Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the upcoming Iraqi national elections on Saturday, January 30, and to congratulate the millions of brave Iraqi citizens who plan on voting in their first free election.

After suffering for decades under Saddam Hussein's brutal regime, the Iraqi people finally have an opportunity to form a representative government that truly reflects the will of the Iraqi nation. Despite ongoing pockets of violence in a few Iraqi cities, it is clear that millions of Iraqis will finally be able to shape their own futures by expressing and exercising their right to vote.

Mr. Speaker, this will truly be a national election that Iraq and the rest of the Middle East can and should be proud of. More than 14.3 million Iraqi citizens have registered to vote. More than 190 political parties will be on the ballot, encompassing almost 19,000 Iraqi citizens standing for election. Finally and most importantly, nearly 80 percent of Iraqis say that they will vote, even in the face of threatened violence from the terrorist insurgency.

Mr. Speaker, these are fantastic statistics.

Mr. Speaker, protecting our Nation is one of the most important duties that we have as Members of Congress. If we fail this, nothing else really matters.

The conference report does contain some useful provisions, but it is incomplete, making it inadequate and therefore unacceptable. The agreement with the Senate gave away so much, and it includes some major steps backwards from the House-passed version of the bill and from the strides that we have made since 9/11.

Specifically, the report ignores important suggestions made by the 9/ 11 Commission and by many Members of this Chamber regarding immigration and the use of illegal identification cards.

We need to have closed borders with open doors for those who follow the law. Our offices are flooded with people asking for assistance because they are trying to come here legally.

The version this House passed prohibited convicted terrorists from receiving Federal benefits, and yet the agreement before us here today fails to prevent this injustice. Remember, the taxpayers out there are going to be paying taxes and some terrorists are going to be getting some Federal benefits. That is just unacceptable.

It has been 3\1/4\ years since the terrorists used illegal identification to cross our borders and to attack Americans at home, and yet Congress still ignores meaningful immigration reform. We authorize some detention beds in here; but guess what, we did not fund them.

There have been so many immigration bills introduced since 9/11 that have died and had to be reintroduced again, only to die again. We are told that, oh, they will be taken care of next year. I sincerely hope that that is the case because this bill is a feel-good bill, absolutely. It is like buying a state-of-the-art alarm system, installing it in your house, never actually activating it and then you do not even bother locking your doors. Your home is not secure. Our Nation will not be any more secure under this. We need to secure our borders. That is a very important component that is simply missing from this bill.

I cannot support the bill in its current form and because it is so inadequate, because it does not address the very important immigration issue.

The problem with the conference report was that it ignored so many of the good immigration reform provisions that we had in the House bill. This bill is only part of what the 9/11 Commission recommended. I was a State senator. As my colleagues know, many of the terrorists came from Florida. We said the length of their driver's license expires when their visa expires. Guess what. This bill does not mandate it. So the 10 States that do not even have that provision, they are the States that the terrorists are going to go to. That is just plain wrong.

We do need to have uniformity in driver's licenses. We do need to make sure that the person applying for the driver's license, who has a visa, that the visa expiration date is the expiration date of the identification or the driver's license.

Mr. Speaker, one of the major issues that are of importance to the majority of my constituents is how well we treat the veterans. And it is very important to point out that in this bill there is $19.5 billion for medical services, $4.7 billion for medical administration, $3.7 billion for medical facilities, and $385 million for medical research. What does this mean? What it means is that we are taking good care of our veterans.

It is important, too, to remember that there are no increased fees as was originally proposed. What this means is something that is very important to veterans in not just my district but every single district.

There are other programs in here which are very well funded, such as the National Institutes of Health. They received a bump-up, and certainly we all know that they are working on very many diseases.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for the time.

I am very pleased to support Senate 2486, the Veterans Benefit Improvement Act of 2004, and I am glad we got it finished this year. I know that there was some question about whether or not we would have time to get this very important bill up, and I certainly commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the chairman, and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), the ranking member, for their efforts on behalf of veterans, along with all the members of the committee who are truly dedicated to America's heroes.

This bill includes an expansion of educational benefits for veterans and clarifies protections to servicemen and -women under the Servicemember Civil Relief Act, and it also improves the housing benefit available to veterans through the VA home loan.

It is the last provision of this bill that I would like to elaborate on as it is the product of a bipartisan collaboration between the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) and myself. Certainly, the chairman of the committee was very, very generous in working so hard on the bill and all the provisions of the bill, but this particular provision is one that will certainly impact our young men and women returning from Iraq.

Like so many other aspects of a soldier's life, many soldiers postpone homeownership until after they are out of the service. For these soldiers, as housing prices increase, the VA home loan value actually decreases in real terms.

The rising housing market erodes the purchasing power of the VA home loan. Depending on where the veteran lives, the current maximum of $240,000 is simply insufficient to meet their housing needs.

The bill, which encompasses a bill which the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) and I had worked on, which passed this House, indexes the maximum VA guarantee amount to 25 percent of the Freddie Mac conforming loan rate. The prevailing VA loan under this new change would be $333,700 in 2004, and it would continue to adjust as housing market needs increase.

We are all very proud of the young men and women who serve our Nation, past and present, and I am sure that the Members will agree that the value of their benefit should not vary depending on where they live or where they choose to purchase a home.

This legislation is very important and timely, and I urge my colleagues' support. I urge all the Members to support this.

Again, I commend my colleagues and especially the chairman for working so hard on this, what could very easily be called an omnibus, comprehensive bill to benefit our Nation's veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Billy ``Tiny'' Rutter for his service as a County Commissioner for Sumter County.

On behalf of the residents of Sumter County, I applaud Mr. Rutter for his years of dedication as a public servant. Since 1992, he has worked tirelessly to provide the residents of Sumter County with excellent leadership and vision. Tiny, as he is affectionately known, can without a doubt say he has raised the level of expectation for future County Commissioners. He not only made Sumter County his home; he made it better. His longtime presence on the board will be greatly missed.

Tiny Rutter is my friend, advisor and mentor. Even when we were from different political parties, he helped me to make inroads with the Sumter County residents. he was such a passionate ``Lobbyist'' for the needs of Sumter County that no one could decline his ever expanding list of funding requests for the County.

Tiny's devotion to the residents of Sumter County demonstrates the intensity of virtue and selflessness that a public official should aspire to attain. Sumter County is truly saddened by Mr. Rutter's departure; nevertheless, we are immensely grateful for all his years of commitment and hard work.

I wish Mr. Rutter the best in the future and hope he fully enjoys the pleasures of retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Robin Cox for his service as a County Commissioner for Sumter County.

Mr. Cox has served the residents of Sumter County with distinction and devotion since 1996. He has tirelessly worked to the fullest of his abilities to provide county residents with the best possible representation. He can without a doubt say that he has raised the level of service provided by the board. Robin's commitment and vision have made Sumter County a better place. We will all miss him greatly. I wish Robin the best in the future and hope that he succeeds in all his endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and praise an intrepid soldier dedicated to defending his country. Tim Antonson has dutifully served as an Army Ranger in numerous war zones around the world.

Tim Antonson was born in Robinsdale, Minnesota on April 3, 1979 and graduated from Springstead High School in Spring Hill, Florida. After graduation, Tim joined the National Guard and then attended Army Ranger School. Soon, he was commissioned to serve as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Kosovo. Tim's next mission was with the 10th Mountain Division Army infantry battalion to Iskandariyah, about 30 miles south of Baghdad.

During his service in Baghdad, Tim helped rebuild hospitals, reopen schools, and secure energy facilities. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroism in the face of hostile enemy forces. Tim has shown invaluable bravery and admirable selflessness in his mission to protect the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, Tim Antonson represents the future of our country and should be honored for his service and dedication. It is my privilege to represent Tim Antonson of the Fifth Congressional District, and I am proud to praise him on the floor of this House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Technician 5th Class Justice Lawson of the United States Army, a World War II veteran from Florida. His sister lives in Zephyrhills, Florida.

It is my pleasure to recognize Mr. Lawson for his heroism and bravery as a United States soldier who fought in the Second World War. He served in the 3rd Tank Battalion of the 10th Armored Division.

I presented Justice Lawson's sister with the Purple Heart, the oldest military decoration in the world.

In the Second World War an astounding 292,000 soldiers never came home. Their loss leaves a void in the hearts of families and in the soul of a generation. The heroism and dedication of these young men is what has made our military the greatest fighting force in the world. The courage they displayed during their service in World War II is exemplary of the American spirit. Their bravery will not be

forgotten as Americans and freedom loving people all over the world remain indebted to their service.

Though he earned this honor, Justice never received it from the Defense Department and I am pleased to have the opportunity to present to his family the Purple Heart for his selfless devotion to duty and service to the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Benny Strickland for his service as a County Commissioner of Sumter County in the Fifth Congressional District of Florida.

On behalf of the residents of Sumter County, I applaud Mr. Strickland for his years of dedication as a public servant. Since 1994, he has worked tirelessly to provide the residents of Sumter County with excellent leadership and vision. His presence on the board will be dearly missed. Benny's devotion to the residents of Sumter County is a testament to the virtue and selflessness that a public official should aspire to attain.

Sumter County is truly saddened by Mr. Strickland's departure; nevertheless, we are immensely grateful for all his years of commitment and hard work. I wish Mr. Strickland the best in the future and hope he enjoys the pleasures of retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Private First Class Harlow E. Kending for his valiant deeds during military service in World War II.

As a member of the Headquarters Battery, 448th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, Mr. Kending fought against the scourge of Nazism that threatened to overtake the globe. On November 23, 1944, while in Morhange, France, Mr. Kending's battery was attacked by enemy artillery. During this attack, an ammunition truck was struck and a fire ensued. Disregarding the impending dangers, Private Kending heroically took command of the situation, jumped into the nearest fuel truck, and drove it to a safer location. As the salvos rained down, Private Kending remained undaunted in evacuating the remaining vehicles and labored in the thick of battle until the fire was contained.

For his heroic actions, Mr. Kending was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. It is my pleasure to present to him these medals after nearly sixty years of waiting.

The heroism and dedication of Private First Class Harlow E. Kending is what makes our military the greatest fighting force in the world. The courage he displayed during his service in World War II is exemplary of the American spirit. Mr. Kending's bravery will not be forgotten as Americans and freedom loving people all over the world remain forever indebted to his service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues to recognize the Women in the Law forum being hosted by the Women's Caucus on October 6, 2004. At this forum, we honor the achievements of the first women Justices of the United States Supreme Court, the Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor and the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg, for their pioneering achievements and service to our nation as members of the highest court in the land.

Justice O'Connor was the 102nd Supreme Court Justice to be named to the bench and the first female member of the Court. A quietly determined woman who blazed new trails for her gender, Justice O'Connor is a role model for all Americans. She has left a thoughtful and enduring mark on American Jurisprudence, which has been molded through her wisdom and strong character.

Justice Ginsburg, the 107th Justice to serve on the Supreme Court and second woman Justice to be named to the bench, has advanced the development of our Nation's jurisprudence in order to make our society more equitable for both women and men. Justice Ginsburg brought with her a career of advocacy and experience which she effectively utilizes to empower Americans who have been historically disadvantaged.

Today, women owe their success in the legal profession, in part, to the groundbreaking actions of the women who came before us. Pioneers, such as Belva Lockwood and Susan B. Anthony, defied stereotypes and it is on their shoulders we stand today. Justices O'Connor and Ginsburg continue in this pioneering tradition as women in the law, distinguishing themselves with brilliant careers and exceptional legal minds.

It is an honor for the Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues to recognize Justices O'Connor and Ginsburg for their achievements.

On behalf of the Congressional Women's Caucus leadership, Representative Shelley Moore-Capito, Representative Louise M. Slaughter, Representative Hilda L. Solis, and every member of the Women's Caucus, I thank Justice O'Connor and Justice Ginsburg for their courage, fortitude, and perseverance. They both serve as inspirations to every woman in America.

Mr. Speaker, on October 4, I was detained in Florida due to a speaking engagement and as a result, missed three votes. I ask that my absence be excused and the Congressional Record show that had I been present:

For rollcall No. 487--the motion to suspend the rules and pass S. Con. Res. 76, I would have voted ``aye;'' for rollcall No. 488--the motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 1814, I would have voted ``yea,'' and for rollcall No. 489--the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 567, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support both for the rule and for the basic bill, H.R. 5212. Since the early weeks of August, Florida has been ravaged by an unprecedented four hurricanes. I represent northern Polk County, and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam) represents southern Polk County. He has some cities in his district that have been hit by all four storms, whether they came in from the east coast or the west coast. Those areas were the most hard hit. My constituents were harmed, too, but nowhere near the harm that occurred, certainly in the panhandle and in the area of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam).

Hurricanes Charley, Ivan, Frances, and Jeanne greeted the Sunshine State with a voracity and viciousness that has brought destruction and despair to nearly every resident. The aftermath of these storms has left Floridians very weary. Floridians face a very dire situation. There is much damage to be repaired and the road to normalcy seems long and tiring. We must answer the needs of Florida and other States hit by the hurricanes and provide the necessary relief. We should not forget our commitment to our constituents. Today, by voting for the rule and for H.R. 5212, Congress has that opportunity to bring a little light back to the Sunshine State.

This resolution provides for the assistance that these States, including

Florida, need. The Florida delegation and I have worked very closely to ensure that the trials and tribulations of Florida's residents are known by the rest of the Nation and that they are not forgotten in the bubble of the Beltway. Through a special order, my distinguished colleagues and I have worked to ensure that the needs of Florida are known and that residents' pleas for assistance are heard, respected, and, yes, answered.

In the early weeks after the initial hurricanes came ashore, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) certainly stepped forward, and we worked to provide a $2 billion supplemental appropriation. Once again, we are grateful to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) for this additional appropriation which will help to get on the road to recovery, not just for Florida but for other States affected by the hurricanes.

Mr. Speaker, the second amendment to the Constitution clearly prohibits the Federal Government from denying law-abiding citizens, let me underline that, law-abiding citizens the right to own and bear arms. Yet the residents in our Nation's capital are deprived of this right. Full-time and part-time residents like Members of Congress are actually denied the right to defend themselves. This is the very city that is the home to America's experiment in democracy. It deprives its citizens of one of our most basic and sacred rights.

D.C. is a prime example of the failure of radical gun-control policies. The city has one of the most restrictive gun-control policies in the country, and yet D.C. is infamous for its exorbitant amount of violent crime. The city has gun-control but not very much crime control.

Since 1976, the residents of our Nation's capital have been deprived of the right to bear arms, the right to protect their homes and the right not to be victimized. For 28 years, D.C. families have been held hostage. D.C. communities and homes are no longer safe. Unfortunately, they have become targets for theft and violent crimes. Regrettably, individuals on my D.C. staff who live here have suffered the effects of poor crime control. In addition to my staff, I have personally experienced situations where I have felt threatened in and around my D.C. residence. I believe that I should be able to defend myself against assault, theft and other violent crimes in D.C., the same as I am able to do in the State of Florida because I have a carry permit. And I also have had training. I believe that the answer is tougher laws against criminal activities.

H.R. 3193 ends the tyrannical reign of D.C.'s repressive gun-control laws and returns to law-abiding citizens the right to protect themselves.

I urge my colleagues to also support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, once again, Floridians were tested. This is the year that I decided to buy waterfront property, so I, too, was there. I, too, learned the fear of the very harsh winds that came, the wonder if everything was secured properly, only to wake up yesterday morning to find water in my first floor once again. What happens is neighbors come together. They help each other, and Floridians are resilient. They will again be rebuilding, rebuilding better, safer structures. But because we love our State and we love, certainly, the Sunshine State, and I predict that, come January or February, when the snow is high up here, that even us Floridians will look back upon this as just a time of test.

Whether it was Charley, Frances, Ivan or, this past weekend, Jeanne, we saw communities come together. We saw people helping each other. We might have lost our power. We might have lost some of our possessions and certainly our pride because we never could relate to what it meant to be homeless, but there are so many people who are now homeless as a result of this storm.

The simple things such as taking a nice warm shower, these amenities obviously were missing. The Red Cross as well as the Salvation Army moved in some shower units so that while people were waiting for the power to come back on, at least they could take a shower. They provided water, ice, food, and certainly comfort. Many of the churches also opened their doors to provide hot meals to people.

Floridians will survive this storm this past weekend as we survived the ones in the past. Neighbors are helping neighbors. Certainly the sheriffs' offices are to be commended. We have heroes out there, everyday people in the communities who are stepping forward to help individuals whose property may have been damaged by these storms. We need to remember these very brave people, whether they are firefighters, whether they are the road deputies, or whether they are the neighbor next door who comes forth with a chain saw and is willing to help somebody who has had a tree fall on their property. Floridians are a hearty group and certainly we need to commend them.

And I want to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley) for introducing this resolution.