Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1003) to amend the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 to reauthorize the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill and urge my colleagues to do so as well.

This legislation extends the mandate of an important bipartisan panel created by Congress, appointed by the President and working on behalf of the American people. This group keeps a watchful eye on major efforts by the private sector and the U.S. Government to inform and to influence opinions overseas and to improve America's understanding of other lands.

Since September 11, 2001, such efforts, known collectively as ``public diplomacy,'' have been recognized as an integral part of our country's work to foster better relations with people abroad. Congress created the predecessor of this panel more than half a century ago. Now it is called the United States Advisory Commission on

Public Diplomacy, and it deserves our sustained and enthusiastic support.

The commission regularly delivers its findings and makes recommendations to the President, the Congress, the Secretary of State and the general public with easily accessible reports. These reports also include assessments of the scholarly integrity and political neutrality of the cultural and educational exchange programs of the Department of State.

Mr. Speaker, the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy does good and important work. Its mandate should be extended not merely annually, but for nearly 3 years more, as our legislation ensures. I am proud to be the author of this legislation, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support this short, but important, bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished African American actress and singer, Barbara McNair, who passed away in January after a long battle with cancer. She was a trailblazer, who had a successful recording and acting career in an era when few African Americans, particularly African American women, could sustain themselves in Hollywood. Barbara was also my dear friend.

Barbara McNair was one of the world's most stunningly dynamic, talented, and beautiful singers, who achieved international fame not only as a singer, but also as a movie, television, and Broadway star.

At a young age, Barbara moved to New York where she supported herself with a secretarial job while auditioning off-hours at a variety of New York nightclubs. Persistence eventually paid off when Max Gordon, proprietor of one of the most famous jazz clubs in New York, The Village Vanguard, offered her a job. Soon after, her big break came when she was tagged for a stint on The Arthur Godfrey Show. Not much later, she appeared in shows at world famous nightclubs such as the Purple Onion and the Coconut Grove.

Barbara quickly became one of the country's most popular headliners and a guest on The Steve Allen Show, Hullabaloo, The Bell Telephone Hours, and The Hollywood Palace. She also made guest appearances on popular television shows of the day, including Dr. Kildare, I Spy, Mission: Impossible, Hogan's Heroes, and McMillan and Wife. She hosted television's The Barbara McNair Show, a musical and comedy show in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Her movie credits include If He Hollers Let Him Go, playing opposite Raymond St. Jacques; They Call Me Mr. Tibbs, with Sydney Poitier; and Change of Habit, with Mary Tyler Moore and Elvis Presley in his last scripted movie role.

Her Broadway credits include The Body Beautiful, No Strings, and a revival of The Pajama Game.

Barbara McNair not only acted, but also had a successful recording career. Her recordings include Livin' End, I Enjoy Being a Girl, and The Ultimate Motown Collection.

Barbara McNair had her share of tragedies and setbacks during her life of 72 years. But through it all, she continued to move forward. Her singular accomplishments as an actress and singer are to be admired and remembered.

Madam Speaker. it is an honor and privilege that I rise today to recognize Odessa Juanita Brown for her achievements and milestones as she celebrated her 85th birthday on March 1, 2007. I have known Odessa for most of my life. She and her husband Frank, and their children lived on Cimarron Street, in Los Angeles, and my family lived around the corner--that date's back to the late-1950s. Our families have remained in contact since then.

Odessa Brown has remained a committed community servant, participant in civic and fraternal groups, and an active church member over that 50-year period. She has been a member of Trinity Baptist Church for 61 years; a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Chapter Alpha Gamma Omega of Los Angeles, California, the same Chapter of which I am a member, for 25 years; and a volunteer at the election polls for the last 20 years. Odessa has been Worthy Matron of Skylight Chapter 51 of the Eastern Star and was a member of the NAACP . Today she is taking computer technology classes at Santa Monica Emeritus College. Not enough of a role model, yet? Well, Odessa has maintained an exercise routine of walking a mile almost every day for more than two decades-- including hills, by the way.

Odessa Brown's leadership skills, her commitment to service, and her creative talents have been a true lifetime blessing to her family and community. She served as a Brownie and Girl Scout leader of her daughters' troops. She used her artistry to design and sew her daughters' beautiful handmade dresses when they were small. Everyone knew the three Brown girls because of their uniquely crafted dresses.

Odessa's culinary talents are also memorable, and family, friends, visitors have craved her cooking from coast to coast. She has creatively hosted small and large family dinners and barbeques, and cooked for neighborhood block parties and festivals. Her ``monkey bread,'' oh, yes, that monkey bread--is the most desired food at all family gatherings.

Odessa is a dedicated and devout Christian, and her church continues to be important part of her life. She and her husband, Frank, joined Trinity Baptist Church in 1946, the year they were married. She has been an active member since. Their five children--Marion, Gwen, Kathleen, Frank, and Reginald--grew up in Trinity. Her grandson, James, attends Trinity, and her other grandchildren, who live outside Los Angeles--Cameron, Brian, Rachel, Charesse, Kahlil, Imani, and Camara-- have visited. Odessa's great grandchildren, Cameron and Ciera, are expected to one day be the fourth generation to worship at Trinity. Odessa is a Deaconess and is a longtime member of the Gospel Choir, which was directed by the late Inez Caston. Odessa regularly and lovingly still participates in church projects.

Odessa was born in Lewisville, Arkansas, on March 1, 1922, and Frank was born in Stamps, Arkansas. They joined the church not long after they had moved to Los Angeles. They were part of the great war-era migration of African Americans from the south to the north and west.

Odessa was the fifth child of Annie and Joe Brown. She had three brothers--Joseph, Clarence (deceased), and Cleant, and three sisters, Mary (deceased), Bernice (deceased), and Margie. The church was an important part of their community and Odessa was baptized at Galilee Baptist Church in Lewisville at 11 years of age.

From a young child, Odessa was extremely creative, artistic, and talented, whether she was in the kitchen helping her mother bake or designing and sewing outfits for her dolls. She started cooking at the age of seven and her teacher was her sister, Mary. When her parents attended church, they would return to a fantastic meal. Her parents were surprised to find out that she was the genius behind the great family meals. Her mother taught her how to sew and she quickly picked up the skill. She always helped her Mom around the house.

Odessa's parents were extremely resourceful. The Brown family understood the value of land ownership. Annie Brown's family was considered middle class, and they owned land. She inherited river land from her parents, which is still owned by the Brown Family, and she and her husband, Joe, purchased land together, as well. Joe was a hard working, proud farmer who raised his seven kids with the proceeds from the land. He grew corn, cotton, truck patches (watermelon), and raised animals (chickens, hogs and cows). He marketed his own products and sold direct to consumers. He also showcased his animals at conventions and fairs.

He was a chef and cooked at clubhouses, and was known for another unique skill--making ice cream. He sold his produce and ice cream at church conventions, and his fondness for making ice cream was passed down to Odessa, who developed homemade ice cream as a specialty. Annie also was an entrepreneur and learned how to use a pressure

cooker to process vegetables and fruit. This, of course, was a rarity in that period. With this unique talent, the community could have food stored during the winter months. Annie became the expert who trained others in the community on the benefits of using the pressure cooker to preserve foods.

In 1942, many things changed in the lives of the Brown family, as it did for most families in the country. The three Brown brothers, Joseph, Clarence, and Cleant joined the Army to serve their country during World War II. Joe Brown, now had a challenge. He too desired to serve his country and left for California to work in the Navy Shipyard in northern California. Odessa and her sister left Lewisville for California. For a short time, Odessa worked at a Ford Plant in northern California. Frank, having finished his tour of duty in the U.S. Army, decided to settle in Los Angeles. Odessa and Frank married, and began building a family. They soon settled as one of the first African American families in Leimert Park.

Years later, after her eldest children left home for college, Odessa decided it was time to pursue her dream. She registered for college and earned her bachelors of arts degree from California State University at Dominquez Hills. Odessa then taught as a substitute teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School System.

Her quest to learn continues, as she has mastered the newest technologies. She now uses the computer and sends e-mail messages to her family. She continues to exercise her creative design skills by knitting and crocheting, and shares knitted scarves and crocheted blankets with family and friends.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Odessa Juanita Brown as she celebrates her 85th birthday. She is truly an inspiration and a community treasure. I wish her many more years of health and prosperity.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 149) supporting the goals of International Women's Day.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I first want to thank the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky) and the other cosponsors of this resolution for recognizing International Women's Day in honor of the contributions and achievements of women all over the world and the importance of promoting and protecting their rights.

I want to pay special tribute today to my distinguished female colleagues on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, who are performing their important responsibilities with distinction and honor. I also want to recognize my distinguished colleague, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), who has achieved the distinction of becoming the first woman to obtain the ranking position on this committee.

Today, women all over the world are becoming leaders in science, medicine, the arts, politics, business, and even the military.

Despite this progress, women and girls continue to represent the majority of the poor, the chronically hungry, refugees, the HIV- infected, the sick, the uneducated and the undereducated, the unemployed and disenfranchised people.

Women are also subject to specific forms of physical and structural violence and discrimination because of their gender. These include sexual violence in both conflict and nonconflict situations, sex trafficking, and domestic violence from their partners and family members.

Cruel cultural practices targeted at women include denial of voting rights, freedom of movement, and property rights. Women are also subjected to genital mutilation, forced and early marriages, humiliating and harmful

widow practices, bride burnings and honor killings. Women also continue to experience an unequal remuneration for work of equal value, discrimination in hiring and admission to educational institutions, and lack of flexibility for special needs such as paid and extended family leave.

It is not enough to simply declare the equality of women, condemn their mistreatment, and increase the number of women in the workplace. We must, in all sectors of society, address the structural mechanisms which deny women and girls access to the same rights and opportunities as boys and men.

We must also attack and eliminate the criminal and cultural practices which destroy the lives and freedom and the health of women.

Statistics prove that when women are better off in our society, their children are happier, healthier and more educated, and our world is better off.

I will do everything in my power to ensure that every piece of legislation we consider in the committee will improve the security, opportunity and prosperity of women, and I know my colleagues will share this important goal.

In honor of our wives, our mothers, our daughters, our female colleagues and our Speaker, and women around the world, I am proud to support this resolution, and I urge all my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), the author of the bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

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

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 162) recognizing the contributions of the Negro Baseball Leagues and their players, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, in 1872, Bud Fowler became the first African American to enter organized baseball. At the time, Sporting Life magazine called him ``one of the best general players in the country. If he had had a white face,'' they said, ``he would be playing with the best of them.'' There were only a handful of black players during that time.

By the end of the 1800s, the door to organized baseball was slammed shut to African Americans, and as a result, in 1920, Andrew ``Rube'' Foster managed a Negro baseball team and organized seven other team owners to join him to form the Negro National Baseball League. Mr. Foster is known by many people to be the father of the Negro Baseball League.

For his efforts and contributions to baseball, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Since 1920, many teams were formed to expand the Negro Baseball Leagues. He produced many extraordinary players like Satchel Paige, ``Cool Papa'' Bell, ``Double-Duty'' Radcliffe, ``Groundhog'' Thompson and many others.

Presently, there are 278 members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, 18 whom had played in the Negro League. These greats include Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson, who first played in the Negro Leagues and then entered Major League Baseball.

Indeed, the players in the Negro Leagues were of such high caliber that many of them later moved to other major leagues and enjoyed better statistics playing there than they did in the Negro Leagues.

The opening of the doors of the major leagues to Negro League players often is attributed to Branch Rickey, who made a bold decision to sign Jackie Robinson to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Unfortunately, many owners of Negro baseball teams could not compete in the recruitment and financial compensation for African American players, which later caused many African American teams to fold in the early 1960s.

Some people shake their heads and say that the Negro Leagues' players came along too early. I think ``Cool Papa'' Bell had it right when he said ``they opened the door, just too late.''

But then it is never too late to right what has been a wrong, to create equal opportunity and to open the doors for the Luke Easters, the Minnie Minosos, the Kirby Picketts, the Barry Bondses, the Frank Thomases, and countless others who have thrilled and delighted us with their skills.

The achievement and success of African American baseball players on the baseball field have helped break down color barriers and integrate African Americans into all aspects of society.

This bill recognizes the teams and the players of the Negro Baseball Leagues for their achievements, their sacrifices, their dedication, and their contributions to baseball and the Nation. I commend the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) for introducing the bill, and I urge its swift passage.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the Representative from Tennessee, Representative Steve Cohen, have as much time as he might consume

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 62), supporting the goals and ideals of a National Children and Families Day, in order to encourage adults in the United States to support and listen to children and to help children throughout the Nation achieve their hopes and dreams, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, the most sacred institution of our society is that of the family. And within the family, its most precious asset, and that is its children. I stand before you today asking that my colleagues support me in

establishing a National Children and Families Day.

President Bush has stated that, ``Families instill in our children values; they shape character and are the foundation of a hopeful society.'' These are the goals for which we strive on National Children and Families Day. It is the intent of the National Children and Families Day to emphasize the importance of loving and stable relationships between parents, communities and children.

I once heard a teacher ask her class, What is the greatest Nation in the world? As the students muttered the names of countries worldwide, she pointed to her head and said, Imagination.

Through National Children and Families Day, I wish to cultivate and encourage the active imaginations of children, for we know that from creative and innovative thinking comes the ability to hope and dream for a brighter future.

Creating an environment that instills important values and builds strong character and provides sound education for our children is a vital national priority. With a firm foundation, children will be better able to face the challenges of the future.

As a legislator, I often find myself thinking of the countless children I represent whom I view as future voting constituents. And I think of how the policies we enact today could hinder or empower them 10, 15 or 20 years from now.

This, Mr. Speaker, is why I urge my colleagues to support National Children and Families Day.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 180) honoring the life and achievements of Leo T. McCarthy and expressing profound sorrow on his death.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, public service is the cornerstone of living democracy. That said, I do fervently believe it takes a special person to give their life to serve the public. I stand before you to honor an individual who, for over 30 years, dedicated his life to public servitude, former California Lieutenant Governor, Leo T. McCarthy.

Lieutenant Governor McCarthy was one who valued what was best for all of Californians, not just those that were of means and access. Much of this can be attributed to McCarthy's humane beginnings as the child of a poor immigrant family. It was during the time McCarthy's father, Daniel, opened a pub which became the community haven for the local Irish Catholic population, that young McCarthy became smitten with service. In his youth, McCarthy engaged in many service-oriented activities, which included early studies for the priesthood and service within the United States Air Force.

After earning his law degree, he began a career in politics that spanned over three decades. He served first as a member of the California Board of Supervisors and, in 1968, won a State assembly seat, where he eventually assumed the role of Speaker.

During his tenure in the California Assembly, McCarthy instituted a number of reforms. He reduced the number of oversight committees, provided members with bill analysis for floor sessions and provided more accountability and greater public access.

Leo McCarthy was a man on a mission, and in 1982, he ascended to what would become the pinnacle of his political career, the role of Lieutenant Governor of the State of California. As Lieutenant Governor, McCarthy wanted to unify the differing socioeconomic and cultural climates of the State. He established the Feminization of Poverty Task Force, which was comprised of women from all walks of life to develop ways to overcome economic barriers common amongst women and girls.

He also enacted legislation to better regulate nursing home patients and ensure that women had the best possible preventive care. He was an advocate for minority and female-owned businesses, and coerced business leaders into understanding the economic benefits of work site child care facilities.

When asked to reflect about his years in the public sector, Leo McCarthy said, ``I was lucky. I was in a position to make a contribution. I felt very fortunate to have played a role. Some days were miserable, and some unhappy, but there were a lot of days that were great. There was a sense of satisfaction and being helpful to people.''

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the author of the bill, Representative Anna Eshoo from California, be given 5\1/2\ minutes to speak.

Mr. Speaker, I request that Representative Jim Costa of California speak for 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I request 2\1/2\ minutes for Representative Howard L. Berman from California.

I request that the Speaker take as much time as she desires, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I request 2 minutes for the gentleman from California, Sam Farr.

Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to extend the time of debate 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I request 2 minutes for the gentleman from California, Brad Sherman.

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

Mr. Speaker, thanks to a 4-month investigation by the Washington Post, the world learned last week that our Nation's injured soldiers are not receiving the care they deserve once they return from active duty.

The Post investigation described conditions at Walter Reed Hospital that are deplorable. One of the buildings at the facility, Building 18, showed signs of neglect everywhere: mouse droppings, cockroaches, stained carpets, cheap mattresses and mold on the ceilings. After the Post printed its findings last week, the Pentagon finally started renovating Building 18, but it should not have taken the embarrassment of this investigation for the Pentagon to do the right thing.

American soldiers who have put their lives on the line for this Nation deserve better than what they are getting at Building 18. The Pentagon says it was forced into housing hundreds of troops there after all the other buildings were filled to capacity, and now the President wants to send more troops to Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, it is critical that this Congress ensure that the Pentagon meets the needs of our injured soldiers.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today to commend the University of Southern California, located in my district, Trojan football team for its victory in the 2007 Rose Bowl. The Trojans' Rose Bowl victory puts an exclamation mark on a successful 2006-2007 season as well as years of unparalleled Trojan football excellence. Let me cite just a few examples of the football team's long list of accomplishments:

The USC Trojan football team achieved its fifth consecutive AP top 4 finish. Its appearance in the 2007 Rose Bowl marked an unprecedented fifth consecutive Bowl Championship Series bid. The team won an unprecedented fifth consecutive PAC-10 Conference championship. It maintained a top 10 ranking in the AP College Football Poll for the past 56 editions. And the football team won 56 of its last 60 games.

It is noteworthy that the USC Trojan football team accomplished these feats while playing the second most difficult schedule in the Nation.

The victory of the USC Trojan football team also exemplifies the excellence of the University of Southern California as not only an athletic powerhouse but also an academic institution of higher learning. USC has established itself as a leader in the fields of communications, media, the sciences, as well as the arts. It is home to one of the best, if not the best, schools of film in the United States. It also boasts a world-renowned school of music.

USC is the oldest private research university in the West and is a critical part of the 33rd Congressional District of California. It is home to 33,000 students, 3,100 faculty, and 7,900 employees. It is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. Its physicians serve more than 1 million patients a year. Its Educational Opportunity Programs Center has provided academic enrichment and support services to thousands of neighborhood residents.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I commend both the University of Southern California's football team for its victory in the 2007 Rose Bowl; its coach, Pete Carroll; its athletic director, Mike Garrett; as well as the coaches, students, alumni, and staff who were instrumental in USC's Rose Bowl victory.

And I just need to add this: I want to also commend the University of Southern California and its president, Steven B. Sample, for taking in 130 students from New Orleans when their university had flooded. And they not only allowed them to come there and admitted them, but they gave them room and board at a time of great need.

So USC and its president have played a major role in the continuous success of the University of Southern California; the City of Los Angeles; and the people of the Golden State, California.

Mr. Speaker, the escalation of the conflict in Iraq is an exercise in futility. It has been 3 years now since the President declared that our original mission was accomplished in Iraq.

And then the President let victory escape from our grasp. He confused the toppling of Saddam Hussein with accomplishing the mission.

But there is a more important question being raised here on the House floor. It is an issue which has confused our mission in Iraq from the beginning. And it is the preposterous argument that Iraq is part of the war against al Qaeda.

The al Qaeda attack on America killed almost 3,000 innocent Americans in New York, at the Pentagon, and in a field outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. We pursued al Qaeda into Afghanistan, dislodged the Taliban and cornered Osama bin Laden at Tora Bora. We had al Qaeda on the run. We had the world united against terror and in favor of freedom and democracy.

But then the President switched his focus at a critical time. He dismissed the factors which had brought success in Afghanistan, a just cause, clear evidence, and a community of nations, and instead pursued his Iraqi adventure based on faulty intelligence and employing a strategy rejected by his own Army Chief of Staff and numerous other generals.

Thus, the President gave al Qaeda breathing room; he let them regroup, because he lost focus on the war on al Qaeda, to wage war on Iraq. Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, al Qaeda and the Taliban regrouped.

Iraq is not the central front in the war on al Qaeda. Iraq is a distraction from the war on al Qaeda. Each day we spend in Iraq is a day we are not working to bring the perpetrators of 9/11 to justice.

Whatever happened to Osama bin Laden? Why aren't we looking for him?

We have a direct connection to 9/11. The families of those who perished on 9/11 are still waiting for an answer.

This escalation is an appalling display of our weakness. We are sending only 21,000 combat troops to Iraq because, after stretching our military thin for 4 years, that is all the troops we have available at the moment.

The President cannot tell us what victory is or when he hopes to achieve it. What is really our goal in Iraq? What are we trying to achieve? And are we going to leave this mess for the next President?

Today, Iraq is consumed by civil war. Her neighbors, including our allies, Jordan, Kuwait and Turkey, are overwhelmed with refugees, and Iran is strengthened and emboldened. If that is not already destabilized, then the word truly has no meaning.

The occupation itself is what is destabilizing Iraq. The occupation is placing Americans on the killing fields. The occupation undermines American prestige and authority, and the occupation in Iraq makes it harder to defeat al Qaeda.

The military battle is over. Our only hope is to change course, to acknowledge the reality that we have lost the military struggle in Iraq. Only then can we reengage with a strategy to give us a political victory.

We must remove our forces and move forward with a political and diplomatic strategy to engage both our allies and our adversaries in the region. This will mean talking to Iran, not capitulating to Iran. Even at the height of the Cold War, Reagan was willing to talk to Moscow. Until we are willing to engage with Iran, our friends in the Middle East, who fear Iranian dominance as much as we do, will not believe we are serious about confronting the Iranian threats.

Last, and most appalling, is the desperation accusation that we are going to cut off funds for our troops. Simply not true.

This attack is especially galling when it has been a Republican Congress and a Republican President who, for 4 years, left our troops vulnerable, without proper equipment, without proper armor, and in an effort to fight this war on the cheap.

I will never vote to leave our troops without the support they need. But neither will I vote to continue down a path that is putting them at needless risk.

Vote for this bill.

Madam Speaker, in June of 2006, the Bush administration announced a new plan for securing Baghdad by increasing the presence of Iraq security forces. That plan failed.

In July, additional U.S. troops are moved in. By October, the Pentagon was admitting that the plan to secure Baghdad had failed. In the fall of 2005, the Bush administration increased troop levels by 22,000 around the time of the elections, and the escalation had little long-term impact on quelling sectarian violence.

The New York Times had a story by a young troop member in Baghdad yesterday. You need to read it, because it talked about how the snipers killed one of their buddies and how they went in to get his body out and to get his helmet, and the blood spilled down the clothing of the rescuers.

This is happening every day because we are fighting a war with an unknown enemy in the middle of sectarian violence. It must stop.

Madam Speaker, in past State of the Union addresses, the President has promised the American people that he will strengthen America's security. Unfortunately, his policies have made the world more dangerous and America less safe. Now he wants to escalate the war in Iraq, despite the overwhelming opposition of the American people and many of his own generals.

After years of insisting we ``stay the course'' in Iraq, the President has finally decided to make a change. Unfortunately, it is one that puts more Americans in danger and further compromises our security here at home. There is no doubt that the war in Iraq was the defining issue during last year's election. Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of a change in course, but not the one now proposed by President Bush.

Madam Speaker, tonight President Bush has a chance to show he has listened to the American people, his own generals, and Democratic and Republican Members of Congress.

Madam Speaker, today Democrats will bring forward the final piece of legislation in the Six for 06 for America, the Clean Energy Act of 2007. This bill is vital in assuring the American taxpayers that the government will close loopholes and end giveaways in the tax code for major oil companies.

In my work as Ranking Member on the Government Reform Subcommittee on Energy and Resources in the 109th Congress, I worked closely with my colleague Darrell Issa in investigating the overlooked but serious problems with the oil and gas royalty programs. The mismanagement of several of these leases potentially could cost America's taxpayers nearly twenty billion in royalties over the next 25 years because of errors in drafting the leases.

Had the leases been negotiated properly, it is estimated that the government would have collected an additional $700 million in royalties in 2005 alone. Do the math. These funds would allow one American family to fill their Dodge Caravan minivan over 12 million times, even with the high gas prices we are facing now.

Madam Speaker, our citizens should not pay for bureaucratic mistakes nor should they suffer the consequences of this administration not holding these companies accountable. H.R. 6 will be a start to fixing this and many other examples of government mismanagement in the energy sector.

Madam Speaker, it is time for us to promote energy legislation that will lead to positive outcomes for the economy and the environment while protecting taxpayers and consumers. H.R. 6 does this and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, this week Democrats will continue to meet the needs of the American people by introducing the legislation to cut student loans interest rates in half.

The cost of attending college continues to skyrocket, putting college out of reach for more and more students. Tuition and fees at public universities have increased by 41 percent after inflation since the 2000-2001 academic year, and fees at private universities have jumped 17 percent after inflation. Today, the typical student borrower graduates from college with $17,500 in debt. According to the Department of Education, the rising cost of higher education will prevent 4.4 million high school graduates from attending a 4-year college over the next decade.

Madam Speaker, more than ever the health of our economy rests on having a highly skilled and educated workforce. College access is key to America's future, and cutting student loan interest rates is key to making college more affordable to millions of Americans.

Thank you so much, Representative Waters, for allowing us this opportunity to express our feelings towards the escalation of the war, the war of choice, in Iraq.

I am adamantly against this expansion. I see it as another provocation. I see Iraq now being the spawning ground that attracts all those who hate America to come and kill Americans.

The President is asking for 21,500 more troops to go on the killing fields. We don't even know who the enemy is. We use the name insurgents. We don't even know the President's definition for victory. How do you measure victory?

I remember the day that a great many Members stood up saluting the fact that Iraq had a democratic election. Apparently, there is no faith in those that were elected to administer the country of Iraq because they are talking about America losing the war.

We were told by Rumsfeld that 368,000 Iraqis had been trained. Where are they? Do they run away in the heat of battle? There is a lot of mystery surrounding this whole debacle called the ``war against terrorism'' in Iraq.

I thought we were looking for Osama bin Laden. All of a sudden we switched over to a nation of 28 million people, to Saddam Hussein, who didn't like Osama bin Laden.

I really feel that we were misdirected, misguided and, really, bottom line, lied to. And I don't know if you knew this, but while the President was making his presentation last night on a new direction forward, U.S. forces entered the Iranian consulate in Iraq's Kurdish- dominated north and seized computers, documents, and other items. It was also reported that five staff members were taken into custody. This is during the time that the President was making his speech.

Now, what I fear is that when the President said the axis of evil, Iran and North Korea, one down, the second one to come, and the third one very soon.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to end with giving you this piece of information. What does that state? I understand right now that the United States has worked with the Iraqi Government to have a law where they will contract out their oil for the next 30 years and 75 percent of the proceeds will go to the contractors. Seventy-five percent. It is the major rip-off of all time.

Was that the real reason why we invaded without provocation into Iraq?