Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, a respected opinion poll, just released, shows that the image of the United States has been seriously damaged around the world as we attacked and occupied Iraq.

The U.S. war against Iraq as seen worldwide is a threat to world peace. The poet Robert Burns once wrote, ``Oh, would some power God give us to see ourselves as others see us.'' Because the world is interconnected and interdependent, it would be helpful for us to see why the people of other nations, especially those who have been our friends, not only oppose our actions in Iraq but also question the so- called war on terror.

We have lost so much for a war based on lies. Right after 9/11, many asked, why do ``they'' hate us? That was the time to begin reaching out to unite the world in our common aspiration for safety and security. Not through war and occupation, but through truth and reconciliation.

The human unity which we celebrate as a Nation under God should remind us that the God which watches over the United States watches over the entire world. We can bomb to pieces but we cannot bomb the world to peace.

This is the time for us to try again to unite the world in our common aspiration for peace and for human unity.

Mr. Chairman, I think everyone in this Chamber appreciates Ms. Ros-Lehtinen's commitment to human rights, and I salute her for that. However, I think we have to observe that the embargo hasn't stopped Castro, it hasn't stopped Cuba from progressing. It hasn't forced out Castro.

It certainly provided hurdles and extra expenses that have been felt by every Cuban in every sector of the economy that is desperate for a boost. Proponents of the embargo argue that constricting the Cuban economy will fuel discontent among the Cuban population with the current government and will force out Castro. That hasn't happened in 45 years.

Moreover, it didn't happen when the Cuban economy was at its worst period following the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. But the desired outcome by the proponents of the embargo will not be achieved. In the process of forcing the embargo, the United States is paradoxically curtailing the freedom of its own citizens and the human rights and the very things for which the government criticizes Cuba.

Today, I might point out, to my good friend from Florida, it is not only Che Guevara's birthday, but it is also Flag Day in the United States. The values that we hold with our flag we could stand for in saying that the Cuban embargo ought to be taken down. In November of 2005, for the fourteenth year in a row, the U.N. General Assembly passed a resolution with the support of 182 Nations calling on the United States to immediately end its economic embargo against Cuba.

Nearly the whole world is opposing the embargo. Many U.S. allies have voiced concern that the extraterritorial application of U.S. embargo would infringe on their rights. It is time for a change in U.S. policy towards Cuba. It is time to craft a policy that is based on the values of the U.S. Constitution, the United Nations, human rights of pure logic and lift the embargo against Cuba.

I urge my colleagues to support the Rangel amendment and to support a new direction and a new day.

Mr. Speaker, there will be a great debate this week about the war in Iraq. Will we debate whether Iraq had anything to do with 9/11? No, because everyone knows Iraq did not. Will we debate whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction? No, because everyone knows Iraq did not. Will we debate the administration's exit strategy? No, because they don't have one.

It will be an interesting debate, because the very reasons which brought Members to vote for the war no longer have a basis in fact. They keep changing day by day, the reasons, why we are in Iraq. And as each new reason is brought to light, it keeps evaporating like the sun evaporates the morning dew.

After a while, the war becomes self-justifying, a patriotic exercise. So we will engage in a great debate about a war that is not so great, about a war based on a lie while our troops and innocent civilians die as we debate greatly.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today out of deep concern for the safety of children who ride school buses over railroad tracks in Ohio and across the country. My amendment will ensure that there is a person working full time in the Federal Railroad Administration who can help us resolve the inadequate reporting.

That reporting is necessary to ensure that railroad crossings frequently used by school buses are in compliance with Federal safety requirements. Title 23, section 646.214 of the Code of Federal regulations requires that crossings be equipped with ``automatic gates with flashing light signals'' when a ``substantial number of school buses cross.''

Setting aside the issue that any school bus with children in it is substantial, when it comes to children's safety, it is impossible for school districts, public utility commissions, and the Department of Transportation to know whether any school buses are crossing gated or ungated tracks if this information is not reported.

I certainly would.

I want to thank the chairman for his assistance, and I know that the parents of school children all over this country will be grateful to you for your concern. Thank you very much.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.

Mass death on the installment plan, that is what this supplemental vote to keep our troops in Iraq is all about.

Today, Iraqi civilian casualties number well over 100,000. Iraqi civilian injuries could be over 1 million, but who is keeping track? Some act as though the Iraqis are not real people with real families, real hopes and real dreams and loves of their own.

We have lost nearly 2,500 of our own brave soldiers. Up to 48,000 troops have suffered physical or emotional injuries, which could scar them and their loved ones for life.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Steglitz says the war could cost $2 trillion; $2 trillion for war while the American people are told we do not have enough money for job creation, education, health care, and Social Security.

The administration went into Iraq without an exit strategy, not because they are incompetent, but because they have no intention of leaving.

We are spending hundreds of millions building permanent bases in Iraq. The administration recently announced deployment of no less than 50,000 troops far into the future. We are looking at a permanent occupation of Iraq.

And so a long cadence of lies has led to Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and Haditha, soon to be replaced by more lies and more tragedies.

What can you say when you are watching your Nation descend sleep walking into something like the lower circles of hell in Dante's Inferno?

You can say stop it: enough blood is enough blood. You can say stop it: bring our troops home. You can say no to any more funds for this war and begin a period of truth and reconciliation about 9/11 and Iraq. Begin the healing of the soul of America.

The Bible says: ``He who troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind.'' Our House has been troubled by this war based on lies. What will our inheritance be?

Offered By: Mr. Kucinich

Amendment No. 3: Page 71, line 23, insert after the first

dollar amount the following: ``(increased by $4,800,000)

(reduced by $4,800,000)''.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today not in opposition to the content of the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act, but to the process by which it is brought to the floor. By bringing this important legislation to the floor as a suspension bill, members of this body are denied the opportunity to offer necessary amendments to improve the safety of miners.

A clear message was apparent when the most recent edition of the comprehensive report on workplace safety, ``Death on the Job,'' was released in April: American workers and their families need stronger enforcement of OSHA and MSHA for their health and safety. In the first increase in the number of workplace deaths since 1994, 5,703 U.S. workers were killed on the job in 2004. The vast majority of workplace deaths occur with little national recognition or public outcry. But early this year an explosion at the Sago mine in West Virginia focused the attention of the entire Nation on 13 families waiting to hear the fate of their loved ones. Our failure to protect miners from preventable tragedies was made evident 40 hours after the explosion, when the trapped miners were reached and only one survivor was found.

Despite numerous calls for action on mine safety legislation in the Committee on Education and the Workforce, this Congress chose to do nothing to improve the safety of miners until a second tragedy--this time at a mine in Kentucky--forced action in the Senate. Now this bill is brought to the floor of the House for a vote, without any chance for members to offer amendments and improve upon the Senate's initial step. The reason offered for this rush to passage is that action is needed immediately to ensure the safety of miners. Immediate action is needed. Immediate action was needed in January, following the tragedy at Sago. Action was needed over the past 5 years as the administration withdrew or delayed action on 18 different mine safety rules. We do need to act now. But in our haste to improve safety we should take the time to ensure we do things right.

It is clear this bill will in fact improve mine safety. The Senate bill will improve the tracking and communications devices used in mines, increase penalties for noncompliance and improve mine rescue team operations. It is a good step, but we can and should do more. We should use the lessons learned from Sago and take the steps to ensure other miners do not suffer the same fate.

My colleague, Congressman Miller, has proposed three simple and necessary amendments to this bill that would do just that. These amendments would require random testing of self-rescue devices by MSHA to ensure these vital devices are functional when needed. They would require a minimum of 2 days worth of air for trapped miners. And they would shorten to 15 months the time period for mines to install technology to track and communicate with miners underground. These are simple changes, which miners and the mine industry in West Virginia have already agreed are necessary as a part of the West Virginia Mine Safety Technology Task Force. Miners at the Sago mine and other West Virginia mines will now be protected from the problems that led to the death of those 12 miners earlier this year, not because of the bill we are debating today, but by State law. Miners across the Nation deserve and require those same protections. Passage of this bill, without such amendments, gives false hope to the families of miners in other States that a Sago-like disaster will not befall their loved ones in the future.

The core mission of MSHA is to protect workers by enforcing safety standards. These workers are not the bosses who decide if and how a business will obey the law. Instead they face the consequences of those decisions. They need strong workplace safety laws and vigorous enforcement, and that is what this Congress should be focused on providing. We do a great disservice to workers by ignoring the resources that would offer them greater protections. I urge my colleagues to consider the additional improvements we can and should make for the safety of miners across the Nation. We must refocus our time and efforts toward protecting workers.

Hussein is in jail. Zarqawi is dead. Now we should leave Iraq.

Zarqawi represented a small portion of a large and growing anti- American insurgency in Iraq, a sliver of the non-Baathist insurgency while Baathists make up a majority of armed insurgents. So his killing is unlikely to end the violence in Iraq.

Those who say we must prevail until victory are not themselves paying the price. Nearly 2,500 Americans dead, over 10,000 innocent Iraqis dead, our national honor tainted by a false case for war, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, Haditha. When will we understand that you can bomb the world to pieces, but you can't bomb the world to peace?

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment to prohibit funding for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, otherwise known as the School of the Americas.

This combat-training facility for security personnel in Latin America is notorious for graduating human rights offenders. In its 59 years of existence, the School of the Americas has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics. These graduates have consistently targeted educators, union organizers, religious workers, student leaders, and others who work for the rights of the poor. Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans have been victims of School of the Americas graduates.

For example, on February 21-22, 2005, eight members of the San Jose de Apartado Peace Community in Uraba, Colombia, were brutally massacred. Witnesses identified the killers as members of the Colombian military's 17th Brigade, commanded by a School of the Americas graduate.

In April of 2002, two School of the Americas graduates helped lead a failed coup in Venezuela against democratically elected President Hugo Chavez.

In 1980, two of the three killers of Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador were graduates of the School of the Americas. Also in 1980, 10 of the 12 officers responsible for the murder of 900 civilians in the Salvadoran village, El Mozote, were School of the Americas graduates.

The abuses by School of the Americas graduates have local resonance with me as well. In Cleveland, Ohio, in 1980, our Clevelanders Sisters Dorothy Hazel and Jean Donovan, along with two other churchwomen from the United States, Sister Maura Clarke and Sister Ita Forde, were raped and murdered by members of the armed forces of El Salvador. Three of the five officers involved were graduates of the School of the Americas.

In the words of former Panamanian President Jorge Illueca, the School of the Americas is the ``biggest base for destabilization in Latin Americas.'' It is time to close it.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment will prohibit the Millennium Challenge Corporation funds from being used to construct a highway in El Salvador to help gold mining companies. The construction of this highway which constitutes a majority of El Salvador's MCC funding will mostly benefit two gold mining companies. Meanwhile, productive development priorities which are desperately needed by El Salvador's poor will be shortchanged.

In fall of 2005, the two largest Canadian mining companies received permits from the government of El Salvador to conduct initial surveying of the northern region where gold had been discovered. These companies made it known to the government they intended to mine for gold. Later, El Salvador's president announced that he intended to use MCC funding for construction of a large highway that, guess what, would go right through that same gold mine region.

Only weeks ago the Salvadoran Government committed a majority of its MCC funding for construction of this golden highway. You can clearly see the connection between the highway and the future mines on this map. All the red and yellow blocks are sites of potential mines, and the green lines where the highway is to be built. As you can see, every potential mine will be linked up to a road with construction of this highway. This highway will link up to other roads in neighboring countries so the wealth of this poor region can be extracted and easily shipped out.

The mining companies are accustomed to building their own roads to facilitate mining operations, but they are not going to have to build any roads in El Salvador. This a huge financial incentive for these mining companies and a subsidy to their operation. Here we are, America's going broke, and we are building highways in El Salvador for Canadian gold mining corporations. You know, we give these gold mine companies about $200 million for a road while the price of gold could go up to $800 an ounce. They should just use two truckloads of gold and use that to pay for the highway.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the Strongsville Mustangs Baseball Team, for their spectacular victory as winners of the State of Ohio, 2006 Division I High School Championship.

This well-deserved triumph reflects a committed coaching staff and dedicated players who maintained a steady focus on their collective dream. The individual athleticism, enthusiasm and discipline that reflected from every player also reflected the soul of a team whose faith in themselves and passion for the game proved mightier than the odds of winning.

The sheer talent, drive and ultimate victory that frames the 2006 season of the Strongsville Mustangs, a team once described as the ``underdog,'' stands as a monument to the collective resilience and spirit of our nation itself, and reflects the heart and soul of our greatest American pastime--baseball.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of the coaches and players of the Strongsville High School Mustangs as we join in congratulating them on their outstanding victory as State Champions. The individual and collective achievements of the Strongsville Mustangs Baseball Team underscores the meaning of the words ``True Champion,'' and serves to inspire us all with the joy of the game and the knowledge anything is possible, even in the bottom of the ninth, two down, full count--batter up.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Sister Mary Assumpta, superior of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit, whose 43-year ministry at the Jennings Center in Garfield Heights continues to heal the hearts and minds of countless residents and their loved ones.

Sister Assumpta grew up in Pennsylvania, where she was instilled at an early age with love for family and service to others. She entered the Catholic ministry at the youthful age of 17, and her commitment to faith and to helping those in need has never wavered since. Sister Assumpta's leadership, vision and love is evident within every facet of the Jennings Center, a home for elderly residents and haven for their families. Her service as director of development, director of pastoral care, and her vital work with hospice programs continues to set a foundation of quality care and support that is reflected throughout the center.

Sister Assumpta's undeniable spirit, energy, quick wit and joy for life continue to frame her life. Her passion for baseball began in her youth and continues to this day. An avid Cleveland Indians fan, Sister Assumpta bakes more than 300 chocolate chip cookies every year for the players. Her major league expertise is sought out annually by the CBS TV network, where she provides commentary for the World Series games, and by WEWS, TV 5 in Cleveland, where she is a feature baseball writer.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of sister Mary Assumpta, superior of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit. Sister Assumpta's love for life, for her colleagues, and most significantly, love for every resident of the Jennings Center, continues to raise their lives into a place of faith, hope and peace. Her influence and service cannot be accurately expressed in words, yet the lives she has touched and the joy she has shared has had a profound impact throughout the Jennings Center, and throughout our entire community, and we are forever grateful.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Augustine ``Gus'' Standard, upon his retirement that follows nearly 30 years of outstanding service with the City of Cleveland.

In 1977, Mr. Standard joined the City of Cleveland workforce as Chief Deputy Clerk in the criminal division, before joining the Department of Utilities as a security specialist. While there, Mr. Standard safeguarded the utilities division from various acts of theft and sabotage. He was later promoted to collections manager with the Department of Community Development, where his insight, expertise and diligence reflected in his creation of a successful in-house system of loan collection. Within a short time, millions of dollars of outstanding loans were repaid to the Department.

Mr. Standard was later promoted to Supervisor of the Record Room, Division of Building and Housing. In that capacity, he established greatly needed internal control and systems to prepare and archive files and records. Since 1983, Mr. Standard has worked as a MA/E Coordinator in the Contract Administration Section of Administrative Services. His responsibilities included contract and budget preparation; contract compliance; program evaluation; and special report preparation for City Hall and HUD, just to name a few. Mr. Standard consistently went above and beyond the usual call of duty, and was always willing to assist others whenever needed. Moreover, Mr. Standard's enthusiasm, kind heart and concern for others framed his professional life--inspiring and motivating others to do their best by cultivating an atmosphere where a true sense of teamwork and friendship flourished.

Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor, recognition and gratitude to Mr. Augustine ``Gus'' Standard, upon his retirement from the City of Cleveland that follows nearly three decades of outstanding service and accomplishment. His dedication, expertise, leadership, and energy, focused on making the City run as efficiently as possible, has lifted all facets of operations at Cleveland City Hall, and most importantly, has raised the lives of countless colleagues and citizens into the light of friendship and unity. I wish Mr. Standard and his family an abundance of health, peace and happiness as his journey begins from here.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of my friend, Richard Distelhosrt, upon his induction into the Des Moines County Democrats Hall of Fame. Mr. Distelhosrt's unwavering, sense of civic activism and volunteerism on behalf of vital social issues continues to make a positive difference within our democratic system of government--in Des Moines, Iowa and across the country.

Mr. Distelhosrt's life is framed by family, community and service to others. His quick wit, friendly personality and passion for social justice frames his character and inspires others. His devotion and compassion for all of humanity originates with family, where he took loving care of his wife Virginia, until her recent passing. Mr. Distelhosrt continues to be a guiding source of support and wisdom for his children, grandchildren and many friends.

A political activist and staunch Democrat, Mr. Distelhosrt has volunteered countless hours that focused on creating positive change across the grassroots landscape of politics, both locally in his Des Moines community and nationwide. He is a long-time member of the Des Moines County Democratic Party, having served as the treasurer and Congressional liaison. He worked tirelessly on behalf of the 2004 Kucinich for President Campaign, serving as the local chairperson. Additionally, Mr. Distelhosrt has organized and led rallies for peace, and continues to educate the people of Des Moines on significant legislative issues of concern, including the Monetary Act, by writing and distributing periodic newsletters.

Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of Mr. Richard Distelhosrt, as we celebrate his induction into the Des Moines County Hall of Fame. Mr. Distelhosrt 's passionate activism, unwavering vision and expansive heart continues to raise up the community of Des Moines into the light of hope and possibility as he continues to lead, challenge and inspire us all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Ambassador Andrew Young, as the City Club of Cleveland honors him with the Citadel of Free Speech Award.

Ambassador Young was born and raised in New Orleans to parents who instilled within him and his brother the value of hard work, education and the significance of giving back to others. Following his graduation from Howard University, Ambassador Young's unwavering social conscience directed him to a life of social activism, leadership and the Christian ministry. He studied the writings and ideology of Gandhi, and became drawn to the methods of non-violent resistance as a catalyst for change within the civil rights movement, including organizing civil rights demonstrations and drives to register African Americans to vote. Ambassador Young formed a close bond with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and chose to stay in Atlanta to work as one of Dr. King's lead commanders on the front lines of the civil rights movement. Ambassador Young was named the executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Like other civil rights heroes who dared to challenge the status quo, Ambassador Young remained committed to the cause, despite death threats and being jailed for his participation in the movement.

In 1972, Ambassador Young was elected as the first African American Congressman from Georgia. He was re-elected in 1974 and 1976. Following his third term in Congress, President Jimmy Carter appointed him as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, where he served with courage, conviction and integrity. In 1981, President Carter awarded him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Later that year, Ambassador Young was elected as Mayor of Atlanta. He was reelected in 1985. During his tenure, he raised Atlanta onto a platform of economic strength and international investment, which set a course for Atlanta as a vibrant, thriving city that continues today.

Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of Ambassador Andrew Young, whose vision, commitment, activism and wisdom continue to raise America into the light and promise of social justice for all. As recipient of the Citadel of Free Speech Award, presented by the City Club of Cleveland, Ambassador Young continues to personify the words--grace, courage, and devotion to our freedoms and commitment to people here in America and around the world. Ambassador Young's life continues to be a journey of inspiration for every American, and his goodwill and activism continues to extend from across our Nation to places around the world, lending us all hope for the promise of a better day.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Chief Anthony H. Jackson, whose recent retirement as the chief of police with the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, CMHAPD, reflects 33 years of excellence in law enforcement, framed by leadership, accomplishment, integrity and an unwavering commitment on behalf of the security and safety of the public housing residents of our community.

Chief Jackson's illustrious career in law enforcement began in 1973 when he became a police officer with the city of Cleveland Police Department, CPD. He quickly rose through the ranks, serving as detective, sergeant, district lieutenant and commander for the CPD. He accepted the appointment of police chief with the CMHAPD in 1994. For the past 12 years, Chief Jackson's leadership, vision and expertise has transformed the CMHAPD into a nationally recognized and respected department that serves as a model of efficiency and security for numerous public housing police departments.

Because of his guidance, the CMHAPD is one of only six State certified public housing police departments in the entire Nation to attain national accreditation, bestowed in 1998. Additionally, the CMHAPD was the first police department of its kind to achieve 100 percent compliance in its initial assessment for accreditation in 1998, and for every subsequent re-accreditation since. Though busy with family and his profession, Chief Jackson also found time to volunteer on behalf of numerous civic and community endeavors, including his long-time commitment to the Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor, gratitude and recognition of Chief Anthony H. Jackson. His highly regarded, admired and emulated tenure as a police officer with the city of Cleveland and as chief with the CMHAPD has uplifted the organization onto a platform of efficiency and accomplishment, and most significantly, has strengthened the foundation of safety and security for every resident, thereby uplifting our entire community. I wish Chief Jackson, his wife Michele, their five daughters and one granddaughter, an abundance of health, peace and happiness as he journeys onward from here.