Edward L. Schrock

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me time.

I rise today in support of H.R. 1308, the Working Family Tax Relief Act. We must act today to preserve the relief plan that has created record-breaking economic growth and has spurred the creation of over 1.7 million jobs alone in the last year. Failure to act today will result in 93 million Americans and their families paying on average $565 more on their taxes next year.

As my colleagues heard the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw) say, many of these families will be our military families, with a parent fighting somewhere in the global war on terror. Our military families are paying Uncle Sam enough just with their honorable service, and we should do everything we can to allow them to keep more of their hard- earned money.

This tax extension has important economic impacts for all of our military families. This bill provides an additional $199 million of assistance to military families in combat zones, and my colleagues heard the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw) say this bill increases the child credit for military families by allowing them to include tax-free combat pay when calculating their refundable child credit.

He also said, and as we heard the chairman say, this bill increases the earned income credit for military families in 2004 and 2005 by giving them the option to include combat pay in calculating that tax credit.

Congress must pass this bill and help extend tax relief to our very important military families.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Jamestown 400th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act.

In December 1606 over 100 explorers left England in the spirit of exploration and discovery. They finally reached land on April 26, 1607 at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. These explorers landed in Virginia Beach, Virginia at a spot they named ``Cape Henry.''

Upon setting foot on solid ground, George Percy proclaimed, ``fair meadows and goodly tall trees, with such fresh waters running through the woods as I was almost ravished at the sight thereof.'' The Second District of Virginia is still home to these fresh waters and tall trees that the settlers were so relieved to see.

After resting here for 3 days and erecting a cross, at the instruction of Captain Newport, the settlers continued their journey up the James River to eventually find a home at Jamestown. Today, a cross still stands on this historic beach in Fort Story in Virginia Beach, commemorating this landing and memorializing the end of one journey but the beginning of another.

The first months in their new home proved to be an invariable struggle but by 1607 they had created the first permanent English settlement in the new world, Jamestown. Their will to survive coupled with help from their neighbors, the Virginia Indians, facilitated the Jamestown settlers in their quest to start a new life.

The 400th anniversary of the settlement of Jamestown will be celebration for all of Virginia. Rich in history, the Commonwealth of Virginia has always offered many opportunities for its residents and visitors alike to explore the wealth of history that helped shape our great nation. The 400th Anniversary Jamestown Commemorative Coin will benefit both Jamestown and the entire Commonwealth of Virginia by reaffirming our dedication to the preservation of history. This coin will help Virginia share this rich history with the rest of America and let us all celebrate this terrific anniversary.

I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia, Mrs. Davis, for her work on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3277, the Marine Corps 230th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act.

As a representative of one of the largest military constituencies in the Nation and as the chairman of the House Navy and Marine Corps Caucus, I am proud to support this bill.

This is about memorializing the heritage of the United States Marine Corps, both in silver, and through the financial support that this will bring to funding the Marine Corps Heritage Center, which will allow us to preserve the over 200 years of brave service to our country that the Marine Corps has rendered.

The Marine Corps fought during America's first war on terror, when then President Thomas Jefferson launched a war against the Barbary pirates, who for nearly 200 years had terrorized shipping in the Caribbean, raiding ships, and forcing American merchant sailors into slavery until ransom was paid for their release.

Like today, the actions of these terrorists were openly supported by foreign nations who had no respect for law. Like today, few other countries in the world were willing to stand up and fight.

Many European nations calculated that paying tribute to the Barbary pirates to leave their merchant ships alone gave them an edge over young countries like the United States in commercial trade.

As part of Jefferson's war on the Barbary pirates, in 1805, a brave force of U.S. Marines crossed over 600 miles of West African desert and successfully assaulted the Barbary pirate harbor fortress at Derna, on the shores of Tripoli.

Following this victory, these Marines were the first U.S. forces to hoist the flag of the United States over territory in the Old World.

This early success of the Marines struck a blow for the forces of lawful nations against the terrorism of their day, and contributed to a change in the policy of European nations paying tribute, eventually bringing an end to the terrorism of the Barbary Coast nations.

This heritage is what we are commemorating with the passage of this bill. It is the same heritage that we will be preserving through the Marine Corps Heritage Center.