.

I would certainly yield to my friend.

If I may, what the gentlelady points out, you can look at the research that uses foreclosure and lending data. In Cleveland, the parts of the city where the depository banks made very few prime loans, they also saw the highest percentage of subprime loans and subsequently, or consequently, the highest number of foreclosures.

So it should not be the least bit surprising to anyone, then, that the pattern of foreclosures mirrors almost exactly the established patterns of low-prime loans and high numbers of subprime loans.

No question about it, to my good friend Marcy Kaptur.

If we dug a little bit deeper, and we saw some patterns that reflected exactly what you have said, the patterns coincide with some cases with African-American neighborhoods because look what happened, for years, people in African-American neighborhoods couldn't get any loans at all. Then what happened, the Community Reinvestment Act passed, and we were supposed to have access to, finally, to credit.

But banks found a way to go around that. Instead of offering prime loans to people of color, they came up with these subprime packages, no document, low-document loans, didn't tell people exactly what was going on. As a result, people got in over their heads, and they ended up losing their homes.

Now, some people will say well, they should have known. But let me tell you something. One of the most significant challenges in this country is a issue of financial literacy. It's not a color issue, because the fact of the matter is that working-class people are and people who are poor people, often have a problem with the issues of the financial literacy. It's called reading the fine print, looking at the bottom line.

So you rely, and you trust people, you think that the banks are going to be fair to you. You think they are going to tell you the whole story. You think that you are going to be given an opportunity to have an even break. Not so, you look at the filings.

Exactly.

So what they did is they started in African American neighborhoods, but when the subprime financial machine started to churn and Wall Street looked at it as a tremendous opportunity for growth and the hedge funds looked at it as an even greater opportunity for the unregulated massing of capital, then what you had is the reach from the African American communities, which are primarily located in cities, into the suburbs. So you have this foreclosure pattern spreading.

We're also seeing increases in high-cost loans and vacant properties in the outer suburbs and, guess what, in the outlying counties where the more recent data is analyzed further. Where previously the phenomenon was in the African American census tracts in eastern Cuyahoga County, we see the problem spreading west of the census tracts where there are larger Hispanic and Arab populations as well as our seeing the problem spreading into every direction it can spread in Cleveland--east, south and now west.

That's in a year.

Would the gentlelady yield.

There has been no accountability here. The Federal Reserve was supposed to be monitoring the practices of the banks. They didn't do that. The Securities and Exchange Commission was supposed to be watching the movement on Wall Street as this juggernaut of subprime loans moved along, and it was supposed to be providing a measure of discipline or regulation. They didn't do that.

The Justice Department was supposed to be watching these mergers that were occurring that were really driven by the desire of not just capital formation but by the desire to get their hands on these newly packaged instruments that were beyond the reach of regulators, and the Justice Department didn't do anything.

When the hedge funds began to accelerate with the help of the subprime loan packages, no one was thinking that there was a bubble that was growing. All the danger signs were there. The regulators looked the other way.

Now, what does this mean? What it means is that somewhere in America there is a family who had a dream for a home, and that dream was the most important dream in their lives, just to have a place they could call their own, and they weren't able to get credit up front for a while.

Finally, they went to an institution that said, ``Okay, We'll give you a subprime loan. Here are the terms.'' They accepted those terms. Then they found themselves unable to meet the terms and found they really didn't understand what they were getting into. Then, suddenly, people who had worked their whole lives to have just a little bit of the American dream found it gone in a flash.

This is not right. This cannot be what America is about. America can't be a place where it's all about the government's being an engine for accelerating the wealth of America upwards, because that's what it has been about. It has been about that in the financial markets to the detriment of the small investors. It has been about that in the banking industry as we've seen a lot of the smaller banks just destroyed. In the insurance industry, the wealth accelerates to the top and in the utilities industry.

You can take every single industry in this country, and the wealth has been accelerated to the top. Essentially, you take what you have without the regulation, and you have the destruction of the American dream.

I want to thank my colleague Marcy Kaptur for giving me this brief moment to have this colloquy with her.

We're very fortunate to be joined by a woman who has equally been a champion for the people from Los Angeles. Before I leave, I want to once again acknowledge what an honor it has been to work with my dear friend Maxine

Waters, who, with Congresswoman Kaptur, came to Cleveland, Ohio, and you heard the testimony of the people from Cleveland.

I come from one of America's great cities, and it is getting overrun, not only by the subprime lenders, but by the secondary market that has come up as continuing the predatory conduct. It is going after people who have lost their properties, and it is seeking to drive the properties down further, selling homes for a few hundred dollars even or for under $10,000 if you can imagine that in this day and age.

So thank you, Marcy Kaptur. Thank you, Maxine Waters. Let's stay on this because we need to make sure there is justice on behalf of those who aspire to own homes, and we need to help fulfill the American dream for people who work hard and who pay their bills to have the chance to be able to have a piece of that dream without getting cheated by these so-called lending institutions that are all about grabbing whatever money they can, whether they have any scruples or not.

So thank you, Marcy Kaptur and Maxine Waters.

Would the gentlelady yield.

Before I leave here, I just want to make one other point, and this could be the basis of further discussion. Congresswoman Kaptur earlier today mentioned it in a meeting among the Democrats in our meeting.

We are looking at a debt-based financial system, at a debt-based monetary system where money equals debt, and we are at the beginning of the end of a democracy when we see this system causing the wealth to go upwards.

So I want to thank you for mentioning that. I just wanted to mention that because we really need to look at how money is created. How does it end up that we have so many people in debt and that we have a few who are rolling in dough?

This debt-based financial system is something that needs to be explored more thoroughly. The fractional reserve needs to be explored more thoroughly, and the role of the Federal Reserve in facilitating these heists has to be made known.

So I thank you, and I appreciate the opportunity to spend some time with you.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Al Stern, a man who lived his life by the principal of Tikkun Olam, the healing of the world. He dedicated himself to the cause of free speech and to cultivating the seeds of Middle East peace and understanding in the Cleveland community.

The roots of his activism began during the Civil Rights Era, when he marched along side Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was an activist for the Congress on Racial Equality, the Committee for Sane Nuclear Policy, and was an activist against the Vietnam War and for women's reproductive rights. In 1974 when helped found the Cleveland chapter of Americans for Peace Now, a solidarity organization aligned with the Shalom Achshav movement in Israel formed out of the conviction that Israel's democratic character and future security were intertwined with achieving a just and peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Al Stern advocated for mutual understanding and a two state solution long before it was widely accepted. For twenty years he engaged with and educated the Cleveland community about the costs of the current conflict and the opportunities for peaceful solutions. His work took him all over the world, where he met with the people and leaders in Israel, Syria, Egypt and Gaza. He led by example through his own commitment to educating himself and reaching out to concerned members of the community.

After stepping down from his position on the board of Americans for Peace Now in 1993, he became a full time volunteer for the American Civil Liberties Union. I have had the privilege of hearing Mr. Stern speak on free speech and civil liberties issues. He and I have worked closely together in an effort to build bridges across the gaps that divide people in the Middle East and in Cleveland.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in remembrance of Al Stern, who has served as an inspiration for engaged, global citizenship. May his legacy of advocating for civil liberties and cultivating Middle East Peace be an example for all of us to follow.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of John M. Hairston and in recognition of his outstanding leadership, vision and dedication to empowering those around him at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

Mr. Hairston earned his first degree in English from Bluefield State College and later went on to earn his master's degree in Education Administration from Cleveland State University. He also attended the John F. Kennedy School of Public Policy at Harvard University. Prior to working at NASA, Mr. Hairston worked in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District for almost thirty years, where he served as an English teacher, Staff Development Director and Chief of the Community Relations Department.

Mr. Hairston's leadership has been vital in the success of the NASA Glenn Research Center. He worked tirelessly to promote scientific literacy and to develop outreach programs that help economically disadvantaged communities and businesses. Mr. Hairston worked within NASA as the Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Education. His guidance helped to ensure that NASA's educational programs were effective. Mr. Hairston has worked to make manifest NASA's vision of educating the next generation of explorers by developing criteria to ensure that their programs are effective and that they attract students from all of Cleveland's diverse communities. He succeeded in developing strong partnerships between the NASA Glenn Research Center and Greater Cleveland Community.

Mr. Hairston has been the recipient of numerous awards for his outstanding work at the NASA Glenn Research Center. NASA honored him several times by awarding him with the Exceptional Achievement Medal, the Medal for Outstanding Leadership, and their Education Distinguished Service Award. He has also been the recipient of the Presidential Rank Award and the Leadership Cleveland Civic Volunteer of the Year award.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of John M. Hairston and in recognition of his outstanding leadership and vision. May his dedication to his work and to the community serve as an example for us all.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a ``Concrete Breaking'' celebration at the confluence of West Creek and the Cuyahoga River in the city of Independence in Ohio's 10th Congressional District.

The West Creek--Cuyahoga River Confluence Restoration Project implements the vision expressed in both the city of Independence Master Plan and West Creek Watershed Plan by restoring a 10-acre vacant industrial site where West Creek meets the Cuyahoga River in Independence, Ohio. The property currently contains approximately 85% impervious surface, contributing significant non-point source pollution which flows directly into West Creek and the Cuyahoga. The property and this entire area have flooded repeatedly during recent storm events and is at the center of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Section 205 study to find the best way to mitigate flood damage. The restoration includes plans for its future use as a public riverfront park with the added benefits of ecological habitat restoration and storm water management best practices.

On Friday July 11, 2008, Independence Mayor Gregory Kurtz, in collaboration with the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, the Trust for Public Land, the George Gund Foundation, the Natural Resources Assistance Council of Cuyahoga County, the Clean Ohio Fund, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Department of Transportation and other partners, will begin the demolition of the industrial buildings to begin the restoration.

When completed, West Creek will return to its original meandering flow into the Cuyahoga River with natural wetlands to reduce upstream flooding, clean local drinking water, and restored wildlife habitats. The new park will connect the West Creek Greenway to the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail, provide new access to the creek and river for all, and lead to economic revitalization of this part of the city of Independence. This project will contribute greatly to the continuing restoration of the Cuyahoga River, one of the 14 federally designated American Heritage Rivers.

The benefits of the West Creek Confluence Project are numerous. Locally, it will reclaim underutilized industrial property, create a new and dynamic recreation area along the National Scenic Byway, restore a more natural hydrology to Lower West Creek, create an area for urban ecology to flourish, retain and filter storm water which will mitigate the effects of flooding, and reduce non-point source pollution entering into West Creek and the Cuyahoga River. From a regional perspective, the West Creek Confluence Project will work to herald in a new era of sustainable redevelopment within the Lower Cuyahoga River Valley, capitalizing on recreational and commercial uses that still allow for a functioning floodplain with a high degree of ecological diversity, flood storage and habitat connectivity.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing the beauty and regional ecologic importance of the West Creek Confluence and the pivotal project now underway to ensure it returns to its former natural prominence.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 2, rule IX, I hereby give notice of my intention to raise a question of the privileges of the House. The form of the resolution is as follows:

An Article of Impeachment of President George W. Bush

Resolved, that President George W. Bush be impeached for

high crimes and misdemeanors, and that the following Article

of Impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate:

An Article of Impeachment exhibited by the House of

Representatives of the United States of America in the name

of itself and the people of the United States of America, in

maintenance and support of its impeachment against President

George W. Bush for high crimes and misdemeanors.

Article One--Deceiving Congress with Fabricated Threats of Iraq WMDs to Fraudulently Obtain Support for an Authorization of the Use of Military

Force Against Iraq

In his conduct while President of the United States, George

W. Bush, in violation of his constitutional oath to

faithfully execute the Office of President of the United

States, and to the best of his ability, preserve, protect,

and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in

violation of his constitutional duty under article II,

section 3 of the Constitution ``to take care that the laws be

faithfully executed,'' deceived Congress with fabricated

threats of Iraq Weapons of Mass Destruction to fraudulently

obtain support for an authorization for the use of force

against Iraq and used that fraudulently obtained

authorization, then acting in his capacity under article II,

section 2 of the Constitution as Commander in Chief, to

commit U.S. troops to combat in Iraq.

To gain congressional support for the passage of the Joint

Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces

Against Iraq, the President made the following material

representations to the Congress in S.J. Res. 45:

1. That Iraq was ``continuing to possess and develop a

significant chemical and biological weapons capability. . .

.''

2. That Iraq was ``actively seeking a nuclear weapons

capability. . . .''

3. That Iraq was ``continuing to threaten the national

security interests of the United States and international

peace and security.''

4. That Iraq has demonstrated a ``willingness to attack,

the United States. . . .''

5. That ``members of al Qaeda, an organization bearing

responsibility for attacks on the United States, its citizens

and interests, including the attacks that occurred on

September 11, 2001, are known to be in Iraq. . . .''

6. The ``attacks on the United States of September 11,

2001, underscored the gravity of the threat that Iraq will

transfer weapons of mass destruction to international

terrorist organizations. . . .''

7. That Iraq ``will either employ those weapons to launch a

surprise attack against the United States or its Armed Forces

or provide them to international terrorists who would do so.

. . .''

8. That an ``extreme magnitude of harm that would result to

the United States and its citizens from such an attack. . .

.''

9. That the aforementioned threats ``justify action by the

United States to defend itself. . . .''

10. The enactment clause of section 2 of S.J. Res. 45, the

Authorization of the Use of the United States Armed Forces

authorizes the President to ``defend the national security

interests of the United States against the threat posed by

Iraq. . . .''

Each consequential representation made by the President to

the Congress in S.J. Res. 45 in subsequent iterations and the

final version was unsupported by evidence which was in the

control of the White House.

To wit:

1. Iraq was not ``continuing to possess and develop a

significant chemical and biological weapons capability . . .

''

``A substantial amount of Iraq's chemical warfare agents,

precursors, munitions and production equipment were destroyed

between 1991 and 1998 as a result of Operation Desert Storm

and United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) actions. There

is no reliable information on whether Iraq is producing and

stockpiling chemical weapons or whether Iraq has or will

establish its chemical warfare agent production facilities.''

The source of this information is the Defense Intelligence

Agency, a report called, ``Iraq--Key WMD Facilities--An

Operational Support Study,'' September 2002.

``Statements by the President and Vice President prior to

the October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate regarding

Iraq's chemical weapons production capability and activities

did not reflect the intelligence community's uncertainties as

to whether such production was ongoing.''

The source of this information is the Senate Select

Committee on Intelligence, a report entitled ``Report on

Whether Public Statements Regarding Iraq By U.S. Government

Officials Were Substantiated By Intelligence Information.''

June 5, 2008.

``In April and early May 2003, military forces found mobile

trailers in Iraq. Although intelligence experts disputed the

purpose of the trailers, administration officials repeatedly

asserted that they were mobile biological weapons

laboratories. In total, President Bush, Vice President

Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld, Secretary Powell, and National

Security Advisor Rice made 34 misleading statements about the

trailers in 27 separate public appearances. Shortly after the

mobile trailers were found, the Central Intelligence Agency

and the Defense Intelligence Agency issued an unclassified

white paper evaluating the trailers. The white paper was

released without coordination with other members of the

intelligence community, however. It was later disclosed that

engineers from the Defense Intelligence Agency who examined

the trailers concluded that they were most likely used to

produce hydrogen for artillery weather balloons. A former

senior intelligence official reported that `only one of 15

intelligence analysts assembled from three agencies to

discuss the issue in June endorsed the white paper

conclusion.'''

The source of this information is the House Committee on

Government Reform, minority staff, ``Iraq on the Record: Bush

Administration's Public Statements about Chemical and

Biological Weapons.'' March 16, 2004.

Former chief of CIA covert operations in Europe, Tyler

Drumheller, has said that the CIA had credible sources

discounting weapons of mass destruction claims, including the

primary source of biological weapons claims, an informant who

the Germans code-named ``Curveball'' whom the Germans had

informed the Bush administration was a likely fabricator of

information including that concerning the Niger yellowcake

forgery. Two other former CIA officers confirmed Drumheller's

account to Sidney Blumenthal who reported the story at

Salon.com on September 6, 2007, which in fact is the media

source of this information.

``In practical terms, with the destruction of the al Hakam

facility, Iraq abandoned its ambition to obtain advanced

biological weapons quickly. The Iraq Survey Group (ISG) found

no direct evidence that Iraq, after 1996, had plans for a new

biological weapons program or was conducting biological

weapons-specific work for military purposes. Indeed, from the

mid-1990s, despite evidence of continuing interest in nuclear

and chemical weapons, there appears to be a complete absence

of discussion or even interest in biological weapons at the

Presidential level. In spite of exhaustive investigation, the

Iraq Survey Group found no evidence that Iraq possessed, or

was developing, biological weapon agent production systems

mounted on road vehicles or railway wagons. The Iraq Survey

Group harbors severe doubts about the source's credibility in

regards to the breakout program.'' That's a direct quote from

the ``Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the

Director of Central Intelligence on Iraq's WMD,'' commonly

known as the Duelfer report by Charles Duelfer.

``While a small number of old, abandoned chemical munitions

have been discovered, the Iraq Survey Group judges that Iraq

unilaterally destroyed its undeclared chemical weapons

stockpile in 1991. There are no credible indications that

Baghdad resumed production of chemical munitions thereafter,

a policy the Iraq Survey Group attributes to Baghdad's desire

to see sanctions lifted, or rendered ineffectual, or its fear

of force against it should WMD be discovered.''

The source of this information, the ``Comprehensive Report

of the Special Advisor to the Director of Central

Intelligence on Iraq's WMD,'' Charles Duelfer.

2. Iraq was not ``actively seeking a nuclear weapons

capability.''

The key finding of the Iraq Survey Group's report to the

Director of Central Intelligence found that ``Iraq's ability

to reconstitute a nuclear weapons program progressively

decayed after that date. Saddam Husayn (sic) ended the

nuclear program in 1991 following the Gulf War. Iraq Survey

Group found no evidence to suggest concerted efforts to

restart the program.''

The source of this information, the ``Comprehensive Report

of the Special Advisor to the Director of Central

Intelligence on Iraq's WMD,'' Charles Duelfer.

Claims that Iraq was purchasing uranium from Niger were not

supported by the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence

and Research in the National Intelligence Estimate of October

2002.

The CIA had warned the British Government not to claim Iraq

was purchasing uranium from Niger prior to the British

statement that was later cited by President Bush, this

according to George Tenet of the Central Intelligence Agency

on July 11, 2003.

Mohamed ElBaradei, the Director General of the

International Atomic Energy Agency,

in a ``Statement to the United Nations Security Council on

The Status of Nuclear Inspections in Iraq: An Update'' on

March 7, 2003, said as follows:

``One, there is no indication of resumed nuclear activities

in those buildings that were identified through the use of

satellite imagery as being reconstructed or newly erected

since 1998, nor any indication of nuclear-related prohibited

activities at any inspected sites. Second, there is no

indication that Iraq has attempted to import uranium since

1990. Three, there is no indication that Iraq has attempted

to import aluminum tubes for use in centrifuge enrichment.

Moreover, even had Iraq pursued such a plan, it would have

been--it would have encountered practical difficulties in

manufacturing centrifuges out of the aluminum tubes in

question. Fourthly, although we are still reviewing issues

related to magnets and magnet production, there is no

indication to date that Iraq imported magnets for use in a

centrifuge enrichment program. As I stated above, the IAEA

(International Atomic Energy Agency) will naturally continue

to further scrutinize and investigate all of the above

issues.''

3. Iraq was not ``continuing to threaten the national

security interests of the United States.''

``Let me be clear: analysts differed on several important

aspects of [Iraq's biological, chemical, and nuclear]

programs and those debates were spelled out in the Estimate.

They never said there was an `imminent' threat.''

George Tenet, who was Director of the CIA, said this in

Prepared Remarks for Delivery at Georgetown University on

February 5, 2004.

``We have been able to keep weapons from going into Iraq.

We have been able to keep the sanctions in place to the

extent that items that might support weapons of mass

destruction have had some controls on them. It's been quite a

success for 10 years.'' The source of this statement, Colin

Powell, Secretary of State, in an interview with Face the

Nation, February 11, 2001.

On July 23, 2002, a communication from the Private

Secretary to Prime Minister Tony Blair, ``Memo to British

Ambassador David Manning'' reads as follows:

``British Secret Intelligence Service Chief Sir Richard

Billing Dearlove reported on his recent talks in Washington.

There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action

was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam

through military action, justified by the conjunction of

terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being

fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the

U.N. route and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the

Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in

Washington of the aftermath after military action. The

Foreign Secretary said he would discuss this with Colin

Powell this week. It seemed clear that Bush had made up his

mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet

decided. But the case was thin. Saddam Hussein was not

threatening his neighbors, and his WMD capability was less

than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran. We should work up a

plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the U.N.

weapons inspectors. This would also help with the legal

justification for the use of force.''

4. Iraq did not have the ``willingness to attack, the

United States.''

``The fact of the matter is that both baskets, the U.N.

basket and what we and other allies have been doing in the

region, have succeeded in containing Saddam Hussein and his

ambitions. His forces are about one-third their original

size. They really don't possess the capability to attack

their neighbors the way they did 10 years ago.'' The source

of this quote, Colin Powell, Secretary of State, in a

transcript of remarks made to German Foreign Minister Joschka

Fischer in February 2001.

The October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate concluded

that ``Baghdad for now appears to be drawing a line short of

conducting terrorist attacks with conventional or chemical or

biological weapons against the United States, fearing that

exposure of Iraqi involvement would provide Washington a

stronger case for making war.''

5. Iraq had no connection with the attacks of 9/11 or with

al Qaeda's role in 9/11.

``The report of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

documents significant instances in which the administration

went beyond what the intelligence community knew or believed

in making public claims, most notably on the false assertion

that Iraq and al Qaeda had an operational partnership and

joint involvement in carrying out the attacks of September

11.'' This is a quote from Senator John D. Rockefeller, IV,

the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

entitled ``Additional Views of Chairman John D. Rockefeller,

IV'' on page 90.

Continuing from Senator Rockefeller:

``The President and his advisors undertook a relentless

public campaign in the aftermath of the attacks to use the

war against al Qaeda as a justification for overthrowing

Saddam Hussein. Representing to the American people that the

two had an operational partnership and posed a single,

indistinguishable threat was fundamentally misleading and led

the Nation to war on false premises.'' Senator Rockefeller.

Richard Clarke, a National Security Advisor, in a memo of

September 18, 2001 titled ``Survey of Intelligence

Information on Any Iraq Involvement in the September 11

Attacks'' found no ``compelling case'' that Iraq had either

planned or perpetrated the attacks, and that there was no

confirmed reporting on Saddam cooperating with bin Laden on

unconventional weapons.

On September 17, 2003, President Bush said: ``No, we've got

no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved with September

11. What the Vice President said was is that he (Saddam) has

been involved with al Qaeda.''

On June 16, 2004, a staff report from the 9/11 Commission

stated: ``There have been reports that contacts between Iraq

and al Qaeda also occurred after bin Laden had returned to

Afghanistan in 1996, but they do not appear to have resulted

in a collaborative relationship. Two senior bin Laden

associates have adamantly denied that any ties existed

between al Qaeda and Iraq. We have no credible evidence that

Iraq and al Qaeda cooperated on attacks against the United

States.''

``Intelligence provided by former Undersecretary of Defense

Douglas J. Feith to buttress the White House case for

invading Iraq included `reporting of dubious quality or

reliability' that supported the political views of senior

administration officials rather than the conclusions of the

intelligence community, this according to a report by the

Pentagon Inspector General.

``Feith's office `was predisposed to finding a significant

relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda,' according to

portions of the report released by Senator Carl Levin. The

Inspector General described Feith's activities as `an

alternative intelligence assessment process.' '' The source

of this information is a report in the Washington Post dated

February 9, 2007, page A-1, an article by Walter Pincus and

Jeffrey Smith entitled ``Official's Key Report on Iraq is

Faulted, `Dubious' Intelligence Fueled Push for War.''

6. Iraq possessed no weapons of mass destruction to

transfer to anyone.

Iraq possessed no weapons of mass destruction to transfer.

Furthermore, available intelligence information found that

the Iraq regime would probably only transfer weapons of mass

destruction to terrorist organizations if under threat of

attack by the United States.

According to information in the October 2002 National

Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iraq that was available to the

administration at the time that they were seeking

congressional support for the authorization of use of force

against Iraq, the Iraq regime would probably only transfer

weapons to a terrorist organization if ``sufficiently

desperate'' because it feared that ``an attack that

threatened the survival of the regime were imminent or

unavoidable.''

``The Iraqi Intelligence Service (IIS) probably has been

directed to conduct clandestine attacks against the United

States and Allied interests in the Middle East in the event

the United States takes action against Iraq. The IIS probably

would be the primary means by which Iraq would attempt to

conduct any chemical and biological weapon attacks on the

U.S. homeland, although we have no specific intelligence

information that Saddam's regime has directed attacks against

U.S. territory.''

7. Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and therefore

had no capability of launching a surprise attack against the

United States or its Armed Forces and no capability to

provide them to international terrorists who would do so.

Iraq possessed no weapons of mass destruction to transfer.

Furthermore, available intelligence information found that

the Iraq regime would probably only transfer weapons of mass

destruction to terrorist organizations if under severe threat

of attack by the United States.

According to information in the October 2002 National

Intelligence Estimate on Iraq that was available to the

administration at the time they were seeking congressional

support for the authorization of the use of force against

Iraq, the Iraqi regime would probably only transfer weapons

to a terrorist organization if ``sufficiently desperate''

because it feared that ``an attack that threatened the

survival of the regime were imminent or unavoidable.'' That,

again, from the October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate

on Iraq.

``The Iraqi Intelligence Service probably has been directed

to conduct clandestine attacks against U.S. and Allied

interests in the Middle East in the event the United States

takes action against Iraq. The Iraq Intelligence Service

probably would be the primary means by which Iraq would

attempt to conduct any chemical or biological weapons attacks

on the U.S. homeland, although we have no specific

intelligence information that Saddam's regime has directed

attacks against U.S. territory.''

As reported in the Washington Post on March 1, 2003, in

1995, Saddam Hussein's son-in-law, Hussein Kamel, had

informed U.S. and British intelligence officers that ``all

weapons--biological, chemical, missile, nuclear--were

destroyed.'' That from the Washington Post, March 1, 2003,

page A15, an article entitled ``Iraqi Defector Claimed Arms

Were Destroyed By 1995,'' by Colum Lynch.

The Defense Intelligence Agency, in a report called

``Iraq--Key WMD Facilities--An Operational Report Study'' in

September 2002, said this:

``A substantial amount of Iraq's chemical warfare agents,

precursors, munitions and production equipment were destroyed

between 1991 and 1998 as a result of Operation Desert Storm

and United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) actions. There

is no reliable information on whether Iraq is producing and

stockpiling chemical weapons or

whether Iraq has or will establish its chemical warfare agent

production facilities.''

8. There was not a real risk of an ``extreme magnitude of

harm that would result to the United States and its citizens

from such an attack'' because Iraq had no capability of

attacking the United States.

Here's what Colin Powell said at the time: ``Containment

has been a successful policy, and I think we should make sure

that we continue it until such time as Saddam Hussein comes

into compliance with the agreements he made at the end of the

Gulf War.'' Speaking of Iraq, Secretary of State Powell said,

``Iraq is not threatening America.''

9. The aforementioned evidence did not ``justify the use of

force by the United States to defend itself'' because Iraq

did not have weapons of mass destruction, or have the

intention or capability of using nonexistent WMDs against the

United States.

10. Since there was no threat posed by Iraq to the United

States, the enactment clause of the Senate Joint Resolution

45 was predicated on misstatements to Congress.

Congress relied on the information provided to it by the

President of the United States. Congress provided the

President with the authorization to use military force that

he requested. As a consequence of the fraudulent

representations made to Congress, the United States Armed

Forces, under the direction of George Bush as Commander in

Chief, pursuant to section 3 of the Authorization for the Use

of Force which President Bush requested, invaded Iraq and

occupies it to this day, at the cost of 4,116 lives of

servicemen and -women, injuries to over 30,000 of our troops,

the deaths of over 1 million innocent Iraqi civilians, the

destruction of Iraq, and a long-term cost of over $3

trillion.

President Bush's misrepresentations to Congress to induce

passage of a use of force resolution is subversive of the

constitutional system of checks and balances, destructive of

Congress' sole prerogative to declare war under article I,

section 8 of the Constitution, and is therefore a High Crime.

An even greater offense by the President of the United States

occurs in his capacity as Commander in Chief, because he

knowingly placed the men and women of the United States Armed

Forces in harm's way, jeopardizing their lives and their

families' future, for reasons that to this date have not been

established in fact.

In all of these actions and decisions, President George W.

Bush has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as President

and Commander in Chief, and subversive of constitutional

government, to the prejudice of the cause of law and justice

and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States

and of those members of the Armed Forces who put their lives

on the line pursuant to the falsehoods of the President.

Wherefore, President George W. Bush, by such conduct, is

guilty of an impeachable offense warranting removal from

office.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance and honor of Charles

Sebes, a beloved figure in Cleveland area politics and a loving husband, father, and grandfather. This past June we gathered to celebrate Chuck's retirement as Parma Democratic City Ward Leader.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Charles Sebes, upon the occasion of his retirement after 20 years of service as the Parma Democratic City Ward Leader. His unwavering dedication to the Party, to his community, and to the rights of working men and women is framed by honor and integrity.

Chuck has spent hundreds of hours volunteering on numerous political campaigns and causes throughout his life. During the past 30 years, Chuck has taken an active role in organizing the Northern Ohio Labor Day Parade. As Secretary of Parma Southwest Cope, Chuck has chaired the reverse raffle committee for the past 25 years. He has also been the Chairman of Parma's Democratic Steak Roast for 20 years. Chuck's devotion and enthusiasm consistently inspire those around him and has made all of these events successful.

During his 22 years of employment with the National Tool Company, Chuck served as President of the United Steel Workers of America, Local 4827. Governor Richard Celeste appointed Chuck to the Ohio Regional Board of Review for Worker's Compensation. In 1991, Martin Vittardi, Clerk of Parma Municipal Court, appointed Chuck to be the Chief Deputy Clerk of Court. His friendship is coveted not only by myself and Marty, but by numerous individuals whose lives have been touched by his energetic spirit, kindness and loyalty.

As Chief Deputy and Supervisor, his colleagues and staff know him to be a man who is passionate about all aspects of his life. They respect Chuck for his fairness and for being a man of his word. He believes that patience is a virtue and was reassuring that a task would get done, never hesitating to become part of the solution. They appreciate Chuck for always looking out for their best interest, fighting for what they deserve and for being valued by him. His reputation for being a prankster and for his colorful way of telling a joke is legendary. Chuck is a wise and generous man and he is a true friend to the people in his life.

Evelyn, his wife of 52 years, and their wonderful family have sustained Chuck with a lifetime of support. Joe, Jim, Janet and Joyce, have blessed them with seven grandchildren. Chuck and Evelyn's children and grandchildren continue to be their pride and joy.

Madam Speaker, and colleagues, I rise today in honor and recognition of the Italian Cultural Garden, within which the beautiful and ancient notes of Italian Opera, will be heard in the garden for the first time since 1943.

The Italian Cultural Garden was formally opened on October 12, 1930, in honor of the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of the Italian poet, Virgil. Clevelander, business owner and Italian American Philip Garbo led the effort to create the garden. His expertise in the areas of Renaissance art, along with his commitment to keeping his Italian heritage vibrant in Cleveland, is reflected throughout the garden.

Visitors to the Italian Cultural Garden are awestruck by the magnificent sandstone towers that mark the entrance. Once inside, exquisite stone walkways and staircases wind through landscapes that meander throughout the two-level garden. On the lower level, a stone wall fountain adds elegance to a reflective courtyard of circular stone. The fountain is flanked on either side by the countenances that highlight Italian brilliance: Giotto, Michelangelo, Petrarca, Verdi, da Vinci and Marconi.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in celebration and recognition of the Cleveland Italian Cultural Garden. On Friday, June 27, 2008, the ancient melodies of Italian opera will once again rise above the falling water, light, flora and stone in the Italian Cultural Garden. The ancient art of opera celebrates the history of Italian culture--a culture that covets and encourages artistic discovery; a culture that understands the significance of historical preservation; and a culture that continues to offer significant contributions to Cleveland, to our country and to the world.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Helen K. Jones, and in honor of her dedication and leadership in the field of behavioral health and substance abuse treatment in the Greater Cleveland Area.

Helen Jones was born in Cleveland, Ohio, where she earned her degree in Social Work from Cleveland State University and her master's degree in Social Service Administration from Case Western Reserve University. Her compassion and advocacy on behalf of others led her to pursue a career in the behavioral health field, where she would emerge as a leader and well-known figure in the Greater Cleveland Area. In her role as President and CEO of Recovery Resources, Inc, a non-profit organization which treats and helps people overcome mental illness and substance abuse addictions, she changed the local system of treating behavioral health problems. In 1988, she began working with Neighborhood Counseling Services until it merged with Recovery Resources, Inc. in 2000, when she was appointed Chief Operating Officer. Under her leadership and advocacy, the budget and staff of Recovery Resources, Inc. increased significantly, making it one of the largest and most successful non-profit corporations in the Greater Cleveland Area and in the state of Ohio.

Helen worked alongside many in the Greater Cleveland Community in variety of leadership roles. She worked often with the Cuyahoga County Community Mental Health Board and was past chairwoman of the Mental Health Advocacy Coalition. She also served on the Board of Directors of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Midtown Cleveland and on the Board of the Beck Center for Arts in Lakewood. Helen was also a member of the National Association of Social Workers and the United Way Council of Agency Executives. She was recognized on numerous occasions for her distinguished leadership in the field of behavioral health. This past May, Helen was one of Crain's Cleveland Business Women of Note honorees and in 2004, was awarded the Woodruff Foundation Prize in recognition of her work in the behavioral health field.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in remembrance of Helen Jones, and in celebration of a life dedicated to serving her community. Let her advocacy on behalf of the welfare of others serve as an inspiration for us all.