Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, July 27 marks a historic day.

On this date in 1953, the United States signed an armistice with China and North Korea. This agreement ended the hostilities of the Korean War. Unfortunately, most Americans forget this date.

Sandwiched between the second World War and Vietnam, the Korean War can easily be overshadowed. This is a tragedy. Thousands of American soldiers gave their lives in defense of freedom halfway around the world.

As Members of Congress, we have an obligation to ensure that their memory does not fade into obscurity.

On this day, I ask that all Americans take a moment to remember the enormous sacrifices made by our soldiers during the Korean War.

I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our nation's Korean War veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rich and Wendy Nugent and their three sons, Ryan, Kyle, and Casey. The Nugent family is being honored by the Disabled American Veterans of Brooksville, Florida for their outstanding service and commitment to the military.

Rich and Wendy Nugent moved from Chicago to Hernando County, Florida in 1984. After receiving their respective degrees in public administration and education, rich joined the police force and Wendy joined the Hernando County school system. Both immediately excelled in their careers, yet remained dedicated to their sons' activites and their family values. Rich and Wendy have continued to be very involved in their sons' lives. All parents understand the difficutly in balancing time between work and family and greatly respect and admire Rich and Wendy for their active commitment and devotion to raising their children.

In 2004, Rich and Wendy's oldest son, Ryan, 25, graduated from West Point Army Academy with a degree in Information Systems Engineering. He has since returned from his service in Korea where he served in the 4th Brigade, 73rd Cavalry, and 82nd Airborne. After earning rank as 1st Lieutenant at pre-Ranger school in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, Ryan is currently a lieutenant in the Army taking Ranger courses.

Kyle, 19, graduated from Springstead High School in 2005 with a four- year Army ROTC scholarship to the University of Tampa, where he is currently a sophomore studying Criminology. Having served as commander of the Civil Air Patrol and Chief of Operations for the Air Force ROTC, Kyle has decided to continue his involvement with the military in Tampa. Kyle was also the former captain of Springstead's swim and track team, and was named Athlete of the Year prior to his graduation. Kyle's success in athletics has led him to an esteemed position as the coxswain on the four-man and eight-man rowing team at the University of Tampa.

In 2006, Casey, 18, also graduated from Springstead High School where he served as commander of the Color Guard of the Air Force ROTC and Corps Commander. Following in both of his brothers' footsteps, Casey was captain of Springstead's swim team and active in the Civil Air Patrol. He entered West Point Academy on June, 26 and I am very proud and honored to have sponsored his nomination.

With their excellent guidance and active involvement in Ryan, Kyle, and Casey's lives, Rich and Wendy Nugent have raised three very well- rounded and mature young men. In today's society, it is a joy to see a family dedicated to such high family values and committed to serving their country.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to honor the Nugents, as they truly exemplify what our Nation stands for. Rich and Wendy are admirable parents who deserve recognition for demonstrating the importance of American values and service. Ryan, Kyle, and Casey have become extraordinary young men who are proud and eager to ``be all they can be.'' I would like to thank the Nugents for their exceptional dedication to the United States, and I wish Ryan, Kyle, and Casey the best of luck in their future endeavors. I know they will succeed on whatever path they wish to embark upon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished veteran and true friend to the men and women who served in our armed forces. Ken Wrinkle, a man who I have known and worked with for many years, passed away just last week. Beloved by those whose lives he touched, Ken's memory will live on with the veterans of Hernando County, FL.

Born in Pontiac, MI, in 1950, Ken and his family moved to Miami, FL, in 1952. Following his high school graduation and time spent in college, Ken enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1969.

A Vietnam combat veteran, Ken was awarded the Purple Heart and the Combat Action Ribbon for wounds received in battle. Evacuated to the United States, Ken recovered from his injuries and received a medical discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps.

Continuing his studies at Michigan State University, Ken graduated from college in 1974. While in pursuit of his degree, Ken met and married his wife Linda. Following graduation, Ken volunteered to re- enter the U.S. Marines Corps through the Officer Candidate Program and was commissioned an Infantry Lieutenant. Ken went on to successfully complete 20 years of service, retiring as a Major on January 1, 1993.

Eventually settling with his family in Spring Hill, FL, in May 1993, Ken, a disabled veteran, was named the Hernando County Veterans Services Officer and Director. Following 12 years of distinguished service to the veteran community, illness forced him to retire in July 2005.

As Director of Veterans' Services, Ken was able to accomplish several of his goals for the region, including starting a network to provide transportation for veterans to the Tampa VA hospital. He also supported the VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Brooksville, a facility that today serves over 23,000 veterans annually.

Ken is survived by his wife of 33 years, Linda, a teacher at Powell Middle School, and his son, John, a U.S. Air Force veteran currently attending college.

Mr. Speaker, the volunteer spirit of men like Ken Wrinkle shines through in the legacy he has left behind in Hernando County. Unfortunately, one less star will be shining in our local veteran community. From now on, area veterans must look up to the heavens to see Ken's light shining down on them from above. I speak for many when I say that Ken Wrinkle will be sorely missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4472, the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.

Finally, we have a bill passed by both this body and the Senate for the President to sign. Finally, Mark Lunsford has a legacy for his daughter Jessica of a guardian angel keeping children safe by closing dangerous loopholes in our law. Finally, the family and friends of Adam Walsh, Carlie Brucia, Sarah Lunde, and so many others can sleep a little better at night knowing we are helping to protect America's precious children.

My heart is still broken for the loss of Jessica Lunsford and all the joys in life that she will miss. At least she will be in a better place where no one can ever harm her again.

Mr. Speaker, certainly Chairman Sensenbrenner, who worked tirelessly on this bill, deserves a great deal of credit.

Back when I first heard about Jessica's disappearance, I knew that we could not sit back and do nothing. For instance, the probation officer for Jessica's alleged killer, John Couey, never knew that he was a convicted sex offender. I introduced a bill, and Chairman Sensenbrenner was kind enough to include it in this comprehensive bill, that fixes that.

The alleged perpetrator also did not have a current address on file with law enforcement, as he should have. This bill demands more frequent updates and checks. It also provides some grant mechanisms to be sure that the localities can pay for this additional registration. The bill empowers States to do just as Florida has done and use GPS monitoring devices to track offenders.

I know in my heart that these changes will genuinely help equip our law enforcement to better protect the most innocent in our society, our children.

My good friend Congressman Mark Foley has said numerous times that previously we tracked library books better than we tracked sex offenders. Thankfully, that will be no more.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4472, Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.

Finally, we have a bill passed by both this body and the Senate for the President to sign.

Finally, Mark Lunsford has a legacy for his daughter Jessica of a guardian angel, keeping children safe by closing dangerous loopholes in the law.

Finally, the family and friends of Adam Walsh, Carlie Brucia, Sarah Lunde, and so many others can sleep a little better at night, knowing we are helping to protect America's precious children.

My heart is still broken for the loss of little Jessica Lunsford and for all the joys in life that she will miss.

At least she is in a better place, where no one can ever harm her again.

Mr. Speaker, I am awed and humbled to have worked on this legislation with Chairman Sensenbrenner, who has worked tirelessly to pass this bill.

When I heard about the manor of Jessica's disappearance, I knew I could not sit back while there were many changes I could make to fix the law.

For instance, the probation officer for Jessica's alleged killer, John Couey, never knew he was a convicted sex offender. This bill fixes that.

Couey did not keep a current address on file with law enforcement as he should have. This bill demands more frequent updates and checks.

And we didn't have any method of tracking sex offenders after release from prison, though they have such high rates of recidivism. This bill empowers states to do as Florida has done and use GPS monitoring devices to track offenders.

I know in my heart that these changes will genuinely help equip law enforcement to protect the most innocent in our society--our children.

My good friend, Congressman Mark Foley, has said numerous times that we track library books better than we track sex offenders. Well, no more.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill and send it to the President for his signature.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise the House for having passed H.R. 4472.

This is a very bittersweet moment for me. Passage of the bill should bring a sense of accomplishment, but as I think of little Jessica Lunsford, only tears come to my eyes.

Today, she would be doing her summer reading, going to the movies with friends, and enjoying the last few weeks of summer before school begins. Instead, a perverted criminal assaulted, murdered and then buried her in his backyard and robbed her of those moments.

He could do that because law enforcement and parents did not have the tools that they needed at the time to protect children. With the passage of the Children's Safety and Violent Crime Act, they will.

I cannot imagine the suffering and total terror she must have felt at the hands of so vile a monster, and Congress cannot afford to wait one day longer for this bill to become law.

I certainly look forward to the signing ceremony at the White House so parents will know that their children are much better protected because the laws are stronger against sexual offenders and predators.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Emanuel Turner from Hernando County, Florida, who is retiring from the military after twenty-five years of service to our country.

Mr. Turner was born in Jackson, Mississippi on July 3, 1957 to Emanuel Turner Sr. and Marie Ellis. After graduating with a Bachelor's Degree from Jackson State University in June, 1981, Mr. Turner met and married Jarry Dean. Soon thereafter, he joined the Army to support his wife and later their two children, Emanuel III and Courtney Marie.

During his active duty in the United States Army from 1981 to 2006, Mr. Turner was stationed in several different locations around the country including Germany, Kentucky, Texas, Kuwait, Hawaii, Michigan, and Georgia. These frequent relocations could not have been easy for Mr. Turner or his family, and his willingness to remain dedicated to this country is commendable.

Serving with the 25th Infantry Division, the 3rd Infantry Division, and the Personnel Service Detachment, Mr. Turner participated admirably in Operation Restore Democracy, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Desert Storm. His involvement in these missions shows his commitment to the United States and our fight to advance the cause of freedom.

Also during his service, Mr. Turner met and married his current wife, Flora Nathan of Brooksville, Florida. They now reside in Hernando County with their three step-children and four grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of Mr. Turner's retirement, I would like to thank him for his service to this country and the sacrifices he has made on behalf of the American people. Without his service our Nation would not be as strong as it is today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a mother, as a Member of this body, and certainly as a concerned citizen who fears that the untapped potential of stem cell research may be falling by the wayside.

I was disheartened to learn that the President did veto H.R. 810 today because it passed the House by a very significant majority. It is because of my strong respect for and commitment to life that I supported this bill last year.

A sad fact of life is that many of our loved ones suffer from debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes and Parkinson's. But embryonic stem cell research holds promise to cure these illnesses. A visit to the Miami Project, where they are trying to find a cure for paralysis, certainly would convince anyone of the need for this research. They have shown very promising progress.

The bill brings forth hope from embryos that would otherwise be discarded, thrown in the trash. These are embryos that can be used for good and for substantial medical research.

Overriding the veto today will provide promise of hope and promise to millions of Americans suffering from diseases and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of life by voting ``yes'' to override the President's veto.

Mr. Speaker, the conflict between Hezbollah, the infamous Lebanese-based terrorist group, and Israel is nothing new.

But over the weekend Hezbollah has upped the ante. They have kidnapped Israeli soldiers and launched countless rocket attacks against Israeli civilians.

With the support of Iran and Syria, Hezbollah is heavily armed and ready for an all-out war.

Obviously, this issue is not new. In 1990 the peace treaty that ended the hostilities in Lebanon called on the Lebanese Government to deploy its army along the border with Israel. This has not been done.

In 2004, the United Nations called on Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah. Once again, this has not been done.

With this in mind, Israel not only has the right to defend itself against terrorist acts; it has the responsibility to do so. Allowing Hezbollah to terrorize Israel without fear of reprisal would be tantamount to appeasement.

Throughout history, this strategy has repeatedly proven itself a failure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Thomas R. Merrill of Groveland, Florida. Recognized as the longest serving police chief in the Nation, Chief Merrill was honored at the Florida Peace Officers Association awards ceremony as the first- ever recipient of their Distinguished Service Award.

For the past 37 years, Chief Merrill has served as Groveland's chief of police and has proved to be an inspiration to his community and area residents. In addition to his high morals and integrity, Chief Merrill's long tenure has demonstrated his great dedication and commitment to his profession, as well as to the city of Groveland.

Born and raised in Umatilla, FL, Chief Merrill joined the military after graduating from college, serving in the U.S. Air Force from 1959 to 1963 as a nuclear weapons specialist. Chief Merrill later became an officer with the Eustis Police Department, where he remained for 3 years. After taking a brief leave of absence from the force to spend time with his family, Chief Merrill soon thereafter accepted the position as Groveland's police chief. He has been there ever since, serving Groveland with pride and seeing the city through many changes.

After raising his children in Groveland, Chief Merrill is committed to keeping his community safe for future generations. He has enjoyed watching the police department and the city grow during his tenure, and with greater expansion likely for the future, Chief Merrill has no plans to retire anytime soon.

Mr. Speaker, Chief Merrill's career shows that loyalty and dedication to one's community can indeed bring success and accomplishment. I congratulate him on being the first recipient of the Distinguished Service Award and commend him on his commitment and devotion to his career and to Groveland.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill H.R. 4075, the Marine Mammals Protection Act, legislation that protects a true wonder of nature, the Florida manatee.

Living in Florida's streams, swamps, and rivers, manatees are beloved throughout my district and especially in Citrus County.

The Marine Mammals Protection Act provides new and increased protections for the manatees from fishermen and from wildlife loss.

Chairman Richard Pombo deserves credit for bringing this bill up for a vote and helping to protect one of Florida's most precious natural resources.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation will provide grants and protections to help ensure that Florida's sea cows will be around for my grandchildren, my great grandchildren, and everyone to enjoy years into the future.

There actually is a preserve in my area where the manatees, once they are injured, can go for treatment, and it is a wonderful, wonderful resource. Thankfully, the manatee has come back from being endangered.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Pastor Emery King's 28th anniversary serving at the Faith Baptist Church in Webster, Florida. I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to him for a job well done.

When Pastor King first came to the church, his commitment to God and to his parishioners shone through immediately. It was clear even from the first months of his tenure that he had a unique commitment to the faith and to the men and women with whom he worshipped. Over the years Pastor King has been blessed to have a church that has grown and prospered under his leadership and service.

Having spoken to many of the men and women that he has counseled and worshiped with over the past 28 years, I know that Pastor King's dedication to the Lord and to the scripture has served as an inspiration to thousands throughout the Sumter County community. His ministry has touched the hearts of many, and the Faith Baptist Church is a stronger institution because of his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, Pastor Emery King's length of service to the Faith Baptist Church of Webster is only matched by his commitment to the

Lord and to the men and women who rely on his counsel and wisdom. Pastor King is a shining example of the good that serving Jesus Christ can bring to our friends and families.

I wish Pastor King the best of luck and joy as he embarks on what will hopefully be the next 28 years of service to God and to his church.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman very much for yielding this time. I rise today in support of this amendment, which I am cosponsoring along with my good friend and colleague Congressman King.

Bilingual ballot requirements were not in the original Voting Rights Act. As a matter of fact, they were only added in 1975, and were always intended to be a temporary crutch, not a permanent mandate. And that mandate, by the way, is an unfunded mandate.

Now, many of us came from backgrounds in the State legislature and/or local governments, and what was the one thing we complained the most about? Unfunded Federal mandates. This, ladies and gentlemen, is an unfunded Federal mandate.

To become a citizen today you must demonstrate that you can speak English. These requirements have encouraged new immigrants to learn our language and become part of our society. We must return to this tradition to reunite our society and erase the divide between new citizens and those with two, three, and more generations in this great Nation.

Certainly, if you were a citizen living in Mexico and you wanted to participate in the latest Mexican election and English was the language that you spoke, I guarantee you that the recent Mexican elections did not have English ballots for those who only spoke English.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a local homebuilder who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to meet the needs of his fellow citizens.

Hailing from Land O'Lakes, FL, Doug Tripp is actively involved in local efforts to help residents of Pasco County achieve their dream of homeownership. As a volunteer for the Habitat for Humanity chapter of central Pasco County for a number of years and currently serving as the organization's president, Doug has also personally provided thousands of dollars toward the group's efforts.

In addition to donating plots of land so that habitat affiliates can build new homes, Doug also contributes countless hours of work on job sites alongside the Habitat partner families. His financial assistance to other needy people in our community has helped others build the home of their dreams.

A Generous supporter of all Pasco County residents' needs, Doug's dedication to the families living in the area also includes volunteering for Big Brothers Big Sisters and several youth athletic organizations.

As a local business leader, Doug founded tripp trademark homes in 2001, building more than 200 homes a year and providing more than 100 people with quality jobs. Doug and his wife Holly have a daughter Loren and two sons, Jake and Zack.

Mr. Speaker, Doug Tripp's success in business has driven him to give back to the Pasco County community. As a volunteer and generous contributor to help other people in need, Pasco County is richer for Doug's involvement and his tireless support of families needing a home.

I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding me some time.

I come to the floor this evening to speak out against the Senate's amnesty plan because, let's be honest, that is really what it is.

Since the Senate decided to forego sensible, I am repeating, sensible border security and grant a sweeping amnesty program to illegal immigrants, everyday citizens have had to virtually consider taking matters into their own hands.

Some of my constituents have actually been sending bricks, and why they are sending bricks to us is to send a message to finish the wall, to build the wall so that we have a secure border. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what our constituents want. Obviously, if they feel so compelled to be sending these bricks to Members of Congress, they feel very strongly about it.

Mr. Speaker, our borders are hemorrhaging with Americans looking on daily in disgust at the Senate's bill and wondering what is going on here in Washington. Instead of tougher border security that Judge Carter has said should be an absolute first step, and enforcing current laws, our constituents saw the Senate granting a free pass to law breakers.

The Senate bill is fundamentally unfair as it applies only to those who broke our laws instead of those who applied legally to come to our country. The Senate bill should be called the ``No Illegal Alien Left Behind Act,'' because it gives aliens, for example, in-state tuition rates at colleges, and it prohibits local law enforcement from working in cooperation with border patrol to make sure that our borders are secure and that illegal aliens are apprehended.

The bill in the Senate also counts time illegally in our country toward the 10 years, or 40 quarters, that a person must work to be in the Social Security system.

That is just wrong. They were here working illegally.

Even their attempt to get it right is kind of wimpy. They cited English as the ``common and unifying language'' instead of making it the official language that we all know that it is. The Senate also says that they want a fence, but their language provides one that is too small to really do any good.

Further, in the Senate bill, it would allow 217 million new immigrants over the next 20 years. That is two-thirds of our current population. That is just not an acceptable public policy.

When I was back home over the break, I believe it was during Memorial Day, a young man asked for an appointment. And, Judge, I am sure that when people ask for an appointment, they usually want something, they want us to support something. And I always meet with people who want to meet with me who feel that compelled that they want to spend the time to give me their opinions.

And this young man was from Bosnia. And like every Member of Congress, we have people whom we will never forget, who truly touch our hearts. He was 17 years old when we went into Bosnia, and he went over to the American consulate, and he asked for the ability to come to this country as a political prisoner. And he told me a story, that he loves America so much, he actually has applied to become a naturalized citizen. And, of course, I am thinking, Okay, this is where he asks me for something.

He did not ask me for anything. He put in his application in 2001 in August. He knew that they were only up to February. But his comment was so poignant, he said, I did everything right. I didn't come here illegally. I came here under political asylum. I applied for the right to be a citizen in your great country, to be a naturalized citizen in your great country. And he said, What really worries me is that we are going to let all of these other people in line, people who came here illegally. People who truly do not love our country.

And his comment, I just will absolutely never forget. His comment was so poignant and he was so passionate. He said, As everyone here, we don't object to their applying to come to this country, but let them do it legally. Do not let it be a back-door pass to get in the front of the line to become a citizen.

I am sure that every Member of Congress's caseload is very similar to mine. You have upwards of probably 200 immigration cases, 200, 300 immigration cases, that every single office is trying to help. These are people who came here legally. These are people who are trying to stay here legally and/or to bring over some of their relatives. And to count time illegally in our country towards Social Security is something that our forefathers must be turning over in their grave, Judge. I can only assume that.

So with the bill that the Senate passes, I am so pleased that Americans can differentiate between the Senate giveaway bill and the House bill that says we need to secure our borders first. When I am back in the district, I tell my constituents, I do not believe government can multitask. I do not believe that we can do both. I think we need to secure our borders and then look at some sort of a guest worker program that really works.

Certainly, like every Member of Congress, I have businesses in my district who are using immigrant labor. Hopefully, they are legal immigrants, but we want to have a guest worker program that truly works. But first and primarily, we must secure our borders.

I do not think that my constituents are any different than the gentleman from Texas's constituents. Actually, they probably feel even more passionately about it.

I was recently down at the border in El Paso and spoke to some sheriffs there who say, No, secure border, finish the fence. Where we were, there actually was a fence, but they are concerned about all the other areas on the border where there are no fences. And most of the sheriffs along the southern border have joined together and are working cooperatively with our Border Patrol. And that is a good thing. That is a very good thing. Under the Senate bill, they would be prohibited from doing that.

That is not what we want. If we ask our citizens back home what they really believe we should do, they want the borders secured.

I was over in my office, and I heard the good judge talking about the fact that other than Mexicans are coming over. So this obviously is not just an issue of border security and immigration. It is a national security issue. Keeping our borders secure is so important. If you do not know who is coming

and going across those borders, that is where a danger to our country, to our security, actually exists.

Those of us who are parents know that you do not reward bad behavior. I am just not certain that that is the slogan in the Senate, because it appears as if they are rewarding bad behavior. You break the law, you come here, you stay here, we do not know anything about your criminal background, and we are going to reward you. That just is not in the American tradition of fairness. That is not what our citizens want. If the Senate bill only benefits those who came here illegally, overstayed their visa or violated their visa terms, that is not what our citizens want.

Do we really want these law-breakers as new citizens of our great Nation? Should we cave to law-breakers who take to our streets waving other countries' flags and demanding rights?

Mr. Speaker, I am not opposed to legal immigration in any way, shape, or form. As a matter of fact, everyone here, their ancestors were immigrants. I have certainly come to respect the process that people go through to become Americans. Obviously, we in Florida, in particular, have a lot of immigrants who came here from a very dictatorial country, Cuba, and these people are some of the most passionate people about the rights of citizenship in America and how the illegals should go through the process legally. They want to make sure that their neighbor, the person who may be driving their children on a school bus, that they have had some sort of a background check. They are angry at people who kind of sneak in the back door and that those people might get preference to those patiently waiting in line.

And you know what? They are right to be angry. Toying with mass amnesty is a slap in the face to those who are fighting to keep our borders secure. If Congress condones the crime of crossing our borders illegally, then what have we been fighting for? If we do not mean what we say and illegal entry is okay, why even have immigration laws at all?

The Senate bill is kind of like some fashionable religions that think that the Ten Commandments are just suggestions because they totally ignore the fact that these people have broken the law. So many of us in this House believe that the key to our homeland security is border security; and I cannot agree with and I cannot support the Senate plan that pits border security against a free-for-all amnesty plan. We do not have the resources to hold back the tide of illegal immigrants, and promising amnesty will only bring millions more rushing to our shores.

The gentleman from Texas and I worked and spoke very favorably about the bill that we passed in this House, H.R. 4437. And it is a good bill that secures our borders. It is a bill that sends a very strong message that we are not going to tolerate illegal aliens, and one that does not give away citizenship like free candy.

When I started receiving these bricks, I initially wrote back to my constituents suggesting that they send them over to the Senate. But I am afraid that once the Senate passed that bill, they will not be sending them. They might be throwing them.

Judge Carter, I appreciate the opportunity that you have given me this evening to join you in discussing the differences between the Senate and the House plan.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of legislation that could protect innocent children across our great Nation. H.R. 5319, the Deleting Online Predators Act, introduced by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), gives parents, teachers and school officials new tools in their effort to protect our children from online sexual predators.

Just this week back in my district in Tavares, Florida, prosecutors are picking a jury to try the case of John Couey, the man accused of raping and killing 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford.

Sexual predators like John Couey not only stalk our children on the playground and at the mall, but also over the Internet on Web sites like MySpace.com.

I commend the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) for bringing attention to these Internet predators and thank the Energy and Commerce Committee for holding hearings on this bill.