Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance and recognition of the 30th Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon. This historical date commemorates the end of the Vietnam War, and represents the beginning of a new life for tens of thousands of Vietnamese people, as they began their hopeful journey to America.

On April 30, 1975, the ancient city of Saigon fell to the conquest of communist troops. This action solidified the communist takeover of South Vietnam. Three decades later, I rise to honor the memory and sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands of South Vietnamese soldiers, American soldiers and civilians who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of liberty and democracy.

Despite the takeover, the culture, spirit and hope reflected by the Vietnamese people remained steadfast. After the communist takeover of Saigon, thousands of Vietnamese, determined to rebuild their lives, began their treacherous exodus out of Vietnam. Their daring escape was on foot, through thick jungles and over jagged mountains. They escaped by boat, through snake-infested rivers and across turbulent seas. They became refugees in many nations, including America, with nothing more than the clothes on their back and the hope for freedom in their hearts.

Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me to honor and remember the hundreds of thousands of men and women who sacrificed their lives in the name of freedom. Today, we also honor agencies and churches such as The Vietnamese Community of Greater Cleveland and St. Helena Catholic Church, that continue to offer a haven of support, services and hope to immigrants from all over the world. The Vietnamese culture, through the care and commitment of its people, has flourished in America, yet remains forever connected to its ancient cultural and historical traditions that spiral back throughout the centuries, connecting the old world to the new, spanning oceans and borders--from Vietnam to America.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday's Washington Post carried two pages of pictures of our brave young men and women who were killed in Iraq.

This war is an abstraction for most Americans, but not for the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The fallen soldiers' contributions will never be diminished. What they stood for is in the highest service to this Nation.

But we must ask questions of those who sent them, of those who would keep our troops there, of those who would send even more troops, of those who say, well, now that we are there, we must stay there. Such logic would have left us still fighting a war in Vietnam.

How can we move on to other matters in this Capitol when we are sending more men and women to die in a war that was based on a lie? This war has forever altered the lives of tens of thousands of families in this country and hundred of thousands in Iraq.

Enough is enough. It is time for an exit strategy. It is time to get out of Iraq.

Madam Speaker, 771 days ago, the United States illegally went to war against Iraq. Since then we have lost 1,574 of our finest, and the Iraqi people have lost tens of thousands of innocent civilians to the war. Some of us opposed the war from the start, but today we all know that America went to war based on false information given to this Congress and to the American people. Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and was not an imminent threat, yet the war grinds on.

America is building permanent bases in Iraq. The interim government has no credibility. Under the watchful eyes of our occupying army, the Iraqi people know full well policy is made in Washington, not Baghdad. And here in Congress, we move on to other issues, while some are calling for more troops to move in.

The administration built a theater of war with no exits. It is time for Congress to build an exit from the Iraqi theater. In the next few days, I, along with other Members, will submit such a plan.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Mr. Peter Pucher, who has been recently honored as the ``Latin Man of the Year, by the Cathedral Latin High School Alumni Association.

A life-long Clevelander, Mr. Pucher graduated from Cathedral Latin High School in 1955. His diligence reflected in his studies and athletic performance. Mr. Pucher's time as quarterback of the '53 and '54 Cathedral Latin football team is still considered as the finest in the history of the school. After receiving his Bachelor's degree in education from John Carroll University, Mr. Pucher embarked on a life- long journey that continues to focus on family, community and helping others in need.

Mr. Pucher taught at his alma mater for three years, then taught for two years at St. John Cantius High School. During his six-year tenure as teacher at Holy Name High School, he also served as the school's athletic director and head football coach. Throughout his profession, he guided his students and his players with heart, concern and unwavering dedication. The players and the team flourished under his leadership, and his commitment did not go unnoticed. In 1970, Mr. Pucher was named the West Senate Coach of the Year. Mr. Pucher's dedication to guiding our youth parallels his strong sense of giving back to the community. Though awards and accolades do not impress him, Mr. Pucher's outstanding volunteer work has not gone unnoticed. In 1991, he was honored with the Greater Cleveland Football Coaches Association Golden Deeds Award. In 1994, Mr. Pucher was honored as the Greater Cleveland United Way Volunteer of the Year Award. To this day, Mr. Pucher and his mother-in-law, who is 93 years young, distribute donated food to a local food pantry.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in honor and recognition of my dear friend and mentor, Mr. Peter Pucher. His dedicated service as teacher, coach and activist, focused on our youth and those in great need, has brought hope and possibility to many within our community. His kindness and concern has made a monumental difference in the hearts and lives of countless students, colleagues and family members, and his work continues to strengthen our community and alight our humanity.

Madam Speaker, all over this country, the American people are troubled by the fast increasing price of gasoline. The oil companies are making billions of dollars in windfall profits while families have had to tighten their budget. While families have experienced less money for food, clothing, shelter and education, the oil companies continue to rake the American consumer over the coals. The fastest way to bring relief from these high prices is to eliminate the price gouging by the oil companies and reduce demand.

I have submitted a bill called the Gas Price Spike Act of 2005, which will discourage price gouging and reduce demand by implementing, first, a windfall profits tax on gasoline and diesel. Such a tax is to be imposed on key oil industry profits that are above a reasonable rate of return. If the oil companies are collecting excessive profits, they should be subject to a stiff tax on those excessive profits.

It is time to stand up for the American consumers and take on these oil companies.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment as the designee of the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to modify this amendment by striking the number ``20'' in the first place it appears and inserting the number ``30'' in lieu thereof.

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

I want to express my appreciation to the Chair for accepting the modification and my appreciation to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), who I have worked with on this amendment that would double the number of Department of Energy Clean City programs that could apply for a pilot program to invest in alternative fuel vehicles. By amending section 722, the amendment would increase the number of project grants from 15 to 30 for State governments, local governments, and metropolitan transportation authorities.

Now, we are offering this amendment because we believe that farmers and our urban centers can work together to eliminate our dependency on oil. Farmers grow biomass feedstocks that can be processed locally to supply nearby cities such as Cleveland and Toledo.

Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Toledo, Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), with whom I have had the privilege of working on this amendment.

Well, the gentlewoman has made it possible for me to help and offer this amendment.

We can grow our way out of our energy crisis; and farmers growing biomass feedstocks that can be processed locally to supply, in our case, nearby cities such as Cleveland and Toledo can help us do that. They will benefit with new and more stable markets; our fuel supply is home grown, thus reducing our dependence on foreign oil; fuel prices are reduced; and the air we breathe is cleaner.

I yield to the gentlewoman.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Israel amendment. In Cleveland, Ohio, my district, people do not understand why prices vary from street to street. They can drive around and see a gas station will have $2.25 and a couple blocks later it will be $2.35.

The gentleman's study is so important because it will provide some insight into pricing, into how the market is set up; and the small and independent gas station owners who are getting squeezed in the market are going to have their cause elevated.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, this is a noncontroversial amendment which authorizes a National Academy of Science study on the feasibility of mustard seed as a feedstock for biodiesel.

Now, mustard seed has many advantages over other feedstocks, including higher oil content, it is easier to grow in colder and drier climates of the U.S., and the conversion process leaves behind an organic pesticide and herbicide. Initial research studies by the University of Idaho and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have shown favorable results.

Now, Mr. Chairman, mustard seed has roots deep in all cultures, and it is specifically mentioned in the Bible. I want to read you a passage from Mark which will show the recognition of mustard seed as a crop that deserves recognition here.

Mark, in the fourth chapter, talks about the Kingdom of Heaven, and says: ``It is like a mustard seed, which when sewn in the Earth is less than all the seeds that be in the Earth. But when it is sewn, it groweth up and becometh greater than all the other herbs and shooteth out great branches.''

So something that was understood in the intelligence of the world thousands of years ago needs once again to be recognized, because what we have here is a crop that gives a great potential. And we know that farmers are key to eliminating our dependency on foreign oil and that we can grow our way out of this energy crisis. That is one of the reasons I am offering this.

Mark is not the only place where mustard seed is mentioned. We are told that if we have faith as a grain of mustard seed, we can move mountains. Well, this is an opportunity for us to show not only faith in the good will of this House to help America take an important step towards sustainable energy, but also faith in alternative energy and faith in our own Nation. I think that we can take this opportunity to give farmers a chance for growing options for biomass feedstocks. It is imperative that we find those feedstocks that will eliminate our dependency on foreign oil as soon as possible.

So, again, to the chairman, this is a noncontroversial amendment. It would authorize the National Academy of Sciences to study the feasibility of mustard seed as a feedstock, and I would certainly appreciate the support of the committee and of the House.

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

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

Madam Chairman, I have the greatest respect for the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), and I simply have a difference of opinion with him on this despite that great respect.

In what has become a congressional ritual, the prospect of drilling in the Arctic has been repeatedly struck down in recognition of the fact that American working families do not want it. Still, we have proponents telling us that drilling is good for jobs.

Some of the Nation's largest unions, I might point out, like the SEIU, United Auto Workers, United Steelworkers, and United Farm Workers, are on record opposing drilling in the Arctic Refuge. Why? Because it is bad labor policy. Oil production is one of the least labor-intensive industries, supporting fewer than three direct jobs per $1 million of investment. Energy efficiency supports 27 jobs for the same investment.

It is also bad economic policy. One dollar spent on petroleum production creates only $1.51 in economic value. But that same dollar, when invested in energy efficiency, creates $2.23 in economic value.

Our Nation's energy policy should not include drilling in the Arctic.

I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Chairman, I want to concur with the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) who spoke in favor of a Federal ban on drilling for oil or gas in the Great Lakes. I represent Cleveland, Ohio, which is a city proud to be part of the Great Lakes community. We in Cleveland understand that the Great Lakes contain 20 percent of the Earth's fresh water surface and supplies drinking water for over 40 million people.

This is not a matter that any State can choose to go along with or against. This is clearly an area for Federal policy. We need a Federal policy which says the people of the United States have a right to clean drinking water.

Water is the oil of the 21st century and we are here acting as though it is not the basis of life on our planet.

The risks of drilling are clear. Because the geologic formations under Lake Erie are low producing, the oil and gas industry would require over 4,200 wells to access the full resource. In Canada, where they permitted drilling, an average of almost one spill per month has been documented. Now, the industry wants to use directional drilling to create new risks. Geologists have noted that leaks will follow the drilling shaft down into the groundwater which flows right into Lake Erie.

This amendment, the Markey-Bishop amendment, is a common-sense way to meet our energy needs, conservation, energy and renewables, and it is also a common-sense way to protect the great water resource we have.

Why should we even be contesting this? Why would any State want to take the responsibility of drilling in the Great Lakes and thus poisoning the well for the rest of America?

This is Federal policy. We have a right to clean water. Support this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I enter my statement in the Record in support of the Solis amendment.

Mr. Chairman, no one wants an oil refinery in their neighborhood. So in order to force one open, this bill encourages them to be established in neighborhoods with high unemployment or recent layoffs.

The University of Texas and the Houston Chronicle studied the air near refineries in the Houston area. The paper wrote that they ``found the air . . . so laden with toxic chemicals that it was dangerous to breathe.'' Houston is not alone.

Multiple penalties of hundreds of thousands of dollars for environmental violations have been handed to refineries so far this year. And we surely have not forgotten last month's BP refinery explosion that killed 15 people.

Let's employ the unemployed but not at the expense of their families' health and well-being. That is kicking them when they're down.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the Earth Day Coalition of Cleveland, as they celebrate EarthFest 2005--a date that commemorates the 36th Anniversary of Earth Day. The Earth Day Coalition was formed in 1990 to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Earth Day in Ohio. Over the past twenty-five years, a staff of one has evolved into a staff of six fulltime employees, college interns, and hundreds of volunteers. As the staff has grown, so has the focus, outreach and expansion of the programs and projects created by the Earth Day Coalition.

Beyond the initial focus on environmental education, recycling and energy waste, efficiency, alternatives and conservation, the focus of Earth Day Coalition has expanded into other significant environmental areas of concern that speak directly to the preservation and conservation of the delicate, interdependent threads of our natural world. Many of the programs initiated by the Earth Day Coalition have grown into nationally-recognized programs and models that speak to the critical need of community pollution prevention. EarthFest 2005, to be held on Sunday, April 17th at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, promises once again to be a significant aspect of the world celebration of Earth Day.

Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of the staff, volunteers and members of the Earth Day Coalition--as we celebrate EarthFest 2004 on April 17, 2005. This significant day reflects the hope for a healthy community--for us today, and for future generations. The organizing force behind EarthFest--the Earth Day Coalition of Cleveland, offers residents of our community access to a wide range of environmental resources and information, presented by local and national organizations and agencies. Again, Earth Day promises to educate, inspire and motivate all of us to live with the awareness of our fragile connection to all living things.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to be in Columbus, Ohio, tomorrow speaking on education when the President is visiting the Cleveland area to speak on Social Security. Now, the President has alternately asserted there is no Social Security trust fund or it is just IOUs.

Here is a copy of the trust fund report from the Social Security Administration. There is a $1.68 trillion surplus in the trust fund. It will grow to $6.6 trillion by 2028. The IOUs the President speaks about are loans that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.

Question: Is the President reneging on repaying the more than $637 billion his administration borrowed from the trust fund?

Question: Is this a scheme for the administration to transfer Social Security wealth from tens of millions of American workers to pay for the tax cuts for the rich?

A few weeks ago, I introduced a Resolution of Inquiry asking the President to produce documents to back up his claim there is no trust fund. If anyone in this House has those documents,

make them public. Otherwise, support H. Res. 170, which requires the President to prove his assertion about the trust fund.

This Congress was misled about Iraq. Let us not be misled about Social Security. We do not need a select committee, a Presidential commission, or a Senate investigation. We just need the House to support H. Res. 170.

Mr. Speaker, almost half of the bankruptcies in the United States are connected to an illness in the family, whether people had health insurance or not. Middle-class Americans, who had the misfortune of either experiencing a medical emergency themselves or watching a family member suffer, were then forced to face the daunting task of pulling themselves out of debt. Bankruptcy law has allowed them to start over. It has given hope. Now this new law will put people on their own. Illness or emergency creates medical bills. We are telling the people that they themselves are to blame. At the same time, we are removing protections that would stay an eviction, that would keep a roof over the head of a working family. We allow the credit industry to trick consumers into using subprime cards, with exorbitant interest rate hikes and fees. Then we hand those same consumers over to an unforgiving prison of debt, to be put on a rack of insolvency and squeezed dry by the credit card industry. We are protecting the profits of the credit card industry instead of protecting the economic future of the American people. Americans are left on their own. That's what this Administration's ``Ownership Society'' is all about--you're on your own--and your ship is sinking.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of SFC Dana Bowman, a courageous and dedicated former soldier in the United States Army.

Sergeant First Class Bowman, a former member of the Army Special Forces and the ``Golden Knights''--the Army's elite parachute team--has inspired the world in his recovery and unwavering will to succeed, despite all odds, following his tragic training accident in 1994. At Yuma, Arizona, Sergeant First Class Bowman and his fellow paratrooper, Sergeant First Class Jose Agillon, struck each other midair, severing both of his legs.

Not only did Sergeant First Class Bowman recover and re-enlist in the Army after a mere nine months, thereby becoming the first double amputee to re-enlist, but he became the United States Parachute Team's recruiting commander and lead speaker, telling others of the great sense of fulfillment and accomplishment such a duty can bring. From his military retirement in 1996 to the present, Sergeant First Class Bowman has encouraged the physically impaired and disabled community to never underestimate their potential to achieve their dreams, succeed in work and thrive in life.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in honor and recognition of SFC Dana Bowman. His positive outlook on life, personal strength, and will to uplift others touches all who come in contact with him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Cuyahoga County Treasurer Mr. Jim Rokakis, as he is recognized by the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party for his service to our community.

A life-long Clevelander, Mr. Rokakis continues to focus on the well- being of Clevelanders, and beyond. After graduating from the Cleveland- Marshall School of Law, Mr. Rokakis set out to promote positive change within our community. In 1978, he was elected to serve as the Ward 15 representative to the Cleveland City Council. For nearly twenty years, he served the residents of the Old Brooklyn neighborhood with integrity and dedication. For the last seven years of his tenure as Councilperson, Mr. Rokakis served as the Chair of the Finance Committee.

In March of 1997, Mr. Rokakis was elected to the office of Treasurer of Cuyahoga County. In this capacity, Mr. Rokakis has consistently demonstrated a vision and focus on improving the tax collection process. His complete renovation of the system has resulted in greater efficiency regarding the County's tax collection and disbursement processes. Under his leadership, the office of the Treasurer has been awarded with many honors, especially regarding his inner-city housing initiatives.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in honor and recognition of Mr. Jim Rokakis. His dedicated service, focused on the well-being of the residents of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, has served to strengthen our entire community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Mr. Tom Brazaitis, dedicated husband, father, author, and friend, whose brilliant legacy as a journalist and humanitarian has served to elevate the lives of all who knew him well, including my own.

For more than thirty-two years, Mr. Brazaitis' poignant commentary and piercing assessment of our nation's political and social scene graced the pages of Ohio's largest newspaper, the Cleveland Plain Dealer. His compassion, deep intellect and consistent ability to glean the heart of a story and have it ready under deadline amazed his colleagues. He was known for his quick wit, compassionate heart, progressive mindset and his seemingly effortless ability to stay calm and cool amidst the fiery pressure of the busy newsroom. Mr. Brazaitis' compelling editorials consistently garnered strong responses from his readers, both pro and con. Yet his integrity was unwavering and he never compromised his personal convictions or viewpoints, regardless of popular opinion. Mr. Brazaitis was highly trusted, respected and admired by his colleagues and those of us in the political arena. Whether interviewing a small town council member or having dinner with a powerful publisher, Mr. Brazaitis treated everyone with the same respect, dignity and kindness. He built strong bonds with the public, strengthened by integrity and trust, and gave Greater Clevelanders an insightful and balanced perspective into the local and national political scene.

Mr. Brazaitis' courage and grace was reflected throughout his battle with cancer, a battle that he openly shared with his readers. From his initial diagnosis, through every standard and experimental treatment, Mr. Brazaitis' straightforward descriptions of his cancer experience deeply connected with his readers, offering us a sense of peace, clarity and even humor throughout his heroic struggle.

Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of Mr. Tom Brazaitis, whose life and legacy served to bring critical issues into the rational light of day, and whose deep sense of humanity served to elevate our own humanity. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife, Eleanor; his daughter, Sarah; son, Mark; stepsons, Edward, Woodbury and Robert; and his five grandchildren. Tom Brazaitis lived his life with energy and joy, and the memories of his affable nature and kind heart will forever light the hearts of all who knew and loved him well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Cuyahoga County Coroner, Dr. Elizabeth K. Balraj, as she is recognized by the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party for her outstanding service to our community.

In 1966, following her studies to become a physician and surgeon, Dr. Balraj left her homeland of India to immigrate to the United States. She practiced medicine at Akron General Hospital and St. Luke's Hospital in Cleveland. Dr. Balraj began her work in the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office as Deputy Coroner and Pathologist. In 1987, following the retirement of Coroner Dr. Samuel R. Gerber, she was appointed Coroner of Cuyahoga County. Dr. Balraj was elected Coroner in November of 1988, and has been re-elected ever since.

Dr. Balraj's unwavering focus and energy is reflected every day throughout this office. Beyond supervising a multi-million dollar budget and a workforce of 87, she often leads cross-agency teams in uncovering answers for law enforcement officials, and most significantly, for families who grieve the death of their loved one. Dr. Balraj's integrity, combined with her sense of calm and precision, has elevated the work and mission throughout the Coroner's Office. She broke the glass ceiling for women by successfully carving a path into an area of science and medicine where women were virtually non-existent before.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in honor and recognition of Dr. Elizabeth K. Balraj. Her intellect, wisdom, leadership, quiet determination, and above all, her compassion and heart, all serve to offer answers to members of law enforcement, and most importantly, closure, solace and peace within the minds and hearts of families and individuals within Cuyahoga County.