Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 189 my card did not register for the second time. I voted ``aye'' but it did not register.

Amendment Offered by Mr. Flake

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, May 10, 2006, I voted for H. Res. 802 but unfortunately, the computer did not record my vote. I proudly support H. Res. 802, which encouraged all eligible Medicare beneficiaries who had not yet elected to enroll in the new Medicare Part D benefit to review the available options and to determine whether enrollment in a Medicare prescription drug plan best meets their current and future needs for prescription drug coverage. Please let the record show that had the computer recorded my vote, I would have voted in favor of the Resolution.

Almost 80 percent of the seniors in my district have signed up for the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. For the first time in history, seniors are saving up to 75 percent on their prescription drug costs, and constituents who are very happy with their plan repeatedly stop me. Most had a favorable experience when enrolling, and I hope that many others will join when the open enrollment begins again.

Mr. Chairman, I certainly want to commend the committee chairman, as well as the ranking minority member, for working on this very important bill.

Coming from Florida, I represent the highest number of veterans of any Member of Congress. We have worked very hard in the last few years that I have been here to make sure that veterans' needs are adequately funded. Obviously, this bill before us today has a record level of funding for veterans' needs.

The committee, for the first time, used the veterans service organizations' independent budget as kind of the baseline for the fiscal year 2007 funding. Obviously, the veterans groups want to make sure that every single need is met. This appropriation does do exactly that. The total funding is $2.6 billion above last year's level and $100 million below the President's request.

We are improving health care substantially, as well as opening up additional community-based outpatient clinics. The C-BOCs are very, very well received in each one of our districts and do meet the veterans' needs.

Obviously, we were able to again ward off the additional fees that were proposed in the administration's budget.

We want to make sure that we continue to be able to go home and tell our veterans that this Congress, the people on this side of the aisle, people on the other side of the aisle, recognize the need to make sure that our veterans, whether they are from World War II or whether they are coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan, that they are adequately cared for.

The bill also contains an additional $20 million over last year's level for veterans nursing homes, and I again want to commend the chairman of the committee.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I certainly support this amendment. As the map showed, there are so many areas in this country where we have very, very dangerous sites. And let me tell you what the Army Corps of Engineers is doing about it. It not only is distributing coloring books, but it is also distributing, and it has U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on here, they also are distributing Frisbees telling kids to recognize, retreat and report when they see these live ordnances. I don't think this is the way that we should treat our young people, our neighbors who may live near these sites.

In my district there was the Brooksville Gunnery Range, and it was used during World War II for military practice. Since the Range's closure in 1946, thousands of my constituents have moved into the area and/or on adjacent lands that have not yet been surveyed. Unfortunately, inspections have found rockets, mortars and grenades, putting my constituents at substantial risk.

As a matter of fact, in one location there was a live ordnance found underneath a child's trampoline. Let me repeat that. There was a live ordnance found underneath a child's trampoline.

While the Army Corps of Engineers has been working to remove unexploded ordnances from Brooksville Gunnery Range, they must do more. We have to expand the area of exploration to make sure that we find and detonate all of the ordnances.

Now Brooksville is just one of these sites within my district and one of the sites in the United States. Jurisdiction over cleanup at these sites falls under these two major accounts which were mentioned here today, one, the formerly used defense sites account, and the BRAC 1990 account. So we are postponing and not adequately funding the cleanup, but we are working on 1990 sites. 1946 this range was closed.

The committee certainly has been working with us, and they understand that this is a large nationwide issue and urges the Department of Defense to increase funding in future years.

How much longer do we have to wait? It has been 60 years since this particular site was closed.

Fifty million dollars will go toward Formerly Used Defense Sites account, and $27.5 million will go to the BRAC 1990 account.

In far too many cases, yesterday's military base is today's housing development. The last thing anyone wants to hear is that someone's child was seriously injured or killed while playing in his or her backyard, or as children often do, wandering through fields.

I don't think a Frisbee is the answer. I think that being responsive and actually making sure that we have adequate funds to clean up those sites is the necessary way to go.

Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Oregon.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in very strong support of the amendment that we have before us that was crafted by many of my colleagues from Florida, as well as friends on the other side of the aisle from California.

Obviously, because of the bipartisan stance that we have taken in Florida, it is very, very important to the State of Florida.

The Peterson language which is included in the Interior appropriations bill basically will have drilling within 3 miles of our shores. I can tell you that back in Florida, when we even talked about having drilling 25 miles from the shore, it was not at all popular.

I would be doing a disservice to my constituents if I didn't fight to keep the moratorium on drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf in place.

Many of you on both sides of the aisle have come up to me and said, you know, my mother or my grandmother or my dad lives in Florida. Many of them live in my district. I would ask you, pick up that phone, call your mom and dad and listen to what they have to say about how much they love Florida, and how much they love the beaches, and how much they want to make sure that we have a State that will continue to be number one in tourism.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a devout servant of the Catholic faith, Msgr. John A. Cippel of the St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Spring Hill, FL. Monsignor Cippel is retiring after more than 46 years as an ordained priest in the Catholic Church, the last 6 serving as monsignor at St. Frances Cabrini.

Msgr. John A. Cippel is the second pastor of St. Frances Cabrini Parish. Appointed in January 1996 by Bishop Robert Lynch to succeed the founding pastor, Father David Banks, Monsigor Cippel has served the parish with distinction for more than 10 years.

Ordained a priest on January 28, 1960, Father Cippel is an alumnus of St. Vincent Seminary, Latrobe, PA, and St. Louis seminary, Carthage, Tunisia. His first years of priesthood were spent as a missionary in Tanzania, East Africa.

Returning to the United States in 1973 to continue his studies at Andover Newton Theological School in Boston, Monsignor Cippel received the Degree of doctor of ministry from that institution in 1975.

Following his graduation, Monsignor Cippel moved to Florida to begin his ministry as a priest in the Diocese of St. Petersburg. His first assignments were associate pastor at St. Martha's Parish, Sarasota, St. Charles' Parish, Port Charlotte, and St. Mary's Parish, St. Petersburg. In addition to serving as pastor of St. Cecelia Parish, Clearwater from 1981 to 1990, Monsignor Cippel was also chosen as the spiritual director of St. Vincent de Paul Seminary, Boynton Beach, FL. He came to St. Frances Cabrini after completing a 5-year span at this seminary.

Mr. Speaker, over the years I have had the opportunity to see Monsignor Cippel interact on a personal and spiritual basis with his parishoners at St. Frances Cabrini. Most Thanksgivings I have been at the church working with the congregation and Monsignor Cippel to help prepare the Thanksgiving feast for those parishoners and all residents without family on the holiday.

Working alongside Monsignor Cippel I saw the compassion in his eyes and the dedication in his heart to serving those in need. For many years he has been a voice of reason in the Hernando County area and someone to whom the entire Catholic community looked up to for widsom and clarity of thought.

Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of Monsignor Cippel's retirement, I would like to commend him for his decades of work on behalf of the thousands of men and women whose lives he has touched and influenced. Monsignor Cippel has given so much to the men and women of Catholic faith and it is time that we say thank you to him as he leaves the St. Frances Parish.

Mr. Chairman, the deduction of State and local sales taxes is extremely important to my constituents and those in States that do not have an income tax.

Do you expect to present a bill to extend this crucial deduction soon?

Mr. Speaker, despite the fact of having a bit of laryngitis, I rise today on a very important issue. I want to commend the Senate for passing Senate 1086, the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Now that the Senate has joined the House in passing legislation to protect our children, I urge the appointment of a conference committee so that we can see this actually enacted into law this year.

Nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford lost her life at the hands of a convicted sex offender more than a year ago. This monster assaulted her, buried her in a plastic garbage bag, and killed her just across the street from her home and her family.

We cannot let one more minute go by without closing the loophole in the law that her tragic death revealed. I can't go back to my district and tell Jessica's father that Congress's schedule was too busy and that we will pass something into law next year. The time to act is now.

Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. First of all, I apologize. I have a little bit of laryngitis here, but I wanted to join you to express my support for the suburban agenda. You have done a great job, and I know I heard Dr. Price say that he goes home every weekend, as most of us do.

My district in Florida, the largest city I have is all of 21,000. I have a lot of suburban areas and areas that we call unincorporated areas, and the suburban agenda clearly is one that my constituents who are not city folk, maybe they used to be but they are not anymore, can really relate to. One of the concepts clearly is protecting our children. Whether it is a grandmother who lives in Florida or whether it is a young family that lives in Florida, they all want to make sure that children are protected.

February 23 marked the 1-year anniversary of Jessica Lunsford's death. Her dad, Mark, and her grandparents, Archie and Ruth Lunsford, live in Citrus County in my district. I actually lived less than 5 miles from Jessica at the time that she was murdered.

If she were still with us today, she would have been in the fifth grade, learning about decimals and fractions, the solar system and certainly American government. Instead, her life was taken by a sex offender who kidnapped, assaulted, and murdered her and then buried her in his backyard. This tragedy all of America grieved for.

The irony of it is that the perpetrator actually worked at her school. He was hired by a company that was doing some construction work at her school.

Congressman Porter introduced the School Safety Acquiring Faculty Excellence Act, which would permit school districts to access FBI criminal data before hiring new employees.

My bill, the Jessica Lunsford Act, requires offenders to wear ankle monitoring devices if they fail to report when they move from area to area. In addition to the current fines and jail time under the Jessica Lunsford Act, offenders would have to wear the GPS monitoring device for 5 years and predators for 10 years.

Probation officers right now are not provided with notification of a probationer's sex offender status from a previous crime. My legislation requires that that record be given to the probation officer. I am sure, Mr. Speaker,

that if the probation officer knew of this record that he never ever would have allowed the predator to work in that school.

We need to make sure that we have this information out there and available; and, certainly, protecting our children from those who would do them harm, those who really are the lowest of our society, is so very, very necessary; and I know that all of the members of the Suburban Caucus are very, very supportive of protecting our children.

Like Dr. Price and many of you all here tonight, I, too, go home every weekend. People are surprised to see me, but I tell them that I do not ever want to start thinking like the Beltway mentality up here. For that reason, I was delighted to participate and was a bit encouraged that the Senate passed a version of the bill that we passed here, actually that we passed to protect children. Whether there is a conference committee or whether it is just something that is worked out between the two chairmen of the Judiciary Committees, the Senate chairman and our chairman here, certainly remains to be seen. But let us make no mistake: we want to make sure that we protect our children.

I am so glad that you have included that issue in this suburban agenda. My hat is off to you, and I am sure that all of the suburban areas that we represent and yours will be very, very happy that we have taken these issues on.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Clay Shaw has introduced a bill called 401-kids. What it does is it gives young families the opportunity to save for college for the education expenses of their children tax-free. It is an awfully good idea and one that many, many people are looking forward to taking advantage of.

You know, when children are first born, you tend to think, Oh, it's going to be so long, but as those of us whose children have grown now, the time does fly by. So the best way to save, certainly whether it is a parent or a grandparent, is by using a system similar to that which many working people use, a 401(k) program.

Mr. Shaw's bill is one that allows you to set aside money tax-free so it can grow, so it can help to pay for the education of our children. And it is one that I have heard a lot of support for in my district. We want to make sure that not only parents, but grandparents also can participate in setting aside some money for the future education of the generation who will be in college 18 years from now, or sooner.

One of the things that I wanted to also comment on, if you would allow me, is if you put in the word ``gangs'' and your State into a search engine, it is absolutely astonishing. Coming from Florida, people may think that AARP is the only gang in town. I can assure you that it is not. When we put this information in, we got three-and-a- half pages of gangs that were listed. This is a problem for local law enforcement.

Yesterday, I actually spoke to a man whose son was killed by a gang in Pasco County. I assured him, and he hasn't heard anything from law enforcement, this happened within the last month, that law enforcement is not sitting by idly. Certainly they are involved with it, because it also goes over into the hate crimes area. And the sheriff and the FBI were all involved in this.

Unfortunately, these gangs have no morals, they have no respect for life, and they are taking the lives and terrorizing many, many communities. That is an area that the Suburban Caucus is also focusing on and one that is very, very long overdue.

As I say, if you put in your State and the word ``gangs,'' you would be absolutely amazed. Who would have thought that this would happen in Florida?

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an American soldier who gave his life in service to our Nation.

Marine Sergeant Lea Mills of Masaryktown, Florida was killed by a terrorist lED explosion last week while on patrol in Iraq. Sergeant Mills was 21 years old, and leaves behind a young wife and a grieving family.

Dedicated to serving his country, Sergeant Mills joined the Marines following his graduation from Hernando High School in 2002. Lea felt that the Marines would give him the best opportunity to serve his Nation on the front lines and make a difference in people's lives.

When I spoke to Sergeant Mills' father Rob, he told me that Lea was inspired to volunteer for the military after the September 11 attacks.

Not only did Sergeant Mills request to be sent to Iraq, but he also felt that it was his duty as a Marine and that it was the right thing to do for his country.

A dedicated soldier, Sergeant Mills understood what the Marines' mission was in Iraq. As his father Rob said to me, ``He believed very strongly in what he was doing.'' In fact, Lea had recently just re- upped for a second stint with the Marines.

Sergeant Mills leaves behind his wife Keesha Malicoate, his parents Dee and Rob Mills, and his brother Parker Mills.

Mr. Speaker, it is soldiers like Sergeant Lea Mills who have volunteered to protect the freedoms that all Americans hold dear.

While brave men and women like Lea have perished in the cause of freedom and liberty, his family, friends and loved ones should know that this Congress will never forget their sacrifice and commitment.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the bill before us, the SAFE Port Act.

As a Member from Florida, I am extremely conscious of our Nation's vulnerability in the area of port security. As a former New Yorker, I still am concerned about the ports there. I have several friends who worked for at that time just Customs, who had always expressed a concern about the security at the ports.

The SAFE Port Act certainly pushes us leaps and bounds beyond our current security system. We fund port of entry inspection offices, a port security grant program and port worker identification cards.

I was especially proud to contribute an amendment in committee that does require DHS to aggressively pursue new technology out there for screening within 1 year. Once that is there, the Secretary must work with foreign governments within 6 months to deploy such technology.

This amendment and the underlying bill does not falsely promise some fantastic pie in the sky technology. When the technology is in place, everyone wants to use it. Members of both sides of the aisle want to make sure that we do have it there.

In the meantime, it would be very imprudent to waste taxpayer dollars on an unproven technology. Instead, this bill does require the Department of Homeland Security to implement realistic technology to increase our overseas cargo screening. The bill is the starting line in the race that we are running faster than ever to secure America with realistic technology for real results.

I certainly want to thank Chairman King as well as Congressman Lungren

and Congresswoman Harman for the opportunity to work with them on this very significant legislation. I urge all Members to support the SAFE Port Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a World War II veteran and proud American patriot, James H. Witter of Homosassa, Florida. A Distinguished Flying Cross honoree, Mr. Witter unfortunately passed away earlier this year before he could receive his honor.

As all Americans are aware, the men and women who fought in World War II were truly deserving of the term, the ``Greatest Generation.'' James Witter was no exception to this brave and honorable group of individuals.

Serving in the European Theatre during World War II, Mr. Witter was part of a bombing run over Leipzig, Germany on February 20, 1944. Coming under fire from German

anti-aircraft guns, the ball turret gunner was hit and severely wounded.

Taking charge of the situation, Mr. Witter pulled the gunner, Victor Ray, out of his seat to examine the wound and administer first aid. Finding a severed artery, Mr. Witter knocked out Mr. Ray, closed off the artery with needle nose pliers and parachute cord and saved Mr. Ray's life. All this took place while under continued attack from German anti-aircraft guns.

Recommended at the time to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross, Mr. Witter went more than 60 years without seeing the results of his bravery that winter day high above Germany.

I am proud to present his Distinguished Flying Cross to his widow Evelyn Witter, who was his loving wife for many years. While Mr. Witter did not live to receive this great honor, his family will long remember his bravery and fortitude in battle and how he saved the life of gunner Victor Ray.

Mr. Speaker, true American heroes like James Witter should be honored for their service to our Nation and for their commitment and sacrifices in battle. Mr. Witter is truly one of America's Greatest Generation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule for H.R. 4954, the SAFE Port Act.

For too long we have been content with minimal upgrades to port security while vigorously bolstering our airports and borders. Do not get me wrong. These areas of security are vital, but so are our ports. As a Member from Florida, I am extremely conscious of the Nation's vulnerability in this area.

Florida has 14 ports, all of which are in desperate need of the grant funding that this bill provides for infrastructure, technology and security upgrades.

The SAFE Port Act pushes us leaps and bounds beyond our current security. We fund port of entry inspection offices, port security programs and port worker-identification systems.

I was especially proud to contribute an amendment in the Homeland Security Committee to move DHS toward advanced technology. I beg to differ with my colleagues on the opposite side of the aisle. This is not a study. As a matter of fact, the amendment requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to aggressively pursue new cargo screening technologies within 1 year. The Secretary must then work with foreign governments within 6 months to deploy such technology.

This amendment, and the underlying bill, does not falsely promise some fantastic pie-in-the-sky technology. Though the ICIS project of 100 percent screening in Hong Kong is promising, it is still too unproven that we would ever consider demanding immediate implementation of it. There are still density problems that exist. Cargo is being screened at some of the terminals, but no one is analyzing this data because of these problems prior to shipment. When the technology is in place, of course we will use it.

Every Member of this body on both sides of the aisle wants to make sure that our screening is adequate, more than adequate, that it is state-of-the-art. And when that technology is here, we certainly will use it.

In the meantime, I do not believe that we should waste taxpayer dollars on pie-in-the-sky promises. Instead, the bill requires DHS to implement realistic technology to increase our overseas cargo screening.

Our constituents require and deserve a secure America, and this bill pushes DHS further than ever to deliver that.

As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I am committed to never allowing DHS to become complacent. This bill is not the end of port security legislation. Rather, it is a good starting line for us to begin the race, running faster than ever to secure America with realistic technology and real results.

I certainly want to thank Chairman King as well as Congressman Lungren and Congresswoman Harman for the opportunity to work with them on this very significant legislation.

I urge all Members to vote in favor of the rule and, of course, the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much.

If this bill becomes law, let us speculate about exactly what will happen. What would elections and politics be like if the Federal Election Commission regulated 527s? Let us see. There might be some honesty. For example, candidates and elected officials would not be able to rely on partisan political groups like moveon.org to do their dirty work.

Let us see, they might be a lot cleaner because billions of dollars in soft money contributions would stop, and so would the false and misleading message campaigns that take place in various districts almost daily.

One of my colleagues said if they are aware of any misuse of the 527s in the political area, let me just state but one. The ACORN Group, which is a political front for a liberal 527 group called America Votes, has also been implicated in political escapades. A former ACORN worker admitted to deliberately throwing out Republican registration forms and paying gatherers only to collect Democrat registration forms in 2004. Actually, in at least one State this is being investigated.

Is this fairness? What about those who chose not to register in the Democrat Party? They may have been Republican; they may have decided to be an independent. Do they not have a right to have their registrations turned into the local election commissioner?

You know, allowing groups to hide behind faulty, arcane and outdated FEC and IRS rules is not an option. Congress must move forward and reform the laws that allow these 527s to spew their lies and fraudulent tactics on the American people. Regularly in my district, I get the 527 calls. My constituents are wise to the fact that this is an unregulated entity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Herb Swarzman, a leader in Florida's gulf coast community. This past weekend, Herb was honored by the Tampa Committee of AIPAC for his years of service to the organization and to Israel.

Since his first trip to Israel in 1978, Herb has been a tireless advocate for the Israeli people and the Israeli-American partnership. Herb has served as a liaison between leaders in the two governments, including working with Florida leaders like Representatives Michael Bilirakis and Senator Connie Mack.

I have gotten to personally know Herb and his lovely wife Joyce over the years, and I can tell you that Herb is a great credit to our community.

In addition to his work strengthening ties between America and Israel, Herb has taken a leadership role serving his fellow Florida citizens. Whether it is helping to raise funds for the Retired Enlisted Association, Dartmouth's alumni association or getting involved in local veterans' advocacy organizations, Herb's energy and commitment to the region is unmatched.

Herb has also established himself as a leader in Israeli-American relations over the past 30 years. He currently serves as chairman of the AIPAC Tampa Bay Committee, a member of the AIPAC Executive Committee, chairman of the Florida Institute, and a board member and executive committee member of the Tampa Jewish Federation.

Mr. Speaker, it is because of Herb's dedication to the Israeli- American partnership that he was honored by the Tampa Committee for AIPAC. Herb is not just a dedicated family man, but also a proud and productive American and a walking tribute to the Israeli spirit and to AIPAC's goal of education.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 609, the College Access Opportunity Act. I would like to thank our majority leader and former chairman, as well as the current chairman, Mr. McKeon, for their extensive work on this legislation.

I am very pleased that within the underlying legislation is the reauthorization of the TRIO program which reaches out to motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

This inclusion is especially important to my constituents in the Fifth District of Florida because the bill ensures that veterans are eligible to participate in TRIO programs and services. The Fifth District is home to approximately 110,000 veterans, and as their representative, it is a top priority of mine to see that they receive the assistance that they need.

The Upward Bound program within TRIO extended its scope in 1972 with the creation of the Veterans Upward Bound program. This is aimed at providing educational and support services to enable veterans to transition to a post-secondary education. It also addresses the fact that most of our veterans have different education and life experiences than do secondary-school-aged Upward Bound participants.

The percentage of the veteran population that has not completed high school has dropped from 33 percent to 12 percent in the last 30 years as a result of a number of Federal initiatives. The bill we have before us today will ensure that this trend continues to help not only veterans, but also so many students from modest backgrounds, obtain a higher education.

I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this very important piece of legislation.